Brand new Carnival Cruiser!

[J-Hawk]

Have been cruising on Royal Caribbean and am increasingly underwhelmed with all of their cutbacks. I just booked the Valor on January 17th and am so excited! Looking for comments on what we will be wowed with on Carnival!

[habby]

Wish I could tell you what to expect differently from Carnival than what you've experienced with Royal, but I can't. I can tell you that we've been more than satisfied with the product that Carnival offers. We've liked some cabin stewards, waitstaff, bar staff and entertainers more than others, but that's just personal preference.

 

Have a great cruise!!

[MzOhioLady]

I've been on the Valor twice and I love that ship! Make sure you go to the Supper Club, Scarlett's, its a great dining experience!

[InHeavenOnEarth4]

I've cruised two times - once with RC and once with Carnival.

 

While on the RC, hardly any staff greeted us. I saw staff in the dining areas grumbling, rolling their eyes, and looking bored. I didn't care for the food on RC either and barely ate all week.

 

While on Carnival, every staff memeber we walked by greeted us with a smile. The staff seemed happy and enjoying their jobs. I think I gained 10 pounds while on the Triumph, lol. The food was excellent!

 

So to sum it up, I really prefer Carnival - not only is Carnival 'cheaper', the service is MUCH better IMO. I will only be doing Carnival from now on!

 

Enjoy your cruise! :D

[travelntreats]

Not knowing what ships you have sailed with Royal Carribean makes it difficult to say how WOW'ed you will be. If you liked the Rock climbing walls, Royal Promenade, Ice Skating Rink, Flow Rider, pool tables, etc.... you are setting yourself up for a lesser WOW factor (if that is what actually WOW'ed you !). Service can be hit or miss on any cruiseline, but I have found that service, entertainment and food on CCL is much more consistent (in a positive way) than on Royal Caribbean in general.

 

Have a great time on your upcoming cruise.

[J-Hawk]

I've cruised two times - once with RC and once with Carnival.

 

While on the RC, hardly any staff greeted us. I saw staff in the dining areas grumbling, rolling their eyes, and looking bored. I didn't care for the food on RC either and barely ate all week.

 

While on Carnival, every staff memeber we walked by greeted us with a smile. The staff seemed happy and enjoying their jobs. I think I gained 10 pounds while on the Triumph, lol. The food was excellent!

 

So to sum it up, I really prefer Carnival - not only is Carnival 'cheaper', the service is MUCH better IMO. I will only be doing Carnival from now on!

 

Enjoy your cruise! :D

 

 

Wow, what an endorsement! I see that you were on the Mariner, which was my favorite Royal Caribbean ship! I am worried about the food, though. I do not particularly like the Royal Caribbean food, and still overate! What if I really like the Carnival food? I guess that it is extra laps around the track for me in the mornings!

[J-Hawk]

Not knowing what ships you have sailed with Royal Carribean makes it difficult to say how WOW'ed you will be. If you liked the Rock climbing walls, Royal Promenade, Ice Skating Rink, Flow Rider, pool tables, etc.... you are setting yourself up for a lesser WOW factor (if that is what actually WOW'ed you !). Service can be hit or miss on any cruiseline, but I have found that service, entertainment and food on CCL is much more consistent (in a positive way) than on Royal Caribbean in general.

 

Have a great time on your upcoming cruise.

 

 

I have been on ships with the Flowrider, etc. While those options are fun, we spend very little time using them. I think that my kids will love the slide! I also am hopeful for some live music...there is very little on Royal and none poolside like at sail-away.

[firefly333]

I think you wouldnt be wowed with Carnival ships, they just dont have wow factor. Iv had service issues the last two times on Conquest, couldnt get my cabin cleaned, even after 3 nights talking to my cabin steward. Underwhelmed with the level of service on Conquest ... on the other hand Ecstasy is more like the RCL I know and love, great friendly service.... so it seems to be hit or miss on any cruiseline. Others said they had great service on Conquest ... but hasnt been my experience. I had trouble getting the cabin steward to not only clean, but to get us more than 2 hangers and to get us a 2nd pillow... as if he didnt know how to make up the bed, told ME to go look in the storage in the cabin, always had a excuse... so dont expect perfection.

 

We have had great waiters and dinner companions on Carnival, they excelled at this each time. We werent as happy with our dinner companions on RCL last time, but thought the food was improved.

[firefly333]

I have been on ships with the Flowrider, etc. While those options are fun, we spend very little time using them. I think that my kids will love the slide! I also am hopeful for some live music...there is very little on Royal and none poolside like at sail-away.

 

If you cruise with a ship with a big screen, you are in luck. In fact they blasted it so loud we couldnt even talk. They put the bands up on the big screen with the new speakers blasting it way too loud ....we had to leave, couldnt stand the music that loud. Im just not a fan of Conquest I guess, too many things I didnt like. ... and each time it seems to get worse.

 

Ecstasy people rave about the friendly staff, so its not all ships, but you can hit friendly people on any cruise or not.

 

Im going to be on Conquest B2B in about a week ... so hopefully they got the kinks out of the system with the new big screen. ... Dining rooms are pretty, but no wow factor, but you arent buying real estate, just take it as a cruise and the good with the bad.

[ilionite65]

If you're sailing on Carnival because of the cut backs on RCCL, guess what! Carnival has had cut backs too, as have all the cruise lines, I have sailed both lines and will say up front that I prefer Royal. I have never had bad service with Royal, or with Carnival. I choose to stay with Royal since their loyality program is better than Carnivals. I personally do not like the Carnival decor, but that is a matter of taste. Also a matter of taste is the food.....on both lines, some good, some not so good.Enjoy your cruise on Carnival, I don't think you'll be wowed by anything, since you have cruised in the past.

[LHP]

I have only sailed Carnival....so I have no comparisons for you.

 

I do caution folks who have sailed Carnival a lot and then sailed RCCL one time not to form an option about an entire cruise line by one sailing.

 

The RCCL ship could have just been having an off week...it happens.

 

We have not sailed RCCL yet because we have a son with Autism who is comfortable on Carnival. But I would love to sail them all before my final debarkation.

 

From what I have read, I believe you will find both things you like better than RCCL and things you do not like as well.

 

But what I can say with confidence is that 100% of the time, we have gotten our money's worth!

 

I hope you have a wonderful cruise not matter which cruise line it is!!!

[ilionite65]

J hawk, I don't know what sail aways you were on but every ship I've been on, which is most of them, had music at the pool for sail away!

[sharecruises]

Valor is really a great ship, great service, very friendly staff, good food and they do a super job at tendering at Grand Cayman and Belize

 

I have never been on RCI cause I just can't see spending more for things I know I won't use

 

plus we have Johnny Rockets here in South Florida...we have rockclimbing wall places..and I never use them

 

Carnival allows you each to bring on a bottle of wine...and ...looks the other way you might say, about bringing on some booze in plastic bottles in your checked luggage

from what I understand Royal and NCL are really really strict about this

 

Carnival has a lot of nice extras that I use rather than a rock wall : like the 24 hour coffee, tea, lemonade, ice tea...the free cappachino or expresso with dinner

 

The cabins are said to be larger on Carnival and really the food is very good

try the Fish and Chips on Valor...I loved the bouillbaise and the "tuna tartar on watermelon"...

the Reuben sandwiches at the deli are fantastic...

self serve soft ice cream 24/7, pizza ..yum

 

You are gonna love it I bet :)

[InHeavenOnEarth4]

Wow, what an endorsement! I see that you were on the Mariner, which was my favorite Royal Caribbean ship! I am worried about the food, though. I do not particularly like the Royal Caribbean food, and still overate! What if I really like the Carnival food? I guess that it is extra laps around the track for me in the mornings!

 

 

haha Luckily exercising on a cruise ship is always more fun that doing it at home for some reason! ;)

 

I think the main problem for me was that on the Mariner they had 'fancier' foods and desserts (which my hubby loved), but I'm more of a "simple is better" person.

 

As someone else mentioned, maybe I just got a bad week on the Mariner, but sadly it turned me off from RC.

 

But on the bright side, I don't have much money so going with Carnival is a smarter move anyway! lol

[InHeavenOnEarth4]

Valor is really a great ship, great service, very friendly staff, good food and they do a super job at tendering at Grand Cayman and Belize

 

I have never been on RCI cause I just can't see spending more for things I know I won't use

 

plus we have Johnny Rockets here in South Florida...we have rockclimbing wall places..and I never use them

 

Carnival allows you each to bring on a bottle of wine...and ...looks the other way you might say, about bringing on some booze in plastic bottles in your checked luggage

from what I understand Royal and NCL are really really strict about this

 

Carnival has a lot of nice extras that I use rather than a rock wall : like the 24 hour coffee, tea, lemonade, ice tea...the free cappachino or expresso with dinner

 

The cabins are said to be larger on Carnival and really the food is very good

try the Fish and Chips on Valor...I loved the bouillbaise and the "tuna tartar on watermelon"...

the Reuben sandwiches at the deli are fantastic...

self serve soft ice cream 24/7, pizza ..yum

 

You are gonna love it I bet :)

 

 

Yum ice cream!!!!!!!!!

[J-Hawk]

I am really looking forward to 24 hour soft serve, fish and chips, the reubens, the water slide, larger cabins and a different ship (all of Royal Caribbeans - at least the larger ones - are pretty much the same). What about the sushi bar? Is it any good?

[InHeavenOnEarth4]

I am really looking forward to 24 hour soft serve, fish and chips, the reubens, the water slide, larger cabins and a different ship (all of Royal Caribbeans - at least the larger ones - are pretty much the same). What about the sushi bar? Is it any good?

 

 

My hubby LOVED it! And went back and back and back....

[Heirloom]

Our 5th CCL cruise coming up TOMORROW !

 

Last one was about 5 months ago......and first was in '05 I think.

 

I must be a "duh" individual........but honestly can't understand what "cutbacks" others mention have been implemented. It seems the same to me ! Good cabins, food, ship.......but MOST important, tremendous crew that each and every cruise made us feel important ! And satisfied !

 

Best vacation deal anywhere.......a balcony cabin on Carnival......woops, I'd better get back to ironing clothes and PACKING ! Yikes !