Carnival sale of Cunard rumoured

[WorldTraveler151208]

1 hour ago, BlueRiband said:

But don't lose hope.  Maybe Clive Palmer will actually build Titanic II.  The rigidly enforced class system will have a style to suit everybody.

I was also looking forward to this project, but to be honest I no longer believe that Titanic II will be built. At least not in the near future.  This company does not answer any questions and there is no new information about it at all.  It looks like the whole thing has been forgotten .

It's a pity, because I believe that the Blue Star Line could be a success.  They might even in the future build modern QM2-style liners to be an alternative to Cunard for people who like traditional old-fashioned and elegant cruising. Such a line on the market would be great, because as you have noticed, Cunard is not the same anymore.

[Docker123]

Just for fun, Clive Palmer is facing fraud charges in Australia related to his mining and political ventures.

 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-07-17/asic-clive-palmer-charges-alleged-fraud-palmer-united-party/12467070

[BigMac1953]

This is a bit like being at a football match, where you've got tens of thousands of better managers sitting in the stands, none of whom have any management experience.

 

Why has everyone all of a sudden become an expert on acquisitions and divestments?

 

Does anyone really think that the board of Carnival will take the slightest bit of notice of what people think they should or shouldn't do?

 

You can speculate all day long, but in the end the "experts" will do whatever they think is best for their company and their majority shareholders.

[orchestrapal]

5 hours ago, WorldTraveler151208 said:

I was also looking forward to this project, but to be honest I no longer believe that Titanic II will be built. At least not in the near future.  This company does not answer any questions and there is no new information about it at all.  It looks like the whole thing has been forgotten .

It's a pity, because I believe that the Blue Star Line could be a success.  They might even in the future build modern QM2-style liners to be an alternative to Cunard for people who like traditional old-fashioned and elegant cruising. Such a line on the market would be great, because as you have noticed, Cunard is not the same anymore.

I’m afraid the traditional old-fashioned folks will either be dead or uninterested by the time. someone would be dumb enough to build a new 1900’s style ship.

For sure generation Z will have no interest in half dead old fashioned cruise liners with or without masks.

[resistk]

10 hours ago, orchestrapal said:

I’m afraid the traditional old-fashioned folks will either be dead or uninterested by the time. someone would be dumb enough to build a new 1900’s style ship.

For sure generation Z will have no interest in half dead old fashioned cruise liners with or without masks.

 

Cruising as we know it may be going the way of the dinosaurs

[Germancruiser]

1 hour ago, resistk said:

 

Cruising as we know it may be going the way of the dinosaurs

They dinos were not able to change to the new circumstances. Cruise Lines will- must- otherwise- they really go the way of the dinos.

[PORT ROYAL]

7 hours ago, Germancruiser said:

They dinos were not able to change to the new circumstances. Cruise Lines will- must- otherwise- they really go the way of the dinos.

 

Dino's were made extinct by climate change, and the premise of need to change is correct.  Over many years all Cruise Lines have changed, and so have their clientele's needs and requirements, as many of Cunard's new clients are in exile from Princess and Celebrity

One feels Cunard willl change again, but this time going back to it's roots, where a premium Line charges a premium for what it delivers.  In Cunard's case, being Old School Cruising with pricing to match.  

 

Are there takers for this?  Yes, as Cunard's pricing is gradually increasing (not decreasing-selling cheap), still taking considerable advance bookings, with grades showing "Sold Out".  Cunarders are not abandoning their ships for "Cheapo-Play Time" offerings.

 

We have travelled on a journey, from our first Cunard Cruise in 1983.  During this journey we have tried other Lines, found they all were changing along the way, delivering less and less of a total enjoyable experience (some were appalling), with the loss of a sense of occasion when dining.  Hence, back with Cunard.

 

Cunard will change, but only along with the needs of it's current and future clientele.

 

Cunard will fill ship number four, because of the future clientele requiement for that specific Cunard experience.

 

 

 

 

 

[Victoria2]

I would have thought the pricing structure of future cruises has been affected by the number of loyal passengers who have deferred their cruises and thus the uptake for next year has been quite considerable which in turn, has allowed remaining staterooms to show a pricing premium.

 

The proof of the pudding will be when the time comes for final payment. If those booked or deferred choose to defer again or bow out of their commitment,  will the prices retain their premium?

 

 

[PORT ROYAL]

2 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

I would have thought the pricing structure of future cruises has been affected by the number of loyal passengers who have deferred their cruises and thus the uptake for next year has been quite considerable which in turn, has allowed remaining staterooms to show a pricing premium.

 

The proof of the pudding will be when the time comes for final payment. If those booked or deferred choose to defer again or bow out of their commitment,  will the prices retain their premium?

 

 

 

You make a fair point.  

However, think the vast majority of loyal Cunarders will roll forward.  

In evidence, BIL and Wife, recently booked to join us on the QV WC 22, and when selecting a Stateroom, were amazed at level of their desired grade balcony availability, due to the high volume of future bookings.  They thought "Select from the whole ship", and received "Select from these".

 

[Fairgarth]

7 hours ago, PORT ROYAL said:

 

Dino's were made extinct by climate change.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well no, dinos were made extinct by an asteroid that hit the Yucatan.  Which massively changed the climate.  So who do you want to blame?  Let the asteroid off the hook?

[Victoria2]

9 minutes ago, PORT ROYAL said:

 

You make a fair point.  

However, think the vast majority of loyal Cunarders will roll forward.  

In evidence, BIL and Wife, recently booked to join us on the QV WC 22, and when selecting a Stateroom, were amazed at level of their desired grade balcony availability, due to the high volume of future bookings.  They thought "Select from the whole ship", and received "Select from these".

 

Just a thought, that could very well be because the company has its eye on social distancing, stateroom wise, and so in order not to disappoint by allowing a choice, they will assign the accommodation when numbers are more definite.

[PORT ROYAL]

1 minute ago, Victoria2 said:

Just a thought, that could very well be because the company has its eye on social distancing, stateroom wise, and so in order not to disappoint by allowing a choice, they will assign the accommodation when numbers are more definite.

 

They have their Stateroom number confirmed.

 

[Victoria2]

Just now, PORT ROYAL said:

 

They have their Stateroom number confirmed.

 

I misunderstood,

 

The lack of choice in some grades could still be down to holding back staterooms for future social distancing.

[Rotterdam]

On 8/4/2020 at 3:48 AM, Docker123 said:

Just for fun, Clive Palmer is facing fraud charges in Australia related to his mining and political ventures.

 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-07-17/asic-clive-palmer-charges-alleged-fraud-palmer-united-party/12467070

They should charge Mr Palmer w gross negligence in getting dressed & denying a decent tailor ...hed be banned in Queens & Princess Grill & Brittania Restaurants. for sure

[navybankerteacher]

On 8/4/2020 at 8:50 AM, orchestrapal said:

I’m afraid the traditional old-fashioned folks will either be dead or uninterested by the time. someone would be dumb enough to build a new 1900’s style ship.

For sure generation Z will have no interest in half dead old fashioned cruise liners with or without masks.

News Flash:  every year a new crop of old people comes along.  The noisy crowds start to lose attraction for them, they start to look for somewhat quieter, more thoughtful experiences - they have actually learned something over the years.   Even the members of generation Z have the potential to grow up, to learn, to smell the roses.

 

 But, they do need to grow up first.

[Germancruiser]

14 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

News Flash:  every year a new crop of old people comes along.  The noisy crowds start to lose attraction for them, they start to look for somewhat quieter, more thoughtful experiences - they have actually learned something over the years.   Even the members of generation Z have the potential to grow up, to learn, to smell the roses.

 

 But, they do need to grow up first.

I agree a 100%! LOL. Each and every generation had to grow up. Some former generations i dire circumstances. Each generation had their own worries and problems- each dealt with it as best as they could. So - yes- there will always be a market for the classics- like Cuanrds Queens.

I was never on a booze or party cruise. I started with RCCL - Grandeur of the Seas to be precise. Back then ( 1996) there were formal nights- semi formal nights and casual nights. Then I turned to X- and finaly my favorite nowadays- CUNARD- the classic and the traditionell. Just offering what I like most when on board ship- the deep conection with sea- at every turn and twist.

The calm experience of beeing at sea. The unwinding...!

Well I am generation X - still on the good side of 50. LOL

Edited August 8, 2020 by Germancruiser

[resistk]

On 8/5/2020 at 12:16 PM, PORT ROYAL said:

 

You make a fair point.  

However, think the vast majority of loyal Cunarders will roll forward.  

In evidence, BIL and Wife, recently booked to join us on the QV WC 22, and when selecting a Stateroom, were amazed at level of their desired grade balcony availability, due to the high volume of future bookings.  They thought "Select from the whole ship", and received "Select from these".

 

 

Say prices go up 50% as they may be expected to if the ships are sailing at 50% capacity - I think it may be stretch to think that is a viable businness plan considering the economy worldwide is shrinking at an unprecedented rate and governments are "printing" bail out money right and left to try to keep things from getting worse.  Consumers with less money will pay more for the privilege of travelling on Cunard under COVID prevention schemes?  I am a Diamond member but I can survive just fine for multiple years without a cruise if I have to.  The "high volume" is obviously partially due to FCCs and cancelled cruises. 

Edited August 8, 2020 by resistk

[mcloaked]

Hopefully there will continue to be a market for cruises once the future path of the pandemic and our collective response to it becomes clearer over the coming months.  We are on contact with a number of cruise friends near and far, and every single one of us wants to get back on our favourite ships just as soon as conditions allow, and we feel that the risks are acceptably low. Right now the risks are not acceptably low, for our friends and us, and we would not be prepared to get on board and risk getting ill with covid19 with its consequences both on board, as well as potentially being taken off the ship in some foreign land to be hospitalised. Equally right now if the experience of being on board meant a significant loss of the quality of the ship-board experience, then we would not want that experience as it stands. So like so many others, we have moved all of this year's booked cruises into next year, or taken FCC.  Equally we are in the relatively early retirement phase and we certainly yearn to have enjoyable holiday experiences before we get too old or lose health that would prevent us from enjoying life on board to the full, so we would like to get back on board as soon as it is sensibly possible to do so. But the future is uncertain, and the decisions that the cruise companies make will govern whether we will decide to go or not - after all a cruise is not the cheapest kind of holiday and we do want to get good experience value from the outlay.  Let's hope that cruises will become both viable and potentially enjoyable again before the next year or so passes.

[PORT ROYAL]

4 hours ago, resistk said:

 

Say prices go up 50% as they may be expected to if the ships are sailing at 50% capacity - I think it may be stretch to think that is a viable businness plan considering the economy worldwide is shrinking at an unprecedented rate and governments are "printing" bail out money right and left to try to keep things from getting worse.  Consumers with less money will pay more for the privilege of travelling on Cunard under COVID prevention schemes?  I am a Diamond member but I can survive just fine for multiple years without a cruise if I have to.  The "high volume" is obviously partially due to FCCs and cancelled cruises. 

 

You make a fair point.

With regard to FCCs, there are many loyal Cunard Cruisers who have booked their usual clutch of 2021 cruises, but are holding back some of their unatributed FCCs until later next month, when the new May 22 onward  Brochure is muted to be released.

The real booking explosion will happen when Cunarders (and other line supporters) have received their Covid vaccinations.

 

[exlondoner]

6 hours ago, resistk said:

 

Say prices go up 50% as they may be expected to if the ships are sailing at 50% capacity -

 

I'm  defeated by the arithmetic here. If ships are sailing at 50% capacity, surely fares will have to double to cover the loss in income. Makes the position look even worse. However, perhaps ships, such as Cunard's, with a high passenger space ratio, would be able to sail with a higher % than, say, Marella, where passengers have less space.

[d9704011]

13 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

I'm  defeated by the arithmetic here. If ships are sailing at 50% capacity, surely fares will have to double to cover the loss in income.

No you’re not.  Whether fares will have to double to make up a reasonable refenue stream depends on many factors as you’ve suggested but to simply identify a 50% fare increase due to 50% less passengers is unlikely to ever be the case.

[Host Hattie]

I don't think the arithmetic is that simple unless they reduce capacity in all categories by 50%......

I'm sure they would find a way to keep all the Grille suites occupied and not use the inside cabins.

[exlondoner]

4 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

I don't think the arithmetic is that simple unless they reduce capacity in all categories by 50%......

I'm sure they would find a way to keep all the Grille suites occupied and not use the inside cabins.

 

Well, I always used to say jokingly that one of the reasons we booked the QG was that one should never book a cabin one couldn't face being confined to. I feel that is truer than ever now.

[exlondoner]

23 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

I don't think the arithmetic is that simple unless they reduce capacity in all categories by 50%......

I'm sure they would find a way to keep all the Grille suites occupied and not use the inside cabins.

 

I would have thought one of the major concerns about the spread of infection was the crew living at rather closer quarters than the passengers. Perhaps the unused inside cabins could be deployed to enable the crew to have a cabin of their own?

[ace2542]

On 8/5/2020 at 9:45 AM, PORT ROYAL said:

 

Dino's were made extinct by climate change, and the premise of need to change is correct.  Over many years all Cruise Lines have changed, and so have their clientele's needs and requirements, as many of Cunard's new clients are in exile from Princess and Celebrity

One feels Cunard willl change again, but this time going back to it's roots, where a premium Line charges a premium for what it delivers.  In Cunard's case, being Old School Cruising with pricing to match.  

 

Are there takers for this?  Yes, as Cunard's pricing is gradually increasing (not decreasing-selling cheap), still taking considerable advance bookings, with grades showing "Sold Out".  Cunarders are not abandoning their ships for "Cheapo-Play Time" offerings.

 

We have travelled on a journey, from our first Cunard Cruise in 1983.  During this journey we have tried other Lines, found they all were changing along the way, delivering less and less of a total enjoyable experience (some were appalling), with the loss of a sense of occasion when dining.  Hence, back with Cunard.

 

Cunard will change, but only along with the needs of it's current and future clientele.

 

Cunard will fill ship number four, because of the future clientele requiement for that specific Cunard experience.

 

 

 

 

 

And some scientists reckon that the dino's passing of gas to put in polite terms would have been the cause of that climate change and since they could no do anything about that they were dead anyway. The asteroid merely speed the process up.

 

I am sure cunard will survive if it remains cunard without being sold off. And who would even buy it? Once the vaccine comes in things and the cruising fraternity take it up things will improve.