Princess vs. Carnival? January cruising? Help!

[AR_Magnolia]

Hi, everyone,

 

I completed my first cruise in May (Carnival Conquest) and I was hooked! Since then, my BF and I have been searching for another one to go on. We were planning a b2b in May 2009, but our college (we teach) is letting out a week later than usual, making this extremely difficult.

 

Due to the schedule change, we have five weeks of Christmas vacation, so we have been looking at cruising in January. (Since the temperatures are about the same in the Carribean as in the summer, it would be nice to get away then. Right? I'm trying to overcome my reservations about January. . .)

 

The cruise we are looking at is on the Grand Princess. How different is Princess from Carnival?

 

Here's the itinerary:

 

1

Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

12:00 AM

5:00 PM

2

At Sea

3

At Sea

4

Curacao, Netherlands Antilles

8:00 AM

5:00 PM

5

Aruba

8:00 AM

5:00 PM

6

At Sea

7

Trinidad, Trinidad & Tobago

8:00 AM

5:00 PM

8

Barbados

8:00 AM

6:00 PM

9

St. Vincent, St. Vincent & the Grenadines

8:00 AM

5:00 PM

10

St. Kitts, St. Kitts & Nevis

8:00 AM

5:00 PM

11

St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

7:00 AM

6:00 PM

12

La Romana, Dominican Republic

8:00 AM

5:00 PM

13

Grand Turk

10:00 AM

6:00 PM

14

At Sea

15

Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

7:00 AM

 

 

I would really appreciate some feedback. To get the package that CruCon offered, we need to book in the next twenty-four hours.

 

Thanks!

 

Jana

[grandmato4]

We sail both Carnival and Princess and enjoy each but do feel a difference. Carnival ships decor is much more flashy-Princess's decor more subdued. Service equally as good on both. We prefer Princess for dining, although we NEVER starve on Carnival. :D Some of the same activities and some different on each line.

 

I suspect that the differences you will experience will have more to do with the two different cruises than the lines themselves. Conquest was a 7 night? sailing in May. The sailing on the Grand Princess will be 14 nights in Jan. The overall demographics of the passengers on the 14 night sailing will be older. Not to say there won't be people of all ages but likely many will be over 60 as they have the time and money to sail longer sailings in Jan, no matter which cruiseline. Longer sailing in January- therefore less children on board.

 

We love sailing in Feb but I'm sure sailing in January would be fine so that wouldn't bother us in the least. FLL might be a few degrees cooler in Jan than Feb but once out to sea there's not much difference in the weather in the southern Caribbean any time of year, its ALWAYS wonderful!!

 

I'd book that cruise in a heartbeat if we didn't already have one booked for Feb 09.:) Enjoy your cruise no matter what you decide to do!

[1125Pincessbride]

The longer the cruise the more intimate the ship gets...( no matter the size of the ship)

We would opt for Princess, as we don't have children.. slightly older clientel..

 

No matter which you pick....Enjoy

[Bonnie J.]

I agree, choose Princess. The ports are really good. The weather will be great, ports are close to the Equator. We have been on both lines and Princess is just a bit more formal than Carnival - more men in a tux on formal nights. We like food better on Princess. At buffet: BIG shrimp, eggs benedict, and one night we found avocados stuffed with shrimp- all this on the buffet!

Don't hesitate to go on this cruise!

 

CRUISE LINES

Dolphin

Commodore

Regency

Premier

Cape Canaveral Cruises

Carnival

Royal Caribean

Celebrity

Princess

Costa

[gin_runner]

Unless you are dirt poor, a brand new cruiser without anything to compare it to, or don't really care about your cruise experience, take Princess. Carnival is one of the bottom-feeders of the industry. If Princess is Macy's, Carnival is Target.

[AR_Magnolia]

Thanks, everyone!

 

It is mainly the month that concerned me, but you've helped to alleviate my two greatest concerns. I think we are going to book this afternoon!:D

[DonnaK]

This is an awesome itinerary! Lots of unusual ports that most cruises do not sail to. I'd jump on this opportunity.

 

 

We are loyal Royal Caribbean cruisers, yet we think Princess is an excellent cruiseline - in fact, we are cruising with them in August thoroughly expecting an equivalent experience. We did not care for our Carnival Miracle cruise at all - the ship was awkwardly layout out, dark and smoky, and service was sub-par.

[momofmeg]

This is an awesome itinerary! Lots of unusual ports that most cruises do not sail to. I'd jump on this opportunity.

 

 

We are loyal Royal Caribbean cruisers, yet we think Princess is an excellent cruiseline - in fact, we are cruising with them in August thoroughly expecting an equivalent experience. We did not care for our Carnival Miracle cruise at all - the ship was awkwardly layout out, dark and smoky, and service was sub-par.

 

Carnival spirit class is the only Carnival ships I am willing to cruise-but I prefer Princess to Carnival. I think your cruise simply had too many people-lots of staterooms with 4 people in them.

 

To the OP-since you are a young couple you may dislike Princess. Did you like the energy of your Carnival cruise? Princess will still have things going on-but it is much more subdued.

 

Now I LIKE subdued, which is why I prefer Princess, not that Carnival bothered me-I just spend more time on my balcony if I cruise Carnival. We had a great extended balcony on the Miracle and I have not had as nice a balcony since.