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Quantum Class Advice?


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Looking at two cruises: 

12n on Odyssey in May '21 from Rome and 12n on Anthem from England.

This would be my first time on any quantum class ship. What are your opinions on then...? Are they too crowded? How is the food?

Please let me know, I'd appreciate any advice!

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I've only sailed on Anthem, but I love the Quantum class.  It's my second favorite class, after Oasis.

It can seem a bit crowded along the Esplanade at certain times but generally not a big problem. There are lots of unique activities on the Q class and I love 270 and the Music Hall.

The food is about the same as any other Royal Caribbean ship.   I've actually never eaten in the MDR but I'm sure it's on par with the rest.  On Anthem, Izumi is a very small venue, if that's important - sushi only with no hibachi.  I would probably choose Odyssey just b/c I haven't been on that ship but I would not hesitate to go on Anthem, too.

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I agree with @WAAAYTOOO quantum is made for colder weather so more of the stuff is inside. Its not as if you can't get outside there are plenty of places for that but it doesn't have the big open spaces like an Oasis class ship has.

MDR on Anthem is on par with the rest but I love Wonderland.  I can't remember if that's on Oasis class but I think that its the best restaurant I've been to on all the ships (outside of Chef's table).

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47 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

I've only sailed on Anthem, but I love the Quantum class.  It's my second favorite class, after Oasis.

It can seem a bit crowded along the Esplanade at certain times but generally not a big problem. There are lots of unique activities on the Q class and I love 270 and the Music Hall.

The food is about the same as any other Royal Caribbean ship.   I've actually never eaten in the MDR but I'm sure it's on par with the rest.  On Anthem, Izumi is a very small venue, if that's important - sushi only with no hibachi.  I would probably choose Odyssey just b/c I haven't been on that ship but I would not hesitate to go on Anthem, too.

Buffet is good quality with variety too?

Just wondering. First cruise on RC was Jewel and loved the buffet food with amazing variety. Second on Oasis had very little variety.

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2 minutes ago, bigpete said:

Buffet is good quality with variety too?

Just wondering. First cruise on RC was Jewel and loved the buffet food with amazing variety. Second on Oasis had very little variety.

I actually prefer the WJ on Quantum class although some others have expressed crowding at peak times.  I'm an early riser so I've never experienced that.  Anthem and Ovation like Radiance class have outdoor aft seating behind the WJ which I use as often as I can.  Odyssey doesn't have outdoor WJ seating.  

I'm a big fan of Quantum class and I like that they are different than Oasis class.  The cabins on Quantum class are near perfection as non-suite cabins go and the bathroom layout works really well.  

I have several Anthem and Ovation live blog trip reports posted here.  These two sister ships are very close to each other.  Odyssey is a "Quantum Ultra" ship, the latest evolution of this class with some notable differences from what we've seen of her so far.  

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/5068-anthem-112517-712-b2b

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/5387-anthem-11918-9-night-bahamas/

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/17677-anthem-jan-5-2020-11-nights-southern-caribbean-recap/

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/12630-ovation-goes-north-way-north-to-alaska-11-nights-may-13-2019/

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/15665-ovation-goes-south-to-hawaii-sept-20-2019/

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/17870-standing-ovation-from-the-land-down-under-new-zealand-11-nights-feb-2-2020/

 

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13 minutes ago, twangster said:

I actually prefer the WJ on Quantum class although some others have expressed crowding at peak times.  I'm an early riser so I've never experienced that.  Anthem and Ovation like Radiance class have outdoor aft seating behind the WJ which I use as often as I can.  Odyssey doesn't have outdoor WJ seating.  

I'm a big fan of Quantum class and I like that they are different than Oasis class.  The cabins on Quantum class are near perfection as non-suite cabins go and the bathroom layout works really well.  

I have several Anthem and Ovation live blog trip reports posted here.  These two sister ships are very close to each other.  Odyssey is a "Quantum Ultra" ship, the latest evolution of this class with some notable differences from what we've seen of her so far.  

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/5068-anthem-112517-712-b2b

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/5387-anthem-11918-9-night-bahamas/

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/17677-anthem-jan-5-2020-11-nights-southern-caribbean-recap/

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/12630-ovation-goes-north-way-north-to-alaska-11-nights-may-13-2019/

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/15665-ovation-goes-south-to-hawaii-sept-20-2019/

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/17870-standing-ovation-from-the-land-down-under-new-zealand-11-nights-feb-2-2020/

 

Went down memory lane with these and reminded me of a question I've always had for you, @twangster: what kind of wide angle lens to you use?  They're always so sharp with minimal barrel distortion.

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1 hour ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

I've only sailed on Anthem, but I love the Quantum class.  It's my second favorite class, after Oasis.

It can seem a bit crowded along the Esplanade at certain times but generally not a big problem. There are lots of unique activities on the Q class and I love 270 and the Music Hall.

The food is about the same as any other Royal Caribbean ship.   I've actually never eaten in the MDR but I'm sure it's on par with the rest.  On Anthem, Izumi is a very small venue, if that's important - sushi only with no hibachi.  I would probably choose Odyssey just b/c I haven't been on that ship but I would not hesitate to go on Anthem, too.

Good news if you like hibachi... Odyssey is getting a separate Hibachi area.. Should be interesting how they execute that.. 

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5 minutes ago, USCG Teacher said:

Went down memory lane with these and reminded me of a question I've always had for you, @twangster: what kind of wide angle lens to you use?  They're always so sharp with minimal barrel distortion.

Full frame 12-24 Sony.  My older ones were shot with a full frame Nikon and a fisheye.

Full frame makes a big difference when going wide.

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Anthem is great, 270 has great shows and great views, cafe 270 nice for a snack and quiet a lot of the time, We Will Rock You also very good production. Solarium is very well done, good restaurant too. Windjammer food is good and good variety, seating aft is very quiet most times, great place for breakfast. Johnny Rockets gets a bit chilly in the fall or the spring but the food is good. It is a very good idea to move back and forth on deck 5, it is much quicker than the esplanade, only thing,  the Bionic Bar gets crowded, so we go across and go by Wonderland (narrower, but still easier) Cabins nice size and laid out well. North Star, Flow Rider and Rip Cord are fun, lines can be long. We Haven´t sailed on the Oasis but are booked on her next summer. Can´t wait. 

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The only disappointment of Anthem (and I assume all of the Q class)  are the high end suites.  I dislike the long walk all the way aft; Deck 17 on the O class is much more convenient.  On our most recent Anthem cruise, we were in a Grand Suite and were very disappointed in how small it was.  I felt like the GS on the Grandeur was bigger than what we had on Anthem !  We loved our "middle" Grand Loft Suite on Anthem, but really hated that long walk to get to the elevators.  It's a mixed bag as I loved being Star Class on Anthem but not the location of the suites or the location of the Concierge/Suites Lounge.  Overall I do like the Anthem activities though.

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14 minutes ago, Baked Alaska said:

I can't wait to see what they do with Quantum and her dining venues for Alaska next summer.

I thought Ovation was scheduled for Alaska next summer?

10 hours ago, bigpete said:

This would be my first time on any quantum class ship. What are your opinions on then...? Are they too crowded? How is the food?

I've done two cruises on Anthem, both to Bermuda so just 5 nights. Still long enough to say that I did like the ship a lot.

The solarium on her is the best of any ship, IMO. The pools they have there and the ample loungers for relaxing on a colder day in a nice heated space can't be beat!

MDR was no different to my eye / taste than on Freedom (only other ship I've sailed). Jaime's and Wonderland were both really good, and I agree with @twangster about the Q-class WJ being nicer than others, especially with the outdoor seating available all the way aft. We ate there every morning for breakfast and never had a problem.

My only complaint is how almost everything major is inside, and most of the indoor venues lack windows out to the ocean. It is definitely one of the least-connected to the ocean ships you'll find, although getting a balcony room offsets this decently.

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1 minute ago, twangster said:

What Royal ship is that?  ? 

Very funny! I've become very accustomed to Royal lately, but they're offering really cool northern europe itineraries on a smaller ship... I think Anthem to the Canaries might trump any Carnival Northern Europe itinerary though.

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23 hours ago, Drewww said:

I agree with @WAAAYTOOO quantum is made for colder weather so more of the stuff is inside. Its not as if you can't get outside there are plenty of places for that but it doesn't have the big open spaces like an Oasis class ship has.

MDR on Anthem is on par with the rest but I love Wonderland.  I can't remember if that's on Oasis class but I think that its the best restaurant I've been to on all the ships (outside of Chef's table).

We didn't like the fact that the MDR is actually 4 smaller dining rooms, kind of spoiled the experience for us, other than that Anthem was fab, loved 270, really unique.

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9 minutes ago, Mike.s said:

We didn't like the fact that the MDR is actually 4 smaller dining rooms, kind of spoiled the experience for us, other than that Anthem was fab, loved 270, really unique.

I think it was like that for when they did the rotational dining but now they just have similar menus, I think. 

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20 hours ago, bigpete said:

I think it was like that for when they did the rotational dining but now they just have similar menus, I think. 

It was the same menu in each, just missed the big restaurant experience over 2 floors, nothing wrong with the food, just preferred having a single MDR, bit more sense of occasion ?

Edited by Mike.s
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1 hour ago, bigpete said:

Has anyone ever been to the Canary Islands or Norway on a cruise in this forum? Both cruises look interesting.. one is on Anthem the other is CCL... just wondering though, is one better than the other?

Join us!  https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/event/royalcaribbeanblogcom-cruise-aboard-anthem-of-the-seas-0

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We liked the Q class ship, there are some +’s and -‘s compared to other but it seemed to have more things that worked well. 
 

Sorry for bringing up another site but cruise ship deck plans has a good detail about space and feeling crowded.  Since the OP’s cruise is 12n, during the school year and a repositioning that decreases odds of families and ales  more singles and doubles likely per cabin.  Which should help it feel less crowded. 

image.png

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Numbers alone do a poor job to compare ships and the feeling of space.  A high volume ship that has a lot of small, closed areas will feel closed in and small.  A different ship with the same volume that is open and airy with feel a lot less crowded.  

Two houses might each be 2,200 sq. ft but the layout of the floorplan makes them feel completely different while the space ratio is identical.

That is the problem with space ratio and we see this with some other ships from lines that appear to be nearly identical in terms of volume tonnage but feel very different because of small venues and choke points in flow areas.  

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On 7/15/2020 at 2:48 PM, bigpete said:

Has anyone ever been to the Canary Islands or Norway on a cruise in this forum? Both cruises look interesting.. one is on Anthem the other is CCL... just wondering though, is one better than the other?

All depends on what you're looking for, Canary Islands, warm sunny, not too much to see/do (other than extinct volcanoes), Norway, stunning scenery, (think poor mans Alaska) not so warm. Both have a sea day (or 2) from Southampton before you get to the destination.

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Middle !  Avoid the corner GLS at all costs !  

The corner ones are about half the size of the middle ones.  We couldn’t even get all of our clothes into the bedroom closet of the corner room.  It is SO cramped upstairs.  I think the allure of having 3 balconies draws some people to the corner units but don’t be fooled. They are all small and the one big balcony on the center suites is much nicer.

The only negative of the deck 8 suites is the noise from 270.  It can be REALLY loud during the 270 shows but aside from that, deck 8 is very nice. I’m sure the center suites on 10 are also nice but I have never been in 1 [of the center ones] on deck 10.

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2 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Middle !  Avoid the corner GLS at all costs !  

 

I have a corner on the Anthem deck 10 in February ... I wish I had seen this last year! ?

It was the idea of both aft and side facing balconies that lured us in ... that and all the documentation claims they are all the same size. In many ways, similar to the lack of official documentation about the pole in non-connecting owners suites on Oasis class .

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3 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Middle !  Avoid the corner GLS at all costs !

Thanks for the advice Raye,

I have changed to one of the middle cabins on deck 10 as they are all still available at the moment. November next year feels so far away but it something to look forward to. We are going to do a B2B around NZ and the Pacific Islands.

You will have to come down this way for a cruise sometime once normal service resumes ?

Cheers, Carl

 

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New question, sort of still fits within "Quantum Class Advice"....

For alaska, 7n Serenade roundtrip (Vancouver) or 7n Ovation roundtrip (Seattle).... having cruised on Jewel ots before, I really like the feeling of being surrounded by glass. Just looking for suggestions. Visiting Skagway is a must.

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We spent Christmas 2019 on Anthem and loved the ship. We didn’t find the ship too crowded but as @WAAAYTOOO mentioned the Esplanade can be busy during certain times.  Specialty dining surpassed expectations.  Lots of activities if you are traveling with kids.....seaplex, waverider, Ifly, escape room, Northstar.  

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On 7/15/2020 at 9:48 AM, bigpete said:

Has anyone ever been to the Canary Islands or Norway on a cruise in this forum? Both cruises look interesting.. one is on Anthem the other is CCL... just wondering though, is one better than the other?

yes, 2 years ago.  What Islands would you be going to?  We absolutely loved our Itinerary!

 

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6 hours ago, bigpete said:

New question, sort of still fits within "Quantum Class Advice"....

For alaska, 7n Serenade roundtrip (Vancouver) or 7n Ovation roundtrip (Seattle).... having cruised on Jewel ots before, I really like the feeling of being surrounded by glass. Just looking for suggestions. Visiting Skagway is a must.

Apart from the Solarium on a Q class ship, there is literally nowhere on board that you will have that feeling.

That said, Q class has lots of space outside for viewing scenery and wildlife, simply because of the ship's size, so just pack accordingly and you'll have plenty of space to go and gawk. ? 

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9 hours ago, bigpete said:

New question, sort of still fits within "Quantum Class Advice"....

For alaska, 7n Serenade roundtrip (Vancouver) or 7n Ovation roundtrip (Seattle).... having cruised on Jewel ots before, I really like the feeling of being surrounded by glass. Just looking for suggestions. Visiting Skagway is a must.

Ship

Both ships have pros and cons in terms of watching Alaska sail by.    I've come to really appreciate North Star in Alaska.  North Star is cool sailing through the Caribbean but when you are surrounded by beauty of Alaska the North Star really shines. 

Quantum class has some areas on the outside decks where there is tall glass that has large gaps perfect for taking pictures.  When sailing those cool and windy times in Alaska that glass has been great to stay warm(er). 

The Schooner Bar on Radiance class has windows but I couldn't imagine sitting inside the Schooner Bar to watch Alaska go past.  I absolutely love sitting outdoors at the North Star bar watching Alaska go past outdoors.  

Entertainment

I generally attend fewer shows and entertainment when cruising Alaska so that's a wash for me but for others, once it's dark, the entertainment can be a factor.  

Family

Not sure what your group is but Radiance doesn't have a lot for kids or active people.  Ovation does.  Ovation has a large indoor pool area in addition to a solarium so if you have kids in your group Ovation. 

Cabins

Ovation has a higher ratio of balcony cabins over ocean view/interior so balcony cabins tend to me more affordable.  On the smaller ships the ratio of balcony to other cabins is lower so balcony cabins can fetch a substantial premium.

I've cruised Radiance in Alaska https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/9160-radiance-of-the-seas-alaska-southbound-83118/

and I've cruise Ovation to Alaska https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/12630-ovation-goes-north-way-north-to-alaska-11-nights-may-13-2019/

When I sailed Explorer to Alaska the balcony cabins were twice the price of interior.  Interior wasn't cheap!

Summary

I've been fortunate to cruise Alaska multiple times and each visit is different for different reasons.  Looking back there was no bad Alaska cruise or I should've done that ship moment.  All of my Alaska cruises have been magical.  Having said that my next booking to Alaska is Quantum class.  

 

 

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14 hours ago, JLMoran said:

Apart from the Solarium on a Q class ship, there is literally nowhere on board that you will have that feeling.

That said, Q class has lots of space outside for viewing scenery and wildlife, simply because of the ship's size, so just pack accordingly and you'll have plenty of space to go and gawk. ? 

We sailed Ovation last summer and I loved the 270 theatre for watching the scenery go by on a cooler crisper day. If you can find a nice space along the windows there is no better place. We sailed May 18, so we appreciated a lot of the interior spaces that allowed for great viewing without freezing. 

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1 hour ago, Kathleen said:

We sailed Ovation last summer and I loved the 270 theatre for watching the scenery go by on a cooler crisper day. If you can find a nice space along the windows there is no better place. We sailed May 18, so we appreciated a lot of the interior spaces that allowed for great viewing without freezing. 

Fair point, I forgot about Two70. But that is really an aft-only view, with fairly limited visibility to either side. My point with the Solarium was being able to easily go from looking out the front to either side as things come into view, all while staying indoors.

Even the WJ, which I also forgot is decently glass-enclosed, is limited to side views. You can go onto the outdoor dining area all the way aft and have a view better than Two70, but of course you’re outside.

And the Solarium and WJ are both on high decks, making for a more difficult view of any whales or other aquatic wildlife going by vs being on the deck 5 promenade.

Long way of saying that if you want good / flexible views while still indoors, I’d pick Radiance class every time.

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