Royal Caribbean says a propulsion issue onboard the Allure of the Seas has forced the company to cancel at least one sailing so that repairs can be made.
In statement Thursday, Royal Caribbean International said that the Allure of the Seas has been experiencing unanticipated bearing wear in one of its three propulsion pods. The statement adds that although three motors are fully operational and there is no impact on the maneuverability of the ship or on the safety of guests and crew, the ship’s top speed has been limited in order to reduce the rate of bearing wear.
The 225,000 GRT Allure of the Seas, along with sister vessel Oasis of the Seas, are currently the world’s largest cruise ships. The ships are equipped with an electrical propulsion syste, comprising three 20-megawatt (MW) Azipod propulsion units.
“While Allure could have continued to sail at a reduced rate of speed, we felt it was important to fix the problem as soon as possible,” said William D. Baumgartner, senior vice president of Marine Operations, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. “We explored numerous repair options. Unfortunately, there was no satisfactory solution that did not involve taking the ship temporarily out of service.”
Royal Caribbean says that it has scheduled repairs to place at Grand Bahama Shipyard, in Freeport, Bahamas, the week of February 24, 2014. As a result, the company says it will be necessary to cancel the February 23, 2014 sailing.
“We sincerely regret that we will be unable to deliver the Royal Caribbean cruise vacation that our guests were looking forward to,” said Adam Goldstein, president and chief executive officer, Royal Caribbean International. “We understand that our guests’ vacation time is very precious and can assure you that we did not take this decision lightly. But it was very important to us that we bring Allure back up to speed so that she could continue to deliver the amazing cruise vacations our guests expect.”
The company said guests currently booked on the February 23, 2014, sailing of Allure of the Seas will receive a full, 100 percent refund, or the option to sail on select itineraries at the same rate.
In addition to the cancellation, it is necessary to make minor adjustments to Allure of the Seas’ eastern Caribbean itineraries until repairs are made. Additional information about the changes and cancellation can be found on the company’s website.