Carnival instead of RCCL?

[asylum575]

We cruised CCL about 8 years ago, notimpressed but gave them a second chance last year.
Not sure if I would give them another try.
It would have to a great deal with an itinerary that I wanted and a closeby port.
We had been away from Rcl and Celebrity for a while and were happy with our return cruises.


Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[whyrlygig]

[quote name='WetToes']Beings you added that "I think", 'I' think you surely would take a "free" Carnival cruise. Who are you kidding? ;)
I would never let the "décor" of a ship determine whether I'd sail them again, ... maybe that's just me.
" ... the food was inedible". So you didn't eat for the duration of the cruise after the first attempt? :rolleyes: How much weight did you lose?[/QUOTE]

As far as the decor goes... it is important to me (as a decorator) to feel a sense of calm in my surroundings. Neon lighting and the like are far from a soothing atmosphere.

Food? Since you asked, 7 pounds if what I lost. I stuck with oatmeal at breakfast and the salad bar at lunch and dinner.

[HB Cruiser]

[quote name='whyrlygig'] I stuck with oatmeal at breakfast and .............................[/QUOTE]

Funny, I eat oatmeal EVERY DAY on RCCL. Combine that with the hot milk they have next to it, along with some raisins and pecan pieces or almond slivers and I'm a happy boy in the morning.

Tim

[WetToes]

[quote name='whyrlygig']As far as the decor goes... it is important to me (as a decorator) to feel a sense of calm in my surroundings. Neon lighting and the like are far from a soothing atmosphere.

Food? Since you asked, 7 pounds if what I lost. I stuck with oatmeal at breakfast and the salad bar at lunch and dinner.[/QUOTE

Did you not check the decor before you booked? If the decorating would impact my cruise that much, I would definitely check it out before hand.
Was the 7 lb weight loss a bad thing? It would be for me, but I'm sure some really wouldn't complain.
You didn't address it, but am I right? You would take that free CCL cruise, wouldn't you? ;)

[whyrlygig]

[quote name='WetToes'][quote name='whyrlygig']As far as the decor goes... it is important to me (as a decorator) to feel a sense of calm in my surroundings. Neon lighting and the like are far from a soothing atmosphere.

Food? Since you asked, 7 pounds if what I lost. I stuck with oatmeal at breakfast and the salad bar at lunch and dinner.[/QUOTE

Did you not check the decor before you booked? If the decorating would impact my cruise that much, I would definitely check it out before hand.
Was the 7 lb weight loss a bad thing? It would be for me, but I'm sure some really wouldn't complain.
You didn't address it, but am I right? You would take that free CCL cruise, wouldn't you? ;)[/QUOTE]

Actually no I did not check the decor before I booked it. It was only my second cruise and it never occurred to me that there would be that much difference. And no, I probably would not go for free. :rolleyes:

[rubrrick]

You are on your cruise in 5 days. Why are you even asking??

Carnival is a great company, with many loyal followers. Ask the same question on their board, and you will be surrounded by lovers of the line.

You don't talk about the cabin class. Carnival has balconies, similar to Royal Caribbean. They don't have suites that hold a candle to Royal Caribbean.

In the years past, I have given the edge to Carnival for food selection and taste. Now, since I have not cruised with Carnival in years....I have no clue.

I don't like the décor, but that is just me. Some like it loud!!:)

Enjoy your cruise, hopefully your husband is still speaking to you at the end of your cruise!!:D

Just kidding!!

Rick

[momof3cruisers]

[quote name='sellwingri']I can only speak for Princess and RCCL but they both give you a fresh sheet of bingo games to play each round. You don't have to unfold them and use the same cards over and over again.[/QUOTE]

Carnival does that to reduce waste. I thought it was really weird too, but I got used to it.

We were on Ecstacy last Jan and a friend just got off of that ship yesterday. We both agreed that it's a lovely ship and the food was really good. I have been on all the major lines except Holland. I like the size of the Ecstacy's cabins and the ease of getting around the ship. I was worried about my husband too but he really enjoyed it. (He can be a little snobby--grew up very well off.) I will also say that the crew members on the Ecstacy were top notch! Best cabin attendant we have ever had.

That said, we don't really like shows so we can't compare that and we do like a smaller ship.

[varoo]

[quote name='Tapi']But as someone mentioned before, instead of comparing cruise lines as a whole, the OP should be comparing individual ships. A Carnival Breeze review will be very different than a Carnival Ecstasy review.[/quote][FONT=Tahoma][SIZE=3]Very true.

Not only the size of the ship, but also the length of the cruise, the itinerary and time when you go can make enormous differences.

Carnival got its wild party boat reputation from their short cruises during school break times.
Their short cruises in the summertime are known for having very crowded ships packed with lots of children.

To anyone who is hesitant about Carnival, I would suggest taking one of the longer cruises on one of their smaller ships during a time when most schools are in session.

The longer cruises (at least 10 nights) attract a very different demographic and you will have an entirely different experience from what you will get if you take a short Carnival cruise during the summertime.

Also, if you take a one-way cruise instead of a round trip closed-circuit cruise, the ship is unlikely to be packed to maximum capacity.

It makes a big difference in the ship's space/passenger ratio when they have only one or two passengers booked in each cabin instead of entire families.

[/SIZE][/FONT]

[HB Cruiser]

[quote name='rubrrick']You are on your cruise in 5 days. Why are you even asking??

Carnival is a great company, with many loyal followers. Ask the same question on their board, and you will be surrounded by lovers of the line.

Rick[/QUOTE]

Believe it or not, the OP actually asked this question over on the Carnival boards and they for the most part said the same thing, take RCCL.

Tim

[tinkr2]

[quote name='whyrlygig']As far as the decor goes... it is important to me (as a decorator) to feel a sense of calm in my surroundings. Neon lighting and the like are far from a soothing atmosphere.

Food? Since you asked, 7 pounds if what I lost. I stuck with oatmeal at breakfast and the salad bar at lunch and dinner.[/QUOTE]

Haha that is the main thing thing I hate about carnival...all that tacky neon. I'm really into design and art. But I eat the oatmeal for breakfast every day also..on both lines it's delish.

[Beach4me]

After having to cancel a RCCL cruise at the last minute (Mom got shingles a couple days before sailing), we picked up a quick Carnival cruise a few weeks later. We have over 20 cruises on Carnival (most recent was 2008). I will NEVER - I mean NEVER cruise Carnival again. It was the worst cruise I've ever taken. Absolutely confirmed my decision to switch strictly to RCCL 5 years ago.

I'm one of those folks who [B]don't[/B] believe that "a bad day on vacation beats a good day at work". If I'm not going to be comfortable, safe and satisfied, I'd rather stay home. In 53 cruises, I've had 5 that I'd rather have been at at home...2 Carnival, 1 NCL and 2 Princess.

[HB Cruiser]

[quote name='tinkr2']....................But I eat the oatmeal for breakfast every day also..on both lines it's delish.[/QUOTE]

Cannot figure out why their's is better than mine, I guess because I didn't have to fix it. ;)

Tim

[tinkr2]

[quote name='HB Cruiser']Believe it or not, the OP actually asked this question over on the Carnival boards and they for the most part said the same thing, take RCCL.

Tim[/QUOTE]

Yeah i was shocked, thought the loyal carnival people would sing praises, most said rccl.....:confused:

[CptSticky]

[quote name='Beach4me']After having to cancel a RCCL cruise at the last minute (Mom got shingles a couple days before sailing), we picked up a quick Carnival cruise a few weeks later. We have over 20 cruises on Carnival (most recent was 2008). I will NEVER - I mean NEVER cruise Carnival again. It was the worst cruise I've ever taken. Absolutely confirmed my decision to switch strictly to RCCL 5 years ago.

I'm one of those folks who [B]don't[/B] believe that "a bad day on vacation beats a good day at work". If I'm not going to be comfortable, safe and satisfied, I'd rather stay home. In 53 cruises, I've had 5 that I'd rather have been at at home...2 Carnival, 1 NCL and 2 Princess.[/quote]
Wow, 4 out of 5 owned by CCL. Is it time to sell my stock?

[WetToes]

[quote name='whyrlygig'] And no, I probably would not go for free. :rolleyes:[/quote]


" ... probably ... ".
Okaaaay, ... sure you wouldn't. ;)

[whyrlygig]

[quote name='WetToes']" ... probably ... ".
Okaaaay, ... sure you wouldn't. ;)[/QUOTE]

Not sure why a stranger on a travel forum needs a commitment on that? :confused:

Enjoy your travels.

[WetToes]

Thank you, I will. You too!.
See you on Carnival? ;)

[Cruising89143]

[quote name='whyrlygig'][quote name='WetToes']

Actually no I did not check the decor before I booked it. It was only my second cruise and it never occurred to me that there would be that much difference. [COLOR=red][B]And no, I probably would not go for free[/B][/COLOR]. :rolleyes:[/quote]

And either would I. My vacation time is too valuable to spend somewhere that I do not like or want to be. We had a certificate from Carnival good for 50% off a future cruise. The certificate went into the garbage and we moved to RCI. Haven't been back. I guess there are some of us that place more value on our time and enjoyment over price.;)

I think that Carnival fills a need for many people and I know a lot that love Carnival which I think is great. They just don't fill that need for me since we stepped away and tried other cruise lines.

[WetToes]

cruisingator2 -


You "probably" wouldn't either? ;)
I cruise both/any lines. Price doesn't necessarily factor into it. ;)
"Happy travels", ... to us all. ;)

[DonnaK]

[quote name='WetToes']Beings you added that "I think", [B][COLOR=red]'I' think you surely would take a "free" Carnival cruise. Who are you kidding?[/COLOR][/B] ;)
I would never let the "décor" of a ship determine whether I'd sail them again, ... maybe that's just me.
" ... the food was inedible". So you didn't eat for the duration of the cruise after the first attempt? :rolleyes: How much weight did you lose?[/quote]


although you didn't quote me, I made the same comment on the first page. I absolutely would not take another Carnival cruise, even if it were free. No kidding!

For us, it's not just the dark, dank, claustrophobic décor, and it's not the food. It's many other factors starting with the unfavorable space to passenger ratio, inferior level of service (because the crew, especially in MDR are spread significantly thinner), awkward layout of the ships, smoky passageways, overall cheap and crowded feeling, etc. Our wait team on Miracle was responsible for 48 diners, and our cabin steward had 27 cabins. On RCI ships, they average 12-18, so service is naturally more attentive and more personalized towards our needs.

I also do NOT feel that the worst day on a cruise is better than the best day at work (or on land). Everytime someone says this I laugh. They must have quite a pitiful job and homelife.

[Cruising89143]

[quote name='WetToes']cruisingator2 -


You "probably" wouldn't either? ;)
I cruise both/any lines. Price doesn't necessarily factor into it. ;)
"Happy travels", ... to us all. ;)[/quote]

First of all, I would not take a free cruise on Carnival. Second it's none of your business. Why the obsession with what others do with their vacation time? Find a new hobby!:rolleyes:

[WetToes]

[quote name='cruisingator2']First of all, I would not take a free cruise on Carnival. Second it's none of your business. Why the obsession with what others do with their vacation time? Find a new hobby!:rolleyes:[/quote]
" ... would not ... ". That I understand.
Public forum ... you put it out here. ;)
Same as above ... public forum. ;)

[jules815]

[quote name='DonnaK']although you didn't quote me, I made the same comment on the first page. I absolutely would not take another Carnival cruise, even if it were free. No kidding!

For us, it's not just the dark, dank, claustrophobic décor, and it's not the food. It's many other factors starting with the unfavorable space to passenger ratio, inferior level of service (because the crew, especially in MDR are spread significantly thinner), awkward layout of the ships, smoky passageways, overall cheap and crowded feeling, etc. Our wait team on Miracle was responsible for 48 diners, and our cabin steward had 27 cabins. On RCI ships, they average 12-18, so service is naturally more attentive and more personalized towards our needs.

I also do NOT feel that the worst day on a cruise is better than the best day at work (or on land). Everytime someone says this I laugh. They must have quite a pitiful job and homelife.[/quote]

This!

Okay, here's the thing. If I had an unlimited amount of vacation time from my job, and "free" meant they covered my airfare, and all expenses on my sign and sail card, I might consider it! :)

Seriously though, our last cruise on Carnival Dream was pretty bad, and I'm not even talking about the fact that we were on board for an extra day due to hurricane Sandy; [I]that [/I]was something they had no control over, and I feel they handled the situation very well. Prior to this particular cruise I had read some bad Dream reviews, mainly about service in the MDR, and boy were they spot on!

This was our second time cruising on Dream and it seemed like a completely different ship. Horrible service in the MDR every night. The ship seemed dirty and much smokier than any cruise we've ever been on. And we've never, ever, been bothered by smoke before. The day we boarded the ship, we got into one of the glass elevators in the atrium, and there were two cigarette butts that had been put out on the floor of the elevator. So it was little things like that, that probably wouldn't have bothered me had we gotten the type of good service we had our first time around.

And because of those things, lots of other things bugged me. I absolutely HATE the layout of the buffet (The Gathering) on these ships. Very long lines, lack of people clearing tables making it hard to find a place to sit. Don't care for the booth seating, and many of seats had noticeably stained or torn fabric. I know there's wear and tear on a ship, but this ship had been in dry dock not long before our cruise. I like the other food venues they have out near the pools, but again, tables were often dirty.

This cruise was so bad, if I were to stray away from RC again, I would try a different line before booking with Carnival again. Free, I might consider under my previously stated conditions, and it would have to be on Breeze, or Liberty (people seem to like this ship a lot.)

[fergusonvt]

We had our first CCL cruise in Feb. at the same time as the Triumph issues and had a fantastic time. Great price, nice cabin, huge balcony and a nice clean ship with a friendly crew. We will definitely book another at some point when their itinerary meets our needs.

[jules815]

One thing I will give Carnival is they have different eastern/western itineraries out of Florida. I wish RC could change it up a bit, without having to sail from San Juan. A southern Caribbean itinerary out of Florida would be nice.