Caribbean Princess or Carnival Glory for Sept 2012 Canada/New England Cruise?

[Cruisin2009]

My aunt (60) and I (37) are considering a 7 night Canada/New England cruise out of New York for Sept. 2012. Would you recommend the Caribbean Princess or Carnival Glory? The itineraries are similar. I am wondering what people's thoughts were on each... pros, cons, any feedback, etc. Thanks!!

[Ladyarli]

Hi,

 

We've been on both ships, and both are excellent. If itinerary and price are equal, I would choose the Caribbean Princess. However, I don't know you, and what you like and dislike. Here is why I personally would choose the Princess ship:

1. Both are very nice-looking ships, but the Princess ship is a bit more impressive looking.

2. Cabins are about the same square-footage, but Princess cabins are laid out better - they feel more spacious. AND we liked having a refrigerator in our Ocean-View room.

3. Both have good food, but I liked the Princess menu a little better.

4. Both have good casinos, and spas.

5. Shows are good in both - the C. Princess' main show room was MUCH better laid out. There are NO POSTS. There are only 800 seats, but 3 shows per night. Get there early to get a good seat, but there are NO BAD SEATS. (I'm capitalizing because we were so impressed about this.) We always go to all of the shows, so the shows were important to us. The CP also has lots of lounges with different entertainment every night in each one.

6. Princess Pop Star - a karaoke contest, and the Princess Pop Choir. I sing, so both of those are right up my alley.

7. On every Princess cruise they build a huge tower of champagne glasses in the lobby the night of the Captain's party. They then make the whole thing into a big fountain of champagne. The other cruiselines don't do that.

8. The one down side (for us) Princess is a tiny bit dressier. Carnival now calls formal night "elegant night".

9. Both have the big screen by the pool, but I don't know if the Glory has a "santuary" yet.

If price and itinerary, etc are the same, I would choose Princess. That said, we loved out Glory cruise, and are booked on the Aug 25th Carnival Glory sailing out of NY.

I hope this is helpful, and that whatever you do, you enjoy your cruise.

 

Cheryl D.

[Ladyarli]

We liked the breakfast buffet on Princess better, too.

[arpie05]

I think this is right before the Glory 2.0 upgrades. I sail the 7 day in a few weeks. I haven't sailed Princess but we do like Carnival better than NCL. Glory has refrigerator In cabin so earlier post was misleading. Also evaluate extras. How much are tips? How much are tours? Are there more food costs? On carnival sushi is almost every evening from 5-8 (about) but free! The fish & chip, Mexican burrito, and Mongolian stir fry are all lunch venues. Free. Not called separate restaurants like nCL. pizza and deli free.

Those are the things to look at too. Carnival OV are the largest of any brand at 220 ft. Interior are 185 ft. Balcony are also 185 + 35 ft. I read RCCL OV are 170 ft. Princess tells u the size on their website. Look like they vary and slightly bigger balconies. OV vary but all smaller (?), and Int smaller. Good luck.

[TMWOOD1012]

Really no comparison... Princess should be your choice.

[Keith1010]

Really no comparison... Princess should be your choice.

 

I agree.

 

The cruising experience on Princess is going to be more upscale than on Carnival.

 

Keith

[dickinson]

I too am thinking about a Canada cruise but next year. I checked Princess which I just sailed and also Carnival. Princess is so much more expensive. I have sailed both lines now but not those ships. There are things I enjoyed on Princess and other things I enjoyed on Carnival. You can't go wrong with either one. I hope Princess pricing comes down by next year because if not the pricing will be the determining factor for us!

[Roce48]

We have just returned from a 7-day cruise on the Caribbean Princess, and also were on a shorter Carnival Glory Canadian cruise last June.

 

On the Canadian cruise we were in an Ocean View room, and the Caribbean Princess cruise we were in a balcony on Aloha Deck.

 

I never did have time to try the sushi on the Glory because the lines were too long! I never saw sushi in a Buffet line there either.

 

One or maybe two times on the Caribbean Princess I found sushi at a buffet, but otherwise you have to go the the Vines (wine bar) where you will be given fresh made sushi etc with your purchase of a glass of wine.

 

The Glory did not come anywhere near the breakfast offered on the Caribbean Princess, although it was faster getting an omelette on the Glory.

 

Glory did not offer smoked salmon with capers, onion, and cream cheese for my bagel.

 

We liked the Pizza on the Caribbean Princess somewhat better than the Glory.

 

The lines for stir fry situation on the Glory was horrible!

 

Liked the MDR menu variety better on Glory.

 

The Adult only Terrace pool in the aft on Caribbean Princes was great.

 

We would sail on both ships again if the price and itinerary were right!

 

This was our first Princess cruise, just as last June was our first Carnival cruise. A previous NCL was ok, but we seem to like RCCL best so far.

 

:)

[lyradd]

On the Canadian cruise we were in an Ocean View room, and the Caribbean Princess cruise we were in a balcony on Aloha Deck.

 

Since you've had both a balcony and ocean view room, is it worth it to have a balcony on the Canada/NE cruise? On some cruises, like Alaska, a balcony is a must.

[arpie05]

No. Search I carnival threads there is a thread about carnival and Canada. It is cold and not that much to see. Alaska a balcony is a must. I agree.