Royal Caribbean International has cancelled the Anthem of the Seas cruise scheduled to depart Sydney on January 27, 2026, due to a technical issue identified on the previous voyage.
The 2015-built, 4,202-passenger ship was set for a ten-night itinerary to New Zealand, including ports at Picton, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, and scenic cruising in Fiordland National Park. The vessel now heads to Eden for repairs, preventing completion before the departure date. Affected guests receive a full refund of cruise fare, taxes, fees, pre-paid packages, gratuities, amenities, and shore excursions. Additional compensation includes a 25pc Future Cruise Credit for sailings within one year.
Royal Caribbean confirmed reimbursement of non-refundable travel expenses, with caps at $200 per person for domestic flight changes, $400 for international, up to $250 per stateroom for two hotel nights, and $100 per person daily for incidentals. The company expressed regret for the disruption to planned holidays. The cancellation stems from required maintenance following the technical problem.
Guests can use the notification for insurance claims.
Royal Caribbean shared in a written statement “The Anthem of the Seas experienced a technical issue on its last sailing, and we’re returning to begin required maintenance. We know how much time and effort go into planning your cruise, and we’re truly sorry for this disappointing news.”
Airbus chief executive Guillaume Faury has warned employees that the company faces unsettling new geopolitical risks and must prepare to adapt following substantial logistical and financial damage from US protectionism and US-China trade tensions during 2025.
In an internal letter circulated last week, Faury described the start of 2026 as marked by an unprecedented number of crises and called for solidarity and self-reliance among the workforce. Airbus, a key European defence supplier, operates in an industrial environment complicated by confrontations between the US and China, with multiple trade pressures already inflicting collateral damage.
Faury confirmed that trade upheaval, including US tariffs introduced in April 2025 and Chinese restrictions on rare earth exports, caused significant logistical and financial harm to Airbus operations.
Washington temporarily froze exports of engines and components to China, affecting the C919 jet programme and Airbus jets assembled in China that require US parts.
Despite these challenges, Faury congratulated the company’s 160,000 staff on good overall results in 2025, with full financial results due for publication on 19 February 2026.
Airbus Defence and Space stands on a stronger footing after deeper restructuring, while Airbus Helicopters maintains remarkably consistent performance.
Faury stressed the need for greater rigour in managing systems and products after the largest recall in company history in November 2025, involving a software upgrade, and noted ongoing supply chain disruptions, particularly with Pratt & Whitney and CFM engines.
Guillaume Faury shared “The beginning of 2026 is marked by an unprecedented number of crises and by unsettling geopolitical developments. We should proceed in a spirit of solidarity and self-reliance. The industrial landscape in which we operate is sown with difficulties, exacerbated by the confrontation between the US and China. Achieving profitable growth in the second half of the 2020s is essential: we need to approach this crucial (2030s) period in truly ‘Olympic’ shape.”
