Liberty in Bayonne... Pricing for Summer 2015 Double Freedom from Florida?

[jstraw20]

For others that have commented that they are also hoping for Liberty pricing to drop so that they can sail on her Summer of 2015 - are you opting for cruises leaving from different ports or not cruising at all??? Just curious to know what others are thinking/doing...

 

We've been toying with the idea of a trip to New Orleans for a while now, we'll probably opt for that. If not then we'll cruise out of Baltimore for the time being.

[swiss2619]

So for now, we are opting to fly for our family cruise in 2015... We booked the Oasis Western Itinerary in 2 connecting Boardwalk Balcony cabins for just over $8K (WAY more reasonable!). I will continue to watch the Liberty and hope that the pricing will come down to something remotely realistic that makes it worth sailing from Bayonne instead of flying to Florida but for now - we are set and planning has begun!

 

DH and I have sailed Oasis and think that the kids will absolutely love it! We are not disappointed in our choice, but disappointed that we can't try the Liberty while she will be here, parked in our own backyard.

 

For others that have commented that they are also hoping for Liberty pricing to drop so that they can sail on her Summer of 2015 - are you opting for cruises leaving from different ports or not cruising at all??? Just curious to know what others are thinking/doing...

We have sailed out of Bayonne or NY for the last 15 years...on all the various ships RC and Celebrity. Our children are now grown and have children of their own and we were all hoping to do (at first) Quantum out of Bayonne next summer. We usually book a combination of OS, GS and JS. Then the Quantum was pulled from our plan and then they announced the Liberty cruise prices. Our family will NOT be booking at those prices - highway robbery....and we and many others have been so loyal to the brand. We are considering NCL or possibly just flying to Bermuda or St. Marten - so far, that is less expensive than the Liberty pricing for our group/family. What a shame. I cannot begin to imagine why they would overprice the Liberty, especially after pulling the promised Quantum from under everyone's noses! But...that's just my opinion. Taking our last cruise on the Explorer this summer....have a group with 8 staterooms. Last fling, so to speak! ;) swiss

[mamamoes]

Sorry, trying to figure out this abbreviataion!

[Clarea]

Sorry, trying to figure out this abbreviataion!

Next Cruise Certificate. Also called Open Booking and Decide Later.

 

It's a way to get some of the benefits of booking on board, without having to pick a specific cruse.

 

The benefits used to be identical to booking a specific cruise on board, but back in mid-March, Royal greatly reduced the on biard credit associated with the NCC.

Edited April 21, 2014 by clarea

[JohnGaltny]

I also think RCI may have miscalculated based on the fact that Explorer out of Bayonne sells out routinely.

 

I'm on the May 17 sailing on Explorer. My E-1 Hump balcony, a Promenade inside, and a 3 Deck OceanView cost me about $7,000 total for 6 adults and a 2 year old.

 

The Liberty prices, as quoted, are WAY out of line.

Edited April 21, 2014 by JohnGaltny

[Dave85]

For others that have commented that they are also hoping for Liberty pricing to drop so that they can sail on her Summer of 2015 - are you opting for cruises leaving from different ports or not cruising at all??? Just curious to know what others are thinking/doing...

 

 

We also booked Oasis instead. We're not going to bother with watching for Liberty price drops though, we got an excellent rate for Oasis and will proceed with the new plan.

 

Well, I guess I actually will watch the Liberty prices but only for my own amusement and curiosity to see how RCI handles their bungled initial release pricing for Liberty.

 

 

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[yj2cute]

I was planning to book Quantum for late Fall early January 2015 out of Cape Liberty. Obviously now, that won't happen. However, if Anthem is overpriced, as Liberty currently is, we will be flying for our cruise vacation. And it may not be with Royal. Just waiting til Friday for Anthem pricing. Hopefully it comes sooner.

[SnappyNappi]

We also booked Oasis instead. We're not going to bother with watching for Liberty price drops though, we got an excellent rate for Oasis and will proceed with the new plan.

 

Well, I guess I actually will watch the Liberty prices but only for my own amusement and curiosity to see how RCI handles their bungled initial release pricing for Liberty.

Hey Dave85... which sailing will you be on Oasis... we booked July 18, 2015 Western. I noticed that there is no roll-call for July 2015 for Oasis... Just thought I'd ask if maybe you and yours had chosen the same sailing.

 

Totally agree with you... Great pricing for Oasis in summertime 2015. However, IF the Liberty 9-night comes down to something that looks like a normal price and beats the cost for Oasis 7-night (with the airfare) I MAY have to consider the move for convenience AND an extra 2 days on a cruise ship. Just sayin'...... :)

Edited April 21, 2014 by SnappyNappi

[BillOh]

I think it's high even for Quantum, never mind Liberty. They will have to lower prices. They will not sell Liberty cabins at those prices.

 

I work for a Fortune 100 company that is so big sometime the left hand frequently doesn't know what the right had is doing type of behavior is common. I had to wonder if reading this if the powers that be at RC just left the premium pricing for Anthem and substituted Liberty. One guy did a reasonable comparison to Freedom out of Florida, but how do these prices compare with the other cruise lines out of the NY/NJ area?

[Dave85]

Hey Dave85... which sailing will you be on Oasis... we booked July 18, 2015 Western. I noticed that there is no roll-call for July 2015 for Oasis... Just thought I'd ask if maybe you and yours had chosen the same sailing.

 

Totally agree with you... Great pricing for Oasis in summertime 2015. However, IF the Liberty 9-night comes down to something that looks like a normal price and beats the cost for Oasis 7-night (with the airfare) I MAY have to consider the move for convenience AND an extra 2 days on a cruise ship. Just sayin'...... :)

 

Haha I hear ya. We booked the May 2, 2015 (Eastern) sailing of Oasis, and I actually started the roll call myself... so far no takers. I've noticed a later booking crowd in the past with standard Caribbean cruises out of Florida, but we should both have some company on our respective roll calls before long!

 

I definitely haven't given up on Bayonne though, I'll be waiting with baited breath for the Anthem Winter '15-'16 release on Friday and anticipate booking something if the pricing isn't RIDICULOUS (I should note that I'm fully expecting and am prepared to pay a premium for the new ship out of Bayonne). I may well wait to book until I'm on Allure in 20 days to snag the extra OBC :). I didn't wait for Oasis because they were running some sort of amazing residency special last Friday that I had to take advantage of.

Edited April 21, 2014 by Dave85

[SnappyNappi]

I work for a Fortune 100 company that is so big sometime the left hand frequently doesn't know what the right had is doing type of behavior is common. I had to wonder if reading this if the powers that be at RC just left the premium pricing for Anthem and substituted Liberty. One guy did a reasonable comparison to Freedom out of Florida, but how do these prices compare with the other cruise lines out of the NY/NJ area?

Hi BillOh,

I am the OP... I actually did do the comparisons against the Liberty (at nearly $14K for my family of 5 in 2 E-level balcony staterooms) against the Celebrity Summit and the NCL Breakaway for the same week. However, hard compare apples to apples exactly as these lines that I would consider similar to RCCL are doing 7-night Bermuda and not a 9-night Bermuda/Caribbean. Even saying that they are similar, but not the exact same, I don't see how the variation in itinerary or the extra 2 nights can warrant almost $5K more than the Breakaway and close to double the Summit during the same week, from the same market. It just looks TOO 'out of whack'. This was a snip from my first/original post:

I did do an additional comparisons - just to see what the competition is doing in the same market... the Breakaway (NCL's newest ship) sails the 7-day Bermuda the same week as well. Again, a 7-night vs. a 9-night, but the pricing on the Breakaway for 2 mid-ship balcony staterooms for my same 5 people came to a total of ~$9100 ---- for anyone who is not a math whiz out there, that is nearly $5000 less.

 

Celebrity Summit (btw...owned by the same parent company) also does a 7-night Bermuda itinerary from the same pier in Bayonne the same week as the Liberty itinerary... $~7600 for my family of 5 in 2 Veranda staterooms.

Edited April 21, 2014 by SnappyNappi

[SnappyNappi]

I'll be waiting with baited breath for the Anthem Winter '15-'16 release on Friday and anticipate booking something if the pricing isn't RIDICULOUS (I should note that I'm fully expecting and am prepared to pay a premium for the new ship out of Bayonne).

Dave, I don't know if you saw one of my earlier posts, but DH and I are booked February 2015 on Quantum out of Bayonne... While it is close to what I would expect for a closer to peak-season pricing, I booked 2 of us in a D8 balcony on the 9-night itinerary for just over $3K with the Cruise Care and pre-paid gratuities already charged. I don't think that is horrible at all, especially for a new ship during its inaugural winter season... Maybe Anthem will be priced closely to what we see for Quantum the winter season before as you get into fall 2015/winter 2016. I will be hoping for you.

Edited April 21, 2014 by SnappyNappi

[Dave85]

Dave, I don't know if you saw one of my earlier posts, but DH and I are booked February 2015 on Quantum out of Bayonne... While it is close to what I would expect for a closer to peak-season pricing, I booked 2 of us in a D8 balcony on the 9-night itinerary for just over $3K with the Cruise Care and pre-paid gratuities already charged. I don't think that is horrible at all, especially for a new ship during its inaugural winter season... Maybe Anthem will be priced closely to what we see for Quantum the winter season before as you get into fall 2015/winter 2016. I will be hoping for you.

 

Wow, that's an outstanding deal! I'd be thrilled beyond belief if we got anything like that (although I'm not expecting it, of course).

[marci22]

I work for a Fortune 100 company that is so big sometime the left hand frequently doesn't know what the right had is doing type of behavior is common. I had to wonder if reading this if the powers that be at RC just left the premium pricing for Anthem and substituted Liberty. One guy did a reasonable comparison to Freedom out of Florida, but how do these prices compare with the other cruise lines out of the NY/NJ area?

 

yeah to me it seems like they just switched out the ship (Quantum) but left the pricing. They probably figured they'll see what happens. They can always lower the prices later.

[Wilda]

yeah to me it seems like they just switched out the ship (Quantum) but left the pricing. They probably figured they'll see what happens. They can always lower the prices later.

 

Agree. I think pricing will come down once the buzz around Q&A dies down.

[Cruisin'4Us]

...Anthem out of Bayonne for Winter '15-'16 opens for C&A next Friday, and it will be truly interesting to see how it's priced.

Would you please tell me where you found out about Anthem bookings for C&A next Friday? I, unsuccessfully, tried to find it (I'm probably missing it by one click.) :(

 

Also, how would C&A members access pricing on Friday (by logging-in to the RCI site)? Thank you! :)

[Dave85]

Would you please tell me where you found out about Anthem bookings for C&A next Friday? I' date=' unsuccessfully, tried to find it (I'm probably missing it by one click.) :(

 

Also, how would C&A members access pricing on Friday (by logging-in to the RCI site)? Thank you! :)[/quote']

 

Hi Cruizin'4Us: I can't remember where I read it first but if you Google it you'll see a whole host of sites referencing the announcement. And yes, logging into the RCI site should display the Anthem Winter '15-'16 cruises for you on Friday. If they don't come up for some reason call C&A or your TA and they'll be able to get that info for you. There's sometimes a lag on the regular RCI site.

[deliver42]

In 2011, I wanted to go on the Oasis, but they priced it so high that I went Carnival instead. In 2013, RCI came to their senses and priced the Oasis the same as the Freedom, so I went on the Oasis. RCI keeps playing the price game, and I know of several people who don't even check RCI anymore. By the way, I'm booked on Celebrity for Dec. 2015, and can't wait.

[DPurcell58]

I also booked Quantum for Easter week 2015 (which is usually very high) in a D1 (with what looks like an extended balcony) for 3 people for approx $3850 with pre-paid gratuities and C&A balcony discount. I think for Easter break that was a good price (I only booked this Feb).