What is the major differences between carnival and NCL

[ccarpenter1963]

My sisters ex husbands girlfriend knows an ex travel agent who booked her husbands uncle's cousin on a carnival ship in 1986 and they said never again.

 

Bill

 

Ha!:p

[kcdancerkc]

Wanted to ad that not ALL carnival ships have big outdoor screens --- that I would hate - especially on an Alaskan cruise! That would be too obnoxious!

 

Have fun whatever you choose!

[luddite]

It most certainly is a cut back. There is no live calypso band on the lido deck anymore. Now, it's all on those obnoxious large screens.

 

You betcha! NCL doesn't have the big-screens out there. What an abomination!

And they DO have Freestyle Dining.

[sunflower47]

I already have NCL booked next year and love how the Breakaway is coming along. However, for the two of us, I can see a lot of features we won't use so I was looking around at other cruises but don't really want to make any changes until the ship actually sails and real reviews start coming in. I will hold tight with my plans until then.

 

I noticed the Carnival Splendor, which is sailing roughly the same time and same itinerary and for 1 day longer is $700+ less then the Breakaway.

 

Seems like a nice ship as well. Has a lot of the same features as the Breakaway, just not as many bells and whistles, but like I said, we really don't need all that stuff.

I have only looked at NCL since I started planning a cruise (other than a quick look into Disney) but now I am rethinking based on how much cheaper another cruise could be.

[Philly Steve]

Perhaps a slightly older pax demographic on NCL. :cool:

[Freckles_51]

Rooms are bigger on CCL unless you are in suite. Apparently the suite life on NCL is top notch (I have not tried that yet but hoping to some day).

 

Food is subjective. IMO MDR food is similar. NCL Buffet is better. CCL desert is better. NCL Pizza is better. NCL has many more for fee dining options. NCL Blue Lagoon/O'Sheehans has excellant food (non-fee).

 

Entertainment is subjective. IMO NCL has better production and comedy shows. CCL has less expensive Bingo.

 

Service is subjective. IMO they are similar.

 

Freestyle Dining is similar to Anytime Dining.

 

Go with an open mind and have fun.

 

I agree with this also except I thought that CCL MDR food was much better than NCL. However, I sailed CCL in 2008 and 2009, and NCL in 2010, so that may have changed by now.

 

There are lots more choices on NCL for specialty dining (extra charge).

 

When ppl talk about noisy party goers on CCL, I found that the main pool area was a bit noisy but no-one out of control. There are lots of places to go for a peaceful time. We were on the Valor and there was an adult pool at the back of the ship. Very quiet back there.

 

I think it also depends on where you sail (eg Carib. or Med.) and time of year - high season or not, school hols or not, etc.

[swedish weave]

I believe you will fond more differences in the ships within a cruise line as opposed to the differences in the cruise lines.

[dutchess43]

I have not sailed on CCL so I will not be able to compare it & will not bad mouth the line I know nothing about. I will say that NCL staff is very friendly & if you sail in a full suite there is nothing like it, ammenties is one reason I sail in their suites. The only thing I know about CCL suite life is they give you priority boarding & that's it.

[swedish weave]

I see a few comments about the friendliness of the crew, and would like to add mine.

 

The people who work on the ships do not change their personalities because of the uniforms they wear or because of the name painted on the side of the ship.

 

We were on a Princess ship a few days ago, and saw some familiar faces who had worked for NCL in the past. They were the same enjoyable "kids" that they were on NCL.

 

I believe you can encounter all types of personalities on any cruise, and that should not affect your opinion of the ship or cruise line.

 

Any cruise can be as good or as bad as you let it be !!

[magiccruiser]

I have cruises with CCL 3 times, twice to Mexico and once to the Mediterranean last summer and loved all 3 cruises! This summer I'm giving NCL a try for the Greek isles since CCL doesn't go there. I'm hoping there are more similarities than differences. We had the Anytime Dining option last year in Europe and thought it was great for flexibility after long port days, so NCL's freestyle should suit us fine. I missed the old calypso bands by the pool on CCL last year and got kind of tired of the big screen blathering all day with the news and whatnot. But I did enjoy a couple of movies under the stars at night. Does anyone know if NCL has outdoor bands by the pool on the Jade?

 

One difference I have noticed between the 2 cruiselines is right here on Cruise Critic. My roll call on CCL was HUGE and we had a great conversation going for a year before and organized many private tours and a great Meet and Greet. My rollcall for my upcoming Greek isle cruise on NCL is disappointingly small with only 10 of us posting. We keep wondering if we're the only ones on the ship!

[swedish weave]

I have cruises with CCL 3 times, twice to Mexico and once to the Mediterranean last summer and loved all 3 cruises! This summer I'm giving NCL a try for the Greek isles since CCL doesn't go there. I'm hoping there are more similarities than differences. We had the Anytime Dining option last year in Europe and thought it was great for flexibility after long port days, so NCL's freestyle should suit us fine. I missed the old calypso bands by the pool on CCL last year and got kind of tired of the big screen blathering all day with the news and whatnot. But I did enjoy a couple of movies under the stars at night. Does anyone know if NCL has outdoor bands by the pool on the Jade?

 

One difference I have noticed between the 2 cruiselines is right here on Cruise Critic. My roll call on CCL was HUGE and we had a great conversation going for a year before and organized many private tours and a great Meet and Greet. My rollcall for my upcoming Greek isle cruise on NCL is disappointingly small with only 10 of us posting. We keep wondering if we're the only ones on the ship!

 

 

The roll call size is determined by the enthusiasm of those who are on the cruise. Each cruise can be totally different from a few people to well over a hundred.

 

The biggest difference I have seen in the Meet and Greets is on NCL, usually several officers attend, but on the other lines sometimes one or two, and sometimes none. Again, each cruise can be very different.

G

[fast ed]

If you are young, young at heart, and like having upbeat "FUN" you will like Norweigen, Carnival, and for the most part RCCL. If you prefer a more laid back, slower paced, less intense ( color scheme/sounds ) experience with a somewhat older demographic, you will like Princess, or Celebrity. I am over 50 and sailed on all these lines, and as a rule I've had the better times and more fun on the first grouping as that is what I'm looking for when cruising.I believe that once you decide which experience you want, go with these factors. The ship itself, the ports, and the prices.

[OhJinkies]

I've cruised both Carnival and NCL. I think that the "booze cruise" label really applies to the shorter cruises to the Bahamas, etc. My last cruise on Carnival was a 12-night Med sailing on the Liberty in 2005 and I loved it. We had a nice balcony stateroom. I loved the big screen by the pool -- they played Luciano Pavarotti as we approached Venice and it was a really nice touch. The decor in some areas was a little gaudy but overall I liked the ship and the overall experience.

 

I returned to the Med in 2010 on the NCL Gem -- this was two 7-day cruises with an Eastern Med/Adriatic itinerary. The passengers seemed to be a little more international in their makeup than on the Carnival. The ship was tastefully decorated in most areas (still lots of gaudy colors and crushed velvet in some public areas). We had an outside stateroom this time (balcony was an additional $700 pp) but I liked the layout. I missed the big movie screen by the pool. There was a big screen in the lobby area but with all the traffic, it wasn't the same. I felt that the crew on the Gem was much more friendly, overall.

 

I'd have to say that the differences were not huge -- NCL has the Freestyle dining option while we had the traditional MDR seatings on Carnival. Food on both ships was good but not that memorable. I preferred the Spa facilities on the Gem, and spent a lot of time there. The Liberty had a great fast food out by the pool -- I mean I really enjoyed eating the burgers and pizza!

 

I don't recall any problems with drunken passengers but I think on the longer itineraries, that is not surprising.

[bbrme]

I think the biggest difference between the 2 lines is that NCL is set up for Freestyle and seems to have more options going on in the evening. To me it also seems like NCL just has a more laid back vibe to it - it doesnt seem to take itself too seriously which to me makes the cruise more fun. We have sailed on both and had a good time on both although we like NCL better and have a hard time pointing to exactly why.

[Tatka]

Our last several cruises were on Carnival Miracle, NCL Dawn and NCL Jewel.

 

Cruise on Miracle was nicer than one on Liberty in 2005, more activities, better designed ship.. but after last three I still cannot explain why Carnival ships are called "Fun ships". Maybe I don't understand the meaning of this word, but it seems to me that NCL provides much more fun for everybody adults and kids (Nickelodeon). Entertainment is great. Sea of live music, spectacular shows and even circus.

 

Carnival does have larger cabins, but everything else is better on NCL ships. IMHO NCL's has better and healthier and more various food choices.

 

I loved heated pools on Jewel (this ship also does Alaska).

[iwannago07]

Thanks everyone....sounds like we will really enjoy ourselves. We are a pretty easy to please bunch. I'm glad the lines are more alike than different.

I will say that my son has tree nut allergies and NCL sent us a form right after booking to fill out about what we need and exactly what he is allergic to CCL never even acknowledged it. I know it's a little thing but to me it meant something to me.

We are very much looking forward to trying NCL and we know a vacation is what you make of it so I know we will have fun!!

[Quilting_Cruiser]

OP, I'm glad you asked this question! I've been on 7 Carnival cruises, have the 8th booked and also just this weeked booked my first NCL cruise (also my first solo cruise). I'm really looking forward to my first cruise on NCL and was also wondering if there are significant differences between the two lines.

 

Rooms are bigger on CCL unless you are in suite. Apparently the suite life on NCL is top notch (I have not tried that yet but hoping to some day).

 

Food is subjective. IMO MDR food is similar. NCL Buffet is better. CCL desert is better. NCL Pizza is better. NCL has many more for fee dining options. NCL Blue Lagoon/O'Sheehans has excellant food (non-fee).

 

Entertainment is subjective. IMO NCL has better production and comedy shows. CCL has less expensive Bingo.

 

Service is subjective. IMO they are similar.

 

Freestyle Dining is similar to Anytime Dining.

 

Go with an open mind and have fun.

 

This is really helpful information. Thanks! :D

 

My sisters ex husbands girlfriend knows an ex travel agent who booked her husbands uncle's cousin on a carnival ship in 1986 and they said never again.

 

Bill

 

LOL. :D:D I appreciate your humor. It's frustrating to me when people bash Carnival when they've never stepped foot on a Carnival ship. I've enjoyed every one of our Carnival cruises and have never run into drunk minors or other things I've heard people bash CCL for. :rolleyes: I'm not a Carnival cheerleader and am looking forward to trying a different line.

 

Cheers!

[barb-ottawa]

One of the differences between Carnival and NCL - When we docked at Nassau last week in the Gem, we were parked beside the Carnival Fantasy with a dock between us. We went out to the 7th deck and watched as people returned to the two ships and it was obvious to us what the major difference was between the two lines. NCL guests returning to the Gem were met with glasses of ice cold water, cold towels, a canopied lounge area, music, and many officers in sharp white uniforms dancing and welcoming back passengers to the ship. Sponge Bob and other characters were also present. On the Carnival side - nothing - just a ramp into the ship. It was quite amusing to see the Carnival passengers looking enviously at the amenities provided to the NCL passengers as they climbed the ramp into their ship with no one in site to welcome them back. I took pictures but don't know how to post them - it was really quite funny.

[mickeysgal]

I actually think NCL and CCL are the 2 most similar major cruise lines. I think if you like one, you will like the other. The biggest difference is a lot more dining options on NCL. Otherwise, it's the same demographic and the ships, amenities, and activities are very similar.

 

We've sailed both. I think Carnival gets an undeserved bad rap. I see many, many similarities rather an differences between Carnival and NCL. NCL does have the "freestyle dining" - they started that ball rolling - but so do so many other lines now. It's hard to say that this is a quality that makes it unique anymore.

 

My sisters ex husbands girlfriend knows an ex travel agent who booked her husbands uncle's cousin on a carnival ship in 1986 and they said never again.

 

LOL, Bill. Love it when others chime in who had never spent any time on a Carnival cruise, but somehow they are quick to chime in with their opinion starting with "I heard..." as if it were gospel.

[SuiteCruiser]

We've sailed both. I think Carnival gets an undeserved bad rap. I see many, many similarities rather an differences between Carnival and NCL. NCL does have the "freestyle dining" - they started that ball rolling - but so do so many other lines now. It's hard to say that this is a quality that makes it unique anymore.

 

There is far more to Freestyle Dining than Anytime Dining. The NCL ships were built to accommodate 10-14 restaurants, where RCI, CCL and X were built with 2 main dining rooms, a buffet and maybe a few specialties.

 

Anytime on CCL (at least the ones I was on) took place on a floor of the main dining room, so definitely trying to copy NCL's approach, but squeezing it into a ship that wasn't built for it.

 

If NCL decided to switch back to traditional (which I know will never happen) they would be in a world of trouble as their dining rooms couldn't handle the capacity.

 

To me that's a huge difference.

[mchelle77]

From everything I've been able to deduce from reading the CCL board I'd say this is spot on except for one thing- Freestyle dining is available to 100% of the passengers, Anytime Dining is limited to a small percentage of the passengers.

 

Can someone elaborate on this? Just booked our first CCL cruise and chose the Anytime (our last/first :) cruise was NCL) Does this mean it's only available until so many book it and then you're stuck with choose a set time for dining?

 

And someone PLEASE fill me in on the "dancing/singing waiters"!!

[swedish weave]

Can someone elaborate on this? Just booked our first CCL cruise and chose the Anytime (our last/first :) cruise was NCL) Does this mean it's only available until so many book it and then you're stuck with choose a set time for dining?

 

And someone PLEASE fill me in on the "dancing/singing waiters"!!

 

The waiters dance and sing, and some are very good, and some are not. Some will jump up on the small serving tables to do their dance routine. I have not seen ANY get on the tables where guests are seated.

 

I enjoyed it because our waiters were very good, and seemed to enjoy doing it.

 

Others have differing opinions, but I thought it added some fun to the dinner !!

 

I don't know how the dining times are assigned, but heard some on our cruise who didn"t get the assigned time they wanted, so they were trying to switch to anytime. Not sure if they succeeded.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

Can someone elaborate on this? Just booked our first CCL cruise and chose the Anytime (our last/first :) cruise was NCL) Does this mean it's only available until so many book it and then you're stuck with choose a set time for dining?

 

And someone PLEASE fill me in on the "dancing/singing waiters"!!

 

Correct. Your Time Dining is not available to all passengers, but I haven't had trouble getting it on the cruises since it's been offered. You may consider it being "stuck" with a set dining time but a lot of people actually like that. :)

 

After dinner, there is entertainment in the dining room--it's generally dancing and singing done by the wait staff. If you don't like the entertainment, you don't have to stay for it and if you have Your Time Dining you can time your dinner so you won't even know it goes on. My family enjoys the entertainment. On our last cruise, July 4 fell on the next to the last day and the staff sang God Bless America. People stood all over the dining room and joined in. It was a lovely experience.

[mchelle77]

Correct. Your Time Dining is not available to all passengers, but I haven't had trouble getting it on the cruises since it's been offered. You may consider it being "stuck" with a set dining time but a lot of people actually like that. :)

 

 

Didn't mean "stuck" in the negative sense .. just that, if you prefer one and don't get it, you're stuck with what you didn't want :)

 

We're going with 2 other couples and one has yet to book. The two of us who booked already chose Your Time, so I'm thinking about the other couple and whether or not they'll get "stuck" going to a set time without us.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

Didn't mean "stuck" in the negative sense .. just that, if you prefer one and don't get it, you're stuck with what you didn't want :)

 

We're going with 2 other couples and one has yet to book. The two of us who booked already chose Your Time, so I'm thinking about the other couple and whether or not they'll get "stuck" going to a set time without us.

 

 

Sorry for misinterpretting--stuck does tend to have a negative connotation.

 

If you're wanting to eat dinner together, be sure to have your PVP or TA link the three bookings. If you were doing one of the set dining times, that would put all of you at the same table. I don't know if they would be fasttracked for YTD if the bookings are linked (I'll bet someone on the Carnival board would know), but it would at least make your case when you board the ship as you can ask the maitre d to change them from assigned dining to YTD. With linked bookings you can show him that you're all traveling together and that might help. Just a thought.

 

Have a great cruise!