Have a question (theory) about why Carnival has a bad reputation

[halos]

Here is the dead honest, imo, "secret truth" about RCI, Carnival and Princess. You know what? Except for some little things they all market to the same audience and are not that different one from another. I have sailed all three and the experience has not been that different on any of them. Oops, I am now going to be sent to cruise purgatory.

 

I haven't sailed RCI or Princess yet (would like to definitely try Princess)...but I have to say that your statement is what I imagine to be true. I can't see how the social demographics on any of those ships would be much different. From what I see on the boards anyway, there are more older passengers on X and of course HAL...so that would make those ships a bit 'quieter' (you would think).

LOL!! But just wait until the 'rowdy' 30 and 40 year old Carnival Cruisers ;) get into their 60's....if we decide to change lines, X and HAL may be forever changed. :D

[selectone]

I took the Elation cruise from Galveston last year and could find nothing to complain about. Food, service, and entertainment was top notch. It was so good I booked the same cruise for Oct.

It now seems that Carnival's greed has hit a low mark. They have decided that taking money from the Government is better than taking mine. We have been canceled in favor of another one of their ships.

I have rebooked on Royal Car. but it is costing me a total of $500 more, due to last minute booking. I promise you, Carnival will never get another penny from me. I don't think I can express (in typing) how bitter I am against Carnival, now.

[Newcastle]

I took the Elation cruise from Galveston last year and could find nothing to complain about. Food, service, and entertainment was top notch. It was so good I booked the same cruise for Oct.

It now seems that Carnival's greed has hit a low mark. They have decided that taking money from the Government is better than taking mine. We have been canceled in favor of another one of their ships.

I have rebooked on Royal Car. but it is costing me a total of $500 more, due to last minute booking. I promise you, Carnival will never get another penny from me. I don't think I can express (in typing) how bitter I am against Carnival, now.

 

 

Have a good time on Royal. Can't say that I'm sad to see you go.

[dan40]

Have cruised Carnival a dozen times, out of 45 cruises. Have also cruised all the lines CCL owns except Windstar. Have also cruised most of CCLs competitors. Have been upscale and downscale on lines, some now OOB. Sure Seabourn pampers more the Carnival, but at quadruple plus the price. Same with Raddison, very, very nice at a cost of 4 or 5 CCL, RCI, NCL cruises.

We have done a diligent search and still have not found a bad cruise [or a perfect one either]. We even did a "spring break" cruise on Destiny when we were in our late 50's. Yes, they were partying with gusto around the pool, I found it fun to watch and I admit I did the same in my college years, nothing to get upset about. They were probably in the disco until the wee hours too. But since we were in bed, who cares. Breakfast was always quiet :o:D.

 

Its been said here maybe thousands of times. A cruise is what YOU make it. If you're determined that Carnival will be bad, it will be. Same with RCI, Princess, HAL, NCL, et.al. and you'd be wrong every time. Its not the line, its the passenger.

 

Dan

[Randy & Carmen]

Very well said Dan.......and in my two RCI cruises that were my least favorite....we still had a blast.:D

[glrounds]

That terrible reputation thar Carnival has isn't their only problem. Their most serious problem is that they are running out of "highbrow" cruiselines to buy.

 

I should have Carnivals problems.

 

Dan

 

Exactly what I was thinking. :D

Uncle Bob must go to bed every night praying that Carnival doesn't lose its "reputation" :

Largest cruiseline in the World

Net Income (PROFITS) of over a Billion Two last year.

Buys up other cruise lines like its a hobby.

Yep, I'll bet Uncle Bob worries constantly about losing his company's "reputation". :D :D :D

[big_duck]

The fact that Carnival is generating revenue off of this Government contract is a red herring.

 

Every boss of every company in the building materials supply chain is going to bed everynight with visions of greenbacks dancing in their heads, just chomping at the bit for the rebuilding to begin.

[Sun-n-Fun]

Having just returned from the Elation I have to say that I was pretty surprised at how "dumpy" most people dressed. Whether or not these people had money or not doesn't matter. Money does not buy class. I would say that at least 80% of the passengers dressed like slobs other than formal night. I have no idea whether or not it being a Carnival cruise had anything to do with it. We did take a Royal Caribbean cruise 2 years ago for a week and it was not like this. Maybe the longer cruise had something to do with it. Don't get me wrong - I love to dress casual and wear my flip flops but most of these people took it way beyond that. JMO

[Randy & Carmen]

Oh you can get "dumpy" (and worse) anywhere....even on RCI...saw it on several on the 8/28 Rhapsody last month......What was a shocker was we were sitting right by the Matrie D station at dinner when a couple came up to him, on formal night:rolleyes: , asking if "this" was the night you couldn't wear shorts to the dining room.....He said no problem...come this way......lol...unbelievable :eek: ....Oh and kids ran and screamed thru the dining room too that week...Saw it on another RCI as well....the big Mariner.;)

[selucrey]

I think Carnival gets a bad rap because some tend to perpetuate the myth that they are still the "lower class party 'till you drop" cruiseline that they once might have been.

I would say that at least 80% of the passengers dressed like slobs other than formal night.

 

I, and I am sure others, would like to know what your definition of "Dressed like a Slob" is.

[Sablerose]

I would say that at least 80% of the passengers dressed like slobs other than formal night.

 

I, and I am sure others, would like to know what your definition of "Dressed like a Slob" is.

 

I'd like to know, certainly.

 

I just ordered an 2 ensembles online for formal nights and our planned visit to the Supper Club, plus went and dug into my old career clothing closet for slacks outfits that I would be able to wear to the dining room on "resort casual nights."

 

But I'm seriously considering just getting myself a couple pair of comfy dockers and some comfy blouses to wear rather than wearing career-wear.

 

I wouldn't show up in "resort casual" to formal night (that's what the buffet is for) but am interested to know what "slobby" means. I have no intention of dressing "up" in anything that includes long pants and closed-toed shoes if I'm not going to the dining room, for the entire cruise. Shorts, T's, tanks, tennies, comfy fun-wear is going to be the rule of the day for me.

[GoinCruisin]

Count me in as "wanting to know" :D Were they not wearing their plaid pants and white socks with dress shoes??? :eek:

 

I would say in my experience, MOST of the people follow the suggested guidelines and MOST people look very nice... I have seen the occasional person that decides the dress code doesn't apply to him/her, but they are few and far between... I am generally impressed as to how nice everyone does look...

[selucrey]

Actually, "Slob" is defined as a stupid or clumsy person.:D

Sable, your cruise attire sounds a lot like ours.;)

[Sablerose]

Actually, "Slob" is defined as a stupid or clumsy person.:D

 

Sable, your cruise attire sounds a lot like ours.;)

 

Yay!

 

Let's have a shorts-n-sandals party! Foo foo drinks included!

[selucrey]

Yay!

 

Let's have a shorts-n-sandals party! Foo foo drinks included!

Girl, you can be my wingman* anytime !:D

*person

[DreadPirateRobert]

Greetings,

 

I have never been on Carnival. I know people who have been on Carnival and told me to stay away, and others who told me it is the best ever. It seems to get a bad reputation. I have been on three different cruise lines (Royal Caribbean, Princess, and Holland America), and I honestly don't see much difference between the three of them, so I doubt Carnival would be any worse.

 

However, I do have a theory. Is it possible that maybe the shorter (3 & 4 night) Carnival cruises are a bit lower in quality and even class? They seem to be the cheapest, and so I wonder if you truly get what you pay for when going on one of them. It would seem logical to me that the cheapest of cruises might tend to attract....dare I say....lower class passengers who might tend to be more rowdy, more likely to wear jeans and tank tops on formal night, more likely to puke in the hallways.

 

So is my theory true?: It is perfetly fine to go on Carnival, as long as you take at least a 7 night cruise?

 

 

The wildest most out of control cruise I've ever been on was not on a Carnival ship. It was in fact a RCCL, and yes it was a shorter cruise. Now does that mean that RCCL is a party cruise line filled with out of control drunks? No. IMHO too many people take one experience and use that to categorize an entire cruise line.

[Randy & Carmen]

IMHO too many people take one experience and use that to categorize an entire cruise line.

Exactly, and thus rumors fly...even on CruiseCritic.com :eek:

[DreadPirateRobert]

I took the Elation cruise from Galveston last year and could find nothing to complain about. Food, service, and entertainment was top notch. It was so good I booked the same cruise for Oct.

It now seems that Carnival's greed has hit a low mark. They have decided that taking money from the Government is better than taking mine. We have been canceled in favor of another one of their ships.

I have rebooked on Royal Car. but it is costing me a total of $500 more, due to last minute booking. I promise you, Carnival will never get another penny from me. I don't think I can express (in typing) how bitter I am against Carnival, now.

 

You're certainly entitled to your opinion and to spend your hard earned vacation dollars where you choose but I think it is sad that you have such an attitude against Carnival for what they are doing. I sympathize with your disappointment at the cancelation and the price hike but just can't agree with your condemnation of Carnival.

Using cruise ships as a way to house resident displaced by the storm or police and fire personel makes perfect sense. I'm glad to see Carnival stepped up to the plate to help out in this time of crisis. I guess it is indicative of our society that some people who lost nothing in this disaster bear such ill will against a company for trying to help those who have lost so much.

[Sablerose]

Girl, you can be my wingman* anytime !:D

 

 

 

 

 

 

*person

 

Even with all the political-correctness, you done made my day. :D

[KruznKel]

I'm glad to see Carnival stepped up to the plate to help out in this time of crisis.

 

Yup good point.. and where is RCI, HAL or Princess??? Are they just out for dollars.. I think that is the real issue here not that Carnival has used their ships and are losing money.. it is just something to nit pik at Carnival.. because their is nothing else anyone can really complain about these days.. Nothing else to find fault in but losing their precious vacations!! :(

 

We have yet to cruise.. we chose Carnival on our own not for what anyone has said pro/con about them (didn't even know about CC before we booked our cruise).. My SO's parents are avid Princess cruisers and said to us why would you want to cruise Carnival.. My SO said BECAUSE WE WANT TO!!!

[sixy-six]

Count me in as "wanting to know" :D Were they not wearing their plaid pants and white socks with dress shoes??? :eek:

 

 

does this mean I can't wear my striped strit with my Plaid paints?:D

 

I can understand be upset about having your planes changed. I would be too. But then you have to look at the bigger pictuer,In the time of need was there to help. Vaction can be re-planed and changed. Peoples lives have been Have been destroyed. I belive that CC is doing the right thing with these ships.

[dan40]

selectone,

Now that you have determined that Carnival will never again get a cent of your money. You have eliminated CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES, CUNARD LINE, WINDSTAR CRUISES, THE YACHTS OF SEABOURN, PRINCESS P&O LINES, COSTA CRUISE LINES, HOLLAND AMERICA CRUISE LINE, AND SOME OTHERS I CAN'T THINK OF RIGHT NOW. Plus whatever line they buy next. The good news is it won't take long to review your choices. And you can still have a great time on other lines, I've always enjoyed other lines as well as CCL.

 

Dan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[selucrey]

Even with all the political-correctness, you done made my day. :D

Sucks does'nt it?:(

 

[selucrey]

selectone,

Now that you have determined that Carnival will never again get a cent of your money. You have eliminated CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES, CUNARD LINE, WINDSTAR CRUISES, THE YACHTS OF SEABOURN, PRINCESS P&O LINES, COSTA CRUISE LINES, HOLLAND AMERICA CRUISE LINE, AND SOME OTHERS I CAN'T THINK OF RIGHT NOW. Plus whatever line they buy next. The good news is it won't take long to review your choices. And you can still have a great time on other lines, I've always enjoyed other lines as well as CCL.

 

Dan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carnival | Princess | Holland America | Seabourn | Windstar | P & O Cruises | Cunard | Ocean Village | Swan Hellenic | Costa | AIDA | P & O Cruises Australia:D

[L2J]

Carnival | Princess | Holland America | Seabourn | Windstar | P & O Cruises | Cunard | Ocean Village | Swan Hellenic | Costa | AIDA | P & O Cruises Australia:D

 

Isn't Windstar the line that charters the nekkid cruise? Or is that Windjammer??