I Tried a Cruise on a MEGASHIP and Then Her Smaller Sister

Emma Cruises
Emma Cruises
113,819
21
Published 2022-01-27
When cruise lines advertise their cruises it’s most likely that you’ll see the newest and most exciting cruise ships. The majority of cruise ships owned by the major cruise lines are over 10 years old, with many being over 20 years old.

I recently took a cruise on a brand new mega cruise ship, her name is Iona and she is massive, she’s over 4x the size of the Titanic and can hold well over 5000 guests.

What I wanted to know after disembarking my cruise on Iona was did I enjoy this cruise because of the cruise line or because of the exciting new ship, if I cruised on an older smaller ship from the same cruise line, would I enjoy it as much or would I feel ripped off that the older ship didn’t have everything that the larger ship did.

There were actually differences between the two that I had never considered, such as differences in the way the formal night dress codes were enforced, but more about that later.

To find out how the ships compare I booked a cruise P&O’s Ventura, she was built back in 2007 and is just over half the size of Iona in terms of gross tonnage.


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All Comments (21)
  • @Gabriel_Strelow
    Questions: - I prefer the atrium of Ventura; - I prefer the cabin of Iona; - I prefer a busier cruise with more choices; - I’m happy to walk long distances; - I prefer only one formal night per week
  • @garethbrooks3816
    I'm probably one of your younger viewers at 15 years old but I have cruised almost every year of my life (apart from covid) at least once, my first ever being the P, and O Aurora, before I was even a year old to the canary Islands. We have been a few times on the Ventura and Aurora and Celebrity Ships and we love the older P and O ships. One of the Aurora's final cruises before becoming adults only was to the canary islands and we couldn't refuse. I remember Sailing away from madeira at sunset with dolphins chasing the boat. I think that it's sad that smaller ships are getting fazed out because sometimes it's nice to go on a bit of a more quieter holiday. Personally, I think that smaller ships like the Ventura give a much larger feeling of community on the ship and you meet so many different people and get to know them and I don't think you get that on larger ships. You probably won't see this but I just thought I would share my opinion from a younger persons perspective who is quite active but isn't a fan of the 'glory' of the larger ships if it makes sense which it may well not 😂
  • @laurawrightx
    It’s crazy to me to hear Ventura being described as a “tiny” or small cruise ship. I would consider Ventura to be an average sized ship. When she was released she was considered a huge mega ship like the Iona is now. I was 12 years old and took a cruise in May 2008 on Ventura in her maiden season. Seems so crazy that she’s now an older ship 😊 I feel old!!
  • @loumello8813
    Sparkles are great and so well deserved for the 100K subs, just absolutely wonderful. I always prefer a smaller ship, those in the 900 to 1200 range and that usually means some of the luxury ships at a higher price. I find that they have 4 to 5 specialty restaurants and many entertainment venues as well and I don't need splash zones, skating rinks, water slides, go carts or roller coasters.
  • @jonathanpowell3769
    I loved the smaller P&O ships and had cruised on Oriana several times. Strange hearing Ventura described as small!
  • @williammiller5449
    We're "destination" cruisers. As smaller ships can get to more places than bigger ships, they are our preference. Looks don't much matter to us as long as the ship is clean and in good repair.
  • @SuperHockeyQueen
    I honestly prefer the smaller ships. I love formal nights! At home I just don’t have formal opportunities. I enjoy cruises that give me the opportunity to play dress up
  • @AmandaSchnaare
    When I choose a ship, I always look at their spa. I'm all about spas with pools in them. Like NCLs newer classes. My favorite ship thus far is the Escape (for big) and then the Dawn (for small). Same with CCL. I really enjoyed the Carnival Breeze, which is a modest sized ship with a brilliant spa. I feel like I'm one of the few that cruises for ship rather than destinations.
  • @nancyh.7420
    Emma, in the US, we “putter” around (same meaning). Somewhere in the Atlantic, the “o” was changed to a “u.”
  • @Sharon181818
    100,000!! Yes! You deserve all the sparkles you want, what an awesome job you are doing here! Congratulations Emma!!
  • @AuntK68
    I would always choose a smaller ship if possible, if only for the increased chance of finding some quiet and peaceful spots to enjoy. And even the smaller ships have plenty of "pottering" opportunities. Congrats on 100K, that's a great milestone!
  • @arisdoragarcia7044
    Congratulations Emma on 100k. I have cruised on large and smaller ships, I prefer the smaller ships. I love to feel like I am cruising and not a local mall. However, everyone one has different preferences. Everyone should cruise on the type of ship that makes them happy. That's what cruising is all about.
  • @lakelorain
    Congratulations for hitting the big time! I prefer small ships for the ports and mega ships for the ship.
  • @danielmaher152
    I'm happy on either. Loved Oriana, loved Azura and loved Britannia. I think the decor is nicer on the other ships. Ionas interior looked very plain.
  • @maxout7306
    Note to creators: With this content provider you receive valued information straight off the bat. I think others over produce, fail to study their material and often disappoint. 100,000 subscribers and counting - well done!