What's next after Quantum?

[DJan07]

With the Vision class ships hitting the 20 year old mark soon, I was wondering if anyone had opinions, insights, etc. as to RCI's next class of ships after Quantum. I realize this is rather far off, but it's fun to think about (at least for me). I know a lot of folks here would love revived/revised Radiance sized ships, but can we realistically expect Freedom/Quantum sized ships from here on out? How much longer do you think RCI will hang out to older Vision class ships? Other thoughts?

 

Thanks for entertaining my lunchtime daydreaming. :)

 

Derek

[edjny]

I know a lot of folks here would love revived/revised Radiance sized ships, but can we realistically expect Freedom/Quantum sized ships from here on out?

 

I am hoping that they come out with a new design for the 'Vision' sized ships. We have been on Enchanment and Legend and they have been our favorites.

[Clarea]

I am hoping that they come out with a new design for the 'Vision' sized ships. We have been on Enchanment and Legend and they have been our favorites.

With the obvious priority on cash flow lately, I'd be very surprised if they build a new ship with less than 4000 passenger capacity.

[redlobster]

Radiance style (not sized) ships still have an appeal. Perhaps a larger version of them might be a next in line.

[JasonV1]

I think the movement is towards the floating resorts with lots of different things to do. Quantum may be the new model for the "smaller" ship, give or take a few features based on how well they are received.

 

Quantum has a lot of multi-use facilities, which is definitely a good idea.

[ehfl]

If I were running the company, I would invest in river cruising, either by buying Viking or another line, or building some "Wow" inspired river boats. At minimum, I would try to do some kind of reciprocal agreement with loyalty points and joint marketing.

 

I would work hard to repeal the PSVA and open up US coastal cruising.

 

Longer term, I would do more joint marketing with hotels (the current choice is very limited), or even start buying or building hotels. RCL needs to realize they are in the vacation business, not the ship business. I should be able to get the "Wow" experience on vacations on land too, with hotels that offer lots of activities, shows, and excursions.

 

Now, someone just needs to make me king! :o

[SSVacation]

As much as I would like to see more Radiance sized ships it looks like the emphasis is on bigger and more passengers for RCI, this will not be a good thing for the company in my opinion as a downturn will come eventually."

I could be wrong but seeing the changes first hand it seems greed has taken hold on a great company.

I am guessing the Leviathan Class with 10,000 passengers will be next!

Edited October 1, 2014 by SSVacation

[delirious9876]

As much as I would like to see more Radiance sized ships it looks like the emphasis is on bigger and more passengers for RCI, this will not be a good thing for the company in my opinion as a downturn will come eventually."

I could be wrong but seeing the changes first hand it seems greed has taken hold on a great company.

I am guessing the Leviathan Class with 10,000 passengers will be next!

Fantastic :)

 

Leviathan of the Seas - has a certain ring to it ! Lol

 

:)

[Ashland]

Another Oasis class will be built or so we were told on our recent southern caribbean cruise during our C&A get together.

[celebrity]

If I were running the company, I would invest in river cruising, either by buying Viking or another line, or building some "Wow" inspired river boats. At minimum, I would try to do some kind of reciprocal agreement with loyalty points and joint marketing.

 

I would work hard to repeal the PSVA and open up US coastal cruising.

 

Longer term, I would do more joint marketing with hotels (the current choice is very limited), or even start buying or building hotels. RCL needs to realize they are in the vacation business, not the ship business. I should be able to get the "Wow" experience on vacations on land too, with hotels that offer lots of activities, shows, and excursions.

 

Now, someone just needs to make me king! :o

I proclaim you King!

[delirious9876]

If I were running the company, I would invest in river cruising, either by buying Viking or another line, or building some "Wow" inspired river boats. At minimum, I would try to do some kind of reciprocal agreement with loyalty points and joint marketing.

 

I would work hard to repeal the PSVA and open up US coastal cruising.

 

Longer term, I would do more joint marketing with hotels (the current choice is very limited), or even start buying or building hotels. RCL needs to realize they are in the vacation business, not the ship business. I should be able to get the "Wow" experience on vacations on land too, with hotels that offer lots of activities, shows, and excursions.

 

Now, someone just needs to make me king! :o

Arise 'King Ehfl' - sounds like a real Northern European King !!!!! Ha ha ha !!

 

:)

[Ourusualbeach]

If I were running the company, I would invest in river cruising, either by buying Viking or another line, or building some "Wow" inspired river boats. At minimum, I would try to do some kind of reciprocal agreement with loyalty points and joint marketing.

 

I would work hard to repeal the PSVA and open up US coastal cruising.

 

Longer term, I would do more joint marketing with hotels (the current choice is very limited), or even start buying or building hotels. RCL needs to realize they are in the vacation business, not the ship business. I should be able to get the "Wow" experience on vacations on land too, with hotels that offer lots of activities, shows, and excursions.

 

Now, someone just needs to make me king! :o

 

Don't forget to repeal the ban on travel to Cuba while your at it.

[ivanrocko]

Radiance style (not sized) ships still have an appeal. Perhaps a larger version of them might be a next in line.

 

 

I agree. Maybe a hybrid between Radiance and Freedom Class, with better shows, and new itineraries from USA visiting ports like Cancun, Caracas, Punta Cana, Havana, or Barranquilla, Maracaibo, Santo Domingo, Rio, etc...

 

 

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[gatour]

In regards to "buying or building hotels", Carnival tried that many years ago and sold the complex off. Disney has been the only one that has branched out and they have somewhat limited success.

 

Disney Cruise Line: Success

Disney Vacation Club: Success when near the resorts. Limited success off property, vis a vi Vero Beach and Hilton Head. Initial plans was also was to have on in NYC but that was fairly quickly scraped. Jury is still out on the new Hawaiian resort.

 

 

If I were running the company, I would invest in river cruising, either by buying Viking or another line, or building some "Wow" inspired river boats. At minimum, I would try to do some kind of reciprocal agreement with loyalty points and joint marketing.

 

I would work hard to repeal the PSVA and open up US coastal cruising.

 

Longer term, I would do more joint marketing with hotels (the current choice is very limited), or even start buying or building hotels. RCL needs to realize they are in the vacation business, not the ship business. I should be able to get the "Wow" experience on vacations on land too, with hotels that offer lots of activities, shows, and excursions.

 

Now, someone just needs to make me king! :o

Edited October 2, 2014 by gatour

[MichaelCMTX]

Fact is, these bigger ships and especially Oasis-class bigger ships will have a heck of a time 1) at destinations where tendering is required 2) filling up at the less popular departure ports like New Orleans 3) fitting through the Panama Canal.

 

There are many "bigger is better, and RCL won't ever go with anything smaller on a future ship because that's where the bucks are at." DISAGREE. The bucks are there if the cabins are all full, and everyone pays close to full price, and there's no need to offer discounting and sales. More passengers also means more staff, more food, more oil to power the ship, more bandwidth for the wi-fi, more expenses, more fixed costs, more cash outlays. If bigger is the only possible answer for income, how come Southwest flies 737's instead of 747's?

 

Because also if even bigger ships come on line and the economy takes a dumper, or another Carnival Triumph situation, or we have some other global scare like SARS that curtails travel, that's gonna hurt big time, immediately. I'd much rather be trying to fill a 2500-capacity ship in that condition than a 6000.

 

You can chisel this one into my profile: what RCL needs to do now is take stock of what they've done with the Anthem and Quantum, improving the passenger experience, the venues, and incorporation the Dynamic Dining concept they want to make fleet wide (let's see them try to fit that on a Vision-class ship during a dry dock) and distill the highlights of the experience into a ship about 3/5 to ⅔ the size.

 

And one that stinks for me as a traveler but works for me as an RCL stockholder: if there are fewer available cabins, they can charge more for them.

 

Or, there's always Celebrity. Been a few years since they've laid keel on a new ship. Maybe they go forward with volume for RCL and intimacy for Celebrity?

[UCF_Knight]

Another Oasis class will be built or so we were told on our recent southern caribbean cruise during our C&A get together.

 

Are you talking about after the new, slightly larger 3rd Oasis class ship currently under construction in France for a 2016 maiden voyage and her sister ship under contract to set sail in 2018?

Edited October 2, 2014 by UCF_Knight

[Ashland]

Are you talking about after the new, slightly larger 3rd Oasis class ship currently under construction in France for a 2016 maiden voyage and her sister ship under contract to set sail in 2018?

No...talking about and answering the question....as to what comes after Quantum...sorry for any confusion.

[RCCL Fan]

I keep hearing talk of a new Radiance class, and I can only assume you guys mean in size.

 

When Radiance class was revealed it was a ship for cold weather climates. A ship designed for year round cruising with a connection to the outdoors.

 

Isn't that some of the same words used to describe Quantum class ships?

 

I think Quantum class is the new Radiance class, just bigger, and yes less glass, but that all weather cruise ship.

 

Oasis is the bread and butter Caribbean mainstay, and the other ships will fill the gaps.

[waterbug123]

How much longer do you think RCI will hang out to older Vision class ships?

 

Quite a while, given the millions and millions they just spend renovating them.

[UCF_Knight]

Quite a while, given the millions and millions they just spend renovating them.

 

They renovate all of their ships every 5 years on average, even ones they are planning to sell to one of their subsidiaries.

[Camlott]

With the Vision class ships hitting the 20 year old mark soon, I was wondering if anyone had opinions, insights, etc. as to RCI's next class of ships after Quantum.

Derek

 

My best guess is that Royal will continue the trend of building "mega ships". They have already and will continue to carve out a market for themselves with large and innovative ships and experiences.

 

I think that RCCL will build smaller ships in some of their other brands other than RCI. Perhaps even purchasing more brands or creating a new one all together at some point.

 

I think both RCCL and Carnival Corp. will try to differentiate their respective brands more so than they are now.

 

I also believe that as more large ships are built by Royal and others, we will see new ports or existing tendered ports changed to accommodate the new reality of the cruise industry (large ships). Grand Cayman comes to mind. Currently they really only miss out on two potential ships. That number will soon increase and they will have to decide to miss out on those ships or change to accommodate.

 

Just my two cents. No insight on this, only a gut feeling.

[kwazi07]

I think both RCCL and Carnival Corp. will try to differentiate their respective brands more so than they are now.

 

I agree. With most the smaller Royal ships heading abroad, Carnival is looking pretty good.

[ivanrocko]

With the Vision class ships hitting the 20 year old mark soon,

 

How much longer do you think RCI will hang out to older Vision class ships? Derek

 

 

First they have to sell their last Sovereign-class (Majesty). After selling that one, Vision Class is next, maybe in 3-5 years.

 

 

 

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[dancinman66]

My best guess is that Royal will continue the trend of building "mega ships". They have already and will continue to carve out a market for themselves with large and innovative ships and experiences.

 

I think that RCCL will build smaller ships in some of their other brands other than RCI. Perhaps even purchasing more brands or creating a new one all together at some point.

 

I think both RCCL and Carnival Corp. will try to differentiate their respective brands more so than they are now.

 

I also believe that as more large ships are built by Royal and others, we will see new ports or existing tendered ports changed to accommodate the new reality of the cruise industry (large ships). Grand Cayman comes to mind. Currently they really only miss out on two potential ships. That number will soon increase and they will have to decide to miss out on those ships or change to accommodate.

 

Just my two cents. No insight on this, only a gut feeling.

 

 

I like your thinking on this and feel similar might happen. But we need smaller ships and no contemporary lines have built any in years

 

 

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[waterbug123]

They renovate all of their ships every 5 years on average, even ones they are planning to sell to one of their subsidiaries.

 

Yes they do. But the "royal renovations" (I think that's what they called it) that they did over the past couple of years was far more extensive than the usual, particularly on the Vision class ships. :)