Thousands of cruise ship passengers expecting a tropical getaway in the Bahamas were left stunned after severe weather forced their ship to head north to Canada instead.
Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas departed Cape Liberty, New Jersey, on October 18 for a seven-night vacation that was supposed to include stops in Florida and the Bahamas.
However, worsening weather along the East Coast forced the cruise line to scrap its original itinerary, sending approximately 5,000 passengers to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where temperatures were considerably colder.
For many, the change was considerably worse as they lacked warm clothing or had special plans tied to the original destination.
Passengers forced to scatter father’s ashes in Canada after cruise chaos
According to the National Post, passengers were shocked by the last-minute change, with many having packed swimsuits and summer clothing for their tropical vacation.
“Instead of the Bahamas it now says we’re going to Canada,” passenger Nicole Borowicz-Byler wrote on social media. “Is this a joke?”
Another traveler, David Hess, questioned whether Canada would be anywhere near as warm as the Bahamas.
“We mostly packed summer clothes, tank tops, booty shorts,” he said. “My question is: is it as warm in Canada as the Bahamas?”
Fellow passenger Daisy Mungin quickly answered his question: “I’m on the boat with you. It’s freezing.”
For one family, however, the unexpected itinerary change was particularly heartbreaking.
“Due to the fact that we spent a nice penny on this trip, I told everybody to take out their frustrations before they get on the cruise ship, because once we get on the ship, I don’t want to hear about that,” Dwayne Hicks remarked. “I think we are halfway to the North Pole, where Santa Claus is from.”
Passenger Debra DelCamp revealed that a family aboard the ship had planned to scatter their late father’s ashes in Nassau, the destination of his final trip aboard Oasis of the Seas.
“It was to celebrate their father’s last trip on Oasis that actually went to Nassau,” she explained. “So, they were very sad to be releasing ashes in Canada.”
DelCamp herself was more understanding, explaining that she’d previously experienced the opposite situation when a cruise to Canada was diverted to the Caribbean.
“I don’t think it’s a big deal; It’s cruise life. For first-time cruisers, I can understand it being confusing or upsetting, but for regulars it’s just cruising,” she said.
The ship’s original itinerary included Port Canaveral, Florida, as well as Royal Caribbean’s private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay, and Nassau in the Bahamas.
According to Royal Caribbean Blog, the company offered affected passengers refundable onboard credit ranging from $200 to $600 per guest depending on their cabin, along with a 50% credit toward a future cruise and refunds for canceled excursions.
The ship arrived in Halifax on October 20 and extended its stay until 6pm the following day, giving passengers additional time to explore the Canadian city.
The unexpected detour is far from the first cruise vacation to go wrong.
Earlier in 2026, a cruise ship became stranded near the island made famous by Tom Hanks’ Cast Away after running aground on a reef in Fiji.
Meanwhile, another cruise line sparked backlash for fining passengers who took buffet food back to their rooms, proving that even when the destination goes according to plan, cruises can still come with unwelcome surprises.
