A Poor Imitation Of Celebrity

[mjkacmom]

Many companies are eliminating straws, you’d have to be living under s rock not to know this. I didn’t mind the sippy cup at my local Starbucks. As for price, a last minute cruise out of the NYC area is going too be very pricey, even if you book well in advance. RCL caters to families, and all of the schools are out.

[gerelmx]

Many reasons we have to switch to Celebrity after several years of RCCL loyalty

[ObstructedView2]

My wife and our adult daughter sailed on Adventure of the Seas on July 6 to the Bahamas. This cruise was our birthday gift to our daughter, who had never been on a cruise before. My wife and I have been sailing almost exclusively over the years with Celebrity. We gave our daughter the choice of a Celebrity cruise to Bermuda or a Royal Caribbean cruise to the Bahamas. Both were for one week and both were on older ships. Our daughter chose the Royal Caribbean cruise because of the itinerary. She and my wife shared a balcony cabin.

 

Some observations, courtesy of my wife:

 

1. The public restrooms were filthy. There were no attendants to clean them during daylight hours. The bathroom floors on the pool deck were wet, slippery and dangerous.

While onboard, in the moment, did your wife voice her concerns about this to guest services?

2. Hand sanitizers which should be ubiquitous on all cruise ships were no where to be found. Sinks at the entrance to the Windjammer buffet restaurant were not used by all passengers. My wife had to actually ask for hand sanitizers and she was told on one occasion that none were available.

Who did she ask?? I am certain she did not ask this of guest services. While onboard, in the moment, did your wife voice her concerns about this to guest services? No hand sanitizers available is something guest services would indeed want to know about.

3. Overheated passengers returning to the ship from shore were not offered cold face towels or cold drinks to refresh themselves, and of course, no hand sanitizers were on display. Clearly, cleanliness was not a priority on this ship.

Again, while onboard, in the moment, did your wife voice her concerns about cleanliness & hand sanitizers to guest services?

4. My wife described the vaunted on-board entertainment, allegedly a Royal Caribbean strength, as nothing special.

 

5. On a number of occasions the staff was slow clearing dirty plates from tables in the always crowded Windjammer buffet restaurant.

While onboard, in the moment, did your wife voice her concerns about this to a Royal Caribbean employee in the buffet or to guest services?

6. Even though disembarking at the port of Coco Cay (Royal Caribbean’s private island) is a ritual the ship performs on a weekly basis, you would think the crew would have learned how and known better. Thousands of impatient passengers were trapped in small, narrow, overheated, confining exit ways for 90 brutal minutes before being allowed off the ship. There were no water fountains at hand. Not surprisingly, under these extremely uncomfortable conditions the mob of passengers became unruly. My wife said she’s seen better organized riots.

There are no water fountains in hallways or exit ways on cruise ships. You are not in the middle of a desert, a bottle of water can be located. You say that your wife has seen better organized riots, Wow! While onboard, in the moment, did your wife voice her concerns about this to guest services?

7. My wife noted the door frames in their cabin shower were rusty. Same with the floor surface on the balcony. Curiously, these features did not appear in the Royal Caribbean cruise brochure.

 

While onboard, in the moment, did your wife voice her concerns about this to her stateroom steward or to guest services?

 

8. Although she was Diamond class by virtue of her past cruises on Celebrity, my wife had to actually ask for basics like a shower cap and lotions and a robe. The cabin had no carafe of ice water.

Oh my, your wife actually had to use her voice and ask for these things? While onboard, in the moment, did your wife voice her concerns about this to guest services & explain to them that she felt that she shouldn't have to ask for a robe & lotion, and that the items should've been provided?

9. Having purchased a soda package, my wife had to continually ask for straws, which the crew were stingy to hand out allegedly due to environmental concerns — but they were ever present on more expensive alcoholic beverages.

Are you kidding me....

10. To be sure, and in fairness to Royal Caribbean, there were parts of the cruise my wife did enjoy. Contrary to her low expectations, my wife said the food was decent, though selections on the MDR menu were limited. She said her cabin attendant and MDR server were very good. But maybe because we booked this cruise late, the fare was no bargain compared to what we pay on Celebrity (where we normally book early) — and yet she received a lot less for our money. For years we’ve heard Celebrity described as an upscale version of Royal Caribbean (they are both owned by the same parent company), but until my wife’s upsetting experiences on this cruise we were unable to appreciate what upscale really means.

 

 

 

 

I added comments in red in your post, above... While onboard, in the moment, did your wife voice her concerns about anything to guest services? Because it sounds to me that she either had laryngitis or a huge sense of entitlement...

 

 

:cool:

[akcruz]

After 25+ cruises on RCI I was actually looking forward to sailing with Celebrity...and so we did, just a little over two months ago the May 27th sailing on Eclipse out of Dublin...The itinerary was wonderful....but I can't wait to get back to a Royal ship this September...:')

 

And certainly found it unnecessary to come back and post the negatives we found after just one experience.

Us too, did our first Celebrity cruise in February, Diamond on Royal. While we enjoyed didn't really see the upscale everyone was talking about. We will continue to sail on both lines when we see a sailing we like for a price we like.

 

Oh and btw we were on Reflection, recently just out of maintenance in January, and had rust on our balcony. Took it all in stride as it is a ship that sails routinely in the salt air.

 

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[BNBR]

A poor imitation? Lol. Someone is confused. It's not an "imitation" it's an intentionally different product.

 

Celebrity is owned by Royal Caribbean and Celebrity is their upmarket brand. OF COURSE they will have a few more luxury touches to it, that's the entire point. Both brands target slightly different demographics.

[juliesVacation]

This is an impressively entitled sounding review. Royal is not considered a luxury cruise line.

[The Sunset Glow]

Okay, you’re excused. Reading comprehension is not your strength. The key word is “despite” the low expectations about the food, she actually found it decent. Those expectations came from somewhere. We’ve seen reviews on Cruise Critic that on some of the newer RCCL ships the food was described as “inedible.” Of course, that’s a matter of taste and opinion, but in her opinion, except for the lack of menu selections in the MDR, she had no complaints about the food on this ship.

 

I’m pleased to hear about the hand sanitizers you say were on “your” RCCL cruises. Just be thankful you weren’t on this one.

 

Nowhere in your original post did you use the word despite. Your wife went with low expectations - you say it was about the food but my guess is that she had low expectations in general because nothing was good enough except the food was "decent" to her. I guess she had to say something that was kind of positive - wouldn't want to come across as a snob or something:rolleyes:

 

If you go into something believing you will not like it, then chances are you will not. And comparing every single thing you like about Celebrity to another cruise line will surely bring you disappointment. There are different cruise lines for a reason - one size does not fit all.

[davekathy]

Just got off the Explorer of the Seas (my first on a Royal ship in the last 10 years. Mostly on Princess, Celebrity, and HAL) Only entrance to buffett had 4 sanitizers and a person standing theire with a squirt bottle of sanitizer going washy washy at everybody entering.

 

Main dining room also had them at entrance, again with a person with squirt bottle.

 

One at entrance to the coffee line at the cafe.

 

They were pretty much everywhere food was served.

Agree. Every RC ship we've cruised on has always had hand sanitizer stations or a staff member with hand sanitizer at the ready to squirt on your hands (if you wanted) as you entered the MDR or the WJ.

[davekathy]

It actually might be an improvement ...

A poor imitation of Celebrity. What made you think, believe or assume RC was imitating Celebrity? :confused:

[ryano]

That’s pretty rude talk for someone who wasn’t even on the July 6 sailing. .

 

Youve been rude and condescending to people ever since you started this thread and you are gonna have the nerve to call someone rude? Pot meet kettle. As far as the rest of what youve posted. its nothing but opinions through someone else's eyes but your own. I doubt anyone is going to take you very seriously.

[actuarian]

 

RCI is in the entry level cruise market and competes with Carnival and NCL.

 

Carnival is in the entry level cruise market. RCI and NCL were once in that same market but at present they are in multiple markets. A person cruising on NCL in The Haven or on RCI in Star Class (or even in Sky Class) is not paying an entry level price and, therefore, certainly does not expect entry level service. In fact, cruising on RCI in Star Class costs as much as cruising on the most expensive luxury lines and Sky Class suites on RCI usually cost more than the least expensive Suite Class rooms on Celebrity.

[lazydayz]

The great news here is that your daughter had a blast and your wife learned she prefers Celebrity.

[sheezsmith]

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[JJ2sail]

Cruise Lines seem to be getting away from the hand sanitizers and are installing hand washing stations instead. We cruise Princess a lot and they have the hand washing stations on the last few we have been on. Usually still someone at the entrance to the buffet asking people to wash.

[Ashland]

It sounds like she's Elite or up on Celebrity which gives you Diamond status on Royal, and vice versa.

I am D+ on RCI therefore I was Elite on Celebrity.

[Crazy planning mom]

Any passenger who is willing to accept without complaint no hand sanitizers, dirty bathrooms, dirty restaurant tables and rusty accommodations is a fool. .....

I dont think much of someone who resorts to name calling.

[Baron Barracuda]

We sail both X and Royal regularly and while we prefer X, have no issues with Royal. Dispute any notion that X is more upscale. Suites aside, pricing is pretty similar once you adjust for percs. X attracts an older, more sedate clientele with greater emphasis on food and less on activities and entertainment.

 

Did your wife mention the ice show on Adventure? Nothing like it on X. In fact the X board has several lengthy threads complaining about decline in the quality of entertainment and how they wish it would be more like Royal.

 

Each line offers some unique niceties. On X I appreciate receiving an icy towel at the gangway or real hand towels in the bathrooms, but I also love the diamond lounge on Royal. The web site for each cruise line lists their features and amenities. Studying them in advance would help manage your expectations.

[NolaFireLI]

Thanks for making my boring afternoon in the office so much more enjoyable...

I started reading this thread over lunch, and I'm just SHOCKED that you would even think that it was a good idea to come onto CC, onto the RCI board and post the title of "a Poor imitation of Celebrity"..... we all know that Celebrity is NOT RCI and vice versa. Then to make is a 3rd person review is just INSANE, and then to get snippy about it. Let's just say you aren't making too many friends around here!

 

By all means I am THRILLED that your darling daughter had a great time, sounds like the one member in your family that has the brains. Hope she had time to decompress and didn't have to tend to all of mom's lofty Celebrity wishes!

 

[Toofarfromthesea]

Based on the way you worded her thoughts/review, it sounds like she was looking for things to complain about. And, it seems like she went in knowing full well that she was going to compare every little thing to Celebrity. And that, folks, is why she didn't have an enjoyable time. No one is going to enjoy themselves when they compare and contrast everything to a prior experience. Each ship and experience are particular to only one point in time. Enjoy the moment.!

 

I'd guess that she wasn't happy that daughter chose RCL rather than 'her' line.

[tedbearz]

Wasn't the Adventure recently refurbed this year?

[richstowe]

I wasn’t on the same sailing. The first sentence of my post makes that clear.

 

I am a member of Cruise Critic. My wife is not. She asked me to post her experience which may be of interest to other Cruise Critic members.

Unless your comments are positive , they are of no interest to loyal royals ! ;p

I am glad your DD has a good time .

[Itchy&Scratchy]

I'd guess that she wasn't happy that daughter chose RCL rather than 'her' line.

Boom, there it is!

 

The wife goes on an 17 year old ship. Expects it to be 100% rust free. LOL.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

Wasn't the Adventure recently refurbed this year?

2016, according to a TA website.

[cruisinfanatic]

I dont think much of someone who resorts to name calling.

That's what old people do when grumpy

[cruisinfanatic]

Those are fair comments.

 

I will accept your analogy between a Lexus and a Jeep. I think that accurately sums up the difference between Celebrity and Royal Caribbean. Thank you for making my point.

 

But not seeing hand sanitizers and seeing dirty bathrooms, and dirty tables, and rusty accommodations isn’t seeing things in a negative light. It’s seeing things as they were.

 

Our daughter said she had a blast. She’s a trial lawyer by profession and needed a vacation to decompress. She slept late on sea days and spent her evenings at the blackjack tables. On port days she went to the beach. She also said she’s grateful to have such generous parents.

She was obviously intelligent enough to not pay attention to her mother's expectations and or observations