The ever changing tides at Carnival...

[Gryffindor55]

I don't give a rat's hind end if someone "pays" to be rewarded with certain perks. That isn't a "class" system....that is simple, straight forward economics. I "choose" to pay what I do...I don't expect to get a Maserati for what I spend for my little Mazda.

 

I don't expect to book an inside cabin on deck 1 for 50 bucks a day and expect to have the same perks as someone spending 300 bucks a day for a spa cabin. I can get those exact same perks if I "choose" to pay for them....nobody is restricting me from doing so.

 

You don't consider a separation of the classes to be represented by the class system? Is this so you can justify where you belong in said system as if it has no merit?

 

Either way, the new Havana area, similar to NCL's 'The Haven,' is 100% a separation of the classes.

[davy jones]

These changes are pretty much going on on all cruise lines right now. It's a copycat business.

[bobsfamily]

I look for a cruise, decide if the price is right. If I like where it is leaving from, price and where it's going, then I add up the cost of drink package (or if it's included), cost of excursions, etc.

If I like the final price, I book, put the date in the calender and start getting ready to PARTY!

 

I really, really don't understand getting upset over a missed "party" that gets me a drink or 2 (I am Plat. and if the PGP is on the last night I doubt my butt will be in a seat), whether or not I can bring some bottled water on (a case for 6 bucks is not bad when it's delivered to my cabin).

 

Sooooo, book a cruise, have a great time, realize that about 2-5% of cruisers come to this site and most have a wonderful time never realizing what they might have "missed".

[lido deck larry]

I think these changes are going on a good direction. No one from the next generation of cruisers want the "traditional cruise" experience. Onward and upward! Bring on more changes!!!

 

Sent from my SM-G386T using Tapatalk

[csradave]

Very well said sweet duch girl...

Edited June 15, 2015 by csradave

[rooster1961]

I've been cruising with Carnival since the early 90's and thankfully for them' date=' almost all of the 90k cruisers a week including myself couldn't care less about these petty changes. I do not cruise for bottled water or gold parties or to try and rat out balcony smokers and so on. Only on cruise critic are these changes escalated thousands of times over. As long as Carnival continues to provide me the excellent service they do and safely get me to my destinations I'll continue to sail with them. Don't sweat these changes. All companies in every business change. Enjoy your cruise.[/quote']

 

Excellent,couldn't have said it better.Thanks for a truly honest review.

[Seago2]

Gone is the "class" system? Honey, we're just getting started. We began with access to the spa facilities when booking a spa stateroom on Splendor/Dream class. Have you seen the aft Havana pool area on Vista class ships? This is a page right out of NCL's book.

 

Absolutely. Dining is another add on that is separating classes. HAL and NCL both can provide completely different experiences and areas of the ship. Nothing wrong with it but it is what it is.

 

I got my water last week and didn't miss the party (gold). I stood in line at guest services. Really not a big deal at all. I did notice when I accidentally spread my towel out on starboard side and had a bunch of smoke around me but didn't see/smell anyone smoking where they shouldn't. These changes are a tempest in a teapot, existing mainly on CC and social media.

 

What does bother me is the change, year over year, in food quality and number of staterooms per steward. Also obviously the entertainment options. "Taste is subjective" but when you are the same person cruising the same cruise line year after year and you notice the menu is the exact same but the quality is going downhill that's a problem.

[elliair]

Gone is the "class" system? Honey, we're just getting started. We began with access to the spa facilities when booking a spa stateroom on Splendor/Dream class. Have you seen the aft Havana pool area on Vista class ships? This is a page right out of NCL's book.

 

You're right! There is a class system on cruise ships and EVERYONE has an opportunity to achieve it. Elite, platinum, gold, etc., are all part of the "class" system. Some get torqued about it, like not being invited to the "platinum and elite" party. But all people have to do is cruise and get the perks like the rest of us did.

[JimAOk1945]

As the cruise industry evolves, there will be changes. But the one constant will be the lure of the sea and experiences people want to have while relaxing on a ship.

 

Don't sweat the small stuff. Enjoy your cruise. Book a couple of shore excursions. Take lots of pictures. Come back to Cruise Critic when you return and tell us how much you liked your cruise.

[sjn911]

Absolutely. Dining is another add on that is separating classes. HAL and NCL both can provide completely different experiences and areas of the ship. Nothing wrong with it but it is what it is.

 

I got my water last week and didn't miss the party (gold). I stood in line at guest services. Really not a big deal at all. I did notice when I accidentally spread my towel out on starboard side and had a bunch of smoke around me but didn't see/smell anyone smoking where they shouldn't. These changes are a tempest in a teapot, existing mainly on CC and social media.

 

What does bother me is the change, year over year, in food quality and number of staterooms per steward. Also obviously the entertainment options. "Taste is subjective" but when you are the same person cruising the same cruise line year after year and you notice the menu is the exact same but the quality is going downhill that's a problem.

 

I agree here....I get "loyalty" disappointment but at end of the day it is minimal compared to your last paragraph.

 

I think many more adhere to new smoking rules than do not..and it is a similar change to when they stopped being able to smoke in cabins..some break the rules but it goes way down..and follows social norms and preferences.

 

In planning a group cruise years ago with a friend..or rather helping her plan hers...most folks decided against Cunard at the time because those class distinctions were more clear cut with vastly different dining rooms.

 

Choice and extra pay options are the way it is now but..when main dining room and cabin service and comfort goes down enough food, facility and service wise...that is the issue..as in all things...competition brings some good things back when it all goes up and down like it always does.

 

It is far less of a class system in my way of thinking however, when all can pay to go to an area or dining venue...than when all areas of ship are not accessible by all and a fancier cabin in an area is required. Cruising has always had insides up to suites...

Edited June 15, 2015 by sjn911

[cbMcruiser]

I've been cruising with Carnival since the early 90's and thankfully for them' date=' almost all of the 90k cruisers a week including myself couldn't care less about these petty changes. I do not cruise for bottled water or gold parties or to try and rat out balcony smokers and so on. Only on cruise critic are these changes escalated thousands of times over. As long as Carnival continues to provide me the excellent service they do and safely get me to my destinations I'll continue to sail with them. Don't sweat these changes. All companies in every business change. Enjoy your cruise.[/quote']

 

Nicely stated, agree 100%

[taki183]

I shudder every time JH says a big announcement is c0ming

[travler27]

I shudder every time JH says a big announcement is c0ming

 

Really? It has that much of an impact on your life? :rolleyes:

 

According to your signature you don't even cruise on Carnival so how can a JH announcement have such an adverse impact on your well being?

Edited June 15, 2015 by travler27

[Gryffindor55]

I shudder every time JH says a big announcement is c0ming

 

Really? It has that much of an impact on your life? :rolleyes:

 

Whenever JH makes an announcement that an announcement is coming, it feels as if all of the happiness in the world and on Carnival had been cast away.

Edited June 15, 2015 by Gryffindor55

[Warm Breezes]

Change is a constant fact of life. Some changes you will like and some you won't. It is rare for a change to please everyone. When I book a cruise I look at what the ships I am looking at have to offer me today and then decide if the cost is worth that to me or not. It is the same process for every vacation I plan. I can tell you a vacation in Las Vegas is a whole lot different (and expensive) now than it was 26 years ago on my Honeymoon...and I won't even go into how different (and expensive) a trip to Disney World is than it was 25 years ago. I personally find cruising to still be a great vacation value for us and as long as it is we will continue to cruise.

[SurferJoe57]

.... I look at as good riddance to outdated and old-fashioned....

Though I do miss the chocolate on my pillow, I'm in total agreement on everything else. "These are the good old days," and I'm delighted to be here.

[Jimmy Geegitz]

All cruise lines are constantly changing things. Most for the better. A lot of us just get used to things and when something changes it throws us off a bit.

[Seago2]

Speaking of the pillow chocolates, they were so bad that I still had some in a ziplock I use for Bonine, etc. I stared at them all week on this last cruise, these lonely horrible chocolates that we never ate but brought home as souvenirs (and no one at home would ever eat them). I thought about leaving a couple on my bed at night to spook the room steward but I guess they'll come back and forth with me a few more times.

[lido deck larry]

Speaking of the pillow chocolates, they were so bad that I still had some in a ziplock I use for Bonine, etc. I stared at them all week on this last cruise, these lonely horrible chocolates that we never ate but brought home as souvenirs (and no one at home would ever eat them). I thought about leaving a couple on my bed at night to spook the room steward but I guess they'll come back and forth with me a few more times.

Better yet, place them outside his door....

 

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[FIDDLE2FADDLE]

i have seen many more positive changes in cruising over the years than i have seen negative and what many consider cutbacks i look at as good riddance to outdated and old-fashioned.

 

Cruising is now affordable to a great cross section of people, especially to younger families looking for a vacation that will appeal to all family members. Gone are the mostly sedentary activities...skeet shooting, shuffle board, bridge to be replaced with mini golf, basketball, running tracks, exercise equipment, hot tubs, water slides, rope courses.

 

Gone are the restrictive meal sittings where you showed up or you went hungry. Now you have options to eat 24/7. Gone are minuscule cabins with beds bolted to the walls or floors and a bathroom that rivaled any beat up travel trailer to be replaced with king size beds, desks, a couch, balconies, a tv in the room.

 

Gone are the "all inclusive" aspects...which means people who don't drink alcohol aren't forced to pay for it via their fare charges. Mostly gone are the formal nights with its outdated ball gowns and tuxes and people playing the part as though they were first class passengers on the titanic. Now cruising is much more casual to fit into our 21st century lifestyles.

 

Slowly going is the psuedo "class" system where people are rewarded for having the time to travel not for spending and increasing the economics of a cruise line so they can keep fares affordable for everyone. Now more emphasis is placed on families, activities for the kids, better facilities at ports of call.

 

I am glad many of the, what i deem, silly things of a bygone era are gone or slowly going. I want to cruise to have a vacation "destination" where my whole family can go...from my great grand kiddies to my geriatric aunt who still dances up a storm at the evening activities. We could care less about a free bottle of water, a pin, chocolates on our pillow, priority boarding, a "party" with a few drinks. Cruising is affordable so it allows us to buy that bottle of water, have an occasional glass of wine with dinner, pay for a few excursions, have a fru-fru coffee once in a while.

amen!!!

[rudechuck]

As long as I can still order Beef Wellington in the dining room, and go skeet shooting on deck, I'm happy. :p

[Rock712]

Couple of things come to mind here

 

First , it's all about economics. The cruise industry is good right now. The major players are not having many problems filling ships , so therefore they don't need to " give away " the perks like they did in the past. We all took advantage of it while it lasted , and now some feel like they are "entitled" to receiving everything. Times change.

 

Second , CC reminds me a lot of CNN. They have 24/7 of air time to fill , so at times they will take a story and absolutely beat it to death. Why , because it might be a slow news day and they've got to fill that time with something. We do the same thing here. In between the major announcements that merit a good discussion and debate , we fill the dead time with 500 different posts about a little square of chocolate no longer being on a pillow.

[Beachdude]

We've been cruising 20 years on Carnival and other lines. We gave Carnival a break about five years ago when the food and services were making dramatic changes. We decided to give them a chance again next April on a ten day cruise, but talking to other cruiser friends lately along with reading this forum has made us rethink our choice. Good food and services are some of the reasons we cruise. We'll have to pay more, but it's the kind of cruise we like.

 

Burt

[JonathanFlorida]

Though I do miss the chocolate on my pillow, I'm in total agreement on everything else. "These are the good old days," and I'm delighted to be here.

 

My wife said she missed the chocolates, so, I bring some with me and put them on the pillow for her, simple.

[rudechuck]

I'll stop cruising with Carnival when I stop having fun on Carnival ships. Hasn't happened yet.

 

If the changes that have been made spoil your fun, then I completely understand. Different people like/want/need different things. There's no right or wrong here, just differing opinions.