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Kudos to Cruise Planner for calling Rccl's cruises in Balt for '09. It now appears to me that Rccl is managing their demand (ie turning supply on and off) by having a big year in Balt ('07), a big year in Norfolk ('08), then back to Balt for '09. I think Cruise Planner would have to agree however that it is the same old same old. Alternating Caribbean/Bermuda/New England itins with the same ship (Grandeur) over and over. Why not something different for repeaters? I see Rccl has a trip from NJ that does Bermuda and Caribbean, why can't they try some different ships and different itins? And the real question is, if they can sell out for higher rates, why are they (and Carnival, and Ncl, etc) not taking advantage of it? Perhaps the cruise market has not been impacted by the recession yet, but bring the ships closer to the customers (who wants to pay a large part of their vacation budget to the airlines, who mistreat you, lose your baggage, etc.)? I've taken two cruises out of Balt already and love the port, but I need some variety.
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