Comparing the Past to Present on Carival ...

[PAPERBKWRITER]

How do they keep the prices of cruises so reasonable over the years? By cutting back on entertainment, practically eliminating the "goody bowl" and a few other perks, the cruise lines save a bit, but take a walk thru the casino and thank the folks feeding the bottom line (along with the heavy drinkers) The slots keep a running tab on what a SS card has gambled by points, $2.50 to a point. It is very common to see points over 7k by the last day indicating the person wagered around 20k or more.

[Sputnik57]

Exactly. The cruise is like a printer. All of the money is made on the 'cartridges. Sometimes all you need is black. :D

 

 

 

What are the interest rates over in Mother Russia? One year interest on $500 doesn't buy a specialty coffee and piece of cake over here. :)

$500 per cabin, per week, multiplied by several hundred, it adds up fast.

[Sputnik57]

How do they keep the prices of cruises so reasonable over the years? By cutting back on entertainment, practically eliminating the "goody bowl" and a few other perks, the cruise lines save a bit, but take a walk thru the casino and thank the folks feeding the bottom line (along with the heavy drinkers) The slots keep a running tab on what a SS card has gambled by points, $2.50 to a point. It is very common to see points over 7k by the last day indicating the person wagered around 20k or more.

And those that drink and gamble subsides those that do not. But hey 46 percent of our nation is being subsidized by the other 54 percent, in a few more years it will be 54 percent being subsidized by 46 percent.

[livestocruisetoo]

Well till Obama took office it was a buck something, now it is pushing 4-5 bucks a gallon depending on where you live.

Indeed it was. The national average was $1.85. A year earlier it was $3.11. What's your point comrade?

[NavarreCruiser]

In the 80's what did a beer cost on the ship? 1-3 bucks I am willing to bet, what did a mix drink run you? 3-6 bucks also I am sure. Photos? just a few bucks a photo also. No real internet back then either so you had to book all your excursion via the ship and they I am sure got a nice cut of that also. Sure prices have stayed about the same for the fare, but everything else has gone up by over 100 percent or more.

 

Six of one, half dozen of another.

 

We don't drink. We don't gamble. And we don't buy pictures. But we do cruise 12 times a year. Thank God for cheap prices.

[mjmiller]

They never think about that. 3 bucks for a beer then, almost 9 bucks for a beer now. 4 bucks for a frozen drink, 10-20 bucks for a frozen drink now.

4 bucks for a photo then, 20 bucks for a photo now. 30 bucks for an excursion then 100 bucks for an excursion now.

 

But hey as long as the fare is the same it is cheap to them.:confused:

 

People can CHOOSE to spend that money on alcohol, or photos, or over-priced ship excursions. Or they can enjoy free lemonade and ice tea (nasty that it is!), take their own photos, and book local guides - and spend a lot less. It is a choice.

 

I will take a lower price upfront, knowing that I control my extra costs. ;) We take on two bottles of wine for hubby, a 12 pack of Pepsi One for me (the ship doesn't carry it). We buy one photo each cruise - that's it. And we almost always book guides NOT through the cruiselines - they are much better excursions! And if either one of us wants to buy a drink - we do. We have still managed to get money back from our OBCs in the past!

[livestocruisetoo]

$500 per cabin, per week, multiplied by several hundred, it adds up fast.

 

Now I'm really confused. :confused: If I book a year in advance, I get to pay a lower deposit? Our next cruise is up $150 pp since we booked. Of course I did get the cabin I wanted.

[livestocruisetoo]

They never think about that. 3 bucks for a beer then, almost 9 bucks for a beer now. 4 bucks for a frozen drink, 10-20 bucks for a frozen drink now.

4 bucks for a photo then, 20 bucks for a photo now. 30 bucks for an excursion then 100 bucks for an excursion now.

 

But hey as long as the fare is the same it is cheap to them.:confused:

 

No one is doubting that the cruise is cheap because it is. On the Festival cruises 'Happy Hour' at the piano had dollar beers. I had the distinction to have the Lido bartender that htere was no more Red Stripe on one of them. There was still a day at sea before getting back to San Juan. :eek: "Please make that a Heinie Martin". Two years later I quit drinking. It's still a cheap cruise. :)

[gusandgidgetsmom]

Crusiing in the 80's was certainly different. The cost was relatively the same or cheaper, but the amenities on a ship now are so much greater. In the 80's you did not even get to dry your hair in your own room-you had to go to a large room with many others in order to have a plug in for the hair dryer. There were no balconies and if you were late for dinner too bad.

All things considered it is still a good value and lots of fun.

[GottaLuvCruising]

I miss wondering which piece of silverware to use with which course, amazing menus offering 5 - 7 courses, people dressing up and great shows every night. I've been sailing Carnival for 21 years and it's not the same experience it used to be. Some good changes, but the things I cruise for are disappearing.

[beach410]

Well till Obama took office it was a buck something, now it is pushing 4-5 bucks a gallon depending on where you live.

 

You conveniently forget the price of gas in 2008 before Obama became president, gas was over 4 a gallon under Bush. Check your facts before putting blame where it doesn't belong.

[beach410]

They never think about that. 3 bucks for a beer then, almost 9 bucks for a beer now. 4 bucks for a frozen drink, 10-20 bucks for a frozen drink now.

4 bucks for a photo then, 20 bucks for a photo now. 30 bucks for an excursion then 100 bucks for an excursion now.

 

But hey as long as the fare is the same it is cheap to them.:confused:

 

Where do you get your prices from?! 10-20 for a frozen drink? No way, maybe 10, not 20. 6.75 plus tax and tip for 32 oz Foasters. Prices for drinks on the ship are very similar to those in restaurants, barring drink specials or happy hour. And you don't have to drink or buy photos.

[lillian marie]

Behavior has changed in our society but blaming the schools is ridiculous as was remarked by an earlier poster. A child goes to school for 6 or less hours 5 days a week 9 months a year. Parenting has changed and that is each family's right. And no I am not a teacher. I stood by a family on my last cruise in the buffet line who thought their son's fake loud burps and swearwords that he used to describe them was hilarious. Many parents allow their kids to be very rude. You can't blame that on the schools or the state. It is the parenting. Teachers do not teach swearing. I have cruised many times on many different lines. I miss some of the past but also enjoy every cruise that I take. We choose CCL because we think it gives us a great cruise product for an excellent price.

[Disneycruisers]

You conveniently forget the price of gas in 2008 before Obama became president, gas was over 4 a gallon under Bush. Check your facts before putting blame where it doesn't belong.

 

I'm not getting into a political discussion, but just want to comment...I don't remember gas EVER being over $4.00 per gallon, even now. I guess it depends on which part of the country one lives.

[lillian marie]

I spend part the yr. in the south and part in the north. Gas seems to be more expensive in many areas of the north and was over $4 at one point in the past as a poster stated. It may be higher in the north because many of these states have more gas-road tax because in the north the winter weather (freezing temps, snow, ice and salting) causes more road problems and road work.

[beach410]

I'm not getting into a political discussion, but just want to comment...I don't remember gas EVER being over $4.00 per gallon, even now. I guess it depends on which part of the country one lives.

 

That was the average, google it. Drives me crazy that no one remembers that and makes comments like what I was replying to. I much prefer talkin cruising then politics.. But come on.

[dclark]

Carnival however is more interested in keeping prices as cheap as possible (to make cruising affordable to as many passengers as possible) than to serve shrimp cocktails (in order to keep a very small group who actually care about those things happy).

 

This is one of those lies that gets repeated alot- perhaps it is combination of wishful thinking combined with ignorance on how business's like CCL operate.

CCL does NOT want to keep prices down or anything else for that matter. If you see a 7 day CCL cruise for $400, don't think CCL priced that low to help you cruise, it was priced at that so that it could be sold! With cabin prices, they are set to what the market will bear. This is why they go up and down according to time of year. If prices are set too high, ships will sail with empty cabins. Too low and profits are cut. In this regard, they are similar to airlines (plus both have a perishable product- seats/cabins). Prices are what they are now because the market sees CCL as a bottom of the barrel cruise line.

I won't go into a lecture on micro-econ, but will say that because the cabin prices are not very elastic, the only other way for CCL to increase profit is to cutback on what is spent per passenger, something they have done and will continue to do so.They are in a downward spiral as the more they cut, the more market will see CCL as a cut rate cruise line and cabin prices will continue to be stagnant.

Checkout their stockholder reports and you'll see this mentioned.

[Sputnik57]

That was the average, google it. Drives me crazy that no one remembers that and makes comments like what I was replying to. I much prefer talkin cruising then politics.. But come on.

Politics has every thing to do with cruising. Politics effects the price of fuel, politics affects the price of everything. Why are all the cruise ships registered in other countries? Because of the onerous laws, rules and regulations placed on the industry by politicians. Just think of what your cruise would cost if the ships had to be built, crewed and registered in the good ole US of A?? Companies complying with laws and regulations placed on the politicians suck billions of dollars out of the economy every single year.

 

Now as far as fuel prices go back and look at this administrations own words about what they want fuel prices to be. Look at them violating several federal court orders on drilling. Politics as everything to do with anything. Your attitude is part of the reason our country is in the shape that is.

[Sputnik57]

This is one of those lies that gets repeated alot- perhaps it is combination of wishful thinking combined with ignorance on how business's like CCL operate.

CCL does NOT want to keep prices down or anything else for that matter. If you see a 7 day CCL cruise for $400, don't think CCL priced that low to help you cruise, it was priced at that so that it could be sold! With cabin prices, they are set to what the market will bear. This is why they go up and down according to time of year. If prices are set too high, ships will sail with empty cabins. Too low and profits are cut. In this regard, they are similar to airlines (plus both have a perishable product- seats/cabins). Prices are what they are now because the market sees CCL as a bottom of the barrel cruise line.

I won't go into a lecture on micro-econ, but will say that because the cabin prices are not very elastic, the only other way for CCL to increase profit is to cutback on what is spent per passenger, something they have done and will continue to do so.They are in a downward spiral as the more they cut, the more market will see CCL as a cut rate cruise line and cabin prices will continue to be stagnant.

Checkout their stockholder reports and you'll see this mentioned.

The cheerleaders on here know squat about economics.:rolleyes:

[dclark]

The cheerleaders on here know squat about economics.:rolleyes:

 

They nothing about economics but talk like they know everything, thinking they are too smart to have to attend college or som'thing:D

[gusandgidgetsmom]

What started out as a nice post about then and now has turned into a one upmanship! Come on lets get back to cruising.

[rferr]

I think the ships are a lot nicer now. My first cruise was on the Festivale in 1994. And man did it roll. No stabilizers. Walking down the companionways the first couple of days people looked drunk trying to walk. Lots of people seasick. You could really feel that you were on the Ocean, not like these megaliners today. Not near the level of luxury as the ships today either. I really don't think about it as the "Good Old Days" at all I think its far nicer now overall.

[Shipbound]

They never think about that. 3 bucks for a beer then, almost 9 bucks for a beer now. 4 bucks for a frozen drink, 10-20 bucks for a frozen drink now.

4 bucks for a photo then, 20 bucks for a photo now. 30 bucks for an excursion then 100 bucks for an excursion now.

 

But hey as long as the fare is the same it is cheap to them.:confused:

 

I still think CCL has the best value for the buck but they make the money when the guests get on the ship, I guess you just have to watch the spending on while on any cruise ship not just CCL. However I do think the drinks are not as strong on CCL as they use to be eventhough they cost more. When I buy drinks I try not to buy pre- mixed drinks because on my last cruise I had 3 or 4 pre-made mixed drinks and did not get a buzz and I only weigh a 140 lbs. So in that case drinks are not as good as value as they use to be.

 

Gary