Pier Issue forces another itinerary change for Symphony of the Seas

With the largest cruise pier in San Juan, Puerto Rico still unable to welcome an Oasis class ship, we have now confirmed another Symphony of the Seas journey dramatically changed from the originally planned itinerary.

The affected cruise departs January 12, 2025, a 7-night Eastern Caribbean vacation from Miami. The ship was originally scheduled to visit Perfect Day in CocoCay, San Juan and St. Maarten.

Instead, Symphony of the Seas will be heading in the opposite direction, the same type of changes that have been made on several Eastern Caribbean sailings in the past few weeks.

“Due to ongoing construction at the pier in San Juan, the Port Authority has notified us that the port will not be ready in time for our visit,” the email message read. “We understand how important each destination is to your vacation, so we’ve worked hard to find the best alternatives for you.”

The ship will still make its scheduled call to Perfect day at CocoCay in the Bahamas on Monday, January 13, and the next day will still be a full day at sea.

Wednesday, January 15 will now be a visit to Labadee, Haiti, rather than San Juan, Puerto Rico – 400 miles further west than the original itinerary, on a different island and in a different country.

After Labadee, Symphony of the Seas will go to Jamaica and visit Falmouth on Thursday, January 16, the day originally scheduled for Philipsburg, St. Maarten.

The last two days of the voyage are days at sea, the same as the original itinerary, with the ship returning to Miami on Sunday, January 19.

Booked passengers may well be disappointed by the itinerary change, especially exchanging the richness and history of a destination like Puerto Rico for the much more limited, private destination of Labadee. While there are some good opportunities in Labadeethe two ports are radically different and offer very different experiences.

Additionally, some travelers may be concerned that the US State Department has listed Haiti as “Level 4: Do not travel” advisory due to kidnapping, sexual assault, robbery and more.

For several months, Royal Caribbean had suspended visits to Labadee because of these concerns. The cruise line resumed visits in October, albeit with limited options for travelers. The Dragon’s Tail Roller Coaster, beach relaxation and a small artisan village are among other options.

So many itinerary changes

Symphony of the Seas has had several Eastern Caribbean routes altered in similar ways over the past few months as repair work continues at Pier 3 in San Juan. That particular pier is the only one that can host the massive ship, which measures 1,187 feet long.

Also read: What are the different Oasis class cruise ships?

The pier was apparently damaged in April 2024 by an MSC Cruises vessel, and while repairs are underway, inspections by the US Coast Guard (USCG) are required before cruise ships can resume use of the pier.

“San Juan Port’s Pier-3 West remains closed to cruise ships until further notice pending requested satisfactory assessment surveys followed by a Coast Guard on-site inspection of the facility,” The USCG explained in November.

So far, the ship has continued diversion affected sailings to Labadee and Jamaicaoccasionally with Nassau as an additional port of call if possible.

While travelers may be frustrated to have their itinerary changed just weeks – or even days – before departure, it’s clear that the cruise line tries to maintain the original schedule if at all possible.

With circumstances beyond Royal Caribbean’s control, guests should remain patient and hopeful for their upcoming Eastern Caribbean cruises, but prepare for the possibility that additional itineraries will also be altered.