Smaller ships, smaller crowd levels

[SL6827]

Does anyone prefer to sail the smaller ships because of the lighter crowd levels? I bet this makes a difference on the Castaway Cay day, right?

 

[Trera]

Does anyone prefer to sail the smaller ships because of the lighter crowd levels? I bet this makes a difference on the Castaway Cay day, right?

We like it better but keep in mind many of the spaces on the ship are smaller due to the ship holding less passengers so you can still feel crowded on the boat at times.

Castaway is definitely where you feel the benefit the most.

 

[ahain]

In our experience, you can definitely tell the difference on Castaway Cay, but I really don't "feel" the crowd difference on the ship. Yes, there are more people at dinner/in the shows/in the elevators/getting out of muster drills, but the theaters, elevators, atrium, dining rooms, stairwells, etc are all bigger as well, so to me it seems to offset the crowd.

 

[Rob1872]

I don't think you can make any absolute statement. The most crowds (beach chairs/eating at Cookies Too) I've seen were with a Fantasy cruise; however, the least crowded I've had (finding chairs in the shade under umbrellas, zero wait at lunch) was on Dream. (Magic was in the middle for crowds.) I didn't feel any difference in crowd level while on the ships.

 

[DCLDVC1]

We like it better but keep in mind many of the spaces on the ship are smaller due to the ship holding less passengers so you can still feel crowded on the boat at times.

Castaway is definitely where you feel the benefit the most.

In our experience, you can definitely tell the difference on Castaway Cay, but I really don't "feel" the crowd difference on the ship. Yes, there are more people at dinner/in the shows/in the elevators/getting out of muster drills, but the theaters, elevators, atrium, dining rooms, stairwells, etc are all bigger as well, so to me it seems to offset the crowd.

I agree. The Magic and Wonder have always felt more crowded to me.

 

[lklgoodman]

I also think the evening shows are better on the Wonder, I haven't been on the Magic for many years. They don't do the Crush show in AP on the classic ships either. The one they do instead is a lot better.

 

[Mainsail Minnie]

I have never noticed a crowd difference between the 4 ships onboard. The classics are smaller and offer fewer activities (although still plenty) so even though they have less people, they're no less crowded.

The classics create shorter lines at the Pelican Plunge slides at Castaway Cay: that's the only difference we've noticed.

 

[Magical_Suitcase]

I have not noticed a difference at Castaway Cay but then we only hang out on the adult beach. The crowds seem about the same onboard since the space is smaller. I like the classic ships because they are "classic", the decor reminds me of the old Queen Mary ship.

 

[MomOTwins]

I guess it might matter to us if we weren’t early risers but we are so we disembark the moment they make the announcement, get a front row lounger on an empty family beach, go down the slides a few times before a line builds and then have fun at the beach until cookies opens and eat right away. Then we are back on the ship for the afternoon to enjoy the empty pools and aquaduck. We don’t notice the crowds on the bigger ships because we bypass them.

 

[Pinkgurlshubby]

Hmm ok our first cruise was on the Magic in 2008, hurricane Omar cruise. Castaway was jam packed and we went all the way to the far end to find a less busy spot. Oddly we didn't feel it was packed at lunch but we felt it upstairs for lunch. Definitely like Cabana's on the Dream for the seating. Our last cruise was on the Wonder and it did not feel crowded at all but by now we have settled into our routines and can avoid the crowds. But for evenings we prefer movies on top side. Grab a lounger and relax, regardless of the ship there's hardly anyone topside.

 

[clten]

I feel the difference in the dining rooms. While tables are tight on the Magic and Wonder - we have definitely been able to socialize with tables next to us. We really feel the tables on the Dream/Fantasy are more on top of one another. Otherwise, I think it is more the activities you are participating in that may determine how crowded you feel (we will go to Serenity Bay instead of the Family Beach/Pelican Plunge so that is usually less crowded regardless of the ship; pools on a sea day will be crowded again regardless of the ship).

 

[Dug720]

Hmm ok our first cruise was on the Magic in 2008, hurricane Omar cruise. Castaway was jam packed and we went all the way to the far end to find a less busy spot. Oddly we didn't feel it was packed at lunch but we felt it upstairs for lunch. Definitely like Cabana's on the Dream for the seating. Our last cruise was on the Wonder and it did not feel crowded at all but by now we have settled into our routines and can avoid the crowds. But for evenings we prefer movies on top side. Grab a lounger and relax, regardless of the ship there's hardly anyone topside.

I may be wrong, but I think they expanded the seating areas - at least on the family beach - when the Dream began sailing in 2011. If I'm correct in that, there would have been fewer chairs and stuff at Castaway as the second family beach area was not yet opened in 2008.

 

[msmama]

I've only sailed the smaller ships because I don't think I could deal with more people on the bigger ships.

But, I'd guess itinerary and specific cruise has a lot to do with it too. I did a Merrytime cruise over Thanksgiving on the Magic (also Marvel day at sea) and it was SIGNIFICANTLY more crowded than other cruises I've done (Canada and Norway/Iceland). It was still less crowded than what I've seen in some pics of the larger ships, though.

For me, lack of people is why I chose the ships/itineraries I do.

 

[Pinkgurlshubby]

I may be wrong, but I think they expanded the seating areas - at least on the family beach - when the Dream began sailing in 2011. If I'm correct in that, there would have been fewer chairs and stuff at Castaway as the second family beach area was not yet opened in 2008.

I think you are correct with that, seems a lot of work went into accommodating the new ships.

 

[tidefan]

If you are Platinum, your chances of scoring a Cabana on Castaway are MUCH better on the classic ships vs. the Dream/Fantasy...

 

[lilmc]

What about lines for character meets? Do they tend to be longer on the bigger ships?

 

[dtk07]

I've only done the Magic class so far.

How do the character M&Gs compare to the Dream class? I would think the Magic class would benefit from smaller lines at meet and greets because of fewer people on the boat. Does that actually hold true when comparing ship classes?