[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by MrChip72

The Royal Caribbean Oasis class ships basically shut down things at 9pm. It's like the Villages on a boat. If I'm paying for a vacation, I like some options that extend well past midnight like on Carnival cruise ships.

We were on Allure last year and remember they did have some music venues lasting later than 9.

[MrChip72]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

We were on Allure last year and remember they did have some music venues lasting later than 9.

I've been on the Allure twice, along with most of it's sister ships. Yes there are some limited options after 9pm but they are very limited, usually to a disco and the English pub and maybe a late running music venue depending on the night. Makes it feel like a rip off to have one of the beverage packages and see these venues effectively only open for 6 hours per day.

I go to bed no earlier than 1am, so it's only going to be Carnival or Norwegian for me going forward.

[rsmurano]

we've been on many of the RC ships, and we think the Wonder of the Seas is the best, even over the Oasis.

[ThirdOfFive]

Originally Posted by Two Bills

Horses for courses.
Would be a total nightmare for me to be cooped up with all those people.
Be like paying to go to prison!

Well, À chacun son goût, as they say.

Those ships are huge, no doubt about it. But the only place it really felt crowded was at the buffet (and the ports of call, which can be a zoo). Otherwise, considering the number of folks on board, there sometimes seems to be a surprising LACK of people. Workout areas and running/walking track seem no more crowded than where we worked out at home. My favorite place on the ship (started on Independence of the Seas and on every ship thereafter) was late at night on the stern of the ship, on the lowest deck to the water. Grab a chair (no problem as I was usually the only one there) sit back and watch the ocean go by. Could do it for hours.

The only place that felt crowded when boarding was the Fort Lauderdale cruise port. Took three hours to drive maybe the 1/2 mile to the ship. Miami was a lot faster and Port Canaveral was a snap. Disembarking can be hectic too: mainly because the system that the cruise line has can be confusing; best just to grab your stuff and head for a door. You might be at the wrong place at the wrong time but they don't send you back, just let you go through.

[kkingston57]

Originally Posted by dewilson58

So you regular cruisers...................are the ships getting "too large"????

"large" needs to be defined and it will change again. 800 passenger ships will soon be called "yacht cruising"