Best Megaship: Norwegian Prima or Wonder of the Seas?

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  • čas přidĂĄn 2. 01. 2023
  • Norwegian Prima from NCL and Wonder of the Seas rom Royal Caribbean are two of the newest cruise ships on the water. They're both megaships with loads of dining options, over the top entertainment, and unique amenities. One is the largest cruise ship in the world, the other a totally new class of ships with a more premium feel. Which reigns supreme? In this video we go through what each ship does best so you can find the right one for your cruise cruise.
    If you're thinking about booking a cruise, resort stay, theme park visit, or any other vacation, travel smarter by getting help from Touring & Cruises (formerly TouringPlans Travel). You can contact them by filling out the form at cruisehabit.com/help
    🔗Relevant Links🔗
    Norwegian Prima Ship Tour ➡️
    • Norwegian Prima Ship T...
    Wonder of the Seas Ocean View Verandah Stateroom Tour ➡️
    • A Balcony Without an O...
    Norwegian Prima Balcony Stateroom Tour & Review ➡️
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    Oasis of the Seas (sister ship to Wonder) Daily Vlog ➡️
    • Oasis of the Seas Vlog
    Norwegian Prima Daily Vlogs from our Seven Night Cruise ➡️
    • Norwegian Prima Vlog
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    Which cruise line is best for me? The differences between cruise lines. ➡️
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    Norwegian Prima Restaurant Menus ➡️
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    Norwegian Prima Daily Programs (‘Freestyle Daily’) ➡️
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    Help us by getting travel planning assistance from the same people who plan our trips ➡️
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    #cruise #cruiseship #norwegianprima #norwegiancruiseline #wonderoftheseas #royalcaribbean #megaships
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Komentáře • 96

  • @CruiseHabit
    @CruiseHabit  Před rokem

    Want to try Prima or Wonder for yourself? Save money, get excellent advice, and try Prima, Wonder, or another great ship for yourself by enlisting the help of our friends at sponsors at TouringPlans. They plan our trips, and they'll plans yours, too.
    CruiseHabit.com/help

    • @user-cu1fg5zx2h
      @user-cu1fg5zx2h Před 20 dny

      @@CruiseHabit thank you Ncl Prima booked may 22 2025 Reykjavik departure

  • @landondjones
    @landondjones Před rokem +1

    Really enjoyed this review. Straight and to the point - well thought out points communicated in a concise way. Perfect length as well. Will continue watching. Thanks for the quality content!

  • @hmj8y
    @hmj8y Před rokem +1

    I love the apples to apples, oranges to oranges comparisons you've made here. This is what I was looking for!

  • @katiekendrick8866
    @katiekendrick8866 Před rokem +2

    Great video Billy! Thanks for your perspective!

  • @miltongee1627
    @miltongee1627 Před rokem

    Thank you for your video. Great point of view. Very honest and open.

  • @BartowDave
    @BartowDave Před rokem +3

    I just got off of 13 days on Wonder and I agree with almost all of your review. The Aqua show was fine but I prefer Aqua 80, on Oasis. For me it's the best single show on a Royal ship. Now I need to try Prima. Thanks for the content!

    • @CruiseHabit
      @CruiseHabit  Před rokem

      Thanks for watching! To me, Aqua 80 and inTENse are the two best Aqua Theater shows. The others don't hold a candle (my person preference). Actually, we hadnt seen the one on Oasis until a few months back. We probably show it in that live blog.

  • @sharonnewton4374
    @sharonnewton4374 Před rokem

    Thanks for the great comparisons! Love your video! I just subscribed!

    • @CruiseHabit
      @CruiseHabit  Před rokem

      Thanks for watching and subscribing! Let us know what you'd like to see more of :-)

  • @wandafoster6320
    @wandafoster6320 Před rokem

    Booked my first cruise on the new Norwegian VIVA. Good info here about cruises in general. Thanks.

    • @CruiseHabit
      @CruiseHabit  Před rokem

      Thanks for watching, glad you enjoyed! Reach out if you have any questions at all.
      Have a great cruise!

  • @grossepointeparkpolicefire9565

    Great comparison video! Top notch content as always!

    • @CruiseHabit
      @CruiseHabit  Před rokem +1

      Thanks for watching, and for being awesome. One day I'll learn to make things look an eight as good as you do.

    • @grossepointeparkpolicefire9565
      @grossepointeparkpolicefire9565 Před rokem

      @@CruiseHabit you surpassed me a long time ago!

  • @Rumline7
    @Rumline7 Před 6 měsĂ­ci +1

    Your comparison feels very honest. I appreciate the compare and contrast nature of this video. I have a cruise on each of these ships booked for this year, so it's nice to see what I thought the pros and cons of each were laid out together in this way.

    • @CruiseHabit
      @CruiseHabit  Před 6 měsĂ­ci

      Thanks so much for watching, and for your kind words. I hope you enjoy both ships a bunch!

    • @user-cu1fg5zx2h
      @user-cu1fg5zx2h Před 20 dny

      @@Rumline7 Facebook is very hard on prima
      Rated last. Mostly poor pool design and small buffet
      There is overflow seating in restaurants next to buffet. And Hudson not buffet where you want to eat

  • @mitchellbarnow1709
    @mitchellbarnow1709 Před rokem +3

    Excellent video Bill! It’s really important for us to know that we are on a cruise ship that’s traveling across a beautiful ocean and you did mention what ship is better for that. I don’t want to be inside of a building all day long.

    • @davva360
      @davva360 Před rokem

      Oasis class ships are great but my one criticism is you can lose sight of the ocean if you are not careful. You only really see it from your balcony or the open decks. Sitting in the Schooner bar for example you can't see outside like you can on their smaller ships. Having said that, I really loved Harmony of the Seas in December 21 and I am going back on it soon.

    • @CruiseHabit
      @CruiseHabit  Před rokem +1

      Thanks for noting this, and for watching! Wonder is a great ship (I'm sure we'll be on both of these again) but we all have different priorities and k definitely like having ocean views in more places on Prima :-)

  • @saydaum
    @saydaum Před rokem +9

    I really like that the prima is a lot lower in capacity for a bigger ship. Doesnt feel so crowded. ive been on RCL freedom ship while it was at full cap and you can definitely notice that its a little overcrowded. The prima is a similar size to that ship but has a much lower capacity and just makes for a better experience overall.

    • @CruiseHabit
      @CruiseHabit  Před rokem +3

      We got to torture test Prima in that we went over Thanksgiving, when they were at 4k (that means a ton of third and fourth berths, usually kids, were full). It handled it very well. In fact I'd love to see how she looks on a more "normal" sailing.

  • @edvaira6891
    @edvaira6891 Před rokem +8

    Wonder seems like you’re wandering through a floating version of the Mirage resort in Vegas; Prima feels like a floating JW Marriott in a major city

  • @BrianAlt
    @BrianAlt Před rokem +1

    Nice job, Billy.

  • @cruise2geaux
    @cruise2geaux Před rokem +3

    Hi Bill, great video & comparison. In response to the “premade” drinks on NCL ships. When we were on The Bliss at Maltings Whiskey Bar they had premade Blueberry Bourbon Smash & while it came out if a tap they told me that all of those drinks are made from scratch daily, it’s just done a head of time. They did muddle blueberries, shake & twist lemon at the end so it was somewhat prepared in front of us. Not sure what they serve on The Prima but I just wanted to say they made these “premade” drinks fresh every morning. I was sad because they told me they throw away what they have from the day before. I wish I could have bottled it to go! LOL 😂

    • @CruiseHabit
      @CruiseHabit  Před rokem +1

      Thanks for these details - makes sense. Would be interesting if leftovers went for 50% off at the end of the night, or perhaps they just end up at the crew bar. Well deserved if they do ;-)
      I like that they still muddled the blueberries and added the citrus fresh. I'll have to explore this more next time.

  • @TimeisReel
    @TimeisReel Před rokem +1

    Thanks Bill... Variety is Good

  • @shepardsmith3235
    @shepardsmith3235 Před 11 měsĂ­ci +3

    Surprisingly they have the same space ratio which is at full capactiy. But having taken the Wonder it really felt very uncrowded and open. The fact that its hollowed out helps a lot. And its a huge ship too. Open easy to walk around. Plenty of elevators. Never felt crowded. Nice pools. Prima does not have this. The Pool deck is abysmal. But I do want to try it. Tons of entertainment and venues on the Wonder. Not on the Prima. But I like the Prima staterooms. The bathrooms are great. Not so much so on the wonder. Insides are good on each. Would take the Wonder transatlantic anytime Jury is out on the Prima.

    • @CruiseHabit
      @CruiseHabit  Před 11 měsĂ­ci

      Oasis class ships do an impressive job of managing crowds, I'll give them that. I think, for us, on Prima there was more entertainment we wanted to see (in lounges, Syd Norman's, etc) than on Wonder - but that's more our taste than total availability. Those staterooms on Prima are wildly nice - esp the bathrooms. At least Wonder has sliding capsule doors and not curtains :-)

  • @thiggs333
    @thiggs333 Před rokem +1

    Great review. I learned a lot. I have to say I think you missed an important item or two. Oasis class ships are geared to be family oriented. Never did I hear that or detect you felt that way. Need a family with kiddos to understand I guess. Also I feel you didn’t highlight enough the variety of entertainment on Wonder. Only showed a quick pic of the Ice Show. I’m sure there are similar comments from huge NCL fans. I get it. Still-well done and we appreciated it!

    • @CruiseHabit
      @CruiseHabit  Před rokem +1

      Thanks so much for watching and for your comments. I agree, I breezed over a lot of things. Often my videos on certain subjects dive very deep, and in this case I was trying to get a general overview.
      I'd argue, as far as being geared towards families, they both are...and aren't. CCL, NCL, and RCI, while they have their differences, are all what are known as contemporary lines. They look to offer something for everyone. That means young couples, retirees, families with young kids, multi-gen, etc. In that, of course, are familes - and many other groups. Chef's Table, Red, etc are obviously not family attractions - just part of trying to appeal to a very wide audience. In that, the big three all do a good job, and then as you go to premium, specialty, etc they become a bit more specialized or niche.
      I do agree that I can't possibly offer the same perspective as someone with kids - in the same way someone with young kids can't offer my perspective. We all only get one set of lenses ;-)

  • @MultiMattman68
    @MultiMattman68 Před rokem +10

    I would choose Prima over Wonder any day

    • @CruiseHabit
      @CruiseHabit  Před rokem +1

      There's no wrong answer to the question, but knowing what's right for you is key! What do you prefer about Prima, out of curiosity? We're still working on articulating this.

    • @robertlulek1634
      @robertlulek1634 Před rokem +2

      ROYAL CARRIBEAN kicks Norwegian 52 swift kick in the ass and beauty I hope with the Premier they have a nice promenade deck like Royal has on all their ships when I went on Norwegian cruise ships. I was so disappointed that they do not have a happening deck like the promenade deck deck five usually on ROYAL CARRIBEAN also I saw was a bunch of old people on deck, six and seven and eight sitting at both sitting in chairs, so boring, no entertainment. They are cheap on entertainment to Norwegian to me. It is a geriatric cruise ship.

    • @chrishollins1789
      @chrishollins1789 Před rokem

      Whattttt?! 👀😕

  • @MichelleAlexandria-EM
    @MichelleAlexandria-EM Před rokem +3

    All cruise lines nickel and dime. I booked a trip on RCL last year and nearly EVERYTHING was an extra charge. At least NCL offers the free at sea or free at sea+ options. Which RCL doesn't have. I cruise for ports and entertainment, so entertainment is a big factor for me.

    • @CruiseHabit
      @CruiseHabit  Před rokem +1

      To me it's the pestering for upsells. I find RCI does that more than any. All contemporary and most premium lines have upsells, certainly - but not all of them approach you in multiple places in the halls about beverage packages or merch. It's not the biggest issue - I can simply say not - but some lines do this more than others. To be clear, however, not all lines do this at all. There are lines where you can't spend more money on the ship other than in a shop that never advertises/pushes. Some lines don't have upcharges restaurants, some include drinks, even excursions.
      When I'm taking a quick trip that is more a getaway and less a vacation, I tend to like a la carte, as I go cheap. When taking a full week off to enjoy, I'm likely to go 'all in' on various packages, so to that extent, I agree that NCL's including of things in fares can be a nice option.

    • @Day-tm2pb
      @Day-tm2pb Před rokem

      I found the same problem in a NCL breakaway sail I took. Too many tries and to a degree pestering for upsells even in the main / included restaurants, which gets differential in services and the way the staff treats you for the dinner even if you truly genuinely liked something the free menu more than the paid part. Apart from specialty dinning, the main dinning restaurants should not have that doble menu thing. Also, a lot of waiting in line to eat just because it was “freestyle” made it worst to find a restaurant that wasn’t overcrowded. I like the set dinning, feels like they are waiting for you and service is faster and better when the staff can prepare and have time to tailor to your preferences

  • @davva360
    @davva360 Před rokem +1

    I have been on Harmony of the Seas, not been on Wonder of the Seas yet but to me Wonder of the Seas and Prima look like very different ships so its not about which is better its more about what you want from a cruise. Wonder appears more relevant to me personally based on what the ship offers and the fact that I liked Harmony so much I am going back on in a few weeks. Having said that I want to go on both!

    • @CruiseHabit
      @CruiseHabit  Před rokem +1

      Ultimately I truly believe it *always* comes down to what you're looking for out of a cruise. That's a matter of your preferences, who you're going with, where you're going, why you're going, etc.
      I don't think either is a bad choice, and there are tons of others out there, too.
      If you liked Harmony i suspect you'll love Wonder. Nice enhancements we're made.

  • @edvaira6891
    @edvaira6891 Před rokem

    Really enjoying binging your videos this week; discovered you while binging some of Matt Hochburg’s earlier podcasts and your appearances were intriguing…so I’ve been checking out some of your stuff…Was trying to figure out just WHO you remind me of because it has been nagging at me…figured it out, though-don’t know if you’re familiar with either of these CZcams personalities but you have a very similar presentation style and demeanor to both Cliff from CineFix and, also, Dan Murrell, formerly of Screen Junkies (and I mean both of these comparisons as the Highest praise, by the way)

    • @CruiseHabit
      @CruiseHabit  Před rokem

      Thanks so much for watching! I always welcome feedback on content, style, etc. I'm not familiar with either of those creators, but now I definitely have to go look them up.

    • @edvaira6891
      @edvaira6891 Před rokem

      @@CruiseHabit Dan Murrell has his own self-titled movie review channel, btw, and it’s a uniformly Excellent channel (as is yours..)

  • @MichelleAlexandria-EM
    @MichelleAlexandria-EM Před rokem +2

    I'd like to eventually try an Oasis class ship, but I really don't like the design and the fact that so much of it is facing inward and not outward. The Ocean View balcony rooms are ridiculous expensive.

    • @CruiseHabit
      @CruiseHabit  Před rokem

      I've written a few times about not liking ships that face inward. It was an effort to offer a hotel feel for those averse to cruising, but in the end I think it made ships feel too closed in. We're seeing this change with new designs, and some lines never went in the 'inward facing' direction, which is great. Here's a piece a wrote about this a few years back: www.cruisehabit.com/many-new-cruise-ships-will-look-sea-will-those-seeking-floating-hotels-appreciate-return-ocean
      On Oasis class, I've sometimes found massive price differences between OV verandahs vs neighborhood verandahs, and other times it's been a couple hundred dollars. I always prefer OVs, but it just comes down tot he price difference.

  • @chirstinegarcia8866
    @chirstinegarcia8866 Před rokem

    Great video

  • @bobbygriffin5805
    @bobbygriffin5805 Před rokem +4

    To me your info was very accurate but not really a fair comparison. Like you said several times in your review "there's no right or wrong answer, just what you prefer". To me the Prima qualifies as a entry level large ship. 165k and up would be a mid size large ship and 190k plus I would consider to be a MEGA ship. Ships that are 90 to 110K tons or so are mid size IMO. The first thing is that the Prima is 142K tons and the Wonder is 225K or so. Not just larger but MUCH larger. I have not sail on the Wonder but have on been the Prima. I very much enjoyed the Prima but it was not without it's issues.You did nail the ship overall though. The strong points to me definitely were the rooms, shows, food quality and overall beauty of the ship. I don't care for more than about 4k people onboard ( 3200 Prima). I do agree that it's more of an adult ship or with kids that are probably 12 y/o or greater. I think that "IF" NCL addresses at least some of these issues in their next versions it will make this new class of ship very good to sail on. IMO should have made the ship about 10k tons larger ( 20foot longer and a couple feet wider).

    • @CruiseHabit
      @CruiseHabit  Před rokem +1

      The Viva will likely be mostlyt he same, but I suspect we'll see more significant changes in the third/fourth (by the time the first one comes out, the second is mostly done). I often look more forward to the second or third in a class than the first. I'll just have to test them all as they come out :-)
      The term 'megaship' rocketed into use from the late 1980s to about 2000 (see link below). At the start of that usage the largest ships were under 75k GT. In 2000, 137GT. Some define the term based on being the largest ships, but that's a moving target, and to me, it's MUCH more about the unique offerings onboard, and less about size, else you just have a new word for "largest ship", which describes nothing but the size. Even by size, however, she's still in the largest 20 classes of passenger ships.
      As you said, no wrong, answer, just how I think about it.
      books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=megaship&year_start=1800&year_end=2019&corpus=26&smoothing=3

  • @frankwilkins3840
    @frankwilkins3840 Před rokem

    I've been looking at the reviews for NCL Prima and most say that the Lounges are much too small and when they have entertainment, that probably should be in the theater, you're not going to get in. They don't have a schedule for the main theater when you are looking to book. You mentioned nickel and dimeing on things around the ship but didn't mentioned that the axe throwing, darts and mini golf were all part of that. All that being said, I'm looking at the sister ship Viva just on one of it's itineraries alone.

    • @CruiseHabit
      @CruiseHabit  Před rokem

      The only entertainment venue that felt it could have been much larger (other than the theater, which is lower capacity than most ships of that size - but didn't feel cramped), was Syd Norman's Pour House. The others, in our experience, worked just fine.
      What do you mean with the main theater schedule? As soon as you board you can book the big shows in the app - so it shows the time/day for each of them.
      On Prima, mini-golf is complimentary (this is mentioned in our tour, linked below), and I'm not aware of axe throwing...but perhaps we missed something. Let us know!
      We're eyeing a Viva sailing as well, but we're *really* excited for the third in the class, as she'll have some significant changes.
      Prima tour: czcams.com/video/vSERLGtVlNk/video.html

  • @vingturtur9573
    @vingturtur9573 Před rokem

    Le Local on ncl prima is open 24/7.

  • @beachsidebob1629
    @beachsidebob1629 Před rokem +3

    We sailed on Prima Christmas week. It's new, but it certainly doesn't feel mega. It often "felt" small and cramped. There were some highlights for us, such as the Whiskey Bar and staff were awesome along with the views of the ocean from the bar. Hudson's had great expansive ocean views and is a good place to get away from the crowds and relax while you eat vs. being shoulder to shoulder with everyone. The Rumors show in Syd Norman's was great. We got there 1.5 hrs early to get in line and we got one of the last places to sit. There was a very large number of people standing in the venue which made it feel like a fire trap during the show. The band was great however and it was the best show we saw on the ship. I kept thinking it would be great in the theater where more people could enjoy it. The cabin was really nice and might be the best one we've had in 26 cruises! For us however, the negatives of the ship itself outweigh the positives of the experience. Briefly, the layout is choppy and the walkways and venues are much too small. One glaring example is the Local bar which was placed in a busy hallway of all places. Frustrating and nearly impossible to get a drink there most of the week. Indulge is a cute concept, but it's very tight and lunch/dinner turned into a mission as people searched and stood around waited to pounce on a table. The buffet was a big disappointment and cruise buffet lovers will be severely let down by the super tiny venue and limited hours. Despite the go cart track and games, it's not a good ship for kids and we'd say that you're actually short changing them if you take them on Prima vs. something like Wonder of the Seas. Prima is terrible if you want to watch sports and it's not a good pool loving, sun worshipper ship either. Prima is visually appealing and I'm glad we had the chance to try it out, but we wouldn't do this ship again.

    • @breastsleepingmuse9446
      @breastsleepingmuse9446 Před měsĂ­cem

      I took Norwegian prima 4.27 to May.12 transatlantic with my parents and my 2 year old . It was very small venues and the theatre itself was so small. I liked the Holland America zaandam 7 day Boston to Canada more. I don’t know why the water area s in prima are so small ( hot tubs and 3 outdoor tubs

  • @rgruenhaus
    @rgruenhaus Před rokem

    Upsell happens on NCL! cruise next anyone? Wines of the world wine tasting with upsell of those wines? Add a lobster tail for $25 more!

    • @CruiseHabit
      @CruiseHabit  Před rokem +1

      To me, those things are less obtrusive than getting bombarded with the $5 t-shirt sales crowding halls, turning down 20 drink package and dining package pitches on the first couple days, etc. They both do it, but to me, it felt MUCH less common on Prima. In either case, saying no is easy enough.

  • @YannicAsselin
    @YannicAsselin Před rokem +1

    I would really like to know what is YOUR definition of a MEGA ship? Because a ship with a max of 3950 passengers (Prima) vs maximum capacity of 6,988 passengers (Wonder of the Seas) are not in the same category. You should compare the Prima VS the Freedom class.
    By the way, I've never been on the Prima, but many times on the Breakaway and the Breakaway plus class, all the ship in RCL Freedom Class and 2 times on a Oasis Class ship.

    • @CruiseHabit
      @CruiseHabit  Před rokem

      The term 'megaship' has been around since the late 80s, peaking in 2000. Ships much smaller than Prima and Freedom. My definition, personally, would be a ship carrying at least a couple thousand passengers which delivers over the top or unconventional amenities. Not that my definition is the right one, but I do feel strongly that both vessels fit very easily into that category. The fact their sizes are different doesn't mean they're not ripe for comparison, as in general, folks are looking for what ships have to offer in terms of entertainment, venues, variety of dining, etc - not the vessel's displacement.

    • @YannicAsselin
      @YannicAsselin Před rokem

      @@CruiseHabit,
      OK, but don't you agree that a ship that has 6,000 passengers versus a ship that only has 3,000, is going to have a lot more restaurants, bars, venues and places to entertain those passngers. That's why in my book there is no comparaison.
      It's your video and your CZcams channel and I respect it.

    • @CruiseHabit
      @CruiseHabit  Před rokem

      I don't think that's an agree or disagree matter...one can count them. Certainly a larger ship is more likely to have more options, but it depends how large they are and how you count things. Do you count each station at Indulge as a separate restaurant? Ultimately though, that's not the point, as the video isn't "which ship has more xyz?" it's a comparison of two ships, each the newest in their respective fleets, each aiming to attract multi-gen families, couples, and families with kids for a cruise vacation. So, which is best depends on what folks are looking for. If they want an idea of the feel and options on each ship, then hopefully my video can help in some small way. If they just wanna know which has more bars, restaurants, etc, then they can probably find that on the cruise line websites or wikipedia - it's interesting info, but not the goal of my vid.

  • @Osubucknuts
    @Osubucknuts Před 11 měsĂ­ci

    Is Prima considered a mega ship? NCL actually went smaller than there previous class ships, while everyone else keeps going bigger. Its actually 40% smaller in gross tonnage than the Wonder of Seas

    • @CruiseHabit
      @CruiseHabit  Před 11 měsĂ­ci

      If the bar for "megaship" is Wonder, then that's just Oasis class ships, and I suppose MSC World Europa. The term has been around since the late 80s, peaking in 2000 - obviously ships in that time were MUCH smaller than Prima. To me, it's about ships carrying at least a couple thousand passengers which deliver over the top or unconventional amenities. In that way, it seems, quite clearly a megaship - certainly more so than ships that were referred to that way in the last twenty years of the twentieth century.

  • @chrishollins1789
    @chrishollins1789 Před rokem +1

    Wonder of the motherf*ckin’ Seas bro!!! I love Royal Caribbean! No cruise lines can’t top them! Let’s gooooo!!! 😂👏🏽🤙🏽

    • @CruiseHabit
      @CruiseHabit  Před rokem +1

      Royal has a great product, but it all depends on what you're looking to get out of your cruise experiences. I e sailed a lot of lines and they all have something they do better than others. What you're looking for and what that thing is for any given trip is how you find the right line for you.

  • @stedmays2768
    @stedmays2768 Před rokem +1

    A fee to join a travel agency website? Never saw that before. Seems wrong to me.....but enjoyed your youtube---just got off the Prima, appreciated some of the design elements but found it a bit choppy without sufficient buffet space, indulge food hall seating (staff told us to get there before it opened to be able to sit down, rather than wandering around hoping for someone to leave), training of drink staff (never had so much trouble getting a Perfect Manhattan in my life), and the food was inconsistent. Overall I prefer the Norwegian Bliss, which encouraged more interaction between the chefs and cruisers, something that I like and that is one of the pleasures of cruising, for me. But I did find the Prima interestingly designed, if sometimes chopped up too much.

    • @CruiseHabit
      @CruiseHabit  Před rokem +1

      Thanks for watching! There is a bit of choppiness to Prima's layout, though it didn't bother us. Personally I wish they'd cut a bit of the props and such from Indulge to make for more seating - or replicate the concept upstairs to replace the buffet, but I realize that's not a popular desire. We didn't run into much trouble getting seated, but I know we also tend to go to things at different times than many.
      As for the agency note, I think you may have misunderstood something. What are you referring to? TouringPlans is a fee-free agency - cruise lines, hotels, etc pay them - not you. Perhaps you're referring to the Lines app, which is an app for minimizing theme park wait times, one of the other services TouringPlans offers.

    • @stedmays2768
      @stedmays2768 Před rokem

      @@CruiseHabit To sign up for emails from them, it had a cost associated with it, I believe it was about $17. Did I misunderstand that? I didn't sign up because of the fee. But, like I say, please let me know if I misunderstood.

    • @CruiseHabit
      @CruiseHabit  Před rokem

      It looks like you're referring to the subscription signup, which is for the TouringPlans Crowd Calendar, Lines App, and other theme park planning tools - not for their travel services. It's a good call out and something we'll pass along to their team as I can see how it'd be confusing for someone not familiar with TouringPlans.
      I don't think they have a normal email signup for the agency, as there are so many things they could possible share - but if you request a quote or information about a trip, they can share relevant offers and opportunities via email.
      You can request info at either link:
      -www.cruisehabit.com/content/get-help-great-travel-agent
      -touringplans.com/travel?tp_desc=textlink_site_footer

  • @TimeisReel
    @TimeisReel Před rokem

    Bill, how did Cruise Fare Compare ?

    • @CruiseHabit
      @CruiseHabit  Před rokem +1

      It's very hard to make a comparison, since NCL tends to build more into their fares, whereas RCI is a la carte (exceptions exist in both cases). Lately, newer RCI ships are, however, commanding the higher per diems of any contemporary line, so you'll likely end up depending a bit more on Wonder. Again though, lots of variables.

  • @edvaira6891
    @edvaira6891 Před rokem +3

    Just curious…is comparing these two as “Megaships”
    accurate? Based on just the basic size of ships, Prima seems to be more the size of one of the Freedom class RCL ships…is Prima the actual “biggest ship”’that NCL has, or did you choose to compare these two because, while quite a bit smaller in size and scale, NCL Prima offers a similarly wide set of opportunities that Wonder does Despite being more, I guess, Compact would be the best term…?

    • @CruiseHabit
      @CruiseHabit  Před rokem +1

      While there is no set definition of the term, it's been used since before Oasis class ships existed. To me, the term rings true for any large ship with non-standard sets of amenities - which I realize is still fuzzy.
      Why compare these two? They're two very different ships, but both aim to offer something for everyone, and both are the latest and greatest from their respective brands, with both being distinct from their predecessors (even Wonder has unique features compared to other Oasis class ships).

  • @kenmay4468
    @kenmay4468 Před rokem +2

    I've been on the prima and if this is what NCL has to offer ill go back to carnival if your old or handy caped this ship sucked and if you're a handy caped smoker your screwed

  • @charliedurham4248
    @charliedurham4248 Před rokem +1

    When comparing two things, shouldn't you use "better" instead of "best?"

    • @CruiseHabit
      @CruiseHabit  Před rokem +1

      Yep, but to be honest, people tend to search with terms like "best family cruise ship" and "best big ship" so we sometimes tweak names to make the videos easier to find.

    • @charliedurham4248
      @charliedurham4248 Před rokem

      @@CruiseHabit , good point!

  • @valeriebelmonte9556
    @valeriebelmonte9556 Před rokem +2

    Do you feel that with these mega ships you’re always in a crowd or waiting on lines for dining?

    • @CruiseHabit
      @CruiseHabit  Před rokem

      It really varies a lot. Prima has the among the most favorable passenger : space ratios of any contemporary market ship (NCL, MSC, Carnival, Royal). In general this part of the market packs more people in less space, depending on the ship. That said, wonder handles crowds pretty well, too. Lines keep getting better at distribution of guests, though there are some funky bottlenecks on Prima. It also depends on how many folks are sailing.
      As you go up market, you have more space for each guest. In other words, while it can vary ship by ship (on major ways) at scale, it's more about to he market segment and less about being a "megaship".
      I talk a bit about this here:
      www.cruisehabit.com/eight-reasons-try-premium-line-your-next-cruise

  • @bsg111987
    @bsg111987 Před rokem

    I wouldn’t classify Prima as a “mega ship.” It is comparable to Celebrity Edge or a Virgin Voyages Lady Ship.

    • @CruiseHabit
      @CruiseHabit  Před rokem

      How would you define the concept of a megaship?

  • @exploringwitheric
    @exploringwitheric Před rokem +2

    Prima is definitely not a mega ship

    • @CruiseHabit
      @CruiseHabit  Před rokem

      How would you define the concept of a megaship?

  • @user-cu1fg5zx2h
    @user-cu1fg5zx2h Před měsĂ­cem

    Prima is not a mega ship. Designed for more ports
    I cruse for ports
    I cruse Ncl
    RCL is not bad but
    Total price with what I do lot more

    • @CruiseHabit
      @CruiseHabit  Před 21 dnem

      A lot of folks have different opinions on what mega ships are. The term started to be used when ships were much smaller, with many fewer amenities than today. To me, something that massive, where the ship itself is the destination for many, is the determining factor. Your opinion may vary. If I'm cruising specifically for ports, I'd often be inclined to go with much smaller ships, like those sailing under Oceania, Silversea, etc - or river cruise vessels.

    • @user-cu1fg5zx2h
      @user-cu1fg5zx2h Před 21 dnem

      @@CruiseHabit hear ya
      New mega ships have 3x nomber of passengers
      This 3,500
      Epic 4,500
      Designed for small ports

    • @CruiseHabit
      @CruiseHabit  Před 21 dnem

      It's all relative. Most ships are MUCH smaller - but most consumers pay attention just to the large vessels. At 143.5k GT, and carrying 3500 guests, I'd say that's pretty large. I suppose I don't tie the term 'mega ship' to the idea that there aren't many larger ships.

    • @user-cu1fg5zx2h
      @user-cu1fg5zx2h Před 20 dny

      @@CruiseHabit think Epic and bliss are bigger
      RCL has mammoth ships

  • @jamithering9744
    @jamithering9744 Před rokem

    Hard to take you seriously because your script leans heavily toward RC = bad, NCL = good. Cracked me up to hear you say Wonder’s entertainment is outdoors then showing the go-karts that are also outdoors. Trashing the RC suites but while ignoring the similar opulence of the Haven. You seem like you’re trying to grow your channel, but if you really want to do comparisons, you should either be more balanced or state clearly “Why Prima is better than Wonder”. It’s ok to have bias, just stop pretending you’re giving a fair comparison. Your comparison are silly

    • @CruiseHabit
      @CruiseHabit  Před rokem

      Thanks for watching and sharing your opinion. I cruise and enjoy both lines (and many others). Not sure I trashed anything - and in fact, I really like both ships. I even have sailings booked on Utopia and Icon (both RCI ships, one an Oasis class, like Wonder), as well as Encore (NCL), in addition to sailings on other lines.
      We all have preferences, and I aim to share experiences in ways that provide information that others can use to decide where their preferences are - whether similar to mine, or wildly different. Every line and ship has something to offer, and they all have things they do better than the others - in my experience, at least.

    • @sandramendoza6297
      @sandramendoza6297 Před 9 měsĂ­ci +1

      This is the first time I’ve watched you- definitely did not get the impression you were biased against one or the other. I’ve not sailed on the Wonder of the Seas but have been in the Allure of the Seas Twice and loved it- I believe they are very similar. I’m sailing on Prima February 2024 and it will be hard not to compare to Allure or Bliss which I sailed on earlier this year and also loved. Thanks for the review- I enjoyed it.