RCI vs Carnival Location location location

[G&TQ]

I live in Georgia and from here with an 8-10 hour drive I can make it to 6 Carnival ports and only 2 RCI ports and these are the longest drives of the 6.

We are sailing RCI for the first time next spring, but I can find closer sailing. Will RCI ever move into these smaller ports?

[matj2000]

Just do the 7 day cruises and the few hour difference wouldn't matter to much. I wouldn't drive 6 hours for a 3 or 4 day cruise.

[DonnaK]

Have you looked at Freedom of the Seas from Port Canaveral? That has to be the best choice of any of the other options, and well worth the drive.

[MOSusan]

Count your blessings! 8-10 hours would be a welcome thing for those of us in Mid-America. I must drive 2 hours to a major airport making sure that I have arrive 1 -2 hours early and then fly to the port. I probably put in 8-10 hours at a much higher cost.

 

I wish we midwesterners received the kind of residency discounts that FL residents do - it would help with the travel cost.

 

Oh well, I keep checking the flights to San Juan - hoping they drop below $400 per ticket (x 4).

[negc]

I live in Georgia and from here with an 8-10 hour drive I can make it to 6 Carnival ports and only 2 RCI ports and these are the longest drives of the 6.

We are sailing RCI for the first time next spring, but I can find closer sailing. Will RCI ever move into these smaller ports?

 

They already sail from some smaller ports. The problem is that they only have so many ships in the fleet and there are many, many ports that would like to host them, so they have to deploy them where they can attract the most passengers and operate the most profitably. If that criteria should fit any of the ports you are interested in you may see one of their ships sailing from it, at least for a part of the year, but it seems unlikely that they are going to move their ships to smaller ports with less developed infrastructure, simply to attract those who can drive there. Once you have sailed with RCI you may be better able to determine whether the cruise experience they offer or the drive time is more important to you.

[G&TQ]

7 day cruise would be great. But that means 9 probably 10 days and right back to work-for dh and I. We can't do that with our work schedules and school.

 

I do feel for folks that have no choice but Fly and incur the cost. Just wish RCI would move into some smaller ports.

[yogimax]

Just wish RCI would move into some smaller ports.

 

It all comes down to economics. When RCCL believes they can make a significant profit, they will move to the smaller ports. I wouldn't hold my breath though.

[irun5k]

I live in Georgia and from here with an 8-10 hour drive I can make it to 6 Carnival ports and only 2 RCI ports and these are the longest drives of the 6.

We are sailing RCI for the first time next spring, but I can find closer sailing. Will RCI ever move into these smaller ports?

 

FWIW, I have noticed the demographics being completely different between larger ports (Miami/Canaveral) and the smaller, regional ports that only have one or two ships.

 

The smaller ports typically have older/smaller vessels, are less expensive to cruise on, and have a greater proportion of people from that particular area.

 

None of those things are necessarily negatives. However, I have always felt that part of travel is experiencing something different. e.g., if you go to NY from FL, you're not just seeing the sights but you're being around different types of people. During our recent cruise out of Tampa, we were waking up in a new place every day, but with the same type of people we run into every day around town. Personally, I prefer a bit more of a "departure" from our everyday lives on a vacation, although there are certainly people who feel the exact opposite and be more comfortable in that situation!

[Rockfordcruiser]

I live in Georgia and from here with an 8-10 hour drive I can make it to 6 Carnival ports and only 2 RCI ports and these are the longest drives of the 6.

We are sailing RCI for the first time next spring, but I can find closer sailing. Will RCI ever move into these smaller ports?

When will CCL sail from a port From one of the Great lakes? As another stated. Economics...:)

[ryano]

I live in Georgia and from here with an 8-10 hour drive I can make it to 6 Carnival ports and only 2 RCI ports and these are the longest drives of the 6.

We are sailing RCI for the first time next spring, but I can find closer sailing. Will RCI ever move into these smaller ports?

 

Im in Ga too. :) I would love to see RC come to Mobile, Jacksonville or Charleston as all three are much closer to me but I dont think it will happen any time soon if ever.

 

I am happy however, with the choices in Port Canaveral year around and Tampa for the fall and winter though. PC has the Monarch for short cruises and the wonderful Freedom for 7 day cruises and Tampa will have a Radiance class ship for some of the year.

 

Fort Lauderdale is just a couple hours south of Canaveral and opens up even more choices :)

[Toddcan]

It's all perspective, right? I live a stone throw away from Niagara Falls, so it takes me ~18 hours of driving time to hit the Georgia/Florida border. I've driven to Canaveral and Alabama for 4-5 day cruises. We just make the drive part of the adventure -staying in hotels along the way, and checking out the local areas.

 

Again, from my perspective, driving 6 hours is no different than driving 8-9 hours, especially if it opens more cruise opportunities.

[Toddcan]

When will CCL sail from a port From one of the Great lakes? As another stated. Economics...:)

 

Well, that and the Welland Canal. In order for a ship to make it to Michigan, you need to pass through the canal, and it's not wide enough for most (all?) of the mainstream line ships.

 

Now, leaving from say Toronto, on Lake Ontario (no canal needed), might be an option, but then your point comes up: economics. It would take a day to get to the ocean, and from there, where do you go? Bermuda? Bahamas?

[ryano]

 

Again, from my perspective, driving 6 hours is no different than driving 8-9 hours, especially if it opens more cruise opportunities.

 

I agree with this Todd. And driving 12 hours (To Ft lauderdale) is really no different than driving 8.5 - 9 hours (Pt Canaveral) if it opens up more opportunities to me :)

 

I am just glad I am within a half of a full day away from some of RC's cruise ports as I know there are MANY who have to fly there and that can get rather expensive.

[Rockfordcruiser]

Well, that and the Welland Canal. In order for a ship to make it to Michigan, you need to pass through the canal, and it's not wide enough for most (all?) of the mainstream line ships.

 

Now, leaving from say Toronto, on Lake Ontario (no canal needed), might be an option, but then your point comes up: economics. It would take a day to get to the ocean, and from there, where do you go? Bermuda? Bahamas?

Was an attempt at humor...:D And why would they need to go south? whats wrong with cruising summer time in the north? lol...

[Hobiecat01]

I live in Georgia and from here with an 8-10 hour drive I can make it to 6 Carnival ports and only 2 RCI ports and these are the longest drives of the 6.

We are sailing RCI for the first time next spring, but I can find closer sailing. Will RCI ever move into these smaller ports?

 

A fellow GA cruiser here as well. There is hope... Charleston, SC is in the planning stages of building a new, large cruise terminal; large enough to service several ships. They hope to have it built by 2012. Carnival has already moved a ship to Charleston and Celebrity cruises from there also. I bet RCL will move one there as soon as the terminal is completed.

 

Charleston is a living museum and one of the top ten tourist destinations in the world according to Conde Nast Magazine. The city has a wonderful history and a very fine and easily navigated ocean access. Remember, the US Navy was there for many, many years. I'm surprised this new cruise port was not built years ago. Otherwise I guess you can be glad we don't live in Iowa or some other midwestern city where driving to a port is out of the question... Port Canaveral is only about 8 hours away - a long drive but doable.

-----------------------------

Sea ya!

Hobiecat01

Ron and Lee

Canton, Ga

Proud RCCL Platinum Member

"In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is freedom,

in water there is bacteria." – Ben Franklin

Previous Cruises – 66 Days at Sea!

Carnival Mardis Gras - 3 Day Bahamas - April 1982

Carnival Destiny - 7 Days Western Carib. - April 1998

Princess Grand Princess - 7 Days Eastern Carib. - April 1999

Princess Sea Princess - 7 Days Western Carib. - March 2000

Princess Grand Princess - 7 Days Western Carib. - March 2002

RCCL Navigator of the Seas - 7 Days Western Carib. - March 2003

RCCL Mariner of the Seas - 7 Days Western Carib. - April 2005

RCCL Freedom of the Seas - 7 Days Western Carib. - 6/18 - 6/25/2006

RCCL Liberty of the Seas - 7 Days Eastern Carib. - 7/19 - 7/26/2008

RCCL Oasis of the Seas –7 Days Eastern Carib. with our Friends – 4/17 – 4/24/2010

Booked & Paid Cruises

Not yet… ready to pull the trigger…

Planned Cruises

RCCL Allure of the Seas – Our Neighborhood Cruise - 2011

The BIG One - Southeast Asia 14 day – 2012?

The Med – 14 day – 2013?

[ryano]

I bet RCL will move one there as soon as the terminal is completed.

 

?

 

I soooooo hope you are right! :) BTW, I see you are in Canton! I am only about 15 miles north of you in Pickens county! :)

[firefly333]

I live in Georgia and from here with an 8-10 hour drive I can make it to 6 Carnival ports and only 2 RCI ports and these are the longest drives of the 6.

We are sailing RCI for the first time next spring, but I can find closer sailing. Will RCI ever move into these smaller ports?

 

6 ports within 8 to 10 hours .. man I need to move.

 

Im hoping to drive to Mobile in 12 hours from Dallas. .. so Iv got 2 ports within a days drive and only have RCL during the winter right now from one of those ports.

 

If I had a RCL port within one days drive in FL .. I would so be there all the time.