We've booked a cruise

[bPeteb]

It's another zero year next year. It's the first one that's spooked me. 60.

All along it was going to be a cruise just like I did for 50 (Sun Princess 11 nights to Fiji). Then the pandemic arrived, and it's hung around. I decided that maybe a villa in Bali was a better bet and I'd have more chance of getting some friends to come along to celebrate.

Then RCCL announced that Quantum of the Seas would be based in Brisbane and everything changed. The weekend before 60 arrives on my timeline there's a four night cruise to nowhere on Quantum and we're going! Junior suite booked. Invited some friends on fb. Within 30 minutes two more js booked and since then an outside and an inside. A balcony bkg this weekend. Very excited.

We really like little ships but we've both always wanted to cruise on a mega ship and here we go

Anyone with any Quantum class experience? Hints and tips?

 

[Anna]

I don't but maybe @Ewing does?

 

[n7of9]

Anyone with any Quantum class experience? Hints and tips?

The Cafe at Two70 serves a great roast beef sandwich. The breakfast in the Solarium is quieter than the buffet. The Main Dining Room also serves breakfast. You can take 2 bottles of wine per room in your carry-on. Check 'plan my cruise' often and pre-book everything you can. If the price drops on your room charge, call them and they'll reprice your balance to the lower charge. If the price drops on any pre-purchased packages or items, you can cancel the original and rebook at the lower price. Smoking is allowed on one side corner of the pool deck, if you don't smoke figure out where it is and avoid it. The spa has specials on Day 1. Install the RC app and link your cruise, it includes deck plans and all ship info. You'll be able to do muster via the app then when you board just go to your muster station and check in. Watching movies at night on the pool deck is surprisingly pleasant.

 

[bPeteb]

The Cafe at Two70 serves a great roast beef sandwich. The breakfast in the Solarium is quieter than the buffet. The Main Dining Room also serves breakfast. You can take 2 bottles of wine per room in your carry-on. Check 'plan my cruise' often and pre-book everything you can. If the price drops on your room charge, call them and they'll reprice your balance to the lower charge. If the price drops on any pre-purchased packages or items, you can cancel the original and rebook at the lower price. Smoking is allowed on one side corner of the pool deck, if you don't smoke figure out where it is and avoid it. The spa has specials on Day 1. Install the RC app and link your cruise, it includes deck plans and all ship info. You'll be able to do muster via the app then when you board just go to your muster station and check in. Watching movies at night on the pool deck is surprisingly pleasant.

Brilliant. Thanks for all of that! We got quite a decent obc with the booking. I’m guessing if price drops and we ask for lower price the obc might go too. RCCL drinks package just doesn’t seem worth it for us unless it was half price. Just don’t think we can drink that much!

 

[odysseus]

Quantum is my favourite RC class - but it tends to get divergent views as some prefer more classic designs. So comes down to what you prefer.

Personally I love the tech on it and 360 is a great venue with the robot screens, video wall and shows (personally). In 4 nights you may only have one show there (they do have a variety) but make sure you check it out. The shows are different from classic ship shows so those preferring them don't like that as much. The layout is also non-standard for shows so get there early to scope out a good position - I favour deck 6 upstairs (though deck 5 you're closer to the action).

Dining is also different from many ships as when designed the idea was to have 4 different dining rooms and people could choose, or rotate. However, the menus would not change nightly either (otherwise you'd miss out), although changed every 5 days for longer cruises for variety. Unfortunately traditionalists found that very confusing so they reworked it after a year. As a result there are still 4 different dining rooms, but they all serve the same fare each night, changing daily like other ships. It's not the single massive dining room like on many other large ships.

Quantum class had the stand out features of dodgem cars (and other activities) in a mutlifunction zone upstairs, and I would say the best scenic area of any ship being the Solarium - make sure you visit that as it can be missed. North Star and ifly are the other well known special features unique to this class. Both of the latter need to be booked, which you should do before your cruise if you are interested in them. (Personally, North star is not a big deal; it's just getting a view from the top of the ship. If you want to do ifly and want pics, a tip is you need to arrange with some friends in advance as your own group will be together, cannot take anything with you and can't get a shot from outside. So you'd need to have someone else waiting outside to take pics.) The ship does have its own shots for purchase as well.

There are some other special, and even unique, features on Quantum but I won't spoil it all and leave those for your discovery Though ask if there is anything you especially look for and want to know about it on Quantum or if you have specific questions. BTW, there are different types of Junior Suite on QC so also ask if you have any questions there. I also think they're the best JS cabins in RC - very well designed, and contemporary. Actually one point I should mention as you have a group in different cabins. Those in JS and above can have dinner in the Suite dining room (off the buffet) called Coastal Kitchen. However, it isn't available to those in I/O/B so you'll probably prefer to dine together in one of the regular dining rooms all the time, which is fine.

In any case, I hope you enjoy the experience for the big day!

If you're interested, this ship design successfully serves as the basis for the newer Celebrity Edge class, and venues like 360 and the varying dining rooms (where they remain there) carried across to that.

 

[bPeteb]

Quantum is my favourite RC class - but it tends to get divergent views as some prefer more classic designs. So comes down to what you prefer.

Personally I love the tech on it and 360 is a great venue with the robot screens, video wall and shows (personally). In 4 nights you may only have one show there (they do have a variety) but make sure you check it out. The shows are different from classic ship shows so those preferring them don't like that as much. The layout is also non-standard for shows so get there early to scope out a good position - I favour deck 6 upstairs (though deck 5 you're closer to the action).

Dining is also different from many ships as when designed the idea was to have 4 different dining rooms and people could choose, or rotate. However, the menus would not change nightly either (otherwise you'd miss out), although changed every 5 days for longer cruises for variety. Unfortunately traditionalists found that very confusing so they reworked it after a year. As a result there are still 4 different dining rooms, but they all serve the same fare each night, changing daily like other ships. It's not the single massive dining room like on many other large ships.

Quantum class had the stand out features of dodgem cars (and other activities) in a mutlifunction zone upstairs, and I would say the best scenic area of any ship being the Solarium - make sure you visit that as it can be missed. North Star and ifly are the other well known special features unique to this class. Both of the latter need to be booked, which you should do before your cruise if you are interested in them. (Personally, North star is not a big deal; it's just getting a view from the top of the ship. If you want to do ifly and want pics, a tip is you need to arrange with some friends in advance as your own group will be together, cannot take anything with you and can't get a shot from outside. So you'd need to have someone else waiting outside to take pics.) The ship does have its own shots for purchase as well.

There are some other special, and even unique, features on Quantum but I won't spoil it all and leave those for your discovery Though ask if there is anything you especially look for and want to know about it on Quantum or if you have specific questions. BTW, there are different types of Junior Suite on QC so also ask if you have any questions there. I also think they're the best JS cabins in RC - very well designed, and contemporary. Actually one point I should mention as you have a group in different cabins. Those in JS and above can have dinner in the Suite dining room (off the buffet) called Coastal Kitchen. However, it isn't available to those in I/O/B so you'll probably prefer to dine together in one of the regular dining rooms all the time, which is fine.

In any case, I hope you enjoy the experience for the big day!

If you're interested, this ship design successfully serves as the basis for the newer Celebrity Edge class, and venues like 360 and the varying dining rooms (where they remain there) carried across to that.

Thanks so much for all of the information. New and different is good. We've sailed on eight different ships with sizes from Pacific Aria to Infinity. The size of Quantum will be something very different. We've booked 10636. Understand we're right off the lift lobby but we don't plan to be in the room much. We have a friend in the JS next door and another couple across the lift lobby plus a very worried friend in an inside down on 9 right near the steps. We chose the room so that they have quick access to a balcony if they need some outside time.

I'll have more of a look at the dining package. Main dining room might not be used as there's so many other options and there's now 10+ in our group. We'll just book mutliple tables but also def don't need to eat together. We'll also pre-organise a space somewhere so we can put some drinks on for everyone. Maybe even first night. It'll be odd not sailing under the Gateway leaving Brisbane. Instead we'll get a view of the treatment works

 

[woodyren]

Have sailed on Quantum class many times. First time was Quantum's relocation from Barcelona to Shanghai in 2015. We also did the same itinerary on Spectrum a few years later and have done a Trans Pacific on Ovation.

We have upcoming bookings in the next few months on Anthem ad Odyssey to complete the set of Quantum class ships.

Following that we are sailing on Quantum in Jan/Feb from Brisbane, Ovation earlier and later from Sydney and Spectrum in Feb/March from Singapore so obviously we are fans of Quantum class ships.

The earlier posters have covered very well the reasons for our love of this ship class. Feel free to ask more specific questions as your cruise approaches.

The only thing I would add is to give the flowrider a try and if you wish to do so I would put your swim gear in your carry on and go on day one as soon as it opens. It is the only time that the lines are short because people are still checking out the ship and/or have their swim gear in their checked luggage.

Hope you enjoy the ship.