On the Pride and Impressed so far

[M&A]

We are into our 3rd day on the Pride and am impressed with the ship.  Had read the negative comments from some people and don't understand some of the complaints.

We stayed with friends in Surrey and took the train to Dover without going into London.  Arrived at Dover Priory station on Sunday around 11:30, someone at the station asked us if we were going to the cruise ship and that there was a shuttle outside to the cruise port, our check-in was for 12:30 so we decided to get a coffee in Dover and then walked to the ship.  The hike to the cruise ship was longer than expected and the Pride docks the furthest away at the cruise port.

Check-in was fast and easy.

First day out of Dover was a sea day and we were up early, did our work out and after breakfast out to the Cabanas at the rear of the ship.  Of course ALL were taken but no one using them.   Most people must have got up early put towels and books in them and back to bed.  We got some lounge chairs around 9AM, some people didn't show up to their cabanas until 11:00 AM.

I thought the ship was in very good shape, they keep it very clean and they are always out there painting and cleaning.

We ate dinner in the Normandie dinning room both nights and it was excellent.  In my opinion the food was as good as any of the other cruise lines we have been on.

We did breakfast and lunch in the buffett on Deck 9, a really good selection.

After dinner we went to the Red Frog pub and listened to a really good band CIA,  these guys could play anything and the lead guitarist was fantastic.

We ended up both nights there and didn't do any other venues.

 

Copenhagen - Tuesday August 23rd

Tuesday - the Pride docks at an industrial terminal approx.  4 miles from the centre.  As part of our work-out routine we decided to walk,  however we took a few wrong turns and we had walked 6 miles before we got to the Tivoli Gardens.   The weather was sunny and hot around 80.

We got on the Hop-on-hop off bus and then the canal/harbor tour.   I would recommend the Ho-Ho bus with the boat tour - well worth the 75 Euros.  A beautiful clean city.

The shuttle to the cruise ship was every hour and we had just  missed it so we walked back, this time it was 4 miles.

 

Edited August 23, 2022 by M&A

[Guest BasicSailor]

How are they showing the movies these days, get any pictures ?

[Out of Iowa]

75 Euros for one person, for a single-day hop-on, hop-off bus tour with harbor cruise?  That seems very expensive...did I miss something?

[EllieinNJ]

Looking forward to more of your report.

[groundloop]

We did two cruises on Pride at the end of last year and have to say that I agree with you, I don't understand the negative comments.  I liked Pride a lot.

[fuddrules]

55 minutes ago, Out of Iowa said:

75 Euros for one person, for a single-day hop-on, hop-off bus tour with harbor cruise?  That seems very expensive...did I miss something?

 

Yes, European pricing.

Edited August 23, 2022 by fuddrules

[NCTribeFan]

Well, we all have different impressions of a cruse, even when on the same sailing.  It's so subjective.  And so much depends on expectations, what people choose to do and at what times, etc.

 

I like the Spirit-class and that has an impact.  And I know the ship layout.  I try to ignore the hideous decor.  After all, that really doesn't matter.

 

I'll be in Copenhagen for a day in late April on my Rotterdam B2B2B.  Shuttle bus sounds good to me!

[kwokpot]

5 hours ago, M&A said:

We ate dinner in the Normandie dinning room both nights and it was excellent.  In my opinion the food was as good as any of the other cruise lines we have been on.

I'm happy for you that you enjoyed your meals on the Pride. Having said that I can very honestly say with 100% confidence that the food was not as good as other Carnival ships, much less other cruiselines. 

I was on the Pride for 31 days from the middle of May to middle of June. Just two weeks prior to boarding the Pride I was on the Mardi Gras for 14 days. And 7 weeks prior to the Mardi Gras I was on the Celebrity Reflection for 9 days. Overall the Mardi Gras prepared the food to a much higher standard than the Pride. And the food overall on the Celebrity Reflection was to the standard of the steakhouse on the Pride, or Rudi's on the Mardi Gras. 

[quickrate]

4 hours ago, NCTribeFan said:

Well, we all have different impressions of a cruse, even when on the same sailing.  It's so subjective.  And so much depends on expectations, what people choose to do and at what times, etc.

 

I like the Spirit-class and that has an impact.  And I know the ship layout.  I try to ignore the hideous decor.  After all, that really doesn't matter.

 

I'll be in Copenhagen for a day in late April on my Rotterdam B2B2B.  Shuttle bus sounds good to me!

Subjective is right, my cruising friend, you think it's Hideous and I like the decor. You know I love the Spirit class ships, so happy to be on her for 32 days and on the spirit for 22 in January.

[jimbo5544]

6 hours ago, kwokpot said:

I'm happy for you that you enjoyed your meals on the Pride. Having said that I can very honestly say with 100% confidence that the food was not as good as other Carnival ships, much less other cruiselines. 

I was on the Pride for 31 days from the middle of May to middle of June. Just two weeks prior to boarding the Pride I was on the Mardi Gras for 14 days. And 7 weeks prior to the Mardi Gras I was on the Celebrity Reflection for 9 days. Overall the Mardi Gras prepared the food to a much higher standard than the Pride. And the food overall on the Celebrity Reflection was to the standard of the steakhouse on the Pride, or Rudi's on the Mardi Gras. 

You being the Carnival lover and all, so we must all agree, you did say 100%….right?  If it was 90, I might be questioning your objectivity, but if it 100%….. no way

[kwokpot]

37 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

You being the Carnival lover and all, so we must all agree, you did say 100%….right?  If it was 90, I might be questioning your objectivity, but if it 100%….. no way

I see in your upcoming cruises that you'll be on the Pride, so I'll be very interested if you can be objective when you report your dining experiences and compare them to your own experiences on the MardiGras.

I have no hidden agenda when I make my postings about Carnival; I'll be on my 26th Carnival cruise(99th overall) on the Celebration in November on the Inaugural cruise. 

[jimbo5544]

1 minute ago, kwokpot said:

I see in your upcoming cruises that you'll be on the Pride, so I'll be very interested if you can be objective when you report your dining experiences and compare them to your own experiences on the MardiGras.

I have no hidden agenda when I make my postings about Carnival; I'll be on my 26th Carnival cruise(99th overall) on the Celebration in November on the Inaugural cruise. 

When it comes to food, everybody is subjective, that was my point’. Since the restart, I have sailed MG 3 times, Horizon, Elation and Pride. MDR food quality rarely varies, and when it is usually apps or soups.  Can you get a bad meal?  Sure.  Do I see a down graded experience in food quality?  I do not.  But that si me, I was really just making light on the 100% comment.  We almost sailed together, we were booked on the Celebration inaugeral, but had to cancel.  

[EllieinNJ]

We did our first Carnival cruise on the Legend in April and liked it so we booked the Pride B2B next year.  Thought the decor was very nice.  The food was good some days, mediocre some days but never had a bad meal. 

[NCTribeFan]

22 hours ago, kwokpot said:

I'm happy for you that you enjoyed your meals on the Pride. Having said that I can very honestly say with 100% confidence that the food was not as good as other Carnival ships, much less other cruiselines. 

I was on the Pride for 31 days from the middle of May to middle of June. Just two weeks prior to boarding the Pride I was on the Mardi Gras for 14 days. And 7 weeks prior to the Mardi Gras I was on the Celebrity Reflection for 9 days. Overall the Mardi Gras prepared the food to a much higher standard than the Pride. And the food overall on the Celebrity Reflection was to the standard of the steakhouse on the Pride, or Rudi's on the Mardi Gras. 

Oh, well if you say so, then I guess everyone must absolutely agree.

 

As I always say, food quality can vary from one week to another.  I did a B2B several years ago and ordered pretty much the same things each week.  The food quality was much better on week one than week two.  Had I only sailed one week, I may have come away raving about how fantastic the food was on that ship.  If I'd only sailed that second week, I may have come home complaining about how lousy the food was on that ship.

 

I've had good and not-great dishes on every ship on every line I've sailed (Carnival, HAL, X, MSC, NCL, RCI).  Absolutes just don't work when there are thousands of people and thousands of meals being served daily.

 

But if you insist that the food on Pride is worse than any other ship on the high seas, it must be so! 😒

[shiner6]

This is a very timely thread for me as I have a B2B booked on the Pride for next summer.  This is my first carnival cruise (I love Princess and HAL). I am very concerned about being on this ship for 28 days--so much in fact that I am seriously considering just taking a loss and cancelling the Baltic part.  I have  been reading every review on many different sites.  I am willing to entertain the thought of mediocre food for 9 or 10 days, but cringe at the thought of enduring it for 4 weeks.  I am not a snob, just a hardworking RN who has saved for many years for this trip.  It sounds like the decor will be fun and interesting, as well as the entertainment.  Please no snarky responses or glowing reports, I am interested in HONEST experiences only.

[BlerkOne]

On 8/23/2022 at 3:15 PM, M&A said:

We are into our 3rd day on the Pride and am impressed with the ship.  Had read the negative comments from some people and don't understand some of the complaints.

We stayed with friends in Surrey and took the train to Dover without going into London.  Arrived at Dover Priory station on Sunday around 11:30, someone at the station asked us if we were going to the cruise ship and that there was a shuttle outside to the cruise port, our check-in was for 12:30 so we decided to get a coffee in Dover and then walked to the ship.  The hike to the cruise ship was longer than expected and the Pride docks the furthest away at the cruise port.

Check-in was fast and easy.

First day out of Dover was a sea day and we were up early, did our work out and after breakfast out to the Cabanas at the rear of the ship.  Of course ALL were taken but no one using them.   Most people must have got up early put towels and books in them and back to bed.  We got some lounge chairs around 9AM, some people didn't show up to their cabanas until 11:00 AM.

I thought the ship was in very good shape, they keep it very clean and they are always out there painting and cleaning.

We ate dinner in the Normandie dinning room both nights and it was excellent.  In my opinion the food was as good as any of the other cruise lines we have been on.

We did breakfast and lunch in the buffett on Deck 9, a really good selection.

After dinner we went to the Red Frog pub and listened to a really good band CIA,  these guys could play anything and the lead guitarist was fantastic.

We ended up both nights there and didn't do any other venues.

 

Copenhagen - Tuesday August 23rd

Tuesday - the Pride docks at an industrial terminal approx.  4 miles from the centre.  As part of our work-out routine we decided to walk,  however we took a few wrong turns and we had walked 6 miles before we got to the Tivoli Gardens.   The weather was sunny and hot around 80.

We got on the Hop-on-hop off bus and then the canal/harbor tour.   I would recommend the Ho-Ho bus with the boat tour - well worth the 75 Euros.  A beautiful clean city.

The shuttle to the cruise ship was every hour and we had just  missed it so we walked back, this time it was 4 miles.

 

Thank you! I know Carnival Pride is a good ship. We would have been on it for the St Petersburg cruise, until world events preempted that.

 

Carnival doesn't pretend to be anything other than Carnival and trying to compare it to any other cruise experience is a false equivalence.

[BlerkOne]

38 minutes ago, shiner6 said:

Please no snarky responses or glowing reports, I am interested in HONEST experiences only.

We are boarding Princess tomorrow, but our first choice was Carnival Pride if world events didn't interfere with.

 

 

[kwokpot]

40 minutes ago, shiner6 said:

This is a very timely thread for me as I have a B2B booked on the Pride for next summer.  This is my first carnival cruise (I love Princess and HAL). I am very concerned about being on this ship for 28 days--so much in fact that I am seriously considering just taking a loss and cancelling the Baltic part.  I have  been reading every review on many different sites.  I am willing to entertain the thought of mediocre food for 9 or 10 days, but cringe at the thought of enduring it for 4 weeks.  I am not a snob, just a hardworking RN who has saved for many years for this trip.  It sounds like the decor will be fun and interesting, as well as the entertainment.  Please no snarky responses or glowing reports, I am interested in HONEST experiences only.

I think you have to decide what's important to you on the Pride cruises you have booked. A TA on FB said to me some cruise vacations you take the ship is the destination, and some cruises you take it's a bed to sleep in and food to fill your stomach and the Port stops are the destination.

Since your cruise isn't until a year away many things can change, and hopefully it will be for the better. If you go into it knowing it's not HAL, Princess, or Disney, you can have n enjoyable cruise vacation. 

[BlerkOne]

1 hour ago, shiner6 said:

  I am not a snob, just a hardworking RN who has saved for many years for this trip.

I can appreciate that. Some pay little to nothing for their cruises whatever the cruise line, and is something to keep in mind. I would encourage you to live your own life.

[kwokpot]

11 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

Some pay little to nothing for their cruises whatever the cruise line, and is something to keep in mind.

What are you trying to say with this statement? 

[BlerkOne]

1 hour ago, kwokpot said:

What are you trying to say with this statement? 

If it costs the same to cruise on Carnival or Seabourn, which cruise line offers more room service choices?

[cruisingguy007]

21 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

You being the Carnival lover and all, so we must all agree, you did say 100%….right?  If it was 90, I might be questioning your objectivity, but if it 100%….. no way

 

I read that as him giving his experience, seeing as how it's his and only his, 100% certainty doesn't seem out of line. He even said "that you enjoyed your meals" as a lead in. Didn't interpret his position as speaking for everyone or that we must all agree, tough crowd lately on these forums lol.    

[cruisingguy007]

2 hours ago, BlerkOne said:

We are boarding Princess tomorrow, but our first choice was Carnival Pride if world events didn't interfere with.

 

 

 

Well, based on the whining/complaining that goes on, on that sub forum, it sounds like you'll be boarding Carnival with a Princess logo. So much negativity on every other thread for the last few years. You figure these folks would just book Carnival branded cruises and save some money but I guess it's better to keep sailing on Princess ships and complain that it's basically becoming Carnival and beneath them. Maybe they can slap some Carnival branding on a few princess ships and start running short 3/4 day cruises out of SF and some of these folks could shift to Disney ships. Sure would be convenient for me lol. Have a great trip!     

[NCTribeFan]

I've never believed that a big chunk of my cruise fare was for gourmet dining.  It isn't.  It's mass-produced and, yes, it varies.

 

I do hope people don't make their cruising decisions based on one or two reviews.  Please remember that there are thousands of people on the ship on every sailing.  Just because Pax A is disappointed in the meals doesn't mean you shouldn't book.  Or just because Pax B thinks it's the best food they've ever eaten doesn't mean you should book.

 

I love HAL but my next 32 and 14 nights are on Carnival.  Then I have 26 nights on HAL.  I'm hoping for great food on Rotterdam but I doubt every meal will be fantastic.  I've sailed 8+12+14 nights on HAL since November.  Food was mostly good but occasionally a bit disappointing.  Certainly won't stop me from sailing with them again.  I expect the same will happen on Pride and Spirit.  And, honestly, every other ship I sail.

 

Pretty sure everyone here has given their "honest" opinions.  But they're just opinions.

[shiner6]

Thank you everyone. I certainly feel that ya'll have provided some great information.  I don't believe that Carnival is much less in price compared to the others after you figure in gratuities, drinks, wi-fi etc.  It truly is a decision which everyone will differ on based on their own needs and experiences.  I am now feeling like this can fulfill my expectations as long as I adjust them accordingly.  Now, onto planning transportation and other logistical needs. Your input is greatly appreciated. Let me know if ever I can be of assistance in return.