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New To Royal Caribbean


Newbie555

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I have cruised many times on Princess but am planning to book a Royal Caribbean cruise with friends.  Would love to know how Royal Caribbean compares to Princess.  If you've cruised on both lines, what do you like better on Royal Caribbean?  Also, do Oasis or Allure have a feature similar to Princess Movies Under the Stars?

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I have sailed on both Princess and RC.  If you love Princess you will love RC.  There is a big screen at poolside on every ship I have been on.  Food is great on both cruise lines and plenty to do on sea days.  You will enjoy your vacation on RC!!!  Have fun!!  I have a trip planned next month on RC's  Independent of the Seas and can't wait!!!

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As an agent I never tried to convert Princess people and always told them it was a "Chevy/Ford" type of comparison. If asked, I did say I recognized the increased benefits of Royal's loyalty program early on. I know that's not the issue here so I will say I think they are pretty equal on the actual experience. And having said that, those of us that are "loyal to Royal" know how inconsistent Royal can be among it's own fleet. Since you are going with friends, you are locked into the ship and sail date so my suggestion would be to continue your homework on that particular ship ( this site was a great start so make sure to hit the blog). I have even found video tours of a specific cabin I had booked, not just the specific ship tour so have fun prepping!

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I am obviously very partial to RCI, but here's why:

RCI's ships greatly vary in size, so you can experience more intimate cruises but also the larger ships (Oasis class) that are basically floating resorts. A little something for everyone.

RCI has a ton of activities on board during the cruising days, like the pool with the screen that the others have mentioned above

Their staterooms (the amped ones) are very nice and are cheaper for those who reach a certain level with the loyalty program 

Nightlife on the larger ships is awesome! 

The food is great for what you pay 

I have never cruised with RCI and felt unsafe or that something wasn't very clean. Cleanliness is very important to me and I felt that everything was pretty spotless and sanitary, even the restrooms in the main areas. 

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The wife and I are high level with Princess and mid-tier (Emerald near Diamond) with Royal. We enjoy both cruise lines and have no issues with either. Royal is closer to us now that Princess moved out of Texas but we still go on Princess at least once a year. You will find things to do on Royal that will keep you busy the entire trip. Our difference is pricing and the fact that Royal offers more free trips through the casino than Princess. As stated by other, explore this site and look through the Cruise Compass for your particular itinerary and Matt's wonderful videos.

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Thank you for all your responses!  It really helps ? I'm excited to try Royal Caribbean.  Certainly sounds like there are perhaps more fun activities offered than Princess cruises!  One more question - do you recommend using a travel agent or booking directly with Royal Caribbean?  I've never used a travel agent for a cruise but a friend mentioned it was a good idea because often the travel agents will throw in a few perks like OBC or specialty dining.

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I don't know about OBC or specialty dining :35_thinking:.......maybe my TA doesn't like me. But a TA (travel agent) might also have more insight and availability when it comes to cabins. I use John from MEI which I got from this site and he has been quite helpful. I have booked a few cruises and transferred to him because I wanted a particular room. It is much better to email him and ask for whatever than to be on hold with RCC customer service and get answers that vary.

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