Oasis of the Seas Drops Bahamas Ports, Diverts to Halifax in Storm

A slow-moving storm that formed in the Atlantic off the Carolina coast on 17–18 October is expected to linger over the US East Coast until 25 October, bringing winds of up to 113 km/h (70 mph), heavy surf and coastal flooding. For travellers, the biggest single change is at sea: Royal Caribbean has pulled the Oasis of the Seas off its Bahamas itinerary and diverted the ship to Canada.

Key facts

• Storm period: 19–25 October 2026, following its development on 17–18 October
• Weather: gusts up to 113 km/h (70 mph) in coastal areas; offshore waves of 4.6–7.6 metres; coastal flooding 0.6–1.8 metres above normal tide levels
• Oasis of the Seas: 18–25 October sailing with 5,734 passengers — calls at Port Canaveral, CocoCay and Nassau all cancelled
• Replacement port: Halifax, Nova Scotia, arriving 20 October at 6:00 PM and departing 21 October at 8:00 AM
• Compensation: US$200–US$600 onboard credit, depending on stateroom, plus a 50% future cruise credit by 1 November
• Airports most at risk: Boston Logan, JFK, LaGuardia, Newark, Philadelphia, Reagan National and Charlotte Douglas

What has changed for Bahamas cruise passengers?

The Oasis of the Seas had been scheduled to call at Port Canaveral in Florida, then CocoCay and Nassau in the Bahamas. All three port calls have been cancelled. Instead, the ship will call at Halifax, Nova Scotia, arriving on 20 October at 6:00 PM and leaving on 21 October at 8:00 AM.

A second Royal Caribbean ship, Vision of the Seas, is also changing course: its nine-night Canada and New England sailing is being rerouted southbound to avoid the worst of the storm.

What documents and compensation apply?

Because the revised call is in Canada, passengers on the Oasis of the Seas need a valid passport, and some nationalities require a Canadian visa. Royal Caribbean is offering US$200–US$600 in onboard credit, depending on the stateroom, together with a 50% future cruise credit by 1 November. Passengers making an insurance claim over the diversion are advised to use the ship's diversion letter to document the reason for the claim.

What is happening with flights?

Boston Logan, JFK, LaGuardia, Newark Liberty, Philadelphia International, Reagan National and Charlotte Douglas are all in or next to the storm's impact zone. Ground delay programs attributed to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are already in place at Logan, which is also working through a construction project on runway 9-27 that has been active since 2 September. Newark is operating under FAA schedule caps of 36 arrivals and departures per hour.

Airlines are expected to issue travel waivers for Northeast airports, and travellers are advised to check the travel alert pages of American, United, Delta, JetBlue and Southwest. The storm's seven-day duration is expected to produce sustained disruption: a separate nor'easter on 25–27 September caused 8,300 delays and 587 cancellations across the Northeast, and this system is forecast to be less severe but longer-lasting.

What this means for travellers

• Passengers booked on the Oasis of the Seas sailing of 18–25 October should expect Halifax instead of the Bahamas and check that their passport is valid for Canada, plus any visa requirement for their nationality.
• Travellers flying through the Northeast should allow extra time: the source advises 90 minutes extra at Boston Logan for morning and evening peak departures, and a minimum three-hour connection at JFK and at Philadelphia for American Airlines transatlantic flights.
• Anyone holding a cruise or flight booking this week should check the airline or cruise line's own travel alerts for waiver terms.

The storm is forecast to remain off the coast through 25 October, so further schedule changes are possible. Travellers with bookings during that window should keep checking their airline's and cruise line's updates.