GASP....it's not a Disney Cruise!

[tmarie]

I hope this is okay to post. If it's not, admin please delete.

My daughters are dancers and their national dance competition this summer is on another cruise line. Since we have only cruised with DCL, I feel completely lost! I keep telling myself that I can't compare this cruise to DCL, but let's be honest....how am I not going to compare it to DCL??

With all of this in mind, has anybody cruised with Carnival....specifically on the Inspiration? Any helpful hints would be greatly appreciated. Is there a formal night? Any other themed events we would need to know about? Any fun excursions you would recommend?

 

[TXDCLfan]

I hope this is okay to post. If it's not, admin please delete.

My daughters are dancers and their national dance competition this summer is on another cruise line. Since we have only cruised with DCL, I feel completely lost! I keep telling myself that I can't compare this cruise to DCL, but let's be honest....how am I not going to compare it to DCL??

With all of this in mind, has anybody cruised with Carnival....specifically on the Inspiration? Any helpful hints would be greatly appreciated. Is there a formal night? Any other themed events we would need to know about? Any fun excursions you would recommend?

Cruised on DCL many times and equally on Carnival and have had a great time..Carnivals food selection and quality was better than DCL, More to do on deck during the day time for older kids and this active adult ( aqua duck gets old fast) Love Carnivals water slides etc

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I hope this is okay to post. If it's not, admin please delete.

My daughters are dancers and their national dance competition this summer is on another cruise line. Since we have only cruised with DCL, I feel completely lost! I keep telling myself that I can't compare this cruise to DCL, but let's be honest....how am I not going to compare it to DCL??

With all of this in mind, has anybody cruised with Carnival....specifically on the Inspiration? Any helpful hints would be greatly appreciated. Is there a formal night? Any other themed events we would need to know about? Any fun excursions you would recommend?

We were on the Inspiration out of LA a couple of years ago.

Carnival only has "Cruise Elegant" evenings. But, pretty much not enforced in any way.

I felt the general decor/themeing of the ship was basically neon/aluminum Vegas-y. Only activity that I was aware of was the Hairy Chest contest poolside. We weren't going there, but the sound level on the pool deck was deafening (have read that they've lowered the level, but I doubt it) and we heard the announcement of the the contest and the MC during the whole event.

We didn't do any Carnival excursions on that cruise.
The atrium:


Our room was fairly small, and dark:


And the bathroom pretty utilitarian:


Swimming pool:



Main theater:


It sounds like I didn't enjoy our cruise, but it was fine. Just not what we'd like.

The food onboard, I found to be not well prepared (this was during the testing period for the American Table menus). And our dining team was difficult to track down. I found the food in the buffet to be better than what I had in the dining room.

And the hamburgers on deck (poolside) were the best hamburgers I've had on any cruise.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Arguably, because there's a dance comp on board, expect it to be an atypical cruise.

 

[jrabbit]

@PrincessShmoo - I thought that Portholes were supposed to be ROUND. That oceanview window looks like it belongs on single wide wobbly.

 

[Pens Fan]

There is really active thread on here talking about Carnival that should be helpful:

https://www.disboards.com/threads/carnival-vs-dcl-the-ultimate-comparison-thread.3540991/

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

After a few Disney cruises, we just went on our first Non-Disney one, but it was on a newer Royal Caribbean ship. Based on my own experience, I would not even try and compare an older ship of any other line (Carnival, Royal or Norwegian) to Disney Cruise Line. Having said that, I think that it's very cool your daughter's National Dance Competition will be at Sea, and I would focus on that! I think the "specialty" cruises that get chartered by the different groups are a unique experience! I heard of Zumba cruises, Nascar and even Kid Rock! They are usually on the older Carnival or Norwegian ships, but that doesn't mean the cruise won't be fun! Hope you enjoy

 

[Hongyi Zhang]

My experience on Carnival varies ship by ship. Curious, which Carnival ship are you sailing on?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

My experience on Carnival varies ship by ship. Curious, which Carnival ship are you sailing on?

OP was asking about the Inspiration:

specifically on the Inspiration?

 

[wendydarling33]

We've sailed 5 times with Carnival and had a great time. BUT the Inspiration was our least favorite Carnival ship by far. The ship felt very old and dated and because the cruises on it are pretty short, I think it tends to attract the booze cruise type people. Still a cruise is a cruise and even though it didn't compare to Disney, we still had a good time and the price was a serious steal. The food and service was just as good if not better than Disney in my opinion but everything else (especially entertainment) was worse. I think you'll still have a great time as long as your expectations are in check.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I doubt a dance comp cruise will be full of Booze Cruise people. So there is that.

Although, honestly, as a dance parent, comps make me want to drink.

 

[darnheather]

We were on the Inspiration out of LA a couple of years ago.

Carnival only has "Cruise Elegant" evenings. But, pretty much not enforced in any way.

I felt the general decor/themeing of the ship was basically neon/aluminum Vegas-y. Only activity that I was aware of was the Hairy Chest contest poolside. We weren't going there, but the sound level on the pool deck was deafening (have read that they've lowered the level, but I doubt it) and we heard the announcement of the the contest and the MC during the whole event.

Such a tiny room! I can't imagine my girls and I in there.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Such a tiny room! I can't imagine my girls and I in there.

And that room has 3 beds in it.

 

[truck1]

The Inspiration is a Fantasy class ship and one of the original classes in the fleet. She was built 2 years prior to the DCL Magic class and smaller. So there's going to be a vast difference in trying to compare her to another ship. Shes a pre Magic Solas and if you look the lifeboats are higher on the Inspiration then on say the Magic. Its also why she has a more utilitarian look to her, smaller portholes, cabins etc. It's been a while but I've been on her sisters Imagination Sensation and Fascination.

 

[darnheather]

And that room has 3 beds in it.

Ug, that's what I thought. We didn't spend a lot of time in the room all together but how do 3 people get ready at once in there? Also my youngest liked to bring our lunch desserts back to the room and watch a movie or a replay of the stage show from the night before.

 

[tmarie]

Cruised on DCL many times and equally on Carnival and have had a great time..Carnivals food selection and quality was better than DCL, More to do on deck during the day time for older kids and this active adult ( aqua duck gets old fast) Love Carnivals water slides etc

Great, thank you!

 

[tmarie]

I doubt a dance comp cruise will be full of Booze Cruise people. So there is that.

Although, honestly, as a dance parent, comps make me want to drink.

OMG - I am laughing out loud!! I will cheers to you my fellow dance parent while I am on the ship!

 

[tmarie]

We were on the Inspiration out of LA a couple of years ago.

Carnival only has "Cruise Elegant" evenings. But, pretty much not enforced in any way.

I felt the general decor/themeing of the ship was basically neon/aluminum Vegas-y. Only activity that I was aware of was the Hairy Chest contest poolside. We weren't going there, but the sound level on the pool deck was deafening (have read that they've lowered the level, but I doubt it) and we heard the announcement of the the contest and the MC during the whole event.

We didn't do any Carnival excursions on that cruise.
The atrium:
View attachment 242313

Our room was fairly small, and dark:
View attachment 242314 View attachment 242315

And the bathroom pretty utilitarian:
View attachment 242317 View attachment 242318

Swimming pool:

View attachment 242319

Main theater:
View attachment 242320

It sounds like I didn't enjoy our cruise, but it was fine. Just not what we'd like.

The food onboard, I found to be not well prepared (this was during the testing period for the American Table menus). And our dining team was difficult to track down. I found the food in the buffet to be better than what I had in the dining room.

And the hamburgers on deck (poolside) were the best hamburgers I've had on any cruise.

Thank you SO much for the pictures and your helpful information!!! I appreciate you!

 

[tmarie]

There is really active thread on here talking about Carnival that should be helpful:

https://www.disboards.com/threads/carnival-vs-dcl-the-ultimate-comparison-thread.3540991/

Thanks so much! This is exactly what I was looking for.

 

[tmarie]

After a few Disney cruises, we just went on our first Non-Disney one, but it was on a newer Royal Caribbean ship. Based on my own experience, I would not even try and compare an older ship of any other line (Carnival, Royal or Norwegian) to Disney Cruise Line. Having said that, I think that it's very cool your daughter's National Dance Competition will be at Sea, and I would focus on that! I think the "specialty" cruises that get chartered by the different groups are a unique experience! I heard of Zumba cruises, Nascar and even Kid Rock! They are usually on the older Carnival or Norwegian ships, but that doesn't mean the cruise won't be fun! Hope you enjoy

I totally agree. My daughters will have the time of their lives because they are cruising with 20 of their best friends. It's going to be different than what we are used to on DCL but still lots of fun.