Empress of the Seas has been sold

[CruisinForABruisin]

https://www.tradewindsnews.com/cruise-and-ferry/royal-caribbean-sells-empress-of-the-seas-to-undisclosed-buyer/2-1-860002

[Jjohnb]

Hmmm, and yet on July 31st, Royal Caribbean, when asked about the Empress responded "Empress is not headed to the scrap yard, she’s still a part of the Royal Caribbean fleet."  The responses we get from RC's public relations department and on their earnings call may not always be 100% accurate.

[FManke]

If this is true, it will be interesting to see when she leaves the fleet, since you can still book a cruise on her through Dec 2021.

[SpeedNoodles]

I refuse to believe it until @Matt can confirm it.  #totaldenial

[CruisinForABruisin]

3 minutes ago, FManke said:

If this is true, it will be interesting to see when she leaves the fleet, since you can still book a cruise on her through Dec 2021.

In the fine print, it says the cruise will be virtual 

[WAAAYTOOO]

I just booked an Empress cruise yesterday (Nov 2020) with the intent of L&S it to Odyssey in Dec. 21.  Guess I'll find out soon how that works out !!

[FManke]

7 minutes ago, CruisinForABruisin said:

In the fine print, it says the cruise will be virtual 

What is that supposed to mean? How can you sell a virtual cruise?

[SpeedNoodles]

2 minutes ago, FManke said:

What is that supposed to mean? How can you sell a virtual cruise?

I think he's kidding.

[CruisinForABruisin]

5 minutes ago, FManke said:

What is that supposed to mean? How can you sell a virtual cruise?

When you're losing $300 million a month, you do crazy things 

[FManke]

3 minutes ago, SpeedNoodles said:

I think he's kidding.

With the state of affairs lately, who knows? Income is income!  As can de attested here, there are some pretty desperate cruisers!

[FManke]

If that's the case, I'd like to book the virtual UDP, please! 

[Greg787]

I'm trying to come up with how to pull that off:

All entertainment shows would be via a private Zoom link.

All meals are preshipped to your house a la Blue Apron

You receive bedding, toiletries, and chocolates for the pillows each day via UPS.

You also get an inflatable pool sent to your house that you have to fill up.

What else can everyone come up with...

[FManke]

6 minutes ago, FManke said:

If that's the case, I'd like to book the virtual UDP, please! 

I know that they only have Chops, but I'm going to virtually add other restaurants!

[FManke]

6 minutes ago, Greg787 said:

I'm trying to come up with how to pull that off:

All entertainment shows would be via a private Zoom link.

All meals are preshipped to your house a la Blue Apron

You receive bedding, toiletries, and chocolates for the pillows each day via UPS.

You also get an inflatable pool sent to your house that you have to fill up.

What else can everyone come up with...

Getting to and from the ship should be easy enough.

[twangster]

44 minutes ago, Jjohnb said:

Hmmm, and yet on July 31st, Royal Caribbean, when asked about the Empress responded "Empress is not headed to the scrap yard, she’s still a part of the Royal Caribbean fleet."  The responses we get from RC's public relations department and on their earnings call may not always be 100% accurate.

On July 31st that was an accurate response.  It's now almost three weeks later.

Even if they had ongoing negotiations with a potential buyer on July 31st they wouldn't release that news publically, that's pretty standard in the corporate world.  What if the buyer and seller couldn't come to terms?  They would never state something that isn't a completed deal.  Until the ink has been signed to paper it isn't a completed sale and should the deal never materialize they wouldn't want to influence the industry or a competitor also negotiating a sale of one of their own ships.

[Jjohnb]

47 minutes ago, FManke said:

If this is true, it will be interesting to see when she leaves the fleet, since you can still book a cruise on her through Dec 2021.

Carnival continued to accept bookings on the Fantasy right up to the ship arriving in Aliaga, Turkey to be scrapped.  The unfortunate truth is it's liquidity for the cruise companies, they'll accept you cash deposit as long as they can and then hope you choose to accept a future cruise credit after they admit the ship is no longer in the fleet. 

[princevaliantus]

Just goes to show that at this point, you cannot trust Royal Caribbean with anything INCLUDING but not limited to announcing cancellations. I, for one, have joined the growing list of NOT booking any cruises UNTIL it is up and running!

[Jjohnb]

12 minutes ago, twangster said:

On July 31st that was an accurate response.  It's now almost three weeks later.

Even if they had ongoing negotiations with a potential buyer on July 31st they wouldn't release that news publically, that's pretty standard in the corporate world.  What if the buyer and seller couldn't come to terms?  They would never state something that isn't a completed deal.  Until the ink has been signed to paper it isn't a completed sale and should the deal never materialize they wouldn't want to influence the industry or a competitor also negotiating a sale of one of their own ships.

That's exactly my point!  I live in the corporate world, what we say on earnings calls, in 10-Q/K filings and via PR responses are always guarded, vague and open ended.  All I'm saying is when we saw the Empress sailing to Malta three weeks ago we shouldn't be so naive as to accept RC's response that nothing is happening.

 

[SpeedNoodles]

28 minutes ago, crisgold52 said:

He is not an employee and any one of us can have the same access he has by having our own contacts at RCL as well. 

Really? I had NO IDEA.  Thank you for this information.

[Lovetocruise2002]

22 minutes ago, crisgold52 said:

He is not an employee and any one of us can have the same access he has by having our own contacts at RCL as well. If multiple media sites confirm it then it's only logical we go with that. He makes many predictions and informs but so can us on this forum. However it's also a fan forum and many of us can be insiders as much as he can except the general theme is he knows more than we do while in retrospect we can also know as much as each other do.

Clearly you are not familiar with @Matt Hochberg in the "cruise world". Perhaps you should get the facts straight before making assumptions.

[FManke]

8 minutes ago, crisgold52 said:

He is not an employee and any one of us can have the same access he has by having our own contacts at RCL as well. If multiple media sites confirm it then it's only logical we go with that. He makes many predictions and informs but so can us on this forum. However it's also a fan forum and many of us can be insiders as much as he can except the general theme is he knows more than we do while in retrospect we can also know as much as each other do.

I can't believe @crisgold52has such little faith in our Supreme Leader! All Hail @Matt! 

[Matt]

15 minutes ago, crisgold52 said:

If multiple media sites confirm it then it's only logical we go with that.

Not all media sites are the same, and some have no issues reporting on rumors without any confirmation or research.

What I post on RoyalCaribbeanBlog reflects on me and my reputation, and I wont post rumors until there is strong evidence behind it. 

The rumors of Empress may end up being right at some point, but I need more to run on than "unnamed sources" by the same website that said Cunard and Seabourn were sold last month when they were not.

[jaredhamburg]

31 minutes ago, Matt said:

Not all media sites are the same, and some have no issues reporting on rumors without any confirmation or research.

What I post on RoyalCaribbeanBlog reflects on me and my reputation, and I wont post rumors until there is strong evidence behind it. 

The rumors of Empress may end up being right at some point, but I need more to run on than "unnamed sources" by the same website that said Cunard and Seabourn were sold last month when they were not.

I think a lot of cruise sites are publishing anything to get views and keep going.  I like your posts lately that keep cruise interest going through history and other information, without publishing vague rumors.  Your work is appreciated!

[Matt]

And the answer is....Empress has not been sold!

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2020/08/19/no-royal-caribbean-still-has-not-sold-empress-of-the-seas

[cruisellama]

It was still part of the fleet at earnings call.  Just need to ink the deal after the call.

 

[cruisellama]

2 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

I just booked an Empress cruise yesterday (Nov 2020) with the intent of L&S it to Odyssey in Dec. 21.  Guess I'll find out soon how that works out !!

You're playing it right

[SpeedNoodles]

40 minutes ago, Matt said:

And the answer is....Empress has not been sold!

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2020/08/19/no-royal-caribbean-still-has-not-sold-empress-of-the-seas

I'm feeling smug and vindicated. 

[DunkelBierJay]

48 hour rule applies as usual

[Jill]

What I like so much about @Matt is he’s not scrambling to be the first to report. He patiently waits to be sure the news is true before reporting. What a novel idea! Something our media in the US has forgotten. Thanks Matt! 

[USFFrank]

5 minutes ago, Jill said:

What I like so much about @Matt is he’s not scrambling to be the first to report. He patiently waits to be sure the news is true before reporting. What a novel idea! Something our media in the US has forgotten. Thanks Matt! 

 Not to mention people on this board.

[Baked Alaska]

18 hours ago, Matt said:

And the answer is....Empress has not been sold!

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2020/08/19/no-royal-caribbean-still-has-not-sold-empress-of-the-seas

Great article, Matt! Also enjoyed the article on the Bears of Wall Street.

[CruisinForABruisin]

[stevendom57]

On 8/19/2020 at 10:51 AM, FManke said:

If that's the case, I'd like to book the virtual UDP, please!

Be careful or you could easily get virtually wasted.

 

[Matt]

4 hours ago, CruisinForABruisin said:

No disrepect, but, no, you were wrong when you "called it" in August. It was not sold then, or in September, or in October or in November.

That article at the beginning of this thread claims it was sold back then. Not the case.

[CruisinForABruisin]

22 minutes ago, Matt said:

No disrepect, but, no, you were wrong when you "called it" in August. It was not sold then, or in September, or in October or in November.

That article at the beginning of this thread claims it was sold back then. Not the case.

Ehh, they easily could've had an agreement at the time, but then worked towards expanding the deal. So...

[Atlantix2000]

If I make a series of posts saying cruising will resume in each month between March 2020 and December 2022, do I get to claim I was right when one of them proves correct?  No, no I don't.

[CruisinForABruisin]

19 minutes ago, Atlantix2000 said:

If I make a series of posts saying cruising will resume in each month between March 2020 and December 2022, do I get to claim I was right when one of them proves correct?  No, no I don't.

2 years is a hell of a long time. Now, a report from a couple months ago is a lot more relevant.

[SpeedNoodles]

So annoying.