Never been on Carnival Ship,What Ship do you recommend?

[dulcimergirl]

Hello,

Ports : We live in Tennessee so Port Canaveral or Tampa are the ports of choice at this present time because we either drive or fly. My hubby's cousin lives in the Tampa area and they went with us on our first cruise and they are going on there 5th cruise now with RCC and they have only been on 1 Carnival. They are going with us on our next cruise.

 

Days: Our 1st cruise was only 4 days so I want our next one to be 5-8 days, prefer longer :)

 

I have no clue what 2.0 is ?

 

My hubby loves good food and buffets and the food on Royal was amazing, we also did the nightly dinner in the dining room.

My vote is the Legend. Only the best Carnival ship afloat. She is out of Tampa (for the moment) I'll be on her soon.

[jbhudson]

I've only been on 2 ships, the Triumph and the Magic (both out of Galveston). I love, love the Triumph and really didn't like the Magic. It was just too big, too many people, poor planning on the shows (you had to get there 45 minutes early to get a seat).

 

It's funny to see others say the Magic is their favorite, it really is a personal preference as to larger or smaller ship. How big was your Royal ship and did you like the size?

[loadpipes]

We've been on the Glory, Dream, Valor and the Legend loved them all. It's all up to you where your want to go

[Aplmac]

I'd suggest going on a newer Carnival ship,

such as the Breeze, Dream, or Magic. Excellent class of ships.

I want to cruise BREEZE,

even though the bummer is having to enter the US thru MIA

which is an Immigration/Customs ZOO to hear folks tell it.

 

.

[Aplmac]

If possible you might want to avoid the Carnival Fantasy Class ships.

 

I simply would not book any of those Fantasy Class things

 

Larger newer vessels are ships, proper. ;)

 

 

Go here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnival_Cruises

to see them all sorted out.

The first block of eight boats are the Fantasy boats to be avoided.

 

 

Book any Carnival ship Glory(2003) or younger.

Valor is very nice (out of San Juan, P.Rico).

 

.

[Tithonus]

Legend, before Carnival casts her off.

[RuthlessBoss]

Hello,

Ports : We live in Tennessee so Port Canaveral or Tampa are the ports of choice at this present time because we either drive or fly. My hubby's cousin lives in the Tampa area and they went with us on our first cruise and they are going on there 5th cruise now with RCC and they have only been on 1 Carnival. They are going with us on our next cruise.

 

Days: Our 1st cruise was only 4 days so I want our next one to be 5-8 days, prefer longer :)

 

I have no clue what 2.0 is ?

 

My hubby loves good food and buffets and the food on Royal was amazing, we also did the nightly dinner in the dining room.

 

Why bog yourself down with choosing a ship someone else likes? Look at your 2 port choices and decide. This 2.0 stuff only means having a Guy burger and a few more places to buy drinks. A cruise is what you make of it and what fits best financially as long as it's going to the destinations you want.

[jcearth]

OP, I think that you just need to sit down and do a little research. All cruises on Carnival will provide a similar experience, in terms of providing meals, lodging, entertainment, and activities. But the ships do not provide the exact same experience. Some are larger, some are smaller, some are newer, some are older, and they all offer something a little different. By comparing and contrasting these differences, you can move closer to deciding what works best for you. Itinerary is another matter to consider. Carnival has a large concentration in the Caribbean, so if you are looking for a Western Caribbean itinerary, there will be multiple ships that offer it. But you want to do some research on which ports you prefer. The two Western Caribbean ports that have the most varied reports are Belize and Roatan. Some love these ports, and some don't feel that you should even get off the ship (especially Belize). So do your homework, and it will give you the ability to make an informed decision when it comes time to book. Happy cruising!

[RWolver672]

I've only been on 2 ships, the Triumph and the Magic (both out of Galveston). I love, love the Triumph and really didn't like the Magic. It was just too big, too many people, poor planning on the shows (you had to get there 45 minutes early to get a seat).

 

It's funny to see others say the Magic is their favorite, it really is a personal preference as to larger or smaller ship. How big was your Royal ship and did you like the size?

 

I agree 100%. We went on the Dream and would never do that class again. Just too crowded. You couldn't even walk through the pool area on the Lido deck on sea days without going elbow to elbow with other passengers.

[RuthlessBoss]

I agree 100%. We went on the Dream and would never do that class again. Just too crowded. You couldn't even walk through the pool area on the Lido deck on sea days without going elbow to elbow with other passengers.

I've been on Dream during school break, it wasn't bad at all. I'll agree with poolside usually crowded, but never felt overwhelmed.

So, you see, our opinions really don't matter.

Some detest Fantasy class, but that has turned out to be my favorite.

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

Seeing as I hated the Dream, I wouldn't recommend that. Seems like a lot more people like her improved version, Breeze. Still, if I were you, you could drive to NOLA and take the Conquest (I liked her better than Dream) and hit a Western that hopefully will include Roatan if you are lucky. I have no recent history with Tampa but I am BIG BIG fan of Port Canaveral. We are in KY and have driven it twice, but it's still faster for us to drive to NOLA (about 9 hrs) than it is to PC (about 13 hrs). Still, we love PC because of Orlando. The newest ship I went on with CCL was my least favorite carnival ship ever. The oldest ship in the fleet was my favorite Carnival ever. Newer shapes WAY WAY overcrowded and very overwhelmed staff to deal with it.

[jimbo5544]

I would recommend the Carnival Breeze. She is truly an amazing ship.

 

I agree

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app from my IPhone

[CrzRani]

I'm just wondering what 2.0 upgrades you are saying bc from what I understand LIberty has the 2.0 upgrades. In fact I know they do. But there might be something you know that I don't.

You're right....it does. Not sure if it's the full 2.0, but they do. Like the Dream didn't get the full 2.0 - No Guy's.

 

I guess for the OP, just sail a ship in each class and see which class suits you best. We all need cruises to look forward to...:D

[RWolver672]

Hello there,

We just took our first cruise to Nassau on Royal Caribbean and we are thinking about going on a Carnival ship for our next cruise because of pricing. We are already planning ahead and so I need some recommendations on which Carnival ships are the best ones to cruise on based on what they offer on board, food selection/quality etc. Ive hear the larger ships are better so interested in all suggestions.

We are going to do a western caribbean cruise this time around. Thanks

 

After reading all of these suggestions, I guess your best bet is to see what size ship Carnival has that compares to the one you were on with Royal Caribbean. You know you liked that size so see what's comparable with Carnival.

[paradiselivin1]

Totally looking forward to our cruise on the Breeze next month but really loved our cruise on the Legend out of Tampa & the ports of call. You need to consider the time of year as well to make sure it is not the rainy season at the particular ports of call. Just sayin....

[Adrenalin302]

The Legend was our first Carnival cruise and I have to say the staff was outstanding, our server in the MDR, she was awesome. The ship had been upgraded recently tho I don't remember exactly when.

 

The Dream has a pasta bar above the Lido deck which is awesome btw, that we didn't even know was there our first time cruising on it.

 

We liked that we could access the dining menu on the stateroom tv, which we couldn't on the Sensation. There were other things we didn't have access to on the Sensation that we did on the Legend and the Dream. Maybe someone else can chime in with more info there.

[marshalltp]

My two cents......The Liberty was the first ship to get the 2.0 upgrades and is a fantastic beauty. We have not yet been on the Breeze, but note that the larger ships usually have a lower open deck space:passenger ratio and as such may feel more crowded than a smaller liner. I can unequivocally recommend the Liberty. Other hints: Stingray City with Moby Dick's in Grand Cayman, Nachi Cocum in Cozumel, Victor Bodden tours in Roatan, and don't listen to all the negative 'safety' issues in Belize. Have a great trip.

[khrivnak]

I dont mean to hijack... but why do people detest Fantasy Class ships? Im in planning mode for my 2nd cruise (doesn't take long for the bug to bite) and I have the choice narrowed down to 5 ships, Fantasy being in the top couple spots. (we are choosing for departure port and itinerary, not ship). I've only sailed the Pride. Depending on the reasons, I may eliminate Fantasy from my list. (it'll make the decision easier anyway lol)

[tcowgs21]

Did not like the dream class overall but did love the cove balcony. Liked the Destiny. LOVED the Pride. Loved her so much I'm going on her for another!!

 

Only downside is the itinary. :(

[beachbum6264]

I live in Middle Tennessee, too. We like to sail out of New Orleans - it's an easy drive and a great place for a day or two before or after the cruise. The Dream is headed that way in the spring, and will do Western Caribbean - I would look at the Costa Maya/Roatan/Cozumel route. That's my vote.

(Where in Middle TN are you? We are in Shelbyville)

[GlendaleCruiser]

Hello there,

We just took our first cruise to Nassau on Royal Caribbean and we are thinking about going on a Carnival ship for our next cruise because of pricing. We are already planning ahead and so I need some recommendations on which Carnival ships are the best ones to cruise on based on what they offer on board, food selection/quality etc. Ive hear the larger ships are better so interested in all suggestions.

We are going to do a western caribbean cruise this time around. Thanks

 

I loved the Breeze. Lots of amenities.

[vwrestler171]

I would say Liberty or Breeze. Liberty is my favorite ship so far and I want to sail on Breeze for my next cruise

[SoCalCruiser20]

Has anyone been on the Valor? I am booked for next summer. the itinerary is the main reason we picked it; 7 days southern Caribbean. But the Valor, how is it? I didn't see anybody talk good or bad about it, any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

[mikel24m]

Hello there,

We just took our first cruise to Nassau on Royal Caribbean and we are thinking about going on a Carnival ship for our next cruise because of pricing. We are already planning ahead and so I need some recommendations on which Carnival ships are the best ones to cruise on based on what they offer on board, food selection/quality etc. Ive hear the larger ships are better so interested in all suggestions.

We are going to do a western caribbean cruise this time around. Thanks

 

We are fans of the exotic western ports Roatan ,Cozumel,Grand Cayman but could do without Belize.I vote the Liberty :)

 

You may want to check the port of call section on here and read the reviews about each port and decide depending on what your family likes to do

 

As far as the 2.0 upgrades we did the Liberty both before and after and guys burgers are good and the blue iguana was great for breakfast or a snack after a day in port.Lots of variety your family will not starve :)

 

Youtube west bay beach roatan this is our favorite island

[mikel24m]

Has anyone been on the Valor? I am booked for next summer. the itinerary is the main reason we picked it; 7 days southern Caribbean. But the Valor, how is it? I didn't see anybody talk good or bad about it, any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

 

We have been on the Valor a few times which ports are you going to?