Royal or Celebrity?

[Cruiscs]

Hi! 😊
Just came back from our first cruise in the western med on Wonder ( first week in august).

The good things: ship was amazing- there was so much too do. Entertainment was top notch and music was playing everywhere. Service was fabulous even with 6400 people onboard. We had 3 night dining package and dined at chops, wonderland and giovannis. All very good and intimate but kinda regret it because the  complementary food was just as good. Getting off and on at each port was very easy, no lines at all! Very impressive. The ship didnt really feel crowded-only on the pooldeck and windjammer. More on that later…

My favorite place was CP as it was so peaceful at night. Almost felt that you were the only person there. 
 

The not so good: pooldeck was a OVERcrowded all the time. Add it with screaming kids and loud music it was not very relaxing. Had to go to the upper decks in the front to get some relaxation. I get it at seadays but this was the case also when the ship was in port. Skipped Rome as it was too far and was planning to relax by the pool-guess we were not the only one thinking that. The chair hogs were in full force early on and not one single sunbed by the pool were available. 
The adult solarium was not that busy so that was nice. 
The staff in windjammer tried their best to clear tables and we were always able to find a table- but it was very very busy no matter what time you went. We tried the solarium bistro but it was the same. 
At night kids were running in the halls and elevators. 

So my question is how do Celebrity compare with Royal? Should we consider Royal again but in off season to avoid too many kids/noise? 

We really want to try the Caribbean next time. How are the oasis class ships in off-season? Still loads of kids and full capacity? What is the best time to cruise the Caribbean? 

 

Edited August 15, 2022 by Cruiscs

[hotrock]

I am really hoping someone can give a comparison of Royal/Celebrity too.  I am having a hard time figuring out what is included when you pay fare on celebrity and what's extra.  I love Royal but I've never tried Celebrity.  Also, interested in what the vibe is and what there is to do onboard. 

[Misbehavin8175]

It really depends on what you are looking for in your cruising experience.

If its fun and games....go with RCCL.

If its more of an adult, relaxing experience, I'd go with Celebrity.

Just my opinion.

 

[alyssamma]

11 minutes ago, Misbehavin8175 said:

It really depends on what you are looking for in your cruising experience.

If its fun and games....go with RCCL.

If its more of an adult, relaxing experience, I'd go with Celebrity.

Just my opinion.

 

This is probably the best, and most straightforward answer.

 

I would only add that I find food to be much better on X.

[George C]

We love the entertainment on oasis class but way to many children, we have a couple of celebrity cruises booked and one rccl, celebrity has way less children it doesn’t have attractions for them. We book end of November after thanksgiving and only time we saw lots of children was oasis, not the older rccl or not celebrity. I wouldn’t book when school is off. Love the new Edge class but like celebrity older ships also. 

[Cruiscs]

7 minutes ago, alyssamma said:

This is probably the best, and most straightforward answer.

 

I would only add that I find food to be much better on X.

Thanks! We are fairly young (in our mid 30s). We like late night entertainment etc but can do without all the kids. Probably over 1000 on this cruise

Edited August 15, 2022 by Cruiscs

[klfhngr]

We've done about 8 RCL cruises and 2 X (and about 10 CCL, 1 NCL, 2 Princess)

 

We've enjoyed mostly all of the RCL cruises. The first X cruise 5 years ago was awesome, on the Equinox. We just got back in May from a 10 day Italy/Med cruise on Reflection, it was pretty BAD! Food was not good at all, service was TERRIBLE! After 2 attempts in MDR, we gave up and stuck with the buffet! Pool 'action' was ok, sorta quiet if you like quiet and older music. If it wasn't for the bar service at the pool bar and the world class bar, this trip would've been a bust! Shows/nightlife was ok. Service by pool was great, same with outdoor burger place. The workers in the buffet were the bomb!

 

So, would we do X again? IDK, for now not really looking. We have a cruise booked in Oct on Navigator of the Seas, looking forward to it. Also, we did the Carnival Panorama last Oct., and it was awesome! The food, believe it or not, was better than on the Reflection! The service too! 

 

Royal is next, it's been about 2 years, last one was on Symphony of the Seas, I'll keep you posted!

 

FYI: We're in our 50's. Saw people of all ages, I was surprised at how many younger ones were on our Med cruise! We were told it was going to be all old people, it wasn't. And hardly no kids! This applied to our first X cruise also. If you like nightlife, activities, shows, music, I'd stick to RCL or even NCL!

Edited August 15, 2022 by klfhngr

[alyssamma]

2 minutes ago, Cruiscs said:

Thanks! We are fairly young (in our mid 30s). Like late night entertainment etc but can do without all the kids. Probably over 1000 on this cruise

Crowds on Celebrity definitely skew older, but it is a "lively" older (i.e., no scooters and walkers)

 

My wife and I are late 50s and we felt young on the Apex 🙂

 

But it was the best cruise we've ever taken and we booked 4 more on X.

 

We like Royal too...just did Symphony in April and doing Harmony next month...but X is our line of choice now for the reasons @Misbehavin8175 listed

[Caz L.]

I'd say the main and most significant difference is that Royal ships have more to do in terms of fun and unique activities, such as rock climbing, zip-lining, mini golf, etc depending on the ship. On the other hand, I'd say Celebrity ships are lower in activity level, so things to do are eat, watch, sit, drink. So, really depends on your own activity level and how you like to relax! 🙂 

In terms of crowding, we usually go during shoulder season so we avoid most of the kiddies. Should also help with space in the pools and such. There is often low traffic areas as well depending on the popular activity at the time (check the activity schedule/cruise compass).

Service on both are equally lovely and attentive - I personally did not find a difference!

Just my two cents. Hope this helps. 🙂

[prmssk]

Time of year makes a huge difference.  Personally, we prefer a few less kids and so avoid summer and school breaks.  Pre-pandemic, our early December cruise on the Harmony of the Seas had very few children and really was quite a nice cruise.

 

As for the difference between Celebrity and Royal, I don't think you can go wrong with either.  We have had great food, service, and experiences on both lines.  Personally, I think the food and experience is a bit more elevated on Celebrity but food especially is very subjective.  We also like Celebrity's Always Included fares that include the beverage package, wifi, and gratuities.  We prefer Celebrity because it is a more relaxed vibe and we like the smaller ships but don't hesitate to book Royal when Royal has a cruise that interests us.  

[Cruising89143]

Both are great cruise lines but RCI definitely skews towards more families which their ships are designed for. Both offer similar service in bars and restaurants. Suite accommodations/perks on X far exceed RCI. 
 

For us the main differences would be:

No smoking allowed on X inside of the ship. Casino included. 

Only one announcement per day on X which is the Captains update.

Less kids as ship design is not focused on families. 
 

 

 

[gumshoe958]

If you don’t want to sail with hundreds of kids, why on earth would you choose a family-friendly cruise line in the middle of the school summer break?

 

If you want a younger adult crowd with no kids allowed, try Virgin. Celebrity is fine but definitely much older.

[Cruiscs]

1 hour ago, gumshoe958 said:

If you don’t want to sail with hundreds of kids, why on earth would you choose a family-friendly cruise line in the middle of the school summer break?

 

If you want a younger adult crowd with no kids allowed, try Virgin. Celebrity is fine but definitely much older.

As I said- our first cruise. How would I know? I have been to many family friendly hotels/resorts in the middle of the school summer break. It was never that busy around the pool.

[the penguins]

8 hours ago, alyssamma said:

Crowds on Celebrity definitely skew older, but it is a "lively" older (i.e., no scooters and walkers)

 

My wife and I are late 50s and we felt young on the Apex 🙂

 

But it was the best cruise we've ever taken and we booked 4 more on X.

 

We like Royal too...just did Symphony in April and doing Harmony next month...but X is our line of choice now for the reasons @Misbehavin8175 listed

Just for balance. Celebrity is our preferred choice. However in holiday season there can also be lots of kids. There are passengers with walkers/wheelchairs. My wife uses one and we travel with friends in chairs. 

[bonsai3s]

Sounds like you had a great time..just hoping less kids. As you said and if you can...

- Cruise when kids are in school.

- Longer cruises = less kids.

- Spring Break = older, livelier kids.

 

Back in the day, cruising was mostly for us old people...fast forward to today and ships are multi-generational.  Grandparents, parents can enjoy the ships with their children and grandchildren.  Oasis class ships tend to attract a much younger crowd...even in the Caribbean.

 

You are young and it was your first cruise...you'll have fun trying many of the other cruiselines. That's what we did when we were much younge...we loved Celebrity. (Crazy to think that we sailed on Celebrity Mercury 4 times...beautiful ship, great service and great food.) When family, friends, and relatives started cruising with us...we started sailing with Royal Caribbean.

 

* Years from now, those of us that cruised immediately after the re-start, will fondly reminisce about the less than full capacity sailings...sigh.

 

[Cruiscs]

11 minutes ago, bonsai3s said:

Sounds like you had a great time..just hoping less kids. As you said and if you can...

- Cruise when kids are in school.

- Longer cruises = less kids.

- Spring Break = older, livelier kids.

 

Back in the day, cruising was mostly for us old people...fast forward to today and ships are multi-generational.  Grandparents, parents can enjoy the ships with their children and grandchildren.  Oasis class ships tend to attract a much younger crowd...even in the Caribbean.

 

You are young and it was your first cruise...you'll have fun trying many of the other cruiselines. That's what we did when we were much younge...we loved Celebrity. (Crazy to think that we sailed on Celebrity Mercury 4 times...beautiful ship, great service and great food.) When family, friends, and relatives started cruising with us...we started sailing with Royal Caribbean.

 

* Years from now, those of us that cruised immediately after the re-start, will fondly reminisce about the less than full capacity sailings...sigh.

 

We had a great time! As my partner said when docking next to celebrity silhouhette in Naples: that ship looks much quiter. It wasnt that bad but would  love to cruise Royal when kids are in school for comparison. 

[the penguins]

1 hour ago, the penguins said:

Just for balance. Celebrity is our preferred choice. However in holiday season there can also be lots of kids. There are passengers with walkers/wheelchairs. My wife uses one and we travel with friends in chairs. 

Sorry pushed to soon.

AI Celebrity has now dropped compolsary AI for all cabins except Aqua and Suites. For all other cabins it's now an option. Importantly in Celebrity speak AI does not mean All Inclusive - it now means All Included - the all being tips, classic drinks package and basic WiFi. Drinks and WiFi can both be upgraded.

Is AI good value? Depends on 2 things the amount you drink and your Captains Club status. For new passengers who drink alcohol and speciality coffees/teas almost certainly yes. For passengers who don't drink more than a couple of  alcoholic drinks or speciality coffees a day and don't need unlimited WiFi probably not. For anyone Elite + and above who don't drink alcohol definitely not.

Other X benefits, more space per passenger, no need to book any shows, great coffee shop (Al Bacio). 

Dancing/music in Sky Lounge continues late into the night. All comments exclude Edge Class as we haven't cruised on that class. Favourite ships Silhouette and Eclipse.

[Cruiscs]

9 hours ago, prmssk said:

Time of year makes a huge difference.  Personally, we prefer a few less kids and so avoid summer and school breaks.  Pre-pandemic, our early December cruise on the Harmony of the Seas had very few children and really was quite a nice cruise.

 

As for the difference between Celebrity and Royal, I don't think you can go wrong with either.  We have had great food, service, and experiences on both lines.  Personally, I think the food and experience is a bit more elevated on Celebrity but food especially is very subjective.  We also like Celebrity's Always Included fares that include the beverage package, wifi, and gratuities.  We prefer Celebrity because it is a more relaxed vibe and we like the smaller ships but don't hesitate to book Royal when Royal has a cruise that interests us. 

Edited August 16, 2022 by Cruiscs

[alyssamma]

7 hours ago, the penguins said:

Just for balance. Celebrity is our preferred choice. However in holiday season there can also be lots of kids. There are passengers with walkers/wheelchairs. My wife uses one and we travel with friends in chairs. 

Yeah, I thought it was obvious but I guess not. On just about any cruise there will be *some* people in scooters. The point is that although the crowd is older, it doesn't feel older.

 

I will amend my statement to say the vast majority weren't in scooters or walkers. 

[the penguins]

4 minutes ago, alyssamma said:

Yeah, I thought it was obvious but I guess not. On just about any cruise there will be *some* people in scooters. The point is that although the crowd is older, it doesn't feel older.

 

I will amend my statement to say the vast majority weren't in scooters or walkers. 

Thank you. Just to be clear using a walker or a wheelchair doesn't make you older or less lively either. The main reason X's passengers are older is more to do with the length of the itineraries. 

[davekathy]

16 hours ago, hotrock said:

I am really hoping someone can give a comparison of Royal/Celebrity too.  I am having a hard time figuring out what is included when you pay fare on celebrity and what's extra.  I love Royal but I've never tried Celebrity.  Also, interested in what the vibe is and what there is to do onboard. 

Like what? 

[Mapleleafforever]

We've only ever cruised Royal (so far) but we've been told that If you can afford the price premium try Celebrity. Might want to take a look at Virgin as well. 

[Norwich Cruiser]

16 hours ago, Misbehavin8175 said:

It really depends on what you are looking for in your cruising experience.

If its fun and games....go with RCCL.

If its more of an adult, relaxing experience, I'd go with Celebrity.

Just my opinion.

 

Say no more.

 

Best answer anyone can give.

[alyssamma]

1 hour ago, the penguins said:

Thank you. Just to be clear using a walker or a wheelchair doesn't make you older or less lively either. The main reason X's passengers are older is more to do with the length of the itineraries. 

LOL, feel like I'm talking to Captain Obvious here.

 

Are you saying there are people under 50 in walkers and wheelchairs? I didn't know that.

 

And X's passengers tend to be older not because of the length of the itineraries, but because a) little to no activities for kids, b) entertainment is more sedated, c) slightly more expensive than Carnival or RCCL.

[the penguins]

3 hours ago, alyssamma said:

LOL, feel like I'm talking to Captain Obvious here.

 

Are you saying there are people under 50 in walkers and wheelchairs? I didn't know that.

 

And X's passengers tend to be older not because of the length of the itineraries, but because a) little to no activities for kids, b) entertainment is more sedated, c) slightly more expensive than Carnival or RCCL.

I am so pleased you find this funny.

Your first post clearly said no scooters or walkers.

Presumably your latest post is intended to be funny.

We have friends and relatives who have been in  wheelchairs from birth. Others who fight a daily battle to live life as normally as possible.

My comment on longer itineraries is based on experience. We regularly due the Transatlantics which can be 15 days add on the time needed to travel from the US to join the ship and then get home again and this brings it to 17 minimum. For many younger passengers being away from work this long is not a viable option.