Carnival Legend yes or no?

[MicCanberra]

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.

WOW, that is very shoddy, glad it worked out for the patient in the end.

[Ynotcruisin]

Thanks all for the feedback, going to book Carnival this arvo, at $1750 for a balcony room and no flights required, it makes it a much better deal, as well as a special they are running of $500 in room credit [emoji6]

 

 

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[jspqld]

Umm, I have sailed on various Carnival Ships & RCI Ships and like to cruise on both Lines. Both have advantages.

Although I grew up in Melb I wouldn't be a fan of cruising from there unless you were heading south. If you're going to the islands you could potentially waste more time and have more rough sea days to and from there.

RCI ships are a step up as in most of them are larger and have bigger and better designed facilities. Better overall décor and if you go on the larger ships you will get bigger entertainment productions on stage and as ice arena shows. The larger ships also have nicer lido decks.

If you consider an Ovation cruise, that is in a league all of it's own and can't be compared to any other ship in Aus.

 

I have often found carnival to have better overall food and service, their 24hr hand made pizza is pretty good lol.

The Carnival Legend was designed in the era of most of Carnivals other ships by a designer called Joe Farcus. Each has their own theme in the public areas and they are bold and in your face. Having said that after a day or two on board, it all starts to blend in rather well and you get used to it. The legend is based on famous legends of the world, eg, you will see a great big old photograph of Film Oscar legends. The cabins on carnival Legend do look older in design and colours. The Legend is very easy to navigate your way around and plenty of lifts to get you up and down quickly. Pricing is AUD and you sometimes get great deals on this ship.

[MicCanberra]

Thanks all for the feedback, going to book Carnival this arvo, at $1750 for a balcony room and no flights required, it makes it a much better deal, as well as a special they are running of $500 in room credit [emoji6]

 

 

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Have a great cruise.:D

[Ynotcruisin]

Umm, I have sailed on various Carnival Ships & RCI Ships and like to cruise on both Lines. Both have advantages.

Although I grew up in Melb I wouldn't be a fan of cruising from there unless you were heading south. If you're going to the islands you could potentially waste more time and have more rough sea days to and from there.

RCI ships are a step up as in most of them are larger and have bigger and better designed facilities. Better overall décor and if you go on the larger ships you will get bigger entertainment productions on stage and as ice arena shows. The larger ships also have nicer lido decks.

If you consider an Ovation cruise, that is in a league all of it's own and can't be compared to any other ship in Aus.

 

I have often found carnival to have better overall food and service, their 24hr hand made pizza is pretty good lol.

The Carnival Legend was designed in the era of most of Carnivals other ships by a designer called Joe Farcus. Each has their own theme in the public areas and they are bold and in your face. Having said that after a day or two on board, it all starts to blend in rather well and you get used to it. The legend is based on famous legends of the world, eg, you will see a great big old photograph of Film Oscar legends. The cabins on carnival Legend do look older in design and colours. The Legend is very easy to navigate your way around and plenty of lifts to get you up and down quickly. Pricing is AUD and you sometimes get great deals on this ship.

 

 

Thanks for the feedback, I do understand there will be more sea days but when you consider that my wife and I are paying for us, 3 full fair kids, 1 child and both sets of our parents a RC cruise would need to be well priced to be able to compare. 10 airfares return to Sydney would pump the cost of this trip up by over $3k, add to that the better room credit (in fact its $600) and that's almost another $3k better than we would get on a RC cruise. I personally would prefer RC but this is to be a family thank you/get together and the $6k saving is prob to big to refuse [emoji6]

 

 

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[Ynotcruisin]

Have a great cruise.:D

 

 

Thanks Mic [emoji846]

 

 

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[Ondine]

For me Melb to Melb is a no brainer. Living in the inner south eastern suburbs (only 10 ks from the city) it would take at least 2 hours for me to get to the airport through horrendous traffic since the powers that be decreed we don't need a airport rail link!!! Then airport security and waiting times and exhorbitant parking at the airport - no thanks.

 

Just completed a 12 night cruise to the islands - 3 days at sea then 5 ports and 3 days back. Most passengers didn't mind the sea days. I noticed a lot of retail therapy during the last few days. Lots to do, games, activities or just chill out and it beats being cooped up in an aircraft anyday having to weigh your luggage etc.

 

Princess do a lot of 12-14 night trips Mel-Mel with lots of sea days and they don't seem to have any trouble filling them.

 

If RCCL decide to homeport Melb then I will try them if the price is right. For now I will take what I can get and guess I will have to put up with the bad decor. A friend travelled RCCL last November and wasn't very impressed. Her other trip had been Cunard so maybe that might have influenced her. They did have to fly to Sydney and stay in an hotel which also detracted from the experience and cost more.

 

To each his own. Love the feed back. :)

[Ynotcruisin]

For me Melb to Melb is a no brainer. Living in the inner south eastern suburbs (only 10 ks from the city) it would take at least 2 hours for me to get to the airport through horrendous traffic since the powers that be decreed we don't need a airport rail link!!! Then airport security and waiting times and exhorbitant parking at the airport - no thanks.

 

 

 

Just completed a 12 night cruise to the islands - 3 days at sea then 5 ports and 3 days back. Most passengers didn't mind the sea days. I noticed a lot of retail therapy during the last few days. Lots to do, games, activities or just chill out and it beats being cooped up in an aircraft anyday having to weigh your luggage etc.

 

 

 

Princess do a lot of 12-14 night trips Mel-Mel with lots of sea days and they don't seem to have any trouble filling them.

 

 

 

If RCCL decide to homeport Melb then I will try them if the price is right. For now I will take what I can get and guess I will have to put up with the bad decor. A friend travelled RCCL last November and wasn't very impressed. Her other trip had been Cunard so maybe that might have influenced her. They did have to fly to Sydney and stay in an hotel which also detracted from the experience and cost more.

 

 

 

To each his own. Love the feed back. :)

 

 

Thanks, we traveled explorer of the seas in march and loved it but your right about the airport stuff hence why I think we will give Carnival a go, we had to get up at 5.30 as we live near Cockatoo, Hr and a half traffic, $90 in long term car park, $350 return airfares $50 cab to the port.. then had to fill 5 hrs after our return to get the flight home.. good excuse as any to try from Melb . Not to mention found out today we will get $700 credit per room so even better still[emoji3]

 

 

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[OzKiwiJJ]

 

The Carnival Legend ... Pricing is AUD and you sometimes get great deals on this ship.

 

Do you ever! We managed to get a Vista suite on a last minute booking that was cheaper than RCI were charging for an inside cabin on Ovation on a similar length cruise.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Thanks, we traveled explorer of the seas in march and loved it but your right about the airport stuff hence why I think we will give Carnival a go, we had to get up at 5.30 as we live near Cockatoo, Hr and a half traffic, $90 in long term car park, $350 return airfares $50 cab to the port.. then had to fill 5 hrs after our return to get the flight home.. good excuse as any to try from Melb . Not to mention found out today we will get $700 credit per room so even better still[emoji3]

 

Woohoo! Well done. :D

[jspqld]

Do you ever! We managed to get a Vista suite on a last minute booking that was cheaper than RCI were charging for an inside cabin on Ovation on a similar length cruise.

 

Yea I have often seen better deals on the Legend as opposed to the spirit which is here year round. I have twice sailed on the legend in a gt balcony for just over $100 pp per night as well as obc thrown in. One time we even scored a massive premium balcony.

[MicCanberra]

Do you ever! We managed to get a Vista suite on a last minute booking that was cheaper than RCI were charging for an inside cabin on Ovation on a similar length cruise.

Last minute sales are great but for larger groups, everyone getting time off at last minute is hard.

[MicCanberra]

Not to mention found out today we will get $700 credit per room so even better still[emoji3]

 

 

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It is getting better all the time, started at $500, Great score.

[Ynotcruisin]

Yeah the $700 per room is a huge score, means the balcony room will basically cost $1050 for 11nights! Good deal in anyone's language [emoji857][emoji41]

And no flights!!

 

 

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[MicCanberra]

Bonus, nice south pacific island itinerary as well.

Cruise Schedule: Melbourne, Australia (06 Feb d1600); Isle of Pines, New Caledonia (10 Feb 0800-1700); Lifou, New Caledonia (11 Feb 0800-1700); Mare, New Caledonia (12 Feb 0800-1700); Noumea, New Caledonia (13 Feb 0800-1700); Melbourne, Australia (17 Feb a0800)

[Ondine]

Sounds like a great deal ynotcruisin. We don't get the benefit of competition much in Melb so congratulations. Only 10 months to wait. My trip is not till Nov 2018 so even longer. Getting itchy feet already. :cool:

[3littlepigs]

We have been on Radiance (RCCL) and Legend and probably wouldn't choose to cruise either line again.

 

We found the food on Carnival vastly superior to Radiance, they do some great Indian food and the pizza is good. The RCCL food looked great on the plate but tasted awful, my daughter still laughs and calls anything bland or tasteless Radiance food.

 

Our cabin staff on Radiance were great, on Carnival he was an opinionated jerk, I still don't know how he got the job.

 

Radiance is a beautiful looking ship, but we found it very crowded. Carnival Legend is eye blisteringly ugly, what drugs was that designer on? Beyond brutal, nobody can prepare you for how bad it is, you really have to see for yourself.

 

For the convenience of not having to fly, particularly such a large group, and the price, I suggest Carnival, the savings will go a long way to obliterating the ugliness!

[Ynotcruisin]

We have been on Radiance (RCCL) and Legend and probably wouldn't choose to cruise either line again.

 

We found the food on Carnival vastly superior to Radiance, they do some great Indian food and the pizza is good. The RCCL food looked great on the plate but tasted awful, my daughter still laughs and calls anything bland or tasteless Radiance food.

 

Our cabin staff on Radiance were great, on Carnival he was an opinionated jerk, I still don't know how he got the job.

 

Radiance is a beautiful looking ship, but we found it very crowded. Carnival Legend is eye blisteringly ugly, what drugs was that designer on? Beyond brutal, nobody can prepare you for how bad it is, you really have to see for yourself.

 

For the convenience of not having to fly, particularly such a large group, and the price, I suggest Carnival, the savings will go a long way to obliterating the ugliness!

 

 

WOW, don't hold back lol [emoji23]

 

 

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[MicCanberra]

WOW, don't hold back lol [emoji23]

 

 

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Yeah, what a Zinger;p

[3littlepigs]

Figured OP was looking for the truth not a wishy washy "she'll be right" comment...nothing there that's not the truth!

 

 

For their purposes Legend will do very nicely...doesn't stop it being ugly!

[Greensteam]

I would not hesitate with Carnival Legend. Haven't been on RC so I can't compare. Legend was good for me last time, would do it all over again.

[Hunter69]

Two other thing's.

You don't have to deal with US dollars

Shore excursions & drinks are way cheaper on Carnival..

I am Platnium cruiser with Carnival & i prefer Legend over the Spirit. Even though the Spirit has a few more features. I think the vibe & the staff are way better. It's like the ugly sister; shes more pleasurable & relaxing & costs less to satisfy.. Enjoy..

[MicCanberra]

Two other thing's.

You don't have to deal with US dollars

Shore excursions & drinks are way cheaper on Carnival..

I am Platnium cruiser with Carnival & i prefer Legend over the Spirit. Even though the Spirit has a few more features. I think the vibe & the staff are way better. It's like the ugly sister; shes more pleasurable & relaxing & costs less to satisfy.. Enjoy..

LOL, now that is a reassuring vote of confidence in the Legend.;p

[Hunter69]

I don't know Mic. But since it followed the Spirit into service & it hasn't had upgrades yet. Next Year. Thats why i give it the under dog or ugly sister status. Just off Spirit on Friday. Had a good time. But all you get to hear from Carnival Australia internet pages; is Dessi (maittd) In MDR, Eli the Cruise director & Music Manilla in main bar are so great. Went to Tassie in Feb with Legend. MDR, CD & Main Bar just as good or better. I have friends who prefer on RCL boat over other.. Yes it's strange.. Go The Legend...