Just returned from our first cruise on RCCL....

[Texas_firefighter]

....after finally achieving Platinum on Carnival, we were excited to try RCI. We sailed the 5 day Bermuda from Bayone NJ. Here are our impressions....

 

In no particular order:

 

Ship (Explorer of the Seas), beautiful!! Our first cruise on a ship this big. Still, no lines!

 

Service: Great! The staff seemed more friendly...to us and each other...happier, and more eager to do extras for us. Advantage ...RCI.

 

Shows: Good enough, same as Carnival, IMO. Ice show, different story. It was outstanding. The two special guests even more so!

 

Food: (main dining room) Very good. We thought better than Carnival (sorry Carnival) you're slipping here. The prime rib was great..and cooked to order..how about that! (buffet), we had breakfast here every morning, good, but just same ol stuff...no complaints and good service here.

 

My Time Dining: Great. Very accomadating. We had the same area and mostly same table for 4 with the same waiter ,Arvind, the entire cruise. Host was pleasant and cheerful, even under pressure of a crowd, trying to get everyone seated.She did not seem put out, as the host did on Carnival.

 

Specialty: Portifino's, we booked an evening here after reading raves about it on CC. Sorry, although a very pleasant, relaxed atmosphere and good service, we felt the food was the same quality as the dining room, (good, but not a step above).We could have saved that cash. Advantage ...Carnival Supper Club on this one.

 

Cabins: smaller than Carnival, but loved the shower doors instead of the curtain!

 

Nightlife: about the same as Carnival. Promenade is great for hanging out. Casino...tiny and outdated. Slot tournament, poorly run. Advantage Carnival here.

 

The Quest: hillarious!!

 

There was far less trivia games, announcements, bingo and sales pitches than Carnival. Advantage to RCI on these things.

 

Ice cream machine was either closed or out of vanilla, advantage to Carnival here. I guess RCI would rather see you go down to B&J's. Johnny Rocket's,food was ok, no dancing waiters. Pretty much a dud here.

 

Photographers : better than Carnival, and more opportunities for taking pictures. Also no pirates and such coming around for pics while dining.

 

Robes: My wife missed these. They are available in ALL staterooms on Carnival.

 

Pool po po's : allowed kids in adult only Solarium , but swooped in on us when we inadvertently sat in "gold card" pool chair...who reads signs...lol. No biggie, we tucked our tails and moved to poolside. Not cool having to walk all the way to promenade from pool to get pizza and back. Poolside waiters not seen either. Advantage to Carnival for pool area food,drink, and activities.

 

Overall , we loved Royal Caribbean. There are things we like about both lines. So...as others have said on CC, it all comes down to itenerary and price. I'd sail both anytime. Next up though...RCI in October on the Jewel.

[janabm81]

Glad you had a good time and good for you for trying a different line! :)

[DGP1111]

Comparison nicely done. Thanks for sharing. :)

[comeon530]

That's the kind of comparison I like: fair, balanced and honest.

[travelntreats]

Very good comparisons..... And in many ways, both cruiselines are similar in so many ways. Both have some good points and some not so good points.... strengths and weaknesses on both lines or really all mass market cruiselines in fact.

 

As for the food of RCI.... In my "opinion", CCL is more consistent regarding food quality from ship to ship that RCI is though.

[Cruise Cat]

We do both lines, so I understand your review. For years, I thought the food on RCCL was slipping (bland), then did the Brilliance. Thought they were even again, then had great food on Ecstasy. More and more, I find everything varies ship to ship. I think the main driver for the cruise is the captain and senior staff. The good crew flock to them and mimic their personality!!!!!

[OCruisers]

Thanks for your honest and fair review of both lines! :)

[DGP1111]

. . . More and more, I find everything varies ship to ship. I think the main driver for the cruise is the captain and senior staff. The good crew flock to them and mimic their personality!!!!!

 

Oooooo, I don't think I've ever heard that statement put quite that way. I really like it. Thanks for posting. :) :)

[Cruise Cat]

Oooooo, I don't think I've ever heard that statement put quite that way. I really like it. Thanks for posting. :) :)

 

Some of this comes from the Schooner Bar staff on the Brilliance. They told us that when contracts were up they and others re-signed from the Voyager of the Seas and other ships to be on the ship with this particular captian. We met the captain at a Meet and Mingle that cruise and I could undertand why. It is a leadership thing. BTW, that captain will be on the Allure when she sails. I expect to see a lot of the Brilliance crew there in a few years.:)

[firefly333]

We do both lines, so I understand your review. For years, I thought the food on RCCL was slipping (bland), then did the Brilliance. Thought they were even again, then had great food on Ecstasy. More and more, I find everything varies ship to ship. I think the main driver for the cruise is the captain and senior staff. The good crew flock to them and mimic their personality!!!!!

 

I think great staff gravitates to Ecstasy CD as well. They love him.

[Cruise Cat]

I think great staff gravitates to Ecstasy CD as well. They love him.

 

We loved the Ecstasy!!! I agree! ( Even though he sounds like Ned Flanders!:D )

[firefly333]

We loved the Ecstasy!!! I agree! ( Even though he sounds like Ned Flanders!:D )

 

I think he sounds like a cartoon character ...shhhh. I still love him, just think his voice is funny.

[tiggerman101]

Although I have now been on two RCCL cruises I don't feel like it would be fair for me to compare them to Carnival. The first cruise was on their smallest ship (Majesty of the Seas) and two months later I was on the largest (Oasis of the Seas). I enjoyed them both but they were night and day experiences. I am eager to try a Voyager or Vision class ship, but I am not sure when I will get to. My partner is so comfortable with Carnival that he feels odd going on another ship.

[vavasmom]

Thank-you for your comparison. I am about to sail my first Carnival ship after several RCCL cruises (Sovereign x2 , Freedom x2, Grandeur). I believe my Carnival experience is going to be wonderful. I agree with tigeerman101 below the small ships are night and day different from the larger ships (both fun but in vary different ways)

[yogimax]

Good, honest comparison... and you're right about the prime rib, one of the best meals I've had!

[Theresa522]

I also love trying new lines and am not a "cheerleader" to just one. Your comparision was pretty much on the money! :D

[LHP]

Great balanced review....

 

glad you had a good time.

[RZ3]

Just got off my first Carnival trip after doing three RCCL cruises, two of which were on Voyager classes (Explorer and Adventure) and I couldn't agree more. Very accurate comparison.

[travellovers2]

We cruised on Carnival for the first time this year because of the lower fare for four of us. Sorry that we cannot say the same in our review of Carnival. We prefer RCI over Carnival anytime. We do like to cruise different lines. We've been on RCI, NCL, CCL and PCL, but not interested in sailing Carnival again, unless we win the cruise and then again we may just give it away to someone we dont like. LOL. :p:D:p

[tiyana4]

Very nice comparison. When I see threads asking for a CCL vs. RCCL comparison, I will point them to this thread.

[MrPete]

My only different opinion is about the food, and we have found it to be inconsistant year after year.

 

We have cruised the ExOS 3 times. First time, food in the MDR and the WJ was good, except on embarkation day.

 

Our second time, the food in the MDR was outright BAD. WJ was still OK.

 

Third time out, the MDR was good, but found the WJ selections the same EVERY DAY, and nothing special from which to choose.

 

We've never gone to Portofino, as I'm still under the impression that all they do is give slightly larger portions, but the same quality meats as the MDR. Plus, nothing on that menu says "COME IN" to me.

 

I enjoy both lines, but find it hard to justify the higher RCCL prices and not get anything for it.

[PROCRUISE]

Thanks for the very fair review. Those of us who love CCL are not afraid to venture out with other cruise lines and undoubtedly find some things we like better. We're "venturing out" with Celebrity, for the first time, the first of the year! Thanks again for the review.