Do you think Cahill is making Carnival Stronger

[Sargent_Schultz]

Most entertainment on the ship is pure overhead - it generates no direct revenue. There is only so much money budgeted and it has to cover everything. Some entertainment does generate revenue - i.e. bingo.

 

At least Carnival isn't charging baggage fees (did I say that out loud?)

[DGP1111]

At least Carnival isn't charging baggage fees (did I say that out loud?)

 

Aaaaaaargggghhhh!!! :eek:

.

.

Bite your tongue!!

[glrounds]

Gary, I agree with you. It is a very tough thing to balance and I know that CCL is a business and needs to make money.

 

I do worry at how 'low' they are going to go before it DOES become a true Wal-Mart cruise. (for lack of a better analogy)

 

I quite agree, Halos. He's competing with all-inclusive land vacations (a favorite of the drinkers:rolleyes:) and trying to bring in new cruisers who in this economic climate are thinking of packing up the kids in the family SUV and going camping (can be an expensive vacation even today).

I'm guessing he's trying to hold prices low enough to "steal" passengers from RCI and NCL who complain all the time about pricing and losing perks, but yet, not lose his base cruisers comprised of people like you and me.

As you state, if he goes so far that service suffers like I think it is suffering today (food and housekeeping), then he risks losing more of his "regular" cruisers, than he gains from the other lines. I'm sure this is not part of his competitive strategy.

A tight rope for sure. :)

[halos]

People are price driven. Carnival is usually the cheapest cruise ..and as they raise prices closer to other cruiselines, people WILL wander off. Im willing to pay about $100 total ($50 pp) extra for RCL out of Galveston over Conquest for instance. More than that ...Im with Carnival.

 

We are service/quaility driven as well.

 

Not everyone who chooses CCL has done so solely because of price...for us, it was the combo of great price, fabulous food and service....OH and the 'FUN' factor :D

 

I don't care how cheap the cruise is, if I get better service, entertainment and food...more choices and new innovations elsewhere I am going to wander.

 

OH WAIT...I already did :)

 

I quite agree, Halos. He's competing with all-inclusive land vacations (a favorite of the drinkers) and trying to bring in new cruisers who in this economic climate are thinking of packing up the kids in the family SUV and going camping (can be an expensive vacation even today).

 

 

I'm guessing he's trying to hold prices low enough to "steal" passengers from RCI and NCL who complain all the time about pricing and losing perks, but yet, not lose his base cruisers comprised of people like you and me.

 

 

As you state, if he goes so far that service suffers like I think it is suffering today (food and housekeeping), then he risks losing more of his "regular" cruisers, than he gains from the other lines. I'm sure this is not part of his competitive strategy.

 

 

A tight rope for sure.

 

 

 

Isn't that funny?? In trying to steal passengers from NCL, he has driven me straight to them! NCL is quite 'FUN" as well.

Whodathunkit??? ;)

[crewsweeper]

I can undrestand the complaints on reduced quality of service. I think a lot of that has to do with the roatation of staff and policies that affect each department. For example, when the Dream first operated, they brought in experienced staff from other ships. By the first of January, when we cruised, some of these were beginning to leave or go on vacation. By May, 4 and a half months later, I recognized no one on staff, except Todd and Jeff the Fun dude who was on his way out the door. And every one I asked about specific bartenders, waiters, stewards, maitre d's et.al., never heard of them. Our waiter the first night had just come on board that afternoon. His assistant had barely been on board a month ( but was still useless). No waitstaff I talked too in the MDR or on the Lido deck had been on board more than 3 months, for several this was their first Carnival ship. None of the entertainment people I saw were on board in January.While dining department gives personnel some rotating days off in ports, housekeeping, according to our steward does not. Room stewards may get a hour or two off the ship if its in port when they are off duty. With more rooms to clean, this is very taxing. So when it comes time to go, many go home and don't return. So I make a case that part of the reason for lower quality of service comes from newness and inexperience of personnel. ( Look at the quality of servcie you get in a department store or big box store where there's a continuous turnover of personnel.) But, given some of the treatment they receive from Carnival and cruisers, I'm not sure you can blame them for not sticking around.

[big_duck]

If Bob were still in charge:

 

The wine list would be better.

There would be no my time dining.

There would be no relaxed dress code in th MDR.

There would still be "formal" nights.

Cruise fares would be much higher.

 

Much of Bob's effort prior to leaving was dedicated to "improving" the brand reputation and he was on record at the time that cruise fares needed to rise.

 

And maybe Carnival would have a Pinnacle class ship or 2 to compete with the Behemoth of the Seas, but that of course is more Micky's call.

[DJ Eddy]

Most entertainment on the ship is pure overhead - it generates no direct revenue. There is only so much money budgeted and it has to cover everything. Some entertainment does generate revenue - i.e. bingo.

 

Sadly this is how the Entertainment dept is seen now, as "the biggest cost". There are already plans in order to remove the Karaoke Hosts from ships and make the social hosts do it on rotation, also my job as DJ will go and yet more work for the hosts to rotate.

Next to go will be the shows and just get your fellow guests on stage every night, that way you don't have to pay singers & dancers... get a jukebox in the disco so you don't need a DJ figure PLUS make money off the jukebox... genius... and the "cost" will be greatly reduced :rolleyes:

[halos]

If Bob were still in charge:

 

The wine list would be better.

There would be no my time dining.

There would be no relaxed dress code in th MDR.

There would still be "formal" nights.

Cruise fares would be much higher.

 

Much of Bob's effort prior to leaving was dedicated to "improving" the brand reputation and he was on record at the time that cruise fares needed to rise.

 

And maybe Carnival would have a Pinnacle class ship or 2 to compete with the Behemoth of the Seas, but that of course is more Micky's call.

 

 

Although many would disagree, I LIKE that vision! Classing-up CCL would have been very nice IMHO.

[Aknot]

Although many would disagree, I LIKE that vision! Classing-up CCL would have been very nice IMHO.

 

Well (and asking long time cruisers) wasnt it this way at one point?

 

Wasnt the wine list better?

Was there always "my time" dining?

Was the Dress code enforced?

Was there a Formal Night? ( I know just staying with the theme)

Were Cruise fares higher?

 

If so "WHY" did they change and more importantly when did these things start to change?

[halos]

Well (and asking long time cruisers) wasnt it this way at one point?

 

Wasnt the wine list better? YES

Was there always "my time" dining? NO

Was the Dress code enforced? NOT CONSISTANTLY

Was there a Formal Night? ( I know just staying with the theme) YUP, there were 2 on a 7 night cruise.

Were Cruise fares higher? NO

 

If so "WHY" did they change and more importantly when did these things start to change?

 

Things have changes s l o w l y over the past 5 or 6 years...why they changed is that CCL decided in order to keep cabins booked, they needed to keep prices as low as possible. So even though inflation has caused everything else to increase in price over the past 20 years...as it usually does....the price of cruising hasn't changed much at all over that period. To do this, CCL (and other lines too) have made cuts. They feel that it's in their best interest to keep the prices low...so they cut things instead of charging more for fares as their costs went up.

 

What we get from this is a far less elegant cruise experience (imho)

~~I guess elegant isn't the right word because face it, Carnival was never an 'elegant' cruise line...but what I'm trying to say is it's becoming more junky by the minute. I just don't have a good way to express it I guess.

 

Bottom line is prices are great...but this came at a stiff cost.

 

My favorite CCL cruises were in 2003 and 2004. (The Holiday and The Miracle). In all my CCL cruises since those, the food and service and atmosphere have never come close to how awesome those sailings were.

At that point in time, CCL was past the 'drunk wal-mart-of-the-seas' stage and it was just PERFECT. Uncle Bob had it running like a well oiled machine then.

It's been slowly deteriorating since not long after that period imo.

[glrounds]

We are service/quaility driven as well.

 

Not everyone who chooses CCL has done so solely because of price...for us, it was the combo of great price, fabulous food and service....OH and the 'FUN' factor

 

I don't care how cheap the cruise is, if I get better service, entertainment and food...more choices and new innovations elsewhere I am going to wander.

 

OH WAIT...I already did

 

My price comparisons have usually been SOLO INSIDE and Carnival has always taken the prize there (thus 17 consecutive cruises on Carnival :rolleyes:). However, if the rumor/fact is true that Carnival is dumping the 135-150% of double occupancy rate for SOLOS, then wandering becomes the threat Mr. Cahill faces from my standpoint. I'm already getting less expensive SOLO quotes for the RCI MARINER doing the Riviera than the SPLENDOR (which I wasn't "all that" about anyway). So, if this new policy holds true, wandering will probably be in my future also.:rolleyes:

 

Incidentally, for those "newbies" that are squealing about CCL price increases, I would like to point out that 25 YEARS AGO my, then wife and I cruised the Riviera for $699 PP in an inside cabin on the TROPICALE ! ! :eek:Everyone dressed WELL for every meal, the food selections were to die for (lobster tails were from New England and were HUMONGOUS), the deserts were incredible, cabins were tended to many times a day, and the entertainment was Vegas-class.;)

 

Isn't that funny?? In trying to steal passengers from NCL, he has driven me straight to them! NCL is quite 'FUN" as well.

Whodathunkit??? ;)

 

NCL might just sneak in here and take the cake on the west coast when the MARINER is gone in January. :)

[Aknot]

Things have changes s l o w l y over the past 5 or 6 years...why they changed is that CCL decided in order to keep cabins booked, they needed to keep prices as low as possible.

 

Well this was the answer I was looking for. Then how could any of these "cuts" be placed solely on Cahill? (not asking you directly just speaking out loud)

 

This is something that was decided on apparently for awhile and was implemented. Just seems Cahill was left holding the bag.

[glrounds]

Well this was the answer I was looking for. Then how could any of these "cuts" be placed solely on Cahill? (not asking you directly just speaking out loud)

 

This is something that was decided on apparently for awhile and was implemented. Just seems Cahill was left holding the bag.

 

You're exactly right, IMHO. These policies were being instituted LONG before Mr. Cahill took over.

[halos]

Well this was the answer I was looking for. Then how could any of these "cuts" be placed solely on Cahill? (not asking you directly just speaking out loud)

 

This is something that was decided on apparently for awhile and was implemented. Just seems Cahill was left holding the bag.

 

Cahill took that slow decline and sped it up and will finish it off....so in my eyes, yes, he is the one to blame. Once he got in, he could have turned it around...but I think this is what he wanted and this is what he is getting.

I don't believe BD wanted CCL to go to the dogs.

 

I could be wrong. This is just my feeling on the issue due to timing.

 

Why did BD leave and Cahill take over anyway???

Anyone know the scoop on that? Did BD leave or was he 'outted'?

[Aknot]

Cahill took that slow decline and sped it up and will finish it off....so in my eyes, yes, he is the one to blame. Once he got in, he could have turned it around...but I think this is what he wanted and this is what he is getting.

I don't believe BD wanted CCL to go to the dogs.

 

I could be wrong. This is just my feeling on the issue due to timing.

 

Why did BD leave and Cahill take over anyway???

Anyone know the scoop on that? Did BD leave or was he 'outted'?

 

But then why was stuff changing while BD was there? Are you saying he was possibly "overruled" and his departure was possibly becasue of this?

 

That would be the only view if this had been happening when both of them were there and when it starts getting "worse" BD says either "I told you so" or "Crap im Out of here" and leaves.. :D

 

Regardless decisions like this are rarely decided by one man.

[halos]

But then why was stuff changing while BD was there? Are you saying he was possibly "overruled" and his departure was possibly becasue of this? .

 

I don't know...but I suspect.

 

Regardless decisions like this are rarely decided by one man.

VERY true....which is why I think Uncle Bob left...or was outted.

I don't think the cutting back was what he wanted.

 

I could be wrong, it's just my feeling on it.

[StrangeBrew]

Iron Maiden's lead singer used to be in charge:confused:

 

I thought his was Bruce not Bob

[Jumbiecruiser]

But John Heald keeps trumpeting him as a great leader - he even rides the Flow Rider in some pretty cool board shorts :confused:

 

John Heald is a paid mouthpiece for Carnival. Do you really think that he is going to bad mouth his boss?

 

Carnival has placed a bean counter as the head of the company. His first and only concern is the stock holders and of course Mickey Arison. If he pleases those people then he will be around for a while.

[SMSACE6]

I cant say that he is making Carnival "stronger" or not. All I can say is that from my perspective; after 10 years and 4 cruises ( soon to be 5 ), I am finally becoming less enamoured of Carnival. The changes at first were very subtle, but lately just too many changes too fast. I find myself now considering a different cruiseline for 2011.

[Jumbiecruiser]

John is just "flying the company flag" as he smooches Cahill's rear end on his blog. I doubt he would ever disagree with any of his business decisions publicly.

 

watching Cahill go down waterslides and surfing a flowrider doesn't impress me either.. he's just trying to look hip and cool..

 

I agree.

 

Also, you should really do something about the way that you have your countdown clocks configured. It's causing the page to stretch.

[martinchem]

I miss Bob.

[Vanessa L]

I do not think that Cahill has a firm grasp on the demographic that Carnival attracts, that's for sure. It seems like he is trying to make them more "upscale" or something. Only time will tell if his being out of touch with his market will ultimately hurt CCL.

 

The thing of it is.....you never miss that which you never had. All the newbies coming on board now have no concept of what cruising used to be 2,3 4 years ago, let alone 25+ years ago when I started cruising. The only people b*tching are those who remember the "good ole days". The new people won't know that there is anything different than what they are offered today.

 

So, as I said, I think I'll take a wait and see attitude about Cahill. So far little he has done impacts me so I have nothing to whine about.

[Vanessa L]

I agree.

 

Also, you should really do something about the way that you have your countdown clocks configured. It's causing the page to stretch.

 

This is precisely why I have signatures turned off ;)

[Vanessa L]

I don't know...but I suspect.

 

 

VERY true....which is why I think Uncle Bob left...or was outted.

I don't think the cutting back was what he wanted.

 

I could be wrong, it's just my feeling on it.

 

Voting with you, Halos. My feeling also.

[halos]

I do not think that Cahill has a firm grasp on the demographic that Carnival attracts, that's for sure. It seems like he is trying to make them more "upscale" or something. Only time will tell if his being out of touch with his market will ultimately hurt CCL.

 

 

How is what Cahill doing, attracting more upscale passengers?? :confused:

It's the total opposite.

 

Hey..as far as whining, no one is whining...we're taking our money someplace else.

Whining is when you stay with what you don't like and continue to complain...and this thread is about HOW and WHICH CCL's leaders have changed things. It's not about whining.

 

I hate whining :)

 

EDITED:

I shouldn't even hint that I don't like Carnival..I still do. Sadly, I like it less.

This DOES make me sad.