Anyone tried Celebrity and Carnival and could give me tips?

[Velvetwater]

Hi

 

We just booked the Equinox for this year as their offer for the 13 day in August was too good to pass up. It is obvious we are Carnival fans but looking forward to trying a new line and have been doing lots of research.

 

Interested in anyone that sailed Carnival then Celebrity or the other way round.

 

1)Any major differences?

2) Any plus points for Carnival compared to Celebrity?

3) Any plus points for Celebrity compared to Carnival?

4) Any comparisons to the passengers/staff on both lines?

 

Thanks :)

[SadieN]

IIRC Celebrity has no guest laundry rooms

[meatloafsfan]

Each line has it's plusses and minuses.

 

Some things I like about Celebrity:

 

Drink Packages - we're not big drinkers but I do enjoy their non alcoholic packages

 

Café Al Bacio - so many varieties of specialty coffees and teas (goes hand in hand with the drink package comment above) along with great complimentary desserts.

 

Buffet for dinner. They have made to order steak, chicken, etc along with many other dishes - including a decent selection of sushi.

[tea4ular]

I've sailed both lines.

 

What I loved about Celebrity was the impeccable service, right from the get go upon embarkation. I actually loved how few announcements were made throughout the trip (there were daily updates by the captain, but that was about it). I loved their homemade breads and ice cream. Another thing we LOVED was their "at sea" brunch - oh my! This was like the age-old midnight buffets! It was held in the main dining room, with carving stations, and fruit, eggs to order, etc. Because we had 5 sea days (12 night cruise) we enjoyed this option over and over again. Over all I felt it was a more gentile cruise, with a nice group of passengers (I can't even recall if there were any children on our ship, that's how well behaved they were). We also became addicted to Wii-bowling every morning at 11...so much so that I bought one when I got home!

 

What we didn't care for was that it seemed the "streets rolled up by 9:30" - one night after dancing a bit (we did finally find where music to dance to was) it was about 10ish or so (dancing was over at 11), and we went in search of some sweet treat to enjoy with a cup of tea. Nothing to be found. My friend however made friends (;)) with a young man cleaning up around the buffet area and begged him for some cookies. Voila! A plate of cookies.

 

I would say overall we loved Celebrity and if we could afford them we would sail them again.

 

Now all this being said, we have sailed all the majors (except Princess and Disney) and have never had a "bad" cruise. Ever.

[lazydayz]

As to Celebrity, I agree about it being a gentler cruise. Atmosphere is very laid back. We were on a sister ship and it is beautiful. No garish colors or designs. Hardly any announcements. Food is better than Carnival's and the specialty restaurants are excellent. Drink package was great.

 

But the ship became quiet by 10 and about the only activity was the casino.

 

As to Carnival, there is always something going on. It really is more fun. From waiters singing and dancing to late night comedy shows. There is more partying and more music.

 

Both lines offer a good product. Enjoy your upcoming Celebrity cruise.

[Guest]

You cant really compare the two. Its like Walmart vs.Nordstroms. The food is so much better on Celebrity. Everything is more elegant and personal.There are very few kids on Celebrity. The fixtures and areas are classy. Carnival is common.

Edited May 31, 2015 by garsny
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[stoddaj1]

We did our first Celebrity cruise in March and were excited to see what a more "upscale" cruise experience would be like. We chose this cruise ultimately because the drink package was included as we had already been to the ports. The price worked out to be the same as our previous Carnival cruises after paying for our drinks. We were initially concerned about snobbishness but found this not to be an issue. Yes there were some but there always are. We returned being rather undecided about the experience. Note: We are not people who ask for or expect special treatment so please keep this in mind while reading.

 

Dining- We found the food and variety in the MDR better on Carnival. My husband will eat anything but I am picky (meat and potatoes). Over the week there was never an appetizer that I would eat. The service was the same though we did find that the waiters were busier thereby not allowing us to get to know them as we have been able to on our Carnival cruises. We really missed this!

 

Cabins- Both balcony cabins were essentially the same. Like the enclosed shower on Celebrity, but disliked the over bed storage area for our tshirts, shorts etc. It seemed odd to stand on the bed to get them.

 

Drinks- Loved the concept of the drink package and the wine service in the MDR on Celebrity was fabulous. But a huge drawback for us was the difficulty getting a drink on deck (some days it was good and others non existent) and in the bars. With the majority of passengers having the package we felt that they were greatly understaffed in this area. Not a whole lot of smiling and friendliness from waiters and bar staff as we have always had on Carnival. No ordering drinks in the theatre during performances either.

 

Entertainment- It was fine but we REALLY missed the comedy acts on Carnival. There was one show over the 7 nights but that was it.

 

Chairs- We always seek out a quiet area to sit and enjoy the sun which we were able to find with no problem. Chairs seemed to be abundant in this area for quite a while. I did miss the outdoor showers to cool off in that Carnival has.

 

So... overall we liked the cruise but didn't come away feeling that we had a new cruise line. For us, the additional cost really isn't worth it if itineraries are equal.

[Velvetwater]

Thanks!

 

This 13 day Med cruise has actually worked out cheaper than our 12 day Vista Med next year by about £100 ($150) each although we realise we booked late on Celebrity and the Vista wil be brand new in its Inaugural season.

 

We do love the Comedy on Carnival and the energy of the ships so its sad to hear these are not as present but I am excited for the food and ample deck space!

 

Husband will miss the Laundry but I pack enough for 13 days :D

Edited May 31, 2015 by Velvetwater

[cruzeluver]

I have been on multiple cruises on both lines and on multiple ships classes (on Carnival: Holiday, Conquest, Spirit and Fantasy class, on Celebrity : Century, Millennium and Solstice class).

 

Celebrity has much better passenger-to-space ratios, therefore their ships feel much less crowded than Carnival ships do. Celebrity only makes one announcement per day, and its the captain giving a weather/sea condition update, as well as travel distance to the next port of call. No CD yelling at you to attend bingo, ice carving and other events. They assume their passengers can read the daily activity sheets. Celebrity spends more per passenger on food and that shows. Better quality and more creatively prepared. Ships are more elegant and reserved in their décor than Carnival tends to be (although the newest Carnival ships seem to have toned down the over-the-top décor which I like.

 

None of this is to say we don't still like Carnival, because we do. We just go into a Carnival cruise with a different set of expectations. More casual, good but uninspired food (not including the steakhouses and chef's table which is amazing!), more basic cabins and very friendly, but less polished service. Typically we go with Carnival when the port of departure is very convenient. We are booked on a 10 nigh Journeys cruise on Sunshine out of Charleston next year as we live 20 minutes from the port.

Edited May 31, 2015 by cruzeluver
spelling

[Grandmaanne7]

I agree that Celebrity offers a more refined cruise. Food is a bit better and, although Carnival's service is usually quite good, Celebrity's is excellent. We have a cruise coming up on Carnival next week. I am anticipating a good cruise however, my expectations are lowered somewhat.

[winddawn]

Hi

 

We just booked the Equinox for this year as their offer for the 13 day in August was too good to pass up. It is obvious we are Carnival fans but looking forward to trying a new line and have been doing lots of research.

 

Interested in anyone that sailed Carnival then Celebrity or the other way round.

 

1)Any major differences?

2) Any plus points for Carnival compared to Celebrity?

3) Any plus points for Celebrity compared to Carnival?

4) Any comparisons to the passengers/staff on both lines?

 

Thanks :)

Celebrity's smoking policy is much more restrictive than Carnival's. Celebrity=no indoor smoking. If you like to visit the casino, this can be a especially nice.

[firemanbobswife]

Advantage Celebrity:

 

Food in MDR and buffet. Also the layout of the buffet is MUCH better on Solstice Class ships.

 

Hot breakfast items for room service.

 

Welcome aboard champagne/mimosa.

 

Martini Bar.

 

They give you the whole can of soda (unopened if you want to take it with you) with their soda package.

 

Beautiful, modern decorations.

 

Entertainment - love the shows and they usually have a major fly on act. Same things aren't repeated. We would have dinner and go to a show EVERY night. Haven't been back to a Carnival show since January of last year. Playlist and Hasbro, etc are HORRIBLE!!!

 

No shower curtain, bar to put your leg on when shaving.

 

Nice, big flat screen tvs in staterooms.

 

No lights on balconies - yes that is a plus for me.

 

Sliding glass doors on balconies - no door slammers.

 

Smoking policy - and it's actually enforced. No smoking in casino, either.

 

Like that they generally have more sea days and better ports - they go to St Maarten more and St Kitts.

 

My boys enjoyed the Kid's Club better. They had a ping pong table and nice place for them to hang out. Bored to death on Carnival - no real plan for the older teens there and a pretty bare Club O2.

 

Advantage Carnival:

 

Chocolate Melting Cake.

 

Pizza is better.

 

Little more nightlife.

 

Price.

 

There may be more, but that's all I can think of for right now.

Edited June 1, 2015 by firemanbobswife

[SMSACE6]

I have done both, but my Celebrity cruise was quite a few years ago. However, my parents cruise on Celebrity every year at least once, so I do hear a lot of feedback from them.

 

The two cruise experiences are quite different. Carnival is more flamboyant, more fun driven...Celebrity is fun too, albeit in a toned down way from Carnival.

 

Celebrity is a more upscale cruise, according to my parents and other family who cruise with them. Personally, I agree with this on a couple of levels... Celebrity buffet is way way better than Carnival's. MDR for me was about equal, if not better on Carnival, just my opinon, not theirs. Entertainment was better on Celebrity. Carnival staff was in my opinion...leagues ahead and better than Celebrity. On my Celebrity cruise, the staff were definitely professional and courteous, but not "warm" or sincere, which I always find on Carnival.

 

I have however only been on one Celebrity cruise, a while ago. My mother who had at the time over 10 Celebrity cruises behind her, went with me on Carnival Liberty a few years back, and she loved it.

 

The biggest thing she liked on Carnival was the vast variety of food options during the day...the MDR menu..had lots more options according to her than Celebrity mdr. She loved the food and said it was just as good as Celebrity. and she also noticed how exceptional the cruise ship staff were, from room steward to dining room waiters, to all other staff encountered around the ship.

 

Bear in mind this is a Carnival cruise five years ago. I still feel that Carnival staff is way and above wonderful in the customer service area, though I still only sail Carnival for now. Cant see how they can be better anywhere else.

 

I would be happy to revisit Celebrity, but not at their prices, and especially cruising solo..not going to pay double on them, when i can still get a good deal on Carnival.

[OCruisers]

There is a "world of difference" between Carnival and Celebrity. :rolleyes:

 

Some of these differences like no shorts in the MDR on Celebrity suit some better than others.;)

If "Hairy Chest" sort of things are what you enjoy, you won't find anything like that on Celebrity cruises. :D

 

Nothing wrong with either cruise line ... depending on what you like ...but they are different! ;)

 

LuLu

[Velvetwater]

One big plus Celebrity has that I just found out about is its selection of craft beers and wine tasting where you can get 1oz of wine and up etc and wine tasting anytime Cellarmasters is open...good times! They apparently do beer and food pairings too.

 

 

Hubby and I love quality tipples (especially craft ales and beers).

 

Hopefully there is a vast range.

 

Thanks for more opinions...got the day off so been doing lots of cruise research! :)

[KellyW25]

Carnival and Celebrity are different, so the key is to treat them as different. I honestly like both lines, for different reason. I loved my recent Pride cruise, but I can't picture taking my parents on it. Celebrity better suits their age and needs (my father has some special needs). This is not to say Celebrity is for "old people", but it often does run older, depending on the time of year.

 

My August Celebrity cruise cost double what we paid for the Pride cruise (both balcony staterooms). You see the real difference in the food and shows. IMO, Carnival's entertainment shows it's lack of budget, but the comedy shows make up for it.

 

As long as you don't make yourself crazy comparing every little diference between the 2 lines, you should love your Celebrity experience.

[cruisetexas]

We just returned from a 10 day on the Equinox and have also cruised the Millenium. We usually cruise Carnival, mostly due to cost. Also note, that we don't cruise for the ship or the line, but the destinations.

 

Having said that, we have found two things I feel are worth mentioning. On both Celebrity cruises, the casino was incredibly empty at all times. We are not casino people, but just walking through at any time of day or night, there were dealers standing around looking bored and the vast majority of the slots were not in use.

 

The main thing we love about Celebrity is they offer learning experiences onboard. They're not destination related in all cases. On the Equinox we had hour long 'lectures' each sea day from the retired director of NASA about future space exploration. On our Millenium cruise, there were sea day lectures on Buddhism (this was an Asian cruise from Singapore).

 

Also, food is SO subjective, but we did not find Celebrity's food any better than Carnival's, but of course, didn't go hungry. The Lido area on the Equinox is very spacious and well thought out and had a larger variety of offerings.

 

Like previous posters, we have never been on a bad cruise. We have a B2B planned on Carnival (21 days) in January and a Celebrity booked for Antarctica in 2017.

 

Enjoy, and happy sailing!

[vaka08]

We have been on both lines and RCCL as well. We find cruises differ more by what class of ship you are on, itinerary, embarkation port and time of year.

 

We are going back to Carnival now because of the different food options available. Celebrity had options but they were mainly all for fee. The "prepaid" options were the typical buffet, grill, pizza and MDR. We missed burritos, deli, better pizza and better hours of food availability.

 

Carnival makes use of walkways with tons of seating and such- which to some can make it feel crowded. Celebrity entertainment at night is more centered around bars and music. Shows aren't a huge draw- no comedy like carnival.

 

Celebrity has less of the sexy man/belly flop type and more of the enrichment entertainment (talks, seminars, crafting) and many of them are for fee (beer, wine type seminars)

 

To us celebrity seemed to be very "class-ist" once you were on board. Blu was only for aqua spa guests. Suite guests are now getting their own restaurant, elite level gets their own lounge , etc.

 

All have been great cruises- depends on what type of vacation you are looking for.

[Velvetwater]

. On both Celebrity cruises, the casino was incredibly empty at all times. We are not casino people, but just walking through at any time of day or night, there were dealers standing around looking bored and the vast majority of the slots were not in use.

 

 

 

This is rather good news as theres a 50/50 chance of our guarantee cabin being under the casino.

[evandbob]

I've sailed the Celebrity Summit and thoroughly enjoyed it, so I have another cruise booked on that ship.

 

1) Food is much better in the MDR on Celebrity than Carnival. And Normandie beats the Carnival Steakhouse which I do enjoy.

 

2) Service is also a notch or two higher across all the crew on Celebrity, not just the room steward.

 

3) The Summit had an indoor thalasso pool, which was wonderful to use after returning to the ship from an excursion.

 

4) The non alcoholic drink package inc. sparkling water like Pellegrino as well as smoothies and red bulls.

 

5) There is no Farcus décor on a Celebrity ship.

 

6) The CD makes at most one quiet announcement during the day....no loud, obnoxious urgings or pleadings to go buy an inch of gold, etc.

 

7) When I cruised the Summit, the casino had both smoking and non smoking days. I hit a jackpot on a slot while wearing my tuxedo.

 

8) While Carnival usually beats Celebrity in pricing, there are fares for a solo on Celebrity that can match or be lower than Carnival's 200% supplement.

Edited June 1, 2015 by evandbob

[bobandalice]

...and enjoy them both. As others have said, for different reasons. The longer Celebrity cruises, definitely appeal to an older crowd, many of whom are quite impressed with their "elite" status. I heard more comments on that cruise about where they are in the system and the number of cruises taken then I have ever heard on any other line. Which is fine. Good for them, but some were quite stuffy. Loved the enrichment programs, the food, the ship (the Eclipse), the staff, and the drink packages. Well worth it, by the way. Premium is a bit more pricey but covered everything we tried, including coffee, water, and soft drinks. Plus lots of booze! :rolleyes: The for-fee restaurants are all great. Especially Murano.

 

And we love Carnival as well. Livelier atmosphere, even on the long cruises and the food is fine.

 

Have never had a bad cruise and thrilled we have choices.

 

Have fun!

[Guest]

Been on celebrity once and carnival about 12.Want to go back on celebrity again.

[almostaswayne]

As the saying goes, "Any day on a ship is better than most days on land." I enjoy both Celebrity and Carnival. A lot of times it comes down to the price and the amount of time I can get away from work.

 

As many posters have mentioned you get a quieter, more relaxed vacation on Celebrity, but it also depends on the time of year. Spring break cruises which I usually take are usually a little more lively, and the 4 day cruises attract a younger crowd also. Nights do end a little earlier on Celebrity, but sometimes that's just what the doctor ordered for rest and relaxation.

 

Cafe al Bacio is outstanding with pastries and snacks always available. With a drink package, it gets even better. The Canyon Ranch spas are different from the standard spas on most ships and the shops have a little more variety. Celebrity also has the Solarium and some really neat dining options like Qsine.

 

But Carnival's warm chocolate melting cake is unmatched in my opinion--as we all know WCMC is fabulous!!

 

It is definitely worth it to experience Celebrity. You will definitely enjoy!!

[slang1272]

Thanks for this info! We'll be sailing on the Summit in Feb. It's our first dip outside the Carnival pool after 13 cruises with them. I can't wait to try the Normandie.

 

I'll miss being able to iron my own clothes, but I imagine I'll get over that quickly :)

 

 

I've sailed the Celebrity Summit and thoroughly enjoyed it, so I have another cruise booked on that ship.

 

1) Food is much better in the MDR on Celebrity than Carnival. And Normandie beats the Carnival Steakhouse which I do enjoy.

 

2) Service is also a notch or two higher across all the crew on Celebrity, not just the room steward.

 

3) The Summit had an indoor thalasso pool, which was wonderful to use after returning to the ship from an excursion.

 

4) The non alcoholic drink package inc. sparkling water like Pellegrino as well as smoothies and red bulls.

 

5) There is no Farcus décor on a Celebrity ship.

 

6) The CD makes at most one quiet announcement during the day....no loud, obnoxious urgings or pleadings to go buy an inch of gold, etc.

 

7) When I cruised the Summit, the casino had both smoking and non smoking days. I hit a jackpot on a slot while wearing my tuxedo.

 

8) While Carnival usually beats Celebrity in pricing, there are fares for a solo on Celebrity that can match or be lower than Carnival's 200% supplement.

[TEXASMUNK]

Formal Night on Celebrity truly is still a formal night