Why no Radiance Class to S America?

[AFT_LOVER]

We were checking the newly released S America Jan-March 2008. Then I notice it is Sovereign. My TA as well as C&A at RCCL tell me this ship has -0- for Diamond/+ members. No room! So why don't they put Radiance Class there & let the old ship do Carib! For $8,000 including air that is one tiny ship with no extras.

 

So my TA tells me Star Princess has better price & plenty of Platinum members.

[SAS21]

Edit

[glgolfer]

MACOP - Not sure what you looked at, but the Splendour is the ship going to South America. We're booked on the 4 Dec Transatlantic from Lisbon to South America. Can't beat the price for a 14 night cruise.

[AFT_LOVER]

Why pay almost $8000 for 15 nts with no perks for Diamond/ Diamond plus members. I can see new cruisers on this small original ship, but lets get real as returning folks want what they deserve.

 

This is no thrill for me with Radiance class giving us marvelous cruises & a final bill of $6.25 for mints & gum when we were doing last minute shopping. FREE specialty coffee, free cocktails, etc. They could have closed the card room for a Diamond Club if they don't have a concierge for a Concierge Lounge.

[Ericknow32]

If you don't like the ship don't go. RCI is not going to put one of its most coveted ships in an experimental market.

 

If all works out they will probably move better ships to South America and other locations worldwide but they only have 4 Radiance class ships and they will not move them from an already popular market without a probability of good profit.

 

And the Concierge lounge is nice but it doesn't/shouldn't make or brake a cruise.

[critterchick]

MACOP, there have been some reports that a Concierge Lounge was added in drydock this year, taking out the card room. The deck plans on the RCI website still show the card room, though.

 

I have to agree with Eric (although I want a RADIANCE class ship in LA:D ) that the Concierge Club, while a very nice perk (I love the cappuccino maker), isn't a make or break deal for me. Hell, I've fallen in love with Monarch, for heaven's sake, just because the overall experience with her crew is so terrific! But I'd give her up for Radiance. Fickle me!

[AFT_LOVER]

by Radiance Class, so we have 2 more (4 weeks total) booked in 2007.

I am not too keen on teeny tiny ships. Even Meridian was larger than those out there from the 1980's or so.

 

So I will stick with Radiance & higher. S America can wait til a great ship is going. Funny we saw folks from Legend of the Seas & they were calling it Legend of Disease. SO we remembered that..........

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

Am I the only one that wishes Royal Caribbean would build a couple more Radiance Class ships after they complete their mega-ship frenzy? They could be modernized, even squeeze in a Flow Rider, but the size is what I like about Radiance Class. They are big enough to offer many wonderful amenities, but not so big that they can't visit many ports and are not overwhelming for passengers to wander around in.

[Mildred]

I love the Radiance class ships and was very disappointed to learn that the Spendor would be doing the S. America itinerary. Also, not having Port Stanley on the itinerary and it looks like X may be our choice.

[negc]

When we were onboard the Freedom of the Seas when it visited Boston, we had an opportunity to speak with Adam Goldstein about building more Radiance class ships. He told us that they have determined that it does not make sense, from an economic standpoint, to build more ships of that size. It appeared from his demeanor that this was not an easy decision for them to make but that from a business standpoint, it would not be fiscally prudent. Ships of Voyager class and Freedom are more efficient and cost-effective to build and operate.

Putting a Radiance class ship on an untested itinerary such as the one to South America would be foolhardy. Better to enter this new market with an older and smaller ship and see how much demand there is. If the new route proves popular and demand for it grows, they can then replace that ship with one that has greater capacity. They have been doing this for years and it seems to work well for them.:)

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

NEGC, thanks for those insights. I guess that is the way it is going to be, but I'm certain there is a substantial market for elegant but smaller than Freedom Class ships. Maybe other cruise lines will fill that market though.

[The Big Booper]

Most lines today use smaller, older ships on new experimental runs. You won't see Voyagers, Grand Princess, etc. doing SE Asia stopping at Vietnam, etc. And the high cost would keep most people away such as $8000 for the Splendour in SA. So limited demand for these expensive exotic trips.

 

And this is why Disney never expanded fleet. Eisner made one of many screw-ups by not building more than 2 ships in the 90s with a favorable exchange rate. Now it is too expensive for them. We got this talking to Disney Execs on the Magic in Dec 2005.

[Cruising89143]

We were checking the newly released S America Jan-March 2008. Then I notice it is Sovereign. My TA as well as C&A at RCCL tell me this ship has -0- for Diamond/+ members. No room! So why don't they put Radiance Class there & let the old ship do Carib! For $8,000 including air that is one tiny ship with no extras.

 

So my TA tells me Star Princess has better price & plenty of Platinum members.

 

Well I would hope that a good TA would know that the Sovereign has been doing the 3 and 4 day run for a while and that it was the Splendour of the Seas doing this new itinerary. Of course if this is the TA that I think that it is then it doesn't surprise me.

 

If the Princess deal makes you happy then do it. Cruise lines use their smaller ships for off the beaten path itineraries.

[negc]

NEGC, thanks for those insights. I guess that is the way it is going to be, but I'm certain there is a substantial market for elegant but smaller than Freedom Class ships. Maybe other cruise lines will fill that market though.

 

They may, but the price will be probably be significantly higher. In the meantime, RCI has plenty of ships that are substantially smaller than the Voyager and Freedom ships, and we can expect them to continue sailing for many years, so we are not without options. Splendour and the other Vision class ships, IMHO, have a certain elegance to them and those who sail on them will not be shortchanged.:)

[jonmurdock37]

In general, the more interesting or off the beaten path the itinerary, the less exciting the ship is. It's partly because smaller ships can get into more ports, but also because some people cruise for the ship, while others cruise for the destination. Why put a newer ship on an itinerary that will fill up with people interested in going somewhere new? (esp when doing so means you've got older ships running more common itineraries) Not that RCI doesn't have older ships in the Caribbean, but those do mostly run either shorter itineraries or out of ports other than Miami (Galveston, Norfolk, Baltimore, etc.)

[Goldryder]

Having done the South America cruise aboard the small NCL Crown, you don't want big ships down there. Small to medium only otherwise you miss the best bits like sailing up narrow fjords and the captain turning off the engines so you can drift right up to the glaciers and whales and other wildlife come to the ship. You get to see some stunning ports of call such as Puerto Montt, Puerto Chacabuco where the pier is shorter than even our tiny ship. QM2 went round the horn but she only got to see Ushuaia as a port stop cos the Darwin Canal, Patagonic Channels etc were just too much for her to cope with.

 

Small to medium ships and its not an itinerary for those who want to sit around and sunbathe nor is it one for the gamblers as in Chilean waters, casinos have to stay closed - that law came in part way through my cruise in December last year...and I'm not a gambler but those who were whinged and whined for a week. The Cape Horn itineraries are scenic cruises, and often can be record breaking too, we were the largest ship to ever enter and anchor in the inner harbour at Port Stanley, Falkland Islands...cutting the tender time from 30 mins each way to 10 mins each way.

 

Its a fantastic cruise, not one for young kids and not one for gamblers, but if you love to watch the incredible scenery and wildlife float by, then they are perfect itineraries on a small ship. :)

[AFT_LOVER]

but a S American cruise is to enjoy the scenery, wildlife & people who take great pride in their home. We make sure we have the 15 night cruise to the Falklands & fjords to enjoy it.

 

I stand corrected that Vision class Splendour is doing it. DH got an email announcing this & Sovereign was listed, guess they got mixed up with the "S" names. Plenty of glass to see it all which is one reason I love Radiance class but Vision Class has it also....

 

So we booked it for March 22, 2008.

 

Having done the South America cruise aboard the small NCL Crown, you don't want big ships down there. Small to medium only otherwise you miss the best bits like sailing up narrow fjords and the captain turning off the engines so you can drift right up to the glaciers and whales and other wildlife come to the ship. You get to see some stunning ports of call such as Puerto Montt, Puerto Chacabuco where the pier is shorter than even our tiny ship. QM2 went round the horn but she only got to see Ushuaia as a port stop cos the Darwin Canal, Patagonic Channels etc were just too much for her to cope with.

 

Small to medium ships and its not an itinerary for those who want to sit around and sunbathe nor is it one for the gamblers as in Chilean waters, casinos have to stay closed - that law came in part way through my cruise in December last year...and I'm not a gambler but those who were whinged and whined for a week. The Cape Horn itineraries are scenic cruises, and often can be record breaking too, we were the largest ship to ever enter and anchor in the inner harbour at Port Stanley, Falkland Islands...cutting the tender time from 30 mins each way to 10 mins each way.

 

Its a fantastic cruise, not one for young kids and not one for gamblers, but if you love to watch the incredible scenery and wildlife float by, then they are perfect itineraries on a small ship. :)