C 2 C

I think it is totally based on push/pull factors. If one has a negative experience or two, they will start looking for alternatives. If one finds a fantastic deal elsewhere, they will be tempted to test the waters... Most people are satisfied to stay with what is known vs the unknown. A comedian once said that a "friend" had read that most accidents happen close to home. So he moved.

Why do some posters equate the role of a critic with criticism? A movie critic, for example, watches a movie and, based on having watched many movies, gives an opinion. The critique can be positive or negative. Some movie critics have given horrible ratings for many movies that became blockbusters. It is good that some cruisers will move on to another line to size up the competition. At the same time cruisers from other lines are trying Celebrity because of disenchantment with their former cruise line. The opinions that I value are from frequent cruisers who value Celebrity because they have tried the alternatives and can give an honest critique of the experience.

I've read somewhere that it was because older people no longer had the time to put up with stupidity.

In 2020 we were kicked off the Silhouette when covid struck. Our first cruise "after" the pandemic was on the Nieuw Statendam in September 2022. Despite catching covid onboard, we enjoyed the experience so much we booked 6 weeks on the ship over the winter holidays. Food was excellent, service was great. Entertainment in the theatre was mediocre to horrible but live music was exceptional. Last month we cruised on HAL's Zaandam and the experience was OK. Overall HAL has much better desserts than Celebrity. I had given up on X desserts years ago but I loved every evenings' offering. During the winter we want to be at sea. We picked the ship we love most: Constellation and booked a condo cabin that will provide a bed, a shower, and daily housekeeping; (something I sometimes skip at home.) We don't eat out at home. The food choice onboard will always be more varied than at home. Whatever we choose off the menu or from the buffet will never taste as good as prepared by the chef I married BUT, she is enjoying the time off. No dishes to clean, no garbage to recycle, no grocery lists to prepare. We will be cruising with friends, dining together, listening to some music, enjoying Caribbean sunsets and not worrying about the next blizzard. We don't do suites, don't care about sailing on more luxurious lines. Life at sea, plebian style. (Everyone who has watched the movie "Titanic" knows that the lower decks enjoy life more than the "higher" classes. 🙃)

Birds of a feather flock together, but fools seldom differ.... depending on which side of the discussion one adheres to or opposes.

Picking haven't been good lately. And then I'd have to pass on before I got another chance.

We were told by a bartender in Michael's Club (now the retreat), that with tips he makes $75k+ a year. Everyone pays what they can afford relative to their income and "residence" on board.

You are only 3 hrs away. When is your next batch?

In my next life I'm picking richer, more fortunate parents.

Another point of view posted on a Celebrity group on a site that no one follows: (😇) "Just got off the Equinox today, and WOW!! Absolutely fabulous time. I can’t believe I ever sailed on any other cruise line. The food was phenomenal, the service even better! Not too crazy about the entertainment but that’s ok, lots of other stuff to do. The ship was absolutely beautiful, and we’re sad to be back home!!"

If there were only one or two cruisers reporting a problem with the quality of food on a recent voyage they would most likely be attacked for whining, the traditional practice of shooting the messenger. When someone such as Anne, whose opinion I would trust above anyone else on these boards, I believe the problem is as described. The more cruisers reporting a negative experience, the sooner the problem will be fixed. We're m so confident in Celebrity's positive response to this issue, that we've booked a two month stay on a Celebrity ship this winter. So yes, I agree. The negativity is giving me positive vibes.

Longtime Celebrity cruisers my remember the ongoing discussions whenever a culinary specialist was dumped for the latest trend. I can't remember the names but there seems to be a culinary cycle of the good, the bad, the ugly. I remember ordering rum raisin ice cream for dessert and not finding a single raisin (the add on Baileys is my favourite ice cream combination). I remember ordering Minestrone soup without a single vegetable and the Assistant Maitre'd suggesting that someone must have ladled from the top... I used to order from the children's menu for the mini filet and tomato soup. I remember when the spa cafe provided wonderful made to order selections. I remember the cold soups, the flambe desserts... Witnessing the disappearance of our longtime favourites is painful. As inflation impacts the price of our favourites at home, we adjust our tastes. I think Cruiselines are cutting corners to recover from the financial disaster brought on by covid. I also believe that people venting here has a very positive impact on cruise line practices. Cruise lines are in business to make a profit but they can only do so by pleasing enough pax to return again and again.

Be prepared for some very cool weather.

What type of cabin did you have on the Beyond? We have cruised several times on the Edge and really disliked the cabin with an opening window. I also disliked the lack of a forward lounge. HAL is much more practical in the ship design of the Pinnacle class. We found the food on HAL to be better but the service was great on both lines. And the major question: what was the price differential?

Pick one of our port stops and we can wave at one another.

From our visit several years ago.

I'm sorry about this comment. The Solstice class has an amazing looking library. However many of the books are volume two or three of some obscure Sci Fi series. Half the books can't be reached without a ladder. M-class ships have a small nook that might have a few books. The new Edge class had a cart with pax swaps.

I just started to read the Celebrity board: " 487 April 7, 2017 Eagle, ID #1 Posted Monday at 06:30 PM just got a phone call from Celebrity…. Japan next spring has been canceled on Millenium. Rep told us Millennium won’t be in Japan at all?? So I guess that means a lot of cruises will be canceled. "

Have there been any local entertainers brought on board? We cruised around Japan a few??? years back and local entertainers were the highlight in every port.

Most likely the Celebrity ship will be Millennium (the one we sailed on); HAL might be Westerdam or similar. Millennium built 2000, 91,000 tonnes, 2170 pax Westerdam built 2004, 82,000 tonnes, 1964 pax. Very similar. Millennium Class is our favourite Celebrity ship design. Westerdam seemed a bit more cramped. Dress code or lack thereof is the same for both companies. You will not find a library worth it's name on any Celebrity ship.