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Bigger vs smaller ships


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Favorite spot on a Radiance Class is the back of the WJ for lunch. Been on the Radiance 4 times, Brilliance & Serenade once. Largest ship I have sailed on was the Liberty twice and soon to be Freedom next March. Radiance Class offers you great views from inside of the ocean while the Freedom Class doesn't, but love both classes.  

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Things I like about the big ships:  "newness", modern décor, variety of food venues, more shops (even though I never buy anything, I do like to browse on a sea day).

 

Things I don't like:  crowds, lines to get into everything, having to make reservations for everything, lack of sea views, long walks to get everywhere.

 

Things I like about smaller ships:  less people, shorter waits to get on/off ship, easier to get around on the ship, more sea views, not having to reserve every activity.

 

Things I dislike:  older, outdated décor, not as many food venues.

 

Overall, I prefer a smaller ship but wish they'd update them all.  Unless the itinerary really grabs me (or the price can't be beat), I can't think of a reason I would go back on a Oasis class or bigger.  Just too many people.

 

 

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9 hours ago, Host Clarea said:

 

I think CLs on Radiance class may have been the only ones that took over a fully functioning lounge, with bar.  We like sitting around that bar.

 

I like them as well, but they are very limited and dont turn over much. 

 

Kind of like the front row umbrellas st the Oasis beach pool

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On 6/24/2019 at 10:38 PM, Host Clarea said:

 

I think CLs on Radiance class may have been the only ones that took over a fully functioning lounge, with bar.  We like sitting around that bar.

 

Me too!  Very conducive to enjoying conversations with new friends!  🙂  

 

We go in at "magic hour" just after first seating dining time...always seem to find an empty warm seat at the bar.  😉 

Edited by island lady
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On 6/25/2019 at 1:33 AM, NumnuT said:

Radiance - smallish

loved the view to the ocean from almost everywhere

not too many 2,500 pax

CL - good size never full sailing ex Sydney

DL - too small was very busy ex Sydney

 

Ovation - big (Oasis = HUGE)

big ship 4200 pax

plenty of stuff to do

love the CK

CL - just awesome full width aft - perfect views of wake

handles rough seas really well

 

Going on Voyager early 2020 & cant wait

 

Craig

 

I have booked four legs out of Sydney on Serenade.  The CL was the one that was not busy?  

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On 6/25/2019 at 1:37 AM, Desert Cruizers said:

Favorite spot on a Radiance Class is the back of the WJ for lunch. Been on the Radiance 4 times, Brilliance & Serenade once. Largest ship I have sailed on was the Liberty twice and soon to be Freedom next March. Radiance Class offers you great views from inside of the ocean while the Freedom Class doesn't, but love both classes.  

 

It is also a great spot for whale watching, we have seen many of them breaching while we had lunch out there on the Radiance Seward/Anchorage runs in Alaska.  They seem to enjoy the ship's wake.  🙂 

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On 6/25/2019 at 8:18 AM, John&LaLa said:

 

I like them as well, but they are very limited and dont turn over much. 

 

Kind of like the front row umbrellas st the Oasis beach pool

 

Or the bar seating area on Oasis class ships.  

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Really like Vision and Radiance class for the glass exposure and ocean everywhere, also like that it feels more like The Love Boat from what I saw in my childhood.(you get to see everyone all the time and see lots of the same ship crew regularly) more of a community feel. 

Like Freedom/Oasis class as noted if going with a larger group and can keep everyone entertained.

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1 minute ago, CanadaRob said:

Really like Vision and Radiance class for the glass exposure and ocean everywhere, also like that it feels more like The Love Boat from what I saw in my childhood.(you get to see everyone all the time and see lots of the same ship crew regularly) more of a community feel. 

Like Freedom/Oasis class as noted if going with a larger group and can keep everyone entertained.

 

Sometimes you tend to have stalkers and clingers on a small ship. I think @Beachammo can attest to that.

 

Easier to hide on a big ship.

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On 6/24/2019 at 7:33 PM, tamom said:

This is an interesting topic for me.  We are considering a transatlantic next spring and are trying to decide between Anthem (Cape Liberty to Southampton) and Vision (San Juan to Barcelona).  Leaning towards the southern route but are afraid Vision will be too small for that many sea days.  We have not been on that class before.  We’ve been on Anthem and most other classes except for Oasis class.  

Personally for me, I would not do a ship that size - one for that many sea days and two - crossing over the ocean in a ship that small.  But that is just me!

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3 minutes ago, karena1 said:

Personally for me, I would not do a ship that size - one for that many sea days and two - crossing over the ocean in a ship that small.  But that is just me!

 

Makes me wonder how Columbus managed it. :classic_biggrin:

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8 minutes ago, karena1 said:

Personally for me, I would not do a ship that size - one for that many sea days and two - crossing over the ocean in a ship that small.  But that is just me!

 

We crossed from Tampa to Barcelona on Rhapsody.  The ship did fine

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4 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

We crossed from Tampa to Barcelona on Rhapsody.  The ship did fine

 

Considering they were 'the biggest in the fleet' only 20 years ago....I'm glad they're still 'seaworthy' :classic_biggrin: 

 

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Looking at the itineraries I would pick the smaller ship and chose a longer cruise.  Oasis class ships have nearly zero relation to the sea inside.....they are a destination unto themselves.  That is okay if you are in the Caribbean, where people take the same cruise over and over just for the ship.  The Mediterranean is different, lots to explore and savor, which I'd rather do with a few thousand less passengers trying to come and go.  

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33 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

We crossed from Tampa to Barcelona on Rhapsody.  The ship did fine

I just could not do it, too small.  We probably will never do a TA because we don't want to be on the ship that many days.  We are port people.

 

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We will experience our first Oasis Class in the fall of 2020 on the Allure for the Western Med & TA back to Miami, and while I am excited about our first oasis Class and seeing what she offers, my preferred size is between the Radiance to Freedom. Haven't been on a Voyager Class yet. In the Spring of 2021 we also will experience our first Quantum class out of Singapore to Tokyo then TP back to Seattle. 

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1 hour ago, John&LaLa said:

 

We crossed from Tampa to Barcelona on Rhapsody.  The ship did fine

We did a TA on Celebrity Constellation (2100 passengers) and one on the Allure (5600 passengers). The course and the ride pretty much the same.

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1 hour ago, karena1 said:

I just could not do it, too small.  We probably will never do a TA because we don't want to be on the ship that many days.  We are port people.

 

 

Not many 3 day TA's 🤣

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16 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Not many 3 day TA's 🤣

From Sydney a 3 night you only see the sea . ovation and solstice are the  bigies, ok but love radiance and rhapsody 🙂 we like that real crusing feel of been on a ship seeing the ocean rather than bumper cars and the mall . Serenade is comming to Oz wonder what she will be like .

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I agree with what others have said. Oasis class is my favorite for Caribbean as we spend more time on the ship and excursions tend to be 1/2 day and more relaxing.   This means we have the energy to stay up later and enjoy the greater variety of entertainment and shows. 

 

We have done the 12 night Baltic Sea and 7 night Mediterranean cruises on the Jewel and Liberty. Those cruises are in a different port almost every day and we took all day excursions.  We did not have the energy to come back on board, eat dinner, and then sit through a 1-2 hour show.  The ship was really more of a place to come back to each night to eat and sleep. I also wonder if the Oasis class on those itineraries create any issues with the large number of passengers and over-crowding of excursions or difficulty in even getting a reservation for some excursions. 

 

But for more relaxing Caribbean cruises we will only do Oasis class primarily for the extra shows and entertainment and also the better variety of restaurants.  We recently did a Southern Caribbean on Voyager and found ourselves with nothing to do several times during the week. That never happens to us on Oasis class. 

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9 hours ago, island lady said:

 

I have booked four legs out of Sydney on Serenade.  The CL was the one that was not busy?  

 

G'day Island Lady,

Yes the CL was never even half full...

DL was full every night.

I especially like the chairs up at the bar...

loved watching the flying fish jump the waves from the CL.

 

If you don't want an overflowing CL/SL then sail from Sydney.

 

We only had 1 x pineapple, but around 150 D+

 

Enjoy..

Craig

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16 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

I guess, but I've seen Oasis bar seats open way more often than Radiance 

 

Agree.  Won't be on Harmony until December, so no sure how available those (six?) seats are with that smaller venue.  Radiance Alaska was never a problem though...not many higher tier C&A members on those, and limited suites on that smaller ship. 

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16 hours ago, karena1 said:

Personally for me, I would not do a ship that size - one for that many sea days and two - crossing over the ocean in a ship that small.  But that is just me!

 

Going to be on Serenade from Sydney to Honolulu, happily picked central cabin for less bounce.  😉 

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