Long Time Carnival Platinum Guest Trying Celebrity - Expectation vs Reality

[mfs2k]

3 minutes ago, SleepingUgly said:

Having expectations does not mean we are so close-minded that we'll be disappointed if expectations are not met.  Who knows, you may be pleasantly surprised at being proven wrong at some things, haha.  You sound like you will be going into this experience with an open mind, and I look forward to reading about "reality vs. expectation" when you return.  Safe travels and have a fantastic vacation!  

 

Thank you.  I think you get me.  And yes, I am looking forward to having my expectations exceeded !  It's great when that happens.  

 

3 minutes ago, SleepingUgly said:

or something as simple as making dinner (my expectation is that I will fail spectacularly at making even toast, and that is generally proven true). 

 

This made me LOL. 

Edited March 1, 2019 by mfs2k

[amscene1]

I cruise a lot, but what I can say is variety is key. I could never go on celebrity 3 cruises in a row, I have to constantly try new lines, ships and experiences. 

 

Every cruise line has its own pros and cons. There are some things about Carnival that  is done way better than Celebrity and vice versa. 

 

 

[mfs2k]

 

Part of the post was also to write about my experiences on Carnival for Celebrity guests who I think have misconceptions about the Carnival experience.   

 

I hope some people who have never sailed on Carnival, but think of it as Walmart on water, read what I wrote with an open mind.  I'm not looking to sell Carnival, but I was highlighting how easy it is to form impressions, before trying something.  And that's what my "expectations" part was expressing.   

[mayleeman]

Being a professional in a hospitality field would probably make it impossible for you ever to have cruised without evaluating your experience and comparing it to expectations. Most of us undoubtedly are unversed in the type of organized self-examination that allows you to break down your "impressions of what to expect" in the areas you have set out.

 

I think they interpret it as rigidity, but I think it simply reflects your knowledge and expertise. A mountain guide from the Rockies would be able to know how to approach a tour of the Alps with a vast wealth of sophistication that could color their ideas of what to expect. I, on the other hand, would go just expecting to say "Wow!"

 

Although the unexamined life may be less interesting, over-examination can lead to immersion in passive observation and hyper criticality. The key is to never let knowledge get in the way of "Wow" and it sounds like you are aware of that. We are going on our first Celeb cruise in 5 weeks, and fully expect to be wowed a lot. (We have upgraded to premium bev pkg, too!)

 

Have fun!

[mfs2k]

20 minutes ago, mayleeman said:

The key is to never let knowledge get in the way of "Wow" and it sounds like you are aware of that.

 

I love the "wow" and I appreciate it every time it happens.  Believe it or not, it DOES happen a lot for me. 

When I go to a restaurant I often have expectations, but I think I know how to have a good time and love when my expectations are exceeded.  I try not to be hypercritical when out, and go with the flow.  I do tend to get annoyed though, when my expectations are let down significantly.  I don't like when that happens.  For example, if I go to a great steakhouse, I'll expect a good to great steak, and if the steak is lousy, I'm not a happy diner.  At least on Celebrity, Im not expecting great steaks.  Someone who orders a steak in the main dining room of Celebrity, expecting a 14 oz, 21 day dry aged prime strip steak cooked medium rare, to his/her liking, will probably be very disappointed.  

Thank you for your comments.  

Edited March 1, 2019 by mfs2k

[elaineb]

I am contemplating the same things as the OP.   I have sailed 2X on Royal and 7X on Carnival.  In 3 weeks will be our first Celebrity cruise.  The price was unbelievable and we liked the itinerary - so Summit here we come!  I am looking forward to the food and the stateroom which will be brand new and we will be the first ones in it!  I am open and realize the first cruise after refurb may have its hiccups.  By I am hoping the service and food will blow us away.  I hope we will not be bored by the entertainment.  We do love the piano bar on Carnival.  But we are travelling with my brother and his wife, and if we get bored, we will play cards.  We know how to make our own fun.

[SFCAcruiser]

50 minutes ago, mfs2k said:

 

Part of the post was also to write about my experiences on Carnival for Celebrity guests who I think have misconceptions about the Carnival experience.   

 

I hope some people who have never sailed on Carnival, but think of it as Walmart on water, read what I wrote with an open mind.  I'm not looking to sell Carnival, but I was highlighting how easy it is to form impressions, before trying something.  And that's what my "expectations" part was expressing.   

 

I fall into that category - never been on Carnival and have some perceptions based upon Cruise Critic posts. So, you have achieved one of you goals to provide some insight to Carnival for the Celebrity cruiser. I give you extra credibility for your “hotelie” perspective 😎 

 

I very recently took my first Princess cruise, and it was challenging to avoid making comparisons between Princess and Celebrity for the first few days. I frequently had thoughts of “I prefer the way Celebrity does this or that”, or “I like the way Princess does this or that.” Like everything else in life, there were pros and cons for my recent cruise. I will not judge an entire cruise line based upon one ship, one itinerary. There were enough positive things that I will likely try Princess again, although I prefer Celebrity.

[Nymich]

To the OP I thought it pretty cool that you thought the trip out and I even agree with most of your comments on the two lines.

We don't travel Carnival very often but tons of people like it so who am to judge.  I could pick the best things from Carnival, HAL, Princess, Celebrity and MSC and each of them would rate best in different categories.  NONE of them are best at everything imo……..not even close.   Having done aqua a few times including Equinox we like the aqua spa café, thermal use, Blu and the biggest reason is the BOSS likes aqua!

 

I am a lot like you I will find the things I like wherever I am and avoid the things I don't.   Have a great trip!

[cachouonacruise]

OP I have not sailed Equinox yet, (only Solstice and Infinity) and I have not sailed Carnival (only RCCL, HAL and X).

 

When I transitioned from RCCL to HAL, I wish I had done what you’re trying to do: adjust my expectations, to be better prepared and to better enjoy the new cruise line.

 

Don’t take me wrong, HAL also offers a beautiful cruise experience, but going from sea days on RCCL where there was more to do then time to do them to sea days on HAL where the pace is much slower... I ended up feeling bored on sea days because I was not prepared.

 

Things that have positively impressed me on X include: name recognition in Blue. Friendliness and visibility of ship officers, including the captain, the nice pool reserved for adults, silent disco, Martini Bar and Cafe al Bacio. We also had a very memorable experience at Murano. The buffet at the Ocean View Cafe disposed in islands stations rather than single line-ups offers a prompt sevice and a very nice variety.

 

Lastly, something that is not often discussed on these boards: safety. We took an inside the ship tour on Solstice and I was really impressed with the ship’s design and safety components. I have been following events at sea for about 4 years now, and events such as power loss or passenger brawlings, are more frequent on some cruise lines than others ( X is not a cruise line with this kind of frequent events).

 

So, I am all for the idea of being well prepared, this said cruising in general is such a wonderful experience, leave yoursel open to go with the flow and enjoy your vacation. Feel free to come back to post your feedback! 

[villauk]

One thing this thread has highlighted for me is the amount of pax coming to X for the first time from competitors such as Carnival, and also the amount of long-standing X cruisers who have recently started searching out alternative lines - interesting.

[hcat]

1 hour ago, villauk said:

One thing this thread has highlighted for me is the amount of pax coming to X for the first time from competitors such as Carnival, and also the amount of long-standing X cruisers who have recently started searching out alternative lines - interesting.

Yup...

[Germancruiser]

I am in the long standing - alternative lines - group. I left X after 15 years of exclusivly sailing with them after they introduced

" Modern Luxury", which for me ment loud music - very loud music- almost all over the ship. The tendency to go more in the Partyboat direction. The cost cuts and so such things!

I tried Cunard and found them to be like " X- of the olden days"!

They wanted to attract a younger clientel and they did their job!

I don´t know if the OP will like X- after years of cruising Carnival. If expectations are to high they are likely to be disappointed!

Maybe the OP loves it - even more so since Modern Luxury got introduced! It remains to be seen!

I am back to X for a Transatlanic in April- and I can´t wait to see if I like it again! I have do admit- those Elite+ perks are a nice touch, too.

Also can´t wait to read the real experience when they are back.

Edited March 2, 2019 by Germancruiser

[mfs2k]

1 hour ago, Germancruiser said:

They wanted to attract a younger clientel and they did their job!

I don´t know if the OP will like X- after years of cruising Carnival. If expectations are to high they are likely to be disappointed!

Maybe the OP loves it - even more so since Modern Luxury got introduced! It remains to be seen!

 

I will let you know!  When I started sailing Carnival I was 27. I’m turning 60 in May. I’ve changed too! But I still like to have fun. 

[Germancruiser]

how funny I was 27 as well when I started cruising in real- i did two cruises on small ships with my parents in my teens. I started with RCI, then X- then Cunard- with one HAL and one Costa cruise in between! Oh and i just turned 50- LOL! Fun - i also love to have it, too- but each one has its own idea of fun- hehe!

[helen haywood]

I’ve sailed Royal, Costa, Holland, Carnival, MSC and Celebrity.  I’ve never had a bad cruise.  For me I’m on the ocean and that’s really all that matters.  Maybe I’m in the minority but they really seem more alike than dissimilar.  There will always be plenty of food,  music to dance to, drinks to enjoy, stars to count and ocean vistas to gaze at.

[DebInAntigua]

8 hours ago, Lady Arwen said:

This is what brings us back time and again to Celebrity.  I'm hoping the other cruise lines will follow suit in the near future.  HAL has already started to ban smoking on some of their ships, so a step in the right direction.  I'm confident that we'll all be sailing on totally smoke free ships in the next few years.

 

One can only hope! I *despise* the smell of cigarette smoke and as someone with asthma, it can also trigger very unpleasant problems with my breathing. I’ve ruled out entire cruiselines because they allow too many smoking areas onboard. Thank goodness X has smoking restrictions. If a similar quality cruiseline to Celebrity went 100% smoke free, though, they’d have my business forever. That’s how important it is to me to avoid it. 

[chemmo]

Each of our (many) Celebrity cruises has been slightly different, even when returning to the same ship and same room! The differences could have come from us, itinerary, staff, fellow guest mix...unsure. All have been at least very good, some have been outstanding. Strengths of Celebrity for us are the staff, the food and the calm ambience.

 

From what you say I think you are looking for a more restful than energetic cruise and that has been a strength for us on Celebrity. On sea days the Solarium area can be a nice relaxing alternative to the pool.

 

Murano’s is our favourite restaurant. Although the chateaubriand  says for two they will do it for one and then you could perhaps try the lobster prepared tableside. Don’t miss the ‘ballon rouge’ for desert. We have tried the extra cost steak in Tuscan but to be honest we have enjoyed the ribeye just as much. The most important thing about Tuscan is the view....You cannot ‘reserve’ a window seat but if you book as they open you most probably will get one, ideal on a day when opening time coincides with sail away.

 

Much as I understand the comments of others reminding you of the risks of ‘overthinking’ your upcoming cruise I do understand your thought process....We always say we get three levels of pleasure from a cruise ‘excited anticipation’, ‘the actual experience’ and ‘memories’.....Continue to enjoy your anticipation, don’t let any small issues (negative comparisons) spoil your cruise then return and share your memories.

 

Sincere best wishes for a fantastic cruise!

Edited March 2, 2019 by chemmo

[abbydancer2003]

10 hours ago, SFCAcruiser said:

 

I fall into that category - never been on Carnival and have some perceptions based upon Cruise Critic posts. So, you have achieved one of you goals to provide some insight to Carnival for the Celebrity cruiser. I give you extra credibility for your “hotelie” perspective 😎 

 

I very recently took my first Princess cruise, and it was challenging to avoid making comparisons between Princess and Celebrity for the first few days. I frequently had thoughts of “I prefer the way Celebrity does this or that”, or “I like the way Princess does this or that.” Like everything else in life, there were pros and cons for my recent cruise. I will not judge an entire cruise line based upon one ship, one itinerary. There were enough positive things that I will likely try Princess again, although I prefer Celebrity.

I came from Princess to Celebrity, and even though going the other way, had pretty much the same experiences.  "This is better on X" or "This is better on Princess".

 

And as far as entertainment, I've now done 5 Celebrity cruises, and in my limited experience, the entertainment depends to some extent on the cruise director.  I've had two with no real dance music, and only one production show, and three with decent entertainment.  The two mentioned first had the same cruise director.  The other three had different cruise directors.  I hope to never be with the first mentioned again.

[Caribbean Chris]

I enjoyed your expectations and think they’re pretty accurate.

 

However, to me Celebrity leans much more “Times Square” on short cruises and only somewhat toward “Lincoln Center” on the longer ones - transatlantic, Hawaii, etc.

 

I hope the short ribs are good -  I’ve ordered them in Blu and Luminae, and been disappointed both times by a slab of meat with a top layer of fat. (My expectations were smaller squares on bone, well-trimmed of external fat, and braised for a long time with a delicious reduction.) 

 

Murano is a goid choice. Enjoy your cruise!

[mfs2k]

3 minutes ago, Caribbean Chris said:

I enjoyed your expectations and think they’re pretty accurate.

 

However, to me Celebrity leans much more “Times Square” on short cruises and only somewhat toward “Lincoln Center” on the longer ones - transatlantic, Hawaii, etc.

 

I hope the short ribs are good -  I’ve ordered them in Blu and Luminae, and been disappointed both times by a slab of meat with a top layer of fat. (My expectations were smaller squares on bone, well-trimmed of external fat, and braised for a long time with a delicious reduction.) 

 

Murano is a goid choice. Enjoy your cruise!

 

Thanks for the feedback. Times Square meets Lincoln Center sounds like a good Broadway Show crowd. That’s all right by me.   I’ll let you know about the short ribs. 

[hcat]

7 minutes ago, mfs2k said:

 

Thanks for the feedback. Times Square meets Lincoln Center sounds like a good Broadway Show crowd. That’s all right by me.   I’ll let you know about the short ribs. 

I think you will find many diff people on X these days...coming over  from Royal C,  Carnival  Norwegian, Princess, etc. Many diff perspectives ...hopefully all share a love for cruising!

[Bootman4U]

You said above you think you could "fit in" with either "crowd." The question is, which one do you actually WANT to fit in with?

 

We cruised with Carnival VERY early on.  Sometimes the "fun" got in the way of safety in our experience.  You mentioned expecting something "more refined."  Don't worry, you'll see plenty of baseball caps on Celebrity, too.

[wrk2cruise]

You said you expected to be able to order off the MDR menu from Blu on Equinox.  My experience has been that on "S" class ships like Equinox that it's not possible due to the distance between Blu and MDR.  On "S" class ships Blu concept was designed into the ship and has it's own galley.  

 

When they retrofitted Blu onto the "M" class ships they just carved space from the MDR and they share a galley.  On these ships I have heard they do allow Blu diners to order MDR items.

 

The MDR menu has items that are available anytime like steak (but from what you said I'd avoid it), chicken, salmon, escargot, French Onion Soup and a few deserts.  These things ARE available in Blu as well on "S" class ships.

 

Also if you know the day before you might enjoy something you can always ask, they do try to please if possible.

[mfs2k]

54 minutes ago, Bootman4U said:

You said above you think you could "fit in" with either "crowd." The question is, which one do you actually WANT to fit in with?

 

I think that could vary depending on mood.  I could be happy at a football game and would also enjoy a Symphonic concert.  I’d never want to do either all the time. 

[hcat]

1 hour ago, Bootman4U said:

You said above you think you could "fit in" with either "crowd." The question is, which one do you actually WANT to fit in with?

 

We cruised with Carnival VERY early on.  Sometimes the "fun" got in the way of safety in our experience.  You mentioned expecting something "more refined."  Don't worry, you'll see plenty of baseball caps on Celebrity, too.

More and more caps ( golf, baseball, etc) are in style  ..but hopefully removed in any dining venue..

 

M Class BLU is adjacent to MDR  but not S Class.. .