Is Royal Caribbean building any small ships?

[xtremegk]

For one, I'm encouraged by the project name. Royal puts some effort into their project names and generally keep to that spirit -- Project Genesis (Oasis class) basically started from scratch with what was possible on a cruise ship, Project Sunshine (Quantum class) redesigned spaces that could enjoy the sunlight no matter what climate the ship is sailing in, Project Edge (Celebrity Edge class) came up with ways to maximize every inch of the ship, including Magic Carpet and infinite balconies.

 

Does Project Discovery mean rediscovering places "lost" to the bigger ships (for the record, Oasis can fit into a lot more ports than people realize, but they're just not economical on the regular 7-day rotations...very few, like Bermuda, have actual physical impediments)?

 

And Princess is building a new class as we speak. The Sun Princess was floated out recently, set to launch next year. 175k tons.

[latebuyer]

I am referring to inside rooms and it does seem like there is some competitve pricing compared to other cruise lines and inner cabins seem cheaper then on larger ships. It would be ashamed to see that option go away.

[Ret MP]

I believe that the building of smaller ships in the future won't happen, at least for RCCL. RCCL is making a ton of money with Quantum Class and larger ships.  There are some folks that really enjoy and prefer the smaller ships, and there's nothing wrong with that.  I think that RCCL will continue to build superstructures and may cater to those "nitch" folks that like the smaller ships with a secondary brand like X, or make a new brand, or rebrand an older less successful brand.  It won't be cheap though.  

 

I enjoy the superstructure ships as they have so many options to keep us busy, even though we don't do the water slides or surfing.  I/we enjoy specialty restaurants/restaurants, bar hopping, entertainment shows, and the Casino.  

[Guest ldtr]

4 hours ago, xtremegk said:

For one, I'm encouraged by the project name. Royal puts some effort into their project names and generally keep to that spirit -- Project Genesis (Oasis class) basically started from scratch with what was possible on a cruise ship, Project Sunshine (Quantum class) redesigned spaces that could enjoy the sunlight no matter what climate the ship is sailing in, Project Edge (Celebrity Edge class) came up with ways to maximize every inch of the ship, including Magic Carpet and infinite balconies.

 

Does Project Discovery mean rediscovering places "lost" to the bigger ships (for the record, Oasis can fit into a lot more ports than people realize, but they're just not economical on the regular 7-day rotations...very few, like Bermuda, have actual physical impediments)?

 

And Princess is building a new class as we speak. The Sun Princess was floated out recently, set to launch next year. 175k tons.

The Princess ship is built on the same platform that Carnival uses for its more recent build and P&O did for its last two ships.  The difference is while LB passenger count on the princess ship is 4200, it is over 5000 on the Carnival and P&O ships.

 

I expect that Royal will stay large their brand is very much in the family mass market, lots of things to do on the ship.  To hold all of those amusement park type features they need the size.

 

The smaller ship, more adult focused, is the niche filled by Celebrity in the RCL family of cruise lines.

 

 

Edited June 14, 2023 by ldtr

[HappyTexan44]

I get that many people don't like the giant ships.  But, I think they are awesome for expanding the customer base.  What are the reasons people don't want to try cruising?   I think I'll be bored, and I'll be seasick.  

 

[Mum2Mercury]

On 6/13/2023 at 12:29 PM, Ourusualbeach said:

Project Discovery has been talked about by ship Captains.  The new ships will be around the Voyager and Edge class ships size wise.  Nothing as small as Radiance or Vision class.

I love this, as Voyager size is my favorite.  Those ships are big enough to have nice amenities, but they aren't mega-mega.  I like that they are priced less than the larger ships (though a NEW mid-sized ship might command the same price as Wonder), and I like that they don't require tendering into the islands.  So -- yeah -- bring on the new mid-sized ships!  

7 hours ago, latebuyer said:

Is it only me or are these larger ships more expensive then smaller ships. It seems cruising will become more expensive than less expensive.

The largest ships are definitely more expensive.  We have two cruises scheduled for the fall:  one on Grandeur and one on Wonder.  We could literally go on Grandeur TWICE for the cost of the Wonder cruise ... and have some cash left over.  

 

But is it because they're larger or because they're newer?  

[Ret MP]

5 minutes ago, HappyTexan44 said:

I get that many people don't like the giant ships.  But, I think they are awesome for expanding the customer base.  What are the reasons people don't want to try cruising?   I think I'll be bored, and I'll be seasick.  

 

My wife and I were married for over 30 years before she finally talked me into taking a cruise and I was also retired from Port Everglades.  I was very concerned that I would just sit on the deck sunning myself and playing dominos with the other geezers.  My first cruise was the Dream or Freedom, can't remember for sure which, with Rustubket (has nothing to do with rust) Cruise Lines.  I was amazed at how big the ship was and how much there was to do.  When RCCL announced that they were building the Oasis Class ships, I predicted a change in cruise lines in our future.  It happened and I haven't turned back.  I love cruising and the ship is MY destination.  My daughter, the oldest, is completely and totally afraid that she would be bored and the ship might sink, she won't cruise.  My youngest, well she's my young cruising buddy along with her husband and kids.  They love cruising as much as I do.  

[Charles4515]

16 minutes ago, Mum2Mercury said:

But is it because they're larger or because they're newer?  

 Newer. The new ship is always more expensive for a couple of years. 

[Ret MP]

22 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

 Newer. The new ship is always more expensive for a couple of years. 

That's for sure.  Everybody wants to get on the newest and brightest.  I didn't cruise on the Oasis for a couple of years after it was in service, because of the price.  It did eventually come down, usually after the latest biggest, and brightest object comes into play.  I can't wait to get on the Wonder someday but it won't be for years, lord will'in, and the creek don't rise.

 

Edited In:  Change Icon to Wonder.

Edited June 14, 2023 by Ret MP

[latebuyer]

Just curious when the radiance class of ships and grandeur of the seas will age out and they won’t be used anymore?

[Another_Critic]

Grandeur was scheduled to be transferred to Pullmantur before 2020 happened.

 

"It was announced on 16 October 2019 that Grandeur of the Seas will be transferred in the second quarter of 2021 to Pullmantur Cruises, in which Royal Caribbean has a 49% stake.^[3] These plans were cancelled in mid-2020.^[4]"

[Charles4515]

1 hour ago, latebuyer said:

Just curious when the radiance class of ships and grandeur of the seas will age out and they won’t be used anymore?

Royal has  4 vision class ships in the fleet, Grandeur, Vision, Enchantmant and Rhapsody. I won't speculate when Vision class or Radiance class will age out. It could be a lot of years yet. 

[Charles4515]

1 hour ago, Another_Critic said:

Grandeur was scheduled to be transferred to Pullmantur before 2020 happened.

 

"It was announced on 16 October 2019 that Grandeur of the Seas will be transferred in the second quarter of 2021 to Pullmantur Cruises, in which Royal Caribbean has a 49% stake.^[3] These plans were cancelled in mid-2020.^[4]"

They were cancelled because Pullmentur was wound up. I don't think Grandeur aged out I think Royal intended to add a ship to Pullmantur. If Granduer had aged out they would have scrapped her. 

[LXA350]

On 6/14/2023 at 6:47 PM, xtremegk said:

For one, I'm encouraged by the project name. Royal puts some effort into their project names and generally keep to that spirit -- Project Genesis (Oasis class) basically started from scratch with what was possible on a cruise ship, Project Sunshine (Quantum class) redesigned spaces that could enjoy the sunlight no matter what climate the ship is sailing in, Project Edge (Celebrity Edge class) came up with ways to maximize every inch of the ship, including Magic Carpet and infinite balconies.

 

Does Project Discovery mean rediscovering places "lost" to the bigger ships (for the record, Oasis can fit into a lot more ports than people realize, but they're just not economical on the regular 7-day rotations...very few, like Bermuda, have actual physical impediments)?

 

And Princess is building a new class as we speak. The Sun Princess was floated out recently, set to launch next year. 175k tons.

 

Supposedly there was a other project name around / or still is; "Destination Class". Well let's see but at the end there also has to be a market for longer cruises with focus on destinations for the mass market and not only luxury. Hence a Cruise Ship with a size of around 3000 passengers that can reach all destinations a Radiance Class ship can today seems to be a must.

[John&LaLa]

On 6/13/2023 at 9:13 PM, latebuyer said:

Here’s the situation in monterey. Cruise ships only allowed via tender

 

https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Monterey-tells-cruise-lines-they-are-not-welcome

 

https://www.businessinsider.com/list-us-port-towns-want-to-limit-ban-cruise-ships-2023-4

 

As i said with more large ships its only going to get worse.

 

Monterey is a niche market

[John&LaLa]

On 6/13/2023 at 9:08 PM, volk904 said:

I think at sone point you will see Royal or Celebrity maybe both build some smaller ships around 3000 passengers to replace the M class and smaller RCL classes. There is too many ports that cannot take the monster ships by port or even passenger volume.  Baltimore, Tampa, Vancouver come to mind. Even Alaska cannot take the Oasis and larger ships.  In theory they could use the same basis design and them modify the common spaces  them to fit each lines needs.  Hi think they are running out of routes for the giant ships.  

 

I thought Quantum Class can do Vancouver 

[jakeil7]

4 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

I thought Quantum Class can do Vancouver 

Yeah. See post #34 in this thread (later corrected to Quantum from Oasis class)

[mo&fran]

I thought all ships doing Alaska go to Vancouver, either as a port call or departure port,

[Another_Critic]

2 minutes ago, mo&fran said:

I thought all ships doing Alaska go to Vancouver, either as a port call or departure port,

Victoria is the port call.

[Charles4515]

9 minutes ago, Another_Critic said:

Victoria is the port call.

I see Quantum of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas going to Vancouver. 

Edited June 15, 2023 by Charles4515

[Another_Critic]

Just now, Charles4515 said:

I see Quantum of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas going to Vancouver. I guess that Canadian who posted that they could not earlier in the thread was wrong.

Yes, I was just clarifying that the port call is Victoria (for RT Seattle), not Vancouver.

[Charles4515]

8 minutes ago, Another_Critic said:

Yes, I was just clarifying that the port call is Victoria (for RT Seattle), not Vancouver.

I understood that. Somehow the idea was out there that Quantum Class could not go under the bridge, I would have to scroll back to see if someone actually posted that.Quantum class can go to a lot of ports including Alaska and Bermuda. So I think Royal is covered for many years even if the next builds are too large for Vancouver. 

Edited June 15, 2023 by Charles4515

[latebuyer]

Thanks. Yes i forgot Ovation left from Vancouver to go to Hawaii while goes to Alaska from Seattle. I wasn't sure if Quantum of the seas goes from vancouver too.

[reallyitsmema]

15 minutes ago, latebuyer said:

Thanks. Yes i forgot Ovation left from Vancouver to go to Hawaii while goes to Alaska from Seattle. I wasn't sure if Quantum of the seas goes from vancouver too.

 

They need a foreign port, they can't go from Seattle to Hawaii directly because of the PVSA.

[coaster]

23 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

 Newer. The new ship is always more expensive for a couple of years. 

I tell DW all the time when she gets excited watching a YouTube  video of a new ship to wait about 10 years. Ships need some time to be 'broken in'.

Edited June 15, 2023 by coaster