Stick93

Correct but I don't think that the Carnival Liberty (just to pick one) captures the elegance of yesteryears cruises. Nice, new, big and options is what moat people are looking for. If The older ships were so desired they would build more of them.

Many are too new to remember the last drink they had.

People like new ships with all the glitz and glamour that go along with it. The new ship starting with the Mardi Gras are excellent additions for carnival. However, the majority of their ships from the sunshine class to the spirit class and conquest class are all over 20 year Old. Carnival also has never been the greatest company at keeping up with modernizing their ships. The last time Carnival paused between the dream class and the vista class the other cruise lines made very big leaps with their new ships. I’m not sure that pausing new ships in the long run will be a great strategy as it takes many years to develop and build the newest and greatest. Carnival corp as a parent company with debt, good or bad - it’s still debt and as you say is in the forefront of the general mind of the suits of how they want to invest money going forward. If they don’t believe it’s a good idea to keep a modern newish fleet and Royal does - I guess time will tell how it works out for both of them.

Everybody is playing catch-up to the greatest investment and return in recent cruise history. Carnival and the others may be adding large investments to their private islands and ports but they’ve done a very poor job in advertising that.

Did it on the fascination - old clunker but was great and was a great ship for her age. Had a different type of feel. Too bad they got rid of it.

Are you saying they have solved the landing on the moon conspiracy or gratuities have not reached that level yet?

Eye sores make eye doctors money. Making money is the goal - none of these lines love us more than we love them. They love our money and making it leave our pockets to them.

Voting on which is better doesn’t account for economics. Maybe one would be voted better or not. However one of the islands is being maximized for every revenue source it can produce with upgradable experience gimmicks that all add to Royals bottom line. The other is there just there and maybe very pretty and lovely but is not making the revenue close to CC.

Carnival says a lot of things and letting people remove gratuities seems to suggest that they are not serious about constant wages. Raising the tip means more people remove - it’s reverse supply and demand.

All opinion based by loyalists - Follow the money trail. CC is raking in cash and increasing bookings along two lines now. They are dedicating a brand new ship (utopia) to just CC and Bahamas and feel they will make back ten fold. Money doesn’t care about opinions and feelings it flows to the bank. Carnival should follow and duplicate because HMC makes them very little return and can only accept one ship a day at most.

I would also throw in NCL as well - off topic. They have also not produced a game changer and their private island is a tender point as well right next to CoCo Cay. Their product is their product and they have many loyal customers as well. I personally believe with the Royals press they are getting for their biggest ships of the seas and the prices people are willing to shell out for there ICON massive product its helping to fuel higher fares across the board and more people are trying to cruise on all the lines to be part of the scene. Carnival isn’t doing this and Shaq as a fun officer is not getting the press ICON of the seas is getting.

I like your enthusiasm for the Company - Carnival isn’t into game changing investments. History has shown Carnival have not built anything that surpassed the innovation of Royal. Royal has plans to transform the area next to the dock in Nassau which prob will be finished and earning revenue before carnival gets anything going. Carnival has too much debt and dead weight to invest like that. Also Carnivals product is different. They are don’t seem to want the bells and whistles. They like Grand Turks which is a nice place to stop as well and better than HMC. That is what HMC and Grand Bahamas will prob look like.

Royal is making serious bank of their investment in Coco Cay despite the reviews of the Carnival faithful. It’s a destination they are selling as the stop on their cruises. It’s a Cash cow for the investors. It’s so successful they are adding it as a stop to celebrity ships as well and advertising it as the premier port of call. They are expanding the island with more premium and upgrade ($$$$) areas. I’ve been to both and the HMC is not the experience for families CC is. There is much more to do in CC with more food options and the drink package and wifi is extended to the island. The tender is a waste of time and is very slow at best even in the smaller ships. Carnival should duplicate the concept with a dock and more family and age different entertainment and areas.

Prices only going one way - higher. Cruising is still very affordable but as the prices go up it is possible all inclusive become better options as you do get substantially bigger accommodations and properties with them , all with a similar experience and less nickel and diming. The only issue I have with their pay and gratuity is that they pay little, work the staff very hard and tie the bundle to the tips they let people remove. The staff is usually from poorer countries without much opportunity and don’t have the options of a different occupation. The staff is working harder as they have less (especially housekeeping) than before Covid and not making much more. I have suspicions when they raise gratuities the staff is not getting that big raise. Well anyways these great debates are endless and usually not very fruitful or informative

Think of it as an encouraging diet on the high seas - Italian style of course.

Formal nigh is the second night and the menus I found in the app - but you may have to be on board to see them.

Don’t give out the secret 🤐

From stock market aspect Royal seems to be in best position. Has been the strongest and recovered more than the others - But I am no economist.

When you’re in the hole for 34 billion - 1.2 billion isn’t really much. But we clap for worse things in life so YOU GO CARNIVAL…YOU HAVE THIS 32.8 Billion more to make good on.

Royal is similar - but have gone up in price and dropped unlimited to 50/100 depending on length of trip.

They dropped the picture prices for 2 months years ago and could not keep up with the demand - I walked off one ship with 400 photos in print and digital for under $200 (or less). There is prob a better sweet spot but they have not found it. I always take a lot of pictures even if I only buy a few -

Show me stat and I can have a statistic expert interpret it anyway you like -

Yup and with $33 billion to go to pay in down completely this will go about as well as the national debt.

Pools are for everyone. No real rules anymore

Elegant night is over rated. Can come in your birthday suit at this point but at least you get a table cloth to cover the table.