A powerful winter storm that swept across the United Kingdom on January 9, 2026, caused widespread travel disruptions for P&O Cruises’ fly-cruise program

The storm, known as Goretti, brought extreme winds, snow, and icy conditions that grounded aircraft, delated departures, and forced airlines to reshuffle planes across multiple airports.

According to the Met Office, the system carried wind gusts nearing 100 miles per hour.

Those conditions directly impacted passengers scheduled to fly from the UK to Barbados to board Britannia’s January 9, 2026, Caribbean cruise.

Flights out of Manchester and other UK airports were delayed by nearly 24 hours, leaving passengers unable to reach the ship on embarkation day.

As a result, some guests did not arrive in Barbados until January 10, missing the ship’s scheduled overnight stay in port and a full day of onboard activities and excursions.

In a letter sent to those inbound passengers, P&O Cruises acknowledged the disruption and offered a pro-rated future cruise credit to cover the missed day. 

“Whilst the delay to the start of your cruise will have been very disappointing, we do hope that you have had a pleasant flight to Barbados and look forward to welcoming you on board Britannia and being able to give you a wonderful holiday during your time with us,” the cruise line wrote.

Read Also: Barbados Cruise Port – Getting Around, What’s Nearby and Guide

The letter also reminded the guests that the cruise line was not responsible for refunds or compensation for the flights and directed passengers to contact the airline, Norse Atlantic, directly to file a claim.

Stormy Seas

While passengers flying to Britannia received apologies and compensation, a different experience awaited those flying home after the previous cruise concluded.

Passengers disembarking from the 143,000-gross-ton vessel’s December 26, 2025, sailing also found themselves delayed by Storm Goretti as they attempted to return to the UK. 

But one passenger, aware of the letter received by incoming guests, said no such letter was received.

“My mom was on the delayed flight out from Manchester on Friday (the one we were flying BACK on) and we were also delayed by 24 hours, yet she has already received an apology from P&O with a future cruise refund for the 24-hour delay,” a passenger shared.

While she was glad her mother’s issue was addressed quickly, she expressed concern that after multiple disruptions onboard Britannia and the delayed return flight from Barbados, she had received no similar outreach.

The response has fueled frustration among some passengers as Britannia experienced technical issues that forced the ship to miss scheduled port calls in Aruba and St. Lucia and return to homeport for repairs.

Following the voyage, P&O Cruises confirmed that no compensation would be offered for the missed ports or itinerary changes tied to the technical breakdown.

Meanwhile, Britannia is now sailing its subsequent journey through January 23, 2026. She will visit the ABC Islands, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, and Antigua, barring no further issues.

P&O Britannia Passengers Thwarted Again, This Time by UK Storm