A power outage at the Royal Caribbean terminal in Galveston, Texas, has caused significant delays for passengers, sparking frustration and uncertainty. Imagine being a passenger eagerly awaiting your cruise vacation, only to be met with a power outage that halts your journey before it even begins!
On Monday, January 19, 2026, guests boarding the Mariner of the Seas were faced with an unexpected embarkation delay. While the weather was fair, the cause of the delay was not due to any technical issues with the ship itself, but rather a major power outage at the cruise terminal.
Here's where it gets controversial: Royal Caribbean has yet to release an official statement, leaving passengers to piece together information from various sources. Guests on the ship and those arriving to board have been sharing their experiences, with one passenger advising others to arrive two hours later than their scheduled time.
The power outage has affected the terminal's operations, with equipment like escalators not functioning and longer wait times for customs and security checks. One guest described the terminal as being in darkness, requiring them to manually carry their luggage down multiple flights of stairs.
While the situation is undoubtedly frustrating, terminal staff are working diligently to resolve the issue. The cause of the outage will determine the necessary steps, which may involve service professionals or other assistance to restore power.
And this is the part most people miss: The impact of this delay extends beyond the initial sailing. Guests with post-cruise travel plans, such as flights, may face disruptions due to the knock-on effect. The ship's next itinerary, a 5-night sailing to Costa Maya and Cozumel, is at risk of further delays.
The original schedule had the Mariner of the Seas departing Galveston at 3 p.m., but with the delay, the ship's departure time is uncertain. The itinerary includes a full day at sea before arriving in Costa Maya, providing some flexibility to make up for lost time, but the extent of the delay will determine if this is feasible.
Cruise ships often sail at slower speeds during sea days to create a more comfortable experience for guests, but they can increase speed overnight to make up for any delays. However, if the delay is significant, port visits may be shortened, or one port might even be canceled to ensure the ship reaches Mexico on time.
Guests will be updated on any itinerary changes as soon as plans are confirmed. The Mariner of the Seas can accommodate 3,114 guests per sailing and is homeported in Galveston until October 2026, after which it will move to New Orleans for the winter before its deployment to Southampton in May 2027.
So, what about other ships? The Mariner of the Seas is the only Royal Caribbean ship docked in Galveston on Monday, but the Carnival Legend, a Carnival Cruise Line ship, is also back at its Texas homeport. Fortunately, there are no reports of the Carnival Legend being impacted by the power outage, which seems to be isolated to the Royal Caribbean terminal.
The next Royal Caribbean ship scheduled to dock in Galveston is the Mariner of the Seas on Saturday, January 24. Let's hope that full power is restored well in advance of its next debarkation.
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