Still not thrilled with Sensation's Itinerary

[VentureForth]

Does Carnival not have their own private island in the Bahamas? I really enjoyed Royal Caribbean's cruise last year, but booked Carni as part of a group booking. Not thrilled that I'll have to spend even more to get to a nice beach.

[beach410]

Half Moon Cay is Carnival's private island, (HEAVEN!!) you can get there by Fascination out of Jacksonville. Great beach in Freeport is Our Lucaya, lovely, always book an excursion in Nassau, no nice free beaches IMO.

[iluvdoxies]

Yes they do---the Fascination out of Jax goes there on the 5 dayer.it's called Half Moon Caye and it's beautiful !

[VentureForth]

So why doesn't Carnival try to match Royal's Monarch and Sensation itineraries to be competitive? Why can't they send Sensation to Half Moon?

[LHP]

So why doesn't Carnival try to match Royal's Monarch and Sensation itineraries to be competitive? Why can't they send Sensation to Half Moon?

 

Probably because they already have ships sailing to that location....

 

if someone wants a private island...book the ship that goes there.... ;)

[JerseyshoreBruce]

They can only have one ship there at a time i believe and i assume one is going there that day already. Half Moon Cay is absolutely beautiful...our second favorite port to Costa Maya, Mexico

[VentureForth]

Probably because they already have ships sailing to that location....

 

if someone wants a private island...book the ship that goes there.... ;)

I would. Except this is a group cruise (as mentioned in the OP) :D

 

Just noticed that HMC is on the far side of Nassau which I'm sure makes it a tight schedule fit for the Sensation on a 4 day cruise (never mind the extra fuel required). Still, quite a bummer considering schedule wise it looks easy to do with no other ships there.

[Essiesmom]

They can only have one ship there at a time i believe and i assume one is going there that day already. Half Moon Cay is absolutely beautiful...our second favorite port to Costa Maya, Mexico

They often have two ships there, but never mix HAL and Carnival ships. I was there on Oosterdam when Noordam was also there. EM

[S.S.Oceanlover]

So why doesn't Carnival try to match Royal's Monarch and Sensation itineraries to be competitive? Why can't they send Sensation to Half Moon?

 

actually HMC is Holland Americas private island. They are also owned by the Carnival Corporation.

 

I'm sure HAL's ships have first dibs on the island and CCL gets the leftovers.

 

Bill

[spencercoop]

The Fantasy, Pride, Fascination, Destiny, Glory, Valor, and Liberty all go to Half Moon Cay.

[VentureForth]

Sounds like they need another island! :)

[golfadj]

I have some swampland i could sell

[SkyMaster]

Not everyone wants to go to a private island! IMO, Carnival offers a cruise for everyone.

 

"SKY"

[keyguide]

Not everyone wants to go to a private island! IMO, Carnival offers a cruise for everyone.

 

"SKY"

Quite true ...why I do not go on Monarch.

[RollerCoasterLover]

I have never been to Half Moon Cay or any other private island, however, I have sailed on the Sensation on its current itinerary and throughly LOVED it. First time going to the Bahamas... Plus, the ship is very nice (my fave ship so far), so if you don't like the itinerary, you can just sit back and enjoy your own floating resort :)

[SkyMaster]

I have never been to Half Moon Cay or any other private island, however, I have sailed on the Sensation on its current itinerary and throughly LOVED it. First time going to the Bahamas... Plus, the ship is very nice (my fave ship so far), so if you don't like the itinerary, you can just sit back and enjoy your own floating resort :)

 

EXACTLY correct. We cruise a LOT, and folks will ask me where we're going. I usually reply that I don't know, and don't too much care. They're amazed at that answer, but to us, the ship is the destination. We very rarely leave the ship and REALLY enjoy it when everyone else is ashore. (You'd be amazed at what we can find to do during those "down times".)

To be perfectly honest, the private island stops are the exception to the above "rule". We do indeed, leave the ship for the private island, and always enjoy those stops, but as I noted above, not everyone does.

 

"SKY"

[S.S.Oceanlover]

EXACTLY correct. We cruise a LOT, and folks will ask me where we're going. I usually reply that I don't know, and don't too much care. They're amazed at that answer, but to us, the ship is the destination. We very rarely leave the ship and REALLY enjoy it when everyone else is ashore. (You'd be amazed at what we can find to do during those "down times".)

To be perfectly honest, the private island stops are the exception to the above "rule". We do indeed, leave the ship for the private island, and always enjoy those stops, but as I noted above, not everyone does.

 

"SKY"

 

hahaha. So true for my wife. I ask where she wants to go and she says I don't care just book something.

 

We are booked on the Valor, just changed from the Dream and if I didn't tell her we switched she would never have known.

 

People in work ask her where her next cruise is going and she says she doesn't know.

 

After 23 cruises she's just happy to get away and doesn't care where to since we've probably been there before.

 

Bill

[Tapi]

So why doesn't Carnival try to match Royal's Monarch and Sensation itineraries to be competitive? Why can't they send Sensation to Half Moon?

 

Probably because not everybody likes to spend the day at a private island. I personally prefer days at sea.

 

Also, it's a marketing/revenue strategy. if you look at Carnival's itineraries, they aim at having days at sea on every itinerary, even on 3 nighters. (the only exception being the port intensive itinerary out of San Juan).

 

Days at sea increase revenue for the cruise line (since passengers are spending their money onboard and not ashore).