princess or carnival

[mamacdoo]

We are about to book cruise to alaska for next June. We are in our 50's and we don't like to just sit around all the time but we are not wild all night partiers. We like to sun, dance a little, drink a little, piano bars a little, gamble and go to shows.

 

Which cruise line should we go with, princess or carnival. We could do Holland but i hear that it is boring.

 

Thanks for your help

[Boo's Mom]

Between Princess & Carnival..... I will recommend Princess.

 

Have you looked at Celebrity at all?

It would be my vote over all three.

[wrp96]

In Alaska, all the cruiselines, even Carnival are more sedate than they are in the Caribbean. I would go with Princess though because they have much more experience in Alaska and many more options of cruises.

[NisiNirvana]

I cannot speak to any of the other lines, but our experience on Carnival tells me that it would not be your line of choice. My impression of Carnival was that "Fun Ship" was synonymous with "Loud, Drunk Ship." I don't have a problem with people drinking and having fun, but this was beyond anything that I ever care to deal with again.

[Keith1010]

If you are comparing between those two lines and based on what you have said I would recommend Princess. I wasn't quite sure why you had narrowed your choices down to those two lines so I am also going to suggest one other line for you to consider; Celebrity.

 

Keith

[Hapinowagain]

We went on Princess to Alaska in 2001 and loved it. Next year we are going to do an Alaskan cruisetour on the Coral Princess.

[serene56]

I cannot speak to any of the other lines, but our experience on Carnival tells me that it would not be your line of choice. My impression of Carnival was that "Fun Ship" was synonymous with "Loud, Drunk Ship." I don't have a problem with people drinking and having fun, but this was beyond anything that I ever care to deal with again.

 

Having sailed Carnival 7 times with 3 more planned- I have never experinced this at all-- and since we dont drink you would think we would see it more so.

 

But for Alaska I will be doing Princess.

Anytime dining so I dont have to be at dinner at a certain time like I would on carnivalor celebrity.

--

I will be taking the cruise out of Seattle because of what an airfare would cost me from the east coast to go to a place that only have the northbound or southbound cruises.

[edste]

WE have cruised both and I think you would like Princess better. i know we did.

[crbnsoul]

Any line but Carnival. You are comparing apples to rotten oranges. Have you considered Holland America, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, NCL,?

[momofmeg]

I cannot speak to any of the other lines, but our experience on Carnival tells me that it would not be your line of choice. My impression of Carnival was that "Fun Ship" was synonymous with "Loud, Drunk Ship." I don't have a problem with people drinking and having fun, but this was beyond anything that I ever care to deal with again.

 

Scroll down and read some of the bad things that can happen on a cruise ship-It is called the "Worst things you have seen happen on a crusieship."Carnival's stuff was tame. By the way I posted my ONE negative Carnival experience there and my THREE negative Royal Caribbean experiences. I notice from your profile, Royal is your cruiseline of choice. Never do a RCCL 3 day cruise-you will have an entirely differant experience. My guess that is what your Carnival cruise was-a 3 day party cruise.

 

To the OP-yes HAL is better at the ports and stuff for Alaska but everything shuts down at 10 pm or earlier, outside the casino- so you heard right. I have heard from others that both Princess and Celebrity do a good job-but I don't know that-I went on HAL.

 

One thing too-though-Alaska crusies are pretty sedate anyway-the average age is older for Alaska so maybe even your Carnival ship may be okay- but you will have better food on Princess and even better on Celebrity.

 

Celebrity and HAL are the top mainstream lines for great food.

[pounder207]

For Alaska you have to consider what, if anything, you're doing before or after the cruise. Princess has much superior land components both pre and post cruise to Carnival. If you compare the land aspects of an Alaska trip, you'll probably find Princess superior to HAL and Celebrity as well.

[survivor]

I too vote for Princess.We are also in our 50's and have been on Carnival(many years ago and hated it.) Royal Caribbean is also very good,but we found everything on Princess just a little bit better. Choosing and planning is half the fun.Have a great time.:)

[momofmeg]

I too vote for Princess.We are also in our 50's and have been on Carnival(many years ago and hated it.) Royal Caribbean is also very good,but we found everything on Princess just a little bit better. Choosing and planning is half the fun.Have a great time.:)

 

I liked Carnival well enough and felt they were as good as Royal Caribbean-but after doing Celebrity-it will be hard for me to do either of those lines again. We are trying Princess in a couple of months as that is more affordable then Celebrity.

 

We were on Princess years ago-but I keep reading posts that Princess has gone "down hill"- I hope not.