Why keep cruiseing with Carnival??

[Tapi]

...on top of it cruise prices are really getting crazy. These days it is more money for a lot less.

 

 

In 1994, we took a summer cruise on the Tropicale for $700pp (adjusted for inflation, that's $1,125pp in 2015 dollars or about $160pp/pd). Next summer, we are sailing on the Valor for about $51pp/pd.

 

So, $160 in 1994 vs $51 in 2015. Prices are definitively crazy. But that's crazy cheap. I do agree that the quality of the product has decreased and the service is less personal (which is an inevitable byproduct of ships getting so big), but I think that the overall cruise experience is much better these days. Personally I'll take a modern day cruise than what we experienced 20 years ago.

 

I believe that many of us are guilty of looking at the past with rose colored glasses, but I think that we've forgotten the tiny and limited buffets, when the best accommodation that you could get was a standard cabin with a window, the long boring days where the entertainment consisted of wooden horse races by the pool, making arts and crafts on sea days, and the nightly entertainment consisting of the same 4 dancers (you couldn't fit more than that on those tiny single story stages) in feathered outfits doing the same faux Vegas routine every night.

 

For those who miss the simpler days of cruising because of the smaller crowds, more personal service, and better quality food, that experience is still alive and well, on other cruise lines that charge accordingly. Definitely not $51pp/pd.

Edited November 15, 2015 by Tapi

[Oppalopa]

Check the other boards, loyal passengers are making similar complaints about the other cruise lines too.

Yes they are especially with Royal

[Cuizer2]

Or raise the price. I'd rather pay more and keep the things that make cruising special. With all the cruisers, the price won't jump crazy. If you can't take a small bump in price, you shouldn't be cruising to begin with.

 

Who are you to decide what someone else can afford? And why should I pay extra for thing I don't use just so you can enjoy them? If you want the extras, then you should pay for the extras.

[Cuizer2]

Yes they are especially with Royal

 

People are complaining on Carnival, Royal Caribbean, NCL and Princess. The soldiers at Valley Forge complained about things then. Not much has changed in 239 years.

Edited November 15, 2015 by Cuizer2

[Raxter54]

People are complaining on Carnival, Royal Caribbean, NCL and Princess. The soldiers at Valley Forge complained about things then. Not much has changed in 239 years.

 

The Jews were complaining a few days after being released from Egyptian captivity. Make that thousands of years....;)

[Who Cares?]

For those who miss the simpler days of cruising because of the smaller crowds, more personal service, and better quality food, that experience is still alive and well, on other cruise lines that charge accordingly. Definitely not $51pp/pd.

 

Exactly!

[Who Cares?]

The Jews were complaining a few days after being released from Egyptian captivity. Make that thousands of years....;)

 

The dinosaurs were most likely complaining after the meteor impact so make that billions of years. :D

[gameover]

It's interesting because I see more food selections now (although quality is debatable) but declining service. My first Carnival cruise was aboard the Tropicale in 1994, so 21 years ago. Although people talk about how good food used to be, I honestly don't remember it being anything spectacular. In fact, I think that it kinda sucked. Our choices were the MDR and a very basic buffet. That was it. Yes, some of the "higher end" entrees may be gone now, but overall, I believe that the variety of choices that we have today far surpass what was offered in the past. Back then there were no pizzerias, no guy burgers, no Mongolian wok, no tandoori grill, no deli, no sushi, and obviously no specialty restaurants for an extra fee. I never considered the food on Carnival to be memorable until I went to Harry's Steakhouse on the Liberty during her inaugural season.

 

The one thing that I think is vastly different now is the level of service. While waiters and cabin stewards still do an exceptional job, it seems like these days they are overworked and exhausted, rushing from one table to the other with stacks of covered plates, sometimes with barely enough time for a quick smile. The one thing that does stick in my head about our cruise on the Tropicale is that our waiter would very leisurely talk and talk and talk to us every single night, joke around, and tell us about him and his personal life, and still had plenty of time to do his job. That is mission impossible with how hard they work these folks now. [emoji45]

 

Yea good point about Guys Burgers and even a better point about them being overworked. Even though the staff continue to work their tails off, there is less time for them to socialize.

 

Last cruise however I the creativity of the menu seems less inspired. What started as a special treat of having strawberry soup ended into oh well, another day of some type of chilled soup. Speciality dining jumbo shrimp rules!!

[Raxter54]

the dinosaurs were most likely complaining after the meteor impact so make that billions of years. :d

 

lol....

[cruisemom67]

We've been cruising since our honeymoon in 1992. We have seen ALL types of changes since them . Used to be free champagne as they welcomed you aboard. Used to be everyone came to the free drink party, not just loyal customers. Used to be you had one set of mealtimes and you were stuck. If we had early dinner that also meant early breakfast, and NO ONE WAS THERE! Poor waiters had to show up to wait on non existent customers. Some of these changes are good, some are not. Being platinum, I'm not thrilled that others can buy fttf. It diminishes what I've worked SO HARD to obtain (sarcasm). We've tried NCL and were completely not impressed. I like Carnival. It's not perfect. But any day with my family, relaxing, away from work, is a GOOD one. I try very hard to not complain about anything while on vacation. Why ruin it because of the little things. Sometimes when I see the cost-cutting changes, I think, "not exactly what I wanted, but at least I will be able to afford to cruise next year!" They do this to keep their costs down. Food and everything else has gone up in price. Carnival is offering a product now that is CHEAPER than what I paid in 1992! What else can you say that about?

[Cuizer2]

The dinosaurs were most likely complaining after the meteor impact so make that billions of years. :D

 

You can please some of the people some of the time. You can please all of the people some of the time. But you can't please all of the people (or dinosaurs) all of the time.