Odyssey Rome inaugural season moved to Israel

[Jimbo]

54 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

My Dh was showing me an online article saying 6 crew member on odyssey have tested positive this week.  Started with 2 the other day, now 6.  Article was vague but sounds like they were crew being flown in to start their quarantine and get vaccinated onboard the ship.

For the record , they were workers, not crew members.

https://nypost.com/2021/03/09/6-workers-on-royal-caribbeans-new-ship-test-positive-for-covid-19/

[Sunshine3601]

2 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

For the record , they were workers, not crew members.

https://nypost.com/2021/03/09/6-workers-on-royal-caribbeans-new-ship-test-positive-for-covid-19/

Gotta love online media as the article my dh showed me definitely said crew members.  I'll ask him for the source.

[Biker19]

3 hours ago, toad455 said:

I guess the one positive from this is that RCCL will have four of its ships sailing by May.

Which would those be?

[Biker19]

Dup

Edited March 10, 2021 by Biker19

[Biker19]

2 minutes ago, Heymarco said:

Quantum, Spectrum, Voyager, and Odyssey of the Seas. 

I don't think the chances of Spectrum and Voyager sailing have improved any since the last set of cancellations.

[Biker19]

It will be interesting to see if the almost $200 pppd rates for sailings out of Haifa hold. All insides and seaview cabins are blocked.

[dani negreanu]

7 hours ago, Biker19 said:

It will be interesting to see if the almost $200 pppd rates for sailings out of Haifa hold. All insides and seaview cabins are blocked.

 

I'm active in the "Israeli Cruise Critic", and I'm quite sure those cruises will be "sold out" in the next couple of days.... it's just that all the travel agents are overwhelmed with requests and cannot process quick enough all the bookings.

 

Don't forget that until now we had to fly out for every cruise, stay in a hotel a day or two pre- and sometimes after, since to some of the destinations there were no flights every day of the week (Miami comes to mind, for example).

 

Beside, in an hour I can be in port !!!! By train or by car... No jet lag.  Imagine that 🤪😀

[Ocean Boy]

10 minutes ago, dani negreanu said:

 

I'm active in the "Israeli Cruise Critic", and I'm quite sure those cruises will be "sold out" in the next couple of days.... it's just that all the travel agents are overwhelmed with requests and cannot process quick enough all the bookings.

 

Don't forget that until now we had to fly out for every cruise, stay in a hotel a day or two pre- and sometimes after, since to some of the destinations there were no flights every day of the week (Miami comes to mind, for example).

 

Beside, in an hour I can be in port !!!! By train or by car... No jet lag.  Imagine that 🤪😀

Thanks. Though i initially thought $200 per day seems ridiculous I can see that with the other expenses not there the cruise becomes more affordable.

[dani negreanu]

11 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

Thanks. Though i initially thought $200 per day seems ridiculous I can see that with the other expenses not there the cruise becomes more affordable.

 

I've just priced for friends, 7 nights (July 23rd, 2021), #11620 -- 3700$ for a couple, including taxes.

 

[Badatz2]

20 minutes ago, dani negreanu said:

 

I'm active in the "Israeli Cruise Critic", and I'm quite sure those cruises will be "sold out" in the next couple of days.... it's just that all the travel agents are overwhelmed with requests and cannot process quick enough all the bookings.

 

Don't forget that until now we had to fly out for every cruise, stay in a hotel a day or two pre- and sometimes after, since to some of the destinations there were no flights every day of the week (Miami comes to mind, for example).

 

Beside, in an hour I can be in port !!!! By train or by car... No jet lag.  Imagine that 🤪😀

Shalom Dani.  Is there a special Israel group or forum where us Israelis can communicate?

 

Regarding the demand , I have tried for the last two days to reach the Israeli agent to no avail.  I just hung up after waiting over an hour.

I am not sure that all calls result in reservations but there is definitely demand.

I agree that when you remove the flights and hotels etc the price is really not that high.

As we say here,. Shyihiyeh Beh Hatzlacha.  they should be successful

[dani negreanu]

17 minutes ago, Badatz2 said:

Shalom Dani.  Is there a special Israel group or forum where us Israelis can communicate?

 

Regarding the demand , I have tried for the last two days to reach the Israeli agent to no avail.  I just hung up after waiting over an hour.

I am not sure that all calls result in reservations but there is definitely demand.

I agree that when you remove the flights and hotels etc the price is really not that high.

As we say here,. Shyihiyeh Beh Hatzlacha.  they should be successful

 

הייתה הרשמה מוקדמת, בקבוצה בה אני פעילה היו לפחות 250 נרשמים ועוד היד נטויה. לקבוצה קוראים ״קרוז חלום של הפלגה״.

 

Let me know if I can be of more help, bi-bracha, Dani

 

[Badatz2]

17 minutes ago, dani negreanu said:

 

הייתה הרשמה מוקדמת, בקבוצה בה אני פעילה היו לפחות 250 נרשמים ועוד היד נטויה. לקבוצה קוראים ״קרוז חלום של הפלגה״.

 

Let me know if I can be of more help, bi-bracha, Dani

 

Thanks , I joined

[Ourusualbeach]

Almost 5000 bookings on opening day.

[dani negreanu]

23 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Almost 5000 bookings on opening day.

 

As I predicted a few days ago...

 

I wanted to check availability of rooms easier than going through the whole procedure with the official RC, counseling a few friends and friends of friend as to the best location, and when I went to my Miami based TA, turns out they don't sell this cruise.

 

Is it available in US only on the official RC site?

 

[Ourusualbeach]

3 minutes ago, dani negreanu said:

 

As I predicted a few days ago...

 

I wanted to check availability of rooms easier than going through the whole procedure with the official RC, counseling a few friends and friends of friend as to the best location, and when I went to my Miami based TA, turns out they don't sell this cruise.

 

Is it available in US only on the official RC site?

 

It can only be booked by Israeli travel agents.

 

Technically, unless your Miami TA is licensed by Royal to sell to citizens of countries other than Canada or the US they shouldn't be selling to you.  Many travel agents will break the rules hoping they don't get caught.  

 

TA's need a separate operating license for every country they wish to do business in.

Edited March 10, 2021 by Ourusualbeach

[Tatka]

I check Israeli RCI site.. They only offer cruises in October.

Edited March 10, 2021 by Tatka

[Badatz2]

Just now, Ourusualbeach said:

It can only be booked by Israeli travel agents.

 

 

I am based in Israel and my RCCL site defaults to Israel.  The cruises are there and anyone can order.  It does say that it is open only to vaccinated Israeli residents.  If you go to the US site, the cruises are not listed

[Ourusualbeach]

2 minutes ago, Badatz2 said:

I am based in Israel and my RCCL site defaults to Israel.  The cruises are there and anyone can order.  It does say that it is open only to vaccinated Israeli residents.  If you go to the US site, the cruises are not listed

Correct.  It can only be booked by an Israeli agent or direct on the Israeli site.  Sorry I left out the Israeli website part as we were referring to travel agents.

Edited March 10, 2021 by Ourusualbeach

[Badatz2]

Just now, Tatka said:

I check Israeli RCI site.. They only offer cruises in October.

I am on the Israeli site now and cruises are available from June 2, onwards

[Tatka]

7 minutes ago, Badatz2 said:

I am on the Israeli site now and cruises are available from June 2, onwards

 

Oh, yes. I did not change filters. See them now. Looks like only balconies and up are on sale.

Edited March 10, 2021 by Tatka

[dani negreanu]

50 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Technically, unless your Miami TA is licensed by Royal to sell to citizens of countries other than Canada or the US they shouldn't be selling to you.  

 

I've used this site for the last 10 years, as well as friends and family. For us, a huge difference in price.

 

Israeli travel agents try to avoid "balcony discounts" or, for Celebrity, the one free upgrade....

 

The ONLY exception was when I tried to book a Fjords cruise with Princess. She told me that Princess doesn't allow her agency to book Israeli residents. That was 10 years ago. I've tried for a friend last year, and received same reply.

 

I had to help her book through an Israeli agent. An experience I do not wish to repeat. Luckily, no problems booking RC and X 😉

 

[dani negreanu]

25 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

It can only be booked by an Israeli agent or direct on the Israeli site.

 

As I've already mentioned, I've been trying to help a good friend of mine with choosing the best balcony location. Usually, I'm going to my Miami site and see immediately which rooms are available, price and location, without having to do a mock booking.

 

When this option was not available, I went to the official RC site, and was able to choose the cruise he wanted and the room, but I didn't proceed further than this stage.

 

ALL the cruises from Israel were available on the official site, it took some moments to get to them, since Haifa was not mentioned in the "ports"...

 

On the Israeli CC I've read of many who booked directly on RC site, since the TA were too busy returning or answering calls....

 

[Ourusualbeach]

10 minutes ago, dani negreanu said:

 

As I've already mentioned, I've been trying to help a good friend of mine with choosing the best balcony location. Usually, I'm going to my Miami site and see immediately which rooms are available, price and location, without having to do a mock booking.

 

When this option was not available, I went to the official RC site, and was able to choose the cruise he wanted and the room, but I didn't proceed further than this stage.

 

ALL the cruises from Israel were available on the official site, it took some moments to get to them, since Haifa was not mentioned in the "ports"...

 

On the Israeli CC I've read of many who booked directly on RC site, since the TA were too busy returning or answering calls....

 

Its the official Royal site for Israel. it's not the one we see in the US. 

 

the site is redirecting you to the Israeli site as opposed to the US site.  they are nearly identical except for the offerings

Edited March 10, 2021 by Ourusualbeach

[Badatz2]

Dani, look on the top right line of the website.  You will see it says Israel and has two Israeli telephone numbers to call

[dani negreanu]

4 minutes ago, Badatz2 said:

Dani, look on the top right line of the website.  You will see it says Israel and has two Israeli telephone numbers to call

 

Thanks, I've seen the Israeli flag, but it stands to reason that the cruises from Haifa will appear immediately, without much "manipulations" from my side 😉

 

Did u book?

Edited March 10, 2021 by dani negreanu