A decision has been made to redeploy Jewel of the Seas in the fall of 2006.

A decision has been made to redeploy Jewel of the Seas in the fall of 2006.

After completing a Europe season of 12-night roundtrip Harwich, England itineraries (Scandinavia & Russia, British Isles/Norwegian Fjords) on August 30, 2006, Jewel was slated to sail a 12-night Transatlantic itinerary from Harwich, England to Boston, MA, followed by five 10-night Caribbean/Bermuda itineraries, roundtrip from Boston, MA.

The itineraries have been redeployed to include one more 12-night Scandinavia and Russia sailing prior to the Jewel's new 12-night Transatlantic cruise. The Boston roundtrip itineraries will be shortened to 7-nights, for the most part, and have changed to a Canada/New England itinerary. Also slated are one 4-night and one 6-night Short Canada cruises, following the 7-night itineraries.

A decision has been made to redeploy Jewel of the Seas in the fall of 2006.

 

After completing a Europe season of 12-night roundtrip Harwich, England itineraries (Scandinavia & Russia, British Isles/Norwegian Fjords) on August 30, 2006, Jewel was slated to sail a 12-night Transatlantic itinerary from Harwich, England to Boston, MA, followed by five 10-night Caribbean/Bermuda itineraries, roundtrip from Boston, MA.

 

The itineraries have been redeployed to include one more 12-night Scandinavia and Russia sailing prior to the Jewel's new 12-night Transatlantic cruise. The Boston roundtrip itineraries will be shortened to 7-nights, for the most part, and have changed to a Canada/New England itinerary. Also slated are one 4-night and one 6-night Short Canada cruises, following the 7-night itineraries.

At the end of the BOS/BOS itineraries, on October 31, 2006, Jewel will continue on the scheduled 12-night repositioning cruise from Boston, MA to Ft. Lauderdale, FL to begin the 8- and 6-night Eastern/Western Caribbean itineraries. Those sailings have not changed, nor has the repositioning cruise.

We have heard some of the above information but not in as much detail. We are booked on the Boston to Ft. Lauderdale repo next year so the changes won't affect us, but I am sure a lot of folks will be interested in knowing more details about the NE/Canada itineries. Do I take it that under this new schedule the transatlantic will not leave Harwich until the second week of September and arrive in Boston around the 20th?

Any idea when RCI's website will carry the new itineraries and when they will accept new bookings?

A decision has been made to redeploy Jewel of the Seas in the fall of 2006.

 

After completing a Europe season of 12-night roundtrip Harwich, England itineraries (Scandinavia & Russia, British Isles/Norwegian Fjords) on August 30, 2006, Jewel was slated to sail a 12-night Transatlantic itinerary from Harwich, England to Boston, MA, followed by five 10-night Caribbean/Bermuda itineraries, roundtrip from Boston, MA.

 

The itineraries have been redeployed to include one more 12-night Scandinavia and Russia sailing prior to the Jewel's new 12-night Transatlantic cruise. The Boston roundtrip itineraries will be shortened to 7-nights, for the most part, and have changed to a Canada/New England itinerary. Also slated are one 4-night and one 6-night Short Canada cruises, following the 7-night itineraries.

 

At the end of the BOS/BOS itineraries, on October 31, 2006, Jewel will continue on the scheduled 12-night repositioning cruise from Boston, MA to Ft. Lauderdale, FL to begin the 8- and 6-night Eastern/Western Caribbean itineraries. Those sailings have not changed, nor has the repositioning cruise.

 

Curious where this information is listed by RC.....if it is the final decision I am VERY DISAPPOINTED. Loved out cruise on the Jewel 3 weeks ago and have been anxiously awaiting the resolution of the 2006 itineraries.

Living in New Enland I want to go somewhere warm in the Fall. My husband is disabled and flying is not an option.:mad:

We are also very disappointed!!! We love the RT to the Carribean from Boston!!

On to plan "B"

We just returned from our first cruise out of Boston and loved driving to our home port for a Bermuda/Caribbean cruise. We were back home sitting in our living room at 10am and couldn't believe it. Most people from NE want to go somewhere else on vacation and that's why Bermuda was the #1 reason most people were taking the cruise on Jewel. The Voyager ship out of NY is only a 5 night Bermuda cruise and not worth traveling a long distance for most people we spoke with on Jewel. We drive when visiting the northeast. The only summer ship we will take is the ferry from Cape Cod to the Vineyard and Nuntucket.

Looks like NCL will be happy about this RCCL decision because they have Bermuda cruises out of Boston every week. I will be happy when they replace Majesty with a newer ship--hopefully in 2007. With year round cruising out of NY on NCL, they will have no competition for business.

Last year we took the Norwegian Dawn from NY to the southern caribbean in December and loved it. NCL's bus to NY pier was only $50 roundtrip with one stop in Hartford, so I guess that's our best option for next year. We left home at 7:30am and were at the NY pier by 11:30am, which still beats flying to Florida for cost and convenience. I would have loved doing the Bermuda/Caribbean cruise out of Boston on Jewel again, but will be sailing NCL Spirit for Thanksgiving 2006 instead. Besides, foliage season in October is usually our time for driving to the mountains and seeing the maples in color in NH and Vermont. I wouldn't be interested in the repositioning cruise because flying is too stressful and exhausting--especially at the end of the cruise. We will spend the month of February in Florida and will be doing a Carnival Cruise while we are there.

Mary

Plymouth, MA

Looks like we won't be the only people not sailing Jewel from Boston again next year. I wish RCCL would post a message explaining why they aren't doing the Bermuda/Caribbean cruise.

The thing that really bothers me is that with a disabled husband RCCL is a much better option. Would not even consider NCL due to their policies and the problems other disabled people have had when booking with NCL.:mad:

We just returned from our first cruise out of Boston and loved driving to our home port for a Bermuda/Caribbean cruise. We were back home sitting in our living room at 10am and couldn't believe it. Most people from NE want to go somewhere else on vacation and that's why Bermuda was the #1 reason most people were taking the cruise on Jewel. The Voyager ship out of NY is only a 5 night Bermuda cruise and not worth traveling a long distance for most people we spoke with on Jewel. We drive when visiting the northeast. The only summer ship we will take is the ferry from Cape Cod to the Vineyard and Nuntucket.

 

Looks like NCL will be happy about this RCCL decision because they have Bermuda cruises out of Boston every week. I will be happy when they replace Majesty with a newer ship--hopefully in 2007. With year round cruising out of NY on NCL, they will have no competition for business.

Last year we took the Norwegian Dawn from NY to the southern caribbean in December and loved it. NCL's bus to NY pier was only $50 roundtrip with one stop in Hartford, so I guess that's our best option for next year. We left home at 7:30am and were at the NY pier by 11:30am, which still beats flying to Florida for cost and convenience. I would have loved doing the Bermuda/Caribbean cruise out of Boston on Jewel again, but will be sailing NCL Spirit for Thanksgiving 2006 instead. Besides, foliage season in October is usually our time for driving to the mountains and seeing the maples in color in NH and Vermont. I wouldn't be interested in the repositioning cruise because flying is too stressful and exhausting--especially at the end of the cruise. We will spend the month of February in Florida and will be doing a Carnival Cruise while we are there.

 

Mary

Plymouth, MA

 

Looks like we won't be the only people not sailing Jewel from Boston again next year. I wish RCCL would post a message explaining why they aren't doing the Bermuda/Caribbean cruise.

Mary, Explorer will be doing 9 night cruises to the Caribbean next Summer so that is an alternative. I would guess that RCI has looked at their experience with Enchantment and Jewel this year and has decided that the NE/Canada has more universal appeal and thus the decision. There were a lot of non-New Englanders on our Enchantment cruise in September. Those folks probably wouldn't fly to Boston to do a Caribbean cruise when they could fly to Florida or San Juan and do the same thing. I know that before this decision was announced there were a lot of comments on these boards expressing extreme disappointment that RCI was abandoning the NE/Canada itinerary. Until they decide to deploy two of their ships to sail out of Boston, we are going to be faced with this type of situation. Actually, we did the repositioning cruise on the Jewel last year and will be doing it again next year, and while it obviously isn't as easy as doing the Boston to Boston roundtrip for those of us who live within driving distance of Black Falcon, flying home from Ft. Lauderdale was relatively easy and inexpensive. :)

We are also disappointed that the rug got pulled out from under us. We thought we'd found a perfect cruise, being residents of MA (& I personally dislike flying)--it looked like we finally had an alternative to the NCL Majesty 7-day to Bermuda, which we have taken. We were pleased to see the new Jewel of the Seas 10-day itinerary this year, and decided to book it for next fall (ours was to be 10/1/06 from Boston). Doesn't seem fair that RCI is making this change to cater to people from other areas who want to see New England and Canada. What about us New Englanders? Why do we have to fly to Miami or another southern port to go on a cruise? At least the NCL Dawn leaves from NYC-which isn't too far for us. We took it last year and the bus trip from Boston to NYC wasn't a bad deal at $50 pp and only took a little over 4 hrs. So much better (& cheaper) than having to fly. Now we are considering taking the 12-day repo. on 10/31/06 from Boston to Ft. Lauderdale--a compromise, but would prefer sailing back into good old Beantown and driving home.

I think the real reason is $$$$$......The ships weren't full without reducing rates, cost to much in fuel to run that long of route. I don't believe they liked sailing that route, just to costly.

Can't think they made as much as money as they wanted to, so they are getting rid of the route.

Just a Business decision.

Jimbo:)

Having just returned from the Enchantment repo cruise from Quebec City to FLL, all I can say is that I'm glad RCCL decided to add an NE cruise option for the fall of 2006. It's just too bad that none of the itineraries go all the way to Quebec. Our sailing out of Quebec was beautiful and we loved the quaint city and the sailing thru the Sagueney River was absolutely fabulous. As a midwesterner, who never has the option to drive to a port, I personally applaud RCCL for adding a NE option and am sure it was a true business decision.

I would love to see more sailing out of Baltimore and Norfolk, maybe in the future that will happen for us here too. Airfare adds up fast for a family of 5!!! We could pay for part of another cruise with what the air costs us.

Beth

I was booked for the Trans Crossing for August 30! And I still wondering when RCCL going to inform me that I am going to Baltic Sea instead :( !

For sure an extra Baltic Sea cruise will make business sense to RCCL since they can sell the rooms for thousands more...

Canada cruises from Boston are best in July and August. Weather turns chilly that far north by September.

Leaf Peepers: I suggest renting a car for 2-3 days from either Boston or Manchester, NH before or after the NCL Boston to Bermuda cruise since Jewel isn't keeping their current itinerary. Otherwise, I would suggest renting a car from NY or Hartford if you want to do the Voyager NY to Bermuda cruise for 5 nights. The best NE foliage is along the Connecticut River on Interstate 91 in Vermont because of all the maple trees on the green mountains. Vermont is famous for their Maple Syrup--thus more maple trees and more color. Vermont is also home to many cows (Ben & Jerry's and Cabot Cheese). When cruising from Boston to Canada, remember that Maine is known as the Pinetree State--not many maples along the ocean. Best time for leaf peeping in northern Vt-NH is the first week in October. Massachusetts leaves usually turn mid October in their western mountains known as the Berkshires.

I just returned this week from the October 2 sailing out of Boston and loved it. We met people from Hawaii, California, Arizona, Texas, Canada, and even Germany on the ship. Everyone I spoke with said they chose sailing from Boston because of the stop in Bermuda. Otherwise, they would have sailed from Florida to the Caribbean. They said they chose not to sail from NY on Voyager of the Seas because it only stopped in Bermuda and that a 5 night cruise was not worth flying cross country for.

My daughter is a travel agent and told me that the October 22 sailing from Boston has been sold out for over six months. Most people don't want to cruise in September and early October because of hurricanes, so that is why all the cruiselines have reduced rates to fill the ships from the gulf coast to New England. I would suggest RCCL keep the same itinerary for next year from Mid October until Mid November and that they would sell out those cruises very quickly. Anyone who knows NE weather knows northern Maine and Canada are cold then and have no leaves by the third week of October.

Hope I have helped anyone thinking about booking Jewel next October.

Mary

Plymouth, MA

Very well put, Mary.

I want to cruise to places I can't drive to. That was just one of the reasons we jumped on the Jewel-to-Bermuda-and-the-Caribbean cruise. My husband doesn't like to fly so this itinerary worked wonderfully for us. As Mary stated, if we want to go "leafpeeping" we'd drive to NH and VT, not Maine. We were on the ship with Mary and her family and met many of the same people. We also met a couple from Michigan who told us they, like us, joined this cruise because it was going somewhere *warm*. She told me, "I've seen foliage! We get it in Michigan. But we don't get this warm, tropical weather there this time of year."

We were ready to book another for next year, when we were informed the itinerary had been changed. Disappointed? Very!!

I am extremely dissapointed in this as well. Found this out a few weeks ago while on the Jewel, went to see the Loyalty Ambassador to book the same cruise for 2006. Living 20 minutes outside of Boston, this cruise was so convenient. From what i gathered, RCI had to deeply discount all of these sailings to fill the ship, so they are making no money off of them, and is why they changed the itinerary. Looks like its back to NCL for 2006!

If you still want to do a Bermuda cruise from Boston, drive 6 or 7 hours to Philadelphia or hop on a Plane and take the Empress of The Seas for a 7 day Bermuda Cruise from Philadelphia.

They are sailing from April 29th to October 21st 2006. Warning though prices are higher then what you are used to on the Jewel. Guess it's mostly supply and demand, Empress is booking up fast.

Jimbo:)

I think the real reason is $$$$$......The ships weren't full without reducing rates, cost to much in fuel to run that long of route. I don't believe they liked sailing that route, just to costly.

 

Can't think they made as much as money as they wanted to, so they are getting rid of the route.

 

Just a Business decision.

 

Jimbo:)

Jimbo may sound cynical but he is right.

I understand the disappointment of some, like myself, who liked the idea of driving to Boston to sail roundtrip to Bermuda and the Caribbean, but RCI isn't in business to cater to the minority of folks who feel like that - and that is really what we are. They are in business to fill their ships and they have determined that it is in their best interest to appeal to the majority of folks who don't live within driving distance of Black Falcon Pier and to whom a New England/Canada itinerary has great appeal.

I sailed this itinerary in mid-September and did not sail to the frigid north -temperatures were in the high seventies and eighties, sunny, and very pleasant - an enjoyable cruise experience with interesting ports of call. Many of my fellow passengers were from other parts of the country and even from Canada. The itinerary as well as the opportunity to sail on the newly stretched ship drew them to book the cruise.

There are clearly weather risks when sailing in September and October, but there is a greater risk of encountering tropical storms when sailing south out of Boston during those months than when sailing north towards Canada.

If anything, the weather conditions we have experienced this past year clearly shows the impossibility of making long-range forecasts about the weather.

Instead of complaining to RCI about their decision (and at least they made it almost a year in advance so that people have plenty of notice), I suggest writing and lobbying them to position another of their ships to do a Bermuda or a Bermuda/Caribbean cruise out of Boston. If they can be convinced that they can regularly fill one of their ships with such an itinerary, I am sure they will give the idea serious consideration.

For anyone who had booked next year's transatlantic, I am sure that you or your travel agent will be contacted shortly about the schedule adjustment. They may even offer you some form of compensation for the change but whatever happens, you can always exercise your option to cancel your trip without penalty.

If you want to cruise to Bermuda on an RCI ship, you can drive to NJ and sail on the Explorer. If you object to the short time Explorer spends in Bermuda, compare it to the amount of time the Jewel would have spent there. I think you will find that the amount of time is pretty much the same.

Add me to the disappointed list.

Myrna

I can understand adding Boston to Canada cruises in September and early October, but I also see running a couple of Boston to Bermuda/Caribbean cruises from mid to late October. Perhaps they could send Voyager to Boston to do this itinerary in late October or early November. I know the Oct 22 Jewel cruise was sold out months ago--at least all their balconies were gone. Hurricane season is pretty much over in the Atlantic by late October.

Wouldn't you love to try the Voyager on this itinerary just once? I sure would. I don't want to go back to the caribbean in hot weather. I prefer this itinerary in early November myself. NOV 11 is a holiday for me. Great time for a cruise. I noticed Voyager is still sailing to Bermuda in November --why not combine that with the Caribbean? Everyone I spoke with said Bermuda was the reason for choosing this cruise. Voyager 5 day cruises are too short for me. I prefer 10 day cruises, but I want to see Bermuda again. Looks like another NCL cruise from NY for me next year. I emailed RCCL. Does anyone have an address to write to complain?

I'm not sure what conclusions to draw from the following facts but they are interesting to say the least. Last year the Jewel did NE/Canada cruises from Boston until it repositioned to Ft. Lauderdale for the winter and last year the Voyager alternated a 5 night Eastern Canada itinerary with its 9 night Caribbean itinerary out of NJ. This year Enchantment took over the NE/Canada itinerary out of Boston while Jewel did roundtrips to Bermuda and the Caribbean out of Boston and Voyager sailed 5 night roundtrips to Bermuda alternating with 9 night roundtrips to the Caribbean. In its ultimate wisdom :confused: , next year they will put Jewel on the NE/Canada itinerary and continue Explorer doing the alternating Bermuda and Caribbean sailings.

Perhaps fuel costs make it less expensive to do these itineraries (Canada from Boston; Bermuda from NJ).

Also booked on the Aug 30 cruise. Very dissapointed but really ticked that RCCL didn't tell us when they had decided to change.

Thanks to TBR for the info.

Also booked on the Aug 30 cruise. Very dissapointed but really ticked that RCCL didn't tell us when they had decided to change.

 

Thanks to TBR for the info.

They just made the decision in the past week, so maybe you should allow them a little leeway in getting the info to you or your TA. You do have almost an entire year to make other plans and who knows, maybe they will offer you something to compensate for your inconvenience and disappointment.:)

I am glad they added a NE schedule. I like having a NE option as I have done the Carribbean over and over. This will give me a chance to see another part of the country. I just flew back from Maine yesterday and saw the Celebrity ship at the Portland dock and it made me smile and wish I was on a New England cruise.

I want to see Royal Carribean add a cruise from Michigan. I think they could easily use some of the ore freighter docks at Rogers City.

I am disappointed, too. We were planning to book the Jewel Carib/Bermuda itinerary for next fall while on our upcoming Majesty cruise. Guess we will have to book another line if we want Bermuda sailing from Boston. Too bad, so sad!!! I hope RCCL will reconsider or at least offer something else from Boston.