Carnival Sensation or Disney Wonder?

[smiles998]

I am taking my two teens (16 and 17) on a cruise in December. We have narrowed things down to either carnival's Sensation or Disney's Wonder. Doe's anyone have any recomendations on which ship would be better?

Is the Disney ship more for younger kids?

 

Thank you so much for any advice, :confused:

Karen

[Jeano222]

Done both and no comparison between Sensation and Disney. The quality of service and cabins are absolutely wonderful. I have never sailed Disney with kids, always so with other couples or girlfriends. Go Disney!

[onthelake]

Disney is worth the trip just for the private island. It is beautiful! They will love it and so will you (I want to live there). Teen activities won't be particulary different - there is always plenty to do. I know when we went on Disney about 18 months ago, the teens had a midnight hot tub party with pizza one night. What teen doesn't like that? And, Disney has a drink machine by the pool - like at a 7-11. Just fill up on Coke, Sprite or whatever is your pleasure any time. No costly soda cards.

[smiles998]

Done both and no comparison between Sensation and Disney. The quality of service and cabins are absolutely wonderful. I have never sailed Disney with kids, always so with other couples or girlfriends. Go Disney!

 

 

Thanks... just what I needed to hear.

Was there plenty to do for the adult crowds? I saw that there were deck character parties, but are there parties for the adults too?

[smiles998]

Disney is worth the trip just for the private island. It is beautiful! They will love it and so will you (I want to live there). Teen activities won't be particulary different - there is always plenty to do. I know when we went on Disney about 18 months ago, the teens had a midnight hot tub party with pizza one night. What teen doesn't like that? And, Disney has a drink machine by the pool - like at a 7-11. Just fill up on Coke, Sprite or whatever is your pleasure any time. No costly soda cards.

 

SWEET !!! :)

[Jeano222]

Adults have their own pool and hot tub, no kids allowed and strictly enforced. Palo's restaurant is reservation only, no kids allowed. All of the clubs and bars are adults only. On their island is teen beach, family beach and adults only beach. Like i said before, I have sailed multiple times but with adults only and we've always had a great time. The only negative is there is no casino.

[iamgolden]

Go Disney, it is wonderful. As an above poster stated, their private island is gorgeous. I have been on four different cruise lines and this was the nicest, there were people on the Disney cruise who don't even have kids and always sail Disney. Yes, there is NO casino on board, only difference, and it is expensive! and have to book in advance, only 2 ships fill up quick.

[lvtotrvl1]

I have to agree...absolutely no comparison between the Sensation (or Carnival) and Disney. Here's another vote for Disney!

[Amlee]

Me personally I LOVE Disney. I have sailed the Wonder twice last year and loved it!

 

That being said, the 15 year old that sailed the first time with me and the 17 year old that sailed the 2nd time with me, found the ship to be fairly boring. It seemed that they were stuck between the ages. Not old enough to do adult things, but too old to do the kids stuff. Both tried the Loft, and neither found it fun or interesting. The 15 year old settled with hanging around us adults and the 17 year old was fine hanging out around the pool.

 

Now Castaway Cay was a whole other story. Both of them loved the island. I signed for the 17 year old to get off the ship as soon as we docked and didn't see her again until our set time to meet up that afternoon. She did the package where she rented a bike, a float, and snorkle equipment. She also did the sting ray feeding. The 15 year old enjoyed the teen beach.

[smiles998]

Do you think my older teens would get bored on the Wonder? I was kind of curious if they would be at that in-between age.

 

Also, can you tell me if the snacks from the location just outside of the movie theater are free?

 

Thanks again for all of your advice :)

[Amlee]

I think it depends on your kids. The two with me are on the shy side and I don't think any of the activites appealed to them.

 

The food isn't free that is sold outside the theater. What I did was was pack a couple of boxes of fiddle faddle and gummy bears. I then broke them down into ziplock bags for the shows we saw.

[smiles998]

Great Idea.... Thanks :)

[melika091900]

if your kids are teens , i would go for carnival...

 

Im sorry but disney is overrated and OVERPRICED.....

 

 

if money isnt an issue and you prefer disney then go on the wonder

 

but man the price difference is crazy, i would never pay 1000 per person for an inside for a 7 day mexico cruise,,

 

 

and next summer RCCL vision starts 7 days to mexico all summer also ..

 

Melissa

[smiles998]

I definitely see your point. I didn't realize they were so much more expensive.

 

I'll pay the difference if my teens will enjoy the cruise more, but I am afraid they will be stuck in that in-between age group and be bored while on the ship.

[momofmeg]

Disney Wonder is a gorgerous ship and the teens have their own areas on the private island and teen club-my daughter loved it but she was 20 so she was able to use the adult pool, go to the adult lounges and eat at Palos. so I can't say your kid swill love it better then Carnival but I can say we loved it better and if you can go the price it is worth it.

 

No casino though-so if you are into that you will be disapointed.

[smiles998]

What kind of state room is recommended on Disney? I would love to have a verandah. :)

[momofmeg]

What kind of state room is recommended on Disney? I would love to have a verandah. :)

 

The verandahs are great and they are as big as mini suites on other lines. tha tis all we hae done-we loved all the room but I have heard even the oceanviews are roomy and I understand the splitbathrooms are even in some of the inside staterooms of higher catagory.

 

Now also, there are a few staterooms classsified as inside which are really obstructed oceanviews and have the split bathrooms-if you go over to the Disney board and post asking the numbers of those stateroooms I am sure someone will tell you.

[Amlee]

I like a cabin in the aft. I have had the following cabins

 

cat 9 (oceanview) on deck 2 aft.

Pros:

easy access to the resturants and lobby area. Up one flight of stairs. I have also found that the aft elevators are the less crowded.

Cons:

you have to be careful with getting cabin in this location. Look at the deck plans you will see that the kitchen for two of the resturants is right above some of the cabins. This can cause alot of noise very very early in the mornig.

 

cat 6 (verandah) on deck 5 mid to aft

 

Pros: of course the verandah. From this cabin we could use either the mid ship elevators or the aft with no problem.

 

Cons: Can't say there was any

 

Really in room size I can't say there is much difference. In both cabins I had 2 beds, and a couch that pulled out into a bed. The bath in both was the split bath (personally I don't like the split bath. I would rather have 1 large bath that I have enough room to turn around in, than 2 small areas that I can't turn around it.) I enjoyed the verandah very much. I like watch the ship dock and the pilot as he or she arrives to the ship.

[Happy ks]

I've only been on one Carnival ship, it was a sister ship to Sensation and....no thanks, never again. Sensation could not hold a candle to Disney Wonder. Our first cruise was on Disney Magic and if I had the opportunity I would go again in a heartbeat.

 

There is plenty to do on the Disney ship for all ages, even teens. The separation for age groups is great, everyone has something of interest.

 

Yes, it is more expensive, but you can't even compare the two when it comes to the quality. The Disney ship is first class, Carnival ships are budget, nothing wrong with that if it is what you want and what you are comfortable with.

 

It didn't bother us there was no casino on the Disney ship, we've taken cruises where we didn't even go into the casino. Even if we do, they are all so stinky smokey we can only tolerate a few minutes in there. As a matter of fact, the Carnival ship we were on, probably the worst part of it was the entire ship reeked of cigarette smoke.

[smiles998]

I understand they rotate your eating place along with your wait staff.

This sounds like fun, but can I eat a casual buffet dinner one of the nights if I want to, or do I have to eat at the time and place aloted?

[Cruzaholic41]

Disney has casual dining also. But I do recommend doing the scheduled dining rooms. Every one is very nice.

 

Comparing the Wonder to the Sensation is like comparing the Concorde to a single engine Cessna. The ships just aren't in the same class. In fact, neither are the cruise lines.

 

IMO, Disney has the best entertainment in the business.