Advice please from those who have cruised multiple lines

[blyle]

Try Oceania it's all inclusive and it's comparable to Celebrity after you add everything up!

 

[Linda the Book Lover]

2 hours ago, Chief93 said:

Thanks everybody.  That was usefull information.  My parents are relatively healthy but not able to walk long distances.  Im looking at Princess and loved the Yacht Club suggestion.  Gotta find the right itinerary, something with multiple sea days where they can sit outside on their balcony, and a few nice beach ports.

Good luck Chief93 from my old sailor and "his" commander in chief!  

[Squadleader]

We've done several cruises each on Carnival, Disney, Royal Caribbean, and Holland America, with a total of about 20 cruises in the last 20 years.

 

We mostly cruise Carnival now because that's what my kids (16 to 23 years old) like the best. 

 

However, I did take my parents on a cruise, and at the time, my father could only walk so far because of lung issues. 

 

We did a 12 night Western Caribbean cruise on Celebrity cruise out of Miami down to Panama and over to Aruba with several stops along the coast. It was the Celebrity Millenium, which as about 90,000 tons, which is a little small by today's standards.

 

We also flew into Miami a couple of days early. We stayed at the Lowe's Hotel on Miami Beach. It's very close to Lumis Park and all the Art Deco hotels which are very beautiful and nostalgic. My parents had a balcony they could watch the other cruise ships leave the port in the days before their cruise and they enjoyed that. There's also a great outside restaurant overlooking the ocean and pool area that we really enjoyed for breakfast every day.

 

My take aways from that experience was this:

 

I got my parents a particular aft rear facing cabin, which on that ship was absolutely huge. The balcony probably extended out from the cabin 15 feet. My mother loved it so much she literally took sheets and a blanket out there every night and slept on it. If you want something really special look up the Millenium class of ships ( I think there were three or four of them) and book one of those cabins for your parents. A huge private balcony on a long cruise is the height of luxury.

 

I felt the food on Celebrity was the best of the lines we've traveled on. Like most of us, seniors are going to appreciate the best food. 

 

I feel I made a very poor choice of itinerary. We don't like how humid it can be on a Western Caribbean itinerary. In Panama it was so hot, hazy, and humid you felt like you could cut it with a knife. We learned our lesson though, and only cruise Eastern Caribbean now because on any of those islands, I never notice it being humid like the Western Caribbean. Islands like Aruba and Grand Cayman are not the problem, it's when the port is on the mainland of Central American.

 

I also think giving them a 12 or 14 day cruise is a much better and a more luxurious experience than a 7 day cruise. A long cruise really is more fun and the ship starts to feel like home (but with way better amenities). Another lesson we learned the hard way. We never book less than 7 days now and prefer longer. 

 

My parents always enjoyed having dinner every night with my family and seeing my children, but usually did their own thing the rest of the day, including going on shore excursions they picked out. It was a very good mix of doing what they wanted, but also spending time at dinner together. 

 

My father died a few years after that cruise and my mother has always said how much that cruise meant to the two of them, so I think if you can afford it, it's money well spent. So based on my experience, I would recommend a long Celebrity cruise to the Eastern Caribbean, with a cabin with a huge balcony like my parents had. They spent a lot of time out there.

 

In the end, life is nothing more than the memories you make, so make great ones!

 

 

Edited September 6, 2019 by Squadleader

[Silver Sweethearts]

7 hours ago, ronbe65 said:

Select Cunard, HAL, TUI ships deliver higher cruising experience than Regent, Seven Seas or Seabourn for less money.

 

We'd be curious to know it what ways they do so?  

 

You may have meant Regent Seven Seas (one cruise line, not two) and a comma just got in the way and made it sound like two lines.

[Silver Sweethearts]

3 hours ago, blyle said:

Try Oceania it's all inclusive and it's comparable to Celebrity after you add everything up!

 

 

Have to note that Oceania is not all-inclusive.

[dara90210]

I also say Celebrity first , BUT since you said you're looking for some additional sea days, how about one of Princesses 10 day itineraries?  We've done one 10 day to Mexico out of LA on the Ruby Princess, one 10 day Mexico out of San Francisco on the Grand Princess, and one 10 day partial Panama Canal Transit out of Ft. Lauderdale on the Island Princess.  Love the 10 day itineraries!

[Czecholady]

I have 25 cruises under my belt starting way back in the last century [1974]  I have taken 7 cruises on Carnival, 7 on NCL,  4 on RCCL, 1 on HAL and several other lines - some that don't exist any longer.  Never have we had a bad cruise. Yes there is a difference to each line.  I found HAL a bit stuffy and I find the mixture of classes of people on Carnival intriguing.  That being said I recommend a cruise to a wonderful location your parents will love and the " ship " that fits your families needs.  Then relax and don't worry about which line just which ship.  

Edited September 7, 2019 by Czecholady

[fair-winds39]

We are booked for our 22nd cruise in early 2020. We have mostly cruised with Carnival and Celebrity, however we have also tried RCCL, NCL, Cunard. I would take them on Celebrity. We love both Celebrity and Carnival, but Celebrity seems a bit more  sedate. Since they are celebrating their 60th Anniversary (congratulations to them), you may not want one of the new Mega ships, but rather a mid-size ship with less bumping cars, climbing walls, zip lines, etc. We love the Carnival Spirit class ships though, nice size, etc. One note, we haven't been on Celebrity since 2007. I always raved about Celebrity to friends of ours, however they cruised on the Celebrity Silhouette, and they did not like it, which was a surprise to us. 

[Lerin]

Have you considered a Carnival Journeys cruise? The longer cruises to more unique ports are not the same as the more standard Carnival cruises. 

[Kreader]

I would go with Holland or Princess.

 

[cruisequeen4ever]

Princess, Holland America, and Celebrity would all fit the bill. I personally recommend Princess because it’s younger for your sake than Holland and provides a refined, classic cruise experience with quality food and entertainment. We felt the food on Celebrity was subpar, but from what I’ve heard, if you sail on one of their newer ships in an Aqua class stateroom or a suite, the food is supposed to be much better. 

 

By being past passengers with Carnival, you’ll be entitled to the past passenger discount on Princess and Holland America, since they’re owned by the same company. 

 

It’s quite wonderful of you to take them on a cruise!

[sunonfire]

If you are interested in leaving from Tampa, there are many cruise lines to choose from. I have sailed from there 4 times. The 7 day Carnival Cruises are usually older people from Florida especially in the winter months. Also the ship size will be easier for your parents to get around the ship. Tampa is much less hectic than other cruise ports. The Celebrity Constellation (totally refurbished) will be coming to Tampa as well as the Holland America Veendam.

[winddawn]

Since your parents are older and experienced cruisers, I'd recommend Holland America.  HAL is known for impressing older, experienced cruisers.  One of the best benefits I can think of is that HAL offers hot food in-cabin, and in the past I've been able to order from the evening dining room menu to be delivered to my cabin without cost except for tip.  And I could order hot breakfast for room service without charge.  That can be a nice perk for experienced Carnival cruisers who've never had that option.  HAL's atmosphere is more subdued and they tend to attract a different clientele that older cruisers might appreciate (think cooking demonstrations and wine tastings on HAL vs. hairy chest contests on Carnival).  Considering HAL visits mostly the same Caribbean ports that Carnival visits, you might find HAL to be a good match for them, all at a reasonable price.  And unlike Carnival, HAL allows you to stipulate when you book whether you are interested in upgrades after booking.

[Midwestgal]

I’d go with Princess  or Celebrity 

[scpirate]

#1 celebrity

#2 msc

#3carnival.

All 3 are price wise similar if you go balcony ,ocean view or inside.

They all go to the same ports.someone said carnival goes to more ports which is not true.food and entertainment is much better on the first 2. I'm going msc again next year.i do have another carnival booked and paid for.but it will be my last I don't care about loyalty perks.carnival has gone to far down hill for me the other lines have much nicer ships love the msc seaside.it is a bit passenger heavy though.just my $.02.

[GottaLuvCruising]

On 9/5/2019 at 12:58 PM, Chief93 said:

I am Platinum on Carnival but have only sailed Carnival.  I want to take my parents on a cruise next year for their 60th wedding anniversary.  They have both been on several cruises, all Carnival.

 

Im looking for advice from those who have crusied both Carnival and other lines.  Im looking for a more upscale experience.  I think they have moved past a lot of the Carnival activities.  Ive read the reviews here for Celebrity, Crystal, Princess, Holand America, etc and found them to be a mixed bag.  I cant afford Regent Seven Seas or Seabourne.

 

Any advice will be appreciated.

We are a little younger than your parents (married 46 years.)  Like you, we are Platinum on Carnival and have sailed with them 21 times.  We are also Platinum on Princess and Royal Caribbean.  We have sailed NCL, Celebrity and Disney as well.  In December we will enjoy our 49th and 50th cruises.  

 

We have enjoyed all of our cruises, but find Princess suits us best at this point in our lives.  Princess ships are beautiful and more elegant than Carnival.  The food on Princess is as good as or better than Carnival.  Entertainment is where Princess is far superior to Carnival (and about the same as Royal Caribbean.)  

 

I like to plan far in advance and that worked for us with Carnival.  With Princess, however, we find it is often to our advantage to book at the last minute.  Now that we are retired and spend most of the year in Florida, we make it work very well.  We'll sail with another line, but Princess is now our first choice.  

[evandbob]

Just my 2 cents here:

 

Sure a mass cruise line has a certain culture, but when comparing lines, it's imperative to compare ships of the same size and age.  You cannot compare a 20 yr old Carnival ship to a brand new ship that holds 4,000 or more pax.  Compare like size and age ships and don't sweat it too much.  If you have similar ships from different lines, then look for the ship and itinerary that your parents would enjoy for their interests.

 

While it's helpful to get ideas and opinions here on CC, you aren't taking the cruise with any of the posters.  It is your parents cruise.  You say a few beach ports, some sea days, not so much walking would be good for them, that's a great place to start.  Do they enjoy the shows, and if so what kind?  How do they like their meals?  What size balcony would be good for them? 

 

I'm sure Celebrity, Holland or Princess has a ship to fit your parents' interests. I tend to like the newer ships myself, but if a smaller ship fits your parents needs, then tilt that way.

[BananaAnna]

On 9/5/2019 at 1:15 PM, havanadaydreaming said:

you can see by my signature who I've cruised with. 

 

Question - where would you see folks signatures?

I remember them from years ago but haven't located them since.

😊 Thanks!

 

[GottaLuvCruising]

12 hours ago, fyree39 said:

If you liked the food on Princess, you should give HAL a try. We've sailed on both of those lines and I have to say Holland blew the socks off Princess with regard to food quality.

Entertainment is my #1 priority.  After several disappointing cruises with Carnival, we started going to Las Vegas often so we could choose the shows that most interest us.   Then we began sailing Princess and found a great balance!   We are just a couple cruises from Elite on Princess, so that keeps us coming back, too.  

 

Princess works for us because it isn't stuffy.  We found Celebrity to be stuffy, so sailed with them only once.  Feedback I have read is that Holland America is also stuffy with guests uptight about dress codes.  We are mid-60s, but not old enough for HAL 😉  Maybe someday we will try them, but based on Cruise Critic HAL board, it just doesn't sound like a good fit for us.  

[NCTribeFan]

I haven't sailed Celebrity yet (booked for March 2021!), but I'd vote for HAL.  Only 1 on NCL (14 nights eastbound TA).  Didn't think NCL was any more upscale than Carnival but I don't sail in the upper-tier cabins/suites.

 

HAL's Caribbean sailings are not as "old" as some of their others.  I sailed both Zuiderdam and Koningsdam for 11 nights each and loved them both.  Those who haven't tried HAL need to do so and see whether that "stuffy old octogenarians" rep is real.  There aren't a lot of millennials on HAL, but not everyone is >80!  And even if they are, they seem to have enough fun (and love their Happy Hours!).

 

They have some very good entertainment.  I loved their Lincoln Center Stage and BB King's Blues Club (not really blues, more R&B) as well as their main theater shows on Koningsdam.

[riffatsea]

We are seniors and Platinum on Carnival.

We've sailed Royal and NCL(hated it!)

Last year we did the Panama Canal on the Coral Princess and I was in heaven!!

We booked a full suite and I really enjoyed it!

I'd first choose the itinerary you want and then see which ships go there.

Splash out on the cabin as some of us like to hang out in our own space .

As I get older I really appreciate the little extras you get in a suite.

BTW if any of your group has ever been in any of the armed services Princess will give you a discount for that service no matter how long ago it might have been!!

Edited September 9, 2019 by riffatsea

[riffatsea]

Sorry!! I didn't mean DISCOUNT. I should have said OBC for being a veteran!!

[WitchyWoman14]

Looks like you've already gotten quite a bit of feedback. I'll go ahead and add my pros and cons for the cruise lines I've been on in case it helps as well. 🙂 

 

Disney (Fantasy)

• Pros: Great food, best shows (even for adults), and prettiest ship I've been on. We were on the Fantasy and it had the "old ocean liner" look and feel (with a modern touch and SUPER clean).Characters are not all over the ship and in your face as you would think. They only make appearances at certain times (that are published), and in certain places. My daughter was 3 when we took her and she had a great time.
• Cons: Expensive, perception of having kids running around everywhere (but there really aren't any more than there are on other ships). Our service was not that great which seems to be very "un-Disney-like". We did sail during the Ebola scare and they had pulled staff out of the dining room to serve drinks on the lido deck (normally self-serve), and people were constantly cleaning. I believe this contributed to the experience we had here. We weren't unhappy (like the RC cruise I refer to below) but it wasn't what we were expecting. 

 

Royal Caribbean (Allure of the Seas)

• Pros: Several ships and itineraries to choose from, good food and great shows
• Cons: Our worst experience with customer service on a ship (from multiple staff members) and small venues (like they tried to fit too much on the ship we were on and had to shrink the venues). Despite the recommendation for reservations for the shows, you cannot choose your seats and should arrive early enough to stand in line as if you didn't have reservations. We had a party of 9 so perhaps our "cons" were due to having so many people and trying to get everyone together. It was very difficult to find anywhere that we could all just hang out after dinner. On Carnival and NCL, there was always larger sitting areas around the ship, clubs playing music, etc. that we could go to. Everywhere we would go on the RC ship we were on was packed. Back to the service for a minute... We all felt like an "inconvenience" to the staff. Most seemed extremely frazzled and frustrated. Some even came-off like they were on some kind of power trip, like you were on THEIR ship and they should be asking you if you need something when they are ready. We were made to get back in line when waiting for a show once because we didn't know we couldn't sit down early. There were no signs or anything.. no announcements, nothing. The staff member just told us we would need to go get in the back of the line... Had we known we needed to wait, we certainly would have. For us to have been there 45 minutes before a show started only to have to get in the back of the line was pretty pitiful in my opinion. 

NCL (Bliss)

• Pros: Lovely ship that was seemingly spotless the entire time. I have never seen a ship so clean but it was also only about a month old when we sailed on her. The service was actually probably the best I've ever experienced. The layout of the ship was perfect with plenty of room for large groups to gather in different areas. 
• Cons: Food was not that great. even the specialty dining. We all agreed it was actually the worst food we've had on a cruise.This was an Alaskan cruise and we definitely had better food while out on excursions. Shows were "ok"... Jersey Boys was good if you were interested in the story but none of us lasted through the other show. A couple of the people in our group fell asleep and the rest of us left early. The one show I really enjoyed ("Prohibition") was an extra charge per person. Entertainment overall was lacking. We missed having any type of music to go listen to after dinner (with the exception of a Beatles tribute band). 

We are sailing on Carnival again next year and it's been a while. I am curious to see what has changed while we've been gone. Of all the lines we've sailed, I would sail them all again with the exception of Royal Caribbean. I was very put-off by that experience. 

 

 

[beachbum6264]

 

20 hours ago, BananaAnna said:

Question - where would you see folks signatures?

I remember them from years ago but haven't located them since.

😊 Thanks!

 At the very bottom of a post there is a "Expand Signature" link, just click that and the signature will open. 

[BananaAnna]

17 minutes ago, beachbum6264 said:

 

 At the very bottom of a post there is a "Expand Signature" link, just click that and the signature will open. 

Thank you!

Maybe it's because I'm using a tablet but it only shows a  +  Quote and a heart on mine. Will try on my computer.