JasonOasis

According to their Q2 earnings Royal in the second quarter alone repaid $1.6 Billion dollars worth of debt. Even though they still have a lot of outstanding debt they aren't sitting back enjoying the good times and throwing money down the drain they are actually taking care of business and repaying their debts. I get people are concerned about how expensive cruising is getting and some are saying these record breaking profits are not the result of the current higher fares. If Royal does start to see demand drop they can simply readjust their fares to their 2022 prices which was still higher than where fares were at in 2019. For those hoping to see 2019 prices make a comeback and for the record I would love to see that happen as well, my question is does anything now days cost whaat it did in 2019? None of us myself included like these higher prices but if you look at Royals fuel bill alone for the 3 months of Q2 that bill alone is higher than it was the same time las year and is substantially higher than what it was over the same 3 month period in 2019. Also for the 3 months that just ended Royal's occupancy rate was 105% that is just 3% below where they were over the same 3 months in 2019 this despite the fact they didn't have Odyssey or Wonder in the fleet in 2019. If Royal were to lower their prices it wouldn't necessarily result in higher capacity because they are already at 105% capacity. If they lowered their prices back down to 2019 levels would they even be covering their basic expenses given the fact that those expenses like fuel even food not to mention labor are more expensive than what they were in 2019?

I've done this cruise in the winter multiple times and it all depends on your definition of COLD. Being a Chicagoan born and raise by the time the sun came up on day one of the cruise (at sea) your day time highs at sea will be in the low 60's which for me is warm especially if it was in the teens when I left Chicago. On day one you can tell all the northerns from those cold, cold states because we all will be in shorts, tee shirts and flip-flops while everyone else still has on jackets and long pants. However by day 2 nearly everyone is in shorts and tee shirts because by day 2 you are into the low 80s. Also don't forget Anthem and Odyssey (not sure when you are planning to cruise) have climate controlled solariums and Anthem if you are planning a cruise before her departure for Singapore also has a second indoor heated pool as well. If you are thinking of doing a cruise out of NY in the winter I would suggest you do it especially if it's one of those 11 or 12 night cruises Royal typically runs during January and February.

I am tempted to switch my 14 night Odyssey transatlantic cruise from Rome to Cape Liberty for the 15 night Suez Canal cruise. Those ports of call and the Suez Canal many of them are on my list of places to go. I am tempted but I think I will keep the cruise on Odyssey because we got a great deal on a a sky loft suit.

If you are a Comic-Con fan they just announce last week a cruise onboard Serenade of the Seas. This cruise will operate as a 4 night charter cruise out of Tampa FL. It is important to note you can not book this cruise on Royal Caribbean's website. Of course Comic-Con is this huge event that only continues to grow in popularity every year. Come February 2025 Royal will get in on the action as well and will offer fans a truly one of a kind immersive experience all of the details are being handled by the San Diego Comic Convention the corporation that puts on Comic-Con every year. https://comicconthecruise.com/landing-page/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_oiqyOGngAMVnjfUAR3rNAjCEAAYASAAEgJQ0_D_BwE

https://www.cruisehive.com/amsterdam-makes-huge-move-and-bans-cruise-ships/107115 Above is a link to an article that state Amsterdam's city counsel did in fact pass a resolution that would in fact ban all ocean bound cruise ships from docking at Amsterdams cruise port. The ban would not affect any of the numerous river cruises they would still be welcomed with open arms into Amsterdam. According to one city counsel women she called cruise ship passengers locust who only go visit the Red Light District. She voted for a straight out ban while others voted for a ban but would like to see the port moved so cruise ship passengers can still visit Amsterdam. However this is where things get interesting although the City Counsel has voted to ban cruise ships they don't have the actual power to actually ban cruise ships because the port is owned by the municipality and they can't move the port either as others in counsel have suggested because that involves other municipalities. To completely shut down the port in Amsterdam city center city council would need the municipality to take their motion and translate it into an actual law. Creating, drafting, and passing new laws takes years (just like it does here in the US) and without a new law this resolution has no power and City Counsel has no authority to shut down the port. What seems like a more plausible solution is instead of shutting down the port completely they may just reduce the number of calls at the port, which is something the municipality did back in 2016 when they reduced the number of calls from 300 down to 190.

If you are an American and you are traveling to the European Union starting in 2024 regardless of your mode of transportation to the European Union you will need to have a ESTA.

This decision here also comes on the heels of the government winning a case in court that will allow them to restrict the number of movements (takeoffs/landings) at Amsterdam Schiphol International Airport (AMS). The government has already restricted AMS to 460,000 movements per year this restriction prompted KLM Dutch Airlines and I think the airport itself to file a lawsuit which they lost. Now starting in later this fall (IATA winter season 2023-2024) the government will further reduce AMS's movements down to 440,000 per year with no plans to increase it. For a point of reference back in 2019 AMS had around 496,000 movements for the entire year that number beginning October 31 2023 will be capped at 440,000. The whole point of this according to the local government is to reduce both noice and air pollution but also limit the number of tourist coming into Amsterdam. According to local officials Amsterdam averages over 1 million visitors (tourist) each month, which surpasses the cities local population of 800,000 residents they are looking to rein that in. If the government can win it case against KLM and AMS airport they for sure can shut down the cruise terminal and depending on the speed at which they move this could impact multiple cruise lines starting next summer or at the latest 2025. I'm in Rome right now on vacation and I've avoided all the tourist hotspots mainly because I've seen them as I was here last in 2018 and was even here in 2010, even still with avoiding all the hotspots Rome is crowded. But talking to locals both in the city and we've ventured outside the city they all seem to enjoy the money tourist like myself bring in but just wish there were less of a crowd especially during the summer months.

I would say no it's not worth it, just like airline credit cards aren't worth it because they restrict you to a singular company and the rewards to dollars spent is generally less than what you find with other travel reward cards. If you are looking for a credit card with travel rewards that you can use whenever and wherever you want there are some much better choices out there than the RC credit card. I would suggest doing a little bit of homework to find the right card that fits your lifestyle and offers the right rewards.

That is very interesting I've never looked at Icon in that light before, that Royal is not only targeting families but also the non-cruiser. For someone like myself I love cruising on Adventure (it was my first cruise ever I still love that ship), Navigator, Anthem, Freedom (Class), and of course any and all Oasis Class ships. At some point I will book a cruise on Icon but I'm in no rush in fact I've already booked a B2B on Utopia and can see my self booking multiple cruises on Utopia. Whereas Icon unless there is something I'm missing something Royal is holding back, some type of wow factor, I think Icon will be a one and done for me whenever I decide to book it.

100% true it all comes down to the Cruise Director. There have been a few cruise directors on several of my recent cruises that have zero personality, and no sense of humor which can totally kill the Quest. The same goes for the Love & Marriage game show you need great couples but the enjoyability of the entire show rests entirely on the shoulders of the cruise director.

If Royal could have foreseen this as a possibility? The appeals court has gone bonkers have they seen cruise ships now days? In addition to windows that open on the pool deck all of RCI's cruise ships have balconies that parents or grandparents could hold their children over. No parent/grandparent would ever hold their child over a balcony railing, so why did the grandfather think it was okay to hold a child out a window on the 11th floor? This should not have to go to a jury the appeals court should have done their job and shut this down. I still feel sorry for the parents after all no parent should have to bury their child especially a child as young as this one who should still be alive, however they need to place the blame where it belongs and that is squarely on the shoulders of the grandfather. I hope the jury sees through this and puts this issue to bed once and for all.

In 2024 NCL will send Encore, Bliss through the canal several times as well as some small ships like Gem, Jewel and Sun. So yes larger ships can go through the canal but they have to be of the right design and I believe in a different thread twangster stated Royals ship can't fit because of the overhang and also the life boats.

I think Royal is done with Quantum class ships I don't think we will see any more orders for another one of those although I do think Quantum Class ships would be perfect for cruises out of the Middle East (Dubai), South America/Antartica these of course are seasonal markets, however, I don't see Royal placing their ships in those markets except for the occasional repositioning cruise. My hope is Project Discovery will yield a ship somewhere in size between Radiance and Freedom that will keep Royal in markets where large mega ships like Oasis and Icon simply can't go do to their size. I also would love to see a ship that would allow Royal to better compete against NCL in the Panama Canal market. In 2024 NCL is offering 19 Panama Canal cruises between January through April and then October through December while Royal only has 3 cruises for the entire year. With Royal only offering 3 cruises if the dates don't work for me I have to scratch Panama Canal cruises from my list or cruise on a different line. I would love to see Royal offer a more Panama Canal cruises but I'm not holding my breath.

At the airline I work for we are advising our pilots and flight attendants they should apply to renew their passports at least 9 months before they expire. We are hearing it is taking 6-9 months to process and/or issue passports. I personally would encourage anyone with a cruise coming up next year if you haven't checked to see when your passport expires, if you are an individual who doesn't use their passport all that often I would strongly encourage you to go find your passport, check the expiration date. If it is expiring early next year and you either have a cruise already planned or are planning or even thinking of planning a cruise get you renewal application in now. This problem with passport processing continues to get worse and worse with no end in sight for the time being.

Although I"m already booked on a B2B on Utopia for January into February 2025 I decided to do a price comparison between Utopia and Wonder. Of course Wonder only does 7 night cruises while Utopia will only do 3 and 4 night cruises. I was shocked to see the price for an owners suite on a B2B on Utopia was only $55 dollars more than a 7 night cruise on Wonder in an owners suite. The price difference between a B2B (3 and 4 night) cruise on Utopia and a 7 night cruise on Icon is absolutely ridiculous, granted owner suites on Icon are 102 square feet bigger than owner suites on Utopia. However Icon cost $11,461 dollars more than Utopia for a 7 night cruise over the nearly same dates as my Utopia B2B cruise. Going down to a sunset corner suite on Icon which is smaller than an owners suite on Utopia still cost $7,689 dollars more than for 7 days than the B2B on Utopia To be 100% fair I compared Utopia to Allure of course Allure will not be doing 3 and 4 night Bahamas cruises in January and February of 2025 so I had to use 2024 as a reference point for Allure. A B2B on Utopia in an owner suite cost $4,923 dollars more than a similar cruise on Allure in January February of 2024. While Utopia is certainly more expensive than Allure it is a bargain if doing a B2B when compared to a 7 night cruise on Icon.

I like the Royal Esplanade and I think Royal did a great job with Odyssey, Quantum, and Anthem, I haven't yet cruised on Ovation or Spectrum. I've sailed on Anthem numerous times but I've only sailed on both Quantum and Odyssey once. Quantum of course was redeployed to Asia and I just haven't chosen a second Odyssey cruise until a few weeks ago where I booked a 14 night Transatlantic cruise to New York in November 2024. Having said that I have to tell you my favorite class of ship is Oasis Class whether you sail on the original (Oasis), Wonder or even Allure (don't discount Allure just because she hasn't been amped up yet Allure is still a fantastic ship) you can't go wrong sailing on any Oasis Class ship.

I think MSC, NCL, Carnival and Royal all have area's where they shine and push their competitors to be better and I think the dark horse here is MSC. I've cruise with MSC 3 times from Florida. The first cruise was when they first came to the US-Caribbean market it was terrible I think they were to new to the US-Caribbean market and didn't fully understand the difference between the US and European customer. However my last cruise on Meraviglia right before the pandemic was great. MSC if I'm not mistaken is the largest cruise operator in Europe they are relatively small here in the US, but where MSC excels is first and foremost their food. Some of the best food I've had on a cruise ship and their 21 hour buffet something Royal absolutely refuses to do. Secondly MSC's entertainment (night shows) change every night and hey are around an hour long not 2-3 hours in length. The lone exception here in the US can be found on Meraviglia with Cirque du Soleil which never changes but by the way those 2 Cirque blows just about every Royal Caribbean show out of the water. The only shows Royal has in my opinion that can compete against Cirque du Soleil are their Aqua Theater shows. Back to Royal I think their biggest impact on the market is cruise ship innovation and design. Royal has really by themselves push the idea that the ship itself can be and should be a destination and not just a vessel to transport people from place to place and they done it again with Icon although I'm in no hurry to get on that ship I think it will be overrun with kids. Another area where I think Royal is really forcing change is in the area of private islands. What Royal has done with Coco Cay (there is something there for everyone no matter the age or activity level) is simply amazing. If they can pull off the Bahamas beach club it again is going to be yet another game changer. And that Bahamas beach club is really going to be a symbolic middle finger in the face of NCL, Carnival and MSC because of its location there is no way for passengers to miss seeing this beach club when sailing into port, while in port, when leaving port they won't be able to escape Royal's beach club but they also can't use it. Where Royal needs to step up and improve is with their food (it has gotten better than where it was during 2021 and 2022) but they still have room for improvement, and secondly their IT as we all know still has lots of room for improvement.

Just booked a B2B for January/February 2025 I decided to go with a sky junior suite for both the 3 day and 4 day cruise the price wasn't too bad.

Perhaps you may want to click on the link below where Royal's Chef Marketing Strategist explains why they are putting a brand new ship on 3/4 night cruises. Here is a brief synopsis, Royal has seen a shift and an increase in demand since 2019 in customers doing 3 and 4 night cruises. Back in 2018, 2019 when Royal placed ships like Navigator, Mariner, Freedom, Independence, Liberty in the weekend market their strategy was to give weekend cruise a great impression of Royal. They wanted to remove some of the older smaller ships from that market and showcase some of the best ships in their fleet. According to Royal many first time cruisers start with 3 or 4 night weekend cruises also since the pandemic there has been increased demand for 3 and 4 night Bahamas cruises not just with first time cruises but also repeat customers who are taking more weekend cruises than ever before. Royal stated while Icon will be the Ultimate Family Vacation they are purposely placing Utopia into the 3 and 4 night Bahamas market to create the Ultimate Weekend Vacation. Between Utopia and Coco Cay according to their strategist Royal is creating more of a resort like vibe with more choices like entertainment, adventure, restaurants, etc. When Utopia launches there will be more for guest to indulge in, more to do onboard than one person can reasonable do on a 3 or 4 night cruise and that is by design. I love sailing on Freedom and Independence but if Royals Chief Marketing Strategist has done his job Utopia's arrival in this market is going to change 3/4 night Bahamas cruise market for the foreseeable future. Placing one of your best products into a red hot market that is ripe with first time cruisers and repeat customers isn't a waste of a new ship it is a spectacular move, and one that will force both NCL and Carnival to respond. https://thepointsguy.com/news/royal-caribbean-utopia-short-cruises/

There is nothing to be skeptical about. Royal is already doing 3/4 night cruises out of Port Canaveral and this coming November Allure another Oasis Class ship begins sailing 3/4 night cruises out of Port Canaveral, Utopia will replace Allure in 2024. The 3/4 night cruise market is huge and Royal already has a sizable piece of the market out of PC adding Allure and then replacing that ship with Utopia will surely cement Royal position in this market.

I just pulled this up today if you click on the link below it does show Crown Royal. https://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/dam/royal/resources/pdf/beverage-packages/deluxe-beverage-packages-cruises.pdf That isn't to say it is back onboard every single ship in the fleet but it does seem like Crown Royal is making its return. Just a month or so ago I was on Freedom I didn't see any Crown Royal but it also isn't my drink of choice so I wasn't actively looking for it either.

This has nothing to do directly with Utopia but I just noticed that for the month of June and July Royal will have 2 Oasis Class ships in port at Port Canaveral, both Wonder and Oasis. Oasis arrival is 1pm and it is a port of call while Wonder of course is returning to its homeport. I'm wondering what berth will Oasis use? Also it is possible going forward for Royal to actually have 2 Oasis Class ships (Wonder and Utopia) homeporting at Port Carnaveral on the exact same day? Does Port Carnaveral have the resources that would allow for 2 Oasis Class ships to homeport and deal with all the craziness that comes along with turn around day not to mention all the other ships that homeport there as well?

A few days ago NCL announced it was canceling the entire winter 2023/24 European cruise season on Norwegian Epic and will instead redeploy Epic to the highly lucrative Caribbean market. Norwegian Epic had been schedule to spend the entire winter season sailing the Mediterranean doing 7 - 10 night cruises departing from places like Rome (Civitavecchia) Haifa Israel, and Lisbon Portugal, instead Epic will be redeployed to Port Canaveral and will do 7 night cruises to the Caribbean. According to NCL the cancellations are do to fleet redeployments but some industry insiders state it comes down to money and low bookings for Mediterranean cruises during the winter season. NCL is offering a full refund to effected passengers and a 20% FCC if guest book another European cruise or a 10% FCC if effected guest book any other cruise on any NCL ship. https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/NCL-cancels-winter-Norwegian-Epic# Has there ever been a time in recent years (not including COVID shutdown) where a cruise line cancels an entire season this close? We are only 6 months away from December 1st which is when Epic's winter 2023/24 season was scheduled to begin. According to another article Port Canaveral has the space to accommodate Epic but so far NCL hasn't released the new sailings as they are still working on which ports of call in the Caribbean to send Epic too.

Agreed its pass time for Bi Agreed it is pass time for bionic bar to go. While I've enjoy a few meals at Wonderland that space which is humongous could be put to better use as Giovanni's.

There is another side to that equation which Royal has to consider and that's sailings out of New York/New Jersey. I'm not sure when the school half term ends in England but if it is early November that is to late for Royal to leave an Oasis Class ship up in New York where over night lows can get as low as 3 degrees celsius or 39 degrees fahrenheit. Even though Odyssey isn't exactly a traditional cold weather ship she is more suited to sailing out of New York in during those cool fall and cold winter months than an Oasis Class ship.