RCCL fans…thinking of trying Celebrity?

[EntropyGuardian]

Yeah, I guess it must be an intangible vibe or something because I haven't heard what amenities or activities Celebrity is offering for your $$$ vs the same or more $$$ on Royal yet. Seems like less spectacular shows, less fun active stuff, less for children. Like just fewer amenities for a higher price. 

 

Like if rooms are double the size, all bars are open, all specialty dining is covered, complementary spa services, free room service. Like, being more "laid back" in an ephemeral sense is kind of understandable, but doesn't seem like it is worth losing other optional amenities and pay the same or more?

 

Maybe I'll watch some YouTube videos on what amenities Celebrity ships have to offer and there may be something someone hasn't mentioned yet. I'm all for new experiences but I'm judging that on if I spend $2600 for a family of 4 for a week, what is available to us? 

[cementhands]

RCL used to be my wife’s favorite but mine was celebrity. Diamond on RCL and elite on celebrity based on cruises on each separate. But the inactivity on celebrity has us back to more RCL.

Recently last 2 cruises were on Ncl which had amazing activities 20,000 steps a day plus in dancing, dedicated comedy club, huge activities staff. I’m not sure how many others are like us but older and retired we live for activities, Zumba, line dancing theme parties 🎉💃🏽👌🏻🚢🏖

. On celebrity excellent food and service but silent disco 🪩 is the highlight of activities which is a cheap boring way to say that you provided a party! 💤 😴 

 

[micmacmissy]

15 hours ago, Ozark_Kid said:

For those who has cruised both, how does the evening entertainment/shows compare.

The Oasis class ships have great entertainment, between the ice rink, aqua theatre, and main theatre shows.  However, not much small group/acoustic/live music in the lounges.

 

Celebrity does a great job with the live music, but the stage shows are definitely not as good as Royal.

 

THAT SAID the stage shows on Apex were the best we’ve seen on Celebrity - their new theatre set up is pretty darn amazing.

[micmacmissy]

13 hours ago, emory2001 said:

We’re diamond on Royal and just booked Celebrity Beyond for next year. The ships are beautiful, but I do find in the Celebrity groups people are a bit more pretentious, so we’ll see how the experience actually is. We can more than afford to sail Celebrity, but we are not pretentious. We’re also taking our teens with us, who are very introverted and only ever went to Adventure Ocean a couple of times because they really don’t like big group activities, especially with kids they don’t know (don’t need anyone’s comments on that - that’s who my kids are). They enjoy traditional cruising like mom and dad, but there’s a lot of “don’t bring your kids” in the Celebrity groups. Oh well 🤷🏻‍♀️

Ignore.  We took my kids on two Royal cruises (as young as ages 9 and 11) and all they wanted to do was read, hang by the pool with their parents, and visit the buffet.  They wanted no part of the children’s clubs.  

 

People on the Celebrity boards are pretentious but onboard, everyone is super friendly!!!

[micmacmissy]

9 minutes ago, cementhands said:

RCL used to be my wife’s favorite but mine was celebrity. Diamond on RCL and elite on celebrity based on cruises on each separate. But the inactivity on celebrity has us back to more RCL.

Recently last 2 cruises were on Ncl which had amazing activities 20,000 steps a day plus in dancing, dedicated comedy club, huge activities staff. I’m not sure how many others are like us but older and retired we live for activities, Zumba, line dancing theme parties 🎉💃🏽👌🏻🚢🏖

. On celebrity excellent food and service but silent disco 🪩 is the highlight of activities which is a cheap boring way to say that you provided a party! 💤 😴 

 

 

20,000 steps a day!  Yikes!  (Good for you.)

 

Celebrity is definitely more laid back.  I would say the high energy vibe you’re looking for might be found on NCL, or even one of the newer Carnival ships in a suite (check out Jim Zim on You Tube).

 

Virgin cruise line also seems to have quite the party vibe!

[emory2001]

1 hour ago, micmacmissy said:

Ignore.  We took my kids on two Royal cruises (as young as ages 9 and 11) and all they wanted to do was read, hang by the pool with their parents, and visit the buffet.  They wanted no part of the children’s clubs.  

 

People on the Celebrity boards are pretentious but onboard, everyone is super friendly!!!

 

Yeah, I’m open to the possibility that the on ship experience could be different, because I know people can be different on social media, or I wouldn’t have booked the cruise. 

That’s exactly how my kids are too. They enjoy slides, but they’ll be fine without them on ONE cruise, and they are not big-group social creatures (none of us are).

[leaveitallbehind]

5 hours ago, EntropyGuardian said:

Yeah, I guess it must be an intangible vibe or something because I haven't heard what amenities or activities Celebrity is offering for your $$$ vs the same or more $$$ on Royal yet. Seems like less spectacular shows, less fun active stuff, less for children. Like just fewer amenities for a higher price. 

 

Like if rooms are double the size, all bars are open, all specialty dining is covered, complementary spa services, free room service. Like, being more "laid back" in an ephemeral sense is kind of understandable, but doesn't seem like it is worth losing other optional amenities and pay the same or more?

 

Maybe I'll watch some YouTube videos on what amenities Celebrity ships have to offer and there may be something someone hasn't mentioned yet. I'm all for new experiences but I'm judging that on if I spend $2600 for a family of 4 for a week, what is available to us? 

I think the point here is you are trying to compare apples to oranges. It seems as though you are looking to compare activities and cruising styles for your family of four with a cruise line that does not target that demographic. 

 

You would probably be better comparing RCCL to NCL or Disney to see the differences in activities, etc. for you and your children.  Or maybe even just the different ship classes within RCCL:  Oasis to Quantum to Freedom, etc., so see what different ship classes offer what different family activities. 

 

If you are looking for rock climbing, water slides, bumper cars, flow riders, ice skating rinks, aqua theaters, diverse kids club activities, theme characters, etc., you will not find any of that on Celebrity.  They are a different cruise line that doesn't offer that as their primary market is adults, not families. 

 

In other words there is no direct comparison of family activities with Celebrity as in that sense, they don't exist.  So I don't think you and your family would enjoy that cruise experience.  As you and your family gets older, your cruising priorities may change.  At that point, Celebrity (and others) might be a comparison to then make.

 

But for now, the only apple to apple comparison you could make to RCCL would be, as suggested, perhaps NCL or Disney - but not Celebrity.

Edited May 9, 2022 by leaveitallbehind

[bonsai3s]

Love both RCCL & Celebrity.

First started cruising on Celebrity extensively because of it's wonderful itineraries.

 

Then started cruising Royal because of all the new and bigger ships...the ships became the destination.

 

* Love the relatively inexpensive Aqua Class cabins on Celebrity Solstice. It gives us access to the Blu restaurant...and holy moses! The shower has a large rain shower head from the ceiling and 6 additional jets off the wall ...nice.

[crewsweeper]

23 hours ago, broadwaybaby123 said:

People always ask me this as I am loyal to both lines. I always tell them "They're owned by the same company. If you like Royal, you'll likely like Celebrity." It's like asking someone if they prefer a Ford or a Lexus: they're both owned by the same company, one is just a higher end version of that company.

I think you mean Lincoln, not Lexus.

Edited May 9, 2022 by crewsweeper

[broadwaybaby123]

1 hour ago, crewsweeper said:

I think you mean Lincoln, not Lexus.

If you look at my previous post, I already corrected it.

[crewsweeper]

2 hours ago, broadwaybaby123 said:

If you look at my previous post, I already corrected it.

Sorry didn't read the whole thread before responding.

[Jeremiah1212]

11 hours ago, EntropyGuardian said:

Yeah, I guess it must be an intangible vibe or something because I haven't heard what amenities or activities Celebrity is offering for your $$$ vs the same or more $$$ on Royal yet. Seems like less spectacular shows, less fun active stuff, less for children. Like just fewer amenities for a higher price. 

 

That's probably a good way to describe it. People on Celebrity typically aren't traveling with kids, not really into big production shows and nonstop activities. It's an older crowd or younger DINKs. Or those that left the kids at home. Definitely not geared toward families that need constant entertainment. The overall experience is more laid back and that seems to be exactly what most X cruisers are looking for. It's not really a cost vs. amenity/activity issue. 

 

7 hours ago, micmacmissy said:

People on the Celebrity boards are pretentious but onboard, everyone is super friendly!!!

 

The Celebrity board has gone off the rails a bit in the past few months. Something in the water? Not sure. But I will say, generally, the vibe on CC versus the actual vibe onboard of Celebrity and even the premium and lux lines is not anywhere near as stuffy or pretentious as some seem to want it to be. 

 

[George C]

11 hours ago, micmacmissy said:

The Oasis class ships have great entertainment, between the ice rink, aqua theatre, and main theatre shows.  However, not much small group/acoustic/live music in the lounges.

 

Celebrity does a great job with the live music, but the stage shows are definitely not as good as Royal.

 

THAT SAID the stage shows on Apex were the best we’ve seen on Celebrity - their new theatre set up is pretty darn amazing.

Well said, as stated you can’t beat rccl entertainment in general, but rccl didn’t have the entertainment during the day that edge class had , starting about 1pm there was either a solo, duet or small group playing by the martini bar or Eden. Martini bar has some very talented bartenders. Celebrity doesn’t have the gimmicks that draw children like rccl. 
   Suite perks are way better on Celebrity there suite dinning room has way better food and service and all Celebrity ships have a suite dinning room not just some like rccl. 
      I was looking to book a cruise at end of November and I looked at allure vs celebrity beyond, beyond was cheaper plus free drink package, tips and several hundred in OBC , both offered WiFi. So we will be sailing the Beyond.

[barbeyg]

We are sailing Apex this December (our 1st Celebrity sailing), after RCI dumped us off of Harmony and onto Wonder, only to cancel then our Wonder sailing. The alternatives weren’t to our liking, so we jumped over to Celebrity for that week.  We also booked a 9 night on Beyond next November, since the price was crazy good.
 

After reading this thread, we feel good about our choice. We plan to sail RCI again in 2024.  We figure we will sail Celebrity when we can get a great price on a suite, and RCI otherwise. 🙂