RCI, NCL, or Princess?

[Lifesaver123]

Last year my family took a cruise of RCI's Mariner, and we loved it. Next year we are planning another cruise, and we are traveling with friends. We are considering traveling with another cruise line, but are unsure which one to go on. NCL, RCI, and Princess are the three we are looking at currently. Any prefrences, or opinions.

Thanks, Rylee:)

[truffles2]

Well, RCI of course!:D

[Hatsoff389]

They all have there differences. We prefer RCI over NCL. NCL has freestyle dining which means you can go to dinner when you want between the hours of 5 and 10pm. RCI as you know has the traditional 2 set dining times. I believe Princess has that flexible dining schedule as well. I'm sure you'll have a good time on any line you choose but my wife and I prefer RCI so far.:D

[cot427]

Of course, I would recommend RCI, just because of all of the options they offer, like the Viking Crown, Rock Wall, Ice Rink, and I don't think I could go on a ship that doesn't have that mall. I love the Royal Promenade. RCI would be my first choice.

[Aquahound]

If your one priority is dining options, try NCL. If everything else is more of a priority, stick with RCI.

 

Princess, I really can't comment on. Never tried them.

[negc]

I'd love to be able to tell you to stick with RCI, but I am not you and your tastes might not match mine. Each of the lines you mention offers a cruise experience that is special and popular among its fans. On this board, you are more likely to find cruisers who, even if they have cruised other lines, have decided that RCI best fits their tastes. Check the Princess, NCL , Carnival boards or those of any other line, and there will be a majority who feel the same way about that particular line. That doesn't mean there is one "best line" for everyone. If there was the other lines wouldn't continue in business (and cruise prices would be even higher because of the lack of competition). All of the lines you mention offer similar cruise experiences with certain differences which might cause you to prefer one over another. Don't be afraid to check them out and decide for yourself.:)

[CPT Trips]

Just two small items. Of the three, NCL had a broader array of musical entertainment and Princess had less expensive drink prices.

[rpctam]

Hi. New to the boards and find them helpful. We have done Celebrity twice and loved it so we have booked one with Royal. When booking our first one, the agent said RCI line was the best. But like most comments here it is what YOU are looking for in a cruise. Good luck. RC

[VegasPinkGirl]

I've not cruised on Princess but I've heard great things about that line. I've cruised on NCL twice and doubt I'll go back. The first cruise was during spring break and it was horrible. It was so bad that NCL gave us a credit towards another cruise. We decided to give them another try but that cruise just wasn't what it should have been. Freestyle dining is nice but that doesn't make up for the problems we had, IMO. After NCL we did Disney and it was wonderful. Figured after Disney nothing would be as good. I was wrong. Returned a couple of months ago from Enchantment of the Seas and it was a great cruise. The customer service rivaled Disney. That cruise made a believer out of me. So, I'll stick with RCCL but what ever you decide to do, I bet you'll have a good time. Sometimes you just have to make it good, as good as you can anyway. If you go to the NCL boards take a fireproof suit with you. They will flame you. Not all but there are a few pretty nasty people there. They ran me off. Guess I'm a wuss. HA

[elhenry]

As everyone here so wisely points out, what *you* want on a cruise line will determine what line *you* like best. I've cruised RCCL 3x (and 4 to come in August) Princess 3x and NCL 1x. All three have pluses and minuses, and from this board you will hear the pluses for RCCL. I will say that I have come to love "anytime/freestyle" dining, so with everything else being equal, Princess or NCL would be my choice, but everything is not always equal.

 

happy cruising,

el henry

[Twaincruisers]

We've been cruising with RCI because we enjoy the Voyager/Freedom class ships. However, in terms of service Princess is definitely the way to go. NCL is very hit and miss for service, has lower quality food, but does have great entertainment variety.

[TEXASMUNK]

Princess and RCI offer a highly competitive product.

NCL?

Not even in the same league.

[stoof]

Our family took our first ever cruise last year and went NCl on Norwegian Jewel. We had a great time. Enjoyed the freestyle dining and the shows are tremendous.We found the food and service quite good.

DW and I are sailing on RCI this year to see what else is out there, and besides, they did not have a sailing for what we wanted when we wanted.

[sept10dsm]

To get a more neutral opinion, post on the other 2 board also and read them all!! Everyone has their own opinion and on this board my feelings are that you will most likely have RCCL chosen with Princess a close second or a tie. I have cruised the both of them and they are truly more similar than different, both having their own good points. There have been many posts comparing the two. I would let price and ports sway my choice in these 2 lines. Whichever line you pick, have a great time.

[Kaylas Mom]

I have cruised all three and I agree with folks who are saying RCI or Princess. NCL was a unique experience. We loved the Freestyle thing -- our ship had 13 restaurants and we loved that. But the Kid's Club was the pits and I felt like we were nickled and dimed on NCL. The cabin on NCL was the smallest, but the bathroom was the best. I like the service on Princess, good but laid back. No one on Princess has ever tried to sell me anything.

 

We have been sailing Princess lately but have just booked the Freedom because we have wanted to try RCI again. I don't think you can make a bad choice.

[superjerryw]

Last year my family took a cruise of RCI's Mariner, and we loved it. Next year we are planning another cruise, and we are traveling with friends. We are considering traveling with another cruise line, but are unsure which one to go on. NCL, RCI, and Princess are the three we are looking at currently. Any prefrences, or opinions.

Thanks, Rylee:)

 

Princess and RCI are very comparable in terms of food, entertainment, cabins, service, etc. The significant difference is in the ships themselves. The ships in the Princess fleet are very nice, but their best ships are similar to RCI's Radiance class. Princess has nothing similar to the Voyager class(Mariner) or the Freedom class. If you have to be on a ship with a rock climbing wall, ice skating rink, shopping promenade, etc, you need to sail with RCI. If those things don't matter, Princess is just fine. As for NCL, their entertainment was the best I have seen on a cruise ship and I thought the food was about the same as the other cruise lines. I actually like the Freestyle dining concept on NCL whereby you can eat where and when you want at dinner time. My only real complaint about NCL was the cabin which was very small and poorly furnished. The bathroom on the other hand was bigger than on RCI ships. I would just recommend staying away from the few older ships that NCL has in its fleet.

[Lifesaver123]

I'm looking for many things in a cruise. I want my kids to be able and go off somewhere, doing something fun for them, when I can relax, and do my own thing (spas ect.) My husband likes the casinos, but he hated the food on RCI. So what I'm looking for is a cruise with ranges of activities, entertainment, and good food. Thanks alot for all your responses, they are much appreciated. I'm leaning towards Princess, to try something new, so I can get my own opinion. Once again, thanks so much!:D

[Lifesaver123]

To get a more neutral opinion, post on the other 2 board also and read them all!! Everyone has their own opinion and on this board my feelings are that you will most likely have RCCL chosen with Princess a close second or a tie. I have cruised the both of them and they are truly more similar than different, both having their own good points. There have been many posts comparing the two. I would let price and ports sway my choice in these 2 lines. Whichever line you pick, have a great time.

 

I did post on the other two boards, thanks for your response;)

[Lifesaver123]

Of course, I would recommend RCI, just because of all of the options they offer, like the Viking Crown, Rock Wall, Ice Rink, and I don't think I could go on a ship that doesn't have that mall. I love the Royal Promenade. RCI would be my first choice.

well you have never been on the princess or the other one so how would now?

[Travelitis]

I'm considering the Mariner vs Caribbean Princess. I've sailed on the Grand Princess and had better food there than on the other cruises. On the NCL Sun you need to avoid the main dining room and eat at the alternatives to get good food, and that food is excellent. The Grand was excellent no matter where we went, although it had the least friendly dining staff we've encountered. (gave us disgusted looks for not drinking alcohol to the point we started taking wine glasses with soda in them to dinner, and that got them to stop) Princess has the best dessert at sea, the Princess Loveboat Dream, and the menu had more variety (not quite as basic - bit more innovative) than RCI. RCI food was between the Sun and Princess. If you don't want shipwide announcements - go to Princess. Having said all this, we didn't sail on a mega ship on RCCL, but the Rhapsody has similarities (Schooner Bar, rock climbing wall, etc). Cabins on RCCL are smaller than Princess. The Voyager class ships on RCCL, though, are beautiful with so much to do. I don't think you'll go wrong either way. I'm thinking that the Voyager Class and CP are pretty equivalent, and that explains my dilemna. :rolleyes:

[elhenry]

Well, if you read some threads in this forum, you would think it is a wonder that anyone ever cruises Princess ...but I will definitely cruise them again.

 

I don't know what your DH didn't like about RCI food. I didn't have any probelms, but then again, I loved the much maligned buffets of NCL<G>. Princess is a tad less flashy and less "go go go" thanboth NCL and RCI. NCL and RCI might have more to entertain your children. But I know my borther almost won the CB blackjack tourney, so he was real happy with Princess casinos. And I liked the spa because it had hot stone loungers and steam/sauna set-up, but the RCI ships I have been on did not (to be fair, I believe some RCI ships do...)

 

happy cruising,

el henry

[CPT Trips]

Princess and RCI offer a highly competitive product.

NCL?

Not even in the same league.

 

I totally disagree. I would cruise with any of these three again. Aside from the whole freestyle thing, the is little to differentialte save for rock walls, ice rinks and flowriders . . . but what are they to many cruisers?

[CruiseNut7]

We love Princess ..... the anytime dining is a deal-breaker for us. That could be a plus with a family/children and choosing a time to eat that is convenient to your schedule.

 

The Caribbean Princess is my favorite ship thus far - we've sailed her twice - she has so much to offer.

 

With that said, we're trying RCCL's Voyager class in 60 days, so I'll see if my opinion changes. With traditional dining, I doubt it - that is, unless the promenade wins me over! :rolleyes:

 

Have fun deciding!