Celebrity Noob needs to start from scratch

[AKJonesy]

We are 4 star Mariners on Holland.  We are growing tired of the old ships in the fleet and keep hearing about Celebrity being a bit more upscale? than Holland.  At least that is what we've heard from other cruisers that we have sailed with.  

As you may know, Holland is a bit more older crowd and we certainly like that.  I would not want to be on a ship with a lot of children.  I am considering a repositioning cruise and I could be wrong, but thought this might be a way to see a reduce number of school age children on the ship.

Saying that, I'm not familiar at all with Celebrity and where to start looking, but want to have a good experience.  My husband cruises for the rest, food and exercise.  I like the down time, good food, exercise and ports...in that order.  Ports are nice, but it's not the goal.  On Holland we've been in every class except Pinnacle and that is just way out of our reach.  We mostly sail in staterooms that are moderate in price...looking for value over a lot of amenities.  Certainly a few good upscale restaurants would be nice and entertainment is at the bottom of the list.  I don't want to be on anymore dreary and well worn ships but don't need to sail on the biggest and sparkly ships either.  

I'm not familiar with the classes (M class, etc) and what that means.  Also, what is included and what is not included would be nice to know.  

I know it's a big ask, but if you could chime in with some ideas that would be great.  I'm not looking so much at itinerary.  Instead, I'd like to have a first good experience on Celebrity and want to pick a decent ship.  Thanks for any info.

[Ex-Airbalancer]

Here a link to Celebrity ship , E-class - Edge  class etc 

https://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Celebrity/General_Info/Flyers/12030112_CEL_FleetGuide.pdf

 

we have friends that sail both lines , they prefer HAL because of Rolling Stone Room 

[AKJonesy]

1 minute ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

Here a link to Celebrity ship , E-class - Edge  class etc 

https://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Celebrity/General_Info/Flyers/12030112_CEL_FleetGuide.pdf

 

we have friends that sail both lines , they prefer HAL because of Rolling Stone Room 

Thank you.  I will look at the pdf.  Not interested in entertainment.

[horseymike]

5 minutes ago, AKJonesy said:

We are 4 star Mariners on Holland.  We are growing tired of the old ships in the fleet and keep hearing about Celebrity being a bit more upscale? than Holland.  At least that is what we've heard from other cruisers that we have sailed with.  

As you may know, Holland is a bit more older crowd and we certainly like that.  I would not want to be on a ship with a lot of children.  I am considering a repositioning cruise and I could be wrong, but thought this might be a way to see a reduce number of school age children on the ship.

Saying that, I'm not familiar at all with Celebrity and where to start looking, but want to have a good experience.  My husband cruises for the rest, food and exercise.  I like the down time, good food, exercise and ports...in that order.  Ports are nice, but it's not the goal.  On Holland we've been in every class except Pinnacle and that is just way out of our reach.  We mostly sail in staterooms that are moderate in price...looking for value over a lot of amenities.  Certainly a few good upscale restaurants would be nice and entertainment is at the bottom of the list.  I don't want to be on anymore dreary and well worn ships but don't need to sail on the biggest and sparkly ships either.  

I'm not familiar with the classes (M class, etc) and what that means.  Also, what is included and what is not included would be nice to know.  

I know it's a big ask, but if you could chime in with some ideas that would be great.  I'm not looking so much at itinerary.  Instead, I'd like to have a first good experience on Celebrity and want to pick a decent ship.  Thanks for any info.

Hello ,

You may wish to try one of the " S" class ships to start , they are pretty much the middle of the line category for Celebrity. Your instincts are good with looking for a longer itinerary when schools  are in session, there may be a few kids if you use those guide lines but not the large numbers on short itineraries during school breaks.

I have found the MDR food to be quite good as well as the buffet during breakfast and lunch hours. The entertainment seems to be a notch better than HAL. Same can be said for the music. The included features are the meals ( not specialty restaurants ) entertainment and basic beverages such as water , ice tea , lemonade , coffee ( not specialty ) during the meal times and in the buffet 24 / 7. Anything else will be an ad on or package.

A word of warning , the baked goods on HAL , especially the breakfast pastries are far superior to Celebrity.

I hope this helps. Good Luck .

[hcat]

Suggest you seek out a reliable Trvl agent  familiar with Celebrity ships.

Will assess your wish list & compare to ships,  cabin type, itins, schedules etc.. 

 

Looking through the Celeb website and CC reviews  may also be helpful!

[AKJonesy]

2 minutes ago, hcat said:

Suggest you seek out a reliable Trvl agent  familiar with Celebrity ships.

Will assess your wish list & compare to ships,  cabin type, itins, schedules etc.. 

 

Looking through the Celeb website and CC reviews  may also be helpful!

I find that asking well healed cruisers is better than trying to find a travel agent.  Either way, I'm starting from scratch.  I am looking through posts here and the various classes, etc.  Based on my OP, I am seeking glaring advice.  That is, I don't want to sail on anymore dreary old ships but don't need to be on the most brand spanking new ship either.  

[lv2cruisgrl]

I have not sailed HAL but my husband and I love Celebrity because it's not boring but it's not kid filled and crazy either.  We are 68 and 74.  We usually sail newer ships and like the Edge class.  We also like the Solstice class but not all of them are in the best shape. The reason being Covid delayed the dry dock schedule.  Good luck on your journey.  

[TMLAalum]

IDK if it's still the case that HAL permits smoking in the casino on select days, but that alone is a reason to try Celebrity which allows smoking only in a few designated outdoor areas!

 

[BuckeyeMark]

Check out the EDGE class ships - Apex, Beyond, Ascent, and Edge. These represent a very new way of doing cruising. Not more glitz and glamor, Vegas-on-the-Sea, can we cram 10K people on a ship if we make it big enough cruising. The ships are very chill, full of unique art and have lots of cool spaces. I'm reviewing our trip on the Apex to the Norwegian fjords now - you can see some pics there - but I think you'd really enjoy these ships. Younger vibe but definitely not party ships full of 20somethings.

[Tom and Ingrid]

1 hour ago, AKJonesy said:

My husband cruises for the rest, food and exercise.  I like the down time, good food, exercise and ports...in that order.

Maybe you can elaborate on your "exercise" expectations.   We generally get our exercise in two ways - on the ship by using the steps only & with laps of the pool area track and some bit of pool usage (pool walking vs swimming laps). and off the ship by planning active excursions (riding bikes, walking tours, swimming, hikes, etc).  I've never thought of the Celebrity ships as particularly "exercise focused", although we do the dancing and my wife will do the "mini" classes for Zumba or similar.  

There is another thread in the past couple days about classes included in Aqua Class, so you might want to look there for some info too.  

Regarding "older" or dreary ships, the M (Millennium class) ship are the oldest and fell older (ie not packed with every "new idea" that has come along to cruising), they are smaller, and I find them pretty pleasant still, but definitely not shiny new by any stretch.  The S (Solstice class) ships are new enough that they are of the transitional era of older style cruise ship with just a hint of the modern "amusement park" (done low key & well), a bit bigger, and still nice to cruise.  The E (Edge class) are the latest and greatest and certainly evolving Celebrity ships in the direction begun with the S class - more dining options, more class distinctions, and more "interesting" design cues.  

I think the sweet spot remains the S class ships, but having come off the M class Infinity a few months ago, they're still nice and, since entertainment is a low priority, their smaller stage (and size in general) seems that's not a bad thing. 

Food (and service) is sooooo personal, it really is a try and see for yourself situation. We really enjoy the MDR for ALL of our dinners, but the S and the E class ships give you more "specialty" dining options than the M, and there are packages folks buy for specialty dining all the time (and classes like Aqua or Retreat that offer even more dining).  We've been very happy over the years with the overall food on Celebrity, with random misses over the years. Never have we said, "We're done", and think the worst time was coming out of Covid when they were super short staffed despite fewer passengers. 

Down time is also relative to your level and comfort with other people and where you spend it. You can "buy" up to Retreat or get extra spa access for much reduced interaction with other folks, but we also generally just find the low density areas on a ship during sea days and relax there.  The main pool deck - on a warm weather cruise - is not that location, unless relaxing to you is a tasty drink poolside while getting some sun and people watching. You can rent cabanas in various spots on different ships, so there is that up-sell option if you want it. There are bars around the ship that are very quiet throughout the day. There are the promenade decks on 4 or 5 that are always quiet. There are balcony cabins that are relaxing, and an inside cabin can be a "womb-like" experience if you want to truly just lounge in near total peace and quiet. 

Some boring, but in depth youtube video by Harr Travel give good ship walkthroughs (he has no real "constructive" criticism) and others youtube videos give good walkthoughs too.

[jelayne]

For ships, if you don’t want the newest ship but not something old and dreary, then for smaller ships consider either the Millenium  or Summit ( M class ships ) they carry about 2300 passengers and both have been significantly updated.

 

Another option is the Silhouette, a larger ship (S class) that carries about 2900 passengers and it  also has had significant updating. 

Edited May 29 by jelayne

[H2OH!]

For the past 15 years, we have exclusively sailed Celebrity due to non-smoking ship (except for port side deck) and not alot of children...for the most part. We have not sailed Holland so cannot compare. 

 

I would pick a Solstice class ship or the new edge class ship.

 

The edge class ships have the infinite veranda balconies which sounds like they may be in your price range. I have not stayed in them but thought it might be a place for you to start looking. youtube has several videos about these balconies. You may also want to check out Aqua class cabins as they have a dedicated restaurant Blu. Edge class ships have great specialty restaurants. Eden is great as well as La Voyage (I think is only on Beyond, Ascent and newer ships). They also have several other venues such a Fine Cut Steakhouse (just ok in my opinion), Rootop Garden Grill (it was good), Le Grand Bistro and Raw on 5 (was also pretty good). 

 

Solstice class is another option. Reflection is our favorite ship although been on all. These ships also have Aqua class with Blu. Upscale restaurant is Murano. Meals have mostly been good to great. They also have several other specialty restaurants. We like also like Lawn Club Grille but is not "upscale"...although the steaks are pretty good. 

 

Good luck. 

 

 

[H2OH!]

4 minutes ago, BuckeyeMark said:

Check out the EDGE class ships - Apex, Beyond, Ascent, and Edge. These represent a very new way of doing cruising. Not more glitz and glamor, Vegas-on-the-Sea, can we cram 10K people on a ship if we make it big enough cruising. The ships are very chill, full of unique art and have lots of cool spaces. I'm reviewing our trip on the Apex to the Norwegian fjords now - you can see some pics there - but I think you'd really enjoy these ships. Younger vibe but definitely not party ships full of 20somethings.

 

We are doing the Norwegian Fjords on Apex June 2025 so would love to read your review, see what tours you took and with whom! I will have to find your thread. 

[hcat]

1 hour ago, AKJonesy said:

I find that asking well healed cruisers is better than trying to find a travel agent.  Either way, I'm starting from scratch.  I am looking through posts here and the various classes, etc.  Based on my OP, I am seeking glaring advice.  That is, I don't want to sail on anymore dreary old ships but don't need to be on the most brand spanking new ship either.  

maybe if you list your must haves and not wanteds folk could narrow it down....

 

what type of stateroom, suite, balc ?

do you need wifi?

desired age range of fellow pax?

activity level and preferences?

early bird or night owls?

ports you like?

type of dining you prefer..casual fancy, mdr buffet?

type of shows/ music/ onboard fun

do you gamble?

are bars important?

 

 

 

Edited May 29 by hcat

[Tudy]

I have sailed several times on HAL, always Eurodam. I think you will enjoy Celebrity.

 

S class are most like Eurodam. I haven't sailed on the M class lately but do have one booked for next year. I think they would be pretty comparable to smaller HAL ships. E class is completely different.

 

• I think Celebrity wins over HAL in the area of specialty restaurants. 
• I think you will miss the live music on HAL (dueling pianos and classical music).
• While the crew on HAL were excellent, I thought that they tended to treat the passengers as if they (the passengers) were not quite as mentally sharp as they used to be.
• Celebrity tends to have younger vibe than HAL.
• The Suite Class on HAL and Celebrity are 2 entirely different things.
• HAL's drink packages are limited. Celebrity's are not.
• Celebrity does not have good places to play board games or cards. There are no jigsaw puzzles on Celebrity. (At least I have never seen any on over 30 cruises).

 

These are my opinions. I realize they are subjective.

 

[39august]

S class ships have a card room on deck 7. I have seen several different board games available. Sometimes board games are made available in the Sky Lounge during the day. Perhaps try one of the newer S class, Reflection or Silhoutte. These have a couple of outdoor specialty restaurants that the others do not. Reflection also has a larger Sunset bar than the older S class. Don't know about Silhoutte's Sunset bar tho'. 

[AstoriaPreppy]

5 hours ago, AKJonesy said:

We are 4 star Mariners on Holland.  We are growing tired of the old ships in the fleet and keep hearing about Celebrity being a bit more upscale? than Holland.  At least that is what we've heard from other cruisers that we have sailed with.  

As you may know, Holland is a bit more older crowd and we certainly like that.  I would not want to be on a ship with a lot of children.  I am considering a repositioning cruise and I could be wrong, but thought this might be a way to see a reduce number of school age children on the ship.

Saying that, I'm not familiar at all with Celebrity and where to start looking, but want to have a good experience.  My husband cruises for the rest, food and exercise.  I like the down time, good food, exercise and ports...in that order.  Ports are nice, but it's not the goal.  On Holland we've been in every class except Pinnacle and that is just way out of our reach.  We mostly sail in staterooms that are moderate in price...looking for value over a lot of amenities.  Certainly a few good upscale restaurants would be nice and entertainment is at the bottom of the list.  I don't want to be on anymore dreary and well worn ships but don't need to sail on the biggest and sparkly ships either.  

I'm not familiar with the classes (M class, etc) and what that means.  Also, what is included and what is not included would be nice to know.  

I know it's a big ask, but if you could chime in with some ideas that would be great.  I'm not looking so much at itinerary.  Instead, I'd like to have a first good experience on Celebrity and want to pick a decent ship.  Thanks for any info.

 

There are three Celebrity ship classes: M, S, and E.

In order of age; M stands for Millennium Class: Millennium, Infinity, Constellation and Summit. These are all panamax ships that can fit through the old canal locks. S stands for Solstice Class, with the ships being Solstice, Equinox, Eclipse, Silhouette and Reflection. These are all post-panamax sized ships.  E stands for Edge Class: Edge, Apex, Beyond and Ascent, with Xcel currently under construction.

 

In terms of ships to skip, the only ones that read old/tired (and I'd suggest avoiding) are the Infinity and Constellation. The Millennium and Summit received full renovations pre-pandemic, which included gut renovating all the staterooms and many of the public areas to more contemporary standards.

 

The larger ships have an absolute "wow" factor that you don't get on a Holland America ship. The Solstice class features giant atriums with glass elevators, while the Edge-class vessels introduced since 2018 have really innovative and upscale spaces. 

 

Re: exercise, Celebrity ships have full gym and spa facilities that are run by Steiner (like every other line). The one notable differential from other lines is that Celebrity has a number of Peloton bikes available on each ship, in their fitness facilities, which we enjoy using. 

 

[ExArkie]

3 hours ago, Tudy said:

I have sailed several times on HAL, always Eurodam. I think you will enjoy Celebrity.

 

S class are most like Eurodam. I haven't sailed on the M class lately but do have one booked for next year. I think they would be pretty comparable to smaller HAL ships. E class is completely different.

 

• I think Celebrity wins over HAL in the area of specialty restaurants. 
• I think you will miss the live music on HAL (dueling pianos and classical music).
• While the crew on HAL were excellent, I thought that they tended to treat the passengers as if they (the passengers) were not quite as mentally sharp as they used to be.
• Celebrity tends to have younger vibe than HAL.
• The Suite Class on HAL and Celebrity are 2 entirely different things.
• HAL's drink packages are limited. Celebrity's are not.
• Celebrity does not have good places to play board games or cards. There are no jigsaw puzzles on Celebrity. (At least I have never seen any on over 30 cruises).

 

These are my opinions. I realize they are subjective.

 

We are booked on a HAL transpacific for next Spring, having sailed them once before about ten or so years ago. From my reading on their boards, the classical music appears to have vanished with termination of the Lincoln Center contract, although some report instances of it reappearing on some cruises. My only (very small) quibble with Celebrity has been a dearth of classical music and jazz.

 

You are definitely right about the differences between HAL and Celebrity on suite perks, based on what I have read.

[asctony]

7 hours ago, hcat said:

Suggest you seek out a reliable Trvl agent  familiar with Celebrity ships.

Will assess your wish list & compare to ships,  cabin type, itins, schedules etc.. 

 

Looking through the Celeb website and CC reviews  may also be helpful!

Excellent suggestion. TAs and look at YouTube for videos. There are many that are very descriptive.

Opinions are opinions. Everyone has different opinions.

[Northern Aurora]

9 hours ago, AKJonesy said:

......  I would not want to be on a ship with a lot of children.  I am considering a repositioning cruise and I could be wrong, but thought this might be a way to see a reduce number of school age children on the ship.

.....

 

 

I am curious -- do you have a specific re-positioning itinerary you are considering?  If so, which ship?

 

Celebrity does have a kid's program but Celebrity is not filled with children.  There will be more kids on itineraries which are family friendly, such as Alaska, but that is an exception.

[AKJonesy]

4 hours ago, Northern Aurora said:

 

 

I am curious -- do you have a specific re-positioning itinerary you are considering?  If so, which ship?

 

Celebrity does have a kid's program but Celebrity is not filled with children.  There will be more kids on itineraries which are family friendly, such as Alaska, but that is an exception.

I've been on a number of repositioning with HAL, and one way itineraries. We don't do Alaska as we live here. I can figure out the itinerary stuff. I was more interested in getting to understand Celebrity more. No, I'm not doing TAs. There is a wealth of information on these boards and from well heeled Celebrity cruisers.  Weren't you on the Japan reposition with us from Yokohama to Seattle?

Edited May 30 by AKJonesy

[AKJonesy]

Wow. Thanks to all. This is exactly the beginner information I'm looking for.  I've taken notes and as I research more and hone into the sweet spot, I will check back for more Celebrity specific information.💯

[Northern Aurora]

3 hours ago, AKJonesy said:

I've been on a number of repositioning with HAL, and one way itineraries. We don't do Alaska as we live here. I can figure out the itinerary stuff. I was more interested in getting to understand Celebrity more. No, I'm not doing TAs. There is a wealth of information on these boards and from well heeled Celebrity cruisers.  Weren't you on the Japan reposition with us from Yokohama to Seattle?

 

The three classes of Celebrity ships (M-class, S-class and E-class) are very different.  Each class has their respective positives and negatives.  And the ships, even within the same class, vary  from one to the other.  Hence the question if you were considering a particular X itinerary.  I am assuming not?  If you were considering a specific ship then folks could offer specific information.

 

And in reference to your comment regarding "well heeled Celebrity cruisers" we are Zenith members of the Celebrity loyalty program.  That is the highest level, and we attained that level in 2016.  And this "well heeled" Celebrity cruiser has done 6 or 7 Alaska cruises as, I would expect you to understand, Fairbanks, Alaska is not located in SE Alaska.  Alaska itineraries give us a great opportunity to visit a very different part of our large state.

 

We spent a month in Japan on B2B cruises in 2018.  We also spent five weeks in Japan boarding a Celebrity ship in March, 2024 for a B2B.  We have never bothered with HAL and were not with you on a Japan reposition cruise from Yokohama to Seattle.

 

 

 

 

[AKJonesy]

6 hours ago, Northern Aurora said:

Fairbanks, Alaska is not located in SE Alaska.  Alaska itineraries give us a great opportunity to visit a very different part of our large state.

 

Yes, we've been to SE many times and wouldn't be interested in an Alaska itinerary.  There was a FB couple on our crossing from Yokohama to Seattle and didn't remember their handle, so when I saw you were from FB, thought it could be you.  I'm not considering a particular itinerary.  We've done 300 cruising days so we've been on many places in different parts of the world.  Where we haven't been by ship, we've been on land trips over decades.  I was interested in just starting with some basics and then after doing a bit more research now, I can come back and ask more questions later.  I got exactly what I was asking for at this point.  Thanks for all of the information.

[LeeW]

We prefer middle size ships like Equinox.  Did not like Beyond (Edge-class) because although beautiful, the public areas are almost entirely taken up with specialty dining.  Celebrity ships have more music entertainment than production shows.  No smoking in casinos for both.

 

Some folks don't like the infinite balconies on Edge-class - these open up the entire room to the ocean and shut off the AC.  We got a cabin up forward inset in hull, so a real balcony.