Sailing out of Baltimore?

[kaymoz]

For sailing out of Baltimore in Spring 2024, the choices are Carnival and Royal Caribbean, with the former priced significantly higher -- any insight about why this is? 
For example, given the inside cabin category and excluding taxes & port fees,  RC has an 8 day sailing departing March for $599 while Carnival's 7 day sailing departing 10 March is $809.   Both itineraries include 3 days at sea and two full days in the Bahamas (Nassau & another port), while Carnival adds another half day in Freeport and RC adds a day each in Charleston SC and Port Canaveral FL.  The size of the ships are in the same ballpark:  2124 passengers max for Carnival Legend and 2514 for RC Vision of the Seas.

Edited September 17, 2023 by kaymoz

[shipgeeks]

Do you have a cruiseline preference?  Have you sailed on either?

I can vouch for the fact that Baltimore is an excellent port to sail from.  But I cannot explain the price differences, unless it is just a temporary fluctuation, or supply and demand factor.  Do either or both include port taxes, gratuities, drink package, or other?

Our preference would definitely be RC, apart from the price.

 

[Biker19]

48 minutes ago, kaymoz said:

any insight about why this is?

Simple economics? Why assume they should be the same?

Edited September 17, 2023 by Biker19

[BND]

Baltimore is so easy.  We've done at least 11 cruises from there.  All but one on Royal.  One on Carnival Pride (same class as Legend).  We prefer Royal, but we're also D+ so we have more perks. We've done 6 on Carnival but not the same perks at all.  Carnival was fine, but the only reason we did Pride was we did a last minute anniversary trip and Royal was sold out.  We're on Vision in April 2024 for a b2b and we didn't even look at Carnival.  You will get a different answer on the Carnival boards.  Do not make your decision solely on "opinions" of others.  Carnival cruisers will tell you Legend.  Royal Cruisers will tell you Vision.  Just pick one.

[The Grumpus]

I don't get it.  I want to go to Bermuda out of Baltimore next year.  Carnival Pride does a 7-night cruise to Bermuda with 2.5 days in port, meanwhile Vision does 5-night cruises to Bermuda with only 24-hours in port, but for substantially more cost.  I've previously sailed both ships and it's a no brainer - I chose the Pride. 

[smokeybandit]

I mean, it is Carnival.

[BND]

4 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

I mean, it is Carnival.

Our experience is they aren't that  different.  But, being D+ on Royal gets us a lot more.  Carnival perks just aren't as good.