NO MORE Jamaica from Galveston???

[Lightsluvr]

I just checked the itinerary on our January 8, 2006 Rhapsody of the Seas cruise sailing from Galveston. RCI has dropped Montego Bay, Jamaica, substituting it with that exotic Caribbean port of Key West!!! :mad:

Then I checked all other sailings out of Galveston, and found that RCI has dropped Jamaica from ALL Galveston sailings, except the 9 day cruise on Splendor of the Seas.

We have been to Cozumel, Costa Maya and Key West TOO many times; we were really looking forward to finally making it to Grand Caymans as well as Mo Bay.

We are really disappointed and have a call into my TA to discuss alternatives...

Bummer. We would have qualified for Platinum C & A with this cruise!

[wolfganghowell]

yep - it's off the itinerary from November to April.

[Tan lake]

It is disappointing, I contacted RCCL today and they stated it was berthing conflicts - parking lot too full and not a space for Rhapsody. What sounds better here: Jamaica or Key West? :confused: Oh well, a vacation nonetheless and can't let it effect our anticipation of our first cruise. Good luck with your TA.

[Tan lake]

Since you have been to Key West, any good recommendations for excursions or places to visit? We are the from 3:00 P.M. til midnight.

[kwadley]

I have just spent the better part of an hour on the phone with Royal Caribbean discussing this with their "Customer Service" department. When we booked our Nov 13th sailing we did so specifcally because of the stop in Jamaica. We could have booked the Key West route for $200 LESS per cabin. When I brought this up in conversation with RCCL I was told how lucky I was because now those same cabins are going for $150 MORE than I booked Jamaica for!!*^#!!*!!! I am furious!! The "Customer Service" rep told me that RCCL was making no compensation in any form or fashion for this abrupt change. Is this how you are treating all of your Crown & Anchor memebers????

I ask her why the change and all she could tell me was a bunch of double-talk about how they won't let them dock there anymore. What BS!! I don't know what the real reason for the change is and I don't have time to contemplate it because I am scavenging around for another cruise-probably will be Princess out of Houston, at ;east they have always been up front with me. I most likely NEVER sail with RCCL again-Crown & Anchor or not! This is underhanded and downright duplicitous of them. I am soooooooooooo disappointed-I thought RCCL had more class. As far as I am concerned they can take Key West (which is a throwaway port) and shove it where the sun doesn't shine!! I am sooooo angry that I probably don't even have any business being on these boards right now. How many of you out there are going to be sailing this PREMIUM cruise?

[justaknucklehead]

Consider yourself lucky. We don't even get off the ship in Jamaica. It is a dangerous slum.

[tugboat]

They say dreams don't come true, I wouldn't have gotten off the ship even if it stopped. Happy days are here again. :) :D :)

[cruizinmimi]

Hey tugboat,

 

You can stroll Duvall one more time :D

 

Linda

[Lightsluvr]

I received the same run around when I called RCI "customer service". I will be canceling in the morning through my travel agent. ...and I have been a staunch defender of RCI on these boards...

Bummer

 

Lightsluvr

[Lightsluvr]

Here are excerpts from the Jamaica Observer newspaper article from today:

Could this be another reason RCI isn't going?

***************************************

 

"Opposition spokesman on tourism Ed Bartlett refused to be placated, saying he was "appalled" by the decision to hike the industry's GCT. The result, he warned, would be a US$5 increase in the cost of rooms to the visitors.

"When you add that to the US$10 tourism enhancement tax, as well as the present departure tax and the airport tax, as well as the security tax, plus the US$5 airport improvement tax, it will in fact put Jamaica at the second highest taxed destination in the Caribbean, next to Cayman," Bartlett said.

 

The increase, he said, had been approved despite the advice of several tourism interests, including CariForum, a Caribbean tourism interest group, which had warned that the Caribbean region is pricing itself out of the tourism market place."

 

************************************************

Me thinks RCI doesn't want to pay the $10 per head tourism enhancement tax in addition to the docking fee and other charges. That works out to $22,000+ for a full Rhapsody of the Seas.

 

Lightsluvr

[Lightsluvr]

Tan Lake -

 

Take a walk downtown, take some pictures of the chickens (you'll understand), go to Jimmy Buffet's and get back on the ship. (But right now, I'm just bitter.)

Seriously, check out the ports forums on this website; there are some good ideas to be found there...

 

Enjoy.

 

Lightsluvr

[elvisrocks]

I just checked the Royal Caribbean web site and it still shows Jamaica up until Jan 2006 then its back again after June 2006. We are booked for Sept 2006 and it still shows on our itinerary. I did notice that it has changed from Montego Bay to Ocho Rios which is fine by me. Does any one know if Jamaica will be permantly dropped and RCI just hasnt changed all the itineraries yet ?:confused:

[cruiseman_tx]

I have just spent the better part of an hour on the phone with Royal Caribbean discussing this with their "Customer Service" department. When we booked our Nov 13th sailing we did so specifcally because of the stop in Jamaica. We could have booked the Key West route for $200 LESS per ...cabin. When I brought this up in conversation with RCCL I was told how lucky I was because now those same ...cabins are going for $150 MORE than I booked Jamaica for!!*^#!!*!!! I am furious!! The "Customer Service" rep told me that RCCL was making no compensation in any form or fashion for this abrupt change. Is this how you are treating all of your Crown & Anchor memebers????

I ask her why the change and all she could tell me was a bunch of double-talk about how they won't let them dock there anymore. What BS!! I don't know what the real reason for the change is and I don't have time to contemplate it because I am scavenging around for another cruise-probably will be Princess out of Houston, at ;east they have always been up front with me. I most likely NEVER sail with RCCL again-Crown & Anchor or not! This is underhanded and downright duplicitous of them. I am soooooooooooo disappointed-I thought RCCL had more class. As far as I am concerned they can take Key West (which is a throwaway port) and shove it where the sun doesn't shine!! I am sooooo angry that I probably don't even have any b...usiness being on these boards right now. How many of you out there are going to be sailing this PREMIUM cruise?

 

 

Wow...time to chill out a little. When it comes to itineraries, there is no guarantee by any cruiseline. They all have disclaimers and can/will substitute ports as they see fit. Weather, political unrest, and government policy changes are all unpredictable so the cruiselines must be ready to make changes accordingly.

Also, I don't see why you feel you should be compensated for this change. After all, you'll still be getting a full 7 nights on the ship, and that is what you're paying for. It's funny; a lot of people feel Jamaica is a "throwaway port", and stay on the ship if they stop there...go figure.

If dropping Jamaica is really is due to increased tax or port charges of $22,000 per stop as a previous poster reported, then that's a little over a million $$ a year, and that ain't chump change!!!

[kwadley]

cruisemantx-

This would probably be the only way my husband would ever get to see Jamaica-he does not fly well. That kind of limits my cruise choices and I am greatly disappointed that he will not get the opportunity to see Jamaica. I have been there many, many times and could do without it. I have also been to Key West many times and can do without it.

The whole point here is that RCCL had not notified me and, I think, didn't intend to until time to board. I just stumbled across the info on the internet and called them to confirm.

If it were weather I would not have had a problem with that. I missed Grand Cayman on my very first cruise because our captain had the good sense to NOT stay anchored in a tropical depression (which was later upgraded to a hurricane), but to run like hell.

The fact of the matter is, the "customer service" rep lied to me early on in the conversation by telling me that the port had been changed due to the damage of a hurricane. If that is the case, then why are they still stopping there up to Oct 16th????? I don't appreciated the run-around from anyone, ever, because in my estimation it smacks of dishonesty.

YOU may be paying for 7 nights on a ship but I base my cruise purchase on itinerary as well as ship class.

And yes, I agree that $22,000.00 ain't chump change but I feel that I should get what I paid for. And if you feel that my reaction is over the top maybe you should walk in my shoes. I don't have money to throw around and the Key West intinerary is clearly the less desirable of the two, otherwise why was it originally sold $200 cheaper?

[KEG21552]

On our last Rhapsody cruise in January, we stopped in Key West, Grand Cayman and Cozumel. Personally, the only way I would go to Jamaica again is if someone gave me the trip. I love Key West. Been there twice and can hardly wait to go back.

 

As for Grand Cayman, when we originally booked, it was GC. Then it was changed to Costa Maya because GC had not fully recovered from Ivan and they were limiting the number of ships allowed in port. After my initial disappointment, I kind of got excited about Costa Maya and a very relaxed and quiet beach day. When I boarded the ship, I found out we were indeed going to GC. Ok, again disappointed about Costa Maya as I had hyped myself up for that, but happy to go to GC again. In the morning, we woke up to find (and I am NOT kidding) six other ships in port that day. With the influx of about 14,000 people on shore at one time and then trying to all tender back in the afternoon, it was a zoo. I have absolutely no desire for a repeat.

 

Needless to say, the Rhapsody to Key West, Costa May and Cozumel is VERY appealing to me.

 

I also realize that there are just as many people who love Jamaica as hate it, just as many who love Key West as hate it and Cozumel seems pretty okay by everyone. This is my most humble opinion.

 

Karen

[froggidog]

I just checked my 1/22/06 sailing and it has Key West instead of Jamaica also. I picked this cruise because it stopped in Jamaica. Oh well, guess that's the way it goes.

[VernRDH]

I agree with justaknucklehead and tugboat. Jamaica is a terrible port and I will never go there again.

 

 

Now I keep hearing about how great the Rhapsody is and how friendly y'all are and with this change, I may just have to convince hubby that flying to TX to catch a cruise is a good thing. Unfortunatley, it may have to wait as I plan on booking my So. Carib. when on Jewel this Dec.

 

Will be going to KW for the first time in Dec. and am sure I will prefer it to Ocho Rios:( .

[SnakeBitten]

We are booked for the Oct. 30th sailing on the Rhapsody. Here's the email received from our TA:

Dear Mr. SnakeBitten:

 

I am writing to inform you of an itinerary change for your upcoming cruise on the Rhapsody of the Seas. We have just been informed that due to berthing conflicts, the port call to Montego Bay, Jamaica has been cancelled and replaced with a port call to Key West, FL on Tuesday, November 1 from 3pm to midnight.

 

The problem is Key West; the ship doesn't arrive KW until 3pm, tender to shore, then it's dark soon.

 

We have until Aug. 20th to cancel without penalty, so currently exploring other options, like taking NCL's Dream out of Houston the same weekend.

 

SB

[Aprille]

The problem is Key West; the ship doesn't arrive KW until 3pm, tender to shore, then it's dark soon.

Tender to shore??? I was on Rhapsody in December. Key West was not a tender port.

[justaknucklehead]

I have never tendered in Key West either. If you going to be there for their sunset, it is the most popular thing to see in Key West. There is a party there every night at sunset.

[grvdggr71]

First, let me start out by saying that I agree completely that it is a bummer, from expecting to visit Jamaica to having to go to Key West (I was not impressed with Key West my first trip there).

 

However, I guess I don't understand why people here are that upset. Did everyone book directly through Royal Caribbean? Because if not, then your travel agent should have notified you of the change (that's their job). Also, everybody here has mentioned their cruise dates, which is still far enough away that you can cancel the cruise with 100% refund - no harm, no foul. Finally, with the dates that were mentioned here (all being more than 70 days from cruising), has anyone made the final payment? Before I make my final payment, I always check with my TA to see if there are any changes I should know about.

 

Now, if they changed the port of call after my final payment has been placed, I would be quite a bit ticked off (except for weather or communist revolutions). But, as somebody pointed out, they aren't really obligated to take you to a particular destination.

[TEXASMUNK]

Is like being upset that a wart was taken off your nose.

[Lightsluvr]

It's almost laughable is that the RCI customer service rep told me and my TA that Jamaica was never on our itinerary! The TA asked her to explain how he is looking at a RCI confirmation showing Montego Bay as the first port of call. She still didn't believe him and insisted that the confirmation be faxed to her so she could show it to (whoever)? That's good CS, call the TA a liar.

We did pay $100pp more for a JS for the itinerary which included going to Mo Bay. The weeks going to KW were $100pp less when we initally booked. (The itineraries alternated sailing to Jamaica and KW from Galveston.)

The couple we are cruising with was looking forward to scuba in Jamaica, something you can't do at Key West in January when you don't even arrive until 4:00 p.m. EST.

At this point, I don't really care. If Mo Bay or Ocho Rios are not back in the itinerary before final payment, there will be two JS available on Rhapsody. Too bad, because I would have qualified for Platinum C & A with this cruise.

 

Anybody got any cheese?

 

Lightsluvr

[Oma24boys]

Because if not, then your travel agent should have notified you of the change (that's their job).

 

I am a travel agent and did not find out about this change from RCCL...found out from this board. I did call and confirm that the itinerary did infact change. I am personally affected by this change as well as friends and family who will be cruising with me. Hard for a travel agent to notifiy their clients if the agent has not been notified...:rolleyes:

[devinc]

OIL is up, AGAIN!!! This will continue in the industry and is a huge factor.

 

However, I am taking KW over dobbieville by choice. You will miss seeing planes abandoned in the h2o from Cola flights. It is all about drugs. There is NO reef but a lot of reefer.

 

Chill and try to make the best of it.