* Is Carnival Still Safe & Worth It *

[whciv]

As most of you have probably seen, Carnival Cruises is in the news yet again today. From the fire and stranded Triumph, Elation's steering issues, Dream's generator issues and now the Legend Azipod issues can we still say that Carnival Cruises is safe? I'm concerned that Carnival Cruise Lines might now be too big for the current management. Its obvious that maintenance and other issues are starting to crop up everywhere. I know Carnival is under a microscope right now due to the media focus, but can we still trust the Carnival product?

 

I know that Carnival Cruise management reads these reviews on Cruise Critic and I think we need an open a discussion. Do you feel Carnival is still safe? Are these issues causing you concern about booking a cruise? With everyone watching every dollar these days is Carnival is worth cruising? We are booked on a summer Carnival cruise and I must say I'm quite concerned. Not only am I concerned about the recent issues, but I'm also noticing that reviews are dropping fast... Slow service, bad food, reduced staff, poor shows and crowds, crowds, crowds.

[Sparky2]

As most of you have probably seen, Carnival Cruises is in the news yet again today. From the fire and stranded Triumph, Elation's steering issues, Dream's generator issues and now the Legend Azipod issues can we still say that Carnival Cruises is safe? I'm concerned that Carnival Cruise Lines might now be too big for the current management. Its obvious that maintenance and other issues are starting to crop up everywhere. I know Carnival is under a microscope right now due to the media focus, but can we still trust the Carnival product?

 

I know that Carnival Cruise management reads these reviews on Cruise Critic and I think we need an open a discussion. Do you feel Carnival is still safe? Are these issues causing you concern about booking a cruise? With everyone watching every dollar these days is Carnival is worth cruising? We are booked on a summer Carnival cruise and I must say I'm quite concerned. Not only am I concerned about the recent issues, but I'm also noticing that reviews are dropping fast... Slow service, bad food, reduced staff, poor shows and crowds, crowds, crowds.

 

I'm not at all concerned. We had a great B2B in January on Freedom. Our next B2B is on Liberty January 2014. Of course, by then, hopefully they will have done more thorough checking & inspection of things that have been causing problems on other ships.

[big_duck]

This discussion has already taken place 100 times.

 

Carnival management doesn't need a 101st time to know they have a problem. There bookings are telling them that.

[wack001]

As most of you have probably seen, Carnival Cruises is in the news yet again today. From the fire and stranded Triumph, Elation's steering issues, Dream's generator issues and now the Legend Azipod issues can we still say that Carnival Cruises is safe? I'm concerned that Carnival Cruise Lines might now be too big for the current management. Its obvious that maintenance and other issues are starting to crop up everywhere. I know Carnival is under a microscope right now due to the media focus, but can we still trust the Carnival product?

 

I know that Carnival Cruise management reads these reviews on Cruise Critic and I think we need an open a discussion. Do you feel Carnival is still safe? Are these issues causing you concern about booking a cruise? With everyone watching every dollar these days is Carnival is worth cruising? We are booked on a summer Carnival cruise and I must say I'm quite concerned. Not only am I concerned about the recent issues, but I'm also noticing that reviews are dropping fast... Slow service, bad food, reduced staff, poor shows and crowds, crowds, crowds.

 

 

What are you concerned about, I just got off the Splendor hated to leave, GREAT FOOD better(perhaps the best on any ship I have sailed), superb service, entertainment was OK but I would sail them again in a heart beat. Are you safe driving on the road?

cruisinbob

[SE NC]

Leaving on the Dream 4/20 and very much looking forward it! :p With all due respect, your post sounds as if you are very worried. If you are really scared....you may want to see if you can cancel.

[Tralynn]

I'm leaving in 10 days to cruise on the Freedom. I'm not worried at all. At this point, I would think that Carnival is going over all of their ships with a fine tooth comb! They don't need or want any more bad press or reviews.

 

Yay! Tomorrow I get to do the single digit dance!

[SPKEMO]

I'm leaving on Sunday and am terrified! I guess I will still go because it's booked and all. But I will be terrified the entire time I am using the cheers program, eating in the delicious steakhouse, partaking in the chefs table, while singing at the top of my lungs (out of fear) at the piano bar with Ron Pass.

 

Yep! It will be a freighting week for me.

[Boston Bill]

This discussion has already taken place 100 times.

 

Carnival management doesn't need a 101st time to know they have a problem. There bookings are telling them that.

 

why would Carnival management read this web page when they have their own Facebook page with 2 million people on it and cruise director Healds page with thousands more. If I was a Carnival manager I would avoid this place as its plain mean and negative

[what to go here and there]

As most of you have probably seen, Carnival Cruises is in the news yet again today. From the fire and stranded Triumph, Elation's steering issues, Dream's generator issues and now the Legend Azipod issues can we still say that Carnival Cruises is safe? I'm concerned that Carnival Cruise Lines might now be too big for the current management. Its obvious that maintenance and other issues are starting to crop up everywhere. I know Carnival is under a microscope right now due to the media focus, but can we still trust the Carnival product?

 

I know that Carnival Cruise management reads these reviews on Cruise Critic and I think we need an open a discussion. Do you feel Carnival is still safe? Are these issues causing you concern about booking a cruise? With everyone watching every dollar these days is Carnival is worth cruising? We are booked on a summer Carnival cruise and I must say I'm quite concerned. Not only am I concerned about the recent issues, but I'm also noticing that reviews are dropping fast... Slow service, bad food, reduced staff, poor shows and crowds, crowds, crowds.

 

No I am not concerned - lets go step by step. the news for today, high winds and the ropes let go. not carnival's part,

 

the Triumph issue. the part was maintained prior in a timely manner and it let go before its life expenancy. Even doing a visual inspection you would not see that the part would fail.

 

The Breezes issue.. the only way you could tell that it is going to fail is to test it (it was a back up) . Thats when the found that it failed was in a test, they did the test in the safest location.

 

Elations and Legend situation - to me it is like getting a flat tire, you never know when it going to happen. Your tire can give you hints, you get it looked at, they do something to fix it, rebalanced whatever and a month down the road it gives out.

 

Call me crazy but when you have the biggest or almost biggest fleet of ships your problems look bigger whenit happens to more in your fleet. No one heard about the two ships that had problems this past year in Anartica.

 

stuff happens and i paying off my cruise. We read and heard a lot of stuff in the news which was not truthful and saw the drama queens in action. News organizations trying to get ratings, by stretching the truth and adding to the drama. I going on my cruise and enjoy myself,

[PresDuLac]

I suppose that depends on who you ask.

 

If you ask me, I'm absolutely confident about safety and I haven't been able to find another cruise line that offers what Carnival does at a price that I like.

After my first Carnival cruise on Elation in Jan., I was hooked - that's MY ship. :)

 

I have a solo cruise on Elation (my first solo, second Carnival/Elation, sixth cruise) booked for Nov. and I'm introducing my grown, adult daughter to cruising on Sunshine in Jan.

 

I'm also on the lookout for another solo, unless my husband decides he wants to go, for April - May 2014.

 

I'll definitely cruise again on Elation in Nov. 2014 too - solo or not.

 

I plan on making Platinum ASAP and, if that's not enough, I'll be taking Amtrak to all of my cruises out of NOLA :D

[awhcruiser]

Not concerned...We booked a few weeks ago on the Conquest...and 2014 on the Magic.

[whciv]

This discussion has already taken place 100 times.

 

Carnival management doesn't need a 101st time to know they have a problem. There bookings are telling them that.

 

I cannot see how this discussion has taken place a "100 times". Some of these are new incidents. We are not talking about one or two isolated issues, we are now talking about issues almost every couple of weeks. So even if there has been discussion, things are changing daily. I do think this question is pertinent.

 

We are also not "scared" to travel with Carnival, but I also don't want to waste my vacation time or my vacation dollars on a cruise line that is having serious issues. We are not beginners here as this would be our 24th cruise. But things have changed a lot over the years. If an airline was having the same safety and service issue we would be questioning them.

 

Lastly, don't discount about Carnival Cruise lines reading this board. There is a big difference from posting on their website or on their Facebook page... they can edit what they want there. I know for a fact that they read this board.

[smwc71alum]

I'm leaving on Sunday and am terrified! I guess I will still go because it's booked and all. But I will be terrified the entire time I am using the cheers program, eating in the delicious steakhouse, partaking in the chefs table, while singing at the top of my lungs (out of fear) at the piano bar with Ron Pass.

 

Yep! It will be a freighting week for me.

 

Yes.....my frightening week is coming up in May !!! Please we are flying to the port !!! The biggest fear is the drive to the airport ! Have fun...:D

[boa toting mama]

Just off the Liberty last Saturday, not frightened at all. Had a great time and sailing on the Victory in December and looking at the Magic the following October.

[larkz]

In as much as there are a range of different problems on ships of various ages, I doubt that any of us can make a solid argument that the cause is anything other than a string of bad luck.

 

I don't know what their maintenance policies are, I don't have any idea of how they compare with the rest of the industry -- and although I think they failed miserably with their response to Splendor's and Triumph's problems -- it seems that they are under the microscope now, so even the most routine issues will be blown out of proportion.

 

These ships are marvels of technology, even more so than the powerful computers that I use for graphic arts and web development. My computers have breakdowns and occasionally need unanticipated maintenance. Power supplies burn out, drives crash, software become corrupted, keyboards and mice need to be replaced. That's the price of technology, and it's silly to expect anything else.

 

I have no major concerns with my upcoming cruise. I'm not wedded to Carnival, nor am I looking to ditch them forever in search of another line.

[MicksMom]

Just off the Magic on Sunday. We had a wonderful time. Booked another while on board.

[Tralynn]

I'm leaving on Sunday and am terrified! I guess I will still go because it's booked and all. But I will be terrified the entire time I am using the cheers program, eating in the delicious steakhouse, partaking in the chefs table, while singing at the top of my lungs (out of fear) at the piano bar with Ron Pass.

 

Yep! It will be a freighting week for me.

You poor thing! I think a therapeutic spa treatment is in order!

 

Bon Voyage!

[ATL2LAS]

Stuff happens...life will go on, the sun will rise, and another cruise will set sail. If we reacted to every "bad" thing that happened in our lives, we would live in holes under our houses and never come out. I have confidence in any cruise line I step on.

[loxley]

I heard the sky was falling the other day too. If YOU don't want to go on Carnival for whatever reason, cancel and do something else.

 

Why would you want to know the opinion of total strangers? The ships are sailing full.

[whciv]

I heard the sky was falling the other day too. If YOU don't want to go on Carnival for whatever reason, cancel and do something else.

 

Why would you want to know the opinion of total strangers? The ships are sailing full.

 

Isn't this what this board is all about.... Asking folks about their experience. The main question here is Carnival Cruise lines still worth the money. There are other cruise lines to choose from and its worth getting the "opinion of total strangers". :)

[jkjmt]

Stay off Carnival if you're scared. More fun for us and we don't have to listen to people complaining over the lack of porcelain coffee cups in the Lido restaurant or only having six different choices of dessert. (Actual complaints I've heard people complain about) I could go on and on about the things people complain about that I don't let bother me while I'm on vacation. :eek:

[nybumpkin]

I'm more worried about flying to my next cruise (at this point just about the same price as the cruise) than the cruise itself.

[che5904]

Is Carnival Still Safe & Worth It? I sure hope so, I'm booked to sail in June :) Granted I am within my non-penalty if I wanted to cancel, which I have no intention of doing.

 

Not only am I concerned about the recent issues, but I'm also noticing that reviews are dropping fast... Slow service, bad food, reduced staff, poor shows and crowds, crowds, crowds.

 

I guess if you wish to concentrate on the negative, that is your perogative. As a matter of fact today, I was reading a thread where previous passengers stated this was not their experience at all. So I'm sure if you read threads on here you will find just as many passengers that are not stating the above. As for reviews, it's human nature for the complainers to yell louder than praisers. It's the nature of the beast.

 

As for crowds: A ship holds as many passengers as it did this time last year or the year before or the year before that, if the ship has been in service that long. From my understanding Carnival's goal has always been to sail full. So I'm not sure where you think the extra "crowds, crowds, crowds" came from. Granted we did just pass spring break and therefore, the ships are filled with more families but the amount of passengers allowed, set down by regulations wouldn't change.

[big_duck]

I cannot see how this discussion has taken place a "100 times". Some of these are new incidents. We are not talking about one or two isolated issues, we are now talking about issues almost every couple of weeks. So even if there has been discussion, things are changing daily. I do think this question is pertinent.

 

We are also not "scared" to travel with Carnival, but I also don't want to waste my vacation time or my vacation dollars on a cruise line that is having serious issues. We are not beginners here as this would be our 24th cruise. But things have changed a lot over the years. If an airline was having the same safety and service issue we would be questioning them.

 

Lastly, don't discount about Carnival Cruise lines reading this board. There is a big difference from posting on their website or on their Facebook page... they can edit what they want there. I know for a fact that they read this board.

 

You know nothing John Snow.

[che5904]

the lack of porcelain coffee cups in the Lido restaurant

 

No porcelain coffee cups on in the lido restaurant???:eek: Maybe I better reconsider my cruise. :p