Mardi Gras West Coast Sailings?

[jasong38501]

1 hour ago, BlerkOne said:

 

Any business that doesn't take disaster planning and recovery into account is begging for trouble. Seriously. When New Orleans was wiped out by Katrina, it was a lot more than a few cruises and cruise lines impacted.

 

I counted the number of LNG facilities and capacities in Florida compared with some other states.

 

Why would Carnival put more ships in saturated ports when more and more people are driving to cruises and choosing not to fly?

When you put it that way about disaster planning, Florida really does make a lot more sense. Thanks for pointing that out. The limited number of ports of call and nearby relief ports to New Orleans really does make it sound much riskier.

 

And I would love to see where you found LNG facilities on a map that provide barge to ship bunkering capability. Last I heard it was just Jacksonville.

 

Lastly Carnival puts their ships where the business is. Judging by their latest moves they feel that is in Florida, Charleston, and Galveston. That is where they have grown. If you don't understand why so many cruises depart from Florida just look at a map. From Florida, Carnival does Bahamas, Bermuda, Western, Eastern, and Southern Caribbean trips of various lengths. Florida's location makes that possible and that's why it continues to grow. 

[jimbo5544]

On 7/17/2019 at 1:01 AM, jasong38501 said:

Why in the world would Carnival put Mardi Gras in a port that couldn't support the capacity of a Dream class ship? The 7 day sailings on Dream were consistently the lowest price 7 day cruises with the exception of Fascination out of San Juan. It is no wonder they replaced Dream with a smaller ship. With the cost of infrastructure improvements being made by Carnival at Canaveral to support Mardi Gras, I doubt she will be moving from there for quite some time unless she is replaced by her sister ship coming in 2022. If I was going to bet on the homeport of the second ship in that class, I would look to Fort Lauderdale. Carnival does not have any ships homeporting there for five months next summer, which could very easily be to allow for the necessary port improvements to accommodate the new ship in 2022. 

It will be interesting to see of they can support the Panorama.  I have my doubts.....

[jbethel11]

4 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

It will be interesting to see of they can support the Panorama.  I have my doubts.....

Yeah. They had the Splendor, now it's moving to Australia.

[jimbo5544]

Just now, jbethel11 said:

Yeah. They had the Splendor, now it's moving to Australia.

This is the second run with the Splendor, they had her brand new.  Their were some extenuating circumstances with her run there, but with one itinerary (I already gave my two cents to Carnival brass on why there should be more, but that. While semi-related is another topic), year round sailings from Longbeach makes it tough. 

[jasong38501]

17 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

It will be interesting to see of they can support the Panorama.  I have my doubts.....

I think it will be ok for a while since the new ship factor tends to drive bookings for a bit, but once that wears off I share your doubts. My biggest question about that is moving her if it doesn't work. I still don't know if she can go through the Panama Canal. JH has posted on his FB page she will be too big for even the new locks, but if you look up the dimensions she should fit. It will be interesting to see if they have to move her.

[PhillyFan33579]

4 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

It will be interesting to see of they can support the Panorama.  I have my doubts.....

 

I have a bet with a friend concerning how long Panorama will last on the West Coast. He doesn’t think she will last too long out there. I think she will be okay for several years since she will be Carnival’s newest ship (as previously mentioned), at least for a little while. 

[shof515]

4 hours ago, jasong38501 said:

I think it will be ok for a while since the new ship factor tends to drive bookings for a bit, but once that wears off I share your doubts. My biggest question about that is moving her if it doesn't work. I still don't know if she can go through the Panama Canal. JH has posted on his FB page she will be too big for even the new locks, but if you look up the dimensions she should fit. It will be interesting to see if they have to move her.

 

IF it is too big to fit in the panama canal cruise, they will do a around the horn cruise like what the Splendor and a few other ships did back in the day

[jasong38501]

8 minutes ago, shof515 said:

 

IF it is too big to fit in the panama canal cruise, they will do a around the horn cruise like what the Splendor and a few other ships did back in the day

I believe Carnival took quite a loss on having to do that too.

[gatour]

23 hours ago, BlerkOne said:

Florida has some LNG production, but is behind the curve.

You are mistaken in regards to providing LNG for fueling purposes for ships.  Jacksonville has a facility for Crowley which provides LNG to two of its freighters that do runs to San Juan.  In addition, Carnival is working on bunkering facilities for Mardi Gras in Port Canaveral.

[gatour]

46 minutes ago, shof515 said:

 

IF it is too big to fit in the panama canal cruise, they will do a around the horn cruise like what the Splendor and a few other ships did back in the day

With the new locks, it may fit into the Canal.  If so, the only remaining question would be if it fits under the bridge at the Pacific end.

[PhillyFan33579]

14 minutes ago, fyree39 said:

I'm with you on this.  We have a Havana Cabana booked on her in 2021. I expect the ship will be moved and we'll be offered a comparable room on the Miracle when she's moved back. Or maybe it'll be one of the NEW ships like Sunrise or Sunshine. I'll remain hopeful, though, and see what happens. I think she'll certainly be around for our 2020 cruise on her.

 

Now Sunshine is a new ship?  Haven’t heard that one yet. 

 

If they do end up moving Panorama, I am curious where Carnival would move it to. At some point Carnival is going to have too many ships if they can’t sell any of their Fantasy class ships. By 2021 Mardi Gras will be in Florida and another XL ship is due in 2022. 

Edited July 18, 2019 by PhillyFan33579

[cathyz]

If the Panorama can't fit through the Panama canal, how is she getting to Long Beach from Italy?

[shof515]

38 minutes ago, cathyz said:

If the Panorama can't fit through the Panama canal, how is she getting to Long Beach from Italy?

by going the other way and sailing a transpacific route

[crzndeb]

1 minute ago, shof515 said:

by going the other way and sailing a transpacific route

Yes, and it made a lot of people upset that it was sailing empty. 

[cathyz]

21 minutes ago, shof515 said:

by going the other way and sailing a transpacific route

Thanks, that's a long way!

[cathyz]

19 minutes ago, crzndeb said:

Yes, and it made a lot of people upset that it was sailing empty. 

Maybe they're finishing up interior work on the way?

[pbcbbc]

No question Panorama can make it long term. Splendors first run here was filled with several unfortunate events. While it was replaced it did come back and has done well enough to convince Carnival to bring in the Panorama. Don't forget that we have 2 ships doing well with the short cruises.  And Miracle is going to do seasonal cruises from San Diego. The west coast is greatly underestimated!

 

 

[jimbo5544]

6 hours ago, pbcbbc said:

No question Panorama can make it long term. Splendors first run here was filled with several unfortunate events. While it was replaced it did come back and has done well enough to convince Carnival to bring in the Panorama. Don't forget that we have 2 ships doing well with the short cruises.  And Miracle is going to do seasonal cruises from San Diego. The west coast is greatly underestimated!

 

 

There certainly are questions....as I mentioned in a earlier post there were two incidents, but the west coast failed to fill her LONG after these were ancient history, and with significant discounting, it was a drastic failure for a new build.  Big difference in short cruise filling (with MUCH small cabin counts) and the Panorama will have more than twice the number than both combined.  Hope I am wrong, but we will see how the Panorama is doing not the first year, but the winter of the second year.  With virtually one itinerary, it is a gamble and a pretty big one.

Edited July 19, 2019 by jimbo5544

[jimbo5544]

13 hours ago, crzndeb said:

Yes, and it made a lot of people upset that it was sailing empty. 

I was unaware that she was sailing the other way, they had huge issues filling the ship with the three long sailings the Splendor around South America to get her on the west coast (the first time).

Edited July 19, 2019 by jimbo5544

[maryann2]

20 hours ago, cathyz said:

If the Panorama can't fit through the Panama canal, how is she getting to Long Beach from Italy?

 

19 hours ago, shof515 said:

by going the other way and sailing a transpacific route

 

19 hours ago, crzndeb said:

Yes, and it made a lot of people upset that it was sailing empty. 

While on the Horizon TA we were told that The Panorama will sail through the Panama Canal.  However they have to remove the lifeboats and position them on the decks. That is why they are sailing without passengers.

I really think the Panorama will eventually move to Asia or Australia.

[jasong38501]

1 hour ago, maryann2 said:

 

 

While on the Horizon TA we were told that The Panorama will sail through the Panama Canal.  However they have to remove the lifeboats and position them on the decks. That is why they are sailing without passengers.

I really think the Panorama will eventually move to Asia or Australia.

Isn't Carnival supposed to be partnering with China State Shipbuilding to be building a couple of Vista class ships and starting a new brand in China. Anyone heard anything new about that lately?

[crzndeb]

1 hour ago, maryann2 said:

 

 

While on the Horizon TA we were told that The Panorama will sail through the Panama Canal.  However they have to remove the lifeboats and position them on the decks. That is why they are sailing without passengers.

I really think the Panorama will eventually move to Asia or Australia.

Darn, that still would have been a fun trip, especially ending on a Westcoast.

[BlerkOne]

On 7/17/2019 at 6:47 PM, jasong38501 said:

When you put it that way about disaster planning, Florida really does make a lot more sense. Thanks for pointing that out. The limited number of ports of call and nearby relief ports to New Orleans really does make it sound much riskier.

 

And I would love to see where you found LNG facilities on a map that provide barge to ship bunkering capability. Last I heard it was just Jacksonville.

 

Lastly Carnival puts their ships where the business is. Judging by their latest moves they feel that is in Florida, Charleston, and Galveston. That is where they have grown. If you don't understand why so many cruises depart from Florida just look at a map. From Florida, Carnival does Bahamas, Bermuda, Western, Eastern, and Southern Caribbean trips of various lengths. Florida's location makes that possible and that's why it continues to grow. 

 

Hope you like crow. I'll bookmark this thread.

[jasong38501]

34 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

 

Hope you like crow. I'll bookmark this thread.

Please do!

[kbklcamp]

23 hours ago, crzndeb said:

Yes, and it made a lot of people upset that it was sailing empty. 

I am one who is disappointed, crzndeb, aren't you?