Carnival Spirit and a loyal RCI family at Christmas

[ElvisandTracey]

I am a loyal RCI person who is in the process of booking a Dec 2006 Christmas Cruise for my family (me, DH, 2 DS's). I am trying to book the Vision, but very limited cabin choices for party of 4 (we require a balcony).

 

So I was checking around the LA area for other sailings and found the 8 night sailing on the Spirit out of San Diego on 12/25-nice ports, but I am a RCI person. I have been on 2 horrible old Carnival ships (Holiday and Ecstasy-YUCK!!) I assume this is a bigger, newer, nicer ship-am I right or wrong to assume this??

 

Can someone who has been on this specific Spirit ship tell me what you thought? I have had 2 bad experiences on Carnival and do not want a third-but I think this is their high-end ship, but not sure as I am an RCI cruiser.

 

Thanks.

[teajak]

We were on Carnival Spirit 3 years ago at Christmas and I wouldn't wish that one my worst enemy.The little kids were ok but the tweens (11 to teens) were monsters. They were everywhere, pushing and shoving,filled the aisles waiting to get in to dinner so you couldn't pass, running into people. They stood in the aisles around the bar so you couldn't even get up to get a drink.We didn't even attempt the pool. Lots of teens also doing the same thing. Bad experience, only time I was really glad to get off a ship.

[Jimbo]

Cabin 8034 a JS is available right now for that week.

 

Don't see why that JS can't hold 4 people.

 

WE have been on 2 Carnival Ships, Miracle and Triumph, not sure you could get us on another Carnival Ship no matter what the price was. I think the itinerary would have to blow us away to consider another Carnival Ship.

 

Jimbo:)

[ElvisandTracey]

Cabin 8034 a JS is available right now for that week.

 

Don't see why that JS can't hold 4 people.

 

WE have been on 2 Carnival Ships, Miracle and Triumph, not sure you could get us on another Carnival Ship no matter what the price was. I think the itinerary would have to blow us away to consider another Carnival Ship.

 

Jimbo:)

 

I know-yesterday there were no cabins available for a party of 4 at all on the Vision 12/24, today (early) 4 JS's popped up, then they all disappeared, now one is back-I am working on getting it as we speak!!

 

So far all I have heard about these Carnival ships is bad news!! Just read a few CC member reviews-yikes!!! Maybe this is why the last Carnival cruise for me was back in 2002-I keep saying I will give one of the nicer ships one more try,but then I hear nothing but gloom and doom so I change my mind again-

 

I have a lot of time between now and Christmas to get my hands on a JS or above-a few days ago there was one GS available but it got snatched up before I could call!!

 

I usually wait until final payment time comes around before I book, then the rooms magically appear thanks to all the people who change their minds!!

[manitoba girl]

I have to agree with the above posters...We were on the Visions of the Seas for our first ever cruise a few years ago then left to try Carnival. We first went on the smoke free paradise( it is not smoke free anymore) It wa horrible, we were treated liek we had the plague during the Sars outbreak even though we never went into the general population at the airport( 15 minute plane transfer) We were told that we would have to have our temperature taken everyday or we would not be allowed out of our rooms. but when I question the doctor about isolating us from those that had been from the Toronto area he said" we don't have the room for that" Sevice was another issue ..anyway after this cruise I sent a nasty gram to Carnival's office and we got a really good discount of our next cruise. We took the next one on the Spirit, what a disaster, we were given food that had already been served to someone else and eaten off of,Our server called my DH a lier when we told him that the same thing had happened yet a second time, it was absolutely pathetic, needless to say we sent off another nasty gram and got an even bigger discount off our next cruise and welcome aboard gifts too. Well we again took the Spirit, we got our discounts but when it came time to get our welcome aboard gifts, they never came. When I asked at the desk" they had no record of it, Even with me producing the original letter we still did not get it. We had bought drink tickets on-line and asked for them" they had no record of them either"I threatened to write to Mr. Dickenson( CEO of Carnival) and then I got some results. This cruise it was not the servers that were the problem it was the communication between the ship and the office staff. Anyway Three Strikes and we are outta there... We are going back the RCCL on the Explorer of the Seas with friends that we met on the first time on the Spirit and try and keep them away from Carnival.

This is just my opinion on the experieinces I have had but all in all it is a nice ship they just need to work on the communication and consistancy in trying to give good service to the customers.

[smrn]

I had a wonderful experience on the Spirit. We went to Alaska in May '04. There were very few children on the ship. The ship was beautiful, I had the best room steward and the food was excellent. The naturalist was very informative and friendly.

I agree that I have had some "rowdy" shipmates on other CC's, but this was absolutely not the case on the Spirit. I would go again in a heartbeat!

[Krickett]

We met some Carnival cruisers in St. Marteen, we shared a cab tour. They were quite nice, mentioned a couple things...Loud announcments all the time, hardly no seafood for dinner or lunches. But this might interest you they had turkey for dinner one night, her DH was served a Turkey Leg hole on a plate with a mound of mashed potatoes, might work for Christmas:rolleyes:. My DH would have made that Turkey fly if someone served him a 'Turkey Leg':eek:

Seemed to be their joke the hole trip was a Turkey. Their first cruise and they would never go back, kinda didn't want to cruise again either. We tried to talk them into trying RCL, hope they do.

We did Carnival once long. long time ago, it's still a memory:(

Good Luck booking.

Krickett

[ElvisandTracey]

Wow, Carnival doesn't seem to have many fans, and I'm not going to Alaska, so... thanks guys, I'll be sticking to RCI!! I'll find a JS or GS on the Vision between now and Dec., I check daily!!

[Barbee524]

We were on the Vision last year in a regular balcony cabin on deck seven. It was large enough for a family of 4. These cabins are slightly narrower that the suites on deck 8. They have two twins (or a queen) and a sofa bed and quite a bit of storage in the cabins. There was a family of 4 in the cabin next door to us.

[SAS21]

When you find one available online, put it on courtesy hold. Then call RCL and have confirmation/reservation # and they can pull it up and book it for you. You will have to print out or write down the confirmation number because they can't access the reservation while you are in it. That way you won't lose the cabin since the courtesy hold last for 24 hours. You do have to create a my cruises account to put it on courtesy hold.

 

Hope this helps.

[MDLJR1980]

The Spirit Is A Very Nice Ship. One Of The Best In The Fleet. The Only Time When Kids And Teenagers Are On The Ships Is During The Summer And Spring Break. Go When All The Kids Are In School If You Dont Like Kids. Once I Cruised On Carnival, Rci Seemed Like Cruising The Titanic

[ElvisandTracey]

The Spirit Is A Very Nice Ship. One Of The Best In The Fleet. The Only Time When Kids And Teenagers Are On The Ships Is During The Summer And Spring Break. Go When All The Kids Are In School If You Dont Like Kids. Once I Cruised On Carnival, Rci Seemed Like Cruising The Titanic

 

If you read my post, I HAVE 2 kids who will be sailing with me. Who said I don't like kids-I am worried about the quality of the ship, not the kids.

[suzeyQ]

We had a pretty good experience on the Carnival Triumph in 2002 and 2003. I'm not sure how it compares to the Spirit, although Triumph is one of the newer ships. We had good (not great) service, the food was good (not great) and the cabins were larger than on most cruise lines. We didn't notice too many kids, but we went in January and May, so most of them would have been in school. I do prefer RCI but Carnival wasn't bad.

[MDLJR1980]

Well Then In That Case You Would Love This Cruise. The Ship Is 88,500 Tons And Has 17 Bars And Lounges, 4 Swimming Pools And 4 Jacuzzi's. Largest Casino At Sea. Pool Side Bar B Q, Las Vegas Style Shows. Free Food, Ice Cream, 24 Hour Pizzeria, Largest Spa. Carnival Won 11 Honors Over All For Porthole Magazine And Royal Only Won 4. Carnival Has Beatin All Cruise Lines For This Magazine 7 Years Running. The Quality Is In The Ship And Crew. Obviously The Readers Know This By The Awards Carnival Wins Year After Year.

[parrotthead]

Have you check into Alantis cruises or perhaps a PiedPiper sailing...:confused: ;)

[GMoney]

 

Disney perhaps?? They also have child care for little ones. But that's a whole other mess, as the have no casinos and me and DH are gamblers!!

 

Disney cruises rock. You have to sacrifice a few things, but you get a lot back in return (namely entertainment). I'm not into the Mouse but I love DCL...

[parrotthead]

Well Then In That Case You Would Love This Cruise. The Ship Is 88,500 Tons And Has 17 Bars And Lounges, 4 Swimming Pools And 4 Jacuzzi's. Largest Casino At Sea. Pool Side Bar B Q, Las Vegas Style Shows. Free Food, Ice Cream, 24 Hour Pizzeria, Largest Spa. Carnival Won 11 Honors Over All For Porthole Magazine And Royal Only Won 4. Carnival Has Beatin All Cruise Lines For This Magazine 7 Years Running. The Quality Is In The Ship And Crew. Obviously The Readers Know This By The Awards Carnival Wins Year After Year.

Did MDLJR say FREE FOOD???:confused: Maybe were on the wrong cruise line...cuz everyone knows RCI does not have Free Food;)

[tnf]

The carinval Spirit is a great ship.

And for that matter so is Carinval cruise line, but Royal is also!!

[ElvisandTracey]

Bjr928-thanks for the explanation-makes sense now-someone is impersonating 'Chris' with the whole avatar thing-got it. And I know there are nice people on Carnival, I sailed with them twice already. Thank you for the info. :)

 

For some of the rest of you Carnival types-have you heard about the new Carnival ship being built for 2007-it's called The Grouch of the Seas, and it's godfather is Oscar of trashcan fame!! Jeez-

[parrotthead]

For some of the rest of you Carnival types-have you heard about the new Carnival ship being built for 2007-it's called The Grouch of the Seas, and it's godfather is Oscar of trashcan fame!! Jeez-

Oh Tracey...Me-OW!!!:D :p

[Merion_Mom]

Chris, of "avatar fame" is currently onboard the Sovereign of the Seas. HHHHMMM...........isn't that a ROYAL CARIBBEAN SHIP?????

 

Guess she "saw the light"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[parrotthead]

Well played MerionMon..well played!;)

[ElvisandTracey]

Yes, Obi-wan-

 

It seems as though Master Chris has left the dark side,and returned to the land of the jedi-

[parrotthead]

:D "Carnival, I, RCI, am...your father":D

[soniamarie]

and had a wonderful cruise. I would highly recommend it! I have done Carnival twice and RC once. I like both cruise lines. I came over to this thread because we are interested in going on RC's newest ship next year. Maybe I am reading way too much into this, but some of the RC crowd on this site (and the superiority complex I am picking up on) have got me rethinking trying RC. I may be better off sticking with Carnival.

 

Obviously there are some strong opinions about Carnival on this thread. Personally, our family can afford any cruiseline but we choose Carnival because we seem to have the most fun with them.

 

I think that the initial question was regarding a particular ship, the Spirit, and not the cruiseline as a whole.

 

Oh, and the comments about the teens out of control on the ship...never saw any of that ever!