Lynnwood

1 hour ago, CruisingJoe09 said:

If that's the case (and it sounds plausible as to why she is currently consigned to short Caribbean cruises), I'm surprised that they didn't swap Indy and one of her sisters to cover the Southampton sailings (e.g. Freedom or Liberty in Southampton and Indy in either Galveston or San Juan). The fact that the whole season and all of those cruises were withdrawn is what felt calculated to me, it just felt like they were grabbing an opportunity to maximise sailings to CocoCay.

This is the very reason giving to my TA when they cancelled our trip. Apologies for getting the destination wrong earlier -it was indeed CocoCay and not Ladabee as I mistakenly remembered.

20 minutes ago, livylotte said:

Has anyone in the UK had an email about L&S? 

 

They did send me an email telling me about Cruise with Confidence so I'm definitely on their mailing list. 

Booked direct with RC online if it makes any difference.

 

Had it not been for Cruise Critic I would have no idea about L&S.

Me neither, it was from a general email sent by Cruise Critic that we became aware of the offer.

10 hours ago, little britain said:

Many on a social site are reporting that they have L&S their Canaries cruises, even though the days don’t tally, and one is just reporting that they have moved a Med to a Canaries so the days and the routes not tally.
If you don’t get the answers you want the first time then call again. On the free phone number, naturally,  so it doesn’t cost you! 

I have just seen on another thread that someone in the USA was successful at moving an 11 night to a 12 night and that was done through a TA. As yet have not been able to find the social site entries you mention, i know its difficult to mention any specific sites but any pointers? 

10 hours ago, little britain said:

Many on a social site are reporting that they have L&S their Canaries cruises, even though the days don’t tally, and one is just reporting that they have moved a Med to a Canaries so the days and the routes not tally.
If you don’t get the answers you want the first time then call again. On the free phone number, naturally,  so it doesn’t cost you! 

Perhaps we were too late to the party?  My TA is a major online TA and I spoke to their customer services and still RC would not budge? Could it be that RC have a different attitude if you have booked directly?

10 hours ago, Caon74 said:

Independence wasn’t dumped.I got talking to an engineer onboard Indy last year and he said that she will be back in Southampton in 2022.It needs an engine overhaul and they couldn’t risk transatlantics until it is rectified.

A sound reason indeed, but why then would RC not state that? and not as they did to us through our TA that it was to capitalise on the newly revised Ladabee resort with short 7 day turnaround trips.

35 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

No,  Those revenue figures are for RCCL UK bookings and include UK residents sailing from North America and other parts of the world.

Very True, which perhaps is another reason they may feel that they can safely reduce or even cease  the availability from Southampton and yet still charge the UK higher prices?

3 minutes ago, RSLeesburg said:

I have booked Anthem out of Southampton next summer - looking forward to the 9-day Norwegian Cruise 😎, especially after I called this morning and reprised our suite - saved a ton!  🤗

I rest my case

4 minutes ago, cloud_nine said:

I actually really like sailing out of the UK, yeah the weather can be unpredictable but I like having a few sea days at the beginning and the end of the cruise as it gives you time to relax before (and after) the hectic port days. It's also much easier not having to worry about weight limits on suitcases than when you have to fly and airports always stress me out, so it's nice not having to deal with that and just getting a coach down to Southampton. No driving, we can just kick back and chill before the cruise. Of course, the prices are insanely high, which was why we chose to sail from Barcelona this year instead. I agree that they have been treating the UK market appallingly, but I don't think they'll stop sailing from there altogether. There are a lot of people who only cruise out of the UK (due to issues with flying, or because they live by the port etc) and if they stopped sailing from there, those people would instead choose to sail with other lines that do cruise out of the UK. They might not lose a lot of business in the grand scheme of things, but they would still lose some.

I totally agree with you, We too really like to sail from Southampton for all the reasons you outlined. What i cannot understand is why they just "Dumped" the Independence of the Seas  schedule without a second thought and then during this awful period  we are in now, will not even be a little flexible when we pay premium rates. I asked to do a "L&S" from this years Canaries cruise on 17 October(10 nights)  to the virtually same cruise next year(11 nights) and to pay any supplements necessary. No chance total inflexibility.

17 minutes ago, zekekelso said:

I read that as referring to the passenger’s country of origin, not the ship’s port of origin. So counting Brits sailing out of Miami, Barcelona, etc 

Very true but they still mainly pay in the UK marketplace

18 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

From the annual SEC filling:

 

 

The bottom line says: (1)No other individual country's revenue exceeded 10% for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017.

Very Interesting!  So taking a simplistic view

9% of RCCL revenue for 2019 was produced from only 2 large but not big ships operating out of Southampton for only 6 months?

The other 25 ships of all sizes including some of the largest ships in the world for 12 months and the 2 ships used in the UK for the other 6 months only produced the remaining 91% of the revenue for 2019.

This just proves that the UK market is greatly overcharged compared to the rest of the world?

 Why then do they treat us so badly? When we are being used as a “Cash Cow” for the company.

Does anyone else think that Royal Caribbean are reducing their involvement and preparing to stop sailing from the UK?

It seems to me that their treatment of the UK markets in the last couple of years, points to them perhaps preferring to home their ships at the Mediterranean and Mainland European ports?

They have reduced their usual 2 ships out of Southampton to 1 following the cancellation of the Independence on the pretence that the Anthem would cover the UK.  

Their “Lift and Shift” offer is almost unusable to the UK market and they won`t even let you pay a supplement to cover any extra days if you cannot find a “Comparable” cruise. IE a booked 10 Canaries Cruise for the identical cruise, but 11 days?

I`m afraid their attitude to the UK market is appalling and to me it seems they are not concerned at all about UK cruisers.

 It would not surprise me in the least if any further "pausing " of this years schedule should be necessary beyond August, that it would result in them cancelling this year schedule from the UK altogether?   

I do hope not

8 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

I doubt that is definitively true, and in these exceptional circumstances, even if it were, it could lead to the holiday company going bust, or finding it impossible to maintain liquidity. So I suspect offering FCCs would be acceptable in this situation, but I guess it could keep the legal profession in employ, if they are not self isolating.

I did read on one of the many thousands of posts lately that someone with Marine Insurance experience had said the the cruise companies had insurance cover for this type of incident? perhaps the OP could  repeat this.I did try to look for it but.... 

40 minutes ago, Highpeaklad said:

A bit harsh describing Boyzlife as a tribute band - it was one original from Boyzone and one from Westlife. 

oops, did not realise that the term "Tribute Band" was derogatory!   have not seen them so I could not describe them any other way, there is no description on the current lists but the very name "Boyzllfe" does suggest a tribute band to me!  Anyway thanks you for clarifying their act. 

On 1/8/2020 at 9:59 AM, babs135 said:

Anyone watch the programme on Monday and end up yelling at the usually reliable Simon Calder for giving out slightly iffy information?  He was talking about ways to reduce the cost of your cruise holiday and suggested that as ship excursions can be so expensive you would be better booking a private operator or basically just doing it yourself.  

 

And then he said:

 

Don't forget to put your watch to the local time as if you are late the ship won't wait.

 

Surely he should have said, or at least added, check if you are on the ship's time or local time?

 

We've visited ports where the captain has clearly stated that people going ashore should keep to the ship time and not the local time.

Depends if your straddling time zones etc 

5 hours ago, AndyMichelle said:

We have to remember the headline act is only part of the experience. 

We saw Michael Starke, wasn't expecting much but had a fantastic evening. 

The setting, atmosphere, ambience, service and to some extent the food were all far better than the mdr. 

And who knew Sinbad from Brookside grew up with the Beatles, had loads of funny stories and could sing and play the ukulele too. 

Andy 

 

Well said, I totally agree.

Hi all Thanks again for the information which has now become a"Historical List of past Artists" really good info as to the level of Acts we can expect to see. Revised list so far

Thanks all,  the revised list so far:-

Gareth Gates  (Pop idol finalist Recording Artist and West End)

Kiki Dee   ( Recording Artist and Hit record with Elton John)

Michael Starke  (Sinbad from Brookside)

4 poofs and a Piano    ( House band on Jonathan Ross show)

Claire Sweeney    (Brookside and West End)  

Ben Richards    (Hollyoaks and West End )

La Voix    (Britain`s Got Talent 2014)

Jonty Stephens and Ian Ashpitel  (Morecambe and Wise tribute)

Dean Andrews   (Emmerdale)

Cheryl Baker    (Bucks Fizz)

Shaun Williamson   (Barry Evans from Eastenders)

Madeleine Bell  (Recording Artist and in Blue Mink)

Jaki Graham    (Recording Artist)

Chesney Hawkes   (Recording Artist)

Boyzlife      ( Tribute Band)

There`s more info and proposed current artists on the previous link  provided by previous posts

35 minutes ago, jaydee6969 said:

Here from P&O's site is a list for all forthcoming acts on Britannia cruises upto December 2020

 

https://www.pocruises.com/onboard-activities/dining/The-limelight-club

 

And a direct link to the PDF file listing the acts - https://www.pocruises.com/content/dam/po/pdfs/GE19-034 Limelight Acts A4 v4.pdf

 

Great Link Thanks for this

6 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

Great link, thank you. 

We love the Limelight, but think we can do without Claire Sweeney and Jake Quickenden.... 

Andy 

Many Thanks for this 

2 hours ago, Lynnwood said:

Hi all, now I have seen many posts on here regarding the "Limelight Club" outlining many individual artists. However I cannot recollect seeing or have discovered a comprehensive list of artists who have ever appeared in the Club. Perhaps it would be generally helpful and informative if posters could add to the limited list that i am aware of. I`m sure there are many more than:-

1     Gareth Gates

2      Kiki Dee

3      Michael Stark

4      4 Poofs and a Piano

5      Claire Sweeney

6      Ben Richards

7      La Voix

Thanks all,  the revised list so far:-

Gareth Gates  (Pop idol finalist Recording Artist and West End)

Kiki Dee   ( Recording Artist and Hit record with Elton John)

Michael Starke  (Sinbad from Brookside)

4 poofs and a Piano    ( House band on Jonathan Ross show)

Claire Sweeney    (Brookside and West End)  

Ben Richards    (Hollyoaks and West End )

La Voix    (Britain`s Got Talent 2014)

Jonty Stephens and Ian Ashpitel  (Morecambe and Wise tribute)

Dean Andrews   (Emmerdale)

Cheryl Baker    (Bucks Fizz)

Shaun Williamson   (Barry Evans from Eastenders)

Madeleine Bell  (Recording Artist and in Blue Mink)

More to come i`m sure

Hi all, now I have seen many posts on here regarding the "Limelight Club" outlining many individual artists. However I cannot recollect seeing or have discovered a comprehensive list of artists who have ever appeared in the Club. Perhaps it would be generally helpful and informative if posters could add to the limited list that i am aware of. I`m sure there are many more than:-

1     Gareth Gates

2      Kiki Dee

3      Michael Stark

4      4 Poofs and a Piano

5      Claire Sweeney

6      Ben Richards

7      La Voix

So my wife and I decided to undertake a 12 night cruise on the Ventura to the Canaries in May and noticed that the ship was also doing a short dash to Guernsey immediately before. Our last attempt to get to Guernsey was unsuccessful due to bad weather! So we bit the bullet and we booked the same stateroom for both cruises.  My Question is does anyone know what procedures we will have to undertake to check in for part 2 of the cruise? Will we need to disembark for customs purposes etc or can it be done at the customer services desk whilst on board? There must be lots of you knowledgeable cruisers who have undertaken consecutive cruisers from UK ports. We would be grateful for any information please. Thanking you in advance.

Hi Brian 

I agree and there doesn’t seem to be a problem until the Iona comes into service. On the 9^th of May Iona is scheduled to dock on Ocean, on that day Britannia is on Mayflower, Silhouette is on City and the Mein Schiff is at the western docks. Ventura is also sailing on that day. A similar event occurs on the 23^rd May. Ventura is due to sail also on the 23^rd. It would seem that 4 large ships the Iona, Britannia and the Anthem of the Seas and the Ventura regularly dock on the same days in the early summer? The Iona needs Ocean terminal as stated earlier in the thread; Royal Caribbean and Celebrity occupy City which leaves Mayflower and the QEII

The Ventura for this coming year is undertaking 2, 7 and 12 day sailings. With all the associated quayside parking required I wondered if the QEII was the obvious choice. It would seem that the trend for schedules that begin and end on a weekend is becoming the norm where possible. We are taking Ventura on the 9^th and 11^th May on a B2B which is the reason I am looking at this so closely. Going to be very busy in Southampton on early summer weekends!       

Sorry to break into the thread but regarding shipping movements for next year! it seems that "Ventura" has disappeared from the schedule after February. Any thoughts as to where she may dock? QEII perhaps.

9 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

Thank you.

The crowds of people show how popular it is.

The cruise director and his entertainment team always put on a nostalgic show.

Can you post any of the pomp and ceremony music?

Why should we not be patriotic? This is me on Ventura but I have also worn this on "Rock Britannia" on the Indy. Explore and the Adventure of the Seas. I think our American cousins show us the way in this! Be proud of your heritage wherever that may be. Unfortunately it wont be on Indy this year.   

The very fact that a large number of people are looking to book will influence the "Live " pricing and push up the rates very quickly.