Occupancy % for a particular cruise?

[Paulxyz2004]

3 hours ago, Aviator of the Seas said:

I don't cruise often enough for my opinion to be significant, but I think that something has got to give.  I don't think that it is in RCI's long-term interest to become or be perceived as just the other cheap, mass market cruise line, if you know what I mean.  if they're trying to compete down instead of up, then loyals will naturally flee to other, more comfy lines.  Not sure if Azamara or Celebrity are that alternative, maybe I should try them (or maybe I'm just getting old!).

 

While I do understand your point of view as a customer, I think your expectations about their point of view are wrong. Every cruise line from the cheapest mass market line to the most luxury line will try to sell their ships at max. capacity. It must be their goal to sell as many berth as possible. If they want less people onboard, they will put less cabins on the ship, but once a cabin is there, they want to sell it.

 

 

[Homosassa]

Just to give an example of the idea of ship size vs passenger capacity affecting the feel of space on a ship: Grandeur of the Sea is 74,000 tons and hold 2,446 passengers vs HAL's Zuiderdam which is 83,205 tons (9,205 tons more than Grandeur) and carries 1,964 passengers (500 passengers less than Grandeur).

 

When taken into accord that HAL doesn't load their ships with gimcrack attractions that eat up public space, the feel of the ship is spacious.

 

Of course, the cruise experience on HAL (or other lines that go for cruise experience quality and not quantity) is different that on Royal Caribbean. It depends on what one is looking for in a cruise.

[ONECRUISER]

Royal is consistently above 105% each sailing. Last time I sailed with many empty cabins was in Fall 2001, right after 9/11 and Anthrax scare. Board I saw on the Bridge cruises recently on said 106% and 103%, not too many kids or 3/4 passengers on them. Some ships like Oasis Class would usually show higher. People forget that seems like these new ships are more crowded, the actual Sq Ft of public space and of Cabin's are a lot higher then was 20+ yrs ago

Edited October 29, 2018 by ONECRUISER

[RocCruisers]

Aviator - was there specific times or locations that made you feel overcrowded? 

On our Allure cruise, we felt crowded at the my time dining line.  As soon as we got traditional early, that feeling went away.  Diamond Club was busy, but not overcrowded IMHO.  Never had a problem with shows, Windjammer, pool, excursions.  Shopping is always hit or miss - but so is Macy's or Walmart. 

[John&LaLa]

33 minutes ago, Homosassa said:

Just to give an example of the idea of ship size vs passenger capacity affecting the feel of space on a ship: Grandeur of the Sea is 74,000 tons and hold 2,446 passengers vs HAL's Zuiderdam which is 83,205 tons (9,205 tons more than Grandeur) and carries 1,964 passengers (500 passengers less than Grandeur).

 

When taken into accord that HAL doesn't load their ships with gimcrack attractions that eat up public space, the feel of the ship is spacious.

 

Of course, the cruise experience on HAL (or other lines that go for cruise experience quality and not quantity) is different that on Royal Caribbean. It depends on what one is looking for in a cruise.

 

Cherry pick much? 😱

 

Your Grandeur numbers are at full occupancy,  and Z is at dbl occupancy. 🤔

 

G at dbl occupancy is 1,992, still smaller, but no need for the drama. 😇

 

Radiance ships are more in line with Z.

90,000 tons and 2,142 dbl. No gimmicks😎

[spudman9]

Its easy to arm chair from a distance and think RCL is crowded.  Try to look at it from their perspective.

 

Basic business model for any cruise line is to sail at or above full capacity.  They do not have the luxury of adjusting staff for periods of lower occupancy.  Waiters, cabin stewards, maintenance crew, security, entertainment, etc. all are there for every cruise.  So it pays for them to discount the unsold cabins to below cost to at least fill and gain the gratuities and port taxes.

 

Your local restaurant or JC Penny's can tell some employees not to come in if they are slow or are down in sales..  Cruise ships cannot.  When you pay $1.35b US to build, you need lots of butts in the seats.  At an average of $1k per person, you need 1.35m passengers just to break even (without interest based on 6k passengers) or 225 cruises.  That's a 4.3 year payback, which at that time will probably get a $100m refurbishment. 

 

So yes you will always see cruise ships crowded, don't matter which line.

[Biker19]

3 hours ago, spudman9 said:

  So it pays for them to discount the unsold cabins to below cost to at least fill and gain the gratuities and port taxes.

Nowadays, even more importantly, generate on board revenue, where most of the profits come from.

[Aviator of the Seas]

18 hours ago, RocCruisers said:

Aviator - was there specific times or locations that made you feel overcrowded? 

On our Allure cruise, we felt crowded at the my time dining line.  As soon as we got traditional early, that feeling went away.  Diamond Club was busy, but not overcrowded IMHO.  Never had a problem with shows, Windjammer, pool, excursions.  Shopping is always hit or miss - but so is Macy's or Walmart. 

Windjammer, My Time Dining on deck 3, even regular dining lines out the door and unto neighboring spaces, main pool, Solarium, Royal Promenade, theater...most everywhere.  Only respite were early mornings or the Aruba port call, where we chose to stay on board and enjoy the quiet, almost empty ship.

[Aviator of the Seas]

This is the answer I got on our Roll Call:

 

"At the Top Tier Event, I thought the Captain said around 4600.  He wasn't very specific in his answer to a direct question.  If I remember correctly about half were pre-Gold (1st timers). 

 

Nothing was stated at the first show".

[SRF]

On 10/29/2018 at 6:36 PM, Homosassa said:

Grandeur of the Sea is 74,000 tons and hold 2,446 passengers

 

That is 100% (2 per cabin).  Last two cruises I have been on Grandeur had just over 2800 passengers.

 

 

[thetwoofus1]

On our July 20th cruise on Harmony our CD said there were almost 6700 passengers.  I think that is a tad over 100%!!  We really only noticed it at the elevators.  One of our waiters told us they were able to handle all of the passengers because they had a large enough crew, (over 2200), and the crew was REALLY experienced. 

 

Jim

[Ourusualbeach]

24 minutes ago, thetwoofus1 said:

On our July 20th cruise on Harmony our CD said there were almost 6700 passengers.  I think that is a tad over 100%!!  We really only noticed it at the elevators.  One of our waiters told us they were able to handle all of the passengers because they had a large enough crew, (over 2200), and the crew was REALLY experienced. 

 

Jim

 

5479 is double occupancy or 100%.  

6780 is max capacity or 124%

 

you were almost at max capacity

[Biker19]

7 hours ago, SRF said:

 

That is 100% (2 per cabin).  Last two cruises I have been on Grandeur had just over 2800 passengers.

 

 

She's listed with 997 cabins, which would make 100% capacity at 1994.

[John&LaLa]

8 hours ago, SRF said:

 

That is 100% (2 per cabin).  Last two cruises I have been on Grandeur had just over 2800 passengers.

 

 

 

I dont think Enchantment even holds that many. 😱

[molsonschooner]

On 10/29/2018 at 8:41 AM, Aviator of the Seas said:

That's usually the case, but I must have missed it this time.  I asked around afterwards (front desk/guest services) and they couldn't or wouldn't tell me.  I am just trying to gather some real data before I try to write an informed review.  Don't want to say that the boat was sold at 110, 20 or 30% if it just felt that way.

I have seen it posted on a blackboard, I think as we were leaving or getting back on board nearly every cruise we have been on

[Merion_Mom]

Aviator of the Seas:

 

I am guessing that some of that feeling is because Freedom is one of the ships that added extra cabins.  Find a ship that didn't.  The public spaces would have been built to accommodate the number of passengers in the original plans.

[John&LaLa]

43 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

Aviator of the Seas:

 

I am guessing that some of that feeling is because Freedom is one of the ships that added extra cabins.  Find a ship that didn't.  The public spaces would have been built to accommodate the number of passengers in the original plans.

 

I'd guess Enchantment is the only current ship that added public space along with passenger cabins. 

[Merion_Mom]

20 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

I'd guess Enchantment is the only current ship that added public space along with passenger cabins. 

And that was only in SOME of the public spaces.  (for example, the pool deck area is larger, and they added some deck space above the pool deck.)  But the theater is the same size (a problem when there is a popular show or entertainer) and the dining rooms and Windjammer are the same size as they were.  With all of the other Vision class ships now having multiple specialty restaurants, it is odd that Enchantment still only has Chops.

[Clarea]

38 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

I'd guess Enchantment is the only current ship that added public space along with passenger cabins. 

 

Yes, I do like that big Boleros lounge.

[John&LaLa]

21 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

And that was only in SOME of the public spaces.  (for example, the pool deck area is larger, and they added some deck space above the pool deck.)  But the theater is the same size (a problem when there is a popular show or entertainer) and the dining rooms and Windjammer are the same size as they were.  With all of the other Vision class ships now having multiple specialty restaurants, it is odd that Enchantment still only has Chops.

 

I wonder what got added below decks?

 

Definitely same amount of public elevators

[SuiteLady]

On ‎10‎/‎29‎/‎2018 at 8:34 AM, Host Clarea said:

 

That's odd, I seem to recall the CD announcing the passenger count at the welcome aboard show.  

I agree....every cruise that I have been on, they would announce the passenger count!

[xsteph1022x]

On 10/29/2018 at 8:34 AM, Host Clarea said:

 

That's odd, I seem to recall the CD announcing the passenger count at the welcome aboard show.  

CD was no where to be found on the 10/20 freedom.   We were on this same cruise as the op and it didnt feel crowded at all, except the elevators, which is the same on every cruise.  We had a spot by the pool everyday got up and moved around, came back and found a new spot, again by the pool, even on sea days.  My time dining (deck 3) was not crowded for us, even lobster night, we ate late around 8:30.

 

The Whitney Houston tribute had the most people, we sat on the side (first showing at 7:30) we even had front row seats for the ice show, which we thought would be hard to find a seat since the line wrapped around the art gallery.

Edited October 31, 2018 by xsteph1022x

[riri13]

This corporate motivation to fill every cabin enables me to afford more cruises so there is an upside. My next one was booked at $388+tax for a 7 night cruise with balcony, booked about 6 weeks prior to sailing. They had rooms to fill, I'm price sensitive, it's win win. My spouse will make a donation to the casino, I will enjoy some tropical beverages, smart corporate strategy.

[SRF]

17 hours ago, Biker19 said:

She's listed with 997 cabins, which would make 100% capacity at 1994.

 

Wikipedia lists capacity at 2446.  

 

And we did bridge tours, and saw the board with the pax on board.

[Ourusualbeach]

1 hour ago, SRF said:

 

Wikipedia lists capacity at 2446.  

 

And we did bridge tours, and saw the board with the pax on board.

 

That’s maximum.