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Deployment 2025-26 booking season begins

SummmerInKefalonia
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Tin can

Tin can

Posted
Posted
7 hours ago, springaussie said:

Alaska 2025 now getting loaded.

i can’t see any new repositioning cruises yet!

 

I don't know why (I should have expected it) but I'm amazed at how expensive they are! 

 

Perhaps I'm a bit behind with things but I have noticed aft balconies are now called 'Sunset View' or something like that and are even more expensive.

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swoopy2110

swoopy2110

Posted
Posted
3 minutes ago, Tin can said:

 

I don't know why (I should have expected it) but I'm amazed at how expensive they are! 

 

Perhaps I'm a bit behind with things but I have noticed aft balconies are now called 'Sunset View' or something like that and are even more expensive.

 

They aren't shown that way on the current deck plans, so must be new. Celebrity have offered them separately for quite a while so probably just bringing them in line (and giving them an excuse to charge more money too).

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little britain "Live from...." Rare

little britain

Posted
Posted

And just received email from UK 🇬🇧 TA….

 

BREAKING NEWS FROM ROYAL CARIBBEAN

INDEPENDENCE OF THE SEAS RETURNS

 

 

TO SOUTHAMPTON IN SUMMER 2025

On sale 8 November 2023 – Advance Register today!

 

Royal Caribbean’s beloved 'Indy' is returning to Southampton in Summer 2025.  

Independence of the Seas is not just any ship - it’s the one we all love!

 

Discover a range of exciting new itineraries from 9-nightsailings to the vibrant cultures of Spain and Portugal, 7-night breathtaking Norwegian Fjords voyages and for more of a Northern European adventure, why not set off on a 5-night sailing to the iconic cities of Hamburg and Rotterdam. If you’re after a weekend escape, Royal have got you covered. With 2- and 3-night sailings to Bruges, one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Europe, you’ll feel like you're living in a fairytale.

 

Whether you are travelling as a family, couple or with a group of friends there is something for everyone on this Royal Caribbean favourite.

 

 

WE ARE EXPECTING DEMAND TO BE HIGH
DON'T MISS THE BOAT!

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sgmn

sgmn

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, swoopy2110 said:

 

They aren't shown that way on the current deck plans, so must be new. Celebrity have offered them separately for quite a while so probably just bringing them in line (and giving them an excuse to charge more money too).

But on Edge class, on Celebrity they are true balconies instead of the infinity window balcony. So people will pay extra as its the only chance of getting a traditional balcony, unless you move up to suite class.  Well I guess there's the port hole balconies too.

 

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barbeyg

barbeyg

Posted
Posted (edited)

For the price of a one-way AK cruise in a "spacious" balcony on Radiance, late May ($4590), a nice land trip to AK, with small vessel excursions to Glacier Bay, could be planned.  No thanks, Jason Liberty.  Someone else may be foolish enough to pay that price, but not us. 🙂

 

Glad we chose Iceland/Norway on NCL for 2025. 🙂

Edited by barbeyg
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Jumping Cruiser

Jumping Cruiser

Posted
Posted (edited)
52 minutes ago, tonygcharles said:

Also the list of sailing 

Screenshot_20231101_103811.jpg


Only 1 Canaries cruise and NO MEDITERRANEAN!  Oh dear! I suppose at least it’s not copy and paste like it has been over the past couple of years, but this was not what I was hoping for! 😔

 

Seems to be a huge focus on ‘short getaways’, but what shocks me is the lack of warmer destinations, considering she is more suited to this climate than Anthem. Definitely trying to push people towards fly-cruises rather than ex-UK. Also, I don’t imagine short getaways to attract international guests, which is maybe why the shrink in capacity will be acceptable. 

Edited by Jumping Cruiser
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Ourusualbeach

Ourusualbeach

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, Tin can said:

Perhaps I'm a bit behind with things but I have noticed aft balconies are now called 'Sunset View' or something like that and are even more expensive

Posted that a thread on that a couple weeks ago.  There were several category changes, the aft cabin designation one of them.  The other big one was the addition of Sky Junior suites on QN and OA class

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Jumping Cruiser

Jumping Cruiser

Posted
Posted (edited)

Here is an interview with a VP at Royal Caribbean regarding deployment of Indy in UK.

 

https://travelweekly.co.uk/news/tour-operators/independence-of-the-seas-to-homeport-in-uk-in-2025

 

It is interesting though how they are looking at marketing it. They are not trying to target current Anthem cruisers, but more people who cruised on Indy in the past and new to brand families.

 

“There are two opportunities for agents here: it’s a great chance for people to go on Anthem next summer, and if they are a fan of Independence then they should make two bookings.”

 

Bouldin encouraged agents to revisit their databases of customers who sailed on Independence of the Seas when it previously departed from Southampton, as well as urging fans of Anthem of the Seas to secure a final sailing on the ship next summer.

 

“A change [of ship] is important because we have a number of guests that like to sail from Southampton every year so having a fresh ship, fresh itineraries and fresh entertainment for people to see is key.”

 

The highlighted part of makes me laugh though! Their definition of fresh is definitely different to mine! 😂

Edited by Jumping Cruiser
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Jumping Cruiser

Jumping Cruiser

Posted
Posted
5 minutes ago, tonygcharles said:

Looks like the transatlantic/ repositioning could be as early as 16th Oct 25   , if they don't add anymore sailing according to this ? 


Anthem’s TA this year was 15th October and her repositioning next year is 14th October, so to have it this early is not unusual. 

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vjmatty

vjmatty

Posted
Posted
31 minutes ago, Jumping Cruiser said:


Anthem’s TA this year was 15th October and her repositioning next year is 14th October, so to have it this early is not unusual. 

Right, and last year was the 17th. Must be it’s always a Monday?

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gumshoe958

gumshoe958

Posted
Posted
59 minutes ago, Jumping Cruiser said:


Only 1 Canaries cruise and NO MEDITERRANEAN!  Oh dear! I suppose at least it’s not copy and paste like it has been over the past couple of years, but this was not what I was hoping for! 😔

 

Seems to be a huge focus on ‘short getaways’, but what shocks me is the lack of warmer destinations, considering she is more suited to this climate than Anthem. Definitely trying to push people towards fly-cruises rather than ex-UK. Also, I don’t imagine short getaways to attract international guests, which is maybe why the shrink in capacity will be acceptable. 


Yes, the focus on short breaks puts Royal at polar opposites to NCL who have nothing under 10 days from Southampton in 2025. It’s a big market for MSC and P&O though.

 

I guess they’re hoping the UK market will be more willing to pay higher fares and spend $$$ on drinks packages if it’s just a short break.

 

 

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livylotte

livylotte

Posted
Posted

Disappointed with those Indy sailings.
Just 1 low season 12 night itinerary and the rest are short breaks.
Where’s the Med?
And the next longest - 9 days isn’t going to get us very far.

Sorry, RC but a cruise from rainy UK into rainy Northern Europe isn’t my idea of a summer holiday.

I don’t think this will appeal to UK cruisers, especially not if the prices are high as expected.

I’m seriously thinking of 2 weeks in Marmaris 🤪

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Jumping Cruiser

Jumping Cruiser

Posted
Posted
Just now, little britain said:

…”fresh entertainment..” … lol 😝 Hands up 🙌 every one who has seen Grease on Indie several times! 


Me! 🙌🏻

 

Don’t forget the ‘Fresh Itineraries’ too! A lovely 3-night cruise to the industrial port of Zeebrugge in the middle of a rainy European summer sounds very inviting! 😂

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