Jump to content

Carnival vs. Royal


Idacruiser77
 Share

Recommended Posts

13 hours ago, Moz said:

The RCCL ships are far nicer as far as decor.  Food is about the same except as one person said the comfort food eg Guys burgers and Mexican food bar which are excellent.  The biggest difference is the entertainment and clientele.  If you enjoy raunchy comedy and below par shows in the theater you will do fine.  Lots of baseball caps and men in tank tops in dining rooms if that makes a difference.  Also a louder crowd in general,  The staff on Carnival are very friendly and the ship is spotless.  We were once avid Carnival cruisers but have moved on due to clientele.

I have been on 10 carnival cruises and have never seen a baseball cap or men in tank tops in the MDR.   

 

I have mostly done carnival, and 1 RCL--the Allure of the Seas.   IMO it was way too big.  I didn't like that the buffet was not the same level as the pool.   I like the easy access of so many things on the LIDO deck.   Also carnival has 24 hour free ice cream.  RCL only has it certain hours of the day.

 

Carnival has many more and different types free food options.

 

The professional shows on RCL definitely are better than the Carnival ones, but I also enjoy the Carnival shows, so that is not a factor.  The comedy shows are the same.   All adult comedy shows have vulgarity and raunchiness..thats why they are adult shows.   The Allure had the same game of "quest" that carnival has....a very raunchy and fun adult game show late at night.

 

I love the atmosphere and all that carnival has to offer and I am certainly not some"bad" clientele.
 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have been a loyal RCCL fan for many years and have sailed all classes.  I am at Diamond status.  The ships are beautiful and have had no complaints.  I have also done 6 Carnival cruises and I would say I like them equally and never had a complaint.  I like the activity level on Carnival.   I think the food on Carnival is better and the free options are more numerous.  On RCCL  they hardly ever change their menus and it can be boring if you sail alot.  The cabins on Carnival seem to be larger esp. as compared to Oasis class.  I am TA and I do run into Carnival haters.... people can be on the same ship at the same time and for some reason have a different experience. You are going to have passengers on each line who behave poorly and are rude.  I have seen it many times.  Bottom line I would pick either one and look at itinerary rather than try to compare lines.  

Edited by quiltsnh
  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Palmetto Pilot said:

I have to agree. I think Carnival get's a bad reputation for no reason when it comes to it's passengers. The clientele on Carnivals newer ships on 7+ day cruises is not terribly different than that of RCCL or NCL. Shorter cruises can be more rambunctious but again I think that's across the cruises lines. 

I completely agree. I went on a 3 day Carnival cruise September 2018 and a 7 day DCL New Year's cruise 2018.  The clientele was completely different and if I based my opinion solely on those two cruises, I would have to agree with the stereotype.  But a$400/3 day cruise on spring break for any cruise line is going to be different than a 7 day $5000+ cruise on any cruise line.  I am reading this thread because Royal is one cruiseline that I have not tried and I want to do so.  I am sailing Carnival Panorama in 2020 and researching for an extended family cruise for 2021.  We have done two extended family cruises in 2017/2018 on DCL, but are looking for a DCL alternative in 2021.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Palmetto Pilot said:

I have to agree. I think Carnival get's a bad reputation for no reason when it comes to it's passengers. The clientele on Carnivals newer ships on 7+ day cruises is not terribly different than that of RCCL or NCL. Shorter cruises can be more rambunctious but again I think that's across the cruises lines. 

  I agree as well.  I have cruised on three different lines (Carnival, Royal, and Celebrity).  I have seen lack of class on all three...in fact on board each the Independence of the Seas and Celebrity Constellation I saw physical fights between two older gentlemen.  Those men are probably the same people that complain about the clientele on Carnival.  

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Agree mostly with all the above comments.  Its a cruise.  It is what you make of it.   You will have fun on either line.  We took our first RC cruise last summer and while it was great, we just prefer Carnival.  We booked our October cruise this year on Magic.  I would definitely sail RC again.  Just prefer Carnival.

 

What I disagree with most, is that the clientele is different.  I wholeheartedly disagree.  We have seen it all kinds on both lines.  Carnival is definitely not lower class clientele as some have suggested.   I can say if you are taking a short duration cruise, that may be the case on any line.  

 

Again, I think any vacation is mostly what you make of it.  Enjoy your cruise!

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The biggest difference to me is that I didn't like not seeing the ocean on RCCL, feeling like I was in a shopping mall.  I loved all the stuff on the Royal Promenade but didn't feel like I was on a ship compared to Carnival.  I have been on over 10 Carnival cruises and just 2 Royal.  I took my husband on my second Royal cruise and the first thing he said was I feel like I am in a shopping mall.  We were on the Oasis so it was a really big mall.  I do like the drink package and price better on Royal and the main shows are better on Royal imho.  I like comedy and the piano bar on Carnival much better.  I liked the pool area better on the Liberty of the Seas than on Carnival or the Oasis.  I don't think you can go wrong on either line if you pick the itinerary you want and the ship that has what like to do.  

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, Idacruiser77 said:

That helps a ton, thank you. We haven't made it on to the Freedom Class on RCCL yet but we were considering booking the Independence OTS in place of the Magic. Sounds like we'll stick with the Magic and give Carnival a shot.

 

As long as we're actually on a cruise I feel like it's impossible not to have a good time. It's just tough venturing out a bit when all you know is one cruise line and you're only familiar with how they do things. 

I probably should have mentioned that my Wife and I are in our mid 30s so we're younger too. Someone said in a previous post the decor was "nicer" on RCCL, that I agree with to the point. The Breeze and after are remarkably well decorated ships, they look a lot like Royal's interior. The magic is about 50/50 on the old vegas style design and the new design. Again, it's not going to ruin your cruise. Also Alchemy bar, try it. It's awesome. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We have cruised RCL and Carnival. We are very pleased with Carnival, as we were with RCL. We have cruised the Carnival Magic twice and love the ship(class). We felt the amenities of both lines are comparable, yes they layout and design are different, but so are Coke and Pepsi..lol.. We've had a great time on both, but do tend to cruise on Carnival the most because of the price point, and the atmosphere feels more laid back to us. Enjoy your cruise!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, susan1957 said:

11 Carnival cruises and 1 Royal Caribbean.  We thought we would give Royal a fair chance.  Food was not as good....but deal breaker was the SERVICE...Maybe we just had a single bad experience but enough to NEVER cruise with Royal Caribbean....that's how bad the service was....Just my opinion....

 

We felt the same way,  I've heard it from others to do I don't think it was just one bad experience. We have done 7 carnival and one royal (our second cruise ever).

 

I also can't stand the bad rep the "clientele" on carnival gets.  The passengers on carnival were way  more friendly and it was far from a drunken party ship. Royal was more of a drunken party ship. One night there were 3 couples in the hot tub and the girls were at least topless on the guys laps, I think you get the idea.. . Crew members were walking by and watching,  even turning around to get a better look but did absolutely nothing about it. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 2/14/2019 at 6:12 AM, RWolver672 said:

We tried Royal once and went straight back to Carnival.  As others have mentioned, Carnival employees go out of their way to make sure you have fun.  On the ship we were on (AOS), it seemed like the staff was put off by even being on the ship.  Not friendly at all.  On Carnival, you can carry on a conversation with everyone from the Captain to the guy polishing the railings.

 

As for the entertainment, we live in a small village.  The closest thing we have seen to production numbers is a high school play so whatever we see on a ship is a plus.  On Carnival, there is always bar servers coming around asking if you need a drink.  On AOS, we rarely saw any and if you went to a bar to get them yourself, you stood in line for ten minutes waiting to be waited on.

 

I'll throw this in because there is a big difference.  Please don't start a war on the subject.  Smoking on Carnival has nice rattan furniture with plenty of ashtrays on the tables.  The main place is usually on the upper outside deck.  Attendants were always emptying the ashtrays.  On AOS, it was right outside the buffet area, right next to the ice cream machines.  Everyone either getting ice cream or going into the buffet had to pass by the smoking area all making snide remarks.  Ashtrays were only emptied when a smoker would empty them.

 

The biggest turn off for us was the night they had the midnight buffet out on the Lido Deck.  Why they moved it out there is beyond us.  It was real windy and we were sitting by the area where they  were sitting it up.  (Again by the smoking area.)  The wind was blowing quite hard and I noticed that some rolls were being blown off the tables onto the floor.  I went over to one of the chefs that was setting it up and told him.  He came over, picked them up and put them back on the serving trays.  I'm not naive.  I know this happens behind the scenes at many restaurants.  I don't see that.  I did see this.  Big turnoff!  

 

I will give points to Royal about the above incident though.  I told them about it on my survey after the cruise.  I got a call from Corporate shortly afterward and wanted to know the whole story.  He apologized and said that it would be looked in to and that they were thinking of not having it out there anymore and that would be a good reason why.  

 

We are booked on the AOTS for next year, and we've already been having second thoughts about it here recently, and your post and others I've read recently are really having me seriously considering canceling (I booked with a refundable deposit) and re-booking on something else on Carnival. We only booked RC because they had an itinerary we wanted on the dates we were looking for, and the price was good, but the more I think about it, it's an 8 day cruise and I can imagine it would be a very long cruise if we end up not liking the experience.

 

I hate to sound like I'm not open to trying something new, but I'm thinking that starting with a shorter cruise on a different line would be a better way to test the waters.    

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 2/13/2019 at 6:28 PM, Idacruiser77 said:

Before I get in to it I know there are a million places to find people bickering back and forth about which line is better, I just thought I'd add another 😉

 

Anyway, my wife and I are headed out on the Carnival Magic later this year and to be completely honest I'm a bit nervous. We have 5 cruises under our belts with RCCL and have always stayed away from Carnival. No particular reason, I chalk it up to having tried Royal first and just being blown away by the "WOW factor" and being afraid to veer away from it. Our last 3 have been on Oasis Class ships and I'm worried that has spoiled us beyond repair. Thoughts on that?

 

Our first cruise together was on the Mariner OTS and the Magic seems to be pretty comparable to that. Those of you that have been on both/either, what are your thoughts?

 

We're younger but aren't big partiers. Mostly enjoying a few drinks throughout the day, relaxing on the balcony, and checking everything out. No excursions, maybe a show here and there, no specialty dining unless we really want to try it.  What are the BIG differences between the two lines and ships? What makes or breaks it for you?

 

Thanks in advance everyone!

If you are a 'floating shopping mall lover' which is what I call the Oasis class, then you will not be satisfied with Carnival offerings!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

30 minutes ago, schazzy said:

 

We are booked on the AOTS for next year, and we've already been having second thoughts about it here recently, and your post and others I've read recently are really having me seriously considering canceling (I booked with a refundable deposit) and re-booking on something else on Carnival. We only booked RC because they had an itinerary we wanted on the dates we were looking for, and the price was good, but the more I think about it, it's an 8 day cruise and I can imagine it would be a very long cruise if we end up not liking the experience.

 

I hate to sound like I'm not open to trying something new, but I'm thinking that starting with a shorter cruise on a different line would be a better way to test the waters.    

 

When I posted a review of that cruise, I made the statement that we would never go back to Royal again.  Many people remarked that we should give them another try.   I'm of the type that if I touch a burner and it's hot, I'm not about to  touch it again to see if I get burned the second time.  We have always enjoyed our Carnival cruises and see no reason to try another line.

 

By the way, the only reason we did choose Royal for that cruise was the same reason that you did.  At the time Carnival didn't go to Aruba and we wanted to go to that island.  

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, RWolver672 said:

 

When I posted a review of that cruise, I made the statement that we would never go back to Royal again.  Many people remarked that we should give them another try.   I'm of the type that if I touch a burner and it's hot, I'm not about to  touch it again to see if I get burned the second time.  We have always enjoyed our Carnival cruises and see no reason to try another line.

 

By the way, the only reason we did choose Royal for that cruise was the same reason that you did.  At the time Carnival didn't go to Aruba and we wanted to go to that island.  

 

Yeah, we too are very hesitant to retouch the burner after being burned, others can take their chances with finding out if the burner is still hot or not, but not us. We also have always enjoyed or cruises on Carnival and yeah, I'm really thinking for right now we don't really have a real reason to try another line right now either. And I don't think the ABCs are going away any time soon, so we really don't have to go next year.

 

Well, we have a few Carnival cruises to choose from in the time frame we are looking at going, so let the re-booking process begin! :classic_biggrin:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, schazzy said:

 

We are booked on the AOTS for next year, and we've already been having second thoughts about it here recently, and your post and others I've read recently are really having me seriously considering canceling (I booked with a refundable deposit) and re-booking on something else on Carnival. We only booked RC because they had an itinerary we wanted on the dates we were looking for, and the price was good, but the more I think about it, it's an 8 day cruise and I can imagine it would be a very long cruise if we end up not liking the experience.

 

I hate to sound like I'm not open to trying something new, but I'm thinking that starting with a shorter cruise on a different line would be a better way to test the waters.    

 

I'm one who doesn't have brand loyalty and I'll cruise almost any line.  I really think you would be doing yourself a big disservice by not branching out and trying RCI.  You can find negative reviews anywhere if you look for them, including bad reviews on Carnival.  I have several cruises on RCI and quite frankly, I find the posts about service a little odd.  I've had nothing but excellent service on RCI.  Plus, they just totally refurbished AOS with watersides, a Flowrider, etc.  Its a great ship and I highly recommend it.  

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Been on 83 cruises so far, mainly Royal and Carnival here is my perspective, but first want to say, I just got off another Carnival cruise two weeks ago, the staff really is overworked as Carnival cut back staff.  We used to find the bartenders very friendly but there is a huge change now, you can tell they not happy/smiling like they used to and not engaging in friendly conversations any longer.  Perhaps they are being watched?

 

Trust me, our last 7 cruises in the past 3 years were.....Magic, Oasis, Harmony, Oasis, Majesty of the Seas, Oasis, Elation

 

Plus Royal:

Shower doors in bathroom

Friendlier Bar Staff

No limit alcohol drinks (Carnival has cut back so much alcoholic brands, very limited now in my book where RC has everything)

Alot more choices late night snacks

150 Central Park best specialty restaurant on Oasis class

Larger balcony staterooms

More selection on buffet items and more places to go for food overall

Entertainment very much exceeds

Alot of trivia

More specialty dining to choose from

MDR food

Different areas with different decor to hang out at such as Central Park, boardwalk, solarium, etc.

Activities in general

 

Negative Royal:

Higher price but you get what you pay for

 

Plus Carnival:

Carnivals Steakhouse our most favorite specialty restaurant of both cruise lines

Sea day brunch

 

Yes, we were disappointed on our last Carnival cruise but it was nice going on a different cruise line to break up our cruises and being on a different ship with different decor.  We miss all the bells and whistles that RC has, but our main huge disappointment on Carnival was the food overall and the lack of friendliness with the bartenders.  We just had to book up the Harmony for this October, we truly missed our Royal Caribbean.  BUT, we did book up the Mardi Gras for October 16th, 2020, her first sailing out of Port Canaveral....we think with this new ship they are trying to compete with the larger mega ships such as Royal and I am just hoping it be alot better than the other carnival ships.  There is only one way to find out is to go, so we will give the Mardi Gras a try then compare to the Oasis class when we get back.

 

My advice, stick with Royal.  I never found the Oasis class ships to feel crowded except for the embarkation day, lifeboat drill and the two hours one day during the cruise when they have the sales in the shops on the promenade deck and of course the 80's party but that is expected.  Royal knows what they are doing and hoping Carnival will have improvements in its Mardi Gras ship coming out.

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

From another perspective I have never been on a Carnival Cruise.  We have enjoyed our Cruises on RCCL but wanted to try a different boat and RCCL has kept the same boat in Galveston for quite a while.  New Orleans is not that far of a drive for us so we are giving Carnival a try.  We are going into this excited because it is a cruise and I for one will not be at work.  If we enjoy it I am sure our next Cruise will be a tougher decision but hopefully we will be able to pick more based on ports of call instead of which line we are loyal too.  I didn't want to go on our first cruise never had the desire.  My wife had been on cruises and finally talked me into it.  I read up on them and chose RCCL based on some of the negative things i had read about Carnival.  After three years of not cruising due to too much work I said we are going and booked one about 60 days out (April 19th on the Dream).  The reason I felt that Carnival could not be as bad as I had read about was i started asking friends who had cruised before on Carnival.  They had nothing but good things to say.  If there were my friends and had a good time then why would my wife and I not have a good time.  Now I must preface this by saying I am more country road than country club but i did say I really liked RCCL.  I would prefer if it did not feel like a shopping mall but the shows were top notch.  I cant wait to get off the Dream so I can truly compare them.  

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, Aquahound said:

 

I'm one who doesn't have brand loyalty and I'll cruise almost any line.  I really think you would be doing yourself a big disservice by not branching out and trying RCI.  You can find negative reviews anywhere if you look for them, including bad reviews on Carnival.  I have several cruises on RCI and quite frankly, I find the posts about service a little odd.  I've had nothing but excellent service on RCI.  Plus, they just totally refurbished AOS with watersides, a Flowrider, etc.  Its a great ship and I highly recommend it.  

 

Well, I'm not completely opposed to trying another line and I agree you that you can find negative reviews anywhere if you look for them, but we've been second guessing this cruise too much for a little while now to feel comfortable doing it. We may still give RC a shot another time, just not on a long cruise, might try and sock away a little extra money and squeeze in one of those weekday cruises to CocoCay we got an email about, I'd be more comfortable gambling on a short getaway than our one yearly vacation right now.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 2/13/2019 at 7:34 PM, klfrodo said:

I've got 10 or 11 on Carnival and 5 or 6 on Royal.

I love both cruise lines. I'm still trying to find the mystical WOW factor on Royal that everyone talks about.

Great ships on Royal, great service, great entertainment,,, but nothing that WOW'd me so far.

 

 

On Royal, I like the shows better. On Carnival, I like the FUN factor. (Can't really explain the FUN factor but it has nothing to do with alcohol) The entertainment staff just work harder to have FUN.

The Piano Bar vs. The Schooner Bar. Hands down goes to the Piano Bar

Chef's Table goes to Royal by a mile.

Suite Amenities go to Royal all day and all night long.

MDR Dining. Both equal

Buffet? Both equal

Steakhouse beats Chops

Guest Services, Cabin Attendants, Entertainment Staff, Cruise Director could all work for any cruise line.

Casino??? They both grab your money fast.

 

This is 100% the way I feel.  Any my cruise ratio is nearly the exact opposite...5-6 on Carnival, 10-11 on Royal.  For me the FUN factor is what really tips it in Carnival's favor moving forward.  Love the Piano Bar, and the Steakhouse.  If Carnival would get better at Chef's Table I would be a happy camper though!!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, schazzy said:

 

Well, I'm not completely opposed to trying another line and I agree you that you can find negative reviews anywhere if you look for them, but we've been second guessing this cruise too much for a little while now to feel comfortable doing it. We may still give RC a shot another time, just not on a long cruise, might try and sock away a little extra money and squeeze in one of those weekday cruises to CocoCay we got an email about, I'd be more comfortable gambling on a short getaway than our one yearly vacation right now.

 

Well, ok.  Just realize that most of those short cruises are on old ships.  It would be like someone who normally sails another line trying Carnival with a 3 night Imagination cruise.  

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Interested to hear what the OP has to say afterwards, we we are in the same boat.  We did a 3 day on Carnival (fantasy I believe) for our honeymoon in 1997.  We didn't cruise again until 2017 for our 20th on Jewel of the Seas out of San Juan.  We loved the cruise overall, but found the entertainment lacking,  It was relaxing (other than the 5 port days).  We went last year at Spring break with our 2 boys on Allure of the seas and just loved almost everything about it.  My wife thought the MDR was just okay.  We know that some do not like having limited view of the water, but we had a balcony, so we could be out there as much as we wanted.  We are not huge party people (I think I had one alcoholic drink all week, but my wife had the drink package).  We loved the shows - Mama Mia, Blue Planet, The dive show (don't remember the name), and the comedy club.  We loved there for evenings, there was so much to do.  We thought during the day it was a little more laid back, with entertainment a bit lacking.

 

We are going on Magic next year with our sons over spring break again.  We choose this because we are going with my sister, mom, 1 nephew and 2 nieces.  The price was quite a bit less, and the itinerary seems incredible.  Hoping the ship keeps us (and our kids interested).  If we like it, we will have to give Mardi Gras a shot depending on price since we loved the Oasis class so much.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Aquahound said:

 

Well, ok.  Just realize that most of those short cruises are on old ships.  It would be like someone who normally sails another line trying Carnival with a 3 night Imagination cruise.  

 

 

The one in the email was for a 4 day on the Mariner OTS, which I think is a sister ship to the Adventure OTS. But, hey, either way I like Fantasy-class ships, so an old ship wouldn't upset me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, schazzy said:

 

The one in the email was for a 4 day on the Mariner OTS, which I think is a sister ship to the Adventure OTS. But, hey, either way I like Fantasy-class ships, so an old ship wouldn't upset me.

 

I think 4 days on Mariner is an excellent way to try RCI.  Good luck with whatever you choose.  🙂

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like both Carnival and Royal. A lot of these comments mention how great the service is on Carnival, I agree that the service has been great on my Carnival cruises however on my RCCL cruise on Adventure OTS last week I experienced the best service out of all my cruises. A lot of people mention a rowdier cruiser on Carnival but the only time I have had a real problem with another passenger was on a RCCL cruise.

I like guys burgers a lot and I used to think that Carnival had way better pizza but I noticed on my on my recent RCCL cruise the pizza has improved a lot. Main dinning room both lines are pretty close. I'm not a big fan of either buffet.

On board experience is also very close on both. I think the biggest factor in effecting what type of experience I have had has been the length of cruise and time of the year. When I have done shorter weekend type cruises the crowd is more of a party crowd. When I cruise during a school break there are a lot more kids naturally. If I want a more traditional cruise experience with a good mix of fun and relaxation I pick a week long cruise. Then I let price and convenience help me decide. Sometimes Carnival makes more sense, sometimes Royal, sometimes another line has a great deal going when I want to sail.

At this rate I will never earn a high status with any of them lol.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...