Carnival vs RCCL

[JPVENDING]

Hey Board,

I have been on 6 RCCL cruises and am booked to go on the 7th in July. I was thinking about Princess but decided to go with the bigger ship. What do you guys prefer better and why? Carnival or RCCL?

 

Thanks

Jason

EOS 7/10/2005

[TXRoo]

Don't know...I'll vote after September. :D

[HorrorFan]

I was going to reply..but no, I won't:)

All I will say is that your poll will very likely be skewed, considering where you posted it.

[big al]

Jason-I am a PT cruise agent,and I've sailed all the lines you mentioned.I find Princess a notch above both RCL & Carnival,though I like the latter with no hesitations....it also depends upon which ships you cruise.For example,the newer Carnival ships ( Valor,Liberty,Pride,Conquest,etc.) are terrific and their food has improved dramatically.Entertainment on Carnival is usually top-notch.

Cabins are bigger than RCL or Princess(standard ones).Princess I find has better food,better alternative dining options,better service,AND they have 3 main show rooms for nightly entertainment instead of 1 that other ships have.

The other thing I like is that both Princess & Carnival have some cruises that have THREE days at sea instead of two,which RCL always has.I love those days at sea,especially if you've already visited the islands on your itinerary several times and you just want to "vege" on the ship a bit.....I tell customers to try the big 8 when possible(RCL,NCL,HAL,Carnival,Princess,Costa,Celebrity,Disney) and decide which one they like most.I discourage sailing strictly only one cruise line,because you'll miss out on all the different styles of ships,cuisine,islands,etc.It's like the person who only eats meat & potoatos,and never tries anything else (I was once like that,but I finally opened my mind & eyes & taste buds!)..I pity those who limit intruiging possibilities.....Variety is the spice of life!

 

Big Al

[cruisinisforme]

Big Al, you are very right, I went on 5 carnival cruises before I tried RCCL even though my travel agent was trying for quite some time to try and get me to try another line, and now that I have done that I am considering the new Princess lines as well, I thought I would never like anything but Carnival, but found that I enjoy both lines for totally different reasons, although I am partial to RCCL, mostly because of the adult only areas and the pools being open all the time, but thats my own thing, everyone has their own things that they like and it is always good to try new things.

[ScottC4746]

I personally have never been on C. and have been on RC. I have never heard anything nice aby the C other than children children children and food quality Dennys Dennys Dennys...and that from a professional chef friend of mine.

[madelinerose]

"C" Miracle had fabulous food and we dine at 4 and 5 star restaurants all the time. Just like every other cruise line, if you book when school is in session, there are very few children. We prefer cruising in April or October. ;)

 

I personally have never been on C. and have been on RC. I have never heard anything nice aby the C other than children children children and food quality Dennys Dennys Dennys...and that from a professional chef friend of mine.

[Lilylady]

I tried RCCL for the first time in September. I was on the Mariner which was delayed by the hurricanes. The decor of the ship was beautiful but I did not like the layout of the ship, specifically the promenade which looked too "mall like" for me. I loved the adult only areas especially the solarium. The food was not very good and after a certain time your choices were very limited. The Windjammer was always packed and finding someplace to sit was hard to do. Room service was available but it didn't thrill me. I played tons of mini golf and enjoyed watching people attempt the wall and play basketball. The casino was small and poorly layed out. My husband enjoyed the gym and spa services. We had a balcony which we loved. The people were the same as Carnival people. You had the obnoxious drunks and rude idiots. The service on the ship was very good and the crew was friendly, no different from Carnival. There were just as many kids on this ship as the previous ones that I have been on and they behaved just fine. If I had to choose this ship over the Carnival ships that I have been on, then I would choose the Carnival ship because the food was that bad. I think that the ship is just too big and that effected the quality of the food. I will try RCCL again, but not a Voyager class vessel. I'm thinking that Radiance may be what I'm looking for. I will also try other cruiselines in the future.

[Rich And Sylvia]

Hey Big Al -

Just an FYI to those predisposed about sea days and RC...

I'm not too sure about the last time you checked out all of the available itineraries but we are scheduled on RC Mariner of the Seas to the Eastern Caribbean and we have 3 - count 'em - 3 - sea days. This is the main reasion we chose this cruise. We have to have a sea day as our last day aboard the ship at a minimum and the extra 2 are just icing on the cake!

[Cruiser Forever]

Royal Caribbean without a doubt!!

 

 

 

 

 

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[cfomac]

jason,

You don't give enough info for anyone to make you an educated opinion. Clearly Princess is head and shoulders ahead of either RCL or Carnival. We have taken over 20 cruises and would NEVER sail on RCL again. The service was horrible and the food was terrible. Entertainment was NOT good. I know many other people have had a great time on that line, but it was not for us.

 

As one of the other posts said, the newer carnival ships are outstanding and all of Carnival has provided a "fun Ship" atmosphere.

 

NCL is often underrated. We've cruised with them 3 times and LOVE the freestyling dining.

 

So, it really depends on what you are looking for in a cruise. What your age bracket is. Whether or not you are bringing kids (and their ages) and to a certain extent the socio-economic group you are looking to be in.

 

If you are travelling with kids, definitely go with Carnival. If you are 35-55 and travelling without kids, go Princess or NCL.

 

Happy cruising

[ilionite65]

I have sailed on RCCL, 7times, Carnival, 1 time, and Princess, 1 time. Based on that, I intend on sticking with RCCL. Many people say that you can't judge a cruise line with just one sailing and, to a point, I agree. Exception for me though is Carnival. For me I don't need more than one cruise with them to know I willl NEVER do it again. I went on the Carnival Conquest, which is supposed to be one of their best. I found the ship to be gaudy, too much neon for my taste. Gave it the appearance of being cheap! My understanding is that Carnival decorates all ships in this manner. I was also disappointed with the food, taste was ok, but, even after speaking with our waiter about it, he just wasn't able to get our food to our table before it was cold. All public areas were also very cold, to the point of being uncomfortable. Staff seemed to be diong their jobs automatically, smiles were hard to find. I don't think they particularly wanted to be there. The food, tempature problem and staff may have been isolated to that particular trip, but, again, the neon decorations are standard.

Princess cruise was much better than Carnival, but I found the staff and many of the passengers to be stuffy and arogant. This too may hve been isolated but cruises are too expensive to go back to a line when you find you prefer another. I'll stick with RCCL!

[Firefighterhoop]

I have been on 6 RCCL and one on carnival. THe for the most part, I have been on BIG Rccl ships, and I was on Carnivals smallest, and I have heard that the bigger carnival ships are MUCH Better.

 

I wasn't all impressed with the jubilee except the entertainment was awesome (Always had a late night show, compared to RCCL only having one per cruise at the most).

 

So based on the Jubilee I would stick with RCCL, but after I go on the Valor, I may change my mind or may not.

[jezzdogg]

Did not vote because we have new sailed on Carinival....however, we have sailed on RCL(5), Princess(3) and Celebrity(6). Find that the food and service is way better on Celebrity than either RCI or Princess. Entertainment and activities are better on RCI.. Do not know the TA who was voicing his opinion, but we have found that the service on Princess has really taken a downhill tumble since being taken over by the Carival Corp. For instance, in the dining room....the waiter and assistant are responsible for getting all the drinks....soda, mixed drinks, etc and also for the wine...this spreads them very thin and they have more table to cover ....service suffers....also no live music for the singers and dancers in our last two cruises on Princess, pre recorded music that they lip-synic too and not very well......the only time we saw the band was for 2-3 very short numbers during the repeat cruisers party. Also the ships are DEAD at night, not that we are swingers (55 & 58) but even the casino was empty at night....felt like a ghost ship......our guess is that Princess cruisers like to go to the movies at night, as that is the only venue that had any people....also why they are doing MUTS....

Thank you very much but, we will sail Celebrity or RCI

[Laura/Keith]

I’ve been on four cruises. I have been on Royal Caribbean twice and twice on Carnival.

 

 

The two Royal Caribbean ships where on Sovereign class ships back in the early 90’s when they were the largest cruise ships at sea. The Carnival ships were on the oldest and smallest, the Holiday, and one of the newest and largest, the Glory. All four cruises were wonderful.

 

 

I think the best food I have had so far was on the Glory but all the cruises had very good food. The service across the board was very good on all the ships. I think service quality will probably be luck of the draw as to who your service staff will be.

 

I would say both lines are comparable but I’m looking forward to trying one of the newer Royal Caribbean ships some time in the future.

[newmexicoNita]

Jason-I am a PT cruise agent,and I've sailed all the lines you mentioned.I find Princess a notch above both RCL & Carnival,though I like the latter with no hesitations....it also depends upon which ships you cruise.For example,the newer Carnival ships ( Valor,Liberty,Pride,Conquest,etc.) are terrific and their food has improved dramatically.Entertainment on Carnival is usually top-notch.

Cabins are bigger than RCL or Princess(standard ones).Princess I find has better food,better alternative dining options,better service,AND they have 3 main show rooms for nightly entertainment instead of 1 that other ships have.

The other thing I like is that both Princess & Carnival have some cruises that have THREE days at sea instead of two,which RCL always has.I love those days at sea,especially if you've already visited the islands on your itinerary several times and you just want to "vege" on the ship a bit.....I tell customers to try the big 8 when possible(RCL,NCL,HAL,Carnival,Princess,Costa,Celebrity,Disney) and decide which one they like most.I discourage sailing strictly only one cruise line,because you'll miss out on all the different styles of ships,cuisine,islands,etc.It's like the person who only eats meat & potoatos,and never tries anything else (I was once like that,but I finally opened my mind & eyes & taste buds!)..I pity those who limit intruiging possibilities.....Variety is the spice of life!

 

Big Al

 

 

Big Al, I too, am a part time cruise agent and happen to agree with you almost totally with a few exceptions. I have cruised all lines except Princess. I believe the mass marketed lines are all similar but each has it's own nitch. I too, think everyone should try more than one line. Just because I have my favorite doesn't mean it's for everyone. I do prefer RCI over Carnival, but both have lots of activities and are great for the younger cruiser. I love the size of the Carnival cabins, but like the decor on other lines better. Carnival a bet to gaudy for me, even the newer ships. The best choices for cruising should depend on itinerary, interests and yes, price. If I can cruise on Celebrity for the same price as NCL I would probably choose Celebrity,but if NCL was $100 less than say, RCI I would go with NCL. Also it's important to make certain the conparison is based on similar ships. NMNita

[Pumbaamd]

Deirdra and I got back last week from our 11 days on the "Brilliance of the Seas". It was the best trip we ever had. As you know, we have tried many cruise lines. The dining room was excellent and the food all in all was very good. If only the Brilliance had free style dining. . .

Take care,

Rick and Deirdra

[IBEEMOM]

Have sailed on both lines. Both are filled with wonderful amenities, but the price of Carnival beats RCCL, in my opinion.

[colette5479]

I personally have never been on C. and have been on RC. I have never heard anything nice aby the C other than children children children and food quality Dennys Dennys Dennys...and that from a professional chef friend of mine.

 

I knew when I first read the topic of this thread someone would have to post something bad that they "heard" about CCL. Perhaps this thread would be more helpful if people would post if the have experienced BOTH lines:)

 

I have been on two CCL cruises and one with RCCL. I loved all. In my cases (not speaking for anyone else), both lines have their good and bad:

 

Both had excellent service in the dining rooms, pursers desk, Windjammer and Lido, and excellent room stewards.

 

I found things I did not like to eat on both lines (buffett and dining room) so I simply tried something else. Since I do not eat gourmet meals at home maybe I am easy to please:p

 

Both had crowded decks full of chair hogs. That happens on all lines I hear.

 

CCL had better ammenities baskets in the bathrooms. I got full size toothpaste and body sprays.

 

I noticed more of a party crowd on RCCL:eek: I know there are some diehard RCCL fans who swear this isn't true but in MY experiences, I found it VERY true. I'm sure the party crowd can be on ANY line.

 

I don't know how true this will be in the future, but I used to find better prices on CCL for similar RCCI cruises. With the new rules that went into effect, this may no longer be the truth.

 

 

Will I book on RCCL again? You bet! Same goes for CCL:)

[EMTRa]

We have sailed on Carnival and RCCL ..had a wonderful time on RCCL and NOS is a beautiful ship! The majestic size and beauty of the ship really impressed us, but guess I was expecting a better dining experience, great shows & better service that would "wow" us over Carnival. It didn't happen on that trip.

Does it mean I will NEVER sail with RCCL again? No, of course not, but I will wait for a competitive price now- knowing what to expect.

[dalwhitt]

I personally have never been on C. and have been on RC. I have never heard anything nice aby the C other than children children children and food quality Dennys Dennys Dennys...and that from a professional chef friend of mine.

 

 

I suggest you try it yourself instead of listening to what others say. As far as food quality goes, I'm shocked that a professioal chef feels the way he does about Carnival food. I found it much better and more tasteful than Royal Caribbean by a wide margin, even though RCCL is my prefered line. I've been on 5 RCCL and 4 CC cruises. Of course, if you go on any of the older ships, you get what you pay for. We try Princess (Sapphire) in November, Freedom of the Seas May '06, and then we're going to give more Carnival ships a shot with no hesitation. They're all different, but that doesn't make one better.

[JohnnyO]

Skewed.....great word HorrorFan......I have been on both and like them just the same....I am exactly 50-50 on the subject.....I do know that RCCL caters to a more mature crowd and Carnival caters to a younger crowd.....this is just generally speaking and it could have just been on the specific sailings that I was on.....Time of year has alot to do with this I am sure.....I would try Princess(only because I haven't yet)....Sure hope that you posted this same question over on the Carnival board so you can hear both sides of the story.....Basically, to me, the only difference would be the price I would get.....Princess has different dinner seating among other thing from what I have heard.....I personally just don't see a difference between Carnival & RCCL(RCI)....

 

JohnnyO

[BK300]

Any but Princess. I love all my cruises and trying different lines. Our TA kept trying to sell us Princess. Finally, we said yeah why not. It was ok and we had a good time, but would not pick them again. Agree...try different lines and ships. We will eventually try NCL just for fun. Enjoy ;)

[psw]

back in the late 80s early 90s we did 2 soverign class rccl cruises and then the carnivals ectasy and said never again too gaudy to much neon give me back my brass and glass...but then we bought a second home and stopped cruising for about 8 years... since then we have done Costa (never again) Carnival (Pride) and Celebrity (Galaxy) I was very impressed with the Pride, at first my DH thought a little dark but it grew on him. Now I do have to admit I have never seen so many seniors and wheelchairs on one ship in my life, what a difference from the last one we were on. Celebrity has outstanding service but the Galaxy was.... I guess what I am searching for unimpressive as far as decor and ambiance. Maybe the size and age of ship has alot to do with that. So RCCL over Carnival I will sail both in the future..one RCCL booked for March and then I am spreading my wings and going for a spin with princess in March of 06. Whats next who knows what ever line has the best price and itinerary.:D

[douglinc@msn.com]

We also have been on both lines along with Norwegian and Commodore & I find that overall there is not much difference in the two. Carnival has the larger rooms & I also give the edge to Carnival on food & entertainment. The dedor on Royal Carrib. is more elegant and has more glass than Carnival. I also think that the overall service on Carnival is a little better. Is there enough difference to make me stay away from either, not at all. Would do either again at any time, in fact we are going on the Carnival Elation again Feb 6th.

 

Doug