Storm Forces Star of the Seas to Ditch Eastern Caribbean for Western Route

Royal Caribbean’s brand-new Star of the Seas is already getting a taste of hurricane season life. Just weeks after joining the fleet, the ship has had to scrap her Eastern Caribbean plans for the September 28, 2025 sailing and head west instead — all thanks to a developing storm system that’s expected to become Tropical Storm Imelda.

From East to West: The New Plan

Guests originally booked this sailing expecting visits to CocoCay, St. Thomas, and St. Kitts. But with a tropical system building near the Bahamas, the captain and Royal Caribbean’s chief meteorologist decided it was best to reroute to safer waters.

The new Western Caribbean itinerary looks like this:

• Sunday, Sept 28 – Depart Port Canaveral

• Monday – Day at sea

• Tuesday – Costa Maya (9 a.m. – 7 p.m.)

• Wednesday – Roatán (8 a.m. – 5 p.m.)

• Thursday – Cozumel (8 a.m. – 8 p.m.)

• Friday – Day at sea

• Saturday – Day at sea

• Sunday, Oct 5 – Return to Port Canaveral

One thing missing? A visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay. With Wonder of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas already booked for the island on the likely rescheduling day, there simply wasn’t room for another Icon-class ship.

Goodbye (for Now) to St. Kitts

The itinerary change also means Star of the Seas won’t be making her inaugural visit to St. Kitts this week. That milestone has been pushed back to the October 19 sailing, with the ship now set to call on St. Kitts on October 23, 2025 — weather permitting.

Inaugural port visits are always a big deal, often featuring local celebrations, special ceremonies, and lots of fanfare. While it’s a shame for guests on this sailing to miss out, the island will still get its Star welcome — just a little later than planned.

What This Means for Guests

• Tours & excursions booked for canceled ports will be automatically refunded.

• Guests can book new excursions for Costa Maya, Roatán, or Cozumel via the Royal app or at the Shore Excursions Desk.

• Onboard, there will still be plenty of inaugural-season fun — from special events to commemorative merch celebrating Star of the Seas’ first few months of service.

Every Cruise Thing’s Take 🌊

This is a reminder that hurricane season cruising always comes with a dose of unpredictability. While it’s disappointing to lose CocoCay and St. Kitts, Royal Caribbean did the right thing prioritizing safety. Honestly, though — a Western Caribbean run with Roatán and Cozumel isn’t a bad backup plan!

👉 If you were booked on this sailing, would you be disappointed to miss CocoCay and St. Kitts, or happy to get some bonus Western Caribbean ports instead?