Trying Celebrity After NCL

[Seany527]

11 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

I do this regularly and that's why I have no issues re- wearing shirts on a cruise since they've been worn literally less than 3 hours. I change for dinner and ready for ore dinner drinks at 6:30,dinner at 7,back in the room to change to different clothes at 8:30-9. If we're going to a show right after dinner and I don't have time to change,then I'm wearing the sane thing to the show.

I definitely have different clothes on during the day than at dinner time. During the day it's t-shirts and shorts,swimsuits,gym wear. 

Perfect. This is exactly what I was looking for and hoping to hear. Thank you!!

[hcat]

On 5/27/2021 at 2:13 PM, JamieLogical said:

These are the two basic outfits I wear on a cruise:

 

Jeans, t-shirt, hoodie, and sneakers:

 

Maxi dress, sweater, and sandals:

 

Outfit 1 looks a bit rugged  for EDGE.. esp in warm climate....daytime is a range of  resort casual, shirts and tees, swimsuits, spa/ gym attire..

 

Outfit 2 is perfect..day or night

 

Most on EDGE dressed resort casual to resort elegant..you  should be fine going comfy, don,t obsess,

 

We enjoyed almost all of the entertainment.,theatre shows were great as were other entertainers  in the Club and Eden ( altho not fans of the EDEN show itself), great music throughout the ship...  ALways something going on..

 

Food was the best of Celeb..we had the 4 mdr plan..make res ahead!

Have a great cruise!

[hcat]

P.S.  we had 2 awesome experiences with the Photographers on our  EDGE  cruises, never in your face, interesting technology .Give them a try

[Denny01]

18 hours ago, kwokpot said:

TBH, NOTHING wrong with re-wearing clothes. I do it all the time on cruises. 

You bettcha!

 

A while ago, a woman posted that she had to pack so much and hated there wasn’t a self laundry on Celebrity because her husband refused to wear anything more than once……I commented, “I bet I know someone who Never does the laundry at home!!”. 

 

Den

[MaryZ]

Outfit #1 you will feel out of place any time of day on Celebrity. 
Outfit #2 is fine. 

Lose the hoodie, the tshirt and the sneakers.  Wear a plain black tshirt bought at walmart for $5, an open cotton knit sweater also for maybe $10 and a pair of sandals with your jeans and you'll be find on Celebrity.

It's not hard to do a upscale look for low prices. 
One of my staples in my cruise wardrobe is plain tshirts in black, white and gray.  You can fit in anywhere in a plain tshirt and jeans with a sweater. 

[JamieLogical]

12 hours ago, MaryZ said:

Outfit #1 you will feel out of place any time of day on Celebrity. 
Outfit #2 is fine. 

Lose the hoodie, the tshirt and the sneakers.  Wear a plain black tshirt bought at walmart for $5, an open cotton knit sweater also for maybe $10 and a pair of sandals with your jeans and you'll be find on Celebrity.

It's not hard to do a upscale look for low prices. 
One of my staples in my cruise wardrobe is plain tshirts in black, white and gray.  You can fit in anywhere in a plain tshirt and jeans with a sweater. 

It's not just about the cost of new clothes, it's the fact that I won't feel like myself. I don't want to spend my vacation pretending.

[adolfo2]

On 5/27/2021 at 3:17 PM, JamieLogical said:

 

I am not going to buy a new wardrobe to go on a cruise either. I don't own jeans in any color, but blue. Also, I am assuming the sneakers would still be a no go, so I would have to buy new shoes as well.

ONE pair of black "Blue Jeans" and ONE pair of black leather sneakers will suffice for the cruise. That hardly qualifies as having to buy a whole new wardrobe.

[poffles]

4 hours ago, JamieLogical said:

It's not just about the cost of new clothes, it's the fact that I won't feel like myself. I don't want to spend my vacation pretending.

 

You wrote what I was thinking.  Many people leap to cost or ease of weariing/packing slacks or whatever but it isn't always about that.  I can totally relate to what you are saying and feel the same way. What I wear has to balance with my personal comfort in feeling like myself.  I found my balance and it sounds like what you are talking about buying to wear sounds totally fine.  For me it has had nothing to do with cost.

Edited May 29, 2021 by poffles

[graphicguy]

22 minutes ago, poffles said:

 

You wrote what I was thinking.  Many people leap to cost or ease of weariing/packing slacks or whatever but it isn't always about that.  I can totally relate to what you are saying and feel the same way. What I wear has to balance with my personal comfort in feeling like myself.  I found my balance and it sounds like what you are talking about buying to wear sounds totally fine.  For me it has had nothing to do with cost.

Thumbs up!  Plus, I think back to how much I packed for a cruise even 10 years ago....suit, ties, dress shoes, dress shirt, sometimes even a tux, in addition to "smart casual" with dress slacks, dress belt, and all the other clothes for going ashore, I had 2 large suitcases, and that didn't even count the (ex) wife's suitcases with gowns, dress shoes, dresses, etc.  We were hauling a small house with us when we cruised.

 

Today, that amount of luggage would add $100-$200 in extra luggage fees if you're flying.

 

Now, I have one roll aboard and one backpack I bring on a 7 night cruise and haven't missed ANY of that other baggage.

[KKB]

We have cruises DCL, RCCL, NCL, Princess & Celebrity. We find all the lines to be more alike than different. I agree that Celebrity is a small bit nicer than the other lines.

We have done 3 Celebrity cruises on smaller ships & have the Edge & Apex booked this summer & next spring. Super excited about these new ships.

We did our 1st NCL cruise Dec. 2019 & loved it. (except the ridiculously tiny interior room). The shows were great, we loved the Waterfront (EVERY ship should have that!) & Syd Pours was our nightly hangout..along with drinks at one of the Waterfront bars. We heard the food wasn't good but we thoroughly enjoyed the MDR--and the nightly MDR entertainment was a first.

From Celebrity's site:

Women’s smart casual dress code: Skirt, pants, or jeans with a casual top.

You are good! (no comment on shoes!!)

Even "Elegant Chic" night says "designer jeans"--lol, they are no dummies. They do not want to be policing what people wear & this wording covers just that. My designer? Levi Strauss, honey!

Drink packages--pretty much the same on all lines

Dining--we are very happy w/ MDR on all lines & rarely eat specialty dining. 

Celebrity is a bit more "chill" IMO, and we decided to embrace it. 

Again, have never had a bad cruise (tho certainly have liked some better than others--more to do with the ship, itinerary, cruise director, who we meet/travel with.

Have a great time!

Edited May 29, 2021 by KKB

[Cruising89143]

I see little difference in the dress code between both lines. We don’t take jeans on a cruise. It’s usually too hot but that’s a personal choice. Haven’t worn a suit, tux or even a sports jacket in at least ten years. We mainly dine in specialty dining on all nights and the dress code there is a little more relaxed in the MDR on formal nights or whatever it’s now called on Celebrity. I think NCL may allow shorts in some of the specialty restaurants but we didn’t try that. What we wear on NCL we can wear on X. 

[KKB]

On 5/27/2021 at 6:54 PM, JamieLogical said:

I have decided to still give Celebrity a shot. I might by an extra dress or two, so I don't have to re-wear the three I have multiple times. I am also looking at some sort of resort-casual wide-leg pants to maybe wear with a solid-color top? I ordered some on Amazon Prime just now for $18. If I like those, that might be a good option and if not, I can return them easily.

EXCELLENT idea.

This is my cruise attire on ANY line:

AM:tee & shorts/swimwear

Rest of the day: stretchy capris & a lightweight top (tee, blouse). 

THAT IS IT.

(I am notorious for throwing in a simple dress...and NEVER WEAR IT)

I usually wear the slacks multiple days--black is forgiving. Hides figure flaws & stains! I find these lightweight capris more comfortable than jeans for the Caribbean.

 

Edited May 29, 2021 by KKB

[lhsail]

On 5/27/2021 at 5:59 PM, poffles said:

 

So my opinion is clearly that I would go on Celebrity ANYTIME over NCL even though I keep wondering if I have heightened my bad memories of my last Epic cruise (service was terrible), maybe I will try again one day but meanwhile Celebrity has my focus.  I don't need the bells and whistles of slides and such to entertain me so I can live with that area missing in action, though I do wish Celebrity had better shows though this is an area of personal taste so another to each their own.

Our experience on the Epic in November/December 2019 was horrible. Service, food, pretty much everything. Entertainment was the exception and fortunately the itinerary was wonderful. But it was enough to make NCL a big “no” in the future. 

[poffles]

10 minutes ago, lhsail said:

Our experience on the Epic in November/December 2019 was horrible. Service, food, pretty much everything. Entertainment was the exception and fortunately the itinerary was wonderful. But it was enough to make NCL a big “no” in the future. 

 

My Epic cruise was 2013 so guess things haven't improved.  100% agree entertainment was the exception for me too, it really was good, but the bad stuck with me stronger.  There could have been some 'big ship' factors in play but I haven't yet been able to let that explain away all the terrible in my memory.

[hcat]

7 hours ago, JamieLogical said:

It's not just about the cost of new clothes, it's the fact that I won't feel like myself. I don't want to spend my vacation pretending.

So perhaps X will not be a good fit for you after all., but the items you described from Amazon seem perfect.

 

 

[paulajj]

You will be a bit underdressed. But I think just changing the hoodie to a solid colored sweater should fix it. Doesn’t seem like a big change your whole personality item but will dress it up a bit. 😃 

 

Also, I agree that the food and service are better on celebrity and the entertainment is much better on NCL. 

Edited May 29, 2021 by paulajj

[jakebloke]

I like both NCL and Celebrity, but if I had to be loyal to just one, I’d pick Celebrity.  Better food, less kids, nicer cabins and an elevated level of sophistication from decor to clientele.  I really despise formal wear, and agree that while on vacation, comfort is everything.  With that said, you’re outfit in the first picture is inappropriate for any kind of fine dining experience, but to me also looks incredibly uncomfortable for warm weather cruising.  Jeans aren’t the issue.  A nice cotton/linen top does wonders for comfort and style without compromising you doing you.  

 

Agree that NCL’s entertainment is far superior, but I don’t cruise for the live shows.  I live in NYC and have the best live entertainment around (once they open). I still enjoy the shows on Celebrity but don’t need to see them.  I’d make more of an effort to see them on NCL.   

 

You scored a sunset verandah.  Don’t let it go.  They are hard to get given the preference by many (me included) for true balconies and aft views.  That’s where I was on the Edge and loved it.  It’s a beautiful ship and can’t wait to cruise on the Edge class again.

 

 

[cangelmd]

On 5/27/2021 at 6:54 PM, JamieLogical said:

I have decided to still give Celebrity a shot. I might by an extra dress or two, so I don't have to re-wear the three I have multiple times. I am also looking at some sort of resort-casual wide-leg pants to maybe wear with a solid-color top? I ordered some on Amazon Prime just now for $18. If I like those, that might be a good option and if not, I can return them easily.

Some thoughts- like one of the earlier posters, I like to change for dinner because most Caribbean shorex are either hot and sweaty or the beach. I spend lots of time in a swimsuit or at the gym/walking trail, so that shower and fresh clothes is a relief. Having said that, I wear each “dinner” outfit twice and try to plan one set of pants and multiple tops. On Edge, you don’t really have to worry about anyone but you noticing, because with the Select dining and multiple dining rooms, you won’t eat with anyone twice unless you make new friends and meet up.

I understand that may not help prevent buying some new clothes, but pre-Covid, I made a bit of an adventure out of assembling a small cruise wardrobe of comfortable, inexpensive, wrinkle resistant mix and match clothes. Between Amazon and TJ Maxx and Steinmart (no more) I was able to make that happen for less than $200. Except I learned that those clothes were so comfy now I wear them all the time without the cruise. If you only need a couple of outfits, it can happen for much less than $100, as you saw on Amazon. Happy cruising! Think you will like Celeb, the entertainment isn’t amazing, but the Edge did have the best.

[graphicguy]

 @JamieLogical….just booked Celebrity Edge for July 31 sailing in the Retreat.  After my TA’s discount, and Celebrity’s $600 OBC (and my TA seems to think she can get another $150 OBC since I used my AMEX card to book, it’s actually going to be a little cheaper than my cancelled NCL Joy cruise.  Plus, even though I had to pay the change fee for my flight, the flight ends up costing less than it was to fly to Montego Bay.

 

So, saving some money and going on a nice new ship in one of their top tiers.

 

Clothes…….mostly shorts and polo shirts.  Swim trunks, for sure!  I’ll pack a pair of jeans or khakis and a short sleeve button shirt.  The dressiest shoes will be TopSiders, but mostly be wearing Adidas.

Edited May 29, 2021 by graphicguy

[sanger727]

23 hours ago, MaryZ said:

Outfit #1 you will feel out of place any time of day on Celebrity. 
Outfit #2 is fine. 

Lose the hoodie, the tshirt and the sneakers.  Wear a plain black tshirt bought at walmart for $5, an open cotton knit sweater also for maybe $10 and a pair of sandals with your jeans and you'll be find on Celebrity.

It's not hard to do a upscale look for low prices. 
One of my staples in my cruise wardrobe is plain tshirts in black, white and gray.  You can fit in anywhere in a plain tshirt and jeans with a sweater. 

Oh good grief. This is what I dislike about celebrity. The attitude of the cruisers! Outfit 1 was perfect fine on celebrity before dinner time. I wear swim suit w shorts and a tank top all day never feel out of place. I agree that outfit 1 will feel out of place at dinner. 
 

my hubbie hates dressing up. That’s a big part of what we like about NCL, no pressure to ‘dress’ for dinner. But when we cruise celebrity he will bring one pair of long pants and polo t shirt. He wears his cargo shorts, casual shirt, sandals all day and night and puts on the ‘nice clothes’ for dinner only. Then he promptly changes back to his ‘comfortable’ clothes. Whatever, his vacation. No, we never feel out of place doing that. I doubt he is the only one.

[kwokpot]

1 hour ago, sanger727 said:

my hubbie hates dressing up. That’s a big part of what we like about NCL, no pressure to ‘dress’ for dinner. But when we cruise celebrity he will bring one pair of long pants and polo t shirt.

We all know what to wear posts are fraught with issues and attitude and hurt feelings. We all know that's not the point of anyone asking for advice or giving advice. But there are certain minimum standards, especially for men, that really, really don't count as dressing up. I've posted this before on other threads but if a husband can't be bothered enough with wearing kaki-type slacks and a polo style shirt when his wife is in a nice dress and heels then something is really, really wrong. There is no definition where that type of clothing is considered dressing up.

Edited May 30, 2021 by kwokpot

[MaryZ]

1 hour ago, sanger727 said:

Oh good grief. This is what I dislike about celebrity. The attitude of the cruisers! Outfit 1 was perfect fine on celebrity before dinner time. I wear swim suit w shorts and a tank top all day never feel out of place. I agree that outfit 1 will feel out of place at dinner. 
 

my hubbie hates dressing up. That’s a big part of what we like about NCL, no pressure to ‘dress’ for dinner. But when we cruise celebrity he will bring one pair of long pants and polo t shirt. He wears his cargo shorts, casual shirt, sandals all day and night and puts on the ‘nice clothes’ for dinner only. Then he promptly changes back to his ‘comfortable’ clothes. Whatever, his vacation. No, we never feel out of place doing that. I doubt he is the only one.

Lol, the attitude of the cruisers.  I said put on a plain tshirt that costs $5 just about anywhere.  I didn't say it has to be by rag and bone.   😉

If the op is asking about how people dress on a different cruise line, I do think people should tell the truth.  Celebrity is a line where people do tend to be not as casually dressed as outfit #1.  That's all.





 

[sanger727]

9 hours ago, kwokpot said:

We all know what to wear posts are fraught with issues and attitude and hurt feelings. We all know that's not the point of anyone asking for advice or giving advice. But there are certain minimum standards, especially for men, that really, really don't count as dressing up. I've posted this before on other threads but if a husband can't be bothered enough with wearing kaki-type slacks and a polo style shirt when his wife is in a nice dress and heels then something is really, really wrong. There is no definition where that type of clothing is considered dressing up.

thats your opinion. But that’s not his. His opinion is that he is on a tropical vacation and wearing shorts, sandals, and a t shirt all day. So the idea that he has to go back to his cabin and change into clothes that he would never wear in his day to day life, just to eat dinner, is unreasonable.

[sanger727]

8 hours ago, MaryZ said:

Lol, the attitude of the cruisers.  I said put on a plain tshirt that costs $5 just about anywhere.  I didn't say it has to be by rag and bone.   😉

If the op is asking about how people dress on a different cruise line, I do think people should tell the truth.  Celebrity is a line where people do tend to be not as casually dressed as outfit #1.  That's all.





 

The OP said that outfit 1 is what we enjoys wearing. And your first response was to ‘lose the sweatshirt, t shirt, and sneakers’. And that it wouldn’t be acceptable at any time of the day. 
 

it seems clear that YOU wouldn’t dress like that, but it doesn’t make it against celebrity’s standards. I would rate what I wear, swim suit, shorts, and tank top as equally or more casual than outfit one. Which is perfectly fine outside of dinner. Even celebrity says that casual and comfortable clothing is acceptable during the day.

 

 

[hcat]

There have been  many dress code threads over the years.  A few stand out with the same theme.....a very casual dresser does not want to dress differently,  but yet wants to be told they will fit in. " Tell me what I want to hear". `That doesn't really work.

 

They can go dressed as they want and be happy being themself ( as long as no dress rules broken like shorts in dining rms );   they can  take a few small steps to upgrade the look..shoes/ sandals vs sneakers, shawl, nice sweater, etc. 

 

Or they might embrace something new for them  (chic night includes many varied looks),   and dress up even more, because X is an upscale classy cruise line.

 

No  one will stare or call them out, either way.  But most X cruisers try to look nice because for them  it is a special ( expensive) vacation....not like going to Walmart or a flea market on a weekend.