Why The RCI Premium ?

[bahrain_not_dubai!]

Hello Guys & Gals !

 

Hope your having a good day.

 

 

I've already posted this on the Carnival boards, I just thought i'd get both parts of the story, I hope this is not frowned upon by CCers. :)

 

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

[negc]

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.:)

[librayacht]

Why don't you compare the differences between Seabourn and you might better undertsand the differences between Royal and Carnival. The cruise you have listed in the Mediterranean has a brochure price of $6,500 which would make the fare for three guests for a 7 day cruise $19,500.

Their prices for an interior cabin start at 2,900 which would make it $5,700 for an interior for three when compared with an average of $2,600 for Carnival and $3,500 on Royal both of which offer ocean views with balcony.

The cruise lines will set their prices as to what they feel the market will bear whether they are Seabourn, Carnival or Royal. If they don't sell they can always give a discount>

[bahrain_not_dubai!]

Why don't you compare the differences between Seabourn and you might better undertsand the differences between Royal and Carnival. The cruise you have listed in the Mediterranean has a brochure price of $6,500 which would make the fare for three guests for a 7 day cruise $19,500.

Their prices for an interior cabin start at 2,900 which would make it $5,700 for an interior for three when compared with an average of $2,600 for Carnival and $3,500 on Royal both of which offer ocean views with balcony.

The cruise lines will set their prices as to what they feel the market will bear whether they are Seabourn, Carnival or Royal. If they don't sell they can always give a discount>

 

 

Thank you for the clarification, I see where you are coming from.

 

The Seabourn cruise actually starts at $2,499 for the rates I received, is fantastic value consider the product and the cabin is not an interior, the ships are all suites- the one in question is a good 275sq feet.

 

I however completely understand what you mean by the price the market bears, and this explains a lot.

 

:) !

[kkdleon]

I have sailed both. There are no significant differences in service or itineraries. Amenities will vary from ship to ship, and decor is different. That is minor stuff. They both nickel and dime you, but RCL is moving towards more paid dining options on each ship. Carnival ships seem more closed in, where RCL feels more open. RCL ships tend to be very easy to navigate, where CCL breaks up their decks and spreads venues out. Some venues on CCL can be difficult to find. Again, minor stuff. We also watch our cruise fares, but some of the expenses on our vacations are surprises. We always tend to spend more in the casino than planned no matter the line, but we try to balance that out by waiting until the end of the trip to purchase pictures. By waiting, we can compare them and get the one(s) where we look the best. We don't eat in the specialty restaurants often, so I don't mind the fewer options on CCL. We have enjoyed every cruise we have taken, but we are probably less picky than most. If you are picky, then your decision may be based on the things I mentioned above. If you're not, then base your decision on whatever matters: price, port, itinerary, ship, food options, amenities, or decor.

 

You may be able to get a better price on RCL by shopping around if that is what your heart wants.

 

We were planning a summer cruise in July on the Oasis for the three of us in an interior cabin. We chose it for the sail date, port and the ship, and we liked the itinerary. We were prepared to deal with the price for our requirements (mainly sail date and port). Our plans changed when 3 became 8, and a relative gifted us with a cruise. The CCL Dream had the same itinerary, leaving at the same time from the same port for $1000+ less than the Oasis. Needless to say, back to Carnival we go.

[karen s]

Check out this 7-nite Galapagos Islands cruise on Celebrity Xpedition!

 

Pricing From:

 

Inside

Not Offered

 

Oceanview

$100,254

$14,322 per night

 

 

Balcony

Not Offered

 

Suite

$100,254

$14,322 per night

 

 

Departure Date(s)

2012 Apr 1

 

 

:eek:

[tahqa]

In general Carnival packs more people onto their ships, therefore they can have lower prices. The Carnival Dream is about Voyager sized, but carries about as many people as the Freedom class.

 

Carnival Dream: 130000 GRT, 3652 passengers

Freedom of the Seas: 154407 GRT, 3634 passengers

Voyager of the Seas: 137275 GRT, 3114 passengers

 

I think I'll take the spaciousness of the Freedom over the crowds of the Carnival Dream. :D

[Nekochan]

I have been on both. I'm pretty sure RCCL has a higher staff to guest ratio, so service seemed better and friendlier to me on RCCL. I think, however the main thing you are paying for with RCCL is all the STUFF on board - ice skating rink, inline skating, rock climbing wall, mini golf, flowriders, boxing rings etc. If you aren't going to use those features, then Carnival (fantastic chocolate melting cake) is the way to go. RCCL also has a WONDERFUL ice show and several times during a cruise has a 'parade' through the promenade (the promenade is sort of a small indoor mall in the middle of the ship). I travel with an ADHD teenage boy, so the bigger the ship with more activities the better for us. Also, as far as food goes, meat eaters seem to like Carnival better. RCCL is much better for vegetarians.

[itsajoke]

Bingo! You've said it in a nutshell.

 

I have been on both. I'm pretty sure RCCL has a higher staff to guest ratio, so service seemed better and friendlier to me on RCCL. I think, however the main thing you are paying for with RCCL is all the STUFF on board - ice skating rink, inline skating, rock climbing wall, mini golf, flowriders, boxing rings etc. If you aren't going to use those features, then Carnival (fantastic chocolate melting cake) is the way to go. RCCL also has a WONDERFUL ice show and several times during a cruise has a 'parade' through the promenade (the promenade is sort of a small indoor mall in the middle of the ship). I travel with an ADHD teenage boy, so the bigger the ship with more activities the better for us. Also, as far as food goes, meat eaters seem to like Carnival better. RCCL is much better for vegetarians.

[Tyler80]

Basically, you get what you pay for.

 

I have been on both. I'm pretty sure RCCL has a higher staff to guest ratio, so service seemed better and friendlier to me on RCCL. I think, however the main thing you are paying for with RCCL is all the STUFF on board - ice skating rink, inline skating, rock climbing wall, mini golf, flowriders, boxing rings etc. If you aren't going to use those features, then Carnival (fantastic chocolate melting cake) is the way to go. RCCL also has a WONDERFUL ice show and several times during a cruise has a 'parade' through the promenade (the promenade is sort of a small indoor mall in the middle of the ship). I travel with an ADHD teenage boy, so the bigger the ship with more activities the better for us. Also, as far as food goes, meat eaters seem to like Carnival better. RCCL is much better for vegetarians.

[AlanAllyn]

Also, your last comparison is apples to oranges; no CCL ship can be compared with the Oasis or the Allure. You might want to look at the Oasis; it seems to be running a little lower than the Allure.

[izzyvet]

I've cruised both RCCL and Carnival and honestly did not see more than an iota of difference in the two. For the prices you quoted, I would definitely book that balcony on the Dream. When I look to book a cruise, I compare price and itinerary and go from there. Occasionally I book with the preference of a particular ship. There are times when RCCL will be cheaper than Carnival and vice versa. Are you paying a premium to sail RCCL?? No, unless you pick Allure or Oasis. They still seem to be priced at a premium, but hopefully not after the new class of ships comes out.:rolleyes:

[Ramjet1997]

Comparing Carnival to Royal Caribbean is like comparing a Yugo (remember those?) to a Cadillac - can't do it...sorry........Although I do agree that the pricing on RCCL continues to outpace other lines on certain ships (especially the newer ships..........supply & demand must be at work.............

[DonnaK]

I've found a huge difference in the level of service on Carnival compared to RCI. Like another poster said, RCI has a more favorable staff to passenger ratio (or so it seems). For example, our wait team on Carnival was responsible for 48 diners. On RCI (and Princess), the wait team usually has 12-18 diners. Similarly, the steward was responsible for 27 cabins on Carnival compared the RCI stewards who have approx half as many. No one can be faulted on Carnival for not trying their best to serve, but it was simply spread too thin and impossible to be as personal or individualized.

 

We also found Carnival to have a less favorable space to passenger ratio, so it feels much more crowded. We found the ship to have an awkward layout (for example, sunbathers in various states of wetness and undress could walk through the Lido buffet to get from the pool to the aft elevator bank. Another example is the inconvenient location of the kids club, resulting in it being underutilized, therefore kids - especially older ones - run about the ship without being positively occupied in the kids club).

 

My kids, who were tweens when we sailed on Carnival, were very bored - we've never heard that complaint on RCI.

[Merion_Mom]

I have been on both. I'm pretty sure RCCL has a higher staff to guest ratio, so service seemed better and friendlier to me on RCCL. I think, however the main thing you are paying for with RCCL is all the STUFF on board - ice skating rink, inline skating, rock climbing wall, mini golf, flowriders, boxing rings etc. If you aren't going to use those features, then Carnival (fantastic chocolate melting cake) is the way to go. RCCL also has a WONDERFUL ice show and several times during a cruise has a 'parade' through the promenade (the promenade is sort of a small indoor mall in the middle of the ship). I travel with an ADHD teenage boy, so the bigger the ship with more activities the better for us. Also, as far as food goes, meat eaters seem to like Carnival better. RCCL is much better for vegetarians.

 

I think that that is a common fallacy.

 

I rarely use some of those things, but I am glad that they are there, because they occupy OTHER people who otherwise would be glomming up where *I* want to be.

 

Even if you don't use them, having them onboard is a good thing for ALL the passengers.

 

Just another Point of View.

 

:)

[cccer]

I have cruised on both and have not seem much difference between the two line. Let's face it, these are the two mass market cruise lines out there. I will be going on RCL this summer on the Serenade and we booked it strictly for the itinerary. Carnival had way to many ports.

Next cruise it might be either one.

[Relaxinginthesun]

My take on this subject is that I have found that CCL ships are a means to visit the ports of call. Were as RCL ships are destinations themselves. While food is comparable. Service, evening entertainment, activities, ship ammenities and staterooms are all nicer on RCL ship. Like anything else you get what you pay for.....

[mkringen]

I have done RCCL, Celebrity and Carnival. I prefer RCCL for the ships. Didn't really care for Celebrity even though I had a great time. Carnival was fine but little things annoyed me. Simple requests that were never a problem in the dining rooms of RCCL and Celebrity were always met with a "No" on Carnival. Now that I think about it the servers were probably too busy to do anything but the basics.

[DonnaK]

I think that that is a common fallacy.

 

I rarely use some of those things, but I am glad that they are there, because they occupy OTHER people who otherwise would be glomming up where *I* want to be.

 

Even if you don't use them, having them onboard is a good thing for ALL the passengers.

 

Just another Point of View.

 

:)

 

Excellent point!!! Positively occupying other passengers impacts everyone else's cruise.

 

As well, just because one doesn't partake in these activities doesn't mean they aren't fun to watch. I don't ice skate, but love the ice show. I haven't been on a ship with a flow rider yet, but would be entertained watching others on it.

[milton333]

Just my opinion, but we found there to be a lot more boisterous people on Carnival. More college kids and young 20s, more rooms with 4 adults in them, more smokers. More noise, and a lot more smoke. A lot more drinking.

 

I sailed on Carnival while pregnant, and with us not drinking, there was not much to do. I also found that the booze was aggressively pushed on Carnival, even when I'd point out that I was pregnant.

 

Lots to do on RCI ships, and I last sailed well before the Freedom and Oasis class ships. I like things like the movie theater on RCI ships, recent movies and popcorn, some place to be without drinking and that isn't smoky. I prefer the more subdued decor on the RCI ships, and do like the layout better.

 

Having said that, we're already planning a Carnival cruise for 2012, in part because our son will be 2 and old enough for the kid's club on CCL, but not on RCI. We can also cruise in a suite on CCL for the price of a balcony on RCI. As a family with a toddler, we're going to be amongst the noisy, irritating folks that bothered me on my last CCl cruise ;)

 

At any rate, I think it's worth experiencing both lines. We're cruising RCI this year because my son can at least go to the for-fee nursery on RCI, there are a lot of entertainment options to keep our 3-generations group happy, and it's a bit of an occasion. The extra cost is worth it to us now, but next year we'll be in a different situation with different concerns. It really is a cost-benefit analysis that is highly individual.

 

In my opinion, yes there is a slightly more refined cruising experience with RCI, but that may not be something you want to pay for, or your particular circumstances may make one line a better choice than the other.

[live.love.cruise]

I have been on both. I'm pretty sure RCCL has a higher staff to guest ratio, so service seemed better and friendlier to me on RCCL. I think, however the main thing you are paying for with RCCL is all the STUFF on board - ice skating rink, inline skating, rock climbing wall, mini golf, flowriders, boxing rings etc. If you aren't going to use those features, then Carnival (fantastic chocolate melting cake) is the way to go. RCCL also has a WONDERFUL ice show and several times during a cruise has a 'parade' through the promenade (the promenade is sort of a small indoor mall in the middle of the ship). I travel with an ADHD teenage boy, so the bigger the ship with more activities the better for us. Also, as far as food goes, meat eaters seem to like Carnival better. RCCL is much better for vegetarians.

 

Ditto! As a vegetarian I must say that I loved the MDR selection on both of my RCCL cruises....where as my meat eater travel partners preferred Carnival's food.

 

I love both lines and will cruise either @ anytime!

[im4clowns]

I have been on both RCCL and Carnival and each line has things I like and things I don't. WE are looking at a cruise for September, and although, Carnival Dream would be much cheaper, my DH hasn't been on RCCL yet, and wants to try them so we are going on the freedom. Looks to be about 700 more than we would spend on Carnival for the same time period. I don't think you can go wrong on either line. Every cruise I have been on there has always been small anoyances but the plus side is still better than a land vacation in my opinion.

[rubrrick]

We choose Royal Caribbean and other lines over Carnival, simply because I have not been able to find a comfortable sized suite on Carnival. Of course, living near the West Coast, that is where I have looked.

 

Now that Royal Caribbean is no longer on the West Coast (on a regular basis) the only ships that fill our needs are HAL and Princess.

 

And......no, we don't care to spend $10,000 per night for a cabin!:D

 

Rick

[will773]

Also, your last comparison is apples to oranges; no CCL ship can be compared with the Oasis or the Allure. You might want to look at the Oasis; it seems to be running a little lower than the Allure.

 

I've noticed the opposite. Most of the time, Oasis is more expensive than the Allure.

[Georgiagolfer]

DW and I like both lines. We have more cruises on CCL (11), vs. (3) on RCI, but mainly due to closeness of ports and yes, even price. We also are empty nesters and have paid no attention to kids activities. Have encountered similar # of "too much to drink" passengers on either line.

 

Food is too subjective to even discuss. Best 2 cruises out of all were RCI Mariner and CCL Liberty.