Carnival Breeze or Adventure of the Seas?

Hi all! I’m looking at spring break 2019 cruises and have narrowed it down to these choices. I don’t see comparison threads between these 2 ships when I search.

Carnival Breeze is a 7-night itinerary stopping at Amber Cove, St Thomas, San Juan and Grand Turk. Adventure is an 8-night itinerary stopping at Labadee, San Juan, St Maarten and St. Kitts. Both itineraries are appealing.

Breeze leaves from Port Canaveral which is much closer and more convenient to our house than Fort Lauderdale where Adventure sails from. 2.5 hour drive vs. 5 hour drive, so that has me seriously considering the Breeze. And while most would like an 8-night itinerary over a 7-night itinerary, I think getting home Saturday as opposed to Sunday will give us all a chance to regroup before returning to work and School Monday.

I have done tons of Royal Caribbean research for our upcoming Oasis cruises so I feel comfortable I know what to expect from RCI. Carnival would be brand new to me.

We will have 2 small kids with us.

Both ships look nice and seem to have similar sizes & activities.

I’ll post on both Carnival and Royal Caribbean board to capture opinions from both.

Any thoughts from experienced cruisers? Thank you!

I've never sailed on the Breeze, but have sailed on the Adventure 4 or 5 times and I'd give it two thumbs up. The Adventure is one of my favorite Royal ships, but the quality of things like food and shows have been in a steady decline the past few yeas and I find the price gap between Royal and Carnival getting bigger and bigger. Both my 2018 cruises are booked on Carnival. I find Carnival to be more value for my money.

Breeze is an amazing ship.

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Hi all! I’m looking at spring break 2019 cruises and have narrowed it down to these choices. I don’t see comparison threads between these 2 ships when I search.

 

Carnival Breeze is a 7-night itinerary stopping at Amber Cove, St Thomas, San Juan and Grand Turk. Adventure is an 8-night itinerary stopping at Labadee, San Juan, St Maarten and St. Kitts. Both itineraries are appealing.

 

Breeze leaves from Port Canaveral which is much closer and more convenient to our house than Fort Lauderdale where Adventure sails from. 2.5 hour drive vs. 5 hour drive, so that has me seriously considering the Breeze. And while most would like an 8-night itinerary over a 7-night itinerary, I think getting home Saturday as opposed to Sunday will give us all a chance to regroup before returning to work and School Monday.

 

I have done tons of Royal Caribbean research for our upcoming Oasis cruises so I feel comfortable I know what to expect from RCI. Carnival would be brand new to me.

 

We will have 2 small kids with us.

 

Both ships look nice and seem to have similar sizes & activities.

 

I’ll post on both Carnival and Royal Caribbean board to capture opinions from both.

 

Any thoughts from experienced cruisers? Thank you!

We were on AOTS in 2016. Loved this ship! We were out of PR to several ports. It was a great itinerary. Not been on Breeze to comment.

The Breeze is a nice ship, we have been on it twice. Sailing out of Galveston is about a 5 hour drive for us and we are sorry to see it going to Port Canaveral so our loss is your gain (IMO). We have not sailed on RC though, have friends that are very frequent cruisers on RC and speak highly of their ships.

I have a special place in my heart for Adventure because I was married on that ship. But that aside, she's recently out of dry dock and she now has waterslides and a Flowrider. That 8th night, though, is what really stands out for me. I recommend Adventure.

I have never had the pleasure of sailing with Royal, so can't help you with comparisons.

The Breeze is a beautiful ship. The atrium is breathtaking regardless of your vantage point.

The included-in-fare eating choices are varied and probably offer something for every taste.

The Thrill Theatre might be perfect for your children. Go with them.

The Lido pool is small but the waterworks area is impressive.

I hope your family has a wonderful experience whichever ship you choose.

I have a special place in my heart for Adventure because I was married on that ship. But that aside, she's recently out of dry dock and she now has waterslides and a Flowrider. That 8th night, though, is what really stands out for me. I recommend Adventure.

I'm assuming you mean "special place" in a good way....right? The AOTS did not have a flowrider before? While never having sailed on her, we were on her twice.

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I'm assuming you mean "special place" in a good way....right? The AOTS did not have a flowrider before? While never having sailed on her, we were on her twice.

Hi jimbo. Yeah, I meant that in a good way. :)

No, Voyager Class was not built with Flowriders. Those didn't come in until Freedom Class was built. RCI has been adding them to the Voyager Class ships in dry dock.

Hi jimbo. Yeah, I meant that in a good way. :)

 

 

 

No, Voyager Class was not built with Flowriders. Those didn't come in until Freedom Class was built. RCI has been adding them to the Voyager Class ships in dry dock.

Thanks

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Out of curiosity what is the price difference? I was considering the Breeze as Port Canaveral is close to my house, but it was more expensive than Oasis of the Seas, which is also out of Port Canaveral. Alcohol package was $48/day on Oasis which was also cheaper than Breeze. So, I took a pass on the Breeze as I had a budget to stick to. But I'd like to try her one day.

Out of curiosity what is the price difference? I was considering the Breeze as Port Canaveral is close to my house, but it was more expensive than Oasis of the Seas, which is also out of Port Canaveral. Alcohol package was $48/day on Oasis which was also cheaper than Breeze. So, I took a pass on the Breeze as I had a budget to stick to. But I'd like to try her one day.

Hey there Nole- there isn’t much price difference at all (kind of surprising as I thought Carnival was a less expensive line).

When looking at 2 rooms for the 4 of us, it’s kind of hard to make an apples to apples comparison, as on Adventure there are 2 sets of OV balcony rooms that connect to interiors, and one is available, so having that interior for the kids is a big cost savings. On Breeze two OV balconies are only slightly more than the Adventure price for the OV balcony/interior combo.

If we look at putting all 4 of us in one room, looking at an Adventure junior suite, they are very pricy so out of the question. On Breeze, the equivalent ocean suite is about the same as the 2 rooms mentioned above on Adventure.

Adventure has on board credit included. Breeze does not.

Drink packages (which wife & I will get) will cost more per day on carnival as RCI does tend to discount theirs pre-cruise.

Adventure will cost us less overall, but not a whole lot less. On a daily basis it’s definitely cheaper as it’s 8 nights and Breeze is 7. But I don’t even want that 8th night if it means driving 5 hours from Fort Lauderdale the day before I have to get back to work! Ha ha.

If an Oasis class ship were an option this trip, I’d do it for sure. But the Oasis itinerary out of PC is a repeat of the cruise we are taking in May so I’d prefer not to do that. Harmony out of FTL is sold out. And I don’t want to go to Miami. So those are my 2 options...

I feel your pain. I live about 45 minutes from Port Canaveral and 3 hours from Fort Lauderdale. The convenience of the shortest drive often dictates my choice of ship.

That being said, if I were in your shoes 1 month ago, I probably would have gone with Breeze. However, in light of recent incidents, I would have some concerns bringing children on Carnival. I'm sure you saw the video, and obviously the passengers started the incidents, but the way Carnival's "security" team handled it is absolutely unacceptable on every level. There's no justifying it and it makes you wonder what kind of training, if any, the crew on Breeze has.

So, I'd go with the longer drive.

I feel your pain. I live about 45 minutes from Port Canaveral and 3 hours from Fort Lauderdale. The convenience of the shortest drive often dictates my choice of ship.

 

That being said, if I were in your shoes 1 month ago, I probably would have gone with Breeze. However, in light of recent incidents, I would have some concerns bringing children on Carnival. I'm sure you saw the video, and obviously the passengers started the incidents, but the way Carnival's "security" team handled it is absolutely unacceptable on every level. There's no justifying it and it makes you wonder what kind of training, if any, the crew on Breeze has.

 

So, I'd go with the longer drive.

Alright Nole, Your thoughts on this one prompted me to poke around on the Royal Caribbean website a little more and an Ultra Spacious (family) ocean view was available (wasn’t available last week). It’s bigger than a junior suite or Ocean suite, albeit with no balcony. And it was about $1000 less than the least expensive options I was previously looking at on either RC or Carnival. After looking at pictures showing me there are basically 2 bedrooms & a separate living room in this room, I booked it.

I booked refundable, so will still be considering Breeze (and balcony room options on Adventure), so I’m still interested in comparisons, but I have to say it’s going to be hard to get me to spend more at this point.

Cheers from a Gator!

Nice! I didn't know they had those cabins, and with the savings on top, it seems like a no brainer to go out of Fort Lauderdale. $1,000 cheaper plus 8 night vs 7 night is more than enough to persuade me to make the longer drive.

I am amazed you ask PEOPLE you don't know when you have your husband and family!!!

Just don't get it like their in put don't count.

:confused::confused::confused::confused:

Adventure is an amazing ship. You made a good choice.

I am amazed you ask PEOPLE you don't know when you have your husband and family!!!

 

Just don't get it like their in put don't count.

 

:confused::confused::confused::confused:

If the OP’s husband is anything like my wife, she probably asked and the husband said “I don’t care, just pick whichever you like”, and then the OP came here looking for more input after getting none from the spouse. From the many threads I’ve read over the years, many spouses don’t share the same excitement and interest in cruising as those who frequent these boards.

To the OP, about your question, this is one time when I would be happy with either one of the selections. Each ship offers superlatives that would be attractive to me.

With that said, the longer drive and extra unwanted day would give me a bit of pause about booking the Adventure. But I would prefer the Adventure’s itinerary much more which would make the longer drive and extra day completely worth it.

Have fun choosing. I don’t think you can go wrong with your decision.

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I am amazed you ask PEOPLE you don't know when you have your husband and family!!!

Just don't get it like their in put don't count.

:confused::confused::confused::confused:

Not exactly sure what amazes you about the questions, but just in case anyone is wondering, of course I’ve asked my wife what she thinks. But neither of us are experienced cruisers who have been on either of these ships or to any of the places these ships are going, which is why I was asking for input from experienced cruisers who have been on either one or both of these ships.

Make no mistake though, my wife and I will make the final decision on this one. Just hopefully with a little more information than we had before I asked the questions...;)

If the OP’s husband is anything like my wife, she probably asked and the husband said “I don’t care, just pick whichever you like”, and then the OP came here looking for more input after getting none from the spouse. From the many threads I’ve read over the years, many spouses don’t share the same excitement and interest in cruising as those who frequent these boards.

 

To the OP, about your question, this is one time when I would be happy with either one of the selections. Each ship offers superlatives that would be attractive to me.

 

With that said, the longer drive and extra unwanted day would give me a bit of pause about booking the Adventure. But I would prefer the Adventure’s itinerary much more which would make the longer drive and extra day completely worth it.

 

Have fun choosing. I don’t think you can go wrong with your decision.

 

 

 

 

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Thanks for the helpful input. Can I ask why you like the Adventure itinerary over the Breeze itinerary? Having not been to the places on either itinerary they both look interesting to me, but I’m curious about opinions on the itineraries from people who’ve been to these places. Thanks for the input!

Thanks for the helpful input. Can I ask why you like the Adventure itinerary over the Breeze itinerary?

On the Adventure:

St Kitts is a wonderful and unique port of call. It’s not as frequently visited as other Eastern Caribbean islands, so it hasn’t suffered from overdevelopment and its not as overrun with tourists as other, more popular islands. You can enjoy the beautiful beaches, or take a day trip to nearby Nevis. You can even ride aboard an old banana train around the island.

St. Maarten is another unique island, which is shared by France and the Netherlands. The ship docks on the Dutch side and you’re a short water taxi ride from downtown Philipsburg where there are shops, restaurants and beaches. You can also take a shuttle to world famous Maho Beach where airplanes fly right over your head on their final approach to Princess Juliana Int’l Airport. Many visitors time their visit to coincide with the widebody jets arriving from Europe.

Labadee, like Amber Cove and Grand Turk, is a cruise line developed destination. It’s a nice place for a relaxing beach day in beautiful surroundings, but your interaction with the locals and your ability to explore beyond the developed area will be very limited to non-existent.

On the Breeze:

Amber Cove and Grand Turk are ports that were developed by Carnival so they provide a less authentic experience unless you explore “beyond the shore”. Otherwise the experience at these ports is generic and just an extension of the experience on the ship.

St Thomas in my opinion, provides a similar beach and shopping experience to St. Maarten, but instead of an European flair it has an American flair. I truly enjoy St. Thomas, but given a choice between this island and St. Maarten, I would select St. Maarten.

You’ll be visiting San Juan on both itineraries which is a great thing since this port has a lot to offer. You could spend a week there and you would barely have enough time to cover just the basics. With the limited time that a cruise ship visit provides, you could stay in the Old San Juan area which is near where you’ll ship will dock. You can explore 16th century fortresses built by the Spaniards, as well as several museums, cathedrals, shops and restaurants along the cobblestoned streets. There’s a lot of walking involved, but a trolley that loops around the old city is available.

Hope this information is useful! Have a great cruise.

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I've been on both ships. The Breeze has been my favorite by far of all the ships I've been on. I love the layout, the decorations, the activities, just everything. I really like the Adventures of the Seas, also. However, it is an older ship. It does have the FlowRider and ice skating rink and rock climbing wall which are really cool.

As for the itineraries, I've been to all the stops except for Labadee. We will be there next year. All of them have their own unique reasons for being there and you love them!

You won't go wrong with either one, but I would have to go with the Breeze.

I really like the Adventures of the Seas, also. However, it is an older ship.

Keep in mind that Adventure of the Seas just came out of a $61 million dollar makeover, one of the biggest in Royal Caribbean history. Not only does the ship look brand new, but it added many new features including an aqua park, virtual entertainment, flow rider, as well as several restaurants.

Normally I would consider an older ship to be less desirable, but such a massive upgrade would make the ship’s age a negligible deciding factor.

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Keep in mind that Adventure of the Seas just came out of a $61 million dollar makeover, one of the biggest in Royal Caribbean history. Not only does the ship look brand new, but it added many new features including an aqua park, virtual entertainment, flow rider, as well as several restaurants.

 

Normally I would consider an older ship to be less desirable, but such a massive upgrade would make the ship’s age a negligible deciding factor.

 

 

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Yes, I understand that. And I loved the ship! We went a few months after the upgrades (except Chops had been delayed and not operational when we went.) I don't think the OP would go wrong choosing either one. But my personal opinion remains that I would pick the Breeze, my favorite ship so far. The layout was very cruiser-friendly. That being said, I would not hesitate going on AOS again (and would be enjoying Chops this time!)

Not exactly sure what amazes you about the questions, but just in case anyone is wondering, of course I’ve asked my wife what she thinks. But neither of us are experienced cruisers who have been on either of these ships or to any of the places these ships are going, which is why I was asking for input from experienced cruisers who have been on either one or both of these ships.

 

Make no mistake though, my wife and I will make the final decision on this one. Just hopefully with a little more information than we had before I asked the questions...;)

It's like asking if I should have steak or pork for dinner and everyone know if I'm rich or poor and what I can afford. Then if we should drive or fly to the port.....

I just get a kick out of the many FUNNY question people ask....

I don't know you so to give you an advice on something I like is ............