Why The RCI Premium ?

[bahrain_not_dubai!]

Hello Guys & Gals ! :)

 

Hope your having a good day.

 

 

I know this topic can be touchy for some, and I don't mean to start an argument, but I just seem to be not understanding a few things- me, my family and friends are planning to go away to the Caribbean for a celebratory holiday this year. I've been looking at the different options in the Caribbean, and well, Royal Caribbean, which I was primarily looking at due to my previous experience with them (albeit 6 years ago, so i'm guessing a lot of things have changed since then) but the prices seem to be well and above that of Carnival. I am, I dare to say, on a budget (quite a contrast to last year), and spending an extra $1000 does seem to puzzle me. My question is if there is a substantial difference between Carnival and RCI that warrants the difference- both cruise lines are standard- I'd understand if one was Premium, but neither are. For example, the cruises i'm looking at:

 

Carnival Victory 7 Nights Southern

$2,600 Ocean View, 3 passengers

 

Serenade of the Seas 7 Nights Southern

$3,607 Ocean View, 3 Passengers

 

Carnival Dream 7 Nights Western

$2,871 BALCONY! 3 passengers

 

Freedom of the Seas 7 Nights Western

$3,517 Ocean View (Balcony is $3,900) 3 passengers

 

Carnival Liberty 7 Nights Western

$2,456 Ocean View (Balcony is $2,706) 3 passengers

 

Allure of the Seas 7 Nights Western

$4,005 Interior (Balcony is $5,087) 3 passengers

 

 

 

 

 

How can I put this best- I just gave you a sample of the prices, all at the same time (all depart on similar dates) to give you an idea of what I am talking about, and cruisers which have cruised both, is there something that RCI has and CCL doesn't that warrants the jump in price? No, I do not mean to start an argument, just am looking for trusty information- as I am sure it is to all of us, my vacation is important to me, so I naturally want to make the best choice while saving some money, if I am advised the difference isn't worth it. It also catches my eye that RCI has more extra price things once you board, although I can be wrong. My RCI experience six years ago is obviously useless considering the fact that it was on what is now the smallest ship in their fleet, in a time of cruising now gone by, and in Europe.

 

So why are the cruise industries two biggest rivals so different price wise? Is this really reflected on the onboard product ?

 

 

Looking forward to some help !

 

 

Thanks a million :)

[firefly333]

Oasis and Allure are in a league of their own, so I wouldnt even look at them if you are not burnt out on cruising and just wanting a change of pace. If you are on a budget, find something else.

 

Carnival cruises will be a good product and great if you are on a budget. I lean toward RCL over all because I just like how their ships look. But I just booked Conquest for my birthday in 2012 :D

[cruise_girl2002]

I have never sailed on RCL. but many times on carnival and i love carnival. im going on my first RCL cruise next month. On my last cruise on the carnival inspiration i sat with some people in the main dining room and i asked their take on RCL vs Carnival. they told me the service was really the same, however they did like the free 24/7 room service on carnival...RCL charges after midnight and until 3 or 5 am i believe. they liked the shows on carnival better and the interior design. if you like the glamour of vegas you will love carnival. I plan on sticking to carnival after this RCL cruise because of the prices i can get with carnival

[gertiesmom]

I have been on one RCI cruise and it was a long time ago. I just remember thinking that I was bored the whole trip. I like Carnival because I can relax if I want, but it has great nightlife should I feel the need to go dancing. I am sorry i can't really answer all your questions, but i saw ur screen name. My brother just spent a couple months in bahrain, and recently moved into an apartment in dubai. He's a single guy, doesn't really understand everything. He wants to know how he can tell if he can ask a girl on a date. Or if its even ok to ask a girl on a date. Thanks!

[LHP]

I have only cruised Carnival...but I would imagine one reason for the higher price has to do with RCCL not having the buying power that Carnival has.

 

Carnival Corporation (last time I heard) had 50% of the cruising business while RCCL had 35%.

 

Of course, the more expensive RCCL ships have a lot of bells and whistles that some people are willing to may more for.

[bahrain_not_dubai!]

He wants to know how he can tell if he can ask a girl on a date. Or if its even ok to ask a girl on a date. Thanks!

 

Hahahaha okay well... a tad off topic but who cares :) asking a girl out is the same as anywhere else in the world ! This isn't Saudi Arabia :P He can tell I guess from how she looks and acts... Bahrain is a very mixed pot of people, if she seems extremely religious, then obviously that may not be the best course of action, but otherwise, he can tell if she likes him just like he would anywhere else... its a free country and has been for a very, very long time. The worst he'll get is a no !

 

:) Regards from Bahrain!

[Tricky Vickie]

I just asked the same thing in another thread! LOL Hopefully between the two of us we can get some great comparisons. And I did ask the same question on the RCCL board as well (thanks to the suggestion from another member).

[gertiesmom]

Hahahaha okay well... a tad off topic but who cares :) asking a girl out is the same as anywhere else in the world ! This isn't Saudi Arabia :P He can tell I guess from how she looks and acts... Bahrain is a very mixed pot of people, if she seems extremely religious, then obviously that may not be the best course of action, but otherwise, he can tell if she likes him just like he would anywhere else... its a free country and has been for a very, very long time. The worst he'll get is a no !

 

:) Regards from Bahrain!

 

 

Thanks! I will tell him what you said! Have fun on whichever cruise you choose!

[firefly333]

I have never sailed on RCL. but many times on carnival and i love carnival. im going on my first RCL cruise next month. On my last cruise on the carnival inspiration i sat with some people in the main dining room and i asked their take on RCL vs Carnival. they told me the service was really the same, however they did like the free 24/7 room service on carnival...RCL charges after midnight and until 3 or 5 am i believe. they liked the shows on carnival better and the interior design. if you like the glamour of vegas you will love carnival. I plan on sticking to carnival after this RCL cruise because of the prices i can get with carnival

 

A couple of bucks difference?? RCL charges $4.95 between midnight and 3 am I think are the hours which includes the tip. So assuming you were going to tip anyway, this shouldnt be a huge thing ...at least to me. I think drunks order in the wee hours and werent tipping, so now you have to tip.

[kirby123]

Have been on both-I enjoy Carnival for several reasons-price, ice cream availability and free drink availablity and pizza 24hours. The RCCL did not have this when I sailed with them. Carnival does seem to offer more things to do, trivia, games etc. It did seem like RCCL was trying to be a more premium class, but in the end, I choose Carnival

[salty dingo]

I would NEVER pay a premuim to be stuffed into a floating stockyard like Epic, Oasis, or Allure. But that is just me. I'm looking for sea and relaxation, and you can actually get that on any cruise ship.

 

If you want lots of "things to do" then you are probably not looking for relaxation as much as stimulation, and for that the big theme-park ships may be what you would like.

 

So, definitely consider what you like to do onboard. If you are looking to kick back then book a less expensive cruise. If you usually stay in a five-star hotel when you travel, the big newer ships may be worth the extra cost to you. Only you can decide!

[Irishlinny]

I haven't sailed RCCL yet, primarily because I have always been very happy with every Carnival cruise I have taken. If it's not broken, don't fix it;) Some of the RCCL ships have some bells and whistles which don't interest me, but may interest you (rock climbing wall, surfing pool, ice skating, etc). They also have more extra charge dining options, but I have always been happy with the food and variety on Carnival that is free. I haven't been able to find a reason to spend all that extra money. When I run out of Carnival itineraries, maybe I will try another line.

Allure and Oasis are new ships and in a monstrosity league of their own....way too big and way too many pax for my taste.

Have fun deciding, and enjoy your cruise!:)

[misguidedangel]

The primary reason that most RCI cruises are more and that the newest Monsters of the Sea (Oasis and Allure) are more is because the Oasis and Allure costed well over 1 billion to build and RCI needs to recoup the cost of the ships.

 

I know a lot of people that want to go on the Oasis and Allure simply because it is big. I then ask them if they have looked at what the ship has to offer--like ice skating, rock climbing, and so on--and if that is of no interesting or appeal to them I tell them to look at another cruise line based on what they want to do and they can save an arm and a leg and have a fabulous time doing what they want. It doesn't mean that everyone goes with Carnival, no, one went with HAL and loved it because all she wanted to do was sit on a deck chair and get rid off all the stress/pressure of home/work. Others want value for their dollar and go with Carnival. Others went on NCL and forked out a small fortune to go on the Epic and forked out a small fortune for their family to dine at a different eat-for-a-fee restaurant everynight--they said never doing that again.....

 

No one can tell anyone one cruise line is better, each has their own opinion and we all have our own preferences. I have never gone on any other cruise line so far, but I do know that NCL and RCI have no amenities and features that I would want to take part in or enjoy, thus, I will take my money and give to Carnival and when I can scrape up enoug I will give it to Princess and do a 14 day Panama Canal sometimes in the near future....

[stewpapa]

We cruise out of Galveston to avoid air fare. We prefer Royal to Carnival, but both are great. Royal costs just a little more than Carnival out of Galveston, but Royal is not year round, so we have a lot of Carnival cruises. We think the Voyager is a nicer ship, and has better service than Conquest and Ecstasy, and we like the past guest perks, although we don't have anything bad to say about Carnival. All our cruises have been great. If it comes down to a couple of hundred dollars, we will go with Royal.

[Tyron]

LOL! it's so funny how some of you post your opinions as facts! the bottom line is there are numerous people that are willing to pay those premium rates to sail with RCI....period! it is strictly a matter of personal choice....nothing more, nothing less.

:)

[hubofhockey]

So why are the cruise industries two biggest rivals so different price wise? Is this really reflected on the onboard product ?

 

 

Looking forward to some help !

 

 

Thanks a million :)

 

If Carnival could get those prices, they would charge them too. It's all about supply and demand. RCI ships are a bit nicer and have more amenities that, obviously, many don't mind paying for.

[Carnival Platinum Cruiser]

If Carnival could get those prices, they would charge them too. It's all about supply and demand. RCI ships are a bit nicer and have more amenities that, obviously, many don't mind paying for.

 

EXACTLY. RCL has no problem getting the Oasis filled at prices that are at least 25% higher than the CCL Dream. Same thing for RCLS Voyage class vs. CCLs Conquest class. They offer more so people pay more, it is as simple as that.

 

While CCL offers a good value RCL gives folks more options in dining, outdoor activities etc and their ships are fantastic as compared to CCL IMO. RCL has no problem filling their ships while CCL more often than they want, has to discount their cabins to fill their ships.

[Nanaimobound]

Unless you really want to go on the biggest, with more and more features, I don't think RCI is worth the amount you pay more than Carnival.

The ships are lovely, absolutely. But in most respects Carnival compares well.

So far RCI has retained a larger staff per pax where as Carnival has cut back some. I would be interested in knowing if RCI's older ships have cut back as well though.

 

For the price you can't beat what Carnival delivers!

[BeachChik]

I haven't been on Royal yet so I can't compare the two cruise lines, but this same thread has been posted on the royal boards. I read this post by

negc and it seems IMO to be the most logical answer:

negc

10,000+ Club

 

 

"Cruise fares generally reflect "what the market will bear". If you have found that Carnival's fares are less than those charged by RCI, the best conclusion you can reach is that cruise passengers are willing to pay more to cruise on Royal Caribbean ships than on Carnival ships. Since both lines typically sail at better than 100% capacity, the prices reflect what each line feels is an acceptable amount to charge the public. If Carnival felt that it could raise its prices to RCI's level without seriously affecting its ability to fill its ships, it would do so. Conversely if RCI felt that it needed to lower its prices in order to fill its ships that is what it would do.

There can be specific reasons why a particular cruise is priced the way it is and you need to understand those reasons as well. Frequently, someone will find an RCI cruise that is less expensive than one on Carnival so blanket statements don't always stand up to close scrutiny.

What you need to do is determine which line and which ship will provide you with the best cruise experience. Price may play a role in that decision but it should not be the only factor you consider"

[Tyron]

I haven't been on Royal yet so I can't compare the two cruise lines, but this same thread has been posted on the royal boards. I read this post by

negc and it seems IMO to be the most logical answer:

negc

10,000+ Club

 

 

"Cruise fares generally reflect "what the market will bear". If you have found that Carnival's fares are less than those charged by RCI, the best conclusion you can reach is that cruise passengers are willing to pay more to cruise on Royal Caribbean ships than on Carnival ships. Since both lines typically sail at better than 100% capacity, the prices reflect what each line feels is an acceptable amount to charge the public. If Carnival felt that it could raise its prices to RCI's level without seriously affecting its ability to fill its ships, it would do so. Conversely if RCI felt that it needed to lower its prices in order to fill its ships that is what it would do.

There can be specific reasons why a particular cruise is priced the way it is and you need to understand those reasons as well. Frequently, someone will find an RCI cruise that is less expensive than one on Carnival so blanket statements don't always stand up to close scrutiny.

What you need to do is determine which line and which ship will provide you with the best cruise experience. Price may play a role in that decision but it should not be the only factor you consider"

 

well said... :)

[H82seaUgo]

i was wondering the same thing, and booked an rccl cruise just the experience the ship, and the experience.

 

i boarded and cruised the entire week looking for what i was getting for that extra money. i never found it.

 

what i did find was i was sailing with others that were also oaying a premium' so i felt the class of people i was sailing with was different.

[ATL2LAS]

of the beholder. Only you can decide what is important for your cruise experience. Be it the ports or sea days, you sail for you and your family's enjoyment. I choose Carnival mainly because it fits my budget. I have been on Princess, NCL and RCCL. I simply enjoy cruising. If I can get everything I want at a less expensive price, I am satisfied and have achieved my threshold for my "premium" Actually, anytime I don't have to make my own bed or cook is good for me:D. Pick a destination, make sure its the ports you want to see, pull the trigger. Come back and let us know how it went. Easy peasy.

[stargate fan]

We have sailed RC three times and Carnival four, soon to be five. :D In my opinion, there is not that much of a difference in the cruise experiences on the two lines. Both have great entertainment, delicious food, games, etc.

 

So why do people willingly pay more to sail on RCI? Because THEY think it's worth it.

 

Do I think it's worth it? No. Then again, I don't pay the prices you found when comparing the cruises.

 

We'll be booking Carnival from now on because we enjoy the layouts of the ships and the placements of the food venues more than on RCI. Simple reason for us.

[nealstuber]

We think the RCCL ships are nicer and we like the entertainment and night life better. Having said that, there's only so much more we're willing to pay.

 

Carnival Victory 7 Nights Southern

$2,600 Ocean View, 3 passengers

vs

Serenade of the Seas 7 Nights Southern

$3,607 Ocean View, 3 Passengers

 

We would not pay $1000 for an older ship with smaller cabins, Victory all the way!

 

Carnival Dream 7 Nights Western

$2,871 BALCONY! 3 passengers

vs

Freedom of the Seas 7 Nights Western

$3,517 Ocean View (Balcony is $3,900) 3 passengers

 

Even thought the Freedom is a few years older than Dream - We still think its still a much nicer ship - $650 extra is still kind of steep - but we'd look carefully at this. - Lots of agencies book RCCL with tips included - that would be enough to get us to go for Freedom.

 

Carnival Liberty 7 Nights Western

$2,456 Ocean View (Balcony is $2,706) 3 passengers

vs

Allure of the Seas 7 Nights Western

$4,005 Interior (Balcony is $5,087) 3 passengers

 

As others have stated, you're comparing apples and oranges here. The Allure is the Biggest, Newest (we'll I gues a couple other "babies" have come out already), ship in the world and commands a premium. We're waiting till the premium is less than $1000, then we'll book.

[04cruises]

We cruise a couple of times a year,so I watch the pricing all the time.There are severals reasons for the pricing differences.

1:The newer ships are more expensive because of the cost to build.If you compare even in the same line,you will find newer,bigger ships are going to be more costly.

2:Stuff to do on board.We are Diamonds on RCCL but have recently started cruising CCL.The major reason is we just got too old to do rock climbing,ice skating,etc.It also brought the teens on to RCCL in huge numbers.

3:But,I think the major reason is marketing.When you shop sales on different travel sights,you will see the Rccl having huge discounts where as Carnival offers very little.CCL just puts out their lowest fares all the time.They will have some deals but are not marketing the "special" only today pricing.I like the CCL's way better as it is more consistent everyday.

 

But anybody who cruises alot can tell you,you can find different ships in different or the same line,to give you a cruise for whatever mood you're in.

I just think it's sad to put down either line as they both have a good product.