Which is a better cruise company to go with. Princess Cruises or Royal Caribbean.?

Question

I am planning a vacation and I want to take a cruise, but I want to know which is a better company. Princess Cruises or Royal Caribbean, I hear that Princess is a more formal cruise, but Royal Caribbean has the Freedom of the Sea ship which is the largest ship in the world and has more stuff to do. Please I need some good information. Thanks

Answer 1

Definitely Royal Caribbean.  We are planning another cruise with them (for my wedding!) and we will be going on the Freedom of the Seas.  Their ships are amazing (and like you said, the largest in the world) and their staff are wonderful.  Plus there is so much to do on board and off.  Cruises are also a great way to travel for families like mine who has a member in a wheelchair.  RC is very wheelchair accessible and will accomodate your every need.

I'm sure you would have an excellent time on either but my vote is for Royal Caribbean.

Have fun!!

Answer 2

The lines are very similar.  I prefer Royal Caribbean simply because they have more on ship activities for active people.  That is something that is important to me on sea days.  Princess has more games and trivia type things for sea days, which are very nice.  I, however prefer to spend my sea days climbing the rock wall, ice skating, and roller blading.  My next cruise will be on the Freedom of the Seas so I will be able to add surfing to the list!

Answer 3

We went to Alaska last year on the Princess Sapphire ship and it was the best cruise we have ever taken.  I am not a formal type person and would be quite uneasy on anything I thought would be to formal. I found nothing formal about this ship except like all of the cruise ships they have 2 formal nights on a 7 day sail.  But you do not have to participate in that if that's not your bag.  We did not, they still have the wonderful buffet available or you can order room service and go about doing what you enjoy on the ship. My guess would be only about 25% of the people got all dressed up to go to the steak house's on the ship on the formal nights.

Answer 4

I've always sailed with Royal Caribbean and have had nothing but excellent experiences. I would recommend Royal Caribbean.

Answer 5

Royal Caribbean is a good balance between formal and fun.  The service and staff are great.  The age group target is about 35-60.  Princess is about the same as Royal Caribbean but for slightly older crowd.

It is not like a party cruise, such as, Carnival.  Carnival is for the young crowd.  Norweigen is more for family.

Answer 6

i hear that princess is a good line to go with a bit more elegant but i have been on royal caribbean its so great if you are interested in freedom of the seas watch travel i thinks its christmas  its samantha brown on board freedom its a awesome ship no doubt have a great vacation and merry christmas

Answer 7

Most of my clients cruise with Royal Caribbean. Probably because of the itinerary. It would depend on what you like and where you would like to go. Princess is more of a formal older crowd and Royal Caribbean is more of a party cruise.

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Answer 8

We have taken 3 Princess cruises and we love them.  I have also heard great things about Royal Caribbean.  You will love either of them.

One plus for Princess is the anytime dining.  You eat when you want and sit where you want.  RCCL will assign you a time and a table.  

Either way, you will have a wonderful vacation.

Answer 9

I have only used Royal Caribbean, and the people that I have talked to that have tried different ones say the like Royal Caribbean the best. and this is coming from an adults only point of view.

   Do you know that they check everyone as they come back into the country to see if they have any kind of warrants for them, the gentleman in the cabin next to me had a unpaid ticket from 18 years before from a state he moved away from 17  years ago, that they came and removed him from the ship when we pulled back in. Its the whole new homeland security thing,

  I felt bad for the guy because it was a traffic ticket and he was put in handcuffs in front of his kids, but it will also get the bad guys also, so no complaints.  Just make sure you don't have any unpaid tickets from years ago.

Answer 10

CARNiVAL.!!

  i had the time of my life <3

Answer 11

Royal Caribbean hasn't disappointed me at all so far!  Their cruises are a blast!!

Answer 12

I really really hope this helps since I know alot about this topic. Its all a matter of opinion. If you have kids then Carnival would be the best cruise line but out of the two the worlds largest ship comes from Royal Caribbean the Explorer or Voyager of the Seas. With Royal Caribbean they have ice skating rinks and arcades and rock climbing walls and a whole bunch of other neat things. As you said Princess if more formal and its more like Holland America which is for older people. On all the ships they have stuff for kids to do, but Carnival has a ton more with the waterslides and you could find out what all the Freedom of the Seas has besides rock climbing walls and etc at their website. It also depends on what time of year you want to vacation and what area you want to go to. Some cruiselines only go to certain areas at certain times of the year. For instance most cruise lines only go to the Caribbean in the winter and fall months while Carnival goes year round. It really depends. Princess to me seems more formal and more older like adults and elderly people. It also depends on what kind of atmosphere you want Princess is kind of more relaxed and Royal Caribbean is upbeat with lots of fun things to do. Another thing to consider is do you like younger or older people because of who you might be sitting wiht as your table mates. Since you will be eating dinner with them your entire cruise. It also depends on price, and how long the cruise is going to be. Some cruise lines have 3-4 days cruises and then 5-7 day, 10-12 day cruises as well. Some other cruise lines also have like 15 or 16 days cruises. It all really depends on you but I would personally recommend Royal Caribbean and I haven't been on either cruise line but I hear wonderful things about it along with Princess but thast just my personall opinion. Another thing to consider is shore excursions and everything dont want till the last minute to do them and I would highly recommend passports even though the official regulation of having one doesnt take effect until January 2008 but it makes it so much easier otherwise you need a birth certificate and a photo id even for kids. You can even have a phot copy of the birth certificate just make sure you have everything you need. Also depending on where you go is about what type of room you may want. Inside no view, horrible but cheap, oceanview, a bit more but different categories and are very nice, balconies have a great view during all time of day, then you get into the sweets and depending on where when and price range you could maybe afford them or maybe not. It all depends on you. Hope this long answer helped.

Answer 13

Royal Caribbean all the way the best ships I have ever sailed on and we only Cruise for vacations

Answer 14

i didn't take either of the ones you listed.. but i would just like to say that it was a waste of money.. yea the food might be free the whole time, but the drinks are like 6$.. and thats outragious! some ships have gift shops where you can buy things like half priced cause their off land and there are no taxes out in the middle of the ocean.. like they had a box of 3, 5ths of absolut vodka and it was like 35$.. and same thing with cigarettes.. but yeah ships have alot of old people and there really isn't much to do.. and the time you spend on land is to short.. the water in the pools were salt water and the hot tubs also.. i don't know i don't recommend cruise's.. but hopefully yours will be better then the one i went on.. and i went to key west and cozumel! good luck and best wishes!  hope you have a merry christmas and a happy new year!

Answer 15

My personal experience is Royal Caribbean without a doubt!  We take four cruises a year.  Our experience with Princess was a real downer!