A continued thread on Carnival and Disney.

[jaklgreen]

Yes we did.

Price was wonderful. Celebrity does a thing called "perks" - normally you get to pick one of four perks for free - included gratuities, free basic aloholic beverage package, airfair credit, or on board credit. However, every so often you run into a "pick two" promotion (AAA has them quite a bit) so we had gratuities included, and an alcoholic beverage package. The beverage package is something a like a lot. My wife and I dont get hammered, but we like a have a drink or two by the pool during the day, and we order wine with dinner. The fact that we could just order drinks, and not have to pay for them, was very nice. We looked at the price of the beverage package, and even if we did not choose it as a perk, it would have been worth it for us to purchase it.

The food was excellent (one or two dishes were just OK, but the majority of them were great). We ate in the main dining room and also in the "modern" restaruant Qsine (I think thats a $40 upcharge) we did not eat in Normandie, as we could not get a reservation there on nights we wanted.. Qsinet is really cool, you order on ipads (not that that is really cool) but the food is all small plates. You order as much as you want. It is all very interesting. Sushi lollipops, deconstructed make your own Kobe beef sliders, painters filet mignon (you "paint" on the sauces at the table), disco shrimp, all very fun presentations.

The cabins are slightly smaller than DVC cabins, and lack the split bath, but are pretty much the same otherwise. Plenty of underbed storage to stow luggage. The staff were wonderful throughtout the ship. We used to go to this one lounge before dinner, and the lounge had little jars of salty snacks they they would give you. I started taking them from behind the bar before ording a drink, and the server caught on to it. Every night she would hide the snacks in a different spot, and then she would come to our table with our drink order and "gloat" if I had not found the snacks myself. Very friendly staff all throough the ship, and all seemed to enjoy cracking jokes.

The ship itself (Summit) was a little old, but its not as if it was decrepid. It had gone in for refurbs, but somtimes ships just show their age no matter what. It's like a car, you can take a classic car, restore it, load it up with all the most modern thing, but at the end, it is still an old car.

-dave

I disagree that the rooms are similar. I had and inside room on the Celebrity constellation and it was TINY. I am not a big person and I could almost touch both walls putting my arms out. The whole room was out of date 80s style and smaller then my bathroom at home. The whole ship was dirty and there was rust all over the pool deck. I heard they have since refurbished it but it was not worth the cost even being much cheaper then Disney. A classic case of you get what you pay for. This is what our room looked like. And where the person is standing taking the picture is where the tiny bathroom is which is right by the entrance door. That's it, that is the whole room.

 

[tk924]

I disagree that the rooms are similar. I had and inside room on the Celebrity constellation and it was TINY. I am not a big person and I could almost touch both walls putting my arms out. The whole room was out of date 80s style and smaller then my bathroom at home. The whole ship was dirty and there was rust all over the pool deck. I heard they have since refurbished it but it was not worth the cost even being much cheaper then Disney. A classic case of you get what you pay for. This is what our room looked like. And where the person is standing taking the picture is where the tiny bathroom is which is right by the entrance door. That's it, that is the whole room.

And it's stuff like this that will probably keep up from going on a different line.
You do truly get what you pay for, huh?

.

 

[lostpro9het]

I disagree that the rooms are similar. I had and inside room on the Celebrity constellation and it was TINY. I am not a big person and I could almost touch both walls putting my arms out. The whole room was out of date 80s style and smaller then my bathroom at home. The whole ship was dirty and there was rust all over the pool deck. I heard they have since refurbished it but it was not worth the cost even being much cheaper then Disney. A classic case of you get what you pay for. This is what our room looked like. And where the person is standing taking the picture is where the tiny bathroom is which is right by the entrance door. That's it, that is the whole room.

YIKES!!! My first thought was of The Love Boat but at least those rooms were bigger.

 

[Phonedave]

I disagree that the rooms are similar. I had and inside room on the Celebrity constellation and it was TINY. I am not a big person and I could almost touch both walls putting my arms out. The whole room was out of date 80s style and smaller then my bathroom at home. The whole ship was dirty and there was rust all over the pool deck. I heard they have since refurbished it but it was not worth the cost even being much cheaper then Disney. A classic case of you get what you pay for. This is what our room looked like. And where the person is standing taking the picture is where the tiny bathroom is which is right by the entrance door. That's it, that is the whole room.

OK, I'll give you that - that's pretty bad. But it no way looks like the room we had.. Ours was more like this

With a standard "cruse closet" to the rightof where the photographer is standing and the bathroom to the left. I guess you have to do your due dilligance. You know what rooms on a DCL ship are going to look like because there are only 4 ships. If cruising on an other line, you need to look at current pictures of the ship you are going on.

 

[tk924]

OK, I'll give you that - that's pretty bad. But it no way looks like the room we had.. Ours was more like this

With a standard "cruse closet" to the rightof where the photographer is standing and the bathroom to the left. I guess you have to do your due dilligance. You know what rooms on a DCL ship are going to look like because there are only 4 ships. If cruising on an other line, you need to look at current pictures of the ship you are going on.

Ah, now that's better. And your last line of advice makes sense. Thanks.
I still don't know if we ever will want to cruise with another line but I will never say never. It seems as though every time there is a negative, newsworthy event from a cruise, it doesn't involve Disney.

.

 

[NelleBelle]

We did a quick 3-day Vancouver to LA cruise on Princess. The room wasn't too bad (we ended up getting put in an accessible room with a balcony). The decor wasn't as nice as DCL but it wasn't outdated "love boat" either. The linen was clean and there was LOTS of storage--I was fairly impressed and wouldn't mind cruising with them (without my kids..I don't know what they would do for entertainment).

 

[MotherofaPrincessLover]

How are other cruiselines when it comes to kids? Do others have rooms big enough to accommodate a family of 4 without having to upgrade to a suite or something? What about entertainment?

 

[Ralphlaw]

None of them accommodate and entertain kids of all ages as well as Disney. Royal Caribbean does do a lot for teens with ziplines and climbing walls and such on their Allure and Oasis class ships, but few have cabins that can easily hold 4 people in 3 separate beds like Disney does. Disney also has a fair number of cabins that can hold 5 people. Most of the time, if you have 4 or more people, you're looking at 2 cabins or a suite on other cruise lines.

Also, every Disney crewmember is tested and trained to deal with kids. Even bartenders, who would normally never serve a child, knows how to handle kids in various situations. The entertainment is also family friendly with very very few exceptions. The same can't be said on other cruise lines. Plus, the atmosphere of drinking, partying and casinoing can spill over to places where your kids may end up.

 

[tmitch]

None of them accommodate and entertain kids of all ages as well as Disney. Royal Caribbean does do a lot for teens with ziplines and climbing walls and such on their Allure and Oasis class ships, but few have cabins that can easily hold 4 people in 3 separate beds like Disney does. Disney also has a fair number of cabins that can hold 5 people. Most of the time, if you have 4 or more people, you're looking at 2 cabins or a suite on other cruise lines.

Also, every Disney crewmember is tested and trained to deal with kids. Even bartenders, who would normally never serve a child, knows how to handle kids in various situations. The entertainment is also family friendly with very very few exceptions. The same can't be said on other cruise lines. Plus, the atmosphere of drinking, partying and casinoing can spill over to places where your kids may end up.

That's a generalization if I've ever seen one

 

[Ralphlaw]

That's a generalization if I've ever seen one

True, but my post is not meant to be a comprehensive study of the entire industry. I used terms like "few" and "most of the time" and "can spill over" instead of "none" and "all the time" and "always spills over".

And please provide examples of where I'm wrong. What other line can accommodate 4 people in 3 beds in most of the cabins? What other line has a high number of cabins that can hold 5 people in 4 beds? What other line trains each crewmember and employee to deal with kids? What other cruise line has upwards of 90% of the entertainment geared strictly toward kids and families? And what other cruise line downplays crazy drinking and partying and casinoing as much as Disney? If there is such a cruise line that had and does all of this, I would be glad to look into it.

 

[tmitch]

True, but my post is not meant to be a comprehensive study of the entire industry. I used terms like "few" and "most of the time" and "can spill over" instead of "none" and "all the time" and "always spills over".

And please provide examples of where I'm wrong. What other line can accommodate 4 people in 3 beds in most of the cabins? What other line has a high number of cabins that can hold 5 people in 4 beds? What other line trains each crewmember and employee to deal with kids? What other cruise line has upwards of 90% of the entertainment geared strictly toward kids and families? And what other cruise line downplays crazy drinking and partying and casinoing as much as Disney? If there is such a cruise line that had and does all of this, I would be glad to look into it.

You also used the words "every" and "none". Re-reading, the first word you use is none! I've been on Disney cruises and have seen people fall down drunk. I'm not getting into an Internet argument, but your opinions maybe scaring people in to dcl or bust. While for some that might be ok, others may feel differently

 

[MaryJaneP]

You also used the words "every" and "none". Re-reading, the first word you use is none! I've been on Disney cruises and have seen people fall down drunk. I'm not getting into an Internet argument, but your opinions maybe scaring people in to dcl or bust. While for some that might be ok, others may feel differently

People can fall down drunk and it not be due to the cruise line's encouragement. Maybe the people got drunk themselves, before getting on the ship, in port, wherever. The comment was whether the line downplayed crazy drinking. We have not seen DCL encourage crazy drinking but maybe we missed something. Also, people can fall down and look drunk but actually have a true medical condition. We have personal experience with this condition too. Because one cruise line appears to focus on kids and their family, a comparison that "none" do as much may be borne out of actual observation. If anyone is scaring people here, it does not seem to be Ralphlaw. Glad we're not arguing.

 

[Ralphlaw]

Okay, here's my last words on the subject.

In the two absolute terms that I used, I said, "None of them accommodate and entertain kids of all ages as well as Disney." I don't think anyone can seriously disagree with that statement.

I also said, " . . . every Disney crewmember is tested and trained to deal with kids." I don't think anyone can seriously disagree with that statement either.

My point: Disney does a better job than any other cruise line to market to and be a great experience for families with kids, especially families with young kids. As part of that mission, they downplay more than any other cruise line the "adult" attributes of the cruising experience, including drunkenness, gambling, topless top decks, hooking up, and racier entertainment. Not every cruise ship outside of Disney is a constant source of vice and sin (they aren't), but Disney very carefully projects an image of wholesome family fun, and works hard to follow through on it. On my 48 days onboard Disney ships, I have only seen overt drunkenness on a 3 day trip we took on the Dream. I have seen no gambling, little smoking, no hooking up, and few seductive clothing selections. Even the late night "adult" entertainment on Disney is less racy than what you'll see during the commercials of most sports broadcasts on TV.

That's my point, and I don't think that many people would disagree with it.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I'll just drop a little morsel right here on this Carnival thread: If you haven't already, you really should take the time to check out the new Carnival Vista. They're doing some amazing things and I **REALLY** want to sail this ship....in a Havana Cabana, of course, because who doesn't want a hammock on their verandah? I think the themed Family Harbor staterooms and accompanying dedicated lounge take stateroom design directed at families to a whole new level. Carnival is really carving themselves some new territory with this ship. I'm interested.



Seriously, don't just read other people's opinions on a Disney-specific fan forum and take that for gospel when it comes to other cruise lines. Of course HERE Disney is the end-all be-all. If you're curious, go look. Do the homework. Not sure what to expect for staterooms or ship layouts? YouTube is a vast tool. Go search (& sort by newest first). You can see for yourself. The cruise industry is huge. New ships float out of shipyards every day with crazy new ideas, technology, and innovations. Each line has their pros & cons, Disney included. Additionally, every line has newer & older ships in their fleet so understanding the differences and how that will impact your experience is up to the consumer.

Before I head out I'll give you a little tip: older ships and/or short-n-cheap itineraries will attract more of the hardcore party set. If avoiding that is your primary goal, sail newer ships on 7+ night itineraries. No secret there. It's pretty much common knowledge for seasoned cruisers. Hang around people with a broad spectrum of cruise experiences across multiple lines and decades of time and you glean all sorts of solid information.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

And Ps...What I say doesn't come from an inexperienced cruiser. I'm well into platinum status with Disney and have hit 30+ days sailing on cruise ships for multiple years.

 

[ChuckElias]

New ships float out of shipyards every day

34 new ships are scheduled to come into service through 2018!

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/cruise-ship-orderbook.html

 

[Kramerica]

Woah, didn't think this thread would still be alive,

I'll just drop a little morsel right here on this Carnival thread: If you haven't already, you really should take the time to check out the new Carnival Vista. They're doing some amazing things and I **REALLY** want to sail this ship....in a Havana Cabana, of course, because who doesn't want a hammock on their verandah? I think the themed Family Harbor staterooms and accompanying dedicated lounge take stateroom design directed at families to a whole new level. Carnival is really carving themselves some new territory with this ship. I'm interested.



Seriously, don't just read other people's opinions on a Disney-specific fan forum and take that for gospel when it comes to other cruise lines. Of course HERE Disney is the end-all be-all. If you're curious, go look. Do the homework. Not sure what to expect for staterooms or ship layouts? YouTube is a vast tool. Go search (& sort by newest first). You can see for yourself. The cruise industry is huge. New ships float out of shipyards every day with crazy new ideas, technology, and innovations. Each line has their pros & cons, Disney included. Additionally, every line has newer & older ships in their fleet so understanding the differences and how that will impact your experience is up to the consumer.

Before I head out I'll give you a little tip: older ships and/or short-n-cheap itineraries will attract more of the hardcore party set. If avoiding that is your primary goal, sail newer ships on 7+ night itineraries. No secret there. It's pretty much common knowledge for seasoned cruisers. Hang around people with a broad spectrum of cruise experiences across multiple lines and decades of time and you glean all sorts of solid information.

For the record, I've been on a Carnival cruise before, on the Triumph. And I quite liked it! I'm not here to just hate on Carnival as I know they can do some good cruises. But that cruise was probably double the cost of this one, and for good reason.

Debarkation actually was very good, but this could be partially due to the fact that we were the first group called to debark.

I should just mention not that this effects the level of quality for the cruise, but instead to satisfy your curiosity if this it was even possible. Yes, we did cram five of us into an inside stateroom. Don't expect any privacy or comfort, but if you're very close to your friends. It can be done.

You guys are so right. NEVER take your kid on one of these glorified booze cruises.

Let me try and find some photos that I took while there that I can share.

 

[EOD K9]

@sweetpee_1993 Good to see you. I get what you are saying about different cruises. I've only done 5 with DCL and have two more slated for next year. I will say this though about what I love about DCL. I cruised with my then ten month old twins in March of 15 on the Dream. In Dec of '15 there were two ladies in the nursery who remembered my girls. Last month we were on the Magic and one of the ladies from March '15 was in the nursery i and took care of my girls again. It was so wonderful to have CMs remember and look of the little ones. I don't know if you would find that elsewhere. I won't necessarily say I would never do RCI (as we are curious) but we do enjoy what we have found with DCL.

 

[Donald Razorduck]

We are trying to decide between two Disney 4 day cruises out of Port Canaveral for Spring Break 17 or the a 6 day on the new Carnival Vista.

One is on the Wonder, which will be drydocked this fall, so it should have some freshness to it while being smaller or the Dream which had the split staterooms with the two large sit in windows. Carnival offers a family suite that's laid out well and it's cheaper by 800 bucks for the cruise on the Wonder and over a 1,000 cheaper than the Dream. There's no Bahamas(Castaway or Atlantis)but Oche Rios, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel. With an then 14 and 12 year old and Disney seems to be winning out when considering having to add a drinks packages, not to mention excursion costs.

I would really like to have an idea what they are planning doing to the Wonder this fall.