Rhapsody 2023 from Limassol - no cabins for 4

[kw1816]

We've been looking at a cruise on the Rhapsody for next year, sailing from Limassol. I was watching the price for a while and there was plenty of availability across all categories until a few weeks ago, literally overnight every sailing now has "Sorry, there are no staterooms available for 4 guest(s).". I figured it was some inventory management while they made some changes and availability would return. 

 

It's been several weeks and the crusies have disappeared, reappeared, disappeared and reappeared again - but no change in the availability for 4 in a cabin. Does anyone have any inside knowledge of what's going on ? I find it hard to believe they sold out an entire season overnight ! Particulary interested in the July 30th sailing.
 

[Biker19]

42 minutes ago, kw1816 said:

Does anyone have any inside knowledge of what's going on ?

Likely some more inventory management, though a redeployment is possible as well (given what is available). Maybe @Ourusualbeach can see some trend to foreshadow the latter.

[Ourusualbeach]

9 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Likely some more inventory management, though a redeployment is possible as well (given what is available). Maybe @Ourusualbeach can see some trend to foreshadow the latter.

I would agree, possible redeployment or inventory management although it is across a lot of sailings

[kw1816]

I'm hoping for some confirmation, one way or another, soon then - we have an apartment in Cyprus and usually head out there once or twice a year, ideally we'd have already booked flights for next summer but were waiting to confirm the cruise booking (it'll add another week to our stay). 

 

The Egypt and Israel itinerary looks amazing 🙂

[kw1816]

1 hour ago, Biker19 said:

Likely some more inventory management, though a redeployment is possible as well (given what is available). Maybe @Ourusualbeach can see some trend to foreshadow the latter.

 

53 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

I would agree, possible redeployment or inventory management although it is across a lot of sailings

 

Oh - and thank you both for your responses 👍

[IgKh]

Heard some rumors about Rhapsody perhaps going to sail out of Haifa for the entire 2023 summer season (currently it is planned to homeport there just September to November)

[Moonbeam1961]

We’re booked on the 30 July sailing, but have been holding off booking flights because of the sudden lack of availability across all the sailings out of Limassol (no suites, no cabins for 3/4 and only guarantees). The July sailings have now disappeared completely, so it’s helpful to know that there are rumours about Rhapsody sailing out of Haifa. We’ll just have to wait and see!

[c-leg5]

On 10/3/2022 at 10:34 AM, kw1816 said:

I'm hoping for some confirmation, one way or another, soon then - we have an apartment in Cyprus and usually head out there once or twice a year, ideally we'd have already booked flights for next summer but were waiting to confirm the cruise booking (it'll add another week to our stay). 

 

The Egypt and Israel itinerary looks amazing 🙂

Any recommendations for airlines for flights to UK? We need a one-way.

Edited October 8, 2022 by c-leg5

[little britain]

10 hours ago, c-leg5 said:

Any recommendations for airlines for flights to UK? We need a one-way.

EasyJet have just released fares for summer 2023. They are astronomical! 

[kw1816]

11 hours ago, c-leg5 said:

Any recommendations for airlines for flights to UK? We need a one-way.

Where are you flying from ? We usually fly BA from Heathrow to Larnaca - where we can we use Avios points to bring the price down. 
 

Easyjet, TUI, Wizz Air, Jet2 and a few others fly direct from various airports, if you’re going to Limassol then flights into Paphos might be an option as well.

[kw1816]

11 hours ago, Moonbeam1961 said:

We’re booked on the 30 July sailing, but have been holding off booking flights because of the sudden lack of availability across all the sailings out of Limassol (no suites, no cabins for 3/4 and only guarantees). The July sailings have now disappeared completely, so it’s helpful to know that there are rumours about Rhapsody sailing out of Haifa. We’ll just have to wait and see!

It’s frustrating isn’t  it - I wish RC would announce something one way or another so we can book flights and plan for next year.

[kw1816]

On 10/7/2022 at 7:30 AM, IgKh said:

Heard some rumors about Rhapsody perhaps going to sail out of Haifa for the entire 2023 summer season (currently it is planned to homeport there just September to November)

I could see that happening, perhaps RC are reviewing how this years sailings out of Haifa performed. 

[little britain]

1 hour ago, kw1816 said:

It’s frustrating isn’t  it - I wish RC would announce something one way or another so we can book flights and plan for next year.

£521pp EJ return to Paphos.  
If RCI throw in the £1 flight promo perhaps I’ll consider it. 

[c-leg5]

8 hours ago, kw1816 said:

Where are you flying from ? We usually fly BA from Heathrow to Larnaca - where we can we use Avios points to bring the price down. 
 

Easyjet, TUI, Wizz Air, Jet2 and a few others fly direct from various airports, if you’re going to Limassol then flights into Paphos might be an option as well.

Thanks, from my searches BA has surprisingly been the cheapest and has the most options.
 

We are fairly flexible regarding location in Cyprus and UK, I just expected more cut price flights since I thought Cyprus was a popular place for Brits to have a second home. Is it fairly safe to drive around Cyprus?

Edited October 9, 2022 by c-leg5

[Moonbeam1961]

Just received an email confirming that next year’s cruises from Limassol are cancelled.  😭

[c-leg5]

On 10/7/2022 at 1:30 AM, IgKh said:

Heard some rumors about Rhapsody perhaps going to sail out of Haifa for the entire 2023 summer season (currently it is planned to homeport there just September to November)

 

On 10/9/2022 at 2:13 AM, kw1816 said:

I could see that happening, perhaps RC are reviewing how this years sailings out of Haifa performed. 

Confirmation email today that transatlantic cruise will end in Haifa instead of Limassol.

 

Dear Guest,

To provide our guests with more destinations and additional departure ports, we’ve reviewed our upcoming Summer 2023 program and decided to reposition some of our ships. Our original plan for Rhapsody of the Seas was to offer sailings departing from Limassol, Cyprus, beginning May 16th, 2023 through August 27th, 2023. Instead, Rhapsody will now sail from a new home port in Haifa, Israel starting May 16th, 2023. This means your Transatlantic sailing will now end in Haifa, Israel instead of Limassol, Cyprus.

[TwinPeaks2]

We also got this email about the crossing ending in Haifa instead of Limassol. We got a second email saying cruise was canceled, but it didn’t specify which cruise. We are booked on the crossing and the three cruises afterwards.

[troutfisherman]

Just had an email to tell us that they have cancelled our cruise departing from Limassol on 30th July 23 and that the ship is now cruising from Haifa. Not going to bother re booking anything as I’m fed up and pissed off.

Edited October 11, 2022 by troutfisherman

[kw1816]

27 minutes ago, troutfisherman said:

Just had an email to tell us that they have cancelled our cruise departing from Limassol on 30th July 23 and that the ship is now cruising from Haifa. Not going to bother re booking anything as I’m fed up and pissed off.

I feel for you - this was the cruise we wanted to book, at least we have confirmation now. Disappointed ☹️ 

[SeaBP]

RCC's updated American website is showing the Rhapsody sailing from Cyprus through summer 2023 but on changed itineraries - no more calls in Egypt or Turkey. I don't know why the company backed out of these routes. We booked July back-to-back cruises recently on the ship. RCC should have never sold us the booking if they were contemplating this change.

[kw1816]

4 hours ago, SeaBP said:

RCC's updated American website is showing the Rhapsody sailing from Cyprus through summer 2023 but on changed itineraries - no more calls in Egypt or Turkey. I don't know why the company backed out of these routes. We booked July back-to-back cruises recently on the ship. RCC should have never sold us the booking if they were contemplating this change.

Looks like it's interporting between Haifa and Limassol for at least part of the season. 

 

No Egypt though - which was the big draw for us 😒

[IgKh]

5 hours ago, SeaBP said:

I don't know why the company backed out of these routes. We booked July back-to-back cruises recently on the ship.

 

The Haifa sailings are marketed mainly to Israelis (and its' quite a unique product for RCCL). While there is an official peace agreement between Egypt and Israel, the relations aren't too good. Egypt is considered a high risk country - such that many public servants aren't allowed to visit there without special clearance. It is also quite difficult to obtain a Visa for going into Egypt proper (beyond the Sinai Peninsula, which has special status under the agreements). Keeping Egypt in the itineraries would have seriously hurt their marketability.

 

FWIW the press release sent out to the local press here yesterday states that 96% of the Rhapsody sailings out of Haifa in the 2022 season have completely sold to capacity. That's seems very good for a ship that old, and probably swayed the decision; need the squeeze the lemon while you can...

Edited October 12, 2022 by IgKh

[Bennyboats28]

14 hours ago, troutfisherman said:

Just had an email to tell us that they have cancelled our cruise departing from Limassol on 30th July 23 and that the ship is now cruising from Haifa. Not going to bother re booking anything as I’m fed up and pissed off.

Sorry to hear about your cancelled trip and I feel your frustration. RCI has a habit of constantly repositioning ships in Europe as over the past 4 years we have had 3 + cruises cancelled in Europe due to the company "repositioning" ships. 

[TheLALady]

Cruise was canceled 

[fenton04]

Our letter read if Royal did not hear from us 10/25 we would be on the Rhapsody in the same room.  Then our flights through Royal would be updated.  So we are going for it.