Why I love Celebrity

[Cruise Raider]

We've been on 39 cruises and all across different lines including Princess, Holland America, Norwegian, Carnival and Royal Caribbean.

While some cruises stand out as being 'extra special', there is one cruiseline that stands out as always being 'extra special'. This is confirmed every time I sail. I wish Celebrity had more West Coast cruises - especially those that leave out of San Francisco, but am willing to fly to catch a sailing of the beautiful Celebrity ships. These are just a few reasons why:

 

Beds and bedding

Service

Entertainment at the pool

Dining options

Food

Beverage package

Disembarkation lounge

Lawn club on Solstice class ships

Aqua class -- Blu!

Elite benefits

Availability of pool towels and blankets

Several future cruise sales representatives available

Cleanliness of public areas and staterooms

Casual dress code in specialty restaurants - even on formal night

 

While there are definitely things we like about other cruiselines including some of the ones mentioned above (open closets and immediate access to your stateroom upon boarding on Princess, casual dress code on Norwegian, etc.) it seems like all the benefits on Celebrity just suit us so well. Just had to comment how lucky I feel to have 2 future Celebrity cruises booked. Just wish they had more cruises on the west coast! But, guess work would just get in the way if we did.

[H2OH!]

agreed.

 

Also love the smoking policy :D

 

Thankful we are able to cruise a few times a year.

[Northern Aurora]

Cruise Raider: Since we live in the middle of Alaska we fly to every cruise port, but I also would love to see some more west coast departures. For example, we've taken the Century to Hawaii RT out of San Diego, and I would love to see a Hawaii RT out of Seattle.

 

And I also totally agree with H2OH! about the smoking policy. The restrictive smoking policy is simply wonderful.

[FortyNinerLiz]

Cruise Raider: Since we live in the middle of Alaska we fly to every cruise port, but I also would love to see some more west coast departures. For example, we've taken the Century to Hawaii RT out of San Diego, and I would love to see a Hawaii RT out of Seattle.

 

And I also totally agree with H2OH! about the smoking policy. The restrictive smoking policy is simply wonderful.

 

Don't forget that the cruise line has to include a "foreign port" as a part of the cruise or they are fined for violating "labor laws" of the USA. Cruise lines usually use Ensenada…….

[hokiecruisers]

We love the curved shower DOORS! I know that not all ships have the doors, but we like the ones that do!

[Hlitner]

Agree with the OP on loving Celebrity. However, we also understand why X does not have more cruises out of CA ports..and it is for good cause. CA implemented special environmental regulations requiring all commercial ships to use special low sulphur fuel if they came within a certain number of miles of CA. These rules do not exist anywhere else in the world...although they may finally be adopted in all US Ports in 2015. But these rules have existed only in CA for a few years, and cost cruise ships a lot of extra money since they need to buy special fuel, store it in separate tanks, and then switch over when they get about 40 miles off the coast of CA. In addition, the Longshoreman Union has driven hard bargains in CA....which again add to the cost of cruise ships that come into their ports. Bottom line is that CA loves to implement all kinds of regulations, loves their labor unions, etc. etc...and these are all factors that drive cruise lines to move their ships to other states. Laws and regulations have consequences and the CA loves their laws and regulations.

 

Hank

[4cats4me]

Agree with the OP on loving Celebrity. However, we also understand why X does not have more cruises out of CA ports..and it is for good cause. CA implemented special environmental regulations requiring all commercial ships to use special low sulphur fuel if they came within a certain number of miles of CA. These rules do not exist anywhere else in the world...although they may finally be adopted in all US Ports in 2015. But these rules have existed only in CA for a few years, and cost cruise ships a lot of extra money since they need to buy special fuel, store it in separate tanks, and then switch over when they get about 40 miles off the coast of CA. In addition, the Longshoreman Union has driven hard bargains in CA....which again add to the cost of cruise ships that come into their ports. Bottom line is that CA loves to implement all kinds of regulations, loves their labor unions, etc. etc...and these are all factors that drive cruise lines to move their ships to other states. Laws and regulations have consequences and the CA loves their laws and regulations.

 

Hank

 

Don't even get me going on this state of mine. Why, we can't even burn in our fireplaces on extremely cold days or we can be fined $500!:eek: CA is its own planet

:mad:

[MicCanberra]

I also like the great range of activities on board and itineraries that other lines do not offer.:D

[jelayne]

Best crew and most accessible officers.

Blu

Beverage packages

Minimal announcements.

Smoking policy.

Best French fries.

[TeaBag]

We love Celebrity too and since Seattle to Hawaii return is not possible why not use Vancouver? For the April sailing from Honolulu Solstice will be modified to fit under the Lions Gate Bridge to dock in Vancouver.

Edited December 23, 2013 by YVR cruiser

[miched]

The 123 promo

 

The best reward program

 

The Celebrity life activities that involve the crew and officers

 

The intermingling of the officers with the passengers.

 

minimum announcements

 

No smoking policy and that also includes those e cigs

 

Range of entertainment

 

The ambiance and atmosphere during the eveniing except during the spring break Caribbean cruises where they have those loud distorted DJs banging on the electronic drums

 

The passengers that they attract.

 

The ships designs, art work, thmes oand layout

 

The staff and officers

 

What I don't like:

 

is that the head doesn't know what the foot is doing. The website is terrible and the representives don't really know what the policies are. You cannot get a realistic answer from anyone and it is not there fault. There are too many inconsistencies and contradictions.

 

It seems as if you have to ask the cabin attendant for the amenities that use to be given.

 

The art auction. They are selling out their passengers to make money.

 

Very few cruises leaving out of NJ or the east coast

 

Don't allow the staff to enforce the policies and letting the offender get away with abusing the rules.

 

.🎅🎄

[MicCanberra]

We love Celebrity too and since Seattle to Hawaii return is not possible why not use Vancouver? For the April sailing from Honolulu Solstice will be modified to fit under the Lions Gate Bridge to dock in Vancouver.

I would like to be onboard for that.:D

[maggie.1008]

I would also like to see Celebrity do a better job of enforcing their own rules.

[Hlitner]

I would also like to see Celebrity do a better job of enforcing their own rules.

 

Which rules?

[Northern Aurora]

Don't forget that the cruise line has to include a "foreign port" as a part of the cruise or they are fined for violating "labor laws" of the USA. Cruise lines usually use Ensenada…….

 

We did a RT Seattle to Alaska out of Seattle in 2011, and the Infinity used a Canadian port. Don't forget that Canada is not part of the US.

[robtulipe]

Cruise Raider: Since we live in the middle of Alaska we fly to every cruise port, but I also would love to see some more west coast departures. For example, we've taken the Century to Hawaii RT out of San Diego, and I would love to see a Hawaii RT out of Seattle.

 

The problem with doing that out of Seattle is that would add two sea days to a trip that already has 10 seas from Southern California. Ships use to do that trip from California with just 8 seadays but have slowed down to conserve fuel.

 

Don't forget that the cruise line has to include a "foreign port" as a part of the cruise or they are fined for violating "labor laws" of the USA. Cruise lines usually use Ensenada…….

 

Actually it is the Passenger Vessel Service Act of 1886, that protects the one US registered cruise ship, Pride of Aloha, but as the previous poster indicated a Cdn port, Victoria or Vancouver could be conveniently used as they both are on route to Seattle.

Edited December 23, 2013 by robtulipe

[MicCanberra]

Which rules?

 

How about their dress codes and pool chair policy for starters.:eek:

[robtulipe]

We love Celebrity too and since Seattle to Hawaii return is not possible why not use Vancouver? For the April sailing from Honolulu Solstice will be modified to fit under the Lions Gate Bridge to dock in Vancouver.

A closed loop Hawaii cruise return out of Seattle is possible under the PVSA since all that would be required would be a port call in Canada but that would be at least a 17 night cruise under current ship operating speeds.

Even better would be one way cruises between Vancouver and Honolulu. We've done four Hawaii cruises, two closed loops out of Southern California with only 4 port days in Hawaii and two one ways between Ensenada and Honolulu which were part of the ships' repositioning to/from Australia. The Century closed loop cruise we returned from earlier this month had 10 seadays with an evening stop between 9 and 11:59 pm in Ensenada on the last sea day. Very few passengers got off the ship either to look at the cruise terminal vender booths or to do a short local bus tour. Both one ways had superior itineraries other than having to board one in Ensenada and disembark the other there. The 13 night Century cruise we embarked on in Honolulu in Feb.2012 had 7 port days on the four main islands in Hawaii, Oahu, Kauai, Maui and both side of the Big Island, followed by 5 seadays to Ensenada. A similar 14 night itineraries with 6 seadays one way to/from Vancouver, IMO, would provide the perfect Hawaii cruise without the hassle of boarding/disembarking in Mexico.;)

Edited December 23, 2013 by robtulipe

[Hlitner]

How about their dress codes and pool chair policy for starters.:eek:

 

Totally agree with you.

 

Hank