World’s largest cruise ship forced to change route as Hurricane Beryl rages

The world’s largest cruise ship is one of several that has had to change plans to avoid Hurricane Beryl.

The Category 4 storm has wreaked havoc in parts of the Caribbean, killing at least 7 people, according to the Associated Press, and forcing the Icon of the Seas to alter its schedule.

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Shipping line Royal Caribbean, which owns the vessel, sent an email to passengers on June 29, seen by Cruise Blog, which said the Icon of the Seas’ schedule had been modified “to provide (passengers) with the most enjoyable sailing” because they were expecting “high waves and strong winds.”

Stops in the Caribbean at Philipsburg in St. Maarten and Charlotte Amalie in St. Thomas were swapped with Cozumel and Costa Maya in Mexico.

The company wrote: “While it’s not the originally planned itinerary, we know you’ll have a memorable time!

“We’re terribly sorry for the last-minute change by the weather – your safety is our top priority.

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“Please know, being onboard is one of the safest places because we are faster and can move out of the way of any inclement weather.”

Chief Meteorologist of Royal Caribbean Group Craig Setzter wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “The deep tropical Atlantic is very much alive very early in the season, and unfortunately is likely a harbinger of things to come this summer & fall.”

Icon of the Seas is 1,197 feet long, with 20 decks and is able to host a staggering 7,600 passengers.

It is the newest vessel in Royal Caribbean’s fleet, snagging titles from previous Royal Caribbean stars like Wonder of the Seas.

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Icon of the Seas, which entered service on January 27, boasts 40 restaurants, bars and lounges and has its own onboard water park—which all cost about $2 billion to build.

Tickets range from an average of $1,946 to $2,318 per person, depending on how many days the cruise is for and what time of the year it departs.

According to the Royal Caribbean Blog’s discussion forum, Wonder of the Seas also changed its route, substituting stops at Cozumel, off the east coast of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, and Nassau, in the Bahamas, for visits to Roatán and Costa Maya.

Newsweek has contacted Royal Caribbean, via email, for comment.

Other cruise ships that have made adjustments in light of the storm, according to Cruise Blog, include the Norwegian Jade, the Norwegian Breakaway, the Celebrity Beyond, the Carnival Liberty and the Carnival Horizon.

Update 4/7/2024 8:52 a.m. ET: This story was updated with additional information.