Preception of Celebrity to a possible new cruiser to the line

[Quo Vadis?]

Have you read this thread? The constant carping is turning off new customers! Is that what you want–for Celebrity to go broke? Just because it doesn't measure up to the old days doesn't mean new customers like OP won't have a good time moving over from another mainstream cruise line [which also isn't as good as it was in its 'golden age'].

 

The main thing you're seeing (IMHO) is a bunch of long-time Celebrity cruisers bemoaning how the Celebrity of today doesn't measure up to their (possibly hazy) memories of the (supposed) "golden age" when they began sailing Celebrity. Take the current product on its own, and it's still very good.

 

Celebrity going broke?? bit of a stretch...

 

Insult # 1: "a bunch of longtime Celebrity cruisers bemoaning" as opposed to a number of long time Celebrity cruisers commenting on how thing have changed since the line began (as opposed to Chandris) some 20yrs + ago

insult # 2: (possibly hazy) memories of

 

insult # 3 (supposed) "golden age"

 

The only thing that you got right is that "the current product on its own... it's still good"

So you are insinuating that it's not as good as it used to be based on hazy memories of frequent cruisers but it's still very good...

 

As an example:

 

ask those who remember the entertainment during the Captain's Club Celebration with a cast of 20 entertainers and food stations aplenty to the guitar duo as entertainers (Equinox) and small nibbles served now.

 

See if the Celebrity "orchestra" is now merely a "band" based on the declining number

 

 

To prevent my recollections from getting "hazy" I have a few pictures to prove my point if you are ever interested in the good old days...

[Lastdance]

To each the meaning of "the good old days" is somewhat different based on age, experiences and so many other things...One should just be happy to have those memories, as hindsight is 20/20!

 

 

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[vickykay]

When we first started cruising on Celebrity ( 20 years ago - the Golden Age ?) we would hear people complaining in the elevators, etc. We would look at each other and ask if we were all on the same ship. There are always those who will complain. Celebrity is still our favorite line and a good value for the money. Recently did a TA on the Silhouette this past Nov. and 14 days on the Eclipse this past March. Great cruises, great service, very good food in the MDR and the Oceanview Cafe. Enjoy your cruise.

[Lastdance]

To each the meaning of "the good old days" is somewhat different based on age, experiences and so many other things...One should just be happy to have those memories, as hindsight is 20/20!

 

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Sorry...as I meant Golden Age or whatever...

[Host Jazzbeau]

I recently read a book about the "golden age" of ocean liners. The tables and chairs in the dining room were bolted down [because the ships had no stabilizers]. The meals had many courses, but there was no choice -- not even for fussy eaters, food allergies, or vegans. Men had to wear black-tie or white-tie depending on the night [nothing more casual] – and women were expected to have at least 5 different outfits each day with no repeats on the entire crossing. Thank God I was born too late to experience that "golden age" !!! [Of course, that was only for First Class passengers – my forebears sailed steerage and only had to worry about bringing their own food to last the journey!]

[Z'Loth]

I have had only one cruise with Celebrity, and that was last August for Alaska. This is my list of gripes:

• On day three, we were docked at Icy Strait Point (Hoonah), Alaska, and took an excursion which lasted the entire day. When we got back to the ship (9:30 PM local time) and changed out, the buffet was on extremely limited service at 10 PM and was preparing to shutdown at 11 PM.
  
• One meal in the MDR wasn't all that great. To be fair, I was trying out something different that I hadn't tried before, so I didn't know what to expect. It wasn't bed or inedible, just wasn't all that great.
  
• The Pizza in the Oceanview Cafe sucked.
  
• Breakfast was essentially the same selection for each day of the cruise.
  
• One night, the online ordering system was down, and my mom couldn't order room service for breakfast.
  

On the other hand...

• The steward who serviced our room, Astral, did a fantastic job. Not only did we tip extra, but we also wrote a extremely complimentary letter to the CEO. This was followed up by a call from Celebrity informing me that the letter was forwarded to the captain who, in turn, forwarded on to the department head and placed in his permanent file.
  
• Embarkation and disembarkation was extremely smooth. Just expect a lot of walking. Bring your own bottled drink.
  
• Loved the ice cream at the Oceanview Cafe.
  
• Tried some of the more interesting non-alcoholic drinks. The Premium Non-Alcoholic Package was cool.
  

I had previously sailed Carnival twelve years previous, and felt that there was a more "mature" crowd of passengers between Celebrity and Carnival. If Celebrity did such a horrible job, why have I booked another cruise for this fall?

[DENIE]

My wife and I have sailed on NCL, HAL, Carnival, MSC, and Celebrity, in that order. Only on our 2017 Celebrity cruise did we book a second cruise on Celebrity (for November 2018). First, we are a "glass half full" couple...there is nothing better than being on a cruise ship. That said, we would not do Carnival again (that's just us, and we know it was a short cruise with a different demographic). However, we really have enjoyed all cruises. Something just felt right with Celebrity. We plan to book our 3rd cruise while on board the Silhouette in November 2018. For us...nice balance of good food, decent entertainment, classy but not gaudy environment, not too crowded, etc. We are not ones for all the "bells and whistles" of skating rinks, go-kart tracks, zip lines, or flow-riders.

[chemmo]

We choose Celebrity for the following reasons....

 

The ships are attractive, especially S class, and have a good layout and ‘flow’. Apart from sea days by the pool you rarely see crowds....There are quiet ‘nooks and crannies’ everywhere!

 

Queuing on Celebrity seems less than on other lines for shows etc. We also like music being in a range of different bars and venues. You do not have to prebook shows.

 

There are a wide range of bars on the ship which you can match to your mood....We love the Sunset bar and lawn area later in the evening.

 

We do like the fact that Celebrity offers drinks packages. Whilst we are not big drinkers we love prepaying then relaxing and enjoying all the drinks, wines, coffees and cocktails we want. Before drinks packages I was a very conservative drinker sticking to things I knew I would like...I do enjoy being more adventurous!

 

We like having the speciality restaurant options available and have always managed a good deal when booking a package.

 

We love Oceanview Cafe. At lunchtime, you would be a very difficult customer to please if you couldn’t find anything you liked! Options range from pasta to a very tasty Indian with a great sandwich bar and a roast of the day. I honestly do not understand the complaint that breakfast was the same everyday.....I honestly could not think of an additional breakfast thing they could provide....eggs every way, loads of sides, salmon, cold meats and cheeses, loads of pastries.....Early evening if you are shattered after an excursion you can also get fresh grilled steak, lamb, salmon there in addition to all the lunchtime stuff. Later evening pick up a slice of pizza to enjoy stargazing with! The cafe can be busy but if you avoid peak times it isn’t a problem!

 

We have always found the manner and attitude of staff on Celebrity much better than other lines....All staff you come across will genuinely wish you a nice day. Offers to help are honest and even very busy bar staff will find time to smile as they serve you.

 

We do love the Solarium area...it is just so peaceful! No children and no aggressive ‘lap swimmers’ just guests enjoying relaxing in warm water!

 

We love the fact on Celebrity there are activities to join in if you want but you are not constantly hearing loud speaker announcements about them.

 

We love the general mix of customers on Celebrity....a good bunch of us who would describe ourselves as mature, some young couples, a few families and some of vintage years! We love mixing with guests from all countries. Manners generally on Celebrity seem better than other lines...no pushing to get in a lift. Guests generally dining, drinking and socialising with ‘happiness, friendliness and liveliness’ without being ‘loud, boisterous and oblivious to fellow cruisers’. Whilst the demographics can change a bit depending on time of year and ship location we have never yet had a ‘rowdy’ cruise.

 

OP, I haven’t commented on the MDR or rooms as we are some of those guests who do book suites. I do not want to comment on things I have no recent experience of...Whilst we enjoy our suite perks we would not choose Celebrity if it wasn’t for all of the above.

 

Celebrity, I think, offers a good value for money cruise experience. It is a big enough ship to offer lots of activities, venues and dining options without ever seeming ‘massive’. If you do choose to try I hope you will enjoy.

 

Just another point...you could join the roll call pre cruise so you would board already knowing some fellow guests and have the option of looking at small group excursions too.

 

Happy cruising!

[ATLSwissyMom]

We all endure things that are difficult, but how we handle those things is what makes us who we are,..you are certainly no different than the rest of us...money does not make you happy unless you share! You certainly can't take it with you, although I would venture to guess that some will try! So, when you have the chance, I hope you dance in the cabin you choose!

 

 

Just wanted to say that I love your outlook Lastdance - it is very similar to my life motto. ❤️

 

We take our first Celebrity cruise in three weeks (Solstice out of Vancouver) and are excited to experience a new cruise line. At first I was worried about moving “up” to Celebrity (we’ve sailed Carnival, NCL, and RCI). We are simple people and I worried about having the right clothing or jewelry, are we cool enough....we are definitely not a celebrity power-couple. [emoji1]

 

I have some expectations for this cruise, but the most important one is that I expect to have an amazing, relaxing vacation with my husband (who also happens to be my best friend), see some amazing scenery, meet some interesting people, and never go hungry or thirsty.

 

 

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[RickT]

All this talk of "The Golden Age" of cruising made me want to share this video. Some of you may remember this song/Heineken Ad

 

[nhsails]

Coming from Carnival and HAL I wouldn't worry too much. We adore Celebrity. Think casual sophisticstion. Cabins are well designed, ships are beautiful, dining is great with many options. Relax, people love nothing more than to piss and moan. Ease your mind....you'll have a terrific time.

[Host Jazzbeau]

All this talk of "The Golden Age" of cruising made me want to share this video. Some of you may remember this song/Heineken Ad

 

 

I got 'carded' on the way in! :D

[Shadow9612]

We love Oceanview Cafe. At lunchtime, you would be a very difficult customer to please if you couldn’t find anything you liked! Options range from pasta to a very tasty Indian with a great sandwich bar and a roast of the day.

Couldn't agree more. I've been on a bunch of X cruises and still haven't had a chance to enjoy every offering from OV Cafe!

 

I honestly do not understand the complaint that breakfast was the same everyday.....I honestly could not think of an additional breakfast thing they could provide....eggs every way, loads of sides, salmon, cold meats and cheeses, loads of pastries.....

My thought exactly - the variety is just incredible. I'm pretty sure if someone could come up with something they couldn't find or something else they'd like made, that the staff would take care of it for you! Having said that, I haven't been able to find cheese blintzes in years :(

[4cats4me]

Have you read this thread? The constant carping is turning off new customers! Is that what you want–for Celebrity to go broke? Just because it doesn't measure up to the old days doesn't mean new customers like OP won't have a good time moving over from another mainstream cruise line [which also isn't as good as it was in its 'golden age'].

 

 

 

I sailed Celebrity during its still Golden years and had a very enjoyable cruise, BUT I love the new Celebrity with its more upbeat music and casual elegance. I do prefer the dining room food under Michael Roux, but other than that we love some of the new changes and wish that Princess would get with the program and start playing Techno music. If we could just meld the best parts of Princess and X, the cruise would be perfect.

 

We SO enjoyed our October cruise on the Equinox after a four year absence from X. I had been reading “horror stories” on this board about how bad things had become, loud music, et cet.

Not true. It was a club-like adult atmosphere, which we really appreciated.

[Luvcrusn]

We have many times gone to land based restaurants with friends. We may all decide to share appetizers and desserts, and order the same entrée. Some will taste the appetizer and love it, some will think it's only okay and some will dislike it. It's the same dish, prepared the same way, but we all have differing individual preferences. Once friend dislikes sweet with savory, one loves cilantro, another thinks cilantro tastes like soap, one prefers red wine, one white.

 

Celebrity is still our preferred cruise line despite changes over the years, which have take place on all of the main stream lines. My observation of the full sailing cruises on which we've sailed is the vast majority of fellow passengers are having a wonderful time, smiling, dancing, eating, drinking, swimming, theater going, shopping, casino playing, trivia answering lecture going, relaxing etc., etc., etc. By and large the majority of passengers I've observed are having a great time, there are a majority who have sailed with Celebrity many times and are happily returning. That should speak for itself. Most of them aren't suite or Aqua passengers, since there are many fewer of these rooms than inside, ocean view, verandah and concierge combined. That should tell you all you need to know. And the crews aboard Celebrity ships in my experience have been pleasant, professional, and anxious to provide the passengers a wonderful vacation experience. I am not a cockeyed optimist viewing the world through rose colored glasses, what I'm saying that if you want to have a great time, you will.

[villauk]

We have many times gone to land based restaurants with friends. We may all decide to share appetizers and desserts, and order the same entrée. Some will taste the appetizer and love it, some will think it's only okay and some will dislike it. It's the same dish, prepared the same way, but we all have differing individual preferences. Once friend dislikes sweet with savory, one loves cilantro, another thinks cilantro tastes like soap, one prefers red wine, one white.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Celebrity is still our preferred cruise line despite changes over the years, which have take place on all of the main stream lines. My observation of the full sailing cruises on which we've sailed is the vast majority of fellow passengers are having a wonderful time, smiling, dancing, eating, drinking, swimming, theater going, shopping, casino playing, trivia answering lecture going, relaxing etc., etc., etc. By and large the majority of passengers I've observed are having a great time, there are a majority who have sailed with Celebrity many times and are happily returning. That should speak for itself. Most of them aren't suite or Aqua passengers, since there are many fewer of these rooms than inside, ocean view, verandah and concierge combined. That should tell you all you need to know. And the crews aboard Celebrity ships in my experience have been pleasant, professional, and anxious to provide the passengers a wonderful vacation experience. I am not a cockeyed optimist viewing the world through rose colored glasses, what I'm saying that if you want to have a great time, you will.

 

While I agree broadly with your post, I do think it can depend largely with the itinerary you take and time of year to the level of enjoyment you experience.

 

We have taken a few X cruises (all but Summit in the current fleet) and the majority have been great, as you say, it’s what you make of it. However, we have noticed more changes over the last couple of years, especially during our summer cruise last year in Europe on Reflection. I won’t go over all the issues again (I know many of you have read my other posts and I was not alone, a few other pax have been on CC and said the same), but after that sailing it was the first time ever that all our party of 7 said that perhaps we need to look at other options for next year’s (i.e. 2019) cruise if this is what X is now offering.

 

Previously, we had already booked our 2017 Christmas cruise on Eclipse and so continued with the booking as we had non refundable air etc. Now what a contrast that sailing was to Reflection - still many passengers onboard as it was the holiday sailing, but way more enjoyable. The activities were many, the CD made the exciting vibe continue throughout the ship, no drunks causing problems, no bodies inches apart swarming the grass area (you could actually play the lawn games), soda in a can (yes, soda) and the list continued - it was a totally different X experience. This is where it becomes complicated as X seems to be getting so inconsistent across the fleet, and it covers everything from food and beverages to activities/entertainment - I even read on here the other day a post regarding dirty underwear found in several cabin drawers on embarkation day :o.

 

Currently, I have two place holder reservations with X that I’m still unsure where to place. None of the itineraries are jumping out at me, and it would have to be a cracker for us to sail on Reflection in Europe again in the summer months, and some costings for 2019 in Europe are more than Oceania :o. So, has the reduction in activities staff and inclusion of beverage packages added to the inconsistencies? Who knows, but we are definitely experiencing a different level of enjoyment dependent on itinerary sailed and the itinerary is paramount to our decision making (and we don’t take the short booze cruises as the majority of our sailings are over 10 days in the high season period i.e. peak summer, Christmas, Easter, basically school holidays when the prices are high compared to many other times of the year ;)).

 

All that being said, if you’ve never sailed previously, you will be wowed by cruising ;). X is still an excellent mainstream cruise line. In my opinion, it used to be way ahead, but the extensive gap has now closed significantly for those who don’t sail in suites (no malice there at all, just stating that those travelling in suites appear to be very happy with the changes/enhancements that have occurred to their level of cruising style on X). But I’m sure we will use those placeholders once we find an itinerary that excites us enough not to worry about those inconsistencies :).

[chemmo]

Villauk,

 

Like you we are struggling to find a 2019 cruise, although we have 2020 sorted!

 

Prices for Europe do seem very high....All of the Far East cruises seem to come with some sort of compromise too, not least of all too many overnights and too many mooring up in container yards!

 

I do agree with you that I would not book the Reflection for Summer in the Med....We have just cruised her in the Caribbean and had a fantastic time but you can spot the extra guests on board on sea days! From your posts and others we booked this cruise with our eyes open and consequently were not disappointed....I am sure many guests going down to the pool area just after nine to find all beds gone and even chairs around the Sunset bar already taken were disappointed though. I don’t think there were more hoggers than on any other X cruise we have been on just more guests with no more sun deck area. We quite simply on sea days enjoyed our balcony morning or afternoon depending on the sun and if we wanted a swim plonked our gear somewhere, enjoyed the pool then left the area.

 

On the positive side we loved both The Porch and Lawn Club Grill! We also got to try ‘Le petit chef’, great fun! We were expecting possible issues with bar service with so many guests but I do have to say it was generally very good!

 

Once one is disappointed with a cruise experience it can be hard to put it behind you....if your Reflection Mediterranean cruise had been your only X cruise you may have been put off forever. I think you are right about time of year too. Fortunately we have never had a bad X cruise yet....On RC we had our only ever ‘bad’ cruise on Allure (August in the Caribbean), however, same itinerary on Oasis in January was very different!

 

Hope you (and us) can find our dream cruises for next year at a price we are comfortable with!

[AidenL]

While I agree broadly with your post, I do think it can depend largely with the itinerary you take and time of year to the level of enjoyment you experience.

 

We have taken a few X cruises (all but Summit in the current fleet) and the majority have been great, as you say, it’s what you make of it. However, we have noticed more changes over the last couple of years, especially during our summer cruise last year in Europe on Reflection. I won’t go over all the issues again (I know many of you have read my other posts and I was not alone, a few other pax have been on CC and said the same), but after that sailing it was the first time ever that all our party of 7 said that perhaps we need to look at other options for next year’s (i.e. 2019) cruise if this is what X is now.

 

Currently, I have two place holder reservations with X that I’m still unsure where to place. None of the itineraries are jumping out at me, and it would have to be a cracker for us to sail on Reflection in Europe again in the summer months

 

I’m going to have to find your posts, as I’m worried now.

 

We are going on the Italy and Greek islands cruise on 8th June, so I hope it’s not a repeat of your experience.

 

Maybe the drinks package perk adds to the problem.

[Bo1953]

------------------I am not a cockeyed optimist viewing the world through rose colored glasses, what I'm saying that if you want to have a great time, you will.

 

You sent the glasses to me and they are wonderful, Elton John type!

 

:hearteyes:

 

bon voyage

[RickT]

I got 'carded' on the way in! :D

Apparently YouTube is very vigilant in ensuring today’s youth are not harmed by watching an ad for beer.....:confused:

[MrsNorman]

I recently read a book about the "golden age" of ocean liners. The tables and chairs in the dining room were bolted down [because the ships had no stabilizers]. The meals had many courses, but there was no choice -- not even for fussy eaters, food allergies, or vegans. Men had to wear black-tie or white-tie depending on the night [nothing more casual] – and women were expected to have at least 5 different outfits each day with no repeats on the entire crossing. Thank God I was born too late to experience that "golden age" !!! [Of course, that was only for First Class passengers – my forebears sailed steerage and only had to worry about bringing their own food to last the journey!]

 

That sounds like an interesting book, Jazzbeau. Can you remember what it was called and the author? Thanks.

[MrsNorman]

Couldn't agree more. I've been on a bunch of X cruises and still haven't had a chance to enjoy every offering from OV Cafe!

 

 

My thought exactly - the variety is just incredible. I'm pretty sure if someone could come up with something they couldn't find or something else they'd like made, that the staff would take care of it for you! Having said that, I haven't been able to find cheese blintzes in years :(

 

The OV café certainly does have plenty of variety. I particularly like the breakfast and usually have some of the lovely soaked muesli - oatmeal soaked in milk with fruit and nuts. I had it with some hot cooked bananas in syrup, which were delicious. There was a lovely "morning bread" freshly baked that was like a brioche. I always wondered what "grits" was like, and it turned out to be a bland porridge made with, I think, maize. As someone said, the variety was such that I couldn't honestly think of anything that was lacking, and I will definitely try the American Pancakes on my next trip.

[Luvcrusn]

While I agree broadly with your post, I do think it can depend largely with the itinerary you take and time of year to the level of enjoyment you experience.

 

We have taken a few X cruises (all but Summit in the current fleet) and the majority have been great, as you say, it’s what you make of it. However, we have noticed more changes over the last couple of years, especially during our summer cruise last year in Europe on Reflection. I won’t go over all the issues again (I know many of you have read my other posts and I was not alone, a few other pax have been on CC and said the same), but after that sailing it was the first time ever that all our party of 7 said that perhaps we need to look at other options for next year’s (i.e. 2019) cruise if this is what X is now offering.

 

Previously, we had already booked our 2017 Christmas cruise on Eclipse and so continued with the booking as we had non refundable air etc. Now what a contrast that sailing was to Reflection - still many passengers onboard as it was the holiday sailing, but way more enjoyable. The activities were many, the CD made the exciting vibe continue throughout the ship, no drunks causing problems, no bodies inches apart swarming the grass area (you could actually play the lawn games), soda in a can (yes, soda) and the list continued - it was a totally different X experience. This is where it becomes complicated as X seems to be getting so inconsistent across the fleet, and it covers everything from food and beverages to activities/entertainment - I even read on here the other day a post regarding dirty underwear found in several cabin drawers on embarkation day :o.

 

Currently, I have two place holder reservations with X that I’m still unsure where to place. None of the itineraries are jumping out at me, and it would have to be a cracker for us to sail on Reflection in Europe again in the summer months, and some costings for 2019 in Europe are more than Oceania :o. So, has the reduction in activities staff and inclusion of beverage packages added to the inconsistencies? Who knows, but we are definitely experiencing a different level of enjoyment dependent on itinerary sailed and the itinerary is paramount to our decision making (and we don’t take the short booze cruises as the majority of our sailings are over 10 days in the high season period i.e. peak summer, Christmas, Easter, basically school holidays when the prices are high compared to many other times of the year ;)).

 

All that being said, if you’ve never sailed previously, you will be wowed by cruising ;). X is still an excellent mainstream cruise line. In my opinion, it used to be way ahead, but the extensive gap has now closed significantly for those who don’t sail in suites (no malice there at all, just stating that those travelling in suites appear to be very happy with the changes/enhancements that have occurred to their level of cruising style on X). But I’m sure we will use those placeholders once we find an itinerary that excites us enough not to worry about those inconsistencies :).

Villauk, I agree that a given cruise can be "off." Rarely one encounters a waiter, bartender, or stateroom attendant that's less than stellar. It's sad when it happens, especially when it happens to you. A particular cruise manifest can have a group of passengers that is just not your cup of tea. I also think that familiarity breeds boredom. Things we found delightfully fun or charming on our first cruises have become somewhat "old hat" and things that have been changed are only missed by those who experienced and liked them in the first place. Over all, we enjoy the cruising experience as our vacation of choice, and find that we do enjoy Celebrity (among others). We don't sail suites. We prefer cruising more often than a suite would allow, so I can't speak to that experience. I do know that if I dined in a 5 star restaurant on a daily basis, (not saying X is that), I'd grow bored. That's just me.

[villauk]

Villauk,

 

Like you we are struggling to find a 2019 cruise, although we have 2020 sorted!

 

Prices for Europe do seem very high....All of the Far East cruises seem to come with some sort of compromise too, not least of all too many overnights and too many mooring up in container yards!

 

I do agree with you that I would not book the Reflection for Summer in the Med....We have just cruised her in the Caribbean and had a fantastic time but you can spot the extra guests on board on sea days! From your posts and others we booked this cruise with our eyes open and consequently were not disappointed....I am sure many guests going down to the pool area just after nine to find all beds gone and even chairs around the Sunset bar already taken were disappointed though. I don’t think there were more hoggers than on any other X cruise we have been on just more guests with no more sun deck area. We quite simply on sea days enjoyed our balcony morning or afternoon depending on the sun and if we wanted a swim plonked our gear somewhere, enjoyed the pool then left the area.

 

On the positive side we loved both The Porch and Lawn Club Grill! We also got to try ‘Le petit chef’, great fun! We were expecting possible issues with bar service with so many guests but I do have to say it was generally very good!

 

Once one is disappointed with a cruise experience it can be hard to put it behind you....if your Reflection Mediterranean cruise had been your only X cruise you may have been put off forever. I think you are right about time of year too. Fortunately we have never had a bad X cruise yet....On RC we had our only ever ‘bad’ cruise on Allure (August in the Caribbean), however, same itinerary on Oasis in January was very different!

 

Hope you (and us) can find our dream cruises for next year at a price we are comfortable with!

 

Glad you enjoyed your cruise, we also like the LCG ;).

 

We’re going to hold out until later in the year to see what happens with the pricing and also what we think of Princess. We have sailed once previously with them, and tbh, found them similar to X but rather quite ‘bland’. I can settle for bland if everything else is spot on and the pricing is significantly lower (as you know, we personally have to book 2 cabins on each sailing and then another for our travelling companions).

 

I agree with the high pricing statement for 2019 in Europe. I’m aware you sail in suites and some of the pricing quite frankly is ridiculous (obviously only my opinion ;)) - 7 nights on Edge in Europe for 2019 costing over US$56,000 for 2 in an iconic suite :eek:. I believe you could possibly do a world cruise for that sort of money, albeit in a standard balcony (which is our usual home onboard :)). Even those balcony cabins are running at nearly US$3000pp for 7 nights - more than the holiday Christmas sailing.

[Luvcrusn]

Villauk,

 

 

 

Once one is disappointed with a cruise experience it can be hard to put it behind you....if your Reflection Mediterranean cruise had been your only X cruise you may have been put off forever. I think you are right about time of year too. Fortunately we have never had a bad X cruise yet....On RC we had our only ever ‘bad’ cruise on Allure (August in the Caribbean), however, same itinerary on Oasis in January was very different!

 

Hope you (and us) can find our dream cruises for next year at a price we are comfortable with!

 

We had our worst cruise on Royal Legend OTS about 4 years ago. Highlights (or should I say lowlights) were a balcony divider that kept slamming open and banging into deck furniture all night, shower that backed up daily with water pouring into the stateroom despite calling maintenance repeatedly for both. Specialty dinner reservation in Chops not honored, keeping us waiting at 9:00PM for over an hour when we could clearly see most of the tables were empty, then poor service making dinner last until past midnight. Passengers smoked everywhere in spite of ships crew trying valiantly to curtail it. Severe high seas caused me to roll out of bed onto the floor one night, then the same conditions preventing us from docking in port the next morning. A ship excursion where the bus skipped featured parts of the excursion, then filled with fumes leaving us at a souvenir shop for 1 1/2 hours until a new bus could be sent, then returned to the ship directly and skipped the second half of the excursion. Shore excursion manager refused to meet with us, despite calling and asking that we do so. All that said, DH and I kept our sense of humor and managed to enjoy ourselves. I'd still sail Royal, but reluctantly. We haven't had any awful X cruises, certainly nothing akin to our last Royal experience. I would dismiss certain mishaps as a "one off." If we no longer enjoy, we'll make other choices. Happily, there a lots of travel opportunities out there and we're fortunate enough to able to take advantage of them. Happy travels!