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Rock climbing wall v Dolphin Racing


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Booked on our first RCI cruise (Splendour of the Seas) out of Venice in 2 weeks.

 

Just getting stuck into the ship info and and have to smile at the difference in emphasis between RCI and Fred.

 

Rock climbing walls, surf machines, putting courses and glitz glitz glitz on RCI whilst Fred's library, Port Lectures, Ballroom Dancing and Dolphin Racing compare.

 

Now I just hope I do not miss my favourite Dolphin Aa Soo as I plummit from the climbing wall and hang ten on the surf board:eek:

 

Hope we have done the right thing ???????

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  • 4 weeks later...

hi all.

 

Just back from a RCI cruise and thoughts of it compared with Fred.

 

Survived the climbing wall........

 

The cruise overall and ports were just great but you do notice the difference between the two lines.

 

First morning took my 4 laps around the deck and on Fred its a hello/morning to everybody, on the RCI I was faced with no eye contact from many, usually Americans.

 

Rather impersonal entertainment, on Fred you get to know the dancers etc as they take the quizes and the trips but on RCI its more "professional"

 

Dolphin racing versuse the Belly Flop competition says everything, although the worlds sexiest man did make us smile.

 

Drinks much more expensive on RCI service but food very good.

 

Would not cruise on a larger RCI ship but would return to the Splendour.

 

Balmoral still our favourite though.

 

P&O in Jan so will see how they rate against Fred.

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  • 6 years later...

Hi all,

After 14 cruises with various cruiselines, my wife & I can say, without a doubt, Fred Olsen is the best for Menu, Service and attitude to passengers. Yes, I agree that the ships are not as plush as some of the bigger cruiselines, but they also don't have the climbing walls, spiral slides and all the horrible 'Disneyland' theme-park so-called attractions.

If I want to go to a theme-park, I will go to a theme-park. If I want a pleasant relaxing ocean cruise, that is what I want.

Also, we will not cruise on any ship larger than 2000 passengers for the following reasons:

a) Large ships are too big to get into the smaller ports, so have to 'anchor off' which means passengers have to go ashore by tender. This means getting a ticket from crew, waiting for up to 2.5 hours in a lounge, then boarding a tender. When you want to return aboard, it is the same process, ticket, queue (quite often in the hot sun) to board your tender just to get back on board for lunch, and if you then want to return ashore you just repeat the process - it really isn't worth the trouble, after all, it's supposed to be an enjoyable experience.

b) Besides the 4000+ passengers there are 2000+ crew who want to go ashore. I have instances where cabin crew have pushed-in the tender queue, and I have had to call officers to remove them.

c) You do not get personalised service with such large numbers, you become even more of 'just a number' in the passenger list. We found Fred Olsen's 'Black Watch' gave far better service, menu and quality of food than the 'Queen Mary II'. On a 77-night cruise around Sth America, we had 36 port stops and were able to get into small places that the bigger ships can't - Brilliant!!.

Hopefully, cruiselines will soon realise that Bigger Is Not Better, in many ways.

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