Delayed Boarding Today Voyager of the Seas

Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Seas

Delays Boarding

Boarding for February 4th sailing of Royal Caribbean's Voyager of the Seas is being delayed to allow time for sanitation of the ship (public areas and cabins) due to an unusual reports of gastrointestinal illness.

We received the following announcement from Royal Caribbean:

"During Voyager of the Seas' last sailing, a number of guests onboard experienced gastrointestinal illness.In an abundance of caution, we are conducting enhanced sanitizing onboard the ship and within the cruise terminal to help prevent any illness from affecting your client's cruise."

Check-in Process Begins at 1 PM


"Because of this additional sanitizing, the check in process is now anticipated to begin at approximately 1:00 p.m. We apologize for this delay to your client's boarding.

We are also sanitizing guest staterooms, and they will be available to guests at approximately 3:00 p.m. Once guests board the ship, they can explore public areas, open decks and lounges and enjoy lunch, until their stateroom is ready."

Two Princess Cruise Ships Also Delayed

UPDATE: Feb 8

Crown Princess had a second outbreak this week and has cut its 7 Night Southern Caribbean short by two days to allow for sanitation.   see:   Crown Princess Cruise Ends Early

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Princess Cruises has also announced delayed embarkation times for the next sailings of Crown Princess and Ruby Princess, following an increased number of Norovirus cases on each of the ships' current voyages. 

According to statements from the line, 81 of Ruby Princess' 3,133 passengers and nine of its 1,186 crew members have come down with the virus. Meanwhile, 364 of 3,103 passengers and 30 of 1,168 crew on Crown Princess were affected.

Although the numbers are relatively small, cruise lines are required to report all cases of Noro to the CDC, and a "special report" is created when numbers reach 2 percent of a ship's total onboard population. (Ruby Princess' have reached nearly 3 percent of passengers and Crown Princess' more than 11 percent.)

Because the gastrointestinal virus is highly contagious, both ships will be given special cleanings upon their return to their Fort Lauderdale homeport. As a result, embarkation for Crown Princess' next cruise will be delayed on Saturday, and Ruby Princess' will be pushed back until 2 p.m. on Sunday.

About Norovirus
According to health experts, as many as 300 million people worldwide are affected by norovirus each year. Only the common cold is more prevalent. However, we would prefer if none of our guests became ill.

Prevention:

Royal Caribbean asked us to convey the following preventive measures.

• wash your hands thoroughly with soap and hot water after usingthe bathroom and before eating anything
• use the complimentary sanitizing gel that is available at various locations onboard
• if you experienced any gastrointestinal symptoms within the last three days, we ask that you please consider rescheduling your cruise

Here are some additional resources that we have compiled (these can also be found on our International Travel static tab above).

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (advice about any health advisories here and abroad)

Traveler's Health (CDC Travel specific topics)

  

Facts About Noroviruses on Cruise Ships  -  gastrointestinal (GI) illnesses can be prevented

It's that time of year, so PLEASE:

Wash hands often. Wash hands after using the bathroom or changing diapers and before eating or preparing food.  Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer along with hand washing.

Norovirus outbreaks, when they occur on a cruise ship, always make the news.  The truth is these outbreaks can occur anywhere there are groups of people in a small area such as nursing homes, restaurants, catered events, hotels, and cruise ships.

Vessel Sanitation Program - prevention and control of spread of gastrointestinal (GI) illnesses on cruise ships

We had a similar experience when we boarded our Princess Cruise to the Mediterranean and Greek Isles last spring.  They also sanitized the ship and put some additional measures in place for the first few days of our sailing.  During that time, we were not allowed to serve ourselves in either the buffet or dining room.  The wait staff served all items to us, including sugar packets and other condiments.  Things returned to normal once the ship was satisfied that there were no additional reports of illness.

Taxi Strike Blocks Athens Port

Cruise Lines Unable

to Make Athens Calls As

Taxi Drivers Blockade Piraeus

Several cruise ships were forced to skip planned calls at Piraeus, the port for Athens, Monday, July 18, and again on Tuesday as striking taxi drivers blockaded the port, preventing passengers from getting to their sightseeing coaches.

Yellow Cabs in Athens Traffic on a Normal Day

Reuters reported today that taxi drivers in Athens walked off the job for 24 hours in the latest protest against the Greek government's EU-driven austerity program, which protesters said would hurt only the poor.  The yellow cab drivers are protesting against deregulation of their industry as part of the economic reforms demanded by Greece's international creditors. They join the ranks of the customs officials who are also on strike which is causing a shortage of gasoline at some Athens filling stations.

Four ships were due in Piraeus yesterday: Royal Caribbean's Voyager of the Seas, Seabourn Odyssey, Ruby Princess and Pullmantur's Zenith.

According to a report on Cruise Critic, Royal Caribbean had arranged shuttle transportation for guests in anticipation of the strike, but due to the blockade, guests were unable to disembark the ship and the passengers on Voyager of the Seas had a day at sea instead.

Cruise Critic reports that Seabourn Odyssey did, however, manage to disembark and embark passengers in Athens with all guests back on board in Piraeus and the itinerary unaffected.

MSC Armonia and Celebrity Solstice were due in port today.  Solstice is spending the day in Crete today instead.   The impact of the strike on MSC Armonia is not know at this time.

Piraeus is the port city for Athens and has been Athens' port of entry for over two millennia. It is the gateway to the historic temples of the Acropolis,  the famed Plaka shopping district, the scenic drive to Cape Sounion, and the stunning 5th-century B.C. Temple of Poseidon, overlooking the Aegean Sea.

Timing for these industrial actions in Greece couldn't be worse, as it's the height of the cruise season, with three or more ships calling at Piraeus every day. In fact, most of the cruise lines have expanded their European presence this year in response to the increasing demand.

The strike is scheduled to be over in time for Wednesday's anticipated  arrival of Regent's Seven Seas Mariner and two more Royal Caribbean vessels, Splendour of the Seas and Navigator of the Seas.  We will continue to monitor the various events in Greece that can impact cruise vacations to that nation.


We have just completed our own adventure to Greece in June this year, as part of a 12-Night Greek Isles & Mediterranean Cruise on Star Princess.   For the passengers that missed their port of call in Athens, we know they must be disappointed, as we would have been.   We can only offer our images in future columns and on our Facebook Fan page as a substitute for the real thing.

This is a very trying time for the people of Greece.  We wish them well as the government tries to make changes to stabilize the economy and protect the future for generations to come.

Royal Caribbean 2012 Venice Italy

Composed of 117 islands in the Venetian Lagoon and held together by a series of canals, Venice is like no other city in the world. Established more than 1,000 years ago by seafarers and Roman refugees, this magnificent city continues to be the heart of Italian culture as well as a mecca for hopeless romantics.

2012 – Summer Europe & Transatlantic Sailings 


 VOYAGER of the SEAS®

Ship Profile | Itineraries & Pricing | Deck Plans  Dining Menus | Wine Lists | Kids Programs | Ship Reviews | 360 Tours | Photos

On April 14, 2012, VOYAGER of the SEAS® leaves New Orleans, Louisiana on a 16- Night Transatlantic Eastbound to Barcelona, Spain.   A special 11-Night Mediterranean cruise follows which transitions the ship to Venice, Italy for the majority of the Summer 2012 season.

On October 26, 2012, a special 8-Night Mediterranean cruise transitions back to Barcelona, Spain where the ship will cross the Atlantic back to New Orleans starting November 3, 2012.


10-Night Greece and Turkey

Venice, Italy • Dubrovnik, Croatia • Cruising • Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey • Istanbul, Turkey
Istanbul, Turkey • Cruising • Athens (Piraeus), Greece • Chania (Souda), Crete, Greece • Cruising
Venice, Italy

11-Night Greece and Turkey

Venice, Italy • Dubrovnik, Croatia • Cruising • Rhodes, Greece • Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey
Istanbul, Turkey • Istanbul, Turkey • Cruising • Athens (Piraeus), Greece
Chania (Souda), Crete, Greece • Cruising • Venice, Italy

2012 EUROPE CRUISETOUR DEPLOYMENT

 Get a local's view of the great cities and sights of Europe, as well as its hidden treasures. 

13-Night Italian Lakes & Venice Cruisetour #5EB

Featuring an 10-Night Greek Isles & Turkey Cruise &
3-Night Pre-cruise Escorted Italian Lakes & Venice Land Tour

May 8, 29; June 19; July 10, 31; August 21; September 11; October 2; 2012

Day 1: Milan/Como, Italy
Day 2: Como, Italy
Day 3: Como/Venice, Italy
Day 4: Venice
Days 4-14: Voyager of the Seas®
10-Night Greek Isles & Turkey Cruise
14-Night Italian Lakes & Venice

Cruisetour #5EB

Featuring an 11-Night Greek Isles & Turkey Cruise &
3-Night Pre-cruise Escorted Italian Lakes & Venice Land Tour

May 18; June 8, 29; July 20; August 10, 21; September 21; October 12; 2012

Day 1: Milan/Como, Italy
Day 2: Como, Italy
Day 3: Como/Venice, Italy
Day 4: Venice
Days 4-14: Voyager of the Seas®
11-Night Greek Isles & Turkey Cruise

First Ship Arrives in New Falmouth Port

Photo courtesy of The Gleaner

Royal Caribbean

Voyager of the Seas

Port of Falmouth, Jamaica

Royal Caribbean's Voyager of the Seas  became the first cruise ship to call in the brand new port of Falmouth, Jamaica on Thursday.

Courtesy Royal Caribbean

Falmouth was once a significant shipping center during the Colonial England period but later lost favor over the deep-water ports like Montego Bay and Ocho Rios.   The town's buildings fell into disrepair and the history of this once important town was threatened to be forgotten.

Royal Caribbean International in collaboration with the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ), entered into a joint venture to construct an all-inclusive resort town on the pier featuring contemporary shops, parks and landscaping, restaurants and bars, even a helipad, linked to the original town by tram-car and all built to match the colonial aesthetic of times past.

The venture has had a rocky road to this point with delays which prevented the scheduled opening earlier this year.   The official port opening is scheduled for March 22nd when Oasis of the Seas makes its maiden call on the new port.

While doing research for this post, I came across this Royal Caribbean blog article, Falling for Falmouth: An Expert’s Guide to Discovering the Beauty & Adventure of our Newest Port!, which provides more information about the history and the transformation into this new cruise port which should revitalize the area.


Related Blog Posts

Port of Falmouth Jamaica Not Ready

The Historic Falmouth Cruise Port is serving as a catalyst for the town's rehabilitation and beautification as well as raising awareness of the importance of documenting and preserving Falmouth's history for future generations.

Port of Falmouth Jamaica Not Ready

Artist Rendering Port of Falmouth, Jamaica

The opening of the new Port of Falmouth, Jamaica was scheduled for this coming Friday.  We have learned that the port is still under construction and Royal Caribbean has now postponed the first cruise-ship call until February 17th.

As shown in the artist rendering above, the new pier was designed to be able to accommodate Oasis-Class ships.   The first ship that was to call there was to be Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas but it will now be diverted to one of the other existing ports of call in Jamaica (Montego Bay or Ochos Rios).

According to the Jamaica Observer, the port looks "more like a bomb went off on the site than a high-class tourist trap". The article continues "the new Falmouth mega-liner cruise terminal was obviously far from complete".  (click the link to read more)

The port "town" is being built by Royal Caribbean International in collaboration with the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ). The plan was to construct an all-inclusive resort town on the pier featuring contemporary shops, parks and landscaping, restaurants and bars, even a helipad, linked to the original town by tram-car and all built to match the colonial aesthetic of times past.

When will the Port of Falmouth officially open?   It's hard to say for sure, but it appears it will be a couple months before construction is far enough along for cruise passengers to enjoy their visit.   We will continue to monitor this situation and provide updates as they become available.  For now, Royal Caribbean is planning for Voyager of the Seas to be the first ship to call there in February.

Additional Royal Caribbean 2011 Europe Deployment

Voyager of the Seas®
2011 MEDITERRANEAN DEPLOYMENT

11 Royal Caribbean Ships in Europe (Summer 2011)

Voyager of the Seas® is one of eleven ships deployed to Europe for the Summer of 2011.  Itineraries included in this deployment range from 6 to 14 nights.  Chose from the following:

14-Night Transatlantic Eastbound cruise to:  Galveston, Texas • Cruising • Ponta Delgada, Azores Cruising • Malaga, Spain • Cartagena, Spain • Barcelona, Spain

6-Night Mediterranean cruise in May to: Barcelona, Spain • Provence (Toulon), France • Florence / Pisa (Livorno), Italy

7-Night Adriatic Sea Costal cruises in May - October to: Venice, Italy • Koper, Slovenia • Ravenna, Italy • Bari, Italy • Dubrovnik, Croatia • Cruising • Venice, Italy

6-Night Adriatic Sea Costal cruises in July to: Venice, Italy • Koper, Slovenia • Ravenna, Italy • Bari, Italy • Dubrovnik, Croatia • Cruising • Venice, Italy

8-Night Eastern Mediterranean cruise in mid-July featuring the following ports: Venice, Italy • Dubrovnik, Croatia • Cruising • Athens (Piraeus), Greece • Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey Cruising • Bari, Italy • Venice, Italy

8-Night Mediterranean cruise in October to: Venice, Italy • Dubrovnik, Croatia • Cruising Naples / Capri, Italy • Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy • Florence / Pisa (Livorno), Italy • Provence (Toulon), France Cruising • Barcelona, Spain

Mariner OTS Leaving Mexican Riviera

Royal Caribbean Redeploys 

Mariner of the Seas

Royal Caribbean announced that Mariner of the Seas will sail its final Mexican Riviera itinerary from Los Angeles on January 9, 2011.  The Mexican Riviera has always been an important market for Royal Caribbean International.   They hope to return to the Port of Los Angeles and the Mexican Riviera in the future.   According to Royal Caribbean:

Guests currently booked on Mariner of the Seas’ Mexican Riviera sailings from January 16,2011, and onward will be contacted with the following offer. Until May 6, 2010, affected guests can opt for a full refund of any fares paid, or enjoy $200 onboard credit per stateroom ($400 per suite category stateroom) when they rebook their vacation, at the same fare or lower prevailing fare, on a Mariner of the Seas sailing before January 16, 2011, or on the same 2011 departure date aboard Voyager of the Seas, sailing from Galveston.

11 Royal Caribbean Ships in Europe (Summer 2011)

As I've mentioned in past blog columns, the cruise lines are returning to Europe with more ships than ever before.   They had pulled ships out in 2009 due to the economy, but due to pent up demand, they are once again returning in force.

The Mariner of the Seas redeployment will occur in January 2011, with a short South America season before debuting in the Mediterranean as Royal Caribbean’s record-setting 11th ship in the region for summer 2011. Mariner of the Seas will homeport at Rome (Civitavecchia) from March through October 2011, replacing Splendour of the Seas, which will now homeport in Venice, offering 10- and 11-night Greek Isles and Turkey itineraries for the season.  

Mariner of the Seas will then return to North America for the 2011-12 winter season, offering seven-night Western Caribbean itineraries from Galveston, Texas, replacing Voyager of the Seas which will redeploy to New Orleans in winter 2011-12, offering vacationers another Gulf Coast port to embark on a memorable seven-night Western Caribbean cruise.

On January 16, 2011, Mariner of the Seas will reposition from Los Angeles on a 16-night itinerary to Valparaiso, Chile, followed by a 14-night voyage that cruises the Straits of Magellan and Cape Horn at the southern tip of South America to Sao Paulo (Santos), Brazil. The ship will then offer a short Brazilian cruise season, before crossing the Atlantic to debut in Europe at its new seasonal homeport of Rome (Civitavecchia), where Mariner of the Seas will sail seven-night Western Mediterranean and 12-night Mediterranean Holy Land and Mediterranean Egypt itineraries. In November 2011, Mariner of the Seas will debut at Galveston to offer Texas vacationers two roundtrip seven-night Western Caribbean itineraries through April 2012.  

Mariner of the Seas’ new 2011 Europe and South America, and 2011-12 Western Caribbean itineraries, Splendour of the Seas’ new 2011 Europe itineraries, and Voyager of the Seas’ new 2011-12 Western Caribbean itineraries will be opened for booking in the near future.

More information about Royal Caribbean International (Overview, Ships, Itineraries)