carnival cruises
carnival cruises
bwaylvsong
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/28/05
#0carnival cruises
Posted: 8/18/06 at 11:11pmHas anyone been on a Carnival Cruise before? I'm wondering how it compares with other lines, particularly in the food and entertainment departments. Thanks!
ashley0139
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/3/05
#1re: carnival cruises
Posted: 8/18/06 at 11:24pmI have not been on one, but I have heard from everyone that has that the food is inferior to RCL or Celebrity. Or Princess. I have heard that the entertainment and service is pretty much the same, though. Especially if you're into partying.
"This table, he is over one hundred years old. If I could, I would take an old gramophone needle and run it along the surface of the wood. To hear the music of the voices. All that was said." - Doug Wright, I Am My Own Wife
#2re: carnival cruises
Posted: 8/18/06 at 11:25pmI recommend Princess and Crystal above Carnival, if you have a choice.
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
SweetQintheLights
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/12/05
#3re: carnival cruises
Posted: 8/18/06 at 11:28pm
I know carnival used to be the party line of cruise ships but I think it now attracts all kinds of people...
I think Princess and Royal Carribbean are the best although this December I'm going on Holland America for the first time.
It was known for the "older" crowd but I think it is also now attracts all people/ages.
When are you planning on going?
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"I have a penis, not a vagina." ~munkustrap178
bwaylvsong
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/28/05
#4re: carnival cruises
Posted: 8/18/06 at 11:33pmI am going later this month. I have been on Norwegian, Celebrity, and Princess and loved them all. I am not much of a party person, so it is really important that the food and shows be on par with the other lines.
#5re: carnival cruises
Posted: 8/19/06 at 12:06amIf you are young, you'll have a great time. Think "budget cruise". Not horrible, but not near the best. if you are going with a group a people, you will be fine. Make your own fun.
"He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion."
-- Author Unknown
bwaylvsong
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/28/05
#6re: carnival cruises
Posted: 8/19/06 at 12:12amI am young, and will be a part of a group of family/relatives (we'll be 12 people). However, as I said I am not a party person, and am not into the things that most young people are into today. I kinda got worried when Carnival was picked, due to its reputation as a party cruise with junk food.
picturetaker9211
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/20/06
#7re: carnival cruises
Posted: 8/19/06 at 12:14am
I just went on a RCL cruise this pack week. I got back today. I loved the food. 
There's a buffet for every meal. You can go to the dining room also (depending on the deck you reside in). Anyways it was a ton of fun. Also a "low budget cruise." The entertainment was fuhn. The shows were plretty cool. Looads of crazy singing in dancing. (Actually the boat I went on had a theater called A Chorus Line Theater. The outside of it has like the people in line & stuff, which made me miss BWW a bit.) Tons of activities to do during the day, so no need to worry about being bored. The staff were all really nice. SOme people did tricks & stuff furing dinner. Sometimes when you get new towls, they make like aan animal. I think that's it. I would cruise w/ them again, but I would rather go on a different one, just because I want to try something new, is all.
"Some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, take the moment & making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next. Delicious ambiguity."
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-Gilda Radner
#8re: carnival cruises
Posted: 8/19/06 at 12:19amIt may be party cruise. As I said, make it fun for you. The food will be fine. Order what you want and they will accommodate you. They may have a computer center so you won't be far from BWW (lord help me). Don't sweat it, it's a vacation. Lighten up a bit and just enjoy it. Bring a book, sit in a deck chair and r-e-l-a-x.
"He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion."
-- Author Unknown
#9re: carnival cruises
Posted: 8/19/06 at 12:23am
I went on Carnival for my honeymoon and loved it. I had been on RCL before and wasn't as impressed. That could have been because I was with my parents on my college spring break instead of with my friends because my parents wouldn't let me go with them. I was pretty miserable the whole time on that cruise.
A cruise is what you make of it, just have fun and don't mind me as I sit here jealous of you.
"All the while making faces like a baby platypus who forget to take some Beano before eating a chimichanga." FindingNamo in reference to Jessica Simpson's singing.
bwaylvsong
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/28/05
#10re: carnival cruises
Posted: 8/19/06 at 12:28amYeah, I (as well as the rest of my party) always manage to have a great time on cruises. I'm not a complainer, but I just fear being disappointed in comparison to the other cruises I have been on.
#11re: carnival cruises
Posted: 8/19/06 at 12:28amI really liked it. What ship will you be on?
"All the while making faces like a baby platypus who forget to take some Beano before eating a chimichanga." FindingNamo in reference to Jessica Simpson's singing.
bwaylvsong
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/28/05
#13re: carnival cruises
Posted: 8/19/06 at 12:44amWe were on the Fantasy and it was nice. It didn't have the rock walls, ice skating rinks, or anything like that, but we had fun.
"All the while making faces like a baby platypus who forget to take some Beano before eating a chimichanga." FindingNamo in reference to Jessica Simpson's singing.
bwaylvsong
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/28/05
#14re: carnival cruises
Posted: 8/19/06 at 12:46amWas there any food item that was particularly good?
#15re: carnival cruises
Posted: 8/19/06 at 1:25am
Carnival's food was never all that exciting to me. Princess was better, but still nothing special.
One of the reasons I liked Princess a little better because there WERE more older folks and fewer obnoxious 20-somethings. 
That, and the decor wasn't quite as tacky.
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
ashley0139
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/3/05
#16re: carnival cruises
Posted: 8/19/06 at 10:02am
Side note- I was on a 4 day last week on the west coast. The ship's theatre was called the Sound of Music. Ugh.
Princess was better, but still nothing special.
Interesting you say that, because I was especially impressed with Princess. However, I have very specific food allergy needs that they bent over backward to accomodate. Celebrity is still my favorite for food, though.
"This table, he is over one hundred years old. If I could, I would take an old gramophone needle and run it along the surface of the wood. To hear the music of the voices. All that was said." - Doug Wright, I Am My Own Wife
#17re: carnival cruises
Posted: 8/19/06 at 10:14am
I loved the food on Carnival. They would cater to any request and they had a sushi bar that was to die for. Also they gave out more free champange than you can imagine. I only bought one drink the whole time I was ont he ship, but I was pretty tipsy for a lot of the time.
"All the while making faces like a baby platypus who forget to take some Beano before eating a chimichanga." FindingNamo in reference to Jessica Simpson's singing.
ikmbway
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/22/05
#18re: carnival cruises
Posted: 8/19/06 at 11:32amMy first cruise was Royal Carribean and it is the best one I have ever been on. The food, service, cleanliness, and the feel of it was just perfect. The following year I went on Carnival and wasn't impressed. I knew it wasn't going to be like the Royal Carribean but the food, service, and cleanliness didn't impress me much. It wasn't horrible but it wasn't anything good. The next cruise I went on was to Alaska on Celebrity. I still think Royal Carribean was the best. The Celebrity ship I was on had a sushi bar and someone who serves you ice cream but otherwise it was the same as Royal Carribean. Personally, I just like Royal Carribean the best.
bwaylvsong
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/28/05
#19re: carnival cruises
Posted: 8/19/06 at 11:35am
Thanks, guys!!!
I'll be sure to post a review when I get back!
PS: Of all of the lines I've been on, my favorite is Norwegian.
ashley0139
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/3/05
#21re: carnival cruises
Posted: 8/19/06 at 2:35pmHow many people? I was on one of their larger ships and that was not the 4 day one. I guess it's just the different ships are different, though.
"This table, he is over one hundred years old. If I could, I would take an old gramophone needle and run it along the surface of the wood. To hear the music of the voices. All that was said." - Doug Wright, I Am My Own Wife
#22re: carnival cruises
Posted: 8/19/06 at 2:39pmUnfortunately, I don't remember, but it was apparently the largest one in the fleet at the time: http://www.princess.com/ships/sa/
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
bwaylvsong
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/28/05
#23re: carnival cruises
Posted: 8/19/06 at 8:36pm
I can't believe I didn't think of this question...
Is there karaoke? If so, how often is it held and how is the song selection (i.e. any showtunes)?
Type_A_Tiff
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/25/04
#24re: carnival cruises
Posted: 8/19/06 at 8:44pm
bwaylvsong, I did a Carnival cruise in December and there was karaoke every night. The song selection was pretty good but pretty dated - I don't think you'll get anything very modern (in terms of pop music OR Broadwaytunes).
As a young person who's not that interested in partying and who's also done Celebrity and RCL before Carnival, and where entertainment and food are also my highest priorities, I'll warn you not to get your expectations up for Carnival AT ALL. I've been on two Carnival cruises and aside from the discos, they were pretty dismal. (It doesn't hurt that Celebrity set my expectations really high since Michel Roux himself was on board overseeing the kitchen when we went to Alaska!)
The entertainment was fairly satisfactory but not too glitzy. I spent most of my time in the casino because of this.
Can someone remind me again - which line has a better reputation for food? Norweigian or Holland-America? I can't keep them straight but I want to remember because that's the line I want to try next.
And then Crystal!
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"Good luck returning my ass!" - Wilhemina Slater
"This is my breakfast, lunch and f***ing dinner right here. I'm not even f***in' joking." - Colin Farrell
bwaylvsong
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/28/05
#25re: carnival cruises
Posted: 8/19/06 at 8:56pm
Holland America has the best rep for food, with Celebrity. I have never been on HA, but I preferred the food on Norwegian over Celebrity. The entertainment on Norweigian is BY FAR the best.
re Karaoke, that's a good thing because I'm totally out of the loop when it comes to new music.
I'm also 17, so unfortunately I won't be able to go to the casino.
I'm sure I'll find stuff to do- I will bring a book I have to read, and I always enjoy playing cards and Scrabble with my cousins (we're all old people at heart)!
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