How long must we wait for the Anthem to leave New JERSEY.

[fletch1027]

I am confused. You live in Georgia? I see your cruises and none of them have been out of NJ. You don't live here.....so my question is, why are you so passionate about this? I live here. Sailing out of here for years. Never had a problem...I am HAPPY we have a new ship. Waiting for years to have one. Just trying to figure out why you would have a "say" in this. I AM RESPECTFULLY ASKING......no blasting please.

 

 

On our Allure cruise a couple of weeks ago, about 4 out every 5 people we met were from either NY, MA, or Toronto area.

 

After reading through a lot of these posts, it would seem that a majority of folks from the northeast are loyal to Bayonne and the ships that sail from there, so I was very surprised that almost all I met on Allure were from up in that area.

 

There's enough business to sell tickets on the Anthem or it wouldn't be there, but there is also a large group from up there that also prefer to travel down to FL to cruise. There is also a very large group of active CC posters that love Bayonne so I guess it's a wash... :-)

 

 

 

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[cruisinfanatic]

I am confused. You live in Georgia? I see your cruises and none of them have been out of NJ. You don't live here.....so my question is, why are you so passionate about this? I live here. Sailing out of here for years. Never had a problem...I am HAPPY we have a new ship. Waiting for years to have one. Just trying to figure out why you would have a "say" in this. I AM RESPECTFULLY ASKING......no blasting please.

Ditto!

[champagne123]

On our Allure cruise a couple of weeks ago, about 4 out every 5 people we met were from either NY, MA, or Toronto area.

 

After reading through a lot of these posts, it would seem that a majority of folks from the northeast are loyal to Bayonne and the ships that sail from there, so I was very surprised that almost all I met on Allure were from up in that area.

 

There's enough business to sell tickets on the Anthem or it wouldn't be there, but there is also a large group from up there that also prefer to travel down to FL to cruise. There is also a very large group of active CC posters that love Bayonne so I guess it's a wash... :-)

 

 

 

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Thank you for your answer, but I am still confused....we do both..as you can see from my signature. I think there are a lot of people that cruise for the "ship", as do we and a lot of our cruising friends.

 

So if I understand you correctly, you are saying that the ships in Florida lose money if we don't travel down there to cruise? How is that advantageous to that poster that I was asking?

[champagne123]

Ditto!

I am still waiting for his answer. He has answered everyone else but me. :confused:

[CRUISEFAN0001]

I am confused. You live in Georgia? I see your cruises and none of them have been out of NJ. You don't live here.....so my question is, why are you so passionate about this? I live here. Sailing out of here for years. Never had a problem...I am HAPPY we have a new ship. Waiting for years to have one. Just trying to figure out why you would have a "say" in this. I AM RESPECTFULLY ASKING......no blasting please.

Respectfully....we cruise from all sorts of ports....just like New Yorkers sailing from all sorts of ports as others have pointed out.

 

The fact is that the cost of recent cruises out of Bayonne may end up somehow filtering down to all cruises eventually (passing on the losses is nothing new in business). Therefore, there's at least some stake in this for everyone.

 

Since we don't live near a port, our choices are open to fly to any one. We did a cruise out of Barcelona...so flying to an appealing place isn't a problem.

 

Anthem was intriguing and actually a possibility at one time....right up until we learned it was ported in Bayonne and the itineraries ate up so much time just to get to & from the Caribbean. Flying "way North to go way South" also made no sense, nor did having to double the packing for the weather differences. We've already been to Alaska more than once. :D

 

For those in the SouthEast U.S....it made much more financial and logistical sense to look at the Florida and San Juan ports. Both cost less for air travel & hotels, and they have many more more appealing routes/destinations. They're also warmer to start with much of the cruise season.

 

The good news - there are choices. To each his own.

Edited February 29, 2016 by CRUISEFAN0001

[nelblu]

To clarify: I wasn't talking about the amenities that I won't use.

 

I was talking about not staying so loyal to Royal if Anthem is the ship that's assigned to my homeport. We hate to fly, and prefer sailing from a port within close driving distance. We loved Explorer, Liberty and Celebrity Summit. We were on Quantum last year and there was so much about it that we didn't care for. We are sailing Anthem this weekend, just to experience that ship, but after this, we will likely switch cruiselines because we do not like RCI's offering from our homeport

 

Each one of us makes decisions with our vacation $s. We loved the Quantum and looking forward to Anthem in August. ps. Based on your preference (guess) stay away from one of our favorite class ship-- the Oasis class.

[cruisinfanatic]

I am still waiting for his answer. He has answered everyone else but me. :confused:

Selective answering I've found

[nelblu]

On our Allure cruise a couple of weeks ago, about 4 out every 5 people we met were from either NY, MA, or Toronto area.

 

After reading through a lot of these posts, it would seem that a majority of folks from the northeast are loyal to Bayonne and the ships that sail from there, so I was very surprised that almost all I met on Allure were from up in that area.

 

There's enough business to sell tickets on the Anthem or it wouldn't be there, but there is also a large group from up there that also prefer to travel down to FL to cruise. There is also a very large group of active CC posters that love Bayonne so I guess it's a wash... :-)

 

 

 

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Sure you'll find many NYC area folks cruising from FL. I love sailing out of San Juan as it is better conducive to get away from the cold Northeast and better itineraries. Sometimes FL is so so. I remember one time sailing out of Los Angeles and froze my arse. Sailed out of Bayonne last year for the 1st time--why--Quantum. Lookin forward to Anthem in August. Sail out of FFL--why--Oasis class.

 

Hey, there's a lot us folks to spread around. LOL

[nelblu]

Respectfully....we cruise from all sorts of ports....just like New Yorkers sailing from all sorts of ports as others have pointed out.

 

The fact is that the cost of recent cruises out of Bayonne may end up somehow filtering down to all cruises eventually (passing on the losses is nothing new in business). Therefore, there's at least some stake in this for everyone.

 

Since we don't live near a port, our choices are open to fly to any one. We did a cruise out of Barcelona...so flying to an appealing place isn't a problem.

 

Anthem was intriguing and actually a possibility at one time....right up until we learned it was ported in Bayonne and the itineraries ate up so much time just to get to & from the Caribbean. Flying "way North to go way South" also made no sense, nor did having to double the packing for the weather differences. We've already been to Alaska more than once. :D

 

For those in the SouthEast U.S....it made much more financial and logistical sense to look at the Florida and San Juan ports. Both cost less for air travel & hotels, and they have many more more appealing routes/destinations. They're also warmer to start with much of the cruise season.

 

The good news - there are choices. To each his own.

 

That is one big nasty assumption (losses). Maybe it's the Northeast sailing market that is subsidizing the rest of RCL. Lol

 

By the way, we are subsidizing a good portion of the US population with our tax $. We don't get as much back for each tax $ sent to Washington. We have lousy representation in both Congress and Senate.

[meadowlander]

Glad to hear your cruise went well.

 

Unfortunately 2 of the most recent ones didn't.

 

What is clear is that those struggling to see the big picture about Bayonne being a risk port in winter seem to mostly be from that area. I can understand it likely feels like this is about "taking something away from them". That's not at all the case.

 

I'm sure nearly everyone wants all their fellow cruisers to have a great time on their cruises, regardless of the port, ship, or destinations.

 

That said, it's time to wake up and smell the roses that Bayonne has become a real problem, and it would be no surprise if RCI was re-assessing its scheduling for that port. There's no reason to imagine this is just a one-year thing either.

 

Clearly a good deal of investment went into making that location/port nice, and everyone should enjoy it. Unfortunately, the odds that Mother Nature won't cooperate are high in the Dec-Mar timeframe, and it's costing real money losses and negative news.

 

Maybe RCI will ride out this season and rethink 2017-2018. Time will tell.

 

I am more glad than you that I did not experience the Anthem sailing which encountered the storm.;)

 

You state that Bayonne has become a "real" problem. Define what "real" problem means to you. I don't consider one terrible experience to be a real problem.

 

As others have pointed out Bayonne has had year round sailings for more than 10 years. NCL also sails year round from this area.

 

Still trying to understand what your agenda is.

[meadowlander]

Winter weather can be well beyond just "bad weather".

 

Despite having many friends in that region who have no conflict with those same observations, I'm a bit surprised at a few specific posters (located near there) so challenged by simple explanations in plain English.

 

In plain English or Plains English?

 

Are you Jimmy Carter????:D

[meadowlander]

LOL....I didn't realize anyone actually believed that...especially after RCI admitted later they did it to accelerate getting more capacity into the Asian market.

 

You yourself agreed that Quantum was moved because Bermuda was not ready, early in this thread....see post #20.

 

The original poster dislikes Quantum class and wants another class to replace Anthem. He does not want no sailings from Bayonne in the winter and he made no other claims that you have attributed to him.

 

You have made claims that others don't understand plain English, yet you are the one contradicting yourself and falsifying what others have written. :rolleyes:

[fletch1027]

Thank you for your answer, but I am still confused....we do both..as you can see from my signature. I think there are a lot of people that cruise for the "ship", as do we and a lot of our cruising friends.

 

 

 

So if I understand you correctly, you are saying that the ships in Florida lose money if we don't travel down there to cruise? How is that advantageous to that poster that I was asking?

 

 

Nope, I meant that if the ships in Bayonne were losing money that RCI wouldn't be sailing from there anymore - however it seems that a lot of people from up there are still traveling down to Florida to cruise...

 

 

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[CCC3]

Any chance of New Orleans being picked up again? Or is RC out of there for good?

Edited March 1, 2016 by CCC3

[Clarea]

Any chance of New Orleans being picked up again? Or is RC out of there for good?

I suspect there are other ports higher on the profitability list than New Orleans.

Edited March 1, 2016 by clarea

[CCC3]

Which ones?

[Clarea]

Which ones?

Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Port Canaveral, Tampa, Texas, San Juan, Bayonne.

[foxgoodrich]

Any chance of New Orleans being picked up again? Or is RC out of there for good?

 

One issue with ships departing from NOLA is the amount of time (and fuel) it takes to navigate the Mississippi to get out into the Gulf past the 12 mile limit. It's 7-8 hours, and I have to tell you I LOVED it! (How often do you get to sit on your cruise ship balcony and wave to guys on fishing boats, barge crews, and cars driving by on the riverside road?:p)

 

Anyway, due to the fact that this river navigation is within the continental US, EPA standards apply and the ships have to burn more efficient/more expensive fuel. Royal is putting exhaust scrubbers on many (maybe all?) ships now and this will enable the exhaust from the normal, less expensive, fuel to meet EPA standards. Of course there is also a revenue hit in that the casino and shops can't open until the ship leaves US waters, but maybe if the fuel issue was resolved they would manage the casino/shops issue with promotions to drum up business for the portion of the cruise outside US waters.

 

So my hope is that maybe, just maybe, when a ship with scrubbers becomes available to port in NOLA, Royal might bring one back!:) We can always hope...

Judy

[Clarea]

One issue with ships departing from NOLA is the amount of time (and fuel) it takes to navigate the Mississippi to get out into the Gulf past the 12 mile limit. It's 7-8 hours, and I have to tell you I LOVED it! (How often do you get to sit on your cruise ship balcony and wave to guys on fishing boats, barge crews, and cars driving by on the riverside road?:p)

 

Anyway, due to the fact that this river navigation is within the continental US, EPA standards apply and the ships have to burn more efficient/more expensive fuel. Royal is putting exhaust scrubbers on many (maybe all?) ships now and this will enable the exhaust from the normal, less expensive, fuel to meet EPA standards. Of course there is also a revenue hit in that the casino and shops can't open until the ship leaves US waters, but maybe if the fuel issue was resolved they would manage the casino/shops issue with promotions to drum up business for the portion of the cruise outside US waters.

 

So my hope is that maybe, just maybe, when a ship with scrubbers becomes available to port in NOLA, Royal might bring one back!:) We can always hope...

Judy

If I recall correctly, the casino is closed until they reach the gulf.

[foxgoodrich]

If I recall correctly, the casino is closed until they reach the gulf.

 

Yes, that's correct - the casino doesn't open until Day 2 on Nola embarkations. Also the shops. I'm sure the onboard revenue takes a hit since that affects both the first day and the last night. So...it then depends on what the pax spend aboard each week to help offset those losses.

 

I think the decision to leave NOLA had to do with the bottom line and was a combination of the fuel issue and the revenue issues.

Judy

[Clarea]

Yes, that's correct - the casino doesn't open until Day 2 on Nola embarkations. Also the shops. I'm sure the onboard revenue takes a hit since that affects both the first day and the last night. So...it then depends on what the pax spend aboard each week to help offset those losses.

 

I think the decision to leave NOLA had to do with the bottom line and was a combination of the fuel issue and the revenue issues.

Judy

I agree, that's what I meant when I mentioned profitability.

[moopetguy]

I'd love to try a Quantum-class ship, so if the price is right, I'll sail on Anthem out of Bayonne even during the winter.

 

For all that time "wasted" sailing down to the Caribbean from NJ, I call those sea days and I get to relax and enjoy the amenities of the ship -- even if it's only the indoor ones for a day or two heading down and also heading back up.

 

I most recently did a 10-night on Grandeur out of Baltimore and I thought that was great to have so many sea days, even though the outdoor weather was unpleasant on the first and last day.

 

Sea days are a nice problem to have, IMO...I like being on the ship with nowhere to go, disconnected from the world (I don't pay for Wi-Fi on board). It's the only time when my iPhone is nothing more than a watch and a step-counter. :D

[CRUISEFAN0001]

I don't consider one terrible experience to be a real problem.

Actually it's more than one now...and that doesn't count the negative effect on those who changed their minds on cruising based on the international reporting on the first one...the actual costs have yet to be determined (repairs, restitutions, settlements, cancelled future cruises, etc.).

You yourself agreed that Quantum was moved because Bermuda was not ready, early in this thread....see post #20.

Nope...agreed the timing for it's delayed launch out of Bayonne originally declared by RCI...there was no mention/reference to the actual move decision itself to China. That was a different event/announcement entirely.

In plain English or Plains English?

 

Are you Jimmy Carter????:D

LOL!!! Now that's just Plain(s) funny! :D :D :D

I'd love to try a Quantum-class ship, so if the price is right, I'll sail on Anthem out of Bayonne even during the winter.

 

For all that time "wasted" sailing down to the Caribbean from NJ, I call those sea days and I get to relax and enjoy the amenities of the ship -- even if it's only the indoor ones for a day or two heading down and also heading back up.

 

I most recently did a 10-night on Grandeur out of Baltimore and I thought that was great to have so many sea days, even though the outdoor weather was unpleasant on the first and last day.

 

Sea days are a nice problem to have, IMO...I like being on the ship with nowhere to go, disconnected from the world (I don't pay for Wi-Fi on board). It's the only time when my iPhone is nothing more than a watch and a step-counter. :D

Nothing wrong with that - but not everyone feels the same way.

 

Just like some people love the repositioning cruises, and others would never, ever book one. One size doesn't fit all - but if you're OK paying for those extra sea days just to get there...that's perfectly wonderful.

Edited March 1, 2016 by CRUISEFAN0001

[Toddcan]

Actually it's more than one now...and that doesn't count the negative effect on those who changed their minds on cruising based on the international reporting on the first one...the actual costs have yet to be determined (repairs, restitutions, settlements, cancelled future cruises, etc.).

 

Ok, now I am curious...

 

I believe your position is this: Royal should not sail from Port Liberty during the winter months. Is this correct?

 

Assuming it is, can you please explain how you think 2 recent cruises which have been affected by weather is enough of a case to pull the cruises?

 

There have been cruises out of this port since 2004. And lots of them. The 2016 season looks to be around 65 cruises. Past years, when they did short Bahamas routes more often, there would be upwards of 70-80 cruises per year. 11 years x 70 cruises is over 750 cruises which have sailed from this port. Are you suggesting that the recent 2 sailings are representative? The math doesn't work.

 

Another point to consider - by your logic, there should be no Caribbean sailings during the peak of the hurricane season - Aug-Sept (let alone the full season, which is much longer). Yes, there have been sailings in the Caribbean affected by hurricanes. So, on a logical perspective, I struggle with your point.

 

Bad press? Cancelled cruises? People who will never sail again?

So what? The ships will sail full. And that, my friend is the REAL litmus test. Your opinion on the ship/location/season/word of mouth is really irrelevant - the same goes for my opinion.

[alfaeric]

One issue with ships departing from NOLA is the amount of time (and fuel) it takes to navigate the Mississippi to get out into the Gulf past the 12 mile limit. It's 7-8 hours, and I have to tell you I LOVED it! (How often do you get to sit on your cruise ship balcony and wave to guys on fishing boats, barge crews, and cars driving by on the riverside road?:p)

 

Anyway, due to the fact that this river navigation is within the continental US, EPA standards apply and the ships have to burn more efficient/more expensive fuel. Royal is putting exhaust scrubbers on many (maybe all?) ships now and this will enable the exhaust from the normal, less expensive, fuel to meet EPA standards. Of course there is also a revenue hit in that the casino and shops can't open until the ship leaves US waters, but maybe if the fuel issue was resolved they would manage the casino/shops issue with promotions to drum up business for the portion of the cruise outside US waters.

 

So my hope is that maybe, just maybe, when a ship with scrubbers becomes available to port in NOLA, Royal might bring one back!:) We can always hope...

Judy

 

In terms of the ECA area and the EPA- realistically, Baltimore is identical to New Orleans. There's not much difference between 12 hours and 8 hours (as I recall the time up the river). But the real time is much longer that anyway- as the ECA boundary extends our I think 150 miles- much farther than what is called international waters.

 

So I think the issues with New Orleans runs deeper than that.