Trying Carnival From Disney

[mibarron]

There are some notible differences between CCL and Disney. My youngest, who is now 8, preferred the Disney kids room to that of Carnival. More activities to do. I haven't been on the Breeze, but on the Glory, my son ended up hanging out with me for the majority of the trip. I guess he was spoiled on Disney and RCCL with their kids program. :p

 

The shows, which are very important to us, is far superior on Disney Magic, but we expected that. The shows on CCL had a PG13 rating. you may want to check the rating of the shows before you see them. Dancers outfits were extremely skimpy, at least on the Glory. Not sure if that is standard across all CCL ships.

 

The one thing I wasn't prepared for, was the amount of alcohol that is pushed on CCL. I know it's called the fun ship, but I didn't realize that fun = alcohol. :eek::o

 

But all in all, we liked the Glory. In fact, we are doing the Splendor later on this year. Try the ship out, save some money. Just be forewarned about the shows rating and the amount of alcohol coming your way. It's a big difference when compared to Disney.

[nzdisneymom]

Another difference is that on Carnival, a lot of things don't start until late - while on Disney, as you know, most folks are tucked in bed by midnight :) The first night's welcome aboard show when we sailed didn't start until 10:15.

[truecruiser]

...The one thing I wasn't prepared for, was the amount of alcohol that is pushed on CCL. I know it's called the fun ship, but I didn't realize that fun = alcohol. :eek::o

 

But all in all, we liked the Glory. In fact, we are doing the Splendor later on this year. Try the ship out, save some money. Just be forewarned about the shows rating and the amount of alcohol coming your way. It's a big difference when compared to Disney.

 

You're like the fifteenth person saying this. I completely disagree with everyone on here who keeps saying that CCL, as a cruise line, is pushing alcohol. It's the bartenders who walk around on Lido who ask you so many times if you need another because:

 

1) they don't want guests complaining that there is poor service; and

 

2) it's how they get their tips.

 

All you have to do is say "No. I'm done." I've done it before and have not been asked again by the same guy:confused::confused:

 

I cannot understand making an issue where none exists.

 

The shows yes -- they are not toddler appropriate shows like beauty and the beast, but kids can certainly go to them.

 

Also, there are family comedian shows, magicians, hypnotists and a host of other things.

 

I'm actually not surprised to hear that the DCL shows don't have skimpier costumes as the average customer age on those ships (at least when I sailed that line) is under the age of 8, lol.

 

But, if you can get a teenager on one of those DCL sailings as a teenager, they'd better amp it up. Have you ever watched some of the shows on disney's abc family?:eek: very young pre-teens doing things they should not be doing is okay, but you can't wear a thong costume with feathers in a show?:cool: Disney as a cruise line may be all innocence and honey, but Disney as a corporate conglomerate is not. (Switch the channel sometime and see some of the content aired.)

 

If the OP would rather not have his/her children see those shows, there are others to see. Most kids do go the show. Camp Carnival even takes them with the parent's permission, and to my knowledge, no children have ever been harmed by viewing the singing and dancing lady with feathers and a thong.

 

Oh, and P.S. I bet the bartenders hate the "Cheers" program. Just my guess...

[mibarron]

You're like the fifteenth person saying this. I completely disagree with everyone on here who keeps saying that CCL, as a cruise line, is pushing alcohol. It's the bartenders who walk around on Lido who ask you so many times if you need another because:

 

1) they don't want guests complaining that there is poor service; and

 

2) it's how they get their tips.

 

All you have to do is say "No. I'm done." I've done it before and have not been asked again by the same guy:confused::confused:

 

I cannot understand making an issue where none exists.

 

The shows yes -- they are not toddler appropriate shows like beauty and the beast, but kids can certainly go to them.

 

Also, there are family comedian shows, magicians, hypnotists and a host of other things.

 

I'm actually not surprised to hear that the DCL shows don't have skimpier costumes as the average customer age on those ships (at least when I sailed that line) is under the age of 8, lol.

 

But, if you can get a teenager on one of those DCL sailings as a teenager, they'd better amp it up. Have you ever watched some of the shows on disney's abc family?:eek: very young pre-teens doing things they should not be doing is okay, but you can't wear a thong costume with feathers in a show?:cool: Disney as a cruise line may be all innocence and honey, but Disney as a corporate conglomerate is not. (Switch the channel sometime and see some of the content aired.)

 

If the OP would rather not have his/her children see those shows, there are others to see. Most kids do go the show. Camp Carnival even takes them with the parent's permission, and to my knowledge, no children have ever been harmed by viewing the singing and dancing lady with feathers and a thong.

 

Oh, and P.S. I bet the bartenders hate the "Cheers" program. Just my guess...

 

I wasn't complaining or taking issue. I was merely stating what to expect and saying I was unprepared for it, given my experience on Disney. Did I partake of the occassional drink a waiter walked around with, sure. But there are more than one waiter walking around and asking you if you want a drink they were offering. It is different from what Disney does. Which is what the OP is asking for.

 

As for the shows, we did still see them even with the PG 13 rating, but not everyone is in agreement of this and for first time cruisers, most may not be aware the shows have ratings on them, especially past PG.

 

You're getting all riled up, when there is no need to be. You have a problem with the other 14 people who made a comment about the alcohol, take it up with them.

[Talex831]

But once you accept how cheap the other lines are you can get it, but then they want to nickle and dime you to death, so often the cost of Disney is justified.

 

We have sailed DCL 7 times and will be doing CCL over Easter. The cost difference for us was $4000 between 7 nights on the Disney Fantasy W. Caribbean and 7 nights on Carnival Magic W. Caribbean. There is no way I will be nickeled and dimed to the tune of $4000 to justify the cost of Disney.

 

 

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[2 cruzen]

I think you will find Carnival a nice change. I know I to liked the curtain but we found other ways to have privacy.;) (Balcony club;))

 

Not really any privacy there if you believe the John H blog! Security cameras and eyes from the bridge! :eek:

[truecruiser]

I wasn't complaining or taking issue. I was merely stating what to expect and saying I was unprepared for it, given my experience on Disney. Did I partake of the occassional drink a waiter walked around with, sure. But there are more than one waiter walking around and asking you if you want a drink they were offering. It is different from what Disney does. Which is what the OP is asking for.

 

As for the shows, we did still see them even with the PG 13 rating, but not everyone is in agreement of this and for first time cruisers, most may not be aware the shows have ratings on them, especially past PG.

 

You're getting all riled up, when there is no need to be. You have a problem with the other 14 people who made a comment about the alcohol, take it up with them.

 

 

 

I think you need to take a breath, lol. You took the post personally when I was responding in fairly general terms to some of the things you and others mentioned. I did it in an effort to present the OP with another side. Since you’ve now quoted me essentially stating that you were merely relaying information, and not forming conclusions or making judgments, I will now disagree with you though, and respond to the specifics of your post which show this to be untrue imo. You specifically told the OP that alcohol was “pushed” on this line and “[you] didn’t realize that fun = alcohol” and to be “forewarned about the shows ratings and the amount of alcohol coming your way.”

 

You have every right to present this view to the OP, but I also have the right to present mine which is different -- esp since I am also a cruiser who is also a mother (of 3 ), like you and the OP , and who has sailed both lines as well. ;) To not present both sides, does a disservice to the person asking.

 

my view is that a waiter or bartender who asks if you would like a drink is not “pushing alcohol on you,” only you can be pushed. and the notion of “fun = alcohol” is not the company Mission Statement as you would have the OP believe, and the costumes in the shows are not so bad that the OP needs to be alarmed (by alarmists) that if they board the ship with their children they’re headed on a one-way trip to the Playboy Mansion. (Did you see Beyonce’s halftime show last night? Oh my gosh, the Carnival shows are nowhere near that!)

 

Yes. Disney is very different from Carnival. It’s different for many reasons – but the reasons don’t make the line something to be concerned about (except I don’t think it’s a good idea at all for first time families to go on college spring break). My kids started cruising Carnival when they were very young. They love it, and I love it because there were so many more “adult” things to do while at the same time providing tons of entertainment for the kids. They are all Platinum. They would not be Platinum if I thought it was a bad environment for them because if I thought it was bad, they never would have been on as many times as they have. Simple as that. They are not deranged because their parents were asked if they wanted to order another bucket of beer when they might have otherwise had their fill and simply said “no thank you”; they aren’t scarred from years and years of watching the shows with the ladies in feathers and thongs; and dare I say, they weren’t even scarred the first time they saw the naked statues on the Miracle (though my boys did giggle a bit).

 

Disney is a different demographic entirely. Lots of very little kids with cruising parents who have to constantly tend to them. And while CCL has a great majority of families cruising, it is not only families. Disney is 99.99% families. I don't know any large demographic which when cruising will choose a DCL cruise if they don't have kids. There may be a tiny %age of them, but it's tiny. It's mostly parents with younger children, and occasionally grandparents. Big difference right there. So, I’m not surprised if a DCL bartender doesn’t ask if you want a drink as often as they would if they were a bartender on any other line, because I’m sure they already know the answer is ‘no.” There’s nothing wrong with that, but it certainly doesn’t warrant a blanket statement that Carnival shoves alcohol down your throat.

 

The Capers (now Fun Times) never used to mentioned a rating for the shows. They do provide that now and the OP would have seen this notation the first time they read about it, but if they are now worried because of your post, they might do better to try and look it up beforehand.

 

Bottom line: all things and all cruise lines are not for everyone, and no one but the OP will know if the OP will be bothered by the mixed demographic and non-disney cruising experience.

 

OP, the shows are not supposed to be taped, but like all things, I bet some have been (would probably bank on it), so you may be able to find some floating around on that you tube thingy if they haven't been pulled down. So, you can always check that out for yourself ahead of time if you wish.

 

Happy Cruising to ALL :)

[Donna_In_India]

We're sailing on Disney Fantasty in December 2013 (7 nights) and we sailed Carnival Breeze in December 2012 (6 nights). We paid almost $2,000 for our cove balcony on the Breeze and $3,300 for our balcony on Disney. Is Disney worth the difference? Having just sailed on the Disney Magic this past June I would say absolutely! In fact, my husband commented not too far into our cruise on the Breeze that he missed all the little touches on Disney - how each cast member(crew) that you passed always had a smile and a hello for you. I think we saw our cabin host/steward once the entire time on the Breeze. There was a huge disconnect with the crew on the Breeze (and we're not the kind of people that become great friends with our servers, etc.).

 

The cabin on the Breeze was very nice - loved the cove balcony. We do like Disney's split bathroom and the cabins are a good size as well.

 

The shows on Disney win hands down. Entertainment on the Breeze was AWFUL.

 

Food - we can find food to eat anywhere but the rotational dining - and themes - on Disney are a lot of fun.

 

While the kid's club on Carnival was fine, Disney's is in another league.

 

The splash zone on the Breeze would have been fun had it not been so cold. I expect the Aquaduck on the Fantasy will be great fun. The pool on the Breeze was small - could have been bigger.

 

We hadn't sailed on Carnival in a decade and although there were some very good things about the Breeze, they just weren't enough to get us back to Carnival. It's a totally different atmosphere than Disney.

 

I agree about Disney's itineraries and I think many people are straying. I hope Disney wakes up but I'll happily shop for the deals on Disney (kids sail free, etc.) until my daughter outgrows Disney. Then we'll head back over to RCI. But I'm glad we gave the Breeze a try. And the interior is definitely nicer than the other Carnival ships!

 

Have a great cruise!

[DGP1111]

. . . Disney is a different demographic entirely. Lots of very little kids with cruising parents who have to constantly tend to them. And while CCL has a great majority of families cruising, it is not only families. Disney is 99.99% families. I don't know any large demographic which when cruising will choose a DCL cruise if they don't have kids. There may be a tiny %age of them, but it's tiny. It's mostly parents with younger children, and occasionally grandparents. Big difference right there. So, I’m not surprised if a DCL bartender doesn’t ask if you want a drink as often as they would if they were a bartender on any other line, because I’m sure they already know the answer is ‘no.” There’s nothing wrong with that, but it certainly doesn’t warrant a blanket statement that Carnival shoves alcohol down your throat.

 

I have a strong feeling you might be quite surprised how far off your comments about the Disney Cruise Line demographics are.

 

Yes, there are lots of families . . . and that is the expected majority. It's interesting to be in Nassau and watching people exiting a number of ships in that port of call. One ship will definitely stick out as obvious family units (often with a daughter in princess attire, or son still in pirate make-up). It doesn't make them better or worse than the rest, it just makes them appear different to some.

 

Some of the most misbehaved youth (a very few throwing near tantrums) I've ever witnessed on a DCL voyage was because the parents set down a strong rule in the evening that they would eat together as a family unit, but the kids preferred to be in the youth areas with their peers and all the available activities. No, not all, but quite a lot. I can easily say there are numerous parents who are not "constantly tending to" their younger family members.

 

.

[nokidz]

We have cruised Disney numerous times. We will be cruising Carnival in two weeks. We will gladly pay the cost of a Disney cruise because we want the Disney experience. We have cruised Disney by ourselves and with our older kids. We are trying something different, just for the experience and because we just want a quick getaway.

[MrPete]

Yes. Disney is very different from Carnival. It’s different for many reasons – but the reasons don’t make the line something to be concerned about (except I don’t think it’s a good idea at all for first time families to go on college spring break). My kids started cruising Carnival when they were very young. They love it, and I love it because there were so many more “adult” things to do while at the same time providing tons of entertainment for the kids. They are all Platinum. They would not be Platinum if I thought it was a bad environment for them because if I thought it was bad, they never would have been on as many times as they have. Simple as that. They are not deranged because their parents were asked if they wanted to order another bucket of beer when they might have otherwise had their fill and simply said “no thank you”; they aren’t scarred from years and years of watching the shows with the ladies in feathers and thongs; and dare I say, they weren’t even scarred the first time they saw the naked statues on the Miracle (though my boys did giggle a bit).

 

Disney is a different demographic entirely. Lots of very little kids with cruising parents who have to constantly tend to them. And while CCL has a great majority of families cruising, it is not only families. Disney is 99.99% families. I don't know any large demographic which when cruising will choose a DCL cruise if they don't have kids. There may be a tiny %age of them, but it's tiny. It's mostly parents with younger children, and occasionally grandparents. Big difference right there. So, I’m not surprised if a DCL bartender doesn’t ask if you want a drink as often as they would if they were a bartender on any other line, because I’m sure they already know the answer is ‘no.” There’s nothing wrong with that, but it certainly doesn’t warrant a blanket statement that Carnival shoves alcohol down your throat.

 

I gotta tell you, although DCL would have NEVER been our choice of cruising without kids, we ran into a LOT of people doing just that and enjoying all the adult only areas, on board, as well as on Castaway Cay. At times, were were actually jealous.

 

But we were also surprised at the lack of kids in most areas, as they were either on that kids deck, or doing some activity throughout the ship especially for them.

 

It really was the best of all worlds.

[truecruiser]

I gotta tell you, although DCL would have NEVER been our choice of cruising without kids, we ran into a LOT of people doing just that and enjoying all the adult only areas, on board, as well as on Castaway Cay. At times, were were actually jealous.

 

But we were also surprised at the lack of kids in most areas, as they were either on that kids deck, or doing some activity throughout the ship especially for them.

 

It really was the best of all worlds.

 

my post was defininetly not intended to be a dis' on Disney -- beautiful ships, beautiful family staterooms, incredibly friendly and attentive crew -- it was intended to only to set some things straight about CCL. Reading the post I replied to along with some others probably had the OP thinking "Omg, I just booked my kids on a cruise to Sin City!" :eek: Not the case. :)

[MrPete]

my post was defininetly not intended to be a dis' on Disney . :)

 

Here's the good thing. I didn't read it as such! :)

[truecruiser]

Here's the good thing. I didn't read it as such! :)

 

maybe you should read it again then. Because just because I might have stated in another thread that it was the most boring cruise for me doesn't translate into what I wrote here.

 

What I wrote here had to do with the statements of pushing alcohol and having very risque shows. Bottom line is that the majority of passengers on DCL are families with children, and while there are many many families with children on CCL, it is not the only customer they service. There are differences between the lines, just as there are differences between CCL and Celebrity in large part due to your passenger profile.

 

This does not make a cruise on CCL a one way ticket to sin. The things stated were overblown and exaggerated imo, and I stand by the post. It's ridiculous to spook a future guest. voice both sides and then let them decide for themselves, but don't voice just "one" side.