Carnival pulls out of Europe in 2014

[gstewart]

Carnival is pulling out of Europe in 2014:

 

http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2013/05/10/44004/carnival-cruise-lines-pulls-out-of-europe.html

 

I am disappointed in this. We have been told that they would have a ship in Europe and have been holding off booking for next year. Now we are being told they wont.

 

Not happy!

[howielovescruisin]

Carnival is pulling out of Europe in 2014:

 

http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2013/05/10/44004/carnival-cruise-lines-pulls-out-of-europe.html

 

I am disappointed in this. We have been told that they would have a ship in Europe and have been holding off booking for next year. Now we are being told they wont.

 

Not happy!

 

Sorry to hear that for you. If I were you, I'd go ahead and book on another cruiseline while the gettin is good. Good luck, hope you find something you like.

[big_duck]

Rutrow. :eek::(

[EZ4]

Carnival is not the only cruise line in Europe. Just saying. :)

[Keith1010]

Thanks for sharing.

 

Keith

[blondietink]

After reading the article, I would have to agree with Carnival's reasoning .... Americans will not bear the high cost of airfares. This is exactly the reason why we won't be cruising in Europe, even though it is our dream cruise. Airfare for 4 people is outrageous, so unless we win the lottery, Europe is out for us.

 

I did get an email yesterday from Holland America with some European sailings and I thought the price was great and included airfare RT from JFK. Oceanview started at $2200 for an 11 day; Oceanview for TA was $1600.

[near the beach]

I read they are looking into a ship in Asia. If people won’t fly to Europe they won’t fly to Asia. They may send another ship to Australia. That would be a long fun trip for the repositioning cruise.

[big_duck]

.... Americans will not bear the high cost of airfares.

 

Actually, to be more accurate Carnival's American customer base will not bear the high cost of airfares.

 

One needs only read these boards for a short while to realize Carnival's American customer base will not bear the cost of domestic airfares.

[gstewart]

I do understand their reasoning - they have to put their ships where they can get the most money from them. I'm annoyed because JH has been saying now for weeks that they would have a ship in Europe this year. It must have been a very recent decision to pull out and one which they havent updated him on.

 

P&O has finally based Ventura in the Med sailing from Savona and Venice so that may be the answer for 2014.

[EZ4]

Actually, to be more accurate Carnival's American customer base will not bear the high cost of airfares.

 

One needs only read these boards for a short while to realize Carnival's American customer base will not bear the cost of domestic airfares.

 

Carnival knows this too, and that is why they base so many ships in "drive to" markets.

[bitemyfly]

Actually, to be more accurate Carnival's American customer base will not bear the high cost of airfares.

 

One needs only read these boards for a short while to realize Carnival's American customer base will not bear the cost of domestic airfares.

 

While I agree with this , perhaps a better discription is carnival targeted customer and not American base

[Strmwatch]

I do understand their reasoning - they have to put their ships where they can get the most money from them. I'm annoyed because JH has been saying now for weeks that they would have a ship in Europe this year. It must have been a very recent decision to pull out and one which they havent updated him on.

 

P&O has finally based Ventura in the Med sailing from Savona and Venice so that may be the answer for 2014.

 

 

Originally the Legend was supposed to be stationed in the Med for the summer and back to Tampa for the winter, then the other day they made the announcement that it's now being sent to Australia.

 

Perhaps Carnival just wasn't seeing the ROI of having ships in Europe?

[jsfromsc]

Glad we booked for this year! We almost went with Royal, but Carnival had a better rate for more days and more sea days. Plus we know Carnival and are comfortable cruising with them.

[big_duck]

While I agree with this , perhaps a better discription is carnival targeted customer and not American base

 

True, but I was just extending the original quote.

 

On a side note, if this is indeed true, once again Carnival Management throws the Brand Ambassador™ under the bus. :(

[gstewart]

On a side note, if this is indeed true, once again Carnival Management throws the Brand Ambassador™ under the bus. :(

 

I think that is my point with this. If I was JH I'd be mightily peeved!

[Flying is for Planes]

Huge mistake. Carnival is admitting that the Costa Concordia and bad press with Sunshine has scared off the customers. They really need to be proactive and the people that have been waiting for Europe 2014 probably will never return to Carnival. I was waiting to book a B2B for 2014 but there's no point in being loyal to Carnival now. Just more people running to other lines. BIG mistake in the long term

[flounder315]

My daughter is not going to be happy about this. She almost had me talked into a MED cruise... My pocketbook is relieved on the up side:D

[EZ4]

Carnival Corp has plenty of European coverage. Aida, Costa, Ibero, HAL. Surely there are others, as well. They don't really need CCL to cannibalize their other lines there. Perhaps CCL has their sights set on the Pacific regions. I think that Australia and the Far East would make for some very intriguing itineraries.

[crewsweeper]

After reading the article, I would have to agree with Carnival's reasoning .... Americans will not bear the high cost of airfares. This is exactly the reason why we won't be cruising in Europe, even though it is our dream cruise. Airfare for 4 people is outrageous, so unless we win the lottery, Europe is out for us.

 

I did get an email yesterday from Holland America with some European sailings and I thought the price was great and included airfare RT from JFK. Oceanview started at $2200 for an 11 day; Oceanview for TA was $1600.

 

I agree, it's the RT airfare and extra stay at hotels that kills a European cruise for us. DW even balks at what I think are reasonable prices on other cruise lines for longer than 7 day Caribbean voyages.

 

From a corporate stand point, Carnival isn't bailing out of Europe entirely, with HAL and Costa and Cunard lines (others?) still making those sailings. So perhaps they aren't seeing the traction for CCL ships or increased demand for other subsidiaries that would justify the expense of basing a CCL ship or two in Europe or even just the Med. With a couple of new ships coming down the pike, they'll still have maiden voyages out of the Med. Just not 2014.

[big_duck]

Huge mistake. Carnival is admitting that the Costa Concordia and bad press with Sunshine has scared off the customers.

 

Nothing to do with this really.

 

This isn't the first time Carnival has pulled out of Europe. They did it a couple of years ago when airfare suddenly skyrocketed - after they started taking bookings (Liberty or Freedom, I can't remember).

[trvlgirlmq]

This is shocking. JH has been saying for weeks now that there would be a ship in Europe. All of the folks waiting are now going to have to pay way more to cruise the other lines or forego a Europe cruise next year. I priced out NCL and RCCL and it was so expensive even for inside cabins. I'm now very glad we decided to do a land vacation to Europe instead.

[techstar]

This is shocking. JH has been saying for weeks now that there would be a ship in Europe. All of the folks waiting are now going to have to pay way more to cruise the other lines or forego a Europe cruise next year. I priced out NCL and RCCL and it was so expensive even for inside cabins. I'm now very glad we decided to do a land vacation to Europe instead.

 

The Brand Ambassador became the Brand Apologist, now he'll become the Brand Backtracker if true. Hard to trust anything he says anymore, but he's repeatedly put in a horrible position by his management.

[gstewart]

Just as a side note, anyoen still wanting to do Europe in 2014. The Epic is quite reasonably priced but only does 7 day cruises from Rome / Barcelona.

[big_duck]

It's now a sticky, so I guess it is official. :D

[firefly333]

I read they are looking into a ship in Asia. If people won’t fly to Europe they won’t fly to Asia. They may send another ship to Australia. That would be a long fun trip for the repositioning cruise.

 

I use a TA out of this country and we have many australians on our forum. It sounds to me like it must not be that expensive for them to get to asia and some of them have been asking our TA for more choices out of Asia.

 

What is wrong with admitting that Europe is not their market, but they think they can make more money in Australia and Asia?