BlerkOne

From the left coast, NCL and Princess (and more) also cruise. It isn't a match race.

Carnival doesn't issue the gift cards, and you are correct - GC are not credit cards - they are a different product. They aren't for everyone.

Royal also used to share with Azamara until they sold off Azamara. Did any Royal customers move with Azamara? Hmmm. Royal's business model includes bribery and Royal has made cutbacks to their loyalty program. No marketing/loyalty program is sustainable without change. The programs grow until available resources are exhausted. Royal cutback, MSC cutback. They all do. It isn't about retention. Existing customers don't pay for new ships - new customers do. Retention doesn't grow a business and nobody retains 100% of customers. To grow a business and pay for new ships you need new customers.

RCL is the first to abandon ports. They try to compete in New Orleans periodically and are always the first to pull out. On New Orleans, Carnival isn't the only game in town as NCL is there seasonally and Disney will put a ship there later this year so that will be four. Of course New Orleans can handle more ships.

It has been a winning strategy for over 50 years, before there were different colored cards, loyalty programs, etc. Carnival was founded as a non-elitist cruise line, one size fits most.

It's called poaching. Other cruise lines are willing to bribe their own to keep them loyal - they think nothing of stealing from other cruise lines. MSC stole so many they no longer match Carnival Diamond to their Black and MSC throws you out of the program if you don't cruise once every three years. Carnival obviously doesn't want cruisers who cruise for perks. It isn't part of their business model.

This is true. Much of the flatware was never used anyway and it was a waste of time and money. Two of the pieces I missed most were a butter knife and occasionally a cocktail fork. I even used to bring my own. I got over it. But Carnival will bring more utensils if needed.

The main change Carnival makes to the loyalty program is replacing the manager for the program every other year. I think about the best anyone can expect might be a one time preview for Diamonds on Princess. Or perhaps a random selection. Carnival is so much bigger than the other cruise lines and could easily overwhelm the ships and ship resources. And I can see Princess having a one time on HAL, etc. I think corporate wide Carnival wants cruisers who like particular brands, and not cruisers who cruise for benefits.

The removal of the tablecloths coincided with the replacement of the hideous table tops underneath with beautiful shiny new table tops that didn't need to be hidden. Tablecloths are from an era gone by. American Table refers to the non-elegant nights and American Feast the more elegant nights. https://carnival-news.com/2013/12/03/carnival-cruise-lines-announces-new-american-table-and-american-feast-dinner-concepts/

Check the other boards. Royal also has issues. Gift cards are not cash or credit cards and are handled differently, including accounting. Everybody wants a discount and it sometimes comes with a price. Gift cards are issued by a different entity, so an extra middleman to deal with. Just for general info... https://carnival.ourgiftcards.com/terms

You risk running off loyal Princess cruisers that earned their status on Princess and don't want it diluted further. Besides, the Princess loyalty program is based on sea days OR number of cruises. It's a no brainer to pick Princess over Celebrity.

There's a tablecloth for that!

Higher costs per lower berth equals higher fixed costs - Royal will have to charge more and sail at higher occupancy just to break even which leaves nothing to service debt. Royal already sold off Azamara. Who's next?

Looks stuffy. Definitely not a Fun Ship.

Do new ships get a 5 rating by default? With so few sailings, I wonder how many of the executive board were even on the ship (which is still in dry dock).

Teriyaki salmon has been around a long time. Carnival rotates dishes around whether or not people realize it.

Never heard of much less tried, but I googled it, sure, I'd do one. They seem quite popular. Plus some McDonald's donate 25 cents from each sale to charity.

I'd take the Cove all day. You have to keep the curtains closed at night with a 4J and when there is something to see, your view will likely be blocked by a butt.

Apparently perfection isn't good enough for some people, and they will keep looking until they find fault. With any new ship there is a learning curve and it takes a while to work the kinks out. Or maybe someone was upset their contraband was confiscated. Who knows. So much is subjective.

Brain food. I've never tried a McRib and not tempted to. Their fountain Coke is the best of any restaurant, fast food or other.

10% when booked online before the cruise.

I've never complained about portions being too small. I think they are just right. I'm not one of those, but appreciate diversity in everything. I know one size doesn't fit all and that the universe doesn't revolve around me. Carnival can't please everyone al the time and they know it.

Announced about 10 years ago and rolled out over the next 2 years or so.

My favorite restaurant at home is Mexican and the only thing that changes are the prices. Your favorite restaurants at home don't serve many thousands a day or contract food for a million or more per year. Carnival can't just go down to the local market and buy whatever is available. If they could, nobody could afford to cruise and they would surely have gone bankrupt before Covid.

They never mess with Filet-O-Fish.