Cruise Talk: Old RCCL Ships

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Topic: Old RCCL Ships

Viking Crown
First Class Passenger
Member # 1046

posted 01-23-2000 10:18 PM

I have been traveling on RCCL for years now. My first voyage was on the Song of Norway. I have always had a liking for the three original ships, Song of Norway, Nordic Prince, and Sun Viking. What do you think about RCCL selling their most famous, award winning flagship vessels?

Posts: 14 | Registered: Jan 2000 | IP: Logged

Grant
First Class Passenger
Member # 1000

posted 01-24-2000 02:58 AM

I think it was about time that RCCL got rid of the original 3 plus the SOA. There cabin size was ridiculous and the rest of the cruise industry was passing them by. When Carnival and NCL built ships with cabins, especially bathrooms, that you could actually breath in, RCCL has no choice. Now lets hope they rid themselves of the SOS, Majesty and Monarch of the Seas, as well as the converted car ferry (Viking Serenade ex Scandinavia) so that they will be on a level playing field with the other lines. There subsequent ships are vessels that they can be proud of, and I bet they hope no one remembers the embarrasing past!!

Posts: 834 | From: Victoria, BC, Canada | Registered: Jan 2000 | IP: Logged

Grant
First Class Passenger
Member # 1000

posted 01-24-2000 03:06 AM

Sorry for the typo (there not their) in the above posting. Did you know that the original 3 Royal Viking vessels were from the same design and they to were sold off or pasassed on, at about the same time? I've heard that the subsequent owner (Airtour's Sun Cruises) has spent conciderable $$ on the machinery etc. to keep them in good working order. It seems as if the Carousel should have had a little more spent on this year's refit. There is alot said about her condition in other postings here.

Posts: 834 | From: Victoria, BC, Canada | Registered: Jan 2000 | IP: Logged

Paddy
First Class Passenger
Member # 357

posted 01-24-2000 02:43 PM

Who on earth would buy Viking Serenade? Okay, Airtours have a 'tradition' of buying RCCL ships and you could say that Airtours is more like RCCL tha RCI. But all the ships look quite alike, except Viking Serenade. she really does not look like a cruise ship, so who would buy her?

Posts: 763 | From: Belfast, Ireland | Registered: Aug 99 | IP: Logged

DianaD
First Class Passenger
Member # 1010

posted 01-24-2000 07:50 PM

RCCL (Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines) is RCI (Royal Caribbean International) They changed their name.

Posts: 308 | From: Whitby, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Jan 2000 | IP: Logged

VOYAGER
First Class Passenger
Member # 1016

posted 01-26-2000 03:20 PM

And besides, Viking Serenade happens to be a big money maker for RCI...it seems that just a couple of years ago, you could go the pier the day of sailing and get a great rate along with a great cabin. Now,if you call RCI even a few weeks ahead of time, you cannot find space on that ship. And I've heard that over 80% of the people that have sailed on her would give her a great rating. I don't think they will be selling her anytime soon....

Posts: 24 | From: Wichita KS | Registered: Jan 2000 | IP: Logged

BrionP
First Class Passenger
Member # 52

posted 01-27-2000 02:40 AM

The reason the Viking Serenade might be making money is because the only alternative for 3&4 day cruises out of Los Angeles is the Holiday...not much of a choice. I'd love to see RCI get rid of the Viking Serenade. I think replacing her with one of the Sovereign class ships would be a vast improvement. The cabins on the Sovereign class may be small but the ships are still very nice. They would be well suited for year round 3&4 day service. The Sovereign of the Seas is doing great business. As a matter of fact I met a woman on the Voyager of the Seas last month who had been booked on the Sovereign and RCI offered her a week on VOTS because Sovereign was over-booked. Some deal! 7-day cruice on VOTS for the price of a 4-day! And at the last minute. I paid full price and booked over a year in advance to get on VOTS. Anyway-just illustrates the Sovereign is still very popular.

Posts: 35 | From: LA, California | Registered: Feb 99 | IP: Logged

topgun2
First Class Passenger
Member # 975

posted 01-27-2000 12:43 PM

This and other subjects seem to point out how all of us can have such differing points of view on the same subject.
I took my first cruise in the late 70"s on the Sun Princess, the next year Volendam.

A year later we were on the Sun Viking. This and the other RCCL ships at the time were ideal and to our liking. We cruised with them each year to about 1989. This last one was the Song of America to Bermuda. Each experience on these ships was ideal.
After a six year break we returned to cruise on the Sovereign of the Seas. This was a great disappiontment. The ship was too large for my liking and the ambience of the 20-40,000 tonners was missing. Too much glitz etc.
Fortunately we caught up with Sunbird {Song of America} last year. Yes she is a little tatty, but to me still preferable any day to what I consider the characterless megaships

Posts: 26 | From: burlington,ont,can | Registered: Jan 2000 | IP: Logged

geno-r
First Class Passenger
Member # 931

posted 01-27-2000 04:58 PM

Topgun, your sentiments seem to echo mine. Your comments reinforce my idea, that it would have to be a supercheap deal to try one of the megaships.

Posts: 549 | From: Mt. Pocono,Pa. Usa | Registered: Nov 1999 | IP: Logged

Patrick
First Class Passenger
Member # 364

posted 01-28-2000 01:11 PM

The VIKING SERENADE, if ever been sold in the near future, could fit quite well into the Star Cruises fleet. They already have three former ferries in their fleet and they run quite well.

Posts: 1680 | From: OSC Luxembourg | Registered: Nov 98 | IP: Logged

BrionP
First Class Passenger
Member # 52

posted 01-29-2000 02:47 AM

The Viking Serenade wasn't a bad ship-she just didn't feel much like an RCI ship. I would go back on the Sovereign because I have fond memories of her. I was on her inagural cruise in Jan. 1988 when maiden voyages were still a BIG EVENT. There had been a lot of anticipation for her-she got a lot of attention-helecopters overhead when we sailed, fire boats spraying water on arrival in ports of call, other ships saluting us with their horns when we docked. I even met and had lunch with my favorite maritime author, John Maxtone-Graham, so the whole cruise left quite an impression.
Every ship, large or small, old or new, has it's merits. Some ships just have a more distinctive personality. Take the Royal Princess for example. She has certain charm the so called "Grand Class" ships lack. The same with the old Rotterdam. I like the newer HAL ships-the Statendam in particular-but I doubt any of their new ships will ever achieve the incomparable aura the S.S. Rotterdam had.
I'm happy to be on just about any ship-after all a cruise is what you make it; whether it's feeling decadent over champange and caviar in the Champange Bar watching the couples dance in the Centrum on Grandeur of the Seas, the sophistication of meeting the others in the clique that has formed at the Martini Bar in the Savoy, gathering every evening to try a new concoction before dinner on the Galaxy or the simpler pleasures of standing on deck above the wheelhouse at night being awed by a distant thunderstorm so far away you can't hear it-can only see the spectacular light show playing across the clouds, lighting up the horizon or spending an afternoon on a promanade deck sailing the Pacific watching schools of flying fish gliding over the water and disappearing into the wake.
There is nothing like being at sea; nothing like crossing that gangway and leaving the real world behind for your welcoming ship.

Posts: 35 | From: LA, California | Registered: Feb 99 | IP: Logged

Eric Cruises
First Class Passenger
Member # 957

posted 01-29-2000 06:20 AM

Patrick,
I think STAR CRUISES will not by VIKING SERENADE, because they want to have the youngest cruise fleet in the world. VIKING SERENADE's outside look is very awful and like a box on the sea, so STAR CRUISES must not buy this ship...

Posts: 301 | From: Hong Kong, China | Registered: Dec 1999 | IP: Logged

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