Princess vs. Carnival

[SMA9497]

I know this is a preference question but just trying to get some ideas. I have cruised 2 times previously on Carnival- loved it! I am considering a cruise on Princess in January and would like to hear from people who have sailed both lines on how they compare. Some of the main items I'm concerned with are:

 

Which line rates better on the following:

 

Food- Main Dining Room and buffet

 

Service

 

Nighttime activities- I know Princess has a nightclub- wondering what type of music they play (top 40?) and how active they are- mainly looking at Ruby -Eastern. Are there other bars that are active at night- Carnival has the piano bars- is there something comparable? My husband and I are not all night party-goers (we are mid-30s) but do like to hang out some and perhaps do some dancing.

 

Casino- mainly does the casino offer Texas Hold' Em games and tournaments (for the husband- I'm fine at a slot machine)

 

Thank you for any input you have to offer- I know everyone's experience is different but would just like to hear some insight as I'm not very familiar with Princess.

[NeurosurgeryNP]

I know this is a preference question but just trying to get some ideas. I have cruised 2 times previously on Carnival- loved it! I am considering a cruise on Princess in January and would like to hear from people who have sailed both lines on how they compare. Some of the main items I'm concerned with are:

 

Which line rates better on the following:

 

Food- Main Dining Room and buffet

 

Service

 

Nighttime activities- I know Princess has a nightclub- wondering what type of music they play (top 40?) and how active they are- mainly looking at Ruby -Eastern. Are there other bars that are active at night- Carnival has the piano bars- is there something comparable? My husband and I are not all night party-goers (we are mid-30s) but do like to hang out some and perhaps do some dancing.

 

Casino- mainly does the casino offer Texas Hold' Em games and tournaments (for the husband- I'm fine at a slot machine)

 

Thank you for any input you have to offer- I know everyone's experience is different but would just like to hear some insight as I'm not very familiar with Princess.

 

 

We have cruised Carnival once (3 day so hard to compare).

 

Food - definitely goes to Princess. Carnival was OK, but I felt that Princess had more choices and it was a more elegant atmosphere by far.

 

Service - I would say both were OK. I can't compare too much because liek I said the Carnival cruise I was on was only a three nighter.

 

Night time activities - Princess definitely =- at least the 3 day cruise on Carnival was definitely lacking compared to a 4 nighter I went on Princess. Was very disappointed here. Club - Princess - yes - several different venues to go to depending on what you want to dance to - but the late night club - they usually play house music, rock and roll, disco - at least on our cruises it has been mixed up. We enjoyed it a lot.

 

Casino - didn't use much. Can't compare.

[Tralynn]

We've cruised both lines equally. I certainly enjoy both lines.

 

As far as food, I think I'd give the edge to Princess.

 

Service was excellent on both lines, but in the buffet area I find Princess seems to top Carnival. On all of my Princess cruises someone has always been at the ready to refill my glass or help find me a table. On Carnival, I don't find that they have that added touch as prevelant.

 

As far as activities, I'm finding that I have more options on Princess, unless you prefer the daytime hairy chest contest on Carnival. We enjoy the shows, comics, and various music venues and Princess may have the edge there. Also, Princess' M.U.T.S. (Movies Under the Stars) is so enjoyable. The bring out the cushions for the loungers, provide blankets, and even give you popcorn. It's a nice touch.

 

Now, Princess doesn't have any cool waterslides on their ships like Carnival does. But one bonus is Princess' pools are freshwater so no more burning eyes from the salt.

 

Sorry, I'm not a gambler so I can't really compare the casinos for you.

 

You'll find Princess' ships a bit different than Carnival's. Carnival's has more of a neon, techno look, while Princess seems to have a more elegant, but not stuffy look. The decor doesn't really matter to me, but it may make a difference to you.

 

I think the layout of Princess cabins is a bit better, but I prefer the beds on Carnival.

 

Overall, I'd say if you find an itinerary and price you like with Princess, give it a try. It's a different type of cruise and I think you'll enjoy it.

[LaidBack]

I am far from a Princess cheerleader but would rate Princess ahead of Carnival in every subject you mentioned.

[GottaLuvCruising]

I've sailed Princess 3 times and Carnival a dozen times. I really enjoy both lines. I prefer Princess buffets (higher quality), but Carnival's dining room is very close. I prefer Princess entertainment, but only slightly. Princess ships are prettier. Service is slightly better (more personal) on Princess. I do agree with a previous post that Carnival beds are much better than Princess. I booked Carnival Spirit Hawaii cruise mostly because I can get a basic balcony, covered, private and looks down only on the water (otherwise I probably would have gone with Princess).

[Clutterlady]

:)

I know this is a preference question but just trying to get some ideas. I have cruised 2 times previously on Carnival- loved it! I am considering a cruise on Princess in January and would like to hear from people who have sailed both lines on how they compare. Some of the main items I'm concerned with are:

 

Which line rates better on the following:

 

Food- Main Dining Room and buffet - Princess much better

 

Service

 

Nighttime activities- I know Princess has a nightclub- wondering what type of music they play (top 40?) and how active they are- mainly looking at Ruby -Eastern. Are there other bars that are active at night- Carnival has the piano bars- is there something comparable? My husband and I are not all night party-goers (we are mid-30s) but do like to hang out some and perhaps do some dancing. - Honestly bored on Carnival. Night time was good, but not as many venues as Princess.

 

Casino- mainly does the casino offer Texas Hold' Em games and tournaments (for the husband- I'm fine at a slot machine)- About the same

 

Thank you for any input you have to offer- I know everyone's experience is different but would just like to hear some insight as I'm not very familiar with Princess.

 

Since you haven't sailed Princess, I would certainly give it a try....enjoy:)

[Whimsy]

I know this is a preference question but just trying to get some ideas. I have cruised 2 times previously on Carnival- loved it! I am considering a cruise on Princess in January and would like to hear from people who have sailed both lines on how they compare. Some of the main items I'm concerned with are:

 

Which line rates better on the following:

 

Food- Main Dining Room and buffet I think Princess does better on their food than Carnival but I sure miss that warm melting chocolate cake they have on Carnival

 

Service I found the service to be very comparable on both cruise lines. The waiters on Carnival had a more fun atmosphere in the dining area where as the waiters on Princess were more into a dining experience

 

Nighttime activities- I know Princess has a nightclub- wondering what type of music they play (top 40?) and how active they are- mainly looking at Ruby -Eastern. Are there other bars that are active at night- Carnival has the piano bars- is there something comparable? My husband and I are not all night party-goers (we are mid-30s) but do like to hang out some and perhaps do some dancing. We honestly found ourselves bored on Carnival compared to Princess. I think there is more to do on Princess as far as activities. There are piano bars on Princess and Skywalkers has music into the night for dancing.

 

Casino- mainly does the casino offer Texas Hold' Em games and tournaments (for the husband- I'm fine at a slot machine) One time on Princess there Texas Hold'em tables were packed, another cruise no one played. Guess it just depends on players on your voyage. The table games (BJ, Carribean Stud, 3 Card Poker) were always busy. Lots of slot games as well. Someone even won a car on one of our cruises at the slots.

 

Thank you for any input you have to offer- I know everyone's experience is different but would just like to hear some insight as I'm not very familiar with Princess.

Our first and last cruise were with Carnival. While we enjoyed them the last cruise we just kept finding ourselves comparing everything to Princess and it kept coming up a bit short. Not bad, but just not as nice. We got a dirt cheap price on our last Carnival cruise though and would sail them again for another deal like that.

I don't think you will be disappointed with Princess. You might find yourself wanting to sail them again though. Beware, it becomes very addictive!

[cherrypop]

We have done Princess once and Carnival numerous times. I have actually done Carnival 12 times. I would say it all depends with both lines on the ship. We did the Hawaii to Vancouver twice and by far the food on Carnival was much better than any other cruise line we had been on. Nothing to do on Carnival? Hmmmmm I wonder what ship that was on because anytime we had sailed on Carnival there was so much to do (with or without children), we personally find Princess and Holland a quieter cruise line. You may hit it good with one ship and find another ship to be totally different even though they are the same cruiseline. Either way a cruise is a cruise and is usally enjoyed by all. I always say its what you make of it and enjoy the company you are with.

[highflyingrealtor]

We found our Carnival experience a bit loud, party party party and all that. Nice water slide though :D. We like all the food regardless of the line but find Princess a little better. Same with service and cleanliness, tipping the scales to Princess. That's why we're here! We're not into glitz and the shows but some do like Carnival better for that. We just chill and relax. Try it you'll like it...

[SMA9497]

Thanks everyone so much for the input!! I think everything described sounds like what we are looking for. We only get to cruise every year and a half or so (hubby is military and coordinating schedules can be difficult- this will be our welcome home from deployment cruise!) and I told him I want to try other lines but don't want to spend the whole time saying- oh this or that is better on Carnival. Now I just have to convince the hubby it's worth the drive to Ft. Lauderdale- he says he's fine if he gets the new car he wants when he gets home!!!! (So we'll see!):)

[gargoyle999]

I've sailed on Carnival 4 times and Princess once. Have 3 more Carnival cruises booked and am excited to have booked the Ruby Princess next Oct for an awesome 18 night Europe/Transatlantic sailing.

 

here are some of my random observations:

 

-Princess ship decor much nicer than Carnival. More subdued and nice dark woods. More elegant feeling. Carnival is neon, glitz, hectic. Now, I'm normally wearing shorts and a tank top so I really have no problem with Carnival decor. :p But I just found the Princess decor added a "little something" to the experience.

 

-Disliked Princess chesseburgers but otherwise thought the food was similar and good. But I am not a foodie (note emphasis on cheeseburgers previously :))

 

-Like that Princess balcony doors slide, Carnival they open out and slam shut.

 

-Princess bathroom is smaller and shower is teeny tiny in a balcony cabin compared to Carnival. Made me laugh how small it was actually but it does the job.

 

-Carnival balcony cabin is larger or at least seems larger since it has a couch. Only 2 chairs in my Princess balcony cabin plus the bed.

 

-With Princess like that we can go to our cabin as soon as we board. Carnival have to wait until at least 1:30 and it's been later than that actually.

 

-Though I mostly arrange independent shore excursions I did do one with Princess and occasionally book with Carnival. I like that the Princess excursions are not prepaid. Makes it real easy to cancel if needed and not mess around with refunds. Carnival you pay when you book.

 

-24 hour buffet on Princess is great for those times when you are up late. Carnival has some grill food avail for a couple hours late night but only pizza avail 24 hrs/day on the Lido deck

 

-Princess had a bit better room service menu I thought, though I do like the BLT and seafood sandwich on the Carnival menu.

 

-I liked the flexibility of Anytime on Princess (Sapphire) but did not like having to go to 4 different dining rooms on two decks to see if there was a table available during the busy times. Plus two-top seating is on top of each other. Carnival (Spirit class anyway) is one dining room for Your Time and seating is much more comfortable.

 

-No singing/dancing waiters on Princess. A good thing!

 

-Princess cabin safe is touch pad, Carnival need a mag stripe card which is annoying.

 

-On Princess did not like that the iced tea was actually warm and the ice makers could not keep up with demand. Carnival also has lemonade available and plenty of ice.

 

-Do not like that Carnival allows smoking in the piano bar. We did not go on the Sapphire so I'm not sure what Princess policy is on this one.

 

There are things I like more about one vs the other and due to what has been some good rates/itineraries have been focusing on Carnival. But I'm looking forward to going back to Princess again next year!

[hubofhockey]

Our next cruise is on Carnival. So, I don't think it's a bad line. But it is hard to prepare a discount product to a more upscale product. The biggest difference I find is that Princess has separate pool areas. The Ruby has an adult pool up on a higher level. It has a terrace pool and the other two main pools are separated on the pool deck. All pools are fresh water as well. The other striking difference is that you see less kids on Princess. Princess has tougher rules and more limitations for smokers (which we like). It is hard to believe that Carnival still allows this in many of its entertainment venues at night. :mad: There are still a good number of kids on summer cruises and on vacation weeks. But it is nothing like Carnival. Our next cruise will be on Carnival as that line makes a family Med cruise affordable.

 

I know this is a preference question but just trying to get some ideas. I have cruised 2 times previously on Carnival- loved it! I am considering a cruise on Princess in January and would like to hear from people who have sailed both lines on how they compare. Some of the main items I'm concerned with are:

 

Which line rates better on the following:

 

Food- Main Dining Room and buffet The main dining room is actually pretty close. Princess buffets are much better, especially breakfast.

 

Service Princess has better service. Embarcations and disembarcations are smoother and general service is a bit better. But there is nothing wrong with Carnival's service.

 

Nighttime activities- I know Princess has a nightclub- wondering what type of music they play (top 40?) and how active they are- mainly looking at Ruby -Eastern. Are there other bars that are active at night- Carnival has the piano bars- is there something comparable? My husband and I are not all night party-goers (we are mid-30s) but do like to hang out some and perhaps do some dancing. It may surprise you that Princess has a greater variety of things going on at night than Carnival does. This is true especially on the larger ships. In addition to the production shows in the Princess Theater, Explorers is also a larger club with live bands and comedians. Club Fusion has house bands and game shows and theme nights as well as Karaoke. Skywalker is the disco. The Wheelhouse Bar has live entertainment as well (a bit for the older crowd).

 

Casino- mainly does the casino offer Texas Hold' Em games and tournaments (for the husband- I'm fine at a slot machine) Not sure as I try not to make donations to the cruise line during my vacations.

 

Thank you for any input you have to offer- I know everyone's experience is different but would just like to hear some insight as I'm not very familiar with Princess.

[SMA9497]

It's funny that you mentioned fewer kids on Princess because that is actually the thing that got me looking at the Ruby. Our last cruise on Carnival was in the summer and full of kids (we swore we would never cruise in the summer again). Now I love kids (don't have any of my own) but when we are on vacation we want to relax. We both have pretty stressful jobs and it's our time to unwind. We will be cruising in January this time so I don't think that the kids will be a huge issue. The Carnival Cruise I'm considering as well is the Dream and I've just read sooo many complaints about the crowding and DH nor I really do that well with crowds. A lot of it will come down to what type of deal I get on specific state rooms. Looking at the pictures I see that the Balcony rooms definitely look smaller on Princess- this is what we would normally book on Carnival. If I end up being able to get a good deal on the mini-suite we will probably do Princess. I still have some time before I can book so we'll see how the pricing goes.

 

Thanks again everyone for the input- It's very helpful in making my decision (notice I said mine and not ours- DH says he really doesn't care as long as he's on a cruise- he's a little less of a planner than I am!):p

[hubofhockey]

It's funny that you mentioned fewer kids on Princess because that is actually the thing that got me looking at the Ruby. Our last cruise on Carnival was in the summer and full of kids (we swore we would never cruise in the summer again). Now I love kids (don't have any of my own) but when we are on vacation we want to relax. We both have pretty stressful jobs and it's our time to unwind. We will be cruising in January this time so I don't think that the kids will be a huge issue. The Carnival Cruise I'm considering as well is the Dream and I've just read sooo many complaints about the crowding and DH nor I really do that well with crowds. A lot of it will come down to what type of deal I get on specific state rooms. Looking at the pictures I see that the Balcony rooms definitely look smaller on Princess- this is what we would normally book on Carnival. If I end up being able to get a good deal on the mini-suite we will probably do Princess. I still have some time before I can book so we'll see how the pricing goes.

 

Thanks again everyone for the input- It's very helpful in making my decision (notice I said mine and not ours- DH says he really doesn't care as long as he's on a cruise- he's a little less of a planner than I am!):p

 

To be honest, if it's just the two of you, I would just book a balcony cabin on Princess. I wouldn't let that be a deal breaker in your decision of whether to go Princess or Carnival. The balcony cabins are fine. If you need a large balcony, book a Caribe balcony (part covered and part uncovered). Princess balcony rooms have plenty of storage area and the rooms aren't that much smaller, although there is no sofa.

 

I have never felt crowded on either the Crown or Ruby and would recommend either. We will go on Carnival or RCI with our kids. When it's just adults, I feel more relaxed and have more things to do on Princess. It is a bit of a different feel that you would have to experience to understand. To get somewhat closer to that feeling, we have booked the Spa category balcony rooms on our next Carnival cruise on the Magic just to get away from the hysteria of Carnival.

[cbpanda]

To be honest, if it's just the two of you, I would just book a balcony cabin on Princess. I wouldn't let that be a deal breaker in your decision of whether to go Princess or Carnival. The balcony cabins are fine. If you need a large balcony, book a Caribe balcony (part covered and part uncovered). Princess balcony rooms have plenty of storage area and the rooms aren't that much smaller, although there is no sofa.

 

I have never felt crowded on either the Crown or Ruby and would recommend either. We will go on Carnival or RCI with our kids. When it's just adults, I feel more relaxed and have more things to do on Princess. It is a bit of a different feel that you would have to experience to understand. To get somewhat closer to that feeling, we have booked the Spa category balcony rooms on our next Carnival cruise on the Magic just to get away from the hysteria of Carnival.

 

I agree. A balcony cabin on Princess (while a little bit smaller) is fine for two adults. As a matter of fact, our first Princess cruise we booked a mini suite for the three of us (teenage son) and on the second we booked a balcony. We actually preferred the balcony over the mini suite.

 

I have been on both lines. I would have to say in just about every area, both are comparable, except entertainment. There is just more to do on Princess. We sailed on the Carnival Pride last month and I found myself, at times, with nothing to do (not that I minded, I was on a cruise :D). But I remembered on Princess, there were so many things I wanted to do at the same time, I had to pick and choose.

 

I love to sail on Princess, but sometimes Carnival offers us the opportunity to cruise those extra times, due to the fact they have ships in Baltimore and Norfolk, which we can drive to and avoid the cost of flying.

 

That said, I'm booked on the Ruby in January and I can't wait.

 

Whichever you choose, you'll have a great time with your hubby! :)

[gargoyle999]

To be honest, if it's just the two of you, I would just book a balcony cabin on Princess. I wouldn't let that be a deal breaker in your decision of whether to go Princess or Carnival. The balcony cabins are fine. If you need a large balcony, book a Caribe balcony (part covered and part uncovered). Princess balcony rooms have plenty of storage area and the rooms aren't that much smaller, although there is no sofa.

 

Wanted to add that I agree with this as I have a BB balcony (Caribe deck :D) booked on the Ruby. The couch on Carnival is nice but not a necessity and overall I liked the BB cabin we had on the Sapphire.

[Hunwolf]

I've sailed Princess 3 times and Carnival a dozen times. I really enjoy both lines. I prefer Princess buffets (higher quality), but Carnival's dining room is very close. I prefer Princess entertainment, but only slightly. Princess ships are prettier. Service is slightly better (more personal) on Princess. I do agree with a previous post that Carnival beds are much better than Princess.

 

I can't really disagree with much of this. I'm not sure there is a huge difference between the supposed discount (Carnival) product and the upscale (Princess) product. We've been on some of the Carnival's older ships and recently sailed on the Emerald Princess and had a nice time on both. But...to be fair...we like RCCL the best. I like them all...but my wife and daughter would be considered the RCCL cheerleaders of the family. ;)

 

I would give Carnival the edge in the dining room as (honestly) I was let down by the Princess MDR food. Princess gets the edge by a lot in terms of the buffet. We loved Carnival's pizza...even more so thatn Princess though.

 

Princess does design lovely big ships...while Carnivals smaller/older Fantasy ships are hard on the eyes but easy to navigate. And they've been upgraded nicely. The bigger ships do have some design/organization flaws.

 

Overall...it's pretty close...Princess by a nose at the tape. ;)

[Katie333]

 

Which line rates better on the following:

 

Food- Main Dining Room and buffet Overall we find Princess food to be better to Carnival. The selections are a bit less main stream (lots of seafood, so if you're a fan like us, it is a treat), and in our experience prepared well. We find the buffets to be comparable but greatly prefer the Princess buffet breakfast without the bacon police.

 

Service

 

Nighttime activities- I know Princess has a nightclub- wondering what type of music they play (top 40?) and how active they are- mainly looking at Ruby -Eastern. Are there other bars that are active at night- Carnival has the piano bars- is there something comparable? My husband and I are not all night party-goers (we are mid-30s) but do like to hang out some and perhaps do some dancing. Generally, this will be less active on Princess than Carnival, but for the 7 day itineraries there is more action than on the longer runs.

 

Casino- mainly does the casino offer Texas Hold' Em games and tournaments (for the husband- I'm fine at a slot machine) Yes to both.

 

Thank you for any input you have to offer- I know everyone's experience is different but would just like to hear some insight as I'm not very familiar with Princess.

 

Overall Carnival is rather frantic in its experience and Princess is more relaxed, some might consider this more sedate.

[hubofhockey]

Overall Carnival is rather frantic in its experience and Princess is more relaxed, some might consider this more sedate.

 

If sedate means not having to deal with singing waiters or the obnoxious cruise directors constantly on the PA System in your room and everywhere else, than I prefer sedate. It's just a different experience. The passenger make up is a bit different too. It doesn't make one cruise line better than the other. It just makes them different. But I don't think you can go wrong with the Ruby.

[SMA9497]

Once again thank you all so much! I read many of your comments to my husband today over Skype and I have him pretty well convinced! He said he thinks that all sounds great! He's not one to generally complain anyway and is very go-with-the-flow but if he likes something he's hesitant to switch. So hopefully we will be taking our first Princess cruise in January!!

 

Just one more question some of you may be able to help with- I know you can't mention travel agents here but from what I've been reading on the Princess boards it appears you can get a great deal from a TA with Princess where on Carnival they are no longer letting the TA's discount their prices. I have always booked directly with Carnival- once using a military rate and once using a pack and go rate. Sounds like, from what I've read, I might be better to go through a TA for Princess?? Any thoughts on your experiences would be appreciated!

[Tralynn]

I have personally always found a lower rate with an OBC through different TA's rather than through Princess. Just be sure to make certain that they don't charge extra fees and will not charge you to meet any price drops that may happen.

 

As for Carnival, even though they don't allow discounted rates anymore, you may be able to find a TA that will give you bonus perks. I found one that had the same price as Carnival, but gave me a nice OBC and a certificate for some pictures and wine. So, be sure to always shop around.

[Umbarger]

I love both lines. I have been on 6 Carnival and 6 Princess. They each have their pros and cons.

 

Princess has less kids which is nice but Carnival has larger cabins. Everything else like Service, food and entertainment is about the same.

 

Since you have already been on Carnival I suggest trying Princess and decide for yourselves. Variety is the spice of life. :D

 

Whatever you decide....have a great cruise.

[Whirlybird]

Here is the bottom line, do you mind being around/among older folks? I've been on 14 Princess cruises and on less Carnival, RCCL and Celebrity. One big difference is the average age on Princess, its probably going to be between 50 - 60 on Princess and 30 - 40 on Carnival. On most other measures, like food, entertainment, excursions, cost, comfort, service, value, the two lines are pretty close (they are both owned by same parent company), but Princess caters to an older age segment with in my opinion great pride, and Carnival caters to a young age group. Do you like to party? Pick Carnival. Do you like a laid back vacation with few disturbances from fellow passergers who go to bed early, pick Princess. On Princess, go to most any venue after 11pm and most likely all you will find is crew there, everybody is gone to bed except the gamblers. Well, don't know if this helps, but it's my opinion based upon over 40 cruises over the last 10 years, 14 of which have been on Princess.

[LaidBack]

I respectfully but totally disagree with Whirlybird. On my six Princess cruises, I found the ages to varied but the average age appeared to be 30s-40s. I've been in Princess clubs well after midnight many nights. The crowds were large and lively -- more sedate, perhaps, than Carnival which often to me has the "let's see how falling-down drunk we can get" vibe. I don't choose to cruise Carnival anymore but. again, that's my personal choice.

 

Just my opinions. Funny how Whirlybird and I see this in entirely different ways. Different strokes and all.

 

Whatever you choose, enjoy your cruise.

[hughdm]

I respectfully but totally disagree with Whirlybird. On my six Princess cruises, I found the ages to varied but the average age appeared to be 30s-40s. I've been in Princess clubs well after midnight many nights. The crowds were large and lively -- more sedate, perhaps, than Carnival which often to me has the "let's see how falling-down drunk we can get" vibe. I don't choose to cruise Carnival anymore but. again, that's my personal choice.

 

Just my opinions. Funny how Whirlybird and I see this in entirely different ways. Different strokes and all.

 

Whatever you choose, enjoy your cruise.

So far, it looks to us like length of cruise and time of year affects the average age more that the line. Longer cruises while school is in session attracts an older crowd.