Loyal Celebrity cruiser just back from first RCL cruise - some comparisons

[squidward]

This loyal Celebrity cruiser (10+ cruises) just got back from his first RCL cruise. In a nutshell, Celebrity could learn a thing or two about how to treat high-tier and suite guests.

 

We were granted Diamond status on RCL and stayed in a suite, and wow, what an amazing experience. While there is no butler, you have access to a Concierge who can take care of just about everything that guest relations can do, all from the comfort of the private concierge lounge.

 

Actually, there were 2 private lounges on Freedom of the Seas. One for suites, and one for Diamonds. Both offered free cocktails and hot/cold appetizers every night from 6:00-8:30. Yes, you could get free cocktails during cocktail hour!

 

The Diamond lounge was a beautiful space, located on the top deck with a great view out of floor to ceiling windows. The service was just out of this world.

 

Another great perk: They open one of the specialty restaurants for Diamonds for breakfast, with waiter service and freshly made eggs. You could also bring your food from the buffet during lunch and sit in the specialty restaurant, which was a nice way to enjoy a quiet lunch.

 

Suite guests had access to a private beach at Labadee, with a grilled NY strip steak lunch, which was wonderful. I wish Celebrity would stop there, it is really an amazing island with lots to see and do.

 

They had a special breakfast in the main dining room on the last sea day, where each table was joined by an officer. There were other events that we didn't make it to, but it just seemed as though they showered us with so much more attention and perks than on Celebrity.

 

Ironic that I needed to try RCL in order to feel like a celebrity!

 

We still prefer Celebrity for the sophisticated style and superior selection of food. The food on Freedom was great, but very "American" and there seemed to be less variety. Celebrity cuisine is more upscale and European, I think, and there is definitely more to choose from.

 

Obviously RCL is better for families with kids, given the incredible variety of venues and activities geared to the younger set. The service is a bit less formal, which probably makes kids more comfortable, but we prefer the elegance of Celebrity.

 

In the suite department, we preferred the open layout and larger bathroom of the Grand Suite to the Celebrity Suite, which are comparable in overall size and cost. But we prefer the room service on Celebrity suites, which are delivered by the butler and set up beautifully. For some reason, I couldn't get a room service menu on Freedom (other than the breakfast card) and the menu that was in the suite services binder was "wrong."

 

The entertainment system in the Celebrity Suite on Equinox was much better, with a giant TV and that great interactive system. There was only a normal-sized TV on Freedom, and no interactive system.

 

The main restaurant experience was very similar, with outstanding service on both ships. However, as stated above, we were underwhelmed by the selection on Freedom compared to Celebrity.

 

Both lines excel in terms of crowd control. On Freedom, there were always plenty of open spaces, and it never felt crowded, just like on all of the Celebrity ships we sailed on.

 

Would we sail on RCL again? Definitely - but we'd probably stick to Freedom class, which has a lot more amenities and I think are just the right size. Oasis class ships are just too big and impersonal for us, but I can certainly understand their appeal.

 

Happy to answer any questions!

 

:)

[39august]

Are you sure about the cocktail hours? On all my many RCI cruises the cocktail hours were 5-8:30 PM. Thanks for your comparisons.

[squidward]

Are you sure about the cocktail hours? On all my many RCI cruises the cocktail hours were 5-8:30 PM. Thanks for your comparisons.

 

That could be - but on Celebrity the Elite cocktail hours are 4:00-6:00, much too early in my opinion. Never understood why they do that. Plus, the Elite venues on Celebrity are never as nice as the Diamond Lounge on Freedom. It ended up being my favorite spot on the ship to hang out and meet people.

[Clarea]

Enjoyed your comparisons, thanks for taking the time to post.

 

One question - you mentioned Diamonds being allowed to use a specialty restaurant for breakfast and lunch seating. My understanding was that this was a suite perk, however I could be mistaken. Do you recall if it was specifically mentioned as a Diamond perk?

 

Bob

[Cruising89143]

We had the Eclipse booked for January but decided to go back on the Allure. After looking at both Celebrity and RCI's suite perks and the suites themselves, RCI came out ahead. I have no use for a butler as we have had them on NCL. I want to try Celebrity one day. Especially the Solstice class but it was hard to pass up the Allure.:)

[Cruisegirl6]

Glad to hear all this stuff and that you had a wonderful cruise. I myself as you look at the bottom of my post going back on the FOS this class of ship of RC is wonderful I agree.

[squidward]

Enjoyed your comparisons, thanks for taking the time to post.

 

One question - you mentioned Diamonds being allowed to use a specialty restaurant for breakfast and lunch seating. My understanding was that this was a suite perk, however I could be mistaken. Do you recall if it was specifically mentioned as a Diamond perk?

 

Bob

 

You might be right. . .I wasn't always sure which was which perk, but I sure enjoyed them all!:)

[skandls]

If you liked the Diamond Lounge on the Freedom - the Consierge Lounge on the Oasis or Allure will be you very most favorite place.

[Puffinater]

Thanks for the review. Good info.

[eel]

Would we sail on RCL again? Definitely - but we'd probably stick to Freedom class, which has a lot more amenities and I think are just the right size. Oasis class ships are just too big and impersonal for us, but I can certainly understand their appeal.

 

Happy to answer any questions!

 

:)

 

Thanks for the excellent contrast between Celebrity and RCL. We have been thinking about a Celebrity cruise but want to reach Diamond on RCL before we branch out. Now we will just have to work hard to get there sooner!

 

I have never sailed Freedom but I have sailed one size down (Mariner and Explorer) and also Oasis. I did not feel that there was anything impersonal about Oasis compared to the other two I mentioned! In both cases the ships were sailing near capacity and Oasis never felt any more crowded than the others. I would not want to sail Oasis class every time I cruised but my recommendation is to give it a try at least once, especially if you cruise often.

[Christine Frances]

That could be - but on Celebrity the Elite cocktail hours are 4:00-6:00, much too early in my opinion. Never understood why they do that. Plus, the Elite venues on Celebrity are never as nice as the Diamond Lounge on Freedom. It ended up being my favorite spot on the ship to hang out and meet people.

 

They are now from 5 - 7 pm

[cruisegal415]

I am so glad you started this thread! I was wondering what the differences were. We sailed Oasis most recently, and I didn't feel it was too big or impersonal, and really liked the many various choices of venues, especially for after dinner entertainment.

 

However, being in our mid-to-late fifties, with no children traveling with us, we were interested in maybe looking for a line that might cater more to our demographic rather than families. We're in the "we love children but maybe not so much when we're on vacation" category. We have heard that the Celebrity line may be more in line with our current situation. Did you find that to be true? It might be nice to be aboard a ship where the average age is more like ours, and there are fewer little ones running around.

 

I find your comments about the food very helpful. How does the Celebrity compare with the quality and amount of entertainment offered by RCCL? That may not be a fair question if the FOS entertainment is different from the Oasis/Allure, which is what we would probably be booking if we did RCCL for our next cruise, as we had planned. But I am interested in both the shows that are offered and the variety of "night life" such as clubs or lounges or other after dinner or after show activities.

 

Finally, what is the smoking situation with Celebrity ships? Do they allow smoking on board in public venues? In cabins? Balconies? We are non-smokers so are hoping for a "no" to this question.

 

Thanks!

[silentbob007]

 

Finally, what is the smoking situation with Celebrity ships? Do they allow smoking on board in public venues? In cabins? Balconies? We are non-smokers so are hoping for a "no" to this question.

 

Thanks!

 

Celebrity has a much more strict smoking policy. No smoking in almost everywhere except one spot outside and one spot indoors. Balconies, casino, etc ... all non-smoking.

[BillOh]

I didn't realize X didn't stop in Labadee. Do they have another area/island like that, or do they go to Coco Cay?

[Ander026]

Enjoyed your comparisons, thanks for taking the time to post.

 

One question - you mentioned Diamonds being allowed to use a specialty restaurant for breakfast and lunch seating. My understanding was that this was a suite perk, however I could be mistaken. Do you recall if it was specifically mentioned as a Diamond perk?

 

Bob

 

When I sailed on the Freedom in April. Chops was for all C & A platinum and up to dine in for breakfast and lunch.

[Tiki_Man]

Thank you for posting this thread, and I absolutely agree with your comments. We have just returned from a 7 day on the Serenade and had a wonderful time. We are very loyal Celebrity cruisers, however our options during the late spring to late fall are very limited so we tried RCI. The service in the lounge that they had open for Diamond and above was fantastic. The breakfast in a quiet location, and the pre-dinner cocktails were perfect.

 

We have never sailed the Freedom class but would be open to this option if an S-class is not available in the same region/itinerary.

 

You were spot on with the comment about Service, RCI did an excellent job.

[bus man]

We still prefer Celebrity for the sophisticated style and superior selection of food. The food on Freedom was great, but very "American" and there seemed to be less variety. Celebrity cuisine is more upscale and European, I think, and there is definitely more to choose from.

 

Obviously RCL is better for families with kids, given the incredible variety of venues and activities geared to the younger set. The service is a bit less formal, which probably makes kids more comfortable, but we prefer the elegance of Celebrity.

 

Thank you for this very helpful comparative review. As it happens, I prefer simpler, American-style food over upscale, European cuisine; and in general I prefer a more casual, informal, "family-friendly" experience. So it sounds like Celebrity isn't the line for me, and I'd be better off sticking with Royal.

 

I'm glad you were able to enjoy your experiences on both lines, and I appreciate your taking the time to post.

[Clarea]

When I sailed on the Freedom in April. Chops was for all C & A platinum and up to dine in for breakfast and lunch.

Thanks, that's good to know. This might be one of those perks that change ship to ship, and maybe even cruise to cruise depending on how many C&A members are on board.

 

Bob

[PSCruiser]

An interesting comparison of the perks you got. However, since you were both suite, and Diamond, it was probably sometimes a bit confusing whether you were getting a certain perk over room status, or sailing status. You also need to remember that you were on one of the best ships for Ds, with full cocktails instead of wine, etc.

As an RC regular who has sailed X once, I'll stick up for them as I was blown away by their perks, and can't wait to go back.

In particular, the breakfast lounge with smoothies, bloody marys, champagne, etc. Also the evening lounge with its cocktail menu, snacks served by waiters, officer visits every evening - very impresssed! And remember, this is all at the D level, no need to be D+.

[Jimnbigd]

...but we'd probably stick to Freedom class, which has a lot more amenities and I think are just the right size.

You'd probably be happy with Voyager class too. It is really the same layout except no flowrider, no cantilevered hot tubs, and no Sorrentos (Cafe Promenade has Pizza on Voyager class). Why not try the Explorer of the Seas from Bayonne, since you are right there in New York?