Symphony OTS surprise announcement

[Mikeandliz]

From Travel Weekly,

 

For immediate release:

 

Aug, 16 2018

 

Royal Caribbean is please to announce that the Symphony of the seas will be the first Oasis class ship to navigate the Panama Canal starting with several dates in mid 2021. Pricing and availability to be released early in 2019.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Ourusualbeach]

That seems odd as currently itineraries are released through April 2020. Later this year or into March of 2019 they will release itineraries through April of 2021.

 

I’ve never seen itineraries released beyond the April mark 2 years prior.

[Ourusualbeach]

From Travel Weekly,

 

For immediate release:

 

Aug, 16 2018

 

Royal Caribbean is please to announce that the Symphony of the seas will be the first Oasis class ship to navigate the Panama Canal starting with several dates in mid 2021. Pricing and availability to be released early in 2019.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Do you have a link. I just looked on travel weekly and couldn’t find the article even doing s search on their site for Symphony.

[schmeed]

This would be awesome!!

[Hoopster95]

This would be awesome!!

 

 

 

Hmmmm .... “navigate” the Panama Canal.

Too bad won’t be a full transit... likely into Gatun Lake and back with a stop in Colon.

 

Hopefully they can add some ports like Cartegena, curaçao and/or Aruba besides the close by Costa Maya/Cozumel

 

 

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[RSLeesburg]

Following. I would take a 10 day partial any day over the full transit. Hopefully they will schedule one of these over Christmas, similar to what NCL offers...

 

 

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[reallyitsmema]

Grammar errors are the first sign of a scam.

[vacationlover_mn]

Hope this is true! Planning for a Panama Canal cruise in 2023 :)

 

 

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[Merion_Mom]

I call shenanigans.

[HicksRA]

Would Symphony even fit in the locks?

[Clarea]

Would Symphony even fit in the locks?

Yes, Symphony will fit in the new locks, but there's some question to whether she would fit under the Bridge of the Americas, hence probably not a full transit.

[taglovestocruise]

Yes, Symphony will fit in the new locks, but there's some question to whether she would fit under the Bridge of the Americas, hence probably not a full transit.

I think all the Oasis class ships have been built with retractable funnels. She is about 30 feet to tall for the bridge, have you heard or is it possible she can pull the funnels down by 31 feet. Just curious

[Clarea]

I think all the Oasis class ships have been built with retractable funnels. She is about 30 feet to tall for the bridge, have you heard or is it possible she can pull the funnels down by 31 feet. Just curious

From what I understand, the funnels on Oasis and Allure were retracted once, for the sole purpose of passing under the Great Belt bridge right after they left the shipyard, and may not have been exercised since. I don't think it's as easy as the Captain pressing a button and the funnels automatically retract.

 

 

Also, since Harmony and Symphony have been built in a different shipyard, and did not have to pass under a bridge after construction, they may not even have retractable funnels.

[Mikew0805]

I call shenanigans.

 

Agreed.

[Blizzard54]

I call shenanigans.

I also agree

[kccrzr]

No press release on this in Royal Caribbean’s list of releases relating to Symphony: http://m.royalcaribbeanpresscenter.com/ship/31/symphony-of-the-seas/1/releases/

[Thorben-Hendrik]

Alternative news!:rolleyes:

[little britain]

I’m not sure they would have a press release with so many typos....[emoji848]

 

 

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[Biker19]

CC needs to add a BS emoji.

[schmeed]

From what I understand, the funnels on Oasis and Allure were retracted once, for the sole purpose of passing under the Great Belt bridge right after they left the shipyard, and may not have been exercised since. I don't think it's as easy as the Captain pressing a button and the funnels automatically retract.

 

 

Also, since Harmony and Symphony have been built in a different shipyard, and did not have to pass under a bridge after construction, they may not even have retractable funnels.

They just need to make sure to book 200-300 additional Americans and the ship will probably drop her waterline about 30 feet. :D:)

[STEVE-O]

She stops right after her port visit to Cuba.

 

Agree on the shenanigans

WAIT!!!..... If Symphony of the Seas is going to home port year-round in San Diego, she'll have to navigate the Panama Canal OR navigate around the tip of South America!

 

Simple geography, people! 😁

[Eslader]

From what I understand, the funnels on Oasis and Allure were retracted once, for the sole purpose of passing under the Great Belt bridge right after they left the shipyard, and may not have been exercised since. I don't think it's as easy as the Captain pressing a button and the funnels automatically retract.

 

And even then, they had to go flat out to get the ship to squat in the water enough to safely clear the bridge, which has a 213 foot clearance. And they only cleared it by about 2 feet. The Bridge of the Americas only has a 201 foot clearance, so they'd ram it whether they retracted the funnels or not.

[BillB48]

And even then, they had to go flat out to get the ship to squat in the water enough to safely clear the bridge, which has a 213 foot clearance. And they only cleared it by about 2 feet. The Bridge of the Americas only has a 201 foot clearance, so they'd ram it whether they retracted the funnels or not.

 

If anything does pan out from this announcement, I would wager it would be for a partial transit. But back to the BoA, the 201' is for mean high water, presently the Canal permits 205' air draft to pass under the Bridge. I don't have any idea how much the Symphony could reduce her air draft to, but at mean low water springs there is 220' of clearance.