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Excellent report. You left out Princess Cruise Lines. That's a big one, bigger than some of the one you mentioned. I just came back from an Alaska Cruise with Princess and decided that I like them better than Royal Caribbean or Norwegian, the only other cruise lines I have sailed on. Princess has 2 brand new ships coming up - the Sun Princess in February 2024, the Star Princess in 2025.
Thank you for the information. I'm a very traditional (mature aged) person so it has to be Cunard for me. I'm looking forward to the next in your series.
Thanks! Yes, I'm really looking forward to the Queen Anne next year. Celebrity Edge Class of ships are also interesting... could be worth considering 🙂
I would never want to be out at sea with 10k people. Perfect recipe for disaster if something goes wrong. New cruise ship design leaves a lot to be desired.
Adora Magic City is based off of the Carnival Vista. If you already knew the Carnival Jubilee well the Adora Magic City is related to something like that for Carnival's Vista Class. For Carnival Vista, Carnival Horizon, Carnival Panorama (known as Pacific Panorama), Carnival Venezia (formerly Costa Venezia), and Carnival Firenze (formerly Costa Firenze)
Some amazing developments to come. Interesting to hear you referring to "harking back to the golden age of cruising". I think we are currently in the golden age of cruising!
I think you are absolutely correct... the breadth and choice of cruises, and cruise companies is expanding by the month. Way more choice than ever before. There really is something for everyone
The new ships have become too big I will be on Royal Princess next month I will be interested to see the changes from last season we only cruise locally these days
Looking at the Queen Anne, I immediately see a ship that says Cunard, nothing else, and I see lounges. So, at least on that level, I'm not disappointed. The Queens Lounge's new look is still Cunard style, so it's fine. I don't at all mind the Royal Caribbean ship because some of the "neighborhoods" have places I might enjoy. I don't expect the best food but the service should be friendly. RCI delivers on social areas and they are so varied, it's possible to go through the "city" and find your spots on this ship. And for families, it kind of makes sense to have the features. Yes, it's massive, but maybe something for many of us. Regent looks boutique and I like that it is retro modern. It definitely has evocative of earlier eras decor and looks ultra upscale. I'm not sure from the renderings if it is over the top or stylish. It depends on the degree of glimmer. I agree with your take on NCL but what's in it? What are the social areas like. I'd have to look more into it. They're something like Royal Caribbean but maybe a slightly toned down version. As far as the Chinese ship goes, Westeners need to update on China. They're very advanced now and I think they can make fine products of any type. I would NOT dismiss them or call them copycats like we tend to do. Truth of the matter, the cruise lines copy each other. Look at the veranda cabins and ship in a ship and specialty dining and a lot of the formats are just industry trends. I have a general comment to make, though. I think there is too much marketing of new in the cruise industry. Remember when cruise ships would last 45-50 years or even longer? I saw that the Zenth was scrapped. It served for 30 years. That's all. Now a lot of cruise customers think a 10 year old ship is old or even a 5 year old ship. At some point, a lot of these ships will be scrapped and how long will many of these large ships be in service. Maybe the cruise lines should cool it with all the new builds and just enhance what they already have.
Hi. I'm a fan of Ociena. Their ships are beautiful inside. They have improved significantly in the last few years, and can now say they are right in the top tier. We have been on them a couple of times, last occasion on the Marina, and each occasion the cuisine has been exceptional. In fact, there's almost no need to go to speciality dining, as the included options are that good. The buffet, which isn't normally a cruiship first choice, is exceptional. Afternoon tea on the ship is also top notch. Increasingly these 'smaller' size ships, 800-1200 are really finding success with the seasoned cruiser. Their pace is less rushed, more refined, and getting many aspects right. And the dress code is pitched nicely. Smart, yet not excessive. They have a lot of enrichment, and we enjoyed the Culinary Centre, and cooking demonstrations. The early shots of the Vista look gorgeous. I'm sure you will have an exceptional time. Please drop a comment on our channel to let us know how it went. I think many people would be eager to hear.
@@ritzytravelguide Thank you for your comments and description of Oceania. I'm surprising my wife with this additional cruise in December as part of our 30th wedding anniversary in October and a early Christmas gift. We are going on Celebrity Equinox as well on October 14th for 8 days closer to our anniversary and our first time cruising with Celebrity as well. Definitely will comment on these cruises ounce completed. Thanks again!
I'm a long time Celebrity cruiser (well former cruiser) and I'm borderline disgusted with the Edge class of ships. The Ascent is the 4th version of them. I'll give my reasons and preferences in a cruise. I don't cruise for the stateroom. I do simple inside or outside. While I enjoy dining I don't cruise to dine. I don't cruise for the pool scene. I do, however, cruise to enjoy the ambiance and feel of lounges and especially like jazz and ballroom type of dancing or swing dancing. But I'm fine with other forms as well. Celebrity used to deliver that but it was especially the Century class ships that did. A little less so in the Millennium class. But the Solstice class sort of did as well. And I hear people say often "beautiful" ship. But what makes HAL HAL, Princess Princess, Cunard Cunard or Celebrity Celebrity? For me, I loved how Celebrity did a modern interpretation of swank 1920s to 1960s styles and designed that into their ships. They did this up to the Edge class. The Edge does in just a few areas but it's more trendy beige/gray/light teals contemporary but not identifiably Celebrity. So, I'm not enamored to its decor style like others are. I disagree with you that the older ships looked "standard." The Century had a magnificent interior with her wonderful 30s style Crystal Lounge and her white glove style 2-tiered dining room. The Galaxy was just as magnificent. The Solstice class has some wonderful areas as well. They're very stylish ships. So my problem with the Edge class. It's a restaurant ship with a few other areas. There are hardly any social lounges and nothing I'd call a swanky or elegant lounge. Celebrity deleted the top lounge to make retreat areas for suite passengers. The forward views of the ocean are from what seems like the 15th specialty restaurant on the ship is ONLY for suite passengers. The ship has restaurant after restaurant, a sports bar, a coffee/pastry kind of lounge, and at the bottom of a 3 deck "Grand Plaza" is the Martini bar with a dance floor that looks every bit like a luxurious enough lobby bar. The other area that has a dance floor is a 2 story nightclub that doesn't have an elegant ambiance. Then there is the casual garden themed multi-tiered Eden where they have "interactive" entertainment. So, where does one find a true elegant lounge on the Edge, Apex, Beyond or Ascent? Nowhere. On the Solstice, there's the Ensemble Lounge at least and the Martini Bar area is more elegant and intimate. There is a card room on the Solstice class ship. A Sky lounge with forward views. There used to be an elegant room called Michael's Club that was like an English parlour but they're using it now for only suite passengers. Sorry, the Edge wants to change Celebrity's style into some sort of Freestyle dining cruise ship but just with higher quality dining offerings. While dining is a thing to do on ships for sure, so is socializing and dancing. Yes, the Edge ships have a few bars where you can get overpriced fancy drinks. But they're just small areas with maybe a musician playing but there's no sense of a real lounge. The problem with the so called heart of the ship being the Martini bar lobby dance floor in the Grand Plaza is that there are two specialty restaurants above that area and those dining in those areas when the activities are going on are subjected to a lot of noise. I think Celebrity should turn at least two of these extra-cost dining rooms into supper clubs. Take about 1/4 to 1/3rd of the dining room, put in a dance floor, put in a bar, and then have the dining be augmented by the supper club. They can then put in all the fancy drinks to make their revenue. It would suit their line well that calls itself premium. A ton of restaurants is not enough. Celebrity has gone and tried to appeal to younger people and they're changing the style of their cruises. It's not just about food. It's a full experience. And while some are going on that ship and raving about it, I think once the newness of this class wears off, their shortcomings will be more apparent.
Hi, a very interesting take you have on Celebrity. Thanks so much for your input. We are about to do a direct comparison between Celebrity old and new, as over the next 3 months we'll be testing both out to see which wins : In January 2024 we'll be on the brand new Ascent, and in March 2024 one of the eldest Celebrity shops in their fleet, the Infinity, which is 20 years old. It will be an interesting comparison
@@ritzytravelguide OK. I'll look forward to reading your impressions of each class. About the Infinity, a lot was changed since she was introduced. Mainly, a lot of specialty restaurants were put in. I don't believe she's been "revolutionized" which will be the next step. If she wasn't, then she'll have her original dining room, more or less. The revolution restyled it and not to my liking. I think certain aspects like the staterooms and buffet are bound to be better on the newer ship. Tech as well. Hopefully, service and food quality is the same on both but cruise lines tend to move their best crews and cooks to the newer ships. I'm subscribing to your channel. Thanks for replying to my comments.
I know it’s not the “cool” opinion to have around these parts but when it comes to cruises for me, the bigger and more exaggerated, the better. I personally cannot wait to get on the icon next year and take my family with me. A lot of people don’t realize these massive ships are designed and organized in a way that makes them feel smaller and less tight than smaller ships. The ships are so massive that there’s more than enough room for everyone, so much variety that it forces people to visit all the different parts of the vessel. whereas ships like say, rhapsody of the seas or celebrity Millenium might be smaller but feel more packed because there’s nothing to do and everyone sits around the same areas.
The problem with these ships is they are nothing like ships which spoils the experience of being on a ship.They are land resorts at sea packed with thousands of people .Far to frantic , going away from giving service , they give you the ship . They really don’t know what to do with these ships anymore .Regent are the only line I personally would consider.
Hi, it is increasingly the case cruise ships are getting larger, and indeed feeling more like destination in itself, rather than the destination you are supposed to be sailing to! However, there are still some cruise lines gritting their teeth, and trying to maintain some semblance of being a ship.... I think the likes of Celebrity, Cunard, Oceania, and Seven Seas deserve applause for this; and doing their best to design new ships, that actually look like ships! These are the ones I would personally be aiming at.
@@ritzytravelguideYes I understand what your saying but I’ve done almost a 100 cruises from the 50s and have watched the deterioration in food service and the vast increase in size of cruise ships.I’m going on the new Silversea ship Silver Nova next week and since that company was purchased by RCCI I’m not expecting it to be like it was since the beginning of its existence and owned by a Italian family who spent time on their ships .It’s not the size of the ship or the facilities it’s the people the service and the general feeling of being pampered .I suppose it’s very much a different audience today .Most have not the age to have the experience or know how it used to be.
@@ritzytravelguide Celebrity does that with the Solstice clsss ships. The Edge don't feel anywhere as ship like as their previous classes. I think HAL maintains a semblance of being on a ship as well as Cunard does. I like the new Rotterdam, for the most part.
@@ritzytravelguide.Well unfortunately exactly as I expected..Nice ship certainly different but you get used to it after a few days and it’s the food service entertainment and the effort put into looking after you which makes a so called luxury cruise,unfortunately it was not as it was by a long shot to our previous experience with the original Silversea .I don’t like the technology aspect of any cruise.Something I personally want to get away from . Very soon there will be more cruise ships than see or ports .I must say you do your ship reviews well .You’ve replaced the Berlitz Gide of new cruise ships .To many short cruises.At one time a minimum cruise duration would be fourteen days with a couple of sea days , now it’s a port per day .No real time to relax , plus the hassle of flying to embarkation .It’s all a bit frantic now.
Hi, yes, since early this morning, there has been a glitch with that section. There has been an unexpected claim against the orchestral music being used, under my narration. That 4 minute Cunard section is currently in limbo. Hopefully resolved by end of today.
Vast bubbles of eating, drinking, games, shopping, noise, smoke and effluent. Butlins-on-sea but with as much escape from the consumption, as from the vast carbon footprint and final bill. Not even for free.
