Previous Princess Cruisers - First Carnival Cruise - A Few Questions

[pklein9747]

We've done 16 Princess cruises and are now doing a 7-day Eastern Caribbean on the Glory in mid-October. (I'm working toward being a travel consultant and taking a "seminar at sea" to learn more about Carnival.) I know there will be similarities and differences between the cruise lines. But what are some of the major differences?

 

We're in an OV on deck 1. While we're used to a balcony, I think this is going to be OK. The cabin looks larger but what about the bathroom? Is there room to put out toiletries? Advantages/Disadvantages to this deck?

 

Also, DH is a diabetic and Princess always has a sugar-free (SF) dessert option on their dinner menu and SF desserts on the buffet. I've seen a few posted Carnival menus but no SF options. I'm guessing we just have to ask???

 

Do we need to wait to access our cabin on embarkation? What about drink prices? DH drinks Bacardi & Diet Coke.

 

I've read we muster outside :( but no life jackets??

 

We're looking forward to our new experience :cool:

[cccer]

There is room to put out toiletries on the vanity as well as the shelves. Talk to dining room when you get on about the sugar free options. I seem to recall seeing some but am not sure.

Unless you get Faster to the Fun(FTTF), you will have to wait until about 1:30 to get your room. FTTF gets you priority boarding along with some other perks. I am not sure of cost but it is around $80 per room if available.

 

Muster is outside. Hopefully it will not be too hot in October. That is my only gripe with those.

 

Interestingly enough, I am in the same boat as you just the other way around. We have done around 17 Carnival cruises and are doing a Princess next year.

[Captain Canuck]

have been on more princess than Carnival. like princess better. Carnival is more of a party ship and the crowds tend to be younger. that said it is hard to have a bad cruise. mostly commenting on desserts as I am diabetic. sugar free deserts tend to taste like cardboard. unless a very brittle diabetic I would suggest eating the real thing. we tend to walk a lot more on vacation than normal which helps keep blood sugar in check.

[pacruise804]

I've sailed Princess once (Regal) and Carnival twice. My answers below:

We've done 16 Princess cruises and are now doing a 7-day Eastern Caribbean on the Glory in mid-October. (I'm working toward being a travel consultant and taking a "seminar at sea" to learn more about Carnival.) I know there will be similarities and differences between the cruise lines. But what are some of the major differences?

 

We're in an OV on deck 1. While we're used to a balcony, I think this is going to be OK. The cabin looks larger but what about the bathroom? Is there room to put out toiletries? Advantages/Disadvantages to this deck?

We don't use a lot of toiletries, but have always had room for contacts, deodorants, shaving cream/razors, toothbrushes/pastes, and mouthwash. Shower has provided body wash & shampoo but you might want your own.

Also, DH is a diabetic and Princess always has a sugar-free (SF) dessert option on their dinner menu and SF desserts on the buffet. I've seen a few posted Carnival menus but no SF options. I'm guessing we just have to ask???

I think there is a SF option each night (regular dessert), plus a SF ice cream/sorbet choice. You can also get a cheese and fruit plate if you don't enjoy the dessert options.

 

Do we need to wait to access our cabin on embarkation? What about drink prices? DH drinks Bacardi & Diet Coke.

My understanding is after 1:30 for cabin access (we had to wait on Regal too) unless you have FTTF ($90 per cabin for several priority features).

There is a drink calculator in some of the Cheers threads, but I think around $8 for this type of drink.

I've read we muster outside :( but no life jackets??

Probably outside, but might be combination. No life jackets - I think that is Princess only.

 

We're looking forward to our new experience Enjoy! :cool:

[A&Jfamily]

My only concern would be going from the balcony to the OV; to me it feels a lot more claustrophobic. Balconies (most) on carnival have a sofa, as opposed to just the chair on princess - but the one OV I have been in carnival just had a little chair. I really didn't like being in an OV and it colored my experience on the cruise.

 

For me the biggest difference in the line is that comparing a 7 day on each, the feel of a princess cruise is more classic with people dressing up more on their formal evening. On Carnival, it is only labeled elegant and many seem to think that a polo and jeans is appropriate (even though it specifies dress shirt and states no jeans). Carnival clientele lacks the class (meaning dress and decorum) that most Princess passengers exhibit. But Carnival is a very fun vacation - if you want to dance or sing t midnight, there is a club or bar open, and people in it.

 

Cruises shorter than 7 days, and particular those less than 5 tend to be filled with people who want to party. If you have a balcony, and are just traveling to relax, then you have an escape; with an OV, not so much. I think you will have a harder time making a fair comparison between the lines unless you do a balcony.

[BlerkOne]

You will notice some similarity in the food offered in the MDR, but Princess has more elegant place settings.

 

No International Cafe on Carnival.

 

Both have afternoon tea on sea days, but again, Princess is a little bit nicer.

 

Internet plans on Carnival are unlimited, whereas on most Princess ships/cabins, still metered by the minute.

 

Carnival on Glory (and many of their ships) has their version of Movie Under the Stars.

 

"Carnival can provide our guests with meals suited to the following special dietary needs: vegetarian, low-cholesterol, low-fat, low-carbohydrates, low-sugar, and gluten free. Our chefs will make every effort to fulfill your requests, and will gladly prepare freshly-made options that meet your dietary needs. Once on board, we ask you speak with the headwaiter or dining room host in advance, so they can assist in planning your daily meals in the dining room. This will allow us the necessary time to prepare foods, as requested, in a timely manner."

Some of the no-sugar desserts are good, and some not so. There are fruit plates and cheese plates available for dessert. There should also be a no sugar added ice cream.

Most sea days Carnival offers a brunch in a MDR instead of breakfast and lunch which is quite good. On port days there will be a standard breakfast and no lunch in the MDR. I find Lido pizza on Carnival superior to the Lido pizza on Princess, although pizza from Alfredo's on Royal Princess and some others is excellent.

Carnival does have some features not found on Princess (that I have noticed), on a number of ships, including Alchemy Bar, a Comedy Club, Guy's Burgers, Blue Iguana Cantina,...

The cooking demonstration on Carnival is more serious and everyone present gets to taste the food! There won't be a galley tour after and they won't try to sell you a cookbook.

We cruise on both and more and enjoy both Princess and Carnival in their own ways.

[BlerkOne]

 

Cruises shorter than 7 days, and particular those less than 5 tend to be filled with people who want to party. If you have a balcony, and are just traveling to relax, then you have an escape; with an OV, not so much. I think you will have a harder time making a fair comparison between the lines unless you do a balcony.

 

Princess offers some short cruises with some party people. They also sometimes offer a Sip and Sail drink package with cruises.

 

The Princess of today is much different than the Princess of days gone by. For example, lunch hasn't been served daily in the MDRs in some time. You do see jeans in the MDR.

[A&Jfamily]

Princess offers some short cruises with some party people. They also sometimes offer a Sip and Sail drink package with cruises.

 

The Princess of today is much different than the Princess of days gone by. For example, lunch hasn't been served daily in the MDRs in some time. You do see jeans in the MDR.

 

You see jeans in the MDR on formal night on Princess? When I last cruised on Princess a couple of years ago,pretty much every man had on some form of jacket. Jeans would be well outside their dress code, which I have seen Princess enforce whereas Carnival does not.

[AbbyGirl]

We prefer Princess over Carnival but have sailed both and will continue to sail both depending on what's available when we want to go.

 

Carnival is def more of a party atmosphere which is what my DH doesn't like. I feel like Princess is more laid back and I really liked their any time dining option before the other lines adopted that as well.

 

For me the one MAJOR difference is the pools. I do not like salt water pools and all the Carnival ships I've been on have had salt water whereas the Princess ships I've been on have been freshwater (aka not salt) and that is a HUGE thing for me. Yes, I know I'm going to the beach to swim in salt water, but I want to feel refreshed when I jump into a pool and salt water doesn't do that for me.

 

In the past I feel that Princess has had better itineraries but I think Carnival is mirroring that now. We prefer more ports and less sea days.

 

I will say my son wasn't overly impressed with the kids area on our last Princess cruise but that was also after getting off Disney. We'll see what he thinks of the Magic next Spring Break.

 

Also, I am a TA on the side and as far as booking cruises is concerned, GoCCL is a lot easier to use than OneSource!

[BlerkOne]

On Any Time Dining, Renaissance had before any of the majors, built ships just for it, and went bankrupt in what, 2001?

[buddylover]

have been on more princess than Carnival. like princess better. Carnival is more of a party ship and the crowds tend to be younger. that said it is hard to have a bad cruise. mostly commenting on desserts as I am diabetic. sugar free deserts tend to taste like cardboard. unless a very brittle diabetic I would suggest eating the real thing. we tend to walk a lot more on vacation than normal which helps keep blood sugar in check.

The connotation of "Party Ship" is a little deceiving. CCL has more to do in to the night than Princess, but not sure that constitutes the moniker of "Party Ship". As to the demographics (age in specific) I think it has to do with what time of year you sail. We have been on many CCL cruises (when kids are in school and not out on vacation time) where the average age was above 60 and very few children. I will say that on our Princess cruises we have seen very few children as well. But I don't sail when kids are out of school and at those times of years all cruise lines attract older people without children (many of whom are retired) and can sail at any time. ;p

[memoak]

I've read we muster outside :( but no life jackets??

Probably outside, but might be combination. No life jackets - I think that is Princess only.

 

Princess no longer requires you to bring your life jacket to muster - at least in March on the Ruby they did not

[memoak]

You see jeans in the MDR on formal night on Princess? When I last cruised on Princess a couple of years ago,pretty much every man had on some form of jacket. Jeans would be well outside their dress code, which I have seen Princess enforce whereas Carnival does not.

 

Jeans are fine on Princess for smart-casual nights but not in the dress code for formal nights but I am not sure the would turn you away if you also had a shirt and tie on

[Captain Canuck]

to be fair..I am normally in bed by 9 so my definition of a party ship is likely skewed

[dmdiver]

I've only got the one Princess cruise under my belt, but here's my take. I find staff in general to be more friendly & outgoing on CCL. We had difficulty getting drinks by the pool as well as the dining room on Princess. Ran into a rude woman who shoved a chair in front of the four of us while watching a show on Princess. Almost got my foot. No acknowledgement, no nothing. Had extremely drunk guy in tank top & ball cap knock over hubby's beer in cigar bar on Princess. Other fellow cruisers were fine. I just found it odd that everyone bashes CCL for drunk cruisers & first day on the ship, that happened.

 

In my opinion, the Princess ship was much prettier than any of the CCL ships I've sailed. My hubby thought the decor was boring. While I was disappointed that we didn't have a sofa in our balcony cabin, I did like the closet/dressing area setup. Initially, I didn't like it because there was no closet door, so it seemed weird. However, it made it easier to get dressed/undressed in that area. I guess that's where room for the sofa went.

 

CCL will be more casual for sure. There is always something going on somewhere. Be sure to catch the comedy shows.

 

There is always a sugar-free dessert on the dining room menu. Hubby has had some of them - seemed to be hit or miss on taste.

 

Unfortunately, muster is outside on that ship class. At least it won't be 100 degrees when you cruise.

 

Cabins may not be ready until 1:30pm, so no need to rush to board the ship unless you just want to go eat first. We would always board around lunchtime, eat, then check to see if cabin was ready. Several times it's been ready before 1:30.

 

As far as location on the ship, I prefer being higher up. However, it will be quicker to disembark/embark on port days - no waiting on an elevator. We've done OV once & there is a nice sized ledge at the window where you can put things. If possible, I would upgrade to a higher deck & balcony. However, if you don't spend much time in the cabin, it may not really matter to you.