Is Celebrity in danger of turning into another party ship cruise company?

[Water_Baby_]

This isn’t new.  We’ve sailed in Celebrity for 17 years and I have definitely attended dance parties on the pool deck after midnight. Remember the old midnight buffets? Food and drink til 1 AM. And we went to a pool deck dance party last September. Drinking and dancing until 12:45 AM. Absolute insanity! 🤣 
 

We cruise in the cheap cabins - we aren’t fancy Retreat people so my opinion likely doesn’t matter but if this constitutes a party cruise then maybe another cruise line is a better fit, like HAL?

[Ferry_Watcher]

Is it possible that there was a partial charter group on board and the sparkle party was well attended by those folks?  That might explain the extra loud music that late.

 

We were on the Edge May '24 - first sailing to Alaska (Vancouver-Seattle) and there was a very large group from Mapfre Insurance, mostly made up of international Spanish speaking passengers.  A group like that may have been on your cruise, really getting into the sparkle party vibe, and the DJ responds with louder party music to match the vibe of the attendees.

 

Just a thought.

[NMTraveller]

Ah yes E class.  S class and M are more refined and relaxed.

[Stem to Stern]

Oops.  😬 I was over on the HAL boards researching Alaska just now when I got the notification.  By the way no mention of sparkle parties over there.😂

We are just off Beyond and can’t say we encountered OP’s noise issue, but we were in a deck 9 sunset verandah miles away (felt like it anyway) from any party venue.  Honestly we sought to avoid the venues with the livelier Edge-class atmosphere @Georgia_Peaches referenced above.  Fellow cruisers on Beyond mentioned that they encountered noise in their deck 3 oceanview stateroom near the Martini Bar.  
 

The Edge-class concept of Martini-Bar-as-live-music-venue did not suit us, so we ended up spending most of our pre-dinner cocktail time in Eden.  Music volume varied in Eden too depending on where we planted ourselves.  Those little speakers can really send out the decibels.  
 

Certain Cafe Al Bacio playlist selections were too loud and annoying.  Especially before the sun had come up and we were still on our first cuppa.  But we have experienced this on all classes of X ships.  
 

Beyond is beautiful.  The right itinerary and price would get us back on board, but we are not chomping at the bit.  There are people of all ages that want this party atmosphere on board, so it is not going away anytime soon.  We sometimes we like to join in on the fun while other times we just want to chill.
 

Good point @mac_tlc about the smaller, less populated Edge and Apex.  Oh, and your sweet spot note was spot-on also.  

🚢🎶🎵Come aboard, Georgia…

…We’re expecting you…🎶🎵

 

Next up for us:

Azamara ~ itinerary driven.

Reflection, Summit, Connie Mardi Gras 2026 ~ all price driven.

Silhouette ~ driven by the need to get our Retreat fix.

Currently we are exploring our 2026 Alaska land/cruise options ending in Vancouver and we are down to Summit or HAL.

 

 

Edited September 29 by Stem to Stern

[Liao]

1 hour ago, Water_Baby_ said:

This isn’t new.  We’ve sailed in Celebrity for 17 years and I have definitely attended dance parties on the pool deck after midnight. Remember the old midnight buffets? Food and drink til 1 AM. And we went to a pool deck dance party last September. Drinking and dancing until 12:45 AM. Absolute insanity! 🤣 
 

We cruise in the cheap cabins - we aren’t fancy Retreat people so my opinion likely doesn’t matter but if this constitutes a party cruise then maybe another cruise line is a better fit, like HAL?

Or Oceania, where if you see more than 6 people after 10pm, it is a crowd.

[Georgia_Peaches]

1 hour ago, Stem to Stern said:

🚢🎶🎵Come aboard, Georgia…

…We’re expecting you…🎶🎵

Just had a look and prices are reasonable!  Love the 8 day itin!  Talked it over with DH... @Stem to Stern, @mac_tlc, checking on a few things but, I THINK WE ARE IN!!

[hcat]

our cruise on ASCENT last January def had a  very big party vibe.. cruise director sets the tone.!

 

But we found acoustic and mellow music and entertainment away from the loud shouty spots! Had a great time .

 

.Looking forward to Silhouette and APEX next.. hoping  for fun but mellow too!

[PTC DAWG]

8 hours ago, markeb said:

They have parties at night on the pool deck. Not every night. But they're very heavily attended. And like all events, short. It would only bother me if it kept going all night, but you're saying it was over by midnight? Not a real issue.

 

It's a vacation. Enjoy it.

Agreed, attended the same event last week on Beyond..really enjoyed it

Edited September 29 by PTC DAWG

[joydivision84]

8 hours ago, SDWCruise said:

Currently on the Ascent in the Retreat and having a great time. This is our third trip with Celebrity. We like their approach to cruising, the food, the attendants - all of it - and we like the fact that you can join in with as much or as little activity you wish, with areas of ‘sanctuary’ around the ship if you want peace and quiet. One particular sanctuary is our cabin where you can lock yourself away from it all.
 

HOWEVER that all changed last night. A ‘sparkle’ party was held on the pool deck. This was due to start at 10.30, but started at gone 11pm, then ran on till nearly midnight. We watched for a while, but not being party animals, we retreated back to our cabin on deck 9, mid ship. The noise from the pool deck was horrendous - booming base music which vibrated throughout the whole room. We did ring guest relations as we have never experienced this before. We were told it was a ‘one off’ but I’m beginning to wonder, is this the way Celebrity are going? Parties on the pool deck at all hours? If someone had their TV/music turned up that high, they would have been asked to turn it down and consider other guests - guest relations just offered us some earplugs!

 

Has anyone else experienced this recently on a Celebrity ship? Would anyone else feel upset, as we were, if this happened to you? 

"Ran on till nearly midnight" you said.

 

That's hardly all hours is it?

Remember it's people's vacations, not just yours. Midnight isn't anywhere near an absolute rager, and it was one night and one party you mentioned.

 

Is the entire Celebrity ethos changing because one night on your specific cruise played music loud till near midnight? Of course not, don't be ridiculous. The amount of first world problems and entitlement on this forum is staggering at times. Absolute all time Karen comment.

 

 

[hcat]

23 minutes ago, joydivision84 said:

"Ran on till nearly midnight" you said.

 

That's hardly all hours is it?

Remember it's people's vacations, not just yours. Midnight isn't anywhere near an absolute rager, and it was one night and one party you mentioned.

 

Is the entire Celebrity ethos changing because one night on your specific cruise played music loud till near midnight? Of course not, don't be ridiculous. The amount of first world problems and entitlement on this forum is staggering at times. Absolute all time Karen comment.

 

 

What's your fav Celeb ship?

Fav Cruise Line?

What do you have booked?  

[joydivision84]

22 minutes ago, hcat said:

What's your fav Celeb ship?

Fav Cruise Line?

What do you have booked?  

I don't have a favorite as we are only sailing Celeb for the first time this November, on the Beyond. 10 days eastern Caribbean. Can't wait and it seems a perfect line for us, as ironically we are not big partiers, haha, but can deal with the off pool party ended at midnight, that's nothing. That's a vacation.

 

 

Edited September 29 by joydivision84

[Iamcruzin]

9 hours ago, SDWCruise said:

Currently on the Ascent in the Retreat and having a great time. This is our third trip with Celebrity. We like their approach to cruising, the food, the attendants - all of it - and we like the fact that you can join in with as much or as little activity you wish, with areas of ‘sanctuary’ around the ship if you want peace and quiet. One particular sanctuary is our cabin where you can lock yourself away from it all.
 

HOWEVER that all changed last night. A ‘sparkle’ party was held on the pool deck. This was due to start at 10.30, but started at gone 11pm, then ran on till nearly midnight. We watched for a while, but not being party animals, we retreated back to our cabin on deck 9, mid ship. The noise from the pool deck was horrendous - booming base music which vibrated throughout the whole room. We did ring guest relations as we have never experienced this before. We were told it was a ‘one off’ but I’m beginning to wonder, is this the way Celebrity are going? Parties on the pool deck at all hours? If someone had their TV/music turned up that high, they would have been asked to turn it down and consider other guests - guest relations just offered us some earplugs!

 

Has anyone else experienced this recently on a Celebrity ship? Would anyone else feel upset, as we were, if this happened to you? 

It sounds like you had a room in a bad location.   

[hcat]

JOY...

if the party is under or over your room.. not so great!    Hope you have a good location..and no creaks! 

 

BEYOND was fun but not as party as ASCENT..CD matters!

Edited September 29 by hcat

[Iamcruzin]

9 hours ago, QuestionEverything said:

Very upsetting.

This is not unusual.

I have cruised Celebrity from 1989 to 2018 and then stopped as Celebrity was moving to RCL mode with larger ships. In the beginning, Celebrity was a premium cruise line ie the Oceania of the day. Then they moved to mass cruise line state where they remain today.

History - Celebrity created the Aqua Class because of the noise from the pool deck which invaded the cabins below - a way to camouflage the systemic situation. This was a decision a decade or more ago. Interesting that Retreat cabins also are placed in a noise transfer situation.

Your situation is a reason we never book a cabin below or above any public area on any ship. 

 

I agree. Location Location Location. It was a standing joke here on CC that Celebrity created Aqua Class to sell the least desirable rooms for a premium price. I will be on Reflection tomorrow in a Prime aqua. It's midship and sandwiched between two floors of staterooms. I would never book Aqua guarantee.

[shipshape sam]

Many years ago we were on a sailing and they had a late night party on the pool deck followed by a Midnight buffet.

 

Also been on sailing having a pool party as we departed from Acapulco, Mexico around 10 pm.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

10 hours ago, SDWCruise said:

Currently on the Ascent in the Retreat and having a great time. This is our third trip with Celebrity. We like their approach to cruising, the food, the attendants - all of it - and we like the fact that you can join in with as much or as little activity you wish, with areas of ‘sanctuary’ around the ship if you want peace and quiet. One particular sanctuary is our cabin where you can lock yourself away from it all.
 

HOWEVER that all changed last night. A ‘sparkle’ party was held on the pool deck. This was due to start at 10.30, but started at gone 11pm, then ran on till nearly midnight. We watched for a while, but not being party animals, we retreated back to our cabin on deck 9, mid ship. The noise from the pool deck was horrendous - booming base music which vibrated throughout the whole room. We did ring guest relations as we have never experienced this before. We were told it was a ‘one off’ but I’m beginning to wonder, is this the way Celebrity are going? Parties on the pool deck at all hours? If someone had their TV/music turned up that high, they would have been asked to turn it down and consider other guests - guest relations just offered us some earplugs!

 

Has anyone else experienced this recently on a Celebrity ship? Would anyone else feel upset, as we were, if this happened to you? 

 

I'm confused... You were on Deck 9 on the Ascent? That is four decks below the pool deck. Were you keeping your window or balcony door open like you're not supposed to??

[Iamcruzin]

2 hours ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

 

I'm confused... You were on Deck 9 on the Ascent? That is four decks below the pool deck. Were you keeping your window or balcony door open like you're not supposed to??

I just went back to read the post. Deck 9 Mid ship. I can't imagine noise from deck 14 unless they were sitting on the balcony.  

[joydivision84]

1 hour ago, Iamcruzin said:

I just went back to read the post. Deck 9 Mid ship. I can't imagine noise from deck 14 unless they were sitting on the balcony.  

Yeah the more you think about it, it sounds like BS.

[zitsky]

It is the dirty secret of Aqua that they are in the worst locations.  It is pretty selfish that 1500 people want to sleep when 100 people are trying to have a party.

[Gcharlesw]

I’m also currently on the Ascent, and on deck 9. We too heard the noise that night and had to shut our balcony door, but could still hear the bass beats of the disco. So not BS as someone said .

 

 It’s first time we have been on a celebrity ship and felt the sanctity of our cabin was being affected. It doesn’t matter if the noise only went on until midnight. It doesn’t matter if it only went on until 11, you should still be able to go to your room and feel you can sleep.

[nednrom]

I am not sure that a party on deck 14 can reverberate down to deck 9 and more people not complain. I hope that it was a one time thing.  I, however, enjoy the pool party that's held once during a cruise.  I may be 60 but not dead and would like to have some fun after dinner.  this reminded me of us being shushed in thehot tub solarium because it seems our group of 4 were talking loud and others in the solarium couldn't relax and nap.

it was one night and ended at midnight, please be a little more tolerant.  celebrity has had the pool party for at least 8 years that I know of.

 

Edited September 30 by nednrom

[Gcharlesw]

I suggest the point is being missed here. Tolerance works both ways. There are numerous entertainment events on the ship and you can choose whether to opt in or out of any of them. The resort deck event the other night was so loud it impacted on you whether you liked it or not!

 

when events are held throughout the day on the resort deck you usually cannot hear them in your room if the doors are shut. On this occasion, even when the door was shut you could still hear the music. The event could still have been held (so benefitting the apparent 150 or so who attended), but at a more reasonably sound level so as not to impact on the bigger majority on the ship who did not want to hear it.

[mrgabriel]

3 hours ago, zitsky said:

It is the dirty secret of Aqua that they are in the worst locations.  It is pretty selfish that 1500 people want to sleep when 100 people are trying to have a party.

I don’t recall ever reading that Celebrity has a curfew. Is there a note in the cruise planner than outdoor music ends at a certain time?

 

Midnight is reasonable for a holiday evening for adults. There’s likely a high percentage of people who actually want to stay up and active layer because they get to sleep in on a cruise - and not have to rush off to work in the morning. 
 

We usually book those horrible location AQ cabins (and enjoy them) and occasionally hear noise from the pool deck. It has never ruined our vacation.

[chemmo]

I love a quiet room myself and a ‘boom boom’ would definitely keep me awake…However, lots of cruisers want a busier night life than me and good luck to them. 
 

One night only between 11pm and midnight I would either stay up and see if the activity was fun or if I was tired maybe put the TV on or stick the ear plugs in… I am not sure a Sparkle Party would be for me but next cruise I may look out for it and give it a go!!! Never too old to try something new!

 

More than once a cruise or longer than an hour and spoiling my sleep nightly then I would look for another cruise line…

 

To be honest I find the noise from early birds who let their doors slam in the morning as they head off to to the gym or to get their steps in or collect their morning coffee annoying but I don’t let it upset me.

 

I think we all have to board a cruise ship with a degree of tolerance that some activities will not be for us and may reduce for short periods our pleasure (pool being used for volley ball, Solarium open for family time). I won’t be involved in either but I am glad they are happening for those who will enjoy.

 

There has to be a balance of activities that offer something for everyone. Unfortunately they will have an impact to some degree on other cruises but sharing a floating home requires tolerance…

 

 

[NC State]

I can't wait to complete my surveys with "I'm now in the old farts club". 😂