CARNIVAL VS DCL: The discussion and comparison thread!

[bcwife76]

Ok just ignore my last post!! I responded without reading through the entire thread! Your kids will love Carnival. You cannot go wrong with Carnival’s new ships. We are going on the Panorama (ship before Mardi gras) summer 2020. We love their old ships too, but their new ships really compete well with dcl.

Haha thanks! yes my kids LOVE the clubs on DCL and reading through all the info, eventhough they aren't open as long as the DCL ones, they still seem pretty cool. We've booked a Family Harbor room (deck 4 oceanview) in order to take advantage of the kids lounge etc. Eventhough our youngest will be 10 by then I thought it would be a good thing to try. I'm super excited about this cruise, I'm loving all the info about the Mardi Gras and to be honest I was NEVER excited about trying NCL. Now, to call NCL to get my money back lol

 

[mevelandry]

Haha thanks! yes my kids LOVE the clubs on DCL and reading through all the info, eventhough they aren't open as long as the DCL ones, they still seem pretty cool. We've booked a Family Harbor room (deck 4 oceanview) in order to take advantage of the kids lounge etc. Eventhough our youngest will be 10 by then I thought it would be a good thing to try. I'm super excited about this cruise, I'm loving all the info about the Mardi Gras and to be honest I was NEVER excited about trying NCL. Now, to call NCL to get my money back lol

I think it's important to be excited about the ship you're going to sail on as itineraries are never guaranteed.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

Haha thanks! yes my kids LOVE the clubs on DCL and reading through all the info, eventhough they aren't open as long as the DCL ones, they still seem pretty cool. We've booked a Family Harbor room (deck 4 oceanview) in order to take advantage of the kids lounge etc. Eventhough our youngest will be 10 by then I thought it would be a good thing to try. I'm super excited about this cruise, I'm loving all the info about the Mardi Gras and to be honest I was NEVER excited about trying NCL. Now, to call NCL to get my money back lol

I feel badly because it probably seems like I am slagging NCL! Dh and I really like NCL (especially dh and the buffet, really great buffet), but just not the young kids so much. I do personally feel like it is not an incredibly kid friendly line, not unfriendly, but just geared more towards adults. But there are many people who do not agree with me on this! I am sure we will go on them again some time when the price and itinerary draw us in. Anyone looking for a great price— NCL seems to drop prices dramatically on unfilled ships after pif dates. And @clubdisneychandler, you probably already know this, but make sure you book things ahead of time. Some things you can book before you get on the ship, other things when you get on. If you try to get into a comedy club without a reservation (for example), forget it! And most specialty restaurants will be booked solid before you get on the ship. It is interesting to me how different lines cruise lines are.

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

I feel badly because it probably seems like I am slagging NCL! Dh and I really like NCL (especially dh and the buffet, really great buffet), but just not the young kids so much. I do personally feel like it is not an incredibly kid friendly line, not unfriendly, but just geared more towards adults. But there are many people who do not agree with me on this! I am sure we will go on them again some time when the price and itinerary draw us in. Anyone looking for a great price— NCL seems to drop prices dramatically on unfilled ships after pif dates. And @clubdisneychandler, you probably already know this, but make sure you book things ahead of time. Some things you can book before you get on the ship, other things when you get on. If you try to get into a comedy club without a reservation (for example), forget it! And most specialty restaurants will be booked solid before you get on the ship. It is interesting to me how different lines cruise lines are.

Thanks for the info, I wasn’t aware that I should be booking all that stuff early. I still don’t even understand how dinner even works. I get so confused on all this stuff between the different lines. This is where I have to give Carnival points, everything is just so easy with them. I really like how you can book excursions whenever you want, yeah you have to pay at that time but at least you don’t have to be up at midnight trying to book something on a certain day.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

Thanks for the info, I wasn’t aware that I should be booking all that stuff early. I still don’t even understand how dinner even works. I get so confused on all this stuff between the different lines. This is where I have to give Carnival points, everything is just so easy with them. I really like how you can book excursions whenever you want, yeah you have to pay at that time but at least you don’t have to be up at midnight trying to book something on a certain day.

It is not as bad as booking Disney fast passes! But just book things ahead as much as possible. Very different from carnival in that regard. We booked specialty restaurants and regular restaurants but you really only needed to prebook the specialty restaurants. Comedy was very popular and we did not get into their shows because we did not know to prebook and then forgot. Our teen prebooked on ship once though and did see one comedian— said it was great. I think some shows are very popular and it is wise to prebook whereas others you can just walk in. I have read that for things like the golf carts- if you do not prebook, it is very difficult to ride. They have great libraries if you like that sort of thing. And the buffet is just great. Washy- washy at the buffet entrance (employees make you sanitize or wash hands— very fun vibe).

 

[mevelandry]

Carnival will now offer Pepsi Co. Pepsi, Pepsi Zero, Pure Leaf teas, Naked Juice, Gatorade, Sierra Mist, Bubly and Starbucks ready-to-drink coffees) products instead of Coca-Cola.

Source: Cruiseradio.Net

 

[hdrolfe]

Carnival will now offer Pepsi Co. Pepsi, Pepsi Zero, Pure Leaf teas, Naked Juice, Gatorade, Sierra Mist, Bubly and Starbucks ready-to-drink coffees) products instead of Coca-Cola.

Source: Cruiseradio.Net

I was just coming to post this! And I am happy about it I prefer Pepsi. I know others will not be happy about it. Well I guess I'm not happy if they raise the price of Bottomless Bubbles, but I never buy that any way (feel too guilty since I love pop but kiddo won't drink it). Or is it soda? I call it pop any way

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

I prefer coke over Pepsi but dh prefers Pepsi over coke. Lol. And we bring our own store brand soda on board anyway, so it doesn’t matter either way to us!

 

[mevelandry]

I was just coming to post this! And I am happy about it I prefer Pepsi. I know others will not be happy about it. Well I guess I'm not happy if they raise the price of Bottomless Bubbles, but I never buy that any way (feel too guilty since I love pop but kiddo won't drink it). Or is it soda? I call it pop any way

Of course, some people will hate it... but I'm happy as I prefer Pepsi and I'm a huge drinker of Pure Leaf teas.

 

[belle032]

Carnival will now offer Pepsi Co. Pepsi, Pepsi Zero, Pure Leaf teas, Naked Juice, Gatorade, Sierra Mist, Bubly and Starbucks ready-to-drink coffees) products instead of Coca-Cola.

Source: Cruiseradio.Net

I prefer Diet Coke when I do drink soda, or when I get a mixed drink, but the switch is fine to me. I'm glad Ginger Ale will now be offered. I know some people are hard core Coke or Pepsi fans, but I'm not one of them. I did see John Heald explicitly state that the price of Bottomless Bubbles is NOT going up so everyone on those other cruise message boards and social media pages can calm down.

Oh and I see he just stated that there will be news this afternoon about 2021 cruises that he's excited about. Fingers crossed for more Europe!

 

[hdrolfe]

Carnival Legend will be going to do European cruises in 2021 then move to Baltimore (instead of returning to Tampa). Look like some pretty unique (at least for Carnival) cruises.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

Carnival Legend will be going to do European cruises in 2021 then move to Baltimore (instead of returning to Tampa). Look like some pretty unique (at least for Carnival) cruises.

Are they on carnival ‘s website?

 

[hdrolfe]

Are they on carnival ‘s website?

I'm not sure, I saw the post on Facebook.

 

[belle032]

OMG you guys! All on the Legend:

Iceland & British Isles
· June 25 and Aug. 6 from London (Dover): Nine-day British Isles voyages calling at Edinburgh, Invergordon and Isle of Skye, Scotland; Belfast (Northern Ireland), UK; Liverpool, England; and Cork (Cobh), Ireland.
· June 13 and July 4 London (Dover): 12-day Iceland & British Isles cruises with calls at Reykjavik, Grundafjordur, Akureyri, and Seydisfjordur, Iceland; Belfast (Northern Ireland), UK; Isle of Skye, Scotland; and Kirkwall, Orkney Islands or Lerwick, Shetland Islands, Scotland/UK.

Check John Heald's post!

 

[trvlgirlmq]

Not happy about losing my Coke Zero!

Very happy I just booked 2 balconies on the June 25th British Isles cruise!

 

[trvlgirlmq]

And now I shall hum the theme song to Outlander for the next 590 days because I am going to the Isle of Skye!

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

I'm not sure, I saw the post on Facebook.

OMG you guys! All on the Legend:

Iceland & British Isles
· June 25 and Aug. 6 from London (Dover): Nine-day British Isles voyages calling at Edinburgh, Invergordon and Isle of Skye, Scotland; Belfast (Northern Ireland), UK; Liverpool, England; and Cork (Cobh), Ireland.
· June 13 and July 4 London (Dover): 12-day Iceland & British Isles cruises with calls at Reykjavik, Grundafjordur, Akureyri, and Seydisfjordur, Iceland; Belfast (Northern Ireland), UK; Isle of Skye, Scotland; and Kirkwall, Orkney Islands or Lerwick, Shetland Islands, Scotland/UK.

Check John Heald's post!

Ok, wow. They are on the website. Very interesting itineraries. I am really tempted, I just have to persuade my teen. It is his pre college summer and he was talking an Alaska cruise but just recently shifted to just driving around the NW for 2 or so weeks to see national parks.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

They also already have Caribbean cruises for early 2022 on the website! Wow.

 

[belle032]

Not happy about losing my Coke Zero!

Very happy I just booked 2 balconies on the June 25th British Isles cruise!

That Iceland/BI combo is almost too tempting to pass up. I'm thinking Alaska 2020 and that one 2021. If you don't mind me asking, how much was the deposit? I'm at work and can't look til I get home!

 

[trvlgirlmq]

Ok, wow. They are on the website. Very interesting itineraries. I am really tempted, I just have to persuade my teen. It is his pre college summer and he was talking an Alaska cruise but just recently shifted to just driving around the NW for 2 or so weeks to see national parks.

Ha, ha, this is my youngest DS's HS grad trip! He wanted London and Ireland so we will work them in too!