Why Do you Prefer RCL over the others?

[gooselover]

I understand that this is a forum for RCL...however there MUST be a reason why you all prefer it over the competitors. What are YOUR reasons on this?

 

We are basically "new" cruisers, only having been on one before - Carnival Conquest for my birthday last year. I always dreamed of going on a cruise, and finally my dream came true. While we enjoyed our cruise immensely, my DH and I had a few "changes" we wanted to make on our next cruise.

 

Our first one we had an inside cabin... for our next cruise we have booked an OS...we went all out. While we found the Conquest GREAT...more than what I had imagined...we heard through a friend that RCL was much better...that she and her husband ALWAYS booked with them.

 

So, what is YOUR reasons for RCL being your cruise line of choice? What sets them apart from the others? I KNOW it is not the food from what I have read here!!!!

 

By the way, my husband and I are in our early 50's. We have heard that RCL seems to have more of our age group. Is that true?

[Cruising89143]

Several reasons. One I am more comfortable on Royal Caribbean over some of the others including Carnival. For the overall cruise package they give me more of what I'm looking for.

 

Clean and well maintained ships regardless of age of vessel. Friendly crew and great service. There is no ship currently sailing that can compete with the Voyager class.

 

As far as food, that subject is highly subjective. First of all in the mass market arena food is not going to be like it was ten or fifteen years ago. Ships have become much larger and cruise lines have cut back on their food budgets but I still have not gone hungry. When all things are considered I find that Carnival and RCI are even in this category. Each one does something better than the other. Same with entertainment.

 

I think that you will enjoy RCI. The atmosphere is a little more laid back and a slower speed. Still plenty of things to do.:)

[EggDropErin]

My main reason is the service difference that I have personally experienced. I found my Carnival cruise to have an overall cold feeling. There were times where DH and I were blatantly ignored. I didn't find that feeling on RCI. We were welcomed from the moment we stepped on the ship. Always a smiling face. I really felt like all of the staff we encountered enjoyed their jobs.

 

Another minor thing for me would be the difference in decor. I prefer the more subtle, beautiful artwork on RCI. I seemed to say, "wow!" around every corner I turned on Adventure of the Seas.

 

Perhaps I would have enjoyed Carnival more when I was younger, however, there are still many age groups that enjoy both lines.

[CruiseFever]

I'm not sure I really DO like Royal Caribbean over others but I seem to be sailing on their ships a lot so here is a little list of why I do

1. Smooth as glass embarkation- very easy to get on the ship
   
2. Sail-away party- best in the business if they do it right
   
3. Cooler Image- I just think they have a better image; not stuffy, not party-crazed, not cheap, not expensive
   
4. Easy to do business with
   
5. I like the decor of the ships
   
6. Like the above- Excellent maintenance of ships- even really old ones like Empress (still my favorite)
   
7. Pricing- sure, you can sail for x number of days for less on Carnival but who knows if you got the best deal. Consistent pricing. I like the whole "no-haggle" thing.
   
8. Their ships are conveniently located to me, I can drive to the port easy.
   
9. Generally happier crew members...or so it seems to me
   
10. Beverage service on deck- hardly ever a wait to get a drink
    
11. Royal Promenade on Voyager and Freedom Class ships- nobody can touch it
    
12. Double credit for higher category cabins on past guest account
    
13. Handicap Access program- they really try, they don't just "accommodate"

[0ldog]

Ditto on Chris's post............. I'm sure each cruise line has their good points, it just seems to us that RCCL has more of them. Our second choice would be Celebrity, but then it's part of RCCL too.

 

John & Kathy

[massachusetts_mama]

We have only cruised on one other line - Disney - about 6 years ago. We found the food to be somewhat lacking and the price relatively high compared with other lines. My kids were younger then (4 and 7) so that's why we chose Disney. Now they are 13 and 10. We cruised on RCL once and we are cruising again in April. Here is why we stick with RCL:

 

- We loved the food. My husband is from New York City and pretty picky. But even his palatte was satisfied.

- The service was unmatched.

- Plenty to do on board for all ages.

- Not too expensive.

- Clean throughout.

 

When something works, why mess with it? We don't get to go on many vacations - one a year if we're lucky. There isn't much room to experiment.

 

Mom in Massachusetts

[addictedinflorida]

Easy answer for me is that I just prefer the more laid back, relaxing vacation on RCCL than on Carnival. Carnival is much more party atmosphere, including the decor, whereas RCCL is a bit more upscale and relaxing. I also prefer the layouts and amenities of the RCCL ships over Carnival.

[sdear]

I had only sailed Carnival on one of their older boats. We had a great time, don't get me wrong.

 

THEN..we booked with RCI on Freedom of the Seas. Now I do understand that going to an older Carnvial boat to FREEDOM was a dramatic jump, but the service we just so much better on RCI.

 

A trusted friend convinced me to try RCI. She has sailed almost every cruise line and prefers RCI over any. So we gave it a try. We are now hooked on RCI, and with their loyalty program, we plan on sticking with them. We live in Florida so we can go to any port down here easily.

 

We absolutely loved the prommenade. We spent time their each evening. The crowds aren't "rowdy" like I found them to be on Carnival. The food was good. Service was great. I love the solarium . The shows were by far better than Carnival IMO. We are now trying the voyager class on our next cruise. (smaller version of Freedom ). We liked that concept on the boat so much, I just don't know how we would like going back to a "smaller" ship. I do plan on trying them though, as I hear the different "classes" that RCI has to offer, are all special in their own way. You will learn alot reading here. I sure did, and it sure helped us on our cruise on Freedom.

 

We had a porthole window once, then an oceanview on Carnvial lol. We booked a balcony on Freedom. WOW was that worth the money. I loved sitting out on the balcony in the morning as you are pulling into port. I don't think we could now book without a balcony, unless it was a short 3-4 night cruise. You don't spend alot of time in your room, but oh when you do, that is nice !

 

Make sure you check out the happy hour specials that are posted every Tuesday. Sometimes you can find something there that really suits your needs.

 

Good luck and have a great cruise ! Hope this helps !

 

Sue

[Sue L]

After sailing Princess 5 times, Carnival 3 and just have sailed my first RCCL I would and am choosing RCCL. The service was wonderful and I found the food excellent.

 

The ships are beautiful and the crew truly makes you feel pampered and welcome where I didn't feel that on Carnival.

 

 

To give just a small example, one night on our last Carnival cruise I had forgotten the camera so DH ran back to the room and I sat down at a practically empty bar near the casino to wait for him. I took out a cigarette and was searching through my purse for my lighter. The bartender was watching me and just stood there. After I found it and lit it I had to ask for a ashtray.

 

 

On the Explorer a similiar situation occurred at the Schooner bar and I was again searching for my lighter. Well, the bartender who was busy serving others drinks practically jumped over the bar to LIGHT my cigarette and put an ashtray down in front of me. I know this sounds like a stupid way to decide on a cruiseline but to me it just comes down to service.

 

 

Sue

[Bruin Steve]

Honestly?

I don't...

 

My easy first choice among cruise lines (and I've cruised on seven different lines over the past two decades) is Celebrity...

 

Largely for its superior food and service and for its much roomier space-to-passenger ratios and higher crew-to-passenger ratios...

 

Each cruise line does a lot of the same things...the differences are mainly in the nuances...Each has strong points and weak points...

 

Royal Caribbean's major strong point is its ships...and, if I'm cruising with kids or teens, it makes it the first choice. The amenities on the newer RCCL ships easily surpass the other lines...The daily schedules are pretty good and stocked with activities...

 

As you can see from my cruise history (if you have the "signature" switch turned on in your User CP), I have cruised RCCL several times because of the convenience of cruises out of Southern California--where they are largely competing with Carnival on those 3 and 4 night Baja runs...and given that choice I opt for RCCL despite smaller cabins and an older ship because the Carnival short cruises tend to attract a "party" crowd...and I'm cruising with RCCL in June in order to experience the latest megaliner...

 

But you will also see I'm cruising with Carnival in July...Why? Even though they are far from my first choice, I believe you can have a really nice cruise experience on ANY of the major lines...and, in this case, it's itinerary driven...it's the only Panama cruise that fits in with my schedule...

 

But truly...you can have a good cruise on any line...

They all do a lot of the same things and, generally, they all do them fairly well...

Food and service does vary a little line to line...which is where I rank Celebrity an easy number one, followed by RCCL and Princess, then Carnival, then Norwegian (Note: I didn't group Oceania in here with the others because it's a little bit different of an animal, but their food is right up there with Celebrity, maybe even a little better, but the service not quite on par)...Even so, I have always enjoyed the food on every ship I've been on...

The "crowd" and demographics does vary a bit from line to line with Carnival and RCCL attracting a little younger crowd--RCCL due to those amenities, Carnival due to its positioning itself as the "fun ship"...But that marketing also tends to bring Carnival more of those classless, rowdy, drunk types looking for a party while RCCL's marketing is more toward the suburban professional Yuppies/Baby Boomers (and younger professionals) and their families...

 

Celebrity, meanwhile, tends to get a little more adult crowd (but not overly elderly--those folks seem to gravitate toward HAL and to the premium lines)...I'd say most of the Celebrity cruises we've been on have more of the 40-69 demographic with fewer young kids...

[gsb]

Depends on itinerary and price.

CCL has better food, larger cabins, better entertainment,

RCCL--more relaxed?? Voyager class offers ice rink, promanade--very nice.

Newer CCL ships are also very nice--Been on the Liberty in the Med twice--it would be hard to beat for all it offers.

[BillOh]

Maybe I'm not qualified to answer. My sister in law and husband always cruise Carnival and love it. I think they made their choice because he owns a heating and air conditioning company. The utility companies are always buying them trips.

 

I had a customer who was a travel agency and after establishing myself with them I started letting them pay me in credit toward my cruise, which they recommended RCCL and a Voyager class ship. - Eastern Caribbean. The trip was everything we could hope for so we joined the loyalty program and have our next cruise set (eastern Caribbean) after that I suspect we will go the Southern route. After that perhaps we will consider another line, but we will be close to Diamond status.

 

I guess the only way I will try another line is if someone buys me a cruise, or we win one somehow.

[RCCLCARIB]

The Ships are the most innovative, classy, and comfortable.......and I love all the Balacony Staterooms!! I think RCCL Cares about their ships alot, as it is a symbol of what they represent.

 

The Cabins are always amazing. I personally ove the Balcony Rooms on the larger ships, but always Like how the cabins are similar on all ships....so I know that the bathrooms are nice, there is a mini fridge, it is clean, and there is plenty of storage!

 

The Service is friendly, yet professional, but always is a cut above the rest. If I need something, they go out of their way to accommodate me. It is actually a joy to talk with some of the crew members b/c they are always just happy......to me, that says something about RCCL.

 

The Food is always superb to me. When we went on my first cruise, my son was 5 and we were on the Majetsy OTS. He didn't like anything on the menu, so they did strawberries with chocolate for dessert and brought him A peanutt butter and Banana Sandwich....now he eates that almost everyday since.

 

The Atmosphere is always amazing. Ice Skating shows, rock walls, midnight parades doen the Royal Promenade, Surfing, golf, and multiple pools.......it is always just classy and relaxing. I gues that I why I love RCCL.

 

The Itineraries are always great. Whehter it is to the Panama Canal, Transatlantic, to Hawaii, Australia or Asia, the deliver the same cruise experience no matter where I go.

 

The Cruise Experience is always the BEST. No matter what ship I am on or how far I am away from home, the experience rivals that of plush hotels in exotic destinations.

 

My Family and I Like it: With Royal Caribbean expanding, new ships and new destinations, my family and I are happy that we have a great cruise line so close to home. We look forward to planning, waiting, and finally setting sail on a Royal Caribbean Cruise. Infact, with only 3 more weeks until my Explorer Of the Seas Cruise, I am already looking at another cruise for November of Next Year!!! It always has a;ways been a great relaxation and family time on Royal Caribbean...........

[bpear1600]

The big new ships attracted us but the novelty has worn off as far as we are concerned.

 

It certainly isn't the food or the entertainment and that's nothing new. Except for the lack of quality beef the food isn't much different than it was on the Song of Norway over 20 years ago. The production shows are poor today but are better, I guess, than the cruise staff amateur productions RCI gave you in the 80's.

 

Our best cruises were the seven we took on NCL's Norway in the early 80's. A great ocean liner, good food and outstanding shows.

 

If we cruise again after our upcoming Mariner cruise it will undoubtedly be on Celebrity or one of the upscale lines. We're older now and a lot of stuff that appealed to us in our 40's is old hat now.

 

Bottom line: I think the mass market lines are pretty much alike these days.

[wdh]

Our preference is Celebrity and Royal Caribbean. We are also in our 50s. We love our children and grandchildren, but do not wish to be on a cruise with lots of children. Our cruise in Sept on RCL was wonderful, however there appeared to be many more children on board than our cruise a few months earlier on Celebrity. We cruise for quiet and relaxation. Think we will stick to Celebrity or others that are noted for fewer children.

Don't mean to sound like a grouch......

[samtig]

Cruised on Carnival and Norwegian and each line has it's advantages, as does each ship. All of our cruises have been great. Have our lst RCI scheduled & can't wait to compare. Want to try as many cruise lines as we can. Just want to keep on cruising!

[shipshape sam]

We have preferred RCL over others, but now have tried Princess, Celebrity and Holland America.

 

With some of the recent issues about drinking and large groups on some of the Voyager class ships, we are, at least, thinking smaller upscaled ships for the future.

[Cruising89143]

Depends on itinerary and price.

CCL has better food, larger cabins, better entertainment,

RCCL--more relaxed?? Voyager class offers ice rink, promanade--very nice.

Newer CCL ships are also very nice--Been on the Liberty in the Med twice--it would be hard to beat for all it offers.

 

Depends on the ship. RCI's newer ships(Voyager, Radiance and Freesom class) match Carnival size for size in cabins and RCI blows Carnival away with their suites. Now that RCI is adding the new bedding, Carnival no longer has the lead here. The only ships with the smaller cabins are the Sovereign and Vision class.

 

Carnival Liberty cannot touch the Voyager class ships. Been on the Glory and it is a cattle call to say the least with one of the worst designed layouts of any ship that I have cruised. Very easy to beat!!!!!:)

[Cruising89143]

I'm not sure I really DO like Royal Caribbean over others but I seem to be sailing on their ships a lot so here is a little list of why I do

1. Smooth as glass embarkation- very easy to get on the ship
   
2. Sail-away party- best in the business if they do it right
   
3. Cooler Image- I just think they have a better image; not stuffy, not party-crazed, not cheap, not expensive
   
4. Easy to do business with
   
5. I like the decor of the ships
   
6. Like the above- Excellent maintenance of ships- even really old ones like Empress (still my favorite)
   
7. Pricing- sure, you can sail for x number of days for less on Carnival but who knows if you got the best deal. Consistent pricing. I like the whole "no-haggle" thing.
   
8. Their ships are conveniently located to me, I can drive to the port easy.
   
9. Generally happier crew members...or so it seems to me
   
10. Beverage service on deck- hardly ever a wait to get a drink
    
11. Royal Promenade on Voyager and Freedom Class ships- nobody can touch it
    
12. Double credit for higher category cabins on past guest account
    
13. Handicap Access program- they really try, they don't just "accommodate"

 

Chris you hit the nail on the head in many areas. The ones in red are the major differences that I notice and is why I choose RCI.

[Happy ks]

I don't know how qualified I am as I've only sailed on an older RCI ship (several times on Monarch). But, I've also sailed on 6 other lines including Celebrity, Cunard, Carnival, NCL, Disney and the now defunct American Hawaiian.

 

I don't generalize and say that this line does this better than the other, every cruise can be slightly different, even on the same ship.

 

I find that the food is pretty much the same across the board, Carnivals was far better than I thought it would be. Entertainment is a bit different on each line, the worst we had was on Celebrity, it was almost laughable it was so bad. The daily activities are pretty typical on all ships, although QM2 and Disney had an edge there. Pool games, well, we just aren't interested.

 

We've been fortunate to have, at the minimum, passable service on all ships. Our one Carnival cruise was probably the exception and even then it wasn't horrid, just not as classy.

 

So, it comes down to the ship itself for us. We prefer understated elegance to neon, classic to modern and we would much rather be in a champagne bar or piano bar than a disco. We have actually found that, other than Carnival, all the ships we've been on has accomodated our likes very well.

 

We would more than likely sail on all lines again, with the exception of Carnival. There are many who swear by them and have a great vacation. We were just not happy with the overall decor and especially the stateroom. Although it was larger, it was just not as nicely appointed than even NCL. But, Carnival didn't get as large as they are by providing a product that no one likes, so they must be doing something right!

 

Bottom line, I don't think people should be so overly concerned with always sailing the same line. Try something else for a change.

 

The most beautiful ships we've sailed are QM2, Disney Magic and Celebrity Infinity. We look forward to sailing other lines in the future.

[abridalmaven]

The Ships are the most innovative, classy, and comfortable.......and I love all the Balacony Staterooms!! I think RCCL Cares about their ships alot, as it is a symbol of what they represent.

 

The Cabins are always amazing. I personally ove the Balcony Rooms on the larger ships, but always Like how the cabins are similar on all ships....so I know that the bathrooms are nice, there is a mini fridge, it is clean, and there is plenty of storage!

 

The Service is friendly, yet professional, but always is a cut above the rest. If I need something, they go out of their way to accommodate me. It is actually a joy to talk with some of the crew members b/c they are always just happy......to me, that says something about RCCL.

 

The Food is always superb to me. When we went on my first cruise, my son was 5 and we were on the Majetsy OTS. He didn't like anything on the menu, so they did strawberries with chocolate for dessert and brought him A peanutt butter and Banana Sandwich....now he eates that almost everyday since.

 

The Atmosphere is always amazing. Ice Skating shows, rock walls, midnight parades doen the Royal Promenade, Surfing, golf, and multiple pools.......it is always just classy and relaxing. I gues that I why I love RCCL.

 

The Itineraries are always great. Whehter it is to the Panama Canal, Transatlantic, to Hawaii, Australia or Asia, the deliver the same cruise experience no matter where I go.

 

The Cruise Experience is always the BEST. No matter what ship I am on or how far I am away from home, the experience rivals that of plush hotels in exotic destinations.

 

My Family and I Like it: With Royal Caribbean expanding, new ships and new destinations, my family and I are happy that we have a great cruise line so close to home. We look forward to planning, waiting, and finally setting sail on a Royal Caribbean Cruise. Infact, with only 3 more weeks until my Explorer Of the Seas Cruise, I am already looking at another cruise for November of Next Year!!! It always has a;ways been a great relaxation and family time on Royal Caribbean...........

 

That is how we feel also. We tried NCL Dawn, did not care for ship layout and that closed in feeling. And do not get me started on the food, freestyle dining, it woukd take to long.

[dfishner]

All I need to add to the above posts is Radiance class of ships, my first cruise with RCL was last year on Radiance of the sea, have been on Carnival, HAL and NCL. Once aboard it was a ship of light there is so much glass on the ship it brings the outside in. The Radiance is a beautiful ship and it can compare to one of those luxury liners. With two alternative dining options, windjammer, seaview cafe and the dining rooms you will never go hungry. The scooner bar complex is great and sophicated. Beautiful atruim and the themed Solarium where we spent a great deal of time at. It had to be the best cruise we had been on we liked it so much we booked it sister ship the Jewel in November. It is not as big as the Voyager class of ships but has some of the amenities. Speaking of Voyager class we booked the Navigator for next December. So I guess I am hooked.

[Skinsdiver]

I don't. I've cruised Carnival, (twice), Royal Caribbean, (once and a second one booked for August '07), and Celebrity once. Maybe we've just been lucky, but all of the cruises were great!

[AuzzieCruiser]

I've been on 3 cruises, with 3 different cruise lines, and RCCL is the one I love.;)

I've just been on Princess, which I dind't enjoy at all. My expectations were too high after Voyager last year.

RCCL is more 'me'. It is more laid back, more casual, and more fun!!

There is a lot more to do aboard an RCCL ship, with more space to do it in.

When we were in Maztlan, The Vision of the Seas was in as well. One guy made a comment about our ship (Diamond Princess), about how nice it looked, and he wished he had sailed on her. I felt like saying "Do you want to swap?"

Princess, I found was too structured and formal. Entertainment was quite bad, with the shows being very average. The comedians were good, but the venue filled up 45 minutes before starting time. The ship was very badly designed, with only one narrow passageway to get to midships. Shopping was virtually non-existent, with only 2 or 3 stores.

Celebrity was good, but for a 20yo at the time, found it too formal. Food was great, as was the stateroom. As this was our first cruise we didn't do too much exploring when it came to Entertainment, so not too sure what it was like. Not too sure whether I'd sail Celebrity again, unless the price was right.

Unfortunately, we buy package deals, so it is just 'luck' which cruiseline we sail with.

I only wish Royal Caribbean would sail down here to Australia, as we are in desperate need of some competition and class.:)

[Cruise_Couple]

We have only cruised with RCCL and the reason we stay with them is that they have been very consistant in offering a cruising style that fits us. We thouroughly enjoyed our first cruise with RCCL and felt very comfortable and relaxed while on board. Tried them a second time on a different class of ship and itinerary and had exactly the same wonderful experience. Now we just completed our 3rd cruise with them and again we walk away without any complaints and very pleased with the vacation experience RCCL provided. We will continue to cruise with them for now... as the saying goes... if it ain't broke, don't fix it!