Is Royal really worth 50% more than their competitor?

[footballmp]

My wife and I have an April 2024 ocean view balcony booked on Wonder of the Seas, 7night Western Caribbean w/Coco Cay out of Port Canaveral.   I have been thinking about switching to the Enchanted Princess ocean view balcony 7 night Western 1 wk later than Wonder but out of Port Everglades.  The ports are identical except Wonder has Coco Cay and Enchanted has Belize.  Enchanted is 55% less than Wonder.  I love the Oasis class ships and Coco Cay, but that is a huge difference!  Is Royal really worth that much more?

[OCSC Mike]

Just now, footballmp said:

 Is Royal really worth that much more?

 

Only you can answer that for yourself.

 

What something is worth to one person is worth something else to another.

[doghog]

4 minutes ago, footballmp said:

My wife and I have an April 2024 ocean view balcony booked on Wonder of the Seas, 7night Western Caribbean w/Coco Cay out of Port Canaveral.   I have been thinking about switching to the Enchanted Princess ocean view balcony 7 night Western 1 wk later than Wonder but out of Port Everglades.  The ports are identical except Wonder has Coco Cay and Enchanted has Belize.  Enchanted is 55% less than Wonder.  I love the Oasis class ships and Coco Cay, but that is a huge difference!  Is Royal really worth that much more?

That's a big difference. More of a personal choice though. Does the Princess cruise price include the add on Plus or Premier package? 

Edited October 22, 2023 by doghog

[firefly333]

7 minutes ago, footballmp said:

My wife and I have an April 2024 ocean view balcony booked on Wonder of the Seas, 7night Western Caribbean w/Coco Cay out of Port Canaveral.   I have been thinking about switching to the Enchanted Princess ocean view balcony 7 night Western 1 wk later than Wonder but out of Port Everglades.  The ports are identical except Wonder has Coco Cay and Enchanted has Belize.  Enchanted is 55% less than Wonder.  I love the Oasis class ships and Coco Cay, but that is a huge difference!  Is Royal really worth that much more?

I'm sure it gets old but again you need to find a TA with group rates. I'm booked in a neighborhood balcony on wonder for about what carnival charges for a inside on Mardi gras or jubilee. 

 

I booked a inside balcony on harmony for about $300 less than jubilee inside. I decided to pay less and again skip jubilee though I'd like to do carnivals new class of ships and try out their new food offerings.

 

I cant help it, my wallet says rcl .. but then I get a solo discount, which no one else gives. No wonder royal is cheaper than other choices. OP do you really think your experience is everyone elses. It's not mine. As long as royal is cheaper, I'll wait on mardi gras and jubilee.

[footballmp]

No just includes the price of the cruise.  Plus which includes the drink package costs $800 more.

[drjohn4]

If you like really like the things you can do on Wonder that they don't have on Enchantment (Central Park, Zip-line, Flowrider, Aqua-Theater, ice rink etc.) and want to sail on one of the newest ships and experience Coco Cay - it probably is worth 50% more.  If you enjoy a more traditional cruise experience and just enjoy the food, drinks, pampering and entertainment than it probably is not worth the extra $.

[smokeybandit]

If price is all you care about, then yes, go with the cheaper option. 

[elaine5]

One week later could be the pricing difference, esp. if around Easter? Usually, I find them similar prices. Like others said, there are TAs whose pricing beats RCI direct by a quite a bit. Princess pricing tends to be very similar on their website and via TA. We sail both lines frequently and like both. I view Princess as a step-up from older Royal ships for amenities, entertainment, food, and equal to older (newish) ships like Anthem. Haven't been on newest Royals yet. Enchanted would deliver a quality product, Royal will have a bit "funner" vibe and more active/sports offerings. With teens/young adults, we prefer Royal, but not for 50% more! 

Edited October 22, 2023 by elaine5

[time4u2go]

No. 

[firefly333]

44 minutes ago, footballmp said:

My wife and I have an April 2024 ocean view balcony booked on Wonder of the Seas, 7night Western Caribbean w/Coco Cay out of Port Canaveral.   I have been thinking about switching to the Enchanted Princess ocean view balcony 7 night Western 1 wk later than Wonder but out of Port Everglades.  The ports are identical except Wonder has Coco Cay and Enchanted has Belize.  Enchanted is 55% less than Wonder.  I love the Oasis class ships and Coco Cay, but that is a huge difference!  Is Royal really worth that much more?

I personally skipped over some princess deals with very low solo supplements last winter because I was already booked rcl.

 

If its 50% more, why not consider princess if you arent booked yet on either. I dont get the whole loyal to royal ... though certainly wonder is more expensive than other oasis class ships you could choose. Maybe look at allure or oasis? Too much we dont know, except I do know I wouldnt pay 50% extra unless it was with a group of friends for instance..  lol like bella2.0

[amindu]

5 hours ago, footballmp said:

My wife and I have an April 2024 ocean view balcony booked on Wonder of the Seas, 7night Western Caribbean w/Coco Cay out of Port Canaveral.   I have been thinking about switching to the Enchanted Princess ocean view balcony 7 night Western 1 wk later than Wonder but out of Port Everglades.  The ports are identical except Wonder has Coco Cay and Enchanted has Belize.  Enchanted is 55% less than Wonder.  I love the Oasis class ships and Coco Cay, but that is a huge difference!  Is Royal really worth that much more?

We are sailing on the same itinerary on Wonder in May and it’s definitely worth the up-charge for us given we have 2 toddlers and there’s a lot for them to do on the ship vs other cruise lines.  We did NCL Joy this June and my 4 year old on day 2 asked when we could go home, not much on that ship for kids under 4.  

[LobsterStalker]

15 minutes ago, amindu said:

We are sailing on the same itinerary on Wonder in May and it’s definitely worth the up-charge for us given we have 2 toddlers and there’s a lot for them to do on the ship vs other cruise lines.  We did NCL Joy this June and my 4 year old on day 2 asked when we could go home, not much on that ship for kids under 4.  

Interested to hear what your 4 year old says on wonder 

[amindu]

2 minutes ago, LobsterStalker said:

Interested to hear what your 4 year old says on wonder 

We have done oasis class couple times since post Covid and they have loved it.  Symphony, Allure. I imagine they will love Wonder as well, since it’s pretty close to Symphony but has an additional outdoor play area.  Going on Odyssey in December so that will be interesting.  

[volk904]

Princess is really nice and the food is pretty good but has different things than Royal.  I will suggest you think about what you want like to do and compare and decide if it is worth the extra.  

[Missusdubbya]

No

[orville99]

Wonder costs more because RCL knows they can extract that price from people who want all the new bells and whistles on a new ship. Put an older RCL ship (even an older Oasis class ship) on that same route and date, and the cost will be lower.

[firefly333]

1 minute ago, orville99 said:

Wonder costs more because RCL knows they can extract that price from people who want all the new bells and whistles on a new ship. Put an older RCL ship (even an older Oasis class ship) on that same route and date, and the cost will be lower.

Above I said maybe the OP should look at oasis or allure .. same thinking. Wonder is currently the newest rcl ship .. of course its higher. 

[Mum2Mercury]

I suspect the price difference has to do with the one-week later.  Is a holiday involved?  

 

Or the difference is in the ship.  I'm not familiar with Princess' ships -- how new /big is Jubilee?  Wonder is one of Royal's more expensive ships.  

[firefly333]

44 minutes ago, Mum2Mercury said:

I suspect the price difference has to do with the one-week later.  Is a holiday involved?  

 

Or the difference is in the ship.  I'm not familiar with Princess' ships -- how new /big is Jubilee?  Wonder is one of Royal's more expensive ships.  

Carnival mardi gras is a new class of ships and mostly reviews are good. New food choices free and pay restaurants. Mdr too small on purpose so anytime dining gets 1 free night in italian or chibang or one other. Only anytime, not fixed times. I'd like to do it. 2 sisters. Jubilee out of texas closest to me, hasnt arrived yet, arrives around this xmas. So it's not surprising their prices are high imo. I waited hoping a inside bottom deck starting price went under $1k but has gone up. Most dates starting at least $1500 and carnival prices by deck, so bottom deck inside. Deck 1 fore or aft. They had a hit with vista special area, havana with it's own pool. Mardi gras class has a special loft 19 area I saw someone here booked a suite with a cabana.  Their new pay restaurants arent cheap and no bogo for me. I wish some of rcl dynamic pricing. Also new class is LNG fuel. People like hovering bar tenders while they are in a private area I read. Their biggest ships yet and more facing ocean than rcl.

 

Personally i found princess boring. 

[deliver42]

Just the fact that I probably won't see a fist fight makes Royal worth the 50% difference from Carnival.

[smokeybandit]

1 hour ago, Mum2Mercury said:

I suspect the price difference has to do with the one-week later.  Is a holiday involved?  

 

Or the difference is in the ship.  I'm not familiar with Princess' ships -- how new /big is Jubilee?  Wonder is one of Royal's more expensive ships.  

Jubilee is a little bit bigger than Quantum class ships.

[firefly333]

2 minutes ago, deliver42 said:

Just the fact that I probably won't see a fist fight makes Royal worth the 50% difference from Carnival.

They shown the rcl fights on utube too you know. I wouldn't brag about pax behavior on rcl. And of course there isnt a 50% difference between carnival and rcl. You are dreaming. With my discounts rcl is cheaper. I thought it was some older princess ship op was comparing to, not a new ship. Like celebrity being less than rcl, princess sales cheaper than carnival sometimes. I think when people brag how high class rcl is I try and not laugh. More fun maybe but class? If carnival was as cheap as it used to be then I'd understand. MSC is the only less expensive one now. A few princess deals. 

 

People should book what they want and look for the best deal for them. Check and do mock bookings. Not just assume about prices. Ignorance isnt bliss. 

[waitingtogo]

The simple answer is NO. Even tho i prefer Royal, It is not worth that much more.

[Biker19]

4 hours ago, Mum2Mercury said:

I'm not familiar with Princess' ships -- how new /big is Jubilee? 

Jubilee is Carnival, not Princess. Princess' biggest ship now is about Freedom class sized.

[The Fun Researcher]

Need more info.

 

1) Is the Wonder price reasonable for you, and it's just that the Princess price is unusually low?

 

or

 

2)  Is the Wonder price prohibitively high and the Princess price more in line with what you are willing to pay?

 

If it's option 1 go with Royal

If it's option 2 I would go princess or... find another ship and sail date that still works for you at the price point you are more ok with.