Destiny mostly locals?

[macruiser]

I have read a few posts that state their cruise on the Destiny was 90% locals (who booked with a very discounted rate) - I am wondering if this is true with all sailings or a select few that Carnival needed to fill rooms rather than have them empty. I am leaving on 4/9/06 and wondering what to expect?

[Heidi528]

I am not the voice of experience here, but I've never heard of it happening on any ship other than Destiny. With us it happened on a November cruise. I've heard others complain about it at different times of the year. Guess it's just the luck of the draw, if the ship is filling up or not.

I hope Carnival runs into the same problem - empty ship - when they start their NYC runs this fall. I can be at the pier in an hour if needed...

[Deege2424]

I hear talk of this local stuff. I have sailed 7 times and never noticed this. I live in and have sailed out of NY and I didn't get a discount. The cruise itself actually cost me more to leave out of my home town, that's why they ask where you live. They know that you dont have to pay airfare from your own home town if the ship sails from there so the cost of the cruise is higher. Just check it for yourself if a cruise leaves from you home town, the cost will basically be the same as if you cruise from Fl. or PR. and had to pay airfare. And if the locals decide to have a family reunion or a group cruise is that not allowed, they are not locals they are cruisers. Lets just cruise and enjoy it, because a cruise is what you make it, lets not start it off on the wrong foot. I don't think Carnival advertise on the evening to the locals that the cruise didnt sell out so they can sail for 10 dollars, If the locals (as you'll call them) checked they apparently they wanted to cruise, and if they can cruise for 10 bucks or 200 bucks or whatever, I only envy them, even though I dont believe it's true. Have a safe cruise all.

Deege

[Heidi528]

Deege, it is true. It does happen on the Destiny. I was part of a group on that particular trip. There were approximately 1900 locals who paid anywhere from $79 (plus port charges) to $300 per person, depending on who you asked. The cruise was so bad that Carnival gave each of us a 15% discount voucher for a future cruise.

I chose not to travel Carnival again; at least not since then. I may in the future. I never used my 15% coupon, which has since expired.

Of course NYC doesn't offer discounts - there's a large population to sell to to begin with. San Juan is a different story. It's not as easy to get there on short notice for the rest of us.

We talked with some polite "locals" on that trip. Their reasoning for taking the trip was 'why not? cheaper than buying food for the week!" They also know that if they want to cruise they can, at a fraction of the price the rest of us pay. Having a large local population is not a problem in itself. What creates the problem is that many of these people do not follow the same rules of etiquette the rest of us adhere to. Nor do they expect their children to. There was unbelievable pushing and shoving in food lines. One 'local' would hold a place in line and let any other 'local' cut in front of them. A large group of children roamed the halls at night, banging things and banging on doors. The kids pushed non 'local' kids in hallways, pools, etc. We heard horror stories. People who couldn't find their luggage the first night suddenly discovering it later on outside of another door, opened and ransacked. Staff talking about 'locals' hoarding food in their cabins. The staff complained quite a bit when we talked to them, yet were powerless to do anything. If you've never been awakened in the middle of the night by banging on your cabin door, only to find a laughing group of 'local' teens and children beating plates with silverware outside of it and singing you can't understand what I'm talking about.

That being said, I'm hoping that the situation has been resolved and that Carnival has learned from thousands of complaints to stop the 'locals' policy.

[Cruise Fanatic]

Spring Break time is high season with the cruise lines. They usually don't have any problem filling the ships. The cruise line does not ask you if you are a resident to raise the price. Many times they offer a resident discount for certain sailings. When they have residents specials it will include many states, not just one or two. New York is seasonal for Carnival. Therefore; it is very popular for all those that are within driving distance. When sailings are this popular you will not see as many specials offered because they are filling the ship according to their time line expectancy.