Difference between Carnival and Princess

[tonystewartfan]

I have posted this on the Princess Board as well

We have Sailed Carnival a few times on the Magic and Conquest but this time we are thinking about sailing Crown Princess out of Galveston just wondering what the difference between the two are the iteniary is the same as Carnival Magic but princess is $150 cheaper

[Moobaby214]

The crown is a great ship, we've spent two weeks on her. The magic is newer and offers more "entertainment" stuff. Princess is a great line and is less of a party atmosphere than you find on carnival. Either ship you pick, you will have an excellent time :)

 

 

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[kelkel2]

I have posted this on the Princess Board as well

We have Sailed Carnival a few times on the Magic and Conquest but this time we are thinking about sailing Crown Princess out of Galveston just wondering what the difference between the two are the iteniary is the same as Carnival Magic but princess is $150 cheaper

 

We sailed the Crown Princess on our last cruise. Honestly we really missed Carnival's breakfast when we were on Princess. It's just not as good. The dining room food is a lot more sea food intensive, but the selections are a tad bit fancier, but still there is something for everyone.

If you are used to a balcony on Carnival just keep in mind that the standard room with a couch that you get on Carnival is not the same as Princess. On princess you don't have a couch in a standard cabin, you need a suite for that. But, you get a nice walk in closet, which is a great trade off for me!

We sailed in April and I would honestly say the demographics were almost spot on with what we witnessed on the Carnival Cruise we took.

Princess has a really nice cafe in the atrium that has complementary chicken salad and some other salads also. In the morning they have free doughnuts that are great! They also sell gelato and coffee here.

There are 3 Pools on Crown Princess. One aft, the lido, and the adult only pool in the front of the ship. The adult only pool is really nice and near it is Princess' Serenity type area, but it's not free of charge and reservations are required and fill up quick. Only the pool itself is free. If you want to enjoy that area go there upon embarkation and make a reservation.

 

Overall, would we sail Princess again? Yes, absolutely! If the price was right. But, we really do prefer Carnival. Honestly, if you want to try Princess and the price is right I know you will have a great time and you will like it.

[cruisinqt]

We only sailed princess once. It was the Grand Princess out of Galveston. Before our cruise we went on the other cruise lines boards too but it seemed like all they did was put down carnival. It seems like there's a lot of cruise snobs that think since carnival is cheaper then they are not as good as the others. It's probably the same people that drive very overpriced luxury cars because they think they are so much better than my economical, well built, Honda Accord. :rolleyes: Okay, sorry I got on my soap box but both Royal Caribbean cruisers and Princess cruisers inundated me with the same thinking basically saying; "you sailed Carnival? You poor thing! Good thing you found us huh?" It kind of gets on your nerves so if you sail them I wouldn't mention Carnival.

 

As for Princess, I enjoyed the entertainment and the food. The ship was well laid out and very pretty. But the median age of the crowd is much older than what you see on Carnival or Royal Caribbean and I think that's what makes Princess so different. Carnival and Royal have a younger crowd so the piano bar is open late with people singing along laughing and having a good time. The bars and night clubs are in full swing till the wee hours of the morning. And then there are late night comedy shows to enjoy. But on Princess everything was dead by 11 pm. They had a beautiful night club but it was empty at 11. No one sang along at the piano bar and it was half empty. And there were no shows after 10 pm. I couldn't find any karaoke but it may have ended by then. If you're a late night person like me and cant go to bed at 10 or 11 you wont be happy with that aspect of the cruise. But if you prefer a more mature crowd, less noise, and a quiet, early bedtime then you will love it. And some cruisers are looking just for that. They want peace and solitude. So I guess it's up to you and what you are looking for in a cruise. I hope this helps. :)

[cardbucfan]

While I've not sailed those specific ships, I've sailed both lines as well as RCL and HAL and honestly, there are more similarities than differences. My husband even said after our first Carnival cruise that we had been wasting our money by paying more to sail HAL!

 

Comparing Princess to Carnival I found the Princess ship to be prettier-more elegant. The Legend was a little on the Vegas gaudy side (our only Carnival cruise so far and it's a smaller ship-though we are sailing her again in March). I actually liked the food better on Carnival. On both Princess and HAL it seemed they were trying to be very "Top Chef-ish" with the food they prepared and it's hard to make that level of food in mass quantities. Carnival made good, fairly simple food. The cabins are bigger on Carnival than the same level cabin on Princess even though the finishes aren't as nice.

 

I now just look at the itineraries and price for booking. Not had a bad cruise yet!

[kokoko]

I love Princess was always my favorite even tho they are more pricey I loved the buffet.Because Carnival was cheaper an I liked them I booked them more. Now Princess does not allow smoking on balconies so I will stick with Carnival.

[chill6x6]

Was on the Ruby Princess last month...the Crown Princess sister ship. I've been on plenty of Carnival ships...not the Magic.

 

MAIN differences from my prospective....

 

FOOD....

In most instances Carnival whips Princess. Especially in the MDR. They kinda over do "fancy" instead of just trying to be "good." The simple things...mashed potatoes, hamburgers, mac and cheese, Caesar salad, et al just aren't as good. Main dining room service...Carnival is better here IMO as well but both are understaffed and overworked. The Belgian waffle stand and pizza stand are some highlights with Princess. Both great and very underutilized. As was ROOM SERVICE. The menu AND service from room service are much better than that on Carnival. The pub lunch on sea days from the Wheelhouse Bar on Princess is GREAT! To Princess credit...a buffet is practically ALWAYS open....from early AM to late PM with no gaps. Another difference...Princess has "beverage service" at their eating venues instead of self serve on Carnival. It just doesn't work. I've never been thirstier on a cruise than with PCL. To be fair to Princess, I honestly think on a future Princess cruise I would now know better how to "work" their dining options a little better and would enjoy their cruise more.

 

ATTIRE....

Princess IS more serious with their dress code. Formal night...I'd say 80% or more WILL be dressed up. Collared shirt is a requirement in MDR as are slacks(though I saw collared shorts/nice shorts) non formal. Formal nights they really do ask for tie/sport coat or more out of men. Bathing suits are NOT allowed in buffet areas during day and cover ups are required for ladies.

 

SHIP.....

The Crown class ships are FANTASTIC. The three pool areas offer three completely different personalities to suit your desire. Best arrangement yet. You can go from loud/party atmosphere to relaxing to downright mellow. I will say if you are interested in a mini-suite on the Crown Princess.... FANTASTIC cabin! Best cabin for me YET! It will be hard to go back to a lesser cabin! Entertainment... Man....Princess is GREAT and will be hard to beat! Production shows, dancers, singers, magicians, cover bands, etc was night and day better than what I last saw aboard the Conquest.

 

IF I HAD TO PICK....

I'd pick the Crown Princess. You've BEEN on the Magic and Conquest which in reality is about the best Carnival has to offer. IMO Carnival is trending down and Princess is at least steady. The lido decks offerings are great and the ship will be beautiful and elegant. Be prepared and pack a few more duds and enjoy elegant night and the awesome entertainment!

 

HAVE FUN whichever you pick!

[terryinal]

The only time I was on Princess cruise line was a long time ago. I was 38 at the time and one of the youngest on the ship. At 10 pm I would go to the bar and it would be me and the crew. They had a harp player every night. She was very good, just not me. I'm 60 now and will stick with Carnival. I'm sure you would have a great time on one of there ships. It dosen't take much to please me,so I will save my cash and cruise three times a yr

[RuthlessBoss]

I love Princess was always my favorite even tho they are more pricey I loved the buffet.Because Carnival was cheaper an I liked them I booked them more. Now Princess does not allow smoking on balconies so I will stick with Carnival.

You took my answer about the balconies:(

[tonystewartfan]

Thank You for all the responses I think I am leaning toward Princess. I was not all that impressed with the service we recieved on the Magic in October though it is a very nice ship. With it being Spring Break time all I can imagine is alot of small kids running. We will have our daughter 15 and niece 16 with us I just hope there is enough for them to do on the Crown Princess to keep them busy.

[kelkel2]

Thank You for all the responses I think I am leaning toward Princess. I was not all that impressed with the service we recieved on the Magic in October though it is a very nice ship. With it being Spring Break time all I can imagine is alot of small kids running. We will have our daughter 15 and niece 16 with us I just hope there is enough for them to do on the Crown Princess to keep them busy.

 

I think your kids will be more than happy on Crown Princess. We were on Crown for spring break and there were a lot of kids on the ship. Every night when the kids got out of the kids clubs after dinner the all had projects and stuff they had made and were excited to show their parents. They're seemed to be a lot of kids in the clubs that week and they all seemed to be having a great time.

[golfadj]

Hope to see more comments comparing entertainment between the two.

[buddylover]

We sailed on Diamond Princess in Alaska. All we can say is Princess is very "vanilla"....while the ship is very pretty and understated it is BORING...from the demographic of the pax being older and mostly foreign, nothing much to do after the one main show per night, everyone goes to bed, the food was very pedestrian and clearly not as good as CCL to us. While Princess had more dining options (mostly which needed prior reservations or you couldn't get in til very late), the food in them all was pretty mediocre, CCL beats them hands down. There was one main show an evening, the comedian, the juggler, Karoake and everything ran at the same time, couldn't go from one venue to the next, and then everything shut down. It was a boring cruise for us, so back to CCL we went. Paying more, does not mean it is better in most cases (even tho OP, Princess is less in your case, that is unusual).

[golfb4cruzing]

We've been on 5 Carnival and the Ruby Princess. We are going out on the Carribean Princess in April and excited. Breakfast on Princess buffet is excellent with many different Nations represented. Japanese soup for breakfast. Or British sausage for breakfast along with American fare. The area with the salads, doughnuts and gelato is 24 hrs and usually entertainment there as well. It is quieter and not kids screaming and running all over. Vacation to us is relaxing and site seeing. The CD was actually leading the Lido dance party late one night. The casino has 2 smoke free nights. ( huge plus ). And we get to enjoy our balcony without worrying if a chain smoker lurks next door. First run movies on the big screen. Nice NY style pizza next to the movie. If the price is within 200 pp, it's Princess for us. Lastly no tough policy on carryon drinks. I took a case of wine in its box with a cabin tag. Got there no problem. Carnival has their advantages as well, just can't think of them.

[Topo Gigio]

For the price difference I would go with the Crown. More upscale than Carnival and food is much better! However their beds are hard and they don't have handheld shower in those tiny showers and that can be a challenge...

 

Because I like to sleep a lot on my cruises I quit cruising on Princess. For me the bed was very uncomfortable. However I don't know if they have changed the mattresses on their ships. I read somewhere that Royal Princess will get other type of beds and handheld showers..so I'm going to give them a try next year on their new ship.

[Jim and Monika]

Having sail Princess 15 times, we both agree with what's been said. What has not been stated, and my favorite of all is the pools. They are fresh water and always open.

Happy Sailing

[LSGDRG]

I have been on both Carnival & Princess. There are some things Princess does well. I think they are a good choice for Alaska. The product they offer for that region is good: well organized travel into the Alaskan interior, nice lodges & well-informed naturalists. I was very disappointed with my Princess cruise to Hawaii & French Polynesia. I don't think that Princess lives up to the hype of being "classier". The ships I have been on were certainly decorated in a quieter style than Carnival & attracted a slightly older crowd-55 yrs & up. I prefer the Carnival steakhouse and think that Carnival is a better value for the money, although Princess does a better job of recognizing past guests. I have experienced chair hogs & seat saving on both cruise lines.

[golfb4cruzing]

Topo on our Princess trip this past April, the mattresses were very firm. They had a little bounce in them. Maybe they are getting broken in.

[janetz]

We've been on 5 Carnival and the Ruby Princess. We are going out on the Carribean Princess in April and excited. Breakfast on Princess buffet is excellent with many different Nations represented. Japanese soup for breakfast. Or British sausage for breakfast along with American fare. The area with the salads, doughnuts and gelato is 24 hrs and usually entertainment there as well. It is quieter and not kids screaming and running all over. Vacation to us is relaxing and site seeing. The CD was actually leading the Lido dance party late one night. The casino has 2 smoke free nights. ( huge plus ). And we get to enjoy our balcony without worrying if a chain smoker lurks next door. First run movies on the big screen. Nice NY style pizza next to the movie. If the price is within 200 pp, it's Princess for us. Lastly no tough policy on carryon drinks. I took a case of wine in its box with a cabin tag. Got there no problem. Carnival has their advantages as well, just can't think of them.

 

 

Be excited. We have sailed the Carribean Princess twice. Awesome ship..very pretty and a great staff. Great adults only pool also. :D

[chill6x6]

Hope to see more comments comparing entertainment between the two.

 

Stu,

I'm going to do this for you.....you KNOW what entertainment CCL now has. I've give you a couple of quick examples of what was offered aboard the Ruby Princess last month:

 

Embarkation day:

6-7pm- Ballroom Date with DL Low

7-8pm- Early Evening Dancing with Resident Band Volume

730-815pm- Band Pryme Tyme Play for your enjoyment

8pm- Texas Hold 'em Poker Pro Demonstration

8pm and 10pm- Karaoke Power Hours

815pm and 915pm- Caribbean Band Signature entertain

815pm and 1015pm- SHOWTIME. Welcome Aboard Showtime starring the Ruby Princess Singers and Dancers and dancing duet Flamenco Express.

820pm- Movies Under the Stars(MUTS)... NFL Sunday Night Football.

9pm onwards- music and dancing with Pryme Tyme

915pm and 1015pm- welcome aboard dance party with resident band Volume

915pm and 1015pm- Martinis and Melodies with piano entertainer David Moore

945pm and 1045pm- enjoy the music of pianist Vadym

and on

and on

until at least midnight

 

4th night(St Thomas)

515pm and 7pm- enjoy the pan music of Trevor Cole

530pm- MUTS- Concert: U2 Vertigo

545pm and 645pm- Groove on deck with Caribbean Band Signature

630pm and 715pm- Cocktail melodies with Pianist Vadym

7pm and 845pm- Ballroom dance champions Irina and Vasili entertain

7pm- MUTS- The Hunger Games

715pm and 9pm- SHOWTIME starring Magician and illusionist David Cats

730pm and 9pm- Adult karaoke power hour

730pm and 830pm- dixieland jazz with the Ruby Princess Orchestra

745pm and 845pm- music and dancing with Pryme Tyme

815pm and 915pm- Dance date with resident band Volume

830pm- Blankety Blank Gameshow featuring cruise staff

930pm and 1015pm- Volume turns up the heat and plays all the biggest hits

930pm- MUTS Concert: Billy Joel Live at Shea Stadium

930pm to late- Cruise cult classic the ultimate deck party

and on

and on until well after midnight....

 

That should be enough to get your feet wet. Isn't that a CRAZY amount of options??? It's like that every night. REAL production/entertainer shows EVERY night.

[lovesublime]

I'll keep it brief. We prefer Carnival. Our cruise on Island Princess was nice but we were amongst the youngest onboard (mid forties, DS early twenties). The ship is bland...decorated in pastels, brass and sea shell carpeting. Also, as another posted, the regular balcony cabins have no sofa. We really missed having that. On Princess, food in the MDR was very, very good. Princess also has great pizza, hamburgers, fries etc. The HC buffet on Princess is another story. We had difficulty finding things to eat. Pea soup and lima beans were served every other day. Salad bar on Princess was minimal compared to other lines we've been on. The ship was literally dead by about 8:00 pm every night. We won't cruise Princess again anytime soon. We'll wait until we're about 80.

 

I should mention that the service and staff on Princess were excellent.

[Topo Gigio]

I'll keep it brief. We prefer Carnival. Our cruise on Island Princess was nice but we were amongst the youngest onboard (mid forties, DS early twenties). The ship is bland...decorated in pastels, brass and sea shell carpeting. Also, as another posted, the regular balcony cabins have no sofa. We really missed having that. On Princess, food in the MDR was very, very good. Princess also has great pizza, hamburgers, fries etc. The HC buffet on Princess is another story. We had difficulty finding things to eat. Pea soup and lima beans were served every other day. Salad bar on Princess was minimal compared to other lines we've been on. The ship was literally dead by about 8:00 pm every night. We won't cruise Princess again anytime soon. We'll wait until we're about 80.

 

I should mention that the service and staff on Princess were excellent.

 

Maybe it has something to do with the itinerary that there were a lot of older people on the cruise. I guess on a regular 7 day Caribbean cruise you will find younger people.