Royal Caribbean Cruise Stop Canceled, Reactions Mixed

Royal Caribbean’s decision to cancel a stop at Costa Maya has left some passengers feeling quite let down while others are, surprisingly, thrilled about the change. It’s led to a bit of a conversation about whether the port was really worth visiting in the first place.

The stop in question, Costa Maya, located on Mexico’s Caribbean coast, was removed from the itinerary of the Icon of the Seas’ September 26 sailing. Apparently, a maintenance issue meant the ship had to remain in Miami overnight.

Originally, the ship was set to leave Miami on Saturday but didn’t depart until Sunday, which was communicated to passengers in a notice that found its way to Parade magazine.

A message shared on Reddit confirmed that the ship would now leave Miami on September 27 instead of the planned September 26. It stated, “Day 3 will now be a relaxing Sea Day in place of our visit to Costa Maya, Mexico.”

Royal Caribbean was contacted for comments regarding this situation.

The Reddit post also mentioned that passengers would receive at least $300 in onboard credit as compensation, though the amount would vary depending on cabin type.

Interestingly, a number of Reddit users seemed to be enthusiastic about the adjustment. One person wrote, “Just got this. $350 to miss the worst port of the itinerary made my day!” They even joked about going to the Supper Club with the credit. Another commented, “Three hundred dollar credit, and you don’t have to go to Costa Maya? That’s a gigantic win.”

The strong positive reactions to skipping Costa Maya led to some questions from other travelers. One Reddit user expressed curiosity, asking, “What’s so bad about that stop?”

This prompted some responses criticizing Costa Maya as being run-down and lacking attractions. “It’s half empty and smells,” noted one traveler, also mentioning seaweed issues.

Another individual stated that the area was quite underdeveloped and small, adding, “Nothing much to do really right around the port area.”

However, not everyone shared this viewpoint. Some passengers expressed disappointment over missing planned excursions to see the Chacchoben ruins, a Maya archaeological site near the port. “My daughter is a bit bummed, as our ruins excursion there was what she was looking forward to the most,” shared one parent. Another said, “I’m bummed to be missing our Chacchoben ruins tour, but we’ll live.”