Monstrosity or Cruise Ship?

[3rdGenCunarder]

I have no desire to travel on a megaship. I just look at them and get turned off. I know they're safe or they wouldn't get insurance, but they seem like way too much superstructure for their draught. A lot of people like the bells and whistles, no reason they can't have a ship they like. Just don't reserve a cabin for me.

 

Comments about ships being inward-facing are interesting. That's part of what I don't like about a lot of the megas. When the first of the RCCL megas came out, you could get the exact same balcony cabin facing the atrium (or maybe it was that split down the middle) or facing the ocean. The inward-facing ones were more expensive! How anyone could value the view of an atrium over the OCEAN mystifies me! I was insulted on behalf of King Neptune.

[Roz]

I was insulted on behalf of King Neptune.

 

LOL! ;p

 

Roz

[scamper]

When the megaships first came out I admit I had no desire to cruise on one at all. Although I still haven't, I am intrigued. However, I would only do one on NCLs The Haven or MSCs Yacht Club, and definitely off season so there aren't a lot of kids running around like heathens. The latest NCL ships with the Havens that have the private lounge and dining room is most appealing.

 

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[UPNYGuy]

When the megaships first came out I admit I had no desire to cruise on one at all. Although I still haven't, I am intrigued. However, I would only do one on NCLs The Haven or MSCs Yacht Club, and definitely off season so there aren't a lot of kids running around like heathens. The latest NCL ships with the Havens that have the private lounge and dining room is most appealing.

 

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You can get a better deal in the YC on MSC than The Haven if you book it correctly.

 

 

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[iancal]

Never tried one but we hope to get a late booking at some point. Want to try it for ourselves.

 

I am fairly certain we will prefer the smaller ships, not too small though but do really know until we experience it.

[UPNYGuy]

Never tried one but we hope to get a late booking at some point. Want to try it for ourselves.

 

 

 

I am fairly certain we will prefer the smaller ships, not too small though but do really know until we experience it.

 

 

I would suggest your first experience on a megaship to be a "ship within a ship" (Haven or Yacht Club). Ours was, and we find we acclimated.

 

 

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[iancal]

Haven has been recommended to us by several people.

[UPNYGuy]

Haven has been recommended to us by several people.

 

 

We honestly love it, but do not find value in it unless it is on a megaship. Sounds counterintuitive, but makes sense if you think about it. Plus, on the newer Norwegian vessels, it is more inclusive.

 

 

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[kangforpres]

Wow thanks for all the wonderful discussion, everyone has stated their views without any snipping or snark. We have been on the QM2 and loved it, but I consider it an Ocean Liner and not a Cruise ship, hopefully the refit where they added cabins for 500 more pax didn't destroy the elegant Ocean Liner vibe.

 

From a curiosity stand point I think about booking a mega every now and then, just to experience it from the engineering marvel stand point. Overall the industry is getting bigger ships it will be hard to find a mid-size ship with just 2000 pax on it in about 5-10 years time. I mean for us mid-market cruisers who can afford HAL, Princess, X and Cunard. I know the luxury lines will always have smaller ships

 

I'm glad the 4 Vista class ships are just in their mid-life cycles and will be around for a while. It's interesting that HAL just went with just 2 Signature class (2100) pax and has committed to 3 Pinnacle (2600) pax. I think a lot of us hope the Pinnacle class will be the last bump in size but if they do launch another class it will be a 3000 pax or larger Mega, it doesn't make sense for them to go down in size.

[Bostonjetset]

Wow thanks for all the wonderful discussion, everyone has stated their views without any snipping or snark. We have been on the QM2 and loved it, but I consider it an Ocean Liner and not a Cruise ship, hopefully the refit where they added cabins for 500 more pax didn't destroy the elegant Ocean Liner vibe.

 

From a curiosity stand point I think about booking a mega every now and then, just to experience it from the engineering marvel stand point. Overall the industry is getting bigger ships it will be hard to find a mid-size ship with just 2000 pax on it in about 5-10 years time. I mean for us mid-market cruisers who can afford HAL, Princess, X and Cunard. I know the luxury lines will always have smaller ships

 

I'm glad the 4 Vista class ships are just in their mid-life cycles and will be around for a while. It's interesting that HAL just went with just 2 Signature class (2100) pax and has committed to 3 Pinnacle (2600) pax. I think a lot of us hope the Pinnacle class will be the last bump in size but if they do launch another class it will be a 3000 pax or larger Mega, it doesn't make sense for them to go down in size.

 

You are right that QM2 is indeed an ocean liner. I sailed her both before and after the "remastering" and she is every bit as elegant as she was before; in fact more so in many areas [Winter Garden is now the lovely Carinthia Lounge and the staterooms have updated linens/pillows/upholstery that is less dowdy than before]. The pax count did not increase by 500 though. I've found varying info online but all accounts show an increase of between 75 - 300 pax [perhaps differing when taking into account double vs triple vs quadruple occupancy. They only added 45 staterooms and 15 of those are singles so the estimate of around a 75 person increase makes more sense. Either way, it was not noticeable onboard at all. She is just as lovely as ever.

 

Back to HAL, I too love their mid-size ships and prefer them over most mega-ships [QM2 excluded] however the mega-ships are not all bad, especially in "been there - done that" destinations like the West Indies where shipboard amenities are more important to frequent travelers.

[Hlitner]

Wow thanks for all the wonderful discussion, everyone has stated their views without any snipping or snark. We have been on the QM2 and loved it, but I consider it an Ocean Liner and not a Cruise ship, hopefully the refit where they added cabins for 500 more pax didn't destroy the elegant Ocean Liner vibe.

 

From a curiosity stand point I think about booking a mega every now and then, just to experience it from the engineering marvel stand point. Overall the industry is getting bigger ships it will be hard to find a mid-size ship with just 2000 pax on it in about 5-10 years time. I mean for us mid-market cruisers who can afford HAL, Princess, X and Cunard. I know the luxury lines will always have smaller ships

 

I'm glad the 4 Vista class ships are just in their mid-life cycles and will be around for a while. It's interesting that HAL just went with just 2 Signature class (2100) pax and has committed to 3 Pinnacle (2600) pax. I think a lot of us hope the Pinnacle class will be the last bump in size but if they do launch another class it will be a 3000 pax or larger Mega, it doesn't make sense for them to go down in size.

 

Actually, I believe they added 50 new cabins (on deck 13) which would accommodate an additional 100 passengers (based on double occupancy). We were pretty excited with the major refit because they redesigned the Lido....which previously reminded us of a large cheap cafeteria.

 

Hank

[Tampa Girl]

Actually, I believe they added 50 new cabins (on deck 13) which would accommodate an additional 100 passengers (based on double occupancy). We were pretty excited with the major refit because they redesigned the Lido....which previously reminded us of a large cheap cafeteria.

 

Hank

 

You are referring to the QM2? I agree with your "large cheap cafeteria" description. It was most unappetizing, looking and smelling! It soured us a little on future Cunard cruises. Hopefully, that is not the case on the QE and QV.

[Tampa Girl]

I was insulted on behalf of King Neptune.

 

And He appreciates that, too!

[3rdGenCunarder]

Actually, I believe they added 50 new cabins (on deck 13) which would accommodate an additional 100 passengers (based on double occupancy). We were pretty excited with the major refit because they redesigned the Lido....which previously reminded us of a large cheap cafeteria.

 

Hank

 

Have you been on her since the refit? The new buffet looks pretty, but the food selections seemed less varied than before, and the service (ie asking for something like an omelet to order) was very poor.

 

QM2 has always had a generous amount of public space in proportion to the passenger count, and when we were on her in Dec, I didn't have any sense of her being more crowded as a result of the added cabins.

[Aquahound]

Yes, you're missing a lot by not trying one of the new mega ships.....Do it for the ship,not the ports.....Amazing experience......We've done the Oasis 4 or 5 times and the Allure twice. We're 4 star Mariners with HAL so we've done most of their ships also.

 

I totally agree. I've cruised Oasis Class 4 times and had and amazing experience each time. The level of entertainment on board blows everyone else away, and the design of Oasis Class ships really is incredible.

[Tampa Girl]

Have you been on her since the refit? The new buffet looks pretty, but the food selections seemed less varied than before, and the service (ie asking for something like an omelet to order) was very poor.

 

 

Have you sailed on the other two Queens? If so, how did their food compare with the QM2?