CARNIVAL VS DCL: The discussion and comparison thread!

[mevelandry]

I have only sailed the Fantasy & the Legend and would love to try one of the newer, bigger ships. BUT, I also really want to go to Cuba so that really limits us. It seems all lines that sail there use their smaller ships so I'm assuming it's due to docking issues. We are sailing out of Tampa in October so I'll be surprised if there are many kids on board, seems that most people who take those cruises do so specifically for Cuba. We sailed the Legend out of Tampa in Jan. like 5-6 years ago and I thought we were on a floating senior's home lol!

My fiance has never cruised, he was in the Navy so isn't too keen on spending more time on ships. I've told him it's not like he has to go up on deck to do night watch or anything haha. I'm hoping this 5 day cruise on a smaller ship will give him the cruise bug as well and we can plan more trips. He loved All-Inclusive vacations so I know he'll like not getting a bill at the end of each meal. Still debating on the Cheers package since we will have 3 port days and won't be on the ship that much.

Regarding the Cheers package... It's worth it if you drink AT LEAST 6 drinks per day, while you are on board the ship.

 

[mevelandry]

I wouldn't bother with the smaller ships! I am really sad we won't be on Radiance. I wanted to try all the new stuff! But, my mom isn't getting any younger (who is?) and she has been saying for years she wants to visit Dubrovnik hence the switch to Legend. I am not excited about the ship at all. They don't even have Dive In Movies. Ok, trying not to think too much about it!

My husband said something similar about the Sensation: "I never thought I'd miss the giant screen so badly".

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

Yes, April 2018 was my cruise one and only cruise the Sensation. April 2019 will be on the Carnival Liberty. (I'm sorry, I should have been more precise. I can't expect you to remember every single detail of MY vacations LOL) ...

It's hard to "branch out" and try another line as there are no way to make sure our time and money will be well invested. We tend to be more confident in what we already know.

It feels like every time I plan a cruise on another cruise line, something is coming up in the media regarding said cruise line. Ex: The Breakaway stuck in a tempest a few months ago. Yesterday, someone poster about bed bugs on their RCCL cruises. I'm trying not to get scared (just like I've been happily surprised with Carnival after I heard all those horror stories about drunk people puking, doing no.1 etc and other non-family friendly things in the pools., which I have never encountered --thank God!-- on my 4 cruises)...

It looks like Carnival Liberty is similar to the Conquest so I think you will love it.

The only cruise where I have seen a stumbling drunk was on an ncl cruise. We were sitting by the pool and our kids were swimming around 9:30pm and there was a guy at the pool bar who was extremely wasted. Falling down wasted. I'd say he was about 60 and his family was trying to reign him in. 2 security guys were there but just watching. It didn't bother us, but it is the only time we have encountered a falling down drunk. The second drunk we encountered was on DCL, but he wasn't a falling down drunk, more obnoxious. We were in cove cafe-- only ones in there- and drinking coffee and some guy kept coming in from the adult pool soaking wet and getting shots at the cove cafe bar. Said the bartenders were mean at the bar out there. Every time he came in he would try to get us involved in a conversation and he was obviously really, really drunk.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

I have only sailed the Fantasy & the Legend and would love to try one of the newer, bigger ships. BUT, I also really want to go to Cuba so that really limits us. It seems all lines that sail there use their smaller ships so I'm assuming it's due to docking issues. We are sailing out of Tampa in October so I'll be surprised if there are many kids on board, seems that most people who take those cruises do so specifically for Cuba. We sailed the Legend out of Tampa in Jan. like 5-6 years ago and I thought we were on a floating senior's home lol!

My fiance has never cruised, he was in the Navy so isn't too keen on spending more time on ships. I've told him it's not like he has to go up on deck to do night watch or anything haha. I'm hoping this 5 day cruise on a smaller ship will give him the cruise bug as well and we can plan more trips. He loved All-Inclusive vacations so I know he'll like not getting a bill at the end of each meal. Still debating on the Cheers package since we will have 3 port days and won't be on the ship that much.

We haven't been on the Legend, but it looks similar to Conquest class, so I think you will have a great time.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

I wouldn't bother with the smaller ships! I am really sad we won't be on Radiance. I wanted to try all the new stuff! But, my mom isn't getting any younger (who is?) and she has been saying for years she wants to visit Dubrovnik hence the switch to Legend. I am not excited about the ship at all. They don't even have Dive In Movies. Ok, trying not to think too much about it!

I didn't realize there were some ships without dive in movies.

 

[AndreaDM]

We haven't been on the Legend, but it looks similar to Conquest class, so I think you will have a great time.

Oops, didn't specify we'd be on the Paradise this time! I enjoyed my cruise on the Fantasy, of course it was my first ever cruise so I was easily impressed lol.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

Oops, didn't specify we'd be on the Paradise this time! I enjoyed my cruise on the Fantasy, of course it was my first ever cruise so I was easily impressed lol.

Sorry! Not sure why I was thinking Legend. It looks like the Paradise was redone last year!

 

[mevelandry]

I didn't realize there were some ships without dive in movies.

Those usually have just 1 pool too.

DH and I have been able to swim in peace (without too many people) only once... At 10:00 PM!!!

 

[mevelandry]

(Duh... Nobody is "Falling off" a cruise ship)

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/tourism-cruises/article223914815.html

It's a very sad story, though.

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

Supposedly there will be news on Carnival Madrid Gras tomorrow! We’ll see, Carnival is horrible about saying stuff will be released on a certain day and then it doesn’t happen, drives me crazy.

 

[mevelandry]

Apparently, Carnival is testing new tv channels on certain ships.

Among the changes, they are replacing CNN with CBS.

Considering the "CNN vs FOX" situation (I see people fight about this on the internet pretty much every day), avoiding both channels sounds like a good idea.

 

[hdrolfe]

Supposedly there will be news on Carnival Madrid Gras tomorrow! We’ll see, Carnival is horrible about saying stuff will be released on a certain day and then it doesn’t happen, drives me crazy.

I hope it's a good announcement like deck plans, itineraries (even if they can't be booked yet) or something. While the Bolt announcement was exciting it was kind of small.

 

[mevelandry]

I hope it's a good announcement like deck plans, itineraries (even if they can't be booked yet) or something. While the Bolt announcement was exciting it was kind of small.

Prediction: I think they will release the dates and itineraries.

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

Prediction: I think they will release the dates and itineraries.

I hope so

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

Can't wait to hear what the news is from Carnival. We are almost ready to book something for late 2020, kind of leaning towards trying Royal, but maybe Carnival will pull us back in again!

 

[hdrolfe]

I see a post about the new channel lineup... I'm excited to see HGTV, Food Network, Discovery and Travel Network! As well as Nickelodeon for kiddo, and a dedicated Kids Central channel for younger kids. CBS National News, I guess replacing the other news channel? Not that we watch much TV in the cabin but at bedtime kiddo likes something on while he falls asleep... this gives more options!

Waiting on the Mardi Gras news, hoping it comes out soon... I really want to know where it'll be going when. I am fingers crossed going March break 2021... come on good itinerary!!

 

[trvlgirlmq]

Also waiting for Mardi Gras news. I really want to do this as DS2 graduation trip in 2021. He hasn't mentioned anything really so we are up in the air.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

I see a post about the new channel lineup... I'm excited to see HGTV, Food Network, Discovery and Travel Network! As well as Nickelodeon for kiddo, and a dedicated Kids Central channel for younger kids. CBS National News, I guess replacing the other news channel? Not that we watch much TV in the cabin but at bedtime kiddo likes something on while he falls asleep... this gives more options!

Waiting on the Mardi Gras news, hoping it comes out soon... I really want to know where it'll be going when. I am fingers crossed going March break 2021... come on good itinerary!!

We saw this too and love the change. Not that we watch huge amounts of TV on vacation but do have it on sometimes. We don't have cable at home so we always associate vacation with watching HGTV. Lol. Our kids also will love the new kids channels. They loved Boomerang the first time we were on Carnival, but the last couple of times we have been cruising it is different and they didn't like it. All new cartoons, not old ones or something like that. One thing they did like about Disney was the 24/7 disney cartoon channel. We are also not fans of CNN, so very glad to see that go. Not that we are huge fans of Fox, just really do not like CNN. I put that on our comment card last time.

 

[mevelandry]

We saw this too and love the change. Not that we watch huge amounts of TV on vacation but do have it on sometimes. We don't have cable at home so we always associate vacation with watching HGTV. Lol. Our kids also will love the new kids channels. They loved Boomerang the first time we were on Carnival, but the last couple of times we have been cruising it is different and they didn't like it. All new cartoons, not old ones or something like that. One thing they did like about Disney was the 24/7 disney cartoon channel. We are also not fans of CNN, so very glad to see that go. Not that we are huge fans of Fox, just really do not like CNN. I put that on our comment card last time.

As a Canadian, I find CNN very accurate when it comes to international news (unfortunately Fox lost me with their false reports during the Quebec terror attack and I never went back) but I only like 50% of their anchors... The rest of the anchors give their opinion more than they report news and sometimes it's just too much. :/

 

[mevelandry]

Still waiting for those Mardi Gras news...