RCL abandoned PC and DCL won my business

[orville99]

With RCL's decision to move Enchantment to Miami and not to replace her until the 2016 winter season, we were left with nothing to book for short week-end cruises in the summer and fall. Couple that with RCL's incessant "sales" that only serve to jack up prices, and Disney is now a viable option for us. With no short RCL cruises available from PC, and costs within a few hundred $$ of each other, we are now booked on two DCL cruises in the summer of 2016.

[DHADEN]

First of all, why is PC the only port you can cruise out of?

 

Second,........ hope you enjoy - I'm sure you will ;)

[Chuggiebug]

As frequent cruisers and living in north central Florida, PC is our port of choice. We still work and FLL too long of day for same day departure. Tampa does not offer anything Eastern. We are left with PC

 

That said, we too are very unhappy with what we can currently get there. We have not changed cruise lines though, instead we will spend vacation dollars on land. We are hoping to get an NEW ship in the fall of 2016 and may again cruise more often.

[dplusd]

My goodness, why limit yourself to only one port. I understand not wanting to fly but don't you have three other ports within easy driving distance? Sounds kinds silly to me...

[cruiselife4me]

I want a port in Michigan...but that probably will never happen. Sorry to hear about the limited sailings from PC.

Mary

[orville99]

First of all, why is PC the only port you can cruise out of?

 

Second,........ hope you enjoy - I'm sure you will ;)

 

My goodness, why limit yourself to only one port. I understand not wanting to fly but don't you have three other ports within easy driving distance? Sounds kinds silly to me...

 

During our careers, DW and I have both logged more than 1 Million air miles, so we have no desire to ever fly anywhere anymore. As for ports, we routinely cruise out of both PC and Tampa, but DW can't do the 3+hour drive to FLL anymore, so PC and Tampa (each less than 1 hour from home) are really our only options. One of the main reasons why we moved to Central Florida was to allow us to cruise at will without flying or long drives.

[ryano]

During our careers, DW and I have both logged more than 1 Million air miles, so we have no desire to ever fly anywhere anymore. As for ports, we routinely cruise out of both PC and Tampa, but DW can't do the 3+hour drive to FLL anymore, so PC and Tampa (each less than 1 hour from home) are really our only options. One of the main reasons why we moved to Central Florida was to allow us to cruise at will without flying or long drives.

 

Perfectly understandable explanation :) I am pretty much limited to PC and Tampa as well. I can be to both in about 8 hours. FLL is just too far away. Especially for that long ride home after the cruise. Flying would likely put cruising out of the question for me but I absolutely would not fly if the plane tickets were free! Not that Im afraid. I just dont want the hassle.

 

So they are moving Enchantment to Miami before they bring in a replacement? I cant imagine them abandoning those short cruises even on a short term basis?

[PompeySailor]

Makes perfect sense to me, just pay more for DCL:rolleyes:

 

It sucks we don't have 3-4 day cruises out of Galveston, so I am going to go to Antarctica instead on SilverSeas:p

 

Happy Days!!

Just messing, joking, kidding, before someone slaps me round the head with a Pom pom:eek:

[Paulette3028]

Perfectly understandable explanation :) I am pretty much limited to PC and Tampa as well. I can be to both in about 8 hours. FLL is just too far away. Especially for that long ride home after the cruise. Flying would likely put cruising out of the question for me but I absolutely would not fly if the plane tickets were free! Not that Im afraid. I just dont want the hassle.

 

So they are moving Enchantment to Miami before they bring in a replacement? I cant imagine them abandoning those short cruises even on a short term basis?

 

When Enchantment moves to Miami in April/May 2016, Rhapsody will replace Enchantment in PC (at the same time) --- so they will continue to do the short cruises from PC, just on a different ship. PC will not be left without a ship doing the 3/4 night itineraries at all.

[joepeka]

During our careers, DW and I have both logged more than 1 Million air miles, so we have no desire to ever fly anywhere anymore. As for ports, we routinely cruise out of both PC and Tampa, but DW can't do the 3+hour drive to FLL anymore, so PC and Tampa (each less than 1 hour from home) are really our only options. One of the main reasons why we moved to Central Florida was to allow us to cruise at will without flying or long drives.

 

I too can completely understand your travel situation and sympathize with it. At the risk of having rotten fruit and vegetables tossed my direction (or being slapped in the head with a pompom, as pomeysailor mentions), Carnival still has 3, 4 and 5 days cruises out of PC. It's on a couple of older ships (Sensation and Sunshine) and though CCL hasn't come out with their 2016 schedules yet, I can't imagine they too will leave PC so it's perhaps something to consider. Unless you've already eliminated that option. ;)

[orville99]

When Enchantment moves to Miami in April/May 2016, Rhapsody will replace Enchantment in PC (at the same time) --- so they will continue to do the short cruises from PC, just on a different ship. PC will not be left without a ship doing the 3/4 night itineraries at all.

 

Rhapsody is doing an Eastbound TA from Brazil to Spain on April 10, 2016 and will be in Europe all summer. She doesn't do her westbound TA to repo to PC until the winter season.

[seabeew]

If you have a certain degree of flexibility with your job and live in Orlando, you can leave your office at 12 on Friday and be back at work by 9 on Monday morning, without taking any vacation or a half day at most. We previously lived 10 hours of straight driving away so it is awesome to be able to do that practically on the spur of the moment. It's a half day trip going to south Florida each way.

[orville99]

I too can completely understand your travel situation and sympathize with it. At the risk of having rotten fruit and vegetables tossed my direction (or being slapped in the head with a pompom, as pomeysailor mentions), Carnival still has 3, 4 and 5 days cruises out of PC. It's on a couple of older ships (Sensation and Sunshine) and though CCL hasn't come out with their 2016 schedules yet, I can't imagine they too will leave PC so it's perhaps something to consider. Unless you've already eliminated that option. ;)

 

We did the Sensation once, and you couldn't get me back on that ship on a bet. Because of schedules, we can only do short cruises in the summer, so that leaves Sunshine out of the mix.

[robflys]

Wow. So many judgmental people here.

[poncho1973]

If you have a certain degree of flexibility with your job and live in Orlando, you can leave your office at 12 on Friday and be back at work by 9 on Monday morning, without taking any vacation or a half day at most.

 

Shhhhh!!! That info is secret!

 

This is how we do our weekend cruises.

[Aquahound]

When Enchantment moves to Miami in April/May 2016, Rhapsody will replace Enchantment in PC (at the same time) --- so they will continue to do the short cruises from PC, just on a different ship. PC will not be left without a ship doing the 3/4 night itineraries at all.

 

No, that is not correct.

[poncho1973]

Wow. So many judgmental people here.

 

Wait... isn't that a statement judging people, too?

[rbschultz]

With RCL's decision to move Enchantment to Miami and not to replace her until the 2016 winter season, we were left with nothing to book for short week-end cruises in the summer and fall. Couple that with RCL's incessant "sales" that only serve to jack up prices, and Disney is now a viable option for us. With no short RCL cruises available from PC, and costs within a few hundred $$ of each other, we are now booked on two DCL cruises in the summer of 2016.

 

Really??? 3 hours is that difficult to travel to get to a cruise terminal? Some people travel across the country/ocean to get to a terminal...

[DHADEN]

During our careers, DW and I have both logged more than 1 Million air miles, so we have no desire to ever fly anywhere anymore. As for ports, we routinely cruise out of both PC and Tampa, but DW can't do the 3+hour drive to FLL anymore, so PC and Tampa (each less than 1 hour from home) are really our only options. One of the main reasons why we moved to Central Florida was to allow us to cruise at will without flying or long drives.

 

I guess I could complain that there are no RCI ships sailing out of Waco Texas; :eek:

But, instead, I go to where the ships are. If you can't do that, then do what you can.[/u] ;)

 

Wow. So many judgmental people here.

 

This Website Is Called Cruise CRITIC for a reason. :rolleyes:

Edited March 27, 2015 by DHADEN

[mspink98]

I'd love to find some of these reasonable Disney cruises. PC is the closest to us too, and we'd love to try Disney, but their prices have been prohibitive every time I've looked for something. We come out ahead leaving after work and driving halfway to FLL/MIA, staying in a hotel, and embarking before noon, even with the hotel and extra gas. Like, WAY ahead. We'll drive back home in one day when the cruise is over.

 

I'm looking at a weekender over the summer sometime and DCL is coming in at around double RCL. :(

[robflys]

Wait... isn't that a statement judging people, too?

 

I guess it is. :rolleyes:

[ryano]

Really??? 3 hours is that difficult to travel to get to a cruise terminal? Some people travel across the country/ocean to get to a terminal...

 

Once you read on down further, you will see that the OP has already posted that his wife cannot do the 3+ hour trip anymore. There could be a number of reasons as to why she cant. All of which are none of our business IMHO. :)

Edited March 27, 2015 by ryano

[poncho1973]

IMHO. :)

 

Lie of the thread! HAHAHAHAHA!

[Big_G]

Sometimes it's hard for many of us to feel bad for you Floridians with your great weather and low taxes. Feel bad you get whacked with hurricanes and sink holes? Yes. Feel bad you have to drive three hours to port probably scoring a last minute deal? Not so much. :D Happy sailing! ;)

[cjdixon4]

During our careers, DW and I have both logged more than 1 Million air miles, so we have no desire to ever fly anywhere anymore. As for ports, we routinely cruise out of both PC and Tampa, but DW can't do the 3+hour drive to FLL anymore, so PC and Tampa (each less than 1 hour from home) are really our only options. One of the main reasons why we moved to Central Florida was to allow us to cruise at will without flying or long drives.

 

orville99- Your situation makes a whole lot of sense to me. :) I live in Chicago, so I'll never have the option to not fly unless I join you in moving to FL (which sounds great right now looking at the snow...LOL). I don't find Disney to be very reasonably priced compared to RCI, but that's my opinion. Hope the OP is happy with their decision. :cool: