Comparing cruise lines

[Sbjefm]

Ok so obviously this is being posted on the Carnival Cruise lines specific topic board but I'm curious as to how die hard Carnival fans compare this cruise line to others they may have sailed on. I'm not a stuffy, upscale type of person and that's why Carnival appealed to me. I'm a cruise newbie (1 down and another booked) but I did book with Carnival again because I enjoyed what they had to offer.

 

 

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[Nic6318]

Ok so obviously this is being posted on the Carnival Cruise lines specific topic board but I'm curious as to how die hard Carnival fans compare this cruise line to others they may have sailed on. I'm not a stuffy, upscale type of person and that's why Carnival appealed to me. I'm a cruise newbie (1 down and another booked) but I did book with Carnival again because I enjoyed what they had to offer.

 

 

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Hi

 

You booked another Carnival cruise because you enjoyed the first, that's great. So next time, if you find a cruise offered by another company that fits your needs...itinerary, price and timing, go for it. You won't find out if you will like them by asking me, no matter what I say. :) Unless you opt for one of the premium cruise line, they are more alike than not. Spend some time reading the threads dedicated to each cruise line, you will get a sense of what other passengers like and dislike on each. For sure, don't stick with Carnival just because that all you have tried.

 

happy cruising

[HawksFan74]

Our last cruise was on Princess after our first 2 being on Carnival. We are returning to Carnival for our next cruise, not because we didn't like Princess, but because we didn't didn't see it as being that much better to justify the extra $$$.

 

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[famof4togo]

I cruise Royal Caribbean last year and will cruise Carnival this year....there are differences but overall a similar experience. and its give and take...while I may like comedians better on Carnival vs RC...I will at the same time like the desserts better on Carnival vs RC etc....I think if you are a person who doesn't knit pick down to the table cloths or something equally trivial and you are a go with the flow / have a good time type of person...it makes little difference...and you should try different lines based on itineraries that work for you etc...

[GeekSquad4]

DH, and I are going on our fifth cruise in about a week. All of our previous cruises have been on Carnival ships, and this time we chose RCI for the price. We are excited to compare and see what we like more about each! We're not picky, either. Very laid back. I'll be sure to report back to you after our cruise!

[CruisinWithDLS]

I've cruised mostly Carnival with a RC thrown in. I was satisfied with both and had great vacations each time. Depends on your individual likes/dislikes I suppose. I booked the RC b/c I came across a steal of a deal. Going forward, with same itinerary, if both were the same price I would choose Carnival. However, I would definitely sail RC again if I got another great deal. Both are great experiences.

[Tapi]

I was loyal to Carnival for almost 10 years and sailed on them exclusively until I became Platinum, before I decided to try other cruise lines. Even though I still consider Carnival to be a great cruise line which I’ve enjoyed tremendously, I haven’t been back on them since I made that decision.

 

The reason why I haven’t been back doesn’t necessarily have to do with Carnival, but with my personal preferences which have evolved over the years. When I used to sail exclusively on Carnival, I did so because they provided the fun, casual, relaxed, unpretentious, and budget minded experience that I was looking for at that time in my life.

 

But at some point in time, I started craving something different. Maybe more professional entertainment, different activities, better cuisine, a bit more upscale experience, different destinations, etc. Once I started trying out other cruise lines, I realized that I also craved trying out as many cruise lines as possible. I’ve learned that each one provides something different which makes them unique from the others. There’s not a single cruise line out there which excels at everything. Each cruise line has its own strengths and weaknesses.

 

So to answer your question, how do I compare Carnival to other cruise lines, I think that Carnival is a great option for those looking a casual, unpretentious and budget minded cruise experience. It’s convenient, at least for people like me who live close to several of Carnival’s homeports.

 

Carnival is NOT for cruisers who seek a more upscale and refined experience (including cuisine and entertainment), or for those who may have an appreciation for the small details and finer things, or for those who wish to explore new and far away destinations. or for those who don’t mind digging a bit deeper in their pockets for that type of experience.

 

For them, there are plenty of other cruise lines besides Carnival and it’s wonderful to have so many options.

 

 

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[Sbjefm]

For us right now we are a family of 8. We have 6 children so even cruising on a budget means reaching fairly deep into our pockets. Plus we are Canadian so you also have to add that pesky 30% exchange onto the price. I'm sure once my kids are older I would like to explore different lines and see what they offer as well.

 

 

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[attran99]

It is a personal choice. I've rather liked my experiences on Carnival. However, my cousin loves RCI and all the fancy amenities they offer on board (lots of pools, better shows, ice skating, etc.). To each, his or her own. I'm still turned off by the fact that RCI wanted double what Carnival was charging for a Southern Caribbean route that had 1 less port. But then, I think I cruise for the ports rather than for the ship. I was pretty happy on a Carnival ship that didn't have the fancy stuff that Royal does...also I was so tired from exploring that there wasn't much time to explore the ship all that much.

[gambit57]

I think Norwegian might be another line to try that would fit your style. I think Tapi had a good explanation.

 

As for price, all the regular cruise lines run promotions so often, Carnival isn't always the cheapest. My parents are Elite on Princess because they find these crazy low fares all the time. But they don't mind dressing up.

[tallnthensome]

I sail with my wife and two young daughters. Sailed Royal in 2015, Sailed NCL in 2016, Carnival in 2017, MSC this April, NCL 2019, Carnival 2020. As you can see variety is the way we go and are loyal to none. We've done Holland and Princess as well. Carnival would not be my first choice especially if i didn't have kids. Carnival's MDR food and buffet were the worst we've ever had on any cruise last year. However, the Vista had the most fun activities. To me NCL offers the best overall bang for the buck with their free at sea promotions . I think Royal offers the least for the money they ask. You'll never get a drink or specialty restaurant package thrown in from Carnival or Royal. Anyone who has only sailed with Carnival and only plans to continue to do so is missing out and makes me shake my head. There is fun and food to be had on all lines. I think the clientele on Carnival is the trashiest by far and I have no problem saying that after my Vista 2017 sailing and even with my Horizon booking last week. Stuffiness begins when you start to sail Celebrity, Holland, and Princess and up from there. Try other lines .......... There's nothing to be afraid of.

[Tapi]

For us right now we are a family of 8. We have 6 children so even cruising on a budget means reaching fairly deep into our pockets.

 

 

 

And I thought that budgeting for a family of 4 was tough! Bless your heart!

 

There’s one cruise line that we tried which may be worth your while with a large family: MSC. We sailed on them in 2016, partly because they offered various promotions which made our cruise very inexpensive. First of all, our children sailed for free (they just had to pay taxes). Second, we took advantage of a 2 for 1 promotion so only one adult in the stateroom paid full fare. Finally, they will match your loyalty status with any other cruise line you’ve sailed on. For us, that meant an additional 5% off in addition to all the other promotions that we’d already taken advantage of. By the time it was all said and done, we literally paid a fraction of what a similar cruise would’ve cost on any other cruise line, including Carnival. And because they had matched our loyalty status, that also meant that we got vouchers for free drinks, free photos, spa passes as well as logo items. We are sailing on MSC again in 2018 in big part because we are taking advantage of a kids sail free promotion again.

 

Keep an eye on their promotions. It may be worth your while and may allow your family to enjoy a cruise vacation for considerably less.

 

 

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[riclop]

Ok so obviously this is being posted on the Carnival Cruise lines specific topic board but I'm curious as to how die hard Carnival fans compare this cruise line to others they may have sailed on. I'm not a stuffy, upscale type of person and that's why Carnival appealed to me. I'm a cruise newbie (1 down and another booked) but I did book with Carnival again because I enjoyed what they had to offer.

 

 

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It's good to try several lines to see which one you prefer, they all have there + & -.

[Lady_Jag]

I’m Platinum with Carnival and have tried Royal Caribbean and Disney. I like Carnival and am booked on the Elation this spring, but after 2 Royal Caribbean cruises, I think I like RCI slightly better. They all have pros and cons, so here’s my take:

 

- Carnival has better food than RCI, or at least they did when I sailed a couple years ago. I haven’t tried the new menus yet, and I’m disappointed that the Steak and Brie sandwich went away from room service. Still, the chocolate cake from room service is the bomb!

- Carnival is the only ship that sails from my hometown, so if I want a quick and easy departure that doesn’t require a flight, long drive, or overnight stay, I have to go with CCL.

- Back on food, there’s something magical about having access to soft serve ice cream 24x7.

- We like comedy shows onboard CCL ships.

- The cabins seem slightly larger than other lines.

- The price of a Carnival cruise is often the cheapest. However, RCI does specials that rival CCL prices. (2nd person 1/2 price and 3rd person free.)

 

- RCI does great specials (see above), making their prices pretty reasonable for my family of 3.

- Royal Caribbean’s entertainment venues are outstanding! Parades through the promenade, ice skating, rollerblading, indoor theater, ice skating shows, etc. And at Christmas, there was Christmas caroling on Christmas Eve, followed by Midnight Mass in the main theater. Then Christmas morning, Santa paraded down the promenade to the ice skating rink, where it was snowing! He then met with each child and gave them each an age-appropriate gift. (My 8 year old git headphones.)

- RCI brings a priest onboard for Christmas and Easter services.

- RCI cabin layouts use the space efficiently, so that there is a clear division between the bed and “living” space.

- RCI goes to Key West more frequently, it seems. My last cruise, CCL and RCI were the same price, leaving from the same place on the same day, and had the same number of cruise days. However, RCI went to Key West and Cozumel, whereas CCL went to Cozumel and Costa Maya.

- RCI has Coke Freestyle machines. Unfortunately, this also means carrying a for-fee large plastic cup around with you, then hunting down the 2-3 machines on the ship each time you want a soda. Still, I’ll take fountain sodas with over 100 flavor choices over flat canned soda with limited flavors any day.

 

- Disney does a wonderful job catering to kids. The deck with the kids club even has lower ceilings so that the kids aren’t overwhelmed. They also have tracker bracelets on the kids so they can locate your child in seconds.

The downside is that Disney neglects the adults when it comes to nightlife. By 8PM or so, the ship is like a ghost town. The adult clubs are open, but no one is there.

- Fireworks at sea. Nuff said!

- Fountain Sodas are included in the price of your cruise. They even have soda fountains on their private island. Just grab a cup and fill ‘er up.

- The cabins are very nicely designed. Again, there’s a clear division between sleep and living areas. The upper bunk even has a nice Peter Pan/neverland starry sky painted on the ceiling above it.

- The themed restaurants are really nice and you get a new dining room and new adventure each night.

- The characters onboard are a lot of fun. We got into a glass elevator with Stitch, and his “handler” said, “hey kids! Who wants to help Stitch bang on the glass all the way up?”

- The indoor movie theater with first run movies (some 3d) is wonderful, as are the shows in the main theater.

- It’s Disney, which means they pay attention to the smallest details. Unfortunately, that means Disney prices, which are usually 3x what we pay on other lines.

- You can get Mickey ice cream bars 24x7. Just ask room service.

 

 

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Edited January 26, 2018 by Lady_Jag

[Tapi]

- Disney does a wonderful job catering to kids. The deck with the kids club even has lower ceilings so that the kids aren’t overwhelmed..

 

- The cabins are very nicely designed.

 

- The themed restaurants are really nice and you get a new dining room and new adventure each night.

 

- It’s Disney, which means they pay attention to the smallest details. Unfortunately, that means Disney prices, which are usually 3x...

 

 

Our last cruise was on the Disney Fantasy. While we had a memorable cruise, and they do offer a product that is truly unrivaled in the cruise industry, interestingly we had a slightly different take on some of the highlights that you mentioned:

 

- Kids Club: My kids loved the activities, but didn’t like the claustrophobic and confined feel of the kids club. The lack of windows and of natural sunlight probably contributed to this. They also hated the food that was served there (they said that they kept giving them stale cheese sandwiches). I asked them which kids club they liked more and they said MSC, which is ironic since their kids facilities pale in comparison to Disney’s.

 

- Cabin: Yes, you get more square footage and the split bathroom is great for families, but we felt that the layout was disjointed and inefficient. Having the bed closer to the entrance to the room, closets and bathrooms disrupted the layout and made that area feel crowded. The big storage cube that doubled as a coffee table was clever but it occupied even more space. It made that area feel crowded too.

 

- Restaurants: The rotating restaurant concept is clever, and it breaks the monotony of eating at the same restaurant every night, but it comes with a price. There’s no Anytime Dining. You’re forced into a fixed time whether you like it or not, and for people like us that despise fixed dining, this was less than ideal. To make things less ideal, the only time available when we booked (over a year and a half out) was second seating at 8:30pm. And we had zero luck changing it. That meant that our kids (that normally have dinner at 5:00pm back home) finished dinner almost every night with their face planted on the table asleep or with one or both of them not in the best mood. We powered through it, but it dampened our enjoyment of dinner every night.

 

Overall, even with these observations, we enjoyed our cruise tremendously and agree that Disney offers a wonderful product. But they are not as perfect as Disney fans make it sound. And while we do agree that the Disney product does command a premium price, I believe that what they charge is out of line with what they deliver. For us, this cruise was 5 times more expensive than our previous 7 night Caribbean cruise on MSC). But I’m sure that most of the die hard Disney fans onboard would disagree with me and gladly pay whatever Disney charges.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Edited January 26, 2018 by Tapi

[Drazil65]

The best and really the only way (as ALL of this is very subjective) is to book on another line and try it for yourself. You will get some tips or things to look out for here but for the most part it will be meaningless unless you have experienced for yourself.

 

Different things are important to different people and there are also many that just like to complain (meaning not just cruises, these are the people that complain in every day life as well) and you will not get anything meanful from them.

 

Only you and your family know what you like (what is important) when you are on vacation, try another line and create a comparsion chart. We have been cruising for over 15 years, have been on several cruiselines and have narrowed it down to mostly 2 cruise lines, CCL being our preferred line (for many reasons) for the time being. Think of all the fun you will have trying a couple of other lines! Have fun!!!

[jimbo5544]

Our last cruise was on the Disney Fantasy. While we had a memorable cruise, and they do offer a product that is truly unrivaled in the cruise industry, interestingly we had a slightly different take on some of the highlights that you mentioned:

 

- Kids Club: My kids loved the activities, but didn’t like the claustrophobic and confined feel of the kids club. The lack of windows and of natural sunlight probably contributed to this. They also hated the food that was served there (they said that they kept giving them stale cheese sandwiches). I asked them which kids club they liked more and they said MSC, which is ironic since their kids facilities pale in comparison to Disney’s.

 

- Cabin: Yes, you get more square footage and the split bathroom is great for families, but we felt that the layout was disjointed and inefficient. Having the bed closer to the entrance to the room, closets and bathrooms disrupted the layout and made that area feel crowded. The big storage cube that doubled as a coffee table was clever but it occupied even more space. It made that area feel crowded too.

 

- Restaurants: The rotating restaurant concept is clever, and it breaks the monotony of eating at the same restaurant every night, but it comes with a price. There’s no Anytime Dining. You’re forced into a fixed time whether you like it or not, and for people like us that despise fixed dining, this was less than ideal. To make things less ideal, the only time available when we booked (over a year and a half out) was second seating at 8:30pm. And we had zero luck changing it. That meant that our kids (that normally have dinner at 5:00pm back home) finished dinner almost every night with their face planted on the table asleep or with one or both of them not in the best mood. We powered through it, but it dampened our enjoyment of dinner every night.

 

Overall, even with these observations, we enjoyed our cruise tremendously and agree that Disney offers a wonderful product. But they are not as perfect as Disney fans make it sound. And while we do agree that the Disney product does command a premium price, I believe that what they charge is out of line with what they deliver. For us, this cruise was 5 times more expensive than our previous 7 night Caribbean cruise on MSC). But I’m sure that most of the die hard Disney fans onboard would disagree with me and gladly pay whatever Disney charges.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Nice review of the product.

 

 

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[Tapi]

Nice review of the product.

 

 

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Gracias Jimbo [emoji3]

 

 

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[beachbum53]

Hi

 

You booked another Carnival cruise because you enjoyed the first, that's great. So next time, if you find a cruise offered by another company that fits your needs...itinerary, price and timing, go for it. You won't find out if you will like them by asking me, no matter what I say. :) Unless you opt for one of the premium cruise line, they are more alike than not. Spend some time reading the threads dedicated to each cruise line, you will get a sense of what other passengers like and dislike on each. For sure, don't stick with Carnival just because that all you have tried.

 

happy cruising

 

I agree with this. If you're curious about trying a different cruise line, but aren't sure, go ahead and give it a try. We are all different when it comes to what makes us happy and what makes us unhappy on a cruise. When you book a cruise, regardless of which cruise line and which ship, keep your expectations at a reasonable level. We've been on both RCCL and Carnival and like them both. We've been on more Carnival cruises primarily because they best suit our wants when it comes to itineraries, sail dates and prices. There are certain ships that I would sail on again, and certain ones I would not. But just because I would not repeat a cruise on a particular ship would not stop me from cruising on a different one in the same fleet.

[kingston13]

I think the clientele on Carnival is the trashiest by far and I have no problem saying that after my Vista 2017 sailing and even with my Horizon booking last week. Stuffiness begins when you start to sail Celebrity, Holland, and Princess and up from there. Try other lines .......... There's nothing to be afraid of.

 

 

I usually don't comment on this type of statement but I guess I have seen it a thousand times and am finding it a bit offensive. I have been on all lines and I don't see that. Yes of course there are some but don't like these blanket statements. I am not a big drinker and certainly not trashy and the majority of people I have met on my cruises on Carnival are not either.

[hockeyguru32]

I've sailed NCL MSC and CCL my favourite is CCL followed closely by MSC then NCL. For me CCL gives a better bang for your buck since I am not a huge drinker I don't care for the drink packages. However saying that MSC has an 18 book of tickets you can use for $89.00 and that can be used for any drinks including pop, water, coffee, shakes and alcohol. NCL staff was amazing as well as the other ships but I didn't like all the specialty dining spots and having to book what you want to do and where you want to eat. I'm on vacation I want to do what I want to do without having to book the space. If you offer me a show or a comedy club and tell me what times they are I will attend but I do not want to book it to say I am going and that goes for restaurants. I'm a firm believer in the early bird gets the worm and first come first served.

[Tapi]

I have seen it a thousand times and am finding it a bit offensive....

 

Yes of course there are some but don't like these blanket statements. I am....certainly not trashy and the majority of people I have met on my cruises on Carnival are not either.

 

I wouldn’t take any offense. A blank statement or stereotype about a specific cruise line shouldn’t define who you are. Each cruise line has its own stereotype yet it doesn’t mean that every cruiser who chooses to sail on them falls in that stereotype. I proudly sailed on Carnival exclusively for many years yet I hardly met any of the stereotypes that Carnival is known for. I also don’t really meet the stereotype that other cruise lines that I’ve recently sailed on have.

 

With that said, I do find that Carnival is a product designed to attract people from all walks of life, and it’s a great choice for first time cruisers, for those seeking a fun, casual and unpretentious atmosphere, for those who prefer to vacation without being judged about what they wear, look like, or behave, and for those who may be more budget conscious. That translates into a more diverse crowd which may be great for some, but which may not be for those who prefer a more homogenous group of fellow cruisers who are like them.

 

Because of the diversity that Carnival attracts and the broad demographic that they target, undoubtedly there will be a proportionately larger number of passengers who may not be as traveled or polished as some fellow passengers may like, and who will exhibit different behavior, manners, and dress preferences, But if that diversity is something that someone objects to, then that person should seek a different cruise line which targets a smaller, more specific sliver of the population that more closely matches the type of fellow passenger that they’d like to vacation amongst. Carnival is not the cruise line for them.

Edited January 26, 2018 by Tapi

[evandbob]

And I thought that budgeting for a family of 4 was tough! Bless your heart!

 

There’s one cruise line that we tried which may be worth your while with a large family: MSC. We sailed on them in 2016, partly because they offered various promotions which made our cruise very inexpensive. First of all, our children sailed for free (they just had to pay taxes). Second, we took advantage of a 2 for 1 promotion so only one adult in the stateroom paid full fare. Finally, they will match your loyalty status with any other cruise line you’ve sailed on. For us, that meant an additional 5% off in addition to all the other promotions that we’d already taken advantage of. By the time it was all said and done, we literally paid a fraction of what a similar cruise would’ve cost on any other cruise line, including Carnival. And because they had matched our loyalty status, that also meant that we got vouchers for free drinks, free photos, spa passes as well as logo items. We are sailing on MSC again in 2018 in big part because we are taking advantage of a kids sail free promotion again.

 

 

 

Keep an eye on their promotions. It may be worth your while and may allow your family to enjoy a cruise vacation for considerably less.

 

 

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We're sailing balconies on the new MSC Seaside as well as the new Carnival Horizon this year, and I can tell you that the MSC cruise is way less than Carnival's. Getting MSC's top loyalty level on my 1st cruise with them is a big plus as well (Carnival's Diamond equates to MSC's Black top tier). I can also tell you that I have sailed solo from San Juan on the Celebrity Summit for less than the Carnival Fascination.

 

If price is a big concern for families, some of the other lines like MSC and NCL promote kids free packages, or at least the first two kids free.

 

And drinkers who buy Cheers on Carnival may be able to save when other lines offer free drink packages. It pays to shop around!

 

I also found other lines different from Carnival in entertainment, specialty restaurants, frequency of CD announcements, muster drill protocols, and certainly decor and cabin size. Some of the differences were in Carnival's favor, others were not. I did enjoy the experience of other cruise cultures, I mean when I could predict what the Carnival CD was going to announce word for word, it was time to move on. I found I didn't know what I was missing until I tried a new line.

[AmBear]

We would suggest you take a cruise with all the lines in the beginning to see which one 'you like'. But remember as you age, your tastes and desires change.

Once you find your favorite, concentrate your cruising on that line to build up your loyalty club benefits.

Unfortunately your tastes will change, and currently the cruise lines don't allow you to transfer your loyalty status to a sister company(carnival to princess, royal car. to celebrity) but MSC is currently doing a match to their club what level you are in your current club, such as rcl diamond/diamond plus=their top level black, carnival diamond=black.

Our feelings are,,,,

Carnival has better food in the MDR and buffet, RCL has a better assortment of pay extra food choices. Carnivals entertainment is better when compared to the smaller, non Broadway shows that are on some of the larger RCL ships which are really great! Carnival is more about ports, while RCL is trending more to the ship experience with those floating shopping centers! Carnival is more relaxed, less about the rules, if that bothers you, stay away. On Carnival, you'll see more chair hogs, more kids running around in the summer, baseball hats worn on elegant night in the MDR, shorts and t-shirts in the MDR, but you'll also see more people having fun on Carnival too.

Also Carnival on average is a lot less expensive!!

Our opinion, is by the time you want something fancier, and can afford it, you'll likely choose Princess or Celebrity over RCL if you choose Carnival.

[pacruise804]

It's good to try several lines to see which one you prefer, they all have there + & -.

 

I agree with this. We have cruised Carnival, Royal, NCL, and Princess - and are returning to Carnival next month. There were aspects to each cruise that we loved and things about each that were less than pleasant. For the most part, the cruise is what you make of it and what appeals to me might not appeal to you.

 

I probably wasn't much help, but good luck with your decision.:)