Princess vs Carnival - Alaska

[bubbapuck]

Good Morning Everyone!

 

I am very new to the boards so please go easy on me. I am also new to cruising, just completed my first cruise last month to the Mexican Riviera on Carnival. I am trying tom plan a 2021 cruise to Alaska. I just assumed go to Carnival but everyone on those boards said to check other lines. I am so glad they did as I found a 14 days cruise from LA (my home town) which is around the same price as the 10 day cruise from San Francisco. 

 

Since I am so new and only have the 1 7-day Carnival cruise under my belt, I was wondering if any of you can please explain the differences between the two. They always say the grass is greener on the other side but I would like to at least hear some advice for a a new cruiser.

 

Also, does anyone know when the 2021 14 day cruises from LA go on sale. I would like to purchase for mu wife's Christmas present but I dont want to rush things and over pay or make bad decisions. Does anyone have a good planner on Princess to contact.

 

Thanks so much for the help.

[masterty]

I have done the 10 day Alaska out of SF on Princess twice as well as the 7 day Mexican Riviera out of LA on Carnival. I have several cruises on both lines. 

Carnival is called the fun ship for a reason. Fun for one is a nightmare for another. Carnival will have a much less formal formal night. Carnival food while flavorful is prepared with cheaper proteins. Meats are much better on Princess. Princess will have much more low key events. Carnival events are geared more for the passengers who want a party. Princess events are geared more for the knitter and knatter crowd. Sure they both have over priced bingo, along with trivia, and music. While princess uses an orchestra and carnival a soundtrack, theater entertainment on both is good. The ports of Alaska will be the same no matter which cruise line you choose. Do you have any more specific questions or concerns. Nothing compares to a sail away under the Golden Gate bridge in my opinion. 

[Pierlesscruisers]

13 minutes ago, bubbapuck said:

Good Morning Everyone!

 

I am very new to the boards so please go easy on me. I am also new to cruising, just completed my first cruise last month to the Mexican Riviera on Carnival. I am trying tom plan a 2021 cruise to Alaska. I just assumed go to Carnival but everyone on those boards said to check other lines. I am so glad they did as I found a 14 days cruise from LA (my home town) which is around the same price as the 10 day cruise from San Francisco. 

 

Since I am so new and only have the 1 7-day Carnival cruise under my belt, I was wondering if any of you can please explain the differences between the two. They always say the grass is greener on the other side but I would like to at least hear some advice for a a new cruiser.

 

Also, does anyone know when the 2021 14 day cruises from LA go on sale. I would like to purchase for mu wife's Christmas present but I dont want to rush things and over pay or make bad decisions. Does anyone have a good planner on Princess to contact.

 

Thanks so much for the help.

 

If you really enjoyed your Carnival cruise you may find Princess (which I assume is the line you're looking at since you posted this message on the Princess board) you may find Princess to be a bit more quiet and sedate. I say that because Carnival has the reputation of being oriented more toward partying and drinking with Princess being more quiet. Princess does have a reputation of having very good Alaskan cruises. I would say that going on a Princess cruise would let you decide for yourself whether the Carnival world or the Princess world better suits your taste since you would be able to see both and decide for yourself.  One thing you should know is that if you are a veteran with 2 years of service (or 6 months in a combat zone) and an honorable discharge, you would be eligible for the Princess' Veterans' OBC benefit which is not available on Carnival. But that should not be the major factor in your decision by any means.  Which ever way you go, I hope the two of you have a great cruise!

 

Tom

[skynight]

Alaska select Princess. 

[bubbapuck]

28 minutes ago, masterty said:

I have done the 10 day Alaska out of SF on Princess twice as well as the 7 day Mexican Riviera out of LA on Carnival. I have several cruises on both lines. 

Carnival is called the fun ship for a reason. Fun for one is a nightmare for another. Carnival will have a much less formal formal night. Carnival food while flavorful is prepared with cheaper proteins. Meats are much better on Princess. Princess will have much more low key events. Carnival events are geared more for the passengers who want a party. Princess events are geared more for the knitter and knatter crowd. Sure they both have over priced bingo, along with trivia, and music. While princess uses an orchestra and carnival a soundtrack, theater entertainment on both is good. The ports of Alaska will be the same no matter which cruise line you choose. Do you have any more specific questions or concerns. Nothing compares to a sail away under the Golden Gate bridge in my opinion. 

 

Your post is exactly what I was looking for Masterty. I had zero expectations for my Carnival cruise and had a blast. My only one problem was the constant up sell. Every time I turned around they were trying to get me to buy something. Every "seminar" they had was a precursor to sell something. Many of the staff seemed very phony where they were nice until you bought or didn't buy something then you seemed to be an inconvenience to them. 

 

As far as the fun goes, my wife and I enjoyed some of the activities but it did get exhausting after a while. We found that our most enjoyable time was just sitting in a clam shell in the "over 21" section and relaxing... which is not normally my personality but I loved it. We enjoy a party every once in a while but do just enjoy spending time with each other and going on to places we have never seen.

 

The food is very important as we enjoy our dinners in the dining area. We never understood why people would skip the nice restaurants for the buffet at dinner time. Sounds like Princess food may be better quality. As far as the formal night goes, is ever night formal or just a couple nights like Carnival. Every night to the dining area I wore nice shorts and a polo shirt. Formal nights were khakis and a button shirt (no tie). Should I be wearing a tie on formal nights? Is every night formal night?

 

Cost is a big thing for my wife and I. We don't have a HUGE budget. That is why we leaned toward cruising more recently. Food, room, entertainment all for a fixed cost. Very affordable to have a nice vacation. Since we live in the LA area, a 14 day cruise is about the same as a 10 day cruise when you factor in the commute/hotel in SF that i skip in LA (my daughter can drop us off and pick us up at the port on cruise day.

 

I just wanted dont want to end up on a Princess cruise and get embarrassed because we did something that was normal on a Carnival cruise but not allowed on a Princess cruise (like asking for extra helpings at dinner or being underdressed at dinner). Things like that.

[bubbapuck]

34 minutes ago, Pierlesscruisers said:

 

If you really enjoyed your Carnival cruise you may find Princess (which I assume is the line you're looking at since you posted this message on the Princess board) you may find Princess to be a bit more quiet and sedate. I say that because Carnival has the reputation of being oriented more toward partying and drinking with Princess being more quiet. Princess does have a reputation of having very good Alaskan cruises. I would say that going on a Princess cruise would let you decide for yourself whether the Carnival world or the Princess world better suits your taste since you would be able to see both and decide for yourself.  One thing you should know is that if you are a veteran with 2 years of service (or 6 months in a combat zone) and an honorable discharge, you would be eligible for the Princess' Veterans' OBC benefit which is not available on Carnival. But that should not be the major factor in your decision by any means.  Which ever way you go, I hope the two of you have a great cruise!

 

Tom

 

Thank you so much Tom for your response. I think you are right! I may book Princess to see the difference. We are normally shy and more "too ourselves" types of people. Carnival got us out of our comfort zone which is fine... that is what vacation is about. It did get exhausting towards the end though. We enjoy a party once in a while but enjoy our quiet time hanging out in the "Over 21" area. It is probably best to try this and compare. 

[bubbapuck]

29 minutes ago, skynight said:

Alaska select Princess. 

Thanks Skynight for your choice. Is there a reason you chose Princess? Just curios to get as many differeing opinions as possible and brainstorm before I settle in. The 10-14 days cruises are not yet available for Carnival/Princess so I want to get a better understanding and be ready to purchase the moment the go on sale. I heard that is the cheapest they are... at the very beginning.

[voljeep]

25 minutes ago, bubbapuck said:

As far as the formal night goes, is ever night formal or just a couple nights like Carnival. Every night to the dining area I wore nice shorts and a polo shirt. Formal nights were khakis and a button shirt (no tie). Should I be wearing a tie on formal nights? Is every night formal night?

2 'formal' nights on a 7 day Princess cruise ... I 'believe' 3 on 10-14 day cruises

 

Note: if this is not correct, my fact checkers will be sure to post the correction

 

and RE: shorts in the mdr .. well ...

 

 

Edited October 18, 2019 by voljeep

[masterty]

57 minutes ago, bubbapuck said:

I just wanted dont want to end up on a Princess cruise and get embarrassed because we did something that was normal on a Carnival cruise but not allowed on a Princess cruise (like asking for extra helpings at dinner or being underdressed at dinner). Things like that.

Formal on Princess is a bit more formal. On a 14 night RT from LA you will have 3 formal nights. Shirt and tie and/or coat will get you in to the dining room assuming you are not wearing shorts. Women will wear from pant suits to coctail dresses. You will see full suits and tuxes on formal nights. Be aware, there are some formal night fundamentalist on this board who may be standing outside your dining room only to report back here on your attire. Just kidding (a little)... Princess has upselling just like Carnival. Princess Cruises and Carnival Cruises are both owned by Carnival Cruise Lines so you will see some similarities on upsell structure. My wife and I have been cruising most of our 30 years together. In 2019 we will cruise once on Carnival and 3 times on Princess. Carnival cruise scheduled again next year. We love them both for different reasons. When it is just her and I we prefer Princess. When going on a booze cruise with friends we do not hesitate to cruise carnival as one of our friends prefers. Princess is more laid back and offeres much better food. Dont be surprised if a crowd starts dancing anywhere on a Carnival. Have fun on your choice. 

Edited October 18, 2019 by masterty

[Cruise Raider]

We've traveled on several of the major cruiselines over the last 3 decades, including Carnival and Princess, with most of our cruises being on Princess.  Alaska is our favorite itinerary and have sailed up there a dozen times ... it really is the best!!  

As for choosing a cruiseline, there are so many factors that play into it.  

- your age

- time when you can travel 

- itinerary stops 

- importance of the wow factor of the ship 

etc...

 

For a great deal and a decent chance of great weather, I suggest the end of August or the first week of September for your departure.  We've always had great weather during this time of year but as everyone will tell you, there are just no guarantees of that up in Alaska.  We went once in the middle to the end of Sept and wow, what a difference!  

 

To me, the lack of flying is such a major factor in what sailings I choose, however, our home port of San Francisco does get the older ships ... still good ships, just missing that wow factor that I was referring to.  If the Royal is the ship doing the 14 night itinerary, I'd jump on that one in a heartbeat ... that ship does have that sparkle and shine (that wow factor) that I was referring to.  With that being said, we sailed on the Grand Princess last year to Alaska and we had a phenomenal trip.  We received an upsell offer to a balcony cabin and it was money well spent.  Out of all our sailings, Alaska is the place where we think a balcony cabin is the most valuable!  But, they can be pricey when choosing an Alaska sailing.  

With that being said, I cruise out of LA often and always book a flight the morning of my sailing .... so, it isn't imperative to book a hotel and transportation from LA to SF a day early.  Some are adamant about doing so, but I've not missed an embarkation ever by not doing so! 

If having access to an indoor pool is important to you, take a look at that as well.  Not all ships have them and it is a great place to sit in the hot tub on a cool day.  

 

I think the food on Princess is really good to excellent!  Don't know if I can say the same about Carnival's food.  Just to throw a wrench into this, Celebrity's food may be even better than that on Princess, albeit, their specialty dining options and drinks are quite a bit more expensive.  Everything is a little more elegant on Celebrity, even though they no longer have any stated 'formal' nights.  

 

Also, Princess sails up into Glacier Bay and if you can manage to get that on your itinerary, you certainly won't be sorry.  Not all cruiselines have the permissions to include Glacier Bay on their itineraries.  (I know that Princess, NCL and Holland America all go into Glacier Bay ...not sure which others do but don't recall seeing a Carnival ship up there. ??)  Another thing to look into is if the itinerary allows for you to sail through the inside passage during the daytime hours instead of at night.  One more thing, but not so easy to find, are the sailings that don't cruise on the western side to visit Victoria but sail between Vancouver island and the mainland.  Wow ... what a gorgeous passage!!  

 

The activities on Princess are just about right for our liking.  We are a couple in our early to mid 60's if that helps.  We would play the daily trivia games, take part in the activities hosted in the Piazza (egg toss, ring toss games, etc), go watch the entertainment in all different venues, mainly after dinner such as at Crooner's - the martini bar - almost always has a great piano player that interacts with the guests, in the Piazza where the house band played great music with lots of dancing opportunities, the Piazza where we had a mariachi band playing during the day (while in Mexico), or Puppies in the Piazza in Alaska  (the iditorod sled puppies in training with their musher) in Skagway (?).  There was a guitar player in another one of the lounges, with an opportunity for more dancing but it was quiet in there on our last sailing.  Just a nice quiet place for an after dinner drink and relaxing.  

There was a couple of interactive events like Voice of the Ocean where passengers competed for the grand prize trophy and Pop Choir where passengers put on a show the last day of the sailing.  PS ... I did that for the first time and it was so much fun!  They also have fitness center activities (some for a cost) such as Zumba, spinning, etc. as well as spa specials (no real hawking of their services but they do send fliers in your mail daily.  They have art auctions but was never pushed towards them ... if anything, you'd really have to look to find out when they were being held.  

The entertainment is really good on Princess .. .their production shows are anywhere from good to awesome!  They also have comedians, magicians, singers, etc ... most of which are really good, and the Love and Marriage show which is usually hilarious! 

I also like MUTS, the big movie screen out on the top deck.  They show major sporting events (Sunday and Monday night football), concerts, movies.  If it is cold out, they offer blankets.  They put out cushions on the pool loungers at night.  There is a pizza oven and grill out there that serves an expanded menu at night ... in Alaska, we had crab cakes and onion rings (yummmm) and in Mexico, we had street tacos (extra yummmm).  If you missed the movie at MUTS, it would always be in your stateroom as an option the next day.  They do have On Demand TV on many, if not all, of their ships.  Oh, and if you book a Medallion Class ship, your key card is replaced with a medallion.  I love it ... not everyone does, though.  The Medallion Net offers rather low cost WiFi and it actually works .... although, maybe not so well up in the fjords up in Alaska.  But, who would be looking at the internet with all that gorgeous scenery anyway.  

 

While I wouldn't balk at sailing on Carnival, I think Princess does offer a better experience, at least for the age group I am in.  

 

 

 

 

 

[skynight]

2 hours ago, bubbapuck said:

Good Morning Everyone!

 

I am very new to the boards so please go easy on me. I am also new to cruising, just completed my first cruise last month to the Mexican Riviera on Carnival. I am trying tom plan a 2021 cruise to Alaska. I just assumed go to Carnival but everyone on those boards said to check other lines. I am so glad they did as I found a 14 days cruise from LA (my home town) which is around the same price as the 10 day cruise from San Francisco. 

 

Since I am so new and only have the 1 7-day Carnival cruise under my belt, I was wondering if any of you can please explain the differences between the two. They always say the grass is greener on the other side but I would like to at least hear some advice for a a new cruiser.

 

Also, does anyone know when the 2021 14 day cruises from LA go on sale. I would like to purchase for mu wife's Christmas present but I dont want to rush things and over pay or make bad decisions. Does anyone have a good planner on Princess to contact.

 

Thanks so much for the help.

More opinions.

Assuming 2021 will be the same as 2020. RT L.A. if possible I would choose the itinerary that goes to Glacier Bay. This will have 6 sea days. On sea days be prepared for lots of trivia, karaoke, cards, informative lectures, and what I call silly games during the sea days. Stay away from activities that are actually sales talks usually run by the spa, jewelry stores, maybe the boutiques.

A cruise to Alaska will be a lot different than a cruise to Mexico. Very little sitting around the pools. Little or no pool side activities. Weather, even in summer can be cool. Seas are usually rougher along the CA coast. Not the party cruise you probably experienced going to Mexico. Port stops are for touring, not beaches and water activities. Longer cruises tend to have an older average age. If you cruise during school holidays expect lots of families and more crowds, ie. more cabins with 3 or 4 people. If possible select dates when schools are in session.

On Princess there will be live entertainment every evening in the theater and in the various lounges. Princess cruises tend to quiet down by midnight.

If it's in your budget I would investigate a cruise tour, north or south bound. A 7 night voyage is connected with a number of different land tours. This way you get a better feeling for Alaska.

[jennybenny]

We have cruised Princess and Carnival (and Disney and RCCL).  It was a Princess cruise to Alaska that tipped the scales and made us loyal Princess cruisers.  All that said, my husband is a man of convenience, he wants to cruise from our home port as much as possible.  Given that you found a 14 day cruise out of your home port to a destination you want to go to, then I would do that for the longer vacation.   My favorite cruise is the 15 day cruise to Hawaii. So I am a fan of those longer cruises with sea days. 

 

Princess does a great job.  My kids love cruising Princess and have been doing it since they were 5, now 16 and 11. It will be a different experience than Carnival. 

[lynzeho02]

On 10/18/2019 at 10:11 AM, bubbapuck said:

 

Your post is exactly what I was looking for Masterty. I had zero expectations for my Carnival cruise and had a blast. My only one problem was the constant up sell. Every time I turned around they were trying to get me to buy something. Every "seminar" they had was a precursor to sell something. Many of the staff seemed very phony where they were nice until you bought or didn't buy something then you seemed to be an inconvenience to them. 

 

As far as the fun goes, my wife and I enjoyed some of the activities but it did get exhausting after a while. We found that our most enjoyable time was just sitting in a clam shell in the "over 21" section and relaxing... which is not normally my personality but I loved it. We enjoy a party every once in a while but do just enjoy spending time with each other and going on to places we have never seen.

 

The food is very important as we enjoy our dinners in the dining area. We never understood why people would skip the nice restaurants for the buffet at dinner time. Sounds like Princess food may be better quality. As far as the formal night goes, is ever night formal or just a couple nights like Carnival. Every night to the dining area I wore nice shorts and a polo shirt. Formal nights were khakis and a button shirt (no tie). Should I be wearing a tie on formal nights? Is every night formal night?

 

Cost is a big thing for my wife and I. We don't have a HUGE budget. That is why we leaned toward cruising more recently. Food, room, entertainment all for a fixed cost. Very affordable to have a nice vacation. Since we live in the LA area, a 14 day cruise is about the same as a 10 day cruise when you factor in the commute/hotel in SF that i skip in LA (my daughter can drop us off and pick us up at the port on cruise day.

 

I just wanted dont want to end up on a Princess cruise and get embarrassed because we did something that was normal on a Carnival cruise but not allowed on a Princess cruise (like asking for extra helpings at dinner or being underdressed at dinner). Things like that.

 

I might be able to help you out on this one 🙂

 

I've sailed on Princess 4 times (we leave on number 5 in less than three weeks) and Carnival twice. Also for reference, me and my boyfriend are in our upper 30's. For this one, I'd go with Princess. Here's my comparison of the two:

 

-I felt that the service was far superior on Princess. While I had great service on Carnival, I agree that you only get really good service if you're spending money. Plus since they do work on tips for the most part, they feel like sharks. The one thing that really bothered me about Carnival was the dang receipts! We had the drink package and got a receipt to sign for every single transaction. It was insanity. 

 

-Food wise, MDR food is way better on Princess. I also think the pizza is better. As far as casual, pool-side food though...Carnival wins. Can't beat Blue Iguana and Guy's Burgers.

 

-Carnival cabins have larger bathrooms. But the storage in Princess cabins is more efficient.

 

-Princess is a little more fancy and folks take the dress codes a bit more seriously. I know Alaska is a more casual cruise, but you'll see nicer dresses/full suits on formal night and nicer clothing in the MDR on other nights. I find that I can wear dark jeans, dress shoes, and a nice top and it works. My boyfriend wears jeans, a nice polo, and loafers for a cruise casual night. Formal night is a nicer dress for me and full suit with tie for him.

 

-Eat all you want at dinner! They don't charge extra for additional entrees 🙂

 

-Entertainment wise, it's a toss-up for me. Princess has much better stage shows and lots of live music. The night club is often a bit quieter and the comedians are a bit more reserved than the late night ones on Carnival. On Carnival, the party finds you...you can't escape. But on Princess, you either make the party or you'll find one.

 

-Daytime activities are great too. Princess has a bit more enrichment compared to Carnival. But I've never seen anyone cheat at trivia on Princess while I have never been able to win on Carnival because of kids on cell phones.

 

Give it a shot! I think Alaska is a great itinerary to try out Princess with. This will be my boyfriend's first Princess cruise and he's excited for less kids in the hot tub and NO RECEIPTS AT THE BAR!

 

[Coral]

I have been told that Carnival in Alaska is nothing like Carnival in the Caribbean. It is much more subdued.

[USCcruisecrazy]

Enjoy your time in Alaska.  I lived there four years and would recommend August, if possible.  That tends to be the least rainy month and temps in the 70s.  It is very pleasant and extremely beautiful.  As far as ships, my wife and I are huge Princess fans for many of the reason stated above.  Heading out on the Sky in about 6 1/2 weeks.  Take lots of pictures!!!

[Steelers36]

@lynzeho02, a very thorough comparison.  But I'd only go on Carnival if forced to.

[lynzeho02]

5 minutes ago, steelers36 said:

@lynzeho02, a very thorough comparison.  But I'd only go on Carnival if forced to.

 

It has never been my choice. The first was for my little sister's birthday and the second was for my boyfriend's sister-in-law's birthday. If it was up to us, we would have chosen a different line. While we had fun, I needed a second vacation to rest from all of the "fun."

[donaldsc]

In AK, the only thing that counts is the itinerary - ports visited, time in port, time arriving and leaving port and scenic cruising where you do not stop at a port.   You go to AK to see stuff and not to do stuff on the ship.  The ship is essentially a big bus.  All other things being equal and I doubt that they really are, I would pick Princess.

 

I say this not because I am a Princess cheerleader (I do most of my cruising on small ships) but I have done AK several times on Princess and they do a decent cruise there.

 

DON

Edited October 22, 2019 by donaldsc

[Gold Mine Gal]

On 10/18/2019 at 9:12 AM, bubbapuck said:

Good Morning Everyone!

 

I am very new to the boards so please go easy on me. I am also new to cruising, just completed my first cruise last month to the Mexican Riviera on Carnival. I am trying tom plan a 2021 cruise to Alaska. I just assumed go to Carnival but everyone on those boards said to check other lines. I am so glad they did as I found a 14 days cruise from LA (my home town) which is around the same price as the 10 day cruise from San Francisco. 

 

Since I am so new and only have the 1 7-day Carnival cruise under my belt, I was wondering if any of you can please explain the differences between the two. They always say the grass is greener on the other side but I would like to at least hear some advice for a a new cruiser.

 

Also, does anyone know when the 2021 14 day cruises from LA go on sale. I would like to purchase for mu wife's Christmas present but I dont want to rush things and over pay or make bad decisions. Does anyone have a good planner on Princess to contact.

 

Thanks so much for the help.

 

We have traveled to Alaska several times on both Carnival and Princess.  I found they are basically the same demographics, especially on the longer cruises.  The party atmosphere occurs moreso on the short trips.  Food is about the same, although we prefer Carnival, more live bands on Princess, entertainment comparable.

 

My biggest concern is port time and the time you get to spend at each stop.  You may find Carnival port stops are longer so you are able to get much more accomplished.   Carnival also has a special excursion on the Tracy Bay itinerary where you can board a special little boat and it takes you to the face of the glacier.  Princess also has the same excursion but only during select itineraries.

 

For us, port time is important.  We cruise to enjoy places we have never been to and like to fully enjoy the country.  Getting there on a ship is an added plus.

[Coral]

5 hours ago, USCcruisecrazy said:

Enjoy your time in Alaska.  I lived there four years and would recommend August, if possible.  That tends to be the least rainy month and temps in the 70s.  It is very pleasant and extremely beautiful.  As far as ships, my wife and I are huge Princess fans for many of the reason stated above.  Heading out on the Sky in about 6 1/2 weeks.  Take lots of pictures!!!

May and June are generally least rainy seasons for the Alaskan cruise ports. Maybe where you lived, August had less rain.

 

I actually prefer May/early June with the snow on the mountains. It is also pretty dry and you have long days of sunshine.

[The Mikado]

9 hours ago, Coral said:

I have been told that Carnival in Alaska is nothing like Carnival in the Caribbean. It is much more subdued.

Absolutely true; while I would never sail again to the Caribbean on Carnival, I would happily sail with them to Alaska.

[DougH]

If you really want to see Alaska I'd suggest a B2B (back to back) on Princess. First week northbound from Vancouver to Whittier and second wee southbound Whittier to Vancouver. This gives you two stops in Glacier Bay plus Hubbard and College Fjord. With two days in all ports you have no rush and can do lots of different excursions. IMHO the scenery gets better the farther North you get and both sailings out of SF and LA don't go all the way up. I'd suggest late May/ mid June on the Coral Princess