Help! Considering a Carnival cruise for the first time

[voyager89]

Hello,

 

Not new to CC but to the Carnival boards. Started cruising in 2013 and have just done 6 cruises (3 RC, 2 NCL, 1 MSC) and still trying to find our go to cruise line.

 

Was just on board last week on the MSC Seaside and while it was a very enjoyable cruise sometimes it felt very boring. A Puertorican family on board recommended Carnival (Just not their ship in PR as it is very old they say) as they are lively and fun. Trying to find some help and tips from experienced cruisers. I would go with the Vista as it´s the newest ship but not closed to other options.

 

Also, on their website they advertise several included venues like Blue Iguana which if I´m not mistaken is a bar, is it really free I mean are drinks included at that venue?

 

Thanks in advance for any info you can provide :)

[asalligo]

I agree with the family you spoke to, Carnival is full of activities every day.

 

Blue Iguana is a bar and is not free, but also a Mexican counter service restaurant that is free.

 

For our first cruise without the kids, I was going to try Celebrity and started my research. I research each cruise like a maniac. Well when watching the videos on the ship I had decided on taking on Youtube, I started noticing that most everyone was just sitting around reading. These are videos cruisers have posted, so I watch more and the theme appears to be consistent. Then I start checking schedules that people have posted online and my conclusion was that we would be bored to death. I even thought I wanted a more reserved cruise, but not that reserved. Carnival fulfills its motto, they are the Fun ship

[klfrodo]

My opinion only.

Have done 11 Carnival cruises and 3 Royal Caribbean.

For the most part, I consider these cruiselines to be more alike than different.

I will say that Carnival just has a more FUN environment.

The sail away party for example is more lively and energetic than any other cruiseline I've been on.

 

To your question about the Blue Iguana. This is a dining venue on the lido deck for breakfast and lunch. Burritto's mostly.

Vista or Magic would be my recommendations. The older ships interiors were designed by Vargas (sp?) and are a little loud and flamboyant

[ParrotRob]

Drinks aren't included in any venue. There is a package you can buy for between 52-57 dollars per person per day which provides up to 15 drinks a day, but no, drinks are not included with anything, otherwise. Not even soda is "free".

[Mutumbojimbo]

There is a BlueIguana Tequila Bar, where you can buy drinks, but there is also BlueIguana cantina, which is a complimentary quick service restaurant. It’s similar to Chipotle. We enjoy the breakfast burritos.

 

 

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[famof4togo]

I would say that Carnival is more "fun" then other lines...but of course that depends on your definition of fun...we like silly things like "harry chest contests" and enjoy dancing and parting late into the evening, so it works for us....but you won't know until you try it for yourself...

[aliblueyes]

I love Carnival! I’ve only cruised Carnival and it is definitely a fun ship! There is so many activities to do hourly and they give you a schedule the night before for daily activities.

 

Alcoholic drinks are not included on the ship, those are extra. Carnival has a main buffet for lunch, and then specialty “fast food” places like Blue Iguana Cantina and Guys Burgers. Those are places for breakfast and lunch. That food is included in your fare. They also have a Blue Iguana bar, but those drinks cost extra. They have speciality bars around the ship with drinks unique to that bar.

 

 

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[Tre_220]

Hello,

 

We have done several cruises with Carnival. We have tried other lines as well. Carnival tends to be a good mixture when it comes to its passengers. In my opinion Carnival tends to draw a lot of younger people because it tends to be a bit more affordable. However, you still have the more mature crowd as well because lets face it all ages want to be able to have fun and enjoy a nice vacation.

THIS IS JUST MY OPINION - I did not like Vista. I prefer the newer ships so I was so excited to give this one a try. The ship just did not have the WOW factor that most of the other ships have. The venues are small so it is hard to get in to see the shows (dance productions and comedy club). Even though I did not like the ship, I still had a wonderful vacation. There was a recent thread all about views and opinions on Vista so you might find that thread interesting. Regardless of which ship you decide to sail on, I would say give Carnival a try, if you don't like it at least you will know it is not the line for you.

Blue Iguana does not offer free drinks.

[ricew001]

We sailed on the Carnival Victory out of San Juan, which has been recently upgraded. Take a look at the ship's on the Carnival website for facts instead of hear say from locals. We sailed on Carnival for the 3rd time in August and are getting ready to book our next Carnival cruise. We love music and spend time in the piano bar and karaoke lounge. Plus there are bands and DJs/dance clubs all across the ship. There are games and shows. Lots of stuff to do. We sailed on Princess for our first cruise, but it was to Alaska so not a lot of time on board but it was a different vibe than Carnival.

[Julienatul]

I have sailed Carnival, NCL, Disney and Royal Caribbean. Carnival is probably the most fun out of all of them. They are just more upbeat, energetic and all about the fun. They have the Hasbro game show, sail away dance parties, singing and dancing in the dining room each night. My kids prefer Carnival's kids program over all the other ships. I prefer Carnival's food over all ships- Guy's burgers, Guys bbq, Blue iguana mexican cantina, warm chocolate melting cake. The staterooms are larger than most other ships also. Their production shows are worse. Royal, Disney and NCL have bettter shows. They do have a great variety of live music though. Piano sounds before dinner, Jazz music in the lobby, Guitar guy on the lido deck out by the pool, rock band playing in a lounge.

[CJHAN]

You jave already tried the othe might as well give carnival a shot. Its our go to but only because we haven't sailed any other lines and for good reason i think. We have enjoyed every second of every carnival cruise and untill the time comes that we dont it will stay our go to line.

 

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[teknoge3k]

Like others have said, Carnival is the "fun" ships. We prefer Carnival because we like more fun since we're younger. The laid back cruising with older folks isn't for us. We want to have fun and be in a lively atmosphere when we're cruising.

 

BTW the Vista isn't the newest ship, the Horizon is. They're sister ships. Vista prices have come down slightly. I would look at a Dream Class ship if you're looking at Carnival cruises. jmho

[Tre_220]

Like others have said, Carnival is the "fun" ships. We prefer Carnival because we like more fun since we're younger. The laid back cruising with older folks isn't for us. We want to have fun and be in a lively atmosphere when we're cruising.

 

BTW the Vista isn't the newest ship, the Horizon is. They're sister ships. Vista prices have come down slightly. I would look at a Dream Class ship if you're looking at Carnival cruises. jmho

 

I agree with you - the Dream Class Ships are my favorite!

[timc.jb]

I consider Carnival more family friendly with kids, more loud. Royal is for the older crowd and a little more quiet. All depends on what you are seeking.

[voyager89]

Wow, thanks a lot for all your comments. Will definitely take them in consideration.

 

One thing I know is no matter what ship, will ensure to do an itinerary that includes Grand Turk and Half Moon Cay for sure :)

[Cruisin 4 Ever]

I've been on around 7 or 6 Carnival ships, 10 cruises. I find all the ships fantastic and never understand what people are talking about when I see the reviews saying otherwise.

Anyway, I love Carnival. I like the VIFP program, I love the food and it's really just a lot of fun being on Carnival ships. You are absolutely right to want to try Turks and Caicos and Half Moon Cay. Be sure to go away from the cruise part at Grand Turk. It's a gorgeous Island and easy to sightsee on. For Half Moon Cay rent a cabana. It is well worth the $$

[A&Jfamily]

IMO that will be a big mistake to stay with "go to" cruise line.

Cruise line is nothing, cruise ships is everything.

For example, your info about past cruises says little to notning. 3 RC - what ships? Rapsody of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, and Allure of the Seas are three different worlds.

So are Carnival Sensation, Carnival Splendor, and Carnival Vista.

Newer is not necessarily better. Since 2012 there is the only large cruise line that built a new ships that was better than the previous one...

So... "Carnival" is not more fun than RCI, NCL or MSC. It all depends on the ship, the itinerary and the length of the cruise.

What Carnival does better - itineraries!

If you want to know what the best Carnival product looks like book a cruise on Carnival Glory (must visit Half Moon Key, San-Juan, St.Thomas, Grand Turk).

Skip the Vista.

 

Enjoy your cruises!

 

I disagree with this. Having a "go to" cruise line works for many of us. I also think is is an over-exaggeration to say one class of ship is a "different world" from another. They are all cruise ships, all travel to different ports, have dining rooms, drinks, kids programs and entertainment. Every cruise we have ever taken, be it to Alaska on Grand Princess, a Bahamas cruise on the Ecstasy, a Canada cruise on the Sunshine or a Eastern Caribbean Cruise on the Magic have been far more alike than different. The differences are in the minor details.

 

Where I do see a difference is in the general vibe and ambiance - which tends to carry across each line, but can also vary between cruises within the same line. A Christmas cruise is going to be family heavy for example, but early January much more adult only. And the vibe of Carnival is different from RCI which is different from Princess which is different from Holland America.

 

So, I would say to the OP, how would you describe the vibe of each line? I have done RCI and found them to be a generic vacation with mediocre service without a smile but offers a lot of bells and whistles and "wow" factor especially with their mega ships. You can see that in their commercials. I like Princess best. It has a more "traditional" cruise feel but still is very family oriented; it's classic but not stuffy. Think of their tag line - escape completely. And then there is Carnival - the funships. Their tag line says it all. There is always something going on and some great people watching. My only issue with Carnival it is more likely to draw an element lacking in class - that wears sweaty ball caps and tank tops to the MDR, removes their tips "because they ran out of drinking money, " and will drop an "f-bomb" in the elevator, regardless of who is present etc.

 

We travel to relax, explore new ports and have time with our rapidly maturing boys. The ship itself is a non-factor for me. Our next cruise is on the Fascination - sailed her before and will happily sail her all around the exotic ports of Barbados, St. Kitts and St. Lucia which are all new for us. I don't have to have the bells and whistles of the Sunshine or Magic or Vista to have fun and certainly don't need to sail with 6000 of my not-closest friends on a RCI mega mall! Carnival's price is right and allows us to cruise a couple of times a year and still take land vacations. Would I prefer the vibe of Princess - sure! But not the price tag or the limited destinations close to home.

 

But that is us. OP - you need to figure out what you think is missing. And really, you may not find a "perfect fit." Take us - we like carnival and love the price; we love Princess and like the price. If you a searching, try out something new and then you will have a better idea.

 

Happy cruising!

[BNBR]

Wow, thanks a lot for all your comments. Will definitely take them in consideration.

 

One thing I know is no matter what ship, will ensure to do an itinerary that includes Grand Turk and Half Moon Cay for sure :)

 

If you LOVE beach days. I like these ports a lot, but only because they are excellent beach days.

[poolreader]

For me each cruise line has a personality, and among each line different ships vary in atmosphere. Think about that fun friend that dresses a little over the top, likes to drink, play games, stay up late dancing, to me that is Carnival. Sometimes I want to hang with that friend.

Other times I want the friend that reads books, goes to lectures or the theatre, and takes classes to learn new things. To me that is Princess or Royal Caribbean.

If they like to spend lots of money going out to eat, do not mind paying for the best seats in the house (when cheaper seats still let you hear the music), are not interested in reading or learning, then go with NCL

[newcruiser1956]

I agree with the family you spoke to, Carnival is full of activities every day.

 

Blue Iguana is a bar and is not free, but also a Mexican counter service restaurant that is free.

 

For our first cruise without the kids, I was going to try Celebrity and started my research. I research each cruise like a maniac. Well when watching the videos on the ship I had decided on taking on Youtube, I started noticing that most everyone was just sitting around reading. These are videos cruisers have posted, so I watch more and the theme appears to be consistent. Then I start checking schedules that people have posted online and my conclusion was that we would be bored to death. I even thought I wanted a more reserved cruise, but not that reserved. Carnival fulfills its motto, they are the Fun ship

 

** If you want no kids, Viking Ocean does not allow children under age 16. I was recently on carnival and absolutely hated it! I was bored, (it was just not my cup of tea) You couldn't get near the pool because of all the kids and the hot tubs always had kids.

 

My next cruise is Viking Ocean to Rome. A port every day and NO KIDS!! :)

[CoasterGuy]

Viking Ocean does not allow children under age 16.

 

I think I'm in love.

[riclop]

Hello,

 

Not new to CC but to the Carnival boards. Started cruising in 2013 and have just done 6 cruises (3 RC, 2 NCL, 1 MSC) and still trying to find our go to cruise line.

 

Was just on board last week on the MSC Seaside and while it was a very enjoyable cruise sometimes it felt very boring. A Puertorican family on board recommended Carnival (Just not their ship in PR as it is very old they say) as they are lively and fun. Trying to find some help and tips from experienced cruisers. I would go with the Vista as it´s the newest ship but not closed to other options.

 

Also, on their website they advertise several included venues like Blue Iguana which if I´m not mistaken is a bar, is it really free I mean are drinks included at that venue?

 

Thanks in advance for any info you can provide :)

Carnival gives nothing away, MSC has some of the best entertainment and Carnival the worst except for the comedians.

[Trinam2]

Done Carnival and RCI. I will always pick Carnival. They are so fun and there’s never time to be bored and relax unless you want to. The warm chocolate melting cake in the MDR is the best dessert of any cruise line, I guarantee it!

[lucyddr]

We have done Carnival, RCI, and Disney. We generally choose a cruised based on the dates and itineraries, since our jobs can be difficult to schedule around. For many years now, Carnival just always seems to have exactly what we need in terms of ports and cruise dates. Our 5 year old twins LOVE Camp Ocean and beg to be there every time the door opens. We find that the wait staff in the dining room really tend to make children feel special, and the water parks are great. We tend to cruise smaller ships now as our children can't do the 48" minimum height slides, so that plays into our planning as well. My husband and I enjoy the comedy clubs, pool games, and just people-watching! We dress appropriately for the dining room, but both love not having to wear dress clothing for dinner each night...whereas with other lines it seems to be the norm. I'm perfectly happy in a nice shirt and jeans/capris! Our careers are formal, so vacation is a time to relax and let down for us!

 

Disney is massively expensive and very "Disney." While nice, we don't really care to have a cruise be about Disney characters 24/7. We also feel there are far too many kids...heck...our children didn't even like the WDW kids' clubs because "there are too many kids here, Mommy."

 

RCI is great, especially for those who like to dress up for dinner, take sushi-making lessons, and love a huge ship. They offer Flow Riders, rock-climbing walls, and ice skating rinks. Their waterslides span several decks, making them very family-unfriendly for those with small children. I have friends who love RCI and refuse to even try other lines, so they tend to have a very loyal following.

 

I'd say to try one Carnival cruise and see how you feel about it. We had cruised Disney before Carnival and were petrified we would hate Carnival. But...we didn't! Now, we prefer Carnival! You just never know...

[Cjohiocruiser214]

My opinion only.

Have done 11 Carnival cruises and 3 Royal Caribbean.

For the most part, I consider these cruiselines to be more alike than different.

I will say that Carnival just has a more FUN environment.

The sail away party for example is more lively and energetic than any other cruiseline I've been on.

 

To your question about the Blue Iguana. This is a dining venue on the lido deck for breakfast and lunch. Burritto's mostly.

Vista or Magic would be my recommendations. The older ships interiors were designed by Vargas (sp?) and are a little loud and flamboyant

 

have to agree on the magic great ship!. When you mentioned Vargas I remembered an interview I saw with him. The last ship he was involved in was magic. Could explain why breeze and vista seemed plain to me.