Sell me on Celebrity

[hexdragon]

My sister, BIL, and I are planning an European Cruise for June 2013. They like Carnival, I prefer Disney. I think Celebrity would be a good compromise... Lets hear your reasons for liking Celebrity over both of them (I know, #1: Disney is REAL Expensive... :p)

BTW: I will be in my own cabin, so Single Supplement comes into play... :(

[Bobby Dee]

My sister, BIL, and I are planning an European Cruise for June 2013. They like Carnival, I prefer Disney. I think Celebrity would be a good compromise... Lets hear your reasons for liking Celebrity over both of them (I know, #1: Disney is REAL Expensive... :p)

BTW: I will be in my own cabin, so Single Supplement comes into play... :(

 

Sailing on Celebrity is what sells you on going again. Every cruise line will give you a great cruise, but each has a different niche. I don't think that Celebrity would be a compromise between Disney and Carnival. Perhaps between Holland America and Princess. You'll find a much older crowd on Celebrity than either of the other two. Disney has no casino, and from what I imagine, lots of kids. Celebrity is quite different. Sorry I cannot help more than that.

[Hapytocruise]

My sister, BIL, and I are planning an European Cruise for June 2013. They like Carnival, I prefer Disney. I think Celebrity would be a good compromise... Lets hear your reasons for liking Celebrity over both of them (I know, #1: Disney is REAL Expensive... :p)

BTW: I will be in my own cabin, so Single Supplement comes into play... :(

 

I don't believe that Celebrity would be a compromise to either, and personally I would expect it to be better than Carnival for sure.

[CactusGirly]

I liked DCL too. I love it, in fact. Not so much for the charachter aspect, but for how well it is run, how beautiful the ships are, the staterooms, the welcome aboard & disembarkment process, etc. Then we sailed Celebrity... Now I love them both. X was just a very relaxing, elegant experience with equal customer service, IMHO. Here is my review, which maybe will help... http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1588324

 

We will continue to sail both - DCL with our kids, and X when it's just the two of us.

[hexdragon]

I don't believe that Celebrity would be a compromise to either, and personally I would expect it to be better than Carnival for sure.

We are looking at June or July. I'm worried that Carnival will be the "Summer is here party boat". Of course the kids do tend to head to the Caribbean since it is cheaper...

[aquaclass]

Wow, I just don't think it is a compromise.

 

I have never been on a DCL ship, but I assume it's demographic is high quality family fun/travel.

 

Carnival is the industry leader and markets itself well as "the fun ships"

 

When I think of a Carnival cruise I think of a 75 foot slide into the pool, a wet t-shirt contest at 3pm, and bars open until 4am. I would say they are the "chucky cheese" or "hooters" of the cruise industry. And if that is what you are looking for, Carnival does the best job in the industry.

 

 

Celebrity markets itself differently and to a different demographic. Celebrity markets itself as "Modern Luxury" Their target and guests range in age from 35-70 and especially on a European Summer cruise, my guess is a pretty good mix of those ages. Probably more families traveling in the summer as well. IMO Celebrity attracts travelers who value a more upscale enviroments, yet still casual (not stuffy) travel. Celebrity also strives for exceptional service and quality dining.

 

It all comes down to what you and your family are looking for in a cruise.

[austinlw]

I have no interest in selling, but I can share my experience:

 

I have been on Royal Caribbean, Princess, and Carnival. For our recent E Med cruise in Oct 2011 we chose Celebrity mainly because of itinerary, secondly, price (less than comparable Princess cruises), and thirdly because I had wanted to try Celebrity and thought it would be a good fit for a Europe cruise.

 

What I found on Celebrity Equinox was a very stylish and relaxing environment, unlike any other ship I had been on. Completely different environment and general clientele (few partiers, more experienced travelers) from Carnival. Much more similar to Princess. But while Princess and Royal Caribbean ship interiors look like very beautiful cruise ships, the Equinox interior looks like a contemporary but very comfortable upscale hotel, with incredible attention to interior design and color combination in every single public area. We had a standard verandah cabin, and it was by far the nicest cruise ship cabin we have been in. Everything in the cabin was up a notch from Princess - the bathroom was roomier (especially the shower!), the large screen interactive TV where you could order food from room service at a set time, photos, shore excursions, etc., plus the bedding was superb. While we preferred the MDR food on Princess, the buffet was much better on Celebrity (especially the layout). Our Mediterranean cruise was very port intensive, and we made the most of it. We returned to the ship exhausted every day to a beautiful comfortable relaxing environment that just made us go "Aaaahhhh, we're back." Hope this helps.

 

Pictures here - most ship pictures are in the 2nd gallery (2011 Mediterranean 2...):

 

[TLCOhio]

My sister, BIL, and I are planning an European Cruise for June 2013. They like Carnival, I prefer Disney. I think Celebrity would be a good compromise... Lets hear your reasons for liking Celebrity over both of them (I know, #1: Disney is REAL Expensive... BTW: I will be in my own cabin, so Single Supplement comes into play...

 

We did the Solstice in the Med last June after doing previous cruises with Seabourn, Crystal and Silversea. We were NOT disappointed. The two words that come to mind are "value" and "class". These Solstice type ships are well designed, staffed and get you there well to some wonderful ports in Europe.

 

You can see lots more from my live/blog that I did and which has gain many comments and high viewership. Check it out and don't be shy in asking any follow-up or more detailed questions. Below are a few samples of my "visual evidence" that these ships are well-done.

 

Speciality Dining Photos/Tips:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1434523&page=2

 

Reactions? THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 71,463 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

 

Many times at the pool in the afternoons, the “party band” was going at it with great tunes, adding to the fun and excitement around the pool area. Just like done by some famous California pop groups, we were hearing “fun, fun, fun” underneath the sun!!:

 

 

 

On the top, back of the Solstice, here is a wider view of Corning Hot Glass show area, plus the green grass and the unique covering designs for this special area of the ship. Classy design touches and style!!:

 

 

 

Here is an overview for this wonderfully-appointed, speciality Murano dining room with nice wood, ceiling, glass, etc., details.* Maximum capacity for seating in 90.* For the last night, they have 30 people on a waiting listing.* We booked ahead which was smart in order to get a specific date on a sea day.:

 

 

 

For entertainment in the Solstice Theatre, it was called “Solstice -- The Show” featuring a European-style dance, air acts, music, etc. Very dramatic and interesting as they swing, twirl and soar over the audience and stage. It is a “state-of-the-art” theatre with these "Cirque-type" dancers being able to “do their thing”. Here is one example of the “air show” put on by the show performers.:

 

 

 

I liked to ride one of the eight glass elevators in the mid-ship courtyard with nice views out to the different floors, enjoying the ship architecture, people being active, etc. You can see the relaxing library in this shot. Classy design on this ship! Some tradition, but not too dated or old.:

 

 

 

The Solarium was one of our favorite areas. Food and drinks were nearby and it was very relaxed and sophisticated. Quieter, too, as it is an adults-only area. Two hot tubs here. Not crowded, especially in the evenings. Nice art and design with this facility. Wonderful setting for relaxing and watching the outside water/shore views, enjoying subtle inside action, etc.:

 

[Orator]

Celebrity sells itself. Just look at comments offered by first time cruisers about their Celebrity experience. Certainly not Disney and most certainly not Carnival. Really don't know enough about you to make an informed recommendation.

[DivasDare]

Celebrity sells itself.

 

Everyone's review is subjective to their own experience. To quote an old 70's commercial... "Try it, you'll like it.":D

[miched]

.

 

I am not the marketing manager for X so selling you on sailing with them is not my responsibility.

 

There is no benefit to me for doing that as it would make the demand greater and would result in price increases. :D

 

I would then have to sail on another line and I wouldn't like that. :eek:

 

 

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[USVI-4-me]

My sister, BIL, and I are planning an European Cruise for June 2013. They like Carnival, I prefer Disney. I think Celebrity would be a good compromise... Lets hear your reasons for liking Celebrity over both of them (I know, #1: Disney is REAL Expensive... :p)

BTW: I will be in my own cabin, so Single Supplement comes into play... :(

 

 

I'm sorry I can't sell you on Celebrity. Please keep reading this message board and get a feel for Celebrity's product and the fellow passengers. It's a different crowd and very different product than Disney or Carnival.

 

It has been my pleasure to always find very friendly non-judgmental people all around me whenever I cruise. IMHO, Princess offers a product that is competitive with Celebrity. We like Royal Caribbean, it's a fun ship for us.

 

I do not care for HAL, too much smoke.

We have not cruised with NCL or Costa recently. I've gotten mixed reports on Disney and only know one couple who has cruised with Carnival.

[artmc]

I've never been on Disney, so offer no opinion. We've seen Mickey et.al. in Orlando and Anaheim; I don't feel any need to sail with them....maybe when I have grandchildren.

 

We've done 4 Carnival cruises and just did our first Celebrity. While we certainly enjoyed Celebrity, and will undoubtedly will return, I also would have no problem going on Carnival again. (Aren't I the diplomat! Seriously, I enjoyed both and would have no problem sailing again on either.)

 

Some differences:

 

Entertainment: Celebrity has much better evening shows; there's no comparison. Carnival features a lot of comedians. Most of them are quite good, though the worst comic I ever saw was on a Carnival ship; it was embarassing. The Celebrity cruise we did (the Infinity) was in South America and there were so many people from so many different countries they probably didn't have comedians because of language diffferences (though there was a very funny juggler who spoke three languages).

 

Both cruise lines feature excellent in-house bands. Presumably because we were in South America, the Celebrity had two bands playing in the evening - one English, one Spanish, both great.

 

Carnival has really fun piano bars, something I enjoy tremendously.

 

Food: DW and I don't bother with specialty restaurants so I can't comment on either. MDR meals are comparable, though Celebrity's are better. DW thought Carnival's desserts are better; I'd say it was a tie. Service is comparable, though I can't recall Carnival having wine service that's as thorough as Celebrity's.

 

Carnival has all night pizza. Granted, most people wouldn't know the difference, but I would.

 

Carnival has sushi bars near the other bars. Celebrity doesn't though you can get sushi in the upstairs buffet.

 

Age: Carnival, as a rule, has a younger crowd, though on our last Carnival cruise (Feb. 2011 - Freedom), there were so many people using walkers/scooters that at least two comedians started their routines by saying how they must have boarded Holland America by mistake. The Celebrity cruise we took was a 14-day cruise, which tends to attract older crowds. DW and I are in our mid-50s and felt quite comfortable. We were younger than most, but not that much younger, and older than some.

 

Atmosphere: Though Carnival prides itself on having the fun ships, Celebrity is hardly dull. I was worried there'd be nothing to do after the last shows finished. As someone pointed out, South Americans like to party, and we never got back to the room before midnight, sometimes much later. What I liked was that while people partied, danced, and drank, I never saw anyone ruin anybody else's good time.

 

On Carnival I've seen (but only occasionally) 20-somethings who can't handle their liquor be escorted out of bars by ship security, or be carried onto the ships by their friends after indulging too much in Cozumel pubs. I wouldn't want to be on Carnival for spring break.

 

Carnival does have the hairy-chest contests etc. by the pool, which I'm more than happy to do without. The pool areas behind the buffet are much quieter and allow you to avoid such spectacles.

[aseligman]

I have no interest in selling, but I can share my experience:

 

I have been on Royal Caribbean, Princess, and Carnival. For our recent E Med cruise in Oct 2011 we chose Celebrity mainly because of itinerary, secondly, price (less than comparable Princess cruises), and thirdly because I had wanted to try Celebrity and thought it would be a good fit for a Europe cruise.

 

What I found on Celebrity Equinox was a very stylish and relaxing environment, unlike any other ship I had been on. Completely different environment and general clientele (few partiers, more experienced travelers) from Carnival. Much more similar to Princess. But while Princess and Royal Caribbean ship interiors look like very beautiful cruise ships, the Equinox interior looks like a contemporary but very comfortable upscale hotel, with incredible attention to interior design and color combination in every single public area. We had a standard verandah cabin, and it was by far the nicest cruise ship cabin we have been in. Everything in the cabin was up a notch from Princess - the bathroom was roomier (especially the shower!), the large screen interactive TV where you could order food from room service at a set time, photos, shore excursions, etc., plus the bedding was superb. While we preferred the MDR food on Princess, the buffet was much better on Celebrity (especially the layout). Our Mediterranean cruise was very port intensive, and we made the most of it. We returned to the ship exhausted every day to a beautiful comfortable relaxing environment that just made us go "Aaaahhhh, we're back." Hope this helps.

 

Pictures here - most ship pictures are in the 2nd gallery (2011 Mediterranean 2...):

 

 

I had a similar experience on Summitt in late January/February, right after it was refurbished. It's an older, Millenium class ship, and doesn't have quite as many bells and whistles, like a lawn. Even so, it was a beautiful ship. It felt like a contemporary, big-city boutique hotel. I thought the food and service were excellent, too. One thing: I can't compare it to other lines, since it my first cruise since I was a teen (I'm in my late 30s).

[Mulege]

My sister, BIL, and I are planning an European Cruise for June 2013. They like Carnival, I prefer Disney. I think Celebrity would be a good compromise... Lets hear your reasons for liking Celebrity over both of them (I know, #1: Disney is REAL Expensive... :p)

BTW: I will be in my own cabin, so Single Supplement comes into play... :(

 

Not sure of your ages. X is definitely marketed to more adults as others have said. X is definitely a better experience over CCL. X has better rooms, all inclusive beverage packages, better service, great specialty restaurants. The S class ships are beautiful. You are not nickel and dime to death except in the spa. A glass of bubbly is offered on initial boarding. Lots of attention to detail. NO SMOKING ON BALCONY and no smoking inside the ship at all.

 

In the onboard coffee shop you get free pastries and sandwiches, you pay on CCL. Fresh cold towels as you arrive back onboard from a hot day in port.

And you might love this, a full hot breakfast from room service daily and you can order off the MDR menu for room service during lunch and dinner hours. You can make reservations daily for Select, anytime dining.

 

If you took a chance on other companies, you owe it to yourselves to try Celebrity. I used to do Princess but now I am an X fanatic.

 

I hope we sold you. We are not on commission!

[boogs]

Check out the Cruise Critic's Cruiser's Choice Awards. http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/cruiserschoice_index.cfm?category=Overall These are based on reader's rankings in their reviews.

 

The Celebrity Equinox is ranked tops overall of all ships reviewed. Celebrity ranks four of the top ten in the best overall large ship category, and three of the top ten in the best overall mid-sized ship category. Seven of their nine ships sailing when the rankings were compiled made the top ten in their categories, while only one Disney ship made it, and none of Carnival's twenty four ships made the list. You can also view these rankings based on cabins, on entertainment, on service, etc.

[cheryl20772]

One big reason we choose Celebrity is their restrictions on smoking. If you have allergies or just don't like it, you can completely avoid smoke on a Celebrity ship. If you are like me and smoke makes you physically ill, Celebrity should be a safe choice.