How Big is Too Big?

[PRNole47]

...made thus far (i.e., too big, too many people, too many children, etc.). Those are the same exact comments I made some 20 years ago when the first then-mega ships that are the industry standard today started to come out.

 

I recall making comments about these new ships "looking like condo buildings" that include all the condo amenities one finds on land, like climbing walls, atriums, waterfalls, balconies (!!), shopping "galleries," etc. I wondered then why anyone would want to sail on a ship that looks like some South Beach condo, offering all the amenities of their own apts. or neighborhoods, why not just stay at a different condo, say one in Vail or New Mexico, etc., etc., blah, blah, blah.

 

Anyway, it appears this ship will also have its detractors until some years down the road, when the cruise industry will be replete with these behemoths and all will be "normal" again...until the next groundbreaker comes out, probably with twin helipads or jetports, etc.

 

It's all a cycle and today's negative comments will someday appear as anachronistic as those I made 20 years ago seem to be now.

[Retired not Expired]

2000 on a ship are enough for me. This thing won't be able to dock in many of the ports and tendering will be a mob scene.

 

When all the ships under about 80,000 go, I probably will also.

[welove2cruise*]

I have found (to my initial surprise) that the smaller ships provide a much more relaxing cruise vacation - which is what I prefer. I would not be interested in sailing a huge ship - too many hassles with on and off in port for one thing.

[Barb Nahoumi]

The results are on the front page of this issue of CC. The answers did not surprise me.

 

Check it out.

[IrishKathy]

The ONLY way I would ever go on a ship that big is if I could helicopter on and off so I didn't have to go through the usual embarkation/debarkation with the unbelievable masses of passengers.;)

 

Kathy

[Spoarzy]

This ship will be an amazing technical wonder. I cant wait to cruise on her. I have a love for technology and ships. It will not be for every one but for those who want to say they have cruised on the largest, I'll see you there. What new things will RCCL have to explore while at sea.

[jbsteven]

the bigger the better. more stuff to do. with more space there will probably be the same size to person ratio.

[electricron]

Do you really think so?

 

Passenger Space Ratio Calculated by dividing the ship's gross registered tonnage by the number of passengers to give a tons per passenger figure. This rather arbitrary ratio is provided on the Ship Details page and can be roughly interpreted as: below 20 poor; 20-30 average; 30-40 good; 40-50 very good; over 50 excellent.

 

I'm not so sure.....

 

Let's look at the Passenger Space Ratio for the Voyager, Freedom, and Genesis classes.

 

Voyager of the Seas: DO 142,000/3114=45.60 MAX 142,000/3844=36.94

Freedom of the Seas: DO 158,000/3600=43.89 MAX 158,000/4370=36.15

Genesis class: DO 220,000/5400=40.74 MAX 220,000/6400=34.37

 

Apparently, as RCI increases the sizes of these ships, the Passenger Space Ratio is falling, not rising.

 

How does they compare to the Norwegian Jewel?

Norwegian Jewel DO 93,500/2376=39.35 MAX 93,500/2700=34.64

 

Bigger isn't always better!

[tinkerbell1951]

I'd be afraid of losing my family on something that big! No thanks. I'll stick to smaller ships and avoid any itineraries that coincide with that monster at a port!

Joe, Forgive my stupidity but is there an easy way to find out how to avoid an itinerary matchup without spedning hours checking competion's itineraries? A nightmare for sure. Thanks. Tink :)

[electricron]

I wish there were a way.

 

Larger ships are here to stay. I doubt RCI would build these monsters if they thought they would lose money. How many ports do you go to and see two ships from the same cruise line? Well, this one ship could replace two ships.

There's less pier space needed to lease and one less pilot to pay at every port.

[JLC@SD]

I remember reading a crusie review in our local newspaper.....a review of a large ship.

 

He wrote how he met a nice couple the first day, spent some time visiting with them...............and then the rest of the week........he never saw them again.:rolleyes:

 

That's when a ship is too large.