I'd like opinions on two different cruise lines.?

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US_DR_JD

It depends on your age, family if any. lifestyle and interest.

The entertainment is better on Carnival (in a survey of passengers and cruise consultants)(as presented on a Travel Channel Cruise special)

The staterooms are about 10 sg ft larger on average on Carnival.

The average age of Carnival passengers is lower

Food is generally comparable.

RCCL has better itineraries.

RCCL has nicer appointments, though Carnival being the owner of serveral cruise lines is upgrading their appointments as they build new and refurbish old ships.

Carnival is on the whole cheaper per person than most cruise lines.

Excursions are about the same.

The childrens programs on Carnival are better (according to a survey of children traveling on cruises booked through GreatRatesTravelService.com)

There are more children on Carnival during school holidays and summer break.

People seem to have more trouble controlling their alcohol intake on Carnival.

In general the "Fun Ships" seem to be more fun.

Hope you enjoy your trip!!'

Bon Voyage!! :-)

de_bee19

I've only been on RCCL myself. One time, however, I went to drop off my sister-in-law at the dock when she was going to go on a Carnival Cruise. When I saw the difference between the RCCL and the Carnival docks I knew then and there I would never switch. Carnival is low-class compared to RCCL. My sister-in-law (who also had gone on only RCCL before this time) told me that there was no comparison between the 2. The food was much better on RCCL and the service also. She said that on the Carnival boat it was all about young college kids getting trashed and being obnoxious.

I don't know if you're into the huge party scenes but from everyone that I know that has been on Carnival they say that that is all it's good for. Partying and getting wasted. In contrast, the RCCL provides more of a relaxing atmosphere.

Phillies in 2008

out of all 9 of my cruises, my favorite was NCL and it will probably stay that way. i didnt like carnival. ncl has freestyle so ur free to whatever

shhhhhhhhhhhimhiding

I prefer Carnival without a moments hesitation.

The food was better. 3, 5, 7, or 8 day cruise and the same great food and choice. RCCL had basic, mediocre food

The rooms on Carnival are larger. Bathrooms much roomier

Alcohol; consumption seemed to depend more on length of cruise than cruise line. The shorter the cruise the more consumed. I think that shorted cruises are more party oriented and longer ones more family orientated

I have been on 6 cruises in the last 18 months, yes i have a bot of a problem...lol. I prefer Carnival but am willing to try NCl next, just to give them a try

Have fun

Zef H

I have taken three Carnival cruises and have one more booked. I have also taken two Royal Caribbean (RCI) cruises and have two more booked. Both lines are very similar (note I said similar - not the same). Both lines have large ships with lots of activities.

If it is important to you, all the Carnival ships have a water slide while none of the RCI ships have a water slide (a few RCI ships have water slides for small kids, but if you can already read and write, you are too big for these water slides).

However, all the RCI ships have rock climbing walls and none of the Carnival ships do. Also, the bigger RCI ships also have skating (inline and ice).

Personally I think the food on Carnival is a little better than the food on RCI.

Service on both lines, in my opinion, is about equal.

As to which is more fun, that depends more on you than the ship. I have had fun on all my cruises. However, I find I have more fun when I go with someone I know. On the other hand, I tend to try more new things when I am not with someone else I know. Personally I have fun on both lines and I would go on either line again. As I noted above, I have future cruises book on both lines.

dancer_bean

Royal Caribbean is better. Carnival lives up to its name.... It's chaotic, the staff is nowhere near as nice or as helpful as they are on RCCL. Food & shore excursions & entertainment were better on Royal too. I also like RCCL's private islands such as LabaDee & Coco Kay. They say Carnival is better for young people but I'm in my early 20s & I found Royal Caribbean to be the BEST cruise vacation ever! Honestly, not to sound snobby but I thought that the people were more classy & pleasant to be around on RCCL too. Some of the people on Carnival made me uncomfortable

cruise lady

Both cruise lines are great for families. I have sailed on both cruise lines several times and have had a great time on both cruise lines. They both have a similar feeling of "we're here to have a good time." Personally, i like RCCL better only because their new ships are huge and have tons of stuff to do on them

Tivogal

i would say they are very comparable, (rcci&carnival) the food is pretty much the same. You will find the "fun" in carnival and ages are younger adults mostly. Why not try princess, or disney? have a good cruise
cruiseclues.com

Dusie

For me its more about the ship and the itinerary. I look for a 4 1/2 star rating or above. Then if the ship goes to the ports we want to see. And lastly,the longer the cruise the more civilized the passengers. I think it has to do with sailing with more experienced cruisers who know what they want. I prefer 10 days or more. Most veteran cruisers are not exclusively brand loyal.

Carnival and RCCL are very similar... That being said, I think you will find the Carnival experience much better. The ships are stunning and offers an atmosphere for the true "Funship" experience.

The cabins and staterooms are much larger than those on RCCL. The food is also much better - and there are more options for dining.

The demographics are very similar - with all age groups represented.. I think you'll find that those on Carnival are a looser bunch who enjoy the free-spirited life on a Carnival ship.

All that being said, I have cruised for 30 years and have over 100 under my belt. For years I was a Tour Director and had the opportunity to cruise on most of the major cruise ships in the world - some that are no longer around. I have always enjoyed every ship from the smallest River cruise in Europe to largest superliners of the new generation. A cruise is ALWAYS what you make it.

I have cruised on Carnival regularly since the late 1970's when they only had three little dinkey ships and currently cruise at least twice a year on one of their ships. I choose Carnival because I like the experience, love the large staterooms, truly enjoy the food and the wonderful, upbeat service. I like the easy-going attitude of my fellow cruisers. I enjoy many of the activities onboard - they are so varied...but mostly I love just lounging in a chair in a quiet corner watching the sea go by.

Once, I was a partier and enjoyed the "hoo-rah" on the ships. What a great time!!! Now that I am "of a certain age", I enjoy watching the "hoo-rah".....

Try Carnival - you'll like it. Just remember the old canard; don't try to compare Carnival to RCCL. You will find few similarities. Enjoy the moment. Each ship will have a different ambience and every cruise you take will be different.

Have a great time.

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