What is the best class?

[kwazi07]

And just imagine, those ships were the grandest on the ocean when they first came out, sailing 7 night itineraries!

 

Monarch will always be special to me because she was my first RCI cruise and i wish I could have sailed her one last time. The small cabins wasnt an issue as I require an accessible cabin due to my wheelchair. Actually the accessible deck 9 SOV has so far been the largest cabin or at least seemed like it that ive had on an RCI ship. I think its two SOV cabins made into one and has two windows!

 

I will rue the day when Oasis and Allure are the old ships.

 

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[BillOh]

The four Radiance class ships have something that no other ships in the fleet have: outdoor aft Windjammer seating. For us, this is spectacular. Our last 5 cruises have been on this class and there is absolutely nothing like sitting outside for dinner, watching the sunset in a different port each night. It is glorious. Our Med cruise was phenomenal because of this feature.

.

 

Is that still true? I know the class was undergoing some changes. I used the outdoor seating when I was on Jewel in 2012 and planned to again this May. I wasn't sure if the new changes eliminated that area? I believe Jewel is the last of the class to get these changes.

[Clarea]

Is that still true? I know the class was undergoing some changes. I used the outdoor seating when I was on Jewel in 2012 and planned to again this May. I wasn't sure if the new changes eliminated that area? I believe Jewel is the last of the class to get these changes.

Outdoor seating is still on the revitalized Radiance class ships, though you might have to walk through Rita's to get there.

[Indiana52]

I was on the Radiance on an Alaskan Cruise last September and the Brilliance out of Tampa in February .......just walk right on through....it seems like there is never anyone in Rita's on the Radiance Class ships...: (

[kwazi07]

I was on the Radiance on an Alaskan Cruise last September and the Brilliance out of Tampa in February .......just walk right on through....it seems like there is never anyone in Rita's on the Radiance Class ships...: (

 

I like how Royal is trying to Oasis-ize all of their ships.

 

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[kwazi07]

Has anyone noticed how you can see the evolution of cruising in RCCLs ships? First, there was Sovereign had few balconies. Then the Vision class finally introduced more balconies. The Voyager class brought mostly balcony cabins. Then, the Radiance class brought the sticking out balconies. But, why weren't balconies popular is the 80s or 90s?

 

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[joyride21]

Radiance Class all the way. Absolutely beautiful!

 

Also, I loved the Vision. I guess I'm a small ship type of girl. :)

 

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This! With our sailing in May, Radiance class will be the first we have "completed." Truly gorgeous ships.

 

And we have never received such amazing service as on our B2B on Vision. Senior officers everywhere - I've never experienced them being so present. And they all knew our names. It was fabulous. We were truly wowed by by those cruises.

[kwazi07]

This! With our sailing in May, Radiance class will be the first we have "completed." Truly gorgeous ships.

 

And we have never received such amazing service as on our B2B on Vision. Senior officers everywhere - I've never experienced them being so present. And they all knew our names. It was fabulous. We were truly wowed by by those cruises.

 

From what i have heard, it seems like the Vision class have the best staff

 

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[ShawninFL]

We prefer the smaller ships. Service and food quality just seem to be better in our experience. I like the Vision Class ships, but love the Radiance Class. We will sail on the Voyager class, but would opt for another line over the ships above the Voyager class.

[cruiserdudebobby8]

all classes are amazing

 

 

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[jerseygirl74]

I like the larger ships with the promenade...it makes more of a central gathering place for events & gives you another place to hang out in the event of bad weather.

 

We have found that the smaller ships that go on longer itineraries have a tendency to have a much older crowd. The shows were also geared to a much older crowd...movie night?!

 

 

 

 

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[kwazi07]

I like the larger ships with the promenade...it makes more of a central gathering place for events & gives you another place to hang out in the event of bad weather.

 

We have found that the smaller ships that go on longer itineraries have a tendency to have a much older crowd. The shows were also geared to a much older crowd...movie night?!

 

 

 

 

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It makes sense...like the intimate size coupled with the long itineraries.

 

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[davekathy]

For us...Freedom and Voyager Class.

[kwazi07]

For us...Freedom and Voyager Class.

 

Its hard to believe that Voyager is already 15! Is it showing any age?

 

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[funnel]

I love all sizes of RCI ships. I have not sailed Oasis class yet, but will do that while Oasis is in Europe in September.

Radiance class is very nice, kind of like a super-yacht.

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/connect/blog/why-project-radiance-didnt-turn-out-as-planned/

 

Here is the blog about Radiance being a failure. It sounds as though he thought it was successful in the long term though I think.

 

I don't think he mentioned one of the big issues the Radiance class had with the machinery. Due to the type of gas turbines that was installed (instead of more traditional diesel engines) they could only run on the most expensive type of fuel. Back in 2005, when Radiance was four years and Jewel just one year they had plans to exchange the gas turbines to another type that could run on other types of fuel. In the end they put in a "port diesel" engine so they didn't have to use the turbines while in port. I guess that can be described as some kind of failure too as the machinery is a very expensive part of the ship.

 

I don't understand why Allure is going to Europe. After all, I think most of the ports can't handle ships that size. One of the Oasis class should sail year round from PC and one stays at PE.

 

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I guess it has something to do with how well they seem to fill up Oasis this year while she is doing a few cruises here in Europe during her dry dock trip.

 

/Erik

[davekathy]

Its hard to believe that Voyager is already 15! Is it showing any age?

 

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I never sailed on the Voyager Of The Seas. I've sailed on the Adventure Of The Seas which is a Voyager Class ship.

[TravelerThom]

It seems to me that the bigger ships are all doing mostly seven night runs and the smaller ships are getting an odd mix of short and long cruises.

Interesting that I looked at the same facts and assumed that it was the newer ships doing the sevens, and older ships doing the shorts and longs [yes, of course with a few exceptions newer equals bigger]. Both RCCL and CCL seem to introduce most of their new ships in the highly competitive South Florida market (Quantum being a notable exception), and move older ships to less competitive markets (eg Baltimore, Tampa) where they are still the fanciest thing in town. In the case of my two examples of Baltimore and Tampa the largest ships they can handle are Radiance class due to bridge height restrictions so they will not be getting anything newer (larger) unless they move the port location (being discussed in Tampa). Tampa 2014-15 putting the older/smaller Vision on a seven, with newer/larger Brilliance on fours and fives seem to be an exception to newer/larger on the sevens. But of course the most basic rule for the company is where can they deploy this ship (whether old or new) to make the most money (cabin + onboard revenue).

 

Thom

[kwazi07]

Interesting that I looked at the same facts and assumed that it was the newer ships doing the sevens, and older ships doing the shorts and longs [yes, of course with a few exceptions newer equals bigger]. Both RCCL and CCL seem to introduce most of their new ships in the highly competitive South Florida market (Quantum being a notable exception), and move older ships to less competitive markets (eg Baltimore, Tampa) where they are still the fanciest thing in town. In the case of my two examples of Baltimore and Tampa the largest ships they can handle are Radiance class due to bridge height restrictions so they will not be getting anything newer (larger) unless they move the port location (being discussed in Tampa). Tampa 2014-15 putting the older/smaller Vision on a seven, with newer/larger Brilliance on fours and fives seem to be an exception to newer/larger on the sevens. But of course the most basic rule for the company is where can they deploy this ship (whether old or new) to make the most money (cabin + onboard revenue).

 

Thom

 

I really wish that the Brilliance would be doing the seven nights from Tampa. By the time Vision has come to Tampa we have already sailed on one of her sisters(Enchantment). I don't think we will be very interested in Vision for awhile. And building a new port outside of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge seems difficult. It would either have to be in Sarasota/Bradenton or St Petersburg. None of them has the infrastructure and accessibility that Tampa does. They are closer to me, but St.Pete has no major airport and Sarasota's airport doesn't have many flights by major carriers. Another option could be Ft. Myers, which is about a 2.5 hour drive from Tampa. They have a major airport and no bridges to go under. This will be an interesting topic.

 

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