The continued evolution of Cruising as it relates to Carnival

[Coopdog08]

I don't know what I don't know.. I have only sailed on Carnival. They have been good to me and I have had no reason to walk away from them. Like someone else said I have walked away extremely happy from every cruise. Like someone else said, if it's not broke don't try to change it... Will I ever sail another brand, perhaps. In two years I will be in a fortunate position that I will have my daughter graduating from college. The money I am using to pay for her education will now be available for me to use! I really want to visit Europe, will I do this with the Carnival brand if they have available cruises, yes! If they don't, will I use another brand, yes! If I go another brand to Europe and then decide on another carribean cruise, will I use Carnival or the other brand? Most likely Carnival because as I said before they have given me no reason to leave them. As many have said, it doesn't matter on the brand, it matters how you make your cruise. And with that being said, I enjoy what I do on the brand Carnival.

[kybluecruiser]

I've not been on here much lately jimbo, it is hard to keep up with all the new screennames using the same old rhetoric. Lol.... The one thing that has happened recently from another cruise line that has me wondering how carnival will respond is RCI decision to keep majesty of the seas. So will carnival rethink its fantasy class? I know that is one ship compared to 8 fantasy class, but i wonder if they will step back and look how majesty is received with all her new updates

[hockeyluver]

I really have no desire to move on from Carnival. They go everywhere I want to go, I've been on 17 of their ships and like the familiarity of the experience.

 

I agree wholeheartedly. My husband and I are casual cruisers, we don't need all the bells and whistles to be happy, and Carnival provides what we want for a price that allows us to cruise more than once a year.

Pat

 

Our thoughts exactly.

[MCFTJCH2V]

Things continue to change in cruising, mainly outside of Carnival. Most recently, Royal decided not to deploy their dynamic dining program beyond the Quantum class. Originally it was supposed to at least go the the Oasis class. NCL has made their a la carte restaurants (the majority on their ships) begin to price a la carte (pricing for apps, dinners individually as opposed to a set fee). Celebrity has had for a good while now a promotion where you can choose , drink package, tips, or port charges for free. Today MSC dramatically enhanced their loyalty program with significant additions.

 

All this makes me wonder what Carnival will do (if anything to react to these).

 

Oddly, all this post does is entice me to want to try other lines. We've all been watching Carnival sit back seemingly passing their torch to their two closest competitors for the past 11 years, while we have been watching disastrous PR, commercials, incidents that they suddenly seem to think they have distanced themselves from, to the latest non event, fathom. Seems to be the joke of the cruise rags.

 

So my expectation is continuing discussions of dress codes, dress times, water bottles, and sausage.

[jimbo5544]

I've not been on here much lately jimbo, it is hard to keep up with all the new screennames using the same old rhetoric. Lol.... The one thing that has happened recently from another cruise line that has me wondering how carnival will respond is RCI decision to keep majesty of the seas. So will carnival rethink its fantasy class? I know that is one ship compared to 8 fantasy class, but i wonder if they will step back and look how majesty is received with all her new updates

 

 

Lol, I was keeping a list of all the changes but it got to boring. Interestingly enough, I agree on mots, I am not sure what it means however (good or bad) for Royal or in relation to Carnival and them keeping the Fantasy class. I do still doubt they will try to even mini Sunshine the Fantasy class but who knows.

 

Speaking of Sunshine we will be on her in 3 weeks, we have stayed over on her when she came to NO but not sailed her to now.

[Warm Breezes]

It seems to me, after reading most of the posts that many of the folks happiest with Carnival have been given discounted rates due to the casino fares. That's terrific for them. I have no loyalty to Carnival even though I have sailed them more than any other line. I pick the week I want to cruise, usually Thanksgiving, then choose the itinerary, then choose the price. Sometimes it is Carnival, sometimes NCL, sometimes Celebrity. I don't think that CCL is that much cheaper anymore unless you are in an inside cabin. I think their prices are much more in line with the other companies then they were a few years ago. With the exception of Disney and RCL which in my opinion are too expensive. I like the pick your perk on Celebrity- the drink package was really nice. :D

 

I have to disagree with you since I don't fit your profile. I have never gotten a casino deal, but I have found some great deals on balcony cabins on Carnival. Much better than I found on our last NCL and Princess cruises. I'm not loyal to Carnival but I am happy with their product....especially for the prices I have paid for our rooms.

[Cruisegoer]

I still view Carnival as the entry level Cruise. When people learn more about cruising, they move on. The argument about price has zero value because other lines can be booked at or cheaper than Carnival. It must be a comfort thing because nothing is gained in Carnival loyalty.

 

It is rare that other cruise lines can beat Carnival's pricing and for what you are offered on a Carnival cruise, food options, quality, ship decor, ports of call, activities it is very difficult to beat Carnival in relation to pricing. I am going on a Southern Caribbean cruise, it will be my 3rd time sailing this itinerary. Once Princess was able to price match so we tried it. For this upcoming sailing Sailing on RCL would have meant paying $300-$400 more per person for a comparable OV stateroom. Sorry, I sailed the Liberty OTS back in January (again booked on a great promo) and while the ship was beautiful there was nothing about it specifically that beat Carnival IMHO. While the ship was huge, the food was bland, cheap and boring....they were handing out cheese pizza on the promenade boardwalk like it they were throwing money at people....I was pretty much in shock to see people clamoring over terrible cheese pizza, but alas. Sorry for the tangent.

[SeeBurd]

It is rare that other cruise lines can beat Carnival's pricing and for what you are offered on a Carnival cruise, food options, quality, ship decor, ports of call, activities it is very difficult to beat Carnival in relation to pricing. I am going on a Southern Caribbean cruise, it will be my 3rd time sailing this itinerary. Once Princess was able to price match so we tried it. For this upcoming sailing Sailing on RCL would have meant paying $300-$400 more per person for a comparable OV stateroom. Sorry, I sailed the Liberty OTS back in January (again booked on a great promo) and while the ship was beautiful there was nothing about it specifically that beat Carnival IMHO. While the ship was huge, the food was bland, cheap and boring....they were handing out cheese pizza on the promenade boardwalk like it they were throwing money at people....I was pretty much in shock to see people clamoring over terrible cheese pizza, but alas. Sorry for the tangent.

 

Some people are blind to the fact that they need to add their on board account to their cruise fare to compare what they spent on a cruise. Carnival counts on this the most.

[Out to sea!]

I still view Carnival as the entry level Cruise. When people learn more about cruising, they move on. The argument about price has zero value because other lines can be booked at or cheaper than Carnival. It must be a comfort thing because nothing is gained in Carnival loyalty.

 

I disagree. Some people enjoy the Carnival product the way it is. Some people move on thinking things are better elsewhere but some of us realize that other cruise lines, for the most part, are just more expensive, not better. That being said I am only loyal to my wallet but for the most part, my wallet chooses Carnival and I'm happy with that. :)

[Out to sea!]

NEWS: MSC Cruises has announced a new loyalty program that will match your current loyalty status from your favorite cruise line, even if you are a first time MSC cruiser.

http://cruisefever.net/0720-cruise-line-will-match-loyalty-perks-from-other-cruise-lines/

 

If MSC can reciprocate loyalty programs with all cruise line brands,,,why doesn't Carnival Corp reciprocate it's loyalty programs across all it's brands?

 

Because they don't want to (additional costs) and they don't have to (ships keep sailing full the way it is).

[Out to sea!]

NCL also gives you double points for being a suite guest. You can even earn up to triple points if you take a Latitudes Rewards Rate. NCL has also been offering a choice of free drink package, dining package, or excursion credit for the past 8 months.

 

To be honest, Carnival really isn't that great of a deal. Their sales and specials are confusing, and really not that good. I get emails from them every day about sales, but when you click on it, it is all of these obscure sailings on ancient ships, and sometimes brief cruises. I'm sorry, but $50 OBC (on select sailings) isn't a big deal for me. NCL has clear cut promotions across all sailings. I know the quantifiable value of a drink package. I know what kids and friends sail free means. I can get these deals on any NCL cruise I want, and not just a 4 day cruise to Nassau leaving from Jacksonville on October 15th on a ship that Kathy Lee Gifford filmed a commercial on.

 

Actually you can earn up to quadruple points by also booking and not modifying your booking 9+ months out from the cruise. But NCL sucks compared to Carnival so it doesn't matter how many points I have with them. Carnival is a great deal if the promotions on other lines are useless to you.

Edited July 22, 2015 by Out to sea!

[Out to sea!]

Many of you keep posting about the differences between Carnival and other cruise lines and how Carnival doesn't have this or that etc.. But something I think you are missing is that Carnival Cruise Line is part of the Carnival Corporation that owns several cruise lines and all of them offer different levels of cruising experience. So Carnival Corporation has the benefit of not having just one cruise line .. it can market to the entire spectrum of cruisers. So they are not as worried about offering every gimmick that the other lines do on their cruise line since they can match it to the particular product they want on any of their lines.

 

Which just reinforces the need to allow for their loyalty program to have benefits on more than one or even all of their cruise lines, so as cruisers grow beyond the experience that CCL offers they could stay within the Corporation's cruise lines while still getting some perks for their loyalty.

 

As I said before, as long as their ships sail full there is no reason in the world to increase costs by doing this. If they actually ever started losing market share then they might evolve to this but until that happens it won'y happen.

[Cruisegoer]

Some people are blind to the fact that they need to add their on board account to their cruise fare to compare what they spent on a cruise. Carnival counts on this the most.

 

As a cruiser I have complete control over what I spend aboard the cruise, no one cruise line is giving you something for nothing, you are always paying for it in one way or another. If the implication is that Carnival's beverages or shore excursions cost more than don't buy them. It's pretty simple really. I don't think I spend any more on a Carnival cruise then I do on RCL, in fact I spend alot less because there are less Ala Carte restaurants and dining options onboard.

[Maraprince]

The only thing that pushes me away from Carnival is not having a sailing that fits the dates and departure port I want/need. Then, either I need to change my preferences of dates or find another cruise line that sails where I want to go, from my preferred departure port and the date I want to sail.

 

 

 

MARAPRINCE

[SeeBurd]

As a cruiser I have complete control over what I spend aboard the cruise, no one cruise line is giving you something for nothing, you are always paying for it in one way or another. If the implication is that Carnival's beverages or shore excursions cost more than don't buy them. It's pretty simple really. I don't think I spend any more on a Carnival cruise then I do on RCL, in fact I spend alot less because there are less Ala Carte restaurants and dining options onboard.

 

I'm not defending it one way or the other. All I was saying is it should be taken into consideration. A recent conversation with a friend told me they went on a cruise for $299. Then we talked tax, fees, tips, drinks, excursions, a steakhouse dinner, soda and a couple of other things, he realized he actually spent between 2 and 3 times that amount.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Carnival's lack of entertainment at night keeps us away.

 

Since we don't gamble much if at all and are not drinkers that doesn't leave much else at night but the seaside theater which we love for a nice relaxing evening.

 

I've was close to booking CCL Vista recently but got a deal on Harmony of the Seas I couldn't pass up.

 

I know I'll be back on a CCL ship in the future but nothing planned now.

 

NCL you can keep too after this new CEO came onboard and is only worried about stockholders and not so much the pax.

 

In my opinion you need to walk a fine line there but FDR doesn't seem to care what the pax have to say.

 

His communication skills on a scale of 1 -10 are minus 5.

 

He juist keeps impolementing changes and the pax never are told a thing. They find out once on the ship or on here on CC.

 

Maybe I just need a break from cruising overall.:eek:

 

Billl

[LaShea]

I've sailed RCI, NCL, and MSC. I came back to Carnival each time and will likely not venture away again. Carnival has a good product at a good price. That combo is hard to beat, especially these days. In addition, in my experiences, Carnival has by far the friendliest, most smiling staff. That is huge in my estimation. Carnival doesn't have the largest ships, or the ships with the most bells and whistles. What they do have, as I've already mentioned is the best cruise experience for the money. Many, including myself, don't need ice skating rinks, cavernous mall like interiors, or other bells and whistles to enjoy a cruise. I go for the ocean, the islands, and quality time with my wife. Anything else is just icing on the cake. Even if the three other cruise lines I mentioned were to start matching Carnivals prices on a regular basis, I'd stick with the proven commodity, Carnival.

 

I totally agree with you. We went on NCL one time and went right back to Carnival and have never ventured out again. Maybe one day we will but, not anytime soon. We don't need the huge ships. My favorite ship to date is the Magic. I love the size and that it has just enough for everyone to keep everyone busy...including my kids. It is not too big though so we can go outside anywhere on that ship and get fresh air and hear the waves hit the ship. We go for the ocean, island and time with family. Why pay for all the bells and whistles when we wouldn't even use them. If you want the bells and whistles then by all means go on another cruise line. There are a lot of people that don't want or need that. Having the biggest ship is not always better in my opinion.

[bosoxfan5]

I just returned from a 5 night on RCCL Enchantment of the Seas. It was my first RCCL cruise. I can honestly say that I have enjoyed my 6 cruises on Carnival much more. I was curious to see what other lines offer. The food on Carnival is much better and there are more things for the teens to do. I discussed this with my TA and she agrees that RCCL has gone downhill lately with all the changes. I think I'll stay with Carnival. Never had a bad cruise.

[KatieCharlotte]

I'm not defending it one way or the other. All I was saying is it should be taken into consideration. A recent conversation with a friend told me they went on a cruise for $299. Then we talked tax, fees, tips, drinks, excursions, a steakhouse dinner, soda and a couple of other things, he realized he actually spent between 2 and 3 times that amount.

 

It should definitely be taken into consideration, but many of us experienced cruisers who consider Carnival cheap also walk away with a low or zero S&S balance. We calculate taxes and prepaid tips in the cruise price, and look for public transportation or private tours in port.

 

I know that other cruiselines offer some great deals for those who can sail in the less popular times of year, but for a family limited by school and work schedules, I have not found comparable prices on other cruiselines despite checking RC and NCL every time I think about cruising.

 

To answer the original question, I think Carnival will continue to focus on attracting new cruisers -- especially twentysomethings and families -- who are drawn in by a cheap base price (even Carnival's rep as a cut-rate cruiseline) and then overspend once on board. They won't try to match other cruiselines' changes but will continue to follow their successful strategy -- offering more and more add-on expenses and sales that aren't really sales. The Journey concept attracts more seasoned cruisers back to the longer cruises that won't appeal to the primary target audience, but I can't see Carnival going too far in that direction.

Edited July 22, 2015 by KatieCharlotte