Celebrity vs Royal Caribbean

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

Some family members were tossing around the idea of a Celebrity cruise. I have never sailed them, but was curious as to how the two lines compare? Particularly the Celebrity Silhouette vs the Indy.. Even though they are owned by the same company, I know they are different. If you have been on both, what were your opinions and preferences?

[jelayne]

We have sailed both lines but not those particular ships. Both are very good but different.

 

IMHO Royal is more family oriented with more active options, rock walls, flow riders, mini golf, etc Celebrity does not have any of those. Celebrity S class ships are beautiful, the atmosphere is more adult & gives a more upscale feel than Royal. Celebrity does not have the many activity announcements, one announcement at 10 am and of course the daily paper to tell you what is going on.

The smoking policy on Celebrity is more restrictive than Royal, and we prefer the food on a Celebrity and also find the officers more visible and involved in the guests experience

 

We like the Diamond Lounge on Royal better than the Elite lounge on Celebrity and the shows on Royal are better.

 

Are Diamond on Royal and Elite on Celebrity. We prefer Celebrity but we don't travel with a family. You can't go wrong with either.

[Jen1000]

I have been on both but not on those ships. The food on Royal is more to my liking and the entertainment on Royal was better. My Celebrity cruise had a main show I actually wanted to walk out on and I am pretty easy to please. I thought general activities were better on Celebrity (trivia, group games, etc.). The Celebrity ship I was on had a comedy club and Royal did not, so that was a bummer. I would cruise Celebrity again if it was the only line offering the itinerary I wanted, otherwise I prefer Royal and Carnival.

 

I thought the cabin staff and dining room staff was better on Royal. At all times they just could not do enough for us. The other staff about the same.

 

Some family members were tossing around the idea of a Celebrity cruise. I have never sailed them, but was curious as to how the two lines compare? Particularly the Celebrity Silhouette vs the Indy.. Even though they are owned by the same company, I know they are different. If you have been on both, what were your opinions and preferences?

Edited October 13, 2014 by Jen1000

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

We have sailed both lines but not those particular ships. Both are very good but different.

 

IMHO Royal is more family oriented with more active options, rock walls, flow riders, mini golf, etc Celebrity does not have any of those. Celebrity S class ships are beautiful, the atmosphere is more adult & gives a more upscale feel than Royal. Celebrity does not have the many activity announcements, one announcement at 10 am and of course the daily paper to tell you what is going on.

The smoking policy on Celebrity is more restrictive than Royal, and we prefer the food on a Celebrity and also find the officers more visible and involved in the guests experience

 

We like the Diamond Lounge on Royal better than the Elite lounge on Celebrity and the shows on Royal are better.

 

Are Diamond on Royal and Elite on Celebrity. We prefer Celebrity but we don't travel with a family. You can't go wrong with either.

 

I have been on both but not on those ships. The food on Royal is more to my liking and the entertainment on Royal was better. My Celebrity cruise had a main show I actually wanted to walk out on and I am pretty easy to please. I thought general activities were better on Celebrity (trivia, group games, etc.). The Celebrity ship I was on had a comedy club and Royal did not, so that was a bummer. I would cruise Celebrity again if it was the only line offering the itinerary I wanted, otherwise I prefer Royal and Carnival.

 

I thought the cabin staff and dining room staff was better on Royal. At all times they just could not do enough for us. The other staff about the same.

 

Thanks for your input.

 

We were originally considering just Royal for this upcoming cruise, but I've always seen a lot of love for the Celebrity S Class ships. Just don't know if it would be worth it to try over the Indy.

[wendyatpml]

We have been on the INDY twice and the S Class celebrity ships once. Celebrity is definitely a step above Royal. That's not to say that we would not go back on Royal. As a matter of fact we are on the Allure for the Nov. 9 sailing. One friend of mine said that you have to see the Allure or Oasis at least once. The Diamond lounge or event on Royal is better than Celebrity because the hours are different. Celebrity is not as kid friendly as Royal. Either way, you will have a good time.

[sandyh422]

We have sailed with Celebrity for the past 6 years on M class and S class ships and enjoyed the cruises. however, once we sailed on the Allure and Oasis, we were hooked and will probably not go back to Celebrity due to the wider range of entertainment options. We found in taking our children and grandchildren that these 2 ships offered something for every age group, and everyone in our party absolutely loved the cruises. I highly recommend Royal over Celebrity for families.

[phoenix_dream]

We have sailed both lines but not those particular ships. Both are very good but different.

 

IMHO Royal is more family oriented with more active options, rock walls, flow riders, mini golf, etc Celebrity does not have any of those. Celebrity S class ships are beautiful, the atmosphere is more adult & gives a more upscale feel than Royal. Celebrity does not have the many activity announcements, one announcement at 10 am and of course the daily paper to tell you what is going on.

The smoking policy on Celebrity is more restrictive than Royal, and we prefer the food on a Celebrity and also find the officers more visible and involved in the guests experience

 

We like the Diamond Lounge on Royal better than the Elite lounge on Celebrity and the shows on Royal are better.

 

Are Diamond on Royal and Elite on Celebrity. We prefer Celebrity but we don't travel with a family. You can't go wrong with either.

This tracks with my thoughts, although I have not sailed on RCI for awhile (but will next week:)), and have yet to experience the Diamond Lounge. We stopped sailing RCI due to the smoking policy (at the time we had a chain smoker in the balcony next to us so literally could never enjoy our balcony at all), but now that it has changed we are giving it another chance as there is a lot to like about Royal as well. To me the overall differences are in atmosphere. I think Celebrity has a more upscale, 'sophisticated' feel than the Royal ships we have been on, without being snobby or stuffy. I think Royal has a more fun, activity oriented atmosphere without being tacky or 'unsophisticated'. IMHO entertainment is better on Royal, and food is better on Celebrity. Both good products, just depends what you are looking for.

[George C]

We did her sister ship several years go, I did not care for the shows, I did walk out on several. Great specialty restaurants , by far better than any other ship. We will try them again but prefer RCCL

[Yorkvillain]

We are looking into going on the Solstice class and we are night owls. Is the ship dead after 9 PM or is it similar to Royal? This has been my biggest concern. Otherwise the ships look beautiful and we really want to give it a shot.

Edited October 13, 2014 by Yorkvillain

[OCruisers]

Celebrity cruises are lots more laid back than RCCL cruises. ;)

LuLu

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

We are looking into going on the Solstice class and we are night owls. Is the ship dead after 9 PM or is it similar to Royal? This has been my biggest concern. Otherwise the ships look beautiful and we really want to give it a shot.

 

That was also one of my worries. I'm curious to here peoples' responses.

[KKMurphy2]

I am Diamond on Royal and Elite on Celebrity. I have been on every class of ship on each line. The ships on Celebrity do not shut down at 9. It is pretty quiet around the ships after 1 am, but I do think they are still a few things open until 2. There are lots of 20's and 30's, but usually more 40's and up, and very few kids that I have seen. Beautiful ships on Celebrity, and as I am getting older, starting to become my preference for cruising. I like the variety of ship "classes" on Royal, because although your favorites are all there, they are in different layouts. Celebrity only has 2 classes of ships.

 

If traveling with family, RCCL definitely wins hands down. If you want a relaxing getaway with your spouse, Celebrity wins. Food is subjective, but I feel a bit better on Celebrity. We love both the Diamond and Elite social hours, although we seem to meet more people and develop relationships better in the Diamond Lounge.

 

Personal opinions are just that - personal. I do not feel you can go wrong on either line. I would love to try the Quantum, but I feel it is a bit cost prohibitive and I am waiting for the prices to drop a bit. I would rather go on 2 cruises than 1 Quantum cruise. I currently have 5 cruises booked, which include 4 RCCL and 1 Celebrity. I would have loved to do Celebrity in Europe next summer, but the itineraries were too long for my vacation requirements at work.

 

Have a great time no matter which ship you choose!

Edited October 13, 2014 by KKMurphy2

[ehfl]

Celebrity does not have the Wow! with ice skating, rock climbing, diving shows, etc. They do have a lawn on these bigger ships, but that's about it in terms of something different you won't find on other ships. The lawn is a nice idea, but doesn't seem to actually work well. They have few events schedule there, and much of the lawn will be roped off. The cabana sun shades cannot be used while under way, which means people can't really make use of them on sea days.

 

There is no Royal Promenade, so the feeling is a little more cramped below decks.

 

Food is good on Celebrity, and the Lawn Club was one of the best meals I've had on a ship. Qsine was also good. The wine bar was excellent. Take advantage of the package if they still have them. You can get a card and taste from a changing selection of 32 wines at a time (they change throughout the cruise so you can always try something new) at the dispensers. They even had 4 bottles of Opus One on the ship so you could taste some quality selections at reasonable prices since you can chose from 3 size pours.

 

Shows were just OK. The performers were solid, but the sets and production were minimal. No "wow" like the shows on Royal. We were on Reflection, and there was no real piano bar like you would typically find on a cruise, with lots of energy and singing along, etc. There was a guy at the piano at a bar. He played very well, but it wasn't necessarily what most people want when they go to a piano bar.

[Tiggertastic]

Having sailed on both the ships you ask about I'd go with celebrity. I don't like the inside promenade as it feels like a shopping mall. The layout of celebrity is better. Perks very similar and celebrity's specialties are better as is it's buffet.

[NOSaints1]

Has anyone sailed on the Summit in the sky suites and if so how is it? And how would it compare to Royals ship sailing the southern interenary?

 

 

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[George C]

Has anyone sailed on the Summit in the sky suites and if so how is it? And how would it compare to Royals ship sailing the southern interenary?

 

 

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we were upgraded to sky suite on Solstice, just loved it, nicer than grand suite we had on Navigator.

[NOSaints1]

Is Celebrity more for the older person or someone in their 30s?

 

 

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[bighairtexan]

There is no actual Elite lounge on Celebrity. An Elite happy hour in a lounge, and an Elite Bkfst in a specialty restaurant. Free "adult beverages at both." THe lounge, "Michael's Club" is now for Zenith and Suites only.

 

Food: nod to Celebrity for both quality and especially presentation. Buffet is a toss up. Celebrity grill has REALLY good burgers. Cafe al Bacio edges out Promenade Cafe (when there is one), no charge at any time for room service and Celebrity's room service menu exceeds that of RCI. You can even order dinner off the MDR menu for delivery to your cabin.

Specialty Restaurants: I used to give it to Celebrity big time. Now, they're pretty close IMHO.

Entertainment: both live music and things to do RCI gets my vote. ESPECIALLY during the day. But even at night there seems to be more venues w/ live music and/or dancing in RCI. Things like Trivia on Celebrity have been drastically cut back and now there are more "for fee' activities like Zumba, Yoga, or spa demos.

CABINS: Celebrity's average cabins are a bit bigger than RCI.

SERVICE: I used to say Celebrity by a landslide, but I have been so happy w/ RCI service (dining and cabin especially) that it's a toss up.

 

For adults only, I'd select Celebrity first. For family w/ kids… it'd be RCI.

 

I've been in a Sky Suite on Summit. They vary a lot. Much more variation on the M class (summit, millennium etc) in cabin and balcony size. I had a MASSIVE balcony, and the cabin (normal sized Sky Suite) is a bit bigger than a JS. You do get a butler w/ a sky suite and you can order room service off the MDR menu for Bkfst, lunch and dinner and it will be served in courses rather than delivered all at once.

 

Sky Suites also get canapés and tea in the cabin. When Celebrity starts with the Suites only Restaurant (april, 2015) the Sky suites will get to eat there, but Sky Suites do NOT get access to Michael's Club (much as JS doesn't get access to the Concierge Lounge).

 

NOSAINTS< I'd say Celebrity is kind of targeting the 30's to 50's. So I think you'd be part of the "new" demographic. But not the 30 somethings w/ Kids. THey have kids' programs. I just think RCI has more to do for teens and younger.

Edited October 13, 2014 by bighairtexan

[NOSaints1]

Does the sky suites have a whirlpool tub or like a soaker tub ?

 

 

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[roe2ship]

We have been on one Celebrity cruise and thought the entertainment was lacking. I just wanted to add that one major difference from Royal, the ship went to sleep by 10:00pm. We couldn't believe how quiet most evenings were....and this was high peak season, can't imagine what it would be like during off season.

 

Not sure if there would be a huge difference between the Solstice and M class ships but if entertainment and a lively atmosphere in the evenings are important to you, I would think twice before choosing a Celebrity cruise.

[Aggravation]

Is Celebrity more for the older person or someone in their 30s?

 

 

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We totally enjoyed our Celebrity cruises on Equinox and Solstice - but declined another, feeling we're still too young as 60-somethings. To be fair these were extended cruises - 11-12 days, so length may have skewed the demographics older because of schools etc, but we're still not old enough to return this year. Maybe in our 70's we'd feel more comfortable, but for now, we like the energy of RCI.

 

Yes, they have a lawn on Solstice - but when we were on board, they still hadn't figured out what to do with it. A lawn isn't exactly RipCord by iFly, so our next 2 cruises are on Quantum of the Seas - one with our 30-something kids, one without. They too have cruised Celebrity but found RCI more their speed.

 

All that said - you won't have a bad experience with either line. Enjoy!

[bighairtexan]

There is a deep bathtub on the Sky Suites but not a jacuzzi on M class. I won't swear by that since I have a jacuzzi at home and so only showered while in the sky suite.

 

I agree that there is more night life on RCI ships, but that is QUICKLY changing. It used to be the casino or nothing late at night. Now the martini bar is hopping well into the wee hours and there is a bit more as far as the DJ. NOT as much as RCI but it's definitely getting better.

 

They've been doing more bocce ball on the lawn and they have occasional "concerts" either jazz or strings, a few evenings during a cruise.

 

Also i've found the longer the cruise no matter what the line, the older the average age of the cruisers.

 

My early 30's kids (both married… but not to EACH OTHER :eek: ) prefer Celebrity by a hair.

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

There is a deep bathtub on the Sky Suites but not a jacuzzi on M class. I won't swear by that since I have a jacuzzi at home and so only showered while in the sky suite.

 

I agree that there is more night life on RCI ships, but that is QUICKLY changing. It used to be the casino or nothing late at night. Now the martini bar is hopping well into the wee hours and there is a bit more as far as the DJ. NOT as much as RCI but it's definitely getting better.

 

They've been doing more bocce ball on the lawn and they have occasional "concerts" either jazz or strings, a few evenings during a cruise.

 

Also i've found the longer the cruise no matter what the line, the older the average age of the cruisers.

 

My early 30's kids (both married… but not to EACH OTHER :eek: ) prefer Celebrity by a hair.

 

Thanks for this info. I've read a lot about X being a step above RC in food and service, so this has made me look into what they are all about. But when some say that service is a step above, is it still as personable? We love socializing with crew members, but will it happen on Celebrity as much as it does on Royal?

[rolloman]

Some family members were tossing around the idea of a Celebrity cruise. I have never sailed them, but was curious as to how the two lines compare? Particularly the Celebrity Silhouette vs the Indy.. Even though they are owned by the same company, I know they are different. If you have been on both, what were your opinions and preferences?

 

Toyota versus Lexus, Nissan versus Infiniti, Honda Versus Acura. Same company... the latter is more refined. Celebrity is more refined. You want flowrider, parades...go Indy....you want more refined dining, more luxury, relaxation, go Celebrity.

[Big_G]

Thanks for this info. I've read a lot about X being a step above RC in food and service, so this has made me look into what they are all about. But when some say that service is a step above, is it still as personable? We love socializing with crew members, but will it happen on Celebrity as much as it does on Royal?

 

It was the first thing we noticed on our first Celebrity cruise. The senior officers were more visible and more likely to engage you... not that it doesn't happen on Royal. Unless you're on Oasis or Allure, we thought the entertainment was about the same except for the comedy club on the S Class ships. We thought the specialty restaurants were better on Celebrity but dining room food was about the same. The side walks don't roll-up at 10 and the average adult age was slightly older but not by a lot. The first thing we noticed back on Royal was the incessant PA announcements that are very rare on Celebrity. No belly flop or sexiest man contests but there is an officer versus guest pool volleyball game. Looking forward to the new Gastrobar on Equinox. We like both Royal and Celebrity equally. It's a nice change of pace.