Just off First Royal Caribbean Cruise

[sparks1093]

Entertainment was great. I am sure you will have a good time it’s hard not to.

 

 

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Yes, I'm sure that we will have a good time, we always do. I don't see us becoming loyal to Royal since we're like firefly and are more loyal to our wallet, but it is possible that we might prefer Royal if the price is similar. We are looking forward to trying something new.

[sparks1093]

This is equally so interesting to me!! I have been on Carnival (first cruise 27 years ago), Norwegian, Princess, Royal, and Celebrity. I am totally loyal to Royal, being a Diamond member. My experience with Royal is it's like staying at a Marriott hotel. It is consistently good and no matter what ship you go on, it's a great experience.

 

Wellllll, on Monday, I am going on the Carnival Paradise for a friend's 40th. It's so funny but I always hear how cheap Carnival is, and was looking forward to a "cheap" vacation. Holy cow!! This will be my most expensive cruise. To compare, I am staying in a Junior Suite and it is costing $917 for 5 nights (before any taxes, gratuities, etc.), so works out to be $183/night. The ship is going to Key West and Cozumel. Not ones I would call show stoppers, like Cuba for example, that warrants a higher price. I am already booked on Freedom of the Seas for August, which is a 7 night cruise, also staying in a Junior Suite. That one is costing $1,062 for 7 nights (before any taxes, gratuities, etc.) or $152/night. Now, onto the drink package. Carnival's is costing $52/day and they limit you to 15 drinks a day!! Now, I know 15 sounds like a lot but when you think about it, two mimosas for breakfast, a late morning bloody mary, 2 pina coladas in the hot sun, etc. it goes by fast. To compare, on Royal, I pay $56/day, which is unlimited drinks and internet package.

 

My point is everyone tells me how cheap Carnival is, yet how is this becoming my most expensive cruise vacation. They don't give away any freebies like Norwegian and Royal does, and seem to charge for everything. I feel like I am going on the Spirit Airlines of cruises.

 

Please tell me I'm wrong!!

 

A lot depends on when you are sailing, as we've found out in the past. For us whenever we priced out a cruise in the timeframe we could go Carnival was hundreds less than any of the others. This time around because of a special being run we were able to book on Royal for hundreds less than Carnival. Our goal is to sail on as many cruise lines as possible, so this fits in nicely with that goal.

[firefly333]

Yes, I'm sure that we will have a good time, we always do. I don't see us becoming loyal to Royal since we're like firefly and are more loyal to our wallet, but it is possible that we might prefer Royal if the price is similar. We are looking forward to trying something new.

 

Yes, enjoy each cruise for what they do best.

 

I forgot about NCL when mentioned the lines I have been on. I thought their food in their dining room good, but I might have just been tired of rcl and carnival at the time.

 

I also thought the newer NCL ships had the best of both in their play things, the springs that flung you into the air, etc, though maybe more geared toward children.

 

Each line has something I like best. Enjoy what you like and dont dwell on what you dont.

 

If RCL went to Belize i would have done them last instead of Carnival. RCL went to some island instead.

 

This oct I have my eye on a partial panama transit I keep hoping they again remove the solo cost like last year ... and its on Carnival.

 

Just happens Carnival went to where I wanted, I went by iternary not ship. and cost, but if the ship doesnt go where I wanted, then of course cost doesnt matter.

[2Shoes2Go]

We enjoy every cruise, but it seems Carnival and Royal ships have different vibes. Basically, for us, the fun and interaction with crew and officers, on Carnival, wins out over free drinks and included internet on Royal. The fellow passengers on Carnival, also, seem more laid back and happier. :)

[AmberTeka]

Just off the Explorer of the Seas. First RC Cruise after six Carnival Cruises. Royal was very nice, but I missed Carnival. The food choices were not there or close by like Carnival. I desperately missed Guys Burgers. Always seems like a party when we get on Carnival with the burgers going and the drink servers everywhere. We grabbed some lunch in the Windjammer Buffet, crowded, picked over and nothing special.

 

You could get Pizza and sandwiches on the Promenade but always a line and nothing special. Second day paid the flat fee for Johnny Rockets around $10.00. Underwhelmed

 

Carnival has so much better food choices like Sandwiches, Blue Iguana, Guys, Pizza etc. that are really good and seems there is always something close by.

 

Room service was a bit of a joke on RC too.

 

Don’t get me wrong the ship was nice, service top notch, dining room food was good, but I missed my food choices on Carnival.

 

Looking to book my next cruise on Carnival

 

 

 

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There was nothing to do that we enjoyed. Like Trivia. Good shows had to have a reservation. Ship was too big and hard to find our way around. Food was not good. Except for the paid Ben and Jerry's. Loved that shop.

 

Service and staff were great. Nice & friendly...LOVED our wait staff at dinner. Great cabin steward. except for the guy who did the one game of real Trivia a day. He was a snot, imho.

[Joebucks]

I have only been on 3 cruises, all have been in the past year, and all with Carnival. I did tons of research to find which cruise line to start with. Carnival seemed to fit my needs the most.

 

I am addicted to it, and cannot wait for the next time I will be on one. The biggest ship I have been on so far is the Liberty, and there is still tons to do. For me, I can fill up probably 75% of my nightly entertainment for the week with comedy and dive-in movies alone. I am not a fan of the other types of shows. I also absolutely love Guy's and Blue Iguana. I get one of those every day if I can. Royal doesn't appear offer me anything that compelling that I would want to forego my Carnival cruises, and spend more for it.

 

With that said, I do want to try the Oasis. Maybe we will like it more. Maybe less. Maybe the same. I'm not a person who gravitates towards the most "grand" accommodations. There are always bigger, more expensive hotels, amenities, etc. Those things don't make the vacation for me. If anything, they can take away from the vacation when you're spending more money which can result in less vacations take. Although, Royal isn't THAT much more. It seems like a reasonable value to me. Not like Disney cruises.

[katiel53]

I do think each cruise line has a niche that is perfect or nearly so for it's passengers. I think those who love the party atmosphere and Guy's burgers should stay with Carnival.

 

Although I think most cruise lines have a lot of the same things, there are differences that are important to me that wouldn't be to someone else. For example, I am not into partying all night nor do I think I have to drink my 15 drinks at least daily because I paid for them with the package.

 

I like live entertainment and shows, and I don't like the playlist productions. I don't like most of the food in the dining room on any cruise line. I think it is mediocre at best and sounds much better than it tastes.

 

We eat mostly in the specialty restaurants and like to sail on a line that has many of them instead of just a couple even though we may go to one a few times on a cruise. I do think the steak houses on Carnival are some of the best around and not as expensive as some of the others.

 

I am one of the weirdos who think Guy's burgers are not good and that's because I don't like crispy burgers and that's what I've gotten every time I've tried them. I do like the idea of getting omelets easily in the morning on the Lido. I used to love the turkey on a roll from the deli, but that's no longer available and I think the deli has gone downhill big time.

 

The casino on Carnival, to me, is better than the other lines, except it is the most smoky which I don't like. I find it easier to get the drinks on us card on Carnival than any other line.

 

I find that there aren't as many people trying to cheat with drinks, and any other thing they can get away with on other lines. I have seen more postings of how can I share my drink package?

 

I have seen on all lines that fewer people take responsibility for their actions and try to blame others for everything. I'm sure we will continue to sail the various lines as we have found pluses and minuses on each.

[Raxter54]

Our first ever cruise was on the Serenade of the Seas out of NOLA in February for 2015. Had a great time. But, in May Royal Caribbean left NOLA, which is the closest cruise port to us, so we booked the Dream in 2016. Had another great cruise. In 2017 booked the Carnival Freedom out of Galveston, another great cruise. This year we booked the Sunshine out of Port Canaveral - yep, another great cruise. We're booked on the Dream again out of NOLA for next February, expecting another great cruise. In 2020, we're planning on booking the Allure of the Seas out of Port Lauderdale, to try out a mega-ship. Bottom line, each cruise line has good points and bad points. But a cruise will always be great, if you let it....

[Shaded Lady]

I find it interesting that people who claim that they last cruised on Carnival in 199x or have never cruised Carnival or who heard that it's the Walmart of the Seas etc. would frequent a Carnival site!

 

I've only cruised Carnival so far- not because I'm a diehard loyalist, but because it's what has worked for the time/itinerary/cost when I booked my cruise... but in the 9 years I've been a member of CC I've only gone to the RCCL side of this site once, and that was to read a review someone posted during Hurricane Harvey!

 

I'm not denying anyone's right to go to any site and make comments... it just seems to me that there are a LOT of rabid RCCL fans who would by their own statement never cruise Carnival (ever or again) on this site, commenting on these threads!

 

Like I said, it's your right, I'm just not sure why you waste your time!

[sparks1093]

I find it interesting that people who claim that they last cruised on Carnival in 199x or have never cruised Carnival or who heard that it's the Walmart of the Seas etc. would frequent a Carnival site!

 

I've only cruised Carnival so far- not because I'm a diehard loyalist, but because it's what has worked for the time/itinerary/cost when I booked my cruise... but in the 9 years I've been a member of CC I've only gone to the RCCL side of this site once, and that was to read a review someone posted during Hurricane Harvey!

 

I'm not denying anyone's right to go to any site and make comments... it just seems to me that there are a LOT of rabid RCCL fans who would by their own statement never cruise Carnival (ever or again) on this site, commenting on these threads!

 

Like I said, it's your right, I'm just not sure why you waste your time!

 

Probably because it makes them feel powerful, but most who read these forums probably take their posts with a grain of salt. I know that I do.

[Shaded Lady]

Probably because it makes them feel powerful, but most who read these forums probably take their posts with a grain of salt. I know that I do.

Agreed sparks1093... I just never understood why they waste so much of their time reading the Carnival site! But like you said, to each their own!

[CruisingMummy]

We just booked Anthem of the Seas for next April so we shall see. I have read a lot of posts similar to yours. How was the entertainment?

 

This will be our 5th Carnival + 1 Royal Caribbean. The entertainment on Royal was of a higher quality and the ship seemed cleaner/newer/prettier. That being said, Carnival seemed much more fun for kids. Music, limbo games, colorful spur of the moment games. We felt a bit nickled and dimed on Royal. Everything seemed to be a small extra fee. Even a muffin if not grabbed at the right restaurant would be extra. Royal seemed classier to us during the meal service and overall feel, but Carnival felt more "fun". Also, Carnival seems to have more partying going on which can be good or bad with kids. Thankfully their kids clubs kept them entertained and when they weren't there they were with us playing mini golf or swimming, so they stayed away from anyone that had too, too many.

 

I'm sure everyone will have their own experiences though. This was just ours. Hope you have a great vacation! BTW, I can't get logged into my Royal account right now, but I'm 99% sure we took the same Anthem of the Seas ship. It's a beautiful ship!

[Tapi]

Wellllll, on Monday, I am going on the Carnival Paradise for a friend's 40th. It's so funny but I always hear how cheap Carnival is, and was looking forward to a "cheap" vacation. Holy cow!! This will be my most expensive cruise. To compare, I am staying in a Junior Suite and it is costing $917 for 5 nights (before any taxes, gratuities, etc.), so works out to be $183/night.

 

 

Well, duh, of course it’s not cheap. You booked a Junior Suite on one of Carnival’s oldest Fantasy ships which has a very limited number of balconies. Of course you’ll pay a hefty and disproportionate premium for the privilege. And get ready for a reality check because these “suites” aren’t much bigger than a standard balcony stateroom on a newer ship. Also, there are NO suite perks like on other cruise lines. All you’ve done is pay significantly more for a standard balcony on an old ship.

 

In my humble opinion, it’s not worth it to splurge on a suite on these older ships, but they are there and for those who are willing to pay the price and for those who don’t realize that the word “suite”means something completely different on Carnival. If you want a cheap vacation on Carnival, stick to the standard staterooms. That’s where you’ll pay prices more in time with what you may consider cheap.

 

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[Tapi]

Double post

 

 

 

 

 

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[sparks1093]

This will be our 5th Carnival + 1 Royal Caribbean. The entertainment on Royal was of a higher quality and the ship seemed cleaner/newer/prettier. That being said, Carnival seemed much more fun for kids. Music, limbo games, colorful spur of the moment games. We felt a bit nickled and dimed on Royal. Everything seemed to be a small extra fee. Even a muffin if not grabbed at the right restaurant would be extra. Royal seemed classier to us during the meal service and overall feel, but Carnival felt more "fun". Also, Carnival seems to have more partying going on which can be good or bad with kids. Thankfully their kids clubs kept them entertained and when they weren't there they were with us playing mini golf or swimming, so they stayed away from anyone that had too, too many.

 

I'm sure everyone will have their own experiences though. This was just ours. Hope you have a great vacation! BTW, I can't get logged into my Royal account right now, but I'm 99% sure we took the same Anthem of the Seas ship. It's a beautiful ship!

 

Thanks for the thoughts!

[BNBR]

We just booked Anthem of the Seas for next April so we shall see. I have read a lot of posts similar to yours. How was the entertainment?

 

Only Oasis-class has a substantial amount of complimentary food venues. Carnival does the quick fast food/counter serve stuff really well. For some cruisers (like the OP) - this is apparently super important. If a decent free burger slung off a tray is incredibly important to you, then Carnival is definitely the way to go :)

 

But in all seriousness, Anthem is a ship that offers more than anything Carnival has floating, just a couple less complimentary food options at the buffet/lido marketplace area. You will have a great time.

[BNBR]

I have only been on 3 cruises, all have been in the past year, and all with Carnival. I did tons of research to find which cruise line to start with. Carnival seemed to fit my needs the most.

 

I am addicted to it, and cannot wait for the next time I will be on one. The biggest ship I have been on so far is the Liberty, and there is still tons to do. For me, I can fill up probably 75% of my nightly entertainment for the week with comedy and dive-in movies alone. I am not a fan of the other types of shows. I also absolutely love Guy's and Blue Iguana. I get one of those every day if I can. Royal doesn't appear offer me anything that compelling that I would want to forego my Carnival cruises, and spend more for it.

 

With that said, I do want to try the Oasis. Maybe we will like it more. Maybe less. Maybe the same. I'm not a person who gravitates towards the most "grand" accommodations. There are always bigger, more expensive hotels, amenities, etc. Those things don't make the vacation for me. If anything, they can take away from the vacation when you're spending more money which can result in less vacations take. Although, Royal isn't THAT much more. It seems like a reasonable value to me. Not like Disney cruises.

 

Oasis class is a class of it's own. It's a must do. Anything smaller than that and it's a toss up in my opinion though Quantum is kind of up there, too. Carnival has an excellent product that competes very strongly with the non-Oasis Royal ships. Especially below Quantum. Definitely book Oasis and try it.

[sparks1093]

Only Oasis-class has a substantial amount of complimentary food venues. Carnival does the quick fast food/counter serve stuff really well. For some cruisers (like the OP) - this is apparently super important. If a decent free burger slung off a tray is incredibly important to you, then Carnival is definitely the way to go :)

 

But in all seriousness, Anthem is a ship that offers more than anything Carnival has floating, just a couple less complimentary food options at the buffet/lido marketplace area. You will have a great time.

 

I don't know, I've been doing a lot of research and Royal has a number of included venues. Granted I would have to pay $2.50 for a Johnny Rockets burger but they do have the included hot dog stand so to me that's kind of a trade off (if the dogs are decent). I might give one of the JR burgers a try to compare it with the $9 one that I had in February but I normally steer clear of spending more on food since so much is included. We don't anticipate having a bad time, that's for sure.:)

[BNBR]

I don't know, I've been doing a lot of research and Royal has a number of included venues. Granted I would have to pay $2.50 for a Johnny Rockets burger but they do have the included hot dog stand so to me that's kind of a trade off (if the dogs are decent). I might give one of the JR burgers a try to compare it with the $9 one that I had in February but I normally steer clear of spending more on food since so much is included. We don't anticipate having a bad time, that's for sure.:)

 

Johnny Rockets is not comparable to Guys. One is a sit down restaurant with service, the other is a buffet style walk up counter and toppings bar. I think Johnny Rockets is worth the $10 for a nice sit down lunch if you would like to be served and enjoy the JR concept. It's not for everyone, but it's a nice option to have.

 

You can get burgers at the buffet as well, which would be a comparable concept to Guys. Though Guys is a much better burger :)

[jimbo5544]

Johnny Rockets is not comparable to Guys. One is a sit down restaurant with service, the other is a buffet style walk up counter and toppings bar. I think Johnny Rockets is worth the $10 for a nice sit down lunch if you would like to be served and enjoy the JR concept. It's not for everyone, but it's a nice option to have.

 

 

 

You can get burgers at the buffet as well, which would be a comparable concept to Guys. Though Guys is a much better burger :)

 

 

 

LOL, Guys comparable to the grease bath disks in windjammer HAHAHAHAHAHA. You consistent, I will say that much $10 or free wanna put it up for a vote?

 

 

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[jimbo5544]

Only Oasis-class has a substantial amount of complimentary food venues. Carnival does the quick fast food/counter serve stuff really well. For some cruisers (like the OP) - this is apparently super important. If a decent free burger slung off a tray is incredibly important to you, then Carnival is definitely the way to go :)

 

 

 

But in all seriousness, Anthem is a ship that offers more than anything Carnival has floating, just a couple less complimentary food options at the buffet/lido marketplace area. You will have a great time.

 

 

 

Most call that nickel and diming....

 

 

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[BNBR]

LOL, Guys comparable to the grease bath disks in windjammer HAHAHAHAHAHA. You consistent, I will say that much $10 or free wanna put it up for a vote?

 

 

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Read twice before responding Jimbo. I said comparable CONCEPT. And I clearly said Guys is a better burger than the Windjammer.

 

Do you feel better?

[jimbo5544]

Read twice before responding Jimbo. I said comparable CONCEPT. And I clearly said Guys is a better burger than the Windjammer.

 

 

 

Do you feel better?

 

 

 

No not really....

 

Off topic are you not a NCL fan?

 

 

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[BNBR]

No not really....

 

Off topic are you not a NCL fan?

 

 

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I am mixed on NCL. I wouldn't describe myself as a fan, but I don't hate them and they have some nice/unique features that would make me consider a future cruise with them if everything aligned. I definitely prefer Carnival and Royal.

[jimbo5544]

I am mixed on NCL. I wouldn't describe myself as a fan, but I don't hate them and they have some nice/unique features that would make me consider a future cruise with them if everything aligned. I definitely prefer Carnival and Royal.

 

 

 

OK, must be someone else. We got to do a sleepover (two nights) for the naming ceremony of the Bliss in New York. Was going to give some description of the ship.

 

 

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