Sovereign and Vision class future?!

[bahrain_not_dubai!]

Following the sad withdrawal of the Soverign of the Seas from service, to start a new life with RCI's subsidary Pullmantur in Europe the worlds first purpose built mega cruise ship has ended the first chapter in its life. Since her maiden voyage in 1988 what a long way has Royal come! Yet I cruised on the Legend for 2 weeks in 2005 and I have to say I was completly overcome by the experince. I have visted many ships other than the ones I have sailed on and I cannot say I found a better ship... I felt the Vision class had it just right... the right amount of grandeur and luxury yet anytime you wanted to get active just head out on deck. However following the dilavery of the Jewel in 2004 RCI has announced the Freedom class and from then on taken it one better with Oaises. However I must stress this worries me if given time, the RCI im sure we all love, the RCI we experienced on the Song of Norway, and the Song of America, the RCI which lives on on the Vison class and Sovergin (should we call it Monarch class now?) will be gone. I strongly belive that there will be always a market for thier under 100,000 ton ships and although I know the Radiance class is still here and probably will be for a long time what is to happen to the Vision and more importantly the remainder of the Soverign class? I belive there will always be a market for these ships and if RCI wants to phase them out I think it is vital that they order liners which are round about 70,000 tons to replace them.

 

 

I wanted to ask my Royal commardes!

 

Do you think RCI should build Soverign-esque ships when theyre gone and then Vision-esque ships when theyre gone or from now on build ships which atleast equal Voyager?

 

 

Thanks!!

:D

[FL_Cruiser64]

You are describing my sentiments - to a dot.

 

Oasis is not build to compete on the cruise market for cruisers. Fain has stated as much. Of all vacations in North America only 8% (in Europe 5%) are taking on the high seas. Oasis targets the 92% of vacationers who prefer Disney and Six Flags and Bush Garden over a cruise.

 

My fear always was that RCI will walk away from the cruise ships eventually, which would be a shame.

 

I talked to a lot of crew members over the last few months. The majority wants to stay away from Oasis. Last month on the Majesty when at the C & A party a video was shown of Oasis the applause was rather subdued.

 

I don't think that amongst experienced cruisers with RCI the excitement over Oasis is not as great.

 

Laying all their eggs into the basket Oasis and Allure would be a huge mistake for RCI.

[kyriecat]

We need more RADIANCE!!! class ships!!!!:D I love them! In fact, I just booked another one.

 

I've been on all the Sovereign class (Monarch class now?) vessels and thought they felt a little crowded. I enjoyed the cruises - my first cruise was on Monarch. At the time, I thought it was HUGE! I've also sailed on a couple of the Vision class ships - Rhapsody (I miss her in Galveston!) and Legend. The size of the Vision class is nice, but I like the alternative dining options (Chops and Portofino) that are available on Radiance class and the different balcony options. There's also more open space for lounging on the Radiance vessels.

 

I admit that I haven't sailed on a Voyager or larger class yet. My folks went on Explorer and hated it after being on Radiance. They thought it was more like a combination theme park and mall than a cruise ship and tendering and debarking took too long. I might sail on a Voyager class eventually (I came close to booking Voyager for next year from Galveston) but found Serenade out of San Juan for a little less. I guess I found my niche and am reluctant to leave it.

[bahrain_not_dubai!]

You are describing my sentiments - to a dot.

 

Oasis is not build to compete on the cruise market for cruisers. Fain has stated as much. Of all vacations in North America only 8% (in Europe 5%) are taking on the high seas. Oasis targets the 92% of vacationers who prefer Disney and Six Flags and Bush Garden over a cruise.

 

My fear always was that RCI will walk away from the cruise ships eventually, which would be a shame.

 

I talked to a lot of crew members over the last few months. The majority wants to stay away from Oasis. Last month on the Majesty when at the C & A party a video was shown of Oasis the applause was rather subdued.

 

I don't think that amongst experienced cruisers with RCI the excitement over Oasis is not as great.

 

Laying all their eggs into the basket Oasis and Allure would be a huge mistake for RCI.

 

 

Now I think about it I think youv hit the nail on its head. RCI is no longer trying to market for cruisers... But for the broad audiance... nonetheless I think they can go ahead with that however must NOT forget to keep on catering to us and continue building cruise ships as well as the massive new builds.

[cruiserbryce]

I definatly think that if RC continues to only build the biggest and "best" and leave behind the idea of smaller ships they will certainly get left behind by other lines that can offer new ships and better itineraries because of where there ships can go....while Oasis and Allure may very well be the most innovative ships ever I think their itin. leaves something to be desired...St Marteen, St Thomas and Nassau...really...

[kyriecat]

Something to keep in mind, even though I don't agree with it, is there are a bunch of people out there who say that the SHIP is the destination to them and they don't even get off in port or they just get off for a short time. If they are onboard anyway, RC is offering them a ton of things to see and do (and SPEND their money on!).

 

Just because I think of the ship as transportation and not destination doesn't mean that everyone agrees with me. I don't need a ton of gimmicks - just a ton of good ports.

 

I really enjoyed a Galapagos trip a couple years ago on Xpedition, which is the smallest ship in the X fleet. Talk about no gimmicks!

[Host Kewlguy]

According to everything I've heard and read building smaller ships is not on RCCL's agenda. Adam Goldstein was asked this exact question on the Liberty of the Seas pre Inaugural in the spring of 2007 and said as much. If you want to cruise on smaller ships book an Azamara cruise. That's Royal's way of looking at it, not mine.

[bahrain_not_dubai!]

According to everything I've heard and read building smaller ships is not on RCCL's agenda. Adam Goldstein was asked this exact question on the Liberty of the Seas pre Inaugural in the spring of 2007 and said as much. If you want to cruise on smaller ships book an Azamara cruise. That's Royal's way of looking at it, not mine.

 

 

Then I will have to disagree here. Azmara have small ships. The Soverign and Vision ships are not ''small'' ships. Azmara is in a completly diffrent class. Librety and Allure are not normal sized theyre out of the ordinarly huge! A normal ship would be around 70,000 tons. I agree Royal should never build small ships its not thier thing. What they should build are smaller mega ships if you like along with the hyper mega ships.

[bahrain_not_dubai!]

double post

[kyriecat]

That's also their response if you want a cruise longer than 7 days for the Caribbean. Have you seen the Azamara prices? :eek: It was $1500 pp for a 10-night INISIDE! I was going to pay only slightly more for a concierge class balcony on X Galaxy until they canceled it.

 

The ship is the new destination.:(

[wolfcathorse]

The Sovereign class will be gone by 2012. Both Monarch and Majesty have been sold to RCI's subsidiary companies, Pullmantur and TUI. At the C & A reception on Sovereign last month, Capt Rune told us that after Allure, RCI plans on revisiting the Radiance class and building an improved version of the Radiance class ship. That would seal the fate of the Vision class.

[tpdguru]

If rci plans to keep sailing from tampa and baltimore they will have to keep the vision and soveriegn class ships. Everything larger will not fit under the bridges.

[uksimonusa]

The Sovereign class will be gone by 2012. Both Monarch and Majesty have been sold to RCI's subsidiary companies, Pullmantur and TUI. At the C & A reception on Sovereign last month, Capt Rune told us that after Allure, RCI plans on revisiting the Radiance class and building an improved version of the Radiance class ship. That would seal the fate of the Vision class.

 

Didn't RCCL just sell its share in TUI?

[Cruise_Couple]

At the C & A reception on Sovereign last month, Capt Rune told us that after Allure, RCI plans on revisiting the Radiance class and building an improved version of the Radiance class ship. That would seal the fate of the Vision class.

 

How can you improve on perfection?!

[wolfcathorse]

I stand by my statement, the Sovereign class will be gone. And given RCI's track record, you know they're going to mess with the Radiance class. I love the Vision class and hope RCI doesn't sell off this class. As for TUI, I don't know, but either MJ or MN has been (they inked a deal to) transferred to TUI.

[Host Kewlguy]

I stand by my statement, the Sovereign class will be gone. And given RCI's track record, you know they're going to mess with the Radiance class. I love the Vision class and hope RCI doesn't sell off this class. As for TUI, I don't know, but either MJ or MN has been (they inked a deal to) transferred to TUI.

 

I was told the exact same thing as you. Sovereign Class will be gone in a couple of years. The ships are already sold. Monarch will be next with Majesty to follow. It just hasn't been officially announced yet.

[madra2112]

Didn't RCCL just sell its share in TUI?

 

I don't think RCI ever had a share in TUI. It had a half share in Island Cruises, initially with First Choice, which was then bought out by TUI.

 

RCI has now sold it's share in Island to TUI, and is moving Island Star (previously Celebrity Horizon) to Pullmantur. TUI becvome the sole owners of the Island Cruises brand, which it seems is being discontinued. Island Escape will be used by TUI for what will be a new casual cruising arm of Thomson Cruises in the UK.

[emilygrace]

If Cunard can build the world's largest ship (at the time) and then turn around and build a smaller one (QM2 and then the Queen Victoria), I think RCCL should give it some thought. Bigger is NOT always better.

[Cruising89143]

I don't think RCI ever had a share in TUI. It had a half share in Island Cruises, initially with First Choice, which was then bought out by TUI.

 

RCI has now sold it's share in Island to TUI, and is moving Island Star (previously Celebrity Horizon) to Pullmantur. TUI becvome the sole owners of the Island Cruises brand, which it seems is being discontinued. Island Escape will be used by TUI for what will be a new casual cruising arm of Thomson Cruises in the UK.

 

RCI is partnering with TUI for the German market. They are transferring the Galaxy to the new TUI venture.

http://www.tuicruises.com/

[Cruising89143]

If Cunard can build the world's largest ship (at the time) and then turn around and build a smaller one (QM2 and then the Queen Victoria), I think RCCL should give it some thought. Bigger is NOT always better.

 

Cunard and RCI compete in a totally different arena. RCI has Celebrity for the ones that want something a little smaller. I don't see RCI building anything smaller than the Freedom class for the future.