Is Carnival Cruise lines just having a bad couple of years, or do they just suck?

[randomness]

The news about the Carnival Triumph and its recent troubles got me to looking into the line's recent record:

• On November 8, 2010, a fire broke out in the generator room of the Carnival Splendor and the ship lost most power.


• On January 13, 2012, the Costa Concordia, operated by a Carnival subsidiary, ran aground off Isola del Giglio, Tuscany. The ship capsized and partially sank, killing 32 people.


• In March 2012, the Costa Allegra, owned by Carnival Cruise Lines' Costa Cruises subsidiary, suffered an engine room fire and went adrift in the Indian Ocean.


• In February 2013, the Carnival Triumph, with 3,143 passengers aboard, suffered an engine room fire, leaving the ship adrift for days in the Gulf of Mexico.

Is this number of incidents normal for cruise lines? Is Carnival Cruise lines known to be more accident prone than other lines? They do have a large fleet, so I suppose it could just be random chance, but it doesn't seem like a good record.

I don't know the first thing about cruise lines and their reputations, so I'm asking.

Comments

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

I was hoping you'd come in on this.

The funny thing is that for many years I'd thought about taking one of Cunard's Transatlantic Crossings. It's funny because they, like so many other lines, are owned by the colossus that is Carnival.

I'm guessing that the management structure is sufficiently compartmentalized that the brands are very differently administered so that the customer experience is quite different. At least, I sure hope so.

[gee-tar.livejournal.com]

Your supposition isn't wrong. When Carnival Corporation went around devouring its rivals, the upper management decided there was value in trying to keep its brands distinct. Many people don't realize that Holland America, Cunard, Princess, etc. are actually part of the larger conglomerate as it tries very hard to give them different public images. The problem with the original Carnival brand and Costa is that they were never well run to begin with and, sure enough, they've remained true to their heritage.

That said, I've been cruising for long enough that I've noticed some cost cutting even in its subsidiaries. The Holland America of today isn't quite as elegant as the Holland America before it was acquired. These are subtle things that wouldn't be noticed by a first time passenger, like a waiter managing 5 tables in the dining room instead of 3. But for the most part, they continue their own traditions.

I do highly recommend a transatlantic on the QM2. I've done it before and actually just made plans to do it again in May. It isn't really any more expensive than a flight and a lot more fun, even if it does take 6 days longer. But if you have the time, I say the experience is definitely worth it.

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

I'd definitely be interested in asking you about it either before or after your trip.

[orichalcum.livejournal.com]

I took the QEII across the Atlantic once and it was an awesome experience, and am looking for family-friendly cruises as well. I wonder if this week's a good time to buy...