WOW ---- the 'Behometh'-of-the-Seas

[twinkletoes4445]

We've been considering Oasis of the Seas because we will have (in 2013) 17, 16, and 13 year old boys with us. I don't know about the rest of you, but most of our 16 cruises (adults only) have been on HAL or Princess, and I don't think my boys would be happy on HAL. I've been thinking one of the mega-ships (we'd rather do Disney but, oh, the $$$!) on RCI or Carnival. I just have to convince myself that the Concordia incident is a 100-year thing, and it won't happen again in my lifetime!

 

Robin

 

I know a lot of people takes their kids on HAL and they have a good time, but I know our kids, when they were the ages of your kids, would not have been happy on HAL. That's just us. Our kids would have preferred Disney or RCI. Tried Carnival and they really didn't enjoy it that much. RCI really has a lot to offer for kids. Disney is pricey, but there's a lot there also.

 

I think cruising will probably be safer in the wake of the Concordia sinking. My fear is that there are just so many people on some of these larger ships and how in the world would they all get off? On the other hand, we've stayed in huge hotels and had there been a fire there could have been major issues getting out of the hotel.

 

I think it's important to have a game plan if there is an emergency and then just enjoy your vacation with your family! Happy Cruising!

[Saphire]

There are many reasons I would never be interested in the big ships, but the biggest one is this. I read a review of the Oasis once, and they said it was very difficult to find a place to look out to the ocean. Everything on the ship is directed inward, toward the center.

 

My primary reason for cruising in the first place IS the ocean. The promenade deck on a HAL ship is heaven to me, as you can view the sea in all its glory. Not to mention all the other places that invite you to look OUT. After all, it is a ship on the sea! Not a mall in the water.

[SwissMyst]

Any ship where I have to wait and take an elevator to get where I want to go is not yet my type of ship. Yet.

[DFD1]

Saphire has it right. We cruise to be connected to the ocean. To be outdoors for port arrivals in the early morning and for sunset sail aways in the afternoon. The mega ships give passengers little opportunity to be out on deck with panoramic ocean views.

 

In addition, I can't get excited about corridors and passageways 600 or 700 feet long.

[jcrandle]

Somebody must like them. Both Allure and Oasis sell out virtually every week.

Most incomprehensible are the aft "inside" balcony cabins with a view of more balcony cabins!:rolleyes:

A room at the Embassy Suites has a similar view, and often a lower tariff.

[DFD1]

I've been cruising since 1965 when the largest cruise line out of Miami was Eastern Steamship Lines and I've never been afraid, but these floating cities scare me.

 

Getting off one of them in the panic of an emergency with a disorganized or poorly trained crew would be almost impossible.

 

I'm of the school of.....it's not whether or not, but when....sooner or later one of them is going to get into trouble.

[itzmered]

Originally Posted by Math Guy

It's all a matter of choice . Do you wish to sail aboard a ship or on a floating town ?

 

Most ships now days are small towns. I live in a town of 2000 people with 2 bars and 1 restaurant. Every ship I have been on so far has been bigger with more things to see and do :p

[lovetocruise2020]

We are trying the Epic- (the Haven area) for the ship within a ship experience. I am sure its something we will just try once. :)

Our cabin however is giant and we will see the sea just fine.

 

The Oasis or Allure do not really appeal to me, as the public spaces will be sooo very crowded...

[cruznbelle]

I have to say - I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Allure! And yes I am kid adverse and was not sure what to expect with 6600 pax on board. It was just fine! Great diversity of cultures. No problem in the slightest. A bit crowded at the elevators during embarkation and during the Move It Move It parade but other than that - no issue at all for us. You wouldn't even know there were 6600 pax on board and for us the buffet was much less crowded than the Zuiderdam Lido was at noon :eek: And it was the best embarkation / debarkation we've ever had (we had a suite - and they literally WALKED us through the lines to the ship - seriously - how amazing since after all - 6600 pax!) HAL so far is the worst at that - they can't seem to get people on or off well at least in our experience and it didn't help the health questionaire guy yelled at my husband because he apparently pulled a sheet from the neatly stacked pile instead of taking the one the guy had in our face - heavens forbid. :confused: I still love a small ship especially for getting into better ports but for the Allure its more the ship than the destination. The preplanning of the ship events was about as time consuming as planning port excursions.

 

Don't knock until you try it! You may just be surprised. Not even after bingo letting out did it feel crowded ;) There again, I'd never want to cruise a ship that size AND do say Alaska or the Med. Anyway that's my experience - I love em both!

[world~citizen]

Why not just book a room at the Mall of America and not worry about taking any Bonine.

 

Out in the open seas I'm sure she becomes small enough.

[world~citizen]

Most ships now days are small towns. I live in a town of 2000 people with 2 bars and 1 restaurant. Every ship I have been on so far has been bigger with more things to see and do :p

 

The Maasdam has an escalator. Some small towns don't. :eek:

 

That is the sort of thing that intrigues me about ships. :D

[kiwi4dee]

For us, we just don't want to sail on a ship that large. I am sure it's beautiful, but it's just not for us. It's nice to have options. :)

 

I will say that after the Costa sinking I would probably not sail on any large ship. I can't imagine trying to abandon ship being on a ship that has thousands and thousands of passengers and crew.

 

Our kids are a different story. They have talked about sailing one of the bigger ships and that's entirely their choice.

Just another hugh disaster waiting to happen even a managable problem could cause panic.

[BlackJack2]

We've been considering Oasis of the Seas because we will have (in 2013) 17, 16, and 13 year old boys with us. I don't know about the rest of you, but most of our 16 cruises (adults only) have been on HAL or Princess, and I don't think my boys would be happy on HAL. I've been thinking one of the mega-ships (we'd rather do Disney but, oh, the $$$!) on RCI or Carnival. I just have to convince myself that the Concordia incident is a 100-year thing, and it won't happen again in my lifetime!

 

Robin

 

HI Robin -

Don't rule out HAL for your boys. My son (now 20) has been cruising since he was 8. He has been on Carnival, HAL, RCCL, & Princess. Hands down, he picks HAL over all the other lines. The last cruise we were on, there tons of children on board. Also, there were a lot of 18 to 24 age kids on board as well.

Hope this helps with your decision!

[sammiedawg]

Some definitely like these ships, they are getting very high per diems. Check out the pricing, very expensive. I'm undecided whether I would want to sail on this ship, maybe once for the experience. Our young people said they would like to try this ship. Loved the picture of the Maasdam next to the biggie.

[twinkletoes4445]

Just another hugh disaster waiting to happen even a managable problem could cause panic.

 

That's what I worry about.

[Harris Jeffer]

I have no desire to sail on one of those giant ships but a tour while it's in port would be an interesting shore excursion :)

 

I agree.....when do the tours start ! :p

[TraelorMex]

not even interested in setting foot on one of these behemoths!

[Taxguy77]

Any ship where I have to wait and take an elevator to get where I want to go is not yet my type of ship. Yet.

 

Take one of the Clipper ships, no elevator. And at early coffee, 3 of us used canes. I had less trouble going up, down and around (sailing ships have a lot of obstructions) on the Royal Clipper, than I had on a larger ship where our stateroom was on the bow and the MDR on the stern. (No horizontal elevators or moving sidewalks.)

[Aquahound]

The Maasdam has an escalator. Some small towns don't. :eek:

 

Oasis and Allure have an escalator too. ;)

 

Any ship where I have to wait and take an elevator to get where I want to go is not yet my type of ship. Yet.

 

Having been on both Oasis and Allure, I found the wait for elevators to be shorter than on small ships. In fact, other than at the usual choke points, I found the entire ships to be less crowded.

[Aquahound]

Last year I was on the Celebrity Solstice enjoying a wonderful cruise, when we pulled into St Thomas. It was morning and my drapes to the veranda were still drawn.

 

When I finally opened them I wondered how we could have docked so close to a big building that was that close to the pier in St Thomas.

 

Did it look like this? This was my view when I opened my curtains in Nassau last year :D:

 

[DFD1]

That's what it looked like at Crown Bay, St. Thomas, the other day. Not for me...

[sugarcharlie]

Did it look like this? This was my view when I opened my curtains in Nassau last year :D:

 

Yep, that's what I saw and I was probably seven decks higher!!

[kelmac]

Just another hugh disaster waiting to happen even a managable problem could cause panic.

 

You know, we lost four HAL passengers just going from point "A" to point "B". Bright stars, they call them. Seems like we unloaded one each stop along the way. I don't think the problem would be any better on the Maasdam with it's clientele?

 

Enjoy!

Kel:)

[Lady Chew]

We've been on both the Oasis & the Allure ... loved them both, Allure slightly more so. They don't seem crowded, and there are plenty of cabins & balconies with ocean views. There are crowded areas on deck on sea days, and secluded areas. Something for everyone! We never experienced any lines at embark/disembarkation, or getting off & on at ports. I guess that's just luck, and timing!

However, HAL has much better itineraries, and their ships are beautiful.

For our February cruise, we were hoping to try Princess, but they were sold out on our dates ... so we'll be back on HAL, and looking forward to it, but we'll still hoping to cruise other lines as well.

Although when I look back at when my kids were young, especially the lads, it would've been Royal Caribbean all the way!