Glory versus Victory?

[lostmarbles]

Hi all! I've asked this pretty much everywhere I can think of, except the most obvious place. I'll make my long "Help, I'm LOST!" story short in case this title catches someone's attention. Basically, I plan on getting married onboard ship next summer. Never crusied. Lots of family joining us, 3-70something. Anyone who has sailed on both Glory and Victory, please offer any information, insight or advice to help me choose. THANKS!!! Everyone who has replied elsewhere has been great- you cruisers are simply wonderful! Can't wait to become one too! :)

[gymbrat33]

I've been on both and they're beautiful. The service, entertainment, and food were excellent on both. The Glory is bigger than the Victory, but they have the same layout. The Glory is a newer ship (a year old). I sailed on it last August when it was 4 weeks old. The Victory is 4 years old and looks like a new ship.

[basketsiam]

We've sailed on both the Glory and the Victory in the past year....When I asked my husband this question, he didn't hesitate, and I must say I agree.....The Glory!!! Both are beautiful ships, but I think the Victory was beginning to show some wear. The Glory is newer and sails out of Port Canaveral, a much easier port to negotiate than the Port of Miami in my opinion.

[kemper1974]

I agree!! Port Canavaeral is so much easier to get to and through. The Glory was beautiful...we saw lots of weddings the first day in many different areas of the ship, it looked so romantic.\!!! Good luck! Laurie

PS: Love the Western Carribean itenerary

[Cruising89143]

I have been on both and go with the Victory.

 

First of all there is no place like sailing out of Miami. Pt. Canaveral is easy to get to but the pits sailing out of. Not the tropical feeling that one gets sailing out of Miami. Also the Glory is a stretched version of the Victory. To me it felt much more crowded. You cannot go wrong with either one but I lean more towards the Victory.

[dbcruzin]

3 FOO FOO drinks and they're all tropical....lol...........I'll take Canaveral anytime

[Ryanne]

I've sailed both on the Western Itinenary. I prefer the Victory's itinenary and thought the service, food, etc was just as good if not better than the Glory.

[lostmarbles]

Thanks everyone! Hearing all the pros and cons really helps. With either, do you think we'll get overwhelmed by its size, crowds, and all the fun? I want something relaxing when I want it to be, but with fun close at hand for us and our guests. I have been told the fun gets pushed on you some by several people, but the value just seems so much better for the wedding and the cruise than the other lines. We also are considering the highly debated HAL Zuiderdam, but worry about their older folks reputation and the many other negative comments I've read and also the Carib. Princess, but was recently told they are less kid friendly. Since my daughter and a few other kids will be there that obviously won't do. If you've sailed other lines, how does Carnival compare? I do not want to be high action all the time. Is it really like that?

You all are so great to help me out like this!

[basketsiam]

Lostmarbles,

You have so many great questions, but unfortunately I haven't sailed on any other lines. I can tell you that Carnival is known to have lots of kids on board during school holidays. Princess actually limits how many kids (under 18) can be on any given sailing......I know this because we had initially booked a Princess cruise for last Thanksgiving and ended up switching to the Carnival Victory instead. As for constant high action, that will only occur if you choose it. There are endless lists of activities on each sailing, but no one is ever forced to participate in them. If you're looking for quiet time, book a room with a balcony and enjoy......:)

[beesgal4]

Hi all! I've asked this pretty much everywhere I can think of, except the most obvious place. I'll make my long "Help, I'm LOST!" story short in case this title catches someone's attention. Basically, I plan on getting married onboard ship next summer. Never crusied. Lots of family joining us, 3-70something. Anyone who has sailed on both Glory and Victory, please offer any information, insight or advice to help me choose. THANKS!!! Everyone who has replied elsewhere has been great- you cruisers are simply wonderful! Can't wait to become one too! :)

I am getting married on the Glory July 31st, I will let you know very objectively how it goes.....keep in touch.:)

[lostmarbles]

My sincerest Congratulations Beesgal4 and thank you for letting me know how it goes when you return. I read on another board that you are getting obsessed with these boards too. :) Everyone has been so great and I have collected such useful information and support, it is impossible not to!

 

Best Wishes for your wedding cruise!

 

~Angela (lostmarbles)

[barbemm]

Hi all! I've asked this pretty much everywhere I can think of, except the most obvious place. I'll make my long "Help, I'm LOST!" story short in case this title catches someone's attention. Basically, I plan on getting married onboard ship next summer. Never crusied. Lots of family joining us, 3-70something. Anyone who has sailed on both Glory and Victory, please offer any information, insight or advice to help me choose. THANKS!!! Everyone who has replied elsewhere has been great- you cruisers are simply wonderful! Can't wait to become one too! :)

 

Hi,

I have never sailed on the Glory, but I have on the Victory twice..and the Victory happens to be my altime favorite ship...but, you said you were getting married next summer...did you want a carribean trip or new england? I don't know about next year but for the past few summers the Victory has been sailing out of New York to Canada...so depending on where you would like to cruise...would be a major factor in choosing a ship...I don't know if you realized that or not...and you might just be decideing on Canada or Caribben..but I'd take the Carribean any day...just my 2 cents.

Barb

[basketsiam]

Barb,

It looks like the Triumph and the Victory are "trading spaces" for next summer.....The Triumph will be doing the New England/Canada route, and the Victory will be in the Caribbean.

[barbemm]

Barb,

It looks like the Triumph and the Victory are "trading spaces" for next summer.....The Triumph will be doing the New England/Canada route, and the Victory will be in the Caribbean.

Thanks for the update..I didn't realize that Triumph was headed up north..thanks again

Barb

[lostmarbles]

Thanks for keeping me updated and in the swing of things barbemm and basketsiam! I am only interested in E. Car. at this point and that is indeed how I found the Victory. I'm sure I'l llove cruising so much that I'll add other intinerarys (or is that ies? mmmm...). Just when I think one is getting more "votes" the other catches up. Seems like whichever I choose, we'll just love it!

Any horror story ships I should avoid?

Thank again!

~Angela :)

[ali38]

definetly the GLORY!!!

[marvholly]

Another thing to consider after itinerary and price re: Glory/Victory choice is airfare and tranasfers since you are from VA and I assume family is mostly also. Glory is Pt. Canaveral which means air into Orlando (often $$ in the summer) with expensive transfers to port(cruise line bus is about $50 rt pp, private ? and less options than MIA/FLL as new port). With Victory can fly to MIA or FLL, cruise line transfer was $32 pp rt this past March and many other options available. Also, fyi in FL car rental companies DO NOT have a drop off charge.

[basketsiam]

I can't totally agree with Marvholly......We have been known to find extremely cheap airfare (as low as 170.00 per person round trip) even at the last minute from Ohio to Orlando. Transfers to Port Canaveral are quite expensive, so we rent a car and drive.....gives you the flexibility to do what you want and is much cheaper!!!! The car rental agencies have shuttles that will take you to the port at no charge. Also, living in Virginia, Port Canaveral would not be a horrible drive.....You may want to consider it.

[Cruisedogs]

Lostmarbles,

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! We're from Yorktown and have been on both the Victory and Glory. If it were my wedding - I'd vote for the Glory! Cape Canaveral is MUCH easier and less stressful than Miami or Ft. Lauderdale. We've been on 30+ cruises and have just recently started cruising out of Cape Canaveral and just booked the Glory for the second time for our wedding anniversary (we're going January 2005). Dont' know if you live in the Norfolk area or Newport News, but AirTran out of Newport News and Southwest out of Norfolk both have direct non-stop cheap flights to Orlando. If you fly down the day before you can rent a car and drive to Cape Canaveral (a very easy 45 minute drive) or if you decide to go the day of the cruise you can arrange transportation thru Carnival or Mears Transportation.

The Victory will be in Norfolk at the Nauticus pier in October. We're going on the 2 day cruise to nowhere on October 16th and can't wait!

Good luck on your wedding plans!

 

CRUISEDOGS

[Lady_K]

Lostmarbles,

 

I didn't see anyone mention the islands you'd be visiting on the Eastern itineraries for both ships. We also looked at the Victory and Glory for our May cruise. We knew what week we wanted to sail, and we knew we wanted Eastern. Both ships have full day stops in St. Thomas and St. Martin (both wonderful!). The Glory also stopped in Nassau from 8-2, while the Victory stopped in San Juan in the evening. While we weren't particularly eager to see either place, we chose the Glory since we couldn't figure out what to do in port at night.

 

My suggestion would be to read up on Nassau and San Juan and see which port offers the most options for you and your group.

 

Either way, I think you'll have a great time. The activities were never "pushed" on us at all. Don't worry about that. Enjoy your cruise, you'll have a great time.

 

And congrats on the upcoming marriage!

[lostmarbles]

Thanks Lady K! I thought San Juan sounded like fun, but it pulls in their really late in the afternoon/early evening and I was told there wasn't much family wise to do there then. I'm still looking into other options, but am pretty much leaning towards the Glory so far.

 

 

 

marvholly and basketsiam: Flying to Orlando is the cheapest of the 3 from here. There seems to be much debate about which port is better to leave from, but I'm mainly concerned with the cost of getting there at this point in my novice cruising life. I'm looking into a charter since they'll be a bunch of us and then figuring out total cost of flight and transport to the pier. I may even go a day or 2 early if I can- wanted to check out Disney's Animal Kingdom (work at the zoo here in addition to teaching preK)

 

 

 

cruisedogs- I grew up in Norfolk, but live in Hampton now. I can't leave either one out so decided to combine them. :) Since you have been on so many, mind if I ask you some more questions about this and other lines? I am so torn still and just want to make the right decision! Have a great time on your anniversary cruise! Thanks!

 

 

 

Thanks for all the advice and congratulations from everyone!

 

 

 

~Angela

[Cruisedogs]

Angela,

Feel free to ask away! We've been on just about every cruise line that has been sailing since 1979 except Princess and Celebrity. Actually, we've NEVER had a bad cruise - it's all in what you make it!

 

CRUISEDOGS

[lostmarbles]

Thanks cruisedogs!

 

Here's what we're down to:

 

A. Carnival Glory 7d E. Car. out of Pt. Can. (goes to Nassau, St. Thomas, St. Martin)

 

B. Royal Car. Grandeur 5d Bermuda out of Baltimore (only goes to King's Wharf, stays 2 days)

 

C. Norwegian Dawn 7d FL and Bahamas out of NY(goes to Pt. Can, Miami, Pr. Island, Nassau)

 

D. Hol. Am. Zuiderdam 7d E. Car. out of Ft. Lauderdale (goes to Half Moon Cay, St. Thomas, Tortola, Nassau)

Any experience you've had with the ships, lines, departure ports, ports of call, etc. that may help us would be great. We've figured out pricing for cruise, transportaion, and wedding/reception and it all comes out within $800 or so of each other, so price is no longer really a factor to compare. I think we'll have fun on any of them, but since I am choosing for us and 30 of our closest friends and family, I want to make the best informed decision I can.

Thanks again!

~Angela

[krimpet]

lostmarbles,

What Is Your Wedding Date Or Do You Have It Down To A Month?

[lostmarbles]

Hi Krimpet!

 

Because of my job I can only travel after June 17 and must return by August 28. Other than that, we are very flexible and not set on any particular date. Found prices much cheaper at end of August. I know it is hotter then and in hurrican season, but all my travel time is. I am somewhat worried since we must actually make it to the particular port we get our license in so we can get married and if a storm comes, things may change, so we might lean more towards late June or July.

 

~Angela