Why Reduced RCCL Itinerary Options?

[theotherchad]

In years past, Royal, when sailing out of Galveston on 7 day cruises was rotating which ports were on the itinerary for western Caribbean cruises. There were about 7 or eight options in the western Caribbean. Now, it's hard (impossible, lately) to find a Western Caribbean itinerary that goes anywhere other than Cozumel, Costa Maya and Roatan.

 

I enjoy those ports but I would also like some variety without having to fly to another port. What happened to the Georgetown Grand Cayman, Ocho Rios/Montego Bay/Falmouth Jamaica, Progresso Mexico, etc stops?

 

Does anyone know why Galveston sailings are almost entirely (with the exception of some Bahamas, etc Eastern Caribbean cruises which are almost all 8 or more day cruises) limited to only 3 cruise ports these days? 

[c-leg5]

4 minutes ago, theotherchad said:

In years past, Royal, when sailing out of Galveston on 7 day cruises was rotating which ports were on the itinerary for western Caribbean cruises. There were about 7 or eight options in the western Caribbean. Now, it's hard (impossible, lately) to find a Western Caribbean itinerary that goes anywhere other than Cozumel, Costa Maya and Roatan.

 

I enjoy those ports but I would also like some variety without having to fly to another port. What happened to the Georgetown Grand Cayman, Ocho Rios/Montego Bay/Falmouth Jamaica, Progresso Mexico, etc stops?

 

Does anyone know why Galveston sailings are almost entirely (with the exception of some Bahamas, etc Eastern Caribbean cruises which are almost all 8 or more day cruises) limited to only 3 cruise ports these days? 

Because with the bigger ship those are the only ports it can go in the time. It could possibly do a cozumel/ Falmouth itinerary but only 2 port stops and only one different port. It could possibly do a Nassau/ Coco Cay.

Edited March 24 by c-leg5

[theotherchad]

2 minutes ago, c-leg5 said:

Because with the bigger ship those are the only ports it can go in the time.

I am sure that for the 7 day Oasis sailings, that's a factor, but we're on a 7 day (the only one) on the Mariner, a Voyager class ship. Same ports. Grand Cayman is tender only anyway and we've hit those other ports several times for Voyager Class Galveston 7 day sailings in the past. 

Edited March 24 by theotherchad

[firefly333]

4 minutes ago, theotherchad said:

In years past, Royal, when sailing out of Galveston on 7 day cruises was rotating which ports were on the itinerary for western Caribbean cruises. There were about 7 or eight options in the western Caribbean. Now, it's hard (impossible, lately) to find a Western Caribbean itinerary that goes anywhere other than Cozumel, Costa Maya and Roatan.

 

I enjoy those ports but I would also like some variety without having to fly to another port. What happened to the Georgetown Grand Cayman, Ocho Rios/Montego Bay/Falmouth Jamaica, Progresso Mexico, etc stops?

 

Does anyone know why Galveston sailings are almost entirely (with the exception of some Bahamas, etc Eastern Caribbean cruises which are almost all 8 or more day cruises) limited to only 3 cruise ports these days? 

Harmony and oasis class dont tender like cayman island, so they also skip jamaica. 

[c-leg5]

1 minute ago, theotherchad said:

I am sure that for the 7 day Oasis sailings, that's a factor, but we're on a 7 day (the only one) on the Mariner, a Voyager class ship. Same ports. Grand Cayman is tender only anyway and we've hit those other ports several times for Voyager Class Galveston 7 day sailings in the past. 

The one Mariner sailing is an anomaly and yes they could have done something more exciting possibly. 
 

Radiance had some good longer options for a short period last year. There are are options occasionally but the are indeed limited. 
 

We had a great repositioning Galveston to Bayonne 2022 and Voyager San Juan to Galveston 2023 booked but they are few and far between.

[theotherchad]

Just now, c-leg5 said:

The one Mariner sailing is an anomaly and yes they could have done something more exciting possibly. 
 

We had a great repositioning Galveston to Bayonne 2022 and Voyager San Juan to Galveston 2023 booked but they are few and far between.

 Yeah, I think you're right. By the way, interestingly, the cruise we're booked on is the first Mariner sailing out of Galveston after some time spent sailing out of Port Canaveral, but there does not seem to be a booking available for a repositioning cruise between Canaveral and Galveston. They are just going to sail without passengers in the 4 day gap between the last debarkation in Florida and the first embarkation on our island. 

[smokeybandit]

What has been reduced? The geography hasn't changed.

[c-leg5]

11 minutes ago, theotherchad said:

 Yeah, I think you're right. By the way, interestingly, the cruise we're booked on is the first Mariner sailing out of Galveston after some time spent sailing out of Port Canaveral, but there does not seem to be a booking available for a repositioning cruise between Canaveral and Galveston. They are just going to sail without passengers in the 4 day gap between the last debarkation in Florida and the first embarkation on our island. 

Yes they will do that sometimes too. In order to sail between two US ports they need to visit a distant foreign port, often one of ABC islands. Sometimes they decide to just do a short non-revenue cruise instead.

 

Often the first or last sailing of the season can be a unique length or itinerary to adjust to the timing of the regular season and can be interesting dates to watch.

[theotherchad]

2 minutes ago, c-leg5 said:

Yes they will do that sometimes too. In order to sail between two US ports they need to visit a distant foreign port, often one of ABC islands. Sometimes they decide to just do a short non-revenue cruise instead.

I'm hoping that since the crew and staff will get a short break from the cones (what I'm told they call passengers sometimes), that they'll be rested and ready to be the happy, helpful folks we've always found them to be. 😁

[c-leg5]

1 minute ago, theotherchad said:

I'm hoping that since the crew and staff will get a short break from the cones (what I'm told they call passengers sometimes), that they'll be rested and ready to be the happy, helpful folks we've always found them to be. 😁

I hope you are correct.

 

Sometimes there can be a period of readjustment when a ship changes location and this has certainly been reported when new ships come to Galveston. I am sure all will be good and the crew will do their best - just go with the flow.
 

You asked on another thread about differences when sailing from other locations. The converse is true when a ship changes home port and crew have to adapt to the new predominant demographic. 

[theotherchad]

Just now, c-leg5 said:

 

Sometimes there can be a period of readjustment when a ship changes location and this has certainly been reported when new ships come to Galveston.
 

You asked on another thread about differences when sailing from other locations. The converse is true when a ship changes home port and crew have to adapt to the new predominant demographic. 

I inquired of the cruise director on his Facebook page as to whether there would be a lot of new crew, and his reply was that it was just the usual transition from those starting new contracts and finishing old ones. No significant change in the crew. 

 

I'm hoping that the crew will like us better than the Florida pax. A little healthy rivalry is fun! 😁

 

 

[c-leg5]

4 minutes ago, theotherchad said:

I inquired of the cruise director on his Facebook page as to whether there would be a lot of new crew, and his reply was that it was just the usual transition from those starting new contracts and finishing old ones. No significant change in the crew. 

 

I'm hoping that the crew will like us better than the Florida pax. A little healthy rivalry is fun! 😁

 

 

I wasn’t implying there would be a major change in crew just the fact they are catering to a different demographic. There will be differences but not as great as when the ship relocates from Europe for example.

 

Sailing from Galveston is definitely different IMO.

Edited March 24 by c-leg5

[firefly333]

7 minutes ago, theotherchad said:

I inquired of the cruise director on his Facebook page as to whether there would be a lot of new crew, and his reply was that it was just the usual transition from those starting new contracts and finishing old ones. No significant change in the crew. 

 

I'm hoping that the crew will like us better than the Florida pax. A little healthy rivalry is fun! 😁

 

 

I am sailing with you and a friend signed up recently. Ship was almost sold out of balconys when he booked, very few choices. 

 

I havent dont this ship that I remember so I jumped on this 7 day too. I do hope there isnt a lot of adjusting to texas like grandeur had to do, though it was sailing from a island. Not sailing full then hit texas and wham! 2 hour dinners for instance. 

[cruiseboy89130]

3 hours ago, theotherchad said:

Does anyone know why Galveston sailings are almost entirely (with the exception of some Bahamas, etc Eastern Caribbean cruises which are almost all 8 or more day cruises) limited to only 3 cruise ports these days? 

Because they can!

[bigque]

I did the western to Rotan, Costa Maya, Cozumel and Coco Cay last year out of Miami at that seems to be the now Western itinerary. Which I really wouldn’t want to do anymore. I did a western before the pandemic that was Falmouth, GranD Cayman, Cozumel and Labadee which I enjoyed more. 

[ONECRUISER]

3 hours ago, c-leg5 said:

The one Mariner sailing is an anomaly and yes they could have done something more exciting possibly. 
 

Radiance had some good longer options for a short period last year. There are are options occasionally but the are indeed limited. 
 

We had a great repositioning Galveston to Bayonne 2022 and Voyager San Juan to Galveston 2023 booked but they are few and far between.

Jewels doing longer Galveston sailings next winter, I'm on 4 Cruises doing 9 and 10 niters. Was very pleased with the Rates, when I Booked they were cheaper then Serenade out of Tampa doing 6 & 8 Niters this Fall/Winter

[c-leg5]

3 minutes ago, ONECRUISER said:

Jewels doing longer Galveston sailings next winter, I'm on 4 Cruises doing 9 and 10 niters. Was very pleased with the Rates, when I Booked they were cheaper then Serenade out of Tampa doing 6 & 8 Niters this Fall/Winter

Yes I would have jumped on them too but we aren’t cruising at the moment.

[ONECRUISER]

14 minutes ago, c-leg5 said:

Yes I would have jumped on them too but we aren’t cruising at the moment.

That's ok, Ships will still be that when you return. Been Cruising since late 80's had take break after 9/11 for 10yrs for multiple Deployments. Since I Retired been making up for lost time

[neverbeenhere]

I’m pretty sure that the geography has and is changing. But the 1/4 inch movement isn’t really making differences in the itinerary possible. 

[GJustice]

Check out this thread, especially post #3