Alternative to Celebrity

[Hlitner]

2 hours ago, Dolebludger said:

I believe I made a mistake in a post above when I said that all YC facilities were within the YC area on the Divinia. There was one exception when we cruised her. The YC dining room was not in the YC area. One had to walk through "non-YC" areas to reach it but a YC room key was required to enter. But, unlike our X cruise in a suite last January, the YC bar was in the YC area. And while we like Luminae on X better than the YC dining, we preferred the YC bar to Michaels. One thing I noticed on our last X cruise is that one had to book at least a very large royal suite to get the inclusiveness of the YC, and it is very costly to book a royal suite. On MSC, one can book a 306 sq. ft. (plus balcony) suite in the YC, or even a YC inside room, and get all the inclusions. In contrast, if you book a 306 sq. ft. suite on X (Sky or Aqua) the inclusions just aren't there. Gone are the  in-room mini bar, butler, included specialty restaurants, and other inclusions I can't think of now. Pardon me, but I am big on inclusions, and want to avoid all the "extra charges" on ships that I can. Especially with air fare for any seating better than "cattle car" economy going through the roof. But I did not mind walking through the "general population" areas on either ship -- so long as I didn't have to wait in a huge line to enter the main dining room! 

We understand  and are aware that the dining room for the Divina YC is at the stern.  Since DW and I love to walk that is no big deal and is an excuse to stroll through the entire vessel.  We have booked one of the small "suites" on the Divina which generally costs about $300 per person/day.  As this is essentially an all-inclusive deal it is much cheaper than booking that large X suites which we do not feel give enough for the money.  This might be the genius of the MSC concept where one does not have to spend a fortune on a large suite to get the amenities.    I am beginning to wonder if the Celebrity business model is now outdated.  Some of us are willing to pay for the amenities and exclusiveness....but do not need the benefit of a monster suite cabin.  To me, the large suites are a waste of money.   We once calculated that we spent less than 3 waking hours a day in our cabin and most of that time was when we were just showering and getting ready to leave the cabin.  Our friends that love the big suites spend a lot of their sea days inside their suites....and have sometimes invited us to join them.  Most of the time we have no interest as we would much rather be out and about...or in a deck chair where we can relax and people watch.  

 

My issue with the large suites on Celebrity is that other then the large cabin and the slightly different menu in Luminae you are still on a Celebrity ship!  For the kind of money that it costs to book those large suites we could be on Crystal, Seabourn or perhaps Regent where our money buys a much more upscale experience.  One evening on a Celebrity cruise when we were chatting with friends on this topic I suggested that booking a suite on Celebrity is like buying the most expensive home in a neighborhood where most of the homes were about half the price.  Most folks who buy expensive homes choose to live in expensive neighborhoods.  In fact, some argue that the best buy is to get the least expensive home in the most expensive neighborhood.  I see cruise ships the same way.  We have cruised on some upscale lines and loved the experience!  If I am going to spend $500+ per passenger day, I can do a lot better then Celebrity in terms of space ratios, cuisine, etc.  it is certainly a topic worthy of discussion.

 

Hank

[Host Jazzbeau]

5 hours ago, Dolebludger said:

I believe I made a mistake in a post above when I said that all YC facilities were within the YC area on the Divinia. There was one exception when we cruised her. The YC dining room was not in the YC area. One had to walk through "non-YC" areas to reach it but a YC room key was required to enter. But, unlike our X cruise in a suite last January, the YC bar was in the YC area. And while we like Luminae on X better than the YC dining, we preferred the YC bar to Michaels. One thing I noticed on our last X cruise is that one had to book at least a very large royal suite to get the inclusiveness of the YC, and it is very costly to book a royal suite. On MSC, one can book a 306 sq. ft. (plus balcony) suite in the YC, or even a YC inside room, and get all the inclusions. In contrast, if you book a 306 sq. ft. suite on X (Sky or Aqua) the inclusions just aren't there. Gone are the  in-room mini bar, butler, included specialty restaurants, and other inclusions I can't think of now. Pardon me, but I am big on inclusions, and want to avoid all the "extra charges" on ships that I can. Especially with air fare for any seating better than "cattle car" economy going through the roof. But I did not mind walking through the "general population" areas on either ship -- so long as I didn't have to wait in a huge line to enter the main dining room! 

All suites on Celebrity – even Sky Suites – have a butler.

[catugirl]

I agree with the suggestions for Princess.  We have cruised on Island, Crown (sister to Grand, I believe) and Regal.  Loved all of them, but our favorite was Regal.  We were in suites in Crown and Regal.  This gained us access to breakfast in Sabbatini’s, which was wonderful.  We also were given a free dinner at a specialty restaurant on embarkation evening, free laundry and dry cleaning and a free mini-bar setup.  The food in MDR was amazing, better than the MDR on X, IMHO.  Service is very good on Princess.  It’s a great alternative to X.”

[grandgeezer]

We are sitting on the Allure of the Seas, waiting to do the second leg of a B2B, wondering why the first one might have our best cruise ever and it was #46. We decided it was because it excelled at the aspecs we consider important. It seem the most important items for most are, better weather, getting away from work or the kids, and based strickly on the number posts, drink packages. These aren’t even in our top 10. We are retired, and live in Arizona, so the first two are meaningless. we are light or social drinkers so the three free drink coupons are more than adaquate.

 

Our top three are food, service and entertainment. The entertainment is in a class all by itself. We are in a Grand Suite which elevates the food and service to levels we haven’t see in at least five years. The suite lounge and suite bar are right next to each other so whatever you want to drink is considered coming from the the loyalty happy hour so you don’t even use your card or coupons.  We never saw either side very busy so it was nice and quiet compared to the main dining room. As far as drinks, the happy hour is 4:30 until 8pm with a broader number of choices. Also beer, wine, and soda is available from 11am to 11pm. and that’s what we normally drink.

When the main reasons you cruise for are not up to your personel standards, the things you aren’t happy with are manified negatively. Conversely, if the things that are important to you are great, the things you aren’t happy with are just little  nusciences.

This is our personnel opinion and we understand we might be in the minority and that’s ok. It is not the intent to start a war of words, take it for what it’s worth, if anything.

[Cruise a holic]

42 minutes ago, catugirl said:

I agree with the suggestions for Princess.  We have cruised on Island, Crown (sister to Grand, I believe) and Regal.  Loved all of them, but our favorite was Regal.  We were in suites in Crown and Regal.  This gained us access to breakfast in Sabbatini’s, which was wonderful.  We also were given a free dinner at a specialty restaurant on embarkation evening, free laundry and dry cleaning and a free mini-bar setup.  The food in MDR was amazing, better than the MDR on X, IMHO.  Service is very good on Princess.  It’s a great alternative to X.”

IMO Princess suite perks do not compare.  You do not have a suite restaurant nor lounge- No butler.  Royal is a much better option- Especially Oasis class. The Harmony had a beautiful suite deck- with no cost cabanas, a full service bar, plently of seating and a hot tub.  We recently went on the Adventure of the Seas and that ship also didn't have a suite restaurant and the suite lounge was meager.  Fine if you do not want a suite- 

 

If you want the suite experience IMO Princess not a good option.

[Momma Rene]

17 hours ago, Hlitner said:

We understand  and are aware that the dining room for the Divina YC is at the stern.  Since DW and I love to walk that is no big deal and is an excuse to stroll through the entire vessel.  We have booked one of the small "suites" on the Divina which generally costs about $300 per person/day.  As this is essentially an all-inclusive deal it is much cheaper than booking that large X suites which we do not feel give enough for the money.  This might be the genius of the MSC concept where one does not have to spend a fortune on a large suite to get the amenities.    I am beginning to wonder if the Celebrity business model is now outdated.  Some of us are willing to pay for the amenities and exclusiveness....but do not need the benefit of a monster suite cabin.  To me, the large suites are a waste of money.   We once calculated that we spent less than 3 waking hours a day in our cabin and most of that time was when we were just showering and getting ready to leave the cabin.  Our friends that love the big suites spend a lot of their sea days inside their suites....and have sometimes invited us to join them.  Most of the time we have no interest as we would much rather be out and about...or in a deck chair where we can relax and people watch.  

 

My issue with the large suites on Celebrity is that other then the large cabin and the slightly different menu in Luminae you are still on a Celebrity ship!  For the kind of money that it costs to book those large suites we could be on Crystal, Seabourn or perhaps Regent where our money buys a much more upscale experience.  One evening on a Celebrity cruise when we were chatting with friends on this topic I suggested that booking a suite on Celebrity is like buying the most expensive home in a neighborhood where most of the homes were about half the price.  Most folks who buy expensive homes choose to live in expensive neighborhoods.  In fact, some argue that the best buy is to get the least expensive home in the most expensive neighborhood.  I see cruise ships the same way.  We have cruised on some upscale lines and loved the experience!  If I am going to spend $500+ per passenger day, I can do a lot better then Celebrity in terms of space ratios, cuisine, etc.  it is certainly a topic worthy of discussion.

 

Hank

Wonderful analogy!  We've sailed Celebrity many times and love Lumanae and Michaels.  However, with the rates going very high, we are saying, wait.  Let's look at other options.  

[Dolebludger]

Host Jazzbeau,

 

I'm sorry for my error about X sky suites not having a butler. All I can specifically remember and say is that a couple of years back, I was looking at a S. American cruise on X, and the best suite available was a sky suite. I do recall that it lacked some of the on board inclusions that we seek, But can't recall more specifics.

 

All, 

 

This is the most friendly thread I have encountered on CC where different views are presented. For a little background, most of my CC posting has been on the Regent (fka Radisson) CC forum. Before 2001, we used to cruise lines like RCI (mass market). Though the lines and crowds were a problem, passengers were allowed to bring beverages onboard at embarkation and at ports for onboard consumption -- except for Carnival which we never cruised. Then in 2001, those mass market lines began prohibiting beverages brought onboard for consumption there. It started with RCI, and quickly spread to all other mass market lines. This has resulted in passengers on these lines today having to buy $12 beers! Oh, how I dislike monopolies! This was the straw that broke the camel's back fur us as to mass market lines. We began cruising what is now Regent for about $2500 pp per week. It was and is an inclusive line. But the fares have jumped to an average of $7500 pp per week. Thus, we search for something inclusive more within reason and our budget. We took an Alaska cruise on X in a royal suite this July and liked it very much. The price did not seem out of line. But looking at other X suite class cruises for the future, I see big price increases.So we, and apparently many others now search for options. I received a brochure from Crystal a few days ago, but unfortunately it was about Alaska cruises, and we just took one.But their prices seemed reasonable, and they are an inclusive, lux line. We have never cruised on Crystal, so I ask, has anybody here had experience with it?

[Host Jazzbeau]

1 hour ago, Dolebludger said:

Host Jazzbeau,

 

I'm sorry for my error about X sky suites not having a butler. All I can specifically remember and say is that a couple of years back, I was looking at a S. American cruise on X, and the best suite available was a sky suite. I do recall that it lacked some of the on board inclusions that we seek, But can't recall more specifics.

...

I received a brochure from Crystal a few days ago, but unfortunately it was about Alaska cruises, and we just took one.But their prices seemed reasonable, and they are an inclusive, lux line. We have never cruised on Crystal, so I ask, has anybody here had experience with it?

No problem.

 

I have never considered Regent because a) the fares are very high if you don't plan to take the included excursions and b) so much scratching and clawing on their CC forum 

 

We have cruised once on Crystal, and while we didn't feel 'crystalized' it is one of the few lines on my short list.  At that time the two ships were definitely feeling older, but they had just modernized the menus in the MDR and it was (and still is) the best food we have had at sea.  Current dry-docks are modernizing the ships, reducing passenger count by converting some cabins into (a smaller number of) suites – which will allow true open seating in the MDR.

 

A friend we met on Azamara has decided that Seabourn is the sweet spot among cruise lines – we haven't tried them yet but may.  One problem for us with both Crystal and Seabourn is the dress codes are still on the formal side – we are spoiled by Celebrity and Azamara!

[Dolebludger]

Host, 

 

After I posted about Crystal's reasonable fares on some Alaska cruises and went to their website to price some cruses to places we would really like to go. Apparently they were just having some sales on Alaska, because the fares I saw on other itineraries weren't attractive at all. And I am pretty well through with Regent -- that's why I am now interested in the X forum. 

[Texed]

We have done quite a few "Celebrity alternatives".  But, we always seem to come back.  😁

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

16 hours ago, Texed said:

We have done quite a few "Celebrity alternatives".  But, we always seem to come back.  😁

 

I'm not saying I won't come back, in fact I have 4 other Celebrity cruises booked at the moment.  It was interesting to try another line and the price was a great inducement.  Loved the ship within a ship concept on MSC Seaside.  Food was not as good as Celebrity and apparently their waffles are frozen, so not for you.  😁

[Dolebludger]

I too will come back, when X has the same price structure and inclusions that they had on our January, 2018 and July 2018 cruise. For all I know, those cruises may have been "on sale", and I just have to wait for another sale!

[grandgeezer]

After the first time of “suite life”, last week and so far this week, my wife says she’ll never cruise in anything but a suite. Based on this, Celebrity is history, based on pricing alone. We have a Grand Suite on the Allure now and can’t imagine it being worth over $1,000+ p.p., comparing apples to apples, for a Sky Suite. 

Celebrity 2005 until December 18, 2016. RIP. We had 18 out of 23 great cruises. You have the right to water down your product while raising prices and I have the right to move on. It’ll be interesting so see how they react down the road, fuel pricing rising and stock price dropping like an anchor.

[cruising cockroach]

With MSC being a private company (AFAIK), the owning family can tolerate low profits while building up the brand, which is what they apparently are doing currently.  How well that works in the long run is anyone else's guess.  If the owners had deep enough pockets, they could skim off enough pax from the publicly-traded cruisecos like RCI and Carnival and cause the all sorts of grief.

 

I thought the small luxury ship semi-inclusive (no excursions other than a small elite perk credit but drinks and gratuities are, as is laundry and a modest amount of internet time as an elite perk) cruise that I'm booked for next year is expensive at just under $200 pp pd. 

 

I see MSC ships sailing past regularly but I don't think those carry passengers (it'd be interesting if they did).

[jagoffee]

1 hour ago, grandgeezer said:

After the first time of “suite life”, last week and so far this week, my wife says she’ll never cruise in anything but a suite. Based on this, Celebrity is history, based on pricing alone. We have a Grand Suite on the Allure now and can’t imagine it being worth over $1,000+ p.p., comparing apples to apples, for a Sky Suite. 

Celebrity 2005 until December 18, 2016. RIP. We had 18 out of 23 great cruises. You have the right to water down your product while raising prices and I have the right to move on. It’ll be interesting so see how they react down the road, fuel pricing rising and stock price dropping like an anchor.

 

For sure.  I cannot even imagine that anyone would pay $1000+ a day (for 2 people) for a Sky Suite. For around that price, you should be able to get a Royal Suite.  I know I would not pay that price for a Sky Suite even with the Best Package.  I can assure you that I have never paid even close to that price per day for a Sky Suite.

 

Suites typically go very fast and supply and demand drives prices up very quickly.  I almost always book early to get the best prices on suites.

[Dolebludger]

All I can say  about suite prices is that we were in a Royal suite this last July for significantly less than $1000/pp/per day. We enjoyed it so much that I began looking for future cruises in the same environment and was hit with a serious blow of sticker shock! 

 I also noticed that all levels of X Suites were booking up early, in spite of high prices. Also, the lowest priced inside cabins were doing the same. But the mid-level cabins seemed to be going begging.  I think the reason is that people willing to tolerate the lines and crowds and lack of inclusions in non-suite accommodations want to pay the lowest possible price. This is understandable as I observed the lines into the main dining room, the sub McDonald’s atmosphere in the buffet, and the prices for drinks for those whose category didn’t include them.  The lowest price is all such a cruise is worth! And it is also understandable that the suites would book up. The cruise market has changed with more passengers demanding service, privacy, and inclusions, and there is a severe shortage of suites on all the existing X ships. Probably one reason for the rapidly increasing suite pricing. Shortages of a desired product always lead to inflated prices.

[grandgeezer]

2 hours ago, jagoffee said:

 

For sure.  I cannot even imagine that anyone would pay $1000+ a day (for 2 people) for a Sky Suite. For around that price, you should be able to get a Royal Suite.  I know I would not pay that price for a Sky Suite even with the Best Package.  I can assure you that I have never paid even close to that price per day for a Sky Suite.

 

Suites typically go very fast and supply and demand drives prices up very quickly.  I almost always book early to get the best prices on suites.

Thanks for the impartial responce, usually whever someone has anything that even remotely puts Celebrity in a negative light the flames come. It’s like you were talking about their family. In case you missed it here are the facts. In January we booked a Grand Suite on the Allure of the Seas. The suite is 370 sq ft with a bath/shower and dual sinks. I don’t know the size of the balcony but it has two wicker chairs and a big round table. It also has two chaise type loungers with foot rest.

We paid $1550 p.p. all taxes and all fees. Unlimited internet included. We also got prepaid gratuities and $200 obc. It do not include a drink package nor was it wanted or needed. The 4 30 till 8pm plus free wine, soda and beer 11am to 11pm is more than enough. If we would have bought the deluxe drink package. (the only one they have), it would have added about $330 p.p. with our Diamond discount. the same cruise on the Equinox was a little over $3,000 p.p. with all four perks.

. 

[Hlitner]

39 minutes ago, Dolebludger said:

All I can say  about suite prices is that we were in a Royal suite this last July for significantly less than $1000/pp/per day. We enjoyed it so much that I began looking for future cruises in the same environment and was hit with a serious blow of sticker shock! 

 I also noticed that all levels of X Suites were booking up early, in spite of high prices. Also, the lowest priced inside cabins were doing the same. But the mid-level cabins seemed to be going begging.  I think the reason is that people willing to tolerate the lines and crowds and lack of inclusions in non-suite accommodations want to pay the lowest possible price. This is understandable as I observed the lines into the main dining room, the sub McDonald’s atmosphere in the buffet, and the prices for drinks for those whose category didn’t include them.  The lowest price is all such a cruise is worth! And it is also understandable that the suites would book up. The cruise market has changed with more passengers demanding service, privacy, and inclusions, and there is a severe shortage of suites on all the existing X ships. Probably one reason for the rapidly increasing suite pricing. Shortages of a desired product always lead to inflated prices.

Not sure whether we should even take your post seriously, or if you are simply trying to rile up some folks.  Much of what you write is rubbish!  Yes, the lowest price inside cabins tend to book early, but that is because on most X vessels they represent a relatively small portion of cabins as do the highest priced suites.  The overwhelming majority of cabins (and I will specifically speak to S-Class and the new Edge) are regular balconies.  We do not book suites on X (because we do not think they are reasonably priced) but do book regular balconies, sometimes Concierge, and sometimes Aqua.  What we do has absolutely nothing to do with what you call the "inclusions" or lack thereof, in various classes of cabins.  In fact, on our last Eclipse cruise we booked a Concierge cabin (which we got for the same price as a lower priced balcony), upgraded to the Premium Drink package and ate 14 of our 21 meals in Murano (which we think is far better then Luminae).  And we were not alone as many others we met were doing variations of the same.

 

Is there a shortage or suites?  Perhaps.  But if you increase the number of suites perhaps supply will outpace demand and then the price drops.  MSC has had amazing success with their Yacht Club concept (kind of like suites on steroids because you get an entire section of the ship dedicated for your use).  Being a privately held company (the only major cruise line that is privately owned) they have quickly reacted and ordered several new smaller vessels that will be entirely made up of the Yacht Club.    Celebrity's answer is the Edge and we shall have to wait and see if that works out.

 

But lets be blunt.  When you book an expensive suite on Celebrity you are still on a Celebrity vessel where most of what you get is also available to those that have booked the lowest priced cabins.   Sure, you can go into Michael's and get a drink.  But I can sit outside of Michaels in the lounge (with decent live entertainment) and get exactly the same drink.  Even if I was in a large suite and had access to Michaels I would probably decide to stay outside in the Ensemble Lounge because of the entertainment and fun People Watching :).

 

If I am going to spend $500+ per passenger day for a cruise, you will find me on Crystal, Seabourn or perhaps Viking!  Why would I want to spend that kind of money to eat pretty much the same quality food as those spending a lot less, get the same entertainment, fight for the same deck chairs, etc?  If I want to spend $300 per passenger day perhaps I will book the Yacht Club on MSC...Oceania, or perhaps look for a deal on Azamara.   There are lots of choices and competition...and we love it :).

 

Hank

 

Hank

[Dolebludger]

Hank, 

 

Nothing  I posted was rubbish, but was my own  experience. We have been Regent cruisers since 2011. But we took a music cruise on X in January 2018 in a celebrity suite, and loved the cruise as well as the music. As we wanted to return to Alaska in the summer, we booked a Royal suite on X and found it to be perhaps the best cruise ever for us. We decided we would return to X a third time in the future, but found prices for celebrity and royal suites had escalated geometrically. That is the summary of my post you call rubbish. I am not angry, but am sad that the increased prices for X senior suites will deprive us of the enjoyment of another. And that is not rubbish.

 

And if you find cruised on Crystal or Seabourn in balcony rooms for $500/pp/per day, please tell me where, because I can’t find those deals.

Edited October 30, 2018 by Dolebludger

[Dolebludger]

Perhaps I should correct myself for a typo error. We have been mostly Regent cruisers since 2002, and not 2011. Yet, we liked our X suite experience better, based on our two cruises this year. 

 

And perhaps my my problem with the prices on X suite cruises in the future is that we have been looking at N. Europe with an emphasis on the British Isles. Perhaps all cruises are more costly for such itineraries for a reason I don’t know? 

We have been in the MSC YC once for a music cruise. We prefer X With it’s suite inclusions. We also will not take Regent as they include air which is economy except for intercontinental, which is business class. As far as I can determine, it offers no way to take their intercontinental air and get a credit if we book our own domestic air in business class. We cannot fly in economy any more for physical reasons, and the shrunken leg room there. And it’s credit for taking all of our own air is ridiculously small. So they are out.

 

So perhaps I should check out X suite cruises in other areas.

[jagoffee]

3 hours ago, grandgeezer said:

Thanks for the impartial responce, usually whever someone has anything that even remotely puts Celebrity in a negative light the flames come. It’s like you were talking about their family. In case you missed it here are the facts. In January we booked a Grand Suite on the Allure of the Seas. The suite is 370 sq ft with a bath/shower and dual sinks. I don’t know the size of the balcony but it has two wicker chairs and a big round table. It also has two chaise type loungers with foot rest.

We paid $1550 p.p. all taxes and all fees. Unlimited internet included. We also got prepaid gratuities and $200 obc. It do not include a drink package nor was it wanted or needed. The 4 30 till 8pm plus free wine, soda and beer 11am to 11pm is more than enough. If we would have bought the deluxe drink package. (the only one they have), it would have added about $330 p.p. with our Diamond discount. the same cruise on the Equinox was a little over $3,000 p.p. with all four perks.

. 

Thank you for the clarification.  Assuming that the cruises are 7 day cruises, the Allure of the Seas would be $270 a day pp with the Drink Package and Gratuities. (Also $200 OBC).  Assuming that none of those benefits are from your TA it would be significantly less that the Celebrity Sky Suite at $430 a day pp with the Drink Package, Gratuities, and Internet. (Also $300 OBC).  I fully understand your point.  

My January 2019 Silhouette Sky Suite Cruise is $320 pp a day plus the four perks. ( not factoring in my TA OBC and FCC OBC).  This is still more than your Allure Cruise.

I will have to make sure to look at the RCL option in the future as I do not see the same kind of pricing for suites on RCL. Although I will need a cruise longer than 7 days.  Also I realize that the Celebrity Suite pricing is going up especially on the Edge.  I will not need to worry about the Edge since it will probably be a while before they have longer cruises on the new ships.

[grandgeezer]

We got $350 obc (refundable, which means we are having it credited to our card), and dinner for two in any specialty restaurant from our online travel agent.

On this leg of the B2B we got the specialty restaurant and only $300 obc. We did pay about $250 p.p. more though. We went to the future cruise desk to find something in early 2019 and couldn’t find pricing anywhere near this, but still several hundred dollars, per person, than Celebrity so we decided to wait and bargain shop when we get home Sunday.

Great food, great service, and great entertainment, sort of on the cheap.

When the things that important to you are good, the not so important things like the crowds at time and trouble getting an elevator at times, inconsequental. Not having to use the Windjammer is a big plus also.

[Hlitner]

12 hours ago, Dolebludger said:

Hank, 

 

Nothing  I posted was rubbish, but was my own  experience. We have been Regent cruisers since 2011. But we took a music cruise on X in January 2018 in a celebrity suite, and loved the cruise as well as the music. As we wanted to return to Alaska in the summer, we booked a Royal suite on X and found it to be perhaps the best cruise ever for us. We decided we would return to X a third time in the future, but found prices for celebrity and royal suites had escalated geometrically. That is the summary of my post you call rubbish. I am not angry, but am sad that the increased prices for X senior suites will deprive us of the enjoyment of another. And that is not rubbish.

 

And if you find cruised on Crystal or Seabourn in balcony rooms for $500/pp/per day, please tell me where, because I can’t find those deals.

I took up your challenge, went to the web site of a favorite cruise agency (that we have used many times for decades) and simply searched for Seabourn cruises in March 2019.  One of the first cruises I saw was a 14 day Asia Passage cruise which departs from Hong Kong on March 2.  All cabins are balcony suites and these cheaper cabins are 250-300 sq feet plus balcony.  The quick price I got was $13,467 or $480 per person/day.  This includes everything (tips, drinks) plus kicks in a $200 OBC.  And this is not the most expensive Seabourn cruise.  A 14 day Southern Caribbean cruise prices out even lower and besides the $200OBC tosses in a free car/driver on St Lucia.  And those prices are not rubbish :).

 

We have a local weekly radio show hosted by a travel agent (we do not use her agency) who sometimes talks about cruises.  This lady has spent much of her life traveling and cruising and is very knowledgeable.   She constantly makes the point that cruising on the ultra-luxury lines can often be a better deal then the mass market lines...once you consider what is included.  For those that book lower priced cabins on the mass market lines, there is no way that the ultra-luxury lines make sense (financially).  But for anyone booking suites on the mass market lines, they might want to consider that they can often get on an ultra-luxury small ship (with amazing service and excellent cuisine) for about the same price.   Their cabin on a line like Seabourn might be a bit smaller then a large suite on a Celebrity ship....but you would be getting a 600 passenger vessel where everything on the ship screams luxury.  You will not be fighting for a deck chair or dealing with crowds in the buffet on these luxury vessels.

 

Hank

[Dolebludger]

Hank, 

 

Thank you for the information. I take it the $13,467 price on the 14 day Seabourn cruise is per couple and not per person. If so, the per diem per person rate is very interesting to me. While we don't wish to go to Asia and have been to the Caribbean too many times to want to go back, I shall check out Seabourn for itineraries we might want.

[tfred]

i would agree that once you start going "upscale' on Celebrity the cost makes one think about other lines.  Add in the booze and tips it does start to get to the Crystal and Seabourn range.  The X factors are a 600 pax ship vs 3000 pax - chairs, crowds at the bar (ever try to get near the Martini bar on Reflection?)

 

i actually like Celebrity as a line.  We did take a Rhine River cruise with Crystal this summer, plus an Oceania this spring - both opened my eyes.  The calmness on board both of those were nothing like Celebrity.  My favorite perch on Reflection was the sunset bar at the end of the day.  It is nice but still a struggle to get drinks