CCL needs to step up to the plate....

[CruisingAmazona]

Although I'm 7 or 8 cruises short of becoming Diamond on CCL, I am not completely loyal to one particular line. I love to cruise, period and whoever gets me on a ship with the best deal possible, gets my money. Having said that, and probably opening a can of worms on a CCL forum, I'm not really getting Carnival's lack of promotions or competition with the other main lines. They are changing policies left and right, some good, some benefit the cruisers, most benefit the cruise line and I get they are a business and need to make profits like any other business. So they're making it tougher for people to smuggle booze, and I get that, while you can book a Concierge Class Balcony on a Celebrity ship and get drink package, free tips and OBC, or a regular OV or Balcony cabin and pick one of those, and NCL gets you free drinks, free dining, internet and OBC for a suite, or one of those for a regular balcony. Why would I bother sailing with CCL where I have to pay the $50 pp/pd for the drink package, while those other, just as good, or sometimes better cruise lines are giving them to me for free. The cabin rates are all fairly equal in cost, so it's not that I am paying higher rates for cabins in those other lines than I would on CCL. Don't get it. They are switching ships here and there which really make no sense at all. Moving the Breeze from Miami to make way for the Vista, but then they're bringing the Sensation to Miami, essentially having two older ships (Ecstasy and Sensation) in one of the most important ports in the country. Not getting this new management or marketing techniques.... at all. I really want to get to my Diamond status, but I just don't see why they deserve my hard earned money when I am getting so much more offered by other lines.

Edited June 16, 2015 by CruisingAmazona

[Purvis1231]

I would go with the best deal regardless of line- none of the loyalty programs are that great.

[NCTribeFan]

So cruise whatever line you want that offers you what you want!

 

Is there a point to your post or are you, as you noted, just trying to open a can of worms?

 

I'm not loyal, either. But I just took my 22nd Carnival cruise and have 3 more booked.

 

I do price other cruiselines and Carnival consistently gives me what I want for less money. I don't price-compare balcony or suites (or even OV) because I don't "need" to spend more for a cabin. Carnival's insides are spacious compared to many other cruiselines. No, the cabin rates are NOT fairly equal in cost.

 

I drink, but don't buy the drink package anyway, so why pay more for Celebrity just to get a drink package included (pssst - you're paying for it in your fare).

 

But I doubt I'll come here and ask people why they continue to sail Carnival when there are other options because it's none of my business as to why people do what they do or spend their money on the things they spend it on!

 

Right?

[jenfusc]

^^^ right on!

[legion3]

Well I do agree with the Breeze being wasted in western cruises.

[CruisingAmazona]

So cruise whatever line you want that offers you what you want!

 

Is there a point to your post or are you, as you noted, just trying to open a can of worms?

 

I'm not loyal, either. But I just took my 22nd Carnival cruise and have 3 more booked.

 

I do price other cruiselines and Carnival consistently gives me what I want for less money. I don't price-compare balcony or suites (or even OV) because I don't "need" to spend more for a cabin. Carnival's insides are spacious compared to many other cruiselines. No, the cabin rates are NOT fairly equal in cost.

 

I drink, but don't buy the drink package anyway, so why pay more for Celebrity just to get a drink package included (pssst - you're paying for it in your fare).

 

But I doubt I'll come here and ask people why they continue to sail Carnival when there are other options because it's none of my business as to why people do what they do or spend their money on the things they spend it on!

 

Right?

 

I figured the loyal cheerleaders would get upset. I was just posting some random thoughts and hoping we could have a conversation based on differing opinions. BTW, I do price cabins and give or take a few bucks, a balcony is a balcony and an inside is an inside. I have been on 42 cruises, and have 5 booked, and I do my homework before I book...on any line.

[RaiderFaninNM]

Meh......................

[mediccruzin]

Well I do agree with the Breeze being wasted in western cruises.

 

And the Magic wasn't ? The Dream class ships sail full out of Texas and New Orelans.

[mediccruzin]

So cruise whatever line you want that offers you what you want!

 

Is there a point to your post or are you, as you noted, just trying to open a can of worms?

 

I'm not loyal, either. But I just took my 22nd Carnival cruise and have 3 more booked.

 

I do price other cruiselines and Carnival consistently gives me what I want for less money. I don't price-compare balcony or suites (or even OV) because I don't "need" to spend more for a cabin. Carnival's insides are spacious compared to many other cruiselines. No, the cabin rates are NOT fairly equal in cost.

 

I drink, but don't buy the drink package anyway, so why pay more for Celebrity just to get a drink package included (pssst - you're paying for it in your fare).

 

But I doubt I'll come here and ask people why they continue to sail Carnival when there are other options because it's none of my business as to why people do what they do or spend their money on the things they spend it on!

 

Right?

 

Inside might be fine for you, for many others it isn't. We will only sail with a balcony as that is what we like. Because you like one type of room doesn't mean others don't. Opinions vary from person to person believe it or not.

[Warm Breezes]

If you don't like the deals you are seeing with CCL for your intended vacation then choose another line. Simple as that. I still find the best deals for when I can go with CCL (even considering the promotions offered). Not that I always choose CCL since there are times I am looking for more than the best value out of that vacation and have other factors I am looking for. I couldn't find another ship that came close to the $1313 total I paid for our balcony for 2 on Splendor for 7 nights this past April. Considering my Ruby Princess cruise the year before was $1500 for a balcony for 5 nights and my Norwegian Jewel just before that was $1700 for a 7 night, and the best deal I could find at the time I was looking at Splendor was $500 + more on other ships during the time we could go....CCL was a no brainer purchase for us when our biggest priority for that cruise was best value for that time period. People need to shop around and find the best value for what they are looking for out of that vacation. If Carnival isn't doing it for you then choose else where.

Edited June 16, 2015 by Warm Breezes

[mediccruzin]

I figured the loyal cheerleaders would get upset. I was just posting some random thoughts and hoping we could have a conversation based on differing opinions. BTW, I do price cabins and give or take a few bucks, a balcony is a balcony and an inside is an inside. I have been on 42 cruises, and have 5 booked, and I do my homework before I book...on any line.

 

I know what you mean, NCL has their new ship sailing out of Miami next year and we can get a balcony for the same price as a the Breeze or Magic. Throw in a drink package or the dining package or both makes it more attractive to cruise them. Their internet package tho is only 100 mins. My teen daughter would blow through their pretty quick.

[microbuck]

So cruise whatever line you want that offers you what you want!

 

Is there a point to your post or are you, as you noted, just trying to open a can of worms?

 

I'm not loyal, either. But I just took my 22nd Carnival cruise and have 3 more booked.

 

I do price other cruiselines and Carnival consistently gives me what I want for less money. I don't price-compare balcony or suites (or even OV) because I don't "need" to spend more for a cabin. Carnival's insides are spacious compared to many other cruiselines. No, the cabin rates are NOT fairly equal in cost.

 

I drink, but don't buy the drink package anyway, so why pay more for Celebrity just to get a drink package included (pssst - you're paying for it in your fare).

 

But I doubt I'll come here and ask people why they continue to sail Carnival when there are other options because it's none of my business as to why people do what they do or spend their money on the things they spend it on!

 

Right?

 

Love this post !

[bruadhin]

I know what you mean, NCL has their new ship sailing out of Miami next year and we can get a balcony for the same price as a the Breeze or Magic. Throw in a drink package or the dining package or both makes it more attractive to cruise them. Their internet package tho is only 100 mins. My teen daughter would blow through their pretty quick.

 

Exactly. I couldn't find anything to really compare to the Getaway in May. Price wise, there wasn't much difference between NCL and CCL, but NCL gave us a free drink package. No brainer.

 

We were going to do an OV, save a little money but the balcony was the same exact rate so another no brainer.

[sparks1093]

I booked with CCL for October 2016 because they were $800 less than the competition and as long as they continue to be that low I will continue to book with them, regardless of promotions being run. That may change when DW and I can sail more frequently or book cruises closer to the sail date, but in the end the cruise line that has the lowest price is the one most likely to get our booking (unless it's a cruise line that we haven't tried and their price is close).

Edited June 16, 2015 by sparks1093

[mediccruzin]

Exactly. I couldn't find anything to really compare to the Getaway in May. Price wise, there wasn't much difference between NCL and CCL, but NCL gave us a free drink package. No brainer.

 

We were going to do an OV, save a little money but the balcony was the same exact rate so another no brainer.

 

I'll have to look at their itinerary again. Since we have to fly to a port for a new itenerary and with my work schedule we do back to backs. If their itinerary is the same week to week that would rule it out for us. We cruise for itenerary and ship, then cost.

[tea4ular]

I disagree about the price comparison - we are setting sail in a spa balcony cabin for FAR LESS than any of the majors are offering for "just" a balcony cabin setting sail from the same port, basically the "same" itinerary, on or very close to the same day. When I say FAR LESS I'm talking several hundred dollars per person less.

 

For what it's worth we've sailed every major except Princess and Disney, so we are "loyal" alright...to our pocketbook.

[bruadhin]

I'll have to look at their itinerary again. Since we have to fly to a port for a new itenerary and with my work schedule we do back to backs. If their itinerary is the same week to week that would rule it out for us. We cruise for itenerary and ship, then cost.

 

Yes, there really wasn't an itinerary that really lined up for a comparison. The Breeze wasn't going to be in port that weekend and the Magic and Dream were showing higher fares as I recall.

 

We could have sailed on a Conquest class ship for less, but after the Breeze we didn't want to do another Conquest again. We wanted something different.

[INCHARGE]

OP....Thank You for your post, as your observations are valid. Regardless of what cruise line you choose, that is just fine. It is so very unnecessary when comments are made regarding if you are not happy with CCL........ What a childish thing to say, because you clearly state that you cruise different lines. Hello?????

 

Anyway, after I have stopped shaking my head, I wanted to also agree about having 2 old ships in Miami. I would think Several newer ships would be better. The only thing I can think of is the need to keep more shorter cruises there, in order to pull more new cruisers.

[SMSACE6]

I was going to say that Carnival still offers the lowest price. Maybe technically they do, but when shopping around for a fall 2016 cruise, I found NCL Getaway for 699.00. and was offered 100 free internet mins, 50.00 towards dinner in the for fee restaurants (that would probably be two dinners), or 50.00 towards one of their ship's excursions, plus it looks like a really great ship, with numerous types of entertainment. I know you have to pay for some, but not all of them.

 

There are lots of choices on that ship. You dont have to pay extra for food, but you can if you want to.

 

I have been wanting to broaden my cruiseline experience anyway, so again for me; a no brainer. Also I did not have to put 500.00 deposit down, which Carnival makes me do as a solo. I will cruise Carnival again most likely, but first I have to try something new.

[frednsb]

Why do they need to step up to the plate/ They sale full on almost every sailing now. So why?

[erocrobro]

If we could afford it, we would choose Disney every time, but we can't so I have to shop around and compare lines and prices. I booked our family of 4 in a balcony on NCL Getaway with free beverage package for almost exactly $1000 less than last summer's nearly equivalent cruise on CCL Liberty. I get OP's post. CCL may still have the reputation as being the most affordable for families, but there are often better deals out there if you watch for sales.

[yj2cute]

OP, I have to agree with you as well. Carnival is not my first choice of line but I will sail them under the right circumstances. As you said, right now they are not really persuading me to choose them over other lines. I will only sail Carnival's newer ships. You won't catch me on an "ation" ship, and now with Breeze moving to Galveston they really don't have too much to offer me.

[CruisingAmazona]

I know what you mean, NCL has their new ship sailing out of Miami next year and we can get a balcony for the same price as a the Breeze or Magic. Throw in a drink package or the dining package or both makes it more attractive to cruise them. Their internet package tho is only 100 mins. My teen daughter would blow through their pretty quick.

 

Yep! I sailed the Getaway in February and am booked for the Escape in 12/16. Frankly I'm happy on any ship, and for many years was, in fact, loyal to CCL, but I was just trying to figure out WHY they weren't competing with the other lines in promotional offers. Unfortunately, I see that nothing's changed here. Can't ask a simple question without the loyals getting all bent out of shape and offended. Ugh!

[cantthinkofanythingfun]

The deal that NCL is offering right now with their freestyle choice is pretty hard to beat. It must be working for them because they keep extending it. I just booked a ten day balcony with them for 1300 and I got the drink package free. That's a $500 value. I'm also going solo and they had no solo supplement. I still like the Carnival Pride because it sails from Baltimore, and that's convenient for me. I also appreciate that Carnival invested in scrubbers for the Pride so they could continue to sail out of Baltimore. That saved a lot of jobs in my hometown, so I will try to sail on the Pride once a year if I can. I really don't know if I would invest in flying and hotel to go on a Carnival cruise though. The Vista looks great, but honestly, the NCL Escape looks better. NCL also really does up the entertainment better than Carnival IMHO. As long as I'm on the water, I'm happy.

[mediccruzin]

Why do they need to step up to the plate/ They sale full on almost every sailing now. So why?

 

To keep people coming back to the them. With the announcement today of sending the Breeze to Texas early and turfing people over to Splendor they are not making their customer happy.