Propulsion Issue Leads to Itinerary Changes on Radiance Of The Seas: Incident on 24 April 2024

On 24 April 2024, the Radiance Of The Seas, operated by Royal Caribbean International, encountered a propulsion issue during its repositioning voyage from Los Angeles to Vancouver. A technical fault in one of the ship's Azipod units resulted in reduced maximum speed and forced the cancellation of scheduled port calls in Astoria, Oregon, and Victoria, British Columbia.

The vessel continued to Vancouver where extended docking was required to complete repairs. Royal Caribbean offered comprehensive compensation to affected passengers, including 50% cruise fare refunds in onboard credit and full reimbursement for pre-paid shore excursions at the cancelled ports.

The propulsion fault was identified during the journey from Los Angeles to Vancouver on 24 April 2024. Despite attempts to rectify the issue while the vessel was underway, the technical difficulties persisted and necessitated the cancellation of port calls in Astoria and Victoria. The reduced maximum speed impacted the ship's ability to maintain its original schedule, and extended docking in Vancouver became necessary to complete repairs.

Impact

• Passengers onboard during the repositioning voyage and those booked on the subsequent Alaska itinerary were affected by the itinerary modifications and cancellations.

Fatalities

• None reported.

Injuries

• None reported.

Rescued

• No rescue operation required; vessel remained operational and proceeded to Vancouver under reduced speed.

Royal Caribbean implemented comprehensive compensation measures for affected passengers. All passengers on the affected voyages received a 50% refund of their cruise fare in onboard credit and full refunds for pre-paid shore excursions at the cancelled ports. The operator also offered future cruise credits, complimentary services, and assistance with travel adjustments. The last-minute cancellation of the next scheduled voyage was announced to mitigate further disruptions, with additional compensation packages provided to those passengers.

The Radiance Of The Seas completed repairs in Vancouver and returned to service. The 7-day Alaska itinerary was modified to exclude Juneau and Hubbard Glacier, with additional days added in Vancouver to accommodate the repair schedule.