Which is better? Carnival or Royal Caribbean?

[krewzin]

That was my BIGGEST issue with Royal. There is hardly anything to do during the day or the evening hours. During the day that had a TON a seminars to sell you stuff and movies...then at night...more movies.. so if you dont rock climb, flow ride, and lay out by the pool...you are SOL. yes they have a 'mall' but how many times can you walk up and down it for a 7 day cruise:eek:. I dont go on cruises to watch movies...(that's just me) Yea, they got the parade thing......Yea kung fu Panda and Sherk are nice, but that does no not appeal to me...LOL again my opinion only.

 

Basically i was bored. But if you kids...great ships!

 

OP, go with an open mind. At the end of the day you have to feel like you are getting value for your vacation dollars. What I consider a value, may be different than what you consider a value.

 

:confused:We found the same kind of activities on RCI as we found on Carnival; didn't see a ton of movies offered on Freedom of the Seas. In fact, they were more similar than different.

[WetToes]

That is your opinion. ;) There is much better.

 

 

That is their opinion and isn't this your opinion? ;)

We all have them.

[Big_G]

Wait...Isn't Breeze now Turtlecrossing? :D

 

 

I think it's a secret.

[Garryjac]

We used to sail with Carnival, and then we took our first cruise with Royal, and hands down Royal does a better job with crowd control. We were suppose to take a 4 night cruise on Royal this summer but the ship was chartered and the only cruise that was available for the same period is a Carnival ship. I haven't sailed with Carnival for many years and they have a different program called Faster to the Fun for $50 per cabin. It gives you priority for embarking and disembarking. That in itself is worth going back to Carnival. I used to hate waiting on lines, especially when my kids were younger. The other perk is we are four people sailing, and the Carnival line saved us nearly $1000 as compared to Royal and it goes to an additional port. We are going with other family members so I don't really care which ship we go on. Personally, I enjoy the port days better than sea days, but if you like to stay on the ship while in port the ship isn't as crowded.

[janetz]

 

I think it's a secret.

 

 

I love your guy...;)

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Wow! :eek: I miss Breeze319. :rolleyes:

 

I think turtle put him away until after the Vista homeport gets announced.

 

He will then reappear and trll us all how he called it.

 

Bill

 

 

Sent from Iphone 4S using Cruise Critic App

[Tapi]

I can afford to go on any other line but why would I spend the extra money when I'm satisfied with ccl?

 

That you can afford to go on any other line doesn't mean that you would be happier sailing on the others. Different people have different tastes, regardless of their income level.

 

For some, a DJ blasting dance music, hairy chest contests, and newlywed games are the definition of a fun cruise. For someone else, a port lecturer, a well stocked library, and a string quartet may be the best cruise ever. For others, professional entertainment, high energy activities, 24 different restaurants, and innovative ships may be what they love about cruising. Who is right? Who is wrong?

 

If Carnival works for you, good for you. But if one day you wake up and you tell yourself "You know what? I'm ready for something else", rest assured that there's a cruise line out there for you, willing to take your money! :)

[cruzfitter]

I can afford to go on any other line but why would I spend the extra money when I'm satisfied with ccl?

 

I love these statements. I guess if you bought a Chevy and liked it you would never consider buying a Cadillac? If you ate at Olive Garden and liked it you wouldn't even try Morton's steakhouse?

[Cuizer2]

If you ate at Olive Garden and liked it you wouldn't even try Morton's steakhouse?

 

One is Italian. The other is a steakhouse.

[Jodi3284]

Did you not like the full production of "Hairspray", the water shows, ice skating shows, ship entertainer or huge atrium party? Is it that you missed seeing someone do karoeke to Ricki Martin like on CCL?

Did you not like the t-bone steaks in the buffet? Miss the meatloaf on CCL, did you?

Prefer the thumbsize lobster on CCL to the hand size ones on RCL? Were you offended that RCL offered healthy breakfast items as opposed to the full fat stuff on CCL?

Did all the open chairs at the pool area on sea days disappoint you? Do you enjoy playing chair hog wars?

 

Thank you for giving me another reason to love Carnival, no chance of running into such a pleasant person as yourself....

 

I thought the production shows were cheesy, nope did not enjoy them.

No T-bone that I saw but would have taken Carnival meatloaf over the dried up beef that was there.

I have fresh fruit and yogurt for breakfast on Carnival, did that become unhealthy?

Do not like lobster so the size of it was irrelevant to me.

Open chairs? Were you by chance on your own balcony?

 

We are all entitled to our own opinions and all have different tastes. What I am baffled by is why one person feels better about themselves by bashing or attacking another persons opinion? I hope you find a reason to smile in your day and that you enjoy every cruise you ever take to the fullest :)

[CarnieAddict]

I love these statements. I guess if you bought a Chevy and liked it you would never consider buying a Cadillac? If you ate at Olive Garden and liked it you wouldn't even try Morton's steakhouse?

 

Why change what you like? And I drive a chevy truck. I have no interest in a cadilac. My chevy truck goes were a Cadillac would. But I do ride the Cadillac of bikes. ....

[bedfordmom]

I have cruised twice with Royal Caribbean and once with P&O and now looking at Carnival. Can anyone tell me who has been on Carnival and Royal Caribbean some comparisons? Is Carnival better? Drink prices? What currency is used on board Carnival?

Thanks for any other info you can share.

 

Having cruised three Royal Caribean cruises first and then two Carnival cruises; we like Royal better but they both have their pros and cons.

 

Inside room size-Carnival wins

 

Lunch options-Carnival again with their Guys Burger, Burrito Bar

 

Punchliner Shows-again Carnival excells here

 

Cost-again Carnival wins for being a great value

 

Activities for children and families-hands down-Royal Caribean wins with their ice skating shows, rock walls, flowrider etc.

 

Past guest parties-again Royal has better parties for guests with a couple of cruises; Carnival just gives you a free drink during bfast or brunch for return cruises who don't qualify for their parties.

 

Shows-again Royal wins again with their live music shows.

 

Room service-Royal wins with their hot and cold selections. However, they do

charge a small fee between midnight and 5am.

 

Royal Promenade-is also a great benefit on Royal to people watch and get small snacks. Couldn't find anything comparable on Carnival, in fact other than room service, there are limited options for snacks at night other than pizza and soft serve ice cream.

 

Although I like both lines, doing this list, made me realize that I like Royal better, its too bad the lines can't combine all the good stuff together.

[Tithonus]

Why change what you like? And I drive a chevy truck. I have no interest in a cadilac. My chevy truck goes were a Cadillac would. But I do ride the Cadillac of bikes. ....

 

I thought that till I bought my first Cadillac.

[CarnieAddict]

I thought that till I bought my first Cadillac.

 

I prefer my Harley. That's were my money goes to.

[gooselover]

DH and I have sailed both. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. Carnival for pricing - they can't be beat. Royal as really priced themselves up there.

 

We found that the rooms were bigger in Carnival compared to RCL. We also found the food better with Carnival. Most importantly, while on LOS with RCL, we went to both Chops and Portofino. The experience was NOTHING compared to the Steakhouse in Carnival. Carnival again wins hands down.

 

However, RCL wins with their Royal Promenade. Carnival's Promenade seems dull and lackluster compared to RCL.

 

So, you have it...good and bad, but that does NOT mean we won't sail RCL if their prices would come down a bit! We love both.

 

Come on.....any cruise is a GREAT cruise!

[Palmetto Pilot]

I have not sailed on Carnival in many years, my cruise on the Fantasy next week will be my first Carnival trip since cruising almost exclusively with RCCL. My first cruise was on NCL aboard the SS Norway.. so my experience is limited with NCL, CCL, and RCCL.

 

For me I'd choose RCCL over CCL most times. (Cruising out of Charleston is just too easy) for a number of reasons. I usually choose my cruise around the ship, that is my destination. RCCL ships are vastly superior to any in the CCL fleet. I love the royal promenade, the interior decorating is not even 1% as gaudy as CCL. I would say that the food and service on both lines are roughly similar. Food is so subjective anyway. What is boils down to is personal preference. CCL vs RCCL is purely subjective.

[bibbysnow]

DH and I have sailed both. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. Carnival for pricing - they can't be beat. Royal as really priced themselves up there.

 

We found that the rooms were bigger in Carnival compared to RCL. We also found the food better with Carnival. Most importantly, while on LOS with RCL, we went to both Chops and Portofino. The experience was NOTHING compared to the Steakhouse in Carnival. Carnival again wins hands down.

 

However, RCL wins with their Royal Promenade. Carnival's Promenade seems dull and lackluster compared to RCL.

 

So, you have it...good and bad, but that does NOT mean we won't sail RCL if their prices would come down a bit! We love both.

 

Come on.....any cruise is a GREAT cruise!

 

I agree with everything you said here except we did not have a good dinner in the steakhouse on Carnival.

 

Also, I think that Carnival offers more of a variety of food.

 

I love both lines, I have been cruising with Carnival lately because the prices are much better!!

[abisha]

I sailed Royal once in 2005 and had a great cruise experience (on the Radiance), but because of price, I have been sticking with Carnival ever since and have also had wonderful cruise experiences with them as well.

 

Things that I like better on Carnival:

Price

Larger cabins

Comfortable beds

Ability to do my own laundry on the ship (they have self serve laundry rooms) which allows us to pack lighter

Robes for use in the room

overall "vibe" of the ship, especially at night..seems much more "alive" and much more fun

 

What I liked better on RCCL:

Buffet stations much easier to navigate

Better buffet selections

Adults Solarium

 

Both lines provided top notch customer service...stateroom stewards and waitstaff were wonderful.

[OCruisers]

We like RCCL better because of their wonderful specialty restaurants. :)

 

LuLu

~~~~

[cruzeluver]

One is Italian. The other is a steakhouse.

 

To call what Olive Garden serves "Italian" is an insult to Italians everywhere.

[Cuizer2]

To call what Olive Garden serves "Italian" is an insult to Italians everywhere.

 

Whether you like the food or not, Olive Garden is an Italian restaurant.

[Georgiagolfer]

We like RCCL better because of their wonderful specialty restaurants. :)

 

LuLu

~~~~

 

Glad you like them, but IMO CCL Steakhouses blows RCCL Chops away. Now DW and I do like Portofino.

[Beachdude]

But I do ride the Cadillac of bikes. ....

 

Which isss?

 

Burt

[Beachdude]

Royal has nicer ships, everything else is even.

 

Burt

[CarnieAddict]

Which isss?

 

Burt

 

Harley