Odyssey Rome inaugural season moved to Israel

[BSocial]

5 minutes ago, dani negreanu said:

 

Imagine 😁

 

The travel agents are already overwhelmed with hundreds of people asking to book, and it was published here only in the afternoon....

 

We don't have many options to travel (only flying out anyway), but a round trip cruise [starting and ending in Israel] was very much in demand in the last years, but absolutely no cruise line was interested 😅.

 

how exciting for you, to wake up to this new opportunity  today!

 

 

Edited March 1, 2021 by BSocial
Spacing

[dani negreanu]

8 hours ago, Bobal said:

Also no idea about the for desire for cruising amongst Israelis, whereas I know there is a real enthusiasm for it from Singaporean residents.

 

You can take it to the bank 😁 -- a huge desire!! 

 

We're like an island, since we can't travel by car to any of our neighbors...........

 

Top to bottom by car you can "do" Israel in 8 hours.

 

[LXA350]

9 minutes ago, dani negreanu said:

 

You can take it to the bank 😁 -- a huge desire!! 

 

We're like an island, since we can't travel by car to any of our neighbors...........

 

Top to bottom by car you can "do" Israel in 8 hours.

 

Israelis like to cruise and per the press release of RCL it was anyhow on the bucketlist for them to offer seasonal cruises out of Israel.  This year couldn't have been a better one for RCL to try the market of which in normal years you would also find demand from international travelers combining a Israel trip with a cruise to Cyprus and Greece. Hence for the local source market, this will be a excellent marketing tool for gaining also future clientele for their global cruises.

 

It will be interesting at what capacity the ship will run and the social distancing rules implemented. Stickt hygiene concept will be for sure same as seen in Singapore and Masks likely as well, but possibly capacity will be at a higher cap. This experiment will be very interesting to follow as it will give us a great indication on how the cruise experience will be over the next couple of years to come.

 

[LXA350]

I guessyour travel agent should have been informed already that Odyssey's season out of Rome was cancelled this year and the ship will be deployed out of Israel.

[Milwaukee Eight]

40 minutes ago, dani negreanu said:

 

You can take it to the bank 😁 -- a huge desire!! 

 

We're like an island, since we can't travel by car to any of our neighbors...........

 

Top to bottom by car you can "do" Israel in 8 hours.

 

We were there for 15 days and needed another 15.  We were booked to go back this year and we all know what happened. 

[MaritimeR&R]

10 hours ago, Mapleleafforever said:

So unvaccinated kids can still sail or only those 16 and older who are vaccinated can sail? Hopefully it's the former.....

Who knows---The headlines read "Fully vaccinated ship," but the small print says otherwise. Apparently, RC's use of "fully" falls into a gray area that Webster's doesn't mention.

[drenk1976]

Go easy on me. I’m struggling here and I’ve read more terms and conditions during COVID than the rest of my life put together. 
 

I saw this on the RCL website on the Odyssey cancellation. 
 

“• Only sailings departing on or before April 30, 2022 can be rebooked as part of our Lift & Shift offer. Sailings departing after April 30, 2022 are unavailable as options through this offer, regardless of the original sail date (unless otherwise specified).”

 

Does this mean your original sailing needs to be before April 30, 2022, or the new one you want to go on?  I think it’s the original but I crave reassurance. 😉. If so, I’m pleased because I’ve got a pretty good deal on a sailing this August. 

[fweegy]

This is now my 3rd cruise cancelled. Quite frankly I'm fed up with the whole industry. I'm tired of being cancelled and then having to call RC and restart the whole process all over again. Then having to call airlines, hotels, transportation companies, etc. I'm pretty much done booking anything until I see cruise companies fully back in service.

[duckcruiser4]

FWIW, I did a L&S on Explorer transatlantic on 11/6/2020 to Odyssey transatlantic on 10/28/2021 (already a great deal since my original  Explorer cruise was cheap.)  RCCL today let me L&S that cancelled Odyssey transatlantic to a comparable balcony on the Voyager 09/04/2022 Arctic Crossing.   Port, itinerary, ship, etc. didn't matter, just the cruise length had to be within a day of the cancelled cruise and had to be in 2022.  If this 09/2022 cruise actually happens, it will probably be the best deal I've ever had  (D+) on RCCL.   (p.s. Odyssey was our 14th cancelled cruise since March 2020- we wouldn't have taken them all but we've sure been trying to get on a ship!)

 

Edited March 2, 2021 by duckcruiser4

[Ourusualbeach]

1 hour ago, drenk1976 said:

Go easy on me. I’m struggling here and I’ve read more terms and conditions during COVID than the rest of my life put together. 
 

I saw this on the RCL website on the Odyssey cancellation. 
 

“• Only sailings departing on or before April 30, 2022 can be rebooked as part of our Lift & Shift offer. Sailings departing after April 30, 2022 are unavailable as options through this offer, regardless of the original sail date (unless otherwise specified).”

 

Does this mean your original sailing needs to be before April 30, 2022, or the new one you want to go on?  I think it’s the original but I crave reassurance. 😉. If so, I’m pleased because I’ve got a pretty good deal on a sailing this August. 

Those are the old terms of the lift and shift.

[Ourusualbeach]

9 hours ago, 38anchor said:

 

So I have just spoken to an agent about the 'Additional Flexibility' L&S options for my cancelled May 21st cruise. Even though the email clearly says 'any open sailing' he is saying that it still has to be within the original 4 week window in 2022 and depart from the same port. The 'Additional flexibility' refers to being able to change sailing date +1/-1. Original L&S T&C's still apply.

 

I do think the wording on the email (below) is very misleading...

 

• Option 2: Additional flexibility Lift & Shift Option + a special inaugural $100 Onboard Credit USD per stateroom 

• • If you prefer to change to any sailing with a similar sailing length (+1/-1 day) in 2022 - we’re happy to move you to a like for like category on any open sailing! We will price protect your original cruise or refund any price difference. And, you’ll receive a special inaugural $100 Onboard Credit USD per stateroom to use anywhere onboard, or precruise.

Call back.  I was told by my rep today that it is as advertised.  Any ship any itinerary in 2022 just has to be a length of +/- 1 day to the original length.  

[Sunshine3601]

1 hour ago, fweegy said:

This is now my 3rd cruise cancelled. Quite frankly I'm fed up with the whole industry. I'm tired of being cancelled and then having to call RC and restart the whole process all over again. Then having to call airlines, hotels, transportation companies, etc. I'm pretty much done booking anything until I see cruise companies fully back in service.

I have had 12 or 13 cruises cancelled in the last year.  I have 8 future cruises booked for 2021/2022.  I wont book any extras such as air and hotel nor will I pay upfront gratuities or purchase travel insurance until I know I am truly sailing.

[Coralc]

1 hour ago, duckcruiser4 said:

FWIW, I did a L&S on Explorer transatlantic on 11/6/2020 to Odyssey transatlantic on 10/28/2021 (already a great deal since my original  Explorer cruise was cheap.)  RCCL today let me L&S that cancelled Odyssey transatlantic to a comparable balcony on the Voyager 09/04/2022 Arctic Crossing.   Port, itinerary, ship, etc. didn't matter, just the cruise length had to be within a day of the cancelled cruise and had to be in 2022.  If this 09/2022 cruise actually happens, it will probably be the best deal I've ever had  (D+) on RCCL.   (p.s. Odyssey was our 14th cancelled cruise since March 2020- we wouldn't have taken them all but we've sure been trying to get on a ship!)

 

 

That is a great deal! Fingers crossed that your Arctic sailing is a go! 

[long4acruise]

2 hours ago, duckcruiser4 said:

RCCL today let me L&S that cancelled Odyssey transatlantic to a comparable balcony on the Voyager 09/04/2022 Arctic Crossing. 

Congratulations!  We're still considering a L&S to this Arctic sailing also, but the chilly weather scares me a little as my husband tends to get cold easily, as do I.  It is definitely a great deal!  Have to re-familiarize myself with the rules once I L&S, then for some reason decide/can't go.  Also, waiting for the remaining TA and TP schedules to be released. 

[ONECRUISER]

9 hours ago, Tatka said:

 

We have the highest number of people vaccinated! We just have many more people that in Israel. We will get there!

With the 3rd one approved and being sent out tomorrow good possibility US will be giving 3 Million plus Vaccines a day in April. Have 4 Parents, 2 Kids, 4 Siblings, 3 Aunts and 2 Cousins already got it. Thought take til at least July for me at lower end but looks more likely before Summer... But good for them, Israel number's!

Edited March 2, 2021 by ONECRUISER

[Biker19]

How will Royal Caribbean manage COVID-19 vaccination for all crew as mandated for Odyssey of the Seas' May debut in Israel?

 

This will be, by far, the largest cruise ship to require vaccination for crew — and all passengers over 16.

Israel's world-leading vaccination rate — which reached half its citizens on Sunday — likely ensures passengers on the Haifa-based voyages will be inoculated. But what about the crew, who hail from scores of countries?

 

Will Israel be supplying vaccines for them?

Private contractor to assist

'Royal Caribbean is working with its crew members to collect the information on their vaccines. We will work with a private contractor to ensure that any crew member who is not able to be vaccinated in their home country is vaccinated prior to setting sail,' a company spokesman told Seatrade Cruise News in response to that question.

 

'As more of our crew are vaccinated and vaccines become more available globally over the coming months, we are confident in our plan to have a fully vaccinated crew on board Odyssey,' the spokesman said.

 

The company added it is not able to provide further specifics at this point because details are still being worked through with the contractor and the Israeli health authorities.

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley recently said that in a survey of crew, the vast majority indicated they're 'OK' with a vaccination mandate.

 

https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/environmental-health/royal-caribbean-confident-odyssey-crew-will-be-fully-vaccinated

[Marga.Anders]

I just read this news, but haven't heard anything from my travel agent or Royal. 

Is every cruise cancelled? We we scheduled on the 12 night from Rome in September.

[Biker19]

7 minutes ago, Marga.Anders said:

Is every cruise cancelled?

Yes.

[Marga.Anders]

Wow, I am soooo disappointed.

I understand the decision but was really looking forward to it. As everyone else of course 🙂

Strange that I haven't been informed of this by my TA or Royal Caribbean, but had to read it online.

Is Lift & Shift the best option moneywise?

[Ourusualbeach]

8 minutes ago, Marga.Anders said:

Is Lift & Shift the best option moneywise?

That all depends on what you paid vs what you are shifting to.  You will have to do some comparisons. 

[Marga.Anders]

We had only made the $900 deposit. Does this mean that we will only get the 125% over that amount? Or over the full cruise fare?

We are thinking about lifting and shifting to the same cruise in october 2022.

[Ourusualbeach]

1 minute ago, Marga.Anders said:

We had only made the $900 deposit. Does this mean that we will only get the 125% over that amount? Or over the full cruise fare?

We are thinking about lifting and shifting to the same cruise in october 2022.

You only get the 125% on what you paid.  In this case on the $900

[Marga.Anders]

So it would make sense to quickly pay the rest to my TA? 

Officially I don't know anything about a cancellation.

 

[Ourusualbeach]

2 minutes ago, Marga.Anders said:

So it would make sense to quickly pay the rest to my TA? 

Officially I don't know anything about a cancellation.

 

No.  You can no longer make payments. 

[Zedinc]

16 hours ago, Zedinc said:

Yeah, definitely will double-check it once I get it. Fortunately enough we have completely different rules for deposits over here at the Nordics, so no chance of them getting that wrong (I hope). Wouldn't be surprised if the OBC happened to drop off though. 😅

Reporting back on my L&S, just received my updated invoice (that was quick) and it's all in order. The total is the same as it was before, saving a whopping 1500 € + 100 USD OBC compared to current pricing on the new 8 day cruise. 🤑