Utopia of the Seas was unable to dock at Nassau, Bahamas, on November 5, 2024, due to heavy winds that made maneuvering the port unsafe.

The popular cruise line is betting big on a major change that has worked well for its key rival, Royal Caribbean.

Royal Caribbean Group raised its full-year profit forecast as vacationers flocked to cruise ships and spend more. It talked growth plans.

With this in mind, Royal Caribbean will be re-routing its ships that are embarking on cruises in the Bahamas and the Western Caribbean. This includes Radiance of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas, and Vision of the Seas – out of an abundance of caution.

The cruise operators were unfortunately locked into an epicenter industry in the consumer discretionary sector during the COVID-19 pandemic. The spread of the disease onboard cruise ships spurred fears that no one would ever want to take a cruise again and risk catching a fatal infection.

Booking a cruise is as much art as science. Prices change regularly, cruise ships sell out, and it's especially challenging when family and friends want to book more than one room on the same cruise.

Royal Caribbean ( RCL) also delivers that with the added convenience of having a dock and not forcing passengers to tender (take a ride in a small ship) to the island, which has been the case for most cruise lines' private islands.