Royal Caribbean cruise ship Anthem of the Seas is making a slow return to Australia after experiencing a technical issue that impacted the ship’s speed during a cruise to New Caledonia and Vanuatu.

The ship was originally scheduled to arrive back in Sydney on Tuesday morning, but the updated arrival is now expected in the late afternoon. In a letter sent to guests, the cruise line said the ship experienced a technical issue that “has impacted the speed,” and that the vessel will now arrive at approximately 4:00 PM on the 27th.

“We’re sorry for the inconvenience caused by this change,” the note stated, adding that the delay was previously communicated by the captain.

Royal Caribbean is offering several accommodations to reduce disruption for travelers who have onward plans from Sydney.

Guests who booked air through Royal Caribbean’s Air2Sea program were told their flights will be adjusted automatically, with confirmation sent by email. Those who arranged flights independently were advised to contact their airline directly.

For passengers flying out of Sydney Airport (SYD), the company recommended rescheduling flights to depart no earlier than 8:00 PM, based on the revised arrival time.

Royal Caribbean also outlined compensation coverage for certain travel changes:

• Transportation change fees covered up to $200 USD per person (domestic) and $400 USD per person (international)
• One night hotel covered up to $250 USD per stateroom if accommodations are needed

Guests were instructed to submit receipts to RoyalGuestRelations@rccl.com for review and reimbursement, and to include their booking number, ship name, and sailing date.

Recognizing that many guests may need to update family, hotels, or airlines, Royal Caribbean said phones would be made available at Guest Services, and passengers without an internet package would receive a voucher for 120 minutes of complimentary internet per stateroom via the ship’s app.

The cruise line also noted that beverage and internet packages will be extended until debarkation due to the delay.

Next Sailing Impact

The delay is expected to have knock-on effects beyond the current voyage. The ship’s next 10-day sailing to New Zealand has been cancelled, according to the information provided.

For now, Anthem of the Seas continues toward Sydney at reduced speed as Royal Caribbean works through the technical issue and guest arrangements.