Is it just me or is deployment changing less often these days?

[talkorpi]

So maybe I am just remembering wrong but I used to think ships would change homeports every other year or so.  However, I feel like we haven't seen much change aside from the seasonal ports lately.  Feels like Galveston / New Orleans / Long Beach / Miami deployments haven't really changed in a while.

 

How much longer until we see a switch up in some of these ports?  Of course I know Jubilee is replacing Vista in Galveston and Celebration is taking over Horizon's itineraries soon in Miami but I swear ships used to rotate all the time.  Am I crazy or is Carnival tending to keep ships based in the same place for longer?  And why?

[Pyxie]

Well technically, they've only been back to sailing for a little over a year after a 2 year shutdown so I'm sure that affects things.

[ProgRockCruiser]

11 minutes ago, Pyxie said:

Well technically, they've only been back to sailing for a little over a year after a 2 year shutdown so I'm sure that affects things.

This.  And there has been some "dancing of the ships" already, and more next year.

[WhaleTailFlCruiser]

PC is finally getting a Vista class at the end of next year when Vista Transfers over from Galveston, And Magic goes to Miami I believe. 

[tidecat]

I expect possibly a huge amount of dancing come 2024 - Firenze is supposed to come to Long Beach, which might put Miracle, Radiance, or even Panorama on the move. Charleston is shutting down homeport operations, and that even assumes Sunshine lives to see another homeport.

 

We might even get some dancing in 2023 if Carnival is desperate to get some Costa ships back into service. Both Elation and Paradise are due for drydock in 2023 so they would be the perfect candidates for retirement.

[Elaine5715]

One of the reasons for the dance is to change ships so shows and ship amenities change so home port cruisers stay interested.    

[CruiseAdict218]

With NYC getting Venezia, Magic will have a longer season from Norfolk next (but nothing is confirmed, other than Bermudas schedule) which could replace Charleston down the road. 
 

As tidecat mentioned, Firenze will probably displace a ship, I would also expect Carnival to absorb a few more Costa ships. 
 

Hopefully if Carnival retires Elation/Paradise, they keep one around a bit longer and of course whatever happens to Sunshine but I think she’ll remain a bit longer or maybe get replaced by a younger sister from Costa. 

[Top_of_the_Cube]

I don't know how it works in other ports or other time periods, but back in early 2000, embarking out of Galveston, seems like at least some of the ships we sailed were around for four or five years.

[CarnivalShips480]

On 11/3/2022 at 1:10 PM, talkorpi said:

So maybe I am just remembering wrong but I used to think ships would change homeports every other year or so.  However, I feel like we haven't seen much change aside from the seasonal ports lately.  Feels like Galveston / New Orleans / Long Beach / Miami deployments haven't really changed in a while.

 

How much longer until we see a switch up in some of these ports?  Of course I know Jubilee is replacing Vista in Galveston and Celebration is taking over Horizon's itineraries soon in Miami but I swear ships used to rotate all the time.  Am I crazy or is Carnival tending to keep ships based in the same place for longer?  And why?

Celebration isn't taking over any of Horizon's cruises. Horizon will do the same 6+8 Eastern + Western Caribbean while Celebration will do 7 Day Eastern + Western

[CarnivalShips480]

1 hour ago, CruiseAdict218 said:

With NYC getting Venezia, Magic will have a longer season from Norfolk next (but nothing is confirmed, other than Bermudas schedule) which could replace Charleston down the road. 
 

As tidecat mentioned, Firenze will probably displace a ship, I would also expect Carnival to absorb a few more Costa ships. 
 

Hopefully if Carnival retires Elation/Paradise, they keep one around a bit longer and of course whatever happens to Sunshine but I think she’ll remain a bit longer or maybe get replaced by a younger sister from Costa. 

I think Sunshine will remain pretty long; it also wouldn't make sense to bring Magica/Fortuna that doesn't have all the refurbishments that Sunshine got in 2013.

 

By that I mean it wouldn't make sense for Magica/Fortuna to REPLACE Sunshine, Magica probably will switch to Carnival maybe with Serena

[CruiseAdict218]

3 hours ago, CarnivalShips480 said:

I think Sunshine will remain pretty long; it also wouldn't make sense to bring Magica/Fortuna that doesn't have all the refurbishments that Sunshine got in 2013.

 

By that I mean it wouldn't make sense for Magica/Fortuna to REPLACE Sunshine, Magica probably will switch to Carnival maybe with Serena

Down the road get the Sunrise/Radiance style upgrade (since those two are the same as Fortuna/Magica), not so much Sunshine. Guess we will see soon enough.

[Itried4498]

The Splendor, Inspiration and Imagination were around for about 10 years in Long Beach...

[tidecat]

I would keep an eye on both 2023 Transpacific sailings. I think the one from Brisbane to Seattle is probably safe, but the return voyage may not happen. Keeping Luminosa in North America would open up the possibility of retiring Paradise when she's up for drydock in October. This would also give Carnival the option of sliding in another ship to Brisbane as soon as Luminosa leaves for Alaska in 2023.

 

Elation might have to go to drydock in January 2023. The timing is getting a bit tight to move another ship over, and Deliziosa is needed for Costa's World Cruise. Presumably Spirit or Miracle could move to Jacksonville, but that breaks varying numbers of Carnival bookings, including some repositioning sailings.

[CarnivalShips480]

Elation and Paradise can stay in the fleet for awhile

[kwokpot]

5 hours ago, tidecat said:

I would keep an eye on both 2023 Transpacific sailings. I think the one from Brisbane to Seattle is probably safe, but the return voyage may not happen. Keeping Luminosa in North America would open up the possibility of retiring Paradise when she's up for drydock in October. This would also give Carnival the option of sliding in another ship to Brisbane as soon as Luminosa leaves for Alaska in 2023.

 

Elation might have to go to drydock in January 2023. The timing is getting a bit tight to move another ship over, and Deliziosa is needed for Costa's World Cruise. Presumably Spirit or Miracle could move to Jacksonville, but that breaks varying numbers of Carnival bookings, including some repositioning sailings.

The September TP on the Luminosa has been selling quite well for a 30 day journey so I highly doubt they would cancel it. 

[Itried4498]

Looking though old brochures, Carnival use to allow passengers to stay in port until much later.  For example, ports that use to require passengers to be on board by 11PM now require them to be onboard at 5PM or 6PM.  same itineraries otherwise.

 

Guess Carnival relies on evening gambling revenues and alcohol sales.  But I’d take later port options over musical fleet changes any day…

[shof515]

3 hours ago, Itried4498 said:

Looking though old brochures, Carnival use to allow passengers to stay in port until much later.  For example, ports that use to require passengers to be on board by 11PM now require them to be onboard at 5PM or 6PM.  same itineraries otherwise.

it could be a fuel saving issue. when they sail much later at night, ship is traveling at full speed to reach the next port on time where as if they leave port at like 5/6pm the ship can travel at reduce speed saving on fuel

[staceyglow]

I believe they also get charged by the port based on how long they are there. 

[dolphinsfan246]

Personally I haven’t noticed anything unusual in deployment changing time frames. I’d consider the restart in late 2021 as a total “restart” of any deployments that existed prior to Covid. Sure some ships remained in the same ports but I think Carnival is still getting their footing so to say with the return to cruising. Ft. Lauderdale is still left out, but they were always basically just an extra Miami berth anyways. Mobile used to be year round but is now seasonal. It will be interesting to see how things unfold in the next couple of years. If more Costa ships come over, if Elation/Paradise/Sunshine head to the breakers , etc. I don’t see them having the means to make any large ship orders any time soon so they have to be creative by absorbing Costa. 

[CarnivalShips480]

Elation, Paradise, and Sunshine have many more years left.

[dolphinsfan246]

4 hours ago, CarnivalShips480 said:

Elation, Paradise, and Sunshine have many more years left.

I wouldn’t be so sure , Sunshine was built in 1996, that makes her 26 years old. Inspiration was built in the same year and was scrapped. Yes Sunshine had a major renovation in 2013 but 26 year old engines are still 26 year old engines. If the cost of the repairs are more than the return on investment they would get, then they will have no problem selling her as well. This is what happened to both Sensation and Ecstasy, they wanted to keep both but both needed costly repairs of over $20M each. Sensation was in worse shape than Ecstasy, so that’s why they gave Ecstasy the final season in Mobile over Sensation. 

[Itried4498]

45 minutes ago, dolphinsfan246 said:

I wouldn’t be so sure , Sunshine was built in 1996, that makes her 26 years old. Inspiration was built in the same year and was scrapped. Yes Sunshine had a major renovation in 2013 but 26 year old engines are still 26 year old engines. If the cost of the repairs are more than the return on investment they would get, then they will have no problem selling her as well. This is what happened to both Sensation and Ecstasy, they wanted to keep both but both needed costly repairs of over $20M each. Sensation was in worse shape than Ecstasy, so that’s why they gave Ecstasy the final season in Mobile over Sensation. 

 

The Fantasy class were largely retired because the worldwide downturn in cruising, especially in Asia, made a number of ships redundant.  And because the Fantasy class lack modern amenities that generate significant revenue for Carnival -- upcharge restaurants, large number of balcony cabins, large spa services with aggressive sales persons that are strategically placed on Lido, etc. -- they were the odd ships out.  

 

Given Carnival's financial position and the current interest rate environment, I wouldn't expect Carnival to aggressively replace its fleet.  Instead, many of its ships will sail until they're nearly 40 y/o.

 

[dolphinsfan246]

48 minutes ago, Itried4498 said:

 

The Fantasy class were largely retired because the worldwide downturn in cruising, especially in Asia, made a number of ships redundant.  And because the Fantasy class lack modern amenities that generate significant revenue for Carnival -- upcharge restaurants, large number of balcony cabins, large spa services with aggressive sales persons that are strategically placed on Lido, etc. -- they were the odd ships out.  

 

Given Carnival's financial position and the current interest rate environment, I wouldn't expect Carnival to aggressively replace its fleet.  Instead, many of its ships will sail until they're nearly 40 y/o.

 

I’m just saying that’s the reason John heald gave for retiring Ecstasy and Sensation when he was on the Ecstasy’s last cruise. They wanted them until 2025 but the engines needed expensive repairs asap. 

[tidecat]

7 minutes ago, dolphinsfan246 said:

I’m just saying that’s the reason John heald gave for retiring Ecstasy and Sensation when he was on the Ecstasy’s last cruise. They wanted them until 2025 but the engines needed expensive repairs asap. 

Given the state of current events (see: Russia) that probably will wind up being the correct call. Presumably the only things that were lost from scrapping those two were the summer season in Mobile; a winter season in Miami (held down by Carnival Spirit for 2022-23); a North American summer/Australian winter season in Brisbane (Luminosa's Alaska season); and a winter season in San Diego (somewhat offset by greater seasonal capacity in Long Beach).

 

Carnival could theoretically get two of those four back by moving Costa Fortuna over to the Carnival fleet.

[dolphinsfan246]

5 hours ago, tidecat said:

Given the state of current events (see: Russia) that probably will wind up being the correct call. Presumably the only things that were lost from scrapping those two were the summer season in Mobile; a winter season in Miami (held down by Carnival Spirit for 2022-23); a North American summer/Australian winter season in Brisbane (Luminosa's Alaska season); and a winter season in San Diego (somewhat offset by greater seasonal capacity in Long Beach).

 

Carnival could theoretically get two of those four back by moving Costa Fortuna over to the Carnival fleet.

Yes I would not be surprised at all to see them move more Costa ships over. I believe Costa Serena still has no deployment plan. And like I said before , I wouldn’t consider Sunshine safe just because. I know Carnival does not have the financial position to make large ship orders any time soon, so they have already shown they are going be creative to expand their fleet by poaching other brands. Replacing Sunshine with Costa Serena is plausible and lowers the age of ship by 11 years.