Small, Medium or Large – Do You Have A Preference ?

I was listening to Breakfast television yesterday morning where there was a debate going on about size, or height, of men and if it should be considered discrimination to make fun of their size, be it tall or short!

This was all brought about because the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, who is only 56″ ( smaller than me at 5`7″), has spoken out to say that insulting people about their height is as bad as racism .

So does size matter and do you have a preference? This made me think about cruise ships which come in small, medium and large sizes – also very large! So today let`s have a look at the pros and cons of the large ones .

Royal Caribbean`s Allure of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas are currently the worlds largest cruise ships, both are 220,000 tonnes, carry 5400 or so passengers and 2115 crew and have 18 decks. So not only are they large but they are tall too – if you can call a cruise ship tall that is.

Norwegian Epic is also a monster at 156,000 tons and 4100 passengers, making Cunard`s Queen Mary at 151.400 tonnes and 2620 guests a comparative baby.

I have never been on the 3 larger ones but I have been on Queen Mary and, when we arrived in New York, we were berthed next to a Carnival ship who looked tiny next to  the Mary who seemed to look down on the other ship with an air of superiority!

The largest cruise ships are modern ones built in the last few years. Their modern appearance means they have lots more cabins and facilities, and, because of the way they are designed, lots more balcony cabins at affordable prices, which is a great bonus. More decks too means stunning views in ports of call but on the down side have you ever been lost on a cruise ship? I have and so have lots of other people. At New Year on Oceana, who is tiny in comparison, we had to help 2 people on the same evening find their way back to their cabins so what chance would they have on Allure or Oasis.

The huge ships have loads of wonderful facilities from Rock Climbing Walls and Ice Rinks, to state of the art entertainment venues. I have to say the Ice Show on Royal Caribbean ships is one of the best evening entertainment productions I have ever seen. Water parks are becoming increasingly a feature on modern ships and the new Anthem of the Seas, set to sail out of Southampton in 2015, has the amazing Ripcord by iFly, where you can  try skydiving ( don`t think I`d dare ) and the North Star, the jewel shaped capsule which will lift  you 300` over the ocean for amazing 360 views of the sea and ports of call. It has to be a large ship that has the kind of facilities and Anthem will be a huge hit with families next summer.

Talking of ports of call most people will book an excursion, or at least, want to get off the ship. On the plus side large ships will only use modern cruise terminals with lots of facilities, due to their size but that means they cannot access the small, and often more interesting and unusual ports. I saw Norwegian Epic anchored off the coast of Cannes last year as she was too big to get in closer, but I then wondered how to they get 4000 people off by tender? If you book an excursion how long will you have to wait to get off? and will it be even longer if you just want to go for a wander around the port?

What about the lifts? Everyone who has ever cruised must have been frustrated at some point waiting for the lift that takes forever to arrive – and then its full. Even worse on disembarkation day when everyone is trying to get off – it can be chaos, and it must be worse the larger the ship.

On of my favourite things about cruising is the food and this is where the large, modern ships have huge benefits. The variety of restaurants is awesome and its makes you feel like you are really on holiday as you can choose when and where to eat, perfect for people who are maybe on honeymoon or want a table for 2. With the arrival of Celebrity Chefs on board most new ships the food is excellent in standard and variety – a real plus point I think. Entertainment venues to are becoming diverse, with loads of different options to choose from.

Again there has to be a downside. On a ship that hold 4 – 5000 passengers will you ever see anyone twice during the whole cruise? Probably not. If you are dining in a different place every night you are never going to meet people? Cruising is a very sociable thing to do and part or the experience is to meet and make new friends, this is where fixed seating dining comes into its own.

Of course its horses for courses and everyone will have their own opinion, but smaller ships do have their advantages !