Reduced Capacity

[cltnccruisers]

I haven't heard anything lately about sailing being allowed with a reduced capacity but I imagine it's still a factor.  Today we got a reminder for final payment on our Aug ABC on Equinox and it made us wonder about it.  If a ship has a 100% capacity of 3,000 and is allowed to sail with 50% but 2,000 have booked how does the line decide which 500 get the boot?

 

Curious how the folks in IT are handling this if at all.

[cruisestitch]

Nobody knows at this point

[AbbyCruiser45]

I think Celebrity blocked rooms long ago to prevent more than 50% capacity. This is what the July 11th Equinox looks like. I think most of these rooms are blocked from being sold, not that guests started randomly booking in every-other order spontaneously. 

[rmalbers]

I saw a comment somewhere: one cruise line (not X) did a 'first booked, first to go' type of thing but hopefully X has a better approach, like shown above.

 

Edited May 17, 2021 by rmalbers

[cltnccruisers]

3 minutes ago, AbbyCruiser45 said:

I think Celebrity blocked rooms long ago to prevent more than 50% capacity. This is what the July 11th Equinox looks like. I think most of these rooms are blocked from being sold, not that guests started randomly booking in every-other order spontaneously. 

That makes sense though they'll have to drill down to a guest count eventually.   But I'm a good friend of Murphy and have no doubt that he'll do something to muck it up.   

[cltnccruisers]

1 minute ago, rmalbers said:

I saw a comment somewhere: one cruise line (not X) did a 'first booked, first to go' type of thing but hopefully X has a better approach, like shown above.

 

We thought of that but ours was 'first to pay, first to go'.

[rmalbers]

When I saw the comment I kind of thought that it wouldn't work very well because all the FCC's that booked would be behind others so FCC money would move forward in the system, yet again.  X needs to flush out the FCC's as soon as they can.

[kasowell2]

and if you get bumped how long are they going to take to refund my money?

[C-Dragons]

I agree with @AbbyCruiser45  X has been blocking cabins for some time now. They won’t be bumping anyone.

[SeaHunt]

Not Celebrity, but interesting to see that when Singapore went into heightened alert to curb rising Covid cases the Quantum of the Seas (currently sailing from there) also responded by further reducing capacity (from May 17 through June 13):

 

Key Product Adjustments:

• Guest capacity is reduced to 25 percent occupancy. Groups are limited to two guests. This means that at most, the ship will have 1,025 passengers aboard.
• All restaurants are closed and guests will get room service options or "grab and go" from select restaurants aboard.
• Capacity for live entertainment shows will be reduced to a maximum of 50 guests and live singing will not be available.
• Permitted onboard activities, like those in Seaplex, Activity Zone and Pool Zone, will continue to operate at reduced capacity and with enhanced social distancing measures.
• • Masks will be required in the indoor pool.

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/25008-royal-caribbean-makes-key-onboard-changes-on-quantum-due-to-singapore-warning.html

[wrk2cruise]

27 minutes ago, AbbyCruiser45 said:

I think Celebrity blocked rooms long ago to prevent more than 50% capacity. This is what the July 11th Equinox looks like. I think most of these rooms are blocked from being sold, not that guests started randomly booking in every-other order spontaneously. 

 

If you look many of the "blocked" rooms have capacity of 3 or more.   If you select 3 passengers many of these show available as well (not blocked).   They have been doing this on many sailings for quite awhile.  I don't think it has anything to do with capacity control.  They are just trying to push 2 passenger reservations to 2 passenger accommodations leaving berths for larger parties.

[cltnccruisers]

2 minutes ago, C-Dragons said:

I agree with @AbbyCruiser45  X has been blocking cabins for some time now. They won’t be bumping anyone.

I hope you are right.  But having been in IT since 1979 and seen a host of problems with various cruise websites I fear you are not.  Time will tell.

[C-Dragons]

13 minutes ago, cltnccruisers said:

I hope you are right.  But having been in IT since 1979 and seen a host of problems with various cruise websites I fear you are not.  Time will tell.

Not only has X been blocking cabins, they have been inviting Travel agents to block their group space as well. There is no way anyone can determine exactly how many cabins are actually booked. And bumping guests would be a public relations nightmare.

[CroozFanatic]

Airlines deal with this problem everyday. Hotels also overbook and accommodate.

 

Different, but not that different.

 

Saw over on the NCL board that they cancelled an entire voyage in summer 2022 in Greece because of a charter and just told all the existing customers to suck it. Suspect, NCL will stay in business regardless.

 

 

[AstoriaPreppy]

12 minutes ago, CroozFanatic said:

Airlines deal with this problem everyday. Hotels also overbook and accommodate.

 

Different, but not that different.

 

Saw over on the NCL board that they cancelled an entire voyage in summer 2022 in Greece because of a charter and just told all the existing customers to suck it. Suspect, NCL will stay in business regardless.

 

As someone who has been... on the receiving end of the NCL shoreside customer service team (to put it politely), I really, really empathize with those guests. It's one of the reasons we try to sail with other lines, because even on the worst day, no CCL or RCI brand would ever go to the length NCL regularly does to kick you in the teeth after they screw up.

[NantahalaCruiser]

1 hour ago, AbbyCruiser45 said:

I think Celebrity blocked rooms long ago to prevent more than 50% capacity. This is what the July 11th Equinox looks like. I think most of these rooms are blocked from being sold, not that guests started randomly booking in every-other order spontaneously. 

The cabin unavailability is due to you searching for a cabin for 2 persons.  They often reserve cabins for more than 2.  If you search instead for a cabin for 3 persons you will find that these cabins are then shown as available.

Edited May 17, 2021 by NantahalaCruiser

[Jeremiah1212]

We won't really know what the true capacity limit is until (and only if) the details of the Port Agreements are made public. 

 

If the cruise lines choose the vaccinated path, the port agreements only outline 'sufficient' need for shoreside services, which would presumably be very small if 95% of your passenger are vaccinated.

 

Although the other recommendations encourage a lot of social distancing and reduced capacity at various venues on board, I think there is reason to believe that these cruises may have way more people on them than some people may be lead to believe. 

[rmalbers]

All I know is that when X finally has a real cruise, these boards (web servers) are going to probably crash, with everyone wanting to know and people reporting, lol!

Edited May 17, 2021 by rmalbers