Guests aboard Symphony of the Seas are stranded in New York after a powerful nor’easter forced the ship to remain docked at Cape Liberty (Bayonne, New Jersey) for multiple days.
The weather system, which brought strong winds and rough seas along the U.S. East Coast, ultimately caused Royal Caribbean to cancel all but one port on the 7-night sailing.
Originally, guests had been asked to arrive at the Cape Liberty port earlier than scheduled in an effort to depart ahead of the approaching storm. However, worsening weather conditions ultimately forced the port to close, delaying Symphony of the Seas’ departure until Tuesday morning.
Symphony of the Seas was scheduled to begin its 7-night Bahamas “Perfect Day” cruise on October 12, 2025, sailing roundtrip from Cape Liberty. The original itinerary included stops at Port Canaveral (Orlando), Nassau, Bahamas, and Perfect Day at CocoCay before returning to New Jersey on October 19, 2025.
However, the strong nor’easter moving up the East Coast over the weekend created unsafe conditions for ships to enter and leave the port.
According to Royal Caribbean’s letter to guests onboard, the line’s Chief Meteorologist, Craig Setzer, and the ship’s captain have been closely monitoring the low-pressure system impacting the East Coast.
Due to unsafe sea conditions and the closure of the Port of New York and New Jersey, Symphony of the Seas was unable to depart on schedule.
“Even with our best efforts and constant communications with the port pilots, the Port of Cape Liberty will remain closed today,” the letter explained.
The port is expected to reopen on Tuesday morning, meaning guests onboard spent the first few days of their cruise docked in New Jersey rather than at sea. Royal Caribbean allowed guests to disembark the ship during the storm, meaning they could explore New York City if they wanted.
Revised itinerary includes two additional days in New York
As a result of the delayed departure, Symphony of the Seas will now skip both Port Canaveral and Nassau. The revised plan includes just one port of call to Perfect Day at CocoCay before returning to New Jersey.
Guests received an onboard letter confirming the changes and noting that the situation remains fluid depending on weather conditions in the Atlantic.
Other ships departing from the New York area, including MSC Meraviglia and Norwegian Getaway, have also been impacted by the same storm system. These ships have also experienced delayed departures and adjusted itineraries while the nor’easter continues to bring rough seas and high winds to the region.
Compensation for Symphony of the Seas’ itinerary changes
While disappointing for many cruisers, Royal Caribbean is providing onboard compensation for the disruption.
Royal Caribbean offered 50% off all drinks for the day while the ship remained docked. Passengers with the Deluxe Beverage Package were issued a $35 nonrefundable onboard credit.
Guests will also receive a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) equal to two days of their cruise fare as compensation for the shortened itinerary. According to the letter, these FCCs can be used on any Royal Caribbean sailing booked by October 12, 2026, for sailings departing before November 3, 2025.
Additionally, guests who had booked Royal Caribbean shore excursions for Port Canaveral or Nassau will automatically receive refunds to their onboard accounts. Any remaining refundable balances at the end of the cruise will be returned to the original payment method within 14 business days.
