Shoshee10

Hi Showee. My son has autism and does not do well around lots of people, and in turn I am always looking to minimize our time in large groups of people to avoid problems. I was on the Allure last year and found it to be, overall, less crowded than my experiences on Disney ships. Of course, we also did things to avoid crowds, like not go to the pools at noon on a sea day. Walk through Central Park when going from one end of the ship to the other, I would go from our room on the 6 floor up two flights of stairs, walk across the park and then up the elevator to get to the other side. The boardwalk was a other space that rarely saw crowds. Muster was crowded, but that is going to be the case on any ship, even on a smaller ship like Enchantment. The nice thing about the Oasis class ship is that there are so many public spaces, it is easy to find at least one spot that is free of crowds at any given time.

 

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Thank you so much, I really appreciate it!

I don't have panic disorder but have an anxiety disorder and realize that it's tough to navigate crowds, etc..

 

I have been on a lot of cruises and can say that there are crowds just like anywhere when you travel or try to do Christmas shopping, etc. But there are definite ways to avoid the crowded areas -- such as don't go to the Windjammer during the busiest hours (and on embarkation day). Stay away from the main deck on deck party night. You will have crowds if you try to be the first on the ship -- but if you take one of the latest times to check in, you won't see the mad rush. The dining room can be crowded at peak times -- make dinner reservations or go to a pay restaurant. I could go on but hopefully you get my point.

 

If you get a balcony room and LOVE to sit and watch the ocean, you will love a cruise and can minimize the crowds you experience. It really can be what you make of it . . . . and making some decisions ahead of time could minimize the crowds you will experience. So, in a nutshell, if you have been wanting to cruise but afraid of the crowds, with the help of Cruisecritic, etc. you could probably do some research that will make it manageable for you.

Thank you! I have an anxiety disorder as well lol good times! It sounds like I may be ok. I cruise Princess all the time and never have problems. This is probably similar because the extra people are spread out over extra large ships. Just the thought of 6,000 passengers sounded daunting to me.

Thanks for your advice!

Disagree with the statement about the Radiance class ships. Sailed on the Serenade last year, and felt it was the most crowded of any ship I have sailed. A few reasons - only one main bank of elevators, unlike the bigger ships that have "double" Hard to explain this but the smaller ships have front and aft elevators, but only one set. The bigger ships have double forward and aft banks.

 

Many shows were held in the Centrum, which was always crowded. Cafe was in the solarium, always a line and crowded.

 

Prefer the bigger ships because they are wider. Promenade can be crowded when shops are having sales, parades, etc. but you can avoid them.

 

Obviously, you have a serious problem. Have you ever cruised? Regardless of the ship, there will be times when it will be crowded. Even the dining rooms can seem crowded - tables are close together.

 

I do wish you well, and hope you can find a cruise that will work; however , I think any cruise or ship will at times have lines, crowds. I guess it comes down to how serious a problem this is for you. Good luck!

Thanks for the info Grandma. I have cruised, quite a lot, but always on Princess. As big as their ships are they are dwarfed by the Oasis. On Princess there are times when there are a lot of people around, but not usually big huge crowds unless a show is letting out. We always watch parties from a deck or so away (easier to get drinks that way, too!!). I've rarely had trouble navigating main areas of the ships due to the crowds. These ships just have so many more people on them, that I was really wondering how much of a problem crowds are or if it just kind of evens out because the ships are so much larger.

Thanks so much!

Thank you so much! I really appreciate the recommendation.

My husband is trying to plan a cruise for our Anniversary this September. One of the options he came up with was the Oasis of the Seas.

My concern is the sheer number of people on the ship. I have a panic disorder in crowds and I'm curious what it's like on such a big ship with so many people. Are areas often crowded? Is it easy to walk from one side of the ship to the other or are you constantly trying to get around other people? Are lines for dining and shows long? I understand that we should make reservations before we go, but do you end up standing in big crowds of people waiting to get in?

Any advice anyone can give me is greatly appreciated!

Leslie