Thomson Cruises Acquires Second Royal Caribbean Ship

[LauraS]

Check out the latest Royal Caribbean News from Cruise Critic:

 

Thomson Cruises Acquires Second Royal Caribbean Ship

[OSUZorba]

With all the problems on Empresses, I wonder why if RCI was thinking about selling Legend, why they didn't just redeploy it instead of bringing back Empresses. Or putting Majesty on the Empresses routes, and then put the Legend on the Majesty routes.

[stormynow]

Maybe the Legend was saleable and the Empress not. JMO

[Clarea]

With all the problems on Empresses, I wonder why if RCI was thinking about selling Legend, why they didn't just redeploy it instead of bringing back Empresses. Or putting Majesty on the Empresses routes, and then put the Legend on the Majesty routes.

I believe they needed a smaller ship than Majesty or Legend to sail to Cuba.

[Ourusualbeach]

I believe they needed a smaller ship than Majesty or Legend to sail to Cuba.

 

I'm not sure about other ports but I know that Freedom class ships are able to dock in Havana.

 

I can't remember who the Captain was but it was at the Captains corner on Oasis in December where he told us that during his off time he was in Miami using the simulators docking at Havana.

 

Could make for some interesting itineraries once unrestricted travel opens up.

Edited June 3, 2016 by Ourusualbeach

[coaster]

There is a tunnel under Havana harbor that only ships with a shallow draft are able to clear. Only reason why Empress was chosen from my understanding.

Edited June 4, 2016 by coaster

[MADflyer]

The real issue is not the vessel servicing the Cuban itineraries, but the availability of infrastructure to support the ship while in port.

 

Destination based travel can actually have very little to do with the form of accommodation or transportation.

 

Empress was the first cruise ship designed for the short cruise segment that was developing just at the time of her entry into the market.

 

The 're-vitalized' Vision class ships are of great interest to the secondary cruise market that Thomson serves. The introduction of the TUI Discovery, the former Splendour has been fantastic and I am sure it is expected that her sister ship, Legend will prove just as successful. They will offer both these ships as all inclusive with drinks and dining.

 

A look at how they have updated Splendour for the UK market shows why they would be interested in acquiring her sister ship as well.

 

http://www.thomson.co.uk/cruise/ships/tui-discovery/dining/