Costa by Carnival development

[Moviela]

I've been at sea 7 times since March. My biggest worry is the Covid test, and greatest pleasure is the appreciation shown by the crew. Sure there are cut backs, shorter hours, sea day brunch menu changes, and some extended waits for service in the MDR. They are really nothing worthy of a complaint. The food has been great, the comedy funny, the production shows are college style, but still good. Bar service is a bit better, and bar tenders have some entertaining chatter. Embark, debark has been sensational. In San Francisco leaving my cabin to entering the Bay Bridge was 15 minutes!

 

I know getting people is hard. My group was 130 people. Now it's 80. 

[DrSea]

14 minutes ago, Moviela said:

Sure there are cut backs, shorter hours, sea day brunch menu changes, and some extended waits for service in the MDR. They are really nothing worthy of a complaint. The food has been great,

I STRONGLY disagree.

 

Cutting out fillet mignon from the sea brunch is a big deal for me and a deal breaker. If I didn't have a nonrefundable booking, I would have cancelled. The crppy part is that I booked it, and then CCL changed the menu, which I don't think is fair. 

 

👎 👎

[CruisingWalter]

On 9/10/2022 at 3:18 PM, CarnivalShips480 said:

Okay then forget that line and look at the other things I posted.

 

Carnival Venezia, Carnival Firenze. It says it on Carnival websites. They were originally going to keep Costa names but it doesn't seem anymore. Things change, Luminosa is coming to Carnival, not Magica

 

The latest information on Costa By Carnival still includes the Costa names with no changes. No mention of changing the names or the livery to Carnival anywhere on the Carnival site or Carnival press that I can find. If you have a link to Carnival's website showing all this has changed, share it with us so we can read it. Thanks

 

https://carnival-news.com/2022/06/22/carnival-cruise-line-to-bring-costa-venezia-to-the-u-s-in-2023-costa-firenze-in-2024-to-sail-as-part-of-the-carnival-fleet/

Edited September 12, 2022 by WheresWalter

[jimbo5544]

9 hours ago, BasicSailor said:

 I have heard the same, still I noticed there was a lack of training amongst the crew.

I am sure they are pushing the gambit to get them on ships as soon as possible.  We do live in a really weird time, which demands weird actions. 

[jimbo5544]

2 hours ago, DrSea said:

I STRONGLY disagree.

 

Cutting out fillet mignon from the sea brunch is a big deal for me and a deal breaker. If I didn't have a nonrefundable booking, I would have cancelled. The crppy part is that I booked it, and then CCL changed the menu, which I don't think is fair. 

 

👎 👎

Enjoy it elsewhere then.  You decide what works ans what does not.  Might want to doublecheck what the other lines cut, it was not fair when the CDC shut them down for 17 months and they lost 10’s of billions either, but they did not complaim, kudos to them.

[jimbo5544]

3 hours ago, Moviela said:

I've been at sea 7 times since March. My biggest worry is the Covid test, and greatest pleasure is the appreciation shown by the crew. Sure there are cut backs, shorter hours, sea day brunch menu changes, and some extended waits for service in the MDR. They are really nothing worthy of a complaint. The food has been great, the comedy funny, the production shows are college style, but still good. Bar service is a bit better, and bar tenders have some entertaining chatter. Embark, debark has been sensational. In San Francisco leaving my cabin to entering the Bay Bridge was 15 minutes!

 

I know getting people is hard. My group was 130 people. Now it's 80. 

Nice post

[CruisingWalter]

3 hours ago, DrSea said:

I STRONGLY disagree.

 

Cutting out fillet mignon from the sea brunch is a big deal for me and a deal breaker. If I didn't have a nonrefundable booking, I would have cancelled. The crppy part is that I booked it, and then CCL changed the menu, which I don't think is fair. 

 

👎 👎

 

Menus and pretty much ANYTHING on a cruise ship is subject to change at any time. Not sure why you would think it's 'not fair' for a cruise line to change something as simple as a menu after you booked your cruise. Everything changes continually on all cruise lines so changes after booking a cruise will happen to a lot of people, all the time. 

[mz-s]

It's why I don't book Carnival cruises any farther out than say 6 months anymore. Too many cutbacks and changes too fast for me. I have a cruise coming up in about 10 days and after that, nothing booked with Carnival - may not ever book again, may book a dozen more, ball's in their court really.

[DrSea]

4 hours ago, WheresWalter said:

 

Menus and pretty much ANYTHING on a cruise ship is subject to change at any time. Not sure why you would think it's 'not fair' for a cruise line to change something as simple as a menu after you booked your cruise. Everything changes continually on all cruise lines so changes after booking a cruise will happen to a lot of people, all the time. 

If they change the product, then I should be able to cancel. Literally the definition of a bait and switch. Come for fillet mignon and get something else.

 

They can sell my spot. Everyone here on CC says that the market is red hot, right? 

[DrSea]

4 hours ago, mz-s said:

It's why I don't book Carnival cruises any farther out than say 6 months anymore. Too many cutbacks and changes too fast for me. I have a cruise coming up in about 10 days and after that, nothing booked with Carnival - may not ever book again, may book a dozen more, ball's in their court really.

I really need low fairs to book with CCL again. 

 

[DrSea]

5 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

Enjoy it elsewhere then.  You decide what works ans what does not.  Might want to doublecheck what the other lines cut, it was not fair when the CDC shut them down for 17 months and they lost 10’s of billions either, but they did not complaim, kudos to them.

I am trying to. I am literally cannot cancel without losing the cost of my entire trip.

 

And the cruise lines did complain when they didn't get the PPP loans. 

[Itried4498]

9 hours ago, DrSea said:

I STRONGLY disagree.

 

Cutting out fillet mignon from the sea brunch is a big deal for me and a deal breaker. If I didn't have a nonrefundable booking, I would have cancelled. The crppy part is that I booked it, and then CCL changed the menu, which I don't think is fair. 

 

👎 👎

 

If Carnival made a change – to the itinerary or inclusions – I’d agree completely with you.  But they didn’t – they’re very clear that menu selections are subject to change at any time.  It’s standard verbiage.  RCL provides the expected menus months in advance (via their app), with the same disclaimer.  Our recent 5-night Cabo cruise had the “lobster night” menu for the added night (normally it’s a 3 / 4-night cruise) and we were disappointed when it was replaced shortly before embarkation.

 

Ultimately, we’re in a period of soaring costs, and cruise lines are heavily impacted by swelling fuel, food & labor costs.  That they haven’t been able to pass these costs onto passengers, should lead one to be unsurprised that they’ll find other ways to cut costs.

 

[DrSea]

Just now, Itried4498 said:

 

If Carnival made a change – to the itinerary or inclusions – I’d agree completely with you.  But they didn’t – they’re very clear that menu selections are subject to change at any time.  It’s standard verbiage.  RCL provides the expected menus months in advance (via their app), with the same disclaimer.  Our recent 5-night Cabo cruise had the “lobster night” menu for the added night (normally it’s a 3 / 4-night cruise) and we were disappointed when it was replaced shortly before embarkation.

 

Ultimately, we’re in a period of soaring costs, and cruise lines are heavily impacted by swelling fuel, food & labor costs.  That they haven’t been able to pass these costs onto passengers, should lead one to be unsurprised that they’ll find other ways to cut costs.

 

One of the inclusions that was marketed and changed was the 24 hour pizza. That is gone. Even by your own measure/criteria, I still should be allowed to cancel and get my full refund back. 

 

I do get pizza at 4 to 6 am. Due to time zone changes, I wake up at that time naturally, and want to eat pizza before I disembark. 

 

I don't know if all cruise lines are impacted by inflation as much as they are touting or as much as we individually are. They buy things at economies of scale from different suppliers around the world and objectively inflation has eased already. 

[CruisingWalter]

3 hours ago, DrSea said:

If they change the product, then I should be able to cancel. Literally the definition of a bait and switch. Come for fillet mignon and get something else.

 

They can sell my spot. Everyone here on CC says that the market is red hot, right? 

 

The product hasn't been changed. The ship is still the ship. The restaurants are all still there. The entertainment is still there. 

 

Changing a menu is by no way shape or form a bait a switch. Changing a pizza venue from 24 hours to a different set of hours is by no means a bait and switch. The operations of cruise ships change constantly. Unless you book your cruise today and sail tomorrow, you're not going to get everything that was promised at the time of your booking. We've had Celebrity Cruises completely change a restaurant from the time we booked to the time we sailed. And..... it was no big deal. 

 

What are you going to do if you're onboard and you miss or change a port?

 

What if your itinerary completely changes like we had happen on Celebrity Equinox. When we booked the cruise Celebrity did not make us aware that Hurricane Irma would be impacting the Caribbean in six months when the cruise started, but when we boarded the ship, we were given a brand new itinerary to avoid the storm. Talk about a 'bait and switch!' 

 

A change in restaurant menu, theme or operating hours is a minor change in the overall scheme of cruise travel. 

 

 

[Itried4498]

2 hours ago, DrSea said:

One of the inclusions that was marketed and changed was the 24 hour pizza. That is gone. Even by your own measure/criteria, I still should be allowed to cancel and get my full refund back. 

 

I do get pizza at 4 to 6 am. Due to time zone changes, I wake up at that time naturally, and want to eat pizza before I disembark. 

 

I don't know if all cruise lines are impacted by inflation as much as they are touting or as much as we individually are. They buy things at economies of scale from different suppliers around the world and objectively inflation has eased already. 

 

Carnival has long been intentionally vague with inclusions, even explicitly mentioning that (included) meals can be served in the MDR and/or Lido Restaurant.  Carnival could announce today that it is “enhancing” its MDE experience to include a complimentary continental breakfast bar and expanded hot breakfast, lunch, and dinner options with a nominal cover charge, and it’d still in adherence with fare inclusions.  It did mention a 24-hour pizzeria, but you’d have a weak argument as the legalese on the page mentions that hours are subject to change.

 

And cruise lines’ purchasing power hardly makes them immune from inflation.  Prices of food, supplies, labor and especially fuel have risen sharply from the pre-COVID era, but average cruise fares are still trending below their pre-COVID mark (meanwhile, airfare averages are up nearly 40% since 2019).  And no, inflation hasn’t stabilized.  Fuel costs are on the rise again, and many analysts are expecting oil to sell at record prices by year end.

[DrSea]

3 hours ago, WheresWalter said:

 

The product hasn't been changed. The ship is still the ship. The restaurants are all still there. The entertainment is still there. 

 

Changing a menu is by no way shape or form a bait a switch. Changing a pizza venue from 24 hours to a different set of hours is by no means a bait and switch. The operations of cruise ships change constantly. Unless you book your cruise today and sail tomorrow, you're not going to get everything that was promised at the time of your booking. We've had Celebrity Cruises completely change a restaurant from the time we booked to the time we sailed. And..... it was no big deal. 

 

What are you going to do if you're onboard and you miss or change a port?

 

What if your itinerary completely changes like we had happen on Celebrity Equinox. When we booked the cruise Celebrity did not make us aware that Hurricane Irma would be impacting the Caribbean in six months when the cruise started, but when we boarded the ship, we were given a brand new itinerary to avoid the storm. Talk about a 'bait and switch!' 

 

A change in restaurant menu, theme or operating hours is a minor change in the overall scheme of cruise travel. 

 

 

 

2 hours ago, Itried4498 said:

 

Carnival has long been intentionally vague with inclusions, even explicitly mentioning that (included) meals can be served in the MDR and/or Lido Restaurant.  Carnival could announce today that it is “enhancing” its MDE experience to include a complimentary continental breakfast bar and expanded hot breakfast, lunch, and dinner options with a nominal cover charge, and it’d still in adherence with fare inclusions.  It did mention a 24-hour pizzeria, but you’d have a weak argument as the legalese on the page mentions that hours are subject to change.

 

And cruise lines’ purchasing power hardly makes them immune from inflation.  Prices of food, supplies, labor and especially fuel have risen sharply from the pre-COVID era, but average cruise fares are still trending below their pre-COVID mark (meanwhile, airfare averages are up nearly 40% since 2019).  And no, inflation hasn’t stabilized.  Fuel costs are on the rise again, and many analysts are expecting oil to sell at record prices by year end.

24 hour pizza was a feature listed on their website when I booked. 

 

Why are you defending anti-consumer practices? 

[jimbo5544]

17 hours ago, DrSea said:

I am trying to. I am literally cannot cancel without losing the cost of my entire trip.

 

And the cruise lines did complain when they didn't get the PPP loans. 

Show me that 

[Itried4498]

7 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

Show me that 

They didn’t.  The argument for bailouts was made by the fanboy/girls in this community, but the cruise lines were smart enough to known that foreign-flagged carriers employing mostly foreign nationals wouldn’t get votes in the court of public approval.

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2020/06/10/fact-check-cruise-ship-companies-didnt-seek-us-covid-19-bailout/5332960002/

[SwordBlazer Cruising]

44 minutes ago, Itried4498 said:

They didn’t.  The argument for bailouts was made by the fanboy/girls in this community, but the cruise lines were smart enough to known that foreign-flagged carriers employing mostly foreign nationals wouldn’t get votes in the court of public approval.

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2020/06/10/fact-check-cruise-ship-companies-didnt-seek-us-covid-19-bailout/.

Edited September 13, 2022 by SwordBlazer Cruising

[SwordBlazer Cruising]

4 minutes ago, SwordBlazer Cruising said:

 

Correct.

[cmichael1221]

On 9/11/2022 at 1:21 PM, Joe817 said:

Ugghhhh. I watched the entire video. My heart goes out to those workers. I found that depressing. I can't imagine working/sleeping/living in those conditions. Thanks so much for posting. 

I saw plenty of guests treating the Mardi Gras crew horribly a couple of weeks ago... Really angered me!

[jimbo5544]

On 9/13/2022 at 2:25 PM, SwordBlazer Cruising said:

 

Exactly, that is why I asked.

[Moviela]

I would like to reflect on the filet on the old sea day menu as "Steak and Eggs." I enjoyed this the first time on Imagination in 2016. It was tender and delicious. I ordered a second one at the same seating. Later, the quality was still good, but not prime beef. On board Horizon in Europe, the filet might as well been marked "Neoprene" because it was tough to chew. At the restart I found the filet to be tough and with little flavor, even though properly cooked medium-rare to my liking. With the change to sirloin the flavor is much improved and only slightly less tender than the best of the filet. I see no reason to change my menu choice to chicken as the beef is most acceptable. I do know that currently food service suppliers are struggling to provide enough filet mignon to our four star eateries, and the price is higher than ever. The quality is not as  good at prime and choice grades. 

[CarnivalShips480]

On 9/12/2022 at 6:45 AM, WheresWalter said:

 

The latest information on Costa By Carnival still includes the Costa names with no changes. No mention of changing the names or the livery to Carnival anywhere on the Carnival site or Carnival press that I can find. If you have a link to Carnival's website showing all this has changed, share it with us so we can read it. Thanks

 

https://carnival-news.com/2022/06/22/carnival-cruise-line-to-bring-costa-venezia-to-the-u-s-in-2023-costa-firenze-in-2024-to-sail-as-part-of-the-carnival-fleet/

One of the links I posted IS the press website. Which one were you looking at?

[CruisingWalter]

Full article on the Costa Toscana that includes some thoughts on what features might, and might not carry over as part of the Costa by Carnival concept when it rolls out in 2023 & 2024. I'm honestly shocked Costa allows smoking on the ship balconies in Europe considering the fire hazard that is and the example from the Princess ship that burned so many cabins back in 2006 from a cigarette. That policy definitely won't be making it's way across the pond when the two Costa ships launch in the U.S. 🙂

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/7106/