Biggest Differences Between Celebrity and Princess

[BosoxI]

MUTS is for kids or malls, not for cruises.

 

Princess Pizza is better, but Celebrity Ice Cream is better than Princess's

 

That is except for the Gelato at the (Princess) International Cafe, but you have to pay extra for that. That GELATO ROCKS!! It's not much $$ from what I recall.

 

I find that most regular ice cream on both lines is rather tasteless, but if forced to choose, I go with Celebrity. Both lines have up charges for gelato, don't they? I agree, Princess' is better, but once in the relm of food, tastes do differ.

 

"Elite" perks are much better than Princess.

 

The free cocktail hour every night for only 10 cruise credits....cannot beat the equivalent for Princess with 10 cruise credits.

 

Add to that the free laundry, dry cleaning, internet, etc. Elite on Celebrity is the best.

 

The Celebrity cocktail hour has it all over Princess' one time bar set up, but Princess is way ahead on laundry, as my recollection is that starting with Platinum, laundry has no limit while Celebrity has a coupon and a discount. Internet is also better on Princess-150 up to 500 minutes depending on the length of the cruise, I think. Celebrity is, what?, 90 minutes? I guess I need to check more carefully but I think I'm right in this.

[A Sixth?]

In light of the " You Are Elite. That's Nice. I Am a Regular Person." thread that's been around for too long, one difference, and to me it's minor, but to a few on that particular thread may very well RUIN their vacation... :rolleyes::p

 

On Princess your ship card is colour coded to your rank in their loyalty program.

 

On Celebrity they are colour coded to the level of your cabin.

[Oxo]

The Celebrity cocktail hour has it all over Princess' one time bar set up, but Princess is way ahead on laundry, as my recollection is that starting with Platinum, laundry has no limit while Celebrity has a coupon and a discount. Internet is also better on Princess-150 up to 500 minutes depending on the length of the cruise, I think. Celebrity is, what?, 90 minutes? I guess I need to check more carefully but I think I'm right in this.

 

Yes, with the exception of the X Elite Happy Hour, Princess does have much more to offer in the way of bennies which include free laundry and dry cleaning, more Internet minutes, etc.

 

Totally agree with your reply.

[OCruisers]

Folks who post that Princess does NOT have cold towels when returning from warm weather shore excursions, have not been on Princess for the past few years.

Yes, there are cold towels awaiting your return! :)

 

We like cruising on both Princess & Celebrity ... just like Princess a bit better but are quite happy on either one. :)

 

LuLu

~~~~

[tarheelmjfan]

Sorry OP. :o I feel like I'm hijacking your thread, but I'm just trying to be helpful to others.

 

Thanks - good summary!

 

I was unsure of the way the UBD was served - I can see that an overly friendly server could impact the meal. I am all for being friendly, and talk with the staff a lot - but some times aren't ideal for that!

 

Did you have any difficulty getting a spot at the Chef's Table? I have heard it's hit/miss - so we'll get on the ship early to stake our claim! Other Chef's Tables we've enjoyed were either in private areas or in the galley - it does seem odd to have it in the MDR.

 

Tom

 

We arrived at the port very early in order to attempt to book the CT. We were probably too early. :p When arriving in our cabin, we started calling. The dine line wasn't even open. We kept getting a busy signal. After about 15 minutes, we gave up & went in search of the maitre'd. We couldn't find him. Another officer that we stopped to ask where we could locate him took our info. & said he would contact him for us & our friend. Fortunately, we also had a backup plan. Our friend was trying for the 3 of us also. She was on the ship before us, due to her Captain's Circle standing. By the time she booked Sanctuary, then made her way to her cabin, she was able to get through. I think she said we were numbers 3, 4, & 5. Obviously, we made the cut for the first CT. There was also another one held later in the cruise. So, I don't think you have to panic & run on the ship like a mad man to be first to call. You probably won't get anyone to answer that early anyway. lol I would definitely sign up early on embarkation day, but I don't think that has to be the absolute first thing you do as some have reported.

 

Folks who post that Princess does NOT have cold towels when returning from warm weather shore excursions, have not been on Princess for the past few years.

Yes, there are cold towels awaiting your return! :)

 

We like cruising on both Princess & Celebrity ... just like Princess a bit better but are quite happy on either one. :)

 

LuLu

~~~~

 

This is true. We always had water & cold towels, when returning to Island Princess in the Caribbean.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

...

We arrived at the port very early in order to attempt to book the CT. We were probably too early. :p When arriving in our cabin, we started calling. The dine line wasn't even open. We kept getting a busy signal. After about 15 minutes, we gave up & went in search of the maitre'd. We couldn't find him. Another officer that we stopped to ask where we could locate him took our info. & said he would contact him for us & our friend. Fortunately, we also had a backup plan. Our friend was trying for the 3 of us also. She was on the ship before us, due to her Captain's Circle standing. By the time she booked Sanctuary, then made her way to her cabin, she was able to get through. I think she said we were numbers 3, 4, & 5. Obviously, we made the cut for the first CT. There was also another one held later in the cruise. So, I don't think you have to panic & run on the ship like a mad man to be first to call. You probably won't get anyone to answer that early anyway. lol I would definitely sign up early on embarkation day, but I don't think that has to be the absolute first thing you do as some have reported.

...

 

Darn, I was looking forward to a "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" kind of check-in/embarkation! :D

 

Seriously though - thanks for your insight. I will make it a high priority, but not get stressed if I can't make contact right off the bat!

 

Tom

[JDSTURTZ]

We have sailed both in the past and enjoyed both. Our decision was always based on itinerary. But, I must say we were very disappointed in the MDR food on Ruby Princess. My son and I are beef eaters. After the third night on Ruby we stopped ordering beef. It was inferior to what you get at a Sizzler or Golden Corral. This was very disappointing.

 

I agree with an earlier post though that Sabatini's is always an enjoyable evening, though not comparable to Murano's on Celebrity.

 

I would give the edge to Princess for entertainment but Celebrity gets a large advantage on the dining experience. We also find that ship personel on Celebrity are more attentive to the passengers. On our last Eclipse cruise, we never passed a member of the crew without being acknowledged. It does make you feel special.

[DiamondDiva]

Yes, on the recent Celebrity Millenium from Ensenada to Hawai'i, (10/22/12-11/2/12) as part of the Smithsonian Journeys series, we had the services of Dr Michelle Thaller from NASA for 5 days of wonderful talks about the relationship of space and the Hawaiian culture as well as Polynesian talks by Eric Ball. Great information presented in a very interesting and engaging manner.

[NSWP]

In light of the " You Are Elite. That's Nice. I Am a Regular Person." thread that's been around for too long, one difference, and to me it's minor, but to a few on that particular thread may very well RUIN their vacation... :rolleyes::p

 

On Princess your ship card is colour coded to your rank in their loyalty program.

 

On Celebrity they are colour coded to the level of your cabin.

So what colour card would Concierge Class be ?

[cruisetrail]

I am considering a Black Sea cruise next summer and see that Celebrity has some amazing prices on their Black Sea cruises. As a 3-time Princess cruiser trying to earn status what, other than better pricing, does Celebrity have to offer or are the lines comparable?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

The difference between Princess and Celebrity ships is perfectly covered in this post & links.

[maggie.1008]

On Celebrity your CC card is gold.

[chamima]

In light of the " You Are Elite. That's Nice. I Am a Regular Person." thread that's been around for too long, one difference, and to me it's minor, but to a few on that particular thread may very well RUIN their vacation... :rolleyes::p

 

On Princess your ship card is colour coded to your rank in their loyalty program.

 

On Celebrity they are colour coded to the level of your cabin.

 

So what colour card would Concierge Class be ?

 

maggie.1008 On Celebrity your CC card is gold.

 

 

So, is Aqua class blue?

Suites- black?

[dinosaurdem]

The difference between Princess and Celebrity ships is perfectly covered in this post & links.

 

Perfectly implies objectivity. Your observations of objective phenomena are pretty much spot on. Your assessment of the same, including food and service are highly subjective, as are mine. If you have sailed on all the ships and lines about which you write you are indeed fortunate and a seasoned observer. I have sailed frequently on Celebrity and Princess and once each on NCL and Azamara. My subjective experience is quite different from yours. I enjoy both Princess and Celebrity, but experience Princess as somewhat more efficient and sterile. The Celebrity experience for me is somewhat more gracious, with better and more creative food, except for Italian. I will be on the "S" class for the first time in December, but have been on Celebrity's other three classes. While I have heard that RCI has the most attractive decor of the mainstream lines, my personal taste find Celebrity ships more interesting and diverse than Princess, with better art work. All that being said, thanks for your thoroughness.

[A Sixth?]

So what colour card would Concierge Class be ?

 

 

Gold. Suites are silver. :D

 

(I didn't scan my "Elite ones in in interest of the hyper sensitive :p )

[Gig103]

4) Movies On The Pool Deck blaring insane music,etc while you are trying to enjoy the scenery. Not relaxing.

 

Just to point out that there are two sides to every opinion, I enjoyed the big screen and movies on Carnival (I know this is a Princess thread, but same idea) and actually wished that the Millennium had that.

[suzski]

As the OP, I appreciate all the comments. And for the record, I dislike MUTS...if I want to watch a movie I prefer to do it in my room.

 

It sounds like the lines are fairly similar, so I guess it will just boil down to itinerary for me. We were spoiled on Pacific Princess with an amazing itinerary that gave us some small ports that bigger ships were unable to access. I am really all about the ports - 30 years in the Navy gave me enough 'sea days', thank you very much!:)

 

Again, thanks all for your thoughts, inputs, and suggestions.

[psujmatt]

I was reminded of this difference on another thread:

Princess has self-service laundry rooms (I believe on all ships), and Celebrity does not. This is helpful for budget conscious travelers who don't want to check extra bags due to airline fees and want some things freshened up on a longer cruise. More useful though to us were the irons, since we didn't like how much it would cost to send something out to be pressed. I suspect for most people this won't really matter.

 

On a related note, the Star Princess had a retractable clothes line in the shower, and the Silhouette did not. If you have a balcony room, bring clothes pins. You aren't supposed to leave anything on your balcony since it could blow away, but its pretty easy to secure a bathing suit out there 100% safely with enough clothes pins!

[cruisetrail]

 

It sounds like the lines are fairly similar, so I guess it will just boil down to itinerary for me. We were spoiled on Pacific Princess with an amazing itinerary that gave us some small ports that bigger ships were unable to access. I am really all about the ports - 30 years in the Navy gave me enough 'sea days', thank you very much!:)

 

Again, thanks all for your thoughts, inputs, and suggestions.

 

You are welcome.

In fact they are quite different.

 

I am really all about the ports

Oh, yes.

They are very similar in this department. :)

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[UpcountryTravelers]

Now you've gotten to the heart of the matter. Princess pizza is better than most to be found in pizzerias on dry land.:p ........

 

You need to visit our town. There are at least a dozen restaurants with better pizza than Princess. Had one last night at Bellacino's. Princess pizza isn't bad, but there are much better ones around.

 

From the comparison here, I'll avoid pizza on our upcoming Celebrity cruise. :o)

[dinosaurdem]

You are welcome.

In fact they are quite different.

 

 

Oh, yes.

They are very similar in this department. :)

 

Enjoy your cruise!

 

Cruisetrail continues to lobby against Celebrity for some reason. In fact, most people consider them to be quite similar and prefer one over the other based on individual preferences and experiences.

[BosoxI]

You need to visit our town. There are at least a dozen restaurants with better pizza than Princess. Had one last night at Bellacino's. Princess pizza isn't bad, but there are much better ones around.

 

From the comparison here, I'll avoid pizza on our upcoming Celebrity cruise. :o)

 

I would love to visit any town that has twelve restaurants with better pizza than Princess, all the better if it's in South Carolina, one of my favorite states. Please excuse me if I look askance at your comment. I, too, live in the South, and in my town which is a popular tourist site it is impossible to find decent pizza, so a cruise on Princess is a treat, a remembrance of times past while living in NY/NJ. We've got a couple of great barbecue places, but at home I might as well smear a bit of ketchup an a piece of cardboard and call it pizza. Dare I ask what town you're in? I should note that the pizza on Princess' smaller ships is not on a par with that served on their large ships. I don't know why that is, but it's more like Celebrity pizza. Where Celebrity excels is in having Indian food every day in the buffet and sushi on occasion. It might not be the best, but it's a nice change and suits me fine.

[caripoo]

I would say Princess is alot different than Celebrity. After MANY cruises first on RCCL with children, we have switched to Celebrity MANY cruises ago. We were on Princess this August for the British Isles (which we waited years for Celebrity to do) It is hard not to compare, but many things (some small) are WAY better on Celebrity. We LOVE the no announcements, we heard them all day on Princess (I do not need to hear the pursers office requesting Mr and Mrs so and so please come to the pursers desk. The buffet layout was a disaster on the Caribbean Princess. The anytime dining did not work on this ship well. Staff not as friendly as Celebrity. Our mini suite attendant just okay, bathroom Way to small for that size room. No qtips, cotton balls in bathroom. Had to ask for robes, never had the extra towels we asked for. Tendering not organized. Excursions expensive (we tend to book private tours) They ran out of pounds on the British Isles cruise, how does that happen? OJ and milk NEVER cold, from room service to the dining room or buffet.

 

Now obviously there were good things that they do. The movies under the stars a great idea, unfortunatly the Caribbean Princess should NOT be doing British Isles TOOO much outside space not used because of the weather. They have alot of good public space. More food options late at night. Our mini suite better than the sky suites (minus the bathrooms) The food was generally good each night in the dining room, service in there also good. Shows generally good. NEVER saw the cruise director...ALWAYS visible on Celebrity.

 

We probably will choose not to cruise Princess again. I thought I would not mind giving up my elite perks, but in reality you do miss them when you don't have them...:)

[rervousneck]

I would say Princess is alot different than Celebrity. After MANY cruises first on RCCL with children, we have switched to Celebrity MANY cruises ago. We were on Princess this August for the British Isles (which we waited years for Celebrity to do) It is hard not to compare, but many things (some small) are WAY better on Celebrity. We LOVE the no announcements, we heard them all day on Princess (I do not need to hear the pursers office requesting Mr and Mrs so and so please come to the pursers desk. The buffet layout was a disaster on the Caribbean Princess. The anytime dining did not work on this ship well. Staff not as friendly as Celebrity. Our mini suite attendant just okay, bathroom Way to small for that size room. No qtips, cotton balls in bathroom. Had to ask for robes, never had the extra towels we asked for. Tendering not organized. Excursions expensive (we tend to book private tours) They ran out of pounds on the British Isles cruise, how does that happen? OJ and milk NEVER cold, from room service to the dining room or buffet.

 

Now obviously there were good things that they do. The movies under the stars a great idea, unfortunatly the Caribbean Princess should NOT be doing British Isles TOOO much outside space not used because of the weather. They have alot of good public space. More food options late at night. Our mini suite better than the sky suites (minus the bathrooms) The food was generally good each night in the dining room, service in there also good. Shows generally good. NEVER saw the cruise director...ALWAYS visible on Celebrity.

 

We probably will choose not to cruise Princess again. I thought I would not mind giving up my elite perks, but in reality you do miss them when you don't have them...:)

 

Part of the problem you encountered on Car. Princess was caused by a foolish remodel of the ship. They added more cabins, but did not compensate in other areas of the ship to handle the addtional passengers.

On that ship we experienced many people standing, unable to get a table, for breakfast in the buffet. The theatre filled 45 minutes before the evening show.:(

I have read on CC that they have now made chages to correct those problems.

We will sail on Princess again, but not on any of the ships that were modified.

[rervousneck]

You need to visit our town. There are at least a dozen restaurants with better pizza than Princess. Had one last night at Bellacino's. Princess pizza isn't bad, but there are much better ones around.

 

From the comparison here, I'll avoid pizza on our upcoming Celebrity cruise. :o)

 

Bellacinos went out of business in Nashville.

 

Princess pizza is as good (I think better) as the chain pizza in the US unless you like the thick crust stuff which isn't available(I don't believe) on Princess.

 

Celebrity could learn something about pizza from Princess. X seems to want to make it their "fast food".

[Christine Frances]

Am I the only one that could care less if a cruise line served pizza? With all the wonderful selections of food to eat on board for lunch, snacks etc, pizza would not even come to mind. On three cruise lines and many cruises I have not once eaten pizza on a ship! We have it at home occasionally, we like it, but definitely not our first choice on a cruise. But obviously we are in the minority:D