Rhapsody cruise(s) cancelled?

[ajtaylor29]

I saw on another site that RC has cancelled this weekends cruise on Rhapsody due to a damaged lifeboat but i don't see anything here....

We sailed on Rhapsody in July and had a great cruise! I feel for the people who were headed for San Juan or were already there!!

[chengkp75]

No, they have had to bump some passengers to get the capacity down to the capacity of the remaining lifeboats.

[Ken at the beach]

Royal Caribbean International is cancelling bookings for the upcoming cruise of the Rhapsody of the Seas due to damage to one of the vessel’s lifeboats.

According to a statement sent to guests, the issue is lowering the ship’s lifesaving capacity, which has led to the cancellations.

Sailing in the Southern Caribbean, the Rhapsody of the Seas is scheduled to depart from Puerto Rico for its next cruise on Sep. 15, 2024.

“On our previous sailing, there was damage to one of our tender boats, which also serves as a lifeboat,” Royal Caribbean said in the letter.

“This leaves the ship over capacity for the number of available lifeboat seats in the event of an emergency in our next sailing,” the company added, noting that it’s necessary to have a seat on a lifeboat for every guest onboard.

“Unfortunately, this means we’ll be unable to welcome you onboard,” Royal Caribbean said.

The company explained that affected guests will receive a full refund of the fare paid for the cancelled booking, as well as a credit for a new cruise.

“We know this is disappointing news and we’re terribly sorry for the impact on your vacation plans,” Royal Caribbean added.

The Future Cruise Credit (FCC) will be equivalent to 100 percent of the amount paid for the original cruise and must be redeemed by Sep. 13, 2025.

Royal Caribbean also promised to reimburse non-refundable, pre-purchased transportation fees incurred due to the cancellation, such as flight, train tickets, and/or rental car.

Passengers are asked to present receipts to be able to receive up to $200 per guest for domestic changes or $400 per guest for international changes.

The Rhapsody of the Seas is set to offer a seven-night cruise to Puerto Rico, St. Croix, St. Thomas, St. Kitts, St. Lucia and Barbados.

 

https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2024/09/royal-caribbean-cancels-bookings-due-to-lifeboat-damage/

 

Edited Saturday at 08:17 PM by Ken at the beach

[Ken at the beach]

1 hour ago, chengkp75 said:

No, they have had to bump some passengers to get the capacity down to the capacity of the remaining lifeboats.

Would they have to cancel everyone booked at that particular muster station or would they be able to juggle things around and cancel the last people that booked or cancel the cheapest cabins?

[leaveitallbehind]

Very unfortunate and disappointing for those affected, but given the circumstances it seems like a fair and very equitable solution that will leave everyone financially whole for the money already paid as well as providing additional benefit in the form of a 100% FCC.  IMO that is very just.  Admittedly if I was one who was affected I would naturally be disappointed, but I would be pleased with the resolution.  JMO.

Edited Saturday at 08:29 PM by leaveitallbehind

[la_croisiere_s'amuse]

24 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Very unfortunate and disappointing for those affected, but given the circumstances it seems like a fair and very equitable solution that will leave everyone financially whole for the money already paid as well as providing additional benefit in the form of a 100% FCC.  IMO that is very just.  Admittedly if I was one who was affected I would naturally be disappointed, but I would be pleased with the resolution.  JMO.

 

The only problem with those 100% FCCs is that for those of us who plan far ahead, you'll seldom if ever get the same bang for the buck since they put a time limit on it. 🫤 Our Rhapsody cruise is still a year away, but we got a really good deal when it was first released, and that price is long gone--our JS price wouldn't even get us a balcony now. 

 

Naturally this cancelation isn't Royal's fault, since they can't sail with more passengers than lifeboat berths. I totally get that. But I do wish they'd do a better job of price protecting in circumstances like this.

 

Edited Saturday at 08:51 PM by la_croisiere_s'amuse

[Sunshine3601]

33 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Very unfortunate and disappointing for those affected, but given the circumstances it seems like a fair and very equitable solution that will leave everyone financially whole for the money already paid as well as providing additional benefit in the form of a 100% FCC.  IMO that is very just.  Admittedly if I was one who was affected I would naturally be disappointed, but I would be pleased with the resolution.  JMO.

Financially whole....nope...flights to SJU cost on average more than $200 pp and I'm sure most guests planning to board tomorrow arrived in SjU today.   Average hotels near port are $250 and up.

[leaveitallbehind]

4 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Financially whole....nope...flights to SJU cost on average more than $200 pp and I'm sure most guests planning to board tomorrow arrived in SjU today.   Average hotels near port are $250 and up.

Royal Caribbean also promised to reimburse non-refundable, pre-purchased transportation fees incurred due to the cancellation, such as flight, train tickets, and/or rental car.

Passengers are asked to present receipts to be able to receive up to $200 per guest for domestic changes or $400 per guest for international changes.

 

I read the $200 / $400 as flight change compensation in addition to transportation cost reimbursement. However I don't see specific language regarding hotels.  Maybe I am incorrect.

[leaveitallbehind]

23 minutes ago, la_croisiere_s'amuse said:

 

The only problem with those 100% FCCs is that for those of us who plan far ahead, you'll seldom if ever get the same bang for the buck since they put a time limit on it.

I understand and don't argue the point.  But they are reimbursing the full cost paid for the current cruise (as they should) and at least providing for that same value for the future booking in addition.  So at least a large portion of the fare for the next cruise fare would be on them.  

 

 

[smokeybandit]

40 minutes ago, la_croisiere_s'amuse said:

 

The only problem with those 100% FCCs is that for those of us who plan far ahead, you'll seldom if ever get the same bang for the buck since they put a time limit on it. 🫤 Our Rhapsody cruise is still a year away, but we got a really good deal when it was first released, and that price is long gone--our JS price wouldn't even get us a balcony now. 

 

Naturally this cancelation isn't Royal's fault, since they can't sail with more passengers than lifeboat berths. I totally get that. But I do wish they'd do a better job of price protecting in circumstances like this.

 

You get a refund AND FCC equal to the cost of the cruise.

 

I wish I got that when RC canceled its Panama Canal cruises due to low water levels. We got nothing

Edited Saturday at 09:31 PM by smokeybandit

[Ken at the beach]

32 minutes ago, la_croisiere_s'amuse said:

 

The only problem with those 100% FCCs is that for those of us who plan far ahead, you'll seldom if ever get the same bang for the buck since they put a time limit on it. 🫤 Our Rhapsody cruise is still a year away, but we got a really good deal when it was first released, and that price is long gone--our JS price wouldn't even get us a balcony now. 

 

Naturally this cancelation isn't Royal's fault, since they can't sail with more passengers than lifeboat berths. I totally get that. But I do wish they'd do a better job of price protecting in circumstances like this.

 

Also don't gorget many have taken vacation time that they can't necessarily change. 

[la_croisiere_s'amuse]

12 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

I understand and don't argue the point.  But they are reimbursing the full cost paid for the current cruise (as they should) and at least providing for that same value for the future booking in addition.  So at least a large portion of the fare for the next cruise fare would be on them.  

 

 

 

8 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

You get a refund AND FCC equal to the cost of the cruise.

 

True, and understood. The FCC would largely subsidize the next cruise booked in its place. I just wish it could be handled in such a way that you don't have to worry about it: in the case of my upcoming Rhapsody JS, for example, we'll guarantee you a JS on a similar future cruise. 

[smokeybandit]

2 minutes ago, la_croisiere_s'amuse said:

True, and understood. The FCC would largely subsidize the next cruise booked in its place. I just wish it could be handled in such a way that you don't have to worry about it: in the case of my upcoming Rhapsody JS, for example, we'll guarantee you a JS on a similar future cruise. 

I think that'd be great, but I think that'd just be too cumbersome to try to pull off.

[Sailor75]

I don't get this, maybe Chengkp or someone else knows. Cruise ships don't have extra life boat or life raft capacity? I'm sure there's rules that dictate this. I also wondered who got their cruises cancelled, inside guarantee cabins? I'm sure suite guests wouldn't get cancelled.

[Ken at the beach]

5 minutes ago, Sailor75 said:

I don't get this, maybe Chengkp or someone else knows. Cruise ships don't have extra life boat or life raft capacity? I'm sure there's rules that dictate this. I also wondered who got their cruises cancelled, inside guarantee cabins? I'm sure suite guests wouldn't get cancelled.

There is excess capacity built in.  In addition to the actual lifeboats there are liferafts as well.  The excess capacity must be maintained in case something happened to another lifeboat while they were at sea.

 

 

[leaveitallbehind]

While the life rafts would provide additional safety capacity, my understanding is that the life rafts are planned primarily for crew use, other than those assigned to man the passenger life boats.  I would guess that not wanting to rely on excess capacity with the life rafts, if a life boat is out of service they would reduce the passenger capacity proportionately.

 

Perhaps @chengkp75 can clarify and correct me if I am incorrect in my interpretation.

Edited Saturday at 10:36 PM by leaveitallbehind

[chengkp75]

2 hours ago, Ken at the beach said:

Would they have to cancel everyone booked at that particular muster station or would they be able to juggle things around and cancel the last people that booked or cancel the cheapest cabins?

I have no idea how they decide who gets cancelled.

 

37 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Perhaps @chengkp75 can clarify and correct me if I am incorrect in my interpretation.

Rhapsody has a total pax capacity of 2416 and a crew complement of 765, for a total of 3181 total souls onboard.  Ships must carry 125% of the total souls number as life saving appliance capacity, so this would be 3976.  Take away one 150 person lifeboat, that means they have capacity for 3826, or more than the ship's capacity.  But, the problem comes with the fact that 75% of the capacity must be in lifeboats, so based on 150 man lifeboats, they have a lifeboat capacity of 2400, which works out to be exactly 75%.  Take away one lifeboat, and you drop the lifeboat capacity to 2250, which is 75% of 3000.  Take away the crew, and you are left with a passenger capacity of 2235, which is 237 over the double occupancy capacity, but short of the 2416 maximum capacity.  So, while the ship still has life saving capacity for 3826, she can only carry 3000 due to the percentage of capacity being in lifeboats.

 

Rafts, while primarily designated for crew, can be used for passengers, and are on many ships, via the MES systems (Marine Evacuation Systems) that use multiple rafts and a chute to get into the rafts.

[Ken at the beach]

2 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

I have no idea how they decide who gets cancelled

Just wondering if there was any requirement if it would have to be guests from the inoperable lifeboat since that is where there emergency instructions on their room door show them going.  Seems to me that if they just cancelled people from all over the ship they would then have to take all these people that show up at the assembly station where the lifeboat is inoperable and spread them out over the other muster stations...seems like a lot of work in the event of an emergency

[chengkp75]

3 minutes ago, Ken at the beach said:

Just wondering if there was any requirement if it would have to be guests from the inoperable lifeboat since that is where there emergency instructions on their room door show them going.  Seems to me that if they just cancelled people from all over the ship they would then have to take all these people that show up at the assembly station where the lifeboat is inoperable and spread them out over the other muster stations...seems like a lot of work in the event of an emergency

They would not cancel all the guests assigned to the inoperable boat, as this would leave a block of cabins unoccupied.  They will still have the passengers muster at the assigned station, as the passenger muster is not really about getting into the boats, it is for accountability; knowing that everyone has been accounted for.  If, in the unlikely event that the emergency went from a muster to an evacuation, those in the station where the boat is inoperable, would be fed to the other boats as capacity allows.  This can be done after the pax count is done, so we know that everyone is there, and other boats can report their numbers of open spaces in their boats and the pax escorted to those boats.

[Ken at the beach]

8 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

They would not cancel all the guests assigned to the inoperable boat, as this would leave a block of cabins unoccupied.  They will still have the passengers muster at the assigned station, as the passenger muster is not really about getting into the boats, it is for accountability; knowing that everyone has been accounted for.  If, in the unlikely event that the emergency went from a muster to an evacuation, those in the station where the boat is inoperable, would be fed to the other boats as capacity allows.  This can be done after the pax count is done, so we know that everyone is there, and other boats can report their numbers of open spaces in their boats and the pax escorted to those boats.

Thanks

[smokeybandit]

37 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

I have no idea how they decide who gets cancelled.

 

Pinnacles first!

[rrraydon]

3 hours ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Financially whole....nope...flights to SJU cost on average more than $200 pp and I'm sure most guests planning to board tomorrow arrived in SjU today.   Average hotels near port are $250 and up.

Funny you should say that, I was thinking the same thing.

 

I am booked on Rhapsody in Feb. My RT flight currently is over a thousand US dollars.

[leaveitallbehind]

1 hour ago, chengkp75 said:

I have no idea how they decide who gets cancelled.

 

Rhapsody has a total pax capacity of 2416 and a crew complement of 765, for a total of 3181 total souls onboard.  Ships must carry 125% of the total souls number as life saving appliance capacity, so this would be 3976.  Take away one 150 person lifeboat, that means they have capacity for 3826, or more than the ship's capacity.  But, the problem comes with the fact that 75% of the capacity must be in lifeboats, so based on 150 man lifeboats, they have a lifeboat capacity of 2400, which works out to be exactly 75%.  Take away one lifeboat, and you drop the lifeboat capacity to 2250, which is 75% of 3000.  Take away the crew, and you are left with a passenger capacity of 2235, which is 237 over the double occupancy capacity, but short of the 2416 maximum capacity.  So, while the ship still has life saving capacity for 3826, she can only carry 3000 due to the percentage of capacity being in lifeboats.

 

Rafts, while primarily designated for crew, can be used for passengers, and are on many ships, via the MES systems (Marine Evacuation Systems) that use multiple rafts and a chute to get into the rafts.

Thank you as always for your excellent explanation and for providing clarity for me with my attempt in understanding how this is managed.  

Edited Sunday at 12:34 AM by leaveitallbehind

[Sunshine3601]

17 minutes ago, rrraydon said:

Funny you should say that, I was thinking the same thing.

 

I am booked on Rhapsody in Feb. My RT flight currently is over a thousand US dollars.

Yup, I'm booked for January Rhapsody cruise and last I looked RT trip flight was around $700 for us and most hotels were $300 to $400 for Saturday night.

[smokeybandit]

1 hour ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Yup, I'm booked for January Rhapsody cruise and last I looked RT trip flight was around $700 for us and most hotels were $300 to $400 for Saturday night.

I need to book a flight to Fort Lauderdale in March and even those are over $700