My husband started cruising Carnival 23 years ago as a single person. After we married (and the children became a realistic age to cruise) we continued with Carnival with some 12 cruises under our belt as a family since 1998. Hubby has 20+.

The problem is (and how do I address this issue without sounding like a snob) ... I am redneck enough to like karaoke....but not redneck enough to like the rest of the trappings. (to much smoke and to many 50 member family reunions)

Our Carnival cruise ships themselves and staff have been excellent. (with the exception of the kind of guests) We also rotate vacations at The Cloister (Sea Island, Ga) and The Grand Sandestin (Florida) and our cruises are far more fun. However, I am beginning to have a problem with the "quality" of the passengers they attract. I don't know if I am just getting to picky in my old age (50) or what.

Personally, I see "some Carnival ships, not all" going the way of airline travel. I miss the days of air travel that were not a "cattle call".

While I know (due to the budget price) Carnival probably has this problem more than most....are the other lines experiencing similiar problems?

To those who have traveled other lines, could you make some recommendations? I do realize that some ships *even within the Carnival line" are better than others and perhaps this is also the case with other lines. If so, which lines and which ships?

We currently have a cruise set on the Holiday for October (the boys have 4 days free from school) and this was the only trip that matched those days. But to be perfectly honest, I am dreading it.
I love the Holiday as a ship. We have sailed her many times. The staff was small and personal.
But the "guest list" the last time was unbelievable.

We also have a Spring cruise set for the Pride, which I am very much looking forward to. We just got all the sister ship (Spirit) last month in Alaska and had a wonderful time. (Great passengers also)
I am hoping that since the Pride sails from the West coast, there will be an improvement in the "guest list".

In general, the shorter cruises (3-5 days) will have more of a party atmosphere and younger clientele than a longer, more expensive cruise. Your upcoming cruise on HOLIDAY is aboard Carnival's oldest ship, sailing from Mobile, Alabama on a short cruise. Do not get your hopes up too high for a top-quality crowd on this one!

I know you must travel when the kids are out of school, but generally speaking with Carnival, they get the rowdy crowds during summer and holiday weeks--that's when families, kids, and older students are all on board. But no doubt your kids will have a great time!

Your California cruise on the PRIDE should have an "improved" guest list, as you have surmised. For future cruises, try to stay on their newer ships and maybe avoid holiday periods, for a tamer experience.

Princess Idol brings back the passenger talent show and is very good. Plus with Princess you can take advantage of your standing with Carnvial and take advantage of lower prices, upgrades and additional services.

My Wife and i are Elite-Members of Celebrity, you should enroll for this Programme with your 1st Cruise and from that Time you get more Benefits for more Cruises.

The Start of our Cruising was in 1981 with the "Ivan Franco" of the Black Sea Shipping Company from Odessa, Soviet Union.

Until today we have now 45 Cruises done.

Yes, this is exactly why I came on this board. I already know the Carnival experience and needed the experience of other avid cruisers with other lines.

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Originally posted by lhp:
Thank you so much for the input of your experiences.

Yes, this is exactly why I came on this board. I already know the Carnival experience and needed the experience of other avid cruisers with other lines.

Sunviking, I picked up a Princess book yesterday at a local TA. Are you saying that even though my cruises are with Carnival (currently a Platinum level with them) and we would also be a Platinum level at Princess? This would indeed be good news.

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One of the reasons I love to cruise is that I am addicted to karaoke. I have my own system and custom cds....but unfortunately, in the area we live in, you can't go sing karaoke without 1) taking your life in your own hands (rough area or bar) 2) dying from lung cancer 3) driving an hour one way for a session that doesn't start until 10PM 4) all of the above.

So Carnival cruising has always offered a safe, not as smoky (sometimes nonsmoking lounge) where I can do my thing.

However, as I age I am becoming less tolerant of the "typical" Carnival cruiser. I hate to generalize, but most of the cruises we go on are out of Southern ports and sometimes I do not know where they get these people. The 7 day cruises do tend to be better.

I am definately going to look into Princess.... and see if Princess Idol gives me enough of my karaoke fix.