Legend of the Seas to Depart Royal Caribbean Fleet

With the announcement that the company has entered into an agreement to sell Legend of the Seas to Thomson Cruises, another ship will be leaving Royal Caribbean International’s 25-ship fleet. Legend will depart in March of 2017 to immediately transition to its new owner.

In order to continue offering Royal Caribbean guests the best possible vacation experience, the current deployment of Rhapsody of the Seas and Vision of the Seas will be adjusted, requiring the cancellation of some sailings and the re-accommodation of others.

Legend of the Seas exits the fleet on March 26, 2017

• The current round trip Brisbane, Australia sailings departing on Jan 6, 15, 29 and Feb 8 will operate as scheduled.
• All scheduled sailings from Feb 20, 2017 onward will be canceled. This includes the summer season cruises from Venice, Italy as well as the balance of the Brisbane itineraries.
• A series of three repositioning cruises will be offered beginning on Feb 20 from Brisbane. This will include an 11-night sailing from Brisbane to Singapore, as well as a 10-night cruise from Singapore to Dubai and a 13-night sailing from Dubai to Barcelona.

Rhapsody of the Seas will transition to Venice, Italy for the summer season. Sailings from Cape Liberty, New Jersey will be cancelled.

• Rhapsody will offer the full schedule of round trip sailings in fall of 2016 and winter of 2017 from Tampa, Florida as planned.
• On April 29, Rhapsody will offer a 14-night Transatlantic sailing from Tampa, Florida ending in Barcelona, Spain.
• On May 13, Rhapsody will offer a 7-night open jaw sailing from Barcelona, Spain to Venice, Italy.
• From May 20 through the end of October, Rhapsody will offer a variety of 7-night round trip sailings from Venice, Italy.
• With these newly introduced itineraries, all previously planned sailings from Cape Liberty, New Jersey will be canceled.
• At the conclusion of the Mediterranean season, Rhapsody will return to Tampa, Florida as planned and begin sailings on November 19, 2017.

Vision of the Seas will offer four fall foliage sailings from Cape Liberty, New Jersey after completing northerly crossing from Copenhagen, Denmark

• On Aug 22, Vision will offer a 16-night Transatlantic sailing from Copenhagen, Denmark to Cape Liberty, New Jersey with several calls in Denmark, Norway, Scotland and Iceland.
• On Sept 7, Vision will offer a 13-night open jaw sailing from Cape Liberty, New Jersey to Quebec City, Canada. The sailings departing from Cape Liberty on Sept 20, Oct 1, and Oct 11 will replace the previously planned sailings offered on Rhapsody and include calls in Boston, Massachusetts, as well as multiple ports in Maine and Nova Scotia.
• Vision’s current fall Europe itineraries, including those departing from Venice, Italy from Aug 22, 2017 through Nov 17, 2017 will be canceled.

To accommodate guests booked on the affected sailings, Royal Caribbean will provide vacationers with a full refund of their cruise fare, the opportunity to re-book on another Royal Caribbean ship as well as an onboard credit to use during the newly booked sailing. In addition, vacationers who purchased airfare through Royal Caribbean will receive a full refund. Guests purchasing their own airfare will be given a refund for their airline change fee. All refund transactions will be automatically processed back to the original form of payment within four to six weeks. Commissions for travel agents will be protected for all cruises that are fully paid. Guests requesting more information are asked to contact Royal Caribbean International’s customer service team at 1-800-256-6649 or their travel agent.

Image Courtesy Royal Caribbean International