Carnival decore...Tacky????

[Boatingmom]

I'm finally giving Carnival a chance. DH sailed CCL before we married. I've been on HAL, NCL, DCL, RCCL, and Princess in that order. Do you think the tacky decore is going to have a negative impact on my cruise? I'm open to experience new things expecially at an affordable price but gaudy? Opinions please on whether this will affect my cruise.

[DaytonCruiser]

I'm finally giving Carnival a chance. DH sailed CCL before we married. I've been on HAL, NCL, DCL, RCCL, and Princess in that order. Do you think the tacky decore is going to have a negative impact on my cruise? I'm open to experience new things expecially at an affordable price but gaudy? Opinions please on whether this will affect my cruise.

Only you can answer the effect decor will have on your cruise experience. I will say Legend is one of the tamer Carnival ships, but it does have a "death" motif :) Fair amount of urns on the ship.

[rdreid]

The Decor on carnival is great, ITS JUST A VACATION, you will only be there a week.

[bankerbabe]

I think that some of the decorating choices made on the Carnival ships are a tad tacky. It has never impacted my cruise experience, though. It's not like it's my house that is decorated like that. Decor is the least of my concerns.

 

I think they are trying to achieve more of a whimsical look - in keeping with the "fun, fun, fun" theme. It worked for me.

[ebbaday]

Are you serious?

[Yazoo cruiser]

Having been on 54 cruises with several different Lines, 23 on Carnival, I have NEVER" not enjoyed our cruise because of the "tacky" decor. Just go with a positive attitude and I'm sure you will have a great time. ENJOY.

[babyher]

Yes Carnivals decor in some of their areas can be a little glitzy and overpowering. Certainly nothing I would decorate my home with, but its never stopped me from having a great cruise.

 

Another way I look at it. I have been to the Sistine Chapel in Rome . One of the most beautiful awe inspiring things I have ever seen. But If you think I would want that painting on my living room ceiling you are crazy. *LOL*

[lgerrish]

It's wild, it's colorful, it's awe inspiring and I love it! But if you cruise for the decor, you better put your beer goggles on...just sayin. :D

[uppitycats]

I've been on 3 different Carnival ships and hated the decor in all of them. The decor, lighting, garish colors, all of it. And yes, we have decided to not cruise on Carnival again, because of it. There are many other much more lovely cruise lines to choose from.

[SMSACE6]

I have been on 4 Carnival ships and, yes the decor is a little glitzy, but not offensive in any way to me. These are Fun Ships, and the decor reflects that theme. I like color in general, so Carnival ships decor is fine with me. My favorites on Carnival have been Valor and Liberty.

 

While I loved my one Celebrity cruise, the only thing I can say about the decor on that ship is that it was all earth tones, ( ochre, beige, mocha, terra cotta ), and while the ship and cruise was very nice, I much prefer the decor of the Carnival ships I have been on, including the Carnival Sensation, with all her purple! But again, that may have to do with me and my love of color!

 

to the OP, if you go expecting tackiness, you might find it, but if you go to your Carnival cruise, expecting a fun ship, with a colorful and lighthearthed decor, that is what you will find.

 

This is just my opinion. :)

[skye02]

I'm finally giving Carnival a chance. DH sailed CCL before we married. I've been on HAL, NCL, DCL, RCCL, and Princess in that order. Do you think the tacky decore is going to have a negative impact on my cruise? I'm open to experience new things expecially at an affordable price but gaudy? Opinions please on whether this will affect my cruise.

 

Carnival's decorator's tastes are not mine, but my 8 year old daughter that the Fascination's gaudy decor was the beautiful she had ever seen.

 

It really would be beyond superficial to allow decor dictate your experience, though.

[Green Boy]

I've been on 3 different Carnival ships and hated the decor in all of them. The decor, lighting, garish colors, all of it. And yes, we have decided to not cruise on Carnival again, because of it. There are many other much more lovely cruise lines to choose from.

WOW...

 

I don't think I would let a few off colors and lights would make me change my mind about a cruise line... but beauty is in the eye of the beholder...

for the price of Carnival, I can put up with any decorations :D

[HazelSmrf]

The decor isn't my cup of tea but the price is great and we had a lot of fun.

[md10074]

When I first stepped on the Fascination for the first time, I was like OMG tacky! I sure got over that quick and had a great time. It's not my house, so what do I care? Try the Liberty, it isn't tacky at all.

[KFinTx]

To me, it's like Vegas. Smacks you in the face when you first come on board, but after a while, I tune it out. But it does look nice on Elegant Night. YMMV. :)

[Charleyann]

I preferred Carnival decor over Disneys ! :eek: Imagine that!!!!!

[tef43]

Opinions please on whether this will affect my cruise.

Only if you let it.

 

But it sounds to me that you've already decided that it will.

[Ren1216]

How can we even answer that question for you? Only you can decide if decor will affect your overall experience.

 

I have just booked our first CCL sailing for our family-cruise (7 of us this year). A few in the group were a little put off by Carnival's past reputation as well as the gaudy decor (compared to other lines we have sailed). Not me - I decided that even if I don't love the idea of "The Ship of Urns"... so what! It's a cruise. It's a new line for me, a new experience. I choose to embrace the visual aspect as it being "different".... and honestly, I'm really ready for something different. Same ol' gets boring.

 

It's all in the attitude you approach with. Expect to hate it and you will. Accept it for what it is, appreciate it for being different.... and then go have some fun!

[EmmasNana]

I have been on severallll carnival cruises. I could not tell you what the decor of the ship was. Obviously that must not be important to me. I go for the best bang for the buck. We are retired and my job now is to find what my husband would call "good value" vacations. That is what I dedicate most of my time to. We like to travel and vacation. Carnival is "good value" for the most part. He has recently told me to get enough Carnival cruises to make us platinum, so I am doing my wifely duties and trying to do just that.

Our next cruise is on the Victory which to me sounds great with all the Sea Horses throughout the ship.

 

He is happy enough with Carnival that he wants me to cancel our land vacation in Italy next year for a cruise...that will never happen

[Bruckner]

There are two kinds of people - people who like to have fun and people who look for excuses not to have fun. Your choice as to whether you'll let it bother you.

 

We went on the Miracle and while the dining room was a bit much for me,(Dionysian grape theme - my two year old thought they looked like purple panties!), the rest of the ship was quite nice looking. We had a fantastic time and are sailing again in February on the Dream.

[SMSACE6]

I have been on severallll carnival cruises. I could not tell you what the decor of the ship was. Obviously that must not be important to me. I go for the best bang for the buck. We are retired and my job now is to find what my husband would call "good value" vacations. That is what I dedicate most of my time to. We like to travel and vacation. Carnival is "good value" for the most part. He has recently told me to get enough Carnival cruises to make us platinum, so I am doing my wifely duties and trying to do just that.

Our next cruise is on the Victory which to me sounds great with all the Sea Horses throughout the ship.

 

He is happy enough with Carnival that he wants me to cancel our land vacation in Italy next year for a cruise...that will never happen

 

EmmasNana, as much as I love Carnival and Cruising; there is nothing and no way I would cancel a land based trip to Italy. I love that country! If it were not so far away from me, I would make a determined effort to get there a little more often! Go for it, and enjoy your trip to Italy. Cruises will always be readily available.!:)

[beach410]

I enjoy the fun and different style of Carnival ships, only sailed

RCL once and thought it boring, blah, less alive compared to Carnival. But I also dont focus on the decor, theres so much more to a cruise than that. A boring decor wouldnt stop me from sailing RCL again.

[LemurCat]

Tacky? Compared to what? Most Vegas casinos? Most of Disneyworld's overly themed resorts?

 

I get it that decor is really important to some people (and this is coming from someone who is an arbitur of architecture), but it's a ship that you don't own and won't be on for that long.

 

I guess it's a matter of priorities and everyone's different.

[Tao Diva]

If you want classy upscale sophistication, :cool: you're better off going to San Francisco than Vegas.

 

If you want kitschy fun and non-stop entertainment :p you're better off going to Vegas than San Fran.

 

That being said, you can most certainly find kitsch in San Fran and you can certainly find class in Vegas.;)

 

So what's the take home message? :confused:

 

Go play! :D

[vegasvic88]

Isn't that part of the fun? Isn't that one of the reasons for traveling - to experience new and exciting things??? It will only bother you if you let it.