Compared to Princess, what can I expect?

[Cruisin'40]

We have been on a few Princess cruises and have booked our first RCI cruise on the Navigator for Christmas.

I know tastes differ and on most counts I have heard RCI and Princess are comparable.

What are RCI's strengths? Weaknesses? compared to Princess.

Also is the Navigator a good choice for a family who likes big ships? Wanted the new freedom but sheesh they wanted a fortune to book on the holiday!

[bobbie0253]

IMO

 

The Desserts are better on RCCL.

Service is slightly better, mainly in the dining room.

You tip in cash, not auto tipping. We like the cash tips better.

 

The ships are easier to get around.

 

Princess doesn't have a ship as big as the Voyager-class. If they did, I'd be on it in a heartbeat! LOL

 

That's all I can think of at the moment. :)

[TexasMom2]

Storage in the regular balcony cabins will be a little better laid out. There is a mirrored door covering the toiletries storage in the bathroom, instead of just a bar to hold everything in. I really like the towel animals, they are fun to photograph for your scrapbook. People on the Princess board who have cruised the voyager class sometimes say that they didn't like the promenade, that it feels like being at the mall. Personally, I like it better, lots of places lined up together - boutiques, pubs, snacks. You won't have to look at your deck plan to figure out where to go for a coffee or cookie. There is a cool stairway to the casino from the promenade, too. The multi-storied dining room will blow you away. I wasn't a fan of the low ceiling on the Grand Princess, sort of felt like a banquet at a nice hotel. I felt that the employees were happier and friendlier, too. All of this is subjective - if I posted this on the Princess board I would get my head chopped off.

 

Post a review when you get back -- would like to hear your impressions.

[CruisinDawn]

Depends on the Princess ship I guess. We were on the Grand and felt we were always confused as to where we were headed and felt some what closed in. We felt the Navigator (Voyager) is easy to get around in. In Awww of the Promanade, don't care if some say it felt like a mall. It's amazing and very open.

 

Princess had the Baked Alaska parade in the dining room which we thought was fantastic, not sure if they still do that. Heard few cruislines still light thing on fire in the dining room :D But Royal has parades in the dining room that are equally as fun so bring your camera to dinner.

 

Food is easier to find on Princess but I wouldn't book a cruise based on how far I have to walk for food, hehe. Royal closes it's buffet to switch meals where as the Grand just switched sides of the ship so buffet was open 24/7. There was also the fast food by the pool on Princess, non of that on Royal.

 

Dining room food, felt they were equal but depends on taste, I am not picky.

 

Entertainment, equal, good & bad on both. Again, it depends on taste. We don't go for the Broadway type shows but loved the Hypnotist show on the Grand. I will never forgot the lady running through the audience yelling "The British are coming the British are coming" Hilarious.

 

Pools, loved that Princess had more but we still sat where we couldn't even see the pool most days since it was so crowded at the adult pool.

 

Equal in my opinion, just remember your asking for opinions and you will get them on this board :D Honestly think you will be happy on either line, just think Princess tends to be a tad older crowd.

 

BonVoyage

Dawna

[Fairsailing]

I think you'll find that they are pretty comparable. The service and entertainment may vary either way due to the personnel on the ship, not necessarily the change in cruise line. I found the food to be the about the same.

 

The biggest difference between the two lines are their ships. Between the Promenade, ice skating show, rock climbing wall, three-story dining room, centrums, etc., RCCL ships stand out. Once you go on a Voyager-class (or Radiance-class for that matter), you'll wonder why Princess is still content to take a ship design that seems like it is from the 80's and just make it bigger when they build their new ships. Some people say that the Promenade makes them feel like they're in a mall. Well, on the Sapphire Princess I felt like a rat in a maze fter winding my way through corridors and having to go up a deck, then aft, then down a deck just to get to the dining room. I'll take the mall, thanks.

[Cruisin'40]

Glad to hear the desserts may be better than Princess, while the novelty of the "parade of baked Alaskas" was fun the first time, I don't particularly care for it and they don't give you any dessert choices that night. I am looking forward to the midnight chocolate buffet on the RCI.

I did like the pizza by the pool and the fresh water pools on Princess. But we are looking forward to the Rock Climbing wall and ice skating.

We haven't any complaints on the service on Princess and have heard only good things about RCI. We are looking forward to the new experiences and hope we don't miss anything.

I am a little confused about the tipping though? On Princess a certain amount is added on and you tip extra to those you feel deserve extra at the end, 15% is added to bar bills, is it different at RCI?

Any other tips, things we shouldn't miss?

Also this is our first holiday cruise, will things be more crowded (pools, rock walls, etc)?

[Merion_Mom]

Glad to hear the desserts may be better than Princess, while the novelty of the "parade of baked Alaskas" was fun the first time, I don't particularly care for it and they don't give you any dessert choices that night. I am looking forward to the midnight chocolate buffet on the RCI.

I did like the pizza by the pool and the fresh water pools on Princess. But we are looking forward to the Rock Climbing wall and ice skating.

We haven't any complaints on the service on Princess and have heard only good things about RCI. We are looking forward to the new experiences and hope we don't miss anything.

I am a little confused about the tipping though? On Princess a certain amount is added on and you tip extra to those you feel deserve extra at the end, 15% is added to bar bills, is it different at RCI?

RCI also adds 15% to your bar bill, but there is NO auto-tipping for your cabin steward, waiter and assistant waiter. You CAN ask that they be charged to your account, or pre-pay them before you sail, but you don't have to.

Any other tips, things we shouldn't miss?

Also this is our first holiday cruise, will things be more crowded (pools, rock walls, etc)?

Yes, things will be more crowded, but not horrendously so. The Navigator is a big ship that is very well laid out, and it accommodates its passenger load very gracefully.

[emilygrace]

The biggest difference I noticed was that the crew was MUCH friendlier and happier on RCL. And I have to agree with RCL ships being easier to find your way around.

[kimanjo]

Sailed Princess 2x and did not like the Anytime dining option...seems that the sevice is better in a "traditional" scheduled dining room.

 

I do have a question about RCI, haven't sailed them lately and I am thinking about doing the Explorer...is there no other food choice other than the Windjamer cafe and the formal dining room? No pizza, deli sandwich area, pasta station, etc? We sailed Carnival last year (1st time, I won the cruise!) and I was very thrilled with all the dining choices, especially the Asian food station (I'm a sushi addict).

[TexasMom2]

You can get sandwiches, pizza, cookies, pastries, desserts, coffee, etc., in the Promenade Cafe. A great place to stop for a snack on your way back from an shore excursion, especially if you have late seating for dinner.

[negc]

Sailed Princess 2x and did not like the Anytime dining option...seems that the sevice is better in a "traditional" scheduled dining room.

 

I do have a question about RCI, haven't sailed them lately and I am thinking about doing the Explorer...is there no other food choice other than the Windjamer cafe and the formal dining room? No pizza, deli sandwich area, pasta station, etc? We sailed Carnival last year (1st time, I won the cruise!) and I was very thrilled with all the dining choices, especially the Asian food station (I'm a sushi addict).

 

On the Explorer and other Voyager class ships, there is Johnny Rockets for burgers,fries, and shakes etc. and the Cafe Promenade for pizza, sandwiches, cookies and other snack foods.Ben & Jerry's for ice cream (extra cost) and Sprinkles for free soft serve ice cream. In addition there are Chops Steak house and Portofinos Italian restaurant for alternative (extra charge) dining. In addition there is 24 hour room service. I'm not sure about the Voyager class ships but the Radiance class ships also have Jade for Asian foods.

One thing is certain, you shouldn't go hungry while you are onboard.:)

[Cruisin'40]

Okay, so no poolside pizza but it sounds like we won't have a problem finding a bite to eat!

[Phaedra_11]

The biggest difference I noticed was that the crew was MUCH friendlier and happier on RCL. And I have to agree with RCL ships being easier to find your way around.

I agree! And I found the crew to be genuinely happy..not happy because they had to be.

 

Some more differences:

RCL treats their past cruisers much better.

RCL has salt water in their pools whereas Princess has fresh water.

Princess buffet open 24 hours.

[sally r]

Emilygrace is right on!

 

Rci ships have a better "feel". We just did the Sapphire Princess and the ship was really drop dead beautiful. All the pools! However, the ship just felt stuffy, like we were at a fancy hotel and needed to be on our best behavior. On RC it is truely a vacation. I am not saying we run wild but at least you don't get the "look" if you laugh out loud!

 

Did enjoy the anytime dining on Princess.

[CruiseFever]

We have been on a few Princess cruises and have booked our first RCI cruise on the Navigator for Christmas.

I know tastes differ and on most counts I have heard RCI and Princess are comparable.

What are RCI's strengths? Weaknesses? compared to Princess.

Also is the Navigator a good choice for a family who likes big ships? Wanted the new freedom but sheesh they wanted a fortune to book on the holiday!

 

• RCL's sailaway party blows Princess away. On our Empress sailing late last year when the Royal Caribbean Dancers exploded on to the deck they really got the cruise off to a great start. I don't know if they do that on all the ships but they should
  
• They've got Graham Seymour now. Arguably one of Princess' top CD's is wowing them here too
  
• No anytime dining- if you liked that on Princess you're out of luck here. Best bet for that type of service is NCL's freestyle- they figured out how to make everyone happy
  
• Kids programs anyone? Royal Caribbean's Adventure Ocean, IMHO, has just super kid-friendly Disney as competition. Parents tell me Princess is simply not "committed" to kids, it's something they do because they have to. I'll never forget sitting in the casino at my slot machine when they paraded the kids through just having the time of their little lives.
  
• Food? Thats so subjective. I miss the made from scratch fettuccini alfredo available all the time on Princess but I really like the pasta dude that makes what you want in the dining room at lunch
  
• Service? In minisuites (called "junior suites" on Royal Caribbean) and above, a real race to see who's better. Personally I've only viewed this from afar but looks like a really even match there.
  
• Princess gives free fruit bowl, you pay for that on Royal Caribbean
  
• Some Princess ships have Movies Under The Stars which I think is really cool. ALL Royal Caribbean ships have a rock wall which scares the hell out of me
  
• Princess has Skywalkers disco perched high above the aft end of the ship, nobody I've seen so far has anything even close
  
• Royal Caribbean lets 18 year olds drink which doesn't seem to be a problem. Princess doesn't let 18 year olds drink and I see way more drunk 18 year olds. Not sure what the moral of that story is
  
• Entertainment- dead even, I think there is one guy someplace that designs the shows for all the cruise ships on all the cruise lines
  
• Price- Royal Caribbean does have the "no discount" price thing but comparing cruise to cruise, Royal Caribean (IMHO) is a better value for the most part....but it's a close call. Truth is, good travel agents LOVE Royal Caribbean because "price war" is not the name of the game. "service war" is.
  
• Itineraries- Princess goes to more places. Royal Caribbean is often left "tendering" while other ships like Princess, under the Carnival umbrella have a cozy slip into the dock.
  
• Booze smuggling factor: about the same on both- not a problem if discreet about it- leave keg at home
  
• Passenger Mix- more boring old people on Princess, not a lot but more. (Surely not like Holland America- woah baby turn out the lights at 9:00!) More active seniors who know how to have fun and are hungry for life on Royal Caribbean
  
• Overall cruise experience- about the same.

Hope that helps

[RobNC2001]

These are two very competitive lines and I wouldn't hesitate to book either. In my experience, food is about the same, maybe a bit better in the main dining room and cafeteria on Princess. RCI's specialty restaurants are better than the Princess specialty restaurants. RCI's ships are a lot more fun and better laid out. Rooms are about the same. Service is about the same. Entertainment is about the same. Princess attracts a somewhat older crowd. But also all of this depends a lot on the individual ship. In general, if you liked Princess, I think you will also like RCI.

[RobNC2001]

I agree! And I found the crew to be genuinely happy..not happy because they had to be.

 

Some more differences:

RCL treats their past cruisers much better.

RCL has salt water in their pools whereas Princess has fresh water.

Princess buffet open 24 hours.

 

Ditto. And what's the deal with that???? Can we bottle it and spray it on all the nasty customer service people we encounter here in America?

[vlnovak]

If you like sushi, try celeberty, every night on the mercury in the 24 hr diningroom. also pasta at lunch and dinner made to order

[jd618]

·We think the service in general is much better on RCI - - great attitudes.

·If you are use to getting the “Coke” sticker on Princess, you’ll want to evaluate this on RCI. It’s a lot more expensive. It wasn’t worth it for us.

·Standard Cabins / balconies - -about the same

·Our last RCI cruise we missed there not being a 24 hr. buffet. On Princess we were use to stopping by the buffet for a little something sweet on our way to bed. On RCI, nothing was available. The first few nights we were disappointed, but then we settled for hot tea or waited for Midnight Buffet.

·We thought the entertainment was much better on RCI (IMO).

·Pool side entertainment is toned down a notch from Princess, and we like it better.

·My husband missed the fresh water in the pools at Princess.

·Room Service for breakfast - - I like that RCI calls me about 5 minutes before they knocked on the door.

On Princess or RCI - - - you can’t go wrong! We love them both!! Happy cruising!

 

Constellation Oct. ’06 (Cabin off back of ship) – Western Caribbean

Brilliance of the Seas April ’06 (Cabin off back of ship) – Panama Canal

Jewel of the Seas Oct. ’05 – Bermuda and Caribbean

Dawn Princess March '05 - Western Caribbean

Caribbean Princess '04 (C752 Cabin off back of ship) - Eastern Caribbean

Island Princess '03 - Panama Canal

Star Princess '03 - Mexican Riveria

Grand Princess '02 - Western Caribbean

Enchantment of the Seas '98 - Eastern Caribbean

[threeofus]

Princess: Dining Better Food, Better Service, WAY BETTER PIZZA and Fresh water pools - Personal choice dining no towels poolside - you bring them from your room. You can bring wine on board - as much as you want - no smuggling needed. You are able to pay cash for bingo cards and horseracing.

 

RCI - More fun, more kids, more to do....traditional dining, larger rooms.

 

Even: Entertainment and Buffets

[alexkrn46]

Only been on Princess once, on the Star Princess Alaskan Cruise.

Food -quality was the same did not like the fact we had to make a reservation each day.

Entertainment- Equal quality except only one show which meant many where turned away.

Drink and Photos- much cheaper on Princess.

Towels- not enough towels given out daily on Princess. But they will give you a robe if you ask.

Price- Princess was signifigantly cheaper.

Overall we prefer RCCL even if more expensive, but if the opportunity arised would go on a princess cruise.