RCCL - hopefully better than Carnival?

[KY Transplant]

Is RCCL better than Carnival?

 

Oh gosh yes!

 

Carnival is like the KMart of Cruise lines. Except for the Carnival Holiday, they are more like Bill's Dollar Store.:p Bad...just plain bad.:(

 

Carnival appeals to a more uncouth, lower income crowd while RCCL draws an older more sophisticated crowd.

 

The best ship I have ever cruised on (so far) has been the Grandeur of the Seas. Not their largest ship but it was large enough for me.

 

I particularly enjoyed the adults only solarium. Nice pool and hot tubs in a roman bath style setting with an adjacent snack bar.

 

The common rooms were well appointed as where the cabins. The courtesy & service of the staff has been unsurpased. Our headwaiter in particular was a delight to have come around at your table as he did every evening to make sure our needs were being met. The humor of Capt. Rob was great. I really looked forward to his daily messages.

 

RCCL , in my opinion, will change your husbands mind about cruising. Their price tag may be a bit higher, but when the sweetness of low price fades, the quality that you recieve will echo on.

[lvtotrvl1]

KY, sorry but you did not address any of the OP's concerns. In addition some of your remarks are way out of line.

[Sandi149]

Is RCCL better than Carnival?

 

Oh gosh yes!

 

Carnival is like the KMart of Cruise lines. Except for the Carnival Holiday, they are more like Bill's Dollar Store.:p Bad...just plain bad.:(

 

Carnival appeals to a more uncouth, lower income crowd while RCCL draws an older more sophisticated crowd.

 

.

 

You mean the uncouth, lower income crowd such as my husband and I in the picture below. :rolleyes: This picture was taken at our son's Bar Mitzvah at a very upscale country club on the north shore of Long Island. ;) Notice that my husband was wearing a tux and I was in a ballgown. Do we fit into your stereotype??? You didn't like the food, service, entertainment, etc. on Carnival, that is fine with me, but don't go saying that people that sail Carnival are trash . Totally rude and untrue remark that you just made. :mad:

 

 

[alphakitty]

You mean the uncouth, lower income crowd such as my husband and I in the picture below. :rolleyes: This picture was taken at our son's Bar Mitzvah at a very upscale country club on the north shore of Long Island. ;) Notice that my husband was wearing a tux and I was in a ballgown. Do we fit into your stereotype??? You didn't like the food, service, entertainment, etc. on Carnival, that is fine with me, but don't go saying that people that sail Carnival are trash . Totally rude and untrue remark that you just made. :mad:

 

 

 

Sandi you like like a fine upstanding couple to me. ;)

 

That old stereotype just won't die <sigh> ..... I agree....calling Carnival cruisers uncouth and lower income is insulting! and...well, uncouth! :p

[Sandi149]

Sandi you like like a fine upstanding couple to me. ;)

 

That old stereotype just won't die <sigh> ..... I agree....calling Carnival cruisers uncouth and lower income is insulting! and...well, uncouth! :p

 

Thanks alphakitty. :)

[klfhngr]

Hubby and I did our first cruise as a 7 nighter on the Carnival Valor (their largest ship) last August. There were quite a few things that we did not like very much, and we're hoping that RCCL is different, so I'd appreciate any answers you guys can give me - I'm trying to convince DH to give cruising another try with RCCL.

For one, (probably my biggest issue) I thought there would be a large selection of good food at almost any time. The choices for breakfast were the buffet or the dining room, and then at lunch time there was a grill with burgers and such, a pizza place, a fish-n-chips, an asian place, and the buffet. The food was mediocre at best and the buffet did not have much of a selection (and I am not very picky), and after 5pm the only thing that was left open was the buffet, the dining room, or the pizza, and the buffet was over around 8:30. Plus, the seating anywhere other than the dining room was not very nice, and crowded, we usually had to sit outside near the pool to eat.

Also, the only thing that I was really interested in doing on the pool deck (since the ONLY pool was about the size of my interior stateroom - not kidding, we thought it was the kiddie pool at first) was the slide, and it closed at 4pm! So, you got back on board after your shore excursions, or try to wait until it's not crazy crowded and no slide. Bummer. Does everything on RCCL's ships stay open late? (rock climbing, ice skating rink, etc.)

I'm trying to get a better picture of what RCCL will be like, so any info to help me decide would be much appreciated!!!

 

Wow, we went on the Valor last year and had a great time! Wonder what happened...

[trishalee]

Carnival's food and the TONS of choices available blew me away after 13 RCI cruises. So much variety on the Lido deck - just loved it.

[kruz]

I can't answer you questions yet but after 17 RCCL cruises I am gonna give Carnival a try!

Really looking forward to it!

[98Charlie]

Is RCCL better than Carnival?

 

Oh gosh yes!

 

 

The best ship I have ever cruised on (so far) has been the Grandeur of the Seas. Not their largest ship but it was large enough for me.

 

 

 

Found this rather interesting. of the 21 cruises we have sailed so far on many, many different ships spanning 5 different cruiselines, GOS comes in next to last on our list of ship enjoyment.

 

Different strokes for different folks.

 

Dianne

[judyblu]

Even within each cruise line, each ship has different offerings.

Each cruiser IMO needs to try different ships to see what you like or don't like. I have been on ships that I did not like at all and ships that I cried when I had to leave because I didn't want to get off. My personal favorite is RCL and my favorite ship is Mariner of the Seas.

 

Happy cruising to all:)

[Tapi]

Is RCCL better than Carnival?

 

Oh gosh yes!

 

Carnival is like the KMart of Cruise lines. Except for the Carnival Holiday, they are more like Bill's Dollar Store.:p Bad...just plain bad.:(

 

Carnival appeals to a more uncouth, lower income crowd while RCCL draws an older more sophisticated crowd.

 

 

My jaw actually dropped when I read your response to this, mainly because it proves to me that personal opinions can vary WILDLY from one person to another.

 

I actually had the pleasure of sailing on the Holiday in October, and although it's indeed one of the oldest and smallest ships I've sailed on recently, the "Bill's Dollar Store" reference is far from fair. I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the food, fellow passengers, and professionalism of the employees, not only onboard, but also at the cruise terminal (and before you start thinking that I thought fellow passengers were nice because I'm low class or trashy myself, my education level is thankfully privileged).

 

Does RCCL cater to an older, more sophisticated crowd? That can be debated. I have definitely seen some sophisticaed passengers on RCCL, but I've also seen some passengers who wouldn't be described as that. The same applies to Carnival.

 

Ironically, to this day, the worst group of fellow passengers that I've ever cruised with was found on an RCCL cruise. But I refuse to generalize and say that ALL RCCL passengers are trashy or unsophisticated.

 

Unfortunately people that have never cruised before will read posts like yours and not realize how biased your response is. It's shameful at best...

[klfhngr]

I did get bored on Carnival, and I am not a foodie, so food is really of minimal importance to me. I like to have a lot of activities available.;)

 

Dirtgirl, you got bored?!?! How??!?! They have plenty of bars, nice pool and club, what else can you ask for?!?

[SDPadreFan]

Is RCCL better than Carnival?

 

Oh gosh yes!

 

Carnival is like the KMart of Cruise lines. Except for the Carnival Holiday, they are more like Bill's Dollar Store.:p Bad...just plain bad.:(

 

Carnival appeals to a more uncouth, lower income crowd while RCCL draws an older more sophisticated crowd.

 

 

Spoken like someone who truly doesn't have a clue what they are talking about.

[Gonzo70]

Is RCCL better than Carnival?

Oh gosh yes!

Carnival is like the KMart of Cruise lines. Except for the Carnival Holiday, they are more like Bill's Dollar Store.:p Bad...just plain bad.:(

Carnival appeals to a more uncouth, lower income crowd while RCCL draws an older more sophisticated crowd.

 

Wow; most people who have sailed on both lines would vehemently disagree with you. You are basically spewing some stereotypes that people who love Royal Caribbean but are ignorant of Carnival tend to rehash kind of like bashing a rival sports team. Carnival and Royal Caribbean are pretty similar in terms of demographics or passengers and quality of service/food/amenities. There are some differences between the two lines, but they are more alike than different. One is certainly not far superior to the other.

[ebandive]

I agree with Bob. What you were dissapointed in will be pretty much the same on every ship. As other posters have said..cruising is not for everyone and you would probably be much happier with a land based vacation.

 

I third this. In my limited experience, I found the lines very comparable. RCCL had a prettier ship, but that's about it. I cruise because I love the ocean, love going new places, and love not having to worry about where to stay, where to eat, what to do. Just put me on deck, watching the water go by, and I'm happy. :cool: What you are looking for in differences you won't find. I was disappointed because I went on my second cruise with the expectation that RCCL would be even better than my experience with Carnival, and I was simply wrong.

[scopewest]

I find Carnival and RCI similar in many ways. I think OP's husband had expectations that weren't met, for whatever reasons. But I agree that trying RCI in the hopes that he'll like that cruise better is a long shot. I'd go to the nearest travel store, get some brochures from various cruise lines, sit down and read them to see what the lines offer. We all know that ships within a cruise line differ due to size, age, etc. Saying "I want to cruise RCI" without a clue about their ships is like saying "I want a pair of shoes" and grabbing the first pair you see without seeing if the shoes will fit you.

[dirtgirl]

Dirtgirl, you got bored?!?! How??!?! They have plenty of bars, nice pool and club, what else can you ask for?!?

 

 

I love to do things like rock wall climb, mini-golf, skating, etc. ;) I am not a pool person, and can only really lay around in the sun for an hour or so before I am completely bored and antsy. All I really found to do on the Pride was drink, unfortunately!:o There were huge spaces inbetween each activity in their daily newsletter as well. Added to that, I was with 2 other women who didn't want to do anything either on the ship or off. I went on excursions by myself, as I didn't want to lay on a beach. I went to a couple of shows, until the CD pointed me out, and said, "Look at this poor girl all by herself!" :rolleyes:

 

We always ended up at the night club (Beauties??) in the evening, but most nights it was all hip/hop and rap. The DJ would not take requests - there were a lot of people there that really wanted to have them mix it up. The DJ on the Vision, Conrad, was fantastic, and would take requests. So, the younger people got their Soulja Boy, and I got my Love Shack.:p The karaoke place was smoke-filled, and that would involve sitting. I'm not a sitter - always on the go. I did have fun, but would find myself wandering around wondering what to do next. I usually ended up at the pool bar!:o

[98Charlie]

I find Carnival and RCI similar in many ways. I think OP's husband had expectations that weren't met, for whatever reasons. But I agree that trying RCI in the hopes that he'll like that cruise better is a long shot. I'd go to the nearest travel store, get some brochures from various cruise lines, sit down and read them to see what the lines offer. We all know that ships within a cruise line differ due to size, age, etc. Saying "I want to cruise RCI" without a clue about their ships is like saying "I want a pair of shoes" and grabbing the first pair you see without seeing if the shoes will fit you.

 

Love your quote about the shoes.

 

We just got off a Carnival Miracle cruise last month. DH & I cruised with 3 other couples from our hometown. Two of the couples had cruised before on RCCL & HAL. Both of those couples were 7 - 10 years younger than DH & I. Fourth couple, husband was 3 years older than DH & I and wife was 7 years younger than DH & I (we turned 60 late last year).

 

The two couples who had cruised HAL & RCCL said they were bored on the Carnival Cruise, the other couple with the wife of 53 and husband of 63 said they had the time of their life and are looking forward to cruising Carnival again. DH & I and the fourth couple were in the piano bar most nights having a great time while the other two couples were in bed by 10 p.m.

 

Go figure.

 

Dianne

[laseiber]

Sun Princess has a sishi bar, and I their food was a little better than RCCL, but Princess did not so many places to eat. RCCL has more options. I have not cruise Carnival, not in to the party types. We have found that the cheaper the cruise you get less desirable passengers, we had some that smelled wore dirty cloths, came to dinner even formal nights in jeans. Slept in the lounges, and were a little to drunk for me. The day of the midnight buffet (best ever was the Big Red Boat) their desserts were to die for and they had cavier on buffet as well. It was served at Captains party as well. We have been cruising RCCL and love the Mariner as well. We went on the Majesty 3-4 day not sure, and the Voyerger Class is much better, newer. I don't think I will like the mega ships, thinking about trying Princess again. I asked for a cappacino every day in dining room, and at breakfast and they said they didn't have it available, but it wasn't until we took a tour of the kitchens (there was a machine there) (that was when you could take tours) and I mentioned itto our tour guide. Well guess what the last night our waiter asked if I wanted one, said it cost extra, I said no. At this point, I went a whole week without it. Anyway you will not be dissapointed with Princess if you cruise one of their newer and larger ships. We started with the Big Red Boat when it was Disney (we didn't take our kids until our 3 cruise) only a 4 day cruise (wasn't sure husband would get sea sick) now the ships have stabilizers, and so much more. Maybe going with friends would help, someone your husband can hang out with. Happy cruising!

[klfhngr]

I love to do things like rock wall climb, mini-golf, skating, etc. ;) I am not a pool person, and can only really lay around in the sun for an hour or so before I am completely bored and antsy. All I really found to do on the Pride was drink, unfortunately!:o There were huge spaces inbetween each activity in their daily newsletter as well. Added to that, I was with 2 other women who didn't want to do anything either on the ship or off. I went on excursions by myself, as I didn't want to lay on a beach. I went to a couple of shows, until the CD pointed me out, and said, "Look at this poor girl all by herself!" :rolleyes:

 

We always ended up at the night club (Beauties??) in the evening, but most nights it was all hip/hop and rap. The DJ would not take requests - there were a lot of people there that really wanted to have them mix it up. The DJ on the Vision, Conrad, was fantastic, and would take requests. So, the younger people got their Soulja Boy, and I got my Love Shack.:p The karaoke place was smoke-filled, and that would involve sitting. I'm not a sitter - always on the go. I did have fun, but would find myself wandering around wondering what to do next. I usually ended up at the pool bar!:o

 

Sorry to hear that....! The dj on Vision better mix it up, with some OLD SCHOOL!

[Sandi149]

Sun Princess has a sishi bar, and I their food was a little better than RCCL, but Princess did not so many places to eat. RCCL has more options. I have not cruise Carnival, not in to the party types. We have found that the cheaper the cruise you get less desirable passengers, we had some that smelled wore dirty cloths, came to dinner even formal nights in jeans. Slept in the lounges, and were a little to drunk for me. The day of the midnight buffet (best ever was the Big Red Boat) their desserts were to die for and they had cavier on buffet as well. It was served at Captains party as well. We have been cruising RCCL and love the Mariner as well. We went on the Majesty 3-4 day not sure, and the Voyerger Class is much better, newer. I don't think I will like the mega ships, thinking about trying Princess again. I asked for a cappacino every day in dining room, and at breakfast and they said they didn't have it available, but it wasn't until we took a tour of the kitchens (there was a machine there) (that was when you could take tours) and I mentioned itto our tour guide. Well guess what the last night our waiter asked if I wanted one, said it cost extra, I said no. At this point, I went a whole week without it. Anyway you will not be dissapointed with Princess if you cruise one of their newer and larger ships. We started with the Big Red Boat when it was Disney (we didn't take our kids until our 3 cruise) only a 4 day cruise (wasn't sure husband would get sea sick) now the ships have stabilizers, and so much more. Maybe going with friends would help, someone your husband can hang out with. Happy cruising!

 

Take a look at my post #28....I think it's on page 2 of this thread. Since you have never cruised Carnival, how do you know the type of passengers that sail on them? :rolleyes: I understand this is the RC board but it just really gets to me when people complain about "undesirables" on Carnival, especially when the person NEVER sailed Carnival. My point on both posts, is not which line is better. I've never sailed with Royal, so I can't comment on it, but I'm sure I would have a great time on their ships cause I love going on vacation. Just don't make a statement like you did, without knowing all the facts first. Carnival ships, at least the 2 cruises, that I've been on, I have never seen anyone drunk.

[wcdive]

Thanks for all the input guys. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed my cruise (by the sound of my post you wouldn't think so!), but there were things that I was hoping to find better with another line. I did research cruise lines a lot before we went, and they all sound great when you read the brochures and talk to travel agents, but I choose the cruise we went on for the itinerary - we scuba dive, and we went to Roatan, Belize City, Costa Maya, and Grand Cayman, all fabulous dive spots. We loved Roatan so much that we did a week long dive vacation in December there at a dive resort that we dove with during our cruise and it was the best vacation ever. Unfortunately, funds do not allow us to go back again until next year, so I wanted to try another cruise and get to check out some other diving spots - I loved being able to visit several places with one vacation, that was the best part! I'm with DirtGirl - I cannot sit still, and I can't make a day of sitting by the pool drinking, so the rock climbing, skating, etc. on RCCL sounds good. I'll let you guys know how it goes... Thanks!!

[PaddleAddict]

Thanks for all the input guys. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed my cruise (by the sound of my post you wouldn't think so!), but there were things that I was hoping to find better with another line. I did research cruise lines a lot before we went, and they all sound great when you read the brochures and talk to travel agents, but I choose the cruise we went on for the itinerary - we scuba dive, and we went to Roatan, Belize City, Costa Maya, and Grand Cayman, all fabulous dive spots. We loved Roatan so much that we did a week long dive vacation in December there at a dive resort that we dove with during our cruise and it was the best vacation ever. Unfortunately, funds do not allow us to go back again until next year, so I wanted to try another cruise and get to check out some other diving spots - I loved being able to visit several places with one vacation, that was the best part! I'm with DirtGirl - I cannot sit still, and I can't make a day of sitting by the pool drinking, so the rock climbing, skating, etc. on RCCL sounds good. I'll let you guys know how it goes... Thanks!!

 

It sounds like you would be happiest with a very port-intensive cruise where you could dive and do active things while in port. Check out the various cruises that leave from San Juan, Puerto Rico. They often have five ports in a row!

[dirtgirl]

Sorry to hear that....! The dj on Vision better mix it up, with some OLD SCHOOL!

 

 

If it is DJ Conrad, you will have to go and say hi from Carol from Vancouver. I cruised last November, and gave him Canadian chocolate bars on the last night. As soon as he saw me enter the disco, out came about a full 30 minutes of songs that I had requested all week. He was a peach! I sure hope he is there next November, when I cruise the Vision again!:D

[Tapi]

I have not cruise Carnival, not in to the party types. We have found that the cheaper the cruise you get less desirable passengers, we had some that smelled wore dirty cloths, came to dinner even formal nights in jeans. Slept in the lounges, and were a little to drunk for me.

 

You need to throw away your Carnival 70's brochure. Things have changed a LOT since Carnival used to pride itself as the "party" cruise line.

 

With the Supper Clubs, Comfort Bed Systems, Terry cloth bathrobes, art galleries onboard, more refined activities, and new destinations catering to a more sophisticated clientele, today's Carnival is a completely different product than what you have in your mind.

 

Just out of curiosity, where did you find the passengers that smelled like dirty clothes?