Oceania or Celebrity

Hi All,

I am thinking of switching our Celebrity (Celebrity Suite) for a similar itinerary Oceania (B4) cruise...any thoughts...we have been on Azamara and enjoyed the small ship...however going from a CS on X to a B4 on O makes me question it..especially with only a continental breakfast in the morning from room service...any feedback or thoughts would be appreciated...the O cruise would be on Riviera.

Thanks!

You could always get a Concierge or above cabin if you require hot breakfast from room service on Oceania

Is it a deal breaker only having a Continental breakfast :confused:

Lyn

You could always get a Concierge or above cabin if you require hot breakfast from room service on Oceania

 

Is it a deal breaker only having a Continental breakfast :confused:

Alternatively, Oceania Cruises, which markets itself as a "foodie" cruise line, could offer hot breakfasts to all cabins.

I cannot remember ever cruising on a line where a hot breakfast was not included in even ocean-view staterooms.

Alternatively, Oceania Cruises, which markets itself as a "foodie" cruise line, could offer hot breakfasts to all cabins.

 

Sorry must be over my head

I do not see the connection to a "foodie" cruise & have a hot breakfast from room service :confused:

Sorry must be over my head

I do not see the connection to a "foodie" cruise & have a hot breakfast from room service :confused:

Thanks for the replies...BTW we are booked on Reflection and are Elite on X....it's really more the principal of the continental breakfast....it seems to set the stage...not really a deal breaker but a turn off for sure. Why in the world would they do this...there are plenty of perks to give "suites"...

Going into a Concierge cabin to get hot breakfast for another $2,000 is totally ridiculous. I was just hoping someone might sing the praises of Oceania to let us know if it is worth switching. Knowing nothing about Oceania except what others on Azamara say would lead us to say no, but we thought another smaller ship might be nice.

OK Deise, I must now redeem myself after sparring with you about Antarctica!

I have been on Celebrity over 30 times and on Marina once and there's no comparison between the two lines. Celebrity of late is all about the "hardware" and the "software" has been totally forgotten.

Beautiful ships with stunning interior design, great spa areas and fantastic cabin entertainment options. However - sometimes barely edible food with poor quality ingredients and specialty dining that is ridiculously overpriced for what you get.

Food and service win hands down on Oceania. Unfortunately, you are comparing and contrasting two different issues - food and service versus cabins.

On the food issue, Oceania wins hands down. On the cabin side, while your B4 will be beautifully appointed and luxurious, it will be about half the size of your Celebrity suite.

Substitute the words "Azamara" for "Oceania" and that will give you your answer. Would you rather sail on Azamara in a smaller room or on Celebrity in a large one?

We've done 25+ cruises on Oceania and love her. We want, however, to go to Hawaii out of LA and back on Oceania (a simple route) that Oceania doesn't do, regardless of my constant requests for that itinerary for the past years. So we have booked Celebrity for that trip. (Sky Suite or Century Suite, I'm not sure) We're hoping, that with a butler, our experience will be enhanced and we will enjoy the trip. I don't expect the food to be as good, but I'm hoping the itinerary and service will be on par.

Naomi and Henry Doble

I know breakfast is suppose to be the most important meal of the day but

Sailing Oceania is more than having breakfast in your cabin but if that is what makes the cruise special for you you may need to upgrade to A or above to get what you really want

I have no idea the size of a CS on X but compare sizes of the cabins

If the CS is very large you may not be happy in 282 sq ft

You may want to look at the PH which are 420 sq ft

On the larger ships I am not you can even compare them to Azamara, totally different experience I would think :confused:

YMMV

I usually have breakfast in my cabin more than 75% of the time. The set up in CS, where there's a proper table and chairs, plus the huge windows on the M-class, makes for a wonderful ambience. The butler can usually add items off the menu, which in itself is another level higher than even that of Concierge level on Oceania. I find Oceania's room service breakfast is the weakest link in its legendary cuisine. I have encountered errors made in the orders much more so when it's delivered by the room service waiter than your butler. No one is perfect.

I noticed that you mentioned Azamara size is what you like. Riviera is >50% larger as a ship. Of course, it is still only half the size, and less crowded than Reflection. You asked about differences between B4 and CS. Other posters suggested an A cabin to get hot breakfast, which is about $400 more, not the $2000 that's associated with Penthouse suites. I actually did book an A rather than B on Regetta class ships, but my perk was more than just hot breakfast...... it gave me two more dining opportunities at specialty restaurants, which unfortunately is not applicable on Riviera.

My take:

I am also "Elite" on Celebrity...and have also cruised a few times on Oceania...

IMHO, BOTH are very good "products"...they just have their differences...

My most recent two Oceania cruises have been in Concierge Class and in an Oceania Suite on Marina...and I have enjoyed the room service full breakfasts on both...moreso in the Suite as we had an actual dining room and dining room table on which to enjoy them...In the Concierge class (Nautica), it was still done rather nicely with the server setting up a special tabletop and tablecloth over the cocktail table...

On Celebrity, we simply rarely have room service breakfast, opting instead to eat in the main dining room (I like service and don't like the hassles of a buffet)...and, of course, that is a pretty nice breakfast experience as well...

Bottom line, though, however, is that room service anything is not a major criteria for me in choosing a cruise...No matter how you choose to dine and where, your experience will be pretty good on either ship...

I prefer the food on Oceania...but I really can't say I find much wrong with the food on Celebrity either...and taste in food is, of course, very selective...

As to other points, the Riviera isn't really a "Small" ship...it is 70,000+ gross tons and carries over 1,200 passengers...Obviously, it is smaller than the 122,000 gross ton Reflection...but it is over twice the size of the 30,000 gross ton Azamara and smaller Oceania ships...

OTOH, it is an absolutely beautiful and well designed ship--as is the Reflection...You can't really go wrong with either ship, IMHO...

A nice advantage to the Riviera is that there are four excellent specialty restaurants...with no additional charge to dine in any of them...even with a non-suite cabin, you will get a reservation in each...and can often pick up additional nights if you want...On the Marina, we ended up dining in each twice and Toscana three times as well as La Reserve once...Definitely the highlight of cruising on these ships...If you are into fine dining, this is a major plus for Oceania...

Entertainment on Oceania lags a little behind Celebrity...but on the Marina and Riviera, they finally have a real, dedicated showroom as opposed to a lounge (as, if you've sailed Azamara, you are aware is insufficient for any major production)...and the entertainment has beenm improved accordingly...

Is it worth giving up a CS on Reflection for a B4 on Riviera? Well, the CS is a 394 square foot suite with a separate living room and bedroom, walk-in closet, a 105 square foot balcony and butler service plus a lot of extras...The B4 is a "standard" balcony, albeit on Riviera, at 282 square feet, larger than on most ships...I , for one, love cruising in Suites...I've done it a few times, but, for the most part, I have no problem "settling" for "ordinary" balcony cabins...I still feel pampered, maybe not to the level as the service on a suite, but certainly enough to enjoy...

It really comes down to what is important to YOU...

Are both itineraries relatively identical? For me, it usually comes down to the itinerary...For example, this year, we had to decide, for our time frame, between the June 26 Silhouette Adriatic cruise and the July 3 Riviera...both between Rome and Venice (or vice versa)...but Silhouette was 13 nights and Riviera only 10...Both cruises had an overnight in Venice and stops in Dubrovnik, Kotor, Corfu, Sicily and the Amalfi area...But, in addition, the Riviera had only stops in Livorno and a second day in Positano while the Silhouette added Koper, Split, Ravenna and Bari...

So, for us, it was the itinerary that made the difference...

In the end, I think you can have a great cruise on either ship...AND, if you don't end up trying Oceania this time, I would encourage you to try it sometime in the near future...It is definitely an excellent cruise experience and one I think you'd enjoy--hot room service breakfast or no...

(BTW, when we were in a Concierge Class cabin on Nautica, we had made friends on Cruise Critic with a girl who was in an OV...She saw our breakfast menu and became increasingly jealous...She asked "Could you just order me breakfast and I'll just pop over to your cabin and eat with you?"...)

Thank you all so much for your insight!!! Dr.Cocktail, you are redeemed!! I agree room service doesn't make or break but more the service and size!!

Thanks all!

Well said BruinSteve, the OP should try sailing with O and it will all become very clear.

Sorry must be over my head

I do not see the connection to a "foodie" cruise & have a hot breakfast from room service :confused:

Really? You can't?

I'm a foodie and I much prefer a plate of hot Eggs Benedict than cold cereal or a croissant, even the chocolate ones.

There are many more options with hot plates, than being restricted to a cold plate or a simplified hot option like toast or similar.

Really? You can't?

 

I'm a foodie and I much prefer a plate of hot Eggs Benedict than cold cereal or a croissant, even the chocolate ones.

 

There are many more options with hot plates, than being restricted to a cold plate or a simplified hot option like toast or similar.

Yes, the options are myriad......

One of them being to book a cabin that includes the breakfast option that one desires. A great strength of the Oceania system, if you ask me.

To many passengers, the affordability of entry level cabins, trumps breakfast of any kind; yet those of us who want a more opulent experience have Concierge or Suites to choose from.

We've done 25+ cruises on Oceania and love her. We want, however, to go to Hawaii out of LA and back on Oceania (a simple route) that Oceania doesn't do, regardless of my constant requests for that itinerary for the past years. So we have booked Celebrity for that trip. (Sky Suite or Century Suite, I'm not sure) We're hoping, that with a butler, our experience will be enhanced and we will enjoy the trip. I don't expect the food to be as good, but I'm hoping the itinerary and service will be on par.

 

Naomi and Henry Doble

Naomi, I'll let you know in a few weeks. We're sailing from San Diego to Hawaii and back on Century on March 4, in a Century Suite. Precisely because Oceania does not do that itinerary, and Celebrity is probably the best we can get. Century is Just a tad bit larger than Riviera (70,600 tons vs. 66,000 tons), but crams about 50% more passengers into the space (1800+ vs 1250+). The crews are abouty the same, around 800, but the passenger to crew ratio favors Riviera at 1.6:1 vs 2.2:1 on Century. The smoking policies are similar (stay away from Sky Suites on the Port side of Deck 12, as they are directly behind the designated outdoor smoking area).

We have Select dining, which most Celebrity folks say doesn't work very well, but better than the traditional dining (in my opinion, and compared to Oceania). Again, I'll know better after March 19. I'm not looking forward to the awkward potential of 3 formal nights (on a Hawaiian cruise!) in 15 days, but I'll muddle through somehow, even if I upset a few of the dress police on Celebrity.

I will say that a Century Suite, which includes Suite amenities and a butler, is somewhat less expensive than even a Concierge cabin on Riviera.

...I have no idea the size of a CS on X but compare sizes of the cabins...If the CS is very large you may not be happy in 282 sq ft...

The Century Suites are just 190 Sq Ft, compared to 175 Sq Ft for a standard veranda cabin. The Sky Suites are 246 Sq Ft, more comparable to a Penthouse on Regatta (260 Sq Ft), in a slightly more square layout. The enormous difference of the Sky Suites on Deck 12 is the size of the balcony -- around 180 Sq Ft! But, as I said, stay away for those closer to the middle of the Port Side. We had a Sky Suite on Mercury, which was a Century lass ship, similar in many ways.

The Century Suites are just marginally larger than the standard balconies, and are mostly desirable for the suite amenities and the stern location. Betsy and I compromised; I wanted a Sky Suite and she wanted a standard veranda (to save $$$). We compromised on the Century Suite which is similar in size but has the Suite amenities, which are probably more important on Century than on Oceania, in my opinion.

We were able to book during their current promotion, which offered a choice of some OBC, free gratuities or 2 Classic Beverage Packages, which carry a cost of $44 per day, per person, plus 15% gratuity. If we were even moderately heavy drinkers, the beverage packages would have been by far the logical choice as they had a value of over $1,500 for our cruise. However, in that case we would have had to pay $450 gratuities out of pocket, and before the cruise in order to have Select dining. Since we will definitely drink less than $450 worth, we chose the gratuities.

I came back from my single previous Celebrity cruise vaguely dissatisfied, primarily with lukewarm fod due to the previous fixed time dining, and the smoke on our otherwise fabulous balcony. We loved the thalassotherapy pool on Mercury, which has been removed from Century. We have not sailed a larger Celebrity ship, and have no overwhelming desire to do so. I have higher hopes, and therefore slightly higher expectations, for this upcoming Century cruise. I do not have any expectation that it will equal Oceania, and chose it strictly for the itinerary. Oceania will firmly remain my favorite cruise line, and Riviera will remain my favorite ship, except when Captain Flokos is aboard Marina.

The Roll Call for the Hawaiian cruise is diverse, from an educationally challenged self-styled mountain gal to a gentleman with more Oceania cruises than Betsy and I. All of them strike me as being interesting and I'm looking forward to the Cruise Critic Connections party which has over 100 registrants.

I thought I'd address a few of Don's points...I may have a bit more experience with Celebrity...and more current experience.

...Century is Just a tad bit larger than Riviera (70,600 tons vs. 66,000 tons), but crams about 50% more passengers into the space (1800+ vs 1250+). The crews are abouty the same, around 800, but the passenger to crew ratio favors Riviera at 1.6:1 vs 2.2:1 on Century...

Century, among Celebrity's ships is a bit of an anomaly. It is the oldest ship in Celebrity's fleet and the only one left in its class. It is sort of unfair to compare it to the much newer Riviera for a number of reasons...but, yes, the space and crew ratios are not in Riviera's league. That said, it was completely refurbished a few years ago with sonme drastic changes to the original design (it was originally designed, as most ships were in those days, withvery few balconies...the refurbishment added a great number of balconies to the formerly OV cabins...but many of the categories of cabins are much smaller than on the other Celebrity ships. Still, compared to MOST ships of other mass market lines, Century is still very nicely laid out, very comfortable ...and, for those concerned with number of passengers, it is, by today's standards, one of the smaller ships among the mass market lines...We sailed on Century to Australia and New Zealand over Christmas and New Years 2011/12...We were actually quite pleasantly surprised with the condition of the ship...and thought the service was, overall, excellent.

The newer Celebrity ships are actually quite a bit more spacious...The M-class, for example, have space-to-passenger ratios which are actually slightly better than Oceania's R-ships... the even newer Solstice Class ships are considerably larger, at 122,000 gross tons, but are very well designed and feel incredibly spacious...

...The smoking policies are similar (stay away from Sky Suites on the Port side of Deck 12, as they are directly behind the designated outdoor smoking area)...

I can't speak for the Century, as we were nowhere near the smoking area (extremely small and extremely limited on all Celebrity ships and NOTHING indoors!)...but we were port side, Deck 12 on Eclipse last summer, only 2 or 3 cabins right behind the smoking area on Eclipse...and, I am asthmatic and have a difficult time with smoke...and we chose our cabin primarily for the balcony--being on the "hump", we had a very nice, very oversized balcony...Well, though we were close in proximity, an though I am inordinately sensitive, I had absolutely no issue with smoke...On Eclipse (and other Solstice Class, that smoking area is actually semi-enclosed with a plexiglass wall between the smoking area and the sea and an overhang from the deck above...The smoke simply had no clear path to our balcony...My only issue was to remember when walking outside to the exterior pool deck, to walk ACROSS the elevator lobby to the starboard side and exit the automatic doors there...

...We have Select dining, which most Celebrity folks say doesn't work very well, but better than the traditional dining (in my opinion, and compared to Oceania).

We've recently "converted" over to "Select" Dining when cruising on lines other than Oceania...and, from our experience, it has worked extremely well on Celebrity...I have been very pleasantly surprised. I thought it was a complete disaster on Princess...but, on Celebrity, it seemed to work even better than the main dining room on Oceania...We have never waited for a table...even though we generally seem to arrive during the prime "rush time"--between 7:00 and 8:00...We were almost always accommodated with a table in the same waiter's section...usually the same table...so that our waiter really got to know us and our desires...The one time on Eclipse that I recall being placed at another waiter's table, our usual waiter came over and I noticed him giving that waiter some instructions--for example on constantly refilling my iced tea-and with no lemon...and he came over to speak briefly with us...

... I'm not looking forward to the awkward potential of 3 formal nights (on a Hawaiian cruise!) in 15 days, but I'll muddle through somehow, even if I upset a few of the dress police on Celebrity.

I am not fond of the formal nights on Celebrity...spoiled a bit by Oceania in this regard...

But, when on Celebrity, I just play along...when in Rome...

But many people do have strategies to avoid dressing up--other than blatantly disregarding the rules. The specialty restaurants do not have a formal night requirement, so, many folks will just schedule visits to the specialty restaurants on those nights--therefore being able to properly dress in "casual" attire every night...

I will usually just pack my tux (or rent one if luggage space and weight is an issue)...though, next cruise, I intend to just pack my black dinner jacket and a pair of black slacks...and appear quite formal without having to deal with studs, cufflinks, cummerbund, etc. It really isn't that big a hassle...and my wife likes to see me dress up every now and then anyway...

Thanks, Steve, as usual you bring a reasonable perspective to these discussions. For the most part, I agree with your statements, allow me to just clarify a little.

I thought I'd address a few of Don's points...I may have a bit more experience with Celebrity...and more current experience.

 

 

 

Century, among Celebrity's ships is a bit of an anomaly.

As stated, I have no experience with the larger Celebrity ships, but did sail on Mercury, which was similar in many respects. I enjoyed the size and layout of the ship, and expect the same experience on Century. As I pointed out, the physical size of Century and Riviera are nearly identical.

I can't speak for the Century, as we were nowhere near the smoking area...

My comment and suggestion regarding the Port side of deck 12 was intended only for Century, as I believe the outdoor smoking area is in the same place as it was on Mercury. This may explain it better...

We've recently "converted" over to "Select" Dining when cruising on lines other than Oceania...and, from our experience, it has worked extremely well on Celebrity...

The only other time I was on Celebrity was prior to Select dining. I was completely turned off by the fixed dining, because all the meals apparently sat waiting in the kitchen to be served at once, and mine were always lukewarm to cool.

Celebrity Select is not like Oceania. First, they recommend making advance reservations for dining times. In my humble opinion, that totally obviates the entire reason for open dining in the first place. So, having read many reports on the Celebrity site about long waits, I asked in my roll call. Here are some of the comments from experienced Century cruisers:

"My last experience on the Century in January 2013, was that select dining was a disaster. Even with reservations, we were never sat at the time we were told to be there. On average we were waiting 20-30 minutes for a table this is WITH a 7:00pm reservation booked 10 months prior to the cruise! "

"Our four prior experiences in select dining worked perfectly. We never have reservations but I make a point to go by and visit the maitre'd and get to know him or her really well... I am just relating my experience for what it is worth on Millennium, Infinity, Equinox and Reflection. Century may be a total new world, however. "

With those and similar comments in mind, I'm keeping an open mind. We will not make reservations in advance, and will seek out the maitre 'd (and may even follow JimandStan's advice regarding bribes...I mean tipping :p). My fondest hope is that, even if we have to wait, at least the food will be somewhat cooked to order and served hot.

I am not fond of the formal nights on Celebrity...spoiled a bit by Oceania in this regard...

But, when on Celebrity, I just play along...when in Rome...

But many people do have strategies to avoid dressing up--other than blatantly disregarding the rules.

Of course, I won't be "blatantly" breaking the rules, but many have reported no problem with a nice sports coat and slacks instead of the tux (which I will never do) or dark suit. I have successfully "passed" in the past with a black sports coat and matching slacks, as long as no one counts the buttons on the sleeve or overly scrutinizes the cut. But Century has only one specialty restaurant, Murano, where I believe one is expected to meet the formal night requirements. It's outrageous to be denied access to meals for which one has already paid just to meet some arbitrary costume requirement. I may take the black sports coat, but will resist wearing a tie.

Yes, the options are myriad......

 

One of them being to book a cabin that includes the breakfast option that one desires. A great strength of the Oceania system, if you ask me.

 

To many passengers, the affordability of entry level cabins, trumps breakfast of any kind; yet those of us who want a more opulent experience have Concierge or Suites to choose from.

 

Jim writes of people like me: I never would eat breakfast in my cabin; I love the choice plus the hustle and bustle (and freshness of preparation) of the Terrace Cafe. And I also like the affordability of the regular cabins for someone who primarily chooses a cruise based on itinerary but loves the luxury of fine dining, beds and service provided by Oceania.

Don,

If that smoking area is set up like the one on Eclipse (which is in substantially the same location), then it's not the location but the design that keeps the smoke from drifting to those suites or balconies...as I noted, the smoking area is semi enclosed in a way that keeps the smoke from really migrating toward the balcony...

As to the Select Dining, we NEVER made reservations...though available, they really weren't necessary...we just showed up at the maitre d' podium for that section of the dining room...and they always led us, almost immediately, to a table...maybe once or twice, we had to wait maybe 2-3 minutes, likely to enable one of the crew showing people to their tables to return from seating someone else...

As to formal nights, you should do very much okay with a black sports coat and black or dark slacks...even without a tie...though I usually have done the tux thing, I plan on doing exactly what you outlined (though I'll probably take the tie) on my next cruise...

As to the required attire in The specialty restaurants, I believe that was the old rule...they've recently relaxed it--though some people still wear their formal wear there on formal night--just like I see some men in nice suits or with dinner jackets in the GDR on Oceania even though its not required...some people just like to dress up, required or not...

We are Elite on X and like the new Aqua Class Blu restaurant. We have 2 O cruises one on the older Insignia and one on the Marina. My decision would be based on where we were cruising. I enjoy the more open seating for dinner on O but we can do that on Celebrity. If all things were equal I would do an AQ on X because I am from SoCal and like that there are more ethnic dishes on Celebrity. Oceania is great for the itineraries - my next booking will probably be a South America on Oceania.

be in a studio in a Four Seasons Hotel than a suite in a Hilton anyday!!! Oceania without hesitation......

Don,

If that smoking area is set up like the one on Eclipse (which is in substantially the same location), then it's not the location but the design that keeps the smoke from drifting to those suites or balconies...as I noted, the smoking area is semi enclosed in a way that keeps the smoke from really migrating toward the balcony...

 

As to the Select Dining, we NEVER made reservations...though available, they really weren't necessary...we just showed up at the maitre d' podium for that section of the dining room...and they always led us, almost immediately, to a table...maybe once or twice, we had to wait maybe 2-3 minutes, likely to enable one of the crew showing people to their tables to return from seating someone else...

 

As to formal nights, you should do very much okay with a black sports coat and black or dark slacks...even without a tie...though I usually have done the tux thing, I plan on doing exactly what you outlined (though I'll probably take the tie) on my next cruise...

 

As to the required attire in The specialty restaurants, I believe that was the old rule...they've recently relaxed it--though some people still wear their formal wear there on formal night--just like I see some men in nice suits or with dinner jackets in the GDR on Oceania even though its not required...some people just like to dress up, required or not...

Thanks, Steve, as usual you bring a reasonable perspective to these discussions. For the most part, I agree with your statements, allow me to just clarify a little.

 

 

As stated, I have no experience with the larger Celebrity ships, but did sail on Mercury, which was similar in many respects. I enjoyed the size and layout of the ship, and expect the same experience on Century. As I pointed out, the physical size of Century and Riviera are nearly identical.

 

 

 

 

My comment and suggestion regarding the Port side of deck 12 was intended only for Century, as I believe the outdoor smoking area is in the same place as it was on Mercury. This may explain it better...

 

 

 

 

The only other time I was on Celebrity was prior to Select dining. I was completely turned off by the fixed dining, because all the meals apparently sat waiting in the kitchen to be served at once, and mine were always lukewarm to cool.

 

Celebrity Select is not like Oceania. First, they recommend making advance reservations for dining times. In my humble opinion, that totally obviates the entire reason for open dining in the first place. So, having read many reports on the Celebrity site about long waits, I asked in my roll call. Here are some of the comments from experienced Century cruisers:

"My last experience on the Century in January 2013, was that select dining was a disaster. Even with reservations, we were never sat at the time we were told to be there. On average we were waiting 20-30 minutes for a table this is WITH a 7:00pm reservation booked 10 months prior to the cruise! "

"Our four prior experiences in select dining worked perfectly. We never have reservations but I make a point to go by and visit the maitre'd and get to know him or her really well... I am just relating my experience for what it is worth on Millennium, Infinity, Equinox and Reflection. Century may be a total new world, however. "

 

With those and similar comments in mind, I'm keeping an open mind. We will not make reservations in advance, and will seek out the maitre 'd (and may even follow JimandStan's advice regarding bribes...I mean tipping :p). My fondest hope is that, even if we have to wait, at least the food will be somewhat cooked to order and served hot.

 

 

Of course, I won't be "blatantly" breaking the rules, but many have reported no problem with a nice sports coat and slacks instead of the tux (which I will never do) or dark suit. I have successfully "passed" in the past with a black sports coat and matching slacks, as long as no one counts the buttons on the sleeve or overly scrutinizes the cut. But Century has only one specialty restaurant, Murano, where I believe one is expected to meet the formal night requirements. It's outrageous to be denied access to meals for which one has already paid just to meet some arbitrary costume requirement. I may take the black sports coat, but will resist wearing a tie.

Don,

We just got off a back to back on Celebrity Constellation. As Bruin Steve stated the Select worked fine. Every time I've been on Celebrity we used the Select. We've never had a wait. This last trip on the first leg we had a group of 8 and had reservations each night, we were always seated immediately. On the second leg there was just the two of us and we were seated immediately each night. No issues. Yes you do have to pay the gratuities with final payment but we look at it as you have to pay them sometime, no big deal either way.

Also as Bruin Steve stated the specialty restaurants on X are all smart casual on all nights. Many people book them on formal nights. With the suite you will get one included specialty restaurant for 2. You will be fine with a sports coat. Much to the chagrin of many Celebrity posters the formal nights are fairly lax, and the smart casual way too casual even for my laid back taste. On our last X cruise they were allowing people in shorts which should be a big no no.

I haven't been on Century but have enjoyed the product on the M and S class ships we've been on.

Like Steve I enjoy both lines and generally pick by itinerary.

......With the suite you will get one included specialty restaurant for 2.

Thanks to both Orv and Steve for the reassuring words. I admit to being a bit nervous about trying something other than Oceania (or American Queen, which I thoroughly enjoyed, but which is a totally different product). However, I fully expect to enjoy the cruise no matter what small obstacles may present.

Orv, unfortunately, Century has only one specialty restaurant, Murano, which has what is to me a high price when one has already paid for food -- $80 for a couple! We don't spend that much at shoreside restaurants. Because that's the only one, and because it's so expensive, it's my understanding that the suite amenity of a specialty restaurant on Century is included only for Penthouse and Royal suite guests. So, I guess we won't be trying Murano.

Thanks to both Orv and Steve for the reassuring words. I admit to being a bit nervous about trying something other than Oceania (or American Queen, which I thoroughly enjoyed, but which is a totally different product). However, I fully expect to enjoy the cruise no matter what small obstacles may present.

 

Orv, unfortunately, Century has only one specialty restaurant, Murano, which has what is to me a high price when one has already paid for food -- $80 for a couple! We don't spend that much at shoreside restaurants. Because that's the only one, and because it's so expensive, it's my understanding that the suite amenity of a specialty restaurant on Century is included only for Penthouse and Royal suite guests. So, I guess we won't be trying Murano.

I loved select dining and never had a problem getting seated on any of the Celebrity cruises we have been on..I personally will never go on a ship again that has only set dining..not for Stu and I anymore..

Jancruz1

They might offer a "half price" promotion for Murano. Check when you board, sometimes the demand on the first night is low.