MSC vs Celebrity

[Stoffel1982]

Hi everyone,

 

We just got back from a cruise with the MSC Divina. As many of you already know, we totally enjoyed our cruise and are already planning our next one.

 

I might want to book a Celebrity Reflection cruise. Could anyone give me the main differences between the 2 (MSC and Celebrity) lines? With MSC all meals are included in the price, are the meals included with Celebrity? This was our first cruise so we are "new" cruisers.

 

Thanks for any input!

[cruiser87654321]

I will let you know in 2 weeks. We have done quite a few cruise lines including MSC (on Divina) which we loved. On Friday we set sail on our first Celebrity (Silhouette) cruise (which does include meals) so watch this space.

[WestLakeGirl]

All meals are included but there are specialty restaurants in addition which carry an extra fee

 

celebrity has no smoking indoors or on verandahs

 

Celebrity has a no announcements policy so they seem more tranquil

[Stoffel1982]

I will let you know in 2 weeks. We have done quite a few cruise lines including MSC (on Divina) which we loved. On Friday we set sail on our first Celebrity (Silhouette) cruise (which does include meals) so watch this space.

 

Thanks and enjoy your cruise!

[kitty9]

The two lines are really very different. MSC is more geared to Europeans with many announcements in a number of languages. Celebrity is considered a more upscale experience with very good food and service. Food in the main dining room, buffet, Cafe al Bacio and the Aqua Spa Cafe are all included, as is the grill for burgers.

[jacketwatch]

If you liked MSC you will love Celebrity. Honestly it's like comparing baloney to prime rib. ;)

 

All meals are included as well as coffee, milk, tea and lemonade. There is a surcharge for speciality restaurants like on most cruise lines.

 

I think you will find the service on Celebrity way ahead of MSC.

 

Relax and enjoy!

[bighairtexan]

I've sailed on the Lirica. The ship and staff were much more "European" in feeling. The differences I noticed were:

The Lirica seemed more like a ship and less like a boutique hotel (Solstice class).

The pasta on Lirica was better than Celebrity's pasta, but I found Lirica's beef just plain WEIRD (a 1/2 inch thick Filet mignon?).

I found Celebrity's service more proactive while MSC's was more reactive. Celebrity would refill my water glass when it got low. Lirica staff would happily refill my water glass when I caught their eye and asked.

I found the activities staff on MSC to be kind of amateurish (like I was at Club Med), but I thought their nightly shows, esp. the various soloists and musicians to be excellent.

 

I prefer Celebrity and haven't been back to MSC, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't consider cruising w/ them were the price and itinerary right. If all things were even vaguely close, I'd pick Celebrity every time.

[gek]

I have sailed with both and my opinion is that Celebrity is miles ahead of MSC in almost every way. Celebrity is less-crowded, has better service, better food, better entertainment and fewer children. MSC certainly wins on price and their cabins seemed slightly larger but given the choice I would always cruise Celebrity even if I had to pay more. Only a perfect itinerary at a reasonable price would entice us back to MSC.

 

Everything that was included on MSC is also included on Celebrity, but you won't have to pay for water with dinner.

[raindropsalways]

MSC in the Mediterranean was great; truly an Italian cruise with excellent Italian cuisine, great service and typical European friendliness. However, MSC in the Caribbean was a bit of a disappointment. It was a beautiful ship, excellent service (lacked friendliness); and even though the food was good, they should stick to their Italian cuisine.

 

 

Celebrity happens to be one of my favorite cruise lines; great anyplace one may sail. However, if I were sailing in Italian waters, I sure would consider MSC.

 

 

Excluding the Cruise Director's announcements and the Captain's up-dates, most announcements are safety related. With this fact in mind, the multiple languages do not bother me and they should not bother anyone else. Safety pertains to everyone.

 

 

There is one fact about cruising that you will soon learn... There is no such thing as a bad cruise!

 

 

Have a wonderful cruise,

Betty

[Stoffel1982]

A big thank you for all the comments!

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[kobecat]

We've done both. Poesia from Kiel to NYC in 2010 and at that stage had not done Celebrity but many Princess and RCL. We have just completed our fifth Celebrity cruise and definitely no more with MSC.

 

Beryl

[The_Big_M]

I used to be a flag waver for Celebrity, but they've changed. Before, they were ahead of MSC. Now they're not worse, but they're more in line with each other. Probably the main difference is just that you get water with meals!

 

The food has a different style, but is comparable in quality and range. Service is slightly more attentive, but there's really not much difference in it. In other services and entertainment onboard, there are differences again, but no clear distinction of one better than the other.

 

I think you'll be impressed at seeing a different type of ship, and some of the different attractions Celebrity has. The rest of your experience should be comparable to MSC.

[travelberlin]

I am a big fan of Celebrity. I have only sailed once with MSC, but I have already booked another cruise. In my opinion, Celebrity is more customer oriented while MSC is still facing the challenge of expanding from a cargo ship to a passengers ship.

I enjoy both of them. I feel more confortable with Celebrity in terms of problems solving, contact with officers, and hygiene on board. However if the Itinerary and the price is right I would book MSC.

[Jo and Rob]

Main differences:

 

1. MSC has salt water pools and Celebrity has fresh water pools.
   
2. MSC children sail for free.
   
3. MSC excursions are a fraction of Celebrity prices.
   
4. MSC charges for room service unless in Caribbean (free breakfast though in Europe)
   
5. MSC makes whole cabin take a drinks package rather than just one person.
   
6. MSC has mutliple languages so announcements (and fire drill) go on and on.
   
7. MSC shows on Poesia tended to be singers and dancers every night with no comedians.
   
8. MSC has free fruit juice throughout the day in the buffet and Celebrity only has free juice at breakfast.
   
9. Both have free soft serve ice cream (although MSC is only free soft serve in Caribbean)
   
10. Celebrity also has a selection of ice cream flavours in the buffet free.
    
11. Pastries on MSC were amazing!!!!
    
12. Food on Celebrity is superior to all other lines we have sailed with.
    
13. Celebrity entertainment is much better and much more varied.
    
14. Celebrity has special events such as brunch on one of the sea days.
    
15. Celebrity is more formal than MSC.
    
16. Both automatically add autotips to the account.
    

Hope this helps. :)

[navyrotorhead]

 

There is one fact about cruising that you will soon learn... There is no such thing as a bad cruise!

 

Betty

 

Titanic, Lusitania, Andrea Doria, Oceanos, and Concordia, ARE among the rather few NOTABLE exceptions! ;)

 

Just out of curiosity, which one of those 10,000 lakes are you close to?

[Tatka]

The two lines are really very different. MSC is more geared to Europeans with many announcements in a number of languages. Celebrity is considered a more upscale experience with very good food and service. Food in the main dining room, buffet, Cafe al Bacio and the Aqua Spa Cafe are all included, as is the grill for burgers.

 

We sailed on MSC Poesia in Caribbean and did not hear many announcements. Only in main theater.

 

We absolutely love entertainment on Poesia, especially tenor and mezzo-soprano. Professional.

Also... there were so many lounges with live music. :) We would gladly sail with MSC again, but probably not in Med, as there will be many more kids, and people on the ship.

[The_Big_M]

We sailed on MSC Poesia in Caribbean and did not hear many announcements. Only in main theater.

 

The same.

 

Plus Celebrity has as many announcements in the fire drill now that they go through all the languages on the recording for it. More than MSC in fact e.g. Japanese...

[gek]

:) We would gladly sail with MSC again, but probably not in Med, as there will be many more kids, and people on the ship.

 

Agreed. In my experience MSC in the Med is full of rugrats, deckchair hogging lobsters and party animals. The fact that their "fruit and vegetable carving demonstration" resulted mainly in representations of male and female genitalia says it all.

 

Lovely ships though :)

[The_Big_M]

It wasn’t like that on our MSC cruise. I’d expect to hear about it more often if it was a common issue as well.

 

Sometimes a carrot is just a carrot.

[Stoffel1982]

There were lots of Italians and tons of children running and screaming around the ship. Not that I mind kids, but there weren't a lot of quiet places on the ship...

 

We now booked a med cruise with Celebrity, what "kind" of people will be on board in general?

 

 

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[gek]

It wasn’t like that on our MSC cruise. I’d expect to hear about it more often if it was a common issue as well.

 

Sometimes a carrot is just a carrot.

 

Believe me, it quite obviously wasn't "just a carrot" :)

 

However it does highlight the point that different itineraries at different times of year on the same line can result in very different experiences. I've cruised on a Carnival ship out of peak season in the Med and it honestly felt like I was on Celebrity, except the service was even better. Apart from the ship itself it wasn't at all crass or noisy.

 

Just goes to show how big an effect your fellow passengers have on your cruise experience.

[The_Big_M]

There were lots of Italians and tons of children running and screaming around the ship. Not that I mind kids, but there weren't a lot of quiet places on the ship...

 

We now booked a med cruise with Celebrity, what "kind" of people will be on board in general?

 

 

Instead of lots of Italians, lots of Americans. :-)

 

As for noise, they're revamping things to have more music inside the ship, so it's not always quiet. Combine that with the loss of a number of quiet areas and seating that used to exist, and smaller libraries, to replace with revenue earning cabins and other facilities, there aren't the peaceful havens that there used to be onboard.

 

It does have a different clientele and feel to MSC - but it's not dramatically different either. Generally, it is an older, less active clientele onboard. But there can still be a significant number of children and they have good kids club facilities as well.

[Kathie44]

Jo and Rob--what X ships have fresh water pools? As far as I know Princess is the only line with fresh water pools. I have not been on S-class yet--first one coming up in Jan. The C-class and M-Class ships I've sailed on all had salt water pools, as did the hot tubs.

Activity-I can't say X passengers are less active. There is so much to do and so little time to do it. I am always busy doing fun stuff on the ship, but also like to hang out at the pool and read/relax between trivia and other games. There is plenty of music and dancing, the shows are very good, the staff is wonderful.

Celebrity has a much smaller number of children, who are kept busy with great youth programs. I've not had any real problems with kids on X. Once, in an elevator, a couple of pre-teen boys were pushing all the floor buttons. I gave them my sternest "mom" look and they got off at the next deck, lol. That's about it. No running, screaming or other disruption. The only other line I've sailed is RCCL. There were hundreds of kids on board, but even then it was not a problem.

I love the non-smoking policies. The only problem is now I tend to stay in the casino longer,lol. But at least I don't have to hold my breath walking through. I think you will really enjoy a Celebrity cruise. I started out with RCCL and enjoyed all 4 of the cruises, but have settled on Celebrity as my favorite (11 cruises and another booked for Jan.).