Jumping ship to a new cruise line

[CruiseRQA]

On 12/18/2023 at 7:33 AM, Ex-Airbalancer said:

Have you been to the Azamara section of CC to see what the regulars are writing? 

Generally I find the posts here not to be representative of the cruise experience.   There is a lot of good information here and specific questions can get specific answers.   But the tone of the board is negative.   We continue to enjoy Celebrity but if I had never cruised I would not pick Celebrity after reading this board.   Same goes for Azamara probably.   I take the advice of my trusted travel agent and respect the experiences of trusted friends and relatives. 

[PTC DAWG]

6 minutes ago, CruiseRQA said:

Generally I find the posts here not to be representative of the cruise experience.   There is a lot of good information here and specific questions can get specific answers.   But the tone of the board is negative.   We continue to enjoy Celebrity but if I had never cruised I would not pick Celebrity after reading this board.   Same goes for Azamara probably.   I take the advice of my trusted travel agent and respect the experiences of trusted friends and relatives. 

Most people like to be negative…just human nature.  I have never had a bad cruise, period..regardless of line. 

[shavdog]

You get a free bag of laundry....I think the whole captains club thing is  not appealing to me....we've been on 45 cruises....we just got off a btb on Equinox...

Edited December 23, 2023 by shavdog

[deliver42]

Many more people post negative comments than positive ones. I don't know why. 

[TeaBag]

We have 5 cruises booked and hoping weather issues do not impact them.

[Oceansaway17]

5 hours ago, PTC DAWG said:

Most people like to be negative…just human nature.  I have never had a bad cruise, period..regardless of line. 

then again, this site is called Cruise CRITIC.   still, I think useful information can be found on this site too.

[George C]

We were switching from rccl to celebrity back and forth all in suites, we tried MSc yacht club just before Covid and loved it , now that celebrity wants 4K plus for edge class we booked MSc yacht club again for under 3k. Better lounge, less crowded outdoor pool etc , live music in lounge.

[ExArkie]

39 minutes ago, Oceansaway17 said:

then again, this site is called Cruise CRITIC.   still, I think useful information can be found on this site too.

From the Merriam-Webster definition of critic: "one who expresses a reasoned opinion on any matter especially involving a judgment of its value, truth, righteousness, beauty, or technique"

 

[sofietucker]

On 12/17/2023 at 10:42 PM, NMTraveller said:

Has anyone sailed Azamara since RCL sold them?  Comments?

We have, this past Sept, Greece and Turkey, loved it, have booked another for 2025. Amazing itineraries in small ports. Their website was horrendous with the change, and eternally conflicting customer service, but seemed to finally get up to speed by the time we boarded. Very nice ship, very international pax. Lots to do, great excursions. Food was good. Staff & crew were great.

 

We had already planned to jump to a smaller ship from X, so it was a tossup between them and Oceania for our "new" line. May go on O again, may not, depending solely on itineraries on offer (we're 70, but the vibe was a bit staid for us...). Though they had BY FAR the most stellar library I've ever seen on a ship (including before HAL removed their several rooms' worth).

 

That being said, we have 3 more cruises booked on X too--one for family, one last minute, and one due to itinerary. And we're not mad at them.

 

We're 4-star Mariners but pretty tired of HAL--except for the music venues! No other line compares. Limited itineraries though, and food and staff only okay. We had adored the small Prinsendam (RIP) but that entire Dutch-based culture has changed, I guess as pax died off and captains retired... Plus COVID then changed the entire world of cruising.

 

Probably not Viking as we have been told no live music. But that was awhile back & may have changed...

Virgin? Oh hail no!! Berthed next to them in Rhodes; it was all 30-yr-olds. One told us they have regular pajama parties, lol...

The only absolutely never again is Carnival. Possibly may go on Princess again ONLY if they offer a ship with no MUTS, which caused us to stop cruising with them. (Watched Moana on a Disney ship from the top deck of our RCI ship when parked next to them... That also told us nope, no Disney ever, would be unable to escape the blaring outdoor movies. At least X shows theirs in a secluded location.)

Edited December 24, 2023 by sofietucker

[jmfdr]

6 hours ago, sofietucker said:

 

 

 

 

Probably not Viking as we have been told no live music. But that was awhile back & may have changed...

 

 

 

Viking does have live music!

[RichYak]

38 minutes ago, QuestionEverything said:

I thrive on critical thinking consumers ie not sheeple behavior. The pointed questions some, some, posters here make are the best.

This 100%. Bravo! Ignore all the hyperbole, both negative and positive here, and just weigh the facts. 

[sofietucker]

2 hours ago, jmfdr said:

Viking does have live music!

Woo!! Good to know, thanks

[Oceansaway17]

4 hours ago, QuestionEverything said:

Well done, and that is the point indeed.

Many posters on CC have access to important information well before the "masses" and well before TA's, in most cases. CC is very helpful that way.

I thrive on critical thinking consumers ie not sheeple behavior. The pointed questions some, some, posters here make are the best.

Keep the questions and analysis and criticism coming folks!

My current criticism is Oceania and their Simply More scam - advertising stating "free" x, y, z. It is not free, it is a forced payment for product you may or may not wish and you must pay for it, if you wish to book. More accurate advertising would be "included". Hence Oceania has been canceled.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and Safe Travels in 2024

 

thanks for your reply. It is folks who are currently on a ship that provide real time information that can be helpful as well as the threads for the new ships being built.

 

But it looks liked someone had to provide me with a definition as well.   

 

I agree those cruise lines that have it or inclusive is not something I want to pay for since I do not drink alcohol, nor do I gamble or even use internet. I can get news off the tv and wait until I get home to catch up.   I tell my family if a really bad emergency pops up, contact the cruise line and the ship.

[Oceansaway17]

21 hours ago, ExArkie said:

From the Merriam-Webster definition of critic: "one who expresses a reasoned opinion on any matter especially involving a judgment of its value, truth, righteousness, beauty, or technique"

 

ummmm okay

[PTC DAWG]

5 hours ago, jmfdr said:

Viking does have live music!

I’m 60, not old enough for Viking…that’s what the Yacht Club director told me on my last MSC cruise..he had just came from Viking.,

[Lastdance]

 I appreciate information, especially constructive criticism on Cruise Critic, just not the comments of using one’s own perceptions to criticize others.  Factual information is extremely helpful, not to mention a good spar now and then.  Glass half full here!  Just let me cruise in Europe and I am a very happy camper enjoying life to the fullest!  The ship and the itinerary are important for my DH and me.

 

QuestionEverything:  I booked Oceania before the change, but will not book again if excursions are included, as we do our own.  So, I guess I’ll be one and done.  Change leads to resilience, IMHO and Life is short!  Who better to judge what is important to you than yourself!

Edited December 25, 2023 by Lastdance

[Rod&Deb]

Hope you find the other cruise lines better though at many thousands of dollars more though if you are prepared to pay that enjoy🥂

[hcat]

if the unofficial posts about new drink.packages pricing on X are accurate.. we'll be moving on after our already  booked X cruises are completed..

 

  After awhile all the changes and upcharges become annoying and expensive!  "All in"  was easiest for us!

Edited December 30, 2023 by hcat

[Moby Jones]

54 minutes ago, Rod&Deb said:

Hope you find the other cruise lines better though at many thousands of dollars more though if you are prepared to pay that enjoy🥂

|
There are other cruise lines that are "better" than Celebrity IMHO and cheaper too, depending on what class of cabin you book. 

Those who travel in Sky Suites should be able to find comparable cruises at lower pricing on the small ship luxury lines quite easily. 

 

[Oceangoer2]

5 hours ago, hcat said:

if the unofficial posts about new drink.packages pricing on X are accurate.. we'll be moving on after our already  booked X cruises are completed..

 

  After awhile all the changes and upcharges become annoying and expensive!  "All in"  was easiest for us!

What is the rumour re drink pkgs?  Grats no longer included...are they considering removing bev. pkgs. and wifi?

[Nola26]

I've only taken two short cruises on Celebrity Summitt. However, I've taken 10+ on NCL and have Platinum. I do not consider Celebrity to be an upgrade over NCL except that the cabins are nicer/newer decor and potentially a bit bigger.

 

I would give NCL the nod on food quality and variety especially with multiple complimentary dining options (MDR, Buffet, Asian and The Local) compared to Celebrity. The NCL buffet also does theme nights so if you're up for a Seafood, Mexican, etc. night you can plan to eat at the buffet vs MDR. NCL does not have set dining times and has 2-3 MDRs onboard (same menus). Those rooms can feel like dining in a different place from night to night. Celebrity seats you upstairs or downstairs based on your dining reservation selection,

 

NCL wins on entertainment, both shows and on deck performers. They have actual comedy club spaces, so not all shows are in the theater, feels a bit more authentic. Holland America seems to be scaling back their offerings but based on my experience I would rate them higher than Celebrity. The production shows on Celebrity leave a lot to be desired. I think this is more a function on the leadership rather than the performers. Some of the performance decisions were baffling and that goes to your directors or perhaps producers if they're based on budget.

 

Crew NCL crew/officers are much friendlier and actually appear happier.

 

I have never sailed in a suite on NCL so my experience is from an Inside or Balcony cabin perspective.

 

Celebrity's strategy is more about Classes of customers, Aqua, Concierge, etc. Rather than if they are loyal customers. Keep in mind I'm just Classic on Celebrity, so not exposed to perks just yet.

 

We had a surprisingly awesome experience on HAL Eurodam to Alaska in May. Food was excellent and as non meat-eaters found their vegan, vegetarian and seafood options to be the best of the three lines. Fresh sushi on the buffet, vegan bratwurst and veggie burgers at the grill. Vegan sausage links available in the MDR breakfast and high-quality seafood on the MDR menu. They boast about their culinary council, and it shows. The buffet service is generally served rather than self-service, including staff to bring beverages to your table. Other than to clean a table I never saw a Celebrity staffer help a guest. On both NCL and HAL staff has carried the tray of an elderly guest to their table for them by an offer of assistance. I've even saw HAL officers to this for guests. I definitely felt HAL to be more upscale than Celebrity.

 

In all three cases my cruise has been supported by a casino offer either from a land based casino or the cruise line (comp or discounted) in a non-suite cabin (Inside, Oceanview, Balcony).

 

Bottom line my cruise line ranking for the lines I've experienced are: NCL, HAL, Celebrity. I would sail any of them again but would lean in based on that order. As always the offer, itinerary and schedule will ultimately dictate my selection.

[Jim_Iain]

I know after many years this past year has been the first time I've shown any negativity toward Celebrity.   Right or wrong -  for 23 years I have sailed Celebrity exclusively and have begun straying earlier this year with my first non-Celebrity cruise.

 

To put things in perspective I have been reading many of the other Forums from Cunard, Silver Seas, Azamara, Oceania and Crystal.    I was surprised to read many of the same complaints as I read her.   Increased Cruise Prices and cutback on food quality, availability of wines and the lack of properly trained staff.   The common threads seems to be --- It isn't the same as the Old Days.

 

The old adage come to mind -  "When God wishes to punish, he answers your prayers."

[LouChamp]

On 12/24/2023 at 1:27 AM, sofietucker said:

We have, this past Sept, Greece and Turkey, loved it, have booked another for 2025. Amazing itineraries in small ports. Their website was horrendous with the change, and eternally conflicting customer service, but seemed to finally get up to speed by the time we boarded. Very nice ship, very international pax. Lots to do, great excursions. Food was good. Staff & crew were great.

 

We had already planned to jump to a smaller ship from X, so it was a tossup between them and Oceania for our "new" line. May go on O again, may not, depending solely on itineraries on offer (we're 70, but the vibe was a bit staid for us...). Though they had BY FAR the most stellar library I've ever seen on a ship (including before HAL removed their several rooms' worth).

 

That being said, we have 3 more cruises booked on X too--one for family, one last minute, and one due to itinerary. And we're not mad at them.

 

We're 4-star Mariners but pretty tired of HAL--except for the music venues! No other line compares. Limited itineraries though, and food and staff only okay. We had adored the small Prinsendam (RIP) but that entire Dutch-based culture has changed, I guess as pax died off and captains retired... Plus COVID then changed the entire world of cruising.

 

Probably not Viking as we have been told no live music. But that was awhile back & may have changed...

Virgin? Oh hail no!! Berthed next to them in Rhodes; it was all 30-yr-olds. One told us they have regular pajama parties, lol...

The only absolutely never again is Carnival. Possibly may go on Princess again ONLY if they offer a ship with no MUTS, which caused us to stop cruising with them. (Watched Moana on a Disney ship from the top deck of our RCI ship when parked next to them... That also told us nope, no Disney ever, would be unable to escape the blaring outdoor movies. At least X shows theirs in a secluded location.)

Aloha.  Your summary is very similar to my thoughts regarding the various lines. I won’t say I will not sail on a particular line again and realized we have been sailing with Celebrity since its inception and NCL, Princess, HAL, Cunard, Royal since the 1970s. We have sailed with Cunard for decades and the QM2 since its inception in 2004. They all have special somethings and I do enjoy variety and look forward to Oceania and Regent soon. Have two long cruises with HAL scheduled except one involves the Middle East so that will probably be canceled. I thank you for your thoughts and Jim and Iain we thoroughly enjoy your reviews and food pictures. Happy and blessed New Year’s!