is there a tipping point?

[Hawaiidan]

Looking at the myriad of new launch ships...3500-4500-6500 passengers, at what point do you, as an experienced cruiser decide that enough is enough?

Remember back a decade ago when 600-1800 was the typical cruise.      Would you still find the same allure that you first enjoyed?      What would you either continue or discard crusing were, in the future, to be done in a floating city.     Is that the same, would it be the same?

[Jammu2]

My preference is a smaller ship. My favorite so far is Oceania Marina. Eurodam is my second. I prefer her even though though the Vistas are smaller. Its a balance.

 

I was on Explorer of the Seas last year. Its not even big as per RCI. But much too big for me.

 

Some people are digging NCLs "Haven" or MSCs "Yacht Club" ship-within-a-ship concept. I can't see myself enjoying that.

 

Edit to add - sorry...crazed puppy. There will always be a cruise line for me. Whether or not I can afford a cruise on it is another story.

 

Edited June 20, 2019 by Jammu2
Eta

[cruisemom42]

Not a fan of big ships. My favorite cruise ship (9 cruises) is 350 passengers.

 

The ship's amenities are not high on my list. I like interesting itineraries and good enrichment. I do not like hordes of others, nor do I care about the spa, casino, pools, diversity of dining venues, wrap-around promenade deck or suite amenities. In future I hope to avoid anything over 2,000 passengers (at most) unless there is some special reason for the trip -- e.g., a family cruise.

[cowmilker]

I can't see us ever boarding one of the mega ships again (we've done one: MSC Meraviglia).  

And there is no way in the world I am going to pay extra money for the whole "ship-in-a-ship" thing.  I'll just look for smaller ships.

We were fine with Koningsdam (2650 px when full), but I suspect that's our limit.

[crystalspin]

Big enough that my husband and my brother do not get seasick and not a whole lot bigger. Both have been more-than-queasy on S- and R-class ships which are OK for protected waters (Inside Passage etc). DH did well on Signature-Nieuw Amsterdam class and then Vista-Zuiderdam way up high and forward; although not in heavy seas. He may be out-living the illness.

 

Have invited DB and SIL to spent 21 days with us on the Nieuw Statendam (bro is even more susceptible to mal de mer). I think dr'spin may enjoy the glitzy decor, but no one in the family is looking for rock climbing walls or the like. 

[KroozNut]

Smaller ships all the way for us, no floating Vegas's in our future thank you very much!

[DFWGUYZ]

IMO, cruise lines will build for the niche (a specialized segment of the market for a particular kind of product or service). While Baby Boomers are a very large segment of disposable income, the Millennial's are fast approaching this market. To stay up to what is expected, HAL seems to be somewhat on trend. Larger ships, (3 thousand, plus) and certainly guaranties more profit. The Little things like USB outlets bedside and now credenza's also, large Televisions with complete cruise and Passenger Portfolio information and intranet WiFi applications such as Navigator, The Music Walk are making it more appealing for the targeted market. Mid-Sized Ships will always be in demand, just my thought.

 

Yes, there is a tipping point as to the number of passengers that many Baby Boomers and to some extent Millennial's that will not cruise with. It is quite interesting to watch the Market and the trends.

[ski ww]

We have been on one 3000+, never again, we'll stay with the mid seize ships.  Have cruised on five different cruise lines, but keep coming back to HAL. We enjoy HAL for the itineraries. Don't much care for all the bells & whistles which seems like all the new builds are going for. 

[Krazy Kruizers]

No way would we consider one of those Mega ships that you described.

[dogo88]

Been on both large and small ships. We like both. Only downside to the larger ones is the ports available to stop at. 

[DeeniEncinitas]

9 hours ago, Hawaiidan said:

Looking at the myriad of new launch ships...3500-4500-6500 passengers, at what point do you, as an experienced cruiser decide that enough is enough?

Remember back a decade ago when 600-1800 was the typical cruise.      Would you still find the same allure that you first enjoyed?      What would you either continue or discard crusing were, in the future, to be done in a floating city.     Is that the same, would it be the same?

Love the picture Dan!!!

love the smaller ships! The picture reminds me of our trip on Windstar which was small and perfect for us!

We enjoy HALS smaller ships Maasdam as well as her bigger sisters Nieuw Amsterdam and Eurodam!

Will see you on Oceania in 9 months!

Denise😊

[DaveOKC]

The mega ships have their "place", especially for families and people who want lots of things "to do" on a cruise.  For us 65+ people, we like the quieter, less crowded ships that HAL offers.  I might try a Mega ship, IF I can get something like the Yacht Club or Haven.

 

 

[Sunshineliving]

I have been looking at different ships on different lines for a couple of weeks. The more I learn about the mega ships, the more I do not want to go. I am not interested in ice skating or bumper cars on the ship. I like to relax on a cruise. 

So no, I would not enjoy that many people on one ship. 

[Hawaiidan]

1 hour ago, DeeniEncinitas said:

Love the picture Dan!!!

love the smaller ships! The picture reminds me of our trip on Windstar which was small and perfect for us!

We enjoy HALS smaller ships Maasdam as well as her bigger sisters Nieuw Amsterdam and Eurodam!

Will see you on Oceania in 9 months!

Denise😊

Smaller ???   Maasdam  is like 1300 people..   To me thats pretty large   I like 1/2 that  Euro and Amsterdam are mega  to my thinking and something I could not enjoy..   Just saw a program on MSC and their 4200 passenger monster  add another 1000 for crew..

[Shawnino]

Firm bed, good water pressure in shower, good food all mandatory.

Beyond that, ships are a commodity to me and itinerary is the only consideration.

The itineraries we prefer lean to the 1400-pax-and-under ships. 

[DeeniEncinitas]

33 minutes ago, Hawaiidan said:

Smaller ???   Maasdam  is like 1300 people..   To me thats pretty large   I like 1/2 that  Euro and Amsterdam are mega  to my thinking and something I could not enjoy..   Just saw a program on MSC and their 4200 passenger monster  add another 1000 for crew..

In your quote Dan “Remember a decade ago when 600-1800 was a typical cruise?”

We have enjoyed HAL for a long time and 1250 passengers not including crew on Maasdam and my favorite Ryndam 

are perfect for us!  Sorry to see Ryndam sold. Windstar and Regent we sure do enjoy and is also small. We also go on ships for itinerary and that is why Riviera

will be our choice next!

Denise😊

 

[Tampa Girl]

11 hours ago, crystalspin said:

Big enough that my husband and my brother do not get seasick and not a whole lot bigger. Both have been more-than-queasy on S- and R-class ships which are OK for protected waters (Inside Passage etc). DH did well on Signature-Nieuw Amsterdam class and then Vista-Zuiderdam way up high and forward; although not in heavy seas. He may be out-living the illness.

 

Have invited DB and SIL to spent 21 days with us on the Nieuw Statendam (bro is even more susceptible to mal de mer). I think dr'spin may enjoy the glitzy decor, but no one in the family is looking for rock climbing walls or the like. 

 

I believe it is less the size of the ship that determine mal de mer but the way the ship is built.  It is the 1468 passenger Amsterdam that does the world cruises and other grand voyages.  It is very comfortable in the middle of the Pacific.  Limited to Inside Passage?  Not so.

[iancal]

The tipping point for us would be the decline in quality/experience, decline in ship maintenance on older vessels, and  the increase in price, and the increase in nickel and diming.

 

These are the stimuli that cause us to  consider higher cost premium cruise lines that deliver better overall value based on our preferences.

Edited June 20, 2019 by iancal

[Moriah]

HAL's Vista class is as large as I really care to go.  I am not a fan of the new hugeness trend, but that's just my preference.  Even Eurodam and NA are just a tad large for me, although I really love Tamarind... so there's that... but Koningsdam has changed my beloved wrap around promenade deck, so that's the deal breaker for me.

[Randyk47]

Actually the advent of the Vista class really got to us.   We started cruising with HAL on the Ryndam in 1995 and went on to really love the R and S class ships.  We took one cruise on the Oosterdam in 2004 and really didn’t like that size ship so went back to sailing exclusively on the smaller ships of the fleet.   

[rucrazy]

When Holland America Line has no more ships in it's fleet that carry less than 1500 pax we will cease sailing with HAL.

Size means everything to us!

[Roz]

What I don't care for about the mega liners is the limited number of ports they can go - Cozumel, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, etc. - same old, same old.  At some point if my mobility becomes limited, the larger ships may be too much to navigate.  Until then, 3,000+ passenger ships don't bother me.

 

Roz

[Roz]

2 minutes ago, rucrazy said:

When Holland America Line has no more ships in it's fleet that carry less than 1500 pax we will cease sailing with HAL.

Size means everything to us!

 

I assume that means you'll either quit cruising, or move up in price to something like Oceania or Silversea.

 

Roz

[Hawaiidan]

3 hours ago, Shawnino said:

Firm bed, good water pressure in shower, good food all mandatory.

Beyond that, ships are a commodity to me and itinerary is the only consideration.

The itineraries we prefer lean to the 1400-pax-and-under ships. 

 Then........  Have I got a ship for you !...  3 wonderful meals and snacks too !  Good  water pressure..... and talk about itineraries..... San Diego   -Hawaii     Guam,  Japan, Hong Kong  Subic Bay, Taiwan Da Nang, Sydney,  ...... Wonderful activities .... Find the submarine,   Shoot the mine,  ...   24/7 !!!           Never a dull moment .....

[Hawaiidan]

12 minutes ago, Roz said:

 

I assume that means you'll either quit cruising, or move up in price to something like Oceania or Silversea.

 

Roz

I can not speak for them  but for me  yes...  I am making one last HAL cruise  on Maasdam.. because of the ports.  I already have tried Oceania  which surprised me as to how little difference there was really in price  but  how much more value I got.     But even they are at the upper limit, for me .

 The even larger problem I have with larger ships  is no matter what size  of ship you sail on yourself,  your going to run into, more and more, lots of the monsters almost any where you go.. Alaska, Carribe, Med, Norway, Asia  China...   

They , not you will impact your  experience by the sheer quantity of people they  disgorge on a port.  Like a super bowl crowd to deal with whether your in a row boat or mega liner

For me all this takes away the values that I derived from cruising  in the first place.   To continue is  to beat ones head against the wall..... Why do it