Princess versus Royal Caribbean

[Embracedbylife]

We have only sailed Princess, and we are planning our upcoming September vaction and the only cruiseline that offers a cruise out of Malaga, Spain on our cruise dates is Royal Caribbean Adventure of the Seas. I'll certainly go onto RCL's threads, but I wanted to find out from other Princess cruisers, how does RCL compare? Are we going to be totally disappointed? We love princess - love the entire experience, so i'm not sure how different this will be?

[Embracedbylife]

Just to help clarify the things I love about princess include:

1. Quiet, not too flashy

2. Less kids running around

3. Balcony rooms are comfortable

4. Dining is easy, we do both anytime and sit down but mostly we do the anytime dining with Princess.

5. Love the Princess Coffee Card and speciality coffees!

6. Love the quiet pool in the back of Princess ships by the spa - so nice and quiet!!

7. Just love the overall feel of princess!

8. Love MUTS!!

[BobT172]

I've only been on RCL twice...enjoyed it both times. Generally, I thought both Princess and RCCL were fairly comparable. I thought the food on Princess was better but that's just an opinion.

 

If the port/itinerary is what is important to you, go for it.

 

I don't know anything about the ship tislef, Adventure of the Seas.

[stoneharborlady]

Princess has been my only experience so far, but I was seriously considering RCCI Freedom of the Seas for this summer, as Princess no longer has options out of Ft. Lauderdale during summer months.

 

After much research, I changed my mind and am going Crown in April instead. RCCIs dining room (no shrimp cocktail daily for instance) and room service menus really disappointed me, as did their pool situations. I also was unimpressed with the Promenade on Royal, too mall like for me, as opposed to the Piazza on Princess. Just little things, and silly maybe, but I am much happier to anticipate sailing on the Crown.

 

Karen

[DonnaK]

We've found that while there are some things we like better on Princess, there are other things that Royal Caribbean does better, and it balances out to an equivalent cruising experience. If you love Princess, I wouldn't hesitate to book an RCI cruise, and vise versa.

 

Adventure of the Sea is a wonderful ship, with most of the latest amenities (minus the flo-rider). The Ice Skating show is not to be missed. The Promenade is the heartbeat of the ship, like a town square (not like a mall). The quality of food is comparable. The space-to passenger ratio is much more favorable than on Princess, so even though the ship is larger, there is more space for the people to spread out, so it seems less crowded. Also, the kid's club is phenomenal, so even on sailings with a large number of kids, they are not underfoot because they are positively occupied in the kids club.

 

Cabin selection advice - if you are going with a balcony, try to avoid deck 6 if possible because the balcony fronts are all steel, and on the other decks, they are a combination of steel topped with glass, so you have a wider view.

[Embracedbylife]

Thank you all SO much for your input. I'm actually starting to consider it now more than I was before, so that's good news! I also appreciate the tip on the balcony room. We were thinking of deck 7 or 8 so it looks like we are on the right track with that.

 

We do like the food on Princess - all the wonderful choices of cheeses and meats and fruits, so we are hoping it will be a bit similar on RCL. Thanks again!

 

I'll spend some time now on the RCL boards too!

[Coral]

IMO - Europe is all about the ports. Food and rooms are secondary.

 

I suggest going with the itinerary that you love. Even if the food isn't as good as Princess's, you won't go hungry.

 

Their ships are more active, flashier and have a different feel. For example, the royal promenade reminds me of a shopping mall. Nothing wrong with that but a different experience then what Princess provides.

 

It has been several years since I have been on RCCL but their speciality restaurants were better than Princess's IMO. Their buffet layout is also much better then on Princess.

[PescadoAmarillo]

Coral is right about a port intensive cruise. The ship, the cruise line, means much less on a Med cruise than one with more sea days. The only thing I can add is that the Windjammer on RC is not open all day, as the Horizon Court is on Princess. Depending on your tour schedule, there might be a few hours where you are limited to room service, a burger or pizza. However, the Windjammer is open for dinner, and does provide a nice alternative to the dining room.

[bubbadog]

WE Have sailed both royal caribbean and princess,and are platinum on both lines,YOU Will like royal,They have lots to do, or not do,we love the Cafe with the pasteries,and coffee in the morning,But in general they are very similar to Princess,SO dont worry,you will have a great time.:p;)

[jagsfan]

I love Princess, like RCCL. There are some things Princess does better, other things we

really like on RCCL. The ice show and the parades in the Promenade are fun. Like the

glass elevators on RCCL better than Princess's. Like the glass (plastic?) shower doors

on RCCL, but the closets on Princess. Do like the interactive TV on RCCL.

All these are extras.......both lines are very enjoyable.

[caribill]

In February I posted information about a RCCL experience which you might find useful.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1144453

[Embracedbylife]

Thank you so much! This other posting you provided is filled with excellent information! :)

[San Diego Cruizer]

I had always been "Princess Loyal".....when on a whim last fall I decided to take a trip to the Mexican Riviera on Radiance of the Sea. I must admit, I am now so excited to plan another Royal Caribbean cruise. I thought the ship was absolutely lovely,extremely clean, the service was superb, the food was wonderful, and our jr suite was great. I would sail them again in a heart beat! I do have to wonder though, if I am in love with the line as a whole, or just the "Radiance class" ships. The solarium pool and all the windows were such a plus on this trip. I think the little coffee and pastry area sold some of the best speciality coffee drinks I have ever tasted.

I think this experience has taught me that each cruise line has something special to offer. I am now planning a Carnival cruise in October and a Disney cruise in January!

[PescadoAmarillo]

I do have to wonder though, if I am in love with the line as a whole, or just the "Radiance class" ships.

I agree. We love Princess, but our favorite ships to sail on are the Radiance ships. We've never had less than a perfect experience on them, and we love the Solarium and especially the outdoor seating behind the Windjammer. And the Centrum. And the elevators on the outside of the ship. And the Schooner Bar area. And....

 

Those are some well designed ships!

[dutchess43]

I have sailed 13 times RCI & 4 times Princess 5th coming up in Aug, there are pros & cons on both. Even tho food is subjective I find the beef better on Princess then RCI I find the food to be a little better on Princess. Theatre seating is much better on RCI then Princess as we know Princess has scrimped with seating capacity at the threatre. RCI the decks go from front to back you do not have to go down to go up like on some of Princess ships. We only stay in balcony cabins I like the lay out better in the princess cabins, but miss the couch that RCI has. As we also know staff is subjective but I find that staff on RCI is friendlier. Like the solarium area for adult only 16 & over on the RCI ships. Like the terrace pool set up on Princess. Now to throw another mix into this I have sailed 4 times on Celebrity & love that line even tho it is owned by RCI do not be afraid to try that line. They still have wine sommeliers, I find Celebrity to be a upscaled from RCI.

[Jasperdo]

My wife and I recently sailed on the Mariner of the Seas after 3 Princess cruises. We were very pleased with the ship and found it very similar to our Princess experience. The Royal Promenade is a great feature, very much like a European pedestrian street. The ice show is fabulous, and not to be missed. The 3 level dining room is stunning. I thought the Windjammer Cafe was laid out better than the Horizon Court, but that the buffet food was a little better on Princess. The main showroom is bigger than the Princess Theater with more comfortable seats. We would gladly sail either line again.

 

In my signature you'll find a link to my Mariner photos. It is a sister ship to the Adventure of the Seas, so it will have a similar layout.

[Embracedbylife]

thanks for the photos, i'm getting even more excited now!! :)

[Woobstr112G]

IMO - Europe is all about the ports. Food and rooms are secondary.

 

I suggest going with the itinerary that you love. Even if the food isn't as good as Princess's, you won't go hungry.

 

Their ships are more active, flashier and have a different feel. For example, the royal promenade reminds me of a shopping mall. Nothing wrong with that but a different experience then what Princess provides.

 

It has been several years since I have been on RCCL but their speciality restaurants were better than Princess's IMO. Their buffet layout is also much better then on Princess.

 

I agree.....:):):)

 

Bob

[BlueCat1105]

Is there anything resembling The Sanctuary on RCI? We enjoyed the heck out of that for our Caribbean cruise.

[Traveling52]

I've only been on RCL twice...enjoyed it both times. Generally, I thought both Princess and RCCL were fairly comparable. I thought the food on Princess was better but that's just an opinion.

 

If the port/itinerary is what is important to you, go for it.

 

I don't know anything about the ship tislef, Adventure of the Seas.

 

I totally agree. Although we seem to take Princess more because we live in LA and have better round trips. Would definitely do RCL again and Holland over Princess. If it was the same ports of call and round trip. Flying has become such a hassle over the years try to avoid it.

 

I have sailed with Princess for years, but had a really bad experience with them two years ago and have never quite gotten over it. So now I have a little fear of sailing with them. Not worth getting everyone on this board PO'd at me by explaining it here. People have a tendancy to attack you if you criticize Princess.

 

I am sailing to Hawaii in November on Princess, with a lot of apprehension.

 

I have only great things to say about the crew and staff on all the Princess ships, but I can say the same for RCL and Holland too.

[Jasperdo]

Is there anything resembling The Sanctuary on RCI? We enjoyed the heck out of that for our Caribbean cruise.

Royal Caribbean ships have The Solarium. While they're not exactly like The Sanctuary, they are a quiet adult section of the ship. No reservations needed, and it's free.

 

 

[bigboffs]

We have sailed on both RCCL and Princess numerous times. The two lines are very comparable, the differences often being subject to personal preference.

 

In deciding a cruise we, in order:

 

1. Choose the itinerary we like the best.

 

2. Compare ships and the amenities each offers. Note Older/smaller vs Newer/larger give very different cruise experiences.

 

3. Price.

 

The comments of the "Cheer Leaders" of any cruise line, being heavily biased, tend to be unreliable.

[Denny01]

We have sailed on both RCCL and Princess numerous times. The two lines are very comparable, the differences often being subject to personal preference.

In deciding a cruise we, in order:

1. Choose the itinerary we like the best.

2. Compare ships and the amenities each offers. Note Older/smaller vs Newer/larger give very different cruise experiences.

3. Price.

The comments of the "Cheer Leaders" of any cruise line, being heavily biased, tend to be unreliable.

What is it with the 'cheerleader' comments on so many threads lately? A poster provides their personal and therefore biased opinion on what they use to select a cruise, then state those that prefer or focus on a specific Line are 'CheerLeaders'? Doesn't track....the upcoming Hawaii Golden Princess will be our 2nd on Princess. Lovely Line and looking foward to it. Picked the cruise for the poster's #1 reason, Itinerary, and for a reason not listed by the poster - joining friends. But we usually start with Celebrity as our preference. Not because it is 'better' than Princess, but because it meets our niche, our interests that are priorities for us cruising. And when I post about that Line and being an Adult, I can post about the positives and the 'issues'. But I also call out those that trash Lines that I enjoy when the mix up the terms 'truth' and 'opinion'.

 

So, good to give us your opinon, but it is more than a bit of a putdown to label those that cruise on a specific Line 'Cheerleaders' because they don't list itinerary as their #1, but may list the posters #2 as primary. It's called personal preference, subjective opinon and so on.

 

Really looking forward to a Princess cruise: coffee cards, MUTS, true promenade deck....and many other things i don't know about yet and will discover and love. And I Won't be comparing (well, that is human nature, now isn't it) Line-to-Line while enjoying it, and I Sure Will Not be Sharing my 'subjective opinon' comparing Lines while crusing.

 

Now: Rah Rah si kum bah, cruising, cruising, lets all go cruising!!

 

Denny

[bigeagle12]

We enjoy Princess and RCI. Here is our brief comparison of the 2 lines:

 

Embarkation - equal

Disembarkation - advantage Princess

Muster Drill - advantage Princess

Food - slight advantage to Princess - little better quality and more variety

Dining Room (service) - equal

Dining Room (decor) - advantage Royal

Cabins - advantage Princess - bigger closet - better layout

Entertainment - equal

Ship (Promenade vs Atrium) - advantage Royal

Casino - advantage Royal

Service (Dining Room) - equal

Service (Windjammer vs Caribe) - advantage Royal

Service (cabin) - equal

Johnny Rockets vs Trident Grill - advantage Princess (free)

Movies Under the Stars (MUTS) - advantage Princess

Promenade Cafe vs International Cafe - advantage Princess

Pizza - advantage Princess

Bars/Lounges - advantage Princess

Onboard Activities - advantage Royal

[bigboffs]

What is it with the 'cheerleader' comments on so many threads lately? A poster provides their personal and therefore biased opinion on what they use to select a cruise, then state those that prefer or focus on a specific Line are 'CheerLeaders'? Doesn't track....the upcoming Hawaii Golden Princess will be our 2nd on Princess. Lovely Line and looking foward to it. Picked the cruise for the poster's #1 reason, Itinerary, and for a reason not listed by the poster - joining friends. But we usually start with Celebrity as our preference. Not because it is 'better' than Princess, but because it meets our niche, our interests that are priorities for us cruising. And when I post about that Line and being an Adult, I can post about the positives and the 'issues'. But I also call out those that trash Lines that I enjoy when the mix up the terms 'truth' and 'opinion'.

 

So, good to give us your opinon, but it is more than a bit of a putdown to label those that cruise on a specific Line 'Cheerleaders' because they don't list itinerary as their #1, but may list the posters #2 as primary. It's called personal preference, subjective opinon and so on.

 

Really looking forward to a Princess cruise: coffee cards, MUTS, true promenade deck....and many other things i don't know about yet and will discover and love. And I Won't be comparing (well, that is human nature, now isn't it) Line-to-Line while enjoying it, and I Sure Will Not be Sharing my 'subjective opinon' comparing Lines while crusing.

 

Now: Rah Rah si kum bah, cruising, cruising, lets all go cruising!!

 

Denny

A careful reading would reveal the word "we" in use. Of course so much of cruising is subjective, that all must evaluate and decide themselves using whatever criteria them deem appropriate.