Matt Posted March 30, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2017 Freedom is officially going to San Juan. Not on the site yet, but you can call C&A to book http://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2017/03/30/royal-caribbean-relocate-freedom-of-the-seas-san-juan-2018-2019-season Pamela27 and OrionJus 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamela27 Posted March 30, 2017 Report Share Posted March 30, 2017 Just booked a b2b on Freedom May 2018..so happy. The waiting us finally over.. Matt 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLMoran Posted March 30, 2017 Report Share Posted March 30, 2017 Freedom is officially going to San Juan. Not on the site yet, but you can call C&A to book http://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2017/03/30/royal-caribbean-relocate-freedom-of-the-seas-san-juan-2018-2019-season Just read the blog post. Given that my cruise on Freedom out of Port Everglades is on March 31, 2018, I'll be on of her last sailings before she re-homes to San Juan. Maybe they'll have some extra parties planned. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MKSglitz Posted April 3, 2017 Report Share Posted April 3, 2017 OMG! Trying to book a January 2019 San Juan Southern Caribbean cruise was an absolute nightmare! I patiently waited for the 2018-2019 itinerary to come out. I book way ahead of time so that I can get the room that I want. I waited the week of March 6th only to find out that cruises from San Juan would not be released until March 26th. I checked my email and the website everyday hoping not to miss the exclusive bookings for the C&A members. I perused the website the week of March 27th daily and on Tuesday, I noticed that the 2019 San Juan Southern Caribbean itinerary was out (no thanks to any email indicating the exclusive C&A booking). The Jewel of the Seas was the only ship departing from San Juan for the month of Jan., Feb., and March of 2019. I called RCCL and I asked about the Adventure and was told that it would be sailing out of San Juan too but it wasn't listed yet . I replied that it wasn't listed b/c another agent said that it wouldn't even be in the area. After checking and rechecking, the RCCL agent told that I was correct and that the Jewel of the Seas was the only ship deployed to San Juan at the time. This was on March 29th. I booked the Jewel of the Seas for a January 20, 2019 departure from San Juan to the Southern Caribbean. Done! Now on Saturday April 1st, I went to the RCCL blog just to see if anyone else ran into any confusing info too when I ran across Matt's blog that the 2018-2019 intinerary was out for the Freedom of the Seas. And there it was, the Freedom was going to be sailing from San Juan Jan 20, 2019! I thought, could it be that both the Jewel and the Freedom would both be in port and leaving the same day???? So back on the phone with RCCL to try to untangle this confusing info. Was told that Matt's info was correct and the Freedom was being deployed to San Juan and cruising the Southern Caribbean the winter of 2019. The agent said that the info was released to the RCCL agents just 72 hours prior. Now I find out that he Jewel was set to sail on Jan.19th and not the 20th of 2019!!!! My entire point to this story is that YOU WOULD THINK THAT ALL THE KINKS WOULD BE OUT WAY BEFORE RELEASING FUTURE DEPLOYMENT SCHEDULES!!!! PS. I am happily booked on the Freedom of the Seas for a January 27, 2019 cruise to the Southern Caribbean. AMEN!!!! Jerel 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted April 3, 2017 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2017 Sorry to hear about your experience, MKSglitz. For future reference, you should consider using a travel agent. They can be the ones to deal with all of that and that frees you up to do something much more fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerel Posted April 3, 2017 Report Share Posted April 3, 2017 Sorry to hear about your experience, MKSglitz. For future reference, you should consider using a travel agent. They can be the ones to deal with all of that and that frees you up to do something much more fun! Yes but that takes all the fun and confusion out of it :) Sounds like MKSglitz went on quite the journey before finding the right cruise, sometimes the journey is the exciting part ;) RestingBird 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MKSglitz Posted April 4, 2017 Report Share Posted April 4, 2017 Unfortunately Matt, I don't thing your suggestion would of helped. If the RCCL agents were as confused about which ships would be where when, how is a travel agent who is getting the info directly from RCCL going to know anything more? I would have run into the same problem if not more so. As it turned out, all is well. I am, once again, a happy cruiser. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firegal2539 Posted April 4, 2017 Report Share Posted April 4, 2017 While on the Independence last week, I went to Next Cruise, (really wasn't thinking of booking anything since I have 8 cruises booked), and I asked if Canada/New England had been released. The answer was no but rumor had it that Wednesday was the day, this was Sunday when I asked. The representative took my name and cabin number and said if they opened he would call me but beware it might be at 9 am. Wednesday at 9 am, true to his word, I received a call and hurried down to see what they had to offer. I booked a ten day Canada/New England leaving from NJ to Quebec. Great price with additional OBC. Today my TA called to make sure the reservation was transferred to her and was told because of the 1-2-free promotion the cruise had dropped about $60, so my TA rebooked. While on the line with Royal my TA asked for Casino Royale reservations and they dropped the total cruise/taxes/fees price by $262. Gosh I love a great TA and Royal. Candie WAAAYTOOO and RestingBird 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted April 4, 2017 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2017 Unfortunately Matt, I don't thing your suggestion would of helped. If the RCCL agents were as confused about which ships would be where when, how is a travel agent who is getting the info directly from RCCL going to know anything more? I would have run into the same problem if not more so. As it turned out, all is well. I am, once again, a happy cruiser. :) Because your travel agent would have been the one to deal with all of this. You're correct that the agent would not have known more than RC, but when you have a TA, part of the service they offer is to be your representative to "fight" with RC when an issue like this arises. Essentially, it's about making your life easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KWofPerth Posted April 8, 2017 Report Share Posted April 8, 2017 So, sailings for 2018/19 Australia/Singapore were due to be released the week starting the 3rd of April. As luck would have it, I have been off work this week and regularly refreshing my browser while on the RC site. So far, no luck with next year's itinerary - it hasn't yet appeared. Is the deployment schedule merely an estimate of when sailings will be released? I had eagerly anticipated the week just gone, fully expecting to have booked my next cruise at (probably) the cheapest possible price. Such a disappointment, but at least my excitement at booking a new cruise is simply deferred to a later time :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted April 10, 2017 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2017 Is the deployment schedule merely an estimate of when sailings will be released? Correct. Last year there were all sorts of changes to the deployment schedule. This year saw a little of that, but it sounds like Australia/Singapore is falling behind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KWofPerth Posted April 11, 2017 Report Share Posted April 11, 2017 9 hours ago, Matt said: Correct. Last year there were all sorts of changes to the deployment schedule. This year saw a little of that, but it sounds like Australia/Singapore is falling behind. Thanks Matt. Yes, looks like they've fallen behind a little. Not to worry, it's just building the anticipation for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiny260 Posted April 26, 2017 Report Share Posted April 26, 2017 So, if I read everything correctly (I've read all 6 pages of post), I was planning on booking a "Next Cruise" on board ship this summer when I cruise out of Galveston, I'm looking to book something in June of 2019, so I will really need to wait until March/April of 2018 to book June of 2019? I can probably book something earlier and simply change the date when the newer itineraries come available? I'm wanting to get all of the available perks of booking while on ship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilson Posted April 26, 2017 Report Share Posted April 26, 2017 59 minutes ago, tiny260 said: I can probably book something earlier and simply change the date when the newer itineraries come available? Huge penalties if you are booking a full suite and cancel/rebook. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiny260 Posted April 26, 2017 Report Share Posted April 26, 2017 I heard from a coworker that just cruised in March that Next Cruise rules had changed and I also read the articles, if you book a grand suite or better the deposits go up and you lose the deposits if you cancel. I have a cruise booked in 2018 already I can do 2019 on it. I just re-booked a couple of weeks ago a cruise I had on Harmony to 2018 and didn't have any penalties but I had originally booked this as a next cruise in 2016, so before all of the rule changes. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KWofPerth Posted May 2, 2017 Report Share Posted May 2, 2017 It appears to me that the delay in the release of Australian itineraries is all down to RCI's pulling of Voyager from the overcrowded Sydney Harbour. There is simply not enough space at the Overseas Passenger Terminal to accommodate all the ships that want to dock there. With local governments not coming to the party to invest in infrastructure or make use of Garden Island (naval base), RCI reached the reluctant decision to move Voyager to Sydney and sail Radiance out of Melbourne/Auckland. http://www.escape.com.au/holiday-ideas/cruises/ocean/voyager-of-the-seas-to-finish-cruising-in-australia/news-story/603f56149a14b3c0ab366700ead2e02b This is quite sad considering how the industry is booming down this way, and the thrill of sailing out of Sydney Harbour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KWofPerth Posted May 10, 2017 Report Share Posted May 10, 2017 For anyone like me who is waiting for the South Pacific and NZ itineraries, here we go... 17_4_27_RCI_201819_Programme_Release_Trade_FA.pdf islandgrandma and Matt 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KWofPerth Posted May 24, 2017 Report Share Posted May 24, 2017 From Facebook, for those STILL waiting for the Australian itineraries - The wait is over! 2018/2019 new season sailings on sale next week... Our new summer season cruises will go on sale next Tuesday, 30 May with favourites Ovation of the Seas, Radiance of the Seas and Explorer of the Seas all returning with a variety of fresh itineraries to destinations throughout Australia, New Zealand, the South Pacific, French Polynesia and Asia. Make sure to mark it in your calendar! islandgrandma 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F1guynz Posted May 24, 2017 Report Share Posted May 24, 2017 Here is the link to the updated itineraries https://secure.royalcaribbean.com.au/media/pdf/reports/170522_RCI_201819_ProgramRelease_FA_Consumer_AU.pdf WAAAYTOOO, KWofPerth and islandgrandma 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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