Dive-In Movie Fail

[1313steve]

This will result in the customers thinking twice about CCL next time, though. If they are truly going to be the 'fun' economical cruise line for every one, then they can put ONE family film on in a week... if they are going to limit choices, than the customers will go where they can guarantee their entertainment will have options and that they just aren't important enough in the numbers.

 

Any business that tries to be for "every one" is just asking to fail. Businesses that are that unfocused usually aren't successful.

[Linerguy]

Yes, what about it? It's like comparing a few nights at a 4 star hotel verses a week at a 1 or 1.5 star hotel.

 

You DO understand you're on the Carnival message board, right?

[cruizinisthebest]

Twinprincessmermaids, it sounds like you got a great deal and had a wonderful cruise. How nice to sail with your parents! However, your scenario just wouldn't work for my family.

 

Aside from the fact that we generally only cruise once a year and therefore find all the planning and anticipation for just 3 days not worth it, the time of the year you went is during the school year. Unlike you, we have two kids. And I truly did try to afford a Disney vacation for earlier this year as my daughter wanted to go on one (total Disney girl). But even going during Spring Break, for our budget the best we could manage was a three-day with an interior virtual window room. And not even for Mickey was I willing to stay 4 to an inside! Couldn't do it. Especially at a premium price.

 

I know there are good perks to be found using credit cards. But I don't use them very much and don't have Chas. Don't know about getting a coupon like you had. Nor am I a last minute booking type. Too many variables to work out with work and school to jump up and take off for vacation.

 

I have heard Disney cruising is fantastic. I don't doubt that. But the price is high. With everything jusssstt right, you can afford it I guess. I have a cousin who has a trip planned for next August. Two adults, 3 kids in a balcony for 3 days to the Bahamas. Her price is more than both of my current 7-night bookings for 4 people between 2 cabins.

 

And btw, I wouldn't miss the casino either since I rarely go in one whether on land or sea.

 

I don't see me as choosing a 1 or 2 star hotel going with Carnival. Your choice to feel that way, but I certainly don't. I would like to venture to other lines and definitely plan to. But next on my agenda is Norwegian, then maybe Royal if they offer some ports I haven't been to. I wouldn't pay more than the minimum to go to any Bahamas only cruise. That's the other thing. Been there so many times by air and boat.

 

You love Disney! Good for you. I do too. We just did Magic Kingdom four days pre-cruise this past August. It was great but tiring and not cheap. Even with my bargain hunting self! I am a fan of Carnival and not the least bit ashamed. We've enjoyed every cruise to date and can't wait for the next one!

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

And not even for Mickey was I willing to stay 4 to an inside! Couldn't do it. Especially at a premium price.

I get it. However, I have never seen rooms laid out like this. Even your lowest standard interior has a regular size couch in it. On all the cruise lines I've been on (not NCL, not Princess or X but the others), I have never had an interior with enough room for a real bathtub and a full couch.

 

I know there are good perks to be found using credit cards. But I don't use them very much and don't have Chas. Don't know about getting a coupon like you had. Nor am I a last minute booking type. Too many variables to work out with work and school to jump up and take off for vacation.

We were beyond thrilled with the 10% off since you can't guarantee them, but the Rewards card definitely offers lots of perks. We get 2% off gas, groceries and restaurants and 1% off everything else. (If you don't have to buy gas and groceries, good for you! :D Seeing as we buy these anyway, they go on the card and we reap the rewards. I'm not saying they should be used for debt, but as a revolving way to pay for things, our reward dollars are seriously adding up!)

 

I don't see me as choosing a 1 or 2 star hotel going with Carnival. Your choice to feel that way, but I certainly don't. I would like to venture to other lines and definitely plan to. But next on my agenda is Norwegian, then maybe Royal if they offer some ports I haven't been to. I wouldn't pay more than the minimum to go to any Bahamas only cruise. That's the other thing. Been there so many times by air and boat.

 

You love Disney! Good for you. I do too. We just did Magic Kingdom four days pre-cruise this past August. It was great but tiring and not cheap. Even with my bargain hunting self! I am a fan of Carnival and not the least bit ashamed. We've enjoyed every cruise to date and can't wait for the next one!

 

Just wanted to add that there isn't any 'shame' or anything like that cruising CCL. I have cruised them every year for years. Its just that their product has gone to crap in the last several years, and for what I pay for a week with them, and have to pay housesitters to watch my dogs, and take time away from family since I live out of state, it was a complete waste of time and money for me. I enjoyed all the port days, however, those were THREE DAYS of the cruise. The other 4 sea days were just burners. So then I'm back to 3 or 4 great days and still paying the same. And with food sensitivities, believe me, I do much better at home, so just free room and board isn't much help since I could have those at home or my mom's house on the beach.

 

Its much more about what they offer and how they treat me. If you feel like you must only cruise Spring Break, than its definitely not worth it. However, most families don't feel the way you do either. I can tell you, there were PLENTY of kids on our Feb/Mar cruise with Carnival. Our parents always took us out of school (this debate is going round and round on Disboards anyway) because he would take us to Disney when his business took him to Orlando, and that wasn't always based on a school schedule.

 

Oh well, you asked, and I tried. I'll take a $500 cruise on DCL EVERY.SINGLE.DAY. before I would set foot on a Carnival. Their fault. As this thread shows, they appeal to the drinkers and partiers and their entertainment and offerings are getting more and more scaled back.

 

That's the reason I won't sail them. It has nothing to do with perceived snobbery. Not when there are just really great vacation providers out there for my money...

Edited November 26, 2013 by TwinPrincessMermaids

[irishnyc]

 

Oh well, you asked, and I tried. I'll take a $500 cruise on DCL EVERY.SINGLE.DAY. before I would set foot on a Carnival. Their fault. As this thread shows, they appeal to the drinkers and partiers and their entertainment and offerings are getting more and more scaled back.

 

That's the reason I won't sail them. It has nothing to do with perceived snobbery. Not when there are just really great vacation providers out there for my money...

 

Where are you getting from this thread that Carnival appeals to drinkers and partiers? Clearly there are plenty of family-oriented people in here saying we were or weren't satisfied with the original topic of this thread - family dive-in movies - which to me says FAMILIES are sailing on Carnival.

 

You don't like Carnival, and that's ok. You're an adult with no kids and you prefer to sail on Disney. That certainly wasn't my cup of tea when I didn't have kids (for many reasons), and it still isn't my cup of tea and I have a 4 year old who thinks she is Princess Tiana. A Disney cruise is NEVER going to happen for our family unless someone else is paying for every dime of it. It's overpriced, overcrowded with kids, and entirely too much Disney for my taste. We don't drop our vacation dollars on 3 or 4 day vacations, so I don't care if the bathroom fixtures are diamond encrusted and the beds are made of tiny floating clouds, paying what we could pay for 7 or 8 days on another cruise line will never happen. You're comparing a four star hotel to a Holiday Inn Express. No comparison.

[nitro2448]

Yes, what about it? It's like comparing a few nights at a 4 star hotel verses a week at a 1 or 1.5 star hotel.

 

BTW, I should add that you can bring ANY beverage of ANY quantity of ANY kind on board with you. *eyebrows wiggle* Think of that, you cheers paying people!

 

You might like DCL more than you like CCL, Even though it looks like you have more cruises on CCL than you do DCL, ( maybe DCL is to expensive ), not everyone shares your opinion.

 

BTW, I can take an 8 day cruise out of port canaveral for $4,200, ( cheers included ) on CCL ;) ;) OR I can take a 7 day cruise on DCL for $5,600. Both cruises leave the same day, and that's the highest balcony price on CCL, vs the mid range balcony on DCL. Think of that you Disney cruising people.

 

 

GO MIZZOU!!!!!!!

Edited November 26, 2013 by nitro2448

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

Where are you getting from this thread that Carnival appeals to drinkers and partiers? Clearly there are plenty of family-oriented people in here saying we were or weren't satisfied with the original topic of this thread - family dive-in movies - which to me says FAMILIES are sailing on Carnival.

 

 

I think you are sorta misquoting. What I said is that *I* won't sail CCL again because *THEY* appeal more to partiers and drinkers, and not necessarily families, as this thread indeed *does* show. (Not the other way around...which is that families don't cruise CCL, which I think is what you think I was saying?)

 

In any case, I was responding to a legitimate question about comparing the cruise fares that I've been/are going on. It was in response to someone who is unhappy with CCL's entertainment and then claims that the more entertaining cruises are just too costly. (if that is the same person, I've lost track by now, sorry if it isn't.) I don't disagree, of course, I just pay the same for a shorter, way more awesome time.

 

Also, if you haven't been on a DCL, as you clearly seem not to have been, you should not be describing them. Same way CCL cheerleaders get annoyed when people who have never sailed at all or haven't sailed CCL claim that they are nothing but poo-ships.

 

To another poster:

 

The reason I have more CCLs than DCLs is because this was my first one this year, and I have made the switch. Prior to that, I was happy with CCL. Anyone that cruised them back in the 2000s-2010ish (our Triumph was 2011 and was still good) know that their product has dropped a lot since then. So I have moved on. My next DCL is in May. But again, its not because I'm too froofroo snobby. It has a lot to do with the core of this thread: CCL didn't care enough about the families on board to play a few movies for them. I want to feel like I am a valued customer, not that I'm unimportant. Such a business doesn't deserve my business, and I'll take my same dollar for dollar *and less* to another cruise line. It just comes down to how the company treats you.

 

Btw, people, I wasn't the first or only one to suggest DCL to the OP. I just stated that I can take the same vacation money to DCL and the poster asked how I got my numbers.

 

THAT IS ALL.

Edited November 26, 2013 by TwinPrincessMermaids

[cruizinisthebest]

Where are you getting from this thread that Carnival appeals to drinkers and partiers? Clearly there are plenty of family-oriented people in here saying we were or weren't satisfied with the original topic of this thread - family dive-in movies - which to me says FAMILIES are sailing on Carnival.

 

You don't like Carnival, and that's ok. You're an adult with no kids and you prefer to sail on Disney. That certainly wasn't my cup of tea when I didn't have kids (for many reasons), and it still isn't my cup of tea and I have a 4 year old who thinks she is Princess Tiana. A Disney cruise is NEVER going to happen for our family unless someone else is paying for every dime of it. It's overpriced, overcrowded with kids, and entirely too much Disney for my taste. We don't drop our vacation dollars on 3 or 4 day vacations, so I don't care if the bathroom fixtures are diamond encrusted and the beds are made of tiny floating clouds, paying what we could pay for 7 or 8 days on another cruise line will never happen. You're comparing a four star hotel to a Holiday Inn Express. No comparison.

 

Love your post!

 

Yeah I don't know where the idea that Carnival only appeals to partiers and drinkers as evidenced from this thread comes from. Just not true nor is any evidence of such visible in this thread. Thing is, people have personal preferences. I don't see why folks can't respect that without being insulting.

 

Like you, cruising Disney wasn't my first choice without kids and only as a first consideration to appease my daughter who also thinks she's Tianna (though she waivers between her and Merida from Brave, lol!). I know they have the dining room that changes colors on the walls and whatever else, but still in comparison to every other cruiseline, Disney is too high. The extra days are plenty worth it versus Bahamas again for 3 or 4 days. No thanks. It's no wonder they let you bring anything your heart desires onboard to drink. No need to make profit off of beverages when you took plenty upfront. I have had my fill of Disney and do love Mickey, but not for the price it costs to cruise with them. Period point blank.

 

BUT to the OPs point, you can be sure to get kids-themed movies every night. :p

Edited November 26, 2013 by cruizinisthebest

[cruizinisthebest]

You might like DCL more than you like CCL, Even though it looks like you have more cruises on CCL than you do DCL, ( maybe DCL is to expensive ), not everyone shares your opinion.

 

BTW, I can take an 8 day cruise out of port canaveral for $4,200, ( cheers included ) on CCL ;) ;) OR I can take a 7 day cruise on DCL for $5,600. Both cruises leave the same day, and that's the highest balcony price on CCL, vs the mid range balcony on DCL. Think of that you Disney cruising people.

 

 

GO MIZZOU!!!!!!!

 

7 days for $5600? That must be a sale or in the off season......

[nitro2448]

7 days for $5600? That must be a sale or in the off season......

 

Probably both, but I just compared 1 date. April 19

 

 

GO MIZZOU!!!!!!!

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

Love your post!

 

Yeah I don't know where the idea that Carnival only appeals to partiers and drinkers as evidenced from this thread comes from. Just not true nor is any evidence of such visible in this thread. Thing is, people have personal preferences. I don't see why folks can't respect that without being insulting.

 

 

I'm glad you love his post, but I didn't say that CCL doesn't appeal to families in the sense he thinks. I said CCL (as in the cruise line itself) doesn't appeal (or cater) to families.

There is nothing meant to insult anyone. The OP said that CCL said there weren't enough families on board for a family movie.

 

So...

Edited November 26, 2013 by TwinPrincessMermaids

[cruizinisthebest]

I'm glad you love his post, but I didn't say that CCL doesn't appeal to families in the sense he thinks. I said CCL (as in the cruise line itself) doesn't appeal (or cater) to families.

There is nothing meant to insult anyone. The OP said that CCL said there weren't enough families on board for a family movie.

 

So...

 

I found parts of what was said humorous. That's all. I see you clarified what you meant while I was replying myself.

 

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[EnTnSA]

Check your expectations at home. I had heard new blankets, new popcorn...and I was looking forward to another "magical" night with my kid watching a cartoon and creating those memories you see on their commercials. We just returned from an EIGHT night cruise, you would think they could have gotten it right at least one night right? No.....

 

There was no kids movie....ever. We went and asked 2x if there would be and were told we would just have to keep watching the schedule. At the end we were told...sorry there weren't enough kids on your sailing. My reply to him was....right now they are playing a football game and there are three people watching it.

 

What is so hard about a classic family friendly movie great for all ages??

 

 

Completely agree. One of the best nights of our first cruise was watching "Princess and the Frog" out on the Lido deck one night.

 

Since then, the movie choices are really poor. The closest we got to a good kids movie night was "Spooky Buddies" on our summer cruise, which was one of the most boring things I have ever seen. My son loved it though, so I guess that counts.

 

Typically it is some lame concert, action / adult oriented movie, or sports.

[Linerguy]

No no. I know that. I was saying the comment you quoted was inaccurate for the reason I stated. Not yours. Sorry for the confusion.

 

No worries! Thanks.