Jan 15 Paradise! Newbie crossing over from Disney

[Jendelli]

Hi there! We got an awesome last minute rate on a grand suite today so we will be sailing on the Paradise in 3 days! We have only sailed DCL in the past so everything about Carnival is new to me. Any advice or to tips for a newbie? We have 3 children under 13.

Can't wait! :D

 

P.S. I'd love some vegetarian food recommendations. Thanks!

[SadieN]

Never had a bad vegetarian meal on Carnival. The Indian meal in the MDR is my 'go to' if I can't find anything to my liking. Oh, I'm a carnivore.

[Domergirl]

I haven't been on Disney, only Carnival, Princess, and Royal Caribbean. But my BFF sails Disney all the time, so I'll take a shot. From what I can tell, Disney is a bit "higher end" than Carnival, but with that said, keep your expectations reasonable and you'll have a great time. I've sailed on the Paradise with my 3 kids (and we had our family of 5 squeezed into an Oceanview room) and we loved it.

 

Your kids will love Camp Carnival. Bring some highlighters, and go to the registration event on the first day. They'll have the schedules for each of the age groups' activities for the whole cruise. The kids will be divided up in Camp by age...lots to do. I always have my kids highlight the schedule with the activities they are most interested in.

 

I'm thinking soda may be free on Disney? Not sure... On Carnival if you are a soda drinker, you'll need to buy a "bottomless bubbles" sticker to get unlimited soda.

 

I hope you love it...we really, really do!! My kids (ages 11, 10, and 4) each have 5 Carnival cruises under their belt, and we are gearing up for #6 in 34 days!!

 

 

Oh - I'm adding here...for the adults...PLEASE check out the piano bar...it's so much fun! You'll have to check the "Fun Times" for the times...we always love this!! I can't remember if they had one on Paradise? I think so!! And of course...Carnival has a full casino, unlike Disney. So have fun with that if it's your thing!

 

Camp Carnival is free until 10pm, and after that you pay an hourly fee. Once or twice during the cruise they will have a late night party (til 1 or 2 am or so) for a fee...it's very fun...the kids love it, and they take home some cute little party favors. :)

Edited January 13, 2015 by Domergirl

[jenng1976]

You should definitely check out the comedy club. They will have family, regular, and late-night shows. For the family show, it's been my experience you don't need to get there super early, but the non-family versions are pretty popular.

 

Dining ... Carnival has early (6pm), late (8:15), or anytime dining (5:30-9 I think). You have the same waiters each night for the early / late options, and possibly will be seated with others (you can check your table assignment the first day). Anytime dining you can request a serving team if there's someone you like.

 

Serenity - there's a nice adults only section with comfy chairs in the aft of the ship if the kiddos are at camp.

 

Have fun on your first Carnival cruise! We are doing our first Disney in Sept on the Wonder in Hawaii! :)

 

 

 

 

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[golfb4cruzing]

WOW a Grand Suite on Carnival. Probably still saving $$ over a Disney Cruise.:D

[dogchopper]

Check out the live band karaoke!! It's so good to watch (or participate if you sing)

[SkyMaster]

Be sure to catch the "BIG SHOWS" in the Normandie Lounge. Both "8 More Seconds", and "Shout" are EXCELLENT entertainment. :cool: "Paradise" is one of very few Carnival ships that still has a show band, and a full compliment of singers/dancers for the shows. Have an EXCELLENT cruise, and don't drink all the beer. I'll be getting aboard on the 19th! :cool:

 

"SKY"

[fla_momuv3]

We were on Paradise for the January 1st cruise. It's an older (no upgrades yet) smaller ship, but I rank it as one of my favorites. It never felt crowded. Be sure to check out Music Boardwalk in the casino bar area...fantastic live band. The younger kids on board appeared to be having a great time! Enjoy :)

 

 

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[LOVINCRUIZIN]

Cound NEVER do Disney - no casino :rolleyes:

[mommom of 7]

There is also TEA TIME on sea day's. When my Granddaughters were younger I took them to TEA TIME. They still talk about it 11 years later, in the piano bar at 3:00. This is something that I still do & enjoy.

The Paradise is one of my favorites & like Ken said don't miss the shows. If you can get the kids down front they will love the extra bit of attention from the dancers.

Enjoy & let us know how much fun you had. I will be on ship this time next week with Ken & my DH. :D

Char

[summyjaye]

We've done Disney 4x and Carnival 3x. You are going to notice a few differences. Disney cruises have way more kids on board. Carnival has kids...just not as many. The Grand Suites are pretty nice...so compared to the disney boats that won't be too bad...The inside rooms are worse on carnival than disney. I honestly like the food better on carnival...but you will eat at the same place each night...you won't move around like you do at disney :) Enjoy. I think you will like it.....just different :) - FYI when we sailed...they had a disney music trivia challenge on the Carnival paradise :)

[17andacruiseaddict]

As a usual Disney cruiser then trying Carnival for the 1st time, the Paradise will be a huge change for you. You will still have an amazing time, but ship wise, it is a big difference. I went on the Paradise a couple of years ago to get my bf into cruising. He kept insisting on a short cruise. So that means the pickings are slim (ships wise) and we ended up on the Paradise.

 

He hasn't gone on a cruise with me since. We have done other vacations but cruising isn't his thing yet. The ship just didn't wow him. Everything was outdated. Not dirty or unclean in anyway, just not up to par with Carnival's newer ships.

 

Still trying to get him on a 99' and newer ship (Conquest class and newer)

 

So I'm just saying, I've never done Disney (only CCL and RCCL), but based on what I've seen and read about them, just be prepared for a good time on the Paradise and not the condition of the ship.

 

I still had a great time because I was with him and I knew what to expect.

On the extremely plus side, the ship was never crowded when we sailed. Always had a chair in Serenity and at a performance or comedy show.

 

Bon Voyage!

[christie629]

This will be a very very different experience then Disney. Disney by far is my favorite cruise line although I can't do those as often as I can carnival due to the price. I guess my biggest piece of advice would be to toss away any expectations you may have. This way no room for disappointment. don't get me wrong I like carnival too but they are vastly different in many ways but most especially service. The paradise is a fantasy class so Decour will be quite different too.

 

I'm sure you'll have a great time regardless! I do miss on Carnival the free sodas and bringing all your own liquor on board. lol!

[mrsfuzzmo]

I've done both. (Well, the Imagination, not Paradise, but similar) and DCL Magic twice (in addition to 18 other cruises on many different lines).

 

The ship itself, as others have said is older and smaller than the Disney ships, but what's cool about that is that it's much more "old school cruising". Lot's of lounges, plenty of entertainment, etc. Food is much better on Carnival than DCL. I found DCL to be very "bland" and cater to kids with very simplistic tastes. Carnival food is very good.

 

Kids are NOT catered to, so much more adult entertainment, but that being said, the kids will still have a blast. Lots to see, do and look at. Just not "kiddy style". They may enjoy not being blended in with all the other thousand kids that are on DCL ships. My nephew loves cruising (he's 6) because of all the attention he gets as one of the few kids onboard. That may be their favorite thing about it!!

 

Just go and enjoy! You may find that being able to afford two or three Carnival (or other line) cruises instead of one DCL might just make it worth it.

[moobear67]

I agree with the others, food is better on Carnival than DCL. Entertainment is better on DCL, but some of the Carnival shows are actually pretty good. The kids clubs will not be as fancy on Paradise, but my kids liked the kids clubs better on Carnival because there were less kids and it was easier to make friends. We like the service better on Carnival (not that we didn't have good service on Disney..we did!), but we have not been on the Paradise so I'm not sure how their service is. We have had strolling magicians, and even waiters that do tricks, dance and sing in the main dining room on Carnival, so that adds to the fun. Bingo is better on Disney. I'm not sure if you are going to one of the private islands on Carnival, but Disney's private island is tops! The ones that Carnival goes to are good as well, but of all the private islands, Castaway Cay is number 1. Since the Paradise is an older ship, it won't be as big and fancy as the Disney ships, but go in with an open mind, and you will have fun!

[mrsfuzzmo]

I agree with the others, food is better on Carnival than DCL. Entertainment is better on DCL, but some of the Carnival shows are actually pretty good. The kids clubs will not be as fancy on Paradise, but my kids liked the kids clubs better on Carnival because there were less kids and it was easier to make friends. We like the service better on Carnival (not that we didn't have good service on Disney..we did!), but we have not been on the Paradise so I'm not sure how their service is. We have had strolling magicians, and even waiters that do tricks, dance and sing in the main dining room on Carnival, so that adds to the fun. Bingo is better on Disney. I'm not sure if you are going to one of the private islands on Carnival, but Disney's private island is tops! The ones that Carnival goes to are good as well, but of all the private islands, Castaway Cay is number 1. Since the Paradise is an older ship, it won't be as big and fancy as the Disney ships, but go in with an open mind, and you will have fun!

 

Oooh yes, dinners on Carnival are really fun. Excellent waitstaff and the entertainment by the dining staff is so much fun!! Your kids will look forward to dinner each night.