Six Ships and 60 days in the Caribbean

[kelmac]

Hello fellow cruisers!

 

My wife and I are retired teachers, with no children or pets and we even gave away all our house plants.  No mortgage, no car payments, and most of our income could be classified as disposable.   We just lock the door and off we go!  This fall (Oct 26) we started our first of six back-to-back cruises and returned home last week (Dec 22).  Our cruises included RCL’s Serenade of the Seas, MSC’s Meraviglia, Crystal’s Symphony, Celebrity’s Edge, HAL’s Nieuw Statendam, and Celebrity’s Reflection. I wanted to write a brief review that compares these very different experiences  while it is still fresh in my mind.  This review is about the ships only and how they compare; no information about itineraries or shore excursions.

 

This review would have to be twice as long to really cover our experiences.  If you have any questions, feel free to let me know.  This year has been our “big year” of travel, since my wife retired a year and a half ago.  We’ve spent almost half the year on the road, with most of those days on cruise ships.  We are time rich and budget poor, but we really get our dollar’s worth in all our travel endeavors.  All ships left out of south Florida, except our first cruise, which was a repositioning cruise from Boston to Ft Lauderdale.

 

RCL Serenade of the Seas  Repositioning from Boston to FLL

 

GREAT:  fast check in at 1 pm, with cabins ready at 1 and an amazing stateroom attendant (Alfredo for room 8509), well-designed cabin, luggage arrived at 1:15, table 434 (for 2 in the DR) was quiet with great service from Jaqueline and Bhomraj, adjustable height shower head and fantastic water pressure, best streaming internet we’ve had on a ship

 

BAD:  swampy, gassy smell in many hallways, ship needs a bit of a make-over, buffet food is just average.  Our New Motto for RCL—We’re doing the best we can.

 

 

MSC MERAVIGLIA

 

 

GREAT:  We were in YC, so it’s not quite the same experience as staying on the rest of the ship.  The ship is beautiful, attentive service everywhere, lots of fresh fruit and great drinks in YC. The inside cabin is a bit small, but it’s well-designed.  Bathroom shower is HOT with great pressure, and the towels are SO FLUFFY. Easy YC disembarkation. Amazing staff members in YC—Kheyelle, Arthur, Marcos and Wayan.  Lots of shelves for the book exchange.  Some may feel that the menu options for lunch and dinner in YC are a bit limiting, but the food was always tasty.  We like scheduling our evening shows in advance.

BAD:  CHAOS at embarkation, with long lines and bad organization.  Too bad that some of the fellow passengers were real jerks to the staff members.  Very long lines at customer service until the 3^rdday.  No shade in the YC pool area.  Canned music during the production shows. No live music in lounge / bars before dinner.  No live music in the YC.

 

CRYSTAL SYMPHONY

 

GREAT:We had been told that rooms were not open up 3 pm, so we arrived at 2pm, and we were able to board immediately.  Buffet is fantastic for breakfast and lunch, with options for all types of dietary needs.  Eldie was an amazing stateroom attendant, and Table 3’s team, Igor and Sandie, along with Jasper, really made our time in the dining room memorable.  The food was absolutely amazing, and they were able to easily accommodate dietary restrictions. Lots of deck space with fast, friendly waitstaff.  Promenade deck the way life on a ship was intended!  BONUS:  guest laundry room with soap and fabric softener.  

 

BAD:  Cruise Critic meeting was from 6:30-7:30pm.  

 

CELEBRITY EDGE

 

GREAT:  This ship is amazing!  Wonderful theater; great productions shows, along with Mirage in the Club, which provided an up-close, immersive circus experience.  Captain’s Club met in The Club (Ari makes the best drinks!), and Celebrity still has the best perks for loyalty members, with the 240 minutes of free internet and free laundry (which is vital when you’re traveling for 9 weeks).  The bed is fairly new, so it was still firm (unlike those saggy, droopy, sad mattresses on older ships).  We ate in the Cyprus, which was great (although the tables for 2 are very close together).  Jefferson and Romolo were fantastic and Wayan, our room steward was super-friendly.  The balcony room worked for us, as we really liked the ability to “expand” the room.  Charging stations, large bathroom, and overall great storage in the cabin.  Loved the design, the artwork, and open deck areas.  

 

BAD:  NO LIBRARY!!!  My wife, a retired teacher, found the small book exchange cart in Eden, but we always enjoy finding little gems among the shelves.  Maybe the area between the expensive jewelry store and the entrance to Eden (before the cool dark room with stalagmites and stalactites) could be a library.

 

HAL  NIEUW STATENDAM

 

GREAT:  We were among the first 10 people to embark, since we just walked off the EDGE and went straight to the HAL pier.  We waited for about 90 minutes outside the terminal, and we were on board around 11:30 am.  At noon, the rooms were available, and we happened to spy our luggage by the elevator at 12:15.  Lots of great storage is HAL ships.  Fabulous service from Paul and Made in 7025.  Cabin had a great shower with adjustable height shower head. The A/C worked perfectly (we’ve had problems on other ships).  Lovely artwork throughout the ship.  Lots of variety at the buffet.  Doug Funk was the best performer we’ve seen—improv comedy! Quick laundry service.  

BAD:  Tried to go to the Ocean Bar for Happy Hour, but it was absolutely packed. Some people go there two hours before HH starts, just to get a table.  Public areas were a bit warm.   As always, HAL serves beef that is tender but not flavorful. Canned music for performances. 

 

CELEBRITY REFLECTION

 

GREAT:  Arrived at 1 pm and were quickly check in and on board.  Room 1160 is huge for an interior room, with great shower, and Joywil was a fantastic stateroom attendant. Live music for production shows and the large theater was never full for any of the shows, so no need to show up 30-45 minutes early like on other ships.  Great Happy Hour in Sky Lounge for Captain’s Club with service from Hotensia, Made, and others. 

BAD:  We had booked to late to get early seating, so we tried anytime dining. First two nights went well, since we got to the DR at 5:30, but on the third night we arrived at 6:30 and were handed a pager.   Chatted with a couple who had been waiting 45 minutes, and when they were finally called, it was after 7:15.  We returned the pager and headed to the buffet.  Decided to just eat in the buffet for the rest of the cruise (we were getting a bit tired of food after 8 weeks at sea anyway). 

WISHES:  Include the artist, the name of the piece, and some information when displaying art on the ship.  We love live music, live bands during performances, etc.  

 

SUMMARY

 

One of the nice things about six back to back cruises on different ships is that it gives the ability to truly compare experiences.  In 79 cruises we’ve never had a bad cruise, but different lines have their own personality and culture.  We are a “glass half full” kind of couple and try to focus on the fact that all lines have dedicated workers who, day after day, give it their all to provide their customers with an outstanding cruise experience.  

Below is a quick look rating at different categories: (the Mac-O-Meter is on)             10 points is perfect.

 

RCL Serenade of the Seas (not all inclusive)

 

Ship condition --  7.8  (older ship)

MDR Food – 7.0 (basic)

Buffet Food – 6.5 (weak selection)

Entertainment – 8.3 (pretty good overall and good show times)

Cabin – 8.0 (inside; small, but well-designed; bed with the dreaded “crack”)

Service – 9.0 (excellent throughout the ship)

Frequent cruiser perks – 9.1 (free happy hour for Diamond and above)

Cost – 9.3 ($68.96 per person, per day; $200 OBC; a real bargain)

 

MSC Meraviglia (Yacht Club) (all inclusive)

 

Ship condition – 9.4 (beautiful brand new ship)

Yacht Club Food – 8.8 (great for the most part; some weak dishes)

Yacht Club Buffet – 8.0 (limited and basic options)

Entertainment – 8.2 (well-produced, but all canned music)

Cabin – 8.1 (inside, new, small, nice firm bed)

Service 9.8 (pampered in so many ways; escorted on and off the ship by butler)

Frequent cruiser perks  8.1 (Black Card onboard, status expired onboard)

Cost – 8.8 ($207 per person, per day;  includes all inclusive – onboard gratuities)

 

Crystal Symphony (all inclusive including onboard gratuities)

 

Ship condition -- 8.3 (very old ship, but well maintained)

MDR Food – 9.8 (best cruise food we’ve experienced; custom orders available)

Buffet Food – 9.6 (small, high quality dishes; upscale and nice variety)

Entertainment – 9.0 (surprisingly excellent shows; great mix of acts)

Cabin – 8.7 (obstructed OV; old, nice size, traditional, great shape)

Service – 9.8 (luxury line for sure; super service all over the ship)

Frequent cruiser perks  -- N/A (our first with Crystal, but not a factor)

Cost – 8.0 ($255 per person, per day; splurge for us; is it worth it ???)

 

Celebrity Edge  (not-all inclusive; no booking perks)

 

Ship condition – 9.5 (new and spectacular; our new favorite ship)

MDR Food – 8.7 (great dishes; slow kitchen; in Cyprus restaurant)

Buffet Food – 8.6 (excellent variety; unique stations)

Entertainment – 8.4 (standard Celebrity stuff; one weak comedian)

Cabin – 9.6 (Infinite balcony; love this concept; large cabin)

Service – 9.5 (consistent, professional, and cordial)

Frequent cruiser perks 9.3 (free happy hour drinks, laundry, and internet)

Cost – 8.9 ($160 per person, per day; bargain for a new ship)

 

Holland America Nieuw Statendam (not all inclusive; no booking perks)

 

Ship condition – 9.4 (new ship, but still in the HAL tradition)

MDR Food – 8.3 (traditional options, good quality, nice selection)

Buffet Food – 8.1 (nice selection; long lines; traditional items)

Entertainment – 8.3 (standard stuff; nice variety of acts)

Cabin – 9.0 (inside, nice A/C; good storage; firm bed)

Service – 9.6 (superior service all over the ship; nice note from the laundry team)

Frequent cruiser perks – 6.5 (HAL’s big weakness; 3 Star and nothing to show for it)

Cost – 9.3 ($88 per person, per day; great deal)

 

Celebrity Reflection (not all inclusive; no booking perks)

 

Ship condition – 8.5 (love the S-class ships; well maintained; nice size)

MDR Food – 8.4 (only ate two meals in MDR; don’t like anytime dining)

Buffet Food – 8.3 (loads of choices; good quality; great breakfast choices)

Entertainment – 8.2 (pretty standard stuff; good variety)

Cabin – 8.9 (inside, large cabin; good storage; firm bed)

Service – 9.4 (great through out the ship; Capt’s Club Sky lounge excellent)

Frequent cruiser perks – 9.3 (Celebrity is the best in this category)

Cost – 9.2 ($75 per person, per day; best deal of the six cruises)

 

 

[mac_tlc]

Sounds like a wonderful journey! When I retired last year we did 5 cruises over 8 months,  and splurged with an AQ suite, a TA, a CLS, and two new ships (Symphony and Edge).

 

Doing them back to back gives you a great opportunity to compare while the experiences are still fresh in your mind. We really enjoyed the Edge also!

 

Thank you for taking the time to review and compare!

 

Happy retirement—— nothing like it!!

 

mac_toc

[portofrome]

Thank you for the fantastic comparisons!

[cruiselvr04]

Thanks for your detailed comparisons.  

 

We are looking forward to doing some of this type of cruising after retirement but maybe using Australia as a base to cruise from for a couple of months with some Airbnb stays between.  Paying once for airfare just makes sense.

[puppycanducruise]

Thanks for the comparisons.

Nice research project. A+

[bouhunter]

Thanks for sharing.  We'll be on Serenade and Nieuw Statendam this winter.

[LuCruise]

How great you were able to do 6 B2B and on different lines.  Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Always interested in hearing about other lines and the pros and cons of each.

[mugtech]

Any reason you did not do Carnival or NCL?

[Merion_Mom]

Thanks for sharing your journey!  VERY informative.  

 

And you ARE glass-half-full!  Applause for you!

[kelmac]

46 minutes ago, mugtech said:

Any reason you did not do Carnival or NCL?

We've never cruised Carnival, not sure why; maybe some day?  We've cruised NCL eight times and enjoy their product, but they have drifted into a more expensive range as of late.  We always pick up their drink package; their ultimate dining package and avoid the MDR for dinner.  We used to get all this a great price, but not any more.  Their new larger ships are crowded, so we prefer the older mid-size ships (ie -- the Jade, Jewel...,).  All of the upcharge expenses just don't add up anymore and their taxes/fees are always the most expensive compared to other lines.  Not sure why?

I'm sure we will be back some day.🙂

[suesnake2002]

How much weight did you gain??

[Tom47]

Thanks for your review.

[kelmac]

4 hours ago, suesnake2002 said:

How much weight did you gain??

ss2002,

Excellent question!  I'm afraid to get on the scales, but my guess would be 8 -- 10 pounds (I'm a big guy/6'+/245lbs).  Now that I'm back home I'm doing one meal a day + healthy snacks and I feel like it's already coming off and headed the right direction.  After about two more weeks of Gym time, I might test the scales for a reading.😉

I only have two months to get back to a normal baseline, as we are putting together a 11 day + 44 day cruise to South America.

I must say, I'm getting better at pacing myself onboard ships.  

Enjoy!

Kel

[PhoenixCruiser]

What an adventure! That had to be fun to plan.

 

I enjoyed reading your thoughts.

[Jimbo]

18 hours ago, kelmac said:

ss2002,

Excellent question!  I'm afraid to get on the scales, but my guess would be 8 -- 10 pounds (I'm a big guy/6'+/245lbs).  Now that I'm back home I'm doing one meal a day + healthy snacks and I feel like it's already coming off and headed the right direction.  After about two more weeks of Gym time, I might test the scales for a reading.😉

I only have two months to get back to a normal baseline, as we are putting together a 11 day + 44 day cruise to South America.

I must say, I'm getting better at pacing myself onboard ships.  

Enjoy!

Kel

Curious what cruiselines you  picked for the next 2 cruises? how much per day?

Edited January 1, 2020 by Jimbo

[kelmac]

10 hours ago, PhoenixCruiser said:

What an adventure! That had to be fun to plan.

 

I enjoyed reading your thoughts.

PC,

I'm glad you brought this up!  For me, half the fun is putting the whole thing together, with flights, hotels, rental cars, excursions, and general researching of the areas we will visit, including South Florida.

 

Enjoy!

Kel

[kelmac]

1 hour ago, Jimbo said:

Curious what cruiselines you  picked for the next 2 cruises? how much per day?

J,

That's a good question.  We will board Celebrity's Reflection for an A,B,C deep Caribbean cruise on March 2nd, and then board HAL's Koningsdam on March 15th, for a total of 55 cruising days.  We will arrive two days early in Ft Lauderdale, we have two days between cruises, and we will stay two nights post-cruise in San Diego.  

Reflection cost = $95.36 per person, per day (no perks*) CAT 9 inside cabin

Koningsdam cost = $104.37 per person, per day (prepaid gratuities included -- $1,276 perk) CAT K inside guarantee

*I say no perks, but our last Reflection cruise we were surprised with $100 OBC we didn't even know about.

 

Enjoy,

Kel

[pstone1]

Thank you for your well written reviews!  We frequently sail on the Serenade and just booked a 2022 Edge cruise last night!  The insight and information you provided for the different lines will be helpful when considering future cruises.  Again, thank you for sharing!

[kelmac]

44 minutes ago, pstone1 said:

Thank you for your well written reviews!  We frequently sail on the Serenade and just booked a 2022 Edge cruise last night!  The insight and information you provided for the different lines will be helpful when considering future cruises.  Again, thank you for sharing!

Thanks Paula,

We thought the Serenade was a fun ship and really enjoyed our 12 days onboard.  The Edge is our new favorite ship, but others find it too different and strange.  We aren't cabin people and we always "under-use" our balcony when we have one.  The Infinity

balcony cabins on the Edge are really different; more like an extended glass walled cabin.  We loved it!  Our TA got us moved from our inside CAT9 cabin to an Infinity Veranda Cabin for no additional cost.  

 

[Tee & Chilli]

Thanks for the excellent reviews. Did you book your sailings considering the dates first or the ships? 

 

Was cost a factor in deciding?

Edited January 1, 2020 by Tee & Chilli

[pstone1]

2 hours ago, kelmac said:

Thanks Paula,

We thought the Serenade was a fun ship and really enjoyed our 12 days onboard.  The Edge is our new favorite ship, but others find it too different and strange.  We aren't cabin people and we always "under-use" our balcony when we have one.  The Infinity

balcony cabins on the Edge are really different; more like an extended glass walled cabin.  We loved it!  Our TA got us moved from our inside CAT9 cabin to an Infinity Veranda Cabin for no additional cost.  

 

 

 

Thanks!  I have one question if you don’t mind about the Infinity Balcony Cabin which is what we booked.  Can you close off the glass walled section when you open the balcony “window” to keep the AC in your cabin?   I like a cold cabin and will not like losing AC to have the ocean breeze.  Still willing to give it a try though!

[kelmac]

3 hours ago, Tee & Chilli said:

Thanks for the excellent reviews. Did you book your sailings considering the dates first or the ships? 

 

Was cost a factor in deciding?

Hi T&C,

We had to match dates with our preferred itineraries/ships and then check for prices.  We actually booked the MSC Meraviglia YC and the Crystal Symphony first, and then started filling in the other ships.  We were only going to do those first two cruises because we wanted to have an upscale experience, but we couldn't help ourselves as we found some bargains that would match up to the original two.

[kelmac]

2 hours ago, pstone1 said:

 

 

Thanks!  I have one question if you don’t mind about the Infinity Balcony Cabin which is what we booked.  Can you close off the glass walled section when you open the balcony “window” to keep the AC in your cabin?   I like a cold cabin and will not like losing AC to have the ocean breeze.  Still willing to give it a try though!

The folding doors that divide the balcony from the cabin are not completely air-tight, and once you lower the upper window it shuts down the A/C unit.  After the first night, we just left the folding doors open and kept the window closed.  Gives you about 245sq feet of cabin and the A/C worked great (we too like a very cool cabin).  There is a tight window shade that will lower if you want it darker -- we would do this when we went to bed so the early morning sun wouldn't wake us up.  Unless you are parked next to another ship, no one can see into your cabin when the blinds are up. 

We prefer this set up to a traditional balcony, but many others disagree.

 

Enjoy!

Kel

[pstone1]

Thank you again!  Sounds very interesting and I’m sure we will be fine in the Infinity Balcony!  We got a great deal on our cruise and are prepared to enjoy it!  Happy New Year and happy future cruising!

[Jimbo]

7 hours ago, kelmac said:

J,

That's a good question.  We will board Celebrity's Reflection for an A,B,C deep Caribbean cruise on March 2nd, and then board HAL's Koningsdam on March 15th, for a total of 55 cruising days.  We will arrive two days early in Ft Lauderdale, we have two days between cruises, and we will stay two nights post-cruise in San Diego.  

Reflection cost = $95.36 per person, per day (no perks*) CAT 9 inside cabin

Koningsdam cost = $104.37 per person, per day (prepaid gratuities included -- $1,276 perk) CAT K inside guarantee

*I say no perks, but our last Reflection cruise we were surprised with $100 OBC we didn't even know about.

 

Enjoy,

Kel

Wow, thats quite a trip, sailing around South America and ending up in Vancouver. But 48 days on a ship, in an interior cabin too. I'm impressed!