It is now official. Carnival is no longer a four-letter word in the cruise industry. At least, not with the customers, the people who count the most.
Last Friday, the sometimes-beleaguered cruise line reported record sales figures. It was the biggest month in Carnival's history for "net bookings" — new reservations minus cancellations. The figure, 565,000-plus, was 17 per cent higher than the previous January.
Before you say that's like comparing apples and tomatoes because the engine-room fire on the Triumph took Carnival's rankings to a new low, the incident wasn't until February.
So Carnival's 23 ships appear to have completed the comeback…from the Triumph, from the generator-room fire on the Splendor…from the generator failure on the Dream that shortened a cruise…from the propulsion-pod problem on the Legend that sent it home at reduced speed…even from the horrid disaster of the Costa Concordia, which was linked to Carnival because Costa is a member of the corporate family.
So no matter what the pundits say, no matter what network news reports about a string of Carnival incidents in particular and about cruising in general, the people who cruise aren't buying it.
Instead, they're buying cruises. Carnival cruises.
Cunard Queen Elizabeth
7 nights
November 28, 2014
Venice, Korcula, Valletta, Messina, Naples, Rome
Inside: $986
Cost per day: $140
www.cunard.com