Fathom cruise prices vary widely

Posted on 13 October, 2015 by Spacejunkie2

P&O Adonia will change its name to Fathom Cruise.

Fathom released a full schedule of fares for its social-impact cruises in the Dominican Republic and Cuba, showing a variation depending on season and cabin category.

An inside cabin on an off-peak cruise to the Dominican Republic is priced at $974 for a seven-day voyage. A peak-season suite is priced at $4,468.

On a mid-May shoulder-season cruise for Fathom, prices range between $1,256 and $4,259 compared with a range of $809 to $2,059 for sister brand Carnival Cruise Line.

Fathom prices for Cuba have ranged higher than the Dominican Republic itineraries. The lead-in price of $1,800 for an interior cabin on an off-peak cruise compares to a suite during peak dates of $8,250. The suite price during off-peak dates is $7,350.

When Fathom was first announced, it released only a mid-point price for each cruise for the sake of simplicity, saying higher and lower cabin categories would be priced later.

Fathom cruises to the Dominican Republic in September are listed as off-peak, with cruises in June, July and mid-August listed as peak season. Late August, April and May are considered shoulder season.

In Cuba, peak season runs from May 29 to Aug. 7, with low season departures listed as Sept. 18 and Oct. 2.

Also, Fathom detailed the visa, port expenses and other extra charges not included in its fares. It said those charges will total $500 per person per voyage in Cuba and $200 for the Dominican Republic.

Carnival Fantasy to sail Mexico cruises from Alabama

Posted on 24 September, 2015 by Spacejunkie2

Carnival Fantasy to sail Mexico cruises from Alabama

Carnival Cruise Line will move the Carnival Fantasy to Mobile, Ala., for a year-long series of four- and five-night cruises to Mexico, starting November 2016.

The move cements Carnival’s return to Mobile, a drive-market port that it pioneered and then abandoned in 2011.

The Fantasy will depart Thursdays for Cozumel on four-night itineraries, and depart Mondays or Saturdays on five-night itineraries that will visit either Progreso or Costa Maya.

“Carnival Fantasy’s four- and five-day cruises from Mobile provide consumers with an affordable way to visit stunning Mexican ports from a convenient homeport while offering our valued travel agent partners an exciting new short vacation option to market to their clients,” said Christine Duffy, Carnival’s president.

If current itineraries hold, Carnival will have ships based in Galveston, New Orleans, Mobile and Tampa for the 2016-17 winter season.

Before it starts service from Mobile, the Fantasy will be renovated, getting new venues such as Guy’s Burger Joint, Blue Iguana Cantina, Red Frog Rum Bar and Blue Iguana Tequila Bar.

Carnival Corp. earns $1.21 billion in its third quarter

Posted on 23 September, 2015 by Spacejunkie2

Carnival Corp. said net income in its third quarter fell 2% from the same period a year earlier, from $1.24 billion to $1.21 billion. Revenue stayed roughly unchanged at $4.9 billion.

The quarter includes an unrealized loss on fuel derivatives of $137 million. On an adjusted basis, Carnival said it earned $1.4 billion, the highest quarterly amount in its history.

Carnival said net revenue yields, a measure of ticket price and occupancy, improved 5% from the same quarter in 2014.

“Clearly our ongoing investments in the guest experience, combined with our global marketing and public relations efforts along with our initiatives to leverage our scale, are having a positive impact,” Carnival Corp. CEO Arnold Donald said.