cruisingguy007

The luxury sector is one that I see being the toughest to maintain, there are already deep discounts showing up across the board pretty much. With the economy as it is and wealth concentration only continuing, there may be a lot less passengers willing to spend extravagantly or even excessively. Sure there will be those who will be minimally effected and maybe even a small sub-set who are willing to pay more for less crowded conditions and covid concerns but the broader market will be looking for value added, especially if things fall off the cliff (which some predict will happen). We also have the election that will sway public sentiment and could move markets, if one side wins it could improve conditions in the short-term but historically is known for causing recessions, on the other hand, sentiment could turn down in the short term if the other side of the coin wins but yield a different result long-term. With all the uncertainty, Carnival just may be in the perfect spot when folks start questioning their spending. Carnival delivers the best bang for your buck IMO and that is a great place to be during times of uncertainty. The other brand positions are a nice bonus that gives you something to work with.

Some excellent points, I really do think Carnival has a great product that is attractively priced. They just need to re-brand as affordable upscale cruising and not be seen as the bottom rung. Royal offers a nearly identical product and some view it as a more upscale product, this helps command higher fares. Carnival is a much bigger player and already has some things going for it, great crews, newer ships, lots of drive to ports, family friendly, good included dining options etc, it just needs some image tweaks and small improvements in particular areas. They have all the right stuff to be one of the last man standing (so to speak).

This is the problem with the floating mall design that many of the new ships are copying, it removes you from the ocean going experience and that is precisely why many people cruise. I get the need for the wind screens in certain locations but you want to be able to see the ocean from everywhere pretty much.The closed design really takes away from that experience and it's harder and harder to find full decks to walk the ship from tip to tail. I much prefer the open designs over the floating mall designs. The more sky, sunshine and ocean the better. Outdoor space is important.

Exactly, folks book cabins with couches for a reason, if you can't make use of it then it, it kinda ruins the benefit.

Go for broke, not a hard decision when your back is against the wall. Does make you wonder how long they can keep this up though. Oddly enough, the stock has been rising, go figure.

They got rid of the popular ones, only one left. Aft deck burger is gone. That was the one I regret not trying, wife had it on a past cruise and raved about it. I think there is just one burger left on the menu now.

I don't think it will get much better in the future, the floating mall design seems to be all the rage these days and increasing passenger counts/capacity a major focal point. I expect the issue to only get worse moving forward, bigger ships, smaller cabins and less elbow room in public spaces.

Ellis island is the last holdout just off the strip proper and the best bet that's not too far. DT Grand and Plaza should be good to go and not too far. Then you have the locals places like Jerry's Nugget, Lucky Club, Cannery to the north or driving out east to spots like Club Fortune, Railroad Pass and others to really get down and dirty lol, lots of options the further you get away from the strip. Not so convenient though if you're staying on the strip. A lot of folks just stay downtown these days and forgo the strip entirely. Have a great trip!

Fantastic news! So happy for them! About dang time!

Fair point but it's like anything in life, take the good and leave the rest. Control the controllable and sail on! 😀

It seems that way, more like an extended appetizer ensemble with wine. Looks pretty cool and seems like it would be fun. Hopefully, they may some day do some wine and food pairing options just like this. Could be a hit, we have this wine trolley option nearby that pairs wines with food experiences (tastings/pairings at three different wineries called sip & savor) and it's a huge hit. Doing something similar on a cruise ship would awesome.

2,3,4,5,6 sound like a dream combo, those portions though. 😒 Like, why do you keep teasing me?! That's just mean. 😅

I tried some that my daughters that she didn't finish and It honestly wasn't as bad as folks make it out to be. There were a few bites that were absolutely delicious but there is definitely a small section that should could not be eaten, but each one was mostly edible/good. Skip the cartilage areas and the rest isn't so bad, you may need to order a few to get full though.

I've experienced untoasted english muffins as well, makes cutting through them difficult. I just improvised and got two and made a sandwich and then sopped up the broken yolks as I grubbed it. Ideal? No, but still serviceable and certainly not disgusting. There is also the option to grab a few more than usual and just not eat the english muffins. Low carb style.

Tell us how you really feel lol. That was hilarious, mom's tupperware made me laugh out loud. I've had perfectly prepared benidicts and I've had over cooked benidicts with crusty english muffins, it can certainly vary but I wouldn't label the entire experience as disgusting. I've always found something that works, even if it wasn't executed particularly well.

Party of the seas vs convalescence of the seas, choose wisely. 😁

Disgusting? Come on now, a wee bit harsh don't ya think? I've eaten there plenty of times and it's far from disgusting. Repetitive, some dishes not hot enough, some things over cooked? Absolutely, but disgusting? Average generally with the occasional very good, mixed with a smattering of great on occasion is a more apt description. 😁 The one thing I find disgusting is all the community condiments and open jars but that's more of a disgusting people problem and a personal hangup; I'd much prefer single serve sealed packets of everything.

Exactly right, drama always garners more attention than the mundane.

Indeed, watch them make it and you'll know or stick to bottled items that are fixed, beers or wine/champagne/sparkling wine .

No, I'm referring to the fact that it's no longer a sea day brunch, it's a sea day breakfast with the current hours. It's breakfast that self identifies as brunch, madness I tell ya! 😁

Wow, sorry to hear that, I could only imagine the heartbreak for the family being left behind and having your vacation ruined like that. That's so awful. Thanks for updating everyone, we were all pulling for you.

I enjoyed sea day brunch a lot when they had it, I also enjoy the new sea day breakfast as well. The pancake my son ordered and didn't finish was probably the best pancake I ever had in my life, literally perfect in every way. I also enjoyed all the items I had, especially the huevos rancheros, omelets, hashbrown rounds ect. It's much better than the buffet and the other available options, that's for sure. I think that is what most people are referencing, it's simply the best option and the food is good.

Thank you for this post, it was very helpful.

I sure hope you get to see whales because then that means I'll get to see whales too, since I'm also in port that day! 😆

Too bad they don't take these retiring ships to as many ports as feasible (financially/logistical) so that as many folks as want to can take one last cruise. I think it would be a popular proposition. I'd sure like to sail on as many outgoing ships as possible for a last cruise. Might as well hit as many ports as possible at the end of the road.