Royal Caribbean made me sail on Carnival, and I liked it!

[Cruising89143]

 

 

 

Yes, I am! We'll be in the Schooner Bar after we can drop our bags in the cabins!

 

 

Enjoy and have a great time. :)

[mjldvlks]

Those aren't wings. It's a whale tail.:D

 

Hey, it's my phobia, I'll call them wings.

[Cindy]

Critterchick

This review could not have come at a better time. I'm involved in so many threads here and over at Carnival because I am trying to soak up as much information on CCL.

Perfect review-thanks.

I have plenty of time to review CCL and the RC I already know. Pricing is starting to make some decisions for me.

 

Ditto! I really enjoyed the comparison, especially since as of about 10:00 this morning I found out I'm unexpectedly going on a Carnival cruise this summer!

My family (mom, sisters, their husbands, kids, me & DH) have been booked on the Mariner out of LA for almost a year. With the economy being in the shape it's in, my mom started looking around to see how we could save some $$$ on the Mariner cruise. Even downsizing our cabins (one was an RFS) wouldn't have helped much. Enter Carnival Splendor...big new ship, same dates, same ports, better pricing, and TA discounting is allowed. So...I've spent the better part of the day trying to find out about Carnival and the Splendor.

I loved the Mariner, but I am another cruiser who is doing a lot more price comparisons, and RCCL's prices are consistently higher than many other lines, including my other favorite, Princess.

I already know one thing I will love, and that's bringing some wine on board! Since DH and I are going to be in Napa before the cruise, I think we just might be able to find a couple bottles that strike our fancy!:D

[hoop4321]

Thanks so much for the review. We are in south florida, where we have most of the lines all vying for our attention. ~A friend of ours is constantly saying that we should do carnival.....and honestly it was done, in college and on spring break none the less. Which is one of the reasons i am hesitant on booking with my 13 yr old. It seems that RCCL is still your favorite. In your opinion, why is RCCL better?

[rubrrick]

Jean.........great review. Bobbie has been on several Carnival cruises before we met, and had great memories of them.......food, fun etc.

 

Then two years ago, after our CC get together on the Monarch, she joined a girls cruise on the Paradise. She had a catagory 12 suite, which is the largest the Paradise has.......and it was not the size of a GS on the Monarch.

 

She felt that the food was better, the daily activities about the same, crew friendly, but the passengers a bit different than on the Monarch.

 

Now that I have heard directly from Mr. Goldstein that there will be no more 3/4 night runs, we probably will try the Elation out of San Diego.

 

Thanks for your ever honest reviews!!:D:D

 

Rick

[BobbyK]

No more 3/4 nights from Mr. Goldstein. I still don't understand. Thanks Rick for sharing that. Later. Robin

[lollylew]

Thanks for the review! My mom and I are going to be sailing April/May 2010 and I am thinking that sailing out of Long Beach on the Paradise will be the better way to go (since the ship sails on Monday less people on the roads trying to get there).

[alphakitty]

 

And who is "we", pray tell? The good citizens of the Nation of Why Not?:rolleyes:

 

LOLOL Now that is funny. Good review I enjoyed reading. :)

[Merion_Mom]

Those aren't wings. It's a whale tail.:D

 

 

 

Yes, I am! We'll be in the Schooner Bar after we can drop our bags in the cabins!

 

Oh, another thing about the Internet. You can buy a package that brings the rate down to $24/hour, plus a one time $3.95 set up fee. On debarkation day, you can still use the Internet. I had about 7 minutes left, so I tried it on my iPhone and it worked.

 

That's not a bad price!

 

Jean, it's great news that you'll still have a weekend cruising option. I was worried about you! ;)

 

(for the record, RC's package rate can bring the price per hour down to $22.20, with no set-up fee)

 

Are you booked on any Radiance 4 or 5 nighters from San Diego?

[ladylawyer]

Jean, it's great news that you'll still have a weekend cruising option. I was worried about you! ;)

 

(for the record, RC's package rate can bring the price per hour down to $22.20, with no set-up fee)

 

Are you booked on any Radiance 4 or 5 nighters from San Diego?

 

I can answer that ... she's on with me in November! Why don't you join us? :D ~ L

[Merion_Mom]

i can answer that ... She's on with me in november! Why don't you join us? :d ~ l

 

:( because i'll be back in school!!!!!!!!! :(

[dirtgirl]

:( because i'll be back in school!!!!!!!!! :(

 

 

Poor you! But I'll be there, and Wrona is my roomie!;)

[dutchess43]

To the Op thanks for such an honest review.

[critterchick]

Jean, it's great news that you'll still have a weekend cruising option. I was worried about you! ;)

 

(for the record, RC's package rate can bring the price per hour down to $22.20, with no set-up fee)

 

Are you booked on any Radiance 4 or 5 nighters from San Diego?

 

I'm booked on 3 of them - 2 with Don and one with the girls. Different kinds of fun.:)

 

Then two years ago, after our CC get together on the Monarch, she joined a girls cruise on the Paradise. She had a catagory 12 suite, which is the largest the Paradise has.......and it was not the size of a GS on the Monarch.

 

A cat 12 doesn't cost what a GS did on Monarch, either - before Monarch left, a 12 cost about the same as a JS. Now that Carnival has a monopoly, they've raised the price, but it's still a little less.

 

And Monarch's JS & up cabins, which used to sell like hotcakes in LA, now go begging in Florida.:(

 

Thanks so much for the review. We are in south florida, where we have most of the lines all vying for our attention. ~A friend of ours is constantly saying that we should do carnival.....and honestly it was done, in college and on spring break none the less. Which is one of the reasons i am hesitant on booking with my 13 yr old. It seems that RCCL is still your favorite. In your opinion, why is RCCL better?

 

I have over 45 cruises on RCI and only one on Carnival, so I can't say that RCI is better. But once I get comfortable with a line, I'm not likely to change unless there's a compelling reason - price, itinerary, whatever. Our experience on Paradise isn't enough to make me stop cruising on RCI, just as a devoted Carnival fan probably wouldn't be convinced to switch to RCI after sailing on Monarch.

 

I had a dream last night that Monarch came back to LA. Then I woke up...:(

[rubrrick]

I'm booked on 3 of them - 2 with Don and one with the girls. Different kinds of fun.:)

 

 

 

A cat 12 doesn't cost what a GS did on Monarch, either - before Monarch left, a 12 cost about the same as a JS. Now that Carnival has a monopoly, they've raised the price, but it's still a little less.

 

And Monarch's JS & up cabins, which used to sell like hotcakes in LA, now go begging in Florida.:(

 

 

 

I have over 45 cruises on RCI and only one on Carnival, so I can't say that RCI is better. But once I get comfortable with a line, I'm not likely to change unless there's a compelling reason - price, itinerary, whatever. Our experience on Paradise isn't enough to make me stop cruising on RCI, just as a devoted Carnival fan probably wouldn't be convinced to switch to RCI after sailing on Monarch.

 

I had a dream last night that Monarch came back to LA. Then I woke up...:(

 

 

Jean........ever met Mr. Goldstein?? Your dream just went POOF!:eek:

 

I wish it could be different.

 

Bobbie wants to head over to Florida........when Captain Rick is aboard.

 

I owe him a plaque. Want to help me present it??:D

 

Rick

[critterchick]

Jean........ever met Mr. Goldstein?? Your dream just went POOF!:eek:

 

I wish it could be different.

 

Bobbie wants to head over to Florida........when Captain Rick is aboard.

 

I owe him a plaque. Want to help me present it??:D

 

Rick

 

I have met the man. I ain't sayin' more. I would love to help you present a plaque to my favorite Captain. When are we going?:)

[coxswain]

Thanks you for the review.

 

 

 

 

jj.....

[tinkerme1]

Jean........ever met Mr. Goldstein?? Your dream just went POOF!:eek:

 

I wish it could be different.

 

Bobbie wants to head over to Florida........when Captain Rick is aboard.

 

I owe him a plaque. Want to help me present it??:D

 

Rick

 

Rick: I thought you mailed the plaque to him? Where's my invite?:confused::p:D

[Ginnylou]

hmmm I wouldn't mind going either.