Considering Carnival Again..

[cookie38]

OUr family has been cruising RCCL and most recently NCL . Did do Carnival Miracle 5 years ago and to be honest wasn't that impressed! Usually take 3 or 5 kids with us...teens... Freedom of Seas and most recently the new NCL Escape. Really love the RCCL promenades Would love to try Allure, Oasis, etc, but not sure about that big. We also like deals and have had great ones on those 2 ships recently. especially with free bev package on NCL.

 

RCCL has gotten very pricey when you compare NCL and free bev package.

Considering Carnival again and purchasing Cheers package. I truly don't have enough time to research all of Carnivals boats. Suggestions? This time I am cruising with 4-5 girlfriends. Age 52. We just want to have fun. I am use to at least the mid size ship (Freedom of the Seas) and not sure I want to totally go down from there, although we prolly won't be rock climbing or anything to extreme! haha

 

I guess bottom line why should I go back to Carnival (other than the price) and what boat?

 

 

Looking to possible do Western in January. We are in Ohio so will have to fly anywhere! THANKS!

Edited July 6, 2016 by cookie38

[asalligo]

Frankly price is the kicker. If you love the big "of the seas" boats, I am not sure Carnival can make you happy. If you do cruise Carnival and you like the big ships, I would suggest you only consider the Breeze, Dream, Magic and Vista.

 

Are you locked into a specific time period or can you cruise with flexible dates? I know that I can only cruise for two weeks of the year outside of summer, so when I really look at choices, I am left with only RCCL and Carnival and the $1000 difference makes me not care what is on an RCCL boat that I am missing.

[cookie38]

We have 5 kids, and although not all sail with us anymore, price has always been issue with us too. Hence, June 2011 The Miracle was $1000 cheaper . Just trying to get suggestions now as to what boat I should look for...

[Schoifmom]

You do know that both NYC and Baltimore are only an 8 hour drive from Central Ohio? You might consider a cruise to Bermuda ...

[cruzeluver]

If Freedom of The Seas is your idea of "mid-size" (friggin' huge to me, largest I have ever been on) and do not want anything smaller, technically speaking Carnival has nothing for you. Their newest ship, Carnival Vista is closest in size to Freedom of The Seas but is slightly smaller. Carnival Dream, Carnival Magic and Carnival Breeze are also somewhat close in size as well.

[HawkIVette]

Especially with kids, I can see why you were not impressed with the Miracle. Been on it twice and I was not that impressed myself.

I do like the Conquest class and the Dream class ships. More food choices, activities for the kids and entertainment choices available.

 

Check out this website. Scroll down to see what food choices are on each ship. Guys burgers, Blue Iguana Cantina (Mexican), Cucina Del Capitano (Italian), Mongolian Wok, and a few others are all free and offer a wide variety of choices for all.

Farther down the site, you will find ships feature which may include ropes courses, water parks, and maybe a Serenity Retreat for the Adults.

 

I would suggest Breeze. I really liked that ship and had a lot of the features mentioned above.

[jocko4279]

Freedom of the seas is mid size???? I don't think you want to come back to Carnival then lol

[cookie38]

ok, ok, Freedom is a large ship....

[HawkIVette]

Reread your post and just noticed you are not sailing with the kids this time but with your girlfriends. You are about the same age as me and I would suggest looking more at ports than ships features.

 

Still recommend the Conquest or Dream class. More important, the stops.

 

Dream is sailing out of New Orleans. Great town to start your cruise. January 15th (7 day) sailing to Montego Bay, Grand Caymen and Cozumel. Pretty reasonable rates. Dream doesn't have all the food choices I recommend, but party stops sound good.

 

Otherwise Breeze does the same ports out of Galveston for slightly more money and I think the ship is worth it.

[Podna's]

I'd go with the Dream out of New Orleans. Very nice Dream class ship sailing out of a wonderful city. The Dream offers 2 different Western itineraries and 1 Eastern. The port is very easy to navigate and sailing down the Mississippi never gets old. What ever you choose I wish you happy sailing!

[meatloafsfan]

I would go with either the Vista out of Miami, the Breeze out of Galveston or the Magic out of Port Canaveral. They are more modern, have the ocean plaza on deck 5 (while not like the interior promenade, I think it's the sort of thing you're looking for) and those 3 ships have the newer bells and whistles that show off Carnival at it's best.

[Love2Cruz2015]

Dream Class or Conquest class on boats that have the upgrades like Guys and Blue Iguana's. What port/city do you want to sail out of?

[cookie38]

Thank you HawkIVette! Yes, I agree ports are important! I have done Eastern a Zillion times and wouldn't mind Western and to be honest, New Orleans would be fun for the day before we board!

[cookie38]

we are open to what port...

Someone suggested Bermuda and drive to port, but not in January!!

 

I have done RCCL out of BAyonne in January....drove there...not again!

[cookie38]

we are open to what port...

Someone suggested Bermuda and drive to port, but not in January!!

 

I have done RCCL out of BAyonne in January....drove there...not again!

[Midwestgal]

Liberty....this ship has some type of magic to her that her sister ships don't .

 

Breeze ......she's a really nice ship ....love the Ocean Plaza and trivia.

[Yvonne]

After our Carnival Conquest cruise I thought we might go with Royal for our next cruise. We've been on the Monarch and Mariner (twice) and loved them. But, family invited us to go on the Carnival Paradise so we did and had a wonderful time! The ship was smaller (Fantasy class) so didn't have a lot of the newer bells and whistles but the entertainment was great, especially the Comedy Club. The food was great (we had anytime dining), and the sun was warm and drinks were cold, and maybe it was because we were with family that we enjoyed it so much, I don't know.

 

We had shopped around for the cruise and just didn't want to pay the prices for Royal. And for our upcoming cruise on the Dream (with some of the same family members) we shopped around as well, but still Carnival came in with much better prices so we chose the Dream.

 

The Conquest sailed out of New Orleans and we spent 3 days there prior to the cruise. We had an aft balcony room and it was really great being able to see from side-to-side instead of just on one side like a regular balcony, plus you cruise 8 hours down the river first before getting out to sea so that was a neat experience too.

 

The Dream also sails out of New Orleans, so we're looking forward to spending some time there again, and cruising down the river (no aft balcony this time unfortunately).

 

I, too, would love to sail on Royal's Oasis or Allure but I keep balking at the higher prices, so not sure if/when we will.

[Schoifmom]

we are open to what port...

Someone suggested Bermuda and drive to port, but not in January!!

 

I have done RCCL out of BAyonne in January....drove there...not again!

 

Sorry ... I missed where you said January. I wouldn't do it either!!

[KPfromCT]

Breeze is our FAVORITE ship, but then she went and moved to TX!!:mad:

lol

 

Honestly, I would say Breeze, Dream, or Magic (Port Canaveral/Orlando)

 

I think you ladies would have a great time on ANY of these!!!

 

Enjoy!!!!:D

[annabell08]

I would sail Magic in January. Port Canaveral is easier to get to than Galveston ( Breeze). New Orleans and Dream would be a good choice if you were sailing in February after Dream's dry dock. I'm hoping that Dream will get all the bells and whistles that Magic and Breeze have.

 

I love the promenade on RCCL but find that deck 5 on Carnival is a reasonable substitute.

[HawkIVette]

Especially with kids, I can see why you were not impressed with the Miracle. Been on it twice and I was not that impressed myself.

I do like the Conquest class and the Dream class ships. More food choices, activities for the kids and entertainment choices available.

 

Check out this website. Scroll down to see what food choices are on each ship. Guys burgers, Blue Iguana Cantina (Mexican), Cucina Del Capitano (Italian), Mongolian Wok, and a few others are all free and offer a wide variety of choices for all.

Farther down the site, you will find ships feature which may include ropes courses, water parks, and maybe a Serenity Retreat for the Adults.

 

I would suggest Breeze. I really liked that ship and had a lot of the features mentioned above.

 

Sorry Julie, I just realized I forgot to post the link to the website that I mentioned above.

 

Here it is. ---->https://www.cruisedeckplans.com/DP/deckplans/cruiseline.php?line=Carnival

[tree.critter]

Cruising with girlfriends....if you enjoy a nice spa I'd definitely go with one of the Dream class ships. The Magic out of Port Canaveral would be a great choice in January for Western itinerary.....oh wait, yes...that's my next cruise so I'm a little biased. Usually can get some good air fares flying in to Orlando too.

[Shih-tzu]

I did the Southern Caribbean in Feb. The have since changed the ship but the ports were interesting. (Listed in my signature block below). There's also cruises that go to Aruba and Curaco..... Another poster did mention the Liberty and we enjoyed that ship but I believe it's out of Galveston right now.

 

We also enjoyed the 7 day HAL cruise from Boston to Bermuda last may. Small ship but it's basically your floating hotel from Monday noon until Thursday noon. ( one and 1/2 sea days each way). This was a girls trip and we felt very safe in Bermuda no matter where we went. No pushy street vendors, etc. I think the size of the ship and passenger capacity made for a friendly atmosphere.

 

No matter what you choose, it will be the company that you're with that will make the fun. Hope you enjoy and can't wait to see what you finally decide on.

[cruzkitty]

I would suggest the Carnival Dream. We really enjoyed our cruise on the Dream. Happy Sailing, whatever you decide!

[Midwestgal]

I, too, would love to sail on Royal's Oasis or Allure but I keep balking at the higher prices, so not sure if/when we will.

 

Just have to tell you the Allure and Oasis is worth every penny . It's not a ship I would do over and over but everyone should sail on one of the Oasis class ship just once because there's nothing like it.