RCI Oasis/Allure vs. Carnival Dream vs. Norwegian Epic

OK, we are planning a bit in advance here. We are looking to do a one week Western Caribbean cruise in mid or late August 2011. We are past passengers on Carnival and RCI and have two upcoming cruises on NCL (Norwegian Sky and Pride of America). Our travel agent is a big RCI fan and is suggesting that we do either the Oasis of the Seas or the Allure of the Seas. I am not particularly wowed by the itinerary on the RCI cruises, and I have found RCI to be a very middle-of-the-road experience. I have to admit, though, that the features of these two ships are pretty amazing and enticing. The itinerary on the Carnival Dream is the best of them all, and we have had two very enjoyable cruises with Carnival. Our girls, age 6 and 4 now, love the Carnival children's program and have been begging to go back on the "Funship Freddie boat" again. The features on that ship also look really swell. We have not been on NCL yet, but we are looking forward to our upcoming cruises, and the Freestyle Crusing concept appeals to us. And the Epic looks like it will be a really incredible ship. We really like a lot of the features on the Epic. So we are torn. Does anyone have any suggestions or opinions to share? We'd be most grateful!

Thank you in advance,

John (2disneydads)

OK, we are planning a bit in advance here. We are looking to do a one week Western Caribbean cruise in mid or late August 2011. We are past passengers on Carnival and RCI and have two upcoming cruises on NCL (Norwegian Sky and Pride of America). Our travel agent is a big RCI fan and is suggesting that we do either the Oasis of the Seas or the Allure of the Seas. I am not particularly wowed by the itinerary on the RCI cruises, and I have found RCI to be a very middle-of-the-road experience. I have to admit, though, that the features of these two ships are pretty amazing and enticing. The itinerary on the Carnival Dream is the best of them all, and we have had two very enjoyable cruises with Carnival. Our girls, age 6 and 4 now, love the Carnival children's program and have been begging to go back on the "Funship Freddie boat" again. The features on that ship also look really swell. We have not been on NCL yet, but we are looking forward to our upcoming cruises, and the Freestyle Crusing concept appeals to us. And the Epic looks like it will be a really incredible ship. We really like a lot of the features on the Epic. So we are torn. Does anyone have any suggestions or opinions to share? We'd be most grateful!

 

Thank you in advance,

 

John (2disneydads)

booking either the oasis or allure in august will be expensive...personally, i'd book one of the other ships you're interested in and do the oasis/allure during an off peak time...:cool:

If you ask this question in the Oasis forum, your most likely going to get a lot of people telling you to go on the Oasis lol. And if price is not an issue, you should. It does not have the best itinerary, but that is because the ship is so big (with so many great features) that it can't fit in many ports.

There is nothing really innovative about the Carnival Dream. Their hot tubs on heir promenade deck are just like what RCL has been using for years now. And as for the F3 (Epic), that ship has had so many legal issues and changes over the past 10 months that it is likely to be an "Epic" failure.

I think you should go by the price and itinerary. Each of these ships are unique in their own way and you should be perfectly fine on any of them. I would do either the Carnival Dream or Norwegian Epic and wait on Oasis and Allure a few more years until its prices begin to drop down a bit.

OK, we are planning a bit in advance here. We are looking to do a one week Western Caribbean cruise in mid or late August 2011.

Well since I am blown away by the new design of Oasis of the Seas, I have to pick RCCL. If finances are an issue, there is a talk somewhere on the boards on CC about a group cruise on this ship in 2011. Most of the time, their rates are better than what you would get trying to book on your own. I looked at the highlights for Carnival Dream and I really didn't see anything that different from some of the other ships that they have. JMHO

I would book Oasis and Allure. Allure's prices are high but Oasis is alittle less..I'm sure your children will love Oasis in comparison however our child has yet to use the childrens program of either....

We're considering booking another Carnival and really it's only due to price...we love RCCL ships..:)

With the Oasis of The Seas and Allure and the incredible size, innovations, and wow factor....the ship is the destination.

I think it is a matter of what your priority is. It seems to me, from reading your post, that the itinerary is your first priority. If that is the case, take the itinerary you find most appealing. I'd venture to guess that most sailing on Oasis/Allure are not going for the itinerary, but for the ship. As lovdocn said...on Oasis, the ship is the destination. :)