Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Princess vs Royal Carribean

piano58

By piano58,
in Princess Cruises

Recommended Posts

piano58

piano58

Posted
Posted

We have always sailed on Princess and loved it. Was wondering what RC is like. What are their inside cabins like? Entertainment? We are a middle age couple. Not into rock climbing or ice skating. Food? Anything like the sanctuary that Princess has on RC?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
LittleMissMagic "Live from...." Rare

LittleMissMagic

Posted
Posted

We haven't cruised Princess yet (booked for this Christmas), but we've done several Royal Caribbean cruises.

 

Royal Caribbean has the Solarium, which is an adults-only pool (well 16 and older, so not truly adults). Depending on the ship, it's enclosed or just more private than the pool deck.

 

I think food will be good for you just because it's a different menu (if you cruise RCI over and over, you notice it's basically the exact same thing - except they recently changed the menu, so that shouldn't be a problem right now, anyway). They quit doing the nice indoor buffet and have only been doing the midnight buffet on the pool deck for the past few years.

 

Entertainment varies by ship. I've been on some ships pre-refurb, and the costuming and sets were very worn. However, the newer and newly refurbished ships are entertaining and professional. The shows are different on every ship, too. Also, if you go on a ship with an ice rink, the ice skating shows are very entertaining. The Oasis and Allure both have Broadway shows (Chicago and Hairspray), and a special water show in the aqua theater on the aft of the ship.

 

Inside cabins vary by ship, as well. On the older, smaller ships, they're very tiny with little walking room. However, the larger ships offer larger inside staterooms with updated interiors that are much more space efficient.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Coral "Live from...." Rare

Coral

Posted
Posted
They quit doing the nice indoor buffet and have only been doing the midnight buffet on the pool deck for the past few years.

 

I am confused. I have been on Explorer of the Seas and Radiance of the Seas and both had a nicely laid out buffet (the food on the Radiance was cold but looked pretty). Is this gone?

 

Or is it a different indoor buffet that they no longer do?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
LittleMissMagic "Live from...." Rare

LittleMissMagic

Posted
Posted
I am confused. I have been on Explorer of the Seas and Radiance of the Seas and both had a nicely laid out buffet (the food on the Radiance was cold but looked pretty). Is this gone?

 

Or is it a different indoor buffet that they no longer do?

 

Oh - no, no! I meant the specialty buffets. They used to do two midnight buffets over a 7-day cruise - one in the dining room, and one on the pool deck. Now they've cut that to one on the pool deck if at all.

 

The daily Windjammer Buffet which is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner is still present on all ships.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Coral "Live from...." Rare

Coral

Posted
Posted
Oh - no, no! I meant the specialty buffets. They used to do two midnight buffets over a 7-day cruise - one in the dining room, and one on the pool deck. Now they've cut that to one on the pool deck if at all.

 

The daily Windjammer Buffet which is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner is still present on all ships.

 

Thanks - got it :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sunsetbeachgal

sunsetbeachgal

Posted
Posted

In a nutshell, I much prefer the dining room dinners on Princess, other dining room meals on RC (their dining room lunch salad bar is simply wonderful), buffets prefer RC, love Princess International Cafe and entertainment usually better on RC. Basically very similar lines, IMHO.

 

Cabins I find smaller on RC.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
vickie_bernie

vickie_bernie

Posted
Posted

I am sailing Oasis this Saturday, my first ever on RCI - I have sailed 33 time with Princess. i will be writing a blog and comparisson but on a dedicated blog site.

 

So far I have noticed many difference, some good some not so good, but overall nothing bad with regards to reservation, cabins, online booking items.

 

Vickie

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Stu K

Stu K

Posted
Posted

Only done Oasis of the seas more or less the same as princess. But princess MDR Food is more WOW than rci and princess has better closet space in inside cabin. RCI (oasis) Hits back with some amazing shows (better than land based shows) park cafes for salad bar and roast beef sandwiches!

 

said i was not going to compare but you can not help yourself.

 

Stu k

Link to comment
Share on other sites
KKB Great Review Rare

KKB

Posted
Posted

Edge to Princess for us UNLESS you are going to sail Allure or Oasis...

 

Overall, we felt Princess had a greater variety of activity offerings than RCCL.

We liked MDR food on RCCL a tad better. Buffets about the same. BUT Princess has terrific burgers & pizza by the pool.

We like the layout of the interior room on Princess a bit better than RCCL...you get some privacy for dressing with that layout.

We danced late into the night at Skywalkers...disco on RCCL Mariner of the Seas was always only 20 somethings.

 

NOW that being said....Allure BLEW US AWAY. The adults only Solarium, the huge hot tubs, all the neighborhoods, amazing specialty restaurants..we totally fell in love with that ship!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sunsetbeachgal

sunsetbeachgal

Posted
Posted
I am sailing Oasis this Saturday, my first ever on RCI - I have sailed 33 time with Princess. i will be writing a blog and comparisson but on a dedicated blog site.

 

So far I have noticed many difference, some good some not so good, but overall nothing bad with regards to reservation, cabins, online booking items.

 

Vickie

 

Have a great time...where will you be posting your blog?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sunsetbeachgal

sunsetbeachgal

Posted
Posted
thanks i will be posting on my blog page, not allowed to share links here though but if you search Vickie Bernie cruise blog you should find it

 

vickie

 

Found it...thanks! We did two RC cruises this year...really loved them...very high energy cruise directors and lots, lots, lots of fun!

 

Carole

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • ANNOUNCEMENT: A Touch of Magic on an Avalon Rhine River Cruise
      • Hurricane Zone 2024
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations

Cruise Planning
Alaska CruisesAntarctica CruisesBahamas CruisesCanada/New England CruisesCaribbean CruisesEurope CruisesEurope River CruisesGreece CruisesHawaii CruisesMediterranean CruisesMexico CruisesTransatlantic CruisesUK & British Isles Cruises
Find a Cruise
Alaska ItinerariesAntarctica ItinerariesBahamas ItinerariesCanada/New England ItinerariesCaribbean ItinerariesEurope ItinerariesEurope River ItinerariesGreece ItinerariesHawaii ItinerariesMediterranean ItinerariesMexico ItinerariesPanama Canal ItinerariesTransatlantic Itineraries
Popular Ports
Baltimore PortBayonne PortBoston PortGalveston PortLos Angeles PortMiami PortNew Orleans PortNew York City PortOrlando PortSan Francisco PortSeattle PortTampa PortVancouver Port
Member Reviews
Carnival ReviewsCelebrity ReviewsCunard ReviewsDisney ReviewsHolland ReviewsMSC ReviewsNorwegian ReviewsOceania ReviewsPrincess ReviewsRoyal Caribbean ReviewsViking River ReviewsVirgin ReviewsWindstar Reviews

Cruise Planning
Alaska CruisesAntarctica CruisesAsia CruisesCanary Islands CruisesCaribbean CruisesEurope CruisesEurope River CruisesGreece CruisesIceland CruisesJapan CruisesMediterranean CruisesNorway CruisesUK Cruises
Find a Cruise
Alaska ItinerariesAntarctica ItinerariesAsia ItinerariesCanary Islands ItinerariesCaribbean ItinerariesEurope ItinerariesEurope River ItinerariesGreece ItinerariesIceland ItinerariesJapan ItinerariesMediterranean ItinerariesNorway ItinerariesUK Itineraries
Popular Ports
Alicante PortAmsterdam PortAthens PortBarbados PortBarcelona PortCape Town PortDubai PortDublin PortEdinburgh PortLondon PortMalaga PortSingapore PortSouthampton Port
Member Reviews
Ambassador ReviewsAzamara ReviewsCelebrity ReviewsCelestyal ReviewsCunard ReviewsFred.Olsen ReviewsMarella ReviewsMSC ReviewsNorwegian ReviewsP & O ReviewsPrincess ReviewsRoyal Caribbean ReviewsSaga Holidays Reviews

Cruise Planning
Alaska CruisesAntarctica CruisesAsia CruisesAustralia CruisesEurope CruisesEurope River CruisesFiji CruisesHawaii CruisesJapan CruisesMediterranean CruisesNew Zealand CruisesPapua New Guinea CruisesSouth Pacific Cruises
Find a Cruise
Alaska ItinerariesAntarctica ItinerariesAsia ItinerariesAustralia ItinerariesEurope ItinerariesEurope River ItinerariesFiji ItinerariesHawaii ItinerariesJapan ItinerariesMediterranean ItinerariesPapua New Guinea ItinerariesSouth Pacific ItinerariesWhitsundays Itineraries
Popular Ports
Adelaide PortAuckland PortBangkok PortBrisbane PortCairns PortFremantle PortHobart PortManila PortMelbourne PortMumbai PortSingapore PortSydney PortTokyo Port
Member Reviews
Azamara ReviewsCarnival ReviewsCelebrity ReviewsCunard ReviewsDisney ReviewsEmerald ReviewsHolland ReviewsMSC ReviewsNorwegian ReviewsP & O Australia ReviewsPrincess ReviewsRoyal Caribbean ReviewsVirgin Reviews
Get special cruise deals, expert advice, insider tips and more.
By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

© 1995—2024, The Independent Traveler, Inc.

×
×
  • Create New...

If you are already a Cruise Critic member, please log in with your existing account information or your email address and password.