Jamesszy94

I enjoy Quantum class because they are different.  I've sailed four of them and mostly to bucket list destinations like Alaska, Hawaii and New Zealand.  
Oasis class, until Icon came about, have always been in a league of their own and can't be compared to any other ship class.  Oasis and now Icon are very wide ships, much wider than all other classes of ship.  It's the extra width that allows things like Central Park and Boardwalk.  On any other platform without the extra width it's not practical to install these areas without removing all guest cabins in those areas.  Removing guest cabins to add more venues and features isn't practical for any cruise line.
Oasis class are much larger ships at 225,000+ GT while Quantum class are around 168,000 GT.  That extra 30% of space allows them to put more venues and areas on Oasis class.  
Why doesn't Radiance class have ice skating rinks and zip lines and central park and boardwalk and aqua theaters and so on?  Because Radiance class is one third the size of Oasis class and obviously you can't put the same features and venues on a ship that doesn't have the space for them.   
The Windjammer on Quantum class is my favorite across the fleet.  I really dislike the Windjammer on Oasis class.  The food stations are all over the place with some on the side and some around the corner on the back.  It's really hard to find seating on Oasis class Windjammers at peak times.  Oasis class Windjammers are truly jammers slammed with people.  Some Quantum class Windjammers have outdoor seating which I love.
The lack of waterslides is known before booking.  It appears odd to me to complain they are missing.  That's like buying a sedan then complaining it's not a 4x4 pick up truck.  Given where most Quantum class are deployed waterslides are impractical.  
It's okay not to like something but that doesn't justify calling it a dud.  
Royal's next class of ship, Discovery class, is not going to be a mini Oasis class ship.  They too will be much smaller ships that won't have the space for all Oasis class features.  Like Quantum class the smaller footprint will allow them to sail into ports that Oasis class can't fit into.  That's kind of the point.  They will be different too.  Different doesn't make them duds.  
Oasis and Icon class ships are the destination and the ports you visit are less important.  If the itinerary is boring it doesn't matter because the ship is as much the destination as the itinerary may be.
Other classes of ships can visit more unique ports of call where mega ships can't sail.  When visiting these areas the ship isn't the destination as much as the ports of call are the destination.  
Anthem out of Bayonne was a perfect pairing with two sea days down the coast and two sea days on the way back home in the cold Atlantic ocean where few would be using waterslides most of the time.  The indoor family pool means kids are not trying to sneak into the adult only solarium pools on those colder sea days in winter months.
What I love best of all my 14 Quantum class cruises are the memories of the destinations.  Alaska, Hawaii, Australia and New Zealand for example.  Greek islands and Europe for Odyssey is a great summer pairing.  
I like that Royal's fleet is diverse and not just ships that are variations of the same thing.  With research I can choose a ship that fits my needs based on the region I'll be sailing.  I suggest doing more research next time and avoid booking a ship that doesn't have features that are important to you.  

Not RCI but a nice reminder to make sure you are back in plenty of time, especially when not using a cruise line's own excursion! Ouch.
https://edition.cnn.com/travel/norwegian-cruise-passengers-stranded-africa/index.html
 

Quantum ships were designed from the start to be cold-weather cruising ships. So features like an aqua theater, water slides, etc. would be unusable while in the colder regions at start or end of a cruise (or throughout on something like an Alaska sailing or late-fall Canada/New England cruise). I imagine features like those also pose some safety risks in rougher winter waters or in high winds common to the winter season.
I imagine that's also why the ice skating rink was skipped. I saw at least one skater fall in every performance, even in calm seas. Can't image people being able to use the space when the seas are really rockin' and a rollin'.
Like @need2cruz, my wife and I love the Quantum class ships. The Two70 Lounge became our favorite spot to have breakfast every morning. It's always wonderfully quiet there in the mornings, with the wake view adding to the calm. We also really like the shows they have in that space.
The Q class solarium is easily our favorite of the ships we've been on (admittedly, not many). We like the SeaPlex for the non-sports options it offers since neither of us is into sports, along with features like iFly that are unique to the line and still work even when the weather is colder. Our only real complaint is how much the ships "look inward", even with all the balcony rooms they have. But that's another trade-off of being designed for colder climates, where people will want to limit their exposure to the elements when just getting from Point A to Point B.
Q class is the only one besides Freedom or Radiance class that I want to book these days. I'm glad that Royal continues to offer those, and I hope they evolve the Q line in ways that pull from Celebrity's Edge class ships (which clearly drew inspiration from Q class).

I was about to ask what's this... totally forgetting that it was April 1st and thought it was a legit thing then saw the 😎 float in the water... 

I was about to ask what's this... totally forgetting that it was April 1st and thought it was a legit thing then saw the 😎 float in the water... 

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2022/06/17/royal-caribbean-trademarks-9-potential-cruise-ship-names
https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2021/12/22/royal-caribbean-trademarks-names-possible-new-cruise-ships
Lots of names to choose from for Oasis 7
Name one of the ships Monarch of the Seas then have her be based in Great Britain only 😂

I don't think RC did anything wrong. This is where having travel insurance is key.

I notice I can now use Air2Sea to book flights for the cruises in Australia and New Zealand with the option to pay later for economy and premium economy.
Previously it used to say not available in your region.
 
 

Royal confirmed on Facebook in the last few days booking will open Wednesday 10/4.

Most people cruise to get away from reality. Some people will probably stare and talk and make snide comments, but most of them won't care. There are LGBT+ meetings onboard where other LGBT+ cruisers can meet each other. 
Cruising is just like any other holiday experience you'll probably take. It's no different to judgemental people back on land, you'll find judgemental people everywhere. 

I wouldn't wait.  The price is likely to go up and negate your discount anyway, and your choice of rooms won't be as good.

The next several scheduled cruises for Brilliance:
April 4 - 8 Night South Pacific
April 17 - 17 Night Transpacific
April 28 - 8 Night Hawaii
May 6 - 6 Night Alaska

My wife and I were booked on the Tasmania cruise at the end of March. We had to cancel because my son decided to get married. Must have been an omen.

More importantly Edge class goes through the Panama Canal.

Kiba is doing well. He just got checked for a heart murmur and possible GI issue, both came back as OK / clean. He's still an absolute love bug with me, cuddles at least a few times a day.
I do still miss our other cat, Suki. But at least that grief has run its course.
Oh, and we adopted two dogs during the pandemic -- Cece and Taco. Both small mixed breeds. Kiba is finally getting along well with both of them, 3-1/2 years later.

Just attended the session where they ask questions to the captain and the other officers.
Something mentioned about Lelepa in 2026 (couldn't hear properly cause people wouldn't stop talking over the captain - lowkey a bit rude)
Captain basically confirmed Ovation (and by extension Quantum and Anthem, dunno about Odyssey or Spectrum) is the largest ship that will fit into Sydney, unless they get a bigger port. He mentioned something about 7 metre gap between the ship and the rock - again couldn't hear properly cause people wouldn't be quiet.. 😢
Hotel Director also basically confirmed that Ovation is going into Dry Dock in 2026.
There were a few questions I wanted to ask but didn't get the chance cause people kept rambling on.. 😅

Final thoughts addendum:
Picton is kind of boring if you don't join a shore excursion - the main city centre can be walked around in a total of like 30 minutes, the outskirts of the city centre - there's not really much to see, it's all industrial buildings. It's definitely a one and done for me personally. 
Napier is very beautiful and definitely worth checking out - the Art Deco style buildings are beautiful and it was fascinating getting to know the history of Napier and the Hawkes Bay region and how they basically rebuilt from the ground (pun intended) up after the earthquake in 1931. It's definitely a port you can visit more than once and if I ever decide to sail to New Zealand again, definitely will be exploring more/joining a shore excursion to see the wineries
Wellington is also a very beautiful city, but because it's the capital, it has a very "big" city feel. It's your typical big city with lots of shops, eateries, lots of people and lots of landmarks for you to check out. The most famous thing about Wellington is probably the cable car that takes you up the top to the Botanic Gardens/Space Observatory and you definitely get a nice view of Wellington - definitely worth checking out.
The Sounds were the best part of the cruise, just sailing through the fjords of Dusky, Doubtful and especially Milford Sound was very breathtaking and I'd argue is even more beautiful than Alaska (Alaska is still amazing!) The weather was spectacular and definitely worth checking out if you ever get the chance.

Final thoughts and OBSERAVATIONS: Earlier in the week, I mentioned that I feel like Mike wasn't as enthusiastic as Steve from Canada - but I take that back, Mike was super funny all the time and he was very friendly and made everyone laugh a lot. It was probably the first night and I shouldn't have made judgement so quickly 🤣
This is my third time sailing Ovation of the Seas - and while she's a great ship and I love sailing on her, I found myself not doing as much as I did on previous sailings with her - I don't know if it's just because I was lazy or if it was because I'd already done everything and seen every show there was to see (the Broadway Style ones precisely). And most of the Trivia's were all the same more or less; Harry Potter, 70's/80's/90's Tunes, Scavenger Hunts, Star Wars - all the usual trivias. I don't know what it is. I'll be happy once we get a different ship and try a different sailing - I do hope Ovation comes back to Sydney though after the 2025-2026 Asia season - she's a great ship and I definitely do love sailing her, I just wish there was more variety in Sydney sailings. 
The Windjammer was definitely my least favorite part of the ship and even my dad agrees. We ate in the WJ mainly for breakfast and lunch - I had lunch a few times at Sorrento's and two70 though. But the thing about the Windjammer is that there's no variety - it's all the same food every. single. day. Chips, burgers, bacon, hash browns, sausages - they literally change one station and that's it, but even then it's like half a station. They occasionally put out things like tacos, tortillas etc, but everything else is the same and they have FOUR stations JUST FOR SALADS (TWO OF THEM ARE LITERALLY JUST FOR CHEESE AND HAM/PROSCUITTO ETC) AND FRUIT. Honestly, the food in the MDR was way nicer than the food in the Windjammer.
It was a very nice sailing and to get away from reality and civilization if only for 10 days and I very much enjoyed the shows even if I'd seem them before - I like re-watching shows cause I know they change casts. They've kept Ovation in really good condition, all her decor is still very nice and she's very clean. There are parts of the ship that are starting to show some wear and tear though - like the carpet in the WJ is a bit dated and starting to mould, the stools in the casino are all worn and could use some replacing, and there are some parts of the ship that are starting to rust (but the rust can't be helped, it's just what happens when ships are exposed to seawater for too long). Also one of the lifts wasn't working the entire sailing which didn't help after the shows or when people were trying to get off the ship. 
I'm not sure if I'm just being cynical or if people are genuinely just lazy - I saw SO many able bodied people take the lifts JUST TO GET FROM the THIRD FLOOR to the FOURTH floor or they'd take the lift just for one level...honestly... just walk the stairs, it's a lot faster than waiting for the lifts.

Ugh, nevermind I figured it out. I went through room selection and realized it's a central park balcony not ocean 😭

Final thoughts addendum:
Picton is kind of boring if you don't join a shore excursion - the main city centre can be walked around in a total of like 30 minutes, the outskirts of the city centre - there's not really much to see, it's all industrial buildings. It's definitely a one and done for me personally. 
Napier is very beautiful and definitely worth checking out - the Art Deco style buildings are beautiful and it was fascinating getting to know the history of Napier and the Hawkes Bay region and how they basically rebuilt from the ground (pun intended) up after the earthquake in 1931. It's definitely a port you can visit more than once and if I ever decide to sail to New Zealand again, definitely will be exploring more/joining a shore excursion to see the wineries
Wellington is also a very beautiful city, but because it's the capital, it has a very "big" city feel. It's your typical big city with lots of shops, eateries, lots of people and lots of landmarks for you to check out. The most famous thing about Wellington is probably the cable car that takes you up the top to the Botanic Gardens/Space Observatory and you definitely get a nice view of Wellington - definitely worth checking out.
The Sounds were the best part of the cruise, just sailing through the fjords of Dusky, Doubtful and especially Milford Sound was very breathtaking and I'd argue is even more beautiful than Alaska (Alaska is still amazing!) The weather was spectacular and definitely worth checking out if you ever get the chance.

Final thoughts addendum:
Picton is kind of boring if you don't join a shore excursion - the main city centre can be walked around in a total of like 30 minutes, the outskirts of the city centre - there's not really much to see, it's all industrial buildings. It's definitely a one and done for me personally. 
Napier is very beautiful and definitely worth checking out - the Art Deco style buildings are beautiful and it was fascinating getting to know the history of Napier and the Hawkes Bay region and how they basically rebuilt from the ground (pun intended) up after the earthquake in 1931. It's definitely a port you can visit more than once and if I ever decide to sail to New Zealand again, definitely will be exploring more/joining a shore excursion to see the wineries
Wellington is also a very beautiful city, but because it's the capital, it has a very "big" city feel. It's your typical big city with lots of shops, eateries, lots of people and lots of landmarks for you to check out. The most famous thing about Wellington is probably the cable car that takes you up the top to the Botanic Gardens/Space Observatory and you definitely get a nice view of Wellington - definitely worth checking out.
The Sounds were the best part of the cruise, just sailing through the fjords of Dusky, Doubtful and especially Milford Sound was very breathtaking and I'd argue is even more beautiful than Alaska (Alaska is still amazing!) The weather was spectacular and definitely worth checking out if you ever get the chance.

I got off the Ovation of the Seas yesterday after 10 nights.
Food was hit and miss. Some nights the MDR had great food - other nights, it was pretty bad. 
WJ is definitely not great - same thing every morning/lunch/ and basically dinner except they change up maybe 1 or 2 stations for their "themed" nights. PLUS DID I MENTION THEY HAVE FOUR ENTIRE STATIONS JUST FOR SALAD.
Izumi's was good though
I guess it just depends if you're a picky eater. 

It will be. It's always good to try out a different ship.
I'm hoping to do a cruise down your way to celebrate my retirement in a few years from now. 🤞

That's a real shame. There's so many ports Royal could visit (Moreton Island, Fraser Island (Carnival I know for a fact visits Moreton Island and I know P&O visits Fraser Island and Norfolk), LHI, PNG, Kimberley region just to name a few) but I guess they have to worry about the logistics and whether or not they can get into the ports. 
At least it'll be nice to visit the same ports on a different ship - somewhat of a difference experience I suppose.

Don't hold your breath. The one that Royal do really consistently is repeat the same old itineraries year after year. 😕