Radiance Rumor!

[STEVE-O]

On board right now.

I've been told by several crew members that 2025 will be

Radiance's last season in Alaska!

 

She's my favorite ship and favorite destination. Sure hope the rumors are wrong.

[firefly333]

I'm on radiance thru Panama to florida after alaska oct 2025. 

[Ken at the beach]

33 minutes ago, STEVE-O said:

On board right now.

I've been told by several crew members that 2025 will be

Radiance's last season in Alaska!

 

She's my favorite ship and favorite destination. Sure hope the rumors are wrong.

Makes sense as Royal is investing in the upgrade of the docking facilities in Fairbanks that will support a Q class ship there able to do the one way North and Southbound cruises starting in 2026. 

[shof515]

5 hours ago, Ken at the beach said:

Makes sense as Royal is investing in the upgrade of the docking facilities in Fairbanks that will support a Q class ship there able to do the one way North and Southbound cruises starting in 2026. 

according to google maps, Fairbanks is like in the middle of Alaska with no ports or waterways

 

For north/south bound cruises the port that is typically used is either Seward or Whittier

[bajathree]

25 minutes ago, shof515 said:

according to google maps, Fairbanks is like in the middle of Alaska with no ports or waterways

 

For north/south bound cruises the port that is typically used is either Seward or Whittier

Reported back in August.....Plans were approved this week for a new $137 million cruise ship port in Seward, Alaska that should be ready for the 2026 cruise season.

 

Edited Monday at 10:40 AM by bajathree

[Ken at the beach]

25 minutes ago, shof515 said:

according to google maps, Fairbanks is like in the middle of Alaska with no ports or waterways

 

For north/south bound cruises the port that is typically used is either Seward or Whittier

Oops..Seward

[island lady]

8 hours ago, Ken at the beach said:

Makes sense as Royal is investing in the upgrade of the docking facilities in Fairbanks that will support a Q class ship there able to do the one way North and Southbound cruises starting in 2026. 

 

LOL...but we did enjoy staying in Fairbanks before our bush plane flight to fly over the north pole!  🙂   Nice river...no ocean.  😄 

[island lady]

If this is true...our B2B on Radiance next May will be even more that more special.  A chance to say goodbye to one of our favorite ships during a favorite route.  🙂 

 

And to celebrate my (gulp...am I THAT old??!!) milestone birthday.  

[smokeybandit]

I'm interested in that southbound route for 2026, so I just hope if it gets upgraded to Quantum then the prices don't get upgraded to match.

Edited Monday at 01:52 PM by smokeybandit

[leaveitallbehind]

3 hours ago, Ken at the beach said:

Oops..Seward

Fairbanks would have been one heck of a long pier.....LOL.  (But I knew what you meant).

[Ken at the beach]

1 hour ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Fairbanks would have been one heck of a long pier.....LOL.  (But I knew what you meant).

Brain was thinking of the cruisetour...

[PhillyFan33579]

6 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

I'm interested in that southbound route for 2026, so I just hope if it gets upgraded to Quantum then the prices don't get upgraded to match.

My first thought when reading this thread was Alaska cruise prices will go up if/when RCI only uses larger ships for these cruises. 

[island lady]

I would think newer ships with more bells and whistles...would be more pricey.  

[twangster]

2 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

My first thought when reading this thread was Alaska cruise prices will go up if/when RCI only uses larger ships for these cruises. 

 

Q class brought affordable balconies to Alaska.  

 

My Alaska cruises going back several years were very expensive balconies and often I'd go interior to save money.  The problem on the older ships is the balcony ratio compared to other cabins types is very low.  High demand for balconies with low supply meant high prices.

 

On Q class it's mostly balconies and suddenly balconies in Alaska became affordable when they started sailing in Alaska, sometimes just a little more than interior or OV.  

[island lady]

2 minutes ago, twangster said:

 

Q class brought affordable balconies to Alaska.  

 

My Alaska cruises going back several years were very expensive balconies and often I'd go interior to save money.  The problem on the older ships is the balcony ratio compared to other cabins types is very low.  High demand for balconies with low supply meant high prices.

 

On Q class it's mostly balconies and suddenly balconies in Alaska became affordable when they started sailing in Alaska, sometimes just a little more than interior or OV.  

 

Sounds good to me!!  🙂 

[Biker19]

6 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

I'm interested in that southbound route for 2026, so I just hope if it gets upgraded to Quantum then the prices don't get upgraded to match.

Not sure how feasible it is to have Q class routinely go in/out of Vancouver, Yes, they do it once a year during the repo to/from Hawaii, but having to work around the tides every two weeks may be problematic.

[twangster]

4 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Not sure how feasible it is to have Q class routinely go in/out of Vancouver, Yes, they do it once a year during the repo to/from Hawaii, but having to work around the tides every two weeks may be problematic.

 

There's noise in Vancouver of a new terminal outside of the harbor.  If it happens or not is uncertain.  Canada Place struggles with ships now.  It's not uncommon to see three ships there on some days albeit smaller ships.

[Chiliburn]

Voyager might be in the equation if it comes to Australia 

[ONECRUISER]

52 minutes ago, island lady said:

I would think newer ships with more bells and whistles...would be more pricey.  

Agree, Majority(80%) my Solo Cruises(with Discounts) on Radiance Class are running $90-110 per nite for the Aft Sunset Balcony Cabin. Try getting that on Larger Newer ships. 

[Chiliburn]

2 hours ago, twangster said:

 

There's noise in Vancouver of a new terminal outside of the harbor.  If it happens or not is uncertain.  Canada Place struggles with ships now.  It's not uncommon to see three ships there on some days albeit smaller ships.

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/new-cruise-ship-terminal-metro-vancouver-port-larger-ships