CARNIVAL VS DCL: The discussion and comparison thread!

[Dallas_Lady]

Hi guys! I don't post much but I follow along. I'm going on the Vista out of Galveston in a couple weeks and I'll post back here with my review. I was torn between the Vista out of Galveston and the Wonder out of New Orleans but the price difference was impossible to ignore. I showed my kids videos of both ships and they said the Vista looked "cooler" (13 & 11yo) so we shall see!

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

Hi guys! I don't post much but I follow along. I'm going on the Vista out of Galveston in a couple weeks and I'll post back here with my review. I was torn between the Vista out of Galveston and the Wonder out of New Orleans but the price difference was impossible to ignore. I showed my kids videos of both ships and they said the Vista looked "cooler" (13 & 11yo) so we shall see!

For what it’s worth, my family likes Vista way more than Wonder, she has a lot more to do. Just go into the cruise knowing it’s not going to be like Disney and you’ll be fine. Carnival is a lot of fun and after sailing Vista in the Mediterranean, Caribbean out of Miami, and Caribbean out of Galveston, I really liked the passengers out of Galveston, really a great group of people.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

For what it’s worth, my family likes Vista way more than Wonder, she has a lot more to do. Just go into the cruise knowing it’s not going to be like Disney and you’ll be fine. Carnival is a lot of fun and after sailing Vista in the Mediterranean, Caribbean out of Miami, and Caribbean out of Galveston, I really liked the passengers out of Galveston, really a great group of people.

Agree. Galveston cruisers seem to drink less and are polite! We have only taken 2 cruises out of Galveston so not a scientific analysis by any means, just observation.

 

[tidefan]

Agree. Galveston cruisers seem to drink less and are polite! We have only taken 2 cruises out of Galveston so not a scientific analysis by any means, just observation.

Hey! When is your cruise on the Regal?

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

Hey! When is your cruise on the Regal?

March 15!

 

[mevelandry]

Hi guys! I don't post much but I follow along. I'm going on the Vista out of Galveston in a couple weeks and I'll post back here with my review. I was torn between the Vista out of Galveston and the Wonder out of New Orleans but the price difference was impossible to ignore. I showed my kids videos of both ships and they said the Vista looked "cooler" (13 & 11yo) so we shall see!

Everybody is different but my husband and I liked the Vista more than the Wonder. They are both good ships but the Vista has much more to do!

 

[tidefan]

March 15!

Excellent. Can't wait to see if you like it. Speaking of Princess. I know all the trouble they've had with the Diamond Princess in Japan, I thought that this was a nice touch. Not sure many corporate presidents would personally greet passengers and crew...

https://twitter.com/x/status/1230349051117416448

 

[belle032]

Interesting! Sounds like a new cruise port will be available for the region soon. John Heald confirmed as well and says the Magic will offer a series of sailings in the Mediterranean and then undego a two-week drydock in Spain before re-positioning. Wonder what the Med sailings will look like!

https://www.wavy.com/news/local-new...arnival-bringing-carnival-magic-ship-in-2021/

 

[trvlgirlmq]

Interesting! Sounds like a new cruise port will be available for the region soon. John Heald confirmed as well and says the Magic will offer a series of sailings in the Mediterranean and then undego a two-week drydock in Spain before re-positioning. Wonder what the Med sailings will look like!

https://www.wavy.com/news/local-new...arnival-bringing-carnival-magic-ship-in-2021/

Well, based on the dates it's doing 1 seven night and 1 eight night in the Med! Not exactly a "series" ! I guess that marketing sounded better.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

Excellent. Can't wait to see if you like it. Speaking of Princess. I know all the trouble they've had with the Diamond Princess in Japan, I thought that this was a nice touch. Not sure many corporate presidents would personally greet passengers and crew...

https://twitter.com/x/status/1230349051117416448

That is impressive!

 

[mevelandry]

We are currently in a little "cruise break" (my next one being only in December, which is quite a change from the usually April & October routine)...

Quite the coincidence with all the coronavirus talk...

I wonder what will happen in the next months with the whole cruise industry.

 

[belle032]

We are currently in a little "cruise break" (my next one being only in December, which is quite a change from the usually April & October routine)...

Quite the coincidence with all the coronavirus talk...

I wonder what will happen in the next months with the whole cruise industry.

I understand sickness fears, especially for the elderly or those with young children, but I'm still not at the point where I'm scared to travel. At least domestically. All I know is these cheap cruise fares are REALLY tempting. $100 for 4-5 day cruises?! If we lived closer to a port, I know we'd be jumping on them in a second.

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

We are currently in a little "cruise break" (my next one being only in December, which is quite a change from the usually April & October routine)...

Quite the coincidence with all the coronavirus talk...

I wonder what will happen in the next months with the whole cruise industry.

I’m not worried at all, granted ours isn’t until June. I still believe the common flu is more potent and dangerous, maybe it’s too much like the boy who cried wolf from the media. Every 2 years there’s another flu that is going to kill us all and it never happens, I just can’t buy into the hysteria of it all.

I agree with @belle032, I’d be all over those low cruise fares if we lived near a port. My cousin who lives near Long Beach booked one yesterday and is jumping on a ship today.

 

[trvlgirlmq]

I have a long weekend to Chicago for a convention in April, our family trip to Hawaii in June and a long weekend in NYC in June and I am going on all of them! Our next cruise isn't until Fall and I hope this has all blown over by then.

 

[trvlgirlmq]

On another note in looking at booking a DCL cruise for my niece's HS graduation trip I priced out the opening day cruises for 2021. This is going to be a hard nope from us! The cost is just too high for what we feel is just a Caribbean cruise. The 7 day on Fantasy was $10,700 before gratuities and other relevant vacation expenses. The 6 day was $8,300. As we talked about yes, we could afford to do this but the value is not there for us. We could go to Europe for 2 weeks for the same cost as a 1 week DCL cruise. I love making my kids happy but she will have to come up with a new idea

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

We’re on a ship in 2 weeks and are super excited. Unfortunately, the price hasn’t dropped for us! I personally am more worried about things like TB than this cold. What is scary to me is how the media is trying to whip everyone up. There was no water at our Costco yesterday. Water? I don’t even understand what that has to do with a virus. I think people around here are so used to stockpiling for hurricanes that they are getting mixed up. On the upside, right now is a good time to buy stock. Unfortunately we don’t have extra money sitting around to do it!

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

On another note in looking at booking a DCL cruise for my niece's HS graduation trip I priced out the opening day cruises for 2021. This is going to be a hard nope from us! The cost is just too high for what we feel is just a Caribbean cruise. The 7 day on Fantasy was $10,700 before gratuities and other relevant vacation expenses. The 6 day was $8,300. As we talked about yes, we could afford to do this but the value is not there for us. We could go to Europe for 2 weeks for the same cost as a 1 week DCL cruise. I love making my kids happy but she will have to come up with a new idea

Those prices are so hard to swallow. Even when we book dcl, we usually end up canceling— it’s like jiminy cricket in my head saying over and over, “That’s an awfully expensive cruise!” He usually gets through to me before final payment. Lol

 

[hdrolfe]

I had to cancel my March break trip and if I hadn't I would be going regardless of concerns. My next one isn't until December (279 days, whose counting?) but I have noticed some really good prices in May on the Oasis class ships (RCL), and I really wish I could afford to go! Less than $2000 CAD for one week on Symphony or Harmony or Oasis (in an inside)? Even the neighbourhood balconies are only about $2200! If it wasn't for needing flights I'd go.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

I’ve been checking our panorama cruise in June and it is $2000 more than when we booked??!!! Of course we booked on opening. But I am wondering if we should cancel and try to pick up a deal instead?

 

[trvlgirlmq]

We have stores here running out of Advil and Tylenol! According to the pharmacist we spoke to many of them are made in China and if they are not produced there many of the ingredients come from there too. With the factories shut down there could be a shortage. We did buy some at the third store we checked! Just in case.