Royal Caribbean Dropping 7-8 Day Cruises to Bermuda

[Imagolfnut]

You're right - on relooking at the 8-day repositioning cruise from Miami to NY, it is too many days at sea for me (I get sea sick). I was enticed by Aruba - have never been there.

 

BRING BACK THE 8-DAY BERMUDA CRUISE FROM BAYONNE!!!

[elron]

I'm also not too pleased with RCI's decision with one day in port at the beautiful island of Bermuda! RCI, come on now!

[Imagolfnut]

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.

 

That's a thought, but in that case they should make the benefits interchangeable; i.e. Crown & Anchor member benefits, savings certificates, discounts, etc. I'd go for that. I have nothing against Celebrity - they have great food! But I really like RCCL's staff & crew. As far as I'm concerned, they're the friendliest on the seas (at least they were on my three sailings on the Empress and Song of America!). As you can see, I'm a Bermuda nut (maybe I should change my login name.

[bingo3]

kewlguy, I wouldn't call people "ignorant" because they book the shorter cruise, everyone is different, just because you prefer the longer cruise doesn't mean everyone does, and judging by the fact that the prices have already increased by at least $150.00 since they were posted, there must be a lot of "ignorant" people booking out there. Everyone has different tastes and expectations, that doesn't make them ignorant. Like other posters have said, if the market doesn't like the cruise, it won't last, it still doesn't make those who choose it "ignorant". It's just a choice.

 

And as stated above, Celebrity, also owned by RCL, is continuing the longer cruises, as well as NCL, so there are options for those who want a longer cruise and one that doesn't dock at King's Wharf.

[madelinerose]

kewlguy......A balcony is always important to me and I am not ignorant, thank you! :mad: I have been to Bermuda 4 times and know my way around, and we do not stand in line for a bus or ferry. We've also found nothing wrong with Kings Wharf. Hamilton is the tourist trap. There's much more to see in Bermuda.

 

Personally, I would love an 8 day cruise to Bermuda, but if it doesn't exist on the vessel I choose, it doesn't exist. Amen! I will, again, have a 20 minute drive to the port and a wonderful time.

 

Just an FYI, kewlguy, all the suites on our cruise are already gone. Therefore, I'm not the only ignorant cruiser! :rolleyes:

 

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

[tinker]

Bicker,

After you go to Bermuda your opinion might change. On the eight night itinerary we had last week on the Empress, 4 1/2 days on Bermuda was not nearly enough time to experience this most beautiful destination.

Now I know why many of the people we met at our Meet and Mingle and elsewhere on the ship have cruised more than once and some up to 11 times to Bermuda.

Try it and I guarantee you too will be hooked on this most enjoyable island.

[Host Kewlguy]

It's funny how this threat has taken off. I did not mean ignorant as a putdown. I meant ignorant to the fact that people will be stuck at Kings Wharf for 34 hours. Also most people do not rent a scooter as you do and cannot see as much as you can in that short time. I apologize if you took my comment as directed towards you. It wasn't. The balcony subject is a matter of opinion. If I sail the Caribbean for a 9 day cruise I want a balcony too, but if I'm booking a cruise with only 2 days at sea the balcony is not a necessity. Ignorant sounds like a bad word but it simply means uninformed.

 

04/23/04 - Bermuda - Carnival Legend

09/18/04- Bermuda - RCCL-Empress Of The Seas

10/17/04 - Canada - RCCL-Voyager Of The Seas

10/23/04 - Bermuda - Celebrity-Horizon

04/30/05 - Bermuda - Celebrity-Zenith

09/16/05 - Caribbean - RCCL-Grandeur Of The Seas

11/04/05 - Caribbean - RCCL-Voyager Of The Seas

[RichNY]

Bring Back the Empress 8 Day Bermuda Cruise

 

We did it, we loved it...:) :) :)

3000 people at the Dockyard cannot be a good thing...!!!

[CruisFran]

Booking a balcony IS a personal preference....and it is one of ours! Let's put it this way, if a ship has them, we want one! First was in 1994 I believe, on the Dreamward. Have been hooked since! We even had a balcony on a 1 night cruise on the NCL Sun a few years back. Nothing like having a breath of air, weather check, etc., just a few steps away!

 

As to Kings Wharf: Several of our Bermuda cruises we spent all, or the majority of time at Kings Wharf and never found it to be a problem. We would rather move to 2 or 3 ports, even on this small island...each is vastly different. The only problem we see with Kings Wharf is two-fold...too many people on the Voyager/Granduer, and only an overnighter in Bermuda.....Certainly NOT our choice!!!

 

21 cruises and counting....14 of which were to Bermuda!!

 

RCI...listen up!! Bring back the Empress to Bermuda!

[bUU]

After you go to Bermuda your opinion might change.

Perhaps. We recently had lunch with old friends we haven't seen for a while. They're avid cruisers, and mostly on Celebrity to Bermuda. They clear love it. (By the same token, they're beach folks, something which we just aren't, and I'm not really sure on what their proclivity is based.)

[bUU]

It's funny how this threat has taken off. I did not mean ignorant as a putdown.

I believe you, kewlguy. Your experience, though, points out an advantage to being so deliberate (and wordy!) in my messages -- much less chance of being misinterpreted.

 

I meant ignorant to the fact that people will be stuck at Kings Wharf for 34 hours.

I'll suggest you exclusively use the word you came up with to explain your use of "ignorant" instead of using the word "ignorant" itself: "uninformed." It is surely a more neutral alternative to "ignorant," a word that always carries with it baggage you just don't need! :)

[bingo3]

Even the word "uninformed" would not be the best to use. Believe me, we reading these boards have been very much informed of those opinions that an overnight in Bermuda is not enough, nor is a stay at Kings Wharf acceptable to them. It's just a choice, and no one person's choice, whether a 5 day, 7 day or 8 day cruise, is right or wrong, bad or good. It's up to the individual which is right for them.

 

It is clear a number of people would like to see the 8 day on a smaller RCCL vessel returned. It's also clear a number of people prefer a larger vessel and are accepting of the shorter cruise. But, as stated, if it ends up not being a cruise that does well, I'm sure RCCL will do something about it. I personally would like the longer cruise myself, but prefer a larger vessel. 7-8 days on VOS would be great, but that wouldn't solve the Kings Wharf dilemma for those who don't like it there.

 

I would also hope that Bermuda would step up bus/ferry service for the short period the Voyager and Grandeur are in port. It would certainly be to their advantage to get people out over the island and not keep them on/near the ship.

[madelinerose]

kewlguy - Apology accepted. I am fully aware of the meaning of the word ignorant. However, I am also not uniformed.

 

We have very different opinions about this cruise. I assume we will agree to disagree.

 

We do not consider docking at Kings Wharf as "being stuck". When DH and I fly to Bermuda, we stay in off-the-beaten-track locations and we never feel "stuck". For us, mopeds are the only way to tour the island.

 

The balcony is a must for me under any circumstance. The thought of having to join the masses on the decks simply to experience the outdoors does not appeal to us. We like to ease into our day and having coffee, in our robes, on our balcony is the only way to go for us. We also enjoy ending the evening on the balcony and we will do both for the entire 5 days, not just on sea days.;)

 

It's funny how this threat has taken off. I did not mean ignorant as a putdown. I meant ignorant to the fact that people will be stuck at Kings Wharf for 34 hours. Also most people do not rent a scooter as you do and cannot see as much as you can in that short time. I apologize if you took my comment as directed towards you. It wasn't. The balcony subject is a matter of opinion. If I sail the Caribbean for a 9 day cruise I want a balcony too, but if I'm booking a cruise with only 2 days at sea the balcony is not a necessity. Ignorant sounds like a bad word but it simply means uninformed.

 

04/23/04 - Bermuda - Carnival Legend

09/18/04- Bermuda - RCCL-Empress Of The Seas

10/17/04 - Canada - RCCL-Voyager Of The Seas

10/23/04 - Bermuda - Celebrity-Horizon

04/30/05 - Bermuda - Celebrity-Zenith

09/16/05 - Caribbean - RCCL-Grandeur Of The Seas

11/04/05 - Caribbean - RCCL-Voyager Of The Seas

[Host Kewlguy]

This is a perfect example of people's difference of opinion. Which makes life interesting. Imagine what a boring world we would live in if we all agreed on everything. Some find a balcony a necessity even on a short cruise, some don't. Some like Kings Wharf, some don't. Some hate the thought of the Voyager in Bermuda for 34 hours. Some don't. At least we can all agree we love Bermuda.

[madelinerose]

Amen!!! ;)

[Ocean Boy]

Wow, all these posts in a row with us all agreeing with one another. :confused:

[tinker]

Now that all of that is settled, lets get back to the purpose of this thread!


RC........PLEASE BRING BACK THE 7 AND 8 NIGHT CRUISES TO BERMUDA!!!!
(and I don't care where you dock them)

[AuntieBon]

[quote name='tinker']Now that all of that is settled, lets get back to the purpose of this thread!


RC........PLEASE BRING BACK THE 7 AND 8 NIGHT CRUISES TO BERMUDA!!!!
(and I don't care where you dock them)[/QUOTE]

I agree. For the 7 or 8 day cruise Kings Wharf isn't a problem. But for those of us not brave enough (myself included) to rent scooters. Staying in the Dockyard for a short cruise is difficult. Not undoable but more challenging!

[Imagolfnut]

Amen!!

All we're asking is for RCI to reconsider and give us back a 7 (preferably 8-day) cruise to Bermuda!!!!

[Host Kewlguy]

Ok, I have a confession. If my only choice was a 7-8 day cruise that was docked in King's Wharf I would book it. But I refuse to do the 34 hour stop over. I just can't do it. It's too depressing leaving after a short stay. Now if I was riding around on a scooter maybe my opinion would be different (but I doubt it). My fiance' is hinting she wants me to get one here and practice for our future Bermuda trips. I hate wearing anything on my head though. She bought me a pair of Bermuda shorts (bright red) and the knee socks so at this point all I need is the tie, short sleeve dress shirt and scooter and I'm good to go. Funny thing is it has actually improved our love life since we returned home. Whenever I put the shorts on she gets this sinister smile on her face. I gave up trying to figure women out a long time ago. I figure whatever works and don't ask questions.
Also the last trip to Bermuda a women drove her scooter off the pier in Hamilton. They had to throw her a rope to fish her out. :)

[madelinerose]

[b]Yes! [/b]Preferably boarding in Baltimore or Philadelphia! ;)

[quote name='tinker']Now that all of that is settled, lets get back to the purpose of this thread!


RC........PLEASE BRING BACK THE 7 AND 8 NIGHT CRUISES TO BERMUDA!!!!
(and I don't care where you dock them)[/QUOTE]

[bUU]

Seems like we've discovered why the 7-8 Day cruises to Bermuda are history:

[url="http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=91140"]http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=91140[/url]

[bingo3]

I guess Bermuda just doesn't get it. One reason so many cruise there is it is too expensive for the ordinary citizen to fly and stay at the resorts, pay for the meals, etc. The cruise ships bring in a lot of people who would otherwise not go at all. Maybe they don't bring in big bucks, but I'll bet all the shore excursions, pubs, restaurants, shops, etc. that cruisers frequent would sure see a big difference in their revenue if no ships visited the island. If it weren't for a cruise, I wouldn't be going myself. Maybe they should bulldoze the resorts if they can't fill them and offer more alternatives to generate revenue from the cruisers!

Back to the thread.....Bermuda and RCCL, let us have 7-8 days cruises on the larger ships!

[bUU]

They apparently would prefer redirecting their limited capacity towards serving customers who can afford "expensive" accommodations rather than "ordinary citizens." The reality is that they don't have to choose between lots and no cruise ships... they can choose a number of cruise ships that is best for their national interest, as they determine that interest.

[Charles4515]

[quote name='AuntieBon']I agree. For the 7 or 8 day cruise Kings Wharf isn't a problem. But for those of us not brave enough (myself included) to rent scooters. Staying in the Dockyard for a short cruise is difficult. Not undoable but more challenging![/QUOTE]

It is not a matter of bravery. Renting a scooter is foolish. Been, there, seen accidents, seen the near misses. As tourists are not familiar with the roads, driving on the other side etc. Tourists get killed every week. They get injured every week. The bus and ferry system is great, I use it every time I go to Bermuda.

I have done several Bermuda cruises and I would never do a five day cruise to the Dockyard, execpt as part of a back to back, the nine day Caribbean cruise and five day cruise. That would be the only way.