CARNIVAL VS DCL: The discussion and comparison thread!

[mevelandry]

2018 is here!!!!

Do you have a cruise (or cruises) happening in 2018?

For us:

April 2018) A Key West & Cozumel Family cruise (DH and I with my FIL and MIL!) on the Carnival Victory --almost fresh out of dry dock!-- departing from Miami. It's going to be our 3rd Carnival cruise but the 1st Carnival cruise for my FIL & MIL. First time in Key West for all of us and first time in Cozumel for my FIL and MIL. We want to spend a little time in Fort Lauderdale before the cruise and plan to do an excursion in the Everglades before going back home. Our plane arrived late during our last trip so we had to cancel all plans in Fort Lauderdale... We are excited to have a second chance in visiting the town.

October 2018) A Bermuda cruise (just DH and I) to celebrate our 7th anniversary. It's going to be our first Royal Caribbean Cruise on the Anthem of the Seas, and first time departing from NYC (Bayonne). Being a huge fan of New York, I'm very excited with the idea of a pre-cruise stay in Manhattan.


You?

 

[trvlgirlmq]

We have our Vista cruise in June. Looking forward to just relaxing for a week.

 

[mevelandry]

We have our Vista cruise in June. Looking forward to just relaxing for a week.

Eastern Caribbean? (Trying to remember)

 

[cruiser21]

Just Quebec cruise in the Fall. No other cruises planned at this time. I'm hoping to do a British Isles cruise in 2019.

 

[trvlgirlmq]

Eastern Caribbean? (Trying to remember)

It's a Southern to Grand Turk, La Romana DR, Aruba and Curacao. We have only been to Grand Turk and love the beach and pool at Margaritaville. We have a Carnival excursion booked for La Romana to a beach on a smaller island. Not a very developed area and my reading was not positive. We had planned on staying on the ship but we already have 3 sea days and 1 late arrival so we are splurging on an excursion. We plan an easy beach day in Aruba. In Willemstad we are doing a self-guided walking tour and visiting the synagogue and Jewish Museum.

Our last 2 vacations were busy ones and 2019 will be too so this is going to be our major lazy trip.

 

[trvlgirlmq]

Just Quebec cruise in the Fall. No other cruises planned at this time. I'm hoping to do a British Isles cruise in 2019.

We booked a British Isles cruise on Royal Caribbean for June 2019! Excited to start planning that a bit later in the year.

 

[cruiser21]

My dh couldn't get vacation time for the Quebec cruise, but I think the kids and I are still going. I may not get the chance again since I have other things down the road I want to do. It looks like only one cruise so far. We've got other stuff planned we're going to Salt Lake next month to play in the snow. I know your all probably sick of the cold, but it's 75 here. My oldest son wants to go to DC. We'll probably do that in December when hotels are really cheap. I'm taking my youngest son to WDW in April. That's never cheap. A lot planned, but not a lot of cruises. I'm kind of tired of the Caribbean, but you never know.

I'll see what DCL offers in Europe in 2019. I'll probably balk at the prices and book NCL.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

We have 5 things booked over the next year but at this point have only decided definitively to do 2 (waiting for schedules etc). One 6 night on CCL Conquest in March (amber cove, hmc, nassau, grand turk) and CCL dream 7 night in august (belize, mahogony bay, cozumel).

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

It's a Southern to Grand Turk, La Romana DR, Aruba and Curacao. We have only been to Grand Turk and love the beach and pool at Margaritaville. We have a Carnival excursion booked for La Romana to a beach on a smaller island. Not a very developed area and my reading was not positive. We had planned on staying on the ship but we already have 3 sea days and 1 late arrival so we are splurging on an excursion. We plan an easy beach day in Aruba. In Willemstad we are doing a self-guided walking tour and visiting the synagogue and Jewish Museum.

Our last 2 vacations were busy ones and 2019 will be too so this is going to be our major lazy trip.

We did a self guided walking tour in willemstad also. Another interesting museum there is the maritime museum. Cool city overall. If you do not do a private tour in la romana it is a pretty yuck port-- our least favorite port of all time. If u decide to stay on the ship there you will not run oit of things to do on the vista even with three other sea days.

 

[mevelandry]

It's a Southern to Grand Turk, La Romana DR, Aruba and Curacao. We have only been to Grand Turk and love the beach and pool at Margaritaville. We have a Carnival excursion booked for La Romana to a beach on a smaller island. Not a very developed area and my reading was not positive. We had planned on staying on the ship but we already have 3 sea days and 1 late arrival so we are splurging on an excursion. We plan an easy beach day in Aruba. In Willemstad we are doing a self-guided walking tour and visiting the synagogue and Jewish Museum.

Our last 2 vacations were busy ones and 2019 will be too so this is going to be our major lazy trip.

Right! I'm 100% jealous! GT, Aruba & Curaçao look so nice. Will definitely look into it for 2019.

 

[cruiser21]

We have 5 things booked over the next year but at this point have only decided definitively to do 2 (waiting for schedules etc). One 6 night on CCL Conquest in March (amber cove, hmc, nassau, grand turk) and CCL dream 7 night in august (belize, mahogony bay, cozumel).

Sometimes my eyes are bigger then my wallet. I have a lot of things I'd like to do next year, but we'll see how it all works out. Just found out we're getting a couple 1k tax cut bonus'es so that's helpful.

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

We have DCL Alaska cruise in June and that's it for 2019, however we may end up doing a 3 or 4 day Mexico cruise on either the Carnival Inspiration or Imagination for New Years the end of this year, have to see if I can get it figured out with my work schedule. We just got back from Disneyland for New Years and it inspired me to do a NYE cruise.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

Sometimes my eyes are bigger then my wallet. I have a lot of things I'd like to do next year, but we'll see how it all works out. Just found out we're getting a couple 1k tax cut bonus'es so that's helpful.

Lol. Wish we were getting tax cut bonuses! Worse... we appear to have the dubious honor to be in the small group whose taxes will go up next year. Ugh. Our youngest wants to be home for next Christmas so we are rethinking the Christmas cruise we have booked. There is another one we are looking at instead but waiting to see public school calendar when it comes out (so over these calendars). I am not optimistic. 2 other land vacations... undecided on them.

 

[mevelandry]

Hi group!

I'll have to update the first pages of this thread (partial update is done) very soon as the Victory is currently under dry dock and is getting lots of new additions.

John Heald just announced officially: Guy's Burger (YAY!!!), Blue Iguana Cantina, Blue Iguana Tequila Bar, Red Frog Rum Bar, a re-vamped Deli and Bonsai Sushi (very excited for this one, I loved it on the Vista)... And more surprises to come.

I also believe he said that all ships should be updated to 2.0 by the end of 2019 which is great news!

 

[Pens Fan]

Do you have a cruise (or cruises) happening in 2018?

We are looking forward to our 10 night Quebec cruise on the NCL Gem this fall. We also recently booked a 14 night NCL cruise on the Jade to Italy/Greece/Croatia/Montenegro for 2019 which has been a dream cruise for some time now. I survived our week at the in-laws over Christmas by reading Rick Steves books!

Happy cruising everyone!!

 

[mevelandry]

Guys, you are all making me jealous of your plans.

I wish I could do... Alaska, Grand Turk/Aruba/Curacao, Italia/Greece/Croatia, Barcelona and New England all in 2018! XD (+ Vegas & Grand Canyon, which is not a cruise but a land trip that I would love to do).

However, I'm excited to visit Key West and Bermuda for the first time.

 

[collinsfamle]

We cruised Carnival around 20 years ago, and unless things have changed drastically, I won't do that again! I thought the cruise was too much of a party boat for me. Too many 20 year olds getting drunk all over the ship, at the activities, at the pools, hogging the hot tubs etc. Even if it is cheaper than DCL, it's too much to pay to see that everywhere. I realize I am an old stick in the mud, but that is not my kind of vacation!

 

[mevelandry]

We cruised Carnival around 20 years ago, and unless things have changed drastically, I won't do that again! I thought the cruise was too much of a party boat for me. Too many 20 year olds getting drunk all over the ship, at the activities, at the pools, hogging the hot tubs etc. Even if it is cheaper than DCL, it's too much to pay to see that everywhere. I realize I am an old stick in the mud, but that is not my kind of vacation!

Well... I don't know how it was 20 years ago but for the last years that Carnival has been targeting families (EDIT: OMG, the Vista & the Horizon are SO family friendly & colorful!), so... Who knows, you could be surprised. I know I only have done 2 carnival cruises in 2016 and 2017 but I did not witness what you described. In fact, I can't say I've seen much of a difference between Carnival and DCL with the exception of a little bit less kids on board and much better food on Carnival.

I was told that if you stay away from the 3 nights, it's going to be much more quiet. I can't compare since the shortest I've done on Carnival was a 4 nights, but I've been pleasantly surprised.

 

[trvlgirlmq]

We cruised Carnival around 20 years ago, and unless things have changed drastically, I won't do that again! I thought the cruise was too much of a party boat for me. Too many 20 year olds getting drunk all over the ship, at the activities, at the pools, hogging the hot tubs etc. Even if it is cheaper than DCL, it's too much to pay to see that everywhere. I realize I am an old stick in the mud, but that is not my kind of vacation!

And has everything stayed the same at Disney over the last 20 years? Instead of coming to this thread with your attitude maybe you should do some research instead. I'll add you to the list of entitled, elitists I wouldn't want to be stuck on a boat with.

 

[cruiser21]

We've done Carnival once and are about to board our 5th DCL. IMHO, Carnival is an underage drinking and party boat. Disney is not.

I would consider RCCL - heard good things about them. But we're hooked on DCL.

20 years ago cruising wasn't for families. It was for the young party crowd and the "old sticks in the mud" as you called yourself. I think Disney is responsible for changing the industry. Cruise lines are designing their ships to appeal to families now....I would say a lot has changed in 20 years