CARNIVAL VS DCL: The discussion and comparison thread!

[Club Disney Chandler]

Doesn't the Family Habour have cove balconies as well?

Yes there are cove balconies as well

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

Looking at booking Carnival - any preference towards Vista class versus Breeze/Magic? We have 5 people (2A, 3K) if that sways it. Kids are 5, 6 and 9 currently and we didn't find as much to do on the Disney Magic as we had hoped for the kids.

I would go with Vista or Horizon in a heartbeat. There is so much to do in those ships. Also, Horizon will have the entire water park themed to Dr. Seuss. I think your kids with love the Family Harbor area. Also, be sure to book the Dr. Seuss breakfast once you get on board. It’s $5/person but is totally worth it, especially for the Froot Loops encrusted French toast. The free brunch on sea days is great too, wonderful steak and eggs.

I highly recommend JiJi’s and Cucina del Capitan for lunch. It’s free at lunch and is excellent. Also, in the Lido buffet, only during lunch they have hand churned fresh ice cream in the dessert area. There are two flavors every day and it is awesome ice cream, tastes more like Gelato or frozen custard. Vista truly is an amazing ship.

 

[PrincessTrisha]

Doesn't the Family Habour have cove balconies as well?

Yes, but not for 5 people; the Cove Balconies hold a maximum of 4 people as far as I know.

Thanks for the replies

Can someone possibly explain the day that you leave the ship? We booked our fights before booking our carnival cruise. With our DCL experience, we assumed that any flight after noon would be okay. But Carnival recommends flights after 1:00, we have 12:15 flights.

Liberty out of PC, flying out of MCO. We can't take Carnival bus bc our flight is too early, so I booked a private shuttle that picks us up at 9:30. WHat's the best way to ensure we make that shuttle? Carry our bags off ourselves? What announcement do we listen for? Where is the best spot to wait to get into "the line"? we do not have FTTF

You can go to guest services and tell them you have an early flight, they'll give you early luggage tags (we've gotten number 3-4 in the past). That way (barring any issues with debarkation), you should be able to make your 12:15 flight. Remember that MCO is almost an hour away from Port Canaveral and it's a very busy airport where sometimes security can take a while.

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

Thanks for the replies

Can someone possibly explain the day that you leave the ship? We booked our fights before booking our carnival cruise. With our DCL experience, we assumed that any flight after noon would be okay. But Carnival recommends flights after 1:00, we have 12:15 flights.

Liberty out of PC, flying out of MCO. We can't take Carnival bus bc our flight is too early, so I booked a private shuttle that picks us up at 9:30. WHat's the best way to ensure we make that shuttle? Carry our bags off ourselves? What announcement do we listen for? Where is the best spot to wait to get into "the line"? we do not have FTTF

If you do self assist you’ll easily be off the ship by 8:00, (if things run normally). They night before you leave the ship you’ll be given luggage tag numbers from 1-15 or so. They call you in numerical order, if you get a number above 6, just go to guest services and ask for a lower number and let them know you have an early flight. They’ll probably give you 3 or 4. We like to depart our cabin as early as possible so the room steward can get in there early and wait in Ocean Plaza for our number to be called. Ocean plaza is on the promenade deck on Vista and is where they do all the trivia and have the specialty coffee bar, I don’t know what it’s called on Liberty. I think you’ll easily make a 9:30 car service.

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

Yes, but not for 5 people; the Cove Balconies hold a maximum of 4 people as far as I know.

The Family Harbor Suites sleep 5 and are cove balconies.

 

[trvlgirlmq]

Looking at booking Carnival - any preference towards Vista class versus Breeze/Magic? We have 5 people (2A, 3K) if that sways it. Kids are 5, 6 and 9 currently and we didn't find as much to do on the Disney Magic as we had hoped for the kids.

You can't go wrong with either. The smaller kids probably won't be tall enough for SkyRide, ropes course and possibly one or both of the waterslides but everything else is the same. Your 9 yo will love everything and there is a smaller splash/slide area for the other kids. The

 

[bbel]

I read they found 2 other explosive devices on other ferries and most cruiselines cancelled excursions involving ferries.

I'm just not sure if they only cancelled those going to mainland or those for activities hapenning on Cozumel as well.

For now, we decided to keep the excursion booked and follow the recommendations of Carnival (if we receive any).

To be continued...

From talking to the locals they were found on different ferries but the same company (Barcos Caribe). I was on their ferries a few weeks back and personally wouldn't use them again anyway and that was before this drama lol.

But my main point was that the vibe in Cozumel is still the same as its always been (a little more security at the port, as in they ask for your photo ID as well as the key card and not just the cruise key card haha) - Im there every week at the moment, at the time we only knew about it because we there that day too...

 

[mevelandry]

Thanks for the replies

Can someone possibly explain the day that you leave the ship? We booked our fights before booking our carnival cruise. With our DCL experience, we assumed that any flight after noon would be okay. But Carnival recommends flights after 1:00, we have 12:15 flights.

Liberty out of PC, flying out of MCO. We can't take Carnival bus bc our flight is too early, so I booked a private shuttle that picks us up at 9:30. WHat's the best way to ensure we make that shuttle? Carry our bags off ourselves? What announcement do we listen for? Where is the best spot to wait to get into "the line"? we do not have FTTF

I'm certain you'll be fine and get on time for your flights. I haven't tried the self-check out yet but I plan to use it on our next cruise. We picked Faster to the Fun for that reason because our flight is quite early.

Normally, they start announcing who can disembark and I think the order depends on the deck you are staying on. Ex: if you are on deck 2, you get to disembark earlier than if your cabin is on deck 11.

One or two days before disembarkation, you will receive a letter in your room with all the informations regarding your disembarkation and you can have your luggage checked out in advance and ready for an early pick-up (I think they use special tags).

The best spot to wait for disembarkation is usually the lobby, unless they recommend express check-out to meet somewhere else.

 

[mevelandry]

If you do self assist you’ll easily be off the ship by 8:00, (if things run normally). They night before you leave the ship you’ll be given luggage tag numbers from 1-15 or so. They call you in numerical order, if you get a number above 6, just go to guest services and ask for a lower number and let them know you have an early flight. They’ll probably give you 3 or 4. We like to depart our cabin as early as possible so the room steward can get in there early and wait in Ocean Plaza for our number to be called. Ocean plaza is on the promenade deck on Vista and is where they do all the trivia and have the specialty coffee bar, I don’t know what it’s called on Liberty. I think you’ll easily make a 9:30 car service.

Thanks for the infos.

From talking to the locals they were found on different ferries but the same company (Barcos Caribe). I was on their ferries a few weeks back and personally wouldn't use them again anyway and that was before this drama lol.

But my main point was that the vibe in Cozumel is still the same as its always been (a little more security at the port, as in they ask for your photo ID as well as the key card and not just the cruise key card haha) - Im there every week at the moment, at the time we only knew about it because we there that day too...

Thanks for the insider point of view.

Right now, Canada has modified their travel advisories and recommend travellers to avoid all ferries.

Will stay tuned.

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

Well............after seeing some of the opening day prices today, I gotta say I’m so excited that we’ve found Carnival and can stomach the prices so much easier.

 

[mevelandry]

Well............after seeing some of the opening day prices today, I gotta say I’m so excited that we’ve found Carnival and can stomach the prices so much easier.

It's that bad? Any examples?

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

Dive in movies on Vista!

 

[Dug720]

It's that bad? Any examples?

There is a whole Opening Day Pricing thread at the top of the page.

 

[mevelandry]

There is a whole Opening Day Pricing thread at the top of the page.

Is it the one on Mediterranean 2019 cruises?

 

[mevelandry]

View attachment 307125
Dive in movies on Vista!

One of my biggest regrets. I have never found the time to watch a Dive-in movie when I was on the Vista.

 

[Dug720]

Is it the one on Mediterranean 2019 cruises?

No. Opening Day Pricing Thread...

https://www.disboards.com/threads/opening-day-pricing-mid-2019-magic-wonder-dream-fantasy.3667670/

 

[mevelandry]

No. Opening Day Pricing Thread...

https://www.disboards.com/threads/opening-day-pricing-mid-2019-magic-wonder-dream-fantasy.3667670/

Oh I had not seen this!

Thanks for the link!

 

[Dug720]

Oh I had not seen this!

Thanks for the link!

You’re welcome. They are always at the top when new itineraries are released.

 

[mevelandry]

Well............after seeing some of the opening day prices today, I gotta say I’m so excited that we’ve found Carnival and can stomach the prices so much easier.

OMG.

You were not kidding.

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

It's that bad? Any examples?

Gold booking- No obb, tranfers, insurance

June 22, 2019 8 night Fantasy Cat 11a (1A, 1C 17) $6272.06

This for example is for 2 people. We’re booked on Carnival Horizon for that summer on the 8 night Southern Caribbean. We currently have 2 Havana insides which is $8000 total for 4 people, including insurance and pre-paid gratuity. It’s my 50th birthday cruise so I may be upgrading to 2 Havana Cabanas which will bring the total for the 4 of us to about $10,400.