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Carnival 'Special touches' gone?

Woody14

By Woody14,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

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Joebucks

Joebucks

Posted
Posted
7 hours ago, mz-s said:

 

Our cruise fare and gratuities used to include so much more than you get today it's really quite sad if you actually want to go down that road. Look at post #13 in this thread for a brief list of things we've lost just since COVID.

 

Good to know that I can take all of the tons of ways that life has changed since covid, and I can yell that I still "pay for the old way." Boy does this change everything. Wait until the food, travel, and housing markets hear what I have to say.

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mz-s

mz-s

Posted
Posted (edited)
17 minutes ago, Joebucks said:

 

Good to know that I can take all of the tons of ways that life has changed since covid, and I can yell that I still "pay for the old way." Boy does this change everything. Wait until the food, travel, and housing markets hear what I have to say.

 

Paying more for gas to get to work is a little different than something like a cruise vacation in my opinion. I'm a little more understanding when I have to pay more for my dozen of eggs at the grocery store these days. Needing gas to get to work and eggs to eat are what we call necessities.

 

Carnival doesn't deal in necessities - I do not need a Carnival cruise to survive like I need the things I buy at Aldi or Walmart. They have to work hard to earn every dollar they get from me. When Carnival is going on year 3 of a self-described "bacon vacation" just because they want to save money, or if they fire half their stewards and therefore cut the service I receive in half yet refuse to reduce the gratuities they charge me (and indeed, sharply increase them with no good explanation), yeah I'm going to call them out on it.

 

Carnival has chosen to cut their experience such that their only option is to compete on price. It's going to be a very dark decade ahead for this company $30Bn+ in debt that is still not profitable.

Edited by mz-s
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icft

icft

Posted
Posted

Change is a constant. The problem is that in the cruise industry the vast majority of changes mean the passenger gets less and is treated worse. Some folks are happy with that, some not so much. Debate won't change the feelings of either.

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Guest BasicSailor

Guest BasicSailor

Posted
Posted
5 minutes ago, icft said:

Change is a constant. The problem is that in the cruise industry the vast majority of changes mean the passenger gets less and is treated worse. Some folks are happy with that, some not so much. Debate won't change the feelings of either.

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Woody14

Woody14

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16 hours ago, mz-s said:

 

The entire purpose of this thread in particular is to discuss things that are gone from the experience, anyone is welcome to make a thread about things that Carnival has added over the years and I'd be glad to add my own things to that thread as well.

that is a very interesting comment, I wonder if it would be as long or well read as this thread?

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vwrestler171

vwrestler171

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, Joebucks said:

 

You can find this exact comment posted here for the past 10 years

 

That may be, maybe there is some truth to it.  I know a lot has been cut since I started cruising 13 years ago. More and more cuts.

1 hour ago, gkbiiii said:

Honestly, I've found land based resorts, in the DR & Mexico a better deal, with better food, drink, and service offerings.

 

By the time I add the specialty dining onboard and the drinks, I agree with you.

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Tennessee Rose

Tennessee Rose

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On 2/16/2023 at 1:08 PM, DarthGrady said:

Up through the early 2010's they still had afternoon tea with pastries and other snacks (I'm sure the British have a lovely term for this), I really enjoyed it. Some of the pricier cruise lines didn't even offer it, definitely a nice touch that has been lost to the ages. 

Actually, CCL does still have the afternoon tea. It's always been on sea day at 3:00 p.m. Only one on 5 day cruises, but usually 2 on 7+ day cruises. Our last cruise, in Jan. 2023, I did attend the tea, and as usual enjoy it. They have cut back on the selections of sweets, and started a couple years ago charging about $3 for flavored teas (anything other than plain or green.).

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gkbiiii

gkbiiii

Posted
Posted (edited)
22 minutes ago, vwrestler171 said:

 

That may be, maybe there is some truth to it.  I know a lot has been cut since I started cruising 13 years ago. More and more cuts.

 

By the time I add the specialty dining onboard and the drinks, I agree with you.

I did a couple of tests on this:  Both were 9-12 nights with one being Punta Cana Dreams, Premier Club JR Suite (all inclusive), & the other being Club Level, Maria Isabel Sheraton Mexico City, then Acapulco Princess Mundo Imperial JR Suite, (Formally the Fairmont Princess Acapulco), with Gourmet dining all inclusive.

 

Both trips were Business Class airfare from Miami.  Both places were better than Royal Caribbean, being at least $2,000-$4,000+ less, when including Unlimited Specialty Dining, Room Service, high end drinks (Stoli Elite at Dreams) and all resort activities.  Plus, package INCLUDED Business Class Airfare!

Edited by gkbiiii
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mz-s

mz-s

Posted
Posted (edited)
5 minutes ago, gkbiiii said:

I did a couple of tests on this:  Both were 9-12 nights with one being Punta Cana Dreams, Premier Club JR Suite (all inclusive), & the other being Club Level, Maria Isabel Sheraton Mexico City, then Acapulco Princess Mundo Imperial JR Suite, (Formally the Fairmont Princess Acapulco), with Gourmet dining all inclusive.

 

Both trips were Business Class airfare from Miami.  Both places were better than Royal Caribbean, being at least $2,000-$4,000+ less, when including Unlimited Specialty Dining, Room Service, high end drinks (Stoli Elite at Dreams), activities, Plus The other trips INCLUDED the Business Class Airfare!

 

All inclusives are booming right now. Well it seems that pretty much the entire travel industry is.

Edited by mz-s
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ninjacat123 "Live from...." Rare

ninjacat123

Posted
Posted
5 minutes ago, gkbiiii said:

I did a couple of tests on this:  Both were 9-12 nights with one being Punta Cana Dreams, Premier Club JR Suite (all inclusive), & the other being Club Level, Maria Isabel Sheraton Mexico City, then Acapulco Princess Mundo Imperial JR Suite, (Formally the Fairmont Princess Acapulco), with Gourmet dining all inclusive.

 

Both trips were Business Class airfare from Miami.  Both places were better than Royal Caribbean, being at least $2,000-$4,000+ less, when including Unlimited Specialty Dining, Room Service, high end drinks (Stoli Elite at Dreams), activities, Plus, the other trips INCLUDED Business Class Airfare!

How did it compare to Carnival, say a 2 person Havana Cabana room with Cheers and 4 nights of specialty dining?

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ninjacat123 "Live from...." Rare

ninjacat123

Posted
Posted (edited)
3 minutes ago, mz-s said:

 

All inclusives are booming right now. Well it seems that pretty much the entire travel industry is.

Do you mean "by booming" AI's  are giving great deals or making lots of money?  TIA!

Edited by ninjacat123
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gkbiiii

gkbiiii

Posted
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1 minute ago, mz-s said:

 

All inclusives are booming right now. Well it seems that pretty much the entire travel industry is.

Acapulco we returned to Miami February 1st, right before lockdowns and Punta Cana was right after restrictions were lifted.  Cruising is not the good deal it once was.  Just like Vegas, they have out priced themselves, from the global travel market. Next trip might be a return to the Dream brand, but in hotel row, in Cancun!

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DaveRRT

DaveRRT

Posted
Posted

I love being on a ship. I have been on great cruises and some that were just ok, never a bad one. I grew up reading Hornblower books so the ports are more interesting and if if its rough out I sleep better Never been on a ship that sunk. .Going on the Celebration April 2 and will give my thoughts on a big ship verses the first cruise on the Tropical that was great and cost 3 times more. Love resorts but just not the same. 

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SRQbeachgirl "Live from...." Rare

SRQbeachgirl

Posted
Posted
On 2/26/2023 at 7:18 PM, mz-s said:

 

The entire purpose of this thread in particular is to discuss things that are gone from the experience, anyone is welcome to make a thread about things that Carnival has added over the years and I'd be glad to add my own things to that thread as well.

 

What a great Idea!

 

8 hours ago, Woody14 said:

that is a very interesting comment, I wonder if it would be as long or well read as this thread?

 

Let's find out, shall we? 😁  *runs off to start a thread*

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Joebucks

Joebucks

Posted
Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, ninjacat123 said:

Do you mean "by booming" AI's  are giving great deals or making lots of money?  TIA!

 

I think the measure that is that they are popping up everywhere. People think they are being given something for nothing in countries that have extremely low costs of food and drink. For many, food and drink is the vacation.

Edited by Joebucks
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theckenlady

theckenlady

Posted
Posted
On 2/16/2023 at 1:08 PM, DarthGrady said:

Up through the early 2010's they still had afternoon tea with pastries and other snacks (I'm sure the British have a lovely term for this), I really enjoyed it. Some of the pricier cruise lines didn't even offer it, definitely a nice touch that has been lost to the ages. 

They still offer the tea in the afternoons. We just did it two weeks ago on the Dream. 

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