Don't knock CCL too much--

[gsb]

Join Date: Mar 2001

Location: Indiana

Posts: 385

 

 

 

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Looking forward to the Adventure--wanted to try a voyager class ship.

It's our 4th RCI--my opinion only--CCL--much better entertainment--especially after dinner,- larger cabins,- food at least equal to RCI's with a better variety at lunchtime in the Lido. Unless you're old, tired, and bluehaired, I don't see how you could not enjoy a CCL cruise as much as any other lines'--especially on it's newer Spirit and Conquest class ships. We're booked on the new (this July) Liberty --out of Rome--Great itinerary and a new, fun ship to go with it. We did the Grandeur out of Rome (Greek Isles) July of 01.--Nice cruise, but just didn't have the same level of "fun" atmosphere on board.

I hope the Adventure turns my feelings around at least a little bit.One thing CCL is missing is the Meet and Mingle.

__________________

gsb

Mermoz 7/85-Baltic, Tropicale 3/94-So. Carib

Holiday4/95-So. Carib, Monarch 3/97-So.Carib

Inspiration 3/98 So. Carib,Fascination 3/99 So.Carib

Inspiration 12/99 So.Carib,Elation 3/00- Mex. Riviera

Destiny 3/01 So.Carib, Grandeur 6/01 Med-Gr Isles

Destiny 12/23/01 So.Car, Triumph 03/09/02 W.Carib

Legend 01/05/03 Ex.Carib,Radiance 03/08/03 So.Carib

Glory 01/03/04 W.Carib, Legend 03/28/04 So.Carib

Victory 09/18/04 NE/Canada Spirit 01/04/05 Mexico

Adventure of the Seas 03/27/05 So.Carib.,

Liberty 09/18/05-Med/Eur

 

til we explore the Adventure!

 

 

 

>til our Liberty liberty!

[princes511]

I agree about the CCL ships. I had a great time on the Triumph and it seemed more inclusive then RCI's ships, but RCI does have some speciality restaraunts that CCL didn't have. I leave tomorrow for Voyager and am sure I will lover it but I'm definitely not opposed to returning to CCL.

[hstrybuf]

I've enjoyed my cruises on both lines as well as Princess. It's all what you make it! :)

[gsb]

The Conquest and Spirit class ships have these--and they are A-1. I've read on CCL and RCI boards, the CCL ones are better.

[Gingras31]

i have been on CCL and RCCL, and IMHO RCCL is much better

[RichardK]

Of all the major cruise lines, CCL is my least favorite. But, that's just my opinion........

 

However, I'd rather be doing life boat drill on a Carnival Ship right now, rather than waiting for the next snow storm to arrive.

 

I agree with a previous poster>>>90% of your enjoyment of a cruise is what YOU make of it!!

[ED MARY ANN]

We would take RCCL over CCL any day that's just us.

[big al]

Gsb-Couldn't agree with you more..I am a PT cruise agent and I've cruised 5 times with CCL and both my wife & I find them fine.AND their new ships like you mentioned are wonderful.We sailed the Triumph last March at spring break with 3 teens(nieces,nephew) and till this day,they say it was the best vacation ever...favorite still Princess and we are booked on the AOS on 5/15..cruised the Majesty in '96 and loved it,though we found the cabins MUCH smaller than CCL's....also loved NCL (Sun) with their dining options....I,too,am tired of people bad mouthing CCL...I shut them up immediately if they start in front of me.Interestingly enough,we found Celebrity the worst,although food & service were good,entertainment,and activities were terminal on the Mercury in '01(and at 49 & 47,we were the youngest on board by 25 years!!)....The new Spirit & Conquest classes are wonderful,try them!!

[elaineb]

We cruised with teens on both Carnival's Triumph and the AOS. The kids enjoyed Carnival much better. Also had friends from the Triumph cruise who took their kids on the NOS, and again these kids enjoyed the Carnival cruise more. For me, I also preferred the Carnival cruise. Why? I only go on vacation 1 week a year, so I like to really relax and have FUN! On Carnival at dinner you are doing a conga line one night, the macarena another nite, etc. etc. Also there are more planned activities. The food and cabin size better on Carnival...the ship decor and service better on RCI. Entertainment is a draw. So all and all, I'm looking for good food and fun, and Carnival does deliver that and for a reasonable price. However, if you find all that fun at the dining room annoying, you'll probably want to go with RCCL. I would still go again on RCCL depending on the itinerary and price. But our next cruise will be back to Carnival.

[Sunnystone]

Since this is an RCL board, what is the deal with all the ra-ra for CCL?

 

I, personally do not like CCL at all; it is not our taste nor do I support their employment practices. Therefore, I don't cruise with them. I absolutely do NOT try to convert people's thinking because, if you are happy with a CCL product, you most likely will not be happy in the the type of product we choose.

 

There are many boards on the CC website, including those for people who actually prefer CCL. In my opinion this thread belongs over there.

[hdawson]

Sunny, with all the bashing of CCL by folks on this and other boards, I find it refreshing to hear someone singing their much deserved praises. Some balance is always a good thing. I'm curious about your comment about the hiring practices of Carnival that is different from other lines. Hope you will enlighten us. Having cruised 16 times, Celebrity is my favorite but love the Radiance class ships of RCI. RCI needs to work on their dining room food like Carnival has done. The past few years Carnivals has been better. Carnival has the exact same demographics as RCI. 30% over 55 yrs and 30% under 30. Both lines are very popular with families.

[elaineb]

Since this is an RCL board, what is the deal with all the ra-ra for CCL?

 

I, personally do not like CCL at all; it is not our taste nor do I support their employment practices. Therefore, I don't cruise with them. I absolutely do NOT try to convert people's thinking because, if you are happy with a CCL product, you most likely will not be happy in the the type of product we choose.

 

There are many boards on the CC website, including those for people who actually prefer CCL. In my opinion this thread belongs over there.

Sunnystone -

Many 1st time & undecided cruisers use these boards to try and get a feeling for the overall cruise experience on the different lines. By posting a comment like that, you are sending them packing to CCL because you seem very negative and like it or not, you are representing was an RCCL cruiser is about. Go on the CCL board and there are a lot of positive posts about RCCL. When people are deciding which line to chose, comments of posters such as don't use them, they are horrible, are not very helpful. By comparing lines and their differences, it helps people to make a better choice. I thought that's what we are here for, to help eachother out!

[gsb]

Some people just don't get it. I like both lines, but they are different and changing. Too many people think of CCL as a "kids", inexpensive, cheap, glitsy, gaudy line. They obviously haven;t experienced the Spirit and Conquest classes. There's a reason CCL is the largest and fastest growing line in the world. Their management IMHO is unsurpassed in what they're doing. That's why CCL stock has done what it has done.

[Sunnystone]

Sunnystone -

By posting a comment like that, you are sending them packing to CCL because you seem very negative and like it or not, you are representing was an RCCL cruiser is about.

 

Elaine, I am sorry but I don't understand your comment. If you think the "our" and "we" references were about all RCL cruisers, that was not the intent. It was solely about my husband and I. I thought that the modifier of "personally" at the begining of my comment inferred that, but if it was misunderstood, here is the clarification. It is my opinion, which is what the boards are about. You are right though, I am not "positive" about CCL. If my comments send people packing to CCL I would be amazed as well as amused.

 

Go on the CCL board and there are a lot of positive posts about RCCL.

 

Not a big surprise. IN MY AND MY HUSBAND'S OPINION, RCL has a better product. An even better product is found at Celebrity.........again another opinion.

 

Sunnystone -

When people are deciding which line to chose, comments of posters such as don't use them, they are horrible, are not very helpful.

 

Which part of my comments were the above? I actually stated that if you prefer what CCL offers you probably would not be as happy as the product we (husband and I) look for. To be specific, we cruise to relax. I do not want to be on a gaudy ship, doing conga lines at dinner, wild entertainment all night, buffets at 3am, etc. MY HUSBAND AND I, who are in our 30's, prefer a more relaxing enviroment where the staff is relaxed and attentive to the passengers. Passenger staff ratios and service are important to us (again, husband and I) as is the total quality of the experience. Fine food and the knowledge that the staff who are caring for us are treated well is also important.

When I say "employment practices" I am referring to the following: crew to passenger ratio, payment policies, crew rest, days off, length of contract, fear factor of getting less than an excellent rating, fear that something may be said to a passenger which is not a corporate sanctioned remark and be overheard and reported, sick time and penalties for getting ill, bereavement penalties. Next time you are on any CCL owned line, ask the staff about any one of these things and watch the response. You may be enlightened.

 

While getting off my soap box, I have to confess that we have only cruised RCL twice, Carnival, horrifically once, and 3 times on HAL (the last time a total disaster of a trip). Also, we were platinum level on Princess prior to the CCL sale. A dear old friend, who was a captain for Princess, advised us not to return after the sale, as things were not as they used to be and we would not enjoy the "new Princess". If you scan the many boards, you will find many former Princess passengers who also left for other lines after the sale. Our cruiselines of choice are now Celebrity, Oceania, and Crystal. My mother-in-law is going on RCL mext month and some good friends are embarking in 2 weeks on RCL. I was just looking for some info for them when this thread came up. I was more curious as to why the "defense" of CCL was on the RCL board than anything else which is what motivated me to jump in on the thread.

 

Frankly, it becomes tiring to hear that people feel they have to "stand up" for CCL, especially by going on other cruise boards to do so. Why do you think that is? Is it because so many people have had so many negative experiences and then share them? Or could it be that people who start on CCL then try another line are so much happier and then share their comparisons?

 

Regardless, there is a cruise line for everyone and their needs and desires. If CCL is what you want - great, if it is RCL - great, if someone else, great. Everyone should enjoy their cruises, but not everyone enjoys the same thing.

[bevo]

So much depends on the ship, I think. I liked Carnival Conquest...DISLIKED Carnival Holdiay...and LOVED LOVED LOVED Carnival Legend. Can't wait to see "the difference" with RCI. We are not party animals by ANY stretch, and we enjoy carnival. Food was EXCELLENT.,..and from what I have read...some of the RCI food may leave something to be desired. But I am not picky...as long as someone prepares my food and brings it to me, I am usually a happy camper. So much of a cruise depends on the people you are onship with...your cabin steward...your waiter....your personal experience. Its all different...and its all good...People seem to look down on the carnival cruisers...*I* think we all like to travel and love the ocean...and we can all enjoy it in different way. A good ship gives you OPTIONS. Not all party animals, but not all fuddy duds, either. You gotta have all types to make it fun!

[gsb]

Unbelievable.

[TrentS]

To each his own... I've been on some of the Carnival ships and some of the other Carnival owned lines as well. I don't care for them at all and won't be going back. The decor on the Carnival & Costa ships is hideous, and I prefer the way RCI does things... IMO, Carnival could take some lessons from RCI!!!

[always on vacation]

The reason CCL is the largest and fastest growing is because they bought their way to the top. The Princess merger is what caused them to be the largest and is responsible for the stock price spike. I personally would rather earn my way to the top than to BUY it.........

[lunyma]

::::::sitting on my hands and shaking my head::::::

[gsb]

RCI pulled out.

[hdawson]

Always on vacation. Where do you think that Carnival got the money to buy Cunard, Holland America, Princess, etc? Revenue from Carnival Cruiseline and other aquired lines. They are well known for letting each owned line to operate independently in their own style.

 

Royal Caribbean has obviously decided that their future depends on the popularity of the Voyager class and even larger behemouths. Personally, after one cruise on the Navigator, I will choose smaller ships. After that one week I felt like I had spent the week at Mall of America which is not my idea of a cruise. However, they are amazing ships. Although I rate RCCI's DR food "good", it certainly is not memorable or even as good as Carnival. Carnival has come a long way and time for RCCI to concentrate on the dining room. Having said that, the Radiance class ships are the prettiest ships I've seen, but RCCI in their wisdom cancelled the options for future builds of that class. I fear they will soon have a ship so large that it can visit two ports at the same time, stretching from island to island. (BG). Of course, Carnival still has the largest standard cabins of all the lines but that margin is deminishing some. Not everyone wants to cruise with 3600 pax and 1000 crew.

[elaineb]

Sunnystone - I realize that people have different tastes, and that is why there are so many cruiselines and plenty of people filling the ships. I think people "rush" to Carnival's defense because they have a bad reputation from the past to overcome. They are new and improved, and every bit competetive with RCI. I am using RCI because they appeal to the same demographics. I don't think that people who haven't been on Carnival cruise recently (perhaps last 5 years) or have sailed on one of the newer ships can fairly compare the lines. What readers of the boards are looking for I think are fair and useful comments with experience to back them. I wouldn't bash a cruiseline or comment on one I haven't even tried. Yet people consistently do that with Carnival.

 

As for the boards, I read both the Carnival and RCI ones because I'm always planning ahead to that next cruise. And for now, these are the 2 lines which fit our budget and taste. I know there are many undecideds out there reading these two boards looking for a sense of the people/line that they will choose for their first cruise. Helpful, informative comparisons will go a long way to help people make the right choice.