Which is a better, NCL's Dream or Carnival's Conquest?

Question

I am trying to decide which cruise would be best overall, and it will be in January

Answer 1

Normally, I'm not a big fan of Carnival, but in this case I think I would choose Carnival over NCL. Your getting a newer, more up to date ship. NCL's Dream is 14 years old, even with refurbishments and everything, isn't going to be as nice as ship built in 2002.

However, it also depends on what your situation is. Here are some things to consider.

Carnival: These are considered the "fun ships" and they are a big party ship. You are going to see a lot of partying, smoking, drinking, etc. People can do some crazy things on those ships. Also, Carnival is more popular for young couples, college age kids, and families. So, there is going to be a lot more kids onboard. If you don't have any kids and want to avoid lots of kids, NCL may be a little better. If you have kids, this would probably be the best choice. Also, Carnival doesn't have as many choices for ports for this particular cruise. The ports are really completely different. Carnival is also known for being ala carte. The price you pay up front doesn't include a lot of things you may need once you get onboard. The price is more of a lead in and you may end up spending a lot more later on. Finally, Carnival has been described in three ways, a spring break type atmosphere, a cheap way to do the "vegas thing" and a bacholor party atmosphere. For some people this is what they are looking for, for others they want to stay away from this. I was reading in a travel magazine the other day, they compared the cruises and then listed a celebrity that would choose that line. For Carnival, they listed Adam Sandler as the best celebrity for the line.

Here is a link to some reviews and more info: http://cruisecritic.com/reviews/review.cfm?ShipID=262

NCL: Another great line, better from some people, not as good for others. Again, if you have kids, Dream may not be your best option. Carnival does have better kids programs, but NCL's are pretty good as well. Personally, I feel the atmosphere on NCL is a little better for kids than Carnival, that is just my opinion. As I mentioned, the Dream is an older ship, so it isn't going to be as up to date as the Conquest. NCL also offers the freestyle cruising. Now, some people love it, some people hate it, for some people it makes them stay away from NCL, for others, it makes them choose this line. Basically, freestyle gives you more options and choices than other cruises lines as far as where you want to eat and such. One disadvantage to some is the fact that most of the restaurants onboard NCL have a surcharge. (However, I can't remember if the Dream has restaurants that charge extra, that is something you would need to look into) If they do have restaurants that charge extra, it is generally only $5 to $20. The Dream does have more options for cruise itineraries and the ports are a little more unique.

Here is a link to reviews and more info: http://cruisecritic.com/reviews/review.cfm?ShipID=42

So really, it just depends what your situation is. I think each line/ship has some good and some not so good points. So, the best thing to do is just research your options, prices, look at some reviews and decide which is best for you.

I hope this helps!

Answer 2

Perhaps better than both of your choices would be a Royal Caribbean Cruise....this is the most popular cruiseline and would fall right in between these two. Royal Caribbean has several great ships including their newest ship Freedom of The Seas. If you are interested in working with us you may contact us via email or visit our website at bctravelcompany.com and if you prefer to book online we offer great pricing through our online cruise partners including the Joystar Travel Network. We offer free quotes, free consultations and fee free bookings. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

BC Travel Company

Answer 3

Ncl Dream

Answer 4

carnival