Princess Cruiser has Carnival Questions

[mamaboss]

Have previously only cruised Princess. I have been looking at Carnival for a future cruise. Do any ships offer a mini fridge in cabins? Is it only a certain category that has one or maybe they are not offered at all? There are not many children and young adults on Princess when we sail in February, is it the same on Carnival? I am in the process of researching the different ships. Is there a Carnival ship we should avoid?

[maldenmusic]

Have previously only cruised Princess. I have been looking at Carnival for a future cruise. Do any ships offer a mini fridge in cabins? Is it only a certain category that has one or maybe they are not offered at all? There are not many children and young adults on Princess when we sail in February, is it the same on Carnival? I am in the process of researching the different ships. Is there a Carnival ship we should avoid?

 

Pretty sure that the Dream class ships have mini-fridge in every room. As far as February cruising, I've never done it but it would make sense that due to school being in session there would be fewer kids.

[Missileer]

We cruise Carnival all the time and have cruised Princess a half dozen times or so. Carnival has the small refrigerator in all cabins on the Spirit class but recently (last month) they had emptied the booze and sodas from them. As to kids it is probably a crap shoot but with school in session I would think there would be fewer kids. We enjoy both lines and what they offer. Enjoy.

[uprivermama]

Some schools have a mid-winter break around President's Day, so that would mean the potential for more kids at that time. Otherwise, you'd see fewer kids onboard.

 

I have only sailed on Conquest-class ships and the Beeze; all have had mini fridges, although they are not as cold as your standard mini fridges, in my experience.

 

Different people love certain ships for various reasons. Perhaps if you gave a few options you are considering people could offer some pros and cons for each.

[vamartha]

Sunshine does not have mini fridges in all balcony rooms.

[GradUT]

Some of the ships (e.g. Imagination) do not have fridges in interior rooms.

 

I have cruised in early February. There were very few kids and those kids that were on board were kept busy in the kids clubs--we hardly ever saw them.

[Banditswife]

We've sailed 2 spirit class ships, 2 Conquest class, & 2 Dream class. We've had a mini bar in each cabin. But they are not very cold as others said & I've read that they are now empty & you can ask to have certain things added for a fee. We've sailed in Feb, & don't remember a bunch of kids, but there were a few.

[joeyancho]

If you must cruise carnival, avoid any fantasy class ships. Old, tacky, with no balconies. Conquest is a decent ship.

[Essiesmom]

Fantasy class ships do not have fridge except in suites. Sunshine, Triumph and Victory (I believe) also do not have a fridge below suite. I'm sure someone will be along to correct that if I am wrong. Conquest class, Dream class, and Vista have a fridge in every cabin. EM

[SadieN]

Are you looking for cruises with lots of kids or are you trying to avoid them? Where do you want to sail from or to?

 

If you go over a school holiday you'll have kids. Lowest number of kids on a Carnival cruise that we've been on has been an October Hawaii sailing out of Los Angeles.

[bakersdozen12]

If you must cruise carnival, avoid any fantasy class ships. Old, tacky, with no balconies.

 

 

Actually, the Ecstasy, Sensation, and Fascination all have balcony rooms.

 

 

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[joeyancho]

Actually, the Ecstasy, Sensation, and Fascination all have balcony rooms.

 

Only on the suites, and only a few of those. No regular type balcony rooms.

[easyboy]

There are not many children and young adults on Princess when we sail in February, is it the same on Carnival?

It would be the same in Carnival. If ever there are, most likely they will not be of school age

[Schoifmom]

Fantasy class ships do not have fridge except in suites. Sunshine, Triumph and Victory (I believe) also do not have a fridge below suite. I'm sure someone will be along to correct that if I am wrong. Conquest class, Dream class, and Vista have a fridge in every cabin. EM

 

I don't know about the Triumph or Victory, but the Sunshine has mini-fridges in rooms that were added when she became the Sunshine, mostly deck 5. We had an interior on deck 9 with a fridge.

[TrinaLC]

If you must cruise carnival, avoid any fantasy class ships. Old, tacky, with no balconies. Conquest is a decent ship.

 

We love these older, smaller ships. Certainly, need to set expectations as they are a very different vacation, but the price typically reflects that.

 

(Elation does have fridges, and I think the others do as well.)

Edited September 12, 2016 by TrinaLC

[Jenn1974]

I don't know about the Triumph or Victory, but the Sunshine has mini-fridges in rooms that were added when she became the Sunshine, mostly deck 5. We had an interior on deck 9 with a fridge.

 

No mini fridges on the victory.

[buddylover]

We have had mini fridges in every single cabin we have sailed on in CCL. Also, we frequently travel in February and there are always some children (which is true on Princess as well). It depends on the week in Feb that you choose, as the East Coast has a vacation week in Feb and you could potentially run into more kids during this vacation week (but that would be true on ALL the main line cruise lines - RCI, NCL, Princess etc). Our children are grown, so we have found Feb to be a good time to cruise with less school age kids typically - than other Holiday times.

Edited September 12, 2016 by buddylover

[AdGuyMG]

Actually, the Ecstasy, Sensation, and Fascination all have balcony rooms.

 

Only on the suites, and only a few of those. No regular type balcony rooms.

 

This is not accurate info.

 

The Ecstasy, Sensation and Fascination all have 98 standard cabins with balconies. Plus 28 Grand Suites w/ balconies and 26 Junior Suites w/balconies for a total of 152 staterooms with balconies.

 

The other Fantasy Class ships just have the 54 JS/GS balconies.

[DebJ14]

Actually, the Ecstasy, Sensation, and Fascination all have balcony rooms.

 

Only on the suites, and only a few of those. No regular type balcony rooms.

 

Sorry, but they do have regular balcony cabins now in addition to the few suites. Midship balcony cabins are on decks 5, 6 and 7 and the aft facing balcony 8M cabins are on decks 6 and 7.

 

They were added when the ships had major drydocks. We have had both a midship balcony and an aft facing balcony on the Ecstasy.

 

Where we live kids do not get off in February, so we were very surprised to see all the kids then. Our Spring break weeks are in March. We solved the kid issue by sailing in mid January, again in late April or Early May and in the fall after school starts. However, be prepared for some kids because so many people will pull their kids out of school for a trip and there are lots of home school children. We found kids on Princess, RCCL and Carnival during what is supposed to be the school year.

Edited September 12, 2016 by DebJ14

[golfb4cruzing]

My overwhelming question is WHY?? But since you asked, we've always done balcony cabins and had fridge. We've never sailed in February. But as far as kids, depends on cruise length.

[meanjean80]

Actually, the Ecstasy, Sensation, and Fascination all have balcony rooms.

 

Only on the suites, and only a few of those. No regular type balcony rooms.

 

This is actually not true any longer. Those ships went through a re-fit to add more balcony rooms several years ago. Granted it's not as many as on other Carnival ships, and yes the ships are older/smaller than others.

 

For the OP, the longer the time span (7 days versus 5 day) the "older" the demographic, and check the winter break of the schools, especially around the departure port (in NYC, winter break is scheduled for the week of 2/20).

[Cuizer2]

Have previously only cruised Princess. I have been looking at Carnival for a future cruise. Do any ships offer a mini fridge in cabins? Is it only a certain category that has one or maybe they are not offered at all? There are not many children and young adults on Princess when we sail in February, is it the same on Carnival? I am in the process of researching the different ships. Is there a Carnival ship we should avoid?

 

Spirit class (Spirit, Pride, Miracle & Legend)

Splendor

Conquest class (Conquest, Glory, Valor, Liberty & Freedom)

Vista

Dream class (Dream, Magic & Breeze)

All have mini fridges in balconies and suites

 

Other ships and other categories might have mini fridges, but I am not sure of that.

 

Carnival is very family friendly and on any cruise with five or less working days there will be plenty of children. Longer cruises that use up six or more working days will not have many children.

 

I don't like the older Fantasy class ships (Fantasy, Ecstasy, Inspiration, Imagination, Sensation, Elation, Paradise & Fascination)

[mamaboss]

Excellent information! Thank you all. Yes there are kids on all cruises regardless the cruise line, Princess included. I am only trying to avoid a large number of children and 20 year old college students. We always cruised beginning of March without any issues but last few years have been a problem. I also have heard from some cruisers that Carnival ships have many more kids and young adults because they are less expensive. Thought I would just check it out here and see what others thought. Mini fridge is not a deal breaker but I am kinda spoiled by it, lol. Any other differences between Carnival and Princess would be irrelevant to me as I have found each of my Princess cruises to be different. We are considering a 8 or 10 day cruise, mid to end of Feb. New Vista ship looks awesome! Thanks again!

[meanjean80]

If you are looking at an 8-10 day cruise your number of children go down exponentially. Expect some non-school aged who will be predominantly in Camp Carnival. And your chance of college age spring breakers also goes down to just about nothing.

 

I sailed on a 14 day Panama Canal crossing. I felt like one of the youngest folks on board (at age 46). I chatted one day with one of the workers from Camp Carnival and she said she had less than 10 kids enrolled.

[mamaboss]

Spirit class (Spirit, Pride, Miracle & Legend)

Splendor

Conquest class (Conquest, Glory, Valor, Liberty & Freedom)

Vista

Dream class (Dream, Magic & Breeze)

All have mini fridges in balconies and suites

 

Other ships and other categories might have mini fridges, but I am not sure of that.

 

Carnival is very family friendly and on any cruise with five or less working days there will be plenty of children. Longer cruises that use up six or more working days will not have many children.

 

I don't like the older Fantasy class ships (Fantasy, Ecstasy, Inspiration, Imagination, Sensation, Elation, Paradise & Fascination)

 

Thank you for the clarification on the ship classes! I was going to research to see which was which. You saved me a lot of work!