After canceling two cruises aboard Radiance of the Seas over propulsion issues, Royal Caribbean announced that repairs are underway and the ship will be ready for its September 15 cruise.
An email to passengers read, “Our Marine Technical Team has given us the green light and we’re thrilled to announce that Radiance of the Seas will be returning to service beginning with our September 15th sailing.”
Fixing Propulsion Issues on Radiance
Since docking in Seward, Alaska, on September 1, specialized technicians from Northern Europe have been flown in to care for its propulsion issues.
According to the same correspondence, the repairs are finalized, and the Radiance-class vessel is readied for sea trials.
Anticipating possible safety concerns, the cruise company assured passengers that “seaworthiness was never in question – the propulsion issue only impacted our speed and ability to make it to ports on time.”
Built-in 1998, the 22-year-old cruise ship experienced problems with its navigation system towards the end of August, forcing the world’s largest cruise line to cancel its September 1 and September 8 itineraries on short notice. With each sailing hosting over 2,000 passengers and entailing air travel for many, the cancellations were inconvenient and prompted upcoming passengers to worry about their bookings.
As expected, the good news of the ship’s operational status was met with rejoicing by incoming passengers. After posting the update on the Royal Caribbean Blog’s Facebook page, Christine Kirby wrote, “I am on this cruise and we are screaming with excitement!!!”
Meanwhile, Diana Gravlin Lack posted, “Good news we are booked for the Sept 29 Cruise on Radiance OTS!!!”
The September 15 sailing is the final one-way Alaskan cruise for the season. It features a seven-night itinerary from Seward, Alaska to Vancouver, Canada. In addition to sailing near Hubbard Glacier, it includes port stops at Juneau, Icy Strait Point, Skagway, Ketchikan, and Canada’s Inside Passage.
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