Deployment 2024-25 booking season begins

[Jack McGowan]

2 minutes ago, Jumping Cruiser said:

 

I agree that Anthem is a better fit for NJ, but would be excited to see Odyssey in Southampton. At least those in NJ have different ships throughout the summer, whereas Southampton has only had Anthem since 2020. Maybe Royal could focus more on warmer sailings from Southampton, as opposed to Northern Europe, in order to take advantage of Odyssey’s improved outdoor areas.

That is true, and like I say not opposed to her coming to Southampton. Should send both Anthem can do the Fjords and Odyssey Med & Canaries 🤣.

 

There is a lot of newer ships doing Southampton now with Iona, Arvia, MSC Euribia/Virtuosa & Celebrity Apex so maybe they are just updating the offering 

[GlasgowCruiser01]

I'd certainly take Odyssey in Southampton except for the fact that it won't be a fun ride through the Bay of Biscay.

 

I wonder what will happen to the Rome itineraries.

[bigeck]

1 hour ago, Jumping Cruiser said:

 

I agree that Anthem is a better fit for NJ, but would be excited to see Odyssey in Southampton. At least those in NJ have different ships throughout the summer, whereas Southampton has only had Anthem since 2020. Maybe Royal could focus more on warmer sailings from Southampton, as opposed to Northern Europe, in order to take advantage of Odyssey’s improved outdoor areas.

Now Copenhagen has been dropped, can we see 2 ships in Amsterdam or even 2 in Southampton.

Michael Bayley did say Southampton did deserve a 2nd ship for the positive numbers after covid

[Jack McGowan]

1 minute ago, bigeck said:

Now Copenhagen has been dropped, can we see 2 ships in Amsterdam or even 2 in Southampton.

Michael Bayley did say Southampton did deserve a 2nd ship for the positive numbers after covid

I would love 2 ships but I don’t think it would happen, especially 2 Quantum Class. 
 

Numbers weren’t even that favourable when they tried having Independence & Anthem. 

[springaussie]

Royal could leave a ship in Europe for the Christmas New Year period then send it on a 4 month cruise around the world early January like other companies presently do.

 

[springaussie]

Anthem will be due for her 10 year dry dock APRIL 2025.

So she will have to  visit Cadiz or Singapore before the Northern Summer 2025. If she was going to the Asia Pacific I assume it will be in Cadiz before leaving Europe.

[Chiliburn]

12 minutes ago, springaussie said:

Anthem will be due for her 10 year dry dock APRIL 2025.

So she will have to  visit Cadiz or Singapore before the Northern Summer 2025. If she was going to the Asia Pacific I assume it will be in Cadiz before leaving Europe.

A couple of things make me think the pacific needs another Quantum class .

1 The first is more capacity to service the new private island of Lelepa 

 2 Hong Kong ,if it happens .

3 something to compete with carnival in LA .( send Navigator to Melbourne)

4 more capacity in the cash cow of Alaska 

[twangster]

6 hours ago, bigeck said:

Now Copenhagen has been dropped, can we see 2 ships in Amsterdam or even 2 in Southampton.

Michael Bayley did say Southampton did deserve a 2nd ship for the positive numbers after covid

 

The same Michael Bayley who stated Icon would sail from the UK first?

[ONECRUISER]

1 hour ago, twangster said:

 

The same Michael Bayley who stated Icon would sail from the UK first?

Had his fingers crossed, so doesn't count

[springaussie]

4 hours ago, Chiliburn said:

A couple of things make me think the pacific needs another Quantum class .

1 The first is more capacity to service the new private island of Lelepa 

 2 Hong Kong ,if it happens .

3 something to compete with carnival in LA .( send Navigator to Melbourne)

4 more capacity in the cash cow of Alaska 

In 2016 and 2017 Royal virtually closed all Hong Kong cruises down with Legend and Mariner not not being replaced. In 2012 when the old airport opened up for cruises it was going to see a massive amount of cruise ships which didn’t happen. 
 

[Spurschick]

12 hours ago, Saab4444 said:

That is not true, Royal Caribbean is longer than MSC in the European market and has always had a better brand awareness. The issue is what they have made out of this in the last years, not much… Many people from Northern Europe do not like the chaos and noise on MSC and Costa ships.

 

NCL, HAL and Princess as other US lines focused more also on Europe and it worked well. 

Depends in where in Europe the guests are from. Italians and Spanish generally tend to sail MSC and Costa, in part because of the primary languages used on board. Growing up in UK Royal was not always the number one choice for our cruises.

 

And yes I have sailed MSC several times and have several more booked with them and also sailed Costa although would not go back.

Edited February 6, 2023 by Spurschick

[twangster]

I'm curious if WWRY on Anthem will reach the end of the contract in 2025.  Royal seems to be done with Broadway shows or in this case a West End show and paying all those license fees.  That can also hamper deploying a ship if the production company that owns the rights to the show has a say in the region where Royal can offer the show.  

 

Anthem may have been captive to the greater NYC area and the UK because of WWRY.  If they don't renew it then they are free to send her anywhere.  

[Ethanol95]

2 hours ago, twangster said:

I'm curious if WWRY on Anthem will reach the end of the contract in 2025.  Royal seems to be done with Broadway shows or in this case a West End show and paying all those license fees.  That can also hamper deploying a ship if the production company that owns the rights to the show has a say in the region where Royal can offer the show.  

 

Anthem may have been captive to the greater NYC area and the UK because of WWRY.  If they don't renew it then they are free to send her anywhere.  

What does WWRY stand for?

[Biker19]

Just now, Ethanol95 said:

What does WWRY stand for?

We Will Rock You - the band Queen related show.

[Ethanol95]

1 minute ago, Biker19 said:

We Will Rock You - the band Queen related show.

 

2 hours ago, twangster said:

I'm curious if WWRY on Anthem will reach the end of the contract in 2025.  Royal seems to be done with Broadway shows or in this case a West End show and paying all those license fees.  That can also hamper deploying a ship if the production company that owns the rights to the show has a say in the region where Royal can offer the show.  

 

Anthem may have been captive to the greater NYC area and the UK because of WWRY.  If they don't renew it then they are free to send her anywhere.  

Makes it even more likely that Anthem will head to a different market then.

[Saab4444]

1 hour ago, Ethanol95 said:

 

Makes it even more likely that Anthem will head to a different market then.

Highly unlikely that a ship deployment depends on a stupid show. Guests on a ship could come from anywhere no matter where it sails from.

[Ethanol95]

46 minutes ago, Saab4444 said:

Highly unlikely that a ship deployment depends on a stupid show. Guests on a ship could come from anywhere no matter where it sails from.

It's something called localizing the product for the market... 

 

You can't tell me a ship with a broadway musical in English would serve well in the Chinese market.

[mac_tlc]

4 hours ago, twangster said:

I'm curious if WWRY on Anthem will reach the end of the contract in 2025.  Royal seems to be done with Broadway shows or in this case a West End show and paying all those license fees.  That can also hamper deploying a ship if the production company that owns the rights to the show has a say in the region where Royal can offer the show.  

 

Anthem may have been captive to the greater NYC area and the UK because of WWRY.  If they don't renew it then they are free to send her anywhere.  

IMHO, the Broadway shows are a real draw. How many Royal produced singing/dancing shows can one go to? I love Nick Weir as much as the next guy, but the Broadway shows are better. I would be sad to see them go. I guess we will get some idea this summer when Symphony goes to drydock and, I would imagine, its 5-yr run of Hairspray may be at a "fish or cut bait" point.

[Saab4444]

37 minutes ago, Ethanol95 said:

It's something called localizing the product for the market... 

 

You can't tell me a ship with a broadway musical in English would serve well in the Chinese market.

Nothing in English works in China, this is a bad example. Broadway shows in English work in most other countries around the World. Or do you beliece people from the New York or London area cruise on Anthem because of the show they have at home anyway?

[Ethanol95]

5 minutes ago, Saab4444 said:

Nothing in English works in China, this is a bad example. Broadway shows in English work in most other countries around the World. Or do you beliece people from the New York or London area cruise on Anthem because of the show they have at home anyway?

If that is the case then tell me why Royal created a new production show for Spectrum post covid to serve the Singapore market, instead of having a broadway show onboard? Spectrum gets a lot of international fly cruisers. The majority of people from Singapore also speak English as their main language. 

[Saab4444]

2 minutes ago, Ethanol95 said:

If that is the case then tell me why Royal created a new production show for Spectrum post covid to serve the Singapore market, instead of having a broadway show onboard? Spectrum gets a lot of international fly cruisers. The majority of people from Singapore also speak English as their main language. 

And which shows have they created for Oasis class ships when they have send them to the Med? Anyway, I did not say they might not adjust shows to local markets a ship goes to. My point was they will not decide or limit a ships destination purely based on one stupid show on board.

[twangster]

When Quantum went to Asia they yanked the Broadway show (Mamma Mia!) well short of it's normal contract end. 

 

I recall during an entertainment tour backstage on another ship the black shirt talking about the process to get the set off the ship and ship it back to the US.  Took a month.  

 

That's how Mamma Mia! ended up on Allure.

[xtremegk]

43 minutes ago, twangster said:

When Quantum went to Asia they yanked the Broadway show (Mamma Mia!) well short of it's normal contract end. 

 

I recall during an entertainment tour backstage on another ship the black shirt talking about the process to get the set off the ship and ship it back to the US.  Took a month.  

 

That's how Mamma Mia! ended up on Allure.

 

I remember theater staff making a fairly big deal of this on the TA leg of the repo from NJ. Set and crew disembarked in Barcelona.

[bigeck]

15 hours ago, twangster said:

 

The same Michael Bayley who stated Icon would sail from the UK first?

Yep, that's the one.

Maybe 2 in Amsterdam and start doing the Baltics again.

Royal is the only line not going in 2024.

[toad455]

Still waiting on a confirmation that Odyssey will replace the Anthem in 2024-25.