Guests who boarded disney wonder on Monday, October 28, 2024, they were surprised to learn that they would not get the itinerary they expected and, in fact, would not have any port visits and would arrive later to disembark at the end of the cruise.

The ship sails from Brisbane to Melbourne in Australia, and the original itinerary for this 4-night one-way cruise included a stop in Eden on Wednesday, October 30, from 2 to 8 p.m.

Now, however, guests have been informed that Wednesday will be a day at sea, making the full cruise nothing more than days at sea.

“Due to unscheduled maintenance on the hull, it is necessary to replace your visit to Eden with a day at sea.” said the letter given to the guests.

The letter clarifies that any Port Adventures guests who have previously purchased and booked through Disney Cruise Line will be “removed from their onboard plans,” as is customary with any port cancellation.

Unfortunately, the port change is not the only interruption to this particular sailing. disney wonder It was originally planned to arrive in Melbourne at approximately 8am, but now that arrival could also be delayed.

“In addition, we anticipate that our arrival in Melbourne on Friday may be delayed and disembarkation will begin at 12:00 noon.” the letter explained. “We will provide you with an announcement 24 hours before our arrival in Melbourne to confirm final arrival time.”

This will be a challenge for travelers who have organized post-cruise travel plans quickly after a previous disembarkation. With Melbourne Airport less than a 30-minute drive from the cruise terminal, morning flights are popular with cruise travelers.

No further details have been provided regarding “unscheduled hull maintenance,” but it may be that hull cleaning is necessary to comply with regional environmental regulations.

Also read: What’s at the bottom of a cruise ship?

disney wonder She will sail from Melbourne on round-trip itineraries until November 20, but will then move to Auckland, New Zealand, for several sailings.

New Zealand is quite strict with environmental regulations and different cruise ships from different lines have often had to adjust their itineraries for hull cleaning before arriving in the region.

Cunard Line queen elizabeth denied entry to New Zealand until after a more extensive hull cleaning in January 2023, following similar changes for ships from Princess Cruises, Viking Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

Compensation offered by Disney Cruise Line

Disney Cruise Line is offering guests significant compensation for these changes: eliminating the only port of call and delaying disembarkation.

“As a thank you for your understanding of this itinerary change, we will provide each stateroom with a $250 non-refundable, non-transferable onboard credit, which can only be used during this voyage.” the cruise line said.

“In addition, we are offering every guest who travels on your voyage a 20% discount on their future cruise fare.”

The discount for future cruises is only valid for 24 months from the original departure date of October 28, 2024, and blackout dates apply.

Additionally, the discount cannot be used on inaugural voyages, but could be used on non-inaugural cruises aboard the next Disney Treasurewhat was just delivered to the cruise line and will begin receiving guests in December.

Disney Cruise Line Is Expanding Rapidly and Travel on Board disney destiny from Fort Lauderdale and Disney Adventure from Singapore They may also be eligible, as the ships will debut in November and December 2025, respectively.

The cruise line is not obligated to provide such compensation, but it can go a long way toward alleviating disappointment and encouraging guests to set sail again.

Without a doubt, the 945 international crew on board disney wonder will work hard to offer additional activities, princess encounters and entertainment during the additional day at sea.

The 84,130 gross ton Magic-class ship can accommodate 2,400 guests on board, who are sure to enjoy a wonderful cruise no matter where the ship sails.