What happened to the beds?

[NellieGurl]

One of the things I've always loved about Carnival are their comfortable beds. I just returned on the Triumph and the mattresses were HARD and very uncomfortable. Everyone in our group complained. Curious to know if it's like this on the Magic or other ships.

[Lovefuninthesun]

The mattresses have always been very firm (some might say "hard") but I, for one, love them! I always sleep so well!

[WindsorFred]

The mattresses have always been very firm (some might say "hard") but I, for one, love them! I always sleep so well!

 

Same with us.

[Podna's]

I can vouch for the Dream and the Sunshine. The beds were very comfortable. Best sleep in years

[ShakyBeef]

OP, you're not alone.

 

Most recent thread on this subject:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2024109

 

..and there have been others, some that got *POOFED* because, I guess, they got too heated. Those of us that have noticed Carnival has obviously traded out its fluffy, soft pillow-topped Comfort beds were flat-out being called liars by others who swore the beds have not changed.:( But we know better.

 

The bed on our first (2005) Carnival cruise inspired me to go on a mission of building a better bed at home, to make it more like that lovely bed on Inspiration. What Carnival offers now is pain-inducing in its firmness.

 

And now, what makes it worse is that they seem to be discontinuing even the less-than wonderful option of having the Room Steward place a foam egg-crate on your bed.:( At least with one of those on that hard bed, I could sleep. Not sleep well, but sleep without pain. This is a very real issue for some of us. Not sleeping for a week while on what should be a great vacation is miserable.

 

I have now been pushed by Carnival's cutbacks to the ridiculous point of seriously considering buying a king-size foam bed topper and bringing it along on my cruise next month.:mad: I'd have to leave it behind at the end of the cruise. I wouldn't want it in my house after it had been on a public bed.

[KLD1019]

We were on the Magic a month ago, and that was the best nights sleep i had ever had! those beds and with those pillows were heaven!! if i could have taken that mattress home with me, i would have!! LOL

Edited August 26, 2014 by KLD1019

[near the beach]

Always nice soft bed for us on every Carnival Cruise.

[ShakyBeef]

Other than simple difference in taste (Joe's idea of comfortable may be Mike's definition of uncomfortable), I think the main reason for the discrepancy in reports on the mattresses is that Carnival seems to be changing out the old, comfy mattresses with the new, hard ones little by little, as the mattresses wear out. So it is quite possible that some of you haven't experienced the new mattresses yet.

 

Then there is the other possibility that some of you who say the mattresses haven't changed have only experienced the new ones, and never had the pleasure of sleeping in the old Carnival Comfort beds of the 2005 era.

 

For those of us who have experienced both, there is no doubt of the change in firmness / quality.

 

Can any recent Pride cruisers tell me if they still offer the egg crate pads?:(:o

[bunchesofun]

Cruised in 2011, 2012, and 2013 and always had a comfy bed and slept like a rock. Better than at home in fact.

[KLD1019]

Cruised in 2011, 2012, and 2013 and always had a comfy bed and slept like a rock. Better than at home in fact.

 

yes!! and we just bought a new $1700 mattress and its nothing compared to the one we slept on!

[Mom2sml]

It's impossible to find a mattress that makes everybody happy. Too many different body types and needs. We were on the Triumph last summer and thought the bed was very comfortable. I hVe a very difficult time finding a bed that works. Beds that are too soft hurt my back and if it's too firm, it hurts my hips. I didn't have any issues with the bed on our cruise but maybe I was just too tired every night to really take notice.

[SaltBreezeCruiser]

As others have said - each person is different. What is comfortable to one person isnt to another.

IMHO: I have always loved the beds on Carnival, EXCEPT on the Magic earlier this year it was like a rock and I didn't sleep. Maybe I had a new mattress that hadn't been broken in yet? But out of all the cruises I've been on, that was the first cruise with a uncomfortable bed.

[NellieGurl]

We discussed on our last night of the cruise we wish we would have asked for a comforter on our top sheet to help. It was a miserable night of sleep each night. I commented on their website. Hopefully they will revert back to the not too firm and not to soft mattresses if they get enough complaints. Those mattresses were wonderful. ShakyBeef said it perfectly. Many of you have probably not experienced the new ones.

[wrigley80]

Other than simple difference in taste (Joe's idea of comfortable may be Mike's definition of uncomfortable), I think the main reason for the discrepancy in reports on the mattresses is that Carnival seems to be changing out the old, comfy mattresses with the new, hard ones little by little, as the mattresses wear out. So it is quite possible that some of you haven't experienced the new mattresses yet.

 

Then there is the other possibility that some of you who say the mattresses haven't changed have only experienced the new ones, and never had the pleasure of sleeping in the old Carnival Comfort beds of the 2005 era.

 

For those of us who have experienced both, there is no doubt of the change in firmness / quality.

 

Can any recent Pride cruisers tell me if they still offer the egg crate pads?:(:o

 

They may offer the egg crate pads if you ask for one early enough. The beds on the Pride were extremely comfortable....I usually don't sleep the best on cruises because of the hard mattress but I slept like a baby on this cruise. We also brought a fan with us onboard....that made all the difference in the world :)

[D4]

At our Honduras stop in May, there were lots of old mattresses lined up on the dock (6 stacks about 7 feet high.) So I think they might replace them as needed instead of doing a whole ship at the same time. That may stain why different people on the same sailing have different perspectives.

 

I watched from our balcony as people returned to the ship. About half of the people ran their hand along the top of them as they walked by. I was grossed out because one mattress had a huge yellow stain covering about half of the mattress. And all those people ran their hand along that stain. Morale of the story: don't touch mattresses stacked on the dock!

[ShakyBeef]

They may offer the egg crate pads if you ask for one early enough. The beds on the Pride were extremely comfortable....I usually don't sleep the best on cruises because of the hard mattress but I slept like a baby on this cruise. We also brought a fan with us onboard....that made all the difference in the world :)

 

 

 

Thanks, Wrigley. All the beds I've slept on onboard Pride (except for in 2009 - still had Comfort Bed then) have been the hard ones. I now always request an egg crate first thing from the RS. But I'm worried by the reports from recent cruisers of other ships that they no longer have egg crates.:( Do you happen to know if they still had egg crates onboard on your cruise?

 

I saw your fan in one of your review pictures.:) I take a white noise clock to simulate the sound of my bedroom air purifier with which I'm used to sleeping. I'd love to bring a small air purifier, but don't think it'd be allowed.:o

[wrigley80]

Thanks, Wrigley. All the beds I've slept on onboard Pride (except for in 2009 - still had Comfort Bed then) have been the hard ones. I now always request an egg crate first thing from the RS. But I'm worried by the reports from recent cruisers of other ships that they no longer have egg crates.:( Do you happen to know if they still had egg crates onboard on your cruise?

 

I saw your fan in one of your review pictures.:) I take a white noise clock to simulate the sound of my bedroom air purifier with which I'm used to sleeping. I'd love to bring a small air purifier, but don't think it'd be allowed.:o

 

I know that there weren't any egg crate mattresses on any of the beds in our room but it doesn't mean they aren't available. We had the fan in our carry-on and it was never questioned. I say bring the air purifier and put it in your carry-on. If they ask you about it then tell them you need it for sleep in your cabin

[tkportersat]

I slept great on the Triumph and every other cruise ship I've been on for that matter. Comfy beds and rocking ship (plus too much alcohol) :o makes for a great night's sleep. I haven't noticed a difference at all. I wish I could sleep that well at home. Sorry it isn't the same for you.

 

Other than simple difference in taste (Joe's idea of comfortable may be Mike's definition of uncomfortable), I think the main reason for the discrepancy in reports on the mattresses is that Carnival seems to be changing out the old, comfy mattresses with the new, hard ones little by little, as the mattresses wear out. So it is quite possible that some of you haven't experienced the new mattresses yet.

 

Then there is the other possibility that some of you who say the mattresses haven't changed have only experienced the new ones, and never had the pleasure of sleeping in the old Carnival Comfort beds of the 2005 era.

 

For those of us who have experienced both, there is no doubt of the change in firmness / quality.

 

Can any recent Pride cruisers tell me if they still offer the egg crate pads?:(:o

[9876]

Unfortunately I think they are phasing out those comfortable beds. You are lucky if you have a comfortable one recently.

[Laurin612]

I noticed the change on my recent cruise on the Miracle. I like a firm mattress, but these beds were EXTRA firm! We slept well, mostly from being exhausted from touring Alaska all day (and the rocking of the ship), but wished our beds were soft yet firm--the way they were on our Christmas 2013 cruise on the Sunshine and our March 2013 cruise on the Freedom.

Edited August 26, 2014 by Laurin612

[092306]

I've noticed a change too over the last couple of cruises. I remember after our first cruise in 2006 we thought the bed was so comfortable we contemplated buying one. Now I don't lose sleep on the cruise, but the beds definitely aren't as comfortable.

[The4Cruisers]

The bed quality has definitely taken a step backwards. I would swear on my own life that I did not have the same quality mattress on my last few cruises as when they rolled out the Carnival bedding a few years ago.

[cruisinnewbie629]

We last cruised on the Fantasy in 2010 and were still talking to people about how comfy cozy the beds were on her. We just got off the Pride on Sunday and wondered where did our comfy cozy bed go???? We noticed the difference right away. We slept "ok"; but not the fabulous sleep we had on the Fantasy!

 

I did not even know about the Egg Crate option! Didn't see any when we headed to our cabin (FTF..yay) and we were poking our heads into the different rooms to check them out.

Edited August 26, 2014 by cruisinnewbie629

[OCruisers]

Every mattress we've had on a Carnival ship has been extremely comfy. :)

LuLu

[Orison]

The mattresses have always been very firm (some might say "hard") but I, for one, love them! I always sleep so well!

 

They were great for a couple of years, and then all of a sudden, they were AS UNCOMFORTABLE as RCCL's Not sure WHAT happened.