Help me pick - Southern Carribbean - Carnival Victory or Caribbean Princess

[DrNex]

Hi Team,

 

We are considering two cruises on March 11. One is a cruise on the Carnival Victory, the other is on the Caribbean Princess. Both share the same dates and the itineraries are close but not identical. We need some help in picking. The prices are essentially identical ($549 for lowest oceanview cabin on Princess obstructed view vs. $569 for highest oceanview cabin on Carnival).

 

Carnival Victory was built in 2001, Caribbean Princess in 2004. Reviews for both are close with 4.3 overall for Victory and 4.4 overall for Princess. One thing to note: I am 25 and my travel partner is 23. I have sailed on Carnival, RCI, Holland and Princess before.

 

What really concerns us though is the difference in itineraries, as follows:

 

Victory:

1San Juan, Puerto Rico 10 PM Departure

2Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas 7 AM - 5 PM

3 At Sea

4Bridgetown, Barbados 8 AM - 5 PM

5Castries, St. Lucia 8 AM - 5 PM

6Basseterre, St. Kitts 8 AM - 6 PM

7Philipsburg, St. Maarten 7 AM - 5 PM

8San Juan, Puerto Rico Arrival 7 AM

 

As you can see, all ports are from 8 AM to 5 PM or longer. Also, the ports include St. Thomas, Barbados, and St. Kitts.

 

Vs. Caribbean Princess:

 

1San Juan, Puerto Rico Departure 11 PM

2Philipsburg, St. Maarten 10 AM to 6 PM

3Castries, St. Lucia 9 AM To 6 PM

4St. George's, Grenada 7 AM to 2 PM

5Bonaire, Netherlands Special Municipality 12 PM to 7 PM

6Oranjestad, Aruba 7 AM to 5 PM

7 At Sea

8San Juan, Puerto Rico Arrival 6 PM

 

This substitutes Grenada, Bonaire, and Aruba. I know Aruba is supposed to be fabulous, but don't know much about the others. Also, the times in port are erratic, and generally shorter than with the Victory (total of 48 hours in port for Victory versus 41 hours in port for Princess). For example, we get hardly any port time in Grenada, especially considering we won't roll off the ship until 10 AM at the earliest.

 

Please help us pick!!!!

[Vehorn]

If ports are your main interest, you won't do better than the Victory. We were on the ship last week and loved each of the ports we visited. I have been to most of the other islands on the other cruise you are considering and they are not as nice, unless you want to scuba dive in Bonaire. You do not tender to any of the ports on Victory, and you are in port long enough for full excursions.

[agc291]

We loved the Victory this past spring and are looking forward to being able to book again in the future. I am sure you will have a blast on either cruise however I loved alot about both the ship (layout was easy to navigate, not packed or "long" lines) as well as the islands. Our favorites were St Maarten and St Kitts.

 

A couple of little things for either you choose:

- We had amazing weather (we did March 27- April 3) so I am sure you will as well. The ocean breeze is amazinggggg

 

Also, I see alot of negative things about cruising out of San Juan so I wanted to throw in my 2 cents. We had an easy breezy experience both at the airport and port. We flew in and out day off and didnt find the airport to be any busier than any other airport (Disclaimer: our home airport is Dulles International, one of countries busiest!)

 

Make sure you go through the agriculture check line and they give you luggage a sticker!

[DrNex]

Thanks, this is really helpful. What did you think of the ship overall. Did you publish a review? What about Aruba?

[agc291]

Thanks, this is really helpful. What did you think of the ship overall. Did you publish a review? What about Aruba?

 

 

Although I have not been to Aruba, my friend went there for her honeymoon in Sept and loved it!

[cruiser fanatic]

Go with Victory.

[BenjiRodney]

We did the Victory last month and booked it again for the same week next year. We loved it and the itinerary. I posted some pictures from the trip on here as well as a link to all 800 pictures that I took.

[JP32]

We will be sailimg on the Victory Jan. 8 and will be able to give you an exact comparison since we sailed the Car. Princess before but unless the Victory really knocks our socks off for the same $ I would pick Car' Princess. We loved the ship(only ship we've been on that wasn't Carnival) more elegant including the dinner buffet which was smaller but alot nicer. We did anytime dining for the first time so we could eat around all the entertainment they had as we found ourselves running from one end of the ship to the other to see the next show. It also is kinda nice that they repeat some of the shows so you have another shot ot see somehting if you missed it the first time. Bonaire has great snorkel/diving and we loved Aruba. The food was pretty close, most nights I found only 1 or 2 things that sounded good and it was where on Carnival most nights I have many things that look good. Desserts to Princess but no WCMC:( Missed not having the waterslide but then again you only have 1 sea day to enjoy it. Either way you'll have a good time!

[SBthud326]

I was also just on the Victory and absolutely loved it. The only thing that really appeals to me about the Princess is that the sea day is at the end and I really would have enjoyed that after having such a port intensive itinerary. However, all the islands were wonderful and the amount of time/what time we docked was perfect on the Victory.

[UpcountryTravelers]

We've cruised both the C. Victory and Carib. Princess. While we enjoyed both, the Caribbean Princess is head and shoulders the upscale ship. Much nicer decor, better dining, better entertainment, great crew, just an overall better ship experience.

 

The Carnival ships have a party reputation, and we did enjoy the deck parties on the Victory, but the Princess "Ultimate Deck Party" is also a really fun experience. (Also I see people claiming that Princess shuts down at 9. We have sailed on 6 different Princess ships and all have been very active late at night, so I don't know which ones they are talking about. Skywalkers is especially active latenights.)

 

If the ports are your main goal, consider the Victory. If a really nice ship experience is your goal, by all means, do the Caribbean Princess, a much larger and a newer ship.

[MagSeven1413]

We've been on both cruise lines out of San Juan on those itineraries and I honestly can't say yes to one over the other. They are both great cruises (mainly because they are out of San Juan).

[Colorado Kat]

I'd take the one that goes to Bonaire. Great snorkeling/diving.

[cdamion]

Caribbean Princess is absolutely the ship I would choose if deciding between the two. The ship is far more comfortable than Carnival ships. The passenger flow is much much better.

 

Caribbean Princess is larger and has many more smaller venues, so the crowd is distributed evenly throughout the ship, so (except on the formal night with the champagne waterfall) it never really feels crowded.

 

The downside is that you lose the "wow" factor on the Caribbean Princess. There are 3 smaller single-story dining rooms. The atrium is only 3 decks high. The theater is 2 decks high instead of 3 decks high. On Victory, the rooms are very large with a definite 'wow' factor.

 

Another thing to think about is that this is that last year that Princess is running the Southern Caribbean route out of San Juan (which is why I am on Brilliance next winter).

 

Caribbean Princess also has more quiet corners to find if you want to get away from people and noise.

 

As far as nightlife, there was always something going on. Either Skywalkers or Club Fusion had a dj every night. There was always a lively Latin band every night that was packed with locals.

 

Don't get me wrong. Either cruise will be fun, I just think that Caribbean Princess is a more comfortable ship.

 

If you want more hairy-chest type contests, a louder fun rowdy piano bar, bigger 'wow' factor rooms, dancing waiters, etc. Carnival is for you. (fantastic itinerary on Victory too)

 

If you want a little bit of a quieter experience, polite but more reserved crew (Carnival's crew is more outgoing and friendly) and a less crowded feeling on a ship that feels new, Princess is the way to go.

[serene56]

We will be sailimg on the Victory Jan. 8 and will be able to give you an exact comparison since we sailed the Car. Princess before but unless the Victory really knocks our socks off for the same $ I would pick Car' Princess. We loved the ship(only ship we've been on that wasn't Carnival) more elegant including the dinner buffet which was smaller but alot nicer. We did anytime dining for the first time so we could eat around all the entertainment they had as we found ourselves running from one end of the ship to the other to see the next show. It also is kinda nice that they repeat some of the shows so you have another shot ot see somehting if you missed it the first time. !

 

 

Having sailed both ships I would pick Caribbean Princess over the Victory in a nano second.

The ship is eleguent. THe princess cruise wow'd us from the minute we checked in to the second we got off. It was truly a cruisers dream vacation.

We ate at the buffet almost every night on the Princess as the food was that good. It was quiet and more relaxing then sitting in the main dining room for us.

Usually cant afford princess since it is so many more $$ then what we want to spend-- but its more comparable here--- take this one you will not regret it