Carnival Loyalist thinking of switching! Need Advice.

[amsred2]

I have never sailed RC. Having been a Carnival cheerleader for years, this is difficult for me but I am thinking of jumping ship (haha) for our 25th Anniversary next year.

 

I thought we would try RC; having lots of features, Broadway shows and new dining experiences. I have absolutely no knowledge of RC ships and feel like I am in the dark on how to start.

 

The most important element for me choosing a new ship is the Adults only experience. We have grown children and are enjoying a few child-free years before grandchildren arrive. We want some lively adventure and expect kids to be in the sports areas, pools and the like, but need a place to escape the hustle and bustle.

 

So the question is which RC ship has the best adults only area (Solarium)? I am looking at the bigger ships with all the bells and whistles but am keeping an open mind. We occasionally like a dip in a pool but most interested in which Solarium has the best hot tub, nicest space and least crowding.

 

Also, do these areas charge a fee? Are there other extras? Proximity to spa, food etc..? Any info (and/or photos) would be helpful.

[Cruising Golfer]

Anthem has a no charge bistro in the solarium. We will be on her in 35 days and are very happy to sail her. :cool:

[blackshirt]

I'm not sure about the smallest ship but every ship class from the Vision class on up has a Solarium. There is no charge to use the Solarium. The hot tubs are all pretty much the same regardless of class of ship. The largest Solarium and least crowded one we've experienced was on Oasis.

[JohnSnowGOT]

I would advise that you start with a voyager class or radiance class. These ships are better than anything Carnvl to offer, and are truly wonderful. Keep your expectations low and you most likely will be amazed and have a great time. Then work your way up to bigger ships RCI has to offer. Each class of ship has something unique to offer.

[jstcruizin]

My hubbie was a carnival loyalist until he went on the Freedom , lol, blew him away.

[john91498]

Never understood why people are loyal to just one line...

[eaglesfaninfl]

You will enjoy RCCL. Our preference is Radiance class, large enough to be fun and intimate enough to be comfortable. Also, the design allows water views from almost every interior point on the ship, including the elevators! We have sailed on Brilliance twice and have a third one scheduled for this November. We have also sailed on Vision class (Vision and Grandeur) and Freedom. All have something going for them and all were very enjoyable cruises.

 

You probably already know this but picking cruise times when schools are in session will minimize the number of children on board. But even when we cruised to Bermuda this past August, the amount of children was not a problem. RCCL has pretty good children's programs from toddler to 18, so the kids are occupied. We also do MyTime Dining around 7-7:30 but RCCL has a program that feeds the children fast and gets them to the play groups so the parents (and those around them!) can enjoy dinner leisurely and quietly.

[amsred2]

Never understood why people are loyal to just one line...

 

Up until recently it was the great service for a really great price and I felt I was getting an exceptional experience for pennies on Carnival. I had always been impressed by every aspect of the cruise so there was no reason to change...and also loyalty points add certain perks. However, the past few years have brought some changes and, while no cruise was ever bad, the quality is now more "you get what you pay for".

 

Mostly, the lower cost allowed me to cruise more often. But now I am thinking it might be worth it to cruise less often on Carnival, in order to be able to afford the other lines and see what they offer.

[DebJ14]

Oh, by all means do give RCCL a try. We are Diamond on both RCCL and Carnival. We strayed from both of them and discovered that we like Princess more than RCCL or Carnival You will never know what is out there unless you give something different a try.

We are partial to the Voyager Class on RCCL. Just the right size and the amenities that we like.

[Trixie21]

Anthem sounds like a very good fit for your needs. The solarium is adults only and very beautiful. And if you like bells and whistles anthem is your ship!

 

 

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[DisneyDatknee]

We had an amazing time on the Radiance (first RCL cruise). That's not to say that our two Carnival past cruises were bad, but just the Radiance was just a great ship. I might be biased as it was Alaska :), but we felt the experience was very good on the Radiance, except food, felt Carnival had a slight advantage in some aspects. I felt like the decor of the Radiance was just classy and elegant compared to the Breeze. I did have an amazing time on the Breeze, but I think we will pay more to go on Royal from now (and usually more OBC from our TA). Entertainment just sucked on the Breeze. Wasn't worth going to any of the shows for us, but the Radiance had great shows and I loved the magician. Comedian was hilarious too (I didn't go to Comedy on the Breeze).

 

Anyways, we probably won't be doing any long sailings on Carnival anymore and sticking to short sailings nearby. We have RCL & HAL bookings right now and most likely a Princess ship will be booked! I don't want to limit my options and I want to find a sweet spot :)

 

The solarium was very nice on the Radiance, but it was a bit full as it was super cold to use the outdoor pool. It was so weird seeing no one on the open deck!!

Edited October 6, 2016 by DisneyDatknee

[preschool teacher]

Good luck...we have been on 6 different lines and have loved them all....we love Royal, but we still mix it up....we like the solarium area and it has food and drinks right there! And they will take stuff off of the chairs if you go away for a long time!!

[john91498]

Up until recently it was the great service for a really great price and I felt I was getting an exceptional experience for pennies on Carnival. I had always been impressed by every aspect of the cruise so there was no reason to change...and also loyalty points add certain perks. However, the past few years have brought some changes and, while no cruise was ever bad, the quality is now more "you get what you pay for".

 

Mostly, the lower cost allowed me to cruise more often. But now I am thinking it might be worth it to cruise less often on Carnival, in order to be able to afford the other lines and see what they offer.

 

Ok, that makes sense.

 

I don't have anything to add as I've only been on 3 Royal ships. All 3 were very memorable.

[Daveintb]

Never understood why people are loyal to just one line...

 

 

That's an easy answer , cuz only one line has Oasis class. It will WOW you when you embark !

 

 

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[frenchcanrican]

I have been on several Carnival ships. I then went on a RCCL ship, Radiance, and was blown away. Everything about her is amazing. Small enough to be intimate but big enough to keep us entertained. I have been on her 3 times a seven day, 4 day, and 15 day Transatlantic. I still love RCCL as we are Diamond, but we are sailing on Celebrity 14 days in a few weeks then we will be on Breakaway to Bermuda. I think as we all grow up so do our tastes and preferences. We are only human.

 

Keep it fresh, enjoy the variety, and keep cruising.

 

 

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Edited October 7, 2016 by frenchcanrican

[chill6x6]

Never understood why people are loyal to just one line...

 

^^^^^

This!

 

I can remember how anxious if you will, I was about my first NON-Carnival cruise. NEEDLESSLY so! I've now been on most of the major cruise lines. Each one has their areas they are really good at...less so in others.

 

I really liked the Jewel of the Seas. I thought in almost every area it was a step up from Carnival. The Solarium on JOTS was a nice quiet area. Very nice. Really had ZERO issues the whole cruise!

 

I really enjoy trying different cruise lines and I don't think you'll have ANY problem fitting right in on a Royal Caribbean cruise...or NCL...OR HA....OR Celebrity!

[rkmw]

I have never sailed RC. Having been a Carnival cheerleader for years, this is difficult for me but I am thinking of jumping ship (haha) for our 25th Anniversary next year.

 

I thought we would try RC; having lots of features, Broadway shows and new dining experiences. I have absolutely no knowledge of RC ships and feel like I am in the dark on how to start.

 

The most important element for me choosing a new ship is the Adults only experience. We have grown children and are enjoying a few child-free years before grandchildren arrive. We want some lively adventure and expect kids to be in the sports areas, pools and the like, but need a place to escape the hustle and bustle.

 

So the question is which RC ship has the best adults only area (Solarium)? I am looking at the bigger ships with all the bells and whistles but am keeping an open mind. We occasionally like a dip in a pool but most interested in which Solarium has the best hot tub, nicest space and least crowding.

 

Also, do these areas charge a fee? Are there other extras? Proximity to spa, food etc..? Any info (and/or photos) would be helpful.

 

i'm like you as i have been a loyal princess cruiser and i lost my partner but to cruise solo on princess its getting very dear around $300 per day for an inside cabin so i thought i'd go back to RCI which i havent cruised for nearly 6 years and i'm 11 credits from being Diamond

 

i thought i'd try out Explorer of the seas and the Ovation when they come to Sydney....the biggest princess ship i've been on is the Golden so its going to be a lot bigger

[BekkaW]

It's the Oasis class that has the best broadway style productions IMO. Also the solarium is lovely and great dining options on those ships also

[deliver42]

I've been on every class ship except Freedom, and never had a bad cruise. I loved the Voyager and Oasis class the best, but the Serenade (Radiance Class) was beautiful and had a great 10 night cruise on it. The smaller ships seem to have less kids on them, except the Bahamas cruises.

[Pstreet12]

We, too, have lots of nights logged with Royal and have tried all classes of ships (except Anthem). I'd agree with others: in the smaller ships, Radiance is a great, intimate experience; we love Freedom class because it's big, but not too big; and of course, Oasis class is unlike any other ships (we're on Allure dodging the hurricane right now). If you truly want "all the bells and whistles" sail on an Oasis class ship. We're "loyal to Royal," and their loyalty perks are the best in the industry.

[dwayneb236]

I've only ever been on Carnival and have booked the Harmony in February. I have no fears at all about what to expect. I'm expecting the experience to be fantastic.

 

I'm all about new and improved and really don't have any ties to the traditional. Give me computers and smart phones and fancy future stuff.

 

Many people state they don't like the bigger, new ships because they feel they are impersonal.

 

I like the flash. Hopefully I'll get it on Harmony. I think I will.

 

Carnival was fun for me and I had a blast. We'll see if I go back after this next cruise.

Edited October 7, 2016 by dwayneb236

[Life is Good Cruising]

Anthem has one of the best Solarium as you will see on the video.

 

[davy jones]

There are things on Royal that I prefer over Carnival and things on Carnival that I prefer over Royal. You should have a good time on either.

 

Variety is good.

[KG1924]

Here's my 2 cents....

 

If you want entertainment and plenty of activities to help spread out the crowds, I would 100% say the Oasis class. They're just great ships and something that everyone should try at least once.

 

That being said, we barely went in to the solarium on either of our Oasis class sailings. While it is beautiful and relaxing, we prefer a pool and a slightly livelier experience. My favorite solarium is definitely on the Freedom class simply because it's a regular pool w/ stools in the pool to sit on and put your drink on the "bar" (not full bar, more like a table/ledge) We met a bunch of great people sitting in that pool far too late into the afternoon :p The only negative is that it's a very deep pool and I'm only 5'1"...the stools were necessary for me!

 

If you want newer/bigger, then pretty much anything from the Voyager class and up will be a good fit. I still give a little edge to the Oasis class overall but I also haven't been on the Anthem yet....

[Lady_831]

I've mostly sailed Carnival and just got off my first Royal ship (Oasis) last week. We had a great time, went to a lot of shows and ate a lot of good food. But we also have a great time on Carnival and are just as excited for our cruise on the Vista as we are our cruise on the Harmony that we booked onboard. I think that we may cruise Royal more often in the future because of their ships being a destination in itself, but we will still sail Carnival. We plan on trying Norwegian and doing Disney again.

 

 

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