CARNIVAL VS DCL: The discussion and comparison thread!

[John VN]

I know!!! MSC have great prices right now!

I have one booked for April (God knows if it will happen) and the prices were so low!!! Will not hesitate to book again if it gets cancelled.

In addition to the reasonable pricing will be the BONUS of the apparent overnighter stay at Ocean Cay. Our Seaside cruise last year had our Ocean Cay visit cancelled because 1 more week was needed to complete it for opening so MSC provided a Future Credit that we will use. The credit will bring the pricing down to $1,600.00 for our YC Level cruise but even without the credit we feel it is affordable.

 

[mevelandry]

In addition to the reasonable pricing will be the BONUS of the apparent overnighter stay at Ocean Cay. Our Seaside cruise last year had our Ocean Cay visit cancelled because 1 more week was needed to complete it for opening so MSC provided a Future Credit that we will use. The credit will bring the pricing down to $1,600.00 for our YC Level cruise but even without the credit we feel it is affordable.

Excellent deal!

Currently, our itinerary is Key West and Ocean Cay but with Key West wanting to block cruise ships from docking there, I am hoping that, if the itinerary changes, we’re going to end up with an overnight stay at Ocean Cay.

 

[hdrolfe]

Mardi Gras is delivered! Heald is posting some pics on facebook and it looks so pretty. I need to figure out when I can book a cruise on her I have a B2B on Horizon in 2023 and 2 weeks on MSC Seashore in early 2022. Maybe later 2022? That coaster at sea looks like fun!

 

[belle032]

Mardi Gras is delivered! Heald is posting some pics on facebook and it looks so pretty. I need to figure out when I can book a cruise on her I have a B2B on Horizon in 2023 and 2 weeks on MSC Seashore in early 2022. Maybe later 2022? That coaster at sea looks like fun!

It looks beautiful! I'm really excited about the direction these new ships seem to be taking. Still fun, upbeat & casual, but not as "Las Vegas!"

 

[hdrolfe]

It looks beautiful! I'm really excited about the direction these new ships seem to be taking. Still fun, upbeat & casual, but not as "Las Vegas!"

I have a friend who cruises (usually Royal or Celebrity) and she commented that Mardi Gras looks like the first Carnival ship she'd consider going on lol... the rest have been too over the top in décor I guess.

 

[sullivan.kscott]

It looks beautiful! I'm really excited about the direction these new ships seem to be taking. Still fun, upbeat & casual, but not as "Las Vegas!"

Can't wait to see some YouTube videos of her! Our first cruise, in 2006, was on Carnival Fantasy and she was gaudy to say the least. We've also sailed on Carnival Legend, Magic, and Liberty, and found them to be fun without as overbearing. DW and I have an almost unhealthy love for Alchemy, Red Frog, and the Lido grill areas on those 3. Mardi Gras looks like Carnival is keeping the fun but wants to "mature" a little, and she appears to have a lot to offer our DS x2 if we can peel them away from Vibe anytime soon. All this to say, I'm really excited to return to Carnival someday!

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

Can't wait to see some YouTube videos of her! Our first cruise, in 2006, was on Carnival Fantasy and she was gaudy to say the least. We've also sailed on Carnival Legend, Magic, and Liberty, and found them to be fun without as overbearing. DW and I have an almost unhealthy love for Alchemy, Red Frog, and the Lido grill areas on those 3. Mardi Gras looks like Carnival is keeping the fun but wants to "mature" a little, and she appears to have a lot to offer our DS x2 if we can peel them away from Vibe anytime soon. All this to say, I'm really excited to return to Carnival someday!

Our DD loved Club 02 on Carnival Vista, she went to the clubs on the Disney ships a few times but never really got into them, but on our B2B on Vista in 2017, she was in C02 for 2 straight weeks. We’re booked for a B2B on Mardi Gras in June so if she sails, I’ll be sure to give a full report, daughter will be 20 at that time so no clubs but will report on the rest of the ship.

 

[mevelandry]

Mardi Gras is delivered! Heald is posting some pics on facebook and it looks so pretty. I need to figure out when I can book a cruise on her I have a B2B on Horizon in 2023 and 2 weeks on MSC Seashore in early 2022. Maybe later 2022? That coaster at sea looks like fun!

I agree! It looks absolutely spectacular and I’m gonna try real hard to book a cruise on her in 2022!

Fall 2022 is already taken with Carnival Horizon (Aruba, Curaçao, La Romana and Amber Cove) but Winter to Summer 2022 is still free. We’ll see!

 

[mevelandry]

It looks beautiful! I'm really excited about the direction these new ships seem to be taking. Still fun, upbeat & casual, but not as "Las Vegas!"

100%! I’m glad Carnival started distancing themselves from the Vegas look starting with the Vista Class...

 

[hdrolfe]

The bonus of Mardi Gras is it is sailing from Port Canaveral, so adding on even a few days at Disney is easy (expensive, but easy). I'm wondering if we might switch our MSC to Mardi Gras and Disney combo instead. As much as we want to try MSC they just keep changing things and are not very good at letting us know. And we know we love Carnival... so much fun on the fun ships

 

[trvlgirlmq]

Take 2! Just booked 2022 British Isles on Pride. Slightly different itinerary but same number of days and ports. Also decided to treat us to 2 aft balconies!!! We have never had this type of room and it’s a huge upgrade for DS and GF from an inside.
Here’s hoping we are all vaccinated and travel is more normal.

 

[mevelandry]

That's it. We pulled the trigger. We booked Mardi Gras for January 2022.

 

[mevelandry]

Question: our next family cruise has a stop in Nassau... Anyone noticed that Atlantis is not available in excursions anymore?

 

[trvlgirlmq]

I showed DS a video of the aft cabin and balcony. He was super excited and couldn't wait to show his GF. They have lost their entire Senior year so hopefully this gives them something to be excited about for the future.

 

[hdrolfe]

I was talking to kiddo and showed him some pictures/videos of the Mardi Gras and he wants to do that instead of MSC. He said "I know I like Carnival so why aren't we just doing that?" I gave him the option to do 3 or 4 days at Disney followed by Mardi Gras or B2B on Mardi Gras, and he wants to do the B2B! Skipping Disney... it's craziness! But I have a hold on the week of his birthday next December (pay day is tomorrow so I'll probably be booking it then). I'll hold off on the second week for now, once I pay off some Christmas bills I will probably book that too.

 

[mevelandry]

They are not kids but my MIL & FIL were actually trying to convince us to go back to Disney ... UntiI I talked about Mardi Gras. Then it was game over for Disney. LOL

 

[mevelandry]

I was talking to kiddo and showed him some pictures/videos of the Mardi Gras and he wants to do that instead of MSC. He said "I know I like Carnival so why aren't we just doing that?" I gave him the option to do 3 or 4 days at Disney followed by Mardi Gras or B2B on Mardi Gras, and he wants to do the B2B! Skipping Disney... it's craziness! But I have a hold on the week of his birthday next December (pay day is tomorrow so I'll probably be booking it then). I'll hold off on the second week for now, once I pay off some Christmas bills I will probably book that too.

Which itinerary?

 

[hdrolfe]

Which itinerary?

We are booking the San Juan, Amber Cove and Grand Turk for sure, and maybe the western one as well (Cozumel, Costa Maya and Mahogany Bay)

 

[mevelandry]

We are booking the San Juan, Amber Cove and Grand Turk for sure, and maybe the western one as well (Cozumel, Costa Maya and Mahogany Bay)

We have San Juan, Amber Cove ans Grand Turk as well.

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

We have San Juan, Amber Cove ans Grand Turk as well.

So do we!! I want to go to San Juan so bad and am a huge fan of Grand Turk.