Carnival to drop Aruba port.

[bajohnsons]

Reported in Wall Street Journal online edition. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB114685489622845129-search.html?KEYWORDS=carnival&COLLECTION=wsjie/6month

 

Apparently happening in January. They will drop Aruba on the Destiny itinerary and replace with St. Lucia and Antigua. Legend will also drop Barbados and Martinique. No mention if Barbados will still be on the Destiny cruise.

[GoinCruisin]

There were a few posts on that here yesterday... I didn't read it all, not sure if there were any reports on Barbados/Destiny in there or not.

[pholter]

The Destiny is not dropping Barbados or Dominica, just Aruba at this point. I'm fine with that cuz I didn't think Aruba was "all that" personally. I would, however, love to experience the beautiful beaches of St. Lucia. I was soooo tired having only 2 sea days after so many days/nights in port that I'm not sure I could handle only 1. Boy, what a cheap vacation though getting to see 6 different islands for a $799 balcony! :)

[klfrodo]

Glad to hear that the change is not taking place until January. I was looking forward to saying that I've been to Aruba.

 

Before anyone gets their panties in a bunch, I know that Carnival can change this at any time. If they do, so be it. I'll still have a great time.

[sunlover5]

Know what ya mean!!! Our balcony on the Empress Deck was 933.00 p.p. That includes all port charges and taxes!!!!!!! We are real pleased, plus got airfare for 351.00!!!!!! Excited about St.Lucia, never been. Not crazy about Antigua, but can always stay on and enjoy the ship or our balcony!!!!!!!!!!!!:D Plus we are going in Feb. and getting out of the Ohio Snow!!

[Beach4me]

Know what ya mean!!! Our balcony on the Empress Deck was 933.00 p.p. That includes all port charges and taxes!!!!!!! We are real pleased, plus got airfare for 351.00!!!!!! Excited about St.Lucia, never been. Not crazy about Antigua, but can always stay on and enjoy the ship or our balcony!!!!!!!!!!!!:D Plus we are going in Feb. and getting out of the Ohio Snow!!

 

Just curious, sunlover5, if you've been to Antigua (and from your post, I'm assuming you have), what have you done there? I, personally, LOVE Antigua. It's always a toss up as to whether to take the day and go to Pineapple Beach Resort (EXCELLENT) or take 1/2 day at Runaway Bay and 1/2 day grabbing lunch at the Big Banana Trading Company and shopping the side streets. My absolute favorite goldsmith in all of the Caribbean is in Antigua...just a few door down from Big Banana, in fact.

 

If I had my way, the ship would just go back and forth between Antigua and Tortola. Both have the advantage of not having more than a couple ships in port at the same time (most of the time, only one!) and not being as congested as the other islands.

 

If you've been to a bad beach or had a bad excursion in Antigua, please let me know which one as I want to avoid it on my future trips there. I don't want to spoil my one of my favorite places by having a bad experience there. Thanks!

[Beach4me]

btw - St Lucia is wonderful, too. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

[Kudos2Fly]

Thats good to hear. I wasn't impressed with Aruba. Although I could have stayed all day in Dominica and had a blast.

[derf5585]

They will drop Aruba on the Destiny itinerary and replace with St. Lucia and Antigua.

 

Do you think it may have something to do with the Holloway case?

[Wennfred]

I hope someone keeps Aruba, I still need to do some Diving there, I didnt care for Barbados and Martinique, those they can change.

[caribbean dreams]

Do you think it may have something to do with the Holloway case?

 

NO, it was nothing to do with the Holloway case, it has to do with Carnival saving on fuel costs, Aruba is 450 miles out of the way, so they chose to drop it for now and change the Itenerary to ports closer.

They anounced also that some ships will be in port less hours so they can cruise slower to the next port which will also save on fuel.

[carol TC]

was wondering if St. Lucia and Antiga are tender ports or do you dock. Iwas also booked for April 2007 and just got the change. I hope its not tendering. Thanks

[zydecocruiser]

I hope someone keeps Aruba, I still need to do some Diving there, I didnt care for Barbados and Martinique, those they can change.

 

Royal Caribbean, occasionally Princess, Holland America, Celebrity...

[Cruisinbunnies]

was wondering if St. Lucia and Antiga are tender ports or do you dock. Iwas also booked for April 2007 and just got the change. I hope its not tendering. Thanks

 

AFAIK, St Lucia is Tender and Antigua is Dock.

 

Both great islands for different reasons.

[Beach4me]

AFAIK, St Lucia is Tender and Antigua is Dock. Both great islands for different reasons.

 

Don't know specifically about the Destiny, but the ships I've been on - including Carnival ships - have always docked in St. Lucia. They have a built a large cruise dock so perhaps the Destiny will dock rather than tender (?).

[jenn_saxon]

What!! I loved Aruba! It's one of my favorites and I have been to quite a few ports. I've never been to Antigua though, I'm sure it's lovely. I'm just sad to hear Carinval lovers will no longer be able to experience Aruba. I thought it had the best beach yet. Since it is so close to South America it had a different feel, different from the caribbean (which is great as well)

[chattiepatty]

hi derf.. i just read in our local morning paper this morning that carnival was changing the ports because of the gas prices.... they will save 450 miles by taking aruba off the itenary....the albany times union is the paper... chattie patty

[derf5585]

hi derf.. i just read in our local morning paper this morning that carnival was changing the ports because of the gas prices.... they will save 450 miles by taking aruba off the itenary....the albany times union is the paper... chattie patty

 

That's what THEY want you to believe.

I can't handle the truth.

[tumeroll]

Reported in Wall Street Journal online edition. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB114685489622845129-search.html?KEYWORDS=carnival&COLLECTION=wsjie/6month

 

Apparently happening in January. They will drop Aruba on the Destiny itinerary and replace with St. Lucia and Antigua. Legend will also drop Barbados and Martinique. No mention if Barbados will still be on the Destiny cruise.

 

You will love St Lucia. Loads of unemployed youg men haging around the dock entrance. Walked downtown last year in St lucia and immediately turned around and returned to ship. Hostile environment. No one smiles and many looking for a hand out. Enjoy>

[deeolasingh]

Im with ya Im going in Feb for two reasons my birthday and the the snow... And with ya again about Antigua beautiful island but the some of the locals S***... I think I will also make that a ship day with DH the rest of our party has never been there so they can go out and venture Antigua..

 

Know what ya mean!!! Our balcony on the Empress Deck was 933.00 p.p. That includes all port charges and taxes!!!!!!! We are real pleased, plus got airfare for 351.00!!!!!! Excited about St.Lucia, never been. Not crazy about Antigua, but can always stay on and enjoy the ship or our balcony!!!!!!!!!!!!:D Plus we are going in Feb. and getting out of the Ohio Snow!!

[caribbean dreams]

I hope someone keeps Aruba, I still need to do some Diving there, I didnt care for Barbados and Martinique, those they can change.

 

I'm with you Wennfred, i enjoy Aruba and its people, Barbados should have been the one to go.

[mared1]

I am disappointed about dropping Aruba and only having 1 sea day on the Destiny. Think we will go on AOS.

Also not happy with their dropping Barbados and Martinque - these were 2 of our favorite ports - at least we have been to them.

It will be interesting to see what ports Carnival replaces those 2 with.

[Beach4me]

You will love St Lucia. Loads of unemployed youg men haging around the dock entrance. Walked downtown last year in St lucia and immediately turned around and returned to ship. Hostile environment. No one smiles and many looking for a hand out. Enjoy>

 

That's what I like about these boards - hearing others' experiences. I've been there twice in recent years and have not experienced this at all. If I had, I would stay on board, too. (Like I do in Jamaica because of personal experience there.)

 

I've enjoyed St Lucia, though, and have had great experiences there. It reminds me a lot of Bora Bora from a landscape and beach perspective. I haven't spent a lot of time in Castries (where the ship docks) because I enjoy the Soufriere area so much. A boat ride to that side of the island - with the Pitons in the distance - absolutely gorgeous. I've been to two different beaches in the Pitons area and it was incredible how much it felt like Bora Bora (and a heckuva lot easier to get to! :) ).

 

But rest assured, if I run into the situation you describe, it will move down on my list of favorite ports to visit.

 

fyi - The unemployment rate in St Lucia is indeed about twice that of rates in the US Virgin Islands, Aruba, and Antigua.