Why should I switch to Carnival?

[MYMOTHERSCHILD]

Hubby and I are thinking or giving Carnival a try. We have only done 2 previous cruises, both on Royal Caribbean.

 

Can someone that has done both cruise lines before tell me the pros and cons comparing them?

 

 

Thanks! :)

If you must smoke at every yearning, not too picky about the taste of your food, can tolerate the "fun" of rowdiness, aren't offended by fat men in tank tops at the buffet, appreciate mediocre entertainment, and if you find the price irrestible, go Carnival. I do it all the time and I enjoy none of the above. I'm taking my 12th Carnival cruise soon because the port is convenient and the price is right and I love the sea. I ignore the negatives and concentrate on the pleasures of being with whatever of my children takes time out to tag along. For serious cruising and passengers that suit my style, I prefer Celebrity. For the quiet type--10 o'clock bedtime people--you'll find that you can wander the corridors of Holland America at midnight in your pajamas and not run into anyone except a ghost or two. If you want company you'll have to ring the bell and wake up someone at the service counter. Eerie.

Be determined to have a good time but raise hell if you can't sleep because your cabin is under the galley or above the disco or the walls creak. There's a certain satisfaction in fighting for what's right, rather than being a ninny.

MMC

MMC

[LHP]

What ever cruise line you sail....I hope you have a marvelous cruise.

 

We have only done Carnival because that is where our son with Autism is happy...but I hope to try Oceania one day soon....when he says YES!!

[cruisinfanatic]

We like Carnival, and haven't been back to RCL. For the price Carnival is the best way to go. We have sailed on Princess as well. Our first cruise on Princess didn't set well with us, but we tried again for the Panama Canal and it was much better. We're going to Hawaii on the Grand Princess in November and will probably cruise both lines in the future, but not RCL. Try Carnival and experience it for yourself.

I think it's time for you to give RCL another chance. You sure can't compare the 2 you went on with anything floating today

[S.S.Oceanlover]

The staff, food, and price of Carnival is the best we encountered on the seas. It has a relaxing atmosphere, but fun at the same time. Their rooms are also one of the largest. If you are looking at a Carnival cruise, I highly recommend trying the Carnival Breeze. Just like you, I was a Royal fan until my Breeze cruise. Now I will probably be a Carnival Fan for life!

 

Hey CB319. What other cruises have you done before besides the ones you have posted in your signature?

 

Bill

[mzloolue]

Well, you pays your money and you takes your choice.

 

Don't book a Carnival cruise if you think you will be dissatisfied.

 

We book Carnival because they have ships in driving distance for us.

[horsegal]

We have been on three cruises, our first was with Carnival on the Spirit to Alaska out of Vancouver for our honeymoon in April 2009. We loved it and became addicted to cruising! The food and especial deserts were outstanding! Loved the MDR, buffet, and of course room service! Did not try the steakhouse. Great room with a balcony and plenty of outdoor public spaces. The shows were great and of course Alaska was amazing, great weather and beautiful!

 

The next time we tried Royal Caribbean on the Explorer of the seas to Bermuda out New Jersey in April 2012 and were excited to try it with all the great things we had heard, loved Bermuda but were disappointed with Royal. The food was not good in the MDR or buffet, room service was ok, Jonny Rockets was great but had to pay extra for it. Not many public outdoor places, and the room was tiny but did love the glass shower instead of the curtain like carnival. Couldn't get out of bed on the side (had to get out at the foot of the bed because the corners of the walls blocked the end of the bed when the two were pushed together in the inside cabin). The shows were great, but I wouldn't say that much better than Carnivals just different. To be fair we had an inside instead of a balcony, the weather was awful at sea, and it was a 5 night instead of 7 nights. Would be willing to give Royal another shot if the right price comes up with a good itinerary (we do enjoy the sea days so like a good mix of port and sea days) but I am having a hard time spending the same if not more compared to Carnival which we really enjoyed for something that could be a disappointment again.

 

Our last cruise was the Carnival Miracle out of NYC to the Bahamas and Florida. Loved the cruise with great weather (cold to start but expected in January 2013) but did not care for the Bahamas. Once again the food in the MDR, buffet, and room service was excellent (did not try the steakhouse this time either) the only disappointment with food was breakfast in the MDR (not the punchliner brunch that was great) we did not even finish our meals and then went up to the buffet the MDR breakfast was that bad. Same class ship as the Spirit so still enjoyed the same outdoor spaces and we did the balcony again (great prices that time of year). The shows were still great and we really enjoyed the new comedian shows they started doing.

 

Overall we enjoyed Carnival better with the food, room space, outdoor public areas, the staff on Carnival was also better and more friendly, and the passengers were also friendlier. I do have to admit that the Royal ship was more subdued in color choices.

 

Now we are planning our next cruise for 2014 probably in April again maybe earlier depending on prices to the Caribbean. We are looking at both Royal and Carnival out of Galveston on the Magic or Navigator and New Orleans on the Dream or Serenade. We would be able to drive to either port all choices are 7 days and comparable with prices. But then I found the re-positioning cruise for the Dream from Florida to New Orleans for 9 days and we are leaning towards that one now but trying to figure out cost with the additional flight costs and DH would really like to try the drink package but I am not sure it would be worth it for us, and we would probably have to do an inside cabin but it looks like it would be a great cruise!

[Jenn31708]

Thanks for all of the replies. I have been on the Liberty out of Florida and the Explorer out of New Jersey. I really did like both ships, but I thought the staff and service was much better on the Liberty.

 

Royal has switched to new menus and they're not that great. We were really disappointed with the food in March on the Explorer. That along with the new non-smoking policy, we're thinking of trying another line.

[JMAE]

We haven't been on RCL since 2002 but what keeps us on Carnival is the food, my family liked it much better. Both lines have clean ship and great crews. RCL ships have more to do but we take cruises to relax not to wait in line for rock climbing, etc. So we stay with Carnival. The bottom line you have to know what you want out of your vacation. Have fun on vacation!

[rju713]

We have been on three cruises, our first was with Carnival on the Spirit to Alaska out of Vancouver for our honeymoon in April 2009. We loved it and became addicted to cruising! The food and especial deserts were outstanding! Loved the MDR, buffet, and of course room service! Did not try the steakhouse. Great room with a balcony and plenty of outdoor public spaces. The shows were great and of course Alaska was amazing, great weather and beautiful!

 

The next time we tried Royal Caribbean on the Explorer of the seas to Bermuda out New Jersey in April 2012 and were excited to try it with all the great things we had heard, loved Bermuda but were disappointed with Royal. The food was not good in the MDR or buffet, room service was ok, Jonny Rockets was great but had to pay extra for it. Not many public outdoor places, and the room was tiny but did love the glass shower instead of the curtain like carnival. Couldn't get out of bed on the side (had to get out at the foot of the bed because the corners of the walls blocked the end of the bed when the two were pushed together in the inside cabin). The shows were great, but I wouldn't say that much better than Carnivals just different. To be fair we had an inside instead of a balcony, the weather was awful at sea, and it was a 5 night instead of 7 nights. Would be willing to give Royal another shot if the right price comes up with a good itinerary (we do enjoy the sea days so like a good mix of port and sea days) but I am having a hard time spending the same if not more compared to Carnival which we really enjoyed for something that could be a disappointment again.

 

Explorer of the seas was the last time I sailed RCL. I had a similar experience as you did, with an ocean view room. Did not care for any bit of it and said goodbye to RCL after this cruise, but Bermuda was beautiful. Would love to go there again... But definitely would not on that ship. We went in june 2012. Just not my personal forte

[CarnivalBreeze319]

Hey CB319. What other cruises have you done before besides the ones you have posted in your signature?

 

Bill

 

Enchantment of the seas, freedom of the seas, Norwegian dawn, carnival imagination. I would like to try Disney, but the budget doesn't allow it

[Lerin]

Powdered eggs and off-off-off Broadway shows are still better than being at work! :D

 

We love cruising and all vacation time for that matter. On our bucket list are Regent as well as Celebration cruises. They will both be a great time. (if you've never heard about those two lines, Google, and you'll understand my point). ;)

[cruisinfanatic]

Thanks for all of the replies. I have been on the Liberty out of Florida and the Explorer out of New Jersey. I really did like both ships, but I thought the staff and service was much better on the Liberty.

 

Royal has switched to new menus and they're not that great. We were really disappointed with the food in March on the Explorer. That along with the new non-smoking policy, we're thinking of trying another line.

Have you seen the new menus on Carnival. Less than not that great

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Enchantment of the seas, freedom of the seas, Norwegian dawn, carnival imagination. I would like to try Disney, but the budget doesn't allow it

 

Cool! Thanks for the reply.

 

We have cruised on DCL 3 times but that was before they built the Dream and the Fantasy.

 

My thinking was that with more inventory to sell the prices would come down but instead they went up.

 

The 3 times i sailed with them i can guarantee you it wasn't that expensive.

 

Our budget does not allow it either unfortunately.

 

Maybe some day the deals will come and we can cruise on DCL again.

 

Bill

[janetz]

Low expectations of what?

 

 

 

Entertainment to start....

[janetz]

I'm not loyal to any cruise line. I just can't wrap my arms around doing the same type of cruise, in the same relative atmosphere over and over. And, the few perks you get for being loyal, just aren't enough to get me to stick with one cruise line.

 

That being said, if you're looking at the biggest and best, on any of these cruise lines, I doubt you'll be disappointed in any of them. I was on the Carnival Breeze last month. Beautiful ship. Servce was outstanding. Food ranged from good to very good.

 

I've also sailed RCL's Allure. Again, beautiful ship.

 

Biggest difference between the two, on the Allure, they try to make you forget you're on a cruise as there are times you can't even see the sea on their main areas. On the Breeze, you have lots of areas that you can feel/see the sea, areas for relaxing, areas to enjoy a meal, areas to gather in floating in the water. I liked that, a lot.

 

Food is going to be similar. Service is going to be similar. I had never been on the Oasis. It was a little bit less expensive than the Breeze. But, the Breeze rolled out the new dining areas (Guys Buregers, FAt Jimmy's BBQ...both were outstanding) and the new look of Carnival Ships. Plus, I hadn't sailed Carnival in a few years. Loved the cruise, the service the dining and how beautiful the ships was.

 

As others have said, book the one that has the itinerary and the price that fits best into your budget, in the category you desire.

 

You won't be disappointed with either.

 

 

 

"Biggest difference between the two, on the Allure"

 

 

Are the shows and entertainment venues. You will find nothing like it on any Carnival ship. ;)

[BIG_Steve]

It's difficult to compare lines unless you've been on them. You can go to the review area and find reviews describing a horrible cruise, next to one saying God reached down and touched the ship while they were on it, at the same time as the other reviewer.

I've been on NCL and CCL. While I have no issues with NCL, I'll take Carnival any day (unless I'm paying for a suite.) That's just my personal preference. We've been sailing CCL a lot the past few years. Why? Because we're satisfied with the value and service. AND these past few years we have not had a lot of leeway in the dates/itinerary we wanted. Seems like CCL is always there with the dates and itinerary we want.

[cyclenut]

Our very first cruise was on Carnival, then we tried RCCL and swore we would never do Carnival again. So much better and it wasn't just the ship. Since then we have tried Disney and RCCL and are now back on Carnival in a couple of weeks. At $900 for two and a short drive to the port, it is really hard to beat.

Daughter and new husband just returned from their honeymoon cruise on the same itinerary we are taking.

Love RCCL and DCL but would much rather be out and cruising than sitting at home or suffering through the drive to and from Vegas. Not a ringing endorsement, but after we get back we will either confirm our previous decision or be prepared to try CCL yet again. We already plan to sail DCL again in May.

[VaTech8912]

For the price / value, we love Carnival. Have paid more for RCCL and while it was enjoyable, we could not justify the significant price difference. I do want to try the Oasis class, and have booked Quantum since the price was right. I am sure you will have a great time on any cruise....they are awesome and it is fun to experiment.

[graphicguy]

[quote name='janetz']"Biggest difference between the two, on the Allure"


[SIZE=3]Are the shows and entertainment venues. You will find nothing like it on any Carnival ship. ;)[/SIZE][/QUOTE]

Frankly....if I am sailing a ship based on the entertainment, NCL wins hands down. The entertainment on CCL or RCCL isn't bad, though.

[cruizinisthebest]

[quote name='VaTech8912']For the price / value, we love Carnival. Have paid more for RCCL and while it was enjoyable, we could not justify the significant price difference. I do want to try the Oasis class, and have booked Quantum since the price was right. I am sure you will have a great time on any cruise....they are awesome and it is fun to experiment.[/QUOTE]

Guess that's why I've never booked Royal. I am willing to try it, but for the price difference going to the same ports, I'm fine with Carnival. If I want a totally different and more luxury experience, I would skip Royal and do Azmara or Cunard. And who knows when I'll be able to afford that.:p Not that big on shows and food opinions I've seen on here and from folks I know that have been on both is mixed. Wouldn't mind trying Quantum since it's a home port for us. But the sailing dates don't work. At least not yet.

[Jimmy Geegitz]

No U shouldn't switch. The less people that sail the better deal we get.

[Thad409]

[quote name='MYMOTHERSCHILD']If you must smoke at every yearning, not too picky about the taste of your food, can tolerate the "fun" of rowdiness, aren't offended by fat men in tank tops at the buffet, appreciate mediocre entertainment, and if you find the price irrestible, go Carnival. I do it all the time and I enjoy none of the above. I'm taking my 12th Carnival cruise soon because the port is convenient and the price is right and I love the sea. I ignore the negatives and concentrate on the pleasures of being with whatever of my children takes time out to tag along. For serious cruising and passengers that suit my style, I prefer Celebrity. For the quiet type--10 o'clock bedtime people--you'll find that you can wander the corridors of Holland America at midnight in your pajamas and not run into anyone except a ghost or two. If you want company you'll have to ring the bell and wake up someone at the service counter. Eerie.
Be determined to have a good time but raise hell if you can't sleep because your cabin is under the galley or above the disco or the walls creak. There's a certain satisfaction in fighting for what's right, rather than being a ninny.
MMC
MMC[/quote]


You brought tears to my eyes that was perfect.:D

[aubreyc1988]

My opinion.

Rci pros: loads of entertainment. I have been on monarch, which has left the fleet, and n the Allure. While they are very different ships, each one had amazing entertainment. Always something new and exciting to do, but if you were into the picas cruise fare like the belly flop contests, those were there too. Outdoor space on rci is great! Ship layouts are better, and rooms are way nicer. We had an ocean view on the monarch and a junior suite on the allure. And wow, they both were great. With a Junior suite you get a walk in closet, a large bathroom with a tub, a nice living area, and huge balcony. Our ocean vie was nice as well, with a seating area by the window. I feel like all rci decor is very nice and well thought out. Love all the artwork around the ship.

Carnival pros: the main pros are price and food. I was supposed at how much better the food in the mdr is n carnival. And carnival desserts are so much better, yum chocolate melting cake! Prices are much lower and there's tons of itineraries. Loved half moon cay better than coco cay.

Rci cons: food in mdr is inconsistent at best. Desserts are a total fail. But I'll be honest here and tell you I'm allergic to nuts so there wasn't a whole lot I could have but my husband agreed that desserts were a no go. Some would say price is a huge con, but I feel like the extra money I have spent has been worth it, it i can see how some could not justify it.

Carnival cons: entertainment is sorely lacking. There's only so many love and marriage shows or belly flop contests you can see. Comedy clubs are the old entertainment I do on carnival. Decor is terrible. I haven't been on any new ships, but even looking at pictures of the breeze, to me if just seems very cheaply done. Neon is a big theme in carnival and I'm not a huge fan of 90s decor so I find carnival ships not to be as easy on the eyes. But to some people this doesn't matter. And even I can overlook it for the right itinerary. I feel like besides the serenity deck on carnival, there's no place to sit on public decks.


Will I do carnival again, yes. Will I do royal Caribbean again, yes. They are both different and have different pros in cons and I cruise them each for different reasons. I do lean toward royal Caribbean more


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[TwinPrincessMermaids]

We grew up on RCI. Our last one was Hawaii and was incredible, but I didn't even remember the name of the ship I was on, the cruise (besides ports) was not memorable. (I have since gone back in the photos, it was the Legend OTS.) Then CCL came to Mobile and it honestly was WONDERFUL, even as a 'crappy old' Holiday. We had incredible service, great food, good ports, our cabins were great. We thought CCL was BETTER than RCI, especially for food. (My husband was unhappy with RCI's bringing him a cup of broth with a chive in it...he said that isn't much more than he can make at home for soup!)

We went a few yrs later with our friends on the CCL Triumph and had one of the best cruises ever. Incredible service, Roatan was wonderful, ship was good (I keep getting lost on those , though the you can't get there from here thing and my friends still laugh at me! I get REALLY disoriented on Dramamine...) and so our whole family booked the next CCL for the COnquest last year. This was our first so-so CCL. The service was nice but slow. Otherwise the cruise was good!

This yr, the CCL dropped so much on service and product quality that my husband and I both decided we were done with CCL. I thought I was done with cruising, but a 3 day DCL cured me of that. We also have our next DCL planned for May. We can cruise 4 incredible days for the same price as our 7 day CCL Dream, and yes, for us, it is ABSOLUTELY worth it.

RCI on the other hand has not done much to interest us into coming back. We might be interested in the Allure/Oasis class (otherwise, I don't think there is much of a difference from a typical CCL ship to a typical RCI ship to be honest, but it has been 11 yrs since I cruised them...), but there is SO much nickel and diming on those ships (Oasis class), extra soda, and the cities and parks inside it make you feel like you are not really on a ship, that it doesn't really appeal to us (yet). And the prices for the RCI/Oasis classes are not that much less than DCL. Not sure what RCI will have to do to earn us back. Probably if we can ever afford to get Disney cruised out, we might go back to trying RCI, or if our friends would switch from CCL to RCI in 2015 (we already have DCl for 2014), than possibly we might. But we both agreed to give CCL some time to get their staff better trained, friendlier, and have given up on the boozey cruizey hairy chest/bean bag toss/trivia boats for now...

RCi came in 2nd in a customer service satisfaction survey this year. CCL came in dead last. You probably already know who came in first. This appears to be the same for us. #1 is number 1! Number 2, maybe when we get sick of number 1, and number 7 CCL is dead last at the bottom...

[Georgiagolfer]

[quote name='Notaworryintheworld']If price doesn't matter that much, go royal Caribbean. [COLOR="Red"]If it does, go carnival and go with low expectations and you should enjoy yourself.[/QUOTE][/COLOR]

Why would anyone ever take any type of vacation and "go with low expectations"? DW and I are Platinum on both CCL and RCI, and quite frankly, I can't say that RCI is superior to CCL, and also vice versa. We cruise because we like to cruise. Some cruises have been better than others (both lines), but never have I expected my CCL cruise to be "lower" than my RCI cruise.:confused: