CARNIVAL VS DCL: The discussion and comparison thread!

[mevelandry]

Last night I have received an e-mail from Carnival offering me to upgrade from an "interior room" to an "interior room with picture window/obstruction view" for 20$ (total). So we went from total darkness to "a little view". LOL

Spoke to someone from Carnival and they have been able to upgrade the room for my FIL and MIL as well. Not only did they get the same type of room as us... Now their room is right beside ours (we were on different decks) but they also got 25$ of OBC each.

My family is so excited!!!

 

[RedSox68]

Last night I have received an e-mail from Carnival offering me to upgrade from an "interior room" to an "interior room with picture window/obstruction view" for 20$ (total). So we went from total darkness to "a little view". LOL

Spoke to someone from Carnival and they have been able to upgrade the room for my FIL and MIL as well. Not only did they get the same type of room as us... Now their room is right beside ours (we were on different decks) but they also got 25$ of OBC each.

My family is so excited!!!

That is awesome news. Congrats. Every little bit of upgrade is a plus nowadays.

 

[mevelandry]

That is awesome news. Congrats. Every little bit of upgrade is a plus nowadays.

Thank you! My FIL and MIL are so excited. Although it's obstructed view, their one and only cruise (on the Wonder) was in an inside cabin. They were very happy with it but I have a feeling they are going to get hooked. Lol

+ the OBC they now have compensates for the 10$/pp extra.

 

[RedSox68]

Thank you! My FIL and MIL are so excited. Although it's obstructed view, their one and only cruise (on the Wonder) was in an inside cabin. They were very happy with it but I have a feeling they are going to get hooked. Lol

+ the OBC they now have compensates for the 10$/pp extra.

Obstructed or not, you still get some natural light and a view.

 

[mevelandry]

Cruise Critics Editor's Choice Awards...


Carnival Cruise Line
Best Service


Carnival Cruise Line
Best Value for Money

 

[mevelandry]

Obstructed or not, you still get some natural light and a view.

Absolutely.

 

[trvlgirlmq]

We pulled the trigger and booked our first non-Carnival cruise! We are sailing the British Isles in 2019 with Royal Caribbean. Lots of research to do now.

 

[mevelandry]

We pulled the trigger and booked our first non-Carnival cruise! We are sailing the British Isles in 2019 with Royal Caribbean. Lots of research to do now.

Ouhhhhhhh! Congrats! Which ship?

 

[trvlgirlmq]

Ouhhhhhhh! Congrats! Which ship?

It's Brilliance of the Seas. A somewhat smaller ship but it at least has the rock climbing for the teens!

 

[mevelandry]

It's Brilliance of the Seas. A somewhat smaller ship but it at least has the rock climbing for the teens!

OMG! We had booked Brilliance of the Seas once for Key West & Cozumel, then switched because we fell in love with Carnival (and ended up going on our Vista cruise) but I would love to sail on that ship. It looks amazing!

 

[trvlgirlmq]

OMG! We had booked Brilliance of the Seas once for Key West & Cozumel, then switched because we fell in love with Carnival (and ended up going on our Vista cruise) but I would love to sail on that ship. It looks amazing!

I wouldn't sail any other line if Carnival would move ships to Europe during summer like everyone else!

 

[RedSox68]

We pulled the trigger and booked our first non-Carnival cruise! We are sailing the British Isles in 2019 with Royal Caribbean. Lots of research to do now.

Oh, we did the British Isles in 2015 on Princess. It is a tremendous itinerary with lots of opportunity to see countries you couldn't get to easily in a week or 10 days. You will have lots of fun. What are your ports?

 

[trvlgirlmq]

Oh, we did the British Isles in 2015 on Princess. It is a tremendous itinerary with lots of opportunity to see countries you couldn't get to easily in a week or 10 days. You will have lots of fun. What are your ports?

Oh, we really wanted to do Princess but the prices were just too high! Plus we were able to get one of the Ultra Spacious OV cabins for the same price as an inside on Princess.

Our itinerary is Amsterdam (start/end), Invergordon/Inverness, Belfast, Greenck/Glasgow, Dublin overnight, Holyhead, Cobh (Cork), Dover, and 3 sea days. We are sad to not port for Edinburgh and I hope at some point we will be able to return because I really want to visit.

 

[RedSox68]

Oh, we really wanted to do Princess but the prices were just too high! Plus we were able to get one of the Ultra Spacious OV cabins for the same price as an inside on Princess.

Our itinerary is Amsterdam (start/end), Invergordon/Inverness, Belfast, Greenck/Glasgow, Dublin overnight, Holyhead, Cobh (Cork), Dover, and 3 sea days. We are sad to not port for Edinburgh and I hope at some point we will be able to return because I really want to visit.

We did all of those except Holyhead and did Edinburgh instead. The castle was magnificent, but it was the weekend of festivals and you could not get down the Royal Mile - it was insanity and we barely made it through the crowds back to our shuttle. Next time we'd like to do the Tattoo.

We didn't go into Glasgow, but really enjoyed Greenock instead. Invergordon we did an excursion that included Urquhart Castle and a ride on the Loch Ness and lunch and a city tour. Great excursion. In Belfast we did on our own, a cab from the port (those cab drivers are insane there) and a tour of the Titanic Museum that included the pump house. Turns out they were filming Game of Thrones in the huge studio behind the museum, but we didn't get to see anyone.

We did have Liverpool in our itinerary (it was a 12-day cruise) and that will be the highlight of my life. We had an amazing tour guide who took us to very Beatle site we could get to, including the school John and Paul met at, Penny Lane, Strawberry Fields, their childhood homes and the hospital where John was born. I was in my element on that one LOL

You will so enjoy that trip -- and the countryside is breathtaking.

 

[trvlgirlmq]

We did all of those except Holyhead and did Edinburgh instead. The castle was magnificent, but it was the weekend of festivals and you could not get down the Royal Mile - it was insanity and we barely made it through the crowds back to our shuttle. Next time we'd like to do the Tattoo.

We didn't go into Glasgow, but really enjoyed Greenock instead. Invergordon we did an excursion that included Urquhart Castle and a ride on the Loch Ness and lunch and a city tour. Great excursion. In Belfast we did on our own, a cab from the port (those cab drivers are insane there) and a tour of the Titanic Museum that included the pump house. Turns out they were filming Game of Thrones in the huge studio behind the museum, but we didn't get to see anyone.

We did have Liverpool in our itinerary (it was a 12-day cruise) and that will be the highlight of my life. We had an amazing tour guide who took us to very Beatle site we could get to, including the school John and Paul met at, Penny Lane, Strawberry Fields, their childhood homes and the hospital where John was born. I was in my element on that one LOL

You will so enjoy that trip -- and the countryside is breathtaking.

Ok, just checked my notes and Princess inside is $750 more than our big OV on RCCL. The room size and window were a huge deciding factor.

I am finding that DIY is not as easy as the Med. Not as much public transportation or frequency so we will probably be relying on more tours. I have found some nice ones and the pricing isn't too horrible. I have lots of time to tinker and it is way too early to book anything.

 

[RedSox68]

Ok, just checked my notes and Princess inside is $750 more than our big OV on RCCL. The room size and window were a huge deciding factor.

I am finding that DIY is not as easy as the Med. Not as much public transportation or frequency so we will probably be relying on more tours. I have found some nice ones and the pricing isn't too horrible. I have lots of time to tinker and it is way too early to book anything.

Saving money is what it's all about. If you have any questions as you plan, shoot me a message and I'll help the best I can.

 

[daedelus]

We've done Carnival once and are about to board our 5th DCL. IMHO, Carnival is an underage drinking and party boat. Disney is not.

I would consider RCCL - heard good things about them. But we're hooked on DCL.

 

[cruiser21]

I just wanted to say MERRY CHRISTMAS to all of you!!!!!!

 

[mevelandry]

We've done Carnival once and are about to board our 5th DCL. IMHO, Carnival is an underage drinking and party boat. Disney is not.

I would consider RCCL - heard good things about them. But we're hooked on DCL.

"an underaged drinking and party boat" was not my observation AT ALL on the two cruises I have done with Carnival (vs 3 with DCL). I don't think it's fair to put it all in the same basket.

If you are going to make a review, at least say what year you have sailed with them, on which ship and which itinerary...

 

[mevelandry]

I just wanted to say MERRY CHRISTMAS to all of you!!!!!!

I'm late for the party (was on a much needed social media break). So I'm gonna wish you all a Happy New Year filled with good health and lots of nice cruises!