First time carnival- First time cruiser

[joy4ron]

I'm thinking of booking a cruise for summer 2013.

I have some friends and family who have been on Carnival, and I've gotten completely opposite opinions.

About my family- I am 39, DW is 39. DD is 19 and DS is 12. We are a pretty conservative family. Don't drink or smoke, and we have always been pretty selective in what we watch on TV. My friend (his fave is HAL) who went on Carnival 20 years ago is far less conservative than I says that we would hate it because it's a wild frat party. My Aunt (her fave is Princess) who is even more conservative and has cruised carnival more recently says that we would have a blast.

Our favorite vacations vary between a week on the beach and a week at Disney. We like to go-go-go, and we appreciate sitting back and soaking in the rays.

Any help would be greatly appreciated

[gail811]

We have cruised on Carnival almost exclusively. It has afforded us the same cruise experience (IMO) at a more affordable rate than other lines. We do drink, but have honestly never witnessed the "wild frat party" atmosphere on any cruise, even the ones we took during spring break. Certainly we have witnessed individuals that drank a bit too much, both on the ship and off. I think a lot of your cruise experience will depend on where you spend your time on board. We seek out quiet spots on sea days, and do not attend the parties around the pool. I think you can find the best and worst behavior on any cruise lines if you look for it. I hope you go and have a wonderful experience!

[jobell]

I'm thinking of booking a cruise for summer 2013.

I have some friends and family who have been on Carnival, and I've gotten completely opposite opinions.

About my family- I am 39, DW is 39. DD is 19 and DS is 12. We are a pretty conservative family. Don't drink or smoke, and we have always been pretty selective in what we watch on TV. My friend (his fave is HAL) who went on Carnival 20 years ago is far less conservative than I says that we would hate it because it's a wild frat party. My Aunt (her fave is Princess) who is even more conservative and has cruised carnival more recently says that we would have a blast.

Our favorite vacations vary between a week on the beach and a week at Disney. We like to go-go-go, and we appreciate sitting back and soaking in the rays.

Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

Your friend cruise Carnival 20 years ago. 20.years.ago. Maybe it was a wild frat party then, but of all the cruises I have been on since 2010 (5, my 6th is next month) none have been a wild frat party. Do people drink and get a little rowdy, of course...but I can almost guarantee you, you will find that on any line, any land vacation and probably at home at your local restaurant.

 

I personally think that Carnival has enough variety on the ship, wonderful ports of call and affordable.

 

The cruise is what you will make it to be, if you find yourselves around people who are rude, obnoxious, etc, the ship is large and you can get away from them. I think you should definitely considering booking (no, I am not a cheerleader for the line, but I believe Carnival is a good introduction to cruising based on price).

 

But you have to do what is right for your family, so I would also look at pricing other lines and then go with what works best for you.

 

Either way, welcome to cruising and I hope you have a wonderful time. :)

[ccruisequeen]

We took nephew and wife on a 3-day. They are young and very conservative. The rep of a booze cruise never happened. They enjoyed themselves, just exploring the ship, participating in some of the activities, and just relaxing.

 

A cruise is what you make of it. There are activities for all kinds of people. You can drink or not (grab a virgin piña colada- I got one on my free drink coupon). Play trivia or game shows. Take them to the Serenity deck to relax. Let them explore and pick out what they might be interested in from Funtimes.

[emelvee]

I've never been on the shorter (3-4 day) cruises, but I've heard those are more party-oriented than the longer (weeklong+) ones. We've never experienced the "frat party" feeling either.

 

Personally, I would go on Carnival as a first cruise. And in an inside or oceanview cabin at best. Otherwise you might get spoiled. :)

 

We enjoyed our one NCL and two RCI cruises, but don't think I'd pay a premium over Carnival to sail on them. Carnival is a bit "livelier" IMO, though again not to the extreme that some think is their reputation.

[mavvie]

I believe that cruise ships are less "frat party" or rowdy than all inclusive land based resorts because of the fact that people have to pay for their drinks. Every holiday I have ever been on, I have witnessed at least one person too intoxicated (admittedly usually someone in our party:o) but I see them as additional entertainment.

 

The great advantage the cruise ship has over other resorts is that you can take advantage of beach/relaxation days but there is also so much to do for those who need to be entertained nonstop.

 

I say book the cruise, enjoy the good value for your money, and have a great time.

[Cruizinman]

I think the rep is coming bk to Carnival as the party ships . As they just introduced a program called " cheers ' where people pay a rather hefty fee for alcholic drinks. However there's a 15 drink limit per day , but you can bet the party people will make sure they get their monies worth.

[beachbum53]

As others have stated, it depends on where you choose to spend your time on the ship. If the cruise director has some sort of activity going on by the main pool, it can get a little loud and crazy. But, you're more likely to see families participating than a bunch of college kids (not counting Spring Break cruises). Over the past few years, I think Carnival has tried really hard to get away from the "party boat" image and tried to make their cruises more family friendly, in order to compete with Disney Cruise Lines. Carnival is certainly more affordable than Disney for the average family. I don't know how old your aunt is, but I would guess that what appeals to her (on Princess) may not appeal to your kids (and vice-versa). Before deciding definitely on any cruise line (or ship), do your homework. Be prepared to spend some time looking at different ships and their amenities. Look at different itineraries. Then compare costs. Also, find a cruise specialist in your area that can answer some of your questions. Your first cruise as a family can be a disaster or the best thing you've ever done. The better informed you are, the better you'll be able to choose the cruise that best fits you and your family.

[emelvee]

I think the rep is coming bk to Carnival as the party ships . As they just introduced a program called " cheers ' where people pay a rather hefty fee for alcholic drinks. However there's a 15 drink limit per day , but you can bet the party people will make sure they get their monies worth.

RCI and NCL are testing this as well.

[COMBOY]

I'm thinking of booking a cruise for summer 2013.

I have some friends and family who have been on Carnival, and I've gotten completely opposite opinions.

About my family- I am 39, DW is 39. DD is 19 and DS is 12. We are a pretty conservative family. Don't drink or smoke, and we have always been pretty selective in what we watch on TV. My friend (his fave is HAL) who went on Carnival 20 years ago is far less conservative than I says that we would hate it because it's a wild frat party. My Aunt (her fave is Princess) who is even more conservative and has cruised carnival more recently says that we would have a blast.

Our favorite vacations vary between a week on the beach and a week at Disney. We like to go-go-go, and we appreciate sitting back and soaking in the rays.

Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

Well, the Carnival of 20 years ago is far less the wild party ship today then of the 70's & 80's. They were marketed at the "Fun ships" and still are. Carnival has always caters to singles and younger folks who like to party, but families do make up a significant portion of the passenger especially during the summers and holiday when the kids are out of school. Now during the summer months most of the more refined upscale ships (less of a party atmosphere) like Princess, HAL, Celebrity move their ships out of the Caribbean to Alaska and Europe. In the summer months the only cruise offers to the Caribbean are Carnival, RCI, Disney and NCL to Bermuda. IMO given what you are telling me that you are a conservative family and to be on the safe side you probably would be better off with RCI - like the Freedom of the Sea, Allure or Oasis during the summer Caribbean. However, the issue is these are peak summer sailings and prices are at a premium on these ships. Carnival will offer far better/lower pricing (especially for the family of 4) so it really becomes an issue of trade off. Pricing vs atmosphere. If you clearly don't want/worried to be around any drinkers/rowdy crowd then stay away from Carnival and go with something else. Carnival still offers a lot for families and diversity for the less party crowd, but it's hard to give exact advise because we don't know you and your family personally to say for sure what would work best. Carnival could work perfectly for your family or be a complete nightmare. You should work with an experienced travel agent and do your homework before you book anything. Also, there are a ton of individuals reviews of each Carnival ships here on Cruisecritic. You should read through them and get an idea of what people's experiences are on Carnival ships.

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/

[joy4ron]

I personnaly think that I won't have a problem on a Carnival ship, but my friend got me a little concerned.

It's not as if my kids are completely shletered and not worldly wise... I was just worried that I could get on a cruise only to find that people are stumbling around drunk. The way he made it seem was that the pool games would be pretty rowdy.

I don't mind if folks are having a good time, and that some opf them may have a little liquid encouragement. I just don't want some sort of "booze-curise" like someone mentioned here.

 

I am actually looking at one of the 8 day cruises out of New York in June. They seem to be about the best bang for your buck.

I would like to try Royal Caribbean, but over the Summer they can get pretty expensive.

 

If we like it, maybe the wife and I will do Princess in the late Fall.

 

You are all so great, and I do look at the reviews- which only serve to make me want to go more. I'm kind of jealous of some of you who have done multiple cruises... :)

[hckyfan68]

I personnaly think that I won't have a problem on a Carnival ship, but my friend got me a little concerned.

It's not as if my kids are completely shletered and not worldly wise... I was just worried that I could get on a cruise only to find that people are stumbling around drunk. The way he made it seem was that the pool games would be pretty rowdy.

I don't mind if folks are having a good time, and that some opf them may have a little liquid encouragement. I just don't want some sort of "booze-curise" like someone mentioned here.

 

I am actually looking at one of the 8 day cruises out of New York in June. They seem to be about the best bang for your buck.

I would like to try Royal Caribbean, but over the Summer they can get pretty expensive.

 

If we like it, maybe the wife and I will do Princess in the late Fall.

 

You are all so great, and I do look at the reviews- which only serve to make me want to go more. I'm kind of jealous of some of you who have done multiple cruises... :)

 

I wouldn't worry about the rep that Carnival has. Our first cruise we took our 9 yo son and he has a blast. We never saw anyone falling down drunk. We just got off the Dream and it was great. again no problem with drunks. My folks cruise Carnival all the time, but the live in FL so they can just jump on a ship whenever the feel like it.

 

I'm 44, DW is 34, my folks are 74 & 73.

 

Welcome to CC and to cruising. One warning though, go on one cruise and you will get the cruise bug! ;)

[kona_wahine]

I have only been on one cruise, and going on 2nd in 51 days (yeah!!!). I didn't see one person even tipsy in the week I was on the ship. Not saying it doesn't happen, just not the party atmosphere you are afraid of.

 

The cruise will be what you make of it. There is so much to do you can't get bored. And there is nothing like waking up each morning in a different country to explore. It's awesome.

[Star24K]

I would suggest taking the cruise that best fits your budget and schedule. I never get hung up over a cruise line because to me, they’re all good.

[LSD21060]

youll love carnival just go in with a positive/open attitude and youll be good to go. if you go in with negative youll come out with negative

[Bashlin]

I think the rep is coming bk to Carnival as the party ships . As they just introduced a program called " cheers ' where people pay a rather hefty fee for alcholic drinks. However there's a 15 drink limit per day , but you can bet the party people will make sure they get their monies worth.

 

The cheers program is actually cheaper then buying the individual drinks.. And carnival can refuse anyone drinks..

 

Sent from my Galaxy 3S

[ranger10!]

Hey there. Your conservatism shouldn't have any effect on your cruise or the good time you will have. You will enjoy the 8 day cruise. My wife and I float on the conservative side, not big drinkers, non smokers, yada yada yada...

Yet we always, always have a great time on Carnival. They don't cater to the younger crowd and singles as much as some think. Carnival has become very much family oriented and provide a great experience for people of all ages. In fact we see more couples our age (40+) on Carnival all the time. The cruise is exactly what you make of it. And we always make it a great time.

Enjoy your cruise!

Chad

[kingoftheicedragons]

I have never noticed a "wild frat party" atmosphere on a Carnival ship, though admittedly, we don't cruise in March or over the summer when things may be different.

 

We've always had a great time on Carnival. I would say that we really don't drink either. In my six cruises so far, I have paid for all of one drink on the ship. Now, cocktails that were available during the captain's reception, past guest party, and fun farewell are another matter.

[Cruizinman]

I have never noticed a "wild frat party" atmosphere on a Carnival ship, though admittedly, we don't cruise in March or over the summer when things may be different.

 

We've always had a great time on Carnival. I would say that we really don't drink either. In my six cruises so far, I have paid for all of one drink on the ship. Now, cocktails that were available during the captain's reception, past guest party, and fun farewell are another matter.

 

 

Thats all a part of history now ;)

[tandemcruzr]

Thats all a part of history now ;)

 

There is still a Captains Reception -- all drinks at the bars along the Lobby level decks are $1 off, and there is still a Past Guest Party for Gold level and above.

 

You are right about the Fun Farewell Party.

[paracer]

Go for it!! You will be fine with Carnival.

 

Every segment of the population will appear on virtually every ship. That is just the facts of our society and that today's ships carry 3000+ passengers. It's not hard to figure out which parts of a ship might cater to the party crowd. I think you will find that the loud parts of the ship are not in the majority.

 

The atmosphere on the cruise my wife and I did was great. Just enough of everything to keep us entertained without being put off. We're not party people, by the way. We did the 5 day run to Canada on the Glory in July 2011.

[cruzinlisa]

I personnaly think that I won't have a problem on a Carnival ship, but my friend got me a little concerned.

It's not as if my kids are completely shletered and not worldly wise... I was just worried that I could get on a cruise only to find that people are stumbling around drunk. The way he made it seem was that the pool games would be pretty rowdy.

I don't mind if folks are having a good time, and that some opf them may have a little liquid encouragement. I just don't want some sort of "booze-curise" like someone mentioned here.

 

I am actually looking at one of the 8 day cruises out of New York in June. They seem to be about the best bang for your buck.

I would like to try Royal Caribbean, but over the Summer they can get pretty expensive.

 

If we like it, maybe the wife and I will do Princess in the late Fall.

 

You are all so great, and I do look at the reviews- which only serve to make me want to go more. I'm kind of jealous of some of you who have done multiple cruises... :)

 

There may be some people who are stumbling around drunk. But no more than anywhere else. I have a child who will be two. I took her on a cruise last year and plan to as well. There are places that I won't take her to (bar and grills that are more like bars, sporting events, all inclusives, etc), but I never ever had a concern about taking her on a Carnival cruise.

 

I think it can get a little rowdy around the pool during the day, but that is mainly because of the activities, lots of kids and the fact that the pools are the size of a bath tub. ;) We had no problem finding quieter places.

 

Also, I would imagine during the summer there are a lot more families on board. So more of the chaos will be related to number of children, as opposed to the party crowd.

[nlktx49]

I wouldn't give a second thought to going on Carnival - just go! I'm 63 and DH is 64, we're not party animals but enjoy the atmosphere on Carnival. We don't hang around poolside, nor do we go to the nightclubs late at night, so probably miss out on possibly rowdier behavior. The ships are big, you can go find a quiet spot any time! About the only time I drink is when I'm on a cruise, and that's just the fruity frozen drinks that don't have much alcohol in them. Carnival does seem to be geared towards families.

[glrounds]

I'm 73 and just got off my 4th time on the SPLENDOR and my 23rd Carnival cruise last Sunday. I would echo the previous posters comments.

 

Sure, I don't close the disco anymore:D, but do enjoy all the fun on a Carnival ship. I can't recall the last time on a Carnival ship when I saw someone OBVIOUSLY drunk or exhibiting rowdy behavior, although I'm sure it happens on ALL cruise lines now and then.

 

[ladytiger96]

I'm thinking of booking a cruise for summer 2013.

I have some friends and family who have been on Carnival, and I've gotten completely opposite opinions.

About my family- I am 39, DW is 39. DD is 19 and DS is 12. We are a pretty conservative family. Don't drink or smoke, and we have always been pretty selective in what we watch on TV. My friend (his fave is HAL) who went on Carnival 20 years ago is far less conservative than I says that we would hate it because it's a wild frat party. My Aunt (her fave is Princess) who is even more conservative and has cruised carnival more recently says that we would have a blast.

Our favorite vacations vary between a week on the beach and a week at Disney. We like to go-go-go, and we appreciate sitting back and soaking in the rays.

Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

Carnival is THE FUN SHIP! We were a family with 2 young boys and had a BLAST. We personally did not see anyone drunk or unruly. We went while school/college was in session. I have heard rumors across ALL lines that when school is out there is more "partying". However, I can tell you I was definetely concerned, but for no reason whatsoever. We returned Sunday. It was SO MUCH FUN and the ship was so clean and the service was so great. We are booking our next one in the next couple of weeks with Carnival. I saw some older ladies complaining as they were getting on their RC cruise (shuttled with us). I just thought to myself that I was SO GLAD to be getting on the fun ship. You won't regret it unless you are terribly picky and don't like to have FUN!