Galveston cruisers, your thoughts please on RCCL

[MrSnarkyPants]

Looking to book a honeymoon in January of 2012, departing from Galveston.

 

I haven't seen much on the boards about the Royal cruises out of Galveston, although they're just getting started again for the season.

 

I have done the Conquest, so while it's a different ship, I have a reasonable idea of what to expect from them.

 

I don't know much about Royal's cruises out of that port. What few reviews I've read are are either cranky people with axes to grind or VIPs who think RCCL can do no wrong. I figure that the truth is somewhere in the middle.

 

But for our date, the itinerary is the same and the price is roughly the same. So, without this thread degenerating into a shouting match about how Royal is the Mall of the Seas and how Carnival is a bunch of low class hooligans, tell me about the onboard experience on a Royal ship out of Galveston. Are you nickled and dimed to death? What kinds of things are there to do? Is there enough space in the common areas (pools & deck chairs, etc.) to do your thing without feeling cramped for space? Are the hot tubs actually hot, or just lukewarm? Did you have to wait in many lines?

 

About us: she's in her mid 30's, and I'll have just turned 40 when we go. We don't drink much. We'd probably end up in a balcony cabin.

[BonTXNY]

Looking to book a honeymoon in January of 2012, departing from Galveston.

 

I haven't seen much on the boards about the Royal cruises out of Galveston, although they're just getting started again for the season.

 

I have done the Conquest, so while it's a different ship, I have a reasonable idea of what to expect from them.

 

I don't know much about Royal's cruises out of that port. What few reviews I've read are are either cranky people with axes to grind or VIPs who think RCCL can do no wrong. I figure that the truth is somewhere in the middle.

 

But for our date, the itinerary is the same and the price is roughly the same. So, without this thread degenerating into a shouting match about how Royal is the Mall of the Seas and how Carnival is a bunch of low class hooligans, tell me about the onboard experience on a Royal ship out of Galveston. Are you nickled and dimed to death? What kinds of things are there to do? Is there enough space in the common areas (pools & deck chairs, etc.) to do your thing without feeling cramped for space? Are the hot tubs actually hot, or just lukewarm? Did you have to wait in many lines?

 

About us: she's in her mid 30's, and I'll have just turned 40 when we go. We don't drink much. We'd probably end up in a balcony cabin.

 

My daughter, son in law did their honeymoon aboard the Voyager of the Seas in March and loved every moment. They had a balcony cabin and even though the sea days were rainy/windy they told me they had an awesome time. They never complained about lines or being cramped. They loved meandering up and down the Promenade, the Voyoyer's signature shops venue. It was a wonderful time to reconnect after the craziness of wedding planning AND the wedding itself. Since the weather was inclement they didn't sit out by the outdoor pool but there is an adults only enclosed pool in the Solarium. Very lush/tropical quiet spot to relax. They had dinner at a table for 2 in the main dining room and were pampered every second. They enjoyed the nightclub shows, went dancing, bought the soda package and always had the drink of the day. They did the dolphin encounter at (I think) Cozumel and said not only was it worth every penny but that it was an experience they will never forget. They're now busy saving their "pennies" to go on another RCI cruise out of Galveston.

 

They never felt nickled and dimed and enjoyed so many activities that were included in their cruise fare. I was only on one Carnival cruise, the Triumph. No flames here. I just will tell you that IMHO Royal Caribbean is a far more elegant cruise line.

 

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding and no matter what you decide, have a wonderful cruise.

[cruisn4bruisn]

Hey John

Just got back from a Voyager cruise out of Galveston and my wife and I loved every minute of it. I wrote a review if you want to check out the details. This was our first cruise so we didn't have anything really to go by other than what we read on here but we thought Royal has a fantastic product. Our onboard expenses included Johnny Rockets ($5 each extra), Ben & Jerry's ($5 or so for 2), about $130 in alcohol having one here or there, and we bought watches onboard as our anniversary gifts to each other. We didn't get a honeymoon 3 years ago so this was it for us. I know the Mariner is coming into port next year but it's the same class so it should be pretty similar. Voyager was in great condition. I'd have never known in was 11 years old if I just saw it without reading anything. They do offer 2 different itineraries rotating each week so there is a little bit of change. We NEVER felt crowded and the ship was full to capacity. The only time there was every a crowd of people was when we waited to get into the dining room for dinner and even that wasn't bad. The last 2 days at sea the weather was perfect and we laid by the pool a lot and the chairs were never more than half full, or half empty depending on how you look at life! The only downside to us, as I mention in my review, is that there wasn't a lot of stuff for US to do. They had plenty to do but not much of it intrigued us. We ate, went to all the shows, had a drink in the bars, gambled a bit, hung out at the pool deck, and hung out in our room. We had a balcony so we did enjoy the quiet alone time. A lot of the stuff to make catered more towards the more mature cruiser but hey there were lots on board so you have to expect that. They had live music playing every night and places to dance but that really isn't our scene. The sports deck was pretty cool but we didn't partake in any of that. Like I said plenty to do just not a lot for US. We had a blast though and are already planning the next one. Happy sailing.

[shmthaus]

As you can tell from my signature, we have sailed Carnival and RCCL. I tend to agree with Bonnie that RCCL is a little more upscale (IMHO), but we had a blast on both lines. Carnival is a little more party attitude all the time (which we liked), but Royal does have their party times also (which we liked). It depends on you and how active or laid back you want to be.

 

Of course, Voyager won't be out of Galveston in Jan 2012, it will be the Mariner. We haven't sailed the Mariner yet (but we are booked on 11/11/11), but it is close enough to Voyager to compare.

 

Our attitude is to not let other's opinions obscure our sailing, we like to look at each cruise (what ever line we are using) independently. Of course, we do tend to compare all of them against our favorite ship and crew, Rhapsody.

 

As for nickel/dime stuff, I think both lines do their fare share. Deck space is definitely spacious and plenty. Of course the chairs around the pool area get taken quickly and stay "occupied". Didn't try the hot tubs, so can't answer to that one. I think there will always be lines, no matter which line you choose.

 

This probably didn't help you much.

[MrSnarkyPants]

This probably didn't help you much.

 

It helps more than the review posted by the guy who refused to pack formal attire and was PO'ed that he couldn't get lobster on the buffet on elegant night and thus won't sail RCCL again...

 

Thanks, y'all. Sounds like the ships are more similar than different and that a cruise is what you make of it. Magic will be bigger than Mariner, but Mariner will probably have less pink. ;)

[jt1945]

been on 6 since 04 and enjoyed them all. Drive from SA the morn of cruise get on the ship, have lunch and sit on the balcony and wait. A cruise is "what u make of it"...if i was as miserable as some of these people on these various boards Id just stay home

[39august]

Mariner, sister to Voyager, is a newer version of that type of ship and has a few bells and whistles Voyager doesn't have such as Vintages Wine bar and Boleros lounge with its lovely glass art. There is a steak house specialty restaurant, Chops, as well as the Italian Portofino. I don't feel nickel and dimed on RCI ships because I don't buy souviners, or Ben and Jerry's ice cream, or specialty coffees, etc. You can get soft serve "ice cream" on the pool deck and real ice cream in the main dining room at no charge. There are several places on the ships to get free coffee and hot chocolate. It is not necessary to go to a specialty restaurant as I feel RCI has been improving the dining room food for the past year or so. The solarium is a lovely adults only spot to swim, sun or just relax. On Mariner last May the solarium hot tub was hot...not just warm. And the only other hot tub I've been on was the giant one in Voyagers gym which was nice and toasty too. By the way, there are both a steam room and a sauna in both men's and women's gym locker rooms at no charge. The only downside to cruising out of Galveston is the long distance from either Hobby (40 mins. or so) IAH (at least an hr.) airports. But as you are from Texas, I assume you will drive so this is no factor for you!

[ikirumata]

I have only been on 2 cruises, both on the Voyager, so I can't compare it to anything else. That being said, my wife and I have had nothing but absolute fun on the Voyager.

 

About US...we are both in our mid 30s, we don't drink, smoke, or gamble. My wife's perfect vacation is going somewhere quiet where she doesn't have to deal with anything, especially the kids. My perfect vacation is doing something active and exploring new foods. We are morning people and have trouble staying up past 10pm. We are frugal minded people and don't mind if there are lapses in service/food quality/etc...we are on a cruise and life is good!

 

Nickle and Diming:

We didn't feel nickle and dimed at any time, although really, the only thing we usually buy are photos. The Voyager photo staff is very good about taking good photos and making sure that we are satisfied with everything.

 

Crowds:

For the most part, the Voyager never feels crowded. The only time you are going to have to wait for anything is on formal nights (especially around the entrance to the MDR) or if you take the elevators during busy times. My wife is a claustrophobic, so we avoid the elevators anyway (climbing stairs also helps burn the extra calories). Other than that, for how many people are on the ship, it never felt crowded. In fact, if you stay on the ship at a port, the ship feels like a ghost town. One bit of warning though...the one time that I felt pushed around and crowded was during the t-shirt sale held towards the end of the cruise. People go crazy for discounted t-shirts.

 

What kinds of this to do:

The wife really likes to do nothing. There are times where she finds a sunny spot on the deck and chills. Me...I like to do stuff (I don't do sitting around very well). I have done Volleyball, Dodgeball (against the crew), Board Games (with the captain), Rock Climbing, Table Tennis, Mini Golf, Shuffle Board, Gym (and all that that implies), Towel Animal Folding Classes, Cooking Classes (with the cruise director), Comedy Shows, Acts of Strength (we saw an olympic gymnist do a show), Ice Skating, Ice Skating Show (amazing), Quest (fun to watch, but I imagine a blast slightly drunk), Watched Karaoke Superstar, Parades (the parades are big productions that go down the Royal Promenade), and of course Eating (being frugal as we are, we don't eat out, much less get to dress up to eat out, so we take advantage of the opportunities)!

 

There are tons of other things to do that intrest us less (club dancing, cigar tastings, bingo, trivia, etc...) but the list of things we didn't try is longer than the things we did try. You can find the daily papers posted somewhere on this forum. They are called Compasses.

 

Hot Tubs:

I have no experience. At the time, we were trying for babies, so hot tubs were off limits for me. Wife said that they were not hot (but to me, her showers are hot enough to forge metal).

 

People:

Without this breaking down into a Carnival vs RCI post, RCI is not without its troublemaking passengers. Mostly the ones that catch my attention are those that wear jean shorts and flip flops to formal dinners (those people usually don't smell too good either) and those that smoke in places that you shouldn't (wife HATES smoke). And also, there are those that feel that they are entitled to more than what they signed up for (these people don't vacation well in general). The crew, I thought, does go out of their way to make sure everything is good for you. I don't know if its because the ship is mostly Texan passengers (Texans seem to be more friendly than a lot of other people around the nation...outwardly at least), but everyone in general is very polite and down to earth.

 

Overall:

From what I have read here and from talking with friends and coworkers that have cruised other lines out of Galveston, you can't really go wrong.

 

Congrats on your pending wedding! I hope you have a great honeymoon!

[Rancher Dave]

Looking to book a honeymoon in January of 2012, departing from Galveston.

 

I haven't seen much on the boards about the Royal cruises out of Galveston, although they're just getting started again for the season.

 

I have done the Conquest, so while it's a different ship, I have a reasonable idea of what to expect from them.

 

I don't know much about Royal's cruises out of that port. What few reviews I've read are are either cranky people with axes to grind or VIPs who think RCCL can do no wrong. I figure that the truth is somewhere in the middle.

 

But for our date, the itinerary is the same and the price is roughly the same. So, without this thread degenerating into a shouting match about how Royal is the Mall of the Seas and how Carnival is a bunch of low class hooligans, tell me about the onboard experience on a Royal ship out of Galveston. Are you nickled and dimed to death? What kinds of things are there to do? Is there enough space in the common areas (pools & deck chairs, etc.) to do your thing without feeling cramped for space? Are the hot tubs actually hot, or just lukewarm? Did you have to wait in many lines?

 

About us: she's in her mid 30's, and I'll have just turned 40 when we go. We don't drink much. We'd probably end up in a balcony cabin.

 

If price and ports are the same or very close, I'd go for the Mariner of the Seas, it is bigger and very nice. For a honeymoon I'd expect it to be an overall nicer experience than the more party crowd on CCL.

 

Congrats on the engagement and upcoming wedding!

[jsoenning]

My wife and I are in our 30's and will be sailing out of Galveston in January for the 3rd time. We've done different activities on each trip depending on how active we were feeling at the time (danced in the clubs / didn't walk by the clubs, karaoke, watched movies in the screening room, wine series in Portofinos / main dining only other times, go to all the shows / go to none of the shows, etc.). We're hoping they have a ChefMakers program b/c we really enjoyed it on the LOS out of Florida.

 

From our experience honeymooning in Hawaii, we really enjoyed relaxing (wedding and reception wore us out!) as a previous poster mentioned that her daughter and son-in-law did. If you get a balcony room, you can enjoy room service sitting on the balcony, watching going in / out of ports, sunrises / sunsets, or just the ocean. I'd recommend surprising your new bride with the Classic Romance Package and some other deliveries to the room! Drinking champagne on the balcony as you sail away is super fun!

 

The dolphins in Cozumel is an amazing excursion - one of our all time favorites. The helicoptor ride in Grand Cayman is equally amazing! Dunn River Falls is a must if Jamaica is on your route. On our last trip, we did a catamaran snorkeling and walk up the falls.

 

Over our various cruises, we've run into many honeymooners - and haven't met any that weren't having a blast! With it being your honeymoon, maybe you'll be selected for the "Love & Marriage" show!

 

If you've never been cruising and don't know if you'll get sea-sick, I highly recommend Bonine. One-a-day does the trick for me.

[GSRDPM]

It helps more than the review posted by the guy who refused to pack formal attire and was PO'ed that he couldn't get lobster on the buffet on elegant night and thus won't sail RCCL again...

 

Thanks, y'all. Sounds like the ships are more similar than different and that a cruise is what you make of it. Magic will be bigger than Mariner, but Mariner will probably have less pink. ;)

 

Actually, Mariner is larger at 140,000 compare to Magic's 130,000 tons.

[susanNjay]

I have done the Conquest, so while it's a different ship, I have a reasonable idea of what to expect from them.**I have done the Conquest, too. I would recommend RCCL for a honeymoon. I don't know much about Royal's cruises out of that port. What few reviews I've read are are either cranky people with axes to grind or VIPs who think RCCL can do no wrong. I figure that the truth is somewhere in the middle.**I am not a cranky person or a VIP. We prefer RCCL over the other lines we have sailed on. It just seems that RCCL is a level slightly above the others.Are you nickled and dimed to death? **NO. In my experience, there is more of the "nickle and dime" stuff on Carnival.What kinds of things are there to do? **Sports, crafts activities, shows...Is there enough space in the common areas (pools & deck chairs, etc.) to do your thing without feeling cramped for space? **I never felt cramped. In fact, my husband and I commented numerous time about how much more spacious the Voyager feels than other ships we have been on. Oh, and we would often walk up to the pool deck and be able to walk right up and get a chair in the "front."Are the hot tubs actually hot, or just lukewarm? **Nice and toasty, in my opinion. Did you have to wait in many lines?**Waiting happened very few times for us: getting to our early seating in the MDR early or right on time would usually result in us waiting, waiting for the ice show doors to open, waiting to disembark on the final day...(this is rather lengthy--but we have sailed out of Galveston on three different lines with the same result.) **I think they don't have enough porters in Galveston.About us: she's in her mid 30's, and I'll have just turned 40 when we go. We don't drink much. We'd probably end up in a balcony cabin. **We LOVED our balcony on the Voyager. Spacious enough for three of us (13 y.o. daughter), and great to enjoy the views while dining on room service for breakfast.Have a wonderful cruise!--Susan

[BonTXNY]

It helps more than the review posted by the guy who refused to pack formal attire and was PO'ed that he couldn't get lobster on the buffet on elegant night and thus won't sail RCCL again...

 

 

I read that review and was so pleased he decided to not cruise on RCI again.

Sounds like you got some great advice in here!

[TEXASMUNK]

Conquest....to get from one end of the ship to the other often requires going through lounges etc...for example..you need to traverse through the cigar bar area on Conquest. On RCI ships, the layout is dramatically easier to navigate. No picking on one line or the other, simple layout difference.

 

Food: we prefer RCI. When we sail Conquest...we eat in the Steak House every night..yes, it costs, but we budget for it. Just a personal choice.

 

Different clientele, but that does not add or detract points from either...they are just different.

[jsoenning]

Forgot to discuss the "nickel and dime" part of the question. RCCL has much to offer (sales of merchandise each day in the promenade, photographers, bingo, specialty restaurants, employees with drink trays, etc.), but we have never felt that we have been squeezed to purchase anything. Skip the tab pull thing they sell, that's been the only item I have regretted purchasing.

 

On our first cruise, we took every photo and purchased a ton. Today, we politely tell them we're not interested or if pushy, take the photo and don't worry about even going by to look.

[wrp96]

Since the weather was inclement they didn't sit out by the outdoor pool but there is an adults only enclosed pool in the Solarium.

 

 

Bonnie I have to correct one thing. The Solarium pool does not have a roof on the Voyager class. The edges are covered (the hot tubs are under the edges), but the pool itself is open air. Don't want anybody going and expecting a covered solarium when it isn't.

[jonbgd]

While I would have said the Voyager over the Conquest right now but your cruise isnt till next year

I would rather sail on the Magic than the Mariner

Dont get me wrong I like the Mariner but the Magic is a brand new ship I cant wait for her debut this year

Mariner is nice but 7 yrs old and if your on your honeymoon and a brand new ship with all those views of the waters (The promenade on Mariner is nice but unless you are on your balcony or on the pool deck and above you dont get to see the ocean)

Btw the food is better on Carnival cabins are bigger(below suite level)the beds arnt rounded so your foot wont hang of the edge of it while sleeping

JMHO

[squirrel65]

sailed RCL 2 times before and CCL the rest of the time ....I prefer RCL over Carnival....IMO better service in all aspects on RCL and differnet class of cruisers on RCL...I still have images( bad ones!) of all the people bringing massive cases of bottled water and cases of sodas at embarkation at my last CCL cruise....

[BonTXNY]

Bonnie I have to correct one thing. The Solarium pool does not have a roof on the Voyager class. The edges are covered (the hot tubs are under the edges), but the pool itself is open air. Don't want anybody going and expecting a covered solarium when it isn't.

 

Wow Wrona thanks. I had no idea. I was just assuming it was enclosed. The kids never told me whether they used the Solarium or not. I just mentioned it as a possible option. I sure missed the boat on that one ... forgive the bad pun :p I think it was covered on the Rhapsody? :confused:

[Jemery]

We just got back from a VOTS cruise, and we were very happy with it; we normally cruise Carnival, and there were aspects of Carnival we prefer, and aspects of RCI we prefer. In most areas, we felt they were comparable, with only a sllight edge to one or the other. We liked the food more on Carnival, but the dining room and staff more on RCI; same with the lido area. The promenade (shoping area) was far better on RCI, and seemed like a place people wanted to be, rather than just stores on Carnival. The gym was better on RCI, but the locker rooms and saunas better on Carnival. I didn't feel they were nickle and diming us on RCI to the same degree as Carnival, but RCI has dropped some of the touches that Carnival has kept (chocolates on the pillow). Carnival seems more oriented towards group fun, and RCI towards individual fun. I couldn't believe that a ship as big as VOTS had only two vertical axes, and we preferred the Carnival ship design . Somewhat to my surprise, I found that the same people who cuise Carnival were on RCI-the exact same people in the exact same numbers. When we talked to other cruisers, the biggest Carnival bashers were people who had never cruised with Carnival, but had heard from friends; people who had cruised both geneally felt the way I have described above,, although there were some Carnival partisans, and some RCI partisans. DW gives a slight edge to Carnival, and I give a slight edge to RCI; we would both happily cruise with either line again.

-John

[Nightrider]

Actually, Mariner is larger at 140,000 compare to Magic's 130,000 tons.

 

According to ship-technology.com MOS is 138,300 tons. It may not seem like much in ships scale, but imagine trying to lift 1,700 tons.

 

MOS is 311.1m in length, Magic is 306m.

 

MOS carries 3807 passengers, Magic 3690.

 

Except for the 16.73 foot difference in length and other minor dimensions these two ships are nearly identical all things considered.

[BonTXNY]

Conquest....to get from one end of the ship to the other often requires going through lounges etc...for example..you need to traverse through the cigar bar area on Conquest. On RCI ships, the layout is dramatically easier to navigate. No picking on one line or the other, simple layout difference.

 

 

Same with Carnival Triumph. We kept taking the wrong elevator and winding up having to go through the dining room to get to the other side... IF the dining room was open. If not then we had to improvise, going up or down stairs to the next level to get to the proper elevator or proper venue. Just not passenger friendly, IMHO.

[gbcruise]

This thread is full of wonderful information. When cruising in January from Galveston their is a real possibility that you will encounter fog. When we were to board the Rhapsody we had to wait until it could come into port which was delayed by 5 hours. When cruising VOS we had to wait onboard until we could be cleared to dock 7 hours late.

[GSRDPM]

According to ship-technology.com MOS is 138,300 tons. It may not seem like much in ships scale, but imagine trying to lift 1,700 tons.

 

MOS is 311.1m in length, Magic is 306m.

 

MOS carries 3807 passengers, Magic 3690.

 

Except for the 16.73 foot difference in length and other minor dimensions these two ships are nearly identical all things considered.

 

My point was simply that Magic was not the larger of the two, but thanks for the clarification. Cool site-Thanks!

 

BTW - I have also sailed out of Galveston on each line - The Carnival Ecstasy a year ago and Royal's Rhapsody of the Seas several years ago. I enjoyed each cruise and would not hesitate to sail with either line. As you can see by my list of previous cruises, I don't have a major loyalty to any particular line. Our next cruise will be on Serenade of the Seas during spring break because we were looking to sail a southern Caribbean itinerary (Between Carnival Victory, Celebrity Summit, RCL's Adventure of the Seas and Serenade of the Seas) but needed a Saturday return and frequent royal cruisers really seem to like the Radiance class ships so that's how we made our decision. (Sorry about the run-on sentence!)

 

I prefer the decor on the Royal ships over Carnival's, though my family enjoyed the organized activities on the Ecstasy the most of all our cruises. Food was comparable on both lines. Having already been on the Independence of the Seas, I might be more inclined to try the Magic when she arrives in Galveston just because she will be a newer ship and design. Look through these boards and see what people say about what they like or dislike about the Mariner and the Dream (itinerary aside) when deciding on which ship you would prefer. Some (NCL's Epic) have really polarizing designs that some love while others hate.

 

I feel that there are two considerations when sailing out of Galveston. First, having to sail across the Gulf of Mexico takes time and limits the itineraries available. Also, depending on the time of year, a couple of days may be kind of cool so you may have to pack some warmer clothing so it is helpful when the ship has plenty of indoor activities and amenities. Our first three days on our or February Rhapsody cruise (Key West was the first stop) never saw temperatures over 65 degrees! Second, if you sail out of Galveston, you will find that there is a very large percentage of Texans on board. This former New Yorker does not mind this at all as I have found that Texans make some of the nicest, most fun cruise companions. When we were returning to Galveston during our Ecstasy cruise, the port of Galveston was closed due to fog and we had to circle in the gulf for almost 8 hours. Carnival handled the delay well - keeping us informed with regular updates, opening up cabin phones for complimenary ship to shore calls and kept serving food on the Lido deck. Passengers made the best of it and remained good spirited in spite of the inconvenience.

[GSRDPM]

This thread is full of wonderful information. When cruising in January from Galveston their is a real possibility that you will encounter fog. When we were to board the Rhapsody we had to wait until it could come into port which was delayed by 5 hours. When cruising VOS we had to wait onboard until we could be cleared to dock 7 hours late.

 

Funny reading your post about the fog delays probably posted while I was still typing my essay above.... ;)