your opinion? about M class versus non

[motherchic]

i have been on the M class ships 4 times. Absolutely love them. i especially love the thallo pool, the # of pools, hot tubs, the service, the cleanliness,I enjoy the spa food for lunch or late snack( we dine @ the 2nd seating )

Those of you who love the M class do you still really like the other ships? Are there some you like better?

i am interested in trying other itineraries that the M's dont offer, but would hate to go and be thinking the entire time...i wish we could be on the...... instead.

Any input would be greatly appreciated

[hdawson]

For me the M class are a it too big. I love the intimacy of Horizon and Century. Will be on Horizon again in just 23 days. To me, bigger (and newer) are not necessarily better.

[JNLROSE]

I'm going to give my 2cents worth--We enjoy the M class much more than the C classes. Larger, more room & much more to do. We will most likely do a smaller ship again, not a problem, but given the choice, we'd try to stick with the M classes!

[kelly-NYC]

We have been on the Zenith and the Connie. We liked them both for different reasons. I didn't think that the Connie seemed that much bigger than the Zenith which is often a reason that people like the M-class ships less. It helped that most everything was in a similar place on the Connie which we were on after the Zenith, so getting lost wasn't an issue. But going from an M-class to the smaller ship might make it seem pretty small.

 

We found the shows to be much, much better on the Connie. We attributed that to the better performers being promoted to the larger, higher rated ship. That of course was just a guess, but it makes sense that X would want the best performers to be seen by the most passengers.

 

We found the food on the Zenith to be better. Someone suggested that cooking for a smaller number of passengers makes for better food. Who knows if that is true either. I never managed to try to spa food on the Connie, so I can't say much about that.

 

I enjoyed being able to sit on an aft deck on the Zenith. On the M-class ships, I believe that most of the aft area is comprised of personal balconies.

 

The M-class ships are newer. We didn't mind that the Zenith was older and showing some wear, but a couple in their 20's who were on their first cruise with us were rather disappointed. They expected a larger, grander ship than they got.

K

[sueclark]

We haven't sailed the older ships like Zenith, but we love Mercury... and we also love Millennium. When we first booked on Millennium I was prepared not to like the larger ship, but I found that I really did like it. The ships flow very well and although they lack the intimacy of the much smaller ships they are very well designed. We have also sailed the mega-ships of some other lines and found them not to our liking.

[JNLROSE]

Hi Sue! I really enjoyed your reviews & pix prior to our Mercury sailing last Nov. We LOVED the SS #1215 (cutout). Mercury was wonderful, we loved her more than Century, but after several M class sailings, we were wandering around looking for more shopping, more entertainment, things in general to do which is why we have decided we like the M class ships better. That specialty dining room option is really wonderful. We got kind of tired of the samo samo crowd each night & wanted several other alternatives, not just the Sushi or the alternative dining room options. BTW, the Salmon in the alternative was without a doubt the best I have ever had! If I had the choice between Century & Mercury, I would take Mercury again if the itinerary was different, we liked to freeze coming & going from San Diego! I know it was a fluke with the wacky weather, but sorta put a damper on us sun worshipers! 3 sea days gone!:D

[waylook]

I am concerned about this subject as well. I have been on the Millenium and Summit and have enjoyed them immensely. What I also appreciate is one of the best ship space/guest and staff/guest ratio of any ship I've researched.

 

I am scheduled to be on the Mercury in Jan 2006. I don't mind the size issue, as the Mercury is not exactly small. However, seeing the ship on the celebrity website was disconcerting. Most of the decor looked more outdated than its age. Michael's Club looks horrendous. I don't know if its very different in real life. I know the Summit and Millenium views on the website are representative though. I really like the sleek look of the M class ship interior. Will I be disappointed?

[mr green]

I am concerned about this subject as well. I have been on the Millenium and Summit and have enjoyed them immensely. What I also appreciate is one of the best ship space/guest and staff/guest ratio of any ship I've researched.

 

I am scheduled to be on the Mercury in Jan 2006. I don't mind the size issue, as the Mercury is not exactly small. However, seeing the ship on the celebrity website was disconcerting. Most of the decor looked more outdated than its age. Michael's Club looks horrendous. I don't know if its very different in real life. I know the Summit and Millenium views on the website are representative though. I really like the sleek look of the M class ship interior. Will I be disappointed?

 

I know that things have changed, but in '99 Douglas Ward had Murcury as # 1 of all large cruise ships, other than Q. E. 2's Grill Class!!! At that time she was one of only four, Five Star ships. :) john taylor

[hdawson]

Waylook. Of the four Celebrity ships I've sailed, I thought Mercury's Michaels Club was the least attractive. Even a bit mundane. Century's and Horizon's were the best in my opinion.

[JNLROSE]

I agree with Hdawson, Century's Michael's Club is MUCH better Than Mercury's! Will you be disappointed--only you will know that!

[Lois R]

Hi:)...I am one of those weird cruisers....I LOVE both size ships:D ....I have been on Century, Mercury and Constellation......and in May will be going on Horizon.

Century got me to fall in love with cruising.....so she is special to me...size, crew, staff...all of it.

Mercury was a fantastic experience....met the most WONDERFUL PEOPLE in the world....(my dinner table from these boards)...and it made the week unbelievably good...I enjoyed the ship as well;)

Last month went on Constellation......my first M-Class....she was fabulous too.

I was thinking she might be too big for my taste ( I do love the C Class).....but......I was pleasantly surprised...she didn't feel too big to me.

Service was outstanding as well......:)

 

Now I am going to a really small ship.....Horizon is only 46,000 tons..as opposed to the C or M class.

I have been reading lots of posts and have always wanted to sail her.......now I get the chance before she leaves the fleet...and I am really looking forward to it:)

So...I enjoy all sizes of the ships!

[Renorita]

Waylook. Of the four Celebrity ships I've sailed, I thought Mercury's Michaels Club was the least attractive. Even a bit mundane. Century's and Horizon's were the best in my opinion.

 

No one's mentioned the Infinity. How is Michaels there?

[benjamins]

For me the M class are a it too big. I love the intimacy of Horizon and Century. Will be on Horizon again in just 23 days. To me, bigger (and newer) are not necessarily better.

 

It's not too big, it really isn't that much bigger than the Galaxy/Mercury (77,7000 tons vs. 91,000 tons for Millennium). I don't like the M class lack of efficiency and variety in public spaces. I really don't like the H shaped Rendezvous lounge, the hole in the lounge above it, the lack of dance floors, the lack of any creativity from one to another like there is in the C class, until Michael's was made a piano bar they lacked any intimate lounges, the dining room has those horrible wings on both levels before you get to the main part of the room, the lounges also lack railed separators that allow one to feel that there are divided into conversation areas and seem like big rooms with seats and tables. The t-pool doesn't feel special either with its very public feel and the jets in the t-pool are weak.

 

I don't like the M class. I think that the constant redos of the M class reveal their design deficiencies. They are no cleaner than any other Celebrity class ship, they may have less wear, but they *are* newer. That's the only reason why.

 

Outside they suffer from what most modern ships suffer. They have limited deck space beyond what's on the top. Their promenade deck doesn't go around the back of the ship, I know of no other class of ship where that's the case. They lack the outside deck area in front of the lido of the ship that was so valuable to me in Alaska and Europe that's in the previous class of ships(no, balconies aren't the only way to view and experience Alaska, and aren't the most flexible way either).

 

As for Century class being small, they may be smaller than M class but they aren't small. When I sailed Galaxy in 1999 people commented about how big or gigantic it was. To me, it is still at least a large ship, and the Horizon class are midsized. Anything else is even larger but I find the Century/Galaxy large ships have many public areas and they carry over 1700 passengers. I don't find the Century intimate overall, yet I find there are intimate areas onboard, because of design of public areas, not because of her overall size.

 

The thing is, now that there is a plane much larger than the 747, does it make the 747 small? I say no. Smaller than this gargantuan Airbus airplane for sure. But it is still a very large airplane.

[benjamins]

 

I am scheduled to be on the Mercury in Jan 2006. I don't mind the size issue, as the Mercury is not exactly small. However, seeing the ship on the celebrity website was disconcerting. Most of the decor looked more outdated than its age. Michael's Club looks horrendous. I don't know if its very different in real life. I know the Summit and Millenium views on the website are representative though. I really like the sleek look of the M class ship interior. Will I be disappointed?

 

The Mercury has a unique design. The Century ships aren't carbon copies of each other. All of the M ships share the same furniture, that is not the case with the Century ships. The Mercury isn't everyone's cup of tea. She's not dated at all. She was meant, from day 1, to be retro-modern. So, what you are seeing are areas of the ship designed to look 50s/60s modern. Both Mercury and Galaxy have different style of Michael's Club than the more traditional gentleman's clubs on the other ships. The Mercury can seem stark to some people, or daring, depending on your tastes. But she's not dated.

[benjamins]

No one's mentioned the Infinity. How is Michaels there?

 

Exactly the same as any other Millennium ship. Only thing is that the walls are white-stained wood, not dark wood. All furnishings and placement are the same, covered with unique fabrics, colors, and patterns. For some, this is no big deal, but I found it very, very boring after the variety and creativity displayed in the Century ships. All have very different Michael's clubs, also Horizon and Zenith have different Michael's clubs.

 

With the Millennium ships, you've seen one, you've seen them all with a few exceptions. They all have different decor in their specialty restaurants. The Millennium has a sports bar. The Millennium has more upscale fittings in the dining room and platinum club and some unique furnishings in some of her lounges. Millennium conservatory is smaller and in a different spot than her sisters. The art, soft furnishings (fabrics, colors, etc.) are unique per ship. However, the public area spaces furnishings and their placement are almost exactly the same on all four ships in the major areas. Seen one foyer, you've seen them all, dining rooms, major lounges, all the same. Now the Constellation has undergone some changes to her observation lounge and perhaps she's different in that area now. I really think Celebrity wanted to make them all different, RCI stepped in and said no, and now Celebrity has to retrofit them to try to make them more fit into the Celebrity style. There's been a lot of retrofitting for such new ships. This was not the case with the previous classes.

[motherchic]

thanks Lois, and everyone,

Since you especially liked all the ships-it helps to hear your reply.if a guest doesnt like the M class then its hard for me to get an accurate feel for the other ships.since I have only been on M and love them.

I have fibromyalgia real bad and loved the thallo pool, used it allot ,also met some wonderful people there that I befriended. Does the T pool in the other ships-is it big enough for others?-do you still feel pampered? do they offer messages at the spa?

Do they have the "spa" food?

[Lois R]

hi...that is why I love this line....I always feel pampered:D