Princess vs Celebrity

[BosoxI]

DW and I just disembarked from the Celebrity Eclipse yesterday after a 7 day Carib cruise at a price too good to pass up. We hadn't been on Celebrity in 18 years, but the Eclipse just might get us back. She is a beauty. The food was excellent and the buffet set up could teach Princess a lesson or two. I usually find ways to avoid the shows, but on the Eclipse I was actually looking forward to them. They had a guy who was a lead in the LA Les Mis production and he put the usual show kids to shame. Also, there was a fascinating acrobatic troupe with amazing costumes. Sara Moulton gAve cooking demos; in all our Princess trips, we never had a celebrity guest on board. I have no idea of what the non Solstice class ships provide, maybe just the ho-um stuff I try to avoid. But all is not perfect. I was called down to Deck 2 to undergo a suitcase inspection. They found no alcohol but I really resented the intrusion. Celebrity really pushes booze. Bars are everywhere it seemed. As far as the drink packages are concerned, the full package which allows all kinds of beverages costs $49 a day pp. $49!!! Plus 15%

But there is no coffee card or bucket of beers, two things that I would have purchased were they available. We'll stick with Princess because of itineraries and the Elite benefits, but if the price is right, we'll sneak over to Celebrity once in a while

[Cruise Junky]

Yeah, but their martini's are $30 ;)

 

Glad you had a great time. I keep trying to find a good itinerary on one of the Solstice class, we'd love to try them out.

[PescadoAmarillo]

I think most people find themselves, much like you, enjoying both cruise lines for different reasons, and open to either one, depending on itinerary and price. Some people are simply more comfortable with what they know best (or where they get the best benefits), and there's nothing wrong with that either. But I have a hard time understanding how people who LOVE Princess can HATE Celebrity, or vice versa. There are differences, but most open minded people enjoy both of them.

[cwtravel]

The wife and I went on the Solistice in June in a Aqua Class stateroom. It was our first cruise on Celebrity in about 9 years and since that cruise have taken 8 Princess Cruises. We were blown away by the Solistice and thought the Aqua Class/Blu Dining Experience was spectacular. The ships are large but with less passengers and great service. Thought the staterrom was outstanding, especially the shower/bathroom set up.

 

Since the Solistice cruise have been on the Crown Princess over Christmas and on the Caribbean Princess in May but we are looking forward to our next cruise on a Solistice Class Celebrity ship.

 

Chris

[KruzPrincess]

I went on the Equinox in November because it was a good deal. It was a nice cruise and I had a good time. I thought my balcony cabin on the Equinox was nicer than the Princess balcony cabins. I thought the food and service were good. I'll likely go on Celebrity again if the deal is right. However, I missed Princess which is what I'm used to. I missed my perks. I think the food and ambience is better on Princess. I like the evening buffet on Princess. Celebity's evening buffet is limited. Not bad, but limited. If you want Select Dining on Celebrity (their version of Anytime Dining) you have to pay your gratuities in advance. I don't mean the first day of the cruise, you have to pay them with your final payment and you can't reduce them onboard if you decide you didn't get good service. Since I came back I booked two more Princess cruises.

[asctony]

If you want Select Dining on Celebrity (their version of Anytime Dining) you have to pay your gratuities in advance. I don't mean the first day of the cruise, you have to pay them with your final payment and you can't reduce them onboard if you decide you didn't get good service.

Not totally true. With RCI and X if you request MTD in advance, yes you will pay your tips in advance. However, if you request Traditional Dining, then change when you get onboard, you will not be paying your tips on Final Payment.

Just booked on X for 2012 and X is over $1,000 cheaper for basically the same ports and 1 extra day, plus a new ship, The Silhouette, that comes out this May.

So, there are always + and - on each cruise/line.

Happy Cruising!!

[BosoxI]

Yeah, but their martini's are $30 ;)

 

Glad you had a great time. I keep trying to find a good itinerary on one of the Solstice class, we'd love to try them out.

 

 

Not quite but some are $12

[texancruzer]

We had only cruised Royal Caribbean when we went on Celebrity Solstice. WOW - we loved it. Of course she was only 6 months old and still had that "new car" smell ;) We then did a Holland America - which we didnt really care for.......then back to RCI.... now we are trying Princess. We are open to trying new things and the Princess date and itinerary lured us in......hoping we enjoy the Princess experience. Would love to do Tahiti with them next Spring.

 

I too, think that with the right attitude - ANY cruise can be enjoyable !!!!! At least that's my story - and I'm sticking to it :D

[Cruise Junky]

Not quite but some are $12

 

Yes, I was being facetious. Depending on what you drink though, their drink packages are pretty good. Fresh juices in the mornings with a couple of cappucinos, bottled water for excursions, beer by the pool, Martini before dinner, wine with dinner and an after dinner drink, or a drink or two at the shows and you're way ahead.

[BosoxI]

To each his own but our friends in an Acqua cabin didn't care for Blu and ate in the MDR. We found the MDR terribly noisy and ate more in the buffet. Also, every Princess ship's MDR is laid out far better than Eclipse's where the tables are set out with military precision. Princess' wait staff is much more professional, but, oh, the Eclipse's bathrooms are magnificent.

[DeepWaterMariner]

My feeling is that there are plenty of ships on the sea. It's great to experience the variety. Everyone seems to love the Celebrity Solstice class so we'll have to give them a try sometime. We were fortunate enough to recently experience the suite level amenities on HAL and loved it but couldn't afford that type of cruising on a regular basis. Variety is the spice of life.

[BosoxI]

Yes, I was being facetious. Depending on what you drink though, their drink packages are pretty good. Fresh juices in the mornings with a couple of cappucinos, bottled water for excursions, beer by the pool, Martini before dinner, wine with dinner and an after dinner drink, or a drink or two at the shows and you're way ahead.

 

 

With a diet like that. you'd be way ahead on the road to cirrhosis of the liver, that's for sure. I couldn't handle it, nor would I want to, but that is my point, that Celebrity encourages heavy drinking by people getting their money's worth. BTW Princess' pizza reigns supreme. No comparisonl Ecllipse's was terrible.

[Cruise Junky]

With a diet like that. you'd be way ahead on the road to cirrhosis of the liver, that's for sure. I couldn't handle it, nor would I want to, but that is my point, that Celebrity encourages heavy drinking by people getting their money's worth.

 

That's actually only 4 drinks, I had a lot of "or" in there. Their packages include fresh juice, specialty coffees and bottled water.

[willysgrandma]

I have to say I agree with your assessment between the lines and the particular class of ship. I love Princess and Celebrity was the line of my very first cruise. Having said that, we just booked a 12 nighter on the Celebrity Silhouette in January out of New York - because of the new itinerary with the Southern Caribbean ports. We needed something new out of NY and Celebrity has provided it.

[CptSticky]

With a diet like that. you'd be way ahead on the road to cirrhosis of the liver, that's for sure. I couldn't handle it, nor would I want to, but that is my point, that Celebrity encourages heavy drinking by people getting their money's worth. BTW Princess' pizza reigns supreme. No comparisonl Ecllipse's was terrible.

Here come the PC police.

[royalcruz]

BTW Princess' pizza reigns supreme. No comparisonl Ecllipse's was terrible.

 

I agree...Princess has MUCH better pizza than Celebrity, but does anyone actually choose a cruiseline based on the pizza?

[doublemm16]

I agree...Princess has MUCH better pizza than Celebrity, but does anyone actually choose a cruiseline based on the pizza?

 

I live in the NYC area, where the pizza is pretty good. So my answer would be a resounding no!!

 

I enjoy both lines. I am going on my 3rd Princess cruise in June to Alaska, and making a return to Celebrity next year on the brand new Silhouette out of Bayonne, NJ. I think both lines offer great things, some same, some different. I enjoy my vacations....I have never had a bad cruise!:D:D

[roe2ship]

With a diet like that. you'd be way ahead on the road to cirrhosis of the liver, that's for sure. I couldn't handle it, nor would I want to, but that is my point, that Celebrity encourages heavy drinking by people getting their money's worth. BTW Princess' pizza reigns supreme. No comparisonl Ecllipse's was terrible.

I don't understand your theory on how does an offer to purchase a beverage package that is optional mean that the cruise line "encourages heavy drinking":confused:

[tcsmithh]

i keep looking but find X more $ than Princess on the dates we cruise....am i just looking in the wrong spots?

[BosoxI]

I don't understand your theory on how does an offer to purchase a beverage package that is optional mean that the cruise line "encourages heavy drinking":confused:

 

I guess no amount of explanation will help you understand :rolleyes:, so let's move on.;)

[berniece2000]

I've only cruised Celebrity and Princess once each, and prefered Celebrity for the food (I like to eat and it was notably better). I also thought our cabin was a little roomier and classier on Celebrity (even though I was on the near-retirement Mercury). I DID purchase a bucket of beer on the Mercury (someone says there are no buckets of beer on Celebrity - perhaps this is new?) and their nightly drink specials were out of this world delicious and not overpriced (I can't recall how much they were).

 

Obviously, there are many aspects involved in making a cruise experience - and so many personal preferences involved........

[roe2ship]

I guess no amount of explanation will help you understand :rolleyes:, so let's move on.;)

You're probably right since I sense there really is no logical explanation.

 

I can't wait to try my first Celebrity cruise and don't anticipate too many intoxicated passengers. I think I will miss the Princess pizza though!;)

[mfk68]

I dont understand how so many people can compare the unlimited drinking cards on other cruise lines to leading to out of control drunkenness? Thats like saying the people who choose to have the coffee card with the unlimited brewed coffee are going to be walking around jittery all day since they are buzzed out of their mind with too much caffeine......or that everyone on the cruise is going to be gluttonous and obese because of all the free food on the ship. Come one people, get real.

[BosoxI]

I dont understand how so many people can compare the unlimited drinking cards on other cruise lines to leading to out of control drunkenness? Thats like saying the people who choose to have the coffee card with the unlimited brewed coffee are going to be walking around jittery all day since they are buzzed out of their mind with too much caffeine......or that everyone on the cruise is going to be gluttonous and obese because of all the free food on the ship. Come one people, get real.

 

And I don't understand how some people can't understand plain English, as your post is the first to mention "drunkeness", much less "uncontrolled drunkeness". My original post commented on the high price of an unlimited drink card, $57 per day per person. You can't get your money's worth out of it drinking only juice, water, and cappucini, so what's left? Or have some clever people found a way to get multiple people drinking on one card? That would make it cost effective. The rest of your comment is just silly.

[2Canucks]

 

I can't wait to try my first Celebrity cruise. I think I will miss the Princess pizza though!;)

 

 

No worries...Celebrity pizza is "better" in my humble opinion. More choices too! :D

 

Pat :)