Loyal Royal Caribbean Cruiser Considering Carnival - Got Some ?'s

[Scottee25]

My wife and I have been on 5 cruises, all of them with Royal Caribbean. We have liked the itineraries they have offered, as well as, their ships. In the past we had never considered Carnival in large part due to the many negative things we had heard. So if I am so happy with Royal, then why would I consider Carnival? Well here's the deal...

 

On (Saturday) October 6, 2012 my wife will turn 40. I really want to surprise her with a cruise for her birthday. Plan is to have all of her stuff packed so when she comes home from work on Friday evening, it's off to the airport. I had been browsing Royal's offering for late September/early October of '12 only to see that they only have 3 ships sailing the Caribbean (not including Bermuda/Bahamas cruises). During the same time frame, Carnival has 8 different ships all sailing out of different departure ports. This variety alone meant I could no longer keep overlooking them.

 

I have made up a list of the Royal and Carnival cruises taking place in the week before and the week after her birthday. Ideally I would prefer a southern or eastern Caribbean itinerary. I would prefer a cruise that either departs on birthday or is still sailing on her birthday. A cruise that ends on her birthday is out of consideration. I don't want the vacation to end on her birthday. After looking through the list, Carnival has several Sun-Sun cruises that would have us on a sea day for her birthday. Downside it most are western Caribbean or other ports I am not sure she would be interested in. My top 3 choices are as follows:

 

#1: Carnival Freedom - Sat 10/06/2012 - Sun 10/14/2012: Southern itinerary visiting Grand Turk, La Romana D.R., Curacao, & Aruba. The last two ports have been on our wish list for a while now. Dominican Republic will not be so new for my wife as she lived there for a while in her teenage years but it would be nice to go to Santo Domingo to see the oldest city in the New World. There are also 3 Sea Days with 2 of them at the end of the cruise so plenty of time to relax to end the trip. Leaves out of Ft Lauderdale which typically has plenty of flights in and out. This is my first choice because all of the ports will be "new" to us as far as cruising goes. Biggest negative is that my wife has never really had any interest in cruising Carnival.

 

#2: RCCL Allure of the Seas - Sun 9/30/2012 - Sun 10/07/2012: Eastern itinerary visiting Nassau, St Thomas, St Maarten. We have done St Thomas and St Maarten several times. Nassau would be new but have read that Nassau isn't really a "blow you away" kind of port. Therefore, the ports would not be the biggest selling point on this cruise. What I like most about this that even though we have been to St Thomas and St Maarten before, we have always had fun there and know we would have fun again. We would also be on a Sea Day on her birthday which is the biggest positive as I could have some sort of spa package arranged for her. This cruise also sails out of Ft Lauderdale so air travel in and out would be painless. Negatives on this cruise is that the Allure comes at a premium and I know she has voiced that she has no interest in sailing the Oasis/Allure as she thinks they are too big.

 

#3: Carnival Victory - Sun 10/07/2012 - Sun 10/14/2012: Eastern(Southern) itinerary visiting St Thomas, Barbados, St Lucia, St Kitts, St Maarten. The Victory sails the exact same itinerary a week before that would have us on the ship on her birthday, but I'll get to why I picked these dates instead. As far as the ports go, we have been to them all already tho there is always something new we could try at each of them. However, the itinerary is a bit odd in that is circles back to St Maarten so the only sea day is in the middle of the cruise rather than the last day. It is also very port intensive and I would prefer she have a relaxing vacation rather than a taxing one. Another negative is that it appears that Delta is discontinuing non-stop service out of Detroit to San Juan so getting there may be a chore. So why consider this itinerary? Well my wife is Puerto Rican. She was born and raised there and still has a large number of family members there. Plan would be to fly in on Friday night(if possible) or as early as possible on Saturday morning (her birthday) and arrange for her family meet us (and surprise her) in San Juan. She could spend her birthday in San Juan with family and then leave Sunday on the cruise. This option would more than likely involve the most stress for all involved and it may be more than she is willing to put up with (while her family is great, they have a tendency to change plans last minute without warning). Part of me believes that if I told her this plan after the fact, she would respond with a "yeah, I would prefer to avoid the drama". So I can say, it is the thought that counts :)

 

Now I have tried to do as much research as a can, but sometimes it is just nice to ask people. For instance, I have a friend that swears by Carnival. She loves the atmosphere and recently returned from a short cruise with her husband and 2 young sons. The biggest stigma against Carnival is that they are "party" boats full of unruly passengers. However, I would not put my friend in that category, and she has never complained about such behavior while she has been onboard. If they are all really party boats, I would have expected that she would have changed lines a while ago. You also hear that Carnival's typical passenger would resemble Larry the Cable Guy or someone from Jersey Shore, but then again, you get those same people on Royal's ships.

 

I would like to know what to expect if I decide on sailing Carnival? I am not looking to turn this into a Carnival/Royal bashing thread. I understand there are good and bad to both lines. Prefer to hear from those that have sailed both and can give honest comparisons.

 

I know both the Victory and Freedom are Conquest class ships. I have looked at their deck plans to get an idea of their offerings. Which class of Royal ships would they most closely resemble? Radiance?

 

I still haven’t decided which cabin type to go with if we book Carnival. What cabins types are the most sought after? I had been looking at the Vista Balcony as I am sure my wife would love that. But do those rooms only come with a shower stall? Do you have to upgrade to a suite to get a tub? Looks like there are only 2 Junior Suites on this ship and their balconies are tiny so have ruled them out. What is the biggest differences between the Ocean and Grand Suites? Only thing I can tell is that the Grand comes with a bidet (big deal :) ) and appears to be about 50% wider. Aside from that, they both have tubs (my wife does like that as it makes it easier to shave her legs). Anything else majorly different between the two? Aside from the larger cabin size and tubs, is there any other benefits to suites other than priority embark/debark?

 

I was looking at Carnival's site for shore excursions but there are not all that many listed for the ports on the first cruise I listed (didn't really look at ports on 3rd cruise yet). Is that because of how far out the cruise is? Also many of the excursions listed were very short, like 2-3 hours. I just know with Royal that if the ship is in port for 8 hours, it was not unheard of to find excursions that were 5, 6, or even 7 hours long. Would these be something added later? Or would I be better off trying to find things to do through 3rd parties?

 

Me pulling this off is still contingent on her employer working with me to grant her time off without her knowing about it but she has worked there for over 10 years so I am hopeful they will. I know I have included a lot of info in here, but I am hoping that by laying out what I am looking for, you guys can help me by providing me useful information I can use to make my decision. I am sure I will have more questions as time goes on, but this is all I have at the moment. Thanks guys!

[missemo12345]

My wife and I have been on 5 cruises, all of them with Royal Caribbean. We have liked the itineraries they have offered, as well as, their ships. In the past we had never considered Carnival in large part due to the many negative things we had heard. So if I am so happy with Royal, then why would I consider Carnival? Well here's the deal...

 

On (Saturday) October 6, 2012 my wife will turn 40. I really want to surprise her with a cruise for her birthday. Plan is to have all of her stuff packed so when she comes home from work on Friday evening, it's off to the airport. I had been browsing Royal's offering for late September/early October of '12 only to see that they only have 3 ships sailing the Caribbean (not including Bermuda/Bahamas cruises). During the same time frame, Carnival has 8 different ships all sailing out of different departure ports. This variety alone meant I could no longer keep overlooking them.

 

I have made up a list of the Royal and Carnival cruises taking place in the week before and the week after her birthday. Ideally I would prefer a southern or eastern Caribbean itinerary. I would prefer a cruise that either departs on birthday or is still sailing on her birthday. A cruise that ends on her birthday is out of consideration. I don't want the vacation to end on her birthday. After looking through the list, Carnival has several Sun-Sun cruises that would have us on a sea day for her birthday. Downside it most are western Caribbean or other ports I am not sure she would be interested in. My top 3 choices are as follows:

 

#1: Carnival Freedom - Sat 10/06/2012 - Sun 10/14/2012: Southern itinerary visiting Grand Turk, La Romana D.R., Curacao, & Aruba. The last two ports have been on our wish list for a while now. Dominican Republic will not be so new for my wife as she lived there for a while in her teenage years but it would be nice to go to Santo Domingo to see the oldest city in the New World. There are also 3 Sea Days with 2 of them at the end of the cruise so plenty of time to relax to end the trip. Leaves out of Ft Lauderdale which typically has plenty of flights in and out. This is my first choice because all of the ports will be "new" to us as far as cruising goes. Biggest negative is that my wife has never really had any interest in cruising Carnival.

 

#2: RCCL Allure of the Seas - Sun 9/30/2012 - Sun 10/07/2012: Eastern itinerary visiting Nassau, St Thomas, St Maarten. We have done St Thomas and St Maarten several times. Nassau would be new but have read that Nassau isn't really a "blow you away" kind of port. Therefore, the ports would not be the biggest selling point on this cruise. What I like most about this that even though we have been to St Thomas and St Maarten before, we have always had fun there and know we would have fun again. We would also be on a Sea Day on her birthday which is the biggest positive as I could have some sort of spa package arranged for her. This cruise also sails out of Ft Lauderdale so air travel in and out would be painless. Negatives on this cruise is that the Allure comes at a premium and I know she has voiced that she has no interest in sailing the Oasis/Allure as she thinks they are too big.

 

#3: Carnival Victory - Sun 10/07/2012 - Sun 10/14/2012: Eastern(Southern) itinerary visiting St Thomas, Barbados, St Lucia, St Kitts, St Maarten. The Victory sails the exact same itinerary a week before that would have us on the ship on her birthday, but I'll get to why I picked these dates instead. As far as the ports go, we have been to them all already tho there is always something new we could try at each of them. However, the itinerary is a bit odd in that is circles back to St Maarten so the only sea day is in the middle of the cruise rather than the last day. It is also very port intensive and I would prefer she have a relaxing vacation rather than a taxing one. Another negative is that it appears that Delta is discontinuing non-stop service out of Detroit to San Juan so getting there may be a chore. So why consider this itinerary? Well my wife is Puerto Rican. She was born and raised there and still has a large number of family members there. Plan would be to fly in on Friday night(if possible) or as early as possible on Saturday morning (her birthday) and arrange for her family meet us (and surprise her) in San Juan. She could spend her birthday in San Juan with family and then leave Sunday on the cruise. This option would more than likely involve the most stress for all involved and it may be more than she is willing to put up with (while her family is great, they have a tendency to change plans last minute without warning). Part of me believes that if I told her this plan after the fact, she would respond with a "yeah, I would prefer to avoid the drama". So I can say, it is the thought that counts :)

 

Now I have tried to do as much research as a can, but sometimes it is just nice to ask people. For instance, I have a friend that swears by Carnival. She loves the atmosphere and recently returned from a short cruise with her husband and 2 young sons. The biggest stigma against Carnival is that they are "party" boats full of unruly passengers. However, I would not put my friend in that category, and she has never complained about such behavior while she has been onboard. If they are all really party boats, I would have expected that she would have changed lines a while ago. You also hear that Carnival's typical passenger would resemble Larry the Cable Guy or someone from Jersey Shore, but then again, you get those same people on Royal's ships.

 

I would like to know what to expect if I decide on sailing Carnival? I am not looking to turn this into a Carnival/Royal bashing thread. I understand there are good and bad to both lines. Prefer to hear from those that have sailed both and can give honest comparisons.

 

I know both the Victory and Freedom are Conquest class ships. I have looked at their deck plans to get an idea of their offerings. Which class of Royal ships would they most closely resemble? Radiance?

 

I still haven’t decided which cabin type to go with if we book Carnival. What cabins types are the most sought after? I had been looking at the Vista Balcony as I am sure my wife would love that. But do those rooms only come with a shower stall? Do you have to upgrade to a suite to get a tub? Looks like there are only 2 Junior Suites on this ship and their balconies are tiny so have ruled them out. What is the biggest differences between the Ocean and Grand Suites? Only thing I can tell is that the Grand comes with a bidet (big deal :) ) and appears to be about 50% wider. Aside from that, they both have tubs (my wife does like that as it makes it easier to shave her legs). Anything else majorly different between the two? Aside from the larger cabin size and tubs, is there any other benefits to suites other than priority embark/debark?

 

I was looking at Carnival's site for shore excursions but there are not all that many listed for the ports on the first cruise I listed (didn't really look at ports on 3rd cruise yet). Is that because of how far out the cruise is? Also many of the excursions listed were very short, like 2-3 hours. I just know with Royal that if the ship is in port for 8 hours, it was not unheard of to find excursions that were 5, 6, or even 7 hours long. Would these be something added later? Or would I be better off trying to find things to do through 3rd parties?

 

Me pulling this off is still contingent on her employer working with me to grant her time off without her knowing about it but she has worked there for over 10 years so I am hopeful they will. I know I have included a lot of info in here, but I am hoping that by laying out what I am looking for, you guys can help me by providing me useful information I can use to make my decision. I am sure I will have more questions as time goes on, but this is all I have at the moment. Thanks guys!

Hi tere I am the one with the Mantle dane.......I have been on 8 Carnival Cruises all shorter then what you are looking at...Just wanted to say Hi and nice trip you are planning...

[H82seaUgo]

the victory is the triumph class, and is smaller than the conquest class ships.

 

most rccl cruisers i know, when trying out carnival, are so surprised that what they find on carnival to exceed their expectations. and why they haven't sailed carnival previously.

 

and as i can see by your post, you are confusing fun with partying. fun ship does not mean party ship. period.

 

fun ship means just that, but you'll have to experience it to know what it means.

 

you will find the food, and the availability of it, better on carnival. we find the pool layout of the rccl ships to be better.

 

and everything else is pretty much on par, except carnival charges a lot less for it.

[missemo12345]

Hi There I am the person with the Mantle Great Dane....I have been on 8 carnival cruises all shorter then what you are planning....Sounds like a nice trip you have planned..Good Luck

[KruznKel]

My wife and I have been on 5 cruises, all of them with Royal Caribbean. We have liked the itineraries they have offered, as well as, their ships. In the past we had never considered Carnival in large part due to the many negative things we had heard. So if I am so happy with Royal, then why would I consider Carnival? Well here's the deal...

 

On (Saturday) October 6, 2012 my wife will turn 40. I really want to surprise her with a cruise for her birthday. Plan is to have all of her stuff packed so when she comes home from work on Friday evening, it's off to the airport. I had been browsing Royal's offering for late September/early October of '12 only to see that they only have 3 ships sailing the Caribbean (not including Bermuda/Bahamas cruises). During the same time frame, Carnival has 8 different ships all sailing out of different departure ports. This variety alone meant I could no longer keep overlooking them.

 

I have made up a list of the Royal and Carnival cruises taking place in the week before and the week after her birthday. Ideally I would prefer a southern or eastern Caribbean itinerary. I would prefer a cruise that either departs on birthday or is still sailing on her birthday. A cruise that ends on her birthday is out of consideration. I don't want the vacation to end on her birthday. After looking through the list, Carnival has several Sun-Sun cruises that would have us on a sea day for her birthday. Downside it most are western Caribbean or other ports I am not sure she would be interested in. My top 3 choices are as follows:

 

#1: Carnival Freedom - Sat 10/06/2012 - Sun 10/14/2012: Southern itinerary visiting Grand Turk, La Romana D.R., Curacao, & Aruba. The last two ports have been on our wish list for a while now. Dominican Republic will not be so new for my wife as she lived there for a while in her teenage years but it would be nice to go to Santo Domingo to see the oldest city in the New World. There are also 3 Sea Days with 2 of them at the end of the cruise so plenty of time to relax to end the trip. Leaves out of Ft Lauderdale which typically has plenty of flights in and out. This is my first choice because all of the ports will be "new" to us as far as cruising goes. Biggest negative is that my wife has never really had any interest in cruising Carnival.

 

#2: RCCL Allure of the Seas - Sun 9/30/2012 - Sun 10/07/2012: Eastern itinerary visiting Nassau, St Thomas, St Maarten. We have done St Thomas and St Maarten several times. Nassau would be new but have read that Nassau isn't really a "blow you away" kind of port. Therefore, the ports would not be the biggest selling point on this cruise. What I like most about this that even though we have been to St Thomas and St Maarten before, we have always had fun there and know we would have fun again. We would also be on a Sea Day on her birthday which is the biggest positive as I could have some sort of spa package arranged for her. This cruise also sails out of Ft Lauderdale so air travel in and out would be painless. Negatives on this cruise is that the Allure comes at a premium and I know she has voiced that she has no interest in sailing the Oasis/Allure as she thinks they are too big.

 

#3: Carnival Victory - Sun 10/07/2012 - Sun 10/14/2012: Eastern(Southern) itinerary visiting St Thomas, Barbados, St Lucia, St Kitts, St Maarten. The Victory sails the exact same itinerary a week before that would have us on the ship on her birthday, but I'll get to why I picked these dates instead. As far as the ports go, we have been to them all already tho there is always something new we could try at each of them. However, the itinerary is a bit odd in that is circles back to St Maarten so the only sea day is in the middle of the cruise rather than the last day. It is also very port intensive and I would prefer she have a relaxing vacation rather than a taxing one. Another negative is that it appears that Delta is discontinuing non-stop service out of Detroit to San Juan so getting there may be a chore. So why consider this itinerary? Well my wife is Puerto Rican. She was born and raised there and still has a large number of family members there. Plan would be to fly in on Friday night(if possible) or as early as possible on Saturday morning (her birthday) and arrange for her family meet us (and surprise her) in San Juan. She could spend her birthday in San Juan with family and then leave Sunday on the cruise. This option would more than likely involve the most stress for all involved and it may be more than she is willing to put up with (while her family is great, they have a tendency to change plans last minute without warning). Part of me believes that if I told her this plan after the fact, she would respond with a "yeah, I would prefer to avoid the drama". So I can say, it is the thought that counts :)

 

Now I have tried to do as much research as a can, but sometimes it is just nice to ask people. For instance, I have a friend that swears by Carnival. She loves the atmosphere and recently returned from a short cruise with her husband and 2 young sons. The biggest stigma against Carnival is that they are "party" boats full of unruly passengers. However, I would not put my friend in that category, and she has never complained about such behavior while she has been onboard. If they are all really party boats, I would have expected that she would have changed lines a while ago. You also hear that Carnival's typical passenger would resemble Larry the Cable Guy or someone from Jersey Shore, but then again, you get those same people on Royal's ships.

 

I would like to know what to expect if I decide on sailing Carnival? I am not looking to turn this into a Carnival/Royal bashing thread. I understand there are good and bad to both lines. Prefer to hear from those that have sailed both and can give honest comparisons.

 

I know both the Victory and Freedom are Conquest class ships. I have looked at their deck plans to get an idea of their offerings. Which class of Royal ships would they most closely resemble? Radiance?

 

I still haven’t decided which cabin type to go with if we book Carnival. What cabins types are the most sought after? I had been looking at the Vista Balcony as I am sure my wife would love that. But do those rooms only come with a shower stall? Do you have to upgrade to a suite to get a tub? Looks like there are only 2 Junior Suites on this ship and their balconies are tiny so have ruled them out. What is the biggest differences between the Ocean and Grand Suites? Only thing I can tell is that the Grand comes with a bidet (big deal :) ) and appears to be about 50% wider. Aside from that, they both have tubs (my wife does like that as it makes it easier to shave her legs). Anything else majorly different between the two? Aside from the larger cabin size and tubs, is there any other benefits to suites other than priority embark/debark?

 

I was looking at Carnival's site for shore excursions but there are not all that many listed for the ports on the first cruise I listed (didn't really look at ports on 3rd cruise yet). Is that because of how far out the cruise is? Also many of the excursions listed were very short, like 2-3 hours. I just know with Royal that if the ship is in port for 8 hours, it was not unheard of to find excursions that were 5, 6, or even 7 hours long. Would these be something added later? Or would I be better off trying to find things to do through 3rd parties?

 

Me pulling this off is still contingent on her employer working with me to grant her time off without her knowing about it but she has worked there for over 10 years so I am hopeful they will. I know I have included a lot of info in here, but I am hoping that by laying out what I am looking for, you guys can help me by providing me useful information I can use to make my decision. I am sure I will have more questions as time goes on, but this is all I have at the moment. Thanks guys!

 

If I were you I would go with the Freedom she has the steak house which the Victory does not.. she also has the fish and chips... she is a slightly different layout then the Victory and a tad bigger... We have sailed both of those and we do like the Conquest class..;)

 

As for balcony try for an aft wrap around they offer those on deck 6 ,7 and 8 and there are only 6 of them.. I can't remember the new class they call them but they used to be 9A's.. if you are balcony enjoying people this is the CAT for you... if not and you like your space you may want the suites with the tub.. which dont offer the same size balcony nor the views... do a google search for aft wrap balconies on Carnival.. you won't be disappointed:D

[QLUVS2CRUZ]

I personally think the party atmosphere is a myth...I've been on both RCI and Carnival, and both are very similar. If you look for the bad things, you will find them on both lines...so I try to find the positive...and it sounds like you are looking for the positives too, so you have a good mind set:D

 

I think the ships you are looking at are quite different, so it's hard to give a true comparison. I just went on Freedom in December, and it was awesome...I loved the ship, my only complaint, I couldn't do everything the ship had to offer in 6 nights...so I'll have to go again.;)

 

Sounds like you are looking at at least a balcony...we had an aft Junior Suite on RCI Grandeur, and my Oceanview room on Carnival was bigger than the Junior Suite on RCI...Carnival does tend to have bigger rooms. Upcoming cruise we have an extended balcony. I do think the balconies are a bit small as far as trying to walk around...for sitting, not a problem.

 

Food is similar. I find Carnival wins out a little more in this area. I like the decor of the Carnival ships and RCI ships...different, yes, but not necessarily better on one over the other. Both lines offer many activities, and while things like the Love and Marriage show sound cheesy, they are actually really funny. Carnival has been adding several comedian shows, and I really enjoyed that on the Freedom. They've cut back on the Broadway type shows, what was great for me, because I don't enjoy those type of shows as much, but it depends on what you are looking for.

 

I think you should go ahead and try Carnival once...if you don't like it, you never have to go again. Usually Carnival is cheaper for about the same kind of experience. Cabins tend to be bigger on Carnival than on RCI, but you probably won't get a tub unless you book a suite. For me it all comes down to price, ports and then ship...and usually I find the better deal on Carnival...I think you will enjoy it. Go with an open mind and it will be a great vacation...I would pretty much choose any cruise line if my DH was going to take me away on a surpise trip!! I hope you will enjoy yourselves no matter what you choose.

[cruisinwithboys]

We have been on 3 RCCL and will be going on our 4th Carnival cruise this Sunday (yay!) While we like both, I generally prefer Carnival, but just by a teeny smidge. They are both different cruise lines, but most of the stuff, such as food, pools, ships, ect are about the same. The reason we prefer Carnival is it just seems there are more orginazed activities going on. I don't miss the flow rider or the rock wall while I'm cruising, but really do enjoy the slides. My mother in law has been on 12 RCCL cruises, and swears by them, but finally had to jump ship due to the variance of itineraries. She absolutely loved it. We try to keep our cruises evenly balanced as to not get stuck on one line or the other due to the loyalty perks. It would be a shame to be stuck on one line just because you might, one day, be able to check-in in a different room from the other travelers. Even if you guys hate Carnival (no idea how anyone could hate ANY cruise), but if you do, atleast the thought and the idea for the trip is so awesome for your wife, you guys will be having a blast anyways! Go for it and good luck making this happen!

[boingy300]

I have sailed mostly RCCL as well, but did do a Disney & Holland in the past. I am eager to hear as well. I am bummed RCCL halted summer So. Caribbean cruises for 2012 so we are considering a graduation cruise and maybe on Carnival. I would like a newer nicer ship but I am admittedly ignorant about anything Carnival. Does the fact that I sailed Holland give me any "credit" as a Carnival cruiser? (I am thinking no, but maybe-?) It looks like Carnival Victory or Valor goes this route. Any opinions of 1 ship over the other? It's going be hard to out sell the RCCL Freedom's flow rider with the boys so I need some Carnival guidance. Thanks for asking this question!

Karen

[semichigan]

Hi! I would choose the Freedom itinerary - mostly because the ports would be new for you.

 

I personally don't think I would care for the Oasis/Allure size ship (or the Dream/Magic on Carnival) because they are too big, too many people, and not enough pools, IMO. Also, I wouldn't want to pay a premium price to go to Nassau and you've already been to the other two ports on that itinerary.

 

I've not been on the Victory, but I like to have sea days and think I would be exhausted by the end of the week with all those ports (as if I'm not anyway!)

 

I have been on two RCCL cruises and 7 Carnival...I like both. I believe the Carnival rooms are a bit bigger, and we typically get balcony rooms - have never had a suite so I can't comment on those.

 

I think the biggest risk of having the obnoxious party people is around Spring Break and on the shorter cruises - again, just my opinion.

 

Whatever you choose, have a great time - I wish my hubby would surprise me with a cruise! We are booked on the Liberty on 10/29/2011 for an Eastern itinerary where all ports will be new for us.

[QLUVS2CRUZ]

Oh forgot to add...we never book excursions through Carnival, so I can't comment on what they offer that may be longer than a couple of hours...but there are plenty you can book with a third party if you do your research...I get all my recommendations from Cruise Critic by going to the ports of call boards and have not been disappointed.

[Scottee25]

the victory is the triumph class, and is smaller than the conquest class ships.

 

most rccl cruisers i know, when trying out carnival, are so surprised that what they find on carnival to exceed their expectations. and why they haven't sailed carnival previously.

 

and as i can see by your post, you are confusing fun with partying. fun ship does not mean party ship. period.

 

fun ship means just that, but you'll have to experience it to know what it means.

 

you will find the food, and the availability of it, better on carnival. we find the pool layout of the rccl ships to be better.

 

and everything else is pretty much on par, except carnival charges a lot less for it.

 

My mistake on the Victory. I must have mixed it up with one of the other itineraries i was considering. However, not sure I was confusing partying with fun. I was just conveying what I had heard about the crowds. But like I said, if the crowds were really like that, my friend who is loyal to Carnival would never have lasted with them as that is not really her personality. Personally, I don't mind a good party. Part of my impressions were made years ago when I was new to cruising and simply didn't know any better.

 

Still, I am very greatful for the feedback!

[KruznKel]

I have sailed mostly RCCL as well, but did do a Disney & Holland in the past. I am eager to hear as well. I am bummed RCCL halted summer So. Caribbean cruises for 2012 so we are considering a graduation cruise and maybe on Carnival. I would like a newer nicer ship but I am admittedly ignorant about anything Carnival. Does the fact that I sailed Holland give me any "credit" as a Carnival cruiser? (I am thinking no, but maybe-?) It looks like Carnival Victory or Valor goes this route. Any opinions of 1 ship over the other? It's going be hard to out sell the RCCL Freedom's flow rider with the boys so I need some Carnival guidance. Thanks for asking this question!

Karen

 

I dunno how HAL will help you but you may be able to get a past quest rate.. but you must call Carnival to see if there are any available on your sailing you do not get the privileges tho.. that I do know.. goes the same for Carnival cruising HAL..

 

I would choose the Valor bigger ship than the Victory.. and there are lots of activities for teens on board.. I don't have kids.. but I know when I was a kid I went where my parents said we were going unless I decided to pay for my way:p I am sure your kids will enjoy where they are once they get there:D

[QLUVS2CRUZ]

I have sailed mostly RCCL as well, but did do a Disney & Holland in the past. I am eager to hear as well. I am bummed RCCL halted summer So. Caribbean cruises for 2012 so we are considering a graduation cruise and maybe on Carnival. I would like a newer nicer ship but I am admittedly ignorant about anything Carnival. Does the fact that I sailed Holland give me any "credit" as a Carnival cruiser? (I am thinking no, but maybe-?) It looks like Carnival Victory or Valor goes this route. Any opinions of 1 ship over the other? It's going be hard to out sell the RCCL Freedom's flow rider with the boys so I need some Carnival guidance. Thanks for asking this question!

Karen

 

Valor is a great ship...I think you will enjoy it. Haven't been in Victory. Some of the Carnival ships have a water works type thing...not a flow rider, but fun nonetheless...I hope you will consider it.

[shwabob]

#3: Carnival Victory - Sun 10/07/2012 - Sun 10/14/2012: Eastern(Southern) itinerary visiting St Thomas, Barbados, St Lucia, St Kitts, St Maarten. The Victory sails the exact same itinerary a week before that would have us on the ship on her birthday, but I'll get to why I picked these dates instead. As far as the ports go, we have been to them all already tho there is always something new we could try at each of them. However, the itinerary is a bit odd in that is circles back to St Maarten so the only sea day is in the middle of the cruise rather than the last day. It is also very port intensive and I would prefer she have a relaxing vacation rather than a taxing one. Another negative is that it appears that Delta is discontinuing non-stop service out of Detroit to San Juan so getting there may be a chore. So why consider this itinerary? Well my wife is Puerto Rican. She was born and raised there and still has a large number of family members there. Plan would be to fly in on Friday night(if possible) or as early as possible on Saturday morning (her birthday) and arrange for her family meet us (and surprise her) in San Juan. She could spend her birthday in San Juan with family and then leave Sunday on the cruise. This option would more than likely involve the most stress for all involved and it may be more than she is willing to put up with (while her family is great, they have a tendency to change plans last minute without warning). Part of me believes that if I told her this plan after the fact, she would respond with a "yeah, I would prefer to avoid the drama". So I can say, it is the thought that counts :)

 

We just got back from the Victory's 5/8 sailing and felt like we would need another week of vacation after the port intensive schedule and the journey through SJU airport. We also weren't fans of the embark/debark process in San Juan. It probably would have been much better had we booked a couple nights post-cruise in San Juan. I'd try the freedom... you get a great itinerary and a bit more downtime.

[nytraveller53]

the victory is the triumph class, and is smaller than the conquest class ships.

 

most rccl cruisers i know, when trying out carnival, are so surprised that what they find on carnival to exceed their expectations. and why they haven't sailed carnival previously.

 

and as i can see by your post, you are confusing fun with partying. fun ship does not mean party ship. period.

 

fun ship means just that, but you'll have to experience it to know what it means.

 

you will find the food, and the availability of it, better on carnival. we find the pool layout of the rccl ships to be better.

 

and everything else is pretty much on par, except carnival charges a lot less for it.

Exactly what I was going to say. OP - you should try Carnival, you'll love it!

[firefly333]

Most things Carnival and RCL are very similar. I switch back and forth between the two. RCL ships are more beautiful, some give the edge to Carnival for food and more choices with more hours. Carnival has better beds. RCL beds are kinda hard and not as comfortable.

 

If the prices were the same of course Id pick Allure, because the ship is simply amazing. There is a review posted by a first timer who usually does Carnival. Its heads above other ships in offerings. Dream class would be closest, though still not similar ship wise.

 

A 8 day Freedom though with those ports, I have southern on my list of things to do and Arubua ..if the price was less, Id pick this one.

 

The only unruly drunks (two problems) Iv encountered were both on RCL, not on Carnival.

 

Id put the Triumph class down further on the list as it isnt quite the ship Freedom is .. but again, Im all about the price and value.

[nytraveller53]

Most things Carnival and RCL are very similar. I switch back and forth between the two. RCL ships are more beautiful, some give the edge to Carnival for food and more choices with more hours. Carnival has better beds. RCL beds are kinda hard and not as comfortable.

 

If the prices were the same of course Id pick Allure, because the ship is simply amazing. There is a review posted by a first timer who usually does Carnival. Its heads above other ships in offerings. Dream class would be closest, though still not similar ship wise.

 

A 8 day Freedom though with those ports, I have southern on my list of things to do and Arubua ..if the price was less, Id pick this one.

 

The only unruly drunks (two problems) Iv encountered were both on RCL, not on Carnival.

 

Id put the Triumph class down further on the list as it isnt quite the ship Freedom is .. but again, Im all about the price and value.

To the OP adding to Fire's post: Sometimes Fire posts in other threads in favor of RCL - this is because there are better single-passenger deals on RCL than on CCL. Don't worry.

[brooklynfc]

Hi there! I hope you decide to give Carnival a chance! I sailed on Sovereign of the Seas on RCL and all the ships you listed for Carnival I think are above that level. That being said, I've only been on the Freedom out of your list. The Freedom was my first Carnival cruise and I too was weary of them. But the price and timing was right. 8 days and 5 ports. It was intensive!!!! One day I stayed on and did a spa treatment and them meandered off to meet some friends for shopping then back on. If you want relaxing, I'd go with more sea days. That way you can choose to play bingo, have a wine tasting (extras), have a spa day, participate in the bartender competition, or just lounge all day in the sun with a few beverages. Freedom is pretty new. I think it goes Freedom, Liberty, Splendor, Dream.......I think. So fairly new in the ship world. I think it just got refurbed too. It has an Adult Serenity area, which they are lovely.

 

I can't remember food from that long ago, but I think any food I don't have to cook is great. I'm generation microwave though :rolleyes:. As far as the room. If you can forgo the tub, then book an aft balcony. The view will be great and the balcony size is huge. Although the one thing people say is that people can look down from the upper decks. They have a long balcony on the sides next to the Aft balcony. They are longer about 2xs the size of a normal. Then they have extended ones, not longer, but wider pushed out. The suites have more space and a tub, but not balcony. I don't think the suites live up to the two levels that you can find on Allure.

 

Good luck :D

[Jolimont]

I thought Carnival and RCI were quite similar. Carnival beds are a bit better, food a little better too, RCI was better on entertainment and overall ship décor. I look for itinerary and price and will happily sail either line. The one line I've tried that I wouldn't go back to is Princess, not until I'm old anyway!

[misstopgun]

I really think you would enjoy the Valor. We have sailed on her twice.

 

Bathrooms on RCL are very small in comparison to Carnival. My husband is a large man and avoids RCL just for that reason.

 

Food is good on both.

 

The issue might be which is more important to you, the bath tub or the larger balcony. If you choose the tub, the Grand suite is a garden tub and the Ocean suite is a regular sized tub. Though I haven't done a lot of camparisons lately, you could probably get the Grand for not much more than you would pay for a balcony on RCL.

[okgirl]

I would choose the Freedom for a couple of reasons. Conquest class ships are my favorite and the Freedom is the newest of these having come out in 2007.

 

I agree with others that an aft wrap balconey is probably going to impress you the most, avoid deck 8 cabins of any class if possible though since there are complaints about noise from the Lido above.

 

Another great thing about the Freedom is she leaves from FLL and the airport is practically across the street and hopefully you can fly in on Southwest so you can save on air expense as well.

[NavarreCruiser]

DW and I have 44 cruises, over the last 6 years, split between RCCL and CCL. We have a few more on Carnival than Royal. There are way more similarities than differences between the lines. Five years ago I would have given the food edge to Royal, now Carnival is slightly better. We find the Royal ships to be decorated in a lower key and more elegantly.

 

If you cruise with Carnival and mention to other passengers that your previous cruises were on Royal you will be met with questions about Royal. If you later go back on a RCCL cruise and mentioned you tried Carnival you will often be met with scorn and derision about Carnival, often from RCCL snobs who have never tried Carnival.

 

The rowdy atmosphere on any given cruise will likely occur on shorter (3 or 4 day) cruises and also often around spring break. Based on our experience you will not be disappointed with a Carnival Cruise.

[mariemorgan]

I wouldn't say so nytraveller53.. They are giving their opinion which is what the OP asked for.

 

I would say that carnival and RCCL are very similar..

RCCL has WAY better decor... Food was comparible.. slight edge to Carnival.

Carnival's Rooms are bigger than RCCL's

Activities about the same.

 

Ports on Freedom cruise look awesome and would love to do this itinerary someday.

But given the choice.. if prices were the same I would go with the Allure as well. It's brand new and has many things that carnival doesn't offer.

 

And as you can see from my signature my last 2 cruises and my next one will be Carnival... I love carnival.. but I also love RCCL and Princess.. I haven't had a bad cruise yet.. I say whatever you pick.. Your wife will be happy and you will have a blast!

 

BTW I haven't noticed that Carnival being a party ship.

[Scottee25]

Hi There I am the person with the Mantle Great Dane....I have been on 8 carnival cruises all shorter then what you are planning....Sounds like a nice trip you have planned..Good Luck

 

Hey Missemo! I owe you a picture :) Not sure how well it will come out, but this one is of my boys when they were considerably younger. They are getting older now and no longer looks this "youthful" :)

[Scottee25]

As for balcony try for an aft wrap around they offer those on deck 6 ,7 and 8 and there are only 6 of them.. I can't remember the new class they call them but they used to be 9A's.. if you are balcony enjoying people this is the CAT for you... if not and you like your space you may want the suites with the tub.. which dont offer the same size balcony nor the views... do a google search for aft wrap balconies on Carnival.. you won't be disappointed:D

 

They are called a Vista Balcony. It was one of the questions in my OP. I was curious if those are the most sought after cabins? Even with the odd room shape, are those cabins still rather roomy? I have looked at all the pictures of their balconies so I have a pretty good idea of the outside. But would like to know more about their insides.