12 differences between large and small Royal Caribbean cruise ships

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What exactly is the difference between a large or a small Royal Caribbean cruise ship, and what do you get or give up with one or the other?

Photo by Volnei M.

Royal Caribbean’s fleet of 25 cruise ships means there are all kinds of sizes for you to choose from, and each has its own set of pros and cons. Granted, there are many differences, but the main differences are essential in understanding which vessel is best for you.

A lot of times new cruisers want to know which Royal Caribbean ship is worse or which ships to avoid, and the answer is all ships are good, but the real question is what do you want in a ship.

Here are some important considerations when comparing large Royal Caribbean ships to smaller ones.

Small is always big, relatively speaking

When we talk about “big” or “small” cruise ships, in the Royal Caribbean fleet, they are all big ships in the grand scheme of things.

Royal Caribbean has a reputation among major cruise lines for offering innovative, tall ships, and many of the smaller ships in the fleet would still be damn big if they suddenly became part of another cruise line.

Smaller Royal Caribbean cruise ships can still accommodate over 2,000 passengers, so remember that just because you’re on a smaller Royal Caribbean ship doesn’t mean you’ll be on a yacht or ship. shipping.

If you really want small ships, you’ll need to consider one of Royal Caribbean’s sister brands, such as Celebrity Cruises or Silver Sea.

Public space

The larger the ship, the more public space the ship can offer to passengers.

Public spaces are the areas of the ship where you can congregate and enjoy, such as a pool deck or promenade deck.

Large ships have large spaces, including shopping districts, outdoor spaces, and even a park.

This does not mean that a smaller vessel does not have public space. Because larger ships have more deck space, Royal Caribbean can provide more space for passengers.

Cost

It’s always difficult to generalize about the price of a cruise, but overall larger ships tend to cost more than smaller ships.

Since bigger ships tend to be newer than smaller ships, bigger ships have a higher price tag. Essentially, you pay a premium to browse the newest and best, so bargain hunters will find the best deals on smaller and / or older cruise ships.

This is not to say that there are no deals to be made even on the newest vessels in the fleet, just that if you were to compare prices on a wide range of possible crossings you would find an advantage of prices for small vessels.

Choice of catering

If the variety of places you can eat, especially specialty restaurants, matters to you, then bigger ships are what you want.

Because larger ships have more room to include more offerings, you will almost always find more restaurants on larger ships than on smaller ships.

There are usually the same basic free places, such as a main dining room, buffet, and take-out. So you will never go hungry or fail to know where to eat.

Much like a big city will have more restaurants than a small town, so will large and small ships. Bigger ships will have more free food places, as well as more specialty restaurants.

For those who prefer the choice of specialty restaurants, a large ship will always offer more variety.

Ports you can visit

Not all cruise ports in the world can accommodate large ships, so if you want to visit more exotic places, you will need to sail on a small ship.

In the Caribbean, there is very little difference in port choices since most Caribbean ports can accommodate even the largest ships in the world.

But if you are looking to sail elsewhere in the world, you will find other ports of call that cannot accommodate a large ship.

This is especially true for any port that does not have a jetty and requires ships to bid.

In fact, Oasis Class ships are unable to bid, preventing them from visiting places like Belize or Grand Cayman.

Bigger cabins

Some families prefer to stay in one room, and cabins that can accommodate larger groups tend to be found more regularly on larger ships.

Suites tend to be the predominant choice for larger rooms that can accommodate more than 4 people.

While smaller ships have suites, larger ships have a lot more suite options.

Ocean views

It might not seem like a big deal, but being able to see the ocean while inside a cruise ship can be important for some guests.

Larger ships tend to face more inward, while smaller ships have a lot more windows and ocean viewing possibilities.

Part of the reason for this difference is based on the evolution of cruise ships over the past few decades, where cruise ships have started to become destinations on their own.

Not everyone is afraid to miss the passing scenery, but for cruises where the scenery around you matters more (i.e. Alaska or Northern Europe), being able to see the outside from bars, lounges and other public spaces becomes more important.

Movement in the ocean

Another generalization that may not be true for everyone is that larger ships will potentially provide passengers with a smoother ride than smaller ships.

Modern cruise ships are equipped with stabilizers, but simple physics tells us that a larger ship will need more ocean current to be “cradled” than a smaller ship.

That’s not to say that if you’re sailing on a small ship you’ll feel like a boat in a tub with an angry toddler nearby, but many regular cruisers swear by bigger ships that offer more handling. stable.

Activities on board

In addition to public space, larger ships have more space to provide the fun activities you have likely read and heard on a cruise.

You’ll find absolutely more slides, pools, simulators, and things to do on a big ship than on a small ship.

Royal Caribbean’s smaller cruise ships don’t have any waterslides at all, and the Radiance Class has a single kids’ waterslide that’s only suitable for young children.

Whether or not these great things matter to you is an entirely different question, but families tend to look to ships with more to do, and bigger ships have a lot.

Entertainment

Whether you like Broadway musicals or production shows, the big ships have them.

Did you know that Royal Caribbean offers full-length Broadway musicals that you can watch on board at no additional cost? That’s true, but only on their big ships.

Small ships also have production shows, but they aren’t as ornate as large ships, and shows on small ships almost certainly haven’t been updated in many years. Again, that’s not a bad thing in and of itself, but for some people it matters.

Casino

For players, all ships have a casino, but larger ships have more casino space.

More space in the casino means more games, including slots and tables. This becomes more important in the evening when many passengers are heading to the casino to gamble and the tables fill up quickly for low stakes games.

Even the smaller Royal Caribbean ships offer the same type of games, so you don’t compromise when it comes to picking a ship and losing your favorite game.

Privacy

No no this kind of privacy.

Small ships make it easier to move around the ship and meet crew members and other guests, which means you get to know everyone on board better.

The people who sail with you are a major component of a vacation, and being able to meet friends and family on board, or find your favorite server, is easier on a small ship.

Also, getting from point A to point B is easier on a small ship and requires less walking.

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