1st Time Carnival! DIFFERENCES from HAL?

[jlw1952]

We are sailing in Jan out of Tampa on the Legend. Have sailed numerous times on HAL and twice on Princess.

 

We have booked an aft balcony and we are so wanting to LOVE this cruise!

 

Can you let us (an older couple) know of any DIFFERENCES, etc? From the small stuff to the big things! "the good, the bad, the ugly" LOL!

 

The trip is booked and paid for -- no "going back"! And we love NEW experiences!

 

Thanks for you imput.

[WetToes]

I can't help you, have never sailed HAL or Princess.

If, as you say, you "love NEW experiences" I don't think you'll have a problem.

Seems you have a good attitude. Let it work for you. ;)

[gardengirl2011]

Have sailed Hal twice, 2 week Europe, and Alaska. I love Hal but carnival is my favorite. You will like the Legend, she is a smaller ship but a good one. There will be a younger group of cruisers on carnival, and more things to entertain you. Food not as good, and the Legend doesn't have the 2.0 upgrades yet but you will have a great time on her.

[Tapi]

We did the reverse. We just did our first HAL cruise this summer, so I'll try to give you my perspective coming from the other side. :)

 

HAL seems to wow you with the little details. Things like the white gloved service, the fresh flowers in staterooms and public areas, the use of china with HAL logo and availability of full menu for room service, the laundry delivered folded in tissue paper and a gold seal, the almost non-existent loudspeaker announcements, the multi-million dollar art collection throughout the ship, and the upgraded in-stateroom toiletries, are all things that we appreciated on HAL and that you won't find on Carnival.

 

Here are other differences. Our point of reference is the Westerdam, so keep that in mind.

 

- Carnival ships don't feel as "intimate", but at the same time they do feel much more open. One thing that we didn't like about the Westerdam was the fact that it felt a bit "gloomy and dark". The atrium was small and closed in. On Carnival, atriums tend to be "grander" since it's the ship's focal point. You will be trading HAL's understated elegance for Carnival's neon and wild decor though.

 

- Service, both in the Dining Room and in stateroom were comparable. We found both teams to be hard working, polite and pleasant.

 

- Alternative Dining: the Steakhouse on Carnival rivals the Pinnacle Grill on HAL. We considered the food on Carnival's Steakhouse to be more memorable, but service and ambiance to be better on the Pinnacle Grill, but the differences were minimal.

 

- HAL MDR cuisine was better, but lido buffet cuisine and selection were about the same.

 

- The main pool deck on HAL was blissfully serene most of the time, while on Carnival it's like an ongoing party. DJ music, line dancing, and pool games like hairy chest contests, bar-tending competition, the "Miss" Carnival pageant, etc

 

- We had heard extensively how clientele on HAL is much older, refined, and well traveled, yet on our 7 night summer Alaska cruise from a US port, fellow cruisers seemed to be a bit more comparable to what we've encountered on Carnival. Basically a little bit of everything. Young, old, families, singles, couples, refined and not so refined.

 

- Formal night on HAL seemed to be taken much more seriously. on Carnival, it's not uncommon to see people in khakis and polo shirts on Elegant Night. We saw more tuxedos and dark suits on HAL than we've ever seen on Carnival. We've also noticed that on Carnival, a lot of people tend to go back to their cabins to change clothes after Elegant dinner, while on HAL, people stayed in their formal attire throughout the night.

 

- As mentioned before, we had families with small kids on our HAL sailing, but it paled in comparison to the number of families that we've seen on Carnival cruises (even off season). Carnival definitely aims their product at families with much better children's facilities and activities, while HAL's children facilities looked like an after-thought.

 

- Shows at the theater on HAL were not very good, and that's a lot to say compared to Carnival's theater shows. On our HAL cruise, we fell asleep on one, and walked away on the other night. They had an illusionist one night that was more hype than substance but it was entertaining enough to keep us seated until the end. Carnival's theater entertainment is comparable with HAL's (in my opinion).

 

Feel free to read my recent reviews for my last HAL and Carnival cruises (both links in my signature). I hope they give you a better idea of what you can expect. :)

Edited November 5, 2013 by Tapi

[pat55]

We are sailing in Jan out of Tampa on the Legend. Have sailed numerous times on HAL and twice on Princess.

 

We have booked an aft balcony and we are so wanting to LOVE this cruise!

 

Can you let us (an older couple) know of any DIFFERENCES, etc? From the small stuff to the big things! "the good, the bad, the ugly" LOL!

 

The trip is booked and paid for -- no "going back"! And we love NEW experiences!

 

Thanks for you imput.

 

Well my first cruise was on Hal it was a award from work

I was about 35

I got to tell ya I was BORED I think the avg age was 75 and was turned off to cruising for a bit. I was kinda horrified why anyone would like it for more than a couple days of rest

I suspect that the avg Hal pax might feel a bit horrified by the carnival experience

Hope you enjoy

[rlkubi]

We did one HAL cruise several years ago. The ship was pretty and we had an ok time but IMO Carnival was way more fun. HAL seemed "stuffy" to me. No singing/dancing in the MDR and no towel animals! :(

[jlw1952]

I'm really enjoying this.

[RuthlessBoss]

Never on Hal, but have been Celebrity (hope it's comparable). The Carnival general atmosphere on Lido is much more alive with sail aways, loud music, poolside silly but fun games. You'll have your balcony for downtime if you want it.

Not everyone is in party mode, but it's not as serene as other lines.

[dotshub]

One difference my wife noticed on her one HAL cruise:

On Carnival, folks get an early start to get deck chairs by the pool;

On HAL they got an early start to get the best window seats in the Library. lol

[jimbo5544]

We did the reverse. We just did our first HAL cruise this summer, so I'll try to give you my perspective coming from the other side. :)

 

HAL seems to wow you with the little details. Things like the white gloved service, the fresh flowers in staterooms and public areas, the use of china with HAL logo and availability of full menu for room service, the laundry delivered folded in tissue paper and a gold seal, the almost non-existent loudspeaker announcements, the multi-million dollar art collection throughout the ship, and the upgraded in-stateroom toiletries, are all things that we appreciated on HAL and that you won't find on Carnival.

 

Here are other differences. Our point of reference is the Westerdam, so keep that in mind.

 

- Carnival ships don't feel as "intimate", but at the same time they do feel much more open. One thing that we didn't like about the Westerdam was the fact that it felt a bit "gloomy and dark". The atrium was small and closed in. On Carnival, atriums tend to be "grander" since it's the ship's focal point. You will be trading HAL's understated elegance for Carnival's neon and wild decor though.

 

- Service, both in the Dining Room and in stateroom were comparable. We found both teams to be hard working, polite and pleasant.

 

- Alternative Dining: the Steakhouse on Carnival rivals the Pinnacle Grill on HAL. We considered the food on Carnival's Steakhouse to be more memorable, but service and ambiance to be better on the Pinnacle Grill, but the differences were minimal.

 

- HAL MDR cuisine was better, but lido buffet cuisine and selection were about the same.

 

- The main pool deck on HAL was blissfully serene most of the time, while on Carnival it's like an ongoing party. DJ music, line dancing, and pool games like hairy chest contests, bar-tending competition, the "Miss" Carnival pageant, etc

 

- We had heard extensively how clientele on HAL is much older, refined, and well traveled, yet on our 7 night summer Alaska cruise from a US port, fellow cruisers seemed to be a bit more comparable to what we've encountered on Carnival. Basically a little bit of everything. Young, old, families, singles, couples, refined and not so refined.

 

- Formal night on HAL seemed to be taken much more seriously. on Carnival, it's not uncommon to see people in khakis and polo shirts on Elegant Night. We saw more tuxedos and dark suits on HAL than we've ever seen on Carnival. We've also noticed that on Carnival, a lot of people tend to go back to their cabins to change clothes after Elegant dinner, while on HAL, people stayed in their formal attire throughout the night.

 

- As mentioned before, we had families with small kids on our HAL sailing, but it paled in comparison to the number of families that we've seen on Carnival cruises (even off season). Carnival definitely aims their product at families with much better children's facilities and activities, while HAL's children facilities looked like an after-thought.

 

- Shows at the theater on HAL were not very good, and that's a lot to say compared to Carnival's theater shows. On our HAL cruise, we fell asleep on one, and walked away on the other night. They had an illusionist one night that was more hype than substance but it was entertaining enough to keep us seated until the end. Carnival's theater entertainment is comparable with HAL's (in my opinion).

 

Feel free to read my recent reviews for my last HAL and Carnival cruises (both links in my signature). I hope they give you a better idea of what you can expect. :)

Interesting comparison.

[sanmarcosman]

Carnival's blue hair women are more fun :)

 

[cruisetexas]

While never having cruised on HAL, we've done ten on Carnival. We're both 60ish, and have never found Carnival to be the rowdy, party crowd it's reputation infers. We don't drink much, gamble or dance the night away. We're very easy going, and it takes quite a bit to distress us when we're cruising!

 

We don't hang out at the main pool, but will enjoy the 'adults only' pool or a quiet lounge chair not near the activities. We cruise to relax, but also have always enjoyed the people we meet on Carnival. With nothing to compare to, I must say it's so easy to strike up a conversation at the breakfast/lunch buffets, or anyplace else on ship.

 

I agree with the lack of 'formal or elegant' clothing, and in general the main dining room always had some passengers in jeans and t-shirts. This doesn't bother me, but I know it rubs people the wrong way.

 

We always book the aft balcony, and you will find it very peaceful with the sound of the wake and that incredible blue water making for a lovely respite from any crowds. Also, no foot traffic back there which makes for a quiet night.

 

We're scheduled to cruise the Celebrity Millennium from Singapore in January and will be anxious to see the difference!

 

Enjoy. Please post your thoughts when you return!

[OCruisers]

Tapi pretty much nailed what I would have said!

 

You will find Carnival very different from HAL and Princess.

Sometimes different can be good, sometimes not so good. :rolleyes:

 

Whatever, we still cruise on Carnival from time to time. Charleston is a very convenient port we us.

We always enjoy our Carnival cruises and accept them for what they are. :D

 

LuLu

~~~~

[Tapi]

On HAL they got an early start to get the best window seats in the Library. lol

 

That was absolutely, 100% true! The Exploration's Cafe and Crow's Nest (both attached to the library) were, without a doubt, some of the most popular places on the entire ship.

 

The floor to ceiling windows, the plush, leather recliners, the nice selection of coffees and beverages, along with the extensive book collection and interactive tables (powered by the NY Times), made the place very inviting. For our Alaska sailing (with the constantly changing and breathtaking views), seats in this section of the ship were always full, even at 7 in the morning!

 

I don't think I've ever spent more than a few minutes in a Carnival library, but on HAL, I was drawn to this place several times during the cruise, even at night!

[sanmarcosman]

OP, so what do you think? :)

[John Reid]

My wife and I are "older" cruisers. We have cruised HAL and Carnival - also RCI and Princess. Though ship designs are different, we find most of the intangibles on Princess and RCI to be quite similar. We find HAL and Carnival to be at opposite ends of the cruising spectrum. That statement is not a criticism; we know what we are getting when we book a Carnival cruise and we enjoy it. On HAL we get a more sedate and relaxed cruise experience. On Carnival, it will be more, shall I say, dynamic! TAPI has pretty much nailed the differences. On HAL I will be dancing to big band tunes; on Carnival I'll be dancing to "Blurred Lines." I enjoy both because I am prepared for and fully expect the experience a particular line will give. Both are fun, but in different ways. The difference is most notable in the dining room for dinner. I go into HAL expecting formality; I go into Carnival expecting somewhat "come as you are." We both like the dinner choices on Carnival better.

 

For us, the biggest difference was in Lido breakfast and lunch dining. Far superior on HAL.

 

Don't expect it to be like HAL and go to YouTube to learn the Wobble; you should have a good cruise.

[2Ports]

On Carnival, they don't roll them at at 6p... :p

 

BTW, OP, if your screen name indicates your age demographic, a) you're not "older", and b) we're awfully close to the same age... :eek:

Edited November 6, 2013 by 2Ports

[wannagonow123]

To me, Carnival is more a younger, family style cruise. Activities gauged to all ages. Food is more family friendly.

 

Princess is a bit more refined. A lot of learning seminars. Still a lot of family activities. Casinos are small. People really take formal nights to extreme. The looks you get if you are not dressed properly. People will speak to Maitre'de (sp) if you are not in proper attire. Food is better and a bit more upscale.

 

Hal is all about service. Very few people getting intoxicated. Pool is usually empty, even in Caribbean. No chair hogs. Lots of trivia- 3-4 times a day. Again, lots of learning for a fee... how to make martinis, cooking demos. Demographics are older, so if you are interested in Hairy legs contests, you will be bored. Nightclubs are pretty empty after 10pm.

 

We have cruised all three, and can adapt. It's all about trying a new activity, if what you are used to is not available.

[jlw1952]

OK, I think I "get it". . .the Carnival ships make for a "livelier" bunch! We can live with some of that!

 

Now, what about the "mechanics" of the ship? What's this about "stuff" on the tv screen? menue from the dining room? onboard acct info, etc?

 

Is check-in the same when you arrive? Room stewards' job the same--ice, cleaning, etc?

 

How are the beds?

 

Will the dining room when we arrive still ask what size of table we would prefer?

 

Thanks for the help!! again. . .

[John Reid]

OK, I think I "get it". . .the Carnival ships make for a "livelier" bunch! We can live with some of that!

 

Now, what about the "mechanics" of the ship? What's this about "stuff" on the tv screen? menue from the dining room? onboard acct info, etc?

 

Is check-in the same when you arrive? Room stewards' job the same--ice, cleaning, etc?

 

How are the beds?

 

Will the dining room when we arrive still ask what size of table we would prefer?

 

Thanks for the help!! again. . .

 

Check in process is the same. HAL has the policy of the stateroom being ready when you board. For both our Carnival sailings, we were able to get in the room as soon as it was ready (both times by 12:30). We were able to drop off our small carry-on bags before the room was ready. There was no need to wait for a general 1:00 announcement that rooms were ready like RCI. You might have to ask for ice to be supplied each day on Carnival. And it may not be in a silver bucket! Steward duties are the same. Our room stewards on Carnival have been great. In our opinion, HAL has the best mattresses at sea; Princess, the worst. I don't think it is possible to predict how comfortable they will be across the line. We thought they were fine; better than RCI. Unless you have selected Anytime Dining, your table will be preselected, same as HAL. You can make a request with Anytime. I do not know how high tech the TV screen systems are on the Legend; Pride did not have any special features.

Edited November 6, 2013 by natty bumppo

[wannagonow123]

Hals beds are great, Princess's were much softer. Cannot remember Carnival. Rooms were ready at Hal & Princess @ check-in. (about 11:30am). Luggage is placed in your room, on your bed. We were greeted by steward on arrival on both, and explained about room service cards and asked if we wanted the minibar in Hal.

 

Hal has DVD players for those bad weather days, with rentals available. If you have anytime dining, you can make a reservation for a specific time. Now if you are a group of 4 with a 6:30pm reservation, you will be seated at a table with others at that same time, so you may not have a table alone. Hal also has almost the same dinners at lido for dinner. This was frustrating for me, as I really hated most of the dinners. Too upscale for me. Bur they have great pasta for dinner.

[Minoushka]

carnival cabins are slightly bigger .Service is about the same but on Carnival more Island stewards rather than indonesian

food in dining room a tad more elegant on HAL

lots of music and party around pool more subdued on HAL?..many pax on Hal disappear after dinner

Comedy clubs are a must on Carnival ships ....Love them

 

The shows are better on Carnival ..HAL ships are not so out there re decor and glitz but i love that about Carnival ..very neon and glitzy

casino is more lively on Carnival

All in all Hal Is quieter and geared towards older folks ..Carrnival attracts younger people or families looking for fun all day all night

Both are fine with me ...a cruise is what you make of it

 

I am looking forward to the comedy clubs on Carnival ...so good to have a great laugh before

bed !!!

[Tapi]

carnival cabins are slightly bigger

 

I actually had to look this one up because I could swear that our standard balcony on the Westerdam was bigger than our standard balconies on previous Carnival cruises (Dream and Liberty). And it does seem like HAL has bigger staterooms, at least when comparing these specific ships and categories:

 

• Westerdam: Sq ft cabin: 200, sq ft balcony: 54
  
• Carnival Liberty: sq ft cabin: 185, sq ft balcony: 35
  
• Carnival Dream: sq ft cabin: 185, sq ft balcony: 35
  

[twentyknots]

We've cruised HAL several times: twice on the Maasdam, once on Zuiderdam, and once on Osterdam. Six cruises on Carnival's Fantasy. The Fantasy is the oldest and maybe the smallest of Carnival's fleet, so definitely not a good comparison. No cruises on Princess yet but our plan is to cruise the Emerald early next year.

 

HAL is definitely a step up from our Carnival experiences. HAL has better food, better entertainment, an orchestra with ballroom dancing, formal nights where dress up is still the rule, much less smoking, a lot fewer kids, and passengers who look and act like they can afford to sail on HAL.

[kristinp36]

Sailed Carnival, RC & HAL with carnival the most. HAL was quiet while Carnival has more "energy".

 

Food was similar except for desserts. I only found 1 dessert on HAL I liked....Carnivals desserts are far better. If that matters to you. HALs breakfast in the MDR is much better then Carnivals.

 

Love Carnival mattresses.