Carnival Cruiselines

JoeyandDavid · February 4, 2009

Our first cruise many years ago was on the Carnival Ecstasy it was a party cruise.. crew members not friendly if you didnt buy drinks wait staff left alot to be desired and the food as we rembered it was just so so..we have never considered them again..

My question now becomes... tell me why, we should give them another chance after 8 years??

DebbieandJerry · February 5, 2009

Because it's a cheap vacation.

Joey, if you guys are looking for a 5* "hotel" or "restaurant", then Carnival is not the way to travel. However, if you look at it as a 3* hotel (at best) that is transporting you to places that you want to go to, then I say go for it. We would never have been able to afford the back-to-back Caribbean that we did November 2007 if it wasn't for Carnival.

I agree with you: not the best of service and not the best of food once you've experienced other lines. I also agree that if you don't drink, you pretty much get ignored or hasseled (take your pick).

So with that being said, we're looking at Carnival for Alaska and the Caribbean for our next two trips. Don't know if we'll book with them, but they offer the most amount of choices for a really cheap price.

jacketwatch · February 5, 2009

Good question. Its hard for me to say yes. I bought a Chevorlet in 1983 and it was a lemon. Thats 26 yrs, ago and I haven't ever considered one since then. However I would think a newer ship cruising what is considered a non-boozer area like the Med, Baltic or Alaska should be a safe bet. I also saw where Carnival won some sort of award (from USAT'a I think) for best value or something like that. As CCL has so much ownership they must be doing something right. However an initial strong first impression lasts a long time. Tough to overcome if its a bad one.

elfed · February 5, 2009

Now J and D you just KNEW I would answer this as I'm a big Carnival fan!! Basically their overall product has improved immeasurably. I have to say their food is very good by and large both in the main dining rooms as well as the Lido deck. Their Speciality restraunts on the bigger ships are truly outstanding. I have to say that they beat Princess's posh dining rooms for ambience, service and high quality of food.

Carnival's entertainment has to be the best of all the main stream cruise lines. Whether it's lounge singers and musicians or main shows one really gets a great evening.

Carnival also has free ice cream, iced yoghurt and pizzas 24 hours a day. Drinks are fairly priced too.

Their ships are very, very clean and well maintained.

The staterooms are big-much bigger than RCI or Celebrity.

Aw geez I could go on and on but my arm is aching from all this one fingered typing!!!LOL

Hopefully Carnival will introduce 10 day sailings from Miami and Ft. Lauderdale into the Caribbean using their new ship the Carnival Dream in 2010 or 11. Can't wait.

Regards,

James.

JoeyandDavid · February 5, 2009

Now J and D you just KNEW I would answer this as I'm a big Carnival fan!!

yeds i did James.. i am trying to bait Carmen as well.. and maybe Miss C or Jason..

JoeyandDavid · February 5, 2009

Aw geez I could go on and on but my arm is aching from all this one fingered typing!!!LOL

lol you are too funny... but you made your point well.. thank you..

sailingrose · February 5, 2009

Joey, I wish you luck if you decide to book with them. The new ships have good reputations. If I was to try it again I would be booking when there are no kids on board and on a longer itinerary. JMHO

coloradocruisers · February 5, 2009

Joey: I can't add as much as the more experienced cruisers in this bunch; but Carnival does seem to offer some of the most reasonable rates and the most options with their fleet size.

deb1220 · February 5, 2009

I will be able to chime in with my opinion in a little over a month :biggrin: Hopefully it will be good. I have heard that their service and food has improved over the last few years. When I told our TA that we wanted to go with Carnival and asked her what she thought.....she said, "Well, they're different." And then when I asked, "How are they different?" She just said that their ships and atmosphere were just not as (I think she said) 'elegant'. We shall see......

Gregswife · February 5, 2009

Deb, if you are looking for elegance, than Carnival may not be to your liking, but if you are looking for a wonderful cruise at a reasonable price, then you are booked on the right line.

We have an aft wrap balcony (balcony runs along the side of the ship and then turns and goes across the back also) suite which has a seperate sitting room, bedroom, bath w/ jacuzzi tub and double sinks, and a walk in closet, on our cruise which is next January and we paid $1500 PP for 8 days. I don't think you could touch that on any of the other lines. I have been to many 5 star restaurants and have never received the attention to service there that we receive in the dining room on every Carnival ship we have ever sailed. I have thought about trying out other lines, but as Joey said in a different thread - if it ain't broke....