OPINIONS NEEDED: Carnival fans who have tried "upgraded" lines. . . what is the advantage and is it worth it?

[KmomChicago]

1 hour ago, LuvCruiSun said:

We’re almost Diamond on Carnival, but going to check out Princess in January since they’re going to start sailing out of San Diego where we live. The cruise goes to Loreto and La Paz which will be new ports for us. Really excited for this!

 

Please come back and let us know your thoughts, pros and cons and how they really are different. 

[RD64]

4 hours ago, lazydayz said:

We have tried one Celebrity cruise, three HAL cruises and about thirty cruises on each of Carnival and Royal. For our family, Carnival wins.  Just so laid back and casual.  For hubby and me, we choose either Royal or Carnival.  Really depends on the best value for places we want to go.  We did Carnival for the Panama Canal, and have Carnival booked for Greenland/Canada and the Hawaiian islands.  And three Caribbean cruises booked, one with Royal and two with Carnival.  While we enjoyed the food on HAL, we found them somewhat discriminatory to women and younger people.  Celebrity to us was just an upgraded Royal cruise.   Both Celebrity and HAL were a little bit boring after dinner.

 

But if any cruise line offered us a great value and unique experience, we would probably give it a try.  Just haven’t found anything that is worth spending three to four times what we usually pay.  Our next splurge cruise will likely be a music cruise.  

 

1 minute ago, KmomChicago said:

 

Thanks, I will be interested if you come back and compare and contrast your NCL experience to your many Carnivals.

A 60 person brawl would definitely be considered a unique experience.

[KmomChicago]

1 hour ago, UPNYGuy said:

 

you would be seriously put off by Oceania. the evening entertainment is a string quartet that plays in the lobby (not an atrium)

Not all Carnival ships have an atrium anymore. And there is a lot of live music.  But it sounds like Oceania is not right for us as that is not the primary evening entertainment we are looking for.  We sail more for the ship than the destination and we are definitely T shirt people. 

[tinkr2]

2 hours ago, cruizergal70 said:

It's all perception. Certain things upset other's sensibilities. For instance, a water slide. Even though they have no intention of ever going down a water slide, some people are offended by the mere presence of one on their ship. Others believe that dressing up makes having dinner a "classy" affair even if the food was all the same. As if clothing determines "class." There's much more but I'm sure you get the picture.

 

If you look at other lines, look for the best itineraries that can take you to more places around the world. Go beyond the Caribbean. There's an entire world to see.

I don't think it is that at all. The luxury cruises are smaller so they can go to different ports. As such they do not have room for slides and go carts. And while clothing doesn't make the food better, small ships like Oceania, Regent , Crystal etc.have considerably better food. You're not being charged for filet, lobster, scallops etc.And they do not dress fancy, they do dress nicely .

1 hour ago, UPNYGuy said:

 

you would be seriously put off by Oceania. the evening entertainment is a string quartet that plays in the lobby (not an atrium)

The entertainment is a huge drawback for us. There was a lady with a harp on our Azamara cruise.

[KmomChicago]

1 hour ago, UPNYGuy said:

 

you pay more because there are FAR fewer pax to spread the costs of ship operation out over. Plus, it is expected that the staff to pax ratio will be better, and the food will be better (I can get filet mingon for room service on Oceania).

 

But,  you are also looking at sometimes 3-4 times the cost to sail with them as per carnival. (average 10 day cruise on Oceania is around 5k for an entry level balcony)

Understood. The crowds have rarely bothered me on any cruise ship so far and we are usually over 100% as we travel during school breaks.

 

I really don't need better food than Carnival. Maybe different as we have now tried just about everything they have, though we like it all just fine and most nights in the MDR I am still torn between a few options. I cook myself a decent filet mignon at home whenever I want it and the upcharge for the steakhouse on Carnival is pretty negligible and easily worth it for the quality - $45 per person with a free bottle of wine on the first night - if we are so inclined.

 

Things like smoked salmon that I never eat at home (could, just never do) jazz me up more than fancy steaks, and it's available in the MDR for breakfast / brunch daily on Carnival.  One of my most memorable dishes on a cruise was a massive pan of baklava on an RCI buffet, and they also had the best ratatouille I've ever had in my life. 

 

I never get room service on a cruise, or at least I have not bothered so far. We maybe grab a reuben in the deli or fix a plate in the buffet and bring it back. 

 

I don't mind inside cabins and often choose them to make a better ship more affordable i.e. Oasis and Mardi Gras were both insides - not sure if Oceania even has them.

 

Sounds like it is a great product overall, posh and refined. Just not what we are looking for.

[KmomChicago]

13 minutes ago, RD64 said:

 

A 60 person brawl would definitely be considered a unique experience.

I read about that. Our Adventure of the Seas cruise was out of Port Liberty, NJ and nearly everyone onboard was either from Jersey or Long Island and we had no trouble.  I do understand the mass market cruises with their all ages and all budgets appeal increase risks like this. Hard to imagine such a thing on even just the next step up, say HAL/Princess/Celebrity, and almost unthinkable on something like Seabourn or Ponant.

[KmomChicago]

11 minutes ago, tinkr2 said:

I don't think it is that at all. The luxury cruises are smaller so they can go to different ports. As such they do not have room for slides and go carts. And while clothing doesn't make the food better, small ships like Oceania, Regent , Crystal etc.have considerably better food. You're not being charged for filet, lobster, scallops etc.And they do not dress fancy, they do dress nicely .

The entertainment is a huge drawback for us. There was a lady with a harp on our Azamara cruise.

 

Filet and lobster don't particularly excite me. We eat more steak at home than I really even want - husband loves it. I have had lobster once or twice in my life and I don't get the hype. It's okay, nothing really special to me. I like scallops but again I don't crave them or anything.  I just grilled some salmon last night that came out phenomenal, like near gourmet quality. I think a lot of people have learned how to cook halfway decent at home in these days of the Food Network and so forth. 

 

Food that is "much better" than Carnival or RCI is going to be mostly lost on me. I have considered doing Chef's Table because I know it is an elevated, world class experience for a lot cheaper than something similar would be in Chicago, but then I realize, I just have no need for better food.  I eat like a king already compared to much of the world, and have had very few meals on Carnival or any ship that were less than adequate. 

[KmomChicago]

23 minutes ago, tinkr2 said:

 

 

Holy cow, do you cruise nonstop all year? You mention Azamara but it sounds like you prefer the mass markets anyway. 

 

Carnival Splendor Australia  Nov 5,22 Carnival Splendor July 26,22 Alaska MSC Seashore July 9, 22 Caribbean RCCL Enchantment June 2 Bermuda RCCL,Oasis April 24,22 MSC Divina April8,22 CarnivalHorizon Feb27,22 Enchanted Princess  Southern Caribbean February 18,2021  EPIC Repositioning Dec 5, 2021 Carnival Elation  Bahamas October 16,2021 EPIC  Italy September22,2021 NCL JADE  Greece September 12,2021 ++++

[tinkr2]

When shopping prices, be aware they include a lot more and are often truly all inclusive. Tips, all restaurants, drinks, excursions and better ports. They definitely are more pretentious on some lines. I am not loyal and have tried most once. I am looking forward to trying Windstar and a river Regent. Better food, unique ports would be the reason to try others.

[tinkr2]

2 minutes ago, KmomChicago said:

 

Holy cow, do you cruise nonstop all year? You mention Azamara but it sounds like you prefer the mass markets anyway. 

 

 

When I cruise with my husband I tend to go upscale and fancy. When I am solo or with kids,  I love a deal. I stopped working recently and there are incredible deals currently on cruises.I do not have loyalty to any one, but Royal is my favorite and gives me the most perks. My September cruise is always an upscale for my anniversary. But this year its a land trip to Germany. 

Carnival has the most fun deck parties and best lunch choices.😁

[KmomChicago]

3 minutes ago, tinkr2 said:

When I cruise with my husband I tend to go upscale and fancy. When I am solo or with kids,  I love a deal. I stopped working recently and there are incredible deals currently on cruises.I do not have loyalty to any one, but Royal is my favorite and gives me the most perks. My September cruise is always an upscale for my anniversary. But this year its a land trip to Germany. 

Carnival has the most fun deck parties and best lunch choices.😁

 

Well this all makes perfect sense in so many ways. 

 

I have a lot of sleep problems and therefore am not a real big / good nighttime eater regardless of where I am, which sort of relates to my ambivalence at the promise of better food, which presumably everyone means dinner food. 

 

Lunch probably is my favorite meal and I am rarely very hungry late in the day, so while I do go to dinner onboard of course, I don't especially need or want to and being overfull just makes it even harder to sleep. 

[UPNYGuy]

32 minutes ago, KmomChicago said:

I don't mind inside cabins and often choose them to make a better ship more affordable i.e. Oasis and Mardi Gras were both insides - not sure if Oceania even has them.

 

Sounds like it is a great product overall, posh and refined. Just not what we are looking for.

 

We are the exact opposite. We almost never book inside cabins. I can count on one hand the inside cabins We have had in the past 10-15 cruises. On the Carnival Horizon and Panorama, we had a Havana cabin. 

 

Regarding the food, do not be under the impression that going upmarket will give you more upscale food. DW and I are 3 star on HAL (equivalent to platinum on Carnival), and have had some of the worst food at sea with them. The exact opposite is true with Carnival, especially with the newer ships. The steakhouse on Horizon and Panorama rivaled what we would get on Oceania.

[kctwinmommy]

Interesting question and love how you asked it!

 

We continue to cruise Carnival mostly because we're used to it and most of our cruises have been with another couple and it's usually what they pick. However, I know they've done another line a few times. For us, it's the price we like (and we can, like you, certainly afford many others) and it's a good way to get us someplace warm. We did use them for Alaska as well, but again, because the price and itinerary was what we wanted.

 

Oddly enough, our first cruise was on MSC in 2002. Back in the day, businesses would get "spam" faxes. My police department and my dad's fire department both got a flyer for an MSC cruise that was BOGO for all military and first responders. So on this small MSC ship, my parents opted for one of the I think 6 suites, and it was like $2000 for both of them! Something crazy like that, for 12 days! Our room was like $1000. Now I will admit, I don't remember a lot about the ship itself, but man, the entertainment was a hoot! But that's also because it was a European based line, so it was not very American in the entertainment and food. Which also meant it was more risque! LOL! We had a great time, but we had nothing to compare it to.

 

We did do RCI to Europe in 2017, but again, it was because it had an itinerary we wanted to do. And again we enjoyed it, it was a bigger ship so it had more activities. Which, since we've often cruised with our son, that was important to us.

 

Now he's heading off to college and I think we'll be looking at other options, but mostly because we want to try something else. But it won't be at a major expense. We will still look for deals and for places we want to go. We do want to do a Viking River Cruise, but I wouldn't compare that to Carnival simply because it's not the same kind of itinerary. My parents started with Princess and now do Viking, and they love them. But it's because of options Viking has (wine service, included excursions, etc...).

 

I'm also like you, I'm not needing a lot to "impress" me, just happy people, decent food (I know I won't starve), and warm, sunshine! I don't care much about decor or if the ship is older, as long as its safe. I can't say I'm a big Carnival "cheerleader," but they work well for us and I've had very few complaints.

[Andi Land]

We love Holland America and are branching out to Carnival (one of a kind itinerary).  

 

Holland America has great music venues on their newest ships.  They have the Rolling Stone Rock Room, The BB King Club, and Lincoln Center Stage; a little something for everyone.  

 

We just got off the Alaska itinerary with them last week.  Things are changing for them from what we've seen in the past.  The had a painting class where there is an instructor on board and two hours later you've painted a nice landscape.  They had line dancing classes.  They had lots and lots of trivia (a few times a day).  There was bingo on all the sea days.  Happy hour in the bars.  Sidewalk sales in the lido and atrium. They are lacking in evening stage shows but we don't watch them so it hasn't impacted us.  

 

We are also jeans and tee shirt people.  Those are fine in the MDR on every night except the"formal" night which I now believe they call "dressy".  On dressy night, a polo and slacks are sufficient.  No need to dress up any more than that for men.  I wore slacks and a nice blouse and cardigan.  

 

Food is always subjective but on the newer ships there is a lot to choose from.  They have asian fusion, italian, a steakhouse, pizza, hamburgers and hotdogs, and the Dutch Cafe with lots of fun Dutch treats.  

 

I think they are worth trying to see if you like the product.  I'd recommend the 3 newest ships though for the first time with them.  We've sailed on all their category of ships and find we like them all for different reasons. 

Edited July 4, 2022 by Andi Land

[UPNYGuy]

1 hour ago, KmomChicago said:

 

Thanks, I will be interested if you come back and compare and contrast your NCL experience to your many Carnivals.

 

I myself have mostly stopped cruising on NCL. Look up who the current CEO is (Frank Del Rio). He came over from Renaissance after his administration did a Crysta (tanked it), he resurrected it as Oceania, and oversaw Regent. He is an account that is trying to run NCL holdings (the new company created after Regent and Oceania merged with NCL) like a luxury line, but with mixed results. We are platinum on NCL so this isn't for me disliking the product. This is me disliking all the policy changes back to back, and the staff not being able to keep up. I get more "ask 3 people get 3 different answers" with NCL than any other cruise line (barring HAL, where I have been outright lied to)

Edited July 4, 2022 by UPNYGuy

[UPNYGuy]

9 minutes ago, kctwinmommy said:

Interesting question and love how you asked it!

 

We continue to cruise Carnival mostly because we're used to it and most of our cruises have been with another couple and it's usually what they pick. However, I know they've done another line a few times. For us, it's the price we like (and we can, like you, certainly afford many others) and it's a good way to get us someplace warm. We did use them for Alaska as well, but again, because the price and itinerary was what we wanted.

 

Oddly enough, our first cruise was on MSC in 2002. Back in the day, businesses would get "spam" faxes. My police department and my dad's fire department both got a flyer for an MSC cruise that was BOGO for all military and first responders. So on this small MSC ship, my parents opted for one of the I think 6 suites, and it was like $2000 for both of them! Something crazy like that, for 12 days! Our room was like $1000. Now I will admit, I don't remember a lot about the ship itself, but man, the entertainment was a hoot! But that's also because it was a European based line, so it was not very American in the entertainment and food. Which also meant it was more risque! LOL! We had a great time, but we had nothing to compare it to.

 

We did do RCI to Europe in 2017, but again, it was because it had an itinerary we wanted to do. And again we enjoyed it, it was a bigger ship so it had more activities. Which, since we've often cruised with our son, that was important to us.

 

Now he's heading off to college and I think we'll be looking at other options, but mostly because we want to try something else. But it won't be at a major expense. We will still look for deals and for places we want to go. We do want to do a Viking River Cruise, but I wouldn't compare that to Carnival simply because it's not the same kind of itinerary. My parents started with Princess and now do Viking, and they love them. But it's because of options Viking has (wine service, included excursions, etc...).

 

I'm also like you, I'm not needing a lot to "impress" me, just happy people, decent food (I know I won't starve), and warm, sunshine! I don't care much about decor or if the ship is older, as long as its safe. I can't say I'm a big Carnival "cheerleader," but they work well for us and I've had very few complaints.

 

I am actually glad I saw MSC mentioned. The Seaside class is one of our go-tos if it is doing an itinerary that we want to do. MSC is a great line, and has one of the most wide ranging buffets I have seen. You can walk around the buffet on the Seaside and get standard fare, but also cuban and Mexican fare, vegetarian, Asian, and sometimes Indian food. The Ropa Viejas is better (and spicier) than I make it. 

[KmomChicago]

6 minutes ago, UPNYGuy said:

 

I myself have mostly stopped cruising on NCL. Look up who the current CEO is (Frank Del Rio). He came over from Renaissance after his administration did a Crysta (tanked it), he resurrected it as Oceania, and oversaw Regent. He is an account that is trying to run NCL holdings (the new company created after Regent and Oceania merged with NCL) like a luxury line, but with mixed results. We are platinum on NCL so this isn't for me disliking the product. This is me disliking all the policy changes back to back, and the staff not being able to keep up. I get more "ask 3 people get 3 different answers" with NCL than any others cruise line. 

 

I have to admit, of the big 3, NCL just doesn't grab me, overall, for some reason. I would still give it a whirl if all the stars aligned, and the Breakaway class ships looks like the kind of thing we like.

[KmomChicago]

3 minutes ago, UPNYGuy said:

 

I am actually glad I saw MSC mentioned. The Seaside class is one of our go-tos if it is doing an itinerary that we want to do. MSC is a great line, and has one of the most wide ranging buffets I have seen. You can walk around the buffet on the Seaside and get standard fare, but also cuban and Mexican fare, vegetarian, Asian, and sometimes Indian food. The Ropa Viejas is better (and spicier) than I make it. 

 

Good to know. Would you call it an upgrade over Carnival, back to my original question?  I have sometimes seen pricing for MSC that is very competitive, plus I can sometimes get My Vegas deals with them.

 

I do like me a good buffet and the teen and I both really enjoy different ethnic foods. I saw the Seaside pull right up next to me (on Carnival Sensation, January 2018) in Nassau when she was brand spankin' new and she looked fabulous. I like Cirque du Soleil type entertainment so I kind of assume we would like their Euro spin on the evening shows. 

 

MSC just doesn't have as many departure ports as Carnival or RCI, but then, we have tried lots of Carnival ports to see if any are easier to get to, and they really are not. I could see us mostly going Miami (or Port Canaveral when sailing with my dad and stepmom) in the future. 

[BlerkOne]

51 minutes ago, tinkr2 said:

When shopping prices, be aware they include a lot more and are often truly all inclusive. Tips, all restaurants, drinks, excursions and better ports. They definitely are more pretentious on some lines. I am not loyal and have tried most once. I am looking forward to trying Windstar and a river Regent. Better food, unique ports would be the reason to try others.

I cruised on Windstar once - when they were owned by Carnival Corp! 😁

[KmomChicago]

1 minute ago, BlerkOne said:

I cruised on Windstar once - when they were owned by Carnival Corp! 😁

 

AAAAAAAaaaaaannnnnnddddd . . . how did you like it?

 

Back when I was very young I used to be interested in the Windjammer Barefoot Cruises, though my mom pooh poohed them as probably being a lot of seasickness, not all that safe, and not much comfort or luxury.  I never ended up trying them, because they were a little pricey and sailed from islands rather than the mainland. 

 

I know Windstar is a lot nicer and fancier than those were. Which places them right back into upgrade territory that I know nothing about. 

[UPNYGuy]

23 minutes ago, KmomChicago said:

 

I have to admit, of the big 3, NCL just doesn't grab me, overall, for some reason. I would still give it a whirl if all the stars aligned, and the Breakaway class ships looks like the kind of thing we like.

 

The Haven is quite good on the BA class.The standard balconies and minisuites on Breakaway and Getaway have an arrangement where the bed is recessed into a detent in the wall, and has a loveseat IIRC next to the bed. The cabin behind you would have the bed going in where the loveseat is in your room. The cabins are quite narrow as a result. This is a space saving design, but it makes the cabin look narrow rather than roomy. Also, these ships have the smallest balconies I have ever seen. 

[UPNYGuy]

16 minutes ago, KmomChicago said:

 

Good to know. Would you call it an upgrade over Carnival, back to my original question?  I have sometimes seen pricing for MSC that is very competitive, plus I can sometimes get My Vegas deals with them.

 

I do like me a good buffet and the teen and I both really enjoy different ethnic foods. I saw the Seaside pull right up next to me (on Carnival Sensation, January 2018) in Nassau when she was brand spankin' new and she looked fabulous. I like Cirque du Soleil type entertainment so I kind of assume we would like their Euro spin on the evening shows. 

 

MSC just doesn't have as many departure ports as Carnival or RCI, but then, we have tried lots of Carnival ports to see if any are easier to get to, and they really are not. I could see us mostly going Miami (or Port Canaveral when sailing with my dad and stepmom) in the future. 

 

if you were to go in the Yacht Club, yes. If you are a spa person, yes. I also find the decor on the ships more to my liking, however I quite like the decor on the newer Carnival ships. 

 

With MSC, you have to do your research to what you are getting. You can book multiple packages, but only 2 include flexible dining (aurea and Yacht Club). 

 

If you like "cirque" type entertainment, you will like MSC. They had a partnership with 

Cirque du Soleil on the Meraviglia class ships, and even had a specific theater in the round where the shows were performed. I am not sure if these shows are still being performed. 

 

this is what the inside of MSC Meraviglia looks like.

[UPNYGuy]

23 minutes ago, KmomChicago said:

 

Good to know. Would you call it an upgrade over Carnival, back to my original question?  I have sometimes seen pricing for MSC that is very competitive, plus I can sometimes get My Vegas deals with them.

 

 

out of over 40 cruises, 1/4 of them have been on MSC. we have sailed on them out of Rome, Southampton, Copenhagen, and Miami. We have spent time on all classes of ships aside from the Lirica class. We think very highly of them. 

[KmomChicago]

11 minutes ago, UPNYGuy said:

 

The Haven is quite good on the BA class.The standard balconies and minisuites on Breakaway and Getaway have an arrangement where the bed is recessed into a detent in the wall, and has a loveseat IIRC next to the bed. The cabin behind you would have the bed going in where the loveseat is in your room. The cabins are quite narrow as a result. This is a space saving design, but it makes the cabin look narrow rather than roomy. Also, these ships have the smallest balconies I have ever seen. 

Carnival Mardi Gras standard rooms are configured like this. I liked the ship - in fact while onboard we loved it. But this narrowness was noticeable and they have squeezed the room size down to as small as I consider tolerable.

 

This is one reason I don’t especially love balcony cabins. On some ships you have the same footprint as an oceanview and I’d just as soon have the extra space within the walls. Also we don’t spend much time on them anyway.

[UPNYGuy]

3 minutes ago, KmomChicago said:

Carnival Mardi Gras standard rooms are configured like this.

 

This is what has kept me off that ship. I have looked at it, but I wouldnt sail on it without going in the Havana area, or booking a suite.