Cunard and Celebrity compared

[Bell Boy]

Thank you fantasy 51 for your observations, not wanting to hijack your post.... I thought readers would like to hear of my observation of why I believe Cunard has the Edge !

 

I've just returned back from a Holland and America cruise:

 

No pepper mill ever offered ...one large pepper mill the size of Blackpool Tower for the entire restaurant ( one on the upper level and and one on the lower ) gave up asking for pepper on salad as waiter took so long having to hunt for it .

 

Salad dressing AREADY poured on a salad during preparation in the kitchen .. sometimes swimming ,sometimes too dry. ( not offered table side)

 

Bread basket placed in the centre of the table for the rest of the table mates to handle. (never silver served individually for NV reasons)

 

No slippers/ stationary/envelopes/postcards in cabins 'below a suite'

and certainly no welcome bottle of Fizz ( even if it is only Pol Acker ..at least you can give it away to the gardener ;) )

 

No canapes' or crisps/chips 'automatically offered with drinks' ( during pre dinner cocktail hour 7pm) ... by the last day I found out they do have them ...they call them snacks but you have to REQUEST them.;)

 

Public announcements THREE times a day from the entertainment manager reminding us what was printed in the daily program ( as if we all can't read ;) )

 

And don't get me started on dress codes in the evenings..their formal evenings (they call them GALA evenings ) nothing Gala or a sense of occasion about these evenings ...seen better dressed people at a beach barbecue.

The list could go on ...

 

Before anyone reminds me that HAL does not set out to be Cunard ... well HAL needs to cut the price of their cruises..... This HAL trip was '19 days', however, for a '12 day' similar voyage on Seabourn I would have paid almost half price.

 

Cunard certainly has the Edge ! ;)

[Host Hattie]

 

People are so certain that Cunard are the best that they are reluctant to try another line and they are mistaken. Give the others a go. You may be pleasantly surprised.

 

 

We have tried several other lines but the only one we would return to would be Azamara. HAL, Fred Olsen and P&O were all disappointing in different ways.

I'm willing to give Celebrity a go if the time/itinerary is right.

[Csardas]

The issue of constant, loud music is enough to put me off Celebrity.

[tv24]

Very interesting thread. Thanks for getting it going. My big comment is to echo others who stated that the live music on Cunard is a big draw. We love the jazz music in the Chart Room, and also enjoy everything the orchestra does. Nothing like this available on X.

[fantasy51]

I found quite a lot of live music on Celebrity Reflection. There was a house band with singer playing in the main atrium most evenings. Often while in Cafe al Bacio I heard a guitar-accompanied soloist or duo singing. There was a couple playing cello and violin in another venue one evening. It was music of a different type from what I hear in Cunard, so again it's a question of preferences.

[Host Hattie]

On the Celebrity board somebody commented that drinks are very expensive on Cunard.

For some reason I had got the impression that it was the other way round, that drink prices were higher on Celebrity.

 

Can anyone confirm?

 

We usually end with a rather hefty bar bill as it is !

[fantasy51]

Drinks would certainly seem to be expensive on Cunard if you are used to a free drinks package on Celebrity! It's my feeling that the offers of a free drinks package come so frequently that it would be difficult to book a cruise without one. Some people have said that you pay a higher price when the drinks packages are free. I don't know enough about Celebrity prices to know if this is true.

 

The Classic drinks package is $55 per day per person. When I booked my last 11-day cruise I was told that the cheap internet price did not include a package. However, if I paid around £300 more I would get a better room and a free drinks package, so I did that. It was an excellent deal.

[DYKWIA]

... It's my feeling that the offers of a free drinks package come so frequently that it would be difficult to book a cruise without one.

 

Not difficult just have to be patient

 

.

people have said that you pay a higher price when the drinks packages are free. I don't know enough about Celebrity prices to know if this is true.

 

Last year our 14 night Med Cruise on the Eclipse that we booked 3 months before sail date (Guarantee Balcony - no freebies what so ever) was £3000 cheaper than booking an obstructed balcony 7 months beforehand - that did come with free drinks and and few hundred dollars OBC.

 

You are definitely paying for the freebies!

 

Drinks on Celebrity are not cheap (think decent London hotel prices) and if you enjoy a drink you'll have no trouble reaching the daily cost of the drinks package (which can be brought during the cruise). Also, when sailing from Southampton Celebrity has different drinks prices which are about 18% higher than their usual price list - they effectively build the service charge (compulsory tip) they usually add to your bill when buying something into the price.

 

You can take two bottles of wine on board with you at embarkation.

 

We have often heard people complaining on CC about the loud music on Celebrity. Can't say we've noticed.

Edited May 10, 2016 by DYKWIA

[tv24]

Oh yeah...and Celebrity has the wine police at the embarkation. You can bring 2 bottles of wine on board, but no spirits. We were sent to the brig for bringing a bottle of Dubonnet on board and had to explain that it's just wine. Took about an hour to sort that one out. Contrast to Cunard...one can smuggle just about anything on board with no infractions or walking of the plank! Compare that to the Celebrity drink packages, which I find completely confusing.

[Salacia]

Diane, thank you for your review.

I took a look at Celebrity as a result of your comments, and was pleased to learn that Celebrity Silhouette has a round trip weekly sailing from Bayonne, New Jersey (Port Liberty) to Bermuda from now until September. So friends from the UK can sail a transatlantic on QM2, depending on the schedule, spend a few nights in NY and then sail to Bermuda on Silhouette and back to NJ or book the QM2 back to the UK! Pretty sweet!

 

 

Thanks again,

Salacia

[Salacia]

Diane, thank you for your review.

I took a look at Celebrity as a result of your comments, and was pleased to learn that Celebrity Silhouette has a round trip weekly sailing from Bayonne, New Jersey (Port Liberty) to Bermuda from now until September. So friends from the UK can sail a transatlantic on QM2, depending on the schedule, spend a few nights in NY and then sail to Bermuda on Silhouette and back to NJ or book the QM2 back to the UK! Pretty sweet!

 

 

Thanks again,

Salacia

 

Oops, too late to edit my previous post. It's Celebrity Summit, not Silhouette that is doing the r/t Bayonne run to Bermuda. Sorry for that error. -S.

Edited May 11, 2016 by Salacia

[Salacia]

Oh yeah...and Celebrity has the wine police at the embarkation. You can bring 2 bottles of wine on board, but no spirits. We were sent to the brig for bringing a bottle of Dubonnet on board and had to explain that it's just wine. Took about an hour to sort that one out. Contrast to Cunard...one can smuggle just about anything on board with no infractions or walking of the plank! Compare that to the Celebrity drink packages, which I find completely confusing.

 

tv24, I'm sure you were just being funny, but let's not mislead anyone into thinking that Cunard security is lacking, because it sure as ship isn't. ;) -S.

[godfreyb]

We went on Celebrity at the end of last year. The drinks are expensive and there is virtually nowhere to have a quiet drink. That said, we enjoyed it and rather than go without as Cunard does not sail from the US to anywhere we want to go at the times we want to go, we are going back on the Celebrity Summit this summer to Bermuda. This time we managed to get a low end suite deal which has Michael's Club for a quiet drink and the Luminae dining room which is separate from the main dining room.

We prefer Cunard, but Celebrity is not a bad backup when Cunard is not available.

[Chunky2219]

Hmmmm. I'm puzzled about the drinks comments.

 

There's certainly plenty of places to sit with a drink on a Celebrity ship, not least the Cellar Masters wine bar which is usually deserted. Other than the brief time beofre and after dinner sittings when people take a snifter, you could sit almost anywhere.

 

Lets be honest, cruse drinks prices are ridiculous whoever you sail with, $2.50 (plus gratuity "tax") for a can of soda is a rip off. Celebrity seem to have succumed to mass market preferences and as others say, it's difficult to book without a drinks package. So if anyone wants to drink themselves into a stupor without going bankrupt X is the place to be.

 

One other plus point for Celebrity while I think of it - elevators. There's eight midships and another three forward, all of which are bigger and faster than Cunard QV/QE. Much less wait time and a bit of a view while travelling.

 

 

.

[fantasy51]

The Celebrity Drinks Packages have their own peculiarities. I asked for sparkling water and was given a can of club soda instead. It turns out that sparkling water was only available on the Premium Package. How can sparkling water be of more value than a cocktail?

 

Addition: I was really glad of the drinks package the day I had a bad asthma attack and couldn't stop coughing. It turns out that Baileys on the rocks is wonderful. I chatted all day to people as long as I kept sipping the Baileys. The moment my glass ran dry, my cough returned. I got through 8 glasses that day! Not bad for someone who is only an occasional drinker!

Edited May 11, 2016 by fantasy51

[sandancer]

I've got a really bad cough. Never thought of Baileys as cough medicine. Bring it on. We are just off the Eclipse TA. We are Elite+ so get the 3 drinks coupons each night. We are not great drinkers but my DH was paying just over $8 for a Corona. We bought one bottle of wine for $30 + 18%. Anyone know the cost of fancy coffees on Cunard.?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[Thaxted]

I've got a really bad cough. Never thought of Baileys as cough medicine. Bring it on. We are just off the Eclipse TA. We are Elite+ so get the 3 drinks coupons each night. We are not great drinkers but my DH was paying just over $8 for a Corona. We bought one bottle of wine for $30 + 18%. Anyone know the cost of fancy coffees on Cunard.?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

This may answer your question. http://www.cunard.com/Documents/Menus/Queen%20Mary%202/Sir%20Samuel's%20Menu.pdf

[Lakesregion]

This may answer your question. http://www.cunard.com/Documents/Menus/Queen%20Mary%202/Sir%20Samuel's%20Menu.pdf

 

Can one order either a pastry or lunch with out ordering a beverage? And if so how is that looked on by the staff? I don't see just basic coffee offered.

[Jayneykul]

I think it was my post on the Celebrity forum that referred to the drinks as being expensive on Cunard? Cunard do not offer any type of package other than a "wine package" which has little if any savings. The measures are UK measures despite paying in $. The package on Celebrity whether it is included in your price or you pay for it separately represents very good value as it includes all the speciality teas and coffees, smoothies and fresh juices.

[Thaxted]

Can one order either a pastry or lunch with out ordering a beverage? And if so how is that looked on by the staff? I don't see just basic coffee offered.

 

My wife is the coffee connoisseur in my family and she reports that good quality basic coffee is indeed available. And if memory serves me aright, you don't need to order a beverage to enjoy a pastry or lunch at Sir Samuel's.

[Salacia]

My wife is the coffee connoisseur in my family and she reports that good quality basic coffee is indeed available. And if memory serves me aright, you don't need to order a beverage to enjoy a pastry or lunch at Sir Samuel's.

 

Thaxted, I believe your memory serves you well; my experience has also been that pastry/tiny sandwich is served at Sir Samuels at no additional cost even for those of us who are not coffee drinkers.

Note: Neither a proper breakfast nor lunch is served at Sir Samuel's. But appealing nonetheless for those of us who just want a tasty morsels to tide us over until tea time. :) -S

Edited May 12, 2016 by Salacia

[Germancruiser]

Very interessting thread- for me it is the other way around- I sailed Celebrity most exclusivly and loved the experience. Since the introducion of the Solstice Class though everything which set Celebrity apart was in constant slip! In my opinion they drift more and more in the direction of RCI and Carnival/Costa.

So I started looking for other options- QE 2 was my first Cunarder- just a glimpse of the legend though- for it was just three nights. Then QM2 - loved everything about it! Again QM2 and last year QV. In between I returned to Celebrity- but even with the very nice perks as Elite- Plus- Cunard´s great ships are my choice now! I may go back to X from time to time- but Cunard is my favorite !

[godfreyb]

Hmmmm. I'm puzzled about the drinks comments.

 

There's certainly plenty of places to sit with a drink on a Celebrity ship, not least the Cellar Masters wine bar which is usually deserted. Other than the brief time beofre and after dinner sittings when people take a snifter, you could sit almost anywhere.

 

 

.

 

Can't get a martini at Cellar Masters so couldn't go there for my quiet drink

[fantasy51]

Can't get a martini at Cellar Masters so couldn't go there for my quiet drink

 

Would you be prepared to get a martini from another bar and then just sit in Cellar Masters for the quiet? That's the sort of thing I would do. When my cough was bad, I would pick up a Bailey's from any bar and take it in to dinner or the theatre or wherever.

 

Find the best space you can and then colonise it with everything you need from other areas of the ship.

[Barnaby100]

Drinks on Celebrity are not cheap (think decent London hotel prices) and if you enjoy a drink you'll have no trouble reaching the daily cost of the drinks package (which can be brought during the cruise).

 

So £12 for a gin and decent tonic, or less?