NCL Couple considering a Carnival cruise

[Travelling2Some]

5 minutes ago, luv2kroooz said:

However, the question asked involves longer sailings from NYC. An informed cruiser picks their itineraries carefully to match the experience they desire.

Yes, even though, in general, Carnival is fine but not "our vibe".  We would still be interested in one of their transatlantic or northern European cruises.

[omahabob]

10 minutes ago, luv2kroooz said:

There is a lot of truth to it. Just go on a three four or five days cruise and you'll see it.

 

However, the question asked involves longer sailings from NYC. An informed cruiser picks their itineraries carefully to match the experience they desire.

It wasn't really a question. It was a comment that longer cruises generally have a better crowd, and NYC cruises are necessarily longer because it's further away from everything. I agree with that, hence my 'cruise to cruise' remark in my previous post. We choose longer cruises partly for the same reason. But we stay away from NYC if at all possible (mainly non-cruise reasons). Besides, it's out of our way since we usually cruise the Caribbean. Travelling from there also adds extra sea days with no ports, and one of the reasons we like longer cruises is more ports. Add to that the fact that we're big fans of the Lesser Antilles.

[Oakman58]

I'm Platinum with NCL and finally decided to try other cruise lines.  As I mentioned in my previous post, we just did a cruise on the older Carnival Spirit out of Mobile, AL.  We really enjoyed that cruise.  Here's a link to my review of that cruise.  https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2993261-we-love-our-cruise-on-the-spiritmobile-al-not-so-much-wpics/#comment-66967737

 

I didn't notice any difference in the passengers on Carnival from those on any other cruise line.

 

Personally, I think the only thing NCL has going for it is the Free at Sea.  I do have a New England/Canada cruise booked on the Breakaway this September.

Edited March 23 by Oakman58

[Davechipp74]

To get the true Carnival experience book a 3 day CTN out of Baltimore during spring break 😱 

[Travelling2Some]

10 minutes ago, BandAgain said:

Most of my past cruises have been on Carnival. Great food, great entertainment but on several cruises have felt the "you might be a redneck" vibe & the hallways were consistently noisy with partying guests well into the wee hours. Those cruises were all FUN, FUN, FUN especially Halloween cruises. On the few I took my teenage son & his friend with, they both loved the fruit bisques served in the MDR (don't know if they do anymore). My son jokingly asked for a straw to drink his bisque shake. Every night in the MDR, our assigned wait staff would bring both boys a straw...lol. Now that I am getting to be a "more mature lady" traveling alone, this is no longer MY vibe. Have also sailed RCCL (similar to CCL), HAL (boring) & Princess (other guests not as friendly as on other lines). Upcoming cruise will be a first on NCL. Reviews from friends/family & the specific itinerary at a time that works for me convinced me to give NCL a try. It has been 10 yrs since my last cruise so much may have changed with all the cruise lines.

 

No matter what...remember...anyday on a cruise is an opportunity to put worries aside & invest in yourself & your enjoyment of the days you have on this earth. 

Based on your remarks, I think you will like NCL.  It hits the nice middle ground between stuffy and crazy and steers clear of redneck, lol.

[IAcruising]

16 minutes ago, BandAgain said:

Don't let the lack of cookies or hash browns be an influence.

 

You're not reading the room. Some of us take the lack hashbrowns and cookies very seriously. 😆

 

 

[Distinctive-Destinations]

26 minutes ago, BandAgain said:

Lol...from some of the threads on the NCL forum, cookies and hash browns could potentially be a make or break decision...lol again. Honestly, the cookies and hash browns on Carnival are "meh". Don't let the lack of cookies or hash browns be an influence. So many other important factors to take into account...just sayin 

 

Nevermind that Carnival does not have Haven stewards or loofahs 

You didn’t actually think I was being serious, did you?

[MoCruiseFan]

One other thing, the steak house on CCL is VERY sub par,  Low quality steaks and not cooked properly even after several chances

Edited March 23 by MoCruiseFan

[luv2kroooz]

2 hours ago, Davechipp74 said:

To get the true Carnival experience book a 3 day CTN out of Baltimore during spring break 😱 

Brilliant. Now we have an undefined "true" Carnival experience. What is the "false" Carnival experience????

[luv2kroooz]

Just now, BandAgain said:

Like beauty...true & false are in the eyes of the beholder. Everyone has an opinion (and an a-hole)...they are entitled to both.

.....still undefined, though.

[IAcruising]

18 minutes ago, MoCruiseFan said:

One other thing, the steak house on CCL is VERY sub par,  Low quality steaks and not cooked properly even after several chances

 

I take it you've never been to Cagney's on a bad night? 🙄

[Davechipp74]

4 hours ago, luv2kroooz said:

Brilliant. Now we have an undefined "true" Carnival experience. What is the "false" experience 

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZPRTSgrJn/

This was earlier today. Aboard the Freedom and not the first time it happened on the Freedom. Perhaps this would be a more true Carnival experience.

Edited March 24 by Davechipp74

[IAcruising]

 

I'm not clicking that link. Let's just say, if you get your news from tiktok, you get the news you deserve.

 

[Davechipp74]

6 minutes ago, IAcruising said:

 

I'm not clicking that link. Let's just say, if you get your news from tiktok, you get the news you deserve.

 

Its footage from the ship, there is a thread on the Carnival boards about the fire. I can post a link from CNN or FOX it you like. Cant get news/footage from social media?

Edited March 24 by Davechipp74

[IAcruising]

2 minutes ago, Davechipp74 said:

Its footage from the ship, there is a thread on the Carnival about the fire. I can post a link from CNN or FOX it you like.

 

No problem. I'm not caught up on my cruise news today. But I'm still not clicking a tiktok link. 😆

 

[luv2kroooz]

5 hours ago, Davechipp74 said:

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZPRTSgrJn/

This was earlier today. Aboard the Freedom and not the first time it happened on the Freedom. Perhaps this would be a more true Carnival experience.

Well, Freedom doesn't do 3 days CTN from Baltimore....reported to be a lightning strike. Try again. This doesn't fit the narrative you are pushing.

Edited March 24 by luv2kroooz

[Davechipp74]

4 hours ago, luv2kroooz said:

Well, Freedom doesn't do 3 days CTN from Baltimore....reported to be a lightning strike. Try again. This doesn't fit the narrative you are pushing.

Really not trying to push a "narrative" as much as just making post. Some years ago my now ex wife and I were trying to get friends of ours to go on a N.Y. to L.A. cruise (17 days on NCL Jewel) they have never been on a cruise so they wanted to try one out first. They did a CTN out of Baltimore aboard Carnival, they came back with horror stories and videos, said they would never cruise again, and did not join us. Many videos on YT of cruises on Carnival I've seen of savage behavior, of all the worst videos I've seen aboard cruise ships, had one common thread (CCL)

[luv2kroooz]

1 hour ago, Davechipp74 said:

Really not trying to push a "narrative" as much as just making post. Some years ago my now ex wife and I were trying to get friends of ours to go on a N.Y. to L.A. cruise (17 days on NCL Jewel) they have never been on a cruise so they wanted to try one out first. They did a CTN out of Baltimore aboard Carnival, they came back with horror stories and videos, said they would never cruise again, and did not join us. Many videos on YT of cruises on Carnival I've seen of savage behavior, of all the worst videos I've seen aboard cruise ships, had one common thread (CCL)

Ok. That is cool. You are free to believe that about CCL. I mean you clearly have reason to. Just sayin' lots of posts that contradict that on CCL boards. I've read horror stories on these boards about every cruise line, and I've personally experienced them. They are the exception. I've yet to have a cruise on any line that was horrific. Happy cruising.

[graphicguy]

Only way to judge for oneself is to cruise whatever line then make make a decision.

 

Honestly, without knowing the specific person, having met them (which I have...several on these threads) and knowing their (dis)likes,  Opinions about which is good or not will be meaningless.

Edited March 24 by graphicguy

[MoCruiseFan]

20 hours ago, IAcruising said:

 

I take it you've never been to Cagney's on a bad night? 🙄

 

I've never had a bad night or day on NCL.