Disney vs Norwegian vs Princess vs Carnival

[Kilikikina]

Not sure if this is the proper forum, so I apologize if it isn't!!

 

I am getting ready to take a cruise in January and would love for your help/opinions!! I have been on three cruises....2 were on the Disney Magic and one just last month on the Norwegian Sky.

 

The cruise coming up is a 4 day Mexican cruise, same itinerary, same price. One on the ♕ Princess, the other on Carnival Inspiration.

 

I have no clue how to choose. lol I loved the Disney cruises, so much so, that I can say they were probably my best vacations. When I sailed Norwegian, I found myself comparing way too much and not liking the comparisons. :(

 

Rooms were smaller and not as nice. Upkeep on the ship was no where near the level of Disney. The food was not as good. Customer Service was half of what we got on Disney and the shows were lacking. No movie theater on Norwegian. No big screen by the pool. Norwegian entertainment had more of a Vegas night club feel.

 

Thats not to say I didn't like my cruise, I did!!!! I just am giving you an idea of what I liked/disliked on a ship to help me decide on which would be a better fit for this next one!!

 

So, again...this is the same exact itinerary, same price. From what I read and have heard from people I know, Carnival is the "party ship". One person I know even compared it to a college frat party! lol Now, I have been known to like a party or two! But, I am looking for more that just that. I have read that Princess is more subdued, calm, boring was even a word used. It sounds like I want something in the middle!

 

If I loved Disney, liked Norwegian ok, which would be a better fit for me? :o Thank you in advanced for helping me make my decision! I look forward to your responses!!!

[SadieN]

I've sailed the Crown Princess and both Carnival ships doing the four day cruises out of LA. Platinum on both lines.

 

The Carnival ships are sisters in the oldest class in the fleet, almost no bells and whistles. Good bang for your buck. Carnival's OV and IS cabins are larger than the Crown's. Carnival's beds are more comfortable than Princess's.

 

Carnival's decor can be best described as '80's Vegas. All Carnival ships have their own personality and decor. The Fantasy class was designed before everybody had to have a balcony. Only suite perk is priority boarding. Parking in Long Beach is $19/day.

 

The Crown looks like all the other Princess ships, stick me in a Princess atrium and I couldn't figure out which ship I was on. Lots of balconies. A more refined type of cruise. Parking in San Pedro is $15/day.

If the lines were music, Princess would be old '60's standards and Carnival would be rock n roll. Both have karaoke. Fastest song on Princess has seemed to be My Way, Carnival it's Baby Got Back.

 

Food wise, Our perfect cruise line would have Carnival's MDR and Princess's buffet. Carnival has free hot chocolate and soft serve. Princess has a decent BBQ at night. Both have decent pizza.

 

The Crew on Carnival have a friendlier attitude. We've had minor issues with a couple of room stewards on Princess.

 

Carnival four day cruises only go to Ensenada and Catalina. They use the old Catalina Ferries so everybody can go ashore, even those in power wheelchairs. Princess four days also go to Ensenada and either Catalina, Santa Barbara or San Diego.

 

The Crown has a MUTS screen, these two Carnival ships do not though they do have mini golf. :).

 

Both allow stacking of OBC. Princess has military OBC for every cruise.

Edited November 24, 2015 by SadieN

[Warm Breezes]

Having sailed all 4 lines including Disney Magic and Carnival Inspiration I have to tell you not to compare any of the ships you looking at to Disney Magic....they just can't be compared....apples vs oranges. In fact the Carnival Inspiration would most likely be closer to NCL Sky. I didn't see which Princess ship you are looking at. We sailed Ruby Princess and quite frankly found the demographics to be older than we liked and we are in our late 40's. We were on a ship with mostly Snow Birds and Retirement Villages from FL during Spring Break time. The entertainment seemed to be geared toward them too. I can say after multiple cruises on Carnival with our kids we always seemed to miss the Big Party Atmosphere some complain about. However I do think NCL had the better entertainment on the cruises we sailed than Carnival. Nothing, IMHO, has topped our Disney cruises...but I'm not willing to pay the premium to sail them again until I have Grand kids to spoil like I did my kids.

[Warm Breezes]

I've sailed the Crown Princess and both Carnival ships doing the four day cruises out of LA. Platinum on both lines.

 

The Carnival ships are sisters in the oldest class in the fleet, almost no bells and whistles. Good bang for your buck. Carnival's OV and IS cabins are larger than the Crown's. Carnival's beds are more comfortable than Princess's.

 

Carnival's decor can be best described as '80's Vegas. All Carnival ships have their own personality and decor. The Fantasy class was designed before everybody had to have a balcony. Only suite perk is priority boarding. Parking in Long Beach is $19/day.

 

The Crown looks like all the other Princess ships, stick me in a Princess atrium and I couldn't figure out which ship I was on. Lots of balconies. A more refined type of cruise. Parking in San Pedro is $15/day.

If the lines were music, Princess would be old '60's standards and Carnival would be rock n roll. Both have karaoke. Fastest song on Princess has seemed to be My Way, Carnival it's Baby Got Back.

 

Food wise, Our perfect cruise line would have Carnival's MDR and Princess's buffet. Carnival has free hot chocolate and soft serve. Princess has a decent BBQ at night. Both have decent pizza.

 

The Crew on Carnival have a friendlier attitude. We've had minor issues with a couple of room stewards on Princess.

 

Carnival four day cruises only go to Ensenada and Catalina. They use the old Catalina Ferries so everybody can go ashore, even those in power wheelchairs. Princess four days also go to Ensenada and either Catalina, Santa Barbara or San Diego.

 

The Crown has a MUTS screen, these two Carnival ships do not though they do have mini golf. :).

 

Both allow stacking of OBC. Princess has military OBC for every cruise.

 

I had to laugh when I read your post...."My Way" seemed to be THE song on our Princess cruise at every karaoke and the rudest employees we have ever come across were also on our Princess cruise in the MDR and the Lido Buffet. I also agree with the food....CCL's MDR and Princess's Buffet.

Edited November 24, 2015 by Warm Breezes

[SadieN]

 

 

We've had the Big Party Atmosphere twice. Once on a Spring Break four day on Carnival where one group was notorious throughout the ship. (It was Spring Break and we knew what we were going to get.). The other was a three day in November on Princess. Partial ship charter, that was wild.

[jennybenny]

I've done one Disney cruise, 8 Princess cruises, and too many to count on Carnival and Royal Caribbean.

Between Princess and Carnival I would choose Carnival. You will be disappointed with all the cabin options of both ships when compared to Disney. As much as I love the Disney cruise, cleanliness, food, people, atmosphere, children's area, etc, for the price my family prefers Princess.

[Bonnie J.]

You will get a LOT of younger people on the shorter cruises- less expensive so more young people can afford them. They tend to party more and don't think of the cost.

We have been on 68 Carnival cruises (plus Princess, NCL, RCCL, Celebrity and Costa). Really haven't seen the Party cruise they say Carnival is in many, many years.

Cabins are usually 186 sq, ft. too, nice size!

We don't like NCL at all, hate the Freestyle at dinner and crew not as good as Carnival.

Disney cots more because they have no casino, a big way for ships to make money.

[SadieN]

Both serve tea around 3pm on sea days. (Don't remember if Princess also serves tea on port days.) We prefer Carnival's. Larger variety and have an individual pot of hot water and choice of tea. Princess pours everyone from the same pot. If you want something different you'll have to ask for it.

[KKB]

All my family who have sailed multiple lines say NO to Carnival after only 1 Carnival cruise.

 

We liked Princess just as well as DCL. (except it was cheaper!) Food, better. Entertainment--more adult-focused. We enjoyed DCL with the kids, but we won't do DCL again. The only thing we felt DCL had over Princess was Palo & the sports bar.

 

Go Princess. We love it. (and we are late 40s/early 50s--and sailed Princess for the 1st time 10 years ago. We did not find anything "old" feeling about it at all--in fact, we were disappointed with the lack of activity offerings on Royal compared to Princess. Always found music we loved & bands to dance to)

Edited November 24, 2015 by KKB

[chipmaster]

Why would anyone expect similar experience, the four lines really offer four very different levels of experiences and there is the price difference to.

 

Some can accept that different lines and different price will yield different levels of food, atmosphere, service.

 

Everyone likes to talk about what they didn't like in adjectives that are very personal. There are some that can enjoy McDonalds/Taco Bell, Chipotle and Ruth Christie too, others if served the golden arches will talk all about long lines, rude service blah blah blah :D

[SuiteTraveler]

You went on one of NCL's oldest ships. Also you chose a 3 or 4 day itinerary which is usually a party boat atmosphere. Here's the deal, if you want something more like the Disney cruise but different, then you need to think about going on one of the Mega ships such as:

 

NCL Getaway

NCL Epic

 

RCCL Oasis, Allure, Anthem, Quantum

 

However, these cruises are all 6 to 8 days long. Yes, NCL is more like a Las Vegas Casino Resort - they have a relationship with Caesar's. The NCL mega ships excel at suites and also their spa is the best at sea. RCCL feels more like an amusement park with various neighborhoods. They excel at large scale athletic shows - high diving, ice skating shows, Acrobatic shows. NCL and RCCL are currently duking it out to have the best mega ships. Carnival is kind of tagging along and trying to do almost mega ships with Carnival Magic and Carnival Breeze and the forthcoming Carnival Vista.

 

Princess = more sedate and traditional cruise with traditional cruise entertainment.

 

Celebrity = even more sedate but with the best food of mass market lines. Entertainment is their weakness.

 

HAL = even more sedate and higher age range. Entertainment is traditional cruise entertainment.

 

Carnival = budget ship - really it is the cheapest line to sail on. The emphasis is on hairy chest contests, partying, and that sort of thing. Entertainment is mostly comedians and production shows.

[mizLORInj]

I have cruised all said lines (and others) and we haven't had a bad cruise yet.

 

Princess ships are beautiful and elegant. Yet Carnival's are fun. We enjoy Norwegian a lot too and are very glad 2 of their ships cruise from NYC which is close by for us.

 

When we were learning about cruises and trying to decide on next ones, we did our research and read opinions, but ultimately we were glad to go on other cruise lines and ships to form our own opinions. And as I said, we have not had a bad cruise yet. All are fond memories and nothing negative sticks out for us to say we'd "never go on [insert] again." Do we have preferences based on our experiences and personal tastes? Sure.

 

Hope you have fun on whichever you choose!

Edited November 26, 2015 by mizlorinj

[Kilikikina]

Thanks everyone!

 

I certainly wasn't expecting all cruise lines to be the same. I also am aware that the 7 days will be completely different than the shorter cruises.

 

I have done a ton of reading on here the last few years, enough to know that the 3-4 day mexican cruises are the party cruises. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, we are limited to leaving from California and can not do longer than 4 days. Otherwise, I would have picked a longer cruise on another line.

 

Thank you again for all your opinions!!