Perks on Carvinal vs RCI

[jackdallas]

We have always cruised on RCI and looking at Carnival they are some good ports that I would like to go to. On RCI with a suite you get a reserved area for pool chairs that I love-never have to find a hunt for a chair. Also you get an open bar from 5 to 830. Just wondering if Carnival has this on their ships. Thanks for you help

[firefly333]

VIP getting on and off the ship, thats it. Thats why suites are so much cheaper on Carnival. No perks added into the price.

[H82seaUgo]

you do realize you're paying a premium for those perks on rccl.

 

on carnival, the price is the price. vip gets you priority embarkation, and in some instances, priority debarkation.

[elcuchio24]

The perks are nil. The prices are good. The rooms are great.

[PaulMedik]

............ Also you get an open bar from 5 to 830. .........

 

 

 

Wow! Didn't know about that perk, but that sure explains pricing differences.

[GTO-Girl]

I enjoy both Carnival and RCCI. Because there are things on each line I like it's become much more of a cost factor for me.

 

I just booked the Carnival Dream at $526 LESS than I could have booked the same type cabin on RCCI........:eek:. To me that's just crazy!!!!

 

While I loved the Freedom of the Seas and hope to sail her again, we are very much looking forward to sailing on the Dream.

[hpreece]

I can't figure out why RCI has such loyal customers. Their customer service stinks, they're more expensive and I could go on and on...

[firefly333]

Wow! Didn't know about that perk, but that sure explains pricing differences.

 

You also get into a concierge lounge for the free drinks if you are diamond plus or higher .. which is worth getting to many of us. They also have breakfast and other food in the lounge just for diamonds (on freedom class and higher) and diamond plus.

 

I think its a nice perk. The balcony discount cant be combined with stock blah blah blah, but there are other nice things.

 

Good things about each and every cruiseline to sample.

[misstopgun]

I enjoy both Carnival and RCCI. Because there are things on each line I like it's become much more of a cost factor for me.

 

I just booked the Carnival Dream at $526 LESS than I could have booked the same type cabin on RCCI........:eek:. To me that's just crazy!!!!

 

While I loved the Freedom of the Seas and hope to sail her again, we are very much looking forward to sailing on the Dream.

You will love the Dream. We were on her in October and will be there again in april. Can't wait!

[ehfl]

Why is it that people always assume that RCL is more expensive than Carnival. Sometimes they are, but often not. I saw a rate of $399 for 7 days on RCL Allure...biggest ship in the world. Really a much better price than on Carnival for any of it's big ship 7 day cruises.

 

Check out the weekend trips to the Bahamas, which is our most frequent cruise....we go a few times each year. RCL is nearly always cheaper than Carnival, and with more stops.

 

Yes, during certain times, RCL deploys some ships to the Med, making it's Caribbean cruises more expensive...but you can usually find bargains on either cruise line.

 

Most RCL cruisers get some kind of on board credit. The price you see on the web site does not include that, so after you factor that in, there's really not a huge difference either way.

 

We love sailing on both lines...I just never understood why people jump to the conclusion that one is more expensive than the other. They're actually pretty similar in price, especially if you include the real price, including on board credit, free drinks, balcony discounts, etc.

[dclark]

.I just never understood why people jump to the conclusion that one is more expensive than the other. They're actually pretty similar in price, especially if you include the real price, including on board credit, free drinks, balcony discounts, etc.

 

Maybe for me it is because for when I cruise, they are always more expensive than CCL? When I say always, I mean always! Summer time? RCL is more expensive. Xmas or NYE? RCL is always more expensive. Sure, prices can dip in feb or Oct when it is the dead season, but when I travel, it is always more. When I did the Golden Princess Xmas cruise back in '06, two window rooms on the Golden were only about $27 more total than an inside quad on the Gradeur of the seas, that is about as close in price as RCL came to us. This June, we are on the 8 day CCL Freedom, porthole room for $2900. A 7 day inside on the Alure for the same time was $4700, now I think it is going for over:eek: $5K. I think a suite is going for over $10,000 (:eek::eek:) and there is no way I can get the value back in "free drinks". Plus, the last two RCL cruises we have done, the food was much inferior to CCL and I would have to factor some steak house visits into the budget. I have done xmas/nye cruises on CCL and Princess since '03 and have gotten rooms as cheap as $2200 for all four of us, RCL could never come close to that.

Two summers ago, I was able to have my family of four cruise on the Valor, then cruise with my daughter on princess in AK for a few hundred less than ONE cruise for four on the Freedom of the Seas! if you see a cheaper price on a 7 day RCL cruise during peak time, it is one of their older ships, one that lacks all the stuff that two mega ships are commonly advertising on tv.

[H82seaUgo]

same here. no jumping to conclusions for me. every cruise I have personally planned, and looked at both lines, rccl was significantly more.

 

i only got to experience rccl when there was no ccl comparitive.

 

but it was interesting watching the uprising when.the.access to the free booze in the cl dried up to non plus members on the < freedom class ships. it told me many were cruising rccl for the "free" booze. i cruise for the cruising experience, and will not pay more elsewhere for the same product.

[alreadypacked]

Why is it that people always assume that RCL is more expensive than Carnival. Sometimes they are, but often not. I saw a rate of $399 for 7 days on RCL Allure...biggest ship in the world. Really a much better price than on Carnival for any of it's big ship 7 day cruises.

 

 

Wow! That's a great rate. We are platinum Carnival cruisers, but I wanted to do something different this year, so I was looking at Oasis or Allure since we live only minutes from Port Everglades. Whew, the prices were outrageous--even in September (hurricane season)!

 

I've sailed RCCL twice & asked about past guest rates--was told I have to sail 5 times to qualify for past guest. I asked about Interline--nothing. For the 3 of us to go on Oasis in their lowest category inside cabin, it was going to cost us just over $900 per person! Add to that gratuities, drinks etc. I'm not cheap, but this is simply more than we can afford.

 

This past October, the 3 of us sailed the Valor for 7 days in a 6b oceanview cabin for only $383pp! And, I realize the Valor is a smaller and older ship, compared to Allure.

 

I know you can't say where you saw that $399 Allure rate, but wow! I just did a fake booking on RCCL's website for Allure this September for the 3 of us in a category L inside cabin and the total price is $3042.20--that's $1014.06pp! We'd go to an all inclusive resort at those prices, because at least drinks would be included.

[Cruzaholic41]

Check out the weekend trips to the Bahamas, which is our most frequent cruise....we go a few times each year. RCL is nearly always cheaper than Carnival, and with more stops.

 

You are correct. Last year, I took nearly a dozen weekend cruises. Every single time, I checked the prices of all three lines doing the 3 nighters - RCI, CCL, and NCL. Every single time, RCI was the cheapest, and it looks like that is still the case now.

 

Longer cruises, RCI does tend to be more expensive, but not always. That's because people pay the prices.

 

We have always cruised on RCI and looking at Carnival they are some good ports that I would like to go to. On RCI with a suite you get a reserved area for pool chairs that I love-never have to find a hunt for a chair. Also you get an open bar from 5 to 830. Just wondering if Carnival has this on their ships. Thanks for you help

 

The answer is no. There is no comparison in suite perks between CCL and RCI. Even the suites themselves aren't as nice.

[Cruise4Music]

I sail from the west coast, LA, Long Beach, San Diego.

 

RCI is long gone.

 

End of story.

[SkyMaster]

We're diamond on RCI, and Milestone on Carnival. In the last few years, I've ALWAYS found RCI to be more expensive when I want to book, and since I don't drink, I'd just as soon NOT pay for someone elses booze! Guess I'll have to stick to Carnival and NCL to get the best prices?

 

"SKY"

[H82seaUgo]

....

[H82seaUgo]

Check out the weekend trips to the Bahamas, which is our most frequent cruise....we go a few times each year. RCL is nearly always cheaper than Carnival, and with more stops.

 

 

that pretty much 'splains it.

 

those runs compete with the garbage scows. see many of them going back and forth over the years. always wonder who takes them.

 

and they don't even seem to be able to dock in the main channel. they are always "over there".

[AmandaKaye79]

My thoughts on this topic. I have only sailed RCI in the past. I have had great prices and bad prices. We sailed on Oasis of the Seas for our honeymoon because we wanted something nice. We paid for a balcony room. The total for our room for 2 people was over $3800. That was 7 nights on Oasis in mid July. This rate was triple the Carnival rate, but Oasis doesn't really compare to any Carnival ships. Would I do it again? No way on earth, but I am glad I got the experience.

However, we cruised in November on one of RCI's older ships, Majesty of the Seas. We did a last minute, 4 night bahamas cruise for $199 each. The total for our cabin was only around $500. This rate was much cheaper than Carnival's rate for this same time.

This summer-mimd July, we were planning our first anniversary cruise. We wanted Western Caribbean. We compared freedom of the seas, Carnival Dream, and Carnival Legend. The price for 2 people on Carnival Legend (balcony room) is over $800 cheaper than the cost for 2 on freedom of the seas. So for the first time, we booked with Carnival.

So I think the price depends on a lot of things, but you can't always say that Carnival is cheaper because when we went in November, it was not.

[victoryred]

I sail from the west coast, LA, Long Beach, San Diego.

 

RCI is long gone.

 

End of story.

 

NCL will be too and Carnival is not far behind;)

[victoryred]

I have never paid more to cruise on RCCL.....Voyager class....

[H82seaUgo]

I have never paid more to cruise on RCCL.....Voyager class....

 

integral to all this is accomodation type.

 

anyone can sail in the cheap rooms.

[victoryred]

integral to all this is accomodation type.

 

anyone can sail in the cheap rooms.

 

We always cruise in balcony cabins.......is that better..which I might add that RCCL's balconies are larger....

 

I actually believe RCCL's inside cabins are more then Carnivals inside.......I kinda have a feeling that is why alot of people on here think RCCL is more expensive;)

[M&A]

I enjoy both Carnival and RCCI. Because there are things on each line I like it's become much more of a cost factor for me.

 

I just booked the Carnival Dream at $526 LESS than I could have booked the same type cabin on RCCI........:eek:. To me that's just crazy!!!!

 

While I loved the Freedom of the Seas and hope to sail her again, we are very much looking forward to sailing on the Dream.

 

It's not always the case though. We wanted to do a TA this year and with the new Carnival Majic coming back in October thought it would be a great opportunity to see the new ship. We were quoted $1300 for a balcony, which is an excellent price.

However, we did a lot of shopping around for various TAs this year and got a balcony cabin on the RCI Jewel of the Seas on the May crossing for $900.

The Majic does spend a few more days at sea though getting to Galveston

[morganboys]

I can't figure out why RCI has such loyal customers. Their customer service stinks, they're more expensive and I could go on and on...

 

 

we have sailed both lines and will in the future. Im guessing it is due to their awesome ships. IMO their ships are hands down nicer than the gawdy neon lights that carnival has.