Which class is easiest to get around?

[MisterFidgetpants]

Which Carnival ships have the best flow for getting around? I didn't like on the Victory on the Victory what seemed like a lot of up/across/down type action. I've noticed somewhat similar feeling on some Princess ships, but not on NCL, and especially not on Royal Caribbean where you can go front to back nearly unimpeded. I wonder, are HAL ships like this too? Is it something to do with Carnival corp ships or just ones built by Fincantieri?

 

What's the EASIEST to navigate Carnival class of ships? How is the Dream class?

[AngAndBoys]

Dream Class, decks 3 and 4 have the galley at the middle aft area. It sits between the 2 dining rooms. Triumph class as well. It is just something you get used to. You cross on either deck 5 or 2, which should never be more than 1 flight away, presuming you're on whichever of those decks you want to get through. It IS confusing and frustrating at first, but you get used too it.

[MisterFidgetpants]

Dream Class, decks 3 and 4 have the galley at the middle aft area. It sits between the 2 dining rooms. Triumph class as well. It is just something you get used to. You cross on either deck 5 or 2, which should never be more than 1 flight away, presuming you're on whichever of those decks you want to get through. It IS confusing and frustrating at first, but you get used too it.

 

We had a stroller with us this time, which was a new dynamic for us, and essentially limited us to elevator usage. To get to the Ionian Bar on Deck 4 we were always going up to 5, across, and down; and if we forgot to go up from the entrance of the Ionian to 5 we were in the mid-lobby between dining rooms that took us right up to the center of the casino bar. Deck 9 pinch points couldn't be alleviated by using Deck 10 because there was only an elevator forward.

 

I got the hang of it really quickly but it always was a (minor) PITA.

 

We were in the Ionian Bar one time when the kids club was wrapping up there and they were calling a parent who couldn't figure out how to get to the bar (not hard once you go once or twice) and the staff gave up and brought the kid to the parents room. I almost never see that bar mentioned in reviews and after dealing with the layout I know why!

 

Maybe without a stroller we could have eliminated a lot of this, but that's how the cookie crumbled.

 

I wonder why they're designed like this? Is it because of the central galleys?

[smarks]

I find the Spirit Class ships the easiest to navigate. The dining rooms are in the back of the ship so no having to decks 2 or 5 to go all the way down. Spirit, Miracle, Legend and Pride.

[nwo4life]

I would say Fantasy Class. There are no passenger cabin decks between Promenade and Lido decks. We stay on Empress deck and can easily go all week without using an elevator.

[AngAndBoys]

We had a stroller with us this time, which was a new dynamic for us, and essentially limited us to elevator usage. To get to the Ionian Bar on Deck 4 we were always going up to 5, across, and down; and if we forgot to go up from the entrance of the Ionian to 5 we were in the mid-lobby between dining rooms that took us right up to the center of the casino bar. Deck 9 pinch points couldn't be alleviated by using Deck 10 because there was only an elevator forward.

 

I got the hang of it really quickly but it always was a (minor) PITA.

 

We were in the Ionian Bar one time when the kids club was wrapping up there and they were calling a parent who couldn't figure out how to get to the bar (not hard once you go once or twice) and the staff gave up and brought the kid to the parents room. I almost never see that bar mentioned in reviews and after dealing with the layout I know why!

 

Maybe without a stroller we could have eliminated a lot of this, but that's how the cookie crumbled.

 

I wonder why they're designed like this? Is it because of the central galleys?

 

Ah yeah, a stroller would be a complicating factor! Yeah, it is because of the central galley. That's what's blocking those decks. ,

[sanmarcosman]

Spirit class without a doubt.

[NoDayButToday]

Spirit class, very little blocking your way across the ship, a lot of things in the same general areas, still some rarely found nooks and crannies that feel more private. I love the Spirit class ships. It's very intuitive. By the end of the first day we pretty much knew where everything was, no problem. The only thing that confused us the first time was the entrance to the spa, but once we knew where it was the first time it was easily found every time after that.

[k2excursion]

Spirit class ships are the only Carnival ships that don't have the galley/kitchen blocking 1 of the decks. Personally, I have never been bothered at all by the kitchen blockade. In 14 cruises on ships with the blockade, I have only been blocked by it twice, and one of the times was totally my fault. I didn't even notice the blockade until my 5th cruise. I have personally found the Spirit's layout to be the most confusing of all, as the public venues are scattered throughout the ship, with some in very odd places that most people never find. That means that fewer people show up for things, because they don't know where the venue is. For example, the dance club never had more than 3 to 4 people in it. Every other Carnival ship, I had it figured out where everything was by the end of day 2. On my Spirit class cruise, I was still getting lost on day 8.

 

The blockade is very simple to avoid. When you are headed for dinner, when you leave your room, do NOT go to the deck first. Go to the proper elevators first. So if you are in the aft dining room, after you leave your stateroom, go all the way down the hallway to the back elevators, then take the elevator to the proper deck. Go to the proper elevators first; don't go to the deck first. I gave this advice to a friend of mine who was always getting blocked (although she found it more funny than annoying), and she thought I was a genius for figuring that out. I was no genius. It's just the way I automatically did it, from my very first cruise. Same advice holds true for that bar on deck 4. Whereever you're coming from, go to the elevator first (aft or midship), THEN go to deck 4.

 

If you were staying on decks 10 or 11, it's true that there are no aft elevators, creating an issue for getting to the aft dining room from there. I have had that before. If we couldn't use stairs, that would mean 2 different elevator rides in that case.

 

On most Carnival ships, Victory included, the kitchen blockade is on deck 3. Dream class ships have opened up deck 4 to allow front-to-back access. Previous ships don't have that for deck 4, unless you're able to go outside then back in.

Edited December 8, 2015 by k2excursion

[Uncas]

Spirit class.

[skyeman27]

Dream class...

[crusinpsychRN]

As k2excursion called it I hit the blockade over and over on Glory. Finally found I could walk through the DR to get where I meant to be.

 

I like Spirit class the best.

[sixstring]

Another vote for Spirit class. :)

[pirate4me2]

Another vote for the Spirit class ships. They need more of them! Stop sending them away overseas. :(

[WLHyatt]

Spirit Class. We've done Conquest, Dream, Elation, and Legend and the layout on the Legend was far and away the best so far.

[thomarvin]

I agree with Spirit class

[tonit964]

Another vote for Spirit class!

[SkyMaster]

I too, vote for Spirit Class. I wish they'd build some NEW Spirit Class ships, instead of the HUGE, over crowded ships they insist on building. (Yes, I know why they build 'em bigger, and bigger), but I still LOVE the size, flow, and offerings on the Spirit Class vessels. ;)

 

"SKY"

[dulcimergirl]

I find the Spirit Class ships the easiest to navigate. The dining rooms are in the back of the ship so no having to decks 2 or 5 to go all the way down. Spirit, Miracle, Legend and Pride.

Legend is my very favorite ship. Very easy to navigate.

Edited December 9, 2015 by dulcimergirl

[LizaMM]

Spirit class ships are the only Carnival ships that don't have the galley/kitchen blocking 1 of the decks. Personally, I have never been bothered at all by the kitchen blockade. In 14 cruises on ships with the blockade, I have only been blocked by it twice, and one of the times was totally my fault. I didn't even notice the blockade until my 5th cruise. I have personally found the Spirit's layout to be the most confusing of all, as the public venues are scattered throughout the ship, with some in very odd places that most people never find. That means that fewer people show up for things, because they don't know where the venue is. For example, the dance club never had more than 3 to 4 people in it. Every other Carnival ship, I had it figured out where everything was by the end of day 2. On my Spirit class cruise, I was still getting lost on day 8.

 

The blockade is very simple to avoid. When you are headed for dinner, when you leave your room, do NOT go to the deck first. Go to the proper elevators first. So if you are in the aft dining room, after you leave your stateroom, go all the way down the hallway to the back elevators, then take the elevator to the proper deck. Go to the proper elevators first; don't go to the deck first. I gave this advice to a friend of mine who was always getting blocked (although she found it more funny than annoying), and she thought I was a genius for figuring that out. I was no genius. It's just the way I automatically did it, from my very first cruise. Same advice holds true for that bar on deck 4. Whereever you're coming from, go to the elevator first (aft or midship), THEN go to deck 4.

 

If you were staying on decks 10 or 11, it's true that there are no aft elevators, creating an issue for getting to the aft dining room from there. I have had that before. If we couldn't use stairs, that would mean 2 different elevator rides in that case.

 

On most Carnival ships, Victory included, the kitchen blockade is on deck 3. Dream class ships have opened up deck 4 to allow front-to-back access. Previous ships don't have that for deck 4, unless you're able to go outside then back in.

 

I would also say that the Spirit Class ships are easiest to navigate IF you don't want to select the best deck/deck that goes all the way across....However.... I totally agree with the above that the Spirit Class layout does not provide for the best navigation and attendance of social/evening entertainment.

 

My personal favorite class is the Conquest Class.

[SharkCruiser24]

While the Conquest Class is my favorite, the Spirt class was the easiest. No one got lost and its really just a different class when compared to the other classes. Lots of nooks and crannies to curl up with a book! On the Carnival Miracle the Gatsby Garden was my favorite!