2nd Time Cruiser Norwegian vs. Carnival? Not sure what to do!

[PinkSand26]

This will be my second cruise. I went on my first one last November with my husband and we went on the Norwegian Pearl, which I thought was great, but have nothing to compare to! This time around it looks like maybe we could go on the Carnival Glory or Valor, for the dates that work with us. Has anyone been on both Norwegian/Carnival and can tell me if there are really any differences? Or which is better? :) Thanks!

[AZ Karaoke Girl]

I've only been on 1 NCL cruise and it was actually American flagged. I personally have the most fun and food is best on Carnival but you need to make your own decision cuz everybody's taste is different.

 

I did a search (buttom top right area below page numbers that says "search this thread" and type in keyword(s) to get info. I typed in NCL comparison and got lots of results with this one having lots of info.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1225953&highlight=ncl+comparison

 

Good luck to you.

[vovulya_49]

This is, of course, a very subjective matter, just an opinion. As a person who tried both Norwegian and Carnival on several ocasions, my preference is Carnival. I like their service level and stuff training better.

[PinkSand26]

Thanks!! This is very helpful! It makes me feel better about trying a different cruise line. :)

[foreverleanna]

i also heard that pearl is one of their better experence ships. So your expernince may not have been typical of NCL. Personnaly, i would go with carnvial which is why im on this board. Another thing to consider is your age, if you know what i mean.

[baldcruiser]

Have been on Carnival twice and Norwegian once---much preferred Carnival over Norwegian. I found that Norwegian nickle and dimed you to death. Absolutely everything was an extra fee. That being said I would take Princess over both Carnival and Norwegian

[mjmiller]

I haven't been on NCL in quite a few years. But I DO love Carnival! So you can guess what I'll say... ;)

 

Honestly - try Carnival. Try other lines too when you have the opportunity. Find the line(s) that you like best - it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks!

 

You will get many dif responses, depending on who looks at your post. Since you put this on the Carnival board - you'll get more pro-Carnival answers. You would get the reverse on the NCL board. People see things thru different eyes. You can get two people from the exact same cruise - and one will say it was fantastic and one will say it was horrible. It's all in perspective and outlook.

 

Some people love NCLs freestyle dining - the numerous restaurants you can enjoy. Carnival does not have this - Glory and Valor are sister ships, they have the main dining room (MDR), one fee steakhouse, and then the buffet area, grills, pizza, deli, fish n chips, etc.

 

Carnival has set dining times for dinner and they also have "your time dining" - where you show up for dinner when you want. You may have to wait a short time for YTD, but it usually isn't very long. You make this choice when you book your cruise.

 

When it comes to quality, service, decor, etc.... folks opinions will vary. People like dif things when it comes to decor. Food/service/etc can vary from ship to ship within a line, and even from sailing to sailing.

 

From my experiences on various lines - I think Carnival's big evening shows are generally better than most. But I can't compare to the Pearl - sry. And they've just added some comedy nights in addition to the big shows - there will be four nights (8 total comedians) on a 7 day cruise. We had a blast at Dream's Comedy Club!!

 

Other than the dining/restaurants - I can't imagine there is a big dif between Carnival/NCL. I'm sure if I'm wrong someone will correct me - they always do! LOL

 

maybe I'll see you on the Glory - I'll be onboard Jan 16-30!

[gottacruisemore]

i've only been on NCL once and that was in a suite on the Pearl. i have been to some really nice places and some, "hey, it was cheap" type places, and all i can say was the service was over the top. i honestly cannot imagine better, however, i don't know what it was like in a "regular" cabin—i would hope it was the same, just without the perks.

 

having said that, i have never had a complaint with a Carnival cruise. i always had fun and great service in every cabin level i have been in.

 

i would like to try a newer RCCL ship and a Celebrity cruise. as they say "variety is the spice of life."

[mjmiller]

That being said I would take Princess over both Carnival and Norwegian

 

Too funny - this perfectly demonstrates who everyone has their own perspective. I personally would (and will) take Carnival over Princess (or HAL) any day! :p

[Warm Breezes]

What you are asking for is extremely subjective and could very from ship to ship even. We have sailed NCL once and Carnival three times. The following is JMHO...take it for what it is...

 

MDR Food - edge Carnival

Buffet Food - edge NCL (I dream of those Pretzel rolls:o)

Extra Restaurants - tie (Loved the Blue Lagoon and the Mexican Restaurant on NCL and the Fish & Chips and the Deli on Carnival)

Production Shows - edge NCL

Comedy Shows - edge NCL

Bingo - edge Carnival (cheaper and DB won once)

Casinos - tie

Room Stewards - tie

Waiters - tie

Cleanliness - tie

Room Layout/Size (inside comparison) - Edge Carnival

Chair Hogs - tie

 

Didn't use enough to rate...dancing clubs/bars, kids clubs, spa

 

Just keep an open mind and enjoy whatever ship you choose to sail on.

[Warm Breezes]

Have been on Carnival twice and Norwegian once---much preferred Carnival over Norwegian. I found that Norwegian nickle and dimed you to death. Absolutely everything was an extra fee. That being said I would take Princess over both Carnival and Norwegian

 

I didn't pay for anything extra on NCL than I did on Carnival. I didn't have your experience with the "nickel and diming".

[tracyanns]

We have sailed both a few times and while I would not go on NCL again I do prefer CCL. I enjoy having the same wait staff for dinner each evening...makes the dining experience more personal.

 

I also found the food in the MDR on CCL to be much better...on NCL to get a good meal I had to pay for dinner each night...that adds up on a 7 days cruise for 2 ppl...(that is the only nickel and diming I saw was the pay for restaurants and they are optional) I kind of felt they made the food in the MDR sub par to encourage people to pay to eat elsewhere.

 

I found the kids activities better on CCL...ship design about the same...the last few NCL ships I have been on are pretty bright and so are CCL.

 

I sat try it...if you like cruising you will like it...you can always go back if it doesn't float your boat...;)

[mjmiller]

I didn't pay for anything extra on NCL than I did on Carnival. I didn't have your experience with the "nickel and diming".

 

I just looked at NCL Pearl - they list 16 restaurants. Of those, the main dining rooms, the buffets and the grills are free. I see at least 6 that require an extra fee: Cagney's Steakhouse, La Cucina Italian, Le Bistro French, Lotus Garden Asian, Sushi/Sashimi Bar and Teppanyaki.

 

Personally, it would kinda piss me off to have those options, but have to pay extra for them. jmho I can understand one or two pay options - but that many? Just not my style... :)

 

On the flip side - many people like the options and have no prob paying! And it isn't like you HAVE to eat at a pay extra restaurant.

 

Dif strokes for dif folks.

[uppitycats]

I've cruised on both Carnival and NCL...and while the service and food on Carnival was exemplary, I'll not sail on Carnival again unless they have an itinerary that is unique. I hate-hate-hated the decor, the flashy/glitzy/way-over-the-top decor, the strobe light effect, all of it. I never thought that sort of thing would bother me so much, but it did. That, and the "hairy chest" contest and the late-night drunks (and no, this was on a more sedate cruise to Alaska!, not the Caribbean where I might have expected that!)..turned me off Carnival altogether.

[zqvol]

This will be my second cruise. I went on my first one last November with my husband and we went on the Norwegian Pearl, which I thought was great, but have nothing to compare to! This time around it looks like maybe we could go on the Carnival Glory or Valor, for the dates that work with us. Has anyone been on both Norwegian/Carnival and can tell me if there are really any differences? Or which is better? :) Thanks!

 

I have been on both numerous times. There is very little difference. NCL ships are more subdued and have many more dining venues to choose from though some are an up charge. The food in the MDR is about six of one half a dozen of the other.

[kelz66]

Both are very similar with a few unique differences.

 

you can not go wrong with either.

[AZ Karaoke Girl]

I hate-hate-hated the decor, the flashy/glitzy/way-over-the-top decor, the strobe light effect, all of it. I never thought that sort of thing would bother me so much, but it did. That, and the "hairy chest" contest and the late-night drunks (and no, this was on a more sedate cruise to Alaska!, not the Caribbean where I might have expected that!)..turned me off Carnival altogether.

 

 

Hmmmm. I know RCI has the sexy legs contest and womens biceps contest and belly flop contest so not sure why hairy chest contest would bother you so much. I know there are various activities on every cruise that don't interest me in the least but some people enjoy them so you can just avoid those activities. DH & Kids said they had no interest in going to the hairy chest contest but we were eating at the burger grill which happened to be right where they were doing the hairy check contest and even my husband & kids were laughing. We usually watch now unless something else is going on more fun. As for the glitz and strobe lights....I guess it depends on the ship. I haven't encountered any glitz or strobe lights on my Carnival cruises but I've heard it referred to as Vegas decor. I've been on Pride & Spirit which I think are more elegant ships and Elation and none had big glitzy colors to me. I thought the RCI Mariner had more glitz than the 3 Carnival ships I've been on. I guess its a matter of taste.

[SMSACE6]

I really cant compare Norwegian with Carnival, since my only cruise was on the NCL Norway in 1999. Not a long time ago, but long enough in the cruise world, for it to be old news! Also it was an older ship, and different than anything NCL or Carnival sails today. While I did love my cruise on the Norway, and I was hooked on cruising thereafter, I seem to have ended up cruising on Carnival mostly.

 

I would definitely like to sail on NCL again though. That being said, I think you should try Carnival once, and make your own decision if it is right for you. From what I hear, and am reading on these boards, each cruise line offers differnt things, but they are more alike than not.

 

So I hope you give Carnival a try.:)

[mississauga]

NCL and Carnival are more alike than they are different. I have been on both several times, Carnival more than NCL but have enjoyed all of my cruises. Service, food and entertainment are very similar, depending on your tastes.

 

Every cruise is a little different, even on the same ship. A lot of it depends on the passenger and crew mix on your cruise. The most important ingredient for enjoying your cruise is a positive attitude!

 

Book Carnival and enjoy whichever cruise you choose!

[JohnStevenGordon]

This will be my second cruise. I went on my first one last November with my husband and we went on the Norwegian Pearl, which I thought was great, but have nothing to compare to! This time around it looks like maybe we could go on the Carnival Glory or Valor, for the dates that work with us. Has anyone been on both Norwegian/Carnival and can tell me if there are really any differences? Or which is better? :) Thanks!

 

 

Carnival will win over NWCL for me anytime. Their freestyle cruising sucks. $20/$30 extra per night for dinner - just raise your prices and be honest with your passengers.

[bankerbabe]

We were on the Norwegian Star in 2005, and have done two Carnival cruises - one short one in 2003 and our family 7 nighter last March (2009).

 

Personally, and this is totally personal preference, I liked Carnival a lot better. I thought the food on the Star was not nearly as good as Carnival, I actually liked my fellow passengers better on the Conquest (but that could have been Southern hospitality at work), and I thought the service was superior on Carnival.

 

Decor really doesn't affect my decision much, as long as the ship is clean and safe I really don't care about color schemes. But I do like the look of Carnival's ships - at least the ones that I've been on - more than NCL's Star. If I were to choose a ship for decor alone, I would go back to Holland America (lovely ship) or Princess. As much as I liked Princess, I think that Carnival delivers a better value, especially when travelling as a family.

 

Really, OP, you are enough of a cruise "newbie" that the best thing you could do is not commit yourself to any single line. Look around a bit, try different lines, see what's out there. As long as you have a good attitude, you will probably find that you have fun regardless of which cruise line you are on.

 

There are more cruise lines out there that I would LOVE to try, but as long as we are paying for kids to come along it's probably Carnival for us.

[uppitycats]

Hmmmm. I know RCI has the sexy legs contest and womens biceps contest and belly flop contest so not sure why hairy chest contest would bother you so much. I know there are various activities on every cruise that don't interest me in the least but some people enjoy them so you can just avoid those activities. DH & Kids said they had no interest in going to the hairy chest contest but we were eating at the burger grill which happened to be right where they were doing the hairy check contest and even my husband & kids were laughing. We usually watch now unless something else is going on more fun. As for the glitz and strobe lights....I guess it depends on the ship. I haven't encountered any glitz or strobe lights on my Carnival cruises but I've heard it referred to as Vegas decor. I've been on Pride & Spirit which I think are more elegant ships and Elation and none had big glitzy colors to me. I thought the RCI Mariner had more glitz than the 3 Carnival ships I've been on. I guess its a matter of taste.

 

I've not cruised on RCI, so don't know. I've cruised (several times) on Princess, NCL, Carnival, Hurtigruten, and a couple of smaller river cruises.

[mamacat18]

I've cruised on both Carnival and NCL...and while the service and food on Carnival was exemplary, I'll not sail on Carnival again unless they have an itinerary that is unique. I hate-hate-hated the decor, the flashy/glitzy/way-over-the-top decor, the strobe light effect, all of it. I never thought that sort of thing would bother me so much, but it did. That, and the "hairy chest" contest and the late-night drunks (and no, this was on a more sedate cruise to Alaska!, not the Caribbean where I might have expected that!)..turned me off Carnival altogether.

 

To each their own. Personally I do not the decor that Carnival has but I've saled on NCL twice and much prefer Carnival's atmosphere.

[mississauga]

There have been a few comments re nickel and diming on NCL. You do not have to pay extra on any cruise line. You only pay extra by choice. That is true on any cruise line.

 

Yes, there are more choices and maybe more opportunities for paying extra on NCL but again, it is by choice.

 

On any cruise, the only extra you have after you pay for your cruise fare is the auto tipping. Nothing else.