Philly ramps up cruise offerings

[Philly Steve]

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports RCI is announcing plans to base Empress of the Seas at the Cruise Terminal at the former Navy Yard from mid-April through mid-October, 2006. All RCI cruises will be to Bermuda. NCL will continue to cruise out of Philly.

 

The 35 scheduled cruises are three more than cruise lines are operating from the terminal this year, reports the Inquirer.

 

:)

[sueinphilly]

Yeah, they had a nice article on the Enchantment stretch too.

 

But all of this info was old news to me because I get my info from the internet!

[Philly Steve]

I know what you mean, sueinphilly. But, it's nice to see our city take more of the cruise limelight. :) What a great way for cruise-bound locals to save on airfare!

[familycruzer]

I agree, I am thrilled to see Philly getting into the cruise wars. I would like to see one leave there for Canada/New England though. I have done Bermuda twice now.

[BevMoney]

Good news although I would like some Caribbean in there once in a while. The Enchantment is doing 2 cruises to Canada/New England from Philly in October.

[EmJakeBubbie]

would very much like to cruise w/o the air; however, old ships and Bermuda do not interest me - It is exciting that Philly is getting more into this market. Baltimore had something going, but blew it!

[K&RCurt]

Hopefully the expansion of offerings will continue. We would love to be able to get to the ship with the same trip as it now takes to the airport. Nothing they have so far has worked for us, but if it keeps expanding, hopefully there will be a good fit.

[BevMoney]

Good news although I would like some Caribbean in there once in a while. The Enchantment is doing 2 cruises to Canada/New England from Philly in October.

 

Sorry, I stand corrected. Enchantment is in Philly today. I just happen to see a report on CN8 this morning. They showed a nice time lapse of the cut and stretch of the ship. They showed some interior of the ship but not the new parts. There was also an author on afterwards plugging a book called "The Devils on the Blue Sea"-it sounds interesting, its about the five families that own the cruise industry.

 

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0670034185/ref=pd_sxp_f/104-4853746-0154306

 

If anyone can get to the port around 6-m tonight, you can see her off.

 

 

EmJake's Bubbie - what happened in Baltimore?

[Merion_Mom]

Bev: The Enchantment is sailing out of Philadelphia every week from now until the end of August.

 

Carol

[Merion_Mom]

OK, I just found the article in the Inquirer. GREAT article - I love it! ;)

 

Carol

[dantobey]

Glad to see Philly has more sailings. But Bermeuda, come on? I gong on a 9 night sailing out of Baltimore on Sept. 02, 2005 to the Caribbean. That is what we need not more sailing to Bermuda. There is nothing to do on the ship once you get there.

 

I think a company that would do alternating 10 and 11 day Caribbean sailings from Philly would have a winner. Even 7 nighters to Canada or the Bahama's would be better than Bermuda.

 

We sail two to three times a year and would like to sail from Philly now and then. Just need some good ports of call.

[kpgclark]

I agree with the above poster except I have a different concern. My daughter gets seasick and it is my understanding that the seas can get quite rough from Philly to Bermuda. I wish they'd go somewhere else too. Also I notice that all the northeast cruises from Baltimore, Philly etc are always priced higher than those out of Florida. Why do they always seem to price so high out of the northeast? I guess it is suppy and demand.

[Merion_Mom]

I'm with Dantobey. We're going on Enchantment in August, and we're thrilled to be just hopping down to the Navy Yard to board her. Next summer's Empress' Bermuda-only cruises don't really appeal to any of us.

 

I had waited and waited and waited until RCI finally announced Empress' itinerary, and then was totally underwhelmed. We booked the Explorer out of Bayonne instead, but now RC has changed the itinerary completely, and we are really stymied.

 

Carol

[EmJakeBubbie]

I imagine a majority of us are in agreement: we want better itineraries from Philly! If one prices air + cruise from FL, the price is comparable to cruise only from Philly! grrrrr.... Ok, so they are making money on us because we are willing to pay Not to have to deal w/the airport schlep, yes? I will not cruise to Bermuda for the reasons stated above: nothing to do/pricey!

 

Dear Cruise Line Person: please read what we are saying -- give us the product we want -- we will fill your ships, over and over and over again:D

[DMB41]

This is great news for me....I live less than two hours from Philly. I am just concerned about the seas being too rough. I never had any problems on the Mariner or Navigatoor,but being larger ships and sailing from florida that is probablt why.:p

[kpgclark]

Yeah but.... Florida residents get a million perks for sailing. The always have great resident deals. We get nothing but comperable prices if you INCLUDE air to Florida.

[familycruzer]

I too have noticed that the prices for cruising out of the NE including Philly are higher than what you would pay in Florida. In the end, cruises end up being the same price from here as they are from Florida with airfare. How about a fair price?

[Merion_Mom]

I imagine a majority of us are in agreement: we want better itineraries from Philly! If one prices air + cruise from FL' date=' the price is comparable to cruise only from Philly! grrrrr.... Ok, so they are making money on us because we are willing to pay Not to have to deal w/the airport schlep, yes? I will not cruise to Bermuda for the reasons stated above: nothing to do/pricey!

 

Dear Cruise Line Person: please read what we are saying -- give us the product we want -- we will fill your ships, over and over and over again:D[/quote']

I agree wholeheartedly with Bubbie.

 

ROYAL CARIBBEAN: Do you REALLY want to make money sailing out of Philadelphia? Bring ANY newer ship HERE and alternate 5-day Bermuda sailings with 9-day Caribbean sailings!!!!!

[kingtns]

I agree wholeheartedly with Bubbie.

 

ROYAL CARIBBEAN: Do you REALLY want to make money sailing out of Philadelphia? Bring ANY newer ship HERE and alternate 5-day Bermuda sailings with 9-day Caribbean sailings!!!!!

I'm with you...any new ship out of Philly & I'm booked too!! (TODAY)

[EmJakeBubbie]

y'all know some Royal Caribbean person is lurking on this thread :rolleyes: .....I sure wish they'd respond with some Good News for us!!! We want itineraries other than Bermuda, yes? And, we want New Ships not those small old antiques that are pretending to be new! They'd sell out in a flash; I know we'd put down the moolah-moolah. I've got a high school alumni group wishing for just such a cruise!!!!! I believe Philly has the political backing, unlike Baltimore that just wouldn't get their politicians to agree!grrrrr.....Let's go Philadelphia/RCI !!!!!

[Merion_Mom]

Well, they're NOT going to give us a Voyager class ship OR a Radiance class ship...........you just KNOW that they won't. (even though we have JUST as large a population feed in Philadelphia as there is in NJ - we draw from that same area PLUS down to DC, MD & VA). I would be happy to have the Enchantment back, just as Rhapsody is associated with Texas.

 

Carol

[EmJakeBubbie]

I'd be happy w/the ENCHANTMENT....now to where do we wish to sail:rolleyes: