This is an interesting thread. I have cruised for over 33 years. More than 50 cruises. Ships have changed and so have the passengers. My favorite cruise is always the one I'm currently on. My first consideration when booking a cruise is the ship. A large part of the ship is the crew. These people make the ship work for me. We always book a balcony and now the all inclusive drinks, Wi-Fi, tips package. When I board, I don't even want to spend a single second thinking about the cost. I book my specialty restaurants in advance at the time I want to go. We enjoy the evening entertainment every night. Some things are great and some things are just enjoyable. It's all better than nothing.
I book my cruises 2 years in advance. I get a decent location for a decent price. I have a great travel agency. They know what we want and they get us the best deal. I currently have 10 cruises booked. As soon as the restaurant reservations open I will book.
So I book mostly on Celebrity. Occasionally Princess. I see continuity of quality or better on both products.
We sailed on the inagural voyage of the Beyond. What a beautiful ship. Great restaurants. Captain Kate. It's obvious that Celebrity is trying to attract high end cruisers. The areas for suite customers is stunning. The specialty restaurants are incredible. The theater is unbelievable.
I'm a happy cruiser. Money is just a tool. There are things in life.......