Updates on Sovereign and Monarch (merged)

[Host Kewlguy]

How typical of RCI.:rolleyes: Their 2008-2009 Caribbean brochures are barely out showing the Sovereign sailings through April 27, 2009 and it appears that the ship may be out of the fleet before then. :)

I don't believe that RCI will abandon the 2nd busiest cruise port so we will probably hear about their plans in the next few months. With all their newbuilds in the pipeline, I don't think south Florida has much to worry about in the long run, but the increased number of bookings for cruises in Europe makes it good business sense for them to move more of their ships to that area for longer periods of time during the year. On the positive side this probably means even more new and different itineraries in the Caribbean and elsewhere. I did notice that the Independence will be doing six and eight night Caribbean cruises out of Ft. Lauderdale which is a bit of a change from the standard 7 night cruises we have come to expect with their newest ships.

Hey, sometimes those changes have good, if unforeseen consequences. Had RCI not cancelled the Jewel transatlantic this past September we might still not have sampled Celebrity's product and we would still not have sailed with Anthony and Alina.:)

 

This is so true. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. We enjoyed meeting you and Rita also. :)

[skyking]

WOW you must give Mr Goldstein some major credit. He is great at answeing emails fast, when ever I have emailed him in the past he responds quick on the blackberry. Not many Presidents of Companies do this, as a matter of fact when I was in managment for an airline our CEO's emails were screened before he got them...WAY TO GO ADAM and thanks!

[piercetc4]

at the welcome back party on the sov sept 10 sailing it was said that the sov would be leaving in 2 yrs = fall 09 if what was said is true-

 

this was our first trip on the sov and we loved it- great little ship for a wonderful little getaway- she will be missed-

[PH8]

WOW you must give Mr Goldstein some major credit. He is great at answeing emails fast, when ever I have emailed him in the past he responds quick on the blackberry. Not many Presidents of Companies do this, as a matter of fact when I was in managment for an airline our CEO's emails were screened before he got them...WAY TO GO ADAM and thanks!

 

Must be a RCCL thing............Jack Williams was the same way.....He even gave me his cell number once.....

 

Smart on their part cause that means happy customers who will keep coming back...........I know I did...:)

[skyking]

Must be a RCCL thing............Jack Williams was the same way.....He even gave me his cell number once.....

 

Smart on their part cause that means happy customers who will keep coming back...........I know I did...:)

 

I agree and I will continue to go back, starting with Navigator in Dec and hope to get on the SOS one last time:)

[PH8]

I agree and I will continue to go back, starting with Navigator in Dec and hope to get on the SOS one last time

Well, we have a group of Floridians booked on the SS for next Sept 12th.........the roll call is in my signature........have a couple more booking this week while they are on a cruise....

 

Join us!

[dagadget]

You know Im just busting your chops,dont ya??;)

 

 

Sounds like a menu choice on Sovereign to me. Busting chops has always been a good way to keep me on my toes as well. :D

[dagadget]

I agree and I will continue to go back, starting with Navigator in Dec and hope to get on the SOS one last time:)

 

Sovereign is a good 3 or 4 day getaway for certain. Our upcoming cruise is a JS mainly for our son. The DW is also a bit claustrobic so anything below the Delux Ocean View (157 sq foot) would be way to tight for her. but I'll go again on her before she does go...... It is easy to be loyal to RCI brands when they are quick to answer like they are. Had great responses from Royal Caribbean and Celebrity when I have contacted them. A great company is like that lots of gems and only an occasional bad egg.......:D

[S.S.Oceanlover]

ONCE again I mentioned this two weeks ago and NO one believed me!

 

I know. When I originally read your prediction , I said to myself, this guy reminds me of the great Carnac.:)

 

Bill

[skyking]

I know. When I originally read your prediction , I said to myself, this guy reminds me of the great Carnac.:)

 

Bill

 

HAHA...I do have a good source:)

[smalltimecruiser100]

Are we affected as the SOS now shows sold out when I try to book.:confused:

 

 

 

 

I don't know what you saw on CC but you have nothing to fear.

--------------------------

Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld

 

----- Original Message -----

From: "David Lewis" [gfthorse@embarqmail.com]

Sent: 10/05/2007 08:37 PM AST

To: Adam Goldstein

Subject: Sovereign of the Seas

 

 

 

Hello Mr. Goldstein

 

I was just on the Cruise Critic web site and saw that Sovereign of the Seas is going to Pullmantur. What I did not see is when. I have a JS booked on her March 31st 2008 and so far I have not seen anything on the Royal Caribbean web site. What I would like to know is will our cruise out of Port Canaveral on Sovereign be affected.

 

 

Thanks

 

David

[PH8]

Are we affected as the SOS now shows sold out when I try to book.:confused:

March 17th is not sold out...

[smalltimecruiser100]

I tried to book for 3 persons and showed not available. When I just tried for 2 it came up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 17th is not sold out...

[RCCLCruiser23]

even though the sovereign was not my first cruise ( the nordic empress was) it was by far one of the most remeberable ones for me. When me and my dad left for my spring break cruise we were not at war with Iraq but by the time we returned we were at war. I can remeber sitting in one of the lounges wondering if we would be allowed to return to port canaveral and when. besides that we were able to return on time and i thoroughly enjoyed my trip on the sovereign of the sea and will miss it dearly.

[logan1_2000]

Well, she started out by getting testy about "not wanting to have to wait in lines". (I should have turned around then and there, but no, I'm a glutton for punishment). That's why I made sure we left her house at 10 in the morning.

She wasn't happy with the size of the cabin. There was a slight odor, which was corrected IMMEDIATELY within hours after I kindly informed the staff at guest relations, but she didn't like that. She wouldn't go to the shows because she said she doesn't like singing and dancing. She sat through 2 jokes and left during the comedian's act. She didn't want to see any of the games so I went to Quest and other games alone. I invited her to the P/D party and to the Captain's party but she didn't want to go. She did go in the pool one day, but not to the deck party/ice carving/buffet.

I don't mind going places alone, so I went to all the events and I met many nice pax and had a wonderful time alone. She said she'll never book another cruise so I'm off the hook :D in the future.

Oh...I nearly forgot....she didn't like the dining room either. I think she felt that it cut into her casino time. The last night I told her to go to the WJ if she wanted to but I was NOT going to miss the dining room because that's the night the waiters, bus boys and head waiters received their tips. She went with me but I know she was not happy.

 

shuddering--flashbacks to my late grandmother. A testament to the loyalty of your approach to friendship--I can't be the only reader wondering why on earth you maintain your friendship with such a person (no, I didn't invite my grandmother to my wedding, and I have never questioned that decision--may she rest in peace, she certainly never lived in peace).

[logan1_2000]

have done 2 sovereign cruises this year, a 4 nighter and then a 3 night getaway w/ just DS as a "boys cruise" (he's 11--no shenanigans, sorry, just good father-son time). enjoyed the JS with DW along for the 4 nighter. enjoyed the priority boarding and debarking in PC. love the efficiency and convenience of driving to PC from ATL. and proud to have survived the experience of all 122 tight square feet w/ DS last time. never thought anything would make the first ever cruise ship stateroom, 139 sq. ft. for 4 nights on the Nordic Empress (later Empress of the Seas, and now soon to be Pullmantur) seem roomy.

 

truth be told--getting my flame-proof suit on here--in the even, as suggested earlier on this thread--that enchantment was sent to PC after the central/south american adventures are over, that would be an upgrade. i've cruised on enchantment since the stretch, and it has many advantages--as well it should, as it is a decade newer. this is not a slam at sovereign--she is what she is, but enchantment is an upgrade. add chops, has the expanded windjammer, the glass-roofed solarium and the solarium cafe convenience, and the champagne bar, all lovely features. that said, i got some tremendous values on my two sovereing cruises this year, so perhaps the profit margins were not what we thought they were.

 

big cruising article in today's AJC and the oversaturation of the caribbean (and i believe this includes bahamas by implication) was addressed. I do hope Mariner is replaced--but looking forward to my first--and I guess last--Mariner cruise out of PC in march. Hope it will not be my last RCI cruise from PC, as the added cost of flying to the farther ports will seriously reduce my frequency of cruising. clearly, RCI as a corporation is looking at a global market, and the emphasis and target market for north america is becoming the freedom, voyager, classes, with radiance and some remaining vision hanging in there. throw genesis into south florida, and something will have to give by '09. those who preferred the smaller ship experience will need to re-evaluate whether they wish to switch their style of cruising at least to some extent, or look toward other lines (perhaps within the RCI corporate family, perhaps not). I can think of stores where my family used to shop that shifted their marketing emphasis, and we no longer shop there, and undoubtedly, that is happening to some with RCI.

 

happy cruising, all.

[Tatuwoman]

My husband and I were on the Sovereign in Sept. and our Head Waiter told us it was sold and she said that RCI is going to put the new Genesis in her place??? That is what she said. I would think the Genesis would repalce Mariner and then an older ship would replace the Soverign, but who knows. Hopefully, they will still have 2 ships in Port Canaveral in 2009. Can the Genesis even fit in Port Canaveral??

 

Tatuwoman

[skyking]

My husband and I were on the Sovereign in Sept. and our Head Waiter told us it was sold and she said that RCI is going to put the new Genesis in her place??? That is what she said. I would think the Genesis would repalce Mariner and then an older ship would replace the Soverign, but who knows. Hopefully, they will still have 2 ships in Port Canaveral in 2009. Can the Genesis even fit in Port Canaveral??

 

Tatuwoman

 

OK now this actually means something...MAYBE this is the agreement that RCCL and PC have now come up with..IT MAKES total sense!

 

Get rid of the SOS and you can have the parking ALL just for the GENESIS ship. This will free the parking lot of the people who park and are sailing on the SOS, cause the parking lot has vehicles from the Mariner and SOS and the GLORY also docks at that dock on Saturdays. SOOO this would MAKE A LOT of sense...My source has told me, the same one who told me SOS was leaving that PC may get the Genesis, that the place is ready to go as far as depth and training for pilots, who have actually docked Genesis in the simulator in PC with NO problem at all, all that was needed was the accomodation for the extra customers...THIS solves that poblem. HMMMM

[Silque1964]

I'm glad we're getting our May '08 Mariner trip in before it leaves PC (We're Floridians too) but I don't know if I'll get DH on Genesis...he visibly shudders when I tell him the passanger capacity. :eek: :D

 

When we book, we look at PC, then Tampa (both closer to home) then Ft Lauderdale for an itinerary we like. DH refuses to go to Mexico. Go figger. So far, it's FL, then FL, then PC. I wonder what our winter trip in '08 is going to be?? :rolleyes:

[SherriZ366]

 

Enchantment is only leaving for part of the year though, isn't it?

 

Gina

Enchantment is only leaving for part of the year. I guess NOS will be the only ship doing 4 and 5 nighters out of FLL.

[SherriZ366]

I don't know what you saw on CC but you have nothing to fear.

--------------------------

Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld

 

----- Original Message -----

From: "David Lewis" [gfthorse@embarqmail.com]

Sent: 10/05/2007 08:37 PM AST

To: Adam Goldstein

Subject: Sovereign of the Seas

 

 

Hello Mr. Goldstein

I was just on the Cruise Critic web site and saw that Sovereign of the Seas is going to Pullmantur. What I did not see is when. I have a JS booked on her March 31st 2008 and so far I have not seen anything on the Royal Caribbean web site. What I would like to know is will our cruise out of Port Canaveral on Sovereign be affected.

Thanks

David

That's good to hear. Adam responds quickly.

[SherriZ366]

Maybe they will stretch Grandeur and have her do 3/4 or 4/5 out of Port C. Right now, she is doing 4/5 out of Tampa in the winter. RCCL originally was going to move Enchantment to Tampa but once she was stretched, she could not turn around in the turning basin.

[Merion_Mom]

OK now this actually means something...MAYBE this is the agreement that RCCL and PC have now come up with..IT MAKES total sense!

 

Get rid of the SOS and you can have the parking ALL just for the GENESIS ship. This will free the parking lot of the people who park and are sailing on the SOS, cause the parking lot has vehicles from the Mariner and SOS and the GLORY also docks at that dock on Saturdays. SOOO this would MAKE A LOT of sense...My source has told me, the same one who told me SOS was leaving that PC may get the Genesis, that the place is ready to go as far as depth and training for pilots, who have actually docked Genesis in the simulator in PC with NO problem at all, all that was needed was the accomodation for the extra customers...THIS solves that poblem. HMMMM

 

Port Canaveral certainly has the most efficient and trouble-free check-in facility of any I have experienced. I would pick them as most able to deal with the hordes of a Genesis passenger load.

[jillybabes]

Port Canaveral certainly has the most efficient and trouble-free check-in facility of any I have experienced. I would pick them as most able to deal with the hordes of a Genesis passenger load.

DH & I were just discussing this at dinner, we commented on how great the parking facility and the embarkation/debarkation is at PC. We have never encountered a problem at any of the Florida ports that we have cruised out of...

When we were in Vancouver recently there were long lines waiting for cabs from folks getting off the Radiance, actually our cabbie after dropping us off took a fare back to the airport after someone asked him if he would do so...In San Pedro we had a Limo waiting but noticed the shortage of cabs there too...

It would be nice to see a Genesis class ship in PC, but only time will tell what Mr. Goldstein and Mr. Fain will do;) ...Later, Jill:cool:

[crusinmama06]

I would love to sail SOS one more time before she leaves. It was our honeymoon AND our 1st anniversary cruise. She was the ship that started the obsession. :)

 

But I would be shocked if PC got Genesis. I would be HAPPY but shocked.

 

I am hoping that Genesis doesn't follow the same path as the Freedom ships but I bet it does. It will start in Miami. That will make room for one of the Freedom ships to move to PC.