Carnival Versus other lines.

[Cruise Related]

Tell me, what does Carnival provide for you that other lines do not? What makes you choose the fun ships over other lines? I personally have tried RCCL and Carnival. Wanting to try MSC and have a huge massive like 16 day cruise book on NCL in 2022 to see what they are about. Totally excited for British style pub with all the wings. I’m a wing man! But carnival is budget friendly, wonderful booze, and overall just a good freaking time. So im kinda biased. RCCL, wasnt a fan of the food, the entertainment was freaking fantastic compared to Carnival, but I feel that’s their only leg up. So, what makes you sail Carnival over and over? 

Edited August 2, 2021 by Cruise Related
Oopsie

[BrotherCraig]

To me, it depends on the ship and the itinerary.  I never had a bad cruise.  Been on Royal LoS once and mostly sailed Carnival.  I prefer the newer ships.  Royal is usually a little cheaper with cruise fare for when we cruise and that is the reason we tried Royal - it was over $1000 cheaper.  Royal - you spend more money on food and extras for sure.  Carnival has more included food options which is a win for me since I don't do buffets.  I like the upbeat energy on Carnival and I like the relaxation areas on Carnival as well.  I believe the crew on Carnival is way nice and better than Royal.  Now with the Carnival Excel Class ships like Mardi Gras, I don't believe I will be sailing Royal again unless it is a cheap fare that I cannot resist.  I like both -- prefer Carnival.  Also, I love Carnival's live music throughout the ship more.  Not a huge fan of the main shows -- that goes to Royal for sure.  They are the only two cruise lines I have been on.  

[Sillyjilly]

The laid back and friendly atmosphere.

[ScottsSweetie]

We usually book interiors and the rooms on other lines seem to be a bit smaller.

 

We found the lunch buffet on Norwegian to be heads above Carnival's - but their dining room food was lacking, especially every single dessert we tried. We found Royal's food to be comparable to Carnival. Carnival does have lots of other options besides the dining room, both free and upsells - and more options are always a good thing.

 

We've found the entertainment to be sometimes better, sometimes not on other lines. We book for itinerary / ship / price to meet our needs. I do factor in, though, that I get free laundry on Carnival and if it is a tender-heavy itinerary I'll get priority there. Boarding early / disembarking early not really a factor for me. Our last cruise was on Royal - next one is back to Carnival.

[firefly333]

I'm not a cheerleader. Only carnival and rcl go out of Galveston and I like ports I can drive to. 

 

I've also done celebrity, ncl and princess and would do more variety if I could drive to other cruiselines. 

 

Carnival doesnt handle emergencies very well as I found out during hurricane Ike while on conquest. Like dewey they handled the situation badly. Other situations. When things go well carnival is fine, but not in emergencies. 

 

I am looking forward to both my carnival and rcl cruise. I have cheers twice on carnival and rcl gives me 4 free vouchers  day for drinks. Since I dont drink much this is fine and their shows are better. Carnival has better lunch choices.

[snowballs mom]

For us, spa cabins and thermal suites, platinum laundry benefit (my husband works out every day so we can send the grotty laundry out frequently), itineraries, live music in various venues are all draws. We also like the Blue Iguana and Guy's Burgers. The cabins also seem larger in comparison to RCL. The affordability allows us to cruise B2B - a week is not long enough when the cost of airline tickets and pre-cruise hotels are factored in. We still cruise other lines, but Carnival is really great for a casual, laid back vacation.

[Essiesmom]

The ability to drive to three ports, affordability.  EM

[Cruise Related]

Wow, great responses! You guys really know your stuff. It is tough to decide where to spend your hard earned PTO. I’m really interested in giving Virgin a go whenever they get up and running, just to experience that true adult atmosphere and maybe be one of the first to get a tramp stamp at sea! Wonder if they’ll begrudge me if I ask for a “Whale tail”. But I feel like carnival overall, is the line for me. I just wish they’d get their suite perks more in line with other cruise lines. It seems they are getting there very slowly, one step forward two steps back kinda deal. 

[ray98]

For me Carnival routinely offers a better overall value the majority of the time for the things that are important to us.  We have taken many cruises on RCCL and NCL that we enjoyed and I'm sure we will again in the future but routinely Carnival wins the side by side comparisons when we are booking.  

[LatinaInTexas]

I don't have a long cruising history. sailed with RC 3 times before trying Carnival. While I enjoyed RC I loved Carnival!

The biggest difference I noticed right away was the cruise directors. On RC I never knew who the CD was until they introduced themselves before a show started. That's all I saw or heard from them.

On Carnival the CD was everywhere, involved in everything. You saw them, you heard them, you interacted with them. My 2 Carnival cruises were so much fun, such a fun, friendly vibe. On RC sometimes it seemed like people were on their best church behavior lol.

 

 

 

 

[Cruise Related]

6 minutes ago, LatinaInTexas said:

I don't have a long cruising history. sailed with RC 3 times before trying Carnival. While I enjoyed RC I loved Carnival!

The biggest difference I noticed right away was the cruise directors. On RC I never knew who the CD was until they introduced themselves before a show started. That's all I saw or heard from them.

On Carnival the CD was everywhere, involved in everything. You saw them, you heard them, you interacted with them. My 2 Carnival cruises were so much fun, such a fun, friendly vibe. On RC sometimes it seemed like people were on their best church behavior lol.

 

 

 

 

Ha, be careful what ya wish for. Some carnival CD’s are super over the top you wish you could put a hot iron into your ears. One for me being Cookie. Man was that guy always talking. Then there was another, forgive me, I don’t recall his name, but he’d be on the intercoms every 30min advertising bingo. His spiel was “Bingo, Bingo, Bingo”. It never ended. Granted that was in my earlier cruise days. 

[firefly333]

19 minutes ago, Cruise Related said:

Ha, be careful what ya wish for. Some carnival CD’s are super over the top you wish you could put a hot iron into your ears. One for me being Cookie. Man was that guy always talking. Then there was another, forgive me, I don’t recall his name, but he’d be on the intercoms every 30min advertising bingo. His spiel was “Bingo, Bingo, Bingo”. It never ended. Granted that was in my earlier cruise days. 

Oh oh lol I have cookie. I think hes on breeze if I remember which one. For sure hes on one coming up. I think I have a video of him doing ballet in a tutu. 

[vamartha]

Comfort.

 

DH does not like new things and Carnival is comfortable for him. I always wanted to try RCCL or NCL just for a change, but I knew better than to rock the cart. It works for us.

 

And now, with Mardi Gras I think we'll be ok. A whole lot of different, but the same red and blue Whale's Tail so DH is comfy. 18 days to go!

[Don Kehote]

1 hour ago, Cruise Related said:

Ha, be careful what ya wish for. Some carnival CD’s are super over the top you wish you could put a hot iron into your ears.

I, for one, never want to hear "Say Bye" again. *gag*

[Floriduh]

Value. Best deal means more cruising. We have 7 cruises planned right now. It adds up.

[WhaleTailFlCruiser]

Carnival is just very laid back and fun great shows and activities and just a wide variety of food options both pay and free. Also Guys Burger is just amazing.

 

I have sailed Royal twice wasn’t my cup of tea just felt very stuck up atmosphere.

 

I have an NCL Cruise booked for next year. And I have an October MSC Cruise booked to try them.

 

I will try any Line once but Carnival is home. 

Edited August 2, 2021 by WhaleTailFlCruiser

[Cruise Related]

47 minutes ago, vamartha said:

Comfort.

 

DH does not like new things and Carnival is comfortable for him. I always wanted to try RCCL or NCL just for a change, but I knew better than to rock the cart. It works for us.

 

And now, with Mardi Gras I think we'll be ok. A whole lot of different, but the same red and blue Whale's Tail so DH is comfy. 18 days to go!

I hope you have an amazing cruise! I’m sure you will!

[Cruise Related]

1 minute ago, WhaleTailFlCruiser said:

Carnival is just very laid back and fun great shows and activities and just a wide variety of food options both pay and free. Also Guys Burger is just amazing.

 

I have sails Royal twice wasn’t my cup of tea just felt very stuck up atmosphere.

 

I have an NCL Cruise booked for next year. And I have an October MSC Cruise booked to try them.

 

I will try any Line once but Carnival is home. 

100% agree! I’ll try any line, but my money is mainly with Carnival! 

[jlabs03]

I have sailed Holland America, Royal, NCL, and Carnival. I would say Royal is my least favorite but would cruise them again if the itinerary and price was right. NCL is my favorite line since I am very causal and laid back. I like being able to eat in the dining room every night without having to bring special cloths for formal night. The buffet in NCL is better with more options than Carnival but Carnivals additional free options are way better than any other cruise line I have been on. I am not a fan of Carnival MDR food. NCL has Broadway like shows which Carnival does not but it is similar to Royal. Carnival gives me casino offers so I end up booking Carnival more often and I also can drive to Galveston. Currently Royal and Carnival are the only two lines that sail out of there and Carnival is always better priced.  

[Cruise Related]

3 minutes ago, jlabs03 said:

I have sailed Holland America, Royal, NCL, and Carnival. I would say Royal is my least favorite but would cruise them again if the itinerary and price was right. NCL is my favorite line since I am very causal and laid back. I like being able to eat in the dining room every night without having to bring special cloths for formal night. The buffet in NCL is better with more options than Carnival but Carnivals additional free options are way better than any other cruise line I have been on. I am not a fan of Carnival MDR food. NCL has Broadway like shows which Carnival does not but it is similar to Royal. Carnival gives me casino offers so I end up booking Carnival more often and I also can drive to Galveston. Currently Royal and Carnival are the only two lines that sail out of there and Carnival is always better priced.  

Whoa! You just gave me a little bit of butterflies for my first NCL cruise in April. Totally excited! I’m a major foodie, so wherever the food is, I go! Don’t care for buffets personally, I do love me some chicken wings though! Mmmmm. But, carnival does have some bangin burgers and burritos. Appreciate the insight! 

[RWolver672]

11 hours ago, WhaleTailFlCruiser said:

Carnival is just very laid back and fun great shows and activities and just a wide variety of food options both pay and free. Also Guys Burger is just amazing.

 

I have sailed Royal twice wasn’t my cup of tea just felt very stuck up atmosphere.

 

 

 

We enjoyed our first few cruises with Carnival.  We wanted to go to Aruba and at the time, the only line that went there was Royal so we gave it a shot.  We have to agree with the above poster.  Royal had a very stuck up atmosphere.  Both the crew and the fellow passengers.  As we were getting off the ship at the end of the cruise, the CD was telling everybody come back soon.  My Brother and SIL both said "Never again!"  

 

On Carnival, every crew member you meet will at least smile and say something.  Not on Royal.  I was almost like they were told not to interact with the passengers.  If we'd try to strike up a conversation with someone, it was like we were invading their privacy.  

 

To us, Carnival is what they say...Fun Ships.  We went back to them and will stay with them.  I have mentioned this in other postings and was told to try them again because it may have just been a fluke.  I'm the kind of person that if I touch something that's hot, I won't touch it again to see if it's cooled off.

[thesmiths]

Trying various ships on Carnival we enjoy, we feel we are going to our vacation home that changes but is the same,

 

So much is the same on most ships but is all are different.

 

Know for the most part there will a burger, wrap, Go out to a nice Steakhouse, go get ice cream...++++

 

Getting on a ship and running into a crew member you had in the past is always fun.

 

We always have fun, we're nt looking for fault like so many.

 

So many ships, so little time.

 + + +

 

 

 

 

Edited August 3, 2021 by thesmiths

[EngIceDave]

We've sail 4 different lines. We are not constant cruisers where we have one always booked or cruise every year.

 

Maybe 12 total over 20 years

 

Wife and I both agree that the food in MDR and specialty on Carnival to be better. Buffets are buffets. They can be hit or miss depending on day, time, dish.

 

MSC is the only one that feels really different. They are definitely more euro-centric in languages, food and feel....and especially the passengers. But the food in MDR was quite lacking.

 

Cruises really are what you make of them. I am sort of anti-social, I don't want to do the crowd thing, so I find my place and chill between stops. I live in Florida, I don't want or need to power-tan and I don't hang out in bars. 

 

BTW, NCL had the strangest cabin with the split bathroom with a curtain in front of the door.....STUPIDEST cabin ever

 

 

[firefly333]

2 hours ago, RWolver672 said:

 

We enjoyed our first few cruises with Carnival.  We wanted to go to Aruba and at the time, the only line that went there was Royal so we gave it a shot.  We have to agree with the above poster.  Royal had a very stuck up atmosphere.  Both the crew and the fellow passengers.  As we were getting off the ship at the end of the cruise, the CD was telling everybody come back soon.  My Brother and SIL both said "Never again!"  

 

On Carnival, every crew member you meet will at least smile and say something.  Not on Royal.  I was almost like they were told not to interact with the passengers.  If we'd try to strike up a conversation with someone, it was like we were invading their privacy.  

 

To us, Carnival is what they say...Fun Ships.  We went back to them and will stay with them.  I have mentioned this in other postings and was told to try them again because it may have just been a fluke.  I'm the kind of person that if I touch something that's hot, I won't touch it again to see if it's cooled off.

I've talked to so many crew who has worked on both carnival and rcl. Crew think they are interchangeable. Odd you think crew members are so different from one to the other when it's often the very same crew. 

 

I'm more loyal to my pocketbook and whichever has the better deals.

[TNcruising02]

I've sailed on Disney, Royal, Norwegian, and Carnival.  My husband and I like to sail on Carnival because it offers an enjoyable and relaxing cruise.  

We like going to the comedy shows and Carnival has more comedians and more shows than any other line we have sailed.  Also, I liked to purchase FTTF in order to board early and have access to my cabin immediately. I also like to use the self service washing machines in order to pack light and use carry on only bags with the ships that have self service laundry facilities.  We like the fun vibe with a lot energy, but can always find quiet places to relax.  We also like the great variety of live music throughout the ship. Carnival also offers a great variety of free lunch options.

As far as theater shows, the other lines were much better.  Royal's largest ship is amazing with their shows and it is incredible ship.  But when it's just me and my husband, we like to just chill out with Carnival.  We are looking forward to our Mardi gras cruise for something new.

 

 

Edited August 3, 2021 by TNcruising02