can anyone compare RCCL Voyager class with Caribbean Princess for me?

[Frankiesmom]

Hi to all! New to princess and thinking of booking Caribbean Princess for next 2/06 with kids ages 17,15,13,4 and 1. Was wondering if anyone can compare for me? The RCCL pricing policy leaves a little to be desired when traveling with so many kids-but want the activities for all the age groups. We are going to book 2 insides with 3 people in each-is this feasable? Thanks in advance!:)

[Lou_70]

Voyager is bigger :)

[Pam in CA]

I'm not that familiar with the "class" terminology for RCCL, but I was on the Explorer of the Seas a couple of years ago. Here are the differences, both plus and minus, that I remember:

 

* Plusses for EOS: automatic sliding outside doors rather than pull doors; 'clamshell' shower enclosures rather than a small shower with billowing curtain; skating rink (I enjoyed the show); climbing wall (I enjoyed watching the people); a solarium where I could find a lounger and relax out of the sun; and the "make a sandwich" in the buffet.

 

* Plusses for Princess: 24/7 buffet (it drove me nuts on the EOS that when we came back from a tour mid-afternoon, about the only food available was via room service); freshwater pools; much better dining room service and food; "Anytime" dining so that you can eat any time you want rather than at set times (I know, ironic that I consider this a plus since I really prefer Traditional); vastly superior embarkation (we waited in line for over 2 1/2 hours to just get to the check-in on EOS, I've never had to wait more than 15 minutes on Princess); and vastly superior Muster where you go to the lounge or largest public space nearest your cabin rather than stand on deck in all weather and can't hear a thing much less remember where you'd go in a real emergency.

 

Overall, the cruise experience is similar between the CB and the EOS but there are many things that Princess does a bit better. Oh, and the pasta on any Princess ship is to die for (the dining staff management is Italian).

[Lou_70]

Stay in a Suite, you go to a small room for muster

[billsgal]

IMHO the Voyager class ships are better than Grand Class. Pam couldn't find food in the afternoon on board the EOS, but the Promenade Cafe on Voyager class has food available 24 hours - sandwiches, pizza, desserts, cookies and fruit in addition to coffee, tea, lemonade, ided tea and water.

Embarkation on Princess has taken us a very long time once and a very short time once (2 hours in San Juan and 10 minutes in Seward), but embarkation on Voyager class last month (Mariner) took less than 10 minutes, and we arrived at 11:00 and a lot of folks were already there.

However, we were onboard having lunch by 11:30. Our experience with "anytime" dining has been anything but positive. Our experience has been "anytime" means anytime Princess has a table for you, not anytime you want to eat. We were in the Schooner Bar for our muster drill last month, and have also been in Chops during muster drill on Explorer. Your muster station is dependent upon your room location.

We've found that RCI service has been better than Princess, but the pizza is definitely better on Princess.

Both lines and ships have plusses and minuses, and you will get many different opinions from people, just remember their opinions are colored by their experiences.

Rita

[Pam in CA]

IMHO the Voyager class ships are better than Grand Class. Pam couldn't find food in the afternoon on board the EOS, but the Promenade Cafe on Voyager class has food available 24 hours - sandwiches, pizza, desserts, cookies and fruit in addition to coffee, tea, lemonade, ided tea and water.

Rita, I did know about the Promenade Cafe but I didn't feel like a sandwich or pizza. The sandwiches were all prepared hours before and had tomatos in them... yuck! You couldn't get anything that wasn't already set out, i.e., without tomato. I really wanted the better variety of salads available on Princess or to have something made fresh. I know that's just a subjective preference but I'll take a full buffet with a variety of offerings over a pre-made sandwich any day.

 

Our experience on RCI is that while on the Explorer, we had the same waitstaff as the Captain's table and they were so lazy, that if I asked for ice tea, three were plopped down on the table in front of me all at once so that they wouldn't have to go back for another. On the Nordic Empress, the first night, we had a trayload of hot tomato soup dumped all over us and our clothes. It was an accident but completely avoidable where two waiters didn't communicate and bumped into each other.

 

Overall, we had a really good time on RCI and we'd go again. I just didn't think that the overall food and service was up to Princess standards.

[Next]

I have been on the Voyager and Golden (A Grand Class ship as is the CP) Doing the CP in November. I like them both. They are different and both have different strengths.

 

Voyager has a grander appearance. The promenade, staircases, atriums, 3-tier dining room are much more spectacular than the Grand Class ships. On the other hand the Grand Class ships are more initmate and give you the feeling of being on a smaller yacht.

 

Voyager is easier to navigate. Symetrical hallways and layout. The Grand class ships have dead ends and asymetrical layouts.

 

Voyager has azipods and hence virtually no vibration. Grand class ships can experience some vibration at low speeds in shallow harbors. Eg, the dining room will shake for a few minutes. Again, some find this an advantage. I have heard people say they don't like the Voayager becuase you can forget you are on a ship. Go figure. I guess it is true. Voyager is more like a floating hotel than a ship. The Grand class has a more nautical feel.

 

I personnally think the food is better on Princess. The piizza, bratwrust, knokvurst, and burgers by the pool are great. Especially the Pizza. The dinners are presented better. The Horizon Court (Princess) has a stations layout versues a cafeteria line in the Windjammer (Voyager). Having said that, the food on the Voyager is fine and you will not go wrong.

 

Princess has an Italian influence in the wait staff and chef. Can't say I picked up any influence.

 

The stage and theater on the Voyager are bigger and more impressive.

 

The promenade on the Voyager is a wonderful gathering, strolling place. Sports bar, English Pub, shops, food. The Grand Class ships really have nothing similar. The bars

 

The CP has MUTS, Voyager does not.

 

The sports deck on the Vaoyager is better equipped. The basketball court is a full court, there is roller blading, a nice mini-golf.

 

Voyager has Johnny Rockets, (It costs) with great shakes and burgers. Princess has the pizza and grill (Free)

 

Princess has four seperate smaller pool sites. The voyager has two larger sites.

 

For the guys, the Voyager has a bathroom on one of the high decks that has a granite wall for urinal, behind which is a full length glass wall overlooking the water. Great place to pee !! (Seriously, they have this). The CEO of RCCL is known for his quirky designs.

 

Voyager has a florist shop.

 

The ice rink and rock climbing were mentioned in a previous post.

[negc]

Rita, I did know about the Promenade Cafe but I didn't feel like a sandwich or pizza. The sandwiches were all prepared hours before and had tomatos in them... yuck! You couldn't get anything that wasn't already set out, i.e., without tomato. I really wanted the better variety of salads available on Princess or to have something made fresh. I know that's just a subjective preference but I'll take a full buffet with a variety of offerings over a pre-made sandwich any day.

 

Our experience on RCI is that while on the Explorer, we had the same waitstaff as the Captain's table and they were so lazy, that if I asked for ice tea, three were plopped down on the table in front of me all at once so that they wouldn't have to go back for another. On the Nordic Empress, the first night, we had a trayload of hot tomato soup dumped all over us and our clothes. It was an accident but completely avoidable where two waiters didn't communicate and bumped into each other.

 

Overall, we had a really good time on RCI and we'd go again. I just didn't think that the overall food and service was up to Princess standards.

I think that saying that the food that was available did not meet your desires is different from saying that no food was available. I am also surprised that the wait staff assigned to the Captain could be described as "lazy" unless their style changed dramatically when he wasn't in the dining room. In my experience, the waiters assigned to the Captain were usually the best of the lot, and on those occasions (usually open seating lunches) where we were served by them, we noticed that they were the ultimate professionals whose pride in providing quality service was quite obvious.

Windjammer set up on both Radiance and Voyager class ships have a number of food stations and not the old stylye buffet line setup that you describe.

Sounds like the food and service that you experienced was not up to RCI's standards anymore than the food and service we experienced on our last Dawn Princess met Princess' standards. Just proves how dangerous it is to generalize from specific instances. :)

[Pam in CA]

I think that saying that the food that was available did not meet your desires is different from saying that no food was available. I am also surprised that the wait staff assigned to the Captain could be described as "lazy" unless their style changed dramatically when he wasn't in the dining room. In my experience, the waiters assigned to the Captain were usually the best of the lot, and on those occasions (usually open seating lunches) where we were served by them, we noticed that they were the ultimate professionals whose pride in providing quality service was quite obvious.

Windjammer set up on both Radiance and Voyager class ships have a number of food stations and not the old stylye buffet line setup that you describe.

Sounds like the food and service that you experienced was not up to RCI's standards anymore than the food and service we experienced on our last Dawn Princess met Princess' standards. Just proves how dangerous it is to generalize from specific instances. :)

Yup... I agree that it's dangerous to generalize. However, it is fair, IMHO, to compare the availability of only a pre-made sandwich or pizza with a buffet with a wide variety of food plus the option to request to have a sandwich made to order. :) We even tried to go to Johnny Rockets but it was closed for several hours. And yes, I was very surprised that the waitstaff was not up to par, particularly since we had a relative of an RCI executive at our table. He and his wife got all the service as they hovered around him and pretty much ignored the rest of us at the table. We still had a great time and would take RCI again.

 

I didn't particularly like the Promenade but I will say that with so many people there, the other spaces on the ship weren't as crowded.