How long has Carnival owned Princess?

S

smize

Guest
I learned recently that Carnival bought Princess a few years ago. Did this change anything about Princess and the quaility of the cruise?
 
S

Snowblower

Guest
Carnival Corporation acquired Princess in April, 2003. They also own Carnival, Holland America, Cunard, Windstar, Costa, P&O, Seabourn and a couple of others I can't remember. I have sailed Princess before and after they were acquired and it seems they haven't made any major changes with how they operate or had a drop in quality since the purchase.
 
C

CaribbeanSun

Guest
I believe there has been a change in quality in the last couple of years with Princess -- I believe it is due to the industry changing and not being acquired by Carnival Corporation. Since 9-11, the cruising industry was forced to change to stay profitable.

Snowblower is correct in the date of April 2003 and that Carnival Corp owns many cruise lines.
 
L

Lisa

Guest
Also, Carnival TECHNICALLY does not own Princess.....they are a dual listed company on the stock excahnges, but essentially they are part of the Carnival "family" of companies. It would take someone with a degree in business and economics to explain the situation fully.
 
C

Cricket

Guest
I have been on Carnival quite a few times but not on the Princess line.Would I be considered a return passenger on the Princess since it is owned by Carnival?
 
N

nieciez

Guest
To answer your question Cricket, I was told no as the keep the lines seperate. I may have been told the wrong thing though.
 
S

Snowblower

Guest
Cricket,
Might just want to call both Carnival and Princess to find out. I have heard conflicting information both ways. The last it was discussed was with Princess personnel onboard a cruise over a year ago. We were told that any Holland America & Carnival cruise would count in captain's circle just like any Princess cruise. We would receive the benefits offered from the other cruise lines as if they were Princess and cruised multiple times with them. I have never bothered to follow up with customer services about this issue because we are not planning on cruising with Holland America or Carnival in the near future.

FYI, there is an entire thread on this Princess BB about Carnival, Princess and the Carnival Corporation. Carnival and the Carnival Corporation are two separate entities. Carnival Corporation owns Carnival and Princess (along with many others). The Carnival Corporation keeps the cruise entities separate from another.
 
K

kruznut

Guest
:wave We have cruised on Princess both before and after and have noticed no change or decline in quality of service. It is my understanding that each line under the umbrella of Carnival Corp. has been allowed to keep their own individuality. =bigwave =bigwave =bigwave
 
C

Cruise cutie

Guest
I'm with Helen on the quality..we have cruised with Princess both before and after the Carnival acquisition and noticed no change in how wonderful the entire cruise was...JMHO =twocents.....:)..Joanne
 
J

JohnG

Guest
More information on the Vacation Interchange Privileges Program is located at
<http://www.carnival.com/CMS/Static_Templates/Vacation_Interchange_Privileges.aspx>
and
<http://www.worldsleadingcruiselines.com/vip/>

For instance, Costa is currently offering Dec holiday sailings at bargain rates and to qualify you only need to have sailed on any of the VIP lines.
 
M

mfallone

Guest
If you have sailed on Carnival before, the only perk would be any sales that the World's Leading Cruise Line members might offer. For example, if Holland offered a special price for past guests, and you had sailed on Carnival (but not Holland) - you would qualify for the special price.

HOWEVER you are not considered a past guest, so would not be invited to the past guest party, or receive any past guest perks.

Carnival may be the parent company for Princess but Princess seems to resent it. On a recent cruise on the Diamond Princess, the cruise director one night made great poking jabs specifically at Carnival about its inferiority (to me, the cruise director poking fun at another cruise line is unprofessional and not funny - and I find him to be inferior.)

The following night the comedian entertainer produced a slide show comparing Carnival to Princess. The waitiers, the secruity, the food, the cabins, etc. IT went on and on and on. It would hav been funny if he had simply said "the Competition" - but instead, he specifically mentioned Carnival over and over and over again. I have gone on at least 6 different cruise lines and found them following their individual niche, to a degree - but it is unfair to say that things like security, cabins, food vary amongst the mainstream cruise lines, including Princess.

I have to say I have lost a huge amount of respect for Princess because of these - and other highly unprofessional things that occured on our cruise on the Diamond -things that I had never experienced before on the "cheap guys". Shame on Princess - they need to bring their noses out of the clouds, and start paying attention to the details. You can't say you're the best by words alone.

M. Fallone
 
M

mfallone

Guest
If you have sailed on Carnival before, the only perk would be any sales that the World's Leading Cruise Line members might offer. For example, if Holland offered a special price for past guests, and you had sailed on Carnival (but not Holland) - you would qualify for the special price.

HOWEVER you are not considered a past guest, so would not be invited to the past guest party, or receive any past guest perks.

Carnival may be the parent company for Princess but Princess seems to resent it. On a recent cruise on the Diamond Princess, the cruise director one night made great poking jabs specifically at Carnival about its inferiority (to me, the cruise director poking fun at another cruise line is unprofessional and not funny - and I find him to be inferior.)

The following night the comedian entertainer produced a slide show comparing Carnival to Princess. The waitiers, the secruity, the food, the cabins, etc. IT went on and on and on. It would hav been funny if he had simply said "the Competition" - but instead, he specifically mentioned Carnival over and over and over again. I have gone on at least 6 different cruise lines and found them following their individual niche, to a degree - but it is unfair to say that things like security, cabins, food vary amongst the mainstream cruise lines, including Princess.

I have to say I have lost a huge amount of respect for Princess because of these - and other highly unprofessional things that occured on our cruise on the Diamond -things that I had never experienced before on the "cheap guys". Shame on Princess - they need to bring their noses out of the clouds, and start paying attention to the details. You can't say you're the best by words alone.

M. Fallone
 
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