Celebrity cruiser considering another cruise line...worried

[tweeterbug]

Hi all,

 

My husband and I have cruised twice now with Celebrity...once on the Solstice and once on the Eclipse. We did Aqua Class both times and absolutely LOVED it! We are looking at either a Norway Fjiords cruise on the Celebrity Infinity or a Baltic cruise on the Carnival Legend. Both are in in August. I love the itinerary and the price is very good on the Baltic cruise but it is with Carnival. I am afraid if we opt for the Carnival cruise we will be highly disappointed. :eek: I would love some opinions from those that have cruised both lines.

 

Thanks in advance!

[Keith1010]

If you expect the Carnival Cruise to be like Celebrity you will be disappointed. If you take the Carnival cruise you need to lower your expectations.

 

Keith

[PORT ROYAL]

Hi all,

 

My husband and I have cruised twice now with Celebrity...once on the Solstice and once on the Eclipse. We did Aqua Class both times and absolutely LOVED it! We are looking at either a Norway Fjiords cruise on the Celebrity Infinity or a Baltic cruise on the Carnival Legend. Both are in in August. I love the itinerary and the price is very good on the Baltic cruise but it is with Carnival. I am afraid if we opt for the Carnival cruise we will be highly disappointed. :eek: I would love some opinions from those that have cruised both lines.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Hi - Welcome

If you are considering Fjiords then the IOS a great ship has one urrently on offer at a great price!

 

As previously posted - On Carnival you get to see a spitting contest from the balcony. On CC or RCL you do not.

[Occy]

Hi - Welcome

If you are considering Fjiords then the IOS a great ship has one urrently on offer at a great price!

 

As previously posted - On Carnival you get to see a spitting contest from the balcony. On CC or RCL you do not.

 

 

lol, well put !!

[A Sixth?]

I've sailed both and frankly, for me at least, it's hard not to have a good time on a cruise.

 

Carnival will be a smokier ship and far more "commercial"for lack of better words.

 

I happen to love the slide, brings out the kid in me and Carnival's food is actually excellent.

 

But unless the Carnival cruise is a LOT cheaper I wouldn't sail them over Celebrity. The attention to details, superior service clean air even in the casino and classier ships are some things that Carnival can't touch.

[Lady Arwen]

If you enjoy Celebrity, then chances are that you will be very disappointed with Carnival. We tried it, not our cup of tea.

[lucinjo]

We have cruised on both Celebrity and Carnival, although not on the Legend. Carnival prices are very attractive right now because of recent mechanical issues with three of their ships. We enjoyed our Carnival Cruise with extended family, but prefer the refinement of Celebrity and Oceania when traveling by ourselves.

The experiences are pretty different between Carnival and Celebrity. The most important from my point of view is the smoking policy. Celebrity doesn't allow smoking on balconies or anywhere at inside public venues. Carnival allows smoking on most balconies (I think it is NOT allowed on 'Spa cabin' balconies), the Casino, and port side of several lounges. I ended up avoiding certain areas because of stinging eyes and congestion.

The main pool area on Carnival is 'where the action is', there always seemed to be a mob watching a hairy chest contest, a drink contest, game of some sort. The activities staff was very high energy. On the other hand I really liked the adult only 'Serenity' area off the aft of the ship, although I hated signing out towels like I was at summer camp.

I give Celebrity an edge for food, but found plenty to eat at the MDR and buffet on Carnival. The ships on Carnival feel more crowded than Celebrity to me.

I give Carnival high points for their Kareoke, Comedy Club and interactive trivia contests. I thought all of these were better than Celebrity. However, Celebrity wins hands down for wine service, Martini and Molecular Bar, Cafe Bacio, and specialty restaurants! I think furnishings were nicer on Celebrity.

I think it comes down to value for your dollar, and only you can really determine that.

[maitlandmom]

When booking our Baltic cruise we really thought about Carnival and the Legend. It was almost half the price and there are 5 of us sailing. The smoking thing is what really put X over the edge with us and the lack of suite "perks" on Carnival. We have sailed the Solstice twice and are really looking forward to the Eclipse.

[deelastcre]

I would choose Carnival over Celebrity only if I were a smoker and liked a party ship. The cruises are a great value, but if you've sailed on two Solstice Class ships, Carnival will be a real eye opener. On a port intensive cruise, I think that you will welcome the relaxation of Modern Luxury!

[Coolcruise02]

If you expect the Carnival Cruise to be like Celebrity you will be disappointed. If you take the Carnival cruise you need to lower your expectations.

 

Keith

 

 

Totally untrue!!

We were on Carnival for our Mediterranean cruise and it was wonderful! IMHO their food and service in the dining room far surpassed Celebrity. On longer cruises, not in the Caribbean, you will find a more subdued, older crowd. You will have a great time.

[cherylroslyn]

Hi all,

 

My husband and I have cruised twice now with Celebrity...once on the Solstice and once on the Eclipse. We did Aqua Class both times and absolutely LOVED it! We are looking at either a Norway Fjiords cruise on the Celebrity Infinity or a Baltic cruise on the Carnival Legend. Both are in in August. I love the itinerary and the price is very good on the Baltic cruise but it is with Carnival. I am afraid if we opt for the Carnival cruise we will be highly disappointed. :eek: I would love some opinions from those that have cruised both lines.

 

Thanks in advance!

I wouldn't risk a monumental cruise like the Baltics or Fjord on Carnival and I have sailed with Carnival twice.

 

I would do a little Carribean cruise or a short Canada out of NYC (where I live).

 

To put all of that effort, money and expectation into a Carnival product right now is something I would not even consider.

 

A European cruise is something that has to be taken a little bit more seriously.....and although Carnival is tolerable and enjoyable....it is not even in the same hemispher as a Celebrity cruise.

[suec12]

You could book the Carnival and watch for price drops on Celebrity, of course that probably means holding off buying your flights. Just FYI my brother in law says Carnival food is very good - he's never sailed Celebrity, I've never sailed Carnival but he does enjoy good food.

[Desertbelle]

In my opinion all cruise lines have more in common than different. Pretty much a cruise is a cruise is a cruise. Every cruise line has it's fans, and every cruise line has it's haters. It just goes to show that no cruise line can please everyone.

 

Having been on several different lines over the years we have developed favorites. Which are very different than what other people consider their favorites. That is because different people love and enjoy different aspects of a cruise. Only by trying a few different cruise lines will you be able to know, without any doubt, what you like and desire in a cruise...and what drives you away from a particular cruise line.

 

Our personal favorites are Celebrity and Royal Caribbean. They offer the things that make our experiences while cruising more enjoyable than other cruise lines, at a price that we are comfortable with. Our Carnival cruises were OK, not great, not bad....their bedding and food were very good, but the ambiance of the cruise was just OK...we probably won't cruise with Carnival again unless it's a family thing that someone else is planning.

 

So, your question to us has no real meaning to you because you have only experienced one cruise line. The only true answer to your question is to try other lines and make your own decision.

 

And remember, even our worse cruises were still an enjoyable vacation that we still look back on as a wonderful time spent away from work and home. :)

[RJHNorthyorks]

We much prefer Celebrity and Royal Caribbean. We have only done one Carnival cruise but won't be rushing back. Our fellow passengers were often very loud and we hated the dining party time business where staff danced on the tables every night and the head waiter appeared wearing a wig and shouting party time through a microphone. All very tacky!

[Coolcruise02]

In my opinion all cruise lines have more in common than different. Pretty much a cruise is a cruise is a cruise. Every cruise line has it's fans, and every cruise line has it's haters. It just goes to show that no cruise line can please everyone.

 

Having been on several different lines over the years we have developed favorites. Which are very different than what other people consider their favorites. That is because different people love and enjoy different aspects of a cruise. Only by trying a few different cruise lines will you be able to know, without any doubt, what you like and desire in a cruise...and what drives you away from a particular cruise line.

 

Our personal favorites are Celebrity and Royal Caribbean. They offer the things that make our experiences while cruising more enjoyable than other cruise lines, at a price that we are comfortable with. Our Carnival cruises were OK, not great, not bad....their bedding and food were very good, but the ambiance of the cruise was just OK...we probably won't cruise with Carnival again unless it's a family thing that someone else is planning.

 

So, your question to us has no real meaning to you because you have only experienced one cruise line. The only true answer to your question is to try other lines and make your own decision.

 

And remember, even our worse cruises were still an enjoyable vacation that we still look back on as a wonderful time spent away from work and home. :)

 

Well said! When you're not loyal to just one line you realize all cruises are great and the lines are all very similar. To us, they all have good and bad points. We choose an itinerary and then see who has the best price!

[evandbob]

Hi all,

 

My husband and I have cruised twice now with Celebrity...once on the Solstice and once on the Eclipse. We did Aqua Class both times and absolutely LOVED it! We are looking at either a Norway Fjiords cruise on the Celebrity Infinity or a Baltic cruise on the Carnival Legend. Both are in in August. I love the itinerary and the price is very good on the Baltic cruise but it is with Carnival. I am afraid if we opt for the Carnival cruise we will be highly disappointed. :eek: I would love some opinions from those that have cruised both lines.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

I have sailed on CCL Legend and have fond memories, but not because of the ship. It was the 1st cruise that I took my daughter and her family on, so there's the sentimental value, plus I won enough money in their casino to pay for their balcony cabin. The staff and food were very good at the time maybe 7 or 8yrs ago, the ship's décor, activities and shows were sub par. CCL has seriously cut back on the menu (they offer macaroni and cheese, meat loaf, and other comfort food in the MDR) and theater entertainment since then, and it shows. The ship recently had propulsion problems that required it to putter along and miss a port or two, not as severe as the Triumph disaster, but troubling nonetheless. If you are accustomed to Aqua/Blu, you will find nothing remotely similar on CCL.

I sailed CCL for many years, often solo, and mainly for price. However, in the last three years or so I have branched out to other lines and appreciated the difference.

[CrusieToy]

If you expect the Carnival Cruise to be like Celebrity you will be disappointed. If you take the Carnival cruise you need to lower your expectations.

 

Keith

 

agree 100%

 

we been on legend three times and eclipse once - eclipse was prob the best ship we ever been on. We liked the Legend too but it is like comparing Days Inn with the Marriott. You pay more - you get more.

 

If you are bothered by smoking - you will find a lot of that on Carnival.

[tfrcal]

We have sailed both Celebrity and Carnival. The Carnival cruise was a 7 day to Canada so it was a more "sedate" crowd. We both enjoyed the Carnival cruise. Is it a different experience, yes but still a good one. We thought the food was as good or better on Carnival.

[mizLORInj]

It's best to go and see for yourself. Some love Carnival, some like it (I do) and some despise it. And some will say they heard that Carnival blah blah blah but have not tried it themselves. I had an acquaintance tell me she "didn't like the look of Carnival passengers" and I just had to laugh.

Carnival has a more lively crowd than Celebrity in most cases. And I think all ships these days feel crowded at certain times in certain locations. At lunchtime all buffets will be crowded.

Legend is a nice ship. Decor is surely more elegant on Celebrity, yes. But that doesn't make or break a cruise for me. I've not yet had a bad Carnival cruise and I've sailed them 12x. Carnival cabins are among the largest at sea if you look at the square footage. They also have some nice suites though they don't come with a lot of perks like butler.

Spend some time reading member reviews and posts. I'm all for checking out different cruiselines to see what they have to offer because I like variety.

 

I hope you have fun on whichever you choose!

[dwhe]

I was on the Carnival Breeze last August and it was nothing like some of the rubbish being spouted here.

 

People on Carnival ships might act like that in the Caribbean but not in Europe, if anything it was a bit quiet for me.

[aquaclass]

Hi all,

 

My husband and I have cruised twice now with Celebrity...once on the Solstice and once on the Eclipse. We did Aqua Class both times and absolutely LOVED it! We are looking at either a Norway Fjiords cruise on the Celebrity Infinity Not a Solstice Class ship, yet it has Aqua Class and Blu which it sounds like you enjoyed. or a Baltic cruise on the Carnival Legend. Both are in in August. I love the itinerary and the price is very good on the Baltic cruise but it is with Carnival I agree..... BIG price difference. I am afraid if we opt for the Carnival cruise we will be highly disappointed. :eek: I would love some opinions from those that have cruised both lines.

 

If you like the itinerary and certainly this is a port intensive cruise, then I would consider the Carnival option especially at half the price.

You might investigate what you could do on the Carnival Ship to make it a bit like AQ Class ...... maybe a sea day or two in the adults only spa area? Many night of specialty dinners ?

How does the 1,2,3 promotion affect the price. 12 nights of drinks could add up a big savings if you are a drinker/spcialty drinker ? as well as any other Celebrity promotions?

[Francinecruisegirl]

My dw and i have been on 12 cruises with 5 different cruise lines and loved them all.the people on carnival are no different than on any other line. There may be a few more kids but they do not bother us. Don't be afraid to open new doors.a wise man once said that his biggest regrets in life were not doing things he thought about doing rather than regrets over things that he did.

[Cruising89143]

I always suggest trying a cruise line for yourself to see if it's a good fit. It's hard to know just by reading posts on a cruise board. With that said, at one time I would only cruise Carnival but it started going south for us and after our 16th cruise with Carnival, we tried another line and haven't been back to Carnival. So far every other cruise line that we have cruised since Carnival has surpassed our experiences on Carnival. They rank at the bottom of our list for what we look for in an overall cruise experience.

 

I have cruised on the Legend. The Spirit class is my favorite class of ships with Carnival. Did not feel crowded but it has a dark interior which we found rather gloomy.

 

Just came off the Reflection and the service that we received far surpassed what we experienced on Carnival. Also Carnival has the weakest past guest program of all the major lines.

 

Carnival is not a bad cruise line and many love them but they just don't do it for us at this time.

[judatt]

We have cruised on both lines and enjoyed them both but for different reasons. My wife and I enjoy Celebrity and that is our line of choice when it's just the 2 of us. Our kids and grandkids love Carnival - the grandkids love Camp Carnival. They have been a few times now and always have a good time. We always have a good time when we are with our kids and grandkids - thus our cruises with Carnival - we go with them.

 

While we would give an edge to Celebrity for food, Carnival is quite acceptable in the MDR. Where Celebrity really has an edge is in Specialty Dining. On Celebrity is a real experience in a very nice venue. On Carnival we found the venue to be somewhat blah and the service if not horrible at least very, very bad. The food was fine but the other parts of the experience were lacking.

 

The final thing I'd mention as a difference between the 2 lines is announcements. On Celebrity you get an update from the Captain once a day - either at noon or as you leave a port. On Carnival there are constant (no I'm not exaggerating, at least not much :D:D). Literally, I remember an announcement saying that a special game of bingo would begin in 20 minutes, another announcement saying the bingo would begin in 10 minutes and finally an announcement that the special bingo would begin in 2 minutes. Just an example but you get the picture.

 

Give me an opportunity to cruise with our kids and grandkids and we'll take it everytime - just won't go to special dining venues and wear our noise cancelling headphones in the cabin.

[Cruising89143]

I always suggest trying a cruise line for yourself to see if it's a good fit. It's hard to know just by reading posts on a cruise board. With that said, at one time I would only cruise Carnival but it started going south for us and after our 16th cruise with Carnival, we tried another line and haven't been back to Carnival. So far every other cruise line that we have cruised since Carnival has surpassed our experiences on Carnival. They rank at the bottom of our list for what we look for in an overall cruise experience.

 

I have cruised on the Legend. The Spirit class is my favorite class of ships with Carnival. Did not feel crowded but it has a dark interior which we found rather gloomy.

 

Just came off the Reflection and the service that we received far surpassed what we experienced on Carnival. Also Carnival has the weakest past guest program of all the major lines.

 

 

 

Carnival is not a bad cruise line and many love them but they just don't do it for us at this time.

 

 

One other thing and probably the most important. Smoking. It was nice to sit in any part of the interior public areas on Celebrity and not deal with smoke. Made staying in the casinos so much more enjoyable.