Peter: Your posts are sounding kind of desperate. I noted you didn't give me a comparison of rates from other lines (without port charges) for a July Alaska cruise. Also cruise411 throws in an additional discount once you come up with a final tally. I still say Carnival is offering some of the best rates for the type of cabins I described in my above post. <BR><BR>As to the problems with the ship, name me a line that hasn't had a mechnical breakdown over the past few years. As they say, stuff happens. If you can't deals with problems, stay home. One second thought stuff happens at home also. I think it's time you took a cruise, you sound stressed.<BR><BR><BR><BR>

ttt

Frank - at least I hear you say Carnival "is offering some of the best rates for the type of cabins I described in my above post." So lets say that Carnival, Princess, RCCL, and Celebrity are about the same for a balcony or suite - how many would opt for Carnival over the others? <BR>

Rebecca:<BR><BR>A few general observations from a non-expert; please take them for what they're worth. <BR><BR>The difference in cabin categories has to do with inside vs. window vs. balcony and overall babin/balcony sizes. In my (admittedly limited) research, it seems that while an 8A on a Princess, Norwegian or RCCL may be comparable in price to an 8A on Carnival, an 8A on Carnival is comparable in size/balcony to a higher-category cabin on the other lines. <BR><BR>This didn't seem to vary much based on<BR>the age of the ships (though I would recommend you stick with newer ones), so a general comment that Carnival delivers more "value" seems pretty reasonable to me. This NOT to say it's the best choice for everyone, but without knowing a lot more about an individual cruiser's age, preferences, pet peeves, etc. it seems to me Carnival would be a good general recommendation vs. a more expensive line.<BR><BR>Another observation is that most of the complaints I've heard about various lines have to do with specific incidents/experiences and can't reasonably be generalized to the cruise line as a whole. <BR><BR>What kind of service would you expect in a 2,000 room hotel that's not only full, but has every room both checking out and rebooked for the same day? Or a resaurant that serves 9,000 meals a day? There are going to be screw-ups from time to time. And it's these screw-ups--and sometimes the lack of concern about fixing these problems (which is either unforgivable or a reflection that it wasn't that big a problem in the first place) that most of the complaints seem to be about. <BR><BR>While these incidents should be talked about, they are not indicative of what the average person can expect on a particular line--yet these problems, and the "It's my vacation and you damn well better be perfect--I'll never cruise on (blank) line again!" attitude seem to dominate the discussions.<BR><BR>(In all honesty, I blew my top on the first night of my last cruise when they never bothered to tell us that the time for the dinner seating had changed, but it didn't sour me on the line as a whole. I hereby vow to take the next minor slip-up in stride next time. Well, maybe!)<BR><BR>Based on this, and the fact that food and service not only vary from cruise to cruise on the same line, (the food can even vary pretty dramatically night-to-night), reviews will always be mixed. <BR><BR>I don't have any statistics to back it up, but I would wager that most people enjoy their cruises and feel that they made a good choice. <BR><BR>Good luck!

Now Bob that was a thoughtful and fair response to Rebecca's question. I hope some of that rubs off on Peter.<BR><BR>Peter: Give me some specifics where you can get a Balcony room for under $1,000 and a Balcony Suite for just over $1,500 on other lines for a July Alaska cruise. Also don't forget that you generally get a larger room (more Square Feet) with Carnival when compared to similar rooms on competing lines. And yes those prices are without port charges. <BR><BR>My point is that Carnival offers lots of rooms for those prices not just a few like many other lines. You have a much better chance of getting a good deal on Carnival, that's all I'm saying. That's one of the reasons people choose Carnival.

Frank - we're going to let the readers do the research on price - that will eliminate all the bickering that would take place. Here are the ships/cabins:<BR> Spirit-Category 11, 245-75 sq ft <BR> cabin, 40-85 sq ft balcony<BR> Sun, Dawn, Ocean Princess-CatAB, 370<BR> sq ft total cabin + balcony<BR> Star Princess-CatAB, 323 sq ft total<BR> Infinity-CatSkySuite, 251 sq ft cabin<BR> and 57 sq ft balcony<BR> RCCL Legend-CatC, 236 sq ft cabin and<BR> 75 sq ft balcony<BR><BR>Folks, do your own pricing on any site or with any Travel Agent and lets see what the best prices are. For comparison purposes, lets use the first week in August (no holiday and schools out everywhere). Lets see "what the best value is".<BR>

I was on the Carnival Spirit last month.<BR>I've been on 4 Princess, 1 Holland America, Norwegian, and a few smaller lines.<BR><BR>With Carnival, you have to understand the product and the crowd they market to.<BR><BR>The Spirit has some of the largest, most well-laid-out cabins I've ever been in. We were on the Verandah deck, had a nice balcony.<BR><BR>However, the decor in the public rooms is very very gaudy. We realized that Carnival "goes for the gaud" before we booked, and this was our 3rd Carnival cruise.<BR><BR>My biggest beef is with the dining room staff. The waiters are great, the food much better than in years past, but the ($#&((*** !! miserable Maitre D, and the shenanigans he insists on pulling.<BR><BR>In years past, they did parades of flaming desserts after most people had finished eating and were waiting for dessert. Their security people won't let them do it any more. <BR><BR>So what do they do? Every night before we had been served our entree, he interrupted us to introduce some kind of<BR>song/dance/parade routine. The worst of it was having the wait staff climb on the tables and do the Macarena, while he played with the lights. Bright, low, off, low, off, bright. Bear in mind, we had not yet been served our entree, and the waiters had a hard time delivering the food to those of us who were waiting for food. When we complained, he said that he had to think up various ways for us to have fun. He also tried to blame the waiters for not being fast enough with our food, which was ridiculous. They take their food orders from several tables, and we were on the end of the list. Then they have to wait for the kitchen to cook and plate it. <BR><BR>What they forget in their never-ending quest for "fun" is one thing --<BR><BR>DIGNITY. <BR><BR>It's bad enough that they interrupt dinner every night to give us our dining hours for the next day -- always the same, always posted in the newspaper left in the cabin.<BR><BR>Then they have the nerve to solicit tips for the Maitre d'. Both verbally, in the dining room, and in the newspaper.<BR><BR>What does he do to deserve it? If you have something special done, like delivering a surprise gift to your table for your husband's birthday, that's one thing. But to solicit tips for a guy who does nothing but have waiters dance on tables, NO.<BR><BR>As you can see, we were not pleased with the maitre d'.<BR><BR>The food was much better than expected. The cabin stewards were great. The lunch-time food on the Lido deck was much better than we expected, but at dinner was not very good.<BR><BR>All in all, we prefer Princess/Holland America. Never sailed with Royal Caribbean, but heard from others that the cabins were very very small, not enough closet space for 3-4 in a cabin.<BR><BR>Have fun, whatever line you choose.

Peter:<BR><BR>You are correct about the comparisons on the Alaska cruise. <BR><BR>I had been looking at Caribbean cruises, where (at least for the ships and sailing dates I looked at) CCL gave you more space for less money.<BR><BR>

Bob,<BR>We've never been to Alaska but have been to the Caribbean five times in the last three years all on Princess and RCCL. I shop around for my own bargains and think I have done very well. Last year, in October, the four of us went on the Explorer in a Category B for under $3000. We did the Western on the Sea Princess in April, 2000 and all four went in a mini-suite for less than $2400. With the bargains I can find for Princess and RCCL (and now Celebrity - the 10 day southern on the Millie for just at $3100 for Cat 2A) the thought of even checking Carnival doesn't exist. I know too many horror stories from close personal friends of mine about that line and just won't take a chance - and really don't have to - we're very happy with the other three.

Because of all the Carnival bashing I almost did not book a cruise through them--decided to try them anyway. Have been on 6 other cruises, including RCCL and HAL. I am 60 and my daughter is almost 40 and we went on a Mexican Riviera cruise on the 7th of May. It was absolutely outstanding. The entertainment was great--Las Vegas style (as opposed to RCCL's juvenile high school type entertainment)food and service outstanding also. So, you Carnival bashers--what is your problem? Have you actually ever been one one? Holland America was also excellent. I could do without RCCL--we felt the staff was horrible, food mediocre and as I said above, entertainment awful, plus seemed like everytime you turned around, they were asking for your card to charge you for something. Would book Carnival again in a minute!

<BR>Poor Peter just can't win.

The way I win is to add Georgeann to the list with Paul, Frank and Roy - keep booking those Carnival cruises - PPPLLEEASE!

<BR>Hooray,Peter finally admits it! He loves Carnival!