RCCL compared to Carnival

[lkdry]

I've been on 11 cruises. We started with Celebrity and loved them until they canceled one of our cruises. RCCL gave us a great deal so we stayed with them for 5 years. We expecially loved Adventurer of the Seas...went on that ship 3 years in a row. The first time on that ship service was excellent. But by cruise #3 the service had gone way down. So we tried Holland America. Not bad but I still think I prefer RCCL. I also took my teenagers on Grandeur last year for their first cruise and they really liked it (and the service was excellent). Husband prefers HA but he is also 20 years older than I am so he is closer to the age group they cater to.

 

I was hoping to take the kids on another cruise in 2012, and I was hoping to go on RCCL...BUT unless I want the Oasis or Allure(too big and too expensive) there is nothing in the Caribbean in the summer which is when we have to go. I saw that Carnival has some excellent itineraries. So my question is for those who have traveled on both lines...what are the major differences between the lines? What differences will I notice?

[Luv2CruiseRCL2]

I've been on 11 cruises. We started with Celebrity and loved them until they canceled one of our cruises. RCCL gave us a great deal so we stayed with them for 5 years. We expecially loved Adventurer of the Seas...went on that ship 3 years in a row. The first time on that ship service was excellent. But by cruise #3 the service had gone way down. So we tried Holland America. Not bad but I still think I prefer RCCL. I also took my teenagers on Grandeur last year for their first cruise and they really liked it (and the service was excellent). Husband prefers HA but he is also 20 years older than I am so he is closer to the age group they cater to.

 

I was hoping to take the kids on another cruise in 2012, and I was hoping to go on RCCL...BUT unless I want the Oasis or Allure(too big and too expensive) there is nothing in the Caribbean in the summer which is when we have to go. I saw that Carnival has some excellent itineraries. So my question is for those who have traveled on both lines...what are the major differences between the lines? What differences will I notice?

 

CCL ships look like a 1970's vegas casino with the decor and lights. The service on RCI is alot better than CCL. Other's on here liked the food better on CCL, we did not find that to be true. It is good to get out there and try what the other lines are like and then it will be easier for you to better chose which line works for you.

[dohertm1]

Royal is much better in just about every way but it is true that Carnival has better Carribbean itineraries in my opinion. Royal has better food, better shows and far less smoking because Carnival permits smoking just about everywhere on the ship, including the cabins. Carnival is cheaper that's for sure.

[Vegas Vic]

Royal is much better in just about every way but it is true that Carnival has better Carribbean itineraries in my opinion. Royal has better food, better shows and far less smoking because Carnival permits smoking just about everywhere on the ship, including the cabins. Carnival is cheaper that's for sure.

 

If that's the case (so much smoking on Carnival), I'll NEVER sail with them.

[sherilyn70]

If that's the case (so much smoking on Carnival), I'll NEVER sail with them.

 

Smoke bothers me and I never really had a problem with out outside of having to walk through the casino to get to our dinner in the MDR. Other than that spot, all smoking is designated to one side of the ship and not really that noticeable. I don't like that they allow it in the rooms but I had balcony rooms and never noticed problems with it.

[DarthGrady]

I've been on 11 cruises. We started with Celebrity and loved them until they canceled one of our cruises. RCCL gave us a great deal so we stayed with them for 5 years. We expecially loved Adventurer of the Seas...went on that ship 3 years in a row. The first time on that ship service was excellent. But by cruise #3 the service had gone way down. So we tried Holland America. Not bad but I still think I prefer RCCL. I also took my teenagers on Grandeur last year for their first cruise and they really liked it (and the service was excellent). Husband prefers HA but he is also 20 years older than I am so he is closer to the age group they cater to.

 

I was hoping to take the kids on another cruise in 2012, and I was hoping to go on RCCL...BUT unless I want the Oasis or Allure(too big and too expensive) there is nothing in the Caribbean in the summer which is when we have to go. I saw that Carnival has some excellent itineraries. So my question is for those who have traveled on both lines...what are the major differences between the lines? What differences will I notice?

 

They are a lot more alike than different. The main areas that are usually measured I find to be about equal: food, service, activities, entertainment, ports and cabins (although RCIs older ships have much smaller cabins than CCL's). Royal's ships are prettier IMO, but CCL's fares are usually lower. I would give Carnival a try, you might like them. I had nine cruises with them before I tried RCI, now I like both.

 

If possible, try the Spirit Class (Spirit, Pride, Miracle, Legend). They are generally the favorite among CCL fans due to their superior layout and better space/passenger ratio. They also have the steak house, which I highly recommend.

[compman9]

I like to simplify the comparisons:

 

Food: Slightly Carnival

Entertainment: Slightly Carnival

Accommodations: Slightly Carnival

Service: Slightly Carnival

 

Ship: By a country mile - RCI

[compman9]

I should add - beware the opinions of cheerleaders ;)

[DonnaK]

Have you looked at Freedom and Explorer for the summer 2012? Oasis and Allure are not your only Caribbean options. Freedom prices look a little high now, but they typically go down.

 

 

Our cruise on the Carnival Miracle was the worst cruise ever. Service was horrendous. The waiters were responsible for 48 diners (that's 3-4 times the usual workload on RCI) and the cabin stewards had 27 cabins (that's double the RCI workload), so service was spread very thin and was not as personal or as attentive.

 

The ship was ugly, smoky, and had a poor layout. For example, the kids club is in an odd location, making it underutlilized, resulting in kids running throughout the ship instead of being positively occupied in the kids club. My kids were 10 and 8 at the time, and thought the kids club was "lame" - they were so bored on this cruise that they were whining to go home. The Buffet is between the pool and the aft elevators...sunbathers would use the restaurant as a walk-through, not wearing coverups, dripping wet, etc. YUCK! The adult pool is totally open to the sun...no shady spots at all the shield you from the sun. Etc.

 

We would not return to Carnival again, no matter how good the deal is. Cheap prices yield a cheapened experience.

[sherilyn70]

I should add - beware the opinions of cheerleaders ;)

 

And on the same note... watch out for those that are currently upset with the company. They may be more negative than they normally would be because they are frustrated over something small but recent.

[lkdry]

If all cabins allow smoking then that puts Carnival out for me. I can take it in the open areas but if I had to sleep in a room that someone recently smoked in I would be serious sick. I was also concerned about the 'party' reputation of Carnival.

[bajathree]

Have you looked at Freedom and Explorer for the summer 2012? Oasis and Allure are not your only Caribbean options. Freedom prices look a little high now, but they typically go down.

 

 

Our cruise on the Carnival Miracle was the worst cruise ever. Service was horrendous. The waiters were responsible for 48 diners (that's 3-4 times the usual workload on RCI) and the cabin stewards had 27 cabins (that's double the RCI workload), so service was spread very thin and was not as personal or as attentive.

 

The ship was ugly, smoky, and had a poor layout. For example, the kids club is in an odd location, making it underutlilized, resulting in kids running throughout the ship instead of being positively occupied in the kids club. My kids were 10 and 8 at the time, and thought the kids club was "lame" - they were so bored on this cruise that they were whining to go home. The Buffet is between the pool and the aft elevators...sunbathers would use the restaurant as a walk-through, not wearing coverups, dripping wet, etc. YUCK! The adult pool is totally open to the sun...no shady spots at all the shield you from the sun. Etc.

 

We would not return to Carnival again, no matter how good the deal is. Cheap prices yield a cheapened experience.

 

Funny to read this.....Miracle was the first ship I ever sailed on. My wife and I were scratching our heads the entire time saying we aren't sure about this cruising thing. A big complaint for us was the location of Camp Carnival also. Even though the ship was new it already looked well worn in the first year....crowds everywhere. We had a OK time but wondered if cruising was for us as we had nothing else at the time to compare to. Then a year later we sailed Disney and were like WOW......then went over to Royal and have never looked back since. It's funny because Carnival has some very attractive itineraries....especially Breeze next summer in the Med....an overnight in Rome and Venice is VERY VERY tempting.....but the Carnival product put such a bad taste in our mouth on the first sailing that I don't know I can risk giving it a shot again......I mentioned it to my wife yesterday and her reaction was like... WHAT are you crazy:eek::eek::eek:

[klingoncruiser]

Don't worry about it. Just give Carnival a try. They really are not as bad as others say. It WILL be different, but always good to try other lines.

[mferris77]

While Carnival does allow smoking in all rooms, you will be hard pressed to find someone who encountered a problem with it. (And when you do, chances are it is someone who had a problem with *everything* on their cruise.) If a room has been smoked in, they use ozone machines to eradicate the smell. If you smell it when you check in, tell your steward and they will run the machine again.

 

As far as on the ship, as someone said above, on outside decks it is limited to one side of the ship. Inside the ship there are only specific places where you can smoke (casino, cigar lounge, one of the bars). On the newest boats (Dream, Magic, Breeze), inside smoking areas are even further restricted - in the casino, smoking is only permitted by seated players in the back area, which is well ventilated, so you will not be bothered by smoke if walking through the casino or playing in the non-smoking areas.

[DonnaK]

While Carnival does allow smoking in all rooms, you will be hard pressed to find someone who encountered a problem with it. (And when you do, chances are it is someone who had a problem with *everything* on their cruise.) If a room has been smoked in, they use ozone machines to eradicate the smell. If you smell it when you check in, tell your steward and they will run the machine again.

 

As far as on the ship, as someone said above, on outside decks it is limited to one side of the ship. Inside the ship there are only specific places where you can smoke (casino, cigar lounge, one of the bars). On the newest boats (Dream, Magic, Breeze), inside smoking areas are even further restricted - in the casino, smoking is only permitted by seated players in the back area, which is well ventilated, so you will not be bothered by smoke if walking through the casino or playing in the non-smoking areas.

 

Our problem with smiking on the Miracle was that the odor was blown through the ventilation system into our cabin when a neighbor was smoking in his/her cabin. As well, the passageways reaked of smoke that drifted in through the lounges which allowed smoking but were not enclosed to contain the smoke. It is NOT a well=ventilated ship at all.

[Scottee25]

Have you looked at Freedom and Explorer for the summer 2012? Oasis and Allure are not your only Caribbean options. Freedom prices look a little high now, but they typically go down.

 

Thing with Freedom is that it is almost the same itinerary as Oasis/Allure but simply leaves out of a different port. And as for the Explorer... IMO, a Caribbean itinerary should leave out of someplace a bit more "tropical" :) Their 9 and 10 day itineraries look nice, but most people usually only have 7-8 to give to a vacation at a time. RCCL sure is doing some odd things for next summer!

[time4u2go]

We found both lines to be much more similar than different. We found the food and room sizes to be better on Carnival, and the ship activities to be better on RCI. Service was great on both!

[CruisinAgain2Soon]

 

I was hoping to take the kids on another cruise in 2012, and I was hoping to go on RCCL...BUT unless I want the Oasis or Allure(too big and too expensive) there is nothing in the Caribbean in the summer which is when we have to go. I saw that Carnival has some excellent itineraries. So my question is for those who have traveled on both lines...what are the major differences between the lines? What differences will I notice?

There are Bermuda and Caribbean itineraries out of Bayonne all summer. You won't have to fly which may make up the difference in total cost.

[DonnaK]

Thing with Freedom is that it is almost the same itinerary as Oasis/Allure but simply leaves out of a different port. And as for the Explorer... IMO, a Caribbean itinerary should leave out of someplace a bit more "tropical" :) Their 9 and 10 day itineraries look nice, but most people usually only have 7-8 to give to a vacation at a time. RCCL sure is doing some odd things for next summer!

 

Actually, Freedom has an additional port on the Western, and a better port on the Eastern. It's still an awesome ship, and the price will come down to a significant savings over O/A.

 

It's not necessary to leave from a tropical port during the summer. The 9-day Explorer is a great itinerary. We did it on Princess from Brooklyn last year, and it was one of the best cruises ever! (Interestingly, Princess has pulled all its ships out of the Caribbean during the summer...this is their last summer leaving from Bklyn).

[wednesday]

I am with the more alike than different crowd. We are not loyal to any brand and have enjoyed our cruises on Carnival as well as Royal Caribbean. Carnival has good food and service, at least that has been our experience. I hate cigarette smoke and have never had a problem with it in the cabins on Carnival, the balconies are a different story altogether but both lines allow smoking on the balcony. Carnival also offers "spa cabins" on some of their ships and these are non-smoking and give you access to the thallasso pool :) I think you will have a great time if you choose a Carnival cruise.

[funfamilyof6]

Have you considered the Freedom of the Seas???

[Cruzaholic41]

I've been on 11 cruises. We started with Celebrity and loved them until they canceled one of our cruises. RCCL gave us a great deal so we stayed with them for 5 years. We expecially loved Adventurer of the Seas...went on that ship 3 years in a row. The first time on that ship service was excellent. But by cruise #3 the service had gone way down. So we tried Holland America. Not bad but I still think I prefer RCCL. I also took my teenagers on Grandeur last year for their first cruise and they really liked it (and the service was excellent). Husband prefers HA but he is also 20 years older than I am so he is closer to the age group they cater to.

 

I was hoping to take the kids on another cruise in 2012, and I was hoping to go on RCCL...BUT unless I want the Oasis or Allure(too big and too expensive) there is nothing in the Caribbean in the summer which is when we have to go. I saw that Carnival has some excellent itineraries. So my question is for those who have traveled on both lines...what are the major differences between the lines? What differences will I notice?

 

The biggest difference you will see is in the ship. CCL's ships can't hold a candle to RCI's. Another difference you may notice, based on what you said in another post, is that CCL tends to have a lot more smokers on board. Of course, every sailing could be different, but I am talking in general. I do think the food is a little better on CCL, but not in the specialty restaurants. Service and entertainment is about the same. although, if you do go on Oasis or Allure, the entertainment is leaps and bounds better.

 

Like someone else mentioned, why not consider Freedom of the Seas?

[matj2000]

Read up...

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1211141&highlight=rc+vs

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1199619&highlight=rc+vs+carnival

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1371772&highlight=rc+vs+carnival

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1301572&highlight=rc+vs+carnival

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=900894&highlight=rc+vs+carnival

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=897570&highlight=rc+vs+carnival

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1403123&highlight=rc+vs+carnival

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1334485&highlight=rc+vs+carnival

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1286666&highlight=rc+vs+carnival

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1237487&highlight=rc+vs+carnival

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1229763&highlight=rc+vs+carnival

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1201904&highlight=rc+vs+carnival

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1116220&highlight=rc+vs+carnival

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1106833&highlight=rc+vs+carnival

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1007663&highlight=rc+vs+carnival

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=980229&highlight=rc+vs+carnival

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1035216&highlight=rc+vs+carnival

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1277443&highlight=rc+vs+carnival

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1216586&highlight=rc+vs+carnival

[Cruzaholic41]

nm.

[valtandc]

And on the same note... watch out for those that are currently upset with the company. They may be more negative than they normally would be because they are frustrated over something small but recent.

 

Great point....It amazes me how someone can have a horrible vacation because one employee didn't wipe the table down at the appropriate time. then they just start bashing away. feel sorry for them.