I haven’t sailed on Pride but when you sail on old Carnival ships, you definitely have to expect the looks of the ship being very different than
DCL (DCL going for a classic look while older Carnival ships being more « Vegas ») ... For some reason, the previous designer seemed to LOVE the colors orange and brown and it’s everywhere including in the cabins.
People can smoke in the casino. All ships are not equal with ventilation so on some ships you will smell it more than others.
I like the fact that the gifts are so much more affordable on Carnival so you can surprise your family with plenty of surprises without breaking the bank.
I find activities and restaurants to be very much alike on each Carnival ships which makes me recommend:
The Steakhouse if you want to treat yourself a little bit... There is a free bottle of wine if you book for the first night (or 50% off a better choice of wine). It reminds me of Palo but a little bit more relaxed.
Bonsai Sushi is « à la carte » yet very affordable ... and great!
I love having « Port Days Breakfast » in the dining room but I love the « Sea Day Brunch » even more. It’s included.
Sometimes during Sea Days at 3 PM there is Afternoon Tea (they offer tea, sandwiches and desserts). You can upgrade your tea for a very small price if you are picky like me.
The food in the dining room is usually good but I love to treat myself with the Steakhouse Selections once in a while (20$ USD will get you a Filet Mignon, lobster or a Surf and Turf that are to die for.)
Guy’s Burger and Blue Iguana are good. I like them.
Green Eggs and Ham is a great characters breakfast if you are into Dr. Seuss. I did it without being a fan just because it was themed and unexpensive. Even the food is themed and there is a lot of characters. I would recommend for families.
I’ve never had a bad service team on Carnival. I know people are raving about DCL being the best but I honestly never noticed a difference.
The aft pool is usually where we like to hang out. So much more quiet than the main pool.
I like the shows, they usually have at least one excellent musical revue and we are fans of the comedy shows. Everything is much more adult themed.