Carnival vs. RCI

[BCBeth]

We are considering cruising Carnival Spring Break of 2005. We have cruised RCI and Celebrity. We are a couple in their late 40's with 2 teenage daughters. Celebrity's passenger list is just too old! How is the overall quality of Carnival vs. RCI? Is Carnival a drinking/party ship or a family ship?

[Cruising89143]

I think that you will find most will say that both cruise lines are very similar as they both target the same demographics.

 

Carnival ships are a little less subdued in the interior designs over RCI. I guess you could say Vegas for Carnival and Hyatt/Hilton for RCI. RCI does have the rock climbing walls, ice skating,etc that Carnival does not have. That may weigh heavy for your kids on having more to do.

 

As far as the crowds, each sailing can be different. I just came off of the Triumph a couple of weeks ago and I must say that the college age kids were very well behaved overall. I did not see any out of hand drunks. The smaller kids on the other hand were a little overbearing at times due to lack of parental control.

 

I also read a review of someone posting from the Mariner of the Seas last week and it seems that they had problems on that ship with kids getting rowdy and drunk. It seems that the captain put two familes off of the ship in Nassau due to their kids not following posted policy.

 

I guess I would look at the itinerary and then make my decision based on that.

 

Gordon

 

http://community.webshots.com/user/cruisingator

 

NCL Starward-86, Starship Atlantic-91, Caribe-92, Seabreeze-93, Fantasy-93, Norway-94, Celebration-94, Sensation-95, Imagination-96, Destiny-97, Celebration-98, Triumph-99, Victory-00, Majesty of the Seas-01, Fascination-01, Carnival Pride-02, Majesty of the Seas-02, Carnival Legend-02, Fantasy 7-03, Glory 9-03, Fantasy 11-03, Triumph 3/04.

 

Navigator of the Seas

[momofmeg]

The only time we have run into drunks causing problems it was on the 3 day or 4 day mini-cruises. This goes for both Carnival and RCCL-in fact our worst experience was on Sovereign of the Seas where we had college kids throwing one another fully clothed into the Lido pool and an obnoxious hateful drunk man in the dinningroom 2 tables away from us at second seating dinner. The worst that happened on Carnival was a drunk best man from a wedding party on the ship going down the slide in his tux. This was just funny to me did not bother me and he only did it once-nothing like that group of college kids. (Bet he had to buy that tux)

 

Anyway I have not run into a problem like that on a seven day cruise-it seems the hard partiers go for the mini-cruises.

 

I would though keep my eyes on the teens-I have read horror stories on both lines where older men were trying to pick up young teenage girls. I would think though as long as your kids check in with you regularly they would be fine. Also tell them never take an offer of some stranger wanting to buy them a drink-there was a story where a creep was trying to blackmail a young girl that he would tell her folks he had bought her a drink-I would think though most young people are smart enough to know no one gives you something for nothing.