Long Time Carnival Platinum Guest Trying Celebrity - Expectation vs Reality

[mfs2k]

I’ve sailed 10 times on Carnival (1986-2013) (All Caribbean cruises from various ports) and once on NCL (2009 Caribbean) (We weren’t fans of NCL).

 

For the past 7 years, we’ve been going to All Inclusive Resorts (Secrets and Breathless in Mexico and Jamaica).  Living in NY, we crave warm weather and sun by March each year.

 

To celebrate our 20^th Anniversary, my wife and I booked Celebrity Equinox Western Caribbean March 23-30, 2019 (Aqua class). We’re traveling with another couple.  We’re all in our late 50’s.  Demographically, we’re middle income suburban couples who still work full time, with grown kids over 25.

 

I’ve been an avid participant in the Cruise Critic Celebrity boards since we booked the trip in January.  I was also active on Cruise Critic from 2000 to 2013 on the Carnival boards. After reading many posts I’ve come away with preconceived expectations for our Celebrity cruise compared to our Carnival experience.

 

I thought I would share these expectations and perceived differences with you 3 weeks before we sail.  Perhaps when I return, I’ll compare my expectations to the reality of what I experienced.   If anything, it’s an interesting exercise (for me).

 

I really hope some of you provide feedback as to how your actual experiences on Celebrity compare to my expectations.

 

·         Service

o   I’ve spent my career as an executive for 4-5 star hotels and restaurants.  I think there’s a perception among many Celebrity cruisers that Carnival service (stewards; waiters; bartenders) is average while Celebrity service is very good to excellent.  I can honestly say I’ve had excellent service over the years from many/most Carnival staff, and my expectation for Celebrity is the service will be as good, if not a little better. Twice daily room servicing was the norm on Carnival and our needs were always met.   I expect the same on Equinox. 

o   I think the service staff in the dining rooms were overworked and busy but tried to have fun too, and make the experience as much fun for guests as possible.  In the early years, we enjoyed the flaming Baked Alaska parades and the songs.  It WAS fun.  By the last few years we were on Carnival, it was painful to watch and felt forced by management. Waiters were too busy to leave their stations to go perform.

o   I expect name recognition of guests to be far better on Celebrity than Carnival.

o   My expectation is the bartending staff on Celebrity Equinox will be more highly skilled compared to Carnival bartenders and I hope they will be just as friendly and outgoing, if not more so.

 

·         Décor

o   Carnival ships are like fun, lively Vegas casinos.  Everything is a party in your brain.  I never disliked it.  I knew what to expect and it was enjoyable for a week.   I expect Celebrity Equinox to look and feel much more polished, refined, and elegant, but I don’t expect Ritz-Carlton/Four Seasons Hotels level of quality.  I expect a Grand Hyatt feel.  My wife always felt Carnival ships were too gaudy.  I think she will be happier on Equinox.

 

·         Cabins

 

o   I found Carnival’s cabins and balconies to be comfortable and decent sized.  I didn’t check the stats, but my expectation is the Aqua class cabins on Equinox will be a little smaller than Carnival’s , but the bathrooms will be a little larger.   I expect the furnishings to be similar, but the bed to be more comfortable than on Carnival.  I expect nicer in-room amenities but I bring my own liquid soap and conditioner.  I used to drag down a pool lounge chair early in the morning, and put it on my Carnival balcony for the week.  It was a tight fit, but more comfortable than the regular balcony chairs.  I don’t expect to want to try this on Equinox. I think the Aqua chairs and foot stools will be fine for me.

 

·         Embarkation – Debarkation

 

o   Once I reached Platinum on Carnival, embarkation was a pleasure and matched my two suite stays with preferred embarkation.  I expect Celebrity has made embarkation more streamlined, and with priority Aqua class embarkation, I’m not concerned about 2 hour lines I experienced in the early days of Carnival.

 

·         Food

 

o   I think many people who haven’t sailed on Carnival think the food is mediocre at best.  My experiences take it up a notch. 

 

§  Main Dining Room

·         MDR food on Carnival was always good, but not exceptional. It never compared to the quality one would get at a fine, land based restaurant, but overall, I liked the selections and there was always something I enjoyed.  I could order as much or as little as I wanted, and my needs were met.

·         We will be dining at Blu for most dinners and I expect it to be good too, but I don’t expect to be blown away by the food.  I plan to steer away from basic steaks and chops but intend to ask for double portion of the short ribs, which apparently is everyone’s fave. I know we can ask for multiple Apps, Entrees and Desserts if we want, and can also request items from the MDR menu and the staff will go out of their way to accommodate if possible. (yes, I’d like the escargot and onion soup from the MDR menu, please.)

 

§  Buffet

·         Carnival Buffet food for breakfast and lunch was good to very good. I had my pet peeves butt mostly I was happy.  The lines weren’t so great.  There was always something we liked. For lunch we had choices of hot entrees with regional specialties; salads; a deli station; great pizza; carving stations; a grill area; and in the last few Carnival cruises we had the options of Mexican food from Blue Iguana and Burgers and toppings from Guy Fieri’s burger bar. Breakfasts on Carnival were ok.  Coffee was blah.

·         My expectation for Celebrity on Equinox is the buffet may be a let down for variety, but will be stepped up a notch for quality.  I don’t expect as many options but I expect the choices I make to taste good and will probably be a little better than on Carnival.  I feel the pizza will not compare to Carnival and sometimes, one wants a good tasting delish pizza at midnight.  I think the burgers at Mast Grill will be ok, but not special.

§  Room Service

 

·         We only had Carnival’s room service for breakfast a few times, and it was decent.  I expect Celebrity room service to be better.  The Aqua Class room service breakfast menu looks appealing to me.  I hope it’s good. 

 

§  Specialty Restaurants

·         I thought Carnival’s specialty restaurants were outstanding when they added them to most ships. The fee was comparable to what Celebrity charges.  The food and service were phenomenal, and I don’t remember surcharges for great steaks and chops.

·         We have reservations for Tuscan Grill and Murano for one night each, just to give us some variety from Blu.  My expectation based on many reviews I’ve read is both are very good but Murano is better.  I plan to spend the $20 or so for a really good steak in Tuscan and will probably order the Chateaubriand for Two in Murano because my wife likes Filet Mignon. I don’t think we will be disappointed in either.

·         I plan to try the sushi from Sushi on 5, perhaps takeout for a picnic on the lawn on one of the sea days and I expect it to be very good.   No plans to try Silk Harvest.

 

·         Pool Scene

o   Most of our Carnival cruises were in March during Spring Break season and the pool scene was fun and lively, but sometimes crazy.  There were always lots of 20’s-30’s partiers which were fun to watch but I think my wife and I are over that now.  We enjoyed the pool bands and the loud music and the pool activities, but we’re definitely ready to slow it down a notch. The Carnival pools were comparable to our experiences at Breathless resorts, which catered to a similar market, but more upscale.

 

o   My expectation for Celebrity is we will be slowing it down a LOT.  I expect the pool goers to be a much older, quieter group of people.  I expect it to be even quieter and laid back than our experiences at Secrets resorts, which were older, and adult couples only, still managed to be fun with pool volleyball games, and a lively swim up bar. I have a bit of a concern that Celebrity will be TOO quiet for us and I’ll miss the “party in my brain” feeling, which I like too.  I don’t expect nearly as many kids, but I don’t remember so many kids on Carnival either, because we never travelled Easter school break week.

 

·         Daily activities

o   We didn’t participate in many of the Carnival daily activities, but some were fun.  I’m ok with never seeing another Hairy Chest competition, or massive Bingo game followed by Karaoke in the theater.

o   I don’t expect to participate in most of the onboard activities arranged by Celebrity, but you never know.  I will probably try some out.  I actually may participate in some of the spa/gym classes, even though there’s a fee, to work off all the food and alcohol I’ll be consuming.  Maybe I’ll learn Yoga.

 

·         Spa

o   Carnival’s spa was run by Elemis.  It was expensive but I always felt the quality was excellent.  We occasionally booked a massage on board, but usually got them much cheaper in port. Carnival’s gym was terrific. I loved running or walking on treadmills on sea days, looking out over the bow of the ship at the ocean.  So memorable.  We could always use the hot tub in the gym, and the steam and sauna rooms for no extra charge.  In the past 10 years Carnival has relaxation rooms with heated lounges and spa outdoor lounge areas too with more comfortable seating and nicer towels.

 

o   I understand Celebrity Equinox spa is run by Canyon Ranch.  I expect it to also be expensive and we probably won’t be booking any spa treatments.  If we had huge OBC’s we might book some, but we don’t.  I expect the gym to be smaller but sufficient. , and expect, as Aqua class guests, to also have access to steam, sauna, and the relaxation room with heated loungers.  I plan to take advantage of this.

 

·         Shows

o   I always enjoy the shows on Carnival (and the ones at the All Inclusives we’ve been to) but my wife doesn’t like them very much.  I feel like we’ve seen it all, and they don’t do much for us, but it’s a good way to occupy an hour before or after dinner on a cruise ship.

 

o   I expect the shows on Celebrity to be comparable to Carnival.

 

·         Nighttime Entertainment.

o   I feel like the night time entertainment on Carnival varied, depending on which cruise we were on.  Sometimes there were amazing Filipino bands covering American bands from the 70’s and 80’s; Fun Piano bars which attracted big crowds; and lively discos packed with people dancing.  Other cruises had mediocre bands, poor piano bar performers; and dead discos. A lot depended on the crowd on board. The guests make the fun more than the entertainers who are there more as facilitators.

 

o   My expectation for Celebrity is I’ll get the feeling I get from the grand pianist playing in the center hall of Nieman Marcus.  Talented performers playing background music while we sip cocktails. (or shop)  I know there will be more, but I expect Jazz trios; Guitar vocalists; Pianists; Cellists; and maybe a four piece band in a corner of the lounge, with the sound of the snare drum rat-tat-tatting in the room.  To be honest, I expect to be bored by the entertainment, and this is something I’m not looking forward to.   I’d love a big crowd in the Sky lounge, rocking out to a great band from 9 to midnight, but I don’t think that’s going to happen.

 

I am, however, looking forward to the Silent Disco.  I’ve seen a few videos on youtube.  Sometimes the crowd is big and lively, and sometimes there are six people trying to have fun.  I hope there’s a lot of people having fun with this. 

 

·         Casino

o   Carnival cruise ships had a decent sized casino.  At night, it was always busy and fun.  I never won, nor do I have an expectation to win in a cruise ship casino because the odds are even worse than in land-based casinos, but we had a good time trying to get lucky.

o   My expectation for Equinox is the casino will be smaller, but also busy at night.  I’m hoping there is at least one Texas Holdem table if I want to play some low stakes poker during the day or at night.

 

·         Guests

o   If I had to stereotype Carnival guests from my 10 cruise experience, I’d compare them to the crowd in Times Square in NYC on a weekend sunny afternoon, having fun, enjoying the surroundings, clamoring for food; and watching the street entertainment, with some people jumping in and dancing with the street performers.

 

o   If I had to stereotype my EXPECTATION of Celebrity guests, from just reading these boards, I would compare it to the crowd at Lincoln Center, sitting around the fountain, waiting to go in to see the NY Philarmonic; the NYC Ballet, and some going to see a Jazz Trio perform and others waiting to go into the Metropolitan Opera House.   There are some young people but mostly older, and some well behaved children, but not many.  People look nice, and this is how they want to have fun on that day.

 

   Personally, I feel like I can fit in to either crowd, Times Square, or Lincoln Center.  It depends on my mood.

 

I know this was long.  I hope some of you got this far.  I look forward to hearing your comments and opinions.

[julia]

Having sailed both lines also, I would have to agree with most of your assessments.  We too, have enjoyed Carnival (never in summer or spring break), and have raved about their food.  The steakhouse restaurant on the Spirit is our favorite to date.

 

It appears to me that you're quite determined to compare the lines, and honestly, they are very different.  How about sailing Celebrity with NO expectations at all...  and just take in the experience as it unfolds?  Expectations can be a tricky thing.  Enjoy!!

[mfs2k]

10 minutes ago, julia said:

It appears to me that you're quite determined to compare the lines, and honestly, they are very different.  How about sailing Celebrity with NO expectations at all...  and just take in the experience as it unfolds?  Expectations can be a tricky thing.  Enjoy!!

 

Lol.  I don't know how to do that!  But it's a good thought.  

[julia]

Honestly, it's a great way to approach life in general...  no expectations equal no disappointments!

 

Comparing cruise lines is like comparing apples to oranges, as each one is different. AND...  each SHIP is different (crew, vibe, etc), AND, each SAILING is different (pax mix, itinerary).  Go and flow, and save the comparisons for later...  you'll be glad you did.

[Alsmez]

Having sailed both lines (although Carnival only once, 15 years ago), I would agree with most of your assessments. But, as Julia said, each sailing on each ship is different! Longer itineraries tend to be an older and more sedate crowd. Our last week-long cruise on Reflection was much younger and more of a party crowd than we generally expect on Celebrity, but still not quite as crazy as I recall my Carnival cruise being. Since, as you say, you can fit in with either Times Square or Lincoln Center, I am sure you will enjoy Equinox.

[awhfy]

Best part of Celebrity’s casino is that it is completely nonsmoking 

[hcat]

 

Quote

 

It appears to me that you're quite determined to compare the lines, and honestly, they are very different.  How about sailing Celebrity with NO expectations at all...  and just take in the experience as it unfolds?  Expectations can be a tricky thing.  Enjoy!!

Good suggestion,  

Can't assess a cruise line by one cruise, one ship,  one itin, one dining experience in BLU, etc 

 

 A number of your pre-conceptions  about X and its pax are not correct, so why set yourself up for disappointment?  See for yourself! 

 

Just  plan to enjoy something new to you, and probably different than your past experiences in Carnival.  You are trying X for a reason...hope you enjoy your cruise!

 

Equinox is a great ship.....

Edited March 1, 2019 by hcat

[mfs2k]

1 hour ago, julia said:

It appears to me that you're quite determined to compare the lines, and honestly, they are very different.  How about sailing Celebrity with NO expectations at all...  and just take in the experience as it unfolds? 

 

While I agree it could be fun to go on vacation with no expectations, I think it's likely most people who use sites such as Cruise Critic or Trip Advisor, do so to get as much information as possible to research different vacation options.

 

I did a lot of reading before booking Celebrity, to make sure I was booking a cruise line and ship I thought I'd be happy with, before committing thousands of dollars. (I booked after final payment date). 

 

I wish I spent more time researching our NCL cruise before we booked, because I probably would have booked something else. 

 

I was considering Royal Caribbean also, however, after having done my research, and formed expectations, I decided it wasn't for me because of the size of the megaships and the amenities offered to attract families. 

 

Judging by how many people are on this site asking questions and sharing feedback on future cruises and future ships it's apparent I'm in good company. 

Edited March 1, 2019 by mfs2k

[mfs2k]

14 minutes ago, awhfy said:

Best part of Celebrity’s casino is that it is completely nonsmoking 

 

unless you smoke...

[Lady Arwen]

I know that you put alot of work into your expectations/comparison list.  However, my advice is to rip it up, delete it, whatever and just go and experience something new and different.  Don't spend your cruise comparing every aspect.  Stop thinking about it and just be spontaneous and enjoy the moment.   There's plenty of time when you get home to analyse your experiences.  Sometimes the best things in life are those that are the least managed.  Have a wonderful cruise.

[mfs2k]

4 minutes ago, Lady Arwen said:

I know that you put alot of work into your expectations/comparison list.  However, my advice is to rip it up, delete it, whatever and just go and experience something new and different.  Don't spend your cruise comparing every aspect.  Stop thinking about it and just be spontaneous and enjoy the moment.   There's plenty of time when you get home to analyse your experiences.  Sometimes the best things in life are those that are the least managed.  Have a wonderful cruise.

 

I'm listening to your advice, but the expectations have already been formed from reading Cruise critic.  All I did today was write them down.  

 

You've posted over 2,400 times in 15 years here.  Do you really go on cruises you've booked with no expectations?  How is that possible when you read and post so much? 

[clskinsfan]

4 minutes ago, Lady Arwen said:

I know that you put alot of work into your expectations/comparison list.  However, my advice is to rip it up, delete it, whatever and just go and experience something new and different.  Don't spend your cruise comparing every aspect.  Stop thinking about it and just be spontaneous and enjoy the moment.   There's plenty of time when you get home to analyse your experiences.  Sometimes the best things in life are those that are the least managed.  Have a wonderful cruise.

 

Agreed. We are doing our first Celebrity cruise in May on an Alaskan Itinerary. We have cruised Carnival, RCL, HAL and Norwegian in the past. All of the lines are more similar than different in all honesty. We wanted to try Celebrity this time because it is our 25th anniversary and we are both approaching 50. We were looking for a more laid back experience this cruise. 

 

I can honestly say we have never had a bad cruise. Of course there have been better cruises than others. But none bad. And we always just go with the flow of the cruise. Having no expectations at all sure does make for a less stressful experience IMO.

[bEwAbG]

Many of your expectations will not be met because your assumptions are incorrect.  You're overthinking your trip before it begins.  Setting such rigid expectations will just lead to disappointment when they're not met.  Every cruise has some aspect that could be done better or doesn't go quite right.  

[Lady Arwen]

21 minutes ago, awhfy said:

Best part of Celebrity’s casino is that it is completely nonsmoking 

This is what brings us back time and again to Celebrity.  I'm hoping the other cruise lines will follow suit in the near future.  HAL has already started to ban smoking on some of their ships, so a step in the right direction.  I'm confident that we'll all be sailing on totally smoke free ships in the next few years.

[Lady Arwen]

3 minutes ago, mfs2k said:

 

I'm listening to your advice, but the expectations have already been formed from reading Cruise critic.  All I did today was write them down.  

 

You've posted over 2,400 times in 15 years here.  Do you really go on cruises you've booked with no expectations?  How is that possible when you read and post so much? 

I go with the expectation that I will have the most wonderful time and make the most of things that aren't perfect.  I think you have taken the expectation thing to an entirely different level and setting yourself up for disappointment.  You commented that you EXPECT that crew/staff will be more likely to remember and call you by name.  Yes, your room steward will and so will the dining room wait staff.  Perhaps a bartender who frequently serves you, but really other than that it will not be much different from Carnival.  I hope you're not let down when this doesn't happen.  Please try to relax.

[Muushka]

OP, I enjoyed reading what you expect from X along with the comparison with Carnival.

 

We recently did a Holland America cruise for the first time (we are long time X cruisers).  I also had expectations, I just didn't have the guts to post them!  I think it will be interesting if you would come back to this thread after you complete your cruise and let us know where you were right and where you were wrong.

 

PS There were several things on HAL that I did not think that I would appreciate.  Now that I have experienced another cruise line, I know if we ever want to do a different cruise (or a Christmas/NYE cruise, much cheaper on HAL), we have a great alternative.  We have tried RCI but really don't enjoy them that much.

 

 

[Big_G]

Judging by what you disclosed about yourself I think you'll enjoy Equinox. It's been a few years since we sailed Carnival but I don't think you're far off. Just my opinion but I think Celebrity has upped their night time entertainment over the past few years so enjoy.

[hcat]

25 minutes ago, mfs2k said:

 

I'm listening to your advice, but the expectations have already been formed from reading Cruise critic.  All I did today was write them down.  

 

You've posted over 2,400 times in 15 years here.  Do you really go on cruises you've booked with no expectations?  How is that possible when you read and post so much? 

Forming  settled expectations  based on cruise critic posts is not always a good idea. Most cruisers do not participate and  are a very diverse  population...

 

Thought we would hate the Infinite Veranda on EDGE based upon numerous posts including our own ...We actually liked and enjoyed aspects ot it,

 

Looking forward to your post cruise review!

[florisdekort]

Drop the expectations - they can only lead to disappointments.

 

Take a deep breath, relax and just enjoy your vacation. 

 

Floris 

[mfs2k]

36 minutes ago, Lady Arwen said:

You commented that you EXPECT that crew/staff will be more likely to remember and call you by name.  Yes, your room steward will and so will the dining room wait staff.  Perhaps a bartender who frequently serves you, but really other than that it will not be much different from Carnival.  I hope you're not let down when this doesn't happen. 

 

Definitely won't be let down if this doesn't happen.  Being referred to by name is not something I really care about.  My "expectation" is because I read many posts by people who have said how surprised they were on Celebrity when crew would remember their name.  Using guest names is a 5 Diamond standard in hotels, and it just sounded to me that Celebrity does a better job at that than Carnival did. Not a deal breaker for me.  In fact, many of these "expectations" won't result in feeling let down if they're not met.  Maybe "my impression" is a better term than "my expectation."

[mfs2k]

 

I think most of us embark on experiences (vacations, trying a new restaurant, going away for a weekend, etc) with some sort of expectation in mind.  Unless you've been whisked away, blindfolded to a new locale, it's hard to plan a trip without forming preconceived impressions.

 

I just was bored and wanted to write down my expectations. I thought it might make for an interesting post.  Hopefully it has for some of you. 

 

I'll definitely have fun on the cruise. I upgraded to the Premium beverage package. 

[clskinsfan]

13 minutes ago, mfs2k said:

 

I think most of us embark on experiences (vacations, trying a new restaurant, going away for a weekend, etc) with some sort of expectation in mind.  Unless you've been whisked away, blindfolded to a new locale, it's hard to plan a trip without forming preconceived impressions.

 

I just was bored and wanted to write down my expectations. I thought it might make for an interesting post.  Hopefully it has for some of you. 

 

I'll definitely have fun on the cruise. I upgraded to the Premium beverage package. 

 

Thats the spirit!!!! 🙂

[helen haywood]

You can get answers to specific questions about cruising from Cruise Critic.  But keep in mind that the vast majority of your future Equinox passengers have never heard of it.  There’s a whole other world of Celebrity cruisers you’ll only meet on a ship.

 

As far as specifics on your list, I think you can expect livelier music in the Atrium.  Often it’s Big Band before the first seating in the MDR, but X has some great party and house bands that cover pop, rock, country etc.  My personal favorite was Extasea on Reflection playing Blurred Lines.

 

[mfs2k]

4 minutes ago, helen haywood said:

You can get answers to specific questions about cruising from Cruise Critic.  But keep in mind that the vast majority of your future Equinox passengers have never heard of it.  There’s a whole other world of Celebrity cruisers you’ll only meet on a ship.

 

This is great advice.  I know you're right about this.

 

5 minutes ago, helen haywood said:

As far as specifics on your list, I think you can expect livelier music in the Atrium.  Often it’s Big Band before the first seating in the MDR, but X has some great party and house bands that cover pop, rock, country etc.  My personal favorite was Extasea on Reflection playing Blurred Lines.

 

I hope they'll have music like this on Equinox.  Sounds fun.  Thanks! 

[SleepingUgly]

Honestly, I really think some people have overthought this a bit.  I did not get the impression that you were so set in your ways that you were expecting everything - and nothing but - that you had laid out, and that you would be sorely disappointed if what you are predicting did not come true.  I agree - I always have certain expectations when I make plans (hence, why I do research), whether it's for travel or work or something as simple as making dinner (my expectation is that I will fail spectacularly at making even toast, and that is generally proven true).  That doesn't mean I'm setting myself up for disappointment; it just means I have something in mind.  Having expectations does not mean we are so close-minded that we'll be disappointed if expectations are not met.  Who knows, you may be pleasantly surprised at being proven wrong at some things, haha.  You sound like you will be going into this experience with an open mind, and I look forward to reading about "reality vs. expectation" when you return.  Safe travels and have a fantastic vacation!