Carnival...positive aspects?

I have sailed CCL only twice way back when (Celebration when she was new ) and then the Fantasy around 1990. I did not like the product and have avoided it since.

Would like to know from those that sail Carnival what the positives are these days and what to expect. As small to medium ships are disappearing, I find myself having to consider the new big jumbos......such as the Carnival Vista.

What should I expect....something similar to NCL's getaway experience?

Appreciate any feedback.

Thanks

I have sailed CCL only twice way back when (Celebration when she was new ) and then the Fantasy around 1990. I did not like the product and have avoided it since.

Would like to know from those that sail Carnival what the positives are these days and what to expect. As small to medium ships are disappearing, I find myself having to consider the new big jumbos......such as the Carnival Vista.

What should I expect....something similar to NCL's getaway experience?

Appreciate any feedback.

Thanks

I think every line has positive [and of course negative] aspects about it and Carnival is no exception. I have not been on the newest Carnival ships but the ones we have been on offered a nice holiday for the money spent. You can see from my signature that we have tried several lines [based on what itinerary we wanted, time of trip, and price] and we enjoyed all of them. That said, after trying Princess and HAL, Carnival would not be my first choice as I prefer the ambiance, more refined service, and general passenger demographics [i'm only 32 but I guess sort of an "old soul" haha] of other lines. Carnival [and Norwegian, excl the Haven] offer an entry level cruising product and if you go expecting that, you will have a good time. We actually enjoyed the MDR food on Carnival much more than NCL though for what it's worth! I will list some pros and cons of Carnival for you, based on my experiences/opinions; I hope it is of some help.

Carnival PROS:

*Good value for money spent.

*Many US departure cities to chose from.

*Variety of lengths from 3 nights to 14 nights...something for all schedules.

*MDR food quality quite good for the price paid. Not "gourmet" but we felt we got more than our money's worth. Expectations were exceeded.

*Crew has always been terrific...especially room stewards and waiters.

*Cleanliness of ships.

*Staterooms are on the large side compared to other mass market lines.

*Serenity areas are pretty nice.

Carnival CONS:

*Decor of the ships leaves a LOT to be desired. Many of the ships' interiors, especially the older ones, are like tacky Las Vegas hotel interiors of the 1970s and 80s.

*A LOT of younger families, often with children, along with college-aged passengers who can give the ship a rowdy feel at times [some call it energetic ;)]

*Many poolside activities like hairy chest contests and drink making competitions that somewhat lower the classiness of an ocean voyage.

*Buffet food is so-so.

*Comedians I've seen tend to be of the "blue-collar comedy" type that I just don't find funny.

Again, we've enjoyed ourselves on every line we've sailed and have never had issues. They are all gay friendly and all offer something that will please most anyone. It depends on what you are looking for in a vacation, how much you want to spend, and where you want to go. My order of choice, based on what lines I've sailed as of today, would be 1. Princess, CLOSE #2. HAL, 3. Carnival and 4. Norwegian.

I have sailed CCL only twice way back when (Celebration when she was new ) and then the Fantasy around 1990. I did not like the product and have avoided it since.

 

Would like to know from those that sail Carnival what the positives are these days and what to expect. As small to medium ships are disappearing, I find myself having to consider the new big jumbos......such as the Carnival Vista.

 

What should I expect....something similar to NCL's getaway experience?

 

Appreciate any feedback.

 

Thanks

Don't expect CCL to be like NCL. NCL is the original in ala carte everything. The new ships are okay, a bit tacky if not more so than anything you'll find on a newer CCL ship. I personally don't care for the painted hull either. CCL is always a great value when comparing to other lines. I find their food to be much better regarding non-surcharge options than CCL or Princess or NCL. I appreciate daytime activities if that's your thing and CCL does try to offer adult only areas (Serenity Deck). Watch a few videos on YouTube or the cruise line website and make your choice. Remember, any day at sea is better than a day at work!

We have sailed on most of the cruise lines and find Carnival as all the other are subjective. Good and bad. We find it all depends on the time of year your are sailing, port your sailing from, the length of the cruise and the size of the ship. That being said we fine all to be very gay friendly and have enjoyed each one for what it is.

I have sailed CCL only twice way back when (Celebration when she was new ) and then the Fantasy around 1990. I did not like the product and have avoided it since.

Would like to know from those that sail Carnival what the positives are these days and what to expect. As small to medium ships are disappearing, I find myself having to consider the new big jumbos......such as the Carnival Vista.

What should I expect....something similar to NCL's getaway experience?

Appreciate any feedback.

Thanks

Personally,I'd never sail on CCL/NCL. Too casual for my tastes. For a bit of fun, go to Youtube & type in cruiseship fights. Most are on Carnival(but not all). We like a line that is reasonably sedate(few announcements)has really good food(we're "foodies")Decent entertainment & prefer cruises of generally 10 days or more. We avoid school "break" time & the regions that are travelled to at those times..Cancun etc."people gone wild sort of thing".

Having only been on Carnival cruises, I can say that Bostonjetset's comments are actually really accurate.

Although I can't compare the food to other lines, I can say that I've never sent a meal in the MDR back. There's a good variety of choices and the portion size of the main course is usually rather large.

The decor of their three newer ships (Dream, Magic, and Breeze) is much more toned down compared to the older ones.

My husband and I prefer the smaller ships because they feel less crowded. The Dream-class ships have a much larger guest capacity, but the public area sizes are not proportionally larger compared to the smaller ships.

We've also never had an issue with crew members or other guests as far as being gay. The other guests on a Carnival cruise are quite diverse, so to me that's saying a lot.

One thing we've noticed is that the 7-day cruises in January have a much smaller number of kids on them. The ships do have activities for all age groups and do a pretty good job of keeping them occupied.

With all that being said, we go on cruises for the ports and being able to visit a number of places in one trip by the most economical way possible and Carnival certainly fits that criteria.

We love Carnival, never had an issue.

Staff is always friendly.

Always able to find something to eat that we like.

Unlike other lines, they do not charge for late night room service if you are hungry.

Having only been on Carnival cruises, I can say that Bostonjetset's comments are actually really accurate.

 

Although I can't compare the food to other lines, I can say that I've never sent a meal in the MDR back. There's a good variety of choices and the portion size of the main course is usually rather large.

 

The decor of their three newer ships (Dream, Magic, and Breeze) is much more toned down compared to the older ones.

 

My husband and I prefer the smaller ships because they feel less crowded. The Dream-class ships have a much larger guest capacity, but the public area sizes are not proportionally larger compared to the smaller ships.

 

We've also never had an issue with crew members or other guests as far as being gay. The other guests on a Carnival cruise are quite diverse, so to me that's saying a lot.

 

One thing we've noticed is that the 7-day cruises in January have a much smaller number of kids on them. The ships do have activities for all age groups and do a pretty good job of keeping them occupied.

 

With all that being said, we go on cruises for the ports and being able to visit a number of places in one trip by the most economical way possible and Carnival certainly fits that criteria.

I would echo Robear14's comments except that having been on other lines, we can compare the food, service, ship decor etc. I was honestly hesitant to book our first Carnival cruise in 2014 but it turned out very well. We had been on Crystal, Holland, Celebrity and Royal Caribbean before.

The only negatives for us: the lack of the a round-the-ship promenade deck (Conquest) in the middle of the ship like some of the other ships in the other lines have. If you don't like being in the crowded higher decks around the pool, it was nice to be able to walk laps/read in a quieter spot. We ended up with a balcony stateroom so we had our quiet spot but still missed the full promenade. The service was basically the same as the other lines, I didn't notice much difference in that regard. Carnival was generally louder and more congested but not so much as to ruin the experience. The food is also not to the standard of Celebrity or Royal Caribbean but acceptable. The cabins could also use a spruce-up, the colours are a bit tired.

Overall we were still very happy with Carnival and our next cruise is booked with them on the Carnival Glory on January 23, 2016.

Scott

I think you have gotten some good advice so far... I tend to agree with what has been offered, so I won't repeat it again.

I will say that the itinerary and time of year deserves a lot of attention. I love kids, but I avoid sailing during school holidays. I also avoid Spring Break and short cruises... in spite of the eye candy on board.

Look at the cruise you are considering and consider who else would want to go on that cruise. If you don't want to be around those people, don't book. Interesting though... one of the best cruises I've been on, from a gay perspective, was a HAL Alaskan. ;)

From what I've heard, I think Carnival is superior to NCL.

Testing the waters I see.... You could join us on the Paradise in November. We can really critique the experience. :D

The food is also not to the standard of Celebrity or Royal Caribbean but acceptable.

Scott I've been on Celebrity, Carnival & RCI many times. My most recent was the RCI Liberty of the Seas in January 2015. I found the food sub-mediocre, and the windjammer was just a disappointment as was the pizza (okay the Steakhouse on RCI was good but even the Italian restaurant wasn't great). Celebrity of course is a great product. While I'll admit some of the dishes in the Carnival MDR look less than appetizing (Mac & Cheese w/ bacon) I think Carnival is tops with free (and good) dining alternatives. The Steakhouse on Carnival is also superb IMHO.

We have sailed a variety of lines including Carnival and agree with Bostonjetset pretty much across the board. As to their ugly décor, the newest ships (Breeze, Magic, Vista as well as the completely redone Sunshine) are much more aesthetically pleasing ditching a lot of the tacky décor of the past.

Face it, Carnival and Norwegian are budget lines and so, you get what you pay for. So, you can't compare them with the premium cruise lines. I like Norwegian as their staff on all levels are highly motivated and try to please. If you are a foodie, both lines do not serve haute cuisine unless you pay for the speciality restaurants. I like the evening music/dance review shows on Norwegian and definitely love free style dining. I despise the fixed time dinners and the dancing waiter shows on Carnival. I have had seven cruises on Norwegian and never had a bad cruise.

On my only cruise on Carnival, I got stuck with a drunken couple at dinner and Carnival refused to change my seating. So, i had seven days dinner with those clods--a real vacation.

As for the kids, cruise when they are in school. You don't want a couple hundred teenagers running through the ship and they rarely slow down if you are in their way. Also, the cruise prices are cheaper when they are in school.

Fyi, i always do the sit down meals where i am served and not the buffets. No bad behaviour and it really adds to your cruise vacation experience.

.

I have sailed CCL only twice way back when (Celebration when she was new ) and then the Fantasy around 1990. I did not like the product and have avoided it since.

Would like to know from those that sail Carnival what the positives are these days and what to expect. As small to medium ships are disappearing, I find myself having to consider the new big jumbos......such as the Carnival Vista.

What should I expect....something similar to NCL's getaway experience?

Appreciate any feedback.

Thanks

I have always liked the festive atmosphere on CCL. They have better parties and their nightclubs are usually packed late into the night. I never see the same active nightlife on RCI. When I go on a cruise with friends to drink and party we usually go Carnival.

The biggest and newest of their ships I have actually cruised on are the Conquest Class, but I prefer the older Fantasy Class ships. I like the smaller size and layout.

They have been getting away from their older "Vegasy" decor in recent ships. The Breeze and the Sunshine (formerly the Destiny) look very modern inside, nothing like what you saw back in the early 90s. I was very impressed with Sunshine when I toured her. I'd say give them a shot if you're interested in trying something new-ish. You might be surprised by how their design has matured.

We've done 3 on Carnival with a 4th soon and a Princess next year.

We like Carnival but one complaint is that the LGBT Gatherings/Friends of Dorothy are not promoted and poorly attended. Plus each day was at a different time.

We met more gay folks just from being on the cruise than at the Gatherings.

Here is my experience: The CD was changing the time and location... usually to around 10 PM at night.

I saw him the second day and told him that for our gay passengers, we'd prefer before dinner, and in the same location each night. He said that the only issue was if he could find a bar that was available... but he'd look. Next day we had it before dinner and it stayed that way for the duration.

We chatted later and he said that he thought about it, and the earlier requests for later LGBT Mixers was during spring break/summer... and he guessed it was all party hearty cruisers... and it made sense at different times, different itinerary, that my request would be better.

So talk to the CD and tell him/her what your experience has been, and what your preference is. If they can find a location, I'm confident they will accommodate your request.

Thanks.

How does one contact the CD? Go to cust.svc?

On Norwegian, i would attend the short CC Meet and Greet in the first sea day of the cruise. Just sign up on the roll call of your upcoming cruise.

Get the CD's name and phone number as he will attend it.

As for our cabin or services that you get or don't get. Resolve it first with your cabin steward. But if not satisfied, your Hotel Director will also attend the Meet and Greet, and a direct call to him or her will get fast action on your complaint.

Telling any ship's employee that you are from Cruise Critics and you need help, will produce fast and prompt action.

I find going to the front desk, does not get as fast resolution of your problem.

I appreciate all the comments.

I must admit I am old school when it comes to a cruise style, but times change and I need to try.

I will admit I prefer small ships which are becoming a dying breed. Big ships provide choices but the masses of people and lines are a big negative for me. So mixing lines and ships looks like the path for me.

Per these frank responses I have decided to give Carnival a try, even if its way out in 2017. I booked a 6 day cruise on the new Vista.....and will go to see the ship since it is not a Farcus interior. I hope to look at this as a fun trip rather than a "posh" experience.....and enjoy it for what its is. If the food is sub standard I'll book the steak house each might.......yes I am a proud carnivore.

Right now I am counting down the days till I sail on Wind Star's Wind Surf. My hope is the Wind Surf will be a very elegant and social experience. Having sailed on Wind Song years ago as well as all three Star Clipper sailing vessels has be very excited to be on a small class of ship.

Back On carnival....I have a question. Some of the ships have an adult area as will the Vista......is there a charge to use the adult area?

Thanks for all the comments....hope to read more, both the good , the bad and the ugly:rolleyes:

No, Carnival's adults-only Serenity Deck, which is now on about half the Carnival ships, is free. (Carnival has few extra-charge items)

The Serenity areas are nice: the loungers are nicer, you have better towels (thicker and different color), there are some outdoor couches (great for reading a book), there's a small bar within the Serenity area so you can grab a drink away from the main Lido Deck bar crowds, it's quieter than the main ship areas, and they often have some special loungers for couples. Depending on your ship, there are also hot tubs within the Serenity area. My partner and I always spend a little time at Serenity, though we also like all the activity of the main Lido Deck and mostly sun there.

Be warned, however, that Serenity can be crowded during the middle of the day, especially on sea days.

fyi: There's also an adults-only pool in the back of some Carnival ships (the ones with the retractable roof over the rear pool and hot tubs and all-day pizza areas).

We're about to head out on our ninth Carnival cruise in a couple of weeks. We've always enjoyed ourselves, and like that it's a great value for the money. The one time that we were seated with someone we didn't like, we asked to be moved and our request was immediately taken care of. Plus Carnival now has anytime dining, if that's your preference, so you don't have to be saddled with 7 days of table-mates you don't like.

Enjoy your cruise; the Vista sounds amazing.

Jim and Pierre

I appreciate all the comments.

I must admit I am old school when it comes to a cruise style, but times change and I need to try.

I will admit I prefer small ships which are becoming a dying breed. Big ships provide choices but the masses of people and lines are a big negative for me. So mixing lines and ships looks like the path for me.

Per these frank responses I have decided to give Carnival a try, even if its way out in 2017. I booked a 6 day cruise on the new Vista.....and will go to see the ship since it is not a Farcus interior. I hope to look at this as a fun trip rather than a "posh" experience.....and enjoy it for what its is. If the food is sub standard I'll book the steak house each might.......yes I am a proud carnivore.

Right now I am counting down the days till I sail on Wind Star's Wind Surf. My hope is the Wind Surf will be a very elegant and social experience. Having sailed on Wind Song years ago as well as all three Star Clipper sailing vessels has be very excited to be on a small class of ship.

Back On carnival....I have a question. Some of the ships have an adult area as will the Vista......is there a charge to use the adult area?

Thanks for all the comments....hope to read more, both the good , the bad and the ugly:rolleyes:

I believe if you want to use the steam and sauna will have to pay.

I believe if you want to use the steam and sauna will have to pay.

All the Carnival cruise ships that i know of, use of the steam room and sauna are free. Some ships they give you a locker key (they hold your SS card) and the dream class or newer ships you put in your own combination for the lockers. So you dont have to surrender your SS card.

My husband and I are rather new to cruises, only taking our 2nd/3rd in january (65 days by the countdown). But we do vacation quite a lot and prioritize luxury and service in our travels. That said, carnival was so wretched in luxury and service that we went to the pursar to cancel our gratuity payment. The first two nights at sea, we had to sleep separately; we had reserved a room prepared with a king bed, but the bed was separated when we came aboard, and when we called the concierge to fix it we were told they had no clean mattress pads or duvets and we would have to wait a few days. Trés romantique. Later we requested a corkscrew and after three different deckhands brought us a bottle opener instead of a corkscrew we gave up on the wine and bought a corkscrew in Cozumel. Despite several requests, they never unlocked our wet bar. Except for a single bar near the casino, it was impossible to get drink service. Typically we would wait 25 minutes or more for the cocktailer to take an order from us, another ten to actually receive the drink, and the order was almost unilaterally wrong. I ended up developing a taste for champagne and pineapple juice, because it was the closest thing to a mimosa the bartenders seemed able to make.

There were children EVERYWHERE, and the spa was the only place where children werent allowed. We bought the spa package. I had a rather nice massage, but my husband's massage was only about nine minutes and left him with big purple bruises all ofer his back for most of the trip. They had three beautiful steam rooms, really lovely spaces, and two of them were out of order from the second day on. They wouldnt refund the cost of the spa package.

The food was a study in extremes. The escargot was among the best i've ever had, as some of the desserts were tremendous. The wine list in the dining rooms was impressive and surprisingly reasonable in its pricing. The kitchen could not cook a medium rare steak if it was the only material on the whole boat that could save it from sinking; it was either cooked to charcoal or completely raw, and recooks always tasted as if it had been cooked alongside fish. The fruit was always wonderfully fresh and varied, and breakfast was usually quite good. The buffet was acceptable but rarely open; after returning from time greenside, the only food available was these terrible grey hot dogs from the poolside grill (read:poolside steam table). And LGBT events were neither hosted nor moderated and, as a result, were complete failures. We did, however, in stereotypical fashion, make some friends at the art auctions, which were rather nice.

The very worst part of the experience, though, was the fight, and the crew's reaction to it. Of course, the cruise line cannot be blamed for the behaviors of its guests, but they can be held accountable for their response. One evening we were walking the deck outside and we came across a fistfight. A man well into his 70s was beaten bloody on the deck, trying to crawl away from the scene, and is poor wife was bawling as she tried to stand him up. Some of the man's family were trying to detain the assailant, whose family was trying to engage them in a fight as well. I helped the man to a chair while my husband (a rather powerfully built man) tried to help maintain the peace. I went inside and went to the nearest crewmember, a young woman working at a coffee kiosk. I told her that a man had been assaulted on deck and asked her to please call security and the sickbay for assistance, and i asked her for a cup of water for the man and some ice for his bruises. As she stood in front of a sink, she told me she didnt sell water and id have to go find a bar. Then she told me to go find the casino cashier desk because it wasnt her job to call in disturbances. I should note that she was wearing a radio and there was a phone on the wall behind her. By the time i found someone willing to help, the assailant's son had gotten in a fight with two other people, grabbed his father, and disappeared; the victim was semi-conscious. It was one of the most disgusting examples of abominable service i have ever seen.

So in my inexpert opinion, carnival is best avoided, in much the same way that iran, hemlock, and the mid-80s suzuki samuri is best avoided.