As we cross the fall equinox into October, we enter the period where Royal Caribbean ships on seasonal deployments move from one region to another. This includes ships leaving Alaska, Canada, Europe and China and going to the Caribbean, Australia, Dubai, Brazil and Singapore. Our customers know this as a time for interesting itineraries and often longer cruises.
What is less obvious is the work that goes into enabling this seasonal transition. Our people start preparing well in advance to operate these transition cruises and the season that follows them. As we know in much of our lives, it’s easier to manage a routine and harder to manage change. Even ships as large and complex as Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas have it “easy” in this sense – they do the same thing 52 weeks per year. Most seasonal ships face changes of region, guest mix and cruise length. The shipboard management and their shoreside support teams started preparing for these changes last fall as soon as the transition cruises ended a year ago. As cruises ended that would be repeated this fall, we assessed how well we delivered the cruise experience, the characteristics and preferences of the guests, the infrastructure in the ports, etc. From this assessment come adjustments that we are implementing this fall and during the upcoming season.
Of course, the Royal Caribbean experience doesn’t stand still. So in addition to evaluating what happened before, we are always in the process of starting something new, from enhanced internet connectivity to the Barbie program to new shore excursions. Also, the ship that did a given program a year ago may not be the ship that is doing the program this year. Or the ship may have been revitalized since the previous year’s program. Not to mention that there are varying holidays and special occasions affecting many ships’ schedules.
So, the reader may begin to get a sense of the multiple dimensions involved in getting seasonal ships and crew ready to deliver the Royal Advantage of the industry’s best ship features, seamless Gold Anchor Service and exciting destinations around the globe. I would like to extend my appreciation to all of our men and women shipboard and shoreside who dedicate themselves to ensuring that we offer a consistent, outstanding Royal Caribbean experience all over the world all the time despite many challenges and ever changing variables.
In their honor, I would ask the readers to post their favorite memories of transatlantic, transpacific or other cruises between seasons.
i love RC!!! I was very happy that I was able to go on the Oasis of the Sea in Feb. 2011…Unfortunely cruising isn’t in my budget now that my husband has passed away
I am going to truly miss it!!!! And God knows I could use a vacation! after all I’ve been through!
We’re sorry to hear that, Wanda. Thank you for your continued support and we hope that someday you can return onboard.
Our first trip on a transatlantic crossing was on the Brilliance of the Sea and our second was on the Independence of the Sea. For people who have never experienced the crossing I would highly recommend doing so. Those six days at sea are the most wonderful calming fun filled days you will ever experience. The Independence was fabulous with their nightly parades on the promenade deck. The Entertainment everywhere on the ship was supberb. The staff was outstanding and I tell everyone that this is my favourite cruise line. My husband and I have been on 35 plus cruises in our 56 years of marriage and we both agree that Royal Carribean is the best. . It doesn;t seem to matter what ship we take we meet people that we have travelled with before on the RC. Once you are bitten by the RC bug ,the others don’t compare/
Thank you for your comment, Berthiar. We’re happy to hear you are Loyal to Royal and look forward to seeing you onboard again.
Yes my husband and I took family few years back on a Disney cruise. We have always gone on RCC but wanted to take the kids to meet Mickey and all. Kids had great time, but my husband and I both agreed, the food & ship for Disney was so so & RCC SO MUCH BETTER!! We have been RCC fans now for 12 years, and we have been spoiled by you guys! Nothing can compare whats so ever!! We will never go on any other cruise line!! So looking forward to getting to go on Oasis in January 2013. Counting down the days!! I only have one thing that would be so great! I know a lot of other company’s also have a beer/alcohol package like you do with your wine & soda beverages. So wish you could get that too!! Not for me , but for the hubby!! Thanks!! Keep on doing such a great job!
We appreciate your suggestion, Eileen, we will be sure to pass your comment along to the proper department. We’ll see you onboard soon.
I did the trans Atlantic crossing not long ago. It was so peaceful and relaxing. Really gave me a picture of how big our world is. But on board we always had something to do if we wished. One afternoon I napped on an upper deck , above deck 12, woke up with the lens of my glasses covered in sea spray,how wonderful is that!
I am presently planning another crossing because all the flying is getting too uncomfortable and I simply want to be at sea. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing your story, Louise! We’ll see you onboard again soon.
I completed my second transatlantic crossing with the Jewel last month. What an adventure!! Although the scheduled ports were amazing and memorable on their own, it was the little unexpected things that happened onboard that truly stand out as the exceptional moments, the ones that make you say “now THAT is why I only cruise with Royal Caribbean.” In 2010, for example, it was the “Blue Nose Ceremony” when the ship crossed into the Arctic Circle for the first time (she’s still sportin’ her blue tip at the bow!). Last month, it was the waiters at Portofino going above and beyond expectations to make sure that this solo traveler had a very happy birthday to remember. Top-rate all the way!!
We appreciate you sharing your memories with us, Jackie. We hope to have you back onboard soon.
I did a repositional cruise from Sydney to Hawaii in April 2010 and it was by far the best and most memorable cruise that I have taken. I cruised with my wife and 2 children and also my mother in interconnecting cabins on the wonderful Rapsody of the seas. Unfortunatly my mother game down with Cancer soon after we returned and passed away 8 weeks later and Right up to the last few days all see could talk about was how good the cruise on the Rapsody was. The sea days, which were 10 of the 16 days were action packed with you being able to do as little or as much as you liked. We are now devoted Royal Platinum members and look forward to our next cruise this January on the Allura on the 6th than the Independance on the 13th. I believe that repositioning cruises are worth the extra effort in either getting to the departure port or returning from the destination as the prices are always lower than normal cruises for the same length of time, the cruises are normally longer and there are more sea days to take advantage of the reasons why Royal Caribbean have the best activities and staff on the water.
Thank you for your comment, Brad. Your story was touching and we appreciate you for taking the time and sharing it with us.
Hi Adam, this question may be off topic, but why didn’t your company sign up to do Undercover Boss? I’m just curious.
Hubby and I are heading out on Monarch on Oct 29 for a quick getaway, looking forward to a fun 5 days and Halloween at sea. What are the chances that you will at some point have sailings from Florida to Bermuda? That is a destination I would love to sail to at least once a year and would love to be able to get there from Florida. Thank you
Hi Jeanne, at this time there are no itineraries to Bermuda from Florida but we will make sure to pass your suggestion along to the correct contact. Have a great time on Monarch of the Seas.
Hi!
I just love cruising and especially with RCCL and Celebrity. We´ve been on 7 cruises (6 with RCCL) and one with another cruiseline. We´re from Sweden but we speak fluent English. What I am curious about, is the fact that you
can not choose if you want to sit with other guests from your native country or with “strangers”. We´ve met the most wonderful guests onboard your ships and we want to be able to choose to sit with strangers in your restaurant. Would this be possible in the future..
Looking forward to be onboard one of your ships in the near future!
Thank you for voicing your concerns with us, Ola. We will be sure to pass along your request to the proper department.