NCL/Celebrity vs. Carnival

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SHANNON & CATHY

Guest
Hi guys! Greeting from the island of Tennessee!

Cathy and I are planning our 5th cruise since 2001 (they were not kidding when they said it was an addiction). We've been on Carnival 3 times (Paradise, Pride and Glory) and RCL once (soverign of the seas).

We're considering trying something new this time around...

NCL Majesty (would cut 5 hours off driving time...and we're interested in freestyle)

Celebrity Zenith/Horizon/Summit (for a longer cruise...Zenith has a CHEAP ($700 pp)14 night with a great itinerary, Horizon and Summit have 10-11 night cruises)

We're 30, don't really like getting dressed up a lot, and enjoy the mindless fun of game shows, comedians etc.. to vegas/broadway, we don't drink or gamble...we want time to relax but want the option of having lots of activities to choose from.

What are going to be the major differences we notice between Carnival and these ships? As always thanks for the advice.
 
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lamayboy

Guest
I would go Celeb, JUST FOR THE PRICE!! However I have been on the Majesty and it is a wonderful ship. The nicest of the NCL fleet!

If you enjoy carnival you will like NCL more. Celeb like HAL is a more UPSCALE deal. THough fun will be had. And you may be surprised that you might like it!!

If fun, sun, and packed days of activities are for you go NCL. Although it is still the most upscale ship in the fleet.

At any cost, Carnival would be lower end than either of these lines.

Have fun!
 
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cash1968

Guest
laymayboy is correct I enjoy all my Carnival cruises but I do enjoy NCL more.
 
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newmexicoNita

Guest
Price being the same or similar if itinerary isn't important it's a hard call. With freestyle you will not find as many dressed to the nines, but you can if you wish and will not be out of place. NCL is very relaxed with good service and very friendly crew. The entertainment is the best at sea. As for food, we find the food and freestyle very much to our liking. Overall I like NCLs food better than Carnival, but as we all know food is a subjective subject. About the best advise is to try something different and yes, Celebrity from what we have heard is more upscale and will have a little more reserved crowd. We are cruising them next week. Nita
 
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carolee

Guest
I JUST CRUISED NCL DREAM AFTER 6 CRUISES WITH CARNIVAL AND WAS NOT IMPRESSED. I DID NOT HAVE AS MUCH FUN ON NCL AND FOUND THEM TO BE VERY STUFFY COMPARED TO CARNIVAL. AT ONE POINT THE CRUISE DIRECTOR MADE A JOKE ABOUT CARNIVAL NOT BEING AS GOOD AS NCL . I DID NOT AGREE.
AS FOR FREESTYLE, ITS REALLY NOT ALL THAT , ESPECIALLY ON OLDER SHIPS LIKE THE DREAM WERE THERE IS REALLY NOT A GOOD LAYOUT. SO ITS A TOUGH DECISION, BUT I WILL BE ON CARNIVAL FROM NOW ON.
 
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toronto21

Guest
Clebrity all the way hal is really trying to get customers lately!!!!! celebrity is much like a Westin or "w" hotel..........great service nice ship they are not tacky like carnival or stuffy decor like Hal....................ncl is good been on the star and sun...........just got of the Radiance of the sease new year cruise....and will sail celebrity constellation in march of this year..................The summit is an amzing ship you will love it!!!!!! food is best on celebrtiy as well as the service!!!!!!

Age 26 toronto
 
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newmexicoNita

Guest
Now that we havae cruised all 3 I can better give my humble opinion. I still think I would go for NCL, but it depends on what you are expecting from your cruise experience. Celebrity had a wonderful staff, as friendly as NCL and certainly better than Carnival. (our opinion only). The food at dinner and the dining lunch were better than NCL. The entertainment was a pleasant surprise though still not as good as NCL> As for the buffets though they were presented in a very elegant way the quality and selection really left alot to be desired. This again depends on what your dining experiences have been in the past. If you are accustom to gourmet eating even Celebrity will not seem all that great. It is still a mass produced product. If you like Outback Steakhouse you will find the food on all the lines satisfactory. We did find Celebrtiy a lit upscale from other lines, but not as much as we had expected from reviews. The cabins were identical in size to the newer NCL ships, smaller than Carnival. The storage space particularly impressed us. Every nook and crany was used. I would suggest you consider price and itinerary. As you know Carnival will be more down the lines of parties and late night activity. Celebration closes up at 10pm and NCL is inbetween the two.

Nita
 
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