The pier at CocoCay sustained damage over the weekend, causing at least one ship to be diverted to another port of call at the last minute.
Passengers were informed of the itinerary change aboard Freedom of the Seas after they embarked on Monday, February 2.
Rather than calling at Perfect Day at CocoCay on Tuesday as planned, guests were told that they'd now enjoy a sea day before heading to Cabo Rojo, Dominican Republic, on Wednesday.
"As the Captain announced earlier, due to this past weekend's winter storm, which included strong winds and heavy seas at Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas, catwalks fell into the sea on the eastern side of the pier," read a letter delivered to current cruisers.
(Credit: Sara Lynn/Facebook)
Continuing on, "Unfortunately, divers have not been able to locate all of them, which prevents us from safely docking the ship at Perfect Day at CocoCay. After exploring and exhausting all other alternatives, we'll skip our visit. We'll now enjoy a sea day tomorrow and visit Cabo Rojo, Dominican Republic, on Wednesday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM."
There's no change to Freedom's scheduled visit to the Bahamian capital of Nassau on Friday.
Perfect Day at CocoCay is one of Royal Caribbean’s most popular destinations. The private island has won numerous awards and features something for every traveler, from thrill seekers to relaxation-focused cruisers. As such, it's a major selling point on Caribbean and Bahamian itineraries.
(Credit: Cruise Mapper. Screenshot taken at 6:20 p.m. EST on Feb. 3)
Cruise Mapper further confirms the change, showing the Freedom Class ship sailing past Cuba en route to the Dominican Republic.
At the time of publication, Royal Caribbean has not yet publicly commented on the extent of the damage to the pier or how long repairs are expected to take. This means that it's unclear how many future sailings to the private island will be impacted.
Celebrity Reflection is also skipping CocoCay
According to one Facebook user, Celebrity Reflection is skipping its scheduled visit to CocoCay on Feb. 4. Instead, it will be calling at Freeport, Bahamas.
However, Utopia of the Seas' visit remains unchanged, revealing that the issue appears to be isolated to one side of the pier, rather than impacting the entire dock.
Winter Storm Gianna wreaked havoc on the cruise industry over the weekend
Strong winds and rough waves from an unusual winter storm forced multiple Royal Caribbean Group ships to cancel every port of call on their itineraries over the weekend.
Wonder of the Seas was supposed to visit Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau, but ended up sailing to nowhere. Similarly, Celebrity Reflection's visit to Key West, Florida, was canceled.
Utopia of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas also had their itineraries altered, though less dramatically, along with vessels from competitors, including Carnival Sunshine, Norwegian Getaway, and Disney Wish.
Read more: Winter storm forces two ships to sail "cruise to nowhere"
Winter Storm Gianna brought freezing temperatures, extreme winds, and record-breaking snowfall to the East Coast. The historic nor'easter slammed North Carolina particularly hard.
FOX Weather Storm Specialist Mike Seidel claimed the storm rivaled some of the most intense he's experienced during his 30-plus-year career covering extreme weather, FOX News reported.
Inland, Charlotte saw the largest snowfall in over 20 years, with 11 inches falling. That total ties for the fourth-largest one-day snowfall on record in the Queen City. Additionally, many surrounding areas, including Kannapolis, China Grove, and Concord, saw over one foot of snow.
