In a quandary

[johneeo]

I keep coming back to the 9 day. I keep thinking it will be the most bang for my bucks. How are the CD's on Royal? I thought the ones from Carnival loud and obnoxious.

 

I pretty much ignored them, had no impact on my cruise whatsoever.

[negc]

DD is 13 so pretty much anything teen is good for her. We were on the Conquest. All three of us thought the on board entertainment was on the cheesy side. I plan to spend all of my sea days and night at the poker table winning back the money I spent on the cruise. My poker winnings in the past years has paid for many vacations and dive trips.

 

The thing about Oasis is that DW is fairly claustrophobic and does not fair well in large crowds We have been to the Bahama's several times and the diving there is kinda poor. Thanks for your input.

 

I don't think that claustrophobia should be a problem on Oasis as the size of the ship and the manner in which they disperse the passengers severely reduces or eliminates any sense of crowding. The very fact that both Boardwalk and Central Park are open to the sky certainly should be appreciated by anyone who fears being confined in small or crowded spaces. Entertainment options on Oasis are also far from cheesy. The divers and water show at the Aqua Theater is spectacular and I thought that Hairspray was certainly a professional theater experience. Your thirteen year old should enjoy all of the things which RCI ships have to offer with Flowriders on Freedom and Oasis, rock climbing walls and ice skating rinks on all three ships, and a zip line on Oasis. I certainly would give the Explorer consideration if only because of the extra two nights and if the Bahamas don't appeal to you, consider the Oasis western Caribbean itinerary.

Do some more reading and involve your daughter in the planning as she might provide you with some more insights as to which ship and itinerary she would find most attractive.:)

[Familygoboston]

I have to agree with Ocean Boy ( and not just because statistically, he's one in a million;)) that you should only take advice about ships from people who have said them. I have not sailed Freedom class, but every other in RCL class, and people like the other posters scared the crap out of me before I sailed Oasis. :eek:

But, I actually found it less crowded than the other RCI ships. It's better designed to handle 25-40% more people it carries.

 

Let's face it, none of the ships you are considering is low on crowds, all have capacities at 3-4 k + ( and count on + in the summer vacation months as the cabins have more triple and quad occupancy. It's entirely up to you, but don't shy away from the larger ship because of the numbers, it feels like less once on board.

 

Also, as far as entertainment goes; we found on other ships, we would sit in the balcony because the shows were only ok, and we would often leave early. On Oasis we didn't miss one...so if that matters to you, you might like Oasis for that too.

 

The Florida factor- this is completely speculative, but airfares are outta sight this year, and it's not looking like they will get better. With a huge population base near NY/NJ ( heck I can drive there) I think homeport cruises are going to be very popular, especially among large families( 8 bills per for a family of 4-6 adds up in a hurry!) But Florida has a very large amount of ships berthed, and already we are noticing enticements ( price drops, air inclusive packages) to lure more people to the high capacity in FL. If you have to fly in any case- you might get a better deal closer to sailing ( and get that price drop) because FL has so many cabins to fill. ( on every line). Again, this is like playing the stock market - but think, if airfares keep rising as they are predicted to, what are most people going to do? Drive to vacation. Fewer ships in the Northeast, demand will probably be high!

 

I don't think you can go wrong with any of these ships, but be sure to get advice from people who have sailed on them.

[divngmedic]

I have to agree with Ocean Boy ( and not just because statistically, he's one in a million;)) that you should only take advice about ships from people who have said them. I have not sailed Freedom class, but every other in RCL class, and people like the other posters scared the crap out of me before I sailed Oasis. :eek:

But, I actually found it less crowded than the other RCI ships. It's better designed to handle 25-40% more people it carries.

 

Let's face it, none of the ships you are considering is low on crowds, all have capacities at 3-4 k + ( and count on + in the summer vacation months as the cabins have more triple and quad occupancy. It's entirely up to you, but don't shy away from the larger ship because of the numbers, it feels like less once on board.

 

Also, as far as entertainment goes; we found on other ships, we would sit in the balcony because the shows were only ok, and we would often leave early. On Oasis we didn't miss one...so if that matters to you, you might like Oasis for that too.

 

The Florida factor- this is completely speculative, but airfares are outta sight this year, and it's not looking like they will get better. With a huge population base near NY/NJ ( heck I can drive there) I think homeport cruises are going to be very popular, especially among large families( 8 bills per for a family of 4-6 adds up in a hurry!) But Florida has a very large amount of ships berthed, and already we are noticing enticements ( price drops, air inclusive packages) to lure more people to the high capacity in FL. If you have to fly in any case- you might get a better deal closer to sailing ( and get that price drop) because FL has so many cabins to fill. ( on every line). Again, this is like playing the stock market - but think, if airfares keep rising as they are predicted to, what are most people going to do? Drive to vacation. Fewer ships in the Northeast, demand will probably be high!

 

I don't think you can go wrong with any of these ships, but be sure to get advice from people who have sailed on them.

As airfares are rising that is one reason why I am trying to book early. Since we want to try another cruise line we are forced to fly out of state to cruise. I am trying to get the most bang for my buck and the most out of my limited vacation time. I understand that the larger ships can handle a vast amount of people, but getting in and out of the shows (if she elects to attend one) and getting on and off the ships is where she will have the most issues. Disembarking 6k people at a port of call can not be easy.

[divngmedic]

I pretty much ignored them, had no impact on my cruise whatsoever.

I tried on our cruise, but just sitting by the pool with DW and he comes on over the loud speakers at a blaring volume can be hard to ignore at times. 4-6 beers does help though.:D

[IWORK2CRUISE]

We were leary of trying the Oasis class because many of our most enjoyable cruises were on smaller vessels.

We tried Oasis in December and were quite pleased with it. It rarely actually seemed crowded as there are so many different neighborhoods. They won the prize hands down for getting people on and off at port stops.

The ship is truly lovely and the entertainment excellant. You do need reservations for the shows, and that made a couple of paid dining options tricky. We didn't love the smaller Windjammer but there were many other fast options as well. The Main Dinig Room was quite good, too.

We have not been on the Freedom class ships so I can't comment there.

We have been on Explorer, Navigator and Mariner and always felt very comfortable on that size. Explorer does not have Chops but does have Portofino.

I would think that there would be plenty to keep your 13 yo occupied as long as he/she wasn't hoping for the flo-rider or zipline.

If I could take one vacation and had to fly, I would lean towards 9 days on Explorer because I would want the longer vacation and more bang for my buck.

[popcicle]

Sorry...no famgoboston and oceanboy.....I do not speak from experience as to Oasis or Allure.....I never said I had been on either one, but I don't much care for crowds either, so videos, comments, and statistics posted have scared me off. I have visions of getting off a ship with 6000 others that I would not be comfortable with, I am relating to the op's wife in this case. As for the Voyager class, I can speak from experience, but it is probably not valid because I have only been on 3 cruises so far, guess I should leave it to experts such as yourselves.......:rolleyes:

 

OP which ever ship you choose you will have a great time, enjoy!

[negc]

Sorry...no famgoboston and oceanboy.....I do not speak from experience as to Oasis or Allure.....I never said I had been on either one, but I don't much care for crowds either, so videos, comments, and statistics posted have scared me off. I have visions of getting off a ship with 6000 others that I would not be comfortable with, I am relating to the op's wife in this case. As for the Voyager class, I can speak from experience, but it is probably not valid because I have only been on 3 cruises so far, guess I should leave it to experts such as yourselves.......:rolleyes:

 

OP which ever ship you choose you will have a great time, enjoy!

 

Choose to believe those "videos", comments (at least the ones that support your decision), and statistics, but if you give a fair reading to the many comments that have been posted from people who have actually experienced either the Oasis or Allure, and I think you would have to conclude that the posts that are negative and claim terrible crowding are definitely in the minority. As most who have sailed on these ships have written, the way in which RCI has managed to disperse the 5000+ passengers throughout the ship, is remarkable and crowding is more of a problem on smaller ships in the fleet than on these two. Preconceptions are a wonderful thing, they help you avoid facing reality.:)

[dmdicato]

Hey Darlene,

Fancy meeting you here!:)

 

Hi, Cheryl! We do think alike, don't we!

[RazorbackIslandGirl]

A 13 yr old would LOVE the Oasis! (so will Mom & Dad) Diving is Great around Cozumel! Don't let the crowd concern you! They do an unbelievable job of keeping the crowd on different floors & different areas of the ship! I never felt overwhelmed by the crowd! It has felt more crowded on smaller ships because there are less things to do & places to go. The Oasis has a reservation system for crowd management & it truly does work! It really is a ship to behold! The entertainment is the BEST at sea!

[Ocean Boy]

Sorry...no famgoboston and oceanboy.....I do not speak from experience as to Oasis or Allure.....I never said I had been on either one, but I don't much care for crowds either, so videos, comments, and statistics posted have scared me off. I have visions of getting off a ship with 6000 others that I would not be comfortable with, I am relating to the op's wife in this case. As for the Voyager class, I can speak from experience, but it is probably not valid because I have only been on 3 cruises so far, guess I should leave it to experts such as yourselves.......:rolleyes:

 

OP which ever ship you choose you will have a great time, enjoy!

 

You really don't need to roll your eyes or get defensive. No one was taking any "shot" at you. The fact is I was very skeptical of the Oasis concept when it was announced. I had no interest in being on a ship with 6000 people and I also felt that the Voyager and Freedom class ship offered everything that I could possibly need in a ship. I had visions of ridiculously long check-ins and debarkations as well as most of a port of call day being taken up with getting on and off the ship. Once the ship went into operation I read various comments and reviews and then I finally made the decision that I had to experience the ship for myself and make up my own mind.

 

Now when I post on threads like this what I write is of what I experienced. It is not speculation of what I think it would be like to be on a 6000 passenger ship.

[popcicle]

Point taken Oceanboy, but I still think you are missing my point....OP said his wife had a hard time with crowds, specifically getting off the ship in port. I can sympathize because I do too. I can understand where she is coming from and was just saying that the idea of that many people scares the crap out of me....and for that reason I probably need to stick with a smaller vessel. In addition I have a husband who is a cave dweller, and an autistic (aspergers) son so our vacations usually needed to be carefully planned at low crowd times to keep the meltdowns to a minimum......see where I am coming from.....I have been at this for 21 years with the son.....

[QTMichele]

I've been on each class and loved each one for one reason or another. None were perfect, but all had their wonderful qualities.

 

Before I give my recommendation, let me throw this out... Some comments above suggest that the 6000 passengers may make your wife feel claustrophobic. Let me assure you that the crowd felt similar on Allure as it did on Freedom and Mariner. Remember, not all passengers see the same shows at the same time on the Oasis Class so the crowd will "feel" the same. As for embarking and debarking, the Oasis Class is very efficient and likely better than the other ships most of the time.

 

Now for my recommendation. Because you have a teen, like quality shows, have claustrophobia issues, and aren't an avid cruiser, I'd recommend Oasis, Freedom, then Explorer. The Oasis Class is very special - groundbreaking, if you will. I wrote a review last March (see the link in my sig - I actually have all 3 classes there - if you're interested) about our mostly positive experience. It wasn't perfect, but I thought it would be a fantastic ship for a family vacation. In fact, I believed it enough to go again THIS Sunday with my husband, kids, parents, siblings, and aunts and uncles. I wouldn't recommend something that I wouldn't recommend for my own family.

 

Ultimately, whatever ship you choose will give you a great vacation. But please don't worry too much about the crowds on Oasis... Honestly.

[Cindy]

She nearly went into nearly full blown panic attacks just getting on and off the ship at ports and getting in and out of shows. Usually after spending the day at port or just hanging at the pool the wife is ready to turn in. Me on the other hand plan to spend as much time as possible at the poker tables.

 

divngmedic -- I've been on the Conquest as well as the Explorer. Space wise, there's just NO comparison. The Royal Caribbean ships are much more spacious and open. There are far fewer bottlenecks, and the ships handle the crowds a lot better.

[griffy116]

We've been on Explorer and Freedom. Both are great ships but the Freedom would win my vote if everything else was equal. Your daughter will have a great time. Grand Cayman is one of our FAVORITE ports, and we've seen almost all the caribbean islands. You can't go wrong with either, but as I said, we would choose RCI's FREEDOM OF THE SEAS.

[ShillyShally]

I've been on Navigator, Allure, Liberty and Freedom - the Allure felt the least crowded except for the WJ - the way they flow people actually had much less crowds in any one spot and they move people on and off with ease. I struggle with crowds and claustrophobia and that was actually my easiest time with them (I also never take elevators on any ship as those trigger my claustrophobia more than anything else). You'll have to tender to Grand Cayman (and I LOVE that port) but on any ship that situation will be the most claustrophic when people bunch up for the tenders.

 

I don't think you can go wrong with any but I just wanted to reiterate that the larger ships don't necessarily feel crowded - in fact one of my issues with the Allure was how well they dispersed people so if you wanted to find the "it" spot where everyone was hanging it was hard to do - and there are plenty of spots on the Oasis class to find quiet serene spots when needed. I was on the Freedom after the Allure and felt more crowded on the Freedom than I did on the Allure.

 

Your 13 year old will have a blast on any of them but there is more to do on the Freedom and Oasis classes.

[mpp113097]

I have been on EOS and Freedom. Of the two I would choose Freedom. I didn't really like the embarkation at bayonne and having to take the bus down to the ship after checking in. That to me was very crowded and if your wife is not fond of crowds this may not be the best embarkation point for her. My parents did Oasis and Allure and said you didn't really notice the crowds and said the port at FLL you didn't really feel like that many people were there. Amazing at managing the crowds.

[divngmedic]

I've been on Navigator, Allure, Liberty and Freedom - the Allure felt the least crowded except for the WJ - the way they flow people actually had much less crowds in any one spot and they move people on and off with ease. I struggle with crowds and claustrophobia and that was actually my easiest time with them (I also never take elevators on any ship as those trigger my claustrophobia more than anything else). You'll have to tender to Grand Cayman (and I LOVE that port) but on any ship that situation will be the most claustrophic when people bunch up for the tenders.

 

I don't think you can go wrong with any but I just wanted to reiterate that the larger ships don't necessarily feel crowded - in fact one of my issues with the Allure was how well they dispersed people so if you wanted to find the "it" spot where everyone was hanging it was hard to do - and there are plenty of spots on the Oasis class to find quiet serene spots when needed. I was on the Freedom after the Allure and felt more crowded on the Freedom than I did on the Allure.

 

Your 13 year old will have a blast on any of them but there is more to do on the Freedom and Oasis classes.

If we go it will be a Eastern route. We have been to Grand Cayman twice, once land and once cruise.

[negc]

Point taken Oceanboy, but I still think you are missing my point....OP said his wife had a hard time with crowds, specifically getting off the ship in port. I can sympathize because I do too. I can understand where she is coming from and was just saying that the idea of that many people scares the crap out of me....and for that reason I probably need to stick with a smaller vessel. In addition I have a husband who is a cave dweller, and an autistic (aspergers) son so our vacations usually needed to be carefully planned at low crowd times to keep the meltdowns to a minimum......see where I am coming from.....I have been at this for 21 years with the son.....

 

And I think you are missing the point that most people are trying to make which is that crowds are far less of a problem on Oasis than on other, smaller ships. Getting on and off in ports, if one is patient and is willing to allow those passengers who absolutely have to be first off, to do so, one should be able to walk off the ship at his or her leisure so leaving and reboarding the ship should not be any more of a problem than it is on any other cruise ship. I think you may be overwhelmed by the idea of there being so many passengers on one vessel, but in reality 3000 passengers isn't exactly a small number and, as so many have stated, can result in more crowding not less. I sympathize with your situation but as you say careful planning can keep meltdowns to a minimum and that, I think, is what Royal Caribbean did when they designed the Oasis and Allure.

[Familygoboston]

Point taken Oceanboy, but I still think you are missing my point....OP said his wife had a hard time with crowds, specifically getting off the ship in port. I can sympathize because I do too. I can understand where she is coming from and was just saying that the idea of that many people scares the crap out of me....and for that reason I probably need to stick with a smaller vessel. In addition I have a husband who is a cave dweller, and an autistic (aspergers) son so our vacations usually needed to be carefully planned at low crowd times to keep the meltdowns to a minimum......see where I am coming from.....I have been at this for 21 years with the son.....

 

I get it, I am one of those people who prefer less crowds...I have a daughter who has anxiety attacks in crowds, note 2 of my next 3 cruises are on ships of 90 and 300 pax!

 

But one reason I liked Oasis despite my original concerns is that it is in fact LESS crowded during boarding and debarking than other RCL ships I've been on. For people in the situation of having anxiety about crowds, who can also afford to travel on Oasis and Allure, I would give that class the edge on crowd management. I'm not trying to sell this ship to anyone, all of them are great! I'm just expressing my opinion that, even though its counter intuitive, for someone who doesn't like crowds, this class is a better fit.

 

OP- there will be crowds coming out any show on any of those ships, if that's a real concern, you can try this tip- which is to sit for literally 5 minutes (check your watch) the theater will be completely empty and you can stroll out at your leisure!

[Ocean Boy]

Point taken Oceanboy, but I still think you are missing my point....OP said his wife had a hard time with crowds, specifically getting off the ship in port. I can sympathize because I do too. I can understand where she is coming from and was just saying that the idea of that many people scares the crap out of me....and for that reason I probably need to stick with a smaller vessel. In addition I have a husband who is a cave dweller, and an autistic (aspergers) son so our vacations usually needed to be carefully planned at low crowd times to keep the meltdowns to a minimum......see where I am coming from.....I have been at this for 21 years with the son.....

 

And I think you are missing the point that most people are trying to make which is that crowds are far less of a problem on Oasis than on other, smaller ships. Getting on and off in ports, if one is patient and is willing to allow those passengers who absolutely have to be first off, to do so, one should be able to walk off the ship at his or her leisure so leaving and reboarding the ship should not be any more of a problem than it is on any other cruise ship. I think you may be overwhelmed by the idea of there being so many passengers on one vessel, but in reality 3000 passengers isn't exactly a small number and, as so many have stated, can result in more crowding not less. I sympathize with your situation but as you say careful planning can keep meltdowns to a minimum and that, I think, is what Royal Caribbean did when they designed the Oasis and Allure.

 

Negc said it exaclty right. There is nothing that I can add. And as Familygoboston said, I too, am not trying to "sell" Oasis. I have been on all three classes of ship that are up for discussion and very much enjoy each of them. I am just voicing my thoughts based on my experiences.

[popcicle]

ok, ok, guys I give up, it is cool that all three classes have good points and bad points.....just trying to be understanding of the op here.....I am about 35 days out for Freedom, and looking forward to it, and planning on having a good time, perhaps I will meet up with others that have cruised the big boys and be able to chat.....see ya :)

[Familygoboston]

ok, ok, guys I give up, it is cool that all three classes have good points and bad points.....just trying to be understanding of the op here.....I am about 35 days out for Freedom, and looking forward to it, and planning on having a good time, perhaps I will meet up with others that have cruised the big boys and be able to chat.....see ya :)

 

Have a great cruise!:D

[divngmedic]

First I would like to thanks all those that replied to my post. You were all very helpful.

 

I tried, I mean really tried to give Royal Caribbean a try..but..... after I priced out the trips on Allure, Oasis, Freedom and Explorer I found I can do a 6 night then back to back for a 8 night on Carnival for the same price as a 7 or 9 night on Royal Caribbean. Maybe in a year or two when Royal Caribbean when it sails out of Galveston in the winter we can do RCI cruise.

 

Again, thanks to all for their help and input into all the threads I posted and questions I asked about RCI.

:)

[Familygoboston]

First I would like to thanks all those that replied to my post. You were all very helpful.

 

I tried, I mean really tried to give Royal Caribbean a try..but..... after I priced out the trips on Allure, Oasis, Freedom and Explorer I found I can do a 6 night then back to back for a 8 night on Carnival for the same price as a 7 or 9 night on Royal Caribbean. Maybe in a year or two when Royal Caribbean when it sails out of Galveston in the winter we can do RCI cruise.

 

Again, thanks to all for their help and input into all the threads I posted and questions I asked about RCI.

:)

 

You didn't want to get stuck on a cruise with all of us arguing fools;):D

Enjoy your B 2 B...wow!