Sarge6870

As I've said in previous posts, the failed cruise of the Carnival Triumph has had no effect on cruise bookings, just as the accident on the Costa Concordia hasn't. This was posted on the USAtoday website......... The stories of misery that emanated from the disabled Carnival Triumph this month don't seem to be having much impact on America's appetite for cruising. In a research report issued today, Wall Street analyst Tim Conder of Wells Fargo says the firm has detected no significant fallout on bookings from the widely publicized incident. "Consistent with historical precedent following other ship incidents, our industry checks indicate that at this point ... there has been no impact on experienced cruise customer bookings/pricing patterns, and ... very minimal evidence that bookings/pricing among first-time cruisers has been impacted for any brand with the exception of the Carnival brand, (and) this to a limited degree," Conder writes. Leading cruise-selling travel agencies also are reporting business-as-usual when it comes to cruise bookings. In a press conference in New York on Monday, the head of North America's largest travel agency group said cruise sales remain strong in the wake of the Carnival Triumph event. "We were all very concerned, but, as of today, our business remains up," industry watcher Cruise Week quotes John Lovell, the president of the 5,100-member Vacation.com travel agency group, as saying. More evidence that the Carnival Triumph incident isn't having a major impact on bookings also came this week from Carnival rival Royal Caribbean, which said in a regulatory filing that its booking outlook had not changed since its fourth quarter conference call on Feb. 4. Longtime industry watcher Stewart Chiron, of CruiseGuy.com, says he isn't surprised by the lack of a bookings downturn. Would-be cruise customers generally view incidents such as the Carnival Triumph fire as outliers, he says. "People are confident that cruising is safe and recognize these are machines and they do break down," Chiron tells USA TODAY, adding that he, too, sees the Carnival Triumph incident as an aberration. "Passengers on Triumph were uncomfortable but safe ... I'm confident lessons will be learned on prevention and response." With bookings remaining strong, aggressive discounting of cruises in the coming months is unlikely, notes Conder. SOURCE: USAtoday

This was most unfortunate. As was the way the report was posted by the attorney. Here is the response I posted below the story on their site.... "My first question to you Mr. Walker would be if you have ever been on a cruise before? Because, if you have, you would know that it is VERY easy to bring alcohol aboard with you. I have eight out of the last eight times I have cruised. To automatically place the blame on Carnival and it's staff is misplaced and irresponsible prior to completion of the investigation.". I am aware that bringing alcohol aboard is against the lines regulations, but for most of the passengers that like a "DOD (Drink of the Day)", Cruise line prices are very high for alcohol. Just my opinion!

So great that on your B'day you could meet new friends including a Brother Firefighter!! Unfortunate about some of the mishaps like the specialty restaurant but you have the right frame of mind. I'm a little surprised that NCL had issues! Maybe it was a "Training" cruise with some new crew members getting broken in? Welcome home. BTW, my name is Tim too and I'm from L.I. (Bayshore and Coram)!! Gotta love the LIRR huh?

Welcome back!! First off, allow me to extend my sympathies to the passengers of the failed Carnival Triumph cruise. I sincerely hope that with time, you will take advantage of the discount you have received from Carnival and venture to the open seas once again. There has been enough coverage from the media and aboard the Cruisecrazies site so that's all I'm going to mention about the Triumph incident. Now that we have covered the most important aspect of your cruise planning, Finances, let’s discuss the variations in the different vessels and some of the most popular cruise destinations you may choose from. When choosing a cruise ship for your vacation, there are many variables that come into play including, YES, finances again. It seems that in most cases, the smaller vessels operated by lines such as Silversea, Seabourn and Costa just to name a few, seems to be a bit more expensive yet provide a quieter atmosphere and more of a personalized touch. The larger vessels, also known as “Mega-Liners” operated by lines such as Carnival, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean are more family friendly priced and offer more of a family type atmosphere where there is something for just about every age group. If you’re a couple planning an intimate and relaxed type atmosphere with very little hustle and bustle, a smaller vessel may be to your liking. Vessels that host in the range of 2000 passengers would most likely fit your needs. If you’re a couple or family that enjoys the party type atmosphere with activities around every corner then a cruise aboard a vessel in the 4000 to 6000 passenger range will keep you very busy. Just keep in mind that the larger vessels have much to offer. If you are planning a cruise on, let’s say, the Oasis of the Seas for 7 days of bliss, you may find that there is just not enough time within one week to discover all the ships amenities have to offer. Where to go! Hmm, this is more personal preference than anything. If you prefer the warmer climate type destinations, then cruising the Eastern (St. Marteen, St. Thomas, Nassau and Freeport), Western (Cozumel, Roatan and the Caymen Islands) or Southern Caribbean (Aruba, Curacao, and Granada) may be a direction to go. If you’re more interested in a colder climate, then an Alaska cruise may be in your future. All destinations offer their own enticing amenities such as snorkeling and scuba diving in the warmer climates in the Caribbean sailings and visits to small Alaskan towns and Glacier views in the colder regions. Your cruise agent can provide more insight on the regions you will be visiting on your cruise vacation. Here’s a commonly asked question, “Do I need a passport to go on a cruise”? The answer, Yes and No! The U.S. Department of Homeland Security states that if you are on a “Closed-Loop” cruise (a cruise that originates and returns to the same U.S. port) and are visiting what are considered U.S. possessions such as Puerto Rico, you do NOT need a passport. A certified (not a copy) of a U.S. State issued Certificate of Birth and a State issued type of photo I.D. is fine. The only catch here is even if you are cruising from and returning to the same port in the U.S. yet are visiting a foreign country such as Mexico or Bermuda, those countries DO require you have a Passport. My personal advice, GET A PASSPORT!! They are good for 10 years. Just be aware that it can take a couple to a few months to receive your Passport if it is your first time applying for one so plan well in advance of your cruise. Now, until my next BLOG entry, you may wish to go back and review my previous cruise planning steps easily just by clicking here... http://www.cruisecrazies.com/forums/blog/17-brilliance-of-the-seas-2013-uncut/. Till next time, may you have calm seas and beautiful sunsets.

I just wonder if Carnival is going to be just as accomodating to other lines when it comes to Mahogany Bay, Isla Roatan (Carnivals private beach they built)!

How about a cruise ship simulator Shon? You could set it as you like for different scenarios like bad seas, hurricanes, equipment malfunction and docking the ship in various ports. I'm not talking about a "cartoon" like simulator you could play on a PC but one more realistic like they use to train the ship captains? They could go as far as selling a package that has some training time and a contest near the end of the cruise and the winner would get OBC.

OH MY LET ME SIT DOWN!!!! FINALLY, a media post that reflects how there are so many in our Country that "need to get over themselves"!! I truly feel the majority of the Country has become a society of entitlement. I paid for this, so I am entitled to that regardless of what happens! If I don't get it, ALL of it, I'll sue!! And the story reflects what I have been saying here on the site. The media is and has been slanted. They concern themselves with profit reporting over proper reporting. Yes, this was a tragedy for the passengers of the ship. Their planned vacation was ruined and they feel they should receive restitution. AND THEY HAVE. More than a normal cruise insurance policy would provide. This type of situation could have happened with ANY vacation choice someone makes. It happened to me with Hurricane Felix in Aruba. And that wasn't on a cruise. Good post. Truthful reporting. I need a drink.....

Welcome home Glad you had a fab cruise. We are so looking forward to our first RCCL cruise in November. We have heard so much about RCCL, and the fact that it's a smaller ship makes the cruise that more inviting. Glad to have ya' home safely

We've been dealing with the Auto-Tipping policy on Carnival for years so when we sail on RCCL in November, it won't be much of a shock. Never had a reason to remove or reduce tips to any of the crew it goes to (although there was one time I should have).

AWWWW...Thank you Jan!!!!

Since no one seems to want it...can I have it? Just sayin'!!

Welcome back!!! Glad to hear you had a great time on the cruise. Were looking forward to the Brilliance because we wanted to go back to a smaller vessel. The Mega's were getting to be just to much for us.

LONDON!!! Now that's going out and getting an education Amy!! When we took Stephanie with us, we had a letter of temporary guardianship which would allow us to make decisions like medical if the case arose. Trust me when I say the LAST thing we want is bringing her mother along with us . Just found out that Shannon DOESN'T know about the cruise yet. It seems her confirmation is that month and my sis-in-law is waiting to see what the date is before she mentions it to her.

A couple things AR, Yes, Carnival did get a black eye from this incident and they know it. I have sailed on Carnival five times and nothing, NOTHING came close to this incident on any of the cruises and I would sail Carnival again. Insurance in this case would cover no more than Carnival is reimbursing their passengers with. Actually, Carnival is giving MORE to the passengers of this cruise than insurance would. You say "Carnival knew there were problems with the ship". The previous report of a generator issue, if that is what you are referring to, has not to this point been related to this occurrence. It has been reported by the U.S. Coast Guard PRELIMINARY inspection that it was related to a leak in a fuel line. Before we assume that it was an issue that "Carnival was aware of", let's wait for the actual findings.

What's Next? Transfers to other ships Upcoming vacations honored A ticket home (AND BACK!) for those whose contracts were about to expire (LOUD APPLAUSE!) Manning the ship during drydoc Sounds like I pretty much nailed it when I posted this as my reply to the previous post!!!

Welcome aboard Gene!!!!

Even though I didn't receive the email yet, I have to agree that this was an unfortunate incident aboard the vessel. I have sailed 5 times on Carnival ships and never regret nor second guess if I would sail with them again. If it wasn't for the fact that we had already booked with RCCL for our November cruise prior to this incident, and that we have not sailed RCCL yet and have always wanted to, we most likely would have booked a Carnival cruise EVEN after this occurrence. The unfortunate incident on the Triumph has not dampened our feelings that Carnival is a good cruise line.

Yes, we are on the Brilliance of the Seas from Tampa visiting Key West, Cozumel,Grand Caymen and Roatan.

Almost 10 years ago, we took our (then) 12 year old niece Stephanie as a third person in our cabin aboard the Carnival Pride. We did this because at the time, her parents were going through a nasty divorce. They were splitting up, selling the house and putting the girls in new schools, thus removing them from the friends they grew up with. We felt it was a good idea to get Steph away from this environment, if only for one week, to give her something to smile about. We made it clear that she MUST do her school work during the cruise, which she did. She had a blast and Uncle Timmy (that would be me) took her shopping in Cozumel and brought her EVERYTHING that she showed even the smallest interest in!! She returned to the ship looking like she just came back from Mardi Gras in New Orleans fully adorned with beads, hats and t-shirts!! Her biggest thrill was riding the glass lifts (elevators) in the Atrium. My wife hasn't let me live it down to this day saying I spoiled her! We are now considering taking our other niece, Stephs sister Shannon who is now also 12 years old, with us on our upcoming cruise aboard the Brilliance of the Seas in November. As when Steph cruised with us, this would take Shannon out of school for a week. We explained to her that up to the day of the cruise, she MUST keep her grades up and as with Stephs agreement, take and complete her studies onboard. Lisa, my sister-in-law is going to have a talk with her but Shannon is FULL throttle about going with us. Keep your fingers crossed for me. I would hate to see her not be able to go since she is so looking forward to it now.

Crazie will be joining Chrissy and I on the Brilliance of the Seas in November!!!

Welcome Aboard Country 11 days till the "Magic" huh? What's your itinerary? How many cruises ya been on.....feed us!!!!!

Well said Cruiseman...WELL said!!!

Bon Voyage Amy!!! May you have calm seas and tranquil winds for your cruise

The fire that crippled the Carnival cruise ship Triumph started with a leak in a fuel-oil return line connected to the ship's No. 6 generator, the U.S. Coast Guard said Monday. Leaking oil hit a hot surface, starting the fire, said Teresa Hatfield, the lead investigator for the Coast Guard. Hatfield said there was no indication the leak was intentional. Hatfield said the investigation will last for several months. The Coast Guard said it has conducted 21 interviews with passengers and crew members since last Thursday, when investigators boarded the ship while it was still at sea. Hatfield said the oil return line is one of the items that is routinely inspected, but she did not say when it was last inspected or describe its condition at that time. She praised the crew for doing a "very good job" containing the fire. The Triumph was on the third day of a planned four-day cruise from Galveston, Texas, to Mexico when the fire broke out and brought the trip to a halt. It was carrying more than 4,200 people, including 3,100 passengers. The Triumph was eventually towed into port in Mobile, Alabama, Thursday night, and the last passengers disembarked Friday. Source: CNN "You see, and all the negativity was directed at a generator that malfunctioned previously." says I !!