mattymay

Looks like Bayley is getting his Icon info from the Blog 😀

Looks like Bayley is getting his Icon info from the Blog 😀

Looks like Bayley is getting his Icon info from the Blog 😀

The amount of people that have issues with wearing a mask astounds me (not specifically here..but reading general comments on social media). Just wear it and be grateful you can actually cruise. Some of us are still waiting.. 

I'll wear this.. just bring the ships BACK!!
 

The amount of people that have issues with wearing a mask astounds me (not specifically here..but reading general comments on social media). Just wear it and be grateful you can actually cruise. Some of us are still waiting.. 

Sometimes life is truly difficult

The amount of people that have issues with wearing a mask astounds me (not specifically here..but reading general comments on social media). Just wear it and be grateful you can actually cruise. Some of us are still waiting.. 

The amount of people that have issues with wearing a mask astounds me (not specifically here..but reading general comments on social media). Just wear it and be grateful you can actually cruise. Some of us are still waiting.. 

I'll wear this.. just bring the ships BACK!!
 

The amount of people that have issues with wearing a mask astounds me (not specifically here..but reading general comments on social media). Just wear it and be grateful you can actually cruise. Some of us are still waiting.. 

The amount of people that have issues with wearing a mask astounds me (not specifically here..but reading general comments on social media). Just wear it and be grateful you can actually cruise. Some of us are still waiting.. 

I'll wear this.. just bring the ships BACK!!
 

The amount of people that have issues with wearing a mask astounds me (not specifically here..but reading general comments on social media). Just wear it and be grateful you can actually cruise. Some of us are still waiting.. 

The amount of people that have issues with wearing a mask astounds me (not specifically here..but reading general comments on social media). Just wear it and be grateful you can actually cruise. Some of us are still waiting.. 

I'll wear this.. just bring the ships BACK!!
 

The amount of people that have issues with wearing a mask astounds me (not specifically here..but reading general comments on social media). Just wear it and be grateful you can actually cruise. Some of us are still waiting.. 

The amount of people that have issues with wearing a mask astounds me (not specifically here..but reading general comments on social media). Just wear it and be grateful you can actually cruise. Some of us are still waiting.. 

The amount of people that have issues with wearing a mask astounds me (not specifically here..but reading general comments on social media). Just wear it and be grateful you can actually cruise. Some of us are still waiting.. 

The amount of people that have issues with wearing a mask astounds me (not specifically here..but reading general comments on social media). Just wear it and be grateful you can actually cruise. Some of us are still waiting.. 

Like most deployment decisions it's about where they can make more money not only with a specific ship but overall. 
Alaska is a money maker.  Enchantment is a way to have the most berths ever while not over-saturating the market.    
Here's Why
They've got two newer ships in Quantum and Ovation.  Between the two over 8,000 berths.  
They've got Radiance doing what she does best, where she makes the most money year after year after year.  One way open jaw Alaska.  Another 2k+ berths.  Now we are over 10,000 berths in Alaska without including ship #4.
The market in Alaska is not infinite.  They can't keep adding berths and not reach a point they will oversaturate the market.  
So how do you squeak out just a little more from Alaska without going too far?  Another small ship but also a low risk ship.
In Alaska most people will recognize they are there for Alaska, the ship is not the destination, Alaska is the destination.  For those that demand to have the latest with tons to do they have two Q class in Alaska.  For those that want to get more into Alaska and don't care about the ship, the fourth ship that goes to Alaska doesn't matter so much.  Introducing Enchantment.  Stretched so her capacity is up compared to her sisters in class but still on the small ship scale yet a small bump over Serenade in terms of berths.  It's the biggest small ship in the fleet (at double occupancy) and has 69 more staterooms compared to Serenade.
Another 2,200 berths in Alaska and the most ever.  For 2023 well over 12,000 berths in Alaska which is the most they have ever had but with a cross section of the fleet from new, large and modern to smaller and more classic.  Enchantment is the path to increase capacity to the maximum without bringing in something big like Voyager class that might oversaturate the market and could lead to a decrease in overall revenue.
It's a low risk move to an extent.  Enchantment will make more money in Alaska compared to being in Baltimore.  That's almost guaranteed.  That satisfies that core fundamental of Royal - put ships where they make more money.  At the same time the Vancouver round trip is not a proven route.  That is a new route for Royal.  It's not a bad route, it's actually a pretty great route (double glacier some weeks), but it is new to Royal.  Serenade does it in 2022 (hopefully) but that season is not in the books yet.  It's still unproven from a business perspective.  Enchantment is a good fit because it's low risk relative to other choices and it will make more money compared to placing her in Baltimore.  It's not that they don't make money in Baltimore.  It's about making more money in Alaska. 
The same core fundamental Royal logic applies to Serenade.  Where can they place her for the northern summer of 2023 where she will make more money ideally with lower risk?  Time will tell what they have in store for her.  Australia is also a lucrative market.  Put a ship there and it sells. Maybe they go for year round from Oz with Serenade?  Bold move, less risk with a reasonably sized ship for a class that has performed well in that market.  Who knows?  
Where ever they place Serenade for the northern summer of 2023 it will be where they feel they will maximize revenue potential for that ship and if it's not Alaska it has to be somewhere else that is a lucrative market.  Time will tell.
For Royal it's not exactly a chess match where they have to position the pieces carefully to win the game but they do have to sit back and look at the big picture with an overall strategy in mind.  In that sense it is like a chess match that never ends.  Meanwhile us cruisers tend to focus on one market at a time.   We don't always see the big picture.  Enchantment in Alaska frees up another game piece to position somewhere else.  The choice to place Enhancement in Alaska could be strategic in nature.  

Ready to go.. happy booking!
 

Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) - these guys have no clue! We're 90+% vaccinated for god's sake.
Starting to feel like even 22/23 won't happen at this stage.
 

Bookable for me.. provided I want to pay $10k for a balcony. 😉
 

Dear Travel Partner,
We've continued working on our Royal Comeback and bringing our entire fleet back on the seas. As we review and analyze our itinerary plans, we've decided to reposition some of our ships to offer our guests the very best experiences. Our original plan for Harmony of the Seas was to offer sailings departing from Orlando, Florida in late 2022. Instead, Harmony of the Seas will begin sailing out of Ft. Lauderdale and Miami, Florida. Unfortunately, this means your clients' original sailing will be cancelled.
However, the good news is, Wonder of the Seas - our newest and latest flagship - will now take its place and will offer similar itineraries. So, we'll automatically move your clients to the Wonder of the Seas sailing departing on the same day as their original Harmony of the Seas cruise. This way, they'll still have the opportunity to enjoy a sailing similar to what they were looking forward to with many of the same features - but now on our newest ship! We hope they're as excited as we are.
There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to shifting sailings and rebooking guests, so please bear with us as we work to make this process easier for you and your clients. We'll begin moving reservations on December 17th, 2021. We expect moves for individual bookings to be complete by January 14th, 2022 and by February 4th, 2022 for all group bookings. We'll send an updated reservation confirmation with the revised details to the email address on file as soon as their reservation has been completely updated.
Below is a message we kindly ask you to please share with your clients that have an impacted sailing. As always, thank you for your support and partnership, and stay healthy!
Dear Guest,
We've continued working on our Royal Comeback and bringing our entire fleet back on the seas. As we review and analyze our itinerary plans, we've decided to reposition some of our ships to offer our guests the very best experiences. Our original plan for Harmony of the Seas was to offer sailings departing from Orlando, Florida in late 2022. Instead, Harmony of the Seas will begin sailing out of Ft. Lauderdale and Miami, Florida.
However, the good news is, Wonder of the Seas - our newest and latest flagship - will now take its place and will offer similar itineraries! So, starting December 17th, 2021, we'll automatically move you to the Wonder of the Seas sailing departing on the same day as your original Harmony of the Seas cruise. You'll enjoy your sailing in a like for like stateroom, and all your amenities will remain the same.
Your vacation is important to us. While we're confident you'll have an amazing time onboard and enjoy many of the same features as Harmony of the Seas - but now on our newest ship - we still want you to have the flexibility to make the best decision for you and those in your party. Below, we've outlined your options along with a few additional details.
Option 1: Stay onboard the Wonder of the Seas cruise
We'll automatically move you to the Wonder of the Seas sailing departing on the same day as your original cruise. So, there's nothing for you to do! Your new sailing will still offer the same beautiful ports of call as your original cruise, and it'll depart from the same destination. We'll move you to a like-for-like stateroom and your original stateroom category price will either be protected at your original cruise fare rate or reduced to the current cruise fare rate (whichever is lower). This excludes taxes, fees, gratuities, and other non-cruise fare items. If you were already paid in full and your cruise fare rate decreases, we'll provide you with a refund for any difference in pricing. You can expect to receive your refund to your original form of payment 30 days after we move you. Kindly note, refund times may vary depending on your financial institution. We'll send an updated reservation confirmation with your revised details to the email address on file as soon as your reservation has been completely updated with the pricing fully adjusted. Option 2: Select a 100% Refund
If you no longer wish to sail, we'll be sad to see you go. We'll process a full refund of any paid portion of your cruise fare to the original form(s) of payment, including any non-refundable deposit. You can expect to receive your refund 30 days after you submit your refund request. If you booked your airfare through Royal Caribbean International, it will be automatically refunded to you. However, if you booked on your own, please contact the service provider directly for your options with them. Lastly, if you used a Future Cruise Credit on this sailing, and you request a refund instead, we'll refund any NEW funds paid above the certificate amount, and we'll reinstate your original certificate. There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to shifting an entire season of sailings and rebooking all guests, so please bear with us as we work to make this process as easy as possible for you. All moves will be completed by January 14th, 2022, and we'll send an updated reservation confirmation with your revised details to the email address on file as soon as your reservation has been completely updated with the pricing fully adjusted. If you prefer to cancel your cruise, please call us at 888-281-9344 or contact your Travel Advisor by January 10th, 2022. And know, hold times may be longer than usual. If we haven't heard from you by January 10th, 2022, you'll remain booked on the alternate Wonder of the Seas sailing.
If you have any questions, please contact your Travel Advisor immediately or contact us at: