Give me a reason to try RCL

[goodycruising]

I agree that the ships and companies can be more alike than different. They are all trying their best, and want to please you.

 

The shows can be very subject to personal taste. We actually found the headline show on Celebrity Solstice to be very modern and inventive. Great costumes and dance choreographing. I like a lot of the older type cover acts, like Neil Diamond etc, but that might be a bit dull for some. I don't want to see the violin type shows. So while people find Celebrity a bit staid, we found plenty of great music and entertainment around the bars and a lively atmosphere.

 

So as to whether RCI will suit. It can depend on your tastes, and on the time of year you go. We watch heaps of youtube videos, and that really can give you a good feel of the atmosphere.

 

I hope you enjoy you trip if you do go!

[big al]

Facts are the newer NCL ships like The Getaway, Breakaway, & Epic have MORE to do than any ship on the 7 seas...my friends just got off the Getaway in June , and they were all ( 4 of them ) on both The Oasis & Allure ( 2x), and said the Getaway was the best cruise ( by far, they all agreed) they had been on including Princess & Carnival..they said, that not ONE minute were they bored, and since they got the free specialty dining package, they all ate in different restaurants every night ( IMO, NCL has the best specialty venues by far, also..), and said the dinner/ illusion show was great, Legally Blonde, Burn The Floor latin dancing ( my friend said it was "sensational"), dueling pianos ( called "Howl at the Moon"), and much more were all "fantastic"...another good friend, after numerous cruises on RCI & Celebrity & Princess, tried the NCL Breakaway in NY and loved it so much, they booked another Breakaway cruise for 10 nights one year later...so, NCL on the newer ships is NOT for peace & quiet..I've done 5 NCL cruises on the Sky ( 2x), Sun, Star & Pearl, none were what I would call "peace & quiet"..try HAL for that- we were on the Westerdam in 2006, and average age was 20 years older than us , and were early 50's..shows stunk & ship closed down by 11 pm...nice ship, gorgeous private island ( Half Moon Cay, 2nd fav after Disney's Castaway Cay), but we thought food, service & shows all were average to mediocre...again, I reiterate, variety is the spice of life- try the Liberty, you'll love her!!!

 

 

Big Al

[denatravels]

For sure try a RCL cruise.

I have done many on Carnival and 4 or 5 on RCL as well as Celebrity and Princess.

 

They are all similar in many ways and all have something for everyone.

 

 

I was on the Liberty of the Seas 3 years ago, did a 7 Caribbean cruise and a transAtlantic 10 months later. On those cruise you were given the choice to prebook the shows. The ice show was great and you were able to reserve once onboard as well.

It was on a RCL that I first experienced the "Quest" which they did on my last 2 Carnival cruises (June & Aug 2015)

 

In fact on my last roll call Carnival Splendor Aug 24, 2015 someone did a comparison between Carnvial and RCL since they had mostly sailed RCL.

 

The Liberty of the Seas has a wonderful promenade where they do a great parade or dancing in the Streets not to be missed.

 

My next RCL cruise is coming up, and as always I am looking forward to it.

 

I have become a cruising addict, lol.

 

I find half the fun in any cruise is meeting people and enjoy meeting others at the meet and greets.

 

Karen

 

 

No more reservations for shows on Liberty. Just get on line.

[destiny217]

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/beforeyouboard/shoreExcursions/downloadBrochure.do?brochureFileName=SHXLB160103USUSD09162015.pdf

 

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/beforeyouboard/shoreExcursions/downloadBrochure.do?brochureFileName=SHXLB151213USUSD09162015.pdf

 

Above are brochures for Liberty of the Seas out of Galveston, Texas.

 

I also had the spinning circle and for some reason there was an Internet Explorer pop-up block. Once I okay'd the site the brochures opened.

 

We sail Carnival and Royal and you will feel right at home on Royal. But you will miss Guy's Burgers but should find many other things on Royal you will like.

Edited September 16, 2015 by destiny217

[umograd83]

As a loyal Carnival cruiser who just took a cruise on another line (NCL), I say go for it! I always said if it ain't broke, don't fix it. However, you don't know what you are missing on another cruise line if you don't try it. We were getting bored with Carnival. Same ole ships, same ole everything. It was great to try something different. And we really loved NCL so much, that we put down deposits on two more cruises. And today I booked a cruise on Royal Caribbean for our second honeymoon (the first one was not what I had planned since it happened five days after September 11th, so this is a re-do of our honeymoon). Royal Caribbean seems to offer so much more on their ships than Carnival does.

[big al]

As a loyal Carnival cruiser who just took a cruise on another line (NCL), I say go for it! I always said if it ain't broke, don't fix it. However, you don't know what you are missing on another cruise line if you don't try it. We were getting bored with Carnival. Same ole ships, same ole everything. It was great to try something different. And we really loved NCL so much, that we put down deposits on two more cruises. And today I booked a cruise on Royal Caribbean for our second honeymoon (the first one was not what I had planned since it happened five days after September 11th, so this is a re-do of our honeymoon). Royal Caribbean seems to offer so much more on their ships than Carnival does.

 

Good for you! Variety IS the spice of life..how are you gonna know about great ships & cruises if you only sail one line? You can always go back to CCL, but now that you discovered NCL & RCI, isn't that great?

[Texas4808]

We have, since we started cruising about 3 years ago, always sailed with Carnival and almost always had a really good time (I say almost because there was an excursion problem on our last cruise that was really NOT Carnival's fault and they DID totally make it up to us in a very nice and totally unexpected way, so they do get points for that in my book). However, I'm not the kind of person who sticks with one thing forever and I've been poking around the Royal Caribbean website.

 

 

I don't know if it's me or if their site is being wonky, but I can't view any of the excursions and they are less than forthcoming (again, compared to Carnival) as to what kind of activities they offer daily on their ships, etc. I've heard (and I can't back this up, because I'm unable to find it on the website) that they really nickle and dime you as far as the onboard resteraunts (such as they have a nice hamburger joint, but it's not included in the price the way it would be on a Carnival ship for example) and things of that nature. So I'm not sure that as a typical Carnival cruiser (working class, not poverty stricken but not exactly middle class either) if we'd even like an RCL cruise or even fit in there because I get the impression that RCL is for "those" people. The middle class.

 

 

Which ain't us...not by a long stretch.:D

 

 

Still...I'm willing to give them a chance if I can find enough convincing reasons to do so.

 

When are you planning on going? I am the President of Blue Skyes over Autism. We have a very large group cruising on the Liberty of the Seas on April 10, 2016. Right now, we have 32 Autism families in our group. Autism Adventure Travel is going with us to help with the kids and to coordinate group activities. We have kids from all over the Autism spectrum. Like you, we are all from Texas too.

 

As has been our mission for the last 3 years, we are visiting Autism families in a port on the itinerary, this time in Cozumel. We will receive priority boarding and debarkment, group seating in the main dining room, an autism theme itinerary, reserved seating at shows, respite for the kids from trained staff and get togethers with all our families.

 

You are more than welcome to contact AAT and book with them to join us. We do Carnival and RC, they both do a great job. I'd say RC has more activities for the kids. Don't worry about the other passengers, you will be with your peers when traveling with BSoA. All the extra services won't cost you anything more than the regular cabin fare.

 

Here's one of the video's from last year's cruise (watch all the way through past the dance party AAT put on for the kids)

 

 

Let me know if this interests you.

Edited September 20, 2015 by Texas4808

[bay guy]

We've been on CCL Splendor a couple of times and had a good time. However, we prefer RCI for several reasons. First is that the ships,in general, are nicer and they are definitely laid out better than most of the CCL ships we've been on. None of the problem where you are trying to get to a dining room, as an example, and have to go up a deck, over, and then back down again.

In my opinion, food and entertainment on RCI are better and we always feel like the service we have had goes a long way towards making the cruises a great experience.

Everyone has their own preferences but, if the cost is similar, I'd definitely try the RCI cruise. As mentioned previously, don't choose a cruise based on the tours it offers for ports. The best tours we've had on cruises have been those we set up ourselves.

[denatravels]

We've been on CCL Splendor a couple of times and had a good time. However, we prefer RCI for several reasons. First is that the ships,in general, are nicer and they are definitely laid out better than most of the CCL ships we've been on. None of the problem where you are trying to get to a dining room, as an example, and have to go up a deck, over, and then back down again.

 

In my opinion, food and entertainment on RCI are better and we always feel like the service we have had goes a long way towards making the cruises a great experience.

 

Everyone has their own preferences but, if the cost is similar, I'd definitely try the RCI cruise. As mentioned previously, don't choose a cruise based on the tours it offers for ports. The best tours we've had on cruises have been those we set up ourselves.

 

 

This certainly didn't ruin my trip-- but on Liberty, decks 2 and 3 don't go through. I stayed on deck 7, so deck 2 didn't bother me (and I never even saw it for myself-- just heard). But deck 3 doesn't go through-- which was an annoying hassle at times, since going from the theater to On Air requires going up and over. As someone using a cane, it could be a pain.

[RN4Nsy]

Hi,

I have sailed on Carnival and Celebrity, but I am loyal to RCCL. I love how they take such good care of you. From cabin steward to waiters, from the help I get whenever I call with a question. I have them take care of transfers, hotel the night before. I draw the line at Choice Air. It is much easier to do it yourself because Choice Air has a tendency to book you returning home at Midnight.

I have worked really hard to get (finally) to Diamond status, looking forward to a little bit of spoiling.

Carnival does seem to be more of a party ship, we sailed on Celebrity to Alaska last year because all the RCCL ships were full. Celebrity also takes good care of you, but even though it is a sister ship to the RCCL ships, you do not get the points as if you were on RCCL.

 

No matter what you choose, have a fantastic trip!

 

Myra

 

Lucky # 13 in 29 days

# 14, not for 5 excruciating months!