Is Carnival cruising better or worse since the restart?

[hapytobehr]

5 hours ago, Drazil65 said:

We have sailed 3 times since restart and have 3 more on the books with CCL.  For us, things have either been the same in many aspects or are better with the addition of the Excel class ships.  We love MG and everything it has to offer and feel this is a "better" thing that enhances our cruising experience.  Many of the things that have complaint posts by other cruisers really dont affect us like once a day housekeeping.  We only want once day and requested that long before it became the norm.  We always book cabins that enhance our experience, have our own balcony getaway space, book specialty restaurants to give us different dinning experiences and stay away from the most crowded areas of a ship.  We also did all of these things prior to the pandemic as well.  We have taken responsibility and accountability for the majority of our experiences on a ship (or anywhere we vacation).  

 

Since many everyday things have changed since the pandemic, it would be ridicules and unreasonable to think or believe that cruising would stay the same (including the monetary side).  I will always go back to each person having the choice to cruise or not to cruise.  Change is inevitable in most things and you can either roll with it or move on, great thing is you have a choice.    

THIS!!!!  except we have cruised more than 3 times since restart.  We love, love the Celebration and will be our first choice for our next cruise and we've been on her twice in the last 3 months.

[BlerkOne]

Cruising is different now. It is neither better nor worse. It will never again be as it was, on any cruise line.

[Cruisin4aBruisin73]

I've cruised 3 times since reopening and have one booked for Christmas this year with DD and DS.  Honestly, I think I just love being on a ship.  I read more novels in one 7 day cruise than I do the rest of the year on dry land.  The salt water, the great food, the entertainment with my kids.  You'd think we were at some Las Vegas show when these two get into that theater.  They don't know (or care) that it's medocre! We don't go to live shows in real life, so it's a treat.  Also, comedians-  my son loses his mind no matter HOW DUMB the jokes are!   They just love the experience.  Petting animals in Roatan one day to Jeep adventures in Cozumel the next....with a wonderfully comfortable bed to land on in between.  I just don't know how you beat cruising.  I really don't!  There's no way to vacation any other way and pack as much in for the same price as cruising, nowhere near.  

 

So before and AFTER the shutdown, I'm a cruise fan.  And while the lines may be longer and the food less luxurous and the waitstaff tedious to flag down to refill your drink; I do not care.  

 

Cruise on folks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

[Lee Cruiser]

We've cruised five times since the restart.  One thing that is definitely better is muster. It is so much better than before.  Hopefully this stays. It will as long as people listen and stop trying to ignore it.

 

Some things are worse:

 

Food quality.  Although this was also a trend before, it's definitely gotten worse.  There are still decent options but overall it's gotten worse.

 

Platinum and Diamond benefits, especially having room ready upon boarding.  Before the shutdown my wife and I would go back to our rooms before noon and unpack as soon as our luggage arrived (usually by 12:30 or so) and then relax (sometimes take a nap) before muster.  This allowed us to avoid the chaos between noon and when rooms were ready for everyone.  Now, that is no longer an option.  Only one time out of the last five cruises has our room been ready upon boarding.

[Lee Cruiser]

48 minutes ago, Cruisin4aBruisin73 said:

There's no way to vacation any other way and pack as much in for the same price as cruising, nowhere near. 

That's not always the case.  Sometimes the cruise itself may be a little cheaper, but when you figure in all the other costs, it may not be.  My wife and I had a trip planned in November to the Smoky mountains.  We also looked at a five day cruise.  We were trying to decide which we wanted to do, so we did a full budget for both.  When taking into account all expenses like travel, pre-cruise hotel, tips, and other extras the cruise was going to be a few hundred dollars more and one day less.  This also didn't include any excursions.  For our other trip we included an extreme meal budget, a couple of shows and other entertainment expenses.

[BlerkOne]

The improvements to the mustard drill alone offset any petty complaints.

[john91498]

In California, ships are at or over capacity. Makes the experience seem like a Disney vacation with the hordes of crowds. 

[staceyglow]

12 hours ago, john91498 said:

In California, ships are at or over capacity. Makes the experience seem like a Disney vacation with the hordes of crowds. 

Now that we are fully out of the pandemic, this is great news. If we want to continue to sail on Carnival, they need to be profitable. 

[MagnoliaBlossom]

We are Diamond.  Have cruised four times since restart and leave next week on another.   The first two trips after restart were disappointing, but it was understandable.   The next two were pretty much back to normal, realized that there were some things that are just going to be the new norm, so no use whining about it.

 

My only disappointment was the overcrowding of the ship.  It was not spring break or school vacation.   It seemed security was not willing or able to control some obnoxious drunks and unruly passengers.   We have received almost daily casino offers of free or $100 cabin offers, and lots of the people we chatted with onboard related the same.  I think, as someone else said, they have attracted a lot of first time cruisers who don’t quite understand proper behavior on a ship and that has led to some less than stellar behavior.

 

we have an 8 day booked for next week and received a note on our boarding documents that cabin access would not be allowed until 1:30:even for platinum or diamond baggage drop off.  I find that disappointing.

[bguppies]

On 4/26/2023 at 7:06 AM, Honolulu Blue said:

Hi everyone.  I've sailed on Carnival over a dozen times, but the last time was just before the shutdown.  My next Carnival cruise is in November, and I'd like some opinions of what I have to look forward to.  There are no wrong answers, and opinions are fine.  Just be decent to each other.

 

Thanks in advance for your help!

It has gotten worse, but I think it affects the entire cruising industry not just Carnival.

 

Carnival just hasn't handled some of their moves to cut costs as well as other cruiselines. (seems like Carnival and NCL have handled it worse than others)

 

Staffing is way down on the ships. (more exhausted staff trying to cover more jobs)

 

Food cutbacks. (quality, availability, now charging for room service, etc. Personally I'm fine with the two dinner entree limits they have added. Many reduced hours at food venues and added costs are bad.

 

Maintenance has suffered. (I've never seen more rust and damage on ships being let go than on our cruises since the restart. Broken elevators, toilets, etc.)

 

Like somebody else already put it so well.

The new Carnival experience is like a hotel going from a higher end Marriot/Hyatt, etc. experience to a Red Roof Inn, Motel 6 experience.

(Carnival never was the Four Seasons, but it always felt like a very nice experience, not a shabby roadside Inn like it does now)

 

The cruisers now seem to be much more ill behaved and course, but as I have yet to cruise another line since the restart, so I'm not sure if that is Carnival appeling to a less mannered group of people or if it is just an across the board lowering of civility in today's society.

 

I just know that the cruises we have taken since the restgart have had many more ill mannered, ill behaved, drunk or high people on board lowering our enjoyment of our cruise trying to watch out around us for the next fist fight, or drunk puking or someone passed out in our hall. (all of which we have seen since the restart)

Edited April 27, 2023 by bguppies

[Cruisin4aBruisin73]

1 hour ago, bguppies said:

.... many more ill mannered, ill behaved, drunk or high people on board lowering our enjoyment of our cruise trying to watch out around us for the next fist fight, or drunk puking or someone passed out in our hall. (all of which we have seen since the restart)

I feel so lucky that I've never experience this kind of behavior on a cruise.  Do you think it's a specific port, trip length or itinerary?  Don't get me wrong, I've smelled the "special smell" and I've seen people take FULL advantage of their drink package, but I've been lucky enough never to have experienced the fights and other fiascos.  Now I've probably cursed myself, but oh well!

[tree.critter]

Interesting, for me cruising is better now since I retired during Covid shutdown. Have cruised Carnival 11 times since shutdown, have enjoyed every one of those cruises and the ability to be able to cruise. Mardi Gras (x5) Horizon, Freedom, Panorama, Elation, Dream, and Magic. Yes, some things are different….but my love of cruising wasn’t hampered by mask wearing or vaccine requirements. To me the most important thing is, has been and always will be the crew. They are what makes cruising good for me. Maybe it’s just me but every cruise I meet one or two new crew members that I wind up adding to my FB friends list. If something disappoints me or I find something wrong I have found the CS desk to be the best place to resolve any issues instead of online forums. It is still the best value for my vacation dollar and the whole world has changed, not surprised cruising has changed along with it. 

[lazydayz]

Now that the new "normal" has set in, the only positives I see are the revised muster drill, the availability of Mardi Gras and Celebration, the new curfew for kids, and shorter lines to debark if you have a valid passport.  

 

The negatives include once a day cabin service, poorer food quality, overworked staff, continued supply chain issues (try finding a Heineken on any Carnival ship!), and watered down Platinum/Diamond benefits (I don't want to chase everything down; how hard is it to just have everything in our cabin on arrival like they used to - I know, staff shortage and they are really hoping many of us do not go to Pixels or call room service for our benefits).

 

So while I would say overall the experience has gotten a little less enjoyable, it is still wonderful to cruise, enjoy my balcony, get caught up on my reading and spend quality time with my husband, our family and friends.

[Honolulu Blue]

2 hours ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

we have an 8 day booked for next week and received a note on our boarding documents that cabin access would not be allowed until 1:30:even for platinum or diamond baggage drop off.  I find that disappointing.

This was not unusual on the Journeys cruises I took before the shutdown.  I understood it then because those cruises were loaded with P&D card holders (half or more of the passengers).  That it has trickled down to a more ordinary cruise is a bit of a distressing sign, but I'll keep calm about it.

2 hours ago, bguppies said:

The cruisers now seem to be much more ill behaved and course, but as I have yet to cruise another line since the restart, so I'm not sure if that is Carnival appeling to a less mannered group of people or if it is just an across the board lowering of civility in today's society.

 

I just know that the cruises we have taken since the restgart have had many more ill mannered, ill behaved, drunk or high people on board lowering our enjoyment of our cruise trying to watch out around us for the next fist fight, or drunk puking or someone passed out in our hall. (all of which we have seen since the restart)

I've been on cruises on other lines during the restart and I haven't seen much bad behavior.  There are, of course, possible excuses.  All the cruises I've taken except the last have either been charters with a premium price tag, or cruises that sailed well under capacity.  The last one was a Princess ship at capacity out of Galveston with about 70% of passengers who were new to Princess.  That one could have gotten out of control, but it didn't, IMHO.  

[BlerkOne]

Yes, Carnival now charges for room service outside of continental breakfast. Surprise, so does Celebrity.

 

On a positive note, Carnival has taken steps to reduce the amount of illegal drugs on ships.

[pe4all]

7 hours ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

we have an 8 day booked for next week and received a note on our boarding documents that cabin access would not be allowed until 1:30:even for platinum or diamond baggage drop off.  

I am definitely not a "rule breaker" but this is one rule I will be breaking if I get a notice like that.  There is no way I am shlepping a heavy backpack around the ship for 2 hours or more until 1:30.  I will quietly go to my cabin, profusely apologize if confronted, and put our 2 backpacks in the closet, then quietly leave.

[Honolulu Blue]

1 hour ago, pe4all said:

I am definitely not a "rule breaker" but this is one rule I will be breaking if I get a notice like that.  There is no way I am shlepping a heavy backpack around the ship for 2 hours or more until 1:30.  I will quietly go to my cabin, profusely apologize if confronted, and put our 2 backpacks in the closet, then quietly leave.

I think you can still do that. It's just that they won't guarantee the room will be fully ready then.

[elcuchio24]

We've cruised CCL twice, NCL twice, and RCL once in the past 18 months. I would say CCL is better than it was before--BUT---we cruised the Mardi Gras and Celebration, so two of the newer ships. Cant speak to the smaller/older ships. We were happy with our cruises and experience, at the price point especially.

 

That said, CCL probably came in third behind NCL, and cruised Wonder of the Seas on RCL a couple weeks ago--by far the best since pre-covid experience. 

[mz-s]

11 hours ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

we have an 8 day booked for next week and received a note on our boarding documents that cabin access would not be allowed until 1:30:even for platinum or diamond baggage drop off.  I find that disappointing.

 

They can't use the "enchanced cleaning procedures" excuse anymore as if anybody believed it to begin with.

 

I am surprised, but glad, that priority embarkation came back at least. I guess since those are not Carnival employees and so Carnival isn't paying for how many of them it takes, they don't care.

[BlerkOne]

2 minutes ago, mz-s said:

 

They can't use the "enchanced cleaning procedures" excuse anymore as if anybody believed it to begin with.

 

It isn't an excuse. It's reality.

[nycruise1]

We have cruised 7 times since the restart, none on the excel ships, and still find little difference.  It's a Carnival cruise, with only minor differences.  Actually find the Lido buffet to be better, and eat it mostly at lunch.  Precovid I was seeking out other options more.  MDR was quicker on some sailings than others, just like precovid.  Cant think of anything I really miss or was materially different.  Guess that is why we keep sailing!

[crooooze]

Now that mask requirements and pre-cruise testing requirements are gone, I feel we’re as good as we’re going to get. Want more? spend more.
 

But now you need a defib nearby for when you see the cost of excursions, specialty dining, etc..

[lazydayz]

13 minutes ago, crooooze said:

Now that mask requirements and pre-cruise testing requirements are gone, I feel we’re as good as we’re going to get. Want more? spend more.
 

But now you need a defib nearby for when you see the cost of excursions, specialty dining, etc..

Very true about the pricing on the ship and for excursions.  We are doing a European cruise and the price of Carnival’s excursions are astronomical.  But most everyone on the roll call are planning private ones at less than half what Carnival is charging. 

[pe4all]

9 hours ago, mz-s said:

 

They can't use the "enchanced cleaning procedures" excuse anymore as if anybody believed it to begin with.

 

 

Interesting you said that.  On our January cruise we went to drop off our backpacks when we boarded.  Cabin door was propped open, and definitely not ready (beds not made) which was fine.  Put our packs in closet and were walking (literally seconds later) out when our steward ran in yelling "cabin not sanitized yet."  Maybe that is what they are telling people so they don't hang out in the cabins upon early embark.

[Joebucks]

Oh look, this thread again. Let's pretend like nothing in the world has changed, except for Carnival. Now let's also pretend that everything about cruising that we enjoyed is gone because you can't get pizza at 4 am and your room is only serviced once per day.

 

If you enjoy being a miserable busybody, cruising is definitely worse for you. Chances are, cruising was always worse for you as the same people always seem to complain, no matter what. Honestly, we had just as good of a time as ever on our cruises since the restart. The addition of the excel class only improved our overall experience.