Why Do YOU Choose Carnival over RCL??

[firefly333]

I got a balcony for $650/pp which is less than the Carnival cruises that sail at the same time.

 

Royal Carribean offers a military discount for veterans as well as active duty. As with Carnival, it is only certain cruises.

 

One more to be platinum for me. Then $100 off the price of a balcony. I know a guy who got one of those prized aft balconys on Voyager for about $750, with only being platinum, plus they had C&A coupons for that cruise they applied. Would only have been $700 had he been diamond (10 cruises) for that balcony earlier this year.

 

I, also, find RCL is a lot more generous with combining OBCs. I often speak to folks who have $600 or even more OBC. I got the shareholder's OBC and Carnival refused to give me $100 for a sale, told me I couldnt combine them, even though one had nadda to do with the other.

 

At first glance often it looks like RCL is more expensive, but not once you dig deeper, often RCL is cheaper. Glad to see someone else posting who has also found out you can find either cruiseline cheaper at times.

 

Next Cruise OBC, military, senior, stock, platinum, diamond, C&A coupons, VISA pts, all can be combined. (exception being the wow sales they use to get new cruisers, no other offers can be combined).

 

I also have the RCL VISA card now who gave me 25,000 points to sign up, enough points for a free upgrade from inside to outside on a 7 day ... or $150 free dollars off any cruise or OBC. There just are more ways to get money off or OBC on RCL cruises than on Carnival. I got a free upgrade this spring, so I still have the VISA points to use next time.

 

Maybe we need to keep it a secret that RCL is often cheaper than Carnival, so many have taken a fast glance and decided Carnival is always cheaper.

[CanTex]

One more to be platinum for me. Then $100 off the price of a balcony. I know a guy who got one of those prized aft balconys on Voyager for about $750, with only being platinum, plus they had C&A coupons for that cruise they applied. Would only have been $700 had he been diamond (10 cruises) for that balcony earlier this year.

 

I, also, find RCL is a lot more generous with combining OBCs. I often speak to folks who have $600 or even more OBC. I got the shareholder's OBC and Carnival refused to give me $100 for a sale, told me I couldnt combine them, even though one had nadda to do with the other.

 

At first glance often it looks like RCL is more expensive, but not once you dig deeper, often RCL is cheaper. Glad to see someone else posting who has also found out you can find either cruiseline cheaper at times.

 

Next Cruise OBC, military, senior, stock, platinum, diamond, C&A coupons, VISA pts, all can be combined. (exception being the wow sales they use to get new cruisers, no other offers can be combined).

 

I also have the RCL VISA card now who gave me 25,000 points to sign up, enough points for a free upgrade from inside to outside on a 7 day ... or $150 free dollars off any cruise or OBC. There just are more ways to get money off or OBC on RCL cruises than on Carnival. I got a free upgrade this spring, so I still have the VISA points to use next time.

 

Maybe we need to keep it a secret that RCL is often cheaper than Carnival, so many have taken a fast glance and decided Carnival is always cheaper.

Check this thread out:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=782268&page=3&highlight=coupon

 

It seems RCI is really cracking down and enforcing that "offers" like C&A coupons and NextCruise can not be combined any longer.

[flowerchild]

Usually, price. My priorities when choosing a cruise are Itinirary, Age of ship, and Price, in that order. I've also sailed RCL and NCL and other lines back in the 80's.

 

Also, I would hate to become one of those RCL snobs, like my sister...you know the kind! "We're Royal Caribbean people" while sneering at the mere mention of Carnival.:p She booked a three nighter on Carnival recently and only admitted to my mom that the food and entertainment were better on Carnival.

[Toddcan]

Price. That's it: Price.

[beach410]

we chose RCL once because the price was better and because it was going to two ports instead of one, last time we will do that, we missed one port, the breads/pasties were stale, the lunch buffet very limited and I just wasnt impressed. I will and have paid more to sail Carnival, I have never been disappointed.

[Earthworm Jim]

Price. Price got me to try Carnival despite all the "party cruise" rumors, and I found the cruise was about the same as we had had on other lines for less money so we've cruised Carnival again.