CARNIVAL VS DCL: The discussion and comparison thread!

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We made a decision.................we’re going on Mardi Gras! We’re still going to book her for June 2021 as well. The ship is so big and so new we know we’ll need to spend lots of time on her to figure her all out. We just couldn’t let the thought of spending New Years Eve in that beautiful atrium with a party let by Matt Mitchum go by the wayside.
That image you have put in our heads of Matt at a New Years Eve party is great. What a blast that will be!
 
Anyone seeing what’s going on with the NCL ship in Barcelona? Omg, how disappointing and I can’t even imagine the hassle it’s putting people through! But if that’s not an advertisement for trip insurance, I don’t know what is!

I have a co-worker who was scheduled to board the Pearl on 7/5, the entire 13 night cruise was cancelled - sadly it was cancelled on the day she was already travelling to Rome :( She's been able to make other arrangements, thank goodness, but a huge huge stressor she didn't need. NCL is refunding the full cruise fare (of course) and offering a 100% credit toward a future cruise, and a small amount toward airline changes. Not entirely helpful but at least they are doing something, I guess.
 
Carnival Panorama, 7 night Mexican Riviera. 2 inside is about $5000, 2 Havana Cabanas would be about $8800. Long Beach is only a 6 hour drive so there is no air travel for this option. Biggest concern here is, not totally thrilled about the Mexico ports and don’t know how warm it will be compared to Caribbean.

Carnival Horizon, 8 night southern Caribbean to Aruba, Bonaire and both Dominican Republic ports. 2 insides is about $6000, but will need to spend $2000 on air travel to get to Miami. We did a very similar itinerary on Vista and loved it but not totally excited about Aruba or the La Romana port of DR. Very excited about Bonaire and Amber Cove. Love that it’s 8 days.

Carnival Mardi Gras, 7 night Western Caribbean, Cozumel, costa Maya and Honduras. 2 insides $4000, 2 inside Havana $6000. Have to add in $2000 for airfare. Just got back from a similar itinerary. Loved Honduras and am excited to go back, 4th time to Cozumel and can take it or leave, indifferent on Costa Maya. With this, the itinerary is mediocre at best but that will give us a ton of time to experience a totally new ship. Also with this, we’re planning on Mardi Gras for June 2021 but will do the other itinerary of San Juan, Cozumel and Amber Cove.

What would you guys do?

We live on the west coast so I've been looking at the Panorama too in hopes of finding a quick and cheap vacation for next year. But admittedly the ho-hum itinerary puts me off, not to mention the fairly high price. I have an MSC cruise booked for spring break 2020 in their yacht club (concierge) and the price is almost the same on Panorama, but in Family Harbor rooms at best.

Anyway, of those choices, the southern Caribbean interests me most. I've never been to the ABC islands.
 


Would you do the same cruise, same itinerary, same ship (different cabins), in the same year? Once in January and once in December?

Carnival Horizon, 6-night to Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman and Cozumel (not as exciting as the southern but much cheaper)
 
Would you do the same cruise, same itinerary, same ship (different cabins), in the same year? Once in January and once in December?

Carnival Horizon, 6-night to Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman and Cozumel (not as exciting as the southern but much cheaper)
I would but the rest of my family wouldn’t. I wanted to do the 8 night southern, on Horizon this past summer and was overruled by the rest of the family. We did that itinerary on Vista 2 years ago so they were against it. If I was to do it I’d probably do a different class of cabin, maybe a cove balcony or Cloud 9 Spa cabin.
 
Would you do the same cruise, same itinerary, same ship (different cabins), in the same year? Once in January and once in December?

Carnival Horizon, 6-night to Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman and Cozumel (not as exciting as the southern but much cheaper)

I'm obsessed with GC and there are so many different excursions in Cozumel that I would without any hesitation!
 


I would but the rest of my family wouldn’t. I wanted to do the 8 night southern, on Horizon this past summer and was overruled by the rest of the family. We did that itinerary on Vista 2 years ago so they were against it. If I was to do it I’d probably do a different class of cabin, maybe a cove balcony or Cloud 9 Spa cabin.

Yessss... Cloud 9 Spa or Havana would be such a different experience on the ship!!!
 
I would but the rest of my family wouldn’t. I wanted to do the 8 night southern, on Horizon this past summer and was overruled by the rest of the family. We did that itinerary on Vista 2 years ago so they were against it. If I was to do it I’d probably do a different class of cabin, maybe a cove balcony or Cloud 9 Spa cabin.

I'm not sure my son would care. It would be in a family harbor room, inside in January and we have an ocean view in December. If he was 12 I'd totally do Havana but he'll only be turning 11 on the December 2020 cruise.

I'm obsessed with GC and there are so many different excursions in Cozumel that I would without any hesitation!

That's my thought, I feel like I could go to Cozumel and Grand Cayman a dozen times and never do the same excursions.

The other option is to try NCL. I'm just nervous of trying a new line! Funny right? So many people are scared to try Carnival and I am nervous of NCL. NCL Escape, to Cozumel, Costa Maya, Roatan and their Harvest Caye in Belize.
 
I'm not sure my son would care. It would be in a family harbor room, inside in January and we have an ocean view in December. If he was 12 I'd totally do Havana but he'll only be turning 11 on the December 2020 cruise.



That's my thought, I feel like I could go to Cozumel and Grand Cayman a dozen times and never do the same excursions.

The other option is to try NCL. I'm just nervous of trying a new line! Funny right? So many people are scared to try Carnival and I am nervous of NCL. NCL Escape, to Cozumel, Costa Maya, Roatan and their Harvest Caye in Belize.
I think for that itinerary I’d have to try NCL! I loved Roatan and Belize.
 
Would you do the same cruise, same itinerary, same ship (different cabins), in the same year? Once in January and once in December?

Carnival Horizon, 6-night to Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman and Cozumel (not as exciting as the southern but much cheaper)

If I really liked the ship, then I would have no problem doing it! I also like Cozumel & Grand Cayman and would be fine visiting twice in one year.

We're actually thinking of sailing on the Conquest again in February 2020 even though we just did this past September. Different itinerary, but probably same type of interior room. We did really like the ship so it's fine for us. The price is much cheaper than the Breeze sailing we are also considering even though both are 7 nights. So it might come down to flight price. And I was all set to compare flights between Pt. Canaveral & Ft. Lauderdale this morning, but Southwest pushed back their release dates for February another month! :sad: I just want to book something before we change our minds again!

So after all my rambling, no I would have no problem booking the same ship/itinerary twice if I enjoy either/both.
 
Looks like some nice trips coming up for everyone.

I think my mom and I have decided to splurge and keep our October 5 day on Valor. With all the drama in my life right now I need something to look forward to and will need to get away soon!

With the "help" of the younger kids (they are teens so not too young) we are going to stay this side of the pond next summer and do our last family trip to WDW. Well, our last trip while they are still kids at least. Both want to go to Europe for their graduation trips in 2021 & 2022 so we will hang on until then.

So we have booked a stay at the new Coronado Springs Gran Destino tower. It looks amazing! I'm excited to see HS finally done too! But sad that Spaceship Earth will be closed (it's cheesy but I love it).

School starts in 3 weeks and we are back in the thick of band camp and school shopping. Feels like summer just started and it's really over for us. At least there are a couple trips for me to dream about!
 
Got off the Carnival Horizon, a few weeks ago boarding the ship was easy love the check in process as your keys are delivered to your room, if you are vifp Platinum/Diamond or booked any kind of suite you get priority embarkation and debarkation. The suite we had was one of the family harbor suites very nice and the balcony on deck 2 was even nicer being that close to the water. Overall the drink package and ship chatting plan is the best. Amazing dinning options as you get your time dinning. The crew is amazing and works hard to get to know you, for this cruise there is absolutely nothing negative you can say about it. For those who say Carnival is the Walmart of the cruise industry, you couldn't be more wrong, definitely a great cruise and would do again to make it 4 carnival cruises.
 
We live on the west coast so I've been looking at the Panorama too in hopes of finding a quick and cheap vacation for next year. But admittedly the ho-hum itinerary puts me off, not to mention the fairly high price. I have an MSC cruise booked for spring break 2020 in their yacht club (concierge) and the price is almost the same on Panorama, but in Family Harbor rooms at best.

Anyway, of those choices, the southern Caribbean interests me most. I've never been to the ABC islands.
Seen the same thing with MSC there prices almost seem to good to be true, and that is why its been difficult to book one on MSC
 
Seen the same thing with MSC there prices almost seem to good to be true, and that is why its been difficult to book one on MSC

Yeah, we are paying something like $6,000 for 5 of us to sail in Yacht Club in the Caribbean ... Panorama is similarly priced, but far less amenities. We did the Yacht Club thing on MSC Seaview in Europe, and really enjoyed it :)
 
After having to cancel our summer cruise on the Carnival Pride due to my Dad's knee surgery, I have gone on a booking spree. The surgery was on July 2nd and went well so we're now booked for B2B 10 night Panama Canal cruises on Princess January 2020, a 9 night on Adventure of the Seas for May 2020, and a 14 night on the Carnival Pride in November 2020.

I really need to stop. I keep looking to see if we can do one later this fall.....I think I have a terrible addiction. :rolleyes1
 
Got off the Carnival Horizon, a few weeks ago boarding the ship was easy love the check in process as your keys are delivered to your room, if you are vifp Platinum/Diamond or booked any kind of suite you get priority embarkation and debarkation. The suite we had was one of the family harbor suites very nice and the balcony on deck 2 was even nicer being that close to the water. Overall the drink package and ship chatting plan is the best. Amazing dinning options as you get your time dinning. The crew is amazing and works hard to get to know you, for this cruise there is absolutely nothing negative you can say about it. For those who say Carnival is the Walmart of the cruise industry, you couldn't be more wrong, definitely a great cruise and would do again to make it 4 carnival cruises.

Thanks for the review!!! I've sailed on the Vista, which is a sister ship to the Horizon and I totally agree with you!
 
After having to cancel our summer cruise on the Carnival Pride due to my Dad's knee surgery, I have gone on a booking spree. The surgery was on July 2nd and went well so we're now booked for B2B 10 night Panama Canal cruises on Princess January 2020, a 9 night on Adventure of the Seas for May 2020, and a 14 night on the Carnival Pride in November 2020.

I really need to stop. I keep looking to see if we can do one later this fall.....I think I have a terrible addiction. :rolleyes1

Many long cruises! I'm so jealous!

I'm also sailing on the Adventure of the Seas in 2020! Can't wait!
 
Looks like some nice trips coming up for everyone.

I think my mom and I have decided to splurge and keep our October 5 day on Valor. With all the drama in my life right now I need something to look forward to and will need to get away soon!

With the "help" of the younger kids (they are teens so not too young) we are going to stay this side of the pond next summer and do our last family trip to WDW. Well, our last trip while they are still kids at least. Both want to go to Europe for their graduation trips in 2021 & 2022 so we will hang on until then.

So we have booked a stay at the new Coronado Springs Gran Destino tower. It looks amazing! I'm excited to see HS finally done too! But sad that Spaceship Earth will be closed (it's cheesy but I love it).

School starts in 3 weeks and we are back in the thick of band camp and school shopping. Feels like summer just started and it's really over for us. At least there are a couple trips for me to dream about!
That resort looks so awesome, would love to stay there one of these days! Enjoy the trip
 
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