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Carnival Legend yes or no?

Ynotcruisin
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Ynotcruisin

Ynotcruisin

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Hey all looking at a cruise for feb 2018 and would like opinions, we either go with RC or carnival, RC will cost the family an extra 30% approx as we are taking the entire family 13people... we can take carnival from Melbourne but RC need flights to Sydney, 10 adults, 1 17y old 1x14y old 1x11y old.

Carnival also has $500 per room credit, is there enough to do for everyone?

 

Is Royal Caribbean really a step up from Carnival?

 

Any information or help would be great

 

 

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OzKiwiJJ Great Review Rare

OzKiwiJJ

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We've done one cruise on each - Carnival Legend and Rhapsody of the Seas which is one of RCI's older and smaller ships. Both cruises were to the South Pacific so very similar.

 

I prefer Carnival, apart from the decor in the public areas which is so bad it's hilarious. We're a retired couple who just enjoy finding quiet spots around the ship to relax and read so I can't comment on the variety of activities for younger folk but the water slides looked fun. Some of the RCI ships appear to have more things like rock climbing, flow riders etc for active folks.

 

There seemed to be more things to suit all ages on Carnival - a couple of pools for the younger ones and the adults-only Serenity area for those wanting some relatively quiet time. At night the Red Frog Pub seemed a popular spot with the younger ones, and we loved the Piano Bar.

 

The food on Legend was consistently very good, on RCI it varied. We found it easier to get somewhere to sit and have a drink before dinner on Carnival, RCI always seemed crowded although the bigger ships may be better.

 

I didn't like the constant upselling on RCI, especially in the MDRs.

 

With the Carnival cruise being so much cheap, and easier since it departs from Melbourne, and onboard costs in AUD, I'd definitely go with Carnival.

 

Carnival doesn't have drinks packages but they do have very good wine packages in the MDR. There are two, Classic and Premium, with a decent range of wines to choose from in each package. The package covers five bottles at around 20% discount on the individual wine list prices. We often had two bottles of wine on the go at once, a red and a white, and unfinished bottles were stored for us for the following night.

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MicCanberra Holiday Sharing Rare

MicCanberra

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Hey all looking at a cruise for feb 2018 and would like opinions, we either go with RC or carnival,

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Not sure where it came from but have not traveled Carnival before, only Royal Caribbean and thoroughly enjoyed it, Carnival is a little cheaper for this purpose however

 

 

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I took it from your first post.

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Thorpe

Thorpe

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I went on Legend once as a solo and have never been on RC ( most cruises on Princess) but would be more than happy to take the family on Legend. Nice ship, nice layout and a good fun family vibe.

 

 

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Ondine

Ondine

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I have just booked the Carnival Legend for Melb/NZ in Nov 2018 (ages away). I got a balcony cabin for what I would have paid for a window on P&O and way way cheaper than Princess. I love the idea of wandering down to Station Pier with no airlines to bother about. Got to watch my pennies.

 

I am interested in seeing what the decor is like. Seen the pictures for the bathrooms with green basins etc. Very interesting - a shock to the senses. Oh boy and the rest of the decor!!!! mmm As long as the food is edible I will be fine.

 

So far they only have a few Melb/Melb cruises for Feb/March and November 2018 but I hope they give us more. There are a lot of people in Victoria.

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MMDown Under Holiday Sharing Rare

MMDown Under

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Ynotcruising and Ondine, this is a link to a thread I started last November when we did our Carnival cruise. You might find it useful.:)

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2419194

 

After looking at photos, I agree that the decor on this ship is beyond ugly. To think someone got paid to do this!

 

Does anyone know what country/countries the ship was decorated for?

 

Glad you got to enjoy a suite, which sounded lovely.

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Ondine

Ondine

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Thanks OzKiwiJJ - followed your links and another link on that thread by DZ63 and it was very interesting. Looks far more outrageous than I imagined. I will have to wear my sunglasses all the time. They actually pay people to design that - it looks like a theme park or a movie storehouse for left over sets. Very USA I guess. Makes the old Pacific Jewel look positively spartan.

 

I don't mind having a mix of ages on the trip, I actually like it to have a family feel as long as kids are kept under control. I find that the enjoyment of the cruise is often a result of the people you befriend more so because I often travel solo. Met some great people.

 

Mic - maybe we will have to construct a canal to Canberra to help you out. We could utilise the North-South pipeline for starters. It's been mothballed - never used!

 

Can't wait for the next 18 months to pass to experience this floating wonderland.

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MicCanberra Holiday Sharing Rare

MicCanberra

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Mic - maybe we will have to construct a canal to Canberra to help you out. We could utilise the North-South pipeline for starters. It's been mothballed - never used!

 

Can't wait for the next 18 months to pass to experience this floating wonderland.

I love the idea, it may even happen before the VFT happens.

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cruisin-m

cruisin-m

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We've done one cruise on each - Carnival Legend and Rhapsody of the Seas which is one of RCI's older and smaller ships. Both cruises were to the South Pacific so very similar.

 

I prefer Carnival, apart from the decor in the public areas which is so bad it's hilarious. We're a retired couple who just enjoy finding quiet spots around the ship to relax and read so I can't comment on the variety of activities for younger folk but the water slides looked fun. Some of the RCI ships appear to have more things like rock climbing, flow riders etc for active folks.

 

There seemed to be more things to suit all ages on Carnival - a couple of pools for the younger ones and the adults-only Serenity area for those wanting some relatively quiet time. At night the Red Frog Pub seemed a popular spot with the younger ones, and we loved the Piano Bar.

 

The food on Legend was consistently very good, on RCI it varied. We found it easier to get somewhere to sit and have a drink before dinner on Carnival, RCI always seemed crowded although the bigger ships may be better.

 

I didn't like the constant upselling on RCI, especially in the MDRs.

 

With the Carnival cruise being so much cheap, and easier since it departs from Melbourne, and onboard costs in AUD, I'd definitely go with Carnival.

 

Carnival doesn't have drinks packages but they do have very good wine packages in the MDR. There are two, Classic and Premium, with a decent range of wines to choose from in each package. The package covers five bottles at around 20% discount on the individual wine list prices. We often had two bottles of wine on the go at once, a red and a white, and unfinished bottles were stored for us for the following night.

 

 

I echo this as well having travelled quite a lot on both on RCI and Carnival, I actually find Carnival to be a step up from RCI out of Australia.

 

The only thing RCI have is that their decor is "nicer" but once you get used to it I found Carnival's to be fun and interesting.

 

They're both kind of "same same but different" really, I wouldn't give either a preference just take the one with the best deal/itinerary... both are amazing cruise lines.

 

Carnival has better entertainment and the friendliest crew at sea in my opinion which sways me towards them.

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zowie57

zowie57

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I have just booked the Carnival Legend for Melb/NZ in Nov 2018 (ages away). I got a balcony cabin for what I would have paid for a window on P&O and way way cheaper than Princess. I love the idea of wandering down to Station Pier with no airlines to bother about. Got to watch my pennies.

 

I am interested in seeing what the decor is like. Seen the pictures for the bathrooms with green basins etc. Very interesting - a shock to the senses. Oh boy and the rest of the decor!!!! mmm As long as the food is edible I will be fine.

 

So far they only have a few Melb/Melb cruises for Feb/March and November 2018 but I hope they give us more. There are a lot of people in Victoria.

 

If you like dark brown copper and bronze then Carnival Legend is the ship for you. Apart from that the Carnival experience represents pretty good value.

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MicCanberra Holiday Sharing Rare

MicCanberra

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If you like dark brown copper and bronze then Carnival Legend is the ship for you. Apart from that the Carnival experience represents pretty good value.

I love copper and bronze but I am not sure I want the ship made of it.;p

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gogo65 "Live from...." Rare

gogo65

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I'm going against the general consensus here, I would go RCCL every time.

The only redeeming feature on carnival is the adults only pool area, for teenagers yes they have the water slides, but that's it, Royal has ice skating, rock climbing, surfing etc

I found carnival to be ugly(as most here agree) and poorly maintained. We had a medical emergency in the middle of the night, the phone in our room didn't work, I went searching for another phone, there was one near the lifts that also didn't work, ran up stairs and called the emergency number and no one answered, A formal complaint was written and a visit to guest services without so much as an apology. Luckily we were a group of 4 nurses, who managed with an epipen, but it could have been so much worse.

You wouldn't pay me to get back on a carnival Australia ship, I'd fly if I had to. In saying that you know your budget, but yes I really think RCCL is a large step above carnival.

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