PA Dutchman

On 4/30/2024 at 10:38 AM, BlerkOne said:

People don't cruise for Carnival perks. In fact, Carnival doesn't want cruisers who cruise for perks. That is not the case with Royal. It's reality.

yep Carnival thinks there prices are good enough don't really need the loyalty program,  best perks come from the MGM casino not Carnival  

13 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

Unfortunately Carnival has wrecked the currently loyalty program by allowing casino cruisers to accumulated cruise days on free and/or reduced rate cruises. They should not per the terms and conditions of the current program. I don't see Carnival ever adding a higher loyalty level because it will consist mostly of gamblers on reduced rate cruise days.

 

Carnival is a mass market, family oriented cruise line and novice cruisers are, and always have been, Carnival's bread and butter - their target market. Carnival needs to get back to basics. I don't see higher levels, but beefed up lower levels and perhaps some additions there.

Carnival can't handle Diamond and Platinum amounts on Journeys cruises , Casino is different from the Carnival loyalty program, you can't have everybody with the Diamand and platinum perks or Carnival will cx the program for different cruses, which they are already doing, we were Diamond in 2013 and the program went to hell when the added platinum perks, now it's nothing to many people involved,  don't matter how they do it somebody will get screwed

On 3/22/2024 at 12:00 PM, starstruck05 said:

John Heald, Carnival's Brand Ambassador, has stated that the new program should be rolled out by the end of the year but he's not able to give details as to what the new program is. It's been in the works for a while. I suspect an announcement maybe in the fall.

about 11 years, to see how they can screw us

On 4/2/2024 at 9:51 AM, JMAE said:

I'm a "nongambler", and it wouldn't bother me if they provided a VIFP benefit to gamblers since it is my choice not to gamble.  I just hope they improve their overall VIFP program, which I believe there is a lot of room for development.     

the casinos have there own programs, will not be included with the Carnival loyalty program, anyway to day they are not. 

On 4/15/2024 at 9:33 AM, bar1068 said:

Just did a quick look on Carnivals website, the May 5 from Baltimore sailing seems is not showing up, not unusual for a sailing only 3 weeks out. However I'd think at this point the May 5 cruise would leave from Norfolk, but just a guess.

 

The USACE and the Unified response groups working on the salvage operations from the Key Bridge collapse are aiming to have the normal shipping channel re-opened by the end of May. Certainly not a set in stone date, but a timeline they are working towards. Could be sooner, could be later. We could only assume that means cruise ships will be able to return to the Baltimore cruise port. Seems Carnival should be aware of this and making it's decisions, but who knows.

 

If you are curious, can read about the salvage operations here.

 

https://www.nab.usace.army.mil/Media/News-Releases/Article/3731790/us-army-corps-of-engineers-develops-tentative-timeline-to-reopen-fort-mchenry-c/

On 4/15/2024 at 5:42 PM, Redskinsfan92 said:

Odds favor Norfolk

they are saying end of April for the section 270 ide and 35 ft deep to open, end of May for the main channel , we will see if the General is right

they have priced their way out for us, not worth that price,  the steak house is sometimes better anyway

well what will the price be /?, they were looking at a different WiFi system that must have died

2 hours ago, garycarla said:

the port will be open soon.  Very soon.

 

Bridge rebuild?  Years.

I hope so, but it doesn't look good

On 3/22/2024 at 12:00 PM, starstruck05 said:

John Heald, Carnival's Brand Ambassador, has stated that the new program should be rolled out by the end of the year but he's not able to give details as to what the new program is. It's been in the works for a while. I suspect an announcement maybe in the fall.

this has bee going on for about 10 years and nothing,  Carnival think

s they give good prices so they don't really need a loyalty program

1 hour ago, Afttastic said:

 

I-95 in Philadelphia after the overpass fire was rebuilt within 2 weeks. Then again, they didn't have to remove 5,000 feet of steel from 50 foot waters.

 

I'm curious to see if they go with the quick route to get a replacement up as quickly as possible, or take their time to design one with more safeguards and a higher span that would eventually lead to larger ships coming to the port.

to replace the bridge, 2 years,  just get the channel cleaned out so ships can go thru

Just now, PA Dutchman said:

you get lots disconnection problems, our last cruise they said it was the cabin location, but we have the same where ever the cabins location is, sometimes it's wonderful and sometimes it is not , I take my lap top to watch races weekends and the internet for whatever, E mail. sometimes frustrating,  this was on the Legend

 

On 6/20/2021 at 1:52 PM, shof515 said:

satellite internet is like dial up speeds. the vpn might work but it will be very slow and you will gets lots of connection/disconnection problems

you get lots disconnection problems, our last cruise they said it was the cabin location, but we have the same where ever the cabins location is, sometimes it's wonderful and sometimes it is not , I take my lap top to watch races weekends and the internet for whatever, E mail. sometimes frustrating

On 12/28/2023 at 5:53 PM, CruiseHealing said:

If you haven’t heard Disney cruise lines just announced a major change to their loyalty program:

 

Guests who have completed one eligible Disney cruise automatically qualify for Castaway Club membership. To remain in the program, Castaway Club Members must book or sail on at least one eligible cruise within 5 years of their last Disney voyage. 

There are lot Carnival cruisers that have status, but haven’t sail Carnival for many years.  This would be a way to thin heard of Diamonds, Platinums and Golds that switched to other cruise lines or just stop cruising.  

 

what loyalty program, Carnival doesn't think it needs one, 

and the beat goes on, prices up and get less.  Guess I will stay with the Lido for breakfast

On the map looks like you are going back to Newfoundland, don't know where

21 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

Captain came on for noon announcement.  73 degrees 5 to 6 ft swells good weather for next three days.  

you do have something lurking to your east heading north north west 

48 cruises with CCl and won 2 times , 1 $5000 and 1 , $2000 the rest Carnival had a good time with my money

Ken wants to be on any ship out of Baltimore for some reason

On 2/17/2023 at 4:48 PM, smwc71alum said:

My first cruise was in 1975.....You have no idea the changes for the good and the bad !  The good for example...endless food options.  The bad Mega ships !

The Mega ships just are to Mega, the new system sucks even to get a reservation , stick it on a app that dosen't work when you want it to, 

On 2/12/2023 at 2:31 PM, nwcruiselover said:

If you’re an early diner and you check in right when they open, you usually get only a 10 minute wait.

thats what we did on the Mardi Gras worked out well. Not a fan of all the apps *****

7 hours ago, ProgRockCruiser said:

I agree there have been changes made to cut costs.  Many of these seem to be in areas that attempt to impact the overall cruise experience the least, so I guess some of that makes sense.

 

I will not judge those that desire (or not) twice a day room cleaning with/without turn down service and chocolates/mints on pillows.  I've experienced that in land-based accommodations, and I understand why some people value it.

 

I guess if you look at how much a cruise cost back in [pick your year], vs inflationary rates since then, it might become apparent that if you want that same experience, be prepared to pay the equivalent in today's dollars.  Which would probably mean switching lines based on today's offerings.

 

Carnival Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean and Norwegian (I guess) all compete for the lowest overall price.  They do it in varying manners, but as long as there is someone else selling a cruise package for less, there will be market pressure to find a way to match that price, which often means finding ways to cut back on costs so the line remains financially viable.

 

Many people were so quick to declare that Carnival Corp (and possibly other lines) was just days away from declaring bankruptcy, bailing on their stock, nervous about that $200 deposit for a cruise next year.

 

Well, if you're gonna come back from the devastation that was the pandemic shutdown, you probably have to cut back even further than what had been the trend prior to the shutdown.

 

Otherwise all the CCL and RCI and NCI customers will be bemoaning how their favorite line went out of business because they didn't cut back enough, and now they have to pay those huge fares on Holland America, Celebrity, whatever.

 

I'm interested in exploring a "slightly better cruise experience" too, like back in the "good old days", but not at double the fare.

 

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

10 hours ago, asalligo said:

My first Carnival Cruise in the 90's, the room literally was tidied every time we left it. We started joking that he had to be hiding somewhere in the room. 

 

Real elegant nights, tablecloths, the attention in the Main Dining Room was amazing compared to now. The little chocolates on the pillow at night. The over the top midnight buffet! A real Lobster and a real steak in the MDR included in your price. Robes without asking. A full room service menu. I could order a full breakfast to my room every morning for free. 

 

I often say people who are not complaining often are the ones who do not know what they are missing. I would pay Carnival more for one cruise that brought all that back. Even the more expensive lines are not doing most of this anymore. 

 

 

room service , coffee pots and a cig out on the deck at 0500 and watch the sun rise

10 hours ago, asalligo said:

My first Carnival Cruise in the 90's, the room literally was tidied every time we left it. We started joking that he had to be hiding somewhere in the room. 

 

Real elegant nights, tablecloths, the attention in the Main Dining Room was amazing compared to now. The little chocolates on the pillow at night. The over the top midnight buffet! A real Lobster and a real steak in the MDR included in your price. Robes without asking. A full room service menu. I could order a full breakfast to my room every morning for free. 

 

I often say people who are not complaining often are the ones who do not know what they are missing. I would pay Carnival more for one cruise that brought all that back. Even the more expensive lines are not doing most of this anymore. 

 

 

and tha't the way it was, add the Los Vegas shows you could never get a seat for

if you started cruising in the 1996 the Carnival world has change with cruising, from entertainment, you could not get a seat,  when Carnival came with Diamond it was wonderful , you were treated special, at that time there would be 2 to 8 diamonds and you had lunch with the Capt and CD , or Drinks at 5 , taken to the front of the line to disembark, all kinds of items and food in your cabin and as the time went on 20 Diamonds next year 40 Diamonds then add Platinum and the special treatment was gone. Diamond is now just a white card

On 2/11/2023 at 10:36 AM, Iluvmykindle said:

Yes it is.  Coffee included.

lots of coffee was included

On 2/12/2023 at 2:50 PM, bawdySlut said:

Nope. The menu has changed.

What chnged