Current thoughts on Princess vs Celebrity

[Loreni]

We have been very happy with Princess, but we prefer Celebrity's 2015 itineraries that include Venice. We also like Celebrity's stricter smoking policy. Princess always has smoke wafting from the casino. We have been considering Celebrity for years but haven't tried it for reasons I mention in separate threads. We are getting closer to giving it a try and here are what we think the differences are in several areas.

 

Promenade deck: We like to stroll on a nice covered promenade deck. Celebrity's Solstice class doesn't offer this. Princess has great promenade decks, but not on its newest two ships. Also some of the Princess ships with the nicest promenade decks have been sent to Asia or Australia where we will not be able to sail them very often. The Constellation has an itinerary that we like for Europe and a nice promenade deck. No clear winner here. This has to be evaluated case by case.

 

Balconies and Balcony furniture: I think Celebrity must be the clear winner here. Princess' new balcony furniture is now very uncomfortable. Also the Royal and Regal balconies are cruel jokes. One cannot stretch out ones legs and face the sea. It is possible to lounge if you turn your chair 90 degrees, but only one person at a time can do this. Most other Princess ships have good sized balconies

 

 

Room service: I think Celebrity wins here. Princess has a very limited menu...no hot breakfast except for an egg mcmuffin. Princess is also charging three dollars now for room service. I understand it is free on Celebrity and we can order anything that the dining room is serving. Is this correct. I worry that the three dollar fee on Princess will drive more crowding at the dining room and buffet at breakfast.

 

Cabins: I think Princess could be the winner. I like Princess' mini suites because they have tubs. To get a tub on Celebrity we would need to spring for a full suite. On the other hand, Celebrity does offer sofas in its regular balcony cabins while Princess does not, except for some cabins on Royal/Regal. So, we would need to give up the tub to sail Celebrity, but I hear the showers are better...that they all include hand-held showers. Is this correct?

 

Please let me know your thoughts or if there are other things we should consider.

[cruzsnooze]

Princess and Celebrity are more alike then different. I sailed recently on the Century and found it subpar. That particular ship is sold and the moral of the crew was poor in that there was a lack of service. My next cruise in on Princess and then 2 on RCL and I find them interchangeable on most points. Base your selection on itinerary and price. Princess hasn't instituted the $3 room service fee fleet wide yet but it's on the two new ships, so it that is a deal breaker go with Celebrity

Edited May 26, 2014 by cruzsnooze

[OCruisers]

While Princess is our cruise line of choice, we also like Celebrity and have never had a bad Celebrity cruise. :)

LuLu

[Cruise Junky]

We have 11 on Princess and just disembarked Solstice earlier this month. I would have a hard time picking between an M class ship and a Princess ship on similar itineraries, maybe a nod to Princess because of perks but absolutely no question if it's picking between an S class and Princess. Celebrity all the way.

[4cats4me]

We have 13 Princess and 3 Celebrity, as well as other cruise lines.

We left Princess in 2011 and found Celebrity. We have had full suites, minis, regular cabins, obstructed on Princess, and have sailed only Aqua Class on Celebrity. It was an extremely difficult decision to choose between Princess and X for our Alaskan cruise. Reluctantly, we chose Princess, even though we love the ambience on the Solstice class ships more. In fact, we like the ambience on the Millennium class as well. I think the food way surpasses Princess. One of the reasons we chose the Grand is because they have Afredo's only to find out that a $10 pp charge might be rolled out fleet wide. On Celebrity you will have Bistro on 5 for $7, up from $5 pp, but very good panion is, creeps, soups and desserts

At any rate, we love the buffet on X more than on Princess. I am contemplating canceling our Princess and changing to Solstice since Princess's latest new charges have come about. I would rather pay up charges on Celebrity since is actually enjoy it more, now that I think about it. In the end though, itinerary is a factor

Edited May 26, 2014 by 4cats4me

[rebeccalouiseagain]

Go with Celebrity Constellation out of Venice. They don't have a 360 wraparound promenade but it is still pretty good on Deck 5. It's covered and you can stroll there. The M-class did have the handheld shower heads but S-class doesn't. They are stationary and S-class has no clothes lines which I don't like.

 

You might want to try Holland, since they do really interesting itineraries and have tubs in the staterooms.

[Christine Frances]

Go with Celebrity Constellation out of Venice. They don't have a 360 wraparound promenade but it is still pretty good on Deck 5. It's covered and you can stroll there. The M-class did have the handheld shower heads but S-class doesn't. They are stationary and S-class has no clothes lines which I don't like.

 

You might want to try Holland, since they do really interesting itineraries and have tubs in the staterooms.

 

 

The SClass have hooks in the shower so I just bring a travel clothes line. Works fine:)

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[4cats4me]

We did have hand-held shower heads in Aqua Class as well as a panel with 6 spa jets in the shower

[ClaudiaB]

A sky suite on X has shower/tub combo. It's not a full suite really, it's just a larger room.

 

Don't base your decision on drink packages (many many of us don't get them) or lack of clotheslines or even a tub or hand-held shower.

 

We sail X for many reasons, one is lack of announcements during the day and the lack of sales pitches. Also zero indoor smoking and no balcony smoking. That's almost a deal-breaker for me!

 

Have fun, don't do *too* much research as you want to have that oooooh aaaaaah feeling when you get on board a new ship. You can't go wrong, you'll have a great cruise. At some point DO try the S class ships! They're our favorite.

[OuiOnboard]

We have cruised a lot on both lines. Princess has some great itineraries that will keep us returning from time to time, but for the foreseeable future we will be on X for most of our cruises. Among other things that tilted us over to X, we have preferred the option of BLU for dining, the smoking policy, the s-class ship layout, and the overall ambiance on board the X ships.

Celebrity is making some changes to improve profitability, as are the other lines. If and when they are no longer the best fit for us, we will be looking about for a new number one.

We are thankful that we have been able to enjoy cruising and appreciate the choices.

So my best advice is to book up and give X a try...you will probably like it!!

Edited May 26, 2014 by OuiOnboard
sp and other

[jgreenwo17]

We have been very happy with Princess, but we prefer Celebrity's 2015 itineraries that include Venice. We also like Celebrity's stricter smoking policy. Princess always has smoke wafting from the casino. We have been considering Celebrity for years but haven't tried it for reasons I mention in separate threads. We are getting closer to giving it a try and here are what we think the differences are in several areas.

 

Promenade deck: We like to stroll on a nice covered promenade deck. Celebrity's Solstice class doesn't offer this. Princess has great promenade decks, but not on its newest two ships. Also some of the Princess ships with the nicest promenade decks have been sent to Asia or Australia where we will not be able to sail them very often. The Constellation has an itinerary that we like for Europe and a nice promenade deck. No clear winner here. This has to be evaluated case by case.

 

Balconies and Balcony furniture: I think Celebrity must be the clear winner here. Princess' new balcony furniture is now very uncomfortable. Also the Royal and Regal balconies are cruel jokes. One cannot stretch out ones legs and face the sea. It is possible to lounge if you turn your chair 90 degrees, but only one person at a time can do this. Most other Princess ships have good sized balconies

 

 

Room service: I think Celebrity wins here. Princess has a very limited menu...no hot breakfast except for an egg mcmuffin. Princess is also charging three dollars now for room service. I understand it is free on Celebrity and we can order anything that the dining room is serving. Is this correct. I worry that the three dollar fee on Princess will drive more crowding at the dining room and buffet at breakfast.

 

Cabins: I think Princess could be the winner. I like Princess' mini suites because they have tubs. To get a tub on Celebrity we would need to spring for a full suite. On the other hand, Celebrity does offer sofas in its regular balcony cabins while Princess does not, except for some cabins on Royal/Regal. So, we would need to give up the tub to sail Celebrity, but I hear the showers are better...that they all include hand-held showers. Is this correct?

 

Please let me know your thoughts or if there are other things we should consider.

 

Been on 3 Princess cruises and one X. Only having experienced Blu as primary dining venue I can't make an honest opinion as to who has the best MDR experience and food.

 

Overall Princess does a pretty good job and I would cruise with them again in a heartbeat, BUT Celebrity hands down has a better vibe, crew, service, etc. I too love the promenade deck, but I would forgo it for S class. The S class ships are supermodels. (IMHO).

 

Princess is cheaper to live onboard. They have laundromats, lower drink prices, coffee cards, etc.

 

Variety is the spice of life. Give X a try. They are my new favorite.

Edited May 26, 2014 by jgreenwo17