San Juan sayonara?

[Runaway Parent]

Has anyone recently heard more about the state of cruises out of San Juan (nothing on website until Fall 2021)? We have booked for December, but now we've found out our school calendar is changing...again...and it is doubtful we will be able to take the cruise. 

 

I know there has been talk of Fascination being on the short list for potential sale/scrap. 

 

Do I hold out for awhile, thinking Carnival may cancel it, and I can avoid a cancellation fee? Advice? 

 

Thanks. 

Edited July 21, 2020 by Runaway Parent
addition

[Runaway Parent]

And, if I do cancel, will we lose our $600 OBC from no-sail order rebooking? 

[kona_wahine]

We are booked for February and it’s just a waiting game to see what’s going to happen. 

[ProgRockCruiser]

You can always call Carnival and ask if you can move the reservation to a future cruise because <insert reason here>.  They might not penalize you for it.  I have heard other folks here have moved cruise dates successfully this way.

[buckeyefrank]

15 minutes ago, ProgRockCruiser said:

You can always call Carnival and ask if you can move the reservation to a future cruise because <insert reason here>.  They might not penalize you for it.  I have heard other folks here have moved cruise dates successfully this way.

We're booked in February and paid in full, mostly with GCs.  This is what I believe we will be doing shortly.

 

I'm not sure what it means but the Fascination is currently on its way to the port of Cadiz in Spain, which is where the Radiance appears to be docked as well.

Edited July 21, 2020 by buckeyefrank

[ch09]

Chances are there that the San Juan route will not sail, so a plan B is needed. These cruises despite the amazing ports that it visits are among the least profitable itineraries for Carnival. 

[kona_wahine]

Yup, our SJ cruise was super cheap so I can imagine them cancelling it. I’m leaning to just wait and see what carnival is going to do, I’d like to get the OBC if they cancel. Of course we might have to pay for the whole cruise, but that is only like $1,200 for the 2 of us. Pretty good deal if we can get $600 OBC for a future cruise.

 

I have airfare booked, we were going to Vieques pre cruise, so might try to stay there and extend our stay, then a few days on SJ. We booked using miles thru Alaska and they have been accommodating at canceling if that’s what we decide.  

[Joebucks]

Who really knows what's going to happen with any cruises.

 

San Juan cruises are something else. I can't wait until that day comes again.

[ober134]

2 hours ago, ch09 said:

Chances are there that the San Juan route will not sail, so a plan B is needed. These cruises despite the amazing ports that it visits are among the least profitable itineraries for Carnival. 

Just curious, why are these cruises less profitable? I have noticed in the past the fares were pretty cheap, relatively speaking. Is this why?

[kona_wahine]

9 minutes ago, ober134 said:

Just curious, why are these cruises less profitable? I have noticed in the past the fares were pretty cheap, relatively speaking. Is this why?

I think it’s because they have an older ship there and they adjust because the airfare costs to get there. 

[ch09]

27 minutes ago, ober134 said:

Just curious, why are these cruises less profitable? I have noticed in the past the fares were pretty cheap, relatively speaking. Is this why?

Yes. Airfare is one of the reasons of it as it has gotten more expensive to fly there. In addition, the ongoing decline of the economy on the island plays a big role, since Carnival often relies on both the Puerto Rican passengers as well as the passengers from the Lower 48 to fill up the berths on the Fascination.

Edited July 21, 2020 by ch09

[Tampa Bay Irish]

I have been to Puerto Rico multiple  times. Sorry, I think it’s a dump, at least most of it around San Juan. Never understood why Carnival seemed so wedded to lackluster ports like Nassau and San Juan.

[ch09]

4 minutes ago, Tampa Bay Irish said:

I have been to Puerto Rico multiple  times. Sorry, I think it’s a dump, at least most of it around San Juan. Never understood why Carnival seemed so wedded to lackluster ports like Nassau and San Juan.

Location, Location and Location.

Edited July 22, 2020 by ch09

[BlerkOne]

4 hours ago, ch09 said:

Chances are there that the San Juan route will not sail, so a plan B is needed. These cruises despite the amazing ports that it visits are among the least profitable itineraries for Carnival. 

 

As Carnival Corp doesn't release financials for individual cruise lines, much less ships and routes, how could you possibly know such things.

 

The cruises are port intensive, and shore excursions are a revenue source for Carnival.

 

 

[BlerkOne]

12 minutes ago, Tampa Bay Irish said:

I have been to Puerto Rico multiple  times. Sorry, I think it’s a dump, at least most of it around San Juan. Never understood why Carnival seemed so wedded to lackluster ports like Nassau and San Juan.

 

San Juan is part of the US and its people are US citizens may have something to do with it. Also you can fly there with just a drivers license, no passport required.

[ch09]

1 hour ago, BlerkOne said:

 

As Carnival Corp doesn't release financials for individual cruise lines, much less ships and routes, how could you possibly know such things.

 

The cruises are port intensive, and shore excursions are a revenue source for Carnival.

 

 

It is a multi year event. Carnival used to have all of their other premium cruise lines do sailings years ago and all have since pulled out. Think Princess that had ships homeport there and pulled out years ago and situation had not improved. Also Carnival putting in the Fascination instead of the Liberty. There is also issues with the port where elected officials had want to privatize it to make needed repairs, which the cruise lines are not happy and decided to cut back future calls there. While Royal put in the Freedom to replace the Adventure, they used that opportunity to downsize the other ship that sails there seasonally to a Vision class ship and then the Empress next year if it is still around.  Carnival did everything they could to keep a presence there, but they decided in the end to pull out in 2022.

Edited July 22, 2020 by ch09

[ch09]

1 hour ago, BlerkOne said:

 

San Juan is part of the US and its people are US citizens may have something to do with it. Also you can fly there with just a drivers license, no passport required.

This also is the case why the European cruise lines like MSC, P&O and Costa does not have any of their ships homeport there in the winter and visit ports like St. Thomas and St Croix.These ships instead homeport in ports in Barbados, Guadalupe and the Dominican Republic to avoid coming to the US.

[kona_wahine]

1 hour ago, BlerkOne said:

 

San Juan is part of the US and its people are US citizens may have something to do with it. Also you can fly there with just a drivers license, no passport required.

When I booked our airfare I was required to add our passport info.

[BlerkOne]

52 minutes ago, kona_wahine said:

When I booked our airfare I was required to add our passport info.

 

I think odd. Perhaps something to do with Orygun is real-id optional.

[kona_wahine]

2 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

 

I think odd. Perhaps something to do with Orygun is real-id optional.

Maybe, IDK. We are finally getting the real-id but you have to go in to a dmv office to get it before you renew. But I booked other airfare in the states and it wasn’t required.

 

[beloum]

4 hours ago, BlerkOne said:

 

As Carnival Corp doesn't release financials for individual cruise lines, much less ships and routes, how could you possibly know such things.

 

The cruises are port intensive, and shore excursions are a revenue source for Carnival.

 

 

They may gain a little extra in excursion sales revenue, but they lose a lot due to no gambling (casinos closed while in port), bar sales while people are off the ship, and onboard sales.   Plus a lot of people book excursions outside of Carnival.  

[BlerkOne]

4 minutes ago, beloum said:

They may gain a little extra in excursion sales revenue, but they lose a lot due to no gambling (casinos closed while in port), bar sales while people are off the ship, and onboard sales.   Plus a lot of people book excursions outside of Carnival.  

 

The casino is still open at night and with more and more people buying Cheers, bonus for Carnival if they aren't drinking on the ship.

[xDisconnections]

2 hours ago, kona_wahine said:

Maybe, IDK. We are finally getting the real-id but you have to go in to a dmv office to get it before you renew. But I booked other airfare in the states and it wasn’t required.

 

I recently flew from FLL-SJU and I don't think I was required to enter my passport info upon booking or check in. Not 100% sure though. Regardless, I always travel with a passport and usually provide that by default at airports for domestic travel.

Edited July 22, 2020 by xDisconnections

[Tapi]

9 hours ago, Tampa Bay Irish said:

I have been to Puerto Rico multiple  times. Sorry, I think it’s a dump, at least most of it around San Juan. 

Very curious to learn what made you reach that conclusion about Puerto Rico. What places have you been to? What did you experience? 

[jsglow]

1 hour ago, Tapi said:

Very curious to learn what made you reach that conclusion about Puerto Rico. What places have you been to? What did you experience? 

Agreed.  We're big fans of Puerto Rico.  But to each their own, eh?