After reading many posts complaining about "X" at least we don't cruise Carnival.

[A Sixth?]

Unbelievable...

 

Carnival cruise ship stuck at port with generator problem

 

The Dream is stuck in St Martin. Apparently for awhile there were no toilets or elevators. :eek:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=5257

 

http://news.yahoo.com/carnival-cruise-ship-stuck-port-generator-problem-125959618--finance.html

[wednesday]

They do seem to have a problem with their ship maintenance. We had already decided to skip Carnival for future cruises but that was due to their smoking policy and the fact that they seem to attract more chain smokers than any other line I have cruised.

[sarahc78]

This is just getting ridiculous now!

 

Ive always said any cruise is better than no cruise...not so sure I'd take even a free cruise w/ Carnival at this point lol

[Bruin Steve]

Carnival does seem to cut a lot of corners...and a lot of it is in terms of maintenance...

 

Due to various circumstances, we've actually taken four Carnival cruises...

 

One cruise, one of the elevators near our cabin wasn't working the entire cruise...and, in another one, the lights were out...the entire cruise. I reported it THREE TIMES to the Purser's desk (and I am sure others did as well)...Yet it NEVER got fixed...the entire cruise! How difficult is it to send over a maintenance man to change the lightbulbs?

 

Yet the people who frequent Carnival LOVE Carnival...and usually rush to its defense whenever anyone posts anything negative...

[A Sixth?]

They do seem to have a problem with their ship maintenance. We had already decided to skip Carnival for future cruises but that was due to their smoking policy and the fact that they seem to attract more chain smokers than any other line I have cruised.

 

This is just getting ridiculous now!

 

Ive always said any cruise is better than no cruise...not so sure I'd take even a free cruise w/ Carnival at this point lol

 

 

It sure makes celebrity look good even with their web issues and deployment question marks.... at least the toilet work. :p

 

On a rare engine room tour I was told that Celebrity ships have far more redundant systems built into their ships than Carnival products...

[hansolosmom]

I saw that this morning & thought crazy!

 

Of course I had an email from Carnival offering some deals, which I promptly deleted :p

[vermonter16]

DH and I have actually taken 4 Carnival cruises and never had a problem. We happen to prefer Celebrity now because it is sooo much quieter and maybe because we are a little older. We were on the Dream about a year and a half ago....didn't like it because we felt it was too much of a cattle car....just loads and loads of people everywhere. However - the service on Carnival was always great; just no longer our cup of tea.

[spookwife]

well you get what you pay for.

 

I have always maintained that the Carnival product, at its bare bones, is cheap. since they have less money they earn, they have less to use for the basics.

 

It was our first cruise, but we vowed to never return based on a lot of what we saw. the attitude of the crew.. always fine, I had no issues with service. the food was actually pretty good as well. Everything else.. you could tell they skimped. no matter how many times you sent the girl out to polish the brass rails, you could still tell it was pitted and dented in spots. no amount of vacuuming hides the worn spots in the carpeting. and that towel animal, while cute, strategically placed on the bed to hide that small stain... and that;s not even counting the hidden costs to run the infrastructure.

 

but hey, it did get us hooked on cruising. and in the years since we have paid more up front to sail Disney, Royal( and soon Celebrity) and enjoyed it greatly.

[Kevnzworld]

Most of the ships that have problems are older ones. Carnival still sails ships built in the 1990's.

An equipment malfunction can occur on any ship, but its more likely on those old boats.

Once you experience a new ship, ( Solstice class ) , Its hard get back on an old ship.

[mafig]

Carnival Dream is a relatively new ship. 2009 or so.

[sarahc78]

arrangements are being made to fly all guests home via private charter flights and scheduled flights from St. Maarten.

 

 

:eek:This would so not work for me!!! I cruise because I am deathly afraid of planes & flying :eek:

[Duanerice1]

Like was said, you get what you pay for. We've been on quite a few Carnival weekend cruises and 1 week long cruise. While it was fine, as pretty much any cruise is, it was not Celebrity.

 

But, the food was fine and the service was great. They also have some pretty good shows as far as cruise shows go.

 

I wouldn't be hurrying to go back on a week long cruise withe them in the near future but I will take a weekend cruise when the price is right.

Duane

[MartinsCruise]

Carnival Dream is a relatively new ship. 2009 or so.

 

Her maiden voyage was in Sept 2009. Never been on a Carnival ship, but definitely make good use of Google.

 

Doug

[A Sixth?]

Ironically my very first cruise was on the Carnival Holiday Feb 2 1991. Did not want to go, but wife's parents were paying and wife wanted to have a last vacation all together (her dad was not well)

 

I had a great time!

 

Only been on one other Carnival cruise and it was okay but we drifted away to other lines and obviously Celebrity and don't regret it

 

 

[olemissreb]

I have friends that were scheduled to board the Dream on Saturday. It was a combination of fun and work for them. Many of my friends are Parrot Heads and they were doing a fundraiser for Paint Georgia Pink - a local breast cancer organization here in Atlanta. They are none to happy with the "offer" that Carnival has made regarding a future cruise - but at least they are getting their fare back plus the airline ticket cost.

 

The Atlanta Parrot Head club (APHC) used to do a fundraising cruise like this on Carnival every year and the cruiseline was very accommodating. Then about 4 years ago, Carnival became a real pain to work with and APHC said "buh bye!". This year's cruise, while not as big as years past, was going to resurrect that fundraising. But after this? I'm thinking APHC may look at another line.

 

If any of you know any Parrot Heads, you KNOW how they can drink! My APHC friends used to pretty much wipe out every bar on the ship and the ship was forced to totally restock after a week! Talk about making some money for the cruise line!

 

I've got another friend that works at a tv station in Memphis and she told me that one of their anchors is currently on the Dream with his 5 year old twins! Can't wait to hear his stories!

[spookwife]

 

If any of you know any Parrot Heads, you KNOW how they can drink!

 

 

I will neither confirm nor deny that statement. but it IS 5 o'clock somewhere. ;)

[ivycruise]

We've been on 4 Carnival cruises including the Dream shortly after she went into service. We enjoyed them all as we travelled with kids and friends and it hooked us on cruising. But, what appeared to be greater crowds on the Dream and the vast smoking is what drove us to Celebrity. Plus, kids are in college now. We loved our recent Reflection cruise and with the more restrictive smoking and it being more our current demographic, don't think we'll be returning to Carnival but have some fond memories of great past cruises.

[olemissreb]

I will neither confirm nor deny that statement. but it IS 5 o'clock somewhere. ;)

 

The Atlanta club calls themselves "philanthropists with a drinking problem"! I used to think I could drink people under the table, but I don't even come close to some of these guys!;)

[wednesday]

I agree with the posters that say Carnival has good service onboard, we were always treated very well. Carnival was also our first cruise and we enjoyed it, we have just tried other cruise lines since and liked them better. With us the only issue was some of the clientele and now of course the reports of cost cutting and all of these glaring maintenance issues. I do hope they get these issues resolved and get back on the right course, maybe the need a new CEO?

[DEBnGAB]

I've had fun on my 20 Carnival cruises, but I am soooooo ready for a change! Even though CCL targets the younger demographic, even my 21 year old says she needs a change...what is that saying? ;)

 

Ready for a change in decor, food, service..you name it. Cant wait for the Reflection in March 2014!!

[olemissreb]

The Atlanta club calls themselves "philanthropists with a drinking problem"! I used to think I could drink people under the table, but I don't even come close to some of these guys!;)

 

Actually I got that backwards - they are "drinkers with a philanthropy problem".

[newsier]

Ironically my very first cruise was on the Carnival Holiday Feb 2 1991. Did not want to go, but wife's parents were paying and wife wanted to have a last vacation all together (her dad was not well)

 

I had a great time!

 

Only been on one other Carnival cruise and it was okay but we drifted away to other lines and obviously Celebrity and don't regret it

 

 

 

Our first cruise was of the a Carnival Holiday also - April 1991!

 

Got us hooked - been cruising ever since!

 

Do you remember Vance Palm? Still one of the better CDs, even after many cruises under our belts! Maybe because it was our first cruise................almost booked the Holiday out of NOLA before it left Carnival service but didn't.

 

g

[K.T.B.]

I've taken 5 Carnival cruises with no problems whatsoever.

 

With that said, after sailing on Celebrity, I don't see myself going back to Carnival. This has less to do with Carnival and more to do with Celebrity. The line currently fits my vacation needs and desires.

[A Sixth?]

Gee Wizz.... I feel for the people on the Dream, both this cruise and the next.

 

They're going get flown back to Orlando from St Martin and the March 16 cruise has been cancelled... full refund and 25% of future booking... big deal, airfares and vacation gone. :(

[Lightngsvt]

Holy cow, really? Again? So have most of the "disasters" been Carnival realted the past few years? I have to admit that Im a bit of a anxious traveler (flying, leaving the country, etc) and this ads to the tension of our upcoming cruise on the Silouette on 3/24. Does Celebrity have a good track record?

 

Almost booked on Carnival, soooooo glad I didnt now!