Ship Size Does Matter - Now More Than Ever

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Length=1184 feet    Capacity=5518		Length=361 feet     Capacity=128

(Updated 10/19/2021)

What's Your Preference?

Do you prefer the large ocean-going ships, the more initiate river cruise ships, or something in between?  Now more than ever, factoring in the concerns around health safety as cruising resumes,  ship type and size is one of the key factors in vacation planning.

On the left is Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas and on the right is Avalon Waterways Artistry II. Just to give you an additional sense of scale, the first cruise ship we went on in the 80s was Carnival Celebration which weighed in around 37,500 GTs. At the time, that was one of the largest vessels in Carnival Cruise Line's fleet. The Symphony is over 6 times heavier (228,081 GT) than the Celebration and Artistry II weighing in at a fraction  of either vessel (2022 GT).

Ocean-going Ships Come In Many Sizes

In our post last year, Size Does Matter - They Come In Many Sizes, we showed a picture of Oasis of the Seas next to Grandeur of the Seas.  We also compared Oasis-class ships with the Eifel Tower, Statue of Liberty, and Boeing 747 airplanes to give you a sense of scale.

Ocean-going vessels have continued to get larger over time.  For passengers seeking new innovations at sea, this was good news, because the larger the canvas, the more diverse the onboard actives can be. Of course, the larger the ship, the higher the price tag, but with increased capacity, there are more passengers to share the weekly cost of operation.   Wait times for embarkation and other activities can fluctuate with ship size, but most lines have found measures to overcome the increased capacity.

River Cruise Ship Size

Traditional European size river cruise vessels are about the same size (excluding the double-wide AMA vessels).  Some might be slightly longer (like the Viking River longboats) but they are built to sail under centuries’ old bridges and squeeze between 12-meter-wide locks. The Avalon Waterways Artistry II shown here has a capacity of 128 passengers and 37 crew.  

Ship Size and COVID-19

As we begin to emerge from the COVID-19 cruise suspensions, passengers will need to consider several factors when planning their next travel adventure.   Are they comfortable on a ship that holds 5000 passengers or would one that holds 150 passengers be more appealing to them?   Of course, capacities will be reduced, per the guidelines that CLIA is recommending to member cruise lines, but the proportional differences remain the same.

Another consideration will be the size of the ship and available space for social distancing.   On one of the large cruise ships, there's a lot more public areas that can be utilized, allowing for greater social distancing.   With smaller capacity, even things like the theater can have protocols implemented to accommodate the new guidelines.

The larger the ship, the more area that needs to be kept sanitary by the crew.  Conversely, with smaller footprint, the more likely that public areas will have been used and surfaces exposed to potential germs.

Of course, this is nothing new as cruise lines have always taken measures to keep their passengers and crew safe as possible by implementing vessel sanitation.   I'd be more comfortable on a ship than on a plane for example as ships are constantly cleaning, while a plane is only cleaned once they get to their destination.

Ocean-going vessels will have increased medical capacity onboard, based on the CLIA guidelines. River cruise ships may not have additional staff, but they can pull into the next town should additional care be needed, while the cruise ship might need to wait for a helicopter or Coast Guard vessel to provide additional aide.   Size of vessels constrict the amount of space utilized for any purpose.

Summary

One important take away is that size is just one factor when planning your cruise vacation, but it is an important one. Take advantage of the expertise among cruise specialists in deciding the right ship for you and your traveling partners. The last thing you'd want would be to be expecting a ship the size of Grandeur of the Seas and step out of your cab to find Oasis of the Seas in front of you at the pier. 

No matter what size you are looking for, you'll find a ship in one of the cruise line's fleets that meets your needs. They come in many sizes, shapes, and with many different attractions. Personally, the fun is in selecting the ship you want to try next and enjoying everything it has to offer once you start your cruise vacation.

 

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