Are you particularly loyal to one cruise ship/cruise line ship class?

I'll admit that I get all excited when cruise lines announce the latest, craziest, most fun features onboard, particularly the big ships, and particularly stuff like ziplines, gangplanks and ropes courses. And I also love it when ships in a fleet don't all offer the same restaurants, and the same bars. But I'm finding, lately, from a traveler's perspective, that there's nothing more heartwarming than going back to a ship that's familiar and where crew remember you -- and vice versa.

Which do you prefer? Sparkling new ships with lots of funky fun bells and whistles? Or a consistent favorite? Please vote in our poll and please as well feel free to comment, and share not just your opinion but your own favorite ship list.

Thanks.

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Editor in Chief

Cruise Critic

I love brand new ships but in my experience, going back is never as good as the first time. I have my favorite ship classes...Celebrity Solstice Class and Royal Caribbean Oasis Class...but having favorites does not stop me from new experiences, which I think is so much more fulfilling than brand loyalty.

Either I am missing something "sitting right under my nose" or the iOS CC app never has a way to "vote" in a CC "poll."

Is there an actual multiple-choice poll page?

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For us it's all about the destination/itinerary . Not loyal to any one cruise line. Variety is the spice of life.

I make my choice depending on which line/ship will get me to where I want to go for a price I'm willing to pay. I have never made a selection based on the ship alone or, for that matter, on the cruise line. Itinerary and price are my #1 priority.

...Is there an actual multiple-choice poll page?

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Yes. Four multiple choice questions.

Either I am missing something "sitting right under my nose" or the iOS CC app never has a way to "vote" in a CC "poll."

Is there an actual multiple-choice poll page?

 

 

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Does not work on app. Need to go to web page

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I am loyal - not because of familiarity, but because few others offer me what my favourite does.

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Does not work on app. Need to go to web page

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Forums mobile app

Thanks for confirming what I expected. Zero interest in ever using the web version.

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I'll admit that I get all excited when cruise lines announce the latest, craziest, most fun features onboard, particularly the big ships, and particularly stuff like ziplines, gangplanks and ropes courses. And I also love it when ships in a fleet don't all offer the same restaurants, and the same bars. But I'm finding, lately, from a traveler's perspective, that there's nothing more heartwarming than going back to a ship that's familiar and where crew remember you -- and vice versa.

 

Which do you prefer? Sparkling new ships with lots of funky fun bells and whistles? Or a consistent favorite? Please vote in our poll and please as well feel free to comment, and share not just your opinion but your own favorite ship list.

 

Thanks.

 

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Editor in Chief

Cruise Critic

These new huge ships with all their hooplah are just tooooo big. They loose the personal touch. Love the grand clsss on princess. Small enough but big enough.

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We cruise for destination and have sailed with Carnival cruise lines for years. Over the years, the ships in Carnival's fleet have gotten larger with lots of added "bells and whistles", in addition to more passenger capacity. We've only been on the Conquest and Spirit class but never on the smallest, their Fantasy class. I originally wanted to give one of Carnival's lager ships (Dream & Vista class) a try, but from some reviews I've seen lately about these larger ships, the feeling is "crowded" and I've seen it mentioned that lines are too long. I am not a fan of large crowds/long lines, so Carnival's Conquest, Spirit, and Fantasy class ships are the perfect fit for us.

We choose by destination and price. No cruise line has everything for everyone. Just put me out to sea!

:cool:

Princess has itineraries that get me where I want to go and I have enough status to get a couple of perks (love priority boarding). So, unless something jumps out at me, I see no reason to change.

Partly this is because I like the familiar and partly it's because I only get to go about once a year, and in some cases it's been every other year. Not enough time or money to do everything I want. So, I tend to stick with what I know.

With most things being equal we'll go with the cruise line/class of ship that we've enjoyed most in the past even if it cost more. :D

No loyalty. None at all. I don't want the familiar (I'd just stay at home). We love the excitement of trying a new line/new ship. I have yet to find a single perk that would make me stay with one line, thus limiting my cruising options.

We go on the same ship each winter- because it's just about the only one leaving the UK for the Caribbean and returning again, and yes, it's become our 2nd home...

Other than that, we go for the itinerary, and ease of transport to the port, so we've three new lines to try over a couple of years, to places such as Iceland.

I have zero desire to be on one of the first cruises of a new ship. I'll leave having to endure the "break in" period to those who don't mind malfunctions and a crew that hasn't yet knit together.

Nor do I have any desire to sail on a mega ship full of bells, whistles, and juvenile amusements. If I want that I'll spend a week at Disney World.

I've never sailed on the same ship twice. I'd be bored to tears visiting the same ports every time. If I'm going to be bored, I might as well stay home. I prefer the novelty of new places.

We select an area of the world we are interested, look at available itineraries, and go with the ship that best gives us the best itinerary plus the ship amenities that are most important to us.

I think our next 2 ship choices answers your question for us....NCL Escape in September and Carnival Fantasy in October. We are not loyal to cruise lines or ship types/sizes. We choose the ship that best fits our wants and budget for the particular vacation we are researching. We have also sailed on a couple of ships more than once (NCL Jewel, CCL Freedom, and CCL Destiny/Sunshine)...because they met our wants on multiple occasions. FWIW our duplicate ship cruises were never to the same ports as the original cruise on that ship.

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I will be loyal to a cruise line when they return my loyalty. Since this has not happened yet, I have no cruise line loyalty.

DON

I will be loyal to a cruise line when they return my loyalty. Since this has not happened yet, I have no cruise line loyalty.

 

DON

Good point: one way "loyalty" is a fool's game. I have distinct preference for the ambience and service experienced on one line, but destination and timing of certain itineraries on other lines will occasionally justify putting up with certain less desirable aspects.

I do doubt, however, that any conceivable itinerary could entice me to board some of these multi-thousand passenger floating amusement park/shopping mall hybrids - which sadly seem to represent the future of moderate priced cruising.

Except for one brief venture a couple of years ago on a Carnival ship because I had family members going on it, I have been loyal, for the past 13 years, and plan to remain loyal, to Princess. My absolute favorite ship in the Princess fleet is the lovely small ship, the Pacific Princess, and really like all of the grand class ships. I love the variety of itineraries offered, I love the classiness and ambiance of the ships themselves, I appreciate the level of service I get from all of the ships crew and staff, and feel I get good value for my travel dollars. And I certainly appreciate the perks I have earned with the Princess loyalty program.

I don't like to use the word loyal, but I tend to cruise with Royal Caribbean. I will be Diamond in 8 more cruise nights, and then will get my free evening drinks. But I would have no problem sailing with other lines if I felt like it. Once I do become Diamond, I want to try Celebrity and possibly Azamara, since my Royal tier will be honored. I have also sailed Carnival (didn't like it, but may have been the ship) and Norwegian, which is fine.

No Not Loyal.

Lazy and cheap.:evilsmile:

We live close to Boston and cruise very last minute.

25 NCL cruise's

18 on NCL Dawn.

P.S. We Will Not fly.

I don't consider myself particularly loyal -- I've sailed on many different lines and ships in the four decades that I've been cruising (some of which are no longer with us....)

However, there are four main things that guide my decision making on what cruise to take, and only one of them has to do with the ship itself: that it be what is considered small -- less than 1,000 passengers and preferably less than 500.

Because of that, I'd have to say my choices are pretty limited especially when you toss in my other criteria (itinerary, enrichment, decent solo pricing). Looking for the "latest and greatest" ship isn't going to happen as long as the newer ships are progressively larger.

We are HAL fan kids and where multiple lines pack the same waters (Alaska, looking at you), I will not even look at other cruiselines. We love the oceanview cabins on the Lower Promenade on the R-class ships, would love to try a Lanai on Volendam or Rotterdam. Dr'spin liked the Nieuw Amsterdam very much, and we'd try a Vista class ship, but no interest in the largest ships, Koningsdam or Nieuw Statendam when she sails -- for the same reasons others have mentioned.

However Dr'spin still works full time and we have some other commitments at predictable times of the (academic) year... And there are not too many ports I would repeat -- although Barcelona won my heart, so when I saw the RCI cruise/route in my signature, with BCN and new ports (3x Canary Islands + Cococay), at a time we could go, for an incredible rate... I found it in me to book another line!

So my answer is B with a minor in D.