Come On Rccl - Where Are They?

[Diva Onboard]

Waiting, waiting, waiting - Yes, we are patiently waiting for the 2006/2007 dates for Hawaii and Europe. The RCCL website shows no dates beyond Sept/Oct 2005. How can we plan?

 

Please, please release those dates.

[pandabebe]

Please the same frustration. I'm waiting for June 2006 itineraries to plan a wedding and they're still not out!

[terri23]

They're waiting for the coupons to expire, the gift cards to be eliminated, the stockholder credit to run out (wait, they just renewed that one, thank goodness!) etc., etc. If they wait long enough, their passengers will be gone, too.

[Clarksfan1]

Me too, me too. Don't want to seem impatient but I dont' remember them taking this long ever before.

 

 

 

I need something to look forward to.

[Diva Onboard]

Our sentiments - how can you plan anything? I would have hoped that we could plan either Hawaii for March/April 2006 or the Baltic for July 2006/2007.

 

Other cruise lines do have dates out. If anyone has the inside scoop on when RCCL will be releasing dates - please let us know.

 

We would also love it if RCCL did a Hawaii/Tahiti itinerary - one can only dream.

[caroliemarie]

You can add me to the list of people "patiently" waiting for 2006 Hawaii dates. I will be graduating, my mom will be retiring...all we want is a nice celebration cruise to Hawaii for our whole family. I am scared that the dates for Hawaii will not coincide with our schedules and we'll have wasted our time holding out for a Hawaiian cruise.

 

Ps. Please excuse my inability to spell Hawaii (??).

[Diva Onboard]

Caroliemarie - you spelled Hawaii correctly.

 

Hopefully, someone from RCCL will read this thread and let the higher ups know we are all waiting.

[Firefighterhoop]

I called RCCL Last week and they said at the earliest a month or two before bookings open for may/june next year.

[PH8]

I called RCCL Last week and they said at the earliest a month or two before bookings open for may/june next year.

 

:mad: Pardon my French,buts that BS! :mad: What the heck are they waiting on:mad: ??

 

We were planning on an April cruise but now are looking at other options.................

[isujim]

Right or Wrong this is normal........at least the last 2 years......fall itineraries for June and beyond have not come out until mid July..........we too are waiting to book a Panama Canal cruise for October of 06 but will have to wait like everyone else.........

[rangerdog]

I'm ready, too!! We are waiting to book a holiday 2006 sailing. My travel agent thought that they might post the rates for the holiday sailings before any other November/December rates. We have our deposit and just waiting!!I will be VERY excited when we finally can reserve our aft balcony for our 20th anniversary!!!

[KamloopsCruisers]

Right or Wrong this is normal........at least the last 2 years......fall itineraries for June and beyond have not come out until mid July..........we too are waiting to book a Panama Canal cruise for October of 06 but will have to wait like everyone else.........

 

This may be normal for Fall '06 and beyond, but not for May '06. We want to take a Panama repositioning cruise from Florida to Vancouver. Last year RCCL had their itinerary and prices out, if I remember correctly, in January, February at the latest. It is now almost May, and still no dates or prices for May '06 and we are told to wait another month at least:mad: . We were planning to cruise with dear friends, who gave up waiting and booked with Princess on a ship that is almost sold out. Our patience ran out and we put a deposit on a Celebrity Panama Cruise, although it only goes as far as San Fran. Since we made our deposit in February the price of our stateroom has increased by over $1200 PER PERSON! It would have been nice to compare each line and their prices. I expect that if we enjoy our cruise on Celebrity (which I fully intend to), we may not return to RCCL.

[murphykputts]

I called Royal Caribbean on a different issue today.

 

Then I asked about June 2006. She said it would be a couple of months until they release this information.

 

I wanted to book while I was on my upcoming May cruise.

 

Kathy

[CruisinCJ]

I AGREE ROYAL CARIBBEAN............YOU NEED TO MAKE A MOVE TOWARDS RELEASING 2006 OR YOU WILL LOOSE YOUR FAITHFUL! :confused:

 

I do not understand the delay; it has always been possible to book a year in advance. (19 cruises and counting, I know, as I usually do)

[PH8]

I don't know...............between next years itinerary and the sales for the Freedom,I think RCCL has a whole new attitutude..............

 

They seem to be holding back info which creates a frenzy.People then book as soon as the info is released......look what happened with the Freedom bookings in Feb..........

 

They know they have a captive audience who will book no matter how little info they are given or no matter how long they make us wait.........I think they are trying to creat hype.

Im just getting a little tired of it and I,for one,was a diehard RCCL fan.........Im not so sure anymore........

[Rosieo]

Are you looking for certain cruises in 2006. Last month we booked our cruise on the Navigator for next Easter. Maybe it is certain itinaries.

[PH8]

There are Caribbean cruises listed for April,but that is as far as it goes.......(unless you want the Freedom).........no itineraries for after April or for Bermuda,Europe,Hawaii,etc............

[cruzelovr]

I called Royal Caribbean on a different issue today.

 

Then I asked about June 2006. She said it would be a couple of months until they release this information.

 

I wanted to book while I was on my upcoming May cruise.

 

Kathy

 

On the Legend of the Seas last April/May DW and I were looking for to book and, of course, take advantage of the shipboard credit for booking while onboard. The hostess onboard kept hoping that the future dates would be released while we were aboard, but it ended up that they weren't. What she did, though, was give is a coupon (which I believe was good for 3 months) that we could take to any travel agent and still get the onboard booking bonus. Just wanted to let you know that you could still get something for "booking" even if dates weren't avaliable.

 

Enjoy your upcoming cruise...

[star58]

Two years ago we had the same problem. We were on the Navigator in June 2003 and wanted to book a European cruise for our daughters graduation in May 2004. The ship schedules and dates had not been released. We were given a $100 coupon that was to be good for 30 days but at the end of 30 days the schedules were still not out so they told us the coupon would be extended another 30 days.

 

We decided to wait and book later. When we did try to book near the end of the year all 4 person balcony rooms were booked and we ended up having to book with Princess.

 

I certainly understand everyones frustration. I felt like there was no loyality for loyal customers.

[Diva Onboard]

Thanks to everyone for your input.

 

I will say that in January 2004, the Panama itineraries were out for 2005 because we booked our 2005 Panama cruise on January 7, 2004. So exactly what is the problem? I initially thought that RCCL was delaying the Hawaii and Europe dates because of the launch of the Freedom. But now that those dates are out, I expected the others to follow.

 

In reality, this means that RCCL would expect us to book cruises to Hawaii, Panama, or Europe less than one year out.

 

Even though I am a "loyal" RCCL cruiser, I too have been checking Princess and Celebrity for their dates.

 

And all of you are correct, when we sailed to Panama this past February, we wanted to book also to avail ourselves of the onboard credit. We were not even offered a coupon. Next time, we will be sure to ask for one.

[KreiderCarter]

My husband and I just got back a week ago from sailing on the Jewel of the Sea. While on board we inquired about European cruises for June 2006. They didn't seem to know anything, so my husband wrote to RCCL when we returned home. He mentioned that we were going to book while on the ship, therefore getting a credit on that future cruise. He asked if they would be able to honor the credit when we are finally able to book.....they said no way! They also let him know that the 2006 cruises would be coming out at the end of May. We enjoy RCCL, but we are going to seriously look at the other cruise lines.

[2VaCruzers]

We had 7 or 8 couples ready and waiting to book . Three of us had coupons for onboard credit. We got frustrated waiting and ended up going w/ Carnival. We want to do a southern Caribbean which involved Aruba, and our only realy choices seemed to be Carnival and AOS. Sorry RCCL...ya lost our business for this time.

[Flossie]

We agree this is taking way to long. We have always booked a year to 18 months out. We have our cruise for this year, and have had it booked for a year. We are trying to book a cruise for next year a Honeymoon cruise at that, and the only one that RCCL has available right now is the Freedom of the Seas , but we are doing those islands this year. We have been loyal to RCCL but this time we might stray, since this is a Honeymoon we have "lots" of other expenses and need to plan ahead, and this hold up is not allowing us to do that. I sure wish something would happen soon, or we might be going elsewhere at least for this cruise.

[leighuf]

I wanted to book a Hawaiian cruise for May 2006 (Serenade OTS). I've already booked with another cruise line (the Carnival Spirit), but if the price & dates are right I will cancel that cruise and rebook the Serenade.

 

I'm still wishful that on May 1 the info will be released.

[dougp26364]

Right or Wrong this is normal........at least the last 2 years......fall itineraries for June and beyond have not come out until mid July..........we too are waiting to book a Panama Canal cruise for October of 06 but will have to wait like everyone else.........

 

Depends on where you're going I suppose. I booked our Oct 2005 12 night Med cruise mid May of 2004. I'm pretty sure the Panama Canal and Hawaiian itineraries weren't out at that time because we were considering those as well. I'm pretty sure Alaska was out then because I remember deciding against it when I found a great deal on an E1 balcony on Brilliance for October. The wife has always wanted to see Venice and I thought this would be an excellent opportunity. Now, with all the changes RCI has made in how TA's can handle rebates/value added options, I'm really glad I booked it. At current RCI rates I'd have had a tough time affording the Med with RCI.