Which cruise line and why?

[hannahsmomtoo]

Hi all...

 

I am curious which cruise line you prefer and why?

 

 

<--- new cruiser.

 

Thanks !

:o

[beachbum53]

Unlike some who cruise, I cannot say that we are loyal to a specific brand. It just works out that we typically choose Carnival because of itinerary and cost. We've cruised on Carnival enough to know what we're getting for our money, and don't set our expectations unreasonably high. We also happen to like Royal Caribbean, and would love to give Princess a try, but, until things change for us financially, Carnival is more affordable for us.

[paul929207]

I prefer Princess for the itineraries and their small ships.

[TXSAIL]

Not a lot of choice from Galveston, but we like CCL and RCCL..Would like to try Disney when they come here, but they are proud of their cruises, although you are allowed to lug on all the alcohol you want.

[deladypilot]

I have only been on 2 cruises, both NCL. However, im not necessarily loyal to them, its just their schedule and their price fit our budget. We have also been given exceptionable service. So we booked a 3rd with them.

 

If I found a cruise that fit my schedule and what I felt was a price worthy with another line, I would be there.

[shannonb01]

I want everyone who is considering booking with carnival to know that this company is not customer focused at all!!!!! I booked in october for a cruise in february. I put a credit card on file to hold the reservation and then called back a couple weeks later to confirm and to authorize final payment. Originally I was to to let them know by 11/28 if I didnt plan on needing the reservation, but this wasnt a concern of mine. I called and CHANGED my credit card on file and to ATHORIZE final payment. I DID THIS. I had received confirmation via emai saying that my reservation was set and final payment was needed my 11/28. Again, I called and gave final payment at the end of october. I ASSUMED i was good to go.

Not so much. The WEEK of my cruise I went to register on line. When my confirmation number didnt work, I decided to call. When I called, the representative explained to me that my reservation had been cancelled back in december for LACK OF PAYMENT. She then told me I should have rerceived an email letting me know. I NEVER got the EMAIL. It was thrown in my face by everyone I spoke with that there should have been an email I got, and I kept saying I didnt get it. The worst part was now the ship was full. I had 3 family members expecting to go on vacation and now I am being told there's no room for 4 in one cabin. AND the worst part is that they had kept my $1000 deposit due to LACK of PAYMENT. I have cruised with this company multiple times and for all the reps they have working, no one took the time to contact me. NO ONE. NO EMAIL was sent. NO PROOF of email was available,. NO PHONE RECORDS were available. CArnival managed to cover themselves and have NO REGARD for me, but damn if they didnt keep my money....

I finally got on the ship, not because someone thru carnival found a solution or cabin for four, but because I SAT on the internet waiting for a spot to open. My room for 4 costing $2600 now became a room for 4 for $4770. REDICULOUS. And once I agreed to the new booking, an agent FINALLY appologized for all the trouble.

I am disgusted with the way all of this was handled, and will make sure to let anyone I encounter know what happened to my family's vacation.

One last thing, once I did book the vacation the 2nd time, I requested email confirmation. I was told no problem. I Called 4 more times requesting an email confirmation, and NEVER got it. Carnival, you need to check your practices.....I deserve compensation for the difference of the initial cost versus what I paid.

Word of mouth is everything and I would hope someone would care enough to help fix my situation.

[Friend100]

I prefer Disney because I like it. :)

[gerryl12]

I prefer Princess, my better half Holland America. Just tried NCL and now like them also. Oceania is great but a little pricier.

Each to their own. The reason there are so many cruise lines is because their are so many tastes.

[Mom2B&Z]

We've taken 2 cruises on NCL, and plan on taking a third in the next couple of years. The main reason we went with NCL is their freestyle approach towards everything, this fits very well with our idea of a vacation as well as the needs of our family. We have also been very impressed with the kids club, which is very important to our children ;).

We would like to cruise Alaska and the Panama canal, and will likely go with another line because the NCL itineraries are not very attractive to us.

[dolittle]

Have been on all M.M. line but Princess. Our favorite is X it is a little more quiet better food and people our age (55). Cruise lines are more alike than most think there are no bad cruises.

[Laughing Angel]

There are a couple of Carnival ships I've enjoyed in the past, and I do like Princess, but my absolute favorite cruise took place on a Disney Ship (and I'm a single woman with no kids!)

 

I like the layout of the ships, the restaurants as opposed to main dining rooms, the "adults only" parts of the vessel (including the restaurant, Palo), the level of entertainment, the little hidden areas on board the ship, the split bathrooms and cabin layout and the decor for both the cabins and public areas. The last time, I went with my family, but I wouldn't mind going again by myself or with a significant other.

 

But hey--any day on a cruise is a good day!

 

That said, if I could go on any cruise, I'd love to try the Yachts of Seabourn.

 

Unfortunately, I'd have to win the lottery or rob a bank for that (LOL)... :D

[beachbum53]

I want everyone who is considering booking with carnival to know that this company is not customer focused at all!!!!! I booked in october for a cruise in february. I put a credit card on file to hold the reservation and then called back a couple weeks later to confirm and to authorize final payment. Originally I was to to let them know by 11/28 if I didnt plan on needing the reservation, but this wasnt a concern of mine. I called and CHANGED my credit card on file and to ATHORIZE final payment. I DID THIS. I had received confirmation via emai saying that my reservation was set and final payment was needed my 11/28. Again, I called and gave final payment at the end of october. I ASSUMED i was good to go.

Not so much. The WEEK of my cruise I went to register on line. When my confirmation number didnt work, I decided to call. When I called, the representative explained to me that my reservation had been cancelled back in december for LACK OF PAYMENT. She then told me I should have rerceived an email letting me know. I NEVER got the EMAIL. It was thrown in my face by everyone I spoke with that there should have been an email I got, and I kept saying I didnt get it. The worst part was now the ship was full. I had 3 family members expecting to go on vacation and now I am being told there's no room for 4 in one cabin. AND the worst part is that they had kept my $1000 deposit due to LACK of PAYMENT. I have cruised with this company multiple times and for all the reps they have working, no one took the time to contact me. NO ONE. NO EMAIL was sent. NO PROOF of email was available,. NO PHONE RECORDS were available. CArnival managed to cover themselves and have NO REGARD for me, but damn if they didnt keep my money....

I finally got on the ship, not because someone thru carnival found a solution or cabin for four, but because I SAT on the internet waiting for a spot to open. My room for 4 costing $2600 now became a room for 4 for $4770. REDICULOUS. And once I agreed to the new booking, an agent FINALLY appologized for all the trouble.

I am disgusted with the way all of this was handled, and will make sure to let anyone I encounter know what happened to my family's vacation.

One last thing, once I did book the vacation the 2nd time, I requested email confirmation. I was told no problem. I Called 4 more times requesting an email confirmation, and NEVER got it. Carnival, you need to check your practices.....I deserve compensation for the difference of the initial cost versus what I paid.

Word of mouth is everything and I would hope someone would care enough to help fix my situation.

 

Is it possible that part of the problem may be in your e-mail settings? Could it be that the e-mail(s) sent from Carnival to you was/were mis-identified as "spam" and inadvertently deleted? I'm not trying to make excuses for Carnival, but I know that sometimes, both here at home and on my wife's computer at work, legitimate e-mails sometimes get incorrectly flagged as "spam", and we've had to make some adjustments in our e-mail settings. Computers are a wonderful thing until something gets screwed up.

[unclewilson2]

The main reason we went with NCL is their freestyle approach towards everything, this fits very well with our idea of a vacation as well as the needs of our family.

[Hlitner]

We have cruised on more then 60 different ships of 12 different cruise lines and loved each and every experience. To us, brand loyalty also means lack of options and a degree of sameness that can get boring. If we took 4 Princess cruises a year (on different ships) we would get to see many of the same shows (again and again), get similar menus, services, etc. But if we do a Princess, HA, Celebrity in that same year we get totally different shows, menus, etc. For us it is the same with ships and ship sizes. We love small ship crusing (800 passengers or less) but also like some of the Mega ships. For us, as very frequent cruisers, variety keeps cruising fresh and fun.

 

Hank

[perkydebrajean]

My teenage daughter and I chose NCL for our first cruise this summer. We chose it because of the freestyle dining and I like the fact that they don't have a formal night. Dress is more casual. I've gained a ton of weight over the past couple of years due to health issues and medications and I have no desire to have to buy a new wardrobe for dinner. I also like all of the different dining options including the pay restaurants. Since I booked 10 months out we recieved a $300 OBC and we are using that to try a few of the pay restaurants on board. And we booked a suite so looking forward to the Suite perks too!

[jamminlion]

We initially chose NCL because of price and itinerary. While I admit we haven't tried any other lines, we already know what to expect, and that works for us.

 

We love NCL's casual feel, make your vacation YOUR vacation, no set times to be anywhere or do anything. Isn't that what vacation is about?

[bajarider]

We just returned (Dec) from a 15 day Hawaii cruise on Carnival. We, and most people we talked with on the cruise, were very disappointed with Carnival. Too many problems to cover them all, but our dishes literally vibrated off the dining room table, the food was barely tolerable, many of the ship's amenities were closed, and Carnival's customer relations is non-existent. Our group of 12 usually cruise RCCL and this last Carnival cruise has made us loyal RCCL cruisers.

[Sassy's Mom]

I like Princess. Sailed the Crown in 2011 and really enjoyed it. My TA (great family friend) suggested it for us based on our personalities and lifestyle. We are mid 30's, no kids and wanted a relaxed yet "nice" feel. Didn't want Disney for all of the kids (can be a painful experience for us) or Carnival for the "party ship" mentality.

 

I'm a bargain shopper and will find the best bang for my buck. For me, the better itineraries are worth it. We sail the Crown again this Saturday.

[cruzeluver]

Right now we are very happy with Celebrity as we feel they strike a nice balance between a slightly more upscale experience for not a lot more money. My opinion is their food, service and accommodations are just a bit above the other lines we have sailed (Carnival, NCL and Royal).

 

But like Hlitner we too will want to mix it up a bit to keep our cruses from too much sameness. HAL, Princess and Azamara are most on our radar for the future.

[yarlenna]

We have had about 50 cruises - on many lines. You remember the add, "some times you feel like a nut, some times you don't"? Cruiseing is a lot like that. What do you want from your vacation? Some lines are great for activities, others for great food. Will you have kids with you? There are lots of options. Also, a lot of price points - you can find a cruise at less than $100 per person per day. There are other lines that will break the bank. On those, you will be lucky get your room at $500 per person per day.

My favorite line - is Regent, I cannot afford it every time. So I get to the main-stream lines and enjoy them too. I have enjoyed Carnival and RCI especially if I have kids with me. Windstar is another favorite. If I am with my DH and nobody else, I enjoy HAL and Princess.

If you enjoy cruising, YOU will find your own favorites. That is part of the fun.

[hannahsmomtoo]

Thank you for all of the ( on topic ) responses !!!!!!!!!! ;)

[Greatescapes]

We have had about 50 cruises - on many lines. You remember the add, "some times you feel like a nut, some times you don't"? Cruiseing is a lot like that. What do you want from your vacation? Some lines are great for activities, others for great food. Will you have kids with you? There are lots of options. Also, a lot of price points - you can find a cruise at less than $100 per person per day. There are other lines that will break the bank. On those, you will be lucky get your room at $500 per person per day.

My favorite line - is Regent, I cannot afford it every time. So I get to the main-stream lines and enjoy them too. I have enjoyed Carnival and RCI especially if I have kids with me. Windstar is another favorite. If I am with my DH and nobody else, I enjoy HAL and Princess.

If you enjoy cruising, YOU will find your own favorites. That is part of the fun.

 

 

I totally agree with this 100%. There is always something for everyone regardless of who you are or what you like to do. If you are new to cruising or have kids CCL and RCL are great. If its just a couple that want to relax and enjoy escaping the real world I suggest princess.

 

ps I love the original posters signature tag line (I would love to use it)

[geduffer]

I've sailed on Royal Caribbean once and enjoyed it, Azamara once and loved it. I've sailed Celebrity seven times and am doing #8 in September. I prefer the slightly more upscale and less kids at not too much more money. I would love to do Azamara again, but the longer cruises are a problem as long as I have to shoehorn vacation time wherever I can. I would do Royal Caribbean as I did before, when they were sailing an itinerary that Celebrity wasn't offering at a time when I was looking to sail. We actually had one of our most memorable evenings of entertainment on Adventure of the Seas. We got to see a "Ricky Nelson Remembered" performance with his twin sons Matthew and Gunnar and got to meet them afterward which was amazing. (These were grandsons of Ozzie and Harriet for those old enough to remember the TV show.) Any cruise should be great (barring a moronic Italian captain), but I still prefer Celebrity and the Royal Caribbean family of cruise lines.

[isujim]

We have cruised on more then 60 different ships of 12 different cruise lines and loved each and every experience. To us, brand loyalty also means lack of options and a degree of sameness that can get boring. If we took 4 Princess cruises a year (on different ships) we would get to see many of the same shows (again and again), get similar menus, services, etc. But if we do a Princess, HA, Celebrity in that same year we get totally different shows, menus, etc. For us it is the same with ships and ship sizes. We love small ship crusing (800 passengers or less) but also like some of the Mega ships. For us, as very frequent cruisers, variety keeps cruising fresh and fun.

 

Hank

 

Great post Hank.........took me a few years (ok 12) to figure it out but you are correct. We have about 16 Royal Caribbean cruises under our belt, getting ready to sail our 4th Princess cruise and our 2nd HAL cruise. So many more options/choices/itineraries/dinning etc when you don't sail just one line. Price and Itinerary are factors more now than what cruise line.

 

Great points made!!

[Hlitner]

Great post Hank.........took me a few years (ok 12) to figure it out but you are correct. We have about 16 Royal Caribbean cruises under our belt, getting ready to sail our 4th Princess cruise and our 2nd HAL cruise. So many more options/choices/itineraries/dinning etc when you don't sail just one line. Price and Itinerary are factors more now than what cruise line.

 

Great points made!!

 

Funny you mention RCI. When we started cruising in the 60s our first cruise line was NCL. After a couple of cruises on their large ships (about 14,000 tons) we tried RCCL (now RCI) and loved it. We quickly got to Diamond status (our daughter was Diamond before age 17) and were pretty loyal to that company. But then, we noticed some major cut-backs in service and quality and started trying different lines. Now...out of the many lines we cruise RCI is far down the list of favorite lines (although we might return some day). Without trying other lines you never know what you are missing (some do not care). Now, having been in a position where we have tried many lines and ships we do have a good idea what each line offers and find that every line involves some compromise. Our next cruise in 62 days on a HA ship which is their old "rust bucket" with many physical faults not to mention a horrendous smoking policy (great for smokers). But, we think the pros out weigh the minuses so are looking forward to the long cruise. Our following cruise will probably be with Celebrity and then we are looking at Oceania. Variety is fun :)

 

We sometimes see posts here on CC where cruisers complain they are bored with cruising. Most of those folks are loyal to one or two lines so we are not surprised they get a bit bored.

 

Hank