psupa

So far in the Carnival versus Anthem Of The Seas food comparison, Anthem Of The Seas has done VERY well. A winning streak like that never lasts, though! Now it's time to talk about burger joints, and I'm afraid that on this matchup Royal Caribbean not only loses, but it's a double fail. I am talking, of course, about RCI's "Johnny Rockets" restaurants versus Carnival's "Guy's Burger Joint".

 

When Carnival teamed up with Guy Fieri and started adding "Guy's Burger Joint" to their fleet, it was the most genius cruise ship improvement I have ever seen. Those burgers are SO good. Johnny Rockets just does not compare well to Guy's Burger Joint at all.

 

Now that I think about it, it's actually a triple fail. Not only is the food better at Guy's Burger Joint, and there's lots more seating, but it's FREE, too. They serve thousands of Guy Burgers each day on a Carnival ship... and there's a reason!

 

The best burger on the high seas: a Guy Fieri Burger

Even the fries are superior to all others!

 

I feel like this section of the story has turned a little more negative than I wanted! This would probably be a good time for me to reiterate that we had a FANTASTIC cruise on Anthem Of The Seas and that it is now my favorite cruise ship and that this was one of the best cruises we have ever taken. Just because I pointed out a few things, I don't want anyone to get the wrong impression! Great ship, great cruise. Bravo, Royal Caribbean. I see you improving with each new ship. I can't wait to see what you come up with next! I am far more likely to cruise with Royal Caribbean in the coming years than with any other cruise line.

 

Agree with you that Guys Burgers are the best. I'm enjoying your review of the Anthem and your honest opinion and comparison with other cruise lines. Most are similar, but some do things different which makes it interesting. We like the breakfast brunch that Carnival offers on seas days.

One negative thing I should probably mention about the cabins on Anthem Of The Seas is that the televisions do not receive programming from NBC, CBS, ABC, or FOX. So, if you're hoping to keep an eye on your favorite network TV show during your cruise vacation... you're out of luck. Set your DVR accordingly!

That's one thing I liked about Carnival is the local TV channels. It was nice to be able to watch Good Morning America, news and weather.

Very insulting.

I cruise because I enjoy cruising with the perks I have attained thru loyalty. Those loyalty benefits approach well over $700/cruise. If you could afford to throw away that money, good for you!

:mad:

Please explain how you came up with that figure? Yes the perks are nice, but we cruise to relax and enjoy all the ship has to offer and have cruised other lines as well.

Maybe it is the type of cruises that I do, but generally the CL has been jammed and noisy - usually with at least 1 large crowd with their chairs pulled into a circle every night and the concierge's attention drawn to a smallish group of people that seem to need a lot of attention.

Saw it on the Grandeur in March every night prior to early seating dinner. Yep a large group in a circle and getting a lot of attention including from the servers. My husband and I keep to ourselves but it's fun to watch. I guess you can call us steerage people because we've cruised mostly in insides and OVs and an occasional balcony when I get a good deal. Don't judge someone because they book an inside because they may need an accessible cabin which most times are either inside or OV. Believe me I know

Possible change to the tier levels and increase in required points this Royal has done this before no one losses their current level just need to sail more to get to the next level, lets hope that Royal has looked at and stop this inherit status system that they have, do the nights at sea to earn your status stop people riding on others coat tails.

Been saying this all along and RCI needs to address the issue, especially the inherit status.

I do not think RCCL had any idea how many Diamond and diamond plus passengers they would have when they started this program. I hoping most of the diamond plus benefits will still be there when we get there hopefully next year, but happy I can get a seat in the lounge when traveling in a suite.

I don't know how they wouldn't since they let people register anyone in their household and I believe that's part of the problem. It took me 26 years to get to D+ one cruise at a time. With that said we saw this happening when we were Diamond and allowed in the CL and said it wouldn't last. I think we should just appreciate the perks that are given because there is no other cruise line's program as good as C&A.

I'm curious if anyone has ever booked a non-accessible cabin with a mobility scooter? I've been eyeing what appears to be a larger 4J cabin on Carnival, but currently all of the HA ones are taken. I've considered taking what is available, and simply breaking down my scooter into its smaller components to fit inside at night for charging and storage. Has anyone ever done this or have run into trouble attempting it? Except for possibly a shower seat, I don't think I need any of the other accessible features.

We've cruised on Carnival and they have what they call a modified cabin. We've had a modified cabin which was small, but the door was wider and the bathroom is an accessible with shower seat and quite large. I would contact their special needs department to see if you can get some assistance with such a cabin. You would probably have to charge the scooter in the cabin area, but you could store it in the bathroom at night. I hope this info helps.

Problem not fixed but was able to book today when Robin from C&A was able to get an override.

Never had problem in the past.

Booked Feb. 10 2018 12 day

Very frustrating and glad you were able to get it resolved.

Thanks xxoocruiser you explained it better than I could. Hopefully the booking system has been fixed

We've never had a problem before booking an AC cabin if it was available and these cabins should not be limited to 3rd or 4th passenger. There are people like us (only 2) who need to have this type cabin and if bringing a scooter you have to have one. There are not many of these cabins and you need to book early to get one and that's why I did that. I hope Royal is reading this.

Just a heads up for those who need an accessible cabin. I was looking at the 12 night Grandeur cruises for Nov 17 and Mar 18 and we need an accessible cabin due to mobility issue. When I tried booking an accessible cabin (either inside or OV) a message pops up not available. I think this is very strange since the itineraries just came out, so I call Royal and spoke to a very nice rep. He put me on hold and when he came back he explained these cabins hold a 3rd and 4th passenger, so they don't show up if you are doing a booking for 2 people. He spoke to Revenue and told me the cabin is available and to have my TA call to reserve it. My TA did that but not without some hastle from a supervisor even after I spoke with Royal earlier, but my TA was finally able to get the cabin. Hey Royal wake up this is an accessible cabin and should be categorized differently from the regular 3rd and 4th passenger cabins. Also if you are bringing a scooter, you will need to have an accessible cabin because you cannot store the scooter out in the hallway. Something is very wrong with this and It needs to be corrected immediately. HEY ROYAL ARE YOU LISTENING

Just a heads up for those who need an accessible cabin. I was looking at the 12 night Grandeur cruises for Nov 17 and Mar 18 and we need an accessible cabin due to mobility issue. When I tried booking an accessible cabin (either inside or OV) a message pops up not available. I think this is very strange since the itineraries just came out, so I call Royal and spoke to a very nice rep. He put me on hold and when he came back he explained these cabins hold a 3rd and 4th passenger, so they don't show up if you are doing a booking for 2 people. He spoke to Revenue and told me the cabin is available and to have my TA call to reserve it. My TA did that but not without some hastle from a supervisor even after I spoke with Royal earlier, but my TA was finally able to get the cabin. Hey Royal wake up this is an accessible cabin and should be categorized differently from the regular 3rd and 4th passenger cabins. Also if you are bringing a scooter, you will need to have an accessible cabin because you cannot store the scooter out in the hallway. Something is very wrong with this and It needs to be corrected immediately. HEY ROYAL ARE YOU LISTENING

Called the TA. There is an Inside accessible still available so we went for that. BUT it actually cost more than the Oceanview, probably because when we first booked there was a discount (2nd person 50% off I think). Better for mom and greater peace of mind for us.

 

BTW I work for a big company in Canada so I know that "handicapped" is politically incorrect and "accessible" is the right word :)

 

Thanks again to all!

You will not be sorry you changed to that accessible cabin. We've had an accessible cabin on the Grandeur and it is a large cabin and bathroom has the shower with the bench. Glad it worked out for you.

I don't consider 39 and 40 "old". If you were on Holland America you would be considered young and if you're into dancing and enjoying a few drinks you would be given dirty looks.. it's almost as if it wasn't "proper" or "appropriate" to enjoy yourself and company .. Not even kidding!!

 

I would defiantly suggest reviewing your cruise and putting your input because it honestly does make fellow cruisers more informed. Had I known that Holland America was that much of an older demographic I would have said thanks but no thanks to the family member who gifted us the cruise.

 

 

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Nice gift and I hope you at least got to enjoy the cruise:)

I heard Carnival is mostly a party ship. We want something in the middle of the road. We aren't obnoxious 20 year olds who just want to drink and party all the time but we want to have a fun time too without being annoyed. That's why we thought RC was kind of that happy medium.

 

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We mostly cruise with Royal, but have tried other cruise lines and recently sailed with Carnival because we liked the itinerary. We had heard for years Carnival is a party ship, but you would be surprised at how family oriented they have become and there are people of all ages and there is something for everyone. Every night Carnival has the Comedy Club at different times if that is something you like and dive in movies out on the pool deck.

My boyfriend and I just returned from our first cruise with Holland America on their signature ship and it was horrible. It was like a floating retirement home and felt like we were onboard an assistant living facility. On a positive note we do have to say the service was excellent but the overall experience on sea days was poor because they didn't offer any activities or any good entertainment and the music by the pool was titanic music as my boyfriend would say.

 

We would like to try another cruise line in the future that doesn't cater to the geriatric population and are wondering if Royal Caribbean offers a wide variety of activities for all age groups. The Oasis Of The Sea, Anthem of the Sea, and Allure look like fun ships but we don't want to be stuck with mostly older people again :/

 

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I'm just curious, but didn't you research before booking with HAL. If you had researched or asked other folks you know who have cruised would have told you HAL is geared more toward an older clientele. I think you will be pleased with Royal Caribbean because their ships have so much to offer. I'm sure you will find a cruise that will be to your liking and these boards are a wealth of information.

I LOVE to cruise, but I frankly cannot find an itinerary on RCCL that appeals to me anymore. Caveats: don't want to fly to Australia, and we prefer warm weather itineraries, so no Alaska, Boston, New England. Also, I am going to Europe with my bff next year, so I'm not interested in that long flight again for a while.

 

I looked this morning, because we got a gift certificate from our son for Christmas, and I could not find a single cruise that interested me. I finally called to make sure I could use the certificate on Celebrity. They seem to have more variety.

 

We just got back from Princess to Hawaii and Mexico b2b, and it was fabulous! RCCL seems to only want to do Bermuda, Bahamas, and cookie-cutter Caribbean.

 

We love RCCL, and we love the Caribbean, but they only go to the same 6 ports for the Eastern itinerary, and 6 Western, give or take a few.

 

We are itinerary cruisers, but love RCCL ships and loyalty perks. But, we don't love it enough to repeat the same itinerary year after year after year.

 

I'll keep looking, but right now my future bookings are with Celebrity and NCL. Am I being fussy, or do others feel this way, too?

This was why we cruised the Carnival Pride Journeys cruise from Baltimore in January. We did a b2b (21 days). First leg 11 days sailed to the ABC islands, Grant Turk and St. Croix and ended in San Juan, PR. The 2nd leg 10 days sailed from San Juan to St. Thomas, St. Martin, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Dominica and Tortola and ended in Baltimore. It was so nice not to have to fly. I wish Royal would do something like this.

My question is: When Rhapsody really will offer such cruises, what could she do in summer, until Aug/Sep? Usually the season for Canada/NE starts in September, and I do not have any clue what she could do before that.

 

Celebrity, HAL, NCL and Princess are reliable in this case and one can be sure that there will be Canada/NE runs including Québec City - why not RCCL as well???

Why not do Canada/NE in the summer. There's much more than fall foliage to see and do there

Would love to see a Canada/NE itinerary with Quebec. :)

I would too, roundtrip from Bayonne with a stop at PEI. The Explorer used to do that itinerary and then it changed.

Same goes for RC cruisers on this board, the Majority will try something else and them come back home to RC.

Not necessarily. We will cruise other lines depending on cost and itinerary. We tried Carnival for the Journeys cruise itinerary and cost (21 day b2b cruise in a balcony). We have the NCL Breakaway booked for a 14-night for the itinerary, and also have the Anthem and Grandeur booked. I will go where I get the best deal$$. My favorite ship is the "ONE I'M ON NOW" and doesn't matter which line.

I have been sailing Carnival for 13 years now and enjoy it. I've only sailed Carnival and sail more for itinerary than the ship. We've booked our first RC cruise, Adventure of the Seas, for March of next year because of itinerary.

 

I'm trying to research what the real differences are between the 2 lines. I've read about 30 threads talking about this, but I keep seeing the same thing over and over - opinions. 20 people say RC has better food and another 20 say Carnival has better food...things like that. What I'm looking for are definitive differences.

I'll start with a few I've found

1. Carnival has Guys for Free, RC has JR for a cost. (free vs cost)

2. Carnival has comedy clubs and RC only has 1 or 2 comedy shows per cruise

3. Carnival does "showtime" in the dinning room where RC does not.

4. Carnival allows you to bring on one 12 pack of soda per person, RC does not allow any.

 

Thanks in advance for all the help filling out this list.

We are just the opposite of you. We have been sailing Royal for many years and just recently tried Carnival because we liked the Journeys itinerary and did a b2b (21 days) in Jan/Feb.

I agree with your comments and add the following which are my observations only and hope they help:

1. We love the Breakfast Brunch that Carnival has on seadays from 8:30 to 1:00. It is a sit down brunch in the MDR and you select from a very nice menu. My favorite is steak and eggs for breakfast.

2. Carnival has a more relaxed dress code and shorts are allowed in the MDR for dinner and on Royal they are not. Carnival does have formal nights which some dress and some don't.

3. Carnival just went to a new American Table Menu. I'm not sure how I feel about no table clothes (except on formal night) in the MDR.

4. The TV channels on Carnival are the best. They have direct TV and you are able to get ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN and FOX, movie channels to name a few. It is by far the best selection we have had on a cruise ship. On Royal you are limited to FOX and CNN and some movie channels and that's it. It was actually nice to be able to get news and weather.

5. Food is subjective and we've found it to be good on both, but prefer Royal for dinner. We liked the buffet (better selections), Guys Burgers and the Cantina (burritos, tacos, etc) on Carnival and the service was excellent on the Carnival Pride.

6. On the Carnival Pride we had the singing Maitre'D Ken and he was fabulous. Every night he would sing a Frank Sinatra song and of course there was always some entertainment by the entire staff.

I just booked the Anthem for Oct 20th and selected classic dining. This will be our first time on a ship this large so like reading comments from those who have already experienced this class ship.

How far in advance should you contact them to request a table for 2

I use a TA who has group rates that are lower than Royal and I am able to go to their website and check for price drops. This is also one of the reasons why I will no longer purchase the future cruise certificate or whatever they call them now because they don't tell you it can't be used with group rates.

Theresa

I called RCI they said I could meet the ship but two passengers did not have valid passports

Tough lesson learned and good reason why having a valid passport is important. You spend thousands$$ on a cruise, but many just won't pay the money for a passport or insurance. I'll never understand