Royal to LA

[luv4cruises]

So sorry to see the Discovery leave LA. We were on the Royal out of LA in Feb. 2020. Even though refurbed in 2018 we found worn cabin carpet , rust on the balcony. Can’t have improved in 2024.

also HAL is doing the same - replacing the newer Koningsdam with the Nieu Amsterdam in San Diego. Living in So Cal we enjoy quick  sailings to Mexico on newer ships. Looks like we will have to go to a different port to sail on a newer ship. We would like to see a newer ship in So Cal. 

[Lady Arwen]

Just wanted to add a little to your post.  Hal Koningsdam is a Pinnacle class ship and Nieuw Amsterdam is a Signature class.  NA is one of our favourite HAL ships.  Not new, but in great shape and the perfect size.  I would jump at the opportunity to sail on NA so close to home.  Royal Princess is okay, but was never a favourite.  

[SCX22]

Princess has to do what is right for their business.  Australians deserve a new ship as well (this is where the Discovery is going).  During the cruise restart, the Royal Princess was homeported in San Francisco, my homeport, for a few months.  It was a welcome departure from the old ships that are normally homeported here.  At this point, Princess doesn't have enough ships to go around.

[luv4cruises]

13 hours ago, Lady Arwen said:

Just wanted to add a little to your post.  Hal Koningsdam is a Pinnacle class ship and Nieuw Amsterdam is a Signature class.  NA is one of our favourite HAL ships.  Not new, but in great shape and the perfect size.  I would jump at the opportunity to sail on NA so close to home.  Royal Princess is okay, but was never a favourite.  

I have sailed on both the Nieu Amsterdam and the Koningsdam. I like them both but lamenting the fact that newer ships are leaving So Cal. 

[Cruise Raider]

14 hours ago, SCX22 said:

Princess has to do what is right for their business.  Australians deserve a new ship as well (this is where the Discovery is going).  During the cruise restart, the Royal Princess was homeported in San Francisco, my homeport, for a few months.  It was a welcome departure from the old ships that are normally homeported here.  At this point, Princess doesn't have enough ships to go around.

I loved having the Royal here in SF and took advantage of that as often as possible.  Although we’ve loved our cruises on the Ruby and Crown, mostly due to the crew, I would still love to see. Royal class ship home-ported again in SF in the future … any one of them would be fine with me.  

[sfpd3000]

1 hour ago, Cruise Raider said:

I loved having the Royal here in SF and took advantage of that as often as possible.  Although we’ve loved our cruises on the Ruby and Crown, mostly due to the crew, I would still love to see. Royal class ship home-ported again in SF in the future … any one of them would be fine with me.  

I agree.  We jumped on the Royal four times in six months last year.  I "suggest" home-porting the Royal here on every post cruise survey (a lot of good that does).

[Cruise Raider]

8 minutes ago, sfpd3000 said:

I agree.  We jumped on the Royal four times in six months last year.  I "suggest" home-porting the Royal here on every post cruise survey (a lot of good that does).

I do the same on my surveys.  How else are they going to know?  😂 

 

[robbinsca]

13 hours ago, luv4cruises said:

I have sailed on both the Nieu Amsterdam and the Koningsdam. I like them both but lamenting the fact that newer ships are leaving So Cal. 

Royal has had Navigator of the Seas going out of San Pedro. Nice, newer ship and does three and four day trips, with an occasional 7 days.

[AtlantaCruiser72]

4 minutes ago, robbinsca said:

Royal has had Navigator of the Seas going out of San Pedro. Nice, newer ship and does three and four day trips, with an occasional 7 days.

Navigator of the Seas was built in 2002. At 22 years old she is hardly a “new” ship.  Royal Princess was built in 2013, so a full decade younger. 

[robbinsca]

2 hours ago, AtlantaCruiser72 said:

Navigator of the Seas was built in 2002. At 22 years old she is hardly a “new” ship.  Royal Princess was built in 2013, so a full decade younger. 

Mea Culpa

 

The ship we went on out of San Pedro was Radiance. Navigator has now taken over that itinerary.

[Auntiejo]

Agree with OP. Really sorry to see the Discovery leave LA. We booked one last hoorah this fall on her to Mexico before she’s gone. Hopefully with the Majestic being moved to LA and the changes they’re making to it, we will still have a good option here. 

[SCX22]

36 minutes ago, Auntiejo said:

Agree with OP. Really sorry to see the Discovery leave LA. We booked one last hoorah this fall on her to Mexico before she’s gone. Hopefully with the Majestic being moved to LA and the changes they’re making to it, we will still have a good option here. 

 

Majestic will be short lived in LA.  She's doing a circumnavigation of South America in December 2024 to reposition.  Then will be based on the Atlantic side doing Mediterranean, Canada/New England, and Caribbean cruises.  Royal Princess will replace the Discovery when she departs for the Australia season.

[woodscruise]

53 minutes ago, SCX22 said:

Royal Princess will replace the Discovery when she departs for the Australia season.

Discovery will be 5 years old in 2025 and due for a dry docking. She is schedule in Australia in December after her dry dock in Singapore. Is it possible the only reason she is coming to Australia in the 2025/26 season is because of the proximately of the Singapore drydock? And in 2026/27 Australia reverts to the Royal Princess again?

[SCX22]

18 minutes ago, woodscruise said:

Discovery will be 5 years old in 2025 and due for a dry docking. She is schedule in Australia in December after her dry dock in Singapore. Is it possible the only reason she is coming to Australia in the 2025/26 season is because of the proximately of the Singapore drydock? And in 2026/27 Australia reverts to the Royal Princess again?

 

Too early to say...but if you guys want the Ruby in Australia fine by me, and we'll take the Royal in San Francisco.

[woodscruise]

2 hours ago, SCX22 said:

 

Too early to say...but if you guys want the Ruby in Australia fine by me, and we'll take the Royal in San Francisco.

I don't know if Ruby will be a success in Australia, as this was the ship that made the media headlines down here with Covid19.

[cruisingrob21]

The NA is a great ship - I prefer most non-royal class ships personally, but I really think Holland got the Vista class perfected with the Signature class (NA and Eurodam) which are slightly larger versions of the Vista class ships.  The Koningsdam is a great ship - sorry to see her go, but I think she will be back for Alaska?  Unlike the Royal class ships, the newest HAL ships can fit through the new locks in the panama canal.