marquisite

Fortunate to have sailed aboard (the original) Legend of the Seas when it repositioned from Australia to Hong Kong in 2016.

As for reusing retired ship names for new builds... that could make for confusing discussions among past cruisers!  E.g. 'How was the Legend's ice show?', 'Uhh... what ice show?' 😆

For the upcoming Royal Caribbean Ultimate World Cruise that will sail up the west coast of Africa (northbound), at an onboard meeting it was said that some of the countries will require the YFV to be allowed on shore (those with exemptions would stay onboard in places that do not recognise them). However, the exact countries were not disclosed. You may like to watch it yourself as someone kindly uploaded this meeting YouTube (10:23 to 11:06):

@Tatra603 This video from on onboard town hall meeting discussed Visas (5:27 to 7:29):

TL;DR: the ship will organise visas for Ghana, and for other countries it is case by case where guests should reach out to Royal Caribbean to discuss individually. 

@Chiliburn Regarding Africa, Royal Caribbean's Ultimate World Cruise has changed course (sailing May/June 2024). Previously: 

• 18 nights Dubai to Athens via Suez Canal
• 11 nights Athens to Istanbul
• 13 nights Istanbul to Ravenna

Now:

• 18 nights Dubai to Cape Town
• 24 nights Cape Town to Ravenna

The revised UWC itinerary as at 1 March was:

Since then, the UWC has switched Ivory Coast with a second port in Ghana due to strict visa and vaccine requirements. Ghana requires visas for all guests and all onboard must be vaccinated against yellow fever (even if not getting off the ship).  I am not sure that Anthem or Voyager would call at Ghana and Ivory Coast because of this.

By the way, should the title of this discussion be 2025/26 season?

@Chiliburn 

Itineraries originally shared by @Jumping Cruiser in the 2025-2026 RCI deployment discussion:

Voyager from Brisbane: https://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Royal/Deployment/2025_2026/Australia/VY_2025-2026_Australia_Deployment

Anthem from Sydney: https://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Royal/Deployment/2025_2026/Australia/AN_2025-2026_Australia_Deployment

Speaking of Fiji, it would be cool if Royal Caribbean would call there during the 2025/2026 season (or beyond). 

At least a change of ship would mean a chance to see different production shows. I'd take Adventure over Voyager but only because I've previously sailed on the latter! 

Cancellations incoming for previously booked shore excursions in the ports the ship will no longer be visiting.

Also, I noticed that the cruise planner is showing most of the new ports (but existing excursions - new options aren't expected until April, IIRC). May 27 (previously Athens) sailing is currently showing:

• Day 2: Cruising
• Day 4: Walvis Bay, Namibia
• Day 5-6: Cruising
• Day 7: Luanda, Angola
• Day 8-9: Cruising
• Day 10: Takoradi, Ghana
• Day 11: Abidjan, Ivory Coast
• Day 12: Cruising

June 7 (previously Istanbul) sailing is currently showing:

• Day 3: Dakar, Senegal
• Day 4-5: Cruising
• Day 6: Tenerife, Canary Islands
• Day 7: Cruising
• Day 8: Gibraltar, United Kingdom
• Day 9-10: Cruising
• Day 11: Corfu, Greece
• Day 12: Bari, Italy
• Day 13-14: Ravenna, Italy

For those not up to date in the main UWC thread, the winning alternative itinerary is Immersive Africa. This means the original Istanbul embarkation is off the table.

See the following link for the new third quarter segment itinerary, Ultimate Africa & Med: https://edocs.rccl.com/guestdocs/edocs/email/royal/UWC_SEG_3.pdf

Cruisers booked on the cancelled mini segments may be able to sail around Africa, but details are yet to be communicated.  In an email from Royal Caribbean earlier today regarding the affected June 7th Istanbul sailing, they said:

You’ll receive a communication by Friday, March 1st with all of your options, including one that has been highly requested, joining us on an Immersive Africa cruise – more to come on that!

Friends and family pricing has been published for two sailings, one Dubai to Cape Town (18 nights) and the other Cape Town to Ravenna (24 nights). I can only presume that Dubai to Athens bookings will be able to do Dubai to Cape Town. For Cape Town to Ravenna it is not as clear because this new 24 night sailing replaces two back-to-back cruises, 11 night Athens to Istanbul and 13 night Istanbul to Ravenna. Hopefully this gets clarified in their March 1st communication.

As a mini segment cruiser, I have received this email from Royal Caribbean (emphasis mine):

Regrettably, we can no longer offer the original itinerary you initially purchased for your Serenade of the Seas June 7^th, 2024 sailing. We understand this is not an ideal situation, and we’re truly sorry for the impact this unexpected situation has on your vacation plans. The time and effort you took to plan your cruise is important to us, so we’re working through some alternate options that we hope will work for you and those in your party.

You’ll receive a communication by Friday, March 1^st with all of your options, including one that has been highly requested, joining us on an Immersive Africa cruise – more to come on that!

@GenSteve I am on that mini segment, as well as the (cancelled) one before it. Here is what RCI's cancellation email said regarding the Istanbul sailing:

"Additionally, as we are still working through our itineraries with our Ultimate World Cruise guests, we’ll have more information for our June 7th, 2024 sailing in the coming weeks."

That may be true. 

Having said that, of the proposed two itineraries shown to those onboard (see post by suzyluvs2cruise), Immersive Africa has the overnight stop in Cape Town coloured in blue, the same as Dubai and Ravenna. As Dubai and Ravenna are ports where one sailing ends and the next begins, this leads me to believe Cape Town will be offered as a start and end point for individual sailings ... if Immersive Africa itinerary is voted in. 

I am booked on several B2B sailings including the cancelled May 27th one and my email about the cancellation said:

"Additionally, as we are still working through our itineraries with our Ultimate World Cruise guests, we’ll have more information for our June 7th, 2024 sailing in the coming weeks."

The two options given to cruisers onboard, I understand only one of the options (Immersive Africa, aka scenic route) would result in total cancellation of the June 7th cruise. The other option (Africa & Greece) would retain the Istanbul departure on the same date, but with an itinerary change to include Egypt. Reading between the lines, if Africa & Greece itinerary wins then I presume you won't be cancelled.

EDIT:

But what I don't understand is why RCI hasn't given any indication of whether affected cruisers will have the option to do all or part of Africa based on their original booking. Assuming Immersive Africa wins, the overnight in Cape Town would line up with the originally planned overnight in Greece where one sailing was to end and the next one would have started. What RCI should do in my opinion (but no indication that they will) is offer to those booked on Dubai to Athens to sail Dubai to Cape Town. For those booked on Athens to Istanbul to Ravenna (B2B), RCI should invite them to sail Cape Town to Ravenna. But for guests originally booked to embark or depart at Istanbul (i.e. not B2B) it becomes more complicated as it looks like two cancelled sailings will merge into one extra long sailing.

19 minutes ago, sgmn said:

Why upset them needlessly if they are going to offer them the DXB-CPT in a couple of weeks?  

My thoughts is it will be at a much higher fare and they are trying to monetize the situation at the expense of their existing customers.

What I do not understand is that at least one cruiser who was booked on multiple affected mini sailings did receive an offer to sail the African itinerary - see post 3979.

Best of luck @Tatra603, keep us updated how things go. 🙂 

To those currently onboard, let this not discourage you from continuing to document your journey around the world 😁.

14 minutes ago, lovesthebeach2 said:

I’m so sorry your segment has been cancelled, I know how much you were looking forward to it.  Are you able to change it to ours on June 20 in Ravenna?

Fortunately that one is already booked 😁. I did have four sailings back to back, ending in Barcelona.

4 minutes ago, Saab4444 said:

They can only offer to stay with Serenade for same prize if the new cruise would be somehow similar in length. Do you want to board somewhere in Africa instead of Athens? You can of course ask Royal. 

I sent off an email to 'Redeployments & Itinerary Changes' in my country asking about joining the leg starting in Cape Town. Looking at the Immersive Africa option presented onboard, Cape Town to Ravenna would be 24 nights. Fair point about differences in length - just hopefully the nightly rate is comparable.

1 hour ago, Tatra603 said:

 

So you don't think the two new mini segments will be repackaged and put on sale?

Interestingly, someone on another site who says they are booked on several minis posted screenshots of their cancellation email and their Option 1 was: "Stay with us on the adjusted itinerary to be announced on February 27th" with originally booked stateroom and US$300 onboard credit.

Whereas my Option 1 is "Re-book any other Royal Caribbean International sailing". 🤔

I'm not sure if this other person's minis include both Dubai and original Athens embarkation - for me I was supposed to get on in Athens (for 4 sailings).

I was supposed to be joining in Athens on the 27th. Only given two options, either choose another sailing (no price protection, up to US$400 flight change compensation) or full refund (without any flight change compensation).

No mention in RCI's cruise cancellation email about the African itinerary choices. Would've been nice to have been offered my originally booked stateroom on the new itinerary at the originally booked price. 

Looks like waiting for the new itinerary to be bookable as a mini isn't really an option with only 3 days between African itinerary announcement and deadline to change sailing/get full refund. That's not much time to sort out flights and accommodation!

6 hours ago, The sea calls my name said:

For those of us traveling with you via this thread, I do so hope that someone will continue on with daily post and pictures for us that will only ever see much of  the world though your eyes. Especially with this news blast to appear around the 17th. 

What do people think about having a 'Part 2' thread with the changeover to the Ultimate Asia Pacific expedition segment? Or keep everything in the one thread?

Thanks all for sharing your experiences during the Ultimate Americas segment!

3 minutes ago, LadyZolt said:

Captain Stig said he will re-join us on June 21st in Trieste ...

Nice, I'll be onboard on that date as part of 4 minis. 😁

On 1/17/2024 at 8:05 AM, Jumping Cruiser said:

Apologies if I missed it, but has there still not been any update regarding the Red Sea & Suez Canal transit?

Definitely curious about this, particularly as I'm booked to join the UWC in Athens. Already have flights, but not a pre-cruise hotel reservation.

Nice keepsake!! I should earn my first block during Serenade's UWC ... just hope there will be enough space in my suitcase to get it home! 😆

On 1/6/2024 at 11:52 AM, Cruiser99365Girl said:

Greetings all, just came onboard today, will be on until Los Angeles. 

[...]

Today SeaPass cards were given out in the terminal, at the same time passports were taken. The SeaPass card they had for me was on Deck 4. 

On 1/3/2024 at 12:43 AM, CSHS1979 said:

 

John went, said nothing very interesting. Cabin steward delivers new sea pass the night before. Only 1 muster drill per segment

Forgive me if someone has already asked, are the seapasses on the UWC any different to the normal ones, such as to assist crew identifying full/segment UWCers and those booked for individual sailings? If they are different to normal then that's a nice bonus for UWC full/segment/mini cruisers that collect them.

Finally caught up to page 89 - this thread is sure fast moving but keep it coming 😁. 

23 hours ago, island lady said:

Love the smoothie bar.  Bananas and apples popular right now for butterfly tummies,...I had mine in a smoothie...no milk, just apples and banana.  

Oh yum, did you grab a Banana from Windjammer on the way through to Rita's or did the smoothe bar have them there? I sure plan to visit this bar when I'm onboard in a few months time!

On 1/5/2024 at 9:21 PM, island lady said:

 

Yeah, it's been getting louder all the time.  Not sure why.  Bucky takes his hearing aids out and it's still too loud indeed.  Me...will be using my ear plugs from now on with the concert type shows.  

Interesting, last year on sister-ship Radiance I thought the theater volume was about right. Meanwhile on Ovation it was too loud and I had to wear an ear plug intended for musicians/concerts that lowers sound without making it muffled). So it sounds like I will need to pack this for Serenade. 

4 hours ago, island lady said:

New Show Center Stage last night was (IMHO) good...not great...but entertaining and good.  First time for their new act (all RCI entertainers).  Talented singers, and as always the Serenade orchestra was very good.  Kind of loud last night, but energetic. 

Interesting, does Serenade have different or additional productions for the UWC? According to a 2020 entertainment guide (page 6), Serenade's shows were Stage to Screen and Vibeology. Either way they'll be new to me next year as I've not seen these shows or sailed on Serenade before. 😀