"Dancing of the Ships" Speculation

[JLee1973]

I'm assuming they are not moving the Miracle until the canal expansion is completed. It is odd JH hasn't even made any comment about further moves. Makes me believe they intended to move the Miracle and Splendor but until the canal is completed it is not cost effective for them at this time.

 

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

[Jay Sam]

I did some quick schedule checking and it looks like Pride will be doing a 13 day Journeys from Baltimore on Jan. 2nd, ending in Tampa then staying in Tampa until the end of February and returning to Baltimore March through April (the schedule stops at April 2017). I wonder what (if anything) that does to the scuttlebutt about Miracle coming to Tampa in early February??

 

Probably Pride coming to Tampa instead of Miracle. Hope I am wrong. Would be nice to have 3 Carnival ships in Tampa, including Paradise, if even for a little while.

[cranel]

Looks like the Pride will be replacing the Miracle for the private BN cruise scheduled for Feb 5-14, 2017.

[joepeka]

Looks like the Pride will be replacing the Miracle for the private BN cruise scheduled for Feb 5-14, 2017.

 

I think you're right - there's a gap in Pride's schedule from Feb 5-14.

[kteachcruiser52]

I think you're right - there's a gap in Pride's schedule from Feb 5-14.

 

 

The Miracle is still listed as the ship for Bare Necessities Travel nude cruise, in February of 2017, but I think you are right. At the very least they are hedging their bets so they can substitute the Pride for the Miracle in case the Canal Transit doesn't occur as planned. JH said on his page today that Carnival was not done with Panama Canal transits and that they are in their future, but gave no other details.

Edited August 26, 2015 by kteachcruiser52

[Jay Sam]

The Miracle is still listed as the ship for Bare Necessities Travel nude cruise, in February of 2017, but I think you are right. At the very least they are hedging their bets so they can substitute the Pride for the Miracle in case the Canal Transit doesn't occur as planned. JH said on his page today that Carnival was not done with Panama Canal transits and that they are in their future, but gave no other details.

 

The John Heald thing is annoying and does Carnival even know what Carnival is doing?

[Ready 2 Go]

I hope not, instead of taking away ships it would be nice for them just to change up the itineraries for the Imagination and Inspiration! They would make more money off those two ships by doing that. A 5 day cruise to Cabo would be perfect!! A stop in Catalina and then a stop in cabo and back! Perfect itinerary for those who don't have much vacation time! That's one I would definitely do! But we also need a nicer ship for the 7 day Mexican Riviera cruises preferably a Conquest Class or even Dream class (which I doubt they would ever send here!) we need something with funship 2.0 features, that would attract a lot more cruisers on the west coast because they won't have to fly all the way to Florida! Fingers crossed Carnival will be nice to us West Coasters and send us something nice!! Wouldn't even mind to have the Splendor back!!

I agree. We need at least of Splendor back on the west coast.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

[kicia]

The Spirit class ships fit through the current Panama Canal so that shouldn't be a concern. I think they're waiting on the Splendor just to make sure that the new canal is open and operating.

[joepeka]

The Spirit class ships fit through the current Panama Canal so that shouldn't be a concern. I think they're waiting on the Splendor just to make sure that the new canal is open and operating.

 

I've been thinking the same thing. The Miracle could move to Tampa any time because it can transit the canal but they still have to decision Splendor and would probably wait to make sure the canal widening is done before committing either ship to a move. Splendor could go around Cape Horn but that may be more expensive than paying the fees to go through the canal.

[jimbo5544]

I've been thinking the same thing. The Miracle could move to Tampa any time because it can transit the canal but they still have to decision Splendor and would probably wait to make sure the canal widening is done before committing either ship to a move. Splendor could go around Cape Horn but that may be more expensive than paying the fees to go through the canal.

 

I do not believe they will do one without the other. I think it will be fairly stagnant until they get some firm days on the canal and can schedule the passage.

[toad455]

it just seems very odd for the Pride to only be in Tampa for 2 months, then go back to Baltimore. Just keep the Pride in Tampa and when they want to Miracle to come over, move it to Baltimore.

Edited August 29, 2015 by toad455

[cruisexlife]

it just seems very odd for the Pride to only be in Tampa for 2 months, then go back to Baltimore. Just keep the Pride in Tampa and when they want to Miracle to come over, move it to Baltimore.

 

I think there are two issues stopping that. A) Finalizing the canal so the Splendor can go through it, and B) the reliability in cruising from Long Beach. I recently read that the Miracle is sailing full, but it is having a hard time doing so. The constant sales and price drops are the only things bringing people onboard. Maybe I'm wrong.

[JLee1973]

I have sailed the Miracle twice with a third coming up. I have only had a price drop once on those three bookings. The price usually goes up and is higher in price then the Caribbean cruises.

 

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

Edited August 29, 2015 by JLee1973

[cruisexlife]

I have sailed the Miracle twice with a third coming up. I have only had a price drop once on those three bookings. The price usually goes up and is higher in price then the Caribbean cruises.

 

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

That's what I was getting at, that the prices are very high and are usually more than Caribbean cruises, so if people have the option of flying to Orlando or LA, they're most likely going to choose Orlando.

 

Another issue with this is that there isn't much variety in the ports. There are only a few ports reachable in 7 days. The Caribbean however, there are numerous, so many possible combinations. There are even 3 regions of the Caribbean that are cruised, so many break it down that way. But if one time you decide to do the LA cruise, there isn't much bringing you back to it, unless you fall in love with those few ports.

[JLee1973]

That's what I was getting at, that the prices are very high and are usually more than Caribbean cruises, so if people have the option of flying to Orlando or LA, they're most likely going to choose Orlando.

 

Another issue with this is that there isn't much variety in the ports. There are only a few ports reachable in 7 days. The Caribbean however, there are numerous, so many possible combinations. There are even 3 regions of the Caribbean that are cruised, so many break it down that way. But if one time you decide to do the LA cruise, there isn't much bringing you back to it, unless you fall in love with those few ports.

It duress sail full and many do the itinerary repeatedly me being one of them. I don't cruise however for the ports and more for the cruise.

 

I don't think they are moving the Miracle until they have another ship to replace her. At this point for cost I am assuming they are waiting for the canal expansion to be completed. No other reason for there not to be an announcement.

 

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

[falkcor]

it just seems very odd for the Pride to only be in Tampa for 2 months, then go back to Baltimore. Just keep the Pride in Tampa and when they want to Miracle to come over, move it to Baltimore.

 

 

It's not very odd at all. Pride commands higher fares out of Baltimore than pretty much any Florida port week over week most of the year. Carnival has access to a larger market share in the mid Atlantic region by basing pride in Baltimore than it does basing yet another ship out of one of the several Florida ports, a market which is over saturated and dilutes pricing.

 

The only time Baltimore is perhaps not as competitive (though I bet vs most of the Florida ports it still is, just not exponentially more profitable, as it typically is) are the deep winter months of January and February). So they're taking the opportunity to play with some longer cruises and seasonal sailings from Tampa. This should be good news to people in Tampa, but I think it's more received as 'no we want it ALL' the time.

 

Carnival thinks its not odd and is more profitable in Baltimore. Tampa already has another ship, and more than half the fleet is based out of the several other ports within easy driving distance. Why would it make more sense to just throw pride to a lower revenue port in an over saturated market, and alienate the millions of people in the drive in mid Atlantic / northeast market? Especially since they've already reduced sailings out of New York to a short season that includes canada? THAT would be odd...

[vwrestler171]

it just seems very odd for the Pride to only be in Tampa for 2 months, then go back to Baltimore. Just keep the Pride in Tampa and when they want to Miracle to come over, move it to Baltimore.

 

I doubt they would even worry about moving Pride there, but they have the chartered cruise out of Tampa and have to have a ship there. Cruises out of Long Beach consistently cost more than cruises out of FL, so why would take a higher money maker out of the equation for so long? Yes Baltimore is a big money maker too, but it is easier to transfer the ship there for a little while than it is for the west coast.

[JLee1973]

I doubt they would even worry about moving Pride there, but they have the chartered cruise out of Tampa and have to have a ship there. Cruises out of Long Beach consistently cost more than cruises out of FL, so why would take a higher money maker out of the equation for so long? Yes Baltimore is a big money maker too, but it is easier to transfer the ship there for a little while than it is for the west coast.

Exactly, I can make more money in Long Beach and Baltimore but to appease a cruise market that is over saturated lets charge less and move a boat to Tampa.

 

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

[Eng23]

I just saw that too. I wonder why they're just going to send the Pride for a few months and then send it back to Baltimore. Hmm.. Will just have to wait for the rest of the dance to finish up! I'm waiting to see where the Splendor and Miracle go, if carnival is still going to move them to new homes!

Splendor is taking Breeze's spot in Miami full time October of next year.

[joepeka]

Splendor is taking Breeze's spot in Miami full time October of next year.

 

True but the current schedule for Splendor in Miami ends with the 12/26/2016 sailing on an 8 day Southern. Unless there's news of it's schedule in 2017 that you've seen recently that keeps it in Miami??

[Eng23]

I only know of the assignment to Miami next year because it bumped me off of the Breeze next October. The announcement I received from Carnival stated Splendor would be based in Miami full time. There was no mention how long full time meant.

[joepeka]

I only know of the assignment to Miami next year because it bumped me off of the Breeze next October. The announcement I received from Carnival stated Splendor would be based in Miami full time. There was no mention how long full time meant.

 

Ah, OK..... and I suppose they're correct up to what's currently on the schedule. Thanks for the clarification. :) I know this has been beat to death on this thread but Miracle (West coast) and Splendor (East coast) are the only ships (outside of Fantasy) which have no 2017 schedule yet. Switching coasts in early 2017 seems to be the predominate theory. Call me Captain Obvious I guess.

Edited August 29, 2015 by joepeka

[Eng23]

Ah, OK..... and I suppose they're correct up to what's currently on the schedule. Thanks for the clarification. :) I know this has been beat to death on this thread but Miracle (West coast) and Splendor (East coast) are the only ships (outside of Fantasy) which have no 2017 schedule yet. Switching coasts in early 2017 seems to be the predominate theory. Call me Captain Obvious I guess.

 

 

Carnival has been doing a lot of ship repo's over the last couple of years. Over the past few years were I live we have had the Glory, Splendor, and next year the Sunshine rotate through seasonally between NYC and Florida.

[HawksFan74]

The announcement I received from Carnival stated Splendor would be based in Miami full time. There was no mention how long full time meant.

I would think until Vista arrives in Miami at the end of November 2016. They may keep Splendor around through the winter season, but I would expect her to be deployed elsewhere by spring of 2017.

[Eng23]

I would think until Vista arrives in Miami at the end of November 2016. They may keep Splendor around through the winter season, but I would expect her to be deployed elsewhere by spring of 2017.

 

 

That makes sense.