We have sailed on 4 Carnival cruises. They are okay, however we did sail on a Royal Caribbean once and would like to take Royal on the next cruise to see what we think of it.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Our parking was very hectic, but when we go into the terminal things moved along quickly and we were on board in no time. Less red tape to go through.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
We mainly ate breakfast in the Lido marketplace, lunch out on excursions and dinner nightly in the dining room. We used our time dining as it is more flexible for us.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
Pool was always full. We did get to use the Serenity hot tub on return from one of our excursions. As always, have to get out early to get a good lounge chair or seat around the pool area.
Entertainment
3 out of 5
Stage shows were ok.
Spotlight Lounge
3 out of 5
Enjoyed the comedians in the Spotlight lounge. Had to get there very early to get a seat at the first (family friendly) show.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Our room steward was awesome, always a smile and very helpful! Our dining room hostess always asked if we had a preference for seating and would always accommodate our request. We were able to sit in the same area each night, thus having the same wait staff. They were all great. They remembered us and our favorite drinks and such. All three took marvelous care of us.
Ship Quality
3 out of 5
Wish there was a Casino area for Non-smokers. Have to make a plan to get from one end of the ship to the other to avoid the smokey casino. Not good for people with asthma.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Cabin is average size. We had a great cabin steward so we always had what we needed in a timely fashion.
We took the Discover Puerto Plata Traditions and Local Flavors tour. We were taken by bus to through a historic fort on the island and had lunch at Don Fernando’s Ranch, where we had lunch and a show. We learned about the Rum production there. We visited a chocolate production facility and got to taste the different chocolates.
We took the Eat, drink walk excursion and enjoyed it immensely. Saw many historical and architectural points of interest dating back to 1521. Our guide was very informative and enthusiastic about her country.
We did the Underwater Power Scooter, Beach Break & lunch. We were taken to Bajari Beach by safari trucks. There Manny showed all the ropes on using the snorkel gear and power scooter. We all had a blast. I myself always gets seasick when snorkeling (even with the use of patches) but it was not as bad with the power scooter, I guess it was the zipping along that kept me from getting quite so queasy. We checked out the wall where the shelf drops off and snorkeled back to shore. Manny, Chad and the rest of the crew were very aware of the sea life and made sure we did not reenter the beach where there was an area of sea urchines. Very enjoyable.
As always, we are packed and ready to go for disembarkation. We go down to deck 4 and wait. The communications are lacking, we saw people going down the elevators to deck 3 and asked and were told we could go. No very organized.
Carnival beats Royal hands down on food. The casino on Carnival puts Royal to shame. Royal nickels & dimes you for alternate food choices. They require reservations for shows which takes out spontaneity. And they charge more. It’s all personal choice. We love Carnival.
Royal Caribbean is amazing! This is my 2nd time on RC and Carnival can’t compare to the luxury of RC. But I am glad we sailed on Carnival because it allowed me to recognize the differences.
If you prefer the party atmosphere, carnival is the way to go. If you're looking for a quieter trip, Royal is better. Lots of people have lots of different opinions about the two. Just keep in mind that they are two different lines and do things differently. Also, don't compare two different size ships.
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