Carnival Spirit's Aussie Cruise Director on the Aussie-fication of the ship!

[Royalty X]

Carnival Australia asked on their facebook if anyone had any questions for Stu, Carnival Spirit's Aussie Cruise Director. He's answered them via video...

 

 

And the answers to a few other questions are here...

 

 

Apparently when she enters drydock in January, she'll be receiving around $7million worth of refits.

[lizzy77]

It's a pity their prices are not very attractive at the moment.

[icat2000]

It's a pity their prices are not very attractive at the moment.

This. I happy to slum it but they are not offering slumming prices at the moment :D

[oysterfiend]

It's a pity their prices are not very attractive at the moment.

 

It was attractive when I booked back in MAY when it first came out- prices have gone up though.

We got a balcony- admittedly cheapest unobstructed for $5700 NZ back in May(not bad for 17 nights- I could never get such a price on Princess for 17 nights)

we picked own cabin and are near aft but not AFT 8A Category- I have been paying chunks off when NZ currency up- we are very close to laundry which suits us as we don't like laundry warfare:(

[Royalty X]

Oysterfiend and I are both on the very affordable relocation cruise from Hawaii. The prices are fantastic! :) The slumming comment is in reference to another thread. ;)

[oysterfiend]

I am referring to the repositioning cruise which has gone up in PRICE

[Royalty X]

We got a balcony cabin (unobstructed) for A$2458 each (twin share). :)

[oysterfiend]

We got a balcony cabin (unobstructed) for A$2458 each (twin share). :)

 

The $5700 approx is the two of us twinshare- we booked as soon as prices came out and the beauty of Carnival is even when booking with local TA you get it at same price as those booking in North America- ie US and Canada,

We may have got slightly cheaper if we hadn't booked a cabin of choice- we actually like aft which is cheap and also the laundry factor- important when you are away for a long time.

Slumming it means we can be away for five weeks- we have booked about 6 nights at Waikiki Circle Hotel- no pool but opposite lagoon, CHEAP must be slumming it again.

Have 3 nights to book - Looking at possibly Outrigger Waikiki and we have a weeks timeshare on the Big Island at Kona.

The ability to slum it for us means we can holiday longer and have greater options.

JOKE - my husband loves his DEVELOPED WORLD COMFORTS and Carnival bedding is to die for.

[Royalty X]

We managed to get an 8B category (we got to choose our cabin too). We're staying in Honolulu for 7 nights prior to sailing. It's gonna be soooooo good! :)

[Cruise ship fan]

(not bad for 17 nights- I could never get such a price on Princess for 17 nights)

There is a reason for that.

 

I was on the ship when it was announced that it was coming to Australia. It was even announced to us by Stu, a fellow Australian, who was our cruise director. He was great the only issue we had with him was his strong stereotype Australian act for the Americans.

[happychappy89]

I just read an article on Cruise Critic UK about this and found it quite interesting how they cater to us Aussies. I have copied and pasted here for others to read:

 

When Celebrity Eclipse started sailing from the UK two summers ago, we Brits were entertained by the fact that ‘bangers’ and proper bacon and mushy peas were introduced to the menus, not to mention a range of curries and some British beers.

But that was a mere token compared to what Carnival is doing to ‘Aussify’ Carnival Spirit, a ship that’s going to be based in Australia from October.

 

According to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald, Australians don’t like American bacon, either, so that’s being replaced with Australian bacon. The coffee goes; Aussies are particular about their coffee, preferring a ‘flat white’ (a double shot of espresso with less milk than a latte) to the over-milky speciality coffees found on US ships. All the coffee machines are being replaced and the bar staff being trained in the art of Australian coffee making by a top local barista.

What else? Draft beer, as Australians generally don’t like to drink from bottles; more lamb, more fresh fruit and more vegetables on the menus. Ping pong is being renamed table tennis.

So far, so good. But the changes get more radical. For a start, tipping will be scrapped; it’s just not part of Australian culture and is the top complaint Carnival gets from Australian passengers (the quality of the coffee is the second biggest complaint). The ATMs are being replaced with Australian machines, as are the poker machines (called ‘pokies’ Down Under). The passenger launderette is being adapted to take Australian coins. The gym is being expanded, as Australian guests spend a lot of time in it, and the number of interconnecting cabins is being increased, as Australian cruisers often travel in large groups of friends and family. There are plans to create a barbecue. Needless to say, the entertainment and the general ‘vibe’ are being tailored to the Australian market, too.

The end result actually sounds like the kind of ship that would appeal to a lot of Brits, especially the tipping part. But are these cultural tweaks really essential, or should a quality ship stand up on its own? Would an Aussified, or Anglicised ship make a difference to you? Let us know.

 

 

From: http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/blog/?p=4452

[Debsta]

Bumping this up......cos I'm the first Aussie to go on her after the refit :p :p :p

[mickp99]

I just read an article on Cruise Critic UK about this and found it quite interesting how they cater to us Aussies. I have copied and pasted here for others to read:

 

When Celebrity Eclipse started sailing from the UK two summers ago, we Brits were entertained by the fact that ‘bangers’ and proper bacon and mushy peas were introduced to the menus, not to mention a range of curries and some British beers.

But that was a mere token compared to what Carnival is doing to ‘Aussify’ Carnival Spirit, a ship that’s going to be based in Australia from October.

 

According to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald, Australians don’t like American bacon, either, so that’s being replaced with Australian bacon. The coffee goes; Aussies are particular about their coffee, preferring a ‘flat white’ (a double shot of espresso with less milk than a latte) to the over-milky speciality coffees found on US ships. All the coffee machines are being replaced and the bar staff being trained in the art of Australian coffee making by a top local barista.

What else? Draft beer, as Australians generally don’t like to drink from bottles; more lamb, more fresh fruit and more vegetables on the menus. Ping pong is being renamed table tennis.

So far, so good. But the changes get more radical. For a start, tipping will be scrapped; it’s just not part of Australian culture and is the top complaint Carnival gets from Australian passengers (the quality of the coffee is the second biggest complaint). The ATMs are being replaced with Australian machines, as are the poker machines (called ‘pokies’ Down Under). The passenger launderette is being adapted to take Australian coins. The gym is being expanded, as Australian guests spend a lot of time in it, and the number of interconnecting cabins is being increased, as Australian cruisers often travel in large groups of friends and family. There are plans to create a barbecue. Needless to say, the entertainment and the general ‘vibe’ are being tailored to the Australian market, too.

The end result actually sounds like the kind of ship that would appeal to a lot of Brits, especially the tipping part. But are these cultural tweaks really essential, or should a quality ship stand up on its own? Would an Aussified, or Anglicised ship make a difference to you? Let us know.

 

 

From: http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/blog/?p=4452

 

Sailed on the Spirit's second trip out of Sydney. Some of the Aussification stuff is true, but some isn't. The coffee is terrible and they don't have trained baristas. A bit disappointing - I thought I could trust Carnival to tell the truth.

[The_Big_M]

Sailed on the Spirit's second trip out of Sydney. Some of the Aussification stuff is true, but some isn't. The coffee is terrible and they don't have trained baristas. A bit disappointing - I thought I could trust Carnival to tell the truth.

 

Not sure they didn't tell the truth. They just wrote the coffee machines are going, and the staff would be trained by a barista, not that they'd become one themselves.

[bazzaw]

 

Australians don’t like American bacon, either, so that’s being replaced with Australian bacon. The coffee goes; Aussies are particular about their coffee, preferring a ‘flat white’

 

 

I HATE cultural/National generalisations!!!! -- but maybe I am not your usual Aussie?? I LOVE American bacon. I drink strong black coffee with no sugar!! I can't stand flat white coffee.

 

Whenever I travel, I usually do so to get away from Aussie cultural "norms" and experience other cultures.

 

I can go down to my local RSL club anytime I like - so, with this so-called Aussiefication of Carnival Spirit, it sounds like they are doing everything WRONG to me and making the ship one to be avoided (by me at least) :)

 

Barry

[coastiedee]

Im with you Barry, I totally agree !

[Billy and Charlie's Mum]

Yep, I agree too Barry..... I doubt very much that I will ever cruise on Carnival here (maybe, if I won the cruise?)

[6andy6]

I agree to...which is why my next cruise is with Celebrity hopefully they will retain an international or American feel on the cruise.

 

If I wanted an 'Aussie' experience I would fly up to the Gold Coast for half the price.

 

Look I can see the benefit for families in this aussification lark but I don't 'hanker' for Australian beer or Vegemite nor do I wear cork hats and say 'strewth, stone the crows'. It does come across a bit patronizing.

 

As for Australian bacon...to be honest Australian bacon is crud. Watery stuff. I like American and English bacon and as for fresh fruit...I have shopped in supermarkets all over the world and it still amazes me that given the size of Australian, our natural resources and supposed agricultural industry...we have an atrocious choice in fresh fruit and vegetables compared to stores overseas......basically our supermarkets are bog standard 'safe' choices. In both the UK and USA they have a wide choice of exotic stuff because they are not hampered by restrictive rules to protect farmers...the funny thing is that those rules often restrict the importation of stuff we don't grow........

 

Ok whinge over....

[bazzaw]

I guess that the cruiselines are in a bit of a bind :) -- there are many of us looking for different experiences - but there are probably more that are not. Just going on a cruise is itself a completely different experience for many. Although many of us are repeat passengers , probably the majority onboard any particular cruise in Australian waters are not - but are first timers.

 

Barry

[Duck Creek]

Recently went on the Spirit and the was a large proportion of first time cruisers (I am not).

Some people were asking why they only have the Lemon squash in the machines after breakfast is finished and not other drinks. They also asked why there was mustard and tomatoto sauce on the buffet tables and no barbecue sauce, cause Australians like barbecue sauce not mustard.:confused:

I like the lemon squash ( had it on Princess). I like mustard and don't like barbecue sauce.

If that is what people are asking for they will probably eventually go with what the majority want and if it barbecue sauce, that is what they will have.

[The_Big_M]

Look I can see the benefit for families in this aussification lark but I don't 'hanker' for Australian beer or Vegemite nor do I wear cork hats and say 'strewth, stone the crows'. It does come across a bit patronizing.

 

Perhaps to you, but that is what most want, and how the cruise line business operates. RCL and Celebrity (and other international lines) cater predominantly for their US customers. Because they operate internationally they're happy to sell to foreign customers too, but the US is their target market and they cater to their expectations, which is why they keep their home style focus instead of greater customisation for their local ports.

 

The majority of their customers are American, so the lines themselves 'Americanised' to cater for those tastes. The lines that haven't done that e.g. MSC (excluding American MSC), get significantly more negative commentary from US customers than those that have Americanised e.g. Costa. To the extent that MSC ships operating in America have now 'Americanised' their operations which has improved the perception amongst those customers.

[avalon007]

I would not sail on a cruise line that was overly 'Aussified'.

 

I find anything that harks of the Aussie 'occa' culture distateful.

We have come a long way from the 1970's, as has the rest of the world.

 

That whole Aussie 'true blue she'll be right mate' act to me just dumbs us down. We are in general a well educated, well travelled people who whilst respecting our past, also embrace change & appreciate the best of world culture.

 

The things like adapting the ATM's & coin operated machines to take Australian currency are good sense & nothing unexpected.

The fact that we spend more time in the gym, eat more fruit/veg than the normal US passenger is a good sign for our national health.:)

 

I don't think Carnival would be for me anyway wether it is Aussified or not, from what I have seen I find their whole interior design concept a bit glitzy for my taste.

 

But I guess they will find their place in the market & will modify their offerings to match what is popular.

[Ned49]

I would not sail on a cruise line that was overly 'Aussified'.

 

I find anything that harks of the Aussie 'occa' culture distateful.

We have come a long way from the 1970's, as has the rest of the world.

 

That whole Aussie 'true blue she'll be right mate' act to me just dumbs us down. We are in general a well educated, well travelled people who whilst respecting our past, also embrace change & appreciate the best of world culture.

 

The things like adapting the ATM's & coin operated machines to take Australian currency are good sense & nothing unexpected.

The fact that we spend more time in the gym, eat more fruit/veg than the normal US passenger is a good sign for our national health.:)

 

I don't think Carnival would be for me anyway wether it is Aussified or not, from what I have seen I find their whole interior design concept a bit glitzy for my taste.

 

But I guess they will find their place in the market & will modify their offerings to match what is popular.

 

You wouldn't have enjoyed"Aussie Aussie Aussie" every night at dinner then:p

[avalon007]

You wouldn't have enjoyed"Aussie Aussie Aussie" every night at dinner then:p

 

You're quite right Ned,:) If I wanted to go to a football match I would go to one, not expect to have that sort of thing happen especially in the formal dining room.

 

I show my patriotism when it's appropriate, although I can't say I've ever been a fan of crowd chants or football, something a bit basic about both. ;) :p

[rugbypopsie]

Hopefully the ATM is at a bank rate not the ships rate. Otherwise people may find a very unpleasant surprise.

 

Sue