Joebucks

Carnival doesn't "have" the funds to do a lot of the things they want, but that's irrelevant. They can get financing if they can show the investment will bring a return. When they get rid of ships, that is saying that the ship just isn't needed.

You'd be surprised. Take the free photo for example. Let's just say it has a negative impact on photo sales. Not only that, but research shows it has no bearing on improving retention, revenue per customer, etc etc. It will quickly go on the chopping block.

I don't think they're trying to prove anything in Norfolk, other than it can support a ship the size of the Sunshine. Since they can't be in Charleston, that's the next best option for that business who will consider it due to travel conveniences. Norfolk isn't ever going to be a huge port. The itinerary is limited and Virginia isn't synonymous with vacation. To spread out the business though, it makes more sense there than further oversaturating Miami.

I'm with you that if you want to give cruising a chance 7 or more days is the best way to truly experience it. Too many are worried "what if I'm trapped at sea" for xyz reasons. While I get your point about the 4 day cruise, I believe it is often overblown. Some people may actually enjoy the vibe.

I was reading a thread about Celebrity going up in price too much and this was on the first page with 11 likes "I have sailed on 6 cruises this year on Celebrity. I look at future cruises and the prices are increasing and that is understandable as everything is increasing In price. My issue is on the quality of the food, and the liquor and wine selections have also decreased on a linear scale during those 6 cruises. It is bad enough that the prices are really increasing but don’t charge for something that was promised and don’t provide with the excuse of it being a supply problem. The supply problem is an excuse for Celebrity not wanting to supply it to cut cost. " Celebrity is a fine product. It's a better choice for some. It's not for some. It can be exciting trying something new. Maybe you discover the change is what you needed. But the grass is greener on the other side stuff gets extreme. Especially when people think economic problems only apply to the line they have a magnifying glass on. Methinks, these tend to be the same people constantly complaining about cruising even before the pandemic. Always something.

You could say the same for any dinner venue

To me, most perks are trivial. The best loyalty plan right now is Royal Caribbean. If Platinum on Carnival, got me 3 daily cocktail vouchers, similarly to Royal, that would be enough for me. I don't need a pin, my laundry done, or to rush off the ship at 6 am.

Christmas on the Celebration. That sounds fun! Can't wait to see!

https://cruisemarketwatch.com/market-share/ I'm not sure why you are so hell bent on cherry-picking "victories" for MSC cruises. In 2021, Carnival Corporation did 8.8 billion in revenue. MSC did 1.5 billion. While Costa (under the Carnival umbrella) did 1.1 billion. If after 30 years, this is what MSC has to show, I fail to see this MSC dominance you speak of. This is like saying Hyatt corporation is destroying Crown Plaza (a brand of the IHG parent company). IHG shifts its brands as the market evolves. Same with Carnival Corp. They have multiple brands in Europe.

The rich parent isn't here to finance MSC's USA cruise business in perpetuity. That money is used as a marketing fund to establish a foothold in the USA market. If it doesn't pan out long-term, they absolutely will re-evaluate that business, regardless of what the shipping business earns.

The price increases are kind of even a silly topic. Literally, everything has raised in price, and significantly. While these cruises stayed very cheap. I paid significantly more to go to Florida and Vegas this year than I did previously. The difference is there was no "announcement" like there is here. I'd equate this to fear of fees. People generally accept fares are what they are. Anytime you introduce some type of measurable "increase," well they lose their minds. If it was all there in the first place, no harm, no foul.

I can nearly guarantee you are still overpaying by actively searching for a line with "free cancel/change fees". Customers love the marketing lines of "free" and will actively pay more to get it. There is much less of a need to have to cancel a flight if you book it closer to the cruise. That opens you up to more lines, prices, and routes. Anyways, here's a few sites that tell you when it's generally best to book a flight. None of them say asap. https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/113015/do-plane-tickets-get-cheaper-closer-date-departure.asp#:~:text=Flights are generally the most,does not affect the price. https://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-tips/when-to-book-flights-for-cheapest-airfare https://thepointsguy.com/guide/best-time-to-book-a-flight/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/suzannerowankelleher/2022/08/31/best-time-to-book-a-cheap-flight/?sh=5f1d21952ebc

Booking domestic flights in advance is a terrible idea for multiple reasons. People often do this because 1.) They are scared it will sell out or 2.) There's a misconception that buying anything in advance is cheaper. Airfare is statistically cheapest 60 days out (give or take 30). About 2 months out, it is extremely rare for them to be sold out. Not only price, but life happens. Plans change. Itineraries change. A good number of people you see complaining about being "stuck" with airfare after their cruise got cancelled, they can't go, etc. booked it too far in advance.

One of the biggest farces out there is "people lost income from COVID". Now don't get me wrong, a lot of small businesses got hit very hard. However, it seems to be a protective blanket for those who previously made poor financial decisions to continue to make those poor decisions. Yes, costs also did rise. People were using these excuses before the inflation. The inflation was also triggered by entry-level wages skyrocketing. I've traveled nearly 10 times since the pandemic started. Looking around and saying people can't afford it from the pandemic has been laughable. Have you been anywhere lately? Very smart. Avoid the thousands of people in a cruise ship instead, hang out with the thousands of people in a casino, mall, or restaurant. The cruise ship has poop and COVID everywhere while all of Vegas is sterilized.

Carnival's biggest issue is that they don't listen to all of the experts on here. Who have already drawn their line in the sand. However, if prices were raised 15% tomorrow, most wouldn't even know. Not to mention few actually read the article that said Royal also wants to raise their prices. The fact of the matter is that the cruise industry is still hurting. Not only the shutdown, but the insane rise of costs for everything. Labor shortages are generally only solved when you raise wages, if you're lucky, which has to come with higher revenues. Cutting costs is a good short-term method to correct or balance out expenses. However, it is not a long-term strategy for a solid business. People also pay exorbitant costs for "service," which brings great margins. If they are smart, they are watching their new models to gauge price perception. What might a Celebration, with more options, including more included dinner options, and increased entertainment, fetch? What about an Italian-themed ship that breaks the mold of a party ship? There's a lot more at play here than "I WOULDN'T BOOK THE CONQUEST AT TRIPLE THE PRICE!" People asked for Carnival to get rid of the poor people. Then they complain when there is a movement that would do so. You will never make anyone happy because they expect treatment and action that doesn't exist. One challenging obstacle for Carnival is to overcome is perception. If they suddenly decided to become a more premium service tomorrow, the public's perception might not change with it. Many already associate Carnival with vomit on the deck and below golden corral food. It can be done. It won't be easy though.

While you may be right, there's a ton of cruisers exhibiting financial behaviors that some of us would cringe at. I'd bet we'd all be surprised how many people change their mind once they're aboard. When you look at the price of Cheers, that $5 per day become negligible.

But the topic here was clearly about specialty dining. Are there any examples of cheap cruises getting these free

Please do not post this type of misleading "matter of fact" type of stuff. Your likely $5000+ cruise has a different business model than someone's weekend Caribbean cruise who is now expecting a steakhouse dinner to be comped because that's what they read online. It's like saying "good car dealerships give out a $5000 rebate". Yet you bought a BMW and someone else is trying to buy a KIA.

And it's basically hate speech if I say bring bottles of wine and drink water from the tap. I can't say I'm too well-versed in Carnival's wine selection. I vaguely remember layer cake being the most expensive wine in the MDR. It's not more than $13 a bottle. I'm sure the steakhouse has a solid selection. I can't do too much wine either lol. The two bottles I can bring are plenty of wine for the trip, and if I so choose, buying more glasses isn't the end.

Guest services is a zoo the first night. A bunch of people who need resolution to nothing. If I need to go, I'll wait until it dies down.

I'm in a pickle of not knowing what to do for our next cruise. We likely want to go to Cucina, maybe a Chibang. We vastly prefer early dining, don't care for YTD, and I hate eating dinner at 9 PM. Hmmm.

My point was more along the lines of the drinks being weak, period. Any "included" drinks are notorious for cheap liquors, weak pours, and high sugar fillers. I've done Cheers, multiple times. Hit 15 drinks, multiple times. Felt like garbage without much of a buzz, multiple times. Too many of those sugary drinks are brutal and not needed to enjoy myself. Although my drink of choice is bourbon on the rocks. Those bourbon pours are piddly. It all reminds me of the fast food / convenient store strategy of "every size drink the same price." Then everyone jumps on the large because this deal is too good to pass up. Then maybe you do or don't drink it. Often feeling like garbage if you do. In the end, the house won by creating a value perception with marketing tricks. My last cruise, I brought wine, bought ($1) beers in port, room bottle, thirsty frog beers in the cabin (for a morning balcony beer!), and a few cocktails when I wanted them (margarita here, old fashioned there). I didn't break $250 on all drinks that trip, if that, and I don't feel like I deprived myself one bit. Not to mention the other half didn't break $30 and loves specialty coffee.

Could be a number of reasons. Or no reason whatsoever, but they'll fall on that sword if need be. Off of the top of my head, I'd say first maybe there's some unwritten etiquette for some that says you see your dining team the first night. Some may also be saving specialty dining for when the standard dining options become stale / the menu doesn't excite. Not a huge fan tbh. Food may be marginally better, but not $40-$100+ better when there is already plenty of food included.

I feel like this is different. Sunshine got a lot of stuff, trying to look like a new ship. Many weren't fooled. I think instead of trying to look new, introducing a completely different theme is a good way to expand this saturated business.

I agree that comparing this year to last year might not be as similar as you think. If you're going to watch one cruise, thinking they are just going to give it away, then I think you're wasting your time. It's better to just be open to the possibility of sailing whatever is there. I am undecided how good the odds may be for watching three.