OfTheSeasCruiser

For those who have done the Dinner on the Edge specialty dining experience on the Magic Carpet, is it usually done while the ship is docked in port? I know they don’t announce the day/time until we’re onboard, but I’m trying to get an idea of when it might be before booking. We’ll be sailing in the Med and have an overnight in La Spezia. On the renaming port days, we depart by 6 or 7. We also have 2 sea days. I’m making other reservations and want to avoid conflicts. I also don’t want to book if it’s likely to be held on the night we’re in La Spezia as we probably won’t be back until a bit later that night. Thanks in advance!

FYI, Rhapsody of the Seas is scheduled to sail from San Juan in October 2024.

Can you elaborate why you think this?

They just released the schedules for the other Oasis Class ships a few weeks back. Why would they go through the hassle of switching? They also purposely have Allure moving in July, an odd time for a homeport change unless it happens to line up with a new ship debut 🤔

And Port Canaveral is now #1. Allure is commanding high prices for her sailings starting later this year, so there is no reason for them to decrease capacity. Utopia makes the most sense, and is the only Oasis Class ship available to take her spot when Allure moves to Miami. It is abundantly clear Royal is trying to attract young families and those who haven’t cruised. Utopia will dominate that market.

Harmony is already scheduled for Galveston. As mentioned, almost everything points to Utopia heading to PC for the 3/4 night sailings.

We were frequent Royal cruisers until recent years, but service and food quality issues (before Covid), pushed us to Celebrity. We first sailed on Celebrity on the Millennium in September 2022, and experienced great service and food and an upgraded feel. I don't believe that just because RCI does something means that X will. Take the chocolates on the pillow for example. They've been long gone from Royal since ~2009, but that change hasn't reached Celebrity, for example. So I'm hopeful 2x a day housekeeping is the same way. Royal isn't marketing itself as a "luxury" line, so its easier for them to reduce housekeeping service. Hopefully Celebrity sticks to the their "Luxury" marketing and actually carries that out without a reduction in housekeeping services.

The 3/4 nighters are appealing to first timers. This is the direction Royal was heading when they tested Allure out on the same itineraries. She’s commanding high prices. Plus, the more people they can get to CocoCay, the better for them. Direct competition to the Disney Wish, as well.

It’s been looking this way for a couple of weeks. Wonder when Royal will announce

She might be doing the Cape Liberty to Quebec one way sailings.

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Agree. Putting Oasis Class ships on the 3/4 nighters was clearly the direction Royal was heading once they put Allure on them in PC. Now that Icon Class is debuting, the Oasis Class are going to have to move on to other itineraries as their flagship status gets taken away. And the smaller ports either can't accommodate the Oasis Class (i.e. Tampa) or the demand is simply not there (i.e. San Juan).

Week of May 1 now

At this point it almost has to be Utopia

Explorer, which does not even have one indoor pool, sailed from Cape Liberty for many years.

I'm new to Virgin, but am interested in sailing with them in late 2024 or 2025. We typically sail Royal or Celebrity, and many of their 2024-2025 sailings are already available. Anyone hear any insider info about when the Virgin will release these itineraries?

Yes, because the bookings aren't open yet. Should be opening this evening.

She looks to be doing 7 day itineraries from Miami, departing on Sundays.

These are just the test uploads. All the sailings won’t be available until next week. But the St Maarten port schedule suggests Odyssey will be doing 11 night itineraries in January 2025

Rhapsody is probably going to be in San Juan from May 2024 through at least April 2025. Explorer will probably start her longer cruises in November 2024 until at least April 2025 as she is in Europe summer 2024.

To my surprise, I’m thinking it’s going to be Utopia. Allure seems to be commanding high prices for her 3/4 nighters from there, and all of the other Oasis Class ships are accounted for. I can’t imagine they’ll downgrade at this point.

See post #1046. These are test sailing uploads that give an indication of where a ship is heading. The actual itineraries will be out next week.

Looks like Symphony is actually heading to Miami. Missed this previously. Utopia on the short sailings from PC?

Edited to add 🙂 I think all ships are covered in my post now

Test sailings are up. Odyssey to Cape Liberty Oasis in Fort Lauderdale for 6/8 nighters Rhapsody in San Juan starting in June, and I assume will continue through winter Jewel in Galveston. 9 night itinerary is showing Explorer on longer cruises from Miami Radiance in Tampa for 7 nighters Brilliance in NOLA for 7 nighters Will post more if I find any