Seems As If NOLA Is Getting The Cruise Lines' Leftovers

[jewopaho]

Six years after Hurricane Katrina, the New Orleans cruise business is finally re-emerging ... but it doesn't appear as if the lines are all that confident. Right now, the Norwegian Spirit sails from there. It's an older ship (1998), and many of its new port mates are of that geriatric class. Only the Carnival Conquest (2002) was built in this century. The others (Carnival Ecstasy ... 1991 and Royal Caribbean's Voyager of the Seas ... 1999) don't offer many of the newer features and amenities.

 

By contrast, Galveston (the other non-Florida port ... I don't count Mobile) is getting a newer fleet, including Carnival's Magic (2011) and Royal Carbbean's Mariner of the Seas (2003) replacing the Conquest and Voyager respectively.

 

Is it just me, or is there a message here?

[firefly333]

The message is the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.

 

Most people love Ecstasy because of the CD who plays the fiddle like crazy. Its won the crystal award more than any other ship for a good reason, his crew loves him back.

 

As far as your "envy" of Galveston getting a new ship and losing Conquest ...have you actually looked at the prices?? Im paying $599 for a 1A!!!! Please ...trade and give us back our ships and the prices we have been paying.

 

The times I went out of New Orleans on Triumph ...the prices were that much less than out of Galveston, enough so that it was worth the drive. If prices are within $100 Id go out of Galveston, but often they arent. I did 7 days on Triumph exotic western last may at $389. Try finding a price like that in May ..out of Galveston.

 

If prices continue to lag behind Galveston, enough so that people like me are making the drive ...why would you expect to get the bigger newer ships. Carnival is taking a chance on TWO ships out of New Orleans and most are ecstasic, ..except you. First time since Iv been back to cruising Iv seen two full time ships out of New Orleans..I hope you support them.

[truchattycathy]

I agree with Fire. I do drive to NOLA because the prices are cheaper. The Conquest is a great ship. But I will also be cruising the Magic and paying a premium price for it.

 

If NOLA could bring in the same money that Galveston does, they might get the newest ships, but it is all about the money, Galveston brings in the money. Maybe if NOLA can handle two ships and bring in the revenue, Carnival will take notice.

 

Flying in and out of DFW or Houston airports are very expensive, that is why Texans pay more to sail from Galveston. A flight from Boston to LA is cheaper than your average flight from DFW to Florida. So we drive and sail from Galveston. Again it is all about the money.

 

I love NOLA. Cruised there last fall, going there in a week and have another cruise booked this fall. I hope NOLA can handle two ships and shows Carnival that they can bring in the revenue.

[jewopaho]

I don't understand the rant ... my comments were nothing more than an observation. For whatever reasons, the decisions made by Carnival and RCI are just that ... and the information I noted is factual. Playing "musical ships" is common ... and with both cruise lines having a bit of flexibility after pulling out of (or reducing presence in) the Mexican Riviera, I would have hoped that New Orleans would have fared a bit better. After all, the objective is to resurrect NOLA as a major homeport. It just seemed a bit illogical that other ports' "castoffs" would be used in this attempt.

 

We're booked on the Voyager ... 2/18/12. We'll be attending Derek Lewis' (he of the Adult Day Care at Night/Kamikazee Karaoke) wedding onboard. The cost is actually higher than what we paid on our recent (1/16) Galveston cruise by about $50/pp. It could change, but in any case, we're not driving 6 hours each way to save money (and with $4+ gas on the horizon, getting there ain't gonna be cheap).

 

Emotional attachments aside, would you fly to New Orleans from anywhere in the country to do a five-day cruise on a 20-year old ship? And knowing that the port was coming back from a tragic event, shouldn't there be some incentive to choose NOLA over Florida? Prices (save for those RCI Monsters of the Seas) aren't all that diffeent. If I'm sitting in Michigan, looking at what's available, why would I choose an older ship in a questionable location? Deservedly or not, New Orleans suffers with the stigma of having the worst crime rate in the country.

 

I'm certain that the cruise lines have researched the issue to death. I'm glad that Galveston will be getting some "new blood," but disappointed that New Orleans has fared so poorly ... nothing more, nothing less.

[firefly333]

I don't understand the rant ... my comments were nothing more than an observation. For whatever reasons, the decisions made by Carnival and RCI are just that ... and the information I noted is factual. Playing "musical ships" is common ... and with both cruise lines having a bit of flexibility after pulling out of (or reducing presence in) the Mexican Riviera, I would have hoped that New Orleans would have fared a bit better. After all, the objective is to resurrect NOLA as a major homeport. It just seemed a bit illogical that other ports' "castoffs" would be used in this attempt.

 

would you fly to New Orleans from anywhere in the country to do a five-day cruise on a 20-year old ship? And knowing that the port was coming back from a tragic event, shouldn't there be some incentive to choose NOLA over Florida?

 

I'm glad that Galveston will be getting some "new blood," but disappointed that New Orleans has fared so poorly ... nothing more, nothing less.

 

We are trying to explain it logically ...which you call a rant... and then you go back to how dissapointed you are ..and that you think they would give incentives (out of profit..? why would this seem logical that Carnival would do this?? that seems illogical from a business point of view, N.O. needs to make it on its own).

 

btw, I booked a older RCL ship out of Tampa, not once but twice in 2012, and its only a 4 day cruise. So, Ill probably fly twice to FTL for a older ship and a 4 day unless I add another leg.

[tallyho8]

You may not believe this, but some of us actually like the smaller, older ships like the Ecstasy and Norwegian Spirit more than the huge newer ships. :)

 

And New Orleans is going from 2 cruise ships to 4 cruise ships next year which will be more ships than Galveston so it would be hard to fill up 4 of the new super-ships.

 

When the Conquest is moving from Galveston to New Orleans, you say New Orleans is receiving castoffs so I guess that means that when the Conquest moved from New Orleans to Galveston in 2005 that Galveston was getting the castoffs. :confused:

[jewopaho]

You may not believe this, but some of us actually like the smaller, older ships like the Ecstasy and Norwegian Spirit more than the huge newer ships. :) And New Orleans is going from 2 cruise ships to 4 cruise ships next year which will be more ships than Galveston so it would be hard to fill up 4 of the new super-ships.

When the Conquest is moving from Galveston to New Orleans, you say New Orleans is receiving castoffs so I guess that means that when the Conquest moved from New Orleans to Galveston in 2005 that Galveston was getting the castoffs. :confused:

No ... Galveston got the Conquest because of Katrina. That's a different set of circumstances. I do understand that older ships are the preference of some ... to each his own. In fact, we sailed the Dawn Princess out of San Diego, and it was 20 years old at the time.

 

I'm not knocking anything or anyone. You made my point about the expansion of New Orleans ... there's got to be a reason for cruising out of there; it certainly isn't the itineraries. Galveston is another animal ... caters largely to "locals," i.e. those who can drive to the port. I don't see the point in flying there (with very limited service out of Hobby and IAH being 90 minutes away) just to cruise the western Caribbean. NOLA is pretty easy to get to from almost anywhere in the US ... even from overseas. But once again, if I'm sitting somewhere in the northeast or midwest, and am looking to sail the western Caribbean, New Orleans wouldn't be my first choice.

 

I'll give you the nightlife, French Quarter and all that ... but it's not cheap, and many cruising families would likely opt for Florida (they obviously do, given the number of ships sailing from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa and Port Canaveral). Don't get me wrong ... I want the resurrection to succeed. But there has to be some incentive ... "making it on its own" is risky at best.

[AWCHIEF]

The ships sail every week out of New Orleans full and more ships are coming. They must be doing something right. Most people that have actually been to New Orleans know that it is special city and a great place to spend a few days. Convention booking have actually gone up sense the flooding of a part of the city (I refuse to say when Katrina hit, because Katrina did not hit New Orleans). I cruise several times a year out of New Orleans and always plan it so that I can spend a couple of days hanging out and I only live 90 miles from the terminal. So don't listen to the nay-sayers. Things are going great in New Orleans and business is booming for everyone. So come on down, spend some time and take an enjoyable to cruise to some great ports.

[firefly333]

OP Iv done Voyager twice ....and thought it was so beautiful. I was surprised that Voyager had higher prices than Mariner ...so I jumped on Mariner..now Im looking for someone to go with me and split the fare. I have a quad booked, but need to change the other names.

 

If you go on Voyager and still think its a cast off and not gorgeous ...well you and I have different opinions. I also love Ecstasy, though not so much Conquest.

[jewopaho]

If you go on Voyager and still think its a cast off and not gorgeous ...well you and I have different opinions. I also love Ecstasy, though not so much Conquest.

Not at all ... sailed it in July, and will be going again next February. My point was (and is) that it's the oldest of its namesake class, and could just have easily stayed in Galveston. The Mariner is the second generation of Voyager class ships, and has many newer amenities ... Chops, for example. So moving Voyager to New Orleans and bringing Mariner to Galveston was the issue (capacity is identical). And with Carnival bringing in a new ship to a port with limited access, as opposed to homeporting it in a place that's easier to get to ... that's the other question. Moving the Ecstasy will make room for a larger ship to do the shorter runs ... a popular option for a quick getaway, since driving to Galveston is pretty easy. That makes the most sense of any move.

[firefly333]

Six years after Hurricane Katrina, the New Orleans cruise business is finally re-emerging ... but it doesn't appear as if the lines are all that confident. Right now, the Norwegian Spirit sails from there. It's an older ship (1998), and many of its new port mates are of that geriatric class. Only the Carnival Conquest (2002) was built in this century. The others (Carnival Ecstasy ... 1991 and Royal Caribbean's Voyager of the Seas ... 1999) don't offer many of the newer features and amenities.?

 

After all, the objective is to resurrect NOLA as a major homeport. It just seemed a bit illogical that other ports' "castoffs" would be used in this attempt. I'm certain that the cruise lines have researched the issue to death. I'm glad that Galveston will be getting some "new blood," but disappointed that New Orleans has fared so poorly ... nothing more, nothing less.

 

You answer your own question in the first post ...that the cruiselines dont appear that confident...why should they be?? Thats the answer. New Orleans hasnt proven itself.

 

You say emotional decisions aside ....and then state you think New Orleans should be treated emotionally ...not in a business decision way and get new blood, more so than a proven port.

 

Then you claim its illogical ...when its your arguments that are illogical. Business isnt about charity for New Orleans.

 

PS ...Mariner is the same class as Voyager ...how is that a ship with newer features?? It has the same features, and not a concierge lounge for diamonds or the wave area for surfing etc, that the newer Freedom class has. Or the two pay restaurants etc.

 

Your arguments sound like wishfull thinking more so than logical, or maybe its just you think New Orleans should be treated special and not based as a business decision.

[Sargent_Schultz]

Of course New Orleans has proven itself. Soon three cruise lines will be sailing from New Orleans.

 

Total cruise capacity in New Orleans has been steadily increasing since Katrina and will be back at pre-K levels soon. Carnival is going from one ship back to two. There are plans in the wings to add another cruise terminal down river if demand keeps increasing.

 

OTOH, Triumph (1999) will be moving to Galveston. NCL has never returned to Texas and the Houston cruise port remains unused. NCL will be replacing NCL Spirit with NCL Star (2001) in New Orleans.

 

Besides having ships home ported in New Orleans, New Orleans is also popping up as a destination for some cruise lines such as P&O - several of their ships have made ports stops in the past few months.

 

Within a few years, I expect New Orleans to once again carry more passengers than Galveston/Houston and to continue to expand faster.

 

Not everything is bigger in Texas. :p

[firefly333]

I havent yet seen Mariner ...but Voyager has the more gorgeous dining room I have seen on any ship ..bar none...including Liberty OTS which is newer. Thats why I cant understand the complaining about cast offs when to most of us those are all great ships out of New Orleans.

[futaba951]

New Orleans is in great shape. Mobile is where cruise ships go to die. But, the OP said he wasn't counting Mobile, so obviously this is a well known fact. :)

[samdham]

Could it be that the river sailing is better for the smaller ships (which tend to be a little older than the brand new super gigantor rock-wall ships)? I don't know, just throwing it out there.

 

I have to admit that New Orleans is a port we're willing to fly 1,000 miles for and stay an extra day or two. And we prefer the smaller ships, so this really is the ideal cruise for us.

[Sargent_Schultz]

Could it be that the river sailing is better for the smaller ships (which tend to be a little older than the brand new super gigantor rock-wall ships)? I don't know, just throwing it out there.

 

I have to admit that New Orleans is a port we're willing to fly 1,000 miles for and stay an extra day or two. And we prefer the smaller ships, so this really is the ideal cruise for us.

 

Nah. New Orleans is capable of dealing with the largest ships.

[mikemartha]

Cruising out of any port on any ship is what it is! You have two choices: Go or not go! Once you answered the question have a good time.

[salty dingo]

Right now, the Norwegian Spirit sails from there. It's an older ship (1998), and many of its new port mates are of that geriatric class.

I would take a 'geriatric' ship over one of the newest monsters any day! The prices will probably be lower and the crowds will be fewer.

 

Why is "bigger and newer" equal to better?? I just don't get it!

[tallyho8]

And when the Spirit leaves New Orleans next year it is being replaced with the Star which is 2 years newer but still one of the best older smaller ships and at least it has refrigerators in all the cabins.:)

[rosey1946]

Can anyone tell me the truth about crime in the French Quarter? I've been to NOLA several time before Katrina and would love to return. My partner is 77 years old and I worry about crime? I'd cruise on any ship to any port out of NOLA but for my fear of crime. Thanks.

Linda

[russianmom]

I have to admit that New Orleans is a port we're willing to fly 1,000 miles for and stay an extra day or two. And we prefer the smaller ships, so this really is the ideal cruise for us.

 

 

I'd have to agree. We chose NOLA over Fla this year and again for next year as well.

[tallyho8]

Can anyone tell me the truth about crime in the French Quarter? I've been to NOLA several time before Katrina and would love to return. My partner is 77 years old and I worry about crime? I'd cruise on any ship to any port out of NOLA but for my fear of crime. Thanks.

Linda

 

The French Quarter is still a fairly safe part of town for tourists. There is a lot of police presence and it is rare for an innocent person to be a crime victim when in a well populated area.

 

Of course you want to stay away from dark deserted streets just as you do in any city. 99% of violent crime is by druggies on other druggies.

 

I actually feel safer on the New Orleans streets since Katrina because a large part of the criminal population left town and went to Atlanta and Houston. Many are in Texas jails now, hee hee!