I Tried a Carnival Cruise and It Wasn't What I Expected
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- Опубліковано 23 вер 2024
- Every year 2 and a half million people take a Carnival cruise and for years I’ve wanted to try it for myself.
My cabin review video is live! Watch this next: • I Booked The CHEAPEST ... 😀
Most of the news about Carnival cruises sounds like something like: ‘Carnival cruise fight’ ‘Carnival cruise brawl’ ‘Violent outbreak’ but we all know how one sided the news can be I’ve heard lots of good experiences about Carnival cruises too. I knew it was a gamble, but I hoped that it would pay off.
Carnival describe themselves as being the ‘fun ships’ and I like fun and when I saw a very cheap cruise sailing out of New York City, I knew that I had to give it a go. The cruise that I booked was 7 nights long and visited Canada, I booked the cheapest cabin on the entire ship.
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A Carnival cruise is the last place Id expect to find British people truth be told.
Id prefer royal Caribbean over carnival, carnival is too… sketchy. Plus royals private islands and resorts are GREAT
Wth. $8 a day for soda!!! That is so ex!!!
Hi Emma, are you allowed to go round taking photos/videos with your own dslr camera on ship?
@@rehan2118 Yesss no problem, obviously don't stick it in peoples faces but as long as you're polite to others totally fine :)
If you cruise Carnival again, you can contact the Special Needs department before the cruise to let them know you are vegetarian. Then on the cruise, you would meet with your headwaiter or your dining room host and they'd go over the menu with you in advance to plan your dining room meals. They can make some changes in preparations and ingredients, so you'd have more options than the usual one or two vegetarian options on the standard menus.
Thank you for explaining that. I’ve taken one cruise since going vegetarian and was disappointed by the Dining room offerings. Due to cruise again soon and will try your suggestions.
I agree we did this for my sister in law who could not have any gluten and they made special things for her the whole trip that she loved.
@@EmmaCruises I agree, it seems very backward to me
So glad you liked it. Going on this itinerary next year with the family and gf wants to see the reversing River. Maybe not now. Lol
Thanks for the review and can’t wait to check out your other videos on this trip.
@@patricktaylor5981 that’s the spirit Patrick! 🙄
I have sailed Carnival 13 times, and then actually worked on board for them for 6 years. Loved it as a guest, and as an employee, they were the best employer I have ever worked for. I can't say enought good things about them from both perspectives.
What job did you do on board, and which ships? I’ve been considering working for Carnival, it will be my first time working on a cruise.
Nope. Carnival is still awful; the tackiest ships at sea.
@@bayousbambino427 isn't that the idea? You sound old
@@bayousbambino427 sounds like you’re just projecting what you are so you think that’s what carnival is.
@@Renee5 Sounds like you don't know what "projecting" means.
As a Photographer, friends have always suggested that I apply to be a cruise Photographer for a summer but this confirms my reservations about it. I HATE making people feeling uncomfortable or put upon, so I would not only hate my job but probably make nothing lol
... just do what you can do very well ... the money will find you ...
Cruise ships do not hire people for only a "summer" job. They require a much longer commitment: in some cases up to a year long contract. Also "photogs" work very long hours and make very little money. I have often head bartenders on land say how much they would like to work on a cruise ship "for a while," not having any idea that the hours compared to land will triple and their pay will be half, at least. Best wishes!
@everkief8650 Yes, pay is less, but room and board are paid for.
I’m a photographer too and in my twenties inquired about one of those jobs. They told me no American has ever done it- the pay is next to nothing, the hours long, and the accommodations cramped. There’s a reason they recruit from politically unstable areas with people who are desperate.
I took my 90yr old grandma for her birthday on a 7-day western Caribbean cruise from Ft. Lauderdale. It was fantastic!!! She LOVED it. It was a 2yr old ship, big, beautiful, modern, just amazing!!! Omg, I would totally recommend it. Oh! We weren't harassed on board to buy junk.
I've sailed Carnival, Holland, Royal, and Princess, in that order. I find cruises to be more similar than different, and I can cruise a lot more when the cruise costs $400 for base fare instead of $1299. But to each their own.
Spot on. Carnival is that 'weekend or week away on a budget, not too much planning and have a bit of fun' line. If you want formal nights, quiet service and select food then you have to up your budget and look elsewhere. More Spring break, less 30th Anniversary ;-)
I lived on St. Thomas for 11 years and for 2 years I was involved in tours directly from the ships. What became incredibly obvious was there are types of people who take certain cruises. For example celebrity lines were the worst by far. Those were people who wanted to be rich but were not. More often than not a 35 to 50 person tour with 5 to 6 guids involved would get $0 tip. Norwegian lines had people that were wealthy so they were crazy demanding and rarely tipped. Then there is carnival lines.... They are the nicest most gracious and great tippers. You could tell generally carnival cruisers didn't seem to be wealthy compared to others but the quality of people was vastly better. Our single day record at the time was 258 people on tour. Personally I would take a cruise. More fun flying in to a place and getting to know it.
@Life with Rob maybe this person doesn’t have direct personal experience with RC cruisers so didn’t comment for that reason. Unlike you who seems to be looking for a fight.
I love St Thomas altho haven't been in years. I worked on cruise ship back in the day.
@stj971 I met a lot of great people from the ships. The shore excursion directors are always fun. New some jewelry sales people who lived on STT. It's an interesting place for sure.
Does that speak to Carnival being almost all Americans on board?
@overcommunikate Well the general consensus among us guids was that they were not rich nor wanted to be rich. A lot of the wealthy guessed had been all over the world on cruises or flights. So what we were doing was not always interesting to a well traveled person. But a poor person like myself my never get a vacation in their life. So many times it was the first time out of their home state or off the mainland US. So they were excited and didn't come with all these expectations. Just show up and enjoy the day and soak up the sun. One big guy had the same job for 46 years. He retired and his company gave him the cruise as a gift. He had only left Ohio 1 time for work in his whole 60 years. To this day him and his wife were my absolute favorite guest ever.
My wife and I were on this cruise last month and it sounds like it may have been the week after your journey. You made a brief mention about the Cruise Director Ryan Rose. I've never seen a CD like him; he was involved in literally EVERY event and was so fun and engaging. I gave him huge props on the after-cruise survey.
That is pretty typical of CD's @ Carnival. By about 1/4 of the way through our cruise to Mexico with Carnival I could pick out our CD's voice and image like an old friend.
My first ever CD was Ryan Rose on Victory in 2018. He was everywhere.
Ryan is so fun
Ryan was a blast and really added fun to an already fun experience. My wife and I are in our 50's and absolutely love the party feel we see on board Carnival ships. Of the cruises we've been on, Ryan was number one as CD.
I have been on three carnival cruises in the last year, seven over all.. The CD job has become a lot more involved lately, they are everywhere, all the time.. I don't know when they sleep.
I think people forget that you can just book a cruise from New York instead of having to go down to Florida for one. I've never been on a Carnival cruise, but I've done Royal Caribbean out of Cape Liberty across the harbor in Bayonne, NJ for a Bermuda cruise on the Anthem of the Seas and it was great. I loved sailing out of NY because of the amazing views of the skyline on both sides of the river, the Statue of Liberty, and going under the Verrazano Bridge.
Also yeah, NYC is a loud city. I'm autistic and while we are known for our sensitivity, I on the other hand have no problem in that regard because of all my trips to the city to the point that I'm just used to it. Trust me, we don't care how loud it is, New Yorkers have places to be.
Colder in ny
Cape liberty is a dump .RCCL is a classless company. Booked a suite on Anthem , they nearly ruined my life. Tried getting an attorney to litigate on contingency, still waiting . Had cruised for over 20 years on most lines. Just retired as a physician , they made me want to never cruise again. Just now 3 yrs later , starting to think about it.
Emma, I’m glad you enjoyed NY harbor. I used to sail a sailboat from Jersey, among the Staten Island ferry, the NJ ferries, and yes cruise ships.
You’re not autistic.
i have autism too but i was born in nyc and lived there for 10 years.. altho we moved cuz of a fire :(
We have over 350 days aboard everything from Crystal to Carnival and the type of atmosphere on a ship is more related to the destination and most importantly the length of the cruise. A lot of first time cruisers make the mistake of choosing a 3,4,5 day cruise because they don't want to commit to a longer period without knowing if they are going to like it. This length of cruise is going to be attractive to the party crowd, weekend warriors and families. They more often than not will be crazy and packed. If you want to lose most of the kids or have a more relaxing experience with the kids onboard ship, 10+ days is the key, the ship will attract more experienced cruisers and the energy onboard will be more relaxed with less lines and no fighting for that deck chair. We cruised a few years ago on Carnival Breeze after having not been on Carnival for years, we really enjoyed it, but on a 14 day Circle Caribbean. Remember, Carnival just about invented modern day cruising and owns over 100 ships across their brands. They know what they are doing as far as the cruise experience.
In my experience if you cruise during the time of year when kids are in school, you won't see many kids on your cruise. And that includes four day carnival cruises I've taken. But I agree taking LONG cruises is also good way to weed out the kids.
@@cruiselifeeric I agree, also there is nothing wrong with kids aboard, it's just the ratio/concentration, I am a parent to grown kid. Carnival has some great new ships, people just need to choose wisely.
@@mcsvls usually, one can avoid kids if one chooses to cruise while kids are in school. Can’t stand kids but the parents are worse!
We've only taken 7-day cruises. We have to fly to the port, so no way are we taking a shorter cruise. They aren't worth it.
I’ve been on Carnival 3 times and I loved it every time. They even let us take our own soda on board so we didn’t buy the soda package. I’m glad you highlighted that for the price, it’s impossible to do all of what the boat offers for the same price on land. I’ve never had any problems with guests on Carnival and there are tons of quiet places too. That being said, interestingly, the best party I’ve ever been to was the 4th of July party on the top deck. Crazy how I had more fun there than some college frat parties I love how the cruise directors really try to entertain and put on a show
I've taken 2 Carnival cruises - one from Tampa and one from Miami - both to Mexico - had a wonderful time on each - - one inside cabin and one with a balcony - if you're up for fun and enjoyment - you'll love Carnival - very reasonable fares too - I cant wait till i book my next adventure
I’ve been on 4 and loved them all.
Was on a carnival cruise over new years and it was by far the best new years party of my life and for the majority of the people on that boat, everyone was super into it and carnival did a great job running the party. It also helped they were giving everyone several glasses of champagne for free
... think of the ship ( and all there is to do ) as your destination ... not every port ... well OK 2 ports...
Emma has such a lovely way of describing cruises and the illustrations are excellent. The on spot commentary and her smile are a great bonus. A wonderful way of learning about cruises if your contemplating one I haven’t been on a cruise in over 30 years. Now I’m thinking it’s time for one again!
So nice to hear. I absolutely love Carnival, it’s such a fun atmosphere and they always make you feel like life is a party ❤️
I have taken over 25 cruises with Carnival. It is for me my preferred cruise line. Your description of your cruise was very accurate. Carnival is by far "The Fun Ship". in a few weeks, my wife and I will be in your country taking a 14 days cruise with the newest ship Celebration sailing from Southampton back to Miami. Thank you for your video. It was "Fun" to watch.
I will be on that cruise also!! My birthday is 11/05 so it only made since to set it off on an inaugural cruise
@@christopherhatchell8440 Look for me. I'm in a wheelchair with a very cool electric attachment that convert my wheelchair into a very nice scooter.
@@fidelraul3192 We need an update! Lol... Did you manage to meet up? Hope you both enjoyed the cruise.
@@Justicia007 The cruise was fantastic and no we never met. there were 5,000 passagers.
The sanitizing bit spoke to me. We were on a Celebrity cruise in August, and I have never experienced less hand sanitizing as on that cruise. On Royal they would just squirt in into your hands before entering the main dining room, and that was before the pandemic. So this made zero sense why it wasn't mandatory now.
Yess! I’m on MSC now and they always are there with the bottle. 😅
Just got off royal. They now have sinks in the buffet and you have to wash your hands before entering. We didn't eat in the MDR so not sure
@@jessigirlrae1688 sinks have been in the Windjammer for 10years. And systematic added to older ships.
To each their own. I wash my hands after bathroom visits even when alone at home, but if a host is going to watch me sanitize before allowing me is, I'll just skip the meal. To me, it's severely insulting and scientificly bogus.
If we sanitize enough and live in a clean laboratory...we'll be sicker than when living a bit. Kids (ages 0 to 110) who play outside in the mud just don't get sick as much, or as badly. Immune system is a real thing, but out of style. To me, there is nothing more sacred than the immune system. Doesn't mean I want people shouting over my plate, that's another thing of course.
... you have to washie washie every time remember your health IS your responsibility ....NCL had a guy ...
Hey Emma, not sure if you read the comments but I wanted to say thank you for sharing these vlogs as well as your families journeys.
I'm not even sure how I found your channel but the last few days have been wonderful going through your experiences.
I'm close to the end of my time. Not being able to do anything except lie down has given me time to experience this. Never having the chance like going on a cruise has been something I found myself thinking about.
You brought me that in the best way you could and I'm grateful to you for that. Your friendly, modest, and a joy to watch as well as listen too. The food on these cruises look so so amazing, especially those burgers you like to show lol.
Take care, Emma and I wish you the best!
Hey Daniel. thanks so much for this lovely comment I really appreciate it. Thanks for watching and taking the time to let me know.
@@EmmaCruises You're welcome, Emma. Be safe and have fun out there.
@@EmmaCruises At least they didn't cancel this one on you !! 😜
I sailed the Carnival Breeze from 26 September to 1 October in the Caribbean, and Ian absolutely had an effect on the water. The staff was even saying it was some of the roughest water they'd ever dealt with. They even struggled to balance at times. But, even with that, it was an amazing first cruise, and the combination of entertainment, food, and ambiance, are all factors in why I already booked another with Carnival.
Love the Breeze, been on her twice and the Dream once.
Lowest promenade deck can be closed because of funerals or "celebration of life" It's really beautiful family gathers with a representative for the captain and other staff, to lower the ashes of grandma into the ocean. I know it's not totally party and fun. But Gramms is cruising forever, and the family have a good time cruising and remembering all the fun of Grandma.
(American) Whenever I've cruised always with Carnival my family always tips our waiter cash money on the last day! As well as some other staff like the crew that clean our rooms & bartenders that would regularly serve us, cruise director and helpers, etc! We have the automatic gratuities on as well! I feel like it's an American thing because a lot of people who work above and beyond often don't get paid much so we always tip extremely well! That just carried over into the our cruises! Plus I think that that's how Americans show gratitude and thanks for always taking care of them!
(I should say we are always polite & say thank you 24/7 at least for my family)
My wife and I do the same! As we continue to cruise, it becomes easier and easier to see which staff members deserve a small token of appreciation for being beautiful people inside and out. Having worked in service before, I hope to never forget the feeling of an unexpected tip (no matter the $) and a simple thank you ☺️
Canadian here, been on 3 so far and we do this as well. Those those stand work their asses off and always show an amazing attitude they honestly deserve more
Thanks for your even-handed, trustworthy assessment. I don't understand Carnival's bad reputation, but we've never had a bad experience on a Carnival ship. Granted, we generally sail when kids are in school so I imagine we experience a different crowd than summer/spring break. Carnival's not our top choice, but for the price, and the fun, it's hard to beat!
Ive been on quite a few too and have never understood the bad rep, but from what i understand most of the issues people have is with frequency of ship issues and things of the sort
I think having "boring" Canada as the destination also played a big role :)
Recently took my first Carnival cruise on the Mardi Gras. I was worried how it would go based on all the negative videos and comments on social media. Happy to say the cruise far exceeded my expectations. The sail away party was so much fun, the food in the MDR was very good, certainly on par with Princess MDR food, the cabin was laid out better than most cruise lines, and the service was outstanding,. I thought the production shows were a grade above a high school musical and the buffet was eh. But during dinner you knew what time it was.......showtime!! I had a great time on my Carnival cruise
Who was the cruise director because I just got off the Mardi Gras about 7 hours ago and our director was Kyndall Fire,that was her name
@@dinoboy2574 My cruise director on the Mardi Gras in Sept was the Flying Scotsman
DD and I were dissatisfied with the Mardi Gras. It was loud in all public areas. Also the elevators were too small bases on the occupants. Most people were rude getting on the elevators rushing from the hallways to in front of those waiting. The food options were not very good (we did not make Emeril’s). We found the best food in the MDR. All were prepared well and at the right temperature. The service was impeccable! The Casino was surprisingly empty. I had fun at the craps table and everyone was kind, not rude. Wish I had gone there earlier. The crew there were very helpful.
@@sandranoyd9576 it’s true, Carnival is more for “Party People”, try NCL or RC if u want something more quiet
The only cruise I've ever taken was a Carnival cruise, ~15 years ago. Every time I consider taking another cruise, I just think back to that one, and book a resort. Not sure why youtube decided to start recommending your videos, but I'm enjoying them more than cruises.👍
Totally agree! I enjoy her videos more than being scrunched in a coffee can with too many people. I did try twice and... cruises are not for me. Maybe if I had a huge cabin or one w a balcony to retreat to? Maybe. 🎉
Carnival Cruise Line … Dollar General of the Seas.
@@robertcold4669More like Compton/Harlem of the Seas.
@@angiepatterson6338how would you know, you been to Compton or Harlem?
@@robertcold4669 you look like you belong in dollar general.
Ryan the cruise director was AMAZING!! I went in the Magic in July. One of the most kind hearted guys out there who truly made sure guests feel like family.
Emma, I have just watched several of your videos for the first time. You do an absolutely outstanding job of presenting interesting facts and anecdotes about the cruises and cruise lines! Your comments are well-presented, informative, entertaining, and very useful! Thank you for taking the time to do this!
Thanks so much, appreciate it :)
I have done 3 cruises with Carnival, and have another scheduled for next June. I chose Carnival because you don't have to rich to afford to cruise. I like they are family friendly and have Camp Ocean to give parents a bit of a break at times. The staff are excellent and super nice. My husband is a Veteran and the honor them. It means so much to him. My family will probably always be faithful to Carnival.
Sounds like fun, never thought I'd be attracted to a Carnival cruise but I actually now want to do this one. Thanks--great review.
Excellent video. I've never cruised with Carnival and this was a really great look at what one of their cruises is all about. I really love how you manage to be entertaining and yet still so informative. I'm still not sure whether they're the type of cruise I'd enjoy, but I definitely feel a lot more informed and knowledgeable now than I was before watching this!
Thanks so much Jonathan, appreciate it! PS, love how you typed this before it's live. Enjoying those Patreon perks haha. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Longer cruises that are six days or more have a different crowd. Short cruises are the ones college students and families with kids usually take. I like Carnival but I'm taking a 7 day on a new ship
@@EmmaCruises ... your the best Emma ... smoothie sailing always ...
Hi Emma, one of the reasons why the casino was always full is that the certain amount of guests are preinvited to cruise and most of them they receive like free cruise, or they are paying small amount of money for the cruise just because they are casino players.I worked in the Casino for the Carnival company for 4 years and i had the privilige to visit and use the guest areas like dining venues, Spa facilities and specialty restaurants, and i can say that Carnival has very good value for money and the oustanding guest service especially the casino staff.
It just like every cruise company is targeting to the specific target segment of cruise ship guests.
Keep cruising and always apreciate the crew for the hard job they are doing to make your cruise special.
Emma, I booked a cruise yesterday... my husband asked "where did you get this idea anyhow?" When I couldn't say for sure, we looked at my internet history. First thing I had done that morning was watch your video!! I had looked at a bunch of different cruise lines but ended up with the best deal on Carnival (7 days Mexican Riveria departing from LA). When I re-watched your video this afternoon, I was shocked - didn't think I was so susceptible to the power of suggestion! Thanks! I've got a vacay to look forward to!! I've been watching a bunch of your other videos to get ready - I'm a first-time cruiser and super excited!!
I'm excited for you! My first cruise was on Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas. But my first time with Carnival was on their Dream ship back in Oct 2019 with my mom and younger brother.
It was a great time until I got seasick on the last day (it was a rocky sea day) lol 😅. I'd recommend taking something for motion sickness before getting on the ship just in case if you're prone to it. And next day without to see how your body copes with the motions of the sea 🙂.
Anyway I hope you and your husband have an awesome time & adventure on your first cruise 😁!
Hi Ms. Bee 🐝👋🏼. My name is Olga. I see you are going on your first Carnival cruise. You are in for a treat! I would love to share some packing tips and other things you may find helpful. Just let me know if you’re interested. I know you will have a ball! 🤗
Hi Emma, I am pleased that you find us Canadians just the best and wanted to let you know that you are the kind of people we Canadians find the best as well! Please visit us more often not during a hurricane! Cheers!
We are platinum cruisers on Carnaval, which means we have more than 10 cruises with that line. The food on Carnival is always top notch, the dancing waiters are so much fun, and there is always some to do on the ship. We decided to try Royal Caribbean this year, and we were not impressed with the food, but the ship was spectacular. It seemed a little subdued compared to Carnival. Both lines have their plus and minus. Also, the toilet paper is so thin because of the type of sewer system on the ship.
Wife and I have been on 12 Carnival cruises, and we absolutely love them. Have also cruised on other lines, but we always want to return to Carnival!
I'm a Platinum member on Carnival. My wife and I would generally take at least one cruise a year and most were on Carnival. We always enjoyed ourselves and often took cruises with family and friends. Having them sail out of nearby Long Beach (I live in Orange County) makes it convenient. Their 3-4 night cruises are a great way to relax.
That sounds great! Yah. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Panorama?
I sail Carnival a lot and it's very rare anything happens usually and the odd things I've seen happen have not been the big brawls you hear about. Media definitely over sells how bad the brawling can be. Also now Carnival is implementing a few new fees for people that get into brawls on the cruise ship so hopefully that can deter people from that kind of behavior.
Fantastic summary of your cruise, Emma! We definitely appreciate the value and FUN we get through Carnival. Thank you for the honest review here. Your voice is so nice to listen to, and I just LOVE your accent. Much love from "the other side of the pond", Nancy
Ha ha, thanks so much Nancy. By the end of the edit my own voice drives me NUTS, so I'm glad you like it!! :') Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
I cruised both RCCL and Carnival, and my vote is for RCCL. I’m really not into the “party” atmosphere, and it was pretty tough to find places outside to relax. Too many kids, rude people, and arguments and fights. Cruises cost way too much money to deal with that nonsense.
Thats a large reason why we mainly sail Viking and Princess now.
@@junkiexl86There are nice relaxing cruise lines that don't break the bank like Celebrity.
Very fair review. Glad you gave Carnival a try, others that hate Carnival have never sailed on them, which I think is very funny, I have been on 80 plus cruises from mass market to luxury and for some reason I always go back to Carnival. I think it comes down to the people, both the crew and the other guests onboard. Friendly, fun, eager to meet/interact with others and no judgements. I took my niece on Windstar over the summer to Greece/Italy, fabulous cruise, great service of course. At 1 point my niece said to me, that although the crew was great, they were not as friendly as the crew on Carnival, and I have always thought that as well. My next cruise is on the Horizon in a little over 2 weeks and I am taking my 83 year old mom for her birthday. This will be the largest ship she has been on, but I am sure she will be fine and have a wonderful time. Enjoy your next cruise!
Loved your comment. We love Carnival too. I would like to try another line sometime, but I’m always afraid it wouldn’t be worth it.
@@penelopepitstop762 It is good to try other lines as well. I have been on Royal and NCL as well. I do like RC not a fan of NCL though. I just don't like their customer service TBH. Not going to support them if I don't like how they treat their guests. But that is my opinion on them obviously. Enjoy!
@@emilym3981 how was the food on RCL and NCL? We are hoping to cruise to Alaska on the Princess Discovery in the next year or two.
I’m still new(ish) to cruising, and so I’ve spent *lots* of time watching UA-cam reviews on different lines and ships. I love that you give a more realistic POV of Carnival, because it helps me understand it better. Every cruise line has its own niche, and Carnival definitely has its own. Honestly, even with such a positive and realistic look at what a Carnival cruise is in terms of product, I’m more inclined to steer toward other cruise lines. It’s just a personal preference thing. I don’t have a problem with Carnival at all. Being “the fun ship” it’s most likely not going to “float my boat” in terms of cruising experience. That doesn’t mean I won’t try it out someday. It’s just that I want to focus on what I know works for me. So far, RCL, Princess, and NCL seem to hit the right note for me, so I stick with them. Cruise food is a really big deal for me, and it looks like I would have been very satisfied with the fare shown in this video. Thanks so much for sharing this with us, Emma!
Yes! That’s exactly what I like to read. It isn’t for everybody for sure. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
I've only been on RC cruises but I'm looking to do something new and have been shopping around. I'm so glad you mentioned the deck parties and nightly dancing. That may be some people's thing, but it's certainly not mine. Thank you for helping me avoid a decision that would've annoyed me the entire week.
You need to keep making videos, not for people who have seen them before, but for the people that will end up sailing themselves. You aren't the only cruise channel out there, but you are one of the most informative
Haha, will do. Thank you! 😁❤️
I love it when the waiters dance during dinner! So fun! I and many others get up and dance also, right along with them!
So glad you finally went on a Carnival cruise and had such a smashing good time! :)
OMG! I was also on the Carnival Magic Cruise from (9/24/22-9/30/22) to Bermuda leaving from NYC. I had the same thought you had going to Carnival Magic and had low expectations. But it turned out, I had a blast and loved Carnival Magic! I was dancing and partying away and eating so much food. Hope you still got to enjoy the food there. Yes, I agree that Ryan Rose is the best cruise director ever! He bought so much energy to the crowed and I loved his energy! He is my favorite cruise director!
I was stunned to see my own comment at 1:58 right in the middle of the screen. Thanks Emma! It's also the first time I heard my name pronounced like "pole" so that was a bonus British-ism treat for me.
Hahah, my dads names Paul so used to saying that one!! Loved your comment :')
You made my day. We Pauls rarely get any mention, except that Paul McCartney guy.
@@Paul_Wetor Ha ha. :')
Emma, I'm so glad that you chose to sail with Carnival! They are our favorite! I hope you're doing well my friend! Cheers!
The reversing rapids was pretty cool to see in the afternoon when high tide came it. The rapids rushed just as furious the other way, up stream. Canada is beautiful. Loved our time in Nova Scotia especially.
Just hitting platinum on Carnival. Never an issue but then we don’t walk around with our noses stuck up in the air either. Considered briefly Holland America but almost had a stroke at the price to go to much the same ports of call. One time at Amber Cove we were tied up next to a Holland America ship and instantly named it the ship from Walkerville as that’s all what was coming down the gangway well that and wheelchairs. I’m old, legally blind but not tied down to that level yet! Looking forward to our 4 weeks on Carnival Sunrise and the new Celebration this winter. Glad to hear you liked Carnival, they have made quite a few changes and cutbacks over the years such as no table cloths in the dining room except for formal nights, no chocolate on your bed at night or little gifts in the bathroom on embarkation. But that’s ok as long as it helps to keep the price down. Btw, try the Indian vegetarian choice in the mdr as it’s pretty good. Cruise to Canada? Not likely for me, when you live here you want to get away from the weather and get to somewhere warm! Cheers🍻
That seems fun to me! Totally understand that :") Cheers!
I’ve mostly cruised on Carnival, twice on the Magic. I love the excitement and especially the cruise fares. The line isn’t for everyone and thank goodness there are a lot of choices.
Great video as always, Emma! Thanks for sharing. I've been on a good number of carnival cruises, and while they are not without their faults I've always had a great time. One thing I do find funny about carnival is how different their newer ships are from their older ships in design and quality. If you ever have a chance - I suggest checking out the Mardi Gras or upcoming Celebration ships. Carnival really went in a lot of new directions with these.
Always cruises carnival so I can’t compare other lines till I cruise them. Your review was spot on I have actually sailed on magic before! She was the last ship on that class to have all the disco style interior! He sister the breeze came out couple years later with a much toned down interior!
I love the carnival magic. I’ve sailed with her twice, most recently in December of 21. It was my first cruise since the pandemic, and it was wonderful. I think the ship is just the right size!
As someone from Saint John, can confirm locals don't understand why tourists flock to the Reversing Rapids. I will say it is cool to see as the tides are changing, but it's hard to time it well. Unfortunately, most of southern New Brunswick tourist attractions are very dependent on the tides (Reversing Rapids, Hopewell Rocks, Ministers Island, Campobello lighthouse, Sea Caves, etc)
Loved your review on your first Carnival cruise! We have only sailed on Carnival (all 20 of our cruises) and actually sailed on the Magic out of NYC in July. We are glad you did a honest review and that you did enjoy yourself! I do agree about the vegetarian options, I'm not one but they should have more options (and put it on the menu if they have it..) We absolutely loved Ryan Rose the Cruise Director! So down to earth and fun. If you do happen to do another Carnival cruise, consider the newer ships (Mardi Gras or the upcoming Celebration). The Mardi Gras was amazing! Thanks for sharing!
We loved the Mardi Gras and thought Lee was a great cruise director! Cruising on the Jubilee in 2024! 🎉
When it comes to cruise ships, we have the 만경봉 (Mangyeongbong) 92. Built in 1992 (hence 92) using funds from the Chongryon (Koreans affiliated with the DPRK in Japan), it was once used to transport cargo as well as the Chongryon themselves between Japan and the DPRK. But after it was banned from Japanese waters in 2006, it became a cruise ship for Chinese tourists from Rason to Mount Kumgang. It was last used in 2018 to carry a 140-person strong orchestra to Mukho in the south for the 2018 Winter Olympics
Thank you for the knowledge all-glorious leader.
The cruise was truly the pinnacle of cruising alive.
😑
I've done Carnival twice, pre-pandemic. Alway dinnered in main dining room, and they made something nice veg for me without any pre-arrangement. But maybe things have changed. - And, yes, hard to avoid the casino (and photographers). Good for you, taking your winnings and walking!
I love Carnival and I always love hearing how other's experience it, especially since it was your first time! Great vid as always :D
Thanks lots! :)
My wife and I have done that Canada cruise twice. Both St John and Halifax are wonderful places to visit. I'm not surprised that you had a great time. We certainly did! Carnival isn't my favorite line but they're not bad. There's plenty of room and plenty of activities to pick from and plenty of space to just hang out if none of the activities are to your liking. I've also never seen any fights or other such behavior on Carnival. Thanks for the vid!
I live just outside of Saint John 🙂
1) I’m glad that you enjoyed our city!
2) when I saw the Hurricane Fiona warnings, my heart dropped. 2 years later and there is still a lot of visible damage from Fiona especially in Nova Scotia (where there were bad wildfires in Halifax 9 months later, in part due to all of the dead trees lying on the ground) and on PEI. I’m glad that, apart from rain, your cruise wasn’t too badly impacted!
Only been on a couple of Carnival cruises but always impressed by the presentation, taste and vairety of foods available!
The curtain problem was legit. I just cruised on the Magic and it must have been the cruise directly after yours! I couldn't figure out what was going on with the shows, but later heard there was a technical issue with the curtain. Halfway through, they finally were able to get it fixed and resumed the shows as they should have been 😊
Ooo! Good to know, rhanks❤🎉
I am a loyal Carnival Cruiser and I think that Carnival has an undeserved reputation as the Walmart of cruising! I've never been on any other cruise line, however, I have conducted numerous interviews with Carnival passengers who have sailed with other more expensive cruise lines, and they have unanimously said that Carnival ships are the most fun! Yes, I know that the food on other cruise lines is much better, however, I am fine with the quality of the food on Carnival. Hey, ignorance is bliss! I live in Southern California and I choose to only sail out of Long Beach California for convenience's sake but my cruise ship choices are very limited unlike sailing out of the east coast. I've sailed over 70 sea days with Carnival and I have yet to see a brawl on board! Because of my continued loyalty to Carnival, I have been awarded heavily discounted cruise fares of up to 70% off and sometimes, free cabins! I will continue cruising with Carnival because of the affordable fares, convenience, super friendly crew members and the fun "Carnival" atmosphere!
Seems to me Carnival is the most "fun" but the rowdiest as well. I even read some were selling narcotics. If you haven't been to other cruise lines, then you can't really compare. We've tried 5 lines so far, my favorite is RC and Celebrity. Celebrity is a lot of fun too, there were hilarious games, but not crowded nor rowdy.
YAYYY!!! You liked your Carnival cruise! And more than you expected, my favorite part was when you said how nice everyone was and that you actually only witnessed bad behavior on multiple other lines you've been on and how you would happily bring your family on a Carnival cruise! They get such an unfair reputation and most of the time from people who have never sailed on Carnival before but now you have and you're very well known in the cruise fan universe so thank you for helping to brake the negative perception of Carnival. And I was honored my little short comment made it to your video opening lol 🤗 I hope you do more cruises on Carnival in the future, I recommend the Horizon and the Mardi Gras or their sister ships for you to try next. 😁
Oh yes I’d love that! Hopefully one day. Thanks lots 🎉❤
Yes, everyone on the cruise is just so sweet.
I believe the rowdier crowds are generally on the shorter "booze cruises" and not the longer 6-7 day+ ones
@@niuhuskieguy I believe so as well, I think the reason Carnival appears as the worst offender is because they offer the most 2-4 day cruises than all of the other lines and they are very inexpensive, if that was true of Royal Caribbean then they would have the most incidents. Math is the reason why, simply a ton more of the "cheap crowd" goes on those sailings on the cruise line that has the most options... If the Carnival haters actually tried a 6+ night cruise on Carnival like Emma did they would be as pleasantly surprised as she was.
I live near the Tampa cruise port (about $20 cab ride away) so we’ve gone on the Carnival Paradise a couple times with another scheduled next month. It’s a very different animal in that I call it the chill ship. Yea, there’s socializing and lots to do, but it’s also easy to do sit, read, drink coffee. Lots of sitting space on the paradise blvd. On our most recent cruise the food had improved so much over the previous cruise. We were very impressed! And we loved the app that tells you when to head toward your table. Bingo was HUGE on the ship. They had some really good cocktail lounge musicians as well as the MainStage performances. Small ship so not crowded and there are excellent deals.
Canadians really are the best. Love ‘em😊
I went on a Carnival cruise called the Carnival Conquest once when I was ten and I enjoyed it. One of our stops was Jamaica, but my parents didn’t like it. One downside was that the ship’s golf course was always closed.
Emma
Another great review with respect for the Carnival culture. Having cruised on the Magic a couple of times we really like the fact that they have a 2nd non smoking Casino on deck 4. One time while in port, we spotted the photographers enjoying time off the ship. I approached them and ask if they wanted pictures taken. They all laughed and then politely posed for a group picture. Cheerio
🤣🤣🤣
I am so happy you finally tried carnival. I know it is not what you are used to, but i am happy you enjoyed it and it was not what you expected. Yes that ship has the older decor, but i still enjoyed it. I love the newer decor on the newer ships, it was much more modern. It is the fun ship and its just fun to enjoy sometimes watching the people and events. I have been on 100 days with them and I still enjoy. Yes the price is nice most of the time and makes it so much easier to get to vacation. Still so happy you tried it out!!!
Thanks Jesse!! I'm happy you're happy I tried it. Haha :)
As an American, I can explain tipping in cash. If you tip on card it all gets automatically reported, and the staff pays tax on it. If you tip in cash, they can report a lower number and pay less tax. Pretty much every restaurant does this even though you are not supposed to.
21:31 "I have never seen such a busy casino"
WELCOME TO AMERICA lol
Carnival perfected the low fare cruising; the 3-5 day voyages often have low prices and therefore attract a certain crowd. The Wal-Mart of the seas. HOWEVER - I have friends who swear by them, and once you get in thier top tier/frequent VIP clubs…. I’ve heard it’s just as nice and perks equal any other line out there. +2, as with all cruise lines they’re constantly competing to put out new bigger and better ships. Carnival has a very aggressive fleet modernization program going on. The new ships are absolutely stunningly beautiful. I hope they stay that way lol.
The Wal Mart of cruises. That’s exactly how I described it. Been on Royal Caribbean and Norwegian, never Carnival. Not yet anyway. Going next year.
@@LostSox I really am so sick of you snobs, and your attitudes! You THINK you know how Carnival is, but you really don't know until you have tried it. I am not wealthy, but I have very poor friends, as well as very well off friends. I see no difference between them, except for their income. Btw, I have seen MANY expensive vehicles in the Walmart parking lots, when I have had the occasion to visit. Most really wealthy people didn't get that way by squandering their money foolishly. You go ahead, you be YOU, just don't expect me to have any respect for you.
@@LostSox Wal-Mart canada isn’t as trashy as Wal-Mart USA!
@@fluffytail6355 pick the Canadian equivalent then. We all understand the hierarchy. That said, I nor the OP aren’t saying they wouldn’t cruise Carnaval.
The waiters dancing is so bizarre 😂 I don’t know if I would love it
It's a lot of fun!
It would make me feel extremely awkward. Just from that, I can tell this isn't the cruise line for me
I really liked this video since I'm an avid cruiser and took ONE Carnival Cruise with similar conclusions. The worst part for me was the smoking area poolside. I'm a smoker (I know) and was resigned to spend some time in that area. It was not cleaned or maintained, the bar area did not offer table service, and the line for drinks was always long. It was near a buffet so the tables were always stacked with other peoples' dirty dishes with uneaten food and nasty napkins. The rare times I saw staff in the area was to distinguish fires (just smoke, really) in the overflowing ashtrays. The music in that area was too loud for conversation, and I was surrounded by "The People of Walmart". The public areas were decorated like casinos in Vegas. The ship felt over-crowded and under-staffed. It was a really, really bad experience. I recommend spending a few dollars more for a cruise line that'll leave you with good memories.
Finally a comment that accurately reflects Carnival and this particular cruise. I took my family on this exact cruise about 5-6 years ago and it was so bad, I tried to rent a car once we arrived to St. John and drive back to NJ but no cars available so we had to stay on the boat until the end. I/we felt we were on a floating Walmart. One pool was empty and the other had bandaids floating in it. I've never seen so many gluttons in one place at the same time. Never again!!!
16:07 "Hurricane Fiona CARNIVAL MAGIC" bahahahaha
Thank you for the reminders of the wonderful memorial cruise that Carnival provided for my family . We had a good experience also. ❤
I'm so glad you mentioned that you weren't sure about the ship and how busy it felt when you came on. We did a carnival cruise several years back and found the same thing. We were used to a more sedate interior and while the ship was still beautiful it just jarred a little because there was so much "bling" if that makes any sense. The constant events and activities also started to impinge a little if you just wanted to do something quiet. In the end we just resorted to returning to our cabin to reset.
With the tipping, we noticed the same thing and it's probably an American thing because they were doing the same thing on ours, which was a repositioning run out of Hawaii, but it was primarily those with an American accent doing it. We do the automatic gratuities but still tend to give out an envelope at the end of the cruise to individual crew member that we deal with directly, mainly the wait staff in the main restaurant and our room steward.
We've tried the anytime dining ourselves and while it was good to eat whenever we wanted, we now go with a fixed booking. The reason for this is it allowed us to bond with the staff for our area. By the time our last cruise finished we'd shared our various life stories with our waiters and had seen photo's of their kids and even done a shore excursion with them. Just let us make some great friends on the ship. Can't praise the crew enough on these ships.
With your drinks. Have you ever considered bringing on a carton of your soft drink on boarding or after a shore day? We usually bring on a 24 pack and throw a couple in the fridge to drink instead of buying them on board. Though we're not doing it on the next one as we qualified for a free drinks package.
The shows you had was a surprise, the ones we got on Carnival were quite involved productions. +1 for aisle seats!
A bit off put by the buffet report with the sanatisers. Might be worth throwing in a packet of hand wipes to take along if you're that worried, we will be.
Still waiting for you to come down under to experience the south pacific runs.
I have been on NCL, Royal Caribbean and Carnival. Carnival is hands down, my favorite!!! Great video, well done! Thank you!
Thanks Emma, we have our first Carnival in 2024 and you've removed a lot of the possible concerns we might have been having. Always happy to give a company a chance.
On which ship?
@@penelopepitstop762, will be the Sunshine out of Charleston before the port closes down to Carnival.
@@robertwalden-hall6759 you’ll have a great time! We’ll be cruising on the Jubilee in 2024. I’ve never had a cruise booked that far in advance before.
@@penelopepitstop762 , you also enjoy your cruise, I tend to book up two years in advance, can choose cabins and get pretty good prices.
I've only ever cruised on Carnival and it was really fun. Great staff, great food, great shows and lot's of friendly fellow cruisers. Edit: I did tip every time I got soda cans and we tipped our waiter every night at dinner. Because we are a tipping society and rather than the automatic tipping charge, which goes into a pot, our cash tips went directly to the person helping/waiting on us.
If you're wondering about those people who handed cash to the waiter, don't worry, they're just Italian.
They have the gratuities automated as well, the cash is for that little bit extra service 😉
We love Carnival, I am not sure why Carnival gets a bad rap. I have cruised 6 times in carnival and loved it each time! We love the energy, liveliness and FUN! It really gets your vacation started. Glad you enjoyed. The food has always been delicious from the main dining room to the buffet and people say other cruise have better food and I was very disappointed on NCL I thought Carnival was much better and a better selection.
carnival gets a bad rap because sad elitists need to convince themselves they are better than others by identifying with certain brands--regardless of reality. I'm ok with it. Keep the old snooty boring people to their overpriced ships filled with "the Walker Dead"
My first cruise was Carnival (Carnival Imagination) and we loved their chocolate melting cake so much they gave us the recipe and not joking, my family and I made it multiple times at home!
I gotta give it to carnival the food was pretty dam good I found, apart from breakfast which was average at best.
Omg the melting chocolate cake is THE BOMB! 😋
I find with Carnival especially, the longer the cruise (8-15 days) the better the food, and the crowd.
The chocolate lava cake brings back so many memories. Best part of a Carnival Cruise. Cheese platter was always awesome too
We were on the same cruise! By the time we got to Nova Scotia, Fiona made the ports a bit uncomfortable but we still had fun. Thank you for mentioning the chocolate chip cookies...my wife doesn't understand my obsession with them. I think it was Thursday night when the buffet ran out and I stole some from the section reserved for the Kids Camp...addictions make you do horrible things. 🤫
Hahaha I love this. Hope you enjoyed! 🎉❤
So glad you enjoyed yourself, I loved my brief time at Carnival! It’s a shame the main theatre shows were concert style, from my experience this is usually when the weather is bad etc so assume something was wrong because the shows are very much full on productions similar to those on Marella. Personally I think Carnival have really nailed the entertainment product but it is very American, designed as you say for maximum interaction. They’re certainly a very different vibe to British lines but definitely bring the fun!
This review sounds so much different than the reality of the 6 Carnival cruises I have done in the last year. But interesting to see the perspective of someone from a different culture!
I as an American mostly been on Carnival, Norwegian, and Holland American cruise lines... Another great tour Emma and I been on that cruise ship, and I had no complaints.. Carnival to me is a fantastic cruise line and they do have great food... Take care have a great day and God bless you Emma...
I love those dancing waiters and table top dancing! I miss it every time on the other stuffier cruise lines! This podcast made me want to sail Carnival again!! So Fun!!
Thank you! 😁❤️
Just cruised to Bermuda out of Baltimore on the Carnival Legend. I have to say - may not be fancy but decent food and great value.
Yeah! Get what you pay for I think :)
Wish they did a transatlantic cruise from Southampton to New York. it would no doubt prove a hit with cruisers who want a party/fun vibe. Could even have a Titanic themed night!
Carnival does have several transatlantic sailings , which are repositioning or christening journeys for certain ships. Not many, but several per year.
@@djtexas4993 Yes, sadly not ideal for people who can't be flexible with holiday/vacation time. If it could be a regular route in the calmer months, it would be great.
@@rm55555 There’s quite a few regular transatlantic routes for several ships, as they all have to go back and forth.
I never understand the Carnival Cruise bashing because I have had marvelous cruises with them since 2012. In fact, the only bad cruise I ever had where I was miserable almost the entire time was on the Royal Caribbean Enchantment of the Seas this year. That was a truly horrible trip. But on Carnival, all my trips were great; even the one where we were trying to outrun a hurricane! I do find that the longer your cruise is, the less likely you are to find bad people on the trip. I read somewhere that the bad behavior people tend to take cruises that are 4 days or less. Not sure how true that is, but all my cruises on Carnival have been 5-9 days and they've been excellent.
Nice to know that and a few other people said the same thing about the longer trips. I have a 7-day coming up in February that I was looking forward to. The three-day I took in April there was no problems on it everybody seemed very relaxed and pleasant. That was out of Long Beach to Ensenada Mexico and back.
So basically Carnival sounds like a Motel 8 on the water, and the food sounds like a Golden Corral every day. I was lucky enough to take a lot of RC cruises in the 90’s and 00’s. I’d never go on Costa or Carnival. They seem like absolute cheap trash. If your going to put money on a cruise, splurge on quality. Its worth it. This is a beautiful vid. She’s a British Samantha Brown and that is a hell of a compliment
ah the typical desperate person who needs to find something to feel superior to others about.
nobody gonna talk bout the waiter that did the floss at 6:13
The cruises to the eastern coast of Canada attract older passengers, I think that explains a lot of things on your cruise. If you take a Carnival cruise in the Caribbean or a 3-day cruise to Mexico from LA, it's going to be mostly young people partying hard (and families with young kids, because they do have a good kids program). I'm glad that you enjoyed your cruise! We can sometimes get a 7-night Mexico cruise from LA on Princess for $499 plus port taxes (about $610 total) which is an amazing deal. It's more my style because I just don't like the 24/7 noise I found on Carnival.
Before I wrote a comment, I came looking to see if anyone beat me to your point. The short trips are the ones to watch out for. From what I have heard from three different couples, be ready for a distinct smell of skunk in the air!
Yes, it is kind of loud on a Carnival ship, but the 7 day Caribbean cruises are not the ones the rowdy College kids go on. They like the cheaper ones, I hear.
@@Stoneham64 That stuff DOES smell a bit skunky! Not fond of it! I smelled it only once or twice on my last cruise.
Our first cruise was on the Carnival Magic when it was new! It was my husband, me, and our 4 kids, who were much younger then. We like Carnival and they’ve always treated us great! Our last cruise was in April on the Mardi Gras. That is now my favorite ship. We normally get balconies but because we had some credit, we splurged and got a suite. With Carnival there are a couple things - I would not cruise on a short cruise or on an older ship. I’m glad you enjoyed your cruise! Next time try the Mardi Gras!
PS - I will admit the MDR food is only mediocre and I don’t like the waiters to sing and dance, but you will never go hungry and there’s no shortage of fun!
PS #2 - Lee is the best cruise director and guess what? He’s British! 😁
You don't like the waiters to sing and dance? Why? I love it. I also love to get up and dance right along with them! Btw, I am in my mid 60s!
I was so glad to hear you enjoyed Saint John! Had I known you were coming my wife would have baked you cookies and we would have chauffeured you where ever you wanted! You’ll have to return after the waterfront construction is complete!
We have sailed 13 times on Carnival out of Galveston, Texas and loved each and every cruise with Carnival. Our disappointments have been few and far in between. We have another coming up in February and then in December 2023. By the by, love your haircut.
there is nothing better than carnival's cove stateroom. you just sit and look at the ocean and heal. beautiful. YOu sure do get your "no thank you" ready to go when on Carnival.
Emma, you need to try one of Carnival New Ships Vista, Horizon, Mardi Gras. They have a different more Modern feel and design compared to there Older Ships. You will enjoy them, I think...
You mean Vista, right? I have been on the Vista at least 2 times. Great ship!
I've sailed 32 cruises on several different lines. My upcoming Transatlantic cruise on the new Carnival Celebration from Southampton to Miami, Fla. will be my 25th Carnival Cruise. JMO - In order to experience a great Carnival Cruise, you need to sail the Southern Caribbean, Panama Canal or the Mexican Riviera. I enjoy your videos, Emma.
i've just got back from my 9th cruise with carnival, just done the Mexican Riviera but loved the South Caribbean one to Aruba better x