Latest news with #AllureoftheSeas
Miami Herald
07-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Royal Caribbean makes generous offer to fix overbooking issue
Travel Royal Caribbean makes generous offer to fix overbooking issue CocoCay can accomoadate two of Royal Caribbean's largest source: Daniel Kline/Come Cruise With Me Although overselling flights is common among some airlines to compensate for "no-shows," overselling cruises is not something cruise lines regularly do. Occasionally, it does happen, potentially when the cruise line anticipates receiving some late cancellations. But other factors can contribute to cruise overbookings, too. Related: Royal Caribbean follows Carnival with new island development move When cruise overbookings happen, certain cruisers sometimes get the chance to score big if they're willing to be flexible with their travel plans. One such opportunity was just presented to some Royal Caribbean cruise passengers booked on an upcoming Mediterranean cruise. And in this case, even just being willing to switch to a different stateroom category could reward select flexible cruisers with a nearly free vacation. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter to save money on your next (or your first) cruise. This Royal Caribbean cruise ship was just upgraded to add new features like the Ultimate Abyss 10-story dry slide. Image source: Royal Caribbean Royal Caribbean offers free cruise to flexible Allure of the Seas passengers Royal Caribbean reached out to some passengers booked in an oversold stateroom category on the May 15 Western Mediterranean cruise aboard Allure of the Seas. They received a very generous offer to entice them to change their booking, according to an unofficial fan blog not affiliated with the cruise line. "If your plans are set in stone, please mark this email as 'Read,' and gear up for your upcoming adventure - although, there are some pretty sweet options below," the cruise line's email suggested. Royal Caribbean outlined two enticing options that could be available to passengers with flexible travel plans, and both options came with a full refund of their cruise fare, even though they'd still get to cruise. Related: Royal Caribbean CEO reveals key trend that's costing cruisers The first option offered a full refund plus a $200 onboard credit to passengers willing to move to an interior stateroom, which suggests that only the higher stateroom category these passengers booked was oversold. The second option also offered a full refund of their cruise fare, but required the passengers to transfer to a different sailing on another ship – the May 18 Greek Isles cruise aboard Odyssey of the Seas that departs from Rome, the same port as their original Allure of the Seas sailing. With this option, passengers would get the same stateroom category, but the complimentary transfer would only cover their cruise fare for the new sailing and exclude taxes, fees, and gratuities (about $280 per person). Be the first to see the best deals on cruises, special sailings, and more. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter. Allure of the Seas is a popular ship that just got major upgrades For most cruisers, especially those set on their itinerary, departure date, and ship, changing stateroom categories would likely be a more attractive option if they want to take advantage of the generous refund offer. The cruise ship and itinerary likely matter most in this specific situation. Although the two cruises both leave from Rome on seven-night itineraries, they visit different ports and sail on ships from different classes. It's likely that many passengers would want to stick with Allure of the Seas due to the fact that Royal Caribbean just completed a highly anticipated $100 million upgrade of the fan-favorite Oasis Class cruise ship. Related: Royal Caribbean adds new onboard WiFi option cruisers will love Highlights of the revamped ship include new bars and restaurants, a reimagined resort-style pool deck, and new thrills like the 10-story dry slide, the Ultimate Abyss. The ship's renovation also added more than 100 additional staterooms across various categories. Allure of the Seas is cruising in Europe this summer for the first time since 2015, sailing seven-night Western Mediterranean cruises from Rome and Barcelona, visiting destinations in Spain, France, and Italy. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) Make a free appointment with Come Cruise With Me's Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@ or call or text her at 386-383-2472. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved This story was originally published May 7, 2025 at 1:48 PM.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Carnival Cruise Line makes surprise move with its first mega-ship
Carnival Cruise Line has been offering short cruises of 3, 4, and 5 days for many years. But it is an area of cruising where it has lagged behind a key competitor in recent years. The short cruise strategy has been a cornerstone of Royal Caribbean's plans, and something that, quite frankly, has been a strength of Carnival's main competitor. Royal Caribbean has been offering short cruises on its massive Oasis-class ships for some time, first on Allure of the Seas. It even launched a brand-new ship (Utopia of the Seas) directly into short sailings last year, and is set to start offering 3- and 4-night cruises on its popular Wonder of the Seas in the cruises appeal to people who either can't get away for an entire week or simply don't want to be on a ship for that long. And from the cruise line's perspective, short cruises often command higher fares on a per-night basis, plus they can be a great way to attract new customers to the cruise line. However, in Carnival's case, one common complaint (among some cruisers) has been that the line typically uses its oldest and smallest ships for short cruises. Not only does it not offer short cruises on its flagship Excel-class ships, but it doesn't offer short sailings on the few classes of ships that came before it. Of course, some people enjoy the smaller ships, finding the newer ones a bit overwhelming. But Royal Caribbean has proven that there's clearly a market for short sailings on the biggest and newest ships, and it appears that Carnival has taken a recent media briefing, Carnival made several major announcements, including the name and homeport of its upcoming fourth Excel-class ship. The Carnival Festivale will debut in Spring 2027 and will call Port Canaveral, Florida home. We also now know that the fifth Excel-class ship will be named Carnival Tropicale, and will debut approximately one year later, although its home port is yet to be revealed. What's particularly significant about this news is that Carnival already has one of its Excel-class ships homeported in Port Canaveral, the first-in-class Mardi Gras. More Carnival cruise news: Mardi Gras will continue to call Port Canaveral home. But once Carnival Festivale is delivered and begins sailing, Mardi Gras will begin offering short cruises. 'With short cruises on Mardi Gras, our guests who may not have the time to take a weeklong vacation can experience all the amazing features of our Excel class," Carnival President Christine Duffy be clear, there are a lot of details yet to be revealed. For starters, we don't have any idea what itineraries Mardi Gras will be sailing once it begins its short cruise schedule. Duffy said that Carnival Festivale's itinerary details will be released this summer, so presumably we'll get a look at Mardi Gras' 2027 schedule as well. Mardi Gras will likely stop at Carnival's new private destination, Celebration Key. That port, a sort of answer to Royal Caribbean's Perfect Day at Coco Cay, opens in July. Whatever the particulars end up being, this is likely welcome news for cruisers who prefer short sailings but also like to consider the ship as a destination, not just the vessel taking them from port to port. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) , or email Amy Post at or call or text her at 386-383-2472.
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The Independent
07-04-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Behind the scenes of $100 million Allure of the Seas cruise ship revamp
One of Royal Caribbean's largest cruise ships, Allure of the Seas, is getting ready to welcome passengers on board in Europe this summer with a major $100 million (£77 million) revamp. At 225,282 gross tonnes, the ship is the seventh largest in the Royal Caribbean fleet and has been what the brand describes as 'newly amplified' in time for the spring and summer season. The Oasis class ship entered dry dock in the Navantia shipyard in Cadiz, Spain, in February and is receiving a range of new features ahead of its return to service this month. The revamp or 'amplification' has been overseen by experienced cruise consultant Stephen Fryers, whose previous projects include Celebrity Silhouette and Wonder of the Seas. There are 2,300 contractors working on a daily basis across the ship, including electricians, carpenters, painters and plasterers. Royal Caribbean is bringing many of the popular features from its newer ships onto Allure, which was launched in 2010 and is now 15 years old – so due a makeover. It is not just old furniture that has gone and new interiors that have come in. Fryers explains that 28,000 bulbs have also been replaced across staterooms with more energy-efficient LED lighting. Thousands of cracked or worn tiles at Central Park on deck 8 are also being replaced, as is the lawn on the mini golf course on deck 15. Many of the new features are already popular on other Royal Caribbean ships, so will be familiar to regular passengers. Here is what to expect from the newly-amplified Allure of the Seas. New staterooms An extra 111 cabins are being added to Allure of the Seas, giving it a total of 2,859. This includes two new 'Ultimate Panoramic Suites' above Allure's bridge. It may be hard to tell with all the plasterboard on the walls and wires hanging out the ceiling, but these cabins will eventually offer 200-degree ocean views as well as a walk-in wardrobe and living area. New cabins have also been built where the ship's photo gallery and conference centre were previously located. The extra cabins will take the ship's capacity from 5,496 to 5,718. New bars and restaurants Pesky Parrot, a Caribbean cocktail bar made popular on Utopia of the Seas, is coming to Allure. The tiki bar will offer a range of fruit-based cocktails made with rum, tequila and gin, alongside frozen drinks. It replaces the brand's Bionic Bar, where passengers were served drinks by robotic arms. The Mason Jar Southern Restaurant & Bar, currently only on Utopia and Wonder of the Seas, is also being built on Allure. It will provide comfort food inspired by the southern US states as well as live country music. Ultimate Abyss A drop slide is a now must-have on many modern ships – and Allure is getting one. Ultimate Abyss, already on Harmony, Symphony and Oasis of the Seas, will give adrenaline seekers a 10-deck drop that twists and turns from the Sports Zone on deck 16 to the Boardwalk on Deck 6. Waterslides The Perfect Storm trio of waterslides, also on Harmony, Symphony and Oasis of the Seas, are now available on Allure. Rather than having to build the mega-slides onboard, they come ready made and were lifted directly onto the ship by crane. The new slides on the pool deck are the Cyclone and Typhoon racing waterslides and the SuperCell champagne bowl. They brighten up the space that previously housed sunbeds. But there are still places to relax with new cabanas and hot tubs being built overlooking the pool and the sea. Allure's kids' club Adventure Ocean has been completely demolished, rebuilt and redecorated with a new larger layout that includes more soft play areas, room for art, science and technology workshops, and a hangout space for teens to play video games and watch films. Allure of the Seas is due to return to service on 11 April when it sails from Barcelona for a four-night cruise. Jay Schneider, chief product innovation officer for Royal Caribbean International, said: 'From the new Icon and Utopia of the Seas to now the more than $100 million transformation of Allure of the Seas, we've upped the ante threefold on the different ways vacationers can get away and make memories with Royal Caribbean. ' Allure will be reimagined with the best of Royal Caribbean and what travellers love. Between new favourites, like the Pesky Parrot tiki bar, and experiences that unlock core memories time and time again, from an incredible pool deck to an unmatched combination of thrills and ways to chill, Allure will have even more of everything that makes it a standout favourite.'
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Royal Caribbean passengers angry over major change
When Utopia of the Seas began sailing out of Port Canaveral, it marked a first for Royal Caribbean. The ship became the first Oasis-class ship to move immediately into sailing short 3-4 day itineraries. Previously, the cruise line had moved Allure of the Seas to Port Canaveral to gauge demand for Monday through Friday and Friday through Monday sailings. That proved very successful and it was a major draw for new thinking behind using top-tier equipment for shorter sailings is that it exposes people to the best the cruise line has to offer without a long commitment. That, in theory, gives them enough of a taste that they want to come back for more. Using Utopia of the Seas for shorter sailings was an unprecedented move as new Oasis-class ships had always sailed weeklong itineraries. The move has clearly been successful. Royal Caribbean Group CEO Michael Bayley talked about the success of Utopia of the Seas during the cruise line's third-quarter earnings call. "This quarter, we launched Utopia of the Seas, a ship that has quickly become a game changer for a short Caribbean product, which serves as an important entry point for new to cruise and new to brand. It also skews toward millennials and younger guests. The demand for Utopia has been incredible and has well exceeded our expectations for both ticket prices and onboard revenue," he Utopia of the Seas for 3-4 sailings has been successful enough that in 2025 Wonder of the Seas will sail those same itineraries out of Miami. This is part of a larger plan by the cruise line to offer more shorter sailings that stop at Royal Caribbean's private island Perfect Day at CocoCay, and in some cases, its upcoming new beach clubs in Nassau and Cozumel. By the 2026-2027 winter cruising season, only Symphony of the Seas sailing out of Galveston and Allure of the Seas have not been committed for 3-4 day sailings. Symphony will sail 7-day itineraries from its Texas port while the cruise line has not shared where Allure of the Seas, which is currently receiving a massive overhaul while in dry dock, will be sailing out of or what itineraries it will sail. Royal Caribbean will be using its newest class of large ships, Icon-class, to sail 7-day itineraries. Icon of the Seas sails out of Miami while the upcoming Star of the Seas will sail 7-night itineraries from Miami. The third Icon-class ship, Legend of the Seas, will first sail in Europe before offering 7-night cruises out of Fort regular cruisers are not happy to see five of the seven Oasis-class ships committed to sailing 3-4 night itineraries. They shared their comments on the company's Facebook page. "Been on a cruise and 4 days is definitely not long enough. We went 7 days, and both agreed we should have gone the 10 days! Our thoughts today are, if it was possible, we could again it would be for two weeks," Sheila Powers wrote. Debbie Havens had doubts as well. "I LOVE the Oasis class ships especially Wonder. We live a distance away and usually do back-to-back weeks for 14 days. Smaller trips make it so much more expensive. They should leave some for the week vacations," she posted. Many people suggested that short cruises only make sense if you live near the port. "I will never do 3, it's too much hassle. I am doing a 4 and I have done a 5 but I live so close to a port that it's worth it. If I had to fly, I would never do less than 7," shared PilesofLaundry113 on Reddit. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) , or email Amy Post at or call or text her at 386-383-2472.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Royal Caribbean makes unpopular change; Cruise lines reborn
Passengers get angry when a cruise line skips a port. They often demand compensation even though they're not entitled to any under their cruise contract. Cruise lines may even offer compensation if they make an unpopular do always get a full refund of any port fee or taxes. Ports often get skipped for weather reasons. Sometimes, for example, it is too rough to dock at Royal Caribbean's private island Perfect Day at CocoCay. That can be disappointing for passengers, but the cruise line has to act in the best interest of safety. In other cases, a cruise port get skipped because there is something wrong at the port. Maybe it's a small disruption and only one or two cruises will be missed or, perhaps, there's a bigger issue. One popular cruise port has not been available for a few months. Royal Caribbean has had to cancel more sailing to that port. Doug Parker of Cruise News Today has the full story along with news on two closed cruise lines making a comeback. . This is cruise news today with Doug Parker. Good morning. Here's your cruise news for Thursday, February 27. Royal Caribbean continues to adjust itineraries on more ships due to ongoing repairs at San Juan's Pier 3, which has been out of service since last April. Now, Icon of the Seas will skip San Juan on select May, June, and July sailings, replacing the stop with Port of Ponce, Puerto Rico, or St. Martin. Meanwhile, Symphony of the Seas will reroute April itineraries to Porta Plata or Labadee. The pier, which was damaged by an MSC cruise ship last year, is the only one in San Juan that can accommodate Royal Caribbean's larger two major cruise brands that collapsed under the company Genting during the pandemic are making a comeback. Resorts World Cruises announced it'll rebrand and resurrect Dream Cruises and Star Cruises over the next three months. Dream Cruises will continue sailing the Genting Dream from Singapore, while Star Cruises will launch two ships in Asia, the Star Navigator and Star Voyager, that'll be starting next month, both of the Genting-owned lines without a business following the pandemic. A lesson that bankruptcy isn't always the end. It's just a brief stop before setting sail again. And Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas has entered dry dock in Cádiz, Spain, for a refurbishment under the Royal Amplified Program. Upgrades will include new suites, dining venues, an expanded pool deck, and family-friendly areas. The ship will also feature the Ultimate Abyss slide and the Perfect Storm waterslides, similar to those on other Oasis-class ships. After the refit, Allure will spend the summer sailing the Mediterranean before repositioning to Port Everglades in November. If you have a lead on a story, let us know. Tips@ And this week's Cruise Radio podcast, a review of Norwegian Escape, where you listen to your favorite podcasts. I'm Doug Parker with Cruise News Today. Have yourself a great Thursday. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) , or email Amy Post at or call or text her at 386-383-2472.
