RCI versus Carnival versus NCI

[CrusinAgain]

I have always used Carnival or Princess and really want to try something different not because of bad service but I like to compare. I know Princess isn't the ship for us and I really enjoy Carnival since the rooms are so nice and they do have self-serve ironing and laundry rooms on their ships but they don't have a ship that leaves from Seattle to Alaska.

 

I have noticed some of NCI ships have laundry rooms but RCI doesn't.

 

Some of the pics I see of NCI ships on the NCI site aren't really enticing and looks rather on the low end of the scale. I have noticed pics of the RCI ships looking good and more my style but then no laundry room and having 3 dress codes is alot of clothes.

 

The ship I am thinking of is the Vision of the Seas to Alaska from Seattle.

 

From what I have read there are no specials for RCI to do a bag of laundry and for a few pieces the costs are around $20, so I guess I can find a way not to do laundry BUT what about the dress code. My husband does not like to dress up except we do on formal nites. We live in a very casual area and nice jeans are the norm. Would we feel out of place? I know you don't dare wear jeans on Princess after the sun is down.

 

Thanks much!

[abridalmaven]

If super casual is what you want NCL is for you, the people on this cruise line looked like they were dressed for a BBQ all the time. I saw people in the dining room with hats on jeans on shorts on, t shirts we would have throw in the garbage, even on Formal night ( which is option). It was a joke people dressed to the nines and then the super slobs ( pants hanging around their knees with ugly drawers hanging out and a sideways baseball cap, making snide remarks to those dressed up ( "where the freak to you think you are at a weddin'?") No joke, the comment was made to our party. Do not get me wrong there were many nicely dressed, but just as many in jeans and BELOW.

RCI frowns on jeans at night in the main dining room, but it is acceptable in the Windjammer, JR and bars.

No bag specials on laundry, but on all my cruises , even a 14 nighter the only thing I ever rinsed out ( in my sink) was delicates and bathing suits. There is a retractable clothes line in the shower) And to be perfectly honest, I do not think jeans are comfortale in warm climates. I always wear light fabrics. And Chinos are as cheap as jeans but look nicer. But you are going to Alaska.

 

Even on our Alaska cruise we did not see jeans except on excursions.

[happysinglemom]

It was a joke people dressed to the nines and then the super slobs ( pants hanging around their knees with ugly drawers hanging out and a sideways baseball cap, making snide remarks to those dressed up ( "where the freak to you think you are at a weddin'?") No joke, the comment was made to our party.

 

If that really is typical of NCL, I will never be cruising on THAT line. Good grief! :eek: Thanks for the eye-opener.

[kkorman]

If super casual is what you want NCL is for you, the people on this cruise line looked like they were dressed for a BBQ all the time. I saw people in the dining room with hats on jeans on shorts on, t shirts we would have throw in the garbage, even on Formal night ( which is option). It was a joke people dressed to the nines and then the super slobs ( pants hanging around their knees with ugly drawers hanging out and a sideways baseball cap, making snide remarks to those dressed up ( "where the freak to you think you are at a weddin'?") No joke, the comment was made to our party. Do not get me wrong there were many nicely dressed, but just as many in jeans and BELOW.

RCI frowns on jeans at night in the main dining room, but it is acceptable in the Windjammer, JR and bars.

No bag specials on laundry, but on all my cruises , even a 14 nighter the only thing I ever rinsed out ( in my sink) was delicates and bathing suits. There is a retractable clothes line in the shower) And to be perfectly honest, I do not think jeans are comfortale in warm climates. I always wear light fabrics. And Chinos are as cheap as jeans but look nicer. But you are going to Alaska.

 

Even on our Alaska cruise we did not see jeans except on excursions.

 

I am not a huge NCL fan, but this is just an exaggeration. And, you will find people dressing the way they choose on any line. Cruise lines rarely enforce the loose denim laws they have.

 

Freestyle is not for everyone, but I like the concept. Princess does it better as they have traditional dining as an option.

 

OP: Princess has the laundry rooms available on every passenger deck. $1 wash, $1 dry, $1 soap. There are also ironing boards available.

[GMoney]

I don't doubt the poster's experience, but I'm not sure this is a typical NCL experience. I do agree that they are a bit more laidback, but that's part of the freestyle dining, and you know that going in. Every cruise line has its dress code offenders; NCL is no different. People were dressed very nicely when we sailed on Dawn at Christmas.

[CrusinAgain]

If super casual is what you want NCL is for you, the people on this cruise line looked like they were dressed for a BBQ all the time. I saw people in the dining room with hats on jeans on shorts on, t shirts we would have throw in the garbage, even on Formal night ( which is option). It was a joke people dressed to the nines and then the super slobs ( pants hanging around their knees with ugly drawers hanging out and a sideways baseball cap, making snide remarks to those dressed up ( "where the freak to you think you are at a weddin'?") No joke, the comment was made to our party. Do not get me wrong there were many nicely dressed, but just as many in jeans and BELOW.

RCI frowns on jeans at night in the main dining room, but it is acceptable in the Windjammer, JR and bars.

No bag specials on laundry, but on all my cruises , even a 14 nighter the only thing I ever rinsed out ( in my sink) was delicates and bathing suits. There is a retractable clothes line in the shower) And to be perfectly honest, I do not think jeans are comfortale in warm climates. I always wear light fabrics. And Chinos are as cheap as jeans but look nicer. But you are going to Alaska.

 

Even on our Alaska cruise we did not see jeans except on excursions.

 

Thanks for the info. I think I have ruled out Norwegian Cruises since I honestly do not like the cabins from the pics I have seen. Everything looked to be on the cheap side including color coordination.

 

We wear nice casual clothes and not raggy like the ones you are describing. But hubby does not have 7 pairs of non jeans and nor do I but we don't have to go to the dining room anyway if the buffet is good. He's just as happy to go there. I have never heard of Chinos so I'll have to see what you are referring to.

 

Do they serve Lobster at the buffet or casual restaurant? I know they did on Princess.

[CrusinAgain]

I am not a huge NCL fan, but this is just an exaggeration. And, you will find people dressing the way they choose on any line. Cruise lines rarely enforce the loose denim laws they have.

 

Freestyle is not for everyone, but I like the concept. Princess does it better as they have traditional dining as an option.

 

OP: Princess has the laundry rooms available on every passenger deck. $1 wash, $1 dry, $1 soap. There are also ironing boards available.

 

Yes Princess does have that along with Carnival and its amazing how hard it is to get a machine. People don't like admitting they do laundry on vacation and there was always lines for ironing for formal nights.:)

 

But both of the Princess ships we have been on are not as fun and cater to a different older crowd. We are in our late 40's and most people were in their late 60's and early 70's. People once dressed in their smart casual or evening attire stay in them the entire evening and if you were to change back to regular casual you would really feel out of place. And this was on a Caribbean cruise. Carnival people would change and you would feel comfortable in regular casual attire. They did not dress like slobs either on Carnival and had a wide variety of age groups.

[dh01498]

We sailed on RCCl twice so far, once from Miami 7 nites & once from Bayonne 9 nites.

My advice is not to worry about the dress code so much that you stress yourself out before you even go.

The formal night(s) are supposed to be formal ( suit & tie for men & dresses for ladies) However on both our cruises, and the one from Bayonne even more so, were not so strict. I saw men with suits & no ties, some with khaki's and collared shirts, some with dress pants & sweaters all on formal nights. I saw ladies with pants & dressy tops nice dressy sandals and they all looked great, maybe not as formal as the cruiseline hoped for, but nonetheless they looked nice and nothing was said. And yes there were even those few who wore jeans in the dining room on formal night.:rolleyes:

Having said that I feel that to dress up once or twice is not really a bother. It's very nice and we enjoyed it. If you really don't like to then try the Windjammer where it's always casual as can be. If you choose to dress for dinner a suit & Jacket with tie should be worn for dinner and ladies should wear something dressy... and you can change clothing right after dinner before the shows etc if you are really that uncomfortable.

But once you see everyone dressed up strolling the ship after dinner you will probably want to stay dressed too.

Most of the men in our party complained when we ladies made them wear ties etc.. but once they got dressed up, put on the tie and saw all the other men dressed they did not mind it so much and even afterward admitted it wasn't so bad after all.

I also think it's nice for children to see this type of attire sometimes and to get dressed up too. In today's world unfortuntely not everything is always jeans & tee shirts, especially if you are in the business world. And they should get used to dressing for the occasion when it calls for it.. JMO..

Anyway don't fret about the dress code... it's not strictly enforced anyway. Just wear what you will feel best in and have fun:D

[abridalmaven]

I am not a huge NCL fan, but this is just an exaggeration. And, you will find people dressing the way they choose on any line. Cruise lines rarely enforce the loose denim laws they have.

 

Freestyle is not for everyone, but I like the concept. Princess does it better as they have traditional dining as an option.

 

OP: Princess has the laundry rooms available on every passenger deck. $1 wash, $1 dry, $1 soap. There are also ironing boards available.

 

NO this was not an exaggeration, that cruise was exactly like that. We went with a large group of people, would you like to hear all of their opinions? Mine was the least harsh. And sadly one of our group ( of 200) was the worst offender, his opinion of dressing up was jeans or shorts with no holes. I have never seen anyone of all of my RCI cruises that ate in the formal dining room dressed that bad.

[abridalmaven]

But hubby does not have 7 pairs of non jeans and nor do I but we don't have to go to the dining room anyway if the buffet is good. He's just as happy to go there. I have never heard of Chinos so I'll have to see what you are referring to.

Chinos are khakis, and Dockers are similar and come on more colors. Chinos are the cotton fabric that is shiny like and usually in tan, and maybe navy blue;and you do not need 7 pair, they can be worn more than once unless you spill something. And if you do formal and semi formal nights then it is down to 5 nights.

[Twaincruisers]

We have cruised many different cruiselines and since we like to dress up for dinner once in a while none is a problem. In Dec we were on Princess for two weeks for our 25th anniversary and it was great even though there were three formal nights. Since then we have been on Radiance, NCL Sun, and Majesty; we will be on Freedom next for....one night! We enjoy different lines for different reasons and we just enjoy cruising. I wouldn't go on NCL just because they are freestyle and I wouldn't worry about being casual on Princess. Then, again, RCI seems to be just right! We were on Majesty a few weeks ago and changed out of formal for the rest of the night. We are Majesty again in August with family and we will do whatever everyone is comfortable with. RCI is probably your best choice...and, if not, ignore them and have a great time. Don't let dress ruin your cruise! We will be on Carnival in a few weeks and we will be formal for dinner and whatever we like for the rest of the time. Have a nice cruise whatever you choose. We were on an NCL cruise a few years ago where kids were coming into the dining room without shoes! Relax and enjoy!

[CrusinAgain]

Chinos are khakis, and Dockers are similar and come on more colors. Chinos are the cotton fabric that is shiny like and usually in tan, and maybe navy blue;and you do not need 7 pair, they can be worn more than once unless you spill something. And if you do formal and semi formal nights then it is down to 5 nights.

 

Awww.....okay thank you. I will have to keep my eye out for that and play the mix and match game with shirts. We don't have the business clothes any longer so don't want to spend too much money on clothes we would only wear for the cruise (goal is to keep losing weight ;) ). I must say the crowd of folks here on the RCI boards are friendly.

[CrusinAgain]

Most of the men in our party complained when we ladies made them wear ties etc.. but once they got dressed up, put on the tie and saw all the other men dressed they did not mind it so much and even afterward admitted it wasn't so bad after all.

I also think it's nice for children to see this type of attire sometimes and to get dressed up too. In today's world unfortuntely not everything is always jeans & tee shirts, especially if you are in the business world. And they should get used to dressing for the occasion when it calls for it.. JMO..

Anyway don't fret about the dress code... it's not strictly enforced anyway. Just wear what you will feel best in and have fun:D

 

Yep! Hubby got so tired of dressing up for work and business dinners he just wants to be casual now....not sloppy....just comfy.

 

Our children just flew the roost so no more need to instill values in them, thank goodness!

 

It is sortof sounding somewhat like Carnival passengers - like a mix of people; some staying in their nite attire and others changing and some really dressing and others not.

 

How is the buffet?

[CrusinAgain]

We have cruised many different cruiselines and since we like to dress up for dinner once in a while none is a problem. In Dec we were on Princess for two weeks for our 25th anniversary and it was great even though there were three formal nights. Since then we have been on Radiance, NCL Sun, and Majesty; we will be on Freedom next for....one night! We enjoy different lines for different reasons and we just enjoy cruising. I wouldn't go on NCL just because they are freestyle and I wouldn't worry about being casual on Princess. Then, again, RCI seems to be just right! We were on Majesty a few weeks ago and changed out of formal for the rest of the night. We are Majesty again in August with family and we will do whatever everyone is comfortable with. RCI is probably your best choice...and, if not, ignore them and have a great time. Don't let dress ruin your cruise! We will be on Carnival in a few weeks and we will be formal for dinner and whatever we like for the rest of the time. Have a nice cruise whatever you choose. We were on an NCL cruise a few years ago where kids were coming into the dining room without shoes! Relax and enjoy!

 

Love that attitude! Now that is a pep talk! :)

[maurick]

I have cruised them all, RCL, Carnival and NCL lately. NCL is the best with freestyle for us. On all these lines, we have seen formal and slobs on the same night. All kinds of people are everywhere.

[CrusinAgain]

I have cruised them all, RCL, Carnival and NCL lately. NCL is the best with freestyle for us. On all these lines, we have seen formal and slobs on the same night. All kinds of people are everywhere.

 

But aren't the cabins on NCL pretty cheap looking compared to Carnivals and RCL? The chairs alone in the NCL cabins are hard looking to sit on and the vanity areas look small and decor looks very mismatched. Do you have a better pic of NCL than what I have seen?

[Sillyjilly]

If super casual is what you want NCL is for you, the people on this cruise line looked like they were dressed for a BBQ all the time. I saw people in the dining room with hats on jeans on shorts on, t shirts we would have throw in the garbage, even on Formal night ( which is option). It was a joke people dressed to the nines and then the super slobs ( pants hanging around their knees with ugly drawers hanging out and a sideways baseball cap, making snide remarks to those dressed up ( "where the freak to you think you are at a weddin'?") No joke, the comment was made to our party. Do not get me wrong there were many nicely dressed, but just as many in jeans and BELOW.

 

You hit the nail on the head.

 

Jill

[Stacylee]

I found the main difference between Carnival and RCI is the rowdiness factor. I love Carnival - the rooms are definitely bigger, but I was really tired of the noise - by the pool, in the dining room (I am so tired of those same old song and dance routines) everywhere it seemed. RCI is more subdued - in the color scheme, in the noise level - all in a more positive way.

 

Could be my age now :eek: , or just that I was ready for a change. I would do Carnival again though - for intinerary only. I am looking at all 3 lines for our next cruise - and itinerary and price are my main focus this time.

[samtig]

Been on Carnival & Norwegian & like them both for different reasons. Each cruise line is different. Norwegian's dress code out of Texas is a little more relaxed but I have not found anyone as "misdressed" as some others have. Not doubting it, but just hasn't been my experience on Norwegian cruises. People in jeans at night were very well & expensively dressed. Although I didn't wear them myself, I like the more relaxed atmosphere for a change. No one was dressed in ratty clothes. Really like free-style dining too. Been on 8 Carnival & Norwegian cruises & I have to say my favorite ship was the Norwegian Sun. Rooms a little smaller than Carnival but very nice, food great, & service fantastic. Ship is easy to navigate. We're going on RCI Rhapsody of the Seas in Dec. & can't wait to try another cruiseline. Happy cruising!!

[woodz]

I have cruised NCL 3 times and have really enjoyed our cruises. We have also cruised the Vision. For teens, NCL has more to offer. RCCL has more elegant ships IMO, but we loved the convenience of going to dinner whenever we wanted on NCL. We dressed nice, but didn't bring all the foo-foo associated with set dinner times. The experience was great on both lines (7 RCCL's). We enjoyed the food on NCL, expecially Le Bistro and the dining room food was yummy. If you don't want to pack tons of cloths, go with NCL. We just washed out a few personal items and hung them in the bathroom shower and sent out a few items for drycleaning. My children still talk about the "Lovely Vision of the Seas" (announced during the Captain's report).

[theotherchad]

Been on Carnival & Norwegian & like them both for different reasons. Each cruise line is different. Norwegian's dress code out of Texas is a little more relaxed but I have not found anyone as "misdressed" as some others have. Not doubting it, but just hasn't been my experience on Norwegian cruises. People in jeans at night were very well & expensively dressed. Although I didn't wear them myself, I like the more relaxed atmosphere for a change. No one was dressed in ratty clothes. Really like free-style dining too. Been on 8 Carnival & Norwegian cruises & I have to say my favorite ship was the Norwegian Sun. Rooms a little smaller than Carnival but very nice, food great, & service fantastic. Ship is easy to navigate. We're going on RCI Rhapsody of the Seas in Dec. & can't wait to try another cruiseline. Happy cruising!!

 

You will love the Rhapsody. Very friendly ship with plenty of noise and party and plenty of quiet, subdued areas, depending on where you choose to spend your time. You may find the dress a bit more formal, at least on formal nights, but as long as you are reasonably well dressed (Nice slacks, collared shirts for men etc.) you won't feel very out of place. They will, however turn away people from the main dining room if they're wearing caps, T-Shirts, Shorts and flip flops, etc., especially on formal night. The Windjammer (buffet area) is a great alternative if you really don't feel like dressing up. Also, anything available in the main dining room is available through room service if you REALLY don't want to dress up.

 

One thing the Rhapsody is not, however, is snooty. I predict you will love it!

[kkorman]

Yes Princess does have that along with Carnival and its amazing how hard it is to get a machine. People don't like admitting they do laundry on vacation and there was always lines for ironing for formal nights.:)

 

But both of the Princess ships we have been on are not as fun and cater to a different older crowd. We are in our late 40's and most people were in their late 60's and early 70's. People once dressed in their smart casual or evening attire stay in them the entire evening and if you were to change back to regular casual you would really feel out of place. And this was on a Caribbean cruise. Carnival people would change and you would feel comfortable in regular casual attire. They did not dress like slobs either on Carnival and had a wide variety of age groups.

 

I just turned 30... I guess it does depend on the length of the cruise and time of year. I have found that Princess caters more to the 30-40 "coupled" crowd. I purposely chose my May cruise to avoid children. There were supposedly less than 100 on my trip.

 

If you look at some of the other boards on here... the clothing rules seem to be an issue. I was just reading an elation review that the poster said that sweat shorts were allowed at night in the dining room. I know this is overdiscussed. It is on all cruise lines though.

[cruisersnorkler]

We are RCCL cruisers. We have never seen jeans in the main dinning room at dinner, only for lunch or brfst. On formal nights most people stay dressed in formal attire after dinner. It makes the evening very special. One couple at our table ate mostly at the buffet because of not wanting to dress for dinner. At the end of the cruise, they told us they felt like they had missed out and felt sad about it. They told us the buffet did not have lobster--that they noticed. Part of the cruise experience is treating yourselves to special nights out where you can dress up. Especially, if you don't have the chance to do so at home.

[emilygrace]

We cruised Alaska last year on RCL (our cruise line of choice) and we decided to not bring any formal clothes. On those two nights we ate elsewhere on the ship. All the other nights we ate in the dining room. DH wore khakis and polo shirts and I wore casual pants (but not jeans) and a shirt or sweater. We only packed his one pair of khakis (could always send them out if he spilled something), my dining room pants, 5 tops each for the dining room and then whatever we wanted to wear during the day. Usually DH would wear the polo shirt he had put on for dinner the previous night. We brought one pair of jeans and one pair of shorts each. We went in September and we still wore those shorts!

 

After my first cruise I decided not to stress about the wardrobe and just mix and match. Sometimes we choose to bring formal clothes (if we're traveling with friends and they want to do it) but most of the time we don't. What we discovered was that all our pictures taken on formal nights looked the same because we had on the same "cruise formal clothes" in each one!