Royal's 1/3 recipe....when does revolution become tradition and other musings

[Tanner]

With all of the speculation about Icon and even the daily discussion between the newer bigger ships vs the older smaller ships I thought this would be an interesting discussion.  Fain acknowledges Royal adheres to a ship design process of 1/3 tradition, 1/3 evolution (slight gradual changes) and 1/3 revolution (innovated new changes).  But at what point does something that was once considered new, bold, mind-blowing, simply become a classic, something we expect?  The Voyager class did in fact revolutionize cruises and yet some now consider it small while others argue its still a newer style of ship.  The Sovereign class seems to have less debate.  

What do you now consider a classic (and something you expect) that was once revolutionary?  How long does the process take?  Is that Process speeding up every year?  How much of a change must take place for evolution to be considered revolution?  

Lastly will this 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 formula suffice in the future?  Will the demand for newer, bigger, bolder out pace this model?  Personally I love it and love the tradition but inevitably what was once Revolution for me will be something classical that my young kids might not care for or appreciate.  

What do you think @Matt could some Royal folks weigh in for a podcast?    

[Matt]

You raise an interesting question.

When does something innovative become a classic? I suspect it's one of those things you cant define, but you know it when you see it.

[twangster]

The same can be said of smartphones.  What was mind blowing single digit years ago is now greeted with... meh.

It's really hard for smartphone makers to blow any more minds.  They try folding screens and other gimmicks but it often comes back to upgrading a core component - the camera.  Is that evolution or revolution?  A camera in a smartphone is now a basic component, no longer an "Oh wow, it has a camera!" instead it's expected. Oh wait, it has six lenses.  Meh.  

 

 

[Ampurp85]

I think the process is speeding up, like @twangstersaid about smartphones. I am a Samsung gal and the most impressive upgrade is the camera, this new one has 4 lenses. But I was also born in the 80s so....

Lots of things become classic fast. It was a feat to have a water-slide, know its bumper cars and roller coasters. I think what is going to happen is people will want " insert anything but Oasis and Icon" class again. Big and bold is going to be replaced by quaint and retro......cycle on. RCG formula seems to be working because people can something they like on each ship.

[CrznTxn]

I think it comes down to age and expectations. On earlier cruises we had ships with large common areas with extravagant art and decorations that was impressive and blew everyone away. As time went on the opulent "common" areas grew smaller, the ships grew bigger and decorations were replaced with wiz-bang features to attract the younger families such as @twangster mentioned water-slides, bumper cars, etc. It comes down to which ship and what crowd they attract. The various cruise lines within RCG and other providers have specific target features that attract the crowd they are trying to please. The decorum and features on a Celebrity ship are different than that on a Royal Caribbean, on a Silver Sea, etc. Not that any of these are bad, it is just what people look for when they are going on a cruise and whom they are expecting to interact with. I love the water features, thrills and fast paced attractions but my wife prefers the calm and art. I like large ships with lots to do and she prefers smaller intimate ships. I look forward to the latest and greatest and she likes classic. So we try to spread it around and experience as much as we can.