One Cruise Older Ship Suite Cabin vs. Two Cruises on Newer Ship Non-Suite Cabin

[CruiserYEG]

I’ve been creeping on all your helpful tips for years (thank you thank you!) & now have the first world problem of deciding what ship and cabins to book for Europe before they cabins we have our eyes on are scooped up. Itineraries visit similar ports except one includes Malta (itinerary isn’t as important as some in the party have been to all of the ports). Would sure appreciate your insight too! It’s likely the same dilemma I’m sure a few of you have had before: Older Ship Suite Cabin vs. Newer Ship Non-Suite Cabin (but two cruises) for a very similar price. 

 

Here are our options: 

 

ONE CRUISE ONLY 

11 Night from Barcelona to Athens on Voyager May 16-27, 2024 

Includes Malta 

Newer Spacious OV Panoramic Suite (1804) 

NextCruise $600 credit and double Crown & Anchor Points 

Last time I was on Voyager she was the largest ship at sea- it’s been a while! 

*Would we want a balcony though with the Greek ports to take in the sunset though? Santorini specifically* 

OR….

 

TWO CRUISES (like a B2B but we’re switching ships at the same port) 

7 Night Rome to Rome on Oasis May 19-26, 2024 (Western Med- Italy/France/Spain usual) 

Central Park Balcony (very familiar & with these ports not much to see unless you drive inland anyways)

NextCruise $100 credit 

FOLLOWED BY 

7 Night Greek Isle Cruise Rome to Rome on Odyssey May 26-June 2, 2024 (Mykonos, Santorini, Ephesus) 

Spacious OV Balcony on the Aft OR Junior Suite also on the Aft (any recommendations for which class of cabins on Odyssey? Never been on a Quantum Class ship) 

NextCruise $100 credit (we have two of these- if we go with the Voyager I’ll just find something else to book) 

 

What would you do? I may have been overthinking so much the answer is likely right in front of me- hoping fellow cruisers can see the obvious (that maybe I apparently can’t!). 

 

TIA! 

 

[powelweb]

When we did a Med cruise in 2015, we chose a 12-night Vision cruise over a newer ship as we planned long excursion days and early to bed evenings. Didn't want to spend $$$ on private excursions only to be dragging all day because we were out too late enjoying all the activities onboard. 

 

We prefer to sail the newer ships for TAs or Caribbean sailings when the focus is the focus.

 

Good luck with your choice!

[Cruising89143]

In the Med, the ship becomes the moving hotel as usually it’s a very port intensive itinerary and very little time is spent on the ship. I prefer the smaller ship in this case. 

[Airbear232]

1 hour ago, CruiserYEG said:

I’ve been creeping on all your helpful tips for years (thank you thank you!) & now have the first world problem of deciding what ship and cabins to book for Europe before they cabins we have our eyes on are scooped up. Itineraries visit similar ports except one includes Malta (itinerary isn’t as important as some in the party have been to all of the ports). Would sure appreciate your insight too! It’s likely the same dilemma I’m sure a few of you have had before: Older Ship Suite Cabin vs. Newer Ship Non-Suite Cabin (but two cruises) for a very similar price. 

 

Here are our options: 

 

ONE CRUISE ONLY 

11 Night from Barcelona to Athens on Voyager May 16-27, 2024 

Includes Malta 

Newer Spacious OV Panoramic Suite (1804) 

NextCruise $600 credit and double Crown & Anchor Points 

Last time I was on Voyager she was the largest ship at sea- it’s been a while! 

*Would we want a balcony though with the Greek ports to take in the sunset though? Santorini specifically* 

OR….

 

TWO CRUISES (like a B2B but we’re switching ships at the same port) 

7 Night Rome to Rome on Oasis May 19-26, 2024 (Western Med- Italy/France/Spain usual) 

Central Park Balcony (very familiar & with these ports not much to see unless you drive inland anyways)

NextCruise $100 credit 

FOLLOWED BY 

7 Night Greek Isle Cruise Rome to Rome on Odyssey May 26-June 2, 2024 (Mykonos, Santorini, Ephesus) 

Spacious OV Balcony on the Aft OR Junior Suite also on the Aft (any recommendations for which class of cabins on Odyssey? Never been on a Quantum Class ship) 

NextCruise $100 credit (we have two of these- if we go with the Voyager I’ll just find something else to book) 

 

What would you do? I may have been overthinking so much the answer is likely right in front of me- hoping fellow cruisers can see the obvious (that maybe I apparently can’t!). 

 

TIA! 

 

I’d go by the ports and which you prefer. 

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, CruiserYEG said:

Would sure appreciate your insight too

The logistics of the S2S from Rome is a bit easier (fly in-out of the same airport), but Voyager might be the better choice. You can't say for sure which way the ship will point at sunset, so that should not be a criterion. If you want to see the sunset, go up on deck.

[firefly333]

1 hour ago, CruiserYEG said:

I’ve been creeping on all your helpful tips for years (thank you thank you!) & now have the first world problem of deciding what ship and cabins to book for Europe before they cabins we have our eyes on are scooped up. Itineraries visit similar ports except one includes Malta (itinerary isn’t as important as some in the party have been to all of the ports). Would sure appreciate your insight too! It’s likely the same dilemma I’m sure a few of you have had before: Older Ship Suite Cabin vs. Newer Ship Non-Suite Cabin (but two cruises) for a very similar price. 

 

Here are our options: 

 

ONE CRUISE ONLY 

11 Night from Barcelona to Athens on Voyager May 16-27, 2024 

Includes Malta 

Newer Spacious OV Panoramic Suite (1804) 

NextCruise $600 credit and double Crown & Anchor Points 

Last time I was on Voyager she was the largest ship at sea- it’s been a while! 

*Would we want a balcony though with the Greek ports to take in the sunset though? Santorini specifically* 

OR….

 

TWO CRUISES (like a B2B but we’re switching ships at the same port) 

7 Night Rome to Rome on Oasis May 19-26, 2024 (Western Med- Italy/France/Spain usual) 

Central Park Balcony (very familiar & with these ports not much to see unless you drive inland anyways)

NextCruise $100 credit 

FOLLOWED BY 

7 Night Greek Isle Cruise Rome to Rome on Odyssey May 26-June 2, 2024 (Mykonos, Santorini, Ephesus) 

Spacious OV Balcony on the Aft OR Junior Suite also on the Aft (any recommendations for which class of cabins on Odyssey? Never been on a Quantum Class ship) 

NextCruise $100 credit (we have two of these- if we go with the Voyager I’ll just find something else to book) 

 

What would you do? I may have been overthinking so much the answer is likely right in front of me- hoping fellow cruisers can see the obvious (that maybe I apparently can’t!). 

 

TIA! 

 

Your wording is confusing ... you say double pts for the first one and then I realized maybe you meant one extra pt for the GS. As 1 more for solo saying double pts to me means double pt promo. So 2 per person in a GS.

 

Then the 2nd leg of the b2b you mention a JS. A JS is counted 1 extra loyalty pt same as the GS. Both count as suite pts.

[SF Cfan]

I would select the 11 night Barcelona to Athens.  Three things in particular come to mind.

 

The Barcelona cruise port is in Barcelona.  Whether you are flying in day of or days ahead of departure it's easier getting from the hotel or hotels to the cruise port in Barcelona versus Civitavecchia.

 

As nice as the Odyssey OTS is you'll have fewer fellow passengers in the tender queues and on shore on the two Greek Isle stops.

 

Packing and unpacking is not the end of the world.  However, the 2 cruise option still requires going through an extra debarkation and check-in with potential wait hours regardless of your status with Royal.

 

 

 

[John&LaLa]

The VP suite is awesome. Don't worry about a lack of balcony, you're allready up on deck 12, just walk down the hall and you're outside😁

[LittleJoefromKokomo]

Everyone has their own opinion but personally I would take two cruises over one anytime. Regardless of cabins. 

[pcur]

I've been on the Vision and the Enchantment this year, and enjoyed both smaller ships.  I would take the longer cruise in a heartbeat.  It's an extra $32 in tips per person, but it's also 2 more days of cruising.