How full are the ships sailing?

[FlatFooted Freda]

We sailed Odyssey week of Nov 1. Capacity is over 4000. One crew member told us we had 1400 booked, but only 1200 sailed. She presumed 200 lost to Covid ( or testing). She also mentioned that staff was decreased by about 1/3 as well. There was a drill for crew during one of our port days. An overhead announcement would give instructions, but often include "quarantined crew please stay in your room".

[bajathree]

13 minutes ago, FlatFooted Freda said:

We sailed Odyssey week of Nov 1. Capacity is over 4000. One crew member told us we had 1400 booked, but only 1200 sailed. She presumed 200 lost to Covid ( or testing). She also mentioned that staff was decreased by about 1/3 as well. There was a drill for crew during one of our port days. An overhead announcement would give instructions, but often include "quarantined crew please stay in your room".

Sailed Odyssey 8 night Sept with 1000 passengers.....the 8 night prior to ours sailed with only 560 passengers. The "quarantined" announcement probably pertained to new crew coming aboard that have to go under quaranteen ....they had told us back in Sept that they were going under a large crew change Dec 1.

Edited November 14, 2021 by bajathree

[bajathree]

I think I said that 😉

[scousergirl3]

5 hours ago, xcell said:

Maybe it's a smaller ship but my friend was just on the Mariner of the seas and it had 2500 out of 3100 onboard.  

we got off Mariner 3 days ago after 2 cruises. It sailed at 1400 out of 3800, then 1700 out of 3800 by what waiters said. it was pretty uncrowded, lovely!

[MommaBear55]

Just noticed that the December 24 Anthem cruise has opened back up to purchase, it's been off the website for a couple of weeks. I don't know if they had enough cancellations to allow that to happen or if the increased capacity. My Dec. 5th cruise on Anthem hasn't changed price at all, so I believe that means they have not opened additional capacity.

[FiremanPato]

Just got off Liberty off the Seas out of Galveston. Someone mentioned 2600+ passengers. Ship definitely felt crowded.

 Was hoping for a more empty feeling.

 

Youngest son popped positive the last day of the cruise, so that made for a fun adventure!

[cruiselvr04]

Currently on Adventure.  We are told 2000 so about 50%.  It doesn’t feel full on the pool deck or solarium for sure.  We wish it was always like this.  The shows are well attended though, about as full as normal.  The concierge said there were 1000 on board on the 4 day before us.

[rim140]

18 hours ago, Callan33 said:

On Symphony now …just heard about 3,650 this sailing. 

We're boarding Symphony on 11/27 for b2b2b, hope it stays that way 🙂

[PhillyFan33579]

I don’t think anyone can accurately answer your question. We have been on 4 RCI cruises recently. Passenger loads have ranged from under 1000 on Adventure to well over 3000 on Freedom. My guess, and that’s all it is, is ship capacities will significantly increase towards the end of December for the holidays. 

[RoyalC]

4 hours ago, rim140 said:

We're boarding Symphony on 11/27 for b2b2b, hope it stays that way 🙂

Keep us posted. Symphony on Dec 4 here.

[bgoff60]

Got off the Allure OTS this morning.  We were sailing at approximately 60%.  Number of kids was VERY low.  Shoot me any questions you might have...

PS>  Roatan was horrible if you were NOT doing an excursion...pitiful  

 

[Micklest]

Been wondering myself. Regal Princess, Dec. 4. Never cruised on a large ship, should be interesting. 

[Biker19]

1 minute ago, Micklest said:

Been wondering myself. Regal Princess, Dec. 4.

Might want to ask on the Princess boards?

[Micklest]

Just now, Biker19 said:

Might want to ask on the Princess boards?

Yep. This thread turned up in my phone's news feed. Didn't notice it was for another line till I posted.

[ampurp85]

There are like 60 threads like this. RCG never pre-releases the numbers. Just know that with the protocols, restrictions, etc. you will not be sailing on a full ship for a while. 

 

Capacity is increasing but the actual numbers won't be available until after the sailing commences. RCG can have all the plans it want to sail at 100% capacity but until everything lets up that won't happen.  

[bajathree]

1 hour ago, ampurp85 said:

There are like 60 threads like this. RCG never pre-releases the numbers. Just know that with the protocols, restrictions, etc. you will not be sailing on a full ship for a while. 

 

Capacity is increasing but the actual numbers won't be available until after the sailing commences. RCG can have all the plans it want to sail at 100% capacity but until everything lets up that won't happen.  

Absolutely agree. While Royal may be reaching "their own" set capacities on a very few select sailings....it's demand that is limiting the capacity that ships are sailing at currently. With Royal pumping these ships up with casino and travel industry offers they still can't get them to the capacities that they want them to sail at. 

Edited November 15, 2021 by bajathree

[bucfan2]

9 minutes ago, bajathree said:

Absolutely agree. While Royal may be reaching "their own" set capacities on a very few select sailings....it's demand that is limiting the capacity that ships are sailing at currently. With Royal pumping these ships up with casino and travel industry offers they still can't get them to the capacities that they want them to sail at. 

Spot on!

[Maitaivegas]

14 hours ago, RoyalC said:

Keep us posted. Symphony on Dec 4 here.

Me too but I have to wait till 1/29/22

[blackjack24]

43 minutes ago, bajathree said:

Absolutely agree. While Royal may be reaching "their own" set capacities on a very few select sailings....it's demand that is limiting the capacity that ships are sailing at currently. With Royal pumping these ships up with casino and travel industry offers they still can't get them to the capacities that they want them to sail at. 

I was going to say as cheap as these cruises are right now it must be from lack of demand more than limiting due to covid. You can get a 6 night on Odyssey of the seas before my Allure for as cheap as $215 per person without any offers or anything. Only 364 for balcony. 

[ampurp85]

It seems like every sailing has had a lower number than anticipated. My 10/31 Allure was expected to have close to 4000 as it was a holiday sailing. We ended up at 3300. Odyssey has yet to hit big numbers and it is the newest ship. I have seen 5 and 6 itineraries for under $200, so I think the demand just isn't there. I personally think KSF really helped with capacity 

[bob63005]

Just off B2B on Oasis.  11/3 4 day was 3100  and 11/7 7 day was 3600.  

[dad son team]

I'm on the Freedom this weekend and I'm curious what the numbers will be.  AS some have said, they have been at 85%, and this weekends sailing has been sold out for about 3 weeks.

[bucfan2]

2 hours ago, blackjack24 said:

I was going to say as cheap as these cruises are right now it must be from lack of demand more than limiting due to covid. You can get a 6 night on Odyssey of the seas before my Allure for as cheap as $215 per person without any offers or anything. Only 364 for balcony. 

I believe Christmas cruising will show an uptick, and then back to reality after the New Year.  I don't believe they are going to get an increase in capacity (once they quit giving cabins away) until the draconian mask rules are dropped...just not very enticing to the general public.

We're hard core cruisers, and have about had enough.  I hope I'm wrong, but just don't see grandma and grandpa taking the gang on a family maskation.

Edited November 15, 2021 by bucfan2

[bajathree]

16 minutes ago, bucfan2 said:

I believe Christmas cruising will show an uptick, and then back to reality after the New Year.  I don't believe they are going to get an increase in capacity (once they quit giving cabins away) until the draconian mask rules are dropped...just not very enticing to the general public.

We're hard core cruisers, and have about had enough.  I hope I'm wrong, but just don't see grandma and grandpa taking the gang on a family maskation.

Don't think you will see the demand return to pre-COVID times till masking and testing goes away. And they aren't stopping with giving cabins away anytime soon....that already is continuing well into 2022.

Edited November 15, 2021 by bajathree

[bucfan2]

1 minute ago, bajathree said:

Don't think you will see the demand return to pre-COVID times till masking and testing goes away.

You may be correct.  I tend to think people will jump thru testing hoops (for whatever 'reason'), but certainly agree masks are good for holding capacity at or below 50% (and a large part of those are free cruises).

 

We have been sailing on RCL for port fees only, and paid for one full price on Celebrity.  We're thrifty cruisers, and still consider the full price route a better option.  (Caveat...we haven't worn masks for the past 18mo, so going on vacation to wear a mask is a hyperbole for us.)