Published on Wednesday, July 1, 2020

Royal Caribbean pushes back debut of Odyssey of the Seas

Royal Caribbean has said the debut of new cruise ship Odyssey of the Seas will be delayed by about six months.

The line's second Quantum Ultra Class ship is currently under construction at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany.

The Covid-19 pandemic has slowed progress and now won't make its scheduled maiden voyage in November 2020.

It was already behind schedule after a shipyard fire.

"Based on adjusted plans and timelines created in partnership with the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany, delivery of Royal Caribbean's newest ship is now scheduled for April 2021," it said.

That has resulted in the cancellation of all sailings from November 5, 2020 to April 17, 2021.

Customers booked on sailings can request a refund or claim a future cruise credit which can be redeemed through December 31, 2021.

Additionally, customers can shift their reservation to another seven-night Caribbean sailing within a week before or after the original sail date.

The 4,200-passenger ship will sail out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.