Has Anyone Cruised Carnival?

[DVC2004]

I am looking for opinions on Carnival Cruises. We have never cruised them- just Disney and once RC. RC we didn't care for but then again it was an older ship and and older age crowd (not many families with children). So...

Budget is the reason. I looked into taking another 3 day Disney Cruise but it's $1700...
I saw a 5 day cruise on Carnival departing from Jacksonville going to a private island and the bahamas and somehwere else I forget now... it was around $1200. I know the price is close but it's more days on the Carnival Cruise so a longer vacation for less $$.

Thoughts? They seem to have added lots of water slides and improvements over the last time I considered them. Anyone cruised them recently? The good, the bad? thanks~

[Tink1]

I have sailed Carnival many times. As with any line, there are certan ships I will sail and certain ships I will not.

I personally stay away from any of the older ships. My favorites so far have been the Dream and the Legend.

The type of sailing, the departure port and the length all add into what age group will be sailing. You find younger (partiers) on the short sailing from Florida. The are mostly on older ships and are inexpensive. Sailings in teh summer from NYC are mainly families with a very mixed demographic. Same can be said for the week long summer sailings from Port Canaveral and Tampa.

On the newer ships/longer itineraries that I have sailed, I found the food to be better than RCCL, entertainment very good and the "party" crowd to a minimum.

Nanc

[NJGIRL]

I have sailed on Carnival and while it was a fun cruise and the food was fine I found that it was a party boat with alot of the single younger crowd. In general the boat was very "loud" in it's decor and not as classy as other lines I have been on. While it is probably my least favorite of all the cruise lines I have been on it was by no means a bad trip. There wasn't really anything I had a problem with or complaint about. I think it's a personal preference and whether you want to spend the extra money.

[Tink1]

I agree about the decor. I found it amazing that after a day though, I could ignore it.

My first comment to our CCL rep when I boarded the Dream though was "It is much easier on the eyes!"

The Dream was no where NEAR the gaudiness of the older ships. Still a little different than other lines, but much calmer.

nanc

[NJGIRL]

I agree about the decor. I found it amazing that after a day though, I could ignore it.

Oh I agree, the decor is not a make or break deal for me while on a ship. I think it's a combo of everything the ship does or does not have to offer, but to tell you the truth I have never been on a bad cruise. We have enjoyed each one that we have taken and really can't complain about any of the lines. I just think some are a little nicer than others but can't say I would not cruise on any one line. I do have to laugh though because what were they thinking when they decorated some of those ships!

[Magic Smiles]

We just booked our first cruise ever on Carnival, Liberty leaving from Miami to the Western Caribbean for 7 days. Carnival wouldn't have been my choice, but then neither was Western Caribbean, but this cruise is for my DS and we are going with some of his friends and their familes. If I don't get sea sick I am sure it will be a good time and as it is quite an inexpensive cruise it will be a good test as to whether or not I would want to do another more expensive cruise in the future.

[NJGIRL]

We just booked our first cruise ever on Carnival, Liberty leaving from Miami to the Western Caribbean for 7 days. Carnival wouldn't have been my choice, but then neither was Western Caribbean, but this cruise is for my DS and we are going with some of his friends and their familes. If I don't get sea sick I am sure it will be a good time and as it is quite an inexpensive cruise it will be a good test as to whether or not I would want to do another more expensive cruise in the future.

Cruises are alot of fun so I'm sure you will have a great time but just make sure you pack something just in case you get seasick. Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't

[Figment!]

After having sailed Royal Caribbean, Princess, and Disney multiple times each; I did a Carnival last May with some friends.

It definitely is a different atmosphere than the aforementioned cruise lines, but nothing that detracted from the enjoyment of my vacation.

The buffet and quick service food was comparable (in my opinion) to the more expensive lines, but the dining room food paled greatly in comparison. While the food was far from being inedible, it was not (in my opinion) in the same ball-park as what was offered in the dinning room on the other cruise lines.

Shore excursions were comparable, and nothing out of the ordinary as far as docking position at the ports-of-call.