OK I KNOW THIS IS DUMB BUT......

[plunker]

We have cruised 6 times all with princess.  It works out best for our family (my wife and I and our 2 kids(17 and 12) to cruise in August.  I went to book a cruise a couple months ago for August 2020 to the Caribbean and princess had no cruises going there.  We ended booking the carnival horizon for a 8 day to Aruba Bonaire and Curacao with a non refundable deposit.   Even tho it's booked I feel uneasy about going with carnival so I check a couple times a week to make sure princess hasn't added a cruise going to the Caribbean even tho I know it's impossible that that would happen. I would gladly eat the nonrefundable deposit to get back on princess. 

[skynight]

4 minutes ago, plunker said:

We have cruised 6 times all with princess.  It works out best for our family (my wife and I and our 2 kids(17 and 12) to cruise in August.  I went to book a cruise a couple months ago for August 2020 to the Caribbean and princess had no cruises going there.  We ended booking the carnival horizon for a 8 day to Aruba Bonaire and Curacao with a non refundable deposit.   Even tho it's booked I feel uneasy about going with carnival so I check a couple times a week to make sure princess hasn't added a cruise going to the Caribbean even tho I know it's impossible that that would happen. I would gladly eat the nonrefundable deposit to get back on princess. 

Princess now and historically does not have Caribbean cruises in August. Princess moves almost all their ships from the Caribbean to either Europe or Alaska for the summer months. For 2020 the Caribbean Princess will remain in the Caribbean with its final cruise on July 18th. It then sails on July 25th from Ft. Lauderdale to Quebec City for its late summer, fall, Canada New England season. You may want to consider these sailings. On August 7th it begins its one way Quebec to NYC voyages. No reason to keep checking, Princess will not change their 2020 schedule. Of note August is hurricane season in the Caribbean.

[Jeter02]

There was actually a time period where princess pulled all of their ships out for caribbean season in the summer months. The last few years they go back and forth with keeping one ship and not having one here in FLL. August. All princess ships are away for the season not sailing the Caribbean.

[MJSailors]

plunker-

   If you do take the Carnival cruise,perhaps you can post your impressions of that cruise here on the Princess board. Curious to read the impressions of a Princess cruiser on a Carnival ship.

     Bon voyage !

[riffatsea]

I have not been on the Horizon but we are Platinum on Carnival and took a Princess Panama Canal cruise last year .There were things that Carnival did better and things that Princess did better.

I think you and your family will enjoy your cruise very much!! Don't be afraid to try a new cruise line.

[Globehoppers]

Stay away from Carnival, especially with teenagers.  Better to try a Royal Caribbean offering or step up a notch to Celebrity or similar.

[BigGuy25]

I agree with Riffatsea. While Princess is our line of choice (14 cruises) we’ve sailed several times on Carnival. We lower our expectations, just a little bit ... and have a wonderful time!!

[HaveDogWillTravel]

We’ve sailed quite a bit on Princess and have seen Carnival ships in port with us many times. Last Feb the Carnival Inspiration was in Ensenada with us. Our aft facing balcony was facing the aft of Inspiration. There was a group of young adults hanging out screaming “chug, chug, chug” loud enough for us to very clearly hear them. We cracked up and said we were glad ships like Carnival exist so there is a place for folks like that to be amongst others who enjoy that sort of stuff. 

I had a really hard time convincing my sister to cruise with me as her only experience was a family cruise on Carnival in the Caribbean.  She reported seeing some pretty wild behavior by PAX on the ship. Ultimately she sailed with me on Princess and loved it. 

 

Anecdotal evidence proves nothing, but I’d err on the side of caution and not choose Carnival. 

Edited July 29, 2019 by HaveDogWillTravel
Spelling

[tonit964]

20 minutes ago, HaveDogWillTravel said:

We’ve sailed quite a bit on Princess and have seen Carnival ships in port with us many times. Last Feb the Carnival Inspiration was in Ensenada with us. Our aft facing balcony was facing the aft of Inspiration. There was a group of young adults hanging out screaming “chug, chug, chug” loud enough for us to very clearly hear them. We cracked up and said we were glad ships like Carnival exist so there is a place for folks like that to be amongst others who enjoy that sort of stuff. 

I had a really hard time convincing my sister to cruise with me as her only experience was a family cruise on Carnival in the Caribbean.  She reported seeing some pretty wild behavior by PAX on the ship. Ultimately she sailed with me on Princess and loved it. 

 

Anecdotal evidence proves nothing, but I’d err on the side of caution and not choose Carnival. 

That was a short 3 day weekend cruise which is going to be a "party" cruise.  I witnessed the same thing you did on my Princess 15 day Hawaii cruise last February. I would never take a 3 day cruise for that reason.

 

However, it's not a fair comparison to a 7 day cruise is August when most kids are back or going back to school. I am Platinum on Carnival and I enjoy both lines for different reasons. 

[geocruiser]

2 hours ago, plunker said:

We have cruised 6 times all with princess.  It works out best for our family (my wife and I and our 2 kids(17 and 12) to cruise in August.  I went to book a cruise a couple months ago for August 2020 to the Caribbean and princess had no cruises going there.  We ended booking the carnival horizon for a 8 day to Aruba Bonaire and Curacao with a non refundable deposit.   Even tho it's booked I feel uneasy about going with carnival so I check a couple times a week to make sure princess hasn't added a cruise going to the Caribbean even tho I know it's impossible that that would happen. I would gladly eat the nonrefundable deposit to get back on princess. 

This may sound crazy.  But have you thought of Alaska?    If you have not been there, it may be a thought.  It is way different than a Caribbean cruise, but maybe your family might enjoy it.  Princes does this cruise at the time you want to travel and you don't have to worry about  hurricane season.

[phabric]

I am Elite with 20 cruises on Princess so you can I like Princess.

 

I have booked Royal Caribbean Caribbean cruise on the Symphony of the Sea August 2020.  I was on Symphony January 2019, your kids would like all the activities.

Edited July 29, 2019 by phabric

[Tak8]

I would do Royal or Celebrity if Princess wasn't available.  Royal would be better for teenagers.

[MsSoCalCruiser]

1 hour ago, Globehoppers said:

Stay away from Carnival, especially with teenagers.  Better to try a Royal Caribbean offering or step up a notch to Celebrity or similar.

Now that’s just silly.  Why do you say this and what do you have to back it up?   One of my worst cruises that I’ve ever been on was a princess cruise with approximately 1500 drunk kickball players that ruined the cruise for everyone.  I have been on seven carnival cruises and had never experienced anything like we did on that one princess cruise. That cruise was a nightmare.   Princess is still my favorite line! 

[CruiseGal999]

2 hours ago, MJSailors said:

plunker-

   If you do take the Carnival cruise,perhaps you can post your impressions of that cruise here on the Princess board. Curious to read the impressions of a Princess cruiser on a Carnival ship.

     Bon voyage !

 

I am not a Carnival expert, but I have sailed Carnival 3 times and am scheduled for my 4th Carnival 8/31st out of NOLA.  I have sailed Princess 2x ... ever.  I MUCH prefer Carnival.  I would go out of my way to NOT sail on Princess ... a very bad experience with the staff (a staff member entered my room ... NO knocking .... NO announcing ... and it was NOT MY steward) ... it was a time when most cruisers would be out of their cabin but I happened to have laid down for a nap.  I DID report it (don't know who it was he ran) but nothing came of it.  Whether the DND sign fell off the door handle before or after he entered the room ... IDK ... But many other staff were surly and argumentative ... just NOT what I've come to enjoy from cruising. 

 

[plunker]

I guess I didn't realize princess quit going to the Caribbean in August because last year we did a Caribbean cruise in August with them.  We picked the horizon because of the itinerary.  We have done the ABC islands on the Caribbean princess and loved it. We have discussed doing a Alaskan cruise but being from Wisconsin where it's cold 5 months of the year I definitely don't want to pack warm clothes for a vacation.   Plus our kids practically live in the pools or on the beach during our cruises so I don't think they would enjoy a Alaskan cruise. Two of my favorite vloggers are parodeejay and Sharon at sea and they love carnival so I'm trying to convince myself we will too. 

[janina]

4 hours ago, Globehoppers said:

Stay away from Carnival, especially with teenagers.  Better to try a Royal Caribbean offering or step up a notch to Celebrity or similar.

I totally agree.  I would go with Royal Caribbean.  Much better for you and the wife and especially the kids.

[FLCruise7]

We've sailed mostly on Princess, but have also done quite a few on Carnival as well.  I agree with the earlier poster who said that there are some things we like better on Princess & some things we like better on Carnival.  We've been on the Horizon - large, new ship.  Seems like they had lots of stuff going on for teens, but since we don't have kids, I didn't really take that much notice.  Currently booked on about half Carnival & half Princess.  It's all about which one offers me the best deal!! 

[hbrote]

We are Platinum on both Carnival and Princess.   Our last cruise was on the "Vista" with Carnival, we stayed in a Havana Cabana Suite and that was fine but the rest of the ship was over crowed.  That  was our last cruise on Carnival and really prefer Princess.  I know that won't help in August but we are not impressed with the Vista Class ships.

 

[voljeep]

I saw a little girl - maybe 7 or 8 - get out of a pool, come over to her family table beside us, SEMI-SQUAT and PEE right on the concrete, then go back to the pool ... NO, it wasn't her suit dripping ... it was a stream, and it was yellow

 

it was on our one and never again BARNIVAL cruise ...

 

i'll just leave that little nugget right here ...

[sprint180]

You will find pros and cons for every line.  We enjoy Princess too.  But we also enjoyed our Carnival cruise.  I would go on Carnival and see how you like it.  You may be surprised!   Someone here mentioned Royal as great for kids,  and it is.  But, my kids had more fun on Carnival (we went on Allure on Royal and Elation on Carnival)  So you never know what might surprise you.  I think  the attitude you go on with has a lot to do with it also.

[ontheweb]

If you go on Carnival with the attitude of this is going to be terrible, the chances are you will not have  a good time. If you go with a positive attitude, I think you will be surprised as to how much you and your family enjoy the cruise.

[luvflorida]

We have been on many different cruise lines and we have had some really fun ones on Carnival. We are not big drinkers or party people and still found lots to do on carnival. 

[Laurie S.]

I love Carnival and am Platinum with them.  It is a fun cruise line and the people generally are much friendlier than I have encountered on HAL or Princess.  I'm in the reverse position as you.  We wanted another Carnival Journeys cruise along the Mexican Riviera, but they aren't offering one.  So, we booked with Princess and I'm bit worried about the crowd.   But, we cruise to dive and sing karaoke, so we should be okay. 

[INeedAMaiTai]

On my last Carnival cruise, the number one thing I hated was they didn't have table cloths on the dining table at night.  Trying to cut a steak with my plate sliding around was not fun at all.  Though, it was just a weekend cruise and longer ones might be different; it's the little things that matter to me and princess makes those happen.

[plunker]

We will definitely try to go with an open mind. A couple things I'm looking forward to are the different menu options. After 6 Princess Cruises I find myself ordering the same thing all the time so be nice to try a different Cruise Lines food. My kids are also looking forward to trying the water slides and the ropes course and something up in the air that you pedal around with your feet.  My son and I are also huge muts fans and princess shows the same movie Two Times a night but Carnival shows two different movies most nights. So that should be interesting as well