Will Royal reduce the size of the fleet?

[LXA350]

It's a good time to get rid of Empress and Majesty given that they anyway cost more to operate than the other ships in the fleet, given their age alone more maintenance work is needed etc. For the smaller ships, there is still Vision, Enchantment and the Radiance Class left (Grandour supposedly to be sold given that this is still on)

[grandgeezer]

What we do with them? Anybody that could actually use them is bleeding cash just like them. That also could be problematic if they tried to put them up for collateral to get a loan.

[MaritimeR&R]

On 3/27/2020 at 5:52 AM, Biker19 said:

Direct at each level no, but being elite on CC for being D and higher in C&A without ever sailing X is a pretty good deal.

And yet, I daresay,  there are those Pinnacles that would find the Elite status shared with Diamonds a hard pill to swallow. 

[LMaxwell]

13 hours ago, MaritimeR&R said:

And yet, I daresay,  there are those Pinnacles that would find the Elite status shared with Diamonds a hard pill to swallow. 

I think a LOT of people have had their last cruise and just don't know it yet 

[John&LaLa]

On 3/27/2020 at 5:22 PM, LXA350 said:

It's a good time to get rid of Empress and Majesty given that they anyway cost more to operate than the other ships in the fleet, given their age alone more maintenance work is needed etc. For the smaller ships, there is still Vision, Enchantment and the Radiance Class left (Grandour supposedly to be sold given that this is still on)

 

Rhapsody🤔

[LXA350]

1 minute ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Rhapsody🤔

 

How could I forget her 😉

[John&LaLa]

54 minutes ago, LXA350 said:

 

How could I forget her 😉

 

I was thinking you meant her instead of the entire Radiance Class. Aren't those ships newer than Explorer?

[LXA350]

Just now, John&LaLa said:

 

I was thinking you meant her instead of the entire Radiance Class. Aren't those ships newer than Explorer?

 

Yeah they are, Radiance Class range from 2001-2004 and Explorer is from 2000.

[cublet]

15 hours ago, MaritimeR&R said:

And yet, I daresay,  there are those Pinnacles that would find the Elite status shared with Diamonds a hard pill to swallow. 

Hello,

 

Let's do it!

 

I'm (only) DP on RCI but Elite Plus on CC - so bring it on!

 

Whilst I'm here, I lost track of the threads on which I've posted a snip from the RCI UK website that says FCC CANNOT be use on existing booking, but I've just noticed that the CC UK website says that you can - a feature of RCCL's consistent inconsistency (or the fact they don't know what the **I** they are doing).

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

[palks]

My thoughts only, not as an arguement to the other points of view...

 

I think RCL (and others) will struggle to fill the extra Oasis class ships and the big ships.  One or two doing thier original run through the Caribbean might work, but thier plans for expanded use (Asia etc) will struggle. If you relate it to the airline industry, experts are already 'doubtful' people will want to travel on the A380, too many people in one place, for a long period after we get through this. This might apply to cruising, know it is already being talked about within our social circle about people wanting travel that doesn't involve 'mass humans'.  Also I think it will take a while for a lot of local authorities to approve ships to visit, and certainly those with thousands of people, after the experiance a number of countries have had with infected cruise ship visitors.  This mornings reporting here in Australia places a signifcant number of the first positives into Australia are traceable back to cruise ships.  Lets hope we can get back to where we were as soon as possible without too many more poeple losing thier lives...its getting horrendous at the moment in a number of places around the world.  I get the feeling it will take a long time to get internation travel going again...

[Chiliburn]

1 hour ago, palks said:

My thoughts only, not as an arguement to the other points of view...

 

I think RCL (and others) will struggle to fill the extra Oasis class ships and the big ships.  One or two doing thier original run through the Caribbean might work, but thier plans for expanded use (Asia etc) will struggle. If you relate it to the airline industry, experts are already 'doubtful' people will want to travel on the A380, too many people in one place, for a long period after we get through this. This might apply to cruising, know it is already being talked about within our social circle about people wanting travel that doesn't involve 'mass humans'.  Also I think it will take a while for a lot of local authorities to approve ships to visit, and certainly those with thousands of people, after the experiance a number of countries have had with infected cruise ship visitors.  This mornings reporting here in Australia places a signifcant number of the first positives into Australia are traceable back to cruise ships.  Lets hope we can get back to where we were as soon as possible without too many more poeple losing thier lives...its getting horrendous at the moment in a number of places around the world.  I get the feeling it will take a long time to get internation travel going again...

We will probably see some local cruises once the virus is contained.

[M&A]

On 3/27/2020 at 5:22 PM, LXA350 said:

It's a good time to get rid of Empress and Majesty given that they anyway cost more to operate than the other ships in the fleet, given their age alone more maintenance work is needed etc. For the smaller ships, there is still Vision, Enchantment and the Radiance Class left (Grandour supposedly to be sold given that this is still on)

Didn't RCI buy back the Empress a few years ago for it's Cuba cruises?    I would've thought that with the cancellation of Cuba cruises they would sell it.    

[deliver42]

We are booked on the Odyssey for a TA next March, and I'm going to cancel that cruise, and change it o the Caribbean for Dec, 2021.If I'm going to be stranded, I'd much rather be in the Caribbean than Europe.

[Saab4444]

5 hours ago, deliver42 said:

We are booked on the Odyssey for a TA next March, and I'm going to cancel that cruise, and change it o the Caribbean for Dec, 2021.If I'm going to be stranded, I'd much rather be in the Caribbean than Europe.

Why should you be stranded in Europe in March 2021?

[tcfc424]

I would tend to agree that some of the smaller, older ships may not sail again under the RCI flag.  Looking forward, however, which is tough at the moment, the cruise lines were bringing tons of new cruisers into the fold with the size and amenities offered by the Oasis class ships, especially.  Things are going to be tough in the short-term, but the recovery from this requires a long-term view.  Ships take a long time to build and by the time Odyssey/Wonder/Icon are launched, we could already be well on the road to recovery, though that is yet to be seen/known.  Think about how fast technology advances, and how much the world embraces that.  Ten years ago, being able to communicate from/to a ship was a relative luxury.  Now, it's a standard feature (for better or worse).  That will be the future of the cruise industry...ships that offer the newest/latest/greatest "things."  I know that's not a popular view among the seasoned cruisers on this forum, but as a 41-year old that has just recently begun embarking on this wonderful life we call cruising, my family demands these things on a vacation.  Being in Texas, I would love to sail out of Galveston on some of those itineraries being loaded for 2021...Cartagena, Key West, and others, but not on the ships they're using.  For my wife and I, they'd be great.  I have a 5-year old and an 11-year old, however, and I would absolutely lose it if they said "I'm bored, there's nothing to do."  We sailed on Liberty and it was perfect!  Looking down the road, RCI needs to understand who their target market will be...the people that will continue their brand loyalty into 2030 and beyond.  

 

I certainly do not mean to disrespect anyone here, please know that is not my intention.  I do understand that at the beginning of this year, the people who make up the bulk of RCI's cruisers are the ones who have been cruising for many years, and I'm not trying to understate their importance.  Some have been sidelined (and may be for the short-term at least) from cruising by the doctor's note requirement.  Others may make the decision that they are vulnerable going forward and will defer on their desire to cruise.  Those in the (relatively) less affected age groups will likely be the first you'll see returning in bulk to cruising.  We're booked for Thanksgiving on Liberty, and I would anticipate that, should the virus be in it's decline worldwide and social distancing requirements lifted, we would not hesitate to be on that ship.

 

Long story short...if RCI chooses to deal with the short-term (relatively) issues while ignoring the long-term implications, they could be a ship without a sail.  (Yes, pun intended.)

[CruiseAwesome]

On 3/26/2020 at 5:59 PM, coaster said:

The cruisers who will be back first are C&A members with many cruises under their belt and consequently being of older age. Newer ships with water slides,  a flowrider and venues with an extra fee for a hamburger and french fries will probably be later to recover. The new reality in the cruising industry.

 

However don't you feel like RCCL realizes that people of older age and their older ships are really just counting days? Older people won't be able to sustain their business long term and they need bigger and better ships to attract the next generation of loyalty.

[Milwaukee Eight]

On 3/27/2020 at 7:40 PM, grandgeezer said:

What we do with them? Anybody that could actually use them is bleeding cash just like them. That also could be problematic if they tried to put them up for collateral to get a loan.

Artificial Reef. Ships, especially Cruise Ships make great fish attractions and dive sites. 

[LXA350]

17 hours ago, CruiseAwesome said:

 

However don't you feel like RCCL realizes that people of older age and their older ships are really just counting days? Older people won't be able to sustain their business long term and they need bigger and better ships to attract the next generation of loyalty.

 

Those older clientele will also not feel comfortable to start cruising right away, hence it's more then 45-65 year olds you will likely get back the fastest.