CruisingGatorGirl Posted August 17, 2013 #1 Share Posted August 17, 2013 I am in the middle of reliving and retyping our experience on a Celebrity Solstice Mediterranean cruise last summer. I also just went on Carnival for my bachelorette cruise in July. Therefore I have been doing a lot of reflecting and talking about my cruise experiences with friends and the thing I notice the most is how highly my fiance and I talk about Celebrity. And it got me thinking... If somebody were to ask you, in YOUR opinion, the top 3 (ok maybe 5, 3 is hard to do) reasons you prefer Celebrity over other main-stream cruise lines what would you say? I am wondering if there is a common theme here :) Ours would be: 1.) Food 2.) Customer Service on board 3.) Decor/room size 4.) Smoking Policy 5.) Lack of "cheese" (belly-flop, slides, etc.) What your top 3 or 5 be? Maybe I could add a poll? (I have never done that :rolleyes:) Looking forward to your responses! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ladylemondrop Posted August 17, 2013 #2 Share Posted August 17, 2013 Ambience (Beautiful ships) Variety of places to eat Staterooms (modern, comfortable) Staff Smoking policy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruisingGatorGirl Posted August 17, 2013 Author #3 Share Posted August 17, 2013 Ambience (Beautiful ships)Variety of places to eat Staterooms (modern, comfortable) Staff Smoking policy thank you :) I re-did it with a poll this time.. if the poll worked :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare richstowe Posted August 17, 2013 #4 Share Posted August 17, 2013 -Smoking policy -Being treated as a trustworthy adult (minimal announcements, not having to sign out pool towels, less hard-sell, etc.) -No charge homemade ice-cream Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kellie Poodle Posted August 17, 2013 #5 Share Posted August 17, 2013 1) non-smoking policy. Best on the high seas. I can even waste money at the casino! ;) 2) crew. We now sail on Royal Caribbean and Celebrity exclusively (except for river cruises) and their training program is the best. In all our years of cruising with RCI and Celebrity, we have come upon one negative crew member whom, we understand, is no longer with the fleet. I have stood in the line at guest relations and heard the most awful "guests" lambaste those poor crew members who are absolutely angelic in their demeanor. 3) ports. We cruise for ports and Celebrity tends to offer us cruises to places we want to go. We are pretty much done with Caribbean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Cruiser 6143 Posted August 17, 2013 #6 Share Posted August 17, 2013 -Smoking policy-Being treated as a trustworthy adult (minimal announcements, not having to sign out pool towels, less hard-sell, etc.) -No charge homemade ice-cream That would be my current top 3. Staff, when they're on their game, was usually a BIG thing for me, but lately I've encountered some lackluster staff mixed in with the gems. Luckily, the gems still outnumber the others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYCcruiser86 Posted August 17, 2013 #7 Share Posted August 17, 2013 My boyfriend and I were just discussing this. It's come to the point where we start with celebrity in our search and only look at other lines if they don't have something even a little close to what we're looking for 1) lack of cheesiness is definitely #1 2) ambiance 3) relaxed atmosphere 4) drink package policy (not everyone in cabin needs to get it) 5) cabin size Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandchick Posted August 17, 2013 #8 Share Posted August 17, 2013 1. Geared towards adults 2. Drink package 3. Minimal announcements 4. Really good specialty venues 5. Elegant decor, not too gaudy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyTvlr Posted August 18, 2013 #9 Share Posted August 18, 2013 1) Value for money on cruise price. X offers just enough luxury. Other lines surely offer more luxury, but they come with a hefty price. I compared X to Silver Sea for our Panama Canal cruise and X was 1/3 the price. Would SS have been fantastic with better sheets, amenities, and real champagne? Yep, but I had such an awesome time on X I don't feel like I missed a thing. 2) Drinks packages. It makes the cruise more like an AI so I know ahead of time what my costs will be. 3) Service/Staff onboard. We have always been treated with courtesy and respect, and enjoyed many laughs with staff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NLH Arizona Posted August 18, 2013 #10 Share Posted August 18, 2013 Staff/crew Smoking policy Cabin Size Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wallie5446 Posted August 18, 2013 #11 Share Posted August 18, 2013 For us there is no single piece of the package that is a deal maker or breaker. Are there things they do very well, yes. Are there things that need attention from cruise to cruise, yes. But it is the A-Z of the entire product that keeps us coming back. Take one piece of the puzzle away, and the picture can fall into disarray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miched Posted August 18, 2013 #12 Share Posted August 18, 2013 No Smoking Elite benefits 1 2 3 . :D We like everything about X. That is why we are now Elite because we kept cruising with them. The other above policies and promos just put it over the top and make it that much better. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Cruise Raider Posted August 18, 2013 #13 Share Posted August 18, 2013 First - love the staff / crew onboard. They always remember your name and really go out of their way to make you feel special Second - no smoking policies onboard - especially on the balconies but now also in the casino and bars/lounges Third -- the overall atmosphere doesn't lend itself to the whole kid experience Fourth -- those indoor pools -- yes!! And -- they are not cheap on letting you use the pool towels / blankets Fifth -- nice cabin layouts -- roomy compared to some (but don't particularly like the closet doors -- like the open closets better) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbappel Posted August 18, 2013 #14 Share Posted August 18, 2013 No smoking on the balconies No smoking in the casino No smoking in most of the bars Spacious cabins The people who choose Celebrity are the best! Keeping it to 5, that's it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mulege Posted August 18, 2013 #15 Share Posted August 18, 2013 No smoking policy Cabin, balcony, shower size Full In room dining Free pastries and finger sandwiches at coffee bar Real hand towels in the public restrooms Only one or two announcements daily Oops, getting carried away! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucinjo Posted August 18, 2013 #16 Share Posted August 18, 2013 1. Smoking policy 2. Beverage packages, especially the fact that we don't both have to get one if one of us wants one! Also the wine program. 3. Ambiance on the ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HelenREMfan Posted August 18, 2013 #17 Share Posted August 18, 2013 Few children if I select early autumn sailings - it isn't children who bother me - after all I have spent a working life with them - but other people's parenting "skills". Comfortable staterooms Good service, good ships, good planning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen@Steve Posted August 18, 2013 #18 Share Posted August 18, 2013 Ours would be: 1.) Food 2.) Customer Service on board 3.) Decor/room size 4.) Smoking Policy 5.) Lack of "cheese" (belly-flop, slides, etc.) What your top 3 or 5 be? You captured ours perfectly. I might add...dining availabe on our verenda for any meal! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruisingGatorGirl Posted August 18, 2013 Author #19 Share Posted August 18, 2013 You captured ours perfectly. I might add...dining availabe on our verenda for any meal! You're right! I should have added that too, we loved eating on the balcony :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthCarolinaBelle Posted August 18, 2013 #20 Share Posted August 18, 2013 -Smoking policy-Being treated as a trustworthy adult (minimal announcements, not having to sign out pool towels, less hard-sell, etc.) -No charge homemade ice-cream Those are my three! (although I would reverse the second and third:)) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYCcruiser86 Posted August 18, 2013 #21 Share Posted August 18, 2013 Few children if I select early autumn sailings - it isn't children who bother me - after all I have spent a working life with them - but other people's parenting "skills". . Can I add a 6th?! 100% agree. We've rarely encountered children. One one Bermuda sailing there were literally 3 children aboard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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