Royal Caribbean has diverted Utopia of the Seas from the Bahamas to Mexico due to expected severe weather.
The ship will visit Cozumel instead of its scheduled stops in Nassau and Perfect Day at CocoCay on its sailing departing Port Canaveral today (26 October).
The itinerary change is due to king tides and forecast near-gale or gale-force winds in the Bahamas.
Royal Caribbean notified booked guests of the change on Sunday (25 October), the day before departure.
There is no change to the ship’s scheduled return on Friday (30 October).
Royal Caribbean told guests in an email: “Due to a weather system expected to bring unfavorable conditions to the Bahamas next week, we’ve adjusted our itinerary. We will now enjoy two relaxing sea days, with a visit to Cozumel, Mexico on Wednesday.”
Strong winds and rough seas are forecast in the Bahamas from Sunday (25 October) to Tuesday (27 October), according to the Bahamas Department of Meteorology.
Marine hazards could continue into Wednesday (28 October), alongside the risk of heavy rain and flash flooding.
King tides, the highest astronomical tides of the season, are also expected to increase the risk of coastal flooding. Seas of 9ft to 14ft are forecast, with higher waves possible in some areas, particularly in the Atlantic.
AccuWeather also warned of a low risk of rough surf, above-normal tides and coastal flooding along parts of Florida and South Carolina, with king tides expected to increase the risk of inundation.
Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva said: “This week, there is at least a low risk of a tropical or subtropical storm developing from Florida to waters just east of the Bahamas.”
