Princess Cruises has just announced that Regal Princess will undergo a dry dock in late April, impacting two of its scheduled sailings.
According to the cruise line, the 2013-built ship will be pulled from service so it can receive essential maintenance. After the vessel is repaired in Rotterdam, it will re-enter service on May 9 in time for its European season from Southampton.
It also assured guests that Regal Princess is fully capable of hosting voyages until its dry dock. “The technical issue prompting the dry dock does not affect the ship’s safety, systems, comfort, dining, entertainment, or other guest-facing features,” reads the notice from Princess Cruises.
“The ship is fully certified for service by all applicable authorities and remains fully operational for all scheduled voyages through early April, including the April 4 trans-Atlantic voyage to Southampton that will proceed as planned.”
Which Itineraries Are Affected?
To make way for the repairs, the Royal-class cruise ship’s April 18 and April 28, 2025 sailings will be affected.
Instead of a 10-day cruise, Regal Princess’ April 18 voyage will be shortened to six days. It will call on Belfast, Dun Laoghaire, Cobh, and Falmouth. Booked passengers can expect prorated refunds, future cruise credits, onboard credits, and the reimbursement of airline fees.
Meanwhile, the April 28 cruise has been canceled. Guests will receive full refunds, future cruise credits, and compensation for airline fees.
“We understand how disappointing these changes are and we remain committed to making it right for our guests,” the letter sympathizes.
Technical Issues From 2024
Regal Princess also underwent a series of repairs in late 2024, forcing the cancellation of its October 27, November 3, and November 8 sailings.
The cruise line said that unforeseen technical work was required. It later revealed problems with the ship’s generators, triggered by an engine fire last October. By mid-November, Princess reassured the public that all issues had been resolved.
Despite the inconvenience, the cruise line has been swift to address guests’ needs by offering refunds, onboard credits, and other types of compensation.
