Celebrity No Longer #1, According to T+L Readers

[chefchick]

I don’t want to become a cheerleader for Virgin Voyages (or any line for that matter) because I truly believe that each line has pluses and minuses. But I also don’t really understand the reasoning behind being loyal to only one line in the first place? Great itineraries or good food/entertainment I understand   Pricing/overall value, of course. But what else is keeping you sailing the same line over and over again?  Yes, loyalty programs do give you “perks” and we all like that but at least until the end of 2024 if you have a high status with another line (or even some hotel chains I think) you can be status matched on Virgin and get perks on your very first cruise with them…good ones too.  Again, how you spend your vacation time and dollars is none of my business but I feel that it is the adult/no kids Celebrity cruiser who would most enjoy a Virgin Voyages cruise.  Just something to keep on your radar if you haven’t thought of it.  You can thank me later. 😎

[Liao]

3 hours ago, chefchick said:

I don’t want to become a cheerleader for Virgin Voyages (or any line for that matter) because I truly believe that each line has pluses and minuses. But I also don’t really understand the reasoning behind being loyal to only one line in the first place? Great itineraries or good food/entertainment I understand   Pricing/overall value, of course. But what else is keeping you sailing the same line over and over again?  Yes, loyalty programs do give you “perks” and we all like that but at least until the end of 2024 if you have a high status with another line (or even some hotel chains I think) you can be status matched on Virgin and get perks on your very first cruise with them…good ones too.  Again, how you spend your vacation time and dollars is none of my business but I feel that it is the adult/no kids Celebrity cruiser who would most enjoy a Virgin Voyages cruise.  Just something to keep on your radar if you haven’t thought of it.  You can thank me later. 😎

I will thank you now, because you and a couple others convinced me to expand my horizons.  Have not sailed yet, but I know me and I know I will have a great time.  

[Cruising89143]

These type of surveys mean nothing to me. I go by personal experience. Other than the age limit, nothing about Virgin interests at all. I have cruised long enough to know what I like and dislike and Virgin does not appeal to me. 

[MamaFej]

Two couples we know who have sailed frequently (mostly in Aqua) with Celebrity are now steadfast Virgin converts. They've been singing the praises of VV to us and trying to get us to try them. We are open to the idea, though we have really gotten hooked on smaller ships lately. For the first time since 2017, we don't have a Celebrity cruise, nor any cruise with more than 900 passengers booked. If we find a VV itinerary that really interests us, we might give them a try. 

[RollWave]

15 hours ago, chefchick said:

I don’t want to become a cheerleader for Virgin Voyages (or any line for that matter) because I truly believe that each line has pluses and minuses. But I also don’t really understand the reasoning behind being loyal to only one line in the first place? Great itineraries or good food/entertainment I understand   Pricing/overall value, of course. But what else is keeping you sailing the same line over and over again?  Yes, loyalty programs do give you “perks” and we all like that but at least until the end of 2024 if you have a high status with another line (or even some hotel chains I think) you can be status matched on Virgin and get perks on your very first cruise with them…good ones too.  Again, how you spend your vacation time and dollars is none of my business but I feel that it is the adult/no kids Celebrity cruiser who would most enjoy a Virgin Voyages cruise.  Just something to keep on your radar if you haven’t thought of it.  You can thank me later. 😎

We are getting ready to take our second VV long weekend cruise to give them a second chance. We have not boarded yet and the status match is a sticking point.

 

PROS from the first cruise: Food was fantastic!!! Adult only was awesome. Loved the private beach club experience. Enjoyed that there is an onboard drag queen. Liked the Wednesday to Sunday itinerary.

 

CONS from the first cruise: The dining reservation system (one night we could not get a dinner reservation and the staff could give a flip -- no help). Crew was not at all customer service oriented nor interested in solving anything -total blank stares, did not know how to help with wifi - I would not have been shocked if they said  "ok boomer" even though we are not boomers. Pool on board was not great. Cabins are Ikea-ish.

 

WE ARE: Empty-nesters in our 50's. Extremely busy work life which equals plenty of discretionary income to spend on travel & experiences, but we want/need no hassles (such as a messed up dining reservation system and crew with an attitude).

 

STATUS MATCH: This is an issue I am about to speak with VV about AGAIN for our upcoming cruise. They granted my husband the match and not me. (We have the same status everywhere else - cruise lines, car rental, hotels etc..)

 

Why does this matter... he has an early embarkation perk and I do not. They will not 

make him the primary on the reservation and have the attitude of "oh well -maybe it will work out at the port but we can't guarantee". We have a 3:45 embarkation and he has the ability to get on well before this time. To me, this seems like a very easy no cost fix that would greatly reduce my agita...just change our embarkation time to an earlier embarkation to honor my husband's status. 

 

The early embarkation is the only perk he has that I care about...not the $100 drink credit...the early embarkation which is free to them to handle, and they just do not seem to get it.

[RollWave]

11 hours ago, MamaFej said:

 For the first time since 2017, we don't have a Celebrity cruise, nor any cruise with more than 900 passengers booked. If we find a VV itinerary that really interests us, we might give them a try. 

What are the smaller lines you have tried or are going to try?

[leaveitallbehind]

Regarding the T & L opinion poll, my honest answer as far as I'm concerned is who cares?  Does it really matter if a cruise line is #1 or not in their opinion? What the opinions are of a third party who may or may not have ever experienced a cruise with any given line holds no deciding value to me. 

 

While I will research the cruise lines by target demographics, on board amenities, different dining and other venues, all-in price, itineraries, etc., I put little stock into reviews and polls provided by a minority of travelers or industry associates. 

 

If my own research indicates that a cruise line or ship may be of interest to try, I will do so and form my own opinion from that.  After all, IMO, that's the only opinion that matters, in particular when it comes to how and where I spend my travel money.

Edited July 21 by leaveitallbehind

[NutsAboutGolf]

1 hour ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Regarding the T & L opinion poll, my honest answer as far as I'm concerned is who cares?  Does it really matter if a cruise line is #1 or not in their opinion? What the opinions are of a third party who may or may not have ever experienced a cruise with any given line holds no deciding value to me. 

 

While I will research the cruise lines by target demographics, on board amenities, different dining and other venues, all-in price, itineraries, etc., I put little stock into reviews and polls provided by a minority of travelers or industry associates. 

 

If my own research indicates that a cruise line or ship may be of interest to try, I will do so and form my own opinion from that.  After all, IMO, that's the only opinion that matters, in particular when it comes to how and where I spend my travel money.

 

The OP's intentions are clear, they're hoping X is ambitious enough to improve their product/service.  The reality is that it's all about bookings which are strong

[MamaFej]

4 hours ago, RollWave said:

What are the smaller lines you have tried or are going to try?

We have cruised on Windstar, Azamara, Viking, and Silversea Expeditions. We currently have another expediton booked with Silversea, and we have ocean cruises booked with Azamara (4) and Viking (1). We also have a Nile River cruise booked with Ama, with whom we've sailed twice before, in Europe and Asia. 

[chefchick]

5 hours ago, RollWave said:

We are getting ready to take our second VV long weekend cruise to give them a second chance. We have not boarded yet and the status match is a sticking point.

 

PROS from the first cruise: Food was fantastic!!! Adult only was awesome. Loved the private beach club experience. Enjoyed that there is an onboard drag queen. Liked the Wednesday to Sunday itinerary.

 

CONS from the first cruise: The dining reservation system (one night we could not get a dinner reservation and the staff could give a flip -- no help). Crew was not at all customer service oriented nor interested in solving anything -total blank stares, did not know how to help with wifi - I would not have been shocked if they said  "ok boomer" even though we are not boomers. Pool on board was not great. Cabins are Ikea-ish.

 

WE ARE: Empty-nesters in our 50's. Extremely busy work life which equals plenty of discretionary income to spend on travel & experiences, but we want/need no hassles (such as a messed up dining reservation system and crew with an attitude).

 

STATUS MATCH: This is an issue I am about to speak with VV about AGAIN for our upcoming cruise. They granted my husband the match and not me. (We have the same status everywhere else - cruise lines, car rental, hotels etc..)

 

Why does this matter... he has an early embarkation perk and I do not. They will not 

make him the primary on the reservation and have the attitude of "oh well -maybe it will work out at the port but we can't guarantee". We have a 3:45 embarkation and he has the ability to get on well before this time. To me, this seems like a very easy no cost fix that would greatly reduce my agita...just change our embarkation time to an earlier embarkation to honor my husband's status. 

 

The early embarkation is the only perk he has that I care about...not the $100 drink credit...the early embarkation which is free to them to handle, and they just do not seem to get it.

I’m sorry this was your experience. I have sailed with my husband and the status perks were usable for both even though I have the actual status and he doesn’t (meaning we were both able to board early for example) but I was the primary on the reservation (not sure if that made any difference though)?  I am surprised that you had any problems with the crew because that has not been my experience on any of my sailings (I’ve done three now on three different ships). Are they all perfect, knowledgeable, the best customer service personnel I’ve ever seen?  Of course not…but I’ve encountered nothing but friendly, helpful crew members who seem genuinely happy to be there (which I can’t always say for other lines I’ve sailed on).  I truly hope your upcoming voyage will be great.

[chefchick]

1 hour ago, MamaFej said:

We have cruised on Windstar, Azamara, Viking, and Silversea Expeditions. We currently have another expediton booked with Silversea, and we have ocean cruises booked with Azamara (4) and Viking (1). We also have a Nile River cruise booked with Ama, with whom we've sailed twice before, in Europe and Asia. 

Nice.  I’ve sailed Windstar (a few times actually) but the others are still on my list.  Cruising is a passion and I’m fortunate enough to cruise multiple times a year.  I love new experiences so I am always on the hunt for a line or an itinerary I haven’t tried YET. 😎. Happy sailing!

[NMTraveller]

3 hours ago, MamaFej said:

We have cruised on Windstar, Azamara, Viking, and Silversea Expeditions. We currently have another expediton booked with Silversea, and we have ocean cruises booked with Azamara (4) and Viking (1). We also have a Nile River cruise booked with Ama, with whom we've sailed twice before, in Europe and Asia. 

How did you like Windstar?

[MamaFej]

5 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

How did you like Windstar?

It was fantastic! However, it was one of those very underbooked cruises after the restart in 2021, so our experience was certainly not typical. The ship had a cpacity of about 300, and we had 113 passengers onboard. We had a day in Papeete, Tahiti, a cruise throughout French Polynesia, then 5 days in an overwater bungalow on Moorea, followed by another night in Papeete, all at start-up prices, traveling with our very good friend who is also our travel agent. The trip required 5 Covid tests, but it was worth it!

 

It was our first small ship experience. We've had more than a dozen Celebrity cruises and a few Princess cruises since then, but we are leaning toward the small ships pretty strongly now. 

[jayoldschool]

Status match and no kids makes me want to try VV. Food reviews as well. I like X, and have continued liking them for 20 years. They need to keep evolving with their customers. I don't understand how they can't see that they have a family friendly option with RC... some of X should be adults only. One ship... one class... or the complete line.

[canderson]

2 minutes ago, jayoldschool said:

Status match and no kids makes me want to try VV. Food reviews as well. I like X, and have continued liking them for 20 years. They need to keep evolving with their customers. I don't understand how they can't see that they have a family friendly option with RC... some of X should be adults only. One ship... one class... or the complete line.

If they were inclined to go that route, I think they'd more likely do it with Silversea.

 

[chefchick]

1 hour ago, NMTraveller said:

How did you like Windstar?

Another consideration when booking a Windstar cruise is the ships themselves.  They have the traditional “sailing vessels” (the sails are really just for show but very cool nonetheless ) and the transformed yachts they purchased from Seabourn.  Both are great, but the overall vibe and guest experience CAN be very different.  Just something to think about when booking.  A great product for those looking for a small ship cruise with generally wonderful itineraries.

[Liao]

6 minutes ago, jayoldschool said:

Status match and no kids makes me want to try VV. Food reviews as well. I like X, and have continued liking them for 20 years. They need to keep evolving with their customers. I don't understand how they can't see that they have a family friendly option with RC... some of X should be adults only. One ship... one class... or the complete line.

I have a few reasons for branching out to VV, but one of the top is they are adult only, food as well, but the idea of doing a cruise with a lot of sea days and no children is very appealing.

[miched]

I have never thought of them being number 1 but it is the cruise line that suits me at this time.  Things may change like everything else.   When we took our first cruise it was on Carnival and it was great for us and then we found found a better fit on celebrity. 
 

In our younger years we were satisfied with McDonald’s, Burger King, and etc.  as we got older we changed our dining habits and likes.  Moved up to the porcelain castle.  🙄😬🤣😱. NOT. 
 

I don’t care what others think or vote.   I go by what appeals to me, and gives me what I feel is the best value. 
 

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

[calicakes]

On 7/19/2024 at 5:41 AM, Judyrem said:

I have not been on a cruise since the covid debacle.  Most of the time I go on land vacations but  when  I went to Tuscany and Sicily for two weeks with four other women recently , we all realized our struggles with suitcases, and steps were becoming problematic for us, ergo cruises or private group tours.

 

I can't always find women to go with because they still have husbands and can not travel as easily as I fortunately able to do.

 

BTW, in one week my friend and I are on Queen Mary 2 for a TA to Hamburg and five days Hamburg.

 

I have a "solo" on Beyond in October, a solo Western Caribbean on Constellation in Jan, a March Infinity sailing from Greece and an October sailing on Apex to Portugal and the Canaries.

Will you vlog that TA to Hamburg?  My wife and I( same sex) want to do a TA on Cunard from NY to Southhampton.  We're thinking Jan 2026. 

[Judyrem]

5 minutes ago, calicakes said:

Will you vlog that TA to Hamburg?  My wife and I( same sex) want to do a TA on Cunard from NY to Southhampton.  We're thinking Jan 2026. 

I will try!😉

[calicakes]

22 hours ago, MamaFej said:

It was fantastic! However, it was one of those very underbooked cruises after the restart in 2021, so our experience was certainly not typical. The ship had a cpacity of about 300, and we had 113 passengers onboard. We had a day in Papeete, Tahiti, a cruise throughout French Polynesia, then 5 days in an overwater bungalow on Moorea, followed by another night in Papeete, all at start-up prices, traveling with our very good friend who is also our travel agent. The trip required 5 Covid tests, but it was worth it!

 

It was our first small ship experience. We've had more than a dozen Celebrity cruises and a few Princess cruises since then, but we are leaning toward the small ships pretty strongly now. 

We cruise Oceania in Feb 2022, we had about 120 on the cruise, it was like sailing on a private yacht.  The crew were tripping over themselves to help.  The food was great too.  Our second Oceania cruise last year was not the same.  Big decline in food quality. 

[MamaFej]

Just now, calicakes said:

We cruise Oceania in Feb 2022, we had about 120 on the cruise, it was like sailing on a private yacht.  The crew were tripping over themselves to help.  The food was great too.  Our second Oceania cruise last year was not the same.  Big decline in food quality. 

I get it. Our first cruise back after the restart was on the Celebrity Millennium to Alaska with 600 passengers and 900 crew. Those early months back were interesting, for a variety of reasons.