What’s so “fun” about Carnival?

[LatinaInTexas]

Here is my take on the subject. My first 2 cruises were on RC. They were both comped cruises otherwise I probably wouldn't have tried cruising twice. I didn't know anything about cruising. Prior to this most of my vacations had been to Vegas. One of  first thing I noticed was that even though we were in our late 50s it seemed we were among the youngest people on the ship. People seemed polite but reserved. At the end of these cruises I honestly felt cruising wasn't for me, it was too quiet, too laid back, too slow paced. I know people enjoy this type of vacation but I found out I don't.

 

Then I got the chance to go on another comp cruise and it was on Carnival a different line so I decided to give cruising one more shot. Woweee it was like night and day. From the moment I stepped on the ship you could see and feel a certain vibe. Lots of younger passengers, outgoing, friendly people that would actually talk to you. Sailaway was crazy to watch, loud, high energy level, everywhere you looked people were having FUN.

 

This cruise I learned what I cruise director was. It's not just the guy in a suit that did an intro for production shows like on RC. On Carnival it was a person usually dressed in some type of costume depending on what was happening. They are approachable, you will see them around the ship at all hours talking to people. They are funny, they are active, they are everywhere, seemingly all the time, making sure everyone was included and having FUN. They keep you up to date with timely announcements so you knew what was going on. And there was a lot of FUN things going on, all kinds of theme nights and other happenings, Trivia is not the highlight lol.

 

And yes comedy on Carnival is like no other, not to be missed. When it says adult comedy it means it. I know Carnival gets a bad rap about it's class or lack of class passengers. Sure there will be a few occasions where you might cringe at something but it's usually in a funny way. I have found the passengers on Carnival for the most part to be really friendly and interesting to talk to.

 

It's hard to put into words what makes Carnival so FUN. It's a certain Vibe, a certain energy. People seem more open minded so you don't feel you will be judged when you are having FUN. I seriously haven't found this special vibe on the other cruiselines I have sailed on. I have had very nice cruises on RC, MSC and NCL but can't say I had FUN. You will see for yourself it's the real deal 😁

 

 

 

[hard_eight]

They got Shaq, duh!

[Bound4Bermuda]

I appreciate everyone’s answers! That makes a lot of sense of it just being an overall vibe in how people act/interact moreso than any specific activity. My first two cruises with just my husband were a bit more “fun” in terms of making friends with other passengers that we hung out with throughout the cruise. My next two cruises with the kids we mostly kept within our family. And our last cruise on Oasis, my teen was off with new friends every night, and sometimes I just went to shows by myself if my husband went to bed early, so I did feel a little lonely sometimes in this massive ship surrounded by people. It sounds like it will probably be a little easier to strike up conversations with people on Carnival or even just feel a little freer vibing by myself if my husband falls asleep on me again without feeling like a lonely weirdo. Thanks, all! You made me excited for this FUN Carnival cruise!

[icft]

Carnival, intentionally or by happenstance, has traditionally attempted to be the sea going equivalent of the post WWII British "holiday camps."

 

The holiday camps started before the war (when the first were actual camps with tents) but their heyday was after the war. They were land based lodging with organized activities for the guests to keep them onsite. While it really doesn't capture the feel, this link has some information. Note all the entertainment options:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holiday_camp

 

The true essence of the holiday camps, in my opinion, was they pulled the guests into activities. They didn't just have things available they pushed you into engaging. Many a family laughed for years over what dad ended up finding himself doing.

 

The extent to which Carnival still has that approach or is effective in that approach is questionable these days but that is what the "Fun Ship" is all about.

[sgttami]

5 minutes ago, Bound4Bermuda said:

I appreciate everyone’s answers! That makes a lot of sense of it just being an overall vibe in how people act/interact moreso than any specific activity. My first two cruises with just my husband were a bit more “fun” in terms of making friends with other passengers that we hung out with throughout the cruise. My next two cruises with the kids we mostly kept within our family. And our last cruise on Oasis, my teen was off with new friends every night, and sometimes I just went to shows by myself if my husband went to bed early, so I did feel a little lonely sometimes in this massive ship surrounded by people. It sounds like it will probably be a little easier to strike up conversations with people on Carnival or even just feel a little freer vibing by myself if my husband falls asleep on me again without feeling like a lonely weirdo. Thanks, all! You made me excited for this FUN Carnival cruise!

Just to add:  I have cruised RCL and Carnival equally (15 each) and they were always with friends/family.

 

My sister and I did the first Carnival together and other than that time, all my Carnival's have been solo.  I knew after that first one that I would have no problem going alone because everyone on Carnival was super friendly and easy to talk to.  It was just more FUN!

 

I also like that I meet a lot of repeat cruisers, especially when going from Baltimore.  There's a couple that cruise every month and I saw them on every Pride cruise I was on.  They come right over and start chatting.  Sometimes just hanging out and meeting new people is all the fun I need.

 

Enjoy!

[Bound4Bermuda]

6 hours ago, kdr69 said:

How far back are you reading lol....For me its not just the activities but the entire atmosphere on board feels FUN.

Well, I did read all 63 pages of this thread going back 19 years! 😆
https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/92066-what-is-the-wildestcraziest-thing-youve-ever-seen-on-a-cruise/

[ARcruisin2]

15 minutes ago, Bound4Bermuda said:

Well, I did read all 63 pages of this thread going back 19 years! 😆
https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/92066-what-is-the-wildestcraziest-thing-youve-ever-seen-on-a-cruise/

Absolute all-time best thread ever!!!

[FastShip24]

8 hours ago, Bound4Bermuda said:

I’ve been diligently reading this board for the past few months in preparation for my first Carnival cruise. (Usually a Royal cruiser.) And I keep reading over and over that Carnival is more fun than any other cruiseline. But the activities listed as examples—trivia, Love & Marriage, Quest, the assorted belly flop contest and other pool games, etc—are the exact same games you’d find on Royal. So what am I missing that sets this cruiseline apart as “fun”? 

 

This is not meant to be antagonistic. Simply excited for my Venezia trip in 17 days and want a little more detail on what I have to look forward to. I feel like I’ve missed picking up on the key differentiator here when i keep reading how FUN it is—but not sure what the posters mean by that. So far, the biggest takeaway from months of reading here is that there are more comedy shows (but fewer production shows), and people seem to be big fans of Guy’s Burgers and the other lunch stands.

 

So, is Carnival truly more “fun,” or did their Fun Ship marketing campaign just really take hold? 

They are livelier 

[WhaleTailFlCruiser]

8 hours ago, Bound4Bermuda said:

I’ve been diligently reading this board for the past few months in preparation for my first Carnival cruise. (Usually a Royal cruiser.) And I keep reading over and over that Carnival is more fun than any other cruiseline. But the activities listed as examples—trivia, Love & Marriage, Quest, the assorted belly flop contest and other pool games, etc—are the exact same games you’d find on Royal. So what am I missing that sets this cruiseline apart as “fun”? 

 

This is not meant to be antagonistic. Simply excited for my Venezia trip in 17 days and want a little more detail on what I have to look forward to. I feel like I’ve missed picking up on the key differentiator here when i keep reading how FUN it is—but not sure what the posters mean by that. So far, the biggest takeaway from months of reading here is that there are more comedy shows (but fewer production shows), and people seem to be big fans of Guy’s Burgers and the other lunch stands.

 

So, is Carnival truly more “fun,” or did their Fun Ship marketing campaign just really take hold? 

 

Sail Away parties on Carnival are probably the best of any cruise line along with the comedy shows. Carnival is also a very laid-back atmosphere when compared to other cruise lines. I have Saild Royal and still prefer Carnival.  

[Kingsmom]

1 hour ago, Bound4Bermuda said:

Well, I did read all 63 pages of this thread going back 19 years! 😆
https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/92066-what-is-the-wildestcraziest-thing-youve-ever-seen-on-a-cruise/

Welp.  Guess what I'm going to be reading for the next few hours? lol 

[craig01020]

What makes Carnival more fun? It's difficult to quantify, but here are a few:

• Dining room menu is not pretentious
• Dancing waiters
• Guy's Burgers for free!
• Friendly passengers (mostly)
• Just regular people having a good time

[Frank12]

5 hours ago, LatinaInTexas said:

Here is my take on the subject. My first 2 cruises were on RC. They were both comped cruises otherwise I probably wouldn't have tried cruising twice. I didn't know anything about cruising. Prior to this most of my vacations had been to Vegas. One of  first thing I noticed was that even though we were in our late 50s it seemed we were among the youngest people on the ship. People seemed polite but reserved. At the end of these cruises I honestly felt cruising wasn't for me, it was too quiet, too laid back, too slow paced. I know people enjoy this type of vacation but I found out I don't.

 

Then I got the chance to go on another comp cruise and it was on Carnival a different line so I decided to give cruising one more shot. Woweee it was like night and day. From the moment I stepped on the ship you could see and feel a certain vibe. Lots of younger passengers, outgoing, friendly people that would actually talk to you. Sailaway was crazy to watch, loud, high energy level, everywhere you looked people were having FUN.

 

This cruise I learned what I cruise director was. It's not just the guy in a suit that did an intro for production shows like on RC. On Carnival it was a person usually dressed in some type of costume depending on what was happening. They are approachable, you will see them around the ship at all hours talking to people. They are funny, they are active, they are everywhere, seemingly all the time, making sure everyone was included and having FUN. They keep you up to date with timely announcements so you knew what was going on. And there was a lot of FUN things going on, all kinds of theme nights and other happenings, Trivia is not the highlight lol.

 

And yes comedy on Carnival is like no other, not to be missed. When it says adult comedy it means it. I know Carnival gets a bad rap about it's class or lack of class passengers. Sure there will be a few occasions where you might cringe at something but it's usually in a funny way. I have found the passengers on Carnival for the most part to be really friendly and interesting to talk to.

 

It's hard to put into words what makes Carnival so FUN. It's a certain Vibe, a certain energy. People seem more open minded so you don't feel you will be judged when you are having FUN. I seriously haven't found this special vibe on the other cruiselines I have sailed on. I have had very nice cruises on RC, MSC and NCL but can't say I had FUN. You will see for yourself it's the real deal 😁

 

 

 

This right here! 

[notscb]

11 hours ago, sanmarcosman said:

skeet shooting from the fantail

Excuse me, but I really need you to expand on this- I need details- and I also might need Carnival to bring this back.

 

 

[IntrepidFromDC]

8 hours ago, LatinaInTexas said:

Here is my take on the subject. My first 2 cruises were on RC. They were both comped cruises otherwise I probably wouldn't have tried cruising twice. I didn't know anything about cruising. Prior to this most of my vacations had been to Vegas. One of  first thing I noticed was that even though we were in our late 50s it seemed we were among the youngest people on the ship. People seemed polite but reserved. At the end of these cruises I honestly felt cruising wasn't for me, it was too quiet, too laid back, too slow paced. I know people enjoy this type of vacation but I found out I don't.

 

Then I got the chance to go on another comp cruise and it was on Carnival a different line so I decided to give cruising one more shot. Woweee it was like night and day. From the moment I stepped on the ship you could see and feel a certain vibe. Lots of younger passengers, outgoing, friendly people that would actually talk to you. Sailaway was crazy to watch, loud, high energy level, everywhere you looked people were having FUN.

 

This cruise I learned what I cruise director was. It's not just the guy in a suit that did an intro for production shows like on RC. On Carnival it was a person usually dressed in some type of costume depending on what was happening. They are approachable, you will see them around the ship at all hours talking to people. They are funny, they are active, they are everywhere, seemingly all the time, making sure everyone was included and having FUN. They keep you up to date with timely announcements so you knew what was going on. And there was a lot of FUN things going on, all kinds of theme nights and other happenings, Trivia is not the highlight lol.

 

And yes comedy on Carnival is like no other, not to be missed. When it says adult comedy it means it. I know Carnival gets a bad rap about it's class or lack of class passengers. Sure there will be a few occasions where you might cringe at something but it's usually in a funny way. I have found the passengers on Carnival for the most part to be really friendly and interesting to talk to.

 

It's hard to put into words what makes Carnival so FUN. It's a certain Vibe, a certain energy. People seem more open minded so you don't feel you will be judged when you are having FUN. I seriously haven't found this special vibe on the other cruiselines I have sailed on. I have had very nice cruises on RC, MSC and NCL but can't say I had FUN. You will see for yourself it's the real deal 😁

 

 

 

I agree with and FEEL what lots of replies are saying, for me Latina's is one of the best at capturing  the FUN atmosphere I LOVE on Carnival.  It's not for everyone but I love it.  Note you're on the Venezia which is a little bit different than standard FUN Carnival - it's "FUN Italian Style" and on my TA cruise on Venezia the fun was still there, but it did seem dialed back a bit.  So if you cruise Venezia and don't see what we're all talking about, try Mardi Gras.

[Honolulu Blue]

19 hours ago, sanmarcosman said:

We still have fun on our Carnival cruises after the 32 years we have sailed with them. Are there some fun activities we miss? Sure. I miss para-mutual betting and the excitement of the poolside horse races and skeet shooting from the fantail. Today there are two comedy acts a night which is a fun tradeoff. With Carnival our experience has been when one fun activity is discontinued something fun takes its place. 

 

They still do horse races on the Journeys cruises.  I think the horses were better looking on the Breeze back in January 2020:

 

[Cruise till you drop]

On 6/30/2023 at 6:58 AM, Bound4Bermuda said:

 

 

So, is Carnival truly more “fun,” or did their Fun Ship marketing campaign just really take hold? 

1.  We’ve sailed on other lines like Princess and Celebrity and those ships don’t have a water slide, kids water park, rock climbing wall, etc.

 

2. It’s fun to watch drunk people do dumb stuff 😂 

Edited July 1, 2023 by Cruise till you drop

[Eli_6]

I sail Carnival primarily because it is kid friendly without being the price of chartering a yacht (ahem, Disney).  

 

I do think the atmosphere is fun, though.  Comedy club, deck parties, etc. 

[sanmarcosman]

12 hours ago, notscb said:

Excuse me, but I really need you to expand on this- I need details- and I also might need Carnival to bring this back.

The shotguns were locked away in the early '90s and never returned. I seriously doubt the days of firing live ammunition from a ship will ever return. It makes for a great memory however. 

[notscb]

19 minutes ago, sanmarcosman said:

were locked away in the early '90s and never returned.

Not surprised, but this looks really cool. I've always wondered why they don't do golf off of the ship with those bio-degradable fish food golf balls. I'm sure they don't want people thinking they can just throw anything overboard, but I love the creativity of the skeet style activities.

[sanmarcosman]

6 minutes ago, notscb said:

Not surprised, but this looks really cool. I've always wondered why they don't do golf off of the ship with those bio-degradable fish food golf balls. I'm sure they don't want people thinking they can just throw anything overboard, but I love the creativity of the skeet style activities.

I first used a fantail as a driving range on Cunard's QE2 when standard golf balls were used. By the late '80s over the side driving was discontinued and the on board golf pro had us use a driving range net to work on our swing. 

The range net is something that could be brought back to add more fun to Carnival but I doubt there would be a golf pro there. Good times.

[carol louise]

I agree Carnival lives up to the “fun” description. I have noticed that the cruise directors on Carnival seem usually to have come from an entertainment field, while the CD on some other lines I’ve cruised had a hotel/hospitality background.

[carol louise]

Another difference I’ve noticed on Carnival compared to other lines I’ve cruised on is more activities in which the passengers participate, many of them simple things like crafts or a beanbag toss, as well as pool games and shows that involve audience volunteers—these latter two being led by very funny Carnival cruise staff. My sister and I laughed ourselves silly watching a pool contest between two teams of volunteers who were given about 20 minutes to devise a synchronized swimming performance, complete with music. 

[teknoge3k]

On 6/30/2023 at 6:58 AM, Bound4Bermuda said:

I’ve been diligently reading this board for the past few months in preparation for my first Carnival cruise. (Usually a Royal cruiser.) And I keep reading over and over that Carnival is more fun than any other cruiseline. But the activities listed as examples—trivia, Love & Marriage, Quest, the assorted belly flop contest and other pool games, etc—are the exact same games you’d find on Royal. So what am I missing that sets this cruiseline apart as “fun”? 

 

This is not meant to be antagonistic. Simply excited for my Venezia trip in 17 days and want a little more detail on what I have to look forward to. I feel like I’ve missed picking up on the key differentiator here when i keep reading how FUN it is—but not sure what the posters mean by that. So far, the biggest takeaway from months of reading here is that there are more comedy shows (but fewer production shows), and people seem to be big fans of Guy’s Burgers and the other lunch stands.

 

So, is Carnival truly more “fun,” or did their Fun Ship marketing campaign just really take hold? 

 

We sail Carnival regularly and also sail Royal. We just got off of a Royal ship 2 weeks ago and are sailing with Carnival next week. The Love & Marriage show and Quest are night and day differences on each cruise line. On Royal, they both seem to be family friendly and are very, very tame and watered down. It's something you could take your children and great grandmother to. On Carnival, it's more geared for the adults and the adults have more fun at them. I think those 2 shows are pretty lame on Royal but are fantastic on Carnival. Also the casino seems to pay out more on Carnival, is more lively and has more games. Carnival also has activities going late into the night whereas Royal goes to bed by midnight. There's also more alcohol flowing it seems on Carnival vs Royal. On Carnival, everyone seems to have a fruity concoction in their hands at all times, whereas Royal you don't see as much alcohol. 

 

Carnival also has much better food and is way more plentiful than Royal. We enjoy sailing Royal and they are more alike than different, but Carnival just seems to be more fun and relaxed, at least for my family. We'll sail both lines but prefer Carnival.

[EllieinNJ]

Just came off our second experience on Carnival with the Carnival Pride.  Our CD was Frankie Portera.  He was very friendly and bubbly and was always visible around the ship.  But he spoke so fast that it was sometimes a chore to understand him, especially on stage.  His #1 fun squad person was Edwin from Mexico.  He was the host at the Punchliners comedy club and trivia.  His accent was so thick that it was also hard to understand him, especially for trivia.  I went twice then gave up. 

 

Otherwise I did enjoy all that Carnival offers.  I particularly enjoyed the crew dancing in the main dining room.  I have 3 more Carnival cruises booked. 

[ChuckF]

Done other lines just to see what they're like, but always come back to Carnival for the Fun. They advertise as being the Fun Ships, and they really work at it.  From the CD throughout the crew. If you ever get a chance to do the Behind the Scenes tour, you'll see the emphasis they place on passenger engagement, remembering names, and just overall customer service. On Royal, the only time our MDR waiter said anything to us besides taking our order was on the last night, i.e., tip night. Carnival's friendliness and fun attitude permeates throughout the crew and is generally contagious amongst the passengers.  IMHO