geoff2802

Just now, Chiliburn said:

Singapore to the east coast Australia is pretty much a beaten path. Something a bit different would sell fairly well .

Capetown ,Perth,  Adelaide ,Hobart,Sydney to Brisbane. At least there’s no tender ports.

Yes, and this would allow extra time to make the Cape Town to Freo leg more interesting eg calls on the east coast of South Africa, Madagascar, Seychelles, Zanzibar.  I think this would be higher revenue and definitely lower fuel cost.  Maybe Royal don’t know of these places!  

On 10/3/2024 at 12:54 AM, Chiliburn said:

If Voyager is going around the bottom of Africa to get to Brisbane. Why is it going to Singapore?

Shouldn’t they have cancelled the Singapore to Brisbane cruise and gone straight to Perth. 

The only commercial reason I can think of is that they have sold the Singapore to Brisbane cruise at high prices.  I’ve been following it and prices have been high right from release to today.  
There are plenty of other reasons, like Royal is stupid.  🙂.  

On 10/2/2024 at 6:07 PM, springaussie said:

Royal should have never put these cruises up for sale in April.

Voyager should have went on sale via Cape Town then!

It is  disgusting to hear how Royal has played games with these sailings. I feel sorry for the people who book other cruise, tours etc based on Voyager going thru the Suez. 
 

 

Agree. They were never likely to happen.  
A mixture of hopium, stupidity and greed from Royal.  
 

50 minutes ago, arxcards said:

Navigator had her last drydock in only 6 months ago. That scenario would work for 2026/27, but not in this instance. With this announcement, Navigator still has all her itineraries intact.

 

Get the cancellations out of the way, then announce a longer and more expensive relocation of Rome to Cape Town & Cape Town to Singapore - still my best bet. I don't think non-revenue is an option for something that would be on sale for a year.

I’m hoping for revenue cruises, but via Freo!  

1 hour ago, arxcards said:

Rome to Dubai replaced with Rome to New Jersey. So similar. 

It is interesting they are not offering the alternate Voyager itinerary, especially as the word "redeployed" is being used.

 

The previous Med cruises on 20th & 27th October have also been canned. I wonder if that just means she is leaving Rome a couple of weeks earlier so that she can still make it the long way round to Dubai for the scheduled 17th November departure. The Singapore to Brisbane cruise is still available for booking, but not the Dubai to Singapore leg.

With no alternative Voyager itinerary being offered, I guess it will run non-revenue around Africa.  

2 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

That’s a good point and it makes you think. Even a cruise from Perth to Brisbane would be popular.

Thats why I think one of the other ships might pick up Voyager’s itinerary.

Yes.  I’m hoping for a Cape Town to Freo and Freo to Brisbane.  

Unfortunate situation.
Assuming Voyager does actually come to Australia, why would it go to Singapore at all?  Cape Town to Brisbane via Freo is a lot shorter.   

30 minutes ago, springaussie said:

Geoff Royal Deployment is great for changing minds!

My guesses are based on the current Brisbane Port Bookings going live. 

Yeah I get it.  Just saying I think they will fill that 6 week gap but they haven’t finalised the arrangements yet.  

41 minutes ago, springaussie said:

But where does Voyager go 28 December 2026 to 19 February 2027?

Navigator & Voyager will be due for a dry dock also during this season. Is Navigator working the first part and Voyager the 2nd?

Or is it a split deployment for Voyager with Melbourne or Auckland? 
Time will tell.

 

Hard to believe there won’t be a ship during the peak period when fares are highest.  My guess is they are still finalising details.   

15 hours ago, aussielil said:

I had the 23 Nov 25 Around Australia booked. I understand they cancelled and assumed they would transfer me to the same cabin on the earlier date of 26 Sep 25.  Well that didn't happen, I was on deck 10 and they placed me elsewhere. Can you believe I was told that my cabin had been booked/sold and I had to change to another cabin.  How hard is it to transfer everyone to the new date then sell those cabins passengers no longer want.  What the....

 

Oh dear.  Another example of cruise line stupidity.  Seems to be increasingly prevalent.  

1 hour ago, arxcards said:

I am not sure they know, or they are being coy about something new.

Following the 25/26 season, there are no outward port bookings in QLD or Darwin, so there is no clue about her heading north to Asia of Europe. There are no bookings in Fremantle to hint of going west toward South Africa. Transpacifics are usually done via Sydney to get the extra US passengers, and there is no booking there either.

 

Possible it might be easier for them to leave her in Australia, but they are waiting to see what happens with the Red Sea, P&O Carnivalisation or the phoenix of the Lelepa colony. Lots of balls in the air, but they just need to grow a pair and make the most of a Carnival own goal.

I also think they have an opportunity to capitalise on disruption in P&O and Princess deployments but I don’t think this would drive their decision making.  
It’s wait on see on the situation in the Red Sea as you say.  

45 minutes ago, springaussie said:

How long do you think it would take Voyager to get from Barcelona to Fremantle via Capetown?

This document updated last week claims 2 months for a Unique Sailing. But would it take that long?

The Singapore to Brisbane Voyager cruise could still stop at the same ports on the same days just start in Fremantle instead 2 or 3 days earlier. 

https://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Royal/Deployment/2025_2026/2025-2026_Deployment_Summary_Ship.pdf

It still seems to show 3 months for Unique Sailings but of course it’s just a rough guide rounded to monthly boundaries.  

Princess don’t seem to have much regard for their customers nor can they decide what they want to do.  Doesn’t seem to have given them cause to reduce pricing though.   

On 8/13/2024 at 7:37 PM, springaussie said:

The Icon or Oasis going to LAX certainly looks a possibility from that article Chilli.

Who knows what the situation is with Shanghai and a bigger ship. 

Would Oasis class fit in any ports on Mexico itineraries from LA?  Cabo is tendered.  I don’t think it would fit in Vallarta harbour.  Ensenada perhaps?  
I’ll go if it’s offered - we enjoyed Navigator 7 and 4 night. 

23 hours ago, Chiliburn said:

I think Royal will pull out of china completely ,the economy is in free fall .

 

I don’t know what will happen with Spectrum. Singapore? Maybe pick up Voyager’s itinerary? 
 

You really wonder about the intelligence of cruise line execs.  They all thought China was going to deliver huge growth to them. It was obvious all along that their economic model was seriously flawed and would come unstuck.  Now they are disappointed.  Ha.  

4 hours ago, springaussie said:

Phil I find it odd why Singapore didn’t get a look in for year round deployment. Obviously things mustn’t be as bright as I assumed they were. 
Royal has certainly increased the price of cruises from Singapore in recent times.

Surprised me too, but China sneezes then Singapore catches the flu.  

Maybe Voyager goes to Asia after the 2025/26 season in Brisbane.  

56 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

I’m booked on it and if it goes around Africa, I don’t think they will take passengers.

Fuel is in short supply and they would probably break it up into two cruises. I don’t think Capetown would handle the flights with a turn around .
Plus would they have enough Budweiser and Fosters in Africa to resupply the ship ?

But if they do tank passengers,I’m on it .

If the deployment guide proves to be correct, they have allowed around 3 months.  I’m guessing the sailings will be revenue.  They’re going to burn the fuel anyway.  

11 hours ago, springaussie said:

Chilli check this one out.

Maybe around South Africa?

https://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Royal/Deployment/2025_2026/2025-2026_Deployment_Summary_Ship.pdf

Thx for sharing.  Looks almost certain they will run revenue (and why wouldn’t they). I’m hoping for Cape Town to Brisbane via Freo.   

50 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

That’s what will probably happen and Serenade still isn’t deployed ,that’s unusual.

Its only a bit over a year away and Serenade hasn’t got anywhere confirmed as a home port.

 

Perhaps Serenade will take over the itineraries of a Vision class ship they plan to sell.  

Currently on Encounter in PNG.  Staff don’t seem to be upset by the change.  Service is pretty good.  Coffee at Avalon is good.  

2 hours ago, ceeceeDee said:

Short answer - No. And if you buy duty free alcohol in port (such as Vila), it is taken from you when you re-board the ship and returned on disembarkation day. You can only bring 12 cans of soft drink packed loose in your checked luggage at embarkation. No tetra packs, no plastic bottles of water. All a bit bah humbug really.

Thanks. 
Good to know.  

No doubt this question has been asked and answered before but I couldn’t spot it on this board and P&O’s website only makes a general statement about bringing alcohol on board…
Does P&O Australia allow any wine to be brought on board at ambarkation?  

4 hours ago, crkdad said:

Qantas just changed our flight time....

 

We are booked on Qantas to DFW on debarkation day of our cruise, November 18, 2024. It was originally scheduled to depart at 4:50 pm.  We just received an email that the departure time was moved to 11:50AM.  

 

Our cruise, the Celebrity Edge, is scheduled to return to Sydney at 6:30am.  Is there enough time between debarkation and the new flight time to make an international flight? 

That should be ok unless something goes wrong.  You would want to disembark in the first group and carry your own bags off.  
Less stressful to stay for a day.  I think that SYD - DFW flight runs every day and Qantas will be happy to move you to the following day if there is availability.  

1 hour ago, Chiliburn said:

@springaussie

 

Can you work out if Radiance or Serenade are due for a dry dock around November next year?

I’m just thinking they might do it in Singapore.

Hey Chilli,

This page has some information:  https://www.cruisemapper.com/wiki/767-cruise-ship-refurbishment-dry-dock-schedule

10 hours ago, springaussie said:

Princess and Virgin announced the replacement cruises in one go.

Why can’t Royal? 

Royal’s management in Miami seems to be disorganised in comparison to some of their competitors.