Experienced cruiser new to Carnival......

[SPacificbound]

I just booked Carnival Miracle out of Galveston, and in reading the Carnival forum I'm 😶. We have never cruised out of Galveston, and have never cruised with Carnival.

 

We have just over 400 nights at sea with RCCL, Celebrity, and Cunard, so not new to cruising.

 

We are about 90 minutes from Galveston, so no flying involved, so it looked like a good idea at the time. Miracle is a smaller ship, the cruise is in January, so I was thinking it would be relativity calm on board, (not talking about the sea, the sea doesn't bother me).  

 

So, Carnival cruisers, especially Miracle cruisers, enlighten me please.  

 

 

[ProgRockCruiser]

I have no input regarding Miracle, other than I am sure she's as a fine ship as any other Carnival ship in her class / age.

 

I think I saw your post expressing some trepidation in the "Drug Sniffing Dogs" thread.  I wouldn't worry about that - it is no different than many airport checks.

 

I'm sure you'll have fun on he Carnival cruise, and at least you can say you've tasted the other brand of Kool-Aid.  If you decide to go back to the RCCL family, that's cool.  We're Carnival regulars simply because our first cruise was Carnival, we had a blast, and we've been having fun ever since.  Why mess with success?

 

If we had started with RCCL I'm sure we could have easily found that to be similarly enjoyable and might not have bothered to try Carnival.

[icft]

I'm not a Carnival fan these days; used to be, but less and less since covid. But I don't think you should be questioning you decision to book the cruise. The vast majority of Carnival cruises are a good time and the odds are in your favor that you will have a great trip.

 

Now, I would not advise becoming a Carnival regular. In my opinion Carnival doesn't enforce its rules and as a result has gained a reputation for anything goes and therefore attracts some less than desirable clientele. Again in my opinion, sail often enough and you will have a very unpleasant encounter.

Edited November 17, 2023 by icft

[john91498]

To the OP. if you're used to RCCL, Celebrity and Cunard, going from those lines to carnival is like comparing a 5 star restaurant to McDonalds. There's no comparison 🙂

[BTromboneFrack]

Sorry, I would disagree with some of the previous posts.  I am sure there are differences between the lines, but many people who have been on all the different cruise lines still love Carnival for what it is.  It won't really be quiet, although you'll be able to find quiet areas and relatively quiet things to do.   Carnival almost always has something going on.  It is busy late into the evening, even on Journey's cruises, which are generally an older crowd.   It is more informal than some of the lines you mentioned, and the staff is VERY friendly.  They smile and say hi whenever they see you.   If you want good food, the MDR is fine.  It probably won't be Cunard level, but we think it is still good.  If you want great food, go to the steakhouse!!  We've been told it is as good as any food on ANY ship.  The decor on the Miracle are typical old school Carnival.  Bright colors, over the top decorations, wild lighting, and something around every panel and every door.  I've said it before -- If you have A.D.D., it is a great place for you, because there is something going on in every corner of the ship.  Comedy acts are supposed to be some of the best at sea, but get there early.  They fill up fast.  There are plenty of complimentary restaurants on the ship and a few that are upcharge.  Guys Burgers has excellent burgers with lots of toppings.   The Seaday brunches are excellent.  The Miracle is one of Carnival's ships that are least crowded with respect to its size.    One of the best things we like about Carnival is that you see ALL types of people.... honeymooners, families, older couples, college kids, reunion parties, large groups, young, old, and singles.  We meet people from all over the country, and most of them know that Carnival means fun.  So relax and take it for what it is.  Your trip will be what you make it.  The ocean is still the ocean.  

[Indiansbaseball]

Just finished cruise 16 and 17 with Carnival. Miracle is a great ship. She has a lot of charm! We are in our 50s (me) 60s (hubby) and have never found Carnival to be overly party party ships. If you hang out at bars, you will find drinkers. We drink but not much and have never found a place for quiet, or comedy, or movies, or sports or a party late at night up on the Lido. We actually run so much during the day that we go to bed fairly early at times and have no trouble sleeping. 
I think you will have a great time ! Enjoy your cruise !

[csm5986142]

I think it depends on your priorities. 

If ship decor is important to you, Miracle will make you gasp - it's one of the most gaudy ships Carnival owns.  As long as a ship is clean and well maintained, I don't care how it's decorated, so I'm fine with Miracle.

We have demanding careers/work long hours and when we on vacation we want to unplug, rest, and relax.  We don't participate in many activities or hang out at the bars/clubs, but instead look for a quiet spot on deck.  We've been on Miracle multiple times and could always find a quiet place to read/relax.

In 30 cruises we've never witnessed overly rowdy behavior, though the teenagers running through the halls and stairwells does start to get on my nerves (but that can be avoided by not sailing during school breaks).  I agree with you that January should be a good time of year.

Miracle is a nice sized ship and not overly crowded, doesn't have long lines for everything.

We thought the MDR food was very good.

Carnival tends to be a younger/louder crowd in my opinion, but on the bright side, I typically have the track to myself in the morning before everyone wakes up! 😄

You should try it - what do you have to lose ... a day on a ship is way better than a day at work!

[jsglow]

You're an experienced cruiser so you know that a lot of what one reads on the internet is hyperbole. Miracle is one of the ships in my favorite Carnival classes, a modest 88k tons. I've personally sailed on her twice. That said, I agree with the above poster that she is on the gaudy side. You'll remember jsglow telling you about the 'grapes' once aboard. 😳

 

Either you'll like the Carnival product at its particular price point or you won't but you'll almost certainly enjoy your cruise either way. Most knowledgeable cruisers say there are way more similarities between RCCL and Carnival than differences, especially in similar ship classes. I will tell you that other Carnival classes have significantly different onboard offerings so don't make the assumption that a Miracle cruise is exactly like a Jubilee cruise.

 

We all hope you have a great time.

Edited November 17, 2023 by jsglow

[ChuckF]

Not sure what you like to do on a cruise, but I wouldn't judge all of Carnival based on the Miracle. Larger ships do have more options for entertainment and food choices, but alas, longer lines. We just got off the Celebrity Eclipse and while we had a great cruise, there were things that I missed about Carnival. Guys Burgers and Blue Iguana Cantina for lunch was sorely missed. One other thing that we found unusual about Celebrity is that we never saw our room steward. But every time we returned to our room, it had been cleaned. On Carnival your steward will be very visible and shout hello to you every time you step in the hall. There are other subtle differences that just depend on what you like to do. If you like to play in the Casino, go Carnival. If you like to spend money on specialty restaurants, you'll find more options on Celebrity than similar sized ships on Carnival. We thought the Production Shows on Carnival were more to our liking, although the Celebrity cast members were super-talented. A lot of the common areas on Celebrity were taken up by bars and restaurants. I think you'll find more space dedicated to fun activities and live music on Carnival. 

 

IMHO

[firefly333]

4 hours ago, john91498 said:

To the OP. if you're used to RCCL, Celebrity and Cunard, going from those lines to carnival is like comparing a 5 star restaurant to McDonalds. There's no comparison 🙂

You need to try more cruiselines. I'd consider celebrity and cunard (a carnival brand) more upscale.)

 

Royal imo is more equal to carnival and aiming for the same families. It's not meant to be upscale. Some things better on carnival some on royal. Carnival wins on fast food, royal shows. I think they are comparable. For me with perks prices run similar, both up a lot $$$. I'd put ecstasy and grandeur up against each other as about equal. Other than royal gives more perks, similar. 

 

Sailing dream 14 days in January.. I'll let you know. 

[mistycruiser]

Just one thing to consider for January in Galveston, it does tend to have issues with fog that time of year and sometimes they are delayed from being able to dock. 

[john91498]

I've been on virtually all the cruise lines including those you mentioned and NCL, HAL, Princess, etc... My opinion, but carnival is the bottom of the barrel...

[aron_ross]

29 minutes ago, john91498 said:

I've been on virtually all the cruise lines including those you mentioned and NCL, HAL, Princess, etc... My opinion, but carnival is the bottom of the barrel...

Haha! I could completely understand why you would think that. 

 

My wife got me into cruising about 10 years ago and lately I've become obsessed.  Now I'm the one who checks us in, gathers all the documents, does all the research and books our dining.  I've been on Carnival, Princess and Royal and feel they all have their pros and cons.  We just sailed 4 different Royal ships in a row between 2022 and 2023 and realize, Royal for us is not the ultimate cruise line. Virgin and Celebrity will be a first for us next year.  We are very excited to get on the Carnival Celebration next year as well.  For me, I don't care for the older Carnival ships.  The Vista Class (been only on Panorama in that class) and the XL Class seem to be the better options. 

 

Lastly, I will say I had a bit of a passenger shock when sailing on the 3-day booze cruise out of LA on Carnival Radiance 2 weeks ago.  The cruise prior was Royal's Ovation of the Seas to Alaska and the clientele were vastly different!  I'm sure that had a lot to do with where we were sailing to.  I wanted to check out Carnival Radiance due to it being renovated in 2021 with a $200 million dollar price tag.  Sadly, I won't go on that ship again.  There was an odor of sewage when you walked on that lingered in the Atrium.  Worst of all, our stateroom on day 2 also had an even worse sewage stench that came through the vents.  It was corrected but still lingered.  So...Carnival new ships only for me going forward!   

 

Just curious, which Carnival ships have you been on?

Edited November 18, 2023 by aron_ross

[john91498]

@aron_ross, off the top of head, Elation, Ecstasy, Splendor, Radiance, Panorama, Miracle, Imagination, Fantasy, Inspiration.

 

Probably more, but can't think of them at the moment

[SPacificbound]

6 hours ago, jsglow said:

You're an experienced cruiser so you know that a lot of what one reads on the internet is hyperbole. Miracle is one of the ships in my favorite Carnival classes, a modest 88k tons. I've personally sailed on her twice. That said, I agree with the above poster that she is on the gaudy side. You'll remember jsglow telling you about the 'grapes' once aboard. 😳

 

Either you'll like the Carnival product at its particular price point or you won't but you'll almost certainly enjoy your cruise either way. Most knowledgeable cruisers say there are way more similarities between RCCL and Carnival than differences, especially in similar ship classes. I will tell you that other Carnival classes have significantly different onboard offerings so don't make the assumption that a Miracle cruise is exactly like a Jubilee cruise.

 

We all hope you have a great time.

I like the smaller ships, so size is good.

[georgiacat]

We enjoy Carnival a lot and we are not the "typical" Carnival cruiser.  Yes, we go on other lines too.  

 

My advice is about the fog and parking.  Check out both and get there early for the fog/traffic issue.

[KeepCalmBearOn]

On 11/17/2023 at 1:24 PM, john91498 said:

To the OP. if you're used to RCCL, Celebrity and Cunard, going from those lines to carnival is like comparing a 5 star restaurant to McDonalds. There's no comparison 🙂

 

I think that is a bit harsh. A more apt comparison might be a Chevy (Carnival) to a Cadillac (Cunard) to a Buick (RCCL & Celebrity).

 

On 11/17/2023 at 6:21 PM, john91498 said:

I've been on virtually all the cruise lines including those you mentioned and NCL, HAL, Princess, etc... My opinion, but carnival is the bottom of the barrel...

 

I've been on a lot of brands in 40 years of cruising and Carnival is a fair to middling brand; again, 'bottom of the barrel" is too harsh. I mean, if you've been on nine Carnival ships, you can't think it is THAT bad.

 

My biggest complaint about Carnival trips I'd done, Miracle included, was the food. It was very average compared to what I was used to on other ships. No, not McDonald's, but maybe Olive Garden.

 

That changed on my last two Carnival trips (Panorama and Mardi Gras). The food was much better than on previous Carnival cruises, but that may be because they are big ships with lots of choices.

 

I don't think you'll see the worst of Carnival's passengers on a 7 Day out of Galveston. I have seen a good deal of bad behavior on the 2-4 day trips we did out of Long Beach when we were younger. Again, nothing remotely like that of the 7 Day trips we did on Panorama and Mardi Gras.

 

There is no reason you shouldn't have a good time.

[dan4182]

If an overabundance of kids is a concern a January cruise once school has resumed should not be a problem. We have sailed out of  Galveston numerous times with Carnival and always had a good experience.

 

On sailaway  days  the music ban be pretty loud around the main pool deck but there are plenty of places to go to get aeay from the noise. The Alchemy Bar is a favorite of ours and the new food menus featured in the MDR feature items curated by chef Emeril Lagasse and they are quite tasty.

The comedians in the Punchliner Comedy Clubs are usually good, the production shows in the main theyre not so much.

 

Enjoy your cruise,

[nimbex1970]

I'm probably the odd man out here, as it's a Carnival forum.  I only sail Carnival when the itinerary and price point cannot be beaten by another line.  It's my last choice. I find the entertainment (individual singers) poor quality and the food to be an upscale cafeteria. I have found more rowdy, drunk and disrespectful folks on Carnival, although they are to be found anywhere, there is simply more of them on a cheaper cruise line. However, I continue to look at Carnival for each sailing I book, and don't have them as a "never again" line.  With so many choices out there, it's been hard to pull the trigger and book one again though.  My next four are NCL, RCL and Virgin.  For me, it would be a last choice, but I would still enjoy my cruise and have a wonderful time.

[SPacificbound]

It's 11 days, Miracle, January 2025, so I don't expect a lot of kids or a booze cruise, but I must admit, I previously could not imagine I would ever book with Carnival. I know this is an older ship, but the ship is a size we are more comfortable with.

 

Strange what happens when life options change.

 

We've reached a point that flying from Houston to catch a cruise on the East coast (or somewhere else) has gotten difficult for us. So.. I decided to check out both Carnival and NCL out of Galveston, both lines we have never cruised with. I literally had panicked that we couldn't travel anymore, then I thought of Galveston. So I canceled two TAs, and I have B2B out of Galveston on RCCL Jewel in November 2024, this Carnival Jan. 6-17, 2025 and NCL Prima Jan. 17-31, 2025.

 

Thank you for the comments, I do appreciate the insight. 

 

 

[firefly333]

7 hours ago, SPacificbound said:

It's 11 days, Miracle, January 2025, so I don't expect a lot of kids or a booze cruise, but I must admit, I previously could not imagine I would ever book with Carnival. I know this is an older ship, but the ship is a size we are more comfortable with.

 

Strange what happens when life options change.

 

We've reached a point that flying from Houston to catch a cruise on the East coast (or somewhere else) has gotten difficult for us. So.. I decided to check out both Carnival and NCL out of Galveston, both lines we have never cruised with. I literally had panicked that we couldn't travel anymore, then I thought of Galveston. So I canceled two TAs, and I have B2B out of Galveston on RCCL Jewel in November 2024, this Carnival Jan. 6-17, 2025 and NCL Prima Jan. 17-31, 2025.

 

Thank you for the comments, I do appreciate the insight. 

 

 

I took miracle as a journey cruise to alaska. Now it's no longer called that but I enjoyed the ship. Most space per pax of any class of carnival ship. Carnival doesnt close and bolt lock the buffet doors between meals.  I like that you can go by between meals and get something to drink or sit there in the ac and see out. All the old people had chairs lined up among the windows up in the buffet along both sides to watch the scenery go by. Good memories. 

[HangryGrl]

This is opinion only but I can give you a pretty direct comparison from our experience.  We sailed the Reflection last December (11 nights) and the Miracle this October (15 day Journeys).  They are very different experiences in pretty much every way. 

Décor - The Reflection was what you would probably consider upscale and subdued vs the Miracle which is colorful and what some have termed as ostentatious.  We actually completely loved the Miracle's décor and are firmly in the "keep Miracle weird" camp!  

Cabin - We had a larger "hump" balcony on both ships.  Balconies on both ships were fine, no complaints.  Even though the Miracle is older (built in 2004 vs Reflection in 2012) we found it to be in better shape overall including the cabin.  We had zero issues with our Miracle cabin but an ongoing balcony door issue and a squishy bathroom floor (somehow got water under the flooring every time we showered) on Reflection.  They tried to fix the door twice and we finally gave up and rigged up a way ourselves to keep the latch closed so that it didn't whistle constantly.  We also found that the Miracle cabin felt more spacious.  Not sure if it was an actual difference in room size or just size or orientation of the furnishings.  The space between the wall and the foot of the bed was the most obvious difference.

Staff - The staff on the Miracle was way more friendly.  I actually don't think we ever saw our cabin attendant on the Reflection but Jerrymil on the Miracle was our favorite cabin attendant ever!  He was present during the day, upbeat and always greeted us by our names.  We even found out that he loved ginger ale and tried to grab him some whenever we were off ship.  🙂  Dining staff on the Reflection was nice and helpful but all of our wait staff on the Miracle was just a step above.  Our assistant waiter Wanwipa even brought us a cocktail each night to pair with our dinners!  We did breakfast in the MDR most mornings and even staff that only had us one time remembered our names and greeted us when we would see them at dinner or in the buffet.

Food - We are vegan so not sure I will be much help here but we did enjoy the additional free options (Guys, Blue Iguana, Pizza) on Miracle.  The reflection doesn't really have anything along these lines so it is really just the buffet for breakfast and lunch.

General- The overall age of the passengers was much older on the Reflection.  We felt like we were one of the younger couples on board. Possibly due to this there was basically no nightlife at all on Reflection.  Everything, including bars and hot tubs closed super early (8 for hot tubs and bars by 10 most nights) so there was not much to do after.  We much preferred Miracle in this respect as there was always a late hot tub open for an after dinner soak and the bars stayed open so you could grab a drink and find some entertainment after 10pm.  We also appreciated all the different areas of the Miracle that provided nice places to sit and play a game, read a book, etc.  No matter what time of day you could fine a lively space or a quiet retreat.

Overall you can probably tell we much preferred the Miracle in all aspects.  We have cruised Royal, Carnival and Celebrity and I doubt we will ever go back to Celebrity, just not our jam.  Hope this helps.  Enjoy the Miracle!!  🙂  

[SPacificbound]

5 hours ago, firefly333 said:

I took miracle as a journey cruise to alaska. Now it's no longer called that but I enjoyed the ship. Most space per pax of any class of carnival ship. Carnival doesnt close and bolt lock the buffet doors between meals.  I like that you can go by between meals and get something to drink or sit there in the ac and see out. All the old people had chairs lined up among the windows up in the buffet along both sides to watch the scenery go by. Good memories. 

Thank you!

[calbred01]

I am pretty much going to echo (somewhat) what others are saying. We have sailed on Royal, Celebrity and Carnival. Our first two were on Royal, then about 8 on Carnival and one on Celebrity. Food is so subjective that what one person loves another will spit out, personally if what is suppose to be hot is hot and cold is cold I am good. I cook and bake at home so I know how I like my food and if I order something I don't like I will just ask for something else. We had fun on ALL our cruises and they were all different (even between Carnival ships), Celebrity did have a bit of an older crowd but I loved talking to the older couple (we are in our 60s) that sat next to us at dinner. We have never run into fights, kids running in the hall etc... but I am certain others have so I do not pooh pooh them like some people will do. We are pretty easy going but my hubby prefers all the energy on Carnival ships where I enjoy and embrace all the differences. Have fun as I am sure you will.

[john91498]

We were on the Miracle a few years ago when she was in Long Beach, CA.

 

We had a great time and the only con I can recall is that the ship shook a lot. It vibrated so badly that on the first dinner, the silverware were falling off the tables.

 

I've heard Carnival has remedied the vibration.

 

Have a great cruise!!!!