Why no home ship for NY port

[jimbo5544]

Let me tell you about that .... we did a seven day to Bermuda on NCL this summer in July. It rained a good bit of the time and people were cooped up on the ship. It wasn't a happy cruise, especially not after we put into Bermuda and didn't pull back into international waters for two and a half days. People were pissed. A lot of folks didn't realize that the casino wasn't open when the ship was in port and that there wasn't a whole going on onboard. So that different kind of cabin fever ... yeah, totally agree.

hmmmm yes I can see that. I was thinking more of ice covered balconies and waves breaking over the bow but to their own nighmares....

[Crusin6]

I agree with what you say (the supply and demand thing) and I also agree that it is limited demand that keeps the small number of cruises they DO offer at a premium (in a lot of cases more than adding in the comparable airfare to the cruise price). I would just like to see them add more options (number of cruises from the NYC area) which will give more options and drive the price down. Maybe somewhat wishful thinking but think it would work for everyone that way....

Exactly....more options from Carnival. Reasonably priced of course! I was disappointed that they cancelled the summer week long cruises to Canada...now that we would have done....I personally would like to sail to Montreal on Carnival, at good prices, from NYC. Bermuda is a given and my family would be thrilled with Newport..Boston...Bar Harbor..Halifax and some other stop in Canada (not St. John) for 7 to 10 days....In the summer....we don't cruise in the Fall because they kids go to school and we would be crazy to take them out in September when they have just started classes. Why Carnival doesn't mix up the Canada itins during the summer I do not understand. Well I do understand because on the 4 & 5 niters they can turn the ship over faster thus bringing in more alcohol and gambling revenue whereas a nice 7 to 10 day family cruise to the great ports I mentioned above would not generate the income. While I could drive to all the ports I mentioned, the convenience of having your room follow you and your food available around the clock is the draw.

[karen116]

Hey all. i was just wondering why there is no home ship for the NY port? I am always haveing to fly to every cruise i take. Not complaining i love to travel. It would just be soo awesome if i could just hop on the subway and catch the ship:D

 

 

What do you mean there is no home ship for the NY Port?

[jimbo5544]

What do you mean there is no home ship for the NY Port?

Meaning there is not a Carnival ship home ported there throughout the year.

[Aoumd]

Good points raised about Bermuda, and how the island wants to limit cruise calls. I read that Carnival Corporation likes to leave a lot of decisions up to their individual brands, but I wonder if Carnival has ever considered adding up how many corporate-wide Bermuda port call "slots" they have among all their brands, and then devising a strategy to optimize the distribution of Bermuda "slots" across brands in the most profitable manner (I don't know CCL's numbers, but a big Carnival ship, even at lower per person fares, could mean more $$$ to their bottom line than a smaller HAL ship at higher fares)

 

Just my two cents, but based on hearing how popular NYC is in season combined with the premiums CCL charges for sailing out of here, I wonder if the ideal strategy for NYC might be to use a Spirit class (smaller and with dome) to sail out of NY during the winter on longer cruises to the Bahamas/Eastern Caribbean, and in the summer swap her out for a larger ship for the 8-day Eastern Caribbean runs (or possibly alternating between 8-day Eastern Caribbean runs and 6-day Bermuda runs?).

 

If RCCL can fill something with 3,114 berths and be profitable in the off months, I still have to think CCL can fill 2,100 berths at much lower fares with a dome in the off months too. Especially since the NYC port market is not just the 18 million people in the greater NY area; much of upstate New York and New England can drive to NYC in one day (but can't easily drive to Baltimore in one day). Given how winter storms are with air travel, that's the market that takes RCCL's Explorer to sold-out at profitable fares during the winter months.

[bluelghttr]

i am just amazed

 

 

you want carnival to give you south florida (miam/ft lauderdale)

rates.

 

you want shorter cruises 3/4/7 days

you want newer ships spirti/conquest class

 

how about free drinks too?

$100 dollar onboard credit anyone?

Don't want much do we?

 

new york isn't miami, and you can't compare the rates

 

that's like saying i sell oranges in new york

i also sell oranges in south florida my, headquarters are there (where oranges are, just like where most cruise shps are)

 

i charge more for my oranges, in new york (shipping fuel etc)

 

you come into my store in new york to buy oranges, and are not happy with the price, you say i bought oranges in florida last year, and they were cheaper.

 

can you guess if i am going to drop the price just because you don't like the price? NOOOOOOOOOOOOO

you tell me you will buy your oranges from the royal orange seller, his are cheaper ( good for him, want to see what the royal orange sellers charges when he has no competition)(the royal orange sellers rates are generaly higher for most of his oranges anyway)

 

and one of two things will happen either, you really like my oranges and buy my oranges for the price i am selling them, or you won't, and if you don't buy my oranges theres no point in sending them to new york any longer

 

i say have a nice day

 

i am all for voting with your wallet, but like i said earlier don't complain when carnival removes ships from new york because they will not sell for what carnival expects to get for their oranges

 

i can hear the screemin from this lot already, spent five days of a seven day cruise at sea, only one lousy port day on a seven day cruise, and that was lousy freeport, it was cold the ocean was rough, i will never sail carnival again

(sound familiar)

 

or hows about we go with the old tried and true carnival method of testing new ports. (after all new york in winter could be considered a "new Port") lets send the Fantasy up to new york for a year or two and see if it sells,(at a decent rate of course) if the fantasy sells well then we can upgrade new york to s "bigger" ship sound like a plan

or do i hear the sceemin again how dare carnival send that old tub to New york

 

peace out

[jimbo5544]

i am just amazed

 

 

you want carnival to give you south florida (miam/ft lauderdale)

rates.

 

you want shorter cruises 3/4/7 days

you want newer ships spirti/conquest class

 

how about free drinks too?

$100 dollar onboard credit anyone?

Don't want much do we?

 

new york isn't miami, and you can't compare the rates

 

that's like saying i sell oranges in new york

i also sell oranges in south florida my, headquarters are there (where oranges are, just like where most cruise shps are)

 

i charge more for my oranges, in new york (shipping fuel etc)

 

you come into my store in new york to buy oranges, and are not happy with the price, you say i bought oranges in florida last year, and they were cheaper.

 

can you guess if i am going to drop the price just because you don't like the price? NOOOOOOOOOOOOO

you tell me you will buy your oranges from the royal orange seller, his are cheaper ( good for him, want to see what the royal orange sellers charges when he has no competition)(the royal orange sellers rates are generaly higher for most of his oranges anyway)

 

and one of two things will happen either, you really like my oranges and buy my oranges for the price i am selling them, or you won't, and if you don't buy my oranges theres no point in sending them to new york any longer

 

i say have a nice day

 

i am all for voting with your wallet, but like i said earlier don't complain when carnival removes ships from new york because they will not sell for what carnival expects to get for their oranges

 

i can hear the screemin from this lot already, spent five days of a seven day cruise at sea, only one lousy port day on a seven day cruise, and that was lousy freeport, it was cold the ocean was rough, i will never sail carnival again

(sound familiar)

 

or hows about we go with the old tried and true carnival method of testing new ports. (after all new york in winter could be considered a "new Port") lets send the Fantasy up to new york for a year or two and see if it sells,(at a decent rate of course) if the fantasy sells well then we can upgrade new york to s "bigger" ship sound like a plan

or do i hear the sceemin again how dare carnival send that old tub to New york

 

peace out

Wow, have a few less cups of coffee....must be stressful in the fruit selling world.:rolleyes: As I mentioned before, I think it that any ship that Carnival might put in NYC would have to be smaller (older). That being said, for as many sea days that would be required, a Spirit class would be a perfect fit (my opinion that balconies make sea days better). Also as I mentioned, the economics would level set themselves (over time). I think the main reason Carnival cruises out of NYC are pricey is limited sailings (supply and demand) and fuel costs. Time will take of the first part (assuming it would ever happen) and smaller ship (Spirit class) would take the second part.

 

Almost lastly, your right, if they DID put a ship there and it did not sell (I highly doubt that would happen) and then they took it away, then the market lives with that result (a la San Diego with the Elation).

 

And chill a little, what's wrong with people expressing their wants and desires, nobody is screamin as you put it.....:D

[LemurCat]

Good points raised about Bermuda, and how the island wants to limit cruise calls. I read that Carnival Corporation likes to leave a lot of decisions up to their individual brands, but I wonder if Carnival has ever considered adding up how many corporate-wide Bermuda port call "slots" they have among all their brands, and then devising a strategy to optimize the distribution of Bermuda "slots" across brands in the most profitable manner (I don't know CCL's numbers, but a big Carnival ship, even at lower per person fares, could mean more $$$ to their bottom line than a smaller HAL ship at higher fares)

 

It's not just the islands having limited slots, it's also the islands having only one true deep water port that can handle a Carnival ship and the births for said port being more or less locked up year after year by RCL and NCL. I don't think there is a Carnival ship that can make it through Town Cut into St. George's. I know HAL's Veendam is going to both Hamilton and St. George's and avoiding King's Wharf altogether, probably due to not being able to get a birth.

 

It also has to do with Bermuda having some very, very high port charges, and the fact that Carnival can't operate the casino while docked in Bermudian waters, as well as the fact that that locals aren't fond of the fact that the cruising set returns to the ship to eat instead of eating on shore.

 

All in all, I don't think Bermuda is a good fit for Carnival. And I think the Carnival suits know that but use it to their advantage by going there on a very limited basis and charging a good bit for the experience.

[spacewoman]

We just did cruise #7 out of New York. First cruise was aboard the Pride for a 7 day Bermuda trip. Hooked us on cruises forever. TA told us she could fly us to Florida and cruise for cheaper than what we paid. That said, like convenience of having someone drive us to pier and drop us off. We did the eastern caribbean on the Miracle for the 2nd year in a row. We got two relatives in at last minute and they paid $300 more per person than we paid for original booking. These ships have always been at full capacity I don't understand why they're not looking to have maybe a second ship here May to October. I do see that the Miracle has only 1 offering of PR, St. Thomas and Grand Turk next September so it appears that fuel costs must be the factor as other posters have stated. We're contemplating a drive to Baltimore to board the Pride again although it would be a Port Canaveral, Bahamas itinerary. Hubby won't fly so that definitely limits cruise options. I have not found any bargains with NCL either. Priced a next September to bermuda at $1,300 a piece for Balcony and Gem to Lauderdale and bahamas was around $1,100 a piece.

 

For us it would be nice to fly right out of Stewart Airport to one of the Florida ports though.

[booklady26]

I want to counter some of the arguments people have against sailing out of NY:

 

The ships don't fill up or are heavily discounted so the cruise lines don't make as much money

We have been sailing exclusively out of the NY area since the Carnival Legend sailed to the Carribean in 2003. We generally cruise twice a year, once in February/March and again in the fall. In addition to Carnival, I have sailed from NY ports on Princess, HAL, Cunard & NCL and will be going on RCI next February.

 

For every one of those cruises I've taken, I have seen the prices go up in the months after I've booked. For example, I booked my RCI cruise in the summer and the price for my JS is now $300 pp more than what I'm paying. The only exception to this is my upcoming cruise on the Dream in 19 days (but who's counting). I booked this on the first day bookings opened in July 2008. I figured that with only 2 cruises out of NY, they'd fill up quickly. Apparently not since we're ultimately paying $1,100 less than our original booking price for a spa stateroom. The price finally stopped going down last month.

 

NY sailings are more expensive than FL

In general, I am willing to pay more for the convienience of leaving my house and being at the pier in about 1 hour. Besides the cost of the flight and the associated baggage charges which can really add up, how about adding in a pre-cruise hotel room and a day's worth of meals and other expenses. I have no faith in air travel to get me where I need to be on time, so I would never fly in on embarkation day.

 

NY sailings are too long

Yes, cruises to points south out of NY are generally longer. It takes more time to sail from here to the Bahamas or Carribean. I love the extra sea days on the NY cruises. Having 2 days at the beginning and end of my cruise is so relaxing. 8 days on the Dream seems like such a short cruise to me now, although we still have 2 sea days each way just fewer ports in between.

 

Sailing out of NY is too cold in the winter

Who cares if it's cold at the beginning and end of my cruise. I use that time to explore the ship. I attend some of the lectures or take part in indoor activities. Or I just find a quiet spot and read. I am never bored on a cruise.

 

The seas are too rough

Sailing through rough seas is not a pleasant experience, but it doesn't ruin my cruise, or even that one day, either. If you don't want to feel motion, take a land vacation. You're on a ship in the middle of the ocean for heaven sakes. Neither my husband nor I are prone to motion sickness or else we wouldn't cruise.

 

Yes, I have sailed in very rough seas.

 

On Thanksgiving Day, 2004, we sailed through a noreaster on the QM2. I can attest to the fact that size really doesn't matter when you're up against forces of nature. It didn't bother us, though. We still enjoyed our Thanksgiving dinner that evening.

 

I have also had very smooth sailings from NYC and some very rough ones out of Florida.

 

The first time I ever saw "sick bags" in public areas we were sailing from Antigua to Barbados. It wasn't a hurricane, just a storm with rough seas.

 

In 43 cruises, the only time I was ever seasick happened to be on a cruise out of NYC, however, it was when we sailed into the Carribean south of Florida on our way to Puerto Rico. We encountered rough seas and we were sailing on a very small ship, the Stella Solaris, about 18,000 tons. My husband has never been seasick.

[Dorene1]

This topic has been going on and on. Carnival will not sail all year out of NYC. As much as I do like to sail out of NYC, I dont want to go to the Bahama's and that seems to be the place to go.........the prices are getting higher and higher. I love Carnival, I will be going on the Pride next year but I have 2 other cruises booked out of Florida.......3 years from now, this topic will still be going strong.

 

 

Dorene

[Maraprince]

I want to counter some of the arguments people have against sailing out of NY:

 

The ships don't fill up or are heavily discounted so the cruise lines don't make as much money

We have been sailing exclusively out of the NY area since the Carnival Legend sailed to the Carribean in 2003. We generally cruise twice a year, once in February/March and again in the fall. In addition to Carnival, I have sailed from NY ports on Princess, HAL, Cunard & NCL and will be going on RCI next February.

 

 

We have encountered the same thing. Pricing went up as the sail date neared. According to my TA, cruise lines have NO PROBLEM filling up a ship out of NY. It is a very popular market and very much in demand. If you want to guarantee almost a full ship, sail it out of NY! With all the groups out there and the many cruise only agencies that sell cruises, the demand is greater than the supply.

On every cruise line we have sailed on either out of NY or NJ, passenger capacity is high. For the Europeans, sailing out of a US port is a very good bargain for them. Even with paying for transatlantic airfare, they are still getting a good deal on their sailings. Many more Europeans are on ships departing from US ports than ever before because of the great prices vs. the Euro priced sailings in the Med. and Europe.

 

For every one of those cruises I've taken, I have seen the prices go up in the months after I've booked. For example, I booked my RCI cruise in the summer and the price for my JS is now $300 pp more than what I'm paying. The only exception to this is my upcoming cruise on the Dream in 19 days (but who's counting). I booked this on the first day bookings opened in July 2008. I figured that with only 2 cruises out of NY, they'd fill up quickly. Apparently not since we're ultimately paying $1,100 less than our original booking price for a spa stateroom. The price finally stopped going down last month.

 

NY sailings are more expensive than FL

In general, I am willing to pay more for the convienience of leaving my house and being at the pier in about 1 hour. Besides the cost of the flight and the associated baggage charges which can really add up, how about adding in a pre-cruise hotel room and a day's worth of meals and other expenses. I have no faith in air travel to get me where I need to be on time, so I would never fly in on embarkation day.

 

If you factor in the price of airfare to Fl., add in a hotel, meals, etc., you are using up more vacation time (big consideration to some of us) and still visiting the same number of ports in the same days. Pricing out of NY becomes a moot point. I'd rather pay a little extra to have the airlines NOT lose my luggage or LIMIT the amount of luggage I can fly with, paying for food on the plane that is inedible, suffering flight delays/cancellations and have the convenience of picking up the phone and calling a car service and arriving at the port in an hour or less. I am not suffering from dehydration or trying to get the kinks out from sitting in a cramped airline seat or waiting for a delayed flight at the airport, I am not sleep deprived and know what time zone I am in, I do not arrive in yesterday's slept in clothes and hungry for the first thing I see, I can speak in full sentences and make sense when checking in. For years I envied all those passengers in Fl. who arrived with carryon luggage and a suiter, stepped out of a car/limo and looked fresh as a daisy and carefree unlike me who felt like yesterday's rumpled papers and missing a suitcase or having a damaged suitcase.

NY sailings are too long

Yes, cruises to points south out of NY are generally longer. It takes more time to sail from here to the Bahamas or Carribean. I love the extra sea days on the NY cruises. Having 2 days at the beginning and end of my cruise is so relaxing. 8 days on the Dream seems like such a short cruise to me now, although we still have 2 sea days each way just fewer ports in between.

 

Anything less than 8 days is just a "tease" or a long weekend. This is my vacation and I want the most days on a cruise that I can get. You just about start to feel relaxed on a 7-day sailing and it is time to return home! On a Caribbean sailing you are supposed to kick back, leave the "rat race" behind, and go with the flow. If you are an "A" type personality constantly having to be in motion or in touch with someone back home (office or family), you are not really enjoying your time on the ship.

 

Sailing out of NY is too cold in the winter

Who cares if it's cold at the beginning and end of my cruise. I use that time to explore the ship. I attend some of the lectures or take part in indoor activities. Or I just find a quiet spot and read. I am never bored on a cruise.

 

Not if there is a dome! This will enable you to stay out on deck no matter what the weather is. NCL and RCL do not have domes on their ships and still sail out of NY/NJ.

The seas are too rough

Sailing through rough seas is not a pleasant experience, but it doesn't ruin my cruise, or even that one day, either. If you don't want to feel motion, take a land vacation. You're on a ship in the middle of the ocean for heaven sakes. Neither my husband nor I are prone to motion sickness or else we wouldn't cruise.

 

Yes, I have sailed in very rough seas.

 

On Thanksgiving Day, 2004, we sailed through a noreaster on the QM2. I can attest to the fact that size really doesn't matter when you're up against forces of nature. It didn't bother us, though. We still enjoyed our Thanksgiving dinner that evening.

 

I have also had very smooth sailings from NYC and some very rough ones out of Florida.

 

The first time I ever saw "sick bags" in public areas we were sailing from Antigua to Barbados. It wasn't a hurricane, just a storm with rough seas.

 

In 43 cruises, the only time I was ever seasick happened to be on a cruise out of NYC, however, it was when we sailed into the Carribean south of Florida on our way to Puerto Rico. We encountered rough seas and we were sailing on a very small ship, the Stella Solaris, about 18,000 tons. My husband has never been seasick.

 

You have to remember, rough seas can occur in good weather. It is usually the wind that makes for rough seas. The larger ships of today are better equipted to handle rough seas without major discomfort to the majority of the passengers. However, some passengers will feel the slightest movement and react to it.

Thank goodness for Sea Bands -- those little elastic wrist bands with the button. No dry mouth or falling asleep at the table anymore like with Dramine. No reaction as to the patch behind the ear. With more than 60 sailings in all types of weather, I can now feel secure I will not even feel the slightest bit of seasickness with the Sea Bands. You buy them once and they can be used over and over again. I do not wear them into the shower (my choice), but have found I function the same way as I would on dry land.

MARAPRINCE

[bluelghttr]

Bravo Bravo Booklady26

 

my hats off to you fair lady

you actually get it, you understand.

 

i will admit it is easy to cruise out of new york, although much like flying to miami, for me it still takes a half a day, as i refuse to stay in that toilet one miinute longer than i have to. and i absolutely hate to drive in new york, and i am every bit as stressed by it, if not more than going through any airport

 

although i must just slightly disagree one just one point.

i cruise to get out in the warm ocean breezes, to enjoy the sun

for me to loose 4 + days to cold weather would not make me

happy.

 

what many people don't realize is just how cheap cruising is these days

(even at new york prices)

when i started cruising the rates were much higher.

if i remember correctly i paid something like $1300 for an inside/share no less

on the celebration for a seven day cruise. (out of miami)

if i were to price a similar cruise today, even at solo rates i would bet i could bring in that cruise with air for about $800 to $900.

 

 

adjust for inflation a similar seven day cruise should go for well over $2000 dollars

 

 

my work here is done

[bluelghttr]

oh and forgot to mention earlier

 

Oranges really are vile little creatures, much like gremlins

and i have come to develope quite a hatred of them after fighting them for many years.

 

and i assure you no good will come of them,and they should be exterminated

at all costs.

best way is to shoot them in the head.

[Maraprince]

Having a retractable dome on the ship makes all the difference in the world! Having experienced bad weather due to storms and cold weather and fog it is great just to be able to have the extra space and be able to comfortably use the pool since you are protected from the elements.

 

Carnival if you read these threads, consider having a ship in NY year round even if you have to assign different ships to do this. If you provide the ship, we will book it!

 

 

MARAPRINCE

[jimbo5544]

Having a retractable dome on the ship makes all the difference in the world! Having experienced bad weather due to storms and cold weather and fog it is great just to be able to have the extra space and be able to comfortably use the pool since you are protected from the elements.

 

Carnival if you read these threads, consider having a ship in NY year round even if you have to assign different ships to do this. If you provide the ship, we will book it!

 

 

MARAPRINCE

So you kind of mean....Drum roll please...in a field of dreams kind of rip off

We will book it if you come...:D

[Maraprince]

So you kind of mean....Drum roll please...in a field of dreams kind of rip off

We will book it if you come...:D

 

 

You can't book a cruise that is NOT being offered! :D

 

MARAPRINCE

[jimbo5544]

You can't book a cruise that is NOT being offered! :D

 

MARAPRINCE

True enough....does this make it another one of those which came first, the chicken or the egg dilemma's? :D

[scperk]

It will be interesting to see how the Dream will be taken next month, because there is no retractable dome for either pool.....Dennis

[LemurCat]

It will be interesting to see how the Dream will be taken next month, because there is no retractable dome for either pool.....Dennis

 

Provided the pools are heated, it shouldn't be too much of an issue once they get down to the Carolinas or so.

[jimbo5544]

Provided the pools are heated, it shouldn't be too much of an issue once they get down to the Carolinas or so.

Or getting a chair around the pools will not be a problem during the first two days.