Do you think the Prima class will be the 'little brother' or Plan B for those that can't afford Regent Cruise Line

[SmoothFlying]

I guess it depends on just how many Prima class they're going to build, I may have missed the exact number of ships in this class they're building. From the description of just how beautiful and expensive (NCL seems to have pulled out all the stops and threw the checkbook away) it seems they're building a class just a niche below Regent. Am I missing something here, what your take ?

 

Mac

[Karaboudjan]

There are six Prima class on order.

 

I think this class is the expression of Frank Del Rio's vision for what he wants NCL ships to be, which does appear to be a bit above the previous NCL ships.  A lot also remains the same, but I suppose there is potential to make even more changes in the later ships, for example introducing even more changes to restaurants.  And maybe the Pod?  😉

[BermudaBound2014]

1 hour ago, SmoothFlying said:

I guess it depends on just how many Prima class they're going to build, I may have missed the exact number of ships in this class they're building. From the description of just how beautiful and expensive (NCL seems to have pulled out all the stops and threw the checkbook away) it seems they're building a class just a niche below Regent. Am I missing something here, what your take ?

 

Mac

 

I don't see Prima attracting many Regent guests due to size. At 142,000 GT Prima is three times the size of Regent. At that size the experience onboard can't be as intimate, nor can the ship dock in all the places that Regent can get into.

 

I see Prima more as competition to Celebrity Edge class and RCL Oasis class.

[njhorseman]

3 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

I don't see Prima attracting many Regent guests due to size. At 142,000 GT Prima is three times the size of Regent. At that size the experience onboard can't be as intimate, nor can the ship dock in all the places that Regent can get into.

 

I see Prima more as competition to Celebrity Edge class and RCL Oasis class.

+1

[dexddd]

With the pricing, you'd think so.

[njhorseman]

The Oceania Vista, and its future sister ship will be much closer to the Regent Seven Seas experience, without the RSS all inclusive pricing model.

Edited August 7, 2022 by njhorseman

[Two Wheels Only]

8 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

I see Prima more as competition to Celebrity Edge class and RCL Oasis class.

 

The only competition for the Oasis Class would be MSC World Class and  (if any are ever completed) Dream Global Class. The size of the Oasis Class makes it difficult to compare to other classes.

[BermudaBound2014]

5 minutes ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

The only competition for the Oasis Class would be MSC World Class and  (if any are ever completed) Dream Global Class. The size of the Oasis Class makes it difficult to compare to other classes.

 

I agree that Oasis is an engineering marvel, but since those are the newest in the RCL fleet I think the newest in the NCL fleet is it's competition. 

[Two Wheels Only]

1 minute ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

I agree that Oasis is an engineering marvel, but since those are the newest in the RCL fleet I think the newest in the NCL fleet is it's competition. 

 

Maybe Icon or Quantum Class vs. Prima if it's Royal vs NCL.

 

EDGE class vs Prima does seem closer with Retreat vs Haven being a thing.

 

I'm a "new ship" kind of person so all of the new ones are potentially on the radar. I can't do them all but I already have 2 cruises booked on ships that are still incomplete. 😁

[BermudaBound2014]

2 minutes ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

Maybe Icon or Quantum Class vs. Prima if it's Royal vs NCL.

 

EDGE class vs Prima does seem closer with Retreat vs Haven being a thing.

 

I'm a "new ship" kind of person so all of the new ones are potentially on the radar. I can't do them all but I already have 2 cruises booked on ships that are still incomplete. 😁

 

Is Royal Caribbean still building Quantum class? I thought they only had Oasis Class and the new Icon class in the works. 

 

I do agree that the Icon class would be a closer comparison based on size, but it's not that much smaller than Oasis (236,000 gt vs 200,000 gt). 

[hallux]

25 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

Is Royal Caribbean still building Quantum class? I thought they only had Oasis Class and the new Icon class in the works.

I think the last Quantum class (Quantum-Ultra actually) is Odyssey, recently (November 2021) completed.

[BermudaBound2014]

21 minutes ago, hallux said:

I think the last Quantum class (Quantum-Ultra actually) is Odyssey, recently (November 2021) completed.

 

Yep; I'm unaware of anymore Quantum class on order. That class has some things I really like (270 is one of the best venues at sea imo), but there are issues how the class handles crowds.

 

I felt much less crowded on Oasis class even (240,000 ish G/t w/5,400ish passengers) compare to Quantum  (Quantum 170,000ish GT w/5,000ish passengers). 

Edited August 7, 2022 by BermudaBound2014

[SeaShark]

2 hours ago, SmoothFlying said:

I guess it depends on just how many Prima class they're going to build, I may have missed the exact number of ships in this class they're building. From the description of just how beautiful and expensive (NCL seems to have pulled out all the stops and threw the checkbook away) it seems they're building a class just a niche below Regent. Am I missing something here, what your take ?

 

Mac

 

You are exactly correct...the Prima class ships are designed to be mainstream alternatives for Regent guests looking to cruise "on the cheap" as it were.

[CruizinSusan70]

There's nothing really in Royal's line up that would be comparable to the Prima Class.  The Icon Class is 200 K and 5600 guests and both the Quantum (167) and Oasis Classes are both larger.  The best comparison would be the Edge Plus Class of Celebrity with the Ascent and Beyond which come in at 140 K and 3200 versus the Prima at 142 K and 3200.  We have 3 bookings on the Prima this year and next and also two on the Beyond at the end of next year, so I'll be able to make a comparison.

[BermudaBound2014]

If this sight is correct, the space ratio on the Prima is not all that much different than the Away's and almost identical to Celebrity Beyond and RCL Navigator of the Seas. 

 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_cruise_ships

 

 

 

 

 

[NauticalOtter]

IMO I think NCL is trying to become a “premium family” line.  That’s at least how the new ships are reading to me.  I was about to hop ship (literally) and try out celebrity for my next cruise, but NCL hooked me back in with these new ships.  That said, I’m really not happy with the value NCL provides vs celebrity for onboard amenities.  Celebrity includes WiFi in their everything included promotion (think free at sea) ALONG WITH gratuities (as in, it’s not a separate line item and the price of a prima balcony vs equivalent on the beyond are close enough that it really doesn’t matter (depending on the exact booking they flip flop on which is more expensive).

 

I’ve stuck with NCL for years because I really enjoy the freestyle dining structure (and the crew, NCLs crew is always fantastic) but I don’t utilize any of the extras that NCL throws on their ships. And would rather have like…more pool space (hence why I’ve booked far off for the Viva with plenty of time to cancel if the reviews don’t pan out 😂 (I’ll move the booking to a jewel class…love those ships)