Rotation of ships and ports

[SailBabySail]

I just booked my next cruise and to tell you the truth I feel like a traitor. I will not travel to a port out of state to take a cruise. We sail out of NYC and that is just easier for me. My problem is that I love Carnival but having been on the Miracle twice and the Glory just recently but, I wish that Carnival would rotate the ships they have going out and do it yearly so that you don't have to sail the same ship twice or three times. I think it is nice to be able to experience different ships. That being said I am booked on the NCL Gem for Bermuda because of the time frame. The CCL Miracle does sail but in April and it is a bit chilly at that time of the year. In May and June my choice was NCL Gem. So, I am booked and now I find out that the Gem is no longer doing the buffet on the Lido but that meals will be cooked to order :confused: I am having this checked out and hope it is not true. Also, the food on Carnival is excellent and I am hearing that NCL's food is not that great anymore :( I just needed to vent. Anyone with any thoughts to help me feel better?

[SCUBA Mark]

I would like to see them rotate ships also. It gets kind of old going on the same ships all the time. Sprinkling in a few different ports would be nice also.

[dallas52]

we sailed on the ncl sun in 2009 and found their food to be good but not as good as Carnivals. They offer more places to eat where you pay extra. Dining room food was alright but nothing to write home about. Buffet area was small and hard to find seats at most days.

[SailBabySail]

I would like to see them rotate ships also. It gets kind of old going on the same ships all the time. Sprinkling in a few different ports would be nice also.

 

I so agree with you. However, I love all the ships. Each ship is a different experience. But, going on one ship 3 times can get a bit old. Different ports would be nice too. For example, as I go out of NYC I don't see what the problem would be with going to Jamaica, St. Maarten, etc. It is in the same path as PR, Bahamas and Grand Turk....Maybe it is a docking issue?

 

For the record I have nothing against NCL as I did sail on the Spirit (my first cruise) and loved her. The food was good too. I am just not too thrilled with the news of no buffet as we know it. I guess I will find out.

[SailBabySail]

we sailed on the ncl sun in 2009 and found their food to be good but not as good as Carnivals. They offer more places to eat where you pay extra. Dining room food was alright but nothing to write home about. Buffet area was small and hard to find seats at most days.

 

I am sensing that NCL is almost forcing passengers to use the pay extra dining and maybe that is why they are eliminating the traditional buffet?

[zqvol]

I am sensing that NCL is almost forcing passengers to use the pay extra dining and maybe that is why they are eliminating the traditional buffet?

 

NCL is not doing away with the buffet. Are you thinking of a midnight buffet? If so, does it really matter?

 

NCL has numerous included restaurants and many that are $5 or $10 extra. The only expensive ones are the French restaurant and the Japanese one. The food on NCL is just as good if not better than on Carnival.

[Azure Moon]

A lot of the posters on the NCL board are knowledgeable about changes made on the ships. Why not post your question on that board as well?

 

[shof515]

im in the same boat next year too. Dont know what i am going to do for my cruise vacaution next year. Its kind of a been there done that with the same ships :(

[PHILHOWER005]

love to hear a real answer from carnival as we did the legend out of nyc twice and already did the miracle...hopefully soon and different ports do sound nice. hope someone who knows posts a response....good question thou

[BoooBooKitEFk]

Easy solution... get on a plane!! Plenty of ports to choose from. If you shop around and do some research, you can make any port affordable. JMHO

[nybumpkin]

We like sailing from New York as well. It seems as if they put a ship in port for a few years before rotating - we've now sailed four different ships from New York, Victory and Glory on the Canada run and Legend and Miracle on the Caribbean run. If you don't want to travel terribly far, you might consider sailing on the Pride out of Baltimore. We did that this past July - drove to South Jersey the day before the cruise (my family lives there), then the morning of the cruise drove to Baltimore. It was an easy drive (less than 2 hours from South Jersey) and the sail down the Chesapeake was great.

[SailBabySail]

Easy solution... get on a plane!! Plenty of ports to choose from. If you shop around and do some research, you can make any port affordable. JMHO

 

Thanks but I absolutely will not fly. That limits me I know.

[SailBabySail]

We like sailing from New York as well. It seems as if they put a ship in port for a few years before rotating - we've now sailed four different ships from New York, Victory and Glory on the Canada run and Legend and Miracle on the Caribbean run. If you don't want to travel terribly far, you might consider sailing on the Pride out of Baltimore. We did that this past July - drove to South Jersey the day before the cruise (my family lives there), then the morning of the cruise drove to Baltimore. It was an easy drive (less than 2 hours from South Jersey) and the sail down the Chesapeake was great.

 

I have thought of Amtrak to Baltimore. DH's driving skills have diminished over the years so driving is iffy as well. A family we met on the Glory came from Baltimore and said the Pride is very reminiscent of the Titanic. That sounds awesome. You must have taken the Victory and Legend in the fall or winter as I don't remember them in port during the summer.

[SailBabySail]

A lot of the posters on the NCL board are knowledgeable about changes made on the ships. Why not post your question on that board as well?

 

 

You can see by my sig that I have sailed on NCL before. I did try asking a question over there a few months ago and I was treated like a spy so I don't want to go there :eek: Maybe I will try again.

[SailBabySail]

A lot of the posters on the NCL board are knowledgeable about changes made on the ships. Why not post your question on that board as well?

 

 

Okay, I did pose the question on the NCL board and a very nice person answered and said they really have not changed the buffet. They have what they call action stations so you don't have to wait in a long line to get what you want. Also, this person said the food was pretty good. So, that is a relief. I do remember the Spirit having very good food and was hoping that the Gem did too.

 

You know, in the end, I really don't care as I just love cruising that much and I think all the cruise lines do a fabulous job of making us happy.

[nybumpkin]

I have thought of Amtrak to Baltimore. DH's driving skills have diminished over the years so driving is iffy as well. A family we met on the Glory came from Baltimore and said the Pride is very reminiscent of the Titanic. That sounds awesome. You must have taken the Victory and Legend in the fall or winter as I don't remember them in port during the summer.

Victory did the same Canada run as Glory for several years - we sailed summers in 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008. Triumph sailed the Canada route in 2005 and 2009 (we didn't do Canada sailings either year). Legend did the same run as Miracle for several years as well before they swapped schedules.

 

I liked the Pride a lot - I wonder if, after a few years of sailing from Baltimore, they'll swap her with another Spirit-class ship?

[MamaParrotHead]

I'd sail the same ships rather than pay the $1200 per trip for my family's airfare. Trade ya. ;)

[jks336]

it may not be every year but i know that last year 09 we were on the triumph

[spacewoman]

I just booked my next cruise and to tell you the truth I feel like a traitor. I will not travel to a port out of state to take a cruise. We sail out of NYC and that is just easier for me. My problem is that I love Carnival but having been on the Miracle twice and the Glory just recently but, I wish that Carnival would rotate the ships they have going out and do it yearly so that you don't have to sail the same ship twice or three times. I think it is nice to be able to experience different ships. That being said I am booked on the NCL Gem for Bermuda because of the time frame. The CCL Miracle does sail but in April and it is a bit chilly at that time of the year. In May and June my choice was NCL Gem. So, I am booked and now I find out that the Gem is no longer doing the buffet on the Lido but that meals will be cooked to order :confused: I am having this checked out and hope it is not true. Also, the food on Carnival is excellent and I am hearing that NCL's food is not that great anymore :( I just needed to vent. Anyone with any thoughts to help me feel better?

 

 

I'm a chicken to fly so I have the same options as you - go out of NYC, Brooklyn, Bayonne or don't go at all. We sailed the Pride to Bermuda our first cruise. Then they put Legend in NYC doing Eastern Caribbean. Then were of the same feeling - different ship, itinerary?? We hit NCL for two cruises, then Princess, then did Miracle twice. This year the timing and OBC swayed us back to NCL. We did Jewel. It's a wonderful ship. The Gem is her sister ship. I CANNOT see how they would get rid of buffet. There's no way you can cook to order for that many people. I think someone is pulling your leg. Many posters, including myself, will say the lines are more similar than they are different.

 

I was surprised to see they actually changed up the itineraries with Miracle this year and that they're including Bermuda next year. But---- April for Bermuda is a risk of having warm enough weather. NCL is also putting together 10 day caribbean cruises January and February.

 

It all comes down to what the market is demanding. You can also drive to Baltimore for the Pride but be aware she is the sister ship to Miracle so it would be same ship, different decals I call it. Next year NCL Dawn will be running out of Boston. So it's a couple of different options for those of us who don't want to fly but it adds gas and parking costs to the trip.

 

I have never been disappointed in any of the 3 lines we've sailed. I so want to do Princess again but they only do the 9 day caribbean now during peak season. SHOOT

[sharecruises]

They used to run the Victory on the Glory route and the Legend used to have the Miracle route....

 

they do switch the ships around

 

they are switching Paradise and Inspiration

 

both are similar but different decor themes and maybe most important different shows....that is one nice thing about changing ships

 

maybe they will switch another spirit class in place of Miracle at some point and/or other Conquest class in place of Glory but I don't think they will switch out the Glory any time soon since it just started this route when they moved Victory to San Juan

 

as you can see from my sig, I have only sailed Florida ships and have repeated on ships...sorry but I can't imagine going to Baltimore:eek: or flying to Texas:eek: simply for a differently decorated atrium LOL LOL

 

one nice thing : they have some new stuff ...

 

new Punchliner club on all ships...so if you have seen Nightclub Express various times you could skip it and take in a comedy show

 

they also have Chef table and Behind the Fun Scenes tours new

 

so a bit of variety is in store even on a repeat ship

hth

[jkjmt]

I would like to see them rotate ships also. It gets kind of old going on the same ships all the time. Sprinkling in a few different ports would be nice also.

 

 

Hi Scuba Mark......we cruised together a few years ago........I recognized your screen name. Glad to see you're still cruising.

 

 

 

I agree......shake those ships up......and change up some of the itineraries......and get some new shows........please.

Edited October 14, 2010 by jkjmt

[gone_cruisin]

Hi Scuba Mark......we cruised together a few years ago........I recognized your screen name. Glad to see you're still cruising.

 

 

 

I agree......shake those ships up......and change up some of the itineraries......and get some new shows........please.

 

Yes! Bring back more Costa Maya stops!!!!! (and dump Nassau!!!)

[jkjmt]

I loved Costa Maya......but we haven't been back there since it was destroyed by the hurricane.

 

....but we haven't been to Nassau in a while either..........:D

[sharecruises]

Seriously if you sail out of New York (or Baltimore) you are not going to get them to "shake up the itineraries"...not unless you are on a 10 or 12 night etc cruise

 

they can only go so far , you can only get down to Bahamas, Port Canaveral, maybe Key West , and/or Half Moon Key..or Grand Turk

 

OR they can go to Bermuda..OR the "Canada" routes

 

most other places are too far to get to in 7 nights

 

if you look at a map it is easy to see the difference , sailing from Florida

one can get to a lot of different ports

 

Costa Maya is western and it would be hard to do a true western cruise from NYC :)

[jetskier]

Nothing wrong with sailing on the same ship multiple times. I have done the Fantasy 9 times and the Holiday 9 times. What I would spend on airfare, I would rather take another cruise on the same ship.

 

In the big scheme of things, the product is mostly the same across the fleet.

Dave