What is the 1 thing you would like to see Carnival improve?

[Computer Nerd]

To use your grocery story analogy -

 

Previously the grocery store (Carnival Fine Foods :D) gave loyalty points based on the number of times you visited the store - no matter how much you purchased (number of cruises) - whether you bought a loaf of bread (3 day cruise) or two whole carts full of food (14 night cruise) you still got a loyalty credit of 1;

 

Then they changed to loyalty points based on the number of items you purchased (nights sailed) - no matter how much a an item costs - it's 1 point per item (night). A 33 cent can of soup (interior guarantee) gets you the same loyalty credit as a $35 Christmas Turkey (holiday sailing in a suite);

 

What's being recommended is that Carnival offers loyalty points based on the total amount you spend with the store - the total of all of your Carnival Fine Foods receipts. So if one person in a year, stops by the store twice and buys a loaf of bread one trip and then a can of soup on a second trip, they are getting fewer loyalty points than someone who stops by the store once a year and buys a Ham, a case of beer, and a birthday cake.

 

They call it a "Loyalty program"; it's really a "Customer Retention" program - and which customer would you want to reward?

 

Sorry but your analogy doesn't work either. If you want to see what generates the most profit, rarely is it the most expensive item. I walked through a mall yesterday and saw a gelato store. Small cost $6.29, Medium cost $6.39, Large cost $6.49. I have to believe you would understand that the owner wants EVERYONE to buy the cheapest item because it will generate the MOST profit. Unless you have a cost benefit analysis available for every cabin on a ship, you truly have no idea which cabins generate the most PROFIT for Carnival.

 

So, if you really want to go by dollar amounts, Carnival needs to determine the amount of profit given to Carnival based on their cabin and what they spent per cruise (and on what) to determine how much profit was generated by that person and then award points based on that profit.

 

Not to mention, there is no cabin deferential of 105.67 - 1 between any Carnival cabins on any ship (based on your grocery store analogy). Also that $35 turkey may be bought only once a year and that 33 cents can of beans may be bought every other day so the can of beans could be generating more profit for the store and therefore deserves more rewards.

[Dmgabe]

Most rich folk I know are tightwads (in a good way) so just because someone books a more expensive cabin does not mean they will be more profitable for the cruise line. Usually it's the other way around.

 

A more expensive cabin is by default, more profitable than the cheapest interior. It has nothing to do with being rich.

[Computer Nerd]

A more expensive cabin is by default, more profitable than the cheapest interior. It has nothing to do with being rich.

 

Not necessarily true. While it costs more for a more expensive cabin, it is not necessarily more profitable.

[Dmgabe]

Not necessarily true. While it costs more for a more expensive cabin, it is not necessarily more profitable.

 

Number of cabins on the ship is fixed and there is virtually zero difference between then in terms of operationg cost. Their expense on you as a passenger are pretty much flat across the range of cabins. The higher the rate for the cabin the more profit. You are clearly trying way too hard to make this complicated.

 

Also, one of the major things many of us are saying about the dollar based system is that it would allow for a company wide program across the many lines of Carnival.

[BlerkOne]

Number of cabins on the ship is fixed and there is virtually zero difference between then in terms of operationg cost. Their expense on you as a passenger are pretty much flat across the range of cabins. The higher the rate for the cabin the more profit. You are clearly trying way too hard to make this complicated.

 

Cabins vary in many ways, including square footage and amenities. As does their operating and maintenance costs.

 

 

Also, one of the major things many of us are saying about the dollar based system is that it would allow for a company wide program across the many lines of Carnival.

 

As individual cruise lines are separate business units, no it doesn't. As they vary in size and number of ships, no, it doesn't. That would be a guaranteed way to tick off loyal cruisers of the upper tiers of Carnival Corp.

[Pellaz]

Okay, here are some thoughts regarding "areas of improvement," or "delta opportunities" as we were taught to say at work. :)

 

• More room-stewards and more MDR staff
  
• Keep Guy's Burger Joint open until 8pm or at least 7 pm
  
• Offer one more late-night dining/snacking/dessert option on ships not currently offering one
  
• Better solo cruise pricing (i.e., partial or full waiver of single supplement)
  
• Introduce a non-alcoholic drink package similar to Royal's "Refreshment" package to include most or all non-alcoholic drinks
  
• Introduce a "Cheers Lite" that includes, say, 7 or 8 drinks a day, and priced at (say) $30-35/day
  
• Install Freestyle Coke Machines on US-based ships (anyone know if they ever installed those trial machine(s) on a HAL ship, as previously reported?)
  
• Modify the Lido buffet to have separate "islands" (like Royal) instead of long buffet lines
  
• Build a pier at HMC
  
• Enable usage of Cheers at HMC
  
• Keep the pizza the same; it's so much better than Royal's :D
  

Edited June 29, 2018 by Pellaz
"Refreshment" or "Replenish" package?

[Dmgabe]

Cabins vary in many ways, including square footage and amenities. As does their operating and maintenance costs.

 

 

 

 

As individual cruise lines are separate business units, no it doesn't. As they vary in size and number of ships, no, it doesn't. That would be a guaranteed way to tick off loyal cruisers of the upper tiers of Carnival Corp.

 

 

There is very little variation in the costs for the cruise line from room to room beyond initial construction. It doesn’t cost much, if any, more to service a suite than it does to service an interior cabin. Value to the customer increases with each category, but cost to cruise line doesn’t increase in any meaningful way. You honestly think a balcony is twice as expensive to operate as an interior? If the bigger rooms weren’t more profitable they wouldn’t bother building the ships to have more and more of them.

 

And being subsidiary units doesn’t prevent a corporation wide loyalty program. The loyalty levels don’t have to be the same across the board, for example $10k could be platinum for Carnival but may only be gold or silver on the higher priced lines like Cunard. I don’t think you would find many people with any amount of common sense that would be upset about a program that increases their benefits and allows more flexibility in lines and ships. In fact many would probably of love the freedom of not feeling tied to a single line because of their rewards status. Would also be a good way for Carnival to get loyal customers of the budget lines to possibly see value in and possibly try the higher priced offerings.

 

The general point here is that they could and should come up with a slightly better way of assigning points, especially in the area of suites or single cruisers that are paying significantly more for a night at sea than individuals that choose to cram 4 into an interior cabin. They should also offer at least some limited reciprocity of status among the lines.

Edited June 29, 2018 by Dmgabe

[xDisconnections]

• Build a pier at HMC

That’s a suggestion for Holland America Line... not Carnival.

[jimbo5544]

Okay, here are some thoughts regarding "areas of improvement," or "delta opportunities" as we were taught to say at work. :)

 

• More room-stewards and more MDR staff
  
• Keep Guy's Burger Joint open until 8pm or at least 7 pm
  
• Offer one more late-night dining/snacking/dessert option on ships not currently offering one
  
• Better solo cruise pricing (i.e., partial or full waiver of single supplement)
  
• Introduce a non-alcoholic drink package similar to Royal's "Refreshment" package to include most or all non-alcoholic drinks
  
• Introduce a "Cheers Lite" that includes, say, 7 or 8 drinks a day, and priced at (say) $30-35/day
  
• Install Freestyle Coke Machines on US-based ships (anyone know if they ever installed those trial machine(s) on a HAL ship, as previously reported?)
  
• Modify the Lido buffet to have separate "islands" (like Royal) instead of long buffet lines
  
• Build a pier at HMC
  
• Enable usage of Cheers at HMC
  
• Keep the pizza the same; it's so much better than Royal's :D
  

 

 

 

8 drinks for $30 would be a steal

 

 

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[rpyne]

We want a 4 piece Caribbean band Every day on the pool deck with steel drums, not just for 45 minutes , but for 4 hours. Noon to 4!

 

YES! If I'm taking a Caribbean cruise, I want a Caribbean experience/atmosphere for the whole cruise. Menus included.

[Muumuu]

Enforce their own rules !

[cruisin'4fun]

I would be all in on a cheers lite package! I'm sure that would be a big seller. Cut the price in half and cut the number of drinks. Now that is a CUT that we would all enjoy.

[Computer Nerd]

Number of cabins on the ship is fixed and there is virtually zero difference between then in terms of operationg cost. Their expense on you as a passenger are pretty much flat across the range of cabins. The higher the rate for the cabin the more profit. You are clearly trying way too hard to make this complicated.

 

Also, one of the major things many of us are saying about the dollar based system is that it would allow for a company wide program across the many lines of Carnival.

 

You have to build something before you can operate it. Plus, with more furniture, more demands, more things that can break and are more expensive to repair, operating costs are going to be higher.

 

Not trying to make it anymore complicated than it actually is. If you want to base the rewards on money spent, that is way too simplistic hence the reason we have the system we have. Of course, you can argue the point till the cows come home but simply put, no on here can change it and many here don't want to change it.

 

Personally, I don't care about whether perks operate across the spectrum of the parent company because I don't care about the perks at all. I pay for a cruise, I get a cruise. I didn't pay for any perks so I don't care if I get any perks. Perks are simply a good will gesture by Carnival which they are not required to give at all if they don't want to (and again, personally, I wish they wouldn't).

[Lottacruises]

Not necessarily true. While it costs more for a more expensive cabin, it is not necessarily more profitable.

Right on.

[Dmgabe]

I’d like to see them eliminte formal nights or perhaps choose one evening to make it an optional occasion in one of the dining rooms with a strictly enforced dress code. This would allow them to still offer it to those that really love to get dressed up on a cruise, while the large number of us with no desire can go about our vacation. Judging from casual observation most people really aren’t that interested in formal nights anymore and choose to just ignore the dress code anyway which creates a bunch of wardrobe police that want to moan and complain. Would save a lot of people from having to pack outfits for the family that will get worn for 3 hours on a week long cruise.

[DramaQueen22]

I would love to see different tiers offered with the Cheers packages. We enjoy a few cocktails daily, but we would never do the 7-8 it takes to "break even" per day with the current cost. How about offering it as "drinks per cabin" rather than per person? You would get a certain amount per day, then if you go over that, you would simply pay for those drinks individually on your s and s account.

[Etta1213]

i prefer royal carib Windjammer just because their buffet setup results in shorter lines -- people can access both sides of some buffets, also repeated on other side of the room. i didn't like standing in long lines on carnival, then again if i wanted a bit more of eggs, etc. i'm one of the few, i guess, who doesn't like the main dining room experience. i like cruising around the buffets, getting a bit of this and that, then back for more of what i really like. i left fancy/pantyhose etc behind when i retired.

[NavarreCruiser]

Incorrect. 80 days on Carnival (Platinum) gets you a free drinks and snacks party per cruise as well.

 

But on Royal that benefit is available every night.

[oncruisecontrol]

I would love to see different tiers offered with the Cheers packages. We enjoy a few cocktails daily, but we would never do the 7-8 it takes to "break even" per day with the current cost. How about offering it as "drinks per cabin" rather than per person? You would get a certain amount per day, then if you go over that, you would simply pay for those drinks individually on your s and s account.

An interesting idea.

[Shaded Lady]

Move the muster drill to interior areas instead of lining everyone up on deck like sardines in the heat.

This is completely out of Carnival's control... SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) regulations will dictate where this is on each new cruise ship. Cruiselines have no choice but to follow their regulations.

[oncruisecontrol]

Food overall. It has become substandard across the fleet.

Very true in my opinion. In fact declining food quality is the reason we left Carnival for NCL. I've only been on NCL Getaway and NCL Escape, but the food on both ships is phenomenal, with many more options then Carnival. If Carnival stepped up their food quality in the MDR and Lido back to what it was 9 or 10 years ago, we'd book Carnival again. But I'm not gonna hold my breath.

[oncruisecontrol]

This is completely out of Carnival's control... SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) regulations will dictate where this is on each new cruise ship. Cruiselines have no choice but to follow their regulations.

When I was on NCL Escape last year and on NCL Getaway in 2016, the muster drill was held inside. Also on Crown Princess in 2013, the muster drill was held inside also. So perhaps there is a more broad guideline. Carnival is the only line that I've sailed where the muster drill was held outside.

[tap_out]

Very true in my opinion. In fact declining food quality is the reason we left Carnival for NCL. I've only been on NCL Getaway and NCL Escape, but the food on both ships is phenomenal, with many more options then Carnival. If Carnival stepped up their food quality in the MDR and Lido back to what it was 9 or 10 years ago, we'd book Carnival again. But I'm not gonna hold my breath.

 

Just goes to show how taste differ. We felt carnival deff had the leg up on food when we went on he escape

[oncruisecontrol]

Just goes to show how taste differ. We felt carnival deff had the leg up on food when we went on he escape

Very true about how taste differs. May I ask you to elaborate? Specifically more detail about your food experiences on Escape. Just curious.

[alreadypacked]

Very true in my opinion. In fact declining food quality is the reason we left Carnival for NCL. I've only been on NCL Getaway and NCL Escape, but the food on both ships is phenomenal, with many more options then Carnival. If Carnival stepped up their food quality in the MDR and Lido back to what it was 9 or 10 years ago, we'd book Carnival again. But I'm not gonna hold my breath.

 

Agree wholeheartedly!

 

And I'm dealing with food allergies now, and want the extra (non-buffet/fast food) food venues that other lines (like NCL) offer, so that I have more food options.