bye bye X....

[hug]

We have made 8 cruises with Celebrity; the first one on the Galaxy in 2000, the last one was the TA-crossing on the Millennium this month.

We always had a great time, and we loved cruising with Celebrity.

But there is a change. The first years it was perfect: the service, the food, the entertainment, the state of the ships, ... the best premium-line ! It was no problem to mark "excellent" on every part of the questionnaire at the end of the cruise. But, very slowly, not everything is "excellent" anymore. The quality of the food, one of the big issues of the line, is good, but not "superb" anymore. The service is good, sometimes excellent, but not allways....

For us, Celebrity is going down from an excellent 5-star-line to a very good 4-star-line.

We enjoyed the 7 years with Celebrity, but now we leave for a smaller ship, with more service, excellent food, where we feel more "at home".

 

Bye, bye X, all the best...

[NancyJ]

So sorry things haven't worked for you lately with X. What line are you looking at?

 

Nancy

[eroller]

I love Celebrity, but I don't ever think I would classify them as "5-Star". They fall clearly into the "premium" category which is just a step above mass-market.

 

For the money, I think it's hard to beat Celebrity. The ships are beautiful and the food and service is quite good. I always feel I'm getting a good value for my money.

 

There are certainly better cruise lines and smaller ships, but be prepared to pay substantially more. You can move up to "ultra-premium" and sail on Oceania and Azamara, or go up to "luxury" and sail on Silversea, Seadream Yacht Club, Crystal, Regent, and Seabourn. As I stated before, you will pay substantially more. I've sailed on Silversea and love it. Celebrity can't compare, but then again I don't expect Celebrity to. They are not a luxury line and they cost about half as much or even less.

 

I think it's all about expectations. You can't expect a luxury product when you are paying just slightly above mass-market per diems. I think that is unrealistic.

 

Personally I will continue to sail Celebrity but also the luxury lines if I get the chance. I enjoy them all.

 

Good luck with your search for a new line. There is something out there for everyone.

 

Ernie

[karenj4546]

I beg to differ...

We just took our first X trip. Our trip was chosen for the full transit Canal and there were 3 choices....Princess, Azamara, and Celebrity. Within $100 p/p, the price was the same (with Princess being the most expensive). We chose X out of the three for a couple of reasons....

Teen Club...Azamara doesn't have any kids' program.

US to US. Embarked in FLL and debarked in LA. Princess was San Juan, Puerto Rico to USA while Azamara was FLL to Acapulco. DH has problems with immigration while flying and I did NOT want that at Christmastime (he has a common name and shares a b-day with a "bad guy").

So, to say that one would spend considerably more for Azamara doesn't make sense to me....one who spent a few weeks doing comparisons...

JMHO

[eroller]

So, to say that one would spend considerably more for Azamara doesn't make sense to me....one who spent a few weeks doing comparisons...

JMHO

 

 

This may have been true for your particular cruise, but in general Azamara is priced higher than Celebrity. Azamara is positioned as a step above Celebrity and more in line with Oceania. The prices generally reflect that. This is not to say that some prices will be in line with Celebrity and other lines. There are always exceptions for sailings that need a boost. Also, Azamara generally only does longer sailings, where as Celebrity offers a variety of shorter, medium, and longer cruises and the sailings are priced accordingly for the market.

 

Ernie

[biker1972]

Just about everything in life changes, including our desires and needs. When I was young a plank across two cinder blocks was avant-garde furniture. Today it wouldn't pass muster. In the future I will probably want an all-inclusive 5 ***** cruiseline. For now Celebrity makes me happy. And I know that they must make a profit so I expect prices to go up and quality to most likely fall or come at additional cost. I liked the 60's but I wouldn't want to back!

[Conrycol]

Teen Club...Azamara doesn't have any kids' program.

US to US. Embarked in FLL and debarked in LA. Princess was San Juan, Puerto Rico to USA while Azamara was FLL to Acapulco. DH has problems with immigration while flying and I did NOT want that at Christmastime (he has a common name and shares a b-day with a "bad guy").

 

 

Puerto Rico is part of the United States.

[hcat]

So far Azamara reviews have not matched the higher expectations based on higher prices..

[larronry]

Having boarded the ship as the OP got off I have to agree. I feel that things have gone down hill. At least on the Millie at this time. Talking to people that sailed her in August I expected certain things that I didn't see or receive. Yes you do get more things on Celebrity than on other cruise lines (help in the buffet area) and no I won't be paying more for the higher end cruises (as long as we have a child we are financially responsible for we will stick to the mainline cruise lines) but I was very disappointed in food selection in the buffet and dining room and my husband found the meat rather tough especially since they expect you to cut it with butter knives and the service is luck of the draw. I'm sure we will sail Celebrity in the future but it will take while to get over some of the things we didn't like about this cruise. One of the ways I judge a cruise is by weight loss or gain. I lost 1.5 lbs. and never hit the exercise room, but did walk the track a lot with my son.

 

In the mean time if I'm going to get average food and sporadic service I'd rather pay less for it. I will miss the waffles however.

 

Although my next scheduled cruise is on Carnival I don't know if it will be my cruise line of choice. We just decided to try out their brand new ship while it's sailing out of our local port before it moves to it's permanent location on the West Coast.

[caliber35]

For us, Celebrity is going down from an excellent 5-star-line to a very good 4-star-line.

We enjoyed the 7 years with Celebrity, but now we leave for a smaller ship, with more service, excellent food, where we feel more "at home".

 

Bye, bye X, all the best...

 

IMO, Celebrity had never been a five star line. The only real changes I have seen in over 12 X cruises is that some of the ships have aged less than gracefully, meats have gone from prime to choice, and the passenger base has moved downmarket. There was a time when the majority wore Tuxes on formal nights. No longer. Perhaps, like me, your standards have been raised through experience. I would rate Oceania as five stars, and Crystal as five-plus. Celebrity is a solid four star line.

[ottawapuppy]

When exactly did the term 5 star come into existence? how about five "plus"?

 

It seems that the travel industry is rife with rhetoric like this (and the term premium for what is essentially a mass market experience without kids is another exampe).

 

If you like the cruise, go. If you don'e, don't. Or maybe you should try Crystal. I hear they are 7 stars! :)

[Desertbelle]

Frankly, I don't understand why someone would announce to these forums their decision to abandon or change cruise lines. How self important can someone be to think that people care what cruise line they use?

 

If you don't like Celebrity (RCI, NCL, Carnival, etc.), then don't sail with them. Simple as that. :rolleyes:

[berryhappy24]

Frankly, I don't understand why someone would announce to these forums their decision to abandon or change cruise lines. How self important can someone be to think that people care what cruise line they use?

 

If you don't like Celebrity (RCI, NCL, Carnival, etc.), then don't sail with them. Simple as that. :rolleyes:

 

 

I agree. And why come back to the board of the line you're leaving to tell us? We're obviously here because we like it.

[caliber35]

When exactly did the term 5 star come into existence? how about five "plus"?

 

If you like the cruise, go. If you don'e, don't. Or maybe you should try Crystal. I hear they are 7 stars! :)

 

I am simply refering to the rating system used on this website by both professional and member reviewers. It constantly amazes me that some member reviewers will give nothing less than five stars to their favored lines, while others will pan a perfectly good ship just to complain. And yes, I do love to cruise and given my choice with Crystal!

[mollydogsmom]

I agree. And why come back to the board of the line you're leaving to tell us? We're obviously here because we like it.

I have recently booked my first cruise on X. I find these boards very informative.If all the posts were positive I wouldn't get a true view of what to expect.I wouldn't read them if only the cheerleaders reply.To have any value both sides must be heard from.

[Desertbelle]

I have recently booked my first cruise on X. I find these boards very informative.If all the posts were positive I wouldn't get a true view of what to expect.I wouldn't read them if only the cheerleaders reply.To have any value both sides must be heard from.

 

I don't think anyone is discouraging honest criticisms or negative reviews, we all want to know what to expect on a future cruise. But, any one who has been around Cruise Critic for a while knows that there are a lot of different opinions about different aspects of cruising. I NEVER take what one person says, to be the final word about anything. I know what I expect from a cruise and tend to listen to like minded folks.

 

But still, someone who comes over to the Celebrity boards to announce they aren't cruising with Celebrity anymore suggests that they think their saying so is so important that many others will follow them to a different cruise line, and I doubt that happens much if at all.

[Jamara]

We were on the TA also and agree that X is no longer anything special. We have done 4 TAs on the Millie and this will be our last. We would not rate it any more than 3 star!

 

It may be wrong to compare our previous experience but for us we LOVED the food, ship and service but all have gone down hill and therefore we will look elsewhere.

[Coreopsis]

I usually ignore the posts with the sensational headings. You know the goal is to get a rise out of the posters and start a war of words - and it usually works. Someone takes the bait . . . and away we go!

 

My initial thought when reading posts like this is to respond with humor - which normally I keep to myself :) "Well then, I will alert the media!" or "Atta boy, that'll show them" or "On behalf of all your table mates, I thank you" (I mean that in good fun - please don't get testy.)

 

But, if I am in the mood for a good chuckle, I check it out and usually get a kick out of the bickering that always ensues - as I did with this one. I agree - I don't understand the motivation to advise everyone of your decision - one way or the other. If you really wanted a constructive outcome from your post, send a letter to the cruise line with your specific issues - or to your new favorite so that they can meet your expectations. When faced with an unhappy customer, I try to find what would make them happy. I can't change what has already happened - that's history. So what can I do to win back your trust? If nothing . . . yup, time for all to move on.

 

IMHO, the poopy people with nitpicking issues are never going to be pleased (for long anyway) with the product from X, HAL, RCL, Princess, etc. I am not saying that is the case here - just an overall statement about some of the comments from those who see some wear/tear or a violation of a dress code recommendation and somehow it not only ruins their entire cruise - but it makes them hate that cruise line (and a few need to share their story over and over - multiple boards, etc.)

 

Ritz-Carlton expectations are never going to be met on a mid-priced line. If you want first-class - you will need to pay for it. And to those that can and want to spend the $$ for 1st class - congrats and enjoy! I look forward to your reviews on the other line boards.

 

Happy new year all. Hoping all your 2008 vacations meet or exceed your expectations!

[cruisegal101]

I have recently booked my first cruise on X. I find these boards very informative.If all the posts were positive I wouldn't get a true view of what to expect.I wouldn't read them if only the cheerleaders reply.To have any value both sides must be heard from.

 

Thank you--my sentiments exactly. If I paid attention to all of the negative posts here, I would not have booked my first Celebrity cruise. And having been on many different cruise lines, I know that on any ship on any day you might see less than stellar performance. You are also very likely to hear more from those who had negative experiences than from those who had good experiences--it is just human nature. I have found that you get what you give and a smiling face and pleasant attitude have always produced good results for me:) and expect that this will also be true on Celebrity.

 

Bettie

[lvcruiser]

If I believed everything I have read about the Summit in the past two months on these boards, I would be scared to death to step foot on the ship with the bedbugs, bare wood, torn sofas, bad food and horrible service. Instead, I take everything in, good as well as bad, and keep an open mind about the ship and its amenities. I firmly believe that each cruise is what you, as an individual, make out of it. If someone is going to believe all the negative posts on these boards, they will board the ship already assuming they will have a bad cruise, and then have that bad cruise because their mind is already made up that it will happen. Posting what is wrong with the ship or the line in your opinion is worth something to me - it keeps my expectations in line for my upcoming cruise. However, I always make the caveat that what I read is only one person's opinion and not the judgment that I, myself, will pass onto the ship prior to even seeing it.

 

Do I think the OP is wrong for sharing an opinion that the line has changed so much that he/she will no longer sail with them? No, it is still their opinion and they are entitled to it. However, I do take that opinion with a grain of salt, knowing full well that even the most experienced cruiser will go through perception changes with each cruise. It is normal for the first cruise to be the best in the mind of the cruiser and subsequent cruises to be rated lower because expectations rise and perceptions do not remain the same. I appreciate the opinion of the OP, but it will not alter my mindset about my upcoming =X= cruise. Only I can do that once I am onboard.

 

My personal opinion, for what it's worth, is that =X= has never been a five star line. A solid four prior to the RCCL merger, and a slipping four since. Now that their fleet has begun to show some age, that rating will surely go down in the minds of most who sail with them. But do you really go on a cruise to look at the wood railings? If my food, cabin and service is up to established standards, I'm not going to complain very loudly.

[Brad1185]

I have a feeling that you will be back. I left when they tried to charge $25 for a show. It ticked me off. Im back and to me Celebrity is better than ever.

[Kathie44]

When did they try to charge $25 for a show? was it Circque? We've sailed X 3 times since '03 and have another coming up in less than 3 weeks and have never seen a charge for any show.

[world~citizen]

Frankly, I don't understand why someone would announce to these forums their decision to abandon or change cruise lines. How self important can someone be to think that people care what cruise line they use?

 

If you don't like Celebrity (RCI, NCL, Carnival, etc.), then don't sail with them. Simple as that. :rolleyes:

 

How self-important any of us are to think any of our opinions are worth more than the kilobytes they are saved on.:D

 

It is his opinion and it is valid for him. I just got off an X cruise and I can sympathize. I haven't written X off though. Another cruise like the last one and I might well post the same sentiment.

 

Even X cheerleaders must agree there is something in these posts that indicate something strange has been going on in our favourite line.

 

I hope all these posts can be turned into something constructive, namely that the honchos at X take a look at the 11th commandment - namely "Thou shalt not get away with it" and realize that a little more effort is in order.

 

I believe this will happen. I believe X will return to the line it was because it cannot afford not to. I really do.

 

And it will happen in large part owing to customer feedback.

 

Smooth Sailing to you.

[barbara11758]

I have always found that the people onboard make the cruise a pleasant one. I think that people who cruise are the friendliest people around.

It's amazing that opinions of the same cruise can be so different.

You have to expect glitches in any trip and you have to focus on the positive experiences. It's a cruise after all. How can that be anything but good.

Hope you all enjoy your next cruise on whatever line you chose.

[Brad1185]

It was Circque where they were tried to charge $25 for the masquerade ball. It did not last long, passengers who paid demanded refunds since they did not like the ball. None the less I quit sailing with them for a couple of years because of that.

 

I think Celebrity now has a good thing going now. I had not complaints on the Summit.