Port Canaveral .. Majesty?? RC Handing PC Over To Carnival

[Clarea]

... What did they actually accomplish here??

I'm really curious about that too.:confused:

[Ourusualbeach]

Then WHY SWITCH THEM AT ALL ??? They could have just left Majesty in Miami and kept Enchantment in Port Canaveral ... no interruptions ..

 

So I guess you are missing my point. What did they actually accomplish here??

 

Probably because the itineraries for Enchantment out of Miami have already be been on sale as well as Rhapsody out of PC.

 

By deciding to keep Majesty and move her to PC they only had to offer compensation to those on Rhapsody. If they had moved Enchantment back to Pc and put Majesty in Miami then they would have been offering compensation to those on Enchantment and Rhapsody.

 

Had they made the decision to keep Majesty before the itineraries had been released perhaps the outcome would have been different or maybe they would have moved the Majesty anyway as she has been in Miami for a while now.

[LMaxwell]

Probably because the itineraries for Enchantment out of Miami have already be been on sale as well as Rhapsody out of PC.

 

By deciding to keep Majesty and move her to PC they only had to offer compensation to those on Rhapsody. If they had moved Enchantment back to Pc and put Majesty in Miami then they would have been offering compensation to those on Enchantment and Rhapsody.

 

Had they made the decision to keep Majesty before the itineraries had been released perhaps the outcome would have been different or maybe they would have moved the Majesty anyway as she has been in Miami for a while now.

 

 

I like your reasoning.

 

It also works out better to lose the month of May for short runs in PC than in Miami I would think because PC may be more family oriented and even the earliest schools don't let out until the end of the month of May, and many more solidly into June. But to not have a ship in Miami for that long? No way. So they have a chance to make some capital improvements to Majesty in a short slow season as well.

 

Honestly, as much as people are moaning, many will book and have a great time. Every class of ship has its own set of positives; people always say they want a mid size ship and a classic cruise experience. We're talking 3 and 4 day trips here. And the ship isn't exactly a rusty old barge. Yes, standard cabins are tiny and that won't change.

 

I'm not rushing out to book, but that's more to do with bookings in place and budgets accounted for. But I would not not book Majesty. I like having a second ship as a nearby driving option, though Miami is more convenient.

[wayne_trisha]

How dare RCCL inconvenience these folks!

 

Not really an inconvenience. I live 15 minutes from PC and I'm not going to spend my money to sail on Majesty. I don't really like this class and was very happy when enchantment replaced the monarch. So someone else gets my money.

[DarthGrady]

Almost half of carnivals fleet is as old as majesty and about the same size

 

Of their current 24 ships, only their 8 Fantasy Class ships are comparable in size to MJ. Some were built later than MJ in the 90s, Paradise was the last in '99.

[MADflyer]

I'm really curious about that too.:confused:

 

I think it is actually what they 'accomplished' for the 2017-18 deployment.

 

They now have Rhapsody to Rome in summer of 2017 as was originally planned for 2016. The switched Rhapsody and Jewel out at the last minute just prior to the 2016-17 deployment press release.

 

This also frees Rhapsody for a possible return to South America in winter 2017-18 if wanted.

[MADflyer]

They should have sold off Majesty to Thompson instead of Splendour, and then sent her over to PC. She already had her major refurbishment, and if they really wanted to, they could've added ever more to make her comparable to the Enchantment. Ohh well...There's no point in discussing that, as it's not even an option at this point, and probably never was. :)

 

Splendour is actually being 'sold' to TUI Cruises, where RCL is a 50% stakeholder. RCL in turn will still own 50% of Splendour. TUI Cruises is leasing the ship to Thomson Cruises which is a part of TUI PLC, a part of the TUI Group that owns the other 50% of TUI Cruises.

 

This is rather complicated as Splendour is actually taking the place of the Island Escape of Island Cruises. Royal Caribbean sold their share of Island Cruises to TUI Plc in 2008.

 

In a related transfer, TUI Cruises will also now be transferring their Mein Schiff 1 and Mein Schiff 2 to Thomson Cruises. These are the former Celebrity ships Galaxy and Mercury.

 

These transfers are probably being done to end the leases Thomson has with Louis Cruises that is outside of the RCL/ TUI group. Their other ships are former HAL ships.

[micco69]

No matter how you look at it PC is being Screwed here by RCCL with the ship switch and be downgraded to MJ. I have talked to a lot of people from this area and they feel the same way as TheMastodon they won't spend a dime to cruise on MJ they'll drive 3hrs to another cruise line. And they say that RCCL is playing PC with the Oasis witch PC can't see yet.

[lnuzzo]

Let all the detractors go to Carnival, and see how they like the uber glitz, seedy Las Vegas style decor. The only thing that DH and I were sad about on MJ was the lack of specialty dining, which they are addressing with the re-furb. slides, not so interested in, as my son is too old to care.

 

As stated before, you are not going to please everyone, and the difference of no 3/4 cruises, and having will still keep the ships full.

 

That said, when we were planning our cruise next month, PC was not a viable option, given the 45 drive which required a car rental, drop off, and from what I have read incredibly inefficient rental agency shuttles to the port. So we are opting, again, to go to Miami, stay in a boutique hotel the night before in SOBE, which we could not do in PC. I might do PC, but only if we were going to add a long weekend in Orlando for some theme park action.

Edited July 9, 2015 by lnuzzo

[Rewind]

Only thing, in winter the weather will be better in MIA or FLL. Which is huge fro all the sun seeker who have to fly.

 

I'm coming from Ohio - in January when the temps are 83 degrees in Port Canaveral and 84 degrees in MIA / FLL, it doesn't make a difference.

 

 

Then WHY SWITCH THEM AT ALL ??? They could have just left Majesty in Miami and kept Enchantment in Port Canaveral ... no interruptions ..

 

So I guess you are missing my point. What did they actually accomplish here??

 

Majesty can hold an extra 298 passengers over Enchantment. Or better yet, Royal can charge cruise fair for an extra 298 guests. I guess they see more people sailing 3/4 nighters as a tack on to an Orlando vacation and want a higher capacity ship close by.

 

----------------------------------------

All that being said, my first cruise was on Monarch out of Port Canaveral because I was heading down to the cape in an attempt to watch the final space shuttle launch. The Monarch got me addicted to cruising on a three night itinerary. While Sovereign class ships have that special place in my heart, I would not choose to be on one again as I prefer the larger ships.

 

The drive from Orlando to Port Canaveral goes by in a flash and I would do that again in a heartbeat. Now flying into Houston, TX and driving to Galveston for a cruise... let's just say there is a reason why their 7 night cruises are going for less than $500 on a regular basis.

 

And if you all really don't want the Majesty, send her up hear to the Great Lakes. I'm sure all of us in the Mid-West would sail on her 20 times over and be thankful we don't have to fly.

[ryano]

Fearless prediction; most of you throwing a tantrum about this will book and come back saying you had a great time now that they are adding a bunch of features to the ship.

 

Exactly, just like the large majority of NOOTS finally caved in and went on Allure and Oasis after all the huge fuss of how those two ships would sink RCI and they would never fill them :rolleyes::o

[orville99]

Majesty can hold an extra 298 passengers over Enchantment. Or better yet, Royal can charge cruise fair for an extra 298 guests. I guess they see more people sailing 3/4 nighters as a tack on to an Orlando vacation and want a higher capacity ship close by.

 

Because of the dramatic difference in cabin configurations (balcony and above vs. interior and OV) between Enchantment and Majesty, Enchantment will actually produce about 30% more booking revenue per cruise at 100% capacity. Where those ~300 extra passengers make up the difference is in onboard revenue. 3/4 night cruises are notoriously associated with partying/drinking, so my guess is net/net, it's a wash on revenue.

 

I'm not at all sure how making Majesty more "family-friendly" affects the revenue model.

 

IMO, this move was an appeasement decision to protect the commission revenue for RCL's large TA partners.

Edited July 9, 2015 by orville99

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

My main concern in Majesty's move to PC is that she will no longer visit Key West, a port which she has faithfully visited on Thursdays for years. Right now I don't know which RCI ships, if any, will stop at Key West. Most are too big to negotiate KW's narrow channel. I know Enchantment and Radiance Class ships can go to Key West, but they don't go year around as far as I recall.

 

Frankly I had hoped a Radiance Class ship would replace Majesty in Miami, but an RCI concierge told me in December that no ship would replace Majesty in Miami. When I posted his statement here, I was roundly criticized and told RCI would never cede Miami to NCL and Carnival. Looks like they will afterall.

 

Anyway, we often drive to Key West for a vacation but sometimes it is just more fun and relaxing to take a cruise that includes a stop there. Our options appear to be more limited now.

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

My main concern in Majesty's move to PC is that she will no longer visit Key West, a port which she has faithfully visited on Thursdays for years. Right now I don't know which RCI ships, if any, will stop at Key West. Most are too big to negotiate KW's narrow channel. I know Enchantment and Radiance Class ships can go to Key West, but they don't go year around as far as I recall.

 

Frankly I had hoped a Radiance Class ship would replace Majesty in Miami, but an RCI concierge told me in December that no ship would replace Majesty in Miami. When I posted his statement here, I was roundly criticized and told RCI would never cede Miami to NCL and Carnival. Looks like they will afterall.

 

Anyway, we often drive to Key West for a vacation but sometimes it is just more fun and relaxing to take a cruise that includes a stop there. Our options appear to be more limited now.

 

Enchantment will be replacing Majesty in Miami, and will regularly call at Key West.

[kruzerci]

My main concern in Majesty's move to PC is that she will no longer visit Key West, a port which she has faithfully visited on Thursdays for years. Right now I don't know which RCI ships, if any, will stop at Key West. Most are too big to negotiate KW's narrow channel. I know Enchantment and Radiance Class ships can go to Key West, but they don't go year around as far as I recall.

 

 

 

Frankly I had hoped a Radiance Class ship would replace Majesty in Miami, but an RCI concierge told me in December that no ship would replace Majesty in Miami. When I posted his statement here, I was roundly criticized and told RCI would never cede Miami to NCL and Carnival. Looks like they will afterall.

 

 

 

Anyway, we often drive to Key West for a vacation but sometimes it is just more fun and relaxing to take a cruise that includes a stop there. Our options appear to be more limited now.

 

 

Enchantment will sail to Key West year round.

[ryano]

The only negative I see Royal made here is that they teased Port Canaveral with a newer ship for the 3/4 Bahamas cruises and now people are upset because they feel like Majesty is a "downgrade". Well, Sovereign class had been handling those cruises nicely for years until they moved Enchantment there and there was no complaints around here for the most part.

 

Royal is going to do what they feel they need to do. We can either like it or vote with our wallet and leave. As for me, Im now checking out B2B Majesty cruises out of PC ;) The accessible deck 9 SOV cabin have been the best cabin Ive stayed in yet. Its huge, open with TWO big windows.

Edited July 9, 2015 by ryano

[John&LaLa]

The only negative I see Royal made here is that they teased Port Canaveral with a newer ship for the 3/4 Bahamas cruises and now people are upset because they feel like Majesty is a "downgrade". Well, Sovereign class had been handling those cruises nicely for years until they moved Enchantment there and there was no complaints around here for the most part.

 

Royal is going to do what they feel they need to do. We can either like it or vote with our wallet and leave. As for me, Im now checking out B2B Majesty cruises out of PC ;) The accessible deck 9 SOV cabin have been the best cabin Ive stayed in yet. Its huge, open with TWO big windows.

 

Speaking of that, I seem to recall that Majesty only has 4 accessible cabins and Enchantment had 19. Even Rhapsody had 14. Definitely different priorities in the Sovereign era

[LMaxwell]

 

Frankly I had hoped a Radiance Class ship would replace Majesty in Miami, but an RCI concierge told me in December that no ship would replace Majesty in Miami. When I posted his statement here, I was roundly criticized and told RCI would never cede Miami to NCL and Carnival. Looks like they will afterall.

 

 

Enchantment is taking over for Majesty and is going to KW.

[bigque]

Ok so from reading this thread I see that I am going to be in the minority here. My first cruise was on Sovereign Of The Seas and I just cruised on Enchantment back in March of this year. So here it comes....wait on it......

I actually like the Sovereign class ship better than I liked Enchantment :eek:

So I was thinking after the March cruise that I wouldn't ever do a 3 day out of PC anymore, but now that Majesty will be there, I may reconsider! :cool:

[ehfl]

The Miami, short cruises are an extremely important revenue source, and it's a very competitive market. They need a ship with more balconies to compete with NCL and Carnival on those routes. It's going to be even more competitive in the not so distant future as Cuba enters the mainstream cruising destination. The South Florida ports (as well as San Juan) will potentially have to compete with Havana as a home-port.

Edited July 9, 2015 by ehfl

[Paulette3028]

My main concern in Majesty's move to PC is that she will no longer visit Key West, a port which she has faithfully visited on Thursdays for years. Right now I don't know which RCI ships, if any, will stop at Key West. Most are too big to negotiate KW's narrow channel. I know Enchantment and Radiance Class ships can go to Key West, but they don't go year around as far as I recall.

 

Frankly I had hoped a Radiance Class ship would replace Majesty in Miami, but an RCI concierge told me in December that no ship would replace Majesty in Miami. When I posted his statement here, I was roundly criticized and told RCI would never cede Miami to NCL and Carnival. Looks like they will afterall.

 

Anyway, we often drive to Key West for a vacation but sometimes it is just more fun and relaxing to take a cruise that includes a stop there. Our options appear to be more limited now.

 

Most people on here never expected RCI to concede the Miami 3/4 day market to anyone....and they are not...simply putting a different ship there. I have been told many times, that staff members are the last to get information on what the home office is doing....they are more concerned with their own next assignments, as they should be. Many people may have wanted a Radiance class ship to replace MJ but it has fewer overall cabins and that wouldn't make sense regardless that it has more balcony cabins overall and those that are not suites, but still have balconies. If they were going to increase passenger capacity....then they had to go to Voyager class.....but it is clear they did not want to do that (at least at this time) -- who knows what will happen in the future.

[aurelius180]

Ok so from reading this thread I see that I am going to be in the minority here. My first cruise was on Sovereign Of The Seas and I just cruised on Enchantment back in March of this year. So here it comes....wait on it......

I actually like the Sovereign class ship better than I liked Enchantment :eek:

So I was thinking after the March cruise that I wouldn't ever do a 3 day out of PC anymore, but now that Majesty will be there, I may reconsider! :cool:

 

There are others reading along who generally agree with your thoughts. Cruise Critic is a small minority of cruisers and even a smaller minority are driving the post counts in these threads about the changes.

 

I've only sailed Majesty, Enchantment and Vision. I like Majesty and Enchantment a lot and would sail either. I'm not a fan of Vision and would consider that a barge for the scrap heap long before Majesty.

 

Considering one class of ship a "downgrade" over another is simply an opinion which often gets confused with fact.

 

People have different preferences and RCI provides choices. PC has/will have one of the newest and largest cruise ships catering to those who prefer the bells and whistles and longer itineraries and also the smallest class, which is getting an upgrade, catering to those who like a smaller ship on a shorter itinerary.

[John&LaLa]

Most people on here never expected RCI to concede the Miami 3/4 day market to anyone....and they are not...simply putting a different ship there. I have been told many times, that staff members are the last to get information on what the home office is doing....they are more concerned with their own next assignments, as they should be. Many people may have wanted a Radiance class ship to replace MJ but it has fewer overall cabins and that wouldn't make sense regardless that it has more balcony cabins overall and those that are not suites, but still have balconies. If they were going to increase passenger capacity....then they had to go to Voyager class.....but it is clear they did not want to do that (at least at this time) -- who knows what will happen in the future.

 

I'd be interested to know if anyone has done the math to compare total cabin revenue from all cabin types on a 4 day Sovereign vs a 4 day Radiance. This debate on total berths vs quality berths has gone on forever

[ryano]

Speaking of that, I seem to recall that Majesty only has 4 accessible cabins and Enchantment had 19. Even Rhapsody had 14. Definitely different priorities in the Sovereign era

 

Correct. :) There are two accessible insides and two accessible deck 9 SOV. They go FAST too!

[John&LaLa]

Correct. :) There are two accessible insides and two accessible deck 9 SOV. They go FAST too!

 

Isn't that a big negative then :what:

I wonder if they can do anything about it