Jump to Princess from Celebrity?

[richsea]

Well....the absolute FRONT of the bow is at the helipad on most X ships, which we have been lucky enough to be invited to a few times.

 

But I was speaking of the upper decks where you can walk to the center at the front of the ship, above the bow area, overlooking that helipad. It's a wonderful spot in the evenings to stand and feel the wind blowing through your hair when the ship is at sea....

 

You can't do that on a Regal or Royal Princess ship.

 

Gotcha! Thought I'd missed something all these years!

[GUT2407]

The two cruise lines are more similar than different.

 

I'd go slightly further and say you may find more difference between two ships from either line, than between one from each line.

[Duanerice1]

We've never been on a bad cruise and have sailed many lines but not Princess. No reason just haven't.

 

Please be aware that the Summit is not like the Silhouette. Big difference. Not sure I could go back to a M class ship again. Loved them when we sailed them but that was pre S class ships.

 

Some like the smaller ship better though. Just wanted to make sure you and your husband understand the difference.

 

enjoy!

[ORV]

I guess I'm the dissenting voice but I went on one Princess cruise, on the Golden, felt like a major downgrade to me. Crowded, very average food, long wait for Anytime Dining(or whatever they call it) small crowded theatre.

 

This was about 9 years ago.

[jabrown40]

Well, you have all been extremely helpful, and I appreciate others opinions. This is what I'm considering -

Summit cruise - Booked in a suite, premium beverage package, free unlimited internet, prepaid gratuities, and a sizeable amount of OBC. Has only one sea day, ports are fairly the same as the Princess cruise, except X stops in Barbados and St Lucia, Princess stops in Turks and Caicos, and has three days at sea. (The Princess cruise is one extra night 7 vrs 8 nights)

 

I am still on the fencepost because the Princess cruise would be at least 1100.00 more for the two of us to stay in a club class minisuite, but I need to factor in the added cost of flying to San Juan if I stay with the Summit vrs leaving out of fort Lauderdale (much cheaper on Southwest from Chicago) Also get the extra day of vacation, even if they have more sea days on Princess.

 

I plan to check with the TA I used in the past to see if I can get them to cover my gratuities with Princess, and hopefully a little OBC.

The spas are of no interest to us, just don't get into them, and do not plan to do any laundry period. I loved the solarium pool on the Silhouette, but probably won't use it much with such a port intensive cruise on the Summit.

On the Summit, will most likely eat all dinners in Luminae, which is very appealing to me, but we will be doing this on our next cruise in 2017. So, any advice would be welcome, I respect all opinions.

Edited June 27, 2016 by jabrown40

[OCruisers]

Happily, whichever decision you make will not be a bad one! :)

[Oville]

Luminae, Michaels's Club, a real suite, enough said, you will be happy. A mini suite on Princess is a Concierge size cabin on the Summit. Why deal with Princess' anytime dining when you can eat in Luminae. Oh and you get all the other perks for booking a suite, sweet.;)

 

Good luck with your choice but I know what mine would would be.

Edited June 27, 2016 by Oville

[Gracie115]

On the Summit, will most likely eat all dinners in Luminae, which is very appealing to me, but we will be doing this on our next cruise in 2017. So, any advice would be welcome, I respect all opinions.

 

I must have missed you saying you would be choosing a suite of some kind if on Summit. That absolutely would lock it for me. Celebrity's Luminae is SO FAR above both their own MDR and even more so the Princess MDR....there just is NO comparison. Combine that with the Michael's Club lounge for suites on Celebrity and it wins every time...

 

At this point the only advantage to the Princess option is the additional day of vacation....other than that Summit and Celebrity would be the better choice in my opinion...

[chamima]

I love Princess but in this case (suite amenities for $1100 LESS than the mini-suite) I think I would stick with Celebrity.

[kelmac]

We keep trying Princess, but we don't get it. If food quality is important to you, skip Princess and stay with Celebrity. We would do NCL (with the UDP), for added energy and better entertainment. Certain ships of Royal Caribbean are great. Cunard is wonderful (just avoid the buffet). Oceania and Azamara are wonderful, but expensive.

 

Princess would be my last choice.

 

Enjoy!

Kel:)

[denatravels]

We keep trying Princess, but we don't get it. If food quality is important to you, skip Princess and stay with Celebrity. We would do NCL (with the UDP), for added energy and better entertainment. Certain ships of Royal Caribbean are great. Cunard is wonderful (just avoid the buffet). Oceania and Azamara are wonderful, but expensive.

 

 

 

Princess would be my last choice.

 

 

 

Enjoy!

 

Kel:)

 

 

Yikes!! I'm going on princess in a little more than a week-- first Alaska cruise, first princess cruise--

 

 

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[OCruisers]

Yikes!! I'm going on princess in a little more than a week-- first Alaska cruise, first princess cruise--

 

Coral Princess is a wonderful ship and prefect for an Alaskan cruise!

Look forward to having a great time! :D

[iancal]

We like both. They are our top 2.

 

For us it comes down to itinerary/ship/price.

 

The food, service, entertainment can vary on both.

 

We do however prefer Celebrity's frequent cruiser program. Our benefits are extended when we sail on RCI ships.

[wallie5446]

We first sailed Princess in 1992, Celebrity in 1994, 3 more times by 2000.

 

Last Princess was the Ruby in 2012, and the last 3 years ( 13,14,15 ) have all been with Celebrity, see a pattern?

[AZ Ocean Lover]

We did our first Celebrity cruise in April after 8 Princess cruises and as others have said, the similarities will out weigh the differences.

 

We like the MDR on Celebrity better but he specialty restaurants on Princess better.

 

We liked the decor on Celebrity better (a more contemporary feel). But like the cabin and balcony on Princess better (mini suite).

 

We like a promenade and Celebrity (Summit) did not have one.

 

We are not show people so I can't really comment on this but the theater set up was better on Celebrity.

 

If you are looking at the 8 day cruise with three port stops (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao) with 4 sea days jump at it.

 

Right now, it would all come down to itinerary and price. We wouldn't blink an eye choosing either line.

[denatravels]

Coral Princess is a wonderful ship and prefect for an Alaskan cruise!

 

Look forward to having a great time! :D

 

 

Glacier bay was important to me, so I was limited to very few choices. Also just got upgraded to a balcony, so I couldn't be happier!! It would take A LOT for me not to enjoy it. I don't have expectations that everything will be perfect, but I'm expecting a nice experience.

 

 

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[Gracie115]

The Suite...of ANY kind on Celebrity and the perks associated with it make it an easy decision. The mini suite on Princess and the perks don't even come close to what X offers. Easy choice to us.

 

If you weren't sailing in a suite it is a different discussion.

[OCruisers]

Glacier bay was important to me, so I was limited to very few choices. Also just got upgraded to a balcony, so I couldn't be happier!! It would take A LOT for me not to enjoy it. I don't have expectations that everything will be perfect, but I'm expecting a nice experience.

 

Great about your balcony! You'll really like the roomy closet area.

Certainly, going to Glacier Bay is a "must do".

Once again, Coral Princess is one of the best Princess ships -- spacy with very good food, service, & entertainment.

Great viewing areas many places on the ship.

When just a bit hungry or for a light meal, go to the IC (International Café) which is open 24 hours a day.

Look forward to having a wonderful cruise! :)

LuLu

[vivi9909]

We are Celebrity fans but we just booked a British Isle cruise on the Caribbean Princess on July 2017 because the Celebrity British Isle cruises start from Amsterdam and we feel that a genuine British Isle cruise should include a pre or post cruise stay in London.

 

That will be our first Princess cruise. We booked a BB category balcony cabin with a beverage package included as a perk. We are used at Aqua or 1A cabins on Celebrity and, of course, enjoy the Elite privileges. Will we be disappointed or realize, as many mentioned here, that there are more similarities than differences between both?

[jabrown40]

Thanks once again to all of you! I think that you have provided the answer I needed. Since I was able to get such a good deal and perks, including the large amount of OBC, I have to decided to enjoy the suite life on the Summit, before looking to Princess. With that said, I will be comparing their itineraries for the future with Celebrity. I still have Australia on my cruise bucket list, and perhaps a longer Caribbean adventure, in which a suite will be out of my price range. What I have taken from all of this is, we are all a fortunate group of people that have the ability to enjoy some pretty amazing experiences!

Edited June 28, 2016 by jabrown40

[El Crucero]

and, of course, enjoy the Elite privileges. Will we be disappointed or realize, as many mentioned here, that there are more similarities than differences between both?

 

That is a difficult question to answer because it includes two options - your loyalty level and your overall experience. I will answer your question from my perspective but others will have a different valid opinion.

 

We enjoy some aspects of Princess and we enjoy some aspects of Celebrity. If you are flexible, you will enjoy your cruise on Princess, but in a different way than Celebrity. You will be disappointed in that you will enjoy fewer perks on Princess than you have as a Celebrity Elite (as we are). But in the end, you should have a good experience on Princess if you don't expect a Celebrity experience.

[OCA REP]

We are Celebrity fans but we just booked a British Isle cruise on the Caribbean Princess on July 2017 because the Celebrity British Isle cruises start from Amsterdam and we feel that a genuine British Isle cruise should include a pre or post cruise stay in London.

 

I agree with this wholeheartedly... Would like to enjoy the Celebrity Suite Life on this itinerary, but do not understand the allure of beginning/ending in Amsterdam. We too desire London time on either end of the cruise!

[margob111]

I went on the Coral Princess to Alaska, great time, great cruise. Have a good time.

[denatravels]

I went on the Coral Princess to Alaska, great time, great cruise. Have a good time.

 

 

Thanks!!

 

 

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[Niagarawine]

You really should try both. The difference will probably not be that great, but you might decide that you prefer one over the other.

 

We will sail on Princess again, but not the Caribbean Princess. Way too crowded.

 

We were this one and found it was too crowded. which ship do,you like?