Is the "I sail Carnival because it's cheap" meme your deciding factor?

[Sweet Dutch Girl]

We sail Carnival mainly when "the younger generation" goes with us because they truly like the activities that are geared to them. Otherwise we tend to choose other Cruiselines when our group is "adult".

 

Personally I would rather limit my number of cruises, even on Carnival, and choose more expensive options: balcony rooms, money for the steak house, money for food and drink extras, more exotic shore excursions, longer cruises, interesting departure ports where we can extend our vacation.

 

Does Carnival pull you in because of its price points? And are the number of cruises more enjoyable than a cruise where you can "frill up" your vacation?

[crusinpsychRN]

Carnival does usually beat other lines prices. I did get a HAL balcony for a similarly priced C balcony but I ended up not like the Westerdam or the food.

 

I'm back to C. RCL runs this BOGO offer that is a big lie, not sure who they scam that with.

[fam2cruise]

We have young kids, so the entertainment for them and the lower cost appeal to us. We as adults enjoy Carnival and RCCL equally.

[skyeman27]

Mainly price and Carnival has more ship/itinerary options sailing from Florida ports...

[KPfromCT]

We just love the product they offer for the price.:D:D

Their itineraries are tough to be beat. And we love their newer ships.

We don't do shows. We love the additional options for dinner, ie; Steakhouse, and Cucina.

 

IMO, why fix it if it ain't broke.:D:D

[firemanbobswife]

I have gravitated back to Carnival because of price. I always had to have a balcony in the past and thought there was no way I would enjoy anything less. I was wrong. I know - shocker!

 

While Celebrity remains my favorite (the only other line I have been on besides Carnival), I am now in the mentality that I would rather go more often and in a lesser room than splurge once a year. It was different when the boys were little as that was our yearly family vacation. Now with them grown and bored of cruising, I find I enjoy sailing solo or with my mom or girlfriends. DH is pretty much over the whole cruise thing now too. So I am just as happy to stay in a cheap inside or OV. I will never sail in a balcony on Carnival as long as they have the regular doors. I am one that enjoys relaxing and hearing the neighbors letting their balcony door slam rattling the wall directly behind my head infuriates me. So it's insides and OVs for me now. Celebrity when I go back will prob be a balcony as I do enjoy them and they have sliding glass doors.

 

So for me it's the opposite. I've been to just about all the ports and sometimes don't even get off the ship. I go for the ship, the people, and to relax for the week. I don't have to answer the phone, let the dog out, cook, clean, or drive anywhere. I can take a nap if I want. I cruise for the open ocean and to recharge. Get me away from real life as much as possible, please.

[troublemaker256]

Pricing is key for us. Did balcony first cruise then suites next 2. Figured out we weren't in the room other than sleep, shower change so now we book interior so we can do 2 a year instead of 1 every year or 2.

 

 

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[TheCriuseDirector]

We have, and probably will continue to, cruise Carnival because of many factors. I like the food, I like the entertainment, I LOVE the prices, and they also have some of the best itineraries. Like, they have 4-port 7-Day Western and Eastern cruises, which hardly any other line does.

 

That is why I cruise with Carnival

[Podna's]

We just love the product they offer for the price.:D:D

 

Their itineraries are tough to be beat. And we love their newer ships.

 

We don't do shows. We love the additional options for dinner, ie; Steakhouse, and Cucina.

 

 

 

IMO, why fix it if it ain't broke.:D:D

 

 

Same here. Adults only or with the kids price has nothing to do with it. Been with Carnival since the 90's, tried 2 other cruise lines and it was pretty simple for me. Carnival gives me everything we are looking for in a vacation.

[Tapi]

I'm back to C. RCL runs this BOGO offer that is a big lie, not sure who they scam that with.

 

 

I know that many of these "sales" are bogus, and with some you actually end up paying more than without them, but we got a killer deal for June 2016 using RC's BOGO sale along with a past guest discount. For our family of 4, our cruise fare is $808 for a 5 night Western Caribbean cruise from Miami! In comparison, Carnival Sensation is sailing on the same exact day, also out of Miami on a 5 night itinerary for $1,667. So this is one time when a sale truly lived up to its hype, at least for us. 🤗

Edited January 2, 2016 by Tapi

[SadieN]

We pretty much sail out of our local ports. For several years Carnival was the only option.

[IPlayWithString]

I can honestly say for us it's not just the price, but the availability of the ships when we want/need to be able to go on vacation. RCL, NCCL, most of the other lines don't sail when we need to be able to sail and Carnival does.

[Cruisin Broad]

I chose Carnival for an upcoming cruise because the itinerary offered a "never before visited port," and we wanted to depart from Florida. We would have preferred a 10 day cruise, but chose our February 2016 cruise (a 7 dayer) because of ports. We're staying over a couple of days in Florida to make it a 10 day vacation.

[NoDayButToday]

Growing up my family always sailed based on ports, and the ship and didn't restrict the line or by price point very much. We did end up sailing Carnival most often, partially for ports, partially because at the time they were putting out a brand new ship every year and we always booked their newest one.

 

As an adult, my husband and I sailed Carnival the first time for the price (and because thanks to my parents I was furthest ahead in their loyalty program than other lines), but after looking into other cruises we are sticking with carnival because of the whole experience. My husband isn't a fussy person, he wants a simple, laid back vacation and the fact that Carnival allows him to eat in the dining room wearing his normal daily clothes every night except for cruise elegant night (which he does dress up for, no jeans on cruise elegant night!) means he will pretty much never want to sail elsewhere unless they were to relax their policies. Our TA tried so hard to get us to sail RCCL because she loves it so much, but he won't budge on that one.

[Becci]

Price is certainly a factor when I book a trip but I do truly love Carnivals ships, entertainment and service.

 

I've tried other lines due to itinerary because Carnival did not offer that location/schedule but had there been an option for the same trip with Carnival I wouldn't have gone with anyone else.

 

I would FAR prefer 2 or more cheaper cruises per year than one more expensive one. Any vacation no matter the price is a good vacation. I don't have to be fancy to have a good time. For me it's more about the sun and the warm ocean and the time spent with friends than the style of cabin, nature of food, etc.

[CCLCruiser4321]

Carnival does usually beat other lines prices. I did get a HAL balcony for a similarly priced C balcony but I ended up not like the Westerdam or the food.

 

I'm back to C. RCL runs this BOGO offer that is a big lie, not sure who they scam that with.

 

Scam? Canceled my carnival cruise saved over $700 on oasis in may. I've been on 19 carnival and starting in may were trying rccl. Carnivals price has increased and are now about the same as rccl. But we were going on carnival because of price before

[ATL_Miami_Cruiser]

Carnival is my choice because I like to cruise at least once every quarter and they give me the most ship and port options for the price. I'm fortunate enough to be able to choose any cruise line or vacation spot in the world and I do take at least one land vacation a year, but for a regular getaway 4 - 5 times a year Carnival never disappoints.

[dave_k58]

We tried a Royal once - it was quite a bit more expensive than Carnival. I honestly can't see enough differences to justify the much higher price. Plus, I think the food was much better on Carnival. Getting a Suite on Carnival for basically the cost of an ocean view or balcony on Royal or Princess is the way we like to go

[Rosethorn40]

I liked Carnival because I think they provide excellent value. Especially in the Caribbean, where I want to be around people of all ages and have fun I like Carnival. However, I don't think I would enjoy them as much to destinations where I want a more adult experience (Alaska, Europe).

 

The two times we sailed Carnival in 2012 it was because of price. In 2013 it was because that was pretty much my only option (Tacking on a cruise to the end of a visit to my father in Texas). The Magic impressed me greatly, and now I am eagerly awaiting the Vista.

[Jimmy Geegitz]

Not so cheap anymore. We are finding better deals on other lines.

[tea4ular]

I am in my late 50s. I have sailed on all the major players (except for Princess and Disney).

 

I find myself coming back to Carnival over and over again...several reasons...

 

On other lines I feel like the cruise basically comes to a crawl after about 10pm. Now even as I write this I laugh because most of the time, so do I. HOWEVER I'd like an option of NOT having to retire so early.

 

I use the spa - on other lines I have had to buy in to use the spa, as there are are no cabin categories that include it. My last 4 Carnival cruises I've bought the spa balcony category and by sail away the price has almost always been not much more than a standard balcony cabin (I "only" want a balcony).

 

Nickel and diming! ARG! I likely will never sail NCL again for that reason alone. And don't get me wrong, I'll pay to go to Carnival's steakhouse (ok, I've gone once, but I paid!) or even to Cucina (I've gone once at dinner and paid), but I don't like the idea that I "must" pay extra if I want to enjoy a different food experience. When I see Mexican food for $25 p/p I cringe.

 

The informal atmosphere. I don't want to have to dress up every evening to go to dinner. BTW that doesn't mean I go to dinner in cut off shorts and flip flops because I don't. But I want the option to be casually dressed and still be able to go to the dining room.

 

And finally...the price! Over and over again, I have looked at an itinerary and compared pricing with every major line for the very same ports, on or around the very same dates, and similar cabins, and EVERY SINGLE TIME Carnival has been substantially less. We don't drink, so the "drinks included" means squat to us. Right now I am booked for an April 2017 E Caribbean sailing out of Pt Canaveral, 7 night, spa balcony cabin at just $1,000 p/p (I'm anticipating some price drops between now and then, but we're a-ok with this pricing or wouldn't have booked it). I have searched high and low and simply am unable to find a similar cruise, with a similar (or same) itinerary, for the same (or near) dates, at a lesser price. I wanted to because my best friend who I cruise with is dying to try other lines.

 

So yes, price factors in, but so do other things.

[goofy gopher]

We sail Carnival for many reasons not just the price it is not just for young people we are in our 60's now and still love Carnival tried others but always come back some of the other lines are just boring also I hate to dress way up for dinner I am there to relax at night not dress all the way up just to eat a nice meal always Carnival for us. Also activities on some other lines cost so much extra they nickel and dime you to death.

[aztekpm]

I like the Caribbean cruises, Carnival provides the best, IMO, destinations, spring/fall departures and prices for the most part. I do not like the megaships, nor their offerings, not what I'm looking for on a cruise, although the Vista is on my radar in the future. I want to know I'm on the water, be able to see it easily and often!

 

I can't justify, in my mind anyway, paying hundreds to thousands more for the same ports ... the same with balconies, I love them, but often go with the inside, just for the price savings. Would rather spend the dollars elsewhere.

 

I also sail with NCL, but only sail them when the price is better or within an acceptable price difference, ie. $100- $200 pp IF it includes the drink package. However, have found that with their 'free' selections lately, that rarely happens (got a great deal on the Sky in Sept for a girls cruise) and their sailings from NA are limited in spring/fall.

 

I will say I much prefer the food on Carnival, taste, temperature and service wise which has been a deciding factor in the past. While the shows are better on NCL, I so seldom attend entertainment shows that it really doesn't play into my decision making process.

 

I am taking my first Royal cruise on the Empress ... I much prefer smaller to mid-size ships and for once the price was competitive and actually came in cheaper than Carnival with the CAD equivalent, so will see if the Royal experience is any different than NCL or Carnival soon.

[jeniceglassman]

We have been on Princess (X10), RCCL, NCL but keep coming back for the diversity & fun. Carnival's casinos, smoking policy,destinations are our favorite right now.

[A&Jfamily]

Price is a deciding factor for us as we get two rooms. We sail with our kids and are in the popular times so the costs are higher and we lack the flexibility of date shopping. We prefer the atmosphere on Princess, and have found comparable deals for Alaska in May and a S. Caribbean at spring break. But at holiday times Carnival wins hands down.

 

We do not feel there is such a significant difference in experience on Princess - we like some things more on Carnival - that we would pay more. We also enjoy the ports, so 4 is better than 3.