CARNIVAL VS DCL: The discussion and comparison thread!

[GrrArrgh]

Oh, I had earplugs and noise-cancelling earbuds. When I say loud clanging, I mean extremely loud. But like the heat, it wasn't something they could ever fix. Why would I ever assume I could have a better experience on another ship or in another room when they are clearly unable to fix things?

Another thing that wasn't a dealbreaker, but I just didn't really like: the Carnival ship always felt crowded. I really felt like we were a herd of people being ushered from place to place. There was no feeling of empty space anywhere because there was always a crowd, no matter where you were trying to go or what you were trying to do. On the Disney ship, there was space to breathe and we really felt like guests.

I also found Carnival's private islands/beaches extremely crowded, though that will vary with the time of year you sail. We sailed in mid-September, so I thought it wouldn't be crowded, but I was very wrong. I think there were always two ships docked wherever we were, so there were probably 7000 people competing for beach chairs. At the stop with the big beach and Margaritaville (I think it was Grand Turk?) I was only able to find one lounger on the entire beach for our group of four. It was also very crowded at the other private island with the big pool/water slide park. So, if you're going to get off the ship and try to have a beach day, get out there as soon as you can in the morning. It also just wasn't very relaxing being in the middle of that many people. Even if you were in the water, you were never more than a couple of feet away from another person.

 

[oumagic]

Hi! Welcome to the thread!

Which ship was it and where did you go?

Wow, I am hurt; my first post to the thread was in November 2017

This cruise was the Carnival Inspiration and went from Long Beach to Ensenada. It was just a cruise that we squeezed in between building our pool and the bigger cruise in December over New Year's. I started pricing weekend getaways and the cruise was cheaper than many options I was considering after we added up the food/room/fuel. The service was some of the best we have ever had. The food was mostly good (the same as any cruise I have ever taken). The ship was pretty boring with no movies or sports bars and such and I see why it only does 3 and 4 day itineraries. The boat did have some added things since last time we sailed her sister ship that we had not seen: Guy's Burgers and Alchemy being two highlights of the changes. Serenity area is pretty lame: no pool and no bar but it was really quiet and there were servers that came around: we spent a lot of time there. As I said, just an older and smaller ship and we had fun for a few days.

We have always enjoyed Carnival and probably would sail them most of the time if it weren't for my other family preferences. My dad and brother only want to sell DCL so we do those when we can all get together. I love DCL, but I just have a hard time separating cost and fun sometimes. I like DCL overall more than Carnival by a narrow margin, but the cost of DCL just detracts from the overall experience for me. We have sailed Princess to Alaska, Carnival to Mexico, and DCL to Bahamas.

I stay inactive in the DCL versus XYZ comparison threads usually because I don't want people to think I am knocking their decision to sail DCL if I comment. I do really like the DCL cruise line. I also like Porsche, Mercedes and BMW but I drive a Mazda because it isn't worth the extra cost to me. That said, I think my Mazda was worth the extra cost over say a Chevy Malibu. I bought an expensive Traeger smoker that I wanted that I am sure there are thousands of people that would say it is not worth the cost difference over a cheaper smoker/grill, but I love mine. So everyone has different tastes.

If I see someone post something as fact that is really just a preference, I may speak up. Like when someone says DCL drinks are included but they aren't on Carnival. That is not factually true: soda is free on Disney and not Carnival. What I drink on Carnival is tea, water, coffee, beer and an occasional cocktail. What I drink on Disney is tea, water, coffee, beer and an occasional cocktail. For me, it is a little cheaper for my drinks on Disney than Carnival for numerous reasons, but it is not free. If someone comes on and says that they only cruise DCL because other cruise lines kids' clubs stink, I will sometimes pipe up. That is not a factual statement, it is opinion; my kids preferred the Carnival kids activities to DCL and Princess. These misleading comments do not happen often and it is why I usually just lurk and don't comment. The moderators do a wonderful job on the DCL boards making sure everyone plays nice

I pay a lot of attention to Carnival/RCCL/DCL reviews because there are things I can take away from them that apply to my own preferences. For example, if mevelandry says she was on Carnival Vista and loved the steel drums and live music on the pool deck and someone else says that they were on Carnival Vista and hated how loud the pool deck was, I can then apply that to myself and say "I love steel drums and a rocking pool area when I cruise." If someone says that they hated the DCL cruise because the balcony was too small or because they wanted a better magician, I can ignore that because I don't cruise with a DCL verandah and I am not interested in a magician regardless if he/she is good or bad. If someone says that they would never cruise another line because DCL was perfect for their 6 year old, I think to myself that my youngest child is 13 and I obviously am at a different time in my life than the reviewer. If someone says that, they don't drink and the Carnival adult areas are lacking I think to myself that if I didn't drink, I would probably agree, but since I do, I love the Carnival Red Frog bar.

 

[oumagic]

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. Disney Magic
2. Carnival Miracle
3. Crown Princess

Upcoming is Disney Wonder December 27-January 3 and on the horizon (since it will be in California) is the Carnival Panorama.

 

[KashasMom]

Oh, I had earplugs and noise-cancelling earbuds. When I say loud clanging, I mean extremely loud. But like the heat, it wasn't something they could ever fix. Why would I ever assume I could have a better experience on another ship or in another room when they are clearly unable to fix things?

Another thing that wasn't a dealbreaker, but I just didn't really like: the Carnival ship always felt crowded. I really felt like we were a herd of people being ushered from place to place. There was no feeling of empty space anywhere because there was always a crowd, no matter where you were trying to go or what you were trying to do. On the Disney ship, there was space to breathe and we really felt like guests.

It's so funny how we all have such different experiences. We had HORRIBLE noise and vibration in our Fantasy aft cabin. They very well knew about it but nothing they could do. I was so glad to get home to be able to sleep! On top of that the same room had the horrible sewer smell from the bathroom - the whole week. It was disgusting. It was a Members cruise so not only was it super expensive it was full so no room to even move us. I would have been happy with an inside! If that had been my first Disney cruise, I'd never go back.

Empty space? My daughter got trampled so many times in the teeny, tiny atrium on the DCL Magic during very Merrytime activities. No room to even move. And Disney's one itty bitty pool - ugh...people soup! Nobody can do anything but stand up.

It's been a long time since I've been on Carnival so really can't compare but I can say that some of things you experienced I have found on DCL as well.

 

[KashasMom]

1. Disney Magic
2. Carnival Miracle
3. Crown Princess

Upcoming is Disney Wonder December 27-January 3 and on the horizon (since it will be in California) is the Carnival Panorama.

Mine would be:

1) Allure of the Seas
2) Oasis of the Seas

And after November I expect Harmony of the Seas to bump one of those down.

My favorite Disney ship is the Fantasy but somehow we seem to end up on the Magic a lot. That would be #4.

 

[mevelandry]

Oh, I had earplugs and noise-cancelling earbuds. When I say loud clanging, I mean extremely loud. But like the heat, it wasn't something they could ever fix. Why would I ever assume I could have a better experience on another ship or in another room when they are clearly unable to fix things?

Another thing that wasn't a dealbreaker, but I just didn't really like: the Carnival ship always felt crowded. I really felt like we were a herd of people being ushered from place to place. There was no feeling of empty space anywhere because there was always a crowd, no matter where you were trying to go or what you were trying to do. On the Disney ship, there was space to breathe and we really felt like guests.

I also found Carnival's private islands/beaches extremely crowded, though that will vary with the time of year you sail. We sailed in mid-September, so I thought it wouldn't be crowded, but I was very wrong. I think there were always two ships docked wherever we were, so there were probably 7000 people competing for beach chairs. At the stop with the big beach and Margaritaville (I think it was Grand Turk?) I was only able to find one lounger on the entire beach for our group of four. It was also very crowded at the other private island with the big pool/water slide park. So, if you're going to get off the ship and try to have a beach day, get out there as soon as you can in the morning. It also just wasn't very relaxing being in the middle of that many people. Even if you were in the water, you were never more than a couple of feet away from another person.

Which Disney ship(s) have you sailed on? I felt like there was space to breathe on the Dream, but the Wonder was something else...

Which private islands did you go to? (Not sure if you are talking about Half Moon Cay or Amber Cove) Indeed, two ships going to the same destination can make a place quite crowded. Which make me wonder if I'll rent a cabana in Grand Turk for our next family trip.

You say "Even if you were in the water, you were never more than a couple of feet away from another person.": reminds me of the Castaway Cay family beach. Always feels extremely crowded, especially with bigger ships.

Whenever we go to the beach, we go early in the morning and usually go back to the ship in the beginning of the afternoon (whenever it's possible). It's easier to find seats that way + Afternoon sun is always rough.

 

[GrrArrgh]

I've only sailed on the Magic and that was our first Disney cruise. We just got back from a 10-day cruise from Copenhagen. This was post-drydock, so everything was really new.

I think the private islands we went to were Amber Cove and Grand Turk, but I don't feel like it really matters. If you have two huge ships with all their passengers sharing one beach/bar/pool area, it is going to be uncomfortably packed. I haven't gone to Castaway Cay, but I really have no interest in ever returning to the Caribbean. That said, if only one Disney ship is there at a time, it's still going to be more comfortable.

 

[GrrArrgh]

But yeah, I would for sure rent a cabana at least one stop. Having guaranteed seats and shade would make a huge difference if they double up on the ships that are there.

 

[Ben E N]

I think it was the carnival magic.

Deck 7, mid ship on the Port (left) side, by any chance? We had huge issues there as well and our attendant told us that its been that way for some time. We were quite assertive in getting help and they at least brought in technicians to our room and got it down to 71 for most of the trip.
I agree that the quality of the room was poor. The rest of the cruise, and the price I paid, helped soften that blow a lot. I looked into going RCCL or Disney for my next cruise, but the price difference for a family of 4 just got me to lock into Carnival for at least one more cruise.

 

[mevelandry]

Wow, I am hurt; my first post to the thread was in November 2017

This cruise was the Carnival Inspiration and went from Long Beach to Ensenada. It was just a cruise that we squeezed in between building our pool and the bigger cruise in December over New Year's. I started pricing weekend getaways and the cruise was cheaper than many options I was considering after we added up the food/room/fuel. The service was some of the best we have ever had. The food was mostly good (the same as any cruise I have ever taken). The ship was pretty boring with no movies or sports bars and such and I see why it only does 3 and 4 day itineraries. The boat did have some added things since last time we sailed her sister ship that we had not seen: Guy's Burgers and Alchemy being two highlights of the changes. Serenity area is pretty lame: no pool and no bar but it was really quiet and there were servers that came around: we spent a lot of time there. As I said, just an older and smaller ship and we had fun for a few days.

We have always enjoyed Carnival and probably would sail them most of the time if it weren't for my other family preferences. My dad and brother only want to sell DCL so we do those when we can all get together. I love DCL, but I just have a hard time separating cost and fun sometimes. I like DCL overall more than Carnival by a narrow margin, but the cost of DCL just detracts from the overall experience for me. We have sailed Princess to Alaska, Carnival to Mexico, and DCL to Bahamas.

I stay inactive in the DCL versus XYZ comparison threads usually because I don't want people to think I am knocking their decision to sail DCL if I comment. I do really like the DCL cruise line. I also like Porsche, Mercedes and BMW but I drive a Mazda because it isn't worth the extra cost to me. That said, I think my Mazda was worth the extra cost over say a Chevy Malibu. I bought an expensive Traeger smoker that I wanted that I am sure there are thousands of people that would say it is not worth the cost difference over a cheaper smoker/grill, but I love mine. So everyone has different tastes.

If I see someone post something as fact that is really just a preference, I may speak up. Like when someone says DCL drinks are included but they aren't on Carnival. That is not factually true: soda is free on Disney and not Carnival. What I drink on Carnival is tea, water, coffee, beer and an occasional cocktail. What I drink on Disney is tea, water, coffee, beer and an occasional cocktail. For me, it is a little cheaper for my drinks on Disney than Carnival for numerous reasons, but it is not free. If someone comes on and says that they only cruise DCL because other cruise lines kids' clubs stink, I will sometimes pipe up. That is not a factual statement, it is opinion; my kids preferred the Carnival kids activities to DCL and Princess. These misleading comments do not happen often and it is why I usually just lurk and don't comment. The moderators do a wonderful job on the DCL boards making sure everyone plays nice

I pay a lot of attention to Carnival/RCCL/DCL reviews because there are things I can take away from them that apply to my own preferences. For example, if mevelandry says she was on Carnival Vista and loved the steel drums and live music on the pool deck and someone else says that they were on Carnival Vista and hated how loud the pool deck was, I can then apply that to myself and say "I love steel drums and a rocking pool area when I cruise." If someone says that they hated the DCL cruise because the balcony was too small or because they wanted a better magician, I can ignore that because I don't cruise with a DCL verandah and I am not interested in a magician regardless if he/she is good or bad. If someone says that they would never cruise another line because DCL was perfect for their 6 year old, I think to myself that my youngest child is 13 and I obviously am at a different time in my life than the reviewer. If someone says that, they don't drink and the Carnival adult areas are lacking I think to myself that if I didn't drink, I would probably agree, but since I do, I love the Carnival Red Frog bar.

Well, hello again! (Stupid memory )

I'm going on the Sensation soon (I think she's a sister ship of the Inspiration) and indeed, Serenity seems a little bit ... "meh" compared to the Vista and Victory but we'll see how we like it. How busy is the area?

I can relate to pretty much everything you are saying! And I enjoy bad reviews: they keep my expectations low and therefore feel like I can appreciate every good experience more.

 

[mevelandry]

1. Disney Magic
2. Carnival Miracle
3. Crown Princess

Upcoming is Disney Wonder December 27-January 3 and on the horizon (since it will be in California) is the Carnival Panorama.

If you have dates on the Horizon & the Panorama, I can add you to the Roll Call... (No obligation... just let me know if you want to be on the list.)

 

[mevelandry]

It's so funny how we all have such different experiences. We had HORRIBLE noise and vibration in our Fantasy aft cabin. They very well knew about it but nothing they could do. I was so glad to get home to be able to sleep! On top of that the same room had the horrible sewer smell from the bathroom - the whole week. It was disgusting. It was a Members cruise so not only was it super expensive it was full so no room to even move us. I would have been happy with an inside! If that had been my first Disney cruise, I'd never go back.

Empty space? My daughter got trampled so many times in the teeny, tiny atrium on the DCL Magic during very Merrytime activities. No room to even move. And Disney's one itty bitty pool - ugh...people soup! Nobody can do anything but stand up.

It's been a long time since I've been on Carnival so really can't compare but I can say that some of things you experienced I have found on DCL as well.

I think I have read horrible reviews for pretty much every ship I have sailed on... Every time, I get super scared (even when I have sailed them before)... But in the end, I took a chance and I have never had a bad experience.

 

[mevelandry]

I've only sailed on the Magic and that was our first Disney cruise. We just got back from a 10-day cruise from Copenhagen. This was post-drydock, so everything was really new.

I think the private islands we went to were Amber Cove and Grand Turk, but I don't feel like it really matters. If you have two huge ships with all their passengers sharing one beach/bar/pool area, it is going to be uncomfortably packed. I haven't gone to Castaway Cay, but I really have no interest in ever returning to the Caribbean. That said, if only one Disney ship is there at a time, it's still going to be more comfortable.

We're lucky: for our next cruise --unless hurricanes make Carnival send other ships there-- we're having Half Moon Cay & Grand Turk to ourselves (2600 passengers or less).

 

[mevelandry]

Deck 7, mid ship on the Port (left) side, by any chance? We had huge issues there as well and our attendant told us that its been that way for some time. We were quite assertive in getting help and they at least brought in technicians to our room and got it down to 71 for most of the trip.
I agree that the quality of the room was poor. The rest of the cruise, and the price I paid, helped soften that blow a lot. I looked into going RCCL or Disney for my next cruise, but the price difference for a family of 4 just got me to lock into Carnival for at least one more cruise.

Let me know. Because if there's a problem in a specific area of the Carnival Magic, I'll be sure to put that info on the first post!

Have you tried one of the new ships? (Vista, Horizon)... I though the Vista was pretty good and the rooms quite comfy. It's my favorite so far.

 

[GrrArrgh]

Deck 7, mid ship on the Port (left) side, by any chance? We had huge issues there as well and our attendant told us that its been that way for some time. We were quite assertive in getting help and they at least brought in technicians to our room and got it down to 71 for most of the trip.
I agree that the quality of the room was poor. The rest of the cruise, and the price I paid, helped soften that blow a lot. I looked into going RCCL or Disney for my next cruise, but the price difference for a family of 4 just got me to lock into Carnival for at least one more cruise.

It may have been, but I'm not totally sure at this point since it was two years ago. I know that other cabins on our floor were having the same problem. They said the issue was with the entire HVAC system in that block. It seemed to me it wasn't something that was going to be fixed until the next dry dock (if even then), since I had technicians and engineers in there daily. But then, maybe they have fixed it since then; I would hope so. We did get some money back for the inconvenience, but it was 7 days and that's a long time to hate where you're sleeping.

I've been on Princess and Holland America before and had good experiences, so I won't only be doing Disney cruises in the future. I have an NCL booked this summer for Alaska. Usually I'd recommend Princess for Alaska because they've been there the longest and their itineraries are great, but this was a pretty good deal.

 

[Ben E N]

Let me know. Because if there's a problem in a specific area of the Carnival Magic, I'll be sure to put that info on the first post!

Have you tried one of the new ships? (Vista, Horizon)... I though the Vista was pretty good and the rooms quite comfy. It's my favorite so far.

Yes, avoid the 12 rooms mid ship, balcony, on deck 7 port side on the Magic. There could be other rooms as well, but our attendant let us know that those rooms specifically have issues. We were in 7376, and the issues carried down to at least 7310, where others in our party were staying.

 

[trvlgirlmq]

Woo hoo, got an email that my wait list request for YTD was granted. Also, when checking to make sure it was real I went in and looked for better check in times and what do I see an 11:30-12 time available. Snagged it. Then cancelled FTTF because that was the only reason I wanted it. Give my $80 back! Good thing too because that is what I spent on ordering a few pairs of jeans earlier Still no room assignment.

 

[mevelandry]

It may have been, but I'm not totally sure at this point since it was two years ago. I know that other cabins on our floor were having the same problem. They said the issue was with the entire HVAC system in that block. It seemed to me it wasn't something that was going to be fixed until the next dry dock (if even then), since I had technicians and engineers in there daily. But then, maybe they have fixed it since then; I would hope so. We did get some money back for the inconvenience, but it was 7 days and that's a long time to hate where you're sleeping.

I've been on Princess and Holland America before and had good experiences, so I won't only be doing Disney cruises in the future. I have an NCL booked this summer for Alaska. Usually I'd recommend Princess for Alaska because they've been there the longest and their itineraries are great, but this was a pretty good deal.

The last dry dock was in 2016. Did you sail before they added Guy's Burger and all the fun ship 2.0 stuff?

 

[mevelandry]

Woo hoo, got an email that my wait list request for YTD was granted. Also, when checking to make sure it was real I went in and looked for better check in times and what do I see an 11:30-12 time available. Snagged it. Then cancelled FTTF because that was the only reason I wanted it. Give my $80 back! Good thing too because that is what I spent on ordering a few pairs of jeans earlier Still no room assignment.

Good catch!

 

[GrrArrgh]

The last dry dock was in 2016. Did you sail before they added Guy's Burger and all the fun ship 2.0 stuff?

I don't know about the fun ship stuff, but Guy's Burger was there.