RCCL and Celebrity

[Ericknow32]

[quote name='gkm']Susan, I like both lines, each for different reasons. Dinners are better on Celebrity, but RCI has better a better buffet for breakfast and lunch. Also the way their buffet is laid out is much better. The RCI ships are prettier, I like the layout of their cabins better and they have more activities with more variety. It's the little touches on Celebrity that are missing on RCI, plus no breadsticks.:eek: There's no champagne and water carafes, no escort to the cabin, no cool towels after a hot day of excursions. There are no concierge cabins but RCI has the concierge lounge which is nice if you have sailed enough to qualify to use it. Our wait staff and cabin stewards have been excellent on both cruise lines.

I'm happy on either ship. We look at the itinerary and our schedules and whichever ship is sailing, you'll find us on it. I also think RCI has better pricing.

Garry[/quote]After recently getting off of the Summit, I can't agree with your assessment more. Except for one thing, Celebrity has the waffle bar which alone makes Celebrity's breakfast buffet better.:D But other than that, I agree. By the way, I am sorry for getting you involved with MACOP.

[canderson]

[quote name='Ericknow32']After recently getting off of the Summit, I can't agree with your assessment more. Except for one thing, Celebrity has the waffle bar which alone makes Celebrity's breakfast buffet better.:D But other than that, I agree. By the way, I am sorry for getting you involved with MACOP.[/quote]Just don't forget who you're messing with. This isn't your ordinary blue light special...
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[gkm]

Eric, you didn't, but thanks.;) I can't speak for the waffle bar because I don't eat there. I have to control my weight somewhere so breakfast is usually it and I have fresh fruit and cereal.:eek: I just wander around and drool at the other offerings.:rolleyes: :D

Chris, you're so funny.

Garry

[teajak]

I totally agree with GKM, we are happy with either X or RCI. We just got off the Grandeur and it was the best food we have ever had on a cruise. Go figure. Each line has it's plus and minus. Prefer X but loved the Grandeur. We might as well face facts, MACOP is never going to shut up about that Summit cruise.

[Randi S.]

In August we were on the Voyager. We sailed on RCCL 15 years before, with nothing to compare it with. Had a great cruise and it caused our addiction to cruising! Since then, we were on Princess, X, and even Carnival. Up until our sailing on the Voyager, we always said there wasn't a cruise we did not enjoy.
The food and the service did not come close to comparing to any of the others, [I]especially[/I] X. We weren't surprised by this, but we [I]were[/I] surprised that the entertainment was Ho-Hum. This was a family reunion for us, and there were families in our group with kids from eight years old to teenagers. They were all disenchanted with their programs. True, this was at a time when school was out, but you would think RCCL would have been prepared for this many kids. Security was awful!
Our room stewards, and wait staff tried so very hard, but confided in us that new policies put in place by RCCL prohibted them from doing what they used to do.
During the worst disembarkation we ever experienced, you heard nothing but complaints. You always get some who aren't happy, but this seemed to be a unanimous opinion.The only redeeming part of the cruise was the fact that our family all got to be together. The thing that bothers me the most, were the many first time cruisers who would not choose to cruise again.
Celebrity is my favorite (Going on the Infinity May 20), but till now, I would have told anyone they would have a great time on any cruise they chose. No more RCCL for me.

[Lovincruisin1321]

I posted earlier, making my decision for the Alaska cruise with Radiance. Some of these posts made it very clear that some X ships were worn down.

Has anyone sailed to the Baltic on X? On RCCL?

We are planning our 25th wedding anniversary in 2007. Want to make it special.

[rubrrick]

Randi.......that's a fair assesment. Not every ship, every time will be a wonderful experience, because the cruise industry has cloned itself, and sometimes make mistakes. I was aboard the Legend last spring, from Southampton to the Canary Islands, and I thought we were going to have a mutiny, because RCCL changed the dollar to the pound, without telling anyone. Yikes!!!
Yet, we make lemonade from lemons, as anyone can on any cruise.

Garry, there is no one here that is not in awe of what you have contributed to CC. I enjoy reading your posts, as they give me some insight to what I might be doing next.

Eric........thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Rick

PS.......I'll be back after taking the Mercury.......trip to the Mexican Riviera!!

[tuggers]

I don't think of X's ships as 'worn down'. I guess I need to go back and reread this thread. That's certainly not my opinion!

[gkm]

Randi, the Voyager class ships are not my favorite either. They're just too big. I feel like I'm in a shopping mall rather than on a ship. I like to be able to see the ocean. I found that friendships weren't formed like on the smaller ships because the ship was so huge you'd meet and talk to someone and then never see them again. Of the RCI ships, the radiance class are my favorite of the RCI ships. I like ALL of the Celebrity ones.;)

Rubrrick, I'm blushing. Thank you.

Garry

[kelmac]

[quote name='Lovincruisin1321']I posted earlier, making my decision for the Alaska cruise with Radiance. Some of these posts made it very clear that some X ships were worn down.

Has anyone sailed to the Baltic on X? On RCCL?

We are planning our 25th wedding anniversary in 2007. Want to make it special.[/quote]

To tell you the truth, the wear and tear on all ships is about the same. Every company does a pretty good job of replacing worn carpets, constantly painting, updating furniture..., NCL, RCCL, Celebrity, Princess, HAL, they all do a wonderful job of keeping their ships in great condition.
When you compare RCI ships to Celebrity ships, the only "apples to apples" comparison is the Radiance class ships and the Millennium class ships. The older Vision class ships of RCI have very small cabins. The Voyager class ships are in their own class.
The big difference is cuisine and service. Celebrity does a much better job with these two. In addition, the space ratio, and the staff to passenger ratio favors Celebrity as well.
RCI is on the cutting edge of bringing new customers to cruising. They have just started a new class of 220,000 ton ships that will be out in 2009. They have super ships, but if you want excellence in cuisine and service, look to Celebrity or one of the upscale cruise lines.
The Millennium class ships are the best "bang for the buck" you will find in the industry (IMHO).:)
By the way, we did the Baltic on the Constellation when the ship was only a few weeks old. Dover, to Dover, 14 days back in 2002 when all cruises were ridicuiously cheap post 9/11. Pretty close to a perfect cruise!

Enjoy!
Kel

[canderson]

[quote name='kelmac']
The Millennium class ships are the best "bang for the buck" you will find in the industry (IMHO).:)
[/quote]? Where more or less equivalent itineraries are offered, I've found that the [U]slightly[/U] smaller C-Class ships tend to have cheaper per diems. Or am I misunderstanding what you mean by "bang for the buck"?

[kelmac]

[quote name='canderson']? Where more or less equivalent itineraries are offered, I've found that the [U]slightly[/U] smaller C-Class ships tend to have cheaper per diems. Or am I misunderstanding what you mean by "bang for the buck"?[/quote]

Hi Chris,

No, you are correct, the C-class ships have lower per diems, but for what you get (altn restaurant, spa pool, spa cafe, gym....,) the Millennium class ships have always felt like the best deal to us. Of course, cuisine, service, and uncrowded conditions are a priority when we cruise. As of late, you really have to search to find a deal on a Milllennium class ship, but they are out there. Next winter break we will be on the Millennium @ $100.86 per/day/person Cat 9. There are some great deals on the Constellation next spring break 2007.

Enjoy!:)
Kel

[Cruising89143]

[quote name='MACOP']but love to post about folks. Try repecting people, to get along & enjoy cruising. You do not know me or my husband so how you can say it is our first with RCCL.[/quote]

I have a question. I have been trying to figure out who your posts remind me of. Are you the former person that posted under the screen name theAwesome1???? If not your posting actions are identical to that person.

[tuggers]

I believe that question was addressed in post #91!

[Cruising89143]

[quote name='tuggers']I believe that question was addressed in post #91![/quote]

Sorry missed that one. I thought that it all looked familiar. I also remember this person posting over on usenets rec.travel.cruises. I could spot it a mile away. She is now posting over on the RCI board!!!!:eek:

[rubrrick]

Cruisingator..........obviously I have missed something here, being fairly new to the board. You are telling me that MACOP has an alias?
Could you be kind enough to fill me in?

Rick

[tuggers]

Rick,

You accused me of stirring dirt for an innocent thread.

Now who won't let it die? The answer is in the post you questioned.

[rubrrick]

[quote name='tuggers']Rick,

You accused me of stirring dirt for an innocent thread.

Now who won't let it die? The answer is in the post you questioned.[/quote]

Hang on tuggers.......I see nothing about you in the question that I asked cruisingator. Unless you are also poising as cruisingator!!! I simply asked a question for clarifacation.

Please show me where I have EVER accused you of stirring dirt?

Rick

[tuggers]

uhh.....tuggers..........uh...........this is the Celebrity board..........uh....maybe this should be posted on the Royal Caribbean board?????:D

OK, what dirt are you trying to stir up???


Rick

[rubrrick]

tuggers.........you caught me by surprise..... You are talking about the "most bizarre subject you have ever seen on CC".........I didn't catch the two threads.........wow!.......no pun intended and my apologies if I stirred up anything. It's that you stated something that I thought would be on the RCCl board. If you didn't see the :D you might know that it was light hearted.

Rick

[Lovincruisin1321]

Can we all just get along?? :D

 

This is where we are suppose to be sharing past experiences and giving advice. This started out as a thread about RCCL vs X.

 

Back to those happy cruising vibes, people!:)

[tuggers]

If you are talking about Rick and I, that was just good natured bantering. that's the way I took it and I'm sure he did too.

 

Sorry if we upset anyone.