Do I really have to take a cruise on Carnival???

[zotzer]

Tell your friends you'd be happy to try Carnival...then thank them for the free trip and ask what time to show up. :)

 

Frankly, my first cruise was on the Carnival Holiday in 1993 with my cousin, and we had the time of our lives! Still rates as one of my most memorable vacations of all time for the fun and the memories. That said, I'm sticking with RCI for now.

 

I wish someone could combine the service and beautiful ships of RCI with the tad bit looser and fun attitude of that Carnival cruise I took...you'd never get me off the ship!

 

Tracy

[Michael&Nikki]

Wow! It's really a toss up but it does sound like I may have to try "the other" cruise line to more or less compare to see what I have or haven't been missing. :p

[spbflseas]

The way I see it, this debate comes down to one question...will you be mad that you spent the money and tried the Carnival ship if it does not live up to your RCL experiences? If your answer is "yes" and you will dwell on it your entire vacation, I say, why risk it. My clients consistently are more satisfied with the RCL product than they are the Carnival product. If you can go on Carnival and not dwell on the differences that you do not like and just enjoy the experience, feel free to give Carnival a shot.

[Dave85]

That being said, Carnival will likely be a little less expensive... So even if you aren't as pleased with CCL as RCCL, you can keep reminding yourself you spent less money and that you're just going to make the best of it!

 

It would be much worse the other way around, a big Carnival fan shelling out some extra bucks to sail RCCL and deciding they like Carnival better (I've met people in that situation).

[Isaac]

If you were genuinely curious about other lines, then I'd say go ahead and do it. Based on how you asked the question, it sounds like you already kind of have your mind made up that you wouldn't like it as much as RCI. If that's the case, you'd be setting yourself up for failure and you might as well stick with what you know and love.

[ramidon1]

Don't bother to waste your money unless you find a bargain and want to get it out of your system. We got swayed last year and tried the Valor thinking...its Carnival's latest & greatest and they seem to be trying very hard to keep up with RCCL (& others), so we gave them a chance & booked a nice balcony. It was as if that vacation was just "going through the motions"; there was nothing memorable; everything was mediocre; honestly, I could not tell you one thing about that vacation that stands out. I would have to say that it comes down simply to service & quality. The people that were raving about how wonderful the cruise was onboard and here on these boards were Carnival diehards and had never been on other lines such as RCCL. It was almost pathetic...I remember in the dining room at night, they thought it was so wonderful when the waiters put on this same stupid hat every night & played the same stupid song (Macarena) & I kept having flash backs to the gorgoeus displays the dining room staff put on in the Explorer's dining room....I'm so glad we are returning to RCCL in 2 weeks!

[ORANGEinINDY]

You may, and probably would have a good time on Carnival.

My theory is always "If it works, don't fix it" It's always worked for dishwashers to garage door openers, and now works (for me) applying to cruises. We had a great time on RCI so we booked them again. If a great deal comes up on HAL,NCL or even Carnival, I might try, but as long as they're close, I'll stick with what worked.

[JENANDGENE]

I will NEVER NEVER and I repeat NEVER cruise Carnival!!!! Not even if it were free!

 

Jen

Adventure of the Seas ….. 63 days!

Jewel of the Seas 2005

Explorer of the Seas 2004

Voyager of the Seas 2002

Premier’s Olympia 1999

Monarch of the Seas 1994

Premier’s Olympia 1992

[Inshape]

If you get thoses free cruises on CCL , pls forward them to me. LOL. Even though I like RCCL better, CCL still has a place.