Is BIGGER really better?

[OSUKNIGHT]

Just came off the Dream last week and started thinking, "did they really have to build this thing so big?". Then I was looking at the Oasis at Nassau and St. Thomas thinking that is way too big. At first I thought I would like the big boats, but now I am thinking half the passenger number might be more enjoyable. Any thoughts?

[Frank12]

I do not think bigger is better.

I love the Spirit class. Not too big, not too small. Just right!

Seems like the bigger the ship,the longer the lines.

[S.E.]

Isn't there more to do on a bigger ship though?

[gargoyle999]

I think it's good to have options and decide for yourself. I've really like Spirit class but am going to try the Splendor next Feb and the Magic next Sept.

 

I'd try the Oasis just for the experience of being on such a large ship. Maybe once the new ship smell wears off and the prices come down.

[matj2000]

I do like the larger ships for the most part except for the fact you hardly ever see the same people twice.

I was on the Indy last month and met a couple who sat behind me on a bus ride while in Belize. We chatted for about an hour & half and when we got back to port I thought we would see each other again on the ship. Never saw them again... Not once..

[Beave8920]

We just did the Splendor (which is the largest ship we've been on) and it turned me off...beautiful ship but way too many people. We'll stick to the spirit class as well.....

[TheTravelista]

Bigger can be better...but Carnival isnt doing it correctly.

 

Theyre making the ships a little bit longer and a little bit wider, but keeping the same layout as the older ships which worked okay for a smaller amount of passengers but is just not cutting it for the extra thousand plus passengers theyre adding.

 

I love Carnival, but a new ship design and layout is sorely needed if they plan to go any bigger in the future.

[TheTravelista]

Dp.

[jessemon]

I prefer on Carnival the Fantasy Class.....Much more friendly. I always find the food better and the staff is always better....

Have cruised the Fantasy class, Spirit class, Destiny class and the Conquest class.....I'll take the Fantasy class every time for the ships....Just wish they (Carnival) would do some longer cruises with them again.....

[Chacooe]

I also like the Spirit class. I have sailed on the Splendor, but when you have mobility problems and the handicapped rooms are in the very front of the ship, getting to the back of the ship takes quite an effort.

[bakechef]

For me no, bigger isn't better.

 

Carnival's big ships are not done quite right. Royal Caribbean's big ships are done much better, but still not what I enjoy.

 

For what I do on a cruise, a smaller ship serves the same purpose as a large ship. For families with Kids, I can see the big ships being appealing, the water park on the dream was heavily used on sea days.

 

For Carnival, the Spirit Class hits all the right notes for me.

[LambKnuckles]

I, too, love the FANTASY Class ships... smaller!!!

I have a friend who cruise Oasis for Christmas and she said it was too big. They didn't get to see everything and there was just too much... and this is from a true RCCL cruiser!!!

She and I cruised on the Ecstasy in Dec 2008 -- and she still talks about lovin' the Ecstasy, but always talking about how small it was. She wants to have lots of options to do other than just sit and relax and sun, etc...

Big is for some, just not me!!!

[CorvetteLady]

Bigger can be better...but Carnival isnt doing it correctly.

 

Theyre making the ships a little bit longer and a little bit wider, but keeping the same layout as the older ships which worked okay for a smaller amount of passengers but is just not cutting it for the extra thousand plus passengers theyre adding.

 

I love Carnival, but a new ship design and layout is sorely needed if they plan to go any bigger in the future.

 

I agree. The Dream is a beautiful ship but they needed to redesign the Lido buffet area. It just doesn't flow. You would think they would know that by now.

 

They also need better theater seating, you shouldn't have to get there an hour early just to be able to see the show. The side seats do not give you a good view of the stage.

[poobears]

DH and I had plans to hit one of the "big" ships next year, well this year too. But after really thinking it over and reading lots of reviews we realized the bigger ships didn't really have anything extra to offer us that we would be interested in. Just bigger crowds. We decided to stick to smaller ships. It just fits us better.

[Nemspy]

DH and I had plans to hit one of the "big" ships next year, well this year too. But after really thinking it over and reading lots of reviews we realized the bigger ships didn't really have anything extra to offer us that we would be interested in. Just bigger crowds. We decided to stick to smaller ships. It just fits us better.

 

See, I found the smaller Spirit to be far more crowded than Splendor - The Lido buffet, main pool area and sun deck were twice as congested as the same areas on Splendor. There might be more people on board the bigger ships, but they have more places to spread out. I spent less than 15 minutes of our entire 8 day cruise in the main Lido area of Spirit as it was so busy and close-quarters as to be utterly unpleasant. I longed for the wider decks of bigger ships and in particular Splendor's neat-o deck just above the lido which is also outdoors in that part of the ship. If Splendor's much bigger buffet area was crowded I could just go upstairs to another eating area where the Rotisserie was situated etc.

 

I don't think bigger always means better, but while I liked the Spirit just fine, I'm not sure why so many people think that class of ship is so amazing. Other than "simple layout" I don't see what it has to offer over the bigger ships.

[Vanessa L]

Bigger is NOT better where cruise ships are concerned, IMHO. The Fantasy class ships are still too big for my tastes (I started sailing when about 20,000 tons was the norm), but it is about the smallest out there now of the mass lines. I really do enjoy the Fantasy class ships because they are smaller, easier to navigate and the crowds are smaller. The only reason I'd want to do a Dream class ship is for the cove balcony experience but absolutely dread the size of the ship and the crowds. For that reason I'll wait to sail her until the coves are a steal. The only way I'd ever get on the Oasis is if I was handed a ticket for a free cruise. Even then, I'd probably just no show. If I wanted to sail with 5400 of my closest friends I'd have joined the Navy!!!! :eek:

[Jolimont]

I like big ships, I thought the Splendor was wonderful and look forward to the Magic maybe next summer. But Oasis just looks ridiculously big to me from the photos and video I've seen, I think I need to see it in port to get a feel for it. But we like to hoof it all the time when on cruise ships to make up for all the good eating, so the more stairs the better!

[RollerCoasterLover]

I have to agree with everyone that likes the Fantasy class. Granted, I have not sailed on the Spirit class or the Destiny class, but the Liberty (Conquest class) was too big and the Holiday (now retired) was too small. I have sailed twice on the Sensation, and am booked for the Elation and the Paradise (all of which are the Fantasy class).

 

Just in my own opinion, I'm not saying bigger is better (or is not better) but I just find the Fantasy class the right size for our family and will keep sailing on that size while they last.

[bonnys]

I also agree that bigger is not better. We were on the Dream this past February, and while it has a lot to offer, it was just too big. We are doing the Miracle next year and I am looking forward to a smaller ship.

[glrounds]

Bigger can be better...but Carnival isnt doing it correctly.

 

Theyre making the ships a little bit longer and a little bit wider, but keeping the same layout as the older ships which worked okay for a smaller amount of passengers but is just not cutting it for the extra thousand plus passengers theyre adding.

 

I love Carnival, but a new ship design and layout is sorely needed if they plan to go any bigger in the future.

 

I agree completely. :)

 

I was on the SPLENDOR in September and it was the largest Carnival ship at the time. I didn't mind the size so much as it was the same oh, same oh. I was very disappointed. I expected a new ship to have a different layout, different cabin configurations and COLOR schemes. One could have taken a "standard" cabin with its "standard" bathroom off of any Carnival ship, cleaned it up, and placed it on the SPLENDOR.:rolleyes: Joe Farcus has run his course for my money.

 

I came away with it seeming like just another OVERSIZED Conquest class which is my least favorite Carnival class. Very disheartening for me of my favorite cruiseline. :(

 

Have always loved the SPIRIT class and this class will probably always be my ship size of choice. :) I'm sure the size race is for the economy of $ize. Carnival has to compete, but I will do the SPLENDOR again only because I don't want to fly these days.

Hate to give up that PLATINUM status and preferred solo pricing, but maybe I'm ready for Princess or Celebrity ? :confused: (west coast corporate offices are a block away):D

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

The Spirit class ship, IMO, are the "Goldilocks" (just right) size/design. Coming in a close second would be Fantasy class ships. Ever since then they have headed down the wrong road - perhaps not wrong from a corporate bottom line perspective - just wrong from my viewpoint.

 

Tom

[MrPete]

Just came off the Dream last week and started thinking, "did they really have to build this thing so big?". Then I was looking at the Oasis at Nassau and St. Thomas thinking that is way too big. At first I thought I would like the big boats, but now I am thinking half the passenger number might be more enjoyable. Any thoughts?

 

I graduated with the bigger ships when Carnival came out with the Destiny class. I found them too big, too crowded and awkward, but they were the first ships that allowed me to sail in a balcony.

 

Being the Conquest class was just a bigger version of the Destiny class, I swore I would never sail them, or sail on something that big.

 

Wanting to go backward to the Fantasy class, I was saved with the Spirit class. Perfect size, not crowded, and well laid out.

 

I equated size with crowds, until I tried a Voyager class ship, as it was the forefront choice to return to Bermuda.

 

I found HUGE DID NOT HAVE TO MEAN CROWDED. RCCL does it right, without packing everbody like sardines.

[OSUKNIGHT]

After leaving the Dream, the wife and I really started to look forward to the Miracle next year. Not only are we going to different ports we have never been the size of the Miracle may be just right from what I am reading. I just wonder if the cruise lines are going in the right direction trying to build a ship bigger than the last one. Thanks for the comments.:)

[amistad]

I agree completely. :)

 

I was on the SPLENDOR in September and it was the largest Carnival ship at the time. I didn't mind the size so much as it was the same oh, same oh. I was very disappointed. I expected a new ship to have a different layout, different cabin configurations and COLOR schemes. One could have taken a "standard" cabin with its "standard" bathroom off of any Carnival ship, cleaned it up, and placed it on the SPLENDOR.:rolleyes: Joe Farcus has run his course for my money.

 

I came away with it seeming like just another OVERSIZED Conquest class which is my least favorite Carnival class. Very disheartening for me of my favorite cruiseline. :(

 

Have always loved the SPIRIT class and this class will probably always be my ship size of choice. :) I'm sure the size race is for the economy of $ize. Carnival has to compete, but I will do the SPLENDOR again only because I don't want to fly these days.

 

Hate to give up that PLATINUM status and preferred solo pricing, but maybe I'm ready for Princess or Celebrity ? :confused: (west coast corporate offices are a block away):D

Bigger is not alway's better, and don't think Princess is less crowded, we went on the Crown in 2008 and if you wanted a seat for the show at night you needed to go at least 30 to 45 minutes early, and the line for tender tickets wrapped around the ship. The RCCL ships are pretty with the promanades, but they are crowded for me too, it takes away from the relaxation of the cruise for me.