Convince a Carnival cruiser to try NCL

[misstamster]

We are jumping ship, NCL ships. Off the Joy to Bermuda and can say we were very disappointed overall. Food/service was poor, unable to book a specialty resturant once onboard. Tender to St. Georges had people pushing each other. Bar service slow, etc. Cruise next team continued calling us to buy more, but we used our last one and am looking forward to moving on. Will they be better, who knows, but following our week on the joy, we are interested to exploring new options.

[groundloop]

On 11/26/2022 at 9:37 PM, SeaShark said:

 

15 Cruises on Carnival is impressive. From your perspective, what is Carnival now lacking that is making you consider other options? IOW, what are you hoping to find in NCL that Carnival has failed to deliver for you?

 

It's kind of hard to nail it down precisely, but in a way the excitement of cruising is fading a bit.  

 

One thing I can point to is that Carnival has a limited number of production shows across the fleet (6 or 7 maybe, I'm not positive of the exact number) and I've seen them all at least twice.  On a couple of cruises we didn't go to any shows in the theatre and just did the comedy club or watched movies under the stars.

 

On our HAL cruise we had on-demand movies in the cabin which was a nice way to spend an evening on occasion when we didn't feel like going out.  That's not an option on Carnival, and their televisions are about like what you used to see sitting on someone's kitchen counter.  (I haven't been on the two newest, largest classes of ships with Carnival, maybe those are different).

 

I've always payed for the top tier ("premium") internet service on Carnival and always found it to be very lacking but at least semi-usable.  On the Thanksgiving cruise which ended this morning the internet was totally unusable, I got fed up and got a refund.

 

In general I like the food and service on Carnival, the food on HAL might have been slightly better.  

 

Anyway, I've got several cruises booked with Carnival over the next couple years, maybe I'll look for something on NCL with a similar itinerary and get my travel agent to swap it out just to see what I think.

 

Edited November 28, 2022 by groundloop

[SeaShark]

50 minutes ago, groundloop said:

 

It's kind of hard to nail it down precisely, but in a way the excitement of cruising is fading a bit.  

 

One thing I can point to is that Carnival has a limited number of production shows across the fleet (6 or 7 maybe, I'm not positive of the exact number) and I've seen them all at least twice.  On a couple of cruises we didn't go to any shows in the theatre and just did the comedy club or watched movies under the stars.

 

On our HAL cruise we had on-demand movies in the cabin which was a nice way to spend an evening on occasion when we didn't feel like going out.  That's not an option on Carnival, and their televisions are about like what you used to see sitting on someone's kitchen counter.  (I haven't been on the two newest, largest classes of ships with Carnival, maybe those are different).

 

I've always payed for the top tier ("premium") internet service on Carnival and always found it to be very lacking but at least semi-usable.  On the Thanksgiving cruise which ended this morning the internet was totally unusable, I got fed up and got a refund.

 

In general I like the food and service on Carnival, the food on HAL might have been slightly better.  

 

Anyway, I've got several cruises booked with Carnival over the next couple years, maybe I'll look for something on NCL with a similar itinerary and get my travel agent to swap it out just to see what I think.

 

 

Interesting.

 

If I may, my initial impression. You are lacking, in your words, "the excitement of cruising". Your concerns, however, seem to focus on watching television, watching movies, and being on the Internet. These are things that you can very much do at home...or on any given land vacation. Perhaps consider that the lack of "the excitement of cruising" comes because cruising is being reduced to being the same daily routine of television, movies, and the Internet. We vacation to "get away" from the same old same old...not to duplicate it at sea. Consider less television, movies, and Internet and substitute more cruising and see if that "excitement" doesn't return.

 

It just sounds to me like you need to get out of your comfort zone.

[PATRLR]

On 11/26/2022 at 10:27 PM, Yesimapirate said:

My feeling is that if you need a stranger to convince you to do something,  you probably shouldn't do it. 

Rather snarky comment, especially considering @groundloop wasn't asking to be convinced.  Just asking what people liked/disliked.

 

7 hours ago, groundloop said:

One thing I can point to is that Carnival has a limited number of production shows across the fleet (6 or 7 maybe, I'm not positive of the exact number) and I've seen them all at least twice.

If the shows are important to you, and it sounds like they are, the production shows on NCL's bigger ships is the best we've seen at sea.  Way, way better than anything we'd seen on Carnival.   Some are Broadway quality.  I think generally speaking the entertainment quality across the board is better with NCL.

NCL's newer ships do have decent TVs and do offer movies (I think they have on demand that you pay for, but not positive).  I think every cruise lines internet stinks - they are all relying on satellites and that just has too many inherent issues compared to land based fiber optics.

Free food on NCL isn't great.  It's been a while since I was on Carnival but my recollection is the free food is better on Carnival, but neither is all that good.  Carnival's chocolate lava cake is far superior to NCLs (I had to toss this in, I love Carnival's version and I've not found anyone on land or sea who does it quite as well).

Our last four cruises have been on NCL, we too are looking to switch things up.  A CCL cruise on one of their new ships is a possibility, but, also looking hard at Celebrity.

 

Edited November 28, 2022 by PATRLR

[hallux]

2 hours ago, PATRLR said:

wasn't asking to be convinced

I guess the word 'convince' in the topic title means something different than some thought?

[PATRLR]

1 hour ago, hallux said:

I guess the word 'convince' in the topic title means something different than some thought?

You are correct, I missed the title.  @Yesimapirate - my mistake.

[toledo_cruiser]

Please try different lines. You might find you like some things better on different cruise lines. I was hesitant, at first, to try NCL, but have had great cruises since the first NCL cruise. I think demographics will play a big part of the experience. We still sail Carnival, but only if it's a group sail or to try a new ship. Once we branched out to different lines it enhanced our enjoyment of cruising. Kept things from getting stale. If we want to be around younger folks, we'll choose Carnival or NCL. For an older crowd we'll choose Celebrity or Princess. These aren't absolutes, but just general observations. We have NCL up next, but would like to try MSC again in the Spring. 

Edited November 28, 2022 by toledo_cruiser

[graphicguy]

On 11/26/2022 at 11:35 PM, Two Wheels Only said:

 

This seems like a mistake made by the travel agent, not NCL. 

 

Not to hijack but more information is needed.....

Yeah...why do I get the feeling there's much more to this story.  NCL says they weren't paid.  TA says there's nothing they can do.  Who did the guest book through....Bob's Bait, Tackle and Travel Agency?

 

OP...only one real way to answer your question is to book an NCL cruise and make your own decisions.

 

Personally, having sailed Carnival and NCL, I'd always sail NCL given fare similarities.  My own personal reasons, but the only way I know this is by sailing both.

Edited November 28, 2022 by graphicguy

[reeinaz]

I sail on both equally probably. I pick Carnival mostly for good deals and NCL for itinerary. For instance, for my upcoming Carnival cruise in February, I received OBC in an amount more than the price of my single occupancy room. It was enough for the drink package and an excursion or 2. But it's a typical 5-day Caribbean cruise although it will be my 1st time to Jamaica. My NCL cruise in March is to the Panama Canal and the one after that in August is also on NCL to Greenway, Norway, Iceland. My December Carnival B2B cruises were good deals again where I received a lot of OBC. But it's a 5 day eastern followed by a 5-day western Caribbean.

 

I like Carnival comedians, but I prefer the NCL shows and musical acts. I spend more time on the pool deck on Carnival cruises and more time at the inside whiskey and mojito/martini bars on NCL. When I cruise Carnival, I prepare to "turn up" because the party is nonstop and always right there. On NCL, I have fun, but I have to make more effort to find the fun. For me, the NCL fun happens more when I find a group of people that I click with. Which is why I tend to spend more time at the interior bars, because that's where the cool kids hang out. LOL 

 

I'm not terribly picky when it comes to food, but I do miss Guy's fries, Blue Iguana's shrimp tacos and the Sea Day Brunch when I'm on NCL. The MDR food is comparable to me. I rarely eat in the buffet on either line besides the omelet station for breakfast. Oh, Carnival's Deli rocks. I can't think of anything similar on NCL. But I've never complained about the food on any cruise. 

 

I suppose that depending on what your interests are and what you find entertaining, the lines can be either pretty similar or surprisingly different. I'm a solo cruiser, so I feel like I have to be pretty adaptable. Which I am, and it works well for me. But at the end of the day, a spot in the sun and a sea breeze (both cocktail and a literal sea breeze) are enough for me.

 

My biggest suggestion is to research the ship to find what activities are available. I feel like that has been the biggest disappointment when I read people's reviews of their cruises.  

 

 

[sunkey1]

7 hours ago, PATRLR said:

If the shows are important to you, and it sounds like they are, the production shows on NCL's bigger ships is the best we've seen at sea.  Way, way better than anything we'd seen on Carnival.   Some are Broadway quality.  I think generally speaking the entertainment quality across the board is better with NCL.

Recently went on the Carnival Mardi Gras twice, we liked it that much. The shows are absolutely the difference for me. While the Mardi Gras had the best entertainment that I've seen on that line I still think NCL has the edge on the production shows and the guest acts. Carnival relies too much on comedy shows and game shows for MY taste. Otherwise the lines really are more alike than different. We book NCL under the promotion that gets us free drinks and two meals at specialty restaurants plus we get two more meals for being platinum. Having dinner outside, at sea, on the "Waterfront" beats just about any dining experience I've had in over 30 years of cruising.

[RocketMan275]

3 hours ago, graphicguy said:

Yeah...why do I get the feeling there's much more to this story.  NCL says they weren't paid.  TA says there's nothing they can do.  Who did the guest book through....Bob's Bait, Tackle and Travel Agency?

Easily determined.  Check with the credit card company. Or, the bank if paid by check.  There are records somewhere.

[AstoriaPreppy]

I find the comments about NCL being a more "sophisticated" passenger base funny. I've sailed lots on both lines, and find the only difference to be that many of the passengers on NCL think they're too good for Carnival. 

 

I'd echo the comments about Carnival's included fast-casual dining options: Blue Iguana, Guy's Burgers, the BBQ place, the (actually good) cruise ship pizza. NCL cruisers rave about the buffet, but that's because it's basically the only option, other than O'Shehans. I'd also say that Carnival's specialty dining restaurants are actually fantastic, and a steal at $15 or $20 a pop... especially compared to some of NCL's options. Carnival has also worked hard to upgrade their mixology and bar programs. All Carnival ships have venues where you can get actual craft cocktails, which are hard to find on NCL.

 

Separately, Carnival's staterooms are *massive* compared to NCL.

 

That said, NCL does offer a lot more unique cruise options (ports, sailings, etc). It's why we're not loyal to one line over the other!

[Sthrngary]

If you are happy with Carnival, you should stay with Carnival.  I have personally cruised, NCL, Carnival, HAL, Royal Caribbean, Crystal Cruises and Celebrity.  My favorite is NCL.  My least favorite is Carnival. 

 

First, cruising like dining is very personal.  What I like, you may not like.  Our likes and dislikes are created over a lifetime of experiences and what we are looking to experience on our vacations.  Let's break it down and see if it helps you a bit:

 

Food and Dining:  My rating of all Mainstream Cruise Brands on their MDR is average at best.  This is why I usually purchase Specialty Dining Packages.  Now Breakfast at the MDR I have found to be outstanding.  The food in general has always been much more to my liking on NCL.  That said, my trip on Crystal before they went out of business was the best i have ever had.  I find that the Food at the MDR on Carnival was below average.  Remember, personal preference.  The Specialty Restaurants seem to match between these two cruise brands.

 

Excursions:  The same when considering the Caribbean.  No real difference.

 

Entertainment:  I prefer the Broadway shows on NCL and always had.  The production shows on Carnival were always amateurish to me. We would sit on the last row, on the end so if we did not like the show we could leave and not disturb anyone. Some folks hate NCL shows.  Again personal tastes. 

 

Bars and Lounges:  As much as I have drank on cruise ships, I find that Carnival is a lot crazier at the bars.  More energy, younger crown, more shots and sometimes a few disagreements.  This happens on all ships however it seems the drinking on the NCL cruise I have gone on was much more reserved. 

 

Cabins:  I have found the cabin's outside of the VIP area's like the Haven to be slightly larger and better equip than Carnival.  

 

Demographic:  Younger crowd on carnival; Family Crowd on NCL; older crowd on HAL; Retired crowd on Crystal.  I am 65, like young people and still prefer NCL.  

 

These are my high hard ones.  I still say, if you like Carnival, you found you brand.  I just wanted to honor your question.

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

[jimbob22]

20 hours ago, groundloop said:

 

It's kind of hard to nail it down precisely, but in a way the excitement of cruising is fading a bit.  

 

One thing I can point to is that Carnival has a limited number of production shows across the fleet (6 or 7 maybe, I'm not positive of the exact number) and I've seen them all at least twice.  On a couple of cruises we didn't go to any shows in the theatre and just did the comedy club or watched movies under the stars.

 

 

 

The excel class does have maybe 40 or so recent movies on demand on the tv, including the ones they play outside by the pool.  We only figured this out near the end of the cruise (on MG). MG also had a really good variety of song/dance/aerial shows.  Everything about it was excellent except for the noticeable down-grading of all dining where you sit and order off a menu.  It seemed like meat portions were mostly normal, but they are skimping out on the sides.  Eg. it sounds great that P&A is free on MG--but they do not give a ton of meat and they put any sides possible into little ketchup holders.

 

So I do recommend excel class--but see if you can get two order sheets at P&A if you do dinner there.  And everything at chibang is tapas sized, so you'd want 2-3 apps, probably 2 entrees.  Due to the larger, possibly more international clientele, the dinner buffet might have been a tad more interesting than some other Carnival's we've been on.

[LandlockedCruiser01]

I was convinced last year.  That was when Carnival went from "Fun Ships" to "Nanny Ships".  They had draconian mask rules, forced social distancing between passengers (no idea if you were debarked for violating it), no more shared tables, elimination of real menus in favor of QR codes, and elimination of passenger parties that made Carnival fun.  Royal Caribbean wasn't much better, and pricier to boot.

 

Norwegian, on the other hand, really put the "free" (as in speech) in "Freestyle".  Minimal mask requirements, full-on social events, and real paper menus.  I look forward to trying NCL in the future.  Especially with that XXL (or whatever) variant on the horizon.

Edited November 29, 2022 by LandlockedCruiser01

[Sailing12Away]

1 hour ago, AstoriaPreppy said:

Separately, Carnival's staterooms are *massive* compared to NCL.

 

Outside of the size, do you feel the rooms themselves are better though? Styling, looks, features, etc.

 

Like I said, we've always been intrigued to give them a try until I watch videos of the actual rooms themselves. Looks like they were made with furniture and bathroom counters cheaper than Ikea quality. Not that we need a 14k gold toilet, but I also don't want to feel like I'm in a college dorm room.

[LandlockedCruiser01]

1 hour ago, AstoriaPreppy said:

Separately, Carnival's staterooms are *massive* compared to NCL.

This is true only on their Fantasy class ships, most of which were sent to the scrappers.  On their newer ships, Carnival cabins are fairly small, until you get at least to the balcony level.  Interiors and oceanviews are fine for a solo or a couple, but would be too small for any group bigger than two (or two people who like their space).

 

13 minutes ago, Sailing12Away said:

Like I said, we've always been intrigued to give them a try until I watch videos of the actual rooms themselves. Looks like they were made with furniture and bathroom counters cheaper than Ikea quality. Not that we need a 14k gold toilet, but I also don't want to feel like I'm in a college dorm room.

Then you won't like most Carnival cabins.  Orange is the predominant decor color, with smatterings of light blue in parts.  On Breeze and newer, as well as on some renovated older ships, the cabins were designed to look like resort hotels rooms.  But there's only so much you can do when the "chassis" of the cabin remains the same.

Edited November 29, 2022 by LandlockedCruiser01

[Sthrngary]

39 minutes ago, LandlockedCruiser01 said:

I was convinced last year.  That was when Carnival went from "Fun Ships" to "Nanny Ships".  They had draconian mask rules, forced social distancing between passengers (no idea if you were debarked for violating it), no more shared tables, elimination of real menus in favor of QR codes, and elimination of passenger parties that made Carnival fun.  Royal Caribbean wasn't much better, and pricier to boot.

 

Norwegian, on the other hand, really put the "free" (as in speech) in "Freestyle".  Minimal mask requirements, full-on social events, and real paper menus.  I look forward to trying NCL in the future.  Especially with that XXL (or whatever) variant on the horizon.

NCL took Florida to court to force their policies.  They won and so some of the restrictions were not needed.  We all have to let the past go with Covid.  Not saying Covid is not here forever.  How to handle it was not know for a long while and I question it even now.  

 

Not saying what any Cruise Line or Brand did was right.  Just saying, lets do a restart and give all brands the benefit of the doubt.  I Sill like NCL best.

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

[LandlockedCruiser01]

13 minutes ago, Sthrngary said:

Not saying what any Cruise Line or Brand did was right.  Just saying, lets do a restart and give all brands the benefit of the doubt.  I Sill like NCL best.

Well, some of the pre-Covid stuff on Carnival is gone for good.  Paper menus are gone, and I don't carrying around a smartphone; some waiters even put up an attitude when you ask for one.  Fun events that encourage mingling never returned.  But crowded casinos did.  What started as "for your safety" turned into "for our money".

 

While NCL gets lambasted for its "nickel and dime" M.O., it won me over with its free (like speech) Covid policies.

Edited November 29, 2022 by LandlockedCruiser01

[KismetzMom]

Multiple cruises over the years with both NCL and Carnival. Carnival twice and NCL once in 2022. Carnival usually wins out due to price, but I prefer NCL. As someone else said, the shows are of higher quality and variety on NCL. Carnival shows seem to have the same old choreography to different genres of music. NCL changes it up and the performers are of a higher caliber. There was a huge difference in food this year with NCL easily winning out. Just off the Carnival Horizon where the buffet had the same food repeated across stations at each meal. NCL Bliss had so much variety that you really need to walk the buffet before deciding what to eat. NCL wins main dining and speciality restaurants too. On NCL, I miss Carnival's Guy's Burgers and Blue Iguana as a quick option though. The rooms and decor are a cut above on NCL. Perhaps because overall their ships are newer, but I also like the aesthetic better than on the Carnival ships. Carnival can be a bit gaudy for my taste. There is no "Fun Squad" on NCL Not to say things aren't upbeat, but they aren't hyped up for a party the way Carnival does it. I prefer the NCL Margaritaville vibe. NCL's pricing is tricky. Note that "Free at Sea" drink packages and speciality dining are automatically charged gratuity and will be tucked into your bill above and beyond the usual tips for the staff. Shore excursion credit is nice, but it's only $50 per port and NCL's shore excursions are generally more expensive than Carnival for the same experience. If the shiny has worn off cruising, then consider a Haven cabin on NCL. It's a private enclave within the ship with keycard access and special amenities. It's what Carnival's Havana area wants to be when it grows up LOL. I'm going all out and trying my first NCL Haven suite in February 2023 and can't wait!

[gabbygal99]

On 11/27/2022 at 11:27 AM, RocketMan275 said:

It may depend upon which port  you want.

For example, from New Orleans

carnival cruises on Valor.

NCL uses Breakaway.

There is simply no comparison between the two.

On any given itinerary, the ports and shore excursions will be the same.

If you cruise in suites, NCL offers perks for suites, Carnival does not.

I have two Carnival suites booked in the next 18 months. They DO come with perks - expedited boarding, special lounge during check in, priority disembarkation at ports, free water, free on-demand movies, free room service, free soda package, guaranteed restaurant reservations, etc…

[CruizinSusan70]

On 11/27/2022 at 12:17 PM, Sailing12Away said:

Haven't sailed on Carnival since my first cruise as a kid in the 80's.

Are you the same you were 35 years ago?   People evolve and change and so do cruise lines.   Check out the Excel Class ships on Carnival and you'll be pleasantly surprised.   The Mardi Gras out of PC, the Celebration out of Miami and a year from now the Jubilee out of Galveston.

I don't put all of my eggs in one basket and currently have bookings on six different lines.  Check out some of the video I attached from Danny at Harr Travel, one of the best YouTubers out there with his review of the Mardi Gras.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aukVBEpaf2U

 

[cruiseny4life]

11 hours ago, LandlockedCruiser01 said:

Paper menus are gone, and I don't carrying around a smartphone; some waiters even put up an attitude when you ask for one.

I'm of the generation that should enjoy carrying a smartphone around allllllll the time! I don't, so I suppose I'll give you a pass on this part of your post. I do agree with you on how annoying it is. I appreciate that NCL hands out paper copies of the Freestyle Daily (the schedule for the day). 

Those servers would be getting some chipper Karen'esque attitude back if they gave me a hard time about procuring a paper menu. The Karen lies in wait for the right moment, but that would force it into the air. 

[deliver42]

If you're going on one of NCL's newer ships, the entertainment blows Carnival away. Not so much in talent, because Carnival's are talented too, but in the variety. Cabin service by the steward twice a day. The ships, on the whole, not caunting the Excel Class, which are brand new, are better maintained.

 I'm not trying to convince you, because at the end, you have to make your decision. Just giving you my opinion of the differences. Good luck on which line you choose next.

 

[AstoriaPreppy]

12 hours ago, LandlockedCruiser01 said:

This is true only on their Fantasy class ships, most of which were sent to the scrappers.  On their newer ships, Carnival cabins are fairly small, until you get at least to the balcony level.  Interiors and oceanviews are fine for a solo or a couple, but would be too small for any group bigger than two (or two people who like their space).

 

This is not the case. Carnival has (for decades) made larger than average staterooms the standard on their ships. The Destiny through Vista class ships are known for their sizable cabins (especially compared to NCL).

 

A standard oceanview cabin on a ship like the Carnival Conquest is 220 sq ft. A standard oceanview cabin on a ship like the Breakaway is 161 sq ft. Even interiors are notably larger: On the same ships, Carnival interiors run 170 sq ft, while NCL offers 135 sq ft.

 

Another difference I appreciate: Carnival upper berths since the Destiny always fold into the ceiling... some of the NCL ships I've been on just have them mounted to the wall in already narrow cabins.