New Ships Vs Old… The Big Debate!

So 2018 has been a really exciting year so far for the cruising industry with lots of cruise lines releasing or announcing the introduction of new ships to the fleet, However this has been subject to some very mixed opinions from regular cruisers

Some things to consider when deciding on a Newer Ship or an Older one      

Size – With cruise lines expanding the fleets now, Passenger capacity on board really is hitting new heights with some of the newer ships offering double and sometimes treble the capacity of older Ships

Symphony of the Seas – 6680 Passengers – Maiden Voyage 7^th April 2018

P&O Oriana – 1880 Passengers – Entered Service April 1995

Cruise lines do invest lots of money into refurbishing their ships every couple of years to add new features and facilities as well as updating the furnishings and décor. Oriana was Refurbished in December 2016

Cabins  

Cruise lines are in competition when it comes to new cabins on board the latest ships. From studio cabins as part of a solo only area onboard Norwegian cruise lines newer ships to more family-friendly Suites. Newer ships have been designed with a larger percentage of Balconies than some of the older ones.

Some of the older ships do boast Larger sized balconies on their standard balcony cabin grades due to the larger size of New ships and passenger capacity being a lot higher, balcony cabins are crammed in whereas on older ships they tend to be built for the purpose.

Facilities Outdoor fun, waterslides, surf simulators, F1 Simulators, Robot Bartenders you name it, Cruise lines come up with new, exciting and innovative ideas that improve the overall experience and give customers the freedom to experience different activities and facilities on board

Older ships more low key lazy days by the pool and more traditional daily activities that passengers can choose to take part in.

Dining – Flexibility is something a lot of cruise lines offer now in regard to dining, Norwegian offer a fully flexible approach and a lot more of the cruise lines are on board with this offering Freedom or anytime dining so you can eat in the main restaurant at a time that suits you. With older ships, some have limited dining venues and are unable to offer this option, more traditional dining gives you the opportunity to eat with fellow cruisers every evening at the same table, share experiences and make new friends.

Itinerary  Itinerary is a huge aspect to consider when comparing older and newer ships, due to the sheer size larger ships tend to sail around more well known ports in the Mediterranean and Caribbean in order to fill all of the extra cabins, whereas as cruising is constantly expanding customers now want new destinations to discover and some of the older ships will be homeported further afield during the seasons to offer cruisers somewhere new and with a lot of the older ships being generally smaller this means they can get into smaller ports that the larger ships cannot.

Now it is key to remember there are some exceptions to the rule and that is for Luxury and Niche brands with a mass rise in Expedition cruising, customers wanting new and exciting destinations and a different experience that revolves around the itinerary

I would love to hear your thoughts, Do you prefer a Newer Mega Ship or an Older ship?

Eliza