Deployment Schedule 2016-2017. Let the guessing begin

[MADflyer]

Explorer has been showing 2 cruises Sold Out for over a week now and the ship is due up in BC to do the Alaska Cruise Season in the Spring of 2016.

April 12&28 /16 are the sold out cruises. Old web pages used to show N/A and that was usually a change or cancelled cruise for us when it happened.

 

So, I am waiting to see what they are doing to get her up here?? in Apr/May as we are booked on both in Apr/16.

 

Explorer has been confirmed at Honolulu now on the 8th of May. With the previous call booked at Hilo for the 12th of May she should still reach 'North America' by the 20th of May as I had speculated previously.

[MADflyer]

Explorer of the Seas has now been booked at Honolulu for return to Australia for the 'winter' season. She calls on the 16th of October 2016.

 

This would seem to indicate a Victoria departure for the Pacific crossing.

[gypsealin]

Does anybody know anything about the Independence for Nov. 14, 2016. You can book every week in Nov. except the 14th. The 14th doesn't show on the schedule. We are on the transatlantic and wanted to stay on the Independence for the next sailing out of Ft Lauderdale.

[MADflyer]

Does anybody know anything about the Independence for Nov. 14, 2016. You can book every week in Nov. except the 14th. The 14th doesn't show on the schedule. We are on the transatlantic and wanted to stay on the Independence for the next sailing out of Ft Lauderdale.

 

She should do a 5 night sailing on arrival, but for some reason it is just not open for sale yet. You might inquire directly with RCI, but this cruise should eventually be deployed.

 

Independence Of The Seas Depart: 04:30 PM 11/14/2016 Fort Lauderdale - Port Everglades, Florida

Independence Of The Seas 11/15/2016 At Sea

Independence Of The Seas 07:30 AM - 03:30 PM 11/16/2016 Labadee, Hispaniola

Independence Of The Seas 08:30 AM - 04:30 PM 11/17/2016 Falmouth, Jamaica

Independence Of The Seas 11/18/2016 At Sea

Independence Of The Seas Arrive: 07:00 AM 11/19/2016 Fort Lauderdale - Port Everglades, Florida

[kernow]

Jewel westbound TA is now showing available to book on RCL website.

 

 

Julie

[travelgoddess1]

Explorer of the Seas has now been booked at Honolulu for return to Australia for the 'winter' season. She calls on the 16th of October 2016.

 

This would seem to indicate a Victoria departure for the Pacific crossing.

 

If Explorer leaves Victoria on October 7, following the September 30 7-night PNW cruise, and it is in Honolulu on October 16, that is only a 9-day Hawaii cruise, unless it overnights in Honolulu (possible, but not probable). Not long enough to do Hawaii justice, IMO. :(

Edited April 10, 2015 by travelgoddess1

[fish6]

Any pricing yet for Anthem. I see the itineraries on cruisecal......

[MADflyer]

If Explorer leaves Victoria on October 7, following the September 30 7-night PNW cruise, and it is in Honolulu on October 16, that is only a 9-day Hawaii cruise, unless it overnights in Honolulu (possible, but not probable). Not long enough to do Hawaii justice, IMO. :(

 

The September 30th cruise has not been deployed on the website. While it appeared on Cruisecal at one point many of those sailings have been changed prior to actual deployment.

[CVU]

Explorer has been confirmed at Honolulu now on the 8th of May. With the previous call booked at Hilo for the 12th of May she should still reach 'North America' by the 20th of May as I had speculated previously.

 

Thanks, so she won't be going to Singapore Apr 28, I would think?

[Piepkorn]

Thanks, so she won't be going to Singapore Apr 28, I would think?

 

My DW is having some issues related to the transfer between Victoria and Vancouver. Going to take most of a day to get that done.

[MADflyer]

Thanks, so she won't be going to Singapore Apr 28, I would think?

 

No, that was determined a couple weeks ago when they booked Sydney for the end of the first sailing. They then scheduled outbound Hawaii. It is normal that they re-deploy first and then contact passengers so that they can make the offer.

 

The reason they work that way is that each case is assigned a specific contact in Resolutions and the offer is time restricted, meaning that once they send out the notices to agents and passengers, you only have a limited time to reply and accept the offer. If passengers do not reply within the timeframe they are cancelled and refunded and lose all rights automatically to further compensation.

 

None of this is ever confirmed until they have notified passengers. All we know now is that the ship has been re-deployed.

Edited April 11, 2015 by MADflyer

[CVU]

No, that was determined a couple weeks ago when they booked Sydney for the end of the first sailing. They then scheduled outbound Hawaii. It is normal that they re-deploy first and then contact passengers so that they can make the offer.

 

The reason they work that way is that each case is assigned a specific contact in Resolutions and the offer is time restricted, meaning that once they send out the notices to agents and passengers, you only have a limited time to reply and accept the offer. If passengers do not reply within the timeframe they are cancelled and refunded and lose all rights automatically to further compensation.

 

None of this is ever confirmed until they have notified passengers. All we know now is that the ship has been re-deployed.

Thanks!

Just still shows Sold Out for the 2 cruises. Putting in April they only show those 2 cruises so I wasn't sure what was going on.

 

We have been called before with about 5? days to make up our mind.

[Hoopster95]

Explorer has been confirmed at Honolulu now on the 8th of May. With the previous call booked at Hilo for the 12th of May she should still reach 'North America' by the 20th of May as I had speculated previously.

 

First Alaska sailing on RCL website for May 27th. 8th to 27th = 19 days. You'd figure RCL would have the first May 20th Alaska sailing up with all the others... but then again maybe not. Maybe they'll send EOS 12 day to LA or San Diego May 20, then a 7 day coastal up to Seattle for May 27th

 

If Explorer leaves Victoria on October 7, following the September 30 7-night PNW cruise, and it is in Honolulu on October 16, that is only a 9-day Hawaii cruise, unless it overnights in Honolulu (possible, but not probable). Not long enough to do Hawaii justice, IMO. :(

 

Final PNW on RCL website announced Sept 23-30. What does EOS do for 16 days until Oct 16 in Oahu? Maybe like my thought above, they send her down the coast to San Diego on a 5 or 6 day repo, and then head to Hawaii from Ensenada (like Legend this year) on a normal 10-11 day itinerary instead of 9? Victoria is just not at all set up as an embarkation port to take on 3100 passengers whatsoever. Think of Victoria port like St Kitts, or Cozumel... just a couple of long piers with what I don't think is the infrastructure at all to handle baggage, check-in, porters, etc etc etc... let alone filling the ship with all the commodities it needs while at sea. The more I think about it, the more I think it's impossible in Victoria.

Edited April 11, 2015 by Hoopster95

[CVU]

I see now they have dropped April 28,2016 to Singapore

 

April 12 is kept though to Perth.

Still shows Sold Out, so maybe it is still in limbo for that one?

[MADflyer]

My DW is having some issues related to the transfer between Victoria and Vancouver. Going to take most of a day to get that done.

 

I am not sure, but I thought that Celebrity booked a ferry for transport of passengers directly following disembarkation.

 

I think all we know now is that Explorer is headed toward North America via Hawaii. I have not seen any evidence where the ship will arrive around the 20th of May. The first cruise open for sale from Seattle is on the 27th of May at the moment.

[MADflyer]

First Alaska sailing on RCL website for May 27th. 8th to 27th = 19 days. You'd figure RCL would have the first May 20th Alaska sailing up with all the others... but then again maybe not. Maybe they'll send EOS 12 day to LA or San Diego May 20, then a 7 day coastal up to Seattle for May 27th

 

 

 

.

 

I was researching Ensenada in Spanish while you posted this and I could not find a port schedule. I only find an article where they state that 2016 should have 55% more calls due to ships embarking and disembarking for the US transfers.

[MADflyer]

I see now they have dropped April 28,2016 to Singapore

 

April 12 is kept though to Perth.

Still shows Sold Out, so maybe it is still in limbo for that one?

 

Sold out is the new NA. NA was used when a sailing was being re-deployed or chartered. I one time had to wait 3 months until I was notified my cruise was re-deployed.

 

They are currently shortening one cruise, cancelling another and adding Hawaii. When they are done they will contact passengers holding bookings with an offer.

[John&LaLa]

I don't have a feel for the Venice part, but look at the difference in price (balcony and JS) between the Brilliance TA and the Rhapsody TA. Too much to justify leaving from Rome.

 

It's not so much where it leaves from. It's where it ends up that is driving it. Also, we are looking at inside solos anyway. BTW, one way choice air from Atlanta to Venice was only $480 this coming fall. Hopefully similar in 2016

[Clarea]

It's not so much where it leaves from. It's where it ends up that is driving it. Also, we are looking at inside solos anyway. BTW, one way choice air from Atlanta to Venice was only $480 this coming fall. Hopefully similar in 2016

Are you saying that arriving at Port Canaveral vs Tampa has something to do with the big difference in price?

[CVU]

Sold out is the new NA. NA was used when a sailing was being re-deployed or chartered. I one time had to wait 3 months until I was notified my cruise was re-deployed.

 

They are currently shortening one cruise, cancelling another and adding Hawaii. When they are done they will contact passengers holding bookings with an offer.

 

Had that dreaded N/A before. Yes, the new web page is Sold Out. Sounds like we may want to do that Hawaii to BC cruise when the time comes for the call.....

 

The ferry is one option to Vancouver, Flying is another and taking a ferry to Washington State also is an option.

 

The Pacific Coastal Bus that leaves from Victoria, goes to the Ferry, onto the ferry and then into Vancouver or to YVR Airport.

 

The Ferry is 1 1/2 hr ....Plus- travel time to and from and waiting time before boarding the ferry.

Once on the bus-- your luggage stays in the bus storage and you are free to wander the ferry and enjoy the great view.

There is an announcement when it is time to reboard the Ferry to prepare for disembarking the ferry.

It is popular during tourism times, so booking the ferry ahead maybe a wise thing to do.

[travelgoddess1]

The September 30th cruise has not been deployed on the website. While it appeared on Cruisecal at one point many of those sailings have been changed prior to actual deployment.

 

Sorry, I knew it had been on the website and then off again. I thought someone reported it had since re-opened for booking, but I didn't check it myself. It just adds to the "mystery."

 

I think if I had to embark in Victoria, I would not book the cruise in the first place. It sounds as bad as embarking in Ensenada, which I would hesitate to do, as well. :eek:

[CVU]

I see now they have dropped April 28,2016 to Singapore

 

April 12 is kept though to Perth.

Still shows Sold Out, so maybe it is still in limbo for that one?

 

Both AU Explorer sailings are showing up again?:rolleyes:

 

There is an Anacortes Ferry from Sydney, near Victoria, to Washington State

http://www.yelp.ca/biz/washington-state-ferries-anacortes

 

You could fly from Victoria to LA Karen?

 

No idea if Victoria is prepared for embarkations and disembarkations and loading of luggage and food supplies!!!!

It has a small terminal too?

Been there twice but didn't notice much as we walked off and on. They would need CAN Customs too......so maybe there is another RCL plan in the works we are not aware of.

 

EOS Retractable Smoke Stack to go into Vancouver?:D:confused:

[Hoopster95]

EOS Retractable Smoke Stack to go into Vancouver?:D:confused:

 

Now this would be incredibly lucrative imo going forward... is it the funnels or the mast (like Solstice) that is the issue?

 

http://www.vancouversun.com/Cruise+ship+mast+will+altered+under+Lions+Gate+Bridge+next+year/8303017/story.html

This article re: Solstice:

“By (Royal Caribbean) spending some money on (the mast) they can go under the Lions Gate and other places. Lions Gate isn’t the only place in the world cruise ships have to consider how to build a ship ... The Bridge of Americas in the Panama Canal has a similar air draft.”

 

Voyager class air draft approx 207 ft

Lion's Gate Bridge Mid span clearance = approx 200ft

Radiance air draft approx 180 ft.

 

Here's a time lapse set of images as Radiance goes under the Lion's Gate Bridge. You can get an idea of above height measurements vs, the bridge mid span.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=44020334&highlight=lapse#post44020334

 

Edited April 11, 2015 by Hoopster95

[BillB48]

 

EOS Retractable Smoke Stack to go into Vancouver?:D:confused:

 

I scoured the few pics of the EOS in dry dock, but I did not see any evidence of work on the stacks. Then again we have not been treated to all the goings on by Dry Dock Dave and Aim1:(.

[BillB48]

Now this would be incredibly lucrative imo going forward... is it the funnels or the mast (like Solstice) that is the issue?

 

 

 

 

 

From nautical Cities or whatever they call it now... it looks like the stacks are the issue, certainly more of a sticky wicket than the if it were just the mast. Looks like the forward mast is right at 200' while the after mast is less clear... it possibly be a wee over.