RC vs. Carnival--Help with Opinions!

5 women, going on a long weekend cruise to celebrate our 40th birthdays (I posted awhile ago looking for suggestions)

We've narrowed it down to:

Carnival / Fascination
Royal Caribbean / Majesty of the Seas
Royal Caribbean / Sovereign of the Seas

First 2 leave from Miami; Sovereign leaves from
Port Canaveral.

Cost is similar; we're about ready to flip a coin to decide!

We would appreciate any opinions you have...compare, contrast or just tell us which one to pick.
Thanks very much for helping out first-timers!

[Jim Bragg]

Well, we like CCL overall a little better than RCI but that really means nothing to you. CCL has usually better food and entertainment and larger cabins. The staff is also a bit more friendly and personal. RCI has more professional service and the ships are prettier. The Majesty of the Seas is one of the RCI ships that is known as a "happy ship" and has more repeat crew and usually are a bit better than thier other ships as far as the crew goes. You just have to pick what means more to you and probably the biggest factor might be where the ships go and the times they spend in port.
Jim

[Cruiseguy]

I semi-agree with Jim. On ANY weekend cruise your going to find the younger party hardy crowd on CCL with the in-your-face Las Vegas Glitz. If however you want a more subdued, classier cruise with EXCELLENT service then try RCCL.

Sorry Jim, I just don't find CCL's food that much better then RCCL and besides, thats not why I take a cruise (all things being equal).

Klpriv, if you and your girls are looking to get drunk and stay that way, go CCL. If you want more class and great service go RCCL.

In reality, either way you will have a great time. Good luck and smooth sailing.

Dear klpiv,
My husband and I have been on the Fascination and the Majesty of the Seas. The
Fascination was our first cruise and we believe the food was the best. We have now
been on 4 cruises total. Our experience on the Majesty was not good. Poor service
and terrible food. Both ships had a lot of partiers on board. Fascination cabins are
much larger than the Majesty. Every CCL cruise we have taken has been wonderful
and we recommend you sail the Fascination. Feel free to email me if you want more
information.
Happy Sailing and have a great trip..............

[Mermaid]

You are going to have a great cruise whichever one you choose. I've sailed on Carnival and RCI and enjoyed them both. The "WHEN" you are going affects the party atmosphere IMHO more than the cruise line. Over spring break you'll find families and college kids out for a good time. During the summer, and you'll find more families with young children.

Just choose one now for your 40th Birthdays, and book the other one for your 41st Birthdays! Problem solved! lol

[LisaK]

totally agree with Mermaid. It all depends upon when you book. If you book during spring break time you will get the party-hearty heavy drinking college spring-breakers especially on the 4 day long week-end cruisers, Carnival a bit more than RCCL.

[Darcy]

We were on Sovereign of the Seas two years ago and had a great cruise. We found it to be an older crowd when we went (last week in April) with few children on board. We sailed Carnival last year and found we preferred it for food and the larger cabin. We also found it tended to be a younger crowd with more children, and we cruised the same week (last week in April).

once again mermaid has solved the problem..she's very much on target

[Dorothy]

I've heard so MANY people say the food on Carnival is superior that I am inclined to believe there is some truth in it.

I know for a fact the cabins are bigger on Carnival, so all other things being more or less equal, I'd go for Carnival.

But Mermaid is right - you'll have a blast no matter what you decide!

dorothy

been on Carnival Glory and Fantasy and RCCL Soverign twice. Reall loved RCCL best. The food was better, better display of creative works as far as ice sculptures, etc goes.

Carnival is more of a party ship, RCCL classier, better service, much more attentive.

We are booking RCCl in September to do Boston to Nova Scotia.

Have fun on either one that you choose.

Depending on when you go you might take advantage of the free upgrades, and ask your travel agent lots of questions to stay informed. We used AAA and it was great.

have fun!
sherri and jay

[Thomas]

I've been on them and all things being equal I'll take Carnival over RCI, for those ships in particular. I like Carnival best for cabins, food, and atmosphere; but those particular trips I prefer to see Coco Cay versus an overnight in Nassau. On the 4-day Majesty you get Coco Cay and Key West.

Regards,
Thomas

[UConn1]

This may or may not make a difference to you, but I have cruised multiple times out of both Miami and Port Canaveral and would always pick a cruise from PC over Miami. The whole process of embarkation and debarkation in PC is relatively painless. I have always thought that Miami could learn a few things from PC.

I haven't cruised RCI, just CCL, so I can't give an opinion on the onboard experience.

Jodi

[KP]

Thanks everyone! This board has been a fantastic resource and we're grateful to everyone who has responded to help with questions & decisions.
Your opinions have led us to choose Carnival / Fascination.
(although, many other opinions were very compelling...so I think our only choice is to do the 'ladies only' cruise this time...and then take our husbands on another one soon afterwards. Problem solved.)

Thanks again!

Have a wonderful cruise. Be sure to try the Roasted Pumpkin Soup. Yummy!!!!
Happy Sailing................!!!!!!!!

Hi,

RCCL's Sovereign of the Seas. without hesitation.

Comparision with ANY Carnical product is no contest !!!

Have a good one
CG

[MPDavis]

I enjoyed reading all the posting on this board. My husband and I are planning a cruise in June of 2006 and can't decide on Carnival Conquest or RC Voyageur. We will be bringing our kids who will be 15 and 4. Any suggestions on which is the best for kids of that age? I would especially like the 15 year old to enjoy himself.

Thanks!

Mary

Hi,
RCCL is renown for well above average offerings for youngsters.

Overall, they are ,in my opinion, a better product overall,although
CCL is quite good in its own rights.

CG

[Kuki]

Mary...
At the moment I would say RCI Voyager Class ships are THE ships for families. They have designed these ships for that market segment, with the design features and the programs they operate onboard.

And they have been VERY successful attracting that target audience!

That's not to say Conquest wouldn't offer a good cruise experience, but I think at the moment the Voyager Class are IT for families.

[Daneen]

Crusingbears, I have the recipe for the Carnival Pumpkin Soup if you want it. I searched everywhere for it when we got back from our cruise last year. Our head waiter tried to sell me the Carnival Cookbook with the recipe, and I would have gladly bought it except the recipe served like 400. I found this one on another another message board. I think this was one of the best soups I have ever eaten, there was also one on RCI that I loved but I can't remember what it was called, it was a pretty apricot color and it was cold. I'm getting hungry again and I just had lunch.