When will RC go back to NOLA?

[cocacola86]

I know RC pulled out, NO is a beautiful city, does anyone know if they will ever sail out of there again and why did they pull out of there?

[cruisinfanatic]

I know RC pulled out, NO is a beautiful city, does anyone know if they will ever sail out of there again and why did they pull out of there?

because they and those that are there now had (have) to heavily discount to fill the ships

[Clarea]

I know RC pulled out, NO is a beautiful city, does anyone know if they will ever sail out of there again and why did they pull out of there?

They only have so many ships, so them move them to where they can make the most profit.

[Merion_Mom]

I know RC pulled out, NO is a beautiful city, does anyone know if they will ever sail out of there again and why did they pull out of there?

 

They will return when it is profitable to do so.

[wreckem2013]

As much a chance as LA. IE: Not much.

[cocacola86]

I know Carnival has I believe 2-3 ships, NCL has one. NO I find has the most charm, along with San Juan. Maybe one day

[ehfl]

They will go back when the people of NO have the good sense to move their city closer to the Caribbean. It's extremely expensive to move thousands of people by ship to points in the Caribbean. It takes a lot of fuel to get there compared with ports out of Florida. It's much more economical to have them fly to Florida, then board where they're closer to where they want to be.

[Newby58]

? No

[LilBlackDress]

They will go back when the people of NO have the good sense to move their city closer to the Caribbean. It's extremely expensive to move thousands of people by ship to points in the Caribbean. It takes a lot of fuel to get there compared with ports out of Florida. It's much more economical to have them fly to Florida, then board where they're closer to where they want to be.

 

That makes no sense to me... What about the ports in Baltimore and New Jersey? You can't tell me they are closer than New Orleans to Western Caribbean.

[BillB48]

I don't think Royal pulled out of NOLA because they had to discount heavily or that they were too far from the Caribbean. I monitored the prices the last year they were there because I was trying to swing another trip down the river. While the prices were not exactly premium, I don't think they were bargain basement either. I think it all boils down to too many ports and too few ships in Royal's fleet. With Royal sending so much tonnage over to the Far East, it just doesn't leave a lot leftover for the Caribbean. They can just make more $$ elsewhere.

[chengkp75]

I don't think Royal pulled out of NOLA because they had to discount heavily or that they were too far from the Caribbean. I monitored the prices the last year they were there because I was trying to swing another trip down the river. While the prices were not exactly premium, I don't think they were bargain basement either. I think it all boils down to too many ports and too few ships in Royal's fleet. With Royal sending so much tonnage over to the Far East, it just doesn't leave a lot leftover for the Caribbean. They can just make more $$ elsewhere.

 

Absolutely, the ships go where the money is. I think there may be a ship back there in the future, but it will not be until most of the ships have been equipped with scrubbers. It is just too expensive to have to burn diesel fuel all the way up and down the river and then out to 200 miles. Similar to Carnival's pull out of Baltimore a couple years ago. Note that Grandeur out of Baltimore was one of the first ships retrofitted with scrubbers to allow burning cheaper fuel up and down the Chesapeake.

[bouhunter]

Do you really think some poster here at CC would have any idea?:rolleyes: They have pulled out. No reason to expect they'll ever be back at this point......

[Pumbaamd]

If the Chinese economy and stock market continues to fall, RCCL may not need all those ships over there.

R&D

[yj_eugene]

It's extremely expensive to move thousands of people by ship to points in the Caribbean. It takes a lot of fuel to get there compared with ports out of Florida. It's much more economical to have them fly to Florida, then board where they're closer to where they want to be.

 

I think the fact that the announcement today of the Majesty moving to Port Canaveral and subsequently of the Rhapsody, now free to go anywhere, heading to Tampa instead of NOLA, just emphasizes that point.

[Don Pedro]

Absolutely, the ships go where the money is. I think there may be a ship back there in the future, but it will not be until most of the ships have been equipped with scrubbers. It is just too expensive to have to burn diesel fuel all the way up and down the river and then out to 200 miles. Similar to Carnival's pull out of Baltimore a couple years ago. Note that Grandeur out of Baltimore was one of the first ships retrofitted with scrubbers to allow burning cheaper fuel up and down the Chesapeake.

 

You may well be spot on. The China market sure has their attention right now but that tide could easily shift. Also with the new ships coming on line New Orleans might be on RCCL's radar for a larger ship. At one time there was a rumor floating that they would return in 2017 after a new terminal was built. As far as todays new about the Majesty, I believe it can be explained by the potential of short sailings to Cuba.

[Clarea]

...As far as todays new about the Majesty, I believe it can be explained by the potential of short sailings to Cuba.

Hadn't thought about that Pete, but that may be why they prefer Enchantment in Miami.

[Don Pedro]

Hadn't thought about that Pete, but that may be why they prefer Enchantment in Miami.

 

Bob, I think that when the Cuba possibility became real that move was made to hold the docking slot in Miami. Reversing the decision on the Majesty after they had already booked passengers on the Enchantment will probably mean that we will have to wait for the new schedule to really determine RCCL's plans.

[BillOh]

I know RC pulled out, NO is a beautiful city, does anyone know if they will ever sail out of there again and why did they pull out of there?

 

You've gotten a lot of replies of varying value. The only thing I can/will say is even if Royal plans one thing today, 2 years from now they may change. Keep watching.

[NightOne]

I know RC pulled out, NO is a beautiful city, does anyone know if they will ever sail out of there again and why did they pull out of there?

 

An official answer has never been given by Royal Caribbean.

 

There is a lot of speculation so we will just have to wait and see what happens in the future.

[cjdixon4]

They will go back when the people of NO have the good sense to move their city closer to the Caribbean. It's extremely expensive to move thousands of people by ship to points in the Caribbean. It takes a lot of fuel to get there compared with ports out of Florida. It's much more economical to have them fly to Florida, then board where they're closer to where they want to be.

 

That's the first time that I've heard that explanation before. Not that I'm doubting you, but I sailed Navigator last year out of Galveston which isn't exactly "close" to anything either. I think it's absolutely nuts for RCI not to keep at least one ship in NOLA...guess it's just not a money-maker for them (similar to the West Coast situation).

[Thetrail]

I don't think Royal pulled out of NOLA because they had to discount heavily or that they were too far from the Caribbean. I monitored the prices the last year they were there because I was trying to swing another trip down the river. While the prices were not exactly premium, I don't think they were bargain basement either. I think it all boils down to too many ports and too few ships in Royal's fleet. With Royal sending so much tonnage over to the Far East, it just doesn't leave a lot leftover for the Caribbean. They can just make more $$ elsewhere.

How about 349.00 per person a week, that's not "heavily discounted"??? Sorry feel your last statement is just plain ridiculous and makes zero sense....:D...The far east, lets see that would be one or two ships?:rolleyes:

[BillB48]

How about 349.00 per person a week, that's not "heavily discounted"??? Sorry feel your last statement is just plain ridiculous and makes zero sense....:D...The far east, lets see that would be one or two ships?:rolleyes:

 

I did not mean to infer that I ran a spread sheet of the fares for the entire season if that it is the way you took it. Although I did not see the price you mentioned about $50pp day, which is a good price, but I have cruised for under $35pp day. That figure is more in line with heavily discounted. My observations for the various weeks that I was considering were near $500pp for the week which is what I based my statement on.

 

My last statement, "They can just make more $$ elsewhere." I think that speaks for itself with the number of ships in the Far East market.

Edited July 7, 2015 by BillB48

[impatientlywaiting]

When we lived in NOLA in 2013-2014, I read an article about the cruise industry. Remember when the Serenade had to spend the night in NOLA last year because of water damage to some cabins and had to move to an old terminal/dock across the river? This article said that the old terminal/dock was going to be refurbished into a new cruise terminal and would be used by RCCL and one other cruise line (can't remember which cruise line) exclusively. The anticipated date wouldn't be for a couple of years but that was the plan. So, fingers crossed, this actually does happen. We cruised out of NOLA Christmas 2013 and it ranked as one of our #1 cruise terminals for embarkation and debarkation!

[mickev99]

Don't have an answer for you but I wish they would go back to NOLA. I wish anyone in addition to carnival would sail out of there in the summer.

[M&M Hayden]

We've sailed out of NOLA a number of times. Most recently November/December 2014 on back to back sailings on Serenade. We heard from staff that the shops and casino managers complained that they couldn't open until they were out in international waters so it was affecting their bottom line.