What would you give up for a 5% to 10% fare reduction?

[LMaxwell]

Many people here claim that they are okay with cost cutting because they want the lowest possible cruise fare.

 

What services or amenities would you be alright with being removed in order to reduce the cruise fare portion by 5% to 10%? This assumes you stay in the same category of room you selected and not "trade down" like from a balcony to an interior.

 

So all things being equal, what would you be alright with Carnival removing or rounding the edges off of in order to reduce your fare price?

 

I'd be OK with less TV channels and reducing the pizza place from 24 hours to 16 hours. Not sure that would get a 5% reduction in fare, but those are areas I'd be okay with some minor cutbacks if I could save some money.

[jimbo5544]

My guess is you would be surprised at how much you would have to give up for a 5% (all other things being equal) fare reduction.

[Computer Nerd]

i'd be happy giving up my cabin steward. i don't have my unit cleaned while i'm there when i go to my timeshare and don't really need it on a cruise. sure, it's nice but not a necessity.

 

and i'd rather lose my cabin steward than my 5 am pizza when i get up. ;)

[evandbob]

Pillow chocolates, twice daily cabin service, team wait staff in MDR, theater shows, past guest party for golds.

 

Oh yes, and towel animals.

[cruiseonthebrain]

I would give up the TV completely. And the MDR service- if I could always have a fridge in the room. I only need new towels once a day and I can make my own bed. Don't care about tablecloths. I would also love to pay by carbon footprint. The people who waste food and water and electricity pay more.

[LMaxwell]

My guess is you would be surprised at how much you would have to give up for a 5% (all other things being equal) fare reduction.

 

Probably not. The taxes are the taxes. Port fees are port fees. Gratuities are gratuities. parking is parking. the fare is really the only variable in cruise pricing we ever see change.

 

A price driven consumer is not necessarily the same as a value driven consumer. I am value driven. Whenever a cut back happens that I don't like people tell me they don't care, they are just price driven and want a lower price. I want a valuable experience and that may be worth a few dollars more to me. So I am curious what price driven people would get rid of.

 

I am not under the impression that you are price driven at all. I have always been under the impression you are value driven. So you may not identify anything that you'd cut, or may even identify things you would add for nominal increases in overall fare.

[Computer Nerd]

Pillow chocolates, twice daily cabin service, team wait staff in MDR, theater shows, past guest party for golds.

 

Oh yes, and towel animals.

 

pillow chocolates and past guest party for golds are already gone. ;)

 

don't know how you could get rid of the team wait staff in the mdr and still get fed unless you mean close the mdr completely or turn it into another buffet. :confused:

[Computer Nerd]

Probably not. The taxes are the taxes. Port fees are port fees. Gratuities are gratuities. parking is parking. the fare is really the only variable in cruise pricing we ever see change.

 

A price driven consumer is not necessarily the same as a value driven consumer. I am value driven. Whenever a cut back happens that I don't like people tell me they don't care, they are just price driven and want a lower price. I want a valuable experience and that may be worth a few dollars more to me. So I am curious what price driven people would get rid of.

 

I am not under the impression that you are price driven at all. I have always been under the impression you are value driven. So you may not identify anything that you'd cut, or may even identify things you would add for nominal increases in overall fare.

 

gratuities are not fixed and fluctuate on every cruise. not saying it's right to change them but just notice the line at guest services the last night of every cruise. ;)

 

i disagree with your belief that a cutback that affects you but not someone else makes you value driven and they are cheap. no, i'm very value driven but carnival hasn't changed anything that matters to me or changes the value of my cruises though they may have changed the value of your cruise. it's simply what we value that is different.

Edited May 8, 2016 by Computer Nerd

[Thorncroft]

Life boats. What are the chances of needing them? I bet they're really, really expensive to have and maintain too. ;)

[pjinaz]

I'd give up most of the food since most of it is pretty bad.

 

Really, I'd rather not give up anything. How about adding more things. Guys, blue iguana, comedy club and alchemy are the best additions in years. Give us more stuff like this.

[jdemps]

I see that line and always wonder what on earth those people are standing in line for while on vacation. I thought maybe getting their OBC back they didn't use but really never thought about all those people taking off tips. Duh - makes sense though.

 

 

gratuities are not fixed and fluctuate on every cruise. not saying it's right to change them but just notice the line at guest services the last night of every cruise. ;)

 

i disagree with your belief that a cutback that affects you but not someone else makes you value driven and they are cheap. no, i'm very value driven but carnival hasn't changed anything that matters to me or changes the value of my cruises though they may have changed the value of your cruise. it's simply what we value that is different.

[evandbob]

pillow chocolates and past guest party for golds are already gone. ;)

 

don't know how you could get rid of the team wait staff in the mdr and still get fed unless you mean close the mdr completely or turn it into another buffet. :confused:

 

I know that those items I mentioned are gone, It's a satirical smart azz New Yorker's post. Sorry you missed that.

 

But I'm still waiting for my fare reduction! Fares have actually increased as amenities have been reduced.

 

MDR team: Maybe I should have mentioned the same team every night? I've gotten 3 different head waiters on my recent week long American Table cruises, so each night the main server has to learn names and preferences. With the exact same wait team staff, that stuff was done the first full table seating of the cruise and didn't have to be the start of every night's dinner.

[Computer Nerd]

I see that line and always wonder what on earth those people are standing in line for while on vacation. I thought maybe getting their OBC back they didn't use but really never thought about all those people taking off tips. Duh - makes sense though.

 

if you want to hear the best comedy show ever, sit near the line and listen to the excuses some people make for removing their gratuities. it will either make you laugh your butt off or cry like a baby.

[jdemps]

I try to save 10% by buying discounted gift cards and I don't have to give anything up. :) Its worked so far for 4 cruises.

 

We are in the group that like the very best cabin on the ship, pay at the steakhouse, etc. I think cruising is the best value vacation in terms of what you get for the price for sure. We went to NOLA 3 days before the cruise last year and spent on average $700 per day on food booze, entertainment, taxis, room, etc. Way more than a cruise so we love cruising for what you get!

[jimbo5544]

Probably not. The taxes are the taxes. Port fees are port fees. Gratuities are gratuities. parking is parking. the fare is really the only variable in cruise pricing we ever see change.

 

 

 

A price driven consumer is not necessarily the same as a value driven consumer. I am value driven. Whenever a cut back happens that I don't like people tell me they don't care, they are just price driven and want a lower price. I want a valuable experience and that may be worth a few dollars more to me. So I am curious what price driven people would get rid of.

 

 

 

I am not under the impression that you are price driven at all. I have always been under the impression you are value driven. So you may not identify anything that you'd cut, or may even identify things you would add for nominal increases in overall fare.

 

 

You are starting to sound like my wife.........

[LMaxwell]

You are starting to sound like my wife.........

 

She must be a great person :D

[jimbo5544]

Pillow chocolates, twice daily cabin service, team wait staff in MDR, theater shows, past guest party for golds.

 

Oh yes, and towel animals.

 

 

Well, you got two right anyway.

[jimbo5544]

Probably not. The taxes are the taxes. Port fees are port fees. Gratuities are gratuities. parking is parking. the fare is really the only variable in cruise pricing we ever see change.

 

 

 

A price driven consumer is not necessarily the same as a value driven consumer. I am value driven. Whenever a cut back happens that I don't like people tell me they don't care, they are just price driven and want a lower price. I want a valuable experience and that may be worth a few dollars more to me. So I am curious what price driven people would get rid of.

 

 

 

I am not under the impression that you are price driven at all. I have always been under the impression you are value driven. So you may not identify anything that you'd cut, or may even identify things you would add for nominal increases in overall fare.

 

 

Price is always a factor, but it is only one of several. I agree with you that you need to look at both sides of the coin. All that said, my original reply was that we may be surprised at how much it might take to get to the percentage you mention. I am sure it is a question that the cruise line (all cruise lines) have to contemplate all the time. Despite what some people think, Carnival really wants to put the best product out there that can show a proper return for their investors. Really no different then others,they just differ in the way they do it.

[jimbo5544]

She must be a great person :D

 

 

Actually she is, and a better person then me, but I strive to emulate.

Edited May 8, 2016 by jimbo5544

[flyawayca]

I'd rather pay a little more and keep some of the things I enjoy.

 

But for the sake of your question, I'd get rid of the things I don't use or care about. Get rid of the casino, photographers, and the cruise directors to start...

Yeah, I don't think people would like me much if I made the decisions.:D

[LMaxwell]

I'd rather pay a little more and keep some of the things I enjoy.

 

But for the sake of your question, I'd get rid of the things I don't use or care about. Get rid of the casino, photographers, and the cruise directors to start...

Yeah, I don't think people would like me much if I made the decisions.:D

 

Actually a digital photo system with print on demand would probably save a lot of money in regards to chemicals, paper, etc.

 

Casino subsidizes all of us, so that should definitely stay.

[crusinpsychRN]

Why in the world suggest MORE cutbacks!?!?!?

[Buck64]

I'd rather pay a little more and keep some of the things I enjoy.

 

But for the sake of your question, I'd get rid of the things I don't use or care about. Get rid of the casino, photographers, and the cruise directors to start...

Yeah, I don't think people would like me much if I made the decisions.:D

 

Getting rid of these two things would do just the opposite. They would greatly raise the fare since these are huge income producing activities on Carnival.

[evandbob]

Getting rid of these two things would do just the opposite. They would greatly raise the fare since these are huge income producing activities on Carnival.

 

I agree with Buck64.

 

But the third item, cruise director, is one worth considering. All they do is read a corporate approved spiel shilling the high profit and low value offerings of the cruise line.

 

Once I started cruising lines other than Carnival, I realized that the Carnival CD's are the loudest and most long winded of them all.

 

Let's start a movement on CC, no more CD's!

[undercat]

How long before JH makes this a poll topic on the other social network?

 

OP, I like your self-designation: value-driven. I like low prices, but I don't mind à la carte if the things I can add-on are worth the price to me. I love FTTF. I know how to fly Spirit Airlines and don't detest them for having an à la carte pricing model, but some people do. Some call it "nickel and diming". I guess there is a fine and subjective line between à la carte and "nickel and diming".

 

But to answer your question, I can't think of anything I'd outright eliminate from the sailing experience in exchange for a fare reduction. There may be opportunities to convert things into à la carte and people who value those things can opt to pay a premium to have those things. Those who don't value them, won't pay the premium.

 

I try to save 10% by buying discounted gift cards and I don't have to give anything up. :) Its worked so far for 4 cruises.

 

We are in the group that like the very best cabin on the ship, pay at the steakhouse, etc. I think cruising is the best value vacation in terms of what you get for the price for sure.

 

^This!