Which line would you recommend?

[dontpanik]

Background: I have traveled on a couple of different cruise lines and I want us to try a much more elegant cruise next year. Let me start off by saying I HATE large ships but I am budgeted out of the smaller, more boutique lines. We took a CCL Dream cruise late in 2012 and our room was lovely but the personal service just wasn't there plus the MASS of humanity was just too much to take (IMO). It is just my DH and I (we never had kids) and we'll be traveling with my parents (in their late 60s). We'll more than likely be doing a southern or western Caribbean and it needs to be Florida ported. We don't drink, we like quiet, and while we enjoy having a verandah room it isn't a deal breaker if it's an older, smaller ship. I don't really want a ship over about 88,000 GRT.

 

Anyway, There are a few cruises that appeal to me and the prices look comparable between HAL and Celebrity and I wondered what you prefer and why. I am posting this on both boards so if you haven't taken the other line, that's fine, I would like to know why you like/don't like cruises you've taken on them. Thank you so much in advance because I am clueless here:o

[Nancyquilts]

We like them both. Do they both go to the ports you want to see? That would be how I would make my choice.:)

[wallie5446]

The Century in the only Celebrity ship under 88,000, at 71,000. She is doing her farewell tour for the next year.

M-Class 91,000, and S-Class 120,000

We have not sailed HAL in 20 years, don't know about their ship size.

[keithm]

Background: I have traveled on a couple of different cruise lines and I want us to try a much more elegant cruise next year. Let me start off by saying I HATE large ships but I am budgeted out of the smaller, more boutique lines. We took a CCL Dream cruise late in 2012 and our room was lovely but the personal service just wasn't there plus the MASS of humanity was just too much to take (IMO). It is just my DH and I (we never had kids) and we'll be traveling with my parents (in their late 60s). We'll more than likely be doing a southern or western Caribbean and it needs to be Florida ported. We don't drink, we like quiet, and while we enjoy having a verandah room it isn't a deal breaker if it's an older, smaller ship. I don't really want a ship over about 88,000 GRT.

 

Anyway, There are a few cruises that appeal to me and the prices look comparable between HAL and Celebrity and I wondered what you prefer and why. I am posting this on both boards so if you haven't taken the other line, that's fine, I would like to know why you like/don't like cruises you've taken on them. Thank you so much in advance because I am clueless here:o

We always did Cunard till now. We loved our Celebrity trip on the Eclipse. It was a large ship, but we never felt crowded. Food & service was much better than our trips on Cunard(the exception being the Grills, but they're pricey)

[Lois R]

The "M class" ships are in the 90,000 ton range. Compared to many of

what I consider "Floating Cities", 90,000 isn't really that large anymore.

And honestly 88 and 90 are not that far apart.

 

Millennium was the first in it's class, she arrived in 2000.

Infinity arrived in March 2001

Summit arrived in Oct 2001

Constellation arrived in May 2002

 

If you want to stay under 88,000 tons specifically? None of these

are in that exact range....CENTURY, is about 70,000 so she would

be the smallest and oldest ship in the fleet. She has just about 1

year left as she is being sold in April 2015.

She came into fleet in 1995.

 

Hope you find what you are looking for:)

[jsf]

You do know that this is a Celebrity forum, most responses will be for Celebrity. My suggestion would be to look at the Summit but you need a Florida departure. How about a Bermuda cruise out of New York? RCCL has a lot of ships but I wouldn't call them smaller in size. To find a smaller ship it will be an older ship on any line.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

From the sounds of it- I'd do Amazara or Oceania.

[Johnny Heedless]

Anyway, There are a few cruises that appeal to me and the prices look comparable between HAL and Celebrity and I wondered what you prefer and why.

 

I took one cruise on HAL. The cruise was food was on par with Celebrity. The service was probably notch above.

 

The age of the passengers on HAL was pretty significantly older than Celebrity. If your parents are in their 60s, you'll be among the youngest on board. Even though we're younger, the relatively elderly crowd didn't bother us at all.

 

What bothered us was HAL's smoking policy. We had a balcony cabin and our neighbors on both sides seemingly smoked 24 hours a day for the full 7 days of our cruise. This effectively made our balcony completely useless to us -- we would have been better off booking a ocean view cabin. After that experience, we decided never to take a cruise on any line that allows smoking on their balconies.

[dontpanik]

Thank you for the responses so far. Normally, I just ask around my friends and family, but no one has taken either line. I say around 88,000, but that's not a hard and fast rule, just a general guideline. I LOVED the Disney Magic/Wonder (83-84,000) and the Sovereign was close as well. I don't mind older ships but it's hard to find small and even mid-size ships sailing from Florida as they are usually used in the Western departures or some for seasonal use in Europe though less of that now and more selling off of the ships :(. I will say that Carnival wasn't really my thing, but I did love our room (Cove balcony). There were just too many people everywhere, all the time. I also have had to have several surgeries and while I walk just fine, I can't walk long distances. We did a cabin crawl on the cruise and walked the pier in Cozumel and between the two I was forced to miss dinner because I couldn't move, lol.

 

The Florida departure is necessary because none of us wants to fly and one can't. We are literally walking distance to Port Canaveral which is why all of our cruises have been from there so far, but anywhere in Florida (and even Mobile, AL) is only a few hours drive.

 

From the sounds of it- I'd do Amazara or Oceania.

Oh goody, even more choices, LOL:p. I'll definitely take a look. My mailman keeps looking at me funny as the brochures keep arriving. I've had everything from Crystal and Seabourn to Carnival and RCI.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Princess also owns two of the R-ships (Ocean and Pacific), which at 92,000 tons are close to your ideal size. They tend to do exotic itineraries, but they do occasionally do a cruise out of Fort Lauderdale. The Princess website shows one FLL roundtrip: Dec. 14, 2014 calling at St. Thomas, St. Barts, St. Kitts, Trinidad, Barbados, Martinique, Antigua, Virgin Gorda (14 days).

[CaribbeanBound]

Yes, the HAL cruisers are usually of greatly advanced age.

 

My mother-in-law enjoyed her HAL cruise. I think you'll enjoy either. Choose by the itinerary and whether you want to be with "more experienced" folks or not.

 

You might also consider a river cruise or intercoastal waterway. Much smaller ships and generally good reviews. Normally more expensive than a large ship though.

Edited March 12, 2014 by CaribbeanBound

[Redtravel]

I like both HAL and Celebrity. I like Celebrity more. My kids like HAL more. Why?

Here are some of my observations:

 

HAL sells an inexpensive unlimited laundry plan. Celebrity will sell you laundry by the piece. Prices are fair. Celebrity does not have a laundry room where you can do your own laundry. AS you sail Celebrity more, you will get coupons for free or discounted laundry.

 

HAL has a more varied type of entertainment. Several small venues with live music. Celebrity is good. Celebrity has more upbeat (often loud) music. HAL is quieter.

 

Celebrity has more activities for adults and small kids. Fun Factory is my grandson's favorite place on the ship. HAL has a kids program...just okay.

 

FOOD. MDR :HAL is good. Celebrity is better. BUffet: HAL is better. HAL serves the same food as the MDR during dinner hours. Celebrity has a nice assortment at breakfast and lunch. Dinner choices are limited.

 

Cabins: HAL and Celebrity are both nice. Celebrity has bathtubs only in suites. HAL has them in most cabins. That is especially good when traveling with small kids.

 

I would sail on either line. You will have a nice time.

[miched]

We sailed on the Dream during the tropical storm Sandy, it was our 17th cruise on Carnival, we got off that ship and then drove to Ft Lauderdale to get on the Ruby Princess. Since then it has been 6 on Celebrity.

 

We like the S class, especially in AQ, but they are larger ships.

 

You would probably enjoy the smaller M class ships. They are more traditional and smaller but still big enough to offer a lot of variety.

 

The staff and officers on Celebrity are more friendly and always present in the public areas.

 

M class ships are Millenium, Constellation, Infinity, and Summit.

 

I think that you will find those ships to be very enjoyable.

 

 

🌊🚢🇺🇸

[jomf]

we would not pick Hal because of their smoking policy. Celebrity do not allow smoking on balconies or in the cabin. No smell as you walk down the corridors or whilst enjoying the balcony. Bliss!

[matondo]

HAL ships are smaller and tend to not have a large ship feel. There are no soaring atriums. We took my 70 something in-laws on HAL and they loved it!

 

I will be taking my first Celebrity cruise this fall and I am looking forward to being able to compare the two.

 

I follow both threads and there seem to be lovers and haters at both sites. No matter which line you choose always remember a day at sea beats any day at work!