Which ship and cruiseline

[niceguy02_06]

I am 21 and will 22 next May. I will likely be going a cruise with my parents middle to end of may. We want the Eastern Carribean and to go Nassau so I can swim with the dolphins. I looked and that narrows it down to Navigator of Seas, Carnival Glory, and Carnival Valor. We perfer to leave on a saturday so that knocks out Carnival Valor. Is there any real difference between Carnival Valor and Carnival Glory? How much trouble would it be to fly in the day the cruise leaves? Which of these three ships would you recommend? I haven't cruised before and my parent's have been on 1 about 19 years ago.

[madelinerose]

The Valor is newer.

 

Fly in the day before you cruise.

 

I would put your thread on the RCI and the Carnival boards to get answers from people who have cruised on these ships. ;)

[Cotton]

Can't answer for you....just do lots of homework, get brochures from a local travel agency for the different lines. You can also swim with dolphins at Chankanaab Nat'l Marine Park on Cozumel, if you should choose that itinerary.:)

[Tomm]

I think you can swim with dolphins in Ocho Rios as well. As far as flying in, I think that depends on which port you're leaving from. Ft.Lauderale airport is very close to the port so that should be easy.

[CaptData]

You can swim with dolphins in Ouch Rios. The Valour is the newest of ships mentioned. Going at that time of year you should run into the college crowd. Enjoy.

[tinsel57]

I looked and that narrows it down to Navigator of Seas, Carnival Glory, and Carnival Valor. How much trouble would it be to fly in the day the cruise leaves? Which of these three ships would you recommend? I haven't cruised before and my parent's have been on 1 about 19 years ago.

 

I personally an not a Carnival fan but I will tell you that on this board you have people voting for each and every ship you propose!

 

The reason WHY cruise lines offer different types of ship is so they have something to please everyone.

 

That being said, there is a lot to consider.

 

Let's start with the easy stuff.

 

Flights

 

As the previous poster said, fly in the day before. That way if there are any problems you won't miss your departure time for your cruise. You won't be rushed or stressed.

 

Two ways you can do this.

 

You can book your own air. But then you also need to book transportation from the hotel, if you're flying in a day earlier.

 

Cruise lines can offer you the entire package, air and ground transportation to and from the hotel/airport. Or Air, Transportation and a precruise hotel.

 

Sometimes to purchase this package from the cruise line costs a bit more than doing it on your own however, if anything should go wrong they fix it and make sure you get on the ship.

 

If you do this on your own, and something goes wrong, you're exactly that, on your own. And if you miss the cruise departure, you're just out of luck.

 

I have a lot I can share with you on ship selection, etc. Email me and I'll go into great detail.

 

tinsel57@hotmail.com

[deaconess]

I am going to Nassau in about a week on the explorer (RCI)....but the excursion offered was a dolphin encounter not a swim...(you're in 3 ft. of water and get to touch them...not swim) there was another port...St. Martin?...with dolphin swim..just be careful that you get the excursion you want!

[mrg0433]

We've travelled Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian. I would suggest the Carnival line for your age group. We've seen lots of young people really enjoying themselves on that line. That's why they call it "Funship."

[2Cruise4Ever]

I would highly recommend reading the Carnival boards for first-hand accounts of both ships:

 

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=215

 

Happy Sailing!

[CaptData]

You also need photo ID.

[caviargal]

I am 21 and will 22 next May. I will likely be going a cruise with my parents middle to end of may. We want the Eastern Carribean and to go Nassau so I can swim with the dolphins. I looked and that narrows it down to Navigator of Seas, Carnival Glory, and Carnival Valor. We perfer to leave on a saturday so that knocks out Carnival Valor. Is there any real difference between Carnival Valor and Carnival Glory? How much trouble would it be to fly in the day the cruise leaves? Which of these three ships would you recommend? I haven't cruised before and my parent's have been on 1 about 19 years ago.

 

I was on GLory two weeks ago. I would recommend Navigator as providing a far better experience.

 

GLory was the most overcrowded ship I have ever cruised on. There were lines for lido buffet every day but sea days were ridiculous. The pools are way too small for the ship and were jammed with kids, some in diapers.

 

There are NO adult only areas, a huge drawback.

 

Dining room service was just ok.

 

THe bars were terribly smoky.

 

Cabins were nice and I was happy because I spent more time in mine than on any other cruise ever. I could not stand being a sardine and I got tired of unsupervised kids and teens running everywhere. You could not get away.

[momofmeg]

I have not been on a Carnival conquest class ship and for the very reasons Cavier gal mentioned. I have heard over and over these ships are a bad design and the public areas tend to be conjested.

 

Carnival Miracle is a spirit class ship-now she does western carb. but you can do the dophin encounter in Cozumel in that beach park place. I don't remember the name but I am sure someone does. It begins with a Ch. Taxis run about $10 to the place, there is a $10 admission and the dophin encounter is $95 I think. (In Nassau you pay $115 for the dophin encounter-and Cozumel is much nicer then Nassau)

 

Carnival Miracle does have an adult only pool-it is on the back of the ship on the lido. The lounges are smoking and non smoking on Carnival Miracle. So if smoke bothers you you can go to a non smoking lounge.

 

As far as babies in diapers in pools-I have seen this on several cruiselines-it is against health codes-no matter what line you are on-if this is reported to a crew member-they will deal with that as that can get the cruiseline in major trouble. I HAVE seen people being told to take their child out of the pool more then once. There will always be people who try to get away with what they can. I do not understand these parents. This is for their child's protection also. After all if their child is allowed-other children will be also-and it can be this other child's poopy diaper that infects their child with ecoli. I guess these people never think of that.

[Cotton]

QUOTE=caviargal] There were lines for lido buffet every day but sea days were ridiculous.

You didn't try the dining room for lunch? Great menus, personalized service, and no lines. Nice, leisurely lunch provided there.

 

The pools are way too small for the ship and were jammed with kids, some in diapers.

When you cruise in the summer months, there are always lots of kids everywhere, and of course they love pools. Diapers? Certainly, if you had brought this to someone's attention, they would have been removed from the pool...big no-no.

 

THe bars were terribly smoky.

On every Carnival ship, there are smoking and non-smoking lounges.

 

I got tired of unsupervised kids and teens running everywhere. You could not get away.

That's why some of us choose to cruise when kiddies are in school.;)

[caviargal]

QUOTE=caviargal] There were lines for lido buffet every day but sea days were ridiculous.

You didn't try the dining room for lunch? Great menus, personalized service, and no lines. Nice, leisurely lunch provided there.

 

The pools are way too small for the ship and were jammed with kids, some in diapers.

When you cruise in the summer months, there are always lots of kids everywhere, and of course they love pools. Diapers? Certainly, if you had brought this to someone's attention, they would have been removed from the pool...big no-no.

 

THe bars were terribly smoky.

On every Carnival ship, there are smoking and non-smoking lounges.

 

I got tired of unsupervised kids and teens running everywhere. You could not get away.

That's why some of us choose to cruise when kiddies are in school.;)

 

 

Cotton: I was working long hours on sea days and just wanted to grab a bite. I did not have time for a leisurely lunch in the dining room. Plus, I will say that the menus in the DR did not impress me when I did stop to look at them. I want a salad at lunch and do not want a meal. And this does not change the fact that the lines are LONG. After 15 minutes in line just trying to get a salad, I gave up. I have NEVER waited on an RCI ship as I had to on Glory.

 

Re the diapers, there were CCL employees around the pool. It should not be the responsibility of passengers to police other passengers. There were kids diving and running and generally running amok. The comfort of all passengers should be a concern of employees aboard. Flagrant disregard of posted rules should not need to be brought to their attention.

 

Most kids are still in school in May. I would never cruise in summer unless it was to somewhere that did not attract kids. Also, I was working aboard. I would not have chosen this line or this ship for a personal vacation.

 

Re the bars aboard, by nighttime I was so tired of the masses of people and the noise everywhere, that to be honest all I wanted to do was retreat to my room. The music I enjoy was only offered in the cigar bar. I do not do shows or karaoke. I like jazz and dance music. The disco reeked.

 

I was a fish out of water all week long. I am simply NOT one who enjoys the experience Carnival provides. Value is a personal opinion. For me, a cruise is not a value if the experience offered is unpleasant for me. I REALLY was happy to be able to disembark!

[Cotton]

QUOTE=momofmeg] ........you can do the dophin encounter in Cozumel in that beach park place. I don't remember the name but I am sure someone does. It begins with a Ch. Taxis run about $10 to the place, there is a $10 admission and the dophin encounter is $95 I think.[quote

 

The park is Chankanaab Nat'l Marine Park, and it's great! Lots to do there. The Dolphin Encounter is $75, the Dolphin Swim is $119, and he Royal Dolphin Swim is 'way up there, like $160? Cab fare is $10 per cab, not per person, and the entry fee is $12 for adults, $6 for kids.:)

[musicmansmom]

You also need photo ID.

 

by that time will they also need a passport. i cant remember the dates for the different ports and destinations :confused: .

[mrg0433]

I was at an Orlando Timeshare Resort a few years ago and a father was very upset with me when I asked him he had to take his naked baby out of the pool. I had to get a staff person to resolve the matter and got some very nasty looks from him and his wife after the incident. Obviously, I didn't use the pool all week because I had already been infected with Ecoli the winter before. Now I have joined the Diaper Police. On our cruise on Legend of the Seas in March, I saw a woman changing a diaper on a table near the pool area. I brought it to her attention how disgusting it was for other guests to see and a violation of health codes. Didn't eat at that table during our 10 day cruise either. I guess some people just don't understand how bacteria is spread.

Mary

Plymouth, MA

[bilgeboyPa]

From what I have read here on CC and from what people have told me directly, be very careful with Carnival. You could catch a good bunch on your cruise... you could be in for a horror. Me personally, I would never do Carnival anything. I am not fond of RCCL either, but of the 2 , I would go RCCL

 

IMHO of course

 

Jeff

[caviargal]

This is just so inconsiderate! And this is my point. It is not the duty of the guest to police other guests. ON this cruise, the staff stood around and watched the diapers, the running and diving kids, etc. and did nothing. I know how nasty parents can get when they think they or their kids are being insulted. So I just left and went to my stateroom.

 

There were kids running wild everywhere, no parents in sight. I never saw them stopped by a staff member.

 

It has gotten to the point on many ships where parents think everyone else is a babysitter for their kids; that because they are on a ship, they should run wild and free.

 

Someday there will be an adults only option.

[1cruiselvr]

Your experience is why we stopped cruising Carnival a few years ago. Same problems, different ship. Happy Sailing!

[Cotton]

Caviargal, since you've mentioned on several different threads that you are 'working' while on these cruises, I guess I don't understand (if you're an employee), why you are out mingling with guests at the pools, in the dining areas, etc. Also, if you're working, is it proper to 'down' your employer like you do on every thread....especially Carnival ships? I'm not being sarcastic, just curious...:confused:

[caviargal]

Caviargal, since you've mentioned on several different threads that you are 'working' while on these cruises, I guess I don't understand (if you're an employee), why you are out mingling with guests at the pools, in the dining areas, etc. Also, if you're working, is it proper to 'down' your employer like you do on every thread....especially Carnival ships? I'm not being sarcastic, just curious...:confused:

 

I do not work for CCL. I do not down CCL on every thread, BTW. In fact, when I posted my review for Glory on the Carnival board, every single response to my post from the "regulars" told me they were impressed with my objective review. Just because a cruise - or cruise line - is not my taste, does not mean it is not perfect for someone else. Obviously, CCL is great for their legion of fans. And there were some aspects of my Glory cruise that were good, like the services provided by the AV folks and the onboard co-ordinator, who was marvelous!

 

And I have worked for cruise lines as a contractor aboard their ships and had "passenger status". I mingled with passengers, actually did classes for them, had dinner with them, and did not put down that cruise line to anyone and often post positive comments about it the line (NCL). In point of fact, I did not share my personal views of CCL with any of my group on my Glory sailing. I was there to ensure that they have a good time, period.

 

I did have much higher satisfaction ratings on service, food and ship from this group and the executives, last year, when we sailed on RCI.

 

I am a TA, own my agency, and do groups. I was a group escort for 193 people on that cruise, so was working most of the time. When I was not working, I was on my balcony reading a book. Read 5 that week. A pleasure.

 

Hope this clears it up.

[Cotton]

Yes. Thank you.:)

[bilgeboyPa]

Sounds like the general feeling about CCL is @#@&**!&&**!**!@@@@

:D :D

 

Jeff

[caviargal]

Sounds like the general feeling about CCL is @#@&**!&&**!**!@@@@

:D :D

 

Jeff

 

I couldn't have said it better myself!