Teak balconies, canvas loungers? wheres this so called Walmart experience:)

[Blondie008]

I was just looking at some aft balcony pics, as we have one for our forthcoming b2B cruise, teak balcony???? is that right?

Also, on looking at the deck pics, it appears NONE of them are those damned awful plastic strip things..is that also correct?

On celebrity, only suites have teak balconies, and on the upper lido decks, all the sunloungers are those plastic things you fall through..its only on the lower pool level Celebrity has the nice deck loungers..

Seems to me - Carnival aint as "Walmart" as some are lead to believe:)

 

Isnt it funny how we go through life being brain washed into believing the ship we sail on is THE best...

my daughter lives in a tiny Island in the Caymans. We had flown over to grand Cayman for the day to see Sex and the city (get THAT..gotta twin otter it to see a movie:D). We were having a few drinks downtown, and met some folks off a Carnival ship and got talking to them.

LOVELY young couple, showed us all their carmera pics, and told us about life on board. tell you what, had we had any more cocktails with them we wouldnt have made the movie and would have been on that ship:)

So much so, despite the fact my DH and I had just about gave our cruise wardobe to charity shop, we re thought our cruising plans.. and hey presto, booked up with Carnival.

My point is WHY all this "walmart" talk. When I look at all the pics, I see ships full of glitz and glamour, sure I see people having fun (ehhhh hellloo..thats our middle name!), and now I see teak balconies and what looks like very comfortable sun deck loungers..

I cannot WAIT to go on our cruise, in fact, as i read this board, showed my dh some pics, although we already have 14 nights booked, he is now saying to me..Okay..if its THAT good, lets add another six nights and do a back2back2back:eek:

Am I missing something...please..is this all really true..whats the cons????

My only one fear i guess is that Carnival pull a smoking policy change like celebrity did. If we add another six nights, then that means now six non refundable deposits... that aside...its looking good to me!!!

Sure dont look like a walmart ship to me!!!!

Anyone else done celebrity, rci, and then loved Carnival??

[KruznKel]

I was just looking at some aft balcony pics, as we have one for our forthcoming b2B cruise, teak balcony???? is that right?

Also, on looking at the deck pics, it appears NONE of them are those damned awful plastic strip things..is that also correct?

On celebrity, only suites have teak balconies, and on the upper lido decks, all the sunloungers are those plastic things you fall through..its only on the lower pool level Celebrity has the nice deck loungers..

Seems to me - Carnival aint as "Walmart" as some are lead to believe:)

 

Isnt it funny how we go through life being brain washed into believing the ship we sail on is THE best...

my daughter lives in a tiny Island in the Caymans. We had flown over to grand Cayman for the day to see Sex and the city (get THAT..gotta twin otter it to see a movie:D). We were having a few drinks downtown, and met some folks off a Carnival ship and got talking to them.

LOVELY young couple, showed us all their carmera pics, and told us about life on board. tell you what, had we had any more cocktails with them we wouldnt have made the movie and would have been on that ship:)

So much so, despite the fact my DH and I had just about gave our cruise wardobe to charity shop, we re thought our cruising plans.. and hey presto, booked up with Carnival.

My point is WHY all this "walmart" talk. When I look at all the pics, I see ships full of glitz and glamour, sure I see people having fun (ehhhh hellloo..thats our middle name!), and now I see teak balconies and what looks like very comfortable sun deck loungers..

I cannot WAIT to go on our cruise, in fact, as i read this board, showed my dh some pics, although we already have 14 nights booked, he is now saying to me..Okay..if its THAT good, lets add another six nights and do a back2back2back:eek:

Am I missing something...please..is this all really true..whats the cons????

My only one fear i guess is that Carnival pull a smoking policy change like celebrity did. If we add another six nights, then that means now six non refundable deposits... that aside...its looking good to me!!!

Sure dont look like a walmart ship to me!!!!

Anyone else done celebrity, rci, and then loved Carnival??

 

The newer ships now have that plastic for the decks :(

[H82seaUgo]

some people compare carnival to walmart in a business sense: buying power, passing off quality things at lower prices. and augment profits by selling low quality inferior product to people that by based on price, and not quality.

 

carnival doesn't offer inferior product, but has mastered incremental sales and profits a different way.

 

but there are some here that just don't understand the business concept, and think some are comparing physical structures like the actual stores, or the physical appearances of those that shop there.

[Blondie008]

some people compare carnival to walmart in a business sense: buying power, passing off quality things at lower prices. and augment profits by selling low quality inferior product to people that by based on price, and not quality.

 

carnival doesn't offer inferior product, but has mastered incremental sales and profits a different way.

 

but there are some here that just don't understand the business concept, and think some are comparing physical structures like the actual stores, or the physical appearances of those that shop there.

 

Yes, that would make sense of it.

I had no idea even who or what Walmart was until recent years, when we here in the Uk, learned that our Asda, is owned by Walmart. Valid point taken:)

[salty dingo]

If you shop at Walmart, you know the stores look nice enough... it is the people who inhabit them who give the place its reputation.

 

Same for the Walmart of the seas!

[Sauer-kraut]

You hit the nail right on the head there, Salty Ozzie Doggie!

[brnsnbrws]

If you shop at Walmart, you know the stores look nice enough... it is the people who inhabit them who give the place its reputation.

 

Same for the Walmart of the seas!

 

I take offense at this statement as I am sure other's do also. Are you saying that everyone who sails on Carnival is low class???????

[quickrate]

If you shop at Walmart, you know the stores look nice enough... it is the people who inhabit them who give the place its reputation.

 

Same for the Walmart of the seas!

And the problem is, as far as I'm concerned we spend WAY TOO MUCH TIME worrying about how the other guy looks and acts. Other people don't affect my cruise experience one bit. In fact, I'd rather cruise with the fun loving every day folk on Carnival than some of the " I'm better than everyone else variety" on some of the other cruiselines. I'm too busy having fun to notice what the other guy is doing.

pat

[quickrate]

I take offense at this statement as I am sure other's do also. Are you saying that everyone who sails on Carnival is low class???????

And why must we in America put everyone in a "class"? Can't we form our opinions on individual behavior? O.K.-off my soapbox!:D

pat

[ATL2LAS]

Carnival knows what its doing. If you ever look at the back of their brochures, you will see its " Worlds leading cruiselines" tag. They have a cruise for every taste. That being said, as the cruise population grows from all walks of life, Carnival has set up 6 different ways to get there. Walmart cannot make that claim. From $199 to $75K. You will fit in somewhere at Carnival. (Totally sound like a promo spot...LOL:D)

[kbmeow]

If you shop at Walmart, you know the stores look nice enough... it is the people who inhabit them who give the place its reputation.

 

Same for the Walmart of the seas!

 

I understand that comment. Some of the people in some of the area make walmart sketchy. And there are some people who think walmart is high class. I personally like walmart but there are 2 near me, one is kinda sketchy and the people are odd. The other one is different, a different clientele.

The customer makes the place. Anything that has the best prices is going to attract all types of people. Some of the best and some of the not so great either.

[kbmeow]

I take offense at this statement as I am sure other's do also. Are you saying that everyone who sails on Carnival is low class???????

 

 

Are you saying those who shop at walmart are low class?

[brnsnbrws]

I understand that comment. Some of the people in some of the area make walmart sketchy. And there are some people who think walmart is high class. I personally like walmart but there are 2 near me, one is kinda sketchy and the people are odd. The other one is different, a different clientele.

The customer makes the place. Anything that has the best prices is going to attract all types of people. Some of the best and some of the not so great either.

 

This can be said for alot of businesses. I think other cruise lines get a mix of clientele also. There have been alot of posts on this board leaving people with the impression that everyone who sails on Carnival is "odd".

[salty dingo]

I take offense at this statement as I am sure other's do also. Are you saying that everyone who sails on Carnival is low class???????

Uh, no. I did not say that. Maybe you need to enlarge the font in your browser.

 

I happen to shop at Walmart all the time, by the way.

[brnsnbrws]

Uh, no. I did not say that. Maybe you need to enlarge the font in your browser.

 

I happen to shop at Walmart all the time, by the way.

 

I shop at Walmart all the time. I also shop at Target, Macy's, Kohl's, etc. I have only sailed on Carnival. I truly took it to mean that you felt everyone who sailed Carnival was inferior. I see people from all walks of life at all the stores I shop at just like I see people from all walks of life on my cruises. I am sure other cruise lines experience people from all walks of life also. I don't have to enlarge my font, I read your post just fine. Here is what you posted.

 

"If you shop at Walmart, you know the stores look nice enough... it is the people who inhabit them who give the place its reputation.

 

Same for the Walmart of the seas"

 

You made it sound as though people who sail on Carnival are inferior to other people who sail different lines. It sounded to me like you were saying that the Carnival ships are ok but the people who sail on them are not.

[JoeMissile]

It would be interesting to find some statistics showing average passenger income by cruise line. I wonder which cruise line would be lowest.

[mcwebber]

I take offense at this statement as I am sure other's do also. Are you saying that everyone who sails on Carnival is low class???????

 

My local Walmart has a wine section that is better than Carnival's wine list and includes many of the same wines Carnival offers. So, maybe Walmart should be insulted by the comparison. ;)

[mcwebber]

It would be interesting to find some statistics showing average passenger income by cruise line. I wonder which cruise line would be lowest.

 

Since many people don't disclose their income on surveys that wouldn't be possible.

[JoeMissile]

I did find this. I wonder what the stats would be if one removed Carnival from the mix.

 

In 2008, CLIA offered the following profile of the average cruise vacationer:

 

• Predominantly white/Caucasian (93%) person.
  
• Around 46 years old (down from 49 in 2006).
  
• Well-educated, with 65% of college graduates, and 24% of post-graduates.
  
• 83% are married.
  
• 58% work full-time.
  
• Average household income of around USD $90,000.
  
• A cruise trip each three years among other three types of yearly vacations.
  

Details of the average cruiser in other countries are scarce due to the lack of research and data on this subject.

[sanmarcosman]

Since many people don't disclose their income on surveys that wouldn't be possible.

Maybe they should ask.

[kazbar]

It would be interesting to find some statistics showing average passenger income by cruise line. I wonder which cruise line would be lowest.

 

 

I really don't see what that has to do with anything :confused:

 

Are you saying that peoples income is directly related to their personality? Manners? Dress style? Consideration of others?

What exactly, apart from how much their job pays, would that information provide?

 

Are retirees less worthy or of a lower standard than high income earners? Or people who have lower paying careers? Or homemakers?

 

Since money certainly doesn't buy class I really can't see what would be garnered from such information

[movtarget]

When they do ask income, I choose the lowest range :) I like to skew surveys.

 

I see the "Walmart" comparison not about class, but about acceptance/tolerance to give up one thing for another. Crowded- both can be. A little higher percentage of rude/"me first" folks (available in any societal class) - both also can be and usually are. Great value for the goods/services - both definitely are. I am willing to shop Walmart and cruise Carnival because I shop and consume based on personal value.

 

I also get a kick out of people watching and messing with the "me first" folks in ways they probably never know.

 

Movtarget - lurker extraordinaire

[Aplmac]

I take offense at this statement as I am sure other's do also.

Are you saying that everyone who sails on Carnival is low class???????

Oh goodness no.

Just a chunk of them, but you can count me in that chunk,

since I'm not a snob and couldn't abide the very thought

of a cruise on Cunard, Crystal, Seabourn or Regency.

I've met some very nice people on Carnival cruises.

 

Usually it's quite a cross-section, but hey there are some cruises

that are overly-populated by The Wrong Sort.

It's life on planet Earth. ;) :)

[LHP]

If you shop at Walmart, you know the stores look nice enough... it is the people who inhabit them who give the place its reputation.

 

Same for the Walmart of the seas!

 

I agree.....

[LHP]

It would be interesting to find some statistics showing average passenger income by cruise line. I wonder which cruise line would be lowest.

 

 

Personally, I don't think it would even be one "cruise line"....sometimes it is a port or particular kind of cruise (like the 3 day) .....