Cruise Critic Live Chat with Arnold Donald - March 4

[Cruise Critic Chris]

We're very pleased to announce that Arnold Donald, president of Carnival Corp., will be joining for a chat at 1 p.m. (eastern) March 4. You won't want to miss this chance to talk to the man who oversees all 9 of the company's cruise lines.

 

Can't make it? Leave a question below and we'll try to get it answered! You can also read the full chat once it's done.

Edited February 24, 2015 by Cruise Critic Chris

[DeeniEncinitas]

Got it on my calender. Look forward to it!

[horse trail]

I will be traveling to Maui that day but wanted to ask a couple of questions. I just finished watching the refloating of the Costa Concordia. After $1.2 billion dollars spent not counting the loss of life, how badly has it hurt the Carnival Corporation? Also, how many other cruise lines does Carnival own? Looking forward to hearing your answers.

Edited February 24, 2015 by horse trail

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

What will Holland Cruise line look like in 5 years # of ships ??

[InTheWASide]

Hi Mr. Donald. A longer, multi-part question that I look forward to hearing your opinion on.

 

What are your thoughts on how Princess and Carnival handle newbuilds (Vista with its massive event in NYC and a very strong almost non-stop social media presence with updates) and Regal Princess (with its Love Boat reunion, star-studded naming ceremony and Rose Parade float) vs how HAL is covering Koningsdam (maybe one announcement a month with a couple renderings... most announcements being itineraries that are now for sale and almost no shipyard photos or status updates)?

 

Were you aware that for a while regular posters on here (many of whom are HAL 4 and 5 Star Mariners) were wondering if the new ship was going to be transferred elsewhere within Carnival Corp and that was the reason for the near silence about the new ship? On the bright side Micky Arison recently posted some great pics of the nearly completed hull getting the funnel added so we have one resource if/when he happens to be yachting in Italy.

 

As the head of Carnival Corporation you no doubt want every single cruise line to be highly visible, exciting and enticing to the public, both those that cruise and those that haven't yet...can you please ask HAL PR and Social Media to step it up both with Koningsdam and in general? Some of us booked the new ship its maiden voyage on Day 1 and would like to see some coverage of it! Some of us have cruised with HAL for years and years and feel like it's always pushed to the background.

 

Thank you!

Edited February 24, 2015 by InTheWASide

[InTheWASide]

Also, how many other cruise lines does Carnival own?

 

This part is from Carnival Corporation's website:

Carnival Corporation & plc is a global cruise company and one of the largest vacation companies in the world. Our portfolio of leading cruise brands includes Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises and Seabourn in North America; P&O Cruises and Cunard in the United Kingdom; AIDA Cruises in Germany; Costa Cruises in Southern Europe; and P&O Cruises in Australia.

[kazu]

If I may, a question please? The smaller ships are disappearing.

 

We will have two less shortly.

 

The Prinsendam has a huge following and her life is not that long.

 

Will you pay attention to the following that she has and build another small ship like her - unique, with unique itineraries?

 

Has Holland America division decided on their vision yet? They seem to be all things to all people. Fingers crossed they go back to being a premium cruise line.

 

thank you for your time.

[PathfinderEss]

Hi Mr Donald,

 

Just wondering what Hal has in store for the West Coast in 2016?

 

Will stand alone Mexico cruise be continuing in 2016 and

if so what ship is going to take the place of the Veendam that

is being home based to Tampa. Replacing the recent departure of

the Ryndam going to P&O.

 

Thanks

[DeeniEncinitas]

Mr. Donald,

My question is will you finally change your policy of smoking on the Verandahs?

We would like to know.

Also I too want to know about the west coast San Diego port for cruising Mexico again. I hope you are not moving out of San Diego.

Thankyou,

Denise

[sambamama]

The main reason I sail HAL is for the small ships. What is the global plan regarding the size of new Hal ships?

 

Is HAL going to increase the amount of single supplements? I prefer HAL, but they do not have the amount or discounts that are on Princess or Carnival.

 

If two people not in the same household each own Carnival stock, why shouldn't they each get shipboard credit?

[ON cruiser]

Hello Mr. Donald, and thanks for participating in this chat. As a loyal HAL cruiser, I echo some of the other questions in this thread:

 

• Will HAL build some mid-sized ships, 1200-1500 passengers, akin to Oceania's newer builds (along the lines of the Amsterdam in size)? There will be a demand for this class of ship I suspect. "If you build it we will sail".
  
• On these CC threads there are often discussions about maintenance concerns (toilets malfunctioning, lack of a/c in cabins, leaks in public areas with buckets to catch the water). Would you please ensure that such issues, which can impact a holiday, are addressed, and done so pro-actively, by empowering the deck dept. to get things fixed and maintain "a state of good repair", including by providing sufficient funding to do so given the age of some ships?
  
• Many CC members have also commented on some slipping service standards, which are thought to be due to a reduction in staffing in the dining room, or having too few cabin stewards with too many cabins to service. This lack of personal service, because the very hard-working and pleasant staff are too rushed, detracts from the "premium" atmosphere that HAL seeks to achieve. Will you ensure that budgets are not cut to the bone, given you likely know that no entity ever successfully shrinks itself to greatness.
  
• If HAL maintains formal nights, which I personally hope is maintained, will you empower the Maitre D's to enforce the dress code, even if those asked to comply make specious complaints (in other words, back up your employees in such cases)?
  
• Will HAL follow Princess and ban balcony smoking--please say yes!
  

Thanks for your time.

[Cruise Critic Chris]

Almost time for the chat! Here's the link.

[kazu]

looks like the focus was Carnival. Too bad. there are other lines in the fleet. oh well.....

[PathfinderEss]

disappointed that he did not talk more about all the brands rather then just Carnival.

[DeeniEncinitas]

Terrible😠never addressed west coast port San Diego, nor smoking! Wow seemed all he was interested was Carnival!! What a waste of my time. He intact evaded the question on smoking completely. Wonder Melodie if we will. It see Mexico again in San Diego. I was pertty optimistic until this live chat.

[Susie51]

I'm not interested in cruising on a Carnival ship again. I wish he could have chatted about HAL more.