If you could only choose one ship...

[NYCruiser84]

Would it be RCs Allure of the Seas? Or NCLs Escape? Currently my family and I are booked on Escape as we frequent NCL. But RC does have a nice deal going on and my mother would like me to sort of compare the 2 giving some pros and cons

 

The Escape Cruise is the 8 day leaving Aug 6th (St Maarten, St Thomas, Tortola, Nassau) and the RC cruise would be the leaving Aug 7th (St Maarten, San Juan, Labadee)

 

I've tried to do as much research as I could but I would love to hear from those who have cruised RC and NCL. Right now it seems like the biggest con for us would revolve around the lack of casual dinner options as RC has a bit of a strict dress code. I know I've heard it varies but we'd still have to bring pants to be on the "safe side" as I've read people have been turned away. As opposed to NCL where we can eat anywhere

 

With both cruise prices being about the same and you guys could only pick 1...which what you choose and why?

 

 

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[ColinIllinois]

I'm sure you'll get some general opinions on NCL but no one at this point will be able to give you specific opinions on the Escape.

[NYCruiser84]

I'm sure you'll get some general opinions on NCL but no one at this point will be able to give you specific opinions on the Escape.

 

 

Well I don't need or expect anything specific for escape as it hasn't sailed. But if you've been on a NCL cruise and know of the info of escape what would be that persons choice. Just looking for thoughts and opinions of those who have sailed both

 

 

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[helen haywood]

I just did a B2B of sorts, first week my first ever NCL cruise on Getaway and second week on Oasis. We are Diamond on Royal and Elite Plus on Celebrity. My favorite ship before these cruises was Celebrity Reflection. We LOVED Getaway!! And even more so the next week when we were on Oasis. The food was much better and more venues on Getaway. The Waterfront area was wonderful! I came home and cancelled a cruise in January on Reflection and booked one on Escape. So here's one vote for the Escape over Oasis Class (or actually any Royal ship...)

[dolita22]

Would it be RCs Allure of the Seas? Or NCLs Escape? Currently my family and I are booked on Escape as we frequent NCL. But RC does have a nice deal going on and my mother would like me to sort of compare the 2 giving some pros and cons

 

The Escape Cruise is the 8 day leaving Aug 6th (St Maarten, St Thomas, Tortola, Nassau) and the RC cruise would be the leaving Aug 7th (St Maarten, San Juan, Labadee)

 

I've tried to do as much research as I could but I would love to hear from those who have cruised RC and NCL. Right now it seems like the biggest con for us would revolve around the lack of casual dinner options as RC has a bit of a strict dress code. I know I've heard it varies but we'd still have to bring pants to be on the "safe side" as I've read people have been turned away. As opposed to NCL where we can eat anywhere

 

With both cruise prices being about the same and you guys could only pick 1...which what you choose and why?

 

 

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Having sailed both RCL and NCL, we would choose the 8 day on the Escape for a couple reasons.

 

1.) We simply like NCL better at this point in our lives.

 

2.) The lack of casual dining options/dress code was one thing we really didn't like on RCL. We like that NCL is more casual, even though I know people will say RCL is casual too. NCL is just more casual. Not sure how to describe that in other ways! Plus, we like the food better on NCL.

 

3.) I'm assuming the RCL cruise is 7 days? Can't go wrong with an 8-day cruise! While we really enjoyed Labadee and would choose that any day over Nassau, we still like the longer cruises.

 

4.) Can you get the beverage package (or other perks) on RCL? If not, are they important to you? Could be a deciding factor between the two, since prices are the same.

 

Good luck deciding!

[HACKT]

We just completed cruises on Oasis and Allure, next one is NCL Dawn (not big fancy ship but we like it). Oasis to carib was OK but crowded. Allure was great to med due to europe stops. So I'd also rec Escape primarily due to 4 stops vs 3 on Allure.

Plus comments above on casual eating, also getting UBP or UDP. We have UDP on Dawn next month and already booked a specialty restaurant each night.

We'll cruise both NCL and RCL but destination is driver. I think your 4 stops on Escape are better than 3 on Allure. Labadee is too crowded when mega ships are there unf.

[sixesandeights]

Escape. More cruise days are better cruise days. :-) Also you would need pants still to eat in Le Bistro and one of the MDRs on the Escape just so you are aware.

 

6&8

Edited October 16, 2015 by sixesandeights

[PaulInPGH]

I've yet to do Oasis or Allure, but I would probably lean toward NCL for a couple reasons. We were just on the Getaway on 10/03 and we found the food to be far better than we got on either of our RCI cruises. Not only in variety, which isn't even close, but on quality. Not to say that the food on RCI was bad, I actually enjoyed it, I just enjoyed the food on NCL even more. I'm not really sure about RCI being any more formal than NCL. On our cruise on Independence there were people in the MDR in shorts and in bathing suits and T-shirts, but YMMV. I typically wear jeans (even in the Caribbean, I know) and T-shirts and have never had an issue on either line.

 

Also, if shipboard entertainment is important to you, NCL is miles ahead of RCI. I'm a musician, so I tend to judge other musicians rather harshly, and the performances on NCL were just head and shoulders better. Again, this changes from ship to ship and cruise to cruise, but the entertainment on Getaway was the best I've seen.

 

If pool time on the ship is more important to you, I think RCI really wins there. Having the separate adults only pool really makes a difference. The adults only area on Getaway (and I'm sorry, but I haven't read much about Escape to know if there'll be any major change) is completely open to the sun and offers very little shade. Going out there, even in October, felt like standing on the surface of the sun. There's a nice water feature for cooling off, but spending any time up there while not in the water is tough, unless you're the kind of person who likes intense heat.

 

I hope some of this helps with your decision. Either way, I'm sure you'll have a blast.

 

Cheers.

[NLH Arizona]

On NCL I really like the Pearl. She is the right size and has a great crew.

[maywell]

If you're not caring about having one day less plus want alot of unconventional 'WoW' on the ship with traditional dinner service - Royal.

 

If you want the extra day, not having to dress up more to eat in any restaurant plus, normal bells & whistles without staff on your case for not being in the MDR for a night or 2 - NCL

 

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Edited October 16, 2015 by maywell

[NYCruiser84]

I just did a B2B of sorts, first week my first ever NCL cruise on Getaway and second week on Oasis. We are Diamond on Royal and Elite Plus on Celebrity. My favorite ship before these cruises was Celebrity Reflection. We LOVED Getaway!! And even more so the next week when we were on Oasis. The food was much better and more venues on Getaway. The Waterfront area was wonderful! I came home and cancelled a cruise in January on Reflection and booked one on Escape. So here's one vote for the Escape over Oasis Class (or actually any Royal ship...)

 

 

Thanks for your response ! Definitely noted !!

 

 

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[NYCruiser84]

Having sailed both RCL and NCL, we would choose the 8 day on the Escape for a couple reasons.

 

 

 

1.) We simply like NCL better at this point in our lives.

 

 

 

2.) The lack of casual dining options/dress code was one thing we really didn't like on RCL. We like that NCL is more casual, even though I know people will say RCL is casual too. NCL is just more casual. Not sure how to describe that in other ways! Plus, we like the food better on NCL.

 

 

 

3.) I'm assuming the RCL cruise is 7 days? Can't go wrong with an 8-day cruise! While we really enjoyed Labadee and would choose that any day over Nassau, we still like the longer cruises.

 

 

 

4.) Can you get the beverage package (or other perks) on RCL? If not, are they important to you? Could be a deciding factor between the two, since prices are the same.

 

 

 

Good luck deciding!

 

 

Thanks for responding ! Yea the casual dining options are a major plus for us. I've searched various posts here and you get a mixed bag of answers regarding RCIs dress code but that in itself is a head scratcher for me as there really hasn't been a consistent answer. NCL we were pretty much able to dine wherever with our shorts on. I wouldn't want to be confined to just the windjammer as our only option lol.

 

Yes the RCI cruise would be a 7 day cruise

 

Right now I believe we have like $50 or so going toward each excursion on NCL

 

 

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Edited October 16, 2015 by NYCruiser84

[Barb Nahoumi]

This would be a hard decision. We prefer NCL's casual dining, however RCI is casual now. My husband did not have to wear a suit jacket for Formal Night, but he did wear dress pants, with a dressy shirt and tie. I wore a coctail dress.

 

All other nights he wore dockers or cotton pants with collared jerseys, and I wore slacks and nice tops. We do the same on NCL, however I don't bring dresses on NCL cruises, and he doesn't bring neckties.

 

Is the RCI cruise also an 8 day? That would carry the most weight in my decision. I'd want the longer cruise.

[cmdchiefthom]

RCL has never been in any of my cruise planning for the past 20 ;)years, so I see no reason to consider it now.

[NYCruiser84]

This would be a hard decision. We prefer NCL's casual dining, however RCI is casual now. My husband did not have to wear a suit jacket for Formal Night, but he did wear dress pants, with a dressy shirt and tie. I wore a coctail dress.

 

All other nights he wore dockers or cotton pants with collared jerseys, and I wore slacks and nice tops. We do the same on NCL, however I don't bring dresses on NCL cruises, and he doesn't bring neckties.

 

Is the RCI cruise also an 8 day? That would carry the most weight in my decision. I'd want the longer cruise.

 

 

We would prefer to not have to bring any pants or a different set of clothes just for dinner in general if we could avoid it. On NCL if we go to the Garden Cafe and don't see anything we like we can simply go to the MDR and eat without having to change our attire..you have to pretty much be in a bathing suit to be turned away lol.

 

The RCI cruise is a 7 day stopping at St Maarten, San Juan, and Labadee and NCL is and 8 day and stops at St Maarten, St Thomas, Tortola, and Nassau

 

 

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[NYCruiser84]

RCL has never been in any of my cruise planning for the past 20 ;)years, so I see no reason to consider it now.

 

 

LOL !! Noted

 

 

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