Independence UK 2020 sailings cancelled

[Bluemoontets]

From the email I got its only 25%FCC of what has been paid.

Due to this cancellation, we will process a full refund of all monies paid to the original form of payment, including any non-refundable deposits.

Also, to help make up for this inconvenience, we'd like to provide you with the following compensation offer:

A Future Cruise Credit valued at 25% of their cruise fare paid on their cancelled holiday. You can expect to receive your Future Cruise Credit via email by the 13^th May 2019 in hopes you’ll come and sail with us on another cruise.

[cbowls30]

So am I understanding that the only ship based out Southampton next year is anthem 😒

[CruisingJoe09]

Just now, cbowls30 said:

So am I understanding that the only ship based out Southampton next year is anthem 😒

Yes. 

[Bluemoontets]

Just now, cbowls30 said:

So am I understanding that the only ship based out Southampton next year is anthem 😒

Yes

[shopaholic6]

8 minutes ago, Bluemoontets said:

From the email I got its only 25%FCC of what has been paid.

Due to this cancellation, we will process a full refund of all monies paid to the original form of payment, including any non-refundable deposits.

Also, to help make up for this inconvenience, we'd like to provide you with the following compensation offer:

A Future Cruise Credit valued at 25% of their cruise fare paid on their cancelled holiday. You can expect to receive your Future Cruise Credit via email by the 13^th May 2019 in hopes you’ll come and sail with us on another cruise.

 

Surely that means 25% of what the cruise has cost you, rather than what you have physically paid?

[little britain]

42 minutes ago, Bluemoontets said:

From the email I got its only 25%FCC of what has been paid.

Due to this cancellation, we will process a full refund of all monies paid to the original form of payment, including any non-refundable deposits.

Also, to help make up for this inconvenience, we'd like to provide you with the following compensation offer:

A Future Cruise Credit valued at 25% of their cruise fare paid on their cancelled holiday. You can expect to receive your Future Cruise Credit via email by the 13^th May 2019 in hopes you’ll come and sail with us on another cruise.

Surely it’s not 25% of the £150pp deposit; but 25% of the original cruise fare.... otherwise they really are taking the mickey....

[Clarea]

34 minutes ago, shopaholic6 said:

 

Surely that means 25% of what the cruise has cost you, rather than what you have physically paid?

 

Yes, that would be the usual policy.

[amyhphoto]

1 hour ago, minikiss said:

 

Last thoughts to RCCL Shame on you. to cancel 1 or 2 sailings is bad enough but to pull a ship out of a port for a whole season is the worst of the worst.

 

 

I'm pretty sure RCCL corporate is making decisions to make the most money for their shareholders, not to make the world have perfect cruise ships in every port for humankind to enjoy. 

[minikiss]

1 hour ago, CruisingJoe09 said:

Could the Allure TA work better? 

 

And I totally agree that RCCL's actions were shambolic.

not really.

It sails at the right time but doesn't stop in enough Caribbean ports. Indy "was" due to do 4 stops Allure just the 1. Not enough for us. The other stops are in the Canaries, which if we weren't going there in September would not be so bad. Hubby will not half consider Allure as a good alternative. Like wise Anthem will not be heading for the right port for us as we want to do Disney afterwards.

As said shame as it looks like we will have to look at what carnival and Princess can offer as fly cruises. But so far all options are a lot shorter and anywhere from £500 to £1000 more per person.

As said before Shame on you RCCL

[little britain]

Trying to make lemonade out of 🍋.... throwing it out there..... Odyssey instead.....???! 🤞 

[CruisingJoe09]

Just now, little britain said:

Trying to make lemonade out of 🍋.... throwing it out there..... Odyssey instead.....???! 🤞 

That is possible, but it wouldn't be fair to people that dislike Quantum Class.

[kalaniiwow]

Wow... I am so upset. I waited for nearly a year for these sailings to open, booked on one of the first days they were open to get the exact room I wanted (a balcony off the back of the ship) for the Canaries/North Africa cruise in Sept 2020 which was over my 40th birthday and which was also planned to coincide with a London trip. The ONE remaining itinerary on Anthem during that time period doesn't have the room type I wanted available and doesn't include some of the stops that I really wanted (Morocco, Normandy, etc).

I know this is totally #firstworldproblems but damn, I am really really upset. This was a huge trip for me (a bucket list 40th birthday trip) that I've spent dozens and dozens of hours researching and planning. Now that's all in the drain and I have to figure out something else.

[Big_G]

According to the blog that we can't mention here, Independence was diverted because of the high demand for the Perfect Day in Coco Cay sailings.

[little britain]

The prices for Anthem has suddenly  increased...what a coincidence!!!! 

The TA in Nov 2020 has been £3000 for 2 in a balcony for weeks.... now £3398....

[cbowls30]

I think this is absolutely shocking behaviour, the anthem sailings are so expensive and the itineraries are rubbish, nothing like the indy itineraries! Wow that makes me nervous booking UK sailings with them in future ☹️ so sorry for anyone who's had their plans ruined 

[rattla]

16 minutes ago, little britain said:

Surely it’s not 25% of the £150pp deposit; but 25% of the original cruise fare.... otherwise they really are taking the mickey....

 

Apparently people are speaking to RC on twitter etc and being told they are only getting FCC on the monies physically paid to that point.

Maybe it’s different in UK to US.   I’ve already seen the cancellation letter someone In the US got was very different to what those In the UK received. 

The UK one simply talks about full refund, FCC of the amount PAID and refund non-refundable of air/hotel costs.

 

The letter US person received talks of cabin grade price protection and extra OBC on top of that!

[kalaniiwow]

2 minutes ago, rattla said:

 

Apparently people are speaking to RC on twitter etc and being told they are only getting FCC on the monies physically paid to that point.

Maybe it’s different in UK to US.   I’ve already seen the cancellation letter someone In the US got was very different to what those In the UK received. 

The UK one simply talks about full refund, FCC of the amount PAID and refund non-refundable of air/hotel costs.

 

The letter US person received talks of cabin grade price protection and extra OBC on top of that!

 

 

 

I'm from the US and here's my letter:

 

Dear Guest,

We are reaching out to let you know that, regrettably, we must cancel our Independence of the Seas September 12, 2020 cruise. We sincerely apologize for the impact to your vacation and understand your disappointment. Please know, when we have to make these difficult decisions, we explore all options. In this case, our main priority was to share this news with you as soon as possible to ensure that we give you as much time to find an alternate sailing.

As a cruise line, we constantly look at where we deploy our ships to give guests the most desired destinations and experiences. This led us to keep Independence of the Seas in the Caribbean in 2020, due to her large success there and the evolution of our private destination, Perfect Day at CocoCay. Nevertheless, we’re happy to share that the beautiful Anthem of the Seas will be back in Southampton sailing to many extraordinary European destinations! Anthem of the Seas has something for everyone; from thrill-seeking adventures to perfect epicurean delights, this ship offers cutting edge experiences for everyone in your party. And, Allure of the Seas & Explorer of the Seas will also be in Europe sailing out of Barcelona and Rome, respectively.

Due to this cancellation, we will process a full refund of all monies paid to the original form of payment, including any non-refundable deposits. We will begin processing refunds today, and depending on your banking institution or method of payment, you should start seeing these refunds by May 17^th, 2019 or sooner.

Also, to help make up for this inconvenience, we’d like to provide all of our guests with the following compensation offer:

 

• A Future Cruise Credit valued at 25% of your cruise fare paid on your cancelled sailing. You can expect to receive your Future Cruise Credit via email by May 13^th, 2019 in hopes you’ll come sail with us on another cruise.
• In addition, if you already booked your air, you’ll be reimbursed for non-refundable airline charges with receipts (up to $200 per guest for Domestic flights and up to $400 per guest for International flights). Please email your airline receipts and booking information to RoyalGuestRelations@rccl.com for review and reimbursement.

 

Click here to view some alternate Anthem of the Seas 2020 itineraries that are most similar to what you originally booked. If you prefer a different itinerary and ship, you’re welcome to select any Royal Caribbean International sailing and use your Future Cruise Credit. And, don’t forget, Independence of the Seas will be sailing out of Southampton this summer, if you want to catch her before she moves to the Caribbean. Click here to view Independence of the Seas 2019 summer itineraries.

It’s important to us that you find the best vacation option. We kindly ask that you call us at (800) 256-6649 by May 16^th 2019 to advise which sail date you’d like to be rebooked on. Our teams are standing by to assist you with finding the perfect cruise.

Lastly, any pre-paid amenities, packages, or shore excursions will be refunded to the original form of payment within 7-10 business days.

Thank you for understanding. We hope you find another cruise vacation with us. Whether you are celebrating a special occasion or looking to explore, relax, and recharge – we have no doubt your time with us will be nothing short of amazing. We look forward to welcoming you onboard.

Sincerely,

 

 

Here are some helpful answers to questions you may have.

Why is my sailing being cancelled?

Your sailing is being cancelled because we’re making changes to our 2020 season that require the Independence of the Seas to remain in the Caribbean, instead of sailing to Southampton.

Our goal is provide our guests with the best itineraries that take you to exclusive parts of the world and have decided to make these changes for the 2020 season to maximize our capacity in the Caribbean. We are terribly sorry. We know this news is disappointing. We do hope you find an alternate vacation option with us.

Do you think you’ll stop operating ships out of the UK?

Absolutely not – the UK is a key market for us.

Where will Independence of the Seas sail from?

Independence of the Seas will continue to sail from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Is it true that Anthem of the Seas will replace Independence of the Seas in Southampton?

Anthem of the Seas is actually already sailing out of Southampton next year, so she isn’t replacing Independence of the Seas. And, Allure of the Seas & Explorer of the Seas will also be in Europe sailing out of Barcelona and Rome, respectively.

What kind of itineraries will Anthem of the Seas be sailing?

She will be sailing Transatlantic, Spain & Portugal, France & Spain, Northern Europe, Italy, plus more!

Why aren’t you moving me to an Anthem of the Seas sailing?

We want to make sure you find the perfect cruise. So, whether you choose to sail on a similar itinerary on Anthem of the Seas, or you decide you want to do a completely different itinerary, we want it to be your choice.

Are any other ships doing European itineraries?

Yes, Allure of the Seas will sail out of Barcelona & Explorer of the Seas will sail out of Rome in 2020.

What if my reservation had Future Cruise Credits applied?

Your FCC will be reinstated and once you are ready to apply it to a new reservation we will be happy to do so.

What if my cancelled sailing was a NextCruise booking?

NextCruise OBCs applied for Independence cancelled sailings can be reapplied to new bookings.

[boingboingbaggy]

I am totally heart broken. The TA on Indy was going to be the one where I scatter my wifes ashes in the Caribbean. Wanted Indy and early November as the criteria. Nothing else now appeals to me. Probably means we will never see Indy in the UK again. Really bad show RCL. 😥

[molsonschooner]

Maybe RC just realized that they have no ships in Fort Lauderdale next summer. 😂 Maybe they will do 7 nights. 

[JP82]

Annoying as was eyeing this ship for a cruise with my sister and her kids for next Summer, and for such a large group (she has 5 chidlren). Going from Southampton would have been a lot less stress.

 

A few mentions here of MSC being a contributing factor, but unless I'm missing something or I can't work their website. It's not giving me August as an option for cruises when I select Southampton.

[Milwaukee Eight]

36 minutes ago, amyhphoto said:

 

I'm pretty sure RCCL corporate is making decisions to make the most money for their shareholders, not to make the world have perfect cruise ships in every port for humankind to enjoy. 

Really....

[swoopy2110]

Looking forward to this getting posted multiple times over the next few hours in many new threads 😀

 

Poor show from RCI from a customer POV, but can see why they'd do it from a Shareholder POV.

[kalaniiwow]

On twitter they're definitely making it VERY clear the FCC is only for what you've paid. Like if you paid a $100 deposit you will only get a $25 FCC.

 

[Pirateguy]

The navigator cruise fares were very high compared to other ships/lines,,, it’s a very competitive market and cruisers were booking better fares on other ships. I feel sorry for families as at peak school breaks it is difficult to get a bargain,,, last year it was cheaper for us to fly to Barcelona n go on Symphony than go from Southampton,,, also why doesn’t one of the big lines cruise from the north we are a forgotten land for starting cruises on the big ships,,

[minikiss]

35 minutes ago, kalaniiwow said:

Wow... I am so upset. I waited for nearly a year for these sailings to open, booked on one of the first days they were open to get the exact room I wanted (a balcony off the back of the ship) for the Canaries/North Africa cruise in Sept 2020 which was over my 40th birthday and which was also planned to coincide with a London trip. The ONE remaining itinerary on Anthem during that time period doesn't have the room type I wanted available and doesn't include some of the stops that I really wanted (Morocco, Normandy, etc).

I know this is totally #firstworldproblems but damn, I am really really upset. This was a huge trip for me (a bucket list 40th birthday trip) that I've spent dozens and dozens of hours researching and planning. Now that's all in the drain and I have to figure out something else.

totally sympathise as I've lost count the hours I've been looking at all sailing on several cruise lines over the past weeks. I'd just got to the point of convincing Hubby we should take the Nov Trans. we are BOTH 50. 2 weeks between us so we could both be away on our birthdays, so The trans was perfect in so many ways. I had been putting off booking as I wanted to see what cruise option Princess were doing, they only came out today. So i'll be heading to their site to see what Caribbean sailing might suit us. But as said all other options are coming out at £1000 to £2000 more than the Trans. Neither  Explorer or Anthem stop in the Caribbean long enough so they are no good to me. Bye Bye RCCL in 2020 for us.