Nobody wants a port of call to get canceled on a cruise. Although spending time on the ship is part of what makes cruising so special, missing out on a destination you've been looking forward to can be disappointing.
Recently, I had my first-ever port canceled while on an Alaska cruise. On the last night of our 7-night voyage, we were supposed to arrive in Victoria, British Columbia, around 8:15pm. However, the captain announced that due to unexpected weather and strong winds, it wasn't safe to dock.
It was a huge bummer. I’d been looking forward to exploring Victoria, even if just for a few hours before returning to the ship in preparation for a long travel day.
Initally, the captain said we would hold in our present condition to see if we could make it into the harbor after one unsuccessful attempt. Everyone waited in the public areas in their jackets, but as time passed, it became clear the weather wasn’t going to cooperate.
Around 9:30pm, we received the dreaded announcement that our stop in Victoria was officially canceled and were told that a letter would be delivered to our staterooms explaining the decision.
"We are sorry we were not able to visit Victoria, BC today due to unfavorable weather," the letter read, "We know this impacts your plans and regret any disappointment this has caused. However, we trust you understand this decision was made with everyone's safety in mind."
Although I hadn't purchased a shore excursion, the letter said that those who had bought a tour through Carnival would be automatically refunded to their Sail & Sign account.
There weren't many activities on the schedule
The last night of Alaska cruises tends to be more low-key than when sailing to the Bahamas or Caribbean. After 8:30pm, the original evening line-up consisted of live music in the atrium, karaoke, and a drive-in movie on the lido deck.
However, because over 2,000 passengers were stuck onboard, I thought that the entertainment team might add a few extra activities to make up for the missed port.
I was disappointed when they scheduled one last-minute activity in the Luminosa Theater at 9:45pm – it definitely wasn't the "full evening of activities and entertainment" promised in the letter.
By the time I returned to my stateroom to drop off my bulky coat, I had missed the beginning of "Guess That Grove." Instead, I hung out in the Ocean Plaza lounge and listened to guests sing their favorite tunes.
It wasn't as packed as other nights. Nevertheless, cruisers made the most of it! At one point, a spontaneous line dance broke out. Some passengers were better dancers than others, but everyone was having a good time.
Around 10:45pm, I decided to grab a slice of pizza and head to bed. As I cut across the lido deck, I noticed that a lot of guests were watching the movie "It Ends With Us." There were also more passengers in the hot tub than I would have imagined at that hour.
The stores and casino remained closed
The onboard shops and casino closed earlier that afternoon as we sailed into Canadian waters.
Though we couldn't successfully dock in Victoria, they remained closed because we were still floating in the country's territorial waters.
Victoria is less than 70 nautical miles from Seattle, so it didn't make sense to sail away from Washington when we had to dock early in the morning.
Read more: Bad things that happen on cruise ships
Canceled ports are a part of cruising
Although I was glad we didn't have any unexpected itinerary changes to our ports in Alaska, missing Victoria was disappointing.
It's rarely a highlight of an Alaska cruise. Rather, it's visited to satisfy the United States' foreign port requirement. Still, I'd argue it's an underrated city with good food, lively pubs, and beautiful architecture.
Once it was announced that we wouldn't be docking in Canada (after leaving us in limbo for over an hour), I was frustrated by Carnival's minimal efforts to enhance the last night's onboard experience. With the shops, casino, and many venues shut down, it was unusually quiet and dull.
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Growing up, she traveled frequently with her family and fell in love with cruising after sailing on the Oasis of the Seas during her freshman year of high school. Having sailed on over 30 cruises across different lines, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, Margaritaville at Sea, and Princess, she loves sharing her insight and expertise on all things cruising!
