If you were going to upgrade from Celebrity, where would you go?

[goody1]

Hi,

Although HAL isn't an upgrade over X, they have a superb 14 night Alaskan Cruise ex Seattle. We did this in 2010 and it remains one of our favourite cruises.

[DWhit]

Carnival is fun. :)

[4cats4me]

If it were me, I'd choose Princess for Alaska. We've been to Alaska four times, 3 Princess, one Celebrity, and If you are looking for a bit more luxury, you could rent a full suite on a Princess ship. We just think a Princess offers the best itineraries in Alaska.

 

 

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[monorailmedic]

We've not cruised Crystal (which seems a popular suggestion) but we've sailed Oceania in the Med and Alaska. We enjoy Celebrity, but if you want quiet, incredible staterooms (especially on the Marina/Riviera), some of the best food and service at sea, and a great value, Oceania is the way to go.

 

We aren't big night-life people either, and if you weren't I'd say they're not for you. Their overall experience is among the best in my experience. Very casual too (not cut off shorts and tank tops, but relaxed), which is a plus for us. You can honestly tell that they design, appoint, and service their ships as if they were creating their own ideal relaxing vacation experience. It doesn't feel like you're on a cruise, it is more of a small ship/yacht experience with the resources of a larger vessel/fleet.

[upwarduk]

I would stick with what you know and book a suite on X. That way you are familiar with the line, but still get the perks you have earned. You will also be able to eat in Luminea and get some 'free' speciality restaurant meals for your celebrations.

Edited January 1, 2016 by upwarduk

[blueweimer]

This doesn't help with cruise line choice....BUT....if you're considering a "special" cruise, and are interested in an Alaskan cruise, have you thought about a fjord cruise in Norway? I have not done a Norwegian cruise (the country, not the cruise line). BUT....in my life, I have had the opportunity of living in Norway for 11 weeks. The fjords and the country are BEAUTIFUL. I have done an Alaskan cruise, which reminded me VERY much of Norway, but Norway is even more beautiful and incredible in my mind.

[DrivesLikeMario]

I will add to my earlier posting that while Princess in general is not an upgrade to Celebrity, for Alaska it is the best line of all. Here's why: only Princess and HAL have licenses to get into Glacier Bay, and HAL's liberal smoking policy means that it attracts such a high proportions of smokers that it is a real problem. Second, Princess has one ship (Coral Princess) that is ideal for Alaska because it has so many public outside viewing areas -- in fact, IMHO you don't even need to pay for a balcony because you should be moving around to whichever angle is best. Finally, Cruise Critic has a very active Alaska forum where you can get lots of great information about DIY for a land portion before or after your Princess Voyage of the Glaciers.

 

If you're going to recommend the Coral, I would go one step further and recommend the ISLAND. It hasn't had the cut-up, mashed-up retrofitting job the Coral has had done to it recently.

 

We did the Island the year before last on a one-way North to South itinerary and it was fantastic. Add a land portion to the cruise and you've got a really good experience.

[BILLP1]

We liked Regent. Very expensive but to us it was worth it. We have done four cruises on Regent and have never had a bad cruise. Crystal was a disappointment for us. The restaurant had the worst service ever. We were supposed to have any time dining. It was like we did not exist. Finally after complaints to the manager we did get service but never up to the standard that they promise. If the staff knew you they would fawn over you. If not bad service.

[micmacmissy]

Since the OP specifically mentioned liking the S class ships, I'd ask ...would they be happier on the much smaller ships offered on the more premium lines? We like Oceania but it doesn't have the space and entertainment options like on X or Princess. And it is much quieter . So I'd just warn the OP that by going upscale, everything changes, not just food. ;)

 

I'd choose Princess for Alaska and add the 3-5 days of land stay. Oceania has a nice Carib cruise itinerary.

 

OP here...we liked the design/ambiance of the S class...but yes, we'd be totally fine on a much smaller ship. First two cruises were on Mercury and Millennium and we thought those were big (at the time).

 

I will look at Princess for Alaska (it's always daunting to start researching a whole new line...) We don't do a whole lot of dancing/partying, so we'd be happy with some live music and dinner- that's enough of an evening for us! Thank you!

[micmacmissy]

 

For an all together different experience I'd suggest Paul Gauguin in the South Pacific. We've sailed on them twice and loved it. I think it would be perfect for your anniversary as they will do a complimentary anniversary blessing ceremony

 

It's so funny you suggested this...the PG has been on my list for AGES. I even sat my husband down to watch the Mighty Cruise Ship special on PG. I'm having a hard time convincing my husband on this one...he keeps saying, if you want a relaxing tropical vacation we don't have to go halfway around the globe...the price tag is also a little daunting (although now that I'm into my research, the PG seems like a bargain compared to some others!)

 

So this post was my, "okay, if we don't do PG...where else should I look?" Post. :)

[lambcom]

We've always been happy with Celebrity but for our 50th wedding anniversary we decided to throw financial caution to the wind and go for a one week cruise on Crystal's Serenity. Big mistake!

 

They say once you've had a balcony cabin it's hard to go back to an oceanview. Well. once you've experienced Crystal, going back to any of the of the mass market lines is a painful experience. But do it, just the same - you won't regret it even if it can only happen once.

 

George +

[micmacmissy]

Hi Micmacmissy,

 

The items you mentioned on your wish list, makes Azamara a wonderful choice. The ships are much smaller (about 30,000 tons/690 Guests), but their ships, cuisine and service are outstanding. In addition, their 2 ships are being revitalized in late January (Journey) and April 2016 (Quest)... which should make their beautiful ships even better. As far as I can tell, Azamara does not have any Alaska itineraries on their schedule, but there are several Caribbean itineraries to choose from.

 

I'm sailing on Journey's first sailing post Drydock, on January 27th, so I'm sure I will have more to add at that time. I recommend visiting the Azamara forum in late January, as I'm planning a "Live From" thread. Stay Tuned !

 

Thank you Andy- that is so helpful! I've already looked at the Azamara website (and saw the Mighty Cruise Ships special on them) and it looks like it's really worth checking out.

 

I love your reviews and will be sure to look for your "live from" thread. Have a wonderful trip!!!

[micmacmissy]

Another option, which I recommend with a little hesitancy, is Viking Oceans. Their ships are beautiful and reviews are quite positive -- except when things went wrong in their maiden year (this year) when they really weren't ready for prime time. But hopefully next year they will have it sorted out. Prices are amazing for the luxury on offer.

 

Never heard of this line...an offshoot of Viking River Cruises? I'll definitely check it out! Thanks for all the helpful advice Jazz!

[We're The Groupnors]

It's so funny you suggested this...the PG has been on my list for AGES. I even sat my husband down to watch the Mighty Cruise Ship special on PG. I'm having a hard time convincing my husband on this one...he keeps saying, if you want a relaxing tropical vacation we don't have to go halfway around the globe...the price tag is also a little daunting (although now that I'm into my research, the PG seems like a bargain compared to some others!)

 

So this post was my, "okay, if we don't do PG...where else should I look?" Post. :)

 

So funny your husband said that about PG. Mine said the exact same thing, but I dragged him anyway and regretted it. A PG cruise is all about the itinerary, since the ship is very small and has little to offer when the weather is bad. Well, our weather was rainy for the entire 10 days and most of our excursions were cancelled since the lagoon areas are shallow and the water gets so churned up with sand from the rain that you can't see anything if you're snorkelling or scuba diving. You can't even sit on a beach in the rain, and also a lot of the roads are dirt in that part of the world, so even land based tours were cancelled due to roads being impassable. So, we spent a lot of time on the ship playing cards. The food was good, the service meh, the public areas dismal.

 

As to your original question, we have done Celebrity and Princess multiple times both in suites and in balcony staterooms. I like both lines, but Celebrity definitely gets the nod in terms of both food and service, as well as suite amenities. Princess has no butlers, suite dining room or free drink package for their suite guests, but that being said we just booked a South America cruise on Priness in a suite, since the same length and almost identical itinerary in a Celebrity Suite on X was $7,000 more than the Princess top suite. I can pay for shoe shines, eat in specialty restaurants every night and buy my own wine for $7,000 difference. We also just had our first Oceania cruise earlier this year to celebrate our 20th. We were on the Marina, which is one of the larger ships. Food and service were top notch and with specialty dining, all non-alcoholic beverages including bottled water and lattes included it was a good deal for us. It was definitely more sedate than Celebrity, but that was perfect for our busy itinerary, and I wouldn't hesitate to sail them again. Even the buffet was more upscale with proper table settings and someone to help you to your table with your plate. The buffet grill was also a nice alternative for dinner with steaks, chicken, lobster, etc., grilled to order each night.

 

Good luck with your choice, and have a wonderful Anniversary!

Edited January 1, 2016 by We're The Groupnors

[mick70]

Seabourn is doing Alaska in 2017

[micmacmissy]

So funny your husband said that about PG. Mine said the exact same thing' date=' but I dragged him anyway and regretted it. A PG cruise is all about the itinerary, since the ship is very small and has little to offer when the weather is bad. Well, our weather was rainy for the entire 10 days and most of our excursions were cancelled since the lagoon areas are shallow and the water gets so churned up with sand from the rain that you can't see anything if you're snorkelling or scuba diving. You can't even sit on a beach in the rain, and also a lot of the roads are dirt in that part of the world, so even land based tours were cancelled due to roads being impassable. So, we spent a lot of time on the ship playing cards. The food was good, the service meh, the public areas dismal.

 

As to your original question, we hadone Celebrity and Princess multiple times both in suites and in balcony staterooms. I like both lines, but Celebrity definitely gets the nod in terms of both food and service, as well as suite amenities. Princess has no butlers, suite dining room or free drink package for their suite guests, but that being said we just booked a South America cruise on Priness in a suite, since the same length and almost identical itinerary in a Celebrity Suite on X was $7,000 more than the Princess top suite. I can pay for shoe shines, eat in specialty restaurants every night and buy my own wine for $7,000 difference. We also just had our first Oceania cruise earlier this year to celebrate our 20th. We were on the Marina, which is one of the larger ships. Food and service were top notch and with specialty dining, all non-alcoholic beverages including bottled water and lattes included it was a good deal for us. It was definitely more sedate than Celebrity, but that was perfect for our busy itinerary, and I wouldn't hesitate to sail them again. Even the buffet was more upscale with proper table settings and someone to help you to your table with your plate. The buffet grill was also a nice alternative for dinner with steaks, chicken, lobster, etc., grilled to order each night.

 

Good luck with your choice, and have a wonderful Anniversary![/quote']

 

Oh no...I can't believe the weather was awful for your trip on the PG. I can't even imagine, going that distance and spending that much money and not being able to enjoy the outdoors!

 

I just logged on to the PG website and found out they're in drydock for 3 months in 2017, smack in the middle of when we wanted to go. So I guess a trip on the PG is not in the cards for us this time!

 

I'm going to look into Oceania...it looks awesome. Thanks!

[TxnAquarian]

We liked Regent. Very expensive but to us it was worth it. We have done four cruises on Regent and have never had a bad cruise. Crystal was a disappointment for us. The restaurant had the worst service ever. We were supposed to have any time dining. It was like we did not exist. Finally after complaints to the manager we did get service but never up to the standard that they promise. If the staff knew you they would fawn over you. If not bad service.

 

 

 

Totally agree with you. The problem we had with Crystal was the same issue - the crew were all over the regulars, and completely ignored those of us new to the line or who don't cruise often. It was really uncomfortable. We couldn't get drink service in the Lido because the staff were engaged in long conversations with all of the regulars. We found it a bit offensive considering the over $20K we spent on that cruise. We are heading back to Regent this summer.

 

In answer to the OP, Azamara and Oceania would be the best bets for graduating up from X.

 

 

Michael

[kitty9]

I've been fortunate to have cruised all the lines considered to be luxury lines and Crystal was at the top. We've cruised Celebrity for many, many years, mostly in the PH or RS, but after a couple of not so good cruises, and the distinct feeling that many parts of what used to be a wonderful Celebrity experience has declined to the extent that we're abandoning Celebrity and will cruise Oceania and Crystal.

[jan-n-john]

FWIW, if I understand correctly Azamara and Celebrity's frequent cruiser programs are effectively one and the same (not true of RCL). Your CC number is the same number on Azamara, and you accrue credits on both and get the benefits on both as if they were the same. So (if my understanding is correct, and I was told this by a Celebrity Future Sales person on board yesterday), this may be something to think about if one is looking to upgrade from Celebrity. We have been looking at Oceania, but haven't booked yet -- we did book a trip on Az. for 2017.

[fleckle]

Hi,

Although HAL isn't an upgrade over X, they have a superb 14 night Alaskan Cruise ex Seattle. We did this in 2010 and it remains one of our favourite cruises.

We also did HAL's 14 night Alaska cruise with the unique itinerary several years ago on the Amsterdam and enjoyed it, but we waited to book it last minute, after the big price drops.

Their original asking prices for balconies were outrageous.

 

They called the balcony cabins on that ship "verandah suites" and listed them at suite prices originally, even though they really were not suites, only one room without a butler or other suite amenities.

 

(There was a little sitting/vanity area off the bathroom, so maybe they figured that made it a suite. :))

 

[UpcountryTravelers]

I will add to my earlier posting that while Princess in general is not an upgrade to Celebrity, for Alaska it is the best line of all. Here's why: only Princess and HAL have licenses to get into Glacier Bay, and HAL's liberal smoking policy means that it attracts such a high proportions of smokers that it is a real problem. Second, Princess has one ship (Coral Princess) that is ideal for Alaska because it has so many public outside viewing areas -- in fact, IMHO you don't even need to pay for a balcony because you should be moving around to whichever angle is best. Finally, Cruise Critic has a very active Alaska forum where you can get lots of great information about DIY for a land portion before or after your Princess Voyage of the Glaciers.

 

Agree! As you can see, we've done a lot of Princess and one Celebrity (with another booked because we liked that one so much). We have done Alaska land-sea package twice on Coral Princess and can highly recommend her. (Don't do Island Princess, although it used to be her twin.) In addition to the excellent viewing areas (and a forward-looking buffet for a great morning coffee), she has a covered pool, and an excellent size. Not so large - about 2100 passengers. Also a rather "green" ship, which enables her to go some places other ships can't. Princess also brings expert Park Service guides aboard to enrich the experience.

 

And, yes, you can't call Princess an upgrade from Celebrity. They are very much equal overall in ships, food and service. Some things a little bit better on one, some on the others. But a very different style, more traditional sea ships. Might be what you want to celebrate a special event!

Edited January 2, 2016 by UpcountryTravelers

[mcrcruiser]

We would definitely move first to Azamara or then Oceana with the smaller cruise ship experience .another good alternative & not as pricy are the smaller HAL ships .however ,as Elite + our perks on Azamara would be better :D

[seasearider]

OP, you haven't mentioned what type of cabin you've sailed on with Celebrity. If you haven't sailed in a suite, the recent upgrades to this class of cabins might be appealing. Luminae is outstanding, Michaels Club a wonderful pre-dinner stop and you'll receive excellent concierge service, the butler is top notch and free dinners at the specialty a big perk.

 

If you are someone who sails in suites on Celebrity please ignore my post, if not check out what is included and compare it to other lines.

 

We have sailed on Princess 4 or 5 times this decade and never again, HAL is okay but just okay. The new suites benefits on Celebrity are not to be dismissed.

 

Good luck with your decision and an early happy 20th. Hope this helps.

Edited January 2, 2016 by seasearider

[NorthernLite]

We didn't mind Ceebrity going from formal to evening chic but the killer is swapping out the M-Class specialty restaurants that are European service for Tuscan Grill which when we tried it on the Reflection reminded us of Olive Garden with better wait staff. We'll be back for our second trip on Azamara soon going Down Under and will try out Crystal over August-September. Among other things Crystal actually embarks passengers while at anchor, such as Nice, so I know where my wheelchair ranks with them. I will miss the far aft HP concierge cabin on the M ships but Azamara makes up for it by thinking of such things as auto door openers, being able to turn off all lights from bed and having buffets that are casual and yet top notch as far as food. I'm sure we will still see X again but I doubt it will be for 2 to 4 weeks a year as in the past.

[micmacmissy]

Totally agree with you. The problem we had with Crystal was the same issue - the crew were all over the regulars, and completely ignored those of us new to the line or who don't cruise often. It was really uncomfortable. We couldn't get drink service in the Lido because the staff were engaged in long conversations with all of the regulars. We found it a bit offensive considering the over $20K we spent on that cruise. We are heading back to Regent this summer.

 

In answer to the OP, Azamara and Oceania would be the best bets for graduating up from X.

 

 

Michael

 

Wow, that's really disappointing! Azamara and Oceania are looking better and better...