Comparing Oasis/RCI and Princess Report

[dmwnc1959]

yes i did try Vintages (i did write about in my blog but can't post it here) I did really like it there it was quiet and loved the selection and the menu

 

I prefer Vines as the sushi is free, and IC is right there too for tapas all free

 

vickie

 

If I remember correctly the tapas and sushi weren't free but available with the purchase ($) of a beverage (wine/beer/soda?). What I saw on Ruby Princess here was nothing compared to the Picasso select combo on Allure of the Seas. For the little difference in costs (no drink purchase required on Allure) Ruby definitely took a back seat when comparing wine and tapas bars.

[KKB]

We were underwhelmed by the Mariner of the Seas but overwhelmed by the Allure--we are big Princess fans, but Allure was a big hit for us!

 

We board the Caribbean Princess tomorrow & sail Oasis in 2014; but we will be booking FCC on this sailing as we will be Platinum & would sure enjoy those perks!

 

Thanks for sharing!

[vickie_bernie]

If I remember correctly the tapas and sushi weren't free but available with the purchase ($) of a beverage (wine/beer/soda?). What I saw on Ruby Princess here was nothing compared to the Picasso select combo on Allure of the Seas. For the little difference in costs (no drink purchase required on Allure) Ruby definitely took a back seat when comparing wine and tapas bars.

 

this is true, to get sushi you need to buy a drink, but the tapas are all free from IC

 

note this is not a contest - I wanted to clearly identify what I preferred based on my taste, as I mentioned. Obviously some will prefer Oasis others will prefer NCL others will prefer Carnival.

 

I am glad you like to cruise and you are happy with the Oasis/Allure product.

 

It does have a good product and I am glad I went but realize it was not for me. But that doesn't seem to satisfy some people they insist on defending and defending RCI. I understand but it was never a contest.

 

Vickie

[dmwnc1959]

this is true, to get sushi you need to buy a drink, but the tapas are all free from IC

 

note this is not a contest - I wanted to clearly identify what I preferred based on my taste, as I mentioned. Obviously some will prefer Oasis others will prefer NCL others will prefer Carnival.

 

I am glad you like to cruise and you are happy with the Oasis/Allure product.

 

It does have a good product and I am glad I went but realize it was not for me. But that doesn't seem to satisfy some people they insist on defending and defending RCI. I understand but it was never a contest.

 

Vickie

 

Indeed it is not. And I am certainly not a defender of RCI. As previously stated prior to this B2B on Allure of the Seas and Ruby Princess my previous cruises with Princess and RCI were a decade ago, so as a 'newbee' being introduced back into 'their worlds' it was easier for me to see which was average/better/best as opposed to someone who say may have taking their last three dozen cruises with the exact same cruise line and become accustomed to a certain routine.

 

I stated my thoughts on reviews and posting opinions as if they were fact while showing my cruise pictures of Ruby Princess. Some will take those reviews as written gospel and run with it into the darkness, while others will actually form educated opinions of their own and with a grain of salt independent of the originators post.

 

Either way we can agree that not all ships and cruise lines cater to the exact same crowd or demographic, and having chocolates on my pillow every night or ocean views from the cocoon of a atrium coffee bar may be completely unimportant to me while others demand it.

 

And I am sure others will flock in droves to the new Royal Princess while others would prefer to spend their hard earned vacation dollars on Norwegian Getaway or another cruise on Allure of the Seas.

 

We all cruise for different reasons and we pick the best ship and line that will fulfill that checklist. Happy cruising to you, and I look forward to the continued construction of the newest ship in the Princess fleet to see how she stacks up to the rest of the industry.

[baldercash]

To me, a ship that needs reservations in advance to attend shows is a ship with too many passengers.

 

Before a cruise, how do I know all the activities of anj eveing to select the day I want to make a reservation to the exclusion of other options?

 

From what I have read from posts of people who have sailed on these two ships, having a reservation means you still line up before the show in order to get a decent seat once you can get into the theater. Also, you must be seated before the line for those with no reservations is allowed to go into the theater or you may not have a seat available even with a reservation.

 

Basically, you have a reservation to get on a line that will be let into the theater before the line of people without a resrvation.

Sounds like anytime dining on Princess only they don't hand out a pager. To be honest it is a hassle due to the crowds but it is worth it as RCI shows make you think you have been to a Broadway production, value added for the cruise if you are into shows. The Ice shows on the RCI ships are breath taking and memorable.

[baldercash]

this is true, to get sushi you need to buy a drink, but the tapas are all free from IC

 

note this is not a contest - I wanted to clearly identify what I preferred based on my taste, as I mentioned. Obviously some will prefer Oasis others will prefer NCL others will prefer Carnival.

 

I am glad you like to cruise and you are happy with the Oasis/Allure product.

 

It does have a good product and I am glad I went but realize it was not for me. But that doesn't seem to satisfy some people they insist on defending and defending RCI. I understand but it was never a contest.

 

Vickie

We sail RCI but not on a mega ship yet, X and Princess and appreciate the differences between the 3 lines. I think your comments are very balanced and thoughtful.

Having been on and enjoyed Freedom class ships I think we would pass on the Oasis / Allure, not just because of the size but the volume of people. I think the mega ship is the destination and not the ports which is the main reason we sail.

Thank you for the review.

[akeasley]

Thanks for the comparison . I think we'll stay with Princess.

 

 

Ditto

[deelastcre]

I've sailed the Vision, Freedom, and Oasis Class ships. The larger ships had more bells and whistles, but I don't use any of them. My favorite RCL ship was a Vision Class Ship. I probably would have not tried Celebrity and Princess(My favorites, now), had Royal had the wine policy that they have, now. If you don't explore a few other lines and ships, then you won't find your match. I've sailed five lines and there's only one that I didn't repeat. A lot of it depends on your expectations, the crew, ship, and the itinerary. I don't like the large ships( Allure and EPic ), but I had a lot of fun during my sailings. The big ships have a boring itinerary and I now sail for the itinerary. I am looking forward to the new RCL big ship, if she is docked in Puerto Rico. My husband continued to compare the differences between the RCL and Princess on his first cruise. His last cruise on Coral won him over.

[mafig]

Pay extra for lobster in the dining room?

Since when? Is this new?

:confused::confused::confused:

[reney313]

I am hoping to cruise on Oasis or Allure in the next year or two. While i have completed more cruises with RCI than the others...I don't think I would say that I am loyal to one line over another.

 

For me, it is great that there are these differences between the lines. That way I can alternate depending upon the experience I want, and get a little variety.

 

I appreciate your comparison and from what I know of Oasis/Allure and my experiences with Princess/RCI I would say there weren't many surprises. The only one was the lack of activities. I have always felt RCI had many more activities than Princess (and many trivia opportunities--which I love as well). Maybe the CD had cut back on some of those to offer some other things? Same with the game show type shows at night. i don't know that I've been on a RCI ship without a game show/audience participation show nightly. Again, maybe they had to scale back due to the other activities.

 

I will continue to look at Princess for itineraries that RCI does not do (like Coastals), cold weather climates, and for a more laid back cruise. I will look at RCI primarily in warm weather (caribbean) itineraries and when I want more action. And then I'll throw in a NCL cruise from time to time. I doubt I'll go back to Carnival as there are too many other options. I might try a X ship at some point (especially as they offer reciprocal benefits with RCI so I would be Select in their loyalty program for my first cruise...and after a few more cruises with RCI I would be Elite on X. That is a motivating factor).

 

I really do like that they are all very similar with the differences in ship (and sometimes attitude) a welcome change from the same thing.

[mafig]

Pay extra for lobster in the dining room?

 

Since when? Is this new?

 

:confused::confused::confused:

 

 

OK, I'll answer my own question here.

After doing a search on the RCI board I found that they still serve lobster for free on formal night in the mdr (part of a "fisherman's platter" where you may order additional lobster tails). The for fee lobster tail is Maine lobster and is indeed an extra charge. OP, that really was a little misleading of you.

[CleoPat]

Thank you so much for your comparison review. I've basically sailed Royal and am taking my first Princess cruise in April. My last cruise on Royal was on the Allure. I wasn't crazy about it. Much too big for me. Too much work to do pre-cruise with planning each day to know what time to have dinner according to when each show I pre-booked was, etc. I also didn't feel like I was on a ship. It was a floating resort. Sure you can find water views, but you had to go look for them. I've been on a few different Royal ships and my favorite was my first. Radiance class. Now that ship you really felt like you were on a cruise. Maybe if you try Royal again, you should try that class of ship. Beautiful.

 

As to the lobster, I never had to pay for lobster on Royal. A "for fee" lobster tail? That must be new. Is that an option each night? Weird....

[vickie_bernie]

We sail RCI but not on a mega ship yet, X and Princess and appreciate the differences between the 3 lines. I think your comments are very balanced and thoughtful.

Having been on and enjoyed Freedom class ships I think we would pass on the Oasis / Allure, not just because of the size but the volume of people. I think the mega ship is the destination and not the ports which is the main reason we sail.

Thank you for the review.

 

I would like to try Celebrity some time.

 

I've sailed the Vision, Freedom, and Oasis Class ships. The larger ships had more bells and whistles, but I don't use any of them. My favorite RCL ship was a Vision Class Ship. I probably would have not tried Celebrity and Princess(My favorites, now), had Royal had the wine policy that they have, now. If you don't explore a few other lines and ships, then you won't find your match. I've sailed five lines and there's only one that I didn't repeat. A lot of it depends on your expectations, the crew, ship, and the itinerary. I don't like the large ships( Allure and EPic ), but I had a lot of fun during my sailings. The big ships have a boring itinerary and I now sail for the itinerary. I am looking forward to the new RCL big ship, if she is docked in Puerto Rico. My husband continued to compare the differences between the RCL and Princess on his first cruise. His last cruise on Coral won him over.

 

 

well said, I had a lot of fun on this trip, I especially loved the demographics and younger crowd and loved all the kids (well certainly more than I normally see on Princess)

 

Vickie

[vickie_bernie]

yes the prime cut of steak and lobster on the regular menu every day is an extra fee - something I reported on in my review as on the regular menu, and in my blog

 

we did attend the second formal night and did get the fisherman's platter with a lobster tail and three shrimp, it was very good.

 

didn't mean to mislead, just stated the regular menu has a fee for those two items, and I believe this is new as of a few years now.

[6pack]

Thanks for posting!

[sunsetbeachgal]

yes the prime cut of steak and lobster on the regular menu every day is an extra fee - something I reported on in my review as on the regular menu, and in my blog

 

we did attend the second formal night and did get the fisherman's platter with a lobster tail and three shrimp, it was very good.

 

didn't mean to mislead, just stated the regular menu has a fee for those two items, and I believe this is new as of a few years now.

 

The fee is for Chops Filet and/or lobster. Chops is RC's steakhouse, like the Crown Grill. While initially I thought the idea was tacky, on our second RC cruise this year DH and I split one of the filets to go with a shrimp entree...and I have to say that the filet was perfect and delicious and served with wonderful mashed potatoes and perfectly cooked vegetables. Worth every bit of the $15 and less expensive than going to Chops.

[vickie_bernie]

The fee is for Chops Filet and/or lobster. Chops is RC's steakhouse, like the Crown Grill. While initially I thought the idea was tacky, on our second RC cruise this year DH and I split one of the filets to go with a shrimp entree...and I have to say that the filet was perfect and delicious and served with wonderful mashed potatoes and perfectly cooked vegetables. Worth every bit of the $15 and less expensive than going to Chops.

 

i had that steak at chops and yes it was darn good....

 

The entire meal at Chops was quite good, and we got for a good price as we got it thru a package.

 

Would love to see Princess offer a deal for dining at two specialty restaurants.

[lovevacadays]

Thank you so much for your review. I loved the comparisons. I have thought about sailing one of RCI's mega ships. After reading your thread, I most likely won't. I find that many of the things you like and dislike about a cruise match what I like and dislike. One of the things that stands out for me and why I would be concerned about sailing RCI's newer ships is that I like to feel like I'm on a ship. I like a little motion and the ability to see the ocean when I walk from one end of a ship to another. Sounds like RCI isn't the line where that is the case.

 

I am not surprised that you liked their shows. Prior to being a regular Princess cruiser I was a regular RCI/RCCL cruiser. I loved their shows. When I started sailing Princess I did notice their shows were not on par. I also loved the Champagne Bar that was on the older RCI/RCCL ships. I had some wonderful times there with my dear mom. I remember the first cruise I took her on which was the Sovereign of the Seas. I still can see us sitting in the Champagne Bar, dressed up for formal night, drinking champagne, eating h'orderves, and the wonderful smile on her face. Do the newer ships still have a champagne bar?

 

It does sound like you did enjoy your cruise.:):):)

[Mom33]

Thank you for your informative review.:)

[Loonbeam]

Look at their Freedom class. The more research I do, the more it seems they offer some of the best features of the Oasis class without being a floating city.

 

We were on the Liberty in October and had a generally positive experience. My notes are here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1726735

 

Thank you so much for your review. I loved the comparisons. I have thought about sailing one of RCI's mega ships. After reading your thread, I most likely won't. I find that many of the things you like and dislike about a cruise match what I like and dislike. One of the things that stands out for me and why I would be concerned about sailing RCI's newer ships is that I like to feel like I'm on a ship. I like a little motion and the ability to see the ocean when I walk from one end of a ship to another. Sounds like RCI isn't the line where that is the case.

 

I am not surprised that you liked their shows. Prior to being a regular Princess cruiser I was a regular RCI/RCCL cruiser. I loved their shows. When I started sailing Princess I did notice their shows were not on par. I also loved the Champagne Bar that was on the older RCI/RCCL ships. I had some wonderful times there with my dear mom. I remember the first cruise I took her on which was the Sovereign of the Seas. I still can see us sitting in the Champagne Bar, dressed up for formal night, drinking champagne, eating h'orderves, and the wonderful smile on her face. Do the newer ships still have a champagne bar?

 

It does sound like you did enjoy your cruise.:):):)

[hubofhockey]

Look at their Freedom class. The more research I do, the more it seems they offer some of the best features of the Oasis class without being a floating city.

 

We were on the Liberty in October and had a generally positive experience. My notes are here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1726735

 

The Freedom class does not have those shows or anything close to them. It also doesn't have the restaurants or many other options of things to do as Oasis/Allure. If you consider flowriders, rock climbing walls, and ice skating to be the best features of Oasis/Allure, than I would agree with you. But I would book the new Royal Princess before an RCI Freedom class ship. RCI is coming out with a new class of ship that will be between Freedom and Oasis classes, which will have many of the Oasis class upgrades. Also in 2016, their will be a third Oasis class ship.

[sunsetbeachgal]

hubofhockey is spot on...the Freedom class is fine, but is just a larger version of Voyager class. I hardly noticed any differences.

 

Ps...HubofHockey...what are you doing without Hockey this year??

[PrincessNancy]

Thanks so much for taking the time to write a great review/comparison. We were just in Ft Lauderdale and saw the Allure of the Seas. My husband and I wondered what it is like to sail on a mega-ship. Our concern is that we would lose the "cruising on the ocean" feel that we get with the smaller ships instead of feeling like we were on a floating island resort--your review confirmed it.

 

I do wish that Princess would step up the quality of their production shows--they are consistently mediocre. Although, I am looking forward to the On the Bayou show on our upcoming cruise on the Coral--it has been getting some excellent reviews!

[Worn out mailman]

i had that steak at chops and yes it was darn good....

 

The entire meal at Chops was quite good, and we got for a good price as we got it thru a package.

 

Would love to see Princess offer a deal for dining at two specialty restaurants.

 

Hi.

 

We sailed on Allure in March (due to the canceled CB sailing) and I enjoyed reading your impressions of Oasis. There were definitely some places (Chops for instance) where I missed having an ocean view.

 

I think a dining package would be good for Princess. Better yet, they should offer the filet from the steak place for a fee like RCCL does.

[hubofhockey]

hubofhockey is spot on...the Freedom class is fine, but is just a larger version of Voyager class. I hardly noticed any differences.

 

Ps...HubofHockey...what are you doing without Hockey this year??

 

I'm hoping they settle the labor dispute this weekend. I miss going to the Garden and watching the Bruins.

 

Looking forward to the Allure in April. I'm even looking forward to reserving the shows and specialty restaurants. After that, we'll look at Baltics cruises ...... on Princess.