Deployment 2025-26 booking season begins

[bg2310]

19 hours ago, Saab4444 said:

Harmony is going to Europe for dry dock but Summer 26 cruises for Europe and Transatlantics back and force are not published yet.

Gotcha. Good to know she's indeed going for drydock! Any ideas when they might be published?

 

I'd like to be ahead of the herd in booking that. 

[smokeybandit]

15 minutes ago, little britain said:

Virgin’s Resilient Lady is the first scheduled cruise through the Suez on 25 Apr, 2024.

Interesting to see what she will do. 

She's resilient, so....

[eel]

4 hours ago, Hoopster95 said:

Great memories eel 😛

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2661933-ovation-may-13-24-live-in-alaska-wlots-of-photos/page/13/#comment-57495996

 

Lol!!! Good times

 

 

The way I look at  most things in life these days ....  K.I.S.S. So regard to the Suez and Red Sea, let's all pray that over the next couple of months there's some kind of agreement made whereby passage can be made safe. If not:

 

• Most all current reports say that the tankers require about 10 extra days to re-route from the red sea around Africa.

Great memories for sure. Hopefully our paths will cross on a cruise again before too long!

 

I think the extra 10 days they talk about is not how long it takes to go around Africa. It is the additional time that going around Africa adds to a trip to Northern Europe or North America. 

 

Even with no port stops it takes about 25 days at 23 knots to go from Dubai to Athens around Africa. It only takes about 8 days to go from Dubai to Athens via the Suez with no port stops at the same speed. There are a couple of websites that will calculate port to port times based on ship speed.
 

In any case it will be interesting to see what happens. Hopefully they don’t have to change anything but that is looking less likely as each day passes.

[Saab4444]

7 hours ago, Hoopster95 said:

 

Great memories eel 😛

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2661933-ovation-may-13-24-live-in-alaska-wlots-of-photos/page/13/#comment-57495996

 

Lol!!! Good times

 

 

The way I look at  most things in life these days ....  K.I.S.S. So regard to the Suez and Red Sea, let's all pray that over the next couple of months there's some kind of agreement made whereby passage can be made safe. If not:

 

• Most all current reports say that the tankers require about 10 extra days to re-route from the red sea around Africa.
• The Dubai to Athens mini-segment is 18 days... well within reach to sail around Africa in the required 10 days (I think?) with very few (if any) port stops (fuel? supplies?)
• Dubai is the end of a 1/4 segment and therefore the start of the next segment, and thus there'll likely be more than usual disembarking at this port anyways. The cruisers getting on for the next 1/4 segment could possibly be delayed to instead embark in Athens, but at least they'd get most of that segment accomplished as long as Serenade gets to Athens in time.
• Whatever UWC passengers stay on Serenade, RCI could perhaps (doubt it) refund 100% of this 18 day segment making it more palatable to the full UWC passengers to stay on board all those seas days to get around Africa to Athens
• The above would minimize disembarking all passengers in Dubai and starting fresh with an empty ship with new itineraries and no tickets sold. It also minimizes lost revenue by having all the UWC cruisers already on board once in Athens. It also allows Serenade to continue the rest of it's Med/Europe 1/4 segment within cancelling out port charges, excursions, contracts to re-supply, refunding cruisers, etc etc etc etc

 

I think with regard to K.I.S.S., I think the absolute best thing to happen financially for Royal (which as we all know is #1, #2, #3 .... #100 criteria for the bean counters in Miami) is for Serenade to get to Athens. So to this end, I'm just thinking what the best possible way to get there with the least amount of financial strain (again, I'm trying to think like those making the decisions in Miami)

 

And I'm betting we won't hear what the final answer is until late April/early May at the earliest.

BTW I have a vested interest as I'm booked on that 11 day Athens to Istanbul! 😦

 

 

 

Al this has been discussed in the OWC thread in detail some weeks ago as cruiseboy89130 constantly refers to this point in various threads... To go around Africa to Gibraltar takes additional about 10-12 days, to East Med little longer about 14-16 days. If Serenade has do this they have to adjust the 18 day Dubai to Athens plus cancel the 11 day Athens to Instanbul cruise and they can continue as scheduled in Istanbul from June 7th. It does not make any sense to cancel more parts from the UWC.   

[Saab4444]

5 hours ago, bg2310 said:

Gotcha. Good to know she's indeed going for drydock! Any ideas when they might be published?

 

I'd like to be ahead of the herd in booking that. 

According to the past pattern in early November 2024. 

[Saab4444]

5 hours ago, little britain said:

Virgin’s Resilient Lady is the first scheduled cruise through the Suez on 25 Apr, 2024.

Interesting to see what she will do. 

There are a lot more still scheduled for Suez before Resilient Lady including Queen Mary 2, Arcadia, Crystal Serenity and Mein Schiff 2 in March/April.  

[little britain]

1 hour ago, Saab4444 said:

There are a lot more still scheduled for Suez before Resilient Lady including Queen Mary 2, Arcadia, Crystal Serenity and Mein Schiff 2 in March/April.  

I’m only interested in VV RL as I’m booked in her so want her here in one piece lol!! 
 

Thanks for the others.. good up watch what happens there 

[sgmn]

2 hours ago, Saab4444 said:

There are a lot more still scheduled for Suez before Resilient Lady including Queen Mary 2, Arcadia, Crystal Serenity and Mein Schiff 2 in March/April.  

 

As @Hoopster95 said there is an interesting reroute thread going on right now on the Silverseas pages of CC. The passengers were disembarked in Athens, and Dubai to Mumbai sector seems to of been cancelled. The cruise picks up again in Mumbai a couple of days late

 

Edited January 29 by sgmn

[Hoopster95]

13 hours ago, eel said:

I think the extra 10 days they talk about is not how long it takes to go around Africa. It is the additional time that going around Africa adds to a trip to Northern Europe or North America. 

 

Even with no port stops it takes about 25 days at 23 knots to go from Dubai to Athens around Africa. It only takes about 8 days to go from Dubai to Athens via the Suez with no port stops at the same speed. There are a couple of websites that will calculate port to port times based on ship speed.

 

10 hours ago, Saab4444 said:

To go around Africa to Gibraltar takes additional about 10-12 days, to East Med little longer about 14-16 days. 

 

Thanks to both of you for the above.... I'm an idiot! I should've been able to see this. I'm almost thinking my conformation bias to believe that everything will be ok for the Athens 11 day got in the way of actually comprehending the info I was looking at.

 

Looking into this further, I agree.... If they do decide to go around Africa then the 11 day Athens to Istanbul has to be cancelled/changed/whathaveyou as well..... that just sucks 🤬

 

 

[NancyIL]

3 hours ago, Hoopster95 said:

 

 

Thanks to both of you for the above.... I'm an idiot! I should've been able to see this. I'm almost thinking my conformation bias to believe that everything will be ok for the Athens 11 day got in the way of actually comprehending the info I was looking at.

 

Looking into this further, I agree.... If they do decide to go around Africa then the 11 day Athens to Istanbul has to be cancelled/changed/whathaveyou as well..... that just sucks 🤬

 

 

 

I've been working on alternate plans in the event the Athens to Istanbul cruise gets cancelled.

[mac_tlc]

On 1/27/2024 at 7:54 PM, pstone1 said:

We took a private tour with Blue Puffin and visited several cool stops plus the North Cape!  Would definitely do the same again, as it was foggy at North Cape!  Great photos, but would also like some photos on a clear day!

We were with Monica of Blue Puffin in June. Fabulous weather. High about 65, no rain.

 

As you requested:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I probably have 100 others .....

 

 

mac_tlc

 

Edited January 30 by mac_tlc

[pstone1]

1 hour ago, mac_tlc said:

We were with Monica of Blue Puffin in June. Fabulous weather. High about 65, no rain.

 

As you requested:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I probably have 100 others .....

 

 

mac_tlc

 

Amazing picture from the North Cape!  Hope we can “do-over” and get similar weather!  Thank you for sharing!

[Blue Eyed Belfast Belle]

On 1/29/2024 at 3:48 AM, little britain said:

Virgin’s Resilient Lady is the first scheduled cruise through the Suez on 25 Apr, 2024.

Interesting to see what she will do. 

I follow a UK based blogger who is getting married on P & O Arcadia Half World Cruise from New Zealand to Southampton and is due to go through the Suez Canal on 6th April.  Hopefully, since P & O is part of the Carnival Group, she will post any cancellation/re-routing updates.

 

 

Edited January 30 by Blue Eyed Belfast Belle

[Scoobydobe7]

Does anyone know what the Wonder will be doing from April 25 to August 25??

Edited January 30 by Scoobydobe7

[OCSC Mike]

2 minutes ago, Scoobydobe7 said:

Dies anyone know what the Wonder will be doing from April 25 to August 25??

 

My assumption is the same 7N cruises she's currently doing until Star takes over... but that's just my assumption.

[sgmn]

1 hour ago, Blue Eyed Belfast Belle said:

I follow a UK based blogger who is getting married on P & O Arcadia Half World Cruise from New Zealand to Southampton and is due to go through the Suez Canal on 6th April.  Hopefully, since P & O is part of the Carnival Group, she will post any cancellation/re-routing updates.

 

 

Looks like Carnival are rerouting May suez trips 

https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Carnival-Corp-reroute-12-ships-avoid-Red-Sea

Edited January 30 by sgmn

[NancyIL]

49 minutes ago, sgmn said:

Looks like Carnival are rerouting May suez trips 

https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Carnival-Corp-reroute-12-ships-avoid-Red-Sea

 

I think this much nails it for Serenade in May. Royal Caribbean - please announce your alternate plans soon!

Edited January 30 by NancyIL

[andreasfcb]

On 1/27/2024 at 10:05 PM, Steeler Nation At Sea said:

 

What does one actually do on that Honningsvag stop?  🤔

 

Most people go to the North Cape, but we booked a cruise excursion "wild life safari" on a boat. This was an incredible trip where we saw seals, puffins and many more unique birds.

Edited January 30 by andreasfcb

[andreasfcb]

On 1/27/2024 at 12:00 PM, Jomykje said:

Thank you @twangster

I will keep an eye on this thread and keep my fingers crossed for some sailings from the Netherlands next summer. 
 

Luckely we choose NORWAY AND THE ARCTIC CIRCLE this year

 

We only cruise Royal and we also hope for an Amsterdam cruise in 2025. There is still hope because the deployment of Jewel is not released yet and Royal still has reservations on a dozen of ports for Brilliance (Amsterdam, Scotland, Iceland). This could just be a random reservation, but they would have lifted it if no ship were coming.

[jturks7]

When are 2026/ 27 deployment schedules announced?

[Biker19]

23 minutes ago, jturks7 said:

When are 2026/ 27 deployment schedules announced?

Probably Nov. 

[Blue Eyed Belfast Belle]

What are the chances that Royal will sail from Copenhagen again? ⚓️🇩🇰

 

My daughter is emigrating there for work next month and it would be nice to add on a cruise if I ever go visit! 😉☘️

[andreasfcb]

Just now, Blue Eyed Belfast Belle said:

What are the chances that Royal will sail from Copenhagen again? ⚓️🇩🇰

 

My daughter is emigrating there for work next month and it would be nice to add on a cruise if I ever go visit! 😉☘️

 

Imo very low.

 

Royal completely dropped the Stockholm/Copenhagen itinaries since Russia started the war. Seems to me, Royal thinks that people only want to visit St. Petersburg and the rest isn't interesting.

 

We had Amsterdam for a few years now instead, but at the moment it looks like that could be dropped too. Independence does some limited Baltics sailings from Southampton, but that's it so far.

[little britain]

18 minutes ago, Blue Eyed Belfast Belle said:

What are the chances that Royal will sail from Copenhagen again? ⚓️🇩🇰

 

My daughter is emigrating there for work next month and it would be nice to add on a cruise if I ever go visit! 😉☘️

I wish they would; those cruises on Voyager after the restart to Danish ports were fantastic 

[NancyIL]

2 hours ago, Blue Eyed Belfast Belle said:

What are the chances that Royal will sail from Copenhagen again? ⚓️🇩🇰

 

My daughter is emigrating there for work next month and it would be nice to add on a cruise if I ever go visit! 😉☘️

 

You could sail on Serenade July 26 from Southampton to Copenhagen, followed by Copenhagen to Amsterdam on August 10.