Deployment 2018-19 booking season begins

[LauraStrick]

You had to be one of the cool kids

 

From what I understand, for several hours last evening, the only way to book was to contact the C&A booking desk

 

I actually called the main Royal number, not C&A, around 8pm and got through easily and booked with no questions.

[CRUISEBOY305]

Perhaps Rhapsody will be at Bayonne thru 2017 and into 2018?

 

http://www.nj.com/articles/18383004/royal_caribbeans_rhapsody_of_the_seas_to_join_anth.amp

 

 

Old article

 

Rhapsody is already deployed to Tampa through the 2018

 

Vision will be in Bayonne for the fall of 2017

 

 

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[Leadfoot56]

Has anyone heard what shows will be on Symphony? I think it's odd that the ship is out for booking without any details like shows being released.

[crzndeb]

If you are referring to the westbound transatlantic from northern Europe to Boston in August, that is one of the most expensive sailings, expecially for suites. My experience is that suites sell out the first day.

 

I travel solo, so it would be an inside for me. I have some friends on the one this year, and they got decent prices when the one in Aug. first came out. But I do realize it will be pricier than other TA's.

[Gabling]

Old article

 

Rhapsody is already deployed to Tampa through the 2018

 

Vision will be in Bayonne for the fall of 2017

 

 

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Aaah - ok. Thanks!! [emoji1360]

[CRUISEBOY305]

Has anyone heard what shows will be on Symphony? I think it's odd that the ship is out for booking without any details like shows being released.

 

 

Wayyyyyyyy too early for that.

 

Royal literally just unveiled the name (officially) and itinerary. Baby steps [emoji6]

 

 

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[DonTreadOnMe]

Really disappointed that no other Europe cruise was released for the summer of 2018. I guess I have to wait another 2 weeks :(. Interested by SOS but I really didn't want to leave from Barcelona.

 

We booked SOS last night to make sure we had the room we wanted. I too was really disappointed that it was leaving out of Barcelona instead of Rome as the flyer that had been posted suggested. We were going to tag a few more days before or after the cruise to spend in Venice and a few other spots. Not so much now that it sails from Barcelona.

 

We may end up changing to another ship eventually, but if not will be happy to be on SOS in July.

 

I had to pay like $60 more than my friend did for same category (2 rooms down) because he had a new booking and mine was a transfer from next cruise booking we had as a place holder. Guy on the phone said it was because once you book a cruise the taxes don't change or some crap. Anyone ever experience this? He gave us the option to cancel and lose the next cruise deposit, but was unwilling to match the price in anyway. Even waited on hold for a while as he checked the some other dept...

[vacationlover_mn]

Hmm, so torn.... change my feb cruise on Oasis to a June (anniversary) cruise on SOS!!!! Or, maybe try to convince DH that we should keep the Feb on Oasis and add a Dec on Symphony??!! :). #firstworldproblems

 

 

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[mac_tlc]

Hmm, so torn.... change my feb cruise on Oasis to a June (anniversary) cruise on SOS!!!! Or, maybe try to convince DH that we should keep the Feb on Oasis and add a Dec on Symphony??!! :). #firstworldproblems

 

 

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The latter option seems like the obvious answer :)

 

 

mac_tlc

[scottygirl]

We booked SOS last night to make sure we had the room we wanted. I too was really disappointed that it was leaving out of Barcelona instead of Rome as the flyer that had been posted suggested. We were going to tag a few more days before or after the cruise to spend in Venice and a few other spots. Not so much now that it sails from Barcelona.

 

We may end up changing to another ship eventually, but if not will be happy to be on SOS in July.

 

I had to pay like $60 more than my friend did for same category (2 rooms down) because he had a new booking and mine was a transfer from next cruise booking we had as a place holder. Guy on the phone said it was because once you book a cruise the taxes don't change or some crap. Anyone ever experience this? He gave us the option to cancel and lose the next cruise deposit, but was unwilling to match the price in anyway. Even waited on hold for a while as he checked the some other dept...

 

I just switched over a dummy booking from The Freedom of the Seas to the Sept 16, 2018 Symphony and the invoice had the taxes from the Freedom, my TA called Royal and they corrected it so I suspect your final invoice will reflect the correct taxes and fees.

[Florida_cruisers]

We booked SOS last night to make sure we had the room we wanted. I too was really disappointed that it was leaving out of Barcelona instead of Rome as the flyer that had been posted suggested. We were going to tag a few more days before or after the cruise to spend in Venice and a few other spots. Not so much now that it sails from Barcelona.

 

We may end up changing to another ship eventually, but if not will be happy to be on SOS in July.

 

I had to pay like $60 more than my friend did for same category (2 rooms down) because he had a new booking and mine was a transfer from next cruise booking we had as a place holder. Guy on the phone said it was because once you book a cruise the taxes don't change or some crap. Anyone ever experience this? He gave us the option to cancel and lose the next cruise deposit, but was unwilling to match the price in anyway. Even waited on hold for a while as he checked the some other dept...

 

I was also hoping for the Rome departure as I want to do a b2b with another cruise to the Greek isles. At this point I am willing to fly from Barcelona to Rome to catch that second ship.

[Blue Eyed Belfast Belle]

For all those waiting for Symphony sailing from Southhampton I just read on a well know Blog about RCI that Michael Bailey was asked this and he said no due to all the negative feedback about the Harmony Southampton sailings with the ship not being ready.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

I was also hoping for the Rome departure as I want to do a b2b with another cruise to the Greek isles. At this point I am willing to fly from Barcelona to Rome to catch that second ship.

We are doing a Greek Island cruise on the Jewel this year prior to our Freedom TA from Barcelona. They are 6 days apart, from disembarking the Jewel to embarking the Freedom. We will suffer through 5 nights in a villa in Tuscany before taking a cheap flight from Florence to Barcelona on Vueling Air the morning before the TA. We spent 5 nights in Barcelona this past October prior to the Harmony TA, so this year we are focusing on Italy and Greece!:cool:

[lutzkibbutz]

We booked SOS last night to make sure we had the room we wanted. I too was really disappointed that it was leaving out of Barcelona instead of Rome as the flyer that had been posted suggested. We were going to tag a few more days before or after the cruise to spend in Venice and a few other spots. Not so much now that it sails from Barcelona.

 

We may end up changing to another ship eventually, but if not will be happy to be on SOS in July.

 

I had to pay like $60 more than my friend did for same category (2 rooms down) because he had a new booking and mine was a transfer from next cruise booking we had as a place holder. Guy on the phone said it was because once you book a cruise the taxes don't change or some crap. Anyone ever experience this? He gave us the option to cancel and lose the next cruise deposit, but was unwilling to match the price in anyway. Even waited on hold for a while as he checked the some other dept...

Wow! We did our 1st Next-cruise last fall; the pricing seemed ridiculously high at the time (for the sneaky underhanded reason you ran into???) but we thought, "...ahh, it's just a placeholder". If this is not a scam I will apologize to RCI vut the way it looks right now...

[liddia]

I book the May 13 2018 sailing on Symphony this morning and got a confirmation number but I haven't seen an email. Nor have I need able to link my reservation with my log in on the website. Anyone else having these issues??

 

 

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[newcastlemam]

We booked SOS last night to make sure we had the room we wanted. I too was really disappointed that it was leaving out of Barcelona instead of Rome as the flyer that had been posted suggested. We were going to tag a few more days before or after the cruise to spend in Venice and a few other spots. Not so much now that it sails from Barcelona.

 

We may end up changing to another ship eventually, but if not will be happy to be on SOS in July.

 

I had to pay like $60 more than my friend did for same category (2 rooms down) because he had a new booking and mine was a transfer from next cruise booking we had as a place holder. Guy on the phone said it was because once you book a cruise the taxes don't change or some crap. Anyone ever experience this? He gave us the option to cancel and lose the next cruise deposit, but was unwilling to match the price in anyway. Even waited on hold for a while as he checked the some other dept...

 

 

I'm worried now as we have a place holder that I'm hoping to switch when the southern Caribbean sailings are released.

 

 

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[DaytonCruiser]

I book the May 13 2018 sailing on Symphony this morning and got a confirmation number but I haven't seen an email. Nor have I need able to link my reservation with my log in on the website. Anyone else having these issues??

 

 

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I booked online last night and was able to see my booking on the website immediately.

 

An hour ago I called C&A to switch rooms and I received the email confirmation before the call ended.

[DonTreadOnMe]

Wow! We did our 1st Next-cruise last fall; the pricing seemed ridiculously high at the time (for the sneaky underhanded reason you ran into???) but we thought, "...ahh, it's just a placeholder". If this is not a scam I will apologize to RCI vut the way it looks right now...

 

UPDATE...just got a call from RCCL, as I happen to be working from home today. Someone following up to make sure I got everything booked ok. I asked her about it and she said as the other posts suggested...that my booking still has the taxes from my other booking on it, and that their finance dept audits them once or twice a month and will update all taxes and port charges to match the current sailing. So I am booked with the ship rate for SOS, but the taxes and port fees for Adventure southern Caribbean. She unlike the last guy seemed very confident and said this is not new to SOS, just the way it goes with moving Next Cruise bookings.

 

I have always gotten very good service from RCCL on all occasions, but it always seems much more confident and precise during core business hours. Guessing like most businesses they rely heavily on 3rd Party Vendors to take many if not all of their phone calls off hours.

 

Thanks for the replies on the quandary.

[Clarea]

... had to pay like $60 more than my friend did for same category (2 rooms down) because he had a new booking and mine was a transfer from next cruise booking we had as a place holder. Guy on the phone said it was because once you book a cruise the taxes don't change or some crap. Anyone ever experience this? He gave us the option to cancel and lose the next cruise deposit, but was unwilling to match the price in anyway. Even waited on hold for a while as he checked the some other dept...

Yes, I've seen this before. If the taxes remain lower than you paid, then they will automatically give you OBC for the difference on the cruise.

[Florida_cruisers]

We are doing a Greek Island cruise on the Jewel this year prior to our Freedom TA from Barcelona. They are 6 days apart, from disembarking the Jewel to embarking the Freedom. We will suffer through 5 nights in a villa in Tuscany before taking a cheap flight from Florence to Barcelona on Vueling Air the morning before the TA. We spent 5 nights in Barcelona this past October prior to the Harmony TA, so this year we are focusing on Italy and Greece!:cool:

 

5 days? oh no! I hope we don't have the much of a gap. I can handle two days but not 5. We have to work and two cruises b2b is already pushing it.

[Blue Eyed Belfast Belle]

I'm worried now as we have a place holder that I'm hoping to switch when the southern Caribbean sailings are released.

 

 

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Kayleigh...we don't have place holders in UK. They will charge you a £75 admin fee and they will not honour the price quoted online as it is not a new booking.

 

I had a booking on Rhapsody last Summer but I was unable to go due to work commitments. I tried to change it to another booking and the price quoted was more that £350 more than advertised on top of the admin fee so it was less expensive for me to lose my deposit (which is also a UK quirk) than it was to transfer my booking. :o

[newcastlemam]

Kayleigh...we don't have place holders in UK. They will charge you a £75 admin fee and they will not honour the price quoted online as it is not a new booking.

 

I had a booking on Rhapsody last Summer but I was unable to go due to work commitments. I tried to change it to another booking and the price quoted was more that £350 more than advertised on top of the admin fee so it was less expensive for me to lose my deposit (which is also a UK quirk) than it was to transfer my booking. :o

 

 

I knew that but was told by next cruise on harmony that the rules had changed when booking onboard and the uk had a one change policy with onboard bookings I have it in writing incase they were wrong so it better stand [emoji849] knowing royal god knows what will happen [emoji23] x

 

 

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[Blue Eyed Belfast Belle]

I knew that but was told by next cruise on harmony that the rules had changed when booking onboard and the uk had a one change policy with onboard bookings I have it in writing incase they were wrong so it better stand [emoji849] knowing royal god knows what will happen [emoji23] x

 

 

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Thank goodness you got it in writing. Fingers crossed then!

[Sunny AZ Girl]

5 days? oh no! I hope we don't have the much of a gap. I can handle two days but not 5. We have to work and two cruises b2b is already pushing it.

It is just a matter of how the cruises fall. We had actually booked the Jewel first and then added on the Freedom a few weeks later, once I realized I had enough PTO to do it! The Freedom also fell into my vacation window at work, which was lucky. It fell within a matter of three days for my vacation cut off for the season. :eek: Fortunately, my work schedule also allows me five nights in Rome prior to the Jewel, so this will be a big vacation year where we get to really maximize our airfare.. Can't wait!

 

However, that is why I cannot do the Symphony TA in 2018 - it misses my vacation window by three days.:(

[tlatrice]

When the new itineraries are released, are they also released to travel agents/online travel companies at the same time or do we have to call RCI for these opening day releases and then they're released to travel agents later?