Legend vs Navigator

[didan]

Hi,

My husband and I are in the process of booking our first cruise to the Carribean and our first on RCI. For the dates we want to go, we can take the Navigator or the Legend. I know the Legend is an older ship, but I like the itinerary a little better and we can save $250 per person for the same cabin category - which would basically cover our airfare. Will we be missing much by taking an older ship? The biggest differences I could see was the ice skating and in-line skating rinks - we don't skate, so we won't miss those. Just looking to see the advantages and disadvantages of both.

[39august]

You can go to RCI's web site, find "ships" and view deck plans of both these ships. That will give you a good idea of the differences. If this is your first RCI cruise, I suggest you go with the best itinerary and best price. The Legend is a Vision class ship, and I have been on both the Vision and sister ship Rhapsody. Both were beautiful and we had enjoyable cruises on both. There are plentiful activities on Vision class ships. Personally, I don't think the food is as good in the Windjammer buffet on Vision class ships as on Voyager class or Radiance class, but that wouldn't stop me from taking the itinerary I wanted!

[Firefighterhoop]

The differences are INCREDABLE!

 

The legend is a much smaller ship (70,000ton vs 138,000ton), there is no royal prominade, no ice skating rink, 1 less pool, 2 less hot tubs, not as many dining options on the Legend. THe legend seemed so small after going on the Voyager Class of ships!

 

The legend was a very nice ship for it's age (1995) Navigator was 2002. If you like the small ship feel the legend would be for you, but if you like the big ship with activities all the time, the Navigator would be better ( Many more activities on Navigator)

 

Scott

[dougp26364]

We've sailed every class of ship except for the Radiance class, which we will be sailing in October on Brilliance of the Seas.

 

Legend is a smaller ship than one in the Voyager class (Navigator is Voyager class) but the staff and service we're just as good. I believe most cabin catagories on Legend are slightly smaller but still roomy enough for our personal tastes.

 

We loved the dining room floor to ceiling windows on Legend. I feel that of the 4 RCI ships we've sailed, the Legends dining room was the best. There is also a lot of glass to see out of on Legend.

 

While it is true that Voyager class has 3 pools vs the 2 pools on Legend (main pools and solarium pool) they Voyager class needs that extra room for the number of passengers using them. If I were a pool person this might have an influence on me towards the Voyager class ship but fortunately, I'm not.

 

The Royal Promanade is a definate advantage as far as asthetics on the Voyager class ships and we loved the Cafe Promanade. The Cafe was great for grabbing a bite and the Royal Promanade was a nice diversion to walk through or people watch. It also provides for a couple of more bars with different entertainment. In the end though, we don't do a lot of shopping on the ship and my favorite place to grab a drink is in the Viking Crown Lounge for the view it provides.

 

The ice rink on Voyager class ships is great if you ice skate. It also provides an addtional show you won't get on the Legend. We personally never saw the inside of the ice rink.

 

If this is your first cruise, then you probably won't miss the specialty restaurants like JR's or Chops/Portifino's (I can't recall which is on your ship). We really enjoyed Portifino's on Explorer when we sailed her and would eat there again in a heartbeat, even with the $20 or $25 pp fee surcharge. JR's I can easily live without and consider it a waste of space on the ship. I just don't go cruising to eat hamburgers, french fries and onion rings plus pay a surcharge to eat such food. Paying for burgers and fries while on a cruise ship just seems wrong.

 

In the end, I'm glad we sailied on Legend first. Now I have no problems going from one of the larger ships to a smaller ship and feel like I'm missing something. I'm just as comfortable on both. I will say that if all things were equal, I'd rather be on one of the larger ships just for all the little extra's and, if for no other reaaon, the Cafe Promanade and it's snack sized sandwhichs. Plus, it's great to have a little snack and people watch.

 

But at $250 pp and if I liked the itenerary better, I'd be booking on the Legend. No contest and no doubt in my mind about that. For that matter, at $250 pp and the same itenerary, I'd probably still be booking on the Legend unless the wife told me different.

[Firefighterhoop]

By the way, how about the Explorer? Does the same Stops with a bigger ship?

[didan]

Thank you so much, everyone, for your comments/suggestions. Firefighterhoop, I looked at the Explorer, but they do not the dates we need available - I'm starting a new job and am limited this year as to when I can take time off.

This time around I think we will take dougp26364's advice and sail on the Legend. Next time, we'll look forward to something bigger and better!

 

We do appreciate the time people take to answer questions and offer advice!

[jmps]

My family is taking the Legend for next spring break. This is I guess a counterpoint to what some (most?) think but we specifically like the idea that the Vision class is smaller. We love the Century class in the Celebrity fleet. The Legend and the Century came out at the same time. Our thinking is that we want the feel of a ship and not a BIG Vegas sized hotel. Ice rinks etc. aren't important to us on a cruise. Even our 12 and 14 YOs feel this way. Sea days are a blast for them with out one and port days are filled with shore activities.

 

I would love to try the Radiance and Millenium classes from what I have read here but that is as big as we would go except for special circumstances (see below) . Our last cruise was on the Horizon and it did seem a bit small but we loved it. Our girls just loved being with other kids and found plenty to do. Because of the interest in big/new ships this cruise, a ten day, was a GREAT value. Look to smaller older ships for good value. The Horizon was very well kept and had a great balanced senior/adult/kid ratio for spring break.

 

Our next door neighbors were on the Voyager when we were on the Horizon and they didn't like the size. The husband especially disliked the big crowd and kids every where feel. This was during Spring Break though. They have booked next spring break on the Mille.

 

That said, I am booked single on the CC scuba cruise next year on the Carnival Valor (BIG) because of the scuba itinerary. I never thought I would sail on Carnival or on a ship that big. We like the RCI/Celebrity line very much. I am sure I will still have a great time because I will be on cruise! :-)

 

So, no matter what you decide you should have a wonderful time!

[Shellintampa]

Details Please! What are the dates?

 

 

Brian

[jmps]

Check out:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=245

[Just_Cruising]

Let's keep in mind that these folks are on their first cruise. I think they will find the Legend more that adequate as far as size and activities go. We took our second cruise on the Legend last summer (the first was Sovereign in 1994) and were still taken aback with the size of the ship.

 

Folks...save the money and enjoy the itinerary of the Legend; you will be impressed. Save the Voyager or Freedom class for another time so you will not be jaded by the sheer size of these ships (is bigger always better...?).

 

Don't get me wrong though...I think the larger ships are awesome and cannot wait for our 8/27/2006 FOS cruise.

[mrg0433]

We sailed Legend of the Seas in March from Hawaii to Ensenada. It was the worst cruise we have ever taken. The ship is definetely older. There were buckets catching water dripping near the aft elevator on our deck. The food was horrible. I asked other people whether they thought the food was too salty, and they all agreed "YES". Our waiter was so sloooow that we gave up eating in the dining room and settled for the buffet after 3 nights of a 10 night cruise. The worst problem of all was that the only other dining choice was the buffet. I was amazed there were no hand sanitizing machines outside any of the restaurants, so eating in a buffet really bothered me alot.

 

We are sailing Jewel of the Seas in October and have notified RCCL that we have booked Carnival and NCL cruises in 2006. We won't book another RCCL cruise until I at least get an apology. I will only cruise RCCL newer ships with alternative restaurants so that if this ever happens again that I at least have other dining options besides a buffet. It was alot of money to spend to feel like we were on a bargain basement cruiseline. I am hopeful that the newer Jewel will make a difference. We really enjoyed the Norwegian Dawn last year because it has about ten different restaurants to choose from each night. That makes a big difference if the food and service is bad in one place. Hope you book Navigator and have better luck.

Mary

Plymouth, MA