I Don't want Shrek

I don't cruise to be entertained by juvenile themes I need some sea spray and great service, five meals a day and good ports of call. Disney fills the family niche but RCL now wants to compete with Disney? I enjoy seeing families on board but what happened to family time instead of "entertain me every minute". I remember what happened in Las Vegas when they tried to go over board with family themes and see where it got them, back to the old "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas". I like RCl enough to have over 24 cruises with them but I'm thinking it's not as a good a match as it used to be. Princess will get a closer look and Celebrity for my cruising dollar after I sail my next 2 bookings with RCL.

Flame away, I'm still allowed my opinion.:D

That's the beauty of the variety that exists - you do have options, and will hopefully find something that meets your needs.

I agree with those who've said, though, that the objections about this new "alliance" are somewhat silly when the NCSB (no child shall board ;) ) contingent choose to sail on ships that are marketed directly to families. Really, as someone suggested on another thread, who do you expect to inhabit a ship boasting a water park, carousel, zip line, kids club, etc.? If you want to enjoy all the amenities that have been designed first and foremost with kids and young families in mind, you have to accept that they are exactly the company you'll be keeping while on board.

Does anyone really book a vacation to Disneyland and expect there to be no children? :confused: To me, booking a ship like the Freedom, Oasis, etc. is pretty darn close to the same thing.

As I mentioned on the other thread, there will be kids on Celebrity too - and Princess, and NCL, and on any other line that invests the money and space to create kid-friendly areas. There are a few lines that will guarantee an adult-only environment - unless you're booking one of those, I don't really think there's ground to complain about kids on board. After all, YOU make the choice which cruise to book.

Won't it only be on 4 ships? Just my opinion, but I'd say just avoid those 4 ships. None of the Radiance, Voyager, Vision, or Sovereign Class will have it.

There is always going to be someone who doesn't like something;)

Won't it only be on 4 ships? Just my opinion, but I'd say just avoid those 4 ships. None of the Radiance, Voyager, Vision, or Sovereign Class will have it.

Not according to present plans and the Radiance, Vision and Sovereign class ships do not have appropriate venues (Ice Rink, Royal Promenade, H2O zone) that will be the scene for most of the Dreamworks characters activities. At some point if the program is wildly successful they might extend it to Voyager class, or modify it to fit the other classes of ship, but that would depend on how wildly popular it was. If it should become that popular they would most likely ignore the cranky comments of some who object and suggest that they find another line better suited to their tastes. Not sure why some seem to think that the world should revolve around their opinions and if change is necessary it is the others that should change,not them:confused:

Hey...that's OK by me. I have NO desire to see cartoon characters on board, but maybe the families with kids will now be more likely to book on those 4 ships and leave the others for us "old folks".

Hey...that's OK by me. I have NO desire to see cartoon characters on board, but maybe the families with kids will now be more likely to book on those 4 ships and leave the others for us "old folks".

Ditto!

As I've said before, I don't hate kids. I just can't eat a whole one.

Hey...that's OK by me. I have NO desire to see cartoon characters on board, but maybe the families with kids will now be more likely to book on those 4 ships and leave the others for us "old folks".

Yeah, my first reaction was 'Oh Crap, there goes the neighborhood' but was delighted to find that the Disneyfication will only extend to the larger ships which leaves, hopefully, the Radiance class for those of us who want a more sophisticated experience! :) Somewhat ironic given my avatar photo LOL

Now, if we can just convince RCCL to remove the art auction nonsense.....

The great thing about the Voyager, Freedom and Oasis class ships is that they are so large that they can accomodate many people's different likes and dislikes. If some thing is going on that you don't like it is possible to get away from it. There are times when I have been on Voyager and Freedom class ships and felt like I had the whole ship to myself.

I don't always like all the crazy stuff that goes on by the pool on sea days. Belly flop contests do not amuse me. I just go up one deck and forward a bit and it is like I am in a whole different environment. Just a short distance makes the difference between chaos and peace, quiet, and solitude where I can mellow out to some tunes on my I-pod for a while. There is also always the adult solarium which I find very peaceful.

Geeze, I love those Voyager and Freedom class ships.

ditto!

 

As i've said before, i don't hate kids. I just can't eat a whole one.

lol!!! Love it!

I am right there with you! I don't want Shrek either. DH and I immediately decided that our Serenade B2B this summer will be our last RCCL cruise, regardless of if this "experience" comes to the Radiance or smaller class ships or not. I don't like the idea of it, nor the image it brings to RCCL. DH has cruised on Princess, and I am leaning towards Celebrity, so we will be canceling our RCCL Visa after we cash our our rewards for our B2B, and exploring more ADULT lines.

I don't cruise to be entertained by juvenile themes I need some sea spray and great service, five meals a day and good ports of call. Disney fills the family niche but RCL now wants to compete with Disney? I enjoy seeing families on board but what happened to family time instead of "entertain me every minute". I remember what happened in Las Vegas when they tried to go over board with family themes and see where it got them, back to the old "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas". I like RCl enough to have over 24 cruises with them but I'm thinking it's not as a good a match as it used to be. Princess will get a closer look and Celebrity for my cruising dollar after I sail my next 2 bookings with RCL.

Flame away, I'm still allowed my opinion.:D

I agree with you....thanks for saying what many are thinking...

Being cruisinMAMA you might think I would disagree with ya ;)

However, when this Shrek news was first posted on the Family Board my initial reaction was :eek:

The cost of the 3rd/4th rates on the Allure/Oasis are so high to begin with ($700 for the 3/4 person in September which is usually cheap season)

Think about it -- paying $700 before port fees/taxes/tips for a 5 year old to see Shrek and Donkey. And I have 2 kids so I am looking at about $2,000 for the kids to see some Madagascar Penguins. :eek:

Compared to NCL and CCL who have MANY of their 3/4th rates at $99 - $129 -- including the NCL EPIC which has Nickelodeon characters.

So for families with kids -- paying the high rates for them -- and possibly higher now that they just introduced Shrek -- it's not something that will be in the budget for many. :(

This is one thing that I would add though since my previous post to this thread. When we sailed Mariner out of Port Canaveral the Disney ship pulled out just before us. I was watching all the Disney stuff occuring on the upper decks and I can remember saying to my brother that I was so glad not to be on that ship.

I have to think about this issue some more. I suppose it could get to be quite annoying depending on how it is done.

I could care less about Shrek but one thing that RCCL should swipe from Disney is their liquor policy. Having just returned from the Med. on the Disney Magic it was wonderful bringing back local wines from all the ports we visited and enjoying them at our leisure.Wines purchased for a few Euros and grown locally really beat the crappy wine list offered onboard. The Lemoncello was great also! No smuggling or worries. It is amazing that a cruise line that caters to kids can treat you like an adult.:confused:

This is one thing that I would add though since my previous post to this thread. When we sailed Mariner out of Port Canaveral the Disney ship pulled out just before us. I was watching all the Disney stuff occuring on the upper decks and I can remember saying to my brother that I was so glad not to be on that ship.

 

I have to think about this issue some more. I suppose it could get to be quite annoying depending on how it is done.

You mean this? ;) I swear the adults swarmed the characters and the stages more than the kids did.

I've been on many Disney cruises and on there, you really have to go out of your way to see characters. If you never want to see any, you really wont.

You mean this? ;) I swear the adults swarmed the characters and the stages more than the kids did.

 

Yup! That is exactly what I meant.:eek: :D

Personally, while I am not going to be booking my next cruise on the Oasis to see Shrek and Donkey, this decision to me personally is not going to affect my sailing with RCCL. None of the cruises I plan to take in the near future will be having characters aboard which works for me, and my wife and I do not have any kids yet so I do not need to try and plan a cruise just for them to see shrek for 5 minutes.

I guess the decision will turn out however it does and either RCCL will be happy with the result or not. All I know is this won't be affecting me so I personally have very little input about the decision they have made.

I find this all so interesting. When I was a kid, when we went on family vacations, it was to spend time with the family. I didn't go to Disneyworld until I was in college. Our family vacations were trips where we spent time together in a cabin or something--we went to Yosemite, the Grand Tetons, Maine, Europe. My brother and I spent time with each other and our parents and our family. I realize there wasn't the technology and other stuff, but our entertainment was going to the beach or playing cards and just being together. My parents always found a place with a pool, as that was enough for us. I find it so fascinating that now they have all these kids clubs and activities and all that. I never would have wanted to do those things. I cherished the time I spent with my parents and my brother. Isn't the vacation enough? Why do you need all this extra stuff?

That said, I don't care if Shrek and the Donkey and whatever are on board. I doubt it's going to affect my experience one bit, and if it keeps people entertained, then great!

I find this all so interesting. When I was a kid, when we went on family vacations, it was to spend time with the family. I didn't go to Disneyworld until I was in college. Our family vacations were trips where we spent time together in a cabin or something--we went to Yosemite, the Grand Tetons, Maine, Europe. My brother and I spent time with each other and our parents and our family. I realize there wasn't the technology and other stuff, but our entertainment was going to the beach or playing cards and just being together. My parents always found a place with a pool, as that was enough for us. I find it so fascinating that now they have all these kids clubs and activities and all that. I never would have wanted to do those things. I cherished the time I spent with my parents and my brother. Isn't the vacation enough? Why do you need all this extra stuff?

What he said!!!!! :D

What he said!!!!! :D

"he"!?!?!? :eek:

"he"!?!?!? :eek:

My bad, she said, lol. Forgot the "S"!!!

Not liking the shrek thing.

I don't sail Disney because I don't want a theme park vacation when I cruise.

And we are a true Disneyland family.

I don't like a cruise trying to be everything it isn't.

Just like Vegas turning into kid world...

Leave Shrek at universal theme park.

I think there is enough going on with a Royal caribbean cruise for families, without plugging a dream works stale used up movie theme.

I think this deal with Dreamworks is more about production shows and less about characters roaming the ship. Disney can have onboard shows that are smaller versions of its films, but RCI can't because it doesn't have the licence. Now with Dreamworks, it can have production and ice shows based on Dreamworks films - more variety, bigger budgets, etc. I expect that next year on my Indy cruise there will be a production show based on a Dreamworks film and there will most likely be Dreamworks merchandise in the onboard shops. I seriously doubt that Shrek is going to be stopping by in the MDR to see how dinner is.