Is there such a thing as being "CARNIVALED" out?

[TortieGal]

I wouldn't say I'm "Carnivaled Out" so much as cruised out. I did 4 last year and that was too many for me. Before discovering cruising, I was always doing a land trip somewhere - wolf watching in Yellowstone, 2 weeks in Greece, London. I kind of miss doing those trips since I went cruise crazy. :o

 

I do think I am "Carnival Itineraryed Out". I would love to do the Magic for Europe but when I saw the itineraries of other lines, it took away any desire for me to even consider doing Magic in Europe.

 

Fortunately, next week's Victory sailing will be 4 new ports and our Miracle sailing will be 3 new ones. After that, I could be in trouble. :)

[dclark]

 

Fortunately, next week's Victory sailing will be 4 new ports and our Miracle sailing will be 3 new ones. After that, I could be in trouble. :)

 

I have been looking at that cruise too. The itenery is a new cruisers' nightmare, but an experienced cruisers dream. Each day, a different port, and the only two that we've all been on (St. Thomas and St. Martin) are still good stops. The ship becomes more of a floating hotel to take you from island to island and no having to put up with crowded sea days.

We were on the Victory six years ago and found it it one of the prettiest CCL ships as well.

[Kurbanfan]

Yep......that is why we switch it up with other cruislines........variety is the spice of life;)

[T. Advisor King]

I agree with the posters who seem to be saying that there isn't much of a difference between being "Carnivaled out" and being "cruised out". If you are tiring of Carnival, it is unlikely that you'll be particularly inspired by any other mass-market cruise line.

 

I think there are two schools of thought about vacations. Some people are looking more for adventure and others are looking more for comfort. The first cruise you take is always an adventure because you just can't know what to expect. Subsequent cruises could continue to be adventures, if you take different lines and wildly different itineraries (e.g., small ship European river cruise). People who stick with the same line and/or same general itinerary and enjoy it are more likely to want vacations that provide the comfort, ease and familiarity that a cruise offers.

 

I have to say that I'm more on the "adventure" side, so I will always insert my cruises sparingly in between my more frequent, regular-vacations. It's not that I'd "hate" taking 8 cruises in five years, I'd just rather do other things than spend 100% of my vacation time on cruises.

[glrounds]

Yes, I think its very possible.

After 17 Carnival cruises I'm definitely "cruised out". The SPLENDOR was such a disappointment, I'm not even the least bit interested in the DREAM, much less the MAGIC. Its probably the same oh, same oh so typical of every Carnival cruise it now seems.

The dumbing down of the passengers in order to keep the ships sailing full, going to "Elegant" night because some don't like the word "Formal", no Cherries Jubilee or Baked Alaskan anymore, somehow replaced with waiters doing their Dog'n'Pony show on the food stands, the colors competition hooting and hollering, the same repetitious jokes by CDs with questionable talent, the slow decline of the Carnival dancers with an overweight female lead singer that can neither dance or sing. Constant, at times earsplitting, announcements inviting the sheep to art auctions and shore shopping excursions. Disco music has gone from great rock songs of the 70s and 80s to no talent gangster poets set to some background tune that keeps repeating.

I'm sorry, I'm just venting.:(

I'll probably spend more time with my truck club. Really enjoyed the run to Kerrville last year. Thinking about the Colorado run this year and the Flagstaff run next year with a flurry of 3 and 4 day truck cruises in between all of them. Certainly not cheaper, but a lot of fun.

I love Carnival and, I know, change is inevitable and actually usually quite desirable. When I return to cruisin' it'll probably be time to change cruiselines. If I return to Carnival it'll be on SPIRIT class ship and I'll probably spend all my time on deck reading books with earplugs, and take my meals in the buffet.:rolleyes:

[jessemon]

I got Carnivaled out...Did a short HAL cruise this spring. It is still a cruise but different. I can open a menu and not know what is on the menu every night before opened it. Next year in the spring I plan to wait to get a drop dead last minute price on almost any line just for a change along with the couple I'll do on Carnival.

Also thinking of doing an AI in the BVI's. During the day using the ferry system for going from one island to another for exploring.....

[kelz66]

yes....it's good to change things up.

 

I do not understand this whole deal with feeling guilty about trying other lines or other things.

 

Mix things up....live a little.....LOL

 

:D

[pe4all]

We thought we were "Carnivaled out" - but the day after we got home from an AI Christmas trip, we booked CCL for next Christmas. Found we really, really missed being on a cruise.

[DreadPirateRobert]

As much as I enjoy Carnival I would have no problem switching to another line as long as it met my needs. I would not feel a second's worth of guilt. Why should you?

We don't do many of the "Carnival activities" so I don't feel a Carnival burnout.

[Crystalbast]

Yes and I still have three cruises booked. I am ready to go back to land travel in order to explore Central and South America. I am seriously considering retiring to Costa Rica someday and want to start spending some time there at different times of the year to determine if it would be a good fit.

[grandmallie]

this upcoming cruise, though its not until November will be my 4th, DH 3rd. We haven't cruised since 2008,I cruised in 93 on the S.S.Norway, and that was a huge ship, and that was old school,they dont do it like that anymore.the first one with the hubby was RCCL and we had a ball,upgraded to a balcony, beautiful ship, wonderful time.That being said, we paid a pretty penny for that one Carnival for the price is the best value.I would love to try RCCL again or any other line, but it comes down to price for us.We could cruise out of N.Y., but it doesnt have the Itinerary that we enjoy,although I might try a New England one in the summer:)

I wish I had the time and finances to cruise like some of you lucky ones do, but alas there are bills to pay, mortgages to pay.:rolleyes:

so for you frequent cruisers !!!!!!! Have at it and have a few DOD for me will ya?

[NavarreCruiser]

As we prepare for our upcoming 12th Carnival cruise a few months from now, I'm finding myself feeling quite different from previous times.

 

I'm excited about the idea of cruising, being at sea, and enjoying some days of relaxation, but as much as I've enjoyed my past Carnival cruises, I'm somewhat not feeling excited about sailing specifically on Carnival once again. :eek: For the record, Carnival has been VERY good to us, and we have nothing but great memories.

 

 

 

So,

• Is there such a thing as being "Carnivaled" out?
  
• Has anybody felt what I'm feeling?
  
• Is there a cure?
  
• Have you "strayed" from Carnival only to come back begging for forgiveness? (P.S. We're planning our first NON-Carnival cruise in 6 years for 2011. Wonder how that will go...)
  

 

 

In 18 days we embark on our 21st Carnival cruise. (First was May 2005) with 3 more scheduled for the fall. My DW,Lynda, would spend 52 weeks a year on Carnival if she could. When she is happy I am happy, but if she was not such a fanatic we would cruise less.

[rickcop44]

I was feeling a bit "Carnivaled Out" following our 8th straight Carnival cruise in 2008. So in 2009, we cruised on a different, albeit familar cruiseline. It didn't feel the same. So for 2010, we booked our February cruise on Victory. It didn't feel the same. I finally concluded it isn't so much being "Carnivaled Out" as it is feeling a bit "Cruised Out." At present, we are planning on skipping a year in 2011 and seeing if that old feeling comes back. I hope it does, but what the hey. What happens, happens. Or as they say down under, "No worries, mate!"

[bluejeans]

Absolutely,,,,the one in May will be my last cruise for a while. It's not Carnival, just cruising itself. Too many other things I want to see and do that doesn't involve cruising. And I am happy with my decision, and probably will come back to cruising, but for the next few years, I will be doing land vacays.

[wentworth]

I wouldn't say I'm "Carnivaled Out" so much as cruised out. I did 4 last year and that was too many for me. Before discovering cruising, I was always doing a land trip somewhere - wolf watching in Yellowstone, 2 weeks in Greece, London. I kind of miss doing those trips since I went cruise crazy. :o

 

I do think I am "Carnival Itineraryed Out". I would love to do the Magic for Europe but when I saw the itineraries of other lines, it took away any desire for me to even consider doing Magic in Europe.

 

Fortunately, next week's Victory sailing will be 4 new ports and our Miracle sailing will be 3 new ones. After that, I could be in trouble. :)

 

 

I agree, it's not so much being "carnivaled out" but I wish they would

pick up a few different islands in the Carribbean. We can only take a

week at a time and only like to cruise Feb/March. Things are changing

on Carnival but we're not ready to switch yet. May skip a year to see

if they come up with something different.

[jordanaire]

As we prepare for our upcoming 12th Carnival cruise a few months from now, I'm finding myself feeling quite different from previous times.

 

I'm excited about the idea of cruising, being at sea, and enjoying some days of relaxation, but as much as I've enjoyed my past Carnival cruises, I'm somewhat not feeling excited about sailing specifically on Carnival once again. :eek: For the record, Carnival has been VERY good to us, and we have nothing but great memories.

 

So,

• Is there such a thing as being "Carnivaled" out?
  
• Has anybody felt what I'm feeling?
  
• Is there a cure?
  
• Have you "strayed" from Carnival only to come back begging for forgiveness? (P.S. We're planning our first NON-Carnival cruise in 6 years for 2011. Wonder how that will go...)
  

 

NOPE!!! No way would we ever get tired of sailing with Carnival! We've tried another cruise line (as you can see in my signature) and had a great time. But the small differences weren't worth the extra money to us. Besides, Carnival has treated us so good, how could we leave them?

 

:cool:Bill

[richfret]

We are booked for our 14th cruise and we limit cruises to once a year. Yes, some of the spark is gone and maybe the sight of the atrium does not surprise me as much as it use to. I still get very excited, however, when we break the 100 day barrier and I become a basket case and am on the computer all the time getting updated for the cruise.

 

I think Carnival should review some of the posts here because they do bring up some points that could be considered. Once you cruise 3 or 4 times on the same ship, the shows do seem a bit repetitious. The hairy chest contest needs to be put to bed. Horse racing should be replaced even though they tried to change it a bit with a contest to best dress the horses. The Shoppers show is boring .............. boring ...........boring. The ship's store needs a new line of goods. But the other hand, I still find enough to do on the sea days to keep me coming back. Once I get the FUNTIMES (use to be Capers), I take out my note pad and write in all the times for what I have to do. It's a full day!

 

So it's back to the Miracle until a new ship is assigned to Ft Lauderdale or Miami. Seems like new ships do bring some change.

[mferris77]

I've only cruised twice - getting ready for my third in September... but I can totally understand being cruised out, and maybe someday I will be. I think the intineraries have a lot to do with it. I already have no desire to return to Cozumel. I'm now going on the eastern itinerary for the second time, but that's ok because I liked those stops. I really want to visit Aruba so that's my next cruise... after that? I don't know. Maybe the 'other' Southern (Barts/Kitts) stops.

 

I can say though, that my first cruise was in 2006 on the Glory and I had a great time - I didn't know what to expect. My second cruise was in 2008 - again on the Glory - and when it felt like a repeat of the cruise 2 years earlier, I was a bit off-put. I don't need to see the hairy chest contest again. And what do you mean they're still singing the same damn songs at that Legends show? Britney Spears isn't "in" anymore, at least that's what the kids these days are telling me.

[MistyRo76]

Taking my 12th Carnival cruise in 12 years this October and I don't think that I could get sick of it. For me, it's not necessarily Carnival that keeps me coming back (although I do love Carnival), it's just cruising in general. Carnival just happens to have what I'm looking for, when I'm looking. I would prefer to be able to cruise more often and Carnival allows me to do that. I do look at other lines when I am getting ready to book and have never found the type of deals that would make it worth me trying them. I'm not saying those deals don't exist, but when I have been looking to sail, Carnival has always been cheaper.

 

One of the things that keeps me excited, is cruising with new people, especially first timers. Each cruise with different people is a completely different experience. I enjoy meeting new people and seeing different places. The ship is really the last piece of the puzzle for me. I enjoy seeing new ships, but I wouldn't book a cruise just for a specific ship. I pick when I want to go and then look at itineraries.

 

One of these days, I will get around to actually trying another line. But in the meantime, Carnival keeps treating me great and I keep booking cruise after cruise.

 

Once you get near your cruise date, I am sure you will start to feel differently. Have a great time!

[tess2cruz]

Not yet, but I will keep working at it!

[katiel53]

I absolutely love cruising. We have sailed many times on various cruise lines. I think after a while, if you cruise the same line, you can tell it's Monday so it must be steak night or whatever is the norm for Monday.

 

I would love for the cruise lines to change up menus, shows and a few of the other things on the ships. I do have to say I love the comedy club on Carnival as the comedians are different nightly.

 

I would like to do a few AI's but my husband and I are older and he has no interest in just going to a beach location, so we will cruise or do a couple of trips North, as usual.

 

OP,

I have to say the people who state they are "begging" to have a cruise line take them back, might be a bit over the top, and need to get a grip, lol. I have seen post where people have said Father forgive me, I have sinned, or something like that, and sorry, but I think that is probably the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Pull up your big girl/boy pants and if you made a bad choice, accept it, don't go with the "cutesy" things.

 

I am not saying that is what you are going to do, just giving you my opinion, which probably doesn't mean diddly squat, lol. Make your choices and enjoy what you have chosen. If you go with a positive attitude, it will be all that better as I am sure you already know.

[LynneL]

After about 12 Carnival cruises I felt like I knew the menu, exactly what I'd order on what night before even getting on the ship, what dances the staff would do, what games would be played, etc. Tried Royal Caribbean, liked amenities on the ship (Explorer of the Seas) but found staff lacking in the personality dept. & overall food wasn't as good as Carnival's. Did try them again for Alaska and staff nice but still, being served meat loaf as the carving station item one day didn't cut it for me.

 

Also tried Princess & really loved that cruise, however Carnival has more departure choices & I think Carnival better suited for my kids & their friends in their 20s.

 

So, we went back to Carnival for more fun cruises, but I'm trying out Norwegian in May just to see what others offer.

[mferris77]

being served meat loaf as the carving station item

 

Hahaha.. oh that's funny.

[lillian marie]

We were for carnivalled out for a few years and came back because CCL offers the best port options for us. We've done 2 wk. cruises with Princess and the crowd on longer cruises seems older. We do 5-7 days and it's been great.

[Dave85]

I'm currently feeling a bit Carnivaled out... doesn't mean I won't be sailing on Carnival anymore in the future, I just really needed my next cruise to be different (and it is, sailing next month on RC).

 

I love Carnival cruses (so don't get me wrong) I just feel that they've very repetitive in terms of the experience -- kind of cookie cutter. Maybe it's because I haven't had particularly good CDs lately. I'm looking forward to returning to Royal (as I'm definitely not feeling Royal-ed out) but I know I definitely will return to Carnival in the future... after a bit of a break.