RCCL was a great cruise experience. Also, last year, we went on a Premier cruise and were happy with the activities on board, the dining, and especially the staff who made you feel like a king/queen. I met a woman on that particular Premier cruise, who had just finished taking a Carnival cruise and she informed me...NEVER again with Carnival! We didn't get a chance to get into details, but she said the difference was like night & day. So I find this topic rather interesting.

This message was posted on 1/18/98 and I am amazed that it is still recieving responses. It should have been buried way down at the bottom on the page if not in the archives by now.
It does show the varried opinions about the Carnival Cruise ships by a wide variety of past passengers and onlookers. I have yet to see anything like this about any other cruise line.

It's interesting to hear all the kudos for Holland America and all the complaints for Carnival. Carnival Cruises is actually OWNED by Holland America. If Holland America is more responsive, maybe those of you who have had these Carnival horror stories to share should complain to the CEO of Holland America. From what I've read, I'm surprised lawsuits for breach of contract don't abound against Carnival. I'm sending my folks on a cruise for their aniversary and DEFINATELY won't go Carnival given the word-of-mouth I've found here.

Just to note. We also went on a cruise in March of this year on the Fascination. We had a great time - first cruise so have nothing to compare against. We had a terrible time during the debarkation and our "tour" of San Juan after the cruise. I wrote Carnival a detailed letter outlining everything that went wrong that day. I also provided them with input - both good and bad - regarding their food, entertainment, staff, etc. They did respond and provided us with an incentive to cruise again in the next 2 years. We were pleased that they acknowledged our letter and hopefully will do something about the things we mentioned.

They responded to us too, after several months of letters and pictures that we took of the ship, to show them what we had to endure for the 12 days. They sent us a 25%25 off coupon for a future Carnival Cruise, which I promptly sent back to them. I would not go on another Carnival Ship if it were a free cruise.

We took a Carnival cruise Thanksgiving week. Our teens refused to go back to camp carnival's activities for teens after the first day. Lots of teens were wandering around the ship saying, this is so boring and stupid! The pools were closed most of the time. Karaoke was fun at first.. but every day? My daughter spent half the time reading in the state room. 6 months later, my kids say it was the worst vacation we've ever had! I absolutely loved eating breakfast out on the windy deck... but most of the cruise was a disappointment. If you love dirty jokes, gambling, bare bunned dancers, and getting drunk then Carnival is for you!

Holland American is owned by Carnival, not the other way around.

Note:

Sue also goes by the name of S.A.
She has been going to several board trashing Carnival.
Now if things were so bad on Carnival, how come there have been no lawsuits?
Yet, NCL did not provide air conditioning on the Norwegian Star and immediately got hit with a class action suit.
I guess the bashers can't find a lawyer's telephone or they are simply people who are:
HAPPY TO BE UNHAPPY.

Sara

On Legend of the Seas, the food was so bad, it made going to a cafeteria seem like gourmet. The waiter and cabin steward were pushy insisting that they get a good rating. They both did not. Poor service equals poor rating. Right. Royal Caribbean is over rated.

Joe

You guys think you know it all. Check this out. You think that people who like Carnival are not as smart as you. Well, now you may think that the list of reputable businesses listed below are not as smart as you too. Carnival is like any large company and there will be a small fraction of customers who will have complaints. Your mouths are just louder, so it gives you an impression that you are more that .05%25 of the passengers that sail on Carnival.

These businesses have direct tie-ins with Carnival or recommends then to their readers.

Universal Studios
Busch Gardens
Sea World
Wet & Wild

Modern Bride magazine picked Carnival for best honyemoon cruise value.
Bride magazine did the same.
And now for a sophisticated organization if I may say so myself: World Ocean & Cruise Liner Society, in December 1997, for the 4th year in a row, bestowed on Carnival," Best Cruise Value." In addition, they also elevated Carnival's classification to a 4-star cruise liner.

Now isn't it something that all you bashers are smarter than all of these. WoW.

A little education:

Carnival owns:

Holland America
Windstar
Costa Cruises
Seabourn
Cunard

So only thing to beware of is if Carnival decides to buy Royal Caribbean Internation.

replying to Sara's post....how do you know there are NO lawsuits against Carnival?

Just saw this. I was on the HOLIDAY in September last year. It was on a seminar from Australia. The ship and crew were fabulous. The food was great and everyone had a great time.

There are always stories of bad cruises. P & O in Australia (Princes in US) has had a number of problem. Even QEII has had it's problems.

By the way I do not think Carnival own Cunard. It is a public listed English company.

A reply to mars....well, if there are lawsuits, how come the bashers have not told us about them. Unless, you have filed one yourself.
As soon as the suits were filed against NCL, the new flooded the internet.

In response to Author: Richard ([email protected])
Date: 5/25/1998 2:02 am. I simply say...THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT. Personally I have never been on a cruise yet. I have been searching for an affordable yet delightful one to try. I've done much investigating and have discovered that Carnival does have the best prices on the market. Nevertheless, as the saying goes, or sayings I should say go... "You get what you pay for", or "if it sounds too good to be true then it probably is" Carnival is appearing to live up to that billing. I will in fairness to Carnival admit that I've only heard negative and not experienced. But I can't discount the words of other travelers who have been-there-done that! Magazines and awards mean absolutley nothing, when you have the customers experiences to go on. You must realize that many corporations have a invested interest in certain cruise lines and will say whatever when necessary to protect said interests. Plus Carnival's recieving a "promotion to 4 star liner" or whatever, means what to us as consumers? How many times have you see some one receive a promotion when they really didn't deserve it?? (Perhaps the person bestowing the "stars" went on one of Carnivals "good" criuses) I will continue to look for a great cruise, but I will at this time immediately cross Carnival off my shopping list. The risk is too great.

I have to agree with Clayton. After reading all of these responses, it seems that the ones that this is upsetting, are protesting wayyy too much. When you find someone that will defend a company that has done something wrong, either they have stock in that company or it is because they deal strictly with this company. I would like to know if Sara has ever cruised on any other line? I am not reading where anyone is attempting to talk anyone out of anything, just warning them that when you deal with a cutrate company, expect cut rate services.
The customer is always right is the main issue here. When a company starts getting so large that they don't care about unhappy customers, that company will soon have these problems (class action suits) that are being decussed here. I also understood this to be an informatin/opinion travel site. There are some that need to get off their pedestal and come back to earth where right is right and wrong is wrong! This Carnival debate that I have witnessed throughout the net is very interesting, I must agree that I to have never seen anything like it. But it might be worth searching the internet for class action suits involving the Carnival line.

In reply to John........yes, I have been on 6 cruises. Carnival 1, RCL 2, NCL 2 and Princess 1. I enjoyed Princess the most and Carnival was second. RCL was forgetable.

I have recently been contacted by e-mail from someone that has cruised on the Tropicale and also read on other boards that the Carnival Ship Tropicale has been refurbished. That is wonderful news for future passengers. But still in my opinion does not change the issue that Carnival problems should be settled before disembarking your cruise. As I have stated before, the actual cruise was not the entire issue but the fact that Carnival would not stand behind their services. I have been asked to retract my above statement about the cruise we were on. This ship being refurbished in no way changes what happened to us on Carnival, or the treatment that we received.

Very interesting responses, I have sailed on the tropical aroung 1990, had a great time, didn't find it unkept and nothing out of the ordinary. I have also sailed on RCCL and NCL. Sorry to hear your trip of so dissapointing. Cruises are ineresting and you have to take some things less serriously then others when travelling anywhere, if you look for every bad thing you don't have time to appreciate things that go right. This cruise line markets and sells its cruises line with what I feel is pretty honest, they cater to those who want to have a fun time, basic food, party stuff. They do not advertise gourmet meals and romantic hideaways, I think people really need to study the cruise lines before going on a cruise, not all cruises are ment for everyone. There are times I feel I would not sail on Carnival again and there are time I would it all depends on my mood and state of mind and what I want out of a cruise. I think they have a good product and if they did'nt people would not be cruising with them. I find cruisopinion to be a great site and have found both negative and positive remarks on most ships, its gives you a great guide to choosing a ship, once again look to have fun, not everything can be perfect, and enjoy yourself. Its the attitude you have that brings happiness, don't expect others to make you happy. I will sail on any ship, and find a good time.

I believe some of the concerns aobut criseu lines could be avoided by doing thorough research before booking a cruise. Often complains arise due nothing more to the passenger booking a demographically incorrect ship or cruise. For example, I have spoken with people who think Canrival is the worst thing this side of hades -- they wer in their late 40's and early 50's. Others thought Carnival was the greatest thing since rock music -- they were in their early to mid 20's. the point is different ships are for different folks. The best thing to do is find out the demographics of the curise and ship and book accordingly.

As for service - there is never an excuse for bad behaviour or rude service on a ship. One cruise line has a policy of terminating a waiter/waitress upon receipt of two written complaints. This is ture irrespective of whether the passenger is right or wrong -- the theory is that a good service employee will take care of any problem before it reaches the written complaint stage. I did make a written complaint once - and the reponse was prompt, swift and most satisfactory.