11 time Carnival cruiser trying Royal

[klfrodo]

Cruising on the FOS with family and friends.

Wife and I have always enjoyed our past Carnival cruises.

I've spent the past couple of months lurking here on the Royal forum and I'm not sensing that there is much difference between the cruisers/posters on Royal vs. the cruisers/posters on Carnival.

Other than paying twice as much for a GS on FOS than I would for a GS on the Breeze,,,, what am I missing or not understanding?

 

Thanks

[kwazi07]

Cruising on the FOS with family and friends.

Wife and I have always enjoyed our past Carnival cruises.

I've spent the past couple of months lurking here on the Royal forum and I'm not sensing that there is much difference between the cruisers/posters on Royal vs. the cruisers/posters on Carnival.

Other than paying twice as much for a GS on FOS than I would for a GS on the Breeze,,,, what am I missing or not understanding?

 

Thanks

I haven't been on RCCL yet, but went on Carnival once. The FOS looks so much better than the Breeze. Sure, there are water slides on the Breeze, but Freedom has ice rink, rock wall, flow rider, royal promenade, huge dining rooms, elegant places. And in general RCCL seems to tends to attract a more active crowd. Go on beyondships.com to see ship pictures of FOS, then look at Breeze. Breeze is more modern, but Freedom seems to be more classy/elegant.

 

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[kwazi07]

Better yet, check this out. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1082085. Be sure to read the whole review, sometimes there is a lapse without pictures.

 

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[Cruisegirl6]

About me I am 50 and just got off my 52nd cruise last week and I have to say you will love RC and its worth every penny extra, you get what you pay for.

 

Service on RC is excellent overall, the MDR food is better quality (for instance Carnival offers the flat iron steak where RC offers the NY Strip), the entertainment surely exceeds Carnivals no comparison. The pools are larger with fresh water, the viking crown lounge is a wonderful place to sit and have a 180 view of the sea, they ice skating show is always a favorite, at night there is so much choices of foods available where Carnival only offers you past 11pm burgers, hot dogs, fries and pizza and there is a cut off for the time the grill is open till on Carnival so around 1am the only thing to eat is room service or pizza. RC offers you mini sandwiches of all kinds, marinated veggies, salads, muffins, cookies, brownies, pastries, pizza, etc.

RC ships are classier nicer and more elegant, its worth every penny more, I bet once you get off that ship you want to go back to RC.

[time4u2go]

I haven't been on RCCL yet, but went on Carnival once. The FOS looks so much better than the Breeze. Sure, there are water slides on the Breeze, but Freedom has ice rink, rock wall, flow rider, royal promenade, huge dining rooms, elegant places. And in general RCCL seems to tends to attract a more active crowd. Go on beyondships.com to see ship pictures of FOS, then look at Breeze. Breeze is more modern, but Freedom seems to be more classy/elegant.

 

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I'm a bit confused. You said "FOS looks so much better than the Breeze", but you haven't been on the Breeze? :confused:

[kwazi07]

I'm a bit confused. You said "FOS looks so much better than the Breeze", but you haven't been on the Breeze? :confused:

 

By looks! Not saying it is!

 

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Edited March 20, 2014 by kwazi07

[GTO-Girl]

Cruising on the FOS with family and friends.

Wife and I have always enjoyed our past Carnival cruises.

I've spent the past couple of months lurking here on the Royal forum and I'm not sensing that there is much difference between the cruisers/posters on Royal vs. the cruisers/posters on Carnival.

Other than paying twice as much for a GS on FOS than I would for a GS on the Breeze,,,, what am I missing or not understanding?

 

Thanks

 

We just became Platinum on Carnival last year, but I have to say we LOVE Royal!

 

We will still sail Carnival, but if I had to choose it will be with Royal.....

 

No worries....you will love Royal!!!

[matj2000]

All the cruise lines have the Pro's & Con's.

Non are "better" than the other.

People love RC, Carnival, NCL, HAL, ETC, for various reasons.

Others dislike them for the same reasons.

It's best to try a variety and see what is out there. You would be surprised with what you might like.

I can't understand why some folks do the same cruise line over & over.

[Jazzzy]

We are Platinum on Carnival and Royal as you can see from my signature... Although they mean 2 different things for each line... But I will say this:

 

I loved carnival's newer ships Dream and Breeze. I think the décor is very elegant, calming and contemporary! I had a wonderful time on both of them and they sure surpassed my Adventure of the Seas experience (that was the last ship I sailed with Royal)...

 

I must also say that the service was superior and the food was much better on these 2 newer ones compared with the older ships of the Carnival! That is very unfortunate! I think they should have the same standards and service across the fleet...

 

With that said, I have not sailed with RC in a while and have very high expectations for my upcoming trip on the Allure. I hope they are met....

 

Have a great trip!

 

Jazz

[yogimax]

Non are "better" than the other.[/size]

 

Respectfully disagree!

 

Of course some cruise lines are better than others.

 

Just sticking with the RCL family, it is clear that Celebrity is a small cut above RCCL. Never been on Azamera, but my guess is that they are the best of the family.

 

Bottom Line - You can't compare the Queen Mary to the Carnival Inspiration or the Oasis of the Seas with the Carnival Sensation

[2Shoes2Go]

We started with Carnival, then one day were invited by family to try Royal. Although we lean toward Royal now because we enjoy the generous benefits, Carnival is still a fun and relaxing choice. Cruising, for us, has morphed into a very social event. We meet up with friends on different ships. This happens easier on Royal. Most of our Carnival cruises are with family and to see crew we have gotten to know. If Carnival had a Diamond Lounge or Concierge Lounge, we likely would make more friends there.

[Lissysmom]

Royal is certainly classier. The crew on Royal is SO much nicer than Carnival was. We have only been on one Carnival cruise but we do not ever plan on going on another one!! When we went on Carnival the walls seemed very thin, as in we could hear EVERYTHING in the hallway and from other people's rooms. We have never had that problem on Royal.

[ehfl]

You can have fun on any line, so the idea is to take advantage of what's different on Royal. Enjoy the parades on the Promenade, the Ice shows and ice skating, surfing, great shows and live music, etc.

[cruiselvr04]

We have been on several Carnival cruises.

 

One thing you will notice is the art work all over the Royals ships.

 

RCL is easier to navigate then any Carnival ship I have been on.

 

Food is subjective but about the same. However the buffet lines are much shorter. Go all the way to the back of the buffet to see what I mean.

 

If you like evening entertainment then RCL wins here too. They have Karoke but it is not the main event.

 

It just depends on what you like...we think RCL is dressier for dinner but no worries as it is not over the top in any way. Less shorts and sleeveless shirts are seen in the evening around the ship.

 

Decor is richer and less gaudy. No orange pleather couches in the cabins.

 

There are more things alike then different but we like the overall atmosphere better on Royal.

[kwazi07]

I haven't been on Royal yet but we are booked in August. From my observations on CC, the general consensus anout Royal's ships are (Exclude Breeze and Sunshine)

 

Less gaudy(Especially compared to Fantasy class :eek:

Have better service

Cabins are laid out better-Our paradise cabin had and king bed in a supposedly 185 sq ft room and it was tiny. . Now, in our 141 sq foot room in Enchantment, there seems to be a king bed, couch, and desk.

Better buffet food-buffet desserts on carnival were horrid

Bigger and maintained better-People report little to no wear on Majesty OTS, which dates back to 1919! On by paradise cruise from which dated back to 1998, there were many signs of wear.

 

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[donnad08]

I've only ever been on Royal so I can't really compare, but I don't think you will be disappointed.

 

 

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[Cindy]

Other than paying twice as much for a GS on FOS than I would for a GS on the Breeze,,,, what am I missing or not understanding?

 

Thanks

 

I've cruised in a GS on both lines, and you really can't compare the two products...they're truly apples and oranges. A GS on Carnival gets you a bigger, nicely appointed cabin that comes with Priority Embarkation and Disembarkation. A GS on Royal Caribbean gets you a bigger, nicely appointed cabin that comes with Priority Embarkation and Disembarkation, concierge services, a dedicated lounge with a daily happy hour, the privilege of eating breakfast and lunch in a specialty restaurant where it is less crowded, complimentary pressing for formal night, reserved seating in Studio B, the theater, and by the main pool, etc.

 

I'm sorry you're paying double, because I've found from my home port that suite prices are very comparable, but I feel like I get so much more for my $$$ on RCI. Enjoy your cruise!

[RCI Cruisers 004]

Cruising on the FOS with family and friends.

Wife and I have always enjoyed our past Carnival cruises.

I've spent the past couple of months lurking here on the Royal forum and I'm not sensing that there is much difference between the cruisers/posters on Royal vs. the cruisers/posters on Carnival.

Other than paying twice as much for a GS on FOS than I would for a GS on the Breeze,,,, what am I missing or not understanding?

 

Thanks

 

We have been on FOS 5 times now in a GS or OS. You will love how they spoil you. Check with RCL's web page for all the perks suite guests get , but off the top of my head, a few are priority boarding, concierge service and use of the concierge lounge with free drinks each night from 5-8:30, full menu when ordering room service, sit down breakfast at Portifino's each morning, priority seating at all shows, private seating near the pools, just to name a few. It's hard to go back to a regular room once you have been spoiled by a GS. Enjoy your cruise !

[impatientlywaiting]

I can't understand why some folks do the same cruise line over & over.

 

Really? We have never been disappointed with Royal so why would we want to change? We love everything about Royal. DH always says - if it's not broke, don't fix it. IMO, Royal isn't broke! :D

[LucasLounger1]

Admittedly I haven't been on near as many cruises as most on CC, but I do think Royal is a cut above. While Carnival hooked me on cruising, Royal keeps me coming back. A few specifics:

 

Food - equitable in the MDR, much, much better buffet

Entertainment - much better on Royal for variety and quality

Formal night - I like to get dressed up. Not completely formal, but very dressy. On Royal there seems to be a better attempt. On Carnival, many women were wearing little more than bathing suit cover ups and calling it their formal wear. Perhaps it was something particular about the sailing we were on, but I wasn't impressed.

Ship - again limited experience but I found Royal to be easier to navigate and more pleasing to the eye. I recall detesting the neon amoeba-shaped stool things we were meant to sit on in the dance club on Carnival. Uncomfortable and ugly!

 

For me, it is worth a few extra dollars.

[topnole]

The difference you will notice is the ship. Carnival has nothing like the biggest royal ships(size) and the suite benefits are much better on royal. The food and service are subjective and similar in my opinion. The differences in these areas are grossly exaggerated I think. If you are a premium coffee drinker or take part in happy hour in the concierge lounge you end up getting a lot of $ in suite benefits. That certainly offsets some of the price difference. I've done over 30 on ccl and 15 on rci. I think you will love the freedom.

[AZ Karaoke Girl]

Typically it is hard to justify paying twice for the same itinerary between CCL & RCI. I feel I get my money's worth on CCL and not necessarily the same on RCI just because it is so much more $. But it does depend on the ship and the amenities of that ship.

 

Food is very subjective and I don't find a lot of difference in the MDR. Buffet may be slightly better on RCI but that isn't why I cruise. I'm platinum on Carnival and will continue to cruise with them due to the price. I get my money's worth on CCL in my opinion.

 

I did not enjoy my cruise on Mariner of the Seas nearly as much as Carnival but I booked the Allure of the Seas to go with friends. At first, I had a hard time justifying the cost because it was double what I would have paid for the same itinerary on Carnival. I wasn't disappointed. That ship class is worth every penny and I booked Oasis because of it. I'm going on Jewel in 6 weeks with friends. A lot more money than CCL. I will see if it was worth it.

 

I will say that Royal ships are very elegant and comfortable. Rooms are comparable but nicer look. I like shower doors on RCI vs those plastic curtains that stick to you on most CCL ships. Sofa has fabric vs CCL vinyl type stuff. They just look prettier and classier. Is that worth twice the price? No! Not in my opinion. But they do have other entertainment that is not offered on CCL such as ice skating rink and ice skating shows, the Quest game which is always a hoot, surfing, rock climbing walls if that's your thing etc. The adult pool area is far superior on RCI ships compared to CCL adult serenity area which is lame. Karaoke is better on CCL. RCI starts way too late like 10 or 11 at night.

 

I would just really look at what the ship offers that CCL doesn't. You already know what to expect on CCL so you have to see if some of those things are worth the extra cost. In my opinion, I would pay extra for Oasis & Allure just because those ships are the destination and I could care less where the ship is taking me. I love them! LOL

 

Formal night - I like to get dressed up. Not completely formal, but very dressy. On Royal there seems to be a better attempt. On Carnival, many women were wearing little more than bathing suit cover ups and calling it their formal wear. Perhaps it was something particular about the sailing we were on, but I wasn't impressed.

 

Carnival changed to "Elegant night" vs "Formal night" so you don't see as many long gowns by the women and 3 piece suits for the men. I don't cruise because of getting dressed up for dinner. I could care less about dressing up but I always follow the dress code.

[bigsky]

It's subjective. We only cruised with Carnival for many cruises. Once we discovered Carnival, that was the line for us. We did try Princess and few times and Disney.

Royal is our favorite, and probably won't return to Carnival. IF it was a newer ship, less money, and ports we can't go to on Royal, maybe.

 

Everyone likes different lines for different reasons. Royal to me have classier ships, and just a nice balance of fun and classy. Love the cabins much more as well.

 

Much of my cruise is the ship. You won't be disappointed!

[aubreyc1988]

 

Bigger and maintained better-People report little to no wear on Majesty OTS, which dates back to 1919!

 

 

WOW that is pretty incredible for a 95 year old ship! ;)

 

 

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[K L B]

We were on Carnival and had a wonderful time on both, and the same with our NCL. However, when we went on FOS- it far exceeded my previous cruise experiences. Especially with you being in a GS (as were we for our FOS and Carnival cruises), you will really notice that there are more benefits. Research them and take advantage of them! I think that really accounts for the price difference. Our FOS cruise was my favourite to date- have a great time!