Shippy ships

[cruisebunnies]

We have sailed on the Allure twice and find it too big and like a mall rather than a ship.

Will some CC'S share their opinion on what ships they find shippy.

I mean more nautical,but still nice amenities.:cool:

[deliver42]

Radiance class ships are shippy, with a lot of open space and glass to see the ocean.

[MCC retired]

Radiance class for sure . You can actually see the sea .

[Clarea]

Vision class and Majesty too.

[Trainman-2]

Radiance Class is our Favorite!

 

We especially like the Windjammer's open air dining area overlooking the wake.

 

 

 

 

[Hidden Minnie]

We are about to sail on Allure and are a bit worried that we will find it too 'mall-like', as well....we love to see the ocean as much as possible.

 

We found the Disney ships to be very 'shippy'.....

[Essiesmom]

Almost any ship that is smaller...and most are...will feel more 'shippy'. EM

[Krazy Kruizers]

HAL ships are smaller. We love their Vista and Signature class ships.

[navybankerteacher]

Cunard and HAL ships - particularly their smaller ones are more ship than mall - and they seem to attract people who prefer ships to malls, so we wind up being among more compatible folks as well as being on ships we enjoy.

[Flatbush Flyer]

The older Renaissance ships, several of which form the smaller part of the Oceania fleet, the "R" ships, are true ocean Liners. They carry approx. 670 passengers each and you'll find nothing in the style of gaudiness or Vegas and amusement park wannabe decor or atmosphere.

Of course each of the R ships, once acquired by Oceania (and then regularly retrofitted afterwards -e.g., Regatta in 2014) becomes an absolutely ideal environment for cruisers seeking a civilized and cosmopolitan atmosphere.

 

This includes the recent acquisition and total retrofit of one of Princess' R ships, which was recently christened "Sirena."

 

OP: it's not just the physical environment that makes the difference you're looking for. On Oceania ships, including the two "larger" ships - Riviera and Marina (custom made for Oceania), there is the excellent food and service as well as first rate cabin amenities and ship wide highly restrictive smoking policies.

 

At first glance, cabin prices may appear high. But, with included airfare (plus beverages/specialty restaurants/internet/etc.) and O Life perks (choice of included alcohol/excursions/OBC), you'll find the "net daily rate" of premium Oceania to compare favorably (cost wise) with the better mass market lines (e.g., Celebrity, HAL, Princess, Disney) while providing a much better quality experience.

[Hlitner]

Shippy? Not sure we know the meaning of that term. But the OP takes a cruise on what was the largest cruise ship in the world and them comments its too big :). Personally, we love small ships (fewer then 800 passengers) where there are no malls, few queues, no reservations for most things, etc. On the other hand, there are no water slides or the type of carnival amenities that attract many younger folks to ships. On small ships, the sea is the attraction (not to mention the ports).

 

Hank

[jocap]

One of the R ships became P&O's Adonia, and was very popular, being one of the three adult only ships for the line.

Carnival has borrowed it to become the ship for their new line Fathom, and lots of people are hoping for her return...:confused: :rolleyes:

Yes, a very shippy ship.

My vote goes to the Aurora, of the same line. She's a one-off, built especially for world cruising, which happens every January. A very beautiful, and popular ship.

Edited June 2, 2016 by jocap

[CruzieSue]

We have only sailed with Royal Caribbean (so far !!) and LOVED the Voyager class (Mariner and Voyager). Practically identical in layout and sooooo easy to get around to the places you want to go, never felt crowded even though they were full with spring break crowds. For us, the Radiance class (Serenade) was just too small and confining after our experiences on the Voyager class, the only exception being that we LOVED the Windjammer's open air/covered dining area at the back of the ship (Trainman-2 posted photos above). Every ship should have that!! That was our favorite place on the entire ship. We came back onboard from our excursion at Nassau and sat, relaxed and watched a pouring down rain storm. We tried to go there every chance we had, whether having a meal or not. We are contemplating the big step up to Oasis next year, so I guess we will see if bigger is better. ;) Really, the only thing to do is try different ships and classes and see which fits you best and have a great time, no matter what. :)

[_linda_]

Think I remember Anthem having a small outdoor eating place.

To me the smaller ships have felt more roomy, less "stuff" crammed in, more space on sundecks, and maybe less guests also helps. I shall translate that as smaller feel shippy and large feel like an entertainment complex.

 

 

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[Flatbush Flyer]

We have only sailed with Royal Caribbean (so far !!) and LOVED the Voyager class (Mariner and Voyager). Practically identical in layout and sooooo easy to get around to the places you want to go, never felt crowded even though they were full with spring break crowds. For us, the Radiance class (Serenade) was just too small and confining after our experiences on the Voyager class, the only exception being that we LOVED the Windjammer's open air/covered dining area at the back of the ship (Trainman-2 posted photos above). Every ship should have that!! That was our favorite place on the entire ship. We came back onboard from our excursion at Nassau and sat, relaxed and watched a pouring down rain storm. We tried to go there every chance we had, whether having a meal or not. We are contemplating the big step up to Oasis next year, so I guess we will see if bigger is better. ;) Really, the only thing to do is try different ships and classes and see which fits you best and have a great time, no matter what. :)

 

 

If you really like outside dining aft, there are some cruise lines where every ship does have a "Terrace Grill." It's Oceania and each of the line's six ship's Terrace Grill (as close as O will come to having a "buffet") has the aft outdoor dining area (forward half of the abeam seating is covered). It's open for all mealtimes and provides staff-served "buffet" items (different menu items nightly), a cooked-to-order grill and bar service.

[Aquahound]

We have only sailed with Royal Caribbean (so far !!) and LOVED the Voyager class (Mariner and Voyager). Practically identical in layout and sooooo easy to get around to the places you want to go, never felt crowded even though they were full with spring break crowds. For us, the Radiance class (Serenade) was just too small and confining after our experiences on the Voyager class, the only exception being that we LOVED the Windjammer's open air/covered dining area at the back of the ship (Trainman-2 posted photos above). Every ship should have that!! That was our favorite place on the entire ship. We came back onboard from our excursion at Nassau and sat, relaxed and watched a pouring down rain storm. We tried to go there every chance we had, whether having a meal or not. We are contemplating the big step up to Oasis next year, so I guess we will see if bigger is better. ;) Really, the only thing to do is try different ships and classes and see which fits you best and have a great time, no matter what. :)

 

If you thought Radiance Class was too small and confining, the last thing you want to do is try Oceania as someone else suggested.

 

Celebrity Solstice Class and Princess Royal Class have nice outdoor eating areas aft of their buffets. If you consider either of those 2, I would lean heavily toward Solstice.

[Lovely other]

The reason I originally chose HAL is because their ships resemble ships rather than floating tower blocks ... I always feel so proud getting on a beautiful looking ship

[calliopecruiser]

For me, the full 360 degree promenade is a big part of feeling like I'm on a ship.....most (if not all) of the Holland America ships have one, as well as Crystal's cruise ships.