$236 Million Cruise Ship Deal Criticized-Carnival under fire

[Newcastle]

So what you are saying is that because the press and a few posters on this board said that Carnival was great for doing this you are going to blame them? They have been honest about the contract and they bid on it against other companies that would not do it as cheap. I am sorry that a few people had the nerve to bash RCI for not getting the contract, but bashing Carnival for getting it is wrong.

[Ericknow32]

Do you think Halliburton is doing this,, re thinking there price?? Think not... Why should Carnival re-think?

I agree with you. Carnival is just one company out of many making money off of this. I don't blame Carnival. I just don't like that people are praising Carnival for what you pointed out as being a business decision. People don't praise Halliburton. No one is on message boards claiming that they are being philanthropists. We should not praise Carnival for what they did because they didn't do this for any other reason besides the money. (Which I don't blame them for.)

 

I am still glad that RCCL didn't/couldn't donate any of their ships. They would be in the same boat (pun intended) as Carnival

[Erie Dave]

At some point, pointless discussions should come to an end. I didn't blame Carnival for anything, just made some obversations. They saw an easy money making opportunity that they could get good press for and that is it. Nothing more, nothing less.

[Newcastle]

I agree, I don't think that they deserve praise for what they are doing, but they sure don't deserve to be bashed for doing it either.

[Lightsluvr]

A month ago I was posting about what a ripoff this was for the taxpayers....I was lambasted as being everythring from a scrooge to downright vile...

Well anybody could do the numbers - it would have cheaper to fly these people first class to Honolulu and put them up in a beachfront hotel...our brilliant bureaucrats at work again...

Carnival is sitting back and laughing their corporate butts off...

 

LL

[glgolfer]

If you're interested in how the current cruise lines started and the management of same, read "Devils on the Deep Blue Sea". It is an extremely well written and honest story of how the cruise industry came about and how it is operated today.

Even after reading it, we will continue to cruise. It did nothing to change our minds. We will continue to cruise on RCCL and have not nor will not cruise on Carnival.

[greatam]

Re-read my post and realize that it is pointed at the people who are bashing Carnival for making money by letting FEMA use 3 ships, of course companies are going to make money, that is the American way, and bashing Carnival, for any reason is the way of people who think that sailing on a different line makes the better, smarter, richer or wiser.

 

I don't think people are bashing Carnival because they are making money.

 

There seem to be two camps on this thread. Those who somehow believe that Carnival did this out of the goodness of their corporate hearts and those who believe this was a very lucrative business arrangement. Maybe not the best business arrangement for FEMA, the evacuees, or the taxpayers. But definitely a SHREWD business arrangement on Carnival's end.

 

What Carnival did wrong, IMHO, was displace THOUSANDS of passengers and not allow them to book another ship on a comparable itinerary AT THE SAME PRICE. Most of those passengers have already spent a considerable amount of money for airline tickets, hotel rooms, excursions, and possibly rental cars. Lots of people have to make vacation arrangements well in advance. There was a lot of MONEY already expended by the displaced passengers, especially those who were departing soon after the hurricanes hit.

 

Why make them rebook, most at a higher price? The displaced passengers were already eating airline change fees, maybe non-refundable hotel rooms, etc. Insurance may cover some of this but who needs the hassle of filling out insurance forms and getting all the supporting documentation when you have to reschedule the entire vacation. And speaking of insurance-it was purchased for a specific cruise date. That money is GONE, GONE, GONE.

 

IMHO, Carnival was just a little TOOOO greedy. They are making money from the government-our tax dollars. The least they could have done was rebook those passengers on comparable cruises for the same price.

[kryos]

I doubt the tip reliant employees are still on the ship.

Probably just the cabin stewards is what I was thinking.

 

Then there would be personnel in the Lido on the serving lines ... where I would imagine all meals are being served. I think under normal circumstances, they would be getting some of the pooled tips from the dining room staff.

 

Those are probably the two groups of tip-reliant employees who are still aboard the ship.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[AFT_LOVER]

that FEMA turned down for Carnival's multimillion taxpayer scam. If it was Brown & his grade school brain, or is he related to one of the big cheeses at Carnival so he had to get the family points in his crest.

 

But it is one every news station this morning on the investigation going on iwht this. Cannot be that they were using a USA company, as Carnival isn't tho they are in Miami. So why?

[Erie Dave]

How about you look where your fingers are on the keyboard before you try typing? Don't have a clue what you just said.

[atlcple2]

Unfortunately the cruise industry is in business to make money. While the amount that Carnival is receiving sounds very high, think of the revenue that they would have gotten had they had a full ship on an itinerary already booked...not only the fares, but the extras people spend on the ships. Remember, the Federal Government ASKED Carnival to do this...not the other way around. As far as the refurbishments being paid with our taxes, the refurbishments were already scheduled and the cruise line was going to have those done way before they sent ships to New Orleans. If Carnival is going to be reimbursed for food, fuel, etc., my guess is that Carnival is providing Chef staff along with room stewards. Otherwise, those rooms would no doubt be a mess after 6 months of being used and not cleaned properly...I'm sure the damages would be high for Carnival in that regard. I'm not saying that they could have given the government a much better deal, they could have. They also could have just said no and gone on business as usual and those refugees would have been sent to God knows where or still in the dome. Yes, Carnival does not pay a lot of taxes in the US...but think about this...Bush passed a bill early on in his Presidency to give US companies incentives to take their operations to other countries and take away tax revenues as well as cutting jobs for US workers...How much sense does that make? about as much as paying the amount they are to Carnival. Food for thought.

[Newcastle]

that FEMA turned down for Carnival's multimillion taxpayer scam. If it was Brown & his grade school brain, or is he related to one of the big cheeses at Carnival so he had to get the family points in his crest.

 

But it is one every news station this morning on the investigation going on iwht this. Cannot be that they were using a USA company, as Carnival isn't tho they are in Miami. So why?

 

 

Man, you might want to stop, think about what you want to say, and type it slowly so that people can understand your point because what you typed is a run of different ideas that do not go together.

[mtchg]

..and neither does Royal Caribbean, or any other mainstream cruise line. They are registered as owned in low or no pay tax countries.

 

And it's because of this we all can go on cruises for 100 per day or less..

ensuring full ships; ensuring a living for most of the ship employees they

could never dream of in their country.

 

Paying the ridiculous American tax structure would cripple the cruise industry,

divert it back to just a richman's endevour, and kill jobs for alot of folks, including Americans.

 

Mitch

[TxStacey]

that FEMA turned down for Carnival's multimillion taxpayer scam. If it was Brown & his grade school brain, or is he related to one of the big cheeses at Carnival so he had to get the family points in his crest.

 

But it is one every news station this morning on the investigation going on iwht this. Cannot be that they were using a USA company, as Carnival isn't tho they are in Miami. So why?

 

I "think" what the poster is referring to is the fact that two Greek ships were offered for FREE after Carnival signed their deal, therefore making it too late to accept the Greek offer. I am sure Carnival had already P'd off their customers at that point and there was no turnign back...

I am one of the Carnival customers that was cancelled because of the FEMA contract and yes, I am having to pay 130.00 more per person to sail the same itenerary, same amount of days, same class of ship, just different port that according to Carnival is in "higher demand". Well of course it is in higher demand..the one I was sailing from is in-operable. Am I upset? Yes I am, simply because I feel that since my cruise was cancelled, I should have been able to book the same cruise at the same price.:mad:

[Cruising89143]

If you're interested in how the current cruise lines started and the management of same, read "Devils on the Deep Blue Sea". It is an extremely well written and honest story of how the cruise industry came about and how it is operated today.

Even after reading it, we will continue to cruise. It did nothing to change our minds. We will continue to cruise on RCCL and have not nor will not cruise on Carnival.

 

Very good book. Shed some light on Ted Arison the founder of Carnival that was not so flattering. He basically started Carnival with money that was not his own and belonged to a former employer.

 

Also shows just how cut throat this business is. This is one good read for anybody that really enjoys cruising. I read it back in July while on board the Sovereign.

[Ericknow32]

Very good book. Shed some light on Ted Arison the founder of Carnival that was not so flattering. He basically started Carnival with money that was not his own and belonged to a former employer.

 

Also shows just how cut throat this business is. This is one good read for anybody that really enjoys cruising. I read it back in July while on board the Sovereign.

I have the book I just haven't started reading it yet. I have been to busy. It sounds like I should make time to read it though. Thanks for the heads up.

[futaba951]

If you're interested in how the current cruise lines started and the management of same, read "Devils on the Deep Blue Sea".

 

Doggonit, now I have to go down to Barnes and Noble and spend $20. :D

[Cruising89143]

Doggonit, now I have to go down to Barnes and Noble and spend $20. :D

 

It's worth the twenty bucks. By the way I purchased mine at B&N. It was located in the travel section but hard to find. They only had two copies in stock. It has a yellow book cover.

[Ericknow32]

It's worth the twenty bucks. By the way I purchased mine at B&N. It was located in the travel section but hard to find. They only had two copies in stock. It has a yellow book cover.

Maybe we should start a B&N fan club. I got mine at BN.com

[Cruising89143]

Maybe we should start a B&N fan club. I got mine at BN.com

 

Normally I use Amazon and order them but I was in a hurry to get it since I was leaving town.:)

[glgolfer]

I just kept checking at our library until they had a copy of "Devils ..." and got it there. Saved the $$ to buy it to use on our next cruise.

[jaxon41]

I "think" what the poster is referring to is the fact that two Greek ships were offered for FREE after Carnival signed their deal, therefore making it too late to accept the Greek offer. I am sure Carnival had already P'd off their customers at that point and there was no turnign back...

I am one of the Carnival customers that was cancelled because of the FEMA contract and yes, I am having to pay 130.00 more per person to sail the same itenerary, same amount of days, same class of ship, just different port that according to Carnival is in "higher demand". Well of course it is in higher demand..the one I was sailing from is in-operable. Am I upset? Yes I am, simply because I feel that since my cruise was cancelled, I should have been able to book the same cruise at the same price.:mad:

 

Yes, this is the problem as I and others have expressed. Just a thought, but Congressman Christopher Shays (ct) wants to open Congressional hearings on the cruise lines. This is born of the Smith incident on the Brilliance, but there is nothing to say it can't address consumer concerns, generally. I am thinking of emailing him (he'll be on Joe Scarborough, MSNBC, tonight and Joe is taking email on thoughts for the hearings)because there are all too many US consumer protection laws which I think get violated by the lines -- this is a good example. Cruise lines are carriers just like airlines and I have never known of an airline who could get away with cancelling a flight and then charging you more for a later one.

[lovetocruiserccl]

I'm sure that it also had to do with Carnival having their ships home based in the areas that were destroyed. Hope and pray if it happens to you someone will offer you a place to lay your head.