Brand loyalty can run deep, especially when it comes to cruise lines. Many avid cruisers remain loyal to one specific cruise line, as each brand offers its own unique cruise experience. Trying a new cruise line can be exciting - but it can also solidify your loyalty to one cruise line over another.
One loyal Carnival cruiser, Isaiah Jennings, took to social media to share his instant regret of deciding to try Royal Caribbean for the first time. According to the TikToker, he was sailing on Allure of the Seas - which is one of the world’s biggest cruise ships - for his first Royal Caribbean cruise.
While Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line are two of the biggest names in the cruising industry, the two brands are also the biggest competitors when it comes to cruising. Royal Caribbean aims to offer the ultimate family vacation, however, Carnival Cruise Line claims to have the most fun (and affordable) ships at sea.
Generally speaking, most cruisers would agree that Carnival’s ships are particularly lively with nonstop fun.
As a loyal Carnival cruiser, Jennings shared live footage of him and his nephew feeling “bitter” watching the vivacious Carnival Glory sail by. The TikTok was filmed from the top deck of Allure of the Seas, which appears to have a lackluster party with few guests dancing.
He captioned the video, “When you’re a Carnival lover and try Royal for the first time and watch their lit sail away party pass you by.” Carnival Glory can be seen and heard with loud party music sailing by the duo in their viral TikTok, which now has 920k views and 57k likes. The music from Carnival Glory seems to be louder than the music playing on Allure of the Seas.
Jennings shared with followers on his TikTok how Carnival Glory holds a special place in his heart. “This one cut deep because Carnival Glory was [my] and my nephew’s first ship we ever cruised on. Watching the Party Ship from a Royal Ship is a sick to your stomach feeling,” writes Jennings on his TikTok.
In the viral video, Jennings and his nephew say they are “salty” as the two watch the Carnival Glory sailing from Port Canaveral, Florida. Jennings’ nephew can be seen waving with envy at partying passengers on Carnival Glory as the ship sails by.
At one point, the TikToker claimed he was “smiling to keep himself from crying” as he watched guests dancing and partying on Carnival Glory.
Although Royal Caribbean and Carnival are major competitors, commenters on the TikTok were overwhelmingly in agreement
Jennings’ hilarious reaction to Carnival Glory passing by garnered quite the support from loyal Carnival fans. In fact, the video has already received over 2,000 comments, including a response from the cruise line itself!
Carnival Cruise Line commented, “This is why you should stay loyal!” The cheeky comment is the top response on the TikTok with over 7k hearts. Jennings responded to the cruise line saying he would be returning to Carnival Cruise Line in the near future.
“I felt bad and dirty stepping out on you. This was MY experience. I can’t speak for [anyone] else’s. But, I’ll be back on Carnival soon,” the TikToker stated.
Other commenters echoed the TikToker’s sentiment, with many followers sharing their love of Carnival Cruise Line. One commenter stated, “People talk about Carnival so bad.. but [I will] stick beside them. They really have the party boat.”
“Carnival, I will never leave you,” declared one follower in the comment section. In agreement, another user wrote, “Carnival is the best! I am loyal to them.”
“Royal is not the party ship. It’s bougie, laidback and relaxed. If you want a party, stick with Carnival,” commented one user on TikTok. Similarly, one user commented, “Every single time we cruise past a Royal ship, all we see is them watching us having a blast!”
Another follower shared that Carnival’s parties are nonstop: “Currently on Carnival. They don’t stop partying… It’s always a party somewhere!”
Read more: Royal Caribbean vs. Carnival Cruises
Many loyal Caribbean cruisers agreed they would not try other cruise lines. One commenter stated, “I know the feeling. Never cheating on Carnival again.”
Even with the overwhelming support from Carnival fans, a few viewers came to Royal Caribbean’s defense. “I’m sorry y’all, I love Royal Caribbean,” shared one cruiser. Jennings responded that he would return to Royal Caribbean for the food and to visit Royal Caribbean’s private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay, again.
In a series of response videos, Jennings was "completely baffled" by some aspects of his Royal Caribbean cruise
In response to his viral video, Jennings opted to elaborate on his Royal Caribbean experience by sharing clips from his cruise. Overall, the TikToker shared with viewers how he was most surprised with the Royal Caribbean’s nightclub experience.
In particular, Jennings was stunned to learn that Royal Caribbean played explicit songs in their nightclub. Unfortunately, the music fell on deaf ears to a less-than-vibrant crowd in the nightclub.
“This completely baffles me - that Royal Caribbean played all explicit songs on this nice, upper-class, elegant ship. On Carnival, they play all the clean songs. But, everyone is reacting and responding on Carnival,” shares Jennings.
The TikToker proceeded to share clips from the nightclub on Allure of the Seas. While there was a sizable crowd at the nightclub event, most were not dancing to the music played by the DJ. According to Jennings, this kind of song would elicit a wild response from the Carnival crowd.
After the clip plays, the TikToker concludes, “It’s the explicit version! There should be a bunch of shaking everywhere. You should see hands up. What was that!?” Many agreed the DJ would be a good fit for a Carnival crowd.
Jennings warned partygoers that Royal Caribbean’s nightclub experience might fall short of expectations, especially those who enjoy Carnival’s late-night parties.
“If you have a Royal Caribbean cruise coming up, and you’re looking forward to going to the club, that’s what you might be potentially walking into. Y’all have fun with that,” warns Jennings.
Jennings continued to share his first-timer cruise experience with Royal Caribbean on his TikTok
Many passionate cruisers either love Carnival or love to hate on the cruise line. While some love the party vibes of Carnival, Royal Caribbean fans prefer the more subdued, relaxing experience on some of the world’s largest cruise ships.
The TikToker proceeded to compare the two cruise lines as a first-timer with Royal Caribbean. Although both cruise lines cater to a wide demographic of cruisers, Carnival Cruise Line is known for having an energetic atmosphere with deck parties and nightclub dancing. The TikToker found the staff on Royal Caribbean to have a different “energy” than Carnival’s staff members.
During his cruise on Allure of the Seas, Jennings found Royal Caribbean to have a relaxing, laidback, and quiet environment onboard. In particular, he felt that Allure of the Seas had top-notch food, which he argued was significantly better than Carnival’s.
On the flip side, the TikToker concluded that Carnival’s ships are “hands-down” better for those looking to party. He also stated that guests can still find quiet areas onboard even the liveliest Carnival ships. For example, Jennings says if you need a break from all the party crowds, you can retreat to your stateroom for peace and serenity whenever you need.
Finally, the TikToker loved one particular event on Allure of the Seas: the adults-only Crazy Quest. The rowdy gameshow has adults in the crowd join forces for a wacky, wild, and often risqué scavenger hunt. Crazy Quest is only available for guests 18 years or older; this leads to a very unpredictable gameshow with guests going to wild lengths to complete quirky tasks.
Jennings was surprised he had never seen a similar event on Carnival Cruise Line, considering he viewed Royal Caribbean as a more elegant, classy cruise line. In fact, the TikToker stated that the outrageous Crazy Quest gameshow was one of the reasons he would return to Royal Caribbean!
Is Carnival Cruise Line really better than Royal Caribbean?
As Jennings mentions in his viral TIkTok, Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean typically cultivate different onboard experiences.
Carnival Cruise Line is the most affordable mainstream cruise line that appeals to a wide demographic, including families. With the cruise line’s embarkation ports strategically located for driving convenience, you will usually find a younger, more party-focused crowd on Carnival’s ships. This is especially true for shorter sailings on older ships.
A weekend cruise with Carnival Cruise Line will surely attract a rowdier crowd, along with spring break sailings. You can expect to find a large portion of families in the summer months and during holiday breaks on Carnival’s ships.
But, Carnival’s newest and biggest ships (namely, the Excel Class) tend to have a more low-key crowd onboard. Longer sailings are not as accommodating to families and budget cruisers, so these can also offer a more relaxing experience for Carnival cruisers.
Comparatively, Royal Caribbean cruises skew towards a more upscale experience overall for families, couples, and older travelers. There is something for everyone on a Royal Caribbean cruise, but the onboard experience never gets too out of hand or rowdy. Similar to Carnival Cruise Line, the liveliest sailings will be short itineraries and weekend getaways.
At the end of the day, it really depends on your budget and travel style. While Royal Caribbean might be a good fit for some, Carnival Cruise Line can be the better choice for others.
Read more: Top 5 things I like better about Carnival Cruise Line than Royal Caribbean
Should you stay loyal to one cruise line?
There are many different cruise lines to vacation with - and each brand has their own distinct offerings onboard to differentiate their experience from others. From boutique cruise lines with exotic itineraries to a mainstream, mega cruise ship with endless onboard thrills, there is a cruise line for all budgets and travel styles.
Loyalty can go far with a cruise line, so it certainly pays to continuously cruise with the same brand. All of the major cruise lines have loyalty programs where you will earn points for each night you spend onboard one of their ships.
The more you cruise with the same cruise line, the more points you will earn towards loyalty status. Higher statuses earn more lucrative benefits, such as discounts on shore excursions, specialty dining, drink packages, and onboard internet. You can even earn freebies like free drinks, internet, and laundry when you cruise.
Other benefits could include exclusive access to top-tier events, priority embarkation or disembarkation, admission into loyalty lounges, reserved seats at events, and more. Even better, a cruise line loyalty program is free to join. You will accumulate points over your lifetime, meaning you don’t need to cruise each year to maintain your status like an airline or hotel chain loyalty program.
Trying out a new cruise line can be exciting - and it’s not uncommon for avid cruisers to sail on multiple brands. Depending on the ship’s itinerary, price, and amenities, one cruise line might fit your vacation and budget needs better than others.
For that reason, you shouldn’t be afraid to branch out and try a new cruise line. You might discover that you love a different cruise line - or it could solidify your preference for a cruise line that you’ve already been loyal to.
Allie Hubers
Allie Hubers has been cruising since she was a tiny toddler. What started as a yearly vacation with family quickly turned into a passion for travel, cruising and adventure. Allie's been on over 45 cruises all over the world. She even studied abroad on Semester at Sea, sailing the world on a ship while taking courses for college and visiting 4 continents.
