Carnival vs. RCCL pricing

[kimberlym4]

I have cruised both before and thought prices were comparable with RCCL being maybe a bit higher. However, we have a 3 night balcony room booked in Dec. on Carnival for $299 each. The same cruise with the same itinerary on the same date is $605 each on RCCL - and that is after what they claim is a BOGO sale. How can there be that big of a difference? It's twice as expensive! Maybe the cruises I am comparing are not typical?

[Catrin]

We have priced RCCL and Carnival EVERY CRUISE we have taken. We always say this is the year we are going to try RCCL, but we always come back to Carnival.. for one reason... COST. While we know that RCCL may offer different offerings from Carnival, we know exactly the product Carnival offers and we are overall happy with our past cruises.

 

Its all about VALUE - it cannot even be compared.

[Galatz]

I have cruised both and always search both before booking. RCCL in my expierence is usually about 50-75% more expensive for similar trips

[cmukid87]

My experience, researching, RCCL is typically slightly higher than Carnival. RCCL has sales once in a while to bring the overall cost closer to carnival though, e.g. paying port fees for 2 passengers or offering paid onboard gratuities.

[saharaga]

I typically book with Royal when they are having a "sale". If it's only a few hundred more, we will choose RCI if the itinerary is different and it's a ship we want to try. We were looking for a cruise for December 2017. Carnival did not have many fresh itinerary options. For a comparable cruise, we've done the ship and itinerary before so we paid an extra $400 and booked with Royal.

[johnnied]

I too have done both and our experiences have been similar on both lines. RCCL is a little nicer, MAYBE a little better food, but is generally not worth the extra $500 or so. We are pretty happy with the Carnival package, you know what you are getting and its a good value. We though however really look for the itinerary as far as choosing who we go with.

 

Now if Carnival would allow their FC program to apply to their other brands, that would be the clincher for me. We seriously looked at a Princess Cruise, but...no points on CCL...:(

[Sitzmark]

We have priced RCCL and Carnival EVERY CRUISE we have taken. We always say this is the year we are going to try RCCL, but we always come back to Carnival.. for one reason... COST. While we know that RCCL may offer different offerings from Carnival, we know exactly the product Carnival offers and we are overall happy with our past cruises.

 

Its all about VALUE - it cannot even be compared.

 

Value and cost are not the same thing. Cost is only one component of value.

[Trumpster]

I have always found royal to be at least $400-500 more for the same week and that's not even getting a Balcony on Royal.

 

It can be more depending on the ship.

 

Our most recent pricing gave a Magic Spa Balcony for $569 less than a standard Balcony on Royal the same week.

 

Now the Magic's ports are better too for us, but that is our experince.

[saharaga]

Yes. For us, the itinerary has become very important. There are only so many times we are going to pay to go to Bahamas, Cozumel, and Grand Cayman. I don't see many differences between Royal and Carnival either but we will pay extra to go on RCI if the itinerary and the ship are what we are looking for.

 

I too have done both and our experiences have been similar on both lines. RCCL is a little nicer, MAYBE a little better food, but is generally not worth the extra $500 or so. We are pretty happy with the Carnival package, you know what you are getting and its a good value. We though however really look for the itinerary as far as choosing who we go with.

 

Now if Carnival would allow their FC program to apply to their other brands, that would be the clincher for me. We seriously looked at a Princess Cruise, but...no points on CCL...:(

[Ms Jo UK]

I guess I must have been lucky this time booking.

 

I was booked on Carnival Spirit for Autumn 2017, to the South Pacific booked because RCL hadn't released their Australia 2017 at that time. The day RCL released their prices I checked and was amazed to find that for about $300 more than the spirit wich was a nine days cruise in an obstructed view balcony. I could get an 11 day cruise in a junior suite.

 

RCL is my preferred line but I am not Loyal to any line. I jumped on this and booked it within the hour. Yay 2 more days cruising and a bathtub for bubble baths in the south pacfic.

 

I guess I stuck gold that day, as I checked prices today just to see and the cruise price increased $900.

 

I guess my experience is not typical from the posts here.

[jimbo5544]

Value and cost are not the same thing. Cost is only one component of value.

 

While the poster can speak on their own behalf, my read is they def perceive they are getting value in sailing Carnival (which I would agree with from my own perspective).

[It's a Ship!!!]

Sometimes Royal Caribbean can be less expensive than Carnival, but most of the time it is not. You never know, so it's always good to check both lines. It really just depends on when and where you are going and what type of cabin you want. You can always find deals, but it just may not be on the itinerary or time of year that you are looking at.

 

For example, if you look at both Carnival and Royal Caribbean out of Galveston on October 9, 2016 going to similar places, Royal has interiors for about $200 less than Carnival, ocean views for about $300 more than Carnival, and balconies for about $20 less than Carnival. On other sailing dates in that month, Carnival is less expensive on all cabins. So if you could go on that exact date, didn't mind going to Costa Maya instead of Belize, and wanted either a balcony or an interior, then Royal would be the better deal.

[Sitzmark]

While the poster can speak on their own behalf, my read is they def perceive they are getting value in sailing Carnival (which I would agree with from my own perspective).

 

Possibly, however the post I responded to indicated cost, then directly said it's all about the value. I simply pointed out that they are not the same thing although many people seem to think that they are.

Edited May 5, 2016 by Sitzmark
To remove ridiculous font and color.

[Warm Breezes]

Value and cost are not the same thing. Cost is only one component of value.

 

Very true. Having said that value is subjective. For many, Carnival does offer value to them for the cost. Count us among those many. I have yet to find a RCCL cruise that has peaked my interest enough to justify the higher costs during the time periods I have been able to sail. When I do, we will sail with them to see if there is a value there for us at the higher cost. As of right now there is not.

[Sitzmark]

Very true. Having said that value is subjective. For many, Carnival does offer value to them for the cost. Count us among those many. I have yet to find a RCCL cruise that has peaked my interest enough to justify the higher costs during the time periods I have been able to sail. When I do, we will sail with them to see if there is a value there for us at the higher cost. As of right now there is not.

 

Yep, for us one of the big differences was the addition of the flowriders and the water shows. Value is definitely subjective though and you have to weigh the entire package. Different people will find varying degrees of value depending on their needs.

[StolidCruiser]

Very true. Having said that value is subjective. For many, Carnival does offer value to them for the cost. Count us among those many. I have yet to find a RCCL cruise that has peaked my interest enough to justify the higher costs during the time periods I have been able to sail. When I do, we will sail with them to see if there is a value there for us at the higher cost. As of right now there is not.

 

Well said and I completely agree.

[meatloafsfan]

It also depends on the type of cabin you're looking at.

 

For us, we need an accessible cabin and there's 3 of us (and we need the 3rd bed to be a couch not a bunk). These are extremely hard to come by on Carnival and we often have to settle for 2 cabins - paying the single supplement for the second cabin.

 

On Royal - they have accessible interior cabins for 3-4 on their Voyager and Freedom class ships. Booking one of these is almost always less expensive than 2 cabins on Carnival.

[Warm Breezes]

Yep, for us one of the big differences was the addition of the flowriders and the water shows. Value is definitely subjective though and you have to weigh the entire package. Different people will find varying degrees of value depending on their needs.

 

I can honestly say that would not hold any interest for my family, which is why the value added is not there for us (My doctor would shoot me if I tried a flow rider...I'm on strict orders to not do anything like that). Relaxation is more of a value for us so having a larger balcony room and the serenity areas offer us more value than flow riders and water shows. Carnival has not failed us there yet for the value we find in them.

[Sitzmark]

I can honestly say that would not hold any interest for my family, which is why the value added is not there for us (My doctor would shoot me if I tried a flow rider...I'm on strict orders to not do anything like that). Relaxation is more of a value for us so having a larger balcony room and the serenity areas offer us more value than flow riders and water shows. Carnival has not failed us there yet for the value we find in them.

 

Fair enough, I haven't found much relaxation on a cruise ship, it is more stress than anything else for me but that is why it is a subjective thing.

[cruisinitaliano]

Please , I am so interested in your comment,

 

Would you consider a new thread with a title like " CRUISING, STRESSFUL OR RELAXING?"

 

I would like to jear why you feel the way you expressed.

I am quite confident that there are going to be many reasons why our CC members feel one way or another regarding this.

 

I understand that stuff sometimes happens, adding stress to a cruise.

Your comment led me to believe that in general, yours are stressful.

 

Please, I am anxious to hear yours and others experiences.

 

We generally are in the relaxed category, chilling out, reading, sunning, waiting for daughters to finish whatever they are doing and joining us for lunch, dinner, shows, etc.

 

When in ports, we know enough to make sure to do activities that allow us to get back to port in plenty of time to avoid the stress of rushing and worrying bout missing ship.

 

Thanks for expressing your opinion, I hope that you will start this new thread, could be interesting.

 

Many Blessings!!

[nissach]

We have priced RCCL and Carnival EVERY CRUISE we have taken. We always say this is the year we are going to try RCCL, but we always come back to Carnival.. for one reason... COST. While we know that RCCL may offer different offerings from Carnival, we know exactly the product Carnival offers and we are overall happy with our past cruises.

 

Its all about VALUE - it cannot even be compared.

 

I agree, we always check out Carnival, RCCL, NCL, and sometimes a few others...for us it does come down to price and getting the most bang for our buck!

[tea4ular]

Our 7 night E. Caribbean is $500 more per person on RC for the same balcony cabin...WITHOUT the Cloud9 (which we know we're paying for).

 

We cannot justify that much more -

[sammee]

My first cruise was on Royal Explorer of the Seas. It was a free trip (won it). I almost booked it again 3 years later for the family 5 day to Bermuda, $3000. Than I got smart and booked family on Fascination 5 day halfmoon and Nassau for $1000. Every time we want to plan a cruise, I compare looking for the lucky break. I finally got a $1000 5 day to Bermuda on the Grandeur of the Seas. It's an older ship, so we'll see how it goes this weekend.

[John Reid]

Sometimes, if we assume one line will always be cheaper we might miss some opportunities that are available.

 

Sailing this Saturday.

Oasis of the Seas

Superior Ocean Balcony for 2

$1,582.62

With taxes, port fees, and gratuities.

 

Sailing Grandeur out of Baltimore late September

9 night New England/Canada

Large Interior for two $1,762. 52 including $300 port fees and taxes

$200 OBC

 

Sailing Harmony of the Seas January, 2017. Brand new ship.

Superior Ocean Balcony (larger balcony on the "hump")

Two for $1,872.62 including port fees and taxes

 

Hard to beat.

 

I cruise solo every early December. My last two were on Carnival (Freedom and Conquest - both six days).

 

This coming December I got a much better deal on Holland America for the same week. Seven days and a great itinerary.

 

Yes, Carnival is very often less expensive - but not always.

[Warm Breezes]

Sometimes, if we assume one line will always be cheaper we might miss some opportunities that are available.

 

Sailing this Saturday.

Oasis of the Seas

Superior Ocean Balcony for 2

$1,582.62

With taxes, port fees, and gratuities.

 

Sailing Grandeur out of Baltimore late September

9 night New England/Canada

Large Interior for two $1,762. 52 including $300 port fees and taxes

$200 OBC

 

Sailing Harmony of the Seas January, 2017. Brand new ship.

Superior Ocean Balcony (larger balcony on the "hump")

Two for $1,872.62 including port fees and taxes

 

Hard to beat.

 

I cruise solo every early December. My last two were on Carnival (Freedom and Conquest - both six days).

 

This coming December I got a much better deal on Holland America for the same week. Seven days and a great itinerary.

 

Yes, Carnival is very often less expensive - but not always.

 

I never assume Carnival is the cheapest. My problem is I am usually limited on WHEN we can sail. The inflexibility has meant Carnival has always been cheapest when we were looking. We have sailed other lines....but I paid more to do so because other items were more important for us for that vacation than price.