CARNIVAL VS DCL: The discussion and comparison thread!

[RedSox68]

While we are on the subject of massages... During the sales pitch we received when we visited the spa (we booked a Cloud 9 Spa cabin on the Carnival Vista), they were showing us how a hot stone massage feels...

O-M-G!!!

Someday...

Massages are my special gift to my DH on a cruise. It's one of his favorite things to do onboard -- me, I just sleep in that morning LOL

 

[LeslieG]

I sailed the Horizon in July and the Conquest in August, if anyone has questions. I actually canceled my Disney cruises to try something different.

 

[southerngirl528]

Massages are my special gift to my DH on a cruise. It's one of his favorite things to do onboard -- me, I just sleep in that morning LOL

We always, always book spa appointments when sailing w/DCL, and very much love the spa villas for couples. (never sailed CCL, I know this is a comparison thread) We have consistently had excellent treatments and I find the "sell" varies greatly from therapist to therapist, but I have never once had what I consider a "hard sell", and when I say, "no thanks", they have always ceased, and ended my time in the spa very graciously.

 

[RedSox68]

We always, always book spa appointments when sailing w/DCL, and very much love the spa villas for couples. (never sailed CCL, I know this is a comparison thread) We have consistently had excellent treatments and I find the "sell" varies greatly from therapist to therapist, but I have never once had what I consider a "hard sell", and when I say, "no thanks", they have always ceased, and ended my time in the spa very graciously.

Yeah, my husband had a couple of hard sells after his first two massages on Disney, and he finally started telling them before the treatment that he is not planning on buying anything! That seemed to work so he can leave the spa relaxed as it should be

 

[mevelandry]

I sailed the Horizon in July and the Conquest in August, if anyone has questions. I actually canceled my Disney cruises to try something different.

Spill the beans!!!

 

[belle032]

I sailed the Horizon in July and the Conquest in August, if anyone has questions. I actually canceled my Disney cruises to try something different.

We board the Conquest on Sept. 29 so I hope you enjoyed it! I know we are super excited and so ready for a vacation.

 

[mevelandry]

There are a lot of cruisers from this thread going on vacation this fall. It's going to be very interesting to read the comparisons.

 

[mevelandry]

Guys I have a question for you... When it comes to cruiseships, what would be your ranking?

Here's ours:


#1 Carnival Vista
#2 Disney Dream
#3 Carnival Victory/Disney Wonder (it's a tie... I just can't seem to be able to make a choice between the two.)
#4 Carnival Victory/Disney Wonder

 

[trvlgirlmq]

In order of how I liked the ships:

1. Carnival Breeze
2. Carnival Vista
3. Carnival Dream
4 Tie. Carnival Elation/Carnival Fascination - They are basically the same ship

 

[trvlgirlmq]

Just booked a Carnival excursion during our Progreso port stop. I am usually all about saving money and booking 3rd party but this port I prefer the comfort of the cruise line. We are going to Dzibilchaltun. You can still climb the ruins and there is a cenote where you can take dip. We have previously been to Uxmal from the same port and it was fabulous. I am so ready for a vacation.

 

[mevelandry]

Just booked a Carnival excursion during our Progreso port stop. I am usually all about saving money and booking 3rd party but this port I prefer the comfort of the cruise line. We are going to Dzibilchaltun. You can still climb the ruins and there is a cenote where you can take dip. We have previously been to Uxmal from the same port and it was fabulous. I am so ready for a vacation.

Had to google Dzibilchaltun and Uxmal as I had never heard of it before. It looks amazing.

 

[PrincessTrisha]

Just booked a Carnival excursion during our Progreso port stop. I am usually all about saving money and booking 3rd party but this port I prefer the comfort of the cruise line. We are going to Dzibilchaltun. You can still climb the ruins and there is a cenote where you can take dip. We have previously been to Uxmal from the same port and it was fabulous. I am so ready for a vacation.

Sounds fantastic. I think the exception to booking on your own is things like the ruins. Many of them are far enough away from the ship that it makes more sense to use the cruise line's excursion and have a little piece of mind about the ship waiting for you.

 

[trvlgirlmq]

Sounds fantastic. I think the exception to booking on your own is things like the ruins. Many of them are far enough away from the ship that it makes more sense to use the cruise line's excursion and have a little piece of mind about the ship waiting for you.

This will by my 8th cruise but only the 4th cruise line excursion I have done. I don't like the herd mentality and prefer to tour on my own timetable. With my mom's hip injury I just wanted to make this as easy as possible. I'm sure we will enjoy the site and we are just needing a nice getaway from jobs and kids!

 

[mevelandry]

Completely out of subject but I added a "towel" section on the first post. Which is one of the rare things I think Carnival really suck at.

 

[hdrolfe]

Completely out of subject but I added a "towel" section on the first post. Which is one of the rare things I think Carnival really suck at.

what is it you don't like about the towel situation? I find it better than on RCL. On Carnival the towels are in the room but you can exchange them yourself at the pool or leave them in your cabin and the room steward will do so. If you don't return it, you get charged for it. Also happens on RCL except they don't leave them in the room for you, you have to go sign them out at the towel hut, they scan your card for however many you have taken. They will do that if you pick them up to take off the ship too (RCL). Not sure how it works on DCL.

 

[cruiser21]

This will by my 8th cruise but only the 4th cruise line excursion I have done. I don't like the herd mentality and prefer to tour on my own timetable. With my mom's hip injury I just wanted to make this as easy as possible. I'm sure we will enjoy the site and we are just needing a nice getaway from jobs and kids!

I can relate. 24 cruises and maybe only 4 or 5 ship excursions. I liked the excursions, but I never felt like they were worth the price.

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

Guys I have a question for you... When it comes to cruiseships, what would be your ranking?

Here's ours:


#1 Carnival Vista
#2 Disney Dream
#3 Carnival Victory/Disney Wonder (it's a tie... I just can't seem to be able to make a choice between the two.)
#4 Carnival Victory/Disney Wonder

1 - Carnival Vista
2 - Disney Fantasy
3 - Disney Dream
4 - Disney Magic
5 - Disney Wonder

We board Anthem of the Seas in 271 days so I’ll let you know what I think of that. It looks like a pretty amazing ship!

 

[mevelandry]

what is it you don't like about the towel situation? I find it better than on RCL. On Carnival the towels are in the room but you can exchange them yourself at the pool or leave them in your cabin and the room steward will do so. If you don't return it, you get charged for it. Also happens on RCL except they don't leave them in the room for you, you have to go sign them out at the towel hut, they scan your card for however many you have taken. They will do that if you pick them up to take off the ship too (RCL). Not sure how it works on DCL.

On DCL, you get a towel (or more) at the pool and you drop them in the laundry basket whenever you want. Same on Castaway Cay. You are not "attached" to your towels. No consequence if someone steals your towel on your lounger chair while you swim.

Whenever we go on a Carnival cruise, we bring our own now.

 

[mevelandry]

1 - Carnival Vista
2 - Disney Fantasy
3 - Disney Dream
4 - Disney Magic
5 - Disney Wonder

We board Anthem of the Seas in 271 days so I’ll let you know what I think of that. It looks like a pretty amazing ship!

I'm so envious regarding your cruise on the Anthem.

I still regret cancelling our Bermuda cruise on the Anthem and replacing it with our upcoming cruise. In the end, the plane tickets for FLL (with shuttles to Miami) made our cruise cost almost just as much as the RCCL departing from NYC (near 1000$ CND each).

I'm not 100% sold on the Sensation. But we'll see.

 

[PrincessTrisha]

On DCL, you get a towel (or more) at the pool and you drop them in the laundry basket whenever you want. Same on Castaway Cay. You are not "attached" to your towels. No consequence if someone steals your towel on your lounger chair while you swim.

Whenever we go on a Carnival cruise, we bring our own now.

Yeah but you trade off convenience for quality. DCL uses the same towels as they do at the resort pools - those small, ridged white towels. Other cruise lines have the big, fluffy soft towels.

Both Princess and Celebrity don't track towels (they have a policy like DCL but towels like Carnival/Royal). The best of both worlds but generally at a higher price point than CCL/RCI.