Carnival gone from San Juan. Royal Caribbean makes their move.

[twangster]

2 minutes ago, Tapi said:

I’ve been following that story from the beginning. From what I understand, this has definitely been taken advantage of. But in a different way than what was originally reported. 

 

This is true for Freedom as a home port ship that blew up in the media, but a number of ships dropped some of their San Juan port of call visits from their itineraries.  This was done more quietly.  Not all calls to San Juan were dropped, just some of them. 

[olivertexas]

14 hours ago, Tapi said:

Unfortunately it seems like the story concerning the port’s privatization had little to do with facts about the status of the cruise industry, but more with swaying people in the upcoming elections. 

 

So things work in PR just like they do in the mainland?!  🙂

[jsglow]

On 9/19/2020 at 11:08 PM, cruisegus said:

my take on San Juan as a departure port, at least in the winter months when we sail out of there at least twice a year.  You know it's warm / hot from the minute you land, not like Miami that can be cool even in winter.  Southern Caribbean ports like ABC islands can't be reached on a port of departure Miami in less than 10 days.  So an excellent 7 day cruise with great itinerary.  Have sailed on RCI Freedom numerous time and had same port of calls as Carnival ships from SJU, and the amenities are no comparison.  Not to disparage Carnival as i sail them also, but the need a better ship from this port.

 

 

And a more varied set of itineraries.  We were very excited to be scheduled for one of their rare Plan Bs with Grenada, etc.  Alas. 

[Joebucks]

On 9/19/2020 at 6:22 PM, jimbo5544 said:

I have never really understood the cruise line logic with SJ as a homeport, whether seasonal or full-time.  I do agree that their  is a demand for the 7 day market.  Fascination would just not cut it for us as an alternative.  I am sure Carnival has plans for San Juan, would love to see a Conquest class ship there.

 

Honestly, the biggest reason I would choose a port like Miami over San Juan is convenience. It's a lot easier and cheaper to get to Miami. However, the cruise out of San Juan is usually a little cheaper to offset some of that.

 

Many of us don't go to PR as much as we go to Florida. It adds an extra layer of a "vacation experience" starting down there. Plus, if you like ports of call, there are few routes that can compete. Me being able to hit a new island every day, made it one of my favorite itineraries. The Fascination isn't a compelling enough ship on its own. Don't get me wrong, it's was a great vacation overall. 

 

I do think there is something to be said about your quote though. Something was off about the Carnival business there. I wonder what would happen if the ship was bigger and the price was a little higher. Royal seemed to have figured it out better.

[Tapi]

28 minutes ago, Joebucks said:

 

Honestly, the biggest reason I would choose a port like Miami over San Juan is convenience. It's a lot easier and cheaper to get to Miami.

Same reason why a lot of people who live within driving distance choose Galveston, New Orleans and Mobile. The itineraries are limited and repetitive, but the convenience makes up for it. 
 

That’s how we chose Fantasy from Mobile last year. Convenience. The ship was old, the itinerary was mediocre, but it was SO easy for the entire group to get to Mobile (most of us live within 4 hours of the port), and it was cheap! 

[jimbo5544]

26 minutes ago, Tapi said:

Same reason why a lot of people who live within driving distance choose Galveston, New Orleans and Mobile. The itineraries are limited and repetitive, but the convenience makes up for it. 
 

That’s how we chose Fantasy from Mobile last year. Convenience. The ship was old, the itinerary was mediocre, but it was SO easy for the entire group to get to Mobile (most of us live within 4 hours of the port), and it was cheap! 

All true, but variety is the spice of life.  I can cruise (well sometime in the future I can...I hope) to most of the islands that I can get to from San Juan, but the combo, the port intensive nature, all of it makes SJ a desired cruise port (for us any ways).

[FredT]

On 9/20/2020 at 12:15 AM, xDisconnections said:

Many cruise lines offer an 8 night itinerary to the ABC islands from Fort Lauderdale and Miami.

Sure...   A 9 day cruise with 4 port stops.   Not for me.  (We like port intensive cruises)  

 

As far as San Juan being more "out of the way" than Florida, well, we would never fly to ANY cruise port the day of the cruise, so to San Juan or Miami, "Whats the difference"?   

 

Oh, and I find the "Southern Caribbean" islands so much more interesting (and friendly) than those closer to the US   (Jamaica, Haiti, the Bahamas) I would go out of my way just to avoid them.  (Again, just my opinion)   

Edited September 23, 2020 by FredT
added last paragraph

[xDisconnections]

30 minutes ago, FredT said:

Sure...   A 9 day cruise with 4 port stops.   Not for me.  (We like port intensive cruises)  

 

As far as San Juan being more "out of the way" than Florida, well, we would never fly to ANY cruise port the day of the cruise, so to San Juan or Miami, "Whats the difference"?   

 

Oh, and I find the "Southern Caribbean" islands so much more interesting (and friendly) than those closer to the US   (Jamaica, Haiti, the Bahamas) I would go out of my way just to avoid them.  (Again, just my opinion)   

That’s cool.

[BlerkOne]

2 hours ago, Tapi said:

Same reason why a lot of people who live within driving distance choose Galveston, New Orleans and Mobile. The itineraries are limited and repetitive, but the convenience makes up for it. 
 

That’s how we chose Fantasy from Mobile last year. Convenience. The ship was old, the itinerary was mediocre, but it was SO easy for the entire group to get to Mobile (most of us live within 4 hours of the port), and it was cheap! 

 

Even Fantasy/Sensation offers a longer cruise or two each year. Sensation will have a 10 day cruise in 2022. Not super exotic but certainly some ports not often seen from Mobile.

[chill6x6]

10 hours ago, FredT said:

Sure...   A 9 day cruise with 4 port stops.   Not for me.  (We like port intensive cruises)  

 

As far as San Juan being more "out of the way" than Florida, well, we would never fly to ANY cruise port the day of the cruise, so to San Juan or Miami, "Whats the difference"?   

 

Oh, and I find the "Southern Caribbean" islands so much more interesting (and friendly) than those closer to the US   (Jamaica, Haiti, the Bahamas) I would go out of my way just to avoid them.  (Again, just my opinion)   

I can appreciate that.  But I WILL say one of the nice things about a 9 day out of Miami is you aren't short changed as far as time in port.  We did a 9-day on Navigator OTS(nice ship!) out of Miami. It stopped at Labadee, Curacao, Bonaire, and Aruba. I think we were at Labadee something like 8-5, Aruba 9a-10p, Curacao 8a-9p, and Bonaire 7-4 if I remember correctly.  It was a great cruise.