Deployment Schedule 2016-2017. Let the guessing begin

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

Azamara is a completely different category in price terms, hence I would keep them out of the picture. However we will have to see if RCL will continue to offer both the more intimate experience with a ship of 2500 - 2800 (Even if RCL will replace the Vision Class with ships that can be used for the same destinations the size will be larger) to the largest ships in the world. Or if the focus in the future will be the following; if the Ship is the destination you will go for RCL and if you are looking for a more intimate experience where the places that will be visited are the destination instead of the ship then you would have to cruise with Celebrity.

 

I agree with your Azamara statement. A luxury cruise on Azamara is out of reach for a lot of people, however, a cruise on Celebrity is not.

 

So I think it's either (like you mentioned) Royal will build a smaller class of ships (Radiance sized?) to get to the more exotic ports, or they will continue building mega-ships and shift all guests looking for more interesting itineraries to Celebrity. I hope they go for the smaller class of ship.

[kkorman]

Azamara is a completely different category in price terms, hence I would keep them out of the picture. However we will have to see if RCL will continue to offer both the more intimate experience with a ship of 2500 - 2800 (Even if RCL will replace the Vision Class with ships that can be used for the same destinations the size will be larger) to the largest ships in the world. Or if the focus in the future will be the following; if the Ship is the destination you will go for RCL and if you are looking for a more intimate experience where the places that will be visited are the destination instead of the ship then you would have to cruise with Celebrity.

 

This would not be a bad plan on their part... will lead to some unhappy royal cruisers.

[Ourusualbeach]

Azamara is a completely different category in price terms, hence I would keep them out of the picture. However we will have to see if RCL will continue to offer both the more intimate experience with a ship of 2500 - 2800 (Even if RCL will replace the Vision Class with ships that can be used for the same destinations the size will be larger) to the largest ships in the world. Or if the focus in the future will be the following; if the Ship is the destination you will go for RCL and if you are looking for a more intimate experience where the places that will be visited are the destination instead of the ship then you would have to cruise with Celebrity.

 

Long term I think that this is the direction that Royal is heading. Celebrity is already building new ships that fit nicely between Radiance and Voyager class that can accommodate the smaller more intimate port intensive cruises.

Edited March 2, 2015 by Ourusualbeach

[Pumbaamd]

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=6095

[Paulette3028]

Well as we await the news of the new deployments, here is another wrinkle. RCCl selling Splendour so it will not be on the next deployment schedule due out.

 

Here is link to article: http://www.usatoday.com/story/cruiselog/2015/03/02/royal-caribbean-splendour/24248521/

 

Time will tell what the deployment schedule looks like....WOW.

[shipfriend_max]

So with seemingly almost all ships "spoken for" Miami is down to these 4 choices: Grandeur, Enchantment, Adventure or nothing.

 

Baltimore - really doubt they are abandoned. Only Eos and GoS can fit under the bridge, and again I really doubt they bring back EoS after moving her out of there for PC. So Baltimore I really feel is Grandeur again as a lock.

 

Miami - A lock for one choice is EoS for sure at either PC or Miami. Now what about the final choice? It's either Adventure or nothing!!!!! And now all we'd need to know is which itinerary makes more money for Goldstein: Bahamas 3/4 or Europe itineraries? Answer this question and we'll know where the ship is going.

 

Yeah, you are quite right with your points... [emoji5]

 

Grandeur surely stays at Baltimore, since she has established there for years...

I perosnally could see Enchantment staying at PC, she seems to do quite well there.

Miami, one should bare in mind, RCI has just based their OLDEST, less advanced ship there for years - if it would be worthwhile to deploy newer ships from there, RCI would have already done so - so I think the Miami season expires when Majesty has left the fleet.

 

So I see Adventure moving to Europe - but is is just MY OPINION... [emoji5]

[Nettee]

The UK all inclusive offer has changed into a "simply lower prices" spring sale - no big deployment announcement after all.

[kkorman]

Yeah, you are quite right with your points... [emoji5]

 

Miami, one should bare in mind, RCI has just based their OLDEST, less advanced ship there for years - if it would be worthwhile to deploy newer ships from there, RCI would have already done so - so I think the Miami season expires when Majesty has left the fleet.

 

So I see Adventure moving to Europe - but is is just MY OPINION... [emoji5]

 

Majesty is older, but stayed because it had a higher passenger capacity. So if you go by $$ alone, PC would most likely be without the 3/4 day itinerary.

 

We will see soon enough.

[shipfriend_max]

Majesty is older, but stayed because it had a higher passenger capacity. So if you go by $$ alone, PC would most likely be without the 3/4 day itinerary.

 

We will see soon enough.

 

OK, that's right.

I could imagine, however, that one port for the short sailings, either PC or Miami, is going to be abandoned - when regarding your statement, it might be most senseful to abandon PC for the short Bahamas runs.

[kkorman]

OK, that's right.

I could imagine, however, that one port for the short sailings, either PC or Miami, is going to be abandoned - when regarding your statement, it might be most senseful to abandon PC for the short Bahamas runs.

 

I know there is no room for sentiment in business, but it would be a shame to see no Royal Caribbean ships ever docked outside of their headquarters in Miami.

[John&LaLa]

Majesty is older, but stayed because it had a higher passenger capacity. So if you go by $$ alone, PC would most likely be without the 3/4 day itinerary.

 

We will see soon enough.

 

Very slight add'l passenger capacity, but probably less revenue due to add'l balconies on Enchantment.

[shipfriend_max]

I know there is no room for sentiment in business, but it would be a shame to see no Royal Caribbean ships ever docked outside of their headquarters in Miami.

 

That's right, also my thoughts, so I think it would make sense to deploy at least one ship from RCI's actual "home".

The Bahamas runs would be a possibility.

But PC is upgrading its terminal, hmmm... :cool:

[kkorman]

Very slight add'l passenger capacity, but probably less revenue due to add'l balconies on Enchantment.

 

12.4% more at double occupancy. There are more balconies and the cruises are usually priced about the same. So ticket revenue is probably similar, though 300 people can spend more on board.

[DutchCruiseFan]

Yeah, you are quite right with your points... [emoji5]

 

Grandeur surely stays at Baltimore, since she has established there for years...

I perosnally could see Enchantment staying at PC, she seems to do quite well there.

Miami, one should bare in mind, RCI has just based their OLDEST, less advanced ship there for years - if it would be worthwhile to deploy newer ships from there, RCI would have already done so - so I think the Miami season expires when Majesty has left the fleet.

 

So I see Adventure moving to Europe - but is is just MY OPINION... [emoji5]

 

I really think Adventure will move to Port Canaveral.

Not for the short runs!!!

 

A voyager class sailing the short runs is a bad idea!

[shipfriend_max]

[quote name='DutchCruiseFan']



A voyager class sailing the short runs is a bad idea![/QUOTE]


That's also my opinion, IMHO they should be used for longer voyages, at least 7 nights and above, IMHO they are designed therefore.

[Topo Gigio]

Why do you guys think it's a bad idea? I think it's a brilliant idea competition wise.

[DutchCruiseFan]

[quote name='Topo Gigio']Why do you guys think it's a bad idea? I think it's a brilliant idea competition wise.[/QUOTE]

But it has to much capacity there will be very much discounts as it is hard to get a ship full when sailing very short cruises:(

And as celebrity fan said those ships aren't designed for that kind of itineraries.

[John&LaLa]

[quote name='kkorman']12.4% more at double occupancy. There are more balconies and the cruises are usually priced about the same. So ticket revenue is probably similar, though 300 people can spend more on board.[/QUOTE]

If you say so. I was looking at RCI fact sheets and they list dbl occupancy at 2350 for MJ and 2252 for EN. That is 4.3%
You may be looking at the capacity of the other Vision ships Edited March 3, 2015 by John&LaLa

[kkorman]

[quote name='DutchCruiseFan']But it has to much capacity there will be very much discounts as it is hard to get a ship full when sailing very short cruises:(

And as celebrity fan said those ships aren't designed for that kind of itineraries.[/QUOTE]

MIA/FLL: Liberty has been doing 4/5/5 seasonally with pricing that is not heavily discounted. So, the bigger freedom class is able to do it. Celebrity dropped their 4/5/5 on Connie, that opens up capacity for the others in the S. Fla. market.

PR: With Carnival putting the much older, smaller Fascination in PR for the weekly runs, why would Royal be going in the opposite direction and be putting a larger ship there... unless they get rid of the second sailing each weekend? NCL is back next year too, that is a lot of berths back on the weekly route.

[Topo Gigio]

[quote name='DutchCruiseFan']But it has to much capacity there will be very much discounts as it is hard to get a ship full when sailing very short cruises:(

And as celebrity fan said those ships aren't designed for that kind of itineraries.[/QUOTE]

Actually it's not like in Holland or Europe where people have tons of vacation days! no wonder that the 3 days weekend cruises are more expensive than the 4 days during the weeks.

[kkorman]

[quote name='Topo Gigio']Actually it's not like in Holland or Europe where people have tons of vacation days! no wonder that the 3 days weekend cruises are more expensive than the 4 days during the weeks.[/QUOTE]

Looks like we will be on the same cruise in a few weeks. :)

[dsara]

What If RCI sends a new ship to PC to take over the short cruise and long with week another week. Such as 9/5 schedule and send a vision to miami? Or is that crazy talk

[John&LaLa]

[quote name='Topo Gigio']Actually it's not like in Holland or Europe where people have tons of vacation days! no wonder that the 3 days weekend cruises are more expensive than the 4 days during the weeks.[/QUOTE]

No doubt, Friday afternoon till Monday morning don't need any vacation time. It was the 4 days that used to be $99 all the time.

[Paulette3028]

[quote name='celebrity_fan']That's right, also my thoughts, so I think it would make sense to deploy at least one ship from RCI's actual "home".
The Bahamas runs would be a possibility.
But PC is upgrading its terminal, hmmm... :cool:[/QUOTE]

Sentimentality, for deploying a ship in Miami (near Royal's Home Office) isn't the reason to do it.....it makes sense because Port of Miami has easy access to Miami Airport for those that need to fly to meet the ship....regardless if is a short weekend cruise or the midweek option that Her Majesty offers. Those in itineraries have been cash cows and now RCCL has to figure out what to put there, to 'blow away the others' in the marketplace and grab more cruisers.

[John&LaLa]

[quote name='Paulette3028']Sentimentality, for deploying a ship in Miami (near Royal's Home Office) isn't the reason to do it.....it makes sense because Port of Miami has easy access to Miami Airport for those that need to fly to meet the ship....regardless if is a short weekend cruise or the midweek option that Her Majesty offers. Those in itineraries have been cash cows and now RCCL has to figure out what to put there, to 'blow away the others' in the marketplace and grab more cruisers.[/QUOTE]

Here's a thought, is it economically feasible to service one ship in a market vs 2 or 3? Just curious, that could play into long term plans