Disney cruise line leaving California

[RoyalDiamond]

For those hoping for a RCCL ship back in California, it doesn't look good. Now Disney is discontinuing cruises out of California, and the Wonder will head to Galveston next Autumn. Obviously, most cruise lines are not successful in the California market. We had the "meal with an officer" last week on Oasis. We dined with a finance officer. He stated the cost of doing business in California (everything from fuel, to catering, to port charges, etc) is more expensive than most places. That, with the fact that on-board spending is less in that market, means that cruise lines don't prefer to do business there. So, in the near future it doesn't look good. Plus, the Mexico cruises are less attractive with the violence, etc., and the cruise lines are basically required to have an international itinerary. So, California is very limited in what it can offer. Maybe someday, but not soon! I know some are disappointed in this, but just think, most of us in the US do not have a cruise ship nearby either. Chicago, for example, has no ships! LOL

[HB Cruiser]

Chicago, for example, has no ships! LOL

 

Too bad as it would only be a 5 hr drive to a port for us from southern Illinois. ;)

 

Tim

[grand isle joe]

....besides cruise lines there are road runner clouds heading east out of Cali towards Texas.....Hope Gov. Moonbeam gets with it before the rest of the country have to bail them out as well.....:eek:

[Ashland]

....besides cruise lines there are road runner clouds heading east out of Cali towards Texas.....Hope Gov. Moonbeam gets with it before the rest of the country have to bail them out as well.....:eek:

No need to bash our state..I wouldn't bash yours...I guess we don't need to leave the welcome mat out or the light on for you:rolleyes:

[lady_cruiser]

No need to bash our state..I wouldn't bash yours...I guess we don't need to leave the welcome mat out or the light on for you:rolleyes:

Thank you. As a neighbor of Texas I happen to like cruising from the Port of Galveston.

[Lazz]

No need to bash our state..I wouldn't bash yours...I guess we don't need to leave the welcome mat out or the light on for you:rolleyes:

 

I love your state! I have visited many times. I just can't afford to live there. Disney can not afford it either.

[orville99]

Thank you. As a neighbor of Texas I happen to like cruising from the Port of Galveston.

 

Unfortunately, Disney is abandoning Galveston in January 2014 as well.

[grand isle joe]

No need to bash our state..I wouldn't bash yours...I guess we don't need to leave the welcome mat out or the light on for you:rolleyes:

 

 

 

....I am not bashing...just lending a little reality to the financial sitution.....Our state has a balanced budget.....and I am not in the mood to pay MORE taxes to support states that can't say NO!....yes Ca. is a beautiful state but they have to exist in the real world....;)

[lady_cruiser]

Unfortunately, Disney is abandoning Galveston in January 2014 as well.

Thanks for the update but in this case it does not affect us. We only cruise Royal Caribbean and on rare occassions, Carnival.

 

I am not bashing any cruise line. We cruise Royal because if we are trying to get to a certain status (now we are trying for Diamond Plus) it makes sense to stick with one cruiseline.

 

But for those who love to cruise with Disney it is sad that they are leaving Galveston.

 

Merry Christmas

[hubofhockey]

....I am not bashing...just lending a little reality to the financial sitution.....Our state has a balanced budget.....and I am not in the mood to pay MORE taxes to support states that can't say NO!....yes Ca. is a beautiful state but they have to exist in the real world....;)

 

No question the economic environment in California makes it tough to do business there. But Princess is based there and they also seem to have many cruises of the CA ports and are showing no signs of leaving.

[Jiffymom]

I live here and don't like doing business here either. Besides more the cruise lines pay they will pass on to us . So I rather pay air lines fly east than pay more California taxes. And just saying next year will be terrible too

[PathfinderEss]

I think it is funny Disney is leaving California already, they hardly have done a season here as of yet. Though I don't blame business not wanting to be in this state. We certainly are not friendly to them.

[pscruzinboyz]

And they just said our Population just reached 36 million people.....I think a Cruise line can make a go of it. And for the Florida People...I am reading 99.00 on the Monarch / Majesty offer 99.00 weekend fares...that's making money!!

 

Mike

[critterchick]

If RCI comes back, we'll be booking like a woman whose no account straying husband comes crawling back to her. But I'm not holding my breath, and the Carnival (and soon Princess) option works just fine for now.

[rubrrick]

Princess was the company that opened up the California/Mexico market, and they have committed to keep a ship in that market for "X" number of months per year.

 

It may be a few years, but I believe that the Mexican Riviera market will come back sometime in the future..........at least, I sure hope so!!

 

Rick

[steveru621]

For those hoping for a RCCL ship back in California, it doesn't look good. Now Disney is discontinuing cruises out of California, and the Wonder will head to Galveston next Autumn. Obviously, most cruise lines are not successful in the California market. We had the "meal with an officer" last week on Oasis. We dined with a finance officer. He stated the cost of doing business in California (everything from fuel, to catering, to port charges, etc) is more expensive than most places. That, with the fact that on-board spending is less in that market, means that cruise lines don't prefer to do business there. So, in the near future it doesn't look good. Plus, the Mexico cruises are less attractive with the violence, etc., and the cruise lines are basically required to have an international itinerary. So, California is very limited in what it can offer. Maybe someday, but not soon! I know some are disappointed in this, but just think, most of us in the US do not have a cruise ship nearby either. Chicago, for example, has no ships! LOL

 

I agree, it's probably less about the cost of doing business, and more likely the lack of interest in the Mexican Riviera. I always enjoy cruising, but if I had a least favorite it was probably the west coast of Mexico. It seemed there were machine gun toting police officers everywhere we went.

[Smith0154]

No question the economic environment in California makes it tough to do business there. But Princess is based there and they also seem to have many cruises of the CA ports and are showing no signs of leaving.

 

Yes, Princess works the California market but as another poster states they started in the California market. Also their parent company is Carnival Corp, which also owns HAL and Cunard. This is only my opinion, but they may be keeping Princess in California because the line originated there and it might be a write off for the other profitable entities of the parent company. Smart business sense in my mind.

 

Smitty

[hubofhockey]

Yes, Princess works the California market but as another poster states they started in the California market. Also their parent company is Carnival Corp, which also owns HAL and Cunard. This is only my opinion, but they may be keeping Princess in California because the line originated there and it might be a write off for the other profitable entities of the parent company. Smart business sense in my mind.

 

Smitty

 

Write off? That's absurd and a waste of corporate assets. Princess is not in California to lose money. No company is in business to lose money.

[wreckem2013]

I think it is funny Disney is leaving California already, they hardly have done a season here as of yet. Though I don't blame business not wanting to be in this state. We certainly are not friendly to them.

 

They did the same thing in Galveston. Barely into their first season and already canceled year 2 or their 2 year contract.

[wreckem2013]

Yes, Princess works the California market but as another poster states they started in the California market. Also their parent company is Carnival Corp, which also owns HAL and Cunard. This is only my opinion, but they may be keeping Princess in California because the line originated there and it might be a write off for the other profitable entities of the parent company. Smart business sense in my mind.

 

Smitty

 

I doubt they are writing off anything.

 

Princess is the sole cruise line(more or less) left in CA doing the Mexican Riveria. They don't have competition. It appears having multiple lines doing the Mexican Riveria loses everyone money, which is why everyone else has pulled out.

[spencercoop]

I doubt they are writing off anything.

 

Princess is the sole cruise line(more or less) left in CA doing the Mexican Riveria. They don't have competition. It appears having multiple lines doing the Mexican Riveria loses everyone money, which is why everyone else has pulled out.

 

Carnival still does Mexican Riviera cruises. They also just announced they are bringing another ship to CA to do short cruises.

[Merion_Mom]

Why does fuel for the ships cost more in California?

 

Because CA insists on maintaining environmental standards that make the air safer for all of us to breathe.

 

Why are labor costs higher?

 

Because the workers are paid a living wage, also something that helps all of us.

 

As Henry Ford famously said, I want to pay my workers enough that they can afford to buy my cars.

[Merion_Mom]

And they just said our Population just reached 36 million people.....I think a Cruise line can make a go of it. And for the Florida People...I am reading 99.00 on the Monarch / Majesty offer 99.00 weekend fares...that's making money!!

 

Mike

 

But the onboard spending - particularly on the 3-nighters - is apparently high enough for this to make economic sense to RC.

[grand isle joe]

Why does fuel for the ships cost more in California?

 

Because CA insists on maintaining environmental standards that make the air safer for all of us to breathe.

 

Why are labor costs higher?

 

Because the workers are paid a living wage, also something that helps all of us.

 

As Henry Ford famously said, I want to pay my workers enough that they can afford to buy my cars.

 

 

 

...that is an admirable goal to set for their population BUT when their standards start to pick MY pocket than then it is not fair. 8 billion in the "hole" and the state is only sinking deeper and scaring their paying population out of state...check out France and their mass exodous of "millionares" who are scurrying to Belgium and Monaco.....:eek:

[SadieN]

....besides cruise lines there are road runner clouds heading east out of Cali towards Texas.....Hope Gov. Moonbeam gets with it before the rest of the country have to bail them out as well.....:eek:

 

Need to read CA history. Grey Davis said we needed to keep reserves. Republicans decided this wasn't a good idea and we got the Schwarzenegger. Depleted our reserves. Take Moonbeam over the Terminator anyday.

 

Port of LA also has special airpollution laws. Ships plug into port instead of running their engines 24/7. We've always had air poluttion problems.

There is a reason the Chumash called the LA basin the Valley of the Smokes.