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RCL really worth twice as much $$ as Carnival?


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We are looking at a cruise to the Carribean in April 2013. Family of 4 - we are late 51 and 46, kids 10 and 6.

 

Our options/preferences are Carnival Dream and RCL Freedom of Seas or Oasis. Not sure we really like mega look of Oasis particularly stark central park indoor area but Freedom looks nice.

 

But real question for others is how can RCl justify double the price for a balcony cabin? If anyone has travelled on both lines/comparable ships is it really worth that much more?

 

thanks

David

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Those two ships are not really comparable. Amenities vary drastically.

 

I have been on both lines (as well as several others). Everyone has their preference. I prefer Royal between the two. I received better service, preferred the crowd and the amenities were better for me.

 

But again, you have to compare comparable ships. Oasis is newer than Dream, bigger than Dream, has more amenities and more high scale entertainment than Dream. You'll pay for all of that. Freedom would be a closer comparison.

 

Carnival Dream balcony on April 20 (Eastern Carib) for four is about $2664 incl taxes

RCCL Freedom balcony on APril 21 (Eastern Carib) for four is about $2932 incl taxes

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We are just off of Oasis and have sailed a sister ship of the Freedom. I would probably do Oasis over Freedom as it has sooo much and is most likely an experience that you would want at some point. The ship (really either) is amazing and the entertainment is heads and tails over any Carnival Ship. Having said that we would happily sail Carnival next, especially for the difference in price that you are looking at. It really depends on your budget. The Oasis is really a cool thing to do at least once. If I were you then I would possibly keep an eye on the prices for a time that the prices are lower. I usually see that in the shoulder times of the kids summer (first or second week of summer or the last week of their summer). Also, we had a balcony for two (category D5) and I cannot imagine having four in that cabin. It was small!!!! The cabins on Carnival are a big win for that. Let me know if you have any questions.

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As already been mentioned - you are comparing apples and oranges. In order to get a true comparison of the differences in costs between lines, you will need to find comparable itineraries and ship size.

 

Now a plug for Oasis.

 

You will love it. It has the best shows on any cruiseline on any ship.

 

The size of the Oasis is not a problem. I have walking difficulties and found I could easily get around on the Oasis. The way the ship is designed is excellent. Venues are compacted in different areas of the ship.

 

Public spaces are made to disperse the crowd. I never felt the real size of the ship - or that there were 2000 more people on it. The ship can handle the extra pax without a problem.

 

If you decide on the Oasis, make reservations for the shows. I know that is a kind of a pain in the butt - deciding when you want to see which show - but it's the easiest way to guarantee a hassle free showtime experience. Once we made our reservations, we just planned our day around our showtimes. It was better than normal showtime experience, because I enjoyed walking right into a show without queing up outside the theater early in order to get preferred seats. As long as your arrived 5 minutes after the door was opened, there was no line and you got to walk right in. They scan your seapass to make sure you have reservations, but that took only seconds for them to do.

 

Don't miss any of the shows - they were all excellent.

 

Our group of 12 - most of which were previous cruisers - thought the food was better than average.

 

All in all - Oasis is something all cruisers should experience.

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We are looking at a cruise to the Carribean in April 2013. Family of 4 - we are late 51 and 46, kids 10 and 6.

 

Our options/preferences are Carnival Dream and RCL Freedom of Seas or Oasis. Not sure we really like mega look of Oasis particularly stark central park indoor area but Freedom looks nice.

 

But real question for others is how can RCl justify double the price for a balcony cabin? If anyone has travelled on both lines/comparable ships is it really worth that much more?

 

thanks

David

 

I suggest that you also consider pricing the rooms by looking at a balcony for 2 and an inside across the hall for the other 2 on both lines. Always worth checking especially this close to sail date. I know on our upcoming cruise there is a HUGE premium on 4 person cabins. Just a thought. We sailed carnival last spring break for a budget cruise and my family said never again. This year we are going all out on Freedom.

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April 2013 is right around the corner. So, the rules of supply and demand will have intense impact on your price. if you desire a quad cabin, even more so, as supply may be limited (there may be families traveling for us spring break). for example, if Oasis is nearly sold out the week you wish to sail (what week is that, by the way?), the prices will now be very high, and a last minute booking may cost far more than one made a year ago. OTOH, if another ship, the dream in this example, still has many berths to sell, last minute prices could be quite reasonable. Neither company needs to justify their price; each is making a reasonable, market driven decision.

 

so, which should you book? well, I like Royal Caribbean way, way more than carnival...but that's just me. If you are booking a quad cabin, carnival's rooms tend to be bigger, and that is nice for four (NBD for two of us). you have kids who may enjoy the kid's activities on either line, and carnival's atmosphere might suit your family. And you can spend the price difference on some fun stuff. All in all carnival might be worth considering for you.

 

BTW Oasis and Freedom both have sister ships you failed to mention, so maybe one of those has a cruise that might suit you. Also, weekly deals are offered on last minute cruises. if you tell us your dates, we might be able to point you to an upcoming decent deal.

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We've sailed on both lines. Personally we don't think the differences are great enough to warrant the much higher cost of RC.

We still do both lines, ... but much more on CCL.

Bottom line is only you can judge.

Whatever you decide, hope you have a great time.

You may also want to ask this on the Carnival board.

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That could be it as prices quoted are more like $2144 for Carnival Dream VS $3855 for RCCL Freedom - both balcony cabins for 4 of us.

 

We are a family of 5 and have sailed both the Carnival Dream and RCCL Freedom. There were many things we liked about both ships. Even our kids (19, 15, and 11 at the time) will tell you that they loved both. We had a Cove Balcony on the Dream and there is nothing better. For a $1,600 difference, I personally would select the Dream. The overall experience was more similar than different. If you want more details, let me know and I will explain further.

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We are a family of 5 and have sailed both the Carnival Dream and RCCL Freedom. There were many things we liked about both ships. Even our kids (19, 15, and 11 at the time) will tell you that they loved both. We had a Cove Balcony on the Dream and there is nothing better. For a $1,600 difference, I personally would select the Dream. The overall experience was more similar than different. If you want more details, let me know and I will explain further.

 

I just want to state again that it is not a $1600 price difference. I looked up the prices for April 20 (Dream) and April 21 (Freedom). It is about a $400 price difference when looking at comparable ships and balconies. We really need to compare apples and apples not apples and oranges.

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We are looking at a cruise to the Carribean in April 2013. Family of 4 - we are late 51 and 46, kids 10 and 6.

 

Our options/preferences are Carnival Dream and RCL Freedom of Seas or Oasis. Not sure we really like mega look of Oasis particularly stark central park indoor area but Freedom looks nice.

 

But real question for others is how can RCl justify double the price for a balcony cabin? If anyone has travelled on both lines/comparable ships is it really worth that much more?

 

thanks

David

 

 

I wouldn't describe Central Park as "stark". I thought it was great and a nice place in to go in the evening if you are looking for some solitutde. If you are bothered by it, it can easily be avoided.

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I just want to state again that it is not a $1600 price difference. I looked up the prices for April 20 (Dream) and April 21 (Freedom). It is about a $400 price difference when looking at comparable ships and balconies. We really need to compare apples and apples not apples and oranges.

 

The lowest I can find on the Freedom is an Superior OV for $4,355. A Cove on the Dream is $2,244 and a Cloud 9 Spa is $2,624. I loved the Freedom, but I'll do the Dream for this price difference every day.

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As a person who has mainly cruised Carnival, the answer to your question is yes! However maybe your sailing the cost is more, but not all Royal Caribbean cruise's are double of Carnivals. At times the cost can be cheaper or the same basic pricing, depending on the ship and sail date.

 

Personally if I was in your position and you can afford it, I'd book the Freedom of the seas over the Carnival Dream!

 

Happy cruising in whichever you decide.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk. Please excuse any typographical errors.

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I just want to state again that it is not a $1600 price difference. I looked up the prices for April 20 (Dream) and April 21 (Freedom). It is about a $400 price difference when looking at comparable ships and balconies. We really need to compare apples and apples not apples and oranges.

 

I dont see where you are getting your price on the Freedom. the cheapest I see for April 21st for 4 people is $4355.

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First, I have to say that I love RC. We have sailed RC, Princess and CCL and really like Royal, but we only sail with them when we get a bargain. When you are talking a 30% or more increase on fares when comparing cabins in the same class, I will have to pick Carnival. I'll spend the savings on tours.

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Those two ships are not really comparable. Amenities vary drastically.

 

I have been on both lines (as well as several others). Everyone has their preference. I prefer Royal between the two. I received better service, preferred the crowd and the amenities were better for me.

 

But again, you have to compare comparable ships. Oasis is newer than Dream, bigger than Dream, has more amenities and more high scale entertainment than Dream. You'll pay for all of that. Freedom would be a closer comparison.

 

Carnival Dream balcony on April 20 (Eastern Carib) for four is about $2664 incl taxes

RCCL Freedom balcony on APril 21 (Eastern Carib) for four is about $2932 incl taxes

one slight correction, both Oasis and Carnival Dream are 2009 builds

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I dont see where you are getting your price on the Freedom. the cheapest I see for April 21st for 4 people is $4355.

 

I did a courtesy hold right on their website. April 21, 2013 4 people in a balcony for just under $3,000.

 

As to the general question of whether they are "worth" twice as much - any product is worth whatever people will pay. If they can fill their ship, they are worth it.

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Carnival Dream balcony on April 20 (Eastern Carib) for four is about $2664 incl taxes

RCCL Freedom balcony on APril 21 (Eastern Carib) for four is about $2932 incl taxes

__________________

 

Worth every cent! especially with our C&A diamond discount $225 which then makes it only $100 diff. Big diff in ships! For instance: compare these:

Carnival Dream-

DreamLidoDeck1.jpg

Dreams adult pool area:

 

16pg-horizontal.jpg

 

Freedom of the seas:

Open-Deck-Chairs.jpg

Adult Solarium:

09backpool01.jpg

 

Not to mention this:

RCI_Freedom_Flowrider_14%5B1%5D.eps.jpg

this:

 

IMG_0039.jpg

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