Royal Caribbean Dropping 7-8 Day Cruises to Bermuda

[Imagolfnut]

We had a GREAT TIME on the 8-day Empress of the Seas sailing - good weather and warm temps. That extra day makes a big difference.

 

Hence, my concern, and many of my other fellow cruisers as well -- Royal Caribbean is not offering any more 7 or 8 night cruises to Bermuda!! This really stinks -- to pay a big price for a 5-day Voyager cruise only to have an overnighter in Bermuda is insane.

 

Is there any way, or any place that we can voice our unhappiness with RCCL's decision to drop the 8-day Bermuda cruise? We want the 8-day (or at least a 7-day) cruise back!! I know that Celebrity Zenith will still be doing a 7-day cruise to Bermuda, but we enjoy RCCL so much more. Their staff and crew are terrific and the Empress was beautiful, neat and clean after her over-haul. Portafino's was awsome!

 

I hope that others will joint in to make RCCL aware that many of us are very unhappy that they are dropping the 7 or 8 night Bermuda cruises. How about a Voyager 8-day cruise to Bermuda - now that would be the ultimate answer!!

 

Royal Caribb - bring back the 8-days to Bermuda (or at least 7)!!!

[AuntieBon]

I loved sailing on Empress and was sad to read that she won't be making the 8 day cruise and in fact RCL has discontinued it all together.

 

Seems to me that they had a unique offering with the 8 day that was popular. One night in Bermuda just isn't enough so I'll be heading back to Norwegian and the Majesty for future trips :(

[Host Kewlguy]

As with everything else it's all about money. Royal Caribbean can make much more money sending the Voyager to Bermuda for a 5 day cruise (34 hours in port), rather than a 8 day cruise (5 days in port) Empress. As long as the customers book next years Voyager cruise (which they are doing) the days of extended stays in Bermuda for Royal Caribbean are history. I will be sailing to Bermuda on Celebrity from now on. I think when people realize they will be stuck out on Kings Wharf for a 34 hour stay the Voyager to Bermuda cruise will lose it's popularity. We love Bermuda and we love the Voyager but it is not a good match in this case. Imagine 3000+ cruisers rushing off the ship at King's Wharf for their 34 hour stay. Not a pretty sight. If you think you will get a bus or ferry without a VERY long wait you will be in for a big surprise.

[AuntieBon]

... I think when people realize they will be stuck out on Kings Wharf for a 34 hour stay the Voyager to Bermuda cruise will lose it's popularity.

 

34 hours is hard to take, being in Kings Wharf only makes it that much harder to enjoy the island. Tough to get around when you're docked there.

[bUU]

Good point, kewlguy. Customers get to vote on business decisions with their wallets! The time to voice one's preference for a product or service is when it is offered, by buying it. (Paying top-dollar for it counts at two votes! :))

[Host Kewlguy]

Hi AuntieBon,

 

You know what I'm talking about since our cruise was stuck on Kings Wharf for three days last month.

[Host Kewlguy]

Yes, I do not anyone to mistake my comment as a knock on the Voyager in any way. It's just not a good match in my opinion. Especially for a 4+ day cruise (Ship leaves Bayonne at 10pm). I refuse to book this cruise and if others do the same we can get Royal Caribbean to reverse their decision eventually. This has also had a trickle down affect on the prices of the Zenith cruise for 2005. The prices are extremely high and selling out quickly. I booked the Zenith to Bermuda next year sailing the last week in April and within 2 weeks the price of the cruise went up nearly $200.00.

[AuntieBon]

Hi AuntieBon,

 

You know what I'm talking about since our cruise was stuck on Kings Wharf for three days last month.

 

Yes, and having that be your ONE & ONLY stop on Bermuda really would stink. I loved the Empress but I'll look at the other ships before I would even consider Voyager. Just not worth it for 34 hours. With the exception of Bermuda, for me the ship is the destination and the ports a nice change of pace. For Bermuda it's definately the port that matters to me.

[Host Kewlguy]

Auntiebon,

 

We still have plenty of room in our cabin if you would like to join us for our sailing to Bermuda next week out of Norfolk. 8 day cruise, 5 days in port, 4 days in Hamilton, 1 day in St. George's, 0 days in Kings Wharf.

[Host Kewlguy]

Good point, kewlguy. Customers get to vote on business decisions with their wallets! The time to voice one's preference for a product or service is when it is offed, by buying it. (Paying top-dollar for it counts at two votes! :))

 

Bicker: The people and their money make the final decision for Royal Caribbean. That is why the Canada cruises are ending next year out of Bayonne. They were not selling well enough. People have more power than they realize.

[bUU]

Exactly. I just noticed that there were two letters missing from my message... "offered" -- not "offed"! LOL!

 

I hadn't heard that the Canadian cruises from New York were being discontinued. The Boston cruises aren't affected, right?

[Host Kewlguy]

Jewel will still be sailing out of Boston for the fall foliage cruises but they are pricey. Another point regarding the extended stays in Bermuda is the fact that they have to keep the casino's closed while in port as well as the shops. Imagine the loss of money there. I hate to think one day the extended stays will be a thing of the past.

[AuntieBon]

Auntiebon,

 

We still have plenty of room in our cabin if you would like to join us for our sailing to Bermuda next week out of Norfolk. 8 day cruise, 5 days in port, 4 days in Hamilton, 1 day in St. George's, 0 days in Kings Wharf.

 

But heading to Atlanta the beginning of November and I think the boss would kill me if I took more time off :p

[Ocean Boy]

Another point regarding the extended stays in Bermuda is the fact that they have to keep the casino's closed while in port as well as the shops. Imagine the loss of money there. I hate to think one day the extended stays will be a thing of the past.

I think that might be part of the reason why Bermuda cruises seem to typically be more expensive than Caribbean cruises. It offsets the lost onboard revenue. The other side of the coin is that the ship sits there for four days not burning up any fuel which helps recover some of that revenue.

 

I said from the very beginning that I didn't think Voyager and Bermuda were a good match. They are both destinations in of themselves. Neither gets the attention that it deserves in this case.

 

If extended stays in Bermuda become a thing of the past then cruising to Bermuda will become a thing of the past for me.

[Host Kewlguy]

Another reason cruise prices to Bermuda are more expensive is because the port fees in Bermuda are so high compared to Caribbean Islands. If the cruise lines stop sailing to Bermuda we would be forced to fly there instead. Not a pleasant thought.

[madelinerose]

We're booked on the 5-day Grandeur to Bermuda from Baltimore in November 2005.

 

We will have no problem docking in King's Wharf. We simply rent mopeds, don our helmets, DH drives, I hop on the back and we tour the entire island. We know where our favorite places are and we can get anywhere quickly.

 

Many posters have a problem with spending only 34 hours in Bermuda. We won't find it a problem at all. At many other ports, the average seems to be 10 hours or so.

 

Booked an aft corner JS and we'll have a ball! ;) Great mini-vacation for us!

 

I had checked the Zenith, but there are no balcony staterooms, and, imho, I wouldn't/couldn't cruise without a balcony.

[CruisFran]

We've said it before...and we'll say it again!! RCI....BRING BACK THE EMPRESS OF THE SEA FOR BERMUDA CRUISES FROM BAYONNE NJ.

 

Bermuda is wonderful!! Voyager is a great ship we're sure!! But is NOT a match!!! An overnighter in Bermuda is NOT enough for those MANY of us that cruise to Bermuda for the DESTINATION!!!

 

ARE YOU LISTENING RCI???

[Host Kewlguy]

To me a balcony is not important if I'm going on a cruise with only two sea days. Why would I need a balcony in Bermuda when I'm in port for 4 days? To stare at the traffic and a parking lot? I can do that from my oceanview window. Plus I'm rarely on the ship in port anyway, except to eat and sleep.

 

Fran: As long as people book the 4+ day mini Bermuda cruise, extended stays in Bermuda on Royal Caribbean are over. Unfortunately we all have to pay for the ignorance of others

[Imagolfnut]

I'm so glad the rest of you agree with me - dropping the 8-day Empress cruise to Bermuda is a big mistake.

 

I just love being in Bermuda for 4 days and I really don't care where we're docked. I've found on our trip last week that I actually preferred being at King's Wharf (and we did dock at all 3 ports). There wasn't the traffic, congestion, and fumes of Hamilton and St. George, and with the buses and high speed ferry (plus the cabs) getting around was no problem at all.

 

I love the Empress, but even if they gave us a different ship, give us back our 7 or 8 day cruise!!!! THe Voyager for 5 days is not the answer!! Now, if they ran the Voyager like they did the Empress this year - alternating 6 days and 8 days - that would be a great fit!! What's the chance of that happening - lol. The Voyager is a beautiful ship, but I will never sail her for 5 days to Bermuda!!!

 

Hopefully, enough people will complain that RCCL will listen. Otherwise, I'll be back on Celebrity or any other line that will give me an extended stay in Bermuda.

 

I'd love to know WHY RCCL is doing this? I plan to write them direct and have already written my TA to see if they would also pass on our unhappiness with this change.

 

I'm hoping that Royal Caribb monitors these boards also and will take the hint!! Let's keep the pressure on them!!

 

SOS - Save our Ship (The Empress) and the 8-day cruise!!!!!!!!

or give us a reasonable alternative!!

[Host Kewlguy]

Royal Caribbean does monitor the boards. We can complain all we want but if people book the mini Bermuda cruise nothing will change. I agree with all your comments except Kings Wharf. We have no interest in ever going there again. Just a matter of opinion. When docked in Hamilton you can go shopping and drop your packages off on the ship and head back out for more activities. Kings Wharf is out in the boondocks. Not near anything. Ferry and bus is a half hour to Hamiliton and an hour to St. George's. That is time wasted when I could be enjoying the Island. We heard of many people being stranded waiting for buses to get back to Kings Wharf at night since they stop running every 15 minutes after 7pm. Cab prices are outrageous. I can easily ride a scooter but do not want to risk ruining my vacation. Just a total pain.

[Tatka]

To me a balcony is not important if I'm going on a cruise with only two sea days. Why would I need a balcony in Bermuda when I'm in port for 4 days? To stare at the traffic and a parking lot? I can do that from my oceanview window. Plus I'm rarely on the ship in port anyway, except to eat and sleep.

 

Fran: As long as people book the 4+ day mini Bermuda cruise, extended stays in Bermuda on Royal Caribbean are over. Unfortunately we all have to pay for the ignorance of others

THen go with Celebrity. Have you ever sailed on X? Wonderful line, great food and service.:) Although it won't hurt RCI pockets.;)

[Imagolfnut]

Well, let's hope that enough people don't book the 5-day Voyager!! I think that's insane.

 

There is an 8-day Voyager repositioning cruise on May 7th from Miami to Bayonne that has a good itinerary and great price - now something like that is fine, and I may try that one with my brothers and family -- but 5 days to Bermuda - they're nuts!!

 

PS - I'm not knocking the Voyager; I understand she's a beauty!! But, I'd be just as happy with the Empress.

[tinker]

I have to agree 500% with Marge (met at the Meet and Mingle) as we were also on the 10/2/04 Empress sailing and the first time for the ship and Bermuda. The entire experience was OUTSTANDING!

If the same cruise were available for 2005 we would have booked again right on the ship. I am in full agreement that Voyager has too many passengers and too little time and is not a fit for Bermuda.

 

I have the perfect answer and request the Enchantment of Seas for Bermuda if we can't have the Empress back!!!

 

RC, bring back the 7 and 8 night Bermuda itineraries!!!

[Ocean Boy]

Reading through this thread gave me this thought. Maybe RCI is figuring that people who want to do a week trip to Bermuda can go Celebrity and those who want the shorter cruise can go RCI. The money ends up in the same place without offering a nearly identicle type of cruise with both lines of the company.

[bUU]

I checked out that 8-day itinerary when we were first talking about cruises a while ago, and gosh I really didn't like the idea. Days at sea in a row, and then just blipping from one dock to another on the same island for a few days? Didn't appeal to me. I even chose the 5 port Southern Caribbean itinerary over the 4 port one, just to have more port-calls, see more places during the week, etc.