A challenge

[disneysunshine85]

I was on the fantasy earlier this month. Loved every minute of it. The ship was GORGEOUS. Especially since it was decorated for Christmas. I have a trip booked for Jan on the Carnival Breeze. I got a really good price and it is a chance for my mom and I to go away together. I am trying to wrap my head around the fact that it will not be Disney and trying to lower my expectations for the trip. I guess I should stop reading reviews about the ship bec some of them are less than glowing... Has anyone gone on carnival and had a good time?

 

[eyesing4u]

I went on Carnival Holiday for a 5 day Western Caribbean for $149. I could EAT $149 worth of food for that price! Turned out it was the oldest ship in their fleet. The ship, stateroom hosts, and food was subpar. We still managed to have a great time and the ports were awesome. We knew what we were getting into, so we lowered our expectations and made lemonades out of lemons. Hope you have fun!

 

[stsomewhere]

We have sailed on Carnival twice. We did not enjoy either time.

 

[disneysunshine85]

I went on Carnival Holiday for a 5 day Western Caribbean for $149. I could EAT $149 worth of food for that price! Turned out it was the oldest ship in their fleet. The ship, stateroom hosts, and food was subpar. We still managed to have a great time and the ports were awesome. We knew what we were getting into, so we lowered our expectations and made lemonades out of lemons. Hope you have fun!

Yes I am trying to lower my expectations. I'm hoping that it won't be that bad because it is their newest ship... But who knows!

 

[ilovetexas]

Yes I am trying to lower my expectations. I'm hoping that it won't be that bad because it is their newest ship... But who knows!

Oh for heaven's sake, you've already made up your mind that it's going to be bad....don't bother.

 

[heatherb819]

We've cruised Carnival plenty of times and had a wonderful experience each time. Yes it's not Disney but there are things on other lines we like better and things on DCL we like better than the others. In my opinion, it's what you make of the vacation, if you sit around and think about how it's not DCL & how terrible this & that is, then yes you will probably have a bad time. If you go with the attitude that it's a whole new experience then I think it will be fine!! Enjoy!!! After all it's a cruise!!

 

[disneysunshine85]

Oh for heaven's sake, you've already made up your mind that it's going to be bad....don't bother.

I'm just saying that it won't have the magic and quality of Disney that's all

 

[disneysunshine85]

We've cruised Carnival plenty of times and had a wonderful experience each time. Yes it's not Disney but there are things on other lines we like better and things on DCL we like better than the others. In my opinion, it's what you make of the vacation, if you sit around and think about how it's not DCL & how terrible this & that is, then yes you will probably have a bad time. If you go with the attitude that it's a whole new experience then I think it will be fine!! Enjoy!!! After all it's a cruise!!

I think I just read too many reviews today! I am going to walk in with an open mind. Thank you so much.

 

[lodge]

Oooo, tough one. I would rather not go than to try to enjoy something that is not what I've come to love. I'd be looking around the whole time, thinking ugh-this and ugh-that.

 

[Scillycruisers]

I was on the fantasy earlier this month. Loved every minute of it. The ship was GORGEOUS. Especially since it was decorated for Christmas. I have a trip booked for Jan on the Carnival Breeze. I got a really good price and it is a chance for my mom and I to go away together. I am trying to wrap my head around the fact that it will not be Disney and trying to lower my expectations for the trip. I guess I should stop reading reviews about the ship bec some of them are less than glowing... Has anyone gone on carnival and had a good time?

You're on holiday, you're on a cruise, who cares about the rest - enjoy!!!!!!!!

 

[quickcat]

Dont read the reviews from cruise critic- you should go to the carnival section on cruise critic and the family section under cruise critic and then you'll read some positive reviews. The others seem to just be negative.
We have sailed Carnival before and had a fine time. We did not see anyone drunk, no wild party groups, etc. We are not out at night though We are early to bed, early to rise people but I do want to sail the Breeze sometime. Trying new ships is the fun part of sailing. Go and then you make your own review of sailing on Carnival.
We had great staff- always friendly and smiling. None seemed to hate their job or be mad for working.
Have a great time- I read their ropes course is great!

 

[mmouse37]

DCL is obviously my all time favorite cruise line but we have done a few Carnival cruises and always had a great time and I purposely do not compare when I am onboard. I just have a good time and try not to think about the differences.

I truly believe you make your own fun and if you go into something with a preconceived notion then every little thing will reinforce that and you will have a horrible time.

Go in knowing it will just be a different experience...not necessarily a bad one.

MJ

 

[ekatiel]

We are sailing DCL for the first time in February, so I can't compare, but we've been multiple times on both Carnival and Royal, and we like both lines. Go to the Carnival boards on cruise critic, and find out all the little things that will make your cruise special. The warm chocolate melting cake is SUPER yummy on Carnival, and you can get it every night if you want to . Carnival bartenders make a drink called "A Kiss on the Lips" which is one of my favorite fru-fru drinks. I also hear that Guy's burger bar is good, and it's free. You'll also have the two waterslides and the ropes course. Anyhow, each line has extra touches that make it unique, so head over to the Carnival Boards on cruise critic and see what they are! --Katie

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

We did 2 carnival cruises and never again. We had problems with the drunks and the noise in the middle of the night, drunk in the passageways, but I am told the longer cruises are better.

I do have problems with Carnival Inc., safely record and they are being investaged due to the Concordia sinking and other vessel fires, casualities,etc.

I would try RCL if you want to safe some money, We did the Freedom andenjoyed it, but DCL is our favorite.

Sorry I will not permit my family to sail on any carnival Inc, line vessel, with the exception of Cunard and Princess. They seem to operate with a little more independence.


AKK

 

[MND]

Has anyone gone on carnival and had a good time?

No. No one has ever sailed on Carnival and had a good time. That is why they have a zillion ships that sail all over the world.

You will have a blast, if you go in with the right attitude. Remember, it's you who controls whether you enjoy your experience or not.

Personally, I hope you have a lot of fun.

Mike

 

[jahber]

A long-time friend of mine takes her family (her, DH, DD9, DD11) on 2 cruises a year. They have sailed DCL, RCI, and Carnival. This last Carnival cruise was a few weeks ago on the Breeze. I specifically asked her about it when she returned and they said they loved it! One thing she mentioned off-hand was that Carnival had changed the decor to be less Vegas-y, if that makes any sense. I trust her opinion--she and I have similar tastes. We don't like casinos, we don't drink much, and we want our vacations to have a certain level of classiness, for lack of a better word. I expect the rooms and public spaces to be well maintained, the staff to be courteous, to feel safe, etc. I don't want to feel like I'm in Daytona Beach for a budget Spring Break in college. Those days were fun, but now I have a family and I'd like to be pampered just a wee bit on vacation Granted, I don't expect it to be Seabourn for that price!

I say go for it! The Breeze is a brand new ship and she sails a longer itinerary--this *should* mean fewer college students in a party frame of mind. YMMV, of course. And now as I post this, my DH is asking if we can book the Breeze for his birthday cruise. As he puts it, mommy gets to pick the "expensive" DCL cruise and daddy gets to pick the "cheaper" Carnival cruise. Whatever makes him happy! Have a great cruise!

 

[SnipsNSnails]

I've sailed Carnival many times and have had a lot of fun each time. Now I've never sailed DCL before, we're sailing for the 1st time in Feb. and we're quite certain that it will spoil us a bit, but reality is that it's vacation! You get to relax, don't have to cook or clean, it will be warm......it's what you make of it. If you choose to have a good time, then you will! Every vacation has the potential to have moments that aren't what you expected or are even less than pleasant and it will be up to you what you do with it.

For example, one Carnival cruise boarding got delayed for whatever reason, we had been there a little early to begin with so we ended up sitting for a couple hours listening to this loud, obnoxious person with a mic/speaker in the terminal shops try to sell everyone liquor. I think we were sailing from San Jaun. They were repeating the different brands over and over...Bacardi, Captain Morgan, etc. etc., buy x amount get a FREEEEEEEEEE Backpack! Now that could have been a terrible experience for sure, it was super obnoxious and we could have been grumpy about it the whole trip. Instead 8-10 years later it's still a family joke. Every once in awhile, someone will bust out FREEEEEE Backpack! I kind of felt bad for the lady in one of the shops we went to on an island who tried to sell us a watch with a free backpack. It was super hard to keep a straight face until we left the shop where we all burst out laughing. Many backpacks have been exchanged as gag gifts in our family too.

 

[Luv2Diz]

I think I just read too many reviews today! I am going to walk in with an open mind. Thank you so much.

I'm in the same boat as you, so to speak! We've done two DCL cruises now and loved them. They set the bar pretty high.

But....I am thinking of trying a Princess cruise next since we can easily drive to the port of Seattle. I don't expect it to be the same as Disney by any means. I've heard that the food is actually better along with some of the amenities. An open mind to a different cruise experience is the way to go!

I have co-workers who love Carnival and Princess. There are options out there for everyone!

 

[disneysunshine85]

Thank you all for you input! I'm sure it will be a good time and Im sure anything is better than being in the cold weather in MA!!!

 

[super mike b]

......Im sure anything is better than being in the cold weather in MA!!!

Have a great cruise. The rest of us will probably be at work!