My wife and I have sailed over 10 times on Carnival over the past fifteen years. With two little ones, we decided to try a Disney cruise this summer. We just got back from the Wonder (same cruise as the Sensation man-overboard rescue….slept through it..didn’t even know about it til we saw this board!). Having been a loyal Carnival cruiser for so long, it almost didn’t feel “right” to board another ship! But we were glad we did. Will we sail Carnival again? Absolutely! Will we sail Disney again, absolutely! So, this is a brief review for anyone who is curious about how the Carnival/Disney compare and/or touches that we liked and/or missed. Will give you who “wins” based on our humble opinion! We’ll assume most posters/readers here also know the Carnival side to each category, so we’ll keep it minimal.
Embarkation: Liked the video shown on the way to ship…what to expect, things to get ready, etc. Upon entering the ship, they announce your family name on the P.A. in the lobby and crew applaud. You really feel welcome. Edge: Disney
Ship/Public rooms: Ship is showing some wear and tear, but don’t we all. Carnival is Glitzy and Showy. Classy and stately for Disney (surprisingly the Mickey presence is subtle). Purely a matter of opinion on your style. For us, edge: Carnival
Food: Buffets trounce Carnival, especially at breakfast. A nice touch is they have a buffet set up in the main dining room for breakfast/lunch…so no lines anywhere to speak of. More selections on the menu for dinner on Carnival and Carnival does much better with desserts. Edge: Carnival, but boy could they take a lesson from the breakfast buffet.
Production shows: Top notch, and you don’t have to be a kid to enjoy. Three completely different shows with the Disney touch vs singers/dancers on Carnival with just different themes/music. Edge: Disney.
Variety shows: We were on a four-day and there were no comedians, jugglers, magicians, etc. Would like to have seem some sort of this. Edge: Carnival (by a landslide!)
Activities: This seems obvious, but if you have kids/family, Disney is the clear winner here, but if you go as a couple/adult group, there is very little scheduled for adults. Edge: Depends on your situation.
Staff: EVERYONE says hello to you and smiles. I was talking to a staff member, and they said their contracts are shorter to help burnout, and it shows. Edge: Disney
Rooms: Similar in set-up to Carnival. Can’t remember if the newer Carnival ships have this, but the rooms have a curtain in the middle, enabling you to keep one side of the room dark and the other lit up if you need (helps with getting kids to sleep!). Edge: Equal.
Activity sheet: Capers are set up easier to read. Disney has a nice “TV Guide”-style grid of activities. Edge: Carnival
Money Machine: On Carnival, constant announcements and Caper listings emphasize activities that can make money for the cruise. When you get off a Carnival ship, the cameras are right there clicking away. This nickel and dime is far less on on Disney, though you have already paid a lot more nickels and dimes to get on board! Announcements emphasize activities, not Bingo if you know what I am saying…. Granted, Disney does leave literature often in your room about future cruises and their vacation club, but you don’t feel the push: Edge: Disney.
We still love Carnival and will go back to it as our kids get older. Definitely a much better value overall, but if you ask our four year-old next year if she wants to see Freddy or Mickey. Well, you know….
Article Source: boards.cruisecritic.com
