CARNIVAL VS DCL: The discussion and comparison thread!

[trvlgirlmq]

Cruising from London or land trip?

We are booked in Legend from Dover next June. We booked last November before anyone ever heard of Covid!

 

[mevelandry]

We are booked in Legend from Dover next June. We booked last November before anyone ever heard of Covid!

My husband is talking about an April cruise if the COVID situation gets better so you are not the only one being optimistic. June sounds pretty reasonable.

 

[lklgoodman]

I don't know if anyone here has any kind of trips planned for this Fall. But incase someone does, just wanted to mention that the US airlines will start laying off employees in Oct. They had to wait until Oct to do layoffs to get stimulus money. Don't know what airlines or how many will be laid off. Just thought I'd mention, because it could result in a lot of flights being cancelled. The PIF for our March 2021 cruise is in Dec. I'm thinking we won't be going on it unless there's a vaccine by then. I'm hoping if there's no vaccine by our PIF that DCL will cancel so we can get the extra OBC. Otherwise I guess I'll just cancel it myself.

 

[belle032]

We are booked in Legend from Dover next June. We booked last November before anyone ever heard of Covid!

My husband is talking about an April cruise if the COVID situation gets better so you are not the only one being optimistic. June sounds pretty reasonable.

All I can think is "we better be cruising by June!" I think I'm at the point where as soon as that clock hits 12:01AM on January 1, 2021, I'm hoping the world resets itself and 2020 will just be bad dream.

In all seriousness, I think you're fine to be optimistic. I'm still very optimistic about our Alaskan cruise next September...as in it hasn't even crossed my mind that it won't happen. But I feel like I wouldn't be surprised by anything anymore.

@trvlgirlmq Is it a British Isles cruise? We sailed out of Dover last year on our DCL BI cruise. Those white cliffs are stunning!

 

[trvlgirlmq]

All I can think is "we better be cruising by June!" I think I'm at the point where as soon as that clock hits 12:01AM on January 1, 2021, I'm hoping the world resets itself and 2020 will just be bad dream.

In all seriousness, I think you're fine to be optimistic. I'm still very optimistic about our Alaskan cruise next September...as in it hasn't even crossed my mind that it won't happen. But I feel like I wouldn't be surprised by anything anymore.

@trvlgirlmq Is it a British Isles cruise? We sailed out of Dover last year on our DCL BI cruise. Those white cliffs are stunning!

Yes, British Isles with stops @ Edinburgh, Invergordon, Portree, Belfast, Liverpool & Cobh. It's to celebrate DS and his GF's high school graduation. After their last year and half of school/no school they will need it as much as I do!

 

[mevelandry]

I don’t know what is wrong with me but I miss cruising so bad today.

 

[hdrolfe]

I don’t know what is wrong with me but I miss cruising so bad today.

Me too. We were at a local beach yesterday and it is not the same as the blue caribbean waters.

 

[trvlgirlmq]

I don’t know what is wrong with me but I miss cruising so bad today.

You are not alone. Yesterday my mom and I were talking about how much we miss eating in a restaurant, going to the movies and being able to travel. We are just not comfortable with any of that yet. I don’t know when we will be either.

 

[mevelandry]

Me too. We were at a local beach yesterday and it is not the same as the blue caribbean waters.

Agreed. I feel like nothing compares to cruising.

 

[mevelandry]

You are not alone. Yesterday my mom and I were talking about how much we miss eating in a restaurant, going to the movies and being able to travel. We are just not comfortable with any of that yet. I don’t know when we will be either.

Yes. All the little things we used to take for granted.

 

[hdrolfe]

looks like the name of the next Mardi Gras class might be out soon. I hope someday I'll be able to cruise on one of them! The Bolt looks great.

 

[trvlgirlmq]

looks like the name of the next Mardi Gras class might be out soon. I hope someday I'll be able to cruise on one of them! The Bolt looks great.

I really want to try one! They look fabulous.

 

[hdrolfe]

I really want to try one! They look fabulous.

I still want to go on Horizon (Vista class really) as well... the longer we can't cruise, the more ships I'm going to want to try out! Those are just the Carnival ones (plus I'd like to go on Breeze and compare to Magic). RCL I also want to go on Oasis class, the updated Indy and Mariner. So many cruises... so little time!

 

[Camilo]

Here's my (old) and short review after having cruises Carnival (2011) and Disney (2013).

After that review, I did Carnival once more (Vista) 2 years ago.

Disney cruise is amazing but EXTREMELY expensive for our family of 5. So, unless a super deal like we got in 2011 shows up again, I don't think we'll go back.

*******

Hi all,

I am bringing this thread from the bottom almost 15 months after the last update.

I thought it could be useful for people getting to this review from google searches on sailing with small kids or sea-sickness on boats.

My previous threads asked others about what our kids experienced on the Carnival cruise, if that was sea-sickness or possible a bug/stomach flu. You can read it all above, my questions and some feedback I got from other cruise critic members.

We just came back from our second cruise, first one with Disney, Disney Wonder, from February 11th to 16th, western Caribbean.

We went to Cozumel once again (and had another great day at Paradise Beach - I keep recommending this place for people with small kids) and Grand Cayman, for the first time (we went to Royal Palms, which we also recommend, beautiful beach).

Back on topic, this time none of the kids threw up, which makes me believe they DID have a bug while in the Carnival Cruise. On one of the nights, the sea was pretty rough (not as bad as the last day on Carnival Dream) and they asked to go to bed earlier but we never had to give them medicine for sea-sickness.

My wife also tried the patch behind the ear (expensive) and found it very effective. She was ok for the whole cruise, didn't skip any dinner, etc.

Of course, that means we will keep cruising going forward...

As for comparing both cruises, it may not be fair, Carnival one is 10 years newer and much bigger), but here it goes anyway.

Some things were better at Carnival (pools, hot tubs, waterpark area, arcade for kids), some better at Disney (entertainment, 3D theater at sea, kids club) but I would have no issues sailing with any of them, if the price was right (mind you, I paid less for the 4 of us on this Disney cruise than what I paid on the Carnival one, although the Disney was 5 nights against 7 from Carnival).

I hope that can help others.

Camilo

 

[mevelandry]

I still want to go on Horizon (Vista class really) as well... the longer we can't cruise, the more ships I'm going to want to try out! Those are just the Carnival ones (plus I'd like to go on Breeze and compare to Magic). RCL I also want to go on Oasis class, the updated Indy and Mariner. So many cruises... so little time!

I loved the Mariner!!

Now, if all plans we have stay the same, I'll try Carnival Magic and Oasis of the Seas in 2021. *fingers crossed*.

 

[mevelandry]

Here's my (old) and short review after having cruises Carnival (2011) and Disney (2013).

After that review, I did Carnival once more (Vista) 2 years ago.

Disney cruise is amazing but EXTREMELY expensive for our family of 5. So, unless a super deal like we got in 2011 shows up again, I don't think we'll go back.

*******

Hi all,

I am bringing this thread from the bottom almost 15 months after the last update.

I thought it could be useful for people getting to this review from google searches on sailing with small kids or sea-sickness on boats.

My previous threads asked others about what our kids experienced on the Carnival cruise, if that was sea-sickness or possible a bug/stomach flu. You can read it all above, my questions and some feedback I got from other cruise critic members.

We just came back from our second cruise, first one with Disney, Disney Wonder, from February 11th to 16th, western Caribbean.

We went to Cozumel once again (and had another great day at Paradise Beach - I keep recommending this place for people with small kids) and Grand Cayman, for the first time (we went to Royal Palms, which we also recommend, beautiful beach).

Back on topic, this time none of the kids threw up, which makes me believe they DID have a bug while in the Carnival Cruise. On one of the nights, the sea was pretty rough (not as bad as the last day on Carnival Dream) and they asked to go to bed earlier but we never had to give them medicine for sea-sickness.

My wife also tried the patch behind the ear (expensive) and found it very effective. She was ok for the whole cruise, didn't skip any dinner, etc.

Of course, that means we will keep cruising going forward...

As for comparing both cruises, it may not be fair, Carnival one is 10 years newer and much bigger), but here it goes anyway.

Some things were better at Carnival (pools, hot tubs, waterpark area, arcade for kids), some better at Disney (entertainment, 3D theater at sea, kids club) but I would have no issues sailing with any of them, if the price was right (mind you, I paid less for the 4 of us on this Disney cruise than what I paid on the Carnival one, although the Disney was 5 nights against 7 from Carnival).

I hope that can help others.

Camilo

Thanks for sharing. I was wondering if you tried the Thrill Theater on the Carnival Vista? There's a small fee for it but it's SO MUCH FUN.

Also, I agree with you. We went to Royal Palms Grand Cayman twice and we absolutely love it.

 

[hdrolfe]

I loved the Mariner!!

Now, if all plans we have stay the same, I'll try Carnival Magic and Oasis of the Seas in 2021. *fingers crossed*.

It's frustrating isn't it? The uncertainty of booking and hoping for a cruise. Not the most important of things in the grand scheme of things of course, but I'm sure we all look forward to getting back to "normal". Magic was amazing, I look forward to trying Oasis, maybe 2022 or 2023, but MSC Meraviglia is the only one I have booked that is likely to happen (early 2022).

 

[mevelandry]

It's frustrating isn't it? The uncertainty of booking and hoping for a cruise. Not the most important of things in the grand scheme of things of course, but I'm sure we all look forward to getting back to "normal". Magic was amazing, I look forward to trying Oasis, maybe 2022 or 2023, but MSC Meraviglia is the only one I have booked that is likely to happen (early 2022).

I'm trying to remain optimistic but it's not easy.

 

[Camilo]

Thanks for sharing. I was wondering if you tried the Thrill Theater on the Carnival Vista? There's a small fee for it but it's SO MUCH FUN.

Also, I agree with you. We went to Royal Palms Grand Cayman twice and we absolutely love it.

Hi, my son did the regular movie theater on the Cista. I left a review on cruise critics. Unsure if it will be blocked here, here's the link: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2502031-carnival-vista-review-my-review-jan-21st-2018-sailing/

Thanks....

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

Hi, my son did the regular movie theater on the Cista. I left a review on cruise critics. Unsure if it will be blocked here, here's the link: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2502031-carnival-vista-review-my-review-jan-21st-2018-sailing/

Thanks....

I love IMAX on Vista but am pretty happy they changed it to a trampoline park on panorama, I love trampolines. Thanks for the review, I absolutely love Vista!