Zambia-Zaire

8 hours ago, twangster said:

If you renamed Celebrity Edge to Royal Caribbean Edge and they operated it under the RCI brand you've got the newer smaller ship that can do the canal minus the water slides and zip lines.  They are unlikely to do that so for those guests seeking newer but smaller ships look towards Celebrity.  

LoL...although Celebrity is under the RIG umbrella, the two brands have vastly different personality. The Atmosphere & Environment on Celebrity is not the same Vibe that Royal have. Royal is its own Brand in itself...and they not only are innovating; but, ahead of the curve looking forward. So, I certainly can see, with new younger, more modern thinking leadership, replacing Fain a slight change in approach, geared toward what I'm suggesting...as well as, what JasonOasis & JohnK5404 theorize, as a possible train of thought.

On 10/20/2022 at 5:49 AM, Firefly said:

I highly doubt our family will sail Icon as we prefer the more relaxed smaller and midsized ships. Oasis class, and now Icon, are just way too big for us - too many people, lines and crowds. We cruise to relax, chill and enjoy the culture of ports, but I know many cruise for the ship. Icon will no doubt be a hit with families. 

Reasons why I wish Royal would consider building a smaller version of the Oasis Class w/o the water slides, dry slide, & Aqua Theater. Just a version of CP & BW(with an infinity pool in the back)... capable of docking at any number of ports & trans versing the Canal.

If it was as, you convey... I don't know why Royal don't just do away with testing all together... what's the holdup?

It's a 360 Imax Perception Theater

At some point, Royal is going to have to cut ties & bring something new, more entertaining, and modern. 

4 hours ago, Jmccaffrey said:

 honestly It makes me wants to know MORE.... It look Great... AND i think It is a GAME changer... It will be a ICON for sure

eh.....it's alright

5 hours ago, Galveston Steve said:

The Port requires the ride share companies to sign a contract with the Port and pay access fees if they want to operate on Port property. Uber refused to sign the contract several years ago.  With the new cruise terminal, Uber has decided to negotiate a contract with the Port.

4 hours ago, TXcruzer said:

The port authority wants to collect a fee on every ride share pick up and drop off.

IC...well that's expected that the PA would try to generate capital. Thanks for the info...it make sense now; thought Lyft just had exclusive rights or something.

1 hour ago, TXcruzer said:

Uber has come to a verbal agreement with the port authorities to “play ball”, should be formal soon and Uber will be permitted on port property. 

What was the issue the Port Authority had with Uber?

7 hours ago, CruisingSteve said:

Looks like a kids pool/play area on the back of the ship. With walking/running track below it

Looks like a Coco Cay Oasis Lagoon style pool....mini version

With the Refreshment Package, do one still have to "eat at" Johnny Rockers to get a shake with the Package? In other words, one can't just go get a shake with the Refreshment Package without dining in?

On 9/23/2022 at 9:21 AM, Carlos A. said:

Why not an aqua coaster like The Blaster on Navigator?

I've suggested the Blaster should have been put on Oasis & Allure (whenever it's Amped). Also, I hate they removed the kids pool from Oasis, when it was Amped... the pool should had remained, when Royal Amped the area vs sacrificing a percentage of the original space(landscape) for loungers, reducing the overall size of the area. Kids want to be "in water", think it was 30inches deep; as well as, treading in 2inches of water while getting dumped on. The kid's pool was regular populated, vs now reduced "traffic & use" over a period of time. And also, gotta get it off my chest again, although I've said this many times before, I wish when Oasis got Amped, they would have put in a cascade pool in the Solarium, much like what's on the Quantum Class Ships.

Hopefully, these things make the cut for Icon... as well as, a Lazy River, which could be engineered done, on Oasis Class Ships, w/o encroaching on much of the ship landscape (pump & filter included). Anyway, that's my "Rant & Wish"

Smoking really needs to be in a designated outdoor area, if not outright done away with.

11 hours ago, jticarruthers said:

Debating whether to cancel my Disney cruise next month or not since they seem to be insisting on testing.

 

Hmmm....debating whether to cancel a cruise because they insist on testing, when you book the cruise, where as testing is required.

Interesting....

Now things are really trending toward some sense of normalcy...I wonder when "Amplication" will resume?

Also, any ideas on the Utopia Class?

1 hour ago, Bowen said:

Maybe if you worded it as, “I wish they would keep the mandate because I fear that there could be surges on the ships.” 

Which, I feel will continue to be the case; because, the science says vaccinated persons are leading candidates of spreading the virus, and RCG, stated, the staff will continue to be fully vaxxed & boosted... not to mentioned the 80+ percent passengers. Cruise lines would serve themselves better, to forgo it all together, like most of society.

Watch what subsequently happens weeks after the Olympics....

13 hours ago, HBCcruiser said:

CDC came out with new opt-in regulations for cruise ships. It seems to me that opting in will be costly for cruise lines. Cruise lines that opt in MUST follow ALL of the guidelines. They cannot pick and choose. 

https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/cruise/management/technical-instructions-for-cruise-ships.html

Yeah......protocols tend to never go away & they all will opt-in; pre-covid cruising is done forever. <smh>

On 2/2/2022 at 8:13 AM, PPPJJ-GCVAB said:

Not sure this is an appropriate question but going to ask it anyway.  Does anyone feel as though Royal will ever remove the requirement of vaccination?  I know there are several on this blog who have had to forego their love of cruising because of this.  I have members of my family also not vaccinated and it pains me to think they cannot experience this vacation dream due to the current mandate.  I am not asking this to start a debate or political discussion…I just wonder if vaccinations will ever be not required! 

Like policy, once standard behavior protocols are in place, they tend to never go away. So, although covid hysteria is fading away, like most other infectious outbreaks; something new will take its place, to keep the "new normal" going....and I'm not talking about another variant.

Really, you can't go wrong with any view. 270° put the cruisers view closer to the water; neither less, can't go wrong with either one.

12 hours ago, Plumlee2028 said:

If they're villas could they be villas similar to Norwegian's on their island right next door?  Not intended for overnight use, but basically a day house for groups to use.  

This would be my guess...with dual use, for potential future overnight guess accommodations

A Lazy River would be a great addition...really, at all of RCG private destinations.

11 hours ago, cruisinghawg said:

Do you think the 3 judges of the 11th Circuit knew what would happened when the state appealed to SCOTUS?

I think they were advised what potentially would happen & how it could effect their record

On 6/22/2021 at 7:35 PM, jack_c4321 said:

‎‎‎‎

Hmmm.....never thought about that

On 6/18/2021 at 9:09 PM, AshleyDillo said:

And they are doing that, just not in Florida because they aren't allowed to.

Ok....your point being what??? 

22 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

The whole reason is to try to discourage unvaccinated adults from cruising.  

 

This make utterly no sense whatsoever....why would a multi-billion dollar company, segregate a ship with clearly different protocols(which is not a good "PR" look), just to "Discourage" non-vax passengers from sailing...when the multi-billion dollar company can simply, just say "Vax Only Cruise" like what's currently happening on Adventure otS.

This clearly an attempt by RCG to maximize revenue...by any means necessary. Which is understandable business decision, imo opinion; because, of the huge amount of unnecessary occurred debt, by all these cruise lines. Make no mistake about it....this is maximize revenue generating decision, by playing both sides(cake & pie) of newly implementing Laws. Cruising is risking, not just the probability of an outbreak on any particular cruise...but the amount of potential monies loss by passengers, be it testing added expense, interruptions, infection(vax or un-vax), forfeit travel plans, possible separation or removal of family members, cost to get back into the States, etc    

10 hours ago, Jill said:

These new protocols really are to discourage those who are not vaccinated to not sail for now. You’ll get the die hards but your average cruiser probably will wait. 
 

Also.....From a business standpoint: Royal has an opportunity here to snag those Disney cruisers. Disney is shutdown. There’s no way they can start anytime soon. The unvaccinated kids would outnumber vaccinated adults. This is Royal’s chance to wow them over. 

This makes no sense as well....a "shrewd" business opportunity to snag passengers, in the mist of a so-called "pandemic", where as, all cruise lines are in the same boat. Ha Ha...looky-there...I made a pun too.