What is RCCL's biggest ship?

[donsonny]

We've only been on the explorer, but are looking to book another cruise within the next year and a half hopefully. I have heard the explorer is one of the biggest ones. Is there one bigger than it?

 

To seasoned RCCL cruisers, do you find the different sizes of the ship make a difference?

 

what's the smallest one?

 

thanks ahead for any input

[Barbee524]

The Freedom and the Liberty are the biggest. The Empress is the smallest.

[The Big Booper]

The Explorer is a Voyager class rated at 138,000 or 142,000 tons depending what criteria is used. Others are Voyager, Adventure, Navigator and Mariner.

 

The Freedom class, rated at 158,000 tons, includes the Freedom and the Liberty, along with the still-building Independence. This is a stretch of the Voyager class

 

The Radiance class is rated at 90,500 tons and is the most sophisticated in the company. Included are the Radiance, Brilliance, Serenade and the Jewel.

 

All these ships came on line in the 2000s except the Voyager which came in in July 1999.

 

The six Vision ships (Legend, Splendour, Grandeur, Enchantment, Rhapsody and Vision) date from 1995-1998 and are similar though not identical. Weights range from 69,500 thru 78,500 tons.

 

 

The oldest are the 3 Sovereign class, dating from the end of the 80s, Sovereign, Majesty and Monarch

[Albert Ross]

Biggest: Freedom/Liberty/Independence - 160,000 ton/3,634 pax

 

Smallest: currently Empress - 48,000 ton/ 2,020 pax - but she goes out of service next year so it will then be Legend/Splendour - 70,000/ 2,076 pax

[donsonny]

thanks for the responses...so what does it mean if it's a "voyager" class...is that just a title that denotes the size?

[The Big Booper]

thanks for the responses...so what does it mean if it's a "voyager" class...is that just a title that denotes the size?

 

Yes. All ships within a class have the same basic structure, i.e. Voyager, Freedom, and Radiance.

 

The older Vision sextet are 3 sets of twins.

[donsonny]

so after cruising the explorer, do u think i would be spoiled to a voyager class ship? does anyone think one would notice if we got on one of a smaller size?

[DonnaK]

so after cruising the explorer, do u think i would be spoiled to a voyager class ship? does anyone think one would notice if we got on one of a smaller size?

 

This is my concern. I often see excellent deals on Grandeur and other Vision class ships but wonder if it will feel like a step down.

 

However, I wouldn't hesitate to sail on a Radience class ship, even though it is smaller. It has other amenities to make up for that! Too bad they don't sail the Caribbean during the summer.

[Nliedel]

The smaller ships are lovely and have their own appeal. I don't think you can compare them. They are less crowded, imo, and a bit more friendly.

 

I don't think of them as a step down, just a step in a different direction.

[Bigmama2n1]

Great Info and questions! I'd been wondering about size vs "sophistication" of the different ships myself.

 

I'd love to try one of the Radiance class ships for our Alaska cruise next year, but not enough to miss all the sites we'll be enjoying on our Sawyer Glacier cruise aboard Rhapsody. Not to mention how much simpler and less expensive it will be to fly to/from Seattle than to Seward or Vancouver. Maybe when our kids are grown and we don't have to take them with us.....

 

 

 

 

Day Port *** Arrive Depart Activity

 

Day 1 Seattle, Washington 4:00 PM

 

Day 2 Cruising

 

Day 3 Juneau, Alaska 11:00 AM 8:00 PM Docked

 

Day 4 Skagway, Alaska 7:00 AM 8:30 PM Docked

 

Day 5 Tracy Arm Fjord, Alaska 7:00 AM 12:00 PM Cruising

 

Day 6 Prince Rupert, British Columbia 8:00 AM 6:00 PM Docked

 

Day 7 Inside Passage (Cruising) Cruising

 

Day 8 Seattle, Washington

[Firefighterhoop]

so after cruising the explorer, do u think i would be spoiled to a voyager class ship? does anyone think one would notice if we got on one of a smaller size?

 

You would for sure notice the size difference, however, I don't think you would be dissapointed. Know what your ship will have and won't have. Only the Voyager class and freedom class have the ice skating rinks, and other stuff like the royal promenade, some have the mini golf course and some don't.

 

I love the voyager/freedom class, but won't hesitate to go on something smaller.

 

Scott

[Cincy-David]

I have been on both the Mariner (Voyager class) and Sovereign (Sovereign class).

 

Don't consider the small ships a step down, unless the larger ships offer amenities that you love.

 

Voyager class ships have more built in acitivities. Ice skating rink, aternative restaurants, bigger spas, locker rooms, sports facilities and such. If these items are important to you, then the small ships will be a disappointment. Although the Radiance Class do have some of the above (no ice skating). Also, the Promenade areas on the Voyager and Freedom class ships are beautiful and provide a great spot to meet and greet friends, shop and watch parades. Despite their huige size, they never do seem crowded. This is a huge plus to their size, there is a lot of places to put people.

 

The Sovereign class are older and smaller, but still very nice and more personalized in service approaches. Dining room service on our recent Sovereign cruise was exceptional.

 

Big advantage to the smaller ship. There is a lot less walking between venues and acitivities. They are much easier to navigate. The Voyager and Freedom class ships are huge. You will spend lots of time walking to find things and will most definitely need a map the first few days. If you are a couch potato, you will certainly get a workout.

 

So, bottom line. Go with what works for you. Either way, have a great time.

 

Dave

[prc]

The Vision class was built as 6 sisters, grouped as 3 sets of twins. The Vision was actually the last built, not the first.

 

The Legend & Splendour were first, and they are actually slightly smaller than the Sovereign class.

 

The Grandeur & Enchantment were built in either Germany or Denmark (as I recall). They are the only 2 that can be stretched easily (as Enchantment was).

 

The Rhapsody & Vision are 99% identical to the Grandeur & Enchantment (pre-stretch), but were built in France (as the Sovereign class was). This accounts for the slight differences, and also is why they can't be easily stretched...there is no single vertival line to cut through. The "building blocks" they were made from are stacked like the bricks of a house, staggered back & forth.

[Sue L]

so after cruising the explorer, do u think i would be spoiled to a voyager class ship? does anyone think one would notice if we got on one of a smaller size?

 

 

The biggest difference for me between the Voyager class and the Radiance class is the ship itself not the size. The Voyager class has the central Promenade area with all the shops, bars, etc. The Radiance class does not have the promenade though it does have a central shopping area. The Radiance class though has so much glass with phenomenal views no matter where you look. The centrum lobby is practically all glass and even the glass elevators give you a view to the sea.

 

We love the Radiance class and would choose it over the Voyager class just about every time. Activity wise the only thing that Voyager has over Radiance is the ice rink which we wouldn't use anyway, though the show was great. Also the Radiance class have both Chops and Portofino specialty restaurants where the Explorer only has Portofino.

[The Big Booper]

so after cruising the explorer, do u think i would be spoiled to a voyager class ship? does anyone think one would notice if we got on one of a smaller size?

 

The Explorer is a Voyager class ship. Did you mean Vision class?

[K1200S]

Voyager and Freedom have the ice rink which you can use. It is also used for a very well done ice show with professional skaters. Well worth seeing.

[PennStateForever]

My family prefers the smaller ships. The crew seems to more attentive to each passenger and more friendly. The smaller crowd also makes it seem like were not as crammed in as on the bigger ships.

 

I definitely preferred the Enchantment over the Navigator, though I do want to go aboard a Freedom-Class vessel just to experience one of each class.

[donsonny]

so when u say there's no promenade area u mean there's no little mall type area with ben and jerrys and the pizza place? i kind of liked on the explorer how u just walk down to the promenade and u r at the center of everything, and the little mall type walkway is a great spot to people watch

[PennStateForever]

so when u say there's no promenade area u mean there's no little mall type area with ben and jerrys and the pizza place? i kind of liked on the explorer how u just walk down to the promenade and u r at the center of everything, and the little mall type walkway is a great spot to people watch

Kinda.

 

There is a Centrum on the smaller ships, which is a roughly cylindrical several-deck-high open area that is like the Royal Promenade, just smaller.

 

On Enchantment, a smaller ship than the Voyagers, (It's a Vision) there is a Centrum. Off the Centrum is such things as the library, Royal Caribbean Online, the Loyalty Ambassador lounge, Ben and Jerry's/Seattle's Best, the Champagne Bar, etc. The shops and such are farther away from the centrum.

 

The Royal Promenade made my family think we were in a city, not on a cruise ship. We didn't WANT to be in a city. That's why we were on the ship. ^^;

[PrettyLA]

Genesis class will be the largest in 2009 (I believe this is the year this ship comes out, correct me if I'm wrong).

[cruisingjon]

This is my concern. I often see excellent deals on Grandeur and other Vision class ships but wonder if it will feel like a step down.

 

However, I wouldn't hesitate to sail on a Radience class ship, even though it is smaller. It has other amenities to make up for that! Too bad they don't sail the Caribbean during the summer.

 

I was also caught up in this type of opinion ofr a long time. Bigger does not necessarily mean better. Many people prefer the smaller older ships. It really just depends on what you are looking for.

 

People who are just looking for a nice intimate get away might prefer the smaller ships.

 

I am cruising in about 7 weeks or so on Carnival's smallest/oldest ship. I am actually pretty excited about it. I am hoping it will be more intimate and ....I guess "Cozy" might be a good word.

 

Some folk prefer the large ships. I recently cruised on Mariner and loved it. But I also want to experience the other end of the spectrum with the smaller older ships.

 

For now Freedom and Liberty of the seas are the largest cruise ships at sea. This is not to be confused with Carnival Liberty or Carnival Freedom, they are not nearly as big.

 

Independence of the seas will be the last (for now) in the freedom class which is scheduled to be out in 2009? (I think).

 

Then there is an even bigger ship scheduled to roll out in 2011 (I think?). It will be called the Genesis of the Seas, the first of the Genesis class ships. It is supposedly 1 and 1/2 times the size of Freedom class.

 

Just to put it in perspective if you stood Freedom of the Seas on end, it would be taller than the Eifel Tower (spelling?) in France.

[big al]

Just got off the Enchantment in April after cruising the Freedom & Mariner...nice ship,but doesn't compare to the Freedom for options.I was in those canti-levered hot tubs every day..they are worth the extra $$ IMO by themselves....I kept walking around looking for the British pub...no ice show...only Boleros & Schooner Bar for decent lounges...anyone who thought the Enchantment was nicer than the Navigator needs an MRI-really much more to do & see on the Navigator...we were in our cabins by 11:30 every night on the EOS....for me,the Royal Promenade makes a big difference.. I thought the 70's retro party in the Royal Promenade on the Freedom was great...we were in Vintages or the Pub every night..some people don't want options..they are fine with 2-3 lounges..not me-already booked on the Liberty for Nov....it's like some people like small B & B's,while others (like me) like sprawling big resorts with several pools,a dozen bars,many dining venues,etc...

 

Big Al