CARNIVAL VS DCL: The discussion and comparison thread!

[mevelandry]

We came back home from our cruise 13 days ago and I'm already ready for another adventure!

There's a chance I might book a little getaway two hours away from here in Quebec City because I haven't been there in in 10 years (!!!) and use this occasion to offer more informations to the DIS members who hang out on my other thread. Other than that, I don't know how I will be able to wait until October! LOL (My husband won't have vacations until next fall so it is what it is...)

 

[trvlgirlmq]

We came back home from our cruise 13 days ago and I'm already ready for another adventure!

There's a chance I might book a little getaway two hours away from here in Quebec City because I haven't been there in in 10 years (!!!) and use this occasion to offer more informations to the DIS members who hang out on my other thread. Other than that, I don't know how I will be able to wait until October! LOL (My husband won't have vacations until next fall so it is what it is...)

We only take 1 vacation a year. It is usually 2 weeks though and has to see us through the other 50 weeks of the year! Maybe once I am done financially providing for both kids I can take more than 1 trip a year.

 

[cruiser21]

We only take 1 vacation a year. It is usually 2 weeks though and has to see us through the other 50 weeks of the year! Maybe once I am done financially providing for both kids I can take more than 1 trip a year.

How old are your kids? I'll probably be down to one trip a year soon. Not because I'm not financially supporting them, but because the older they get the more expensive they get.

 

[trvlgirlmq]

How old are your kids? I'll probably be down to one trip a year soon. Not because I'm not financially supporting them, but because the older they get the more expensive they get.

Oldest DS is 22 and will be graduating college in August. He hasn't traveled with us since his HS graduation trip as he wants to work over breaks to save money. My youngest DS is 15 and a Freshman (for 3 more weeks). I also take my niece on all vacations as she is an only child and more like a sister to my DS than a cousin. My sister and BIL can't help financially so they trade pet care while we are gone. She is almost 14 and will start HS next year. Not sure if they will want to continue to travel with us once they are in college. If they do we will make it work still!

Yes, it is a lot more expensive it seems even though we are down to 4 instead of 5. No more children's prices or kid's meals! Our cruise in 2019 is so expensive since we went with 2 rooms on Princess. It's an old ship with no teen friendly fun stuff but it's the most we will have ever paid. I'm trying not to think too much about it.

 

[mevelandry]

We only take 1 vacation a year. It is usually 2 weeks though and has to see us through the other 50 weeks of the year! Maybe once I am done financially providing for both kids I can take more than 1 trip a year.

DH and I both get 4 weeks that we have to take separately (so 4 distinct vacations)... But since we do not know what's going to happen with my husband's job (the company is for sale right now) until the end of this year, he decided to push back all his vacations between fall 2018 and spring 2019.

If he gets a new job, who knows what kind of vacation deal he'll end up with?

 

[trvlgirlmq]

DH and I both get 4 weeks that we have to take separately (so 4 distinct vacations)... But since we do not know what's going to happen with my husband's job (the company is for sale right now) until the end of this year, he decided to push back all his vacations between fall 2018 and spring 2019.

If he gets a new job, who knows what kind of vacation deal he'll end up with?

I get 200 hours PTO (5 weeks) per year for all time off to include sick, vacation, whatever. I'm capped out now with my company but I can also roll over 40 hours if I haven't used them by Dec 31. I did that from last year and so I haven't even started on this years hours. My mom has 15 days to use for any time off. We are pretty lucky to be above the national average for time off.

 

[mevelandry]

I get 200 hours PTO (5 weeks) per year for all time off to include sick, vacation, whatever. I'm capped out now with my company but I can also roll over 40 hours if I haven't used them by Dec 31. I did that from last year and so I haven't even started on this years hours. My mom has 15 days to use for any time off. We are pretty lucky to be above the national average for time off.

That's nice!

 

[cruiser21]

Oldest DS is 22 and will be graduating college in August. He hasn't traveled with us since his HS graduation trip as he wants to work over breaks to save money. My youngest DS is 15 and a Freshman (for 3 more weeks). I also take my niece on all vacations as she is an only child and more like a sister to my DS than a cousin. My sister and BIL can't help financially so they trade pet care while we are gone. She is almost 14 and will start HS next year. Not sure if they will want to continue to travel with us once they are in college. If they do we will make it work still!

Yes, it is a lot more expensive it seems even though we are down to 4 instead of 5. No more children's prices or kid's meals! Our cruise in 2019 is so expensive since we went with 2 rooms on Princess. It's an old ship with no teen friendly fun stuff but it's the most we will have ever paid. I'm trying not to think too much about it.

Keeping two teenage boys fed and clothed cost as much per year as a couple of DCL cruises. I can't imagine having 5.

 

[trvlgirlmq]

NCL finally released their British Isles, Iceland and Baltic cruises for summer 2019 in case anyone was waiting. We could save quite a bit of money by switching from Princess but the itinerary and port times are not as good.

 

[mevelandry]

NCL finally released their British Isles, Iceland and Baltic cruises for summer 2019 in case anyone was waiting. We could save quite a bit of money by switching from Princess but the itinerary and port times are not as good.

Which ports vs which ports?

 

[trvlgirlmq]

Which ports vs which ports?

If we switched to NCL we would lose 2 hours for Edinburgh, 1 hour for Invergordon, 3 hours for Greenock/Glasgow, 3 hours in Belfast and 1.5 hours for Cork. The other ports do not match but times are wonky like afternoon arrival with later departure making private excursions a bit more difficult.

 

[Monykalyn]

Well-booked Carnival Valor for 4 days this October. It is supposed to be our Sertoma regional meeting too-so hoping we have a large group. Flying into Houston night before cruise and likely out the day after (seems to be best prices for flights). The challenge now seems to be getting from Houston to Galveston and back.
My first cruise ever and hubs second (although last time he was on a cruise was senior trip in HS).

This thread has been very helpful in seeing the options on cruises.

Also-Cozumel is only port-decisions must be made on excursions now...

Carnival Valor 5 night cruise June 2017

Thanks for review!

Not because I'm not financially supporting them, but because the older they get the more expensive they get.

oh yeah! Have wanted to do cruise for years, then oldest got a disney college program internship last fall, and now is going back for the summer. The Mouse has gotten alot of our money past year. But looking forward to exploring other options now too. And hoping hubs wants to book another cruise while on cruise this fall...


Thanks for the CDC links on cruise ship inspections. DCL looks to be a very good line, but Carnival seems to be right up there as well (not as many perfects year after year but still very high).

Trying to not wish the summer/fall away but I am more excited for the (short) cruise than I am for more Disney this summer LOL!

 

[cruiser21]

If we switched to NCL we would lose 2 hours for Edinburgh, 1 hour for Invergordon, 3 hours for Greenock/Glasgow, 3 hours in Belfast and 1.5 hours for Cork. The other ports do not match but times are wonky like afternoon arrival with later departure making private excursions a bit more difficult.

I priced out the Getaway Baltic cruise for 2019 It's about 2700 dollars more than it was in 2017. Dcl's not the only one raising prices. It's still half the price of dcl, but I was still kind of surprised.

 

[trvlgirlmq]

I priced out the Getaway Baltic cruise for 2019 It's about 2700 dollars more than it was in 2017. Dcl's not the only one raising prices. It's still half the price of dcl, but I was still kind of surprised.

Life is just getting more expensive! I am keeping fingers crossed that the prices drop on Princess as we booked 2 cabins for more room. We may be stuffed like a sausage in 1 if they don't.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

Oldest DS is 22 and will be graduating college in August. He hasn't traveled with us since his HS graduation trip as he wants to work over breaks to save money. My youngest DS is 15 and a Freshman (for 3 more weeks). I also take my niece on all vacations as she is an only child and more like a sister to my DS than a cousin. My sister and BIL can't help financially so they trade pet care while we are gone. She is almost 14 and will start HS next year. Not sure if they will want to continue to travel with us once they are in college. If they do we will make it work still!

Yes, it is a lot more expensive it seems even though we are down to 4 instead of 5. No more children's prices or kid's meals! Our cruise in 2019 is so expensive since we went with 2 rooms on Princess. It's an old ship with no teen friendly fun stuff but it's the most we will have ever paid. I'm trying not to think too much about it.

It is so amazing that you take your niece with your family on vacation. Your niece will have memories to last a lifetime and although she probably realizes how lucky she is, when she is older, she will feel eternally grateful. One of my friends growing up did the same for me. I was very lucky that her family vacation "adopted" me, and I traveled with them every year from about age 12 to 17. Now that I am "old" (lol), I fully realize how generous her family was to share their vacations with me!

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

We are on the Dream in August and just saw that it got flooded! Lol. I also saw that we will not have the flying Scottsman for a cruise director! I read that it has been switched to Lee Mason. Not sure if this is true, but he looks good too.

 

[PrincessTrisha]

We are on the Dream in August and just saw that it got flooded! Lol. I also saw that we will not have the flying Scottsman for a cruise director! I read that it has been switched to Lee Mason. Not sure if this is true, but he looks good too.

John Heald has reported that everything is already fixed on the Dream - new carpets installed, walls fixed.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

John Heald has reported that everything is already fixed on the Dream - new carpets installed, walls fixed.

awesome

 

[mevelandry]

Well-booked Carnival Valor for 4 days this October. It is supposed to be our Sertoma regional meeting too-so hoping we have a large group. Flying into Houston night before cruise and likely out the day after (seems to be best prices for flights). The challenge now seems to be getting from Houston to Galveston and back.
My first cruise ever and hubs second (although last time he was on a cruise was senior trip in HS).

This thread has been very helpful in seeing the options on cruises.

Also-Cozumel is only port-decisions must be made on excursions now...


Thanks for review!


oh yeah! Have wanted to do cruise for years, then oldest got a disney college program internship last fall, and now is going back for the summer. The Mouse has gotten alot of our money past year. But looking forward to exploring other options now too. And hoping hubs wants to book another cruise while on cruise this fall...


Thanks for the CDC links on cruise ship inspections. DCL looks to be a very good line, but Carnival seems to be right up there as well (not as many perfects year after year but still very high).

Trying to not wish the summer/fall away but I am more excited for the (short) cruise than I am for more Disney this summer LOL!

We've docked next to the Valor once. It looks nice! Reminds me of the Victory a bit.

Cozumel has so many options when it comes to excursions... I have a hard time believing someone could get bored there. And I have a soft spot for Puerta Maya.

 

[mevelandry]

We are on the Dream in August and just saw that it got flooded! Lol. I also saw that we will not have the flying Scottsman for a cruise director! I read that it has been switched to Lee Mason. Not sure if this is true, but he looks good too.

No change for us. We'll have Kevin Donohue on the Sensation in October.