twhipple
<font color=green>Prefers the Eastern way<br><font
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2002
- Messages
- 389
My sister and I took our mom on an RCL 3-day cruise out of Port Canaveral last week. Neither of us have been on RCL before, my sis on Carnival before, me on Magic. I thought it would be fun to compare the three cruise lines.
Carnival: ship was fresher, newer. Pools were too crowded. More open seating on the decks. Lots of onboard activities. Better quality shows. More machines in the casino. More tournaments there too. Prices in the shops were more reasonable, but not a great selection. Elevators had better decor and were faster. Excellent food. Larger selection at the buffets. Food was very normal, plain (did not eat in the dining room). Lower level noise from ship. Kids were not an issue. Bigger crowds. Disembarkation about the same, but had to wait in a specified area.
RCL: Sis: Felt old. Pools were better. Entertainment 2nd rank. Lots of movement felt in the casino. Prices at the stores were higher than expected, but nice selection. Elevators were slow. Food at the buffets were cold, even when we were first served. Dining room food was presented nice, some was bland though. Meat in general was either tough or dry. Desserts and soups were outstanding. Lots of boat noise in the dining room and casino. Kids were not an issue. Didn?t like the ship better in general, but loved the private island a lot. Crowds were more obnoxious. Disembarkation went smoothly, but we had early disembarkation. Had to wait in an common area, much better. Lots of lines all the time on the ship. If you purchased a soda card, you never got good service at the bars.
me: Ship was showing its wear and tear. Pools were salt water and not separate areas between the two pools. Not many onboard activities. Common areas seemed more smoke-filled (granted I was with two smokers). Casino paid well first two days, very bad on last day. Entertainment was more the variety show type rather than Broadway type shows. Great comedian last night! A couple neat bars. Lots of shops on the ship. RCL merchandise was expensive. Elevators seemed slow and where is the third bank of elevators? Buffet food was always cold. Selection at welcome aboard lunch was limited. Small selection of fruit (a bowl of fruit salad at lunch, one tray at breakfast). Food in dining room looked very elegant. Soups were outstanding (Strawberry mint soup the best). Main dishes were not good. Sauces fine but meat always tough or dry. Private island was nice, but I haven?t been to Castaway Cay yet
. Coco Cay had a lot of bars and just general seating at the beach. The snorkel area was also the swim area. Only the rentals were on a separate beach. They did have a water park there, which looked like fun. Lots of lines everywhere. Skipped the midnight buffet because of lines. Centrum area seemed dark. Staff was good and friendly. Dinner service was extremely slow (though it seemed to be our section only).
DCL: Always impressed by the ship decor. Love the separate pool areas as we don?t have kids and like the Quiet Cove. Lots of onboard activities. Entertainment is first class. No casino, but didn?t need it to occupy time. Shopping was good, but more limited than RCL. Elevators seemed quicker and wait time was limited. Three banks of elevators too! Buffet was outstanding. Food was always hot. Always enjoyed the meals at dinner. Don?t recall having any problems with the food. Lots of fruit. Even fruit at Scoops during the buffets closed time. Kids were noticed, but were well controlled. Disembarkation was smooth. Nice to not have to wait to be called to leave. I did not go to Castaway Cay, but from my pictures at Coco Cay, my DH says I will be impressed by Castaway Cay. And look, I only have a few more days to wait!!
Carnival: ship was fresher, newer. Pools were too crowded. More open seating on the decks. Lots of onboard activities. Better quality shows. More machines in the casino. More tournaments there too. Prices in the shops were more reasonable, but not a great selection. Elevators had better decor and were faster. Excellent food. Larger selection at the buffets. Food was very normal, plain (did not eat in the dining room). Lower level noise from ship. Kids were not an issue. Bigger crowds. Disembarkation about the same, but had to wait in a specified area.
RCL: Sis: Felt old. Pools were better. Entertainment 2nd rank. Lots of movement felt in the casino. Prices at the stores were higher than expected, but nice selection. Elevators were slow. Food at the buffets were cold, even when we were first served. Dining room food was presented nice, some was bland though. Meat in general was either tough or dry. Desserts and soups were outstanding. Lots of boat noise in the dining room and casino. Kids were not an issue. Didn?t like the ship better in general, but loved the private island a lot. Crowds were more obnoxious. Disembarkation went smoothly, but we had early disembarkation. Had to wait in an common area, much better. Lots of lines all the time on the ship. If you purchased a soda card, you never got good service at the bars.
me: Ship was showing its wear and tear. Pools were salt water and not separate areas between the two pools. Not many onboard activities. Common areas seemed more smoke-filled (granted I was with two smokers). Casino paid well first two days, very bad on last day. Entertainment was more the variety show type rather than Broadway type shows. Great comedian last night! A couple neat bars. Lots of shops on the ship. RCL merchandise was expensive. Elevators seemed slow and where is the third bank of elevators? Buffet food was always cold. Selection at welcome aboard lunch was limited. Small selection of fruit (a bowl of fruit salad at lunch, one tray at breakfast). Food in dining room looked very elegant. Soups were outstanding (Strawberry mint soup the best). Main dishes were not good. Sauces fine but meat always tough or dry. Private island was nice, but I haven?t been to Castaway Cay yet
. Coco Cay had a lot of bars and just general seating at the beach. The snorkel area was also the swim area. Only the rentals were on a separate beach. They did have a water park there, which looked like fun. Lots of lines everywhere. Skipped the midnight buffet because of lines. Centrum area seemed dark. Staff was good and friendly. Dinner service was extremely slow (though it seemed to be our section only).DCL: Always impressed by the ship decor. Love the separate pool areas as we don?t have kids and like the Quiet Cove. Lots of onboard activities. Entertainment is first class. No casino, but didn?t need it to occupy time. Shopping was good, but more limited than RCL. Elevators seemed quicker and wait time was limited. Three banks of elevators too! Buffet was outstanding. Food was always hot. Always enjoyed the meals at dinner. Don?t recall having any problems with the food. Lots of fruit. Even fruit at Scoops during the buffets closed time. Kids were noticed, but were well controlled. Disembarkation was smooth. Nice to not have to wait to be called to leave. I did not go to Castaway Cay, but from my pictures at Coco Cay, my DH says I will be impressed by Castaway Cay. And look, I only have a few more days to wait!!
