Disney Cruise Line vs. Carnival (or other) Cruise Line

[RickyMouseMom]

I have been on two Carnival cruises, but both were 10+ years ago so I don't know if my opinion will be of much use to you. I enjoyed the cruises, however they were a VERY different experience from the other cruise lines I have been on (Norwegian, Celebrity, and DCL). Compared to those three lines, Carnival really felt like the Motel 6 of cruises for me. However....I don't know anything about their newer ships. I am actuallly going on a Carnival cruise in May, but it is a theme cruise...and I am going because of the theme, not the cruise line. I would never go on Carnival again by choice, regardless of the deal I could get. But...if you know what to expect going into it, and you are okay with it, you should not have a problem. You will find a lower level of service, lower quality food (although I would not say the food was bad...it is just much better on the other cruise lines I have been on) and without trying to sound snobby (really....I don't mean to be snobby, I just don't know how else to say this) there will be a different set of people on carnival than you will find on many other cruise lines. Maybe it has to do with the fact they draw more college age people and singles who are looking to party?? I don't know.


I think to sum it up, I will give an analogy. If you book a room at a Holiday Inn, most likely you know ahead of time that while nice, a Holiday Inn is just a plain, run of the mill motel....and you will most likely be fine with your experience there. However, if you book a Holiday Inn and for some reason you have the impression it is comparable to the Four Seasons, then obviously you would be disappointed when you checked in and saw what you were getting. Carnival= run of the mill motel, Celebrity Cruise Line (and other comparable lines, including DCL)= Four Seasons.

What type of experience are you looking for? And who are you going with? I think this will play a big role in whether or not you like Carnival.

I don't think you should cancel your trip. Just have realistic expectations. Carnival does have alot of fans....possibly you could end up loving it. It just was not the type of cruising experience I enjoy.

Thank you for your response. I am going into this not expecting DCL level of service, which is ok. I guess what I am looking at this is an inexpensive get-away to warmth (we are from upstate NY) during winter break. DCL was too expensive for Feb break, WDW is too expensive for Feb break this time around. So I guess Carnival will meet our needs. We are traveling with two kids (8 & 5). We have until 11/29 to really think about this trip - that's when final payment is due :shrug:.

 

[Lisalyn]

Well being a single mom on a single budget....I priced both - DCL and Carnival. For Thanksgiving week 2011 on DCL it came in close to $3700 for the caribbean cruise (inside state room, no ocean view and no balcony). For a week on Carnival with the larger room, 1.5 bath, deluxe ocean view...it is $1700 AND that includes all the food (which most cruises do include no matter who they are) PLUS all the onboard shows. I have a 12 year old daughter and this cruise is geared towards tweens with special night time swims, movies, dances and events for 12-14 year olds if she chooses to do those things - if not, she and I have tons to choose from either way. Even though I may be a certified Disney fanatic and wish I could take a Disney cruise - my sister is 10x Worse! lol She goes on the cruises and goes to the World no less then 5x a year. She informed me that Carnival has stepped up their "game" and are very comparable (they just don't have "the name") and to go for it - so I am!

 

[RickyMouseMom]

Well being a single mom on a single budget....I priced both - DCL and Carnival. For Thanksgiving week 2011 on DCL it came in close to $3700 for the caribbean cruise (inside state room, no ocean view and no balcony). For a week on Carnival with the larger room, 1.5 bath, deluxe ocean view...it is $1700 AND that includes all the food (which most cruises do include no matter who they are) PLUS all the onboard shows. I have a 12 year old daughter and this cruise is geared towards tweens with special night time swims, movies, dances and events for 12-14 year olds if she chooses to do those things - if not, she and I have tons to choose from either way. Even though I may be a certified Disney fanatic and wish I could take a Disney cruise - my sister is 10x Worse! lol She goes on the cruises and goes to the World no less then 5x a year. She informed me that Carnival has stepped up their "game" and are very comparable (they just don't have "the name") and to go for it - so I am!

Thanks for posting, glad to hear someone say that Carnival has 'stepped up their game'. I have heard that from a few sources - especially on their newer ships. I am a certified Disney fanatic also, usually go a couple times a year to WDW, and want to go on DCL at least once a year. We couldn't get the price reasonable enough for WDW in Feb (We have been going twice a year: every Feb and July/Aug since 2007 - once a year since 2004.). So since we already had Aug trip and DCL booked, we decided to for-go the FEb trip cry. Although if we get a pin code before final payment for Carnival is due, then WDW might be back in the cards for FEb :ROFLOL:

 

[Phonedave]

Well being a single mom on a single budget....I priced both - DCL and Carnival. For Thanksgiving week 2011 on DCL it came in close to $3700 for the caribbean cruise (inside state room, no ocean view and no balcony). For a week on Carnival with the larger room, 1.5 bath, deluxe ocean view...it is $1700 AND that includes all the food (which most cruises do include no matter who they are) PLUS all the onboard shows. I have a 12 year old daughter and this cruise is geared towards tweens with special night time swims, movies, dances and events for 12-14 year olds if she chooses to do those things - if not, she and I have tons to choose from either way. Even though I may be a certified Disney fanatic and wish I could take a Disney cruise - my sister is 10x Worse! lol She goes on the cruises and goes to the World no less then 5x a year. She informed me that Carnival has stepped up their "game" and are very comparable (they just don't have "the name") and to go for it - so I am!

I haven't made that jump yet. My kids and I have been on 2 DLC cruises so far, and have one booked for August. I look at the price difference, and I look at the fact that other lines depart out of NYC - so I would not have to buy plane tickets

I am tempted to switch. My kids flat out want to stay with Disney (they have this Disney thing). Decisions, decisions.


-dave

 

[919Florida]

I have also cruised Disney two times and now with Carnival two times. I love my Carnival Cruise experience. They had a bad reputation before but I notice that is not the same anymore especailly the newer ships. Which ship are you going on? I have been on Carnival Glory and Carnival Dream. I never seen this craziness people told me about before.

I actually was booked on the Disney Dream for October next year and seriously am thinking about cancelling it and taking another Carnival Cruise. Can get longer cruise in a better room for less money.

Your going to have a great time on Carnival.

 

[Lisalyn]

Hi again to everyone that responded to my post. It's the new boat of Carnival's that is sailing over I think it's November 19th for a week next year. When I get more info from my Carnival lady in the mail I'll let you know. It mentioned St. Maarten and St. Thomas if that helps. It deports from Port Canaveral.

I WISH I had the funds to spend on a Disney cruise but I don't. I'm sure nothing compares to it but in all fairness I'm going to try Carnival and hopefully they live up to my expectations and have stepped up their game like several people I've talked to have said! If not, I'll know better next time (which will probably be 10 years from now:ROFLOL and just resort to suffering at the World for our special week again LOL

The only reason we are taking a "break" is we want to go back Thanksgiving 2012. By then the new POP section will be completed and hopefully all of the FLE.

 

[tink65]

Ok, I have given this thread new life. I have cruised Disney Wonder twice (2000 & 2010), have Disney Dream booked (Aug 2011). We have tentatively decided to cruise on Carnival Freedom in Feb 2011 as a cheap get-away ($1840 for 2A 2C - 6 days). Now after reading these reviews of Carnival, I am disturbed. Will it REALLY be all that bad? Certainly we understand it will be a different kind of experience from DCL. What I want to hear from someone is 'Yes, Carnival is a nice experience too!'. I am envisioning fall-down drunks everywhere, and nothing to do but eat 24/7.

My entire family and I are complete Disney fanatics but we've never been on a Disney cruise so I can't compare the different lines but we have been on 3 cruises. 1 Norwegian and 2 Carnival. We thoroughly enjoyed all 3 of our cruises. We were not surrounded by drunks and barely stepped foot in the casinos. DH played some slots once while I watched..... There was plenty of onboard entertainment during the day to keep you occupied if you didn't want to lounge in the sun. At night the main "show" was perfect for adults & children. Our DD was with us on each of our cruises and I felt the entertainment we chose was appropriate for all of us. On Carnival they offered some comedy shows at night. One was for all ages and a later one was geared more for adults. I wouldn't waste my time or pollute my ears by going to something inappropriate for DD to hear. I say go on your cruise, have a great time and don't worry about it. I'd book another Carnival or Norwegian cruise in a minute. You'll have a blast. Try the Carnival Dream! It's their newest and biggest to date. We sailed on it in March and it was breathtaking!

 

[Funfy]

I have been on other cruises, but, it has been awhile. Although they were nice, none of them compared to DCL for me. Also, being a DVC member four of us can take a cruise for $95.00 plus our points, so, other cruise lines are not really an option. But, I will suffer through! :lol:

 

[MCC1]

On deck in Port Canaveral waiting to depart with all the other cruise lines, when Royal Carribean blows their horn you think what a massive ship that is...when Carnival blows theirs you know everyone's getting ready to go...but when the Wonder blows her's and it comes out 'when you wish upon a star' instead of the massive blow horns of the others and everyone's looking at your ship wishing they were there...you know you're in the right place...it is totally cool...(not to mention when you see the people on the breakwater before you get to the ocean waving at your ship with big white Mickey gloves...well...you have to be there)

 

[musketeer]

Been on Royal Caribbean, Princess, Holland America, Norwegian, and Carnival (ironically enough, NOT Disney).

And to me, they are all basically the same. I could find faults with all, and great things about all. So no, in my experience, Carnival was not fall down drunks with nothing to do but eat 24/7. I enjoyed it just as much as any of the others.

And actually, if I had to rate them, Norwegian might have been my least favorite, but not by much.

 

[Pete C]

Carnival is definitely not the "Motel 6" of cruising. In fact, most people would say of the big ones, that title belongs to Norwegian (NCL). Granted, I have not been on an NCL cruise, but I have read loads of reviews and heard personal recommendations from too many people to steer clear. Read reviews of NCL and you will find that most people simply hate the food on these ships. They may have invented freestyle dining, a much needed innovation in the cruise industry, but all other lines have this now, and they all have better food, including Carnival. NCL's latest ship, the Epic, is not getting great reviews either compared to something like RC's Oasis. Epic was supposed to be their savior, but my folks (who are retired and cruise about 5 times per year) know a few people that have been on this ship and they hated it. Who knows they might turn it around, but if you have only been on NCL I highly recommend you try another line.

As for the pricing, I would not pay more for Disney. It's not like they have dark rides on the ship or at their private island. I'd much rather have that money to spend on excursions. I recommend Royal Caribbean. These ships to me are the most Disney-like in their over the top on-board attractions and themed environments. In fact, Disney ships aren't even on the level of many RC ships. RC's last line of ships before the Oasis, the Freedom class, are all still larger than any of the other lines' new mega ships! The Oasis looks like a ship that would make any theme park fan giddy with excitement.