Say goodbye to DODs and Hurricane cups

[Sargent_Schultz]

True, Apollo did sell some of their NCL shares, but lets not kid ourselves they still hold the majority of the board and as such calls the shots. While NCL may not have invented the Freestyle aspect they brought it to a mega ship and revolutionized alternative dinning with the amount of different venues one can eat at. Do you enjoy HMC? You can thank NCL for that...way back in the 70's NCL introduced the private island by buying and creating Great Stirrup Cay. NCL, was the first line who had internet on their ships, the first to have a website so customers could book online, they introduced the idea of "close to home departure ports," round trip Alaska cruising, bowling on a ship, and the list goes on and on...

 

 

I have no interest in private islands - just another way to extend the monopoly from ship to shore. I don't book cruises online. Cruises left from my hometown long before NCL showed up, no innovation there. A 7 day rt Alaska cruise I think is nonsense - maybe 14 day RT, but in 7 days, Northbound or Southbound is the only way to do it. A bowling alley? Who cares. What a waste of space and money.

 

Enjoy NCL! I'm good with Carnival.

[silverfoxcruiser]

:pI want to thank all of you who have contributed to this thread. Seriously. Had a bad day with a very sick friend and was totally distracted by all this verbiage and one-up-manship!! Reminded me of:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?V=Fulz4ytz54

Hope it works -- if not,

It's Toby Keith -- "I Love This Bar" :rolleyes:!!

Silver:D

[Hendricks Clan]

I agree, but I can remember back as far as 1985. I was an adult by 1989 and Carnival sucks now compared to then. I used to love Carnival, but just like my children...I love them but can admit and tell them when they are wrong. Carnival has no edge anymore. Their ships were never the prettiest, but they had the FUN!! Not anymore...please....piped in bad music and trivia??? Please....My children enjoyed our cruise last month, but I have grown weary of Carnival. It's time to try other lines.

 

Glad you agree. The tipping point for us was when Tom-N-Cheryl started chiming in on the cutbacks. When CCL gets to the point to where they loose a loyal cruiser such as Tom, it was very eyeopening. Made us realized that the Carnival we used to love, was no longer that Carnival. We then tried RCCL and NCL and simply fell in love with NCL. Wwe gave CCL one more chance just this March, but its was a continued downgrade of the product. Was the longest we ever had to wait for a meal in the MDR, and I for one am not a fan of the new menu. CCL had a great thing when they had the Georges Blanc menu around the time it left was when the product started going down...

[sail2sea]

:pI want to thank all of you who have contributed to this thread. Seriously. Had a bad day with a very sick friend and was totally distracted by all this verbiage and one-up-manship!!

 

Silver:D

 

I was gonna say the same thing! :D

 

Just finished working and started reading CC. This thread is so entertaining.

 

I am with those that Carnival is no longer my favorite line anymore; it used to be. But Carnival CC board is still the best! :D

[mamaskittles]

Tap...tap... tap on computer screen.

Good I have your attention lol.:p

I just want to ask a question about the cups. If I understand those in the know correctly they are cutting them out because they are upgrading the fleet (2.0). Some people consider this a cost saving manuver on Carnivals part.

As I understand it those plastic souvenir cups would be purchased en masse by the cruiseline for less than a penny per cup based upon the sheer volume of the purchase. Carnival sells them for $1 per cup with the drink extra of course. Many of these cups are discarded on board so they are in actuality re-sold at an even greater discount. How than could eliminating them be cost saving? They seem like real revenue makers to me.

[saltybones]

Well, I am gonna miss 'um:(

 

Won't be able to get my "blowfish" this weekend:(

 

But, I am still a Cheerleader..........:D

 

 

[littlesnit]

Tap...tap... tap on computer screen.

Good I have your attention lol.:p

I just want to ask a question about the cups.

 

ROF LOL! Thanks for the giggle!

[richstowe]

Tap...tap... tap on computer screen.

Good I have your attention lol.:p

I just want to ask a question about the cups. If I understand those in the know correctly they are cutting them out because they are upgrading the fleet (2.0). Some people consider this a cost saving manuver on Carnivals part.

As I understand it those plastic souvenir cups would be purchased en masse by the cruiseline for less than a penny per cup based upon the sheer volume of the purchase. Carnival sells them for $1 per cup with the drink extra of course. Many of these cups are discarded on board so they are in actuality re-sold at an even greater discount. How than could eliminating them be cost saving? They seem like real revenue makers to me.

Don't let the obvious deprive people of a good "This is just the latest Carnival cutback" rant.:D

Don't you know any change is bad and further proof Carnival is going downhill fast!

[missdebi]

I just had a thought(I know scary) but what are the little bars in port going to do for cups :eek: we have always been amused how many of them use the Carnival hurricane cups especially San Juan!

[richstowe]

I just had a thought(I know scary) but what are the little bars in port going to do for cups :eek: we have always been amused how many of them use the Carnival hurricane cups especially San Juan!

Wow! Where did they get them from, the beach?

[Gator Man]

Sergeant Schultz please tell me the improvements that have occurred under Mr. Cahills watch. I get the distinct impression that if you don't like certain things its alright to do away with them no matter what other people think, sounds like the way Mr. Cahill makes cuts damn the people full speed ahead. I don't know what your connection to Carnival is but you seem to support them no matter what they do good or bad. Carnival never had the prettiest ships, but compared to RCCL and NCL, they had the superior cruise experience for less money. I enjoyed my three cruises with RCCL on absolutely gorgeous ships, service a tad bit better than Carnival, but they didn't have the fun and their food wasn't up to par with Carnival. My one cruise with NCL on the great Norway was the least favorite of all my cruises, their food and service didn't measure up to Carnivals, that being said since Mr. Cahill took over I have seen nothing but cutback after cutback and in my opinion he has completely changed the Carnival experience for a lot of loyal customers and seems to care less. Under Uncle Bob, if you had a complaint he would address it personnaly, don't think that is the case now. I think it would be interesting to hear the good things you think Mr. Cahill has accomplished, I sure can't think of any.

[Sargent_Schultz]

You're right - it doesn't matter. Some people will continue to sound like brochures for NCL and Royal.

 

Future Cruise Certificates is one. Additional eateries - Mongolian Wok, Burrito Bar, Pasta Bar, Expanded Room Service menu to include Ruebens and more, Expanded Comedy Club, Improved use of wasted space formerly known as Cigar Bars, additional improvements for the majority of cruisers - non-smokers, suggested dress more inline with today's society.

 

Oh, and I guess one cutback - a serious cutback in ship to shore telephone rates.

 

Adding a second ship to New Orleans, blowfish cups, disco balls, etc.

 

Improved itineraries, new ports of call and millions in improvements to existing ones.

 

NOT building any Behemoth Shopping Malls of the Seas and nothing as ugly as Epic.

 

Have you read Uncle Bob's book, yet?

[Sargent_Schultz]

Tap...tap... tap on computer screen.

Good I have your attention lol.:p

I just want to ask a question about the cups. If I understand those in the know correctly they are cutting them out because they are upgrading the fleet (2.0). Some people consider this a cost saving manuver on Carnivals part.

As I understand it those plastic souvenir cups would be purchased en masse by the cruiseline for less than a penny per cup based upon the sheer volume of the purchase. Carnival sells them for $1 per cup with the drink extra of course. Many of these cups are discarded on board so they are in actuality re-sold at an even greater discount. How than could eliminating them be cost saving? They seem like real revenue makers to me.

 

Well played! :D

[missdebi]

Wow! Where did they get them from, the beach?

 

My thoughts exactly!

[ed_k_tx]

You're right - it doesn't matter. Some people will continue to sound like brochures for NCL and Royal.

 

?

 

 

Don't forget Carnival, Princess, HAL .... which is why I remind myself that the opinions expressed here are just that.

 

Agree with the rest of your points expecially the mega malls of the sea. I'll bet you could take a 7 nignt cruise and not even see the water.

[TheTravelista]

LOL!!! Can't you just tell that they need a life and get out more and off the darn computer??? They are comical these boards are comical. Cruise Critic has gone downhill in my opinion with all of the snarky comments and people on here that wanna telll you how to think and breathe. I mostly read and laugh, but every now and then I can't resist. I tell you the computer age has gave so many people the COURAGE to say things to people that they would never say in person....I might even be banned now for my opinion.....but guess what I have a life :rolleyes:

 

I agree with you 101% lol!

 

I just read a comment where one of the pseudo-moderators said they don't care what their DODs come in. If they came in a soup bowl its fine with her, she'll just lap it up :rolleyes:

 

And longtime cruisers wonder why Carnival changed? Why its going downhill? The current crop of cruisers will truly accept ANYTHING and be fine with it.

[H82seaUgo]

I agree with you 101% lol!

 

I just read a comment where one of the pseudo-moderators said they don't care what their DODs come in. If they came in a soup bowl its fine with her, she'll just lap it up :rolleyes:

 

And longtime cruisers wonder why Carnival changed? Why its going downhill? The current crop of cruisers will truly accept ANYTHING and be fine with it.

 

yup. ever since district 12 started cruising.

[Indianaseadog]

yup. ever since district 12 started cruising.

 

What? You have a problem with poor coal miners cruising? Rather snobbish isnt it?

[jaded99]

But...but... without my plastic "best day ever" cup containing a Fun Ship special exactly four minutes after boarding, how will I know I'm really on vacation and not just dreaming about it? :confused:

[richstowe]

But...but... without my plastic "best day ever" cup containing a Fun Ship special exactly four minutes after boarding, how will I know I'm really on vacation and not just dreaming about it? :confused:

Do they ask for you SignNSail card in your dreams?

[jaded99]

Do they ask for you SignNSail card in your dreams?

 

As a matter of fact they did and just like IRL I turned expectantly to my fiance.... LOL jk

[TennesseeTater]

Just got off the Legend on Sunday and they still had the cups.

[foxesden1]

While I am a fan of the cute cups, think in the long run.. The less plastic we make, the better... Maybe CCL is being forward thinking? ;)

[Gator Man]

Sergeant Schultz again my humble opinion. The changes you listed I see as being driven by the competition not some good idea by Mr. Cahill. The Mongolian wok is good, burrito bar cheap alternative to good MDR food, Indian food not a big fan, would have been good as a dining room selection, just not every day. Ruebens were before Mr. Cahill. I don't want to knock Carnival, I just want back what used to be a grand cruise experience for a reasonable sum of money, rather than lower standards, and lower food quality. It is because of people accepting less without complaing that we find ourselves in this fix or I at least I do. Carnival used to use USDA choice beef in the MDR, now they use Select beef, tougher, less flavorful, chewy, ect. They then add to the Menu, instead of New York strip, a steak conjured up by RCCL called the flat iron steak which only exists as a steak in the figment of someones cheapskate mind. In my humble opinion the water buffalo I ate in Viet Nam was better. Cheddard cheese instead of Brie on the room service menu is not a step in the right direction. Carnival has done everything in their power to get people to use the Steakhouse, I would rather just pay an extra 30 dollars and have good beef in the MDR, frankly I can't eat as much as they serve there nor do I want to spend four hours dining. Somewhere I have menus and tickets as well as other things from my first cruise on the Festival, a really great old ship, you will not believe all we have lost. I tried the other lines but still liked Carnival better, maybe richstowe is right I need to try them again,but I'm afraid they will be the same just at a greater price. Just wish I could turn the clock back, it was so good before Mr. Cahill. No I have not read Uncle Bobs book, didn't know he had one.

[Gator Man]

Sergeant Schultz going into a port and building Carnival facilities in order to make more money, neither helps the local people nor enhances the cruise experience. Most people go on cruises to other countries to experience the local culture not more of the same experience they have on the ship. I'm glad you like Carnival but seriously without trying to sound rude, your comments sound just like a Carnival employee following the company line, if that offends you I am genuinly sorry.