Royal Caribbean Drops Jamaica Calls After Hurricane Melissa

Royal Caribbean is removing Jamaica from select Caribbean itineraries and substituting other ports as the country continues repairs after Hurricane Melissa damaged cruise facilities.

Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica on October 28, 2025, as a Category 5 storm. The National Hurricane Center reported sustained winds reaching 185 miles per hour, with severe impacts to infrastructure across the island, including areas tied to cruise tourism.

Royal Caribbean reroutes sailings as Jamaica port recovery continues

Royal Caribbean said guests booked on affected sailings have been notified by email, and the line is shifting calls to other ports when possible, including substitutions in the Dominican Republic. In its guest communications, the cruise line cited its “ongoing itinerary planning process” and noted that changes can be required by factors such as weather impacts, port scheduling, and berthing agreements.

Among the adjustments shared with passengers are changes affecting two Oasis Class sailings in November:

• Symphony of the Seas: The November 16, 2025 departure from Miami is no longer scheduled to call at Falmouth, Jamaica, and will instead visit Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, on the same day originally planned for Jamaica.
• Oasis of the Seas: The November 23, 2025 departure from Fort Lauderdale replaces its planned call at Falmouth with a visit to Cabo Rojo, Dominican Republic, on the day that would have been spent in Jamaica.

Royal Caribbean has also referenced additional itinerary changes involving ships including Icon of the Seas, as cruise lines continue routing around Jamaica while port areas recover.

What the changes mean for shore excursions and port fees

In its email to guests booked on the November 23 Oasis of the Seas sailing, Royal Caribbean said pre-purchased shore excursions tied to the removed Jamaica call will be automatically refunded to the original form of payment. The cruise line also said guests will receive a refund of any port tax difference associated with the itinerary update.

Royal Caribbean told passengers that itinerary adjustments are made deliberately and asked for patience as plans are updated. The company’s approach, as described in the guest email, is intended to reduce the need for travelers to take action individually when a port is removed from an itinerary.

Jamaica targets mid-December for full tourism operations as cruise calls restart in phases

Jamaica’s tourism leadership has said it is working toward a mid-December timeline to restore broader visitor activity. Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett said Jamaica aimed to be ready for full operations “on or before December 15, 2025,” describing the response as an effort driven by partnerships and rapid coordination.

To support that goal, Jamaica’s Ministry of Tourism activated a recovery task force and a Tourism Resilience Coordination Committee to coordinate public- and private-sector work, including readiness across key visitor infrastructure such as ports.

Cruise activity has begun returning unevenly. Jamaica started a phased restart of cruise operations in November, with Ocho Rios welcoming returning cruise calls beginning November 11, 2025, while other ports continued repairs and did not resume normal guest operations at the same pace. In the early steps toward resumption, Holland America Line’s Zuiderdam and MSC Cruises’ MSC Divina were among the first ships to dock after the storm.

Relief calls deliver supplies even as guest visits are paused

Even as commercial tourism has been disrupted, some ships have used scheduled Jamaica dates to deliver aid without permitting guests ashore. On Tuesday, November 4, 2025, Rhapsody of the Seas made a brief stop in Falmouth to unload supplies as ports remained closed to tourism operations.

Michael Bayley, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, described the operation as a short relief call to “offload over 120 pallets of supplies,” including water, bedding, medical supplies, and food items. Bayley said the supplies would be packaged for distribution with Global Empowerment Mission (GEM), which he identified as the cruise line’s relief partner, and he thanked the Falmouth Port Authority and local community for opening the port to receive the shipment.

Carnival Horizon also made a humanitarian stop in Jamaica on November 4, delivering supplies to Ocho Rios. The stops were described as operational aid deliveries rather than passenger port days, with ships remaining only long enough to unload cargo safely before continuing their itineraries.

Financial pledges and itinerary changes across multiple cruise brands

Several cruise companies have also announced financial support tied to Jamaica’s recovery. Royal Caribbean Group pledged more than $1 million in assistance for Jamaica and The Bahamas in the days after the hurricane, and Royal Caribbean International has described a $1 million commitment to support Jamaica’s recovery. Disney Cruise Line pledged $1 million, Carnival Cruise Line pledged $1 million (with donations described as being coordinated through Direct Relief in partnership with additional organizations), and Norwegian Cruise Line committed up to $100,000, including matching guest donations.

Other itinerary changes have also been made beyond Royal Caribbean. Disney Cruise Line revised voyages including Disney Treasure and Disney Wish, with the November 1, 2025, sailing of Disney Treasure shifting from an originally scheduled stop in Falmouth to Disney’s private island destination, Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point in the Bahamas. Disney itineraries were also adjusted to avoid the storm’s path, including added sea days or alternative ports in Mexico and the Bahamas.

With repairs progressing on different timelines across Jamaica’s cruise destinations, additional substitutions remain possible for near-term sailings. Royal Caribbean has advised guests to monitor email and the Royal Caribbean app for official updates and to review cancellation terms for any independent tours if a port is removed.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

When does Jamaica expect to resume full tourism operations after Hurricane Melissa?

Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett said Jamaica is targeting full tourism operations “on or before December 15, 2025,” as recovery work continues across key visitor infrastructure including ports.

Will Royal Caribbean automatically refund shore excursions for a canceled Jamaica stop?

For the Oasis of the Seas sailing departing November 23, 2025, Royal Caribbean told guests that pre-paid shore excursions tied to the removed Jamaica call would be automatically refunded to the original form of payment. The cruise line also said it would refund any port tax difference associated with the change.

Are guests allowed to go ashore during Jamaica relief calls?

No. Relief calls described for ships such as Rhapsody of the Seas involved unloading supplies, and guests were not permitted to disembark during those stops.

What kind of relief supplies are cruise lines delivering to Jamaica?

Relief deliveries cited by cruise lines included bottled water, medical supplies, bedding, and food. Royal Caribbean said Rhapsody of the Seas offloaded more than 120 pallets of supplies, with distribution coordinated with Global Empowerment Mission (GEM).