Galveston and New Orleans Future Cruises

[Woofbite]

Why doesn't anybody schedule longer cruises from those two ports.  They keep growing and adding new companies, (but not HAL evidently), and larger ships but they keep doing the same 7 day or slightly longer cruises to the same minor ports around Mexico, Honduras, Belize, Grand Cayman and finally as far as Jamaica.  I wonder why somebody, anybody, doesn't test the waters and schedule a few two and three week trips further into the Caribbean and even longer to Central and South America? Seems like a better market than adding to the thousands of trips out of Ft. Lauderdale and Miami.

 

[CruiserBruce]

HAL doesn't have any spare ships to be expanding operations...remember they sold off 4 during Covid.

 

HAL already goes "deep" into the Caribbean, on 10 and 11 day cruises. There really aren't any "new" ports out there undiscovered in the Caribbean. I would speculate HAL is one of the main cruise lines at the ABC islands, for example. And they are doing extended trips to South America out of Ft Lauderdale. Both Zaandam and Oosterdam have done them this winter.

 

There are negatives about Galveston and New Orleans. I am sure HAL knows it's limitations and good business ideas.

[Haljo1935]

I agree @CruiserBruce. As a TX resident; however, I would love to see HAL offer something out of Galveston or even New Orleans; anything in driving distance would be great 😪 I know it likely won't happen in this lifetime, but a girl can dream 🤷‍♀️

[chill6x6]

I've always wondered the same. NCL has been doing the EXACT same 7 day itinerary out of NO for about 15 years,.  Carnival does 3 different 7 day itineraries I'm pretty sure.  Carnvial DOES offer 10-12 day itinerary cruises out of Mobile and NO a couple of times a year. But that's it.  One thing that is neat...Celebrity HAS started using NO as a port of call a few times a year and even overnights.  But you'll never go to the ABCs or past Puerto Rico or maybe St Thomas from these ports.  Never.  No idea why..

[REOVA]

Those ports are not prized for long itineraries. It's the quick trips in Caribbean wilth larger ships that are more profitable (and with cookie cutter itineraries). The longer itineraries are based out of the 4 corners (SD/LA, SEA/VAN, BOS/NY and FL).  Most of the other embarkation ports are short trips or just a port stop on other cruises that you cannot embark on (locally). As Bruce stated, not enough ships to be gone too long (nor demand yet). 

[Mary229]

Princess does a transatlantic from and to Galveston.  I am fairly sure Carnival does also.  

 

There are lots of people and companies moving to Texas and I wish HAL was one😀

[PoolSlider]

Carnival is offering a transatlantic out of New Orleans I think next year 2025 on the Valor. And they will be offering a return transatlantic directly to New Orleans. Not really into Carnival having tried it but thinking these sailings are tempting.

Edited February 8 by PoolSlider

[FlaMariner]

3 hours ago, PoolSlider said:

Carnival is offering a transatlantic out of New Orleans I think next year 2025 on the Valor. And they will be offering a return transatlantic directly to New Orleans. Not really into Carnival having tried it but thinking these sailings are tempting.

 

I saw that....we are taking quite a leap this year and we booked Carnival on a Trans-Pacific in October from Singapore to LAX on the Carnival Panorama......

 

We left Carnival many, many years ago but the price was right as was the itinerary.....I'm counting on not the usual Carnival party crowd.....We shall see.  Seems as though the ship is in Singapore for a dry dock and this is not the usual "stomping ground" for Carnival.  We are game. 

 

[Mary229]

1 hour ago, FlaMariner said:

 

I saw that....we are taking quite a leap this year and we booked Carnival on a Trans-Pacific in October from Singapore to LAX on the Carnival Panorama......

 

We left Carnival many, many years ago but the price was right as was the itinerary.....I'm counting on not the usual Carnival party crowd.....We shall see.  Seems as though the ship is in Singapore for a dry dock and this is not the usual "stomping ground" for Carnival.  We are game. 

 

That does look interesting.  I will have to take a look.  Transoceanic is always a little mellower than the typical cruise. 

[kangforpres]

HAL use to station a smaller ship at Tampa during the Carribbean season, but now it's Port Everglades or bust. Which Means for lots of us Bust.

[CruiserBruce]

3 minutes ago, kangforpres said:

HAL use to station a smaller ship at Tampa during the Carribbean season, but now it's Port Everglades or bust. Which Means for lots of us Bust.

Another place with negatives. Only smaller ships can work there...and HAL only has two smaller ships. And fog can be crazy bad. 

[chill6x6]

16 minutes ago, kangforpres said:

HAL use to station a smaller ship at Tampa during the Carribbean season, but now it's Port Everglades or bust. Which Means for lots of us Bust.

Yep! I did the Guatemala, Roatan, Costa Maya, Key West itinerary out of Tampa aboard the previous Rotterdam.  Great cruise!

[stobe1]

Carnival Miracle will be offering longer voyages out of Galveston. Sailings from 6 to 14 days going to all points in the Caribbean. Lots of sailings to choose from over the next few years.