Stick93

Funny I was just on allure in a suite and I came back to $100 of towel charges. They removed them when I called but I never scanned my card! I think allure is towel trigger happy.

People are loyal to a brand because they are comfortable with it. As long as the brand keeps them happy and they feel that they’re getting valued for what they pay for they stay. Once you’ve cruised many cruise lines and realize that the products are very similar in many ways and it’s the little perks that get people to go back. Weather it be casino comps, free alcohol, free laundry, a meal at an upscale restaurant, or just the ability to get on and off the ship early - everybody has something that they feel is a perk that gives them extra value to the cruise fair that they pay. Actual cruise fares have gone up across-the-board but I believe more on Royal than anybody else. However, if one books early on a group fair or gets a casino comp there are some affordable trips to be taken even on the more expensive fair ships. I I am sure though that Carnival if they could figure out a way of increasing the base fair, they would do it in a heartbeat. Even if it meant giving out more free drinks or a luggage tag to every single person.

Reality is if I get 4-5 drinks a day on a cruise for free I get more free things the longer the cruise is. 11 day cruise would be 44-55 drinks. If you get a good cruise fare it’s a good value. Carnival does not offer this but if I get a really cheap fare I may get value and still be ahead with a drink package that will run about $130 a day for two people.

We agree perception and reality are not the same. It’s a variable in the eye of the beholder.

I don’t understand - they pump up the price and yet their ships are sailing at 100%. Are so many people that bribed and unable to see the cheaper prices on the Fun Ships?? I could only think that just like people have choices between inside cabins and suits, economy and first class - people see a difference between Royals high priced product and carnivals lower priced products and still feel value in the higher priced product. There is no cruise line that would not want higher priced fares to sell vs lower price.

You speak the truth. It’s funny how there are a certain posters who cannot handle the preferences.

Its any drink up to $14 which is what the drink package covers as well. One trinket vs 4-5 drinks a day….

I’ve heard from a friend that on YouTube there are great videos on rum running…or you can just pay for your drinks that you order… OR don’t drink day one and save money (my favorite).

We are also talking about 4-5 complementary drinks a day VS one free drink the last night of the cruise as a perk. Is there a debate which one somone would like?

We can summit up like this: Royals prices are definitely higher across-the-board than Carnival right now. However, Carnival would love to lick their chops and get these prices as well. The name of the game is filling the ships and getting people to spend as much as possible. it’s a bonus if you can get a higher fair because you’re starting at a much higher price point and the profits are that much greater. Whether you can game the system or not to get perks would be a great debate? I started cruising in 2018 and have reached diamond status. I’ve always compared the prices between Carnival., NCL and Royal and I’ve never felt that I paid that much more to be on one ship over the other. I think that if you’re starting to cruise in 2024, and you want to game the system to get perks, you probably will be paying a premium - and those free drinks that they’re giving out to their loyal customers are priced into that. The last thing is, there’s no difference between drinking 15, 20 or 25 drinks in a day. Firstly, if you know how to get 15 drinks on Carnival, you probably could get more. I’ve also seen firsthand that people are way more inebriated on Carnival as compared to at least royal. NCL stands out to me as the most drunks - but they boast the all inclusive.

I think getting a cheap fare, a small gift, free laundry and one drink that you can redeem from one hour on the last night of the cruise is a great loyalty gimmick. I think free drinks speak louder as its a tangible that you get daily and feel you have saved without buying. Carnival has nailed the levels well by giving different card colors out. A silver and white card look good even if you are traveling in an inside cabin on deck one. I really like carnival - I just cannot stand the rough behavior that I have only encountered on their ships and have stopped feeling safe at times. They do very little to help this and don’t enforce rules enough. Now I know there will be one or two people with links to fights on royal and NCL - but the links are not what WE the passengers have seen with our own two eyes. Being threatened with violence and having security do nothing is a very poor business model. Cheap fares bring many things….

MSC has too many negatives after the ships look nice… - on this the Carnival wins

Not all bars have espresso - if you have the package you can get a shot of expresso at coffee bar and go over to any bar and they will make one for you - I remember doing that on some of the ships - might have been horizon which alchemy bar didn’t have the espresso machine.

Interesting - i always feel like I swell at seas…

Good philosophy! Go often and cheap! There are still deals out there but you have to know where to find them.

The water that’s filtered is not that bad. If you want to save money take a reusable cup and fill with ice and water from the lido deck.

Carnivals rates to book are the lowest of any cruise line. They won’t give you anything and the loyalty of staying with carnival is just to brag that you have survived that many days (I learnt the hard way it’s not that easy). The value of what loyalty of any of the cruise line is worth is whatever an individual feels it’s worth. In my opinion 4-5 free drinks a day is a greater perk than a gift of a luggage tag - although the blanket/beach bag and cross chest bag was nice.

You only get drinks while playing. It’s not exactly drinks all the time -

Don’t think the islanders cruise on carnival or strictly Disney?

Carnival is a big company. They will survive our small gabs. Heck we cruise on them (not so much anymore) but I have been on 15 of their journeys.

Most of carnivals small ships need to go to only one port - the one in turkey and never come back. Those ships have sailed! (Pun intended)

I am sure glad you don’t have a seat with the suits at carnival. Thinking small is for companies in trouble. The new behemoth ship for royal are getting $1500 per person for inside rooms and that’s for anytime in the next 2 years. I can go on the carnival celebration for$1500 in a balcony for 2 people. Seems like the ships are a selling point more than the destination. Just because your preference may be for smaller, cheaper, less pay entertainment and more ports that all look the same anyways - doesn’t make it more profitable.

No cruise line besides Norwegian has made a smaller ship recently - every cruise line is adding revenue enhancing entertainment. A water park on sea is prob more profitable than a roller coaster that takes 2 people one time. It’s all about more $$$$. Personally I give the companies credit for getting the money out of people’s wallets so easily. Specialty dining, entertainment, roller coasters, thrill rides and anything else like adult only areas. The sky is the limit to what people will spend and are spending. Carnival needs more gimmicks-

But every cruise line heavily visits Bahamas ports. Nassau, the private islands. The costs are passed to the passengers who travel. The taxes and port fees are something people understand less than where their tips go to. This comment means nothing.

I think they should and would be very lucrative for them. The fact that carnival is building celebration island (whatever they are calling it) means they are aware of the “cash cows” a port that can spin dollars daily truly is.