Which ship would you choose of these?

[MicCanberra]

I like the perks I get from X (Elite) and also from RCI (Diamond), Drinks and internet saving many dollars. Princess (Platinum) gets me some savings as well. That said, we would book any cruise where the itinerary, timing and price suits us best, as an example we have a NCL cruise in the Med up next.

[coastiedee]

Solstice , followed by Radiance ( she will be even better after her makeover this May ):)

[whimsy7]

another vote for the Solstice.

classy, subtle, great food.

[cassamanda]

I like the perks I get from X (Elite) and also from RCI (Diamond), Drinks and internet saving many dollars. Princess (Platinum) gets me some savings as well. That said, we would book any cruise where the itinerary, timing and price suits us best, as an example we have a NCL cruise in the Med up next.

 

Royal has one of the best loyalty programmes. I have no need to buy a drinks package. Diamond level gets me all i need with unlimited drinks between 5-8pm with snacks and free proper coffee all day. Plus 3 free drinks on the card every day at other bars during those hours. During the day i am willing to pay for the 1 or 2 drinks i might get.

Sometimes though drink packages are highly discounted and these are worth getting, especially for new cruisers.

[MicCanberra]

Royal has one of the best loyalty programmes. I have no need to buy a drinks package. Diamond level gets me all i need with unlimited drinks between 5-8pm with snacks and free proper coffee all day. Plus 3 free drinks on the card every day at other bars during those hours. During the day i am willing to pay for the 1 or 2 drinks i might get.

Sometimes though drink packages are highly discounted and these are worth getting, especially for new cruisers.

 

Yes, Diamond saves me plenty in the drinks area and the internet and priority for boarding and tendering is good too:D.

Edited February 26, 2016 by MicCanberra

[NoWhiners]

I cruise for the cruise experience and the ports it visits, so have changed cruise lines to suit, the points will accrue eventually and when the perks kick in it makes a nice reward. However, I don't think chasing points is worth it for the perks.

 

Yep, us too. We don't cruise enough to make point work for us, maybe 1 every other year. But eventually, something could happen.

 

ML

[mr walker]

Royal has one of the best loyalty programmes. I have no need to buy a drinks package. Diamond level gets me all i need with unlimited drinks between 5-8pm with snacks and free proper coffee all day. Plus 3 free drinks on the card every day at other bars during those hours. During the day i am willing to pay for the 1 or 2 drinks i might get.

 

That is exactly how it is for us. That said, it still doesn't stop us cruising other lines, for the itinerary mainly, hence our Carnival cruise last year & our Princess one next year.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Solstice, especially for round NZ. The Sky Lounge is awesome for scenic viewing, and so is the Solstice Deck above it if you want to be outside.

 

I haven't been on Radiance but did do one cruise on Rhapsody and although we loved that ship we weren't impressed with RCI overall.

 

I prefer Sun Princess to Dawn Princess, mostly because the food was better.

[NoWhiners]

Solstice, especially for round NZ. The Sky Lounge is awesome for scenic viewing, and so is the Solstice Deck above it if you want to be outside.

 

I haven't been on Radiance but did do one cruise on Rhapsody and although we loved that ship we weren't impressed with RCI overall.

 

I prefer Sun Princess to Dawn Princess, mostly because the food was better.

 

OzKiwi

 

Solstice seem to get good reviews all around, Radiance less so. I still have concerns about RCI in general but I have read enough good things that I am confident we will have a great cruise on Radiance. And we will have an aft balcony, so I am hoping that makes up for a lot! And that we can find enough good wine to take onboard to help ease the journey :D

 

It will all be new to us and a great adventure, I wish we didn't have to wait a year.

 

ML

[MicCanberra]

OzKiwi

 

Solstice seem to get good reviews all around, Radiance less so. I still have concerns about RCI in general but I have read enough good things that I am confident we will have a great cruise on Radiance. And we will have an aft balcony, so I am hoping that makes up for a lot! And that we can find enough good wine to take onboard to help ease the journey :D

 

It will all be new to us and a great adventure, I wish we didn't have to wait a year.

 

ML

 

It may seem like a long time but it will pass quickly.:D

[cassamanda]

OzKiwi

 

Solstice seem to get good reviews all around, Radiance less so. I still have concerns about RCI in general but I have read enough good things that I am confident we will have a great cruise on Radiance. And we will have an aft balcony, so I am hoping that makes up for a lot! And that we can find enough good wine to take onboard to help ease the journey :D

It will all be new to us and a great adventure, I wish we didn't have to wait a year.

 

ML

 

We love Radiance and will again sail on her end of March. Have heard she is overdue for a refit and dry dock which may have been putting a few people off.

Sailed on her in Alaska and also from Sydney to Honolulu and had a ball. Lots of glass giving you a feeling of being at sea without having to go out in deck.

 

You will love your aft balcony:). Just remember to turn the handle down to stop the door from sliding shut when you are on the balcony:eek:

 

Have not been on Soltice yet but definitely on the books, as is one of those "all inclusive" cruises on Crystal.

Hugh

[wishfulone]

Sailed on the Dawn Princess out of Sydney in January. New Caledonia etc We were really surprised to see so many kids from 0-18 and young couples 25-30 on a Princess ship but it was school/summer holidays. The Dawn is an older ship with no frills for adults, let alone kids (think really daggy Love Boat pools) but WOW those kids had an absolute ball, made marvellous friends and the young teens stayed up all night waiting for the dawn reentry into Sydney Harbour. Haven't see so many tears at 7am since I was their age. Must have been something good on board?

[MicCanberra]

:D

Sailed on the Dawn Princess out of Sydney in January. New Caledonia etc We were really surprised to see so many kids from 0-18 and young couples 25-30 on a Princess ship but it was school/summer holidays. The Dawn is an older ship with no frills for adults, let alone kids (think really daggy Love Boat pools) but WOW those kids had an absolute ball, made marvellous friends and the young teens stayed up all night waiting for the dawn reentry into Sydney Harbour. Haven't see so many tears at 7am since I was their age. Must have been something good on board?

 

Yes, the kids will have memories and will always remember how much fun cruising is /can be, especially for kids.

[NoWhiners]

It may seem like a long time but it will pass quickly.:D

 

Let's hope so!

 

We love Radiance and will again sail on her end of March. Have heard she is overdue for a refit and dry dock which may have been putting a few people off.

Sailed on her in Alaska and also from Sydney to Honolulu and had a ball. Lots of glass giving you a feeling of being at sea without having to go out in deck.

 

You will love your aft balcony:). Just remember to turn the handle down to stop the door from sliding shut when you are on the balcony:eek:

 

Have not been on Soltice yet but definitely on the books, as is one of those "all inclusive" cruises on Crystal.

Hugh

 

I'm not exactly sure what this means, but it sounds ominous. We will pay careful attention; we have always had balcony doors that open/close like regular doors, not sliders.

 

All inclusive on Crystal, definite bucket list item!

 

ML

[MicCanberra]

I'm not exactly sure what this means, but it sounds ominous. We will pay careful attention; we have always had balcony doors that open/close like regular doors, not sliders.

 

All inclusive on Crystal, definite bucket list item!

 

ML

 

Most of the sliding doors have a handle that will lock the doors position whether open or closed. Perhaps these ones don't and may lock you out if the handle is in the wrong position.