Something Odd is Going on with Empress 03/08

[Host Kewlguy]

If the Empress JS' are that much smaller than Monarch JS'...then maybe having our cruise go N/A is not such a bad thing. LOL:D I wonder how much revenue is generated by having our deposits for such a long time?:)

 

We have the deposit on Empress for 04/07/08, as I said previously, I can't check the pricing anymore, and they are no longer selling berths. I wouldn't mind doing a B2B on Serenade, Southern, but I also receive more vacation time than DH, or else he is just stingier about using his. :D

 

Just don't cancel your Empress reservation. Maybe they will offer some type of compensation although I doubt it. They certainly didn't offer us anything last summer with a similar situation. Although they did call us.

[Cruising89143]

Then the problem will be that it will cost a fortune for an extended stay cruising to Bermuda. Personally the over nighters out at the dock yard just aren't long enough for our taste. On our Celebrity Horizon cruise in the fall of 2004 we were docked in Hamilton for 5 straight days. Talk about being spoiled.

 

I understand that Celebrity is getting a pretty penny for the new Celebrity Journey to Bermuda. Smaller ship and less passengers means more money.

[critterchick]

If the Empress JS' are that much smaller than Monarch JS'...then maybe having our cruise go N/A is not such a bad thing. LOL:D I wonder how much revenue is generated by having our deposits for such a long time?:)

 

We have the deposit on Empress for 04/07/08, as I said previously, I can't check the pricing anymore, and they are no longer selling berths. I wouldn't mind doing a B2B on Serenade, Southern, but I also receive more vacation time than DH, or else he is just stingier about using his. :D

 

I'll go!:D

[Coralc]

Well that would be fun Jean!:D Eugene, at the Schooner on Serenade has already invited us to a party at his house on St. Lucia, if we sail on his ship!:D We will seee the Serenade crew again in May. And we are also planning a helicopter trip from Antigua over to the Volcano. So we are pretty much set on the Southern route, it is just a mystery, as to which ship it will be on!:)

[Host Kewlguy]

I understand that Celebrity is getting a pretty penny for the new Celebrity Journey to Bermuda. Smaller ship and less passengers means more money.

 

Prices for Journey to Bermuda will probably be double what they use to charge for Zenith or Horizon. I won't pay it. I'll fly there instead and stay a week. :)

[aqhacruiser]

I understand that Celebrity is getting a pretty penny for the new Celebrity Journey to Bermuda. Smaller ship and less passengers means more money.

 

This is true! I have a good friend that is a TA who books a lot for Celebrity and she was very surprised at the price increase for the Journey! She is expecting it will push a lot of people over to RCCL out of Bayonne instead of going on the Journey.

[kyriecat]

I'm also booked for the 4/7/07 Empress sailing. I haven't heard anything about changes. My reservation still shows up - I booked directly with RC. Hubby and I were thinking of changing to a Med itin so that idea sounds better and better. I was looking forward to the Empress. I've heard the cabins are practically microscopic, but I've also heard the crew is one of the best. I guess I'll see what happens. I've been on Monarch and Majesty before so I would prefer to try something new.

[SeaDays]

RCI has already announced a university-at-sea type of program, but has not specifically named the ship. My first guess would point to the Empress.

[Coralc]

SeaDays...also a good theory:)

 

kc, there is only one other person (couple) on the roll call, for 04/07/08. They don't seem to have an opinion, either. Our reservation still shows up and is accessible under "My Cruises". But I don't think anyone else will be joining us, if you check the Empress sailings from 03/21/08 and on.

 

No real rush, but it is an onboard booking, and I would like to maintain the OBC. I have read about this situation, but it is an interesting first for us...so I am just looking at options. So many places...so little vacation time.

 

-Patti:)

[Alexis]

RCI has already announced a university-at-sea type of program, but has not specifically named the ship. My first guess would point to the Empress.

 

 

Did they give any time frame on when that university-at-sea type program would start? We are on the 11/05/2007 and so far everything is fine with our reservation. :o

[The Big Booper]

 

....No real rush, but it is an onboard booking, and I would like to maintain the OBC. I have read about this situation, but it is an interesting first for us...so I am just looking at options. So many places...so little vacation time.

 

-Patti:)

 

If you switch the booking to another ship, just ask your TA to keep the same booking # since the OBC is tied to that number.

[Coralc]

Thaks BB, we will be sure to keep the same booking number, and we book direct with RCCL. We will be onboard again May, when the new schedules may be out. We will probably deposit on another cruise. I am tempted to leave this one in place until close to final payment or until they make a decision, even though it looks like it will be a no go. :D We really want to do the Southern Caribbean...we don't like the Voyager class...and so far...Serenade is just repeating the same itinerary from week to week in April. This Empress sailing is a WATCH at this point, it is not available as a BUY, and it is obviously a HOLD, since they have our deposit. :-) LOL

[Alexis]

Thaks BB, we will be sure to keep the same booking number, and we book direct with RCCL. We will be onboard again May, when the new schedules may be out. We will probably deposit on another cruise. I am tempted to leave this one in place until close to final payment or until they make a decision, even though it looks like it will be a no go. :D We really want to do the Southern Caribbean...we don't like the Voyager class...and so far...Serenade is just repeating the same itinerary from week to week in April. This Empress sailing is a WATCH at this point, it is not available as a BUY, and it is obviously a HOLD, since they have our deposit. :-) LOL

 

If the Empress is a go, take this itinerary. You will not regret it. The islands where it goes are the best. All docking because of the ship size, crew is great, we found the food excellent when we sailed her in 2004, the friendliest ship we have sailed on and the size is perfect for an itinerary such as this one. I find on the bigger ships having so much to do that I do not get as much down time to relax. With this many ports, you need to relax a little. First cruise I have done where I did not feel like I needed another vacation to relax after I got home.

JMO :o

[AFT_LOVER]

was joking that Empress will be a lifeboat on Genesis........

 

 

Thanks! That does sound interesting. I thought I had read a rumor briefly, somewhere, that Empress might be going to Pulmar. I guess cabin size and amenities, there isn't much of a difference between Monarch and Empress. If such a thing came to pass...it might be more fun to sail on a Monarch repo, instead of the 11 day Southern. We would prefer a Radiance class sailing. But flying all the way to San Juan, for a 7 day is too short, and 14 days is just a little too long. Thanks for the speculation. Maybe will we hear something by May, unlikely, but you never know. :)

[MGoBlue2]

RCI has already announced a university-at-sea type of program, but has not specifically named the ship. My first guess would point to the Empress.

The ScholarShip is supposed to start this September in Greece while Empress is still doing its Bermuda runs from Philadelphia. Of couse, originally it was supposed to start this month, so who knows when it really will - if ever.