Carnival's Competition With RCCL

[DarthGrady]

Let me start by saying that I am now, and will continue to be, a dedicated fan of CCL.

 

That being said, I have been wondering why Carnival is not competing more with RCCL in the area of ship size and ammenities. I just heard from a friend of mine (who is a RCCL fan) that they just began laying the keel of the Genesis class (220,000 tons). I have been having trouble getting friends and others to book with me because they want to do the Flow Rider, or the Rock Wall, or the Ice Skating Rink, or the "hot tub that sticks out off the side of the ship", and the list goes on.

 

Now please don't misunderstand, I know that Carnival is not having any trouble filling cabins. I would just like the big C to add a few extras to spice up the mix and help attract newbies who are awestruck by RCCL's headline grabbing ships. I think the Evolutions of Fun upgrades to the Fantasy class are a step in the right direction. I am interested to see what new things are planned for the Dream and Magic. My hope is that Carnival doesn't become complacent at the top. We all are seeing what can happen when that happens....cough....General Motors......Cough!

 

Does anyone have any thoughts or information on that matter?

[Maxax]

I see your point...and have to agree some...however, I think Carnival probably has more up its sleeve than (at least myself as a lay-person) knows! The new Fantasy class upgrades are fantastic...and who knows what's planned for the newest ships!

 

Also, take a look at RCCL's fares! You have to pay for those 220,000 ton ships with Flow Riders, and hot tubs that hang over the edge. Myself, I've never set foot in a hot tub on a cruiseship...I am usually way to busy...well...doing stuff! I'm no CEO...but I would think it all comes down to lots of analysis...and getting the most value out of the money that you spend. Bottomline...I think Carnival is number one...because dollar for dollar...you get the MOST with Carnival. Maybe for a first time cruiser that might be hard to realize...but (for myself) after going on both RCCL and CCL....we lean way towards Carnival.

 

However, with that said, who's to say I might not just be tempted to sit in a hot tub hanging over the edge riding an artificial wave while climbing a rock wall wearing ice skates?!?!

[SANDYJABS]

My friend just came home from RCCL FOS and I asked about that surf flow rider? She told me that her 2 daughters never got to try it bc it was always busy with a waitlist, it sounded like you had to make an appt to do the flow rider and wait half the day for 1 turn.

I like the CCL idea of the big slide. My son loves it and it does not take all day to have a turn.

I do like a bigger ship idea but as above posted then we pay that price. I admit at first I really wanted to sail the FOS but after viewing the itinerary and seeing the prices-was not worth it IMO.

[irishgirl]

If I could afford to cruise RCCL, I would, but they cost more than I want to spend. I loved the Voyager, and nothing Carnival has can compare to it.

 

I'm sure they will have something exciting on their new ships, at least I hope so. Although I can't stand the Conquest class because of the layout.

 

I also wish Farcus would come up with a different view on things. He's getting old.

[*Mach*]

Let me start by saying that I am now, and will continue to be, a dedicated fan of CCL.

 

That being said, I have been wondering why Carnival is not competing more with RCCL in the area of ship size and ammenities. I just heard from a friend of mine (who is a RCCL fan) that they just began laying the keel of the Genesis class (220,000 tons). I have been having trouble getting friends and others to book with me because they want to do the Flow Rider, or the Rock Wall, or the Ice Skating Rink, or the "hot tub that sticks out off the side of the ship", and the list goes on.

 

Now please don't misunderstand, I know that Carnival is not having any trouble filling cabins. I would just like the big C to add a few extras to spice up the mix and help attract newbies who are awestruck by RCCL's headline grabbing ships. I think the Evolutions of Fun upgrades to the Fantasy class are a step in the right direction. I am interested to see what new things are planned for the Dream and Magic. My hope is that Carnival doesn't become complacent at the top. We all are seeing what can happen when that happens....cough....General Motors......Cough!

 

Does anyone have any thoughts or information on that matter?

 

I think that Carnival elected, and wisely so, to not play the 'bigger is better' game because that simply isn't true. I am stunned that ANYONE would want to sail with 5,400 of his/her 'closest friends!' 3,000 is about as many as I'd ever want to manage. In fact, that's why I'm sailing on a Fantasy class ship for my next cruise in April.

 

As for the 'headline grabbing' ships, personally I can't find a thing interesting about the inside of the ship being a shopping mall. That's one of the things I want to get away from, not bring with me. Rock climbing, et al seem to be little more than gimmicks and really not worthy of my time.

 

Carnival KNOWS their market. They do plenty of research, listen to folks like us, and move forward informed and ready to offer the best experience for the money, anywhere.

 

The new RCCL behemoths won't even be able to make port in many places due to the draft of the ship and the turning radius.

 

I'm happy with Carnival's decision to not jump on the jumbo bandwagon. I'm betting that RCCL will find out that what they hope to be a cash cow will end up as a white elephant.

[MaryZ]

I think that Carnival elected, and wisely so, to not play the 'bigger is better' game because that simply isn't true. I am stunned that ANYONE would want to sail with 5,400 of his/her 'closest friends!' 3,000 is about as many as I'd ever want to manage. In fact, that's why I'm sailing on a Fantasy class ship for my next cruise in April.

 

As for the 'headline grabbing' ships, personally I can't find a thing interesting about the inside of the ship being a shopping mall. That's one of the things I want to get away from, not bring with me. Rock climbing, et al seem to be little more than gimmicks and really not worthy of my time.

 

Carnival KNOWS their market. They do plenty of research, listen to folks like us, and move forward informed and ready to offer the best experience for the money, anywhere.

 

The new RCCL behemoths won't even be able to make port in many places due to the draft of the ship and the turning radius.

 

I'm happy with Carnival's decision to not jump on the jumbo bandwagon. I'm betting that RCCL will find out that what they hope to be a cash cow will end up as a white elephant.

 

 

There are many people who always want to do the "newest and the bestest"

That's what Rccl is appealing to.

So many of us have been to every port in the caribbean, that eventually the ship itself becomes the destination. And in that case, rccl definitely is the competition.

To me, it doesn't really matter how many people are on the ship. I book cabins with large balconies that I hang out on during the day. When we get to port, since I've been to nearly all of them, I'm not interested in being off first. I'm just going to the beach in the caribbean. I rarely even shop, except to buy an ornament for my tree while in port. And that I pretty much do at the little shops right at the dock. If we decide to do an excursion, it's privately booked.

I enjoy carnival because I do the things I want to do. I enjoy rccl for the same reasons.

I don't like the fantasy class because the ships are too small and the choice of cabins is not my preference. We did all those ships in the 90's when they were new. I wouldn't go back on them now. We will certainly try the genesis class. Just like we enjoy trying all the new ships.

[bakechef]

I have been on RCI voyager, and she was beautiful and stunning, but..... The ice rink was small with not much seating for the show, I don't rock climb. Johnny Rockets is a gimmic, I can get greasy burgers and onion rings at home but better, and having Slavic workers singing oldies tunes was a bit wierd. The dining room was stunning but too big to serve all of those people well. And while the Royal Promanade was cool to look at, it didn't offer much more than the basic shops, and bars, looked like a mall.

 

The good, the adult only solarium, pure heaven, with guards at the door keeping the kids out. Viking Crown lounge, stunning views and great atomsphere with the best bartender on the ship.

 

I totally felt that Carnival was a far better value, I don't need all of the distracting fluff to impress me.

 

MAC

[Ltvscout]

That being said, I have been wondering why Carnival is not competing more with RCCL in the area of ship size and ammenities. I just heard from a friend of mine (who is a RCCL fan) that they just began laying the keel of the Genesis class (220,000 tons). I have been having trouble getting friends and others to book with me because they want to do the Flow Rider, or the Rock Wall, or the Ice Skating Rink, or the "hot tub that sticks out off the side of the ship", and the list goes on.

We thoroughly enjoyed our RCI cruise. They have some really cool looking ships and they do have activities available that CCL doesn't. But, we feel Carnival is a much better value. We also liked the food on Carnival better. ;)

 

Both lines have their pros and cons. If you're flush with cash, by all means enjoy an RCI cruise. If you're looking to get the most bang for your buck, I feel CCL does a better job of that.

[Cruising89143]

I think that Carnival elected, and wisely so, to not play the 'bigger is better' game because that simply isn't true. I am stunned that ANYONE would want to sail with 5,400 of his/her 'closest friends!' 3,000 is about as many as I'd ever want to manage. In fact, that's why I'm sailing on a Fantasy class ship for my next cruise in April.

 

As for the 'headline grabbing' ships, personally I can't find a thing interesting about the inside of the ship being a shopping mall. That's one of the things I want to get away from, not bring with me. Rock climbing, et al seem to be little more than gimmicks and really not worthy of my time.

 

Carnival KNOWS their market. They do plenty of research, listen to folks like us, and move forward informed and ready to offer the best experience for the money, anywhere.

 

The new RCCL behemoths won't even be able to make port in many places due to the draft of the ship and the turning radius.

 

I'm happy with Carnival's decision to not jump on the jumbo bandwagon. I'm betting that RCCL will find out that what they hope to be a cash cow will end up as a white elephant.

 

Royal Caribbean has made it clear that their competition is not Carnival. It is Vegas, Hawaii and Disney. They are going after customers who would not think of cruising or feel it would be boring or too confined. Cruise lines must attract new customers in order to grow. They cannot rely on repeat passengers only. They will have no problems feeling up the Genesis just as they have had no issues with the Freedom class ships. There are plenty of ports on both the eastern and western Caribbean that will be able to handle both Genesis ships.

 

Also, regardless of what has been said in the past, Carnival would not have gone so far to work on a Pinnacle class ship if they did not intend to build it. Time will tell but my guess is if and when the dollar ever reaches even with the Euro, an order for the Pinnacle will be placed.

 

As far as sailing with that many other passengers. I have felt far more crowded on any ship that Carnival has in service than those of the large Voyager or Freedom class.

[Dave85]

I'm betting that RCCL will find out that what they hope to be a cash cow will end up as a white elephant.

 

I couldn't agree less. RCI, with all its behemoth ships that carry more people than the Carnival ships, are all packed solid for the holidays. I know this because before we booked the Carnival Liberty (which, make no mistake, I'm entirely pleased and happy with), we checked out the newer 2 RCI Voyager Class ships and both Freedom Class ships. Also keep in mind that while both lines charge more over the holidays, RCI gets away with jacking up its already higher prices by a more significant rate.

 

I enjoy both RCI and Carnival, so make no mistake about that either. The short answer to the OP is that they serve different audiences! There are so many people cruising now that there's enough to fill the ships of both lines. Carnival provides lower rates and a better value-for-your-dollar vacation. RCI provides bells, whistles, and novelty items. Yes, I've rock climbed at sea, yes I've ice skated at sea, yes I've played basketball on the Voyager Class's full-sized court. I've also gone down Carnival's twisty-slide many times and enjoy both. It's all about what you're looking for, Carnival and RCI provide different products for different rates for (to an extent) different folks, and BOTH are highly successful!

[ShillyShally]

I've done Carnival's Conquest and RCCL's Navigator of the Seas (Voyager class) and Liberty of the Seas (Freedom class) - I thoroughly enjoyed all of them but am coming back to Carnival for my next one.

 

Liberty of the Seas - beautiful ship and we had a great time but I didn't feel the ship was run as efficiently and that it was likely due to her size and capacity. As for the new extras - the only one worth writing home about is the flowrider and my son really enjoyed trying it a few times and the wait was never longer then 30 minutes in line. The boxing ring is silly, the cantilevered whirlpools are also more talk then great and everything else is the same as their Voyager class - right down to the promenade they stand by which just felt like a bigger mall and more like I was in Vegas then on a boat. the boat is so big you do forget you are on a ship. Was she worth a premium price, not really, and they were still struggling to fill cabins close to sailing - if I had been a new booking I could have gotten my same cabin for $599 a person for Thanksgiving week.. But mainly the reason i want to try something other then RCCL was because it felt like a cookie cutter version of my previous cruise on the Navigator. And call me crazy but I prefer the layout of the Conquest ship and the lack of the promenade :) I will likely sail the Genesis class because our sailing mates like RCCL and newer and better and I can't say I won't be curious but I did feel the Liberty of the Seas was venturing on too big so I am a bit afraid of anything bigger.

[Skywench]

Personally, I'm not into rock climbing walls, flow riders, ice skating or having a huge shopping mall on a ship and I'm certainly not interested in paying for all those extras I don't care for or won't use. I'm happy with Carnival's product.

[dixiediva761]

I think that Carnival elected, and wisely so, to not play the 'bigger is better' game because that simply isn't true. I am stunned that ANYONE would want to sail with 5,400 of his/her 'closest friends!' 3,000 is about as many as I'd ever want to manage. In fact, that's why I'm sailing on a Fantasy class ship for my next cruise in April.

 

As for the 'headline grabbing' ships, personally I can't find a thing interesting about the inside of the ship being a shopping mall. That's one of the things I want to get away from, not bring with me. Rock climbing, et al seem to be little more than gimmicks and really not worthy of my time.

 

Carnival KNOWS their market. They do plenty of research, listen to folks like us, and move forward informed and ready to offer the best experience for the money, anywhere.

 

The new RCCL behemoths won't even be able to make port in many places due to the draft of the ship and the turning radius.

 

I'm happy with Carnival's decision to not jump on the jumbo bandwagon. I'm betting that RCCL will find out that what they hope to be a cash cow will end up as a white elephant.

 

I'm with you. We went on Voyager and hated it. We enjoyed our cruise of course because we were on a cruise but hated the "Promenade" thing. We like windows all the way around so we can see the sea. We cruise because the water relaxes and energizes us at the same time and I want to see it. I avoid the mall at home I certainly dont want to pay thousands of dollars to go on one. I am not a rock climber etc so paying for those things is not necessary for us either. One of my best cruises ever though was Grandeur of the Seas which is much smaller, but that trip was great largely due to the great Cruise Critic group we met and hung with the whole time. I hope Carnival doesnt go the way of the "behomoth' we like a smaller ship and the 200-400 difference pp can be spent on a few extra "umbrellas" :rolleyes:

[ruskatab]

Ive been on the Mariner of the Seas and yes it was a beatiful ship but...there were alot of people and alot of waiting. We never used the elevators because the wait was to long which was good to get some exercise. I had to go on it a second time to see the ice show. You could never find a seat in the Windjammer or on deck by the pool. The chocolate buffet was a 2 hour wait. I dont get some of the things RC is implementing on the ships....a boxing ring? Why? I live where the flow master was practically invented at Schlitterbahns Water Park so I can go there. Most of all is the price. When I found out Voyager was coming to Galveston I was excited but then I checked the price and said forget it. I get an interline rate on Carnival and RC wont give me that so for the price difference the ice show and a more crowded ship just wasnt worth it. RC also wont let you take wine onboard.

[renata102]

As you can see my my signature, i have tried RCCL, Princess and now Carnival in a few days. I have never been on a Voyager or higher and I personally am not willing to spend extra money for the extras. Granted, I was the Enchantment of the Sea before it was refurbished and after (where they gut it down the middle and expanded it). It was nice and the price was right. We wer docked next to the Liberty of the Sea and it was SO LARGE i was scared to even look at it (and i am a RCCL fan). RCCL is definatly trying to attract a new crowd, young crowd and adventurous crowd. More power to them. The Crown Princess was the largest ship i have been on so far and I don't want to get bigger. I don't even know how big the Carnival Victory is ... I think Carnival is smart to lay low and stay true to the regulars. THat being said I LOVED PRINCESS and would love to cruise her again.

[Cruisin' Ron VA]

Personally I think Carnival is playing it smart.

 

Yes RCI has a rock climbing wall and a wave rider and a hot tub over the side of the ship.

 

Lets be honest. How many passengers are actually interested in those things? How many passengers actually get to use those things?

 

Now RCI has the genesis project that can hold what? around 5000 + passengers? I doubt 5k people can climb the wall or use the wave rider.

 

Heck its hard enough to find a deck chair after 8am!

 

I think the space could be used for other things, but thats just me.

 

I have a better chance of doing those things on shore tours.

[DarthGrady]

Those are all very good points. I have to admit, one of the things I like about going on one of the Fantasy Class ships is that the lines are shorter, and you can always find a deck chair. I guess I kind of want the best of both worlds. More activities to attract others to go, but still retain a smaller ships atmosphere. I suppose you can't have it both ways. In the end, I will keep sailing Carnival because it is by far the best value, and a heck of a lot of fun to boot.

[firefly333]

I like both lines and will continue to cruise on both as often as I can. Variety is the spice of life.

[ruskatab]

I like both lines and will continue to cruise on both as often as I can. Variety is the spice of life.

 

I totally agree and cant wait to try Princess and hopefully some others in the future. I also like to do some land vacations in between the cruises. There are so many things in the US I have yet to see.