New To Carnival Not To Cruising

[renata102]

Hi! I am new to Carnival! Been a die hard RCCL fan for about 5 cruises, just did a Princess cruise and we booked our last minute cruise (see signature). Truth be told, we choose Carnival for their Camp Carnival and lower acceptance age as my son is two years old. Also, we need a quickie vacation as hubby is being deployed sometime in June :(

 

I look forward to cruising with Carnival, getting to research this board to get more information and ask questions. Hope you guys are friendly like the RCCL boards (Princess members were a little short - not all of them though).

 

FIRST QUESTION of the day! Out of all members on this Carnival board that have sailed RCCL and/or Princess how is Carnival same/different? What is blaringly different?

 

BTW i am sailing the Carnival Valor on 12/16 two joining cabins with the big picture windows. Cat 6B on Main Deck How is this catagory? area? rooms? etc... THANKS!

[PINEVIEW01]

I didn't see much difference between Princess and Carnival. The Princess ship are decorated more to my taste. I liked the food buffet set up better on Princess, open 24 hours. I liked the food better on Carnival.

 

They both have little things different. I havn't done my first RCCL cruise yet.

[*Mach*]

Hi! I am new to Carnival! Been a die hard RCCL fan for about 5 cruises, just did a Princess cruise and we booked our last minute cruise (see signature). Truth be told, we choose Carnival for their Camp Carnival and lower acceptance age as my son is two years old. Also, we need a quickie vacation as hubby is being deployed sometime in June :(

 

I look forward to cruising with Carnival, getting to research this board to get more information and ask questions. Hope you guys are friendly like the RCCL boards (Princess members were a little short - not all of them though).

 

FIRST QUESTION of the day! Out of all members on this Carnival board that have sailed RCCL and/or Princess how is Carnival same/different? What is blaringly different?

 

BTW i am sailing the Carnival Valor on 12/16 two joining cabins with the big picture windows. Cat 6B on Main Deck How is this catagory? area? rooms? etc... THANKS!

 

I've not sailed Princess or RCCL, just Carnival and NCL but I wanted to steal a moment on your tread to thank you, your husband and your family for your sacrifice for your Country.

 

I hope you have a fantastic vacation.

 

God bless.

 

Mach

[popsec]

Hi! I am new to Carnival! Been a die hard RCCL fan for about 5 cruises, just did a Princess cruise and we booked our last minute cruise (see signature). Truth be told, we choose Carnival for their Camp Carnival and lower acceptance age as my son is two years old. Also, we need a quickie vacation as hubby is being deployed sometime in June :(

 

I look forward to cruising with Carnival, getting to research this board to get more information and ask questions. Hope you guys are friendly like the RCCL boards (Princess members were a little short - not all of them though).

 

FIRST QUESTION of the day! Out of all members on this Carnival board that have sailed RCCL and/or Princess how is Carnival same/different? What is blaringly different?

 

BTW i am sailing the Carnival Valor on 12/16 two joining cabins with the big picture windows. Cat 6B on Main Deck How is this catagory? area? rooms? etc... THANKS!

 

Hope you have a great cruise! Tell your husband "thank you" from us! You did get the military discount, didn't you?

[MamaParrotHead]

We love the location, see my signature for pics aboard the Valor (we loved the ship, by the way). Rooms very comfy (you may be surprised after cruising the other lines...supposed Carnival has signifcantly larger cabins. Enjoy your trip!

[renata102]

got great interliner rates which is extended to military!

[luv2cruzfrmtx]

FIRST QUESTION of the day! Out of all members on this Carnival board that have sailed RCCL and/or Princess how is Carnival same/different? What is blaringly different. THANKS!

 

I have only sailed RCC BUT will be on the Ecstasy next week!!!!!! I will let you know when I get home of some of the differences, good and bad between lines.

 

Thanks to your husband and your entire family for the job he does.

[Lovely Cruise]

The ship will not be as beautiful as some of the RCC ships but you will have a GREAT time!

 

Although, I don't have small children.. I heard C.C. has a great program for the little ones.

 

We sailed on the Triumph in 2004 and there were several military people on our sailing that had just returned from Iraq. They were "cutting lose!" We enjoyed their company very much (so polite) and we were honored to buy them drinks and shots! It turned out to be a very special cruise for us.

[Casino Player]

Hi! I am new to Carnival! Been a die hard RCCL fan for about 5 cruises, just did a Princess cruise and we booked our last minute cruise (see signature). Truth be told, we choose Carnival for their Camp Carnival and lower acceptance age as my son is two years old. Also, we need a quickie vacation as hubby is being deployed sometime in June :(

 

I look forward to cruising with Carnival, getting to research this board to get more information and ask questions. Hope you guys are friendly like the RCCL boards (Princess members were a little short - not all of them though).

 

FIRST QUESTION of the day! Out of all members on this Carnival board that have sailed RCCL and/or Princess how is Carnival same/different? What is blaringly different?

 

BTW i am sailing the Carnival Valor on 12/16 two joining cabins with the big picture windows. Cat 6B on Main Deck How is this catagory? area? rooms? etc... THANKS!

I have sailed both RCCL and Carnival. I will not have a second RCCL cruise and just compleated my fifth on Carnival. That should say something. Staterooms on Carnival are larger. The food on Carnival is better. Service while suffering somewhat from what it used to be on Carnival is still better than service on RCCL. Service on RCCL is nonexistant. Carnival has 24 hour ice cream and pizza, not so on RCCL.

[renata102]

Thanks for all your kind words. Its harder on us that he is being deployed to Iraq because although he was active duty Marine he is now in reserves and his current job for the past several years is as a State Trooper (Police). So he is being activated for active duty :(

 

I checked out pics of Valor looks great. Heard that food was slightly better. I always say as long as its good and I didn;t cook it. ;)

 

I look forward to hearing more info on the ship! Thanks!

[renata102]

Thanks for all your kind words. Its harder on us that he is being deployed to Iraq because although he was active duty Marine he is now in reserves and his current job for the past several years is as a State Trooper (Police). So he is being activated for active duty :(

 

I checked out pics of Valor looks great. Heard that food was slightly better. I always say as long as its good and I didn;t cook it. ;)

 

I look forward to hearing more info on the ship! Thanks!

[NCTribeFan]

I loved my cruise on Empress of the Seas. It was a repositioning cruise and went Tampa, Grand Cayman, Montego Bay (was supposed to have been Ocho Rios), St Thomas, and home from San Juan.

 

I absolutely loved it! Of course, it was only my 2nd cruise and the 1st had been on Jubilee, so the ships were about the same size.

 

What I didn't like about the RCI cruise: cabin steward - she was not good; had an OV and the cabin was miniscule; my 16-yo DD was hit on by several crewmen, right in front of me. I didn't like that.

 

What I did like: loved the Windjammer buffet; loved our table waitstaff; loved that there was a non-smoking area in the casino; loved the full-ship, wide promenade deck where there was plenty of room to walk and plenty of room to sit and relax away from the Lido deck.

 

I've stated many times here that I'd cruise RCI again IF the prices were what I could get on Carnival. I just haven't found a cruise that was a comparable price, and price is a factor for me.

 

I wasn't crazy about my 1st Fantasy cruise (4 night Bahamas in June). Too hot. Too many kids (I took my DD and her BF as high-school graduation present). Don't like the decor on Fantasy. Much prefer her sister ship, Elation.

 

I read a lot on the RCI board and I'm tired of the childish snobbery about RCI. The two lines cater to the same demographic. "Oh, but the RCI ships are SOOOO classy and Carnival is the Wal-Mart of cruising, blah, blah, blah." What a load of horsecrap!

 

I don't WANT a rock climbing wall or an ice skating rink or a shopping mall in the middle of the ship. So why should I pay extra for things I don't want?

 

I sail for the islands. If I wanted to just lay by a pool and drink, I'd go to a local hotel for the weekend for a whole lot less money!

 

I'm not a heavy-drinking party-animal and I'm not the only person who sails Carnival who doesn't fit that description.

 

Our friends over on the RCI board need to get a grip and realize that we're not comparing Carnival and Seabourn. Their snobbishness is misplaced and they need to stop running down the other line to make themselves feel more important.

 

Geez. Think I need a little more caffeine! :p

 

ANYWAY, I'll sail whatever line gives me the best value and sails to the ports I want to see.

 

The service and the food on Carnival has been good to excellent. The price has been excellent. Why would you pay more for a comparable product?

[PJNJcruise5]

We've enjoyed both RCCL and Carnival. The biggest difference for us has been the price and the food in the Diningroom. Carnival has more choices for dinner if you don"t care for the main entree offered. I personally did not like the entrees offered on RCCL. However the buffets were better on RCCL. We opted for the omelets station for breakfast on Carnival as well as the Deli for lunch -they make great sandwhiches to order! We have used the military friends and family discount which saved alot for the three cabins we booked, also on our second Carnival cruise the past guest discount was even better than the military discount. Have a great cruise!

[criuisingurl079]

Service on RCCL is nonexistant. Carnival has 24 hour ice cream and pizza

RCCl service is superior, maybe you just like Carnival, but we have had amazing service on all of our RCCl cruises. PIZZA and Ice Cream are 24 hrs in the promenade cafe, but I don't base on cruise on those things.

I'm trying Carnival in 28 days, after 5 RCCl and 3 Princess-- they have a lot to live up too from these boards, i'll be anxious to see if they have improved since my '03 trip on the Paradise. If not, this will be my last for sure!!!

A cruise is what you make of it, and any cruise ship is better then being at home! :0)

Have fun!!

[kidless]

Hi! I am new to Carnival! Been a die hard RCCL fan for about 5 cruises, just did a Princess cruise and we booked our last minute cruise (see signature). Truth be told, we choose Carnival for their Camp Carnival and lower acceptance age as my son is two years old. Also, we need a quickie vacation as hubby is being deployed sometime in June :(

 

I look forward to cruising with Carnival, getting to research this board to get more information and ask questions. Hope you guys are friendly like the RCCL boards (Princess members were a little short - not all of them though).

 

FIRST QUESTION of the day! Out of all members on this Carnival board that have sailed RCCL and/or Princess how is Carnival same/different? What is blaringly different?

 

BTW i am sailing the Carnival Valor on 12/16 two joining cabins with the big picture windows. Cat 6B on Main Deck How is this catagory? area? rooms? etc... THANKS!

 

We have been on 6 Carnival Cruises and have loved them, service, food and meeting some great people. We are planning our first RCCL cruise next May and have been on those boards a lot the last couple weeks. You will find the Carnival boards and people much more helpful, friendly and fun. Truth be told it has us worried as to the kind of people on RCCL as on the boards they seem more stuffy and snobby. Just our opinion.

[criuisingurl079]

We have been on 6 Carnival Cruises and have loved them, service, food and meeting some great people. We are planning our first RCCL cruise next May and have been on those boards a lot the last couple weeks. You will find the Carnival boards and people much more helpful, friendly and fun. Truth be told it has us worried as to the kind of people on RCCL as on the boards they seem more stuffy and snobby. Just our opinion.

 

Don't worry, you will LOVE the Mariner!! We have made many friends on our RCCl cruises. Their are rude people everywhere, and I have seen them on all my cruises-- but you will also meet many great people! I have found that the crew on RCCl is the most friendly and helpful, take a minute to say hello and they will take care of you all week!

[NCTribeFan]

Well, you see folks, using these terms like "nonexistant" and anything else that is extreme just adds to the Us vs Them arguments that these threads develop into.

 

Just because someone had ONE bad experience on any one cruiseline doesn't mean it's the worst in the world and anyone who sails with them is an idiot.

 

Lots of people comment that "oh, you should give it another try" because your next cruise on the same line could be entirely different.

 

Every cruise is different, even on the same ship with the same crew to the same itinerary. You might get a lousy cabin steward while the people down the hall have a great one. Does that mean you'd never, ever sail with the line again?

 

Same with wait staff in the restaurant.

 

I'm not going to let the crew influence my cruising decisions too much because I realize that it's a crapshoot as to who you get.

 

Itinerary, price, food, service, entertainment - that's the order of importance to me.

 

I don't WANT staff fawning over me so I can convince myself I'm important! I'm on vacation! I want to relax and enjoy myself.

 

And you'd be surprised how well the staff will treat you if you treat them well (and I don't mean just tips). Treat them like hard-working people rather than your personal servants!

[ruskatab]

I too was a die hard fan of RC but after our last cruise with them we were tired of the same ole thing and the food and service were disappointing so we needed a change. Maybe it was just an off cruise for the crew. We went on the Conquest and loved it. There are some things we liked better on RC and some things we liked better on Carnival. Dont believe all the people who say Carnival is the walmart of cruising, its not true. It was not a redneck convention either. They are very similiar and neither is way above the other. It is a cruise and not work so that alone makes it worth it no matter what line you chose.

[Name game]

I have not cruised Princess but I have cruised RCCL and Norwegian. I have been on 18 Carnival cruises. Carnival is more laid back. I agree with what other people on this thread have written, a vacation is what you make of it. One week can be the best cruise ever and the next week it can be dud, no matter what cruise line. I found that while on RCCL, I couldn't even get my own cup of coffee, someone was always there to do stuff for me. Some people like that, I don't. I also find that on Carnival there is always something to do, ALWAYS! Drinking does go on quite a bit, but there are many people who don't drink and have a great time on Carnival.

As for Camp Carnival, although I don't have children but I do have a nephew, I have never heard a bad thing about the camp. The kids seem to love it, as do the parents.

[Wennfred]

BTW i am sailing the Carnival Valor on 12/16 two joining cabins with the big picture windows. Cat 6B on Main Deck How is this catagory? area? rooms? etc... THANKS!

 

For sure the cabins are much larger then the ones on RCCL. Scroll down and click on the Valors Camp Carnival's Activites for the 2 year old age group:

 

Cabin Safes and Blow Dryers: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=415027

Valor's Self Service Laundry: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=321777

Valor's Chocolate Buffet: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=321739

Valor's ShowGirls: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=335424

Valor's Fish & Chips: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=361778

Valor's Lobster Night: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=527026

Live from the Valor Thread: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=317552

Live from the Holiday Inn Miami: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=316151

Valor's Pizza and Burgers: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=342832

Valor's Hair Salon: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=321974

Valor's Webcam: http://www.mediacons.it/infoCarnival...alor&channel=1

Valor's Capers at a Glance: http://members.cox.net/wennfred4/Caper.html

 

Valor's Camp Carnival:

Ages 2-5 years http://members.cox.net/wennfred3/2-5.html

Ages 6-8 years http://members.cox.net/wennfred2/6-8.html

Ages 9-11 years http://members.cox.net/wennfred3/9-11.html

Ages 12-14 http://members.cox.net/wennfred4/12-14.html

Under 2 years old http://members.cox.net/wennfred2/Under2.html

 

Fred

[groffo2]

And we'll be going on a Carnival cruise this Sunday on the Valor on Main deck (6B connecting rooms) so we'll let you know.

 

We liked our connecting room on Glory (smae class ship) so we opted to get another this time around.

 

You'll have a great time, Camp Carnival reallly shows the kids a good time.

[TennisLover]

We're Carnival cruisers who tried RCCL earlier this year for a change. Going back to Carnival in 08.

 

DH and I thought that there were more choices for night life on Carnival, and that the nightlife, overall, is more fun on Carnival. DS, who was 11 on our last cruise, was never ready for lunch when lunch was served on RCCL; so the longer hours of food availability (including free ice cream) is more to his liking. DD is a teen, so can't base anything on her!

 

I liked the "feel" of Valor better than Navigator. I'm one of the few who do not like the RCCL Voyager Class ships' promenade -- feels like a mall to me and I do not like malls! On Valor, as you walk through the ship, there are windows on the sides, so you can see the water. Now that's vacation to me!

 

When DS was younger, he was involved in a lot of Camp Carnival activities (we didn't start cruising until he was 7). I don't have experience with the youngest age group, though.

 

We loved the Valor (my favorite cruise to date). I am sure you will have a great time.

[jabber]

Interesting thread. We cruise with Carnival and RCCL because of the adjoining cabins. We have a 12 & 10 year old and it's nice to have separate cabins. We wouldn't feel comfortable with the girls across the hall from us. Those are the only 2 lines I'm aware that have some ships with balcony rooms adjoined with interior rooms. I certainly don't think one line is superior over the other.

[NCTribeFan]

Question: I've seen a few RCI loyalists who have been on Carnival state that there was nothing to do late-night other than bars.

 

I'm not a late-night person, but isn't there usually a show and/or comedy in the theatre?

 

I mean, what do people actually want to do at 1am if they're out and about? The only reason I ever stay up that late is if I'm in a bar?

 

What sort of alternative entertainment does RCI provide late-night that Carnival is lacking?

[Wennfred]

I'm not a late-night person, but isn't there usually a show and/or comedy in the theatre?

 

On some nights the Adult Comedy show starts at Midnight and they have a Mexican sailaway party that starts around 11:30pm on Lido Deck.

 

 

 

Fred