Celebrity and Crystal Comparisons

[mvmag]

My husband and I took our first cruise this summer on the Crystal Harmony to Alaska. We loved it and have booked another cruise with Crystal next June. But this Christmas we wanted to go with our two sons (19 and 22) on a Carribbean cruise. We've booked Concierge Class on the Millenium. Anybody out there able to tell us how the two cruise lines compare? I'm interested because our experiences on Crystal were so fabulous and I have read that Celebrity is trying to position itself as the Crystal line for a younger crowd. All insights welcome.

[Kanata]

We did a Panama Canal cruise with the Crystal Lines quite a few years ago and thought it was great. However, we have taken an Alaskan cruise and Mediterranean cruise with Celebrity and thought it was absolutely great. We actually think it was better value because it was cheaper but did compare very favourably with Crystal. The food was just as good, but the china dinnerware wasn't as nice as Crystal's was. Every public washroom had real linen napkins to wipe your hands, whereas with Celebrity it was often paper. It was just a few little details that made Crystal a little more "perfect". All in all the service was about the same on both lines, the entertainment was similar, the staterooms were almost identical, etc. The cruisers were older on the Crystal lines if that makes any difference.

 

We are thinking about taking a Baltic cruise next year and I am quite sure we will chose Celebrity again.

 

Bon Voyage!

[IggleDoer]

Celebrity is a little livelier and the food is slightly better with a slightly more daring menu. Crystal wins hands down for service and attention to detail.

[mvmag]

I really appreciate the input. I'm thinking "livelier" is something the sons will appreciate. :)

[kitty9]

Just finished my 14 Crystal cruise and I've done 4 Celebrity, and while Celebrity is the best in terms of mass market lines, it really cannot compare in terms of food and service. On X, food is mass prepared and on Crystal is prepared to order. If you want something special prepared for dinner, say something like steak Diane, you can get that on Crystal by just asking your head waiter, but it would be difficult on X. You find a lot of tableside preparation of food and dessert on Crystal, but not on X. I don't find the menu on X to be anywhere near daring, with them serving your usual steak, poultry and seafood. But, the food on X is the best I've experienced on any mass market line. The closest thing you come to Crystal food on X is in their alternate restaurants on the M class ships---those restaurants are absolutely exceptional.

 

For kids your sons' age, Celebrity would be more fun. You don't find many, if any, older teens, early 20's on Crystal. While on the holiday cruises you will find more kids, they tend to be elementary age kids, with a few high school kids. But Crystal doesn't offer anything for that age group to do, with their age for gambling and in the bars to be 21, unlike the mass market lines that allow drinking and gambling at 18.

[ahoymatey3]

This is the 1st time I ever heard X described as 'lively' :cool:

[kitty9]

X is lively when compared to Crystal, which is what the OP is asking about. When compared to Carnival, Celebrity isn't exactly lively.