According to John Heald.....

[islandatsea]

would love to see some 10 day roundtrip Caribbean itineraries. One way airfare is so expensive.

 

I agree, I'd also like to see this.

 

I'd love a round-trip long 10 day or so cruise from Galveston to the Caribbean to places like Curacao, Barbados, Dominican Republic and Antigua...etc.

 

We love the longer cruises also with different Ports of call. That is why we booked the Sunshine for a 13 day cruise next year, with a great itinerary that even goes all the way down to Trinidad/Tobago. Would love to see this type of itinerary on Vista or something similar.

 

Time will tell..................

[cruiser fanatic]

I wonder if the Magic is moving. I don't know why, but I feel like it's possible.

I'm glad I booked the Freedom, I doubt they would move her right after placing her here...our cruise is in November.

 

I would like to see the Breeze come to Galveston though :D

 

I feel like the Magic will move to Fort Lauderdale or Port Canaveral and the Breeze will come to Galveston. Triumph and Victory may swap places. I love the Magic but I am getting a little tired of her so I really hope the Breeze comes to Galveston. I wouldn't mind sailing the Triumph 1 more time before she leaves Galveston and I still have to sail the Freedom!

[Coopdog08]

Based on what we heard on the recently completed Bloggers cruise (like last week), the Vista will go to New York but will not stay during the winter months. It is just too difficult to navigate during December and January in New York and records show the bookings go down for those months. Now guess where there is no snow or ice during those months .................................... Yep! You are absolutely right.

 

Once the vista sets sail in Europe it must sail out of Miami for at least 24 of the first 36 months according to the contract signed last week with the port of Miami. 7 of those 36 months are being used in Europe and New York. That would leave 24 of the next 29 months that it must sail out of Miami.

[cruiser fanatic]

I agree, I'd also like to see this.

 

I'd love a round-trip long 10 day or so cruise from Galveston to the Caribbean to places like Curacao, Barbados, Dominican Republic and Antigua...etc.

 

I would love that. I wouldn't mind a 7 day itinerary like this.

 

Galveston, TX

Sea Day

Key West, 9-4

Nassau, 12-8

Half Moon Cay, 8-5

Sea Day

Sea Day

Galveston, TX

 

Instead of visiting dumpy Freeport we visit Half Moon Cay!

[Tapi]

I would love that. I wouldn't mind a 7 day itinerary like this.

 

Galveston, TX

Sea Day

Key West, 9-4

Nassau, 12-8

Half Moon Cay, 8-5

Sea Day

Sea Day

Galveston, TX

 

Instead of visiting dumpy Freeport we visit Half Moon Cay!

 

Half Moon Cay (Little San Salvador Island) is considerably farther east than Nassau and Freeport, which I believe would make it geographically very hard to squeeze into a 7 night itinerary from Galveston.

 

What Carnival could do is to call on Little Stirrup Cay (Royal Caribbean's Coco Cay which they've already been visiting on some itineraries). Little Stirrup Cay is in the Berry Islands, west/northwest of Nassau, so it would fit in the itinerary without adding any mileage.

Edited February 12, 2015 by Tapi

[cruiser fanatic]

Half Moon Cay (Little San Salvador Island) is considerably farther east than Nassau and Freeport, which I believe would make it geographically impossible to squeeze into a 7 night itinerary from Galveston.

 

What Carnival could do is to call on Little Stirrup Cay (Royal Caribbean's Coco Cay which they've already been visiting on some itineraries). Little Stirrup Cay is in the Berry Islands, west/northwest of Nassau, so it would fit in the itinerary without adding any mileage.

 

It is possible because in October the Triumph is taking 2 sea days back to Galveston from Half Moon Cay, making it possible in a 7 day itinerary.

 

Wed 11/04/15

San Juan / Puerto Rico

 

22:00

 

Thu 11/05/15

Charlotte Amalie (St. Thomas) / US Virgin Islands

09:00

05:00

 

Fri 11/06/15

Basseterre (St. Kitts) / Lesser Antilles

09:00

05:00

 

Sat 11/07/15

Philipsburg (Sint Maarten) / Lesser Antilles

09:00

05:00

 

Sun 11/08/15

St. John's (Antigua) / Lesser Antilles

08:00

04:00

 

Mon 11/09/15

At Sea

 

 

 

Tue 11/10/15

Grand Turk / Turks and Caicos

07:00

02:00

 

Wed 11/11/15

Half Moon Cay / Bahamas

09:00

05:00

 

Thu 11/12/15

At Sea

 

 

 

Fri 11/13/15

At Sea

 

 

 

Sat 11/14/15

Galveston (TX) / USA

08:00

[Tapi]

It is possible because in October the Triumph is taking 2 sea days back to Galveston from Half Moon Cay, making it possible in a 7 day itinerary.

 

That may work on that one way itinerary from San Juan, but it may not work on a 7 night roundtrip itinerary from Galveston without limiting port time severely.

 

Looking at the distance between ports of call, if Carnival offered a Key West-Nassau-Half Moon Cay itinerary, the stop in Key West would be a maximum of 3-4 hours long if the ship wants to make it to Nassau sometime in the early afternoon the following day, basically cutting Nassau to a half day stop. That's the only way that Half Moon Cay would work. The distance between Galveston and Half Moon Cay is FAR; a good 1,300 nautical miles. Freeport is about 200 miles closer to Galveston.

 

The reason why Key West-Freeport-Nassau works is because Freeport is on its way between Key West and Nassau.

Edited February 12, 2015 by Tapi

[cruiser fanatic]

That may work on that one way itinerary from San Juan, but it may not work on a 7 night roundtrip itinerary from Galveston without limiting port time severely.

 

Looking at the distance between ports of call, if Carnival offered a Key West-Nassau-Half Moon Cay itinerary, the stop in Key West would be a maximum of 3-4 hours long if the ship wants to make it to Nassau sometime in the early afternoon the following day, basically cutting Nassau to a half day stop. That's the only way that Half Moon Cay would work.

 

The reason why Key West-Freeport-Nassau works is because Freeport is on its way between Key West and Nassau.

 

You can have a schedule of 9-4 in Key West and arrive in Nassau by 12 or 1.

 

Look at the below itinerary from a Serenade of the Seas out of New Orleans

 

Sat 21/02/15

New Orleans (LA) / USA

 

4:00

 

Sun 22/02/15

At Sea

 

 

 

Mon 23/02/15

Key West (FL) / USA

11:00

5:00

 

Tue 24/02/15

Nassau / Bahamas

1:00

11:59

 

Wed 25/02/15

Coco Cay* / Bahamas

08:00

5:00

 

Thu 26/02/15

At Sea

 

 

 

Fri 27/02/15

At Sea

 

 

 

Sat 28/02/15

New Orleans (LA) / USA

 

So if the ship left by 5:00 from Key West it can still arrive in Nassau by 1:00. The ship can still have a good length of time in Nassau before going to Half Moon Cay.

[Tapi]

So if the ship left by 5:00 from Key West it can still arrive in Nassau by 1:00. The ship can still have a good length of time in Nassau before going to Half Moon Cay.

 

Once again, Half Moon Cay is EAST of Nassau which adds a couple hundred miles to the itinerary. Coco Cay works on the Serenade's itinerary because its a stone's throw Northwest of Nassau, which allows the ship to stay in Nassau until midnight and still make it to Coco Cay in the morning. That's why I mentioned before that Carnival could offer Coco Cay instead of Half Moon Cay.

 

Could a Key West-Nassau-Half Moon Cay 7 night itinerary physically work? Yes. But after plotting the distances, I see 3 short, half day ports of call with a lot of time at sea spent traveling at full speed. I don't think that Carnival would want to do that.

Edited February 12, 2015 by Tapi

[cruiser fanatic]

Once again, Half Moon Cay is EAST of Nassau which adds a couple hundred miles to the itinerary. Coco Cay works on the Serenade's itinerary because its a stone's throw Northwest of Nassau, which allows the ship to stay in Nassau until midnight and still make it to Coco Cay in the morning. That's why I mentioned before that Carnival could offer Coco Cay instead of Half Moon Cay.

 

CoCo Cay is 103km from Nassau or 56 nautical miles. Half Moon Cay is 154km from Nassau or 83 nautical miles. There is only a 27 nautical mile difference. That's not that far!

[Tapi]

That's not that far!

 

Once again, Coco Cay is northwest of Nassau. Half Moon Cay is east/southeast of Nassau. If the ship sails all the way out to Half Moon Cay from Galveston, that's an extra 250 miles roundtrip (125 miles each way since the ship cant sail on a straight line) from Nassau. Divide that distance by an average cruising speed of 21 knots and you're looking at an extra 12 hours spent at sea and away from the ports of call. So yes, you can go to Half Moon Cay. You will just have 12 less hours to spend ashore.

 

As mentioned before, could a Key West-Nassau-Half Moon Cay 7 night itinerary physically work? Yes. But after plotting the distances, I see 3 short, half day ports of call with a lot of time at sea spent traveling at full speed. I don't think that Carnival would want to do that.

Edited February 12, 2015 by Tapi

[FuturzMinion]

Maybe Carnival will put a new Fantasy class ship in Tampa... Maybe one with Waterworks and Balconies! Haha, I can dream!

[cruiser fanatic]

Once again, Coco Cay is northwest of Nassau. Half Moon Cay is east/southeast of Nassau. If the ship sails all the way out to Half Moon Cay from Galveston, that's an extra 250 miles roundtrip (125 miles each way since the ship cant sail on a straight line) from Nassau. Divide that distance by an average cruising speed of 21 knots and you're looking at an extra 12 hours spent at sea and away from the ports of call. So yes, you can go to Half Moon Cay. You will just have 12 less hours to spend ashore.

 

As mentioned before, could a Key West-Nassau-Half Moon Cay 7 night itinerary physically work? Yes. But after plotting the distances, I see 3 short, half day ports of call with a lot of time at sea spent traveling at full speed. I don't think that Carnival would want to do that.

 

I think Carnival would do that. There hasn't been any new 7 day itineraries from Galveston/New Orleans in a long time. I think people would rather have less time ashore in Key West and Nassau and a full day in HMC.

[mattcj89]

I think Carnival would do that. There hasn't been any new 7 day itineraries from Galveston/New Orleans in a long time. I think people would rather have less time ashore in Key West and Nassau and a full day in HMC.

 

 

I'm really not sure that Carnival is willing to run a ship at full speed just to add a slightly different itinerary that will appeal to most guests just about the same as the itinerary that it's already running. I'm no expert, but I would imagine that it's considerably more costly to run the ship at full speed versus at a normal cruising speed.

[cruiser fanatic]

[quote name='mattcj89']I'm really not sure that Carnival is willing to run a ship at full speed just to add a slightly different itinerary that will appeal to most guests just about the same as the itinerary that it's already running. I'm no expert, but I would imagine that it's considerably more costly to run the ship at full speed versus at a normal cruising speed.[/QUOTE]

It would slightly increase fuel charges. I would be willing to pay a little higher cruise fare to go to HMC then Freeport.

[EdmundXXIII]

Here's hoping for more sailings out of Norfolk, VA.
My favorite home port!!

[ccruisequeen]

[quote name='fyree39']I hope they replace the Miracle![/QUOTE]


I'll take the Dream


[URL="http://s809.photobucket.com/user/ccruisequeen717/media/Copyofth_Carnival-VIFP-Platinum_zps41db4d4e1_zps02e438c7.jpg.html"][IMG]http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/zz18/ccruisequeen717/Copyofth_Carnival-VIFP-Platinum_zps41db4d4e1_zps02e438c7.jpg[/IMG][/URL]I still cruise for Warm Chocolate Melting Cake (with 2 sugar-free vanilla ice-creams)

[MCFTJCH2V]

[quote name='KPfromCT']Tomorrow will be the "official" announcement of Vista's homeport.
Also, they will be announcing the "Dancing of the Ships" in 2016.
I am guessing that some ships will changing ports.
Very exciting.....
Cannot wait for the announcement.:D:D[/QUOTE]

It may be "official" but the new deployment has been available for almost 2 weeks already. It just hasn't gotten to John Heald yet. He seems to always be the last to know.

[cruiser20145]

[quote name='HollandAvery']I wonder if the Magic is moving. I don't know why, but I feel like it's possible.
I'm glad I booked the Freedom, I doubt they would move her right after placing her here...our cruise is in November.

I would like to see the Breeze come to Galveston though :D[/QUOTE]

She is coming to Ga;Galveston, along with Liberty.

[jimbo5544]

[quote name='fyree39']I hope they replace the Miracle![/QUOTE]

Careful what you ask for, it may come true....;)

[jimbo5544]

[quote name='ccruisequeen']I'll take the Dream


[URL="http://s809.photobucket.com/user/ccruisequeen717/media/Copyofth_Carnival-VIFP-Platinum_zps41db4d4e1_zps02e438c7.jpg.html"][IMG]http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/zz18/ccruisequeen717/Copyofth_Carnival-VIFP-Platinum_zps41db4d4e1_zps02e438c7.jpg[/IMG][/URL]I still cruise for Warm Chocolate Melting Cake (with 2 sugar-free vanilla ice-creams)[/QUOTE]

Doubt you will see anything larger than a panamax until the Canal is done.

[islandatsea]

[url]http://www.carnival.com/bookingengine/cruise-search/caribbean?shipCode=VS[/url]

[FuturzMinion]

[quote name='islandatsea'][url]http://www.carnival.com/bookingengine/cruise-search/caribbean?shipCode=VS[/url][/QUOTE]
Oh my gosh, I LOVE those itineraries!! That 4 day to Grand Turk looks good. Edited February 12, 2015 by FuturzMinion

[islandatsea]

[quote name='FuturzMinion']Oh my gosh, I LOVE those itineraries!! That 4 day to Grand Turk looks good.[/QUOTE]

We are looking all of them over too :D !! Wish some of them went deeper in the Caribbean, but its all good !! Edited February 12, 2015 by islandatsea

[HollandAvery]

[quote name='cruiser20145']She is coming to Ga;Galveston, along with Liberty.[/QUOTE]

Wait, how do you know this?
And is the Liberty replacing the Triumph. It's not that I don't believe you, I'm just curious where you read that.

I'd be so so happy to get the Breeze. I've been wanting to book a cruise on her for Fall of 2016 or sometime in in 2017 early winter.