Carnival Cruiser tries Princess - Comparisons

[ScottsSweetie]

We recently tried Princess for the first time out of Los Angeles, and thought I would contrast and compare here for you.

 

Food/Drink - Princess DR food was excellent. Their buffet was horrible. Their pizza is great. Their burgers at the grill were not good. I give the food edge to Carnival because there are just so many options available. Also, dining reservation have to be made ahead of time (and we waited between 15 and 46 minutes each night after our reserved time for a table). Much prefer the Carnival system of YTD. Also, almost no draft beer on the ship.

 

Entertainment - The production shows that we saw on Princess were arguably the best we have ever seen at sea. There was comedy only the first two nights (7 night cruise), and we do enjoy the comedy clubs all week on Carnival. We felt like there were not a lot of options for activities after 9:00pm or so, and we like to be out and about, so for us Carnival takes the edge there.

 

Other Activities - DH enjoyed a couple of the enrichment talks (which I refused to attend, as it was about SHARKS). They have a Captain's talk with the Captain and one of his first officers which is very entertaining. 

 

General - Discovery Princess is a beautiful ship and the largest I have ever sailed on. Despite having around 3900 passengers on this week the ship never really felt crowded, unlike some Carnival ships close to capacity. Lots of families on this particular sailing. I kept looking around for all the old people that are supposed to be on Princess - DH said if I couldn't find any then we must be them, lol. Their public area restrooms are much roomier than Carnival's. Overall we enjoyed our cruise but I don't think Princess is our new line.

[Out of Iowa]

Thank you for sharing.  Your viewpoints reinforce what SIL and her hubby thought:  they did Princess in Alaska (for some reason) and said Alaska was great but no reason for them to choose Princess again.

[KKB]

Thanks for your comparison.

We sailed the Discovery to AK in Sept, 10 Princess cruises under our belts. 

She is a gorgeous ship.

We sail Carnival for the 1st time 2 weeks from Sunday.

 

We find Princess food to be terrific. Buffet is fine, but we typically just eat breakfast & maybe a salad for lunch there. We think their burgers are GREAT--I look forward to better on Carnival!

We never make set time to eat & never waited, BUT we eat early (before 6) so I think that helps.

Funny, we find the production shows on Princess pale in comparison to NCL, RCCL & Celebrity's new ships. 

It did get a bit sleepy after 9 on the AK cruise but we find that to not be so on Caribbean sailings.

 

We have been "warned" that Carnival is a step down from other lines...meh, we have stayed at the Wynn & Venetian in  Vegas, yet just got back from a week at the MUCH cheaper LINQ & loved our room.  

We do enjoy good food but we enjoy good "bar food" just as much.

A trip is what you make it--and we usually have a great time wherever we are!

 

[serene56]

we have sailed 4 times on Princess  (but before covid)    and have dined for dinner in the buffet area it was that good.   Id like to go back but the wallet prefers carnival 

 

[KKB]

1 hour ago, serene56 said:

we have sailed 4 times on Princess  (but before covid)    and have dined for dinner in the buffet area it was that good.   Id like to go back but the wallet prefers carnival 

 

Funny when we compare Princess Plus (drinks, tips & wifi), Carnival can't compete.

We are sailing free on a casino offer. But I priced it & Carnival was almost as expensive as Princess' base price. For $50pp/day covering drinks, tips & wifi, Carnival couldn't compete.

[glrounds]

Only sailed on Princess once (Alaska) and loved it. But prefer my mainstay, Carnival, with 30 some cruises.

[jsglow]

We've enjoyed our Princess cruises.  We'll take more.  I think our next 'new' line will be HAL.  We're intrigued by the size of their ships, their destinations and by numerous reports that they aren't as 'old' as their reputation suggests.

[Skai]

Thanks for offering your comparison.

 

For us, the age old adage applies: "Variety is the spice of life".  We are not beholden to any one line, but we have sailed Princess and Carnival the most of any others to-date.

 

We've found that the complimentary 'casual food' options are more plentiful on Carnival, however, the quality of certain venues/items to be slightly better on Princess.  We're fans of the Deli and Guy's on Carnival; the Lido Pizzeria(& Alfredo's on select ships), as well as International Cafe on Princess.

 

The M.D.R.s on both lines seem to be hit-or-miss -- Some fairly decent meals, and some unmemorable ones as well.  The same could be stated with entertainment.  We really enjoy the Comedy Club on Carnival, yet we've also seen some great comedian/variety acts on Princess as well.  As for the productions shows, perhaps it's our age or tastes; we've found most to be pretty corny on both lines.  NCL seems to be the one line that shines above most others in this dept.

 

What's been a slight bone of contention on Princess is that on many ships one has to sail in a balcony cabin(and at-times even a mini-suite) to have a love-seat sofa in-cabin.  We personally prefer this set-up as opposed to the walk-in style closet design(wasted space IMO) on Princess ships.

 

FWIW, We have 2 Princess cruises and 1 Carnival cruise in the pipe-line.   

Edited December 19, 2022 by Skai

[cruisinqt]

8 hours ago, KKB said:

Thanks for your comparison.

We sailed the Discovery to AK in Sept, 10 Princess cruises under our belts. 

She is a gorgeous ship.

We sail Carnival for the 1st time 2 weeks from Sunday.

 

We find Princess food to be terrific. Buffet is fine, but we typically just eat breakfast & maybe a salad for lunch there. We think their burgers are GREAT--I look forward to better on Carnival!

We never make set time to eat & never waited, BUT we eat early (before 6) so I think that helps.

Funny, we find the production shows on Princess pale in comparison to NCL, RCCL & Celebrity's new ships. 

It did get a bit sleepy after 9 on the AK cruise but we find that to not be so on Caribbean sailings.

 

We have been "warned" that Carnival is a step down from other lines...meh, we have stayed at the Wynn & Venetian in  Vegas, yet just got back from a week at the MUCH cheaper LINQ & loved our room.  

We do enjoy good food but we enjoy good "bar food" just as much.

A trip is what you make it--and we usually have a great time wherever we are!

 

It’s funny that most of the cruise snobs that warn people about Carnival have never been on a Carnival cruise. I admire their loyalty to their preferred cruise lines but they’re way off. I’ve been on them all; Hal, Royal, Princess, Norwegian, Carnival etc. (check out my signature for more info.) Carnival is very comparable to most other lines. Maybe 10-15 years ago they weren’t but now they have many amenities you’ll see on more upscale cruises for a fraction of the price. Like their adults only serenity area or the thermal suites in the spa. For just $159 pp you can enjoy sauna’s, steam rooms, a hot bubbly therapy pool, and heated marble loungers for the entire week. It’s very peaceful and relaxing and it’s adults only. Carnival ships also have roller coasters, sky rides, mini golf, imax theaters, and micro breweries. But one of my favorite things about Carnival is their late night adult comedy shows. I’m a night owl and love a good laugh. I also like that Carnival isn’t a snooze fest after 10 pm like some cruise lines. 

[cruisinqt]

On 12/5/2022 at 12:55 PM, ScottsSweetie said:

We recently tried Princess for the first time out of Los Angeles, and thought I would contrast and compare here for you.

 

Food/Drink - Princess DR food was excellent. Their buffet was horrible. Their pizza is great. Their burgers at the grill were not good. I give the food edge to Carnival because there are just so many options available. Also, dining reservation have to be made ahead of time (and we waited between 15 and 46 minutes each night after our reserved time for a table). Much prefer the Carnival system of YTD. Also, almost no draft beer on the ship.

 

Entertainment - The production shows that we saw on Princess were arguably the best we have ever seen at sea. There was comedy only the first two nights (7 night cruise), and we do enjoy the comedy clubs all week on Carnival. We felt like there were not a lot of options for activities after 9:00pm or so, and we like to be out and about, so for us Carnival takes the edge there.

 

Other Activities - DH enjoyed a couple of the enrichment talks (which I refused to attend, as it was about SHARKS). They have a Captain's talk with the Captain and one of his first officers which is very entertaining. 

 

General - Discovery Princess is a beautiful ship and the largest I have ever sailed on. Despite having around 3900 passengers on this week the ship never really felt crowded, unlike some Carnival ships close to capacity. Lots of families on this particular sailing. I kept looking around for all the old people that are supposed to be on Princess - DH said if I couldn't find any then we must be them, lol. Their public area restrooms are much roomier than Carnival's. Overall we enjoyed our cruise but I don't think Princess is our new line.

I had similar feelings after doing the Grand Princess a few years back. I enjoyed the cruise it was a beautiful ship but things just pretty much shutdown after 10 pm. Yes the bars and casino were busy but nothing else. And like you I’m a night owl so that was a bit of a bummer. There were lots of activities scheduled during the day but they weren’t my cup of tea. I wasn’t very interested in ballroom dance classes, lectures, watching ice sculptures be carved, learning how to make towel animals, etc. The food was really good, especially in the MDR. And the shows were excellent, better than Carnival’s in my opinion. But I just felt a bit restless and bored oftentimes on that cruise. It just wasn’t my cup of tea I guess. I don’t dislike Princess, I can see why so many people like them, it just wasn’t for me. Royal on the other hand was very similar to Carnival so I sail them every now and then when I find a good deal. In fact I’m going on Quantam of the Seas in May for an Alaskan cruise. 

[KKB]

7 hours ago, cruisinqt said:

I had similar feelings after doing the Grand Princess a few years back. I enjoyed the cruise it was a beautiful ship but things just pretty much shutdown after 10 pm. Yes the bars and casino were busy but nothing else. And like you I’m a night owl so that was a bit of a bummer. There were lots of activities scheduled during the day but they weren’t my cup of tea. I wasn’t very interested in ballroom dance classes, lectures, watching ice sculptures be carved, learning how to make towel animals, etc. The food was really good, especially in the MDR. And the shows were excellent, better than Carnival’s in my opinion. But I just felt a bit restless and bored oftentimes on that cruise. It just wasn’t my cup of tea I guess. I don’t dislike Princess, I can see why so many people like them, it just wasn’t for me. Royal on the other hand was very similar to Carnival so I sail them every now and then when I find a good deal. In fact I’m going on Quantam of the Seas in May for an Alaskan cruise. 

Funny, other than Alaska we have r up late on Princess—bands, nightclub, gameshows

[GottaLuvCruising]

Thank you for your review.  We were you years ago!  We had done many Carnival cruises before trying our first Princess.  I would compare them very much as you did, but we are the old people who do have a preference for Princess.  We are sailing Carnival in February and Princess in March.  

[TravelGirlinDallas]

Thanks for your review! We will be on Discovery Princess in March for a CA coastal itinerary. It will also be our first time on Princess. Looking forward to comparing it to the other lines we've sailed. I'm excited about being on a ship that new. We have booked a forward-facing balcony cabin on the very front of the ship, so that will be a new experience, too.

Edited December 20, 2022 by TravelGirlinDallas

[sparks1093]

On 12/5/2022 at 1:55 PM, ScottsSweetie said:

We recently tried Princess for the first time out of Los Angeles, and thought I would contrast and compare here for you.

 

Food/Drink - Princess DR food was excellent. Their buffet was horrible. Their pizza is great. Their burgers at the grill were not good. I give the food edge to Carnival because there are just so many options available. Also, dining reservation have to be made ahead of time (and we waited between 15 and 46 minutes each night after our reserved time for a table). Much prefer the Carnival system of YTD. Also, almost no draft beer on the ship.

 

Entertainment - The production shows that we saw on Princess were arguably the best we have ever seen at sea. There was comedy only the first two nights (7 night cruise), and we do enjoy the comedy clubs all week on Carnival. We felt like there were not a lot of options for activities after 9:00pm or so, and we like to be out and about, so for us Carnival takes the edge there.

 

Other Activities - DH enjoyed a couple of the enrichment talks (which I refused to attend, as it was about SHARKS). They have a Captain's talk with the Captain and one of his first officers which is very entertaining. 

 

General - Discovery Princess is a beautiful ship and the largest I have ever sailed on. Despite having around 3900 passengers on this week the ship never really felt crowded, unlike some Carnival ships close to capacity. Lots of families on this particular sailing. I kept looking around for all the old people that are supposed to be on Princess - DH said if I couldn't find any then we must be them, lol. Their public area restrooms are much roomier than Carnival's. Overall we enjoyed our cruise but I don't think Princess is our new line.

Thanks for the thoughts. Could you elaborate on why you thought the buffet was horrible? We are looking at Princess because as mentioned Princess Plus brings the two lines very close together pricewise. 

[SF Cfan]

48 minutes ago, sparks1093 said:

Thanks for the thoughts. Could you elaborate on why you thought the buffet was horrible? We are looking at Princess because as mentioned Princess Plus brings the two lines very close together pricewise. 

My wife and I just sailed Royal Princess, 12 day Mexico out of SF beginning of this past October.  The buffet, especially the baked goods were really good on Princess.  Just off Vision of the Seas, 11 day Southern Caribbean.  The buffet was poor.  It's been several years since we cruised on Carnival.  It will be interesting to see how it compares when we cruise on Spirit next April.  

Overall we would always choose Princess moving forward if the cruise fare was close to other choices such as RCL or Carnival. The food, service, elegance of the ship, activities, and shows are all differentiators for us (two 60+ers).  Otherwise we go for itinerary and price.  We're happy to be on a Carnival or Royal Caribbean ship too.

[jsglow]

So for us, the vibe of a Carnival ship still trumps the elegance of a Princess ship most of the time.  But there's lots of other factors in play that influence the decision.  Honestly, for Alaska there's no competition whatsoever. Glacier Bay access and the ability to seamlessly add on the land portion makes all the difference.

[kelkel2]

I can agree with a lot of this. We did princess and we loved the MDR food. It was amazingly good. I still remember the fettuccine Alfredo with the parmesian crust in the bowl under the pasta. So good! Service was good too, but I can’t remember it being that much different than carnival’s MDR service. 
I personally think that Carnival wins out on food though, mainly due to all the lunch options, and I think Carnival’s buffet is similar to Princess’ buffet. 
Carnival also wins out on entertainment, mainly more due to our tastes. We would rather listen to a dj than a string quartet in the atrium, we thought the activities through the day were more fun too. We didn’t attend shows so I can’t comment on that. 

[jimbo5544]

Nice comparison, thanks for doing it.

[bafinegan]

On 12/19/2022 at 6:11 PM, Skai said:

Thanks for offering your comparison.

 

For us, the age old adage applies: "Variety is the spice of life".  We are not beholden to any one line, but we have sailed Princess and Carnival the most of any others to-date.

 

We've found that the complimentary 'casual food' options are more plentiful on Carnival, however, the quality of certain venues/items to be slightly better on Princess.  We're fans of the Deli and Guy's on Carnival; the Lido Pizzeria(& Alfredo's on select ships), as well as International Cafe on Princess.

 

The M.D.R.s on both lines seem to be hit-or-miss -- Some fairly decent meals, and some unmemorable ones as well.  The same could be stated with entertainment.  We really enjoy the Comedy Club on Carnival, yet we've also seen some great comedian/variety acts on Princess as well.  As for the productions shows, perhaps it's our age or tastes; we've found most to be pretty corny on both lines.  NCL seems to be the one line that shines above most others in this dept.

 

What's been a slight bone of contention on Princess is that on many ships one has to sail in a balcony cabin(and at-times even a mini-suite) to have a love-seat sofa in-cabin.  We personally prefer this set-up as opposed to the walk-in style closet design(wasted space IMO) on Princess ships.

 

FWIW, We have 2 Princess cruises and 1 Carnival cruise in the pipe-line.   

If you like having a loves seat rather than a walk in closet ( I agree that is a waste of space). try MSC.  All of their new Seaside class ships have the loveseat standard in all the balcony rooms.  SOme of the balcony rooms even have a bathtub!  

 

Hubbs and I have branched out from Carnival.  We have 23 cruises on them (and LOVE Carnival) but are trying other lines.  We have a Princess (Alaska) cruise booked and an MSC ( 2nd on that line).  We have also cruised Disney and Viking ( both river and ocean).

[13cheermom]

Have to agree with OP, we have been loyal to Carnival over the last 20 years and have enjoyed their product and all it provides.  However as we have gotten older, we decided to branch out to Princess to try their product.  We went this past March on the Emerald Princess, and found the food to be of a good quality, in the dining room as well as buffet and other food venues.  It is kind of hard to compare right now post-pandemic because I feel all cruise lines have changed with supply and demand issues.  We will be sailing Carnival again in January, (first post-pandemic) so we shall compare it to our March Princess cruise to see how food options compare to be fair.  As far as entertainment, we loved all the different options Princess provided and the multiple venues we could visit each evening.  Carnival is more set on nightly production shows and comedy only.  The comedy venues are sometimes too small for the crowds that follow.  The overall atmosphere on Princess is a little more classy and elegant compared to Carnival as well even on the older ships.  We enjoyed our sailing with Princess and decided to cruise again with them next October.  I think it's good to try different cruise lines as we all grow and change in different stages of our lives!  Happy Sailing & Happy Holidays to Everyone!

[KKB]

On 12/20/2022 at 4:08 PM, kelkel2 said:

I can agree with a lot of this. We did princess and we loved the MDR food. It was amazingly good. I still remember the fettuccine Alfredo with the parmesian crust in the bowl under the pasta. So good! Service was good too, but I can’t remember it being that much different than carnival’s MDR service. 
I personally think that Carnival wins out on food though, mainly due to all the lunch options, and I think Carnival’s buffet is similar to Princess’ buffet. 
Carnival also wins out on entertainment, mainly more due to our tastes. We would rather listen to a dj than a string quartet in the atrium, we thought the activities through the day were more fun too. We didn’t attend shows so I can’t comment on that. 

OH I MISS THOSE PARM CRUST BOWLS! (no longer 😐)

Yeah, there is usually a string duet on Princess ships...but there are also several other musical options. We always find a cover band that plays "dance songs" from 60s or 70s thru today.

Princess production shows are very hit & miss...

[clackey]

We are Platinum on Carnival, but have sailed on 3 other lines with a total of 19 sailings.  Princess was, by far, the most sedate cruise that we have done.  That would explain only one sailing with them.  There was very little going on in the lounges with little to do in the later hours.  If you just want to veg it is a good choice for you.  

 

That said, there is a lot to be said for the other lines.  Carnival always has something going on.  Royal Caribbean is very similar in service, but we like the ship layouts and decor better.  NCL had the best entertainment that we have seen.  Will I sail on Princess again?  Maybe when we get old.  We are only in our early 70's now.

[KKB]

4 hours ago, clackey said:

We are Platinum on Carnival, but have sailed on 3 other lines with a total of 19 sailings.  Princess was, by far, the most sedate cruise that we have done.  That would explain only one sailing with them.  There was very little going on in the lounges with little to do in the later hours.  If you just want to veg it is a good choice for you.  

 

That said, there is a lot to be said for the other lines.  Carnival always has something going on.  Royal Caribbean is very similar in service, but we like the ship layouts and decor better.  NCL had the best entertainment that we have seen.  Will I sail on Princess again?  Maybe when we get old.  We are only in our early 70's now.

Interesting. We sailed Princess for our 1st cruise 20 years ago when we were in our late 30s & fell in love. Sailed Princess numerous times over 10 years...then took a 10 year break (not on purpose). 

Have sailed them 3 times this year. AK was definitely a more sedate cruise. But we sure don't find the Caribbean cruises sedate! Princess does game shows like no other--they are not to be missed! We were often at a lounge or the club dancing until late. We are NOT chill cruisers, but tend to go go go from (late) morning until early morning...

NCL shows are the best & RCCL is close. Celebrity has upped their production show game since COVID...but Princess REALLY needs to step this game up. They are more often "meh" than not.

Edited December 23, 2022 by KKB

[CruizinSusan70]

On 12/20/2022 at 10:51 AM, sparks1093 said:

Thanks for the thoughts. Could you elaborate on why you thought the buffet was horrible? We are looking at Princess because as mentioned Princess Plus brings the two lines very close together pricewise. 

We have done two cruises on the Discovery, last April on a B2B. The buffet at breakfast was standard, but the pastries were an upgrade.  The buffet was terrible at lunchtime.  Besides burgers, dogs and pizza on the Lido, the other choices for lunch are the MDR on sea days or Alfredo's for pizza and a few other choices.  Since we are spoiled by the vast level of choices at lunchtime on Carnival, it was a letdown on Princess.  To alleviate this problem, we ate at Alfredo's and the MDR for lunch the overwhelming majority of our 14 days on board.  We only went to the buffet twice at lunch and then gave up.  We never do buffets at dinnertime, so I can't comment on it.

But, in general, we enjoyed ourselves.  We have 14 days reserved next year to Alaska on the Majestic and we'll reserve a cruise on the Sun during the fall of 2024 once the booking window opens, hopefully for 20 days./

Regarding Princess Plus, our cruises this year and next were 40 per day and have since gone up to 50 and are now 60 or an upgraded version for 80.

[CruizinSusan70]

12 hours ago, clackey said:

 Princess was, by far, the most sedate cruise that we have done.  That would explain only one sailing with them.....Will I sail on Princess again?  Maybe when we get old.  We are only in our early 70's now.

According to your signature your lone Princess cruise was in 2006 or 16 years ago.  Are you the same today that you were 16 years ago?  Of course not.  And it's the same with Princess.  We have only done Princess once, for 14 days on their newest ship the Discovery. And our overall experience was just as good as the Mardi Gras, just as good as the Norwegian Prima and just as good as the Celebrity Apex.  Have sailed on all four of the newest ships in these respective fleets this year.  None of them were perfect, but all were well above average and we would sail on each of them again with no problem.