With all the cutbacks I've been hearing about...

[NeptunesGoddess]

Do you really think if they stop serving lobster that they will make an announcment:confused: If they do phase out the lobster they will just do it gratually IMO. They just raised the price of beer.......don't think that would be a good idea to announce lol!

 

Perhaps I should have used the term "confirmation" like they have had on the RCI forum. Someone inquired and got a letter back with confirmation. So I guess I used the wrong term. Sorry. I meant solid evidence instead of speculation...not neccessarily a press release type announcement.

[fllady61]

Personally, the lobster in the dining room on formal night was awful. tough, and tasteless.

 

As for cutting back, get rid of the sushi bar. Makes the ship stink when it is out, and i know a lot of that goes to waste.

 

I am more than happy to pay the 5$ PP fuel surcharge. Who knows why they did it, but I can understand. It takes a lot of fuel to run one of those big ships, and with fuel nearly 4$ a gallon, it makes sense.

 

They could have just raised the cost of all cruises by 100$ pp, but they did not. So go figure. If you look at it that way, would you rather pay 35 pp more a week, or 100 more per week? I would rather pay the 35 extra.

[RAVI360]

Just read someone just came back from the Legend. Bud/Bud Light 16 oz were $4.75

We just paid $4.50 in August on the Elation....

 

AWWWWW man now i'll have to save........:eek:

[pholter]

They raised the price of beer??? :eek:

 

From the information I'm getting (F&B Industry), their is a Hops shortage making the price go sky high for brewing. This will increase the beer prices all over unfortunately.

[jessemon]

Just read someone just came back from the Legend. Bud/Bud Light 16 oz were $4.75

We just paid $4.50 in August on the Elation....

That is correct.....:mad:

[In2why]

Where did you obtain those figures from ? I do not need to be subsidized by anybody so you are guessing wrong !

 

Well perhaps you are the top 5%? I know for a fact that people with 1k bar bills and the people who spend tons in the Casino/Bingo are subsidizing me on my cruise.

[onejeepster]

It is a hard pill to swallow when every day things are going up in price. For me cruising still offer the best bang for the buck. I still have a hard time to accept the cost of airfare which is more than the cruise itself but well worth it for a great vacation.

 

If you don't like what the current ships are doing to turn a profit just see what the traditional weekly land holiday will offer for the same price...Their is no comparison... From the WOW factor of the ships, to the quality or quantity of food, great ports of calls to great customer service. These are things I have never experience from a land vacation. SO I will continue to enjoy cruising with a smile on my face.

 

PS. the current cost of the US dollar to our Canada dollar is a great help in streching the dollar.

 

Dave

[Kurbanfan]

It is a hard pill to swallow when every day things are going up in price. For me cruising still offer the best bang for the buck. I still have a hard time to accept the cost of airfare which is more than the cruise itself but well worth it for a great vacation.

 

If you don't like what the current ships are doing to turn a profit just see what the traditional weekly land holiday will offer for the same price...Their is no comparison... From the WOW factor of the ships, to the quality or quantity of food, great ports of calls to great customer service. These are things I have never experience from a land vacation. SO I will continue to enjoy cruising with a smile on my face.

 

PS. the current cost of the US dollar to our Canada dollar is a great help in streching the dollar.

 

Dave

 

Cruises are a great bargain depending on what cabin selection you choose.

We spend the same amount on land vacations in Hawaii as we do on balcony cabins on a cruise. And that's in a 1 bedroom oceanfront suite.

[jimm]

Just read someone just came back from the Legend. Bud/Bud Light 16 oz were $4.75

We just paid $4.50 in August on the Elation....

 

On my Jan. 2007 Destiny cruise we were already paying $4.75 for 16 oz. Miller Lite, Genuine Draft, Icehouse, Bud & Bud Light, and Michelob Ultra. I can't imagine Carnival would have different drink prices from ship to ship. I have the entire drink menu with prices if anyone wants me to e-mail it to them. Granted it is 10 months old.

[BUDLIGHT]

Raising the price of beer....thats just wrong:mad:

[jkneern]

The lobster was horrible on our cruise last week. As others have said, tough and tasteless. I must add the food on this cruise was somewhat dissapointing all around. Many people were commenting thru out the week. Still can't stop me from cruising!

[truecruiser]

The lobster was horrible on our cruise last week. As others have said, tough and tasteless. I must add the food on this cruise was somewhat dissapointing all around. Many people were commenting thru out the week. Still can't stop me from cruising!

 

i can't remember good lobster on any cruise except celebrity, actually. ( i shld add that this was b/4 that line was taken over by RCI, lol)

 

i agree w/ you in that i always find it very tough and rubbery.

[jayesouthworth]

Are PVP's hard up for cash or is Carnival pushing them to book cruises? In the past month, I have received 2 phone calls from a Carnival PVP wanting me to book a cruise in January. I told him that we're waiting until we get back from the upcoming cruise and decide if we want to cruise or go to Las Vegas. If we're thrilled with the Spirit, and we get the same military deal as we did this cruise, we may go again in January. I just thought it odd that he was being pushy, or is it Carnival pushing him?

[Bassic]

Look at the economy...stocks are tanking, the dollar is plummeting vs. other currency, we're in a recession bordering on depression, the subprime lending fiasco is still gathering momentum...I'm probably not cruising again anytime soon! They are WORRIED in the travel industry as a whole. A friend who we book through says that their travel agency's bookings are WAY down over last year. Of course they're being pushy, they've got lots of new boats coming on line that they have to pay for! Discretionary income is way down, people are becoming homeless at the fastest rate since the Great Depression! Even two years ago, people were lining up to cruise. Not so much now. I suspect we'll see some lines go under, others will consolidate (probably under CCL's big farking umbrella!), but cruising is still a relative bargain, "fuel surcharge" notwithstanding...

[sakapfet]

I agree with everything you said "Basscic". On top of that I could add a 9 trillion dollar debt, a third war on the horizon (against Iran). It is just a matter of time before OPEC wants to be paid with the Euro instead of the dollar.

 

I am afraid our kids and grandkids are screwed. C'est la vie.

[NCTribeFan]

Personally, the lobster in the dining room on formal night was awful. tough, and tasteless.

 

As for cutting back, get rid of the sushi bar. Makes the ship stink when it is out, and i know a lot of that goes to waste.....

 

I happen to love sushi - even that which is served on the ship. And I don't believe it "stinks" either.

 

Waste? Perhaps they should consider using smaller plates and bowls at the buffet. That way, those who heap their plates to the point that food is falling all over the floor as they walk might not leave quite so much sitting on the table.

 

Heaven forbid people make any attempt at portion control. After all, they have to get their money's worth, right? Maybe only take what they will eat and go back it they want to try something else as well. But, oh no! That would mean they'd have to get back in line!

 

I can't eat shrimp or lobster. I feel so deprived that I can't complain about the quality! :rolleyes:

[GoinCruisin]

Personally, the lobster in the dining room on formal night was awful. tough, and tasteless.

 

As for cutting back, get rid of the sushi bar. Makes the ship stink when it is out, and i know a lot of that goes to waste.

 

I am more than happy to pay the 5$ PP fuel surcharge. Who knows why they did it, but I can understand. It takes a lot of fuel to run one of those big ships, and with fuel nearly 4$ a gallon, it makes sense.

 

They could have just raised the cost of all cruises by 100$ pp, but they did not. So go figure. If you look at it that way, would you rather pay 35 pp more a week, or 100 more per week? I would rather pay the 35 extra.

 

 

I agree, the lobster on cruise ships (other than in the supper clubs) is a waste, and not good lobster... but some people do enjoy it, so I would never push for them to do away with it, but I do wish they would put a limit to it... I've seen people pile them on :rolleyes: Although they don't only do it with lobster. But as for sushi, what about those people that enjoy sushi???? (which is a large number of people)... sushi only smells when it is bad :rolleyes: And sushi going to waste? The ships with the sushi bars make the sushi fresh... There are far more things that stink up the ship, but sushi isn't one of them. What about the Fish and Chips, should they get rid of that too because of the smell? Or perhaps they should stop serving seafood in the dining room too... I'm not a big seafood person (other than sushi, I prefer it raw) and if sushi smelled fishy, believe me, I wouldn't eat it :p

 

They DID increase the price of cruises (at least for singles, and many cruise prices recently took a big jump)... I don't mind paying the supplement, I'm just surprised it took them so long... we've been paying supplements to our vendors for a year now.

[Bassic]

Here in Texas, we have another word for sushi. We call it bait. :D

 

My wife loves sushi, she was there at the sushi bar ("Bait Shop", I call it!) every time it opened for our cruise. Several times she got seconds and thirds. The Bait Shop really didn't stink, the only thing I noticed as far as smell (and I really don't like fish) was the pickled ginger.

 

As far as the consumer being "king", that's complete rubbish. Consumers are at best minor dukes or duchesses. Sure, they have a title, but nobody but their direct reports listens to them! Consumers these days are far more likely to be directed and programmed what to buy. When people vote with their wallets and feet, things tend to get real ugly.

 

Going forward, I see AI's getting more business, and camping is enjoying a huge resurgence these days. Our air traffic system is failing at a rapid rate, with the decay of old technology and the rise of air traffic volume. It was a fine system for a while, but it was designed in the 50's and was implemented at a time where flying was more of a luxury, and less of the Flying Bus...which gets me to my next point.

 

The cruise lines, CCL in particular, are the Floating Bus now. Radisson, SilverSea...top lines like that are even making cutbacks. But CCL is the Southwest of the cruise industry. I expect that the cabins will become "self makeup" soon. Make your OWN gorram towel animals, and make your own damn bed! I think that having a room steward will be for embarkation day only. Extra pillows and blankets will be charged for. Extra food in the dining room will be the same. I can see it going completely ala carte VERY soon...and I'm not saying "the sky is falling", but the dollar sure is...

[NCTribeFan]

And the falling dollar just makes cruises that much more appealing to our European friends. I rather like the idea of having a bit more of a multi-cultural mix on the ship.

 

I don't see those drastic measures coming any time soon.

 

But you know what? I'd love to see a truly low-cost line added to Carnival's repetoire - even along the lines of EasyCruise.

 

Instead of retiring or selling off all the older, smaller ships, why not refurbish them and turn a few into true low-cost, no-frills cruises?

[jayesouthworth]

And the falling dollar just makes cruises that much more appealing to our European friends. I rather like the idea of having a bit more of a multi-cultural mix on the ship.

 

I don't see those drastic measures coming any time soon.

 

But you know what? I'd love to see a truly low-cost line added to Carnival's repetoire - even along the lines of EasyCruise.

 

Instead of retiring or selling off all the older, smaller ships, why not refurbish them and turn a few into true low-cost, no-frills cruises?

 

 

I can see it now, your home away from home. A coffee maker, microwave and crock pot in every room. A supermarket on board to buy your food and speciality restaurants will become McDonalds and Taco Bell. Maybe 1 good specialty restaurant for the higher class passengers. Cheap affordable cruises! Hometown Buffet will take over the buffet dining experience.:eek:

[NCTribeFan]

So, you would prefer to have all the cutbacks Bassic described? Why not just add/change a few ships to true "budget" cruises?

 

If prices are going to escalate and service decrease, why not just give people another option rather than lose cruise passengers altogether?

 

Not everyone WANTS bigger and newer ships with bells and whistles they don't use.

 

I haven't cruised lately on RCI because I don't WANT an ice skating rink and rock climbing wall and surfing. Why should I have to pay more for a cruise if I don't use the amenities?

 

If people want to continue to cruise and use the ship as a means to visit ports (and not so much for the onboard amenities), why not give them that option rather than cut services across the board?

[GoinCruisin]

So, you would prefer to have all the cutbacks Bassic described? Why not just add/change a few ships to true "budget" cruises?

 

If prices are going to escalate and service decrease, why not just give people another option rather than lose cruise passengers altogether?

 

Not everyone WANTS bigger and newer ships with bells and whistles they don't use.

 

I haven't cruised lately on RCI because I don't WANT an ice skating rink and rock climbing wall and surfing. Why should I have to pay more for a cruise if I don't use the amenities?

 

If people want to continue to cruise and use the ship as a means to visit ports (and not so much for the onboard amenities), why not give them that option rather than cut services across the board?

 

That already exists :D http://www.easycruise.com/

[linda_22003]

Look at the economy...stocks are tanking, the dollar is plummeting vs. other currency, we're in a recession bordering on depression, the subprime lending fiasco is still gathering momentum...I'm probably not cruising again anytime soon! They are WORRIED in the travel industry as a whole. ...Discretionary income is way down, people are becoming homeless at the fastest rate since the Great Depression! Even two years ago, people were lining up to cruise. Not so much now.

 

Wow, things are tough where you are! In the meantime, we're going on the Regent cruise below in March, because the January one with the same itinerary was waitlisted. Sold out. :cool:

[Bassic]

That already exists :D http://www.easycruise.com/

True, but they are only in Greece now, having abandoned the Caribbean market. A U.S. version might be a viable business plan, though...I don't know the twisted laws that govern the waterways, but having a couple ports in the US, and running a month-long cruise that has port stops in a bunch of different countries, where you could book segments or even the whole thing would be kind of cool. If you had a small enough ship, you could get to some really interesting ports that the megaships can't stop at. I'd like an itinerary that wasn't the same thing again and again. I think a cruise where you get to determine the ports you want to see, and those you don't, with several different routes available, would be pretty awesome. Also, a cruise where the ship itself is not the destination would be really good as well. Some night entertainment, but quality. Don't care too much about all the silly pool games and Vegas-type shows. I realize the intent is to capture as much "Oooh, ahhh" factor, but perhaps a different type of cruise is waiting to be developed. Not as many "Fun Sea Days", more port-intensive, with more time in port.

 

Also, another thing I noticed this cruise, the excursions were much less full than in the past. A lot more people just got off the ship and did their own thing, whether it be private tours or just wandering (like the spousal unit and I like to do!)...the first cruise, it seemed they had to make extra groups to accommodate all the demand for certain excursions. After they sold out of a couple of these, we heard the CD call out that due to popular demand, they were adding a second excursion group to parallel the first. Not this time. They were really pushing people to sign up for the excursions, and many went virtually empty.

[NCTribeFan]

That already exists :D http://www.easycruise.com/

 

Yes, I mentioned EasyCruise in my post.

 

And why shouldn't Carnival get in on that market? Everyone already compares them to Wal-Mart.

 

Wouldn't most people cruising Carnival today rather they make that an option rather than drastically cut existing services and amenities (or make most items pay-per-use)?