RC Big Announcement for the UK on 21st November

[springaussie]

Even with the new canal, the Bridge of the Americas will still limit ship height to 190ft above the waterline. I haven't been able to find a height for the Quantum class, but unless it's significantly shorter than the Voyager and Freedom classes it won't fit.

 

Fan groups of Queen Mary 2 claim she will be able to transit the new Panama Canal with a height of Height (Keel to Funnel): 236.2 feet.

Voyager of the Seas height approx. 63 m (207 ft) height to top of funnel.

I am confused.

[Clarea]

Fan groups of Queen Mary 2 claim she will be able to transit the new Panama Canal with a height of Height (Keel to Funnel): 236.2 feet.

Voyager of the Seas height approx. 63 m (207 ft) height to top of funnel.

I am confused.

The height you quoted for QM2 is from the keel (bottom of the ship). The height you quoted for Voyager is from the waterline. So if you subtract the draft (how much of the ship is below water) of the QM2 from the 236 feet, 32+ feet, you get a height above the waterline of about 203.5 feet, which is less than Voyager. This means the QM2 has a few feet more clearance under the bridge.

Edited October 24, 2013 by clarea

[icsys]

According to a travel agent I have used in the past, RC will have a big announcement for the UK on the 21st November.

 

Round-trip itineraries from Liverpool....

 

 

I wish!

Edited October 24, 2013 by icsys

[springaussie]

The height you quoted for QM2 is from the keel (bottom of the ship). The height you quoted for Voyager is from the waterline. So if you subtract the draft (how much of the ship is below water) of the QM2 from the 236 feet, 32+ feet, you get a height above the waterline of about 203.5 feet, which is less than Voyager. This means the QM2 has a few feet more clearance under the bridge.

Thanks Bob

[cruisnseas]

Attracted by the Headline - Sorry - Thought the announcement was going to be that UK will enjoy the same prices and benefits as the USA.:rolleyes:

 

Only when you give up your consumer protections...

[ahecht]

Fan groups of Queen Mary 2 claim she will be able to transit the new Panama Canal with a height of Height (Keel to Funnel): 236.2 feet.

Voyager of the Seas height approx. 63 m (207 ft) height to top of funnel.

I am confused.

 

As mentioned before, the QM2 height above the waterline is more like 204ft. Although she may be able to pass the bridge at the lowest of low tides with heavy ballast, I think most people assume that she will be outfitted with retractable or flip-down funnels (similar to the flip-up bow that Enchantment of the Seas was supposed to get to fit through the locks).

 

Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk 4

[roysmith99]

Could some tell me more about the call center in Guatemala. This is the first I have seen this info.

 

Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines are closing (I think, 11 European) customer service centres being outsourced to Guatemala, from Jan 2014 - the Center will be run by Xerox.

 

This is a backward move that will lose many UK and Eire clients without doubt.

 

I emailed Adam Goldstein and got a very quick reply followed by a personal call from a UK manager trying to reassure me of their commitment to the UK. From time to time I have been transferred to Miami when the UK Center is busy, the service from the home of the company is far below the UK level. How can a multi-lingual agent in Guatemala have any idea about low cost airlines in the UK, travel times or even cultural differences?

 

..

[DKNYC]

Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines are closing (I think, 11 European) customer service centres being outsourced to Guatemala, from Jan 2014 - the Center will be run by Xerox.

 

This is a backward move that will lose many UK and Eire clients without doubt.

 

I emailed Adam Goldstein and got a very quick reply followed by a personal call from a UK manager trying to reassure me of their commitment to the UK. From time to time I have been transferred to Miami when the UK Center is busy, the service from the home of the company is far below the UK level. How can a multi-lingual agent in Guatemala have any idea about low cost airlines in the UK, travel times or even cultural differences?

 

..

 

I am thinking that if this little venture works out for RCI the Miami center will go too, and with it some more jobs on this side of the pond as well. :(

 

Denise

[swcruise]

Would like to get the same booking and cancellation deals as our US cruisers, that would please me...

[campbell51]

Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines are closing (I think, 11 European) customer service centres being outsourced to Guatemala, from Jan 2014 - the Center will be run by Xerox.

 

This is a backward move that will lose many UK and Eire clients without doubt.

 

I emailed Adam Goldstein and got a very quick reply followed by a personal call from a UK manager trying to reassure me of their commitment to the UK. From time to time I have been transferred to Miami when the UK Center is busy, the service from the home of the company is far below the UK level. How can a multi-lingual agent in Guatemala have any idea about low cost airlines in the UK, travel times or even cultural differences?

 

..

 

Totally agree with you have always booked my cruises with the same agent at the UK call centre. RCI can say all they want about this new call centre being staffed by english speaking personnel but we all know here in the UK when put through to a foreign call centre when calling any company accents play a big part in understanding the other person.

 

A very bad decision in my mind , many people will simply stop calling RCI.

[Missus Makkem]

Totally agree with you have always booked my cruises with the same agent at the UK call centre. RCI can say all they want about this new call centre being staffed by english speaking personnel but we all know here in the UK when put through to a foreign call centre when calling any company accents play a big part in understanding the other person.

 

A very bad decision in my mind , many people will simply stop calling RCI.

 

we have booked directly with Royal here in the UK and am not looking forward to the change.

Waiting for the first conversation between someone from Guatemala and my very broad Makkem husband....let the fun begin:rolleyes:

[cruisnseas]

Would like to get the same booking and cancellation deals as our US cruisers, that would please me...

 

As has been stated many times, you will get the same "deals" we get when you give up your consumer protections that cost RCCL significantly more than US consumer protections do.

[cruisnseas]

Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines are closing (I think, 11 European) customer service centres being outsourced to Guatemala, from Jan 2014 - the Center will be run by Xerox.

 

This is a backward move that will lose many UK and Eire clients without doubt.

 

I emailed Adam Goldstein and got a very quick reply followed by a personal call from a UK manager trying to reassure me of their commitment to the UK. From time to time I have been transferred to Miami when the UK Center is busy, the service from the home of the company is far below the UK level. How can a multi-lingual agent in Guatemala have any idea about low cost airlines in the UK, travel times or even cultural differences?

 

..

 

While I don't like this move on their part, I will commend them on one point. When most companies outsource, they also outsource their training. This leads to a myriad of issues including (often) very poor levels of training and very poor levels of service. In this case, Royal has decided to send, and for quite some time maintain, a corporate team representing both US and int'l offices to train the Guatemala reps.

 

As for Miami providing lower service than UK, I think its a matter of expectations. I know when I had to deal with the UK office I always dreaded it - I thought they provided terrible service. I guess we were just looking for different things :)

[gstewart]

Just had an email from RC:

 

On 21st November 2013 there will be a big announcement "that will be music to your ears".

 

Massive hint that the announcement will concern Anthem being based in Southampton.

[Missus Makkem]

Just had an email from RC:

 

On 21st November 2013 there will be a big announcement "that will be music to your ears".

 

Massive hint that the announcement will concern Anthem being based in Southampton.

 

But we still need to go to Guatamala to be able to deal with RCI office,give me the old system anytime never mind a new ship which quite frankly is not new news,we were told ages ago the purpose of the new Sunshine breed of ships makes them ideal for sailing in Europe all year round.

After all the Indie was originally launched and based in Southampton.

[Navigat8]

Anthem for Southampton with Joff Eaton as Cruise Director! Indy staying and Adventure moving :D

[sky0000547]

Yup received an email about it this morning.

 

[Riocca]

We were told by the Captain at the C&A event on Indy in November last year that the second of the Sunshine class ships (Anthem) would be based in Southampton. So with this in mind and the musical comment in the email it can only be that.;)

 

On the Guatemalan question we will only book RCI via a UK travel agent in future as there is no way we will be calling an overseas call centre - plus the fact that the TA pays at least half our gratuities as well :)

[icsys]

Would like to get the same booking and cancellation deals as our US cruisers, that would please me...

As has been stated many times, you will get the same "deals" we get when you give up your consumer protections that cost RCCL significantly more than US consumer protections do.

As has been stated many times, protection only when flights and cruise are booked as a package.

 

Back to the topic...

Anthem to homeport in Liverpool... now that would be a WOW for those of us north of the Watford Gap!

 

Highly unlikely I know

Edited November 12, 2013 by icsys

[cruiserdudebobby8]

my guess is Independence and Anthem will do the same with South Hampton and Ft Lauderdale

[villauk]

Hope we get some itineraries posted rather just a statement confirming that she's sailing from Southampton.

[travelplus]

I think the big announcement is that for everyone residing in the UK they will be subjected to hefty fuel surcharges like British Airways imposes:D

[jackaboo]

I think the big announcement is that for everyone residing in the UK they will be subjected to hefty fuel surcharges like British Airways imposes:D

 

I would love to sit back and watch the meltdown on these boards if that happened!

[Tiggertastic]

Liverpool, likely story

 

Now what about home porting it in the new Dublin terminal - only 15 minutes from the airport - easy to get to from most countries

 

Now I don't want anyone being too disappointed that the hype was more exciting than the announcement - so come on RCCL make us proud

 

And while I am on my soap box - I understand the strategic cost drivers but RCCl its about time you looked at differentiation as a strategy - you have surely only decided to close down the UK and europe call centres for a cost reason - time will tell