RCL vs celebrity

[UNV-IT!!!]

I have an upcoming cruise on radiance doing the Alaska southbound from Seward. I do have a balcony and I'll be diamond plus for that cruise.

 

Now I checked out celebrity and I can do the exact same sailing on the millennium for a few hundred less but I will also get free tips, free beverage package and $300 OBC. I believe with celebrity diamond plus is elite? I was looking at the aqua class rooms with balcony.

 

Now never having sailed celebrity I don't know what to expect or if it's worth switching. For the price and the added perks it's hard not to consider. So for you experts who have sailed both lines what's the main differences and for those of you who have actually done the Alaska cruises on both lines or more specifically both ships your opinions are great appreciated.

[Clarea]

...I believe with celebrity diamond plus is elite? ....

This is correct.

 

One difference is there is no balcony discount on Celebrity

[Blizzard54]

We have done Alaska on both lines. We have sailed on the Summit witch is the same class as the Millie. We have sailed the Radiance many times.

 

If you can get an Aqua class for less than what you would be paying on the Radiance I would say go for it! The beverage package and OBC are another plus. Aqua class comes with a picture of tea and bottled water in cabin daily. It also includes the Blu dining room. We really enjoyed Blu.

 

You are eligible for Elite on Celebrity if you are Diamond on RCL.

[iancal]

We just returned from a SoS Med cruise. We have done several Celebrity cruises over the past two years. This was our first RCI cruise since 1998.

 

We liked everything except the MDR. We found that the food quality and prep was not nearly as good as what we have experienced on Celebrity. It appears to us that RCI was really cutting the food budget. This would make us think twice about another RCI cruise.

 

Only other complaint was the movies-the free ones. We get much better ones at home, on the TV. Not really certain why RCI bothers or perhaps it is to encourage folk to use their pay for view.

 

All else was great, especially the Diamond Lounge.

[ark-03-engineer]

The ships are the same size in tonnage, but radiance can hold slightly more passengers (2100, vs. 2500) and almost the same age. I cannot compare as I have not been on RCI yet (sailing on Quantum next week) but I was looking at both for my first cruise last summer.

 

I sailed on Millennium sister ship the Celebrity Summit in Aqua Class to Bermuda in July and did enjoy my time. My sense is that celebrity is more geared for older passengers. The celebrity venues are more limited and you do not have as wide a variety when compared to RCI in terms of activities and dining options.

 

One plug for Aqua Class, one of the best parts is access to Blu, the dining room available to only Aqua Class guests. There was something very nice about being in a smaller dining room for the entire cruise and you really get to know almost all the staff working the room.

 

I hope this helps, I'm not that experienced again only have the one cruise under me, luckily it was on an M Class ship

[UNV-IT!!!]

Thank you all very much for the opinions and information so far. It's very helpful. I've always heard celeb was an older crowd but I figured since it Alaska it would be slightly older across both lines anyways.

[CountryMom27]

How about RCL vs. Celebrity for families? We're looking at sailing to the Caribbean this March (pre-Spring break) and are considering RCL & Celebrity. We've only cruised on Disney and are looking for something new that will also entertain our boys, ages 8 & 11. I'm a little worried about being nickel & dimed (I don't care about paying for cocktails, but soda is a little weird - no biggie as we don't drink soda but still...) - and wondering about the quality of service, size of rooms (balcony) and quality of food.

[slk230red]

Thank you all very much for the opinions and information so far. It's very helpful. I've always heard celeb was an older crowd but I figured since it Alaska it would be slightly older across both lines anyways.

 

I would go with Celebrity, they have some fantastic deals right now....like the one you're talking about. If you book Aqua Class, having breakfast and dinner at Blu is a plus.

 

Old people cruise on Celebrity, their parents cruise on Holland.;)

[UNV-IT!!!]

I would go with Celebrity, they have some fantastic deals right now....like the one you're talking about. If you book Aqua Class, having breakfast and dinner at Blu is a plus.

 

Old people cruise on Celebrity, their parents cruise on Holland.;)

 

Is the menu the same in blu as the MDR?

[UNV-IT!!!]

Would a future cruise discount from rccl be usable on celeb?

[cb at sea]

No..Blu offers a different menu!

[slk230red]

No..Blu offers a different menu!

 

Right, different menu, top notch service, and it will spoil you.

[sail2sea]

Royal is known for maintaining their older ships well. How does Celebrity maintain their older ships compared to Royal?

[Oville]

I cruise both lines and I give a big edge to Aqua class on Celebrity. We got off the Explorer a week ago and the food was mediocre at best. We love dining in Blu and rarely have a complaint about the food.

 

The overall atmosphere of the cruise lines are different. Celebrity only makes announcements once a day, no belly flop or hairy chest contests but does have a fun bar, Martini, which is pretty hopping in the evening. As you know RC caters to families and kids, not so much on Celebrity.

 

Good luck with your decision, for me no contest, the Millie

[panoramaofthepast]

I would take Celebrity in a heartbeat. We did the Panama Canal on Millie - lovely ship, wonderful crew, great perks. We didn't eat in Blu, but the food in the MDR was really good. There was a deal on specialty restaurants [worked out to buy 2 and get three, just about] - Qzine is really quirky - great fun if you have a crowd to share it with. Olympic is old school perfection!

[UNV-IT!!!]

I cruise both lines and I give a big edge to Aqua class on Celebrity. We got off the Explorer a week ago and the food was mediocre at best. We love dining in Blu and rarely have a complaint about the food.

 

The overall atmosphere of the cruise lines are different. Celebrity only makes announcements once a day, no belly flop or hairy chest contests but does have a fun bar, Martini, which is pretty hopping in the evening. As you know RC caters to families and kids, not so much on Celebrity.

 

Good luck with your decision, for me no contest, the Millie

 

I'm calling celeb in a few to talk details

[IMNiles]

This is a tough call - they're both fine ships (I've sailed both). For families, I'd give the edge to Royal - they skew younger and there is more for the kids to do. For a 45+ couple then I'd give the edge to Celebrity. We're both "lower forties" and now find that we prefer the ambiance on Celebrity. It's classy without being stuffy, with a vibe that befits their "modern luxury" tagline.

 

As others have mentioned, we think the food on X is a "cut above" Royal and while I know this sounds like a minor thing, we love the fact that there are no announcements other than the midday captain's briefing and perhaps the occasional crew drill. No "BINGO BINGO BINGO" or what have you.

 

Both ships are similar in size, though the space ratio is better on Millennium. We have found that the drinks have gotten fairly expensive lately on Celebrity, but since you have the drink package that's no big deal.

 

Someone else asked about future cruise bookings - no, they are not transferable across lines but you can book one while sailing on the other. Yes, Diamond Plus makes you Elite on Celebrity, and we find that we prefer the elite cocktail party on Celebrity over the Concierge Lounge on RCCL. The free internet (amount varies by trip length) and laundry are also a big plus.

 

Either ship would be a great choice, of course - you can't go wrong!

[Ocean Boy]

I cruise both lines and I give a big edge to Aqua class on Celebrity. We got off the Explorer a week ago and the food was mediocre at best. We love dining in Blu and rarely have a complaint about the food.

 

The overall atmosphere of the cruise lines are different. Celebrity only makes announcements once a day, no belly flop or hairy chest contests but does have a fun bar, Martini, which is pretty hopping in the evening. As you know RC caters to families and kids, not so much on Celebrity.

 

Good luck with your decision, for me no contest, the Millie

 

One thing I really miss when we sail on RCI is the Martini bar on Celebrity. For some reason martinis just taste different, and better, from those bars! A free drink package and a Celebrity Martini bar would definitely have my attention. :)

 

Celebrity has a very good product. I prefer Roayl's ships but for Alaska I don't think it matters as much. In the Caribbean I make a lot of use of the sports deck and we do like the Royal Promenade. But I think a Radiance class ship and an M class Celebrity ship are not that much different for Alaska. I'd go with the best financial package.

Edited November 8, 2014 by Ocean Boy

[Blizzard54]

Is the menu the same in blu as the MDR?

 

The Blu menu is different. We have experienced both that and the MDR and they are both very good. The service in Blu is top notch.

[bighairtexan]

I sail both lines and if all things were equal, I'd choose Celebrity. UNLESS I was traveling with kids. If I had to worry about keeping kids entertained (been there done that) I'd probably go with RCI. Celebrity has a good children's program, but just not as many things on the ships to do for kids.

 

For singles or couples, whether you're in your 20's or 70's, I'd choose Celebrity in a heartbeat. Even if you don't go with AQ, the MDR (IMHO) is better on Celebrity. Room service is better. I LOVE the Cafe al Bacio. Service in general is about the same (stewards, wait staff).

 

Although I agree w/ the OP that Alaska tends to have an older crowd in general, there will probably be an older demographic on Celebrity. But the days of walkers and scooters is perhaps coming to an end on Celebrity as they actively seem to be targeting younger cruisers. Therefore the night life is a bit less sedate than a few years back.

 

As far as upkeep on the ships, all of the M-class ships had extensive dry docks in the past couple three years and were "Solsticized" to give more of the boutique hotel feel. It's modern and for the most part, the upkeep is excellent.

[Clarea]

Would a future cruise discount from rccl be usable on celeb?

I'd be surprised if the FCC could be used on both lines.

[JMG]

Would a future cruise discount from rccl be usable on celeb?

 

No, you can purchase a FCC for Celebrity while on a RCI ship but you cannot use a RCI FCC on a Celebrity booking.

 

We totally enjoyed Celebrity. The "free" drink package and other benefits enticed us to try the line and we were pleasantly surprised. The Martini Bar was lots of fun. Shows did not have the same "wow" as RCI but the singers and dancers were talented.

[UNV-IT!!!]

No, you can purchase a FCC for Celebrity while on a RCI ship but you cannot use a RCI FCC on a Celebrity booking.

 

We totally enjoyed Celebrity. The "free" drink package and other benefits enticed us to try the line and we were pleasantly surprised. The Martini Bar was lots of fun. Shows did not have the same "wow" as RCI but the singers and dancers were talented.

 

I'm not talking about the NCC you purchase I'm talking about a discount certificate isued by rccl for onboard issues

[notsomadhatter]

Have only sailed on Celebrity once so far but it was on Constellation, which is the same class you're considering. Have also sailed Jewel. For that itinerary (and value) I'd definitely pick Millennium class over Radiance class. Upkeep of the ship itself was great. Same standards all around.

 

Enjoy!

[cibumcupio]

I did Celebrity Infinity to Alaska, same class as Millennium, and it was amazing. I also agree that Celebrity is great for couples whether young or old, and not as good for kids as RCI, though still good. The food, especially the MDR and Qsine on Celebrity is fantastic, and there is overall a classier vibe on board. But even for kids on RCI, an Alaska cruise is so much about the ports that whatever activities on board will be boring compared to glacier hikes, dog sledding, train rides and all that.

 

Demographics on a ship I think has much more to do with the time of the sailing than the cruise line. Summer cruises and holiday sailings will have kids, no matter which line. The cruise with the oldest demographic I've ever been on was actually an RCI cruise to Bermuda, during school season. The youngest was the Celebrity to Alaska in July.

 

Also the free drinks package is a no brainer. You will enjoy Celebrity very much.