Alternative to Celebrity

[mafig]

We were on MSC's Seaside in July.

 

Smoking WAS permitted in half of the casino.

 

I don't remember it bothering us though.

[Tatka]

I could have missed this, but did anybody mentioned Mein Schiff?

If you are from Germany you probably understand German.

 

Ships resemble Celebrity S class. Food is terrific.

I don't have personal experience, but many friends from Eastern Europe sailed and loved it.

 

They had wonderful itins out of Dominican Republic. Drinks and gratuities are included.

There are tons of smoked fish choices, caviar and blinis breakfast etc

 

 

Aside of Celebrity we also love Princess!

[Cruise a holic]

fortunately no smoking indoors, including the casino on Celebrity! Hope other cruise lines initiate this policy also

[diesel1973]

I agree with SAILFISH. I did Seaside in Jan. in a veranda Fantastica class which is compararable to Celebrity veranda class. Worst cruise I have ever had!!! Room is smaller,Guest Service is non existant,Food quality is high school cafeteria style in buffet,specialty rest. are a joke, and MDR service and food quality and temp. not consistent! The status match is a joke as it took me 3 visits to GS to get them. Have gone on many RCCL and X cruises in veranda class and have enjoyed every one. Can't see why you need to pay extra for YC on MSC to get an enjoyable cruise!!! But to each his own!

[Dolebludger]

We have cruised MSÇ twice, once in the Yacht club and once with an ordinary balcony room. These were two totally different cruise experiences. The Yacht club is a totally separate part of the ship. One can't even get in it without a Yacht Club suite card. The YC has separate restaurant and bar, and is all inclusive and VERY uncrowded. Just like a cruise on Regent or Silverseas, and in some respects better. Outside the YC MSC is just another mass market cruise. We also have cruised Celebrity twice, once in a Celebrity Suite and once in a Royal suite. Even though the Celebrity suites are not in a separate area of the ship, there are separate dining and lounge facilities where there are no lines or crowds. And with a Royal suite, specialty restaurants and drinks in any lounge are included at no charge. We would go with either Celebrity Royal suite or MSC Yacht Club again, and our choice would depend on itinerary and price. Where Celebrity really shines is the size of the suites we booked. They are large compared to those in the MSC YC. And just a note. The new Celebrity Edge places its major suites in a separate, private art of the ship, just like MSC YC.

[mafig]

Can you book a suite on Edge for $2000 per person? (Like you can on MSC)?

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

We have cruised MSÇ twice, once in the Yacht club and once with an ordinary balcony room. These were two totally different cruise experiences. The Yacht club is a totally separate part of the ship. One can't even get in it without a Yacht Club suite card. The YC has separate restaurant and bar, and is all inclusive and VERY uncrowded. Just like a cruise on Regent or Silverseas, and in some respects better. Outside the YC MSC is just another mass market cruise. We also have cruised Celebrity twice, once in a Celebrity Suite and once in a Royal suite. Even though the Celebrity suites are not in a separate area of the ship, there are separate dining and lounge facilities where there are no lines or crowds. And with a Royal suite, specialty restaurants and drinks in any lounge are included at no charge. We would go with either Celebrity Royal suite or MSC Yacht Club again, and our choice would depend on itinerary and price. Where Celebrity really shines is the size of the suites we booked. They are large compared to those in the MSC YC. And just a note. The new Celebrity Edge places its major suites in a separate, private art of the ship, just like MSC YC.

 

Have you looked at the prices of suites on the Edge? WAY into the stratosphere. I'm cruising in a Yacht Club suite next month for less than $2,000/pp. Yes, it's not as large as the penthouse or a royal suite on Celebrity. It also doesn't come with that LARGE price tag.

I've sailed everything from the penthouse to an inside on Celebrity. The problem with Celebrity's suite experience is getting off the ship. We had to wend our way all the way from the back of the ship (in the penthouse) to the front (Michael's Club) to get our escort off the ship. The public areas of the ship were jammed--we could hardly make our way through.

[Flamencacha]

Veterans get 10 percent off

 

 

US VETERANS? Interesting, 10% is 10%.

 

 

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[Dolebludger]

Good information, and thanks. No, one can't book a Celebrity or Royal suite for $2000/person/week. the problem I have with MSC YC is I can find no itinerary except for the Caribbean and the Med. But given the price difference, if one wants one of these itineraries MSC YC would be the way to go.

[grandgeezer]

I agree with SAILFISH. I did Seaside in Jan. in a veranda Fantastica class which is compararable to Celebrity veranda class. Worst cruise I have ever had!!! Room is smaller,Guest Service is non existant,Food quality is high school cafeteria style in buffet,specialty rest. are a joke, and MDR service and food quality and temp. not consistent! The status match is a joke as it took me 3 visits to GS to get them. Have gone on many RCCL and X cruises in veranda class and have enjoyed every one. Can't see why you need to pay extra for YC on MSC to get an enjoyable cruise!!! But to each his own!

 

We leave next week for a cruise on the MSC Seaside, in a Yacht Club suite. We paid a little over $125 p.p. over what we paid two years ago for Aqua class with two perks. On the Seaside we are getting prepaid grats, $200 obc, unlimited internet (included with all suites), and premium drink package which includes the minibar in the suite. A suite on Celebrity would cost well over $1,000 p.p. more. This is my to each my own

[mafig]

Are you sure about the unlimited internet?

We were in YC on Seaside and Divina and did not receive free internet.

If it's now offered, that's great! Just don't want you to be disappointed.

 

Or perhaps something offered by your TA?

Edited September 16, 2018 by mafig

[Dolebludger]

Oh, let me be clear on one thing. I would NOT cruise MSC in anything other than the Yacht Club! We did it once on the Poesia for a music cruise and that ship has no YC. While it was better than mass market cruises on lines like NCL and RCI that we took in the past, it was still a mass market cruise. We'd rather stay home than go mass market. And MSC YC is one heck of a good deal. We really liked the food in the YC restaurant and the service was first rate. And the fact that the YC is in a separate, private part of the ship is a plus. With a suite on Celebrity (Royal or Celebrity) there is a separate dining room and lounge, but it feels like one has to walk long distances to get to them. In the YC, these are very close to the suites.

[Tatka]

Oh, let me be clear on one thing. I would NOT cruise MSC in anything other than the Yacht Club! We did it once on the Poesia for a music cruise and that ship has no YC. While it was better than mass market cruises on lines like NCL and RCI that we took in the past, it was still a mass market cruise. We'd rather stay home than go mass market. And MSC YC is one heck of a good deal. We really liked the food in the YC restaurant and the service was first rate. And the fact that the YC is in a separate, private part of the ship is a plus. With a suite on Celebrity (Royal or Celebrity) there is a separate dining room and lounge, but it feels like one has to walk long distances to get to them. In the YC, these are very close to the suites.

 

Well. I loved Poesia for many reasons (mostly for Italian flare), but it's definitely not better that RCCL or NCL in other regards - food or service. Food I thought was weaker.

Celebrity is also massmarket... but a bit premium.

 

Did you look at Mein Schiffs ?

[Dolebludger]

The only site I could find for Mein Schiffs was in German. I am not fluent in German, and in fact am not fluent in navigating cruise line web sites -- even in English. If there is a site for this line/ship in English, I'd really appreciate a link.

 

Meanwhile, I've been attempting to investigate MSC's site, and discovered that MSC does have itineraries other than the Caribbean and the Med. It does N. Europe and other places. I found an interesting 12 night N. Europe on April 16, 2019 where a YC veranda suite is about $2800 pp without veteran's discount. Now I am a vet but my wife is not. Do I alone get the 10% discount, or does my wife get it too?

[Momma Rene]

You may want to check out the Yacht Club on the MSC cruise line. They will do a one time status match, so your Elite Status with Celebrity will probably get you Black status with MSC, which is their highest tier. I have been told that the Yacht Club is an amazing experience and I believe that the MSC Seaside does alternating Eastern/Western Caribbean itineraries. Good luck in your hunt.

 

 

 

How is breakfast and lunch served? Is it buffet style?

 

 

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[Dolebludger]

Momma,

 

In the MSC Yacht Club, breakfast and lunch are always served in the restaurant within the Yacht Club. Of course you can always have these meals in a buffet or restaurant in another part of the ship, but we never saw a reason to do so.

[Momma Rene]

Momma,

 

 

 

In the MSC Yacht Club, breakfast and lunch are always served in the restaurant within the Yacht Club. Of course you can always have these meals in a buffet or restaurant in another part of the ship, but we never saw a reason to do so.

 

 

 

Yelp made it look like breakfast and lunch is served buffet style, which we do not enjoy. Is it served meals?

 

 

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[german_navy]

Somebody brought up Mein Schiff. Well, these ships belong to a company called TUI cruises. TUI cruises is closely connected with RCCL. They hit the German market about 10 years ago and initially started using older US ships such as Mercury. In the meantime the use new own cruise ships.

 

TUI cruises is a competitor of AIDA cruises and they mainly target the German market. No wonder that on their cruises you will find more than 95% German (or German speaking) people onboard. Germans like to cruise. But most of them simply prefer to remain among their countrymen. Mostly due to language barriers.

 

I have a totally different approach. I studied in the US and I want to meet different people from different countries with different mindsets. I like to talk to people from the US, Canada, UK, Australia etc. You will hardly find these nations onboard a German cruise ship.

We have been on several AIDA ships when we started cruising 15 years ago. They do not even come close to to a Celebrity S-class. If you compare them using stars and consider the interior of a S-class a 5-star than AIDA is a 3-4 star at best. Sure, this is my subjective evaluation. In addition, in the Caribbean they are much more expensive.

 

I have not been on Mein Schiff so I do not know how they look inside. They are supposed to be nice. But they are also overcrowded with Germans and they are also comparatively expensive. So, no reason for me to book them.

 

On Caribbean islands we always meet other Germans when AIDA or Mein Schiff are in town. If you talk to someone who has also been on an S-class before noone spoke in favor of AIDA or Mein Schiff.

 

Personally I would never ever prefer Mein Schiff or AIDA over Celebrity either.

[Tatka]

I didn't compare AIDA to Celebrity. It's completely different line, it's German massmarket , while Mein Schiff (TUI) is a premium massmarked like Celebrity with more included. They have similar ships even visually.

The only reason I brought MS to this conversation was that OP wrote that he was from Germany and is looking for alternative.

 

My friends who are neither German nor American, but they know English said that all crew speaks even better English than German, so no problems there, but of course entertainment and announcements are in German.

 

They now have former Galaxy & Mercury (MS1 and 2) and 6 ships built specifically for them.

 

If OP isn't German then I suppose my suggestion doesn't make much sense. As for me... I want to try them some day.

[jakesnana]

The only site I could find for Mein Schiffs was in German. I am not fluent in German, and in fact am not fluent in navigating cruise line web sites -- even in English. If there is a site for this line/ship in English, I'd really appreciate a link.

 

Meanwhile, I've been attempting to investigate MSC's site, and discovered that MSC does have itineraries other than the Caribbean and the Med. It does N. Europe and other places. I found an interesting 12 night N. Europe on April 16, 2019 where a YC veranda suite is about $2800 pp without veteran's discount. Now I am a vet but my wife is not. Do I alone get the 10% discount, or does my wife get it too?

 

The 10% is off the cost of the cabin, not just your fare.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Are you sure about the unlimited internet?

We were in YC on Seaside and Divina and did not receive free internet.

If it's now offered, that's great! Just don't want you to be disappointed.

 

Or perhaps something offered by your TA?

 

My YC suite did not include internet either. $80 for two devices.

[Dolebludger]

Internet was extra was extra on our 2014 YC Divinia cruise as well. But that has been a long time, and it was a chartered music cruise. So I don't know how appllcable this info is today. Also, there was no hot meal room service (only cold foods).

[Dolebludger]

I just called MSC to get accurate info on some subjects raised by this thread. In the MSC YC, served, sit-down meals are available in the YC restaurant for breakfast and lunch, as well as dinner. Wifi is not included in the fare, but the cost is $81.50 for a 12 night cruise. There is no self service laundry, but the cost for the ship's laundry is only $48 for 40 items. I confirmed that the veteran's discount does apply to the whole suite price, even though only one of the two guests is a vet. And there are other discounts on select cruises. Given the great YC experience we had in 2014, his sounds like the best deal for somebody looking to try different cruise line.

[grandgeezer]

Are you sure about the unlimited internet?

We were in YC on Seaside and Divina and did not receive free internet.

If it's now offered, that's great! Just don't want you to be disappointed.

 

Or perhaps something offered by your TA?

 

You are right. I got it mixed up with our October cruise on the Allure where it is included with a Grand Suite. The internet is dirt cheap on MSC, compared to other lines if we decide to buy it.

[villauk]

I just called MSC to get accurate info on some subjects raised by this thread. In the MSC YC, served, sit-down meals are available in the YC restaurant for breakfast and lunch, as well as dinner. Wifi is not included in the fare, but the cost is $81.50 for a 12 night cruise. There is no self service laundry, but the cost for the ship's laundry is only $48 for 40 items. I confirmed that the veteran's discount does apply to the whole suite price, even though only one of the two guests is a vet. And there are other discounts on select cruises. Given the great YC experience we had in 2014, his sounds like the best deal for somebody looking to try different cruise line.

 

 

That is a good price for internet connection for 12 nights.