difference between carnival and princess

[cruzin4us]

11 minutes ago, MsSoCalCruiser said:

One of the worst cruises I’ve ever been on was a 3 day Princess cruise filled with kickball players.  They took over the ship, were trashed the entire time, and you heard “f bombs” nonstop.  It was just awful.

lesson to be learned here......Never, ever, ever go on a 3 day cruise 😂

[MsSoCalCruiser]

44 minutes ago, cruzin4us said:

lesson to be learned here......Never, ever, ever go on a 3 day cruise 😂

I’ve been on several but fortunately that was the only time that has happened. 
😂😂😂

[SoCalTraveler]

We have only been on one Carnival cruise (see below) and multiple Princess cruises.  The comparison is that we took three day cruises out of San Pedro/Long Beach on both Carnival and Princess.

 

Carnival was a booze cruise.  Plenty of folks were tanked all the time.  I don't mind people drinking beer; it's the bartenders leaving the caps slightly on in a bucket of a six pack.  The drinkers left the caps everywhere around the pools and spas.  Glasses for mixed drinks and soda were around the pools and spas and one night someone broke two.  By the time we left the bartenders had still not rounded up anyone to clean the broken glass.

 

On Carnival, one night we were in the Jacuzzi on the fantail, where there were two Jacuzzi's side by side.  After removing beer bottle caps from the edge of the Jacuzzi (left by folks still sitting in the Jacuzzi who could not be bothered to just throw the caps into the bucket), we were treated to a couple in the next Jacuzzi, how should I say it? enjoying themselves.  The crew did not care.

 

On Carnival, the folks in the room next to us had kids who thought pounding on our common wall was neat.  At 6:00 a.m. each morning.  When a ship officer could not get them to stop, he told us there was nothing he could do.

 

On Carnival, food service was slow; no matter how slow the food service was actually getting a drink or a bottle of wine at dinner was slower.  (We would have spent more on booze had they only been prepared to actually sell it. )  We had two food incidents that were amusing.  My son wanted tater tots with his breakfast.  The waiter brought two on a full size dinner plate.  My son wanted more.  The waiter said he could only bring two at a time.  (We're talking about tater tots here.)  I then asked for tater tots for everyone (we were a family of 12) and the waiter brought 12 dinner plates with two tater tots on each.  And one morning my request for English breakfast tea took an hour and the assistance of the maitre'd to get the three components, hot water, tea bag and cup.

 

Full disclosure:  we own stock in Carnival and have used the shareholder benefit.

 

I think there's a difference.

[CineGraphic]

5 hours ago, sabreline said:

No drunken brawls at 5AM on Princess!

 

No, but we've had a drunk lading screaming the F-Bomb in the middle of the piazza.

[Honolulu Blue]

3 hours ago, Thrak said:

Don't believe I've ever heard the "f bomb" dropped on a Princess cruise. I'm told it's fairly common on Carnival. I've never seen a fist fight on Princess but have seen several videos of this "activity" on Carnival.

I've heard the "f bomb" on one of my Princess cruises. Just before the show in main theater one night, a member of the mask police angrily confronted an unmasked patron. Nasty words were said by both sides. This one could have easily degenerated into a brawl, but it didn't, and the parties settled down just before the start of the show. The show, a comedian, might have used the "f bomb" a time or two himself, but never mind. 😄

 

This was on the Regal Princess, a 5-day sailing at the end of November2021. Masks were mandatory in most indoor places at the time - including the main theater. There were signs and occasional announcements noting this.

[caribill]

Princess has laundry rooms that passengers can use with washers and dryers (fees) and ironing boards with irons (free to use).

 

Carnival does not.

[caribill]

6 hours ago, SoCalTraveler said:

Full disclosure:  we own stock in Carnival and have used the shareholder benefit.

 

Which can be used on both Carnival and Princess cruises (and HAL and.......).

[Honolulu Blue]

53 minutes ago, caribill said:

Princess has laundry rooms that passengers can use with washers and dryers (fees) and ironing boards with irons (free to use).

 

Carnival does not.

From Carnival's FAQs:

 

LAUNDRY SERVICE

Self-Service Launderettes
Self-service launderettes are located on staterooms decks. There are 2 or 3 washers, 2 or 3 dryers, and 1 iron and ironing board in each launderette. The cost is $3.50 USD per washer load and $3.50 USD per dryer load. For your convenience, if you have not packed your own, each launderette has a vending machine that dispenses small boxes of detergent and water softener at $2.00 USD per box. 

 

On most ships, the machines are operated using your Sail & Sign card for payment. On the following ships, only coins are accepted to operate the machine; change can be obtained at the Guest Service Desk, if needed: Carnival Ecstasy, Carnival Elation and Carnival Paradise.

Self-Service Launderettes are featured on most ships with the exception of the following: 

 

• Carnival Celebration, Carnival Jubilee and Mardi Gras do not have washers and dryers but have ironing rooms on several stateroom decks as well as Valet Laundry service.
• Carnival Luminosa does not have washers, dryers nor ironing rooms but does offer Valet Laundry service.

[dave_k58]

WE have sailed on both.  When we take grandchildren - its definitely Carnival.   We have never observed drunken brawls.  Carnival Balcony cabins are bigger than Princess and all have sofas. I think the food is about the same, but Carnival has more included options. Most of the people and families are younger on Carnival. Princess passengers seem to me to be a bit more " refined". Lots of the  specialties on Carnival have free lunch service.   We love mini-suites, which Carnival doesn't have.  SEems to me - that prices on Carnival and Princess are getting closer and closer together. Wife and I prefer Princess, especially the longer cruises. I think the crew members are fantastic on both cruiselines. Carnival is muich easier to work with if you have to call them about something. Princess decor is not  tacky like some Carnival ships. 

[Essiesmom]

4 hours ago, caribill said:

Princess has laundry rooms that passengers can use with washers and dryers (fees) and ironing boards with irons (free to use).

 

Carnival does not.

Only Carnival’s newest ship, Mardi Gras, does not have guest laundry.  Upcoming Celebration and Jubilee will not, either.  EM

[john watson]

I remember being docked next to a Carnival ship in the Caribbean during a very hot day in August. They had one gangway open searching, one would suspect for hidden alcohol being taken back on board.  It was so hot people were collapsing on the quay side. The one gangway open was creating a massive queue.  People were complaining, rowdy and shouting in protest. It was not a good situation.

When we returned to reboard our Princess ship two gangways were open so people got back on very quickly.  The only shouting I heard was "Iced towel sir and iced towel madam".  It seemed to me to be like comparing chalk and cheese.

 

Regards John

[JeffT237]

I have sailed Carnival, Royal and most recently our first Princess cruise.  IMO they are very similar as far as experience and service.  The differences I see are in technology, ship design and build, decor etc.  Guests do tend to be older and there is a less party atmosphere on Princess than the other 2.  For the OP not knowing if you are cruising with kids, as a couple, age, budget or personal interests it's hard to recommend one over the other.  We sailed several Carnival cruises with our kids when they were young and enjoyed them all.  As we now cruise just as a couple we have moved on from Carnival as we feel it no longer suits us.  

 

As for types of passengers across all 3 brands we've come across we have met and witnessed many friendly passengers as well as witnessing many rude and drunk passengers on all 3 lines as well.  There always seems to be a perception or judgement of each cruise line's type of passengers and it's usually favorable to the commenters favorite cruise line and unfavorable to the competitions.  Our last cruise was on Princess and we witnessed more rude and abusive passenger behavior towards the crew and fellow passengers than we had on all of our other cruises combined.  This was due more to the Crown issues than alcohol, but definitely some were alcohol related.  With the drink packages this will often be an issue in the cruise industry. This won't stop us from cruising on Princess, we set sail in a few weeks on the Discovery.

[Kay S]

10 hours ago, caribill said:

Princess has laundry rooms that passengers can use with washers and dryers (fees) and ironing boards with irons (free to use).

 

Carnival does not.

I remember a couple of fun outings chatting with the other mothers in a Carnival laundry room.  We bonded.  🙂

[john watson]

8 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

Only Carnival’s newest ship, Mardi Gras, does not have guest laundry.  Upcoming Celebration and Jubilee will not, either.  EM

 

The cruise line has figured out their clientele does not use this type of facility.

 

Regards John

[sloopsailor]

30 minutes ago, john watson said:

 

The cruise line has figured out their clientele does not use this type of facility.

 

Regards John

 

To those who insist on having laundry facilities available, I ask:

 

Do you clean your own cabin and make your own bed on a cruise? Do you cook your own meals and wash your own cutlery and plates after a meal on a cruise? No! So why do your own laundry???? 

 

I would wager that the majority of passengers never used the onboard laundry facilities. I know in all my years of cruising, my wife and I never even once considered using them when they were available, even when our kids were with us. We are of the belief that we are on vacation to get away from doing mundane household chores, so we don't do them. We want to focus on having fun, not doing house work. We do enough chores at home when we aren't trying to enjoy a vacation. 

 

 

 

Edited September 30, 2022 by sloopsailor

[CruizinSusan70]

On 9/29/2022 at 12:48 PM, CineGraphic said:

 

No bright colors, or neon lights on Princess. Everything is warmer/calmer.

You obviously have not cruised on the last six builds on Carnival starting with the Breeze.  Subdued color palette.  It's not the Joe Farcus designed Carnival with the Pepto Bismol color scheme.

The Excel Class of Carnival will be very similar to the upcoming Sun Class on Princess.

[CruizinSusan70]

On 9/29/2022 at 5:23 PM, sabreline said:

OMG!!!!! Like night and day! No drunken brawls at 5AM on Princess!

Sensationalism personified.  The occasional fight on a cruise line that is three times the size of Princess does not happen as often as you assume it does.  Is it bad at times, sure, but the odds of it happening on your specific cruise and then where you're located is slim.

[caribill]

34 minutes ago, sloopsailor said:

 

To those who insist on having laundry facilities available, I ask:

 

Do you clean your own cabin and make your own bed on a cruise? Do you cook your own meals and wash your own cutlery and plates after a meal on a cruise? No! So why do your own laundry???? 

 

 

The difference is they do not charge me extra each time they make my bed or feed me in the main dining room.

 

But they do charge me up to $5 for every shirt I want washed.

[CineGraphic]

35 minutes ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

You obviously have not cruised on the last six builds on Carnival starting with the Breeze.

 

You're right. Once was enough.

[scottsol]

22 hours ago, cruzin4us said:

lesson to be learned here......Never, ever, ever go on a 3 day cruise 😂

Or a three hour tour, a three hour tour.

[john watson]

Cruise lines like Cunard never have passengers fighting it just does not happen.  The most I have encountered is an incident which might be regarded by some as approaching a kerfuffle.

 

Regards John

[malba2366]

26 minutes ago, CineGraphic said:

 

You're right. Once was enough.

 

The ships are not the problem...

[NownZen]

1 hour ago, sloopsailor said:

 

To those who insist on having laundry facilities available, I ask:

 

Do you clean your own cabin and make your own bed on a cruise? Do you cook your own meals and wash your own cutlery and plates after a meal on a cruise? No! So why do your own laundry???? 

 

I would wager that the majority of passengers never used the onboard laundry facilities. I know in all my years of cruising, my wife and I never even once considered using them when they were available, even when our kids were with us. We are of the belief that we are on vacation to get away from doing mundane household chores, so we don't do them. We want to focus on having fun, not doing house work. We do enough chores at home when we aren't trying to enjoy a vacation.

We travel light and have made it lighter through the years. It is so much easier to get around with just a carry on suitcase. This means you need to do laundry. We have carefully chosen clothes that dry quickly so when we wash them out they will be dry in the morning. When this is your habit, it does not matter how long you are out on a trip.  We did use the laundry one time before we learned some of the packing lessons.

 

On the cooking issue, at the beginning and/or end of cruises we often rent an Airbnb for a week. Some of our fondest memories are of cooking meals with friends, going to the local markets and dealing  with the locals.

[CruizinSusan70]

23 hours ago, san diego sue said:

I tried Carnival a few weeks ago. The Carnival Panorama out of Long Beach.

Expected nothing and got everything. Prior to the cruise had need to call Carnival , call was answered very quickly , problem I had solved in minutes.

Ship had some very modern conveniences that Princess doesn't have even on their new ship. Great elevator system.

Food venues are many. Some restaurants that are fee at night are free for lunch. The best hamburgers ever. Same with their deli, Omelet stations, Burrito bar etc. They still have fixed dining as well as anytime.On our 7 day cruise, there were four production shows that were incredible. Last Princess cruise in July , on 10 day cruise, one production show. Comedy club with two different comedians each night. We went to see four different performers. You could see both the comedy and production shows in same night.Everything timed for seeing the most entertainment.

Balcony cabin had a full size sofa. Regular balcony  had two lounge chairs and table,although not large, you could still stretch out (not like Discovery, Royal , Regal etc).

As far as passengers, found people were very polite, no drunken behavior, very friendly people.

We have been very loyal Princess cruisers and have been Elite for over 10 years. We will continue cruising Princess,  but it was nice experiencing something new. For us Princess  feels familiar and we are used to it. However, we have decided to also try  some other lines every once in a while to mix it up.

Glad to see you enjoyed the Vista Class.  Book a sailing on the Excel Class and you'll see an even better Carnival.  The Mardi Gras is currently out of Port Canaveral, the Celebration starts in November from Miami and the Jubilee starts in November of 2023 from Galveston. 

[CruizinSusan70]

20 hours ago, SoCalTraveler said:

We have only been on one Carnival cruise (see below) and multiple Princess cruises.  The comparison is that we took three day cruises out of San Pedro/Long Beach on both Carnival and Princess.

 

Carnival was a booze cruise.  Plenty of folks were tanked all the time.  I don't mind people drinking beer; it's the bartenders leaving the caps slightly on in a bucket of a six pack.  The drinkers left the caps everywhere around the pools and spas.  Glasses for mixed drinks and soda were around the pools and spas and one night someone broke two.  By the time we left the bartenders had still not rounded up anyone to clean the broken glass.

 

On Carnival, one night we were in the Jacuzzi on the fantail, where there were two Jacuzzi's side by side.  After removing beer bottle caps from the edge of the Jacuzzi (left by folks still sitting in the Jacuzzi who could not be bothered to just throw the caps into the bucket), we were treated to a couple in the next Jacuzzi, how should I say it? enjoying themselves.  The crew did not care.

 

On Carnival, the folks in the room next to us had kids who thought pounding on our common wall was neat.  At 6:00 a.m. each morning.  When a ship officer could not get them to stop, he told us there was nothing he could do.

 

On Carnival, food service was slow; no matter how slow the food service was actually getting a drink or a bottle of wine at dinner was slower.  (We would have spent more on booze had they only been prepared to actually sell it. )  We had two food incidents that were amusing.  My son wanted tater tots with his breakfast.  The waiter brought two on a full size dinner plate.  My son wanted more.  The waiter said he could only bring two at a time.  (We're talking about tater tots here.)  I then asked for tater tots for everyone (we were a family of 12) and the waiter brought 12 dinner plates with two tater tots on each.  And one morning my request for English breakfast tea took an hour and the assistance of the maitre'd to get the three components, hot water, tea bag and cup.

 

Full disclosure:  we own stock in Carnival and have used the shareholder benefit.

 

I think there's a difference.

A single Carnival cruise with a bad experience obviously does not signal that this happens 100% of the time.  But there are many who will believe second hand information and run with it.  

It really does not matter too much, many people already have their preconceived ideas regarding Carnival and reading a few posts on here is not going to change their minds.  Similar to only blue hairs sail on HAL and you need to maneuver the walkers, wheelchairs and scooters.