Oceania Nautica vs. Celebrity Summit - please help!

Hi there!

I'm new to the forum and would appreciate some advice on a cruise I'm planning to take this August with my mother. It will be her 70th birthday so I wanted to plan something special for her. We have only been on a cruise once before, and we didn't know anything about cruising. It was a Costa cruise in an inside cabin in the bowels of the ship. ;) Although we still had a very good time, we certainly would like something better this time around.

Based on the amount we are able to afford and the places we would like to go, I have it down to two itineraries.

The Celebrity Summit on August 14th.

Concierge Cabin with Veranda (Type CC - 191 sq. ft)

A 12 day cruise with 3 days at sea. Starting in Barcelona-Spain, Ville Franche-Sur-Mer, France, Levorno, Roma and Naples - Italy, Santorini, Piraeus - Greece, Dubrovnik - Croatia, 2 days in Venice.

The Oceania Nautica on August 16th.

Oceanview obstructed view (Type E - 143 sq. ft)

A 12 day cruise with 1 day at sea.

Starts in Rome, portofino, monte carlo, florence, amalfi, sorrento, sicily, valetta, at sea, santorni, rhodes, delos, mykonos, athens.

I am really not familiar with either cruise line so I am hoping that someone can help me decide on which would be better. I have been told that the Oceania is better quality, but I am concerned with the E cabin - if we will be just overlooking a lifeboat. I'm also worried about the fact that they charge for everything, including non alcoholic drinks! As for the Celebrity, since it's a bigger ship, I'm not sure I like the idea of hordes of people and children. The main thing for me is great food, and a nice room. I'm not that interested in shipboard activities.

If anyone could shed any light on my dilemma, I would really appreciate it. Again, I'm totally in the dark so any advice and suggestions you can provide would be really helpful.

Thanks in advance. :o

I have not been on Celebrity but just stating the obvious

Celebrity = larger ship 2000+ passenger bigger chance of more children, formal nights

Oceania = smaller ship 684 passengers, no formal nights, no children's programs so less children aboard, limited smoking only 2 small areas, no surcharge for specialty dining

Both lines charge for sodas, bottled water and alcoholic beverages

I am biased so I would go with Oceania;)

You could always ask to waitlist for an inside if that is what you prefer

Enjoy whatever cruise you choose

Lyn

Having sailed both lines, Celebrity extensively, I would chose the Summit sailing, especially with the overnight in Venice! The cabin, especially CC, is far superior and the Summit has some wonderful amenities that your Mom might enjoy, such as the Thalasotherapy Pool, which is no charge. Also, CC includes champagne and fresh flowers in your cabin, along with a higher level of service. While the main dining room food may be slightly better on Nautica, the specialty dining on Celebrity is the best at sea, IMO. You will encounter relatively few children on a Med sailing, and the space ratio is much better on the Summit, even tho it carries more passengers. I would reccomend the Summit.

The biggest differences have to do with dining and clothing. Oceania has open seating for all their meals while Celebrity has traditional assigned dining, with meals served at 6 or 8:30. Celebrity also has formal nights whereas Oceania is resort casual. If you have motion sickness problems, the Celebrity ships tend to handle rough seas better than smaller ships. My choice would be with Celebrity. I feel they have excellent service and above average food. I also like Celebrity's open and public spaces and despite the fact that Celebrity ships are larger than Oceania, you never feel crowded on their ships.

Also, Celebrity also has very limited smoking with no smoking in their cabins or balconies and no smoking in the casino, lounges or dining areas. They have the most restrictive smoking policy of any mass market line.

Hi there!

 

I'm new to the forum and would appreciate some advice on a cruise I'm planning to take this August with my mother. It will be her 70th birthday so I wanted to plan something special for her. We have only been on a cruise once before, and we didn't know anything about cruising. It was a Costa cruise in an inside cabin in the bowels of the ship. ;) Although we still had a very good time, we certainly would like something better this time around.

 

Based on the amount we are able to afford and the places we would like to go, I have it down to two itineraries.

 

The Celebrity Summit on August 14th.

Concierge Cabin with Veranda (Type CC - 191 sq. ft)

A 12 day cruise with 3 days at sea. Starting in Barcelona-Spain, Ville Franche-Sur-Mer, France, Levorno, Roma and Naples - Italy, Santorini, Piraeus - Greece, Dubrovnik - Croatia, 2 days in Venice.

The Oceania Nautica on August 16th.

Oceanview obstructed view (Type E - 143 sq. ft)

A 12 day cruise with 1 day at sea.

Starts in Rome, portofino, monte carlo, florence, amalfi, sorrento, sicily, valetta, at sea, santorni, rhodes, delos, mykonos, athens.

 

 

I am really not familiar with either cruise line so I am hoping that someone can help me decide on which would be better. I have been told that the Oceania is better quality, but I am concerned with the E cabin - if we will be just overlooking a lifeboat. I'm also worried about the fact that they charge for everything, including non alcoholic drinks! As for the Celebrity, since it's a bigger ship, I'm not sure I like the idea of hordes of people and children. The main thing for me is great food, and a nice room. I'm not that interested in shipboard activities.

 

If anyone could shed any light on my dilemma, I would really appreciate it. Again, I'm totally in the dark so any advice and suggestions you can provide would be really helpful.

 

Thanks in advance. :o

Nikitty,

First of all, I would dispute that Oceania is "better quality"...

I have cruised on seven different cruise lines and I actually prefer Celebrity...I like Oceania--they have lots to offer,,,but Celebrity is a great cruise as well...

Calling one "better" really depends on one's criteria, standards, needs, tastes and expectations...we're all different...

Really, the best that can be said in comparison is that they are DIFFERENT...

Celebrity sails large ships...

Oceania sails much smaller ships...

But, in reality, both have approximately the same space per passenger ratios...

The Oceania ships are 30,000 gross tons (gross tons are a measure of volume or space--not of weight)_ and sails at full double capacity with 684 passengers...

The Celebrity Summit is a 91,000 gross ton ship that sails at full double capacity with 1,950 passengers...just do the math, divide the number of gross tons by the number of passengers--Summit actually comes out a fraction better...

But, though both ships are fairly comfortable and uncrowded, there are differences...With the larger size, Celebrity can give you slightly enhanced amenities...all of the venues are larger and allow for more of various things...Most evident is the showroom--Celebrity has the full backstage staging area, the first class sound and lighting and the number of customers to afford to bring you impressive production showson a nightly basis...Oceania uses a smaller lounge without the staging area--their entertainment tends to be simpler, less frequent and more amateurish (of course, entertainment is not that important to some folks...again, it depends on you).

Celebrity has "traditional" dining--You have an assigned nightly dinner table with the same wait staff and the same table mates...Oceania is all "open" seating--you show up and are seated like in a restaurant...there are some pluses and minuses to both...Open seating can be nice since you might get back from port at varying times or want to sit with different people every night...With traditional seating, the service tends to be a bit better--your wait staff really gets to know your likes and dislikes...

Celebrity has formal nights, Oceania doesn't...Some people LIKE to get dressed up fancy...others don't...simple as that...

Shore excursion choices are better on Celebrity--more people allows for more options...Even if you like private tours and prefer to form your own group, it's easier just by the laws of probabilities with the pool of people being three times the size...

The food is excellent on Oceania...but, it's not exactly that much worse on Celebrity--and taste in food is really a matter of personal taste...you may like one or the other, neither or both...and EVERYTHING you eat is not going to be your favorite on any line...

Bottom line: BOTH are great cruise experiences...

Pick by the ports you want...

If it were me, I'd choose the much better cabin on Summit...

Celebrity does tend to be a better value than Oceania...

Oceania tends to have a lot of hidden costs--things that are part of the package on Celebrity that are extra on Oceania...and Oceania seems to have much higher fees and taxes... charges for tenders...Their hotel packages are outrageously priced...shore excursions cost more--for the same tour...drink costs are higher...tip amounts are higher...gift shop prices are higher...

Doesn't stop me forom cruising with them...but, if all things were "equal", I'd take Celebrity 9 times out of 10...

I have never cruised on Oceania, I have sailed Celebrity many times. I love the Summit.

Several cruises I sailed with my aunt, she was in her late 70's. Loved the Summit.

Excellent service.

Your mom will enjoy the thallo pool and the area around it. Also the spa food is very nice, healthy alternative. We loved it.

The concierge class has several nice amenities, the flowers, the champagne. Instead of the appetizers brought up to the room , we chose cheese and fruit. very nice.

Every where you go you are greeted by friendly faces and a "good day Madame"

I know if you cruise the Summit you will have a lovely experience.

So nice you can do this with your mom. My last cruise with my aunt was a two week Panama Canal cruise on the Summit. That was two years ago, since then she has passed away. I am so glad we have those memories.

Which ever you choose I know you will have a wonderful time.

Nadine

..and Oceania seems to have much higher fees and taxes... charges for tenders...

WOW when did they start charging for tenders?????

...I've experienced both lines, and they're both great, I feel as the others that X gives you more bang for your buck than O, but if it were my choice, I would let the ports be my guide, and in my mind, there is nothing quite like Venice, and the Summit gives you two days there, that would settle the deal for me...

cheers,

the Imagineer

Thank you everyone for the information. I was heavily leaning toward Oceania, now I am not so sure. We're pretty green to cruising. I don't even know what a tender is! :confused:

Nikity,I would suggest that you look again at the itineraries. The Med cruises are grueling, beyond wonderful, but you will want to see everything that you can each day and it will wear you out. Your mom may do great but it is not the easiest itinerary. Some of the ports require an hours travel to the cities - Rome, Florence, Athens before you see the first "sight." The three sea days would appeal to me. I'm younger than your mom and wish that we had had the three days to recoup. Overnighting in Venice is another plus.

We have been on the Summit, but not in Europe and it is a very nice ship.

We have not sailed on Oceania.

I hope you finalize your plans and have a wonderful cruise.

Thank you everyone for the information. I was heavily leaning toward Oceania, now I am not so sure. We're pretty green to cruising. I don't even know what a tender is! :confused:

...let me advise you to have some fun, start researching the various port stops, after you have a better idea of what they're like, go with whichever ship goes to the ports you think you'll enjoy the most, don't let the choice of ship interfere that much as they're both great ships...

...many of the stops don't have docking facilities for the ship to tie up to, so they use 'tenders', which are large covered boats that also do double duty as lifeboats if needed, you go down to the tendering deck on each ship and board your tender for the trip to shore...

cheers,

the Imagineer

...

...many of the stops don't have docking facilities for the ship to tie up to, so they use 'tenders', which are large covered boats that also do double duty as lifeboats if needed, you go down to the tendering deck on each ship and board your tender for the trip to shore...

And that's something that you have to pay for? How else would you get to shore otherwise? Swim? lol....seems a little outrageous to have to pay for this.

And that's something that you have to pay for? How else would you get to shore otherwise? Swim? lol....seems a little outrageous to have to pay for this.

I have never heard of paying for the tenders

we have done many cruises, 5 with oceania & never paid for a tender yet

Lyn

Thanks so much for all the information everyone! :)

And a special thanks to Imagineer for pointing out tenders. I did some further research on tenders (something I had never heard of before) and learned that there are 5 for this particular excursion on the Nautica. For the Celeb Summit - there are only 2. That is SO much better for my mom who has lesser mobility. It really made all the difference. Thanks to everyone for your input. I am so thankful to have found this forum! Celebrity Summit here we come! :D

Enjoy the cruise

Thanks so much for all the information everyone! :)

 

And a special thanks to Imagineer for pointing out tenders. I did some further research on tenders (something I had never heard of before) and learned that there are 5 for this particular excursion on the Nautica. For the Celeb Summit - there are only 2. That is SO much better for my mom who has lesser mobility. It really made all the difference. Thanks to everyone for your input. I am so thankful to have found this forum! Celebrity Summit here we come! :D

Tenders are tough on those who have limited mobility. I'm disabled and I avoid tenders as much as possible. They're OK if the seas are relatively calm, but even with slightly bouncy seas, tenders are tough on those of us with mobility problems.

I hope you both enjoy the cruise.

The Summit will anchor fairly close in the harbor below Fira on Santorini so the tender ride is brief but you must either take the cable car or ride the donkey or walk the donkey path.

Fira is fairly hilly with cobbled stones but if you mom can swing it don't miss it. Check with your TA or Celebrity to see if there is a tour which tenders to a different pier where a bus tour will commence. That would be much more comfortable for your mom.

The tender at Ville France is also a short ride from a protected cove. Busses and cabs are at pier level. Wheter you are heading to Nice or Monte Carlo or elsewhere you will have mountainous terrain.

Join the Meet and Mingle group for your cruise and you will get all of the information you need and perhaps there will be others seeking to share excursions.

It's a terrific itinerary and once again we all wish you and your mom a grand time.