Carnival needs to up its game

[Tapi]

question...do your docs state that it is a "requirement" to book before or is that basically an option? Do they infer that without a reservation you won't be able to see the show? Just curious.

 

 

You don't have to make any reservations beforehand. You can wait until you get on the ship and make them from your cabin using the interactive TV system, or if you prefer a more traditional way, you can just walk up to the venue for the show you want without reservations and they'll seat you if they have unreserved seats available.

 

We booked our cruise on the Allure less than 2 months before departure, so several of the preferred times for shows and alternative restaurants were showing full. However, once we got onboard, we had no problems switching times or getting the times that we really wanted using the TV system.

[tawaik]

Just wondering about the drawbacks of a 3-4 hour drive? Seems like an ideal location. Lets see for our next cruise, what direction should we head. it's a good thing for me I do not live on Florida. Would spend all my free time and or money cruising.;)

 

Agreed! I love living in Minnesota, but it would be a dream to live within a day's drive of a cruise port. Some people don't know how good they have it. :)

 

I agree. Everyone does not live in Florida. I have to fly all the time. Home port is Baltimore. Cruise cost about the same leaving from FL with better ports. There are more lines out there to consider. I'm flipping between CCL and NCL because I like them both. Have not tried RC.

[blondietink]

Yes Oasis has been in Florida but not in Canaveral. Driving an average of three to four hours from central Florida has many drawbacks But now being in Canaveral changes the game. We have 23 cruises on Carnival but there brand has been going down in my opinion. No live music and the canned entertainment sucks. Food is also not as good as it once was but that is subjective. Price wise Carnival is the better but you get what you pay for.

 

You're complaining about a 3 or 4 hour drive? My closest drive to a port is 7 hours away. We routinely drive 22-24 hours to get to Florida ports. It's far cheaper to drive with 4 people than to fly 4 to a port.

[Warm Breezes]

Yes, but it draws that do like it to those areas of the ship, leaving YOU with less crowds to do the things YOU like to do.

 

$1000 isn't bad for an upgrade. We used to do that on the Carnival ship but that just gets you a better room. On RCCL, it buys you a better experience.

 

I can't see anything on RCCL that would make me pay $1000 extra to go on it when choosing between 2 ships. When we were choosing between NCL Epic and RCCL Oasis, same itinary, same week, same inside rooms, Oasis was $1000 more....Epic it was and we had a great time with $1000 more in our pockets.

[Warm Breezes]

Like I said, if I upgrade on Carnival (last time I booked it was a $1200 difference to move from a Cat 8 to a Cat 11), all I get as a slightly bigger room. So yes.

 

I wouldn't pay $1200 for that upgrade either :rolleyes:.

[Lace]

I can't see anything on RCCL that would make me pay $1000 extra to go on it when choosing between 2 ships. When we were choosing between NCL Epic and RCCL Oasis, same itinary, same week, same inside rooms, Oasis was $1000 more....Epic it was and we had a great time with $1000 more in our pockets.

 

Nothing says you have to. You slide the scale to the date you want to pay the same price as you would have on CCL, on RCCL. Did the same thing with Disney.

 

Of course, you need to be date flexible.

[Lace]

I wouldn't pay $1200 for that upgrade either :rolleyes:.

 

If you saw what an aft wrap on a Spirit class ship got you, you might reconsider.

[Tapi]

I have no desire to use the FlowRider, rock-climbing wall, zip line, ice-skating rink, etc...

 

I think that Royal is a victim of their own advertisement just as much as Carnival is a victim of their own advertisement. Royal places so much emphasis on their "flowrider/rock climbing/zip lining" image, that people that don't care for any of those things fail to see everything else that Royal offers that they would most likely love. Same thing goes for Carnival. They emphasize so much their "party/fun/casual atmosphere" image, that a lot of people don't realize other things that Carnival has to offer and that may be appealing to them.

 

When we sailed on the Allure, we absolutely loved the experience. We didn't rock climb, zip line, or flow ride. But we loved it for the many things that didn't quite make it to Royal's TV commercials.

Edited March 6, 2015 by Tapi

[Cruisegirl6]

We been on many RC cruises, surely they are more money but you get what you pay for. We never get off a RC cruise and say the extra money wasn't worth it. I am hoping Carnivals new Vista offer better service and quality of food, I want to pay more to get better.

Edited March 6, 2015 by lyndamr

[cjknox]

RCI is far more highly leveraged (debt-wise) than Carnival. They have to pay for all those $billion + mega ships.

 

Also, on the horizon is this:

 

http://www.virgin.com/news/introducing-virgin-cruises

 

They will be based in south Florida, and may become a game changer for the industry. Only two ships to start, but Virgin could buy RCI and CCL out of their petty cash fund.

 

http://www.virgin.com/company

 

I agree with this Loubetti; I think the major cruise lines are keeping Virgin in mind as they don't want to be unprepared when the details of their vessels and deployments are announced. Lets face the fact that Richard Branson is well known for thinking outside of the box so this new venture if his will be no different; not to mention he has billions of his own money plus that of various investors at his disposal.

[loubetti]

Well, thanks for noticing my post, CJ!

 

I have no idea what Virgin is planning, and it is interesting to note that their cruise lines CEO used to run a "condo" ship, the "World", not exactly mass market, in fact perhaps the most expensive ship to travel on.

 

So, we shall see. However I do not think the "big three" should be worried for now. ;)

[Cruzaholic41]

If RCCL feels that online booking for a free service fits into their business plan...well great. But I, too, wouldn't be to happy if I had to reserve my entire vacation schedule months ahead. I actually like the spontaneity that goes along with cruising...wouldn't book anything ahead of time whether I "read" that reservations were allowed. And a question...do your docs state that it is a "requirement" to book before or is that basically an option. Do they infer that without a reservation you won't be able to see the show? Just curious.

 

JUST FYI, there's only a few ships in RCI that do that. The vast majority of RCI ships do not suggest reservations.

 

For all those that really don't understand. RCCL has several classes of ships, and each class offers a completely different experience. Each class looks and feels completely different.

 

With Carnival, they keep reinventing the same class, using the same floor plans and doing the same things.

 

To sail on RCCL, you are going to the destination when on the ship. When sailing on Carnival, the ship is not the destination. Carnival gets old really fast.

 

You hit the nail squarely on the head with this one. I guess some people just like sameness though. It's something I'll never understand, but to each their own.

[cruizinisthebest]

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/contentWithHero.do?pagename=enhanced_program_for_suite_guests

 

thanks. Jr. suites are not included in most of the bennys.

[Avril]

Now that the Oasis is coming. What is Carnival next plan?

 

Um, Oasis has been around for awhile now. I sailed on her Maiden Voyage which was on December 5th, 2009!! Her sister, Allure, has been around for awhile as well (2010 I think). What's next for Carnival? Well, I can't wait for the Vista, I'm sailing on her Transatlantic cruise in October 2016!!!! :D

[Lace]

Um, Oasis has been around for awhile now. I sailed on her Maiden Voyage which was on December 5th, 2009!! Her sister, Allure, has been around for awhile as well (2010 I think). What's next for Carnival? Well, I can't wait for the Vista, I'm sailing on her Transatlantic cruise in October 2016!!!! :D

 

She/he was referring to it coming to PC.

[Avril]

She/he was referring to it coming to PC.

 

Oh. Oops, my bad!! :o

[jonbgd]

I like what Carnival is doing and look forward to the new Vista

Like the look of the havana club area, wonder if kids will be kept out

Looking at potential cruises right now

But it is just the next generation of the dream class

 

We are really looking forward to the Allure

completely different than anything we have ever cruised on

 

We enjoy Royal

With the free drinks every night and balcony discount on RCCL, we pay about the same for our cruises, as we would cruising on Carnival

[rooster1961]

I don't think Carnival needs to up their game that much because Oasis is coming, I think they sent it there to take customers away from Disney. Carnival is always gonna be for budget minded cruisers

[keith75]

Still cant believe they took the Dream out of Canaveral.I think Oasis is going to do well in that location.

[Tapi]

 

But it is just the next generation of the dream class

 

 

 

Which is the next generation of the Conquest class which is the next generation of the Destiny class. [emoji13]

 

Kudos to Carnival for keeping their construction costs low by continuing to tweak a 20 year old design, but it would be nice to see something truly new.

 

Nonetheless, I do like what's new on the Vista. [emoji1]

Edited March 7, 2015 by Tapi

[Tapi]

Spirit class was different and BRILLIANT

 

:D

 

 

Spirit class was originally a design for Holland America that Carnival "borrowed" when they needed a class of ships with more speed and narrow enough to fit through the Panama Canal. So since the design already existed, it was also economical for Carnival to develop the Spirit class.

[deliver42]

I agree with you about the ships. Each class on RCCL is totally different. With Carnival, they even look the same, just a difference in size.The only reason for that is more$$$$ from more passengers.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Spirit class was originally a design for Holland America that Carnival "borrowed" when they needed a class of ships with more speed and narrow enough to fit through the Panama Canal. So since the design already existed, it was also economical for Carnival to develop the Spirit class.

 

Spirit class also seems to be the favorite class of ship amongst CC posters.

 

Bill

[cruzfitter]

Agreed. I also wonder how many not knowing you need to book in advance, prior to sailing at that, have felt burned after learning this information once the ship has already set sail.

 

It wouldn't happen to a large population on these boards just because we all very invested prior to the cruise. I know I would be upset if the shows being advertised to sell the ship were all sold out prior to sailing and I didn't know to book in advance.

 

Unless you don't give RCL you email address, there is no way not to know about making reservations for entertainment. They send out emails reminding you about it constantly, or so it seems.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Unless you don't give RCL you email address, there is no way not to know about making reservations for entertainment. They send out emails reminding you about it constantly, or so it seems.

 

I agree. We must have gotten at least one a week from the time the bookings opened until we sailed.

 

You could always go to the stand by line if you were oblivious to it all. Each show runs on multiple nights not just one.

 

Bill