Changing how we compare cruise lines

I seems to me that in reading some recent comparisons of cruise lines that it is time to change how...and what we are comparing.

I mean that with the lines like Celebrity offering enhanced Suite programs we can't simply compare Celebrity to HAL or Princess...we have to compare groupings of cabin levels....say Celebrity inside through standard balcony with like on Princess....Suite offerings vs same on another line. Simply comparing lines does not make sense anymore. You would need to compare 2 levels on the lines....the Common experience bars, specialty restaurants, ships in general etc and then cabin experience. How do the rest of you feel about this?

Agree, comparing the ship-within-a-ship like MSC Yacht Club or NCL Haven or any other suite experience is not really a fair to an average inside or balcony. A true comparison should try to match like category with like, but not everyone has enough data points to successfully do this.

There was a recent thread that included suite-specific looks of Celebrity, Azamara, and Oceania that illustrates what I find to be a constructive comparison.

I think some people can get on ships with false expectations owing to advertising and not doing their homework. Personally I don't trust ads and tend to rely on CC! When considering an alternative line it is often the small differences that can be important.

For example, read any of the review blogs on M class ships, there is always someone complaining it is nothing like Equinox, Eclipse.....or like the pictures they saw on the modern luxury ads..I am sure this is partly why some M class ships get generally lower percentage reviews. Then there were some really disappointed Sky Suite guests when we were on Equinox just after the suite life had been rolled out.....some had categorically been told by their travel agents that they would have access to Michael's. One couple had queried this with their travel agent after reading the small print only to again be reassured.

If we can be quite specific about rooms, perks....it will make comparisons much more useful. We have stuck almost exclusively to Celebrity over recent years but may be in Florida outside our normal time zone and if we want to cruise we will need to look at alternative lines. So in terms of suite room what would I be interested in?

Room size and lay out (does it have separate bedroom and lounge?).

Bathroom, separate shower and tub, spa tub.

Storage.

Quality of room fittings (dated, worn...)

Perks including fast boarding

Club lounge

Dining perks

Drink package?

Pool area?

Conceirge/butler

Some of these would be far more important to me than others (for example really want separate bedroom and lounge not just one big room) whereas private pool area I am really not bothered about, never used it on RCCL.

I for one would be really interested in reading some full suite life reviews on other lines. Equally it woul be nice to know if on other ships I can have the room lay out I want without having to pay that suite premium for all the perks.

As I say, I am going to be an interested reader rather than a contributor (only really done Celebrity and RCCL) I think detailed comparisons are a great idea!

Thanks, LabGuy64 in expectation of some good reads!

I seems to me that in reading some recent comparisons of cruise lines that it is time to change how...and what we are comparing.

I mean that with the lines like Celebrity offering enhanced Suite programs we can't simply compare Celebrity to HAL or Princess...we have to compare groupings of cabin levels....say Celebrity inside through standard balcony with like on Princess....Suite offerings vs same on another line. Simply comparing lines does not make sense anymore. You would need to compare 2 levels on the lines....the Common experience bars, specialty restaurants, ships in general etc and then cabin experience. How do the rest of you feel about this?

You're on the right track. The key is to compare the "daily rate" for everything in your trip (including the value of airfare, beverages, specialty restaurants, cabin types, excursions, etc.

Add it all up and divide by the number of cruise days.

For example, check out the cost of a balcony cabin on Celebrity for a 10 day Med cruise in summer 2016. Add airfare (@ $1500+/-) and the cost of everything you'd add (beverages, booze, internet, tips, specialty restaurants, excursions, etc. Figure the daily rate.

Now find a similar itinerary on a premium line like Oceania. With "O Life" amenities (on all summer 2016 cruises), the balcony cabin price includes everything listed above (except alcohol) - yes, even the airfare. Figure that daily rate.

Adjust both daily rates based on projected cruise line and/or TA OBC.

You may be surprised at how affordable premium lines can be. And even if the daily rate is a few dollars higher, there is the question of what you get for that difference.

But, in the final analysis, you are correct that comparing the basic cabin cost is a waste of time.

. Add airfare (@ $1500+/-)

$1500 EACH? We have NEVER paid that much going from Sweden to Florida.

I seems to me that in reading some recent comparisons of cruise lines that it is time to change how...and what we are comparing.

I mean that with the lines like Celebrity offering enhanced Suite programs we can't simply compare Celebrity to HAL or Princess...we have to compare groupings of cabin levels....say Celebrity inside through standard balcony with like on Princess....Suite offerings vs same on another line. Simply comparing lines does not make sense anymore. You would need to compare 2 levels on the lines....the Common experience bars, specialty restaurants, ships in general etc and then cabin experience. How do the rest of you feel about this?

Frankly, I agree with you. We see it all the time...someone cruises one line exclusively and then tries 1 cruise on another line. Their review is then written as a cruise line comparison. Personally, I don't think someone can accurately compare 2 cruise lines unless they have cruised all the ship classes of each line.

$1500 EACH? We have NEVER paid that much going from Sweden to Florida.

The OP is from California and the example was to Europe from California in 2016.

This summer (2015), the air credit from Oceania for a flight from SFO-LIS and FCO-SFO was $1200 USD. At six months prior to sailing, average flights (same cities) with no more than one connection were running $1400-$1800 for an economy seat (depending on carrier). Within 10 weeks of sailing, that same airfare was running well over $2000 (regardless of carrier).

As to access to Michaels club by the sky suites......I read a listing on expedia that ran a long time "not sure if it still is" saying that sky suites they were offering included Michael's club access

I think some people can get on ships with false expectations owing to advertising and not doing their homework. Personally I don't trust ads and tend to rely on CC! When considering an alternative line it is often the small differences that can be important.

 

For example, read any of the review blogs on M class ships, there is always someone complaining it is nothing like Equinox, Eclipse.....or like the pictures they saw on the modern luxury ads..I am sure this is partly why some M class ships get generally lower percentage reviews. Then there were some really disappointed Sky Suite guests when we were on Equinox just after the suite life had been rolled out.....some had categorically been told by their travel agents that they would have access to Michael's. One couple had queried this with their travel agent after reading the small print only to again be reassured.

 

If we can be quite specific about rooms, perks....it will make comparisons much more useful. We have stuck almost exclusively to Celebrity over recent years but may be in Florida outside our normal time zone and if we want to cruise we will need to look at alternative lines. So in terms of suite room what would I be interested in?

 

Room size and lay out (does it have separate bedroom and lounge?).

Bathroom, separate shower and tub, spa tub.

Storage.

Quality of room fittings (dated, worn...)

Perks including fast boarding

Club lounge

Dining perks

Drink package?

Pool area?

Conceirge/butler

 

Some of these would be far more important to me than others (for example really want separate bedroom and lounge not just one big room) whereas private pool area I am really not bothered about, never used it on RCCL.

 

I for one would be really interested in reading some full suite life reviews on other lines. Equally it woul be nice to know if on other ships I can have the room lay out I want without having to pay that suite premium for all the perks.

 

As I say, I am going to be an interested reader rather than a contributor (only really done Celebrity and RCCL) I think detailed comparisons are a great idea!

 

Thanks, LabGuy64 in expectation of some good reads!

Yes...comparing apples to apples per dollar is important but, there are intangibles also, quality of service, entertainment, decor of the ship and overall aesthetics etc

You're on the right track. The key is to compare the "daily rate" for everything in your trip (including the value of airfare, beverages, specialty restaurants, cabin types, excursions, etc.

 

Add it all up and divide by the number of cruise days.

 

For example, check out the cost of a balcony cabin on Celebrity for a 10 day Med cruise in summer 2016. Add airfare (@ $1500+/-) and the cost of everything you'd add (beverages, booze, internet, tips, specialty restaurants, excursions, etc. Figure the daily rate.

Now find a similar itinerary on a premium line like Oceania. With "O Life" amenities (on all summer 2016 cruises), the balcony cabin price includes everything listed above (except alcohol) - yes, even the airfare. Figure that daily rate.

Adjust both daily rates based on projected cruise line and/or TA OBC.

You may be surprised at how affordable premium lines can be. And even if the daily rate is a few dollars higher, there is the question of what you get for that difference.

 

But, in the final analysis, you are correct that comparing the basic cabin cost is a waste of time.

I seems to me that in reading some recent comparisons of cruise lines that it is time to change how...and what we are comparing.

I mean that with the lines like Celebrity offering enhanced Suite programs we can't simply compare Celebrity to HAL or Princess...we have to compare groupings of cabin levels....say Celebrity inside through standard balcony with like on Princess....Suite offerings vs same on another line. Simply comparing lines does not make sense anymore. You would need to compare 2 levels on the lines....the Common experience bars, specialty restaurants, ships in general etc and then cabin experience. How do the rest of you feel about this?

I'll be the contrarian and say I don't agree, for the most part. My experience on a cruise is 80% the ship and only 20% the cabin - max. The biggest things that affect my enjoyment of a cruise are the size and design of the ship, the quality of the food and beverage, and the quality and availability of service.....and none of those things typically involve cabin choice (except for ship-within-a-ship setups, which is a whole other discussion).

Some food for thought: We booked a VERY nice Suite overlooking the stern for our In-laws with disabilities. They never used the Butler service, never used the $Free$ Wi-Fi, etc.etc BUT they had their Once-in-a-lifetime experience before it was too late. We had an Inside Cabin close to them and had an equally great cruise. Me?? I need good bacon, cold beer, nice pool and good weather to have a nice cruise. Priorities. Locomotiveman Tom

No......that is this discussion.....that is what we are talking about.....Say you read a review where a cruiser states that the food on Princess is on par with Celebrity and that they find them basically pretty close for over all exp. Now if I am thinking about booking a Penthouse or Royal suite or an owners suite on Princess ...this is a very deceiving comparison as the "suite" experiences are MILES apart. and the food mentioned does not consider Luminae or Blu.

I'll be the contrarian and say I don't agree, for the most part. My experience on a cruise is 80% the ship and only 20% the cabin - max. The biggest things that affect my enjoyment of a cruise are the size and design of the ship, the quality of the food and beverage, and the quality and availability of service.....and none of those things typically involve cabin choice (except for ship-within-a-ship setups, which is a whole other discussion).

What is your point?.....when I read the review for an inside cabin...unless i am considering booking an inside cabin, your review is of limited value to me.....likewise, if you don't use services available in the suite.....I have to wait to hear from someone that did.....But, it still does not make the two cruises comparable for review purposes.

Some food for thought: We booked a VERY nice Suite overlooking the stern for our In-laws with disabilities. They never used the Butler service, never used the $Free$ Wi-Fi, etc.etc BUT they had their Once-in-a-lifetime experience before it was too late. We had an Inside Cabin close to them and had an equally great cruise. Me?? I need good bacon, cold beer, nice pool and good weather to have a nice cruise. Priorities. Locomotiveman Tom

Yes...comparing apples to apples per dollar is important but, there are intangibles also, quality of service, entertainment, decor of the ship and overall aesthetics etc

True. That's why I mentioned spending a few extra bucks, in essence, for what you don't get: hordes of people, mediocre food, nickel/diming, etc.

The OP is from California and the example was to Europe from California in 2016.

 

This summer (2015), the air credit from Oceania for a flight from SFO-LIS and FCO-SFO was $1200 USD. At six months prior to sailing, average flights (same cities) with no more than one connection were running $1400-$1800 for an economy seat (depending on carrier). Within 10 weeks of sailing, that same airfare was running well over $2000 (regardless of carrier).

Flying from California to Europe... $1500 has been pretty typical. We have flewn from SFO to Telviv for roughly $1600 with stop overs in Paris.... this coming year, we are booked for $2200 in premium coach... because flying has become so unpleasant on the modern aircraft we paid more for a little more space and comfort.

Every vacation for us stands on its own. The first thing we do is decide what kind of itinerary we want to do in a given time period. We look at all ships doing that itinerary and the compare the ships and take into account price, things to do on the ship, what there is to do on a ship, specific ports, time at ports, and value for the experience. I'll leave the comparison of cruise lines up to others.

Every vacation for us stands on its own. The first thing we do is decide what kind of itinerary we want to do in a given time period. We look at all ships doing that itinerary and the compare the ships and take into account price, things to do on the ship, what there is to do on a ship, specific ports, time at ports, and value for the experience. I'll leave the comparison of cruise lines up to others.

I think all the previous posters do something along the same lines, though (as i said earlier) some folks erroneously forget to calculate the "daily rate" in determining net price and value for experience.

Of course, we also include considerations that can't avoid a comparison of cruise lines. We want great food and extremely restrictive smoking policies. Because we are small yacht sailors, cabin size is not that important. But, what's in those cabins, like bed and linen quality, is a high priority. So, many mass market lines, despite having a great itinerary, would never make our final cut. Interestingly, and in large part because of the smoking policies (as well as the "daily rate," neither would some of the luxury lines.

We are all about the itinerary and not the ship. It has worked out well for us. I agree that it is very hard to compare amenities though. As an example. We thought we would not like Princess suites after enjoying Celebrity suites so much, but the itinerary was much better for us. Sabatini's for breakfast was just a joy. I guess I'm just a MDR kind of guy, I thought Luminae food to get a bit over the top.

It is futile to compare cruise lines. You will find more differences between the various ships of any cruise line than you will find by trying to compare the cruise lines themselves.

The best way to compare is to try them all.

We think the OP has a great point. But many, including moi, have long counselled that one needs to compare more then just the cruise line, including the actual ship, itinerary, etc. And now, because of the "ship within a ship" concept (previously mentioned) the suites (and Aqua Class on Celebrity) also need to be factored-in when trying to do comparisons. And now we have cruise lines tossing in various drink packages, dining packages, etc. When it comes to those issue our recommendation is to simply calculate what a package is worth to you, and then back out that cost so you can do a real cost comparison. For example, if booking a Celebrity cruise with a promo that includes both the Classic drink package and pre-paid gratutities, simple back out the value of those packages to determine the real basic cruise cost. And when backing out a drink package, we suggest folks ignore the value assigned by the cruise lines and calculate their personal value for the package which is based on their own drink habits. For example, DW and I will normally spend about $60 per day on drinks while on cruises...so for us, a package is worth about $30 per person (not the $50+ value assigned by cruise lines).

Hank

Right, Hank!

When I am searching for a cruise, my priority list will look like this: itinerary, length of cruise (i prefer longer ones), size of ship (smaller for me), season (not too hot, please!), food, and so on. For many others, the first item on their list might be the amenities offered on board or the number of pools or the nightlife. We are always comparing apples and oranges., because our tastes and our needs differ.

However,sometimes, I can get a good sense of the "feel" of a ship from these comparisons, so I hope posters continue to offer opinions. Meanwhile, I will continue to work on my own comparisons.......

We think the OP has a great point. But many, including moi, have long counselled that one needs to compare more then just the cruise line, including the actual ship, itinerary, etc. And now, because of the "ship within a ship" concept (previously mentioned) the suites (and Aqua Class on Celebrity) also need to be factored-in when trying to do comparisons. And now we have cruise lines tossing in various drink packages, dining packages, etc. When it comes to those issue our recommendation is to simply calculate what a package is worth to you, and then back out that cost so you can do a real cost comparison. For example, if booking a Celebrity cruise with a promo that includes both the Classic drink package and pre-paid gratutities, simple back out the value of those packages to determine the real basic cruise cost. And when backing out a drink package, we suggest folks ignore the value assigned by the cruise lines and calculate their personal value for the package which is based on their own drink habits. For example, DW and I will normally spend about $60 per day on drinks while on cruises...so for us, a package is worth about $30 per person (not the $50+ value assigned by cruise lines).

 

Hank

With over 50+ cruises... we think it is obvious that some cruisers buy into all the cruise line PR which really does not interest us at all. We are not looking for all these extras, just a basic cruise... so a more complicate comparison would not be value to us. We have cruised over 9 different lines in the past 30 years, so we know from experience what we like and go it only. Like you say, you need to calculate what you value .. go with that only.