Thumper44

Maybe I'm overly optimistic, but I've always hoped that the name "Discovery" is a clue to a RC marketing scheme intended to sell us on going to smaller ports and rarer destinations, thus needing a smaller-than-mega-sized ship. Maybe 10 or 20 years from now every port in the Caribbean will be able to handle an Oasis class sized ship, but right now the huge ships have a smaller list of ports which can handle them.

Poor Cats. Imagine how much it costs and the effort to license that show, get it installed on the ship with costumes and everything, and then keep it going year after year. And yet among a surprisingly large majority of commenters, the show is absolutely reviled. Yikes! I'm not saying I'm willing to sit through it, but still, I kinda feel bad for the cast members.

I agree, which is why I go out of my way to sail on a variety of ships.

Just curious, how did Navigator get from the East Coast to the West Coast a few years ago? I tried searching for it. I don't believe there were passengers on that redeployment but I can't find any mention of what route the Navigator took to get there. Isn't it too big for the Panama Canal?

I'm really interested in your honest opinion here. What kind of things on the Radiance class can't/shouldn't be fixed with amplification?

Do cruise ships go through the larger Neo-panamax locks yet?

I think you're exactly right about Project Discovery. Also Meyer Turku shipyards announced a climate-neutral cruise ship project that they projected for 2035, which seems to be several years behind the rumors of Project Discovery, of which various insiders and ship's captains have said is just a few years out (if that's accurate). So I'm seeing the following ship launch schedule: 2025 Icon 2 confirmed 2026 Icon 3 confirmed also 2026? Project Discovery ship 1? from (Chantiers de L'Antlantique or Meyer Werft perhaps?) 2027? Discovery 2? 2028? Discover 3? 2029-2034 additional batch of Icons or Discovery ships? This is the timeframe where we might see Radiance or Voyager ships being retired. 2035 Meyer Turku's next class of ship after Icon?

Based on nothing more than the pattern of previous classes, I feel like it's safe to assume that another batch of 3 Icons will be ordered a few years down the road from now, maybe 6-10 years behind the first batch. But that's assuming a lot of things will stay the same…

Interesting arguments, especially about being true to the family friendly brand that Royal has created. Good points

I have thought exactly this same thing, when Virgin Voyages announced they were going adult only. Amplify the oldest ships, make them adult only and get another 10 years out of them!

Yes! Does anyone remember the specifics or even just the rumors?

I feel pretty confident that those two (and also Lelepa someday) are the only ones that are publicly known to be in the works. But I'm wondering if anyone remembers the rumors and speculation pre-Covid when they were talking about a long list of projects? For example, I heard Royal was in talks with Freeport in the Bahamas, to take over a resort area I think. I assume that was put on hold because of Covid

Does anyone know how Costa Maya got developed? Because that kind of seems like the middle of nowhere. Did a Navy or oil pier or something exist there prior to the cruise ships and related development?

Agreed, I have no idea now what it's like security-wise in East coast places like Tampico and Veracruz (it was horrible a few years ago). None of them have ever been developed as cruise ports so far as I know. On the west coast of the Yucatan, Campeche has taken small cruise ships in the past. Campeche would also complement the other Yucatan destinations geographically. I don't know if any of these sites would be suitable for big cruise ships or what it would take to make it happen. But I love Mexico and I hope something could be developed considering how well PDCC has gone.

Covid certainly derailed the plans, I know, but at the time (pre-2020) what were the plans/speculation for other private destination developments? Other than Lelepa in the Pacific? Do any of the possible sites locations seem likely to be picked back up in your opinion? I ask because of the Celebrity-CocoCay news today. Cococay seems to be money-printing machine for them. Also, I just visited Labadee for the first time and was impressed.

I totally agree. Departing from San Juan makes the ABC's and the Windward islands very accessible. I really hope to see more RC itineraries from San Juan, not fewer. And yes, bigger ships too!

Not officially yet, but a lot of people are guessing that that's the smart money bet for Icon 2. I don't personally prefer it but I'm in the minority that would like to see some of the old "royalty names" recycled.

So many great names, both funny and serious, and yet we still got a first-of-its-class ship called the "Quantum of the Seas". What is that even supposed to mean?! You just know that some executive said, "I don't know what a quantum is but it sounds cool. Let's do it!"

Thank you for this. The Voyager class has the best set of names (as a group) in my opinion. It's a shame there's not more of them. And it's a shame that the other classes don't have this kind of clear, cohesive kind of naming scheme. Good job!

Treasure of the Seas wouldn't be a horrible name.

Brilliant work! I love this stuff! Great job sleuthing around like this. My thoughts: Intrigue is an excellent deduction; does Independence otS already use "IN"? Star seems likely to me because, based on inferences from interviews, Royal seems to want short 4 or 5-letter names. Star also won that horrible poll back in January. Do they want short names so that the letters can be written taller on the sides of the ships? Icon's name is ginormous. Personally, I'm very eager for them to come back to the royalty themed names: Sovereign, Empress, Monarch, Majesty. That would scratch an itch for me.

Yes, we grabbed a cheap inside cabin for October the day after we get off the Wonder of the Seas.

Ah, thanks. That's the kind of info I was looking for; I appreciate it!

I price June cruises on Royal from San Juan almost every year (for our anniversary). This is the first time I've noticed a gap. But I suppose I might not have noticed in some years.

As a big fan of Puerto Rico, I'm always looking at potential cruises out of PR. I had thought that Voyager of the Seas was cruising out of San Juan until November, when Jewel takes her place. Apparently, that's not the case and Voyager is in Galveston now. When was that change made? When was the last time Royal went six months without a San Juan departure? Related to that, Jewel replaces the Voyager class ships that have been in San Juan and then Rhapsody (even smaller) will take over in April of 2024. Is Royal downsizing its presence in Puerto Rico? Have there been any articles or discussion of this? I've done a few searches but I didn't find anything specific to Royal.