Any News on Bermuda Dredging?

[Peeker28]

I Wonder when we will find out if Bermuda is a no go

[DaisyL]

With regards to Quantum, that was true, but you still have to remember that they never opened up the Bermuda sailings for bookings.

 

At this point, with many people already booked onto the Anthem, I would think they would just have to alter the itineraries and skip Bermuda. I'm not sure what they would do with the 5 night, but they could very easily just swap ports for the 9 night (first island that comes to mind is St. Thomas). They probably would not have a hard time securing the berths, as the Caribbean is not nearly as crowded during the summer as it is during the winter.

 

This is true! We were on the first cruise this year on Liberty and it went to Bermuda and that was exactly what we booked the year before. Quantum was already scheduled to leave. And as someone else said, it's may be harder to switch ships at this point, with so many already booked.

 

I could live with an extra sea day on my 9 night or swapping in St. Thomas is fine too, to experience Anthem. But I think the 5 night may be the real issue for next year.

 

Hopefully the work will be done in Bermuda by next year? We'll see; I'll certainly follow this thread. Thanks.

[Overtyme]

I wonder if they could do 2 nights down to Bahamas or St. Thomas, a few hours in port at either place and then 2 days back?

Seems to be close to on schedule ....

Thoughts?

[Ourusualbeach]

I wonder if they could do 2 nights down to Bahamas or St. Thomas, a few hours in port at either place and then 2 days back?

Seems to be close to on schedule ....

Thoughts?

 

Nassau is about the closest island at 972 NM. At 20 knots to would take just over 2 days to get there. If she left Bayonne apt 5pm she would arrive in Nassau at 5 pm then have to leave by 7 am.

 

In reality it would be a 5pm arrival and a midnight departure. Can't see that happening.

[Overtyme]

Nassau is about the closest island at 972 NM. At 20 knots to would take just over 2 days to get there. If she left Bayonne apt 5pm she would arrive in Nassau at 5 pm then have to leave by 7 am.

 

 

 

In reality it would be a 5pm arrival and a midnight departure. Can't see that happening.

 

 

Something might be off with that calculation.

For example, on the 9 night, the ship leaves Labadee at 4:00PM, sails the next 2 days and is back in Bayonne by 6AM or so.

[Ourusualbeach]

Something might be off with that calculation.

For example, on the 9 night, the ship leaves Labadee at 4:00PM, sails the next 2 days and is back in Bayonne by 6AM or so.

 

That's actually 2 days plus 14 hours. The issues isn't in getting back as they don't have to arrive until 6am. The issue is getting to the first port as they depart Bayonne at 5pm.

[fred30]

I Wonder when we will find out if Bermuda is a no go

 

With Royal they won't tell anyone until after the Anthem leaves Bayonne for the first scheduled stop to Bermuda.

 

The passengers are never on the "Need to Know" list.

 

Without Bermuda there is no good 5 day option.

Edited June 22, 2015 by fred30

[Peeker28]

With Royal they won't tell anyone until after the Anthem leaves Bayonne for the first scheduled stop to Bermuda.

 

The passengers are never on the "Need to Know" list.

 

Without Bermuda there is no good 5 day option.

 

I believe that it not until April 2016. I'm going on the 9 night so I guess the whole cruise won't be ruined if I don't get to stop there but it will be a huge disappointment:cool:

[fred30]

I believe that it not until April 2016. I'm going on the 9 night so I guess the whole cruise won't be ruined if I don't get to stop there but it will be a huge disappointment:cool:

 

You'll know ahead of time from CC about the dredging. For the longer cruise they can just add another Caribbean port.

 

When you stop in Bermuda on the Caribbean cruise you don't get a full day. I think the Liberty usually pulls out around 3:00pm. So your a little rushed to get back.

[Peeker28]

Just want to bump this thread up in case anyone has any new info

[Overtyme]

Just want to bump this thread up in case anyone has any new info

 

 

Thanks!

It would be great if someone sailing Liberty can get some info while they're in Bermuda.

I'm really not thinking this is going to happen in time for Summer 2016, but it won't be the first time that I was proven wrong [emoji19]

[fred30]

Thanks!

It would be great if someone sailing Liberty can get some info while they're in Bermuda.

I'm really not thinking this is going to happen in time for Summer 2016, but it won't be the first time that I was proven wrong [emoji19]

 

 

If there was any significant news I would think it would have been reported somewhere. The dredging is a sensitive subject and being watched closely.

 

The Anthem leaves Bayonne on April 30, 2016 for it's first stay in Bermuda. That's only 9-1/2 months from now.

[Overtyme]

If there was any significant news I would think it would have been reported somewhere. The dredging is a sensitive subject and being watched closely.

 

The Anthem leaves Bayonne on April 30, 2016 for it's first stay in Bermuda. That's only 9-1/2 months from now.

 

 

Exactly! It's also been discussed that they won't dredge during the Summer season, due to traffic in the channel.

I believe that there are varying opinions, but one thought is that one season may not be enough time to dredge the channel.

For a 5 day cruise to Bermuda, they would have to cancel the entire itinerary, especially with no cruises to nowhere allowed.

And IF this is true, then there are two possible conclusions that I can come up with:

 

1 - Royal is stalling until those guests are locked into final payment before they make an announcement

 

Or

 

2 - they believe that there is ample time.

 

Either way, it would be nice to know that they are paying attention to the concerns of their customers.

I invite someone from Royal Caribbean to chime in here so to out those peoples minds at ease.

Edited July 15, 2015 by Overtyme

[fred30]

 

1 - Royal is stalling until those guests are locked into final payment before they make an announcement

 

R.C. couldn't gamble on doing that. It would be known long before final payment is due if the dredging was going to be completed and I'm sure there would be lots of cancellations. This could be financially devastating.

They can't afford not to have a new ship sale full all summer long.

 

News like this could even make the NY and Phila area news. "NEW SHIP HAS NOWHERE TO GO".

Or

 

2 - they believe that there is ample time.

 

I guess it's possible that all the negotiations and details have been worked out and just not made public for some reason. But I don't think they went out for bids yet.

 

see above

[Overtyme]

An interesting note from Mike Castagnoli on Facebook:

I think that it was all posturing. The draft of the anthem is 28 feet. The draft of the liberty is 28 feet. The anthem is 134 feet wide while the Liberty is 185 feet wide. We all know the Liberty fits just fine so there should be no logical reason the anthem won't fit.

[DEIx15x8]

The Quantum class does have a greater draft that the Freedom class. In November when we had to skip CocoCay so they had to go through a list of other options, none of which worked. Ft. Lauderdale had some weird rule about 24 hour notice. The main reasons though was that the port couldn't handle the ship which is obvious for places like Bermuda and Charleston. The surprising one though was Miami, which also stated the ship was too close for their comfort and was not allowed to enter the channel. We obviously just spent the day at sea and sailed north. I talked to a couple of the people that were involved in that whole decision process and even they thought we were going to get somewhere but everything was inaccessible. I believe the Quantum's draft is equal to the Oasis which is a bit deeper than the Freedom and Voyager class ships. Unfortunately Royal Caribbean posted stats have been notoriously inaccurate with different numbers used for different ships.

Edited July 15, 2015 by DEIx15x8

[Ourusualbeach]

An interesting note from Mike Castagnoli on Facebook:

I think that it was all posturing. The draft of the anthem is 28 feet. The draft of the liberty is 28 feet. The anthem is 134 feet wide while the Liberty is 185 feet wide. We all know the Liberty fits just fine so there should be no logical reason the anthem won't fit.

 

Anthem is 30 feet longer. There was speculation earlier that this was an issue as it put her into the safety zone in a turning radius.

[Overtyme]

Anthem is 30 feet longer. There was speculation earlier that this was an issue as it put her into the safety zone in a turning radius.

 

 

Thank you for that. It just didn't make sense without that information.

[Hoopster95]

An interesting note from Mike Castagnoli on Facebook:

I think that it was all posturing. The draft of the anthem is 28 feet. The draft of the liberty is 28 feet. The anthem is 134 feet wide while the Liberty is 185 feet wide. We all know the Liberty fits just fine so there should be no logical reason the anthem won't fit.

 

From the desk of the Chief Engineer's desk during Quantum's All-Access Tour:

 

 

 

 

Quantum

Draft 8.5m = 28ft

Length 347.75m = 1,141ft

Breadth (beam or width) 41.4m = 136ft

Air draft (height above water) 62.5m = 205ft

 

Liberty

Draft 8.53m - 28ft

Length 339m = 1,112ft

Beam (at waterline) 38.6m = 127ft

Air draft 63.5m = 209ft

 

Quantum over Liberty... 10ft wider and 30 ft longer.

Is this enough to create a major problem into Bermuda?

[fred30]

There is a bigger difference between the ships underwater.

Quantum

Draft 8.5m = 28ft

Length 347.75m = 1,141ft

Length 320.10m = 1,050ft (waterline)

Breadth (beam or width) 41.4m = 136ft

Air draft (height above water) 62.5m = 205ft

 

Liberty

Draft 8.53m - 28ft

Length 339m = 1,112ft

Length 320.10m = 995ft (waterline)

Beam (at waterline) 38.6m = 127ft

Air draft 63.5m = 209ft

 

Quantum over Liberty... 10ft wider and 30 ft longer.

Quantum over Liberty... 9ft wider and 55 ft longer. (waterline)

Is this enough to create a major problem into Bermuda?

 

source:

http://www.matkustajalaivat2.com/CruiseShips/RCCL/LibertyOTS2007/Technical.htm

[Hoopster95]

There is a bigger difference between the ships underwater.

Quantum

Length 347.75m = 1,141ft

Length 320.10m = 1,050ft (waterline)

 

Liberty

 

Length 339m = 1,112ft

Length 320.10m = 995ft (waterline)

 

Quantum over Liberty... 10ft wider and 30 ft longer.

Quantum over Liberty... 9ft wider and 55 ft longer. (waterline)

Is this enough to create a major problem into Bermuda?

 

source:

http://www.matkustajalaivat2.com/CruiseShips/RCCL/LibertyOTS2007/Technical.htm

 

Excellent info! So that's the diff of "Length BP" & "Length Overall". Thank you for explaining that.

[fred30]

Length BP is actually not at the "waterline" as I identified above. As I understand it, the measurement is from the waterline at the bow to the shaft of the rudders. I don't know how this is determined on modern ships with axipods and a bulbous bow that protrudes beyond the waterline at the bow.

Regardless of how this is measured there is a 55ft difference between both ships.

[Phoenix1949]

Just off Summit. According to Capt Leo and Ken Mills the CD Bermuda will be proceeding with the dredging.

[jaydog240011]

Maybe they only have to Dredge parts of the channel and not the hole thing.2 maybe they don't have to Dredge at all and they lie to us about having to Dredge too put QUANTUM in china .It the the first the they lie to us just look at what they did with Majesty OTS. Been on 33 cruises one thing i Know is never trust RCCL or and cruise line.

[Wildcatfish]

Recently we were aboard Liberty, and I watched as we left the island. First of all the reefs are spectacular! It is pretty impressive.

 

Admittedly, I am no expert but the channel did seem narrow. I can understand their concern if a larger ship was to navigate the channel.