what do the larger ships have that the smaller ones don't?

[angelsfort]

You see lots of folks that say that for one reason or another they won't sail on the bigger ships (and vice versa, others won't sail on the smaller ships)

 

but I'm wondering why?!  How do they differ other than sheer size and guest capacity?   Are there more venues / shows on the larger ships?  few bars on the smaller ships?

 

If you're one of those people that have decided not to sail on certain ships, can you explain why?   Enquiring minds want to know!

[CruiseAdict218]

You kinda answered it, some don’t want a large crowded ship and that’s it. It could also come down to amenities, some prefer a simple pool, open air deck, without the extra toys like a roller coaster or Sky Ride. 
 

I personally like sailing on both large modern and smaller older ones, the older ones remind me of a different time of the cruising age. 

[angelsfort]

4 minutes ago, CruiseAdict218 said:

You kinda answered it, some don’t want a large crowded ship and that’s it. It could also come down to amenities, some prefer a simple pool, open air deck, without the extra toys like a roller coaster or Sky Ride. 
 

I personally like sailing on both large modern and smaller older ones, the older ones remind me of a different time of the cruising age. 

 

so it literally comes down to the number of people on board?  But the ship itself is bigger, with more places to be (correct?) so the number of people in any given area would be comparable to the smaller ships, wouldn't it?

so the bigger ships have things like the sky rides / roller coasters?  Do they have larger pool areas?  more pools?  that sort of thing as well?

[SRQbeachgirl]

1 hour ago, angelsfort said:

 

so it literally comes down to the number of people on board?  But the ship itself is bigger, with more places to be (correct?) so the number of people in any given area would be comparable to the smaller ships, wouldn't it?

so the bigger ships have things like the sky rides / roller coasters?  Do they have larger pool areas?  more pools?  that sort of thing as well?

 

The larger ships have many more venues - pools, hot tubs, restaurants, cafes, bars, shows, entertainment, etc. Pretty much more of everything.

 

As to the number of people, our experience is that a smaller ship can feel just as crowded - or uncrowded - as a bigger ship and vice versa. It just depends on whether the venue you want to enjoy at any given time is also the place where everyone else wants to be at the exact same time.

[ProvoAggie]

People have different preferences. We did the Mardi Gras in January and everyone in my group loved the variety of activities and dining choices. That being said, my mother-in-law hated the cruise. She didn't care about the rollercoaster and other offerings that were exclusive to an Excel class ship and also hated how big the ship was and how spread out everything was. She's been doing older smaller ships for years and likes having just a general itinerary of early dining and then off to the theater for a show. She frequently complained about how long it took to get to different venues because of the size of the ship and was often times overwhelmed with the number of activities on board. If the features of an Excel class ship and a variety of entertainment options appeals to you then the mega ships are great. If they don't then stick to the smaller ships.

[FastShip24]

2 hours ago, angelsfort said:

You see lots of folks that say that for one reason or another they won't sail on the bigger ships (and vice versa, others won't sail on the smaller ships)

 

but I'm wondering why?!  How do they differ other than sheer size and guest capacity?   Are there more venues / shows on the larger ships?  few bars on the smaller ships?

 

If you're one of those people that have decided not to sail on certain ships, can you explain why?   Enquiring minds want to know!

I prefer smaller ships.  Less people and less tenders

[ProvoAggie]

1 minute ago, FastShip24 said:

I prefer smaller ships.  Less people and less tenders

Does Carnival visit tender ports with their Excel class ships? I remember reading that Royal Caribbean wouldn't send their Oasis class ships to a port that required a tender because of the feasibility of doing it. I haven't seen an Excel itinerary with a tender port but I may just not be looking hard enough.

[balcony bound]

For me it's about the ocean.  Those large ships concentrate on all sorts of things that distract from the journey and the experience of the open ocean.  I tried the bigger ship (only due to a price glitch LOL) and while the ship was lovely, I didn't get the experience I enjoy

[csm5986142]

Most of my answers have already been given (just more options across the board - entertainment, lots of included in fare food venues, plus the Excel class ships have Grand Central which is another entertainment venue but very cool with a window view (when the LED screens are open) that spans 3 floors, etc.).  The technology is pretty amazing.  It's just a great comfortable area to hang out.

My first time on Mardi Gras a crew member told me, "on the smaller ships I can get to work in 3 minutes, on this one it takes me at least 15 minutes".  I thought that was funny, but it's true.  The Excel class ships are just so big and spread out it takes a while to navigate.  And I like the fact that I don't keep running into the same passengers.

Having said all that, as much as I love the shiny new big ships, we still happily sail on most of the smaller ones (not a huge fan of the Fantasy class but the rest are great).  Now that we've been on nearly all the ships, we care more about itenerary and departure port than ship class.

I think it depends on what you want to get out of your vacation.  We aren't looking for a lot of adventure or to be entertained every minute - we mostly want to rest and relax away from work, get a little sun, and any ship works well for that.  

 

 

[john91498]

I like the larger ships, the bigger, the better to me. I enjoy seeing a mass of people.

[Haljo1935]

Size impacts itineraries, too - smaller ships can get into port that larger ships can't. Some ports both can get in, but larger ships have to dock in a different location because they're too big for the "regular" dock.

[evandbob]

For us, the larger ships provide a smoother more stable ride.  They seem to bounce way less than the smaller ships.

 

She is prone to sea sickness, and has had  vertigo on smaller ships - almost never on the larger ones.

[RD64]

Crowds, crowds, crowds, and more crowds of people. Think Grand Central Station Mosh Pit.

[jsglow]

I'm a small ship guy generally. But I see the advantage of the larger ships in certain situations, up to a limit. Floating Oasis Class? Never in a million years.

[LibertyBella]

 

Well, you have to decide what is the purpose of the cruise as well.  If you are going on a port-intensive cruise (ship stops every day somewhere, limited sea days), then a smaller ship is better because people can get on and off more quickly to do excursions (this is especially true in tender situations).  That is why when my focus for a cruise is itinerary, I prefer a smaller ship.  The theaters may not be as crowded, and there may be more deck chairs available on some smaller ships as well, because the venues are built to try to accommodate everybody.

 

But, if the ship itself is the destination, and you are cruising just to enjoy the cruise, and if you are traveling with family, especially younger folks, then those big ships are loads of fun, because you spend your time exploring and partaking of all the amenities.  The big ships expect passengers to spread out and try diverse activities, so the venues may be more limited in capacity, or they may require reservations, etc. 

 

So, yes, I like both and will cruise on both, but I am aware of all the pros and cons.

[FSHLOT]

BIGGER SHIPS = BIGGER CASINOS......Nuff said😆

 

 

[Haljo1935]

Just now, FSHLOT said:

BIGGER SHIPS = BIGGER CASINOS......Nuff said😆

 

 

I know this may be a shock, but everyone is not onboard for the casino. Crazy, right?

More room for you, lol.

[Drazil65]

After 20 plus yrs cruising on a few different lines (consistently on CCL & RCCL), we are more in the larger/newer ship camp for most part.  We sail differently now compared to the earlier years of cruising (when DS was young and our needs were different). 

 

The larger ships do have more people but with more venues the crowds are spread out.  We love the options and since we have been to many/most of the current ports CCL visits from east coast ports, its now about the ship experience more than the ports at this point.   Unless we are going to Europe and experiencing something a little different than what we can get here, the ship experience can be the main focal point now.  We do not sail on smaller/older ships (we will do Sunshine as that is a quick hitter for us to drive to port) as they are just that for us, smaller/older (been there done that) and it shows.  

[May1cruiser]

Might have been covered already. 

 

The smaller ships with less options seem to have less kids during non peak cruising season. There is less for kids to do on the older smaller ships. 

 

I only say this since our last cruise mid August on Celebration was very filled with teens and many were rude. We have grown children, cruise same time each year, but the large ship had a high teen population. no disrespect to kids, we were also at one time, but it was a bit much this trip. 

[Butterbean1000]

I am not interested in the mega ships.  I find that I always have to defend my choice.  People say if you've never been on one, how do I know I don't I like it. Well, you have a point, but I can tell you that I don't like the idea of so many people being in the middle of the ocean.  I was from a small town with less people than can sail on a single ship.  I don't need a dozen or more places to eat.  I don't need a roller coaster, a skating rink, zip line, etc.  I do need a sun lounger, a frozen drink, a little music and a Guy's Burger.  🙃

[cruizinisthebest]

I've sailed plenty of smaller ships with Carnival and enjoyd them all but the fantasy class isn't even on my radar anymore. Conquest class is an option if the timing, price, and itinerary is right. Otherwise, its Dream class and up. I like all the people, food choices, and activities offered on larger ships. I think they are pretty when docked in port next to other vessels. Sorry but keeping it real, I don't like getting off and on the oldest and ugliest ship in port. 

 

The only thing I don't like is the limits on where the big girls can go. So for that reason, I do consider others. I'm already sick of the limited itineraries offered by the Xcel class, but I'm willing to deal with it. 

[Butterbean1000]

35 minutes ago, May1cruiser said:

Might have been covered already. 

 

The smaller ships with less options seem to have less kids during non peak cruising season. There is less for kids to do on the older smaller ships. 

 

 

That's a very good point. I didn't think of this for one of the reasons I like the smaller ships. My favorite Carnival class ship is thw Dream Class. 

Edited August 31, 2023 by Butterbean1000

[Butterbean1000]

3 minutes ago, cruizinisthebest said:

I've sailed plenty of smaller ships with Carnival and enjoyd them all but the fantasy class isn't even on my radar anymore. Conquest class is an option if the timing, price, and itinerary is right. Otherwise, its Dream class and up. I like all the people, food choices, and activities offered on larger ships. I think they are pretty when docked in port next to other vessels. Sorry but keeping it real, I don't like getting off and on the oldest and ugliest ship in port. 

 

The only thing I don't like is the limits on where the big girls can go. So for that reason, I do consider others. I'm already sick of the limited itineraries offered by the Xcel class, but I'm willing to deal with it. 

I love the  Dream Class for the Cloud 9 spa and thalassotherapy pool.

[cruizinisthebest]

Just now, Butterbean1000 said:

I love the  Dream Class for the Cloud 9 spa and thalassotherapy pool.

Yes they have the best spas of all the Carnival ships along with Splendor. 

[KarmaCruisers]

I’ve been on almost all of the carnival ship classes (excel coming next month) and I like all of them except:

Spirit Class - only two dining choices, on a 7+ day cruise!?

Vista Class - poorly designed guest areas (seems like a size 12 foot shoved into a size 6 shoe)