Need Recommendation for a ship....

[cruiser61262]

 We are thinking about going on a RCCL cruise in April of 2022 (we plan ahead.)  I need help and guidance.... where should I start in choosing a ship class that we might enjoy?  I have plenty of time to do my research but truly don't know where to start.  A little background.... We are in our mid 50's.  We have not sailed RCCL since the Grandeur of the Seas about 15 years ago when our daughter was still sailing with us.  We had a very good time, but we only do one cruise a year so we concentrated on getting our Elite status on Celebrity and have just stuck with them ever since.  We love Celebrity but are getting bored with their itineraries and decided that it might be time to change things up. We are also excited about being Diamond on RCCL, but have not looked into what that will entail and what the benefits are.  I guess I am just being lazy, but I know people on the boards are very informed so I appreciate that you are indulging me.

A little more about us:

We usually book a veranda room and enjoy the private outdoor space

We have never been on a mega ship and not sure we would enjoy it but are open to it with the right encouragement. Our last cruise was on the Edge which was really not our cup of tea.

We know that RCCL is a family orientated cruise line and we do like Kids, but my husband is a teacher and we have to cruise during school break so is there a ship class that does not have as many bells and whistles that might appeal to people without children with them?

We don't mind older ships because we like their character even if others consider them "tired".

Are there any "adult only spaces" on cruises with many children (I know that sounds awful)?

We are used to the laid back experience of Celebrity  so if anyone has been on both cruise lines... do you think that we would like the RCCL vibe?  We did enjoy many on the activities around the pool on our last RCCL cruise as well as the fitness program as compared to Celebrity.

Thank you in advance I look forward to your responses

 

[suesnake2002]

Big list. I will try yo help. Stay away from oasis,quantum, and freedom class ships. These are very family oriented, meaning lots of kids. I would suggest a vision class. The trade off of the big ships to small ships is the quality of the shows. The big ships have Broadway type shows, and the smaller ships.... well expect joke telling jugglers. Yes for real. 

You can always stay in a full suite (grand suite and higher) on the big ships and be seperate from the crowds. 

The big draw on diamond level is balcony discount, and cocktail hours every nite. There are a few other small perks. You have to decide itinary, and convienet port

[cruiser61262]

7 minutes ago, suesnake2002 said:

Big list. I will try yo help. Stay away from oasis,quantum, and freedom class ships. These are very family oriented, meaning lots of kids. I would suggest a vision class. The trade off of the big ships to small ships is the quality of the shows. The big ships have Broadway type shows, and the smaller ships.... well expect joke telling jugglers. Yes for real. 

You can always stay in a full suite (grand suite and higher) on the big ships and be seperate from the crowds. 

The big draw on diamond level is balcony discount, and cocktail hours every nite. There are a few other small perks. You have to decide itinary, and convienet port

That is what I needed to know....now I know where to start!!!

[h20skibum]

We have sailed Oasis class during spring break, and there were over 2,000 kids onboard.  That said, we still sail Oasis class, but try to go during times when there are fewer kids onboard.  We just came off Equinox, and our next three booked cruises are Anthem, Ovation, and Oasis, so we are familiar with both lines.

 

One thing about Oasis class is you need to book all the shows, so it does take a lot more planning.  The shows, however, are the best you will find at sea.

 

For a smaller, older ship, you may look at the Radiance class.  The Serenade is about the same size as Summit, and we have been on both, with several sailings on Serenade.

 

Hours in the Diamond Lounge are about twice as long as on Celebrity.  We have always booked our Celebrity cruises with the premium package, so we never ended up in their lounges.

 

In the bars, individual drink prices are about equal. 

 

The Solarium on Royal ships are adults only, but Oasis class ships do not have large pools in the solarium, or they may be non-existent.

[Tee & Chilli]

You may enjoy Radiance class. Lots of ocean views from public spaces.

[detroitreds]

Keep in mind that I've only been on 4 cruises, 3 being Oasis Class. The sailings have been in my 30's. We didn't bring our kids, but I have to admit that I didn't feel that there were that many kids. Yes, there will be more around kid activities area, but nothing that we felt was "annoying". Perhaps it's because we didn't plan the same activities. Even around the pool areas, there was just this usual family crowd noise levels. Usually, the more kids, the greater chance for strollers, but you also have the wheelchairs and walkers. I almost felt like the kids where generally well behaving. We actually were more annoyed by certain folks on eletric wheelchairs, because they were loosing patience getting through crowds and you could feel their negative energy. One in particular was gently hitting passengers to get out of the way.

 

On Oasis class, the Solarium is adult only. It's essentially an outdoor lounging area overlooking the front of the ship. Very peaceful with ambiant music.

 

That's just my personal experience. I would expect each sailing to be somewhat different.

Edited January 25, 2020 by detroitreds

[Cel_cruise]

I feel like you should look at the smaller / older ships to see if they have any itineraries that interest you the week you are going but also look at Symphony.   It’s got a great (adult only) solarium that’s stunning and the most amazing shows!!    I would avoid Harmony because of the lack of pool in the solarium.    There are plenty of places to feel kid free.  

[John&LaLa]

No Royal cruise is devoid of children anymore.

KSF promotions in off season make up for the high numbers during holidays, summers, and other school breaks.

Add in International guests and home schoolers, and this is one big family cruise line.

[LilBlackDress]

My understanding is, longer cruises (over 8/9 nights) aren't as populated with kids. Being that you can only cruise during school breaks that might not necessarily hold true tho. 
Not sure if you are looking at only sailing out of the US, but other countries may have different school schedules to where there would be less kids. 

[John&LaLa]

5 minutes ago, LilBlackDress said:

My understanding is, longer cruises (over 8/9 nights) aren't as populated with kids. Being that you can only cruise during school breaks that might not necessarily hold true tho. 
Not sure if you are looking at only sailing out of the US, but other countries may have different school schedules to where there would be less kids. 

 

We had over 1,000 kids on a Serenade 10 day southern two years ago. It was Easter.

 

 

[suesnake2002]

This is an old screenshot i use gor class of ship. 

[cruiser61262]

Thank you... you have all help me get started!!

[2chiefs]

We like to cruise with less kids on board so we try to book during times when there are less kids (IE: Longer cruises, smaller ships, when school is in session etc.). That said, we've been on Oasis several times with many kids and there are plenty of areas to find peace... Solarium, Diamond lounge, etc...). We also cruise Celebrity but tend to lean more toward RCI.

 

I wouldn't rule out an Oasis class ship simply for the excellent entertainement on board. You might want to try one.

 

Keep us posted!

Cheers

T

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

7 hours ago, cruiser61262 said:

 We are thinking about going on a RCCL cruise in April of 2022 (we plan ahead.)  I need help and guidance.... where should I start in choosing a ship class that we might enjoy?  I have plenty of time to do my research but truly don't know where to start.  A little background.... We are in our mid 50's.  We have not sailed RCCL since the Grandeur of the Seas about 15 years ago when our daughter was still sailing with us.  We had a very good time, but we only do one cruise a year so we concentrated on getting our Elite status on Celebrity and have just stuck with them ever since.  We love Celebrity but are getting bored with their itineraries and decided that it might be time to change things up. We are also excited about being Diamond on RCCL, but have not looked into what that will entail and what the benefits are.  I guess I am just being lazy, but I know people on the boards are very informed so I appreciate that you are indulging me.

A little more about us:

We usually book a veranda room and enjoy the private outdoor space

We have never been on a mega ship and not sure we would enjoy it but are open to it with the right encouragement. Our last cruise was on the Edge which was really not our cup of tea.

We know that RCCL is a family orientated cruise line and we do like Kids, but my husband is a teacher and we have to cruise during school break so is there a ship class that does not have as many bells and whistles that might appeal to people without children with them?

We don't mind older ships because we like their character even if others consider them "tired".

Are there any "adult only spaces" on cruises with many children (I know that sounds awful)?

We are used to the laid back experience of Celebrity  so if anyone has been on both cruise lines... do you think that we would like the RCCL vibe?  We did enjoy many on the activities around the pool on our last RCCL cruise as well as the fitness program as compared to Celebrity.

Thank you in advance I look forward to your responses

 

We hated the Edge. We loved the Harmony. The very best bang for the buck. We like smaller ships but watched so many commercials on TV about it we had to give it a try. Now it is our favorite cruise of all. Worth every penny and more. We are going to try all the Oasis class ships now. Booked the Allure but because of the hurricane scare, we cancelled. We live in Florida. We were give the option to do so. Will not do the Harmony again till they change the shows. That will be a few years. Massive production shows.

[John&LaLa]

33 minutes ago, twodaywonder said:

We hated the Edge. We loved the Harmony. The very best bang for the buck. We like smaller ships but watched so many commercials on TV about it we had to give it a try. Now it is our favorite cruise of all. Worth every penny and more. We are going to try all the Oasis class ships now. Booked the Allure but because of the hurricane scare, we cancelled. We live in Florida. We were give the option to do so. Will not do the Harmony again till they change the shows. That will be a few years. Massive production shows.

 

No guarantees they will change them. Oasis kept half of her production shows. One replacement was good (Aqua80), one is a dog (One Sky)

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

1 minute ago, John&LaLa said:

 

No guarantees they will change them. Oasis kept half of her production shows. One replacement was good (Aqua80), one is a dog (One Sky)

I was told 6 to 7 years.

[John&LaLa]

8 minutes ago, twodaywonder said:

I was told 6 to 7 years.

 

Historically it's during drydock, 5 years based on Harmony's current age. Her next is in summer 2021. 

 

Oasis did not follow that pattern. Most folks were surprised CATS was kept, so I'm guessing it will be around 5 more years. Symphony actually recycled the original Oasis production when they went with Hairspray.

 

Allure goes into drydock mid March, no indication that Mama Mia will be replaced, it's very popular.

 

Many ships have shows going on 15 years

Edited January 25, 2020 by John&LaLa

[Clarea]

7 hours ago, cruiser61262 said:

 We are thinking about going on a RCCL cruise in April of 2022 (we plan ahead.)  I need help and guidance.... where should I start in choosing a ship class that we might enjoy?  I have plenty of time to do my research but truly don't know where to start.  A little background.... We are in our mid 50's.  We have not sailed RCCL since the Grandeur of the Seas about 15 years ago when our daughter was still sailing with us.  We had a very good time, but we only do one cruise a year so we concentrated on getting our Elite status on Celebrity and have just stuck with them ever since.  We love Celebrity but are getting bored with their itineraries and decided that it might be time to change things up. We are also excited about being Diamond on RCCL, but have not looked into what that will entail and what the benefits are.  I guess I am just being lazy, but I know people on the boards are very informed so I appreciate that you are indulging me.

A little more about us:

We usually book a veranda room and enjoy the private outdoor space

We have never been on a mega ship and not sure we would enjoy it but are open to it with the right encouragement. Our last cruise was on the Edge which was really not our cup of tea.

We know that RCCL is a family orientated cruise line and we do like Kids, but my husband is a teacher and we have to cruise during school break so is there a ship class that does not have as many bells and whistles that might appeal to people without children with them?

We don't mind older ships because we like their character even if others consider them "tired".

Are there any "adult only spaces" on cruises with many children (I know that sounds awful)?

We are used to the laid back experience of Celebrity  so if anyone has been on both cruise lines... do you think that we would like the RCCL vibe?  We did enjoy many on the activities around the pool on our last RCCL cruise as well as the fitness program as compared to Celebrity.

Thank you in advance I look forward to your responses

 

 

I'd stick with Raidance or Vision class.

[Tom47]

I booked Empress of the Seas after reading twangster 's review.  We have been on 1 RCI and 8 Celebrity cruises.  We are in are our 70s.

[John&LaLa]

3 hours ago, cruiser61262 said:

Thank you... you have all help me get started!!

 

Here is a little matrix of the entire fleet. sorry it's not all that clear

[LeeW]

We really enjoyed sailing on Vision.  HUGE junior suite for price of a balcony on Oasis-class ships.  Fewer kids and shows were not quite the quality you get on the other ships - more like old-time sailing.  Nice enclosed adult solarium with pool and the Park Cafe right there.  A lot of the "shows" were staff members entertaining you in the atrium area (don't get a cabin close to there!).  Crew kind of treats you like family.  Brilliance was pretty similar, although a different class.

 

More to do and shows are better (and ice shows) on Navigator/Adventure.  Even have some water slides now.  Good intermediate level ship with good solarium adult area.  Junior suite also large size with lots of storage and huge walk-in closet.

 

Large ships (Oasis and Quantum class) have lots to do, good shows and lots of people.  Kind of slow to get off in a port.  No tender ports.  The Promenade Deck is a running track where you can't see the ocean.  Also cost more.  We dislike having to book entertainment, but once you are used to that the sheer variety is great.  Biggest disadvantage for us is they can only go to a few ports.  They really don't feel packed with people when you are on them.  

 

For our first RCI cruise we picked Navigator, but we like all four of these class ship.  

[cruiserking]

On 1/25/2020 at 6:30 PM, John&LaLa said:

 

...

 

Many ships have shows going on 15 years

Ugh. Is it really that long? I was hoping Anthem would switch up We Will Rock You, but, it looks like we few more years to go...

 

Jonathan

[cruiserking]

I think the OP would like Royal Caribbdean's Radiance Class, really elegant, old school feel. Not too many bells and whistles but, enough of that fun vibe to keep you busy. 

 

Empress is another special ship if you're looking for something different. Very small cabins, tiny pool, but, just a beautiful classic little liner, with actual teak decks; when's the last time you saw that on a ship?

 

Jonathan 

[MellowMel]

I also recommend Radiance class for you. It's not over the top big. It's midsize and offers many great things. There will be kids but not as many as on the larger ships with more bells and whistles. The solarium pool area is as great place for adults (16+ up) with comfy lounge chairs. A feature I like on this ship is that there are also great public spaces (Schooner Bar, The Colony Club, The Viking Crown) with lots of windows for fantastic views. Even the elevators have an outside view so you can see the ocean. The Diamond Lounge is a great place to be in the evenings for complimentary cocktails (and hors d'oeuvres) plus it is surrounded by windows for more great views. I've been on Brilliance and Jewel and I'll go on Radiance this summer. There are special dining restaurants available if you want to do that. Royal ships have wonderful live music in many venues so take advantage of that. 

 

Enjoy!

Edited January 28, 2020 by MellowMel

[emory2001]

5 hours ago, MellowMel said:

I also recommend Radiance class for you. It's not over the top big. It's midsize and offers many great things. There will be kids but not as many as on the larger ships with more bells and whistles. The solarium pool area is as great place for adults (16+ up) with comfy lounge chairs. A feature I like on this ship is that there are also great public spaces (Schooner Bar, The Colony Club, The Viking Crown) with lots of windows for fantastic views. Even the elevators have an outside view so you can see the ocean. The Diamond Lounge is a great place to be in the evenings for complimentary cocktails (and hors d'oeuvres) plus it is surrounded by windows for more great views. I've been on Brilliance and Jewel and I'll go on Radiance this summer. There are special dining restaurants available if you want to do that. Royal ships have wonderful live music in many venues so take advantage of that. 

 

Enjoy!

 

Radiance class for these ^ reasons, and the outdoor seating at the back of the Windjammer, which is only on this class.  I like the decor and feel of Jewel and Radiance better than Brilliance, but they're all great.

 

There will be lots of kids regardless, but perhaps less of them on a longer cruise during the school year.