What's it like to be a passenger on a mega-liner?

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It is a heck of a lot of fun.
I just got off of one that visited a 3 islands in the Carribean. The ship had almost 5000 people on board.
Since I spent many years in the Navy and have sailed on aircraft carriers, (which have almost the same amount of people and almost the same length ship) I feel qualified to give you a good answer.
Go, have fun.

TINKERTOY ..... the 1 & only

I have been on the Freedom of the Seas, which is identical with the Liberty. We cruised on it last November out of Miami. There are times when things seem crowded and others when it is just like any other ship. We checked in and boarded the ship in about 30 minutes and the delays were because they did not have enough people checking the Sea Passes that you are requested to print and bring to check in. Then there was a delay getting the photo taken that is a part of your cruise card. Then after that it was just like any other cruise for the most part. The buffet line was long when we first boarded and was generally crowded for breakfast and lunch in the buffet each day. But other times it was not crowded. When we reached ports there was a crowd of people trying to get off ship first, some for tours, and then it was pretty easy access. Our cruise stopped in Grand Cayman where all ships must use tenders to get passengers ashore and back, but they had enough tenders that it did not take long. Same at the RC's private island, Labadee. The free ice show was a big hit and there were lines of folks to get in because it was open seating. But other than that it was easy going to the other shows in the regular show room.

The Liberty, Freedom, and the new Independence coming out next year all have a huge mall in the center of the ship with shops and eating places. This helped with getting your bearing going places on ship. Once you are aware that the Gym is in the front of the ship, the Solarium is next to it, then the regular pool, then the kids pool and finally the windjammer buffet, that's all you need to find your way around. The main dining rooms are also on the rear of the ship a few decks below the buffet.

So its basically like a small city with a few significant spots to learn. Then its easy navigating. If you have ever been on RC's Mariner or Adventure of the seas ships you will find it very easy to navigate the Liberty because it has the same basic layout, just larger.

If you are considering going two things will help. First, go to the Royal Caribbeans' web site and click on the link to look at it's ships and then click on Liberty and there is an interactive web page that lets you see a photo of all parts of the ship. Then when you board the ship (if you go) you can go to the purser's desk and get a mini-map of the ship that folds to the size of a credit card and you can carry in your pocket.

Storm Rider

I've been on a couple of large ships. You don't really feel you are one of a crowd as you tend to gravitate to people with the same interests.

There are queues to join and leave the ship at the beginning and end of your trip but the cruise companies are masters of organising this. In port there is usually a scramble and queue to leave the ship especially if it is a tender port, but rejoining is more sedate. If you are not going on an organised tour (when you'll have priority) it's best to take a breakfast (or lunch) at your leisure and wait until the crowds have thinned.

You soon find your bearings and don't get lost. It is like being in the best hotel ever and I thought my first cruise was fantastic. The second wasn't good but that was not the fault of the ship but the catering department's mistakes.

Do your homework about the ports of call as organised excursions are expensive and you will probably do better by yourself using public transport or a taxi. When we were in Dublin the cruise company carged Â£12 for a bus to the centre but I walked 100 yards (if that) on a marked footpath and caught a bus for a euro each way. A taxi shared by four wasn't much more.

RIGGS

there fantastic,just come back recently off the oceana,and going next year on the new ship ventura. there were over 2000 passengers on board plus about 700 staff,and while it takes a few days to find your way about,you dont feel crowded at all,in fact quite the opposite. these ships are like floating palaces,and the food and service is top notch.i would recommend any one to try one cruise at least once,we did,and were hooked on them.

Zef H

I have been on Royal Caribbean's biggest ship - the Freedom of the Seas (the older sister of the Liberty of the Seas) and on Carnival's biggest ship (Carnival Glory - a Conquest class ship). I wrote long reviews about my week on both. You can read the reviews by clicking on the links below ...

Freedom of the Seas ...
http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=30442

Carnival Glory ...
http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=18296

curious connie

I'll put it like this, I could live on one 24/7, 365 days a year!!!

luludoodie

UK answer.

First cruise on 77,000 ton ship (about 1700 guests) with Alaska cruise about 10 years ago. Thought it was great, especially as I had to be dragged on as beforehand I knew I would hate being on cruise ship!

Later went on 109,000 ton ship and found it too overcrowded a lot of the time. At other times perfectly alright.

20 trips later we have moved to smaller and smaller boats with more expedition bias as we were fed up with overpriced and poor quality excursions and constant "buy me" pressure on bigger ships.

= = =

Best trip ever was on 12 person converted trawler around Spitzbergan. No facilities, no dressing up, no shops!!!, in fact nothing - except the best show of all - nature!
BUT
Sat for 2 hours on cold, snow covered ledge 50 feet above
a POLAR BEAR who had caught a seal and was eating it, while eyeing us up!!!!!
Also sitting next to a walrus colony (they are HUGE) watching their antics!
Visited a Russian coalmine town (interesting but depressing!)

Another occasion (100 person ship) was able to stand in the middle of 200,000 King penguins on South Georgia! Now that is what you call an experience!
Also leaving our evening meal to get cold as we all stood outside watching a pod of humpback whales investigating us for about 2 hours on our way back to Ushuaia! Magical.

Snorkelling in the Galapagos playing with baby sea lions as they circled us in the water and deliberately came to be stroked and tickled!
A whole week of mind blowing encounters with all the wildlife on the various islands!

So would we ever go on a BIG ship again? No, they are to commercial and shallow minded!

Any UK people who want to experiment with these types of "cruises" just email me!

Shannon Shangri-La

Wait until Royal Caribbean's 'Genesis' Comes out! She sleeps 5000 passengers! I love love love cruising however bigger is not always better. There are gorgeous places to see in this world but they get a bit ruined when say 6 or 7 cruise ships pull up to dock on the same day! (Yes it does happen) Then you get thousands of tourists crawling all over the place ruining any chance of that 'perfect photo'! Then you ARE one of the crowd...a very big intrusive crowd.
On-board can be another story as there is so much room (depending on the cruise line) that you feel in the lap of luxury. Getting lost is another wonderful adventure. I recommend Regent and Cunard. Glorious, beautiful ships inside and out, impeccable service & food! And they go to some places other cruise lines don't. A bit more to pay but it is soooo worth it. Plus once you pay for your cruise, all you pay for onboard is your drinks & excursions/spa days. Unpack once & see many different countries in one trip!

Goose MaCloogin

Dunno, but its pretty cool bobbing around on Daddies yacht all the time

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