Big news tomorrow (apparently!)

[prmssk]

5 minutes ago, RobertoF said:

It is also a bold move running Reflection on 3-4 night cruises over the summer. I am surprised with Silhouette already running 3-4 night cruises out of FLL Celebrity would add another ship doing short cruises.

It doesn't look like the Silhouette and Reflection will really overlap on these short itineraries.  The Silhouette heads to Europe about the time the Reflection starts these itineraries. 

[mahdnc]

23 minutes ago, NorthStarStateCruiser said:

Be aware, the coco beach club day pass is now around $300 per person and the beach club cabanas are around $3000 per group.

 

Wow.  No wonder Celebrity is making this itinerary change.  RCL stock is up today right now by 2.26%!  I know it's not connected, but the coincidence is amusing.

[PTC DAWG]

I'm on the Ascent in January, I would much rather HIT Coco Cay than Nassau. 

[PTC DAWG]

52 minutes ago, riredsox said:

No balcony’s ugh.   Unless a suite or sunset veranda.  On the other hand OV is much cheaper and practically the same as IV.  

Wouldn't be near the same for me.  I enjoy fresh air.  

[prmssk]

1 hour ago, AstoriaPreppy said:

 

If I'm not mistaken, HAL/Carnival never stop at Half Moon Cay on the same day so they don't mix the brands, and I think the same thing happened with X/Royal at Labadee. I don't see why Coco Cay would be any different. 

Just looking at the port schedule for June of 2024 plus the new bookings on Celebrity's website, the Beyond and the Reflection do not stop at Coco Cay on the same day.  And on each day the Beyond or the Reflection are scheduled for Coco Cay, there is a Royal Caribbean ship scheduled for that same day.  The Beyond is often paired with the Wonder of the Seas.  The Reflection's schedule seems to mostly match up with the Freedom of the Seas.

[cw2go]

2 minutes ago, prmssk said:

Just looking at the port schedule for June of 2024 plus the new bookings on Celebrity's website, the Beyond and the Reflection do not stop at Coco Cay on the same day.  And on each day the Beyond or the Reflection are scheduled for Coco Cay, there is a Royal Caribbean ship scheduled for that same day.  The Beyond is often paired with the Wonder of the Seas.  The Reflection's schedule seems to mostly match up with the Freedom of the Seas.

Do you think it's possible those RCCL ships may be swapped? Keeping with X ships and RCCL ship pairings on the same day? 

 

Patty 

[prmssk]

Just now, cw2go said:

Do you think it's possible those RCCL ships may be swapped? Keeping with X ships and RCCL ship pairings on the same day? 

 

Patty 

Just looking at the Beyond and Reflection schedules for June 2024, no.  The Beyond sailings stop at Coco Cay on a Monday.  Monday is the turnaround day for the Reflection (3 night is Friday to Monday, 4 night is Monday to Friday).  And that isn't even considering how difficult it would be for RCCL ships to be be swapped.  If they were planning to do that, I think they would have done it when developing these Celebrity itineraries.

[kwokpot]

1 hour ago, AstoriaPreppy said:

 

I think this was a joke. Infinite Balconies have tested so well with the vast majority of passengers that Royal Caribbean is putting them on the Icon class. 

Agreed. TBH there's really nothing that can be done to the E-Class IV cabins. There's alway talk about changing the bifold doors to make them airtight and then having the AC stay on when the bifold doors are closed and the window open. That will NEVER happen since as we all know th IV cabin is all interior space without a weatherproof window area, so there can NEVER be a situation where the window stays down in inclement weather. In fact on the Icon Class they did away with the pretense of creating a faux balcony and eliminated the bifold doors; there's only fabric curtains if you want to close off that space.

[cw2go]

1 minute ago, prmssk said:

Just looking at the Beyond and Reflection schedules for June 2024, no.  The Beyond sailings stop at Coco Cay on a Monday.  Monday is the turnaround day for the Reflection (3 night is Friday to Monday, 4 night is Monday to Friday).  And that isn't even considering how difficult it would be for RCCL ships to be be swapped.  If they were planning to do that, I think they would have done it when developing these Celebrity itineraries.

 

Sounds logical! For me it doesn't matter but was curious. 

 

Patty 

[kirtihk]

16 hours ago, zitsky said:

I’m waiting for the Beluga caviar.

Then Celebrity will become a part of Seabourn.

[Lastdance]

Really?  I mean, really and really?  Bahamas?  My heart is beating faster and faster, but my brain says it isn’t true...okay, just say it!

[Eltorodiablo]

1 hour ago, NorthStarStateCruiser said:

Be aware, the coco beach club day pass is now around $300 per person and the beach club cabanas are around $3000 per group.

Prices vary greatly. We watched it start around $150 for our Anthem cruise last November, hiked up to $275, then we caught it at $120 and booked it.

 

And there are a few different Beach Club Cabanas to choose from.

[Eltorodiablo]

53 minutes ago, poeticlicensed said:

$3000?? You can do a whole cruise for that. 

It makes a lot more sense when you split it among a group. 

[ericopia]

We visited Coco Cay (pre-“Perfect Day”) sailing on Reflection in Dec. 2015, so it’s funny to me to see “this is the first time ever!” news coverage We visited again in Dec. 2021 on Harmony of the Seas (now “Perfect Day”d); we were there along with Independence of the Seas. The beaches were overrun and overcrowded, bars couldn’t make anything beyond basic beach cocktails (not even a Dark ‘n’ Stormy — no ginger beer to be had — and bartenders seemed to only know how to make the five or so on-menu drinks, anyway), and there wasn’t a spot on the island where I couldn’t hear the constant “thump thump” of the dance-party DJ at the pool. At least the buffet lunch could handle the crowd. Not to mention how expensive and extensive all the add-ons are; I miss a more inclusive feel to a private-island day. It wasn’t relaxing at all. To me, it seemed like what I imagine a Carnival Cruises atmosphere to be, and we went back to the ship pretty early. I wouldn’t bother getting off the ship there again, and would probably pick an X itinerary if it doesn’t go there — I know we don’t look at RCL itineraries out of Florida any more, in part because they basically all go there.

Edited June 27, 2023 by ericopia
(Changed “fall 2021” to “Dec. 2021”)

[Eltorodiablo]

1 hour ago, paulh84 said:

 

Price out comparable RCL cruises. When you do an even comparison prices are very similar. 

 

An infinite veranda, same weekend, similar itinerary, two adults is nearly $6,300 on Icon. No drinks, no WiFi, no gratuities, paltry OBC if any. An Oasis class ship could bring it down around $4,000. 

 

 

Right. I'll catch heat for this, but a certain generational segment here gets highly offended when they feel they are no longer 'the target demographic'. The reality is Celebrity has 5 new ships to fill if they don't eliminate capacity. 15,608 new berths since 2018. The metric they use is available passenger cruise days which is at an increase of nearly 5.7 million since 2018. The new to cruise and new to brand people typically start out with short cruises just like many people here did. They need to bring new people in somehow. Catering primarily to an aging population just does not work and does not make sense. 

 

I think Celebrity has been moving to capture that lucrative 35-50 DINK (Double Income No Kids) demo that has grown over the past decade or so. I can tell you that personally, my wife and I were over RC and have moved on to Celebrity as it was more our style. We also enjoy the ease of Coco Cay, so having that as on option on an X sailing is huge. We don't do the water park, but private beach with food and beverage included, and no transportation needed? Yes, please. 

[Eltorodiablo]

6 minutes ago, ericopia said:

We visited Coco Cay (pre-“Perfect Day”) sailing on Reflection in Dec. 2015, so it’s funny to me to see “this is the first time ever!” news coverage We visited again in Dec. 2021 on Harmony of the Seas (now “Perfect Day”d); we were there along with Independence of the Seas. The beaches were overrun and overcrowded, bars couldn’t make anything beyond basic beach cocktails (not even a Dark ‘n’ Stormy — no ginger beer to be had — and bartenders seemed to only know how to make the five or so on-menu drinks, anyway), and there wasn’t a spot on the island where I couldn’t hear the constant “thump thump” of the dance-party DJ at the pool. At least the buffet lunch could handle the crowd. Not to mention how expensive and extensive all the add-ons are; I miss a more inclusive feel to a private-island day. It wasn’t relaxing at all. To me, it seemed like what I imagine a Carnival Cruises atmosphere to be, and we went back to the ship pretty early. I wouldn’t bother getting off the ship there again, and would probably pick an X itinerary if it doesn’t go there — I know we don’t look at RCL itineraries out of Florida any more, in part because they basically all go there.

Our experience on Coco Cay pre Perfect Day was similar to yours. Since then, however, it's a much more enjoyable stop, with places to enjoy some quiet beach time (and a better bar experience!)

[Random Cruizer]

4 minutes ago, Eltorodiablo said:

 We don't do the water park, but private beach with food and beverage included, and no transportation needed? Yes, please. 

 

This makes a lot of sense, I think it's a good business decision for them.  I did the Caribbean last summer, and I don't regret it--but I'm not a beach person, and I wouldn't go back--a one and done destination for me.  I'm just glad that I'm on the Beyond in a couple of weeks in the Mediterranean --I've really wanted to try the Beyond, and so I'm grateful I picked this summer since it'll be in the Caribbean next year.

[SbbquilterUT]

We had a lovely time, spending the day at South Beach where it was relatively quiet and a nice swim spot.  Do not have to spend any money except beverages.

[binro01]

Well, my Reflection 8N September 7th 2024 ABC Island cruise looks like it will be cancelled. I hope they offer me to lift and shift my booking to the Beyond for the same day and same itinerary. We will see.

[Honolulu Blue]

Here's the link to the official press release:  https://www.celebritycruisespresscenter.com/press-release/1289/a-perfect-and-endless-summer-celebrity-cruisesreg-will-be-island-hopping-like-never-before-with-the-introduction-of-a-new-caribbean-program-including-the-first-ever-stops-to-perfect-day-at-cococay/

 

I found this interesting quote from our new fearless leader Laura Hodges Bethge:

 

“Our customers are consistently asking for more opportunities to visit this stunning region year-round, have more weekend options so they can getaway easier, and have expressed a desire for a private island destination. By introducing this new program, we can meet this demand and offer something new and historic to all our guests,” says Laura Hodges Bethge, President of Celebrity Cruises. “Perfect Day is a destination like no other, and we are honored to add it to our portfolio.”   

 

(emphasis mine)

[Stem to Stern]

The big news finally hit my inbox from Captain's Club at 11:48am this morning.

"New ships.  New islands.  New experiences."

[sunonfire]

For people questioning capacity at Coco Cay 

 

https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2023/02/royal-caribbean-expanding-cococay-for-13000-guests-daily/#:~:text=Royal Caribbean Expanding CocoCay For,Cruise Industry News | Cruise News

 

 

[ericopia]

20 minutes ago, Eltorodiablo said:

Our experience on Coco Cay pre Perfect Day was similar to yours. Since then, however, it's a much more enjoyable stop, with places to enjoy some quiet beach time (and a better bar experience!)

That sounds like the exact opposite of our Perfect Day visit. Maybe we were just there on a bad day, or the two mega ships in port overwhelmed the staff (which would be a poor omen, IMO). The thumping bass audible everywhere we went definitely precluded any “quiet” beach time. I’m not a big beach person, but when I do go, I just want to hear the ocean waves — nothing more, nothing less — and I couldn’t enjoy that with a background dance-club beat. But, to each their own.

[ericopia]

This part of the FAQ on the Celebrity site made me laugh and roll my eyes at the same time.

 

Is there an adults-only space at CocoCay?

There are no adults-only spaces at CocoCay as we want everybody to enjoy the island.

 

But what if to enjoy the island, I need an adults-only space? 😎

 

(Reference: https://www.celebritycruises.com/faqs/perfect-day-at-cococay)

[Eltorodiablo]

1 minute ago, ericopia said:

This part of the FAQ on the Celebrity site made me laugh and roll my eyes at the same time.

 

Is there an adults-only space at CocoCay?

There are no adults-only spaces at CocoCay as we want everybody to enjoy the island.

 

But what if to enjoy the island, I need an adults-only space? 😎

 

(Reference: https://www.celebritycruises.com/faqs/perfect-day-at-cococay)

As others have mentioned, they're adding Hideaway Beach, an adults-only area.