Other Cruise Lines

Other than RCCL, what is your favorite cruise line and why? We are trying to branch out from Royal but there are so many options!

Other than RCCL, what is your favorite cruise line and why? We are trying to branch out from Royal but there are so many options!

Princess has been mentioned here as similar to Royal. Also, NCL for those who want no traditional dining at all.

We've cruised on Princess and enjoyed each cruise. Next year, we will be on Holland America for the first time. We are happy with RCCL but looking forward to trying a new line.

Other than RCCL, what is your favorite cruise line and why? We are trying to branch out from Royal but there are so many options!

I don't know anything about you, so it's hard to know what type of experience you may enjoy. Having said that...

1. Disney, if you have kids. It's an absolute fantastic line if you have young ones.

2. Princess is nice. The food is great and our service has been near perfect.

3. Norwegian is another one worth trying. We like them a lot.

4. I want to try MSC, but can't offer any first first-hand experience.

Finally, I have a hard time imagining that you can go wrong with any cruise line. There will be cheerleaders and detractors for every brand. I suggest finding something different that is convenient for you and has an interesting itinerary.

Apart from Royal, we have only tried Norwegian Cruise Line on board the Norwegian Star. It was a nice cruise. As already mention, no traditional dining. And it seemed like they used the theater more than Royal.

Celebrity is our second favourite. Although we haven't sailed with them since we had our daughter and would probably wait until she was a bit older to do so.

Celebrity as it offers comparable rates, especially when those include a beverage package. Ambiance is classier IMHO. Superior service.

Carnival with superior buffet IMHO, less expensive beverages, larger cabins, more included (toiletries, robes etc. even for first time cruisers). Self service laundry. More food options.

After two less than perfect RCCL cruises we decided to try Celebrity and the only reason now I would go back to RCCL is if I was cruising with young children.

Better food, quiet, relaxing, entertainment if you want it but lots of places to relax. Excellent suite perks....

We have sailed many enjoyable cruises with Cunard. We love the QM2 and have enjoyed some wonderful cruises to the Caribbean and Canada/New England. Gorgeous ship, elegant surroundings, delicious food, top-notch service.

We also really enjoyed Cunard's Queen Elizabeth for a Med. Cruise a few years back.

Jonathan

Other than RCCL, what is your favorite cruise line and why? We are trying to branch out from Royal but there are so many options!

What sort of things are of importance to you on a ship?

LuLu

Other than RCCL, what is your favorite cruise line and why? We are trying to branch out from Royal but there are so many options!

If I could afford it, I would cruise Oceania a lot more. We've done 2 transatlantics on Oceania and love the fact there are no formal nights, dining is freestyle, specialty restaurants are included in the cost of the fare, and ship sizes are not too large.

Our second choice is NCL because it also has no formal nights and dining is freestyle. We only do the smaller ships.

We've also cruised on HAL, Celebrity, and Carnival. All are fine.

What works for me may not work for you

Research the different lines & see what ticks your boxes

I like Princess Cruise Line. I have been on many lines and for me now, it is Princess. My favorite Princess ship now is Regal. Good food and a beautiful ship.

If I could afford it, I would cruise Oceania a lot more. We've done 2 transatlantics on Oceania and love the fact there are no formal nights, dining is freestyle, specialty restaurants are included in the cost of the fare, and ship sizes are not too large.

 

Our second choice is NCL because it also has no formal nights and dining is freestyle. We only do the smaller ships.

 

We've also cruised on HAL, Celebrity, and Carnival. All are fine.

We tried Royal once when our daughter was very young (for the kid's club) and there was not yet a Disney ship. At the bottom line it was more than mediocre - particularly the food. Then came a long cruise hiatus due to professional obligations. Once we were ready to cruise again (years later) we did a lot of research (including numerous TA interviews). At the bottom line, Oceania emerged as best-bang-for the buck and that's now our preferred line.

My two favorites are Cunard and Holland America. I find them very similar with the exception of the evening dress code. Both have comparable entertainment, food, quiet places on-board, size of ships, etc. I do not need nor want flow-riders, bumper cars, rock-climbing walls, etc.

As I travel solo, I try to avoid the cruise lines that charge 200% for solo cruisers. I also do not want ships that have all open seating meals (I like to dine with the same people and get to know them).

We now sail luxury lines but that was not the case in the past. I would take a look at Celebrity because of the level of service they provide and the additional amenities on board the ship.

Keith

Other than RCCL, what is your favorite cruise line and why? We are trying to branch out from Royal but there are so many options!

As you can see from my signature, RCI is my most traveled line...and my favorite. That said, I'm not brand loyal and I'm open to trying anything. The only other line that has really impressed me has been Celebrity, especially Solstice Class.

It's a difficult one to answer, as convenience might pay a big part in this. We've tried several lines, and find them similar in many ways, but the difference might be in the tweaking. RCI was not for us, but we suggested it for family members with active teens, for their first ever cruise, and it's made them avid cruisers. :cool:

other than rccl, what is your favorite cruise line and why? We are trying to branch out from royal but there are so many options!

hal

Other than RCCL, what is your favorite cruise line and why? We are trying to branch out from Royal but there are so many options!

I'm Pinnacle with RCI, so that should tell you how much I have cruised and enjoyed them over the years. But for now, my favorite cruise line is Celebrity. Disney is another line that I think is excellent and a great alternative to RCI. You'll pay for it though.

I've also cruised numerous times on Princess, HAL, Carnival, NCL, and once or twice on Costa, MSC, Oceania, Regent, and Crystal. To be honest, I don't think any of them come close to the quality of entertainment and ship design of RCI. I also think some of those lines like Oceania and Regent tend to be overrated. NCL's newest ships, especially Escape, might be an option for you, but avoid the rest of their fleet. Carnival Breeze also wasnt bad but again, avoid the rest of their fleet.

Royal Caribbean also owns Celebrity. I think some of the past guest benefits cross over to Celebrity. Anyone know for sure?