What happens if a cruise line changes its itinerary or ship?

Imagine that the Caribbean cruise you were looking forward to suddenly becomes a trip to Canada and New England. Or that the ship you booked isn’t the one you’ll actually be sailing on.

It’s uncommon, but it’s possible for a cruise line to make changes to your cruise after you’ve booked or even after you’ve sailed. That’s why it’s so important to be flexible when you’re a passenger.

In this article, I’ll explain what happens when a cruise line changes itineraries or moves ships to new destinations, what you’re entitled to if changes are made, and some steps you can take to protect your reservation.

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My cruise line changed my itinerary

Why it might happen

There are many reasons why a cruise itinerary might change. These include adverse weather conditions that force a vessel to avoid hazardous conditions, medical emergencies that require your vessel to divert to the nearest port of call, port closures, mechanical issues with the vessel, scheduling conflicts, and a host of other causes.

What to expect if this happens

Because itinerary changes often involve time, money, and a major logistical and customer service nightmare, cruise lines will do everything they can to avoid making changes on a whim. If major changes are necessary due to anticipated events, they are usually made well in advance, allowing passengers to change their plans if they wish.

In such cases, passengers can expect to receive notification through their travel agency or through correspondence (likely email) from the cruise line.

In cases where last minute changes are necessary, passengers will be notified via one of the methods mentioned above or via public announcements or letters in the cabin if the departure is already in progress.

Itinerary changes can range from minor to major. In the case of minor changes, you may see ports from your original itinerary appear in a different order. You may also see a port skipped and replaced with another port or a day of sailing.

In the most extreme cases, especially those involving tropical storms during hurricane season, I have seen entire regions demolished and replaced with something else. For example, a trip to Canada and New England could replace one that had been planned to visit the Caribbean.

What am I owed?

Under the terms of the cruise contract you agree to before sailing, cruise lines do not owe you compensation if they change your itinerary. If changes are made, you will be refunded any shore excursions booked through the cruise line that were scheduled to take place in the ports you are skipping. (Check directly with your tour provider if you booked a third-party excursion.)

In most cases, you will also be refunded any taxes and fees charged by the missed ports. However, if alternate ports are substituted, you may not get your money back.

Cruise lines sometimes offer compensation as a gesture of goodwill, but you shouldn’t expect it. I’ve seen it range from a small amount of onboard credit or partial credits for future cruises to full refunds and, in extreme cases, full refunds plus free future cruises.

If the itinerary change is significant and is announced prior to departure, the cruise line may offer booked passengers the opportunity to cancel or reschedule their cruise without incurring the usual penalties.

My cruise line changed my ship

Why it might happen

As with itinerary changes, ship changes can be made for a variety of reasons. However, they are most common when a cruise line releases new deployments for its ships, causing many of them to relocate to new home ports or regions.

A vessel may also need to be exchanged when routine dry dock maintenance is scheduled or if serious mechanical failures occur which prevent it from sailing safely or at a speed which will allow it to regularly complete its scheduled itineraries.

What to expect if this happens

Cruise lines do not take hardware changes lightly and will avoid them when possible. Because the reasons for ship changes are generally more widespread, sometimes causing a wave across the fleet, they are rarer than itinerary changes.

Because dry docks and repositionings are almost always planned events, passengers usually get plenty of advance notice. If this happens to you, your travel agent or cruise line should let you know.

Once a cruise begins, there are almost never any changes in vessel unless there is a serious mechanical problem or some form of evacuation is necessary.

What am I owed?

While some cruise lines may owe you compensation if a ship is changed due to a mechanical failure attributable to the cruise line, it is unlikely that you will be compensated for a ship change prior to the scheduled departure.

Again, cruise lines may decide to compensate passengers in various ways, from onboard credit to free cruises, but this should not be expected.

Whether you get anything for your troubles depends on several factors, including how far in advance the changes were made, the reasons for the changes, and the ship your reservation is being moved to. (For example, if you booked on the company’s newest ship and suddenly find yourself on the company’s oldest, the company is more likely to offer you something to make up for the lack of onboard amenities you originally paid for.)

How can I protect my booking?

Stay informed

For starters, it’s a good idea to book your cruise through a travel agent. The agent will act as a point of contact between you and the cruise line if something goes wrong during your trip. The agent can advocate for you so you don’t have to deal with the headache alone, and they can relay information from the cruise line if changes are made to your ship or the places you’ll be visiting.

The best way to know what your options are when booking a cruise is to read the fine print. These are in your cruise contract, which you can access during online check-in before your cruise. It’s boring, but the contract outlines your rights and the conditions under which you’re owed a refund from your cruise line if there are changes to your booked trip.

Another great source of information is your cruise line’s cancellation policy. The rules about what happens when a cruise line cancels a cruise are often different than those that apply if you, the passenger, choose to cancel. Familiarizing yourself with both will help you better understand your options and rights.

Consider travel insurance

Travel insurance is another way to protect your vacation investment. I recommend a policy purchased from a third party (not the cruise line) that includes cancel for any reason, trip interruption, and trip cancellation coverage.

If your cruise line changes something about your sailing and you no longer want to go, a “cancel for any reason” travel insurance policy can help you recover any costs that cannot be fully reimbursed by your cruise line when you cancel. A regular insurance policy would not cover the costs of a trip you choose to cancel because you don’t like the ship or the itinerary changes.

However, most insurance plans can help you get a full or partial refund of what you paid if changes to your sailing cause delays.

Please note that if you want them covered, you will also need to insure other travel arrangements related to your trip, such as pre- or post-cruise flights and hotel stays.

Bottom line

The best approach to any cruise is to know that, while unlikely, anything can change at any time and you will generally not be compensated.

If you have a particular destination in mind, it is best to plan a land trip to that location. Also, be sure to understand the cancellation policies and fine print for the cruise you are booking and any third-party excursions you are booking in case your sailing is changed.

Above all, try to make the most of your sailing, whether it’s what you expected or something a little different. Remember: you’re still on a cruise.

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