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Why isn't Carnival on either of these Conde Nast lists?

sloopsailor

By sloopsailor,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

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plywood12

plywood12

Posted
Posted

I think the main reason is based on those who subscribe to the Conde Nast travel magazine. It is definitely aimed at higher end travelers who subscribe to his magazine. I am retired and spend my life now traveling but I don't get his magazine due to the fact I don't look for lifestyles of the rich and famous. Therefore, I don't believe the demographics that responded to his magazine survey reflect the majority of travelers.

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Tapi Great Review Rare

Tapi

Posted
Posted
Would someone please explain what demographics, clientelle, snobishness etc have to do with Carnival Cruise Line not having a ship on this list. Note that Princess and Royal Caribbean dominate this survey with a total of 13 out of 19. Princess has 6 ships and Royal has 7. Both cruise lines are mainstream and far from upscale.

 

Well, apparently, Conde Naste is not the only "snobbish" publication that thinks that Royal Caribbean deserves praise. Travel Weekly just named Royal Caribbean as Best Mainstream Cruise Line in their 2012 Globe Travel Awards...(oh, and Carnival is nowhere to be found on that list of awards either)

 

2012 Globe Travel Awards

 

So much for Carnival and Royal Caribbean being "more alike than different". Maybe back in the early 1990's....:rolleyes:

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cdamion

cdamion

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Well, apparently, Conde Naste is not the only "snobbish" publication that thinks that Royal Caribbean deserves praise. Travel Weekly just named Royal Caribbean as Best Mainstream Cruise Line in their 2012 Globe Travel Awards...(oh, and Carnival is nowhere to be found on that list of awards either)

 

2012 Globe Travel Awards

 

So much for Carnival and Royal Caribbean being "more alike than different". Maybe back in the early 1990's....:rolleyes:

 

Not to defend Carnival, but this is not really a publication that Carnival passengers would read either. It is a British publication. Obviously, P&O shows up as 'Favorite Cruise Company' in the consumer awards.

 

I am curious to see how Carnival would fare with publications like Travel & Leisure or Frommer's Budget Travel (no, Budget Travel is not about motel 6's etc.)

 

Every cruise line has its market share. I do like RCI more, just because I think their ships have a better design and passenger flow than all of Carnival's ships (except the Spirit class). As far as crew - I actually find Carnival's to be the same service wise, but friendlier. I used to like Carnival food better, but I think it is about the same now.

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kona_wahine

kona_wahine

Posted
Posted

Just looked at the Crystal prices. YIKES!!! Yeah, I'll keep my cheap Carnival prices where I feel more at home, relaxed, and fit in. I wonder how much luggage the Crystal lady passenger's take? A bag for make-up maybe? A bag for shoes? I just watched Real Housewives of Atlanta and the ladies went to South Africa for 1 week. They all had about 10 bags each. I'm going to Hawaii for a week with one carry on! :D

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big_duck

big_duck

Posted
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Not to defend Carnival, but this is not really a publication that Carnival passengers would read either. It is a British publication. Obviously, P&O shows up as 'Favorite Cruise Company' in the consumer awards.

 

I am curious to see how Carnival would fare with publications like Travel & Leisure or Frommer's Budget Travel (no, Budget Travel is not about motel 6's etc.)

 

Every cruise line has its market share. I do like RCI more, just because I think their ships have a better design and passenger flow than all of Carnival's ships (except the Spirit class). As far as crew - I actually find Carnival's to be the same service wise, but friendlier. I used to like Carnival food better, but I think it is about the same now.

 

These also weren't "readers choice" awards, with the exception of the consumer favourites section.

 

Most likely voted on by editors, travel writers or travel agents. Or some combination of these.

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Matt62

Matt62

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Carnival has indeed made "the list" in a recent Conde Nast Traveler Magazine survey, albeit a different list. In the November 2011 Issue, the 2011 Readers' Choice Awards" issue, Carnival Cruise Lines (not Carnival Corp) was listed as the #4 Large Ship Cruise line (admittedly 4th out of 5 but still on the list). So some CNTraveler readers, like us, do choose and enjoy CCL.

 

These lists are highly subjective (like lists of "the best wines" or "year's best movies", etc), except for those ranking Charleston as top US destination of course.;)

 

CNTraveler does have an upmarket clientele but to say they are mutually exclusive with the experience that can be had on Carnival (or others) is not entirely correct.

 

Obviously some Conde Nast Traveler readers cruise CCL and like it enough to rank the Line #4.

 

We have subscribed to (and enjoyed) CN Traveler for 15 years or so and our last cruise was on Carnival. We could have chosen RCL, Princess, Disney or Celebrity but I couldn't see taking 2 teenagers on Disney or Celebrity. We'd have had a mutiny. Our teenagers wanted to cruise with lots of other teenagers, not sample caviar, stand in line or pose with some Disney character. We bypassed the RCL ships, which my kids referred to as "the ships with the surfriders", because I didn't want to be on a ship with 6,000 people. Initially, our teens were disappointed. In retrospect, they were glad. They didn't choose to stand in line 2 minutes to use the Miracle's waterslide so I do not think they would have opted to wait half an hour for a rock climbing wall or the "surfrider" on the Oasis or Allure. They wanted to socialize with teens from around the Country and have fun. We have a rock climbing walls and real surf to ride within a few minutes of our house. I would however love a tour of a megaship like the Allure but I don't think I will ever cruise her.

 

 

I think Carnival offers a fun product for an amazingly fair price and can fit into the travel mix of a broad spectrum of travelers. We chose a great cabin on Carnival over a basic cabin on RCL for less money, put our kids in their own interior cabin, and had no regrets. We'd do it again.

 

I think Carnival competes with RCL, NCL, DCL, & even PCL head on. All have differing strong points and weak points but there is more overlap than some might imagine.

 

The beauty of it is there is a vast choice for everyone that enjoys Cruises as part of their vacation mix.

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sjcruiser

sjcruiser

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I'm a Conde Nast and Budget Traveler subscriber who has only sailed Carnival and Royal. I don't remember being asked to take the survey/poll or see it in the magazine, but I do remember seeing the results, and asking myself where is Carnival. I agree that the potential target readers are not Conde Nast subscribers, in CN's mind or their advertisers. Everything in her is almost advertisements, and you can't go pass one page without seeing one. I usually trade in some kind of points, or do several surveys which offer magazine subscriptions as the incentive, so thats how I get my subscription.

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Megalon

Megalon

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For the cruises I have taken, I have found the expected match of cruise line and price of cruise to be a myth.

 

The next cruise I am about to book will be either Carnival Pride or Miracle, great values in September and drive-to ports for us.

 

In November of 2008 we sailed the RCI Freedom of the Seas in a deck 6 superior balcony for $899 pp. We didn't really shop around; we wanted to try a Freedom class ship.

 

In summer of '09, we shopped for the best deal on an inside passage out of Seattle. Far and away, it was a mini-suite balcony on Golden Princess in late August for $1099 pp.

 

Our next shop around was for January 2011 for the Caribbean. Price winner was the Holland America Eurodam balcony cabin for $799 pp. Great itinerary.

 

The next shop around was for Canada/New England out of NY area August 2011. That winner was the Caribbean Princess; the most expensive interior cabin for $699 pp. Along with a great price, I felt the itinerary was the best available and had five port stops.

 

The most recent was a Caribbean itinerary search for January 2012. We sailed the fresh out of dry dock Ruby Princess for $899 pp for the second most expensive balcony category. We found nothing else close in price for a comparable cabin and itinerary.

 

None of these was a guarantee; I selected the cabins at booking.

 

I am not plugging any line. I won't be consulting the Conde Nast list for suggestions on future cruises (I use Cruise Critic for that:)). We sail what we feel is best for us and can enjoy the range from a sedate Holland cruise to a spirited Carnival cruise. My only point is that some lines being categorically cheaper than others is not always the case. And for rock bottom/budget seeker prices, we have sailed (without ever knowing they were on a Conde Nast list) three of the ships on that list out of our five cruises.

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