CARNIVAL VS DCL: The discussion and comparison thread!

[Club Disney Chandler]

Thoughts on the new YTD system they want to put on the Horizon?

I find it practical ... but I just don't like the idea of using my phone. I'm the kind of person who still misses the "large" Personal Navigator! (I can imagine the Fun Times was also larger before?)

What is the new system of which you speak? It’s not like on Vista?

 

[mevelandry]

What is the new system of which you speak? It’s not like on Vista?

On the Horizon, you will be able to go on your app and book your table (YTD), when your table is ready you'll receive a notice telling you can go.

That way you don't have to check in person and then wait for your table to be ready (or like on the Vista, to check-in on Deck 5 before you go to the Dining Room).

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

Interesting... I was not a huge fan of the check in for any time dining on the Vista. On the Conquest you literally walk in to any time dining. I think we had to wait about 5 min once on Conquest. We didn't really have any more than 15 min waits on the Vista either, but I just did not really like having to sign in at another location. Just felt weird and sort of sloppy. So maybe they are trying to do it another way. I am not a huge fan of everything being on phones either... but it seems like I that is a "battle" I have already lost. lol.

 

[mevelandry]

Interesting... I was not a huge fan of the check in for any time dining on the Vista. On the Conquest you literally walk in to any time dining. I think we had to wait about 5 min once on Conquest. We didn't really have any more than 15 min waits on the Vista either, but I just did not really like having to sign in at another location. Just felt weird and sort of sloppy. So maybe they are trying to do it another way. I am not a huge fan of everything being on phones either... but it seems like I that is a "battle" I have already lost. lol.

Can't say I've ever had a problem on the Victory or the Vista when it comes to YTD. Never had to wait more than 10 min and it only happened once.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

Can't say I've ever had a problem on the Victory or the Vista when it comes to YTD. Never had to wait more than 10 min and it only happened once.

But did it bother you at all that on the Vista you had to go check in at the cafe on a different floor to get a reservation? For me this wasn't a huge deal, but it just didn't seem like the most logical or efficient system. I am wondering if they have already done away with this system anyway.

 

[mevelandry]

But did it bother you at all that on the Vista you had to go check in at the cafe on a different floor to get a reservation? For me this wasn't a huge deal, but it just didn't seem like the most logical or efficient system. I am wondering if they have already done away with this system anyway.

It wasn't that bad but I don't really get why they are doing it that way...

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

It wasn't that bad but I don't really get why they are doing it that way...

That's how I felt too. Not really a big deal, but I did notice it and thought, that is a strange way to do it.

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

On the Horizon, you will be able to go on your app and book your table (YTD), when your table is ready you'll receive a notice telling you can go.

That way you don't have to check in person and then wait for your table to be ready (or like on the Vista, to check-in on Deck 5 before you go to the Dining Room).

I have to say, I think I like this way better. We use our phones on cruises for pics and texting with the teens, so to set up our dining time, I’m ok with it. I still will stay offline and have no contact with the outside world while on the ship.

 

[trvlgirlmq]

On the Horizon, you will be able to go on your app and book your table (YTD), when your table is ready you'll receive a notice telling you can go.

That way you don't have to check in person and then wait for your table to be ready (or like on the Vista, to check-in on Deck 5 before you go to the Dining Room).

Interesting. I wonder if you can make a "reservation" for a specific time or if you just "check in" when you are ready? We were very lucky that we did not have to go to the Deck 5 check in on our cruise as I guess there were less P/D on our sailing and they opened the come when you want to Golds. Only the Blue/Reds had to check in at Deck 5. We probably will not be so lucky this time!

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

Did y'all see the video John Heald put up of the Horizon crew dancing around getting the ship ready?! So fun. Makes me wish we were booked on it! Sounds like it left Barcelona today? So exciting.

 

[mevelandry]

Sure wish I could. The Horizon looks amazing!

However, we already have 5 trips planned from April 2018 to October 2019!

 

[mevelandry]

@tinkerjo I took the chance to tag you in here.

You will find every information you need on this thread... Most of us love DCL (it's the price they charge we don't like LOL) & also love Carnival.

On page 1, in the first post, you will find some infos but also the links to several reviews and pictures of Carnival cruise ships and we'll do our best to answer all your questions.

There are no stupid questions. We'll be glad to help you.

So if you want to hang with us a bit: Welcome!

 

[mevelandry]

@tigerchic89 I have put a link to your Carnival Liberty review on the first post of this thread.

 

[tinkerjo]

@tinkerjo I took the chance to tag you in here.

You will find every information you need on this thread... Most of us love DCL (it's the price they charge we don't like LOL) & also love Carnival.

On page 1, in the first post, you will find some infos but also the links to several reviews and pictures of Carnival cruise ships and we'll do our best to answer all your questions.

There are no stupid questions. We'll be glad to help you.

So if you want to hang with us a bit: Welcome!

Thank you. That other thread had my head spinning a little. I will definitely take time and read everything

 

[sdjen]

Can I vent for a second? I can tell you right now difference with carnival and DCL that is not very customer friendly. I have a carnival cruise booked currently for my daughter and myself. I was trying to get a cabin that would have a king/queen bed for myself and a bunk or sofa bed for my daughter but they won’t allow that. If there’s only two of you in the room they will only allow you to book a cabin with two beds. On Disney I was Able to book a room for just the two of us that actually had five beds only because it was connecting with my family’s room. This is quite frustrating to me I know it’s a silly thing but still I should be able to get the type of room that I want to get

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

Can I vent for a second? I can tell you right now difference with carnival and DCL that is not very customer friendly. I have a carnival cruise booked currently for my daughter and myself. I was trying to get a cabin that would have a king/queen bed for myself and a bunk or sofa bed for my daughter but they won’t allow that. If there’s only two of you in the room they will only allow you to book a cabin with two beds. On Disney I was Able to book a room for just the two of us that actually had five beds only because it was connecting with my family’s room. This is quite frustrating to me I know it’s a silly thing but still I should be able to get the type of room that I want to get

I agree this is frustrating. We cancelled someone from a CCL cruise and they insisted on moving us to a room on the other end of the ship because we now have less people in the room.

 

[mevelandry]

Can I vent for a second? I can tell you right now difference with carnival and DCL that is not very customer friendly. I have a carnival cruise booked currently for my daughter and myself. I was trying to get a cabin that would have a king/queen bed for myself and a bunk or sofa bed for my daughter but they won’t allow that. If there’s only two of you in the room they will only allow you to book a cabin with two beds. On Disney I was Able to book a room for just the two of us that actually had five beds only because it was connecting with my family’s room. This is quite frustrating to me I know it’s a silly thing but still I should be able to get the type of room that I want to get

They won't let you book a cabin with bunk beds at all? :/

Because if you can, I'd say book one and ask your steward to do it like you want it to be.

We had booked a room with 2 separate beds with a mention that we could not put them together to makea queen bed. Well our steward did it anyway.

 

[mevelandry]

I agree this is frustrating. We cancelled someone from a CCL cruise and they insisted on moving us to a room on the other end of the ship because we now have less people in the room.

On the bright side, because they do that, Carnival gives us a lot of opportunities to upgrade room category for a lower rate... Which I don't hate at all.

 

[hdrolfe]

Can I vent for a second? I can tell you right now difference with carnival and DCL that is not very customer friendly. I have a carnival cruise booked currently for my daughter and myself. I was trying to get a cabin that would have a king/queen bed for myself and a bunk or sofa bed for my daughter but they won’t allow that. If there’s only two of you in the room they will only allow you to book a cabin with two beds. On Disney I was Able to book a room for just the two of us that actually had five beds only because it was connecting with my family’s room. This is quite frustrating to me I know it’s a silly thing but still I should be able to get the type of room that I want to get

I was able to get one when I was offered an upgrade, I had to pay a bit more but was able to book a room that holds 4 people, for just my son and I. I am hoping he'll like sleeping in the bunk so I can have the big bed I do wish they would let you book the bigger cabins for just two as well, but I suspect it is because most do not sleep more than 2 (unlike Disney, from what I can tell almost all their cabins sleep at least 3 people). At least on Carnival the beds do separate. I don't know about you but my son is miserable to share a bed with! So while I do have to sleep in a twin, at least I don't have him kicking me or pushing me out of the bed. Of course it's small enough I feel like I'm going to roll out any way.

 

[sdjen]

They won't let you book a cabin with bunk beds at all? :/

Because if you can, I'd say book one and ask your steward to do it like you want it to be.

We had booked a room with 2 separate beds with a mention that we could not put them together to makea queen bed. Well our steward did it anyway.

I currently have a room with a twin and a sofa bed. I haven’t slept on a twin for awhile so I would like to find a room with a full size bed for me and a couch or bunk for my kid. They wouldn’t let me move to a room like that because it holds 3 people. Kind of silly!