Thinking of giving Royal a try

[Elkins45]

I’m considering a solo four day on Independence of the Seas just to experience RC. It’s fairly cheap and this particular date doesn’t have as large a single upcharge as others. We’ve cruised on Celebrity, Princess, MSC and Carnival but never on Royal. How different is the Royal Caribbean experience compared to other lines?

[cynt]

If you would like to cruise RCCL I highly recommend the Oasis or Anthem class of ships. Indy is an older ship. 

[soremekun]

Out of the four brands you mentioned, which did you enjoy and why?

[Surfguyxxx]

I love Indy.  Yes the other ships are a lot bigger and have more to do but I love Indy's size and great crew.  

[prmssk]

I've found the various cruise lines to be more alike than different and it usually comes down to what you like to do and what vibe you are looking for.  Celebrity and Princess are quieter, more traditional cruises (although Celebrity does a bit more innovation).  As you move to Carnival, MSC, and Royal you get more families, energy, and more active things to do.  Without knowing what you like to do and what you are looking for, it's hard to give any advice.

 

If you decide to try Royal, make sure they have your Celebrity loyalty numbers (you can do it online in your account).  They match loyalty at certain levels (but don't combine points earned on the separate cruise lines).

[smokeybandit]

Indy is a great ship.  Any larger than that and they turn into floating amusement parks.

[Ocean Boy]

Indy is a great ship. I've done several cruises on her and would happily do more.

[Elkins45]

7 hours ago, soremekun said:

Out of the four brands you mentioned, which did you enjoy and why?

We enjoyed them all. Celebrity probably the most because the food and entertainment were both so good. We have been on a couple of Carnival cruises where the unruly kids and drunks detracted from the experience, but not to the point we wouldn’t go again. Princess is sort of our go-to because they’re a bit more upscale but not excessively so.

[GaNavy]

I haven't sailed on MSC but of the other three, I probably prefer Carnival as long as it's not school vacation so that the ship isn't overrun with kids. Celebrity, Princess, and RCL are all nice, too, for different reasons - Celeb for very modern decor and interesting food choices, Princess for a quality relaxed traditional cruise experience, and Royal for entertainment. I like Carnival for its festive vibe, no reservations required for entertainment, and great free food choices. Drawbacks: Celebrity has lots of upcharges and they promote them relentlessly, Princess can be a little staid, and RCL's Oasis and Quantum classes can be overwhelming with reservations being required basically for everything you want to do. With Carnival...there's the kids, not the drunks, there are no more drunks on Carnival than any of the others. In the end, they're all more similar than different - the ocean is the same for everyone, and they all go to the same ports in the Caribbean. 

 

I suggest, though, that you go for a 7-day RCL cruise, it will give you a better idea of what the line is really about than the shorter Indy cruise, which will be more of a party boat just because it's a shorter cruise.

[George C]

I think Indy is a good choice for first rccl cruise, I haven’t sailed her but sailed sister ship Liberty a couple of times. Great ice show, good entertainment and most likely not have as many children as oasis class.

[linga]

I'm about to go on my 4th Royal (going solo also).  I agree with others, most of the cruise lines are more similar than not.  I've never had a bad cruise on any line!  I've been on about 15 Carnival, about 5 Norwegian and Princess.  I prefer Carnival because of the fun & friendly service, and I have never experienced anything negative (ie. drunks, etc.).   I find I always having a more enjoyable experience on carnival.   I like nice things, so typically go with a suite if it's available.   Jr. suites on Royal are nice as a solo.  I do enjoy the Coastal Kitchen private dining room for Suite guests on Royal!   I'm sure you'll enjoy Royal, they're my second favorite.   I'll continue to cruise them! they keep giving me deals I can't refuse.😀  

[firefly333]

3 minutes ago, linga said:

I'm about to go on my 4th Royal (going solo also).  I agree with others, most of the cruise lines are more similar than not.  I've never had a bad cruise on any line!  I've been on about 15 Carnival, about 5 Norwegian and Princess.  I prefer Carnival because of the fun & friendly service, and I have never experienced anything negative (ie. drunks, etc.).   I find I always having a more enjoyable experience on carnival.   I like nice things, so typically go with a suite if it's available.   Jr. suites on Royal are nice as a solo.  I do enjoy the Coastal Kitchen private dining room for Suite guests on Royal!   I'm sure you'll enjoy Royal, they're my second favorite.   I'll continue to cruise them! they keep giving me deals I can't refuse.😀  

I just read a carnival review and it didnt make me want to run out and book carnival. Cut backs. Buffet was very short. And they complained it was too hot on the ships, especially elevators. Kids were ok but some unruly adults. 1 to 2 hour lines for pizza after 11 pm, nothing else open. ..well I like carnival pizza so I'd wait over rcl pizza. .. I've done 3 carnival since restart and giving them a rest because of food cut backs. I'm hoping by jan 2024 carnival food is improved. Meanwhile I'm doing rcl. 

[MotownVoice]

lol

"Drunks" is not the mark of a bad cruise line.

It's the mark of a bad drunk.

You can find them just about anywhere.  On ANY luxury cruise liner.

[Ret MP]

3 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

Indy is a great ship.  Any larger than that and they turn into floating amusement parks.

While I respect your opinion and we've agreed on just about everything both in here and the other Royal Caribbean forum/blog, I kind of disagree (no, I don't take offense, just disagree mildly because this is your opinion) with the descriptor of Amusement Park, I think they are ships with many more "Amusement" Options for everyone and less chance of getting bored. 

 

The larger ships have more entertainment options, they have more culinary options, they have more pools, they have more shopping availability, and yes, they have more slides and rides for kids of all ages.   

 

 

[4774Papa]

13 hours ago, Elkins45 said:

I’m considering a solo four day on Independence of the Seas just to experience RC. It’s fairly cheap and this particular date doesn’t have as large a single upcharge as others. We’ve cruised on Celebrity, Princess, MSC and Carnival but never on Royal. How different is the Royal Caribbean experience compared to other lines?

Celebrity's dining is better than Royal's, but the difference is not huge.

Royal's entertainment is better than Celebrity's.

 

We like both cruise lines and Royal tends to be cheaper.

Also, we are Diamond on Royal and the happy hour free drinks keeps us happy with NO expensive drinks packages.   You can order a glass or two of wine with your meal, as long as it is within the happy hour.

 

We don't care much for the mega ships, which Royal has plenty of to choose from.

[firefly333]

30 minutes ago, 4774Papa said:

 

Also, we are Diamond on Royal and the happy hour free drinks keeps us happy with NO expensive drinks packages.   You can order a glass or two of wine with your meal, as long as it is within the happy hour.

 

Have you cruised royal since the restart? This has changed and now diamond get 4 drinks any time of the day any place. Not particularly during happy hour. Happy hour still has free snacks but you use a voucher for any drinks they arent free during happy hour.

 

Seems you havent cruised rcl in a while. I love the drink vouchers and use them for my morning fresh squeezed OJ. 

[Elkins45]

LOL the cheap rate I was looking at vanished after midnight. Bad timing I guess.

[4774Papa]

21 hours ago, firefly333 said:

Have you cruised royal since the restart? This has changed and now diamond get 4 drinks any time of the day any place. Not particularly during happy hour. Happy hour still has free snacks but you use a voucher for any drinks they arent free during happy hour.

 

Seems you havent cruised rcl in a while. I love the drink vouchers and use them for my morning fresh squeezed OJ. 

We haven't done a Royal cruise since the pandemic.   I knew about the vouchers, but thought you still had to use them during the happy hour.  Thanks

[Ret MP]

@Elkins45 have you made a decision yet?  If so, ?????

 

I'd like to hear your review if you decide to go on Royal.

[ReneeFLL]

10 hours ago, 4774Papa said:

We haven't done a Royal cruise since the pandemic.   I knew about the vouchers, but thought you still had to use them during the happy hour.  Thanks

You can use them at any time anywhere except the Bionic Bar. If you go to the lounge there are no more free drinks, they make you use one of the 4 vouchers (diamond).

[PhillyFan33579]

On 8/1/2022 at 12:37 PM, 4774Papa said:

Celebrity's dining is better than Royal's, but the difference is not huge.

Royal's entertainment is better than Celebrity's.

 

We like both cruise lines and Royal tends to be cheaper.

Also, we are Diamond on Royal and the happy hour free drinks keeps us happy with NO expensive drinks packages.   You can order a glass or two of wine with your meal, as long as it is within the happy hour.

 

We don't care much for the mega ships, which Royal has plenty of to choose from.

RCI no longer does the Diamond and above happy hour. Instead you get 4 to 6 free drinks per day based on your loyalty level. One of the biggest things I like about RCI is their large ships, but I understand they don’t appeal to everyone. 

[Bennyboats28]

On 8/1/2022 at 4:24 AM, Elkins45 said:

I’m considering a solo four day on Independence of the Seas just to experience RC. It’s fairly cheap and this particular date doesn’t have as large a single upcharge as others. We’ve cruised on Celebrity, Princess, MSC and Carnival but never on Royal. How different is the Royal Caribbean experience compared to other lines?

Hi, 

 

Given your previous experience with other lines you will probably like RCI. As other cruises have mentioned you may want to book a longer cruise than 4 nights as this will probably avoid the booze cruises that tend to happen at a weekend. 

 

You did mention that you intend to cruise solo? I believe that NCL does studio cabins specifically for solo travellers. Could this be a viable option for you as well?

[Ret MP]

9 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

RCI no longer does the Diamond and above happy hour. Instead you get 4 to 6 free drinks per day based on your loyalty level. One of the biggest things I like about RCI is their large ships, but I understand they don’t appeal to everyone. 

Do you think it is a permanent change or a stop gap because of the post-COVID crew shortage?  I'm hoping it's just a stop gap.

[Ocean Boy]

11 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

Do you think it is a permanent change or a stop gap because of the post-COVID crew shortage?  I'm hoping it's just a stop gap.

I hope it's permanent.

[Mapleleafforever]

On 7/31/2022 at 11:24 PM, Elkins45 said:

I’m considering a solo four day on Independence of the Seas just to experience RC. It’s fairly cheap and this particular date doesn’t have as large a single upcharge as others. We’ve cruised on Celebrity, Princess, MSC and Carnival but never on Royal. How different is the Royal Caribbean experience compared to other lines?

Indy was our first ever cruise and the one that got us hooked. Which did you enjoy the best out of the 4 you mentioned??