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Symphony Of The Seas?


Rascott03

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So I just returned from my 1st cruise aboard the Mariner & it was so amazing!!! I’m already ready for my next one! I originally wanted to do Symphony but it wasn’t sailing for the dates I needed. Do you recommend that ship? If not, which other RC ship you recommend I try next? Someone said I should do a Carnival cruise next just to compare but RC has spoiled me on my 1st sailing... Also tbh, the two C ships that were docked looked very dated, underwhelming & dry. Thanks for the responses!

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Don't try Carnival.  When are you looking at sailing?  They are going to amp Navigator to be just like Mariner in 2019.  Navigator is a sister ship to Mariner.  If you want something bigger, Independence of the Seas received similar upgrades and will do 4/5 night sailings during the fall/winter season out of Fort Lauderdale.  Harmony is most like Symphony if you want the Oasis class experience.  Hope that helps.

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2 hours ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

Don't try Carnival.  When are you looking at sailing?  They are going to amp Navigator to be just like Mariner in 2019.  Navigator is a sister ship to Mariner.  If you want something bigger, Independence of the Seas received similar upgrades and will do 4/5 night sailings during the fall/winter season out of Fort Lauderdale.  Harmony is most like Symphony if you want the Oasis class experience.  Hope that helps.

Maybe around March/April? I’m gonna look up these that you listed also. Thanks a lot!!

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I will go against the tide here and suggest that you SHOULD try Carnival.  I would do it now, before you begin to accumulate any seniority in any cruise line loyalty program. I also suggest that you try one of their newer and larger ships to give a fair comparison. I fully agree that Carnival’s older ships are less attractive.

I also recommend trying NCL as I feel their product is very similar to Royal’s.  I have never cruised Princess or any other line so I cannot comment on any of their experiences.

 Once you have at least a small universe to compare you will be able to find the right fit of amenities and cost that fit you and your family.  If you begin immediately focusing on one product and begin to build loyalty perks you will never know if you could have or should have made a different choice.  It’s hard to change course once you declare a heading (if loyalty perks are a goal).

We started out booking a holiday cruise on Royal and then a “cheap” spring cruise on Carnival or NCL.  We soon decided that we preferred Royal and substituted another Royal cruise for the “other” line’s spring trip but at least we know how the lines compared for us and we have continued to cruise Royal nearly exclusively.  You will not know, for sure, until you give others a try.

 

 

 

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This is such good advise. Try NCL & Carnival before fully investing yourself in RC. I find that carnival (newer ships) with Guys Burger Joint and the other added dining venues and activities are “comparable” to RC. The Southern Caribbean itinerary that stops in Aruba makes it especially attractive. Carnival Players Club (if you gamble) is far superior IMHO then RCs program. NCL has some great ships in the Breakaway class with many venues and activities similar to RC. What tipped the scales for us was the Oasis Class ships from RC. We have never looked back. Oasis class (to us) is the best thing that ever happened to cruising. If you have no interest in trying another line and gaining different (possibly better or worse) experiences you should 100% book an Oasis class ship. In a week you will never experience the entire ship and will need to go back a 2nd or 3rd time to see it all! 

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45 minutes ago, tonyfsu21 said:

Oasis class (to us) is the best thing that ever happened to cruising. If you have no interest in trying another line and gaining different (possibly better or worse) experiences you should 100% book an Oasis class ship. In a week you will never experience the entire ship and will need to go back a 2nd or 3rd time to see it all! 

100% agree!

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I'm going to echo the try a little variety before you settle into one line sentiment.

Mariner is the top of the line for Royal in terms of "just spent a ton of money to add everything including the kitchen sink to it" ... so if you compare that to the 30 year old unupgraded Carnival parked next door ... yep no comparison.

Compare it to a Carnival Vista/Horizon (their newest pair) or NCL's latest .. I think Bliss/Escape and you get a very different comparison. If you really want to stretch look at MSC Seaside ... that one is a little less like the others though, more European influence.

I was strongly Royal to Loyal for a while but find now that the top of the line ships compare pretty well across the lines and mix and match more based on itineraries and costs than just the name on the stern.

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I also just sailed Mariner.  You have now experienced one of the benefits of Royal Caribbean.  They took a ship (Mariner) built in 2003, now 15 years old and updated it to create the experience you had.  This is part of what Royal does.  

As other's have mentioned, trying other cruise lines is always a smart idea.  We are all different and what "floats my boat (ship)" may not be what floats someone else's.  Only by sampling them will you know if Royal is best suited for you.  Royal isn't always the cheapest and for some people the cheapest cruise is the best.  

I suggest you research any ship from any line you are thinking about.  Mariner is very different than Symphony.  There are different classes of ships.  Carnival's largest ships, even their newest ships are similar to size compared to Mariner albeit with a few more guests.  Carnival, Norwegian and Royal all have smaller, older ships.  Royal's Symphony of the Seas and the Oasis class in general are in a league of their and there is nothing like them on any other cruise line.  

By researching a ship you are thinking about booking, proper expectations will be set, regardless which cruise line you go with.

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