Deployment 2018-19 booking season begins

[joandian]

So are the Australia, Asia and Transpacific cruises still supposed to be released on Monday? I wonder if they will be pushed back again.

[ONECRUISER]

So are the Australia, Asia and Transpacific cruises still supposed to be released on Monday? I wonder if they will be pushed back again.

Nope, was changed to TBD... http://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Royal/Deployment/2017_2018/17054855_Deployment_OpeningSchedule_Flyer.pdf

[geoff2802]

Royal Caribbean seem to be increasing cruises from Sydney in October 2018. Radiance and Voyager are the names used for the bookings. Already on sale from Sydney in October and November 2018 are music charters on Radiance.

Voyager normally arrives Sydney early November with Explorer a few days later.

The Hong Kong and Sydney Port booking October 2018, April 2019 and May 2019 contradict each other with the name Voyager of the Seas.

Maybe this has something to do with the hold on deployment release in Australia.

 

 

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Good pick up.

 

With Sydney OPT now severely capacity constrained, Royal will grow this market with bigger ships perhaps supplemented by extending the season.

 

These Sydney OPT entries look very suss: Radiance Oct 6, 9, 16 and 19. I'd say two of those are another ship.

Then we have "Voyage" of the Seas (not Voyager) on Oct 1 and 12 followed by a gap until Nov 2 when Voyager is listed.

 

I have two guesses: 1. Ovation arrives earlier and leaves later. 2. Quantum joins her sister in Sydney, replacing Radiance, again for capacity reasons.

Both of these could occur of course.

 

 

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[harz99]

Geoff2802, I hope your guesses are wrong because that means the number of ports that can berth the ships reduce, then the cruises become all about the ship rather than destination calls. There are already too many Australasia and Pacific Island port calls that other lines do which Royal goes nowhere near, so it becomes like the Caribbean same old same old.

 

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[geoff2802]

Geoff2802, I hope your guesses are wrong because that means the number of ports that can berth the ships reduce, then the cruises become all about the ship rather than destination calls. There are already too many Australasia and Pacific Island port calls that other lines do which Royal goes nowhere near, so it becomes like the Caribbean same old same old.

 

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Yeah I agree. I'd like Radiance to stay and then another of the same class to operate from Brisbane when the new terminal is completed (2019?). I'm boarding Radiance tomorrow and will dig around to see if anyone has inside info (unlikely but worth digging).

 

I think Cruiseboy suggested a Quantum class ship might be headed to Alaska to compete with NCL Bliss. If this occurs then that ship would probably replace Explorer in Australia and on the transpacific route.

 

 

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[CRUISEBOY305]

Yeah I agree. I'd like Radiance to stay and then another of the same class to operate from Brisbane when the new terminal is completed (2019?). I'm boarding Radiance tomorrow and will dig around to see if anyone has inside info (unlikely but worth digging).

 

I think Cruiseboy suggested a Quantum class ship might be headed to Alaska to compete with NCL Bliss. If this occurs then that ship would probably replace Explorer in Australia and on the transpacific route.

 

 

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I think we will be seeing that shift in 2019. Ovation replaces explorer for TP and Alaska, Quantum Plus (or Quantum 4) takes over Ovation in Asia. the question now is, what happens with Explorer? :eek::eek::eek:

[Biker19]

Legend was never staying it was obvious from her condition on the first repo down from Hong Kong that she was headed for a new owner,

Really, you can tell by the condition of the ship she will be sold?:rolleyes:

 

By that measure, almost any ship over about 10 years old could be headed to a new owner.

[Biker19]

the question now is, what happens with Explorer? :eek::eek::eek:

it will be sold of course, it's a rust bucket, just like Legend.:rolleyes:

 

Biker, who enjoys the prognosticators' guesses for future itineraries.

[travelgoddess1]

Good pick up.

 

With Sydney OPT now severely capacity constrained, Royal will grow this market with bigger ships perhaps supplemented by extending the season.

 

These Sydney OPT entries look very suss: Radiance Oct 6, 9, 16 and 19. I'd say two of those are another ship.

Then we have "Voyage" of the Seas (not Voyager) on Oct 1 and 12 followed by a gap until Nov 2 when Voyager is listed.

 

I have two guesses: 1. Ovation arrives earlier and leaves later. 2. Quantum joins her sister in Sydney, replacing Radiance, again for capacity reasons.

Both of these could occur of course.

 

 

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Whatever ship that would eventually replace Radiance, assuming it alternates with the Alaska itinerary as Radiance currently does, would also have to "fit" into the Alaskan ports of call. I'm thinking specifically of fitting under the bridge in Vancouver.

 

Lots of "ifs."

[Biker19]

With Sydney OPT now severely capacity constrained, Royal will grow this market with bigger ships perhaps supplemented by extending the season.

A recent article mentioned that starting in 2019, they will relieve the constraint by double booking ships on the same day. So one ship can have the berth up till early afternoon, while the second the rest of the day.

[travelgoddess1]

A recent article mentioned that starting in 2019, they will relieve the constraint by double booking ships on the same day. So one ship can have the berth up till early afternoon, while the second the rest of the day.

 

No waiting for late arrivals if you are the early ship. :eek:

[dsvd79]

But hasn't Quantum been Asianised? They took the music hall and other rooms out for a bigger casino?

[MindyJohn]

Can someone recap the speculation about Vision's delayed deployment after her October 2018 transatlantic back to Miami?

[Hoopster95]

Geoff2802, I hope your guesses are wrong because that means the number of ports that can berth the ships reduce, then the cruises become all about the ship rather than destination calls.

 

This post resonated to me... I feel this is exactly what Royal wants... mega ships comprised only of Voyager/Freedom/Oasis and Q Classes, less ports, thousands more stay on board to spend more money. The Royal cruise experience is evolving into ship focus and not at all itinerary focus. If you want great itineraries, you have to start thinking about leaving Royal

 

 

Whatever ship that would eventually replace Radiance, assuming it alternates with the Alaska itinerary as Radiance currently does, would also have to "fit" into the Alaskan ports of call. I'm thinking specifically of fitting under the bridge in Vancouver.

 

Lots of "ifs."

 

Another great post. Radiance Class has been a staple out of Vancouver for years (before it was Vision). HA and Princess has super old ships still operating up here due to the Lion's Gate Bridge height constraints and I think they will continue to do so to get them into Vancouver. Perhaps the final Radiance Class to exist in RCL when they are being sold will be doing the Alaska run (such as the revamped Empress to go to Cuba). Radiance is THE perfect ship for Alaska... along with Q Class!!

 

The only way Q Class comes to Alaska is to take over for Explorer, which makes perfect sense in my humble opinion. And I think that Q Class (only about 100ft longer than Solstice) can easily fit into Juneau and Skagway as Explorer and Solstice does by looking at all my photos of sail-in and sail-aways. But what do I know... maybe that extra 100ft length of the ship etc has issues in some of the ports, or getting her into Tracy Arm or Endicott Fjord for glacier viewing?

[suzyluvs2cruise]

This post resonated to me... I feel this is exactly what Royal wants... mega ships comprised only of Voyager/Freedom/Oasis and Q Classes, less ports, thousands more stay on board to spend more money. The Royal cruise experience is evolving into ship focus and not at all itinerary focus. If you want great itineraries, you have to start thinking about leaving Royal.

 

I think you may be right. Each year I eagerly await the new itineraries only to be disappointed. So far this year's releases are taking ports/itineraries away and not adding anything new and exciting.

[joandian]

Nope, was changed to TBD... http://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Royal/Deployment/2017_2018/17054855_Deployment_OpeningSchedule_Flyer.pdf

 

Ok thanks. I was getting all excited and ready to book.

[joandian]

Geoff2802, I hope your guesses are wrong because that means the number of ports that can berth the ships reduce, then the cruises become all about the ship rather than destination calls. There are already too many Australasia and Pacific Island port calls that other lines do which Royal goes nowhere near, so it becomes like the Caribbean same old same old.

 

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Me too. I enjoy the Voyager class and smaller ships and hate the mega liners. We went on Oasis once and decided it was way too big and crowded for us. We cruise to go somewhere not to just enjoy the ship.

[MAS2017]

Me too. I enjoy the Voyager class and smaller ships and hate the mega liners. We went on Oasis once and decided it was way too big and crowded for us. We cruise to go somewhere not to just enjoy the ship.

 

 

While I agree with this, I'm now finding when I sail out of Australia I'm looking more for the experience of the ship - there are limited ports Australian based ships sail to and we've done them all already. I find I do international sailings based on the ports and prefer Aussie ones for the ship. So in this instance I'd love them to bring a mega liner here.

 

In saying that, I've never done an Oasis class or Quantum class (I've been worried they're too big). I've got Harmony booked next year and will do Ovation when it comes back so will see how they are. The largest I've done is Freedom class and was happy with that.

 

With the ships being too big for ports down here, you can see that already with Ovation. It doesn't do any of the tropical pacific islands and only goes to New Zealand. Maybe Royal will do what they did in the Caribbean and improve the ports in those islands?

 

 

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[springaussie]

Whatever ship that would eventually replace Radiance, assuming it alternates with the Alaska itinerary as Radiance currently does, would also have to "fit" into the Alaskan ports of call. I'm thinking specifically of fitting under the bridge in Vancouver.

 

 

 

Lots of "ifs."

 

 

 

An Asian/ China ship could replace Radiance in Australia and the Alaskan Radiance Class come thru the Panama.

 

 

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[geoff2802]

An Asian/ China ship could replace Radiance in Australia and the Alaskan Radiance Class come thru the Panama.

 

 

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Or Radiance home ports in Brisbane and continues to do the TP and Alaska. This would be handy for you guys up there.

Has the new Brisbane terminal been approved yet? To me it looks very likely to be built.

 

 

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[springaussie]

Or Radiance home ports in Brisbane and continues to do the TP and Alaska. This would be handy for you guys up there.

Has the new Brisbane terminal been approved yet? To me it looks very likely to be built.

 

 

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Approved in principle yesterday new Brisbane Terminal.

 

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/agreement-reached-over-new-brisbane-megacruise-ship-terminal-20170409-gvgz7t.html

 

Melbourne Ports claim Radiance is doing 3 turnarounds in January and February 2019.

 

 

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[LEtue]

Whatever ship that would eventually replace Radiance, assuming it alternates with the Alaska itinerary as Radiance currently does, would also have to "fit" into the Alaskan ports of call. I'm thinking specifically of fitting under the bridge in Vancouver.

 

Lots of "ifs."

 

Total agreement and I would never sail the Explorer in Alaska based on the horrible itinerary. Not to mention that the itineraries that interest me are port intensive and the amount of passengers getting off is an issue. Even more so In Alaska where the ports towns are small.....

 

I just changed from the Symphony to the Jewel in the Med because I don't think there is any advantage to a mega ship there either.

[skiiergirl]

This post resonated to me... I feel this is exactly what Royal wants... mega ships comprised only of Voyager/Freedom/Oasis and Q Classes, less ports, thousands more stay on board to spend more money. The Royal cruise experience is evolving into ship focus and not at all itinerary focus. If you want great itineraries, you have to start thinking about leaving Royal

 

 

 

 

Another great post. Radiance Class has been a staple out of Vancouver for years (before it was Vision). HA and Princess has super old ships still operating up here due to the Lion's Gate Bridge height constraints and I think they will continue to do so to get them into Vancouver. Perhaps the final Radiance Class to exist in RCL when they are being sold will be doing the Alaska run (such as the revamped Empress to go to Cuba). Radiance is THE perfect ship for Alaska... along with Q Class!!

 

The only way Q Class comes to Alaska is to take over for Explorer, which makes perfect sense in my humble opinion. And I think that Q Class (only about 100ft longer than Solstice) can easily fit into Juneau and Skagway as Explorer and Solstice does by looking at all my photos of sail-in and sail-aways. But what do I know... maybe that extra 100ft length of the ship etc has issues in some of the ports, or getting her into Tracy Arm or Endicott Fjord for glacier viewing?

 

I was told several months ago by a very reliable source that OA class will be able to sail to Aruba, Curaçao, more southern islands, etc within a few years. (thinking 2019 but might have said 2020)

[geoff2802]

Approved in principle yesterday new Brisbane Terminal.

 

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/agreement-reached-over-new-brisbane-megacruise-ship-terminal-20170409-gvgz7t.html

 

Melbourne Ports claim Radiance is doing 3 turnarounds in January and February 2019.

 

 

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Excellent. I wonder whether a Radiance class ship is a possible year round option from Brisbane. Unlikely perhaps given the revenue they can make in Alaska and on the two TPs.

 

Perhaps Princess homeporting Golden is tempting Royal to give Melbourne a try?

 

 

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[mommykim]

I am looking for a silver lining for the TBD on Australia. On the plus side I will be on a cruise ship most likely when it releases.