Would you consider Royal Caribbean a lot nicer than Carnival?

It's people with your attitude that make me really not want to take my first RC cruise. From your statement you seem to think that you or people that sail on RC are better or higher in class then those of us that have sailed on Carnival. I hope I don't encounter people like you on my cruise.:rolleyes:

Oh please, untie your panties. There are good guests and there are bad guests. What constitutes each is a separate discussion, but you can use your imagination. Any cruise will have both. That Carnival tends to have more of the bad ones shouldn't offend anyone just because they happen to cruise Carnival. Unless you're a bad guest, then you can be offended, but I wouldn't really care. ;) FWIW, there were definitely obnoxious aholes on my recent RCCL sailing (besides myself...lol)

They don't have 24 hour pizza? I ate that frequently.

On Oasis last week, Pizza was open until 3am. Cafe Promenade was 24/7, with small sandwiches and sweets available late-night.

The RCCL pizza was not particularly good, though it was fine at 2am. ;)

I've heard from some "upscale" friends that cruised Carnival in the past year and enjoyed it, that their pizza was excellent. I think Princess also had great pizza, but I haven't sailed them in about 5 years.

Yes. RC is a bit more toned down than Carnival. No blaring pool DJ. The ships have the appearance of an upscale hotel. Many (not all) Carnival ships are like old-Vegas on a bender.

It depends on the ship. The Carnival Dream has a Superior sundeck at the back of the ship with Swimming pool, Jacuzzi, Bar and Foodservice that overlooks the wake of the ship. If Royal has a ship that tops that, I haven't been on it yet.

I've been on both and think Royal overall has a better product. The food, entertainment and ship decor is better. BUT, I agree with Robinola that the Carnival Dream's aft pool area cannot be beat. It happens to be my favorite pool area of all the ships I've sailed on even if Carnival is my least favorite of the three lines I've sailed. Go figure.

Overall they are very much the same.

The RC ships are nicer, but they are all the same.

RC also has a blind, cult-like following on this site .

So asking this question here will not give you an accurate response from most people...

Omg Amen to this, after doing the precious Allure as my first RC I feel that Carnival tops RC in some places and RC tops Carnival in some places. RC fans will never admit it because they choose to have a negative mindset. I enjoy both lines but definitely prefer Carnival cruisers! :)

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Yes is my answer. I think the overall decor of RC ships are way more pleasing to the eyes, Carnival's is gaudy. I really dislike the 'atrium' type center of Carnival, I much prefer the promenade. I'm not a food connoisseur so the food to me wasn't much different, however I do like RC specialty restaurants better. I also found the staff overall happier on RC than Carnival (or at least on the 3 I sailed on before). The cabins may be bigger on Carnival but the overall cabin itself is nicer on RC. Their suites (Carnival) left a lot to be desired. All I can say is when we sailed on Carnival years ago, we thought it was really nice UNTIL we sailed on RC, we switched and have never looked back. I do hope to sail on NCL and on Princess but just haven't gotten there yet. It's always good to try different lines so you have something to compare too.

My 2 cents...:)

No. They're both mass market lines. They have their differences, but are more similar than not.

We've been on both, twice - and though I think my general feel is that I prefer Royal Caribbean - there were a few things I really missed that we liked on Carnival.

The kids loved the never ending pizza and ice cream on carnival. They were specialty stops in the back of the buffet, I believe. It felt a little more like a food court. I thought the ice cream on Royal Caribbean was an after thought and a "check, ice cream provided" and not impressive.

The younger kids LOVED the slide on carnival - and they liked the pools better. (obviously, the ships you pick matter, but these were equivalent categories of ships, I forget the carnival name right now but RC was Enchantment)

I loved the tea (not the drink, the social) on Carnival. It was a little side room (bar) that I hadn't been in. I went with two other moms and it was a nice little escape - and very relaxing. Little cakes and sweets and, obviously, tea.

I do think the clientele was, in general, different on the two. Or at least, people seemed more theme park on carnival. It could just be the difference in the atmosphere that creates a more "running around" feel. We enjoyed both and appreciated the differences. The comedian in the show (who said he just got off the carnival in port) implied they drink a bit more over there - in reference to us getting his jokes. but it could have been a "fill in the blank" joke with whatever ship he wasn't on. :)

I have sailed on both lines, and thought the pizza was tolerable on both at best. I don't sail for pizza though, and it was actually about what we expected. :)

My last cruise on a Carnival ship had horrible MDR service, common areas were often dirty, and it was very smoky. I didn't care for the large screen at the main pool blasting music starting in the early morning (it gets old fast), and missed the live music pool side at sail aways. The adult-only "Serenity" area often had a strong sewage smell.

I wanted to like Carnival because they do have some nice itineraries sailing from Florida, but that last one did it for us. Back to Royal, and hopefully we'll enjoy our next cruise as much as we did the last time we sailed with them in 2009.

RC fans will never admit it because they choose to have a negative mindset. I enjoy both lines but definitely prefer Carnival cruisers! :)

 

 

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The "blind, cult like following" cheerleader crowd is just as bad on the Carnival forum as it is here. Maybe even worse.

EVERY cruise line has its loyal followers.

The ships themselves are sooo different it's almost laughable. The decor and ambiance of Carnival compared to RC is so substandard and quite frankly "gaudy" compared to RC. RC ships are so much more elegant and pleasing to the eye that Carnival....IMHO...:)...K.O.

I didn't say they "looked" alike. I said they are more alike than different. What they offer is more similar than not. Not all Carnival ships are gaudy. I find a lot of the art work on RCI gaudy too, but neither is a reason to not sail.

We're finding on our next Carnival cruise ports that we've never been to and RCI rarely if ever goes to.

Reading comprehension.....

I would never cruise on a ship that carried a generator strapped to the top deck (which is apparently Carnival's answer to their engine/generator issues). When we were in port in the Bahamas, there were 3 Carnival ships docked as well and they all had them.

I would never cruise on a ship that carried a generator strapped to the top deck (which is apparently Carnival's answer to their engine/generator issues). When we were in port in the Bahamas, there were 3 Carnival ships docked as well and they all had them.

Those are actually temporary. They are installing permanent generators as the ships are cycled through dry dock.

If so, why?

That totally depends on which ship.

Comparing Oasis to Imagination

or Breeze to Freedom of the Seas..

isn't necessarily an honest comparison as to which is better.

By lines in General....

Each line has their pro's and con's.

Things one does better over the other.

We have sailed different lines many times.

Carnival always comes out on top as our favorite.

That may change after we sail the Allure.

But to date.. its Carnival for our family. Not because of price either. Because of our previous cruising experiences.

The ships themselves are sooo different it's almost laughable. The decor and ambiance of Carnival compared to RC is so substandard and quite frankly "gaudy" compared to RC. RC ships are so much more elegant and pleasing to the eye that Carnival....IMHO...:)...K.O.

Have you been on the Carnival Breeze?

There was nothing "Gaudy" about that ship.

The "blind, cult like following" cheerleader crowd is just as bad on the Carnival forum as it is here. Maybe even worse.

 

EVERY cruise line has its loyal followers.

Bingo! ;) :D

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Those are actually temporary. They are installing permanent generators as the ships are cycled through dry dock.

... and temporary has been how long? :D

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They're both excellent. Carnival is slightly better value and used to have better food although I think that difference has shrunk as both have changed their menus. Both steakhouses are excellent.

The biggest difference, I think, is maintenance. In spite of what you've read in the papers about the Carnival "poop cruise," I think Carnival does a much better job of keeping its older ships in top shape. Last year, Navigator OTS looked like she was at least a year overdue for a good drydock - for example, the cabins all still had tube TVs, and the upholstery and carpets looked quite tired. Carnival ships that are much older had more modern TVs and newer soft goods. I think RCI concentrates too much on new builds at the expense of its otherwise lovely existing fleet.

Also, with the retirement of Joe Farcus, Carnival has turned a corner on its decor. I saw some videos online about Carnival Breeze - the ship looked so nice that I considered canceling my Liberty TA this year. I didn't do it, but I'll probably sail Breeze for my next cruise.

All that said, I have always had a great time on both lines.

They're both excellent. Carnival is slightly better value and used to have better food although I think that difference has shrunk as both have changed their menus. Both steakhouses are excellent.

 

The biggest difference, I think, is maintenance. In spite of what you've read in the papers about the Carnival "poop cruise," I think Carnival does a much better job of keeping its older ships in top shape. Last year, Navigator OTS looked like she was at least a year overdue for a good drydock - for example, the cabins all still had tube TVs, and the upholstery and carpets looked quite tired. Carnival ships that are much older had more modern TVs and newer soft goods. I think RCI concentrates too much on new builds at the expense of its otherwise lovely existing fleet.

 

Also, with the retirement of Joe Farcus, Carnival has turned a corner on its decor. I saw some videos online about Carnival Breeze - the ship looked so nice that I considered canceling my Liberty TA this year. I didn't do it, but I'll probably sail Breeze for my next cruise.

 

All that said, I have always had a great time on both lines.

I don't agree. Within the last few years RCI sent all of the Vision class ships in for a total revitalization. Legend and Splendour received a complete deck of new balcony staterooms. Those ships were built in the mid 90's at about the same time as some of the Fantasy class ships. The Vision class ships now look great again. The Navigator underwent a 50 million dollar revitalization earlier this year. From the photos that I have seen she looks better than when I cruised on this ship. Three of the four Radaince class ships were all revitalized within the last few years. Several Voyager class ships are scheduled for their revitalizations.

In the end I think RCI is concentrating on keeping their current fleet modern while keeping their new build program in high gear. Something Carnival is not doing.

... and temporary has been how long? :D

 

 

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Since Spring of 2013.

Overall they are very much the same.

 

The RC ships are nicer, but they are all the same.

 

RC also has a blind, cult-like following on this site .

 

So asking this question here will not give you an accurate response from most people...

LOL - only you could make such a ridiculous statement as to claim that all RCI ships, from the Oasis class to the dramatically different Radiance class - are "all the same." :rolleyes:

To me, Royal is far superior when it comes to shows, ship decor, entertainment, overall ship design. My last Carnival cruise was in 2009, (traumatized by the decor of the Carnival Freedom :eek:), I don't think I could ever go back.

To me, Royal is far superior when it comes to shows, ship decor, entertainment, overall ship design. My last Carnival cruise was in 2009, (traumatized by the decor of the Carnival Freedom :eek:), I don't think I could ever go back.

Traumatized? Seriously? 14 Carnival cruises; the only ship where the decor was really kind of crazy is the pink zebra circles on Splendor.

Enjoyed Oasis and have Jewel and Allure booked. Not because we love Royal now or dislike Carnival, just something different.

All cruises and ships have their pluses and minuses but I really am disgusted by the people that say, "never been on Carnival but I heard.........." There are drunks, unruly kids, door slamming and misses on menus on every ship. Try them for yourself, with an open mind if you can (doubtful), then make an informed, intelligent decision.

I have only been on 6 cruises. 3 with Princess and 3 with Carnival. I loved the food on Princess and hated the buffet on Carnival.But I loved all 6 cruises. Going on Independence of the Sea March of 2015 and I can't wait!!!

No comparison at all, Royal is by far our preference.