Freedom Class Times Booked for Sydney 2015

[springaussie]

Royal Caribbean under the entry of "Rhapsody of the Seas" have booked increased turn around port times for Sydney Australia between 20 November 2015 - 21 March 2016. This would probably be done to allow for a Freedom Class Ship to fill this spot. Most booked times are for 2100 departures or later.

2 + hours longer then Voyager of the Seas.

For those unaware of Sydney Cruise Terminal it is a small terminal that requires staggered check in times by deck numbers for smoother operations. To allow for the extra people this would have to be done first. Most booked times are for 2100 departures or later.

 

http://www.sydneyports.com.au/port_operations/cruise_schedule

 

It appears that this possible Freedom Class Vessel arrives into Freemantle Western Australia 3 November 2015 probably from Asia.

 

http://www.fremantleports.com.au/visiting/cruising/pages/cruise-ship-visits.aspx

 

Then travels via New Zealand to Sydney visiting Port Chalmers Dunedin 13 November 2015. Also reappearing here in January and February 2016.

 

http://www.portotago.co.nz/6/2.html

 

With the extra dates for Sydney Ports that are out this range just forget them for the purpose of this exercise as they are from Rhapsody's Alaska days.

No guarantee this will end up being a Freedom Class ship but Royal Caribbean have timetabled it so can be if required.

Edited January 3, 2014 by springaussie

[kruzerci]

I'm just being selfish, but I hope not :(!!! Those are my favorite ships! Im excited for yall if you get a Freedom class ship, but I would love to have Indy in Florida with Anthem in Southampton.

 

Hopefully if Indy goes to Australia, Explorer will stay stateside.

[Royalty X]

I sincerely hope this is true! :)

[G85 SS]

I'm just being selfish, but I hope not :(!!! Those are my favorite ships! Im excited for yall if you get a Freedom class ship, but I would love to have Indy in Florida with Anthem in Southampton.

 

Hopefully if Indy goes to Australia, Explorer will stay stateside.

 

They would have to go somewhere with the introduction of another Oasis Class, a plausible 4th Oasis Class and three new Quantum Class vessels.

[Topo Gigio]

And if a Freedom Class is going down under, it's most probably the Indy.

[gbenjo]

Royal Caribbean under the entry of "Rhapsody of the Seas" have booked increased turn around port times for Sydney Australia between 20 November 2015 - 21 March 2016. This would probably be done to allow for a Freedom Class Ship to fill this spot. Most booked times are for 2100 departures or later.

2 + hours longer then Voyager of the Seas.

For those unaware of Sydney Cruise Terminal it is a small terminal that requires staggered check in times by deck numbers for smoother operations. To allow for the extra people this would have to be done first. Most booked times are for 2100 departures or later.

 

http://www.sydneyports.com.au/port_operations/cruise_schedule

 

It appears that this possible Freedom Class Vessel arrives into Freemantle Western Australia 3 November 2015 probably from Asia.

 

http://www.fremantleports.com.au/visiting/cruising/pages/cruise-ship-visits.aspx

 

Then travels via New Zealand to Sydney visiting Port Chalmers Dunedin 13 November 2015. Also reappearing here in January and February 2016.

 

http://www.portotago.co.nz/6/2.html

 

With the extra dates for Sydney Ports that are out this range just forget them for the purpose of this exercise as they are from Rhapsody's Alaska days.

No guarantee this will end up being a Freedom Class ship but Royal Caribbean have timetabled it so can be if required.

 

The Voyager regularly has 3600 pax which, from what I can find, is around the number of pax for the Freedom class ships. We have had no problem checking in that number of pax at the OPT this year with very small, if any queues and finished before 5:30 -6:00pm so cannot see the extended time in port as having any relevance to what size ship will be in port. Also by 2015-16 the upgrade to the OPT will be well and truly finished and this will add to the terminals capacity to turnaround a larger number of guests in less time.

I would have thought there would be a greater problem getting the bigger ships into a lot of the smaller ports that Rhapsody currently calls at but at the moment there is a large cloud of mystery over what ship will replace Rhapsody so really your guess is as good as anybody else's, but for mine I would go with a similar sized vessel.

[Clarea]

And if a Freedom Class is going down under, it's most probably the Indy.

That would make sense with Anthem replacing Indy.

[Eng23]

The Voyager regularly has 3600 pax which, from what I can find, is around the number of pax for the Freedom class ships. We have had no problem checking in that number of pax at the OPT this year with very small, if any queues and finished before 5:30 -6:00pm so cannot see the extended time in port as having any relevance to what size ship will be in port. Also by 2015-16 the upgrade to the OPT will be well and truly finished and this will add to the terminals capacity to turnaround a larger number of guests in less time.

I would have thought there would be a greater problem getting the bigger ships into a lot of the smaller ports that Rhapsody currently calls at but at the moment there is a large cloud of mystery over what ship will replace Rhapsody so really your guess is as good as anybody else's, but for mine I would go with a similar sized vessel.

IIRC Freedom Class ships can carry up to 4100 passengers.

[Eng23]

And if a Freedom Class is going down under, it's most probably the Indy.

It could also potentially be the Freedom of the Seas if the 3rd Oasis Class ship goes to Port Canaveral. This is just speculation on my part of course.

[tomatosauce]

Just to throw another variable in there, the Overseas Passenger Terminal in Sydney is being massively refurbished in mid 2015 which means that the boarding, replenishment and turnaround times will likely be different to what they currently are.

 

Also as the Sydney terminals are getting busier they periodically add a visit to Newcastle into the mix which means that a late departure works better for them. For example both the Rhapsody and the Radiance have had late departures when going to Newcastle the following day.

 

Having said that I would love it if a Freedom class came along...

[gbenjo]

IIRC Freedom Class ships can carry up to 4100 passengers.

 

Renovated terminal, a couple more check in staff... give us another hour no problem.:)

[Eng23]

Renovated terminal, a couple more check in staff... give us another hour no problem.:)

I'm sure it would be no problem. I was just tossing that tidbit out there to compare a previous poster giving the Voyager Class passenger count as 3600 passengers. It was just for comparison purposes. No worries! :D

[springaussie]

The Voyager regularly has 3600 pax which, from what I can find, is around the number of pax for the Freedom class ships. We have had no problem checking in that number of pax at the OPT this year with very small, if any queues and finished before 5:30 -6:00pm so cannot see the extended time in port as having any relevance to what size ship will be in port. Also by 2015-16 the upgrade to the OPT will be well and truly finished and this will add to the terminals capacity to turnaround a larger number of guests in less time.

I would have thought there would be a greater problem getting the bigger ships into a lot of the smaller ports that Rhapsody currently calls at but at the moment there is a large cloud of mystery over what ship will replace Rhapsody so really your guess is as good as anybody else's, but for mine I would go with a similar sized vessel.

 

It would make more sense to book the extra time in the first season just in case the upgrade not ready on time.

"Voyager is working to some new ports in 2015/16 Oz season to take advantage of the 6 new tender stations" Staff Captain Voyager of the Seas told Crown and Anchor event last month.

[gbenjo]

It would make more sense to book the extra time in the first season just in case the upgrade not ready on time.

"Voyager is working to some new ports in 2015/16 Oz season to take advantage of the 6 new tender stations" Staff Captain Voyager of the Seas told Crown and Anchor event last month.

 

Gee I hope the upgrade is completed by then. It's scheduled to be ready for the 2014/15 season

 

RCCL are certainly keeping their cards close to their chest when it comes to announcing the replacement for Rhapsody..... Perhaps they will run a promotion with a free cruise for whoever guesses correctly:D:D I believe they do the vessel deployments two years in advance but no one I know at RCCL is talking...................yet.

[jonbgd]

So after the Freedom of the seas does a tour in Galveston it will go to Australia:confused:

Than Galveston will get Oasis:confused:

[kruzerci]

So after the Freedom of the seas does a tour in Galveston it will go to Australia:confused:

Than Galveston will get Oasis:confused:

 

Funny ;):D

[woodscruise]

I have read somewhere that RCCL were looking at including more beach ports visiting the South Pacific islands. Currently Voyager of the Seas only goes to ports where she can dock, because of not having any tender boats, which I believe will be included in her dry dock later this year. If Voyager of the Seas did not have the tender boats, when built, but having them added, does anyone know if the other Voyager class series, and above ( that is Freedom, Oasis and Quantum classes) have the tenders or if they will be added in a future dry dock?

[Pushka]

We were on Liberty of the Seas (Freedom class) last year and tendered in Villeneuve. Tenders were supplied by the local French boaties.

[tomatosauce]

RCI can use local tenders but then they have to pay for them so they prefer it when you can walk off. Also even with a Vision class (i.e. small ship) it can take the better part of a couple of hours to get everyone off at a tender port like Airlie Beach.

[woodscruise]

I do realize that RCI could use the local tenders, if the local ports have them, but one can assume that the South Pacific does not have the local tenders, at many ports, otherwise Voyager of the Seas would be going to various other islands where it does not have to dock. (Ports like Mystery Island and Ise de pines etc). Also if there is local tenders in the South Pacific, at these islands, why then would RCI be adding tenders to Voyager of the Seas, during its dry dock, as mentioned elsewhere on this board by Springaussie. Hence the question do the other bigger ships in RCI fleet have tenders? If they don't then the only ports of call for them can be the ports where Voyager of the Seas is currently going to, and that is where it can dock, and therefore they are limiting the ports that they can visit.

[Pushka]

I was answering the query as to whether Freedom class ships have tenders. They don't.

[SamFritz]

Do any ships "carry their own tenders?" I've been on every class except Sovereign and never seen a ship use its own tenders. Do they use the emergency lifeboats for regular transportation of passengers?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk, please excuse all the typos.

[woodscruise]

Thanks Pushka, now one has to ask why would RCI send down under another Voyager class ship or bigger if they can not visit many islands in the South Pacific without having there own tenders onboard?

[mr walker]

Do any ships "carry their own tenders?" I've been on every class except Sovereign and never seen a ship use its own tenders. Do they use the emergency lifeboats for regular transportation of passengers?

 

I have cruised on Rhapsody & Radiance 'downunder' and they have used their own tenders - these are the lifeboats that would be used in an emergency. Fortunately we have only travelled on them for tendering purposes :)

[TravelerThom]

Do any ships "carry their own tenders?" I've been on every class except Sovereign and never seen a ship use its own tenders. Do they use the emergency lifeboats for regular transportation of passengers?...

Many ships carry their own tenders. I think all RCI ships smaller than Voyager class have their own tenders (I know that Radiance and Vision class have tenders). I have personally tendered from Vision of the Seas (I went back and looked at pictures to confirm this). I'm pretty sure that ALL Celebrity ships [i've been on eleven of them] carry their own tenders. Just because ships have their own tenders doesn't mean they use them - generally if local shore based tenders are available the local boats will be used. To answer "Do they use the emergency lifeboats for regular transportation of passengers?": Radiance class carries (I think) 18 lifeboats; four of these are configured as tenders and fourteen are strictly emergency lifeboats (and not intended to be used as tenders).

 

Thom