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A cruise scheduled to sail to the sunny Bahamas this week took a turn north for the worse when it was rerouted to cold Canada.
More than 5,000 passengers boarded Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas in New Jersey on Oct. 18, awaiting a seven-day cruise to Florida and the Bahamas. But forecasts of stormy weather off the East Coast prompted the cruise line to change its itinerary, sending the ship north to Halifax, Nova Scotia, according to reports.
The ship stopped in Halifax for approximately 24 hours, giving passengers time to explore the coast, shop and take harbor walks. He left Wednesday evening and is expected to return to New Jersey on Sunday after three days at sea.
OUTRAGED CRUISE PASSENGERS SPEAK OF “HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT” AFTER BRUDE CANCELLATION
The company announced the itinerary change the day before the ship was due to depart, according to reports, giving passengers little time to adjust.
Royal Caribbean has replaced the Oasis of the Seas’ planned stops in Florida and the Bahamas with a stop in Halifax after forecasts of stormy weather off the East Coast. (iStock)
“My husband said to me, ‘This is a joke, right?'” New Jersey resident Marie Durning told CTV News. “I have my winter hat and my earmuffs, but I forgot my scarf,” she said, adding that she had to scramble to repack her luggage.
Daytime temperatures hovered between 40 and 50 degrees this week in Halifax, with nighttime temperatures in the 30s, according to weather reports.
ANGRY CRUISE PASSENGERS SAY FRUSTRATIVE PROBLEM SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISCLOSED BEFORE BOOKING
For some, the surprise destination was an opportunity to make the most of an unknown city.
“I’m grateful and I’m going to make the best of it,” Jim Matthews, who lives near Paterson, New Jersey, told the outlet. “And I discovered that Halifax is a beautiful city.”
Passengers (not pictured) had only a few hours’ notice before their Bahamas-bound cruise was rerouted to Nova Scotia. (iStock)
But not everyone agreed.
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“I’m already from Canada and I wanted to go to the Bahamas,” Nicholas Meli, who drove seven hours with his family from Toronto to New Jersey to board, told CTV News.
Online, commenters on Reddit’s r/canada thread expressed sympathy for the passengers, but also shared affection for Halifax.
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One commenter called it their favorite Canadian city to visit, but said they’d be “disappointed” to end up there expecting a beach vacation in the Bahamas.
Halifax was the cruise’s only port stop, giving passengers approximately 24 hours on land before three days at sea. (iStock)
Another summed up the change more bluntly, writing: “Halifax is beautiful, but it’s not the Bahamas.” »
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PEOPLE reported that passengers received a 50% travel voucher and refunds for shore excursions.
According to its website, weather and other circumstances may cause Royal Caribbean to change or replace ports, and it is not necessarily required to refund fares or provide compensation.
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Fox News Digital has contacted Royal Caribbean for comment.
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