CARNIVAL VS DCL: The discussion and comparison thread!

[mevelandry]

Mixed vaccines accepted by Carnival starting October 24, 2021!

 

[hdrolfe]

Mixed vaccines accepted by Carnival starting October 24, 2021!

Was just coming to say this!

So far only DCL & NCL (and I think MSC but they are behind on a lot of vaccine related stuff) still to put out anything about accepting mixed doses (so RCL, Celebrity, HAL, Princess, Carnival have all said it's good to go).

I am so happy about this.

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

All I know is, June cannot get here soon enough! I want to be back on a ship so dang bad, bring on Mardi Gras!!!

 

[mevelandry]

As time goes by, it looks more and more like we’ll do everything we need to do in order to go on our Mardi Gras cruise this winter. (Paying the big price for tests, pay extra for travel insurance with COVID coverage, if we have to.) Enough is enough! We desperately want to cruise!

I have started to get more information about Mardi Gras. While my in-laws are fans of the dining room and used to prefer the first seating, we have decided to switch to Anytime dining for more flexibility… And as time goes by, I am collecting more info about all the dining options, it becomes more and more obvious that we’ll spend most of our time eating anywhere else than the dining room this time.

I have FOMO right now and I have a check list of restaurants, bars and activities for the ship.

While I’ve never been much of a drinker... (I usually have my 2 drinks per day personal limit), the bars on Mardi Gras look so much fun that I have now made a list of bars and drinks that I want to try.

This should be a busy vacation.

 

[hdrolfe]

As time goes by, it looks more and more like we’ll do everything we need to do in order to go on our Mardi Gras cruise this winter. (Paying the big price for tests, pay extra for travel insurance with COVID coverage, if we have to.) Enough is enough! We desperately want to cruise!

I have started to get more information about Mardi Gras. While my in-laws are fans of the dining room and used to prefer the first seating, we have decided to switch to Anytime dining for more flexibility… And as time goes by, I am collecting more info about all the dining options, it becomes more and more obvious that we’ll spend most of our time eating anywhere else than the dining room this time.

I have FOMO right now and I have a check list of restaurants, bars and activities for the ship.

While I’ve never been much of a drinker... (I usually have my 2 drinks per day personal limit), the bars on Mardi Gras look so much fun that I have now made a list of bars and drinks that I want to try.

This should be a busy vacation.

glad you are deciding to go. We are excited for our RCL cruises in March, our Mardi Gras cruise got moved to Dec 2023 (and turned into a B2B), and we have Horizon in April 2023. Carnival Magic in August to Bermuda, and I am hoping by then testing won't be an issue. We are prepared for it for March though, it wasn't too bad for our Disney trip, but we are in Ontario and the antigen tests are available here at a few places for $20 or less. The PCR to return home was free which was nice too.

 

[DCLMP]

Considering I scrolled down a little further and saw it started at $61K per person for an interior....we'll need just as long!

About the same price as one week concierge on DCL

 

[mevelandry]

glad you are deciding to go. We are excited for our RCL cruises in March, our Mardi Gras cruise got moved to Dec 2023 (and turned into a B2B), and we have Horizon in April 2023. Carnival Magic in August to Bermuda, and I am hoping by then testing won't be an issue. We are prepared for it for March though, it wasn't too bad for our Disney trip, but we are in Ontario and the antigen tests are available here at a few places for $20 or less. The PCR to return home was free which was nice too.

Now that we have found insurance than should be able to cover us for Covid, cruises and quarantine, as long as we test negative the day of our flight, we're definitely going!

Antigen tests for 20$ sounds like a dream. We still have to pay 200$ for ours at the airport. As long as Carnival requests 48 hours or less, we can't risk it and have to settle for the expensive one with fast results.

 

[hdrolfe]

Now that we have found insurance than should be able to cover us for Covid, cruises and quarantine, as long as we test negative the day of our flight, we're definitely going!

Antigen tests for 20$ sounds like a dream. We still have to pay 200$ for ours at the airport. As long as Carnival requests 48 hours or less, we can't risk it and have to settle for the expensive one with fast results.

It's too bad you weren't closer to the Ontario border, we went to Costco and had results in 15 minutes while we waited. My only concern for next cruise is we'd have to get it done Saturday and they didn't seem to have appointments then. We'll see.

 

[belle032]

Now that we have found insurance than should be able to cover us for Covid, cruises and quarantine, as long as we test negative the day of our flight, we're definitely going!

Antigen tests for 20$ sounds like a dream. We still have to pay 200$ for ours at the airport. As long as Carnival requests 48 hours or less, we can't risk it and have to settle for the expensive one with fast results.

Have you looked into the home test that Carnival accepts? We paid $150 for 6 tests from EMed.com. They are 100% worth it for traveling.

 

[mevelandry]

Have you looked into the home test that Carnival accepts? We paid $150 for 6 tests from EMed.com. They are 100% worth it for traveling.

Air Canada has a partnership for a similiar concept (it’s very recent). What prevents us from using them is… anxiety I guess. The delay to get a replacement (if for some reason the test doesn’t function properly) would make us miss our cruise.

Plus, my in laws are very anxious people, it’s already a big event for them to stop at a clinic prior to the trip and having someone administer the tests … We simply can’t imagine them having to manipulate the tests themselves during a videoconference. (Saying they are not comfortable with technology is an understatement).

If it was just my husband and I, we’d most likely try it, especially on the way back home. Maybe in October if it is still mandatory (but I hope not!)

 

[belle032]

Y'all. I did something crazy and booked the Mardi Gras for THIS SATURDAY! We sail November 20-27! I booked under a casino rate (again-no idea how I got these rates) that was just too good to pass up. I'm usually such a planner, so this last minute trip is totally different for me!

It won't be DH and I, but instead it will be me, my mom and 2 brothers. The first time just the 4 of us have traveled together since my Dad passed 3 years ago. So it will definitely be a different vacation, but I'm looking forward to these new memories!

 

[mevelandry]

Y'all. I did something crazy and booked the Mardi Gras for THIS SATURDAY! We sail November 20-27! I booked under a casino rate (again-no idea how I got these rates) that was just too good to pass up. I'm usually such a planner, so this last minute trip is totally different for me!

It won't be DH and I, but instead it will be me, my mom and 2 brothers. The first time just the 4 of us have traveled together since my Dad passed 3 years ago. So it will definitely be a different vacation, but I'm looking forward to these new memories!

That is fantastic. So happy for you!

You'll have a great time.

What is your itinerary?

 

[belle032]

That is fantastic. So happy for you!

You'll have a great time.

What is your itinerary?

San Juan, Amber Cove, Nassau and 3 days at sea. From what I can tell in the FB group I joined last minute, it was Grand Turk instead of Nassau, but got changed. So not the itinerary I would choose necessarily, but I won't complain. We'll probably just walk around San Juan, not sure what to do in Amber Cove (I think we've been before, but honestly don't remember it) and stay on the ship in Nassau. This trip is definitely more about checking out the ship. I hope I can give a decent review when I get back!

 

[mevelandry]

San Juan, Amber Cove, Nassau and 3 days at sea. From what I can tell in the FB group I joined last minute, it was Grand Turk instead of Nassau, but got changed. So not the itinerary I would choose necessarily, but I won't complain. We'll probably just walk around San Juan, not sure what to do in Amber Cove (I think we've been before, but honestly don't remember it) and stay on the ship in Nassau. This trip is definitely more about checking out the ship. I hope I can give a decent review when I get back!

Can't wait.

 

[mevelandry]

Interesting news for international travellers. It looks like Carnival is currently working on a solution to test passengers on board (guests who need to present a negative test in order to get back to their country --ex: Canadians)...

This makes me very happy. The idea of having to rush to the airport on disembarkation morning in order to get tested and pay the big price to get results fast is very stressful for us and we'd love it if Carnival could offer testing on board.

 

[hdrolfe]

Interesting news for international travellers. It looks like Carnival is currently working on a solution to test passengers on board (guests who need to present a negative test in order to get back to their country --ex: Canadians)...

This makes me very happy. The idea of having to rush to the airport on disembarkation morning in order to get tested and pay the big price to get results fast is very stressful for us and we'd love it if Carnival could offer testing on board.

They are one of the only ones not doing it yet, but I think they have more Canadian cruisers than the other lines so probably would be more work for them. If I was going on Carnival I would plan to stay an extra night post cruise to get tested after debark.

 

[mevelandry]

They are one of the only ones not doing it yet, but I think they have more Canadian cruisers than the other lines so probably would be more work for them. If I was going on Carnival I would plan to stay an extra night post cruise to get tested after debark.

Unfortunately, we have already booked our flights to return home the same day of disembarkation.

 

[YesMickey]

Y'all. I did something crazy and booked the Mardi Gras for THIS SATURDAY! We sail November 20-27! I booked under a casino rate (again-no idea how I got these rates) that was just too good to pass up. I'm usually such a planner, so this last minute trip is totally different for me!

It won't be DH and I, but instead it will be me, my mom and 2 brothers. The first time just the 4 of us have traveled together since my Dad passed 3 years ago. So it will definitely be a different vacation, but I'm looking forward to these new memories!

We are booked on the Mardi Gras for next October. Went on the Glory this past October with three stops in the Bahamas. The ship was less than half full. You will have a great time as the shows, dining room and pools will not be packed. Wife and I are going leaving with my parents for a Thanksgiving cruise. Can't wait. For my family Carnival was a no brainer over DCL. Always half the price and the kids loved the Club Carnival and the waterslides etc. and the adults got to be adults.

 

[belle032]

We are booked on the Mardi Gras for next October. Went on the Glory this past October with three stops in the Bahamas. The ship was less than half full. You will have a great time as the shows, dining room and pools will not be packed. Wife and I are going leaving with my parents for a Thanksgiving cruise. Can't wait. For my family Carnival was a no brainer over DCL. Always half the price and the kids loved the Club Carnival and the waterslides etc. and the adults got to be adults.

The Glory was actually my DH's first cruise back in 2015 (I think?). We really liked the layout of that class of ships! But it was one of those things where I thought "he's either going to love this or hate this!" Luckily, he absolutely loved it and it's been our vacation of choice ever since, besides WDW here and there.

We've sailed on DCL twice and yes, for us, Carnival offers more of what we want in a vacation. Although we aren't opposed to giving others a try!

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

San Juan, Amber Cove, Nassau and 3 days at sea. From what I can tell in the FB group I joined last minute, it was Grand Turk instead of Nassau, but got changed. So not the itinerary I would choose necessarily, but I won't complain. We'll probably just walk around San Juan, not sure what to do in Amber Cove (I think we've been before, but honestly don't remember it) and stay on the ship in Nassau. This trip is definitely more about checking out the ship. I hope I can give a decent review when I get back!

Holy cow!!!! I’m so excited for you! Gonna be awesome! We can hardly wait for Mardi Gras next June. I’ll be looking at the PC webcams to watch your sailaway. Have an amazing time.