Carnival glory? Is it the right choice?

[BNBR]

I think cheesecake factory would be a good comparison in terms of food quality - just don't expect Carnival's cheesecake to rival their delights! Has anyone told you about Zydeco cruiser - there are a bunch of menus on there to give you ideas as to what to expect in terms of food choices in the MDR.

 

I know a lot of people on here love the Symphony - and to be fair I have not been on her - but I am not attracted to RCI, and in particular the mega ships. Having been on Carnival Magic at full capacity at 4600, that was too many people for me - I could feel it.

 

A lot of experienced cruises will tell you that they fall into one of two camps - many cruise for the ship and basically use it as a destination itself. Symphony would fall into this category with more to see and do on the ship in a week than is possible, without even taking in the ports. Often, the port choices on these ships are more limited because the larger ships can only be accommodated certain places. If you are into this, and value the ice shows, rock climbing and all that it has to offer, I certainly understand why people enjoy this. The other camp would of course be the people that are simply happy to be on the water, have fun, relax and explore a variety of ports. We personally fall into this camp. A standard balcony with the kids in an inside is perfectly comfortable for the week and we chose the cruise based on ports of call. For example, we are happily taking the Fascination (one of the smaller, older ships on Carnival in March to do an island hopper out of San Juan to Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Kitts, St. Martin, and St. Thomas) - many say "no way" because they want "more" in their ship.

 

I don't remember if you posted the ports you are considering. But if you are traveling for those, we can tell you a lot about them, if that would help in your decision.

 

Nobody has been on Symphony yet!

 

I was on Oasis (sister ship) AND Glory last year, so I have a pretty comparison. The OP mentioned the 2 cruises they are considering and both ships visit 4 ports on a Western Itinerary. So that much is basically equal. All else equal, which it appears to be (other than room size) - why would you not sail the ship that is substantially better?

 

Thank you for being honest about Magic. I also found Glory to feel more packed and crowded than Oasis - but it wasn't enough to ruin the cruise or anything.

 

We did Glory last year because the price was right, the itinerary was right, the timing was right, and we really like that Carnival has camp starting at 2 years old (vs 3 years old on Royal). All signs pointed to Glory and we had a great cruise. In OP's case, I can't see any reason to sail Glory - but that's just me :)

 

To the OP - as others have said, ignore the room size. The suites you are considering are not much bigger than the regular cabins - at least not in practical space. You are going to regret blowing your budget on that upgrade. If you decide to sail Glory, I HIGHLY recommend just going with regular balcony rooms. We have sailed the junior suite before with our 2 kids (4 of us) and find the regularly balcony room is more than adequate. If Symphony is within your budget and you want a more memorable cruise, I simply can't recommend it enough. Glory is a very mediocre cruise on a mediocre ship. It's a good quality product at a low price. Symphony is on a whole different level and the difference is big.

Edited July 26, 2017 by BNBR

[evandbob]

The Glory is an okay ship, I've been on it several times. The OP mentions this cruise is to celebrate his parents 40th anniversary, that they are foodies and love French fare. I'll project that there are other cruiselines that could satisfy his parents food choices better than Carnival can.

[NewEUcruiser]

Nobody has been on Symphony yet!

 

I was on Oasis (sister ship) AND Glory last year, so I have a pretty comparison. The OP mentioned the 2 cruises they are considering and both ships visit 4 ports on a Western Itinerary. So that much is basically equal. All else equal, which it appears to be (other than room size) - why would you not sail the ship that is substantially better?

 

Thank you for being honest about Magic. I also found Glory to feel more packed and crowded than Oasis - but it wasn't enough to ruin the cruise or anything.

 

We did Glory last year because the price was right, the itinerary was right, the timing was right, and we really like that Carnival has camp starting at 2 years old (vs 3 years old on Royal). All signs pointed to Glory and we had a great cruise. In OP's case, I can't see any reason to sail Glory - but that's just me :)

 

To the OP - as others have said, ignore the room size. The suites you are considering are not much bigger than the regular cabins - at least not in practical space. You are going to regret blowing your budget on that upgrade. If you decide to sail Glory, I HIGHLY recommend just going with regular balcony rooms. We have sailed the junior suite before with our 2 kids (4 of us) and find the regularly balcony room is more than adequate. If Symphony is within your budget and you want a more memorable cruise, I simply can't recommend it enough. Glory is a very mediocre cruise on a mediocre ship. It's a good quality product at a low price. Symphony is on a whole different level and the difference is big.

 

Thanks, I don't want a mediocre experience so we 'll go with RCC . I just hope embarkation and tendering won't be horrible with 6000 people

[NewEUcruiser]

The Glory is an okay ship, I've been on it several times. The OP mentions this cruise is to celebrate his parents 40th anniversary, that they are foodies and love French fare. I'll project that there are other cruiselines that could satisfy his parents food choices better than Carnival can.

 

We aren't real foodies my mum is just a good cook and we love French fare simply because we ARE French. We don't expect French food and hope to sample American dishes especially bacon steak and lobster .

[Corby114]

The Oasis class ships are wonderful. I cruised with my family on the Allure Of The Seas in November 2016 and January 2017. The only time that we felt that the ship was crowded was the first day when everyone heads to the Windjammer for lunch at the same time. Crew were stationed at the entrance to advise passengers that they could head over to the Park Cafe, Wipeout Cafe or Sorrento's if they didn't want to wait for a table. The ship is absolutely amazing. You will be glad that you made the decision to sail on her. Also, during the week stop in at Vintages and share a bottle of wine with your family. It's a great place to spend some time before heading to dinner.

[A&Jfamily]

Nobody has been on Symphony yet!

 

I was on Oasis (sister ship) AND Glory last year, so I have a pretty comparison. The OP mentioned the 2 cruises they are considering and both ships visit 4 ports on a Western Itinerary. So that much is basically equal. All else equal, which it appears to be (other than room size) - why would you not sail the ship that is substantially better?

 

Thank you for being honest about Magic. I also found Glory to feel more packed and crowded than Oasis - but it wasn't enough to ruin the cruise or anything.

 

We did Glory last year because the price was right, the itinerary was right, the timing was right, and we really like that Carnival has camp starting at 2 years old (vs 3 years old on Royal). All signs pointed to Glory and we had a great cruise. In OP's case, I can't see any reason to sail Glory - but that's just me :)

 

To the OP - as others have said, ignore the room size. The suites you are considering are not much bigger than the regular cabins - at least not in practical space. You are going to regret blowing your budget on that upgrade. If you decide to sail Glory, I HIGHLY recommend just going with regular balcony rooms. We have sailed the junior suite before with our 2 kids (4 of us) and find the regularly balcony room is more than adequate. If Symphony is within your budget and you want a more memorable cruise, I simply can't recommend it enough. Glory is a very mediocre cruise on a mediocre ship. It's a good quality product at a low price. Symphony is on a whole different level and the difference is big.

 

Just for clarification, weren't you the one that suggested Symphony? I don't recall the OP asking about that or doing a comparison. I believe we all, including me, started suggested looking at different lines because of the food issues etc. I am not trying to steer the OP to any particular ship or line, just provide information about my experiences. My BFF took her family on RCI rather than Carnival AT MY RECOMMENDATION because it better suit her family and their needs.

 

Personally, I am not an RCI fan. My first cruise was with them and so off-putting because the food was bad, and the crew indifferent at best, that I didn't even consider cruising for a vacation again for 5+ years. I also know from my years of cruising that I prefer the more moderate size ship. I also know that I don't want to be nickeled and dimed and have to plan nightly activities with reservations for shows, all of which have been reported on RCI. And I also know that I would NEVER take an OV or an inside to be on ANY ship - for us it is balcony or nothing. But these are all our personal preferences we have learned over time.

 

Yes, is Symphony or Oasis or whatever a much grander ship? Absolutely. I can see that without ever setting foot on one. But I would not say that I have ever had a mediocre vacation on Glory or any Carnival or Princess ship for that matter - the only ship I found mediocre at best was RCI in 2000.

 

So my final advice OP, is to take a look at the bottom line costs (for example I believe alcohol is even more expensive on RCI than Carnival), the importance of the room size, and what is offered on each ship and what you realistically would want to participate in. Please do not let one or two posters make you think that a Carnival cruise isn't going to be great. Personally, given all that you have said, I suspect you would like Princess best of all if they have a sailing that fits your time frame. Ultimately, it all boils down to how much you can afford/want to pay and what you get for that money.

[poz222]

We aren't real foodies my mum is just a good cook and we love French fare simply because we ARE French. We don't expect French food and hope to sample American dishes especially bacon steak and lobster .

The Chops steakhouse is a great option for good steak onboard and they have thick cut bacon... don't waste the extra on the "dry aged upcharge" steaks. You will not be disappointed, the Oasis class ships are built to impress... they have several "neighborhoods " that you can get away from crowds... I felt less crowded on the 6000 pax Oasis class than the smaller CCL ships with less people. I think for your group you made a wise decision.

[BNBR]

Just for clarification, weren't you the one that suggested Symphony? I don't recall the OP asking about that or doing a comparison. I believe we all, including me, started suggested looking at different lines because of the food issues etc. I am not trying to steer the OP to any particular ship or line, just provide information about my experiences. My BFF took her family on RCI rather than Carnival AT MY RECOMMENDATION because it better suit her family and their needs.

 

Personally, I am not an RCI fan. My first cruise was with them and so off-putting because the food was bad, and the crew indifferent at best, that I didn't even consider cruising for a vacation again for 5+ years. I also know from my years of cruising that I prefer the more moderate size ship. I also know that I don't want to be nickeled and dimed and have to plan nightly activities with reservations for shows, all of which have been reported on RCI. And I also know that I would NEVER take an OV or an inside to be on ANY ship - for us it is balcony or nothing. But these are all our personal preferences we have learned over time.

 

Yes, is Symphony or Oasis or whatever a much grander ship? Absolutely. I can see that without ever setting foot on one. But I would not say that I have ever had a mediocre vacation on Glory or any Carnival or Princess ship for that matter - the only ship I found mediocre at best was RCI in 2000.

 

So my final advice OP, is to take a look at the bottom line costs (for example I believe alcohol is even more expensive on RCI than Carnival), the importance of the room size, and what is offered on each ship and what you realistically would want to participate in. Please do not let one or two posters make you think that a Carnival cruise isn't going to be great. Personally, given all that you have said, I suspect you would like Princess best of all if they have a sailing that fits your time frame. Ultimately, it all boils down to how much you can afford/want to pay and what you get for that money.

 

I suggested Symphony because it's going on the same day, from the same port, to a similar itinerary and it's a substantially better cruise ship. I checked other lines and Symphony seems to be the best alternate option to Glory. The OP was asking for suggestions and if Glory was the right choice, to which I provided suggestions!

 

When I say "mediocre" - I guess I could have used a different term "somewhat below average". But consider "average" for a cruise is still pretty darn good. But the OP asked for wow factor and something awesome... Glory is not that, at least when you consider there are other options that truly are spectacular and within budget.

[BNBR]

Thanks, I don't want a mediocre experience so we 'll go with RCC . I just hope embarkation and tendering won't be horrible with 6000 people

 

Get the "6,000 people" out of your head! I promise. The ship feels less crowded than the smaller ships (as you can see multiple others just said the same thing!), embarkation is a breeze, etc. They have it down to a science. I'm also almost certain Symphony does not use tenders, all ports are docked, which means no tendering nonsense to deal with. We had no issue at all getting on/off the same type of ship at ports - no lines, no crowds, no issues at all.

 

When we took our EU (Denmark) family on a cruise last year, we did Oasis. They suggested another cruise for next year and I actually wanted to maybe try NCL Escape as it's another large ship with a lot of cool stuff... they protested and basically demanded we go on another Oasis class ship! And they have been on smaller ships prior, with Oasis being their first mega ship. That's all they want to sail now. Nothing compares. So I booked Escape for just my wife and I as an additional cruise next year, lol.

[debster11]

Drunk people vomiting all over the place? Wow, I've been on 20 some cruises, mostly with Carnival, and I can honestly say I have never seen even 1 person vomiting all over the place.

[Tapi]

I just hope embarkation and tendering won't be horrible with 6000 people

 

 

Unless someone tells you that there are 6,000 passengers onboard, you will never know. The Oasis class ships were engineered from scratch to handle the crowds. Even the embarkation terminals were designed to handle these ships.

 

From the moment passengers arrive at the terminal, they are divided based on their cabin location, loyalty status and stateroom category. They check in at different areas and board at different gangways. Once onboard, the ship is divided in "neighborhoods" each with its own venues, restaurants, entertainment, etc. Because of this design, passengers are spread out very well throughout these ships which are fantastically airy and spacious. There will be times when you will find yourself walking around the ship and realize that you are all by yourself, so it's possible to have moments of peace and quiet.

 

Embarkation and disembarkation at ports of call is facilitated by the use of multiple gangways as well as electric escalators (a first in the cruise industry), which is a stark contrast to the way the crowds are handled on smaller ships where passengers are funneled through small areas with bad flow to get back on the ship.

 

Finally, when your cruise is over, you will have one of the fastest, most efficient disembarkations. Once again, passengers disembark at various points. Electronic signage throughout the ship indicate when passengers in each group can disembark, making the whole process a breeze (and much less chaotic, without the incessant loudspeakers announcements commonly found on other cruise lines). When we sailed on Allure of the Seas, we were through customs in about 10 minutes. It was fantastic.

 

For comparison purposes, Carnival Glory is not a new design, but an evolution of an older design that Carnival has gradually tweaked over the decades while increasing passenger capacity. While this has saved Carnival plenty of money which allows them to continue offering cruises at a lower price than its competitors, it has also resulted on ships with a worse space to passenger ratio, and which feel considerably more crowded even though they don't carry nearly as many passengers as the Oasis class ships.

 

Long story short, don't allow the Oasis' passenger capacity steer you clear of these floating marvels. From what I've read on Cruise Critic, the people speaking negatively about the size and the number of passengers are exactly the same people who've never personally sailed on them.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[momof3cruisers]

I suggested Symphony because it's going on the same day, from the same port, to a similar itinerary and it's a substantially better cruise ship. I checked other lines and Symphony seems to be the best alternate option to Glory. The OP was asking for suggestions and if Glory was the right choice, to which I provided suggestions!

 

When I say "mediocre" - I guess I could have used a different term "somewhat below average". But consider "average" for a cruise is still pretty darn good. But the OP asked for wow factor and something awesome... Glory is not that, at least when you consider there are other options that truly are spectacular and within budget.

Better is in the eyes of the beholder. I went on Allure and then four months later on Freedom which is a sister ship to Glory. Give me the Freedom or Glory ANY day over the Allure. Too big, too crowded, not nearly the friendly staff we got on Carnival and food in the MDR ranged from bad to boring. And that whole 6000 people IS a concern as is having to book shows and dining times several weeks before you even embark. No thank you!

[Bosrox]

Better is in the eyes of the beholder. I went on Allure and then four months later on Freedom which is a sister ship to Glory. Give me the Freedom or Glory ANY day over the Allure. Too big, too crowded, not nearly the friendly staff we got on Carnival and food in the MDR ranged from bad to boring. And that whole 6000 people IS a concern as is having to book shows and dining times several weeks before you even embark. No thank you!

 

Me too.

[Tapi]

And that whole 6000 people IS a concern as is having to book shows and dining times several weeks before you even embark. No thank you!

 

 

 

I will admit that I was annoyed when I learned that the Oasis ships required advance reservations for shows. We booked our cruise just a few weeks prior to sailing which meant that, by that time, the best showtimes would probably be full. However, after getting myself familiarized with how this reservation system works, I thought that this was one of the best ideas that anyone has ever come up with in cruising.

 

First, I knew beforehand that I had a reserved spot at the theater. No need to show up super early to ensure getting a seat or risk not getting in at all or have to stand along the wall in the back of the room as I have experienced many times before.

 

Second, this system is another one of the very well thought out ideas that Royal came up with to spread out the crowds. As you may know, at any given time, there are several shows and performances happening simultaneously on these Oasis ships . One may be a full Broadway show at the main theater, while another one will be a water show at the Aqua Theater, and another one will be an ice show at the Studio B Ice skating rink, etc. The reservations system makes sure that not all 6,000 passengers are rushing to one venue because it dictates who goes where, and effectively and smartly spreads people.

 

In contrast, ships like Carnival Glory will have only one theater performance at the main theater (and that's assuming that the main stage entertainment for the night is not a game with passenger participation as it is now customary several times during the week on Carnival). So yes, passengers on Carnival don't have to make a reservation for the show, but their entertainment choices will be more limited which will force more people to one venue. But considering the quality of Carnival's playlist productions, I guess not as many passengers are rushing to the theater to watch a show anyway.

 

As mentioned above, before learning the system, I was annoyed about it. And I was less than happy when I learned that many showtimes were already full since we booked our cruise so close to the sailing date. But once we got on the ship, I realized that each show is performed several times during the week, many times during the day, and that several showtimes became available once onboard. Using the easy interactive TV system in our stateroom, I changed some of the times that I had preselected to more desirable ones in minutes. Same thing with specialty restaurant reservations. After learning how it all worked and making it work to my advantage, I loved it.

 

Finally, for those passengers who prefer the more traditional approach of just showing up at the theatre, that's still allowed on the Oasis ship. There will be a line for standby guests who wish to watch a show without reservations. Seats will open up a few minutes prior to the show once no shows are confirmed. In the most part, I never saw standby people being turned away. Maybe having to wait as a standby passenger is a mild annoyance, but in my opinion, the entire reservation system is leaps and bounds better than the system used in smaller ships.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[BNBR]

Better is in the eyes of the beholder. I went on Allure and then four months later on Freedom which is a sister ship to Glory. Give me the Freedom or Glory ANY day over the Allure. Too big, too crowded, not nearly the friendly staff we got on Carnival and food in the MDR ranged from bad to boring. And that whole 6000 people IS a concern as is having to book shows and dining times several weeks before you even embark. No thank you!

 

I see your point... it was such a pleasure on Glory getting to wait in a long line stretching down the promenade for an hour if you wanted to see the comedy show.... That's my kind of cruise!

 

 

Your remarks about needing reservations is very misleading. Reservations are not required. They are like a fast pass. Do you hate fast pass at Disney? You prefer the long lines? You know you want to see a show, right? So just book that reservation. If you end up not using it, who cares? There is no charge or anything. We went to several shows without reservations and waited standby 20 minutes before the show and got perfectly good seats - it's still an option and reservations are not at all required to see shows. If you want priority access, you simply book a reservation and walk right in and get the best seats. That's somehow a big negative to you? Come on now.... If you like waiting in lines like Carnival, you could certainly get the same experience - I prefer to skip the lines, but that's my preference.

 

I thought the MDR food was almost identical between Glory and Oasis. We did find the service staff on Glory noticeably better overall, but it wasn't "bad" service on Oasis, just not as good - and perfectly adequate - not something I would put much thought into either way. And service can change cruise to cruise, month to month, so I try not to get in the service debates because it changes so rapidly.

 

It's kind of silly to even compare a ship like Glory with a ship like Symphony/Oasis. You are in the minority who would prefer Glory. It's a tired old ship and shows it's age, ugly decor, and very little amenities. I had a fine cruise on Glory, the standards are still high enough that it's a decent ship at a very low price, but in comparison to something like Symphony... it's just not even close.

[momof3cruisers]

I see your point... it was such a pleasure on Glory getting to wait in a long line stretching down the promenade for an hour if you wanted to see the comedy show.... That's my kind of cruise!

 

 

Your remarks about needing reservations is very misleading. Reservations are not required. They are like a fast pass. Do you hate fast pass at Disney? You prefer the long lines? You know you want to see a show, right? So just book that reservation. If you end up not using it, who cares? There is no charge or anything. We went to several shows without reservations and waited standby 20 minutes before the show and got perfectly good seats - it's still an option and reservations are not at all required to see shows. If you want priority access, you simply book a reservation and walk right in and get the best seats. That's somehow a big negative to you? Come on now.... If you like waiting in lines like Carnival, you could certainly get the same experience - I prefer to skip the lines, but that's my preference.

 

I thought the MDR food was almost identical between Glory and Oasis. We did find the service staff on Glory noticeably better overall, but it wasn't "bad" service on Oasis, just not as good - and perfectly adequate - not something I would put much thought into either way. And service can change cruise to cruise, month to month, so I try not to get in the service debates because it changes so rapidly.

 

It's kind of silly to even compare a ship like Glory with a ship like Symphony/Oasis. You are in the minority who would prefer Glory. It's a tired old ship and shows it's age, ugly decor, and very little amenities. I had a fine cruise on Glory, the standards are still high enough that it's a decent ship at a very low price, but in comparison to something like Symphony... it's just not even close.

So, you do realize that my having a different opinion isn't a personal attack on you, right? I may be in the minority, but I do know several posters on this board who agree with me. However, minorities or not, we are still here and none of us have any way of knowing what exactly another cruiser will like best. Preferences are not absolutes and I am allowed to share my opinions with the OP just as you are.

 

You may not have had bad service or bad food on Royal. We did. We had several issues come up like them telling me (several times) that my autistic child had no options for an alternative muster or the award for the 16 and over competition being a bottle of wine, (which my daughter won and being a good kid, gave it to her grandma)' a waiter reprimanding my 11 yo because he wanted to order from the children's menu etc, that made it clear to US that Carnival was a better fit for OUR family.

 

And since the OP asked about the Glory, it's definitely not silly.

[stev5138]

Its a FUNSHIP bad habits and debauchery abound....Those crazy Americans.

[Tapi]

You may not have had bad service or bad food on Royal. We did. We had several issues come up like them telling me (several times) that my autistic child had no options for an alternative muster.

 

 

That's shameful to read since Royal "proudly" advertises their partnership with Autism on the Seas and was the first cruise line to offer a program of this kind. Royal has also won AotS' Partner of the Year award. I'm so sorry to read your experience.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Jamericannn]

My last cruise was on the Glory in April and I really enjoyed it. That is why I have another cruises booked on a conquest class ship for next year. This ship caters for adults and children. You will have lots of fun. As Nike slogan goes "Just Do It"

[jcas5599]

I am taking my best friend on Glory on 9/16 .. .I have never been on Carnival and she has never cruised ever.... I usually do Royal or Norwegian..... We are 43 & 46 y.o, and I am hoping she loves it!!!!!!! Any words of advice or gems of knowledge that previous Glory cruisers would like to pass on???

I have been on the large ships and the small ships, and I find that sometimes the smaller ships are better.. One ship was designed for a more snobby clientele.... Who needs a rolls Royce on a cruise ship? Seriously? Are you going to drive into the ocean?