UK Ships are we being left out?

[Kynance103]

For £8'000 it was a balcony cabin. Our kids are 3 & 10. If just me and my wife went £4'200.

 

I have only cruised with RC and pretty much know nothing about other cruise companies and their pricing.

 

Btw still would love a quantum ship in the UK [emoji4]

Edited May 30, 2016 by Kynance103

[JohnSnowGOT]

My first guess would be money...

As a whole the folk from England don't seem to spend a lot of $$ beyond the initial costs of the holiday. The large cruise ships depend on passengers spending $$ onboard for all the many incidentals that are offered.

[JohnSnowGOT]

Additionally, the nation as whole doesn't have a lot of folk with disposable income. Sure the ones that cruise often sure do but my experience is that most do not. Also living in Florida and having dealings with the tourist industry here... I see many many British vacationers... they are very frugal.

[JohnSnowGOT]

Ok, I see your point. However, the proof is in the pudding. Have a good day:)

Edited May 30, 2016 by JohnSnowGOT

[Glad Trimble]

Additionally, the nation as whole doesn't have a lot of folk with disposable income.

 

 

Wow. Where did this information come from??

 

 

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[little britain]

Not surprised the balcony cabins are still available-currently £4k plus for 2 people on August 13th sailing! Loads of promenade cabins too-hoping for a late deal :p

 

You need to get a USA TA ;)

Currently showing as $5,711.74 for an X gty balcony with free grats and $100 OBC.

That is £3906.

 

A Promenade is $4,451.74 with free grats and $50 OBC. That's £3044. £108pp pd.

[Glad Trimble]

His imagination

 

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Hmmmm. What a load of rubbish

 

 

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[moqui_girl]

The comments about lack of disposable income in the UK just made me laugh out loud!! A very bizarre comment!

 

In addition we, as a rule, have significantly more vacation days that lots of Americans. Just looking around at friends and family and to number of ships going out of Southampton, cruising is definitely a growing market in the UK. Obviously we have less people to start with than some other counties so we will reach a saturation point quicker. I don't think we are close to being there yet!

 

I'm sure some British travellers are frugal (I would call it smart) but you can't make a blanket statement about everyone.....

 

 

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[BMT]

Loads of cabins still for sale only a few weeks before sailing.

 

They are offloading them somewhere because the TA i use showed a load of cabin balconies for sale at not so cheap prices and then they all vanished in one go. So Royal is offloading them somewhere in some obscure foreign market as not to upset the people who paid a small fortune.

 

Either that or they upgraded a load of people to fill them and then put the insides up for sale at reduced prices.. I cant work out what but they were there and then gone.

 

Just off Indie - been on her many times - hated it this time. Food was awful - first time in 50 years of cruising I have complained about food, as we are not 'foodies'!! And yes, we were among those who paid a fortune, to find others on the very cheap deals. Packed in like sardines with no indoor pool for inclement weather. Staff complaining about being overworked on the TA previous cruise. Cancelling next year and going back to Celebrity and Princess.

 

Pity we can't have a Radiance class here in the UK.

[Panda3]

All of the reasons folks are mentioning are excellent reasons Oasis class should reside in warmer climate. The other is simply economics for Royal. They are able to fill up these ships easily from warmer or predictable weather places. Will then be able to fill them up from the UK?. Maybe, maybe not...but the US is a sure thing.

 

Also, I don't want to get off topic but here in Orlando, Florida when brits come to visit they have a reputation (sorry just posting this and have heard this from several friends) for not tipping well or at all because it's not part of your culture. Maybe the tipping is better from the US for the crew and it's more profitable.

[Panda3]

Royal cares about what they make in the till or register for you yanks :)

 

It also might be cheaper to fuel and supply in USA as Europe food and fuel will be more expensive

 

You hit the nail on the head. Fuel is so cheap here in the USA compared to Europe.

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

Royal food seems to be totally crap now on all boats.

 

Now I would say that that is a blanket statement. It is all subjective, and I would not say that all ships have "crap" food.

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

I'd say the MDR sucks on most Royal boats now. I've seen it myself and too many people suddenly agree with me on it. In the last 3 years the food quality and consistency on euro sailings has dived.

 

But I'm sure there are still plenty of morbidly obese people happy sitting in wind jammer stuffing their faces and kids faces with burgers 4 at a time who are happy with it. (actually seen that with my own eyes)

 

Royals cost cutting has clearly taken effect in the food. Depends if you agree or not that it's worse the savings are still there to be seen.

 

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I've had very good to great food as recently as this past February. I've read several reports about Majesty and her now wonderful food. I even saw a review saying that Liberty's food was good, despite the fact that post-January food reviews hadn't been good. On most other ships, its usually a draw with people loving the food, liking the food, or disliking the food. As I said previously, it is very subjective.

 

I'm not denying that food has gone down in quality, but to call it all crap is a huge over-generalization.

Edited May 31, 2016 by OfTheSeasCruiser

[Paulette3028]

I've had very good to great food as recently as this past February. I've read several reports about Majesty and her now wonderful food. I even saw a review saying that Liberty's food was good, despite the fact that post-January food reviews hadn't been good. On most other ships, its usually a draw with people loving the food, liking the food, or disliking the food. As I said previously, it is very subjective.

 

I'm not denying that food has gone down in quality, but to call it all crap is a huge over-generalization.

 

I must agree with you....we have had good meals for the most part in the MDR on all of our cruises. If something isn't right, I send it back or get something else. If I am fussy about something, I let my waiter know on the first night....and viola, all is good....they want to make cruisers happy, but they can't if they don't know what will make a cruiser happy.

 

Yes, food is a very subjective issue, and cruisers need to give the wait staff the best chance to make the experience a good one.

[swoopy2110]

Yes I'd agree with the staff making good. But when a strip steak has halved in depth or more and now looks like a peice of pork and not steak I tend to think that is crap. I sent 5 back on anthem until they went and fetched one from chops menu. It ruined the meal.

 

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Did you pay for the one from the Chops menu ?

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

Yes I'd agree with the staff making good. But when a strip steak has halved in depth or more and now looks like a peice of pork and not steak I tend to think that is crap. I sent 5 back on anthem until they went and fetched one from chops menu. It ruined the meal.

 

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Out of curiosity, have you been on any non-Quantum Class ships since this experience? I know a lot of things were changed up with Anthem.

[royzer76]

As much as I'd like an Oasis or Quantum class ship in the UK, I'm more than happy to have Independence.

 

Oasis class ships just don't work in the UK/Europe. Too much of the ship is open to bad weather. I sailed on the Oasis westbound TA a few years ago. The weather didn't play nice. The boardwalk and aqua theatre were like death traps ... dangerously slippy. Aqua shows were cancelled most nights and the ones that did take place had the audience sat in the rain. Central Park isn't a nice spot to sit if it's pouring down.

 

I think probably the better option is a Quantum Class ship but not at the laughable prices they were charging.

[MattyBarlow]

RCI have recently signed up for another 5 years at Southampton so they will have to do something to keep the pax flowing. Having said that, the UK ships seem to be stagnating somewhat. The NCL Jade isa back next year for some rubbish 7 day trips and MSC are doing a couple of sailings but apart from that its more of the same. Even P&O dont have anew ship on order for the near future.

[Joe12]

I've been off Anthem a few days now and I really wished during the cruise that she was sailing from Southampton just like last year.

I was angry initially that Anthem was replacing Indy as it was much more expensive, and they were removing an extremely popular ship from the market.

 

I'm very happy to see Navigator in Southampton for the next few years but I would rather it was Indy and Anthem there as Southampton would have given me a 14 day cruise and saved a lot of $$$ in airfare and I would have got home 4.5 hours after disembarking instead of 24!

The Chinese breakthrough is screwing the Brits over, but I am holding out hope for Q4 in 2019. Until then, Indy and Navigator.

Edited July 12, 2016 by Joe12

[Missus Makkem]

The Oasis class ships have the additional issue of only being able to dock at deep enough ports.

 

And that would be Southampton

[John&LaLa]

Brexit

[Missus Makkem]

Brexit

 

Meaning what?

[John&LaLa]

Meaning what?

 

Just teasing, I have no opinion anymore, the markets recovered

[Missus Makkem]

Just teasing, I have no opinion anymore, the markets recovered

Thank you. lets see what our new Prime minister does.

[skiiergirl]

What are people's thoughts on why no Oasis or Quantum class ships are being based in the UK this year or next? It seems Indy is the ship of choice for the UK for the next couple of years.

 

I have my theory's as to why which I posted in my recent review of Indy.

 

I really hope the UK gets to host a Oasis or Quantum class ship in the future [emoji4]

 

You are lucky that you get a variety of ships from year to year. US/Caribbean only has one Quantum class ship and its debarkation port/itinerary lets out alot of folks that would like to try it for a change. West Coast US (CA) folks have not had a ship at all for several years. RC won't give poor San Juan any variety. They have had AD as the only Voyager class for over 10 years and while they have rotated RD/BR/SR/JW through over the years it is only the Radiance Class and Voyager class out of SJU. There were "rumors" (very short-lived) a couple of years ago that SJU might actually get a Freedom class ship...but nope...RC just keeps AD & one RD class ship there (with only both being there part of the year)! We prefer going in/out of SJU because of the better islands you can reach from there. We love AD & all of the RD class ships....but would like other ships to have a variety of restaurants and entertainment!!!! One can only see the same production/ice shows so many times!!!!