What ship should we try next

[Leroyr55]

So we’re hoping our second cruise happens in May on Symphony. We sailed last year on the Allure. For a different experience what non oasis class ship should we choose next. We enjoy good entertainment dining and relaxation. We would be sailing out of Miami or Fort Lauderdale. And hard to say this we’re both in our 60’s . 

[WAAAYTOOO]

You might want to consider Odyssey once it gets to FL.  That should be on par with the Oasis class ships in regard to entertainment and amenities.

[twangster]

Oasis class ships are in a league of their own so any other class will yield a different experience.   From South Florida your options will be Freedom class, Quantum class or Voyager class.  

Freedom class options from South Florida include Freedom of the Seas and Independence of the Seas.  Like Oasis class these ships offer broadway shows, ice skating shows, Royal Caribbean productions and other headliner shows.  

Quantum class option from South Florida is Odyssey.  She is still being built so her entertainment options haven't been announced yet.  

Voyager class option from South Florida is Navigator of the Seas.  Voyager class don't offer broadway style shows but Navigator does a Vegas Showgirl type show.  She does have a new ice skating show which is excellent and incorporates drones like Symphony does.

Some of these ships offer primarily shorter itineraries so your next step may be to consider what itinerary is of interest to you.  This may filter some of the ships above from your menu of options to choose from.  

Only Oasis class ships have Central Park and Boardwalk neighborhoods.  Sailing any other class will still yield a great cruise experience for different reasons.  Some responses may suggest you stay with larger or the newest ships and that is one valid approach. 

After sailing two Oasis class ships in fantastic loft suites I chose to sail something on the other end of the spectrum choosing Grandeur.  I did this deliberately so I could contrast the biggest versus something approaching the other end of scale.   Coming from another cruise line that doesn't have anything like Oasis class I wanted to compare something more apples to apples so that I could compare the two cruise lines on a more level playing field.  Spoiler alert - I had a great cruise on Grandeur even though the Vision class doesn't offer anything like an Oasis class experience.

Only you know what experience you seek and your tolerance to deviate from Oasis class.  All Royal Caribbean ships have the opportunity to provide different but great cruise experiences depending what you seek.  As you settle in on itinerary or a specific ship do more research like you are doing now.  Know what you looking to book so your expectations can be set accordingly.  With that done you can have a great cruise experience on any ship. 

[Lovetocruise2002]

4 minutes ago, twangster said:

Only you know what experience you seek and your tolerance to deviate from Oasis class.

@Leroyr55This is the most important piece of advice anyone can give you when selecting a new ship to try.  

My thinking is that any cruise/ship is a great one as long as you do your research and set your expectations accordingly.

[Va4fam]

I agree with @WAAAYTOOOabout trying Odyssey or even Anthem of the Seas.   The Quantum class ships are quite different than the rest of the fleet.  The shows (including the 270 experience) are unique.

[JohnK6404]

Try Quantum class for sure. Anthem is based out of Cape Liberty. Like stated above, Odyssey will be based out of Florida. We booked Odyssey for FEB 2022 out of Ft. Lauderdale and can't wait! It will be our first Quantum class experience.