Royal Caribbean Resets Three Policies in One Day

Royal Caribbean is cancelling 'Port Day Casita' reservations booked at glitch prices as low as $120–$200 on Icon of the Seas, Star of the Seas and Legend of the Seas, refunding guests and relisting the same cabanas at two to three times the price. The line treats this as a pricing-error correction rather than a goodwill gesture, consistent with how it has handled mispriced fares before. Advisors with clients holding one of these bookings should expect a cancellation notice and refund rather than an honored rate, and should set expectations early rather than let clients discover it at check-in. For future bookings, treat unusually low onboard add-on pricing on these three ships as a red flag rather than a deal worth locking in — and be ready to offer a like-for-like upsell at current pricing if a client's casita gets pulled.

Royal Caribbean's Double Points promotion is back, crediting double Crown & Anchor points on new bookings — still the quickest path to the next loyalty tier for repeat cruisers — but it returns with two changed rules advisors should confirm before quoting, since the previous version's terms no longer apply. Separately, the line has reinstated its exemption allowing one adult to book a non-alcoholic beverage package while a cabin-mate carries the Deluxe Beverage Package, a popular workaround for mixed-preference couples. This time it comes with a formal approval process and real penalties for misuse, so advisors booking the split package need to document eligibility properly rather than treat it as an automatic add-on. Both changes affect how new reservations should be positioned this week — confirm current terms directly rather than relying on last quarter's rules.

Explora Journeys is pulling EXPLORA I and EXPLORA V out of the Middle East and Red Sea for 2027–2028, citing the ongoing regional conflict. In their place, EXPLORA I picks up a South America season and EXPLORA V gets a new Mediterranean inaugural season. Clients holding deposits on the cancelled Red Sea sailings will need rebooking or refunds, and advisors should reach out proactively rather than wait for the line's notification cycle. On the upside, the Mediterranean swap adds fresh luxury inventory to sell for a marquee inaugural season, typically a strong selling point for repeat luxury clients. Advisors with affected bookings should confirm rebooking incentives directly with Explora, since substitution terms for geopolitically-driven cancellations often include added perks or fare protection not listed in standard policy.

Carnival is tightening embarkation-day logistics on two fronts. Guests on Carnival Miracle's September 17 farewell Alaska sailing from Seattle are being told to strictly honor their arrival appointment window, since Pier 91 is shared that day with Queen Elizabeth and a routine Coast Guard inspection — arriving early won't get anyone in faster and could mean a longer wait outside. Separately, Carnival Magic (departed September 13) and Carnival Paradise (departing September 14) are reverting from self/e-muster check-in to full in-person muster drills, requiring all guests to gather physically at assigned stations. Advisors booking these sailings should brief clients now: hold the assigned arrival time on Miracle, and budget extra time on embarkation afternoon for Magic and Paradise rather than assuming the newer e-muster process applies.