Liberty of the Seas itinerary change skips Bermuda

Published on Aug 25, 2025, 8:31 am CDTUpdated on Aug 25, 2025, 4:54 pm CDT

5 min read

Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas will miss its August 23, 2025 call at King's Wharf, Royal Naval Dockyard, after the line assessed Hurricane Erin's track and related swells near Bermuda. It is the ship's second consecutive adjustment this month, following an earlier Bermuda cancellation tied to the same system. The line told guests the decision favors safe navigation and a smoother ride, and it will extend time in St. Maarten to offset the lost port day. Erin has transitioned to a powerful post-tropical system that continues to generate hazardous surf across a wide area.

Key Points

Why it matters: Second Bermuda skip in a row on Liberty of the Seas.
Travel impact: Bermuda call dropped, St. Maarten call starts 4 hours earlier.
What's next: Monitoring Atlantic swells and any knock-on schedule tweaks.
Shore excursions for Bermuda will be refunded as onboard credit.
Erin's large wind field keeps surf and swells elevated near Bermuda.

Snapshot

Guests on the August 21, 2025 nine-night sailing from Cape Liberty were advised that the August 23 stop at King's Wharf is canceled due to adverse marine conditions associated with Erin's path. Liberty of the Seas will spend the day at sea, then arrive at Philipsburg, St. Maarten at 10 a.m., four hours earlier than planned, and depart at 7 p.m., one hour earlier than scheduled. Royal Caribbean emphasized safety and comfort in its notice to guests and confirmed automatic refunds for any pre-paid Bermuda excursions. The itinerary also lists Grand Turk and San Juan, with the line indicating those calls remain as scheduled.

Background

This is Liberty of the Seas' second Erin-related itinerary change in as many cruises. On the prior voyage, the ship skipped Bermuda and headed to Canada to stay clear of rough Atlantic conditions. The National Hurricane Center's final advisory for Erin noted the storm's broad wind field and long-period swells affecting Bermuda, the U.S. East Coast, and Atlantic Canada, conditions that can complicate docking and tender operations even without a direct strike. For ongoing Bermuda-focused adjustments across lines, see our rolling tracker, Post-Erin: Bermuda cruise itinerary changes tracker.

Latest Developments

Bermuda call canceled, St. Maarten call extended

Royal Caribbean told guests that, in consultation with Chief Meteorologist Craig Setzer, Erin's forecast path would pass near the itinerary and kick up significantly larger waves ahead of the system. To reduce motion and avoid pier-side limits, the ship will replace the August 23 Bermuda call with a sea day. To offset the loss, Philipsburg, St. Maarten will open at 10 a.m. instead of 2 p.m., and sail at 7 p.m. instead of 8 p.m. The line added that all pre-paid shore excursions purchased through Royal Caribbean for Bermuda will be automatically refunded as onboard credit.

Second consecutive Liberty itinerary change

Liberty of the Seas already adjusted its previous cruise this month, canceling Bermuda and sailing north to Halifax to avoid Erin's effects. More broadly, multiple cruise brands have made route changes as Erin's swells and wind field persisted well beyond the core. The NHC's final bulletins highlighted life-threatening surf and rip currents continuing into the weekend for parts of Bermuda, Atlantic Canada, and the U.S. East Coast. These dynamics help explain why lines drop or swap calls even as a system moves away.

Analysis

Operationally, this decision follows standard marine risk management during hurricane season. Even a glancing pass by a large system can create long-period swells that challenge harbor approaches, gangway operations, and tender safety. Bermuda's Royal Naval Dockyard is exposed to Atlantic surge patterns, which can limit safe docking windows. The trade-off of a sea day for a longer, calmer call in St. Maarten preserves shore time while keeping schedule integrity for downstream ports. For guests, the extended call provides more time for beach and tour options and reduces the probability of weather-related port-side cancellations. For Royal Caribbean, rapid communication and automatic refunds help maintain satisfaction scores during a weather event that has affected multiple brands and itineraries this week. Finally, with the NHC noting continuing surf and rip-current hazards after Erin's post-tropical transition, operators may keep a cautious stance on Bermuda arrivals until seas fully settle.

Final Thoughts

For Bermuda-bound travelers, Liberty of the Seas' change underscores a key reality of late-summer Atlantic cruising, even without a direct storm hit. Swell and wind fields can disrupt otherwise routine calls, and lines will prioritize comfort and safety while preserving destination time where conditions allow. Keep an eye on marine forecasts, build flexibility into excursion plans, and monitor the line's notices for any fine-tuning of call windows this week. As seas normalize, Royal Caribbean expects to resume regular calls, but for now the prudent play was this Liberty of the Seas itinerary change.