WHY (in your opinion) does Carnival seem to have a low rank among many 'cruise snobs'

[krehberg]

I have been on 7 Carnival cruises,2 Princess ,3 RCL and 1 Celebrity cruise so far.Our last cruise was on the Carnival Breeze.That being said that last cruise did it for us for Carnival.Unsupervised kids running around everywhere ,parents with their babies in diapers in the hot tub,people with glass drinking glasses in the hot tub,people in the buffet line without shirts (hairy chested) :eek:.Even though there were rules posted everywhere no one enforced them! We enjoyed the cruise anyway,clean and friendly crew members but I won,t be booking another Carnival cruise in the future! I would rather pay more for a cruise than go through that again.I always say ,You get what you pay for!!!

 

 

Did you not realize there is a Serenity area where there are no kids? I don't care what line I would be on, I'll never hang out near the main pool for that very reason. Serenity on CCL and Solarium on RCCL

[bassmaster150]

OR, is it just my imagination ? I realize everybody's welcome to their own opinions, but I've sailed most of the CCL ships (some twice) and done 4 RCL cruises. While I've never done a 'high end' luxury cruise line, Regent, Silver Sea, etc..) I have noticed here mostly, and heard other cruisers on a CCL ship's elevator make nothing but, if outright rude, and snide comments, about this or that CCL ship, the 'type' of passengers Carnival seems 'too attract' and for the life of me I wonder,' WHY are you here..? IF WE lowly mortals are not worthy of your presence ?? WHY aren't you off sailing on the cruiseship ,Mount so-and so? Not all of my cruises have been perfect, but after reading some of the terrible reviews of the high end cruises, I wonder could ANY of these so-called experienced people be pleased ? Just curious why uour thoughts are. Thanks, in advance..

 

 

Mac

 

 

Depends upon the person I guess. We have sailed alot on Carnival, and started sailing on Princess a few years ago. The crown on Princess was way different (more laid back and less partying) and the ships are quite a bit more elegant which we like. That being said, when the Vista came out, we were able to take advantage of an amazing deal to go back to the Mediterranean and sail from Barcelona to Athens. We had a great time and the price was incredible. We will be doing our first "luxury" cruise on Oceania next year as well and will be able to compare the service against the price that we paid for Oceania vs Carnival or Princess. I am obviously expecting better service and food on Oceania vs Carnival or Princess....but what I am really looking for is if the value is worth the price paid. I believe it is on Princess, but don't know yet for Oceania. With all that being said, I wouldn't hesitate to book on Carnival again in the future if we like the itinerary and ship.

[Harrylinden]

Did you not realize there is a Serenity area where there are no kids? I don't care what line I would be on, I'll never hang out near the main pool for that very reason. Serenity on CCL and Solarium on RCCL

 

krehberg:

 

Those kids were EVERYWHERE!!!! All hours of the day and night running around. I don,t mind kids at all but this cruise parents were not watching them and letting them do what ever they wanted. Tearing up the lido deck, knocking things over,running into people,running around screaming while people were trying to watch the movie ECT. We Never experienced that on any other cruiseline we were on! Only on Carnival.You get my drift???

[Sitzmark]

Did you not realize there is a Serenity area where there are no kids? I don't care what line I would be on, I'll never hang out near the main pool for that very reason. Serenity on CCL and Solarium on RCCL

 

 

ironically we didn't spend much time in the solarium on the Oasis because it was always too hot and crowded. It was one of the few spots that really felt crowded on the ship. It looked great with the huge glass panels, but it ended up providing a greenhouse effect that was not fun.

[Thorncroft]

It doesnt really take rocket science to figure out that since Carnival is the largest cruise corporation in the world, they would likely be the ones with the most problems publicized. With that said, there is absolutely no shortage whatsoever of VERY recent Royal Caribbean problems like Captains sailing their ships straight into the pits of Hell, engine troubles, fires, numerous norovirus outbreaks, faulty lifejackets, and of course your drunks, fights, etc and so on. Im sure NCL and others have their share too. I just dont follow them at all.

 

I find it absolutely hilarious that we have a few here trying to make all this a Carnival only problem. Yeah, so what, there was a "poop cruise". Seems like to me over the last 5 years RCI has been negatively in the news way more than Carnival has. JMO though

 

 

What ever did RCI do to you to turn you against them so vehemently? You're not just an RCI hater, you're a damn hater. LOL

[Thorncroft]

I bet there are about 2000 people that boarded the Majesty of the Seas 10 days ago that wish they had chosen Carnival :p

 

 

I think that the cruise industry is a lot like the cell phone industry when it comes to churn. For every 100 that swear they'll never sail RCI again, there's an equal 100 at each cruise line swearing that they're done with them. Nothing is as entertaining as a grand exit speech. :D

[Travelin77]

We were on magic at xmas with teens We all thought it was great. Ate at the specialty places and guys burgers for lunch. Did not see much of the entertainment but not why I was on boat anyway. It was easily 20% less than royal that week so it was the deciding factor. Magic is well kept modern. Would go on carnival magic or breeze anytime

 

 

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[ryano]

What ever did RCI do to you to turn you against them so vehemently? You're not just an RCI hater, you're a damn hater. LOL

 

 

I do not hate RCI. I have had some wonderful times on their ships and likely will again some day. I still havent been on an Oasis class ship and thats certainly on the to do list :) I have just found that I can have the same quality vacation on Carnival Magic as I could on Freedom of the Seas, for substantial less money. I have to be loyal to my wallet :)

 

I just cant sit back and let people that cruise exclusively on RCI pretend to be superior to others all because of the cruise line they choose and bash Carnival when truth be told, the two lines are way more alike than they are different and so are the guests who sail them both. For every single complaint Ive seen in this thread so far about Carnival, Ive witnessed on Royal Caribbean numerous times. They are certainly in NO WAY immune from the "wal mart of the seas" mentality. Whatever the hell that means

Edited February 24, 2017 by ryano

[Moz]

Very interesting comments. We have cruised Carnival many times platinum plus and also RCL and Norwegian, We have chosen Norwegian the next time due to previous experience with them and the class of their ships. Plus the packages they offer come out to be less expensive than Carnival. Carnival does have wonderful, clean ships and a wonderful staff. The problem on our last Carnival cruise was the clientele. It was crude, loud and many of the rules were not enforced. It does seem their biggest draw is the comedy club and the adult shows are rude and crude. I did go and could not believe how the crowd reveled in that and that seems the type that love the line, We will cruise Carnival again due to other things but it does seem to have gone down and cater to the cruder crowd. Perhaps the next cruise will be better if we go back to Carnival.

[Sitzmark]

I just cant sit back and let people that cruise exclusively on RCI pretend to be superior to others all because of the cruise line they choose and bash Carnival when truth be told, the two lines are way more alike than they are different and so are the guests who sail them both.

 

 

I didn't think I'd seen that in this thread, I did see a few people point out what they believe are the answers the OP was asking for, then a lot of cheerleaders trying to argue with them. As for me, well I have a general disdain for all cruise lines, Carnival is certainly not alone in my opinion. I do have to admit that given what I've seen you post in the past that some of your recent comments have made wonder what had happened.

[arkstfan]

I'm going on my second cruise ever this August and honestly I had assumed at least part of the Carnival distaste comes from the fact that a large portion of their business is serving a part of the country that wouldn't be cruising but for Carnival.

 

I live in Arkansas and if I don't want to fly my three reasonable choices (outside a river cruise) are departures from Mobile, New Orleans, and Galveston.

 

My kids are young adults and they actually enjoyed their last couple trips with mom and dad so this year mom and dad figured we would take them on a cruise and to keep costs down, that means driving to port.

 

Our youngest, Baby Girl will have a fun day when we get back because we've got to hump it for home and then she's driving two hours more for her last semester of college (dear lord let this be her last semester instead of pursuing ANOTHER degree).

 

I don't expect the experience I had with Norwegian going to Alaska (the other cruise my wife and I have taken) but I do expect sunshine, relaxation, decent food and some fun activities.

[Computer Nerd]

RCI's stock has VASTLY outperformed CCL, for what that's worth. Not sure it's a good analogy.

 

 

Maybe. But with RCCL, if you purchased a cruise using any type of promo, you cannot get your stockholder OBC. The same is not true of Carnival and I always get my stockholder OBC. Based on that and the fact that I sail Carnival way more often than RCCL, having Carnival stock gives an extra benefit that most won't see from RCCL.

[Computer Nerd]

I didn't see any of that on the Oasis either, I guess I'll see what the Dream presents. My biggest concern about a cruise is being locked up in a space for a week with not much to do, I don't see much difference in that regardless of the brand. With that said when you start googling it does seem like Carnival has more than their share of problems. Drunks, mechanical problems etc they get a lot of press.

 

 

So you're saying even though you will be stopping at ports you will not be getting off the ship at all? Wow, what's the point of cruising then??

 

BTW, you're not locked up. Not in the brig, not confined to the ship. You can come and go as you please, even at sea (well, you could go but probably not come back ;) ).

[Computer Nerd]

Years ago, every time that I performed a cruise search online, I would sort the results by price. Carnival would almost always be at the top of the list and that's who I would almost always sail on.

 

As the years have gone by, and with an increase in discretionary income, I've started sorting results differently. Pricing is no longer the biggest factor in my searches. And the thrill and pride that I used to feel every time that I scored the cheapest cruise possible has diminished. I now find pride in finding the ship, cruise line and itinerary that truly make me happy, not just the lowest price.

 

What I'm saying is that, although it does feel good to get a great bargain on a cruise (and I still look for ways to do so), those "snooty people" sailing on another cruise line are gladly paying more for that experience and they have the money to do so. They don't care that Carnival is cheaper. They are not driven by price. You may think that you have one up on them because you paid less for your cruise on Carnival, but they may think that they have one up on you for a litany of other reasons.

 

Fortunate are those who've experienced multiple cruise lines but who still consider budget friendly Carnival to be the cruise line that best fits their personalities and needs. But fortunate are also those who consider a more expensive cruise line a better fit for them (for whatever reason) and who have the income to sail on them. It's silly to look down on anybody (whether they make more or less money than me) because of how they choose to spend their vacation money.

 

 

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As an FYI, a higher price is not necessarily indicative of a better cruise.......just a more expensive cruise.

[Computer Nerd]

This is how opinions are formed.

 

 

In my opinion, the only valid opinion is the one that has personal historical data behind it. And even that wouldn't sway me from given a cruise line a test drive to see for myself. The opinion of someone who has never even tried the product they are talking about, good or bad, has less than zero value to me.

[Budget Queen]

I find Carnival does a fantastic job in the Caribbean. Last month was on the Glory and Splendor. Superb snorkel trips for me.

 

What I do find is a high volume of cruisers who don't cruise any other line, to gain the ranks of the perks. With this, it's heavily limited to a lot of people not cruising outside of the Caribbean. And have no desire to ever try cruising with other lines to do so. So then on the rare occasion of new ships and remote re positions, you get half the ship full of the highest levels. :)

 

i sail based on the itinerary only, and sail other lines. I do sail frequently, about every month, just very very fortunate to be able to do so.

 

There certainly is something for everyone. :)

[dgparent]

For my wife and I it came down to 2 things really, we have sailed CC, NCL and X. Next month we are on X again, we like X better for 2 basic reasons:

 

1. The drink package is unlimited, if I want 17 beers on a sea day I can have them.

2. Suite perks on X are waaaay better than CCL.

[Tapi]

As an FYI, a higher price is not necessarily indicative of a better cruise.......just a more expensive cruise.

 

 

Just like a lower price is not necessarily indicative of a better bargain, just a cheaper cruise.

 

 

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[Computer Nerd]

Just like a lower price is not necessarily indicative of a better bargain, just a cheaper cruise.

 

 

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Absolutely correct. :)

[Sitzmark]

In my opinion, the only valid opinion is the one that has personal historical data behind it. And even that wouldn't sway me from given a cruise line a test drive to see for myself. The opinion of someone who has never even tried the product they are talking about, good or bad, has less than zero value to me.

 

 

Clearly in your opinion the only valid opinion is your opinion, so I really stopped caring what you think about anything.

[toledo_cruiser]

My 2 cents:

 

...

- Carnival in my opinion is a solid product for the price, specially what's offered on their newer ships, but it's not for everyone. As some of you know, I've spent the last few years bouncing from one cruise line to another (Royal, Holland, Princess, MSC, and coming up Disney and NCL) after many years of being loyal to Carnival. If there's one thing that I've learned is that there are a lot of different people out there who wouldn't be caught dead on a Carnival cruise just like there are a lot of Carnival cruisers out there who wouldn't be caught dead on any of these other cruise lines. They would be absolutely miserable. People have different expectations based on what they like and what they have experienced in life.

 

 

So true. I cruised most of the mainstream cruise lines (Carnival, HAL, Princess, & Celebrity) and found more similarities than differences. As others have said, different lines excel at different things.

 

- Some people do care for the little things that Carnival doesn't offer. I'll use my parents for this example. They've traveled all over the world and have experienced the finer things in life. They've sailed on Carnival a few times as well (including everything from a cheap 4 nighter on the Imagination to a 12 night European sailing during the Liberty's inaugural season). But they don't like Carnival and prefer to sail on other cruise lines.

 

My mother said that the difference is in the details. For example, we sailed together on Holland America to Alaska a few years back and she was thoroughly impressed with the product while I couldn't put my finger on what was so wonderful about them, so I asked. That's when my mother pointed out the little details like the fresh flowers daily, the white gloved service, the room service delivered in fine china (not plastic), the quality of linens and bedding, the throw blankets for balcony use, the laundry delivered in tissue paper with a gold seal in a wicker basket, the full restaurant menu available for stateroom delivery. The non-intrusive announcements, the quality of everything from decor to the brand of toiletries, and dinnerware, and the level of service throughout the ship, specially at restaurants, which followed the highest level of etiquette and protocol.

 

On our only HAL cruise we booked a Neptune Suite and were amazed at the level of service, the Neptune Lounge, and the MDR food. We've had the Grand Suite on Carnival and it wasn't even close. Of course we paid more for that cruise than any Carnival cruise we've been on.

 

- We spend a lot of time on these boards complaining about chair hogging, dress code, booze smuggling, line cutting, etc. While I understand that people want to relax and enjoy their cruise with as few rules as possible and as casually as possible, there are a lot of people who would prefer to cruise in an environment where these basic social rules are followed. You can't fault them for that. While you can find this type of behavior on any cruise line, what I've experienced during the last few years is that, the more strict and upscale the cruise line is, the less you'll encounter this type of behavior (partly because these cruise lines will have less tolerance for this type of behavior and partly because cruisers who don't like this type of structure will go somewhere else). Just reading the boards from various cruise lines here will reflect that. These are hot topics on the Carnival board but not so frequent on others.

 

Our last two cruises have been on Princess and Celebrity. Like other mainstream lines, formal night is being phased out (at least on Celebrity). Chic night means formal wear is optional. A nice shirt and pants will suffice. Lots of forum chatter about that change, rather heated at times.

 

- With al of this said, there's ZERO excuse to bash, put other people down, or make them inferior because of what cruise line they prefer. That's just mean spirited. But at the same time, people shouldn't take it as a personal attack when someone bad mouths their cruise line of choice.

 

We all know why we cruise and why we gravitate towards a specific cruise line over another. Who cares what someone else thinks?

 

It was hurtful the first few times I heard the Carnival putdowns, but after cruising other lines and finding the similarities I put it down to snobbery, or lack of knowledge. I have met nice people on all the lines I've cruised. As you said, to each his own.

 

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One final note. Carnival is not always cheapest. We have found last minute cruises on Princess and Celebrity cheaper than any seven day cruise we've taken on Carnival. Of course, being retired, we can occasionally take advantage of these "fill the ship" sales. We have transitioned to Princess and Celebrity at this time, but would book a Carnival cruise in a moment for the right price and itinerary. Right now we're looking at a Cuba cruise, but Carnival only offers it on the Paradise. (sigh) Not my favorite class of ship. We made a vow to only cruise newer ships.

Jim

[Thorncroft]

Clearly in your opinion the only valid opinion is your opinion, so I really stopped caring what you think about anything.

 

 

Nobody wants to hear your opinion. They want to hear THEIR opinion coming out of YOUR mouth. :D

[Sitzmark]

Nobody wants to hear your opinion. They want to hear THEIR opinion coming out of YOUR mouth. :D

 

 

That is not an opinion, that is a fact.

[mz-s]

Lower prices equals lower class to many people - Walmart has the same reputation, even though they are the most popular and largest retailer in the world (by a huge margin), they are only for low class people because the stores are more utilitarian, they cater towards working class people, and they have low prices.

 

Carnival is the world's largest cruise line (by a huge margin), and they are considered for low class people because their ships are more utilitarian (in general), they cater towards working class people, and their prices are lower.

[mz-s]

One final note. Carnival is not always cheapest. We have found last minute cruises on Princess and Celebrity cheaper than any seven day cruise we've taken on Carnival. Of course, being retired, we can occasionally take advantage of these "fill the ship" sales. We have transitioned to Princess and Celebrity at this time, but would book a Carnival cruise in a moment for the right price and itinerary. Right now we're looking at a Cuba cruise, but Carnival only offers it on the Paradise. (sigh) Not my favorite class of ship. We made a vow to only cruise newer ships.

Jim

 

I don't really see how you can compare a last minute "fill the ship" sale with a normal rate and say that Carnival isn't cheaper because their normal rate is more than Princess' last ditch effort to sell the last 5 rooms on a sailing.

 

If cruising to Cuba is successful for Carnival, they'll add more and/or different ships to the rotation.