OPINIONS NEEDED: Carnival fans who have tried "upgraded" lines. . . what is the advantage and is it worth it?

[CruizinSusan70]

2 hours ago, KmomChicago said:

@CruizinSusan70 you’re hitting on a huge point here regarding port of departure. 
 

One of my biggest “problems” with my current cruise pattern is my frustration in getting to port. It adds so much expense and stress that it impacts every other aspect of the vacation. I am just completely fed up with flying and with driving longer than about 4 hours. Seems like I’m exhausted and crabby at least the first full day of the cruise and then I get home exhausted and crabby from traveling back.
 

I have work colleagues in Philadelphia and I can’t understand why they fly to Florida for vacations when they could cruise practically from their backyard!!  I know, they do it because they’re not me and they want something different!! 😂

I live outside of Philly.  Currently have 20 cruises booked over the next 21 months.  Two of them are 7 day cruises out of Bayonne (Anthem OTS) and Brooklyn (Meraviglia).  The rest are 8 B2B's of 14 days in total and an 18 day B2B on the Celebrity Beyond next November going to the Southern Caribbean twice.  I would cruise out of NYC, Bayonne or Baltimore more often but for the most part the ships don't excite me and the odd ball itinerary like the Baltimore to Greenland that Carnival has is outrageously overpriced IMHO.

 

There are posters like MsTabbycats out of NYC and Firefly33 out of Galveston that choose to only cruise out of their respective embarkation ports so thus their options are limited.  We, on the other hand prefer to cruise on the newest ships that are coming out or try one that we can drive to like the Anthem.  Spent 12 days on the Oasis, which was nice but is a one and done for us.  We prefer to socialize at bars and with the Dynamic Pricing policy of RCI and their much too expensive drinks package, caused us to shift how we normally cruise.  Don't have to worry about that again until our next RCI cruise since all of the others we have booked have it built in (NCL, Celebrity, Princess, MSC) or it's already paid for like Cheers is on our 7 future Excel Class bookings.

[ledges1]

I took a lot of interest in this article when it came up. I have  25 cruises on Carnival and have become bored with the ships and food. Too many cruises on Fantasy and Conquest class ships out of Mobile and New Orleans. I had hoped I would find some new alternatives and suggestions. Unfortunately, I did not find the suggestions about other cruise lines to be that much different. My solution, is to venture to other ports (additional expense, driving or airfare) and cruise on newer ships and ports less frequented. I have been to Cozumel too many times. Cruising on the Magic in January (PC) and Horizon in October (Miami). The food in the MDR will be the same, but additional entertainment venues will hopefully improve the experience. Also mixing in a land based trip to Aruba in 2023.

[KmomChicago]

1 hour ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

I live outside of Philly.  Currently have 20 cruises booked over the next 21 months.  Two of them are 7 day cruises out of Bayonne (Anthem OTS) and Brooklyn (Meraviglia).  The rest are 8 B2B's of 14 days in total and an 18 day B2B on the Celebrity Beyond next November going to the Southern Caribbean twice.  I would cruise out of NYC, Bayonne or Baltimore more often but for the most part the ships don't excite me and the odd ball itinerary like the Baltimore to Greenland that Carnival has is outrageously overpriced IMHO.

 

There are posters like MsTabbycats out of NYC and Firefly33 out of Galveston that choose to only cruise out of their respective embarkation ports so thus their options are limited.  We, on the other hand prefer to cruise on the newest ships that are coming out or try one that we can drive to like the Anthem.  Spent 12 days on the Oasis, which was nice but is a one and done for us.  We prefer to socialize at bars and with the Dynamic Pricing policy of RCI and their much too expensive drinks package, caused us to shift how we normally cruise.  Don't have to worry about that again until our next RCI cruise since all of the others we have booked have it built in (NCL, Celebrity, Princess, MSC) or it's already paid for like Cheers is on our 7 future Excel Class bookings.

Thank you, what is this dynamic pricing? We do have a partially used RCI coffee card so at some point we “have” to return to use it up.

 

And I understand the choices out of the Eastern seaboard being severely limited compared to Florida departures.

[MsTabbyKats]

4 hours ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

Since you only cruise out of NYC, you're missing out on some better options.  The buffet on the Edge Class ships of Celebrity blow the doors off of NCL.  I've sailed on the Escape three times, and the Bliss and have future bookings on the Encore as well as 3 bookings on the Prima.  The Prima will be doing two sailings out of NYC in October, a 5 day to Bermuda on the 10th and a 12 day repo cruise to Galveston on the 15th going to Cozumel, Great Stirrup Cay and the ABC's, in case you might be interested.

The entertainment on the Excel Class on Carnival raises the bar as well, but since they will be embarking from Port Canaveral, Miami and Galveston you'll never get the chance to cruise on them unless you hop on a plane.

Since this is a thread "about value":

Right now I can go downstairs and in 10 minutes & $20 be at the Manhattan cruise terminal

Or....I can go downstairs and in 30  minutes and $50 be at the airport (not to mention airfare, cab to the ship..and stress of actually getting there on time)

I understand what you're saying....and if I lived in any other part of New York, even NYC....going to other ports might be attractive.  But, one of the reasons I deal with high rents, high crime (lol) and other "high costs" is for the convenience of living where I live.

[KmomChicago]

29 minutes ago, MsTabbyKats said:

Since this is a thread "about value":

Right now I can go downstairs and in 10 minutes & $20 be at the Manhattan cruise terminal

Or....I can go downstairs and in 30  minutes and $50 be at the airport (not to mention airfare, cab to the ship..and stress of actually getting there on time)

I understand what you're saying....and if I lived in any other part of New York, even NYC....going to other ports might be attractive.  But, one of the reasons I deal with high rents, high crime (lol) and other "high costs" is for the convenience of living where I live.

Plus it is just simply the very best borough of the greatest city in the world. 

Edited July 9, 2022 by KmomChicago

[firefly333]

1 hour ago, KmomChicago said:

Thank you, what is this dynamic pricing? We do have a partially used RCI coffee card so at some point we “have” to return to use it up.

 

And I understand the choices out of the Eastern seaboard being severely limited compared to Florida departures.

The drinks pkg on rcl changes price very often as do other items in the cruise planner. And to make it worse before the price last year was the price but now if you click to buy they add 18% tips. 

 

I've got 3 excursions booked for sept b2b. 2 are at 30% off and 1 at 25% off. Prices vary = dynamic prices. 

 

I forget his posting name SNL? SNJ? but he is always over on rcl boards complaining about dynamic pricing. Since I get 5 drinks a day and 2 days of wifi a leg, I dont pre purchase drinks or wifi. 5 drinks a day is more than I use up. People say go pick up soda and give it to your steward. Everyone is focused on getting full value for their money I think. 

[KmomChicago]

10 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

The drinks pkg on rcl changes price very often as do other items in the cruise planner. And to make it worse before the price last year was the price but now if you click to buy they add 18% tips. 

 

I've got 3 excursions booked for sept b2b. 2 are at 30% off and 1 at 25% off. Prices vary = dynamic prices. 

 

I forget his posting name SNL? SNJ? but he is always over on rcl boards complaining about dynamic pricing. Since I get 5 drinks a day and 2 days of wifi a leg, I dont pre purchase drinks or wifi. 5 drinks a day is more than I use up. People say go pick up soda and give it to your steward. Everyone is focused on getting full value for their money I think. 

Gotcha. I haven’t been over on the Royal thread much since we haven’t done anything with them since 2019 and Bob, aka Host Clarea retired from his duties. I think I know the poster you mean though. 
 

Unless we quit working, start printing money 💰 and move south very soon we won’t be on RCI enough to earn any such perks.
 

I just did the math and I’m at 68 nights now, lifetime total across all lines. 

Edited July 9, 2022 by KmomChicago

[Tippyton]

11 hours ago, zentraveler said:

@KmomChicago, you started this thread some #185 posts ago seeming to genuinely want information (which I have, gratefully, gotten a LOT of).  And I am not bothered or upset that you have not changed your mind that your "simple tastes" don't need or want anything but Carnival - good for you! -  but I have to wonder what of your insistence is all about.

 

Sure, we get that you are a 'simple gal with simple tastes'. And really proud of it.  I posted way early on that you seemed happy and you should stick with cruises you enjoy and go more often with the money you might save from "fancier" ones. I don't recall any response, or any sense that you have gotten more comfortable with what you like #185 posts later. Not enough information from many thoughtful posters to have answered your question??

 

But it seems that although you may have started with a genuine question, it seems to have devolved for you into repeating why you like your "simple taste cruises" (your words)  and  deriding anyone who has a different idea or taste for whatever reason.  If your point is to convince those people that they are snobs (essentially) and wasting their money not cruising the way you do, that I think mission has been accomplished. Some of us need or want something different. Or if we are curious we will try Carnival. 

Jumping to Mom's defense here...

 

I think there is no harm in having an overabundance of intellectual curiosity and garnering opinions not of your own or your own liking.  I do that all the time.  I may have my mind up but I'll play devil's advocate and argue the other side to see if I am missing something that may sway my opinion.  I actually think its a positive and admirable attribute as the sentiment I gather from OP is genuine.  Our world would be better if we all kept open minds and truly listen to others.  That's how I try to make myself a better person (failing often I might add).

[firefly333]

3 minutes ago, KmomChicago said:

Gotcha. I haven’t been over on the Royal thread much since we haven’t done anything with them since 2019 and Bob, aka Host Clarea retired from his duties. I think I know the poster you mean though. 
 

Unless we quit working, start printing money 💰 and move south very soon we won’t be on RCI enough to earn any such perks. I can’t imagine I’ll hit 100 nights at sea total combined lifetime before my traveling days come to their end. 

rcl doesnt do 1 pt per cruise. They add 1 pt for solo and 1 pt for JS and above. Then they offered double pts thru next dec. I did 3 on carnival and then realized about the double pts getting me to 340 pts so I switched over for this year. Havent given up on carnival. Just chasing pts to 340 then I dont care. Even a cheap cabin I'm getting 28 pts a week for sept and dec b2b. That's over 100 pts in 4 cruises. Took me over 15 years to get to diamond on rcl. Was much higher on carnival than rcl when cruises restarted. I'll turn diamond on carnival whichever is my next carnival cruise. Knocking on the door. Lol also took me over 15 years and closer to 20 to get there on carnival. 

 

Once I reprice my cruises next year on rcl I will be less focused on pts. Need the b2b pts in sept. 56 points gets me there, 2 more. 25% off is worth pushing while I get double pts. 

 

Jubilee still on my watch list. I'm still betting closer in I can find better prices. 

[DrSea]

1 hour ago, firefly333 said:

rcl doesnt do 1 pt per cruise. They add 1 pt for solo and 1 pt for JS and above. Then they offered double pts thru next dec. I did 3 on carnival and then realized about the double pts getting me to 340 pts so I switched over for this year. Havent given up on carnival. Just chasing pts to 340 then I dont care. Even a cheap cabin I'm getting 28 pts a week for sept and dec b2b. That's over 100 pts in 4 cruises. Took me over 15 years to get to diamond on rcl. Was much higher on carnival than rcl when cruises restarted. I'll turn diamond on carnival whichever is my next carnival cruise. Knocking on the door. Lol also took me over 15 years and closer to 20 to get there on carnival. 

 

Once I reprice my cruises next year on rcl I will be less focused on pts. Need the b2b pts in sept. 56 points gets me there, 2 more. 25% off is worth pushing while I get double pts. 

 

Jubilee still on my watch list. I'm still betting closer in I can find better prices. 

Can you explain to me how you got 28 points for a 7 night stay on RCL? They still haven't given me my points from a cruise I took with them this year and I have to chase them down. Thanks. 

[firefly333]

8 minutes ago, DrSea said:

Can you explain to me how you got 28 points for a 7 night stay on RCL? They still haven't given me my points from a cruise I took with them this year and I have to chase them down. Thanks. 

I'm solo so any cabin is 2 pts a day. Any cruise booked before last sept 30 2021 gets double pts, so 4 pts a day. If I was in a JS that's 6 pts a day x 7 days. Just call C&A and they can fix it. 

 

I'm cruising solo which is why I decided to push pts for the solo discount. Actually I would hit 340 in december and figured then I could book more expensive cruises in 2023 with the 25% off but there was a catch. It cant be applied to a cruise fully paid off. Grandeur out of Galveston was super cheap., 19 days of 5 4 5 5 days for a total of around $1500, so I booked it so sept instead of dec would get me there, even though it wasnt double pts. Just 2 pts a day as a solo. Added last minute in may.

 

Oasis next march is rather high, out of miami. Radiance is a 10 day to Panama and Columbia next January will be the first I can apply the discount to. Allure i still have to pay full price. ..assuming final payment is due 90 days before. Rcl usually awards pts within 1 week after you cruise so I wouldnt have the discount until a week after I get back from the sept 18 to 25 cruise. Lol I counted and did the math to make sure when I get the discount. 

 

I did grandeur for the pts. Changed cabins twice. Once got to stay in same cabin. Its their oldest ship with the least things to do and food options. Got the 38 pts but not sure I'd book that ship again. I'm hoping I like radiance better. It's also older though not as old but I wanted the ports on the 10 day. I'm a fan of oasis class but not their itinerary. .. finally the pts are within reach. 

[UPNYGuy]

11 hours ago, DrSea said:

NCL's Haven can be pretty loud. Those reading this thread that haven't been should know that paying thousands extra might not get you a kids free zone. 

 

 

I HATE HAL. Nothing but problems with sailing with them. Just wondering what issues you had with them. 

 

I will also second the observation that the Haven can be loud (especially in the Breakaway under the magrodome. I had a DOS, and was under the public sun deck and heard chairs scraping and people yelling in the pool all week. Not what you want when you pay around $10k. 

 

And my issues with HAL are many, but the summary is as follows. 

 

Statendam cruise: we ended up holed up overnight in Vancouver due to weather (not a fault of HAL). We watched a good half the ship disembark. After, our cabin proceeded to flood due to plumbing issues down the hall. The purser refused to move us due to the ship being "booked to capacity". This was well before COVID, and I reminded them that I had a view of the gangway and watched half the ship disembark. This was met with many ums and ahhs. I got a comp dinner at Canneletto (cheapest speciality restaurant), which made me even more annoyed. I was outright lied to and given a cheap dinner as a comp. 

 

We also had issues on a follow-up cruise on Eurodam, where we were traveling with friends that were renewing vows. The front office had it listed that I was renewing my vows with the woman in the group instead of she with her husband. It took multiple attempts to correct this, and eventually the hotel director had to step in. Same cruise also had a server that substituted a vegetarian dish that had an ingredient my wife is highly allergic to, when she ordered a meat dish. The server than blamed her for this. I went to the front desk and was practically over the counter at this point, and ended up getting the entire spa bill (we saw people getting it on in the thermal pool), vow renewals, and specialty restaurants comped. It was around $1200 of credits. 

 

You would expect some of this on Carnival (the spa crap), but NOT on Holland America. 

[Tapi]

On 7/3/2022 at 4:07 PM, KmomChicago said:

 

Would there even be any point in a better cruise line for us? I am willing to pay more for better stuff, but I really have to be able to understand where we are getting the value. 

For me, the main reason to branch out to other cruise lines has been the desire to try new itineraries not offered by Carnival. 

 

While it's still nice to do the occasional laid back Caribbean cruise (which Carnival does well), during the last few years I've become much more interested in trying new itineraries and new destinations. Now it's become a personal goal of mine to try as many new cruise lines and destinations as possible.

 

I make sure that every cruise I take is either on a cruise line I've never sailed on before, or to a destination I've never been to before. That's where I get my value. Interestingly, some of these cruises on "better" cruise lines have been cheaper than Carnival. 

 

Edited July 9, 2022 by Tapi

[zentraveler]

7 hours ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

Out of curiosity, how many cruises have you taken and on which lines?

Asked and answered earlier in this discussion. Only about 5:  HAL, Windstar (Caribbean and upcoming Greece) and Seabourn (Antartica). But have Princess cruise to Alaska in 10 days and a Carnival one coming up in early September - which is how I ended up on this board and this thread.

 

We are going to do more cruising and this has been a really useful thread and am grateful for everyone's input for my future planning!

[UPNYGuy]

11 hours ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

platinum spoon rug rats are the worst.

 

Children of the *truly* affluent are usually well behaved. Granted, they are kids and sometimes act as such, but they usually travel with an au pair or nanny. They are raised to be respectful of those around them.

[BlerkOne]

39 minutes ago, UPNYGuy said:

 

Children of the *truly* affluent are usually well behaved. Granted, they are kids and sometimes act as such, but they usually travel with an au pair or nanny. They are raised to be respectful of those around them.

I find them to usually be as arrogant and obnoxious as their parents. They may or may not care enough to try to not get caught.

[Joe817]

6 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

I find them to usually be as arrogant and obnoxious as their parents. They may or may not care enough to try to not get caught.

It must be where you are from. Usually, not the case down here. 

[BlerkOne]

25 minutes ago, Joe817 said:

It must be where you are from. Usually, not the case down here. 

I am down here. It depends on the parents. Apples don't fall far from trees. Sometimes good, sometimes rotten.

[Joe817]

23 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

I am down here. It depends on the parents. Apples don't fall far from trees. Sometimes good, sometimes rotten.

Very true. 

[Z0nker]

We live 90 minutes from the San Francisco cruise terminal, so that's our perspective for this question. Choices are Ruby Princess and Carnival Miracle. Glad to have them both in SF, as we've had a great time on both ships. SF is a beautiful city to sail from.

 

Size: the Ruby is a bigger ship with more passengers and more crew. Neither ship felt crowded. Passenger to crew ratio is a little more favorable on the Miracle but both ships had fine service. The balcony room is a little bigger on the Miracle, so you get a sofa and cocktail table.

 

Value: as long as Princess keeps selling the Princess Plus package at $40 - $50 per day, Ruby Princess is a better value.

 

Food: MDR food and service was fine on both ships. Carnival has the edge for pool deck food with Guy's burgers, Blue Iguana tacos & breakfast burritos and the deli. Princess wins for specialty dining with two excellent speciality restaurants, both priced under $30. The Miracle has one excellent steakhouse, overpriced at $42. Carnival's made to order pizzas at Pizza Pirate were a treat, but the 24 hours paninis and snacks at Princess' International Cafe were also a plus.

 

Drinks: Each ship has a good coffee bar. Princess wins the wine game. Carnival is better for craft beer. Both ships have good mixed drinks, but the Miracle pool deck bars have the edge.

 

Live music was far better on the Ruby Princess. Both have decent theater shows. The stateroom TV's are much larger on the Ruby Princess and the on demand programming just clobbers Carnival.

 

Casinos were similar on both ships.

 

Ruby Princess makes good use of the pool deck giant screen for movies and sports; Miracle has none.

 

Bottom line: If you have a good attitude, there's plenty to enjoy on either ship.

[CruizinSusan70]

8 hours ago, ledges1 said:

I took a lot of interest in this article when it came up. I have  25 cruises on Carnival and have become bored with the ships and food. Too many cruises on Fantasy and Conquest class ships out of Mobile and New Orleans. I had hoped I would find some new alternatives and suggestions. Unfortunately, I did not find the suggestions about other cruise lines to be that much different. My solution, is to venture to other ports (additional expense, driving or airfare) and cruise on newer ships and ports less frequented. I have been to Cozumel too many times. Cruising on the Magic in January (PC) and Horizon in October (Miami). The food in the MDR will be the same, but additional entertainment venues will hopefully improve the experience. Also mixing in a land based trip to Aruba in 2023.

You have not mentioned any future sailings on any of the three Excel Class ships, they are a game changer for Carnival if you're too apprehensive to change lines.  If you want an upgraded experience, try one of the Edge Class ships on Celebrity (Edge, Apex, Beyond) or one of the newer builds on Princess (Discovery, Enchanted). 

 

Reading the opinion of someone else can only give you an overview of what to possibly expect.  You need to pull the trigger and book one of the upgrades in order to form your own opinion as to whether it was worth it compared to the ships that are the same old, same old in the Carnival fleet that you're used to.

[CruizinSusan70]

7 hours ago, KmomChicago said:

Thank you, what is this dynamic pricing? We do have a partially used RCI coffee card so at some point we “have” to return to use it up.

 

And I understand the choices out of the Eastern seaboard being severely limited compared to Florida departures.

Dynamic pricing is RCI's way of printing money.  Cheers on Carnival costs 59.95 no matter when you sail or the length of your trip.  On RCI, their drink package will fluctuate depending upon the sailing.  Newer ships, ships sailing over the summer and 3 day booze cruises will all demand a higher rate and that rate is never locked in, it's fluid all of the time.  Many are around 72.99 or higher (+tip).  The same is true for their excursions and options at Coco Cay, the prices are never the same and post Covid have gone through the roof.  They have "sales" that are misleading and it's one reason why they are at the bottom of my preference with the various lines.

[CruizinSusan70]

3 hours ago, zentraveler said:

Asked and answered earlier in this discussion. Only about 5:  HAL, Windstar (Caribbean and upcoming Greece) and Seabourn (Antartica). But have Princess cruise to Alaska in 10 days and a Carnival one coming up in early September - which is how I ended up on this board and this thread.

 

We are going to do more cruising and this has been a really useful thread and am grateful for everyone's input for my future planning!

Which Carnival ship?  Unless it's the Mardi Gras, it's a huge drop off from your previous cruises.  Enjoy your Princess Alaska cruise, we'll be there for 14 days on the Majestic next May and June.  Highly recommend the Edge Class on Celebrity.

[CruizinSusan70]

2 hours ago, UPNYGuy said:

 

Children of the *truly* affluent are usually well behaved. Granted, they are kids and sometimes act as such, but they usually travel with an au pair or nanny. They are raised to be respectful of those around them.

There are always exceptions, which I've read about on the NCL boards in the Haven and I witnessed first hand in the Yacht Club on MSC.

[zentraveler]

22 minutes ago, Z0nker said:

We live 90 minutes from the San Francisco cruise terminal, so that's our perspective for this question. Choices are Ruby Princess and Carnival Miracle. Glad to have them both in SF, as we've had a great time on both ships. SF is a beautiful city to sail from.

 

Size: the Ruby is a bigger ship with more passengers and more crew. Neither ship felt crowded. Passenger to crew ratio is a little more favorable on the Miracle but both ships had fine service. The balcony room is a little bigger on the Miracle, so you get a sofa and cocktail table.

 

Value: as long as Princess keeps selling the Princess Plus package at $40 - $50 per day, Ruby Princess is a better value.

 

Food: MDR food and service was fine on both ships. Carnival has the edge for pool deck food with Guy's burgers, Blue Iguana tacos & breakfast burritos and the deli. Princess wins for specialty dining with two excellent speciality restaurants, both priced under $30. The Miracle has one excellent steakhouse, overpriced at $42. Carnival's made to order pizzas at Pizza Pirate were a treat, but the 24 hours paninis and snacks at Princess' International Cafe were also a plus.

 

Drinks: Each ship has a good coffee bar. Princess wins the wine game. Carnival is better for craft beer. Both ships have good mixed drinks, but the Miracle pool deck bars have the edge.

 

Live music was far better on the Ruby Princess. Both have decent theater shows. The stateroom TV's are much larger on the Ruby Princess and the on demand programming just clobbers Carnival.

 

Casinos were similar on both ships.

 

Ruby Princess makes good use of the pool deck giant screen for movies and sports; Miracle has none.

 

Bottom line: If you have a good attitude, there's plenty to enjoy on either ship.

THANK YOU ZOnker!  This answers a question I had not quite gotten around to formulating but really wanted to know.

 

We live right in SF a few miles from the SF port and a short ride away.   I have recently tuned into what is available to us in terms of cruising from here and have booked trips on both of those ships this summer - first on each. Your very succinct and specific information is incredibly useful.

 

What I am still puzzling, and would love it if anyone know the answer, is why only those 2 two cruise lines? This is a world class city; why don't more cruise lines sail out of here?