Why Should We Choose Celebrity?

[SleeStack1]

Who we are:

• (Mostly) retired couple who are relatively new cruisers and have no brand loyalty so far.  We have (3) cruises under our belt and (2) more scheduled for this year.
• What we like (on ship):   balcony cabins, above average dining, thermal spas (the jetted pools in particular), broadway type shows, music (classical, jazz, rock)
• What we don't generally do:  sunbathing, shopping, swimming, much casino play
• What we do a little of:  drinking (3-4 per day), working out, educational/info talks, a variety of activities to do maybe once per sailing (pickleball, ping pong, trivia, happy hours...)

 

I've read a few other threads and some comments say Celebrity is the best value (for them).  Every mock booking (or search) I've done, nearly always puts Celebrity at the highest cost among RCL, NCL, Princess, and HAL so I'm a little confused.  Maybe there's hidden perks I'm missing that would add value and part of why I'm posting this thread.

 

We have booked most of our cruises because of incentives.  Lots of AmEx credits, discounted (unpopular) cruise dates etc.

 

With the recent AmEx offer, we'd consider giving Celebrity a shot if we can find a competitive rate on an itinerary we haven't done yet.  Our travel dates are almost fully flexible for 2024 and beyond.

 

Edited January 3, 2023 by SleeStack1

[tfred]

As much as people here would like to say your list is all the same, there are differences between the lines you mention - they aren't all the same. Everyone knows land hotels and what they are like - Holiday Inn, Marriott, Ritz.  Not so much when it comes to cruise lines, especially since cruises are all inclusive. 

 

who have you been on and who are you scheduled for ?

[SleeStack1]

1 minute ago, tfred said:

As much as people here would like to say your list is all the same, there are differences between the lines you mention - they aren't all the same. Everyone knows land hotels and what they are like - Holiday Inn, Marriott, Ritz.  Not so much when it comes to cruise lines, especially since cruises are all inclusive. 

 

who have you been on and who are you scheduled for ?

We have been on RCCL (1), and HAL (2).

 

We are on NCL next week, and another HAL at year end.

 

We generally pick a desired itinerary, look at cruise costs across lines, see what incentives can bring our trip price down (including AmEx and AARP 10% GCs) and then book.  A thermal spa pool is almost a mandatory, but not quite yet if the itinerary is attractive enough.

 

We thought RCCL had poor MDR dining, good entertainment and music, no thermal pool, and probably a net mediocre overall experience.  We liked both of HAL's MDR experiences and their thermal pool.  Entertainment/music was just OK.  Overall I'm calling it an above average experience.

 

No idea what NCL will bring....I suspect it will be close to RCCL.  On a positive note, the itinerary will be good (Panama Canal) and we will have some limited perks like a couple specialty dining, and relatively cheap net drinks.

 

 

[prmssk]

Since the restart we have cruised Celebrity (Constellation), Princess (Emerald and Caribbean), Carnival (Ecstasy), and NCL (Prima).  In my opinion, based on those cruises since the restart, Celebrity is a step above when it comes to the overall food experience and they handled my food allergy better than the others (especially better than Princess which was a frustrating experience).  Celebrity also tends to have more spacious rooms (especially compared to Princess).  And I really like the quieter vibe of Celebrity (which is fairly similar to Princess in that respect).

 

We have found great music in lounges on Celebrity and all the other lines we sailed except NCL's Prima (we were very disappointed in the lounge music on that cruise).  RCCL and NCL are far better when it comes to shows, especially broadway type shows.

 

We are not spa people so I can't speak to that.  

 

As you can see in my signature, we have cruises booked on a variety of lines.  Celebrity is definitely towards the to of our list of cruise lines we enjoy (because of the food and vibe we like) but we are not loyal to Celebrity.  For each trip we take, we focus on what our goals are (itinerary, relaxation, ship experiences, etc.) and that is what drives us when making a decision on which line and ship to sail.

[KKB]

1 hour ago, SleeStack1 said:

What we like (on ship):   balcony cabins, above average dining, thermal spas (the jetted pools in particular), broadway type shows, music (classical, jazz, rock)

Balconys: avoid Celebrity E-class unless you do Aft balcony (they have "infinite veranda" balconies...people love or hate them but not quite a true balcony)

Food: Celebrity has the best food, imo, followed closely by Princess

Thermal spa: my understanding is there are no jetted pools in the Celebrity thermal spa (but I cannot confirm from personal experience)

Broadway shows: E-class does the best shows tho Equinox had a couple close in Nov; but NCL has 2 broadway shows on every ship (I THINK every ship...every one I have been on/have booked!)

Music: I think all cruise lines do a pretty good job of a variety of music acts.

 

1 hour ago, SleeStack1 said:

• What we do a little of:  drinking (3-4 per day), working out, educational/info talks, a variety of activities to do maybe once per sailing (pickleball, ping pong, trivia, happy hours...)

 

Pretty much covers all lines tho Celebrity & Princess do the best enrichment talks, imo

 

 

Edited January 3, 2023 by KKB

[KKB]

1 hour ago, SleeStack1 said:

We have been on RCCL (1), and HAL (2).

 

We are on NCL next week, and another HAL at year end.

 

We generally pick a desired itinerary, look at cruise costs across lines, see what incentives can bring our trip price down (including AmEx and AARP 10% GCs) and then book.  A thermal spa pool is almost a mandatory, but not quite yet if the itinerary is attractive enough.

 

We thought RCCL had poor MDR dining, good entertainment and music, no thermal pool, and probably a net mediocre overall experience.  We liked both of HAL's MDR experiences and their thermal pool.  Entertainment/music was just OK.  Overall I'm calling it an above average experience.

 

No idea what NCL will bring....I suspect it will be close to RCCL.  On a positive note, the itinerary will be good (Panama Canal) and we will have some limited perks like a couple specialty dining, and relatively cheap net drinks.

I too am a bargain hunter.

We do find cruises more alike than different.

We put Celebrity 1st, followed closely by Princess (service & food r tops on these lines)

Celebrity has fantastic speciality restaurants too (tho MDR is so great there is no need) but we found Princess specialty restaurants no better than MDR (which is very good)

 

Then RCCL with NCL right behind (they do shows & "extra" stuff best--ziplining, etc)

 

If you didn't care for RCCL food you won't be impressed w/ NCL.

We find both those MDRs to be adequate. We found RCCL specialty restaurants quite good when we had several on the Allure. 

NCL specialty restaurants are inconsistent--sometimes great, sometimes OK.

 

You might consider Princess next!!

[Ken the cruiser]

We like all three, Celebrity, Princess and NCL for similar reasons as yours, depending on the itinerary and cruise length. Since you also search for discounts, are either of you US military veterans? NCL just initiated a 10% discount for veterans and Princess also has a very good military OBC perk. Celebrity also offers one, but the max you can get is only $100 off your booking fare. HAL also just initiated one where you can get $100 OBC per stateroom.

[SleeStack1]

2 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

We like all three, Celebrity, Princess and NCL for similar reasons as yours, depending on the itinerary and cruise length. Since you also search for discounts, are either of you US military veterans? NCL just initiated a 10% discount for veterans and Princess also has a very good military OBC perk. Celebrity also offers one, but the max you can get is only $100 off your booking fare. HAL also just initiated one where you can get $100 OBC per stateroom.

Not military.  Wonder if they have a LEO discount though.

 

41 minutes ago, KKB said:

You might consider Princess next!!

Thanks to all for your input!  Princess might make sense.  Good food...thermal pool...

 

Just have to find the right deal!

[Ken the cruiser]

3 minutes ago, SleeStack1 said:

Not military.  Wonder if they have a LEO discount though.

Not sure. Search for the military discount on each cruise line's website and see if Law Enforcement is listed. 

[KKB]

5 minutes ago, SleeStack1 said:

Not military.  Wonder if they have a LEO discount though.

 

Thanks to all for your input!  Princess might make sense.  Good food...thermal pool...

 

Just have to find the right deal!

When & where are you looking? I love digging around for a good deal!

[LB_NJ]

Absolutely stay clear of Royal Cruises.

 

I have never been on NCL or HAL.

 

Since the restart many things are in flux and honestly, I would NOT book anything until things shake out and there is a clearer picture of what to expect.

 

Royal Caribbean, the parent company of both RCCL and Celebrity seems to be on a cost cutting and revenue increasing program.  So while I enjoyed my experience on Celebrity Summit this past June and I have booked 2 Celebrity cruises for this month I am not sure I will book any more until I see what is happening.

 

I was on Princess too long ago to use it as a reference although I did enjoy it.

 

The two other cruise lines that I have been on that you might want to look at are Oceania (typically has the best food and that is what they pride themselves on) and Cunard (a difference experience overall but you might look at it).

 

The problem is since the restart the cruise experience has deteriorated (e.g., pre restart I thought the food on RCCL was good, not since) across all cruise lines. Everyone is trying to make up for lost revenue while battling staff shortages and rising food and oil prices.

 

Some cruise lines are raising prices while trying to maintain quality, some are raising prices and cutting some quality, others are raising prices a little and slashing quality.  No one knows how this will shake out in 2024, way too far away.  You may book now for what you expect the experience to be in 2024 based on 2022 however it could completely change (e.g., food could be much worse) by time you board the ship.

 

If you look at the Celebrity board you can see all the discussions about possible changes that could significantly degrade the experience. E.g, lower quality of dining in the MDR.

[mpdog42]

2 hours ago, SleeStack1 said:

Who we are:

• (Mostly) retired couple who are relatively new cruisers and have no brand loyalty so far.  We have (3) cruises under our belt and (2) more scheduled for this year.
• What we like (on ship):   balcony cabins, above average dining, thermal spas (the jetted pools in particular), broadway type shows, music (classical, jazz, rock)
• What we don't generally do:  sunbathing, shopping, swimming, much casino play
• What we do a little of:  drinking (3-4 per day), working out, educational/info talks, a variety of activities to do maybe once per sailing (pickleball, ping pong, trivia, happy hours...)

 

I've read a few other threads and some comments say Celebrity is the best value (for them).  Every mock booking (or search) I've done, nearly always puts Celebrity at the highest cost among RCL, NCL, Princess, and HAL so I'm a little confused.  Maybe there's hidden perks I'm missing that would add value and part of why I'm posting this thread.

 

We have booked most of our cruises because of incentives.  Lots of AmEx credits, discounted (unpopular) cruise dates etc.

 

With the recent AmEx offer, we'd consider giving Celebrity a shot if we can find a competitive rate on an itinerary we haven't done yet.  Our travel dates are almost fully flexible for 2024 and beyond.

 

We know you like to go shopping for Fridge Magnets in the Ports!!!🤪

[LGW59]

2 hours ago, SleeStack1 said:

Who we are:

• (Mostly) retired couple who are relatively new cruisers and have no brand loyalty so far.  We have (3) cruises under our belt and (2) more scheduled for this year.
• What we like (on ship):   balcony cabins, above average dining, thermal spas (the jetted pools in particular), broadway type shows, music (classical, jazz, rock)
• What we don't generally do:  sunbathing, shopping, swimming, much casino play
• What we do a little of:  drinking (3-4 per day), working out, educational/info talks, a variety of activities to do maybe once per sailing (pickleball, ping pong, trivia, happy hours...)

 

I've read a few other threads and some comments say Celebrity is the best value (for them).  Every mock booking (or search) I've done, nearly always puts Celebrity at the highest cost among RCL, NCL, Princess, and HAL so I'm a little confused.  Maybe there's hidden perks I'm missing that would add value and part of why I'm posting this thread.

 

We have booked most of our cruises because of incentives.  Lots of AmEx credits, discounted (unpopular) cruise dates etc.

 

With the recent AmEx offer, we'd consider giving Celebrity a shot if we can find a competitive rate on an itinerary we haven't done yet.  Our travel dates are almost fully flexible for 2024 and beyond.

 

I think you should take a good hard look at Oceania.

[zitsky]

3 hours ago, SleeStack1 said:

Who we are:

• (Mostly) retired couple who are relatively new cruisers and have no brand loyalty so far.  We have (3) cruises under our belt and (2) more scheduled for this year.
• What we like (on ship):   balcony cabins, above average dining, thermal spas (the jetted pools in particular), broadway type shows, music (classical, jazz, rock)
• What we don't generally do:  sunbathing, shopping, swimming, much casino play
• What we do a little of:  drinking (3-4 per day), working out, educational/info talks, a variety of activities to do maybe once per sailing (pickleball, ping pong, trivia, happy hours...)

 

I've read a few other threads and some comments say Celebrity is the best value (for them).  Every mock booking (or search) I've done, nearly always puts Celebrity at the highest cost among RCL, NCL, Princess, and HAL so I'm a little confused.  Maybe there's hidden perks I'm missing that would add value and part of why I'm posting this thread.

 

We have booked most of our cruises because of incentives.  Lots of AmEx credits, discounted (unpopular) cruise dates etc.

 

With the recent AmEx offer, we'd consider giving Celebrity a shot if we can find a competitive rate on an itinerary we haven't done yet.  Our travel dates are almost fully flexible for 2024 and beyond.

 

 

I have some experience with Viking but only one cruise with Celebrity thanks to COVID.  I wonder if you have looked at Viking?  Nice spa.  Good food and entertainment.  Lectures etc.  I don't consider Celebrity cheap but it's reasonable.  I don't book suites.  I do "Aqua Class".

 

What Celebrity really lacks are the amenities.  Celebrity does not have waterfalls that are time machines or portals to another dimension.   And they don't have obelisks with magic crystals inside.  And their selection of dinosaurs is really lacking.

 

What I really would like to know though, is, are you seriously trying to tell me that "SleeStack" was already taken?  Do you and SleeStack #2 and #3 get together for parties or something?  😁

 

Edited January 3, 2023 by zitsky

[Crazy planning mom]

2 hours ago, SleeStack1 said:

We have been on RCCL (1), and HAL (2).

 

We are on NCL next week, and another HAL at year end.

 

We generally pick a desired itinerary, look at cruise costs across lines, see what incentives can bring our trip price down (including AmEx and AARP 10% GCs) and then book.  A thermal spa pool is almost a mandatory, but not quite yet if the itinerary is attractive enough.

 

We thought RCCL had poor MDR dining, good entertainment and music, no thermal pool, and probably a net mediocre overall experience.  We liked both of HAL's MDR experiences and their thermal pool.  Entertainment/music was just OK.  Overall I'm calling it an above average experience.

 

No idea what NCL will bring....I suspect it will be close to RCCL.  On a positive note, the itinerary will be good (Panama Canal) and we will have some limited perks like a couple specialty dining, and relatively cheap net drinks.

 

 

NCL has an excellent spa with pools.

Edited January 3, 2023 by Crazy planning mom

[Canuker]

At the risk of stating the obvious, all cruise ships are the same when you get out at a port.

So any differences have to be while you're on board - let's say 16 hours. Of that, about half is spent asleep, leaving 8 hours.

So eating, drinking and (weather permitting) outdoor enjoyment account for much of that time.

Secondly, despite what is written on this subject, cruise ships are far more remarkable for their similarities than their differences. The big differences are not found on board - they are the ports of call that an itinerary visits. The Caribbean is very different to the Baltic, for example.

Lastly, there is one big variable that neither you nor the cruise line has control over: fellow passengers.

Luckily, cruise lines offer so many alternative things to do (including doing nothing!) that if you don't care for something, move on to the next thing. In a word, choice. Virtually limitless choices.

[riffatsea]

The only possibly good food on NCL is in their specialty restaurants

The mdrmis sad and the buffet is like a school cafeteria

One cruise and done with NCL!

Lately we do penthouse suites on Princess

We like the food most nights in the mdr and the service is excellent

We also like the specialty dining

We are trying Celebrity for the first time and think they are more 3xo3nsive for a lower end suite than Princess

I agree that Oceania is a good choice but think it is also more expensive

I am not aware of how Amex pts work so can't comment on that

 

Just want to add that the penthouse suite on Princess has its own whirlpool tub in the bathroom

Edited January 3, 2023 by riffatsea

[Ken the cruiser]

14 minutes ago, Canuker said:

At the risk of stating the obvious, all cruise ships are the same when you get out at a port.

So any differences have to be while you're on board - let's say 16 hours. Of that, about half is spent asleep, leaving 8 hours.

So eating, drinking and (weather permitting) outdoor enjoyment account for much of that time.

Secondly, despite what is written on this subject, cruise ships are far more remarkable for their similarities than their differences. The big differences are not found on board - they are the ports of call that an itinerary visits. The Caribbean is very different to the Baltic, for example.

Lastly, there is one big variable that neither you nor the cruise line has control over: fellow passengers.

Luckily, cruise lines offer so many alternative things to do (including doing nothing!) that if you don't care for something, move on to the next thing. In a word, choice. Virtually limitless choices.

True. The itinerary plays an important role when choosing a particular cruise. Some folks like more port intensive itineraries while others like a mixture of sea days and port days. Some like to go to places where plenty of wildlife can be seen, while others may want to visit ancient ruins and/or locations in far away places they have only read about. Others may just want to get away from their day to day life for a week or two.

 

Then comes which cruise line to pick. I would imagine accumulating Loyalty status might possibly play some role in their decision, especially if the rewards are in line with one’s cruising desires.  In our case our goal is free laundry. If that 🥕 is one of the eventual loyalty perks, that’s a plus for us.

 

As far as onboard entertainment, that’s definitely the wild card. For us we like going to shows and laughing a lot! We also like going to enrichment lectures on sea days to either learn more about the ports we’re going to and/or about fascinating areas of interest that work the old gray cells. 😁

 

There is also another variable you didn’t mention and that involves one’s experience on previous cruises with a particular cruise line. If one has had quality experiences in the past, they’re more likely to book with that cruise line again. However, if negative experiences have happen over multiple cruises, then chances are pretty good they will be looking elsewhere when planning future cruises, even if they have reached a loyalty goal such as unlimited free laundry. 😂

 

In our case we enjoy cruising with Celebrity, Princess, NCL and Crystal (once they start offering cruises again) and have no desire to cruise with Oceania or HAL again, even though we have reached significant loyalty milestones with those two cruise lines.

 

[cachouonacruise]

Dear OP,

 

Our cruise experience is a bit similar to yours: We began with 2 RCCL, 2 HAL and now did 4 on X, with two more booked on X.

 

We did the RCCL when we were younger, including one with our children! We really enjoyed their activity programs on both ship. This said we did not sail one of RCCL's mega ships.

 

On HAL, we really feel we had a beautiful "classical" cruising experience. The food was excellent, the Rotterdam was almost a museum in itself, including beautiful artefacts and woodwork. This said, despite being in our fifties, we found HAL a bit too quiet at night. It was a hard transition from RCCL to HAL, and I was not adequately prepared. In short, we thoroughly enjoyed our port days on HAL and I ended up being a bit bored on sea days. I will definitely bring a book to read if I sail HAL again. This said, On HAL we have found memories of the piano bar. 

 

Then we found X. It really seems to be a good match for us in this time period in our lives. We are very pleased with the food and service, for the most part. We really enjoy Cafe al Bacio, Trivia, Deal or no Deal, etc. The shows on "M" and "S" Class ships are hit or miss. Some we loved, some not so much. This said, we also loved the service in the MDR, the specialty restaurants, and most bars. The Martini Bar and the World Class bar are particularly enjoyable. The indoor pool for adults only is a nice touch. For some reasons, Celebrity seems to have the correct vibe for us: not too crowded, no too stuffy yet classy. (tip: booking early on Celebrity has been very beneficial for us. We ended up with really good deals).

 

I wish you good luck in finding your cruise line. Personally, I feel like a winner every time I have the opportunity to cruise....regardless of the cruise line.
 

 

[bEwAbG]

X is going to be similar to HAL in a lot of ways.  More or less the same clientele.  X is a little more modern in its decor and entertainment. 

 

The better deals on a lot of lines are usually had if you can wait until after final payment to book.  I've gotten some really good prices on HAL that way.

[LB_NJ]

4 hours ago, Canuker said:

At the risk of stating the obvious, all cruise ships are the same when you get out at a port.

So any differences have to be while you're on board - let's say 16 hours. Of that, about half is spent asleep, leaving 8 hours.

So eating, drinking and (weather permitting) outdoor enjoyment account for much of that time.

Secondly, despite what is written on this subject, cruise ships are far more remarkable for their similarities than their differences. The big differences are not found on board - they are the ports of call that an itinerary visits. The Caribbean is very different to the Baltic, for example.

Lastly, there is one big variable that neither you nor the cruise line has control over: fellow passengers.

Luckily, cruise lines offer so many alternative things to do (including doing nothing!) that if you don't care for something, move on to the next thing. In a word, choice. Virtually limitless choices.

The physical ship may be the same but the food varies considerably by cruise line, service varies, how crowded cruise ship is,  hundreds of small things (fresh flowers, live quartet music, fencing lessons, lectures, how pushy the store sales people are) and the overall atmosphere varies considerably by cruise line.

[CruiseRQA]

28 minutes ago, bEwAbG said:

X is going to be similar to HAL in a lot of ways.  More or less the same clientele.  X is a little more modern in its decor and entertainment. 

 

The better deals on a lot of lines are usually had if you can wait until after final payment to book.  I've gotten some really good prices on HAL that way.

HAL does have that nice thermal spa (extra charge).  In fact their spa is better than Celebrity (IMO).   Miss the big warm hydrospa pools that are on some of the midsize Celebrity ships.  

[Lillibet16]

I’m new to Celebrity having gone on my first cruise with them in August (Equinox). I was so impressed that I booked two more, one in a few weeks and one on 2025. I have GI issues but always found food I could eat, there were not too many kids aboard which for me was a plus, and I loved the entertainment options like the silent disco, casino and shows. The service was top notch. I simply enjoyed the cruise way more than previous cruises with Carnival and NCL. 

[Nemanoxer]

For me, personally, Celebrity used to be my second home. But that pretty much depended on the service they once offered and my personal relationship to the Equinox which started my cruising life and used to attract me more than any other ship.

 

However, having started cruising with Celebrity in 2012, I am calling myself pretty much a spoiled kind of a cruise guest. And, with the Maiden Voyage of the Edge being an exception, my expectations were somewhat disappointed over the last cruises.

I wanted to switch to Silversea, but something in me said they are not for me. So...

I don´t know if I will go on Celebrity any time soon. Service lacking, food lacking. It might all be connected to Covid and other crisis - but still I do not want to spend a whole lotta money on an experience that reminds me of MSC Cruises... I might refrain from cruising for quite some time.

Oh, and being German (a country were we are being under fire from leftist Green activists all day long), I am not sure how much I still want to go on a cruise line that gives a friggin damn about eco friendly fuel.

[KKB]

22 hours ago, LB_NJ said:

 

The two other cruise lines that I have been on that you might want to look at are Oceania (typically has the best food and that is what they pride themselves on) and Cunard (a difference experience overall but you might look at it).

 

The thing is, these are  considerably more expensive cruises--luxury lines as opposed to main stream cruise lines that Celebrity, RCCL, Princess, NCL, HAL & Carnival are. (DCL is an outlier--they are mainstream but no casino jacks the price)