Are more Celebrity cruisers picking RCI due to high Celebrity prices?

[boscobeans]

We have been loyal to X since we started in 2001 and earned elite status rather quickly.

That being said we did mix in a RC cruise here and there due to a variety of reasons and thoroughly enjoyed each one.

We noticed a trend on X where the cruise experience began to go down, with less staff and a push towards specialty restaurants for a better meal.

We switched over to more RC cruises that X and found the gap was less and less each year.

We earned our points on RC to become diamond and booked more RC than X, ( our last X was in 2018) and will continues to do so.  As for our decision, which is not based on price, it is based on ship design, staff, service, food quality, itineraries, dates and ports of embarkation.

Having sailed both and on almost every class of ship and type of stateroom from inside to royal suites we see no reason to return to X, but would (unless it was on the EDGE, No thank you) if our needs were met.

They are now more similar to each other than they are different, with RC heads in front with things to do and see.

[compman9]

As soon as we reached Diamond we ditched Royal for a far better quality cruise line with Elite perks

 

However, after reaching Elite in our own right via several Celebrity cruises we started to notice that the product was reducing in quality in all sorts of areas, the Solstice class began to appear dated against the new mega ships and the trend was towards suite guests

 

We switched back to Royal because of the bigger ships, but will now mix it up depending on price and itinerary

 

 

[john_galt]

I've gone back to Princess now that suite pricing on X has gone nuts. No butler but at least I can afford a suite. I assume it's what the market will bear but I have better uses for my money. 

 

[mcatmcat]

For years Royal has struggle with   Millennials because we think a cruise is a boring place full of seniors. In the last few year Royal has changed his imagine and more millennials area attracted to royal and the cruise industry overall. It’s going to be interesting if people that are loyal to Celebrity decide to change brand jumping to Royal filling their ship. Celebrity ships are nice but I don’t think they are for me since they target 65+ yrs old 

[TeeRick]

22 hours ago, mcatmcat said:

For years Royal has struggle with   Millennials because we think a cruise is a boring place full of seniors. In the last few year Royal has changed his imagine and more millennials area attracted to royal and the cruise industry overall. It’s going to be interesting if people that are loyal to Celebrity decide to change brand jumping to Royal filling their ship. Celebrity ships are nice but I don’t think they are for me since they target 65+ yrs old 

Celebrity Edge seems to be targeting younger cruise passengers.

[grandgeezer]

After 21 cruises on Celebrity we abandoned them because the cutbacks, changes, and price increases, we found the value wasn’t there. We started cruising Celebrity in 2005 and there is nothing better now that doesn’t require pulling out my wallet, Last October we were able to book a Grand Suite, on the Allure, for about what an Aqua balcony cost on Celebrity. The only difference being the Allure didn’t include a drink package. The 3 1/2 hour loyalty period and being able to get beer, soda, and win from 11am to 11pm made that point moot. We also did MSC, in a Yacht Club Deluxe Suite, for about the same deal and that included a drink package. In fact, we a doing the MSC thing again in October.

We have cut our cruising in half, because of the extra cost of suites. If things stay status quo, we have no intentions of ever returning to Celebrity.

[kag19]

We did our first Celebrity cruise last year because we got such a good deal and loved it.  With all the perks included the overall price was less than what one would have been on Royal with the comparable perks.  We are going to pay for drinks, tips and wifi regardless so the package worked for us.  Fast forward to the trip we took this year, we priced out the same cruise we did on Celebrity the year before and the price had gone up a ridiculous amount.  We ended up going on Oasis, which we love, because the price was better.  The cruises were comparable as far as food and service but with everything the Oasis has to offer there really is no comparison to the ship.  We would do Celebrity again if the price was right or there was an itinerary we wanted but the two products really are not that different to be paying that much more over the other.

[catugirl]

We have done many cruises on Celebrity and Princess and only one on RCI, with our second one coming up in November on Harmony.  Our last cruise was on Celebrity Infinity this past January, and we got a super deal.  For years we have wanted to cruise on an Oasis Class ship on RCI, but a comparable cabin on Oasis has been much more expensive than any ship on Celebrity (except Edge).  Plus, Celebrity’s price usually includes at least two perks (generous onboard credit, drinks package, etc.). This year we decided to book Harmony despite its high price.  Now I will admit that the prices on Celebrity’s newest ship, Edge, are through the roof, higher than any ship on the main cruise lines.  Not sure how long they will be able to command those outrageous prices; many Celebrity loyalists are up in arms about that.  As far as comparing food, it depends on where you dine.  On Celebrity, Aqua Class dining in Blu and Suite Class dining in Luminae far surpass the MDR on RCI.  OTOH, The MDR on Celebrity is comparable to MDR on RCI...lots of variables in comparing.

[Iamcruzin]

We prefer Celebrity over Royal because we don't need all of the on board activities and we don't travel with young children. I Can find a better price per day on Celebrity than on Royal. By the time I add in the drink packages (one deluxe and one refreshment) and internet Royal becomes more expensive per day than Celebrity. Most of the time I can find a deal where two perks  are included and we would choose the drink package and $300 OBC.  We also prefer the smaller ships and the itineraries. The only reason we choose Royal this time is because they were the best choice for a longer 9 day cruise from New York and because we are traveling with our 23yr old son and his friend. Royal is just a better fit for multigenerational cruising. If we had to fly to port Celebrity and Princess would be our first choices before Royal Caribbean.

Edited April 25, 2019 by Iamcruzin

[Coralc]

On 4/23/2019 at 9:52 AM, mcatmcat said:

For years Royal has struggle with   Millennials because we think a cruise is a boring place full of seniors. In the last few year Royal has changed his imagine and more millennials area attracted to royal and the cruise industry overall. It’s going to be interesting if people that are loyal to Celebrity decide to change brand jumping to Royal filling their ship. Celebrity ships are nice but I don’t think they are for me since they target 65+ yrs old 

 

You're a Millennial? 

[Iamcruzin]

On 4/23/2019 at 12:52 PM, mcatmcat said:

For years Royal has struggle with   Millennials because we think a cruise is a boring place full of seniors. In the last few year Royal has changed his imagine and more millennials area attracted to royal and the cruise industry overall. It’s going to be interesting if people that are loyal to Celebrity decide to change brand jumping to Royal filling their ship. Celebrity ships are nice but I don’t think they are for me since they target 65+ yrs old 

The age does skew higher  but they also attract D.I.N.K.s.

[catugirl]

On 4/23/2019 at 12:52 PM, mcatmcat said:

For years Royal has struggle with   Millennials because we think a cruise is a boring place full of seniors. In the last few year Royal has changed his imagine and more millennials area attracted to royal and the cruise industry overall. It’s going to be interesting if people that are loyal to Celebrity decide to change brand jumping to Royal filling their ship. Celebrity ships are nice but I don’t think they are for me since they target 65+ yrs old 

You should check out Celebrity Edge.  From what I have read, that ship has many unique features and is very much geared toward millennials.  Just be prepared for a steep cruise fare.😊