Just off carnival Legend,going to take a break from Cruising

[Jimmy Geegitz]

Engine maintenance isn't a priority for sure.

[Hotdog 52]

Lets remember that the price of cruises is almost half of what it was just a few years ago. Along with the price of oil, either the cruise prices had to go up or cutbacks. Just saying.

[Topo Gigio]

Maybe you have to take a break from Carnival and try another cruise line. Big possibility that you branched out!

[headhurt]

I sailed the Legend last month, and I was as underwhelmed as the OP was. Food in the MDR was "meh". If you wanted to be wow'd, you had to pay extra for the steakhouse. Food options during certain parts of the day were very limited. Canned music, service a little slower, and the demographic was also vastly different than other cruises. I don't know if it is a Legend thing, or a new Carnival thing, but the sheer volume of seniors had us wondering if we accidentally boarded a HAL ship.:o

 

I've booked another cruise, but with a competing cruise line. But SO and I have been talking about taking a break altogether and going the all-inclusive land resort route for a while.

[mikedoes]

Because he doing such a good job CEO Micky Arison paid himself a "special year-end dividend" of $90,000,000. Yes, that's 90 million dollars.

 

This is a bonus...!

[nbsjcruiser]

We were on the Jan 27/13 sailing of the Legend and I have to agree with the cutbacks being noticeable. That was our first Carnival cruise since 2007 and we will be sticking with the other lines. The most noticeable thing for us was the lack of servers. They seemed really short staffed. We laughed every time before the shows in the main theater when they announced to order your drinks before the show started as we could never find a waitress to order from! In the two main bars the servers also had to deal with the dinning rooms.

 

On our last cruise on Carnival we noticed many of the cutbacks now appearing more evident. Reduced servers in the MDR creating poor service, cold food in both the MDR and buffet especially, no entertainment on deck during the day (50 foot TV blaring CNN or HLN is not entertainment - its a novelty at best) and yes, servers in the theatre. We were sitting in the balcony area and I asked a waiter for a drink. I was told they only serve drinks down below and if I wanted one I'd have to go down there and get one. uh-huh. yeah, like that's gonna happen. Added to all these was the fact I could only get a flat iron steak in the MDR and was advised against it by my waiter. When I walked off that ship that was it for me. Carnival can keep cutting all they like. Eventually it will go too far (maybe it already has with the Triumph incident) and they'll smarten up.

 

I know the cheerleaders don't want to hear this but service on other lines is really so much better, We did our first NCL cruise and I was blown away by the service and food selections. It really was amazing. Was it a bit more expensive? Yes a bit but you get what you pay for these days and if you are going to pay for meatloaf and mac and cheese in the MDR then expect a meatloaf and mac and cheese cruise. If you're ok with that then God love ya. I just don't think saving $200 or $300 on a cruise is worth what Carnival gives.

[Cindy]

My first Carnival cruise was on the Splendor in 2009, and I loved it! Just 2 years later, I thought the Dream was "meh," and decided it was time for us to look elsewhere for a while.

I want a different cruise experience than the direction Carnival is heading. The elimination of breakfast and lunch in the MDR on sea days in favor of the "comedy brunch" is a huge deal breaker for me...we're not Lido people, and we go to the dining room whenever possible, regardless of cruiseline.

On the Dream, we felt like there was very little to do for passengers who aren't into pool games during the day or comedy in the evenings. I love sitting on my balcony, but it's nice to have other options!

[bugtig]

On our last cruise on Carnival we noticed many of the cutbacks now appearing more evident. Reduced servers in the MDR creating poor service, cold food in both the MDR and buffet especially, no entertainment on deck during the day (50 foot TV blaring CNN or HLN is not entertainment - its a novelty at best) and yes, servers in the theatre. We were sitting in the balcony area and I asked a waiter for a drink. I was told they only serve drinks down below and if I wanted one I'd have to go down there and get one. uh-huh. yeah, like that's gonna happen. Added to all these was the fact I could only get a flat iron steak in the MDR and was advised against it by my waiter. When I walked off that ship that was it for me. Carnival can keep cutting all they like. Eventually it will go too far (maybe it already has with the Triumph incident) and they'll smarten up.

 

I know the cheerleaders don't want to hear this but service on other lines is really so much better, We did our first NCL cruise and I was blown away by the service and food selections. It really was amazing. Was it a bit more expensive? Yes a bit but you get what you pay for these days and if you are going to pay for meatloaf and mac and cheese in the MDR then expect a meatloaf and mac and cheese cruise. If you're ok with that then God love ya. I just don't think saving $200 or $300 on a cruise is worth what Carnival gives.

 

Finally, someone who saw things the way they are! I agree with your comments fully, in fact we went on the NCL Epic 6 months before we went on the Carnival Dream and we were also very surprised just how BAD Carnival was and how great NCL was, yet they were both about the same price for the week. Even my 9 and 8 year old boys thought the Carnival Cruise was really bad, and they are easy to please... There are so many people that think Carnival is great regardless of what they do, which I don't understand why... Try Disney too, it is more money, but man is it worth it.

[ccpuff]

I hear what everyone is saying, but I wonder why Princess and Celebrity would be better - aren't they all owned by CCL?

 

I will be on the Legend next week. Have sailed her twice before, so I'm hoping for the best. I talked my brother and girlfriend into joining us -they have never cruised before and I hope it is a good experience for them.

[Cindy]

I hear what everyone is saying, but I wonder why Princess and Celebrity would be better - aren't they all owned by CCL?

 

I will be on the Legend next week. Have sailed her twice before, so I'm hoping for the best. I talked my brother and girlfriend into joining us -they have never cruised before and I hope it is a good experience for them.

 

Princess is owned by the Carnival Corporation, but all the cruiselines under the Carnival umbrella are operated independently. Celebrity is owned by Royal Caribbean .

[Rottweiler Puppy]

OP there are other lines. No need to stop cruising because one brand didnt deliver.

[Rottweiler Puppy]

I hear what everyone is saying, but I wonder why Princess and Celebrity would be better - aren't they all owned by CCL?

 

I will be on the Legend next week. Have sailed her twice before, so I'm hoping for the best. I talked my brother and girlfriend into joining us -they have never cruised before and I hope it is a good experience for them.

 

Celebrity is owned by RCCL.

 

While Princess is owned by Carnival Corp, it is not run by Carnival Cruises. Separate brand that runs itself.

[kmc500]

We just left a Disney cruise, and it was unbelievable, service was fast and nice, the ship was clean all the time, the employees were happy and generous with their time and most importantly the food was really good.

 

Sounds exactly like my last cruise on the Carnival Valor. Great food, incredibly clean ship, happy employees, and wonderful service everywhere.

 

It is called anecdotal evidence, and means nothing, except to you.

 

Kevin C

[PAPERBKWRITER]

Actually, I have to disagree with you, Carnival has cut back way more than any other line, and it shows tremendously. We just left a Disney cruise, and it was unbelievable, service was fast and nice, the ship was clean all the time, the employees were happy and generous with their time and most importantly the food was really good. We sailed the Carnival Dream in July last year, and it was absolutely horrendous, long lines, rude employees, slow service, food was cold or warm, and the ship was dirty all the time. I think your smart giving up on Carnival, they definitely gave up on providing a valuable service to the customer base. Try Disney or another cruise line and you will quickly notice the huge difference in level of service and quality.

 

Don't forget price.

[scottydog123]

Because he doing such a good job CEO Micky Arison paid himself a "special year-end dividend" of $90,000,000. Yes, that's 90 million dollars.

 

This is a bonus...!

 

 

That's what's happening worldwide in every industry. The Big Wigs are giving themselves big bonus while the people who survive from paycheck to paycheck end up with a mere 3% Cost of Living raise that doesn't even cover the cost of living. On top of that they are asked to do more and more with fewer employees. You see it all over, the Owners/Manager/ CEO's of the companies don't want to filter their gains down to the actual workers.

[Carnival Queen]

We just got back from our 2/2 sailing on the Dream, and I too must agree about the cutbacks . . . we love cruising, and I loved the new cove balcony, the ports, and sunning on the pool deck, but Carnival's service and food left a lot to be desired. Dining room food was okay, but not as good as usual, and not as many choices. Buffet food was good. Thinking perhaps the amount of passengers on this ship may have had something to do with it? Our poor waiter was overwhelmed - he had a few big tables (36 people) and wound up doing most of the "busboy" work as well - he explained that his helpers had to go back and forth to the galley to pick up the food. Our cabin steward did a good job, but never even came to say goodbye to us at the end of the cruise - and no real interaction during the week. I noticed a lot of food laying around for a while not cleaned up - even in the hallways outside of rooms.

 

What really speaks volumes is that not once during the week was there any talk of Carnival "exceeding your expectations" and there was no evaluation!!! Remember how they used to drum that into your head all week??? I will e-mail them on my own to voice a few of my concerns, but that to me shows that they are well aware of what people are observing and probably do not want to hear it any more!! Maybe we will try another cruise line, but I'm guessing it might be happening everywhere. We are Platinum on Carnival now, so it's hard to pass up the perks (not many) and the value for the buck, but we'll see . . .

[e2011]

I think since Carnival is a "budget" cruise line they must keep expenses lower than the other lines. As always, you get what you pay for. If you want outstanding service 90% of the time, try Disney or Celebrity.

[Handsome58]

being and living in a free country. Choices. I understand if you have a problem with not getting the same quality you are use to. I would quit too. But me on the other hand I LOVE CARNIVAL and will sail her/it until I die. I sail for my friends/family/wife quality time together. I got married on a cruise in 2002 and have been hooked since then. Things have changed but not my love of cruising. To each their own and I respect that. Have fun with what ever you choose to replace cruising carnival with.

[Disconnections]

Don't forget price.

 

Prices are all relative and are nearly the same across the board. Carnival can sometimes be higher. There have been some cases where I have seen Disney having cheaper fares than Carnival. Unless you are looking for luxury lines, there are deals to be found on other cruise lines. You just have to keep your eyes open and have the option of taking off whenever. Carnival can no longer be considered the cheapest cruise line, especially when you consider what you are paying for.

[AlbertaCruisers]

I don't get the price comment. I must not be finding the same deals as other people. I can find just as good prices on NCL and RCI if you watch for sales, etc.

 

For our Legend cruise we had a Vista Suite, which was amazing, but we could have had an Deluxe Owner's Suite on the Dawn for the same price for almost the exact same itinerary. And the DOS on the Dawn includes 3 bottles of alcohol and suite perks. The Dawn is the sister ship to the Star, which we had a deluxe owner's suite on, and they actually have suite perks, etc. that were really impressive and our experience and service on the Star were 2000% better than on the Legend. We don't like the "freestyle" concept of NCL, which was part of the reason we wanted to try Carnival again instead, but if you have a suite on NCL, the concierge can book you reservations whenever you want so you don't wait in line, so that negates that.

[serene56]

We just got off the legend on Sunday. Our room was not made up till mid afternoon and turned down was not until like 7 or 8 PM. .

 

 

I am curious to know what time in the afternoon- the hotel supervisor is supposed to inspect the cabins BEFORE 1:30 as that is when they become available for the guests.

 

are you saying it was after 1:30 before it was ready?

 

and turn down service at night is always done while people are at early dining-- and has always been done before 8:30 each night.

 

Our cabin steward has way too many cabins and the dining wait staff- oh that was bad-- had way too many tables. 3 8 person tables 1 6person table and 1 4 person table 2 of the 8 person tables were people with special needs and the other 8 person table were people who thought they were the only people cruising. I just felt that was too many people for one person.

[Stevie17]

While I'm not going to swear off of cruising entirely, we are done with Carnival. The cutbacks are clearly evident, and the overall cruise experience just isn't a good one. We are in the process of planning next winter's vacation, and we may cruise again but we're also considering several land-based options.

[HaliMakai]

This whole thread is making me sad. We just booked the Legend for Spring Break, price was a huge factor this time. We have cruised Carnival several times also NCL, RCCL & Princess last year and I have to say the RCCL was my favorite. We wanted a balcony and this was the least expensive balcony to be had that week out of Florida. Last years Princess cruise was nice, but there were very few activites like Trivia etc besides Bingo which we don't play. The service was OK, we moved tables after the 2nd night because our waiter was really slow and had a really weird sense of humor. Our second placement was fine. Food was OK-Good but nothing was WOW.

We had a blast on the Legend a few years ago, so here is hoping we have a great cruise. Right now I am trying to book a Christmas Cruise with my Grandaughters (their mom is being deployed for 9 months in July, and we decided that in order not to be sad at Xmas we would just take a cruise), I think we may have to move down from a balcony and book another cruise line after all these comments.

[mainelycruising]

After 40 cruises over twenty years, we decided to take a break. The next will be a Viking River cruise in Europe, which we think should be an entirely new experience.

 

For those who think Carnival's service and food have deteriorated, you might want to consider HAL, which really isn't more expensive and whose service and food have also deteriorated to what CCL's was a few years ago.

[pinkiek]

I was on the Splendor for the Jan 19th Hawaii Cruise. First of all we had a wonderful time. My only complaint was the embarkation. I have never seen so many lines!!

 

Our cabin was wonderful and our cabin steward and his assistant could not have been more responsive. They knew our schedule by the second day of the cruise. Our room was serviced in the morning when we left. We had late dinner and it was always ready when we came back.

 

They were personable and we stopped to talk to them each day.

 

The food on the lido was good. We had pizza several times, the mongolian wok, and the deli a few times. The food was always good and the lines were only long between 12 and 12:30.

 

I never saw a problemm keeping the ship clean. The crew was aleays attentive and friendly.

 

We had late dining and had 3 people assigned to our table. All of our food was served hot and was very good. Our wait staff did say that they were overwelmed at early dining, because every table was full. Our wait staff was great, they knew our names and what we liked and disliked very early on.

 

I had a wonderful experience. This was our 8th cruise and we have two more booked.