Cruise Talk: The difference in "Luxury Cruise Ships" and Carnival?

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»	Cruise Talk » Cruising 1.0 » The difference in "Luxury Cruise Ships" and Carnival?

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Topic: The difference in "Luxury Cruise Ships" and Carnival?

Katie O'Girl
First Class Passenger
Member # 2704

posted 03-26-2002 10:23 AM

I hate to keep asking new things but once I arrived home from the cruise and rested up I started wondering about some things.
I'd like to know the difference in the European Cruises and the American ones. Or even the difference between the "Luxury Cruise Lines" and the ones like Carnival, etc.
Do they have games and contests on the luxury ones like on Carnival? Are they the same type? Do they have more strict dress codes? I notice on Carnival that people come to eat in their bathing suits at lunch and that surprised me. (Not in the formal dining room but at the buffet.)
I'd like to try something more upscale and elegant but my darling accountant liked the "Glitzy, Las Vegas atmosphere" so much that I'm afraid he won't find it as much fun on another cruise other than a Carnival one now.
What do you think?

Posts: 101 | From: Ireland | Registered: Jan 2002 | IP: Logged

geno-r
First Class Passenger
Member # 931

posted 03-26-2002 04:55 PM

If he like glitzy and Las Vegas type atmosphere, it will be hard to beat Carnival...best to keep the accountant happy

Posts: 549 | From: Mt. Pocono,Pa. Usa | Registered: Nov 1999 | IP: Logged

FloridaLvr
First Class Passenger
Member # 2764

posted 04-08-2002 10:40 PM

Hi!
Going on my first cruise THIS SATURDAY!!!
Why is it so surprising to see people at lunch in their bathing suits? You ARE on a SHIP! Hey, as long as they don't dress like that at dinner-who cares!
Happy Cruising!

Posts: 18 | From: Kansas City, Missouri | Registered: Feb 2002 | IP: Logged

Katie O'Girl
First Class Passenger
Member # 2704

posted 04-08-2002 11:28 PM

At some nicer beach resorts in Europe you just don't wear your bathing suit to lunch. You wear a sundress or just cover up a bit more. There ARE some cruises like this. It's not that I care what anyone thinks but I don't even wear just my bathing suit to lunch. I just wasn't raised to dress that way. I also don't wear torn T shirts, etc, which I did see a lot of on Carnival at lunch. Call me a snob but it IS pretty tacky.

Posts: 101 | From: Ireland | Registered: Jan 2002 | IP: Logged

sympatico
First Class Passenger
Member # 797

posted 04-09-2002 06:07 AM

Katie - agree with you. Even if I eat my lunch by the pool, I still put a cover-up on over my bathing suit. Most people on HAL ships do this. Even at the Lido Buffet, you are to wear a cover-up and shoes, although I have some a few people who ignore the rule. I call them "slobs".

Posts: 3305 | From: Toronto, Ont. Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 04-09-2002 11:31 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Katie O'Girl:
I'd like to know the difference in the European Cruises and the American ones.

I think it is really good to try different lines and different ship - big and small, old and new. Obviously the different lines do tend to offer different experiences and aim their products at different clientele.

The cruise 'experience' can vary a little from ship to ship, even within the same cruise line. For example, you would expect the atmosphere on the SS Norway, an ex-Ocean Liner, to be a little different to a NCL newbuild. I understand that the experience on Cunard's QE2 and Carolina differ.

The experience on a 100,000 ton ship will be very different from one of 25,000 tons - many of us here argue that small is beautiful!

'Glitz' is a very American invention which us Brits do not tend to appreciate - on ships anyway. For example, Cunard and P&O's ships tend to have more tasteful decor - i.e. less oranges and purples!

We tend to like a number of intimate public rooms rather than giant ones! We like to be entertained, but not to be part of the entertainment. We are a little more formal in our dress code. Our tastes in food are a little different too.

Have a look a the various readers reviews, they do give an insight into the different experiences offered by the different lines and ships.

There is so many ships to choose from!

[ 04-09-2002: Message edited by: Malcolm @ cruisepage ]

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

topgun
First Class Passenger
Member # 928

posted 04-09-2002 11:58 AM

Reading Malcolms opinion, it suddenly came home to me how lucky many of us are to be Canadians.

We can freely choose to enjoy the good taste of the UK/European environment or the glitz of the United States if we wish to without disparaging either.

As an example, we shall be on Sunbird shortly and Pacific Princess in the fall. Although neither are extremes, I hope it illustrates our good fortune.

Posts: 759 | From: Burlington ont,canada Cruise center of North America | Registered: Nov 1999 | IP: Logged

cruiseny
First Class Passenger
Member # 2928

posted 04-18-2002 10:24 AM

Hello,

Topgun, you're a Canadian, you're supposed to complain about how weak the CAN$ is rather than congratulate yourself over how you get the best of both worlds ... Actually, in certain things, I tend to differ with typical American tastes - cars, for instance, many of the ones here are simply dumb... Tell me, do you really need a Hum Vee to go to the grocery store? I mean, if it must be military looking, at least go with a Mercedes G-wagen for some class... I do not like fast food, an American invention... I also cannot stand the "gourmet" coffee that is so ultra-strong that it must be ordered as a superdoublemochalattecino with ten week's worth of sugar... Every country has its quirks, us not excepted...

Happy Cruising,
CruiseNY

Posts: 4730 | From: New York, USA | Registered: Mar 2002 | IP: Logged

colt
First Class Passenger
Member # 1215

posted 04-18-2002 11:59 AM

quote:
Originally posted by cruiseny:
... Tell me, do you really need a Hum Vee to go to the grocery store? ...
CruiseNY

In order to survive the scramble on New York City streets, a person might feel a little safer in a humvee?

Posts: 293 | From: Lisbon, Maryland, USA | Registered: Apr 2000 | IP: Logged

cruiseny
First Class Passenger
Member # 2928

posted 04-18-2002 01:01 PM

Hello,

quote:
Originally posted by colt:

In order to survive the scramble on New York City streets, a person might feel a little safer in a humvee?

Actually, Hum Vees don't really fit on some streets in NYC ... Good one though, colt...

Happy Cruising,
CruiseNY

Posts: 4730 | From: New York, USA | Registered: Mar 2002 | IP: Logged

PamM
First Class Passenger
Member # 2127

posted 04-18-2002 04:14 PM

Having no idea what a Humvee was I went asearching.
What a weird looking thing. I have seen a couple when in the US and I honestly thought at the time they were some sort of a kit car. I don't think I would be seen dead in one.

Add a bottom piece and they wouldn't look unlike a 'Duwk' from WWII; perhaps the owners can then cruise to the mall.

Pam

Posts: 12176 | From: Cambridge, UK | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

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