Carnival adds longer itineraries from Galveston - Will RCI follow?

[JimAOk1945]

A friend who loves to cruise on Carnival out of Galveston told me that Carnival has added 3 new itineraries from Galveston on the Triumph. They are 10, 11, and 12 day cruises. I checked the Carnival website and verified that this is accurate information.

 

We have driven to Galveston a few times for cruises and enjoyed them all. I was thinking it would be nice to have longer RCI itineraries like these that include some new ports on the cruises out of Galveston.

 

Does anyone else feel as I do, that maybe, just maybe, RCI might copy Carnival to keep up with the competition?

Edited August 2, 2014 by JimAOk1945

[MichaelCMTX]

A friend who loves to cruise on Carnival out of Galveston told me that Carnival has added 3 new itineraries from Galveston on the Triumph. They are 10, 11, and 12 day cruises. I checked the Carnival website and verified that this is accurate information.

 

They hit the CC "News" section this weekend.

 

Would like to see it happen. After the 11 days on the Radiance work told me it'd be a LONG time before I got that much time out all in a row, but might could sell them on a 10 or 11 day if we didn't have to factor in air travel. We can leave at 6am on a Galveston departure day and arrive with hours to spare (even more hours if the ship is delayed due to fog :D )

[negc]

They will only follow if they conclude that the longer itineraries will be more profitable for them than placing their ships elsewhere. Following Carnival or any other line just for the sake of following them isn't necessarily the best business practice and if they feel that other ports or itineraries offer them more of an advantage they may decide to concede the longer itineraries from Galveston to Carnival and concentrate their attention somewhere else.

There are so many US ports anxious to have a greater cruise line presence that they can afford to be choosy and don't necessarily want to just follow in another line's steps. In some situations, the market may only be able to support one line or itinerary and another's presence would only serve to cannibalize the market.

[delirious9876]

They hit the CC "News" section this weekend.

 

Would like to see it happen. After the 11 days on the Radiance work told me it'd be a LONG time before I got that much time out all in a row, but might could sell them on a 10 or 11 day if we didn't have to factor in air travel. We can leave at 6am on a Galveston departure day and arrive with hours to spare (even more hours if the ship is delayed due to fog :D )

Your comment about time off work interested me . . .

 

Is it the regular thing in the USA not to have much paid vacation time from work and not much time altogether?

 

When I worked in the UK as a hotel receptionist I got 6 weeks vacation time a year on full pay and could have up to 3 weeks together.

 

Just interested ??

Edited August 2, 2014 by delirious9876

[Paulette3028]

Your comment about time off work interested me . . .

 

Is it the regular thing in the USA not to have much paid vacation time from work and not much time altogether?

 

When I worked in the UK as a hotel receptionist I got 6 weeks vacation time a year on full pay and could have up to 3 weeks together.

 

Just interested ??

 

Sad thing to admit, is the US probably ranks the lowest (my guess, I did not investigate this) on the amount of vacation full time employees get. Employers push employees to their limit in the USA and then wonder why productivity may suffer.

[delirious9876]

Sad thing to admit, is the US probably ranks the lowest (my guess, I did not investigate this) on the amount of vacation full time employees get. Employers push employees to their limit in the USA and then wonder why productivity may suffer.

That sucks !

Edited August 2, 2014 by delirious9876
Because this stinking iPad keeps guessing my words (wrongly)

[OKC Cruisers]

Your comment about time off work interested me . . .

 

Is it the regular thing in the USA not to have much paid vacation time from work and not much time altogether?

 

When I worked in the UK as a hotel receptionist I got 6 weeks vacation time a year on full pay and could have up to 3 weeks together.

 

Just interested ??

 

 

Generally speaking (and it depends a lot on where one might work) new employees start off with 2 weeks paid vacation per year. As your time with the company grows, so does your paid vacation time. In some companies that I know, you have to have been working there 10+ years to get 6 weeks off!

 

Pete

[delirious9876]

Generally speaking (and it depends a lot on where one might work) new employees start off with 2 weeks paid vacation per year. As your time with the company grows, so does your paid vacation time. In some companies that I know, you have to have been working there 10+ years to get 6 weeks off!

 

Pete

2 weeks paid vacation - wow !!!!!!!!!!!

 

I've lived in the USA a few times but never worked there so had no idea. Thanks

[spookwife]

Your comment about time off work interested me . . .

 

Is it the regular thing in the USA not to have much paid vacation time from work and not much time altogether?

 

When I worked in the UK as a hotel receptionist I got 6 weeks vacation time a year on full pay and could have up to 3 weeks together.

 

Just interested ??

 

yeah..not here. the military probably has the best 'vacation' benefits..2.5 days a month for a total of 30 days a year beginning the first day. 98% of other employers you do not even GET any vacation until you have worked a year. and then it is a stingy one , maybe 2 weeks. 6 weeks? never gonna happen.

 

the military limits it( usually) to no more than 2 weeks( and weekends count as vacation/Leave days)

[OKC Cruisers]

Back on topic...I don't think that you will see Royal follow suit. Royal only has one ship sailing out of Galveston, whereas Carnival has two with a third to arrive. With three ships sailing from there, they can offer a better selection of itineraries. Carnival also recently announced some new sailings for Magic, which has always done 7 day sailings. It will now throw in a mix of 4 and 6 day cruiises.

 

I personally would love to see Royal bring a second ship to Galveston, even if it was just for the winter season, and do some longer itineraries to more of the Caribbean isles!

 

Pete

[celebrity]

Generally speaking (and it depends a lot on where one might work) new employees start off with 2 weeks paid vacation per year. As your time with the company grows, so does your paid vacation time. In some companies that I know, you have to have been working there 10+ years to get 6 weeks off!

 

Pete

 

Not where I am employed. Took me ten long years to earn 3 weeks. :(

[JimAOk1945]

Back on topic . . .I personally would love to see Royal bring a second ship to Galveston, even if it was just for the winter season, and do some longer itineraries to more of the Caribbean isles!

 

Pete

 

Yes, we would like this as well!

Edited August 3, 2014 by JimAOk1945

[CRUZBUDS]

I saw one 12 day on Carnival from Galveston, the other longer ones I saw were repositioning cruises.

 

We'd like to see longer cruises from Galveston.

[Cruising89143]

Carnival bases just about all of their ships out of U.S ports so they have to get creative with itineraries and offerings. RCI does not. Carnival has tried Europe and it has not been successful. RCI on the other has been successful placing ships in Europe and around the globe. I don't see it happening. RCI knows where they can receive the best ROI.

 

Carnival has to compete within their other brands with their own family such as Costa, Princess, HAL and many other lines due to the large amount of ships. RCI does not have all of the other lines to compete with within the RCCL family of cruise lines even with Celebrity and Pulmantur.

 

According to RCCL's recent earnings call, Europe and Asia are the growing markets. The Caribbean is very soft right now and over saturated. I see more ships being moved to other areas to try and bring pricing up. Right now RCI is adding five new ships to their fleet and Carnival has one ship on order. That tells me a lot about the confidence of each company and where each company is heading.

Edited August 3, 2014 by cruisingator2

[norcalemt02]

I'd Like to see royal follow Princess itinerary out of San Francisco, round trip to Alaska, Hawaii, mexico, and California Coastal, a quantum class would be the icing on the cake.

[Jzx1103]

This would be nice, we want to try to go on RCL from Galveston once the Liberty of the seas come here. The only bad thing is we've done all these ports of calls to death :) Since Carnival, RCL, Princess, and Norwegian all have really two main itineraries leaving from Houston and Galveston.

[MichaelCMTX]

Your comment about time off work interested me . . .

 

Is it the regular thing in the USA not to have much paid vacation time from work and not much time altogether?

 

When I worked in the UK as a hotel receptionist I got 6 weeks vacation time a year on full pay and could have up to 3 weeks together.

 

Just interested ??

 

As others have mentioned, things just aren't as generous in the States, not at all. At my last employer I'd reached 3 weeks vacation after five years of service, but the company changed hands so the 4 week level at 15 years was nixed, but grandfathered in for those who had it. Helped influence why I decided to leave after 11 years.

 

Where I'm at now the company also changed hands and the new owner reset the seniority clock to 0 (but we all got severance from the old owners), it gets interesting because this year is 5 years since the 'reset', and nobody's really sure if we go to 3 weeks at 5 years or stay at 2. I hedge my bets on any pay period where I get a Bonus, I ask to take a half-day unpaid. Haven't run out of vacation yet and don't intend to.

 

Also, it's a rather thinly staffed company so others will full plates need to cover for me when I'm out. Thus the whole issue with "two straight weeks off." The phone at my desk rings and e-mails pop in whether I'm there or not.

 

It's WORSE for DW. For most of the time we've been together she's contract labor, production-based. No typing, no pay.

 

 

This would be nice, we want to try to go on RCL from Galveston once the Liberty of the seas come here. The only bad thing is we've done all these ports of calls to death :) Since Carnival, RCL, Princess, and Norwegian all have really two main itineraries leaving from Houston and Galveston.

 

Yeah, that's kind of the hand we get dealt with the geography. Why we jumped at the chance to do Bahamas/Key West/Coco Cay from NoLa on Serenade. Something different without a plane ride.

Edited August 3, 2014 by MichaelCMTX

[cruisinlover1414]

Even with the longer cruises on carnival, do they go to more unique/different ports? If not, I don't see it being anything special. I would rather pay for the airfare to Florida to take a cruise out of Miami that goes to different ports than pay more to go on a 10 day cruise.

 

However, it will be interesting to see what RCL does. I don't think they will make the Liberty have some 10-12 night itineraries because most families cannot take that much time off. I cannot wait til the Liberty gets here! Finally a HUGE ship here in Galveston! For now though, I'll go on the Navigator! Can't wait :)

 

 

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[MichaelCMTX]

Even with the longer cruises on carnival, do they go to more unique/different ports? If not, I don't see it being anything special. I would rather pay for the airfare to Florida to take a cruise out of Miami that goes to different ports than pay more to go on a 10 day cruise.

 

The 10, 11 and 12's Carnival has on the agenda ends up going to places like Aruba and Bonaire, or Colon and Cartagena, so they are putting the longer voyages to good use with different-- for Galveston-- itineraries.

 

I could see RCL doing a couple of these even running the single ship... with enough advance planning on their part. There's only going to be so much demand for the same two 7 night itineraries.

[Paulette3028]

The 10, 11 and 12's Carnival has on the agenda ends up going to places like Aruba and Bonaire, or Colon and Cartagena, so they are putting the longer voyages to good use with different-- for Galveston-- itineraries.

 

I could see RCL doing a couple of these even running the single ship... with enough advance planning on their part. There's only going to be so much demand for the same two 7 night itineraries.

 

What you bring up is something I have often wondered -- why don't some ships intermingle 7 day cruises with 10 and 11 day itineraries. As an example run two 7 night cruises, then have a 10 night cruise followed by an 11 night cruise to fill a 3 week period, when you can again do two more 7 night cruises and continue the cycle.

 

I am sure there are plenty of logistics issues....that I am not aware of...but for cruisers it would give them lots more variety to choose from and potentially cruise more.

[cruisinlover1414]

The 10, 11 and 12's Carnival has on the agenda ends up going to places like Aruba and Bonaire, or Colon and Cartagena, so they are putting the longer voyages to good use with different-- for Galveston-- itineraries.

 

I could see RCL doing a couple of these even running the single ship... with enough advance planning on their part. There's only going to be so much demand for the same two 7 night itineraries.

 

Wow! I didn't know Aruba and those unique ports were added. This would be something I would be interested in. If RCL added maybe another ship to Galveston that could change things up (even if it were a smaller ship). I will be looking into Liberty sailings for 2016 after I finish my next cruise. Very exciting!

[cruisinlover1414]

I just looked them up--most of the longer cruises added were on the Triumph and end in Puerto Rico. This means that people would have to fly back home from Puerto Rico...defeating the point of sailing out of Galveston in the first place (being close to home...no airfare). I would rather fly to Florida and do a similar itinerary on the Breeze or something bigger than go for 11 nights and fly home from Puerto Rico. :(

[jules815]

Not where I am employed. Took me ten long years to earn 3 weeks. :(

 

And how would they feel if you took 3 weeks together?

 

After 21 years at the same company, my husband has 6 weeks vacation. He is stressing because he's going to be taking 2 weeks off for our B2B next month. He has never taken 2 consecutive weeks off before. Upper management IT for a large credit card company. At 55, and now that our daughters have left the nest (our youngest is a junior in college), I'm trying to get him to finally start taking all of his vacation time. :rolleyes:

 

Sorry for hijacking the tread.

[OKC Cruisers]

I think what it all will come down to, is what is the most profitable...Carnival is doing a limited number of these extended sailings, maybe just testing the waters. I will say this, if it was Carnival Magic doing the 11 & 10 day sailings from Galveston to San Juan and then San Juan to Galveston, I would be tempted to book. On Carnival Triumph, not so much. Maybe it was just me (more likely it most certainly is just me) but I didn't like Triumph...with the exception of Guy's Burgers and Blue Iguana!

 

Pete

[cruisinlover1414]

I think what it all will come down to, is what is the most profitable...Carnival is doing a limited number of these extended sailings, maybe just testing the waters. I will say this, if it was Carnival Magic doing the 11 & 10 day sailings from Galveston to San Juan and then San Juan to Galveston, I would be tempted to book. On Carnival Triumph, not so much. Maybe it was just me (more likely it most certainly is just me) but I didn't like Triumph...with the exception of Guy's Burgers and Blue Iguana!

 

Pete

 

Pete,

 

I agree with you completely...did not care for the triumph. And I agree with you on a different ship- if it were the magic or RCL ship I would be a lot more interested. It being on the Triumph is disappointing. For now, I'll stick with flying to Florida or going on the Navigator :)