Reason to cruise on Carnival

[Chicagocrooza]

We cruised primarily Royal Carb and recently did the Celebrity. My wife used to cruise Carnival and recommended that they are a lot of fun.

I have next year booked on Royal but am looking at the reasonably priced Carnival, any thoughts on that?

Any reason we should switch?

The discount on Carnival is directly related to all the recent mishap or has it always been more reasonable?

 

Please help

[kybluecruiser]

For me I like the more laid back atmosphere. I've tried royal and Norwegian but prefer carnival. To me the prices have always been slightly less then the others. Some people are Chevy people some are ford. I just like the ships with a whale tail. Lol

[Rockee4055]

We cruised primarily Royal Carb and recently did the Celebrity. My wife used to cruise Carnival and recommended that they are a lot of fun.

I have next year booked on Royal but am looking at the reasonably priced Carnival, any thoughts on that?

Any reason we should switch?

The discount on Carnival is directly related to all the recent mishap or has it always been more reasonable?

 

Please help

 

We have sailed 4 different cruise lines.

 

Disney - Disney is Disney. Fun when the kids were young but no casino. We were on the third sailing of the Magic.

 

Grand Princess (pre carnival)- Nice, gorgeous ship but stuffy and calm almost to a point of boring. It just seemed like the lights went out at 10 p.m. every night. The dining room staff was....well....very calm and unexciting, very proper and no interaction by the MDR staff.

 

Royal Caribbean - Been on 2 ships and on both the food sucked without a doubt. Did one to Alaska. I was watering at the mouth thinking about the fresh fish they would have served. No salmon, no nothing. Instead they served venison as the main entree' one night. Eggs were cold in the am buffet, bacon was limp and extremely greasy and the desert was not fresh in my opinion. Bananas were bruised and nasty. Please keep in mind I am a very easy person to please so please take my comments appropriately.

 

Carnival - Our 10th coming up very soon. Always lively, always fun. The food was better on Carnival then the others. MDR staff was highly energetic and very engaging in their guests. Dance, sing, play practical jokes on each other, yes me, their guest. I never had a boring dinner or chillax time on the Lido. Always loved the shows, but some are saying they have diminished a bit. I will make my opinion known once we sail soon. Camp carnival was over the top. Our kids never wanted to be with us, all they wanted to do was go to their clubs. We had to fight with them to get them to come to dinner with us. One time we told them we would pick them up at a certain time and when we went to pick them up we were panic stricken. Nobody could find my son who was 10 at the time. After about 5 minutes of looking he was hiding from us because he didn't want to leave. This is only important if you have kids of course.

 

The pricing - I think the pricing is pretty much consistent throughout the year. The slow times the prices drop, the high times they go up as all lines do. There may be some deals out there right now because the recent events may have slowed it down but hey, just cheaper for us. For the price you pay for Carnival, IMHO they are the best bang for the buck.

 

Every time we swayed to another line we always came back to Carnival and welcomed them with open arms.

 

It's our cruise line of choice. They have the best prices for sailings and they have everything we want in a cruise. Not every cruise line is for everyone.

 

Not bashing other lines just voicing my opinion. I'm sure if you sail Carnival you will return to them.

[Sixtytwo]

Rockee, at the end of the day, I would really like to know if anything posted in response to your question enabled you to make a decision to book Carnival or to not book Carnival. You are asking for opinions and the only one that matters is YOURS! If you are looking for a more relaxed atmosphere and at a little less cost, then book Carnival. If those are not considerations for you, then stay with the other cruise lines where you know what to expect and, apparently, offer something that keeps you coming back.

[Luke gs Daddy]

We sail Carnival for the cost alone, no other reason.

We will have a good time no matter what the circumstances are!

[Chicagocrooza]

Thanks for all of your replies, we are a family of 4 with two toddler, my youngest son just turned 3 so our last cruise on the Celebrity Reflection, he was able to join her 5 yo sis at the Kids club. I think the kids program are good anywhere at this age, and I have no doubt the kids are going to love the staff and all the activities.

 

As far as dining, can you expect good quality food on carnival? My wife actually like it better on Carnival than Royal ( but it's been 10 years since she last cruised on Carnival). My opinion about food was pretty good on Celebrity.

 

Do you have finer restaurant to go to on Carnival? :D

[jerseyjjs]

We were booked for the Breakaway this July, then switched to the Splendor. The sole reason: Cost. (about $1,400 less)

[cruisinqt]

As you can see in my signature I've done a lot of different cruise lines. I thought Princess and Norwegian had a much older people on board which really changes the cruising experience. Everything shuts down by ten pm. Of all the cruise lines, carnival and royal are the most alike. No partying, just a younger funner crowd. Sing a longs in the bars at night, karaoke in the bars at night, clubs are hopping well past midnight, and the activities are things younger people like (no shuffleboard.):rolleyes:

One thing you will really like is the late night comedy shows Carnival has. They're well known comedians and they're really funny.

Carnival has excellent food in the main dining room, better than Royals IMHO. But Royal has a better buffet. Carnival does have a really nice steak house for an extra fee and its really good. They also have several food stations around the buffet area that are awesome and much better than the buffet. The pasta bar, burrito bar, and the BBQ station are awesome and worth the wait (long lines sometimes.) And of course there's the free ice cream and fresh made pizza (open 24/7) that's always a big hit.

And yes Carnival is usually a lot cheaper, especially around peak sailing times. Since our kids are in school we have to sail during summer and Royal is much much more expensive. We probably won't be able to go back to Royal until the kids are out of school. :( But even then we will still sail Carnival. We will let itinerary make our choice. Hope this helps. :)

[kybluecruiser]

Thanks for all of your replies, we are a family of 4 with two toddler, my youngest son just turned 3 so our last cruise on the Celebrity Reflection, he was able to join her 5 yo sis at the Kids club. I think the kids program are good anywhere at this age, and I have no doubt the kids are going to love the staff and all the activities.

 

As far as dining, can you expect good quality food on carnival? My wife actually like it better on Carnival than Royal ( but it's been 10 years since she last cruised on Carnival). My opinion about food was pretty good on Celebrity.

 

Do you have finer restaurant to go to on Carnival? :D

 

IMHO royal and carnival food is about a tie with slight edge to carnival. Though I've only been on one royal ship. Now they both run circles around ncl.

[Cruizinman]

The ports of call but thats starting to run thin .

[Waterloomarc]

 

As far as dining' date=' can you expect good quality food on carnival? My wife actually like it better on Carnival than Royal ( but it's been 10 years since she last cruised on Carnival). My opinion about food was pretty good on Celebrity.

 

Do you have finer restaurant to go to on Carnival? :D[/quote']

 

Food is always going to be very subjective however despite all the differing opinions on many things Carnival food is actually something that most people agree is pretty good on Carnival. It seems that even a lot of the Carnival bashers admit the MDR is pretty good.

 

 

 

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[Midwestgal]

I say give it a try and see if you like it...nothing wrong with cruising all the lines and seeing what meet your needs.

[richstowe]

Reasons to cruise Carnival

 

A) Good food. Absolutely the equivalent of any of its competition

 

B) Good size cabins. Again, easily matching up to the others

 

C) Fun atmosphere especially for kids and those who enjoy their cruises with a touch of the low brow .

 

D) Good Prices although this depends

 

E) You won't have to run into the whiners here on CC who keep telling us how much Carnival stinks.

[rickechambers1@aol.com]

Have sailed HAL RCI, NCL, Disney, Celebrity, Princess, and Carnival. Id say Celebrity has the best food overall...Carnival 2nd...HAL 3rd...Princess...RCI...Disney...NCL. That's MDR IMO. Specialty is another story. Carnival is fun and relaxed. The convenience of driving only 25 minutes drives my recent numerous cruises on Carnival. Otherwise they are more similar than you'd think...aside from Celebrity being more formal and Disney being Disney. Go for it.

[Chicagocrooza]

a friend is looking to book this July, that's the summer season and of course I was expecting $$$

 

looked at Oasis cos I was on the Allure of the Seas last Aug and thought it was really awesome, a balcony room would cost $6200 for the family of 4

 

now, I went to Carnival website and looked up Carnival Breeze on the same sailing date, it's like $3000

 

wow, what have I been missing?

 

I agreed with an earlier poster who mentioned that the saving is more significant during peak season :eek:

[kybluecruiser]

a friend is looking to book this July, that's the summer season and of course I was expecting $$$

 

looked at Oasis cos I was on the Allure of the Seas last Aug and thought it was really awesome, a balcony room would cost $6200 for the family of 4

 

now, I went to Carnival website and looked up Carnival Breeze on the same sailing date, it's like $3000

 

wow, what have I been missing?

 

I agreed with an earlier poster who mentioned that the saving is more significant during peak season :eek:

 

If you are looking at the breeze I don't think you will be disappointed. It is nothing like any of the other carnival ships. Here is a very detailed review you might find helpful.

http://messages.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1829996

[skyeman27]

Cost, more ships, more itineraries, and more home ports to choose from...

[Donna_In_India]

I always recommend that people try different cruise lines. You really never know what you're going to like until you try it. I sailed 3 different cruise lines within 6 months last year - Disney Magic, Carnival Breeze, and NCL Epic. Each was a very different experience.

 

Hands down with younger kids - Disney. My 3 year old daughter had an amazing time and that made us have a wonderful time. The staff/crew members on DCL are unmatched on any other line. The food was okay- I wasn't wowed but the different dining room experiences were fun. Ports Cape Canaveral & Nassau were crappy, but their private island is great. Cabin for cabin these might be the biggest at sea. (Fantasy booked for December.)

 

I LOVED the Epic. Plenty to do for the adults and kids as well. Live music, white hot party, great shows, etc. We had a lot of fun on this cruies. Food was good - loved the varied dinner buffet. Ports were good. Have become an NCL convert. (Doing the Breakaway in 4 weeks.)

 

I had high hopes for the Breeze. It had been over a decade for since I sailed Carnival. We used to sail Carnival when we were young and couldn't afford much - the "new" Holiday, Jubilee, etc. After discovering RCI & Celebrity, it was impossible to get me back on Carnival. Then came the Breeze. Unfortunately - when it was all over - the Breeze wasn't enough to get me back on Carnival. The food for the most part was decent. The cabin was fine. The entertainment was the worst I've ever seen on a cruise - seriously. There were just some things lacking. It wasn't horrible (hardly any cruise is!) but there was definitely no wow for me. I believe the Breeze is the best Carnival has to offer so no more for me.

 

It's been a while since I've sailed RCI but really enjoyed it. Plan on doing the Oasis or Allure and then the Quantum.

 

We had 2 great cruises on Princess - b2b Southern Caribbean - fantastic ports - and I loved all my Celebrity cruises. Would cruise with either of them again when my daughter is older.

 

Everyone is different and everyone has something that is particularly important to them - ports, food, kid's clubs, whatever so you'll always have plenty of opinions. You just have to get out there and see for yourself. Enjoy your cruise whatever ship you sail!

[swscruiser]

Having cruised multiple lines excluding NCL, our favorite in order with price costs not factored in are Celebrity, RCCL. Carnival, Princess, HAL, and Costa. Now with price factored in it is Carnival, Celebrity, RCCL, HAL, Princess and Costa.

Keith

[Cruizinman]

I always recommend that people try different cruise lines. You really never know what you're going to like until you try it. I sailed 3 different cruise lines within 6 months last year - Disney Magic, Carnival Breeze, and NCL Epic. Each was a very different experience.

 

Hands down with younger kids - Disney. My 3 year old daughter had an amazing time and that made us have a wonderful time. The staff/crew members on DCL are unmatched on any other line. The food was okay- I wasn't wowed but the different dining room experiences were fun. Ports Cape Canaveral & Nassau were crappy, but their private island is great. Cabin for cabin these might be the biggest at sea. (Fantasy booked for December.)

 

I LOVED the Epic. Plenty to do for the adults and kids as well. Live music, white hot party, great shows, etc. We had a lot of fun on this cruies. Food was good - loved the varied dinner buffet. Ports were good. Have become an NCL convert. (Doing the Breakaway in 4 weeks.)

 

I had high hopes for the Breeze. It had been over a decade for since I sailed Carnival. We used to sail Carnival when we were young and couldn't afford much - the "new" Holiday, Jubilee, etc. After discovering RCI & Celebrity, it was impossible to get me back on Carnival. Then came the Breeze. Unfortunately - when it was all over - the Breeze wasn't enough to get me back on Carnival. The food for the most part was decent. The cabin was fine. The entertainment was the worst I've ever seen on a cruise - seriously. There were just some things lacking. It wasn't horrible (hardly any cruise is!) but there was definitely no wow for me. I believe the Breeze is the best Carnival has to offer so no more for me.

 

It's been a while since I've sailed RCI but really enjoyed it. Plan on doing the Oasis or Allure and then the Quantum.

 

We had 2 great cruises on Princess - b2b Southern Caribbean - fantastic ports - and I loved all my Celebrity cruises. Would cruise with either of them again when my daughter is older.

 

Everyone is different and everyone has something that is particularly important to them - ports, food, kid's clubs, whatever so you'll always have plenty of opinions. You just have to get out there and see for yourself. Enjoy your cruise whatever ship you sail!

 

I agree and wish I had, Carnival pulled a quick one on their most loyal members . Dissing those that were most dedicated :rolleyes:. I'm still curious ?

Whats next :confused: .

[misstopgun]

I recently did a comparison between Carnival and Royal because my last cruise was on Royal due to my Triumph cruise being canceled. If I knew how to post a link I would but here is a quick run down.

 

-Embarkation was =, debarkation on Royal much more organized.

 

-Food was + on Royal in the DR as they served a decent portion of prime rib that was less fatty, baked potatoes were done, and food was always served hot. (and on the menue the first night!) Lobster desired a lot however, but you could opt for Maine lobster for an additional fee.

 

-Food in buffet was + because real potatoes were served each morning (not just potato cakes) as well as real (not preformed) ham. In addition, the layout avoided any lines as there were several individual stations as opposed to one long line. Any meal offered much more variety and much better presentation.

 

-Didn't eat in the specialty restaurants because I wasn't impressed with the menu's. If I go to a steakhouse a want a big juicy ribeye. Other than the 10 0z filet the only other offering in Chops that would suit that bill was a T-bone. So lets just call that a new york strip and a small filet and call it good. No thanks.

 

-Entertainment was a + becuause the comedian was in the main lounge rather than a standing room only club you had to stand in line for. Broadway style show was excellent.

 

-Casino was a - because the pit bosses were stuffy and unfriendly. Dealers were about =. Also didn't have Let it Ride.

 

-Room service was a - due to long wait times as well as failure to pick up breakfast order card.

 

-Room steward was a - because he seemed a bit arrogant. He did his job however.

 

-Dining room service was over the top! Much like Carnival used to be before changing to three persons with more tables rather than two with less.

 

-Drink program was a + because it was truely unlimited. No cut off after 15 drinks. Drink service did not seem to be diminished due to purchasing the drink program and the drinks were very good and strong.

 

Overall what the experience taught me was I could fully enjoy a cruise on another line and I can find positives probably on any.

 

Price pays a part somewhat but not so much that I would sacrifice a good time just to cruise. Bottom line is the cost of the cruise fare is the least of my worries. I always spend triple that amount on my sail and sign. In addition, I have to fly to any port which adds to the cost so the fare itself isn't a issue within a few hundred $.

 

That being said, I am now looking for my fall cruise. So far I am eying three. One on Carnival, One on Royal, and one on Nowiegian. Believe it or not, the Royal and Norwiegian are less expensive for the dates I am looking at. Royal also gives double points for a Jr. suite or better toward their perks program.

 

If it wasn't that my husband and I spend so much time in the casino, it would be a Royal vacation for sure. The Norwiegian itenerary is very attractive going to 2 places we have never gone before so still not off the table. The Carnival cruise we know we would enjoy the casino, the food would be good though not neccesarily the best, and the customer service outstanding with exception of the DR. Decisions, decisions. See what happens when you spread your wings?