need help ASAP to decide carnaval vs celebrity galaxy

[irkutsk]

We are holding a cabin for a cristmas 12 day cruise on galaxy. we will have an inside cabin for 3 adults and one teen. i did it because price was very low for 3 and 4 passengers. it would be a first cruise for my 72 y old mother. we cruised on celebrity millenium, royal carribean explorer and radiance, holland america zaandam and zuiderdam with our teen when all of them were just 1or 2 y old. never did carnaval. i just found a good deal on 7 days carnaval valor or conquest for cristmas and we could have 2 cabins and still save a $1000, but i am not sure we would like a culture on carnaval after sailing on other ships. but galaxy did not have a good rap on this board and we would cramp for sure there for 12 days . any thoughts from die hard cruisers? thank you

[ccletzgo]

take 2 cabins, over 1 every time. 4 people in a cabin for 12 days:eek:

[iandjm]

Hi,

 

If you like Millennium I would say avoid Carnival, unless you like the matre'd telling jokes at dinner time, and a conger around the restaurant. These things sound made up, but they were actually part of my friends Panama Canal cruise on a Carnival ship. It looked dreadful!

 

Ian

[ECCruise]

Here we go with all the awful Carnival stories. Many will say "I heard..." or "someone said". Very few will be current Carnival experiences, especially on new Carnival ships. We have sailed Carnival 5 times and Celebrity 7 times (and have 2 more X trips scheduled in the next couple months).

 

Maitre d' telling jokes in the dining room? Have had the same thing on Celebrity a couple of times (I am assuming the Maitre d' told a joke at the table). Worst experience with loud drunks on a cruise? On a Celebrity ship at 3:00 AM in the hallway outside our door.

 

Level of service? Edge to Celebrity. Food quality? Edge to Celebrity. Entertainment? Edge to Carnival. Fun factor? Depends on your tastes.

 

Get two cabins on Valor or Conquest AND save $1000? No contest.

[SANDY BEACH]

My boss just cruised Valor and thoroughly enjoyed it; however, this was his first cruise and everyone enjoys their first cruise. Yes, there was a congo line in the dining room. I have only been on one Carnival cruise and it was not in anyway comparable to my Celebrity cruises. I must admit that 2 cabins would be much more enjoyable but I still think my choice would be Celebrity. IMO they are a few steps above.

[tuggers]

As much as I'm an X fan, if money is an issue and you just can't do two cabins on X then go with Carnaval! I can't even IMAGINE 4 people in an inside cabin where two of the four aren't under 6!!! EEK!:confused:

[mmp13]

I have done both lines. Quite frankly 2 cabins would be much better and we thoroughly enjoyed our Carnival cruise. I would sail on one of their new ships again in a heartbeat. Your teen will probably enjoy Carnival better and as far as the congo line and dancing in the dining room....It takes about two minutes at the end of the meal. Many passengers have already left and sometimes Heaven forbid, it is even fun.;) Celebrity is definitely a bit more upscale but the new ships of Carnival have a lot to offer too!:)

[stanjj111]

I would expect that there will be tons of kids on Carnival during Xmas. Will your mom enjoy this? All lines have younger crowds during school holidays. 4 people in one room, impossible. No choice but to go with the two rooms for your sanity.

[canderson]

We are holding a cabin for a cristmas 12 day cruise on galaxy. we will have an inside cabin for 3 adults and one teen.

I know others have done it successfully in smaller cabins, but we'd only consider 4 on Galaxy if we could book at least one of those aft FO cabins. I believe they're presently going for $2200 for passengers 1 and 2, though. Not sure about 3 + 4. The Christmas cruises always seem to be more expensive. That same cabin would bring $1700 for passengers 1 and 2 on the cruise just prior to the Christmas cruise. Four? As it is, you're going to find the closet space cosy as well. I'd sure think hard about 2 cabins.

[caviargal]

Hi,

 

If you like Millennium I would say avoid Carnival, unless you like the matre'd telling jokes at dinner time, and a conger around the restaurant. These things sound made up, but they were actually part of my friends Panama Canal cruise on a Carnival ship. It looked dreadful!

 

Ian

 

This is all true. Shorts and ball caps in the dining room at dinner, silly announcements at dinner, waiters (some on tables) and pax dancing on tables to recorded music, mediocre food and service.

 

And I was on Conquest class. Overcrowded, smoky, loud.

 

If you like Celebrity, this is the polar opposite.

[CruisingChick]

I too have never sailed Carnival, but I agree that 4 people in an inside cabin on Galaxy for 12 nights would be very TIGHT. Could you get the Family Oceanview cabin instead? If not I might be tempted to go with Carnival instead. Obviously there are TONS of people sailing Carnival cruise ships and enjoying them or they'd be out of business.

 

Anne Maria

[Longboysfan]

Here we go with all the awful Carnival stories. Many will say "I heard..." or "someone said". Very few will be current Carnival experiences, especially on new Carnival ships. We have sailed Carnival 5 times and Celebrity 7 times (and have 2 more X trips scheduled in the next couple months).

 

Maitre d' telling jokes in the dining room? Have had the same thing on Celebrity a couple of times (I am assuming the Maitre d' told a joke at the table). Worst experience with loud drunks on a cruise? On a Celebrity ship at 3:00 AM in the hallway outside our door.

 

Level of service? Edge to Celebrity. Food quality? Edge to Celebrity. Entertainment? Edge to Carnival. Fun factor? Depends on your tastes.

 

Get two cabins on Valor or Conquest AND save $1000? No contest.

 

There are no current Carnival jokes here.

Once you've been on Celebrity after you Carnival expirence.

You will not go back.

[ECCruise]

There are no current Carnival jokes here.

Once you've been on Celebrity after you Carnival expirence.

You will not go back.

 

I guess you'll have to tell the thousands of cruisers who go back and forth between Celebrity and Carnival based on itinerary/price/embarkation port that they are crazy then.

[SanFranBayCruiser]

I'm about as snobby as they come and, I just got off the inaugural sailing of the Carnival Liberty. I returned to Carnival AFTER sailing other cruise lines because I liked the itinerary and thought it would be fun to be on an inaugural cruise. I really, truly enjoyed the Carnival Liberty and, I do not believe the people I met onboard were any different than those on Princess, Celebrity, etc. You can find rude, thoughtless people on any cruise line at any time and, I witnessed one of the most ill-mannered acts of my life on a Princess cruise several years back. Some woman had several chairs tied up with packages during debarkation and refused to move them so an elderly man with an oxygen tank could sit. This was on the Grand Princess. It turned into a screaming match and, it was both embarassing and hard to watch to think someone could be so self centered and thoughtless.

 

I agree with the posters who are telling you to book Carnival and save $1000. You could use that money and apply it to another cruise later in the year.

[mskaufman]

I have been on Galaxy and Carnival. Take the 2 cabins and the $1,000. The difference between the two is not worth that much.

[Longboysfan]

I guess you'll have to tell the thousands of cruisers who go back and forth between Celebrity and Carnival based on itinerary/price/embarkation port that they are crazy then.

 

Thousands can be wrong. I'm not.

I will not sacrifice the quality for a few $ less.

[caviargal]

Thousands can be wrong. I'm not.

I will not sacrifice the quality for a few $ less.

 

 

Personally, I am much happier at home than on a Carnival ship.

[JNLROSE]

I also can't imagine 3 adults in an inside PLUS a teen??!! No way! There would be NO room to even turn around if you were all standing in the same area!

 

Is there no other itinerary or accomodations you can make on Galaxy???

We never sail Carnival due mainly to it being a mostly younger, more partying & rowdy crowd than we appreciate, PLUS all the announcements drive us nuts. We like the more upscale atmosphere of Celebrity and the more formal dressing for dinners etc., just things we are most comfortable with.

BUT if money is the issue for whether you can cruise or not, then by all means take the 2 cabins on Carnival & have a wonderful time--I'm sure you will, any day on any ship is better than a day at home! :D

[crazidude1400]

This is quite intense. I have sailed on Carnival, and am going on celebrity for my first time. The only dancing I have noticed was on the last night, which was to music, the macarena to be specific. Everyone was having a good time. The only time the matrid'd makes an anounsment is in the ship is when dinner is starting.

 

 

Honestly, these two lines are not compariable. One is more fun and active. This is NOT for the formal type. This is for the active person who likes controlled parties.

 

For celebrity, it is much more formal, from what I have heard.

 

It really depends on your taste. There is no escaping the partying on ANY ship during chrismas however.

 

Take my word for it: These lines are two worlds apart.

[ECCruise]

Take my word for it: These lines are two worlds apart.

 

Couldn't disagree more. You'll need to sail Celebrity at least once before you can make that comment. Having a number of cruises on both lines, I submit that if you were not told where you were and could not see any cruise line logos, if you suddenly awoke on a cruise ship (e.g. on the pool deck or on a formal night in the dining room) you would be hard pressed to know what line you were on.

 

Like I said earlier, in our experience, the loudest and most obnoxious drunken revelery ever experienced on a cruise ship? Celebrity Horizon. Wildest (and most fun) pool games on a cruise ship? Celebrity Summit. Most boring and oldest group of cruisers ever? Carnival Holiday.

 

Read the posts of people who have been on the newer Carnival ships in the past year or so. Read comments by user ocngypz (probably the most knowledgable Celebrity poster on these boards) regarding her experience on the Carnival Legend. Comparing a 4-day cruise on the Carnival Sensation 5 years ago to a 10 day on the Celebrity Constellation this year doesn't count.

 

We're a die-hard Celebrity backers (2 more cruises scheduled this year) but it gets aggravating to see the same old hackneyed concepts being espoused:

 

"Celebrity is the height of decorum, good taste and manners."

"Carnival is nothing but a floating booze and party boat, filled with slobbering drunks and animals."

 

Rubbish.

[ECCruise]

Personally, I am much happier at home than on a Carnival ship.

 

I am not being argumentative here, but why then did you sail 3 times on Carnival?

[caviargal]

I am not being argumentative here, but why then did you sail 3 times on Carnival?

 

 

The first time I went with friends that raved about Carnival in 1998. We went on Fantasy. I did not care for the decor, food or nightlife.

 

I waited almost 8 years and then tried again on Inspiration with a girlfriend. I was again disappointed in everything but the cabin.

 

As I am in the group and incentive travel business, my last CCL cruise was for business. I took 193 people on the Glory in May. Overall, it was far better than my first two and Carnival has improved in many areas. I know it is great for many; it is just not to my personal taste. The food and service were not what I enjoy, the ship was very crowded and smoky.

 

Again, lots of people were having a great time. It is a matter of taste and preference.

[ECCruise]

The first time I went with friends that raved about Carnival in 1998. We went on Fantasy. I did not care for the decor, food or nightlife.

 

I waited almost 8 years and then tried again on Inspiration with a girlfriend. I was again disappointed in everything but the cabin.

 

As I am in the group and incentive travel business, my last CCL cruise was for business. I took 193 people on the Glory in May. Overall, it was far better than my first two and Carnival has improved in many areas. I know it is great for many; it is just not to my personal taste. The food and service were not what I enjoy, the ship was very crowded and smoky.

 

Again, lots of people were having a great time. It is a matter of taste and preference.

 

That's fair. You did complain about the ship being crowded. Remember, though, what this started with: the OP asking whether it makes more sense to get 2 cabins on Carnival or 1 inside cabin for 4 adults on the Galaxy. Talk about overcrowding!

[Randyk47]

I've been on Carnival and Celebrity and while I personally prefer Celebrity there's absolutely no way I'd put 4 adults (or near adults) in an inside cabin on any ship, any time. Given the OP's original choice......Carnival and two cabins is my vote. I'm afraid I'd come off the one-cabin cruise hating cruising, the cruise line, my family, and life. :eek:

[katiel53]

We have sailed enough cruises on Celebrity to be Elite members. We have also sailed on Carnival enough to be Elite if they had anything similiar. Most of our Carnival cruises were because we were a lot younger, the cruises were cheap and Celebrity was just starting.

 

After going on Celebrity, we thought we would never do a Carnival cruise again. Years later, we moved to Orlando and Carnival put the Pride into service from Pt Canaveral. How could we not try it? We loved the Pride. We went on it 3 times. It wasn't the party ship that we used to go on. The food was great! We had no complaints. I know that the Glory has replaced the Pride here, and we haven't tried that ship. We went on HAL instead and RCi.

 

I think you would be better off in two rooms than jammed into one on Celebrity. Your teen will love Carnival and you and your husband will have some privacy. Then at a later date, you might be able to save enough to get two cabins on Celebrity. No matter what your choice, I am sure you will have a great time.

 

Katie