retirees seek comparison of RCCL and Celebrity

[artistcleveland]

Our first cruise (and only one on RCCL) was 30 years ago. We've stuck w/X lately to save up points for Elite. wondering about carib cruise this winter on Navigator. We know the RCCL ships are bigger, have more "stuff", but can someone tell us how food and service compare to X?

Thanks.

S.

[SPacificbound]

Have you looked at itineraries yet?

 

We cruise with both RC and X but choose which one based on itinerary.

 

If we like the itinerary better with one that is where we book. If itinerary is equal we go by ship.

[Ocean Dancer]

Our first cruise (and only one on RCCL) was 30 years ago. We've stuck w/X lately to save up points for Elite. wondering about carib cruise this winter on Navigator. We know the RCCL ships are bigger, have more "stuff", but can someone tell us how food and service compare to X?

Thanks.

S.

 

Food and service can and does vary by ship. I have not been on the Navigator, but it may be time for you to venture out and try Royal. If you are Elite, you will become Diamond on Royal with a phone call, or your TA can do it for you.

 

WE have sailed both and have found that the passengers seem to be more courteous on Royal, like waiting for others to get off the elevator before you get on etc. Our cruises on Celebrity are not that way..........push and shove, me first, and double the number of impolite scooters. Please don't bash me, most of people in scooters are very polite, but there is always that lady who runs over my foot.:(

 

You will probably enjoy the entertainment on Royal, I think NOS has a skating show.

 

Whatever you choose, have a great cruise! :)

[molsonschooner]

Food and service can and does vary by ship. I have not been on the Navigator, but it may be time for you to venture out and try Royal. If you are Elite, you will become Diamond on Royal with a phone call, or your TA can do it for you.

 

WE have sailed both and have found that the passengers seem to be more courteous on Royal, like waiting for others to get off the elevator before you get on etc. Our cruises on Celebrity are not that way..........push and shove, me first, and double the number of impolite scooters. Please don't bash me, most of people in scooters are very polite, but there is always that lady who runs over my foot.:(

 

You will probably enjoy the entertainment on Royal, I think NOS has a skating show.

 

Whatever you choose, have a great cruise! :)

Yes, Navigator does have an ice skating show. I was on her in 2014, it was a very good show

[papaflamingo]

I am a recent retiree. We have done 22 Royal Caribbean cruises and one Celebrity. It really depends on what you like to do. We did Reflection in Aqua Suites. I thought the ship was beautiful. Really like the no smoking anywhere indoors including the casino policy. We ate in Blu and some specialty restaurants. I thought the food was very good, better than RCCL's main dining room, but again, we were in Blu, so maybe not a fair comparison. But it was an "older" crowd, and more "stuffy." Not much night life. As a Diamond Plus on RCCL we got Elite Status on Celebrity. The nightly cocktail hour was in the Sky Observation lounge. Personally I was not impressed. It was never crowded but took a long time to get drinks. We would finally go to the bar and get the drinks. And hor d'ouevres were served by waiters who would come by rarely and you'd get one small bite, etc. In the Concierge or Diamond lounge on RCCL, we have always had excellent attention from the waiters, and hor d'ouevres are self service, my preference (we do tip early in the cruise though, so that helps).

As for "more stuff," I think on Navigator that will be some things. Flow rider, rock climbing, miniature golf. Plus I don't remember pool games or Belly Flop contest on Reflection, but may have just missed that stuff.

But bottom line, on RCCL you'll find a better "mix" of people. You'll find more of a "nightlife" atmosphere. And more entertainment options. Piano bar, for example. I will say I loved the service on X. I also loved the Martini Bar and Molecular Bar, but the Molecular Bar shut down pretty early, about 11 pm.

So, again, food is pretty individual. And depending on what you like, you may or may not prefer one to the other. But you do get Diamond status and access to the Diamond Lounge, and I think, unless it's very crowded which does happen, you'll enjoy that. You also get 3 free drinks at any bar during the happy hour hours (limited menu). And the Diamond Lounge is open every night, including embarkation night. I think you should give it a try. Then you'll know.

[cruisetimeforme]

We've been RCI/X cruisers for many years. When the daughter stopped going with us we went strictly with X, but over time we became bored with them. We knew what to expect, what shows they'd have, the specialty restaurants became all too familiar, etc. Now we're back to RCI and also lately on NCL. Love all the different entertainment and things to do on these newer ships. You should really try a new product. Plus for me, the older I become I choose to be around people younger than myself these days

[matj2000]

We had the best Food & Service on Celebrity.

 

RC came out with a new menu recently and it totally sucks.

 

Enough to make me cancel to future cruises.

 

Service is hit/miss.

 

Just depends on who you get...

[CruisingChick]

Our first cruise (and only one on RCCL) was 30 years ago. We've stuck w/X lately to save up points for Elite. wondering about carib cruise this winter on Navigator. We know the RCCL ships are bigger, have more "stuff", but can someone tell us how food and service compare to X?

Thanks.

S.[/QUOTe]

 

Our first Celebrity cruise was in 2002. We have done 23 Celebrity cruises in total - 19 in a row - and then decided to try RCCL. WE have done 3 RCCL cruises since 2014 and feel that food and service is better on Celebrity, especially when comparing RCCL's Windjammer Buffet to Celebrity's.

 

Having said that, RCCL ships to provide more in the way of things to do. So I guess it all depends on what is most important to you.

Edited December 12, 2016 by CruisingChick

[Rogueperson]

I'm not a retiree, but i've been on both Celebrity and Royal.

 

Celebrity in the past have way better food, but comparing with my most recently Panama Canal Crossing,the gap between the two is narrowing, but Celebrity still edges out ahead with better food...However, that being said, their food is better because they take a little more risks with their food, and for the most part, they've succeeded, but when they fail, its pretty spectacular. Celebrity has become the first cruise I've ever had to return the entire entree section off my dinner, because of either bad quality, or bad preparation. It was the "Special" Thanksgiving dinner, and they failed spectacularly. I had to return every entree I got that night and pretty much gave up on dinner. The other 14 nights, were awesome, I have NO idea why that night was such a spectacular fail.

 

I found entertainment on Royal Caribbean to be more my taste, but then again, I was on a cruise that had an average age of 60 to my 44. There were probably no more than 200 people under the age of 55. The entertainment seemed geared to an older crowd. Some things I like, some things I didn't.

 

Service. Celebrity wins out there again. The added Somellier at dinner made dining at the MDR special every night (and expensive after a while :))

[Langley Cruisers]

This comparison thread is also running at the moment:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2430814 <--click here

 

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