Will RCI replace Monarch in Los Angeles?

[Hobie]

I know that the Monarch will no longer be doing her 3 and 4 day Baja cruises out of L.A. later this year.

 

Does anybody know if RCI will put another ship in L.A. for these short cruises?

 

I apologize if this question has already been answered, I couldn't find anything "ontopic".

 

Thanks for your help.

Hobie

[gdisney]

This was talked about a lot on here when it was first announced...but there doesn't seem to be any answer. According to the RCI website Vision is doing the 7 day through mid-December, there's no trips to Baja or the Riviera at all in January or most of February, until the Mariner starts the 7-day on Feb. 22. But no 3 or 4 day trips are listed. I'm actually seriously considering taking the Carnival 5 day in January...goes to Cabo and Ensenada.

[Bruin Steve]

Apparently, they are abandoning the route...at least for the foreseeable future...much to the dismay of many of us.

 

For us, the Monarch was the perfect weekend getaway. My wife works for the school district and her vacation windows are pretty much set in stone. Winter break usually poses too many family considerations for taking any sort of long cruise. Spring break, often, for us, conflicts with Passover and that also means family commitments. (This year, there is no conflict with Passover, so we are using Spring break to take a 7-night cruise on the Vision).

 

But, in a typical year, we only have the Summer vacation months of July/August to travel and will typically take a LONG cruise during that time. But, it's extremely difficult for cruise afficianados such as us to wait for a year between cruises. So, we've typically bridged that gap by scheduling a short Monarch cruise in between somewhere--typically in January to break up the year. We take off work a little early on a Friday, show up a little late on a Monday (or do it on one of those 3 day holiday weekends). Last year, we were able to fit in a 5-nighter on Monarch just after New Years since Winter Break extended beyond Jan 1.

 

But, we simply do not have the available vacation window most years to fit in a 7 night cruise...or to fly across country and back (not a good or efficient use of travel budget) to do a shorter cruise elsewhere.

 

So, I guess our little Monarch cruise tradition is over...

There is no way we are going on Carnival...especially on a 3-nighter with the rowdies and binge-drinkers on their overcrowded barges (Sorry, Carnival fans...I've actually cruised Carnival multiple times and have learned my lesson)...

 

Maybe someone else will come into the market and bridge the gap...I've always had a great idea for some cruise line...alternate 3-night cruises with 11 night cruises...Every two weeks you do one weekend cruise to Ensenada and back, then an 11 night cruise down to Zihuatanejo, Manzanillo and Acapulco--providing the public with two products currently not offered (except the Carnival 3-night)...

[klfhngr]

Perhaps one of the Genesis class ships will replace it ;)

[STEVE-O]

I love your 3 day - 11 day plan!!

 

Sign me up for the first back-to-back!.....and I don't even care which class of ship they use!

 

Steve-O

[katstoy]

Saw this on a thread about the Mariner pre ingaural. :(:(:(

 

After enjoying more drinks, more exploring, & more photos… we headed up to the Viking Crown Lounge for our Cruise Critic get together. What a treat to meet so many people and see others again!! Special thanks to Rancher Dave for arranging to have Bennie the Bear AND Adam Goldstein visit us during our meeting. Adam was nice enough to visit and chat with all of us during his very busy day. He was only onboard for the one day, so for him to take time out for us was very nice of him to do. He didn’t pull any punches. He told us personally that RCCL would NOT be bringing another ship to fill the 3/4 night slots that Monarch vacated. He would state this again later at Common Ground, I am told. But this was the first definite indication that I had heard from Adam himself. I came right out and asked him why, since it was rumored that Monarch was a “cash cow”. Others mentioned that each time they sailed on her, she was sold out. His answer, was at what price? Monarch was in no uncertain terms, not making raking in the money that others claimed that she was. His exact words, “If she was, she would still be here.” End of discussion

[Rancher Dave]

Yes we did hear directly that for the current moment there is no plan to move another ship to LAX area to run 3/4 night cruises. It was not ruled out on a forever basis, but at least for the immediate future it will not happen.

 

That said, no immediate plans for a full time ship out of Galveston either...that was the straight up answer to my question asked in the VCL.

[rubrrick]

Apparently, they are abandoning the route...at least for the foreseeable future...much to the dismay of many of us.

 

For us, the Monarch was the perfect weekend getaway. My wife works for the school district and her vacation windows are pretty much set in stone. Winter break usually poses too many family considerations for taking any sort of long cruise. Spring break, often, for us, conflicts with Passover and that also means family commitments. (This year, there is no conflict with Passover, so we are using Spring break to take a 7-night cruise on the Vision).

 

But, in a typical year, we only have the Summer vacation months of July/August to travel and will typically take a LONG cruise during that time. But, it's extremely difficult for cruise afficianados such as us to wait for a year between cruises. So, we've typically bridged that gap by scheduling a short Monarch cruise in between somewhere--typically in January to break up the year. We take off work a little early on a Friday, show up a little late on a Monday (or do it on one of those 3 day holiday weekends). Last year, we were able to fit in a 5-nighter on Monarch just after New Years since Winter Break extended beyond Jan 1.

 

But, we simply do not have the available vacation window most years to fit in a 7 night cruise...or to fly across country and back (not a good or efficient use of travel budget) to do a shorter cruise elsewhere.

 

So, I guess our little Monarch cruise tradition is over...

There is no way we are going on Carnival...especially on a 3-nighter with the rowdies and binge-drinkers on their overcrowded barges (Sorry, Carnival fans...I've actually cruised Carnival multiple times and have learned my lesson)...

 

Maybe someone else will come into the market and bridge the gap...I've always had a great idea for some cruise line...alternate 3-night cruises with 11 night cruises...Every two weeks you do one weekend cruise to Ensenada and back, then an 11 night cruise down to Zihuatanejo, Manzanillo and Acapulco--providing the public with two products currently not offered (except the Carnival 3-night)...

 

 

RCCL has layed it on the line.

 

Thanks for your frank thoughts..........and also katstoy for commenting on what Mr. Goldstein had to say on the one night cruise. I was there at the meeting with Rancher Dave and others (Bennie) and his opinion, as of now........is that there will be no more 3/4 night cruises out of LA.

 

The Mariner is a wonderful ship...........the newest in the Voyager class....and to be moved to the West Coast to give some pizazz to RCCL. There is great hope by corporate that they have made the right decision.

 

Only time will tell if the gurus of RCCL........have made the right call. We all hope that they have. That's from a stockholder standpoint.

 

Personally........I feel that RCCL is becoming very fractured..rather than cohesive. :confused:

 

Rick

[kkorman]

I am sure the 3-night weekend cruises were profittable, but there was a Monday 4-night that also had to be profittable. Not many people can travel on that one and would guess that would be part of the problem.

[Ziggy7]

Yes I too was there when Adam Goldstein told us no replacement. They later at the Common Grounds meeting seem to be pushing the Radiance out of San Diego for 4 & 5 day cruises. That means more expenses for us out of LA, so I will be returning to Carnival for their 3 & 4 day cruises, for us as long as we are on a ship, it's a good thing LOL

 

Also hotels & restaurants in San Diego is more expensive than LA for those traveling to Ca.

[rubrrick]

Yes I too was there when Adam Goldstein told us no replacement. They later at the Common Grounds meeting seem to be pushing the Radiance out of San Diego for 4 & 5 day cruises. That means more expenses for us out of LA, so I will be returning to Carnival for their 3 & 4 day cruises, for us as long as we are on a ship, it's a good thing LOL

 

Also hotels & restaurants in San Diego is more expensive than LA for those traveling to Ca.

 

 

I'm hoping that somone is listening to you..........and us!!

 

God Bless you.........glad to hear from you!!

 

Rick

[Ziggy7]

I'm hoping that somone is listening to you..........and us!!

 

God Bless you.........glad to hear from you!!

 

Rick

Thanks Rick! I hope they are listening to us as well!!! Cause if they don't I know of many that will just switch to Carnival for their short fun cruises!

 

So good to see you again! Hope Bobbi is feeling better soon!!! I brought home a touch of it but seem to be fighting it off really well! Hugs & Blessings!!!

[mohavemommy]

I am glad to be booked on the Radiance for a 5 night sailing before they pull that from San Diego. I will greatly miss the 3/4 day sailings. I was one that preferred the 4 day sailing over the 3 day one. I have activities at home on the weekends that I cannot miss most of the time. The 4 day sailing was a perfect fit for me.

[rubrrick]

I am glad to be booked on the Radiance for a 5 night sailing before they pull that from San Diego. I will greatly miss the 3/4 day sailings. I was one that preferred the 4 day sailing over the 3 day one. I have activities at home on the weekends that I cannot miss most of the time. The 4 day sailing was a perfect fit for me.

 

 

My DW and I loved the 4 night sailings, much more so than the 3 nighter. We would fly over on Monday and home Friday afternoons. The real estate business is weekend intensive, and the 4 night vacations were fun.

 

The 4 night cruises seemed to be almost full........if not totally full, and if you compare prices for the Monarch out of Port Canaveral....it seems that the company is charging less per cabin there than they were here on the West Coast. So.........how is the ship making more money over there than here???:confused:

 

Maybe someone can enlighten me!!:rolleyes:

 

Rick

[katstoy]

I've looked at the 4/5 Radiance trips out of San Diego, and for most of them you have to miss at least 3 days of work and/or school. If you're going to miss three days you might as well take the other two days and do a seven day cruise! The beauty of the 3 day trips was missing only 1/2 day Friday and 1/2 day Monday. As you can see from my signature, Carnival here I come:(.

[cruisePRN]

It seems to me that carnival can make a profit on the short cruises out of LA while RCL makes a profit out of San Diego. Apparently both ships can't make a profit in the same port so they split up.

[wrp96]

I've looked at the 4/5 Radiance trips out of San Diego, and for most of them you have to miss at least 3 days of work and/or school. If you're going to miss three days you might as well take the other two days and do a seven day cruise! The beauty of the 3 day trips was missing only 1/2 day Friday and 1/2 day Monday. As you can see from my signature, Carnival here I come:(.

 

 

Or you can do what I'm doing. Take a 5 night from Monday to Saturday, and then I have the weekend before and the weekend after the cruise to explore San Diego - 2 vacations in one.:D

[brilliantseas]

Even if a ship sails full, it is all about the average per passenger yields and onboard spending.

 

Cruises to Ensenada and Catalina aren't likely to produce the shore excursion revenue that say a Caribbean cruise or Mexican Riviera cruise might produce and if the rates are starting only in the $50-75 per person per day range, it is probably harder to turn a profit on those ships.

 

That being said, replacing Cabo with Catalina on the 4-day itineraries is a major fuel savings for the lines and I would think it would be easier to turn a profit on those cruises.

[Niwel]

I still think it is a mistake to not have it. RCCL has opened the market for NCL or Princess (or even Disney in 2011) to take the 3/4 dayers -- especially for those of us that would rather not do Carnival.

[cruiserbryce]

they had said they were losing $ on the route, which is sad, especially b/c Monarch always seemed so full. But if they see it as a poor business decision I doubt you'll see a ship return