OK, convince me...........

[AuntieBarb]

We're being adventurous this fall, breaking away from our dedication to NCL & the freestyle concept, by joining some former cruisers on the Fantasy. Some of them have experience with Carnival and have told us quite a bit, but I'd really like to hear more.

 

Can you convince me why we'll prefer traditional cruising aboard Carnival over freestyle cruising with NCL?

[Kurbanfan]

If you don't mind having to be at dinner at the same time and table every night in the dining room then you will be fine. In other words be on their schedule.

Other then that Carnival is a great cruise line, great food, great service. You will have to be the judge on that one.

Have fun!!!

[msolberg]

Actually I like the idea of the free style dining except I also like having formal nights and the same wait staff every night. We have some really great memories of our dining experiences on Carnival which if it were free style, I don't think we would have had the opportunity to get to know the staff as well.

 

Diane

[beach410]

The nice thing is that you can eat dinner anytime at the buffet if you cant make dinner at the arranged time. I personally like the set up and worry about freestyle dining and such. I always feel like I am a special guest and enjoy the pampering I receive from Carnival. We really had a wonderful time on our cruise on the Fantasy last year, but we have never been on NCL. I have had such good experiences with Carnival, I hope you do too, enjoy!

[skylock]

I don't think you will prefer it. You go to the same dining room, sit at the same table, and at the same time every night.

 

You can not have dinner, go to the show and return for coffee and dessert.

 

You go when you are assigned, whether it is your choice of time or not, or you go to the lido buffet.

 

How could anyone convince you that is better?

 

I cruise Carnival but I hate the dining situation. Everything else is fine.

[AuntieBarb]

Thanks for the fair opinions so far. I'm told there is also a major difference in the food and the quantity of food served. For instance, a steak will actually be thick and cover nearly the whole plate. True?

[gargoyle999]

I cruise Carnival but I hate the dining situation. Everything else is fine.

 

Agreed, I loved everything except the dining room. Just not my thing. Would be happy to skip it but don't think the wife would let me!

[skylock]

Thanks for the fair opinions so far. I'm told there is also a major difference in the food and the quantity of food served. For instance, a steak will actually be thick and cover nearly the whole plate. True?

 

Maybe in the supper club, otherwise it is just the usual steak.

 

I find the food on both good. They prepare and present it differently which shouldn't come as a surprise, but for the most part the same types of food is served.

 

I would have a hard time awarding a first prize, but I think the edge goes to NCL and that may be just because I hate the dining situation on Carnival and that shadows my opinion.

 

And contrary to what most people say about the service on NCL, I find that I actually get better service on NCL because my wait staff are not having to serve everyone at once. We usually request the same staff each night when we find someone we liked. On my last NCL cruise, we had 2 teams we really liked and alternated between them. The last night we actually had both teams waiting on us. It was like they were competing to make us happy and we found it a lot of fun.

 

We take all our meals in the dining room on NCL, but only diner on Carnival.

[Lulachick]

Go with an open mind. I enjoyed the fact that our wait staff knew our names and what we liked to drink and what my DD liked to eat. My kid sister has never cruised on any ship and has already decided she won't like Carnival because she "has to eat when she is told" I told her no she didn't she could be like my b-i-l and eat on the Lido all the time.:)

[katyjeka]

We've been NCL fans for years. Loved leaving from New York in Dec. and loved the Dawn. Well they've changed their itin. so we've decided to cruise Carnival this Dec. To be honest, we're looking forward to the change. We havent been on Carnival since the Holiday was 2 weeks old, so it's been too long. We're not hard to please, give us sun in the middle of December, no cooking for me, and the chance to relax and all is well. I'm sure you'll have a great time. Janice

[Grayce]

I liked the flexibility of freestyle dining but I felt that I got superior service on Carnival with the same wait staff every night. I also like the food on Carnival better.

[Grits53]

pssssstttt.... Don't tell anybody, but of all the Carnival ships I've been on, I liked the Fantasy LEAST. I would say not to set your expectations too high for this trip.... I'm sure there are some diehard Fantasy fans here who would disagree, but I would urge you to go on the Ecstasy (out of Galveston) instead of Fantasy, if possible. Same class of ship, same itinerary, similar price, but far superior crew and staff. JMHO, based on my personal experiences.

[qprrules]

I really don't see why so many people gripe over assigned dinner times! Everyday I'm not on a cruise I can choose to dine when and where I want. I like being pampered, I like meeting new people, I like finding out what these new people did that day (especially port days) and by the end I like the fact I've got to "know" people that I would haven't otherwise ever spoken to:cool:

[skylock]

Go with an open mind. I enjoyed the fact that our wait staff knew our names and what we liked to drink and what my DD liked to eat. My kid sister has never cruised on any ship and has already decided she won't like Carnival because she "has to eat when she is told" I told her no she didn't she could be like my b-i-l and eat on the Lido all the time.:)

 

I just do not understand this attitute of "just eat on the lido". It is not the same thing. Eating at the buffet in no way can be compared to eating in the dining room except to say your hunger will be satisfied. Not to mention the dining room has an inviting atmosphere and the lido has a fast food atmosphere. Not the same at all.

 

I do not want to have to wait in line, serve myself, carry a tray, have to get up for everything I want, possibly waiting in line again. Getting up to refill my drink. I did all of that for lunch on Carnival.

 

I want to sit down and remain there until my meal is finished. Now I prefer being able to do that when I want to do it. It may not be at the same time every night. In fact, according to what is going on on that day, dinner time could be anytime between 5 and 9. I am very often just not hungry or finished what I am doing for the early seating and the late seating in most cases is just too late. With late seating I have usually snacked prior to dinner time and am not really hungry again. With early seating I am usually hungry again before bedtime so I go have pizza, but what I would really like to do is go back to the dining room for coffee and cake. Which I can do on NCL, but not an option on Carnival.

 

I also like the sports bars on NCL where you can go catch a game on the telly and order "take out" type food to snack on while you are there.

 

Carnival's food is good, service is good, I would just like to be able to enjoy it when I am ready to, not when I am forced to. Take it when we tell you you will, or it's the buffet for you.

[Kurbanfan]

I really don't see why so many people gripe over assigned dinner times! Everyday I'm not on a cruise I can choose to dine when and where I want. I like being pampered, I like meeting new people, I like finding out what these new people did that day (especially port days) and by the end I like the fact I've got to "know" people that I would haven't otherwise ever spoken to:cool:

 

You can do all of what you said on anytime and freestyle. The difference being you get to do this on your time and with the people you choose.

Not saying it is for everyone. Some people need structure others like the flexibility.

[Bookish Angel]

Different folks every night and no set dining times is my way to relax and not be relegated to the buffet.

[skylock]

pssssstttt.... Don't tell anybody, but of all the Carnival ships I've been on, I liked the Fantasy LEAST. I would say not to set your expectations too high for this trip.... I'm sure there are some diehard Fantasy fans here who would disagree, but I would urge you to go on the Ecstasy (out of Galveston) instead of Fantasy, if possible. Same class of ship, same itinerary, similar price, but far superior crew and staff. JMHO, based on my personal experiences.

 

ANd I found it to be the exact oposite. I cruise the fantasy because it is out of New Orleans but got a killer deal on the ecstacy a few months back.

 

I was not over impressed by either my cabin stewart or my dining room team.

 

On the ecstacy I never once ran into a member of the captains staff, but on the fantasy I am forever running in to them somewhere on the ship. More than once in the hallway outside my cabin on the main deck on my last cruise.

 

I think either is fine.

[kellyccz]

I personally have never tried NCL, but I will say I like the dining style on Carnival. Being assigned a time to eat is really not a big deal to me. It's just like making a reservation at a restaurant to eat at here - you pick a time and you show up then to eat. I tend to eat about the same time every day when I'm not a cruise anyway, so it's not a big deal. I like meeting new people - whoever I'm assigned to - and I LOVE that I get to know our servers so well. They know my preferences and remember my name. I can choose when and where to dine when I'm at home.

 

As for the choice of ship, I sailed the Fantasy a few years back and had a wonderful time on her - our cruise was almost a complete washout - rained nearly the whole time, but we still had a blast - really enjoyed our waitstaff, poolside servers and had excellent room steward.

[coaster]

NCL was our favorite line until they went freestyle. The service is just to impersonal under freestlyle. Staff is different every night and you don't get to know them and they don't get to learn your preferences either. NCL's multiple extra fee alternative restaurants are not a benefit as I see it.

 

Trying Carnival for the first time on the Inspiration in September. The recent renovation made my decision easier. My kids really liked the pictures of the water park also. I have really changed my tune as I have said I would never cruise Carnival since we started cruising 17 years ago. We would always driven hours longer past Tampa to go to Miami or Port Canaveral to go on other cruise lines. Carnival really has upgraded their product based on everything I have seen. I can't wait to be in a larger cabin then what we are used to and to try their pizza!

[Zacky]

We're being adventurous this fall, breaking away from our dedication to NCL & the freestyle concept, by joining some former cruisers on the Fantasy. Some of them have experience with Carnival and have told us quite a bit, but I'd really like to hear more.

 

Can you convince me why we'll prefer traditional cruising aboard Carnival over freestyle cruising with NCL?

Why do you need to be convinced? Why not just go, have fun and form your own opinion. If you don't like it don't do it again. Don't make your plans based on what people say here. It's like asking what is the best city, beach, hotel, car, food, wine, etc, etc, etc? You will get different opinions on all of them but none of them will be your opinion unless you experience it and then form your own.

[Kurbanfan]

Why do you need to be convinced? Why not just go, have fun and form your own opinion. If you don't like it don't do it again. Don't make your plans based on what people say here. It's like asking what is the best city, beach, hotel, car, food, wine, etc, etc, etc? You will get different opinions on all of them but none of them will be your opinion unless you experience it and then form your own.

 

I agree. Your best opinion will be your own.....

[skylock]

I personally have never tried NCL, but I will say I like the dining style on Carnival. Being assigned a time to eat is really not a big deal to me. It's just like making a reservation at a restaurant to eat at here - you pick a time and you show up then to eat. I tend to eat about the same time every day when I'm not a cruise anyway, so it's not a big deal. I like meeting new people - whoever I'm assigned to - and I LOVE that I get to know our servers so well. They know my preferences and remember my name. I can choose when and where to dine when I'm at home.

 

As for the choice of ship, I sailed the Fantasy a few years back and had a wonderful time on her - our cruise was almost a complete washout - rained nearly the whole time, but we still had a blast - really enjoyed our waitstaff, poolside servers and had excellent room steward.

 

 

Assigned dining times is not like making a reservation unless you have a standing reservation.

 

I eat at about the same time everyday at home too because that is what fits into my schedule. When I am on vacation, I do not have a set routine therefore it makes little sense to have to cut something short I am enjoying to go get ready for supper whether I am hungry or not. That would be early seating or worse still getting through having fun for the day but have to wait several hours before your late seating even if you are hungry now.

 

On NCL, whatever time it is you are finished having daytime fun, as long as it is before 10 pm, you go back to your cabin to shower and change and go to the dining room. No need to stress or rush about trying to be somewhere on time. I am on vacation. I have to rush around all the time at home. On vacation I want to relax and move when the urge hits me.

 

And if you are depending on dinner time to meet new people, all you would need to do is ask to be seated with others and you would get to meet lots more people.

[fostergrants]

I never cruised on NCL, but with Carnival after our second night, they knew our habits, likes, dislikes, our kids routine and that was great for us.

 

Honestly, the time was never an issue and you can skip it too.

 

I will do a freestyle cruise sometime, but Carnival always seems to have the best prices for us, well the three times we cruised:D

[Kurbanfan]

 

And if you are depending on dinner time to meet new people, all you would need to do is ask to be seated with others and you would get to meet lots more people.

 

Also the great thing about it is if you meet people thru out your cruise.

Like by the pool, at a bar, on a tour......you can meet up with them later and have dinner together.

[jetskier]

Because you are sailing on the same ship as us is all the convincing you will need. :) Though I wont be able to pull off some of the surprises I did last time on NCL.

 

Plus when you see all the free booze given away.....another system you will have to learn to manipulate.

 

Dave