Mediterranean return?

[bobpell]

Enjoyed a great cruise on the Sunshine 2 years ago from Venice to Barcelona.

Why did Carnival opt out of the Med and has anyone heard if they plan to go back?

bobpell

[Captain Carnival]

Carnival Vista - Spring/Summer Season 2016.

[CarnieAddict]

There reason for leaving the Med was because they weren't filling the ship because of the high airfare prices. And when the Vista comes online unfortunately it won't be going to Venice.

[crewsweeper]

There reason for leaving the Med was because they weren't filling the ship because of the high airfare prices. And when the Vista comes online unfortunately it won't be going to Venice.

Do we know this for certain, yet? I know there's spec that it may be Civitavecchia (Rome), but whether that's the origination port or just a stop is unclear at this point. I understand it'll be mid January before the first itineraries are released, if then.

[CarnieAddict]

Venice only allow certain size ships into the port now. I think it is a maximum of 80000 tons. so that means Vista will be too big

[Out of Iowa]

We did a Summer 2013 Med cruise from Barcelona to Dover (via Monaco, Marseilles, Civatavechhio (Rome), Pisa, Malaga, Lisbon...

 

the cruise was a great deal. The airfare price (booked it ourselves) was alarming - $1,250 pp, and that was RT to/from London (we took train to Barcelona, with a few days in Paris along the way). Most I've paid for airfare to London ever....and by a huge proportion.

 

I'm not surprised they can't fill ships with airfares in the stratosphere.

[GaNavy]

This is one area where Royal has it all over Carnival. Choice Air (RCI's program) saved me hundreds on my one-way flights to Barcelona over what I would have paid booking it anywhere else. From what I've read, Carnival doesn't offer similar - maybe if they did, they could fill their ships in Europe. On the other hand, they really know their business so maybe they don't want to compete in Europe, which has had way too many cruise ships present for the last few years.

 

(However, Choice Air domestic fares aren't any better than you can book anywhere else.)