should i be afraid of Carnival cruises?

[Crusin6]

We expected lots of kids on our 5/17 and barely saw any! in our 7 days on board we saw: the little kids across the hall leaving for early dinner in tuxes on formal night, a few kids in the elevators (maybe 6 throughout the week), a small amount of kids in the main pool (maybe 2-3 at a time, one was annoying but his dad was worse), and a line of kids walking with people from daycamp (we could see them from the pool)

 

i dont know if there were just very few kids on our sailing or if they were just really under control, or if we just happened to miss them because we did late dining etc but who knows! we were happy :)

 

we thought the food was generally pretty good, but not sure if princess is the line that is heavy on seafood. carnival has plenty of seafood options but as someone who hates most seafood i was glad there were plenty of other things too. if you do sail carnival and are foodies i would be sure to try the supper club.

 

in the end, im sure you will hear both sides. if the sailing is convenient and affordable then why not --- try it and satisfy your curiosity. then you will know for next time. you never know until you try!

Most kids are still in school in May. We travel summers with our kids and they do not cause any issues for anyone. We actually get compliments on their behavior....and when we did the 12 day grand med there were plenty of well behaved kids....of course the parents taking those kids were doing it in order to get the kids to Europe and learn a little something....had it been a Carib cruise in July I would think the crowd in general would be more boisterious, however, I can honestly say that our family would have acted the same be it Med, Canada, Carib......I am sure others are the same way.

[victory2020]

I used to think I preferred Princess also. I see just as many (if not more) unruly kids on Princess, just as long lines at the buffet (not designed as well as Carnival) & I much prefer the food on Carnival. I like the fact more people dress for formal nights on Princess, but, oh well.

[*Luv2Cruz*]

A cruise is a cruise!;) We've been on several different lines and loved them all!:cool:

[Scallop]

Hi

My husband and I cruised for the first time last year in Sept. on the Miracle. We had heard that it was a party ship, and were a bit concerned.

 

To our surprise, we only saw 1 drunk person at a show. The parties were on deck, and if you didn't want to attend, you didn't have to, and when we were in other areas of the ship, we didn't even know what was going on in other areas.

 

We were quite surprised at how few children we saw and we only knew they were on the ship at dinner when they ate with their families in the dining area, they were very well behaved.

 

Scallop

[Celandine]

My parents, who are pretty much the same age as you love Carnival my dad especially. And they are not fond of children running around like hooligans either.

 

They were both recently on HAL, but still prefer Carnival.

 

MY dad said the food is comparable, but the entertainment might be a bit better on HAL (though on his last Carnival they had a bad singer)

 

My mum has done 6 Carnival and 2 HAL (all 7 day) my dad has done 2 Carnival 2 HAL (all 7 day) and has a Carnival (7 day) and a RCI (4 day) booked with me for this winter. I've done 3 Carnival (7 day)

 

I wouldn't be afraid of Carnival, but it will be different. And if I had a port close by I'd be on that ship in 2 seconds flat!!!

[Socref124]

Yes, you should be afraid of Carnival....Carnival is addicting. We are 50 and 57 and really enjoy Carnival for its relaxation, entertainment, food and activities on board. While we haven't been on the Pride (sailing from B'more), we have been on two Spirit Class ships, The Miracle and Legend, and really enjoyed the layout of the ship. We took our 10 yr old grandson with us on the Legend and there weren't many kids for him at Camp Carnival. As a matter of fact, we haven't had many kids on any of our Carnival cruises. A lot of this is due to the fact that we generally cruise in Feb, May and Oct when the kids are in school. The buffet lines sometimes get long, but we generally lounge around until the lines get shorter or look at one of the other buffets. Carnival has taste of the nations, hamburger and hot dog, deli, pizza and salads. Some ships also have a Mongolian grill and of course you can have luch in the dinning room although we never have on any of our eight cruises. I think you will have a great time on the Pride. Go for it...:D

[G'ma]

Whoops

[G'ma]

My wife and I (44,50) have cruised on Celebrity, HAL, RCL, Princess, and one Norwegian. Our fav is Princess. We like entertainment and food. Ports are less important. We want to go on a Carnival because it is sailing from a nearby port that does not require any travel on air, rail, etc.

 

I have always been warned away from Carnival because (supposedly) the ships were loud, partying to all hours of the night, and lot of kids (as opposed to Celebrity). I'm 68 and have just completed my 64th Carnival cruise.....my first was when I was a lot cuter and a lot younger (mid-30's).. Carnival has a much livelier atmosphere than many others. The "Fun Ship" atmosphere is true...but not annoying. As I've approached "geezerhood", I do find that my balcony is a refuge when things get too noisy topside. You'll find a lively atmosphere in the evenings with many clubs and bars open until the wee hours and lots of people dancing the night away. I love Carnival ships...the "alive" atmosphere, lots of things to do - or not....it's a lot of fun.

 

I have read that there are long lines at the buffet. I have seen passengers coming off the ship at ports, and they seemed younger with kids. If you insist on going to the buffet a noon, you are going to find long lines. So, I go at 11:00 or wait until 1-2:00..no lines then. Same with the evening if you want to eat there instead of th MDR... 6:00 PM is going to be crowded.....8:00PM is not. In the main dining room, I always take late seating for dinner to avoid families with young kids...they usually eat early.

 

I am annoyed by noisy kids (that run around) at times, but find that on many ships the kids are well behaved. We try to avoid summer times and vacations. This is a must for me. I never, ever cruise when schools are on vacation or not in session. I do not like traveling with unruly kids who are unsupervised or who are allowed to run rampant all over the ship. I must say that most kids are well behaved but it only takes a few to cause chaos....

 

Any comments as to what Carnival ships are really like? :eek:

 

Thanks!

 

All that being said, you are not going to find the same atmosphere on a Carnival ship that you do on Princess or Celebrity or some others who attract an older crowd. Average age on a Carnival ship is 40-45....and everbody is having a good time.

 

I find the food to be excellent from dining room to buffet to supper clubs. Of course, that is very subjective.

 

Can't tell you about entertainment because I don't go to the shows...but, the lounges and bars have lively music and are a lot of fun.

 

I, too have cruised on Princess, HAL, Celebrity, NCL, RCCL and others...some now defunct. I have enjoyed everyone - including a 28-day freighter around South America a few years back-and several on the Rhine and Danube Rivers. They are all different but I've managed a good time on all of them.....

 

If you go expecting something entirely new....you'll have a great cruise. If you expect a Princess or Cunard or even Celebrity, you may find fault. Just go and have a great time......

[LHP]

All that being said' date=' you are not going to find the same atmosphere on a Carnival ship that you do on Princess or Celebrity or some others who attract an older crowd. Average age on a Carnival ship is 40-45....and everbody is having a good time.

 

I find the food to be excellent from dining room to buffet to supper clubs. Of course, that is very subjective.

 

Can't tell you about entertainment because I don't go to the shows...but, the lounges and bars have lively music and are a lot of fun.

 

I, too have cruised on Princess, HAL, Celebrity, NCL, RCCL and others...some now defunct. I have enjoyed everyone - including a 28-day freighter around South America a few years back-and several on the Rhine and Danube Rivers. They are all different but I've managed a good time on all of them.....

 

[b']If you go expecting something entirely new....you'll have a great cruise. If you expect a Princess or Cunard or even Celebrity, you may find fault. Just go and have a great time[/b]......

 

Good points....I wanted to add to your last comment ... "just look at the price you paid" ... and all things will be zen!! LOL

[deepnite10]

i had cruised NCL many time s befor returning to CCL..im 62 and the wife

60 and still had a great time on the Triumph..

 

perhap s your not afraid of the cruiseline..rather scared of making the wrong decission..

 

if you cruise during the school yr. you ll see less children onboard..though

jan might be still winter at home..the Mexican Riveria and Carribean is quite

warm..and though CCL has their share of fun spots onboard..there s still

many quiet, intimate place s to seclude yourselves.

[oldstubblejumper]

Perfect response~!

 

We too have sailed Celebrity, NCL, Princess.. Carnival is about timing..

 

:)

Johno95,

Looks like you have your answer.

Carnival delivers a good product.

Come join us and in very short order you will be booking your next Carnival cruise.

OSJ

[mumofsons]

DH and I are 51 and 49 respectively. We cruise with our kids but we also cruise by ourselves. When we cruise by ourselves we are the same - are slightly irritated by kids running around. I can tell you that when we cruised sans kiddos we have never had any problems with noticing alot of kids on the ship. We did not stay in the adult areas either. The second time was a cruise leaving mid week on an eight day. I think there was maybe 12 kids on the whole ship. The third time was a 7 day in early February before the spring breaks really started. I didn't notice too many kids around at all. The first time we cruised without the kids was a four day at Memorial day weekend - there were no little kids but alot of graduating kids waiting to get to Cozumel where the drinking age is 18. (that was very scary).

I didn't take offense to your questions since there are times when you don't want kids around. Stay away from summer cruises because you will have alot of families cruising together. This past summer, we had a family of probably 16 people -at two tables right beside us. one of which was a baby about 18months to 2years. It was late dinner and he was obviously tired and cried through ever dinner. Even my kids were irritated by it and most people around us asked to move. We stuck it out but it wasn't the most enjoyable dining experience. Even the night of formal night we listened to a whaling kid. I feel that one of the parents should have left with him they were very inconsiderate to all the people sitting around their table - including their own family. I could forgive one night - maybe the little guy was just tired but it was every stinking night. So for someone that doesn't have kids - it would be very irritating. Bye the way - out of five carnival cruises this was the only time we had this experience. Should you be afraid of Carnival - no - go and experiment and if you don't like all of it - look for the things you do like and chalk it up to experience. Good luck!

[misguidedangel]

You should pick dates that don't coincide with school holidays

 

Partying--uhm, ya on deck party night only. Otherwise it is fairly quiet on deck. I can't say that it is quiet on Promenade deck in the clubs and lounges, but it is fairly quiet. The average age for Carnival passenger is now 35+!!!!!!!

 

BUffet lines--well, depending on the ship, you have plenty of choice and as far as waits go, I haven't had to wait too long, cuz if one line is busy there is always another buffet line to go to that isn't so busy. The Mongolian grill was very busy and many times the wait was over 15 minutes, but they prepare it right in front of you, so that is cool...

[wcdapro]

I am 54....hubby is 49. We love Carnival.

 

If you want to give them a try, I would suggest that you:

 

1. Ignore the decor.

 

2. Do only a 7 day or longer cruise....when school (college and secondary ) are in session.... the month of September or Mid January to Mid February should be perfect.

 

3. Preferably from a Florida port.

 

I have friends who have done Carnival, Princess, NCL, RCCL and Cunard..... and most of them agree that you can have just as good a cruise on Carnival....you just have to be very selective about the ship and timing....so it takes a little more work.

 

 

:D We agree completely, and we also sail on RCCL and Princess. The key as we have found it is to select the right weeks, the right size ship for you, and the right length cruises. We like to go in early November and mid to late January. We stick with 7 to 10 day cruises, and cruise mostly out of Ft Lauderdale and San Diego. I don't know how much that has to do with things, but we have not had a single bad experience doing it this way in the last thirteen or fourteen cruises we have been on. We are not party types, and where there are days that you can hear the island band on your balcony as clearly as on the pool deck, we find the overall attitudes of the cruisers on Carnival to be more laid back and less anal than some of her more upscale cousins. Make no mistake: you won't see trophies handed out to little blue haired old ladies for doing the most continuous back to back to back cruises on these boats. We like them because their energy makes us feel younger, but there are plenty of places to hide when you want quiet and serenity. And (here comes the controversy) we definitely think that overall Carnival has the best food when compared to RCCL, Princess, and Costa. We can't compare to Celebrity, as we have never matched up well with their longer itineraries as we both still work (but not for long!!!):rolleyes:

[awhcruiser]

Huh????

 

I'm sorry but that really is a less than spectacular question. "Should I be afraid of Carnival". Think about it. You are posting it on a Carnival Thread. Carnival is the number 1 cruise line in the world. Now does that make it the best....NO. But it must mean a lot..ok most of the cruising crowd like it. So why post a question like you did? I'm not a super fan of Carnival but enjoy it greatly. I like RCCL also but please be a little more intellectual in your question. For example will I like it better than "insert cruise line here" then we could say I don't know that is really subjective. But people will give their opinons based upon their experiences. Sorry to be blunt and I don't want to attack but I'm a little fed up with questions like this. Please have a great cruise. I know I may be attacked by some as a "Carnival Cheerleader" and others as just rude for not understanding the OP feelings and question.

[Traveler353]

My wife and I (44,50) have cruised on Celebrity, HAL, RCL, Princess, and one Norwegian. Our fav is Princess. We like entertainment and food. Ports are less important. We want to go on a Carnival because it is sailing from a nearby port that does not require any travel on air, rail, etc.

 

I have always been warned away from Carnival because (supposedly) the ships were loud, partying to all hours of the night, and lot of kids (as opposed to Celebrity).

 

I have read that there are long lines at the buffet. I have seen passengers coming off the ship at ports, and they seemed younger with kids.

 

I am annoyed by noisy kids (that run around) at times, but find that on many ships the kids are well behaved. We try to avoid summer times and vacations.

 

Any comments as to what Carnival ships are really like? :eek:

 

Thanks!

 

Sounds to me like you have already made up your mind and just looking for validation. Yes, you should be afraid, very afraid.

[cruzzza]

I've had a young (20-something) woman tell me that there were too many seniors onboard (yes, there were a LOT). I've been on other cruises where it was crazy fun all day and all night and a younger crowd. All of these have been while school was in session. I have seen a few unruly kids, but not many.

 

The personality of cruises can change dramatically from week to week, so it's hard to say what you'll find on your cruise.

 

One of my fav stories is of the older couple who had cruised on many ships, even a few luxury lines, and they told me that they LOVE Carnival because it's just more fun that the others. They participated in tons of activities and I saw them ALL over the ship. They were having a blast!

 

If you're afraid, just go for it and lower your expectations. You might end up pleasantly surprised.

[Jill_GA]

I would go in Aug, Sept. or October. We go every year during one of those months and I in fact, the decks at night (like 11 pm) were a ghostland. No crazy drunks or kids running amock. Its always a very pleasant experience. The only weird thing that happened was on our last cruise one of my students was onboard. I teach high school and there she was. That was strange. She was very well behaved. :)

The best cruise we went on so far (out of the 3) sailed out of New Orleans. There were a lot of people from Louisana and they were the nicest people I have been around. Friendly, down to earth, and all around great to cruise with.

[gtouch]

Sounds to me like you have already made up your mind and just looking for validation. Yes, you should be afraid, very afraid.

 

That's a reasonable assumption from the post.

[rogicoco]

I'm sorry but that really is a less than spectacular question. "Should I be afraid of Carnival". Think about it. You are posting it on a Carnival Thread. Carnival is the number 1 cruise line in the world. Now does that make it the best....NO. But it must mean a lot..ok most of the cruising crowd like it. So why post a question like you did? I'm not a super fan of Carnival but enjoy it greatly. I like RCCL also but please be a little more intellectual in your question. For example will I like it better than "insert cruise line here" then we could say I don't know that is really subjective. But people will give their opinons based upon their experiences. Sorry to be blunt and I don't want to attack but I'm a little fed up with questions like this. Please have a great cruise. I know I may be attacked by some as a "Carnival Cheerleader" and others as just rude for not understanding the OP feelings and question.

 

I don't think anything is wrong with the way the question was posted. in the meantime you are the one insulting the person who posted the question. anyone should be able to post anyway they want without being insulted.

[gtouch]

gtouch, you make a very good point. I'm afraid most here will miss it though. I think it would be hard to say what anyone would prefer for their particular cruise, sometimes ya just gotta research, research, research and then give it a try if you still don't know.

 

Your right Ted. A lot missed the point. But also a lot got it. The way the question was asked was a poor way to ask it and many had questions about it and the choice of words the OP used. But a lot got caught up in the way I challenged it I guess I should be more PC....naw hate people who are not real. But as you can see from my original response I knew that would happen. A few stated that the OP has a right to say what they feel but apparantly I do not, kind of a double standard. But that is something you and others have noted a lot in many of these threads.

I like the guys on these threads who have actual convictions I would trust them to say what they believe not just what they think is correct in society.

[Casino Player]

My wife and I (44,50) have cruised on Celebrity, HAL, RCL, Princess, and one Norwegian. Our fav is Princess. We like entertainment and food. Ports are less important. We want to go on a Carnival because it is sailing from a nearby port that does not require any travel on air, rail, etc.

 

I have always been warned away from Carnival because (supposedly) the ships were loud, partying to all hours of the night, and lot of kids (as opposed to Celebrity).

 

I have read that there are long lines at the buffet. I have seen passengers coming off the ship at ports, and they seemed younger with kids.

 

I am annoyed by noisy kids (that run around) at times, but find that on many ships the kids are well behaved. We try to avoid summer times and vacations.

 

Any comments as to what Carnival ships are really like? :eek:

 

Thanks!

 

Greetings John: I like sailing with Carnival and Celebrity both. I think these two are the finest cruise lines. If you go during the school year there will be fewer children on the cruise, regardless of which cruise line. If you go during prime vacation time there will be more kids on the cruise, regardless of which cruise line.

I like Carnival ships and Carnival cruises. They go from many different homeports so you could go from a port not far from your house. Carnival staterooms are very large. The largest in the industry. Carnival food is very good, the best. And I travel with Celebrity too. Carnival offers more varieties of food than any other cruise line I've been on to date. They have 24-hour pizza, yogurt and soft serve ice cream just about around the clock. Carnival and Celebrity are almost equal on entertainment.

[Cruising Aussie Mum]

I think your question is fine - you outlined your quearies and what you are looking for (or not looking for) in a cruise, and the title was funny and caught my eye!

 

I had similar thoughts to yours as to whether or not we should try Carnival, but after research on these boards, reading plenty of reviews, etc, I am feeling confident about the Jan 2010 cruise we just booked on Carnival's Splendor - and it was $700 less than we would have paid for the same itinerary on Royal Caribbean.:)

[BlueJacketsFan1]

I would be very afraid. I wife and I have found them to be very addictive.

[Kurbanfan]

I used to think I preferred Princess also. I see just as many (if not more) unruly kids on Princess, just as long lines at the buffet (not designed as well as Carnival) & I much prefer the food on Carnival. I like the fact more people dress for formal nights on Princess, but, oh well.

 

Princess buffet is actually set up in stations.....so we never had to stand in line.......which I thought was an excellent setup........

And we sailed her they had youth security.........which I wish Carnival would have......