Eclipse or Liberty Help please

[marchk]

So we have a dilemma

We have a choice of two ships and it’s our 25th anniversary so want to get it right

1st is Celebrity eclipse

2nd Liberty of the seas

Background we are both youngish 50 enjoy good service good food, we enjoy the shows and live music. We don’t want to party every night but don’t want to be on a ship that does not go to sleep at 11.30pm (one of the P+O ships we went on did, My Gut feeling is celebrity will offer better quality and more sophistication. my only worry is it might be a little quiet and worried about the age group may be a little old

Liberty – I picture this to be very lively but worry that due to the number of passengers that you could struggle to get a deck chair or a seat in a bar, or at the shows. Both ships are going transatlantic

Any feedback from your experience on these ships would be welcome

[rebeccalouiseagain]

Congratulations on your 25th- that really is a feat in this day an age!

 

I take it you are doing a transatlantic cruise?

 

I haven't sailed either ship but know the difference in the products (I've done 4 Royal and 9 Celebrity) Liberty of the Seas is going to be more casual with the mall promenade and the child oriented pool. Look at photos of both ships to see which one is more your style.

 

The S-class ships (I've sailed Equinox and Solstice) are going to be low key. Celebrity is not going to be a party ship in general and certainly not on a transatlantic. These cruise are long and attract more retirees than young people. There won't be much happening after 11pm IMO but the same would be true of Liberty of the Seas on a transatlantic.

 

I prefer Celebrity to Royal Caribbean because of the service and ambiance.

Edited January 23, 2014 by rebeccalouiseagain

[Aquahound]

These are 2 excellent choices for a TA. I think both Eclipse and Liberty have outstanding features that make their ship classes unique. On one hand, I'd say Liberty is better for the after hours entertainment. There are numerous venues with live entertainment, from a solo guitarist in the English pub to full bands playing in Boleros and other lounges.

 

On the other hand, I like that Eclipse has a covered Solarium pool, unlike Liberty. That is a big advantage on the cooler days.

 

I'd say they are equal when it comes to competing for good deck chairs.

[cruisetrail]

So we have a dilemma

We have a choice of two ships and it’s our 25th anniversary so want to get it right

1st is Celebrity eclipse

2nd Liberty of the seas

Background we are both youngish 50 enjoy good service good food, we enjoy the shows and live music. We don’t want to party every night but don’t want to be on a ship that does not go to sleep at 11.30pm (one of the P+O ships we went on did, My Gut feeling is celebrity will offer better quality and more sophistication. my only worry is it might be a little quiet and worried about the age group may be a little old

Liberty – I picture this to be very lively but worry that due to the number of passengers that you could struggle to get a deck chair or a seat in a bar, or at the shows. Both ships are going transatlantic

Any feedback from your experience on these ships would be welcome

 

If you are not familiar with Celebrity and RCI products, you need to separate myths from reality.

The quality and sophistication of Celebrity in comparison with the Liberty OTS starts and ends with dining options and extra charge restaurants (Celebrity has no chances vs Allure/Oasis).

A controversy you need to take into account: although Celebrity is "considered" an "upscale" product under the umbrella of the same parent company, the RCI top ships outclass Celebrity in every aspect (Allure/Oasis) and every aspect but "everything dining" (Liberty/Freedom/Independence).

Some cases in which Celebrity have chances to win:

1. Retirement cruising

2. Cruising outside warm seas and sunny weather - when the key advantage of RCI product (sun/pool decks, open spaces) cannot be utilized to the fullest.

 

I agree, the Eclipse vs the Liberty for a repositioning cruise is a dilemma.

In the Caribbean or Mediterranean (high season) the Liberty wins with no questions.

The Eclipse can be a good option for the Baltics, Alaska or aroung the UK.

Although the Eclipse is Celebrity best ship, I would not survive on it for more than 1 week. It will become dead boring.

The Liberty is much more lively. I would sacrifice the advantage of Celebrity in food in favor of more space, better amenities, larger cabins, better balconies and better entertainment program of the Liberty.

However, the Liberty won't be my option for a long repositioning cruise either. There are more comfortable ships with better amenities.

My personal vision of "being active" on a cruise ship: staying late in bars is the last thing I consider active.

 

To make your big date truly special take a trip on the Queen Mary 2.

Crossing North Atlantic on the ocean liner is absolutely special event that cannot be compared with anything like Celebrity, RCI........

 

Transatlantic "crawling" on a cruise ship - I would take one of HAL Signature ships. They offer less entertainment (I mean those who need to be entertained on a cruise :)) but much more of a cruise ship and comfort. The experience will be closest to what ocean liners used to be (except Cunard, of course).

 

Enjoy your cruise whatever your option is!

Edited January 23, 2014 by cruisetrail

[Want2Cruise 701]

Celebrity. It's much nicer overall in terms of food, atmosphere and service. We are in our mid 40's and we don't find celebrity boring at all. Neither do our children. They even noticed a difference between the two when we sailed the Freedom which is the sister ship to Liberty.

 

You only have a 25th anniversary once. I personally, IMO, wouldn't want to spend my 25th on a ship more geared for families. Flow rider, rock climbing, dream works and a kiddie h20 zone. I also didn't find the adults only area very serene by the pool either. Lots of rowdy 20 something's on my sailing.

 

Eclipse would definitely provide more of that "special" experience for a big anniversary. Compare pictures from each ship to get a true feeling.

 

Good luck.

[kitty9]

Myth and reality is truly in the eye of the beholder. There is no concrete way to establish the pluses and minuses of any cruise ship or line, because all is based on personal perception and subjective opinion. I heartily disagree with the whole myth vs reality thing because one person's myth is another person's reality.

 

Now, in my opinion, Celebrity offers a superior product in terms of better food and service. I also feel that the S class ships are far more comfortable with their public rooms being larger and better accommodating than many of the public spaces on RCI. In my experience on cruising RCI ships, many of their public room, i.e. places like their champagne bar, Schooner bar and other venues, are far too small to accommodate the higher number of passengers that ships like Liberty or Navigator or Brilliance accommodate.

 

Yes, if you you need constant entertainment, non-stop whatever, then RCI is your choice. If your choice is a nice, relaxing cruise with just enough activities to keep you entertained and busy, then Celebrity is your choice. If you want a lot of late night partying, then RCI is the better choice. If you are a foodie, the alternate restaurants on Celebrity are excellent (I have been quite disappointed in not only the food, but the service, or lack thereof, in places like Chops on RCI). Any trans-ocean sailing on any cruise ship, will have an older average age, so that shouldn't impact your decision.

 

Whatever you decide, you should have a wonderful cruise experience.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

I have done the QM2 across the Atlantic and it was a great way to get from point A to point B. This is a formal ship where tuxedos and Brits are in the majority. There is more emphasis on ballroom dancing than disco type dancing. It is NOT a romantic ship as far as I am concerned. It is really big with limited spaces to escape the crowds of people. I have sailed her three times and the pools are totally useless in the North Atlantic- even in August. It's super WINDY. Not really great for using the hot tubs because your landyard and flip flops blow off the ship unless they are nailed down- been there! The QM2 cuts through the waves like butter! It is rough seas. There is an indoor pool which is nice but not romantic. Big thumbs down to the diningroom unless you are in one of the upper class cabins. Food was just so-so and waiters were frazzled, got orders wrong and weren't polished in the MDR. I ended up having dinner in the buffet, where they got to know me and I had good treatment!

 

The Celebrity Eclipse (if you are doing the Westbound fall cruise) is going to be cold coming across and rocky. The Freedom cruises is doing the South Atlantic where temps are milder and it is great!

Edited January 23, 2014 by rebeccalouiseagain

[kitty9]

The Celebrity Eclipse (if you are doing the Westbound fall cruise) is going to be cold coming across and rocky. The Freedom cruises is doing the South Atlantic where temps are milder and it is great!

 

Great observation, and one I forgot. You are SO right. A North Atlantic crossing in fall or winter can be very cold and very rough. I know from experience that 30 ft seas are not unheard of at that time of year.

[keithm]

So we have a dilemma

We have a choice of two ships and it’s our 25th anniversary so want to get it right

1st is Celebrity eclipse

2nd Liberty of the seas

Background we are both youngish 50 enjoy good service good food, we enjoy the shows and live music. We don’t want to party every night but don’t want to be on a ship that does not go to sleep at 11.30pm (one of the P+O ships we went on did, My Gut feeling is celebrity will offer better quality and more sophistication. my only worry is it might be a little quiet and worried about the age group may be a little old

Liberty – I picture this to be very lively but worry that due to the number of passengers that you could struggle to get a deck chair or a seat in a bar, or at the shows. Both ships are going transatlantic

Any feedback from your experience on these ships would be welcome

Personally, if you're doing a TransAtlantic, I'd book the QM2(Cunard line)Transatlantics are their specialty. Between Celebrity & RCCL(which owns Celebrity)I'd take the Eclipse. More upscale than RCCL.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

Unless you have sailed both the QM2 and Celebrity across the Atlantic you can't really comment. The fact is you get 13-15 days on the other transatlantic for less money. Like I said, if you are in steerage like me you don't get a sense of any royal treatment on QM2. On Celebrity you are treated well across the board and the food is definitely better on Celebrity.

 

But again- I'd pick a southernly crossing heading to Florida not one that heads to NYC in the fall. It will be very cold.

[keithm]

Unless you have sailed both the QM2 and Celebrity across the Atlantic you can't really comment. The fact is you get 13-15 days on the other transatlantic for less money. Like I said, if you are in steerage like me you don't get a sense of any royal treatment on QM2. On Celebrity you are treated well across the board and the food is definitely better on Celebrity.

 

But again- I'd pick a southernly crossing heading to Florida not one that heads to NYC in the fall. It will be very cold.

After 6 Cunard trips, the Eclipse(Jan.25)is our first Celebrity trip. Being a "foodie" I generally liked Cunard(the Grills,especially)In Britannia the quality has slipped. We'll see how Celebrity measures up foodwise.

[cruisetrail]

It is NOT a romantic ship as far as I am concerned. It is really big with limited spaces to escape the crowds of people.

 

What???????

There are plenty of spaces to escape... what? :)

Where did you see "crowds" on the QM2?

The QM2 (without going into details) is a floating palace in comparison. Crowdswise, she carries 200 less PAX and has some 30,000 GT more of internal space.

30,000 GT is equal to RMS Mauretania. So the QM2 = Celebrity Eclipse + RMS Mauretania.

The wrap-around promenade on the QM2 is an experience that is non-exisiting on Celebrity at all. Add spa with hydropool (also non-existing on Celebrity).

Dininig options are more diverse on Celebrity especially as far as specialty dining is concerned. This is the only area where Celebrity dares to say a word in the presence of the Queen of all ships.:)

Noth Atlantic is not the Caribbean. It may be windy, foggy (or not) - it's a part of the show.

The major thing about this is that a cheap cabin on Cunard is on Cunard. An expensive suite on any other ships is ... not on Cunard.:)

 

"Romantic" is subjective. My experience with the QM2: the most romantic sea travel we ever had - ispired by the best maritime traditions and the "itinerary" #1 in the world (Southampton - New York).

 

Link:

[marchk]

Dear All

I would like to thank each and every one of you who have taken the time to reply . We very much like a lot about both ships , both trips are of a similar price . We have opted for the Celeb Eclipse , As New York as always been on our bucket list and its an extra night on board . There have been some very constructive information in this thread .

I think my conclusion is that both ships would supply us some fantastic memories and a luxury trip across the Atlantic. I hope each and every one of you who cruise this year have a great vogue

 

Once again Thank you

Mark and Susan :)

[USVI-4-me]

"Romantic" is subjective. My experience with the QM2: the most romantic sea travel we ever had - ispired by the best maritime traditions and the "itinerary" #1 in the world (Southampton - New York).

 

Link:

 

 

Thank you for the link. The video reminds me in many ways of Celebrity S-Class ships.

 

As to whether I'd recommend the Eclipse, our favorite S-Class ship, or the Liberty of the Seas my pick is Liberty for more entertainment and lounge areas.

 

-Marisa

Edited January 24, 2014 by USVI-4-me

[emcee207]

What???????

There are plenty of spaces to escape... what? :)

Where did you see "crowds" on the QM2?

The QM2 (without going into details) is a floating palace in comparison. Crowdswise, she carries 200 less PAX and has some 30,000 GT more of internal space.

30,000 GT is equal to RMS Mauretania. So the QM2 = Celebrity Eclipse + RMS Mauretania.

The wrap-around promenade on the QM2 is an experience that is non-exisiting on Celebrity at all. Add spa with hydropool (also non-existing on Celebrity).

Dininig options are more diverse on Celebrity especially as far as specialty dining is concerned. This is the only area where Celebrity dares to say a word in the presence of the Queen of all ships.:)

Noth Atlantic is not the Caribbean. It may be windy, foggy (or not) - it's a part of the show.

The major thing about this is that a cheap cabin on Cunard is on Cunard. An expensive suite on any other ships is ... not on Cunard.:)

 

"Romantic" is subjective. My experience with the QM2: the most romantic sea travel we ever had - ispired by the best maritime traditions and the "itinerary" #1 in the world (Southampton - New York).

 

Link:

 

 

 

How dare anyone to criticize the Queen Mary 2!:rolleyes:

[Aquahound]

How dare anyone to criticize the Queen Mary 2!:rolleyes:

 

HaHa. True. :)

 

I've looked at the QM2 for a TA in the past. I didn't like it because that's all it was...a TA. With most other cruises, the TA is combined with some sort of a conventional cruise by visiting a few ports. I'm no QM2 expert. Maybe they do this sometimes. But since it was nothing more than a means of transportation across the Atlantic when I was shopping, it didn't appeal to me.

[Redtravel]

Just off the Eclipse today. It was the best Celebrity cruise ever. 14 days and nights were not enough. Booked on it again. Great staff, excellent service, wonderful food, clean, and friendly. Liberty is also nice....geared to younger folks with kids. Eclipse is more elegant.

[TeaBag]

We also loved our Eclipse TA in Nov. Enjoy your cruise. Happy Anniversary.

[cruisetrail]

How dare anyone to criticize the Queen Mary 2!:rolleyes:

 

Criticizing and posting nonsense are not the same things. :D

[dinosaurdem]

Cruisetrail, please lighten up.

[cruisetrail]

Do you have something to say on the matter?

When nonsense like that is posted it needs to be marked with red flags for everyone to avoid.

Crowds on the QM2! :eek:

Unbelievable. :D

Edited January 26, 2014 by cruisetrail

[harz99]

Do you have something to say on the matter?

When nonsense like that is posted it needs to be marked with red flags for everyone to avoid.

Crowds on the QM2! :eek:

Unbelievable. :D

 

The thread wasn't about Cunard or the Queens, the OP asked about Celebrity versus RCL ships not QM2:rolleyes:.