karmacats Posted September 5, 2014 #26 Share Posted September 5, 2014 Just popping in to say hi. We're booked on the August 8, 2015 5-nighter to bermuda. Have never been to bermuda nor sailed out of NJ, so we're looking forward to it. we were supposed to go on explorer this past spring but had to cancel due to a death in the family. The prices are stupid-ridiculous (we're paying $2700 for 5 nights in an E balcony cabin), but my mom is on dialysis and wants to try cruising, so we had to go with a dialysis-at-sea cruise, which really limited our choices. since it's her first cruise and travel to florida would be difficult for her, a 5-night out of NJ seemed ideal. Right now, my mom has a cabin, DH and I have a cabin, and my brother and sister-in-law are also supposed to be booking their own cabin. As far as the prices go, DH and I just paid $2500 for an OS on a 5-nighter on Liberty last April; it's killing me to pay more than that for a balcony. Our last two cruises and upcoming quantum and anthem are all suites, but it just wasn't worth it for this one until the price drops. (And yes, it's true, you will never go back to non-suite again! :eek: ) This cruise is not selling at all - we just booked a couple weeks ago, and I was able to get a hump balcony and my mom got a HC room, which are usually the first to go - so hopefully royal will wise up and drop prices soon. We don't mean to, but we keep coming back to liberty. :D our royal cruises so far have been liberty-oasis-liberty-allure-liberty, and the next three are quantum-liberty-anthem. So if anyone has questions, ask away! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goodtime Cruizin Posted September 5, 2014 #27 Share Posted September 5, 2014 We'll be on the Libierty on 9 days for a Med Cruise and then back on in Feb 2106 out of Galveston. We were fortunate in that the prices dropped dramatically in the first week of May. That's when we booked the Feb 2016 cruise. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lbipooh Posted September 6, 2014 #28 Share Posted September 6, 2014 We will be sailing on Liberty May 2015. We booked a JS , taxes, insurance and gratuities for a little more than $5300. We booked it while on Oasis, last week. Buy one , second 1/2 off plus $250.00 onboard credit. Thought it was a great deal. Will be first time sailing Liberty. Have been on the Explorer and loved it. I wonder what will replace Liberty when she leaves Bayonne? Loved the Oasis. Sailed Allure 2 yrs ago. If you have not sailed an oasis class , you should give it a try. You would never now there are over 6,000 passengers. Ship is so unique. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FIRELT5 Posted September 6, 2014 #29 Share Posted September 6, 2014 No, not the way I see it. Anthem will never do a Bermuda itinerary as it will not fit width wise unless Bermuda widens reef. Bayonne features Bermuda May through October in various itineraries. A smaller ship is always needed. I do hope the Liberty will continue being placed in Bayonne May through October. Vicki Reference page 117 of 192 http://nebula.wsimg.com/9e9cf3a3d26adc9f777f141a1a92e25f?AccessKeyId=C14F6824FB82EB6965AA&disposition=0&alloworigin=1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeshore Posted September 6, 2014 #30 Share Posted September 6, 2014 We're booked on Liberty, May 16, 2015 to Bermuda. We have an accessible inside cabin with the first passenger at $824, second at $412, and third at $325.00 base rate. This past April the 5 night on Explorer to Bermuda (acc. inside) was $350.00 pp. I believe the price dropped twice before the final payment. I hesitated to book Liberty as early as I did since the price is crazy high but we needed an acc. cabin to accommodate my Mom and the cabins for 3 with a sofa bed go quickly. This cruise is a celebration for her 80th b-day. I can only hope that we can take advantage of some price drops. I love sailing out of both Bayonne and Baltimore. We chose to go with Liberty over Grandeur because of the WOW factor on Liberty and this will be Mom's first cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-52 Posted September 6, 2014 #31 Share Posted September 6, 2014 (edited) We have sailed out of Bayonne numerous times....yes the prices are crazy high... We are paying close to 7K for a 9 night GS...Florida would be 5K for a 7 night. But when I research a cruise out of Florida, it may be less expensive, but then I add the round trip airfare, a hotel and meals for the day before, transportation or possibly a rental car...luggage restrictions. Bayonne is a 40 minute drive...leave the house at 9:30am and we are in the Windjammer by noon.... Adding it all up, it comes out to be more expensive than Bayonne.... Also, aside from the smaller ship in Baltimore, Bayonne is the only ship RCI has in that area, within driving distance for many people in a highly populated area.....so there is supply and demand unlike Florida where cruises are everywhere.... RCI knows all this, they charge more, and sell out every cruise, or so it seems. And I am willing to pay, year after year... Edited September 6, 2014 by B-52 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare RCCL Fan Posted September 6, 2014 #32 Share Posted September 6, 2014 A quantum class ship will be in NJ year round, going to Bermuda. All indications have been Anthem will be full-time home ported in Bayonne with Quantum 3 taking her spot in Southhampton/Florida. http://www.bermudasun.bm/Content/NEWS/News/Article/-We-re-moving-ahead-with-dredging--/24/270/78397 If Anthem goes to Bermuda, then I'll have to eat my words and actually sail on Quantum class. I've been waiting on a newer ship to get me to Bermuda. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sauvichick Posted September 6, 2014 #33 Share Posted September 6, 2014 We are sailing on July 15 on the 5 nighter in a grand suite. It was a bit over $5000 including gratuities with $405 obc. I know that's high, but I will be watching the prices after the BOGOHO is over until final payment. After being on the Allure twice I am eager to try a smaller ship. Less pressure to see and do. Never having sailed out of Bayonne is it typically a lot of passengers from NJ and NY? Sent from my SCH-I545 using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollon Posted September 6, 2014 #34 Share Posted September 6, 2014 We have reservations for a Nov.13,2016 9 day sailing from Galveston, when Texas gets your beloved Liberty. Sorry to "rain on your parade." Cruzin Lady By any chance do you know the dates that Liberty will be in Galveston? From Month - Month or will she be there year round? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarea Posted September 6, 2014 #35 Share Posted September 6, 2014 By any chance do you know the dates that Liberty will be in Galveston? From Month - Month or will she be there year round? All we know now is Liberty is in Galveston from Nov 2015 to April 2016. We won't know anything beyond April 2016 until next spring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovetocruiserccl Posted September 6, 2014 Author #36 Share Posted September 6, 2014 (edited) Its becoming a struggle to decide do we continue to leave from Bayonne. We have a cruise booked on the Adventure out of SJ. Would like to go on the Liberty but the price is ridiculous. I continue to do the math back and forth and the itinerary is the only thing keeping us on the Adventure. I did enjoy flying when it was less dramatic. Fees for luggage, waiting, worrying if my luggage is on the plane. Way to much[emoji51] But the extra💲💲💲for the convenience leaving from Bayonne very debatable. Doing the same itinerary over and over again is monotonous. We basically use the ship as our vacation the ports are secondary. It would be nice if they would speed up the ship until they get to Florida then cruise making more ports accessible. I'm sure they could get to Florida in less than a day. This would be ideal....in my thinking. 😨 Edited September 6, 2014 by lovetocruiserccl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnappyNappi Posted September 6, 2014 #37 Share Posted September 6, 2014 We are booked in a RFS for 5 of us on July 16th, 2015/9-night. It was very expensive, even with the Kids Sail Free promotion. The cost per person for the Royal Family Suite when we broke it down per person after the promo was only a little more than $100 more per person than booking the connecting balconies at the current prices. So... A RFS it is and we are beyond thrilled. When we looked into flying to Florida to take advantage of the less expensive cruise fare on Oasis or Freedom class ships, the air is RIDICULOUS! It may still be a little more to go out of Bayonne, but the convenience is worth it. Lock the front door and be relaxing by the pool with drink in hand in an hour or two. Can't beat that! We love Explorer - in fact sailing her one more time in 28 days on a 5-night to Bermuda before she leaves us. However, we are really happy to be able to sail Liberty from Bayonne next summer. From what I have read here on this thread and on CC in general, we will not be disappointed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovetocruiserccl Posted September 6, 2014 Author #38 Share Posted September 6, 2014 We did our last Bayonne cruise on the Explorer. I won't say last Explorer cruise ever I want to see her when she is refurbished. I will eventually book Liberty once I get over sticker shock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4cats,1dog Posted September 7, 2014 #39 Share Posted September 7, 2014 1. 2. People seem not to be aware that Freedom class was originally called Ultra-Voyager class. Royal Caribbean simply stretched the Voyager class plans. Not wider, not higher. Just longer. Freedom class ships have the exact same amount of clearance under the Verrazano bridge as Voyager class ships. :) 92 feet longer and 30 feet wider! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merion_Mom Posted September 7, 2014 #40 Share Posted September 7, 2014 92 feet longer and 30 feet wider! Nope. Same beam (which is "width") Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-52 Posted September 7, 2014 #41 Share Posted September 7, 2014 (edited) Just popping in to say hi. We're booked on the August 8, 2015 5-nighter to bermuda. Have never been to bermuda nor sailed out of NJ, so we're looking forward to it. we were supposed to go on explorer this past spring but had to cancel due to a death in the family. The prices are stupid-ridiculous (we're paying $2700 for 5 nights in an E balcony cabin), but my mom is on dialysis and wants to try cruising, so we had to go with a dialysis-at-sea cruise, which really limited our choices. since it's her first cruise and travel to florida would be difficult for her, a 5-night out of NJ seemed ideal. Right now, my mom has a cabin, DH and I have a cabin, and my brother and sister-in-law are also supposed to be booking their own cabin. As far as the prices go, DH and I just paid $2500 for an OS on a 5-nighter on Liberty last April; it's killing me to pay more than that for a balcony. Our last two cruises and upcoming quantum and anthem are all suites, but it just wasn't worth it for this one until the price drops. (And yes, it's true, you will never go back to non-suite again! :eek: ) This cruise is not selling at all - we just booked a couple weeks ago, and I was able to get a hump balcony and my mom got a HC room, which are usually the first to go - so hopefully royal will wise up and drop prices soon. We don't mean to, but we keep coming back to liberty. :D our royal cruises so far have been liberty-oasis-liberty-allure-liberty, and the next three are quantum-liberty-anthem. So if anyone has questions, ask away! Never been on the Liberty, or any Freedom class ship. Have been on the Explorer 5 times out of bayonne, same itinerary....and the mariner a few times. From what I am gathering, the Liberty is the same as Explorer, just bigger...the deck plans look the same. (With a few exceptions of course.) We were given a free upgrade to a GS about 10 years ago on the Mariner...we never went back. The Suite perks are not what sells us..we just Love the room that much. We prefer smaller ships and always said the Explorer was the largest I would go. But the Explorer is gone and the liberty is here...so Liberty it is.... (still, no Quantum or Oasis for us though) Edited September 7, 2014 by B-52 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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