MSC vs Carnival

MSC versus Carnival... the age-old question. Both are thought of on about the same level... But are they really? What does each do very well? And what does each do rather badly?
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[@jackiewilkey]

We are going on the MSC Meraviglia YC in June. This has me more psyched then ever. Thank you for your perspective.

[@Taste-Try-Travel]

Oh have an amazing time!!! We loved this YC and its crew and know you will too! 😊

[@TimothyMichaelPatrickOSullivan]

No one asked, but here are my two cents. Coffee - MSC Drink Package - MSC Drinks - Carnival Bars - Carnival Ships - MSC Included Food (Not MDR) - Carnival MDR - MSC Pizza - MSC Specialty Restaurants - Carnival Staff - Carnival Entertainment (Variety) - Carnival Overall Value - MSC Website - Carnival Cleanliness - MSC Embarkation - MSC Muster Drill - Carnival Casino - MSC Private Island - MSC 🚢⛱️🛳️🌊⛴️🏝️

[@Taste-Try-Travel]

Great list! Yes we forgot your first two and I don’t know how we forgot coffee… our favorite pastime!!!

[@loribarber4526]

Carnival has popcorn, blankets and movies under the stars

[@Taste-Try-Travel]

Yes but they charge for popcorn and the experience is not like Princess. Not sure we ever sat through a whole movie on Carnival.

[@Controversialcruising]

I STARTING DYING WHEN CHRIS DID. 😂😂😂😂 his laugh is so contagious. But it was funny tho 😂 I love this cruise cast. I am a carnival loyallyeeee. However change my mind next year T.T.T

[@Taste-Try-Travel]

Hey Scott… have you been on MSC yet or will WA be your first on April?

[@Controversialcruising]

@@Taste-Try-Travel it will be my first time!

[@darksidedarth0504]

I'm looking forward to trying MSC pizza! You are setting expectations high! And Beth, how did you sail on Mardi Gras and not remember their pizza??? It was so good!! So far Carnival Mardi Gras has been the best pizza I've had on a cruise ship. Royal (Wonder) was second, & Disney (Fantasy & Dream) was third.

[@Taste-Try-Travel]

Ha ha I don’t remember the pizza on Mardi Gras but in my defense, I was just out of treatment and my memory got hit hard so actually don’t remember that trip at all. Thank god we recorded videos so I can watch 🤪🤪

[@Pirtosi]

Bars - We have had drastically varying experiences on Carnival with their Bars. Some of their Alchemy Bars are awesome while a few were absolutely horrible. MSC Bars, we have always had amazing times in the bars on MSC. But like you say, they have no discernable names, what is with their horrible naming of venues??? LoL Boarding - First time we boarded a MSC was in Miami for the Inaugural Season of Seaside and we had to wait FOOOOREEEEVER (Sandlot callback). Since we have figured out the "hack" for Carnival check in 90 days out we have not had to wait more than 40 minutes from arriving at the terminal to being on board. This last cruise out of NOLA in January we had Faster to the Fun and we were on board in less than 15 Minutes. We can't WAIT to experience the YC boarding on the America. The Private Island / Experience - We love Ocean Cay, and it is really hard to beat. It reminds me of what Coco Cay --used-- to be before they turned it into a giant water park.. Now we haven't been to any of Carnival's Private Islands, but we did get to Mahogany Bay, and we really enjoyed that too. Not a true private Island but it was pretty cool. Food - Carnival has everyone beat with the included food venues. Best Burgers at Sea with Guy's. Best Tacos at sea with Blue Iguana (Blue Iguana for Breakfast is amazing), and Shaq's Big Chicken. Not to mention the Deli.. I HAVE to get a Meatball Sammie every time I sail. Usually more than once as I like them even better than Burgers. MSC has nothing like this. We also prefer MSC Buffet over Carnival. We get to try more new things with MSC, than on Carnival Buffet. MSC also has a MUCH better MDR. Carnival's has really gone down hill. Itinerary - MSC's Itineraries are hugely lacking for variety so far. We also account for the lack of ships on this. But they could at least do a varying itinerary per ship, for example the Western Caribbean is always the same ports, even if you try to go more than a year out. I want to go to some new ports. Carnival seems better at this only because you can choose so many different ships to cruise on to get to places you want to go. Melana and I love cruising both cruise lines, and we like to say that we cruise Carnival for our Fun times, Carnival is non-stop fun. MSC is our Adult time cruises. Relaxing, intimate, an romantic. We have fun on MSC but it not our "PAAARTAAAAY" cruises. Pricing - During Covid we got a couple of free cruises from Carnival, and we also got some amazing deals on ones we actually paid for. I had never been on a Carnival Cruise until Covid, and now I have been on three and have three more booked. However, we have found that since the cruise lines have recovered from the Covid shutdown MSC's prices blows Carnival out of the water for Base Pricing. This does not account for getting to the Cruise terminal however. WE can cruise out of Galveston, Alabama, NOLA, etc. with Carnival for "quick and dirty" get-aways. And right now MSC is only out of NY and Florida. Much more difficult since we moved from SW Florida to Mid-Mo.LoL

[@Taste-Try-Travel]

Hey there 😊 yes we agree with you on these points!! MSC bar names need help… it’s like they gave up by the time it came to names… one of the quirky things I like 🤪 Nothing beats YC boarding not even faster to the fun. It will spoil you forever especially when boarding WA. But one good thing coming is the new terminal in Miami!!! Nothing beats Ocean Cay! And I know what you are saying about itineraries. The only plus on MSC is there are overnight options to Ocean Cay which no one else does. Carnival MDR has been going downhill for awhile. As always, love both your input as seasoned cruisers ❤️❤️❤️

[@timmoore3666]

Hey Guys Thanks as usual. Cheers 🍺😜🍺

[@Taste-Try-Travel]

Thanks Tim 😊

[@amyjopotts2159]

Going on our first MSC cruise this summer. From Rome. Have you noticed the prices online vary greatly day to day?

[@Taste-Try-Travel]

Hey Amy 😊😊😊 I don’t see the pricing vary much at all. It usually is low then as it gets closer to the sail date, starts to get high as categories sell out. What ship are you going on? I’m sure you will have a great time! MSC is a bit different in the Med so interested in what you think

[@user-pp6ok1xo7y]

Good job as always. Haven't gone on MSC yet I think we're going to give it a try. Haven't gone on Carnival in several years because we are an older couple but we are booked on the Jubilee.

[@Taste-Try-Travel]

Try MSC… it’s not for everyone but unique enough for some 😊 As we get older we appreciate more then just parties so understand

[@user-pp6ok1xo7y]

@@Taste-Try-Travel if we go we're going to try the yacht club

[@johnnyallen9342]

Variety is still the spice of life ! May - Freedom of the seas July - MSC Seashore 😎😎 ( week after you guys ) September - Carnival Magic November- MAS Paradise ( 3 day ) January is still open March - MSC Divina

[@Taste-Try-Travel]

Good for you… we feel the same way. Ha ha that is why we don’t have platinum on any one cruise line. Enjoy 😊

[@TonyG-gk7qr]

And can vouch that Celebrity does do Movies Under the Stars 😀

[@Taste-Try-Travel]

Oh good! They didn’t on the Reflection but was probably due to World Cup. Can’t wait to go on them again!!! 😊

[@fuzfoz]

I'm confused. Carnival has DIVE-IN Movies on practically all their ships. Carnival should be rated 5 for movies

[@Taste-Try-Travel]

Hey there. So I guess our experience with Carnival is that there is just movies playing on the big screen while everything else is still going on around the pool so it wasn’t necessarily a movie experience similar to Princess which moves loungers to face the screen, has blankets and everyone there is there for the movie. But your right, Carnival does have a lot of movies playing (they just need to do free popcorn) 😊😊😊

[@fuzfoz]

@Taste-Try-Travel , I've only gone to watch movies at night. While there was a few people in the pool and some noise from the bars on deck, it was a pretty good experience. Maybe the difference really is night and day as the later 9PM or midnight showings are pretty chill. I usually cover up with an extra blanket from the cabin that I always request or I use a dry pool towel. The reason that they charge for popcorn 🍿 really is waste. When the popcorn was free it was all over the deck and (I assume) the rest of the ship. Everyone took it whether they really wanted it or not. Now, not so much. My issue is more with the selection of movies provided, but that is subjective, I suppose. 😊 I'm cruising the Sky Princess next year and look forward to MUTS

[@Taste-Try-Travel]

@@fuzfoz yes I understand what you saying. Let me just say this about popcorn and then I’ll stop 🤪🤪🤪 If they changed the way they made popcorn like actually use butter flavored oil and salt like all popcorn should have, I would have no issue paying for it at all. But it’s so bland that I refuse to pay and then go source my own flavors from the buffet (I’ve actually requested melted butter from dinner and dragged it with me until I had popcorn and brought my own salt… I’m crazy I know).

[@fuzfoz]

​@@Taste-Try-Travel, We're in complete agreement that the popcorn SUCKS as currently served. I don't remember the ship but I paid $2 for popcorn in the main theater and it tasted like it was left over from a previous cruise AND burnt. I had them remove the charge! Hey two bucks is two bucks! 🦌🦌