Kristi Williamson

I have no problem with the luggage draggers when we board or when we debark, EXCEPT the ones who want to drag their luggage off but don't want to leave when they're called. When they've called them an hour before and they're still lined up everywhere at 9am, it's irritating because they're blocking everything and make it impossible to catch an elevator because 2 people and their luggage take up the entire car. If you don't want to get off at the correct time (which is EARLY!!), then put your luggage outside the night before.

On our last cruise I walked around 2 sets of luggage draggers as we debarked. They, literally, had 2 large bags each with more bags piled on top of them, plus carry ons on each shoulder and cameras and purses. They couldn't walk and were seriously holding up the line for others. After we walked around them so did about 10 other people until they could get it together.

There are about 100 threads on both forums outlining people's opinions about these two lines, so no need to go into that again here. (just go up top to the search buttons and type in the exact same phrase that you've titled this one)

However, the specific ships you're interested do have some differences.

The Breeze is our favorite Carnival ship and Freedom of the Seas is our favorite class of RCCL ship. If it was a toss up, I'd definitely take the seven day on FoS, simply for the extra day and the beauty of that size ship without being one of RCCL Oasis class giants. Conquest is a sister ship to Glory, so you already know what you're getting there, but I do love that extra day on an 8 dayer!

Neither line is "better" to us and we do think they have their share of differences. We like Carnival's rooms, bedding and food better. RCCL...those ships, though. They're works of art and we love the Viking lounge and those views. :)

You're not gonna go wrong, either way, but there's no way I'd take a 6 day over a 7-8 day. Ever. :D

As a side note: Port Canaveral is also our favorite terminal to leave from, so that might also sway me. They've got it down to a science.

When Fascination goes into dry dock in March, will it get the outdoor movie screen? We love watching movies under the stars!

So far no public reports of the family being symptomatic, yet a healthcare worker has come back positive. (and that worker had less exposure to Duncan than the family did):confused:

What bothers me about the health care worker is that the CDC just made a statement that "they aren't sure what happened, but protocol was breached". So, if they don't know what happened, how do they know protocol was breached? And if it was breached and they "know" this, why not just say HOW it was breached? Shouldn't they have the tiniest bit of concern that perhaps they should verify and test to make sure the virus isn't mutating? It happens to virtually every virus that eventually works its way into a human host.

I also find it VERY weird that we haven't heard much from the people that lived with Duncan since they "quarantined" them in another location. Speaking via Skype isn't contagious and you know every news station in the world wants to interview them. Why are they being kept silent? Or are they on Dallas media and I just haven't seen it?

This also applies to the people being critical of the OP, too, though. To me, it's hypocritical to basically say that one person should be allowed to speak their minds without criticism, but others are not.

I absolutely agree that others should be allowed to disagree with the OP and I never said that they shouldn't (My first post stated that I haven't had that happen on RCCL, too). What's not OK is the level of antagonism some of the posters have had toward the OP for their opinion. Expressing that they had a different experience than the OP is a lot different than saying she's lying. The way they've expressed themselves has been downright hateful in some of these posts.

Now, I'm done. ;):) I hope everyone has fabulous cruises and awesome experiences on whatever ship they find themselves. There's nothing quite like it.

I just got off Triumph last Monday and I got a nice little travel toiletries bag with a hook in it so you can hang it. It's nifty. :D

OH!!! I want this one. We sail on the Liberty next week. :D

I emailed Carnival regarding Liberty stateroom temp issues and received what seems to be an appropriate and reasonable reply:

 

 

Hello Janet,

 

 

Thank you for contacting us.

 

 

We have not modified the standard temperature for cabins on any ships. We have over the past few months had some technical issues with two of the ship's AC compressors. Repair work has been conducted and we do not anticipate further problems with the air temperature going forward.

 

 

 

Thank you for choosing Carnival.

 

 

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Mischelle Beattie Coccera

Manager - Online Community

Carnival Cruise Lines

YAY!! Thanks for sharing this. We leave on her one week from today! :D

I agree that reviews are the opinion of the person posting them. However, there's a difference between opinion and facts. When someone writes a review that has factually incorrect information, I think it's prudent to point it out. For example, you know that it won't be long before a first timer goes on a Carnival cruise looking for a "gala embarkation lunch" because they read it on the review that the OP posted. And you don't need to be a "Loyal Royal" to disagree with the OP's review, as the replies on this thread reveal.

 

Even if you write a review without wrong facts, posting it on Cruise Critic means that you better be ready for the ensuing feedback and comments from those that read it. Otherwise, what would be the point of writing a review in an open forum?

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

"Facts" in a review are subjective because it's an OPINION. It is their perspective of a cruise and their own truth of what they experienced. We can all agree if we asked forty people to describe something they all saw at the same time we'd get forty different stories, right? Same theory.

The OP didn't say Carnival had a "gala embarkation lunch". She said don't go looking for a "gala" embarkation lunch on Royal. Grammar matters. The OP's implication is that to THEM Carnival seemed to have a bit more flair or "gala" lunch on the first day whereas RCCI's was less impressive. Not lying. Difference in perspective.

And I suppose we will also have to agree to disagree that a review is something that deserves such harsh "feedback" as this one has received simply because they shared on a forum. I am of the opinion that everyone is entitled to their opinion and personal perspective, whether I agree with it or not. The way people are responding to this poster is flat out classless. We do not have to agree with the OP to allow them space to state their views. It doesn't invalidate how anyone feels about their cruise line of choice, but jeez people...it's a cruise line. She's not talking about world peace.

Kindness is free, y'all.

We leave on the Liberty next week and I will not tolerate a blistering room at night. We like a cool room when we're sleeping and for what we pay to sleep in that closet, I want my AC to work. Period.

Carnival, if you're listening, don't cut costs here. You'll regret it. People are NOT going to cruise the Caribbean and come back in to a sweltering room after burning up all day in the sun. Ain't gonna happen. And anything above 73 degrees is a hot room to us. Room temp should be the customers control, not Carnival's. They forfeit that when they rent that room to a paying customer, in my opinion.

Hey guys, this is the OP's OPINION and she/he is entitled to it. If you Loyal Royal's don't agree, that is totally fine, but stop dissing her personal thoughts and opinions and certainly stop insinuating she's lying. Your OPINION does not invalidate the OP's, whether you like it or not.

I've sailed both lines many times. I like both lines. The facts are that they do a lot alike but neither are perfect. I've had crappy RCI cruises and crappy Carnival cruises and when I come back and give my opinion on MY cruises, no one gets to tell me I'm wrong because they were MY experiences. Get over yourselves. For real.

And OP, I'm sorry you didn't enjoy Royal this time around. There are much better cruises with them out there and I hope you get to experience them. If not, then I hope your cruises on other lines you pick rock the socks off this one.

Thank you for telling me this-I wonder if this is the same staff that will be onboard in Oct. I also wonder if your child was in the same age group as the previous poster who had a child forced to participate in quiet time? My son will be in the 2-5 age group, so hoping I have a good group of counselors!

Ages 5-11 are in the same room on the Breeze. My child was the one who was playing "the quiet game" and I'd say they have changed crew by now since contracts rotate the crew. We've only had that happen the one time in 10 cruises with our kids, so I wouldn't be overly worried. (we didn't bring them when they were very small) My daughter was 10 years old when this happened.

I only shared the story so that people would know to check your child when they don't want to stay. It could be that they really do have a legitimate complaint but simply don't know how to verbalize that something is wrong in a way an adult can understand clearly, especially at those ages. We're heading out on the Liberty this October and we have every intention of giving Carnival another chance because until that cruise on the Breeze, we'd always had great experiences with the camps and fully expect to again.

We did let Carnival know about what happened and how upset we were. We were clear that we loved the Breeze and had a great time, but that we fully expected the counselors to do their jobs and that doesn't mean forcing kids to sit in a circle on their vacation playing the quiet game, especially when that child was only there two evenings of a seven day cruise! They agreed, apologized and said they would take care of that issue immediately and it wouldn't happen again. I believe them and we were fine with that response.

We grab luggage from the thrift store or Goodwill. Always under 15 bucks and the last one was a "hard cover" for 12 dollars. We've found American Tourister there and Samsonite. Some we've used for years and others are beaten into submission pretty quickly, but at those prices, I don't care. :D

We've said for many years that people who cruise for food are going to be bummed out once they get on board! All cruise food is just OK, but I didn't cook it and don't have to clean it up. I don't agree it's worse than fast food, though, and we much prefer CCL to RCCL's food any day of the week. We've cruised them both enough to know. RCCL has the blandest food of any line!

Did you bother with the salad bar? Fruit? Pizza? Deli? Italian? (it's free at lunch) Steakhouse? Guy's Burgers? (we're not huge fans, but they're decent as far as non-grilled burgers go) :confused:

We've only been on 1 cruise out of many that the food was truly bad and even then, we always found something palatable. (RCCL's Mariner)

Sorry your experience was so horrible. :)

The Breeze is a lovely ship! :)

What is this "ironing" of which you speak?? LOL

 

Kelly (the wrinkled mess)

LOL....Yes! It must be related to work, which is the big no-no when I cruise. :D:p

We are bringing our nieces (9 and 11). Can you tell me something the girls, or DH and I can become involved with, so we can win them a ship on a stick? They would love to have one. Thanks.

Trivia!! :D

Our kids have always loved the camps, but we typically only put them in there two nights on a seven day cruise. We like both family time and adult time when we vacation.

However, we have a similar story to tell: During our October cruise on the Breeze our youngest daughter asked NOT to attend her second evening at camp. It was after dinner (we always eat together, even on "camp nights") and my DH and I were going to watch a movie, then pick her up before grabbing the other two at Circle C. She begged not to go, but we were firm that this was mom and dad's time together and we'd be back in just a few hours.

After grabbing our loungers under the stars, my DH and I looked at each other and said, "Something's off. Let's go check on her."

We walked back up to Camp Carnival (just behind the movie screen) and they have a screen on the wall so you can see into camp. The counselors have the kids in a circle doing...nothing. There's no book reading, no toys, no colors, no anything. A few of the younger kids are, literally, laying on their sides rocking back and forth. Our daughter was sitting with her head on her knees. Two little boys had lost it and were just running in circles. My husband walks up to the kiosk and calls our daughters name...loudly. When she comes running out the door with a counselor just behind her my DH asked her what they were doing. She says..."Playing the quiet game".

The counselor immediately says, "Oh, we're just having them rest so they're ready to be worn out" or something to that affect. The look on her face said it all. The counselor knew what they were doing was NOT what they should have been doing on a child's vacation in a facility included in the price their parent's paid for said vacation.

We just took our daughter left. We asked her if they'd "played" the quiet game the night she'd stayed before and she said that they had. We were livid.

I commented about this on my Breeze review last year. It was the only moment we had on the Breeze that was less than stellar.

So, to the OP: I absolutely get what you're saying. Carnival should have some policy in place so that the camps are routinely checked on and that the counselors are doing what they should be doing, which is entertaining and engaging young people on their vacation, not "playing the quiet game" because they don't feel like doing their job. I don't know how I feel about reading to them, either. I suppose the very young ones would be fine, but even that should be a voluntary participation, IMO, not something "required" of the kids. It's not school. It's their vacation, too!

Other than that one cruise, we've always had fabulous experiences with the camps and our kids beg to go more than twice, but we feel that's a good balance for our family.

We LOVED the Sunshine!! It's layout isn't our favorite, but there's so much more to love. The waterworks area is fabulous, as is the Serenity area. Actually, the Serenity on Sunshine may be the best ever! The big screen is set up perfectly for movies with almost no seats that make it impossible to see and we really enjoy the lunch option on Deck 5 that almost no one seemed to realize was there with plaza seating directly beside it!

The SeaDay Brunch was exceptional and we had fabulous service all around. Don't listen to the hype. We smelled a smell on Deck 3 near GS ONCE and I've smelled that on almost every ship, including the Breeze when we were on her last October. Go believing you'll have fun and you will. Go believing that every little thing will suck and you'll be looking for something to gripe about.

Is it just me that notices everytime someone has a negative experience on a Carnival ship, everyone jumps to say how "sorry" they are but ours was super duper great?

 

Than the process goes to tell them what they did wrong, or even in some cases, they might have been at fault.

 

The questions is who to contact and best way to do so, today, after the cruise. No need to say that you have a wonderful experience, and you did it wrong.

This!

Sorry your experience wasn't up to par, OP. I hope you get everything worked out and that they work hard to make sure families are together and service isn't sloth speed for others!

We've sailed the Breeze, Glory and Sunshine. I'd pick any of them!! Sunshine has the most spectacular Serenity, and we love the waterworks area. Breeze has all the bells and whistles, if that's your thing. We would probably pick the Sunshine if we HAD to pick one, though, simply because it didn't feel quite as crowded as the Breeze. :D

I am going to Seaday Brunch! They didn't have that yet on my last cruise (four years ago).

We LOVE the Seaday Brunch!! Hope you get to do it!! :D

If I am on a ship with the Mongolian grill, I head there as soon as I drop off my bags and eat as much as I can hold. Then I can ignore the long line that eventually forms for the rest of the cruise.

This is exactly what my husband does!! :D

Go to the room to drop off carry on and change into our bathing suits and cover ups. Head to the Lido for lunch and a DoD and then chill out on deck until muster. If it's raining we check out the ship, then break-in the bedroom sooner rather than later. :D:o

forgive me if im wrong, and i know you will. with all the money we spent on the cruise, is it really worth it to schlep soda and water w/you? i believe the breakdown comes to $1.25 the ship charges.

Being able to afford a cruise doesn't excuse being careless with my money. A twelve pack of soda is 3.99 where I live. It's over 27.00 dollars on board and we don't drink enough soda to justify the soda package. (not even close!)

OP: Yes, we bring soda and water and it's no trouble, at all.

We got the coffee mugs on the Sunshine a few weeks ago. We LOVE them. Our lids work perfectly and the inside is stainless steel.