Goodby Carnival . . .

[ladycaveat]

Carnival has recently stopped catering to solo cruisers . . . thus the 150% for a 1A single cabin is now going for 200%. For the past few years I've cruised only on Carniival but now that it's 200% (solo cruiser have to pay for two people) . . . plan to book another cruise line next year. Please tell me the pros and cons of the cruise lines you've cruised on. I've been on Princess and Celebrity (once each) and liked both. If you were to cruise on another cruise line after years with Carnival . . . which one would it be?

[ATL2LAS]

I'm headed back to Vegas. I hope Carnival opens its eyes and realizes that it has made a mistake.

[Essiesmom]

Well, I've sailed solo on HAL as well as Princess and Carnival. You just have to look for the 'deals'. I'm not going to leave Carnival, because I can drive easily to two ports and less easily to two more, as opposed to having to fly for all other lines...EM

[fi'fi]

Give ncl epic a try. They have special solo cabins and the solo cruisers have their own gathering area with key card access.

[ladycaveat]

I'm headed back to Vegas. I hope Carnival opens its eyes and realizes that it has made a mistake.

 

Amen to that! Just think Carnival is losing a lot of us single cruisers . . . .

[ladycaveat]

Give ncl epic a try. They have special solo cabins and the solo cruisers have their own gathering area with key card access.

 

Thanks . . . I'm gonna look into that . . . .

[Host Kewlguy]

Carnival has recently stopped catering to solo cruisers . . . thus the 150% for a 1A single cabin is now going for 200%. For the past few years I've cruised only on Carniival but now that it's 200% (solo cruiser have to pay for two people) . . . plan to book another cruise line next year. Please tell me the pros and cons of the cruise lines you've cruised on. I've been on Princess and Celebrity (once each) and liked both. If you were to cruise on another cruise line after years with Carnival . . . which one would it be?

 

Try Royal Caribbean. We are very satisfied with their product.

[Traveler353]

Give ncl epic a try. They have special solo cabins and the solo cruisers have their own gathering area with key card access.

 

 

Have you priced them? I have and they are twice as much as a much larger 1A cabins on Carnival ships.

[UlvaZell]

Well, I've sailed solo on HAL as well as Princess and Carnival. You just have to look for the 'deals'. I'm not going to leave Carnival, because I can drive easily to two ports and less easily to two more, as opposed to having to fly for all other lines...EM

 

Carnival also owns HAL and Princess along with about 8 other lines...

[CALMOM]

Princess charges 200%, so I don't think that will be an option for you. Actually, I have heard that all cruise lines are now charging 200% because as the poster said previously, the solo uses the same amount of space, a cabin for two. I have also heard that in addition to the cruise lines no longer giving any type of discount for a solo cruiser, more of the cruise lines are dropping the 3rd and 4th passenger discount.

 

I think more and more people are cruising for vacations and there fore, cruise lines aren't giving needless discounts anymore.

[Fredr]

Well, I guess it's time to sell my Carnival Stocks.

With these 2 posters defecting, Carnival will no longer be the nost profitable cruise line in the world.

They will probably be selling off their ships on ebay any day now.

 

 

Bruce,

 

After Carnival which cruise line is the most profitable?

[BruceMuzz]

Fredr,

I honestly have no idea who is #2 on profits.

All the other lines are performing so poorly in comparison to Carnival that it really doesn't matter very much.

 

The Carnival Corp Group is the world's largest cruise company. Carnival Cruise Line in that group is by far the star performer. Also in that group, Princess is just breaking even, Cunard is doing OK, and Seabourn is bleeding money like they always have. Not too sure about the others, as they do not report financial details independently.

 

RCCL / Celebrity / Azamara is the world's second largest cruise company, but their financial results are not good at all. They are over-extended on loans and their stocks are suffering as a result. They have boosted capacity too quickly and are having challenges filling beds at a profitable daily rate.

 

NCL/Star Cruise is the world's third largest cruise company. NCL has come up with ways to lose money that nobody else ever even thought of before. The new "Epic" debacle has cost them so much money that it will never be able to turn a profit. The other NCL ships will donate their profits to cover the Epic's losses.

 

To clear up any mis-conceptions, I absolutely abhor Carnival, and would never sail with them - but I really wish I owned the company.

[room010]

Not saying I agree or disagree but

Why give special consideration? That single is using up space designed for 2. Special consideration is already granted in Past Guest rates, senior discounts, military discounts, ES rates, group rates etc,etc.

 

Carnivals primary responsibility is to it's stock holders not special interest groups.

 

And there we have it. I wouldn't call solo passengers a "special interest" group but yes, in Carnival World the stockholders are more important than the passengers :rolleyes:

[cruisemom42]

Princess charges 200%, so I don't think that will be an option for you. Actually, I have heard that all cruise lines are now charging 200% because as the poster said previously, the solo uses the same amount of space, a cabin for two. I have also heard that in addition to the cruise lines no longer giving any type of discount for a solo cruiser, more of the cruise lines are dropping the 3rd and 4th passenger discount.

 

I think more and more people are cruising for vacations and there fore, cruise lines aren't giving needless discounts anymore.

 

I'm not sure where you are getting this info. As of this week, I just priced out a cruise on Princess and was getting about 150% for a cruise I'm considering. Also, my upcoming cruise with HAL is about 165% for an oceanview, but I could've gone with an inside cabin for 150%.

 

It's true that you can't get a balcony cabin for less than 200% on these lines. Still, if you are a smart shopper, as a solo you can end up paying around list price for a balcony cabin just be looking for the deep discounts.

[madelinerose]

If you were to cruise on another cruise line after years with Carnival . . . which one would it be?

 

I would post this on the Solo Cruisers board.

[fi'fi]

I think on the cruise I'm booked in they are 800.00 for the week. But you pay no surcharge and the solo traverlers who book these type of cabins have their own gathering area called the living room. Only they can enter with the key card. They have their own bar area big screen tv. Lounge area. You can meet new singles there instead of trying to figure out where alll the singles hang on the ship. I think the price Is worth it

[fi'fi]

Please check out this video of the solo cabins and the living room hangout

 

 

[ladycaveat]

Thank you so much for ya all's insight. My cruise in September will be (as I've said before) my last with Carnival. Guess it's not their fault . . . they just want to make money and if it no longer gives discounts to solo cruisers . . . so be it. Will definately check out HAL. Never been on that line before so it might be fun to try it. I do love Princess (or maybe it was just because it cruised to Alaska which was so much fun). Also really liked Celebrity (or maybe it was because it was my first solo cruise after my divorce and it cruised out of Baltimore). Would love to cruise on the Regina Magna (Chandress) but that cruise line no longer exists and the Regina Magna sunk in China. :eek:

[ehfl]

You might try the NCL Epic. They have single cabins, with no extra fee. There is only one bed, and obviously the cabin is a bit smaller. But the price is nice.

[WillieD13]

I always had the impression, at least from their advertising, that Carnival gears itself more toward family cruising. As such, it may be that they are intentionally moving away from singles, since some singles behavior (regardless of age), is not really the sort of thing parents want their under 18 year old children emulating.

[Adri204]

I am single at least at this time. I think its a shame when any curiseline ignores a viable market. Singles are a viable market. Hence singles cruises being marketed by TA's. I looked up several single cruises that are heavely marketed. I think the cruiselines should market to all various types of people and try to get everyone cruising. Thier markiting departments should do this.

 

I personally am impressed with RCL's slogan of "The nation of why not" or somthing like that. The point is they market to everyone from really active people like me to also people who just want to relax and hang out. I want to do a bit of both. I want to be extremly active and still have time to read a bit of a book and relax by the pool. But also in port I want to be so active im litterly a bit sore and tired when I come back to the ship but with a huge smile on my face.

 

Adri :)

[cruisemom42]

I always had the impression, at least from their advertising, that Carnival gears itself more toward family cruising. As such, it may be that they are intentionally moving away from singles, since some singles behavior (regardless of age), is not really the sort of thing parents want their under 18 year old children emulating.

 

Huh???

 

Solo cruisers are not necessarily "single" nor do they engage in any "singles" behavior (not even sure what that may be..........and don't really want to know.....)

 

Talk about stereotyping. :rolleyes:

[WillieD13]

Huh???

 

Solo cruisers are not necessarily "single" nor do they engage in any "singles" behavior (not even sure what that may be..........and don't really want to know.....)

 

Talk about stereotyping. :rolleyes:

 

If I offended someone, my apologies. I was not trying to stereotype, or step on anyone's toes here. I just reread the initial post, and perhaps I have misinterpreted what was said. Perhaps Ladycaveat might want to more clearly explain what she means by saying they are not catering to solo cruisers.

If she means, people travelling by themselves, then yes, I misinterpreted, and I will put forth another thought. Most cabins are set up for 2-4 people. By accepting a solo cruiser (married or not being irrelevant), the cruise line is in fact losing money, since the other bunks in the cabin go unsold. Since, as I said, Carnival seems to primarily gear their business toward families, economically they would rather have a multiple party booking, than a solo. It could be a purely economic decision on their part, still intentional, but governed by economics/profit, rather than by behavioral demographics as I mentioned before. It is unfortunate for those who fall into whatever category is being ignored, but like it or not, agree with it or not, that is what big companies do, whatever is best for the bottom line. And please don't interpret that as corporate greed, it is not, it is simple business, how to maximize your profits.

[ladycaveat]

If I offended someone, my apologies. I was not trying to stereotype, or step on anyone's toes here. I just reread the initial post, and perhaps I have misinterpreted what was said. Perhaps Ladycaveat might want to more clearly explain what she means by saying they are not catering to solo cruisers.

If she means, people travelling by themselves, then yes, I misinterpreted, and I will put forth another thought. Most cabins are set up for 2-4 people. By accepting a solo cruiser (married or not being irrelevant), the cruise line is in fact losing money, since the other bunks in the cabin go unsold. Since, as I said, Carnival seems to primarily gear their business toward families, economically they would rather have a multiple party booking, than a solo. It could be a purely economic decision on their part, still intentional, but governed by economics/profit, rather than by behavioral demographics as I mentioned before. It is unfortunate for those who fall into whatever category is being ignored, but like it or not, agree with it or not, that is what big companies do, whatever is best for the bottom line. And please don't interpret that as corporate greed, it is not, it is simple business, how to maximize your profits.

 

I'm sixty-three and by no means a "swinging single" . . . tee hee! Since my divorce in 1995, I cruise solo. I love the water and I think cruising is one of the safest vacations for women cruising alone. I still can't believe that Carnival has turned their back on those of us that are widowed or divorced and have no one to cruise with. In this day and age of the "baby boomers" who are getting up there in age and some on very limited budgets . . . it's so sad that Carnival . . . one of the last cruise lines to charge 150% as opposed to 200% for someone cruising alone. If they are afraid of the image of years ago . . . they could charge the 150% for those over fifty that are by no means "swinging singles." :D

[ATL2LAS]

Please check out this video of the solo cabins and the living room hangout

 

 

 

 

I looked at the video and it scared me:eek:. No room on either side of the bed, the shower is in a closet in the room with you, the sink is in a closet opposite that. I could only imagine where they hid the loo:rolleyes:. I will just have to keep my eyes open for bargains, or heaven help me, find someone to cruise with:(