Carnival vs HAL

[3rdGenCunarder]

IMHO- I would disagree with this statement. Yes there can be partiers on CCL or any line, but they, by no means, have ever taken over the ship to the point I could not find any peace & quiet. The Carnival cruises we've been on must have been the longer & more relaxed season or something, I never saw anyone really out of line.

 

Your comment about length of cruise is significant. I think some of Carnival's "party-hearty" reputation comes from their 3- and 4-night cruises. Those get a lot of first-timers and people who try to cram a week's worth of fun/drinking into a few days. On any line, the longer the cruise the less intense it is.

[macandlucy]

I am no expert, having done only two cruises on each line, but I would happily sail HAL again, but be more reluctant to book a Carnival cruise.

 

I loved the small movie theatre on HAL and didn't care for the outdoor movies on CCL (loud, but somehow poor sound quality, so many distractions with people walking around). The HAl theatre on the Zuiderdaam was small, with lazy boy style recliners and delish popcorn. We loved that.

 

Both HAL ships I was on had lovely libraries. Carnival's libraries were small rooms with few books and a some board games. This mattered to me because a library is a nice place to spend some time on a sea day (for me anyway).

 

Passengers -- of course most people on both lines are nice, regular people, but if there were any problem passengers I'd break it down like this: CCL's few problem pax=crass. HAL's few problem pax = snooty.

 

CCL has far more fun in the sun, pool deck, lots of people, laughing drinking. Crowded on a sunny day. Never saw that on HAL.

 

I enjoyed CCL's trivia a bit more -- more games per day.

 

CCL has they Guy's burger joint and the Punchliner's Comedy Club, which we really enjoyed.

 

HAL's large interior cabins were surprisingly large and really comfortable. Only did balconies on CCL and they were also fine.

 

The MDR food was a little better on HAL, but I thought CCL had more variety with things like their Tandoor (although the lines were just awful for that) the Burrito bar, and Guy's burger joint -- more things our teenager liked.

 

I thought HAL's entertainment at night was a little better -- magician which was nice for my younger son. The CCL "review" style shows did not entertain me, but in fairness, either did the HAL review shows. Just not my cup of tea.

 

I found the staff on CCL, while pleasant and doing their best, seemed over worked.

[DocF]

The crew to passenger ratio on Carnival has always been, to put it politely, somewhat on the thin side. Now Carnival is cutting to the bone. This wrong-headed management move will cause the company to lose more and more of the more desirable customers - those who spend and do not occupy the lowest cost cabins and buy nothing except the cheapest.

 

I realize that cuts are being made at HAL and all other cruise lines, but Carnival seems to be going farther than the others.

Edited October 12, 2015 by DocF
brain on hold

[avian777]

I'm glad that option is available for you. Does it tend to be more heavily religious atmosphere if I am not Catholic?

 

Although I might not have noticed it, I do not think any of our many HAL cruises has had a heavily religious atmosphere - because of HAL's generally older (read that more mature) passenger complement, I think the atmosphere on HAL cruises is generally quieter and less frenetic than one will find on Carnival, NCL, RCC and Disney cruises. I have never heard any complaints from non-Catholics that HAL cruises are "heavily religious". On the other hand, if a non-Catholic wishes to attend Mass, he/she will be welcomed with no strings attached.

Edited October 13, 2015 by avian777

[sammygoose]

Carnival: sun tan lotion

HAL: Ben Gay rub.

 

Lol, some of these 'girls' on the Carnival Breeze might need the ben gay rub after this throwdrown at Guy's burgers on Oct6th

I can't say I ever seen this on any HAL cruise I've been on:

 

Edited October 13, 2015 by sammygoose

[denatravels]

Lol, some of these 'girls' on the Carnival Breeze might need the ben gay rub after this throwdrown at Guy's burgers on Oct6th

I can't say I ever seen this on any HAL cruise I've been on:

 

 

 

I was curious:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2267927

[Laurino]

Thank you for providing more information. I've been to BB Kings in Nashville and the band is great. This will be my male partner first cruise. He's worried about this line because he feels we will be out of place if that makes any sense. I love the itinerary and cost.

 

Hi Imccray. Do you mean out of place for being a male couple (hope I'm not being presumptuous), for being too young or because of some other reason?

 

We're a married gay couple and we have never had any trouble because of that with the staff on either HAL, Celebrity or Princess. Also HAL seems open and regularly host LGBTQ charters (RSVP I think?, or maybe it's only gay cruises I don't know?). Once on HAL an elderly couple from Texas were seated with us at dinner (open seating, table for 4) and clearly the man had trouble with us, however his wife was nice and seemed embarrassed by him. After that we have requested a table for 2 more often.

 

We're also young for being on HAL, now in our mid 30s and early 40s, and we started cruising with HAL four years ago (first cruise ever on any line). But we haven't had any problems with that either, I enjoy talking to the more travel-experienced (and thus elderly) crowd.

Edited October 14, 2015 by Laurino

[CruisermanVA]

Thank you for providing more information. I've been to BB Kings in Nashville and the band is great. This will be my male partner first cruise. He's worried about this line because he feels we will be out of place if that makes any sense. I love the itinerary and cost.

 

If you want the BB King band make sure you book HAL's newer ships, the Niew Amsterdam, Eurodam, Noordam, Westerdam, Oosterdam or Zuiderdam. I believe the new ship, Koningsdam, coming in 2016, will also have the BB King band.

 

You'll be "out of place" if you go staggering around the ship with a drink in your hand yelling "party time!" :) Otherwise you'll fit in fine.

[Lizzie68]

Thank you for providing more information. I've been to BB Kings in Nashville and the band is great. This will be my male partner first cruise. He's worried about this line because he feels we will be out of place if that makes any sense. I love the itinerary and cost.

 

 

 

If you meant that you are a male gay couple, as Laurino mentioned - fear not! We have met many great same-sex couples on our HAL cruises, Both as table-mates at dinner, or on adjoining tables when we had a 2-top, and had great fun with them on excursions. Don't worry about it at all. You will be fine.

[CupKayke]

I've been on 25 Carnival cruises. At the end of November I'm going over to Holland and hope to experience something that might remind me of what cruising used to be like with elegance and good food, things lacking on Carnival.

 

 

 

I'm traveling solo and have a balcony cabin. Hoping no orange in the cabin!

 

 

I just wrote a review here on the HAL board "Two Kids On A Ship" - you might be interested in reading it and viewing the pictures. I wrote a lot about the differences between Carnival and HAL.

[DaveOKC]

If you meant that you are a male gay couple, as Laurino mentioned - fear not! We have met many great same-sex couples on our HAL cruises, Both as table-mates at dinner, or on adjoining tables when we had a 2-top, and had great fun with them on excursions. Don't worry about it at all. You will be fine.

 

Ditto this. Please do not be afraid to cruise on HAL.

[lmccray]

No we aren't a gay couple. We are a black heterosexual couple. I guess I should've said boyfriend. Lol. Anyway thanks for your reply.

 

 

QUOTE=DaveOKC;48020811]Ditto this. Please do not be afraid to cruise on HAL.

[lmccray]

We're a black heterosexual couple. I guess I used the wrong wording.

 

Hi Imccray. Do you mean out of place for being a male couple (hope I'm not being presumptuous), for being too young or because of some other reason?

 

We're a married gay couple and we have never had any trouble because of that with the staff on either HAL, Celebrity or Princess. Also HAL seems open and regularly host LGBTQ charters (RSVP I think?, or maybe it's only gay cruises I don't know?). Once on HAL an elderly couple from Texas were seated with us at dinner (open seating, table for 4) and clearly the man had trouble with us, however his wife was nice and seemed embarrassed by him. After that we have requested a table for 2 more often.

 

We're also young for being on HAL, now in our mid 30s and early 40s, and we started cruising with HAL four years ago (first cruise ever on any line). But we haven't had any problems with that either, I enjoy talking to the more travel-experienced (and thus elderly) crowd.

[Lizzie68]

No we aren't a gay couple. We are a black heterosexual couple. I guess I should've said boyfriend. Lol. Anyway thanks for your reply.

 

 

QUOTE=DaveOKC;48020811]Ditto this. Please do not be afraid to cruise on HAL.

 

Oops.:o But in any case, black, yellow, white, brown - you'll be fine.

[POA1]

Thank you for providing more information. I've been to BB Kings in Nashville and the band is great.

 

The bands are really, really good. We've seen three different line ups - two from Memphis and one from Nashville. They're not only super talented, but also genuinely nice people.

[Laurino]

We're a black heterosexual couple. I guess I used the wrong wording.

 

So sorry about that :o I jumped to conclusions. But I'm sure you'll be more than welcome onboard.

[denatravels]

So sorry about that :o I jumped to conclusions. But I'm sure you'll be more than welcome onboard.

 

 

I wouldn't want to cruise on a line where you wouldn't be welcome because of your skin color (or sexuality, too). I'm hoping it will be great for you!