Royal Promenade

[Ken Greco]

Can someone tell me why other cruise lines have not copied RCCLs royal promenade? Is it the cost of building a ship with it?

[Royal2464]

My assumption would be that, first it requires a fairly large ship. Other lines with ships large enough seem to use that space for cabins, etc. Promenades require a lot of open space in the interior of the ship that others feel they can put to better use. I do not agree, I think the promenades are one of the features that separates Royal from the other cruise lines.

Edited October 27, 2016 by Royal2464

[JAMESCC]

Can someone tell me why other cruise lines have not copied RCCLs royal promenade? Is it the cost of building a ship with it?

I have been wondering that for years. The promenade is absolute genius and it definitely separates RCCL from the other lines. There is no better used space than the promenade, it makes the ship easy to navigate for passengers too. We were on the NCL Breakaway a month ago and I knew going on it would not measure up design and navigation wise, and it didn't. Gorgeous ship but not as good a interior design by a long shot. That's why we are going back to RCI on Anthem which has the Esplanade which to me kinda the same theory but we'll see next September. Royal I think does elevator design and separation better.

 

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[Janet524]

There may be the possibility that some of the building techniques used to build the royal promenade open space is a proprietary technique and cannot be utilized by other lines.

 

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[cruzinlady1947]

I like the Promenade, but I really prefer to sit somewhere inside the ship and watch the ocean as we sail by. I also love the outside Promenade deck, but the weather doesn't always co-operate. I don't think those bigger ships have a wide enough Promenade deck with lounges or chairs for viewing, out of the sun.

 

I haven't been on the Quantum or Oasis class ships, but I really don't think I would like them as much as the Vision class. I love being able to see the "sea" from almost every public venue (except the casino and theater). That is why I love cruising...to spend time watching the ocean.

 

Maybe some day I will try the bigger ships, but, for now, the smaller ships are my style.

 

 

Gwen :)

[Desert Cruizers]

Many love the Royal Promenade and others love to be able to view the ocean from a lounge area in the Centrum. Our first experience with the RP was on the Liberty and found it to be a beautiful area but we missed not not being able to see the ocean from the large windows the Radiance Class offers. We would sail again on the large ships like the Freedom Class and have two cruises planned for July 2017 and again April 2018. ( Liberty & Freedom of the Seas )

[Clarea]

Can someone tell me why other cruise lines have not copied RCCLs royal promenade? Is it the cost of building a ship with it?

Just a guess that other lines see the Royal Promenade as too much non-revenue space.

[BNBR]

They kind of have their own versions of it. Just off Carnival Glory and Deck 5 is called "Promenade" - it connects to the centrum/atrium where the shops are. It also connects tons of lounges, kids areas, casino, etc. etc. etc. So it's essentially their own version of it.

 

As others have said, the give and take is that you can't see the ocean on the Royal one. I didn't think much of it when on Oasis. But I understand why that may be a big deal to some.

 

Personally, I LOVE Oasis and the big, airy, open public spaces like the Promenade, Central Park, and Boardwalk.

Edited October 27, 2016 by BNBR

[karena1]

Hubby loves the Promenade. As a rule, when I get up at 5:45 am to hit the gym he stays in bed, but on any ship that has a Promenade, he gets up with me and goes down and has coffee and watches the world go by

 

We have to do at least one cruise a year on a ship with a Promenade just so he can have his time there.

[Ocean Boy]

Hubby loves the Promenade. As a rule, when I get up at 5:45 am to hit the gym he stays in bed, but on any ship that has a Promenade, he gets up with me and goes down and has coffee and watches the world go by

 

We have to do at least one cruise a year on a ship with a Promenade just so he can have his time there.

 

Love my 5 AM walk to the Promenade for a cup of coffee. :)

[griffy116]

I get up earlier than the rest of my group. I go to the Promenade, have a coffee and pastry and watch the quiet early morning risers. Then I go out on deck and watch the ocean in peace and quiet, return to the cabin and the madness begins. I love it. It "steadies" me for the day.

[Bookster99]

12/26/16 on the Liberty will be our first cruise with a promenade-view cabin. We are looking forward to the people watching and having easy access to the Promenade -- "Hey, there's no crowd at Sorrento's -- Let's go!"

[JAMESCC]

12/26/16 on the Liberty will be our first cruise with a promenade-view cabin. We are looking forward to the people watching and having easy access to the Promenade -- "Hey, there's no crowd at Sorrento's -- Let's go!"

 

We had one on Explorer and we really liked it. It was nice access to the promenade and I just loved that it was an inside room with a view of something. We of course like balconies more, but this was MUCH better than a regular inside cabin.

[tazza_0712]

My first Royal Promenade cruise was aboard Voyager in early 2015. Having returned from a cruise on Radiance a few months prior, my initial feeling was that I missed the ocean views.

 

There was certainly wow factor with the large scale space that is the Promenade, but for me, it felt too closed in from the outside world and I missed the connection to the outside you get on Radiance and Vision classes et al.

 

I would like to cruise again on another class of ship with the Royal Promenade to give it another go, but it's not a priority.

 

 

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[meatloafsfan]

While I do enjoy the Promenade when I sail on Royal, I prefer Carnival's new take of the ocean plaza area (starting with the Dream class ships and extending to the Vista class). Essentially, it's a mix of indoor and outdoor areas along deck 5. Let's me feel connected to the ocean which is one of the reasons I enjoy cruising.

 

Overall, I'd guess that other lines just don't see the Promenade idea as something worth copying.

[MikeNJ1109]

The Promenade is a great concept, but frankly my wife and I will take Deck 4 on Voyageur and Freedom class ... plenty of outdoor space with lounge chairs ... the ocean as at "see" level" ... the only foot traffic walking by are the occasional crew member or even less occasional passenger ... it's peace and quite time, a chance to read or talk without the din of all the other voices and activity from the rest of the ship.

 

Michael

[Cruz Crazi]

We enjoy the ships with the Promenade. Especially when we are cruising with a group of people and our cabins are all on different decks. We always meet at the Promenade Café. It is a great meeting place.:)

[cruiserdudebobby8]

I love the Promenade to just relax and enjoy the atmosphere

[DavidJrandRichard]

I love the atmosphere and "electricity" in the air, especially during the evenings on formal nights. You can feel it in the air right as you exit the elevator. I have had two promenade view cabins but I'll always prefer a balcony on the aft.

 

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[tortoisegirl]

We also love the Promenade, but on the Explorer, the smoke coming up from the casino combined with the loud live music outside the pub made us not want to hang out there during the evenings when underway. We mostly walked through it to get from one side of the ship to the other and/or to get soda from the Freestyle machines (as the Windjammer ones were only open during mealtimes).

[bob brown]

The Royal Promenade is especially appreciated when the ship happens to be sailing in colder climates, or inclement weather. At such times, the atrium type area on other ships are vastly overcrowded, while those with the RP take it all in stride...

[Norwich Cruiser]

MSC have a very similar concept to the RCI royal promenade on their newer ships with an excellent ceiling lighting display.

[yuvraj]

I prefer it that different cruise lines have different features that distinguishes them. It would be boring and pointless if they all copied Royal Caribbean. Every cruise line needs a USP.

 

Now here is an interesting question... As RCL ships get older and they sell them, what will the cruise lines buying the ships do with the space? Will they keep it as it is or totally change it?

[Saab4444]

Actually the promenade concept is originally from Silja Line (Silja Serenade and Silja Symphony). Those ships where built in Turku (Kvaerner Massa Yards, now Meyer Turku) that also built all Royal ships with a promenade later except Harmony). So the idea was copied by Royal after a concept from the yards architects.

 

The reason that not more cruise lines use the same concept and go for slightly smaller versions of an atrium and a shopping area is indeed that it makes sense only on very large ships and requires a lot of not directly usable space. You could add a lot of inside cabins on the higher decks instead of an open promenade area.

 

MSC Meraviglia now provides a similar promenade with a virtual sky like Vegas hotels (e.g. The Venetian) have.

 

 

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[123funcruiser]

The promende is not unique to RCI. There´s at least two ships sailing that have the same thing, with a several deck high Promenade, with shops, a cafe like Cafe Promenade, a Pizza place, bars, etc.

There are also cabins facing the Promenade like on RCI.

Oh and those two ships have something very similar to the Viking Crown Lounge, just it´s not around the funnel, but towards the front, offering great forward views.

 

I´m talking about the Color Fantasy and the Color Magic. I admit these are not cruise ships, but ferries travelling on a daily basis between Kiel and Oslo. Due to the design and concept it´s a great short cruise. They do have an evening show as well.

 

Probably not really surprising, but they´ve been built at Turku, just like the Royal ships. ;)