Bottled Water

[mz-s]

19 minutes ago, luv2trvlnow said:

But Carnival is large and does have a lot of clout to get low prices on items.  And Carnival is only providing 12 bottles while the discount store is supplying 40 and they are still making money.  To get just 36 from Carnival would cost $45, that $41 more and 4 bottles less.

 

I think if the sales go done they will lower the price to something like $12.95 and people will be happy and they still come out ahead but now the customer is happier.  After years of being a CPA I know what companies do.

 

I don't think the price will go down. They charge $6 for a PB&J from room service. I would hope they haven't sold a single one at that punitive price. And yet it's still $6.

[sparks1093]

1 minute ago, mz-s said:

 

I don't think the price will go down. They charge $6 for a PB&J from room service. I would hope they haven't sold a single one at that punitive price. And yet it's still $6.

People will pay a lot for convenience, so again, what the market will bear. I've heard that their PB&J is really good, but I'd rather get the pizza or one of the other hot entrées.

[vwgolf2]

On 4/2/2024 at 8:30 PM, luv2trvlnow said:

I just looked for my cruise and it shows $14.95.  They have apparently raised it recently.  I bought it 3 weeks ago for $9.95.  That's a 50% increase.  Carnival needs to pay down that debt.

 I bought two packs last weeks at $11.75 a pack. The website now says that the online price is the same as the onboard price. 

[mz-s]

Carnival is slowly ratcheting up the add-ons and slowly ratcheting down the level of service on their ships. Each step is small and can be shrugged off as just how it is. They all do it. Try getting service like this in Vegas, folks! Bottled water is even more expensive at the airport, after all! I don't need to eat bacon every day! I don't want room service so if you want it, you should pay! I don't even need my stateroom to be ready at embarkation, matter of fact if it means my cruise is cheap I can just sleep in the hallway! 

 

Carnival cruisers are like frogs slowly being boiled alive.

[sparks1093]

31 minutes ago, mz-s said:

Carnival is slowly ratcheting up the add-ons and slowly ratcheting down the level of service on their ships. Each step is small and can be shrugged off as just how it is. They all do it. Try getting service like this in Vegas, folks! Bottled water is even more expensive at the airport, after all! I don't need to eat bacon every day! I don't want room service so if you want it, you should pay! I don't even need my stateroom to be ready at embarkation, matter of fact if it means my cruise is cheap I can just sleep in the hallway! 

 

Carnival cruisers are like frogs slowly being boiled alive.

I am aware of each and every change (they are certainly harped on enough on here), no being boiled alive, here. I will sail with Carnival until the day comes that I don't feel that I'm getting a good value for my vacation dollar and I hate to say it but if that day comes it will be the end of cruising for us because I am not going to pay more for a cruise just to get a "better" experience. 

[StephPS79]

1 hour ago, mz-s said:

Carnival is slowly ratcheting up the add-ons and slowly ratcheting down the level of service on their ships. Each step is small and can be shrugged off as just how it is. They all do it. Try getting service like this in Vegas, folks! Bottled water is even more expensive at the airport, after all! I don't need to eat bacon every day! I don't want room service so if you want it, you should pay! I don't even need my stateroom to be ready at embarkation, matter of fact if it means my cruise is cheap I can just sleep in the hallway! 

 

Carnival cruisers are like frogs slowly being boiled alive.

 

I like to think of it more as adapting to an ever-changing world.  Because, the world has and continues to change.  Not just post-pandemic, although that is magnifying everything.

 

But as the saying goes, things aren't made like they used to be.  Sure, I get frustrated, but at the end of the day, I'd rather adapt and shed negativity than allow the negativity to consume me. 

[JMAE]

As I recall the low price ($4.94 per 12 pack) of water was established at the time CCL banned guests carrying water bottles on board and believe the price was set to soften the blow of the change.  Now a 12 pack of water is $14.95 or $1.25/ea. I think that is still a deal compared to a 6 pack of soda which is $11.50 or $1.92ea.  Yes, it cost more than what I pay at home, but doesn't everything cost more on a cruise or any vacation spot you may go. When the demand drops the price increases will slow or stop.  I believe they are searching for the sweet spot to maximize their profits which is the reason they are in business.   

[jedi bobs]

I have absolutly no compassion for carnival anymore over the debt they incurred durring the shutdown for one reason alone...they have ordered 2 1billion dollar+ ships. Get rid of that debt first then build new ships.

[mz-s]

7 minutes ago, jedi bobs said:

I have absolutly no compassion for carnival anymore over the debt they incurred durring the shutdown for one reason alone...they have ordered 2 1billion dollar+ ships. Get rid of that debt first then build new ships.

 

Yeah I have stopped allowing companies to use the pandemic as an excuse.

[sparks1093]

9 minutes ago, jedi bobs said:

I have absolutly no compassion for carnival anymore over the debt they incurred durring the shutdown for one reason alone...they have ordered 2 1billion dollar+ ships. Get rid of that debt first then build new ships.

And yet if they only tread water they die. They (like any other company) have to grow in order to survive. Now, if they had paid 1 billion cash for each ship you might have a point,

[pc_load_letter]

2 hours ago, mz-s said:

Carnival is slowly ratcheting up the add-ons and slowly ratcheting down the level of service on their ships. Each step is small and can be shrugged off as just how it is. They all do it. Try getting service like this in Vegas, folks! Bottled water is even more expensive at the airport, after all! I don't need to eat bacon every day! I don't want room service so if you want it, you should pay! I don't even need my stateroom to be ready at embarkation, matter of fact if it means my cruise is cheap I can just sleep in the hallway! 

 

Carnival cruisers are like frogs slowly being boiled alive.

 

Well, going to push back a little bit. Since the covid return, I have had zero instances of bad service on about six cruises, 5 ccl and 1 ncl. Now on CCL, the service in the MDR has always been a crapshoot. But it's more often good that it is bad. And it's never really been bad per se, just usually slow. *In my experience

 

We still routinely compare the cost of a four day cruise to what it would cost to stay 4 days at a hotel in Palm Springs and cruising is still the better value for us. 

 

Could it get to a point where we say, meh, lets do a land vacation? Perhaps, but with how we like to spend our vacations, which is just relaxing, I think we have a couple years to go before I am boiled alive.

 

We all make decision on what's important to us and I don't think we are that naïve you make people out to be.

 

[JMAE]

51 minutes ago, jedi bobs said:

I have absolutly no compassion for carnival anymore over the debt they incurred durring the shutdown for one reason alone...they have ordered 2 1billion dollar+ ships. Get rid of that debt first then build new ships.

Not sure why you would have compassion for CCL or any business that is profit driven.  Loyalty is to a brand another question.  

[staceyglow]

Do you know why they are charging $14.95 for water? Because they think people will pay it.  Full stop. 

 

They serve unlimited, perfectly safe water for free. If you don't want to drink it, that's up to you. 

[Butterbean1000]

We will continue to buy their water and pay their prices.  I have drunk ship water and it tastes fine.  However, even though it goes through a desalinization process, there is still a lot of salt in it.  I swell up noticeably when I drink it. I still think it is worth the hassle it used to be bringing on your own.

[CarnivalCruiser875]

My next sailing is in November 2024, I preordered November 2023 and bought 2 12 packs. Happy to pay it, whether it be $9.95 or $14.95 to have a stocked fridge in our room, water in our backpacks, and on the pool deck. Maybe just me. With everything else going on (and going up), it's not terribly surprising.

[staceyglow]

1 hour ago, Butterbean1000 said:

We will continue to buy their water and pay their prices.  I have drunk ship water and it tastes fine.  However, even though it goes through a desalinization process, there is still a lot of salt in it.  I swell up noticeably when I drink it. I still think it is worth the hassle it used to be bringing on your own.

Will a Brita pitcher remove the extra salt? 

[Butterbean1000]

27 minutes ago, staceyglow said:

Will a Brita pitcher remove the extra salt? 

That's a good question.  I have never used a Brita, we have a reverse osmosis filter on our sink.

[new_cruiser_75]

1 hour ago, Butterbean1000 said:

That's a good question.  I have never used a Brita, we have a reverse osmosis filter on our sink.

Google says no it won't 😕 

[silvercrikhix]

Yes, they need to make money.  Blah, blah, blah…

But $14.95 + 18% fee for 12 small bottles of water is absolutely price gouging.  
And greed at its finest.  Not impressed a bit. It’s ridiculous.  $17.64 is robbery. 
They might pay $1.00 / 12 pk, if that much. 
They have a captive audience of their making, after then saying it would be reasonable. 
And yes, cheerleaders, I know it’s our decision whether or not purchase this product. 
And we will. Not happily though. Another scratch on the hull for Carnival. 

 

[hurricane0226]

most people will pay 14.00 dollars for a fufu drink with an umbrella, so water should be fine, in

MHO.

[mz-s]

7 hours ago, hurricane0226 said:

most people will pay 14.00 dollars for a fufu drink with an umbrella, so water should be fine, in

MHO.

 

Drink umbrellas have been gone on carnival for years now. 

[kdr69]

One of the great cons of all time was getting people to buy sterilized tap water (oh excuse me "Spring Water") put in bottles.  

[jsglow]

30 minutes ago, kdr69 said:

One of the great cons of all time was getting people to buy sterilized tap water (oh excuse me "Spring Water") put in bottles.  

I still drink from the hose when working on something outside in the yard. 👍

[ninjacat123]

4 minutes ago, jsglow said:

I still drink from the hose when working on something outside in the yard. 👍

Just watch out for spiders! That's what my Dad would say🤣

[Drazil65]

I think everyone should make the decision for what works and what they are willing to pay for themselves.  Everyone's vacation looks different, its all about choices and I like my choices whether its about water or booking an $$$ ocean suite on a cruise ship.  I dont expect anyone outside my little family to have an opinion on my choices and if they do, 🤣🤣🤣...

 

 

Edited April 7 by Drazil65