Holland America vs. Carnival
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Holland America vs. Carnival
I've travelled on HA cruises & loved it. I'm now considering a cruise with Carnival. If you have been on cruises with both lines how do they compare? Sorry, I don't know the name of the Carnival ship yet.
#2
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The two lines, although both owned by the same company, serve two distinct market segments.
On HAL customer care and food is superior.
On Carnival, children programs are superior.
Carnival is not all Bubbas, as HAL is not all snobs, but as Carnival offers more short cruises, you will have a highter probability of running into the budget cruiser.
On average, according to CCL records, Carnival sells 3 times the amount of liquor than HAL, and produces 2X the casino revenue.
Some will tell you Carnival is only sloppy drunks; others that HAL is only old people ready to die. Neither is true.
On HAL customer care and food is superior.
On Carnival, children programs are superior.
Carnival is not all Bubbas, as HAL is not all snobs, but as Carnival offers more short cruises, you will have a highter probability of running into the budget cruiser.
On average, according to CCL records, Carnival sells 3 times the amount of liquor than HAL, and produces 2X the casino revenue.
Some will tell you Carnival is only sloppy drunks; others that HAL is only old people ready to die. Neither is true.
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edward= Lew's remarks were right on.....
I do not know your age, but if you are in the 40+ age and are more well travelled, you will enjoy Holland America more....
Carnival reminds me more of a Spring Break atmosphere for both college kids,kids and budget minded adults....
Carnival is glitzy neon lights....
Holland America is more crystal chandeliers and brass......
Only you will know which of these areas you fit into....
Since you have already done Holland America, I think you will have a major disappointment in Carnival....
An alternative to Holland America is Celebrity.....
I do not know your age, but if you are in the 40+ age and are more well travelled, you will enjoy Holland America more....
Carnival reminds me more of a Spring Break atmosphere for both college kids,kids and budget minded adults....
Carnival is glitzy neon lights....
Holland America is more crystal chandeliers and brass......
Only you will know which of these areas you fit into....
Since you have already done Holland America, I think you will have a major disappointment in Carnival....
An alternative to Holland America is Celebrity.....
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I agree 100% with Lew on this topic, but I would add that on Carnival, not only are children's programs superior, but almost all "fun" that involves physical ability.
For example, you will not find the active pool games on HAL as you will on survivor. On the last Carnival ship that I cruised they had a "survivor" game where people were running around and knocking each other off balance beams into the pool. This type of activity would never take place on a HAL ship.
In general the stereotype that Carnival is for "walmart" shoppers is more true when it comes to the 3 and 4 day cruises.
When you talk about the 7 and 10 day cruises, most of that cheapskate group cannot afford the longer cruises (regardless of the cruiseline) and thus that group of people will not be as much of a factor.
I would not suggest that you take a 3 day Carnival cruise if you like things calm and relaxed and posh. However, a 7 day cruise on the Carnival Pride is a whole nother story.
For example, you will not find the active pool games on HAL as you will on survivor. On the last Carnival ship that I cruised they had a "survivor" game where people were running around and knocking each other off balance beams into the pool. This type of activity would never take place on a HAL ship.
In general the stereotype that Carnival is for "walmart" shoppers is more true when it comes to the 3 and 4 day cruises.
When you talk about the 7 and 10 day cruises, most of that cheapskate group cannot afford the longer cruises (regardless of the cruiseline) and thus that group of people will not be as much of a factor.
I would not suggest that you take a 3 day Carnival cruise if you like things calm and relaxed and posh. However, a 7 day cruise on the Carnival Pride is a whole nother story.