Help choose British Isles Crown Princess vs. Celebrity Reflection

[RNCheryl]

Also posted on Princess Forum.

 

We are not loyal to any one cruise line, choosing rather an itinerary and cost comparing.

 

Spring/summer 2021.  

1.  June 7.  Crown Princess.  12 day.  Southampton, Guernsey, Cobh, Dublin, Belfast, Glasgow, SEA, Orkeny Islands, Invergordon, Edinburgh, SEA, Le Havre, Southampton.

          Refundable deposit, Wi fi, Grats, premium beverage, balcony $7798

          VERY concerned about the age, wear and tear of the Crown, especially bedding.

          Otherwise the itinerary is ideal.

 

2.  July 31.  Celebrity Reflection.  12 day.  Amsterdam, Dover, SEA, Cobh, Dublin, Liverpool, Belfast, Glasgow, SEA, Inverness, SEA, Bruges, Amsterdam

          Refundable deposit, beverage package, $300 OBC, grats. Balcony $6758.

          Have been on Reflection and liked it.  However, recent reviews show long waits for dining due to new cabin creation.

 

Would appreciate your recommendations.  Is June 7 too cool, is July 31 too warm.  Ships, ports, what do you prefer.

 

By the way, 70's retired, still very active, don't mind a port intensive cruise, but would like things to keep us occupied on SEA days as well.

We have been to Amsterdam and Dublin and London and Paris and Normandy, otherwise all new.

 

[Ken the cruiser]

50 minutes ago, RNCheryl said:

Also posted on Princess Forum.

 

We are not loyal to any one cruise line, choosing rather an itinerary and cost comparing.

 

Spring/summer 2021.  

1.  June 7.  Crown Princess.  12 day.  Southampton, Guernsey, Cobh, Dublin, Belfast, Glasgow, SEA, Orkeny Islands, Invergordon, Edinburgh, SEA, Le Havre, Southampton.

          Refundable deposit, Wi fi, Grats, premium beverage, balcony $7798

          VERY concerned about the age, wear and tear of the Crown, especially bedding.

          Otherwise the itinerary is ideal.

 

2.  July 31.  Celebrity Reflection.  12 day.  Amsterdam, Dover, SEA, Cobh, Dublin, Liverpool, Belfast, Glasgow, SEA, Inverness, SEA, Bruges, Amsterdam

          Refundable deposit, beverage package, $300 OBC, grats. Balcony $6758.

          Have been on Reflection and liked it.  However, recent reviews show long waits for dining due to new cabin creation.

 

Would appreciate your recommendations.  Is June 7 too cool, is July 31 too warm.  Ships, ports, what do you prefer.

 

By the way, 70's retired, still very active, don't mind a port intensive cruise, but would like things to keep us occupied on SEA days as well.

We have been to Amsterdam and Dublin and London and Paris and Normandy, otherwise all new.

 

We are in our mid 60s and were on the Crown on a 12 day British Isles cruise last July (12-24) in a CC mini suite and had a blast and the weather was great, usually in the 70s during the day!! Not sure if CC dining is worth it if you’re paying over $25-30 pp/day when compared to a regular mini suite. But if we were going to book a balcony and wanted at least 2 chairs in the cabin to sit in, the minimum we would book would be a Premium balcony. But as far as entertainment goes, there was plenty to do in the evening as well as on the 2 sea days we had. As far as bedding goes, we had no issues with the comfortable mattress we had in our cabin. 
 

We also thought about booking the similar X cruise that went out of Amsterdam, but it had 3 days at sea and we wanted a more port intensive cruise and the price was a little better on Princess for a similar cabin. But we had no doubt if we were to have gone on that one, we would have had a great time. We were on the Reflection for 21 days about a year ago and really didn’t experience any MDR issues, but we had early fixed seating, so we would just walk right in when the doors opened and went to our table. 

[HRH SR]

I would select Celebrity Reflection . I have sailed on this magnificent ship twice and it would be my first choice hands down . I love the outdoor lawn club grill , great lunch and dinners . Service was excellent . 

July weather is more appealing than a cooler June . Nice to be in Amsterdam to start and end with .  

Pricing says it all with the celebrity choice 

[gizmodog]

Easy, reflection! Having traveled both quite frequently celebrity is just a better product and cruise experience. I am actually done with princess, and if you are concerned about anytime dining on reflection, Princess is by far worse.

[villauk]

Reflection is our least favourite X ship (far too crowded for our liking in Europe in peak season), but for that much price difference, I’d go with X. 

 

July too warm - I think not - best bring your waterproofs 🤣.

[upwarduk]

We sailed on Crown Princess in 2017 and while there was nothing wrong with the cruise, I couldn’t wait to get back to Celebrity in 2018.

You cannot predict the summer weather in UK.

I would choose Reflection, because

a) it goes to Liverpool.

b) we pre book any time dining before boarding

c) I have better status on Celebrity

 

I have attached photos taken in Liverpool in June 2016, when Celebrity Silhouette was there.

 

Edited January 30, 2020 by upwarduk

[chemmo]

Are you dead set on a cruise?

 

You could easily do a driving tour or a coach tour of England or Scotland or Wales (or a combination of all three) for a lot less money or visit Ireland instead...

 

Just a thought...

[vickykay]

We were on the Reflection this past Sept.   We had select dining, a reservation for 7:00 every night and never had to wait.  We never really felt the ship was more crowded than the other S class ships ( we think the flow on Celebrity ships is much better than some other lines) but that’s just us.  Had a great cruise.

 

Also it’s really never too warm in Britain.  I’d suggest a fleece for Scotland.

Enjoy!

[Pacificlander]

We took the Crown on our British Isles cruise in Aug/Sept 2019. I was also concerned about the Crown's wear & tear but went with it as the price was much better and the itinerary was exactly what we wanted. Well the Crown was in great shape and we had the best staff we've had in several cruises. The only downside would have been the lack of variety in the main dining room. But it is close if not our favorite cruise to date! I think either ship would be fine, I'd go with what itinerary appealed the most.

[Perky1]

I think as we are comparing Princess vs Celebrity for 2021 and Princess is 12 day.... vs Celebrity is 12 night so you get an extra day.  That is how it works out for us.  Not sure if yours is the same but you should check that.

[Cruise a holic]

13 hours ago, RNCheryl said:

Also posted on Princess Forum.

 

We are not loyal to any one cruise line, choosing rather an itinerary and cost comparing.

 

Spring/summer 2021.  

1.  June 7.  Crown Princess.  12 day.  Southampton, Guernsey, Cobh, Dublin, Belfast, Glasgow, SEA, Orkeny Islands, Invergordon, Edinburgh, SEA, Le Havre, Southampton.

          Refundable deposit, Wi fi, Grats, premium beverage, balcony $7798

          VERY concerned about the age, wear and tear of the Crown, especially bedding.

          Otherwise the itinerary is ideal.

 

2.  July 31.  Celebrity Reflection.  12 day.  Amsterdam, Dover, SEA, Cobh, Dublin, Liverpool, Belfast, Glasgow, SEA, Inverness, SEA, Bruges, Amsterdam

          Refundable deposit, beverage package, $300 OBC, grats. Balcony $6758.

          Have been on Reflection and liked it.  However, recent reviews show long waits for dining due to new cabin creation.

 

Would appreciate your recommendations.  Is June 7 too cool, is July 31 too warm.  Ships, ports, what do you prefer.

 

By the way, 70's retired, still very active, don't mind a port intensive cruise, but would like things to keep us occupied on SEA days as well.

We have been to Amsterdam and Dublin and London and Paris and Normandy, otherwise all new.

 

Having sailed on both ships, without a doubt I would pick the Reflection.  The ship is so much nicer.  The food much better as is the service.  Found Princess, "plain vanilla" and very crowded-food not great-   We love the Lawn Grill on the Reflection and the other specialty restaurants as well.  Spent time in Princess in the retreat because we could find deck chairs.  The retreat wasn't worth the upcharge.  The beverage package and other perks on Celebrity worth it!  I do not think comparing is apples to apples- no comparison IMO.

Edited January 30, 2020 by Cruise a holic

[Bornagaintraveller]

Have also been on both ships. 18 months ago we went on crown princess with family members, whilst our family loved it my husband and myself couldn’t wait to get back to celebrity land! 
The 2  main things for me were the absolute measuring of drinks, I like a heavy pour and hate a measured drink, but the food was bad, I mean bad, some of the lunches in the main cafe at lunch were inedible. I love the celebrity ship food from cafe to MDR to speciality, top notch. 

[Xport]

14 hours ago, RNCheryl said:

Have been on Reflection and liked it.  However, recent reviews show long waits for dining due to new cabin creation.

 

 

While you are correct that Reflection is Celebrity's largest ship in terms of number of staterooms [and related guest capacity], no staterooms/no additional guest capacity has been added since Reflection first went into service in October 2012...  Compared to the other Solstice-Class ships, Reflection was built with additional cabins [Aqua Class and Aqua Suites (both with dining in Blu) with the latter long ago reclassified as Sky Suites (with dining in the newly created Luminae)] on Deck 12 [the pool was relocated from Deck 12 to  Deck 14] and five suites were added to Deck 14 [forward/port] as a carve out to the Sky Lounge...  The ship has no more cabins and no more guest capacity now than it did when you were last aboard...

 

I've cruised on Reflection four times since her inaugural Transatlantic in November 2012 and was most recently aboard for ten nights last month...  In 37 nights, I've only encountered a significant dining wait time once [it was in Luminae [no fixed dining times/no reservations; same is true in Blu] some years ago on the first night of the cruise; seemingly everyone showed up to be seated at the same time; by the second night, it leveled out] but have had no waits otherwise...  Each trip--regardless of cruise line--has a different dynamic for guest dining time preference [which can also vary day-to-day depending upon port schedule, specialty dining reservations, and on Evening Chic nights]…  Though understandably not perfect, my impression is that Celebrity does a particularly good job in doing their best to predict and adapt their daily dining operations to meet guest demand/minimize waits...   

 

  

Edited January 30, 2020 by Xport

[dani negreanu]

Having been on both, Reflection without doubt.

 

Didn't like the Crown and didn't go back to Princess because of it.

[George C]

We also didn’t like Crown would not want to sail her again .

[DrKoob]

15 hours ago, chemmo said:

Are you dead set on a cruise?

 

You could easily do a driving tour or a coach tour of England or Scotland or Wales (or a combination of all three) for a lot less money or visit Ireland instead...

 

Just a thought...

 

Not sure why you would say this? Since you have as many posts as you do, I know you realize this is a cruise forum and that there is a HUGE difference between a coach or driving tour anyplace. For one thing I can't even imagine visiting all those places and having to pack and unpack every time we got to a new town. Second, I am fairly tall and the idea of sitting on a bus for that much time is not even a thought. 

 

Sorry, just really surprised by this answer. 

[DrKoob]

23 hours ago, RNCheryl said:

 

          Have been on Reflection and liked it.  However, recent reviews show long waits for dining due to new cabin creation.

 

 

If you have sailed Reflection before, you will see no difference. No staterooms have been added to Reflection since she was launched. She is scheduled to be the last ship upgraded in the current bunch of upgrades.

[Silkroad]

1 hour ago, DrKoob said:

 

Not sure why you would say this? Since you have as many posts as you do, I know you realize this is a cruise forum and that there is a HUGE difference between a coach or driving tour anyplace. For one thing I can't even imagine visiting all those places and having to pack and unpack every time we got to a new town. Second, I am fairly tall and the idea of sitting on a bus for that much time is not even a thought. 

 

Sorry, just really surprised by this answer. 

It’s not uncommon for people on CC to discuss land travel vs cruise travel options. While I happen to feel the same way about lengthy coach tours, neither of us are the OP and her travel companion. If I were considering these itineraries, I would give the most weight to posts from Chemmo and upwarduk. Why? Because I know they are experienced travelers who make helpful, informative posts, and they also live in the region under discussion.

Edited January 31, 2020 by Silkroad

[macaroni]

I would do Liverpool and do the private.  Fab4 tour...best tour we have ever done if you have any interest in the Beatles!

[chemmo]

5 hours ago, DrKoob said:

 

Not sure why you would say this? Since you have as many posts as you do, I know you realize this is a cruise forum and that there is a HUGE difference between a coach or driving tour anyplace. For one thing I can't even imagine visiting all those places and having to pack and unpack every time we got to a new town. Second, I am fairly tall and the idea of sitting on a bus for that much time is not even a thought. 

 

Sorry, just really surprised by this answer. 

 

There are some parts of the world that are ideal for cruising to get a ‘flavour’ of their history and culture...Then there are other’s where (in my humble opinion) you can see and experience so much more with a land tour. 

 

One of the beautiful things about touring by land in the U.K. is that you don’t need to change hotels on a nightly basis. Put a pin in a map of Britain and just see how many places are within a 20 mile radius...You can stay in 3/4 towns for 3/4 nights each and enjoy everything within a circular radius. 

 

I mentioned coach tours as an alternative land option. Whilst they don’t suit everyone if you don’t want the stress and strain of driving  they are a viable option. They come in numerous varieties to suit most people and pockets...They are ideal for those who do not want to drive themselves. 

 

The aim of all my posts is to (hopefully) enhance the knowledge/pleasure/planning/thought process of others...Over many years we have received excellent advice from fellow posters on CC sometimes with comments that made us think ‘outside the box’...that was my only aim here. 

 

My post was brief, not dismissive of either itinerary or ship, simply aiming to ensure that the OP had considered other options...

 

 

 

 

 

 

[chemmo]

4 hours ago, Silkroad said:

It’s not uncommon for people on CC to discuss land travel vs cruise travel options. While I happen to feel the same way about lengthy coach tours, neither of us are the OP and her travel companion. If I were considering these itineraries, I would give the most weight to posts from Chemmo and upwarduk. Why? Because I know they are experienced travelers who make helpful, informative posts, and they also live in the region under discussion.

 

 

Like you, we have regularly read discussions on land travel vs cruise travel options and found them interesting and informative. The OP on posts where alternatives to cruises are suggested can then choose to decide ‘not for them’ or find out a bit more...certainly, in my opinion, useful and relevant posts on CC.

 

Thankyou for your supportive response...

 

 

 

 

[villauk]

1 hour ago, chemmo said:

One of the beautiful things about touring by land in the U.K. is that you don’t need to change hotels on a nightly basis. Put a pin in a map of Britain and just see how many places are within a 20 mile radius...You can stay in 3/4 towns for 3/4 nights each and enjoy everything within a circular radius. 

 

 

Yes, give me the Cotswolds, Cornwall, Somerset, Devon etc. any day than some of the large cities.

[Eglesbrech]

Firstly I would say there is little difference in the weather between June and July. Here is Scotland at least the weather is changeable and we have a saying - if you don’t like the weather just wait 20 minutes. You can get hot sunshine or showers, hail or wind all in one day so take layers.

I would take a very careful look at the ports for both cruises and where they are actually docking. Cruise lines tell you you are going to for example Glasgow when you are actually docked a long drive / train ride up the road in Greenock. Edinburgh can mean at tender under the Forth Bridges in South Queensferry, again a good bit away from the city or the port of Leith which is much closer to the city centre.

 

Princess are showing Invergorden which is a village near Inverness. Celebrity is showing Inverness which actually means Invergordon (where you will be made very, very welcome).

 

Specifically Check Amsterdam as some lines still take you right into the city centre where you can just walk off the ship to attractions and others now dock in Imujin which is very a long way away and a costly shuttle ride. You might find that Princess is Imujin as their parent company have moved all their brands out of the city centre, or at least they had so worth checking.

 

[SausPud]

Just to throw another spanner into the mix but thought this might help with your booking. 

I wanted to do a UK tour cruise for Summer 2021 and after lengthy research have found and booked this:

Island Princess - 27 July 2021 - 14 days

Ports of Call are:

Southampton, Guernsey, Cork, Holyhead, Belfast, Glasgow, Shetland Islands, Orkney Islands, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Portland, Southampton.

South get the full UK on this cruise, with England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

 

Also in Edinburgh for the Tattoo overnight port but is tender boat stop.

 

Hope this doesn't confuse you more and you never know, we might end up on the same cruise.

[dani negreanu]

4 hours ago, chemmo said:

There are some parts of the world that are ideal for cruising to get a ‘flavour’ of their history and culture..

 

Santorini and Dubrovnik are 2 places that come to my mind.... At least for me😁