Vision of the Seas or Carnival Pride for Mexican Riviera

[drush]

We are planning our first Mexican Riviera cruise and our choices are Royal Caribbean's Vision of the Seas or Carnival Pride. Does anyone have any suggestions?

[MelindaF]

My husband and I are sailing on Vision of the Seas Oct. 10 for the Mexican Riviera. This will be our 3rd time on Royal Caribbean. Have never tried Carnival and don't plan to. It will be our first time on Vision but a friend had nothing but good things to say about it.

[yarlenna]

Carnival Pride is also a beautiful ship, but not as beautiful as some of the newer RCI ships. I compare my recent experience on Carnival Pride and RCI Brilliance (my 2 most recent cruises with each line)
Food main dining room: Carnival hands down.
Extra Tariff restaurant food: Carnival but it's closer
Buffet food: Carnival again. The best pizza afloat helps, but the different buffet stations will probably help you find something for everybody.
Food & beverage Service: RCI hands down. I could find good service on the Pride, but I had to look for it.
Stateroom comfort: tie
Stateroom service: Carnival hands down. RCI has recently cut its housekeeping staff. If it matters to you to have your bed made up early in the morning, you could be disapointed on RCI unless you happen to be the first one your steward gets to.
Entertainment: If you are on Voyager class RCI will at least have the novelty factor with the ice show. Otherwise it is pretty close.
Activities: RCI - if you are into rock climbing, miniature golf, or ice skating.
I have enjoyed both lines. Which is for you? It depends on what you are looking for.

Work like a dog. Live like a pauper. Save all your money. Then Cruise!

[SRAFROG]

We have sailed RCI 27 times all of them to the Mexican Riveria and on Visions since it came to the West Coast, from San Deigo & San Pedro. I prefer Vision's to Carnival from past freinds who have sailed on Carnival.

[SRAFROG]

We have sailed RCI 27 times all of them to the Mexican Riveria and on Visions since it came to the West Coast, from San Deigo & San Pedro. I prefer Vision's to Carnival from past freinds who have sailed on Carnival.

We go twice a year December and April, I must say the food has come down a bit since we began sailing with them in 1992, but we hope it gets better. We have had only one bad experiance with a cabin steward in all the times we have sailed with them.

We like it since we don't have to fly anywhere and we are only 20 minutes from San Pedro. However I did like sailing out of San Deigo better, nicer harbor area.

Dennis

[dsclark]

The only people on this thread that think RCL will give you a better cruise than CCL are those who have NEVER cruised on CCL! What does that tell you?
Yarlenna is prety dead on, ignore the other replies, especially the person who claims to have cruised RCL 27 times "have never tried Carnival and don't plan to" [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img]

[ccletzgo]

I have cruised both lines, and both from san pedro to the mex riv.
Royal, was the best. I'm not interested in cruising carnival again.
I have been on the Vision twice and loved it. I also loved the old Song of America.

Lets Go!

Royal's Viking Seranade 1/94
Carnival, Holiday 12/95
Carnival, Jubilee 12/96
Royal's, Song of America 11/98
Celebrity Galaxy 9/99
Royal's, Viking Seranade 6/00
Celebrity, Millennium 12/00
Royal's Vision 2/02
Royal's Vision 12/02
Royal's Monarch 6/03
Celebrity Galaxy 9/17/04 !!

[paw323]

I sailed Vision last December, and I had the same question you had back in October. I've never sailed Carnival, and haven't heard too many great things about it, I was hesitant to try Pride. The factors involved in my decision were as follows: I was sailing with a first-timer. While Pride is a newer ship, I wanted a guarantee that my friend would have a classier experience, based on my extensive research on Pride, and my personal experience with RCI.

While RCI is no Ritz-Carlton and Carnival is no Motel 6, the ambience of the RCI product is, I think, superior to Carnival's. Carnival has, to my understanding, made great strides in many categories, and a future cruise with the Clown Line is not out of the question. But in terms of being guaranteed a higher-end experience, my money goes to RCI. Period.

Serenade of the Seas 5/30/04
Vision of the Seas 12/03
Rhapsody of the Seas 6/97
Majesty of the Seas 6/94

[dobie]

I've been on the Vision twice, going again in Oct to Mexico. Would NEVER cruise Carnival again. Our last cruise on Carnival there were people howling like coyotes in the hallway outside our stateroom. We called the purser, they said we could come down to the desk and they would give us earplugs. On nights when the "entertainment" was the deck party leaving Mazatlan, the other bars were not even open! Cold, windy, and nothing else to do. We have been on 2 Carnival cruises and 10 RCI, (plus others on other lines), and the only lines we would not go on again would be Carnival and Costa.

[Cruising89143]

Bottom line, if you ask this question on the RCI board you will get negative responses about Carnival and the same on the Carnival board. I would highly suggest that you ignore the ones that say they have never cruised on a line but then bitch about it. They should not even be answering your question.

Gordon

[url="http://community.webshots.com/user/cruisingator"]http://community.webshots.com/user/cruisingator[/url]

NCL Starward-86, Starship Atlantic-91, Caribe-92, Seabreeze-93, Fantasy-93, Norway-94, Celebration-94, Sensation-95, Imagination-96, Destiny-97, Celebration-98, Triumph-99, Victory-00, Majesty of the Seas-01, Fascination-01, Carnival Pride-02, Majesty of the Seas-02, Carnival Legend-02, Fantasy 7-03, Glory 9-03, Fantasy 11-03, Triumph 3/04.

Navigator of the Seas
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=111111&cdt=2004;12;04;17;00;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img]

[OhWhatALush]

We just did the Mexican Riviera on the Vision in March. It was very nice. We've also done 2 Carnival cruises, one from San Pedro. A big difference between the two is that RCI seems to cater to an older crowd. Carnival was a bit younger. They were both good. Although we are now doing "older folks" cruises, we would certainly consider Carnival again for the good partying that goes on!

[drush]

I want to thank everyone for their input. It has been a while since we have sailed either RCCL or CCL. Most recently we have sailed on Princess, Celebrity and Seabourn but since we just moved to southern California a Mexican Riviera cruise seems to make a lot since.

Does anyone have any input as to shore excursions? We like high activity excursions like scuba diving and snorkling.

[birdyhunter]

I've cruised on RCL before so I don't have anyway to compare the two. We're trying RCL this summer and quite frankly I'm looking forward to it.

Having said that, I've cruised on Carnival twice and both were great cruises. One of them was on the Pride in the Western Caribbean. The ship was beautiful, service and food was great. I wouldn't hesitate to go on her again.

I always wonder why people make comments like "I heard from a friend of friend that Carnival/RCL was bad I'll never cruise them". If you don't have first hand knowledge don't comment on the cruise line.

Don't be afraid to try something new. If you do you might be missing out on a great time.

I'm sure both would be good. Make a choice and have fun! [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif[/img]

RCL Adventure of the Seas July 4, 2004
Till we leave :
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=0000ff&cdt=2004;7;4;22;0;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img]

Carnival Destiny 7/01
Carnival Pride 7/02

[img]http://www.nhlfanstore.com/det38.gif[/img] Stanley Cup 2004!

[LindaO]

I'm a true RCI fan... see all the cruises listed below... but we decided to book NCL's Star for the Mexican Riviera! I think the itinary is great on the NCL Star and we're looking forward to all those great grilled steaks and seafood on deck!

Sovereign 10/95, Eastern
Fantasy 4/96, Nassau
Amsterdam Canals, Netherlands, 7/96
Dolphin IV 12/96, Nassau
Ocean Breaze 12/97, Western
Dawn Princess 9/98, Alaska
Granduer 10/00, Southern
Sovereign 12/00, Nassau
Radiance 4/01
Fascination 8/01, Nassau
Radiance 9/01, Alaska
Summit, 9/01
Sovereign 11/01, Nassau
Pride 1/02, Nassau
Rhapsody 1/02, Western
NCL Star 6/02, Hawaii
Brilliance 9/02, Transatlantic
NCL Majesty 11/02, Nassau
Navigator, 1/03, Eastern
Sovereign, 2/03, Nassau
Sovereign, 5/8/03, Nassau
Sovereign, 5/15/03, Nassau
Serenade, 8/03, Maiden Voyage-Transatlantic
Sovereign, 8/31/03, Nassau
Mariner, 11/16/03, Inaugural Eastern
Sovereign, 12/03, Nassau
Sovereign, 3/04, Nassau
Jewel, 6/04, Baltic
Jewel, 9/04, Europe & Transatlantic
NCL Star, 11/04, Mexican Pacific Coast
Sovereign, 1/05, Nassau

[Lori0512]

I also am booked on Vision for Halloween and can't wait!! I will take just about any ship if the price is right and the ports of call are good. I guess I am just not that fussy. Anything is better than being at work!! [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif[/img]

Lori

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Until our Oct 31st, 2004 Vision of the Seas Mexican Riveria Girl's Cruise!!

Voyager of the Seas (Jan 2004)
Sovereign of the Seas (Feb 2003)