Royal vs Carnival, a short comparison

[Socref124]

We just completed our 10th cruise, first on RCL, on the Monarch of the Seas. It hit me driving home today that Royal and Carnival are more alike than not, so I decided to do a little comparison.
Embarkation
We arrived early and after we checked in, we were told to go have a seat. We saw the sign that said To Ships and sat in the first seats of the second row next to the sign (the first row was for Diamond cruisers). Three or four RCI employees saw us sit there and didn't say anything to us. When the announcement was made to start boarding, the diamond cruisers boarded first and then they started to board passengers from the second row and they started from the other end of the second row, so rather than being at the front of the line, we were now at the end of our row. No biggie, hey we are on vacation and getting ready to board a ship, but, it would have been nice for one of the three or four employees to tell us the line would be moving from the other side.
Carnival gives you a zone number and you board by zone number. We could be the first ones in our zone to arrive and the last ones in our zone to board just like with Royal, but it seems to be a little more organized this way. Advantage Carnival
Boarding Ship.
Royal has people meet you once you step on the ship with someone selling drinks of the day, another area scheduling My Time Dinning and another area selling wine packages as well as the Pursers desk and the Explorations desk. They also have a staff member advising people to go to deck 11 and that lunch was being served in the Jade dinning area. We purchased two DOTD's and went over to order the Wine Package. After ordering our package, the young lady advised us that we had a nice table in the dinning room and asked if we would like to see our table. We said yes and she took us to see our table. We were going to switch to MTD but decided not to since we liked our table. DW commented to me that it was nice that the young lady asked us and then took us to see our table. We then went to the pursers desk to get a safe deposit box, thanks to cc members advsing us that safes were not in all rooms.
Carnival has staff members advising you that lunch is being served on the lido deck and directing you toward the elevators. They also have a bar that we normally go to to get our first DOTD. On some of our cruises we have had to wait for up tp 10 minutes to get a drink. On one cruise we couldn't get a drink so we went to the Lido deck and got our first drink there. Advantage Royal
Decor
The first thing, other than the different stations in the lobby, we noticed was the decor of the ship. The Monarch of the Seas is a lot more subdued than any of the Carnival ships we have been on. Carnival is more glitz and neon and colorful. Royals decor is more, for a lack of a better word, elegant than Carnival. We noticed this difference around the entire ship. Now, I am not one that cares about the decor. Decor will never make or break a cruise vacation for me. This is a very subjective area so I see no advantage here. Some that don't like glitz and neon will say advantage Royal. Others that like the glitz and neon will say advantage Carnival.
Advantage None
Cabins
After having lunch we were allowed into our staterooms(1 PM) to stow our carry on luggage. On this cruise we had an ocean view stateroom. On Carnival we have had balcony and inside staterooms. For comparison, we will compare the ocean view with Carnivals inside state room. When we open the door we were stunned. The room seemed so small to us. We were in cabin 6566 and the stateroom is 122 sq ft. There was a small glass table in the corner with a trash can underneath, a vanity area with 6 drawers and two panels along the mirror that opened up from the outside of the mirrow toward the inside of the mirrow with three tiny shelves on each side. The vanity table had an ice bucket and two glasses and sodas and water on it and was full ( no room). The closet opened from the door into the stateroom and had three or four sheves and enough hanging space for our clothes. The bathroom was very small and had a shelf under the sink as well as the shelf to the right of the sink. The shower was 3x3 area with a curtain. The shower area had a dispenser of shampoo and a small bar of soap wrapped in paper. No trash recepticle in the bathroom. The bed was comfortable but the pillows weren't very good.
Carnival's inside cabins aren't much larger, but they do seem to be a little larger. Sorry, but I cannot find the square footage of the Miracle or the Imagination. Two ships we have been on with an inside cabin. The room has a larger table than Royals and the vanity area and closet are comparable. The bathroom seems to be larger and there are several shelves to store your shaving gear and such. The shower is a little larger and consists of a dispenser with shampoo and a dispenser with body wash. The bathroom also has it's own trash recepticle. Carnivals comfort beds and comfort pillows are a plus.
Advantage Carnival
Windjammer/Jade vs Taste of the Nations.
DW and I are not huge fans of buffets, but we generally eat breakfast and lunch there, because of convenience. Royal does not have an omelette station in the Windjammer or Jade restaurants. They each have a variety of foods which are OK. Food gets cold after sitting for a while. Granola cereal is available and they have an excellent salad area. Each day, the windjammer would set up a lunch station of hamburgers and hot dogs out at the pool area. Also, the Windjammer and Jade reataurants had a different cold soup each day.
Carnival has several omlette stations throught the Taste of the Nations and grill areas but they no longer have granola cereal. As with Royal, the hot food gets cold after sitting for a while. Carnival has a NY Deli with fabulous sandwiches. Carnival also has an Asian restaurant that compares with the Jade. On one of the ships we have been on Carnival had a Mongolian Grill.
This is an area where I will say both lines are comparable. Carnival has a NY Deli, Mongolian Grill(on some ships), and omelette stations, however, Royal has Granola cereal, different cold soups and the set up a station by the pool for burgers and dogs.
Advantage None
Main Dinning Room
I have been reading on the Royal board that the food quality is going down hill. Our experience is the food in the Main Dinning Room is good and tasty. It is mass produced and isn't as hot as I would have liked, but that is a common occurance on all three of the cruise lines we have been on. The upcharge for the Filet Mignon is no different than Carnival charging extra for the super clubs, IMHO.
I have been reading the same on Carnivals boards about food quality but we have been fortunate and haven't noticed it as of yet. The only area Carnival has an advantage in the Main Dinning Room is the lobster on formal night. I missed not having steak and lobster on formal night. Because Carnival does offer lobster tail, Advantage Carnival
Pizza
Carnival has 24 hour pizza. Royal pizza tasted a little better to me. I don't eat pizza late night, therefore, Advantage Royal
Ice Cream
Royal has a Ben & Jerrys onboard for sale and the Chunky Monkey is fabulous. Carnival has soft serve ice cream and yogurt at four or five different places throughout the Taste of the nations and it is free.
Free wins. Advantage Carnival
Overall Entertainment
The piano player on Monarch was fabulous, however he is shoved to the side of the Schooner bar. The band in the Boleros was very good and they playe different types of music. The comedy of Rodney Johnson was fabulous and Bob Cates the Juggler was one of the best I have ever seen. The calypso band was good, but I feel they should have been at the pool playing throughout the day on embarkation day, not just at the sailaway party. Karaoke bar was good. We heard a young lady from Birmingham sing and I told her she is missing the boat. She should audition for Americas Got Talent. WOW, what a voice. The Monarch singers and dancers were good but there performance was more of an amateur production than a professional production. They had four lead singers that were all good, but once again, the African American female lead singer should audition for Americas Got Talent.
On Carnival, the Piano Bar is the place to be. The piano players have been very good and they always get the crowd incorporated in the act. Ron Pass, you are the best. The night club bands are all very good, but not as good as the band that was on the Monarch. Most of the professional acts on Carnival are comparable to the Comedian and Juggler on the Monarch. Karaoke bars are similar. The Carnival singers and dancers are comparable to the Monarch singers and dancers except their routines and scenes are more professionally done. Haven't heard a lead singer as good as the girl on the Monarch yet. DW liked the costumes not being as risque as on Carnival. Leaning one way, but; Advantage Even
Activities
I was shocked to see that Royal had a late night Belly Flop contest, and a men's hairy leg contest and a woman's bicep contest(very risque and suggestive). They also had the Love and Marriage show, ice carvings, trivia contests, art auction, scavenger hunts and a demonstration with a bartender tossong bottles of booze around like Tom Cruise in the Movie "Cocktail". One of the things that got to me was the risque acts that couples had to perform to be a contestant in the Love and Marriage game. Perhaps the assistant CD should have advised people that the audition could be R rated and small children shouldn't have been in attendance. Also, one of the questions to the husbands was what color of underware is your wife wearing. When one of the participants picked up his wife and threw her onto his shoulder, everyone in the first three rows knew the anser to be black, but the husband said beige. I don't hold that against the Monarch though. Advantage Even
Service.
I have saved the best for last. While I have never had a problem with the overall service on a Carnival cruise, some of the best service we have received on our 10 cruises was on the Monarch. Our Waiter Derick we fabulous. He is without a doubt the best server we have ever had. I made sure to mention this to the Head Waiter(Maitre D) and to write it on our comment card. He called us by our first name every time he saw us, made suggestions and recommendations, had our wine bottle deliverd to us nightly, crumbed our table and overheard us talking to tablemates about Sun being our anniversary and brought the Head Waiter over with a piece of cake and they sang Happy Anniversary to us. He always had a smile and asked how our day went. He gave us advice on meal times on on how the dinning room worked on Debarkation day. The bar service in all the areas we were in, Boleros, the Casino, Crown and Anchor Lounge, poolside bars, Schooner bar was excellent and everyone thanked us by first name when giving us the receipt (They got the names off our Sea Pass). The room steward was the only exception. We made one request of him to deliver clean wine glasses to our stateroom every night and he did not do it. Advantage Royal
One other side note. The demographics of people on this cruise was very similar to any Carnival cruise we have been on. We saw people in jeans and a short sleeve shirt in the MDR on formal night, a 20 something girl in Daisy Dukes in the MDR and an elderly gentleman wearing a dirty ball cap in the MDR. We saw people so drunk they had to be helped on board the ship in Nassau and others so drunk at the midnight deck party that security had to stand close by. We also heard the CD make a comment on stage about drinking more booze on your cruise. Is Royal the Fun Ships? We sure had a good time and there was as much partying if not more than on most of our Carnival cruises. Would I sail Royal again? Yes, until the Yankees relocate from New York. However, I will also sail Carnival again. We were worried that we would not enjoy ourselves. How foolish. Just about as foolish as arguing about wether Royal or Carnival are better. Folks, in my honest opinion, they are more a like than different. I tried hard to be fair honest and unbiased in this review. I hope it helps someone that is afraid to try Royal or afraid to try Carnival. Now excuse me, I have to go look for our next cruise.

[The Big Booper]

The Monarch is, by cruising standards, an ancient ship, that was designed in the mid 80's and went into service in early 1990. The tiny cabins, 122 sq ft. for an OV, are much smaller then any other RCI ship, except for it's sister. the 1991 Majesty. Most people who cruise this ship or the Majesty are well aware of the teeny weeny cabins.

For a point of reference, has the OP ever taken the Carnival Celebration, Jubilee or Holiday? Same vintage.

Which is why RCI is busy planning spinning the "M" ships off to Pullmantur in Europe. They are functionally obsolete to most of the US market, especially those who use them to sample RC for the first time.

We took our third cruise in 1994 on the Monarch and it was the state of the art then; not any more.

[amybeth4]

Socref, I've never been on Carnie and I love when people make comparisons the way you did. THANK YOU!! Great reading.

I WOULD, however, suggest you try a newer, bigger RCI ship for another comparison. As Bopper said, Monarch is really old and small (as compared to the other classes of ships). And 3- and 4-night cruises tend to have MUCH more of a party atmosphere. On 7-nighters, I've never seen jeans & t-shirts on formal night, nor anyone in Daisy Dukes, nor super-drunk people falling all over themselves. (Of COURSE that doesn't mean it doesn't HAPPEN...I've only been on eight cruises...I just think those things are more likely on the 3- and 4-night cruises...)

[theotherchad]

Thanks for a very even handed review and comparison. Sometimes, folks have a personal preference that is so strong that they take offense when others make even the slightest criticism. I think your reasonable tone will keep those from turning this thread into a flamebox.

We have always sailed Royal, but are hoping to try a Carnival cruise at some point. We don't necessarily want to be on a hard partying cruise, but our one complaint on Royal ships (7 day cruises, anyway) is that sometimes, the crowd in the nightclubs is thin, and it's no fun being alone on the dance floor. Fortunately, we bring enough people so that we make our own party!

[The Big Booper]

If I was still a 20ish or young 30 ish young stud, I would love the short 3 or 4 day cruises on the M's or Carnival out of Florida.
But since DW and I now have medicare deducted from our SS checks, we are well past that stage.

Of course if DW sees this post and the word "stud" mentioned in the same sentence as me, she would chuckle. Her favorite expression when we are at a beach and I am busy checking out the scenery.... "he's harmless"

[knoxvillecruiser]

I think you wrote a great and candid review. I have also sailed both lines and will continue to do so. There are things I like better about each line but none of them would make me a cheerleader for either line. Whatever itinerary and price makes sense, we'll be there.

Thanks for your time!

[theotherchad]

Originally Posted by amybeth4

On 7-nighters, I've never seen jeans & t-shirts on formal night, nor anyone in Daisy Dukes, nor super-drunk people falling all over themselves. (Of COURSE that doesn't mean it doesn't HAPPEN...I've only been on eight cruises...I just think those things are more likely on the 3- and 4-night cruises...)

You're probably right that those things are more common on the 3 or 4 nighters, but we have seen all of those things on 7 night RCCL sailings. Doesn't bother us. I've seen lots of people under dressed in restaurants on shore, and lots of drunk people in bars and on the street. I can't imagine someone blaming the cruise line for such occurances.

But you're right, it was a great and very fair comparison from the OP.

[amybeth4]

Originally Posted by theotherchad

You're probably right that those things are more common on the 3 or 4 nighters, but we have seen all of those things on 7 night RCCL sailings. Doesn't bother us. I've seen lots of people under dressed in restaurants on shore, and lots of drunk people in bars and on the street. I can't imagine someone blaming the cruise line for such occurances.

But you're right, it was a great and very fair comparison from the OP.

Puh-LEEZE. NO ONE on Royal Caribbean would get fall-down drunk or wear jeans on formal night!!!

[monica1963]

I thought your review was pretty fair and objective to both lines. My only concern now is WHAT NO ICE CREAM? Seriously, on Carnival I am not really a fan of their ice cream but I thought RCCL had free ice cream on board? I am going on my first with Royal in January.

[theotherchad]

Originally Posted by amybeth4

Puh-LEEZE. NO ONE on Royal Caribbean would get fall-down drunk or wear jeans on formal night!!!

You're right. What was I thinking?

(actually, the fall down drunk one that comes to mind was a crew member, and she got fired, because it was the second time she had done it and had already been warned. It was sad, because her friends on the crew were really bummed out.)

[amybeth4]

Originally Posted by theotherchad

You're right. What was I thinking?

(actually, the fall down drunk one that comes to mind was a crew member, and she got fired, because it was the second time she had done it and had already been warned. It was sad, because her friends on the crew were really bummed out.)

Ahhh, don't feel bad. I got a job a week later on Carnie!

[theotherchad]

Originally Posted by monica1963

I thought your review was pretty fair and objective to both lines. My only concern now is WHAT NO ICE CREAM? Seriously, on Carnival I am not really a fan of their ice cream but I thought RCCL had free ice cream on board? I am going on my first with Royal in January.

There is free soft serve on RCCL ships, usually adjacent to the pool deck, but I'm guessing that Carnival has it set up in more locations onboard.

FWIW, I've heard from a number of sources that the general consensus is that RCCL's MDR food is slightly better, but Carnival's burgers, fries, pizzas, desserts, etc. are slightly better, so it's kind of a wash, depending on what you eat the most.

I'm not a good one to ask on that, because I will eat pretty much anything that's not nailed down.

[theotherchad]

Originally Posted by amybeth4

Ahhh, don't feel bad. I got a job a week later on Carnie!

Glad to hear it! We did feel somewhat responsible, what with us dancing on the tables with you at that bar near the dock!

[amybeth4]

Originally Posted by theotherchad

Glad to hear it! We did feel somewhat responsible, what with us dancing on the tables with you at that bar near the dock!

Note to self: Cruise with this Chad AND the other Chad...

[DocJohnB]

Good and thorough.

Great comparitive review.

Some will agree, some will not and some will want your head next to John the Baptists.

But, I thought it was balanced and it was fair.

[geojobes]

I've only been on 2 RCCL ships, but both had "frozen yogurt" machines on the pool deck by the Windjammer. The ships were Empress & Grandeur, both older ships! And, I liked Carnival's pizza better! Different people, different likes.

[Kurbanfan]

Originally Posted by The Big Booper

For a point of reference, has the OP ever taken the Carnival Celebration, Jubilee or Holiday? Same vintage.

Actually the Monarch is bigger then Carnival's fantasy class ships.........

[cruz.n.carebear]

Thanks for the comparison. It was especially interesting to me as I'm sailing on Monarch in April for my first RCI cruise.

[Socref124]

Originally Posted by amybeth4

Socref, I've never been on Carnie and I love when people make comparisons the way you did. THANK YOU!! Great reading.

I WOULD, however, suggest you try a newer, bigger RCI ship for another comparison. As Bopper said, Monarch is really old and small (as compared to the other classes of ships). And 3- and 4-night cruises tend to have MUCH more of a party atmosphere. On 7-nighters, I've never seen jeans & t-shirts on formal night, nor anyone in Daisy Dukes, nor super-drunk people falling all over themselves. (Of COURSE that doesn't mean it doesn't HAPPEN...I've only been on eight cruises...I just think those things are more likely on the 3- and 4-night cruises...)

Well said. I agree. Still looking at RCI and if the "price is right", I'll "come on down" as Don Pardo says.

[Socref124]

Originally Posted by theotherchad

Thanks for a very even handed review and comparison. Sometimes, folks have a personal preference that is so strong that they take offense when others make even the slightest criticism. I think your reasonable tone will keep those from turning this thread into a flamebox.

We have always sailed Royal, but are hoping to try a Carnival cruise at some point. We don't necessarily want to be on a hard partying cruise, but our one complaint on Royal ships (7 day cruises, anyway) is that sometimes, the crowd in the nightclubs is thin, and it's no fun being alone on the dance floor. Fortunately, we bring enough people so that we make our own party!

I have noticed that on the 7 day Carnival cruises there is less of a party atmosphere (drink until you drop) but there are plenty of people in the night clubs and the piano bar. In fact, the piano bar on the Glory, Triumph, Freedom and Destiny was packed each night and probably had more people in it than in the night club. On each of these ships the piano player was fantastic. The piano player on the Monarch was very good but only had four or five people at the piano bar on Saturday night. I think this is because it is part of the Schooner Bar that is tucked away and people were in there watching ESPN on the flat screen TV. On the Carnival ships, the Piano Bar is it's own lounge. The four and five day trips on Carnival had much more partying than the seven day cruises. Note, we try to cruise in Feb before Spring Break; in May after Spring Break but before school lets out for the summer and in October when the college kids are in school. We like to have a good time, but not the loud obnoxious drunken party that the college kids like to have. To be quite honest with you, we have never seen that on any of our ten cruises. The guy that needed help too get on the ship in Nassau apparently spent to much time in Senior Frogs watching the Gators squeek by Arkansas.