CARNIVAL VS DCL: The discussion and comparison thread!

[cruiser21]

Well I'm not entirely sure what this is other than a place to comment on Carnival? I just know I see it show up here about as often as the Photo of the Day thread. But seriously, comparing the Carnival Dream and Carnival Vista would seem to make more sense as they are both Italian built ships, two of the larger Carnival ships, etc. The Dream is German built, does short cruises, and the Disney and Carnival atmospheres are two totally different things. So that would be comparing apples to oranges. I guess we'll eventually see. What time will it be revealed?

Are we going to start telling people that can't compare other cruiselines ships to a Disney ships now? She's cruised on DCL and carnival I'm looking forward to her thoughts on both.

 

[Dug720]

I think she just wants to compare the ships not the cruise.

Perhaps, but "ultimate" (her choice of word in the title) implies comparing everything. And as you and she and others have pointed out to people who have been on shorter Carnival cruises and longer DCL cruises and had complaints about the Carnival ones, it's not really fair to compare atmosphere, etc. on shorter cruises to longer cruises. Why is it fair to compare a long Carnival cruise to a short DCL cruise if it's not fair the other way around?

 

[Neptune's Fork]

Are we going to start telling people that can't compare other cruiselines ships to a Disney ships now? She's cruised on DCL and carnival I'm looking forward to her thoughts on both.

Who's the 'we' in your question? I'm just a user here so I have no authority to suggest what can and cannot be done here. I was simply asking for clarification purposes which ship she was talking about. My assumption was the Carnival Dream, but that has yet to be clarified.

 

[cruiser21]

Perhaps, but "ultimate" (her choice of word in the title) implies comparing everything. And as you and she and others have pointed out to people who have been on shorter Carnival cruises and longer DCL cruises and had complaints about the Carnival ones, it's not really fair to compare atmosphere, etc. on shorter cruises to longer cruises. Why is it fair to compare a long Carnival cruise to a short DCL cruise if it's not fair the other way around?

The short Carnival cruise are notoriously party cruises. The Dream is not. The Dream and Fantasy are essentially the same ship. I've been on all the dcl ships and the second newest carnival ship. If I was going to write a review I would write one that compared the ship, service, food, and public spaces. I wouldn't even compare atmosphere. The atmosphere changes from cruise to cruise even on Disney. It can be a different atmosphere based on embarkation Port, the number of kids on board, the cost of the cruise etc. Lots of variables there.
If someone cruised for a week on the Fantasy and 2 weeks on the Wonder. They couldn't write a review because one cruise was longer then the other ? That seems silly.

 

[Dug720]

The short Carnival cruise are notoriously party cruises. The Dream is not. The Dream and Fantasy are essentially the same ship. I've been on all the dcl ships and the second newest carnival ship. If I was going to write a review I would write one that compared the ship, service, food, and public spaces. I wouldn't even compare atmosphere. The atmosphere changes from cruise to cruise even on Disney. It can be a different atmosphere based on embarkation Port, the number of kids on board, the cost of the cruise etc. Lots of variables there.
If someone cruised for a week on the Fantasy and 2 weeks on the Wonder. They couldn't write a review because one cruise was longer then the other ? That seems silly.

They could, but in full disclosure admit that one was longer than the other and that could come into play.

And yes, atmosphere is something that should be reviewed apples to apples in something that someone is going to self-proclaim the "ultimate" review.

 

[cruiser21]

They could, but in full disclosure admit that one was longer than the other and that could come into play.

And yes, atmosphere is something that should be reviewed apples to apples in something that someone is going to self-proclaim the "ultimate" review.

Why not just wait until you read her review before judging wether it's fair or not.

 

[Dug720]

Why not just wait until you read her review before judging wether it's fair or not.

3 or 4 night to 8 night? Plus an obvious pre-conceived idea going in (she's obviously been over DCL for a while based on her posts)? There was no way it was going to be fair.

 

[cruiser21]

3 or 4 night to 8 night? Plus an obvious pre-conceived idea going in (she's obviously been over DCL for a while based on her posts)? There was no way it was going to be fair.

She wasn't on a 8 night she was on a 6. She has also been on the Wonder should she compare a brand new ship to an old small ship. You have a preconceived bias to DCL so should you not wriite a review either? I guess your review would be fair either.
Most things in life are not fair. We all have different likes, dislikes, backgrounds, ideology, cultures etc. Review are your own personnel opinion...they don't have to be fair. I for one enjoy reading all the reviews.

 

[Dug720]

She wasn't on a 8 night she was on a 6. She has also been on the Wonder should she compare a brand new ship to an old small ship. You have a preconceived bias to DCL so should you not wriite a review either? I guess your review would be fair either.
Most things in life are not fair. We all have different likes, dislikes, backgrounds, ideology, cultures etc. Review are your own personnel opinion...they don't have to be fair. I for one enjoy reading all the reviews.

I have done balanced comparisons between DCL and RCCL, DCL and HAL, and DCL and fathom. The lines I've cruised. I've said where RCCL has been equal to in some cases - and I've got a cruise booked on RCCL for next summer. For fathom, the ONLY thing it really had as a plus was the Cuba itinerary. HAL...I was not impressed. But I went into each of those with an open mind. Even the second time I was on fathom, I went in open minded that maybe the large group that was onboard over Christmas had an effect on things (it didn't). I would personally never deign to say that any of my reviews was an "ultimate" - but maybe that's a language thing.

 

[Neptune's Fork]

She wasn't on a 8 night she was on a 6. She has also been on the Wonder should she compare a brand new ship to an old small ship. You have a preconceived bias to DCL so should you not wriite a review either? I guess your review would be fair either.
Most things in life are not fair. We all have different likes, dislikes, backgrounds, ideology, cultures etc. Review are your own personnel opinion...they don't have to be fair. I for one enjoy reading all the reviews.

Sorry to interfere, and not trying to nitpick here, but technically hers is a postconceived bias, as her opinion is based upon personal experience aboard some of their ships.

Frankly, if it is the Disney Dream she's talking about, and not the Carnival Dream, and the Vista is better, I hope she broadcasts that everywhere but here. She needs to dissuade many many people and get these prices down. Drive up those Carnival prices, they're dirt cheap.

 

[cruiser21]

Sorry to interfere, and not trying to nitpick here, but technically hers is a postconceived bias, as her opinion is based upon personal experience aboard some of their ships.

Frankly, if it is the Disney Dream she's talking about, and not the Carnival Dream, and the Vista is better, I hope she broadcasts that everywhere but here. She needs to dissuade many many people and get these prices down. Drive up those Carnival prices, they're dirt cheap.

She hasn't cruised on the Carnival Dream. See been on the Wonder, Dream and Carnival's Vista and one of Carnivals older ships I think it was the Victory. The Carnival Dream is a relatively new ship. She cruised Disney first and found she enjoyed Carnival just as much. I don't think she went on the Vista with any preconceived bias. If I remember correctly she a was little nervous about her first cruise on Carnival.
There are some people on this board with a preconceived bias against Carnival and they've never set foot on a Carnival ship. They are way more prevelent on this board then the other way around.

 

[mevelandry]

Yeah, I kind of knew that was going to be the case. The 8 night is so totally relaxing!

Only did a 6 nights but now I am dreaming of the 8 nights!

 

[mevelandry]

Carnival Vista vs Disney Dream? Not sure about that, I would think she means Carnival Dream. I've not been on Disney Dream nor Carnival Vista, but I have been on a Carnival ship and 2 Disney ships and would not think a Carnival one would compare better. In fact, Cruise Critic and some other publication I can't recall off hand, rate Disney Dream at the top of best ship lists. There wasn't even another Carnival ship in the top ten. That's why I think she surely must mean Carnival Dream.

No, I want to compare the Disney Dream to the Carnival Vista. I started this thread for DCL lovers who love to sail but want to save money and want to know what to expect/what will be different if they chose to try Carnival.

I cannot compare much kids stuff as we don't have kids but other than that, trust me, the Carnival Vista is a serious contender that beats the Disney Dream in many areas.

 

[mevelandry]

When has she ever said she cruised from New Orleans? 99% sure she's been on the Disney Dream. I think she's only been on one other Carnival, and pretty sure it wasn't the Carnival Dream.

You are spot on. Sailed the Disney Dream, Disney Wonder, Carnival Victory and Carnival Vista.

 

[mevelandry]

Well I'm not entirely sure what this is other than a place to comment on Carnival? I just know I see it show up here about as often as the Photo of the Day thread. But seriously, comparing the Carnival Dream and Carnival Vista would seem to make more sense as they are both Italian built ships, two of the larger Carnival ships, etc. The Dream is German built, does short cruises, and the Disney and Carnival atmospheres are two totally different things. So that would be comparing apples to oranges. I guess we'll eventually see. What time will it be revealed?

I want to compare mega ships to mega ships.

I would not compare itineraries because they are pretty similar and use mostly the same excursion companies while in port anyway.

 

[mevelandry]

Perhaps, but "ultimate" (her choice of word in the title) implies comparing everything. And as you and she and others have pointed out to people who have been on shorter Carnival cruises and longer DCL cruises and had complaints about the Carnival ones, it's not really fair to compare atmosphere, etc. on shorter cruises to longer cruises. Why is it fair to compare a long Carnival cruise to a short DCL cruise if it's not fair the other way around?

I would also like to suggest that the term "comparison" could mean something different in french than in english...

In french, you can "compare" two very different things by pointing out their similarities AND their differences, which is exactly what I am trying to do.

If there is a better word (or nuance) for what I am doing, feel free to feed me the right words and I will correct the title of this thread.

 

[Dug720]

I want to compare mega ships to mega ships.

I would not compare itineraries because they are pretty similar and use mostly the same excursion companies while in port anyway.

As long as atmosphere is not included as a deciding factor because we all know that shorter cruises - even on Disney, though not the party cruise scene it is still MUST DO IT ALL AND HAVE NO TIME - have a very different atmosphere than linger cruises where people can be more relaxed.

 

[mevelandry]

They could, but in full disclosure admit that one was longer than the other and that could come into play.

And yes, atmosphere is something that should be reviewed apples to apples in something that someone is going to self-proclaim the "ultimate" review.

That word, "ultimate", I don't thing it means what I think it means. XD

 

[Dug720]

I would also like to suggest that the term "comparison" could mean something different in french than in english...

In french, you can "compare" two very different things by pointing out their similarities AND their differences, which is exactly what I am trying to do.

If there is a better word (or nuance) for what I am doing, feel free to feed me the right words and I will correct the title of this thread.

“Comparison” is not what puts me on edge (and that is the same meaning in English). “Ultimate” - which in English suggests the pinnacle, the best, the final word - is. Unless you are a professional a la Rick Steves who pretty much exclusively travels for a living, I honestly don’t think any of us on here are at a level of an “ultimate” review or comparison.

 

[mevelandry]

3 or 4 night to 8 night? Plus an obvious pre-conceived idea going in (she's obviously been over DCL for a while based on her posts)? There was no way it was going to be fair.

Dug, I am comparing ships, not itineraries.

Also, just because I feel the need to take a break from DCL does not mean that I can't be impartial in my reviews.

I am trying to be fair.