RCI left us

[Piepkorn]

Monterey is like our second home. I wish I owned one. :rolleyes:

 

Monterey is my home :)

[bighairtexan]

Don't give up hope. RCI was in Galveston. It left. It came back for part of the year. It left. Now it's here full time and we even got the "new and improved Navigator."

Disney was in Galveston part time. It left permanently. It's coming back.

Princess is now in Houston part time.

 

There is hope. As has been said, the lines will go where they feel the money is. I guess it's "inconsistently" here in Texas!! :D

[Merion_Mom]

Thanks for the alert on these Jewel of the Seas cruises in 2015 - we had given up and quit looking. The only down side is I've just spent an hour on the RCI website trying to see what cabins are available and have given up in frustration. I'll keep trying for a little while longer, but our next cruise is on Princess and their web site runs rings around RCI's! Princess does a nice diagram for each cabin category, for each deck, showing every cabin that's available, while RCI shows you only what they want to show you, even when you choose "show me additional selections".

 

There are plenty of travel websites that have the same sort of cabin diagram that Princess does, with dots or flashing dots that show available cabins.

 

Just try ANY of the large travel dot coms.

[novalab]

New terminal is at Pier 27. It's due to open later this year. It's about half a mile from the current cruise ship pier. Due to open within the next few months. If 2 ships are in the same day, the one that is originating from SF will board there, and a visiting ship would be at the old terminal.

 

The new port is in between the old port and pier 39 is all within walking distance of each other. The new terminal is set to open sept 21st I believe I know it will be open for my Alaska princess cruise on the 27th

 

 

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Thank you both for this info! I hope there will be a SF originating ship in port the day we arrive which would cause us to divert to Pier 39. I loved the convenience of having our ship just steps away from so much to do, see, & eat!:p Plus, due to a past injury, my DH can't walk all that much these days (guess we could grab a ride on the electric trolly up to Fishermans' Wharf). Really looking foreword to this cruise!

[critterchick]

I live in the Bay Area. And had to jump ship temporary for a princess cruise to Alaska round trip from San Francisco. But I am going on the jewel california costal cruise next year. It would be nice if they followed princess footsteps with a quantum class out of San Francisco to Alaska. Have amazing views of the Golden Gate Bridge and glaziers through North Star.

 

I don't know the ship height, but I can just see the North Star coming a little too close to the bridge.:eek:

 

I have some sympathy for what west coast inhabitants are writing. My own brother cruises only Princess for this very reason.

 

But seriously, people, get a grip.

 

Most people have to fly to their cruises.

 

It is a lovely bonus if/when you don't have to, but it is the norm, not the exception.

 

JMO.

 

:)

 

We have a grip, thanks. But we also have a few very nice embarkation ports, which one won't find in, say, Idaho. Other lines are sailing, and presumably making a profit, from those ports. We have happily sailed on Princess since they started offering weekend cruises and, other than a few stabs of nostalgia for the Schooner Bar, haven't missed Monarch since Princess got here (Carnival was another story).

 

We are booked on 2 of the 3 Jewel coastals and would book a PC transit if we had the vacation time. We have had a fine time on Princess, which IMO offers just as nice a product. And if RCI comes back to compete with them, we'll go with the better price, since the itineraries aren't likely to be much different.

 

Win-win for us.

[Ashland]

Add me also to the list that miss RCI on the west coast..and to the list that promised if they return I will book and so I did the minute those pacific coastals were offered. I tried to sail PCL...and wanted so much to like them but something just seemed "off"... So traveling to cruise my beloved RCI is just now something we have factored in.

[hellsop]

We live in Minnesota and would like a cruise ship in the summer months cruise the great lakes. but in the cruise line models it must not be good for them or maybe they have never considered it.

 

Great Lakes Cruising does Lake Michigan and points east of there, but doesn't get into Superior. There's an interesting one that goes from Chicago to Rhode Island via Erie Canal and Hudson River, but ... $7k pp.... That's a quarter of my own boat for two people.

[SherriZ366]

I am sure that Mariner's failure on the west coast was as much a disappointment to RCI as it was to the west coasters. RCI didn't really leave you folks they just needed to chase the money. And it wasn't out there.

There is a lot of competition for ships now especially with Asia and Australia markets coming on strong.

 

I heard that the Jewel cruises are booking up well at decent prices. As it is a trial, RCI will be looking closely at prices and onboard spending (another area where Mariner and Radiance did not do well).

[ehfl]

Talk to your members of congress if you would like them to be able to offer domestic west coast cruises. Talk to the leaders in Mexico if you would like them to control violent crime enough to attract the cruise lines back to their ports.

[Ocean Boy]

Talk to your members of congress if you would like them to be able to offer domestic west coast cruises. Talk to the leaders in Mexico if you would like them to control violent crime enough to attract the cruise lines back to their ports.

 

Nice in theory but in reality talking to either group would probably seem more painful, and fruitless, than taking out my own appendix without anesthesia.

Edited July 9, 2014 by Ocean Boy

[grand isle joe]

RCI left us so we will probably be leaving them. :( Before you jump all over me ....let me explain. We absolutely love RCI, it is our favorite. The simple truth is, we live in California and since they left us we have to fly anywhere to sail with them. With the new SF terminal opening up, we have many more options. With what we save on airfare and hotels we can cruise more. I will continue to hope that they return to the West coast.:)

 

"I feel your pain".........we have to fly every cruise and with the crazy airfare prices we spend almost as much to fly as the cruise itself. Hope it all works out for you.:)

[EmpressofPurple]

Nice in theory but in reality talking to either group would probably seem more painful, and fruitless, than taking out my own appendix without anesthesia.

 

Lol!:D

 

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[jkrislc]

There are 3 Pacific Coastals (Jewel of the Seas) on the schedule for 2015. Two will be departing from LA & one from San Diego. The months are: May, Sept. & Oct. We have already booked the Oct. 3, 2015 sailing which overnights in San Francisco. Our other ports will be Santa Barbara, Monterey & Encenada (4 ports total not counting LA).

 

We are so thrilled to have a RCCL ship back on the West Coast! Even if it is for only 3 cruises, we just can't pass it up. Maybe RCCL will send us another ship in the near future if we can fill these 3 cruises & show them that they can make money out west! We're sure going to do our part!:D

 

I did a Pacific Coastal on Celebrity this year. Almost everyone I talked to loved the itinerary and said they'd do it again and wish they were offered year round. It also attracted some international guests.

 

Perhaps the market can't sustain year round coastal cruises, but I'd think they'd be more popular than Mexico cruises. Bringing a newer, larger ship would also help as the ship itself would be the destination for many.

[Desert Cruizers]

We don't mind flying to our cruises and majority of ours require flying, with so many being offered to differant destinations it is necessary. The Coastal I did last Sept was truely enjoyable on Princess. Although we cruise mostly with Royal, if the itinerary and price is right, we will go with Princess again.

[Don Pedro]

I've looked into Mississippi River cruises from time to time, and was surprised by how high the prices were. I think if I was going to do an expensive river cruise, I'd favor the European variety.

 

Bob, I've also flirted with the Mississippi River Cruise. The New Orleans - Memphis route really appeals to me but the price tag doesn't. I can do an OS on Royal for what an 80 square foot single costs on the river cruise. Wonder how the food and service can possibly justify those prices. I believe a European river cruise would be great but I'm partial to ships that are under the control of the US Coast Guard. Just me!

 

No matter where my cruises originate I'll have two flights to get there. Which in a way is good because that takes the proximity of the debarkation port out of the equation. The hassle is getting to airport, thru security and onto the plane. Once onboard the difference in flight time probably won't vary more than an hour or two. So, Boston, Ft Lauderdale, California, San Juan or any other port are pretty much equal options for me. I'd love to see RCCL back on the west coast.

Edited July 9, 2014 by Don Pedro

[Gopher1934]

You can cruise the Great Lakes in the summer... check the link below. Just be sure and bring your checkbook when you make reservations:eek:!

 

http://www.greatlakescruising.com/itineraries.php

 

Thank you for the link for great lakes cruises. They look very expensive think I will stay with the main line cruises for the cost. and I like the larger ships.

[travln1234]

I'd jump at the chance for an RCI cruise out of San Francisco. 30 minutes by car to the pier would be a dream! I've looked at the Princess one to Alaska, but meh. RCI is my cruise line of choice.

Edited July 9, 2014 by travln1234

[novalab]

I have another question about an overnight stay, such as we will be having on this cruise in SF. I have friends that want to book this cruise. She asked me if RC allows cruisers to stay out late when the ship is in port overnight. Is there a curfew?

 

I told her I would ask & get back to her as I have never overnighted in a cruise port.

 

Thanks!!

Edited July 9, 2014 by novalab

[MichaelCMTX]

I heard that the Jewel cruises are booking up well at decent prices.

 

For some perspective, we looked at the two LA-to-LA trips in Sept -Oct 2015, at a GS as that's our usual.

 

on 26-SEP they show SOLD OUT of OS and GS and nearly $5000 for a JS.

 

on 3-OCT they show SOLD OUT of JS and GS with $6241 for an OS.

 

plus on the Sept Vancouver to LA 8-nighter the JS is $4560, SOLD OUT of GS and OS.

 

I think there's quite a bit of pent-up demand that might not be there if they were sailing regularly. Hoping this sort of brisk business persuades someone at RC a few more West Coast trips could be worthwhile. Though as I've joked with others, the company's name is Royal Caribbean.

[Beachin2]

Another "sorta" west coast cruise that I haven't seen mentioned here - 5/15, Legend, Ensenada to Hawaii.

 

Little bit pricy too, but all Hawaii cruises are.

[Ocean Boy]

I have another question about an overnight stay, such as we will be having on this cruise in SF. I have friends that want to book this cruise. She asked me if RC allows cruisers to stay out late when the ship is in port overnight. Is there a curfew?

 

I told her I would ask & get back to her as I have never overnighted in a cruise port.

 

Thanks!!

 

No, the gangways are open 24 hrs. You can come and go from the ship as you please.

[wolfcathorse]

We live in Minnesota and would like a cruise ship in the summer months cruise the great lakes. but in the cruise line models it must not be good for them or maybe they have never considered it.

 

they can't, none of today's mainstream cruiselines have a ship that can go through the Welland Canal to get to the Great Lakes. I live in MI and there is a small company that runs summer cruises from Chicago to Montreal

 

http://www.greatlakescruising.com/

 

but the prices are so high you can buy airfare and stay in a suite for the same price as cruising the Great Lakes

[negc]

 

I think there's quite a bit of pent-up demand that might not be there if they were sailing regularly. Hoping this sort of brisk business persuades someone at RC a few more West Coast trips could be worthwhile. Though as I've joked with others, the company's name is Royal Caribbean.

 

Actually its name is Royal Caribbean INTERNATIONAL which pretty much explains their rationale for sailing to so many different destinations throughout the world. However, even with 20 plus ships in the fleet there are only so many ports where they can sail from and still maximize their profits.

[Kartgv]

More frustration - thought I'd found the perfect idea - the Jewel 5/16/15 leaving San Diego, ending in Vancouver on 5/22, with a B2B 5/22 sailing on to Alaska. Just as I began booking, I realized this violates PVSA since the Alaska cruise ends in Seattle - transport for the B2B begins and ends in the US. Sad, but not RCI's fault.

 

Second thought - do the first leg on the Jewel, spend a night or 2 in Vancouver, then find another Alaska cruise leaving Vancouver. Found one (different cruise line) leaving on 5/23 and decided to go ahead and book them both. The RCI online price for the 5/16 cruise is actually a little cheaper than our usual online TA, so decided to book online directly. I picked a cabin, got all the way to the point where I had entered all our information and was ready to 'review cruise information' and got the message "Sorry the information you requested is not available at this time, try again later". We've all heard it a million times, but why can't RCI fix their website!!! It seems you have to pick the lesser of 2 evils to deal with RCI - an hour on the phone, or an hour+ on the website. Much as we'd like to do the Jewel Pacific Coastal sailing, it's getting much too frustrating.

[MichaelCMTX]

Another "sorta" west coast cruise that I haven't seen mentioned here - 5/15, Legend, Ensenada to Hawaii.

 

Little bit pricy too, but all Hawaii cruises are.

 

Could be a lot pricier. You can get an OS there for what we paid for a GS on Radiance Hawaii-to-Vancouver. I figured they were down to just one Hawaii RT a year after swapping the Jewel for the Rhapsody in Alaska - may still be as I only see "one way" for this one.