Please compare Princess, Royal and Carnival. Thanks

[Susiecruisey]

I am platinum on Royal and Carnival. How does Princess compare to these other two lines?

[geoherb]

I think Princess is a step up from those lines, especially Carnival.

[DebJ14]

We are Diamond on Carnival and RCCL and Platinum on Princess. Princess is my preferred cruise line. Now that we are older we find the demographics on Princess suit us better. It is quieter and more elegant and we love the entertainment on Princess.

We used to love RCCL, but it has gotten more Carnivalized over the years as they made the push to be a family cruise line. Carnival is just too noisy for us.

 

We always book a full suite and enjoy the perks on RCCL and Princess. We get our perks on Carnival from our Diamond status. We still sail Carnival, but just for a quick, cheap getaway. We have done Princess the past 3 years in January, but will sail RCCL in Jan 2017 due to a new ship deployment.

[nonnybyrd1]

I have sailed on all 3 lines and Princess is by far the best for food, service, entertainment and overall entertainment. A little over a year ago I did a 3 day Bahamas cruise on the Carnival Fascination out of Jacksonville. The ship is small and packed. There was only one pool and it was full of people holding a beer in their hand. The meals in the dining room, while tasty, were never better than luke warm. That being said, the entertainers were excellent. The band was great fun also. In the back of the buffet was a sandwich and pizza bar which I would rate excellent. The service was acceptable but it was obvious the crew were not really happy with their job. For the money I would do it again. The Royal trip was a very wild crowd. Overall the food was good, but not the quality of Princess. The late night crowd in the bar was very loud and off the hook!!! There were naked people running up and down the hallways in the of the night. That was my one time on Royal Caribbean. I am certain that all their cruises are not like that or they would not still be in business but I am left shy of taking another cruise with them. Princess ships are well run and a consistently good time. I have sailed with them on four different ships, eight different times to destinations all over the world and have loved every minute of it. Excellent value.

[BettyCruiser]

You will generally find an older demographic on Princess unless you sail during school break times, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Spring Break and Alaska during the summer then they will have more families similar to Royal and Carnival.

 

I think the food is similar and comparable to Carnival.

 

Less physical activities no rock climbing wall or water slides.

 

We don't go to many shows, mostly just comedians and lately they haven't been as good as Carnival's.

[GUT2407]

Princess is more staid.

 

Less emphasis on physical activity. Perhaps more for people who can entertain themselves, often with drink and the company of some friends (old or new).

[stormy65]

I just got back from a 7 night Mexican Rivera cruise on the Crown. Our first time cruising on Princess, we usually cruise Carnival or Holland. I must say I was totally disappointed with this cruise line, or maybe it was just the ship. Food was good but that was all, no entertainment unless you want to watch reruns of The Love Boat, which we did.. The crew were not very friendly at all, room stewart did not even know our names. The ship is old. Cabins are very small compared to what I'm use to. Very disillusioned.. Won't be back, I'll stick with Carnival...

[OCruisers]

We've cruised on all three -- Princess, RCCL, & Carnival.

Princess is our favorite by far! :D

[tiessa]

I am platinum on Royal and Carnival. How does Princess compare to these other two lines?

 

 

I've not cruised Carnival. I found Royal Caribbean to be far superior to Princess.

[Valiamo]

I am platinum on Royal and Carnival. How does Princess compare to these other two lines?

 

Platinum on RCI and Gold on Princess, and we find that they compare very closely. Princess's services just do not outshine RCI's.

 

- Food in MDR is the same;

- amenities are the same,

- Horizon/Windjammer are so very close to being the same.

- Stateroom service are identical

 

You will feel at home on a Princess cruise. Princess does have chocolates on the pillows, and they celebrate special occasions better than RCI.

 

I have not recently sailed on Carnival, but suspect that this is were the bigger differences are.

 

But.. there are some differences in booking...

 

RCI - one never ever gets the original posted price from the Website. I just did a fake booking started at $1100 per person (with taxes) and ended up with a final total being $2600 for two of us (don't know how that happens)

 

Princess - what you see is what you can get. If it says $1100 for a cruise, then you will be able to find that rate on the ship, and when you book that will be your final price.

 

Princess is more expensive per day than RCI, and they don't typically do the "fake" BOGO sales as RCI does.

[ms.sunburn]

Princess - attracts people who think they're getting a luxury cruise at mass cruise prices.

RCI - attracts people who pay more for the same thing other cruise lines offer.

Carnival - the same as the other two with no attitude.

[Clarea]

Interesting information on this thread.

[kingsgirl]

I've not cruised Carnival. I found Royal Caribbean to be far superior to Princess.

 

 

For the prices of the Alaskan cruises, Princess better be flipping amazing when I go on Princess. Prices are astronomical compared to RCI.

[jennybenny]

We've cruised all 3, but it's been a long time since we've said RCCL. Carnival is way too loud for us. We've only done 7, 4, 3 day cruises with them. So I don't know if we might like their longer cruises, but the 4 and 3 day cruises are just too "wild" for me. The last 7 day cruise with them was 2012 and I felt like I was cheating on Princess. I've never had a "bad" cruise, but I do prefer Princess.

 

RCCL is OK, but I found their pricing was more than Carnival and Princess and I did not feel they had a better product. Given that it's been 15 years since we cruised RCCL (also 7, 4, 3 day cruises) I think it's unfair to judge them for the past, as so much has changed with the cruise industry since then.

 

We've also done Disney, which we found to be the best service, but found food to be on par with the 3 cruise lines mentioned here. So, the price point was just not there for us.

 

We are loyal to Princess. We prefer them to Carnival, even though they are owned by Carnival. We are a family of 4, and mom and dad are in our 40's. It works for us.

[UpcountryTravelers]

We've sailed on all three (plus X). Being a (retired) Engineer, I assign numeric overall values. To me (Jim) Carnival is a "1", Princess a "10", Royal Caribbean an "8", and Celebrity a "10.3".

 

Although Celebrity ranks just a tad higher due to interesting variety and better staterooms (but with poorer storage), Princess (which is NOT "owned by Carnival" Cruise Lines) remains our favorite. We sail on RCI often (another coming soon) and enjoy them, but they are not quite up to the service, food and amenities of Princess. But they are close enough so that a good itinerary or good timing can sometimes tip the scale.

 

We have very much outgrown Carnival. The food is sub-par (especially the buffet), the decor is tacky (imo), and the entertainment can be downright crude. Service is variable, sometimes great but not consistently so in our experience. Princess service has always been extra good, often great (our last cruise - on the Royal Princess - we had the best stateroom steward ever).

 

Hope this helps. Of course it is OUR experience, YMMV.

Edited March 2, 2016 by UpcountryTravelers

[tiessa]

Carnival does own Princess and has for several years.

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=200767&p=irol-products

[ar1950]

Carnival does own Princess and has for several years.

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=200767&p=irol-products

 

You are confusing Carnival Corporation with Carnival Cruise Lines in the above posts. Carnival Corporation owns Carnival Cruise Lines, Princess Cruise Lines, Holland American Cruise Lines, etc. just as your link to the article says.

[jennybenny]

I apologize, I misspoke. I DID however mean, Princess is owned by Carnival Corporation. They own a lot of other cruise lines as well, Princess being my preferred line.

 

So, I consider them to be part of one company, while managed separately.

The only other cruise line I might consider going on of the Carnival Corporation options would be Cunard or Seabourn, but I doubt I would leave princess.

[High C's]

I just got back from a 7 night Mexican Rivera cruise on the Crown. Our first time cruising on Princess, we usually cruise Carnival or Holland. I must say I was totally disappointed with this cruise line, or maybe it was just the ship. Food was good but that was all, no entertainment unless you want to watch reruns of The Love Boat, which we did.. The crew were not very friendly at all, room stewart did not even know our names. The ship is old. Cabins are very small compared to what I'm use to. Very disillusioned.. Won't be back, I'll stick with Carnival...

 

I'm not sure judging entertainment on a cruise ship equates to "whats on TV". While the entertainment may not have been to your taste, I'm sure you can't say there was NO entertainment in the venues.

[seacruise9]

Hi,

 

I have never cruised with Carnival, but I have taken many cruises on Princess (15 cruises) and Royal Caribbean (21 cruises). During the past year, I have taken three Princess cruises (Sun Princess, Crown Princess and Ruby Princess) and one Royal Caribbean cruise (Adventure of the Seas last week). I like both lines and they each have strengths and weaknesses. Also, the cruise experience varies within each line depending on the class of ship (for example, the Allure of the Seas offers many more features than the Majesty of the Seas and the Regal Princess offers more features than the Sun Princess).

 

In general, I think Princess is more traditional and subdued. I also prefer the food and service on Princess. The newer Royal Caribbean ships are larger and have a wider variety of entertainment and dining options. Also, many of the Royal Caribbean ships have spectacular public areas (Royal Promenade, Central Park, etc.). I think Princess is a slight step up from Royal Caribbean (in terms of food and service), but the Royal Caribbean ships are more spectacular and have a higher energy level. I currently prefer Princess, but I had a great time on the Adventure of the Seas last week.

 

Chuck

[Highwaydude]

my two cents =)

 

My first cruises were on Carnival and at that time I really enjoyed them. Then friends took me on Princess and I felt that was a step up from Carnival. Then I went on RCL and was amazed at their newer ships. The Oasis Class is simply an amazing ship. The entertainment on the Oasis Class was by far the best I have seen on a cruise ship.

 

So after sailing on all 3 cruise lines I sum them up like this -

 

RCL - especially the new Oasis Class - Just amazing cruise ships! If you can afford to sail on them I would recommend sailing on one of them once.

 

Princess - generally an older crowd. Not many kids, which is a plus to me. Food has always been fine for me. I use to love the Mini-Suites on the Grand Class with the large balconies but sad the new Royal/Regal do not have them anymore. I like the relax atmosphere you get sailing on Princess.

 

Carnival - More youthful crowd/kids. The food has generally always been ok for me but the overall atmosphere of the passengers is what usually sends me back to Princess or RCL. I'm sure many have said. "Walmart on Water". LOL

 

But in all regards I think the best is to always choose the newer ships on any cruiseline and you should be fine.

 

Happy Sailing! =)

[MrMan]

Sail on all. All good. Princess is my preferred. What would make Princess tops:

 

1)Better entertainment, actual Broadway shows vs. staid cookie cutter dance reviews. (See NCL, RCI). This IMHO is Princess biggest weakness-entertainment

 

2) More and better specialty dining vs the same Sabatinis and Crown on every ship. More selection and variety. (RCI, NCL)

 

3) Ability to make online reservations ahead of sailing for Sanctuary, Specialty, Anytime Dining, excursions, Spa services(NCL)

 

4) I would pay $x for the length of the cruise for a reserved lounge chair, be it poolside or Promenade( HAL Veranda rooms)

[Turtle05]

Sail on all. All good. Princess is my preferred. What would make Princess tops:

 

1)Better entertainment, actual Broadway shows vs. staid cookie cutter dance reviews. (See NCL, RCI). This IMHO is Princess biggest weakness-entertainment

 

2) More and better specialty dining vs the same Sabatinis and Crown on every ship. More selection and variety. (RCI, NCL)

 

3) Ability to make online reservations ahead of sailing for Sanctuary, Specialty, Anytime Dining, excursions, Spa services(NCL)

 

4) I would pay $x for the length of the cruise for a reserved lounge chair, be it poolside or Promenade( HAL Veranda rooms)

 

On my last RCI cruise (Allure, about two years ago), we were able to book all shows, spa appointments, and specialty dining ahead of time online. That's a big deal to me because it eases my anxieties when I worry about getting to do everything I want to do when I want to do it. It was a little more crucial for that particular cruise given the size of the ship though.

 

Anyways, my .02 on this thread: I haven't done Carnival or Princess so far, and it's unlikely I'll ever do Carnival unless it's some sort of group thing and that's the consensus. I am strongly considering Princess for Alaska primarily because I've heard such good things about their Alaskan cruises but also because they cruise Glacier Bay. In general I think Princess is going to be too slow going for DH and I, who are very active, but I feel like Alaskan cruises across the board have less going on while on board. Even RCI and Carnival have their older ships sailing Alaska. While I haven't been on many cruises (5 total, 4 RCI 1 NCL), I've been on a variety of ships (Majesty, Voyager, Liberty, Allure, and NCL Sun). I've never had an issue with food on any of those, but the Majesty was a snooze as far as activities on board, and the Sun didn't have much going on either. With all that being said, I am looking hardest at Princess's biggest ships in Alaska (Ruby, Emerald, Star, in that order). I think each person has to determine what is most important. Carnival is least expensive, but as the saying goes, you get what you pay for. That's certainly not a dig on anyone who chooses Carnival because a "budget" cruise is still better than none at all, and if additional space is important to you, obviously it would probably be worth it to spring for a bigger room on Carnival than an inside room on another line. Obviously if you want a lot to do on board, Carnival and RCI are probably the best, and NCL has stepped it up on their newer ships. If you just want to chill but have better service and more luxury feel, Princess is probably the one to choose.

 

It also depends on where you are going and how long the cruise is when making these choices. If you have a lot of sea days, a ship with more amenities and activities might be more important. If you are a self-proclaimed foodie, you may want to check out the dining options, both complimentary and specialty. If you are more into nighttime entertainment, keep that in mind as well. When I sailed the Allure, honestly a driving factor in choosing that over similar ships was the fact that they had a shortened version of Chicago on board. I love Broadway, and I've seen a handful of shows both on Broadway and the traveling Broadway group at our local performing arts center.

 

To the OP if you're still reading, also consider NCL if you are considering the three you mentioned. I swear by RCI, my sister loves Carnival, some former coworkers loved them all but said Princess was their favorite, and another friend of mine only does NCL.

[UpcountryTravelers]

[On my last RCI cruise (Allure, about two years ago), we were able to book all shows, spa appointments, and specialty dining ahead of time online. That's a big deal to me because it eases my anxieties when I worry about getting to do everything I want to do when I want to do it. It was a little more crucial for that particular cruise given the size of the ship though. ]

 

Interesting. To us, having to book everything way in advance, without knowing what we might be getting, was a minus for us.

 

That said, the Broadway style show ("Cats") that we saw on our last RCI cruise was amazing and of high quality. Keep in mind, we are from a city that is used to high quality theatre, and our trip on the Oasis had amazing entertainment. Everyone should try the Oasis class at least once!!

 

Still.... overall.... our favorite is still Princess.

Edited March 3, 2016 by UpcountryTravelers

[CrowCaw]

Hey everyone.

 

I've only done one cruise (Royal Princess, Southern Caribbean Medley), but my fiancee and I had a great time. We enjoyed the ship, loved the shows (especially Perry Grant) and the staff were good. Since I'm 32, and my fiancee was 24, we weren't really in the majority for age, but everyone was so nice that the whole experience was very pleasant. Really, what we were looking for in a vacation.

 

As we begin to plan our honeymoon, however, I am getting more and more tempted by the "big ships" of Royal Caribbean. The Allure, Oasis and now Harmony of the Seas look like floating amusement parks and the mere spectacle alone has me interested.

 

I can't offer any insight or experience on which one is better, but I appreciate those that can that pipe up for people like me who are still on the fence.