New to this Forum; Compare and Contrast: Celebrity - Royal Caribbean?

[LEMJMcC]

The wife and I have cruised on Royal Caribbean six times, mostly in the Caribbean, but most recently to Alaska.  We've enjoyed all of these cruises and stayed in Junior Suites each time.

 

Now, we are looking at and considering our first Celebrity cruise, hopefully to the Southern Caribbean.

 

What would you say are the starkest differences between the two lines and their ships?  What would you say Celebrity is better at than RCI and vice-versa?

 

On RCI we cruised on Brilliance of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas, Wonder of the Seas, and Quantum of the Seas.  It's just the two of us, no children to consider.

 

Thanks.

[Luvcrusn]

Celebrity is more laid back, the ships are certainly smaller than the Oasis since the largest accommodate around 3,000 passengers give or take. There will be generally less children onboard. The entertainment on X doesn't require reservations and will not have any broadway shows, but will have cast production shows in addition to guest entertainers. 
There are some differences in the perks applications between the two lines. We prefer the service on X ships, however with the post-Covid changes the differences have narrowed. Both are enjoyable. You won't find water slides, wave pools, etc. on any X ships.

[PTC DAWG]

A lot less kids is the biggest difference, the entertainment is different too..more laid back on Celebrity...ships are easier to get around, as most of them are smaller with Celebrity...

 

Sort of like comparing the Ritz to the Marriott to me...when only adults are sailing, I would choose Celebrity every time.

 

 

Edited July 30 by PTC DAWG

[RichYak]

Royal has more of a family resort vibe while Celebrity has more of a boutique hotel vibe. I would disagree with the Ritz characterization above. IMO Celebrity is not comparable to Ritz Carlton.

 

Children/teens are certainly welcome on Celebrity but there's less for them to do. No ice skating rink, no rock wall, no splash pool, etc. With no kids in your case, this should be a positive.

 

Celebrity ships are smaller and more intimate. All in all, I would say there are far more similarities than differences.

 

 

[PTC DAWG]

5 minutes ago, RichYak said:

Royal has more of a family resort vibe while Celebrity has more of a boutique hotel vibe. I would disagree with the Ritz characterization above. IMO Celebrity is not comparable to Ritz Carlton.

 

 

 

I like it better than a Ritz, mainly because it's at sea.  🙂

 

Maybe a Westin makes more sense, but they aren't at sea either.  Your comparison is good too...

 

I have found the standard balcony rooms on Celebrity have larger bathrooms for the most part compared to other comparable lines..that's a big difference to me.  

Edited July 30 by PTC DAWG

[leaveitallbehind]

Simple and as a general comparison:  RCCL's primary target demographics is families and their ships are set up with multiple amusement park type venues to accommodate that.  And most of their ships are mega ships with passenger capacities between 3,500 and 6,500 people.

 

Celebrity is just the opposite with their primary target demographics being adults 45ish+ and their ships have none of the amusement type venues to accommodate that.  Most of their ships are mid sized by comparison with passenger capacities less than 3,000 people.

Edited July 30 by leaveitallbehind

[RichYak]

8 minutes ago, PTC DAWG said:

Maybe a Westin makes more sense, but they aren't at sea either.  Your comparison is good too...

Yeah I couldn't think of an appropriate hotel brand to make the comparison so I generalized with the word "boutique." That to me describes the vibe.

Edited July 30 by RichYak

[chemmo]

To me the biggest difference is the general ambiance. On RC the focus is action and activity and on Celebrity the focus is more on rest and relaxation…

 

In my opinion shows are better on RC and the food is better on Celebrity. 
 

One is not better or worse than the other just a different focus…

 

Just as with RC there are different classes of vessels. 

[leaveitallbehind]

5 minutes ago, chemmo said:

To me the biggest difference is the general ambiance. On RC the focus is action and activity and on Celebrity the focus is more on rest and relaxation…

 

In my opinion shows are better on RC and the food is better on Celebrity. 
 

One is not better or worse than the other just a different focus…

 

Just as with RC there are different classes of vessels. 

While I completely agree with your comments, I think one significant difference for those to whom this might matter is the amount of children of all ages on board RCCL v Celebrity.  We have experienced both cruise lines extensively and can say from experience that RCCL can have children numbers in the 1,000's on board v Celebrity in the 100's (or less).

Edited July 30 by leaveitallbehind

[mrgabriel]

We used to sail on RCCL and then moved to Celebrity.

 

Biggest difference for us is more laid back vibe. Virtually no pool games. Think cocktail party versus pool party. And ship size is typically smaller. 

 

I think the kid thing really depends on the time of year. We've done several Christmas sailings and there have been close to a thousand under-18s. Generally, Celebrity's kids club keeps the kids busy and not so much around the adults. So you see the kids less.

 

Other difference that I don't think people have mentioned is how you receive your perks. I'll assume that you are at a level where you get some loyalty drinks. On Celebrity you don't receive use-anytime tickets, instead you get a selection of unlimited drinks during happy hour in the bars and lounges (not mini bar, not restaurants).

[leaveitallbehind]

15 minutes ago, mrgabriel said:

We used to sail on RCCL and then moved to Celebrity.

 

Biggest difference for us is more laid back vibe. Virtually no pool games. Think cocktail party versus pool party. And ship size is typically smaller. 

 

I think the kid thing really depends on the time of year. We've done several Christmas sailings and there have been close to a thousand under-18s. Generally, Celebrity's kids club keeps the kids busy and not so much around the adults. So you see the kids less.

 

Other difference that I don't think people have mentioned is how you receive your perks. I'll assume that you are at a level where you get some loyalty drinks. On Celebrity you don't receive use-anytime tickets, instead you get a selection of unlimited drinks during happy hour in the bars and lounges (not mini bar, not restaurants).

I think both cruise lines serve good purposes for their intended demographics.  Our kids grew up with us cruising on RCCL, which was our intended cruise line of choice for the atmosphere on board that catered to families.  As they became adults, we shifted our preferences to Celebrity for the opposite reasons that originally had us attracted to RCCL 

 

We still cruise RCCL as the the occasion may call for with our extended family or a given itinerary.  But of the two, our primary line of choice is Celebrity to now avoid what once was attractive on RCCL.

Edited July 30 by leaveitallbehind

[SbbquilterUT]

I would add that the entertainment on RCCL has been better than on Celebrity though the E class ships have a beautiful theater and good shows.  The quality of the musicians varies by sailing and we enjoy the more classical offerings we can find sometimes on Celebrity.  

[mrgabriel]

51 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

I think both cruise lines serve good purposes for their intended demographics.  Our kids grew up with us cruising on RCCL, which was our intended cruise line of choice for the atmosphere on board that catered to families.  As they became adults, we shifted our preferences to Celebrity for the opposite reasons that originally had us attracted to RCCL 

 

We still cruise RCCL as the the occasion may call for with our extended family or a given itinerary.  But of the two, our primary line of choice is Celebrity to now avoid what once was attractive on RCCL.

 

Yes, it's good that there are different options. I have single, over 60 friends who would far rather be on RCCL because they like the activities. And I know a 20 year old who prefers Celebrity. Good that there are options. 

[canderson]

1 hour ago, SbbquilterUT said:

I would add that the entertainment on RCCL has been better than on Celebrity though the E class ships have a beautiful theater and good shows.  The quality of the musicians varies by sailing and we enjoy the more classical offerings we can find sometimes on Celebrity.  

"Sometimes" indeed!  These are becoming more and more rare in our experience with X.  It use to be that you would almost always find a 'pickup band' of crew members who would make up a string quartet or something similar, and would play at various times around the ship through the course of a cruise.  Always looked forward to those as they were generally quite good.

[LEMJMcC]

Thanks so much for all the input.  Celebrity certainly looks to be more in line with our interests when cruising, though I admit I enjoyed the waterslides on Wonder, so did my wife, after some coaxing from me!

 

We particularly like the Central Park neighborhood on the Oasis class - I'm wondering if there is similar atmosphere to be found on some of the Celebrity ships.  We enjoyed the live musicians that would play in the evenings in CP and would often find ourselves there after dinner just relaxing and enjoying a coffee and some dessert, okay maybe second or third dessert for me...

[doghog]

23 minutes ago, LEMJMcC said:

Thanks so much for all the input.  Celebrity certainly looks to be more in line with our interests when cruising, though I admit I enjoyed the waterslides on Wonder, so did my wife, after some coaxing from me!

 

We particularly like the Central Park neighborhood on the Oasis class - I'm wondering if there is similar atmosphere to be found on some of the Celebrity ships.  We enjoyed the live musicians that would play in the evenings in CP and would often find ourselves there after dinner just relaxing and enjoying a coffee and some dessert, okay maybe second or third dessert for me...

Nothing close to CPN on any Celebrity ships. The S & M class ships has the Grand Foyer and the E class ships have the Grand Plaza.  

Edited July 31 by doghog

[39august]

But there is usually a selection of about 4 different musical options each evening. Usually a string duo, a solo guitarist, a dance band type duo or trio,  a jazz or folk group, etc. These acts usually rotate between venues on S and M class ships. . No, nothing like Central Park. However, the S and E class ships all have an outdoor deck with plants and/or lawn areas.   

[keesar]

19 minutes ago, LEMJMcC said:

Thanks so much for all the input.  Celebrity certainly looks to be more in line with our interests when cruising, though I admit I enjoyed the waterslides on Wonder, so did my wife, after some coaxing from me!

 

We particularly like the Central Park neighborhood on the Oasis class - I'm wondering if there is similar atmosphere to be found on some of the Celebrity ships.  We enjoyed the live musicians that would play in the evenings in CP and would often find ourselves there after dinner just relaxing and enjoying a coffee and some dessert, okay maybe second or third dessert for me...

I also miss the Central Park area on Celebrity ships.  I would say the biggest difference is the energy level on the ships.  There is a lot more to do at night on the Royal ships.  More people participate in the late night activities on Royal as well.  

 

Burgers and pizza are not a reason to cruise on Celebrity. 😥     Better on Royal.  Also, we really enjoyed the Junior Suites on Royal on the rear of the ship.  Huge veranda and great views.

[mrgabriel]

27 minutes ago, LEMJMcC said:

Thanks so much for all the input.  Celebrity certainly looks to be more in line with our interests when cruising, though I admit I enjoyed the waterslides on Wonder, so did my wife, after some coaxing from me!

 

We particularly like the Central Park neighborhood on the Oasis class - I'm wondering if there is similar atmosphere to be found on some of the Celebrity ships.  We enjoyed the live musicians that would play in the evenings in CP and would often find ourselves there after dinner just relaxing and enjoying a coffee and some dessert, okay maybe second or third dessert for me...

 

We thought that the martini bar area on Ascent was similar to Central Park. A place to have coffee, several places to have a drink, places to sit or stand and listen to music. 

[doghog]

On 7/30/2024 at 9:17 AM, LEMJMcC said:

The wife and I have cruised on Royal Caribbean six times, mostly in the Caribbean, but most recently to Alaska.  We've enjoyed all of these cruises and stayed in Junior Suites each time.

 

Now, we are looking at and considering our first Celebrity cruise, hopefully to the Southern Caribbean.

 

What would you say are the starkest differences between the two lines and their ships?  What would you say Celebrity is better at than RCI and vice-versa?

 

On RCI we cruised on Brilliance of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas, Wonder of the Seas, and Quantum of the Seas.  It's just the two of us, no children to consider.

 

Thanks.

What class of ship? 

[Ex-Airbalancer]

1 hour ago, keesar said:

I also miss the Central Park area on Celebrity ships.  I would say the biggest difference is the energy level on the ships.  There is a lot more to do at night on the Royal ships.  More people participate in the late night activities on Royal as well.  

 

Burgers and pizza are not a reason to cruise on Celebrity. 😥     Better on Royal.  Also, we really enjoyed the Junior Suites on Royal on the rear of the ship.  Huge veranda and great views.

Have you been on the Voyager of the seas , worst pizza or burgers on the seas 

[NutsAboutGolf]

We did our first RCI in April, WoS in a regular balcony...I made a list of what I thought RCI did better:

-Outlets on both sides of the bed

-Drink Vouchers

-Diamond Lounge which had coffee and snacks 

-Far more shows, we noticed one night there were at least 3 shows (main, comedian lounge, aqua theatre) scheduled about the same time along with the ongoing Karaoke bar and piano bar

-Buffet open longer hours

-Hot tubs open 24/7

-All hot tubs were huge, never had a problem finding room for two which can be challenging on X sea days

-TVs above the hot tubs in the solarium, great for sports

-Adult comedy was at 7 pm...X, which usually has very few kids, doesn't have Adult comedy until the 1015pm showing which usually happens once per cruise

-Buffet servers carry a tray of drinks, water, OJ, coffee, etc

-In the app, you can use the chat function to reach guest relations; I believe on X you can only do that if in a suite and you're talking to your butler

-Food selection, far more than X

 

Some downsides:

-Kids everywhere; this is obviously the biggest difference and with talking with others, we think from time to time that if RCI had some regularly priced 18+ itineraries, it would be the favorite cruise line.  I have no problem with kids, as long as they're not screaming inside...There was way too much of that often in the MDR

-Confrontations; witnessed almost 4 fights, I've been on Carnival 55 nights and have never witnessed this before yet know they do happen

-Diamond Lounge wasn't open every morning (perhaps wasn't open ANY mornings)

-Food, overall, better on X, although a few of RCI's comfort foods were better like burgers

[hcat]

5 minutes ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

Have you been on the Voyager of the seas , worst pizza or burgers on the seas 

we were nauseated by the  'wet dog" smell in the deli on Central Park on Oasis....set the tone for our dining experiences on that ship!

 

Overall we prefer most everything on X..gave up Royal C yrs ago,  and after  trying Oasis  knew our decision was right for us!

 

If OP is a Royal fan, suggest trying E Class.. closest to Royal but no rockwalls!

[Ex-Airbalancer]

2 minutes ago, hcat said:

we were nauseated by the  'wet dog" smell in the deli on Central Park on Oasis....set the tone for our dining experiences on that ship!

 

Overall we prefer most everything on X..gave up Royal C yrs ago,  and after  trying Oasis  knew our decision was right for us!

 

If OP is a Royal fan, suggest trying E Class.. closest to Royal but no rockwalls!

Tried RCL 3 times , and that was probably enough 

S class ship is probably the sweet spot for Celebrity if you are not in a suite 

[DaKahuna]

On 7/30/2024 at 11:17 AM, LEMJMcC said:

What would you say Celebrity is better at than RCI and vice-versa?

 

 In addition to all the other comments, in my opinion Celebrity is better at food and service.  We''ve found the service given to each cruiser by the Celebrity staff and crew members to be wonderful.  Almost everyone you see will smile and greet you.  

 

 The food in the buffet and dining rooms is also better in our opinion. If something comes to your table that is not to your liking, point it out to your waiter/assistant waiter and it will get fixed.