Is it disappointing going on a Carnival Cruise after doing a Royal Caribbean cruise?

[ryano]

If you went from the Oasis/Allure/Harmony of the Seas and ate at a different specialty dining restaurant every night, spent your days rock climbing, flow-riding, and ziplining and then spent the evenings watching the broadway show, the diving show, the ice show, etc. And went from that to one of the Fantasy class ships that have no specialty dining, no rock walls, no zip lines, no diving or ice skating show - it probably would be anti climatic.

 

The two cruises would have little in common.

 

However, if you were to go on one of the newer Carnival ships - like the Magic, Breeze, Vista (or even the Sunshine), you might find things a little more even. They have their own set of bells and whistles.

 

Of course, the same works the other way - if you were on a Royal Vision class or Serenade class ship and then went on a Carnival Dream or Vista class, you would notice a world of difference in the options and choices available.

 

At the core, cruises are all the same - you're on a ship, in the ocean, food is served, there's some form of entertainment, the ships stops at various places and service is good.

 

I agree 100%. You have to compare apples to apples. Most all mass market cruise lines are more alike than different. Most mass market cruise lines ships, not so much.

[tallnthensome]

Will it feel anticlimactic?

Anticlimactic might be the case if you went from a 180 day Silversea cruise to Carnival. You're making a pretty lateral move here ..... I will say that unless you've sailed multiple lines you have nothing to compare things to.

[jimbo5544]

If you went from the Oasis/Allure/Harmony of the Seas and ate at a different specialty dining restaurant every night, spent your days rock climbing, flow-riding, and ziplining and then spent the evenings watching the broadway show, the diving show, the ice show, etc. And went from that to one of the Fantasy class ships that have no specialty dining, no rock walls, no zip lines, no diving or ice skating show - it probably would be anti climatic.

 

 

 

The two cruises would have little in common.

 

 

 

However, if you were to go on one of the newer Carnival ships - like the Magic, Breeze, Vista (or even the Sunshine), you might find things a little more even. They have their own set of bells and whistles.

 

 

 

Of course, the same works the other way - if you were on a Royal Vision class or Serenade class ship and then went on a Carnival Dream or Vista class, you would notice a world of difference in the options and choices available.

 

 

 

At the core, cruises are all the same - you're on a ship, in the ocean, food is served, there's some form of entertainment, the ships stops at various places and service is good.

 

 

Well said

 

 

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[Taters]

I used to love Royal Caribbean, but they did some things that were really not cool on our last cruise with them. (They didn't clean tables, the food was terrible, the staff was not friendly at all, among other things.) We just always have a better time on Carnival. We do sail other lines, as well, but Carnival is our "go-to" cruise line.

 

Have fun with whatever cruise you decide on.

[DebJ14]

We found over the years that Royal Caribbean has been getting more Carnivalized. It is much louder and caters to family like Carnival. We were not disappointed going from Royal Caribbean to Carnival, but horribly disappointed to go from Princess to Carnival.

[teacher34]

We had done two cruises on the Big Red Boat and then we did three Carnival cruise. Our close friends love RCL and they talked us into going on the Freedom of the Seas. We paid the same for an inside cabin on RCL as we did for a balcony on Carnival. Also, the room we were in was old and had duck tape holding down a throw rug and wallpaper or paint, I can't remember which coming off one wall. It was a definite disappointment to us. We were used to seeing people cleaning everything all the time on Carnival, only saw it twice on RCL. both cruises were 7 days out of Port Canaveral . We are staying with Carnival now. Oh, we missed the Serenity deck , too. Our friends still love RCL though, so I guess it is personal taste.

[cdnmr]

Will it feel anticlimactic?

 

As someone who enjoys Carnival, you should stick with Royal.

You are Royalty after all.

[cdnmr]

We found over the years that Royal Caribbean has been getting more Carnivalized. It is much louder and caters to family like Carnival. We were not disappointed going from Royal Caribbean to Carnival, but horribly disappointed to go from Princess to Carnival.

 

Then stick with Princess, Princess.

[mimirdh]

ABSOLUTELY NOT! We have been on 10 cruises...we did 7 Carnival....then we thought we owed to ourselves to give Royal Caribbean a try...after all....APPARENTLY they are so much better and classier than Carnival....LOL...and I do mean LOL....if I could list 1 thing that was better or classier than Carnival...I honestly would list it....We couldn't wait to get off Independence of the Seas....The Staff were the WORST....MISERABLE...PLAIN MISERABLE....service was HORRIFFIC!....If people ate breakfast out by the pool...those dishes were still on that table at 3:00 in the afternoon....1 bartender at the pool bar...SERIOUSLY....Do you know how many people are lined up to get a cold cocktail at 2:00 in the afternoon....REALLY? Have and will ONLY cruise Carnival from now on...ALWAYS have a wonderful time...staff is wonderful.....can never pass a staff member without getting at least a "hello" or "how is your day going".........I know....people say..."oh, you just had 1 bad experience....try them again"...hmm....can I think about it for just one minute...NO! They had their chance and blew it big time....I was really hoping I would love them...maybe switch up between both lines every other year....but CAN'T DO IT....sorry ROYAL...IT'S CARNIVAL ALL THE WAY! But don't let my one bad experience sway anyone's decision....YES, DEFINITELY GIVE CARNIVAL A TRY...I THINK YOU WILL LIKE THEM.

 

Not to imply that your feelings aren't valid, but if you switch the name "Independence" to "Carnival Valor", I'd think you were writing about my experience on the Valor haha! I am currently looking at several Carnival cruises on the Magic, Splendor, or Breeze and would love to try NCL Epic, but since we've sailed RCCL it's hard to give up the free perks (mainly drinks from 5-8:30 every night for Diamond level). We just sailed on the RCCL Navigator and that ranked second to worst (Valor being the worst) so I am in no way doubting your experiences because I did see a side of Royal on the Nav that I'd not seen before. I now believe that the Port of Miami may be the common link for me- I won't sail from Miami again unless it's either free or the itinerary is something I absolutely cannot pass up. I absolutely HATE leaving from there, but some people don't mind it....different strokes for different folks I guess.

Sorry you had a poor time on the Indy- I think the shorter itineraries make it hard on the crew and things aren't up to the brand's standards. We sailed Indy last April on a 5 day and had a nice time, however I prefer sailing on 7 nights because much of the time it cuts down on the "riff raff" so to speak.

[2CatsInFlorida]

After 8 cruises with Royal/Celebrity we tried Carnival Liberty 1/12/17 and loved it.

 

Nicest balcony cabin we ever had and best cabin housekeeping staff. Door to balcony easy to open. Balcony a little smaller than RCI but sufficient.

 

A lot of activities are packed into this mid sized, beautifully refurbished ship including two pools, water slide, mini golf and poolside theater. Many music attractions. Ship is older and has more common area per passenger than mega ships like Oasis. We were able to get a seat in Lido buffet even on embarkation.

 

Food is similar to Royal, mostly average. Guys Big Bites had great hamburgers and fries. We noticed in the MDR that most did not share tables with other passengers. We missed not meeting new people at dinner, which we did on Royal.

 

Shows in the Venetian theater were OK, but not nearly as good as Royal.

 

We are planning to book a suite next time on Carnival for the same cost as a balcony on Royal.

 

 

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Edited January 25, 2017 by 2CatsInFlorida

[RosebudA]

We've only sailed Disney and NCL, we'll be sailing Carnival this summer for Alaska, but so far we've found more similarities than differences. Each line and ship has their +/-. Like others have said, a cruise is what you make of it.

[squierjosh]

If you ever find yourself disappointed to be on an ocean liner, visiting awesome destinations, not having to worry about cooking, cleaning, shoveling snow, etc...you may need to re-examine your life. :D

 

Will it feel anticlimactic?

[SharkCruiser24]

No!! A cruise, like any vacation, is what you and your friends\family make of it. I am booked on Indy of the seas with Royal in March and Carnival Liberty in May and can't wait for both! There are things I love about both lines and I know I'm going to have a blast. To be honest, when I'm on Royal I miss the nightly comedy and the Alchemy bar!

[Can'tWait2SetSail]

I have only been on one Royal cruise and while I enjoyed it it was the least favorite if I was ranking my cruises. For me it was the food and service. The service was not bad on Royal, but I find Carnival staff much more friendly and helpful. There was not a huge difference in food (buffet goes to Royal, MDR and pizza to Carnival), but I must say the worst meal I have ever had on a cruise ship was in Royal's specialty Italian restaurant, while the best two meals were in the Steakhouse on Carnival. I would still sail Royal again if it fit my schedule and the price was right.

[EAZYLIVING]

Will it feel anticlimactic?

 

Yes go back and stick to only one cruise line. No one should live with different choices.:D Wait I do.

[sjcruiser]

I've done a three day weekend cruise on Carnival right after doing a week cruise on the Oasis. I had sailed on Royal some years previous, but not on the Oasis class. I sailed on this cruise with others who were Platinum on Carnival, and only sailed on Carnival in the past. They came back making comparisons between the two, and stated they needed to switch cruise lines. For me, I sail Carnival for Carnival, and Royal for Royal, which also depends on the ship and itinerary on both lines. Going back to Carnival after sailing on the Oasis was a bit of a shock, but I knew what to expect with sailing on both lines. I love both lines equally, and have had great experiences on both. When sailing with extended family and friends I sail Carnival, and when It's just the two of us, or a smaller group, we go with Royal. Right now we have a Carnival cruise booked for the summer, and the Oasis again in 2018, with several weekend cruises on Carnival in between. We're looking into Princess and Holland America for Alaska and Europe, which will be our first time on those lines.

 

Hope this helps.

[riclop]

You probably will be.

[peymas]

Will it feel anticlimactic?

 

We sailed on 5 carnival cruises (Dream 2x, Breeze, Legend and Magic) before trying Royal. We went on Independence and Oasis of the Seas and will soon be sailing on Anthem. We will be sailing Carnival Freedom in a few days.

 

My husband and I both agree that there isn't much difference between the two other than the entertainment. The skating and aqua shows and the productions on Royal were great. The entertainment on Carnival just isn't as good. The food was really no different and the crew have been great on all of the ships we have been on. We really like both cruise lines and the entertainment issue doesn't keep us away from Carnival. There are many other activities on Carnival that are fun and keep us as busy as we want to be.

[deetrayn]

I wasn't disappointed at all. I went on a B2B on RCCL Jewel of the Seas, and enjoyed it very much. A few months later, I was back on Carnival and had another great time. :)

[Aquahound]

Will it feel anticlimactic?

 

I wouldn't say that. I've been on numerous RCI cruises, and recently took my first Carnival cruise (Carnival Liberty). I wasn't disappointed at all. It was just different. Just, know what you're booking. It's all about what attitude you go into it with. Go expecting to have fun and to have a good cruise, and you most likely will.

[Havingfun2010]

This is like asking, "Is it disappointing shopping in Walmart after going to Target?"

 

That works for me. I won't shop at Walmart or K-Mart, but will go into a Target. They are much more cleaner and efficient than the other two.

 

I once went on a Carnival after a RCCL, and I really noticed the overall poor quality of entertainment and cleanliness of the Carnival ship, plus the poor way of handling the guest. It ended up exactly as you said. With Target being better, but not top class for shopping, RCCL is the same way.

[jimbo5544]

That works for me. I won't shop at Walmart or K-Mart, but will go into a Target. They are much more cleaner and efficient than the other two.

 

I once went on a Carnival after a RCCL, and I really noticed the overall poor quality of entertainment and cleanliness of the Carnival ship, plus the poor way of handling the guest. It ended up exactly as you said. With Target being better, but not top class for shopping, RCCL is the same way.

 

You are quite the comedian, Walmart, Target, Kmart...if only they have reference to cruising..... you are joking right?:confused: For everyones sake, when was the that time you went on a Carnival ship and and such a horrible time? I'm sure we want to steer clear of such a ship. Was there anything that was OK or was every single thing terrible? I can't imagine that....on any cruise line, but I'm a rookie with only 36 cruises.

[BettyPC]

Was on Royal in December & had a good time. Cruising Carnival in 8 days!!!! Will have a great time. Will be interested in comparing them - since they are close together!

 

You will enjoy yourself if you want to!

[jimbo5544]

Was on Royal in December & had a good time. Cruising Carnival in 8 days!!!! Will have a great time. Will be interested in comparing them - since they are close together!

 

You will enjoy yourself if you want to!

 

Come back and let us know your thoughts when you return. Happy cruising!

[travelsuz]

LOL! I have been on RCCL and Carnival (and Disney and Holland and Princess). My least favorite cruise was RCCL. Still a great cruise, I mean any day on a ship is better than a day at home! But, I don't know if I would sail Royal again.

 

 

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