Speed Limits Just Erased an Alaska Port From a 2027 Cruise

Royal Caribbean has dropped Icy Strait Point from the May 7, 2027 Alaska sailing of Anthem of the Seas, a 7-night round trip from Vancouver and the first cruise of the ship’s 2027 Alaska season. A sea day replaces the stop that was planned for May 9. The line said the change lets the ship comply with speed restrictions while keeping the trip comfortable. A guest shared the notice, received October 21.

Other parts of the itinerary change too. The Ketchikan call is two hours shorter, with departure at 5 p.m. instead of 7 p.m. Hubbard Glacier scenic cruising, the Sitka call and the return to Vancouver are unchanged. Prepaid Icy Strait Point excursions are automatically cancelled, and Ketchikan excursions will be rescheduled or cancelled, with refunds to the original payment method within 14 business days.

Royal Caribbean did not say which speed restrictions applied, and the guest who shared the notice questioned why they were not accounted for during planning. Afterward, Anthem of the Seas runs one-way 7-night cruises between Vancouver and Seward through late September 2027.

There is context, though the report does not link it to this change. Serenade of the Seas skipped Icy Strait Point in 2025 after a technical problem forced reduced speed, and in June 2026 Ovation of the Seas arrived in Seward with a dead fin whale on its bow, after which the Center for Biological Diversity asked Royal Caribbean to voluntarily slow down in whale habitats.

Sources: Cruise Hive