How do You Rank Celebrity

[NMTraveller]

We used to book a new Celebrity cruise while on the ship.  Not anymore.

 

We will consider all options depending upon where we are going.  I think that Celebrity has reduced their quality and priced themselves out in many cases.

[C4HCG]

We are novice and therefore inexperienced cruisers so Celebrity the one and only for us. Looked into other lines for next year and none really meet our requirements, e.g. too many kids, smaller ships, destinations, type of entertainment on board (water slides, tenpin bowling, fairground type attractions).

 

Next June is a special wedding anniversary for us and we would love to be doing a cruise around the Caribbean but the only one Celebrity offer on those dates is ABC islands which we went to last year and enjoyed but they don’t have the wow factor for us. Looking instead for a land based holiday on Barbados so if anyone has any recommendations they would be appreciated. Ideally an all included type resort for older people. I know this isn’t a cruise specific request so may be removed, hope not.

[villauk]

2 hours ago, C4HCG said:

We are novice and therefore inexperienced cruisers so Celebrity the one and only for us. Looked into other lines for next year and none really meet our requirements, e.g. too many kids, smaller ships, destinations, type of entertainment on board (water slides, tenpin bowling, fairground type attractions).

 

Next June is a special wedding anniversary for us and we would love to be doing a cruise around the Caribbean but the only one Celebrity offer on those dates is ABC islands which we went to last year and enjoyed but they don’t have the wow factor for us. Looking instead for a land based holiday on Barbados so if anyone has any recommendations they would be appreciated. Ideally an all included type resort for older people. I know this isn’t a cruise specific request so may be removed, hope not.

 

Have you considered Princess or HAL? Only asking as the entertainment you posted suggests Royal and NCL. Princess is more similar to X than different - unless you sail in suites (we don’t, so there are good and not so good features on both lines). 

[Gracie115]

Celebrity has been our first choice in the past but with the new pricing that will most likely not be the case in the future.  We have sailed with Royal, Princess, HAL & Carnival.  Won't do Carnival again and doubtful about HAL but we have a 2024 Princess booked and Royal remains a possibility the entertainment on both is better than X offers and pricing is certainly better especially on Princess.

[Norwaylady]

As you can see from my signature, we like X. 

The ships are decent size and it's not loaded by families. The service has been great, but we do notice a decline in the product since we first started to cruise on X. 

 

For us its Price and itinerary 40/60. We book balcony, no suites.

We like to spend some money on tours pre and post cruise. 

 

For us the itinerary is important.

We prefer longer cruises 14days or longer. b2b on new ports & onward journey is okey. So our b2b Alaska/Hawaii was perfect.

We really miss the 14days ultimate Caribbean cruise. A b2b is not the same as a long cruise in the Caribbean. 

 

We are looking active on Oceania, Regent, Silversea and Azamara for routes we want to travel. We were cancelled by AZ twice to do charter before covid and now we just are waiting. Due to the fact that we loose all benefits, makes us no reason to not choose Oceania or Regent instead.

 

Since we are from Norway our pricing is a little bit different then in the us. We can book all cruise lines, but deals are very limited on some cruise lines. So the price on some cruises on different brands are very expensive compared to what deal they offer in the us. This very often apply to Princess and HAL.

 

We really wish that the 14 days New England/ Canada trip is coming back. And that they could keep the sailings from LA to Mexico. 

We had our plans made and different cruises moved due to covid. So it wasn't room for an extra cruise during the sailing period..... 

 

Royal is fine for us if the itinerary is what we want and it's on the smaller vessels. Not my first choice, but if the itinerary is what we want, we will book it. 

 

MSC is very European, so we are used to it. For the us market it's a very different product from what you are used to.... So expect different vibe, you are not in majority. And everything is catered for guests from Italy, Spain, Germany and France. 

 

We had a great time on MSC, we had balcony on MSC Lirica and MSC Musica. Just dont expect  X or Royal service style. The product is made for europeans in those countrys. So if you keep an open mind and remember that this cruise line is catering for a different culture then us, you will be fine. 

 

On Hurtigruten, the view are a big part of your cruise. There are now big shows or entertainment onboard in the evenings.

The food is all local food from Norway. Very good quality and good choices of fish, seafood, reindeer and other tasty things from Norway. 

So if you would like a cruise, view and entertainment. You need to book a Norwegian Cruise on a "real" cruise line. 

We enjoy their product and use them from time to time on port to port travel when we visit family in the north. 

We have also done a full sailing Bergen/Kirkenes/Bergen. 

 

Future cruises we have on our bucket list

-New England and Canada

-A full sailing thru Panamacanal 

-Galapagos

-Pacific Islands *pago pago, Fiji etc

-Amazonas

-South American itineraries

-River cruise in Asia 

[4774Papa]

20 hours ago, mcrcruiser said:

How do you rank Celebrity as your choice when searching for your next cruise?  If  Not Celebrity then what cruise line will you select ?

We have cruised with Celebrity, Royal Caribbean and NCL and prefer them in that order.

 

A few years ago Celebrity's pricing increased and we moved toward Royal.   Now, we cruise very little.

[C4HCG]

3 hours ago, villauk said:

 

Have you considered Princess or HAL? Only asking as the entertainment you posted suggests Royal and NCL. Princess is more similar to X than different - unless you sail in suites (we don’t, so there are good and not so good features on both lines). 

Yes, for next June we looked at them both and nothing we liked the look of but thanks for the suggestions.

[TeeRick]

19 hours ago, terrydtx said:

Celebrity was our number one choice, but I agree future pricing specially in suites have us now looking at Oceania first. We can book an O cruise now for less than a Sky Suite costs for similar itinerary. 

A lot of Celebrity suite cruisers like you are switching to Oceania.  Other than itinerary and size of ship, I am interested to know how they stack up?  What is equivalent to a Sky suite on Oceania?  What do you get vs the Retreat suite benefits (and Luminae) on Oceania?  Not looking for a comprehensive list- just some key differences if any.  Thank you!

[terrydtx]

29 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

A lot of Celebrity suite cruisers like you are switching to Oceania.  Other than itinerary and size of ship, I am interested to know how they stack up?  What is equivalent to a Sky suite on Oceania?  What do you get vs the Retreat suite benefits (and Luminae) on Oceania?  Not looking for a comprehensive list- just some key differences if any.  Thank you!

When we are looking at Oceania, we prefer their 3 newer and larger ships, Marina, Riviera and the new Vista all with about a 1200 passenger capacity. We feel the A Concierge level cabins are close to a Sky Suite in size, 291sq ft, and most cases price.

 

The A class cabins have an exclusive lounge with snacks and nonalcoholic drinks. There are not any suites exclusive restaurants but they have 4or 5 specialty restaurants that are included in the cruise pricing. Since O is known for their superior onboard cuisine I see no reason to have an exclusive venue like Luminae. When we booked we chose the wine and beer package with lunch and dinner, which can be upgraded to a unlimited spirits package anytime for $20pp per day. All bottled water and non alcohol drinks are included in the cruise 24/7. There is not a butler until you book the higher Penthouse Suites.

For a full list of Concierge class amenities here is a link on O's website; Luxury Cruise Suites & Staterooms Aboard the Marina - Oceania Cruise (oceaniacruises.com)

 

Since we booked our first O cruise, I have been spending time in the O CC forum and it is surprising how many ex-Celebrity people I have found. It appears Oceania is where many dissatisfied Celebrity suites customers are ending up.

 

 

Edited March 7, 2023 by terrydtx

[TeeRick]

6 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

When we are looking at Oceania, we prefer their 3 newer and larger ships, Marina, Riviera and the new Vista all with about a 1200 passenger capacity. We feel the A Concierge level cabins are close to a Sky Suite in size, 291sq ft, and most cases price. The A class cabins have an exclusive lounge with snacks and nonalcoholic drinks. There are not any suites exclusive restaurants but they have 4or 5 specialty restaurants that are included in the cruise pricing. Since O is known for their superior onboard cuisine I see no reason to have an exclusive venue like Luminae. When we booked we chose the wine and beer package with lunch and dinner, which can be upgraded to a unlimited spirits package anytime for $20pp per day. All bottled water and non alcohol drinks are included in the cruise 24/7. There is not a butler until you book the higher Penthouse Suites.

For a full list of Concierge class amenities here is a link on O's website; Luxury Cruise Suites & Staterooms Aboard the Marina - Oceania Cruise (oceaniacruises.com)

 

Since we booked our first O cruise, I have been spending time in the O CC forum and it is surprising how many ex-Celebrity people I have found. It appears Oceania is where many dissatisfied Celebrity suites customers are ending up.

 

 

Thank you,  I value your opinion(s).🙂

[terrydtx]

12 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

Thank you,  I value your opinion(s).🙂

For example our 2025 booked cruise on the Marina of South America for 18 days is $200pp less than the similar 14-day SS on the Equinox. We booked an A3 concierge level cabin and we get 4 more days and 3 more ports than the Equinox for $200 less in cost. This for us was a no brainer. One of the couples we met on our September Apex cruise roll call, after our discussions about O, canceled his Celebrity cruise on the Equinox to join us on the Marina after he did the comparison.

Edited March 7, 2023 by terrydtx

[Orator]

I took Oceania Riviera in January and was disappointed by the food and entertainment. Public spaces were lovely. I took Viking Neptune in December and preferred it too Oceania. Saw lots on former Celebrity loyalists on both cruises. Paul Baya, the long time CD was CD on Oceania. Viking ships are beautiful and the crew is very customer friendly.

[terrydtx]

5 minutes ago, Orator said:

I took Oceania Riviera in January and was disappointed by the food and entertainment. Public spaces were lovely. I took Viking Neptune in December and preferred it too Oceania. Saw lots on former Celebrity loyalists on both cruises. Paul Baya, the long time CD was CD on Oceania. Viking ships are beautiful and the crew is very customer friendly.

We wanted to try a Viking Ocean cruise, but their policy of final payment due 12 months out was a big no for us. No way I can justify giving any cruise line $15k or more to hold for a year.  Maybe if we found a last-minute Viking Ocean cruise, we would try them.

[paulh84]

53 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

When we are looking at Oceania, we prefer their 3 newer and larger ships, Marina, Riviera and the new Vista all with about a 1200 passenger capacity. We feel the A Concierge level cabins are close to a Sky Suite in size, 291sq ft, and most cases price.

 

The A class cabins have an exclusive lounge with snacks and nonalcoholic drinks. There are not any suites exclusive restaurants but they have 4or 5 specialty restaurants that are included in the cruise pricing. Since O is known for their superior onboard cuisine I see no reason to have an exclusive venue like Luminae. When we booked we chose the wine and beer package with lunch and dinner, which can be upgraded to a unlimited spirits package anytime for $20pp per day. All bottled water and non alcohol drinks are included in the cruise 24/7. There is not a butler until you book the higher Penthouse Suites.

For a full list of Concierge class amenities here is a link on O's website; Luxury Cruise Suites & Staterooms Aboard the Marina - Oceania Cruise (oceaniacruises.com)

 

Since we booked our first O cruise, I have been spending time in the O CC forum and it is surprising how many ex-Celebrity people I have found. It appears Oceania is where many dissatisfied Celebrity suites customers are ending up.

 

 

 

I thought I saw in another one of your Oceania reviews you have never actually sailed on O yet? 

[Bobsgonecoastal]

Celebrity was our first choice from the time we started cruising (20 aqua class cruises, most of them long), that has drastically changed in the last year.  
IMHO, Princess now provides us with a better experience, followed by Holland America, NCL, and Celebrity.

Currently the closest cruise experience we’ve had that we would call premium was Princess Reserve Class.  Celebrity has become a big disappointment fo us.

[Orator]

2 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

We wanted to try a Viking Ocean cruise, but their policy of final payment due 12 months out was a big no for us. No way I can justify giving any cruise line $15k or more to hold for a year.  Maybe if we found a last-minute Viking Ocean cruise, we would try them.

You might look for some "specials" where they require full payment 6 months or less before the cruise. The speakers were particularly strong on Viking.

[George C]

59 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

When we are looking at Oceania, we prefer their 3 newer and larger ships, Marina, Riviera and the new Vista all with about a 1200 passenger capacity. We feel the A Concierge level cabins are close to a Sky Suite in size, 291sq ft, and most cases price.

 

The A class cabins have an exclusive lounge with snacks and nonalcoholic drinks. There are not any suites exclusive restaurants but they have 4or 5 specialty restaurants that are included in the cruise pricing. Since O is known for their superior onboard cuisine I see no reason to have an exclusive venue like Luminae. When we booked we chose the wine and beer package with lunch and dinner, which can be upgraded to a unlimited spirits package anytime for $20pp per day. All bottled water and non alcohol drinks are included in the cruise 24/7. There is not a butler until you book the higher Penthouse Suites.

For a full list of Concierge class amenities here is a link on O's website; Luxury Cruise Suites & Staterooms Aboard the Marina - Oceania Cruise (oceaniacruises.com)

 

Since we booked our first O cruise, I have been spending time in the O CC forum and it is surprising how many ex-Celebrity people I have found. It appears Oceania is where many dissatisfied Celebrity suites customers are ending up.

 

 

How is the entertainment? 

[terrydtx]

6 minutes ago, paulh84 said:

 

I thought I saw in another one of your Oceania reviews you have never actually sailed on O yet? 

That is correct, we had two cruises canceled in 2020 and 2022 that we previously booked, and I have done extensive research on O vs Celebrity.

[terrydtx]

4 minutes ago, George C said:

How is the entertainment? 

First of all we have not yet been on an Oceania cruise, 2 previously ones canceled in 2020 and 2022, but have one booked for 2025. Second, we do not book for the entertainment on any cruise line, as we rarely go to any shows so that is not one of our criteria for choosing a cruise. As I previously said our first criteria for a cruise is itinerary then we look for the line that offers the most value for dollars spent that meets most of our criteria. Up to now a Sky Suite with Celebrity has been our strong choice but their future pricing for a Sky Suite has been why we are going elsewhere. Our 4 future SS Celebrity bookings are currently 20-30% more in cost than when we booked a year ago. The 2025 14-night South America Equinox cruise sky suite cost is $200pp more than the Oceania Marina 18-night cruise we booked. That was too significant to pass up.

[mom says]

23 hours ago, mcrcruiser said:

How do you rank Celebrity as your choice when searching for your next cruise?  If  Not Celebrity then what cruise line will you select ?

Cruise line is not the primary, or even secondary factor when searching for our next cruise. Itinerary is number one, combined with availability  within our schedule. Ship size is next. No mega ships for us; prefer those well under 3000 pax. And we want a real balcony, so bye bye E class ships. Celebrity is sinking even lower in our desirability list with its lack of longer cruises and unimaginative itineraries, although we will do a series of b2bs if the combination is interesting enough. And then there are the price increases combined with reduced quality/service on board. 

 

Which ever cruise line can offer the best combination of itinerary, ship/cabin, and price during the time period we are looking at will likely be the one we choose. Except Carnival or Costa. Those are a flat no.

[terrydtx]

34 minutes ago, Bobsgonecoastal said:

Celebrity was our first choice from the time we started cruising (20 aqua class cruises, most of them long), that has drastically changed in the last year.  
IMHO, Princess now provides us with a better experience, followed by Holland America, NCL, and Celebrity.

Currently the closest cruise experience we’ve had that we would call premium was Princess Reserve Class.  Celebrity has become a big disappointment fo us.

I was looking at what an Aqua cabin currently costs on our September Apex cruise and today it is $5395pp which is only $600pp less than our Sky Suite when we booked in 2021.  When we booked this cruise back in 2021 the Aqua cabins where just a little over $4000pp. That is a huge increase in cost in less than 2 years. Before we booked in Sky Suites, we also booked Aqua Class.

Edited March 7, 2023 by terrydtx

[1Virgo]

13 hours ago, NMTraveller said:

We used to book a new Celebrity cruise while on the ship.  Not anymore.

 

We will consider all options depending upon where we are going.  I think that Celebrity has reduced their quality and priced themselves out in many cases.

we didnt book but bought the FCC with guaranteed OBC.  The guy said there was 1 more perk and when we asked, were told  if we book by March 1st, it is double CC points.  Should have had him put that in writing.   We came home, booked a cruise before deadline.  No double points. That was applicable to Europe cruises only      

Agree Celebrity pricing is really going up

[Ken the cruiser]

3 hours ago, TeeRick said:

A lot of Celebrity suite cruisers like you are switching to Oceania.  Other than itinerary and size of ship, I am interested to know how they stack up?  What is equivalent to a Sky suite on Oceania?  What do you get vs the Retreat suite benefits (and Luminae) on Oceania?  Not looking for a comprehensive list- just some key differences if any.  Thank you!

Rick, simply put, the amenities and cabin size of an Oceania Penthouse comes the closest when comparing to a Sky Suite.

 

Suites & Staterooms | Riviera Ship | Oceania Cruises

 

BTW I have been on 10 Oceania cruises, 5 on the Riviera, 3 on the Nautica, and 2 on the Sirena.

Edited March 7, 2023 by Ken the cruiser

[JDPCruisers]

On 3/6/2023 at 9:13 AM, mcrcruiser said:

How do you rank Celebrity as your choice when searching for your next cruise?  If  Not Celebrity then what cruise line will you select ?

We were RC fans (Diamond +), went over to X (Elite +) and have been concentrating on them the last year or so with two more booked and now prefer over RC for a number of reasons, overall quality of amenities, service, food, and itineraries. Another big reason for us not looking to book RC has been their focus on families, waterparks on the seas approach. Not for us. We have considered other lines i.e. Azamara, Oceania, Viking but have not booked yet. Appreciate all the perspectives! 

[deultgen]

We prefer to sail Celebrity.  We have 4 times, all on S Class ships, all in Aqua Class

 

We also sail Princess.  Since Covid we have sailed Princess 3 times, each time in a regular balcony stateroom, with the Sanctuary reserved every afternoon of the cruise, and dined in a specialty restaurant every night.  These past 3 times on Princess, it has been FAR less expensive than the comparable Celebrity cruise.