*** Carnival VS. Princess or RC? ***

[Sandytoes]

I am getting ready to book my next Caribbean cruise.

I have sailed on Princess and RC.

Being I have done the port of call itineraries already

Carnival offers

different destinations that suits our date preference the -

 

8 Day Western Caribbean on the Freedom

or

the 8 Day Eastern Caribbean on the Miracle.

 

Can you tell me about Carnival and what it has to offer.

 

How's the food and entertainment?

Balcony cabins?

Would I like sailing on Carnival?

[motherofthree]

I have only cruised recently on the miracle and many years ago on RC..We loved the miracle and its out f ny, how convenient. The food, in my opinion is betteron carnival than royal...The shows were good, not great, but good enough for us. We had a great balcony, but someine we met hasd an extended and it was huge. I have heard that the rooms on carnival are bigger than royal, but have no idea. I think the beauty of the ships are on RC, the miracle didnt bother me, although people constantly talk about the gaudiness of it..the grapes in the dining room are a little much but again, didnt care as long as the food was good...There are many threads an the miracle, you may want to check them out. The people who just got back from the miracle, loved it, although there were some minor complaints, but I think you will get tha on any cruise. Enjoy..we are planning on going again on the miracle june 25 09, just havent booked it yet.

 

good luck

 

les

[miclane001]

I've sailed on at least one cruise with all three lines. I can definitely say Carnival has the best food. Otherwise, I would sail again on any of them w/o a moments hesitation.

[BDL]

I agree - all three lines are good. Its been a while since I cruised Carnival, but I do remember the food was always wonderful. The cabins on Carnival are a bit larger than the other lines.

[beloum]

I have not sailed on Princess, but have on Carnival and Celebrity. IMO, the ships are a little nicer on RCL, and the food a little better on Celebrity. But Carnival is by far the best value for the money.

[Sandytoes]

Thanks!

 

So far all positive recommendations.

 

The major consideration we choose in deciding on a cruise is the food, cabin, and how well the crew treats their passengers. Entertainment is also important.

 

 

We like the food, entertainment, crew, and pools on Princess over RC.

The cabins on RC were bigger and we liked the shower, Promenade shopping & dining boulevard.

 

Any other comments would be greatly appreciated.

Again Thanks!

[pungo3]

Hello Sandytoes. I've been on Carnival and Princess. Sorry, never RC. But, I can say I believe the food is better on Carnival. I also received better service on my Carnival cruises than Princess. I loved my Princess cruises but they just weren't as fun as Carnival. Also, Carnival's cabins are definitely larger. I also thought the entertainment was better on Carnival than Princess. The only thing I thought that was better done on Princess were the huge Long Island Ice Teas. My goodness, I certainly had a lot of those!!!!!!!!

[cyndepet]

I've done all 3 at least twice, and overall I'd give my preference to Carnival. But I will continue to sail all three and recently booked my first NCL cruise too. It all depends upon itinerary and price. Regarding things that are important to you:

 

1. Food - Surprisingly, Carnival's has been consistently better. I liked the dining room service best on RC, and least on Princess. I'd give Carnival a notch up if they stopped the waiter shows every night.

 

2. Cabin - hands down, Carnival cabin sizes give you the best bang for the buck. But I liked the layout and decor of Princess cabins best. Nothing special about RC.

 

3. Crew - all three have been equal, I think the majority of crew members on all lines really try their best to make sure you are having a great vacation. Sometimes they have a bad day, just like the rest of us. But maybe a slight edge to RC here.

 

4. Entertainment - Carnival, hands down. Production shows have been the best on Carnival, and they seem to get the best variety acts on board. I never paid much attention to cruise directors, so I can't add them into the mix.

 

I sailed on the Miracle several years ago and will be sailing Freedom this year. So I can't compare between the two. But the decor on the ships is definitely a bit "out there." Which really only adds to the fun.

 

Whatever you choose, have a great cruise!

[miclane001]

I'd also give the edge to Carnival on entertainment, followed by RCI. I was not impressed by Princess' entertainment at all.

[Sandytoes]

The only thing I thought that was better done on Princess were the huge Long Island Ice Teas. My goodness, I certainly had a lot of those!!!!!!!!

 

My DH's favorite...:D

 

I've done all 3 at least twice, and overall I'd give my preference to Carnival. But I will continue to sail all three and recently booked my first NCL cruise too. It all depends upon itinerary and price.

 

I sailed on the Miracle several years ago and will be sailing Freedom this year. So I can't compare between the two. But the decor on the ships is definitely a bit "out there." Which really only adds to the fun.

 

Whatever you choose, have a great cruise!

 

LOL! Now you know for sure I have to book a Carnival cruise.

I have to see that.

:)

 

I'd also give the edge to Carnival on entertainment, followed by RCI. I was not impressed by Princess' entertainment at all.

I wasn't impressed with my recent CB cruise.

Seen the exact show, with the same lines, and even one singer wore the same exact outfit....:eek:

However, we still enjoyed it.

[dclark]

I have sailed Princess, CCL and RCL in the last six months.

RCL- you'll lose weight, that's how bad the food is!

CCL and Princess... We like both, prefer Princess, but still love CCL. CCL has better entertainment, late night comedians.

Princess has better food, meaning they give you more of the expensive stuff, like more seafood and better deserts, soufflees. At 11:00pm, the ship goes to sleep. Everyone should try CCL and Princess. seeing how you have done Princess, you are due for CCL cruise.

[Kenzibell]

I have sailed Princess, CCL and RCL in the last six months.

RCL- you'll lose weight, that's how bad the food is!

CCL and Princess... We like both, prefer Princess, but still love CCL. CCL has better entertainment, late night comedians.

Princess has better food, meaning they give you more of the expensive stuff, like more seafood and better deserts, soufflees. At 11:00pm, the ship goes to sleep. Everyone should try CCL and Princess. seeing how you have done Princess, you are due for CCL cruise.

What I wouldn't give to be your agent!

My question is this. Is there such a thing as a bad cruise. I recently finished my training with all of the major cruiselines, and it seems they all have something special to offer. We have only sailed CCL, but have considered others. It seems the fun and lighthearted nature that CCL offers always brings us back! So again, I ask, what is a bad cruise?

[dclark]

My question is this. Is there such a thing as a bad cruise. So again, I ask, what is a bad cruise?

 

Yup, sure is! My entire family went on the Sovereign back in '89 and over a third of the cruisers came down with food poisoning! This was back before the 'net, so news didn't spread like it would have today. My mother and sister came down with it and two things that they both had in common was that that they ate the cheese cake and didn't eat anything off the ship. Right after the cruise, my mom and sister went straight to the er room at a hospital and blood tests confirmed it ( I think it was listeria (sp?).The Labadee stop was cancelled, so with just two port stops (San Juan and St Thomas) it is very unlikely that the rest of the cruisers contracted food poisoning off the ship. RCL paid the penalty for my mom to take a later flight and they both got a settlement of a free cruise. I remember that they let us borrow a wheel chair to get her off the ship. My mom sailed them one more time, a ten day cruise where they claimed they didn't get their seafood shipment. so they didn't have any shrimp or lobster and the rest of the offerings were typical RCL. She never returned (that was her 10th RCL cruise) and found cruise nirvana with Princess and Hal.

It was pretty eerie as each day, toward the end of the cruise, you'd see more and more empty chairs in the dining room. The sea was smooth as glass, but hey, you get food poisoning and all bets are off. My sis said that when she went down to see the ship doc, the was a long line and it was chaos. The good news is that I don't like cheesecake and never got sick!

We kind of had a warning when my brother got a coke with just a couple of ice cubes and asked for more ice. The waiter said that they didn't have much ice on the ship. Hmm... maybe they were having problems with the refrigeration? Dairy products+ warmth = listeria bacteria!

Since that cruise, I have only sailed RCL twice, once back in '02, then last June. I had low expectations, but my kids never have been on them, the cruise was cheap, we were in the area so to speak, and the ports were great.Room was ridicuously small, the food far inferior to CCL, but hey,it was cheap. Had I paid more, my wife and I would have been pretty darn peaved. CCL is superior to RCL is so many ways that it would be hard to justify spending more for one over CCL. That's why this xmas and this summer, we'll be on CCL ships and, hopefully, be on a Princess ship the following year.

[Kenzibell]

I have talked to many people who are less than please with Royal's product. We really haven't even considered them. The two lines I became interested in trying while going through my training was HAL and Princess. I was amazed at the different "perks" each line offers. We cruise with our daughters, they are 3 and 5. This October will be their 3rd cruise. They love it! Now te entire family is addicted!

I am so sorry that your family had such a horrible cruise. At least it didn't dampen your cruising spirit. I would have been one of the sick people. I can't resist cheesecake!

I wish we could cruise more than once a year. One week after we returned from our cruise last October, my oldest daughter ask if we could go back! I homeschool my girls, so it is also a great learning experience for them. I should be able to count that as an educational tax deduction! :D I don't think our CPA will go for it.

[JPEvans]

If I was asked which of the three lines to take. I would say pick a ship, any ship. I've been on all three, and as far as the service, food, and entertainment goes, they are all pretty offer the same product. Each line has their own feel, but which is better is in the "eye of the beholder"

[Sandytoes]

dclark ~~

 

Sorry to hear about the experience you and your family endured.

I have to agree with the food on RC. We weren't impressed with it at all. Very disappointing.

Food on Princess is much more superior.

Maybe you should try Princess and compare the difference.

 

I am now looking at different cruises on Carnival.

Sad they don't have anything longer than 8 days.

I prefer 9+ days on a cruise.

7 are way to short.

 

~~~

 

Kenzibell ~

 

I agree, each Cruise Line provides a different and unique experience.

Some are better than others. It all depends on your liking.

 

If I had to answer what would constitute a bad cruise it would be getting deathly sick while onboard, cutting a cruise vacation short. Than again, that could go for a landbase vacation as well.

Food is our major concern, following entertainment & accommodations in picking a cruise line.

 

As for the Perks, to bad past passengers rewards are not transferable.

Carnival who owns Princess will not combine loyalty programs.

 

~~~

 

 

JPEvans ~

Thanks!

True!! The only way to know if I'll like Carnival is to go on one.

Can't always go by what others say.

[newmexicoNita]

Every line has a niche and Carnival certainly is as good as many though not my favorite line. This is just a personal preferance. Princess has great entrees, which I think makes them stand out from some lines; remember food is very subjective. I didn't like the dining room breakfasts on Princess nor the buffets.

 

Carnival has bigger cabins; RCI and Princess similar size ones, but again, we have to make sure we are comparing class for class. I wouldn't want to compare the Holiday with a brand new Princess or RCI ship, now visa versa.

 

Carnival ships are deffinently glitzier and a little overdone in my view. RCI ships are just too big (newer ones) WE were not among those who had great service on Princess so I will refraine from judging service at this time.

 

I think the most important thing to remember, mass marketed lines are more alike than different.

 

Nita