Celebrity vs Royal

[blonde375]

Hi folks! Looking for some honest opinions from those that have sailed both companies recently.

 

As you can see, I have been a Loyal Royal for all my cruising years (20yrs) and always think "if it's not broke, don't fix it"~

 

But, I have been wondering if Celebrity might give us a little better food and accommodations and atmosphere, but, I am afraid of losing some of the "fun".

 

We are a married couple 47 and 54. We love to listen to music and dance in the evenings before/after dinner. We have always enjoyed the onboard entertainment on Royal.

 

Any thoughts/comments are appreciated! I'm posting this on RCCL Forum as well. TIA!!!

[C-Dragons]

The accommodations, atmosphere, service and food on X ships are definitely better, IMHO.

X is not known for their entertainment, in that area Royal does a better job.

There is vocal and musical entertainment in different venues around X ships at different times during the days and evenings.

But we don't put much, if any, emphasis on the entertainment aspect so it doesn't affect our choice of a cruise.

We prefer X, we tried Royal but found it is not our cup of tea.

[4774Papa]

I have checked the Royal itineraries and find many 7 day cruises. We like longer cruises. Also, fewer all over the World like X. Also, we don't like the huge ships that Royal has.

Edited June 1, 2016 by 4774Papa
new info

[martini girl]

We have cruised with both, mostly RCI. We don't like the mega ships and quality of service and food was lacking. We decided to go back to Celebrity after 5 years when they were having issues and we very pleasantly surprised. The food was excellent even in the ocean view café. You will sacrifice some fun however Celebrity seems to be trying to appeal to a younger group with blaring music in the martini bar. You could not have a conversation. The entertainment on Celebrity was not as good as Royal and the cabin size and layout cannot compare to Royal. The storage is not adequate on Celebrity in my opinion. It would appear based on these comparisons that RCI would be better, but for the food and the service, there is no comparison. We will sail RCI again, but only on a smaller ship, but for next year will booked again on Celebrity Reflection

[ECCruise]

I have checked the Royal itineraries and find many 7 day cruises. We like longer cruises. Also, fewer all over the World like X. Also, we don't like the huge ships that Royal has.

 

Although RCCL does have more 7 day trips, they also have hundreds of longer trips all over the world--more, actually than =X=. With 4 ships in Australia/NZ and 5 in Asia, they can have a lot more varied itineraries. And all RCCL ships are not huge--the Vision Class, for example (of which there are 5) are smaller than all =X= ships M or S class. The 4 Radiance Class ships are M class size but smaller than S class.

 

We sailed pretty extensively with Celebrity but have found RCCL, depending on ship and itinerary, to be pretty close in most aspects (and even more so in food in the last year or so).

[Champagne Cruiser]

Unless you are sailing the mega ships or looking to climb a rock wall they are more similar than different. X is like RCL but for grown ups! RCL has a belly flop contest vs X has a guests vs officers water volleyball. Both fun but X is a bit more to my liking. Cafe al Bacio on X beats the coffee bar on RCL. Food is always subjective, but we prefer X along with the sommeliers they still have. X has homemade ice cream in the buffet area (it's free!) as well as a gelato bar (it's not free).

 

The entertainment on RCL is better, but X has improved in this area. They dont have Broadway shows but neither do the smaller RCL ships. We love the welcome aboard champagne and the drinks and cold towels when returning to the ship on X. On the M class ships the thalassotherapy pool (adults only!) is so relaxing.

 

Finally, the atmosphere on X is sophisticated but still fun. Hang out at the Martini Bar even if you don't drink martinis, but do try the Appletini.

We cruise RCL based on itinerary and price, but we cruise X just because we love it.

[Podie]

I have sailed both lines many times and X is by far my favorite - for the food especially - but also because I love the size and layout of the S-class ships. I'm not that into entertainment, though, I'd rather just hang out with people at the Martini Bar. I've learned they WILL turn down the music if asked.

[blonde375]

Thanks everyone! Much appreciated!!

[chemmo]

Hi folks! Looking for some honest opinions from those that have sailed both companies recently.

 

As you can see, I have been a Loyal Royal for all my cruising years (20yrs) and always think "if it's not broke, don't fix it"~

 

But, I have been wondering if Celebrity might give us a little better food and accommodations and atmosphere, but, I am afraid of losing some of the "fun".

 

We are a married couple 47 and 54. We love to listen to music and dance in the evenings before/after dinner. We have always enjoyed the onboard entertainment on Royal.

 

Any thoughts/comments are appreciated! I'm posting this on RCCL Forum as well. TIA!!!

 

We were 'loyal Royals' for many years and have no complaints. We loved the entertainment, activities available for what was then our 'teen' son. We crazy golfed, watched our son wall climb and zip wire, joined in a few activities and enjoyed the 'buzz' of the ship.

 

Then we moved on....we were not upset with RC, or felt they had let us down...we just outgrew them...(probably at corresponding ages to yours!).

 

Quite simply we were ready for something more relaxing. We wanted less activities but more relaxing places, quality food and a calm ambiance.

 

Celebrity is not 'stuffy' or 'dull' but if you want to be busy, busy, busy you need to look for the action. There are no announcements 'pool deck belly flop....' Or even 'art auction' announcements!

 

We have nothing but happy memories of RC but now we would not go back....I guess what I am trying to say is it depends what you want out of a cruise...Activities, Action, Adventure (RC) or Rest, Relaxation and Revitalisation (Celebrity).

[jules815]

We were 'loyal Royals' for many years and have no complaints. We loved the entertainment, activities available for what was then our 'teen' son. We crazy golfed, watched our son wall climb and zip wire, joined in a few activities and enjoyed the 'buzz' of the ship.

 

Then we moved on....we were not upset with RC, or felt they had let us down...we just outgrew them...(probably at corresponding ages to yours!).

 

Quite simply we were ready for something more relaxing. We wanted less activities but more relaxing places, quality food and a calm ambiance.

 

Celebrity is not 'stuffy' or 'dull' but if you want to be busy, busy, busy you need to look for the action. There are no announcements 'pool deck belly flop....' Or even 'art auction' announcements!

 

We have nothing but happy memories of RC but now we would not go back....I guess what I am trying to say is it depends what you want out of a cruise...Activities, Action, Adventure (RC) or Rest, Relaxation and Revitalisation (Celebrity).

 

This sounds like where we are at. Mid-50's, have had a great time on RC, lots of cruises with our daughters, many happy memories. Just did our first cruise with X in March and loved it so much we've booked two more with them for 2017. We didn't find it to be boring or stuffy at all. Food and service definitely a step up, and really enjoyed the added little touches. We have our first transatlantic coming up on Harmony of the Seas, and are very excited about that adventure, but I think moving forward we'll go with Celebrity.

[gw2fll]

Tossing in our 2 cents...

 

(NOTE: Feedback based upon 2 sailings on Solstice Class ships)

 

We started sailing Royal and sailed Celebrity for our Alaska cruise and fell in love with Celebrity. I could summarize it as - the "little things" really make a difference.

 

We immediately noticed the differences when we stepped onboard ship and received a Mimosa to welcome us onboard. Small gesture, but made one feel special. We also noticed the décor of the ship: up-to-date, clean lines and color palette - all within the first 5 minutes and before we saw the cabin or even had a bite to eat.

 

Then we saw the pool area. A retreat in itself. Each lounge chair had a towel rolled up at on the lounger, ready for you to sit back, relax and embark upon a wonderful cruise vacation.

 

Our Solstice sailing was in Aqua Class, so we had the pleasure of enjoying Blu. Our Equinox sailing was in a Sky Suite, so we dined in the MDR. Both venues offered good food, great varieties. Even on nights when I wanted something a "little different", the chef accommodated my minor adjustments.

 

Specialty dining - excellent. We love the Tuscan Grille and Silk Harvest (plan on dining at both for our upcoming Equinox sailing in November). NOTE: Tuscan Grille has an appetizer that makes my mouth water each time I think about it. It's Ravioli di carne di Manzo Brasata which is Homemade braised beef ravioli with wild forest mushroom truffle sauce. I have the chef convert it into an entrée. Yum, Yum. And for lunch, absolutely love to head to the Mast Grill for the hot dog or hamburger. Gosh they are wonderful.

 

More "little things" that add up: our butler was amazing. We happened to mention that we wanted to have a few people over for a sail-away in our cabin from one of the ports. Our butler said "let me take care of it". And he did. During the day he chilled the bottles of champagne we carried onboard. Right before our friends arrived, he set-up a small table with appetizers, a tray of boiled shrimp with cocktail sauce, cheese and crackers. It really made for a special evening.

 

An event offered on Equinox (assume offered on other sailings) was the Wine and Cheese on the Lawn as we sailed from one of our ports. Like a picnic - truly amazing as you watch the port fade into the distance and the sunset.

 

A few other items: The Martini Bar, the "living room" set-up on the pier with refreshments when you return to ship. (Although, on our last sailing on Serenade we notice they did the same thing.)

 

Of course, I have to give Royal credit for great shows (at least on the larger ships - Voyager Class or larger). The shows on Oasis were excellent to experience on a ship.

 

A few highlights that we really noticed that that I thought I would share. Hope this helps...

[Lois R]

My upcoming cruise is the opposite......after 13 years and many cruises

on X, I am sailing Royal in October on Serenade of the Seas. I chose

it due to the itinerary.....Canada/New England. I have read a lot about

the ship and it seems to be in the "M Class size" category....(which I

like).

Normally I would have booked Summit but she only does 2 weekers

for this itinerary and that is one week too long for me.

 

Looking forward to it:)

[4774Papa]

Although RCCL does have more 7 day trips, they also have hundreds of longer trips all over the world--more, actually than =X=. With 4 ships in Australia/NZ and 5 in Asia, they can have a lot more varied itineraries. And all RCCL ships are not huge--the Vision Class, for example (of which there are 5) are smaller than all =X= ships M or S class. The 4 Radiance Class ships are M class size but smaller than S class.

 

We sailed pretty extensively with Celebrity but have found RCCL, depending on ship and itinerary, to be pretty close in most aspects (and even more so in food in the last year or so).

 

I just checked all Asia cruise for Royal and the only ones that came up were less than 7 days out of Singapore.

 

I did find more choices on transpacific cruise. Royal has one from Seattle to Sydney. It has another that stops in NZ ends in Hawaii.

[chemmo]

My upcoming cruise is the opposite......after 13 years and many cruises

on X, I am sailing Royal in October on Serenade of the Seas. I chose

it due to the itinerary.....Canada/New England. I have read a lot about

the ship and it seems to be in the "M Class size" category....(which I

like).

Normally I would have booked Summit but she only does 2 weekers

for this itinerary and that is one week too long for me.

 

Looking forward to it:)

 

We have cruised the Serenade and really enjoyed her! She is one of the smaller classes of ship and was very light and airy.

[taylortime05]

We have been on only 2 cruises - the Allure & Oasis and both were with my hubby and my teenagers. We really enjoyed both cruises.

 

We are booked on Eclipse in Dec for 10 night cruise with just hubby and myself.

 

We are not looking for activities like rock climbing, surf simulator, etc which kids enjoyed on Allure & Oasis.

 

But we do enjoy having some evening entertainment being available. They do not need to be broad way shows. Do they have good entertainment venues on the Celebrity ships?

 

Appreciate your feedback.

[Mango Mike]

Count us as another couple that "now prefer" Celebrity.

 

My wife and I sailed Royal a couple times and really enjoyed what they offered. For our 30th anniversary this year, we opted to give Celebrity a try. Unless Royal has an offer we can't pass up or we some friends that want us to join them on a Royal cruise, it'll be Celebrity for us from now on.

 

As others have said, it's the "little" things that make the difference. Plus Celebrity seems to be a bit more laid back and refined.

[Pavovsky]

What is RC like during the school term?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[duchesslt]

I went on the Norwegian Escape the 3rd week of January this year having a unique situation where my son had 3 days no school (teacher work days). I was shocked at how many kids were on the boat - hundreds. A lot of parents value a family vacation and don't mind pulling kids out for the week for the experience. In other words, if a ship is built for families - with the rope courses, slides, etc. - you will definitely be with a lot of families regardless of school schedule.

 

I concluded after sailing the Escape that I would never cruise a megaship during a peak vaca week or summer. We had a nice time but I can't even imagine what that boat would be like if sold out. The pool area gave me a massive headache with the screaming live band and shrieking contests - and it was like sardines at 3/4 capacity.

[MOcruiserman]

We were on the RCI Grandeur of the Seas in October and the Celebrity Summit in May. We liked both ships for different reasons.

 

Appearance of the ship. The Summit, no contest. Much more elegant and extremely well maintained.

 

Service. Equally good.

 

Food. Celebrity had a better buffet but Royal's main dining room was superb. I loved their Tutti Salad Bar at lunch.

 

Entertainment. Both good. Royal had a spectacular aerial show that gave it the edge.

 

Fellow passengers. Celebrity has older passengers and they are more sedate. You will rarely hear loud shouting or laughing. And folks who've had a bit too much to drink keep to themselves. On Royal the atmosphere is much more lively - fun but sometimes irritating.

[Lois R]

We have cruised the Serenade and really enjoyed her! She is one of the smaller classes of ship and was very light and airy.

 

Thanks for the reply:)....I am sailing with my sister (she is a well traveled

person/cruiser too) so hopefully we will have a fun week together:)

[Oak Hill Cruisers]

We like both RCI and X. X is just a step ahead in MDR cuisine. X gets a point by offering hand-dipped ice cream in their buffet venue.

 

RCI scores big with their loyalty benefits, especially the Diamond & Concierge lounges with happy hour booze and 24/7 access to self-service cappuccino machines. The lounges are a great place to 'escape the madding crowd'. But, the growing number of diamond, diamond plus and pinnacle cruisers is straining the lounges, especially with the expansion of suite benefits. Still, the RCI loyalty program is unmatched in mainstream cruising, IMO.

 

But, we 'survive' on X cruises without our beloved lounges by enjoying a slightly, if only sightly, elevated level of food, service & general ambiance.

Edited June 2, 2016 by Oak Hill Cruisers

[wallie5446]

Hi folks! Looking for some honest opinions from those that have sailed both companies recently.

 

!!!

 

My Dana & I first sailed RCCL in 1989, and are Diamond, 1st sailed Celebrity in 1994 and just hit Elite in 2014, so I guess we quality! LOL :D

Our DD worked on the Majesty & Monarch in 2004.

 

Our latest,

Rhapsody 2003, Mariner 2007, Freedom 2011,

Reflection 2013, and the Equinox 11 day in 2014 & 10 day 2015 for Thanksgiving, with a Princess tossed in for good measure! :eek:

 

Celebrity is our line of first choice. It is like a wonderful day at the country club, yea, it is an older crowd, we are 62/59, where Royal is like a day at 6 Flags with the kids.

 

Chops was our benchmark specialty till we went to Murano and the Lawn Club Grill! And the Beef Tartar in Tuscan is amazing!

 

What else? Ask,

EW

[loubetti]

We were 'loyal Royals' for many years and have no complaints. We loved the entertainment, activities available for what was then our 'teen' son. We crazy golfed, watched our son wall climb and zip wire, joined in a few activities and enjoyed the 'buzz' of the ship.

 

Then we moved on....we were not upset with RC, or felt they had let us down...we just outgrew them...(probably at corresponding ages to yours!).

 

Quite simply we were ready for something more relaxing. We wanted less activities but more relaxing places, quality food and a calm ambiance.

 

Celebrity is not 'stuffy' or 'dull' but if you want to be busy, busy, busy you need to look for the action. There are no announcements 'pool deck belly flop....' Or even 'art auction' announcements!

 

We have nothing but happy memories of RC but now we would not go back....I guess what I am trying to say is it depends what you want out of a cruise...Activities, Action, Adventure (RC) or Rest, Relaxation and Revitalisation (Celebrity).

 

You could not have said it better! :)

 

In essence, you grew out of one cruise line in the family to another one as life and priorities changed. Many cruisers fail to do that, and it is their loss. Often being obsessed due to loyalty programs, of which at least RCI has reciprocal privileges between RCCL and =X=.

 

It's like going from Carnival to Princess, or HAL or Cunard.

[Brenda3355]

Sailed Allure of the Seas and was very impressed with the experience. I thought RCCL did an amazing job of handling the crowds. Getting on/off the boat was a breeze, while horrendous lines were seen at nearby carnival and princess ships in port including embarkation. The food was amazing in the mdr. I have been wanting to rebook another cruise with them every since. Am still craving their amazing scallops gratin and sole with lemon buerre blanc. Lots of great seafood. Am traveling on celebrity millennium next month due to others preference of cruise line and wish it could be a RCCL ship instead. Looking at the celebrity menus I am not seeing great seafood/fish options. I am not seeing much at all I would want to order on celebrity's menus. I hope I'm wrong and the food is amazing. I loved the date night experience each night seeing a Broadway show, aerialist/singer show, comedian, and aquatheater shows on allure. Loved the many for free or $5 food options including park cafe, Johnny rockets, Rita's cantina, and the pizzeria. Not as many for free options on celebrity. Loved the neighborhood feel and walking through deck 8 central park to traverse the length of the ship. It never felt crowded. In Jan my pool experience was good. No loud music or people. There were folded towels waiting on chairs. The ship was beautiful, exciting, indulgent, well organized. Extremely well maintained and new looking. crew were seen touching up outer paint at every port. Service was incredible with waiters knowing which bread we preferred etc I am so worried celebrity's ship will be a snooze fest with poor evening shows.

Edited June 3, 2016 by Brenda3355

[JimAOk1945]

This is a great thread! I love the comparison. My wife and I haven't cruised on Celebrity, but are seriously looking at it for the near future. We are Diamond on RC so I think that will make us Elite.

 

I'm following this thread for future posts. It's a great resource for future planning.