I assume it's a common platform and I have to wonder just how different the design will be between the three lines? It might just be an altered design of CARNIVAL DREAM which is basically an altered version of the Destiny/Conquest Class. If so, that would mean that Princess and P&O would be sailing essentially Carnival Cruise Lines hardware just like Costa does. It could also be a another Dream Class for Carnival and yet more Grand Classes for P&O and Princess. As much as I would love to see a brand new, from scratch design, I've learned not to expect this from Carnival. Most of their newbuilds are just retrenches of existing designs.

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Originally posted by Cunard Fan:
I thought someone said there would be no more Grand class ships?

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One can dream! Can I add no more Vista's to the wish list as well? I know, that really is living a pipe dream.

The Dream is not that bad looking, I could see her being adapted for Princess.

In terms of activities, "features", innovation etc I would place Carnival Dream on par with the Voyagers ????

If they are putting a common platform in place one would have thought that in order to maximise the cost savings and potential income (especially across so many brands with slightly differing requirements) that a bigger version of Dream would be required - something on par with the Freedom OTS size wise that they can maximise capacity but still pack it full of all the toys you will need for the next 10 years or so ? After all RCI don't have copyright on Ice Rinks etc - I just bet Carnival would be able to make them work more efficiently possibly more spectaculary and definately more profitably.

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Originally posted by Carlos Fernandez:
Thanks for the news Ernie. I'm wondering how a Princess Dream class ship would look like.

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Originally posted by mike sa:
In terms of activities, "features", innovation etc I would place Carnival Dream on par with the Voyagers ????

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I never understand where P&O's demand comes from.....
Can anyone who has cruised with them please explain to me what they have.

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Having sailed many times on a number of the mass cruise lines (Carnival, RCI, NCL, Ocean Village, defunct Festival, Princess) we always find ourselves leaning towards P&O based on consistency and value for money. We have enjoyed all the lines and would go back on any of them (except NCL).

We're a small family with one young child so our considerations are perhaps slightly different than some typical P&O'ers but P&O gives us.

• Free or good discounts on child places
• Free car parking in Southampton
• Generous onboard credit plus shareholder benefits
• Much lower tips (we were on Grand Princess Last week (excellent by the way) and a weeks tips were 220 US Dollars for all 3 of us for the week, P&O's guidelines work out at approx £50 per week and they don't expect children under 12 to pay.
• Portunus club benefits, discount on on board spend 5 - 10% depending on tier once you have sailed with them once.
• Good variety of ships to choose from, none are the same (yet!)
• Free shuttle busses, last week Princess charged 10 US Dollars per person return for ports like Lisbon and La Rochelle, this added $60 to our cost for the week.
• Reasonable drinks prices, especially at the moment with the weak pound
  

OK some of the discounts (OBC etc) can be gimmicks, you never get something for nothing and the bottom line is price including the bill at the end of the cruise but we still feel it is good value compared with some others.

They're not perfect, the food is sometimes unadventurous but we find it always hot and well cooked with consistent silver service and a decent formal experience.

We're trying MSC in July, we chose them based on favorable rates, we'll see if the saving was worth it!

Just my two penneth.

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Originally posted by Thad:
A future Dream Princess???

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Originally posted by sunviking82:
RCI's does the same thing (Voyager / Freedom?). Carnival just has more brands to spreadships out.

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No RCI doesn't, and that is the difference between the companies. RCCL actually spends the time and money to design unique ships for their main brands (Royal Caribbean and Celebrity). Carnival Corp. uses a common platform ship across brands regardless if the brands are marketed to different demographics.

I have no problem with a single brand having 10 clones. It's when those clones cross brands that I begin to have issues.

If you are going to use the same hardware for various brands, then why have different brands to begin with? I never understood this with GM (we see where they are now) and I don't understand it with Carnival Corp. You spend all this money to advertise various brands and attempt to differentiate them, then at the end of the day you are basically sailing on the same ship whether it's Costa, Carnival, Princess, P&O, HAL, Cunard, etc.

We all know why Carnival does this, because it's cheaper and they figure their customers don't know any better. For the most part they are right, especially when half of cruisers can't even remember the name of their ship.

For ship enthusiasts like myself, it's almost insulting.

I know you love RCI and pretty much hate Carnival Corp but be a little realistic here.

Our RCCL/Celebrity rep said to us when Freedom was introduced that it is just a stretched Voyager Class with some tweaks. "Just like Carnival has done." I agree that Carnival spreads them across many brands and I love the unique ships like the Island Princess and the old Song of America and Soviergn of the Seas, but RCI can't continue to design new ships and not use 8 or 10 copies and remain competitive. As RCI expands you will see more and more cloans too.

I wish that the lines had just a 5 or 6 ships and each was unique like in the 70's and 80's, but those days are gone, gone gone.

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Originally posted by Thad:
A future Dream Princess???

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Originally posted by eroller:

If you are going to use the same hardware for various brands, then why have different brands to begin with? I never understood this with GM (we see where they are now) and I don't understand it with Carnival Corp.

Ernie

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GM used to be alot better at hiding the fact that they were sharing platforms w/other divisions. Completely different bodies and interiors was the key ! There was no mistaking a Buick for a Cadillac or Pontiac. It was brilliant marketing in a very different era and Carnival seems to following GM's Alfred Sloans idea of: 'A different automobile for every purpose and pocket'

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Originally posted by eroller:
For ship enthusiasts like myself, it's almost insulting.

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Originally posted by Arison 59:
Ernie where did you get your info? Because ive searched and searched and havent found anything on this particular subject. Anyway I predict these ships (IF they are really on order.....) to be between 150,000 - 180,000 TONS.

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Welcome to CT Arison 59.

Here's the only news I've seen so far from yesterday, but we shall wait till today is over before we know if there are any orders. Sea Trade News