Nemanoxer

So, I am thinking about going on X one more time. About a year ago, I did my so loved Equinox. Food was a straight grade C in terms of taste and quality most of the nights. When I started in 2012, she had A / A+ in my memory. When I did Edge´s maiden voyage back in the days, she also had an A from me. So, how is overall food quality these days on the X ships now that prices promise magnicifence...? What are your latest impressions?

Equinox has been kind of a hidden gem in the fleet. When she was new, she had all the best of the best in Celebrity. They are sadly neglecting her for "today are hard days" reasons, and it´s a friggin shame. However, if xou don´t know what she once was, you will have a good time and a ship to remember. Try to catch Concierge Class, the staterooms are modernized.

That´s why love Equinox. She lost too much Bling and is no haven for that kinda shoot.

I had folks telling me HAL is not as "Cunard-ish" as I thought but seemingly they are... Blues Club sounds nice, but if that is the maximum of HAL´s lively... Hmmmhmh.

I used to do Celebrity for great production shows, great food and the relaxed but modern and sometimes lively atmosphere and easy going fellow guests. Guess that is how I like crusing.

Hi fellow cruiseras and cruiseros. First things first - I am 51, so talking about "young" in my case is not refering to going nuts every day, partying all drunk and hunting for skirts. I have been a Celebrity Cruises fan in the Caribbean for most of the last 10 years, loving the Solstice class rather than the Edge Class. Since CC keep disapponting me on more than one level, I am looking for something else. Closest products seem to be HAL and Princess with HAL seemingly being the most conservative of the three lines (are they really?). My question: Which of the HAL ships / ship class with Caribbean itineraries would you recommend for having the - let´s not say youngest, let´s say freshest / most modern reputation?

I do not see too much point in pricing discussions these days. For either good or bad reasons, Celebrity´s upper management have decided to not listen to this subject for the time being. That is my personal impression, at least. So, every few weeks I look up my TA´s Celebrity offers, I see that nothing is on for me, and so I am not booking. My house will be happy to see some renovations instead. Covid made me more comfortable with liking to stay at home.

Yes, my overview says Gala Optional. It´s a Southampton-Hamburg leg, I guess coming in from the Atlantic.

So, if I am participating in a 2-nights cabin filler trip that coincidentally has a gala evening, that means I can come in a jacket and button shirt with dark upscale pants and no tie? Good, I´m in.

They kept ignoring my rightful refund processing.

TUI Cruises, the German sister of Celebrity, had officially blocked all telephone lines and contacts to everybody outside their corporate communication last year because of what was going on. You could not contact them on any way. They only reacted after my lawyer sent a letter... Tbh, we refrain from cruising these days for good reasons. And that is not only the pricing. It´s just a mess that we do not want to have to face in context with our holidays.

I´d say those cruise lines are screwed.

So you are basically saying you would like middle class earners to munch on cafeteria quality food (that´s what we got last time on the Equinox) and only high flyers to enjoy the quality we had in let´s say 2012? Interesting approach. We start liking land vacations better every month, anyway.

I had someone from RCCL management on a dating app. She said she also regrets the cuts that had to and have to be made. For example, she mentioned that a full refurb for the Equinox was planned (we spoke about the ship as my used-to-be-favourite) but had to be canceled. As she works in interior architecture, she said it hurts her to see the ship like it is today. She also said that cutbacks are not over but contrary still in progress. About all refurb projects are stopped, and they cut back where they can. And that will go on for quite some time. My last trip was very good in entertainment, and the Concierge steward was really nice. But food as such and MDR staff were really - well not BAAAAAD but obviously below that what I had known. That needs to change. If the ship looks a bit worn out on the outside... Well, I don´t usually see that unless I go on land (still is a pity though). But I have low acceptance for mediocre food and staff when spending one or two monthly salaries on a cruise. I understand cruise lines saying "we had such a hard time, we need to recover first". Well, it´s the same thing with me. And what I need for that is a perfect vacation... Sorry X.

I am done cruising Celebrity for the time being. It´s not that I am in a huff but what wth is going on? I am aware of all the bs that goes on in the world, making it hard for tourism industry to keep their business over water. But having higher prices AND worse service AND worse food? I don´t know... For the 5000 $ that a 10 day cruise costs me, I can fly Business Class to Dubai or Singapore or Rio or Bali or (insert your fav vacay spot) and have my (insert your fav body part) pampered and powdered in some really high class resort. Wth would I go on a cruise with cuts in about every area of having fun or paying extra for about everything? Naaa... Not going there any time soon.

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.

Not even talking about the money, I am not into D2D because I am too tall to fly in Economy Class and not Musky enough to do Business or First. The flights SS would give me would never fit.

You are right, the cruise price was phenomenal given one of the best suites on the ship for about 3960 $ for 12 days on a perfect itinerary. I just skipped noticing that I would be in Rio for Carnival which makes my hotel about 1000 $ more expensive than it would be two weeks later. And I knew flight prices are up, just did not expect them where they are. Sometimes we just lose the game.

I will have to cancel my reservation because of insane flight prices. Flying into RIO and out of BGI would have cost me almost the same price as the cruise itself. Totally nuts even regarding the time we live in. I´m really sad I will not get to know this amazing ship. At some point, I was not sure if Sliversea is not too nosy for someone who tends to find Celebrity formal nights a bit stuffy. Also read a lot of mediocre food reviews compared to same level competitors. And was not sure about who would be my follow guests as discussions about the dress code in every second or third Internet posting left a strange impression about what kind of people are on the ship after all. But I had decided to try it for the sake of my special offer and my "I wanna do that one time in my life" attitude. So sad. For all those who can go - I am really jealous and hope you are all having great vacations and fantastic memories. May Aquaman be with you 😉

I will take it easy and eat where I get a free space. I guess. Find it somewhat disappointing that making advance plans is necessary at all in this price class. They should be dancing to my tune, not the other way around. Finding flights from Europe and back has proven to be a mess. Wish I was smaller or wealthier so that I could either cramp myself into Economy and have that issue solved by Silversea or just book Business / First no matter what. Guess I was a bit too fast hitting that "Book this voyage" button...

By the way, how is Internet on Silver Moon? Fast, mediocre, slow, very slow or not really existent?

As a first time Silversea guest, I wonder if making reservations in the included restaurants way before the cruise is really a must. Having people talk about "small ships", my inner eye makes up images like I would be going on a yacht. I know Silver Moon is not really "small". However, I wonder if she will be fully packed on my 12 day trip from Rio de Janeiro to Bridgeton on 22nd February. Or are the reservations mandatory, anyway?

I usually book veranda staterooms on the Equinox @broker1217 . Used to love the food on Celebrity, but that was not so good lately. Hope SS is as good as food was on the maiden voyage of Celebrity Edge (or better). My SS cruise will have 12 days between Rio and Bridgetown. Every second day is a sea day. I find that perfect, or at least I suppose so. I am not too much into pool parties and drunk folks, except on NCL maybe... I guess SS will let me down on entertainment and casual elegance, but I am consciously taking that risk in exchange for butler service and a magnificent suite and included excursions. One way or the other, I am excited to finally do this.

I have been wanting to try SS for years @Stumblefoot. It's finally the itinerary and the price combined with getting a brand new ship that made me book this. Will I love it? I will find out.

Cruise consultant had to double check my fare to believe it, especially because it includes solo travel add on fee. I might just have been lucky. Edge class does not catch me so much, lacks cozyness in my personal opinion. Equinox in the year 2012 might stay my personal benchmark. 9 out of 10 back in the day.