Occupancy % for a particular cruise?

[Aviator of the Seas]

Hi,

 

Anyone knows where to get the occupancy rate for a specific sailing, if such information is available to the public?  Just curious, as my recent Freedom cruise seemed to have been oversold/overbook by far more than 100% capacity.

 

Thanks,

[spookwife]

pretty much all cruises sail at over 100% occupancy  these days.  occupancy is based on 2 per cabin.  many cabins hold more than that.  

[Clarea]

4 minutes ago, Aviator of the Seas said:

Hi,

 

Anyone knows where to get the occupancy rate for a specific sailing, if such information is available to the public?  Just curious, as my recent Freedom cruise seemed to have been oversold/overbook by far more than 100% capacity.

 

Thanks,

 

I've not seen that info published by the cruise line on a per cruise basis.  If you were still onboard, they would tell you the number of passengers on board and you could compute the occupancy rate.

[Aviator of the Seas]

3 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

I've not seen that info published by the cruise line on a per cruise basis.  If you were still onboard, they would tell you the number of passengers on board and you could compute the occupancy rate.

They wouldn't tell us.  There were constant overcrowding complaints in most venues during our cruise, and I wanted to verify if it was just our imagination or perception. 

[Clarea]

2 minutes ago, Aviator of the Seas said:

They wouldn't tell us.  There were constant overcrowding complaints in most venues during our cruise, and I wanted to verify if it was just our imagination or perception. 

 

That's odd, I seem to recall the CD announcing the passenger count at the welcome aboard show.  

[gerif]

They can’t book beyond lifeboat capacity. 

[Aviator of the Seas]

3 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

That's odd, I seem to recall the CD announcing the passenger count at the welcome aboard show.  

That's usually the case, but I must have missed it this time.  I asked around afterwards (front desk/guest services) and they couldn't or wouldn't tell me.  I am just trying to gather some real data before I try to write an informed review.  Don't want to say that the boat was sold at 110, 20 or 30% if it just felt that way.

[Clarea]

10 minutes ago, Aviator of the Seas said:

That's usually the case, but I must have missed it this time.  I asked around afterwards (front desk/guest services) and they couldn't or wouldn't tell me.  I am just trying to gather some real data before I try to write an informed review.  Don't want to say that the boat was sold at 110, 20 or 30% if it just felt that way.

 

You might try asking on the roll call thread, maybe someone there remembers.

[Aviator of the Seas]

4 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

You might try asking on the roll call thread, maybe someone there remembers.

Good idea.  Thanks.

[matj2000]

46 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

That's odd, I seem to recall the CD announcing the passenger count at the welcome aboard show.  

They probably just make up some random number that is around the capacity range.

 

And probably uses the same number each week...

[John&LaLa]

1 hour ago, spookwife said:

pretty much all cruises sail at over 100% occupancy  these days.  occupancy is based on 2 per cabin.  many cabins hold more than that.  

 

Sure, but it can be a huge difference, and that is what the OP was asking about.

 

The difference between 100% and capacity on Oasis is close to 600 people.  And probably all kids. 😇

[alexkrn46]

When we go on Bridge tours there is a white board with passenger information, we always look for that

[FLACRUISER99]

1 hour ago, Aviator of the Seas said:

Hi,

 

Anyone knows where to get the occupancy rate for a specific sailing, if such information is available to the public?  Just curious, as my recent Freedom cruise seemed to have been oversold/overbook by far more than 100% capacity.

 

Thanks,

That's because they seem to add on staterooms everywhere they can. The capacity now is more then when the ship was launched.

[Biker19]

Some D+ who took the bridge tour probably saw the real number - it's typically posted on the bridge. As Bob mentioned, someone in the roll call thread has that info.

[Aviator of the Seas]

6 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Sure, but it can be a huge difference, and that is what the OP was asking about.

 

The difference between 100% and capacity on Oasis is close to 600 people.  And probably all kids. 😇

Exactly my point.  I really like RCI, but would much rather try to find cruises that consistently sail at 100% or below.  Full capacity feels like you're on a ferry, not a pleasure cruise.

[Biker19]

5 minutes ago, Aviator of the Seas said:

  I really like RCI, but would much rather try to find cruises that consistently sail at 100% or below. 

That's probably really tough to find and even if you do, the one you book could still be above that. While RCCL reports 108% across its fleets, there are ships during certain low seasons that are well under that.

 

Biker, whose 9/6 Anthem cruise was at 99%.

[Clarea]

7 minutes ago, Aviator of the Seas said:

Exactly my point.  I really like RCI, but would much rather try to find cruises that consistently sail at 100% or below.  Full capacity feels like you're on a ferry, not a pleasure cruise.

 

I think that would be very few cruises.  They just keep lowering the price to fill the staterooms.

[Aviator of the Seas]

5 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

I think that would be very few cruises.  They just keep lowering the price to fill the staterooms.

I don't cruise often enough for my opinion to be significant, but I think that something has got to give.  I don't think that it is in RCI's long-term interest to become or be perceived as just the other cheap, mass market cruise line, if you know what I mean.  if they're trying to compete down instead of up, then loyals will naturally flee to other, more comfy lines.  Not sure if Azamara or Celebrity are that alternative, maybe I should try them (or maybe I'm just getting old!).

[bouhunter]

6 minutes ago, Aviator of the Seas said:

I don't cruise often enough for my opinion to be significant, but I think that something has got to give.  I don't think that it is in RCI's long-term interest to become or be perceived as just the other cheap, mass market cruise line, if you know what I mean.  if they're trying to compete down instead of up, then loyals will naturally flee to other, more comfy lines.  Not sure if Azamara or Celebrity are that alternative, maybe I should try them (or maybe I'm just getting old!).

That's what they are - one of the cheaper mass market cruise lines........

[John&LaLa]

Just now, bouhunter said:

That's what they are - one of the cheaper mass market cruise lines........

 

With some really interesting ships

[BillHana]

I fall for their loyalty perks. I now have D+ status on RCL and it works to keep me with them. It does work for elite on Celebrity. Their marketing strategy works to keep me because RCL status points don't do anything for other lines.

[Aviator of the Seas]

8 minutes ago, BillHana said:

I fall for their loyalty perks. I now have D+ status on RCL and it works to keep me with them. It does work for elite on Celebrity. Their marketing strategy works to keep me because RCL status points don't do anything for other lines.

Good point.  Kind of like when you hit the 10-year mark on a military career.  You might as well stay another 10 to get the retirement benefits.

[LeeW]

Back on topic.

 

The headwaiters in the dining room know.  They told us on Allure when the ship sailed three days late due to hurricane last year.

Edited October 29, 2018 by LeeW
more

[John&LaLa]

Years ago the waitstaff had a cheat sheet that listed the whole weeks menus, show times, passenger count including children, the top 3 cruisers, arrival and departure times, etc...

 

I often ask Loyalty Ambassador.  They can even break it down

[Homosassa]

Freedom can hold a capacity of 4,375 passengers (some cabins can hold eight passengers).

 

What is more important than passenger capacity is to determine the ratio of public space available to the number of passengers on board. The less space, the more crowded the ship will feel.  

 

Keep in mind on some ships that public space will also include features that very few passengers can use at the same time (Flow riders, ice rinks that may or may not be open, amusement type rides, etc.) or may not interest everyone (casino) and those features will also take away from the public space actually available.

 

If you wish to cruise any of the Beehives of the Sea, be prepared to be part of the swarm.

 

There are cruise lines that have less cabins than the number of cabins that could be crammed into the ship to raise the number of passengers. Holland America, Princess, Viking Ocean, Azamara, etc.; are examples.