Thread: Asthetics or Features?

What "wows" you more, a ships Asthetics, the way it looks, it's lines, or it's Feature's on board?

I lean towards the former and feel that great lines make for memorable ships. Some the greatest liners afloat had some the prettiest lines. There is no denying that United States (1952) still looks fast while sitting silenty at her Philadelphia pier some 50 + years after her maiden voyage. Great ships like the Mauretania (I) 1907-1934, set the standard for others like her. Rotterdam (V) 1959-1997, did the same with it's thin twin funnels, canoe stern and classic bow.

On the other hand features seem to play a large roll in how appealing a ship is. There is no doubt that new ship's like Celebrity Soltice, with it's real grass on board, and Oasis of the Seas with it's mulitude of new and innovative ideas can have some appeal to a new generation of cruisers, or those who would have never thought to set aboard a ship. Yet, I find these ship lack something in the way they look. The lines are not as clean as they used to be. It has become a case of function dictating form, and not form dictating function.

So I ask what do you choose when looking for a ship? Does a good looking ship mean a good time, or does it have to be ugly to give you all the features you want?

Scott

This is a veeery hard question!

I like a ship that looks and feels like a ship rather than a floating "mini city". I enjoy being on the water.

However, the ship has now become our destination rather than the ports, so the onboard features and activities are important.

Which to choose?

The way the question is worded, I think I will still go with Asthetics for the way a ship looks (the wow factor). However the onboard features are still important.

Scott I went with the looks and the feel of it. I go to relax not a big doer, I want to feel like I am on a ship, not an amusement park.

Originally Posted by sue miller

I want to feel like I am on a ship, not an amusement park.

Asthetics all the way. How a ship looks like is almost as important as the itinerary.
IMHO anyway - I would probably not cruise on Carnival or NCL just because to me the ships look to glitzy and over the top. I like my atmosphere more toned down.

I like to have the feeling I am on a ship and sailing the ocean.

Asthetics for me too. More and more I look at the ship as my destination and when looking at itineraries, look at the number of sea days. I sailed on the Mariner of the Seas once, and said never again. I felt like I was in a shopping mall, not a ship. I love the motion of the ocean.

Garry

I want to vote for both.

Originally Posted by hanna

I want to vote for both.

I too feel the same way, but after posting this will choose Aesthetics.

This is VERY interesting to me and will spark some great convos. See, some say they hate the shopping and the over the top glitter, but still pick aesthetics... To me the look is the look no mater if it looks like a "shopping mall" or "amusement park", or a nice luxury type liner. It is all about ones tastes, not ages. So to me features and aesthetics is one in the same...

Example for me is I rushed to get on the Oasis, and picked date as my ultimate decision factor. The ports were of least importance to me... So, I just want to see this "marvel at sea." But, some would think the Oasis is an amusement park with the zip line and flow riders and the themed areas like Central Park. I will agree with them, I also think the ship has some other great features that are less amusement park and more luxury, like the AquaTheater, the Spa, and pool areas...

My point, I like the "wow" factor and the "features" on-board and they seem the same to me...

Hmmm. I guess with my family, it would be features. We seem to prefer a ship about 90,000 to 115,000 gt. We haven't tried a larger one, which would probably have more features, but may have other problems due to the number of passengers onboard. The smaller ones (I'm talking about 50,000 to 75,000, as we haven't been on smaller than that) don't seem to have all the features we would like or seemed too crammed. Also a smaller one has a smaller kids' area, and the girl likes certain features in a kids' area and on deck.

But comparing the decor on Princess and Carnival, I would have to say I prefer the more sedate decor on Princess.

As a lover of QE2 I don't think I really need to say how I voted I am sure you can all guess.

I noticed more people have gone for looks, but it's a shame the cruise lines don't.