Freedom... Could Care Less

[megessey]

 

Personally, I love the Voyager class ships and can't wait until my honeymoon on the Freedom in September. I can understand how people who have tried both my prefer the smaller ships. I can't understand how people who haven't even put a single foot onboard a Voyager class ship can have such a strong (and often times wrong) opinion of them.

 

One of the biggest problems with this is, it is a very expensive test if someone should just go on a massive cruise just to see if they like it or not. I highly respect someone's right to have a strong opinion on that.

 

I have never sailed Carnival but I am almost 99% sure I wouldn't like it because of what I've seen on their website, and I do not need to spend my vacation dollars to test that out.

[Schplinky]

I think one of the misconceptions those who won't try a Voyager or Freedom class have about the size is based on the way in how it is bigger. It is not "that" much longer than a Radiance or Millenium (on Celebrity) class ship. They are wider (preventing panama cruises) and taller. Most of the extra passengers are accommodated on the extrra one or two decks and ther eis more public space because of the taller ship, too. We tried a smaller ship and are returning to the larger one because of the superior design.

 

To each their own.

[AlDubya]

it is a very expensive test if someone should just go on a massive cruise just to see if they like it or not. I highly respect someone's right to have a strong opinion on that.

 

Fair enough. However, many of the people who have never sailed it are giving lists of what they don't like. I can't understand that, regardless of how much it costs. How can you tell me what you like and don't like if you haven't tried it?

 

If they simply stated that they know they love the smaller ships and don't have the money, or don't want to spend the money, to try out the bigger ships due to some skepticism... then that's a very legitimate point.

 

I don't think it's legitimate having nitpicky criticisms of a ship you've never been on. The criticisms seem more like speculation than actual facts.

[vacationhappy]

We originally booked FOS for this summer because my kids were interested in the ship. My DH and I let them choose this vacation becasue we did an intensive sightseeing trip last summer - the Med. When we actually sat down and began planning what we would do in each port, everyone gave it a thumbs down - we have already done the Western Caribbean and there was really only two stops that looked interesteing. Montego Bay is not an attractive port for us. So we rebooked on the AOS with a Southern caribbean route. Not only are we going to see some new islands but it is costing $2K less for the same accommodations! The price keeps dropping.......in fact, it is costing us less to take this cruise than if we rented a house by the shore.

 

The premium for a waterpark and surfing seems really high - I told my kids to pick a day this summer and we would take them (and a couple of friends) to a local water!

[jebl]

I am the OP and I am not bashing the larger ships. I am sure there are many, many folks who love them.

 

I guess I was wondering if I am unusual or something since I am not hyped about the Freedom.

 

I am 64 yrs so I no longer ice skate, climb rock walls, roller blade, etc. For folks who are able to do those things and wish to do them on a cruise ship, the larger ships are probably great for them. Even if I could do those things I don't think I would want to on a cruise ship.

 

To each his own and I think it is great if folks like the mega ships. I am not trying to denigrate thier choice, just commented that it is not for me.

 

That's why they make Chocolate and Vanilla!!!

[Schplinky]

I am the OP and I am not bashing the larger ships. I am sure there are many, many folks who love them.

 

 

 

It was probably your subject line that threw folks. I do feel sorry for folks who want a smaller ship experience because I think anything under a couple thousand passengers is becoming less cost-efficient, especially for new builds, unless the passengers are willing to pay a lot more.

[megessey]

How can you tell me what you like and don't like if you haven't tried it?

 

 

Like I said in my first post-- I've never been on a Carnival cruise, but I know I wouldn't like it.

 

But here's a more colorful example:

 

I've never eaten a cat poopie but I don't need to try it to say I don't like it :D (although many dogs would argue that it is a fine delicacy :p )

[Schplinky]

Well, there's an intellectual argument that is hard to refute.

[AlDubya]

But here's a more colorful example:

 

I've never eaten a cat poopie but I don't need to try it to say I don't like it :D (although many dogs would argue that it is a fine delicacy :p )

 

That's not an analogous example. I think we all know that we dislike the taste of '****'. Some through an actual taste, others through the fact that it's a known bad taste.

 

However, it's not the same as saying you don't like the 'over crowding' of the larger ships. If you haven't been on the ship, you don't know that it's over crowded. Yes, there are more people on board, but it's also a much larger ship, thereby having the capacity to hold more people.

 

You can't say, with any certainty, that the food or service is worse on a Voyager class ship unless you've actually experienced it (and even then, while it's a more legitimate gripe, it could only be a one time thing). They are baseless speculations that have no basis in personal experience but a perceived difference of the two classes of ships.

 

I don't think saying cat poop doesn't taste good is a baseless claim without having ever tried cat poop. I do think suggesting the service and food is not as good, as well as stating the ships are over crowded, are baseless claims unless you've actually traveled on the ship and experienced those problems first hand.

[Hondu]

At least one cruise line is still catering to those who like small ships. Now Princess has 3 Rennaissance vessels. Looking forward to the new Royal Princess (ex-R8) sailing the exotics in summer 2007. With only 650 passengers compared to 6400 for the Genesis.

[Schplinky]

Hondu: Are the prices comparable?

[Hondu]

Hondu: Are the prices comparable?

 

Schplinky: To be honest, I haven't seen any prices yet since the news of the deployment was announced this week. But for comparison sake, we did a 10 night French Polynesia cruise on the Tahitian Princess for $1295pp in a balcony. Nothing in the Caribbean looks like the part of the world.