Carnival becoming more and more like RCL

[DebJ14]

Carnival has a fiduciary responsibility to shareholders. To stay in the game they have to offer whatever it takes to get people on the ships so that they can turn a profit and increase value for the shareholders. Consumers want choice and the cruise lines are giving it to them. They can choose to pay to play or eat or chose to do nothing extra while onboard.

Price points on the ships out of Galveston are remarkably similar when both lines are here and it looks like Princess pricing will be about the same as Carnival and RCI when it gets to Galveston. There is no point in reinventing the wheel in cruising as each line adjusts to whatever is working in the market. The mass market lines are more similar than many fans of a particular line would care to admit, especially when you compare the newer, huge ships with all the bells and whistles.

Even the more luxurious lines (Crystal, RSSC, Oceania have all seemed to move to an all inclusive concept offering air, liquor, transfers etc or huge onboard credits to pay for all the extras.

As a shareholder I like what I see and also like getting the OBC and a small dividend along with (hopefully) increases in the share price.

[LHP]

I am not interested in the gimmicks that RCCL offer.....and I am not interested in any "gimmicks" that Carnival adds.

 

I cruise to see the sea....as long as I can see that from the Promenade....I am good to go.

[H82seaUgo]

Now with the Magic, Carnival now has an answer to Rock Climbing (Rope Course), and two more locations on the ship where you must pay additional for food. This isn't even including the Steakhouse/Coffee shop/Dessert bar. Yup, very RCL like. Never the leader, but very much the follower. And please don't give me the crap about their prices being lower than everyone else.....check the prices for this summer and that argument goes away. Just a simple point...just like RCL without the snobbery (except for some on this board). Now bring on the Cheerleaders.

 

nice that the innovators are now followers.

 

the slide continues.......

[Disneycruisers]

I think it's just human nature (for a lot of us, anyway,) to balk at changes, and/or anything new.

 

As long as Carnival still serves great food in the MDR (AND traditional dining times) I'm happy with the additions.:) They're obviously going along with consumer demand.

[CruiserChloe]

Now with the Magic, Carnival now has an answer to Rock Climbing (Rope Course), and two more locations on the ship where you must pay additional for food. This isn't even including the Steakhouse/Coffee shop/Dessert bar. Yup, very RCL like. Never the leader, but very much the follower. And please don't give me the crap about their prices being lower than everyone else.....check the prices for this summer and that argument goes away. Just a simple point...just like RCL without the snobbery (except for some on this board). Now bring on the Cheerleaders.

 

 

Why single out RCI? Hasn't NCL had rock walls for years now? Isn't NCL the king of specialty restaurants? Doesn't Princess, HAL, and Celebrity have specialty restaurants and pay coffee shops? This insecurity issue with RCI is getting really old.

[halos]

I don't mind optional food places...even if they come with a surcharge. I enjoy having variety.

As for the RCI type additions, they don't excite me.

I am ALL for CCL doing something innovative...I just wish it came with some common sense.

Bring back better entertainment for one.

Maybe design a ship with a larger pool and more deck space and bring more live music around that pool during the day...especially on sea days.

 

CCL needs a few changes and I welcome them...but don't copy other lines. Can't a big, successful company like CCL come up with something original and innovative?

Heck, even if they had a new ship with nothing exciting going on, just didi something 'shocking' like having the best crew to passenger ratio, that would thrill me to death.

A less stressed/overworked crew makes a cruise so much better.

[elcuchio24]

I never found them to be much different to begin with....

[Disneycruisers]

I am ALL for CCL doing something innovative...

Bring back better entertainment for one.

and bring more live music around that pool during the day...especially on sea days.

 

 

I'm all for that!:)