Deployment 2025-26 booking season begins

[FionaMG]

18 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

Me too. Is there still hope of one coming out?

 

I would have thought so. Serenade and Radiance are both in Alaska in summer 2025 but have nothing loaded afterwards so I would say they are prime candidates for the canal.

[Scottdalfonso]

22 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

Me too. Is there still hope of one coming out?

I see one going TO LA from Tampa and FLL, but not the other way 

Edited February 28 by Scottdalfonso

[Blue Eyed Belfast Belle]

There is still a gap with Explorer from 21st Sept when she arrives into Barcelona from Ravenna and then she has a 5 night from Port Canaveral on 1st Nov.

 

 

[FionaMG]

8 minutes ago, Blue Eyed Belfast Belle said:

There is still a gap with Explorer from 21st Sept when she arrives into Barcelona from Ravenna and then she has a 5 night from Port Canaveral on 1st Nov.

 

 

 

Maybe doing dry dock in Cadiz before heading back across the pond?

[Blue Eyed Belfast Belle]

2 minutes ago, FionaMG said:

 

Maybe doing dry dock in Cadiz before heading back across the pond?

That is what I am thinking but it would be a shame if she sails back empty

[kruzerci]

The LA sailing schedule is abysmal. Tuesday-Friday 3 night sailings, mid week to mid week 6 night sailings, nothing longer than 6 nights on Quantum, etc. 
 

I get the port space is limited, but why even bother with these weird schedules? And then they’ll say demand is soft in California 🤦🏻. 

[smokeybandit]

4 minutes ago, kruzerci said:

The LA sailing schedule is abysmal. Tuesday-Friday 3 night sailings, mid week to mid week 6 night sailings, nothing longer than 6 nights on Quantum, etc. 
 

I get the port space is limited, but why even bother with these weird schedules? And then they’ll say demand is soft in California 🤦🏻. 

And prices aren't worth the squeeze either if you want something more than an interior.

[FionaMG]

13 minutes ago, Blue Eyed Belfast Belle said:

That is what I am thinking but it would be a shame if she sails back empty

 

It would indeed.

[shipfriend_max]

13 hours ago, twangster said:

Apparently Wonder, Utopia, Liberty, Mariner, Jewel and Freedom are available to book in the TA portal.  Not yet on the public website.

 

What does Jewel do?

[FionaMG]

4 minutes ago, shipfriend_max said:

What does Jewel do?

 

7-night Southern Caribbean from San Juan.

[twangster]

30 minutes ago, shipfriend_max said:

What does Jewel do?

 

https://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Royal/Deployment/2025_2026/Short_Caribbean/JW_2025-2026_Short_Caribbean_Deployment

[Saab4444]

1 hour ago, FionaMG said:

 

7-night Southern Caribbean from San Juan.

No, 3 and 4 night from FLL.

[twangster]

Sorry to see Mariner my backyard.  Enjoy her Texas, she is a great ship.  

[FionaMG]

15 minutes ago, Saab4444 said:

No, 3 and 4 night from FLL.

 

Yes, sorry, forgot about the summer. The 7-nighters out of SJ are from November 2025 through to April 2026. There's an 8-night repo from Fort Lauderdale on the 31st of October.

[smokeybandit]

37 minutes ago, twangster said:

Sorry to see Mariner my backyard.  Enjoy her Texas, she is a great ship.  

4 and 5 night clunkers, though.

[twangster]

13 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

4 and 5 night clunkers, though.

 

Most of her trips from Port Canaveral aren't that exciting either.  Yet it's a great ship to spend a few days on.   

[LooneyCruzer]

When are the jewel Ta’s?

 

[Itried4498]

3 hours ago, kruzerci said:

The LA sailing schedule is abysmal. Tuesday-Friday 3 night sailings, mid week to mid week 6 night sailings, nothing longer than 6 nights on Quantum, etc. 
 

I get the port space is limited, but why even bother with these weird schedules? And then they’ll say demand is soft in California 🤦🏻. 

Is port space really that limited?  LA can accommodate four ships at the same time but are only literally a handful of days where there’s three this year and none I can find with four.  Princess is significantly reducing its calls beginning later this year, NCL has already done so and it appears Celebrity is leaving the market.

 

Maybe RCL’s agreement with the port guaranteed a number of calls and passengers, and they felt Quantum was a better fit than the Celebrity brand?

 

but I’m with everyone else.  I don’t understand why they didn’t schedule Quantum mostly on the 3/4 day weekend runs and move Navigator to mostly 7 days.  And creative one-off itineraries to Hawaii, Alaska, etc.

 

Biggest problem with LA is that the closest warm weather beach market (Cabo) takes a 5 day itinerary.  Not much you can do locally…. Santa Barbara would pee and moan over a regular cruise ship.

[twangster]

1 minute ago, LooneyCruzer said:

When are the jewel Ta’s?

 

 

What transatlantics?

 

There is one August 2024 when she comes to the US from Europe.  The transatlantic ends in Boston.

 

She stays in Boston until October 2024.

 

Then she moves to Galveston, Texas through April 2025.

 

Then she moves to Fort Lauderdale though November 2025.

 

Then she moves to San Juan, Puerto Rico through April 2026.

 

No other transatlantics are planned for Jewel right now.  She doesn't go back to Europe in the future that is known through 2026.

 

 

[twangster]

3 hours ago, kruzerci said:

The LA sailing schedule is abysmal. Tuesday-Friday 3 night sailings, mid week to mid week 6 night sailings, nothing longer than 6 nights on Quantum, etc. 
 

I get the port space is limited, but why even bother with these weird schedules? And then they’ll say demand is soft in California 🤦🏻. 

 

Yep.  That's California cruising for you.  

 

It's hard to make anything out of LA exciting.  

 

[crzndeb]

Just now, twangster said:

 

Yep.  That's California cruising for you.  

 

It's hard to make anything out of LA exciting.  

 

I think  a B2B or more would be OK for Westcoasters that really only wanted the ship experience. There are people in Florida and Texas who do short cruises over and over to the same places. This really would be no different. How many don’t even get off the ship in Nassau anymore? And I can see people on the left side doing some of these to accumulate points too.

I love the Quantum class, and would look into doing the Quantum out of LA, especially now that I have my solo discount.

[twangster]

3 minutes ago, crzndeb said:

I think  a B2B or more would be OK for Westcoasters that really only wanted the ship experience. There are people in Florida and Texas who do short cruises over and over to the same places. This really would be no different. How many don’t even get off the ship in Nassau anymore? And I can see people on the left side doing some of these to accumulate points too.

I love the Quantum class, and would look into doing the Quantum out of LA, especially now that I have my solo discount.

 

Looking at CAS numbers on a typical cruise the number of frequent repeat cruisers is relatively small, even in Florida.  

 

B2B guest counts are typically in the double digits.  Sometimes an Oasis class consecutive cruiser count will break into trip digits but for smaller ships it's often low double digits.

 

You can't sustain a ship in any home port with a relatively small percentage of the total guest count cruising consecutively. 

 

The bread and butter is new to cruise, or new to Royal, which often accounts for >50% of guest count.  This is followed by Gold CAS with a solid #2 of guest counts. 

 

That is who they need booking a ship, anywhere.  In Florida there is an abundance of new to Royal guests booking ships and that is where they make bank.  The consecutive cruiser isn't where the high margin profit comes from.

[pyrateslife4me84]

15 minutes ago, twangster said:

 

Looking at CAS numbers on a typical cruise the number of frequent repeat cruisers is relatively small, even in Florida.  

 

B2B guest counts are typically in the double digits.  Sometimes an Oasis class consecutive cruiser count will break into trip digits but for smaller ships it's often low double digits.

 

You can't sustain a ship in any home port with a relatively small percentage of the total guest count cruising consecutively. 

 

The bread and butter is new to cruise, or new to Royal, which often accounts for >50% of guest count.  This is followed by Gold CAS with a solid #2 of guest counts. 

 

That is who they need booking a ship, anywhere.  In Florida there is an abundance of new to Royal guests booking ships and that is where they make bank.  The consecutive cruiser isn't where the high margin profit comes from.

Absolutely. And we can presume they will continue to replace new ships with newer ships out of PC and Miami. And they’ll do the bread-and-butter 3, 4, and 7-night itineraries. Mass-market ships on mass-market itineraries. These are the locations they know can fill 7000-passenger ships all year. 

[cruiseboy89130]

4 hours ago, Blue Eyed Belfast Belle said:

There is still a gap with Explorer from 21st Sept when she arrives into Barcelona from Ravenna and then she has a 5 night from Port Canaveral on 1st Nov.

 

 

That might be her 2,5 year mandatory drydock - but that gap is WAY too big the drydock shouldn't take more than 2 weeks....it is just a bit maintenance....

She doesn't get an Amp!

[ONECRUISER]

19 minutes ago, twangster said:

 The consecutive cruiser isn't where the high margin profit comes from.

Agree, I for one spent 2 months on Royal Cruises last yr, never spend $$$ onboard or their Excursions unless My Daughter and Grand Daughter are there with me.