Genesis Class in Port Canaveral???

[Gingras31]

WFTV Channel 9 in Orlando just reported that Port Canaveral will be starting renovations to prepare for a ship that will handle 6000 passengers. If that is true that is pretty sweet.

[mom2girls]

Wow, that would be awesome!!

[marti2282]

Just saw the same broadcast. I had heard a few weeks ago that this was going to happen. Also heard that when it did, that Mariner will go to Ft. Lauderdale.

[Ocean Boy]

Just saw the same broadcast. I had heard a few weeks ago that this was going to happen. Also heard that when it did, that Mariner will go to Ft. Lauderdale.

 

Good. Ft. Lauderdale has to be one of the easiest ports to use. I'm still not sure that I want to try Freedom with all of her passengers. Genesis and I may never meet each other.

[addictedinflorida]

I'd love for another RCCL ship to dock here at Pt. Canaveral, but Im also still a little leery over the Genesis ships. Im going to have to wait to see details to see if its something I want to sail on. Unless they make PLENTY of room, the ship will just be too crowded...in addition to the fact that the ship will most likely not be able to dock to many of the islands unless they all do renovations and will have to tender everywhere.

[MACruisers]

I can't imagine anything worse then a huge ship like the Genesis class at that port. The single access road in and out of there is terrible. The lines of cars, vans, and busses waiting to into there is one of my worst cruise memories ever. I have sworn I will NEVER cruise out of there again, unless MAJOR improvements are made to the port.

 

UUUGGGHHH!!!!

[uksimonusa]

Can't find that report on WFTV's website, but Florida Today is reporting that Port Canaveral is planning on expanding to accomodate the new bigger ships, but this may take 3 years, and RCI have not yet decided on a home port for the Genesis Class.

 

That report is here http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070319/NEWS01/703190335

[cruisingjon]

I can't imagine anything worse then a huge ship like the Genesis class at that port. The single access road in and out of there is terrible. The lines of cars, vans, and busses waiting to into there is one of my worst cruise memories ever. I have sworn I will NEVER cruise out of there again, unless MAJOR improvements are made to the port.

 

UUUGGGHHH!!!!

 

WOW, That is totally opposite of what I have heard about Port Canaveral.

[addictedinflorida]

I can't imagine anything worse then a huge ship like the Genesis class at that port. The single access road in and out of there is terrible. The lines of cars, vans, and busses waiting to into there is one of my worst cruise memories ever. I have sworn I will NEVER cruise out of there again, unless MAJOR improvements are made to the port.

 

UUUGGGHHH!!!!

 

I have never experienced any problems like that out of Pt. Canaveral either. Since we live near there, we regularly go over to the port for lunch and watch the ships leave and never see any long lines or traffic problems. We also just sailed on the Mariner this past week. No problems getting into the port at about 11:30am on sunday and no problems or delays getting out either.

 

As a matter of fact, I was actually very impressed with the embarkation and disembarkation at Pt. Canaveral compared to San Juan last September! Now San Juan is a nightmare! LOL

[Sea Island Lady]

The worse port "encounters" we have had were in New Orleans and San Diego, unless we count our Carnival experience just after 9/11 (understandable.) I can't remember the port, but it was awful trying to get to the Victory that day!

 

I never thought I would say this, but after going from small, to medium size, then to larger ships and then back to a smaller ship (the Grandeur,) I don't have any desire to go any larger than the Voyager class ships. I had wanted to try the Freedom class, but have not been reading great reviews and the cost of RCCL is getting a bit high. I don't think that the Genesis class size is going to work for me at all. :rolleyes:

[WNcruiser]

Just returned off the Mariner yesterday. Was told by our waiter and a senior officer that the Independance will be based in Port Canaveral.

 

No, I dont know where the Mariner is going :) .

[Cruising89143]

I can't imagine anything worse then a huge ship like the Genesis class at that port. The single access road in and out of there is terrible. The lines of cars, vans, and busses waiting to into there is one of my worst cruise memories ever. I have sworn I will NEVER cruise out of there again, unless MAJOR improvements are made to the port.

 

UUUGGGHHH!!!!

 

I have cruised out of Pt. Canaveral many times and have never had one issue ever with traffic. Actually this port has been the easiest to deal with as far as parking and getting on and off the ships.

[Cruising89143]

Can't find that report on WFTV's website, but Florida Today is reporting that Port Canaveral is planning on expanding to accomodate the new bigger ships, but this may take 3 years, and RCI have not yet decided on a home port for the Genesis Class.

 

That report is here http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070319/NEWS01/703190335

 

 

Keep in mind that RCI has the option to build a second Genesis class but that remains to be seen as the option for the second vessel expires this month and RCI has not announced that they will be building a second Genesis class ship.

[cruiseman_tx]

Personally, I don't care where they base the Genesis, as I don't plan to ever cruise on it. Way too many people for me.

JMHO

[Tanker4]

I have cruised out of Pt. Canaveral many times and have never had one issue ever with traffic. Actually this port has been the easiest to deal with as far as parking and getting on and off the ships.

We've had the same experiance as you with Pt. Canaveral. We only live a couple of hours away and have cruised both the Mariner and Sovereign quite a few times (Also tried the ports in Miami and Pt. Everglades) and Pt. Canaveral beats them hands down as far as ease of getting in and out. Don't know what kind of problems the other poster experianced but we've never seen them. It's our favorite port!!

 

Tanker4

[MACruisers]

Maybe I should give the port another try.

 

I have only cruised out of there once, and as I said it was the worst experience I have had in a port. I swore I would never take another cruise out of there again.

 

Maybe I hit a bad day (although we had problems coming and going) or a day time of year, or maybe things have just become better since I was there.

 

Even the taxi driver had said that ever since the Mariner came to port it had been nothing but problems. Now, I was on cruise # 12 for Mariner so it is possible that they have worked out the problems. A co-worker went on Mariner two weeks after me and experienced the same mess.

 

I am glad to hear that other people are not experiencing the same issues, give me hope.

[Tanker4]

Maybe I should give the port another try.

 

I have only cruised out of there once, and as I said it was the worst experience I have had in a port. I swore I would never take another cruise out of there again.

 

Maybe I hit a bad day (although we had problems coming and going) or a day time of year, or maybe things have just become better since I was there.

 

Even the taxi driver had said that ever since the Mariner came to port it had been nothing but problems. Now, I was on cruise # 12 for Mariner so it is possible that they have worked out the problems. A co-worker went on Mariner two weeks after me and experienced the same mess.

 

I am glad to hear that other people are not experiencing the same issues, give me hope.

Hi MACruisers,

 

We've sailed the Mariner twice out of Pt. Canaveral and the Sovereign numerous times and never had a problem so hopefully you just had a bad day. One thing I will say is that regardless of the ship or port involved, when they return they are at the mercy of the US Customs Service as far as clearing the ship prior to disembarkation. On our last cruise on the Mariner, there were quite a few foreign nationals onboard and it did delay disembarkation some. Possibly that happened to you creating a bottleneck with passengers leaving and your group arriving.

 

Happy Cruising!!

 

Tanker4

[medfordgirl]

we have sailed out of Tampa, Miami and Port Canaveral. (next trip will be out of Ft Lauderdale) To date, Port Canaveral is by far our favorite port. Sailed both sovereign and Mariner. Give it another try, you must of had a bad day.

[SherriZ366]

Wonder if this could lead to a Saturday and a Sunday ship in Port C -- our very favorite port. And I concur with OP who have written about the ease -- in and out of this port.

[dachshunddoglover]

We've got two different idea's going here. One poster said Genesis and one poster said Independence. Independence is the same size as Freedom and smaller than Genesis, right? I would have no problems with Independence, but DO NOT want Genesis at Port Canaveral, our favorite port. Just my two cents. E-Beth

[skyking]

Either ship will be just fine.....Change is a good thing. I think the Genesis class ships will be SO big that u wont notice the amount of people on board kind of like Voyager class where passenger to space ratio just makes it that way. Good news for us here in Central FL!

[cruiseman_tx]

The OP sites a news report that PC is prepping for a 6000 pax ship, so that would have to be Genesis. Another poster said he was told Independence would be there...of coures it would only winter in PC as it will be based in the UK the rest of the year.

[skyking]

Just saw the same story on another local station. They said Port Canaveral is preparing, but no home port has been announced yet. I think PC will push for it, since it brings HUGE business here in Central FL...They said it will be launched or announced in 2009...Can PC handle Independance now with the way it is?? That would be cool!

[negc]

Just returned off the Mariner yesterday. Was told by our waiter and a senior officer that the Independance will be based in Port Canaveral.

 

No, I dont know where the Mariner is going :) .

 

Are you sure they didn't say Port Everglades? According to the official news release from RCI, Independence will be based in Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) when it concludes its inaugural season sailing in Europe. If they actually said Port Canaveral, it only demonstrates that those who are on the ships are not always the best sources of information.:)

 

I am sure that any number of ports will be looking to improve their facilities if only in the hope that they can attract the newer and larger ships. They probably subscribe to the theory that "if they build it they will come", but wishing doesn't always make it so.;)

 

We have never encountered traffic problems on the several occasions that we have sailed out of Port Canaveral and have even driven to the port to drop off our luggage, then returned to the car rental agency to turn in the car, and taken their shuttle back to the pier to check in and have accomplished it all in less than half and hour.:)

[barbarah33]

I think Port Canaveral handles crowds and traffic much better than any of the other ports I have sailed in or out of. The only complaint I had/have about it would be the distance from the airport but that can't really be helped. I do think the Genesis is going to look like it's trying to swallow Port Canaveral she is going to be so large. Can you imagine both her and the Sovereign in there at the same time: the Sovereign will look like a lifeboat on the Genesis.

 

Will I sail on her - I don't know. That is a lot of people on one ship. I will definitely wait until I hear and read lots of reports and reviews I guess.