Celebrity Cruises, Please

[caviargal]

You are correct about "location, location" However I would go crazy on any inside small cabin for more then an overnight cruise. So the type of cabin is important to some people. Having sailed on many celebrity cruises, we decided going forward, to save the money and just book a 1A balcony cabin. The cost is hundreds less than Aqua class. We will eat 5 out of 7 meals in the speciality restaurants with the money we saved. The other aqua class amenities do not matter to us. We are elite members and get many perks. I do not need a fog free mirror, thick bathrobe , a shower with jets, fruit and the daily snacks aren't worth eating to me. Nor is the Persian Garden, which I used maybe twice for 1/2 hour. The cabin is exactly the same. Blu is nice, but not at all like the speciality restaurants.

 

I understand why some make that choice and we did the same on our past few cruises, opting for Specialty restaurants most nights and paying the fee. The food is generally just too rich and too much, though, so it became less than enjoyable.

 

Still hoping the food on O in the MDR is significantly better than what we have experienced on X.

 

We also are Elite but find that the perks are not worth it.

[Cruise a holic]

I understand why some make that choice and we did the same on our past few cruises, opting for Specialty restaurants most nights and paying the fee. The food is generally just too rich and too much, though, so it became less than enjoyable.

 

Still hoping the food on O in the MDR is significantly better than what we have experienced on X.

 

We also are Elite but find that the perks are not worth it.

 

I really think you will be pleased with the ship and the food venues. We loved all of the restaurants and always found something to eat. I am on a very low carb diet and in the MDR as well as Blu they always worked with me! Even in the Specialty restaurants. Enjoy

[dabear]

We have cruised X a number of times and the food in the MDR has declined (still decent for banquet quality) & it never was of the quality of all of the food on O. However, our most recent cruise on X was in Aqua class and the food in Blu was excellent & comparable to O. We do prefer smaller ships whcih generally have better service and a more intimate feeling .

[Riana]

Actually, I was surprised at how good (for a mass line) the food was in the Century's MDR last Sept. The Escargots (Pernod flavored) were some of the best I've tasted. There was also a wonderful chocolate cake in the MDR. Unfortunately, the specialty restaurant, Murano, didn't stand up to its hype, & the Island cafe (buffet) was disappointing & very poorly laid out. Ocean Grill had a great hamburger though--just as good, maybe even better than O's.

 

So, if Celebrity's Solstice class ships were smaller & we liked the itinerary, we might sail with them again. Century's staff were friendly & provided very good to excellent service, except for our butler, who was terrible.

 

Two further comments: we considered the entertainment amateurish, & the passengers were, we'll say, more diverse than we'd expected.

[caviargal]

I really think you will be pleased with the ship and the food venues. We loved all of the restaurants and always found something to eat. I am on a very low carb diet and in the MDR as well as Blu they always worked with me! Even in the Specialty restaurants. Enjoy

 

Thanks but we have no intention of taking another cruise with X or any of the mass market lines. We do not enjoy what they offer these days.

 

We hope to enjoy our O cruise but otherwise will stick with river cruises and independent land trips in Europe and stays at our favorite resorts in the Caribbean.

[roothy123]

Actually, I was surprised at how good (for a mass line) the food was in the Century's MDR last Sept. The Escargots (Pernod flavored) were some of the best I've tasted.

 

Two further comments: we considered the entertainment amateurish, & the passengers were, we'll say, more diverse than we'd expected.

 

Yes, it's too bad I don't like escargots, since they seem to be in abundance on Celebrity!

 

As to the entertainment, that's funny, as Oceania always seems to garner the comments regarding weak entertainment (although usually people are implying they want big lavish shows, not less amateurish performers). It doesn't matter to me, as on port-intensive cruises, I only go to a few of the shows anyway.

 

I'm laughing at your comment about the passenger diversity! I've already figured out that the average passenger is probably younger and more party/drink/beach oriented than me! For one thing, the Summit certainly seems to have an abundance of bars and alcohol "tasting" events. Also, some of the shows start pretty late - although I suppose that's so that people in the late dinner seating can attend them rather than passengers being a late night bunch. Some of the people on my Roll Call sound like they are real party animals. My husband and I are both pretty much non-drinkers, and we're getting the impression that we're going to be in the distinct minority on this cruise! Then again, I think passenger makeup depends a lot upon destination, and fun, beachy itineraries like the Caribbean tend to attract a younger, more partying crowd, regardless of the cruise line. It's all OK with me, as I tend to stick to my own little oasis (cabin) anyway. As long as nobody falls overboard and stops the ship (which I would guess is really rare) I won't care.

[TKS]

We signed up for our first short X cruise to celebrate my DH's retirement the end of February. So I haven't been aboard yet. But the CC thread for that cruise has a website with photos of about 75 people coming aboard, and only a couple photos are people under age 50. This is a Pacific Costal wine cruise, not Caribbean, so you're probably right about the type of cruise dictating the "passenger diversity." (I love that, it's one I must remember!) Either that, or it speaks to the people active on CC. I don't know which.

[Bruin Steve]

I guess I should add my two cents to this thread...

 

I have cruised on seven different cruise lines, most multiple times...including both Oceania and Celebrity...

 

I enjoy BOTH Oceania and Celebrity...

 

IMHO, of the mass-market big ship lines, Celebrity will give you the best product...and the one most likely to satisfy an Oceania cruiser...

 

Among the things that set Celebrity apart from most of the mass-market lines is that their ships have excellent space-per-passenger ratios and are well designed...They are built for an "adult" cruise...most of the public space is put into lounges, bars, common area...So, the feel is very comfortable...They don't do a lot of loudspeaker announcements...you don't feel like you're being "nickeled and dimed"...The service is excellent...IMHO, on a par with Oceania...

 

I think the food is very good...not quite as good as Oceania, IMHO, but very good compared with the cruise industry as a whole..,.

 

AND, remember this about food: It is VERY SUBJECTIVE...what one person loves is what another person doesn't...On every cruise line, I've had some meals I just haven't cared for--for one reason or another...and it may be nothing wrong with the food or the recipes or the preparation--just not to my liking...Of course, on Celebrity or Oceania, with outstanding servers, they actually watch me and see that I don't seem to be eating it or enjoying it...and they've offered to bring me a different choice...on BOTH lines...

 

Where the two lines are notably different--There are formal nights on Celebrity--which I don't particularly like, but I'll live with...it's a minor inconvenience. The entertainment is better on Celebrity...but again, we all learn to make do with what we have...it's not a major consideration...

 

It used to be that Celebrity was all traditional dining, but now you can have the "Select" dining option--which works very much like open seating on O...and it is very well run (unlike the open seating option we experienced on Princess--which was poorly managed).

 

The clientele on Celebrity is very similar to Oceania (mass market does not necessarily mean Carnival or NCL or Costa crowds), but perhaps a bit younger since they do have childrens' and teens' programs--though these programs really occupy the kids and keep them out of your way unlike some cruise lines where they seem to have the run of the ship...

 

I also agree that Celebrity, for the price, offers the best value in the industry...It's not that they are necessarily significantly less expensive than Oceania--from my experience, it has generally been about a 15% price difference...

But, prices and deals vary, so occasionally, you can get a VERY good deal on Celebrity--especially if they've got a "guarantee rate"...

 

I haven't used Celebrity's "Choice Air"...I last used their air prior to the current system...but I don't think any of it is that different from doing the air through any cruise line...I usually just book my own air arrangements when I cruise on Celebrity...

[pacheco18]

The diversity is less age related than socio economic IMO

 

There is plenty of room for everyone

Celebrity is a great product and we enjoy it. It is a different experience from the o experience and we recognize that. We like diversity in people and experience so it suits us fine

 

There seem to be many o cruisers who enjoy celebrity so there must be something to it

[pacheco18]

I guess I should add my two cents to this thread...

 

I have cruised on seven different cruise lines, most multiple times...including both Oceania and Celebrity...

 

I enjoy BOTH Oceania and Celebrity...

 

IMHO, of the mass-market big ship lines, Celebrity will give you the best product...and the one most likely to satisfy an Oceania cruiser...

 

Among the things that set Celebrity apart from most of the mass-market lines is that their ships have excellent space-per-passenger ratios and are well designed...They are built for an "adult" cruise...most of the public space is put into lounges, bars, common area...So, the feel is very comfortable...They don't do a lot of loudspeaker announcements...you don't feel like you're being "nickeled and dimed"...The service is excellent...IMHO, on a par with Oceania...

 

I think the food is very good...not quite as good as Oceania, IMHO, but very good compared with the cruise industry as a whole..,.

 

AND, remember this about food: It is VERY SUBJECTIVE...what one person loves is what another person doesn't...On every cruise line, I've had some meals I just haven't cared for--for one reason or another...and it may be nothing wrong with the food or the recipes or the preparation--just not to my liking...Of course, on Celebrity or Oceania, with outstanding servers, they actually watch me and see that I don't seem to be eating it or enjoying it...and they've offered to bring me a different choice...on BOTH lines...

 

Where the two lines are notably different--There are formal nights on Celebrity--which I don't particularly like, but I'll live with...it's a minor inconvenience. The entertainment is better on Celebrity...but again, we all learn to make do with what we have...it's not a major consideration...

 

It used to be that Celebrity was all traditional dining, but now you can have the "Select" dining option--which works very much like open seating on O...and it is very well run (unlike the open seating option we experienced on Princess--which was poorly managed).

 

The clientele on Celebrity is very similar to Oceania (mass market does not necessarily mean Carnival or NCL or Costa crowds), but perhaps a bit younger since they do have childrens' and teens' programs--though these programs really occupy the kids and keep them out of your way unlike some cruise lines where they seem to have the run of the ship...

 

I also agree that Celebrity, for the price, offers the best value in the industry...It's not that they are necessarily significantly less expensive than Oceania--from my experience, it has generally been about a 15% price difference...

But, prices and deals vary, so occasionally, you can get a VERY good deal on Celebrity--especially if they've got a "guarantee rate"...

 

I haven't used Celebrity's "Choice Air"...I last used their air prior to the current system...but I don't think any of it is that different from doing the air through any cruise line...I usually just book my own air arrangements when I cruise on Celebrity...

 

Plus 1

And my friends used choice air. Great flights. Very low fares. No deviation fees

[pacheco18]

I will be seriously disappointed if the food in the MDR on O is not significantly better than what we experienced on our last two celebrity cruises

 

You may be disappointed. I am just off Solstice

MDR superb. Far better than any O GDR experience I have had

 

We stick to the buffet on O

 

Set your expectations low for the GDR

[caviargal]

You may be disappointed. I am just off Solstice

MDR superb. Far better than any O GDR experience I have had

 

We stick to the buffet on O

 

Set your expectations low for the GDR

 

You appear to be a small minority on this board but then I am often as well on other forums.

 

Good friends sailed Solstice over the holidays and said the food was the worst they have ever had on a Celebrity ship. And they are (were) fans.

 

I do not do buffets on any line...hate them.

 

I will keep my expectations high and expect to have them met. I already know that X does not meet them based on my last 2 cruises with them.

[Decebal]

What is the bright side? You will lose weight on a Celebrity cruise. I came home thinner from my Celebrity Equinox 10 Day, 2012 cruise. I mean who loses weight on a cruise?

I think of myself as the kind of person that rolls with anything. Until you are presented with lousy food. And I am the kind of person that is happiest with a piece of bread, a piece of cheese and a tomato.

The buffet was horribly crowded during breakfast and lunch, but the food was ok. However the main dining room was the main issue with us. We ate there only three times in ten days. The rest of the time we survived by the slim pickings of the evening buffet. Yes, we could have gone to the fancy restaurants, but if I was going to spend that much money I would not have been on Celebrity, if you know what I mean. The dining staff on the Equinox tried their best, I never faulted them, but they were stretched way to thin. I am not exaggerating when I say they jogged the entire evening, from taking orders to bringing the food, they ran and ran and ran. I had a constant breeze at the back of my head.

Our previous Celebrity cruise had been to Alaska a few years earlier on the Summit and a much better experience.

From the latest cruise I learned that I don't like megaships and you get what you pay for. In the end I could have done an Oceania cruise for the same price I paid on Celebrity, and returned home not thrilled with my vacation.

[roothy123]

What is the bright side? You will lose weight on a Celebrity cruise. I came home thinner from my Celebrity Equinox 10 Day, 2012 cruise. I mean who loses weight on a cruise?

 

Believe it or not, you aren't the only person who lost weight on a cruise! My husband did, on one of our earliest Oceania cruises. He was guessing that it was because he got more exercise than he normally does at home, which is probably true. In any case, he didn't totally pig out on the cruise, but he didn't exactly hold back, either!

 

I'm starting to get the sense that we should stick to the MDR as much as possible if we want the better food on Celebrity. Of course, I also suspect that the food, service, etc. might vary more from ship to ship on Celebrity than it seems to on Oceania, which only has two different sized ships.

 

A question for the Celebrity cruisers: Is the buffet for dinner a true buffet in which you put the food on your plate, or is it like Oceania, where crew members do almost all of the serving? If the former, that's one more reason for us to avoid the buffet, as my husband has no spleen and has to be very careful about sanitation.

 

I think we set a record on Marina in August. The only time we were in the MDR was for the safety drill! My husband absolutely loves the buffet (or cafeteria style dining or whatever it is) on Marina, and it's hard to get him to sit still in the MDR. Since the cruise was very port-intensive, I didn't mind, since I was often a little tired at dinner time. I got tired of doing the "crawl around looking at everything" routine, but after a few nights, settled into heading straight to the grill to order my lamb chops or salmon, and so it was a win-win for both of us. It was just funny, though, because I suspect we were the only people on the ship that didn't eat dinner in the MDR AT ALL! I also didn't go to any classes in the Artist's Loft or go to a single show - we set a lot of records that cruise. The itinerary, of course, was absolutely fabulous (Baltic and St. Petersburg). I would have had a great time even if I had gone on Carnival, I think!

[Decebal]

What is the bright side? You will lose weight on a Celebrity cruise. I came home thinner from my Celebrity Equinox 10 Day, 2012 cruise. I mean who loses weight on a cruise?

 

Believe it or not, you aren't the only person who lost weight on a cruise! My husband did, on one of our earliest Oceania cruises. He was guessing that it was because he got more exercise than he normally does at home, which is probably true.

 

I'm starting to get the sense that we should stick to the MDR as much as possible if we want the better food on Celebrity.

 

A question for the Celebrity cruisers: Is the buffet for dinner a true buffet in which you put the food on your plate, or is it like Oceania, where crew members do almost all of the serving?

 

My husband absolutely loves the buffet (or cafeteria style dining or whatever it is) on Marina, and it's hard to get him to sit still in the MDR.

 

It was just funny, though, because I suspect we were the only people on the ship that didn't eat dinner in the MDR AT ALL! !

 

No exercise for me, I was on vacation, hanging out on the balcony was all the cardio I could endure.

We found the MDR to be the huge issue for us, so you might consider the other restaurants, but then again, everyone has different tastes, so you might enjoy it. I think I just felt bad that the waiters worked so hard and were so stretched. On our Alaska cruise (and this was a couple of years ago) our waiter had time to chat with us and was so much fun. Our waiters on this cruise had time to say hello and write down what we wanted and then time for good night.

On Celebrity you serve yourself, everyone touches the the serving utensils. The evening buffet was very pared down, enough not to go to bed hungry. The Solstice ships are big, the buffet will be crowded at breakfast and lunch especially on sea days.

My father loves the buffet too, he was the one happiest on the cruise. My mom and I did the pouting over the fact that we brought lots of nice stuff to wear and had to abandon the MDR.

We felt like weirdos too at the nightly buffet, it was really empty, with everyone dressed up and boozing it up. But we prefered that over the "bricks" in our stomachs they served at the MDR.

Buy the water package that was really worth it for us, since we don't drink booze or sodas. The high tea was nice for me and my mom. Just don't have lunch, we went stuffed and spent most of the time chatting up the cute waiters from Romania.

Fortunately for us, we only had the two Celebrity cruises to compare, and noticed the huge difference in service between the Solstice and the small ship. Everything else was lovely, we really were sad that we would not repeat with Celebrity because of the food.

[pacheco18]

The celebrity buffet for dinner is a last resort

One night after an exhausting day of touring we grabbed some sushi and pasta

 

It is very limited.

[roothy123]

I guess I'll have to see if Celebrity is offering that water only package, since being charged $3 to pick up a bottle of water to take off the ship in a Caribbean port on a hot day could add up quickly. Then again, I assume we can purchase a six-pack of water in a port and bring it on board, right? The info on the little passenger booklet I downloaded states that you can bring two bottles of wine on board at embarkation but other than the usual prohibition against knives, guns, etc. doesn't mention anything else. Of course, it does state that other alcohol purchased in a port will be kept by C until disembarkation, so maybe I should re-read that paragraph to see if more than alcohol will be held!

 

The Summit sounds beautiful, with a good amount of space. It is one of the middle-sized ships (Constellation, etc.) so not as small as that ship that cruises Hawaii but not as big as the big boys of Celebrity's fleet.

 

As to the much-discussed buffet, my husband will be happy to hear it includes sushi (assuming it's fresh, of course), and for an occasional venue on formal nights (and unfortunately on a 7 day cruise, there are 2 - aarrgh!) I could be happy with pasta.

[Cruise a holic]

I guess I'll have to see if Celebrity is offering that water only package, since being charged $3 to pick up a bottle of water to take off the ship in a Caribbean port on a hot day could add up quickly. Then again, I assume we can purchase a six-pack of water in a port and bring it on board, right? The info on the little passenger booklet I downloaded states that you can bring two bottles of wine on board at embarkation but other than the usual prohibition against knives, guns, etc. doesn't mention anything else. Of course, it does state that other alcohol purchased in a port will be kept by C until disembarkation, so maybe I should re-read that paragraph to see if more than alcohol will be held!

 

Cannot speak to the what is allowed on board, however Celebrity does not offer a water only package. If you are in Aqua Class, you get free bottled water that can be taken off the ship.

[ORV]

Just remember, most times expectations become reality.

[Bruin Steve]

I don't normally eat at buffets on any ship...I don't like the experience...everyone ends up getting up at staggered times to go get more food and noone ends up actually eating together...And I'd rather be served...a meal that has been cooked for me, not warmed over on a buffet table...and in reasonable portions...

 

That said, I really don't think Celebrity's buffet is that bad...

I have been forced to eat dinner there on a few occasions on European cruises where the ship is in port very late or overnight and the dining room is closed by the time I've returned...Celebrity has been very good on those occassions with extending the buffet dinner hours beyond normal. For me, they don't have to have the widest selection at that time...just enough for me to get something I like to eat...and they've never failed that...In fact, their sushi selection has been excellent on those occasions.

 

We ate dinner only one night in the buffet on Marina on our last Oceania cruise...and I wouldn't say that was the greatest experience in the world...I was impressed that they offered lobster at the buffet, but it took an incredible long time to actually get it...and when I finally returned to my table, my wife had eaten her dinner and was getting up to get seconds/dessert...We, basically, both ate separately at the same table...not the best way to really enjoy a lobster!

 

To me, a buffet, on any ship, is a last resort...a place to eat only when you are in a hurry or cannot eat during normal dining room hours...Are buffets EVER outstanding? Not in my book...To me, they are all, at best, adequate...

 

One thing I do abhor on Celebrity is that one day each cruise, they do not offer normal sit-down breakfast and lunch in the Main Dining Room, instead setting it up as a formal "Brunch" (formal in terms of the food display itself, not the dress code)...Some people love it (I assume the same people who normally attend the buffet anyway)...I abhor it...It is an absolute ZOO...and very unrelaxing...They take away the sit-down option for those of us who prefer to sit down...Those who prefer a buffet already have an option... They could always have just put the same food...and the ice sculptures and the nice tablecloths and flowers and stuff upstairs and really dressed up the buffet for one day...JMHO!

[Decebal]

Cannot speak to the what is allowed on board, however Celebrity does not offer a water only package. If you are in Aqua Class, you get free bottled water that can be taken off the ship.

 

Yes they do, since I purchased one. As I mentioned in my previous post, we don't cosume soda or alchohol, but wanted bottle water, and they do offer that package. They even have sales sometimes. I received as much water as I asked, and it worked out great.

[Decebal]

One thing I do abhor on Celebrity is that one day each cruise, they do not offer normal sit-down breakfast and lunch in the Main Dining Room, instead setting it up as a formal "Brunch" (formal in terms of the food display itself, not the dress code)...Some people love it (I assume the same people who normally attend the buffet anyway)...I abhor it...It is an absolute ZOO...!

 

I agree with you on that. We had the Easter Cruise, and found the buffet to be a huge let down. First of all, we only found out about it from word of mouth, nothing in the program, and by the time we got there, 90% of the food was gone, there was no choice at all. We barely got a table, there were no clean dishes left, they had to go in the back and bring some more, waiters were tired, just a big ole mess, this was with two more days to go into the cruise I think, and I remember sitting at the table and just wanting to get this over with and go home.

Hope nobody minds we are discussing so much Celebrity on an Oceania board.

[LewiLewi]

We recently returned from an O cruise on the Riviera; and are now looking forward to a Celebrity cruise on the Millennium. We have sailed over 40 times with Celebrity and really enjoy their product.

We had a PH suite on the Riviera and will have a suite on the Millennium. Service has been excellent on previous cruises on Celebrity as it has been on Oceania. We enjoy the food in the MDR and love Qsine. The MDR on O was a disappointment to us: service was extremely slow, the menu was a little disappointing. Food preparation was beautiful, the taste a little disappointing. We found Jacques just OK; Polo was not as good as on the Insignia. Red Ginger was wonderful, but after dining there 3 times, we were saturated with pan asian cuisine. We also spent the last week of our O cruise eating in the Terrace cafe, a really good buffet, for dinner.

We will be on O again next year. Each cruise line has its positives and negatives.

We feel that we are very lucky to be able to enjoy cruising as often as we do. We have been on over 100 cruises, on most major lines, but Celebrity seems to be our favorite.

[Cruise a holic]

We recently returned from an O cruise on the Riviera; and are now looking forward to a Celebrity cruise on the Millennium. We have sailed over 40 times with Celebrity and really enjoy their product.

We had a PH suite on the Riviera and will have a suite on the Millennium. Service has been excellent on previous cruises on Celebrity as it has been on Oceania. We enjoy the food in the MDR and love Qsine. The MDR on O was a disappointment to us: service was extremely slow, the menu was a little disappointing. Food preparation was beautiful, the taste a little disappointing. We found Jacques just OK; Polo was not as good as on the Insignia. Red Ginger was wonderful, but after dining there 3 times, we were saturated with pan asian cuisine. We also spent the last week of our O cruise eating in the Terrace cafe, a really good buffet, for dinner.

We will be on O again next year. Each cruise line has its positives and negatives.

We feel that we are very lucky to be able to enjoy cruising as often as we do. We have been on over 100 cruises, on most major lines, but Celebrity seems to be our favorite.

I am considering trying O cruise line. I have read reviews stating the average age of the passengers is 75 and that most people are in their staterooms early and do not even attend the shows. Is this true?

 

Thanks

[Riana]

To return to roothy123's original question, I would definitely place Celebrity well above HAL & RCCL not only in terms of food quality, but because of their attention to detail.

 

An example is that, while RCCL immediately corrected a room service screw up regarding my diet, & followed up with a visit from the Room Service Manager, Celebrity assured that there were no errors in the first place. They flawlessly handled my complex food allergies. HAL on the other hand, repeatedly made serious errors on our last cruise with them. Their senior personnel never bothered to follow up or to oversee the handling of my dietary restrictions. In fact, as the cruise progressed, the problem got worse & I soon began to wonder if someone in the kitchen had it in for me!

 

Another example of Celebrity's attention to detail is that staff greeted us by name when we embarked. We also had a superb Maitre d' who practically "made" our cruise with his sense of humor & above & beyond personalized service. Now nobody's perfect, & a major detraction on our last cruise was the deplorable butler we had. From him, we experienced a definite attitude of "do it yourself &, you can't make me break a smile, so don't even try!"

 

Now, back to the "passenger diversity" I referred to in my previous post. On HAL, we've met numerous very friendly people, mostly english-speaking North Americans, with some Australians & British thrown in. True, many were on the elderly side, but, generally, they seemed to have a similar economic status. The same is true of our experience on RCCL, where the passengers were, of course, younger.

 

On Celebrity, we weren't surprised by the age span, but we didn't know the line had such socio-economic diversity (I believe Laraine mentioned this earlier). We discovered a unique (to us) mix of glamorous, somewhat snooty people, juxtaposed with others who were borderline unkempt. Of course, there were many "regular cruiser types" as well, but what we really didn't expect were the number of non-English speaking Europeans. For whatever reason, Celebrity seems to draw a more cosmopolitan passenger set than we've found on Princess, RCCL, HAL, or Oceania. Not a negative thing, just a new & interesting experience to us.:)