Carnival vs. Royal C?

AGREED!

The hubs loves those hummelweck sandwiches too! Amazing

I was a Disney cruiser for quite awhile and tried Royal as a “cheaper” alternative. I was super nervous that it wouldn’t be as nice. Suffice to say, I’ve now been on four Royal cruises with two more already booked! I don’t think you can go wrong in trying out Royal Caribbean!

I know plenty of people who enjoy Carnival. It’s all in personal taste and experience. Our one and only Carnival Cruise was so awful in so many ways, I wasn’t willing to give them another try. I had been on Royal and went right back

Im sure that many have had “lemon Cruises” on Royal as well. Each has to decide what kind of experience and budget they want to work with and go from there. No matter what they choose, just get out there and cruise. Time’s a wasting!

I saw that one, as well as many who are obviously fanboys of one line or the other. I don't know that I've seen to many honest comparisons, even fewer that address subjects I care about (cabin and balcony size, what is and is not included in the base fare, quality of food and service). Although I do like to gawk at the videos of the thousand-dollar-a-night suites, there is no way I would ever pay for one (not that I could, either).

Agreed! I saw a video the other day where a guy was attempting to give a comparison review on CCL VS RCL, but had never been on Carnival (CCL).

You always have the option of weighing both and see who offers the best deal for the itinerary you want. The advantage of looking at 2 vs 1 cruise line is you get a better itinerary choice.

It varies on ships. But I believe on Voyager class and above (the ones with a Royal Promenade) you will find a Cafe Promenade with small sandwiches, baked goods, coffee and teas. Also most have Sorrento’s pizzeria where you can grab a slice or have them may your own 12” pie. Also have “antipasto”

they will make from a selection of goodies and also some desserts. Some ships, mostly Freedom class and above, will have Johnny Rockets (fee includes whole meal and desserts). Check the rC website then click on “Ships” to see what each ship

offers. And if you’re lucky enough to sail on a ship with a Park Cafe you will have the chance to eat the most marvelous Beef

on Weck sandwich ever! My mouth is watering now! 😂

How is the quality and quantity of "free" eateries?

For instance, Carnival has Guy's Hamburgers (great if you like greasy hamburgers, which I do!); Princess has the International Café (snacks, sandwiches and soups) and Alfredo's (Italian style pizza and more).

I’ve only sailed on brand new Royal ships 🚢 therefore I’m not the best judge of how the older ones compare to CCL. After 16 Carnival and 2 Royal Caribbean Cruises I can say that RCL is well worth the price jump from Carnival.