I'm wondering... Why isn't there any NCL ships going to the Caribbean in the Summer??

[Texas Teen]

Just curious... Why? The Caribbean is very popular in the Summer!

[SeaShark]

Just curious... Why? The Caribbean is very popular in the Summer!

 

Yes...very popular for Hurricanes...:rolleyes:

[red lobster]

I am with you Texas Teen, we've been on several RCI and Carnival cruises in the summer to the Caribbean, but I wish there were some more choices like NCL and HAL. I know they move the ships to Alaska and I guess Europe, but I bet if they had a ship out of Florida, New Orleans and or Texas they could keep it sold out.

[mactrio]

Just curious... Why? The Caribbean is very popular in the Summer!

 

 

Too many hurricanes. Cruises have to be canceled and/or ports are missed so they just don't cruise there.

[gtalum]

NCL has determined that they bring in more revenue in Alaska and Europe than in the Caribbean.

[Arwenmark]

That and most people want to cruise the Caribbean in the Winter to escape cold weather.

[bluesky8130]

Too many hurricanes. Cruises have to be canceled and/or ports are missed so they just don't cruise there.

 

And then people complain about having their crusie cancelled or that they missed a port

[mactrio]

And then people complain about having their crusie cancelled or that they missed a port

 

And knowing that they booked in the middle of hurricane season. :D

[garycarla]

They put ships where the best combination of demand, pricing, ports and weather work the best.

[pengu1n]

Isn't the Epic cruising the Caribbean year-round, once it's ready?

[retiredonthesea]

NCL Epic will be cruising Western and Eastern Caribbean starting summer of 2010. With ports such as Costa Maya, Roatan, Cozumel (Western)and St. Maarten, St Thomas and Nassau (Eastern)

[Don Haynes]

Until next year's Epic, I don't think NCL thinks it has large enough ships to compete with Caribbean itineraries from Miami during the summer months. NCL repositions their ships to more northern locations where the revenues are higher. Then NCL repositions their ships to more southern locations when its too cold up north.

 

With the Epic, NCL has no choice really. She is too big or too tall to sail anywhere else. Notice she won't be doing any tender ports either. It would take twice as long, if not longer, to tender anywhere.

 

I am sure New Yorkers would like an Epic appearance. But I wonder whether she is short enough to sail under the bridge between Brooklyn and Staten Island. The Queen Mary 2 has 13 decks, the Norwegian Epic has 19 decks. The Queen Mary 2 only has a deck of space to spare.

[Whippets]

Don't forget also how terribly hot it is down there in the summer in addition to the hurricane threat.

[cruise pup]

Why not try Bermuda? It's as good, if not better than the Caribbean. They do get hurricanes, though.

[LAWTONCRUISE]

Just curious... Why? The Caribbean is very popular in the Summer!

 

Two Words: Hurricane Season

[linnealee]

I would never want to cruise in the Caribbean in the summer; it is too hot & humid. No thanks! Alaska and Europe would be a better option for the summer.

[Philip217]

The Caribbean in summer attracts many cruisers. Most are either retirees on fixed incomes, or young families with children.

These 2 groups unfortunately are not so famous for spending any money onboard cruise ships.

Since cruise ships make nearly all their profit from onboard revenues, summer Caribbean Cruises are not the best choice if a cruise line wants to avoid bankruptcy.

 

The only ships that stay in the Caribbean in summer are those that cannot go anywhere else. So it's either Carnival's older ships that don't have any tender boats (and cannot command higher prices anywhere else), or it's RCCL's mega-ships that just won't fit anywhere else (and couldn't be filled in other markets).

The older ships are already paid for, so need not charge high prices to turn a profit. The mega-ships can afford to give away cabins in summer in order to fill them, as they operate on a much larger scale with lower costs.

 

NCL's newer mid-size ships cannot compete financially with Carnival and RCCL and still turn a profit. It's all about money.

[newmexicoNita]

Just curious... Why? The Caribbean is very popular in the Summer!

I haven't read what others are saying. There are a couple of reasons: 1-it is not as popular in the summer as Alaska and Europe and 2-NCL only has so many ships.. Many of the other lines cut back on their Caribbean sailing during the summer for the same reasons. I will it was different but for the time being we will have to live with things the way they are.

 

Nita

[elephant98]

In my uneducated opinion, it doesn't have all that much to do with hurricane season. While it may begin in June, hurricane activity doesn't really start to ramp up until right about Labor day . . . which is right around that time that NCL returns its ships to the Caribbean. I'm guessing it has more to do with NCL wanting to take advantage of the popular summer Alaskan cruises, and the much, much pricier shore excursions that are offered. Princess pulls all of its Miami/Ft. Lauderdale ships out of the Caribbean in May and sends them to Alaska as well. If you want to take a 7-day cruise in the Caribbean out of Florida over the summer, Carnival and Royal Caribbean are pretty much it as far as the standard cruise lines are concerned.

[negc]

Hurricane season is not likely a major factor in deciding whether or not to put your ships in the Caribbean during the summer. If that were the fact, none of the major lines would have ships there. More important a factor is the likelihood that placing ships in Alaska and Europe is more profitable. However, since demand is lessening and costs associated with those two regions are rising, there are indications that this trend of deploying more and more ships there is about to suffer a reversal and you may find that the lines are returning their ships to more traditional Caribbean itineraries. One of the great advantages that cruiselines hold over land resorts is their ability to shift their assets to more profitable areas on relatively short notice. Hurricane season may mean that the cruiselines have to offer lower rates for their Caribbean cruises, but profitability rather than weather is still the dominant factor when deciding where to deploy their ships.:)

[Zimomiller]

We got hooked on the Eastern caribbean itinerary in the summer on the Norway. Sailed that itin many times on her.

 

Great time of year( if you like the heat) to be on a cruise in the Eastern carib.

 

We have been waiting for NCL to put a ship on this again and are looking forward to sailing on the SDU Epic !

[Texas Teen]

But what about teachers or families who can't miss any school? NCL needs to think about that! (Well I guess they have, because of the NCL Epic.) I understand the demand & profit for Europe & Alaska, but to not have ANY ships go to the MOST POPULAR cruise destination...

[Chuck2810]

But what about teachers or families who can't miss any school? NCL needs to think about that! (Well I guess they have, because of the NCL Epic.) I understand the demand & profit for Europe & Alaska, but to not have ANY ships go to the MOST POPULAR cruise destination...

 

The Sky sails year-round 3 nights and 4 nights. Not into the Caribbean, but through the Bahamas. Also, very affordable, especially for a new cruiser...

 

You may be young, but I think you are already hooked...

[gtalum]

But what about teachers or families who can't miss any school? NCL needs to think about that! (Well I guess they have, because of the NCL Epic.) I understand the demand & profit for Europe & Alaska, but to not have ANY ships go to the MOST POPULAR cruise destination...

 

If NCL's priorities are different than yours, the logical step is to try another cruise line. The good news is Carnival and RCI are starting to experiment with their own versions of anytime dining.

[electricron]

But what about teachers or families who can't miss any school? NCL needs to think about that! (Well I guess they have, because of the NCL Epic.) I understand the demand & profit for Europe & Alaska, but to not have ANY ships go to the MOST POPULAR cruise destination...

 

So! NCL has only 11 ships until this fall, 10 ships this winter, and will have 11 ships next year.

During this summer's cruise season:

1 ship is sailing in Hawaii. (Pride of America)

3 ships are sailing to Alaska. (Pearl, Star, & Sun)

1 ship is sailing to Bahamas. (Sky)

3 ships are sailing to Bermuda. (Dawn, Majesty, & Spirit)

3 ships are sailing in Europe. (Gem, Jade, & Jewel)

 

During this fall's cruise season:

1 ship is sailing in Hawaii. (Pride of America)

3 ships are repositioning from Alaska to their winter season homeports. (Dawn, Star, & Sun)

1 ship is sailing to Bahamas. (Sky)

1 ship continues to sail to Bermuda before it's retired. (Majesty)

2 ships are sailing to Canada/New England vs Bermuda, eventually repositioning to their winter season homeports. (Dawn & Spirit)

1 ship continues to sail in Europe. (Jade)

2 ships are are repositioning from Europe to their winter season homeports. (Gem & Jewel)

 

During this winter's cruise season:

1 ship is sailing in Hawaii. (Pride of America)

1 ship is sailing to Mexican Riveria. (Star)

3 ships are sailing to Bahamas (Sky, Sun, & Gem)

4 ships are sailing to Caribbean. (Dawn, Jewel, Pearl, & Spirit)

1 ship is sailing in Europe. (Jade)

 

NCL doesn't have over 20 ships to keep more than 1 around sailing from Florida during the summer cruise seasons.

 

While it is true Bahamas & Caribbean cruises are very popular, it is also true they consistently have the lowest fares. I see nothing wrong repositioning ships to other cruise itineraries during the summer cruise season where ships can make more profits because the fares are higher.

 

To prove this point, check out the Pearl's fares this summer vs next winter.

Alaska fares (7 days & nights)

Inside Oceanview Balcony Suite

$499......$699.......$999.....$1,249

Bahamas fares

Inside Oceanview Balcony Suite

$549......$679........$829......$999

Historically, the cruise lines lose money during the winter Caribbean cruise season. About the only cruises the cruise lines make profits during the winter cruise season are during the Holidays and Spring Break weeks.