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The Kitchen Table

Carnival cruise lines?

18 years ago

We have never cruised with them before. Glender, is this who you cruise with?

We are wondering about the quality of the food, etc.

Thanks for any advice!

JoanMN/FL

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Comments (16)

linda_in_iowa
18 years ago
It's been many years since I cruised with Carnival but the entertainment wasn't all that good at that time. I am hoping they have improved. I would take another Carnival Cruise because the price is right and I had a great time.
mimi_boo
18 years ago
I think they sail out of Tampa near my office... but wasn't there some sort of sicknesses on them?

I'll look and let you know.
Barbara
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Sounds like a good price. I would recommend you go to CruiseCritic.com and lurk on the boards - they have them for Carnival Cruise Lines as well as one specific for Alaska. I agree that it's kind of early, our land tour started on June 18, and there were 3 kids on the tour (40 adults). Alaska isn't very crowded no matter when you go. The tours you take during your cruise will be well managed, so crowds aren't really an issue. Our cruise started on June 25 and there were more kids then because most schools were closed for the summer. The cruise will have activities for your 15 year old, the tour will not. You will love Alaska, we had a wonderful trip. I think your 15 year old will too, eventually. On most tours, meals aren't included, so you'll have to pay for them, though I don't know about Carnival. On the cruise - the shore excursions cost extra, anywhere from $30 or $40 per person to several hundred dollars. We were in the mid-range for our land tours during the cruise and found them well worth it. We will probably never get back, so we chose our trip carefully to see as much as possible. If cost is a limiting factor, there are usually some free/inexpensive things you can do in each port town. I think having a room with a view is very important. I went with my DD and SIL, they had a room with a balcony and loved it, I had an inside cabin, across the hall, with no view or even a window, I hated it, very boring, and the bridge cam just didn't do much for me. Have a great trip.
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glenda_al
18 years ago
Many may differ, but I thorougly enjoy Carnival.
Just don't go during spring break! NO NO NO!
Food has been very good! Especially in the dining room.
Lunch at the buffet on deck, lately, they go international, varies daily, but always can get the burgers, fries and hot dogs.

Only bad experience, was on the Holiday! It's one of their older ships, very hard to maneuver, service not that great. Stay away from that ship.

Been on the Legend twice, which the first time was brand new and wonderful. Belize, Costa Rica, Panama. Last year, on the Legend, went to Southern Caribbean! Great experience, as well.
Mediterranean cruise, Freedom, and had it's maiden voyage past March, and I went end of Aug.

Where you thinking about going, JOan?
glenda_al
18 years ago
Carnival cruises from different ports.
Ft Lauderdale, Mobile, New Orleans!
JoanMN
Original Author
18 years ago
We would sail from Cape Canaveral or Jacksonville, easiest to get to for us (we're 60 miles in from Daytona Beach).
Carnival and Royal Carib. have the best deals. We would go to the Bahamas. The ones out of Jax goes to Key West, I have been wanting to go there, then K wouldn't have to drive the 800 miles round trip.
JoanMN/FL
lynn_d
18 years ago
Joan, I would seriously consider Royal Caribbean over Carnival. We seldom get a complaints on cruise vacations since we stopped selling them, we were averaging a complaint rate of nearly 30% with Carnival and that just isn't worth it so we tossed the brochures and I intituted a stop sell. The major complaint was poor service and food quality.
glenda_al
18 years ago
I would still go on Carnival, cause it is a fun ship! Only time I ever had bad service and blah food as on the Holiday, and didn't feel clean in my room.

Other Carnival's check out to see how old they are Joan! Glenda who has cruised on various Carnival's 7 times, 10 cruises, total.

Been on Princess cruise to Alaska, and was not in love with the ship, shows, etc.

Do want to travel on Royal Caribbean, sometime.
naughtykitty
18 years ago
It depends on the ship. Some are really nice and some are the run down party ships. It depends on the size and the ports. Good luck. I love cruising! Last Feb I went from Miami to Nassau on Carnival and it was really nice.
grammahony
18 years ago
When we went last October to the Mexican Riviera, we went on the Princess Diamond. I loved it. Food/service was great. New ship. We had a balcony suite where we could open a partition between us and the cabin next to us, which was my sister and my DD's MIL. Great time.
Leslie
vannie
18 years ago
I have been on RC, Norweigan, and Princess. Our travel agent did not recommend Carnival, although we had some friends that cruised on Carnival and loved it. I would not recommend Princess b/c it was so crowded. Waiting lines for the elevators, hard, if not impossible to get a seat for the shows. I loved Royal Caribbean and Norweigan.
wanda_va
18 years ago
I have never been on Carnival, but of the lines I have traveled, I like Royal Caribbean the best.

My parents have been on least 30 cruises, and Royal Caribbean is their favorite--by far. They enjoyed their cruises on Carnival, but have said that Carnival is the "Burger King" of cruise lines...and they prefer filet mignon.

They book their cruises through a friend who owns a travel agency, and he books on Carnival only when he can't get the desired booking on Royal Caribbean or Norwegian.
bigfoot_liz
18 years ago
i too would look at RC. i have a friend who goes on 3-4 cruises a yr and prefers princess or RC. we've been trying to get our first cruise into our schedule for 9 months now, i'm very claustrophobic but friends assure me i would be o.k. in a suite or balcony room. sometime in the next yr we'll find out LOL. i'm planning a short 4 day cruise on RC in a suite or balcony room to bahamas w/ a day in the keys (cuz there's no way i'm driving there) for about $100 a day each, very cheap i think. that 4 day cruise leaves either miami or ft lauderdale.

bet you're happy to be in FL right now LOL! i'm looking forward to wed/thur cool temps so i can have some hot chocolate and mulled cider in the proper weather lol. ~ liz
JoanMN
Original Author
18 years ago
Thanks so much, everyone! We've decided to go for 4 nights on RC out of Cape Canaveral this trip, and save the Carnival trip for March.
We got a porthole room for $299 each, with a $75.00 shipboard credit, seems like a great deal to us.
JoanMN/FL
glenda_al
18 years ago
Have fun, Joan!
Everyone has a different opinion! You just have to go, with what you decide, that is the best!

We all have our druthers!

Enjoy!
lynne_melb
18 years ago
Joan, I live a 1/2 hour south of Canaveral, and everyone I know has high praise for Royal Caribbean. My brother also goes on the Disney Cruises, he says that they are lots of fun, especially for families.

Do you still live in MN and then spend part of the year in Florida?

There are a number of cruise review sites - cruisereport.com, cruisecritic.com, cruisedirectonline.com. There is also a good cruise review section at about.com. I'll provide it's link at the end of this message. Some of these cruise reviews will also provide reviews of offshore excursions.

By the way, if anyone is ever interested in cruising with a disabled person, Royal Caribbean is the hands-down favorite around here. My sister loved it and everyone in her ALS group said that RC was the best.

We'll be looking forward to hearing about your trips.

Here is a link that might be useful: about.com cruise reviews
ronf_gw
18 years ago
Have fun, joan.
I'm looking forward to a full report with pictures when you return.
Ron

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