A Royal Caribbean cruise set to dock in Bermuda was forced to turn north after a tropical storm warning ruined its plans.

Independence of the Seas, which was travelling from Cape Liberty, New Jersey, on Saturday, was rerouted to the Canadian city of Saint John in New Brunswick only hours before departure.

According to an e-mail sent to passengers, the last-minute itinerary change was made because of bad weather caused by Tropical Storm Josephine.

The e-mail, which was published on the Royal Caribbean blog, said: “The weather’s impact makes it hard to provide you with a safe and comfortable journey to Bermuda.

“So, after exploring all of our options, we’ve decided to sail to Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, for an overnight stay instead.”

The ship, which can hold more than 3,858 passengers, docked in Saint John overnight and set sail yesterday.

Passengers were instructed to prepare for cooler weather, which reached the mid-50s, and offered on-board credits ranging between $100 and $600 per person, according to the blog.

Royal Caribbean faced a similar problem last week after Oasis of the Seas, which was poised to set sail for the Bahamas, was rerouted to Halifax, Nova Scotia.

The more than 5,000 passengers aboard the ship were told they faced the same problem of bad weather conditions and were offered cash and travel vouchers for half-price on another cruise as recompense.

The incident is the third time a cruise line chose Saint John as a last-minute detour from Bermuda.

Vision of the Seas, also with Royal Caribbean, was initially due to sail to Dockyard on October 17, during a five-day cruise from Maryland, but was rerouted to Canada the night before because of strong winds.

Weather conditions prevented passengers from leaving the cruise even after it reached port, prompting Royal Caribbean to offer compensation for the change.

In April, Valiant Lady, with Virgin Voyages, alerted passengers to the change three days before its intended departure, prompting complaints from passengers and one couple even going viral after voicing their disappointment over social media.