New York

So I am looking at future cruises out of NY and it looks like Sunshine is moving down to Florida. Only thing showing next year is the short Horizon Stay after the transatlantic. Any idea if Carnival is going to bring another ship in to replace Sunshine or are they abandoning sailings to Canada and Bermuda out of New York?

New York hasn't had a yearround ship since the Splendor left, the New York market has been seasonal ever since. Horizon is coming to replace the Sunshine for the summer 2018 season. As for 2019, Carnival hasn't released it's schedules for summer 2019 yet, so we can't be too sure. Hopefully the Horizon does well enough in New York that they send it back for the summer 2019, or another ship. But while the New York market may not prove super successful in the winter, I do believe that they sail full over the summer, so there will likely be another ship back up there for Summer 2019. I can't remember the last summer that Carnival went a summer without a ship in New York.

Seems crazy. NCL and RCCL cruise year round, Cunard is a regular. NCL is sending Breakaway in to drydock. Plus they also have the Gem out of NY. Also, NCL is also sailing out of Boston. You would figure Carnival could compete in this market. Maybe the next Vista class is for us??!!

Seems crazy. NCL and RCCL cruise year round, Cunard is a regular. NCL is sending Breakaway in to drydock. Plus they also have the Gem out of NY. Also, NCL is also sailing out of Boston. You would figure Carnival could compete in this market. Maybe the next Vista class is for us??!!

It's not that simple, it's all about the money. RCI built the Anthem, and NCL built the Breakaway, with the colder winters in mind, hence the immense amount of interior activities that they each offer. The Gem was not, but its smaller size allows it to fill a cruise for a 9-11 night cruise from New York, which is at sea about half of the cruise. Carnival only has 5 ships, the Spirit, Legend, Pride, Miracle, and Splendor, that have colder weather cruising in mind. The Splendor was too large for NYC, the Spirit and Legend cruise the South Pacific, which leaves the Pride and Miracle, ships that can cruise through the cold and have smaller passenger counts, so they could fill a less-popular cruise given the lack on interior activities. The Miracle is in Tampa due to the bridge, and Pride is in Baltimore. The Pride has been very successful in Baltimore, and it is very easy for New Yorkers to get down to Baltimore, either by car or train, to the Pride, and since it is closer to the Bahamas, it can run 7 night cruises, and they always sail 100% full over the summer. In the Winter, Pride also does well, but better with its longer cruises. Adding a ship to New York would hinder the Pride's success, and if a ship like Vista, with no covered pool, were to cruise from New York, needing 2 sea days just to hit hot weather, it would not sell well, which would lead to $350 8 night cruises like Splendor had, and that doesn't make money. Charging $700 for a 7 night from Miami will draw people from all over the country escaping the cold, and is able to call at more ports with a great variety, given its closer location.

So, it all comes to money. Royal somehow fills the Anthem and Grandeur, with one doing an 11 night cruise and the other doing a 12, all winter and NCL can fill the Breakaway on a 14 night and the Gem on an 11 night in the winter. Carnival, could not. Carnival does not see a big market in longer Caribbean cruises from the northeast, and until there is foreseeable money there, it will not happen.

Thanks, that was an education!

Sailing out of Tampa to Cuba next month, and out of Baltimore for New Years. Next May out of New Orleans. Also booked for Horizon to Bermuda while it is in NY. Was thinking about doing a Canada next. Hopefully 2019 will bring something. I did the Breakaway in Jan, and that kind of solidified my loyalty to Carnival. Would be nice to have more local cruises though, Got promotion at work and not traveling as much anymore so the frequent flyer miles are harder to come by.

It's not that simple, it's all about the money. RCI built the Anthem, and NCL built the Breakaway, with the colder winters in mind, hence the immense amount of interior activities that they each offer. The Gem was not, but its smaller size allows it to fill a cruise for a 9-11 night cruise from New York, which is at sea about half of the cruise. Carnival only has 5 ships, the Spirit, Legend, Pride, Miracle, and Splendor, that have colder weather cruising in mind. The Splendor was too large for NYC, the Spirit and Legend cruise the South Pacific, which leaves the Pride and Miracle, ships that can cruise through the cold and have smaller passenger counts, so they could fill a less-popular cruise given the lack on interior activities. The Miracle is in Tampa due to the bridge, and Pride is in Baltimore. The Pride has been very successful in Baltimore, and it is very easy for New Yorkers to get down to Baltimore, either by car or train, to the Pride, and since it is closer to the Bahamas, it can run 7 night cruises, and they always sail 100% full over the summer. In the Winter, Pride also does well, but better with its longer cruises. Adding a ship to New York would hinder the Pride's success, and if a ship like Vista, with no covered pool, were to cruise from New York, needing 2 sea days just to hit hot weather, it would not sell well, which would lead to $350 8 night cruises like Splendor had, and that doesn't make money. Charging $700 for a 7 night from Miami will draw people from all over the country escaping the cold, and is able to call at more ports with a great variety, given its closer location.

 

So, it all comes to money. Royal somehow fills the Anthem and Grandeur, with one doing an 11 night cruise and the other doing a 12, all winter and NCL can fill the Breakaway on a 14 night and the Gem on an 11 night in the winter. Carnival, could not. Carnival does not see a big market in longer Caribbean cruises from the northeast, and until there is foreseeable money there, it will not happen.

I think you nailed it. If you have a weeks vacation in the winter why cruise in cold weather for half of the cruise.

We head to Florida so the entire cruise is in warm weather. Seems to me the only way to draw people would be a longer cruise with more warm weather and that generally is not Carnivals customer base

Thanks, that was an education!

 

Sailing out of Tampa to Cuba next month, and out of Baltimore for New Years. Next May out of New Orleans. Also booked for Horizon to Bermuda while it is in NY. Was thinking about doing a Canada next. Hopefully 2019 will bring something. I did the Breakaway in Jan, and that kind of solidified my loyalty to Carnival. Would be nice to have more local cruises though, Got promotion at work and not traveling as much anymore so the frequent flyer miles are harder to come by.

Trust me, as an Annapolis native I definitely did my research when Carnival pulled the plug on Baltimore and New York in the winter in 2015. I was very upset myself :D I am not seeing any Canadian cruises on the Horizon for Summer 2018, so maybe 2019 will bring some. Miami seems awfully heavy in the same exact itinerary, so maybe they'll move a Miami ship (Glory, Magic or Horizon) up to New York for a summer season, and if it is Glory or even Magic, I can see some Canadian options. Maybe even Sunshine coming up from PC again. Who knows. It'll be interesting to see what Carnival does in sumemr 2019, I am excited to see where they go with it.

I wish Carnival would start their New York season earlier. We used to cruise Carnival from NYC in April before schools got out for the summer.

Laura

I think you nailed it. If you have a weeks vacation in the winter why cruise in cold weather for half of the cruise.

 

We head to Florida so the entire cruise is in warm weather. Seems to me the only way to draw people would be a longer cruise with more warm weather and that generally is not Carnivals customer base

Yes, that is how we got. We haven't cruised from Baltimore since November 2012. Not only are the ports repeated, but cruising in the cold is just not time-effective for us. We, like many in Carnival's base, usually cannot take off a week and a half in the winter, and if I can, I am getting on a plane to Barbados or a cruise ship in Miami. That simple. I think what Carnival does with the Pride is sensible and given the Pride's smaller capacity, they probably make a great deal of money on those cruises too, at least if they've had longer Baltimore cruises for 4 seasons now. I think the exotic ports may also be drawing people in, being able to visit St.maarten. Antigua and St.Lucia all on a cruise right from your backyard is likely very tempting.

I wish Carnival would start their New York season earlier. We used to cruise Carnival from NYC in April before schools got out for the summer.

 

Laura

Easter is a very popular market for Carnival in Florida, so I think they tend to keep their ships down there, but maybe if the Norfolk market is proving unsuccessful and they want to go right from Florida to New York, you may see an earlier season.

So I am looking at future cruises out of NY and it looks like Sunshine is moving down to Florida. Only thing showing next year is the short Horizon Stay after the transatlantic. Any idea if Carnival is going to bring another ship in to replace Sunshine or are they abandoning sailings to Canada and Bermuda out of New York?

Ask John BS Heald.

Yes, that is how we got. We haven't cruised from Baltimore since November 2012. Not only are the ports repeated, but cruising in the cold is just not time-effective for us. We, like many in Carnival's base, usually cannot take off a week and a half in the winter, and if I can, I am getting on a plane to Barbados or a cruise ship in Miami. That simple. I think what Carnival does with the Pride is sensible and given the Pride's smaller capacity, they probably make a great deal of money on those cruises too, at least if they've had longer Baltimore cruises for 4 seasons now. I think the exotic ports may also be drawing people in, being able to visit St.maarten. Antigua and St.Lucia all on a cruise right from your backyard is likely very tempting.

Few years ago Baltimore had about a two foot snowstorm and all kinds of posts of people trying to get to the ship and pictures of Pride buried in snow.

Besides Carnival competes in the summer months with an older ship while its competitors are basing much new ones in NY.

Don't complain - Norfolk has no 2018 cruises because of the switch from Sunshine to Horizon! Horizon is too big to port here! I am really glad we have Norfolk booked in October because I have no idea when and if CCL is coming back! :(

I also strongly agree with other posters; I don't want to sail out of Norfolk, even though it is basically in my backyard, past about October or before April. The weather is just too cool. If I am traveling in winter, it is worth $200 to fly south, put on my shorts and t-shirt and hop aboard in sunny FL. You get a much wider variety of ports within reach for a week long cruise. Though here in Norfolk, they could do more than Bahamas/GT; I would love for them to add in some Bermuda - after all - it is just off the coast of NC so we are closest.

Few years ago Baltimore had about a two foot snowstorm and all kinds of posts of people trying to get to the ship and pictures of Pride buried in snow.

 

Besides Carnival competes in the summer months with an older ship while its competitors are basing much new ones in NY.

I live here, I surely remember it, it was 3 and a half feet. ;) And that's not what drove Carnival out of New York, it had to do with the sheer lack of people and the struggle to fill the ship. Carnival pulled out from New York in 2014, our last blizzard before that was 2009. Carnival has the nicest, largest and newest ship in Baltimore and between all of the people that can easily drive, they easily fill the ship every week, especially in the summer. The winter gets harder, but as the years have gone by, Carnival has added more longer itienraries to new islands that have still kept Pride full. I think when Carnival pulled out of New York, they signed the long contract with the Port Of Baltimore and focused all of its northeast passengers to Baltimore, and they have proven to be successful in the past few years...

Don't complain - Norfolk has no 2018 cruises because of the switch from Sunshine to Horizon! Horizon is too big to port here! I am really glad we have Norfolk booked in October because I have no idea when and if CCL is coming back! :(

 

I also strongly agree with other posters; I don't want to sail out of Norfolk, even though it is basically in my backyard, past about October or before April. The weather is just too cool. If I am traveling in winter, it is worth $200 to fly south, put on my shorts and t-shirt and hop aboard in sunny FL. You get a much wider variety of ports within reach for a week long cruise. Though here in Norfolk, they could do more than Bahamas/GT; I would love for them to add in some Bermuda - after all - it is just off the coast of NC so we are closest.

I think they had a couple Bermuda cruises here and there over the years between Splendor and Sunshine, but only one or two. I'm pretty upset about the Norfolk cruises being cancelled myself, they were always a good alternative for me, I was always considering the May/June sailings. But was it just me, or in recent years has it been astronomical to sail from there? 5 night Bahamas cruises were starting at $679 before taxes, and then finishing around $750 after for an inside. That seemed like a lot for me.

I'm booked on the Horizon in Sept. 2018. I want to plan another cruise for Sept. 2019 out of NYC as well. I was hoping the 3rd Vista Class ship was going to be there then but they said it won't debut until fall of 2019 so it'll be in Europe still at that point. I imagine the Sunshine will return to NYC for Summer 2019 but no way of knowing just yet. I'm hoping the schedule will extend that far come the end of this year.

I think they had a couple Bermuda cruises here and there over the years between Splendor and Sunshine, but only one or two. I'm pretty upset about the Norfolk cruises being cancelled myself, they were always a good alternative for me, I was always considering the May/June sailings. But was it just me, or in recent years has it been astronomical to sail from there? 5 night Bahamas cruises were starting at $679 before taxes, and then finishing around $750 after for an inside. That seemed like a lot for me.

The prices are higher but when you aren't paying airfare to FL, a hotel pre-night and in my case parking, I come out ahead. Plus, I only need 2 days of leave for a 5 day cruise vs. 4 going out of Florida.

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The prices are higher but when you aren't paying airfare to FL, a hotel pre-night and in my case parking, I come out ahead. Plus, I only need 2 days of leave for a 5 day cruise vs. 4 going out of Florida.

 

 

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Oh yes, I understand why it is effective for both time and monetary purposes, but I am just saying, the prices seemed a little high compared to what they hacve been in the past, and what similar itineraries out of Charleston or Jacksonville go for. If CHarleston charges $359 and Norfolk charges $659, even once you factor in more money since the Norfolk ship is newer and more gas is required, the prices still seemed very high this year.

We did a Vista Thanksgiving 10 day cruise last year that left NY and went to Aruba and Curacao. I did a 14 day NCL Breakaway out of NY later in January. We'll be sailing the Horizon 8 day out of NY next May.

Carnival can compete in the NY market if it places a suitable vessel here. Otherwise, NYers will go to RCCL or Celebrity out of Bayonne, NCL from the Hudson, or fly to FL if they must be on Carnival.

This past February, when temps hit 80 in NYC, was a perfect time to cruise past the Manhattan skyline in shorts and a tee. April was actually cooler than February, May was damp and rainy, go figure.

We did a Vista Thanksgiving 10 day cruise last year that left NY and went to Aruba and Curacao. I did a 14 day NCL Breakaway out of NY later in January. We'll be sailing the Horizon 8 day out of NY next May.

 

Carnival can compete in the NY market if it places a suitable vessel here. Otherwise, NYers will go to RCCL or Celebrity out of Bayonne, NCL from the Hudson, or fly to FL if they must be on Carnival.

 

This past February, when temps hit 80 in NYC, was a perfect time to cruise past the Manhattan skyline in shorts and a tee. April was actually cooler than February, May was damp and rainy, go figure.

If any Carnival newbuilds are announced to have a retractable pool and maybe some interior attractions, there would be no douct in my mind that it would be placed in New York yearround, just like the second I heard about the Quantum class, I knew that it was perfect for the market.

Interesting thread folks. I for one hope Carnival decides to return to there prior summer schedule. Norfolk is my home port and I'd take another cruise from here even if it does cost more (And it does) and i don't care where it goes. Nothing like basically walking out your back door and boarding a cruise ship. Plus I'm also interested in doing a New England/Canada run out of NY. But I also do wonder if they don't, could Carnival add the New England/Canada run with the Pride out of Baltimore?

Interesting thread folks. I for one hope Carnival decides to return to there prior summer schedule. Norfolk is my home port and I'd take another cruise from here even if it does cost more (And it does) and i don't care where it goes. Nothing like basically walking out your back door and boarding a cruise ship. Plus I'm also interested in doing a New England/Canada run out of NY. But I also do wonder if they don't, could Carnival add the New England/Canada run with the Pride out of Baltimore?

I wonder this myself. They could probably do it in a week, but I see them needing 8 or 9 nights, maybe a Bermuda cruise on the opposite end. Or an extended 11 night Journeys cruise through the Maritimes from Baltimore. That would proabbly sell well considering the lack of Canadian Maritimes alternatives that Carnival is offering now.

I wonder this myself. They could probably do it in a week, but I see them needing 8 or 9 nights, maybe a Bermuda cruise on the opposite end. Or an extended 11 night Journeys cruise through the Maritimes from Baltimore. That would proabbly sell well considering the lack of Canadian Maritimes alternatives that Carnival is offering now.

Or 14 day cruise heading to S Caribbean.

One problem with a 7 day is most of the itineraries are including Nassau and Freeport.

Or 14 day cruise heading to S Caribbean.

 

One problem with a 7 day is most of the itineraries are including Nassau and Freeport.

Pride does do a couple of 14 day cruises to the southern ports. I was just hypothesizing on what Carnival would do if the didn't replace the Norfolk/NY summer schedule with either the Sunshine or an other ship. They've got to bring it back. I hope. :confused:

Pride does do a couple of 14 day cruises to the southern ports. I was just hypothesizing on what Carnival would do if the didn't replace the Norfolk/NY summer schedule with either the Sunshine or an other ship. They've got to bring it back. I hope. :confused:

I was reading about it earlier today and this is what I found:

https://pilotonline.com/business/consumer/carnival-to-drop-voyages-out-of-norfolk-next-year/article_b6bc121c-3760-53de-b21a-daa3e6fad5bf.html

I imagien they will be back soon, maybe just a little logistical break.