What's your least favorite cruise ship design trend?

[pgoody82]

Hi everyone,

 

First time post here and I saw something about the Carnival Dream and Magic (on youtube videos) that really upset me about the design of these ships.

 

I've only done one Carnival cruise and one Royal Caribbean cruise both this year, and found out that I love cruising. Both times I had balcony rooms on the starboard side of the ship and one of my favorite things to do at times was to just look out over the ocean and look down and see the water whooshing by.

 

After my Royal Caribbean cruise I was even more excited to go back to Carnival where I felt like the nightlife and and age spread was more my thing, I just turned 30 and I'm not married with children. I was looking into the newest carnival ships after loving the Splendor and was really upset to see that deck that hangs out around deck 3 or 4 obstructing my favorite view from the Balcony rooms.

 

Has this been a problem for anyone else? Is this a common concern and have people voiced this to the cruise lines that some people do not want their tranquil balcony to have a view of another deck instead of the water rushing by?

[KirkNC]

Mine is size, I will not sail on these mega ships.

[KenMo]

I haven't been on any of the newest ships. I don't like that Promenade Deck sticking out either.

 

I never say never, but it's not likely I'll sail on any of them.

 

The only way I would is if I had a cove balcony.

[Brenna's Mom1]

Maybe the objective of the promenade deck overhang is to give ALL passengers a place where they can see the ocean pass beneath their feet with an unobstructed view.

[mistycruiser]

If you get a balcony forward or aft, the promenade below is narrower and I think you should be able to see down to the water. Also, as someone else mentioned, look at a Cove balcony as another option.

[Jimmy Geegitz]

You might like the cove it is almost right on the water.

[ccruisequeen]

Hate the two MDR divided by kitchen. Have to go up one deck or down to get from forward to aft

[ShakyBeef]

Definitely the mega ships. I don't happen to believe bigger is better when it comes to cruise ships and have next to no desire to cruise on one those monstrosities. But I won't say that I'll never sail on a mega ship. If it ever happens that the price is amazingly low (like free:p), I'd do it.:cool:

[Kitsunegari]

i LIKE AN OPEN AFT.

[twinbee]

i LIKE AN OPEN AFT.

 

 

 

Me too!!

[emelvee]

I hate the trend where you're forced to get off the ship at the end of the cruise. :(

 

 

 

I'm not a big fan of specialty dining. One of my favorite aspects of cruising is getting to know the waitstaff, so we love traditional seating. But I suspect this trend will only continue...and the MDR food quality will likely suffer, in order to encourage extra-fee specialty dining.

[BenjiRodney]

I like the size of Carnivals Conquest Class of Ships.

[toemi]

I hate the trend where you're forced to get off the ship at the end of the cruise. :(

 

 

This really is a trend that has gotten WAY out of hand. :D

[emelvee]

I'm also not all that thrilled about the mega (Oasis-class) ships...I will be on Dream next summer; I think that will be ok. With Oasis/Allure, so much focus is on the ship; I like cruising to visit areas I've never been. I'd be concerned about missing out on something on the ship when I was in port. lol

[twindaddy]

The fact they wont let me on without paying first, ***?

 

Not to derail, but with pretty much everywhere else being smoke free (many hotels are smoke free, or the big caisno ones have smoke free floors / areas), I am surprised there has are not more restrictions on smoking. There are several large chains that are 100% smoke free. I dont care about the casino, or even most bars.

 

So that is my least favorite thing, that some ship hasnt dedicated more areas to non smoking passengers (putting my flame suit on).

[Kitsunegari]

The fact they wont let me on without paying first, ***?

 

Not to derail, but with pretty much everywhere else being smoke free (many hotels are smoke free, or the big caisno ones have smoke free floors / areas), I am surprised there has are not more restrictions on smoking. There are several large chains that are 100% smoke free. I dont care about the casino, or even most bars.

 

So that is my least favorite thing, that some ship hasnt dedicated more areas to non smoking passengers (putting my flame suit on).

 

You just can't walk off a ship to smoke.

[Jasonmom]

Hate the two MDR divided by kitchen. Have to go up one deck or down to get from forward to aft

 

 

I don't like this either. I like being able to walk from one end of the ship to the other if there is something at the end I want to get to. There was one or two time on one ship (sorry can't remember which) that I had to use 2-3 different elevators to get from the dining room to kids camp if they beeped me. It took some of the relaxation factor away:p.

[katiel53]

We have sailed on Dream with the Promenade deck several times and it doesn't bother us. I know when we sailed last that the Spa balcony cabin had a better view than our regular view of the sea, as on Deck 8, we see the Promenade when looking out. The Spa balcony also made us able to enjoy the balcony as it was smoke free. Deck 8 is a crapshoot with smoking. Hopefully, our next cruise won't have 24/7 smokers. We will have to wait and see.

 

I guess, having been on many cruises on different lines, the view is not as important to us as new cruisers. Don't get me wrong, I like looking at the sea, that's why we get a balcony, but there are other things that make our cruises wonderful.

[CarolR]

I'm also not all that thrilled about the mega (Oasis-class) ships...I will be on Dream next summer; I think that will be ok. With Oasis/Allure, so much focus is on the ship; I like cruising to visit areas I've never been. I'd be concerned about missing out on something on the ship when I was in port. lol

 

We are platinum with Carnival and just returned from cruising on the Oasis of the Seas. Glad I tried it once but most likely will not return. The cruise was great but I did not feel like I was on a ship. It felt like a big moving resort where we spent a lot of time inside. The only spot where you really saw the ocean was from your balcony. The ship is so wide that you can't even see the water when you are lounging by the pool. I want to sail because I love being on a ship. Not crazy about this trend of making the ship the entire focus of the cruise.

[pgoody82]

I agree with you Carol,

 

Those newest Royal Caribbean ships scare me and I am sad to see that is where it's going.

 

I think once they start splitting the ship down the middle and making it two huge chunks of rooms with balcony's facing inward, that might be where it stops feeling like a ship for me.

 

I like to see the water!

[ccruisequeen]

I agree with you Carol,

 

Those newest Royal Caribbean ships scare me and I am sad to see that is where it's going.

 

I think once they start splitting the ship down the middle and making it two huge chunks of rooms with balcony's facing inward, that might be where it stops feeling like a ship for me.

 

I like to see the water!

 

On RCL they did- a Central Park with balcony views. You can watch the Parades from your cabin. Hope Carnival never expands that much.

[Heirloom]

The Dream promenade sucks BIG time with regards to balcony view.

Makes the balcony feel somewhat like a fire escape of a Brooklyn

apartment, with the public walking around beneath you as if it was a city street ! Instead of ocean darkness and pleasant sound, there are street lights !

 

But, if you choose to do it.....at least be careful to NOT have a balcony that is above one of those dumb hot tubs that stick out even further. Cause if you do, there's a good chance you will be listening to laughter and yelling from the drunks in the tub. When we did Dream, they were open until at least 10:00 PM. (Of course, if YOU are drunk, it might be fun).

 

Oh, how romantic that fire escape was !!!!!

[AngAndBoys]

You just can't walk off a ship to smoke.

 

I'm thinking a few people would be perfectly happy to dump the smokers in the ocean to smoke.

[Robwerks]

If you want a water view extraordinaire! then book a cove! You are so close! And while watching the waves go by it seems you are in a ski boat! You don't get that feeling from an 8th deck balcony!

[pgoody82]

I might have to try it Bob,

 

I personally cannot wait to try Carnival again, and when looking at ship selections in the Caribbean the "dream" class is it called? is what I'm usually left with, if I want to leave from Southeast United States where it's warm when we are at sea.

 

Cove sounds interesting.