Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas has been delayed returning to the New York–New Jersey area, with the ship now expected to dock at Cape Liberty Cruise Port on Tuesday, January 27, 2026 instead of its originally scheduled arrival.
According to multiple reports from passengers onboard, Odyssey of the Seas’ delay is due to the winter storm impacting much of the Northeast.
The ship’s captain informed guests that a combination of strong winds and rough sea conditions made it unsafe to maintain the original arrival schedule, prompting the delayed return to Cape Liberty.
The delay will also impact the ship’s next sailing, which will now depart one day late on January 27, 2026 from Cape Liberty. Two ports of call have been dropped from the Caribbean sailing, including San Juan, Puerto Rico and Charolette Amalie, St. Thomas. Odyssey of the Seas’ next itinerary is still scheduled to return to Cape Liberty as planned on February 7, 2026.
According to CruiseMapper, Odyssey of the Seas is currently positioned well offshore in the western Atlantic, east of the U.S. East Coast, rather than continuing directly toward Cape Liberty.
The ship’s current route shows that Odyssey of the Seas initially headed north toward the New York–New Jersey area, but then altered course and turned back southeast. Instead of maintaining a straight approach toward New York Harbor, the vessel is now sailing farther out to sea, away from the coastline.
The course change suggests the ship is avoiding worsening weather conditions closer to the coast. By remaining offshore, the vessel is able to navigate more manageable sea conditions while awaiting improved weather and safer docking conditions near Cape Liberty.
Odyssey of the Seas’ impacted itineraries
Odyssey of the Seas’ current sailing was scheduled to complete an extended Southern Caribbean cruise on January 26, 2026.
The 11-night Southern Caribbean cruise departed from Cape Liberty, New Jersey on January 15, 2026, for the round-trip cruise. Odyssey of the Seas visited Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Castries, St. Lucia; Bridgetown, Barbados; and Basseterre, St. Kitts during the sailing.
The delayed arrival directly impacts the ship’s next scheduled voyage, which was meant to depart on Monday, January 26, 2026 from Cape Liberty, New Jersey.
Royal Caribbean has confirmed that Odyssey of the Seas will now depart Cape Liberty one day later than originally scheduled due to a major winter storm impacting the U.S. East Coast. The ship is now set to sail on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, instead of Monday, as weather conditions and port operations recover.
As a result of the delayed departure, the ship’s planned calls to San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas have been canceled. The revised itinerary replaces those ports with additional sea days before the ship resumes its Southern Caribbean route.
Under the updated schedule, Odyssey of the Seas will visit St. John’s, Antigua; Bridgetown, Barbados; Castries, St. Lucia; and Philipsburg, St. Maarten, before returning to Cape Liberty on February 7, 2026.
Royal Caribbean stated the delay was made to prioritize safety amid strong winds, rough seas, and ongoing disruptions to land-based travel and port operations in the New York–New Jersey region.
To compensate guests, the cruise line is providing a refund equivalent to one day of cruise fare, issued as onboard credit and refunded to the original form of payment if unused. Guests will also be reimbursed for non-refundable, pre-purchased travel expenses, such as hotels, train tickets, or rental cars.
Impacted guests will be reimbursed for airline change fees of up to $200 per guest for domestic flights and up to $400 per guest for international flights, as well as hotel costs of up to $250 per stateroom for one night.
Severe weather conditions impacting the region
Odyssey of the Seas’ delay comes as a powerful winter storm system moves through the Northeast, bringing a combination of heavy snow, strong winds, and hazardous marine conditions to the New York–New Jersey region.
The storm, unofficially named Winter Storm Fern by weather analysts, has pushed across much of the country, from the South and Midwest into the Northeast. Winter Storm Fern has left widespread snow, ice, and dangerous conditions across the country.
Authorities have issued winter storm warnings for large portions of the Tri-State region, including New York City and New Jersey, where heavy snow has already fallen and is expected to persist into Monday. Snow totals in some areas of the Northeast are forecast to reach 6 to 12 inches or more, with sleet and freezing rain also possible as the system moves through.
Forecasters warned in advance that the storm could cause widespread travel disruptions. Systems of this magnitude can also create unsafe docking conditions and slow vessel transit, particularly for ships approaching ports in the New York–New Jersey area.
Cruise lines routinely adjust schedules during severe weather to prioritize passenger and crew safety, as well as safe port operations. Royal Caribbean is expected to communicate directly with impacted guests as conditions improve and port activity resumes.
Candid Cruise and Travel will update this article as more information becomes available.
About Odyssey of the Seas
Odyssey of the Seas is a Quantum Ultra Class cruise ship operated by Royal Caribbean International.
The ship is one of the newer vessels in Royal Caribbean’s fleet. Odyssey of the Seas debuted in 2021 and is among the cruise line’s most technologically advanced vessels, featuring attractions such as the SeaPlex activity complex, North Star observation capsule, and RipCord by iFLY skydiving simulator.
Seasonally homeported at Cape Liberty in Bayonne, New Jersey, Odyssey of the Seas offers longer Southern and Eastern Caribbean itineraries that allow guests to sail to the Caribbean directly from the New York–New Jersey region, particularly during the winter months.
The ship has a passenger capacity of more than 4,000 guests and is known for blending extended itineraries with the modern amenities typically found on newer, resort-style cruise ships.
