I can't wait for Symphony of the sea OMG💃🏽💃🏽 I was on Anthems of the Sea in April and had a great time after not cruising for a few years OMG I'm so glad to be back can't wait my anticipation is through the roof 😫🤣😉 I've been on Adventures of the sea 2x, Liberty of the sea, Explorer of the sea 2x Happy Cruising💃🏽💃🏽
@@randymo3371 I wasn’t around when those ships existed (except majesty but never been on that one) but they are certainly different from what royal caribbean is today. As of now the vision and radiance class are the most similar.
I was thinking more along the lines of Vision of the Seas, Grandeur of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas (when not doing the World Cruise), Rhapsody of the Seas, etc. We've been sailing a number of these lately because, as cruisers "of a certain age," we appreciate that they are typically a bit quieter (translation - fewer kids) and their fares tend to be more affordable than many of the newer ships.
Yes, and they go to more exciting ports, that folks who love to exolore, enjoy more. It is much nicer to be on a cruise, without all the plethora of kids, and enjoy basically, an adults only cruise.
We LOVED our 11-day SE Caribbean Island Hopper cruise last year on the Rhapsody. We went to several small ports that the megaships can't. It was very relaxing, and we talked with many Brits on the cruise. About ⅓ of the passengers were from England or Ireland. Being part Irish, we bonded with them and had a great time! We have given up on the huge Oasis class ships and their massive crowds everywhere. We much prefer the smaller ships.
I just did Odyssey in September for the 9 day Greek Isles itinerary and it was fantastic!! Odyssey is a beautiful ship with lots to do. I will definitely book it again soon.
I nominate Jewel of the Seas. We thought it was a beautiful ship. Loved the outdoor dining area for the windjammer on the back of the ship and also enjoied the indoor solarium as well. Plus the access to the helicopter pad as well. The outside glass elivator wall was beautiful too.
I totally agree. Jewel of the seas is a spectacular ship, with just the right size, and amenities. Loved cruising on it out of Miami,pre-covid. I would do another on her.
My first cruise was on the Jewel! The captain told us that he was the original Captain on the Oasis of the Seas, but he chose to "step down" to the Jewel because he didn't care for captaining a megaship... it was "too impersonal" for him and he never got to meet very many passengers. The Radiance class is actually my favorite RCCL ship class. I love the layout of it. I really liked being on the Rhapsody too.
I’m due to take my first EVER cruise next august, on Liberty of the Seas. I’m so excited that I’m pretty sure I’m gonna physically combust between now and then!
😂😂 I understand I feel the same way! This will be my 12th cruise & my anticipation is through the roof for May 16 Symphony of the sea birthday cruise💃🏽💃🏽💃🏽🎊 Happy first cruise you're going to be HOOKED 😂😂
Took Liberty of the Seas for our first cruise. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Think it’s a great size ship. Plenty to do. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
Congrats on your first cruise. Trust me when I say, calm down and save all that energy for it. you're going to need it. Been on 13, soon to be 14 in a month. And I can tell you, each cruise I've been on has been SO FREAKING AWESOME! XD My one main advice I can give is make sure you bring suntan lotion. On every cruise I've been on, including an Alaska one, 1st day, I've seen at least 2 people redder then a cooked lobster.
@@ModernMyths thank you so much, yeah I need to chill. I’m the only one in our group that’s never been and I suspect im going to drive them crazy. Sunblock is on the packing list I was handed :)
Thanks Matt, you have a very interesting take on these 5 ships. I sailed on Liberty and Odyssey. I agree with you, Odyssey is a hidden gem. The entire Sea Plex and Two70 are not too missed! The main dinning room is gorgeous.
We sailed Odyssey in October and it was awesome. Two70 is the coolest area on a ship have seen. It was our 24th cruise. However, I still like Independence OTS best. Just like the smaller ships.
My family and I traveled on Explorer of the Seas in 2022 and Odyssey of the Seas as well as Liberty of the Seas in 2023. I have only fond memories of all of them... especially Odyssey. We are sailing on Granduer of the Seas next February. I saw your vlog about it and am excited to experience the ship.
Time stamps for people in a hurry. (The video is better when watched from the start though) 1. 1:35 - Symphony of the Seas 2. 4:27 - Liberty of the Seas 3. 7:22 - Explorer of the Seas 4. 9:14 - Odyssey of the Seas 5. 13:35 - Brilliance of the Seas
Hey Matt, I was on Odyssey back in 2021. It is my favourite ship by far. The problem for me is, it sails out of New York and has stops in Florida. When I was on it in ‘21 it went to the Caribbean, when it sails back to the Caribbean, I’ll be the 1st to book it. Love your show. Keep up the great work.
We’ve been Harmony twice, Odyssey once and Liberty five times when it sailed out of Galveston. All are great ships and although Liberty is smaller than the Odyssey and Oasis class ships it is quite large and very special in its own way.
We really like the Radiance class ships; we were on Jewel and Serenade this year and I traveled on Brilliance 20 years ago. They have a more mature, relaxed feel as opposed to the go-go-go, hurry up and have thrills of the newer ships. For another under rated ship; Mariner is our favorite so far.
Well done. So many people forget about the smaller ships Radiance and Vision class are my faves. The Quantum class were overshadowed by the new Oasis class ships, but everyone who sails them, loves them.
Love Explorer of the Seas & have sailed on her 4x! Have Symphony scheduled for end of Sept & doing a back-to-back, Liberty scheduled for May (have cruised on her 2x & great ship!!), Odyssey scheduled for January 2025. Love the Quantum class - have sailed Quantum 1x & Anthem 2x!! Great video & information Matt!! Thank you for sharing your ideas re: these RC gems!!
Was on Brilliance in September for an Alaskan cruise. Though my wife and I enjoyed ourselves, the ship is in need of a refurbishment. We had quite a few instances of damaged seating and even our cabin door was in need of repair. Quite a few of the other passengers complained about the layout of the Windjammer, but I personally didn't see a problem with it
I love Liberty OTS. She was the ship I was on for my very first cruise and I was on her again in 2022 before she left Galveston. My #1 ship I want to go on in the fleet is Symphony. A ship I don’t see talked about very often is Quantum or Enchantment. I want to go on Quantum and my favorite ship with RCCL is Enchantment.
We cruised on Liberty just last week! Weather wasn’t great, but ship and crew were fantastic. Beautiful ship with the Christmas decorations. Grandeur in November ‘24.
I was on Brilliance’s sister, Radiance on an Alaskan Cruise. In Sitka, AK, Brilliance actually pulled up by Radiance as I was getting back on. It was very cool.
The issue is while you can refurbish even a 40 year old ship to a high standard (QE2 being a good example), the smaller ships simply don't have the space to fit in all the features that RCI have come to be associated with. That's why one is actually better off replacing them with Newer Larger Ships and if RCI had any sense, they would be looking to move on the Vision & Radiance Class Ships.
@@MrSmith1984 Some don’t care about all the latest and greatest extras and continue to cruise on smaller ships the real issue is profitability of a small ship.
Last week I booked Symphony for next year. I could have gone on Icon or Wonder but I"ve been obsessed about Symphony since 2019!! Can't wait for this trip.
We were on Liberty in August and she is a fantastic ship!!!! We can't say a bad thing about her! I think the Star Lounge ended up being one of the best spots on the ship. There was always some event happening in there. We aren't going to see Oddesy until 2025 and thanks to this video, it is going to be an agonizing wait!
I was on Liberty this summer, and it was a good time, though I'd never get an interior room again. It was like a prison cell. I'll be going on Odyssey next year, too.
Same here. The Solarium on Jewel was my favorite spot on any RCI ship until we sailed on Anthem. We will be sailing Brilliance next September, but it looks like she doesn't have the greenery I experienced on Jewel.
Thanks for your candid information on the unsung ships of the fleet. When researching cruises on the Royal Caribbean website it can be overwhelming and this information was appreciated.
Symphony was my first RC cruise at the beginning of 2020. We love the ship so much. Everything was wonderful, from style/decor, amenities, service, food, shows. We loved it all. Our cruise on Symphony was the beginning of us becoming RC cruisers. My favorite show on any cruise so far has been Flight on Symphony. It's so good. We love the Oasis class and Symphony is our favorite. We'll be going on Odyssey for the first time in March. It will be our first time on a Quantum class ship. Looking forward to it.
I love Liberty and Anthem. After 5 cruises combined, I can't wait to go on Liberty again next year. Looking forward to Odyssey in December for my first time.
We sailed on Odyssey OTS about 2 months after its launch. It's a fantastic ship, and was especially nice with only half capacity at the time. We went on Anthem a year later, which I liked, but I saw that they had really improved Odyssey from the Quantum class design. We also saw one of the earliest performances of the Effectors, which was still in development then. The Book in the 270 was fantastic as well.
We just got off a 5 night Bermuda cruise on Liberty and it was fantastic. I would definitely sail onboard again. Also, Bermuda was a treat and we will definitely be heading back, hopefully aboard Liberty.
I loved the adult area on Odyssey OTS. The multi level pool was so neat. The 70s night in the 270 was ridiculously crowded. People bumping into each other trying to dance. I prefer it on the promenade. The music hall fills up quickly too if you do not go in really early, we were there on a Spring break cruise last year and it was crowded everywhere. I haven't met at RC ship I didnt like! :)
If you have younger kids or grandkids, look at Liberty in New Jersey. The Splash Park this summer was just terrific. Food not bad. Ice cream cones excellent! Make sure you get dinner reservations, walk-ins were a mess. Nice mix of family members.
We sailed in Odyssey during their inaugural sailings and it was definitely an underdog of a ship. Not too much hype around it but we loved Giovanni so much we ate there 3 nights. We would definitely cruise on that ship again
Loved our Liberty sailing! Sabor was fantastic! We had to do it twice and yes the margaritas were awesome! Absolutely right with splash away bay and not getting our children out of there.
Never had a bad cruise. Monarch, Majesty, Grandeur, Vision, Enchantment, Voyager, Allure (x2), Rhapsody. Looking forward to b2b on Explorer transatlantic, and an Odyssey Transatlantic b2b. Plus another trip on the Vision to Bermuda.
I’m going on my first cruise in a few months on Vision of the Seas, how would you describe the experience on board? Did you feel that it was lacking in anyway due to it being an older and smaller ship?
@@aaliyahherbert5 well, I am afraid I won’t be able to answer. It was at least 15 years ago and we did a Mexican Riviera. I have looked on cruise critic, and there are some negative reviews, but I always take those with a grain of salt. For me, a bad day on vacation is better than a great day at work. We will go on her for a Bermuda cruise in October. Looking forward to it.
I travel on Oasis the first year she came out and loved it. Went back a second time. Traveled on a smaller RC trip later and didn’t like downsizing at all. Once I went big I couldn’t go small.
Very cool- neat to see some of the one-off, unique features on these particular ships! I would also enjoy a related video, perhaps the 20 (or whatever) most unique, singularly occurring features across the entire fleet.
We did Odyssey in December and loved it. RCL needs more ships of this size so you get a lot of fun activities but also get some diversity in itineraries and ports.
We're going on the Navigator of the seas in April. We were on the Adventure of the seas few years ago stayed in the Royal Suite and it was amazing and we went with a group of 24 and everynite we had a party in our room hosting like 40 people and the room never felt crowed.
Im so excited me and my wife Honeymoon and first cruise will be on Symphony of the Seas in April, everyone has been so high on this ship so i hope we have a great time!
We were on Symphony last spring and Oasis last month. Symphony did feel more modern and fresher in some areas. I didn’t know she was over looked. Hope to try Odyssey next. 🤞🏻
liberty was our first cruise ship and loved the experience! :D it was for my sisters birthday and it wasn’t a bad ship at all and the staff and the people in them were a vibe food was actually decent too lol next ship i’m going too is odyssey i hope it’s a better experience than the last but can never forget my first ship liberty ✨✨
15:4815:51 We've been on Brilliance for a Christmas cruise. Amazing!! Never been on any of the other ships in the video. Going on Allure end of January can't wait
We have done Odyssey of the seas back to back years, 2022 and 2023. Our fav part was the beautiful library and Playmakers . We weren’t intentionally trying to go twice when we found a Greek isles cruise around my bday it was a no brained. I haven’t tried those other ships listed here yet.
NGL I was a little surprised to see Symphony of the Seas on this list, just got off of her from Christmas and I really loved everything. I had a great cruise!
Going on two on your list in 2024: Symphony & Odyssey. Been on Symphony once, but Odyssey will be new for us (happy that both are sailing from Cape Liberty, which is driveable for us in NY. I saw someone nominated Jewel. We’ve never been on her but looking forward to our March Southern Caribbean cruise on her.
I got off Odyssey last weekend, and it’s now my third favorite ship. I really loved Teppanyaki, and the view you can have with dinner. My only complaint about Odyssey is there’s no view with Giovanni’s. If you are seated by a window, you’re looking at the lifeboats.
Allure, like Liberty, doesn't get love because it also missed its "amplification." But I like it particularly because it does 3 night quick weekend trips, that most ships don't do , that is until Utopia arrives. Plus it has Mamma Mia as you mentioned in passing.
Really surprised Enchantment wasn't on here. I feel like I hear about the other Vision ships (not a ton, but still hear about them) but Enchantment is one I never hear mentioned.
Great details to note for future cruises on ships I didn't even think about. I just got off my 2nd sailing on the Serenade of the Seas (14 night Panama Canal cruise before the 'ultimate world cruise') & noticed the dart board in the English Pub (just like Brilliance OTS). I was a 12 night Meditterian cruise on Serenade 13 years ago & has since been revamped, so there were many great changes on her & I'm glad I was able to go on her again, she's easy to get around on & those radiance class ships are awesome. BTW - going on Radiance OTS in April for an Alaskan cruise, so I'm excited to see the Diamond lounge (for the first time) & see how she compares to Serenade.
It gets talked about a little bit but I think Navigator of the Seas is underrated. My first cruise was with on it in 2019 right after it was amplified. I think it has something for everyone and it's the perfect size for first time cruisers.
Been on Freedom first loved it and just got off our 2nd ship Symphony of the Seas so far definitely my favorite, hoping to book icon for next year but who knows might just go back to Symphony again
Sailing on Liberty next fall visiting New England and Canada. Previously we were on Harmony. I hope we will not be disappointed as Liberty is an older ship.
We're going on our first RC cruise (previously cruised with Disney a few times with the kids), on the Grandeur of the sea (deal was too good to pass up on a 7 night cruise), and I know it's the oldest and smallest ship but I'm not worried, as the cruise stops at 4 ports so probably won't spend too much time on the ship anyway.
My son and I love the Liberty of The Seas, we are sailing on her again May 2024. I agree with everything you said too, thanks for the great video! 👍🏻😊⛴️
BTW the Serenade OTS has the Thermal Spa, which cost $175 with tax & resort fee per person, which we did purchase for the 14 night Panama Canal cruise on the first day on the ship - TOTALLY WORTH IT. Now I'm heading to Radiance OTS in April & they are offering to purchase it in your pre-cruise packages - 7 nights for $109.99, please note that RCI now charges a resort fee & tax will also be added to this base fare.
Prob with Odyssey is it repositions quite frequently between Italy, New York and Florida and so the window for sailings is a lot smaller than some of the other ships in the fleet that have a longer term of service at a port like Wonder which literally is all PC
I was on the Odyssey in 2021, and it was great because it was only half full. The ship is really beautiful. I'm surprised you didn't mention the IFly, or the North Star. We did both of them on the first day, so we didn't have to pay, though the North Star was not so great. We are both in our 70s, and we must have gone on the bumper cars a dozen times! The only thing I wasn't crazy about was the Music Hall. It wasn't big enough, and they had too many things going on in that one venue. The Two70 shows were really good. My favorite ships are the Oasis class.
Thank you for explaining the difference between Liberty and the rest of the Freedom class ships. Now I want to sail on Brillance as that is great it has an actual movie theatre inside!
Other than brilliance I hear a good bit about these ships. I think they are all great! The one I never hear anything about ever is Rhapsody. Personally I really want to sail on a vision class ship. I think it would be such a different experience and they are beautiful! Not To mention they are able to get into a lot of ports bigger ships can’t.
I was on Brilliance Of The Seas for 9 nights here in Australia where I live and loved my cruise on her and she only has one cruise season here in Australia she has a charm of all her own and the staff onboard are super excellent too and hope we can get a smaller ship here again a lot of people love the smaller ships I would certainly go on a Radiance class again hoping to try out a Voyager class ship one day
I’ve been on Symphony and Odyssey twice, and Liberty once. All of these cruises were amazing experiences!
I can't wait for Symphony of the sea OMG💃🏽💃🏽 I was on Anthems of the Sea in April and had a great time after not cruising for a few years OMG I'm so glad to be back can't wait my anticipation is through the roof 😫🤣😉 I've been on Adventures of the sea 2x, Liberty of the sea, Explorer of the sea 2x Happy Cruising💃🏽💃🏽
I love Symphony ❤️
Any cruisers remember the Sovereign Class ships ? Sweet Ships... Classy, Elegant, Cozy
@@randymo3371 I wasn’t around when those ships existed (except majesty but never been on that one) but they are certainly different from what royal caribbean is today. As of now the vision and radiance class are the most similar.
Thanks for sharing. We will explore those class ships while booking our next cruise.
@@ordersquid38
I was thinking more along the lines of Vision of the Seas, Grandeur of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas (when not doing the World Cruise), Rhapsody of the Seas, etc. We've been sailing a number of these lately because, as cruisers "of a certain age," we appreciate that they are typically a bit quieter (translation - fewer kids) and their fares tend to be more affordable than many of the newer ships.
Yes, and they go to more exciting ports, that folks who love to exolore, enjoy more. It is much nicer to be on a cruise, without all the plethora of kids, and enjoy basically, an adults only cruise.
We LOVED our 11-day SE Caribbean Island Hopper cruise last year on the Rhapsody. We went to several small ports that the megaships can't. It was very relaxing, and we talked with many Brits on the cruise. About ⅓ of the passengers were from England or Ireland. Being part Irish, we bonded with them and had a great time! We have given up on the huge Oasis class ships and their massive crowds everywhere. We much prefer the smaller ships.
I just did Odyssey in September for the 9 day Greek Isles itinerary and it was fantastic!! Odyssey is a beautiful ship with lots to do. I will definitely book it again soon.
I nominate Jewel of the Seas. We thought it was a beautiful ship. Loved the outdoor dining area for the windjammer on the back of the ship and also enjoied the indoor solarium as well. Plus the access to the helicopter pad as well. The outside glass elivator wall was beautiful too.
Yes! Jewel is coming to my home port of Galveston and I can’t wait to go on her. That’s a ship I e wanted to go on for a long time!
I totally agree. Jewel of the seas is a spectacular ship, with just the right size, and amenities. Loved cruising on it out of Miami,pre-covid. I would do another on her.
I'm about to go on the Jewel in April for a transatlantic
My first cruise was on the Jewel! The captain told us that he was the original Captain on the Oasis of the Seas, but he chose to "step down" to the Jewel because he didn't care for captaining a megaship... it was "too impersonal" for him and he never got to meet very many passengers. The Radiance class is actually my favorite RCCL ship class. I love the layout of it. I really liked being on the Rhapsody too.
We've been on Liberty and Brilliance multiple times. Love them but now we are going to look at Symphony and Odyssey based on your blog. Can't wait.
I’m due to take my first EVER cruise next august, on Liberty of the Seas. I’m so excited that I’m pretty sure I’m gonna physically combust between now and then!
😂😂 I understand I feel the same way! This will be my 12th cruise & my anticipation is through the roof for May 16 Symphony of the sea birthday cruise💃🏽💃🏽💃🏽🎊 Happy first cruise you're going to be HOOKED 😂😂
@@ladymax23 thank you so much!
Took Liberty of the Seas for our first cruise. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Think it’s a great size ship. Plenty to do. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
Congrats on your first cruise. Trust me when I say, calm down and save all that energy for it. you're going to need it. Been on 13, soon to be 14 in a month. And I can tell you, each cruise I've been on has been SO FREAKING AWESOME! XD My one main advice I can give is make sure you bring suntan lotion. On every cruise I've been on, including an Alaska one, 1st day, I've seen at least 2 people redder then a cooked lobster.
@@ModernMyths thank you so much, yeah I need to chill. I’m the only one in our group that’s never been and I suspect im going to drive them crazy. Sunblock is on the packing list I was handed :)
Thanks Matt, you have a very interesting take on these 5 ships. I sailed on Liberty and Odyssey. I agree with you, Odyssey is a hidden gem. The entire Sea Plex and Two70 are not too missed! The main dinning room is gorgeous.
Totally agree!
We sailed Odyssey in October and it was awesome. Two70 is the coolest area on a ship have seen. It was our 24th cruise. However, I still like Independence OTS best. Just like the smaller ships.
We went on Explorer in March 2023. Ot just came back from dry dock. They added the water slides. We had a blast!
My family and I traveled on Explorer of the Seas in 2022 and Odyssey of the Seas as well as Liberty of the Seas in 2023. I have only fond memories of all of them... especially Odyssey. We are sailing on Granduer of the Seas next February. I saw your vlog about it and am excited to experience the ship.
Time stamps for people in a hurry. (The video is better when watched from the start though)
1. 1:35 - Symphony of the Seas
2. 4:27 - Liberty of the Seas
3. 7:22 - Explorer of the Seas
4. 9:14 - Odyssey of the Seas
5. 13:35 - Brilliance of the Seas
Hey Matt, I was on Odyssey back in 2021. It is my favourite ship by far. The problem for me is, it sails out of New York and has stops in Florida. When I was on it in ‘21 it went to the Caribbean, when it sails back to the Caribbean, I’ll be the 1st to book it. Love your show. Keep up the great work.
Odyssey is my favorite ship, love the seaplex, we are booked on Liberty may 8th 2024. Looking forward to it
We’ve been Harmony twice, Odyssey once and Liberty five times when it sailed out of Galveston. All are great ships and although Liberty is smaller than the Odyssey and Oasis class ships it is quite large and very special in its own way.
We really like the Radiance class ships; we were on Jewel and Serenade this year and I traveled on Brilliance 20 years ago. They have a more mature, relaxed feel as opposed to the go-go-go, hurry up and have thrills of the newer ships.
For another under rated ship; Mariner is our favorite so far.
We recently sailed on Grandeur of the Seas and absolutely loved it. Quaint and charming and a "classic" cruise feel. Definitely will sail it again.
Odyssey is my favorite ship in the fleet!
Well done. So many people forget about the smaller ships Radiance and Vision class are my faves. The Quantum class were overshadowed by the new Oasis class ships, but everyone who sails them, loves them.
I went on Odyssey of the Seas back in December 2022 and it was my first time on Royal Caribbean! It was amazing
Love Explorer of the Seas & have sailed on her 4x! Have Symphony scheduled for end of Sept & doing a back-to-back, Liberty scheduled for May (have cruised on her 2x & great ship!!), Odyssey scheduled for January 2025. Love the Quantum class - have sailed Quantum 1x & Anthem 2x!! Great video & information Matt!! Thank you for sharing your ideas re: these RC gems!!
OMG I Symphony of the sea for May 16, 2024 I can't wait my anticipation is through the roof! OMG I would ❤ to do a B2B Happy Cruising 🎉
My wife and I will be on liberty may 23 for 9 days.
@@ladymax23we are on that cruise b2b it’s a beautiful ship
Explorer of the seas is neat. The peak a boo bridge is a great thing for me. Also being able to see the heli pad to is great
Was on Brilliance in September for an Alaskan cruise. Though my wife and I enjoyed ourselves, the ship is in need of a refurbishment. We had quite a few instances of damaged seating and even our cabin door was in need of repair. Quite a few of the other passengers complained about the layout of the Windjammer, but I personally didn't see a problem with it
Same here. Our cabin door wouldn’t lock even after slamming it shut. And the theatre seats were broken and made it uncomfortable to sit.
I love Liberty OTS. She was the ship I was on for my very first cruise and I was on her again in 2022 before she left Galveston. My #1 ship I want to go on in the fleet is Symphony.
A ship I don’t see talked about very often is Quantum or Enchantment. I want to go on Quantum and my favorite ship with RCCL is Enchantment.
We're booked on The Brilliance Of The Sea for the Akasia Cruise next fall. Out first cruise! Looking forward to it.
We cruised on Liberty just last week! Weather wasn’t great, but ship and crew were fantastic. Beautiful ship with the Christmas decorations.
Grandeur in November ‘24.
The tidal wave slide on Liberty was super fun!!
Next on my list of RC ships to go on is Symphony and Odyssey!
I just got off odyssey for back to back cruises and Effectors Show was AWESOME. We went twice. I loved it!!!!!
I was on Brilliance’s sister, Radiance on an Alaskan Cruise. In Sitka, AK, Brilliance actually pulled up by Radiance as I was getting back on. It was very cool.
I wish Royal would stop building all these mega ships nd give some TLC to some of the smaller older ships that really need to be refurbished.
I agree
yes finally some said it!!
I would love that but it comes down to the mega ships are more profitable.
The issue is while you can refurbish even a 40 year old ship to a high standard (QE2 being a good example), the smaller ships simply don't have the space to fit in all the features that RCI have come to be associated with.
That's why one is actually better off replacing them with Newer Larger Ships and if RCI had any sense, they would be looking to move on the Vision & Radiance Class Ships.
@@MrSmith1984 Some don’t care about all the latest and greatest extras and continue to cruise on smaller ships the real issue is profitability of a small ship.
Last week I booked Symphony for next year. I could have gone on Icon or Wonder but I"ve been obsessed about Symphony since 2019!! Can't wait for this trip.
Just cruised on Symphony and It is GREAT!! ABSOLUTELY RECOMMENDED!!
We were on Liberty in August and she is a fantastic ship!!!! We can't say a bad thing about her! I think the Star Lounge ended up being one of the best spots on the ship. There was always some event happening in there.
We aren't going to see Oddesy until 2025 and thanks to this video, it is going to be an agonizing wait!
Star lounge is vastly underrated!
The cigar bar on Liberty is underrated.
I was on Liberty this summer, and it was a good time, though I'd never get an interior room again. It was like a prison cell.
I'll be going on Odyssey next year, too.
Liberty was our first Royal ship and we love her! We were huge fans of the views from the Viking Lounge.
Jewel OTS had the best solarium pool I've been to. It was really deep, large, and had beautiful decor. I imagine that Brilliance has a similar one.
Yup!
Same here. The Solarium on Jewel was my favorite spot on any RCI ship until we sailed on Anthem. We will be sailing Brilliance next September, but it looks like she doesn't have the greenery I experienced on Jewel.
Jewel's solarium is the most relaxing I've enjoyed so far. Very well designed and oppulent!
I did the TA on Symphony last fall, definitely my favorite cruise I have done.
Thanks for your candid information on the unsung ships of the fleet. When researching cruises on the Royal Caribbean website it can be overwhelming and this information was appreciated.
Always appreciate some love for the underdogs
Symphony was my first RC cruise at the beginning of 2020. We love the ship so much. Everything was wonderful, from style/decor, amenities, service, food, shows. We loved it all. Our cruise on Symphony was the beginning of us becoming RC cruisers. My favorite show on any cruise so far has been Flight on Symphony. It's so good. We love the Oasis class and Symphony is our favorite. We'll be going on Odyssey for the first time in March. It will be our first time on a Quantum class ship. Looking forward to it.
I love Liberty and Anthem. After 5 cruises combined, I can't wait to go on Liberty again next year. Looking forward to Odyssey in December for my first time.
Loved this video! Now please do video on the best smaller ships! Thanks!
We sailed on Odyssey OTS about 2 months after its launch. It's a fantastic ship, and was especially nice with only half capacity at the time. We went on Anthem a year later, which I liked, but I saw that they had really improved Odyssey from the Quantum class design.
We also saw one of the earliest performances of the Effectors, which was still in development then. The Book in the 270 was fantastic as well.
We took Brilliance through the Panama Canal on a 14 day. I loved it!
We just got off a 5 night Bermuda cruise on Liberty and it was fantastic. I would definitely sail onboard again. Also, Bermuda was a treat and we will definitely be heading back, hopefully aboard Liberty.
I loved the adult area on Odyssey OTS. The multi level pool was so neat. The 70s night in the 270 was ridiculously crowded. People bumping into each other trying to dance. I prefer it on the promenade. The music hall fills up quickly too if you do not go in really early, we were there on a Spring break cruise last year and it was crowded everywhere. I haven't met at RC ship I didnt like! :)
Symphony of the seas is my favorite cruise ship of all time, went on her in 2019 and will never forget it
The Hooked clam and mussel chowder was phenomenal.
Voyager of the Seas was the first ship I’ve ever been on for pleasure in March of 2023, it was incredible I loved it.
I’m going on symphony in July 🎉 I can’t wait first time ever cruising. So excited. So happy they leaving out of NJ.
If you have younger kids or grandkids, look at Liberty in New Jersey. The Splash Park this summer was just terrific. Food not bad. Ice cream cones excellent! Make sure you get dinner reservations, walk-ins were a mess. Nice mix of family members.
We were on the Liberty earlier this year. the shows were great. We like this class of ship the best. Not too big not too small.
Brilliance is a lovely ship - full of charm and character. The Centrum really works for it. So glad to have been able to cruise on her out of Sydney.
Thank you for another wonderful and comprehensive video. We’re on it in March. Can’t wait!
We sailed in Odyssey during their inaugural sailings and it was definitely an underdog of a ship. Not too much hype around it but we loved Giovanni so much we ate there 3 nights.
We would definitely cruise on that ship again
Loved our Liberty sailing! Sabor was fantastic! We had to do it twice and yes the margaritas were awesome! Absolutely right with splash away bay and not getting our children out of there.
Never had a bad cruise. Monarch, Majesty, Grandeur, Vision, Enchantment, Voyager, Allure (x2), Rhapsody. Looking forward to b2b on Explorer transatlantic, and an Odyssey Transatlantic b2b. Plus another trip on the Vision to Bermuda.
I’m going on my first cruise in a few months on Vision of the Seas, how would you describe the experience on board? Did you feel that it was lacking in anyway due to it being an older and smaller ship?
@@aaliyahherbert5 well, I am afraid I won’t be able to answer. It was at least 15 years ago and we did a Mexican Riviera. I have looked on cruise critic, and there are some negative reviews, but I always take those with a grain of salt. For me, a bad day on vacation is better than a great day at work. We will go on her for a Bermuda cruise in October. Looking forward to it.
My first RC cruise was Monarch! We had a blast!
4:27 - Liberty and Allure! I've cruised on both of them! Liberty in the Caribbean, and Allure in both the Caribbean and Mediterranean.
I travel on Oasis the first year she came out and loved it. Went back a second time. Traveled on a smaller RC trip later and didn’t like downsizing at all. Once I went big I couldn’t go small.
Traveling on Explorer of the Seas in Next week for my first ever cruise and we are super excited!
Very cool- neat to see some of the one-off, unique features on these particular ships! I would also enjoy a related video, perhaps the 20 (or whatever) most unique, singularly occurring features across the entire fleet.
We did Odyssey in December and loved it. RCL needs more ships of this size so you get a lot of fun activities but also get some diversity in itineraries and ports.
We're going on the Navigator of the seas in April. We were on the Adventure of the seas few years ago stayed in the Royal Suite and it was amazing and we went with a group of 24 and everynite we had a party in our room hosting like 40 people and the room never felt crowed.
Im so excited me and my wife Honeymoon and first cruise will be on Symphony of the Seas in April, everyone has been so high on this ship so i hope we have a great time!
We were on Symphony last spring and Oasis last month. Symphony did feel more modern and fresher in some areas. I didn’t know she was over looked.
Hope to try Odyssey next. 🤞🏻
I’ve been on Symphony and have a New Year eve cruise next year. Very nice ships and so much to do. The shows are excellent.
liberty was our first cruise ship and loved the experience! :D it was for my sisters birthday and it wasn’t a bad ship at all and the staff and the people in them were a vibe food was actually decent too lol next ship
i’m going too is odyssey i hope it’s a better experience than the last but can never forget my first ship liberty ✨✨
15:48 15:51
We've been on Brilliance for a Christmas cruise. Amazing!! Never been on any of the other ships in the video. Going on Allure end of January can't wait
Really enjoyed Liberty of the Seas for Bermuda in September. Sabor guacamole making class and lunch was fabulous!
We have done Odyssey of the seas back to back years, 2022 and 2023. Our fav part was the beautiful library and Playmakers . We weren’t intentionally trying to go twice when we found a Greek isles cruise around my bday it was a no brained. I haven’t tried those other ships listed here yet.
Symphony is my favourite...prefer it over Wonder...I've sailed 4 times so far this year...booked Christmas sailing...next year Feb 2024❤
NGL I was a little surprised to see Symphony of the Seas on this list, just got off of her from Christmas and I really loved everything. I had a great cruise!
I'll be on Explorer for the third time in March. Love it.
Going on two on your list in 2024: Symphony & Odyssey. Been on Symphony once, but Odyssey will be new for us (happy that both are sailing from Cape Liberty, which is driveable for us in NY. I saw someone nominated Jewel. We’ve never been on her but looking forward to our March Southern Caribbean cruise on her.
I got off Odyssey last weekend, and it’s now my third favorite ship. I really loved Teppanyaki, and the view you can have with dinner. My only complaint about Odyssey is there’s no view with Giovanni’s. If you are seated by a window, you’re looking at the lifeboats.
Odyssey is amazing. I went on it last January for my honeymoon and we were blown away.
Allure, like Liberty, doesn't get love because it also missed its "amplification." But I like it particularly because it does 3 night quick weekend trips, that most ships don't do , that is until Utopia arrives. Plus it has Mamma Mia as you mentioned in passing.
Odyssey of the Seas is my favorite at Sea- food, staff, amenities, entertainment... it's a perfect blend of everything RCCL offer IMHO
I sailed with Symphony of the Seas last September and had a blast. It was awesome. I didn't realize that it was one of the overlooked ships!
My daughters got a upgrade to a room with the floor to ceiling windows.. they loved it.
Yes Panoramic Oceanview it’s the only ocean view I will take apart from a balcony
We are going on a BTBTB at the end of February and can't wait to see the things you talked about.
Really surprised Enchantment wasn't on here. I feel like I hear about the other Vision ships (not a ton, but still hear about them) but Enchantment is one I never hear mentioned.
Great details to note for future cruises on ships I didn't even think about. I just got off my 2nd sailing on the Serenade of the Seas (14 night Panama Canal cruise before the 'ultimate world cruise') & noticed the dart board in the English Pub (just like Brilliance OTS). I was a 12 night Meditterian cruise on Serenade 13 years ago & has since been revamped, so there were many great changes on her & I'm glad I was able to go on her again, she's easy to get around on & those radiance class ships are awesome. BTW - going on Radiance OTS in April for an Alaskan cruise, so I'm excited to see the Diamond lounge (for the first time) & see how she compares to Serenade.
Odyssey is the prettiest ship I have ever been on, I loved it!
Great commercial! I do appreciate the info about kids areas as im looking for a cruise later this year for a family of 4.
It gets talked about a little bit but I think Navigator of the Seas is underrated. My first cruise was with on it in 2019 right after it was amplified. I think it has something for everyone and it's the perfect size for first time cruisers.
Been on Freedom first loved it and just got off our 2nd ship Symphony of the Seas so far definitely my favorite, hoping to book icon for next year but who knows might just go back to Symphony again
Sailing on Liberty next fall visiting New England and Canada. Previously we were on Harmony. I hope we will not be disappointed as Liberty is an older ship.
I’m not a big ship person, but I might try Symphony. I peaked with the Radiance classes.
As a big Radiance class fan myself, may I suggest you look at Quantum class?
Thanks for a great video Matt. This is really helpful as we're booked to sail on Liberty and Odyssey next year.
We're going on our first RC cruise (previously cruised with Disney a few times with the kids), on the Grandeur of the sea (deal was too good to pass up on a 7 night cruise), and I know it's the oldest and smallest ship but I'm not worried, as the cruise stops at 4 ports so probably won't spend too much time on the ship anyway.
My son and I love the Liberty of The Seas, we are sailing on her again May 2024. I agree with everything you said too, thanks for the great video! 👍🏻😊⛴️
My favourite thing about Symphony OTS is any easy one... she is the next one on which we will be sailing - a B2B in 23 days - can't wait! 😀
Great video mat ,, loved the details I've actually only done Liberty and will defiantly like to do the other 4
BTW the Serenade OTS has the Thermal Spa, which cost $175 with tax & resort fee per person, which we did purchase for the 14 night Panama Canal cruise on the first day on the ship - TOTALLY WORTH IT. Now I'm heading to Radiance OTS in April & they are offering to purchase it in your pre-cruise packages - 7 nights for $109.99, please note that RCI now charges a resort fee & tax will also be added to this base fare.
Prob with Odyssey is it repositions quite frequently between Italy, New York and Florida and so the window for sailings is a lot smaller than some of the other ships in the fleet that have a longer term of service at a port like Wonder which literally is all PC
I think ovation of the seas is one of those ships that not many people talk about, but is really amazing
I was on the Odyssey in 2021, and it was great because it was only half full. The ship is really beautiful. I'm surprised you didn't mention the IFly, or the North Star. We did both of them on the first day, so we didn't have to pay, though the North Star was not so great. We are both in our 70s, and we must have gone on the bumper cars a dozen times! The only thing I wasn't crazy about was the Music Hall. It wasn't big enough, and they had too many things going on in that one venue. The Two70 shows were really good. My favorite ships are the Oasis class.
Thank you for explaining the difference between Liberty and the rest of the Freedom class ships. Now I want to sail on Brillance as that is great it has an actual movie theatre inside!
Looking forward to our Liberty of the Seas cruise in 2024. Thanks Matt.
Other than brilliance I hear a good bit about these ships. I think they are all great! The one I never hear anything about ever is Rhapsody. Personally I really want to sail on a vision class ship. I think it would be such a different experience and they are beautiful! Not To mention they are able to get into a lot of ports bigger ships can’t.
Both symphony and odyssey will be going out of NJ so I am booked on both...looking forward to it
So mam I 5/16 b2bon SOS and 12/29 Odyssey 2nd time on both ships they are beautiful 😍
I meant so am I
I was about to pull the trigger on a Symphony cruise this June. Decided it was too big a ship for just the 2 of us. Going on the Vision instead!
I was on Brilliance Of The Seas for 9 nights here in Australia where I live and loved my cruise on her and she only has one cruise season here in Australia she has a charm of all her own and the staff onboard are super excellent too and hope we can get a smaller ship here again a lot of people love the smaller ships I would certainly go on a Radiance class again hoping to try out a Voyager class ship one day