The Carnival Rock Center Video Segment: NOT TOO FLATTERING

[big_duck]

No corporation, mom and pop operation or individual pays taxes on gross revenue (salary).

 

Legitimate deductions aren't loopholes they are there for a reason.

 

Micky is the same as anyone here who owns Carnival stock ... He just owns more.

[WindrunnerII]

The whole stort wqs true.

CCL is what it is.

They take advantage of the law as written.

Its a shame, the arena thing was a huge ripoff of taxpayers.

But when you have money, you can do anything.

 

But what business in this country doesn't take advantage of tax laws and loopholes?

 

And is there a professional ball club in any city that doesn't play in an arena or stadium that was built and funded with tax dollars? I can't think of any.

 

And what of GE and the oil companies to name a few that not only don't pay much if anything in the way of taxes, but receive government subsidies?

 

And lest we forget, the IRS itself gave away $5 BILLION in fraudulent tax refunds.

 

Carnival is the least of the country's problems.

[larkz]

They sell me a boat ride and I know full well that they are not my best friend.

 

Yup. And if anything, the increased scrutiny may cause them to review what they're doing and make favorable changes that avoid further damage to their reputation.

[Not_Done_Living]

if there are tax loopholes -- completly legal -- then shame on them if they DON'T use them -- the gov't should dhut the loop hole -- (but wont because it benefits them elsewhere)

 

also -- the numbers used for costs for the coast guard and navy -- that is mirrored accounting.

 

basically, the coast guard and navy have to be out there doing wha they are doing regardless of the cruise industry. They would accrue those costs anyway. it does not cost them MORE because a ship is in distress. they just assign the costs of the period that they support a ship to that incident -- it would cost them the same with or without an issue -- at least they are doing something to justify the costs.

[Carnivaluver]

Seems to bring up a lot of perfectly good points.

 

Carnival pays virtually no taxes on its profits thanks to tax loopholes and tax havens.

 

Carnival has had a run of minor to serious accidents, and one major disaster, in a short period of time, which is unacceptable.

 

Carnival utilizes an exceptionally high percentage of U.S. Coast Guard emergency services (compared to the rest of the cruise industry), apparently for free despite the cost of millions to U.S. taxpayers.

 

Carnival's Micky Arison has not seen fit to visit the scene of any serious accidents.

 

It's ridiculous and small-minded to attack any news report that says something we might not like to hear.

 

I agree.....we have all been on Carnival cruises when things have happened to passengers that were not necessarily their fault. I always hope that they have travel insurance and then that becomes a whole other matter when they try to access it. Let's face it...Carnival pays very little taxes, hires employees on their ship and pay not medical, retirement or state or federal income taxes for them. They hide their corporation responsibilities in other countries and operate under Maritime Law. Passengers are asked to sign their rights away before they board the ship before they cruise.

 

I like cruising but I am under no illusion that Carnival is a customer friendly company that is there for me no matter what happens. It appears they always think of what is best for the company and not the customer when it comes to IROPS.

 

It is just the way the game is played now but it certainly could be made more fair for everyone if they were not so owner and shareholder driven. :)

[big_duck]

if there are tax loopholes -- completly legal -- then shame on them if they DON'T use them -- the gov't should dhut the loop hole -- (but wont because it benefits them elsewhere)

 

also -- the numbers used for costs for the coast guard and navy -- that is mirrored accounting.

 

basically, the coast guard and navy have to be out there doing wha they are doing regardless of the cruise industry. They would accrue those costs anyway. it does not cost them MORE because a ship is in distress. they just assign the costs of the period that they support a ship to that incident -- it would cost them the same with or without an issue -- at least they are doing something to justify the costs.

 

Well there is some cost associated with consumables (food and water for instance), but overall it is a very minor cost.

[WindrunnerII]

"Rock Center" is your typical tabloid journalism program. Just look at their homepage today and it tells you it's total tabloid.

 

The top stories are Carnival and John Edward's affair. Any real, substantive news stories or social/political/economic issue stories are buried farther down.

 

The "news media" is very rarely "news" or real investigative reporting, it is all drama, hype and sensationalism to drive ratings and ad revenue. Plain and simple.

[cruisinfanatic]

 

Oh, and by the way .... How much tax did General Electric get out of paying in the last few years??

 

:mad:

Corporations don't pay taxes. People do. You can raise their taxes to the moon. They all will pass it along to their for sale price which we pay

Did the cruise lines pay taxes?

[meluvtogocruise]

The U.S. government has found an industry that it has yet to get it's teeth into and regulate the profit right out of it.

 

It will continue to batter away at the cruise industry as it has the fast food industry. Look at McDonald's. You would think that running a hamburger stand was the most evil thing a person could ever do.

 

I wish they would stick their noses into some other industries, i.e. the porn industry and violent video gaming industries.

 

Carnival has a profitable business which employs both American citizens and international citizens. The cruise industry feeds many other business also. People are working and taking care of own their families who might otherwise have no other work available.

 

The U.S. government should consider Carnival a friend ... not an enemy.

 

I am not a stockholder. :p

[CRUZBUDS]

Most of us here in San Diego would love to have Carnival return. When they had ships home ported here, they brought in a tremendous amount of money to our local economy. -- plus I could cruise without having to fly. ;)

 

The story made a huge deal of the basketball team and how much it meant to the people of Miami. The cruise industry that Carnival helped build is a major industry and employer in south Florida. Very important to the economy.

[meluvtogocruise]

This sums it up pretty well.

 

It is what it is.

Carnival does not require me to try to defend them.

 

They sell me a boat ride and I know full well that they are not my best friend.

 

I do find it offensive that Carnival is required to pay so little in tax.

But the thought that the powers that be seem to come down hard on companies that cater to the middle class while those that cater to the rich don't seem to be discussed as often.

 

I did not care for the statement that customers of Carnival do not want to pay more that they have to.

We are the "little people" and we just want to be able to buy a relatively inexpensive trip to relax for a few days.

I felt like the guy was trying to say how dare we want to do something that used to be available only to the rich.

 

Congress will do what whatever the folks making the donations want them to do.

But whatever it is Carnival has really brought it down upon themselves.

We'll wait and see.

 

I agree with you .... 101%

[seannyice81]

Boy, if that isn't the pot calling the kettle black. I am absolutely certain the distinguished Senator Harrison uses every loophole he can to avoid the majority of his tax burden.

 

Not that he'd need to use that loophole as they keep giving themselves raises. They should be covered by now you'd think.:rolleyes:

[meluvtogocruise]

Congress trying to keep the focus off of themselves maybe? We should be paying more attention to them.

:p

[absolutely brilliant]

They make it sound as if only Carnival uses the tax loopholes. I'm certain that RCCL, NCL, & Disney all register their ships elsewhere for the same reason. It would be a more accurate report if they "attacked" the cruise industry & not single out Carnival when it comes to these issues. I took my first cruise in 1979 on the Southward, an NCL ship & wondered why it was registered in Liberia. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out!

 

Splendor 5/17...can't come soon enough!

[airmj2123]

if there are tax loopholes -- completly legal -- then shame on them if they DON'T use them -- the gov't should dhut the loop hole -- (but wont because it benefits them elsewhere)

 

also -- the numbers used for costs for the coast guard and navy -- that is mirrored accounting.

 

basically, the coast guard and navy have to be out there doing wha they are doing regardless of the cruise industry. They would accrue those costs anyway. it does not cost them MORE because a ship is in distress. they just assign the costs of the period that they support a ship to that incident -- it would cost them the same with or without an issue -- at least they are doing something to justify the costs.

 

Some of it is mirrored accounting, but it certainly does cost them more when a ship is in distress... A cutter sitting in port or doing training exercises is far cheaper than one which has to be sent into the middle of the gulf and stay with a ship...

 

As for the piece, there are plenty of other cruise exports to get other than one currently suing CCL or at least to balance it out.

 

As for the Senator, the often quoted piece of 90 casualties in five years is 100 percent true. The problem with the percentage is the information that he used to calculate it was missing a significant chunk of reported casualties.

[big_duck]

As for the Senator, the often quoted piece of 90 casualties in five years is 100 percent true. The problem with the percentage is the information that he used to calculate it was missing a significant chunk of reported casualties.

 

I wonder how many ambulance calls disneyworld/Disneyland have gotten in the last years.

 

Let's face it, the vast majority of those calls were passenger evacuations.

 

I would also like to point out that. Of the 4 incidents they brought up at the beginning of the piece only one involved the coast guard (an one wasn't even a newsworthy incident)

[jonbgd]

And is there a professional ball club in any city that doesn't play in an arena or stadium that was built and funded with tax dollars? I can't think of any.

 

.

My San Francisco Giants built the awesome ballpark at 3rd and King on their own dime;)

[CruiseMuch?]

That story was bogus, biased & one sided. Get the facts straight.

Who pays for the 5 year NTSB investigation when a plane crashes? The tax payers!

 

Maritime law is different and always will be. Greedy politicians want the money, & they are villifying the cruise line & the CEO.

[BeachChik]

I wonder how many ambulance calls disneyworld/Disneyland have gotten in the last years.

 

Let's face it, the vast majority of those calls were passenger evacuations.

 

I would also like to point out that. Of the 4 incidents they brought up at the beginning of the piece only one involved the coast guard (an one wasn't even a newsworthy incident)

 

I don't really get using Disney world as an example. Disney pays a boatload of taxes in the county they reside and as such should have assistance from local police and fire departments.

[airmj2123]

I wonder how many ambulance calls disneyworld/Disneyland have gotten in the last years.

 

Let's face it, the vast majority of those calls were passenger evacuations.

 

I would also like to point out that. Of the 4 incidents they brought up at the beginning of the piece only one involved the coast guard (an one wasn't even a newsworthy incident)

 

Passenger Evacs are not included in the 90 marine casualties... The main Carnival casualties are: Fire, loss of power, Material failure, and Allision... The three recent "incidents" all involved the coast guard in some capacity.

[cjknox]

The only point that this video highlighted that I agree with is the fact that Micky Arison was absent from major disaster like the Concordia incident, when he should have in fact been there, I was in fact wondering the same thing and was very disappointed when he was a no show.

 

But other than that this was a bad report. Especially infuriating was Senator Rockefellers tax rant. Instead of saying that Carnival is exploiting the law by using the loopholes he should be going after members of congress like himself who allowed the loophole to exist in the first place.

[absolutely brilliant]

The only point that this video highlighted that I agree with is the fact that Micky Arison was absent from major disaster like the Concordia incident, when he should have in fact been there, I was in fact wondering the same thing and was very disappointed when he was a no show.

 

But other than that this was a bad report. Especially infuriating was Senator Rockefellers tax rant. Instead of saying that Carnival is exploiting the law by using the loopholes he should be going after members of congress like himself who allowed the loophole to exist in the first place.

I totally agree. I'm sure we would all be amazed & appalled at the loopholes that exist...not just in the cruise industry.

 

Politics as usual. They are at the root of these problems but not so apt to come up with solutions or reforms. I guess they will now try to blame the deficit on Carnival!

[richard1s]

So interesting - the average CCL passenger on a website defending the billionaire's business practices. I am sure he is reading every post saying - "thank you, I am not worthy of your loyalty." LOL - what a joke. Folks will do and say anything to preserve that $399 interior room charge.

[big_duck]

Passenger Evacs are not included in the 90 marine casualties... The main Carnival casualties are: Fire, loss of power, Material failure, and Allision... The three recent "incidents" all involved the coast guard in some capacity.

 

So 87 of the 90 involved taking a phone call,their job. That is certainly all they did for the Legend/Dream*. So basically the statistic is meaningless.

 

*they did inspect the Dream repair, but again it's their job.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

[big_duck]

I don't really get using Disney world as an example. Disney pays a boatload of taxes in the county they reside and as such should have assistance from local police and fire departments.

 

Disney pays the minimum tax the law requires, just like Carnival.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2