Subsequent cruises on the same line or not?

[RSLeesburg]

We are planning to take our first cruise in Sept, and planning to join the RCI C&A. I know that RCI offers OBC if you book your next cruise while onboard, so I started to look at where we might want to go next year.

 

I have narrowed it down to three possible options, but then I began to think - maybe I should shop around to see which cruise line offers the best possible option in those locations (i.e., ports, activities, price, etc.).

 

So, I wondered - do people generally pick the best option or stay with one line to build up points? I do not see our family taking multiple trips per year, so was wondering which is better. Find the best cruise or build up points with one line?

[Keith1010]

This really varies. If you are happy with the cruise line and like other itineraries many stay with that line. If not, then they start to look at other cruise lines.

 

Keith

[CruiserBruce]

I would think most stay with a cruise line because they like the qualities a cruise line has. What those qualities are depends on the person and the cruise line.

 

Others book solely or mostly on itinerary. So that could cause no loyalty at all to a cruise line.

 

We started with RCI, moved to Princess, and have settled with Holland America. Not that we wouldn't go back to the others, but we like the atmosphere and style of Holland America.

[RSLeesburg]

I was definitely thinking that if we did cruise again with RCI (assuming we have a great experience on our first trip), we would try a different class of ship and a different location.

 

We are going to Bermuda this first trip, but was looking at Alaska as next trip. I would LOVE to do British Isles, but my son is still too young to enjoy a port-intensive trip like that one.

 

At the moment, the Radiance itineraries are OK but do not really like flying into one city and leaving from another. Also, I am not liking that there are no direct flights from Dulles to Vancouver :mad: So, Bahamas and/or Caribbean are options two and three, and I believe that I can one or both on Explorer...

[the_journeyman]

We have stayed with RCI since the beginning.

 

Why?

 

None of our experiences so far have made us felt there was any reason to go to another line as we "fit" well into what they offer. I've been on three (will be four this summer) different classes of ships that RCI offers. Our least favorite class is being retired soon too. Comparing cost, even when there are kids in the picture, we'll likely NOT try Disney because they're quite expensive comparatively. RCI has lots of kid oriented things so the only difference is the characters that will be a part of the experience.

 

Will we ever try another line?

 

Maybe. We may give Celebrity or Princess a try sometime if we feel the need for something different. None of the others really seem to make us say "I'd really like to cruise on that ship." If NCL still had the SS Norway, I would sail with them just for that boat.

 

JM

[Treven]

I've been on a few of the different cruise lines but I've found that Princess' ships suits me just fine. Are they perfect, of course not, but they are a comfortable fit for this 68 year old, old fart:).

[delily]

No, I have never yet sailed the same cruise line twice. Not because I didn't like any of them. I found them all to be just fine. But I've never found another itinerary that I want to travel with any of those lines. At least not one that fit into my time schedule. For example, after my last Carnival cruise I wanted to do the Mediterranean. Norwegian was the winner who had an itinerary that couldn't be beat. I just finished that cruise on the Spirit -- A lovely ship and a fabulous cruise. But there's nothing else on the Norwegian list of cruises that I want to do now. I now want to do an Asian cruise or a South American cruise and Norwegian doesn't go to either place. Celebrity and Hal however, have interesting itineraries there during the times I'd like to travel.

[NMLady]

We are planning to take our first cruise in Sept, and planning to join the RCI C&A. I know that RCI offers OBC if you book your next cruise while onboard, so I started to look at where we might want to go next year.

 

I have narrowed it down to three possible options, but then I began to think - maybe I should shop around to see which cruise line offers the best possible option in those locations (i.e., ports, activities, price, etc.).

 

So, I wondered - do people generally pick the best option or stay with one line to build up points? I do not see our family taking multiple trips per year, so was wondering which is better. Find the best cruise or build up points with one line?

 

As you can tell from the variety of cruise lines in my signature, we do not stick with just one cruise line. We choose cruises by price and itinerary, regardless of cruise line.

[OCruisers]

While we cruise on Princess most often especially for longer cruises, we totally enjoy cruising on a variety of cruise lines.

 

LuLu

~~~~

[Warm Breezes]

We are planning to take our first cruise in Sept, and planning to join the RCI C&A. I know that RCI offers OBC if you book your next cruise while onboard, so I started to look at where we might want to go next year.

 

I have narrowed it down to three possible options, but then I began to think - maybe I should shop around to see which cruise line offers the best possible option in those locations (i.e., ports, activities, price, etc.).

 

So, I wondered - do people generally pick the best option or stay with one line to build up points? I do not see our family taking multiple trips per year, so was wondering which is better. Find the best cruise or build up points with one line?

 

We pick whatever ship meets our needs for our next vacation. If we know we plan on sailing a ship in that line during the time a FCC is good then we will book on board or purchases the FCC, which ever they offer. For example when we were on CCL Destiny we knew we were going to sail on CCL Glory the following year to make up for a cruise on the Glory that got cancelled due to a death in the family so we purchases a FCC to use on that cruise. On NCL Epic we were convinced that we wanted to try NCL Breakaway within the next 4 years so we purchased a FCC through them. We ended up using that on our upcoming NCL Jewel cruise that we booked for our 25th anniversary....looks like we will need to purchase another one for the Breakaway Cruise :D:p.

[attilamom1217]

We have been on 4 different cruise lines. they all have the pluses and minuses and those pluses and minuses are different for each person.

 

do your research and find the itinerary you like. One onboard, if you like the ship and cruise line - then go ahead and take advantage of the OBC for booking your next cruise.

 

However, I believe both RCCL and Celebrity, have an open ended future cruise option. You pay a small deposit to get the OBC, but do not choose a specific cruise. I'm not sure, but I think you can book Celebrity while on RCCL and vice versa as well (Celebrity is owned by RCCL).

 

this way, you can choose any cruise line with the itinerary you like for Alaska and still book another cruise in the future on RCCL and get your OBC. ;)

[RSLeesburg]

We have been on 4 different cruise lines. they all have the pluses and minuses and those pluses and minuses are different for each person.

 

do your research and find the itinerary you like. One onboard, if you like the ship and cruise line - then go ahead and take advantage of the OBC for booking your next cruise.

 

However, I believe both RCCL and Celebrity, have an open ended future cruise option. You pay a small deposit to get the OBC, but do not choose a specific cruise. I'm not sure, but I think you can book Celebrity while on RCCL and vice versa as well (Celebrity is owned by RCCL).

 

this way, you can choose any cruise line with the itinerary you like for Alaska and still book another cruise in the future on RCCL and get your OBC. ;)

 

Yes. You are correct - you can book open-ended cruises on RCCL. I will do my research. As I have never been on a cruise, I am not married to RCCL - they happen to sail out of Baltimore, which is within driving distance to our house, and I wanted our first cruise to be as easy as possible. Carnival also sails out of Baltimore, but I thought their largest room was still too small for my tastes, so booked a GS on the Grandeur. We are sailing in Sept, so we could hit cold or wet weather, and wanted a room big enough that we could relax in - and with a toddler that is very active, I felt that this was mandatory for us :)

 

But, I will look at the other lines for Alaska. I think they all have ships up in the area.

[sail7seas]

We sailed a number of cruise lines early in our 'cruising career'. We settled on HAL as our cruise line of choice and sail them exclusively. We have sailed 14 or the fleet's 15 ships (multiple times) and one ship over 30 cruises. :)

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

There was a time when we sailed different cruise lines -- in the same year.

Since you are just getting started in your cruise history -- I would look be checking out itineraries and then prices before I made a decision.

After you have tried a few cruise lines, you may find yourself comparing them and your experiences on them. That will determine what you will do in the future.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Book the cruise and the ship don't worry about points ..

[dread_pirate]

I'm on my third line in 2 years! I sailed NCL because they were in driving distance. Then we did Princess because they had the itinerary I wanted in Alaska. Did Princess again because we liked them. And now I'm doing Celebrity because I've heard wonderful things about them.

 

I'd probably like to try RCL, and then I'll probably settle down on a favorite (except I'll keep sailing NCL as long as that port's within driving distance!).