Mega Ship Era over? Will Royal build smaller ships again?

[Plum Happy]

I was just reading a story from Gene Sloan who used to write for USA Today (now on the points guy website) in which he wrote that their CEO Harry Sommer says that Norwegian Encore is their last big ship at 169,116 ton ship for now.  They have 6 cruise ships on order that will measure around 140,000 tons.   Sommer cites Tampa, Florida and Sydney, Australia as two places where the height of brides limits the size of arrival vessels.  He also mentions Venice, Italy as one place where big ships aren't eager to see them.

 

Do you think the era is over?  https://thepointsguy.com/news/norwegian-cruise-line-ordering-smaller-ships/

 

 

 

 

Edited December 3, 2019 by Plum Happy

[smplybcause]

Norwegians new ships won't be able to fit Tampa. It'll be just a bit smaller than MSCs ships, but still around 3300 on double occupancy (if I'm remembering right).

[Plum Happy]

Just now, smplybcause said:

Norwegians new ships won't be able to fit Tampa. It'll be just a bit smaller than MSCs ships, but still around 3300 on double occupancy (if I'm remembering right).

They also mentioned that they don't have ships that can carry 3,000 at double occupancy or mid-size ships.

[ONECRUISER]

Depends what you call small. I like the 77-90GTon(Radiance my Fav), but those are done. I remember Sovereign(Majesty) 72GTons was largest Cruise ship in World, then Voyager 138 GTons... Oh well

Edited December 3, 2019 by ONECRUISER

[ONECRUISER]

5 minutes ago, smplybcause said:

Norwegians new ships won't be able to fit Tampa. It'll be just a bit smaller than MSCs ships, but still around 3300 on double occupancy (if I'm remembering right).

Can see it now, ships so large have to Tender into Tampa and even NY. Like when Oasis Class Lifeboats came dozen yrs ago holding 400+, question was how big lifeboat get before needs it's own Lifeboat

Edited December 3, 2019 by ONECRUISER

[Plum Happy]

I think Royal is building the Icon Class, those will be smaller but I don't know if it is on the size of the Quantum class.

[BNBR]

Mega ship era over?  Lol.  No.  Not even close.

[ONECRUISER]

7 minutes ago, Plum Happy said:

I think Royal is building the Icon Class, those will be smaller but I don't know if it is on the size of the Quantum class.

Nope. Icon 200 Gross Tons, Oasis 228, Quantum 169

Edited December 3, 2019 by ONECRUISER

[neverbeenhere]

50,000 person concept ship from a few years ago.

[Ourusualbeach]

24 minutes ago, ONECRUISER said:

Nope. Icon 200 Gross Tons, Oasis 228, Quantum 169

If you believe images that Lloyd has posted from the shipyard the Icon class will be slightly larger than Oasis class at about 235,000 Gross Tons

[ONECRUISER]

2 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

If you believe images that Lloyd has posted from the shipyard the Icon class will be slightly larger than Oasis class at about 235,000 Gross Tons

Yep, probably right. Almost sounds familiar now. Thanks. I know for decades was always big secret and always came out larger, sometimes little others lot. 

[Plum Happy]

17 minutes ago, neverbeenhere said:

50,000 person concept ship from a few years ago.

So, will it have it's own landing strip to bring passengers onboard? lol

[ONECRUISER]

16 minutes ago, neverbeenhere said:

50,000 person concept ship from a few years ago.

Makes be think those old Popular Science Mags from 60's 70's. Read them now and see what came to life...and not.

[The Fun Researcher]

 I can only hope. Freedom class is the largest in Royals fleet that we care for so far. We are about to try our first small ship on the Grandeur (74k GT) in July. Looking forward to that experience.

 

Dan

[JAMESCC]

42 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

If you believe images that Lloyd has posted from the shipyard the Icon class will be slightly larger than Oasis class at about 235,000 Gross Tons

Are there any artist renderings of Icon yet? I'm dying to see what Royal comes up with this class!

[Ourusualbeach]

5 minutes ago, JAMESCC said:

Are there any artist renderings of Icon yet? I'm dying to see what Royal comes up with this class!

I haven’t seen any yet something tells me it will be a modified Oasis class with LNG for fuel.  

 

The size is now very very similar and there was a comment on Twitter by Nick Weir suggesting that Icon class would have an Aquatheatre. 

[James4me]

I’d love to see a smaller ship with plenty of ocean view windows wherever you are inside looking out to the sea.  Enough of walls of restaurants and useless shopping venues. I want to see the ocean while on the ocean.

Edited December 4, 2019 by James4me

[Clarea]

6 minutes ago, James4me said:

I’d love to see a smaller ship with plenty of ocean view windows wherever you are inside looking out to the sea.  Enough of walls of restaurants and useless shopping venues. I want to see the ocean while on the ocean.

 

Us too, but I suspect that is highly unlikely in a new ship under the RC brand name.

[twangster]

Wait for the details.  A ship that is 140k GT carrying the number of passengers that a ship 169k GT carries today won’t be much fun.  
 

Carnival’s latest ships in the whale tail division are marginally larger than the previous generation.  Yet they have hundred of more guests.  
 

Perhaps this is a sign that NCL simply doesn’t plan to try to take on mega ships.  That’s doesn’t mean the era is over, they are simply trying to find a niche they can make money in.  

[fredflint]

Well when you consider how long the ships last I can see them pausing the building and doing a refresh of the older ships.

My wife does not like large ships we  were on Jewel this year and in 2020 will be on Rhapsody. in 2021 we are trying Princess on Island Princess.

[Hoopster95]

27 minutes ago, James4me said:

I’d love to see a smaller ship with plenty of ocean view windows wherever you are inside looking out to the sea.  Enough of walls of restaurants and useless shopping venues. I want to see the ocean while on the ocean.

 

Start thinking of other cruise lines. Personally I, a loyal to Royal cruiser, discovered one and am extremely pleased I branched out to try something new and different

 

19 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

Us too, but I suspect that is highly unlikely in a new ship under the RC brand name.

 

I believe Bob here is 110% correct. There is absolutely no way RC will build anything smaller than Voyager...ever. I'm only guessing no smaller than Freedom (ie. Edge Class Celebrity) in my humble opinion. It is not in the interest of the brand they are trying to sell. They don't want 1000 passenger ships going to Venice... they want 10,000 passenger ships going to CocoCay every day and any other "private" location in order to maximize revenue.

 

 

[vacationlover_mn]

We love doing new ships!  It would be fun to do a new smaller one 🙂

[Ourusualbeach]

29 minutes ago, Hoopster95 said:

There is absolutely no way RC will build anything smaller than Voyager...ever. I'm only guessing no smaller than Freedom (ie. Edge Class Celebrity

Edge class 130,000 is smaller than Voyager class at appx. 140,000

Edited December 4, 2019 by Ourusualbeach

[Clarea]

4 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Edge class 130,000 is smaller than Voyager class at appx. 140,000

 

Not the RC brand though, right?

[Hoopster95]

6 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Edge class 130,000 is smaller than Voyager class at appx. 140,000

 

1 minute ago, Host Clarea said:

 

Not the RC brand though, right?

 

I was wrong. I thought Edge was Freedom's size going from memory. Thx for correcting. 

So correcting my post, I feel that the smallest future sized ship under RCI (not RCCL) may be no smaller than Freedom/Q Class.

 

I mentioned a few years ago and I'm still a little surprised, that RCCL hasn't created a "new" cruise line brand name and transferred all Vision and Radiance Class ships to that new Cruise Line. I don't believe that they want new and younger cruisers.... heck everyone!....  to think of a Radiance Class ship the second someone mentions "Royal Caribbean"... they want everyone to have the big girls top of mind at all times imho.