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

[KmomChicago]

2 hours ago, clskinsfan said:

On our last cruise we waited to board our plane with a couple that was heading to a Viking cruise. The gentlemen was a guest speaker for them on their Panama Canal cruises. Really nice couple. We enjoyed speaking with them. But he basically said the same about Viking. Older demo for sure. Now my wife and I are no spring chickens, being in our mid 50's. But we arent dead either. 🙂

 

As far as other lines go, we started on Royal way back in 1997 on Granduer. Our next few cruises were with Carnival. Then we did a NCL, HAL and Celebrity. We fell in love with Celebrity. Everything about their product fit us perfectly. So we stuck with them for a few cruises. And then they changed. And lost us. So last year we tried one of the mega ships. RCL Allure. It was the worst cruise we have ever taken. The ship is huge. But so are the number of people on it. It was madness. The food was poor. But that just seems to be the norm now with cruise lines. The product has basically been reduced by all lines. So we said screw it and are going back to Carnival on the Magic in September. They provide just as good of a product for far less money in our opinion. And the passengers are more fun as well. 

This is all good information! We enjoyed the food on Royal Caribbean Oasis but that was in 2018 and I am sure things have changed in 5 years. We do like the large ships and don't really mind the numbers; at least so far it has not been an issue. 

 

I don't think we are at a point to blackball Carnival or anything, just feeling itchy I guess. 

 

What changed about Celebrity to push you away? We do have them on the short list for Alaska next year, on the Summit, admittedly one of their older ships.

[vacruizer]

I’ve done 21 Carnival, 3 NCL, and a Celebrity so far. I loved Carnival for many years but feel like the product started to decline about 6 or 7 years ago. Or maybe I just outgrew them.  My last Carnival in May 2022 was a disaster unfortunately. Terrible food, short staffed, ship in shockingly poor condition, and almost no entertainment. It was the type cruise that gave Carnival a bad reputation and was sad to see after so many great cruises over the years.
 

I had tried NCL in 2018 for the solo rooms and loved the food and entertainment, but thought daytime activities were a bit boring and crew less friendly.

 I sailed NCL again for my honeymoon in January 2022 and it was lackluster - even with a Haven upgrade. Drink prices were crazy and most everything priced out of the beverage package you paid several hundred extra to have included. Food was just meh. Most off putting, though, was the vocally unhappy crew. Many told us at different times how poorly NCL treated them including finding out after they started a contract they would have no shore leave at all. For months at a time - even after other lines allowed it post Covid. Many were threatening to quit including longtime crew. I wasn’t surprised to hear about them cutting steward’s wages and laying off entertainers mid contract recently. 
 

Celebrity was my most recent cruise and it was amazing. Just a step up on everything -food, service, ship ambiance, and lots of little luxury touches. Attention to detail. I was worried it would be stuffy but instead found a slightly older crowd - middle aged to say early 70s - that was active, friendly, and having a great time. Entertainment was stellar, food fantastic, and the all inclusive package covered most everything including tips and Wi-Fi for less than I could have sailed Carnival for room only at the time. 
 

That said I’m returning to Carnival in the fall as we found a great deal from Norfolk that won’t require airfare which has gotten to be a pain and expensive. How that goes will probably determine whether or not I sail again with them or just move on and deal with flying to sail Celebrity. 
 

[SRQbeachgirl]

We have sailed mostly Carnival, but last week took our first cruise on an "upscale" line on Celebrity Reflection. It was the best cruise we've ever taken. Some of the differences we noted:

 

• Much better food selections and quality in the buffet - including bacon every morning and no "bacon police."
• Cabin service twice daily with turndown (and they still put chocolates on the pillow).
• Different production shows every night with MUCH better talent.
• Hardly any kids and no huge groups of family reunions, teenagers, etc taking over venues.
• Didn't have to sign anything for drinks.
• Immediate acknowledgement and service at every bar, even just for water.
• Didn't have to check out pool towels - they actually trust passengers to take as many as they want and bring them back without supervision.
• No smoking in the casino.
• No one hawking shots or sticking a camera in your face in the MDR.
• MDR has tablecloths and more attentive waitstaff (they still do crumb service!). 
• Passengers in general were more considerate of each other (getting on elevators, in buffet lines, etc).
• Only ONE ship-wide announcement each morning, from the Captain. No constant announcements about bingo, art auctions, pool games, spa sales, etc. 

 

So have we completely "jumped ship" from Carnival to Celebrity? No, since we still think Carnival is a good value. But we will definitely be looking more at Celebrity or other more upscale lines for future cruises, specially when we are seeking more relaxation than 24/7 activity.  

 

[vacruizer]

39 minutes ago, SRQbeachgirl said:

We have sailed mostly Carnival, but last week took our first cruise on an "upscale" line on Celebrity Reflection. It was the best cruise we've ever taken. Some of the differences we noted:

 

• Much better food selections and quality in the buffet - including bacon every morning and no "bacon police."
• Cabin service twice daily with turndown (and they still put chocolates on the pillow).
• Different production shows every night with MUCH better talent.
• Hardly any kids and no huge groups of family reunions, teenagers, etc taking over venues.
• Didn't have to sign anything for drinks.
• Immediate acknowledgement and service at every bar, even just for water.
• Didn't have to check out pool towels - they actually trust passengers to take as many as they want and bring them back without supervision.
• No smoking in the casino.
• No one hawking shots or sticking a camera in your face in the MDR.
• MDR has tablecloths and more attentive waitstaff (they still do crumb service!). 
• Passengers in general were more considerate of each other (getting on elevators, in buffet lines, etc).
• Only ONE ship-wide announcement each morning, from the Captain. No constant announcements about bingo, art auctions, pool games, spa sales, etc. 

 

So have we completely "jumped ship" from Carnival to Celebrity? No, since we still think Carnival is a good value. But we will definitely be looking more at Celebrity or other more upscale lines for future cruises, specially when we are seeking more relaxation than 24/7 activity.  

 

Exactly what I experienced on the Apex.  It was lovely. It also felt so much less crowded with 1,000 less passenger capacity than a similar size Carnival ship and I didn’t miss the constant barrage of pushy sales and announcements at all. 
 

I also loved returning from port to cold towels and infused water on the pier and that the public restrooms were spotless with an attendant during peak hours. And real towels for drying your hands!

[clskinsfan]

13 hours ago, KmomChicago said:

This is all good information! We enjoyed the food on Royal Caribbean Oasis but that was in 2018 and I am sure things have changed in 5 years. We do like the large ships and don't really mind the numbers; at least so far it has not been an issue. 

 

I don't think we are at a point to blackball Carnival or anything, just feeling itchy I guess. 

 

What changed about Celebrity to push you away? We do have them on the short list for Alaska next year, on the Summit, admittedly one of their older ships.

I agree with the two replies after your post. Celebrity IS a step above the other mainstream lines. But you are going to pay for that difference. As far as what changed? Pretty much everything. They went to a new more modern model for their ships and entertainment. And the ships are pretty much dead at 11:00. Most of the activity after that time is in the Sky Lounge on the older ships. Not really our style. It is just a much more laid back experience. Their food declined noticeably over a 4 year span as well. Service is still stellar. I am not saying you will be disappointed in a cruise with them. You will most likely love everything about it if you have been exclusively Carnival. But you are also paying A LOT more for that difference. And to us the cost isnt worth it. I can sail twice on Carnival or Royal for the same cost as a single Celeb cruise. And the product is quite comparable in our opinion. 

[SRQbeachgirl]

22 hours ago, vacruizer said:

Exactly what I experienced on the Apex.  It was lovely. It also felt so much less crowded with 1,000 less passenger capacity than a similar size Carnival ship and I didn’t miss the constant barrage of pushy sales and announcements at all. 
 

I also loved returning from port to cold towels and infused water on the pier and that the public restrooms were spotless with an attendant during peak hours. And real towels for drying your hands!

 

Yes, I completely forgot to mention the restroom attendants, real towels, and the welcome back at the ports! In fact, when we were walking back to the ship in St. Thomas my knee was really hurting (arthritis) and I had to stop walking for a minute about 100 feet before we made it to the greeting tent. One of the crew members saw me, put a cold towel and a glass of infused water on a tray, and came to meet me. Now THAT is service!

[SRQbeachgirl]

11 hours ago, clskinsfan said:

I agree with the two replies after your post. Celebrity IS a step above the other mainstream lines. But you are going to pay for that difference. As far as what changed? Pretty much everything. They went to a new more modern model for their ships and entertainment. And the ships are pretty much dead at 11:00. Most of the activity after that time is in the Sky Lounge on the older ships. Not really our style. It is just a much more laid back experience. Their food declined noticeably over a 4 year span as well. Service is still stellar. I am not saying you will be disappointed in a cruise with them. You will most likely love everything about it if you have been exclusively Carnival. But you are also paying A LOT more for that difference. And to us the cost isnt worth it. I can sail twice on Carnival or Royal for the same cost as a single Celeb cruise. And the product is quite comparable in our opinion. 

 

Maybe it's because we are Florida residents and lucked into a really good resident sale, but we sailed in a Concierge balcony on Celebrity Reflection last week for less than Carnival would have cost for the same week (I had compared prices on both lines before we booked it). I've been comparing Celebrity and Carnival prices for another cruise around April/May timeframe (this year) and we can sail Celebrity for about $500 (total) more than Carnival for a 7 or 8 day cruise. It's hard to pass up Celebrity when the cost is that close. 

[clskinsfan]

14 minutes ago, SRQbeachgirl said:

 

Maybe it's because we are Florida residents and lucked into a really good resident sale, but we sailed in a Concierge balcony on Celebrity Reflection last week for less than Carnival would have cost for the same week (I had compared prices on both lines before we booked it). I've been comparing Celebrity and Carnival prices for another cruise around April/May timeframe (this year) and we can sail Celebrity for about $500 (total) more than Carnival for a 7 or 8 day cruise. It's hard to pass up Celebrity when the cost is that close. 

That is interesting. I have never seen comparable cruises that close. But that is still $500. And that will be my alcohol bill on a Carnival cruise. The same alcohol bill on Celeb would be $800. Or you can spend $1000 up front with the drink package included. We are doing a 6 nighter on Magic to Bermuda in September. Balcony room is $1400 for both of us. Or $110 per night. I cant come close to that on Celebrity. I cant buy beer buckets on Celeb for $6 discounts. There are just so many things that are more expensive. Again. We loved Celeb. Until we didnt anymore. Because we felt like the value was not there like it used to be. And I am not saying we will never sail Celebrity again. Because we would if the itinerary was right. But we think that the decline in overall product from ALL lines makes spending less worth it for us. 

[BlerkOne]

Carnival had infused water and a welcome home at every port on my last cruise.

 

Celebrity still does have a daily paper and with it daily sale papers that promptly go into the trash. I like that Carnival eliminated all that waste.

 

I find the Celebrity app is better than the Carnival app, but with Celebrity now having a charge for room service that advantage is gone 

[vacruizer]

13 hours ago, clskinsfan said:

I agree with the two replies after your post. Celebrity IS a step above the other mainstream lines. But you are going to pay for that difference. As far as what changed? Pretty much everything. They went to a new more modern model for their ships and entertainment. And the ships are pretty much dead at 11:00. Most of the activity after that time is in the Sky Lounge on the older ships. Not really our style. It is just a much more laid back experience. Their food declined noticeably over a 4 year span as well. Service is still stellar. I am not saying you will be disappointed in a cruise with them. You will most likely love everything about it if you have been exclusively Carnival. But you are also paying A LOT more for that difference. And to us the cost isnt worth it. I can sail twice on Carnival or Royal for the same cost as a single Celeb cruise. And the product is quite comparable in our opinion. 

Recently I’ve found Celebrity pricing to be very close to Carnival and actually less than Royal or NCL. That probably depends on itinerary but for a basic 7 day Caribbean, I was surprised at how good the pricing was. 

[Joebucks]

On 2/1/2023 at 9:05 PM, vacruizer said:

I’ve done 21 Carnival, 3 NCL, and a Celebrity so far. I loved Carnival for many years but feel like the product started to decline about 6 or 7 years ago. Or maybe I just outgrew them.  My last Carnival in May 2022 was a disaster unfortunately. Terrible food, short staffed, ship in shockingly poor condition, and almost no entertainment. It was the type cruise that gave Carnival a bad reputation and was sad to see after so many great cruises over the years.

 

I think there's an important difference between product declining and no longer being a value. People absolutely hate change. They will remember all of the negative things, but ignore the positives. It's a tough sell that any brand has consistently improved or even maintained all levels of their product. To constantly look for greener grass because of a "baseline of what used to be" is a recipe for a bad time.

[KmomChicago]

22 hours ago, clskinsfan said:

I agree with the two replies after your post. Celebrity IS a step above the other mainstream lines. But you are going to pay for that difference. As far as what changed? Pretty much everything. They went to a new more modern model for their ships and entertainment. And the ships are pretty much dead at 11:00. Most of the activity after that time is in the Sky Lounge on the older ships. Not really our style. It is just a much more laid back experience. Their food declined noticeably over a 4 year span as well. Service is still stellar. I am not saying you will be disappointed in a cruise with them. You will most likely love everything about it if you have been exclusively Carnival. But you are also paying A LOT more for that difference. And to us the cost isnt worth it. I can sail twice on Carnival or Royal for the same cost as a single Celeb cruise. And the product is quite comparable in our opinion. 

 

I cruised Celebrity Millennium in 2001, just a few weeks after 9/11, actually, that October. It was a nice cruise on a brand new stunning ship but my personal life and tastes were moving away from cruising so some of the value was lost on me. 

 

For our Alaska tentative cruise, the price is actually not higher than Carnival, it's a bit lower, which we all know is sometimes due to the bizarre economic alchemy of dates and high / low seasons and other factors.  Anyone who's read about my frugality knows I am ALL ABOUT getting better stuff for cheaper. 

[trummy]

13 hours ago, SRQbeachgirl said:

 

Maybe it's because we are Florida residents and lucked into a really good resident sale, but we sailed in a Concierge balcony on Celebrity Reflection last week for less than Carnival would have cost for the same week (I had compared prices on both lines before we booked it). I've been comparing Celebrity and Carnival prices for another cruise around April/May timeframe (this year) and we can sail Celebrity for about $500 (total) more than Carnival for a 7 or 8 day cruise. It's hard to pass up Celebrity when the cost is that close. 

I was on the same cruise as you. In many ways, the Celebrity Reflection was better than Carnival. But, not all. Yes, Celebrity had better shows and better service in some areas. But, I find Carnival to have better food, more fun areas/activities and a lighter all around feel. 

 

I'm not a spring chicken, but I felt the demographics and activities on Celebrity to be less fun. Where was the disco, the piano bar, karaoke? I like that Carnival has a dedicated comedy club and the Guy Burgers are far superior to the burgers on Celebrity.

 

In the end it comes down to ones own preferences. I prefer Carnival. The people seem happier, 

 

I was Concierge class as well. This is a basic balcony with a bottle of wine and a few snacks thrown in. The regular balconies on Carnival are larger and the storage space is better. 

 

Edited February 3, 2023 by trummy

[KmomChicago]

On 2/1/2023 at 8:52 PM, SRQbeachgirl said:

We have sailed mostly Carnival, but last week took our first cruise on an "upscale" line on Celebrity Reflection. It was the best cruise we've ever taken. Some of the differences we noted:

 

• Much better food selections and quality in the buffet - including bacon every morning and no "bacon police."
• Cabin service twice daily with turndown (and they still put chocolates on the pillow).
• Different production shows every night with MUCH better talent.
• Hardly any kids and no huge groups of family reunions, teenagers, etc taking over venues.
• Didn't have to sign anything for drinks.
• Immediate acknowledgement and service at every bar, even just for water.
• Didn't have to check out pool towels - they actually trust passengers to take as many as they want and bring them back without supervision.
• No smoking in the casino.
• No one hawking shots or sticking a camera in your face in the MDR.
• MDR has tablecloths and more attentive waitstaff (they still do crumb service!). 
• Passengers in general were more considerate of each other (getting on elevators, in buffet lines, etc).
• Only ONE ship-wide announcement each morning, from the Captain. No constant announcements about bingo, art auctions, pool games, spa sales, etc. 

 

So have we completely "jumped ship" from Carnival to Celebrity? No, since we still think Carnival is a good value. But we will definitely be looking more at Celebrity or other more upscale lines for future cruises, specially when we are seeking more relaxation than 24/7 activity.  

 

 

Great information, thank you!

[KmomChicago]

On 2/1/2023 at 9:38 PM, vacruizer said:

Exactly what I experienced on the Apex.  It was lovely. It also felt so much less crowded with 1,000 less passenger capacity than a similar size Carnival ship and I didn’t miss the constant barrage of pushy sales and announcements at all. 
 

I also loved returning from port to cold towels and infused water on the pier and that the public restrooms were spotless with an attendant during peak hours. And real towels for drying your hands!

 

Sounds very nice, thank you for the comments. 

[KmomChicago]

8 hours ago, Joebucks said:

 

I think there's an important difference between product declining and no longer being a value. People absolutely hate change. They will remember all of the negative things, but ignore the positives. It's a tough sell that any brand has consistently improved or even maintained all levels of their product. To constantly look for greener grass because of a "baseline of what used to be" is a recipe for a bad time.

 

I don't think Carnival has gotten worse overall for us. . . that's not the issue and really there is no issue per se.  I'm just interested in trying something else but don't want to waste a fortune doing so, for no reason, LOL.   I do read all the "everything has gone to h-e-double hockey sticks" comments on various threads.  I am usually the one who doesn't miss whatever changed and often likes the new way better anyhow.

[SRQbeachgirl]

5 hours ago, trummy said:

I was on the same cruise as you. In many ways, the Celebrity Reflection was better than Carnival. But, not all. Yes, Celebrity had better shows and better service in some areas. But, I find Carnival to have better food, more fun areas/activities and a lighter all around feel. 

 

I'm not a spring chicken, but I felt the demographics and activities on Celebrity to be less fun. Where was the disco, the piano bar, karaoke? I like that Carnival has a dedicated comedy club and the Guy Burgers are far superior to the burgers on Celebrity.

 

In the end it comes down to ones own preferences. I prefer Carnival. The people seem happier, 

 

I was Concierge class as well. This is a basic balcony with a bottle of wine and a few snacks thrown in. The regular balconies on Carnival are larger and the storage space is better. 

 

 

Carnival definitely gets the win for the included daytime food options (Guy's, Blue Tequila, Shaq's) and also gets the nod for the comedy shows every night.

 

We were in a "prime" concierge balcony, which is the size of an extended balcony on Carnival, so that was a nice feature for us but certainly would not be a deciding factor for a future cruise.

 

We will cruise both depending on what we're in the mood for. It's great to have options for both types of cruising.

[surfone]

We are platinum on CCL and NCL.  We just got off NCL Encore last Sunday and it was so crowded.  But, we are leaning toward more HAL cruising.  We have 3 with HAL.  Cruised 2x Celebrity, one Royal. We also tried Virgin the week prior the Encore and surprisingly with really enjoyed it much more than anticipated.  No kids,  no annoying announcements,  no daily gratuities, Free wifi, and best food we have ever had on a cruise.  Crew was the happiest and talked to many of the crew that spoke about their previous jobs on CCL, Princess, NCL, Royal to name a few that Virgin treated them with much more respect,  Virgin may not be for all but another choice.  We plan to try them again but out of Europe.  Saying this we have 2 CCL cruises planned this year.  Like you after so many we are trying out new lines, new ships, etc., just love cruising.

[WKUTopperFan]

After taking my first Celebrity cruise over Thanksgiving on the Apex (I'm a Platinum on Carnival and currently have two cruises booked... one on the Horizon this month and a European cruise on the Pride in September), I'm now looking to spread my vacation dollar with other lines. I was thrilled with my cruise on the Apex. It was just a step above the Carnival experience. The ship was more refined, there were less kids, specialty dining was amazing, no signing receipts when you get a drink, wine list was great, no annoying announcements all day, entertainment top notch and TURNDOWN SERVICE.

 

All that said, there were aspects of the Carnival experience I missed (Guys Burgers, Smoking in the casino, Alchemy Bar to name a few) so I won't abandon Carnival but I think I want to try out other lines. I'll definitely sail Apex again... this time in a suite so I can check out the Retreat experience.  I want to sail on Virgin as it's adult only...I just don't like that they only have such short sailings. 

 

I'm looking forward to getting on the Horizon at the end of the month and comparing it to my Celebrity experience in November... hopefully I will still love my Carnival sailings.

 

 

[Caribensun]

Haven’t done Carnival in years, it wasn’t that bad, it was more the passengers onboard why we didn’t go back, too party and disrespectful.  That being said, will never go back on Celebrity, was in a Spa Suite on Eclipse when it was brand new, , basic balcony room, tiny balcony, no where to eat most of the time, nothing to do, wasn’t just us, had friends in Grand Suite and other suites and rooms that were bored too and we all felt like we overpaid.  Could NOTswitch dining venues, but we did pay for restaurants and they were good.  Princess, tired of nickel and dimming, cutting back, end of cruise folio being emailed after you get home, don’t even start on their new drink packages.  RCCL, too big of ships, exhausting and expensive.  Holland ok, but food hardly available and scaled back, so need Neptune Suite and they have cut back, not worth it.  I think Carnival may be our new line, plenty of places to eat and things to do.  

[surfone]

On 2/4/2023 at 7:23 PM, WKUTopperFan said:

After taking my first Celebrity cruise over Thanksgiving on the Apex (I'm a Platinum on Carnival and currently have two cruises booked... one on the Horizon this month and a European cruise on the Pride in September), I'm now looking to spread my vacation dollar with other lines. I was thrilled with my cruise on the Apex. It was just a step above the Carnival experience. The ship was more refined, there were less kids, specialty dining was amazing, no signing receipts when you get a drink, wine list was great, no annoying announcements all day, entertainment top notch and TURNDOWN SERVICE.

 

All that said, there were aspects of the Carnival experience I missed (Guys Burgers, Smoking in the casino, Alchemy Bar to name a few) so I won't abandon Carnival but I think I want to try out other lines. I'll definitely sail Apex again... this time in a suite so I can check out the Retreat experience.  I want to sail on Virgin as it's adult only...I just don't like that they only have such short sailings. 

 

I'm looking forward to getting on the Horizon at the end of the month and comparing it to my Celebrity experience in November... hopefully I will still love my Carnival sailings.

 

 

The  Virgin Valiant Lady out of Miami has 8 night cruises,  we just cruised this month.  Many we talked to on VL said they hope we see an expansion with Virgin in the future as far as embark ports. I think you would like Virgin

[pcrum]

On 2/1/2023 at 9:52 PM, SRQbeachgirl said:

We have sailed mostly Carnival, but last week took our first cruise on an "upscale" line on Celebrity Reflection. It was the best cruise we've ever taken. Some of the differences we noted:

 

• Much better food selections and quality in the buffet - including bacon every morning and no "bacon police."
• Cabin service twice daily with turndown (and they still put chocolates on the pillow).
• Different production shows every night with MUCH better talent.
• Hardly any kids and no huge groups of family reunions, teenagers, etc taking over venues.
• Didn't have to sign anything for drinks.
• Immediate acknowledgement and service at every bar, even just for water.
• Didn't have to check out pool towels - they actually trust passengers to take as many as they want and bring them back without supervision.
• No smoking in the casino.
• No one hawking shots or sticking a camera in your face in the MDR.
• MDR has tablecloths and more attentive waitstaff (they still do crumb service!). 
• Passengers in general were more considerate of each other (getting on elevators, in buffet lines, etc).
• Only ONE ship-wide announcement each morning, from the Captain. No constant announcements about bingo, art auctions, pool games, spa sales, etc. 

 

So have we completely "jumped ship" from Carnival to Celebrity? No, since we still think Carnival is a good value. But we will definitely be looking more at Celebrity or other more upscale lines for future cruises, specially when we are seeking more relaxation than 24/7 activity.  

 

I must agree that Celebrity is absolutely lovely. I celebrated my 60th birthday in December on the Summit, an older ship, but was blown away by the service, food, and drinks. I much prefer the “ everything included “ model and we booked at a time when the premium beverage package was included. Carnival has an abysmal wine list, but had we added their “Cheers” package and gratitudes and unlimited Wi-Fi, it would have been more expensive than Celebrity, which included all of these items. 
 

We also had a great experience on MSC last year and have booked a longer cruise on them for later this year.

 

But after my Summit cruise, I can’t wait to get back on another M- class Celebrity ship. 
 

 

[pcrum]

On 2/2/2023 at 9:44 AM, clskinsfan said:

I agree with the two replies after your post. Celebrity IS a step above the other mainstream lines. But you are going to pay for that difference. As far as what changed? Pretty much everything. They went to a new more modern model for their ships and entertainment. And the ships are pretty much dead at 11:00. Most of the activity after that time is in the Sky Lounge on the older ships. Not really our style. It is just a much more laid back experience. Their food declined noticeably over a 4 year span as well. Service is still stellar. I am not saying you will be disappointed in a cruise with them. You will most likely love everything about it if you have been exclusively Carnival. But you are also paying A LOT more for that difference. And to us the cost isnt worth it. I can sail twice on Carnival or Royal for the same cost as a single Celeb cruise. And the product is quite comparable in our opinion. 

I compared Carnival to Celebrity for a 4 night cruise 12/27-12/31/22. With the Wi-Fi, tips, and premium beverage package (included at the time of our booking) plus $100/person onboard credit, Celebrity was cheaper than doing Carnival at the same time and adding in a “Cheers” package, tips, and Wi-Fi. Plus, Carnival’s Cheers is not really geared to wine drinkers and we like the better wines. I’m all about the bottom line, but when I can get a better cruise experience for less money than Carnival, that’s where I’m sailing. I have not been on Carnival since 2013 because I prefer other lines. MSC and NCL are also favorites. 

[pcrum]

On 2/3/2023 at 11:43 AM, trummy said:

I was on the same cruise as you. In many ways, the Celebrity Reflection was better than Carnival. But, not all. Yes, Celebrity had better shows and better service in some areas. But, I find Carnival to have better food, more fun areas/activities and a lighter all around feel. 

 

I'm not a spring chicken, but I felt the demographics and activities on Celebrity to be less fun. Where was the disco, the piano bar, karaoke? I like that Carnival has a dedicated comedy club and the Guy Burgers are far superior to the burgers on Celebrity.

 

In the end it comes down to ones own preferences. I prefer Carnival. The people seem happier, 

 

I was Concierge class as well. This is a basic balcony with a bottle of wine and a few snacks thrown in. The regular balconies on Carnival are larger and the storage space is better. 

 

Concierge was so much more to us. I live in Orlando, so we drove to Miami the morning of our sailing. After driving in Miami traffic, having the sit down lunch in the MDR for concierge class was worth the price to me!!  We also were invited to the helipad for sail away, which was stunning. A great view and cocktails, what’s not to like? My daughter is gluten free and I’m low carb, so we let our room steward know we preferred a fruit and cheese plate as our snack and he had it there every afternoon. The upgraded bottle of bubbly came home with us. There was also a dedicated line for us at guest services. I’d do concierge class again! We were fortunate to get an aft balcony, so the balcony was huge and we enjoyed our room service breakfast there each morning. I can’t wait to sail Celebrity concierge class again! 

[WKUTopperFan]

44 minutes ago, surfone said:

The  Virgin Valiant Lady out of Miami has 8 night cruises,  we just cruised this month.  Many we talked to on VL said they hope we see an expansion with Virgin in the future as far as embark ports. I think you would like Virgin

Thanks for the information.  I'll look into that. I thought they only did 4 or 5 night sailings. This is cool news to me!