Can someone be honest?

Hello all,

I am just writing a post to see if someone can give me an honest answer about CCL in general. I just read a review about the Glory and it really made me nervous. In the past CCL has had a reputation for being the party ships with a somewhat "rougher" crowd. I have been on RCCL, Princess, and HAL. We have been on each line several times. Each line has it's own feel. This will be our first Carnival Cruise. We will be going on the Miracle in Jan. We will be getting 2 cabins and spending the most we have ever spent on a cruise. We have 2 small kids.

My concern is, how are the passenger's really that cruise with Carnival? The review I read made it sound like a ship with a bunch of people that I really wouldn't want to spend a lot of time with.:eek: I am just looking for someone to tell it like it is. I have been up on these boards for months, basically everyday reading and getting excited about this cruise.

I also want to say, that the people on this Carnival board are wonderful. I just want to make sure that the majority of the people on the cruise ship are like you. I just want to be sure that this will be a great time for my family. Thanks for your time. Take Care!!

I had heard the same things...but went ahead and tried them out. Now two cruises later, I can tell you that I love Carnival. I am not a party animal by any means, but I like to have fun. I don't drink, but love to dance, do karaoke, etc. We loved it as well as our kids. I have yet to experience that "over the top" party atmosphere as I have heard so many talk about.

Each person has their own experience but I think you will love it.

Carnival is a great cruise line. Your family will have a nice time!

you have to keep in mind, it's ALL subjective and completely depends on the reivews state of mind and circumstances, where they're "coming from". I read a review of the Destiny, where this person was bitching and complaining and using almost racial slurs to describe the other pax onboard. I pretty much took what they had to say with a grain of salt afterwards.

I also think a lot of it has to do with when you're cruising, which route and how long the cruise is. many have stated before that the shorter cruises have more "party" people on them, and speculated on the reasons for that. also which ports, as it's been my personal observation that those cruising predominantly Mexican ports are looking for the "party atmosphere" (returning with wild and crazy tales of bouncing from one Senor Frogs/Carlos & Charlie's). school break times obviously have more kids (college and otherwise).

I personally found my cruise on the Valor to have a very well rounded, and well behaved, set of people. a nice cross-section and representation of our country, I'd say. everyone just pretty much went "with the flow" and had a good time, and let others enjoy themselves as well.

Pure Hogwash.. just book it and enjoy!

Not only did we not have any problems or notice anything to be concerned with, we met some really wonderful people.

ANY ship will have folks who might drink too much and act a bit boisterous.

You will get a fine mix of people from all walks of life.

My husband and I would prefer not to be called rough. We are College grads.. I only had one fufu drink on board my last cruise and I dressed appropriately for dinner and never used 4 letter words at the table! LOL ;)

I'm not an "experienced" cruiser, so I may not be the best person to answer, but I think it depends on a lot of different things. I had heard the same things about Carnival, of course, but on my cruise in October, I really didn't see a lot of wild partying. Even though it was October, there were a lot of families. I really think it depends on the time of year, the port the ship leaves from & generally just the luck of the draw. Sure, there's probably more "party" type people who choose Carnival because of their reputation, so the odds are a little higher than on some of the other lines that don't have that reputation. I didn't read the review that has you concerned (maybe I'll go find it!), but you probably shouldn't be overly worried. I've heard it said on here that a cruise ship is like a small town with the number of people on board. I think that's true, and just like any small town, there will be areas that you choose not to hang out in. Maybe that's why I didn't see a lot of partying - I didn't go to the clubs, etc. I also didn't see any of that sort of things around the pool or anywhere else either, though. Maybe we just got lucky!

I guess my advice would be to read up on the ship you're sailing on & see what type of "crowd" it attracts. Maybe that will help ease your mind (or not! :( ), but it might give you a better idea of what you'll be dealing with.

Good luck & have a great time!

I just got off of the Elation on June 26th. This was my first cruise. I didn't see alot of "partying" or drunkiness everywhere. There were a bunch of kids. I had a blast, but I don't have anything to base an opinion on. Would I go back on Carnival...yes. It was a 7 day cruise to Cozumel, Progreso, and Belize.

MamaMicki: I've never sailed on Glory and I have only cruised in May, although, I am planning on cruising in Sept 06.

I have yet to see any falling down drunks, although, people do drink....me included! I've found that you can find the rowdy drunks if you are looking for them and that is the kind of atmosphere you want. But, there are plenty of places to enjoy a drink (or not) in any type atmosphere you want!

As I mentioned....I've only cruised in May. I will not cruise during Spring Break or the summer, or any major holidays when schools (including colleges) will not be in session. During these times, you will find more of the younger crowd, who have not yet learned how to control their liquor! Also, more younger kids who are not supervised.....which would really get on my nerves!

Since you're goning in January, I don't think you'll have any problems. I'm sure you will have a great time. Of course, just like being on land anywhere, you might run into the occasional rude/obnoxious person, but this has not been my experience.

Have a wonderful cruise and let us know how it went.....I'm planning on Miracle next year!!

We were on a 4 day Fantasy cruise in Feb, and we were a little worried since it was my 74 year old mom and myself (almost 40 at the time). But I really can't remember anyone falling down drunk except while at Nassau, and I think he lived there...But there was a wonderful mix of people on the ship and it really wasn't the party atmosphere I expected after reading some of the reviews! Have a WONDERFUL cruise!

In the past CCL has had a reputation for being the party ships with a somewhat "rougher" crowd.!

Every time I read this statement, I always wonder, "WHERE"? I've never seen this on any of 15 Carnival cruise over 17 years.

Pay no attention to those posters behind their keyboards. All you'll see is people having a great time.

And let us know how your cruise is!

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I also want to say, that the people on this Carnival board are wonderful!!

there's your answer :D

There are a lot of people out there, with a lot of negative things to say. If I were you, I'd avoid cruising with THOSE people.

You will love your Carnival cruise and you picked a great ship to sail on. The reviews of the Miracle have been all positive..including mine. Carnival cruisers are a very diverse group, and no one has their nose in the air.

You will love your cruise, I have no doubt.

I have never, I repeat NEVER, seen anyone falling down drunk while I was on a cruise. I have seen many people in such a condition coming out of Carlos and Charlie's in Cozumel though, but they were not strictly on Carnival as there are always a few ships in port. So who knows...?

At "worst", I have seen a few people who, if they had been driving, would have had their keys taken away from them.

Overall, don't worry about it. It's not a party boat. Definitely more family oriented.

We have done 5 Carnival cruises and personally we enjoy it.. I am 35 and my boyfriend is 39.. we are not party animals, but also enjoy a good time.. we do drink some, but not alot that we literally get drunk.. sure we've had a few drinks too many on occassion.. To us its just a fun atmosphere.. We tried Royal Caribean although my boyfriend did sail them years ago and we didnt have as much fun.. it seemed like mainly older people, sure there were some people our age but not many.. we felt like there wasnt much to do, etc.. so I think we will stick with Carnival.. but it is more of a personal choice.. I think you should just try it.. people can tell you about all day, but that doesnt mean your experience will be the same..

I agree with everyone here and I wonder if you were referring to my post. Listen, it was a mix of people. A good mix. I just thought it was a little different than our last cruises but my husband, who was on the ship with me, disagreed and said it was about the same.

People were for the most part very nice. Very agreeable. I think people have said this before but go to the mall. It's about what you'd find there. A little of everything. Believe me you'll enjoy the Glory. My husband and I and our son all enjoyed it immensely and met some VERY nice people. I really hope it wasn't my comment that made you re-think your position on this.

I'd love for you to go and come back on here and tell us how it was. I think you'll agree that the people were great. I just didn't want people to think it's ALL professionals or ALL college graduates or ALL of any one group. ALL types of people are represented. I just thought it was a little bit (but not too much) skewed towards one group. You will have a good time, I'm sure. We had a ball!

I have cruised CCL quite a few times. All times of the year and out of many ports. The very first cruise I took was from Port Canaveral during SPRING BREAK. I had absolutly NO knowledge of cruising. There was no rowdy drunk crazy college kids or any one else! It was the start of my cruising addiction.

I have since cruised a lot of other lines and various ships on each line. They all offer different ambiences.

CCL is by far best suited with the family in mind. Young, old and in between. So much more to do for everyone. Go with an open mind and you will have a wonderful time.

HAPPY SAILING...............

I have been on two Carnival cruises and am heading out for my third the end of this month. The first was on the Spirit to Alaska last August. We selected Carnival for the kids program and the larger beds. Was one of the best experiences I ever had. Crew took great care of us and the kids found alot of kids their age. True the Alaska cruise is the older Carnival Crowd but found lots of Families.

The last cruise we took was on the Legend to Western Carribean during spring break. We had lots of teachers, lots of kids and some partiers. The partiers were very respectful. No drunken incidents and they partied in the appropriate venues. I think that is the beauty of Carnival, you can enjoy yourself in the quiet areas or have a blast. All the people we ran into just enjoyed and respected other's right to enjoy.

I haven't been on the other lines so can't talk to them. On both cruises I was able to relax and didn't feel imposed upon by the crowd. I am more of a quiet cruiser than a partier but loved my trips.

I have sailed with Carnival for 14 years and you will always see a mix of people - no different than going to a land resort or to the mall. It is all what you make of it. I have never seen falling down drunks. A lot of people having a good time - yes!, including our group, but never offensive, disruptive or disorderly. There is so much to do on the ship, I am sure you will have a good time. Go with a positive outlook and determined to have a good time and you will.

I have not been on other lines but I can say that is because I like Carnival so why change. I only found one person who I really could have cared if they had jumped over board. No it was not a drunk! I did not see any. It was the couple in the next cabin over. It was the higher class with the big corner balconey and such. We my wife and I both greeted her coming and going and let me tell you after the 2nd time I could have cared less when I saw her. I just got the feeling that I was way below her station in life and that is sad. I'm sure I am not. Thats why I sail Carnival. I want to be on a ship with the retired mailman, teachers, rug doctors, factory workers, Office clerks, all the medical people, fireman and police. Old retired military like me but still working for a living. They are great and come in so many flavors. Nice bunch if you get to know them. For the ones who look down at others take Silverseas or one where the people are more your breed.....(I call them Snobs).

I have been on 2 Carnival cruises.

The first was the 7 day Inspiration with my then 12 yr old son to the Western route. We had an awesome time. We both laughed at everyone coming back from C&C in Cozumel. Everyone was tame once they were back on the ship-even with the big Mexican buffet up deck at sailaway in the evening.

My second cruise was a Cruise To Know where which is totally different experience. Mostly adults looking for a party weekend and that is what we got. Sure you seen someone passed out sitting on a couch-took pics- but no one was rude, inappropriate or getting sick. It was a different type of time which I enjoyed. It was just to short for me.

Carnival is a lot of fun -- but not 'cruise gone wild'. If you get your hands on some Capers (the daily on-board activities), you'll see that there is a lot more to do on a Carnival cruiseship than other lines. The agendas are well-planned and promise to give you a good time.

As per my observation, most people who take Carnival are middle-class, down-to-earth, which makes for a fun crowd. You'll find Maryann, the Professor, the Skipper and Gilligan. Other lines carry Ginger and the Howells -- you'll never see them participate in the Hairy-Chest Contest.

If you want to have fun, join the gang!

I am not a party animal, but I enjoy having fun with my DD's. Carnival has been great for me and my 2 girls on every cruise, yes you see the occasional over indulged person. But none have ever been rude to me or my family. It is like everyone else has said a nice cross mix of many cultures and people.

I was on the Miracle in May, and compared to my other Carnival Cruise this was a very tame crowd. My other ship had a lot more partying going on then this ship. I am one of the partyer's myself and actually found the Miracle very quiet. After speaking with some crew members about this they told me that this ship is usually very quiet on the nightlife becuase the crowd it attracts is different being it goes out of Tampa opposed to Miami. so I dont think you have anything to worry about.

The Miracle is a great ship and the staff is absolutly wonderful. I am sure you will have a great time. And as a sidenote we had children with us that used camp carnival. They are a wonderful staff in Camp Carnival and all the kids seem to always leave there happy.

I went on my first cruise in January on Carnival. I was actually expecting to see drunk people - I saw NONE. I had a great time and didn't notice the people being any different than anywhere else I go. I have booked my 2nd cruise on Carnival in January of 2006. January is a great time to cruise, in my opinion:)

24 cruises down with about 10 on Carnival. I've not found anything that would turn me away from Carnival since the cruise they offer is so different from others and it's just plain fun to be on. The two best probably the Miracle and Legend, both excellent ships. Carnvial in the past 5 years has gotten better. So much so I bought a huge chunck of stock in the company.

The food has gotten better, the entertainment better and the ships bigger and better than ever. The problem with any cruise is you can pick your week to go, the ship you want to take but you can never pick the other 2000+/-

people that will be going with you. This is true on other lines too but on Carnival you do have more first timers and many of those are two timers (their first and their last). I have found there are two types of people in this world, cruisers and non-cruisers. After one cruise you will know which you are. So Carnival being the low cost line seems draw those first timers. You will have those walking around lost, complaining about ever little thing from what's that sauce on my steak to why is that water in the pool so salty? These are those famous "my glass is always half empty" type people.

When you get a boat load of these type people it can take away from the total abience of your cruise but since Carnival has so much to offer you can get away from the minor problems. I've never had a problem finding "my space" on a Carnival cruise aside from the normal "chair hog" problem found on most any sea day on any ship but it's big enough you will find chair space somewhere. We have a commititment to not sail the same ship twice. Not because we didn't like a ship enough to do it again but because there are so many ships in the sea you should never have to do that.

I like the excitement of entering that "new" ship for the first time even if it's an older ship. I'm glad there is more than one company doing family cruises and Carnvial fits the bill for a family cruise in all areas. You can't expect more.

As previously expressed in this thread, you will have all kinds of people regardless of which cruiseline you sail. I have only taken 3 cruises so far -- one on each of carnival, princess and celebrity (7, 10 and 11 days) The only summer cruise I took was on carnival and it was the shortest - this ship was the most crowded and the most casual, but lots of fun. Princess and Celebrity both were Nov cruises and were much much more sedate. I believe as others have expressed -- few kids, they are mostly in school. Many elderly (retired with time to travel)

We liked princess the best. More formal that carnival, less so than celebrity - all were wonderful. My next cruise is on carnival 8 day- it has the most to offer for our wide range of ages (4-89 ) and not to long for those of us needing to return to work and school