Carnival vs. other cruieslines

[Newbie41]

I am in the process of booking the Carnival Vicotry, but was talking to a friend last night who has been on several cruises including one on Carnival and she is not a fan of Carnival. I did tell her that I've talked to people that have been on Carnival cruises and they had good things to say. She said it is because they haven't been on any of the other lines and that is why. She went on to add that the ship was dirty and there was a film of scum floating in the pool. Can those that have been on Carnival along with other lines please comment.

[live2cruise2011]

I have sailed ncl,rccl, Disney and carnival. I find that we like carnival just as much as the others and have had excellent service and a clean ship every time

[T2C]

I am in the process of booking the Carnival Vicotry, but was talking to a friend last night who has been on several cruises including one on Carnival and she is not a fan of Carnival. I did tell her that I've talked to people that have been on Carnival cruises and they had good things to say. She said it is because they haven't been on any of the other lines and that is why. She went on to add that the ship was dirty and there was a film of scum floating in the pool. Can those that have been on Carnival along with other lines please comment.

We've been on Celebrity, Royal Caribbean and Carnival and while we prefer Celebrity we have enjoyed all our cruises and Carnival has gotten us lately due to price.

 

I had a heart attack on one cruise and still had an OK time because of the cruise director show on the TV, now that's saying something when a heart attack doesn't make you think the cruise was a bad one and I was on Carnival.

[jstamper]

You might not want to hear from me because I have only travelled Carnival...but have NEVER seen anything dirty on any cruise I have been on..and it has been on different ships each time...We have not complaints about Carnival and figure why fix something that isnt broken!

[patrickmoran]

We have done 10 Carnival cruises, 3 Princess, 2 HAL, 1 Celebrity, and 1 RCL. I find them more similar than different. We enjoyed all of our cruises.

I look first for the places I want to visit, see which lines include them and then price shop. Carnival is usually going to be less $$s and generally offers bigger cabins.

[K&P Luv2Cruise]

I am in the process of booking the Carnival Vicotry, but was talking to a friend last night who has been on several cruises including one on Carnival and she is not a fan of Carnival. I did tell her that I've talked to people that have been on Carnival cruises and they had good things to say. She said it is because they haven't been on any of the other lines and that is why. She went on to add that the ship was dirty and there was a film of scum floating in the pool. Can those that have been on Carnival along with other lines please comment.

 

Everyone is entitled to their opinion...just as you should form your own through experience.

 

I started cruising at the end of 2008, and we are anxiously awaiting our 7th this March. If I had listened to all the negative comments people threw our way, I would never have booked a cruise in the first place !

 

While I have only cruised on Carnival, I have enjoyed every cruise taken. Yes, there have been small 'blips' on a couple of them, but most of them have been from the passengers (rude, me first attitude, complainers/whiners), and a few stewards that could have been better...but ruin my cruise ?? Never !

 

I am on vacation with people I want to spend time and reconnect with.

 

Go ahead and book your cruise. Plan on having a great time, and you will !

[loxley]

I have cruised on 4 lines. Take what your "friend" said with a grain of salt.

 

The "scum" in the pool was probably sun tan lotion which is why the water is changed and the pool cleaned every night.

 

I have never seen a dirty place on any ship I have been on. Way too many people constantly cleaning. I have seen wear and tear, some stained carpet, but NEVER filth.

[darth frosty]

A cruise is what you make of it.

 

My 1st cruise was RCL ever 3 others on carnival. I like carnival cause it gives me more bang for the buck. In time I will try other lines but carnival has been a nice affordable vacation.

[CanWeGoYet?]

Carnival is not a bad cruise line. I thought the food was just as good, if not better, than what I was served on Celebrity or HAL. Each cruise line has their strengths & weaknesses. All in all though I think they have much more in common than differences. These are all mainstream lines, not luxury lines. No matter what they try to sell you in their ads.

[darth frosty]

Also another point a lot of folks like to diss carnival cause its vogue. My sister in law was telling me about what her friend at work says. I was trying to plan a group cruise and one of the folks did not like my choice of carnival due to something a friend of his said.

 

If you are easily swayed by what others say or recommend you may be better off with another line.

[tampabrat22]

I agree with the others. We've sailed on Carnival, Disney & RCCL and Carnival is by far our favorite. I have never witnessed anything dirty or filthy, you see workers cleaning at all hours of the day and night all over the ship.

[mjl1960]

If price is a concern, Carnival is pretty good. The ships are always clean, the people for the most part are extremely helpful and act like they are glad to have you on board. I also like the fact that Carnival is a little lax on their dress code especially on formal dining nights.

The other passengers on Carnival are pleasant for the most part, and don't have their nose in the air. Surprisingly it seems sometimes like it is an older crowd, and I have yet to see anyone get sick from boozing it up too much, though I am sure it does happen now and then.

The food on Carnival is for the most part pretty good, especially in the main dining room.

Bottom line, for the price your not going to stay in a 4 star hotel and be treated as well or get as much as you get for any less than it costs to sail on Carnival. And in a 4 star hotel on land, you don't get to wake up in a different port several mornings during your stay. You can have two people take the same cruise, and one will come back singing praises, while the other hated everything about it. It is what you make of it, no matter who you cruise with.

[jzygail]

I am in the process of booking the Carnival Vicotry, but was talking to a friend last night who has been on several cruises including one on Carnival and she is not a fan of Carnival. I did tell her that I've talked to people that have been on Carnival cruises and they had good things to say. She said it is because they haven't been on any of the other lines and that is why. She went on to add that the ship was dirty and there was a film of scum floating in the pool. Can those that have been on Carnival along with other lines please comment.

 

I was just recently on Carnival (Glory). It was NOT my most favorite line, I'll say that up front. However.

 

It wasn't dirty and the swimming pools were not fouled. My room was nice and if the steward only came once a day, he was polite, cheerful and quick and did a good job cleaning when he was there.

 

The food, while nothing to write home about, were edible and the stations and restaurants were clean. To me, the issue was more of, I was expecting a nice 3 star dining experience and it was more like Boston Market and TGIFs (except the Steakhouse which was EXCEPTIONAL--I seriously recommend it).

 

Given the choice? I would choose HAL again over Carnival. But if a bunch of my friends or family wanted to cruise and take Carnival? I'd totally go! And I'd be better prepared in my expectations. But we're talking the difference between a 3 star experience and a 2 star experience, not the difference between a a 3 star experience and the pay-by-the-hour motel on the interstate.

 

(To anyone who thinks I'm Carnival bashing, I'm not. There were issues that I think are valid, given the money I spent on my cruise, but ultimately, I had a great time and I don't regret going).

[Dmetrius]

These are all mainstream lines, not luxury lines. No matter what they try to sell you in their ads.

So go ahead and spend extra money unecessarily on Royal Caribean or Celebrity to get pretty much the same cruise.

Carnival delivers good value for money no 2 ways about that. COMPARE PRICES and then make YOUR mind up,not hers

[spacepotatoes]

We went on our first Carnival cruise this month after two previous ones on NCL. There were some differences, but many more similarities. We had a great time and would not hesitate to sail with Carnival again. I didn't see anything at all like what your friend saw. Our room was spotless and the ship was in great condition. Crew was always cleaning something.

 

Everyone has their own preferences, you won't know yours until you try it!

[SMSACE6]

Newbie, while I have been on other cruiselines ( 10 and 12 years ago ) and enjoyed those cruises too, I now choose to cruise with Carnival, I admit because of the price. Believe me if the ships were dirty, they could not pay me to go on them. I have one friend who shakes her head and says I dont know what you see in cruising, and that she has heard so many bad things about Carnival. She has been only on one cruise ( not Carnival ) in her life and that was 25 years ago. My point is there will always be someone you know who is going to be negative about your choice of vacation, so just shake it off, and go and experience a cruise for yourself. Have a great time!:)

[mommyto2girls]

We just got off the Victory last week. I will say right up front I am not a Carnival fan and have probably done my last Carnival cruise, but that decision has nothing to do with the cleanliness of the ships. It has everything to do with service and amenities. Carnival is affordable and I have not been on a dirty ship.

[KEG306]

I was just recently on Carnival (Glory). It was NOT my most favorite line, I'll say that up front. However.

 

It wasn't dirty and the swimming pools were not fouled. My room was nice and if the steward only came once a day, he was polite, cheerful and quick and did a good job cleaning when he was there.

 

The food, while nothing to write home about, were edible and the stations and restaurants were clean. To me, the issue was more of, I was expecting a nice 3 star dining experience and it was more like Boston Market and TGIFs (except the Steakhouse which was EXCEPTIONAL--I seriously recommend it).

 

Given the choice? I would choose HAL again over Carnival. But if a bunch of my friends or family wanted to cruise and take Carnival? I'd totally go! And I'd be better prepared in my expectations. But we're talking the difference between a 3 star experience and a 2 star experience, not the difference between a a 3 star experience and the pay-by-the-hour motel on the interstate.

 

(To anyone who thinks I'm Carnival bashing, I'm not. There were issues that I think are valid, given the money I spent on my cruise, but ultimately, I had a great time and I don't regret going).

 

As this poster said its all about expectations. Anyone that has cruised with Carnival, doesn't expect 5 star service and gourmet meals. If you go in expecting a good quality vacation at a low price point you'll be happy. Don't expect champagne on a beer budget, you'll be disappointed.

[Tapi]

So go ahead and spend extra money unecessarily on Royal Caribean or Celebrity to get pretty much the same cruise.

 

I wouldn't say it's money unnecessarily spent. Although I believe that Carnival delivers a great product at an affordable price (which is why we keep coming back), it's hardly the same product as other cruise lines, even when compared to it's bigger competitors.

 

There was a time when mainstream cruise lines were more alike than different, but that has changed over the years. For example if you compare RCI and Carnival's ships of the early 90's, they were indeed very similar. Today, RCI and Carnival are taking different paths. Their ships, onboard amenities, and destinations are vastly different (although there are still similarities).

 

To the OP, Carnival is what it is: a budget cruise line offering a lot for your buck. It's not luxurious, it's not sophisticated, but a solid mainstream cruise line which allows the average American to afford to go cruising.

 

The other cruise lines charge more because in my opinion they offer more. The difference is in the small details, and the average Carnival cruiser is not interested in paying extra for these details that a lot of time they dont even realize exist.

[KEG306]

Here is a link to a review I did of a recent Carnival cruise with comparisons.

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=95590

[Yvonne]

We have cruised on Disney, Royal Caribbean and Carnival and have enjoyed each and every cruise, no matter which line. There are things we like better on some lines than others, but we have still had a great time on all of them and wouldn't hesitate to sail on any of them again.

[halos]

I am in the process of booking the Carnival Vicotry, but was talking to a friend last night who has been on several cruises including one on Carnival and she is not a fan of Carnival. I did tell her that I've talked to people that have been on Carnival cruises and they had good things to say. She said it is because they haven't been on any of the other lines and that is why. She went on to add that the ship was dirty and there was a film of scum floating in the pool. Can those that have been on Carnival along with other lines please comment.

Pools are full of ocean water and if there is a film on the water, it is likely everyone's sunblock.

 

AS for Carnival, the ONLY way you will know if you like it is to try it youself. How many ships does CCL have out on the seas at this moment?? They are pretty much full...how can it be THAT bad????

 

CCL is not my favorite, however I would never discourage anyone from trying any line. How would anyone else know what you would like???

[cdamion]

Since you are considering Victory, I would consider the other lines that go out of San Juan too - all offer very similar itineraries (which are the best ones out there in my opinion) - and as the cruise date gets closer, the prices will be pretty similar.

 

You really can't go wrong with any of the lines, but it really depends on what you are looking for:

 

Carnival Victory: More fun silly activities during the day like hairy chest contest, etc. The ship will feel more crowded compared to the other ships sailing out of there because of the design. Others in the Carnival thread can hype the ship more, but in my experience, Carnival has the most friendly, outgoing crew. Carnival would be great for families and have a great night life as well.

 

RCI Radiance Class (now Serenade, in several months Brilliance). If you have signatures turned on, you see that I have picked this ship for my next cruise out of San Juan. The Radiance class ships are full of glass with wonderful views of the sea - ships are very attractive, but don't have as much to do as the bigger RCI ships. This one would be better for adults. In my opinion RCI food and service is about on par with Carnival - Carnival is slightly more friendly.

 

RCI Adventure of the Seas - Big Voyager class ship with the 'mall' and ice skating. This ship has large impressive features that will cater to both adults and families. While some disagree with me, I think these ships turn the focus away from the ocean and towards the inside of the ship.

 

Caribbean Princess - by far my favorite ship out of San Juan - unfortunately this winter is the last time she will be here, Princess is pulling out of San Juan. If you are booking for this winter, this ship has the best design that spreads passengers out so it never feels too crowded - except for their champagne waterfall where everybody is gathered in the atrium. Princess ships are large, but their public spaces are smaller but more plentiful. Attractive ship, but no "wow" factor like Carnival or RCI. Lido deck is the best of the bunch. Service is good, but more formal. You will get the 'sir' and 'maam' rather than being called by name as you would on RCI and Carnival. Some passengers can be more stuffy than Carnival. Nightlife was hit or miss. Sometimes late night crowd, other nights were completely dead late at night.

 

Celebrity Summit - undergoing drydock just about now. Service across the board will be more attentive than the other three lines. Dress will be more formal than RCI and Carnival. Don't know about night life on Summit. Service is also more formal. This is also a less-crowded smaller ship than the others.

 

Out of these 4 ships that go out of San Juan, Carnival Victory is probably my last choice, but I would rather go on any of these ships with the Southern Caribbean itinerary than any other ships regardless of the line out of any other US port.

[Newbie41]

Thanks to all for your honest replies. Carnival it is. As someone mentioned, first look at the ports you want to visit then book your cruise based on that. The Victory has a wonderful itinerary and the date works perfectly. I am attending a conference in Louisiana the week before the cruise. I will be halfway to Puerto Rico anyways, so I will leave from Louisiana and my husband will fly out of Chicago and we will meet in San Juan.

Sparky8, you mentioned you have a friend that shakes her head when you mention a carnival cruise. I understand that because I have gone on vacation to Europe and heard many negative comments from friends who have never even been there.

 

Again, I want to thank everyone for their replies.

[chill6x6]

Only CCL and NCL for me... I have to say the last cruise I took on the NCL Spirit was my favorite so far. The crew was the most outgoing I've ever seen from the Captain on down. I'm thinking we were introduced to practically every officer on the ship. Then there's "Freestyle Dining" that was great!