Princess..I will never leave you again!

[Canusa02]

We have never tried Carnival, but we haven't ruled it out. Out of the four cruises we have been on, we have been on Princess once. We are definitely leaning towards Princess for our next cruise in 2014. The other line we sailed with is great, but after the last round with them in March, the scales have tilted quite a bit in favor of Princess.

[Stevesan]

I sailed Carnival Conquest's seven day W. Caribbean from Galveston late August 2010. Posted up a post cruise review. It was not during Spring Break or any extended holiday period:

 

The Good:

The ship is in excellent condition, spit and polish from bow to stern. Décor is attractive. The signature Impressionist theme carried throughout the ship.

The swimming pools (salt water) have large, hot, Jacuzzis. Aft pool adults only.

Excellent musical review company. Talent (both voice and dancing), choreography, production qualities, and originality far and away the best I’ve seen. Surprisingly, the Toulouse Lautrec theatre always had an abundance of empty seats.

Afternoon Tea. Very good variety of offerings. Scones quite good, but no strawberry jam.

Lido Buffet large with a variety of choices and lines, easily accommodated a full ship. “The Grill” offers a good variety of deli sandwiches with prompt service.

Service, both dining and cabin, are first rate. Food in MDR served promptly and hot. Perfect cabin stewards: out when I was in and in, and in when I was out.

The bad:

Machines: coffee, juice, ice, etc, in Lido Buffet are not serviced often enough. The flip side is there are a lot of machines.

The ship is difficult to navigate. There are frequent dead ends with no posted directions. Very frustrating.

The swimming pools are too small. Only 3’8” deep, and just six or seven strokes from end to end.

Overall rating a 9 out of 10!

[flamomo]

I have only sailed with Princess, 14 times so far, and 4 more booked as two back-to-backs. I am in agreement with Pam about feeling at home and at ease as soon as I step onboard a Princess ship. I love the classiness, the decor, the comfort, the service, and everything else that Princess has to offer.

 

I would be afraid to book with anything that might be considered as "less" than a Princess cruise, because I would hate to find myself constantly comparing and finding things that are too un-Princess-like. I am sure, that, while I might enjoy the overall cruise, I would be dissatisfied with the failings of another line.

 

One of my adult daughters had cruised on RCI twice and Carnival once with her hubby. THEN, she accompanied me on a Princess cruise and was completely wowed by all the positive differences. Another daughter cruised on Carnival twice, and has said never again to Carnival. One of these days I hope to lure her on a Princess cruise so she can see what she has been missing!!

 

I will remain one of the Princess faithful because I LOVE what Princess has shown me on every cruise I have taken.

 

 

TO mnsawyer .... consider either the Ruby or the Emerald for the Eastern Caribbean. I will be trying the Ruby at the end of this year, and will be returning to the Emerald early next year.

[M2D]

Ha, yeah I went on one CCL and was less than impressed for sure. It always makes me laugh though that Carnival owns most of the other lines I've tried, and its their name sake line that is by far one of the worst.

[Woobstr112G]

It's like coming home. :) Some say the ambiance and decor on Princess are boring, but I love boarding a Princess ship and feeling familiar with everything.

 

There's no place like home. Last 5 in a row on Princess with the next two scheduled for next year.....:):):)

Bob

[katisdale]

We got off the Carnival Fantasy yesterday and quite enjoyed ourselves. It was our first carnival cruise. We will cruise Princess again but will sail with carnival as well when the itinerary fits our needs. One nice surprise for me (I am handicapped) was how easy it was to get an elevator on the Fantasy. About the only thing I would rate carnival less than Princess was the modified room was quite a bit smaller than Princess and there was a step up into the bathroom which was a bit difficult for me. We enjoyed the production shows, the food, and the good times we had with our family.

[Infi]

I'm no Princess cheerleader (they have their faults just like everyone else), but I agree wholeheartedly. IMHO, in cruising you get what you pay for, and Carnival is the primary example of that.

[dickinson]

You mentioned you did a "short cruise". Short cruises are much different than 7 day ones. Sorry your cruise did not meet your expectations. We love Carnival (7 day or longer) and hope we enjoy our upcoming Princess cruise to Alaska.

 

One thing to keep in mind is that when you are used to something and then try something different it is sometimes hard not to compare the two. Our first cruise back in the late 80's was a 4 day cruise on Carnival. We loved it so much that we took our kids on a 7 day cruise on NCL. I was bored and thought 7 days was too many!! We then went back to Carnival and loved it. Haven't cruised in a long time but picked Princess for our trip to Alaska. I assume we will like it although I am sure we will compare the two. I expect some things different but I do realize that one cruise and ship does not define a whole cruise line. I feel that when spending $$$$ to cruise we want to pick something we won't regret. If that is Princess for you then great!

[karatemom2]

We are Princess lovers, but I feel like variety is sometimes a good thing. While Princess is our favorite, we have tried other lines and never had a bad experience. I guess I tend to embrace whatever line I'm on and enjoy it to the fullest and try not to make comparisons that might dampen my fun. We just returned from a 9 day cruise on the Carnival Spirit and our family had an amazing time. There were things I missed about Princess and there is no doubt the food on Princess is a notch above. But there were many things I really liked about our Carnival cruise, not the least of which was the ability to get two connected balcony cabins for our family at a very good price. Trivia was great, the towel animals were fun, the entertainment was good, the waterslides were a blast for my daughter, the staff and crew were friendly and fun, and the ship itself was colorful for sure, but very nice. Even though Princess is our favorite I would happily cruise with Carnival again given the right price and itinerary. And that is true of the other lines we have tried (Disney, NCL and RCI) too. We are looking forward to giving HAL a try this summer for an absolutely terrific Alaska itinerary. No doubt there are some things I will miss about Princess, but I'm guessing I will have a wonderful time regardless. My thought is that by trying other lines I am gaining some new and fun experiences, and I will likely appreciate Princess even more each time we return!

[OuiOnboard]

We are Princess lovers, but I feel like variety is sometimes a good thing......

 

Amen to that!!!

[Steve78]

Hey Guys

 

I've liked reading all your posts on this topic. Ive always been a bit hesitant booking with Princess as I thought it was a more mature crowd and not as exciting as some of the other lines. Ive cruised a fair bit on P&O Australia which compares with Carnival in the US and while its not perfect its always good fun. I have however taken the leap and booked two cruises with Princess this year. I have a short 2 nighter on Dawn Princess next month and then 7 nights on the Ruby in November. Im very excited to experience this awesome service and experience you are all speaking about.

 

Btw... I love this site! lol

 

Cheers

Steve

[dutrie]

We did five Princess cruises before trying NCL and Costa. It felt like coming home the next time we boarded a Princess ship. We had a good time on NCL, but it wasn't nearly the same experience as Princess.

[windsor26]

Hey Guys

 

I've liked reading all your posts on this topic. Ive always been a bit hesitant booking with Princess as I thought it was a more mature crowd and not as exciting as some of the other lines. Ive cruised a fair bit on P&O Australia which compares with Carnival in the US and while its not perfect its always good fun. I have however taken the leap and booked two cruises with Princess this year. I have a short 2 nighter on Dawn Princess next month and then 7 nights on the Ruby in November. Im very excited to experience this awesome service and experience you are all speaking about.

 

Btw... I love this site! lol

 

Cheers

Steve

 

Its a shame the first Princess cruise is a 2 nighter as they are nothing like the 'proper' Princess cruise Your will have a ball on the Ruby

[VegasGreen]

Short cruise being the key here.

 

Majesty of the Seas is nothing like the Oasis or Allure in any way, shape, or form.... just like Fantasy class is no way like Liberty/Freedom/Dream, etc. in any way, shape, or form.

 

We love, love, love Carnival and Princess both. Platinum both places. Way more similar than different. Don't do anything less than a 7 day if we can avoid it.

[Tralynn]

We did five Princess cruises before trying NCL and Costa. It felt like coming home the next time we boarded a Princess ship. We had a good time on NCL, but it wasn't nearly the same experience as Princess.

I totally agree.

[PathfinderEss]

You know when your home and something feels so right. Wecome back tashaw. :)

[moniquet]

We did a Carnival cruise (Valor) about 5 years ago and it was good. The only reason we haven't cruised with them again is because we like longer cruises and also the Ports/Dates haven't fit. The suites/balconies are larger and prices usually lower. Food was as good if not better than Emerald princess.

 

Perhaps we got lucky but the passengers were the same sort of mix as most cruiselines (we are in our sixties). I think Carnival cruises fall into the catergory of brands that people love to hate like McDonalds etc. Perhaps the reputation came from the short cruises they do. Even Cunard gets lots of complaints about party people when they do the short cruises in the UK (known as booze cruises)

[Charles4515]

We've cruised Princess, RCI, Carnival, and just cruised NCL. Princess and RCI have a totally different product than Carnival and NCL. I will go on Carnival and NCL if it is a port intensive cruise and if I get a really nice price break. Otherwise, for the money, I feel I get a much better cruising experience with either Princess or RCI.

 

I agree that Princess and Royal Caribbean have a different and better product than Carnival and NCL. But I won't go on Carnival or NCL even for the ports. Only for a group of friends or family. And for a step up and a better product than Princess or Royal Caribbean give Celebrity and Holland America a try.

[moniquet]

I really don't think there is much difference between all the Carnival lines. I agree about HAL they have the edge, better than Cunard.

[Matcodixon]

I agree that Princess and Royal Caribbean have a different and better product than Carnival and NCL. But I won't go on Carnival or NCL even for the ports. Only for a group of friends or family. And for a step up and a better product than Princess or Royal Caribbean give Celebrity and Holland America a try.

That is an interesting comment as I have been considering trying Celebrity at some time in the future. Based on comments on this board, I get the impression that both Celebrity and Holland America are a step down and not a step up. Also when it comes to RCI, the cruise I was on was great. Many of their ships interest me, however I have no desire to go on the Oasis or the Allure, as I have read way too many bad reviews. They seem much different that their other ships..They seem to have the worst ratio of staff to passengers of any ship by far. I am reluctant to try other lines now as I have limited vacation time and am extremely happy with my experience with Princess. In the end it will come down to itinerary first and price second.

 

Of course there is no one size fits all and everyone has their own expectations and opinion.

[Stevesan]

That is an interesting comment as I have been considering trying Celebrity at some time in the future. Based on comments on this board, I get the impression that both Celebrity and Holland America are a step down and not a step up. Also when it comes to RCI, the cruise I was on was great. Many of their ships interest me, however I have no desire to go on the Oasis or the Allure, as I have read way too many bad reviews. They seem much different that their other ships..They seem to have the worst ratio of staff to passengers of any ship by far. I am reluctant to try other lines now as I have limited vacation time and am extremely happy with my experience with Princess. In the end it will come down to itinerary first and price second.

 

Of course there is no one size fits all and everyone has their own expectations and opinion.

 

Check the HAL board for camparisons with Princess.

Both boards have their share of cheer leaders.:p

[moniquet]

All the boards seem to have a few cheerleaders. Never had a bad cruise, had a few niggles with princess and Cunard but as I said all Carnival lines are more of the same. I liked RCCL but hate the larger ships on any line...pack 'em in and sell 'em cheap.

 

QM2..loved the ship, no trouble with sunloungers. Food only adequate, slow service in the dining room.

Carnival..nice spacious staterooms. Food/service good. Didn't like the huge amount of piled up wasted food around the tables close to the buffet.

RCCL..all good but don't like the idea of the super large ships.

Princess....service good, food average. Didn't like the crowds everywhere and a line for everything.

HAL doesn't have the swish look of other ships. Food and service super. Spacious cabins. Good quality linen, comfy beds.

 

I don't have a loyalty complex....all the lines have dumbed down:D

[Charles4515]

That is an interesting comment as I have been considering trying Celebrity at some time in the future. Based on comments on this board, I get the impression that both Celebrity and Holland America are a step down and not a step up. Also when it comes to RCI, the cruise I was on was great. Many of their ships interest me, however I have no desire to go on the Oasis or the Allure, as I have read way too many bad reviews. They seem much different that their other ships..They seem to have the worst ratio of staff to passengers of any ship by far. I am reluctant to try other lines now as I have limited vacation time and am extremely happy with my experience with Princess. In the end it will come down to itinerary first and price second.

 

Of course there is no one size fits all and everyone has their own expectations and opinion.

 

My opinion is based on over 40 cruises. Been on RCI over 12 times, Celebrity 10 times, Princess 9 times and HAL 5 times. Celebrity and Holland America are a noticeable step up. HAL has the best dining but I have a slight preference overall for Celebrity over HAL. I don't know where you get the impression they are a step down. Both also have a better passenger / staff/ space ratio then Princess and RCI. Less crowded ships. Been on Allure and Oasis by the way and they are both awesome ships.

[Charles4515]

All the boards seem to have a few cheerleaders. Never had a bad cruise, had a few niggles with princess and Cunard but as I said all Carnival lines are more of the same. I liked RCCL but hate the larger ships on any line...pack 'em in and sell 'em cheap.

 

QM2..loved the ship, no trouble with sunloungers. Food only adequate, slow service in the dining room.

Carnival..nice spacious staterooms. Food/service good. Didn't like the huge amount of piled up wasted food around the tables close to the buffet.

RCCL..all good but don't like the idea of the super large ships.

Princess....service good, food average. Didn't like the crowds everywhere and a line for everything.

HAL doesn't have the swish look of other ships. Food and service super. Spacious cabins. Good quality linen, comfy beds.

 

I don't have a loyalty complex....all the lines have dumbed down:D

 

I also don't have a loyalty complex. I am booked on Princess and Celebrity currently.

 

QM2 was a bit too stuffy. A fun one time crossing.

 

You are right about HAL beds. Slept the best on those than any other line. Have to add about HAL though, for those into entertainment, it has the poorest.

[Scottydogs]

Just returned this morning from a 7 day cruise from Galveston on the Carnival Magic. We were satisfied with the overall cruise experience but Princess will still be our favored cruise line . The convenience of sailing from Galveston is great since on embarkation we pulled out of our garage at 11:30 and were in our room at 1:30! Was almost exactly the same on disembarkation :D.

 

We will consider another 7 day Carnival cruise from Galveston. Sounds like the OP may have been on one of Carnival's 3 or 4 day cruises out of Galveston which from what I have heard tend to be more of a "party boat" atmosphere :mad:.