How is NCL different from Carnival?

[Livvie]

We've cruised twice on Carnival and will be booking Pride of America for this Fall.

I'm wondering if someone could give me a brief rundown on the differences between NCL and Carnival?

Thanks. :)

[ryarger]

There aren't a lot of big differences. The lack of formal nights is probably the biggest. More importantly, since you'll be on the PoA, you should be aware that a cruise on the PoA is unlike any other NCL cruise.

It's an extremely port-intensive itinerary. The ship is really just a floating hotel to take you from island to island as you explore Hawaii. The shows are are pretty much an afterthought and there are few other activities on board.

It is just coming out of it's second dry dock in 3 years so who knows what new goodies will be added, but make no mistake that the point if the cruise isn't the ship, it's Hawaii.

All that said, I loved my time on the PoA. Took an upsell to an Penthouse suite and have been spoiled for regular cruising ever since.

[Livvie]

[quote name='ryarger']There aren't a lot of big differences. The lack of formal nights is probably the biggest. More importantly, since you'll be on the PoA, you should be aware that a cruise on the PoA is unlike any other NCL cruise.

It's an extremely port-intensive itinerary. The ship is really just a floating hotel to take you from island to island as you explore Hawaii. The shows are are pretty much an afterthought and there are few other activities on board.

It is just coming out of it's second dry dock in 3 years so who knows what new goodies will be added, but make no mistake that the point if the cruise isn't the ship, it's Hawaii.

All that said, I loved my time on the PoA. Took an upsell to an Penthouse suite and have been spoiled for regular cruising ever since.[/quote]
Thanks.

[swedish weave]

NCL restricts the use of non-refundable OBC. You are not allowed to use it for DSC or in the casino. Carnival does not restrict the use of it.

Carnival still serves lobster and escargot in the MDR. I don't believe NCL does that anymore without additional charges.

[Livvie]

[quote name='swedish weave']NCL restricts the use of non-refundable OBC. You are not allowed to use it for DSC or in the casino. Carnival does not restrict the use of it.

Carnival still serves lobster and escargot in the MDR. I don't believe NCL does that anymore without additional charges.[/quote]

Pride of America doesn't have a casino and I don't care for lobster and/or escargot, so no worries there. :p

[April42749]

The entertainment is much better on NCL.
It was almost non-existent on Carnival (unless you like singers who can't carry a tune).

[Freckles_51]

[quote name='April42749']The entertainment is much better on NCL.
It was almost non-existent on Carnival (unless you like singers who can't carry a tune).[/QUOTE]

Totally agree with this, although have not experienced PoA entertainment in particular.

I like NCL buffet much more than Carnival buffet.

NCL has more for-fee specialty restaurants, if that's your thing.

NCL ships have a bit more upscale look/feel IMHO (comparing Epic to Breeze for example)

[kingoftheicedragons]

I guess this would be more of a NCL Dawn vs Carnival cruise lines, but:

The focus on NCL tends to be on the specialty dining. You can't go anywhere without it being forced into your face (there are monitors all over the ship talking about how busy each restaurant is at what times).

I could say which buffet I like better, but some may say food is subjective (actually, everything is subjective--what makes a cruise bad for one person because of a, b, and c could be exactly what makes that exact same cruise the best ever, for exactly the same reasons). In any case: NCL seemed to have one big buffet with two sides to it. Things like burgers and pizza and pretty much everything that you're used to going to different restaurants for on CCL will be part of the buffet on NCL.

Same with entertainment. I think one line does this better than another and I know what I prefer. NCL (at least on the Dawn) seemed to tie their entertainment together better...meaning I guess that you got to know the entertainment performers and saw them more around the ship than you do on Carnival. But it depends on what you actually expect from the entertainment, too.

We noticed more supervisors and higher ups on NCL than we ever do on Carnival. We also thought that the piano bar crowd on NCL was a little bit rowdier than Carnival.

In the end, though, they are more the same than different. One line may do somethings better and the other line does other things better.

[sprint180]

My kids thought Carnival and NCL were the same.
I didn't notice a difference either as we had any time dining on Carnival. And that is like NCL.

Entertainment. Basically the same be we liked Carnival better.
Rooms - Carnival was bigger but the décor was worse.

[luddite]

[quote name='Livvie']We've cruised twice on Carnival and will be booking Pride of America for this Fall.

I'm wondering if someone could give me a brief rundown on the differences between NCL and Carnival?

Thanks. :)[/QUOTE]

Less Carny Folk.