Royal Caribbean's First Quantum Ultra-Class Ship To Go to Asia

Interested to see what itineraries Quantum 4 will sail. Seeing as deployments for 2018-2019 is out now, when do you guys think it's homeport will be announced? Spring 2019 is not that far away in terms of deployment.

Sounds like the intent is to compete with NCL Joy?

If so, then their policy will likely be similar to NCL's, i.e. "this ship is being built specifically for China, if you do not live in that market then this ship isn't for you, don't even try."

Sounds like the intent is to compete with NCL Joy?

 

 

 

If so, then their policy will likely be similar to NCL's, i.e. "this ship is being built specifically for China, if you do not live in that market then this ship isn't for you, don't even try."

I thought the China market was struggling to expand now, that's why A few ships were being redeployed to other areas. Bringing NCL Joy plus another new ship might be too much?

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I thought the China market was struggling to expand now, that's why A few ships were being redeployed to other areas. Bringing NCL Joy plus another new ship might be too much?

 

 

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Yup, princess built their brand new ship as a "this ship is being built specifically for China, if you do not live in that market then this ship isn't for you, don't even try."...and yet they announced during the inaugural sailing it would spend 6 months in Australia!

....after removing half the bars and adding giant table game areas, karaoke, more shops, and more gambling.

Again, removed half the bars but theyre sending it to Australia now.

OOPS

I'm thinking (and somewhat wishing) that Q4 would be homeported in Australia and Singapore. China doesn't seem like a tough competitor at this point with way more supply than demand. And both Singapore and Australia have had a major cut in capacity for 2018-2019 deployment. It doesn't seem logical for Royal to have removed these ships, unless they were already planning for another new build to at least maintain or increase capacity in the near future.

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Actually, no. Sailings in China have been well booked, aside from off-season (which is similar elsewhere anyway). As it's their key target market and with a lot of room for growth (whereas Aust is now very mature) it makes a lot of sense in a business sense to continue to prioritise there.

I am curious about the repositioning cruise from Europe to China. We did Ovation from Barcelona to Singapore last year and would consider doing the Quantum Ultra depending on the itinerary.

In a German interview Michael Bayley was talking about "maybe bringing a Quantum Ultra Class ship to Hamburg" and "if so we´re talking about spring 2019". The original interview can´t be linked to (pay website) but here´s an article referring to this interview.

steamboats

Since there's no detail or context, he could have been talking about during the initial fitout - Ovation did that.Or perhaps a few initial sailings, before the ship heads off to Asia.

I'm thinking (and somewhat wishing) that Q4 would be homeported in Australia and Singapore. China doesn't seem like a tough competitor at this point with way more supply than demand. And both Singapore and Australia have had a major cut in capacity for 2018-2019 deployment. It doesn't seem logical for Royal to have removed these ships, unless they were already planning for another new build to at least maintain or increase capacity in the near future.

 

 

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From the looks of it, I don't think Singapore deployment has been Cut. Mariner has extended her season in Singapore by coming early in September. Voyager arrives in 2018 April to begin her Singapore season, to probably End May or Early June before leaving for China and returning in October to continue her season in Singapore (Taking over mariner sailings) . For the first time, Singapore will have a full season with a flowrider on the ship and new rooms such as Virtual balcony and the rooms on Deck 12. I must say it's an upgrade.

Probably why the Mariner left is to give way to Quantum Plus that is coming in 2019. In a news article a while back on the Quantum Deployment to China, Goldstein said that the Chinese market places a high value on new, top-quality products, and Royal Caribbean believes it has a chance to achieve a long-term competitive advantage by taking the "bold step" of dedicating its newest, most-advanced ship to the region. And also due to the success of RCL ships in China."

With so many news ships coming to Asia in 2018 and beyond, there was no way RCL will give up that market easily. There must be something working with RCL deploying Quantum year round in China and voila 2 years later, she is still sailing there and probably making lots of profits for RCL to be able to send a Quantum Plus there. Probably with the arrival of Quantum Plus, either Ovation or Quantum Plus will stay in Australia and Singapore year round, the other will stay in China year round. If things are doing good, Quantum remains in China, if not either to Alaska or back to America.

Sounds like the intent is to compete with NCL Joy?

 

If so, then their policy will likely be similar to NCL's, i.e. "this ship is being built specifically for China, if you do not live in that market then this ship isn't for you, don't even try."

Why do you say this? Quantum was rebuilt specifically for China. The ship doesn't change, or the structure. What changes is decorations, signage (dual language signs). Remove Johnny Rockets and replace it with a noodle bar. Keeping the menu the same, but working in Asian dishes. The Asian market likes table games, and think slots are silly, so they dedicate more space to game tables, removing many of the slots. Rearrange some shopping, putting some emphasis on higher end products but remember, the amount of stores on the ship will not change, just the product offerings.

The ship does not change, but modifications are made to be more pleasing to the market.

For anyone that has traveled to Europe, a trip to Asia is not much different. The only extra thing you need is a 10 year Chinese Visa.

I'm really looking forward to finding out what the plans are for this ship. If they continue with the way they roll out the cruises, I'm afraid it might take some time before we all find out. Hopefully it will be much sooner than the history says.

Since there's no detail or context, he could have been talking about during the initial fitout - Ovation did that.Or perhaps a few initial sailings, before the ship heads off to Asia.

I also assume that there might be some cruises out of Hamburg prior to the transition to Asia. I doubt the ship will stay for a whole season. Seems like the rest of the interview was about the closure of the Frankfurt office.

steamboats

I don't think RC knows where to homeport this ship at the present time. Singapore looks good, Hong Kong looks better and China is the mother of all cruise ship business.

When I was on the Voyager last week I wanted to book Voyager for the 2018 season. I was shock when told it would not be homeport in Singapore. This is contrary to news report just days earlier. It seems Voyager will be homeport in Hong Kong from April 2018 sailing directly from Australia with a stopover in Singapore.

If I were to place a bet on the new ship I would say it will be in the Pearl river estuary just north of HK.

Star Cruises had 2 of the biggest ships, Genting Dream and Virgo, here last year end. But I believe since they have been blacklisted as casino ship operators they had to pull both ships out. Incidentally they lost $500M last half year.

It surprises me as they had to do 4 and 5N cruises yet RC is allowed to do weekend gambling cruises from Shenzhen.

But what I want to know is what ship are they putting in Singapore as RC knows there is a market here to homeport a ship here year round. Incidentally all the Voyager cruises here in May and June are fully sold out.

I don't think RC knows where to homeport this ship at the present time. Singapore looks good, Hong Kong looks better and China is the mother of all cruise ship business.

When I was on the Voyager last week I wanted to book Voyager for the 2018 season. I was shock when told it would not be homeport in Singapore. This is contrary to news report just days earlier. It seems Voyager will be homeport in Hong Kong from April 2018 sailing directly from Australia with a stopover in Singapore.

If I were to place a bet on the new ship I would say it will be in the Pearl river estuary just north of HK.

Star Cruises had 2 of the biggest ships, Genting Dream and Virgo, here last year end. But I believe since they have been blacklisted as casino ship operators they had to pull both ships out. Incidentally they lost $500M last half year.

It surprises me as they had to do 4 and 5N cruises yet RC is allowed to do weekend gambling cruises from Shenzhen.

But what I want to know is what ship are they putting in Singapore as RC knows there is a market here to homeport a ship here year round. Incidentally all the Voyager cruises here in May and June are fully sold out.

Genting Dream wasn't blacklisted from Singapore, she was blacklisted from China. Yes, $500M is a big loss for them. But that's why she was homeported in Singapore instead. Looks like Royal is really trying to pull a rabbit out of a hat for this deployment in Asia. We can only wait and hope that itineraries are not released later next month.

Genting Dream wasn't blacklisted from Singapore, she was blacklisted from China. Yes, $500M is a big loss for them. But that's why she was homeported in Singapore instead. Looks like Royal is really trying to pull a rabbit out of a hat for this deployment in Asia. We can only wait and hope that itineraries are not released later next month.

Where did you all get the news about the $500M fine? didn't recall reading about it before. Was surprised why Dream was redeployed to sg but its current cost is abit putting me off trying it from what i last saw.

Where did you all get the news about the $500M fine? didn't recall reading about it before. Was surprised why Dream was redeployed to sg but its current cost is abit putting me off trying it from what i last saw.

Yea, Gemini relocated to Thailand the cruise price is double the Singapore price. Madness! and they say it is discounted by 65%.

Dream relocated to Singapore the 5N cruise cost S$3000 and they say it is a 2 for 1 sale.

Yea, Gemini relocated to Thailand the cruise price is double the Singapore price. Madness! and they say it is discounted by 65%.

Dream relocated to Singapore the 5N cruise cost S$3000 and they say it is a 2 for 1 sale.

With the price, i rather sail with RC. Not seeing anything on Dream that attracts me since i dun go casino or zouk etc.