Alternatives to Celebrity

[tfred]

11 hours ago, terrydtx said:

Has a long discussion today with my long time TA today about the changes with Celebrity. About 40% of her business is booking Celebrity cruises. She has been inundated by her customers the last two weeks cancelling Celebrity cruises and booking for the first-time other lines. It is just about as bad with her customers booked on RC switching to other lines. As bad as Celebrity has been with future pricing she said RCL is even worse. A lot of the switching is going to Princess, HAL, Oceania and Viking Ocean.  This should be worrisome to Celebrity but she doubts they really care they are booking record numbers for future cruises. 

 

I told her we are done with Celebrity after our future cruise are done and she is looking at some Oceania and Seabourne cruises for 2025 and further out for us.

I could believe it on pax switching. Cruising used to be a very cost effective vacation - no more.  It is on par with a land vacation at a better resort

 

The usual veranda crowd is being put off by the overall price increases and is looking to keep it below a dollar amount budget   The cookie thing is just an excuse for that 

 

The suite crowd (that is us) has.less of a concern of dollars (although everyone has a budget).  My concern is that X is now equal to or more per day than the next level or two up cruise lines - Oceania, SSea, Seabourne.  On a daily basis those lines offer solid value for money spent. 

 

Discussed ad naseum before, the experience between X and the others is there.  Big ship activities, easy to fly to 7 day cruises versus limited round trip from the same city, dinner as the night time activity.  We have probably reached our limit on X with the current Retreat numbers when compared against the others   We are retired and able to be more flexible. Many people are still working and need a cruise that regularly leaves on Saturday from an easy to get to city (FLL MIA) 

[hcat]

50 minutes ago, ChucktownSteve said:

The two newest ships and the one about to be added are about 750 passengers.

 

Seven Seas Explorer  2016             PAX 746 Seven Seas Grandeur 2023             PAX 746 Seven Seas Mariner    2001   2018  PAX 696 Seven Seas Navigator1999   2019   PAX 496 Seven Seas Splendor2020               PAX 746 Seven Seas Voyager2003     2016    PAX 698

thanks.. too small for us

[terrydtx]

Celebrity has hired the marketing genius who made this sign

[Ken the cruiser]

4 hours ago, OysterD said:

They've not been removed, if you want them (not sure why you would, they're a bit naff) ask and you can still get them. They just don't arrive for everyone every day by default.

 

I remember being rather underwhelmed and leaving most of them on my first cruise on Reflection in 2012, I wouldn't say they've gotten any better or worse since then lol.

They weren't "optionally" available for folks in our Aqua cabin on our recent 33-day TP cruise on the Eclipse this past May. However, they were available for the folks in Concierge cabins.

[terrydtx]

4 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

They weren't "optionally" available for folks in our Aqua cabin on our recent 33-day TP cruise on the Eclipse this past May. However, they were available for the folks in Concierge cabins.

More of Celebrity's being consistent about being inconsistent.

[JackE]

Oceania has some interesting pricing for the Fall of 2024, some verandas and suites starting at $3k pp depending on length of itinerary and ports.

 

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/cruise-finder#time_frame=2024-9|2024-10&marketing_region=greekisles|mediterranean&sort=featured:desc&page=1&pageSize=10

[Ken the cruiser]

25 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

More of Celebrity's being consistent about being inconsistent.

Actually, when I looked up the Aqua cabin perks online while on the ship when we weren't receiving our canapes, it clearly stated only Concierge cabins get them now, and you had to request the bottle of bubbly as they stopped automatically delivering it to the cabin as well. The change came when they made all of the changes back on Jan 1st, as we got both on our August 2022 B2B on the Summit.

[QuestionEverything]

Be a consumer, it is YOU first.

Avoid loyalty.

Avoid being an "obedient consumer", because that is what the cruise lines want.

We patronized Celebrity from 2001 to 2018 and when Celebrity went big and segregated and lowered food, we cancelled them.

Now on Oceania. Be aware, O is patronized by older clients, well travelled, love for  excellent food, tradition like high tea etc, there is not big fancy entertainment. O does not do physical segregation of classes other than on their new ships were there is a penthouse and concierge lounge, that is it. Yes, there is a forward lounge so you can see where you are going. Celebrity eliminated this with their E class.

Celebrity is working hard to lower themselves to the RCL, NCL etc.

Be very careful booking a cruise - land vacations provide more stimulus, more authentic food, more detailed experiences etc.

Look at all your consumer options; cruising is but one option.

 

[hcat]

3 hours ago, terrydtx said:

Celebrity has hired the marketing genius who made this sign

too funny!

btw  our local 7 11 has free choc chip cookies next week..Yum!

[hcat]

5 hours ago, hcat said:

good suggestion, will do..

but  I think we will be leaning more to Cunard.. easy limo to NY port. We enjoyed  QM 2  for a short cruise  to Canada awhile ago

 

Ship had beautiful balc cabins, great do it  yourself art tour, an  outstanding library, an  enclosd smoking lounge for dh cigar and we do not mind a few dress up nights.. Loved the formal tea, planetarium  casual tavern for lunch, great shows and music..Food was very good..Carib and Alaska itins look nice!

 

 We will continue to explore! Love this thread for ideas. 

my husb was happy to re visit Cunard.

Reminded me about the beautiful T pool, thermal suites and how much I liked the spa!   so now we will.look at Cunard.. They had an easy website and good cust svc..back then. We dubbed our Captain..the chipper skipper!

 

[MamaFej]

@Ken the cruiser, the canapes (we asked for fruit plates) on Eclipse disappered between our B2Bs in Aqua before you boarded. We disembarked for the 3 day when you got there, then reboarded, in a Verandah for SYD to HNL.

 

On our trip, we experienced an SS on a Move Up bid, B2B with a  CS that the Retreat Concierge reserved for us due to a no-show (for a small onboard uncharge), a break for a self-drive land tour of NZ, then B2B Aquas, then the long leg in the Verandah. The first two would have been in Aqua without the upgrades. 

 

We had thought it had worked out  backwards, that it would have been better to work our way up, rather than down. It actually worked out well. We were a bit tired of long meals and being waited on every night, so we split that last cruise between Specialty and the buffet. One night in the MDR was one too many. 

 

 

Anyway, we are normally Verandah cruisers on X, and Aqua when we can. We don't need a large cabin, but they're nice when we luck into them. As the suite folks are moving up to Regent and such, we are looking there, but mostly looking at lines in the Azamara range, as they are priced well for our needs. 

 

 

[poeticlicensed]

25 minutes ago, MamaFej said:

Anyway, we are normally Verandah cruisers on X, and Aqua when we can. We don't need a large cabin, but they're nice when we luck into them. As the suite folks are moving up to Regent and such, we are looking there, but mostly looking at lines in the Azamara range, as they are priced well for our needs. 

 

Likewise, we typically book verandah, have done concierge and aqua if the price is right. My opinion is that celebrity is raising prices more than other lines, and while i like them, I'm not willing to pay more than I perceive the value to be. We don't have the budget or inclination to do suites or move to a luxury line with butlers, flights, private transport and what not.  Not sure what our next move is. We are booked on a TA with HAL, but I hesitate jumping in with them full bore until I see if its a good match. On top of that, X seems to be focusing more and more on Caribbean sailings and as a longtime FL resident,  I'm done sailing the Caribbean. 

 

We will look at lines like Oceania, but I've also sailed MSC (not in YC. I know the horror of it all) and it wasn't bad at all. And they have a more European focus with their itineraries. 

 

There's also much travel to be done that is better suited to land based travel. So we will be looking at that also. 

Edited September 1, 2023 by poeticlicensed

[MamaFej]

Perceived value is such an important concept! Each of us has to decide what is valuable to us. That can, and should, change over time. 

 

I appreciate the folks with bigger budgets talking about their experiences and values. I appreciate folks like @poeticlicensed .  I appreciate the folks with smaller budgets talking about what matters to them, and how they are making decisions. I think we can all learn from each other. That is why I am following a few of these "Alternatives to" threads. 

[RichYak]

12 hours ago, mac_tlc said:

For us, we will probably not go from a 3000 passenger E-class ship to a 475 passenger Regent cruise.

For us, being surrounded by only 475 people as opposed to 3000 would be the main appeal. 

[mango puddin]

On 8/23/2023 at 8:52 AM, wineoclock said:

I can’t remember if it’s been mentioned but has anyone been on Cunard and if so how does it compare?

 

I know about the dress code and tbh probably why it puts me off a little, but dh would loves the idea, and wants to cruise Cunard at some point. 
 

Also retreat to grills please thank you! 

 

Cunard Grill level used to be exceptional food and service. Food quality went downhill a bit, but still better than Celebrity suites. 

 

I didn't find the dress code onerous, I just put on a slightly nicer dress at dinner time, that's all. 

 

Preferred Cunard overall.

Edited September 1, 2023 by mango puddin

[MamaFej]

50 minutes ago, RichYak said:

For us, being surrounded by only 475 people as opposed to 3000 would be the main appeal. 

Me, too.

 

As travel was starting up in 2021, my dear friend and travel agent got us a killer deal to join him and his wife, as well as his cousin and her husband on a Winsdstar cruise in French Polynesia: 113 passengers on a ship designed for 300. It was pretty darn heavenly. 

 

Since then, we've done two Azamara, a Viking, and (another crazy "It's good to have a TA for a friend" deal) SilverSea expedition to Antarctica, with 174 passengers on a ship designed for 296, I think. 

 

My BIG dream at the moment is to take the three adult kids on an Arctic expedition in July of 2025 to celebrate Hubby's 60th, oldest's 30th, 2 Masters degrees and a Bachelor's degree. We figure we can't take the money we've worked so hard to save and invest with us when we die, so we may as well take our kids with us to spend it on awesome experiences making awesome memories while we are alive. I don't know if I can pull this off and still be able to travel much more with just the Hubby, but I'm working on it. 

 

 

There I go, off on a tangent, again. 

[hcat]

45 minutes ago, mango puddin said:

 

Cunard Grill level used to be exceptional food and service. Food quality went downhill a bit, but still better than Celebrity suites. 

 

I didn't find the dress code onerous, I just put on a slightly nicer dress at dinner time, that's all. 

 

Preferred Cunard overall.

they also have an affordable lg balc stateroom with ugrades and a pvt one seating dining rm.. have not tried it but considering....the T pool&  spa is amazing

[Islander500]

16 minutes ago, MamaFej said:

Me, too.

 

As travel was starting up in 2021, my dear friend and travel agent got us a killer deal to join him and his wife, as well as his cousin and her husband on a Winsdstar cruise in French Polynesia: 113 passengers on a ship designed for 300. It was pretty darn heavenly. 

 

Since then, we've done two Azamara, a Viking, and (another crazy "It's good to have a TA for a friend" deal) SilverSea expedition to Antarctica, with 174 passengers on a ship designed for 296, I think. 

 

My BIG dream at the moment is to take the three adult kids on an Arctic expedition in July of 2025 to celebrate Hubby's 60th, oldest's 30th, 2 Masters degrees and a Bachelor's degree. We figure we can't take the money we've worked so hard to save and invest with us when we die, so we may as well take our kids with us to spend it on awesome experiences making awesome memories while we are alive. I don't know if I can pull this off and still be able to travel much more with just the Hubby, but I'm working on it. 

 

 

There I go, off on a tangent, again. 

My dream trip!  The French Polynesia.  But your plans to take the family to Antártica sounds wonderful, too. Do it. It will always be remembered and cherished.  

[MamaFej]

7 minutes ago, Islander500 said:

My dream trip!  The French Polynesia.  But your plans to take the family to Antártica sounds wonderful, too. Do it. It will always be remembered and cherished.  

That dream is actually for the Arctic. Polar bears, not penguins. Two of my kids are teachers with overlapping school years, so they we only have a small window in northern summer during which both are available. The third is still in college, and still undecided on a career. Hopefully, he will be able to get away from whatever it ends up being for that grand adventure. 

[quacker5]

1 minute ago, MamaFej said:

That dream is actually for the Arctic. Polar bears, not penguins. Two of my kids are teachers with overlapping school years, so they we only have a small window in northern summer during which both are available. The third is still in college, and still undecided on a career. Hopefully, he will be able to get away from whatever it ends up being for that grand adventure. 

Best wishes that you make it happen.  And yes, polar bears.  But I did love the penguins in South America.

[Tom47]

We saw polar bears in Churchill, Manitoba. 

It was a land tour.  Flew to Winnipeg, train to Churchill rtn by charter plane to Winnipeg.

[terrydtx]

2 hours ago, RichYak said:

For us, being surrounded by only 475 people as opposed to 3000 would be the main appeal. 

Our first post covid cruise was in an Aft corner SS on the Equinox in August 2021 for 9 days to the ABC islands. We only had 900 passengers on that cruise and it was delightful. No waiting lines for anything, no waiting for elevators and no worries about chair hoggs.  We do not do much on any cruise during a sea days, no bingo, no silly deal or no deal ect etc. No lines at any bar for a drink too. Night theater shows are usually so lame they are not worth fighting for a good seat. I think we would love 475 -900 passengers. That Equinox cruise with 900 pax was one of the best we ever did. BTW our cost for the Aft Corner SS on the Equinox for 9 days was only $4200pp and was a bargain compared to today's pricing.

[RichYak]

17 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

Our first post covid cruise was in an Aft corner SS on the Equinox in August 2021 for 9 days to the ABC islands. We only had 900 passengers on that cruise and it was delightful. No waiting lines for anything, no waiting for elevators and no worries about chair hoggs.  We do not do much on any cruise during a sea days, no bingo, no silly deal or no deal ect etc. No lines at any bar for a drink too. Night theater shows are usually so lame they are not worth fighting for a good seat. I think we would love 475 -900 passengers. That Equinox cruise with 900 pax was one of the best we ever did. BTW our cost for the Aft Corner SS on the Equinox for 9 days was only $4200pp and was a bargain compared to today's pricing.

We are of like minds. 

[MamaFej]

47 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

Our first post covid cruise was in an Aft corner SS on the Equinox in August 2021 for 9 days to the ABC islands. We only had 900 passengers on that cruise and it was delightful. No waiting lines for anything, no waiting for elevators and no worries about chair hoggs.  We do not do much on any cruise during a sea days, no bingo, no silly deal or no deal ect etc. No lines at any bar for a drink too. Night theater shows are usually so lame they are not worth fighting for a good seat. I think we would love 475 -900 passengers. That Equinox cruise with 900 pax was one of the best we ever did. BTW our cost for the Aft Corner SS on the Equinox for 9 days was only $4200pp and was a bargain compared to today's pricing.

Our first back was Millennium out of Seattle to Alaska. 600 passengers. 900 crew. Utterly amazing!

 

It was a couple of days shy of B2B with a Princess cruise on a similar itinerary (using up those credits). That one was one week too late. We had a perfect day in Glacier Bay, but only made it to one port, as the weather made darn sure we couldn't dock. 70 knot winds and 10 meter + swells. Princess threw OBC at us every time we lost a port, plus gave us a 35% FCC. The ship was not crowded, but the shops were, as everyone had OBC to spend and they were selling all the Alaska merch (originally purchased for the 2020 season) at 75% off. 

 

The whole family got Alaska jackets for Christmas. Hey... those might come in handy in the Arctic before we board an expedition ship and get those nifty parkas. 

[Dolebludger]

Yes, we like cruises with good space and staff ratios. We like 750 or fewer guests. When they build mega ships, they don’t put in enough exit and entry points to avoid congestions when guests visit ports. Ditto for elevators, seats for entertainment, service desks, lounges, etc. The separate areas that go by names like Retreat, Yacht Club, and Haven worked out well — for a time. But guests still had to go into the crowded main areas of the ship. These ideas used to be less expensive than the smaller “lux” ships. Problem is, they don’t seem to be anymore. Some people like crowded mega ships, and that’s fine. Lots of choices there. Just not for us.