IDB37 Posted August 13, 2016 #1 Share Posted August 13, 2016 Have cruised six times with Celebrity and enjoyed every one of them. As we hope to have more time moving towards retirement, we wondered why Celebrity seem to limit their cruise lengths to 14/15 days generally, perhaps 17/18 days for repositioning routes. Given that the likes of HA, Cunard & Princess all offer substantially longer cruises, does anyone know whether Celebrity are considering extending their options, or if not, why not ? Many thanks for your thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUT2407 Posted August 13, 2016 #2 Share Posted August 13, 2016 (edited) Have cruised six times with Celebrity and enjoyed every one of them. As we hope to have more time moving towards retirement, we wondered why Celebrity seem to limit their cruise lengths to 14/15 days generally, perhaps 17/18 days for repositioning routes. Given that the likes of HA, Cunard & Princess all offer substantially longer cruises, does anyone know whether Celebrity are considering extending their options, or if not, why not ? Many thanks for your thoughts. No idea why not, not even a World Cruise. Edited August 13, 2016 by GUT2407 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jelayne Posted August 13, 2016 #3 Share Posted August 13, 2016 (edited) We do B2Bs more often than not. Earlier this year we did 35 nights on the Solstice. Doing 28 nights in South America and 29 nights in Asia-all B2Bs. On most of these we could have continued on for another 12-28 days. I think that HAL markets 2-4 cruises as 1 but you can do just 1or 2 legs. Celebrity doesn't package their cruise like that but they are there, just pick a cruise and see where the ship goes before and after. There is nothing like staying on a ship when many others are heading home Edited August 13, 2016 by jelayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DYKWIA Posted August 13, 2016 #4 Share Posted August 13, 2016 I think they're going the other way - a lot of their cruises (particularly in Europe) seem to be getting shorter. Cruises that were 14 nights a couple of years ago have dropped to 12-13 nights recently and next year some of those are dropping to 10-11 nights. It's a way of making extra money - cram more cruises into the schedule (reduced entertainment (less guest entertainers) and food costs (less menu variety)) and keep prices the same as when the cruises were longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adammara Posted August 13, 2016 #5 Share Posted August 13, 2016 With Celebrity's desire to attract the younger customer long cruises are not an viable option for them! Most of the younger passengers will be working and they will be restricted on the length they can take off work. Us lucky older pax can come and go as we please! Celebrity used to offer a 17 day cruise from Southampton to Venice and back, sadly no longer offered. We did a B2B to extend a holiday, as jelayne said, there is nothing like being on a ship when most have to get off! For us the choice is limited, we are not allowed to fly anywhere so it has to be UK based cruising for us (and many more!) Fortunately Cunard do offer that cruise, so if we want to go to Venice again, it will be on Cunard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mynki Posted August 13, 2016 #6 Share Posted August 13, 2016 Celebrity don't have the most exciting list of itineraries out there unfortunately and like you I'd like to see them offer three, four or five week sailings. Back to back's are an option, but not really the same thing as some longer sailings depending on the specific itinerary. But agree with others they are targeting a younger demographic who may struggle to get the time off work. Whereas many in the UK may get 28 to 33 days holiday plus public holidays per annum, in the US employers tend to be less generous so I can't see this changing any time soon. HAL do offer b2b's and different legs of world cruises etc, but they also offer a lot of longer single sailings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Sixth? Posted August 13, 2016 #7 Share Posted August 13, 2016 (edited) We have spent longer period of time aboard Celebrity ships, by doing B2Bs. If a "world cruise" is what you're interested in you can do it (kinda) on "X" Look at the Conciliation for example. Combine it with a transfer to the Solstice over the winter and you've cruised the Med to Vancouver, with far fewer sea days and more port days than any "world cruise" I have seen Edited August 13, 2016 by A Sixth? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DYKWIA Posted August 13, 2016 #8 Share Posted August 13, 2016 (edited) With Celebrity's desire to attract the younger customer long cruises are not an viable option for them! Most of the younger passengers will be working and they will be restricted on the length they can take off work. Us lucky older pax can come and go as we please! Celebrity used to offer a 17 day cruise from Southampton to Venice and back, sadly no longer offered. We did a B2B to extend a holiday, as jelayne said, there is nothing like being on a ship when most have to get off! For us the choice is limited, we are not allowed to fly anywhere so it has to be UK based cruising for us (and many more!) Fortunately Cunard do offer that cruise, so if we want to go to Venice again, it will be on Cunard. Would love a Celebrity Cruise from Southampton that mixed up featuring some of these ports - Venice, Croatia, Montenegro, Greek islands, Malta, Different Spanish or Italian Ports. For the last few years the only Southampton Cruise with Celebrity has been - Gibraltar, Villefrance, Rome, Livorno, Genoa, Malaga, Lisbon. We'd book a different Med itinerary ex Southampton in June, Early July, Sept / Early October in heartbeat Edited August 13, 2016 by DYKWIA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare hcat Posted August 13, 2016 #9 Share Posted August 13, 2016 (edited) We have taken a few 14 and 15 day cruises with X... over the years but found them to be a bit too long. Now that we're retired we still prefer the 9 to 11 day range..can't leave our cat for much longer...even tho we have a great pet sitter. One reason we have not been on Eclipse is that it was doing 14 day trips..hope to catch her for a shorter one.. As suggested above b2b can make a longer trip..or even b2b2b...without having to return to home port in some instances..We might consider that for SA in the future Edited August 13, 2016 by hcat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Algebralovr Posted August 13, 2016 #10 Share Posted August 13, 2016 If you look at Millennium or Connie, you'll see some options in the winter in Asia. You might also look at Azamara Line rather than Celebrity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
florisdekort Posted August 13, 2016 #11 Share Posted August 13, 2016 The 100+ night Azamara World Journey departing Sydney on 7 March 2018 for London's Tower Bridge is spectacular. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Turtles06 Posted August 13, 2016 #12 Share Posted August 13, 2016 HAL do offer b2b's and different legs of world cruises etc, but they also offer a lot of longer single sailings. HAL has some interesting itineraries, but as long as they continue to allow smoking on balconies, we won't consider them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Sixth? Posted August 13, 2016 #13 Share Posted August 13, 2016 (edited) HAL has some interesting itineraries, but as long as they continue to allow smoking on balconies, we won't consider them. Times two. :mad: Edited August 13, 2016 by A Sixth? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smtcan Posted August 13, 2016 #14 Share Posted August 13, 2016 HAL has some interesting itineraries, but as long as they continue to allow smoking on balconies, we won't consider them. I agree. We would like to see some more interesting itineraries on Celebrity. We rarely take seven day cruises, it just isn't worth the air fare from Canada for such a short cruise. Usually we choose B2B cruises of around 30 days, or a 14 day cruise with some land travel added. We like repositioning cruises for the interesting ports and also for the price, since they don't include drink packages which do not represent value for us. Our upcoming Vancouver to Tokyo cruise will complete our "Round the World" cruise, although the South Pacific is still on our bucket list. Sheila Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDB37 Posted August 13, 2016 Author #15 Share Posted August 13, 2016 Thanks for all of your thoughts. Wonder what Celebrity's 'Official' stance is on this ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulcan1971 Posted August 13, 2016 #16 Share Posted August 13, 2016 HAL has some interesting itineraries, but as long as they continue to allow smoking on balconies, we won't consider them. Times two. :mad: Times 1000 Sent from my iPhone 6 Plus on the T-Mobile 4G LTE Network using Tapatalk Pro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davekathy Posted August 13, 2016 #17 Share Posted August 13, 2016 Times 1000 Sent from my iPhone 6 Plus on the T-Mobile 4G LTE Network using Tapatalk Pro Plus one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvery Seas Cruiser Posted August 13, 2016 #18 Share Posted August 13, 2016 I'm im agreement with so many of you above. The one and only thing keeping me off Holland America's interesting itineraries is the liberal smoking policy that allows smoking on balconies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Cruise Raider Posted August 14, 2016 #19 Share Posted August 14, 2016 We have taken a few 14 and 15 day cruises with X... over the years but found them to be a bit too long. Now that we're retired we still prefer the 9 to 11 day range..can't leave our cat for much longer...even tho we have a great pet sitter. We are exactly the same ... have done several 14 and 15 night cruises, even a 17 night and now we just prefer the 9-11 nighters. I start missing being at home, even my cooking after we hit that 11 night mark so we just don't book any longer cruises anymore. And...we are both retired as well and don't have the need for a longer escape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davekathy Posted August 14, 2016 #20 Share Posted August 14, 2016 14 nights is perfect for us. Either a true 14 nighter or a B2B (two 7 nights). We always do a pre-cruise stay and sometimes a post cruise stay. At the end of that we are ready to go home and stop living out of a suit case so to speak. Also by then we are ready to have our own separate bathrooms again. One just doesn't cut it. Then we start getting ready for the next Cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPacificbound Posted August 14, 2016 #21 Share Posted August 14, 2016 We decide on what part of the world, I look for cruises we can do consecutively, and I always book early to insure we have the same cabin. It's not difficult, just takes a little planning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casper106 Posted August 14, 2016 #22 Share Posted August 14, 2016 (edited) Friends of ours just booked a 10 day cruise on Oceania at much more favourable cost with better perks than they could get on X. Not to mention, better ports. Just saying. After our 2017 cruise on X, we will be definitely looking towards Oceania as many of my seasoned cruise friends have already done. Edited August 14, 2016 by casper106 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhblake Posted August 14, 2016 #23 Share Posted August 14, 2016 For those who are trying Oceania, you might try Azamara. That way you get to use your Captain Club status and the cruise line are very similar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PoppyandNana Posted August 14, 2016 #24 Share Posted August 14, 2016 14 nights is perfect for us. Either a true 14 nighter or a B2B (two 7 nights). We always do a pre-cruise stay and sometimes a post cruise stay. At the end of that we are ready to go home and stop living out of a suit case so to speak. Also by then we are ready to have our own separate bathrooms again. One just doesn't cut it. Then we start getting ready for the next Cruise. Hi from a Utah expat. Born and raised in Ogden. Now retired in NJ. Last time I was in Ogden, 15 years ago, I almost cried at how run down it was. All the beautiful homes north of Wash. Blvd were mostly immigrant boarding houses. Downtown was mostly boarded up. The two movie theaters I used to go to in the late fifties were gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PoppyandNana Posted August 14, 2016 #25 Share Posted August 14, 2016 We are exactly the same ... have done several 14 and 15 night cruises, even a 17 night and now we just prefer the 9-11 nighters. I start missing being at home, even my cooking after we hit that 11 night mark so we just don't book any longer cruises anymore. And...we are both retired as well and don't have the need for a longer escape. Did a 15 night r/t from LA to Hawaii. The four sea days going over were great. The four coming back were a tad tedious. Three sea days is just perfect for us. Have talked with people who have done TA's. Hard to get my arms around six sea days. Just came off a 12 night British isles. By the 12th night we were ready to go home. Much rather take two 10 night cruises in a year than one 20 night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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