Bring ships back to the US

[M&A]

Dear friends:

 

Just on RCCL alone, you are left in the U.S. during the summer with Oasis, Allure, Freedom, Explorer, Enchantment, the 3 and 4 night Bahamas puddle jumpers, the ships that do the Alaska run, as well as a few Celebrity ships.

 

And they don't fill up well.

 

The ships every cruise line sends to Europe for the summer season fill to the brim, and the only deals to be had are on the transatlantics and the first few cruises at the beginning and the end of the season (colder weather and no summer vacation for the Europeans yet).

 

Contrary to the opinion that seems to float around on Cruise Critic, the summer is not at all a popular season to go to the Caribbean. Because of the hot weather, people tend to go to the local beaches along the New York, New Jersey, Virginia coasts, etc. and do things at home that they normally can't do in the winter.

 

Nearly all Continental Europeans get a vacation of 30 days or more in July or August, and that's not even counting teachers, schoolchildren and college students. Traditionally, all of those people used to spend their vacation at the sea in Spain, France, Italy, Greece, etc. There is a huge, untapped, local market that is flourishing in Europe during the summer season. It's not only RCCL -- nearly every line has most of its fleet in Europe during the summer season. And that doesn't even count lines like Costa (about 16 ships) and MSC (about 11 ships) that are already based here.

 

NCL's largest, newest, ship will homeport in Barcelona during the season. The Allure and Oasis won't fit anywhere here -- and they weren't built for actual journeys and for cruising around cities -- there's too much open air space built right through the middle of the ships. If one of those ships would indeed fit here in Europe, they probably would have sent one.

 

Except for Disney World (school vacation), nobody goes to Florida in the summer. And people who live in Florida try to leave in the summer. So what is all the talk about wanting more ships there?

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

 

You hit it on the head!! you are exactly right.

 

thanks for putting things in perspective. The European market is growing and more ships are hitting the Med. Europeans take long vacations in the summer, countries like France and Italy completely shut down in August and people must take the whole month off of work. There is a growing demand from more cruises in the Med in the summer, Carnival is going to have a ship in that market next year.

[Cruise_Kitten]

My theory on this being from Europe is that in the European summer we have absolutely fantastic weather the sun always out, the rain is very rare and the Med is absolutely beautiful.

To my knowledge around the Caribbean in the summer the weather is not the best, the chances of storms, hurricanes and vast amounts of rain.

Would it not make sense for a company that needs money to send ships to a place of better weather, where more people will fill the ships and ultimately do what RCCL are out to do..............make a profit.

Besides would it be a really good move for one of the biggest cruise companies in the market today to deny others in the world? There is a big BIG cruise market in Europe right now.

Yes I can understand where people are coming from but we have to go through the same thing in the winter where most of our usual cruise ships go else where to better weather, if it wasn't for Independence being here all year round, i wouldn't be able to go on a cruise until late May-June time.........where am I meant to go?

 

CK x

[FLHugh]

THE PASSENGER VESSEL SERVICES ACT OF 1886

(Not to be confused with The Jones Act that involves cargo))

 

This Act allows only ships, either built in the U.S or sailing under a U.S. Flag, to carry passengers between two U.S. ports.

 

Then how is RCL allowed to go from Key West to Miami with no stop in between. Ah, I know, Key West is the Conch Republic!!!

[Palmetto Pilot]

I would love to see Charleston get a Royal Caribbean ship here. Carnival has one and it has been very successful from what I've read.

[MAZANDSTEVE]

Be nice. I’m not ready to cry conspiracy theory, but let’s at least consider it marketing “strategy”. I agree with your earlier post -- RCL is a for profit organization. If what you say is true, why doesn’t RCL move one of the monsters to Europe? If demand is so great over there, they could easily fill them up and fetch a premium. Leave a couple of the smaller ships in the US and provide a variety of choices from US ports.

 

 

Ooooh yes please, I would love Oasis or Allure here in England and not have to pay airfare!:)

[RoofingPrincess]

Then how is RCL allowed to go from Key West to Miami with no stop in between. Ah, I know, Key West is the Conch Republic!!!

The key part of the law is *transportation* of goods/passengers. Which is why a fine must be paid if someone boards in one city and disembarks in the other...

[teajak]

Dear friends:

 

Just on RCCL alone, you are left in the U.S. during the summer with Oasis, Allure, Freedom, Explorer, Enchantment, the 3 and 4 night Bahamas puddle jumpers, the ships that do the Alaska run, as well as a few Celebrity ships.

 

And they don't fill up well.

 

The ships every cruise line sends to Europe for the summer season fill to the brim, and the only deals to be had are on the transatlantics and the first few cruises at the beginning and the end of the season (colder weather and no summer vacation for the Europeans yet).

 

Contrary to the opinion that seems to float around on Cruise Critic, the summer is not at all a popular season to go to the Caribbean. Because of the hot weather, people tend to go to the local beaches along the New York, New Jersey, Virginia coasts, etc. and do things at home that they normally can't do in the winter.

 

Nearly all Continental Europeans get a vacation of 30 days or more in July or August, and that's not even counting teachers, schoolchildren and college students. Traditionally, all of those people used to spend their vacation at the sea in Spain, France, Italy, Greece, etc. There is a huge, untapped, local market that is flourishing in Europe during the summer season. It's not only RCCL -- nearly every line has most of its fleet in Europe during the summer season. And that doesn't even count lines like Costa (about 16 ships) and MSC (about 11 ships) that are already based here.

 

NCL's largest, newest, ship will homeport in Barcelona during the season. The Allure and Oasis won't fit anywhere here -- and they weren't built for actual journeys and for cruising around cities -- there's too much open air space built right through the middle of the ships. If one of those ships would indeed fit here in Europe, they probably would have sent one.

 

Except for Disney World (school vacation), nobody goes to Florida in the summer. And people who live in Florida try to leave in the summer. So what is all the talk about wanting more ships there?

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

Sorry to disagree but a lot people, most of our neighbors included never leave Florida in the summer and there is no lack of visiting relatives. The area is much more suited to hot weather than our Northern neighbors with pools, beaches,air conditioning,and the beautiful Gulf of Mexico. :cool::D

[MAZANDSTEVE]

Sorry to disagree but a lot people, most of our neighbors included never leave Florida in the summer and there is no lack of visiting relatives. The area is much more suited to hot weather than our Northern neighbors with pools, beaches,air conditioning,and the beautiful Gulf of Mexico. :cool::D

 

 

You are very lucky, I loved Florida, I would live there if possible. I love the climate and the beaches .:)

[HoopsandYoYo]

Be nice. I’m not ready to cry conspiracy theory, but let’s at least consider it marketing “strategy”. I agree with your earlier post -- RCL is a for profit organization. If what you say is true, why doesn’t RCL move one of the monsters to Europe? If demand is so great over there, they could easily fill them up and fetch a premium. Leave a couple of the smaller ships in the US and provide a variety of choices from US ports.

Rumour has it that the Explorer is moving to Europe after 2012. And shorter cruises all around. Heard this from staff while on our last cruise. I wonder if the European ports are not able to accomodate such large ships as the Allure and Oasis? Besides which, these larger ships come with a large price tag that needs to be paid.

Less other ships = more passengers for the big ones...

[GXmanDC]

Sorry to disagree but a lot people, most of our neighbors included never leave Florida in the summer and there is no lack of visiting relatives. The area is much more suited to hot weather than our Northern neighbors with pools, beaches,air conditioning,and the beautiful Gulf of Mexico. :cool::D

 

You may get lots of visiting relatives, but summer is the low season for So. Florida. Airfare and hotel costs are 50-70% cheaper in the summer than they are in January-February. WE always enjoy Miami, but we really like it in January.

[negc]

Sorry to disagree but a lot people, most of our neighbors included never leave Florida in the summer and there is no lack of visiting relatives. The area is much more suited to hot weather than our Northern neighbors with pools, beaches,air conditioning,and the beautiful Gulf of Mexico. :cool::D

So I guess that all those stories about how there is less traffic and prices at restaurants etc are lower when the "snowbirds" depart are apocryphal. I am sure that there are many Florida residents who live there year round, and a number of northerners who vacation in Florida in June, July and August because that is when their kids are out of school and a traditional vacation time. I too have been in Florida when the summer weather was more moderate than our temperatures back home in Massachusetts. But check hotel and resort prices in Florida in the summer months and you will find that it is indeed low season, which signifies lower demand.

[teajak]

You may get lots of visiting relatives, but summer is the low season for So. Florida. Airfare and hotel costs are 50-70% cheaper in the summer than they are in January-February. WE always enjoy Miami, but we really like it in January.

You are correct but please don't tell anyone, we love our quiet summers.:p

[land lover]

Then how is RCL allowed to go from Key West to Miami with no stop in between. Ah, I know, Key West is the Conch Republic!!!

 

Just was saying..poster was referring to the wrong "ACT";)

 

The key part of the law is *transportation* of goods/passengers. Which is why a fine must be paid if someone boards in one city and disembarks in the other...

 

A fine of $300. my friend had to pay it a few years ago..boarded in LA wanted off in San Diego due to sea sickness, I was there and experienced it all:D She paid almost more to get off than she did to get on as it was a 4 day cheapie, I continued as a solo.

[Charles4515]

 

Except for Disney World (school vacation), nobody goes to Florida in the summer. And people who live in Florida try to leave in the summer. So what is all the talk about wanting more ships there?

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

 

I don't want more ships out of Florida in the summer doing the Caribbean. Last place I want to go in July or August.

 

Americans need to broaden their horizon and cruise Europe and other parts of the world. Summer is a good time to do that. Many will see that we are not as exceptional as many of us unfortunately imagine.

[Yunker310]

Maybe the cost of using the US ports is prohibitive, but I think a neat and different itinerary would be East Coast cities, with a day in Bermuda to satisfy the Jones Act. There could be stops in Florida, Charleston, Norfolk, Savannah, Baltimore, Philly, NYC, Boston, Newport and so on. I know some ports, like Philly and Baltimore, are a problem because it takes to long to sail in and out of them (keeping the bars and casinos closed). But I think it would be of interest to cruisers that have seen the Caribbean more than a few times, and perhaps to Europeans wanting to see a bit of the US.

[DonnaK]

I don't want more ships out of Florida in the summer doing the Caribbean. Last place I want to go in July or August.

 

Americans need to broaden their horizon and cruise Europe and other parts of the world. Summer is a good time to do that. Many will see that we are not as exceptional as many of us unfortunately imagine.

 

 

I would love to cruise Europe or Alaska, or another part of the world, during the summer (which is the only time I can get vacation time off from work), however the cost of airfare is prohibitive. We travel as a family, so we are paying for four people. As well, we don't tolerate long plane flights very well, which is why try to cruise from ports we can drive to (or only need a short flight to).

[Benita]

It is not just for the summer that RCL has pulled its ships from South Florida for the one week cruises. The only choice, after this season, from Miami or Ft. Lauderdale, is the Allure and the Oasis. The Liberty of the Seas will do the 4 and 5 nighters and the Majesty will probably do the 3 or 4 nighters. If you want to sail from here for a week, it is the Oasis and the Allure or nothing from RCL. This will push people onto the large ships and keep the prices at a higher level. Not a bad marketing situation, however, there is lots of competition for the one week cruises from the other cruise companies, which are maintaining their presence here. What I found strange was that as they were pulling the RCL ships from the area, they were adding the Celebrity Solstice class ships to the area, which is from the same parent company. No big deal for us - we booked the Celebrity Eclipse for Thanksgiving, instead of our usual Radiance or Freedom class RCL ship.

As a stockholder, my RCL stock has climbed, so maybe the people at RCL do know what they are doing in this regard. Time will tell.

[Charles4515]

I would love to cruise Europe or Alaska, or another part of the world, during the summer (which is the only time I can get vacation time off from work), however the cost of airfare is prohibitive. We travel as a family, so we are paying for four people. As well, we don't tolerate long plane flights very well, which is why try to cruise from ports we can drive to (or only need a short flight to).

 

There are still plenty of ships sailing out of US ports in the summer. I see you live on Long Island. I have done at least one cruise every year in the summer out of New York, Bayonne, Brooklyn, and Baltimore. In July or August I usually go to Bermuda which is much better than the Caribbean those months. And for those who want to cruise out of Florida there are plenty of ships still sailing out of there in the summer.

[Charles4515]

Maybe the cost of using the US ports is prohibitive, but I think a neat and different itinerary would be East Coast cities, with a day in Bermuda to satisfy the Jones Act. There could be stops in Florida, Charleston, Norfolk, Savannah, Baltimore, Philly, NYC, Boston, Newport and so on. I know some ports, like Philly and Baltimore, are a problem because it takes to long to sail in and out of them (keeping the bars and casinos closed). But I think it would be of interest to cruisers that have seen the Caribbean more than a few times, and perhaps to Europeans wanting to see a bit of the US.

 

To satisfy the Passenger Services Act a cruise to Bermuda from a US port would have to be a roundtrip unless it crossed the pond or called at Aruba, Bonaire, or Curacao,. Also cruises that include Bermuda already exist. During the summer all possible docks are used every day. There is only space for two large mega ships a day in Bermuda.

[Shooraq]

I'm honestly tired of Caribbean cruises... I feel there is very little left to see. I'm glad Royal is expanding their overseas itineraries.. motivates me more to go to places I wouldn't spend a full week at. That's why a Baltics cruise is awesome, or a Greek Isles/Holy Land cruise.

 

I suspect just in years past that if there is a strong need for more cruise ships back in Florida/Caribbean, then RCI will adjust as needed. Europe is the big market ready for new customers with money and existing customer ready to see the world. I am one of the latter people, and am ready to hit Europe, Panama canal, Australia/New Zealand, and the Galapagos in years to come! :D

[land lover]

I don't want more ships out of Florida in the summer doing the Caribbean. Last place I want to go in July or August.

 

Americans need to broaden their horizon and cruise Europe and other parts of the world. Summer is a good time to do that. Many will see that we are not as exceptional as many of us unfortunately imagine.

 

Interesting...I have broaden my horizons extensively when I was young with my parents, during my university years, adulthood and with my children and from these travels I know we are exceptional.;):D

 

But, I have not only learned that from cruising.....I have learned it mainly from my land vacations and living abroad. However, I often long for a more simpler life, away from the action in OC, CA and from the pot of diversity I experience every day.

[Jerseyboy1]

Maybe the cost of using the US ports is prohibitive, but I think a neat and different itinerary would be East Coast cities, with a day in Bermuda to satisfy the Jones Act. There could be stops in Florida, Charleston, Norfolk, Savannah, Baltimore, Philly, NYC, Boston, Newport and so on. I know some ports, like Philly and Baltimore, are a problem because it takes to long to sail in and out of them (keeping the bars and casinos closed). But I think it would be of interest to cruisers that have seen the Caribbean more than a few times, and perhaps to Europeans wanting to see a bit of the US.

 

I don't know if you are interested or not, but NCL seems to be offering a trip they are calling the 16 Day Colonial America from Quebec to Tampa on the Dawn. It looks like a one-off repositioning cruise that looks interesting to me, but it leaves in the month of October so it could be a little chilly.

 

Stops are:

Quebec City

Portland, Me.

Boston

New York

Norfolk

Baltimore

Charleston

Miami

Key West

Tampa

[wittsatseas]

I was a bit uneasy with the Navigator and Freedom leaving Miami Port (not sure when both left) but now we get to go to Canaveral which I am now excited about after doing some research about it. I have no problem with some ships leaving for Europe but I sort of do with some of these older ships no longer doing the 7 night trips. If I take a cruise, I am going to take my time on one as a 3-4 night cruise is not worth it after paying for the airline tickets (flying from Iowa). So saying that, it would be nice to catch a cheap cruise on an older ship instead of paying top dollar for the Allure or Oasis (and yet cheaper than Freedom). But we still have the Freedom which is great and affordable!

 

What really bothers me is when I scroll down the cruise listings and see a 7 night cruise for $349, get excited, and then notice its YET ANOTHER ONE going out of San Juan, PR... These ports it goes on are awesome too (Willemstad, Curacao; Oranjestad, Aruba; Roseau, Dominica; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas).. So why not have that ship come back to Miami or Canaveral, price it up $100 and let us fill that one (currently Adventure) and allow RCCL to profit more. Just saying.. I think it would be fun to fly to PR but why not add this same ports from FL where we can fly to for far less, add another night to it, and good sailings we go! Thats my wish. I know these are much older ships, but for somebody that enjoys a cruise no matter what, as long as the ship still functions correctly and is clean, I'm happy.

[Solstice23]

I say use Quebec City as an embarkation port in the summer!!! so central and eastern provinces in Canada could drive to a port easy :)

[DancingGypsy]

Being a West Coaster, would like more options from here..... having been to Europe 4 times and Caribbean several times and Mexico a lot of times and Alaska, Australia & Hawaii, it would be nice to have more than 1date 1 ship to choose for a 10 day-er in Alaska, or how about Tahiti? What about 14 day-ers to Hawaii, there are no Rcl or Celeb cruise ships in or about San Diego/Los area.....why not do a San Francisco more often and go thru the panama.....opps done that 2 times, but not from San Fran..... Im sure a lot of people from the Europe/East Coast would be interested too.;)