Need help!! Carnival or RC 4 day cruise for honeymoon??

[Principessa128]

Hey all! I've been trolling around here for a while, doing some research for our upcoming honeymoon in June. I was just about set to book a Carnival out of Miami, but then I just happened to run across a Royal Caribbean cruise for ALMOST the exact same itinerary - same day, same port, just one different stop. I know I'll probably get a biased response here, so I'm going to cross-post this in the RC area so I can get a little input from experts on all sides. SO... I've really researched lines to DEATH and am between a rock and a hard place and my fiance is no help, before someone suggests that. He'd be just as happy in the back yard as he would in the south of france. Read below for all the info I can give - I figure too much is better than too little. TIA!!!

 

We're 25 & 27, getting married June 25th. We're pretty laid back - spend most nights watching movies at home, or going out with friends once or twice a week. Not big drinkers, but we do love to dance. We live in Orlando so any FL port is within driving distance. Plan is to drive to Miami on the 27th, stay overnight at the Hyatt downtown and head to the port in the morning. Now.. I'm stuck between going on the Carnival Imagination 4-day to Key west-Cozumel-boat day, or the Royal Caribbean Majesty of the Seas 4-day to Nassau-coco cay (private island?)-key west. The price for Carnival is $399/pp, RC is $416/pp so price isn't in my decision. We're looking at an outside cabin, really couldn't care less where it is - i just want a window.

 

I've only been on 1 cruise - the Disney Wonder to the Bahamas and I LOVED it, but I really aren't too familiar with the other lines, save my crazy hours of research the past few weeks. Do either do anything special for us honeymooners? I don't need to feel like a VIP but I'd love a cute little touch here and there. Is there plenty to do on the ship? I feel like Disney spoiled me, with the 3 pools and movie theatre. Also, there was soda already included in the price so it was available 24/7 at no extra cost. Am I right that you always have to pay if you want a drink on the other lines?

 

Thoughts so far - Carnival has the adults-only pool as well as the water splash park thing. Also going to cozumel which is MUCH more interesting to me than Nassau, which didn't impress me at all the last time we went. BUT, even with the fun saver guarantee it seems that people have had trouble getting the lowest price, and I also don't like having to give a non-refundable $300 deposit, which I could skip on, but then we DEFINITELY aren't guaranteed the lowest price.

 

Royal Caribbean seems like a smaller ship, so less people crammed aboard, but there's also only ONE pool and no adults only area. I have no problem with kids, but its nice to have a break. They guarantee the lowest price no matter when you book, and can get almost 100% back up to 30 days before sailing. They also have a day at Coco Cay instead of a boat day, which is nice cuz I've heard horror stories about everything being MOBBED on boat day since everyone is stuck in one place. I'm not TOO excited for Nassau, but if we go there I figured this time, we'd hang out on our own and check out Atlantis or something.

 

OK.. I know I wrote a book.. but please help!!

 

PS - I know it's called a ship, not a boat.. but I prefer boat cuz it would aggravate my friend who works on Celebrity :)

[ItsAllAboutTheSass]

I would go with CCL just because it doesn't go to Nassau. We have been there so much, we just stay on the ship. Not one of our favorite ports.

[Principessa128]

Thanks for the input!

 

Anyone else? :D

[firefly333]

You dont say which RCL ship, but if its the Monarch or the other oldest ship, the cabins are very tiny. If its any other than those two ships, Id pick RCL, but Id guessing if the price is very low its one with 119 s.f. insides and 121 s.f. OVs. Too small unless you are planning on a balcony.

 

What ship on RCL and what category, that would decide what Id advise.

 

If you book a suite with RCL there are some perks. If its a suite with Carnival you only get vip boarding, which is no biggie to me.

 

Neither will do anything really because you are honeymooners unless you pay for it and order something for yourselves.

[MCC retired]

OP;

 

Gee, your posting is longer than the cruise will be?

 

If it was me , it would be the Carnival ship for it's larger average cabin size and (my opinion) better food.

After 60+ cruises , I would also rather spend a day at sea , than a day in Nassau.

[mom2girls]

I've been on the Imagination and the sister ship of Majesty of the Seas. Personally, I'd go on Imagination. The rooms are bigger, the food is better, and the employees seem to be more "fun" then the employees on RC. To me, Royal Caribbean seems a little stuffy. As you said, you will get differing opinions on the RC board. Either ship you choose, you will have fun. But, from my experience I have enjoyed Carnival a lot more than RC.

[49holding]

I love RCCL, but on the Majesty/Monarch the rooms are really tiny!!! There is no room for anything!!! the desk ( only flat surface in the room is like 1ft by 1 ft.).with the icebucket and drink glasses there you barely have room for a pair of sunglasses..I kid u not..The superior oceanview rooms are noticeably bigger, that would be the minimum cat I would book on those RCCL ships.. Carnival would be a good choice.the itinerary is better on the Carnival ship. Soda is extra on both lines.you can always bring some of your own

[ItsAllAboutTheSass]

One other thing.....If you post this on the RCCL board, you will get totally different answers... It's your honeymoon, how much you going to be out of your room anyway? : p

[Socref124]

Hey all! I've been trolling around here for a while, doing some research for our upcoming honeymoon in June. I was just about set to book a Carnival out of Miami, but then I just happened to run across a Royal Caribbean cruise for ALMOST the exact same itinerary - same day, same port, just one different stop. I know I'll probably get a biased response here, so I'm going to cross-post this in the RC area so I can get a little input from experts on all sides. SO... I've really researched lines to DEATH and am between a rock and a hard place and my fiance is no help, before someone suggests that. He'd be just as happy in the back yard as he would in the south of france. Read below for all the info I can give - I figure too much is better than too little. TIA!!!

 

We're 25 & 27, getting married June 25th. We're pretty laid back - spend most nights watching movies at home, or going out with friends once or twice a week. Not big drinkers, but we do love to dance. We live in Orlando so any FL port is within driving distance. Plan is to drive to Miami on the 27th, stay overnight at the Hyatt downtown and head to the port in the morning. Now.. I'm stuck between going on the Carnival Imagination 4-day to Key west-Cozumel-boat day, or the Royal Caribbean Majesty of the Seas 4-day to Nassau-coco cay (private island?)-key west. The price for Carnival is $399/pp, RC is $416/pp so price isn't in my decision. We're looking at an outside cabin, really couldn't care less where it is - i just want a window.

 

I've only been on 1 cruise - the Disney Wonder to the Bahamas and I LOVED it, but I really aren't too familiar with the other lines, save my crazy hours of research the past few weeks. Do either do anything special for us honeymooners? I don't need to feel like a VIP but I'd love a cute little touch here and there. Is there plenty to do on the ship? I feel like Disney spoiled me, with the 3 pools and movie theatre. Also, there was soda already included in the price so it was available 24/7 at no extra cost. Am I right that you always have to pay if you want a drink on the other lines?

 

Thoughts so far - Carnival has the adults-only pool as well as the water splash park thing. Also going to cozumel which is MUCH more interesting to me than Nassau, which didn't impress me at all the last time we went. BUT, even with the fun saver guarantee it seems that people have had trouble getting the lowest price, and I also don't like having to give a non-refundable $300 deposit, which I could skip on, but then we DEFINITELY aren't guaranteed the lowest price.

 

Royal Caribbean seems like a smaller ship, so less people crammed aboard, but there's also only ONE pool and no adults only area. I have no problem with kids, but its nice to have a break. They guarantee the lowest price no matter when you book, and can get almost 100% back up to 30 days before sailing. They also have a day at Coco Cay instead of a boat day, which is nice cuz I've heard horror stories about everything being MOBBED on boat day since everyone is stuck in one place. I'm not TOO excited for Nassau, but if we go there I figured this time, we'd hang out on our own and check out Atlantis or something.

 

OK.. I know I wrote a book.. but please help!!

 

PS - I know it's called a ship, not a boat.. but I prefer boat cuz it would aggravate my friend who works on Celebrity :)

 

First of all, congratulations on your upcoming wedding. Last year my wife and I did our first Royal Caribbean cruise and were very pleased. The ship was very nice and a lot of thier activities were the same as Carnivals. In our opinion, the two lines are more alike than different. The exceptions are the cabin size, food quality and service. The cabins on Carnival are bigger and in our opinion, the food is better on Carnival and the service is better on Royal. The Imagination is not that big of a ship and we didn't notice any unusual long lines. Our decision would be itinerary. Nassau, in our opinion, is a garbage dump. It's filthy. We did not get into Coco Cay so no comment there. Cozumel is one of our favorite ports. We can't wait to get there again this May. We have been on the Imagination and remember it as a very nice ship, so for us, we would go on her a second time. Nothing against the Majesty of the Seas but the Imaginations itinerary wins out.:)

[d-train]

We got married on Dec. 27 and did the Carnival Sensation 4 night. We thought it was great. Great room, food and service. They treated us great at every turn. Would do it again in a heartbeat.