CARNIVAL VS DCL: The discussion and comparison thread!

[mevelandry]

I'm glad your experience has been different. Carnival is working to improve their reputation, but I can assure you that the shorter 3-4 day cruises are known by the locals as a "booze cruise". I've sailed on two of those and while the ship was filled with families, honeymooners and couples looking for an escape (us), alcohol was an ever present lubricant contributing to the party atmosphere. I'm speaking from personal experience here and I've found as I've shared my story with others who have sailed those cruises, I am not alone. Heck, I met some people in the hot tub that turned out to be good friends of my cousin. They sail the 3 day Carnival out of Long Beach at least once a year with a large group for the sole purpose of drinking heavily and hanging out. IF they leave the ship in Ensenada, it is to go to a local tourist bar for shots. These cruises are cheap and convenient. Perfect weekend getaway.

Our 4 nights in the Bahamas on the Victory was super quiet. Guess we got lucky. I'm grateful for that because then we decided to book the Vista which is now my favorite ship.

 

[mevelandry]

Yes, it's another list of "Best" (it seems like there is hundreds of them)...

But it's always fun to read...

Carnival is:

#4 in Best Cruise Lines for the Money (topped by RCCL, Celebrity and NCL... Surprisingly, DCL is not in the list --not in the luxury cruises either)
#3 in Best Cruise Lines for Families (topped by DCL and RCCL)
#4 in Best Cruise Lines in the Caribbean (topped by DCL, RCCL and Celebrity)


https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/...t-cruise-line-the-money-us-news-world-reports

Since Carnival is right behind those cruise lines, I guess Carnival must not be that bad!

 

[Neptune's Fork]

Yes, it's another list of "Best" (it seems like there is hundreds of them)...

But it's always fun to read...

Carnival is:

#4 in Best Cruise Lines for the Money (topped by RCCL, Celebrity and NCL... Surprisingly, DCL is not in the list --not in the luxury cruises either)

Surprisingly? That's the one universal complaint on DCL, the cost. So it shouldn't be a surprise to anyone it didn't make any 'Best Cruise Lines for the Money' list.

 

[Neptune's Fork]

Sorry, but I do not agree with this generalization of Carnival.

We have sailed on two Carnival cruises so far -- our first one was the 4-night on Carnival Glory from NYC over Labor Day weekend to NE/Canada. The ship was sold out and we saw lots of families and young people -- and we had the drink package. We never felt pressured to drink -- we just walked up to the bar and got what we wanted -- once a day -- and that was it. We never once on that whole cruise saw anyone falling down drunk. However, more than once on a Disney cruise we have witnessed embarrassingly drunk parents and one even thrown out of kaoroke for being beligerent and told they could never return to that bar for the rest of the cruise. On two Carnival cruises, we have never witnessed that anywhere.

I've heard from no less than 6 people recently who have done Carnival cruises in the past year, and they are pretty consistent in saying it is a drink heavy cruise, especially among the 20s set. In fairness, I don't think a cruise to Canada is going to give you a taste for the typical Carnival cruise, as most of their ships are sailing in the Caribbean and Gulf. This isn't to say there's no drinking on Disney ships, I was on Magic last month and there was a fair amount of it, as there would be on most any cruise line, but I think Carnival takes the crown in this area.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

I've heard from no less than 6 people recently who have done Carnival cruises in the past year, and they are pretty consistent in saying it is a drink heavy cruise, especially among the 20s set. In fairness, I don't think a cruise to Canada is going to give you a taste for the typical Carnival cruise, as most of their ships are sailing in the Caribbean and Gulf. This isn't to say there's no drinking on Disney ships, I was on Magic last month and there was a fair amount of it, as there would be on most any cruise line, but I think Carnival takes the crown in this area.

On our summer Caribbean cruise on Carnival, there was no more drinking than on one of our many Disney cruises. In fact, we never noticed ANY drinking. I am not saying no one was drinking, but we never, and I never, noticed anyone drinking. I noticed more eating than on DCL, because there was amazing food around every corner. On two occasions we noticed people licking their fingers eating bbq (lol- yuck), but... no drinking. We did not drink at all on the ship and we generally do not drink. We are not drawn to party scenes and are very dull!! We did not even have a soft drink on the ship but did purchase lattes every day. We are eagerly going back to Carnival in March at 1/4th of the price of DCL.

 

[mevelandry]

Surprisingly? That's the one universal complaint on DCL, the cost. So it shouldn't be a surprise to anyone it didn't make any 'Best Cruise Lines for the Money' list.

That was semi-sarcastic.

But you'd guess the "experience" was a criteria in the ranking. Maybe those who made the choices are impermeable to the Disney magic?

 

[mevelandry]

I've heard from no less than 6 people recently who have done Carnival cruises in the past year, and they are pretty consistent in saying it is a drink heavy cruise, especially among the 20s set. In fairness, I don't think a cruise to Canada is going to give you a taste for the typical Carnival cruise, as most of their ships are sailing in the Caribbean and Gulf. This isn't to say there's no drinking on Disney ships, I was on Magic last month and there was a fair amount of it, as there would be on most any cruise line, but I think Carnival takes the crown in this area.

Or NCL or RCCL... Short cruises (3 nights more often than 4 nights) tend to be booze cruises. NCL now offer illimited drinks on many cruises... So I guess they are trying to steal the crown.

Got two Carnival cruises under my belt and they were not booze cruises. Going for a third one in 5 months (another 4 nights). Not even remotely worried.

 

[mevelandry]

On our summer Caribbean cruise on Carnival, there was no more drinking than on one of our many Disney cruises. In fact, we never noticed ANY drinking. I am not saying no one was drinking, but we never, and I never, noticed anyone drinking. I noticed more eating than on DCL, because there was amazing food around every corner. On two occasions we noticed people licking their fingers eating bbq (lol- yuck), but... no drinking. We did not drink at all on the ship and we generally do not drink. We are not drawn to party scenes and are very dull!! We did not even have a soft drink on the ship but did purchase lattes every day. We are eagerly going back to Carnival in March at 1/4th of the price of DCL.

Same experience. DH and I get up quite early so we get the ship for ourselves for a certain time in the morning. Since we're off to bed by 10:00 PM... If there is partying, we don't notice. I don't even remember seeing one drunk person.

 

[Vicki106]

We sailed on the Carnival Sensation last week on a charter cruise run by a travel agency out of Philadelphia. Prior to this we had only sailed DCL. The cruise was centered around a musical group and there were tons of wonderful performances, and we had a great time. But I did notice some very distinct differences from DCL. To be fair though, I want to mention that this is an old ship that I think is only used for charters. First the crew from the cabin stewards, to the servers (with the exception of one cranky guy we saw one night at dinner) were very friendly and super accommodating. No problem with that at all. There were several areas where I felt there maintenance and cleanliness were well below what we see on DCL. Our stateroom had what we laughingly considered to be the "Dirtiest Window in the Caribbean." Absolutely filthy inside and outside. There was visible rust in many, many places especially in the areas on the Lido Deck. And the restrooms throughout the ship (along with the closets in our stateroom) looked like temporary construction - flimsy pressboard with multiple sets of holes for screws that were re-drilled a few inches over. . . . And the smell on cigarette smoke in the hallways outside of the staterooms was shocking. (I know Carnival wasn't to blame for people choosing to smoke, but they did not seem to be enforcing their no smoking areas.) I also found the food to be ok, but not up to DCL's.

Overall, we had a great time, because we were there for the entertainment, and nothing sticks out in my mind as terrible, but it definitely wasn't DCL. Would I go on the Carnival Sensation again? Yes for something like this cruise, but if we decide to sail Carnival with the family, I would want to be on one of their newer ships.

 

[mevelandry]

We sailed on the Carnival Sensation last week on a charter cruise run by a travel agency out of Philadelphia. Prior to this we had only sailed DCL. The cruise was centered around a musical group and there were tons of wonderful performances, and we had a great time. But I did notice some very distinct differences from DCL. To be fair though, I want to mention that this is an old ship that I think is only used for charters. First the crew from the cabin stewards, to the servers (with the exception of one cranky guy we saw one night at dinner) were very friendly and super accommodating. No problem with that at all. There were several areas where I felt there maintenance and cleanliness were well below what we see on DCL. Our stateroom had what we laughingly considered to be the "Dirtiest Window in the Caribbean." Absolutely filthy inside and outside. There was visible rust in many, many places especially in the areas on the Lido Deck. And the restrooms throughout the ship (along with the closets in our stateroom) looked like temporary construction - flimsy pressboard with multiple sets of holes for screws that were re-drilled a few inches over. . . . And the smell on cigarette smoke in the hallways outside of the staterooms was shocking. (I know Carnival wasn't to blame for people choosing to smoke, but they did not seem to be enforcing their no smoking areas.) I also found the food to be ok, but not up to DCL's.

Overall, we had a great time, because we were there for the entertainment, and nothing sticks out in my mind as terrible, but it definitely wasn't DCL. Would I go on the Carnival Sensation again? Yes for something like this cruise, but if we decide to sail Carnival with the family, I would want to be on one of their newer ships.

Thanks for your review!

I thought the Sensation was under a multi-million dollars dry dock in the beginning of 2017... That being said, she is 24 years old. Not super young. Some of her decks are still made of wood (which in my opinion make ships look older).

I have a few questions...

Do you have pictures of the damages?

Did you ask the steward to clean your window? (Was it done?)

Where did you eat?
Have you tried Guy's Burger Joint & BlueIguana Cantina?
Did they add Pig & Anchor on the Sensation?
Where do you usually eat with DCL? (MDR only or Palo & Remy?)

I'm dreaming of the day smoking won't be permitted (inside) on board cruiseships...!!! Carnival Sunshine and Vista have strict rules regarding smoking and I wish they would extend it to all the ships.

 

[Anchors Away 2016]

I've heard from no less than 6 people recently who have done Carnival cruises in the past year, and they are pretty consistent in saying it is a drink heavy cruise, especially among the 20s set. In fairness, I don't think a cruise to Canada is going to give you a taste for the typical Carnival cruise, as most of their ships are sailing in the Caribbean and Gulf. This isn't to say there's no drinking on Disney ships, I was on Magic last month and there was a fair amount of it, as there would be on most any cruise line, but I think Carnival takes the crown in this area.

On our summer Caribbean cruise on Carnival, there was no more drinking than on one of our many Disney cruises. In fact, we never noticed ANY drinking. I am not saying no one was drinking, but we never, and I never, noticed anyone drinking. I noticed more eating than on DCL, because there was amazing food around every corner.

I've read a lot of this thread over the time, not all of it. Found these two posts close together to be humorous. I'll share another data point.

My wife and I went on a 4-day Carnival Cruise recently to the Bahamas on the Liberty. I was quite unsure what to expect, when it came to drinking and to food compared to DCL.

I think it is quite fair to say there was more drinking on the Liberty than there was on the DCL Fantasy when we were there. The bars were fuller, the shows (even the main theater) had waitstaff coming by taking drink orders throughout. (all the seats had little tables and aisles so the staff could walk past.) Likewise by the pools. Way more waitstaff taking drink orders than I ever saw on Fantasy. They sold drinks by the pitcher in many of the bars. I don't remember that on DCL.

But on the other hand, I didn't see it as a "booze cruise", either. I didn't see anyone fall down drunk or ever particularly rowdy. There was plenty of enthusiasm, but it was spurred on by the Entertainment staff, just as on DCL ships, not the alcohol. Most people were relaxed and peaceful.

As for the food, it was more similar to DCL than I might have expected. Some pluses, some minuses, but based more on lining up with my personal preferences than any objective scale of "better." There was plenty to eat, and people were eating it. Just like on DCL.

As for smoking, there were a few foul smelling sections of the cabin corridors, but I wouldn't have called it smokey smell. I don't know what it was. I'm glad our cabin wasn't in those areas. As for smoke elsewhere on the ship, I thought the rules were pretty well enforced. Even the casino wasn't as smoky as i expected. Oh, you could smell it, but it wasn't overpowering, unless of course you have asthma or a sensitivity to smoke, in which case certainly you would want to avoid the casino.

 

[wombat_5606]

I'm dreaming of the day smoking won't be permitted (inside) on board cruiseships.

Did you know that Carnival had a ship, the Paradise, that was initially the cruise industry's only all non-smoking ship? I sailed with her and it was heaven. I believe Carnival was ahead of their time but it was discontinued in the early 2000's.

I think they could make it work in todays market. I wonder why they don't bring it back?

 

[mevelandry]

(...) They sold drinks by the pitcher in many of the bars. I don't remember that on DCL (...)

Side note: Those pitchers are a really good value. DH and I calculated it: it gives you more or less 4 drinks for the price of 3. It's a good way to save money.

 

[mevelandry]

Did you know that Carnival had a ship, the Paradise, that was initially the cruise industry's only all non-smoking ship? I sailed with her and it was heaven. I believe Carnival was ahead of their time but it was discontinued in the early 2000's.

I think they could make it work in todays market. I wonder why they don't bring it back?

Yes, I heard about it. I wish they would do it again as it is now the norm in North America that you can't smoke inside in public areas. Or at least close a smoking part of the casino? I noticed that they blocked the casino with windows (from the deck 5) on the Vista. It's a nice touch, however they should put doors in the entrance of the Casino as well because you can actually smell the smoke from the stairs.

 

[Anchors Away 2016]

Side note: Those pitchers are a really good value. DH and I calculated it: it gives you more or less 4 drinks for the price of 3. It's a good way to save money.

Absolutely. Especially given that A) my wife and I can usually find something we agree on, and B) she is a rather light drinker, so 1 or 1.5 for her and ... Hmmm. Am I sure I wasn't on a booze cruise? Nah. Besides, we did that like once in 4 days.

 

[Vicki106]

Thanks for your review!

I thought the Sensation was under a multi-million dollars dry dock in the beginning of 2017... That being said, she is 24 years old. Not super young. Some of her decks are still made of wood (which in my opinion make ships look older).

I have a few questions...

Do you have pictures of the damages?

Did you ask the steward to clean your window? (Was it done?)

Where did you eat?
Have you tried Guy's Burger Joint & BlueIguana Cantina?
Did they add Pig & Anchor on the Sensation?
Where do you usually eat with DCL? (MDR only or Palo & Remy?)

I'm dreaming of the day smoking won't be permitted (inside) on board cruiseships...!!! Carnival Sunshine and Vista have strict rules regarding smoking and I wish they would extend it to all the ships.

I only have a picture of the window.

Yikes! Sorry that it is a HUGE picture. We weren't in the room much, so we didn't ask for it to be cleaned. But it was dirty on the glass and on the ledge and track of the window. And the curtains were pulled off of the hooks. . . I will add that when we called as soon as we entered our stateroom to say that one of the ceiling lights needed the bulbs replaced, it was done when we returned from the muster drill.

We ate in one of the 2 the Main Dining Rooms, the buffet on the Lido Deck, tried out the 24 hour pizza place and the deli as well as Guy's Burger Joint. Guy's burgers were pretty good! The best meal I had was filet mignon and eggs in the MDR on an at sea day brunch.

We didn't see any Pig and Anchor there, and I think we would have noticed, as we were checking everything out.

On DCL we usually eat at the MDR and less frequently we eat something quick at Cabanas. On our last cruise on the Fantasy, my husband and I at brunch at Palo's but we haven't tried Remy yet.

And yes! A non-smoking ship would be fantastic!

 

[mevelandry]

I only have a picture of the window.

Yikes! Sorry that it is a HUGE picture. We weren't in the room much, so we didn't ask for it to be cleaned. But it was dirty on the glass and on the ledge and track of the window. And the curtains were pulled off of the hooks. . . I will add that when we called as soon as we entered our stateroom to say that one of the ceiling lights needed the bulbs replaced, it was done when we returned from the muster drill.

We ate in one of the 2 the Main Dining Rooms, the buffet on the Lido Deck, tried out the 24 hour pizza place and the deli as well as Guy's Burger Joint. Guy's burgers were pretty good! The best meal I had was filet mignon and eggs in the MDR on an at sea day brunch.

We didn't see any Pig and Anchor there, and I think we would have noticed, as we were checking everything out.

On DCL we usually eat at the MDR and less frequently we eat something quick at Cabanas. On our last cruise on the Fantasy, my husband and I at brunch at Palo's but we haven't tried Remy yet.

And yes! A non-smoking ship would be fantastic!

My phone refuses to show me the picture... :/

It was also my experience that when you call to ask for something to be cleaned or fixed, they do it right away.

I'm a fan of their steak and egg as well.

Have you tried their new MDR breakfast menu? (not the brunch, the port days breakfast) IMO it's the best breakfast I've had on any cruise line. I've had avocado toasts and vanilla french toast 3 days in a row and did not have time to try the sandwich but I want to try it next time.

I loved Guy's Burger but Pig and Anchor was my favorite.

 

[RedSox68]

Yes, I heard about it. I wish they would do it again as it is now the norm in North America that you can't smoke inside in public areas. Or at least close a smoking part of the casino? I noticed that they blocked the casino with windows (from the deck 5) on the Vista. It's a nice touch, however they should put doors in the entrance of the Casino as well because you can actually smell the smoke from the stairs.

OMG -- all I want is for a criuse line to construct the ship so that it does not REQUIRE me to walk straight through the casino to get to other parts of the ship! Some of the lines we have been on had the casino on one side of the ship so that at least you could skirt around it. But the last three cruises we have taken on Carnival and NCL make so you have no other choice but to walk through it or go up a floor and over. Whatever their reasoning or thinking is, forcing me to walk through the smoke-filled atmosphere of the casino is NOT going to tempt me to gamble!

If they can make casinos in Atlantic City some free, I don't know why they can't do it on a cruise line!

And yes, for good sakes, put the casinos in enclosed areas because we, too, have had smoke filter both up and down into rooms. Once thing DCL has over any other line -- no dang casinos.

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

OMG -- all I want is for a criuse line to construct the ship so that it does not REQUIRE me to walk straight through the casino to get to other parts of the ship! Some of the lines we have been on had the casino on one side of the ship so that at least you could skirt around it. But the last three cruises we have taken on Carnival and NCL make so you have no other choice but to walk through it or go up a floor and over. Whatever their reasoning or thinking is, forcing me to walk through the smoke-filled atmosphere of the casino is NOT going to tempt me to gamble!

If they can make casinos in Atlantic City some free, I don't know why they can't do it on a cruise line!

And yes, for good sakes, put the casinos in enclosed areas because we, too, have had smoke filter both up and down into rooms. Once thing DCL has over any other line -- no dang casinos.

I also don't understand why they don't put revolving doors to enter/exit to keep the smoke in there.

 

[mevelandry]

OMG -- all I want is for a criuse line to construct the ship so that it does not REQUIRE me to walk straight through the casino to get to other parts of the ship! Some of the lines we have been on had the casino on one side of the ship so that at least you could skirt around it. But the last three cruises we have taken on Carnival and NCL make so you have no other choice but to walk through it or go up a floor and over. Whatever their reasoning or thinking is, forcing me to walk through the smoke-filled atmosphere of the casino is NOT going to tempt me to gamble!

If they can make casinos in Atlantic City some free, I don't know why they can't do it on a cruise line!

And yes, for good sakes, put the casinos in enclosed areas because we, too, have had smoke filter both up and down into rooms. Once thing DCL has over any other line -- no dang casinos.

I have no problem with casinos except for the fact that they allow smoking.