Which cruise line will you Never, Always and Try to cruise with and why?

[Treasure Hunter]

5 hours ago, George C said:

Love sailing out of New York, I have heard good things about Haven. Celebrity suite restaurant Luminae is excellent.

We find the food at Luminae strange and sometimes ask for the MDR menu. NCL Haven is amazing with unbelievable service and Adult only sundeck but to see the entertainment or go to the casino you have to go into the main body of the ship. The Haven concierge will take you 15 minutes before the show thru a tunnel to the front of the theater. But I hear great things about the retreat reno on Celebrity Summit from Bayonne that I would love to try. But it doesn't run in winter.

[Treasure Hunter]

4 hours ago, The Yorkshire Cruiser said:

Never: my outlook is never say never but AIDA has never appealed to me. Perhaps its memories of sunbed fights at Spanish all-inclusives from my childhood. 

 

Always: Celebrity: would happily cruise anywhere in the world with Celebrity and be confident of having a great experience.

 

Try: I've booked my first Oceania cruise and Iooking forward to seeing what they have to offer.

You will find Oceania a very nice experience. We have cruised 5 times, the last to Cuba just before it closed again. It was a great trip on the Sirena ( former Ocean Princess). The food is Very good and there is no fighting over a deck chair. Great competitive Trivia. Few sea days, usually very port intensive.

[deadzone1003]

Always - any cruise line with the right itinerary at an affordable price and has a passing CDC sanitation score.  We sailed Costa for the Norwegian Fjords because they were the only cruise line that had sufficient time in Stavanger for us to hike the Pulpit Rock.  

 

Never - any cruise line which requires formal or semi-formal wear for dinner

 

It is funny to see all those "never", especially for Carnival and Costa.  We have sailed both Carnival and Costa - they weren't the best cruises that we have been on, nor were they the worst cruises that we have been on.  Every cruise line has a niche in the cruise market.  One day you may want to treat your kids who are young adults to a cruise.  Do you go on a cruise that is targeted more for you or one that is targeted for them?  Furthermore, even Carnival is more similar to other cruise lines when the cruises are entirely outside of the USA.

[dani negreanu]

Never - Costa (because of Costa Concordia and it's death toll)

 

Never again - NCL and Princess.

 

Always - X and RC.

 

 

 

[George C]

1 hour ago, Treasure Hunter said:

We find the food at Luminae strange and sometimes ask for the MDR menu. NCL Haven is amazing with unbelievable service and Adult only sundeck but to see the entertainment or go to the casino you have to go into the main body of the ship. The Haven concierge will take you 15 minutes before the show thru a tunnel to the front of the theater. But I hear great things about the retreat reno on Celebrity Summit from Bayonne that I would love to try. But it doesn't run in winter.

On msc yacht club butler can escort you to shows they can override elevators, you key can do that also, they have a super nice pool area with pool hot tubs and outside restaurant , our July cruise we are on a sister ship of summit the millennium, have a royal suite so if we don’t like Luminae we can eat in any specialty restaurants for no cost. Never cruised out of Bayonne.

[ClaudiaB]

Always would sail Celebrity and Azamara and if the price is good for the itinerary AZ would be our preference.   However we've sailed on about 16 X cruises and never were disappointed.   Only one long AZ cruise and I fell in love with virtually everything about it.  Their itineraries are wonderful.   The intensive nature of the itineraries are what sold us and the experience on the 700 passenger ship was perfect.  

 

Have NO desire to sail on any ship with an amusement park on deck, or any smoking inside anywhere, or glitz and neon and young party atmosphere.    Have never been on any of those lines but from talking to people and reading on here, I know for sure that many of the lines mentioned would NOT be something we'd choose to spend our $$. 

 

Having said all that -- we don't just cruise.  We'd be bored if all our vacation was just on a ship.   We love to rent a house in the mountains for a couple weeks or take a driving trip to a selection of national and state parks, or fly to a destination somewhere and soak it all in.    A 3-month cruise - part of the world cruise or a B2B2B2B2B2B is in our not-so-distant plans and we are going to actively look for that one of these days.  

 

 

[Germancruiser]

Thinking of taking MSC maybeeeee-  as there not many options here in Europe-  I considered Yacht Club- the only bonus I absolutley don´t  need is a butler- and I can walk all the way to the theater perfectly well on my own- for the time beeing anyway.

Edited April 9, 2021 by Germancruiser

[Treasure Hunter]

46 minutes ago, Germancruiser said:

Thinking of taking MSC maybeeeee-  as there not many options here in Europe-  I considered Yacht Club- the only bonus I absolutley don´t  need is a butler- and I can walk all the way to the theater perfectly well on my own- for the time beeing anyway.

Yes  but I don’t have great eyesight and knowing that I can always sit close to the stage ( love the stage shows) means a lot. Also stress free.

[Vagabond Knight]

NEVER:  Carnival Caribbean cruises less than 7 days long. I believe the "party boat" atmosphere is not only a function of the cruise line, but also a function of the length of the cruise and the itinerary.  Many of the Carnival cruises are 3-4 days, which attracts the "party 'til you drop" crowd.  Did two 7-day Alaskan cruises on Carnival and had a great experience both times.  Another never is RCCL's floating cities/malls. They're just too dang big with too many people on 'em.  A probably never is Disney, since I think their pricing is ridiculous... when I've checked, it's usually been about twice what I pay for Celebrity.

 

ALWAYS:  I have no "always," though Celebrity generally has the lead with their excellent service. However, pricing gets kind of ridiculous sometimes and there's only so much I'm willing to spend per night.

 

MIGHT TRY:  MSC, since they sail out of Port Canaveral.  Also might try one of the river cruise lines at some point.

Edited April 9, 2021 by SunsetPoint

[Germancruiser]

1 hour ago, Treasure Hunter said:

Yes  but I don’t have great eyesight and knowing that I can always sit close to the stage ( love the stage shows) means a lot. Also stress free.

Okay- that is a different story then- in your case a butler really comes in handy.

[KWW88]

50 minutes ago, SunsetPoint said:

NEVER:  Carnival Caribbean cruises less than 7 days long. I believe the "party boat" atmosphere is not only a function of the cruise line, but also a function of the length of the cruise and the itinerary.  Many of the Carnival cruises are 3-4 days, which attracts the "party 'til you drop" crowd.  Did two 7-day Alaskan cruises on Carnival and had a great experience both times.  Another never is RCCL's floating cities/malls. They're just too dang big with too many people on 'em.  A probably never is Disney, since I think their pricing is ridiculous... when I've checked, it's usually been about twice what I pay for Celebrity.

 

ALWAYS:  I have no "always," though Celebrity generally has the lead with their excellent service. However, pricing gets kind of ridiculous sometimes and there's only so much I'm willing to spend per night.

 

MIGHT TRY:  MSC, since they sail out of Port Canaveral.  Also might try one of the river cruise lines at some point.

A probably never is Disney, since I think their pricing is ridiculous... when I've checked, it's usually been about twice what I pay for Celebrity.  Never sailed on Disney, nor have we ever considered it.  So with to much time on my hands I did a price comparison between their Concierge and Celebrity  Iconic.  This is for 12 day cruises in Europe, though not all of the same ports of call.

 

Disney Concierge - 1 BR total 694SF, which includes the balcony.  Includes access to concierge lounge where one can get drinks, snacks, continental breakfast.  Does not seem to include any drink package or specialty dining.  $57,000 for 2 pax

 

Celebrity Apex Iconic Suite - 2BR, 1892 SF interior, 689 SF terrace.  Premium drink package, tips, unlimited wifi, all specialty dining included.  $63,000 for 2 pax

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Treasure Hunter]

6 hours ago, George C said:

On msc yacht club butler can escort you to shows they can override elevators, you key can do that also, they have a super nice pool area with pool hot tubs and outside restaurant , our July cruise we are on a sister ship of summit the millennium, have a royal suite so if we don’t like Luminae we can eat in any specialty restaurants for no cost. Never cruised out of Bayonne.

We only have been on Royal Caribbean out of Bayonne. Terrific parking situation right next to the cruise terminal. If you are in a suite thecheck in is in a large comfortable room. They check you in on lap tops while you are seated. 

[sofietucker]

NEVER AGAIN Carnival (only once)

ALWAYS Celebrity

TRY Oceania (booked on just-cancelled Eastern Med in July; Caribbean in Dec) and Azamara

[newcruiser1956]

Would always do Viking but sadly can't afford to.  (Did 1 and it was heaven!)

 

Sadly typically do Carnival - it is in my price range

 

Never NCL again,  1 and done, the cruise was miserable.

 

[Pinboy]

On 4/7/2021 at 2:35 PM, TeeRick said:

Never:  Any cruise line that does not require 100% vaccinated passengers and crew including no children unless they are vaccinated too.  For the present time anyway.

I would also include not having to wear a mask, not having to be in long lines waiting for an elevator , being tested on a regular basis getting off and back on to the ship at port stops, watching confrontations between passengers over social distancing etc, etc--- It just seem like it would not be a fun time.

When all of this is over, we will cruise with Celebrity even though we don't like that AI " baloney ".

Yea, I know--- You've heard it before  ( LOL ).

[lorimay]

12 hours ago, Treasure Hunter said:

We only have been on Royal Caribbean out of Bayonne. Terrific parking situation right next to the cruise terminal. If you are in a suite thecheck in is in a large comfortable room. They check you in on lap tops while you are seated. 

We sailed on the Summit out of Bayonee in July 2019 to Bermuda. Please note that the passengers on the summer Bayonne cruises is not your "typical" Celebrity passengers. Lots of family groups, tons of kids, and much more of a "party" atmosphere than any other Celebrity cruise we have been on. Several people we met said they do that cruise every year (pre-covid). Not bad, just different. Granted, we weren't in a suite. Frankly, other than the size of the ship and slightly better food and service, that Celebrity cruise was no different that many of the RCI cruises we have been on. 

[Treasure Hunter]

4 hours ago, lorimay said:

We sailed on the Summit out of Bayonee in July 2019 to Bermuda. Please note that the passengers on the summer Bayonne cruises is not your "typical" Celebrity passengers. Lots of family groups, tons of kids, and much more of a "party" atmosphere than any other Celebrity cruise we have been on. Several people we met said they do that cruise every year (pre-covid). Not bad, just different. Granted, we weren't in a suite. Frankly, other than the size of the ship and slightly better food and service, that Celebrity cruise was no different that many of the RCI cruises we have been on. 

Good to know. I wish Celebrity and/or Princess sailed out of Metropolitan New York in the winter. The closest we got was a late October Princess ( Regal) cruise from Brooklyn to Fort Lauderdale one way. A fun Casino cruise but a bummer to have to fly home. 

[PTC DAWG]

One very fairly constant theme her..to Carnival..I’ve never sailed them but oddly enough, my 80 or so old non drinking (maybe a beer once in a blue moon for the Husband) neighbors love them.  
 

I would sail on NCL again with my Son (28) and Fiancé (27), the Escape is a pretty nice ship offering a variety of entertainment...

 

Celebrity is a cut above for sure.

 

I have been on MSC, balcony, would like to try Yacht Club...

 

HAL sounds like too old of a crowd for me..

 

More upscale lines sound stuffy..

[work.save.travel.repeat]

ALWAYS: After 2020 we'll cruise with any line that isn't requiring pokes AND masks.... either the poke works or it doesn't - pick one!

NEVER: Any ship without: outdoor movie screen and casino

TRY: In 2021 we'll try the first line that offers sailing mask free.... who in the world wants to spend a week wearing a mask every time one leaves their room!!! We've already returned to all inclusive resorts because their mask policies are very relaxed. Florida is also mask free thanks to the Governor. 

 

[Hearthosesteeldrumsplayin]

Never:  Carnival--just seems too much like a booze cruise and I was not happy with their response on a Norovirus outbreak.  Caveat that I have never sailed on them, though.

 

Always: NCL--love the Haven, MSC--Yacht Club only, RCCL--want to try a suite!

 

Try:  Looking forward to X (have had 2 cancelled, one still pending for Mar 22), Regent Seven Seas (pending cruise Nov 21, fingers crossed!), Oceania.

 

Currently not on list:  Princess (DH says never again), Disney (maybe w/grandkids), Cunard, Viking, HAL, Azamara.  Have looked at these previously, but just can't seem to find something that really excites me about them.  But, tastes change! (And I like a casino since we don't live near any!)

[DENIE]

Never - Carnival (well, I wish I could say never).  Did one short LA/Catalina/Ensenada cruise - never again.  I understand this may not be completely representative of their product, but just no, not again.

 

Probably Never - Royal Caribbean.  Do not like the thought of the mega-ships, and that many people.  Don't need rock climbing walls, flowrider, etc. 

 

Always - Celebrity.  Have had 3 cruises with them - all were great!  Love the vibe and the amount of activities and options are just right.  Have enjoyed both the M- and S-class ships.  Haven't tried Edge.  We feel it has become our "go to" line.  Would have had more, if Covid didn't cancel our "America's" cruise in 2020, and we cancelled our August '21 Baltic as we did not see that ship sailing (or without major modification).

 

Try - Oceania.  And that we are!  We booked a June 2022 Mediterranean cruise.  Just felt like kicking things up a notch, especially with the food.  Wanted to try a smaller ship. If we enjoy, I can see going back and forth between Oceania and Celebrity depending on pricing and itinerary.

 

Try - Regent Seven Seas.  A bit of a stretch for our budget right now, but would love to try the experience. 

 

We have also sailed HAL and MSC (Divina, out of Miami) - really enjoyed those cruises as well so would consider going back.

 

Thanks OP!  What a fun post to read!

[miched]

On 4/6/2021 at 3:19 PM, grandgeezer said:

With the current pricing, none of them.

If the pricing gets more realistic, MSC (new ships) in the deluxe Yacht Club only. No others. We did this in 2018 and 2019 and found a new home. All the other 45 cruises we've done, 20+ on Celebrity and 8 on RCL are but a distant memory.

This means, unless things change dramatically, we are probably done, and will go back to land vacations. If this pandemic goes away, we are looking at a 3-4 week escorted tour of Europe.

Totally agree.  Prices are rediculous.  We are also looking at more land vacations.    I look at the prices for a SS a on X and it starts at $400/day pp I can buy a lot of drinks, dine in some fine places and have a very nice room in a high end hotel with money left in my pocket.  I can also bring my own drinks into the room, have better WiFi along with more selections on TV.  Plus there are more options of things to do during the day and night life.  Plus I have 24 hours to cancel and don’t have to have special medical travel insurance if I stay in the USA.   
 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅
 

Happy cruising 

[Redtravel]

Never and always are too restrictive.  Things change and so do we. Cruising has certainly changed during the pandemic. Speculation on what was past experiences may be ridiculous at this time.  I can only reflect on what I liked or disliked on past cruises.  The future of cruising  will be different.  I liked most cruises.  Some were better than others.  You go with expectations and hope they are met or exceeded.  Celebrity usually is good. However, my most recent experience on Reflection turned me off.  Too crowded, too many cutbacks, and spotty service.  Celebrity added more cabins creating uncomfortable crowding.  That’s hard to forgive.  Norwegian is cheap and it shows. I deserve better and am willing to pay for it. RCL is good, but ship size is too big.  While I wouldn’t say never, it is not high on my choices. HAL and Princess are ok.  Only chosen when the family or friends pick it.  Azamara was good. However, now that it has been sold, not sure what to expect.  Oceania, Viking, and Windstar are high on my list.  They have been  a good fit for most of my needs.  What will I do after pandemic?  Not sure.  Having had cruises canceled, I am looking for other vacation options.  For now, staying domestic and not flying.    When it is really safe to travel with no restrictions, I would like to rebook my trips that were canceled.  

Edited April 11, 2021 by Redtravel

[mickey89]

The absolute worse cruiseline must be MSC.  We loved their Yacht club but you just can't trust MSC to keep their promises, they are an absolute disgrace.

 

P&O are also near the bottom of the heap, you definitely get what you pay for with them. Still think Britain rules the Waves with their misguided patriotism.

[Kiran]

Never Again: HAL

 

Did an Alaskan cruise with them. Room smelled horrible, then even worse after they treated it. Spent the first night on a couch in the library. Food wasn't to our taste, not even the updining restaurant.

 

Always: Celebrity, Princess, Royal, Carnival, Norwegian, Disney (but only with a deal )

 

Try: any other line