Vision moving to Norfolk?

[BND]

1 minute ago, Orsino said:

Does it? It says they need to, but not why. Am I missing something?

Not directly, but what difference does it make?  You think they want to shorten it and pay out OBC?

 

People are cancelling.  That's fine with me.  I love a ship that isn't full.

[BND]

My sister just volunteered to take us on 4 April and pick us up on19 April.  They know Norfolk really well as they've lived in the Yorktown/NN area for over 35 years.  

Edited March 29 by BND

[renostyle]

Has anyone heard how the passengers currently onboard and due back on the 4th will be transferred from Norfolk to Baltimore?  Will they be on their own or will RC provide bus options?   

[HBE4]

2 hours ago, Rewind said:

I'm crossing my fingers that they will reimburse a hotel night for after the cruise.  Now just need to find out what to do in Norfolk.

 

1 hour ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

Fine print, offering up to $200 for change of plans to include mileage.

I will present receipts for my motel from the night before since I do not want to wake up at 4am in the morning to arrive at noon, too exhausting and too many variables.

 

If I'm reading the email correctly, the up to $200 is for travel expenses (flights, bus, train, or mileage).

 

No mention of overnight accommodations.  You may want to reach out to your TA or Royal for clarification.

 

[toad455]

the one thing that i thought would change would be the departure time out of Norfolk to late evening(8pm or 9pm).

[Engineroom Snipe]

2 hours ago, RFerrington said:

Wow, I’m also surprised that no cancel/refund option was provided.

 

While I am not surprised, my earlier post said a big (BUT IF)

 

Royal Bean Counters are calculating the whole situation.

 

Booking occupancy is at the highest levels we have seen even before Pre-Covid levels

 

Royal can afford to cut their losses and lose a few customers "overboard". (Toy Story, Mr. Potato Head as he tosses 'Woody" overboard from the moving truck.)

 

No FCC or OBC for you!

 

Similar to a Seinfeld Sketch  (No Soup for You!)

[Engineroom Snipe]

21 minutes ago, HBE4 said:

 

 

If I'm reading the email correctly, the up to $200 is for travel expenses (flights, bus, train, or mileage).

 

No mention of overnight accommodations.  You may want to reach out to your TA or Royal for clarification.

 

Got you. I might only get a bit of mileage out of the offer. I just want to get that email stating that I do not qualify for the hotel expenses and gently place it in my post review of the cruise experience.

 

"Would you recommend your friends or family for a Royal Caribbean experience?"

 

Well, kinda no because there are so many costs that I am used to but rather hard to explain when they get that final bill.

 

I have cruised for 35 years but it is hard to convey all of the add-ons and possible pit-falls to my children without them looking at me and going.,,,,

 

 

😲

Edited March 29 by Engineroom Snipe
grammer

[BND]

27 minutes ago, renostyle said:

Has anyone heard how the passengers currently onboard and due back on the 4th will be transferred from Norfolk to Baltimore?  Will they be on their own or will RC provide bus options?   

Those onboard will be receiving a letter about that.  Pretty sure they will be bussed back to Baltimore just like Carnival is doing.  

[smokeybandit]

12 minutes ago, BND said:

Those onboard will be receiving a letter about that.  Pretty sure they will be bussed back to Baltimore just like Carnival is doing.  

Surely not everyone will bus back to Baltimore, but that's still a ton of buses to corral.

[BND]

8 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Surely not everyone will bus back to Baltimore, but that's still a ton of buses to corral.

Carnival's doing it on Sunday.  It just means chartering what they can find.

 

Edited March 29 by BND

[KmomChicago]

9 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Surely not everyone will bus back to Baltimore, but that's still a ton of buses to corral.

Over on the Carnival board someone said they had lined up 70 buses for the mass transfer to Baltimore this week. They are assuming nearly everyone will take the free ride. I believe the capacity is similar on both ships.

[Engineroom Snipe]

2 minutes ago, KmomChicago said:

Over on the Carnival board someone said they had lined up 70 buses for the mass transfer to Baltimore this week. They are assuming nearly everyone will take the free ride. I believe the capacity is similar on both ships.

70x50=3500

 

Keep those buses rolling, Rawhide!

[Oldflinger]

Hey all youse gals and guys how about sending the following to RCCL:

 

We all received your info on Vision leaving from Norfolk.  

 

Regarding transportation to Norfolk: have you guys cinsidered providing bus service from parking at Baltimore cruise port to Norfolk and return?  i think many would take advantage of this.  It wouod be nice if gratis bbut I think people would be happy to pay reasonable price, especially if parking at Baltimore was free.

[smokeybandit]

I would guess Baltimore does have a lower percentage of fly-ins than most ports.

But I'd sure be looking at changing flights to Norfolk if I flew in.

[KmomChicago]

3 minutes ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

70x50=3500

 

Keep those buses rolling, Rawhide!

Yeah perhaps not stuffing them completely; Legend max is just under 2700 and Vision just over 2500. With spring break and recent demand likely both are at those numbers.

[Engineroom Snipe]

1 minute ago, Oldflinger said:

Hey all youse gals and guys how about sending the following to RCCL:

 

We all received your info on Vision leaving from Norfolk.  

 

Regarding transportation to Norfolk: have you guys cinsidered providing bus service from parking at Baltimore cruise port to Norfolk and return?  i think many would take advantage of this.  It wouod be nice if gratis bbut I think people would be happy to pay reasonable price, especially if parking at Baltimore was free.

You might have a point. Lots of parking at Baltimore Terminal not being used.

 

Revenue for Baltimore Terminal and savings for cruisers.

 

Organized busing to Norfolk and back.

 

A great idea you gave them for free but I appreciate you.

[Rewind]

32 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

But I'd sure be looking at changing flights to Norfolk if I flew in.

 

Already made our flight changes.

 

If anyone is staying in Norfolk through the 20th, there is the NATO Parade of Nations.

[CruiseBride926]

1 hour ago, renostyle said:

Has anyone heard how the passengers currently onboard and due back on the 4th will be transferred from Norfolk to Baltimore?  Will they be on their own or will RC provide bus options?   

We haven’t heard anything regarding that but I think we’re all just assuming we’ll be bussed. We were supposed to receive a letter tonight but as of now still haven’t gotten anything.

[Engineroom Snipe]

56 minutes ago, KmomChicago said:

Yeah perhaps not stuffing them completely; Legend max is just under 2700 and Vision just over 2500. With spring break and recent demand likely both are at those numbers.

Everyone is under enough stress. It is a good idea to let them have some elbow space.

 

They will not be in the best of moods on this journey.

[LB_NJ]

Are they planning on staying in Norfolk through the rest of 2024?

 

If they can't get back by the end of drydock then they can't get back without canceling a cruise or cutting another cruise a day short.

[TPKeller]

4 hours ago, BND said:

Nope.  Legend leaves for a TA on 15 April.  Read the email I posted.  It says why they are ending it a day early.

 

ETA: See update at the end!

 

As others have noted, it does not say the "why!"

"Unfortunately, we will need to shorten our cruise by one day and return to Norfolk on April 19^th, 2024, instead of coming home on the April 20^th, 2024."

The next sentence gives a reason for skipping a port (Nassau), but that is not why they are ending a day early.

Quite bluntly, unless there is a schedule conflict with the port in Norfolk on the 20th, this makes absolutely no sense.  Norfolk is about 7 hours closer to the ocean than Baltimore on both ends of the cruise.  That literally gives them an additional 14 hours of cruise time from start to finish, so it simply cannot be only a time and distance problem if they were prepared to sail that original itinerary from Baltimore.

I checked one of my normally reliable sources, but did not see any cruise ships scheduled for Norfolk on the 20th, so I am at a loss for the reason they would have shortened the cruise.

UPDATE:  A later post mentioned that there is a large parade in downtown Norfolk on the 20th.  The NATO Parade of Nations. This very well may be the reason for the shortened itinerary!

Theron

Edited March 29 by TPKeller

[TPKeller]

1 hour ago, Rewind said:

If anyone is staying in Norfolk through the 20th, there is the NATO Parade of Nations.

 

Thanks for posting this!  I am guessing this parade is why RCCL had to shorten the 4/12 sailing, returning to port on the 19th instead of the 20th.  The web page for the parade shows the route right in front of the cruise terminal, and the parade starts at 10 AM!

 

Theron

[smokeybandit]

5 minutes ago, TPKeller said:

 

Thanks for posting this!  I am guessing this parade is why RCCL had to shorten the 4/12 sailing, returning to port on the 19th instead of the 20th.  The web page for the parade shows the route right in front of the cruise terminal, and the parade starts at 10 AM!

 

Theron

Good sleuthing there.

[TPKeller]

4 hours ago, BND said:

Nope.  Legend leaves for a TA on 15 April.  Read the email I posted.  It says why they are ending it a day early.

 

I think I found the actual reason.  The City of Norfolk is hosting a two-hour long parade, starting at 10AM, that walks right by the cruise terminal!  No possible way to turn around 5,000 passengers in the middle of all that!!  😄

Theron

[TPKeller]

3 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Good sleuthing there.

I'm guessing THAT is what Royal Caribbean was dealing with during what everyone was sweating out waiting for their announcement!!

One positive note... if they want, they can stick around an extra day to watch the parade!  😁

Theron

Edited March 29 by TPKeller