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Europe in 2015??

js4rq

By js4rq,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

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arush5268d

arush5268d

Posted
Posted (edited)

You will know if and when they announce it - they like to keep things a mystery so they can build up tons of attention before their announcement.

 

 

But I thought I had read here they weren't doing any Europe sailings in 2015

Edited by arush5268d
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arush5268d

arush5268d

Posted
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I definitely heard no Europe sailings in 2014. I thought 2015 was still up in the air.

 

Well my sister told me that she knows this guy who heard from his friend that is on Facebook and he has a guy on Facebook that he knows who is friends with a dancer on one of the ships. And SHE says that that is too many contracts away for her to even care. But I could have it all wrong.

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sprint180 Great Review Rare

sprint180

Posted
Posted

From what I read on CC, because I am looking at that date also, April or May is when they usually announce. But who knows if they are even going there. I hope they at least tell us yes or no about going before hand. I would be frustrated if I booked on another like and then Carnival announced. Don't want to spend more if I don't have to.

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dodgetrucksrule

dodgetrucksrule

Posted
Posted

Carnival seems to change their mind often however this was the answer I received when I asked earlier this month.

 

I have clients interested in Europe; knowing you are not placing ships in Europe for 2014, will you have European cruises in 2015?

We are just now finalizing all of our itineraries for the period of May, 2015 through April, 2016. We are not strongly considering a Europe program for 2015, but will announce all of our plans in early 2014.

- Terry

December 3rd, 2013

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stlrboo

stlrboo

Posted
Posted
From what I read on CC, because I am looking at that date also, April or May is when they usually announce. But who knows if they are even going there. I hope they at least tell us yes or no about going before hand. I would be frustrated if I booked on another like and then Carnival announced. Don't want to spend more if I don't have to.
We just returned from our Europe sailing in September (Sunshine), and word from all was that Carnival was no longer interested in Europe ...:o

We had a wonderful time, even tho' we had booked on the Inaugural Sunshine sailing, only to have it cancelled, tho' it all worked out in the end!..:)

Guessing if Carnival has a 'new build' from Italy, available in the Spring of 2015, they will keep the ship there for the Summer/Fall, but other than that, the Caribbean is much more profitable to them!;) NCL had several options that were available, at close to the same cost as Carnival, and many people from our original cruise took their sailings, and had a great time..!:) We have sailed on NCL, and it is certainly a good option if Carnival doesn't return to Europe!:D

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13607

13607

Posted
Posted (edited)

No one knows for sure about Europe and 2015, we do know about 2016 though. They are building the Vista in Italy like the last couple of ships. They will launch it and do at least a few cruises before they bring her back to the USA.

That means at least a few Med cruises, and a Transatlantic in 2016.

 

Anything else is a guess, and after the Destiny/Sunshine, they had announced they would do the same to more than one ship in 2014 and 2015, and those plans have obviously changed.

 

After the Triumph fire, the difficulties with the Sunshine, and moving 2 ships to Australia, they are running a little thin in their regular US cruises. Beside the Vista, I really don't think Europe is a priority with Carnival right now.

 

It isn't about airfare to Europe either. We frequently fly to Europe and have been doing it for the last 10 years, and we have flights books in 2014, and the fares are the same or lower right now to Europe. It made a nice excuse rather than saying it was a Carnival decision due to something in their company - blaming high airline fares to Europe sounds believable to people who do not fly back and forth the Europe several times a year. There have not been any real change in fares since about 2008

Edited by 13607
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cjknox

cjknox

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Posted
It isn't about airfare to Europe either. We frequently fly to Europe and have been doing it for the last 10 years, and we have flights books in 2014, and the fares are the same or lower right now to Europe. It made a nice excuse rather than saying it was a Carnival decision due to something in their company - blaming high airline fares to Europe sounds believable to people who do not fly back and forth the Europe several times a year. There have not been any real change in fares since about 2008

 

It actually is about the air fare because the majority of Carnival cruisers prefer cruising close to home.

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js4rq

js4rq

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Posted (edited)

Some interesting responses there!

 

We have also been looking at NCL as a possibility for our Europe cruise, as we would like to cruise in 2015. Just waiting to see if more Europe itineraries are going to be loaded onto the NCL.com website. We would like a Barcelona-Barcelona itinerary, with Venice etc. But an itinerary like that is with Celebrity (which is only showing up to October 2014) and costs more.

 

We are from Australia and airfares to Europe are expensive, but we have been to Europe once (last year) and would love to go again...and do a cruise in 2015. So saving money wherever possible is a bonus. So, going with a cruiseline like NCL (or Carnival) would be great!!

 

Anyway, we aren't looking at booking a cruise until early next year... we will look at our options again then.

 

Thanks again! :)

Edited by js4rq
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S.S.Oceanlover

S.S.Oceanlover

Posted
Posted
No one knows for sure about Europe and 2015, we do know about 2016 though. They are building the Vista in Italy like the last couple of ships. They will launch it and do at least a few cruises before they bring her back to the USA.

That means at least a few Med cruises, and a Transatlantic in 2016.

 

Anything else is a guess, and after the Destiny/Sunshine, they had announced they would do the same to more than one ship in 2014 and 2015, and those plans have obviously changed.

 

After the Triumph fire, the difficulties with the Sunshine, and moving 2 ships to Australia, they are running a little thin in their regular US cruises. Beside the Vista, I really don't think Europe is a priority with Carnival right now.

 

It isn't about airfare to Europe either. We frequently fly to Europe and have been doing it for the last 10 years, and we have flights books in 2014, and the fares are the same or lower right now to Europe. It made a nice excuse rather than saying it was a Carnival decision due to something in their company - blaming high airline fares to Europe sounds believable to people who do not fly back and forth the Europe several times a year. There have not been any real change in fares since about 2008

 

You must be a lot better off than I. I certainly am not paying $1200pp for airfare to get to Europe for a cruise.

 

 

I'd be the first person tohold Carnivals feet to the fire when I think they are blowing smoke but it is about the airfare, at least as far as my family is concerned.

 

Bill

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kingoftheicedragons

kingoftheicedragons

Posted
Posted

 

It isn't about airfare to Europe either. We frequently fly to Europe and have been doing it for the last 10 years, and we have flights books in 2014, and the fares are the same or lower right now to Europe. It made a nice excuse rather than saying it was a Carnival decision due to something in their company - blaming high airline fares to Europe sounds believable to people who do not fly back and forth the Europe several times a year. There have not been any real change in fares since about 2008

 

It's great that you find that at least for you that your prices for getting to Europe are about the same or lower as they have always been. And I'm not going to dispute that, or say that you can't find cheap airfare to Europe, because I know that you probably can find some extremely good prices to Europe--especially if you live on the East Coast or are always looking for sale prices.

 

However, I would say that it is about air fare. Not because Carnival says so, but because the travel industry says so. For the past year, it didn't matter what source I read...from travel magazines and travel websites and travel blogs, to articles about air fare in general...they all made reference to the price of airfare and how it has gone up recently--and may not come back down other than some special promotions. So, considering that air fare has been mentioned by so many different sources across the board, I'm willing to believe it.

 

You also can't say that this is a Carnival issue or that people who cruise Carnival aren't interested in paying the $1200/person to get to Europe. In 2013, all cruise lines (or at least CCL, RCI, and NCL at a minimum) had very soft sailings in Europe this year. Carnival, I believe, is the only cruise line to pull a ship out of Europe earlier than they had previously announced (the Legend), but RCI and NCL both announced that they would have fewer ships in Europe in 2014 than they had in 2013 because of the soft bookings. Once they made those announcements earlier this year, I would have been very surprised if Carnival had made the decision to return...so yes, it seems to be across the board, and not just regarding Carnival. The difference is that the other lines had more ships based in Europe during the summer than Carnival did. So it may be true that Carnival isn't very big on Europe, perhaps chiefly due to the clientele, and the fact that people who are going to pay $1200 to get to Europe are going to do so for a better line.

 

But I digress....bottom line--when the travel industry admits that travel to Europe has slowed because of the increase in air fare, I'm willing to believe it.

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jimbo5544 "Live from...." Rare

jimbo5544

Posted
Posted
No one knows for sure about Europe and 2015, we do know about 2016 though. They are building the Vista in Italy like the last couple of ships. They will launch it and do at least a few cruises before they bring her back to the USA.

That means at least a few Med cruises, and a Transatlantic in 2016.

 

Anything else is a guess, and after the Destiny/Sunshine, they had announced they would do the same to more than one ship in 2014 and 2015, and those plans have obviously changed.

 

After the Triumph fire, the difficulties with the Sunshine, and moving 2 ships to Australia, they are running a little thin in their regular US cruises. Beside the Vista, I really don't think Europe is a priority with Carnival right now.

 

It isn't about airfare to Europe either. We frequently fly to Europe and have been doing it for the last 10 years, and we have flights books in 2014, and the fares are the same or lower right now to Europe. It made a nice excuse rather than saying it was a Carnival decision due to something in their company - blaming high airline fares to Europe sounds believable to people who do not fly back and forth the Europe several times a year. There have not been any real change in fares since about 2008

 

I sure am glad you know all these things. I wonder how it is you are the only one who knows this, and what possible difference is it what the reason is ..air fanfare or not. Running thin on Caribbean cruises? Really? Would it surprise you to learn they have the most ships in the Caribbean? Lastly the Sunshine is fine, sailing full and getting rave reviews. Building Vista does not necessarily mean a European season, especially the timing of when gets turned over. Maybe we can let the triumph fire go now, not sure what that has to do with European sailings anyways .....

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fuddrules

fuddrules

Posted
Posted
Thanks everyone.

 

Would love to book an Europe cruise for 2015. I like to book in advance so might have to look elsewhere.

 

Will see.

 

Thanks again everyone!

 

Been looking a little too. MSC seems to have similar pricing. Not sure yet on how they compare.

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heatherbelle

heatherbelle

Posted
Posted
2013 Europe cruises were announced in mid-Feb 2012, if I remember correctly. Anyone heard rumors of Carnival in Europe 2015 yet?? Surely we would have heard something by now?! :(

 

 

Nothing at all is showing on the port of Rome website for the end of July to August for Carnival.

 

I have also checked Villefranche which also covers Cannes, le Harve and Gibraltar.

 

I cannot find a BCN, Livorno, Naples, Athens schedule.

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jimbo5544 "Live from...." Rare

jimbo5544

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Nothing at all is showing on the port of Rome website for the end of July to August for Carnival.

 

I have also checked Villefranche which also covers Cannes, le Harve and Gibraltar.

 

I cannot find a BCN, Livorno, Naples, Athens schedule.

They have not released any 2015 dates yet (with one exception - the Pride - for another entirely different reason). If past history is any clue, they tend to release ships and dates in spurts and stops (I have no idea why). I would bet that if they do Europe in 2015, these would be the last ships/dates released.

 

Last year, some enterprising people found ports of call (not homeports - at least I think if my memomy serves me) where they had ship names listed for stops during the season (ie the Freedom in Amsterdam). These appeared to be holding cards, the ships that did sail those ports were not the ones listed. The point is that all of this takes a lot of scheduling and arranging, and add that to the fact they have to decide if they think a season will work for European cruises, you can bet it will be a while.

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