Do the new "super ships" (Escape, Getaway etc) lessen the pleasure of mid-size ships?

[chesapeake2atlantic]

On our first cruise last year, the Carnival Valor took us on an unforgettable Eastern Caribbean itinerary. We had a delightful time, which was a surprise, as we never considered ourselves stereotypical cruisers. :rolleyes:

 

Six weeks ago, we hopped aboard the Getaway and were delighted from start to finish. Everything about Getaway seems calibrated to wow: the Waterfront, freestyle dining, the many specialty restaurants and alternative MDR restaurants, 678 Oceanfront, the ship's atrium/lobby, "Burn the Floor," the excellent spa and gym, the ropes course, the Grammy Experience, O'Sheehans, Howl at the Moon, the dance classes and outdoor celebrations and on and on.

 

Now I'm wondering if Getaway's 146,000 tons of wow will forever dwarf the experience of much smaller ships of the same price point. True, smaller may confer intimacy, but as I looked from the Getaway's bow at several older Carnival ships in St. Thomas, the latter suddenly looked very tired and unappealing. To paraphrase Thomas Wolfe: Can you ever go home again--to a smaller, older ship?

 

Sorry to sound like Peggy Lee.

[NH Cruisers]

I still enjoy the mid sized ships. Done both.

[RuthlessBoss]

I was completely wowed by Getaway 3 week ago. We must remember she's not even 1 year old yet.

The only problem, if it's a problem, is it would take 2 weeks to see and do things unless you ran yourself ragged. I chose to pace myself.

The size is the drawback. I will continue to use smaller ships even though they are no longer in perfect condition on the outside.

[Trevor Fountain]

The most luxurious ships, are not mega ships.

[RuthlessBoss]

The most luxurious ships, are not mega ships.

 

Correct. But the post clearly stated about "the same price point."

[Trevor Fountain]

Correct. But the post clearly stated about "the same price point."

 

Yes, I understand that. I do however think that more often than not the smaller ships, even at the same price point, generally seem to be built with a nicer decor. A bit more wood perhaps and less plastic.

To be fair I've yet to try a really big ship, just going of photos and videos, but I do think I'd really prefer smaller ships. Something that still has proper ocean going liner looks, not floating tower blocks.

[SuiteTraveler]

I think that they are two completely different types of cruises. One type of cruise is all about the ship, the other type of cruise is all about the ports.

 

I never used to cruise to go on a specific ship until the year Voyager of the Seas was the largest ship in the world. Nowadays, I go on the Mega ships when I want a ton of onboard entertainment and lots of restaurants and activities. On those cruises, it's ALL about the ship, not the ports.

 

Conversely, on the medium sized ships, itinerary rules. These are the ships that are ideal for cruises where I'll be off the ship all day touring and really want a ship with good food and a relaxing atmosphere at night. On these types of cruises, I could care less about entertainment and activities on the ship. It's all about having an ideal itinerary and then a comfortable cabin with the right amenities and good food.

[Demonyte]

I loved Getaway but still prefer Jewel class ships. :)

[sjbdtz]

I did EPIC 3 times, interspersed with Spirit & Sun.....then Breakaway twice, followed by Star.... and next - up is Getaway.

 

I think that it really depends on your motivations for a cruise.

 

I enjoy getting out of my home office and vacationing, so the scale of the ship is of less importance to me...as long as it has food, booze, spa & a casino....and I don't have to worry about making my bed...it's good.

 

 

So trust me, you'll be fine! :)

 

 

 

Stephen

 

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[Shayhooper]

I'm wondering about this as well while I am in the research phase of a Bermuda cruise. Breakaway vs Dawn with a young child.

[janpo]

On Ncl we did the Pearl first and loved it. Had a fantastic time. This year we sailed the Getaway. That ship has the wow factor but we both agreed...it's too big. Were on the Sky next month. Maybe I'll miss the big ship once I'm on a smaller one.

Edited December 9, 2014 by janpo

[Ericktina]

I loved Getaway but still prefer Jewel class ships. :)

Agree--miss the coziness!!

[funat55]

I like the mega ships. Done Oasis, Getaway and Navigator of the Seas. I enjoy all of the many activities and shows that are available. Sometimes I will take a shorter (3 day cruise) to satisfy myself until I can take the time to go on a 7 day or longer cruise. The shorter cruises have been on older smaller ships and I found that I have also enjoyed these short excursions. You simply wouldn't be able to do all the things on the mega ship in three days that you can do on a smaller ship.

[xriva]

After you've been on a mega ship, where the ship is the destination (as someone else said), I actually appreciate the smaller ships. We've sailed the Epic twice and were on the Breakaway's inaugural crossing, but we'll be on the Pearl in a couple of weeks.

 

To me, the larger ships are resorts that float - the Epic always seemed like she was designed for people that didn't want to know they were on a ship - so, I spend a lot of time being busy. On the smaller ships, there's less to schedule, and after the number of meetings I've had at work lately, not having schedules is a good thing.

[GoAndHaveFun]

For me, I definitely do enjoy both the huge ships (i.e. Epic, Breakaway, and Getaway) and Jewel-classed ships like Jade and Jewel. Although I do notice the differences between Breakaway vs. Jade, those differences becomes minute once I realized the things I like are all there such as Garden Cafe, specialty restaurants, activities, casino, and just the overall cruise experience. After taking Epic and Breakaway last year, I remember thinking about how I love the mega cruises as there are more things to do. However, when I took Jade and Jewel this year, everything felt the same and I forgot about big ship vs. mid-sized ship.

[PhotoPete]

I've never sailed on a ship larger than 100K tons. Really don't think I am missing anything. I find plenty to do on the ships I've sailed on. I'm not interested in ice skating, rope climbing or any of that stuff.

[cantthinkofanythingfun]

I prefer the mega ships for the entertainment, but it is super convenient for me to sail out of Baltimore and we have nothing but mid-sized ships. We have the Carnival Pride which is getting rehabbed (most of the passengers could use a little rehab too), but was still pretty nice before. We also have some old Royal Caribbean ship that is ridiculously expensive and looks like Francis Scott Key may have written the Star Spangled Banner on it.

[chesapeake2atlantic]

I prefer the mega ships for the entertainment, but it is super convenient for me to sail out of Baltimore and we have nothing but mid-sized ships. We have the Carnival Pride which is getting rehabbed (most of the passengers could use a little rehab too), but was still pretty nice before. We also have some old Royal Caribbean ship that is ridiculously expensive and looks like Francis Scott Key may have written the Star Spangled Banner on it.

 

I also enjoy the entertainment options on mega-ships. With added gross tonnage comes added economies of size, which makes near-Broadway-caliber shows possible, as well as a wealth of upscale restaurant offerings.

Still, I understand the argument for aesthetics. The older, smaller ships dazzled with grace and beauty, while mega-ships today wow with their gravity-defying immensity. Some might liken mega-ships with the Mall of America, but I'm not sure the analogy is deserved. Moreover, I'm not sure it's accurate to say that the smaller ships offer a "purer" cruising experience.

[cb at sea]

Has no one told you that size doesn't matter? It's what you DO WITH IT that matters! Big or small can both be great vacations!

[cliffd64]

Having just walked off the Getaway on Saturday, I don't see that experience dampening my Jewel Class or Dawn Class experiences from now on. In fact, I have to say that I still prefer the Jewel Class over the Breakaway Class ships.

 

The biggest difference I have with the larger class is the missing central elevators. We found ourselves leaving venues and heading across the length of the ship to get to the appropriate Aft or Forward elevator bank depending on where we were going. A midship elevator would have made the process easier.

 

The cabin sizes/layouts for balcony cabins seems smaller on the Breakaway class ships. I felt a little cramped and lacked enough storage it seemed on Getaway.

Edited December 10, 2014 by cliffd64