Would seasoned cruisers like a short Carnival cruise?

[KKB]

We have done 5-8 nt cruises on DCL, RCCL, Princess, Celebrity & NCL. Would cruise them all again.

 

We have a $450 Carnival credit to redeem by next Feb...but with no perks, the cost is tough to justify!

 

We have SWA companion pass thru Dec so the incentive to cruise b4 then is high.

 

I have found a 4 nt. Caribbean cruise on the Sunrise. An OV would run us $300 for both of us after our credit. It goes to Key West & Cozumel--honestly I could see us not even getting off the ship! If so. the drink package would make sense for us. So $800 for 4 nts.

 

Some friends & family have said that we might not like Carnival after sailing the other lines ESPECIALLY a 4 night cruise. I've heard they are just "party cruises". We very much enjoy a good time, and were not too put of by the spring break crowds on our 5 night Celebrity cruises. (which were VERY much spring break cruises!)

 

Can others who have sailed Carnival  (esp. short Caribbean cruises) & other lines weigh in?

[40yearcruiser]

We have found that the shorter the cruise the more likely it is a "party" cruise. However, the time of the year can have an effect on how rowdy a crowd is onboard (Spring break and after graduations are notoriously wild).  We have been on a couple 5 night Carnival cruises and they were no different from 7 night ones. I know Carnival has a party reputation, but you can get on a rowdy one on any of the main lines. Luck of the draw!

[KKB]

Just now, 40yearcruiser said:

We have found that the shorter the cruise the more likely it is a "party" cruise. However, the time of the year can have an effect on how rowdy a crowd is onboard (Spring break and after graduations are notoriously wild).  We have been on a couple 5 night Carnival cruises and they were no different from 7 night ones. I know Carnival has a party reputation, but you can get on a rowdy one on any of the main lines. Luck of the draw!

We sure found that out on our 5 day Celebrity spring break cruises! We heard some stories! Luckily we never personally experienced anything intolerable. The pool was extremely busy, no surprise, but we usually prefer to grab a seat at an upper deck anyway.

[jonbgd]

done 3,4,5,6,7, and 8 cruises on CCL

7day out of SJU was more of a party ship than a 3 day out of LGB

mid week cruise will be less pf party than weekend cruise

 

If you havnt been to Key West, great port

Cozumel there is a mexican restaurant at the port called Panchos really good food

 

Right now i will do any cruise 😁

 

[firefly333]

I posted to your other thread I'd attach a short cruise to something else. 3 days at disney, a few days at a beach hotel port canaveral. Personally I dont even drive to Galveston for one short cruise unless I make it a b2b. By the time i pay for gas, hotel, cruise parking, I want to cruise for a while. 

 

No lobster on short cruises unless you do the steak restaurant. 

 

I'm good at avoiding crowds but I factor in the per day cost. 4 days is awfully short. If that's all the time you have go for it. I'm retired, I'd add something to it.

[sunonfire]

Have you looked at the Paradise out of a Tampa?

[bgrmini]

I've sailed both Carnival and NCL. 4, 5, 7, and 8 day cruises. Had a great time on all of them. However, most recently, I've done a 5 day on Paradise, then a couple months later a 4 day. Huge difference in demographics. The 4 day was over a weekend. Much more of a party atmosphere. The 5 day was mostly over weekdays, and was more of a chill crowd. Neither to me were out of hand, just people having a good time.

 

I've also done a 5 day on NCL Jade, followed a month later by NCL Sky when it had open bar. Neither seemed to have any noticeable difference in the behavior of the crowds than any other cruise I've taken.

 

Really, the biggest difference I find between the 2, regardless of length, is the ships themselves. I personally find NCL ships to be nicer, but Carnival service to be better. Kind of just rambling at this point, but just book a short Carnival cruise. Go with the mentality of 'live and let live' and you'll have a great time.

 

My best cruise and my worst cruise were both Carnival, only 2 months apart, and neither were a bad time. Just make sure your ship has an Alchemy Bar, unless its Paradise (but I think all Carnival ships have that now, except Paradise...)

[lobster1313]

We have been doing 3 or 4 night cruises in December and once in the summer, they weren't party cruises but there were a lot more kids in the summer.  The short cruises used to be on older ships but now they will be using the Sunrise out of Miami which was just refurbished so there's more dining choices.  I would suggest going during off times when there's less chance of being on a party cruise.

Edited May 29, 2021 by regoodwinjr

[Lee Cruiser]

We have done numerous 5-8 night cruises on Carnival and love them. We did a four night cruise out of New Orleans a few years ago.  We definitely would NOT do it again!  It was a weekend wrap around cruise and many treated it like one big party. People were screaming in the halls and on their balconies at 2 in the morning.  Not sure about how it would be out of Miami, but since we have to fly there, we wouldn't do that one either.

[balcony bound]

I'm agreeing with most, timing is everything.  Also, a 5 night would better serve you than a 4 night in my opinion and provide a better experience and you can likely find one for a very similar price.

 

Have a great time!  Oh, and if you go to Key West, check out Red Fish Blue Fish, they have the greatest Cioppino I've had.

[happy cruzer]

If school and college is in session, then you will have no problem with a "party" atmosphere.  The average age will be older.  A short cruise on any line is different than a longer one.  Everyone is more in a hurry to have fun :).  So if you decide to take a shorter cruise, set your expectations, it will not be like what you are used to; it is just different.

[Markmom18]

Our local port of Long Beach, CA is my place for these short cruises.  When I drank and partied I found them to yes indeed be “party” ships. I always hung around like minded folks. 🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷

 

 Those days are happily behind me, this lady & drinking alcohol just got progressively worse through time. 😞

 

 For quite awhile now I’m just very grateful for my sobriety. 📘💙😍
 

I DO have a fun time on 3 -4 day cruises.  Just like I do on the 7 days.  My only downside .... just wish those shorter cruises turned into longer ones! 😁🛳

 

Whatever is our own personal idea of fun is on these little cruises too. Anymore it makes no difference to my own cruise experience❣️
 

🛳🛳

Bobbi 

[Markmom18]

1 hour ago, Lee Cruiser said:

We have done numerous 5-8 night cruises on Carnival and love them. We did a four night cruise out of New Orleans a few years ago.  We definitely would NOT do it again!  It was a weekend wrap around cruise and many treated it like one big party. People were screaming in the halls and on their balconies at 2 in the morning.  Not sure about how it would be out of Miami, but since we have to fly there, we wouldn't do that one either.

  
   My husband and I also have had the rude people in resorts. How about the pool furniture thrown into pool at the Hyatt in Kauai?? Just one example we’ve seen over 30 years of vacation travels.  Personally wouldn’t let it stop us from our plans ...

[joeyancho]

Usually the short cruises are on OLD  ships and have the highest per day rate and lots of woo-hoo  people. Not for me.  

[BlerkOne]

Short cruises also attract young families who can't get much time off or afford longer cruises. You get a mix. I wouldn't expect any cruise to be party like it is 2019 for a while.

[KKB]

We are limited by my work schedule so ONE cruise fits that--this 4 night Carnival in Oct over a weekend. My thoughts are the longer the better on cruises...but...

We would get an OV for $300 OOP. (after the $450 credit) We can fly in for $200 each. We have done KW & Coz each several times (and are doing Coz in both July & Nov of this year on other cruises!!): sometimes it's a joy to stay on the ship on a port day--like your own private resort!

Honestly, we are fairly go with the flow people--ANY cruise is a good one. 

We have even said that stranded Carnival cruise would still be better than a day at work! (love my job...but not more than a cruise!) Being on that cruise would have supplied a lifetime of stories to tell, THAT's for sure!!

[Nessa55]

3 hours ago, jonbgd said:

done 3,4,5,6,7, and 8 cruises on CCL

7day out of SJU was more of a party ship than a 3 day out of LGB

mid week cruise will be less pf party than weekend cruise

 

If you havnt been to Key West, great port

Cozumel there is a mexican restaurant at the port called Panchos really good food

 

Right now i will do any cruise 😁

 

I'm with you on the right now part. I really miss cruising but plan to start out on a 3-4 day as opposed to a 7 day just to get a fill for things and then next year go 7. I have been looking at a 3 day on MSC that is reasonable out of Miami for the time slot I am looking at but have some concerns about if I would enjoy the ship. I did the Barcelona cruise on MSC and was not happy with the food or pretty much anything else. I was totally not prepared for it being sooo European which did not make for a good experience for me so I am concerned about all MSC ships at this point. I am happy with Carnival as my second choice (love Holland) so I have booked a Carnival out of Miami for October.

[Barsnikel]

We've done many 4 night, 5 night and 7 night cruises with Carnival.  I wouldn't say they are much different than a longer Carnival cruise.  I do think the home port can make a difference.  The typical crowd out of Galveston is going to be different than the typical crowd out of NYC.

 

4 night cruises are a little short, for my liking.  I'd still do them, but just about the time you get settled in, it's time to think about debarkation.

[IntrepidFromDC]

The ship is so big that the partiers aren't everywhere all the time.  We did a 5-day once and I will never do it again, felt so depressing to have it end as soon as it began.  Our minimum is 7-day, but 8-day feels "just right".  One day we'll do a Panama Canal cruise of 10+ days.  The partiers are kind of like free additional entertainment not on the Fun Times to us, though.

[Anyislandwilldo]

A short cruise to me would be 7 days.  I love doing back to backs.  I love being on a cruise!!

[ninjacat123]

The longest cruise I have taken is an 8 day cruise (awesome!) and the shortest was our first on RCI (a two nighter) which was lots of fun (especially since it was our first).  The most "party" cruise was a 5 day out of Jacksonville on Sensation.  This "party" atmosphere was enhanced by the "bridesmaid shower" that would stroll around lido.  They were having fun and it didn't affect our "fun" in a negative way.  Like others have stated, it's just fun to BE on a cruise.  I hope your October cruise is great!

[naxer]

I've done 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11 and 14 day cruises on Carnival.  3, 4, and 5 days usually in some form of B2B as I have to fly to the port; turnaround days are my favorite part.  I have a 3 and 4 day B2B booked on the Conquest in September.  October is my favorite month to cruise, but I'm going in September because I NEED A VACATION ASAP.   I have found that Carnival is Carnival.  If I want quiet, I can find the quiet (usually Serenity or the Aft Pool).  If I want the party, I can find the party (Lido Pool or anywhere the CD is).  I'm quiet myself, and have never been bothered by the "party atmosphere"...but that may be what I like about Carnival--it's so unlike me.  The people I know wonder how I'm such a Carnival Cruise fan.  If you met me, in our cruise vocabulary, you'd think, "Holland America."