Carnival Ecstasy Future

[Virga]

I keep hoping that there will be a period of time where they put a Spirit class ship on the 3/4 day Miami runs.  I don't hate the Conquest class ships, but I'd take even a 'sunshined' Spirit any day.  

[Cruisin' Firerunner]

As of right now I feel Ecstasy has a (albeit slim)  chance to live on through another company. She is still listed for sale with a asking price of 40 million dollars.  You can see the listing HERE. It was last updated 19 days ago at the time of this post

Edited May 22, 2022 by Cruisin' Firerunner

[mz-s]

22 hours ago, CarnivalShips480 said:

I think that it is better to keep the smaller ports. Any other ship in the fleet (almost) can fill the ports that AREN'T height restricted

 

It's not just height, it's harbor depth and lots of other measurements. Plus can the terminal facility accommodate the number of passengers who go through to fill the larger ship. Is there parking to accommodate that number of berths, etc.

[CarnivalShips480]

18 hours ago, Cruisin' Firerunner said:

As of right now I feel Ecstasy has a (albeit slim)  chance to live on through another company. She is still listed for sale with a asking price of 40 million dollars.  You can see the listing HERE. It was last updated 19 days ago at the time of this post

Last time I checked it was 35 million. Wonder why they raised it.

Edited May 23, 2022 by CarnivalShips480

[mz-s]

40 minutes ago, CarnivalShips480 said:

Last time I checked it was 35 million. Wonder why they raised it.

 

Everything has gone up in the past year or so, including old cruise ships.

[KmomChicago]

19 hours ago, Virga said:

I keep hoping that there will be a period of time where they put a Spirit class ship on the 3/4 day Miami runs.  I don't hate the Conquest class ships, but I'd take even a 'sunshined' Spirit any day.  

I think Spirit class will be Sunshined to replace Fantasy class longer term.

[elklemi]

On 5/19/2022 at 11:12 AM, tidecat said:

That actually happened with the Elation and Paradise. They have Promenade deck staterooms.

I just got off the Elation and was in an oceanview stateroom on the Promenade deck and it was the perfect location and I really like the Fantasy class ships as I can drive to Jacksonville and Mobile in one day this was my 19th Carnival cruise and I am older and don't need all the "draws" of the larger ships any longer. I am afraid that they are going away also and I will hate to see them go for sure.

[mz-s]

6 minutes ago, elklemi said:

I just got off the Elation and was in an oceanview stateroom on the Promenade deck and it was the perfect location and I really like the Fantasy class ships as I can drive to Jacksonville and Mobile in one day this was my 19th Carnival cruise and I am older and don't need all the "draws" of the larger ships any longer. I am afraid that they are going away also and I will hate to see them go for sure.

 

It does seem like the perfect location to be on a Fantasy class ship, pretty much everything is on your floor or one above or below. You never really need the elevators at all.

[KmomChicago]

Hopefully Elation and Paradise have several years left. 

[CarnivalShips480]

7 hours ago, mz-s said:

 

Everything has gone up in the past year or so, including old cruise ships.

Its been less than a month since I last checked

[UPNYGuy]

On 5/18/2022 at 8:33 PM, Itried4498 said:

 

Megaships aren't going to replace most of the Fantasy-class itineraries.  When the Fantasy-class ships debuted, 3 and 4 day itineraries were the most common; megaships are designed for 7+ day voyages.  This means that instead of flying to San Juan and enjoying the South Caribbean on a 3 or 4 day cruise, you will be departing Miami for a weeklong voyage instead.  This means that the future of secondary ports like Jacksonville and Mobile is now questionable.  This means that Los Angeles, which has seen 3-day weekend cruises for decades, may soon lose them as Carnival reallocates resources toward more profitable itineraries (like 4-day weekend, 5-day trips to Cabo, etc. as the Radiance proves to be too large and too costly to operate traditional itineraries in a highly competitive market). 

 

 

 

tell this to royal caribbean. they use megaships on short cruises and the vision class (the smallest class they have) on the longest sailings.

[Itried4498]

2 hours ago, UPNYGuy said:

 

tell this to royal caribbean. they use megaships on short cruises and the vision class (the smallest class they have) on the longest sailings.

RC isn’t Carnival.  They operate a much larger ship from LA than Carnival, but they can turn it around much faster - in spite of Carnival spending tens of millions on its facilities whereas RC operates from what could be mistaken for a homeless encampment.  Carnival’s megaships clearly weren’t designed for quick turnarounds.  That RC commands a large premium probably helps them justify using such ship on short trips.

[CarnivalShips480]

I have been watching Ecstasy up for sale

 

(Link wasn't working but I'll post it later)

[Pyxie]

On 5/20/2022 at 7:43 PM, Jabee said:

I am glad I will get a trip on the Ecstacy before she is removed. Bummed we will go six months without a  ship in Mobile, but then we will have Spirit for six months.

 

 

You're going 12 months without a ship in Mobile. Not 6.

Edited June 23, 2022 by Pyxie

[UPNYGuy]

On 5/27/2022 at 7:58 AM, Itried4498 said:

RC isn’t Carnival.  They operate a much larger ship from LA than Carnival, but they can turn it around much faster - in spite of Carnival spending tens of millions on its facilities whereas RC operates from what could be mistaken for a homeless encampment.  Carnival’s megaships clearly weren’t designed for quick turnarounds.  That RC commands a large premium probably helps them justify using such ship on short trips.

 

navigator is similar size wise as panorama. I have been on both. 

[IslandHppy]

Four big problems with this ship class.  1. Balcony cabins are lacking.  2. Suites are missing mostly.  3. Specialty dining was not a thing back then.  4. Loyalty lounges.  I am fine in an Oceanview cabin, but many are not.  And looking at the pricing online, inside cabins are no longer a thing.  So these ships are first in line for retirement.  No other line wants them either.  It is like a car without cupholders.  

[Itried4498]

14 hours ago, UPNYGuy said:

 

navigator is similar size wise as panorama. I have been on both. 

My point is the Carnival’s mega ships aren’t designed for quick turnarounds.  I was on the Navigator B2B last week.  On Monday, the first passengers started exiting the ship at 7:30am and by 9am, the only people left on the ship were the ones who delayed their departure.  First guests for the second cruise started boarding before 10am.  Good luck seeing this kinda turnaround on the Panorama… 

[Itried4498]

7 hours ago, IslandHppy said:

Four big problems with this ship class.  1. Balcony cabins are lacking.  2. Suites are missing mostly.  3. Specialty dining was not a thing back then.  4. Loyalty lounges.  I am fine in an Oceanview cabin, but many are not.  And looking at the pricing online, inside cabins are no longer a thing.  So these ships are first in line for retirement.  No other line wants them either.  It is like a car without cupholders.  

There are routes where some of these features are totally meaningless.  Take a look at the Los Angeles - Ensenada itineraries, which have lasted four decades.  Carnival even operated two ships on the itineraries for a decade pre-Covid.  On the Radiance, balconies often sell for less than $100 all-in over state rooms, and premium dining rooms are often empty.  The three-day weekend cruises are merely party cruises (lots of alcohol sales) and the four-day itineraries were very popular with seniors looking to gamble (and families during the summer).  The Fantasy-class served the market well…

 

Everybody cruises for different reasons.  That everybody is cruising because they’re looking for top entertainment and top experiences, is merely a fallacy within these forums. 

Edited June 25, 2022 by Itried4498

[BlerkOne]

On 5/27/2022 at 8:33 AM, UPNYGuy said:

 

tell this to royal caribbean. they use megaships on short cruises and the vision class (the smallest class they have) on the longest sailings.

Do those megaships go to any tender ports?

[UPNYGuy]

On 6/25/2022 at 11:17 AM, BlerkOne said:

Do those megaships go to any tender ports?

 

Royal used to send a Freedom class (160,000 some GRT) to Grand Cayman. I know not Mexican Riveria, but they do tender. 

[UPNYGuy]

On 6/25/2022 at 10:52 AM, Itried4498 said:

My point is the Carnival’s mega ships aren’t designed for quick turnarounds.  I was on the Navigator B2B last week.  On Monday, the first passengers started exiting the ship at 7:30am and by 9am, the only people left on the ship were the ones who delayed their departure.  First guests for the second cruise started boarding before 10am.  Good luck seeing this kinda turnaround on the Panorama… 

 

I think the larger issue is that Carnival has issues doing rapid turnovers. They struggle with this even on the Spirit class.