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Probably unpopular opinion: Odyssey of the Seas is not an attractive ship


MrB

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I'm sure that being on the ship will be fantastic, but I'm not in love with any of the Quantum / Ultra ships.

  • The Odyssey of the Seas new extremely large name livery on the starboard side screams billboard, rather than "I'm so classy, you known who I am."
  • More than other classes, these ships look like a low barge with a sideways high-rise hotel on the top. Yes, this is the trend and there are some very good reasons why this is the case, but there is a proportions problem with the boat part and the hotel part. Some other cruise lines have this problem and make it worse by painting the lower boat section a different color than the hotel section. For reference, take a look at Carnival Mardi Gras. So I will concede that the RC all-white livery does help  it in this regard. Always has.
  • The back end looks kind of weird and boxy in a bad way. Sort of looks like the back of a container ship. 

I'm sure that some folks love, love, love, the design of these ships as the cutting edge and the future of cruising. I get that. Right now, I might like sailing on it, but I'm not loving looking at it.

1280px-Odyssey_of_the_Seas[1].jpg

MardiGras-rendering[1].jpg

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1 hour ago, MrB said:

I'm sure that being on the ship will be fantastic, but I'm not in love with any of the Quantum / Ultra ships.

  • The Odyssey of the Seas new extremely large name livery on the starboard side screams billboard, rather than "I'm so classy, you known who I am."
  • More than other classes, these ships look like a low barge with a sideways high-rise hotel on the top. Yes, this is the trend and there are some very good reasons why this is the case, but there is a proportions problem with the boat part and the hotel part. Some other cruise lines have this problem and make it worse by painting the lower boat section a different color than the hotel section. For reference, take a look at Carnival Mardi Gras. So I will concede that the RC all-white livery does help  it in this regard. Always has.
  • The back end looks kind of weird and boxy in a bad way. Sort of looks like the back of a container ship. 

I'm sure that some folks love, love, love, the design of these ships as the cutting edge and the future of cruising. I get that. Right now, I might like sailing on it, but I'm not loving looking at it.

 

1280px-Odyssey_of_the_Seas[1].jpg

MardiGras-rendering[1].jpg

I would say it is a bit scary to go on these ships. I personally like to have all the amenities that a modern ship can offer but at the same time, I tend to like ships with a human size, meaning a place where I don't feel overwhelmed. I understand that RCL build its ships based on their demographics but at least they have ships with reasonable sizes for us to enjoy.

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1 hour ago, haf said:

I would say it is a bit scary to go on these ships. I personally like to have all the amenities that a modern ship can offer but at the same time, I tend to like ships with a human size, meaning a place where I don't feel overwhelmed. I understand that RCL build its ships based on their demographics but at least they have ships with reasonable sizes for us to enjoy.

I'm with you. My old favorite just left the fleet - Majesty of the Seas.

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11 hours ago, MrB said:

More than other classes, these ships look like a low barge with a sideways high-rise hotel on the top. Yes, this is the trend and there are some very good reasons why this is the case, but there is a proportions problem with the boat part and the hotel part.

I've thought this as well. I've been on the Anthem and have trips scheduled on the Ovation & Odyssey but still prefer the Oasis Class and Freedom/Voyager class. I think the Freedom/Voyager class ships are most aesthetically pleasing in the fleet.

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It definitely is a shift towards the "modern" cruise ship, but certainly the majority of people really don't care what the ship looks like from afar, only what cool stuff is available onboard. 

Only those with a passion for the ships themselves (like, people who post here) are even able to notice (and articulate) the differences.

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I'm not to fond of the size of the lettering on the side of the ship either, and I read on this site the Solarium does not have a pool just cool down areas.  In my opinion that is a mistake, which I thought Royal had learned from on Harmony of the Seas.  Other than this the only problem I have with all Quantum Class ships is with the layout of deck 4 the Royal Esplanade, on every Quantum Class ship I've been on the flow of traffic on the Royal Esplanade is terrible and it alway feels crowded throughout most of the day.

Having said that I still enjoy cruising on Quantum Class ships just as much as I enjoy Oasis Class, and Voyager Class ships.  If there is really one class of ship I don't enjoy it would be Freedom Class, and I honestly don't know why.  I've taken 2 cruises on Freedom Class ships and on both cruises I just didn't like the feel of the ship and after the second cruise I was just ready for the cruise to be over and I never want a cruise to end.

 

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12 hours ago, MrB said:

I'm sure that being on the ship will be fantastic, but I'm not in love with any of the Quantum / Ultra ships.

  • The Odyssey of the Seas new extremely large name livery on the starboard side screams billboard, rather than "I'm so classy, you known who I am."
  • More than other classes, these ships look like a low barge with a sideways high-rise hotel on the top. Yes, this is the trend and there are some very good reasons why this is the case, but there is a proportions problem with the boat part and the hotel part. Some other cruise lines have this problem and make it worse by painting the lower boat section a different color than the hotel section. For reference, take a look at Carnival Mardi Gras. So I will concede that the RC all-white livery does help  it in this regard. Always has.
  • The back end looks kind of weird and boxy in a bad way. Sort of looks like the back of a container ship. 

I'm sure that some folks love, love, love, the design of these ships as the cutting edge and the future of cruising. I get that. Right now, I might like sailing on it, but I'm not loving looking at it.

 

1280px-Odyssey_of_the_Seas[1].jpg

MardiGras-rendering[1].jpg

I understand the perspective - but Odyssey isn't nearly as "boxy" as some of the MSC or even the new Virgin Scarlet Lady when viewed from an aft aspect.   Scarlet Lady has a pretty rectangular derrière.  That's a hotel on a barge.

 

iu-1.jpeg

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I've found a lot of things in cruising take some getting used to.

I always find this with new ship names. I never fell in love with last few names off the bat, but now I can't imagine these ships not being named Harmony, Symphony, Odyssey, et al.

In terms of the size of the name, I never understood the issue with the size. Yes, it's different.  But it's nothing like the gaudy hull designs that NCL does, or anything like that.

I happen to like the larger name size, but I also didn't think it would be as big a deal as it's become

In terms of the look of the ship from afar, Royal Caribbean's ships haven't really been the sleekest out there for a while. The Oasis Class are floating carnivals from afar.

Humans aren't particularly good with change. Everyone likes consistency, but I've found in so many cases with what Royal Caribbean does, change is usually for the best (except for getting rid of Sabor, good lord!).

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25 minutes ago, Matt said:

I've found a lot of things in cruising take some getting used to.

I always find this with new ship names. I never fell in love with last few names off the bat, but now I can't imagine these ships not being named Harmony, Symphony, Odyssey, et al.

In terms of the size of the name, I never understood the issue with the size. Yes, it's different.  But it's nothing like the gaudy hull designs that NCL does, or anything like that.

I happen to like the larger name size, but I also didn't think it would be as big a deal as it's become

In terms of the look of the ship from afar, Royal Caribbean's ships haven't really been the sleekest out there for a while. The Oasis Class are floating carnivals from afar.

Humans aren't particularly good with change. Everyone likes consistency, but I've found in so many cases with what Royal Caribbean does, change is usually for the best (except for getting rid of Sabor, good lord!).

Functionally, these ships are amazing. Given their size, they could look worse - in fact some folks here have mentioned some egregious examples from other fleets. The RCI ships are about as good as these newer ships get. My issue is that all the cruise lines are having to do a lot of form following function, with various levels of success.

A great example is the Airbus A380 vs the Boeing 747. The A380 was well liked by its passengers on the inside, and hated on the outside. That's one ugly plane. The 747 in its time changed its world. More than people would admit it, it's because of how freakin' gorgeous it is. To this day. 

This generation of cruise ship is not going to age well on the outside.  It may matter more than you think. When I go cruising, I want something that looks as good as the 747. 

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Not sure airplanes are a good comparison since planes have to be aerodynamic, but I digress.

There are absolutely a few ugly ships out there, NCL Epic as an example. But I disagree there's any reason to believe today's ships will not age well.  Like I said earlier, I think we just get used to it.

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I did the first t/a when "EPIC" was brand new even though she is "UGHH-LEE!" But their suite program was ahead of it's time and we had one of the best cruises of our lives in one of their forward-facing "owner's suites." 

 

Still loyal though with over 80% of my cruises being with Royal ?

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1 hour ago, JasonOasis said:

 Other than this the only problem I have with all Quantum Class ships is with the layout of deck 4 the Royal Esplanade, on every Quantum Class ship I've been on the flow of traffic on the Royal Esplanade is terrible and it alway feels crowded throughout most of the day.

This might have been OK, if annoying, in the "Before-Times". But now, this could be very problematic in COVID era cruising. Choke points for the purpose of choke points are now going to be seen as straight -up evil.

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1 hour ago, JasonOasis said:

I'm not to fond of the size of the lettering on the side of the ship either, and I read on this site the Solarium does not have a pool just cool down areas.  In my opinion that is a mistake, which I thought Royal had learned from on Harmony of the Seas.  Other than this the only problem I have with all Quantum Class ships is with the layout of deck 4 the Royal Esplanade, on every Quantum Class ship I've been on the flow of traffic on the Royal Esplanade is terrible and it alway feels crowded throughout most of the day.

Having said that I still enjoy cruising on Quantum Class ships just as much as I enjoy Oasis Class, and Voyager Class ships.  If there is really one class of ship I don't enjoy it would be Freedom Class, and I honestly don't know why.  I've taken 2 cruises on Freedom Class ships and on both cruises I just didn't like the feel of the ship and after the second cruise I was just ready for the cruise to be over and I never want a cruise to end.

 

I'm still trying to determine what he meant with the statement of "no pool".  From the construction pictures I've seen the Solarium has the same (or similar) water features that other Quantum class ships have.  

Granted they aren't a pool where you can do laps or stand up and be mostly underwater.  On Radiance class for example the Solarium pool is a classic rectangular pool without a deep end but a clearly a pool at 5' deep.  It's something you might have installed in the typical American backyard.  The same can be said for Voyager and Freedom class Solarium pools.

Oasis has a Solarium pool but it isn't a lap pool or a classic rectangular pool.  Instead it's a Wading pool?  Sitting pool?  Cool down pool?  Water fountain?  I'm not sure what you call that sort of "pool" but that's what people do say, the Oasis Solarium has a pool.  To me it resembles a big hot tub with the heat turned off.

The Symphony Solarium has a round water feature that also isn't a classic pool and certainly not something you could swim laps in but it's a pool, or so it's called.

Quantum class also don't have a classic pool in the Solarium but they are of the nicest Solariums in the fleet.  The water features are one where you sit or wade much like Oasis or Symphony.  You can't swim laps in them much like Oasis or Symphony.  

I suspect the statement that Odyssey doesn't have a Solarium pool was made in the classic sense of "pool".  Plenty of people argue that the Oasis Solarium doesn't have a "real" pool.  Those same people argue that Quantum class Solariums don't have "real" pools.  

Is this a real pool?  It's only 3' deep.  This is Oasis.

oa_sol-44.jpg

Is this a "real" pool?  

bm5zNfq.jpg

This is Anthem's Solarium.

Time will tell what the Odyssey Solarium looks like but from what I've seen it appears to be similar to the photo from Anthem above.

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How to test if a body of water is a pool-

180 pound person performs their best belly flop.

Not a pool if: 

1. Person hits pool bottom

2. Splash water reaches all edges

Given these criteria, I think the body of water needs to be at least four feet deep and have a minimum radius of eight feet.

Anthem Solarium might pass test, Oasis Solarium would certainly fail.

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@twangster  Here is a direct copy and paste from the main page on this site talking about the Solarium on Odyssey the update was posted on March 3rd.   

"Mr. Tamis also told travel agents that the Solarium adults only area will have areas to cool down, but not a pool.

"Adults only pool, there is not."

This sounds similar to the Solarium set up on Harmony of the Seas, which does not have a pool in that Solarium."

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/

 

Also in my response I did state Harmony of the Seas, not Oasis, Symphony or Allure.  Oasis, Allure and Symphony all have a pool in the solarium, I've been on Harmony enough times to know it does not. In fact the last time I was on Harmony at one of those small meet and greet sessions in Dazzles with the captain a person in the audience asked if RC would install a pool in the solarium he said no.  He stated it is easier and cheaper to outfit ships with water slides and other water features than it to install a pool after a ship has already been designed. As much as Harmony looks like every other Oasis Class ship there are differences especially behind the scenes but the captain did admit RC knew they made a mistake by having cool down areas and not a pool in the solarium on Harmony.  If you pull up the deck plans for Harmony of the Seas and compare to Allure and Oasis the total number of adult pools (not jacuzzies) you will see  on Harmony is 4 pools, whereas Allure and Oasis have 5 adult pools, the one missing pool on Harmony is in the solarium.

 

It is a shame to see them make the same mistake with Odyssey that they made with Harmony especially if Odyssey's home ports after COVID will continue to be Fort Lauderdale (fall/winter)and Rome (spring/summer) both of which are warm weather destinations.

 

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59 minutes ago, JasonOasis said:

@twangster  Here is a direct copy and paste from the main page on this site talking about the Solarium on Odyssey the update was posted on March 3rd.   

"Mr. Tamis also told travel agents that the Solarium adults only area will have areas to cool down, but not a pool.

"Adults only pool, there is not."

This sounds similar to the Solarium set up on Harmony of the Seas, which does not have a pool in that Solarium."

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/

 

Also in my response I did state Harmony of the Seas, not Oasis, Symphony or Allure.  Oasis, Allure and Symphony all have a pool in the solarium, I've been on Harmony enough times to know it does not. In fact the last time I was on Harmony at one of those small meet and greet sessions in Dazzles with the captain a person in the audience asked if RC would install a pool in the solarium he said no.  He stated it is easier and cheaper to outfit ships with water slides and other water features than it to install a pool after a ship has already been designed. As much as Harmony looks like every other Oasis Class ship there are differences especially behind the scenes but the captain did admit RC knew they made a mistake by having coold down areas and not a pool in the solarium on Harmony.  It is a shame to see them make the same mistake with Odyssey that they made with Harmony especially if Odyssey's home ports after COVID will continue to be Fort Lauderdale (fall/winter)and Rome (spring/summer) both of which are warm weather destinations.

 

I understand.  My point is that Oasis, Allure, Symphony, Quantum, Anthem., Ovation, Spectrum AND Odyssey don't have a proper solarium pool, they all have cool down areas, yet people aren't talking out about those ships not having solarium pools.  

NO ship built since Indy has a proper solarium pool. That is what he is saying - Odyssey does not have a proper solarium pool either.  In the last 13 thirteen years Royal has not built any ship with a proper solarium pool. 

The solarium area on Odyssey looks pretty much identical to the cool down area on Quantum, Anthem, Ovation and Spectrum.

Fast forward to the 40 second mark in this video.  Odyssey appears to have the same cool down areas (not-a-pool) in the solarium that all other Quantum class ships have. 

So if cool down areas are a major issue, stick to Freedom class or earlier to sail with a proper solarium pool using the definition of a proper pool in the opinion of Mr Tamis.

As far as Harmony, her cool down water feature is basically a shower but that's my definition of her cool down area.

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Interesting comments on the feel and look of a cruise ship - pools not being a defining point for a cruise ship at all for me. I'd call myself a traditionalist. This is the proper design for a cruise ship. SS Norway, previously SS France. From a design standpoint, it's a far cry from the current "hotels on barges." From a functional standpoint the old ladys of the seas are no match for the current technological marvels that sail the oceans. Of course it represents the nautical architecture of the time and that was a fleeting time for cruising and what turned out to be a short reincarnation of the Golden Age of Cruising.

Norway.thumb.jpg.2fb1ac24ed5baf37e2c4bdb943b4ff3e.jpg

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This is the first ship I cruised on in 2001. Celebrity Mercury. Like another poster here who liked RCL's Majesty of the seas, I found Celebrity Century class ships gorgeous inside and outside. Unlike today's monstrous and often gaudy interiors Mercury felt like a ship in the true sense of the word. When Century left Celebrity's fleet not too long ago, I was deeply saddened. Mercury (Mein Schiff) and Horizon are still sailing with other companies. A testament to both their continuing architectural appeal and good bones.  

Celebrity-Mercury-2.jpg.4b40926cd86f50144d7dfc29b995a75d.jpg 

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Finally, I still  favor Celebrity's Millennium class ships for a number of reasons. They still feel smallish and intimate. They still look like nautical, sea-going vessels on the outside and retain an intimate feel on the inside. For a while, Celebrity maintained the specialty dinning option that was born on the Century class ships: Replicas of the dinning rooms featured on SS France, United States and Normandy. Those are long gone, again, sadly.

Mellennium.jpg.de393b7c5d635e9d0f67b10b9f0eba02.jpg 

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Ahh yes, the squared off or X-Bow - another modern naval architectural feature. These hull forms have the advantage of allowing maximum length waterline for ships of comparable sizes which means the highest possible hull speeds. The Axe and X Bows, have less spray of water at entry and also have less pitching motions and slamming reduction is quite significant. This creates quite a comfortable experience for passengers. The fuel consumption is also reduced by a significant factor and this bow can operate quite efficiently in medium sized wave ranges mainly because of the larger part of the ship volume being above and upfront, directly impacted upon by the waves.

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Yeah, it's definitely a trend driven by efficiencies in hull and superstructure design less so by looks. I didn't like it at first when Celebrity brought out Apex but I've gotten used to it and rather like it. I'm an avid sailor/racer. A good 5 years ago, mono-hull design adopted the X-Bow shapes. It made quite a difference in hull performance on the race course just with that simple design change. 

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On 3/6/2021 at 10:03 AM, Matt said:

There are absolutely a few ugly ships out there, NCL Epic as an example. 

I sailed on the Epic, and it is definitely ugly from the outside. From the inside, the flow is very interesting, very curvy. I liked it. 

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9 hours ago, ChessE4 said:

Notwithstanding all of the spot-on comments, at this stage even the ugliest cruise ship is better than no cruise ship at all!  I like any cruise ship that is near enough to be available.  Good luck to all you are able to travel!

 

9 hours ago, twangster said:

As the saying goes...  It's better to live in an ugly house rather than across the street from an ugly house.

Exactly!  How aesthetically pleasing the ship is doesn't affect your view if you're on it!

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20 hours ago, twangster said:

It's better to live in an ugly house rather than across the street from an ugly house.

 

11 hours ago, USCG Teacher said:

How aesthetically pleasing the ship is doesn't affect your view if you're on it!

CORRECT! Like, when I see people complaining about the new large lettering on Odyssey, I respond with, "Once I'm onboard, I doubt I'll even notice it" ?

(1/29/2022 - Odyssey 8-Night Southern Caribbean!)

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I like the “traditional” look of a ship, so most of the older smaller ships as far as exterior esthetics are concerned in the RCL fleet...but I actually like the quantum class ships...probably an unpopular opinion but I think the oasis class ships are ugly from the outside...I think they’re awesome with all they offer...but just that they look like someone put a hotel on top of a barge...a barge that was slightly too small for the hotel at that, and there’s just no real contour on the side of the ship, just rows and rows of balconies. 

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  • MrB changed the title to Probably unpopular opinion: Odyssey of the Seas is not an attractive ship

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