You all think RCCL is best???

[CGTNORMANDIE]

I have never had a bad cruise...some disappointments to be sure...but never a bad cruise.

 

We like RCI a lot and we like Celebrity a lot. Princess is nice and we love the Grand Class ships...but we prefer RCI and Celebrity...each for different reasons.

 

I think you would have to do at least 10-15 cruises per year to keep up with the trends and what is hot and what is not. For a person to say they hate XYZ line, because the had a bad experience, does not tell the whole story. You can go on 1 ship and hate it and then on another ship of the same line and love it. This is what I call the "SHIP HAPPENS" syndrome. One week you hear glowing reports and then the following week you get horror stories. For one reason or another things can go wrong at any time. The funniest ones are when one person complains about having had a lousy time and then another person posts that they had a great time...on the same ship and on the same cruise LOL!!!

 

Sit back and enjoy. I hear MCI and Costa are now putting out a good product...who knows...until you have tried them all!!!

 

ROSS

[heartofamerica]

I've cruised Celebrity (Horizon) - great service and food was exceptional. I've been on Holland America twice (both times the Zuiderdam) - their cabins are considerably larger than what we had on RCCL. But I was quite impressed with the "bang for the buck" that we got with RCCL (Serenade) - good activities, our captain seemed to want to give us a memorable cruise (Southern Caribbean on Serenade is fantastic), and the service was top notch. I agree with others, there's no such thing as a "bad cruise".

[Cruising89143]

I have never had a bad cruise...some disappointments to be sure...but never a bad cruise.

 

We like RCI a lot and we like Celebrity a lot. Princess is nice and we love the Grand Class ships...but we prefer RCI and Celebrity...each for different reasons.

 

I think you would have to do at least 10-15 cruises per year to keep up with the trends and what is hot and what is not. For a person to say they hate XYZ line, because the had a bad experience, does not tell the whole story. You can go on 1 ship and hate it and then on another ship of the same line and love it. This is what I call the "SHIP HAPPENS" syndrome. One week you hear glowing reports and then the following week you get horror stories. For one reason or another things can go wrong at any time. The funniest ones are when one person complains about having had a lousy time and then another person posts that they had a great time...on the same ship and on the same cruise LOL!!!

 

Sit back and enjoy. I hear MCI and Costa are now putting out a good product...who knows...until you have tried them all!!!

 

ROSS

 

A lot has to do with ones expectations. I have found that some people do not do their homework about a certain line and when things are not what the passenger was expecting then it turns into the cruise from hell. Nothing is right and the cruise line is the worst thing on earth. I have had some cruises that were not up to snuff but I did not give up on the line.

 

I hope that MSC is able to give the other mass market lines a run for their money. It's nice to see someone besides Carnival Corp. and RCI have all the marbles. I wish them luck here in the U.S market.

[Casey2]

I have been on 3 cruises, the first with Carnival, the second with Princess and the last with RCI. I found them all to be more or less comparable. There were things that each line did best- rooms were the largest and the food the best on Carnival, also there was a great CD. On Princess, the menu was the most varied and the wait staff was very accomodating. THe CD was not very good. Some of the entertainment conflicted with late dinner seating- not the main events but the alternate events. RCI had the best entertaininment, a great CD, a beautiful ship, but the smallest room and the least varied menu. The wait staff was not very accomodating about substituions on the menu. I wouldn't hesitate to cruise with any of them. I will base my next cruise on itinerary and price.

[Alexis]

Ok, how about this then;

 

 

:D :D

 

 

LMBO! That is sooo funny to see. I love it.

[RPhCruiser]

I will base my next cruise on itinerary and price.

 

I couldn't agree more. We originally were going to sail RCI this saturday as we were familiar with said cruise line. But the itinerary had been done before, and the price was expensive for that weeks sailing. We checked the Golden, loved her itinerary (only port we've been to is St.Thomas), and got a mini-suite for the price we would have paid for an inside on the RCI ship. Thus we choose the Golden. Will we be disappointed compared to RCI? Possibly, but it's exciting to try something new, to new islands, on our first "balcony" room. But really, besides the weather, you are the one that can make or break a cruise. Why complain about every little detail and/or service, when, after all, you are in the Caribbean, with crew members basically serving you day and night. Not bad, eh?

[jm3156]

We have been on 12 cruises. Carnival,NCL and RCCL. The ships were all different, from the new megaboats to the older smaller ships. Our experience has been that no matter which line or size boat you are on, you can have a great experience. I was even on the Dawn rogue wave cruise and my cabin was flooded but we still had a great time. All the lines have great service and the food is usually good too. I choose based on price and have never been disappointed. Any day at sea is better than a day at home!!!

 

Joanne

[danitamb]

Ok, how about this then;

 

 

:D :D

 

 

Okay now that was pretty darn funny. Thanks for the laugh.

[imsulin2]

Except that you've never been on either of these cruise lines!

[imsulin2]

Well, 1corona4u, about having spent "more time on the water"....I worked as the Purser/Cruise Director/Booking Agent on a privately-owned tall ship/yacht during the summers for ten years from 1989 to 1999. I didn't have to pay for this, either....in fact, I got paid. Just like you. However, I have been cruising on "formal" cruise ships since the 70's (The original Love Boat) I've been on HAL, RCI, Carnival, Celebrity, Princess, NCL, Commodore, Premier, Windjammer, and one small privately-owned small yacht (gratis) three times doing the BVI. I've been to Palm Island, Mayreau, the Grenadines, Saba, Barbuda, Nevis, Anguilla...ad infinitum. So - don't be so quick to judge someone whose background you don't know! OK?

[mimikens]

Having been on 40+ cruises (so more than 1 a year since birth), I can tell you that RCI is my favorite line. I was given a free Carnival cruise (I wasn't even asked to pay taxes) but after having gone on 3, I wouldn't step on their ships again. I used to like NCL, but haven't sailed with them since they started the Freestyle Cruising. One of my favorite things is meeting and hanging with my tablemates. I have no desire to sit with different people each night. Disney is great if you have kids and go to bed when they do. Costa I just didn't like.

 

I've never been on Princess, HAL or Celebrity. Celebrity is the only one I would consider and even that is questionable.

 

So, RCI is the best suited for me. Ever since my first cruise on the Song of America, I have loved RCI. As a Diamond, they treat me as royalty. I love the activities, the decor, the service, the whole ball of wax.

[RPhCruiser]

sue....does fishing on Lake Michigan count? :D well, we are 36 hours away from the caribbean. so this should be my last post. Have fun, ya'll....not matter which line you choose. RCI is great....Carnival is better than average, and I will hold judgement on Princess until I actually sail her, which will be very darn soon! shopping cart...here I come!!!!:cool:

[MarkandStacie]

You have had one to many Coronas that is for sure. I must be a visually pleasing to the eye expert as well; I was on a nuclear submarine for over 10 years. I'd dare say that means I have been on the ocean on an uglier ship than even Johnny Corona. If that is our grounds for expert decision making, I'd still take a free cruise too.

 

My idea of a perfect visual on a cruise is one of the following: poolside with a steel drum band playing, breakfast overlooking the beautiful Caribbean, dinner with my new table friends, or my wife and I on the balcony under the stars. A less perfect view would have mini golf/rock climbing walls/surf wave machines/ice rinks in it. Even though your beloved one and only is filled with those; and I have been on no Voyager Class ships, I still would still not blindly dismiss them.

 

You can disreguard all other lines after your vast expierience, but what else do you quickly judge by the exterior only? People?

[ducklite]

But not all of the people continue the rant, such as you have. They usually say what's on their minds, then move on. I know you have every right to be here, and post, but really, the more you post about how bad it was for you, the more people probably discount what you say, and ignore it completely.

 

That's all I'm saying.

 

I hardly consider my posts rants, and if you don't like them, just don't read them.

 

I'm not simply stateing "RCCL sucks". I've given valid, objective information to back up my statements. The fact that I've written twice to RCCL since I've been off their ship, and they still haven't bothered to even send a form letter as ackowledgement says something about their lack of respect for the concerns of their customers.

 

Anne

[1corona4u]

You have had one to many Coronas that is for sure. I must be a visually pleasing to the eye expert as well; I was on a nuclear submarine for over 10 years. I'd dare say that means I have been on the ocean on an uglier ship than even Johnny Corona. If that is our grounds for expert decision making, I'd still take a free cruise too.

 

My idea of a perfect visual on a cruise is one of the following: poolside with a steel drum band playing, breakfast overlooking the beautiful Caribbean, dinner with my new table friends, or my wife and I on the balcony under the stars. A less perfect view would have mini golf/rock climbing walls/surf wave machines/ice rinks in it. Even though your beloved one and only is filled with those; and I have been on no Voyager Class ships, I still would still not blindly dismiss them.

 

You can disreguard all other lines after your vast expierience, but what else do you quickly judge by the exterior only? People?

 

FYI, I am a female, not a "Johnny".

 

I'm done with this entire stupid attack on my opinions, and choices for cruising.:mad:

[cruise182]

But I was quite impressed with the "bang for the buck" that we got with RCCL (Serenade) - good activities, our captain seemed to want to give us a memorable cruise (Southern Caribbean on Serenade is fantastic), and the service was top notch.".

:D :) :D :)

I agree!!!

[cruise182]

If you are on the ship....how can you see the exterior? Perhaps, since the exterior is a big sticking point, you should cruise on the ugly exterior ship so that in port you can admire the more pleasing exterior of the other ships. If you were on the pretty ship then chances are you would be looking at the not so pleasing exterior of a Carnival princess ship!!

 

Just a thought...

[AFT_LOVER]

to ACorona4U. I really got a laugh out of someone else calling Pincess Grand Class a shopping cart! When we boarded the first one years ago, that was the first words out of my mouth & then my DH caught on. To see the back from a distance it is the world's largest shopping cart.

 

Now Carnival as a milk carton is another good one, a first for me there. After our only cruise on Ecstasy to Nassau for the grand opening of Atlantis & to lose all of our clothes to a laundry room fire in the room next door. Great cruiseline offers 25% our next cruise............... we had no insurance but felt we save hundreds over air fare getting there.

[MarkandStacie]

and funny. If you love the way they look from the outside, simply schedule a cruise on the ugliest ship Ms. Corona can find and all the other ones you can actually see in port will look nice.

[1corona4u]

to ACorona4U. I really got a laugh out of someone else calling Pincess Grand Class a shopping cart! When we boarded the first one years ago, that was the first words out of my mouth & then my DH caught on. To see the back from a distance it is the world's largest shopping cart.

 

Now Carnival as a milk carton is another good one, a first for me there. After our only cruise on Ecstasy to Nassau for the grand opening of Atlantis & to lose all of our clothes to a laundry room fire in the room next door. Great cruiseline offers 25% our next cruise............... we had no insurance but felt we save hundreds over air fare getting there.

 

Glad to see I'm not the only one that thinks that! LOL. Thanks for taking it in the spirit that it was intended, fun.;) :D

[cruise182]

Glad to see I'm not the only one that thinks that! LOL. Thanks for taking it in the spirit that it was intended, fun.;) :D

ahh MACOP:o :o

[caviargal]

I was just wondering what you all thought. I have researched and researched and I seem to think so.

 

 

I was a loyal RCI fan for many years as you can see from my signature. But, times have changed and so has RCI. IMHO, the changes are not positive. In the past, I would consider RCI first, but no longer.

 

Dress codes are no longer enforced and the dining rooms at dinner are no better than on Carnival.

 

Kids and teens are allowed to run rampant on the ships, with little to no intervention from staff members.

 

Announcements and nickel and diming are becoming pervasive.

 

RCI used to have a lot more class but times have changed.

 

JMHO.

[cruise182]

I was a loyal RCI fan for many years as you can see from my signature. But, times have changed and so has RCI. IMHO, the changes are not positive. In the past, I would consider RCI first, but no longer.

 

Dress codes are no longer enforced and the dining rooms at dinner are no better than on Carnival.

 

Kids and teens are allowed to run rampant on the ships, with little to no intervention from staff members.

 

Announcements and nickel and diming are becoming pervasive.

 

RCI used to have a lot more class but times have changed.

 

JMHO.

 

What line has not changed?

[rmillsap]

1 Carnival

1 Norwegian

23 RCI

I guess that says it all.

[caviargal]

What line has not changed?

 

Of the mass market lines, Celebrity does not do the announcements or the "garage sales" in the shops, at least not yet.

 

And I have never had a problem with kids on their ships.

 

I will be on HAL soon and will let you know if they have also succumbed. Hope not or I am going to be sticking to land based vacations.