Ships to sail at reduced capacity until AT LEAST 2022

[xDisconnections]

5 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

Cincy...the majority of the AI that I am familiar with are in Mexico and the Dominican Republic at a reasonable cost and Jamaica and other Caribbean island locations at a higher cost (in general, comparing an apple to an apple). Not too many in the US and none that I have heard of on a lake.  Of course there are Pocono resorts and others scattered around the US that include food, but not drinks, so it's not AI.

There is a Club Med in Port St. Lucie which should be all inclusive. Not too far from Miami, Fort Lauderdale or Port Canaveral either. 

 

Certainly some great memories in the Catskills but those are mostly all gone.

Edited July 12, 2020 by xDisconnections

[SNJCruisers]

10 hours ago, coevan said:

Sandals food is fabulous. 7 full service restaurants, all miles above the MDR. Don't get me wrong, we love cruising, just a completely different vacation. With Covid, we feel more comfortable with 100's of acres and 400 guests, plenty of room to spread out and social distance, impossible on a cruise ship. Their pools are 1/3 of size of the ship

Was at Sandal's Dunns River about 25 years ago before Sandal's got a little too big for their britches and priced themselves out, IMHO.  For the price they charge, you can save a bit of money and stay at various 5 star locations in Riviera Maya Mexico.

[SNJCruisers]

9 hours ago, skridge said:

In my opinion it is a dangerous game to play with a company that has no way of making money in the foreseeable future.  

They can't make any money in the foreseeable future if you're not willing to be a guinea pig and spread your family of four into adjoining  cabins on a cruise that has limited capacity and is attempting to socially distance passengers.  If you have to be in the same cabin, pay the price or just wait till 2023 or so when things will be more "family friendly."

[SNJCruisers]

8 hours ago, Cafedumonde said:

We looked at an all inclusive to replace a carnival cruise just out of curiosity since we are worried about carnival canceling.  The carnival cruise is about $4500.  The all inclusives we were finding were in the $12000 range!  No way. 

Would love to know where you were looking, because you can get an above average place for a family of four for half that price .

[SNJCruisers]

7 hours ago, outdoors27 said:

Sorry to jump in on your Conversation with others but we have no interest in A.I's.. Cruising is tje Best deal and offers the most IMHO.  Best day ever for me was when I broken down many years ago and took my wife to a very nice all inclusive in St Lucia and on day two at breakfast she begrudgingly looked at me and said we should have done a cruise. The battle had been won. Haven't done once since and approach Diamond status quickly... 

Yes, but cruising is not the best thing right now and may not be for the next 6 months.  AI's let you spread out and social distance and you can always take a walk down the beach to find a spot.  You can't do that on a cruise.  And the meandering pools that some of the resorts have are literally longer than the length of a cruise ship.  I've been on three times as many cruises than AI's, so I am fully aware of the pros and cons of each.

[SNJCruisers]

54 minutes ago, xDisconnections said:

I’m well aware, thanks.

 

You don’t have to be staying as a business transient for amenities.

I didn't say that you had to be staying on business, only that those people that would stay in those type of places you described were either staying on the company dime, or could afford to stay in a top 20% hotel.  When you make statements like "pretty standard" or "extremely common", that sort of implies that you're talking about  the majority of hotels, when in fact, you're not.

[SNJCruisers]

28 minutes ago, xDisconnections said:

There is a Club Med in Port St. Lucie which should be all inclusive. Not too far from Miami, Fort Lauderdale or Port Canaveral either. 

 

Certainly some great memories in the Catskills but those are mostly all gone.

I guess that a single Club Med location in Port St Lucie FLA would indeed qualify under "Not too many in the US" that I stated and you quoted in your rebuttal.

[xDisconnections]

8 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

I didn't say that you had to be staying on business, only that those people that would stay in those type of places you described were either staying on the company dime, or could afford to stay in a top 20% hotel.  When you make statements like "pretty standard" or "extremely common", that sort of implies that you're talking about  the majority of hotels, when in fact, you're not.

Still extremely common and pretty standard based on industry practices in my experience. I guess my market is just different than others.

Edited July 12, 2020 by xDisconnections

[skridge]

3 hours ago, SNJCruisers said:

They can't make any money in the foreseeable future if you're not willing to be a guinea pig and spread your family of four into adjoining  cabins on a cruise that has limited capacity and is attempting to socially distance passengers.  If you have to be in the same cabin, pay the price or just wait till 2023 or so when things will be more "family friendly."

That is what I said in my post.  DO you get to the 5000+ club by repeating people?  I prefer new content.

[beerman2]

3 hours ago, SNJCruisers said:

I guess that a single Club Med location in Port St Lucie FLA would indeed qualify under "Not too many in the US" that I stated and you quoted in your rebuttal.

To be politically correct ( and I absolutely hate that) 1 would be correct. LOL

 

Cruising vs. AI  is a Fun comparison, I've  done both and can say they are BOTH enjoyable. Right now I would certainly take AI over cruising. More space at an AI.

[skridge]

On 7/10/2020 at 9:01 PM, jimbo5544 said:

Actually they are the fun ships, the average age of a Carnival cruiser might surprise you it is the mid 50’s.  

 

On 7/10/2020 at 8:35 PM, SDPadreFan said:

Actually skridge - they market themselves as the FUN cruise line. I'm guessing widower's and single people like to have fun. We like Carnival for just this reason. Even the old folks like to have fun. That's generally true with RCCL but not as much and definitely not true with Celebrity in OUR experience. We like being around people who are fun, like to engage in conversation, and like to laugh. On Carnival - we have found that to include people of all ages.

"Hello Riley. We are a proud family cruise line"

Quote from John Healds page this morning.

[jimbo5544]

1 hour ago, skridge said:

 

"Hello Riley. We are a proud family cruise line"

Quote from John Healds page this morning.

LOL, ask John if they are the FUN ships

[jimbo5544]

7 hours ago, SNJCruisers said:

I guess that a single Club Med location in Port St Lucie FLA would indeed qualify under "Not too many in the US" that I stated and you quoted in your rebuttal.

It is the only one in the US

[skridge]

3 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

LOL, ask John if they are the FUN ships

Let me get this straight.  You say I am wrong that Carnival is a family cruise line because the average age is 50.  I produce a quote from the brand ambassador saying that it is a family cruise line, and you can't in any way say that I might have been right.  SMH.

[jimbo5544]

4 minutes ago, skridge said:

Let me get this straight.  You say I am wrong that Carnival is a family cruise line because the average age is 50.  I produce a quote from the brand ambassador saying that it is a family cruise line, and you can't in any way say that I might have been right.  SMH.

Carnival are the FUN ships, first and foremost, but since it is Sunday, you are right, Carnival is also a proud family cruise line.

[PhillyFan33579]

5 minutes ago, skridge said:

Let me get this straight.  You say I am wrong that Carnival is a family cruise line because the average age is 50.  I produce a quote from the brand ambassador saying that it is a family cruise line, and you can't in any way say that I might have been right.  SMH.

What is the source for the average age on Carnival is 50?  Celebrity states their average age is in the low 50s. This is just personal observation, but it seems to me the average age on Carnival is lower than 50 and definitely lower than the average age on Celebrity, but I don’t go around asking people their age during a cruise. 

[PhillyFan33579]

5 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

Carnival are the FUN ships, first and foremost, but since it is Sunday, you are right, Carnival is also a proud family cruise line.

Sometimes too much fun, usually involving alcohol, is not good. We were at a Diamond special event last year with 7 passengers total. Some how security became the topic and the officers were talking about how Carnival bans more passengers than any other cruise line. I think they were trying to convey the point that they take security seriously, but I am not sure having pride in banning the most passengers is something to be proud about. It would be a better environment if you never had to ban passengers for their behavior. 

[jimbo5544]

3 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

What is the source for the average age on Carnival is 50?  Celebrity states their average age is in the low 50s. This is just personal observation, but it seems to me the average age on Carnival is lower than 50 and definitely lower than the average age on Celebrity, but I don’t go around asking people their age during a cruise. 

I was shocked when I heard it, it is a little dated, but if anything, I think it would go down with the intro of much bigger ships.  IT was at a marketing function with the senior mgt team on a ship (think it was Horizon, but not positive) during a presentation.  I took a pic of the screen, I will try and find it.  

[jimbo5544]

Just now, PhillyFan33579 said:

Sometimes too much fun, usually involving alcohol, is not good. We were at a Diamond special event last year with 7 passengers total. Some how security became the topic and the officers were talking about how Carnival bans more passengers than any other cruise line. I think they were trying to convey the point that they take security seriously, but I am not sure having pride in banning the most passengers is something to be proud about. It would be a better environment if you never had to ban passengers for their behavior. 

Taking action for unruliness is something they should be proud of IMHO.  I also agree that alcohol plays a part in the majority of banning.  That said, the times I have seen things over the top are few and far in between.  I have a video of a brawl on a Disney ship that booze related, but it does not color my view of the Disney Cruise line.

[ladylyn915]

9 hours ago, SNJCruisers said:

That's why they make connecting rooms....just for your situation.  You and child one book one cabin, while hubby and child two books the other one.  This way your husband can buy Cheers and you don't have to. 

Connecting cabins - if they are available -  may be a perfect solution for family of four with 11 - 16 year olds. I personally do not think connecting cabins work for families of young children. Most couples want to sleep in the same room as their spouse.  I would not put children under 8 or 10 years old in a cabin- even a connecting one- alone.  Perhaps others would - that's their decision.  Its not for me to judge. 

 

In the end, it is a matter of preference and does not always include cost.  And,  I'm not even addressing the whole 

Cheers comment.

 

Lyn

[SNJCruisers]

5 hours ago, skridge said:

That is what I said in my post.  DO you get to the 5000+ club by repeating people?  I prefer new content.

Well, I'm still trying to figure out why you're actually responding at all.  You have repeatedly stated that :

1.  You don't want to be a guinea pig, so it'll be awhile till you cruise again.

2. You like to have your family of 4 or 5 crammed into 1 cabin to save money on a "family" cruise line like Carnival.

3.  And because of possible limited capacity requirements tied into social distancing....see number 1.

 

And I get to the 5,000 + club by paying it forward and also indulging in witty repartee back and forth discussing various cruise related topics and try not to step over the line because then you are relegated to the penalty box.

[SNJCruisers]

13 minutes ago, ladylyn915 said:

Connecting cabins - if they are available -  may be a perfect solution for family of four with 11 - 16 year olds. I personally do not think connecting cabins work for families of young children. Most couples want to sleep in the same room as their spouse.  I would not put children under 8 or 10 years old in a cabin- even a connecting one- alone.  Perhaps others would - that's their decision.  Its not for me to judge. 

 

In the end, it is a matter of preference and does not always include cost.  And,  I'm not even addressing the whole 

Cheers comment.

 

Lyn

Please explain to me what the difference is between parents in one cabin and their young children in an adjoining cabin versus how they live at home?  The adjoining cabin would be attached versus the kids being down the hall at home.  A couple does not sleep with their 8 and 10 year olds in the same room at home.  An under 5 year old may climb into bed with you if scared and they could do the same exact thing if they were on their first cruise and were in an adjoining cabin.

[skridge]

1 hour ago, jimbo5544 said:

Carnival are the FUN ships, first and foremost, but since it is Sunday, you are right, Carnival is also a proud family cruise line.

Wow the sincerity.  Thank goodness it was Sunday.  I never said Carnival was not the funship.  I just got berated for saying it was a family cruiseline.  Found proof from a top level Carnival person that it is a family cruise line.  Never said it was not also the funship.  Yet you still can't admit that what I said was in fact correct.  

[skridge]

1 hour ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

What is the source for the average age on Carnival is 50?  Celebrity states their average age is in the low 50s. This is just personal observation, but it seems to me the average age on Carnival is lower than 50 and definitely lower than the average age on Celebrity, but I don’t go around asking people their age during a cruise. 

I was quoting Jimbo from earlier in the thread.  Do I need a bibliography in the future.  It is impossible to just put something on these boards without being criticized.  

[DGP1111]

On 7/10/2020 at 9:01 PM, jimbo5544 said:

Actually they are the fun ships, the average age of a Carnival cruiser might surprise you it is the mid 50’s.  

 

1 hour ago, jimbo5544 said:

I was shocked when I heard it, it is a little dated, but if anything, I think it would go down with the intro of much bigger ships.  IT was at a marketing function with the senior mgt team on a ship (think it was Horizon, but not positive) during a presentation.  I took a pic of the screen, I will try and find it.  

 

Host C frowns on off-topic posts, and here I am adding to that very thing, so I'll deserve any deletion or slap on my head.

 

[Conjecture >>]  That base number seems a bit odd to me, but I have zero clue what it truly is, so I'll go with it. 😉 But I will add that I personally feel the average, whatever it may be, will go the opposite direction of your prediction . . . at least for a short while.  I'm not talking about big/significant jumps, but trending toward a bit older, due to repeat bookings of repeat passengers. I think that the VIFP data base is going to get a bigger analytics workout in 2020/2021 than it has in a long time, and could become a bit of a financial saving grace. If that happens, it could be a very smart move. [<< Conjecture]

 

[Not conjecture >>] On occasion, Carnival's IT department blows worse than Steak & Shake fries. 😲  These current unique times are putting them through some real tests, and it will get worse before it gets better. 

 

.