Liberty of the seas coming to Ft Lauderdale

[PrincesScuba]

Hmmm, now I don't know what to do. I was kind of set on booking Oasis for next February and then do another 8 nighter for the following cruise. But Liberty will be on short cruises by then.

 

Maybe, with some luck, my thoughts will prove true that sailing Indy out of Britain in the middle of winter won't be so popular and RCI will bring her home where she belongs.:)

I know that it's not *quite* the same, OB, but how about a 4 & 5 night B2B?

[Ocean Boy]

I know that it's not *quite* the same, OB, but how about a 4 & 5 night B2B?

 

That is something to think about. I will have to check out the itineraries.

[Ocean Boy]

Not quite. Understand that it can get confusing . . . however, we are on Liberty with a bunch of friends on an 8 day starting March 5, 2011, from Miami.

Rick and Deirdra

 

Yes, but March 2011 seems to be the end of the 8 nighters. If we go through with the plans for Oasis in February there is no way that we can do another cruise in time to catch an 8 nighter. This really is disappointing. I love sailing the southern Caribbean routes but we enjoyed the 8 nighter on Independence so much that I was willing to give up the southern Caribbean for more 8 nighters.

 

I don't quite understand why RCI would stop the one option that people have for an 8 nighter on Royal. They had one ship doing something a bit unique and they take away the option. It seems that they are taking away something that people seem to really like all in order to try to force them onto Oasis and Allure. I wonder if it might backfire and force people onto Princess and Carnival especially considering the pricing?:rolleyes:

[steve20832]

Yes, but March 2011 seems to be the end of the 8 nighters. If we go through with the plans for Oasis in February there is no way that we can do another cruise in time to catch an 8 nighter. This really is disappointing. I love sailing the southern Caribbean routes but we enjoyed the 8 nighter on Independence so much that I was willing to give up the southern Caribbean for more 8 nighters.

 

I don't quite understand why RCI would stop the one option that people have for an 8 nighter on Royal. They had one ship doing something a bit unique and they take away the option. It seems that they are taking away something that people seem to really like all in order to try to force them onto Oasis and Allure. I wonder if it might backfire and force people onto Princess and Carnival especially considering the pricing?:rolleyes:

 

Serenade Of The Seas and Adventure Of The Seas go to Southern Caribbean from San Juan :)

They go to places that most 7-8 night cruises don't make from Florida.

[Ocean Boy]

Serenade Of The Seas and Adventure Of The Seas go to Southern Caribbean from San Juan :)

They go to places that most 7-8 night cruises don't make from Florida.

 

I know. We have sailed Serenade once on the Barbados route and Adventure three times on the Aruba route. I love those islands. So if RCI is going to get rid of the 8 nighters out of FL we will most likely do Oasis next just to experience the ship and then head back down to San Juan and keep sailing the southern routes.

[SherriZ366]

Miami-Dade county has wasted all available funds (and more) on more stadiums...they can't tear the old ones down fast enough to keep up with all the new ones being built. Even though stadiums bring in few tourists, they have neglected the port, which brings in tens of thousands of people each week. Typical M-D corruption and incompetency.

That is the first good explanation of why Liberty leave Ft. Lauderdale for Miami. If you have read my previous posts on other threads, I have no probelm with the port per se but I hate Terminal 25 where Indy and Navigator sail from. I call it the stepchild terminal. It is old and can't really handle anything bigger than Enchantment. We had priority disembarkation from Indy last year and it was a mess -- our luggage was scattered through 2 rooms and there were no porters. When we sailed Freedom out of Miami in 2008, disembarkatio was smooth and we were out of the port before 8 AM (we drive back to SC). Of course, the easiest is Port Canaveral.

I hope that RCI has Liberty using the new Terminal 18 that was rebuilt for Oasis and Allure on days when either of those huge ships are not in port.

[SherriZ366]

Yes, but March 2011 seems to be the end of the 8 nighters. If we go through with the plans for Oasis in February there is no way that we can do another cruise in time to catch an 8 nighter. This really is disappointing. I love sailing the southern Caribbean routes but we enjoyed the 8 nighter on Independence so much that I was willing to give up the southern Caribbean for more 8 nighters.

 

I don't quite understand why RCI would stop the one option that people have for an 8 nighter on Royal. They had one ship doing something a bit unique and they take away the option. It seems that they are taking away something that people seem to really like all in order to try to force them onto Oasis and Allure. I wonder if it might backfire and force people onto Princess and Carnival especially considering the pricing?:rolleyes:

Glad we are booked on the Feb. 5 8 nighter on Liberty. We upgraded to a JS because of great price decrease.

[Ocean Boy]

Glad we are booked on the Feb. 5 8 nighter on Liberty. We upgraded to a JS because of great price decrease.

I'm sure you will have a great time. We loved the 8 nighter on Independence. That one extra day seems to make all the difference in the world as far a relaxation goes.

[Cruising89143]

That is the first good explanation of why Liberty leave Ft. Lauderdale for Miami. If you have read my previous posts on other threads, I have no probelm with the port per se but I hate Terminal 25 where Indy and Navigator sail from. I call it the stepchild terminal. It is old and can't really handle anything bigger than Enchantment. We had priority disembarkation from Indy last year and it was a mess -- our luggage was scattered through 2 rooms and there were no porters. When we sailed Freedom out of Miami in 2008, disembarkatio was smooth and we were out of the port before 8 AM (we drive back to SC). Of course, the easiest is Port Canaveral.

I hope that RCI has Liberty using the new Terminal 18 that was rebuilt for Oasis and Allure on days when either of those huge ships are not in port.

 

They will not be able use terminal 18 for the Liberty. The Liberty has some Saturday sailings and the Oasis will be in at that time.

[Benita]

The New York Times posted an article about the Liberty leaving Miami for Ft. Lauderdale a few days ago. They said it was part of the deal with Port Everglades to do the new building and parking for the Oasis class ships. Unfortunately, RCCL has decided to have only the mega ships - Allure and Oasis- with their megaprices doing the 7 night cruises from South Florida, with no 8 night ships at all. That leaves the choices of a shorter cruise if you want to go with RCCL, or leaving the line entirely and going with Celebrity, HAL, Carnival,or Princess which all sail out of Ft. Lauderdale (or Norwegian from Miami) and have one week itineraries that cost much less than the Oasis class ships. I know RCCL hopes people will fill up the Oasis class ships because they have no other option, but having sailed on the other lines, they are very enjoyable, too and a similar cabin can be half the price of the Oasis. We will be on the Liberty next February for the 8 nighter, but then I think after that, RCCL has pushed us back into using other lines. Oh well, let that me my biggest problem and I will still be a very happy sailor.

[SherriZ366]

I'm sure you will have a great time. We loved the 8 nighter on Independence. That one extra day seems to make all the difference in the world as far a relaxation goes.

On our last FOS cruise in January, I woke up on Day 7 and wished we had an extra day.

[SherriZ366]

The New York Times posted an article about the Liberty leaving Miami for Ft. Lauderdale a few days ago. They said it was part of the deal with Port Everglades to do the new building and parking for the Oasis class ships. Unfortunately, RCCL has decided to have only the mega ships - Allure and Oasis- with their megaprices doing the 7 night cruises from South Florida, with no 8 night ships at all. That leaves the choices of a shorter cruise if you want to go with RCCL, or leaving the line entirely and going with Celebrity, HAL, Carnival,or Princess which all sail out of Ft. Lauderdale (or Norwegian from Miami) and have one week itineraries that cost much less than the Oasis class ships. I know RCCL hopes people will fill up the Oasis class ships because they have no other option, but having sailed on the other lines, they are very enjoyable, too and a similar cabin can be half the price of the Oasis. We will be on the Liberty next February for the 8 nighter, but then I think after that, RCCL has pushed us back into using other lines. Oh well, let that me my biggest problem and I will still be a very happy sailor.

Benita -- your information also helps me understand why they would not operate Liberty out of Miami after next year. I just wish they would upgrade Terminal 25. I have voiced my opinion of the antiquated, Step-child terminal to RCI but it would not stop me from sailing on a short Liberty cruise.

 

We are booked, as you can see from my signature, on the 2/5/2011 Liberty eight night -- when are you booked?

 

Are you the lady who gives advice about hotels etc. in Fort Lauderdale on the East Coast Departures/Florida board? If so, thanks for answering my post a few years ago about the Plantation Renaissance. We stayed there and it was great with a very good restaurant. We are booked there for our 2/5/2011 cruise as it is an easy drive to Miami (or to Port Everglades).