Educate me about RCCL, PLEASE!

[mfisher59]

OK, I've only sailed CCL, and although I haven't "seen" any other cruise line, I can't help but pick up from all the dialogue that I am definitely missing something "settling" for Carnival. I know that it is typically more expensive on RCCL, but I want to know all the "little things" that make RCCL worth it. I have a feeling it's not going to take much to lead me away:cool:. All information is welcome, thanks!

[Pomperaugrr]

Hi mfisher59.

 

Don't consider having cruised on CCL as settling. You have gained cruise experience and are willing to broaden your experience base. That is a good thing. My opinion is that all of the major cruise lines offer the same basic product. The differences are relatively minor, but each does what it can to attract a certain market segment. I have cruised on Carnival, HAL, Norwegian and for now, exclusively on RCI. Royal Caribbean ships seem to have a certain design theme that makes them attractive to me. They are easy to get around on and the decor is lively without being too party oriented or too stuffy. I have found the overall RCI experience to be exactly what I have been looking for in a cruise vacation.

 

The one clear difference to me is in the quality of customer service training the crews get. While there may have been a rare exception or two to this, I have always had consistently great service from every RCI crew I have interacted with. Whether someone is powerwashing the exterior, polishing a hand rail, or serving me dinner, each one will greet you with a smile or a hello. I did not find the same service consistency on other lines.

 

Royal is also very family oriented, without being over the top.

 

Everything else is purely subjective, especially food quality, entertainment, etc.

 

My advice is to give Royal Caribbean a try and keep an open mind. There are a lot of people that like to bash other lines and be cheerleaders for their favorites. I will not bash other lines or contribute to "us vs. them" type threads. Take opinions as just that, opinions. I cruise at least once a year and have enjoyed every single cruise I have been on. Right now, Royal Caribbean provides the exact overall cruise experience I am looking for. I am in my 40's and am a Diamond C&A member, but will still consider other lines when and if my needs or cruise preferences change.

 

You have to work hard to have a bad cruise, in my opinion. You already have cruising experience, so trying other lines is a great idea. I am sure you will have a great cruise with RCI. Try it and let us know what you think.

 

Eric

[Aquahound]

OK, I've only sailed CCL, and although I haven't "seen" any other cruise line, I can't help but pick up from all the dialogue that I am definitely missing something "settling" for Carnival. I know that it is typically more expensive on RCCL, but I want to know all the "little things" that make RCCL worth it. I have a feeling it's not going to take much to lead me away:cool:. All information is welcome, thanks!

 

In a word, yes!!! People all over these boards talk about how cruise lines are more alike than different, but I can't help but believe (some) people will say anything to convince themselves the cheaper route is just as good. Personally, I don't see it. I've been on 4 cruise lines now, and I have yet to see any line that can compare to RCI in terms of live entertainment, amenities, ship design, and overall "wow" factor.

[cmason]

Ever considered Princess? That's the Carnival family equivalent to RCCL.

[Into Cruising]

All cruises are good, just some are better than others!

 

I believe cruises are what you make of them.

 

No cruiseline can satisfy someone who just can't be satisfied. And there are a lot of them around.

 

Do not get defiantly "loyal" to any one cruiseline, especially if you have not tried or experienced all of them.

 

Have I settled? Of course...until I get my room on the Residensea, I am settling with any other cruise ( except maybe The World)

 

Offered with tongue in cheek. You will enjoy any cruiseline you pick.!

[Ladysilver]

I haven't been on a lot of cruises but I've tried Carnival, NCL, and Royal Caribbean. I can say without a doubt that we enjoyed our cruise on RC by far. The ship was beautiful, the service was excellent, the food was wonderful, fellow passengers were very friendly, and our cabin was perfect. What else can I say? :D

[SamFritz]

In a word, yes!!! People all over these boards talk about how cruise lines are more alike than different, but I can't help but believe (some) people will say anything to convince themselves the cheaper route is just as good. Personally, I don't see it. I've been on 4 cruise lines now, and I have yet to see any line that can compare to RCI in terms of live entertainment, amenities, ship design, and overall "wow" factor.

 

Paul, does that include Celebrity? Or do you consider Celebrity to part of the Royal Caribbean Family? I've occasionally thought of "cheating" on Royal by going to X, maybe after I get to D+.

[Aquahound]

Paul, does that include Celebrity? Or do you consider Celebrity to part of the Royal Caribbean Family? I've occasionally thought of "cheating" on Royal by going to X, maybe after I get to D+.

 

Sam, I love Celebrity. Actally, T loves them more than me. They are great if you go as a couple. However, the entertainment and activities just don't compare. And while the Solstice Class ships are beautiful, I think much nicer than Radiance Class, I just don't think they come close to RCI's big ships for folks who like to stay up past 10:00.

[jsfromsc]

My husband and I have only cruised on Carnival. We're considering a cruise on RCI just for the itinerary, but I'm super unhappy about their web site. It's frustrating the daylights out of me. I did call and speak to someone who was extremely helpful in answering my questions. I was very impressed with her customer service skills, but I still can't bounce back and forth between web sites and get the answers I need. I have tried looking at reviews of the ship we'd be sailing on but they're not addressing the specific questions I have either. I guess we won't know until we try another line, but it's a little scary taking that leap. I want to be able to see the deck plans, the room interior, and some other things that should be available on RCI's web site, but are not working. The site keeps bouncing me back to main pages. We're not planning to sail until July of 2013 so we do have some time. I guess I'll continue to make a lists and call when I need answers. Carnival has a similar cruise for the dates we want but doesn't visit Sweden, which we really want to do as my husband is half Swedish and neither of us has been there. I'm not opposed to trying another line, but I want to be able to weigh all my options before deciding for sure.

[cb at sea]

If you want deck plans and photos of cabin types, on RCI's site, you can order a brochure...the deck plans will be there and photos of the different cabin types. The photos are VERY representative of what you'll be getting. Also, lots of info about the way RCI works is in the brochure. There's no charge for it.

[Familygoboston]

My husband and I have only cruised on Carnival. We're considering a cruise on RCI just for the itinerary, but I'm super unhappy about their web site. It's frustrating the daylights out of me. I did call and speak to someone who was extremely helpful in answering my questions. I was very impressed with her customer service skills, but I still can't bounce back and forth between web sites and get the answers I need. I have tried looking at reviews of the ship we'd be sailing on but they're not addressing the specific questions I have either. I guess we won't know until we try another line, but it's a little scary taking that leap. I want to be able to see the deck plans, the room interior, and some other things that should be available on RCI's web site, but are not working. The site keeps bouncing me back to main pages. We're not planning to sail until July of 2013 so we do have some time. I guess I'll continue to make a lists and call when I need answers. Carnival has a similar cruise for the dates we want but doesn't visit Sweden, which we really want to do as my husband is half Swedish and neither of us has been there. I'm not opposed to trying another line, but I want to be able to weigh all my options before deciding for sure.

 

I hear you! I think the website is not terribly user friendly, and I feel that the photos are generalizations. For instance you will pick a cabin catagory and the same photo will show for all cabins, even though that cabin may look very different. Information is often incorrect. When I booked Oasis in Dec of 2010, the Loyalty Ambassador told me ( and the deck plans showed) that the D1 balcony is 30 sq feet larger than all the other D balconies, so we booked it. However, I noticed on line that it shows the D1 balcony as 3 sq feet smaller than the other D's. It's just wrong...and year later I sailed ( nice big balcony!) and 6 months more...the website is still wrong!

 

I compensate by using the web. I go to other booking sites ( which cannot be named) to see cabin availability and locations. I read reviews here and other sites that post photos of actual cabins I'm considering. Then I call RCl and (this actually happened) have the booking agent ask me if I'm a travel agent because I know so much about my cabin selection. I want to scream...well, I didn't learn any of this from your website, that's for sure! But I don't:p for all the irritation with their site, their on board experience is great. Service is friendly and attentive, activities and ship design provide the wow, entertainment is great, and food is edible;):p

 

I hope you'll give it a try and not judge the line on their website...though you'd think if people were doing just that, they'd be motivated to improve it;)

[jsfromsc]

Thanks for the info, guys. I know that awhile ago someone here on CC posted another site that has deck plans for all the lines. I haven't cruised since 2010 so I've been lax at checking these boards. For me half the fun is looking forward to it, so I'll be here more regularly again. I do want to give RCI a chance, especially as the Baltic itinerary is one my husband is really eager to try. I appreciate your comments about the cabins, too. We're not the type of cruisers that doesn't care about room size or comfort, but neither are we wealthy, so we have to save up for a few years to be able to make such a trip. It's nice to know what to expect.

[bbbearden]

I like CCL and RCCL. I feel that RCCl does have better service, the MDR's are a much more attractive setting, the interior of the ship is laid out much better, the suite guests get much better treatment, and the pools are much bigger, all a nice improvement.

 

On CCL, the deck activities on thier newer ships are pretty impressive, no water slides on RCCL, CCL really does seem to pull of the fun ship theme (sometimes corny but always fun).

 

I would encourge you to try RCCL, you will likely enjoy yourself.

[dmdiver]

I've sailed mostly CCL & took my first RC trip 2 years ago. My impression was that the passengers are pretty much the same on both lines. RC ship was 'prettier' than CCL, which tends to be a bit 'vegasy'. The one thing I really missed on RC was the 24/7 soft serve & pizza. Honestly, I never thought that would matter to me, but when you find yourself out at 9:15pm wanting something to eat before going to the comedy show, you miss having that available. I thought the entertainment was great on both lines, maybe a bit better on my RC trip. Dining room food & service is great on both. The RC shower & cabin were a little smaller, but not a big deal. RC cabins have great storage, so nothing to worry about there, either. RC does not have the amenity basket or bathrobes for all cabins like CCL does. Again, not a dealbreaker, just an observation. We are sailing on Oasis of the Seas this year & I'm really looking forward to it. I'm thinking that we will probably stick with alternating between the 2 lines depending on itinerary & fares. We travel with another couple who have mostly been on RC. One thing they really liked about CCL was the Guy's Burger Joint on Liberty. I must say it was quite delicious. And no additional cost, either.

 

Anyway, I'm sure you will have a great time. I haven't had a bad cruise yet.

[Aquahound]

dmdiver - your lack of pizza was probably ship specific. Most RCI ships do have it 24/7. You'll see that Oasis does.

[bplazo]

We have always sailed Royal and we took our first Carnival cruise last month and thought that they were about the same. The only difference was that there was really no suite benifits just a larger room.

[dmdiver]

dmdiver - your lack of pizza was probably ship specific. Most RCI ships do have it 24/7. You'll see that Oasis does.

 

Good - as large as that ship is, I will probably work up an appetite just walking around. We were on Enchantment last time. Basically, they closed down the eating places at 9 & opened up a new area at 10. So, it's not like anyone would starve to death, but we just didn't have time to wait until 10 to grab something.

 

To the OP, another difference noted in the past was that RC didn't add gratuities to the onboard account like CCL. We had to go to guest services & have them added. Since we didn't know that before sailing, we didn't bring cash for tips. So, that's something you will want to be aware of before sailing. Also, I noticed that if you choose anytime dining, you pre-pay the gratuities when you pay for your trip. I prefer pre-payment or adding them to the onboard account & just carrying cash for going into port - just my preference.

[julesbeara]

My 1st cruise was on RCCL, and 2nd was on Carnival. I think that Royal Caribbean's ship layout and decorations are a little less bright and kitzy compared to Carnival. I like the variety of speciality dining options are the larger RCCL ships. If you want to try the ultimate RCCL cruising experience, the Allure of the Seas is awesome and won't disappoint you. Also, any day cruising on any ship is better than a day at work. :-)

[tiger belle]

I've enjoyed reading the posts in this thread...as you can see in my signature, I have only in the past cruised Carnival but am seriously considering booking a Thanksgiving cruise on RCI's Voyager of the Seas...I have always wanted to just try another line even though I have been quite satisfied with my Carnival cruises...is VOS considered one of RCI's larger size ship classes? I know it's not as big as he Oasis class, but I don't know as much about RCI's ship classes as Carnival's...guess I am just wondering what ship in Carnival's line would be comparable to VOS:confused:

[Erik101]

Hi mfisher59.

 

Don't consider having cruised on CCL as settling. You have gained cruise experience and are willing to broaden your experience base. That is a good thing. My opinion is that all of the major cruise lines offer the same basic product. The differences are relatively minor, but each does what it can to attract a certain market segment. I have cruised on Carnival, HAL, Norwegian and for now, exclusively on RCI. Royal Caribbean ships seem to have a certain design theme that makes them attractive to me. They are easy to get around on and the decor is lively without being too party oriented or too stuffy. I have found the overall RCI experience to be exactly what I have been looking for in a cruise vacation.

 

The one clear difference to me is in the quality of customer service training the crews get. While there may have been a rare exception or two to this, I have always had consistently great service from every RCI crew I have interacted with. Whether someone is powerwashing the exterior, polishing a hand rail, or serving me dinner, each one will greet you with a smile or a hello. I did not find the same service consistency on other lines.

 

Royal is also very family oriented, without being over the top.

 

Everything else is purely subjective, especially food quality, entertainment, etc.

 

My advice is to give Royal Caribbean a try and keep an open mind. There are a lot of people that like to bash other lines and be cheerleaders for their favorites. I will not bash other lines or contribute to "us vs. them" type threads. Take opinions as just that, opinions. I cruise at least once a year and have enjoyed every single cruise I have been on. Right now, Royal Caribbean provides the exact overall cruise experience I am looking for. I am in my 40's and am a Diamond C&A member, but will still consider other lines when and if my needs or cruise preferences change.

 

You have to work hard to have a bad cruise, in my opinion. You already have cruising experience, so trying other lines is a great idea. I am sure you will have a great cruise with RCI. Try it and let us know what you think.

 

Eric

 

Very well said and to the OP, I agree 100% with what Eric wrote. I'm actually in the same position you are with RCI and Celebrity. So, we're taking a plunge and trying a different line. For now, I visit the Celebrity boards (as well as the line's website) to gain more knowledge about my next cruise and how I can make sure that we have a fantastic vacation.

[efields2]

is VOS considered one of RCI's larger size ship classes? I know it's not as big as he Oasis class, but I don't know as much about RCI's ship classes as Carnival's...guess I am just wondering what ship in Carnival's line would be comparable to VOS:confused:

 

The Voyager-class is RCL's third largest class, coming in at around 137,000 gross tons with around 3,100 passengers. I've never cruised Carnival but it looks like the Dream-class is a little smaller, coming in at 130,000 gross tons and almost 3,700 passengers.

 

In comparison, the Oasis-class is almost 226,000 gross tons with nearly 6,300 passengers!

[erbunny]

Very well said and to the OP, I agree 100% with what Eric wrote. I'm actually in the same position you are with RCI and Celebrity. So, we're taking a plunge and trying a different line. For now, I visit the Celebrity boards (as well as the line's website) to gain more knowledge about my next cruise and how I can make sure that we have a fantastic vacation.

 

I think that when you are on a Celebrity ship you will definitely be able to tell it is from the RCCL family. It is a trifle more upscale and sophisticated, but far from snooty. Enjoy !!!

[SportsFanatic]

I like CCL and RCCL. I feel that RCCl does have better service, the MDR's are a much more attractive setting, the interior of the ship is laid out much better, the suite guests get much better treatment, and the pools are much bigger, all a nice improvement.

 

On CCL, the deck activities on thier newer ships are pretty impressive, no water slides on RCCL, CCL really does seem to pull of the fun ship theme (sometimes corny but always fun).

 

I would encourge you to try RCCL, you will likely enjoy yourself.

 

I have decided to sail on Royal because I liked the itinerary that was available and wanted to try CocoCay. However,I must say I had a BLAST on Carnival.. Carnival does have bigger rooms, beds are so comfortable and 24/7 free room service. They also give an amenity basket and bathrobes in all cabins- The Melting Cake is awesome and I found all the food really good!! You can also bring a bottle of wine and pop on board and no drink certificates. Lots of little things they do that I see RCCL does not. Friend recommend them and I am keeping an open mind and hoping for a good time. Most of the reviews I have read are good but keep seeing a lot of people complaining about the food. But, you will never know if you don't give it a try so I say, go for it.

[djhsolara]

Thank you all for this great thread!!

 

We've cruised Carnival, Princess and Celebrity but our hearts belong to Holland America. We've heard so much about RC that we've decided to give them a try. We're going into it with very open minds and are hoping to have an experience we love.

 

:) :)

[lady_cruiser]

My husband and I have only cruised on Carnival. We're considering a cruise on RCI just for the itinerary, but I'm super unhappy about their web site. It's frustrating the daylights out of me......

Please don't consider not going on a cruiseline because of there website.

 

Webdesigners can only do so much with the programs that they have available.