Carnival Pride vs RCL Grandeur of the Seas

[Librarygirl59]

We were on the Pride in November and had a great cruise, we are now planning for another cruise next spring and are considering either Pride again or Grandeur of the Seas. I would be interested in hearing opinions of people who have been on both.

[cruisexlife]

While I have not been on Grandeur, I have been on the Enchantment, which is similar, but take my opinion with a grain of salt. In all honesty, I would most likely choose the Pride over Grandeur based solely on ship. However, I love the itineraries Royal has, and they either don't fit my schedule or budget, while Carnival always does. If it is a 10 night over a 7 night, I would pick the 10 night hands down. But if you are not cruising for the ports, and plan on lots of ship time, I would recommend the Pride. More to do, and it was updated more recently.

[Heather1972]

I have been on both. Hands down the Pride. Unless... If you can get a really good deal on Grandeur.

[ladylikes2cruise]

Been on both this year, (and going again on the Pride this April)

Definitely , the Pride.;)

Edited December 31, 2015 by ladylikes2cruise

[Cruisegirl6]

I prefer RC ships but in this case, the Grandeur is my least liked, so choose Pride.

[sweenbean21]

I'm in agreement with everyone else..wasn't a big fan of the grandeur but if it was the 10 day itinerary I would choose it!

[vaka08]

Been on both- no contest stick with the pride

[Cruisegirl6]

Have to admit if it were 10 days or more on Grandeur I choose that lol

[sparks1093]

I appreciate the info since we've wondered the same thing.:)

[crookedhalo]

Having been on Pride earlier this month and on GOS multiple times, I would find the decision a bit harder than some others before. If all things about the trip (length, ports etc.) are equal then I would choose the one with the better price.

 

However, GOS does stand out over Pride in a couple of areas...

 

Food - I found the food on Pride (except for Blue Iguana, Bonsai and Guys) to have little to no flavor. This includes the steakhouse food. Sorry, I know this will upset some. On GOS all MDR food was good and solid in the flavor department, but the specialty restaurants (Izumi, Chops and Giovanni's) were fantastic!

 

Feeling - Pride is very dark to me (feeling - too much dark 'wood') where GOS is very open and airy (all those walls of glass).

 

Staff - I would give GOS a slight edge over Pride in this area - GOS has one of the friendliest staffs afloat.

 

On Entertainment Pride has a bit of an edge (I really enjoyed having multiple options for comedy each night) in the secondary shows, but for the production numbers GOS wins (better sound and production values).

 

Now, all this in mind, I was able to book a 8K on deck 8 of the Pride for a 7 night Bahamas run last June for $1300 (port fees, taxes and grats) for two people- at that time GOS wanted approx. $2100 for the same trip in an INSIDE. It was our first time back on CCL since 2008, and we would probably return, but to the newer ships, based on this trip.

 

HTH

[HoosierAUEagle]

Ah, the "which ship should I take out of Baltimore" question. I was on the Grandeur in January and am going on the Pride in a couple months so I'll be able to give you a better comparison in March. But I was on the Pride's sister (Legend) a few years ago.

 

In general I think the ships are close enough that I wouldn't let any perceived difference in quality be the deciding factor. They do have some different amenities that come down more to personal preference than anything else. Some of it just comes down to the slight differences between Carnival and RCL.

 

If Grandeur is comparably priced to Pride, I might recommend Grandeur just so you can see and compare for yourself, though I don't think I can recommend paying much of a premium.

 

Might want to ask the people over on the Royal Caribbean board what they think.

[Librarygirl59]

Thanks for all of your thoughts, we really loved everything about the Pride but because of the itinerary of Grandeur of the Seas we are considering Royal Caribbean. Since I don't like flying and my DH doesn't mind the drive from Toronto, we are also looking at Celebrity Summit and NCL Gem from NYC. My DH is recently retired but I will not have my vacation approved until the end of January. Besides itineraries we are also looking for the best deal since the Canadian dollar is not very good at present. Thanks again, I really value all the opinions shared.

[supradupafast]

Thanks for all of your thoughts, we really loved everything about the Pride but because of the itinerary of Grandeur of the Seas we are considering Royal Caribbean. Since I don't like flying and my DH doesn't mind the drive from Toronto, we are also looking at Celebrity Summit and NCL Gem from NYC. My DH is recently retired but I will not have my vacation approved until the end of January. Besides itineraries we are also looking for the best deal since the Canadian dollar is not very good at present. Thanks again, I really value all the opinions shared.

 

Being that the USD$ is really hurting us (Canadians), I would really look at RCCL, pricing it in CAD Currency. I have done the maths, and they are charging less than 20% exchange if paying in CAD.

I'm sure they will be adjusting this soon, but for now it's a great deal.

[CrabbyHarper]

I have been on GOS and Pride, as well as Celebrity Summit which sails from Bayonne NJ and might be more convenient for folks coming in from Toronto.

 

Pride is usually the cheapest, but the itineraries do not suit me. Summit is a beautiful older ship as is GOS and I would prefer either to Pride, except for the cost. BUT you do get what you pay for.;)

[martinchem]

I've been on both Pride and Grandeur this year. Crew, food, entertainment and cleanliness were all excellent. My only complaint would be the small bathroom in our cabin on the Grandeur. The shower was tight with my left arm rubbing the wall and my right rubbing the curtain, the sink had a raised bowl basin about 12" wide with low water pressure and the toilet had to be sat on sideways, go figure! Price and itinerary are important, but if about the same I'd go with Pride.

Edited January 1, 2016 by martinchem

[SandyBShores]

We sailed GOS in July 2014, Pride July 2015. We had fantastic experiences on both ships but chose to repeat Pride again. It all depends on what is most important to you.

 

Cost is a factor for us. Pride is cheaper. One selling point of Pride for my husband was the shower size was bigger than the tiny space of GOS shower. The rooms were generally larger overall. Although I agree w previous post that decor of Pride is darker and more closed feeling. GOS has more windows and you can look left of right and see ocean.

 

We like to go out at night and kick back with a few drinks, but not necessarily at a dancing venue. GOS was lacking in that area. The piano bar was the latest thing open (save for the dance club), and it usually closed at 11:30. Pride had bars that were much more fun, and more choices! A sports bar... a pub with shuffleboard, darts, foosballl..on deck the open air bars w games, or bands...spinning piano bar...and Alchemy is just COOL! Most stayed open until at least 1am too. Just more people mulling about at night.

 

The MDR food on both was comparable. GOS had the great a la cart area in the Solarium, but that is beaten out in the end by Guys, Blue Iguana and the pizza station on Pride. Yum!! (I haven't yet experienced the new American Table menu on Pride, which is getting mixed reviews.)

 

Adult area Solarium on GOS is more luxurious in appearance, but in July there is not enough ventilation and always felt stuffy, was hot like a sauna, lots of kid traffic to get to the sandwich cafe. Pride adult area was more private, with zero kid traffic. Get up early if you want a nice clamshell.

 

I have 3 teens. All very much enjoyed both ships. Prides water slides were a blast! Kid clubs comparable except on the Pride there was no meet n greet or place to hang out for my 19yo as she was too old for teen clubs and too young for alcohol clubs/bars. (I hear Pride has added a new program for her age.)

 

Our GOS itinerary was to Bermuda overnight which was a fantastic itinerary. Pride's wasn't as good as Freeport is a waste of time (the 4 hours youre there) and Grand Turk is fine (Margaritaville). BUT what the other stops lacked was made up for at Half Moon Cay private island. Hands down the most beautiful beach I've ever been on! Saw two turtles and a skate while snorkeling alongside the reef area. This island was another big selling point for us!

 

Alcohol pkg was better and more inclusive on GOS than Pride. The premium pkg included coffee bar drinks, fresh squeezed juices, all sodas, and bottled water. Pride's has a limit and wasn't included on the private island.

 

You really can't go wrong with either choice!,

Edited January 2, 2016 by SandyBShores

[Roberthr74]

We were on Grandeur in March although we had a great vacation and I love RCL we did not care for the ship. It was small and not much to it. I have never been on the pride so I can not compare it to that I just know we would probably not do that ship again.

[Steve8]

I've done Pride several times and last year we sailed on the Grandeur. Here is the comparison I did after that:

 

Royal Caribbean Pros

• Nicer décor for the ship
  
• Buffet area is “classier” and everything is close together
  
• They serve your drinks at buffet and get you refills
  
• Getting off the ship is easier than Carnival mostly because they aren’t stopping everyone to get pictures taken and they “scan” your card
  
• Freestyle soda machines (Great choices and lots of them)
  
• Better drink packages (One person in a room can purchase even if other does not and there is no drink limit or time limit)
  
• They have a formal Meet & Mingle for Cruise Critic members with ship personnel & prizes
  
• Daily announcement with excellent details from the Captain even on port days (and you could even understand him)
  
• Less push for sales by Cruise Director
  
• Longer cruises (Carnival has very few over 8 days)
  
• Rock wall
  
• Tutti salad bar in dining room on sea days
  
• Park Café (Nice choices and good selection with small lines)
  

The Same

• Wait Service (Both have been equally excellent every time for me)
  
• Housekeeping service (Also both are excellent)
  
• Quality of dining room food
  
• Quality of breakfast foods at the buffet
  
• Cleanliness
  
• Embarkation/Debarkation
  

Carnival Pro’s

• Bigger rooms
  
• Much bigger showers
  
• Bigger bathroom sinks
  
• More storage space
  
• Suitcases fit under the bed
  
• Entertainment (I do not go to Production shows so please exclude those)
  
• Activities (Many more activities and in my opinion better and more exciting)
  
• Comedy Club (One of my favorite things about Carnival)
  
• Piano Bar (MUCH more interactive and fun)
  
• Bigger casino (obviously dependant on ship)
  
• Double odds craps (Single odds on Royal is ridiculous)
  
• More choices on dining room dinner menu
  
• Better desserts
  
• Lower drink prices and packages
  
• Soap dispenser in showers
  
• Early saver (I Love it! Some hate it!)
  
• Many more TV Channels and include networks
  
• Shorter lines for buffet on private islands
  
• Many more choices for lunch (Guy’s, Mongolian Wok, Blue Iguana Cantina, Fish & Chips, etc.)
  
• Easier to find seating in the much bigger spread out buffet area
  
• Buffet area is always open
  
• 24 hour pizza and ice cream
  
• Better beds and bedding (I would even say much better)
  
• Water slides
  
• Miniature golf
  
• Much easier to find chairs in the Serenity area than the Solarium
  
• Dress shorts are allowed in dining room for dinner (my preference but others feel exact opposite I’m sure)
  
• Real anytime dining (Royal really pushes for you to make a reservations which defeats the purpose)
  

[afbq]

We sailed on both and we prefer the Granduer of the Seas. We felt their food and entertainment was better. That said, the Pride was good too- we just booked our second Pride cruise. I don't think you can go wrong with either one. We booked Carnival this times for the price and itinerary. ETA: The last time we sailed it was in 2009 on the Pride and maybe in 2005 on the GOS. I hear the Pride was updated since. Might make a difference now.

Edited January 12, 2016 by afbq

[pastthymes]

every single point you made I completely agree with. I've been on 29 cruises, 9 on the GOS. Just discovered the Pride 5 cruises ago n love the rooms etc. GOS standard room is 145 square ft n the Pride's are 185 square ft. Do the math....agree agree with your assessment..