For Those Who Have Sailed Celebrity

[GORDONCHICK]

NCL and X are our 2 favorite cruise lines. I find the food in general better on X. NCL is a little more lively at night. I found the NCL crew the friendliest at sea, and the top officers actually show up at the meet & greets if someone from the roll call schedules one through NCL corporate (not hard to do).

 

NCL does have dress up or not nights, so you can go formal if you wish - but probably 30% or less do. There are photographers are set up on all nights.

[cynbar]

It's actually surprising to me that my family likes both lines, because they ARE so different. But I guess it's the same thing that lets us enjoy Las Vegas on one trip and Paris on another --- if we always did the same thing, our vacations would get pretty boring. To all the posters who have questions, I say to try it and concentrate on the pluses of each respective cruise line. We have never had a really bad cruise, but we have never had a perfect one either.

[4774Papa]

My opinion only -

 

Slightly different feel. Celebrity positioned just a bit higher than NCL which is mainstream. Celebrity is a bit trying to convey a bit more "class" than NCL. Not saying any one is better than the other - just slightly different. Main differences -

 

-Celebrity food better than NCL

-Celebrity has less kids onboard for similar cruise - on big cruising dates, Celebrity might have 300-400, NCL 700-800

-Celebrity has more longer cruises.

-Celebrity has no water slides

-Celebrity has an adult pool/atrium (as in no kids, not topless)

-Celebrity is a bit more formal (formal nights, photogs, fixed times)

 

-NCL has more/bigger kids activities and section

-NCL has water slides/etc

-NCL has bowling alleys, etc, etc

-NCL ships are usually larger, more crowded

-NCL is more freestyle dining (excluding upcharge dining venues)

 

To me celebrity has a more consistent feel across the entire ship (all classes of cabins). NCL suites may have better service in their suites (sometimes) as it becomes a two class (a la Cunard) ship. Celebrity has suites but its just a different room.

 

Sailed both - enjoy both. Next one I am going on is NCL but that isn't indicative either as we sail what we want and could care less of what line.

Agree with anthem and others posting here.

We like both cruise lines. Celebrity has a more classy feel, while NCL a little more of a party feel.

 

Biggest difference is the MDR food in Celebrity is a step above NCL. You have to go to NCL's specialty restaurants to equal MDR on X.

 

Also, Celebrity's excursions tend to be cheaper than NCL's.

 

NCL does have the edge on entertainment, but the difference is not huge.

 

Celebrity has excellent sommeliers that can help you choose wine, as well as wine tasting with demonstrations.

 

Celebrity has cruises to more places, like Asia, Australia, NZ, South America, the Black Sea and British Isles.