Navigator coming to the west coast

[FitzLA]

When we were on the Navigator last May the Captain (during our Meet & Mingle) said that RCI was considering moving the Navigator to the West Coast. Was he spreading rumors ?? Highly unlikely. Things can change frequently - and if RCI has decided to keep the Navigator on the east coast it is most likely the best business decision for them at this time. I wish they would bring a voyager class ship to the west coast - new or not. Until that happens we'll continue to sail from both coasts.

 

The main reason it might have changed is because there is no place big enough on the west coast to handle the Navigator in Dry Dock, and they would have to send it to Hawaii for any kind of dry dock. That is what they were dealing with, and I do not believe any kind of decision has been made yet.

[wl2cruise]

well we will most likely get another rci ship by the summer of 07 or 08. Maybe the might send a ultra voyager?:D more like a voyager or radiance class!:rolleyes:

[beachchick]

Nope. LOL. I only have 2 other options. Jewel or the Brillance, and maybe the Radiance, so 3,........but I have no interest in the Mariner, Voyager, Adventure, or the Explorer. They can take any of those....they just don't interest me...... decor wise I guess.....maybe because they are older too.(except the Mariner) I'm also not interested in the Freedom.....or the other vision class ships......so, sorry, I hope they don't take the NOS, LOL.:D

 

Not sure what I will do when I get bored with the NOS....:(

 

I assume you mean these ships are older than the Navigator because otherwise I just have to chuckle. Voyager, at just over 6 years of service, is the "oldest" of these ancient relics. I don't consider that old by any means. I hope they do move the NOS (or any Voyager class), but preferably NOS to the West Coast. You say you have no interest in the other Voyager class ships. That's fine--but they ARE still closer choices for you. We have NONE--no Radiance class, no Voyager class.

 

I realize you are kind of joking, but I doubt I'm the only West coaster who's tired of East coasters whining that we might get one of "their" plethora of larger, more modern ships out here.

 

beachchick

[1corona4u]

I assume you mean these ships are older than the Navigator because otherwise I just have to chuckle. Voyager, at just over 6 years of service, is the "oldest" of these ancient relics. I don't consider that old by any means. I hope they do move the NOS (or any Voyager class), but preferably NOS to the West Coast. You say you have no interest in the other Voyager class ships. That's fine--but they ARE still closer choices for you. We have NONE--no Radiance class, no Voyager class.

 

I realize you are kind of joking, but I doubt I'm the only West coaster who's tired of East coasters whining that we might get one of "their" plethora of larger, more modern ships out here.

 

beachchick

 

Yeah, but we also have all of the best places to cruise to closer to Florida and the Eastern Seaboard. The Caribbean, Bermuda, Bahamas, and of course, The Med/Europe. You have uhh...Hawaii, and Mexico. That's why all of the cool ships are here. ;)

 

Simple fix really. Move to Florida. :p

[Ericknow32]

I realize you are kind of joking, but I doubt I'm the only West coaster who's tired of East coasters whining that we might get one of "their" plethora of larger, more modern ships out here.

 

beachchick

I'm with you on this.

 

Yeah, but we also have all of the best places to cruise to closer to Florida and the Eastern Seaboard. The Caribbean, Bermuda, Bahamas, and of course, The Med/Europe. You have uhh...Hawaii, and Mexico. That's why all of the cool ships are here. ;)

 

Simple fix really. Move to Florida. :p

Come on if your going to take The Med/Europe then we get Australia and New Zealand. I think we just won.

 

BTY I will take California earthquakes over Florida Hurricanes any-day.

[beachchick]

And add to "our" good destinations the South Pacific (Tahiti, etc.) and Alaska. But even if we "only" had Hawaii and Mexico, there is certainly enough interest to justify at least one "cool" ship out here--the other cruise lines certainly don't seem to have any problem filling their newer/larger ones. And let's not forget how fast the Radiance Hawaii R/T cruises filled up. Hm...Could it be because there are more than enough people who want to cruise to Hawaii on a Radiance class ship? Bet you that if they offered 6 more of those trips next year, they would all be booked in no time.

 

Move to Florida after this hurricane season? I think not.

 

beachchick

[1corona4u]

BTY I will take California earthquakes over Florida Hurricanes any-day.

 

Yeah, but at least I KNOW when a hurricane is coming....:p :D

[coast2coast]

Yeah, but at least I KNOW when a hurricane is coming....:p :D

 

Yup, I'd have to agree with 1corona4u. I recently moved out from CA to NC and think I'd take a hurricane over an earthquake. I like the idea of knowing what's coming and when... survived my first hurricane (Ophelia). Luckily she was only a 1, but a STRONG 1 as it was so slow-moving (a.k.a "Slophelia"). If I know a hurricane is coming, I can choose to GET OUT!!! Can't really do that with an earthquake...

[Cuizer2]

Yeah, but at least I KNOW when a hurricane is coming....:p :D

 

Okay, so when is the next hurricane coming?

[Ericknow32]

But we don't have huge earthquakes every year.

[Cruising89143]

Okay, so when is the next hurricane coming?

 

More than likely during hurricane season!

[DannyS]

The Diamond and Sapphire Princessess sail the 7-night Mexican Riviera in the winter, too. They are the newest ships in Princess' fleet, I believe.

 

Keep in mind that those ships were built in Japan. It was easier to deploy them to the West Coast than it would have been to send them anywhere else.

[critterchick]

Keep in mind that those ships were built in Japan. It was easier to deploy them to the West Coast than it would have been to send them anywhere else.

 

Princess deploys its ships all over the world, regardless of where they were built. The Star (built in Italy as I recall) started on the Left Coast, too.

[Cruisechick82]

You are so right. So RCCL is the only one with the oldest ships on the west coast. What was that other person talking about? lol.

 

They do have the Serenade and the Radiance sailing Alaska. The Serenade is newer than the Navigator. It looks like they sail the Panama Canal, Hawaii, Mexico, and the Carribbean when the Alaksa sailing is over. So they do some west coast sailings.

[wl2cruise]

they do not do mexico only hawaii alaska and panamal canal. I see serenade has a five day mexico run next year, I wonder why?

[Cruising89143]

If I were a betting man I would put my money on a Voyager class ship going to New Orleans or Galveston before the west coast. Looking at what Carnival has done in those two markets leads me to believe that RCI has noticed. The Conquest sailed out of NOLA every week full with little discounting to fill the ship and will be returning late next year. They have also done well in Galveston with two ships there. I think that a Radiance class ship would do well year round on the west coast but they seem to use them for Alaska and Europe for the summer months.

[wl2cruise]

It looks like rci is testing something with serenade in 06 why would they put a 5 day mexican rivera cruise sailing with this ship? The west coast will see a younger ship[ over here soon. Either radiance or voyager class. We cant wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:p

[1corona4u]

[quote name='wl2cruise']It looks like rci is testing something with serenade in 06 why would they put a 5 day mexican rivera cruise sailing with this boat? The west coast will see a younger boat over here soon. Either radiance or voyager class. We cant wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:p[/quote]

They're ships, not boats.;) Ships can carry boats.:)

[whitshel]

I THINK THEY ARE DOING A 5 DAY MEXICO TO GET THE SHIP REPOSITIONED ON THE CORRECT DAY WHEN IT GOES BACK TO SAN JUAN. I WISH THEY WOULD DO A COUPLE 7 DAY MEXICO CRUISES ON THE RADIANCE AND SERENADE BEFORE THEY HEAD BACK TO THE CARIBBEAN. THE LAST 2 YEARS THE RADIANCE HAS DONE A GREAT 8 DAY MEXICO RUN RIGHT BEFORE IT WENT BACK TO THE CARIBBEAN-SAN DIEGO-CABO-ALCUPULCO-PV-IXTAPA-SAN DIEGO.(CHARTERED CRUISES) :( IF THEY WOULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT (THAT WASN'T CHARTERED) THAT WOULD BE AWESOME.:rolleyes:

[Cruising89143]

[quote name='wl2cruise']It looks like rci is testing something with serenade in 06 why would they put a 5 day mexican rivera cruise sailing with this ship? The west coast will see a younger ship[ over here soon. Either radiance or voyager class. We cant wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:p[/quote]

I just looked at the schedule for the Serenade and it's one cruise for five nights and it is part of the repositioning of the ship from Alaska back to San Juan for the winter. Hardly call that a test!! I won't stick my tounge out!!!!;)

[brn2crz]

[quote name='cruisingator2']If I were a betting man I would put my money on a Voyager class ship going to New Orleans or Galveston before the west coast. Looking at what Carnival has done in those two markets leads me to believe that RCI has noticed. The Conquest sailed out of NOLA every week full with little discounting to fill the ship and will be returning late next year. They have also done well in Galveston with two ships there. I think that a Radiance class ship would do well year round on the west coast but they seem to use them for Alaska and Europe for the summer months.[/QUOTE]


Would (obviously) love a Voyager class here..Of course,just more speculation but when we were on Rhapsody in 04, our Captain (name escapes me ) who was to take over Enchantment after her stretch....Said the Enchantment to Galveston was also on the table.And don't forget the really hot "rumor" of Carnivals Freedom (can you believe they stole our name):D is to come to Galveston...

I may have to move out on the Island just to be able to watch all these beautiful ships everyday :p

[steve20832]

The Navigator will not fit through the Panama Canal! How would it get from east coast to west coast? Going north around Canada and Alaska wouldn't work and neither would going down to the south pole around South America. The maximum ship size that can pass through the canal is 108 feet by 950 feet. The Navigator is 157 feet x 1020 feet.

[Druke I]

Steve

I agree that she cannot go North above Canada to Alaska - the Northwest Passage will not take her.

She certainly could go 'round Cape Horn without going to the South Pole, as you put it. QM2 is going 'round Cape Horn in the near future, and she is bigger than Navigator.

Cape Horn is how Princess moves their Grand class vessels back and forth, not wanting to use Suez, and not going 'round Cape of Good Hope and into the Indian Ocean.

[Ericknow32]

[quote name='brn2crz'].And don't forget the really hot "rumor" of Carnivals Freedom (can you believe they stole our name):D is to come to Galveston... [/quote]The only reason that ship is not going to Miami is because Carnival knows their is only room enough for one Freedom and since ours is bigger and better...

Carnival is just scared.

I wonder which one people will choose.:D

[Cuizer2]

[quote name='steve20832']The Navigator will not fit through the Panama Canal! How would it get from east coast to west coast? Going north around Canada and Alaska wouldn't work and neither would going down to the south pole around South America. The maximum ship size that can pass through the canal is 108 feet by 950 feet. The Navigator is 157 feet x 1020 feet.[/quote]
There are several ways to get the Navigator to the west coast.

1) If the QM2 and the Ronald Regan can go around South America so can the Navigator.

2) It can go to Europe, then Asia and across the Pacific to Los Angeles.

3) They could put it on the back of a 747 (or that new Airbus) just like the space shuttle and fly it over.

4) They could bring it to Panama and bus the people across while using a heavy lift helicoptor (or two) to carry the ship over.

5) RCI could call UPS, Fed Ex, DHL ... and let them worry about how.

6) RCI could call a trucking company have a truck haul it over.

7) Use one of the Air Force's really big cargo planes.

8) Put it on a ship that is small enough to fit through the canal and ship it over.

9) Do two partial canal transits (a partial canal transit is where part of the ship goes through the canal). When the two halves get to the other side, they just weld them back together.

10) Put a heavy duty ski jump in front of the first lock, get the ship up to full speed and jump over the locks. Then do the same thing on the Pacific side. If they do this, I'll bet the newspapers will say, "Navigator of the Seas makes big splash coming to the Pacific Ocean."

Personally I believe they will (if the Navigator does come to the west coast) follow the QM2's example and just go around South American.