Allure of the Seas - Ports of Call changes

By now everybody knows about the speed restriction changing the eastern cruises. Seems like most people are upset about losing St Thomas. My question is I wonder how it would have been received if RCCL had canceled the Nassau stop and instead just made the stops in StThomas and StKitts or St Martaan longer?

I ask because last year we were on the Escape to st Thomas, st Martaan. And Nassau but lost Nassau because of a Hurricane. We got an extra sea day and a cabin credit for the saved port fee. I don't think anybody was that upset about missing Nassau.

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By now everybody knows about the speed restriction changing the eastern cruises. Seems like most people are upset about losing St Thomas. My question is I wonder how it would have been received if RCCL had canceled the Nassau stop and instead just made the stops in StThomas and StKitts or St Martaan longer?

 

I ask because last year we were on the Escape to st Thomas, st Martaan. And Nassau but lost Nassau because of a Hurricane. We got an extra sea day and a cabin credit for the saved port fee. I don't think anybody was that upset about missing Nassau.

 

 

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I am becoming very suspicious that the change in islands has nothing to do with the speed restrictions. Puerto Rico and St. Thomas just are not very far from each other. If you check the RCI website from September right through April (past the dry docking of Allure) neither Allure nor Harmony and longer have both St. Maarten and St. Thomas on the same sailing. Puerto Rico now seems to appear on all of the eastern itineraries. I think there is more to this that just Allure's broken pod.

Everyone is worried about the ports... I'm kind of worried about the ship malfunctioning? Has anyone noticed or felt any changes with the ship since this problem was discovered???

Everyone is worried about the ports... I'm kind of worried about the ship malfunctioning? Has anyone noticed or felt any changes with the ship since this problem was discovered???

They would not be sailing if there was a danger. All they are doing is sailing a few knots slower than they normally do.

I don't wanna check out Purto Rico since I can just take a flight there...I'd rather go to St. Thomas or St. Kitts or other smaller island...

Something tells me that you never have been to St Kitts.. If you want to go to an Island where a tree with a lot of glass bottles are a turist attraction, then St Kitts is perfect for you.

I rather stay on the ship then visit St Kitts again & I have NEVER stayed on the ship during a port of call.

Something tells me that you never have been to St Kitts.. If you want to go to an Island where a tree with a lot of glass bottles are a turist attraction, then St Kitts is perfect for you.

 

I rather stay on the ship then visit St Kitts again & I have NEVER stayed on the ship during a port of call.

You pick the tree to use as an example? The tree is an interesting little tidbit on the way to the Brimstone Fortress. Or do you think the fort deserves to be trivialized also?

What do you think of Aruba where they have managed to turn a pile of boulders into a major tourist attraction also?

They would not be sailing if there was a danger. All they are doing is sailing a few knots slower than they normally do.

While I am not concerned with safety as my cruise is in December and outside normal hurricane season I think you're being rather generous to Royal that they wouldn't take risk for profit. It was just February 2016 that this company and their ships officers decided it was "safe" to sail into a building hurricane strength storm off Cape Hatteras. The "lesson learned" from Hurricane Sandy was apparently quickly forgotten. Reduced speed equals reduced ability to avoid a serious storm during the most active part of the season. Royal's recent track doesn't seem very comforting to me.

While I am not concerned with safety as my cruise is in December and outside normal hurricane season I think you're being rather generous to Royal that they wouldn't take risk for profit. It was just February 2016 that this company and their ships officers decided it was "safe" to sail into a building hurricane strength storm off Cape Hatteras. The "lesson learned" from Hurricane Sandy was apparently quickly forgotten. Reduced speed equals reduced ability to avoid a serious storm during the most active part of the season. Royal's recent track doesn't seem very comforting to me.

Well, everything is relative. Allure's top speed (when she is not broken) is slower than some other ships. Maybe people should only book the fastest ships during Hurricane season?:confused:

BTW, I am neither challenging nor disagreeing with you on the first point of your post.

I am becoming very suspicious that the change in islands has nothing to do with the speed restrictions. Puerto Rico and St. Thomas just are not very far from each other. If you check the RCI website from September right through April (past the dry docking of Allure) neither Allure nor Harmony and longer have both St. Maarten and St. Thomas on the same sailing. Puerto Rico now seems to appear on all of the eastern itineraries. I think there is more to this that just Allure's broken pod.

I'm on Feb 4th Allure and we're going to both St Maarten and St Thomas still.

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Ok, maybe not. In my cruise planner it still has the original itinerary, but when searching on the site St Maarten is replaced with Puerto Rico. Nobody in my group of 5 cabins has heard from RCI so who knows.

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I'm on Feb 4th Allure and we're going to both St Maarten and St Thomas still.

 

 

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And if you go to the roll call for that sailing one person reported that he received an e-mail that St. Thomas was dropped for Puerto Rico. Also, on RCI's website if you do a search for cruises this cruise now shows it going to Puerto Rico but when you click on "Learn More" the itinerary comes up with St. Thomas so there is a bit of a question on the roll call as to just where the ship is going that week.

However, if the original itinerary holds this is the only week left where either Allure or Harmony are doing St. Thomas and St. Maarten on the same sailing.

Ok, maybe not. In my cruise planner it still has the original itinerary, but when searching on the site St Maarten is replaced with Puerto Rico. Nobody in my group of 5 cabins has heard from RCI so who knows.

 

 

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Yes, and in the cruise planner you can still book St. Thomas excursions. You used the right words... who knows.

Yes, and in the cruise planner you can still book St. Thomas excursions. You used the right words... who knows.

I just booked an excursion on the cruise planner for St Thomas on Friday too.

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Thanks. I will give it a try on my MacBook but don't yet see a way with the CC APP on iPhone.

Just copy - paste: [ quote=Milwaukee Eight;53828242] Blah blah blah

And then copy - paste: [ /quote]

Then you get:

Blah blah blah

Do this with every part that you want to quote.

Agree....

 

St Kitts is our favorite island in the Caribbean. You got to leave that port area.......which is true of most islands.

 

There is life beyond Margaritaville and Sr Frogs!!

 

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Agreed- I was surprised in reading this thread to learn that so many prefer San Juan to St. Kitts. We've been to St. Kitts twice and really enjoyed relaxing at South Friars Bay, lounging/swimming/eating and drinking at Shipwreck Beach Bar & Grill (highly recommend the conch fritters!). It's one of my favorite cruise ports.

Exactly. One of the main reasons we picked this ship (which we have sailed twice before) was the itinerary. We have friends in the jewelry business at ST and we always love to stop by and chat. We recognize that RCCL has no legal obligation to get our permission or agreement to port changes, but we only booked two weeks ago WHEN RCCL knew of the issue. I feel like others that we have been purposely mislead.

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You pick the tree to use as an example? The tree is an interesting little tidbit on the way to the Brimstone Fortress. Or do you think the fort deserves to be trivialized also?

Sure if you never have seen a fort before it might impress you. But I have a castle in my hometown and a fortress 30min from my hometown. Both are more impressive then Brimstone. But besides Brimstone and the lookout point what more does St Kitts have to offer? It's an dirty Island IMO.

What do you think of Aruba where they have managed to turn a pile of boulders into a major tourist attraction also?

I don't get what you are talking about.

Sure if you never have seen a fort before it might impress you. But I have a castle in my hometown and a fortress 30min from my hometown. Both are more impressive then Brimstone. But besides Brimstone and the lookout point what more does St Kitts have to offer? It's an dirty Island IMO.

For us it's Tranquility....

We love the whitest sands in the Caribbean and those small stand alone bars/food shacks right on the ocean.

Friendly people and fantastic views

You can have Aruba, St Thomas, and Nassau.

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Sure if you never have seen a fort before it might impress you. But I have a castle in my hometown and a fortress 30min from my hometown. Both are more impressive then Brimstone. But besides Brimstone and the lookout point what more does St Kitts have to offer? It's an dirty Island IMO.

 

I don't get what you are talking about.

Your signature says that you have been to Aruba....

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g147247-d196345-Reviews-Ayo_and_Casibari_Rock_Formations-Aruba.html

Latest from RCCL to TA on 27 Aug itinerary

Allure of the Seas currently has a speed restriction that will result in slight adjustments to their itinerary.

or their convenience, the updates are noted below.

We apologize for this change, but have no doubt that their vacation will be nothing short of amazing.

We can't wait to welcome them onboard.

Sincerely,

Royal Caribbean International

We are sailing on April 1, 2018 and it looks like ours is changed to Puerto Rico as well (from St. Thomas), but we have received no notification from Royal Caribbean. Why don't they send an email to let you know and update the cruise planner as well?

We are sailing on April 1, 2018 and it looks like ours is changed to Puerto Rico as well (from St. Thomas), but we have received no notification from Royal Caribbean. Why don't they send an email to let you know and update the cruise planner as well?

It does look like that when you do the original search. However, if you click on the "Learn More" button the original itinerary with St. Thomas still comes up and there is a disclaimer at the top that the itinerary is different from what is seen on the first page. This is the same thing that is happening with the Feb 4 cruise. Someone posted today that they called RCI and that the Feb 4 cruise is still going to St. Thomas. Who knows if the person at RCI knows what she was talking about or not.

I don't know why RCI can't get its website straight. They must know that it is causing confusion.

RCI main search page showing Puerto Rico...

https://secure.royalcaribbean.com/cruises?dates_minDate=04%2F01%2F2018&dates_maxDate=04%2F30%2F2018&durationCode_6to8=true&destinationRegionCode_CARIB=true&departureCode_FLL=true&currentPage=0&action=update

"Learn More" itinerary showing St. Thomas.....

https://secure.royalcaribbean.com/cruises/7NightEasternCaribbeanCruise-AL07E163?currencyCode=USD&sCruiseType=CO&sDateMin=2018-04-01&sDateMax=2018-04-30&sailDate=04%2F29%2F2018

OK, I decided to try a different tact. I went to a cruise port schedule website. That site shows Allure's Feb 4 sailing and April 1 sailing as being in St. Thomas on Feb 7 and April 4.

EDIT: I also just check for Puerto Rico and Allure does not show up on the port schedule for either the months of February or April.

Thank you. So confusing and unnecessary!!! I tried sending them a message via twitter to see what they say...

It does look like that when you do the original search. However, if you click on the "Learn More" button the original itinerary with St. Thomas still comes up and there is a disclaimer at the top that the itinerary is different from what is seen on the first page. This is the same thing that is happening with the Feb 4 cruise. Someone posted today that they called RCI and that the Feb 4 cruise is still going to St. Thomas. Who knows if the person at RCI knows what she was talking about or not.

 

I don't know why RCI can't get its website straight. They must know that it is causing confusion.

 

RCI main search page showing Puerto Rico...

 

https://secure.royalcaribbean.com/cruises?dates_minDate=04%2F01%2F2018&dates_maxDate=04%2F30%2F2018&durationCode_6to8=true&destinationRegionCode_CARIB=true&departureCode_FLL=true&currentPage=0&action=update

 

"Learn More" itinerary showing St. Thomas.....

 

https://secure.royalcaribbean.com/cruises/7NightEasternCaribbeanCruise-AL07E163?currencyCode=USD&sCruiseType=CO&sDateMin=2018-04-01&sDateMax=2018-04-30&sailDate=04%2F29%2F2018

Hmmm, September 3rd cruise on ALLURE, hopefully the Captain knows where we are going....or, are they going to call for someone to come to the bridge to ask if they recognize this port?