Independence UK 2020 sailings cancelled

[kernow]

https://help.royalcaribbean.co.uk/hc/en-gb/sections/360004499552-Independence-of-the-Seas-2020-changes-to-sailings

 

I've just spotted this on one of the UK TA sites and have found this on the RCL UK site. Looks like only Anthem will be sailing from Southampton next year. 

 

Sorry if it's already been posted but couldn't see anything on here.

[alistairg]

I was about to post, received an email cancelling. 25% credit against a future cruise, but a lot of the best rooms are already booked on the Anthem and we wanted to do something different to the Med again.

 

Suspect it is due to weak UK cruise demand.

[rattla]

That is one serious thanks, but no thanks to the UK market then.  Clearly not making enough from having those ships there!

[kernow]

I'm sure it's got a lot to do with less demand. There have been lots of price drops for this year and so many rival cruise lines sailing from Southampton now.

[CruisingJoe09]

Well, that's terrible for us.

 

Wondering where she will go now...

[kernow]

According to the website she will stay in Fort Lauderdale and do perfect day at CoCo Cay

[rattla]

4 minutes ago, kernow said:

I'm sure it's got a lot to do with less demand. There have been lots of price drops for this year and so many rival cruise lines sailing from Southampton now.

 

Yup I think UK are fairly cost conscious and RC having to cut prices so much to stay competitive especially with the other competition, just can’t charge the prices they would ideally need to be charging.  Cheaper to run out of the US I’d think so easier to make money....  particularly as COcocay is going to be a good low cost port and additional revenue earner for them.

[FionaMG]

Big headache for anyone who has booked the TA, especially anyone who might have tagged on a B2B. 

[rattla]

Interesting they aren’t offering to transfer to any alternatives either... it’s a straight cancel.  So if you booked with a good deal with drinks etc, you will not get those benefits again at the moment if you re-book.

plus.... they’ve cancelled this during a time when there is no sale/deal on in the UK, so a lot who got cancelled will be looking to rebook on Anthem quickly, but won’t have the best deals available at the moment!

[keebej]

its no surprise as the prices were ridiculous!

[Clarea]

2 minutes ago, keebej said:

its no surprise as the prices were ridiculous!

 

Ridiculous high or low?

[ukmdav1]

My mum is going to melt down she had both TA's booked and the 3 night and 4 night booked. She has already had the last minute Navigator cancellation happen to her.

 

How can RC be this bad at planning and customer services - shame on them!

 

I have to agree the UK prices were ridiculous compared to what we paid a few years ago.

[ukmdav1]

Just now, Host Clarea said:

 

Ridiculous high or low?

High!

[FionaMG]

Just now, Host Clarea said:

 

Ridiculous high or low?

High. Sailings out of the UK are crazy high. Royal are pricing themselves out of the market, especially with new builds by competitors like MSC and Costa. 

[keebej]

2 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

Ridiculous high or low?

very high compared to 3/4 years ago

[kernow]

Very high for next year but lots of this years have dropped as the cruise gets nearer. When we went on Magnifica last year it was obvious that they were targeting the RCL market, looks like they have got what they wanted.

[minikiss]

I was going to post about it to.

We are on Indy this September and had planned on booking the Oct Trans for my 50th birthday.

This has screwed my plans as the Anthem trans is no good to me finishing in New York. I'm planning a stay in Disney afterwards... So it looks like a Fly cruise with another cruise line now. I bet this will have one TA that has a tv show, jumping this morning as they have a special package for both Trans. Cruises with 3 days stay in orlando. I was going to book through them......

What I could not get about RCCL was in their Q&A it says with the Anthem in the UK we have more choice? how does the maths work on that. 2 Ships down to 1 - looks like half the choice to me.

Agree there always seems to be a sale on prices of some sort but the prices on our Sept sailing  doesn't seem to going up and down by much since I booked last Aug.

As said shame as i'll have to go back and look at what Princess and Carnival have in the way of fly cruises now.

 

Last thoughts to RCCL Shame on you. to cancel 1 or 2 sailings is bad enough but to pull a ship out of a port for a whole season is the worst of the worst.

 

[minikiss]

best of luck to those that had booked in finding something else to swap to.......

 

 

[nig1102]

Royal Caribbean have cancelled all Independence of The Seas 2020 UK sailings from Southampton. The company are moving the ship to Fort Lauderdale.

[alistairg]

I have never had this happen before, does the 25% cruise credit have a time limit? For some reason they want people to call and rebook by May 16th according to the email, I suspect they are just trying to bump people into booking on the Anthem.

 

I had a very good price on a GT2 suite for 2 weeks. Anthem is around twice the price.

 

However, Allure cruises from Barcelona are much better value. The trouble is we have done the Harmony and Symphony from Barcelona in the last few years and I don't like having to fly to Barcelona and back.

[CruisingJoe09]

2 minutes ago, minikiss said:

I was going to post about it to.

We are on Indy this September and had planned on booking the Oct Trans for my 50th birthday.

This has screwed my plans as the Anthem trans is no good to me finishing in New York. I'm planning a stay in Disney afterwards... So it looks like a Fly cruise with another cruise line now. I bet this will have one TA that has a tv show, jumping this morning as they have a special package for both Trans. Cruises with 3 days stay in orlando. I was going to book through them......

What I could not get about RCCL was in their Q&A it says with the Anthem in the UK we have more choice? how does the maths work on that. 2 Ships down to 1 - looks like half the choice to me.

Agree there always seems to be a sale on prices of some sort but the prices on our Sept sailing  doesn't seem to going up and down by much since I booked last Aug.

As said shame as i'll have to go back and look at what Princess and Carnival have in the way of fly cruises now.

 

Last thoughts to RCCL Shame on you. to cancel 1 or 2 sailings is bad enough but to pull a ship out of a port for a whole season is the worst of the worst.

 

Could the Allure TA work better? 

 

And I totally agree that RCCL's actions were shambolic.

[rattla]

17 minutes ago, alistairg said:

I have never had this happen before, does the 25% cruise credit have a time limit? For some reason they want people to call and rebook by May 16th according to the email, I suspect they are just trying to bump people into booking on the Anthem.

 

I had a very good price on a GT2 suite for 2 weeks. Anthem is around twice the price.

 

However, Allure cruises from Barcelona are much better value. The trouble is we have done the Harmony and Symphony from Barcelona in the last few years and I don't like having to fly to Barcelona and back.

 

Have you paid in full or only deposit as, people are saying you only get FCC for the amount you have actually PAID them so far... is this correct?

if so, as this is over a year away, I guess most have only paid deposits so far, so they would only get 25% credit on the deposit?

Edited May 9, 2019 by rattla

[Ourusualbeach]

Just now, rattla said:

 

Have you paid in full or only deposit is, people are saying you only get FCC for the amount you have actually PAID them so far... is this correct?

if so, as this is over a year away, I guess most have only paid deposits so far, so they would only get 25% credit on the deposit?

Deposits are fully refunded.

 

25% FCC is based on the total fare and is in addition to the refund 

[rattla]

5 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Deposits are fully refunded.

 

25% FCC is based on the total fare and is in addition to the refund 

Ok, that’s what I would have expected, but people are stating it’s only on the money paid and not the total cruise fare?

[cbowls30]

Was literally going to book indy for next summer, gutted! The anthem schedule is not only rubbish but mostly booked up anyway, just another cruise line snub to the UK.