WAAAYTOOO

Matt, I wish I could be as gracious as you're trying to be with RCI on this one.  I have really lost my confidence in their corporate-level decision-making.  It's not even just Empress-Gate...there have been so many bonehead moves in the last few months.  Is Liberty still sailing without one of its slides properly operating ?  How many times have they changed their minds about whether Majesty is staying or going ?  How many upgrades have they reneged on after telling the WORLD that they were going to do them ?  Empress-Gate is the worst, but not, by ANY stretch, the only one.
 
I'll be honest here...I'm not sure that they had ANY choice in whether or not to cancel these cruises.  I believe that they did not pass muster and that they weren't going anywhere. Period.  Would they have sailed with a sub-par situation ?  I wish I could answer "NO" with confidence, but I cannot.  Would they sail with an unsafe ship ?  To that one, I can still answer "NO".  I don't think they would do that.
 
...but would they have sailed if they could have ?  My gut tells me they would have.  I'm not going to be as generous as you by saying that they cancelled these last cruises out of some high sense of moral obligation.  I think they cancelled b/c they had no other choice. 
 
I understand that all of this is pure speculation but it's based on their handling of the entire situation.  They knew their ship wasn't ready, yet they continued to take peoples' money and reservations right up until the very last f'n minute and then just dropped everyone without providing any real explanation....and with no real remorse, or recompense, as far as I can tell.  I'm sure that their attorneys are telling them to admit nothing and don't give out any information than you have to...but their underhanded handling of this does not provide us with a "warm and fuzzy" that they have done this for US.  Rather, the opposite.

If the cruise lines really operated as true business you would see lines going after the others best clients. Carnival could pull off a major marketing hit by going after these high value clients. I would go as far to say offer free cabins (Inside base) to any Diamond Plus Member who was cancelled by RCCL. Must would not take the inside base and would pay a upgrade fee. But the real great thing would be to take away Royals customers.  I see this as a worst PR hit than all the other problems in the last few years.  

First of all, congratulations to Ib0336 on completing your finals !  WOOHOO !  I hope you get to do something even BETTER than cruise on that rust bucket.
 
klc317, I can sympathize...and quite honestly, RCI is LUCKY that I have Michelle Cunningham working this for me b/c if they were dealing with me, they would be getting an ear full.  I DO understand that those that answer the phones have no power...and that this is not a problem of their making.  They are just the punching bags that have to deal with those of us who are TRULY PISSED OFF...so from that aspect, I am glad I am not having to deal with this issue directly.  I AM sorry for Michelle, b/c she IS having to deal with my misery but she is a lady and a real professional so I am not worried...except that I will give her so much grief that she won't take any more of my bookings....
 
:huh: :huh:
 
So.  What am I going to do about this mess ?  Not sure.  I have 2 plans in the works.  1 puts us on the Enchantment in an OS but that one will mean trading a 5 day cruise for a 4 day cruise and that just doesn't sit right with me.  I have pushed this option to the backup plan position.  My new Plan A is to move everything (full refund + 100% future cruise credit) to the Freedom for a 7 night western Caribbean cruise in an E3 balcony on the bump-out.  Even though this is trading an OS for a balcony room, I am better with this trade than I was with the trade of 5 nights for 4 nights.  After all, on the Freedom, all the OS gives me is a bigger room and a gold card.  B/c I am D+ I can still get into the CL on the Freedom so the gold card has very little value to me.  Bigger room ?  Ho-hum.  7 nights vs 4 nights ?  OH YEAH !
 
So I am hoping it turns into a win-win.  I am a glass half full kinda gal so I'm thinking I'm coming out ahead on this deal if my Plan A gets executed.  I can change my hotel reservations and excursions - no problem.  Airfare ?  Another $400 change fee of which RCI will rebate $200.  Not happy about that but it is what it is.
 
Bottom line - am  I goin' on a cruise ?  Hell yeah !

First of all, congratulations to Ib0336 on completing your finals !  WOOHOO !  I hope you get to do something even BETTER than cruise on that rust bucket.
 
klc317, I can sympathize...and quite honestly, RCI is LUCKY that I have Michelle Cunningham working this for me b/c if they were dealing with me, they would be getting an ear full.  I DO understand that those that answer the phones have no power...and that this is not a problem of their making.  They are just the punching bags that have to deal with those of us who are TRULY PISSED OFF...so from that aspect, I am glad I am not having to deal with this issue directly.  I AM sorry for Michelle, b/c she IS having to deal with my misery but she is a lady and a real professional so I am not worried...except that I will give her so much grief that she won't take any more of my bookings....
 
:huh: :huh:
 
So.  What am I going to do about this mess ?  Not sure.  I have 2 plans in the works.  1 puts us on the Enchantment in an OS but that one will mean trading a 5 day cruise for a 4 day cruise and that just doesn't sit right with me.  I have pushed this option to the backup plan position.  My new Plan A is to move everything (full refund + 100% future cruise credit) to the Freedom for a 7 night western Caribbean cruise in an E3 balcony on the bump-out.  Even though this is trading an OS for a balcony room, I am better with this trade than I was with the trade of 5 nights for 4 nights.  After all, on the Freedom, all the OS gives me is a bigger room and a gold card.  B/c I am D+ I can still get into the CL on the Freedom so the gold card has very little value to me.  Bigger room ?  Ho-hum.  7 nights vs 4 nights ?  OH YEAH !
 
So I am hoping it turns into a win-win.  I am a glass half full kinda gal so I'm thinking I'm coming out ahead on this deal if my Plan A gets executed.  I can change my hotel reservations and excursions - no problem.  Airfare ?  Another $400 change fee of which RCI will rebate $200.  Not happy about that but it is what it is.
 
Bottom line - am  I goin' on a cruise ?  Hell yeah !

This is a link to the Royal Caribbean website suggesting what to pack, the number of formal nights dependent on the cruise length, suggested attire and what not to bring on a cruise. In short, I was looking for the number of formal nights for a 9 night cruise when I came across this:
 
http://www.royalcaribbean.com/beforeyouboard/whatToKnow/whatToPack.do
 
Cruise Length Casual Smart Casual Formal 3-night 2 0 1 4-night 3 0 1 5-night 3 1 1 6-night 3 1 2 7-night 4 1 2 8-night 4 2 2 9-night 5 2 2 10-night 6 2 2 11-night 7 2 2 12-night 8 2 2* 13-night 9 2 2 14-night 8 3 3 15-night+ Remaining Casual 3 3 The number of smart casual and formal nights is at the ship's discretion.

Note: *Some 12-night European cruises may have 3 formal nights

Looking at Thanksgiving options for this year:
 
Brilliance, Navigator and Indy all seem to be doing the 4 night Cozumel run, with Brilliance and Indy leaving on Thanksgiving day and Navigator leaving on the day before ?
 
Alternatively, Brilliance and Indy are doing the 5 nt Cozumel run leaving the Saturday before Thanksgiving and getting back on Thanksgiving day, while Navigator is doing ??, Edit  - thought so Navigator is coming back from the UK which is why the four night cruise is a weird Wednesday departure, trying to rotate her onto a schedule.
 
Not sure whether you were hoping to be "on the boat" for Thanksgiving or just using that week of time to take a cruise. Based on itinerary above though I would recommend Navigator so that you are "on the boat" for Thanksgiving day and able to relax and enjoy it rather than spending the day dealing with boarding, etc.
 
Unfortunately Navigator is out of Miami though so you get to deal with a slightly longer drive but not the end of the world.
 
A glance at pricing says the three cruises listed are pretty close starting at just over $400 per person but it could vary significantly once you get into higher cabin categories, etc.
 
If you can swing the extra time/money though I would highly recommend the Freedom of the Seas sailing on 11/20 instead. You bump up to a 6 night, pick up Grand Cayman and Costa Maya to go with Cozumel and get to be on a ship that has the slightly larger size of Indy along with the upgrades of Navigator (I don't think Navi has anything Freedom didn't get too?). I believe you would end up with Thanksgiving day in Cozumel. Also sailing out of Ft Lauderdale so not as convenient as Canaveral or Tampa but not as far as Miami.
 
Prices start in the $600 range so not insignificantly more expensive but for my money worth the extra.

Science Channel

This does not affect me as I am not booked on that ship, but man what a bad deal.  RCCL is in the business of over-delivering to make it so we can't wait to come back.  What they are doing to some of their best customers is the opposite of that.
 
There are other cruise lines.  I guess it's always good to have options.
 
Good luck to each of you.
 
Sad

I don't know what's going on.  I thought we were getting a guaranteed rate on the Enchantment (or Majesty) for the same room category PLUS a certificate valued at 100% of our Empress fare but I can't get any confirmation on that.  ....and even if they give me a certificate worth the value of my Empress fare, how will they let me use it ?  Must I book a new cruise or can I apply the value to an existing reservation ?
 
Honestly, I'm just sick of all of this right now.  I want to give it a rest but I'm afraid that if I wait until tomorrow, all of the good Enchantment rooms will be gone !  I am already pretty unhappy that they are making me switch a 5 night cruise for a 4 night cruise...and now I'm not sure what this "other" money is going to be eligible for. 
 
They already owe me reimbursement for airfare rebooking fees from the FIRST cancellation.  Now they will owe me even more.  UGH.  This whole thing is just sickening.

Hi
Make sure if you have issues with this that you call back and ask for a
supervisor - and call resolutions or the redeployment line
888-281-9344.  These 2 departments are responsible for handling these
issues and questions more that the regular res. line.
 
Hoping it works out for you lb0336. 
It truly is disappointing to see this all happening

Which ship ?
 
Prime rib is served at least one night [on a 7 night cruise, anyway] in the MDR.  Is it the best prime rib I've ever had ?  No....but it isn't the worst, either.
 
I rarely go to Chops so I can't recall if they have prime rib there but I would be shocked if they did not.
 
Pastrami or salami.  Hmmmm....I don't eat either so I haven't noticed whether it is or isn't served anywhere.  A lot may depend upon the ship.
 
I don't get off the ship in Nassau so I couldn't tell you anything about where to eat there.  Sorry.

Thank you for this information.  Glad someone asked because I had not idea I was going to have to need/want something for the luggage tags.  I ordered them yesterday.     I love this forum, so helpful!

I am going on the Empress on June 2nd.  I am nervous like you, but have NEVER had a bad experience with Royal Caribbean.  I am not really nervous, but anxious to see all the new refurbishments.  I can let you know after I return how the experience was and answer whatever you would like to know. 
 

Well, that's an unknown at this point. Personally, I can't believe that CR would implement a program that required one to be continually reevaluated, but I have heard [limited] discussion that this may be the case.
 
1. Members would hate it
2. It would be a nightmare to administer program that was constantly in flux.
3. We have been told, for some time, that the new program would be modeled after typical land-based programs and a continuously changing program isn't consistent with most land-based programs
 
So I don't think it's true. I do think, however, that you will have to maintain some kind of baseline "activity" to maintain a high tier level. Example, I think you will have to cruise and display some high level of play on some periodic basis or be demoted to a lower tier level.
 
I don't think they will ever "kick you out", but they might revert you to a nominal tier level if you don't remain reasonably active.
 
I was told -a while back - that we will never lose the ability to take money on our Seapass account without the 5% convenience fee. Don't know whether that's true or not. Guess we'll find out at some point

Just a few thoughts about our ocean view cabin aboard Brilliance:
 
Our ocean view cabin 3102 on Deck 3 was as expected regarding size and amenities. It's nice to have a large window to look out, but I wouldn't pay hundreds of dollars extra for the advantages over an inside stateroom. Unlike our Freedom Class Oceanview which had the head of the bed right under the window; on Brilliance the bed is turned 90 degrees and there is a little walk room between the bed and window.
 
We like being relatively close to elevators rather than walking down long hallways. This room met that criteria as it was only two doors down from the elevator and stairs common area.
 
Advantages of being on a lower deck, less movement of the ship is realized, elevators are never full going up, we were only one deck below our dining room (short walk) and only one deck above where we disembarked for port stops.
 
Overall the ship is beautiful; not as large as Freedom Class but very familiar. While not the case for us, if someone were to have mobility issues the ship is big enough to have some nice features, but not so large that it is a major undertaking to go from one end to the other.
 
If anyone has any questions about our four night voyage to Cozumel just let me know.
 
Kind Regards

I have these same ones, Steve. They are great !

Don't ever be afraid to ask a question here. We have been new cruisers at some point and we all asked most of the same questions too !
 
We love talking about cruising so we love to share.
 
As the old adage goes, the only stupid question is the one that doesn't get asked.

I understand your trepidation. It hasn't been the best year for RCI from a reliability standpoint.
 
HOWEVER....as a rule, they are extremely reliable. They've just had some bad management decisions (IMO) due to a very volatile environment...lots of changes in a very short time period.
 
You will be fine. July is plenty of time away. They will have solved whatever problems they are now dealing with.
 
I have NEVER had a bad cruise. I have had some that were better than others but never one that I wish I hadn't taken. You'll see...
 
;) ;)

I am just so tired of all of the rumors about Empress. I wish either RCCL would come out and say "The Empress will begin sailing on April 29, 2016.  All other booked cruises will sail." I am tired of all of the rumors, some pretty stupid.
 
Candie

This is one reason I am a New Big Ship Girl!

I think this was part of his April Fool's joke.  I don't think the Empress is going to be homeported in Cuba.

Update they are having a "Farewell Voyage to Remember Reception" with all Senior Officers tonite at 10:30 PM.

In the R Bar right now. First place we hit was the Solarium bar and then into the hot tub!

Found it. Navigator of the Seas. November 2010.

So AGSLC5 your saying you want to adopt me. Great! Send me your address so I can start packing and sell my house. Yeah!!!!