Farewell to Carnival's Signature Decor??

[Bookworm29]

The color orange is weeping today :(

[Tangocherie]

I do agree, change is inspiring.

[1timecruiser]

I'm really surprised how happy everyone seems to be about this news. I would have expected Carnival loyalists to have a better appreciation of the unique Carnival decor that has been a huge part of this line for 35 years. Frankly the decor of Joe Farcus helped put Carnival on the map. I'm not so quick to dismiss it and embrace a change. It was wacky and love it or hate it, people talked about it. How often do you hear people talk about the decor on Princess Cruises? Not very often because there is not much to talk about. It's designed in a way to not offend anyone, and once you have been on one Princess ship you have been on them all.

 

One thing I have always admired about Carnival and Farcus is that no two ships are alike. Each had their own theme, but even with those individual themes you could walk onboard and instantly know you were on a Carnival ship.

 

Personally, my history with Carnival goes back to the days of MARDI GRAS, CARNIVALE, and FESTIVALE. While I have often thought the decor of Carnival was bizarre and even tacky, I understood what Farcus was trying to do and could appreciate it ... and I think many of the millions that have enjoyed Carnival have as well. Simply put, that decor was a major aspect of what made the "Fun Ships", fun!

 

I just hope Carnival doesn't lose it's distinction with this change of direction. The decor is not entirely what Carnival is about, but it's been a trademark of the line for many years.

 

Ernie

 

 

Change is good, but like you, I appreciate the work of Joe Farcus to make each Carnival ship different yet similar in the fact that it symbolized what Carnival is known for, fun and colorful ships! I'm not a fan of HUGE ships, but would like to try the Dream or Magic when I do decide to take the plunge, however I have others in the fleet of Carnival ships to try out.

 

I have looked at other cruiselines and NONE have appealed in a way that Carnival does other than RC and only because it would be interesting to see the Royal Promenade in person. Besides that, we'd never utilize the rock climbing wall, ice skating rink, or flowriders, so why cramp ourselves in "nicely decorated" cubicles posing as cabins because of the decor? I love the prices Carnival offers, food and treatment on the ship, and the fact that for what we get out of it, we got a bargain in the mix!

 

I'm sure those on the transatlantic cruises or other Med cruises that the larger boats will cater too, will enjoy the new look, but i'll enjoy what's left for us "Farcus Fans," while I still can! ;)

[Kurbanfan]

Change is good, but like you, I appreciate the work of Joe Farcus to make each Carnival ship different yet similar in the fact that it symbolized what Carnival is known for, fun and colorful ships! I'm not a fan of HUGE ships, but would like to try the Dream or Magic when I do decide to take the plunge, however I have others in the fleet of Carnival ships to try out.

 

I have looked at other cruiselines and NONE have appealed in a way that Carnival does other than RC and only because it would be interesting to see the Royal Promenade in person. Besides that, we'd never utilize the rock climbing wall, ice skating rink, or flowriders, so why cramp ourselves in "nicely decorated" cubicles posing as cabins because of the decor? I love the prices Carnival offers, food and treatment on the ship, and the fact that for what we get out of it, we got a bargain in the mix!

 

I'm sure those on the transatlantic cruises or other Med cruises that the larger boats will cater too, will enjoy the new look, but i'll enjoy what's left for us "Farcus Fans," while I still can! ;)

 

Someone needs to do more research:) All the newer ships have bigger cabins.....our balcony cabin was the same size as Carnival......oh wait but the balcony itself was bigger:D

[sarge98]

Ever notice that although cabins on different side of the ship have the same furnishings they are on different sides of the cabin as you walk in. The bed on the right side on the starboard side but on the left as you walk in on the port side. Same with everything else. Thats a kind of charge.

[Bonneville02]

I have to admit that on the few Carnival ships I've set foot on, I can always find something that is so tacky, its amusing. I don't have a problem with tacky, because I'm only spending a few days on a cruise, not moving into a new home. Joe Farcus has had an interesting run with Carnival Corp. and when he is no longer designing for them, a bit of :confused: will be lost. On the other hand, it would be nice if the passenger cabins had a makeover. All the orange reminds me of DC's Metro subway system (circa 1976).

[oncruisecontrol]

 

One thing I have always admired about Carnival and Farcus is that no two ships are alike. Each had their own theme, but even with those individual themes you could walk onboard and instantly know you were on a Carnival ship.

 

 

 

I just hope Carnival doesn't lose it's distinction with this change of direction. The decor is not entirely what Carnival is about, but it's been a trademark of the line for many years.

 

Ernie

 

I agree with these statements 100%. I absolutely love it when I board a Carnival ship that I've never been on before. We explore the ship, and take photos of all the public areas and different rooms and venues. As a result, my photos of ourselves around the ship all have interesting and different backdrops. We especially had lots of fun taking campy pictures of ourselves on the Miracle in Dr. Frankenstein's Lab and The Mad Hatter's Ballroom. Another really fun embarkation was when we boarded the Freedom. We took some great photos in the 70's Disco in daylight. Also have some great photos of the Passage to India lounge on the Fascination and a great photo of myself and my sister sitting with a big red octopus on the Victory. A breath of fresh air is maybe needed, but I sure hope the new architects continue the theme concept of Carnival ships. I like the fact that the decor of every Carnival ship is different.

[mgm61]

well our first cruise on Carnival will be on the Spirit and looking at pics of her they are really extrodinary. I'm gonna like that boat. Our first cruise was disney and all mickey moused out sortof. Classical ship, best shows...

[oncruisecontrol]

Yikes! How could I have forgotten to mention (in my earlier post) that I absolutely LOVE the Bacchus diningroom on the Miracle. Heaven forbid, as I know most people despise the grapes. Of course, while I love the Carnival decor while on vacation, I would not want it in my home.

[SueG]

Ever notice that although cabins on different side of the ship have the same furnishings they are on different sides of the cabin as you walk in. The bed on the right side on the starboard side but on the left as you walk in on the port side. Same with everything else. Thats a kind of charge.

 

Not true. I have been only on Port side and my bed has been on different sides each time. Almost every other cabin has the beds on the opposite side. This is for Balcony rooms.

[UpstateCruizer]

Yikes! How could I have forgotten to mention (in my earlier post) that I absolutely LOVE the Bacchus diningroom on the Miracle. Heaven forbid, as I know most people despise the grapes. Of course, while I love the Carnival decor while on vacation, I would not want it in my home.

 

 

I totally agree with this. While I've also read many complaints based on the grape theme on the Miracle I really enjoyed the dining room and loved the grapes. We will be revisting these grapes again next month as well. For me when I'm on any ship I think my "WOW" factor comes from being blessed in life in that I can enjoy the experience that each cruise is able to offer to me. I do hope that Carnival is able to continue with the "WOW" factor regardless of who does the designing :)

[gargoyle999]

I like the decor on the Sapphire Princess much more than any Carnival ship I've been on and I'm looking forward to sailing on the Ruby Princess next year.

 

But that hasn't stopped me from sailing on Carnival and I won't sail on Carnival more if they change designers or less if they keep the same style.

 

I'll just enjoy the Carnival decor more if it's more like Princess. :)

[floatingaway2525]

I'm really surprised how happy everyone seems to be about this news. I would have expected Carnival loyalists to have a better appreciation of the unique Carnival decor that has been a huge part of this line for 35 years. Frankly the decor of Joe Farcus helped put Carnival on the map. I'm not so quick to dismiss it and embrace a change. It was wacky and love it or hate it, people talked about it. How often do you hear people talk about the decor on Princess Cruises? Not very often because there is not much to talk about. It's designed in a way to not offend anyone, and once you have been on one Princess ship you have been on them all.

 

One thing I have always admired about Carnival and Farcus is that no two ships are alike. Each had their own theme, but even with those individual themes you could walk onboard and instantly know you were on a Carnival ship.

 

Personally, my history with Carnival goes back to the days of MARDI GRAS, CARNIVALE, and FESTIVALE. While I have often thought the decor of Carnival was bizarre and even tacky, I understood what Farcus was trying to do and could appreciate it ... and I think many of the millions that have enjoyed Carnival have as well. Simply put, that decor was a major aspect of what made the "Fun Ships", fun!

 

I just hope Carnival doesn't lose it's distinction with this change of direction. The decor is not entirely what Carnival is about, but it's been a trademark of the line for many years.

 

Ernie

 

Great post Ernie, well said!

 

I'm not happy at all, and I hope the new designers take care to learn and preserve what Joe Farcus has created so insanely well:p...a fun, imaginative, giant floating playground and every one a new adventure to explore, and remember:)

More like RCI???:eek: Please, why on earth would they imitate a less successful environment that many Carnival cruisers avoid!:rolleyes: If you want more like RCI, then by all means sail on RCI, it's all choices and it's all good!:cool:

[luckycruzer]

featured Dale Chihully glass sculptures..neither ship looked like Versailles vomited..the light fixture were a phenom..filled with changeing coloures of gases, but I'm of the old vessels of long ago. That was the greatest testament to cruzing luxe.

[eroller]

More like RCI???:eek: Please, why on earth would they imitate a less successful environment that many Carnival cruisers avoid!:rolleyes: If you want more like RCI, then by all means sail on RCI, it's all choices and it's all good!

 

 

Very well stated! If you want Royal Caribbean decor, by all means sail on Royal Caribbean. Likewise with NCL, Princess, Holland America, etc.

 

I don't want Carnival to emulate any of those lines. I want Carnival to be Carnival ... and if that means crazy and sometimes tacky "entertainment architecture", so be it!

 

I truly hope the new designers don't try to make Carnival look like something it's not, or worse yet go with decor that has been used on countless other cruise ships. We have enough of that already and Carnival needs to remain unique.

 

Ernie

[BABSIER]

Thank goodness Carnival is going to minimize the Farcus factor in decorating. I would like the interior ship design to be edgy but NOT look like a circus in a telephone booth!:rolleyes:

[dan40]

Are you talking about Carnival Cruise Line OR Carnival Corporation?? If it's Carnival Corporation you are talking about about a company MUCH bigger then Royal Caribbean International! Apples with apples and oranges with oranges!

 

 

The pedigree of the fruit hardly matters when one is losing money and the other is making money. Carnival Cruise and RCCL are about the same size and RCCL actually has more berths than Carnival Cruise. But Carnival Cruise banks money like they had a Govt printing press and RCCL loses money on Cruise operations.

 

So rather than apples and oranges, I'll compare Profits and losses.

[eroller]

The pedigree of the fruit hardly matters when one is losing money and the other is making money. Carnival Cruise and RCCL are about the same size and RCCL actually has more berths than Carnival Cruise. But Carnival Cruise banks money like they had a Govt printing press and RCCL loses money on Cruise operations.

 

So rather than apples and oranges, I'll compare Profits and losses.

 

 

Where do you get this information? It's totally off base.

 

First, we don't know the actual net income of Carnival Cruise Lines because Carnival Corporation (which comprises 11 brands and 96 ships) does not disclose financials for individual brands.

 

Second, RCCL is a profitable company and does not lose money on cruise operations. The company earned a net income of $87.4 million in the 1st quarter of 2010, and $60.5 million in the 2nd quarter of 2010. Royal Caribbean has consistently earned a yearly net profit for the past 10 years, and I'm sure prior to that as well. The financial results from 2000 onward are public record.

 

Is the company as profitable as Carnival Corp? Absolutely not, but stating the company is losing money on cruise operations is a total falsity. Royal Caribbean is far from a losing company. They haven't been around since 1968 by losing money.

 

Also, as far as corporations go, there is no comparison in size. Carnival Corp. is larger in every way (profits, assets, berths, etc). In fact when Carnival Corp. purchased Princess Cruises it put them in control of over 50% of the cruise industry.

 

Ernie

[buddylover]

I like the decor on the Sapphire Princess much more than any Carnival ship I've been on and I'm looking forward to sailing on the Ruby Princess next year.

 

But that hasn't stopped me from sailing on Carnival and I won't sail on Carnival more if they change designers or less if they keep the same style.

 

I'll just enjoy the Carnival decor more if it's more like Princess. :)

 

I guess "to each his own"......we feel exactly opposite. Princess is so "vanilla" and boring to us as if trying to be "elegant" but not quite making it. It is just plain nothing, no excitement or pizzazz on Princess, which is mirrored by the more hum-drum crowd and entertainment Princess offers. By 10 pm the ship is "sleeping". I suppose that is why there are so many different choices available to us all.

[eroller]

I guess "to each his own"......we feel exactly opposite. Princess is so "vanilla" and boring to us as if trying to be "elegant" but not quite making it.

 

 

 

This is exactly how I feel about Princess. The decor can be found in any Marriott convention hotel. The "paint by numbers" art around most of the ship is a joke. I will say the decor is very comfortable, but certainly nothing memorable. Also, it's all the same on every Princess ship right down to the carpet pattern and drapes, so there is no excitement in trying out different ships in the fleet. Overall I like the Princess product, but the decor is just so dull. I'm hoping they take a new direction with the two new ships they recently ordered.

 

Ernie

[poptart]

I'm a Farcus fan! :D Would I want that in my home? Heck no! But on vacation and on a ship I love it. Everywhere you look there is something new to see. A feast for the eyes!

 

I can have elegant and cookie cutter perfect in the rest of the world.

 

I love the cheesy singing dancing waiters too!

[glrounds]

Joe Farcus is like Pablo Picasso, you either like him or you don't. :rolleyes:Doesn't matter one way or the other to me. I suppose deep down inside when boarding a new Carnival ship, I kinda look forward to see what this "maniac" has come up with this time. :D

[Oakman]

I'm really surprised how happy everyone seems to be about this news. I would have expected Carnival loyalists to have a better appreciation of the unique Carnival decor that has been a huge part of this line for 35 years. Frankly the decor of Joe Farcus helped put Carnival on the map. I'm not so quick to dismiss it and embrace a change. It was wacky and love it or hate it, people talked about it. How often do you hear people talk about the decor on Princess Cruises? Not very often because there is not much to talk about. It's designed in a way to not offend anyone, and once you have been on one Princess ship you have been on them all.

 

One thing I have always admired about Carnival and Farcus is that no two ships are alike. Each had their own theme, but even with those individual themes you could walk onboard and instantly know you were on a Carnival ship.

 

Personally, my history with Carnival goes back to the days of MARDI GRAS, CARNIVALE, and FESTIVALE. While I have often thought the decor of Carnival was bizarre and even tacky, I understood what Farcus was trying to do and could appreciate it ... and I think many of the millions that have enjoyed Carnival have as well. Simply put, that decor was a major aspect of what made the "Fun Ships", fun!

 

I just hope Carnival doesn't lose it's distinction with this change of direction. The decor is not entirely what Carnival is about, but it's been a trademark of the line for many years.

 

Ernie

Totally agree. Joe Farcus (love his designs or hate them) defined the Carnival brand. A vacation is an escape from the ordinary, and Mr. Farcus's designs created that environment. A job well done.

[dan40]

Where do you get this information? It's totally off base.

 

First, we don't know the actual net income of Carnival Cruise Lines because Carnival Corporation (which comprises 11 brands and 96 ships) does not disclose financials for individual brands.

 

Second, RCCL is a profitable company and does not lose money on cruise operations. The company earned a net income of $87.4 million in the 1st quarter of 2010, and $60.5 million in the 2nd quarter of 2010. Royal Caribbean has consistently earned a yearly net profit for the past 10 years, and I'm sure prior to that as well. The financial results from 2000 onward are public record.

 

Is the company as profitable as Carnival Corp? Absolutely not, but stating the company is losing money on cruise operations is a total falsity. Royal Caribbean is far from a losing company. They haven't been around since 1968 by losing money.

 

Also, as far as corporations go, there is no comparison in size. Carnival Corp. is larger in every way (profits, assets, berths, etc). In fact when Carnival Corp. purchased Princess Cruises it put them in control of over 50% of the cruise industry.

 

Ernie

 

So that we're on the same page;

CCL= Carnival Corp.

Carnival Cruiseline= Carnival brand.

RCL= Royal Caribbean Corp.

RCCL= Royal branded ships

 

RCCL has more berths than Carnival Cruiseline, from fewer but larger ships.

 

RCL lost money in a couple of quarters in 09 and only shows profit in the last 4 quarters because they sold off $900 million in equipment.

I am a Diamond cruiser with RCL and Platinum with Carnival. I prefer Carnival, but like RCL itinerary choices. And I have enjoyed all my RCL cruises. However as a company, they are out on the edge financially. Without a Govt BAILOUT [luckily not the US Govt, for a change] There would be no Oasis or Allure.

 

And what % of the industry does RCL have? I'd guess its near 25%, maybe more. After CCL and RCL, only NCL has a sizable segment of the market. Not a large sizable segment but more than the remaining bit players.

[f7prez]

Carnival NET profit last 12 months $1.7 BILLION. RCL net profit last 12 months $380 million. And they sold off $900 million of equipment, meaning cruise operations LOST money.

Choice 1. Garish profitable ships,

 

OR

 

Choice 2. pretty, unprofitable ships?

 

Yeah... I'm sure it was the hideous interior design that got all those people to cruise Carnival. It probably has more to do with the same reason more people shop Walmart than Target... cheaper prices. You get what you pay for. Like a wise man once said, "You pay peanuts, you get monkeys"

 

Thank god Carnival is changing direction. Our one CCL cruise was fine, but the decor really did take away from the experience. And it sounds like CCL has gotten the message.