Looking to Leave My Booked Celebrity Cruise. How’s Carnival?

[Cruzinforpeace***]

I don’t know if any folks on the Carnival threads have seen some of the Celebrity threads but it’s a “bloodbath” over there.  Lots of cuts to service and food and increases in pricing.  We are still within our window to cancel our July cruise on the Celebrity Summit.  We’ve cruised Carnival in the past and loved it; our last cruise with them was in 2014.  Are there any recent cruisers who can report back on any major cutbacks at that moment at Carnival?  

[LPut714]

7 minutes ago, Cruzinforpeace*** said:

I don’t know if any folks on the Carnival threads have seen some of the Celebrity threads but it’s a “bloodbath” over there.  Lots of cuts to service and food and increases in pricing.  We are still within our window to cancel our July cruise on the Celebrity Summit.  We’ve cruised Carnival in the past and loved it; our last cruise with them was in 2014.  Are there any recent cruisers who can report back on any major cutbacks at that moment at Carnival?  

Tips are going up, cabin serviced once a day, limited staff in venues

We have done mainly RC and Carnival-trying our first Celebrity in March. Think all cruise lines going thru cuts and changes

[EngIceDave]

Prices are still cheap.

Food has dropped a little on quality, as has service (understaff issue?)

Seems more nickel and dime-y with all the add ons with food, this that and the other....they still charge $3 for popcorn at poolside movies?

 

[Cruzinforpeace***]

Seems like cruising in general is going downhill fast.  So sad.

[Tink10]

We've been on several NCL cruises & I can honestly say I didn't really enjoy any of them. We took our first Carnival cruise and I'm totally sold on them.

[Eli_6]

I have been lurking on the Celebrity board lately, too, as I am considering booking a cruise on a sailing itinerary that Carnival doesn't offer.  I agree that however much unhappiness is here due to cutbacks, it seems to be ten-fold over there. 

 

I have been surprised at how all of the "extras" on Celebrity are almost double (or more) on Celebrity vs what they cost on Carnival.  There are no self-service laundry rooms.  Laundry on Carnival is $15 a bag vs $35-50 on Celebrity.  $9.95 delivery fee for room service per order on top of the price of the food and a 20 percent gratuity.  Carnival has a small charge for room service(other than breakfast which is free), but it isn't much by comparison. It appears that drink packages are $90-120 per day per person versus $59.95 on Carnival.  Wifi is $35 per day on Celebrity vs $16-18 on Carnival.  It makes me reconsider my views on Carnival in a good way.  Especially since the price of an inside room is a balcony on Carnival...and a balcony on Celebrity is the price of a suite on Carnival...and the price of The Retreat on Celebrity (at least what is on the website) is really high. 

Edited January 17, 2023 by Eli_6

[SRQbeachgirl]

22 minutes ago, Cruzinforpeace*** said:

I don’t know if any folks on the Carnival threads have seen some of the Celebrity threads but it’s a “bloodbath” over there.  Lots of cuts to service and food and increases in pricing.  We are still within our window to cancel our July cruise on the Celebrity Summit.  We’ve cruised Carnival in the past and loved it; our last cruise with them was in 2014.  Are there any recent cruisers who can report back on any major cutbacks at that moment at Carnival?  

 

We're leaving on our first Celebrity cruise next Sunday and I'm trying not to let the X threads put a damper on the single-digit dance I'm doing. 

 

If you're looking for the best experience Carnival has to offer, choose one of the new ships. The dining venues are top notch and the ships have so much to offer that you won't even notice any small cutbacks.

[Eli_6]

As an aside, if you like a little bit nicer experience, I highly recommend the Havana area on the Vista Class Carnival ships.  It is (IMO) one of the best experiences for the $ on a ship. If you want to go a little more expensive, get an aft corner excel balcony (with your own hot tub on your own huge deck) on the Excel class ships and get free access to Loft 19.  

[Cruzinforpeace***]

21 minutes ago, Eli_6 said:

As an aside, if you like a little bit nicer experience, I highly recommend the Havana area on the Vista Class Carnival ships.  It is (IMO) one of the best experiences for the $ on a ship. If you want to go a little more expensive, get an aft corner excel balcony (with your own hot tub on your own huge deck) on the Excel class ships and get free access to Loft 19.  

I was thinking of switching to the Venezia sailing out of NYC.  I see they have a type of “suite privilege” area which looks really nice.  Is that a Vista class ship or something totally new?

[Eli_6]

20 minutes ago, Cruzinforpeace*** said:

I was thinking of switching to the Venezia sailing out of NYC.  I see they have a type of “suite privilege” area which looks really nice.  Is that a Vista class ship or something totally new?

Yes.  It is a Costa ship that was converted to Carnival ship. Costa is a brand owned by Carnival. However, this particular lay out was in the same class on Costa as the "Vista" class is on Carnival if that makes sense.  (Same ship layout/time period.)  The only difference is that the Venezia doesn't have a pool in the area, but it does have two hot tubs.  I also think the Venezia is a little bit nicer ship than the Vista class Carnival ships and I think they are doing some sort of specialty brunch and a sail away party.   

 

Costa also sold Carnival the Firenze (same layout as the Venezia) so that ship will be out of Long Beach.  

[Georgia_Peaches]

1 hour ago, SRQbeachgirl said:

 

We're leaving on our first Celebrity cruise next Sunday and I'm trying not to let the X threads put a damper on the single-digit dance I'm doing. 

 

If you're looking for the best experience Carnival has to offer, choose one of the new ships. The dining venues are top notch and the ships have so much to offer that you won't even notice any small cutbacks.

So glad you’re not getting distracted by the negativity. All cruise lines are suffering cutbacks. I’m a celebrity regular. Have a March cruise coming up. I know it’s going to be different from my cruise with them in 2019. I just keep telling myself that there was a period of time from April 2020 to the restart that I would have given anything to be on a cruise again. Anyone who thinks that everything would just spring back to the way it was is just not thinking straight. I believe in the long run, if the cruise lines survive, things will begin to bounce back but it will take time. Enjoy your celebrity cruise!

[cruisinqt]

Even though Carnival has made some cutbacks they aren’t super bad cutbacks like some cruise lines are doing. And they’ve tried to soothe our anger about the cutbacks by adding more free restaurants like Shaquille O’Neil’s Big Chicken and Chibang on the Excel Class ships. And when they added the new specialty restaurants Cucina Del Capitano and JiJi’s Asian they made lunch there free which is nice. 

[john91498]

Having sailed with both lines, there's no comparison between Celebrity and Carnival. Celebrity is a much better product. Yes, you'll pay more, but you get what you pay for.

 

The only reason we sail Carnival instead of Celebrity is because Carnival has a much better kids' programs and the Waterworks.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

7 hours ago, SRQbeachgirl said:

 

We're leaving on our first Celebrity cruise next Sunday and I'm trying not to let the X threads put a damper on the single-digit dance I'm doing. 

 

If you're looking for the best experience Carnival has to offer, choose one of the new ships. The dining venues are top notch and the ships have so much to offer that you won't even notice any small cutbacks.

 

We love the Reflection!

 

Don't miss the specialty burger lunch at the Lawn Club Grill nor their cookie dessert (in the evening), also give The Porch a try! Oh, keep an eye out for the brownies at Café al Bacio (they'll show up a couple of days during the week - I probably ate 6-8 of those! Be sure to check out Le Petit Chef as well.

 

Ah - food !

 

🙂

 

Tom

 

 

 

[gkbiiii]

16 hours ago, Eli_6 said:

I have been lurking on the Celebrity board lately, too, as I am considering booking a cruise on a sailing itinerary that Carnival doesn't offer.  I agree that however much unhappiness is here due to cutbacks, it seems to be ten-fold over there. 

 

I have been surprised at how all of the "extras" on Celebrity are almost double (or more) on Celebrity vs what they cost on Carnival.  There are no self-service laundry rooms.  Laundry on Carnival is $15 a bag vs $35-50 on Celebrity.  $9.95 delivery fee for room service per order on top of the price of the food and a 20 percent gratuity.  Carnival has a small charge for room service(other than breakfast which is free), but it isn't much by comparison. It appears that drink packages are $90-120 per day per person versus $59.95 on Carnival.  Wifi is $35 per day on Celebrity vs $16-18 on Carnival.  It makes me reconsider my views on Carnival in a good way.  Especially since the price of an inside room is a balcony on Carnival...and a balcony on Celebrity is the price of a suite on Carnival...and the price of The Retreat on Celebrity (at least what is on the website) is really high. 

I spent my second Christmas in a row, on Apex and everything you are saying is true.  One cruise away from Royal Diamond Plus (Elite on Celebrity), noticed the "Nickel & Diming," worse than Royal, on par with NCL!  The pricing onboard, everything from drinks, to Wifi, was absolutely ridiculously priced!  Comped gelato from last year, is now charged high pricing, while free ice cream is made from powdered milk (like Virgin).  The food & service was better on Explorer of the Seas (pre-menu change).

[gkbiiii]

16 hours ago, SRQbeachgirl said:

 

We're leaving on our first Celebrity cruise next Sunday and I'm trying not to let the X threads put a damper on the single-digit dance I'm doing. 

 

If you're looking for the best experience Carnival has to offer, choose one of the new ships. The dining venues are top notch and the ships have so much to offer that you won't even notice any small cutbacks.

I am booked on Celebration for September, but really want to try Venezia!  It looks to by far, the most Lux ship in Carnie fleet.  Italian style, with American standards. 

[CruizinSusan70]

In general everybody that is loyal to a particular line is complaining about cutbacks, eliminations, price increases, etc.  It's the same on Carnival, Royal, NCL, Celebrity and Princess.

If you cruise on the newer toys of each fleet you should have a better time.  The Mardi Gras and Celebration are a notch above the rest of the Carnival fleet. Some Carnival cruisers will disagree, but then again they probably have not cruises in comparable new large ships in the NCL or RCI fleets.  The Prima on NCL and the Edge Class ships on X all take it up a notch and the cutbacks will be less.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

23 minutes ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

...

If you cruise on the newer toys of each fleet you should have a better time.  The Mardi Gras and Celebration are a notch above the rest of the Carnival fleet...

I agree!

 

On my (eventual) "to do" list: Wonder, Beyond, Icon... (oh... and Prima)

 

Tom

[CruizinSusan70]

12 minutes ago, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

I agree!

 

On my (eventual) "to do" list: Wonder, Beyond, Icon...

 

Tom

Currently booked on an 18 day B2B in November on the Beyond and a 14 day B2B on the Wonder April of 2024.  Will wait and see about the Icon Class.  Next up is our 14 day B2B on the Prima in five weeks.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

7 minutes ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

Currently booked on an 18 day B2B in November on the Beyond and a 14 day B2B on the Wonder April of 2024.  Will wait and see about the Icon Class.  Next up is our 14 day B2B on the Prima in five weeks.

 

We were booked on the 2/26 Prima (nice aft corner suite w/hot tub), but I bailed on the ~$13-14k price tag and went with the Mardi Gras that week instead (aft corner excel, and saved over $10k - CHEERS included... hard to pass up)!

 

What was your opinion of MSC?

 

Tom

[CruizinSusan70]

1 minute ago, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

 

We were booked on the 2/26 Prima (nice aft corner suite w/hot tub), but I bailed on the ~$13-14k price tag and went with the Mardi Gras that week instead (aft corner excel, and saved over $10k - CHEERS included... hard to pass up)!

 

What was your opinion of MSC?

 

Tom

We did one MSC cruise back in January of 2018 on the Seaside.  We stayed in an inside cabin in the Yacht Club.  We enjoyed it, but the entertainment was too European influenced and no piano bar or comedy club was a disappointment.  The ship though was beautiful and we're going to give them another shot this July out of Brooklyn on the Meraviglia.  Since we now stay in HC cabins, we couldn't stay in an inside HC cabin in the YC because they don't have any on that particular ship.  But, the price point was great.  About 1600 all in for the two of us with their second level drink package included.

 

If you're interested in a Prima Class sailing out of Florida, the only one for later this year and next is the 12/16/23 sailing of the Viva.  Otherwise you'll have to wait till 2025 for the third ship to come out.  All of the other Viva sailings are out of San Juan or Europe and the Prima leaves FLA in March.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

7 minutes ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

We did one MSC cruise back in January of 2018 on the Seaside.  We stayed in an inside cabin in the Yacht Club.  We enjoyed it, but the entertainment was too European influenced and no piano bar or comedy club was a disappointment.  The ship though was beautiful and we're going to give them another shot this July out of Brooklyn on the Meraviglia.  Since we now stay in HC cabins, we couldn't stay in an inside HC cabin in the YC because they don't have any on that particular ship.  But, the price point was great.  About 1600 all in for the two of us with their second level drink package included.

 

If you're interested in a Prima Class sailing out of Florida, the only one for later this year and next is the 12/16/23 sailing of the Viva.  Otherwise you'll have to wait till 2025 for the third ship to come out.  All of the other Viva sailings are out of San Juan or Europe and the Prima leaves FLA in March.

 

Thanks !

 

Yes, NCL moves their ships around (more than about any other line)!

 

I'd love to see a Solstice class (too much to hope for the newer Edge class) out of Pt. Canaveral - and be a brief 20ish minute drive to the port!!

 

Tom

[sparks1093]

I started noticing a decline in the quality of every day products right at the start of the pandemic and it has only gotten worse. Staffing shortages and supply chain issues abound in every industry right now. I see empty shelves at my grocery store and businesses struggling to get product to sell. This obviously affects cruising and until I start seeing an improvement overall in retail I'm going to chalk any changes in cruising up to similar issues. The cruise lines were hard hit by the pandemic, as was the rest of the hospitality industry. So in addition to the supply chain issues and the staffing issues they have to recoup some of the financial losses they endured. It will be a long road back.

[jimbob22]

18 hours ago, Cruzinforpeace*** said:

I don’t know if any folks on the Carnival threads have seen some of the Celebrity threads but it’s a “bloodbath” over there.  Lots of cuts to service and food and increases in pricing.  We are still within our window to cancel our July cruise on the Celebrity Summit.  We’ve cruised Carnival in the past and loved it; our last cruise with them was in 2014.  Are there any recent cruisers who can report back on any major cutbacks at that moment at Carnival?  

Portion size and quality seem to have dropped a bit in the complimentary, menu-based places (mdr, chibang, etc.).  The quick-serve foods on Carnival are really good.  

[kwokpot]

If you're used to Celebrity and annoyed about the cost cutting please don't go on Carnival thinking you'll get a better cruise experience. You won't. They are totally different types of cruiselines. The food is no comparison. All the angst on the Celebrity board about cutbacks at the dinner buffet; Carnival's dinner buffet is even LESS, and that's true even on their newest flagship, the Celebration. 

Diamond on Carnival with 26 cruises, Elite+ on Celebrity with 23. Celebrity still is our favorite line. 

What I would suggest is try Virgin Voyages. I'm actually on the Valiant Lady as I type this. Second cruise with them and the food is in general better than Celebrity and miles ahead of Carnival. The sweets are the best of any mainstream cruiseline. Here are some photos of all the yummy sweets from the cruise I'm on right now!