Royal Caribbean Most Likely Will Not Build Smaller

[SamFritz]

I've said it before and I'll say it again... You can't have enough Radiance Class Ships!!! They are the best in my opinion.

 

Agreed!

[IWORK2CRUISE]

We have had some of our more memorable cruises on smaller ships.

Farewell to Sovereign of the Seas and Empress of the Seas.

 

We have yet to try the Freedom Class and wish that those ships had longer voyages. How can your experience the ship and visit ports in only 7 days?

 

The same with Oasis. The many different areas of the ship are very appealing from what we have seen but 7 days just does not seem long enough to experience and enjoy everything.

[yogimax]

As with many complex issues, simple answers may sound good, but may be more simplistic than simple.:rolleyes:

 

Ah, but you are making the assumption that the U.S. economy has already started to turn around.

 

Perhaps, but it is also evident that inflation will be back in a big way with massive government spending and rapidly growing deficits.

 

If that is indeed the case, the simple answer will not be simplistic, but simply correct!:rolleyes:

[ehfl]

It doesn't make economic sense for a mainstream cruise line to build smaller ships. Longer ships use less fuel per passenger mile than stumpy ones. Larger ships have lower personnel cost per passenger. Environmentalists are always after the cruise lines to be more efficient....the only way to achieve this is with larger ships that use less fuel. (if you're interested in why longer hulls use less fuel, you can look at the formula at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hull_speed)

 

Every mainstream cruise line is building larger ships. The pricier, more specialized lines will have to build the smaller ships, since their higher cost per passenger can support the additional fuel and personnel expense.

[rednancy1]

I suspect Goldstein will be eating his words in a year or two. Even assuming Oasis and Allure are huge long-term assets top the company, they'll soon be needing new Panamax ships to replace the Vision and Radiance classes. Legend is 15 years old and Radiance is 8 years old.

 

I agree whole heartedly.

[rubrrick]

Ah, but you are making the assumption that the U.S. economy has already started to turn around.

 

Perhaps, but it is also evident that inflation will be back in a big way with massive government spending and rapidly growing deficits.

 

If that is indeed the case, the simple answer will not be simplistic, but simply correct!:rolleyes:

 

 

Yogi..........something you probably already know......the Mariner of the Seas replaced the aging Monarch in San Pedro.

 

Less than 15 years ago.........the Monarch was the Queen of the Seas and the largest ship in the RCCL fleet.

 

Two years ago........it's a known fact that the Monarch was still making money for RCCL, yet, the President of said company decided to pull the Monarch off of the West Coast run, sell certain ships, and move the Monarch to the East Coast.

 

The Mariner of the Seas.......to the best of my knowledge, has never sailed totally full from the West Coast, and not selling the suites.....but giving them away.

 

Someday Mr. Fain will figure that out........and the present President will be replaced with someone far more more competent than Mr. Goldstein.

 

Rick

[negc]

Ah, but you are making the assumption that the U.S. economy has already started to turn around.

 

Perhaps, but it is also evident that inflation will be back in a big way with massive government spending and rapidly growing deficits.

 

If that is indeed the case, the simple answer will not be simplistic, but simply correct!:rolleyes:

 

I am not making any such assumption but only indicating that many analysts have come to the conclusion that the economy is starting to turn around and as yet, the inflation that you say is so evident has yet to rear its ugly head. In fact, for the first time in many years, social security recipients will receive no increase in their benefits due to the absence of inflation over the past year.

[negc]

Bill, I know that you rarely make mistakes, but this time you've got your "Colin's" mixed up.;)

 

You got me, Patti. :o Should have double checked my post and corrected it to read "Colin Veitch". I wish I could claim to "rarely make mistakes" but there is more and more evidence to the contrary as I get older and have more senior moments like that one.:D

 

As far as NCL having turned things around, perhaps we should wait to see just how successful the NCL Epic proves to be, before making any such claims.

[GregD]

You got me, Patti. :o Should have double checked my post and corrected it to read "Colin Veitch". I wish I could claim to "rarely make mistakes" but there is more and more evidence to the contrary as I get older and have more senior moments like that one.:D

 

As far as NCL having turned things around, perhaps we should wait to see just how successful the NCL Epic proves to be, before making any such claims.

 

It's no big deal!

He was even demoted, he was so bad! It was really a bad period in franchise history.

[cruiserbryce]

just dont see the need for more huge ships like Oasis...part of the problem I believe is the itineraries...those big bohemoth's just cant get into some of the better ports...far too limiting...

[negc]

just dont see the need for more huge ships like Oasis...part of the problem I believe is the itineraries...those big bohemoth's just cant get into some of the better ports...far too limiting...

 

Not sure which "better" ports you are referring to, but many Caribbean and Mexican ports are improving their docking facilities in order to attract ships the size of Oasis and Allure. Since much of the appeal of these ships will be the ships themselves, expanding their itinerary options may not be a high priority and many of those who will want to sail on them and who RCI is targeting, will not care that their itineraries are limited. Clearly even some of the current megaliners have passenger complements that would overwhelm the infrastructure of some of the smaller islands and destroy much of their ambience. However, different people choose to cruise for vastly different reasons. Some choose a cruise because of its itinerary, others because of the ship, so having ships of different sizes with different features, enables the lines to cater to both types of cruisers. None of the ships currently in the RCI fleet are so old that they can't, if they wish to, continue to sail for many more years. By the time that they have reached their limit, conditions may have changed sufficiently that newbuilds can be built that combine efficiency and optimum size. Perhaps it will become necessary to book those smaller and more expensive ships in order to visit some "better" ports but that may be the price that has to be paid.

[negc]

It's no big deal!

He was even demoted, he was so bad! It was really a bad period in franchise history.

 

No argument here. The question that remains to be answered is how much damage his decisions caused. If Epic eventually turns out to be a success, the answer will probably be "not much". If it turns out that canceling the second Epic ship was one cancellation too few, the answer could be quite different.

[Leafpeeper]

I've said it before and I'll say it again... You can't have enough Radiance Class Ships!!! They are the best in my opinion.

 

Jewel of the Seas is my favorite ship (Radiance class). We are sailing on Explorer in January because it is more convenient sailing from NJ than flying to Florida to sail Jewel.

 

The one thing that disappoints me with both NCL and RCCL is that they have elminated the movie theater on their new ships. We really enjoy the cinema when we are taking a 10+ day cruise. Two weeks ago were sailed NCL Star and were amazed that the cinema was packed with people on both sea days.

[Leafpeeper]

Bill, guess I am having some senior moments too. Fun reading your posts though. Glad I can count on you to keep on top of things for the uninformed passengers like me.

 

Right after I made my prior post re RCCL doing away with movie theaters I see that Explorer does have a movie theater listed. The question is finding it. Is it "The Screening Room" on deck 2?

 

Have you read any info on RCCL bringing Liberty to Cape Liberty, NJ? I had seen something a few months ago and then never saw anymore on it.

 

If only we could cruise Jewel from Boston to the caribbean in January, I would be so happy. NJ needs a ship with an enclosed solarium pool like Jewel's to make cruising more comfortable in bad weather.

 

Best wishes to all my Royal Jewels friends.

[negc]

Bill, guess I am having some senior moments too. Fun reading your posts though. Glad I can count on you to keep on top of things for the uninformed passengers like me.

 

Right after I made my prior post re RCCL doing away with movie theaters I see that Explorer does have a movie theater listed. The question is finding it. Is it "The Screening Room" on deck 2?

 

Have you read any info on RCCL bringing Liberty to Cape Liberty, NJ? I had seen something a few months ago and then never saw anymore on it.

 

If only we could cruise Jewel from Boston to the caribbean in January, I would be so happy. NJ needs a ship with an enclosed solarium pool like Jewel's to make cruising more comfortable in bad weather.

 

Best wishes to all my Royal Jewels friends.

 

 

Hi there. Sorry you won't be with us this year on the Jewel repo. We are not only doing that cruise but also staying on for the subsequent three night cruise to Nassau and Key West, our first experience with a back to back.

To answer your questions, yes the Screening Room on Voyager and Freedom class ships is where they will show movies during the cruise. I remember reading some claims that RCI would be moving Liberty to Bayonne, but am not sure it was anything more than wishful thinking and would really depend on how often they are selling out Explorer and could take advantage of the additional berths on Liberty. Unless they are turning away large numbers of potential passengers every week, I am not sure what justification they would have for replacing Explorer with Liberty. Both the Liberty and Explorer have uncovered Solaria, so the problems you experienced on Explorer when you sailed from NJ in the winter, would also exist on Liberty.

I wish that a Radiance class ship could sail from a Northeast port year round, but with only five such ships and so many itineraries that those ships are suited for, it is probably only wishful thinking and the numbers apparently don't support such a move, no matter how much we wish they did.

Hope things are going well in Plymouth and that we will sail with the two of you again sometime in the future.:)

[Older Party]

[quote name='negc']I am not making any such assumption but only indicating that many analysts have come to the conclusion that the economy is starting to turn around and as yet, the inflation that you say is so evident has yet to rear its ugly head. In fact, for the first time in many years, social security recipients will receive no increase in their benefits due to the absence of inflation over the past year.[/quote]
You beat me to the punch with your response. I was just getting ready to state the same thing and then read your thoughts.

I heard an interesting tidbit on the news last night that said our current deficit had not been this high since WWII. I keep hearing people say it's the highest it's ever been in history. So which is right?

I think it's impossible for anyone, no matter how educated, to guess precisely how many years it will take for the U.S. to see growth again, but the economy has rebounded, at least here in my neck of the woods.

[Leafpeeper]

Thanks Bill for the info on Explorer. Hope they are showing some good movies on the sea days on this cruise.

Since our grandsons live in LA, we are thinking of booking Radiance from San Diego to the Mexican Riviera in 2011. It won't be Jewel but it will be the next best thing.

At least Christie & Ray will get to enjoy Jewel for a few days next weekend on their first couples vacation since the twins were born. Grammy and Grampa will have lots of fun babysitting too. Hope Rita is well and that you enjoy your Jewel Halloween cruise.

[djneph]

[quote name='Leafpeeper']Thanks Bill for the info on Explorer. Hope they are showing some good movies on the sea days on this cruise. Tell Rita she can see our 17 month old twin granddaughters on [URL="http://www.thewolffstale.blogspot.com"]www.thewolffstale.blogspot.com[/URL]. Time sure flies doesn't it.

If we have the same issues in Bayonne on this cruise, I'm thinking that we might book our winter cruises out of Miami in the future. It is almost a breakeven comparing flying costs to driving & parking fees in NY.

Since our grandsons live in LA, we are thinking of booking Radiance from San Diego to the Mexican Riviera in 2011. It won't be Jewel but it will be the next best thing.[/QUOTE]

The Radiance won't be in San Diego in 2011, it will be in Tampa, so you may want to look at doing that run in the next 6months before the ship leaves for Alaska.