Apologies to current pax on Independence; also....Royal at Grand Turk?

[Pellaz]

If you're on the current sailing of Independence OTS, I'd like to apologize if the crew seems a bit worn out, tired.and maybe a little depressed. The ship just returned from a very crowded, very busy (and very LOUD) charter cruise that is also, probably, the biggest-drinking cruise in the world. It's also a much younger and different crowd than normal, with people on board from 75 different countries, and the crew really seems to love us.

You were probably not allowed to go onto the pool deck until later on debark day, and you may have noticed that giant crane on the dock busily hauling stuff from the pool deck up and over and down to the dock. It takes a lot of time to dismantle our pool-deck stage, which is the world's largest open-air structure at sea. And the main pool was probably empty the first day because it was drained and decked over for the stage and the audience to stand on.

Again, please accept my apologies and be nice to the crew; they deserve it.

 

Next year we're using Independence again for the charter, and going to Grand Turk. Since it's effectively a Carnival-built port, how often do Royal Caribbean ships make port at Grand Turk?

[daze6399]

How was the 70000 tons of metal cruise? I've seen a couple of folks that mentioned coming back from it but haven't heard how it went? It appears things went well from your post.

[Pellaz]

How was the 70000 tons of metal cruise? I've seen a couple of folks that mentioned coming back from it but haven't heard how it went? It appears things went well from your post.

 

It went extremely well, especially compared to last year when, on the last day, a storm triggered an emergency takedown of the pool-deck stage because of high winds. (Same storm that heeled Anthem over on her side for two hours.)

This year, we had no weather issues and most people liked Labadee, our only port, more than Falmouth or Ocho Rios (our ports in the last two years)....although many people opted to sleep in. With 61 bands, 4 stages and 123 performances, there wasn't too much time to sleep. :)

 

Next year's port has been confirmed as Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos, which has consistently scored the highest among 70K Tons' 'survivors' as the best port the charter has ever visited, so people are happy about that -- it'll be my sixth time visiting Grand Turk.

I'm wondering how often Royal Caribbean ships actually visit there since it's a Carnival-built port.......I suspect it's quite rare to see a ship with Royal's signature Viking Crown Lounge appear on the horizon there.

[easyboy]

Thanks for the feedback.

[Clarea]

... Since it's effectively a Carnival-built port, how often do Royal Caribbean ships make port at Grand Turk?

I've never heard of RC going to Grand Turk.

[Tobleronebar]

Your post made me lol! Thankfully the crew will be good to go in 20 something days!

[Scotland01]

Been to Grand Turk many times on P&O (Carnival UK line). It has a Carnival resort where ship berths. However take a taxi into little town and it is beautiful. There is a small museum with exhibits recovery of one of the early space crafts I think John Glenn,s

[krewzin]

Thanks for the feedback.

 

 

I see what you did there. :D

[dpostman]

Thanks for the feedback.

 

I see what you did there. :D

 

Oh?... do I smell other sound engineers roaming around on CC :p

 

Have a friend that was on the 70KT Metal last year. They still had a great time.

 

dp

[BettyCruiser]

I've been to Grand Turk on a Celebrity ship, so they occasionally use the port.

[CanobieFan]

Seems that if you search Grand Turk on the RCCL site it brings up info but the pages themselves have been removed if you click the link. Also lists it as a destination for independence sailings but again, when you try and find it, it's unlisted.

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/search/processSearch.do?ip_server=prdiphrase-unstruct-new222.dmz.rccl.com%3A200&ip_text=Grand+turk&searchSubmit=+

[Pellaz]

I've never heard of RC going to Grand Turk.

 

Majesty went there as the host of this same music charter in 2013.

Didn't think it would ever happen again, but now I can't wait to be on Indy when she goes there next February. I think I was the quickest person to cheer when Andy, the charter organizer, announced next year's destination from the pool-deck stage. :D

[funship freddy]

We went to Grand Turk in October on MSC Divina. Couldn't stop in Nassau due to hurricane damage so we went to GT

 

 

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[Pellaz]

We went to Grand Turk in October on MSC Divina. Couldn't stop in Nassau due to hurricane damage so we went to GT

 

That's a nifty reroute!

Of course, it's not as if MSC couldn't afford to pay any "out of network" fees to stop at Grand Turk; they're one of the biggest shipping companies on the planet. :)

 

We didn't have to change ports on Carnival Conquest after Hurricane Matthew (and still during Hurricane Nicole), but we had to reroute back to Florida along Cuba instead of up and over the Bahamas due to heavy swells from Nicole.