Regent Voyager vs. Celebrity Century

[DavidJ]

I have noticed from past posts that these comparisons can encourage rather heated exchanges and that is not the purpose of this post. Having just returned from my first cruise with Celebrity, I could not help but compare the two ships. I am a HUGE fan of Regent and comparing a premium cruise line's ship to a luxury line's ship may not be fair. I did run into several passengers this past trip that had also sailed on Regent so it is reasonable to think that others thinking of sailing another line might be curious as to the opinion of one that has sailed both lines this year.

 

I sailed in a balcony Concierge Class cabin on the Century. The cabins cannot be compared. The size of the cabin we had is almost half the square footage of the smallest cabin on the Voyager. There were some areas that are superior on the Century. The bedding, towels and robes are slightly nicer than those on the Voyager. I think the Voyager is or has just had theirs upgraded and I am comparing those to the ones they had this past summer. The Century has nicer balcony furniture. It was excellent for dining on the balcony. Another nice touch on the Century was fresh flowers in the cabin and bathroom and they were freshened several times on a five day cruise. The cabin attendants on the both lines were great, however small professional details give an edge to the Voyager.

 

The size of the Century is over 77,000 tons and with about 1700 pax. The Voyager is smaller at about 47,000 tons and 700 pax. The Century cruises smoother and the vibration is significantly less. On both ships, I cruised in aft cabins.

 

Here are other random observations.

 

Embarkation for both lines are comparable with almost no wait. I learned from my past experience with Regent, it is worth it to arrange for private transportation when arriving.

 

Entertainment was superior on Celebrity and the enrichment programs were superior on Regent. Shopping is superior on Celebrity. I don't care for casinos so I can't compare those. The pool deck is vastly superior on the Regent if you like less people, particularly on days at sea. On public spaces, I would give an edge to the Century. I did miss the fresh flower arrangements that the Voyager has.

 

One of the most important experiences I have while cruising is dining. In order to compare the two, I had a mindset of ordering on the Century as if it were all inclusive. I would then add up the total spent at the end of the cruise and compare the two lines. Regent, you pay up front. Celebrity, you pay as you go. Room service was efficient on both lines. The edge goes to Regent as the quality is superior. On casual dining, the Century does an excellent job. Particularly for breakfast. I was expecting the food on the Century to be closer to the wonderful dining opportunities that you find in the main dining room of the Voyager. You cannot compare the two. Regent wins hands down!

 

In order to make up for my disappointment there, I ate at the specialty restaurant on the Century two of the five nights. That evened the playing field. The restaurant was Muranos and it compared very nicely to Signatures. I love both restaurants!

 

A nice touch on the Century is the Cova Cafe. The coffee there is superior to any found on the Voyager. Desserts available are delicious and much better than those found in the main dining room of the Century.

 

As far as shore excursions, I cannot offer an opinion as I rarely ever choose to take them regardless of the cruise line I am sailing. My thought is that if I do not care for them on Regent, I KNOW I will not care for them on another line. We have made fine travel experiences on our own and did so on this last cruise with the Century. We tendered on the Century at one port. It was efficient and with hardly a line. I loved the ice cold towel that the crew of the Century offered at the end of the day before tendering back.

 

In conclusion, once adding all the tips, drinks, specialty dining and airfare, the cost of sailing on the Century was half the cost per day for a comparable cruise with Regent. I was expecting the total cost difference to be closer to Regent. For value, Celebrity is hard to beat. Even with the smaller cabin and lesser quality and service in the main dining room, I left this cruise impressed. I will sail on the Century again.

 

I also look forward to sailing on Regent. I am glad for competition as it will keep Regent in line with it's pricing. We have choices and my hope is that the cruise lines will remain mindful of that.

 

Regards, Pierce

[Travelcat2]

It is so refreshing to read your review and opinions of Regent and Crystal cruises. I am one of those people who have become tired of hearing how much better Crystal is than Regent..... it makes me wonder why the person is even on the Regent threads.

 

Hopefully, when Regent ships get new furniture, carpeting, bedding, etc., they will be at least at good at those on Crystal. It was particularly interesting to read the cost differences. I am curious to know if you were drinking alcoholic beverages on your Crystal cruise since they tend to add quite a bit to the final bill..

 

We have considered cruising on Crystal but are concerned with the large size of their ships (too large) and having to eat at a table with the same people every day. It's good to hear that the service is equal to Regent as is the food in speciality restaurants.

 

Anyway, really enjoyed reading your post -- thank you!:)

[DavidJ]

Hi Travelcat2,

 

I am not sure if you meant Celebrity instead of Crystal. Crystal is a luxury line as opposed to Celebrity which is a premium line. My comparison to Regent is with Celebrity.

 

I will go ahead and make a few comments about alcohol on Celebrity. I drank as if I were on Regent. I drink a little wine with dinner. I lean towards a quality wine paired with what my meal will be. Alcohol is a profit center for Celebrity. It was not unusual for a glass of wine to exceed $15.00 per glass. At the specialty restaurant, it was over $30 per glass and I averaged one glass per meal. I also had Martinis which were about eleven to twelve dollars. As it was with Regent, you have a welcoming bottle of iced champagne waiting for you. This is included. You also have several opportunities to have complimentary glasses of champagne at other functions. When I sailed on the Voyager, that was the case too. The alcohol inclusive policy was not in effect when I sailed on the Voyager. The cost of drinks was less on the Voyager than it was on the Century.

[CI66774]

DavidJ,

 

When you say the cost of the Celebrity cruise was about 1/2 of the cost of the Regent cruise, were you comparing "apples to apples?" You indicated that the Celebrity cabin was much smaller than on Regent. Did you account for the difference in the size of the cabin and determine what a comparable cabin (in square feet) would cost on Celebrity? If so, then it sounds as if Celebrity was a great value. However, if you were comparing the cost of a much larger Regent suite to that of a much smaller Celebrity cabin, that may be an unfair cost comparison. I've priced comparable cabins (in size) on Celebrity and Regent in the past (for Caribbean cruises) and found that Celebrity actually costs more than Regent. Maybe Celebrity's pricing structure has changed.

[caviargal]

We are just back from Century and will be on Voyager in one week.

 

I have not cruised on Voyager but have enjoyed two cruises with Regent (Diamond) and this was my fifth on Celebrity.

 

We had a concierge cabin on Century which I found surprisingly compact. Small bathroom especially compared to Regent. The new vessel sinks are impractical though pretty. The only amenities with our CC class cabin were a no name shampoo and no name lotion. I love the Aveda products RSSC provides.

 

We received no noticeable perks, except the flowers in our cabin and some mediocre canapes in the afternoon. Our A/C did not work for the duration. They were working on our balcony, installing some kind of pipe. The first two days, metal shavings were left all over the floor and the table and chairs, rendering it useless (along with heavy smokers on both sides which forced us in). There was also a 2-3 foot length of pipe left on the floor until the third morning when they finally cleaned up and removed everything.

 

I did a complete review in the members section for those wanting more detail. The dining room service very good after night one, which was very unorganized. Food was good, not up to past Celebrity cruises, except in Murano and Aqua Spa. Gym was wonderful! I cannot comment on entertainment as we chose to dance in the disco after dinner and enjoyed that.

 

We had so much vibration at our dining room table that it was difficult to hear each other speak.

 

The ship was full of kids, something I do not enjoy. We did not bother with the pool, as it was loud and crowded.

 

There were shorts, jeans and ball caps in the dining room at dinner, another big negative for us. Casual dress breeds casual behavior and that was in evidence everywhere. This is something else I am not accustomed to seeing on X.

 

Guest relations was understaffed and a bit unorganized. I held for 23 minutes one afternoon before giving up and going there myself.

 

All in all, I would not do another short cruise on X. The demographic is decidedly different than on their longer cruises and not to my liking.

 

We paid $250 per person per day for the cabin and ran up another $500 in charges, tips, etc. We had permission to bring aboard our own wine, which saved us well over $500 for the 4 nights (a case for 6 people).

 

To compare apples to apples, 4 nights on Century cost us approximately 3,000, 750 per day. Our RSSC cruise next week is a few hundred dollars more total as it is a value sailing.

 

I will post comparisons when I return but, based on past experience, I expect to find RSSC well worth the small premium.

[OrpingtonT]

We are just back from Century and will be on Voyager in one week.

 

There were shorts, jeans and ball caps in the dining room at dinner, another big negative for us. Casual dress breeds casual behavior and that was in evidence everywhere.

 

Interesting post. And how true the above quote is. I am not a fan of formal evening attire (tuxedos & long gowns etc,) but I do think smart clothing at dinner and afterwards add a lot to the experience.

[Iamboatman]

One of the most difficult ways to "learn" a cruise line is to take a short cruise. The passengers and service on a 4 day Regent cruise tend to be different from those on a longer cruise; and the same goes for Celebrity...and any other line.

 

DavidJ makes a number of observations I have made before, but underscores that if you know how to sail with Celebrity you can really "luxe-up" your cruise experience at a very good value. Specialty Restaurants are one big way. Premium wines by the glass is another. Aft cabins overlooking the stern are another. AquaSpa Café is also a good idea for lunches.

 

One other suggestion would be, if the real estate is important, to upgrade to a suite. The Concierge Class cabins are a nice step up and do give you some extras (not worried about whether my toiletries have name brands, but whether they are good), but the suites come with butlers, more space and some nice additions. (That does affect the cost comparison a bit though.)

 

My experience is that the value is cruise dependent. Usually Celebrity comes out much less expensive for a comparable (so to speak) cruise. However, there are times when Regent is a better value (considering not only dollars).

[caviargal]

I agree that short cruises do not showcase the best of what a line has to offer, in general. While I agree that one can "luxe up" a mass market experience, it is only to a certain extent. One still has to contend with lines and crowds in certain areas as well as other aspects that define the overall experience. 2 for $10 t shirts set up on tables around the pool and gold by the inch are good examples.

 

My friends were in a Sky Suite, which was larger than our CC cabin ($3000 for 4 days for two) but not by that much and still not comparable to the average Regent suite. Nor were the appointments decidely better. The balcony however, was awesome! They enjoyed the butler but I expect would have utilized his services more on a longer cruise.

 

On a recent HAL cruise, we "luxed up". We booked a SB aft suite, and dined in the specialty restaurant every evening but one as we enjoyed the service and intimate atmosphere. However, the menu did get old by the end of the cruise. And the cost for a week for the two of us was about $7,500.

 

I prefer Regent's amenities because I am familiar with the quality of Aveeda and use it at home. Like many women, I am particular about what I use on my hair and skin and would not take a chance on a no-name product. If it was good quality, I imagine the brand name would be very evident as it would be considered a touch of luxury. Since X promotes their upgraded amenities as a perk of CC class, I expect more in terms of selection and quality. It was not a big deal, but I am one who notices the small details.

 

My family opted for inside cabins on this sailing at $100 per person per day and felt they received great value for their money. I agree, but it was all about the price point.

 

Since I rarely cruise for the itinerary these days, it is the overall experience that matters to me. I will choose value priced dates on a line I really enjoy in order to satisfy both my budget and my tastes.:)

[Iamboatman]

I agree with you about the Regent suites vs. Celebrity. You have to move up to a Celebrity Suite (none on the Century) or a Royal or Penthouse...but then the pricing is far more comparable.

 

BTW, HAL has just announced they are starting rotating menus in the Pinnacle Grill because of the complaints of the menu becoming boring. Celebrity regularly offers "off the menu" selections for frequent diners in their specialty restaurants.

 

I know those T-shirt sales, etc. can affect one's cruising experience. I, however, look at it like I am shopping on 5th Avenue. Tiffany's on the inside but vendors selling knockoffs on the street. I just look past 'em.

 

Ironically, there are flaws on any cruise line and if you like the cruise line or are "loyal" to it, you tend to look past the flaws. If you are not of that nature, you can see 'em all...especially if you are looking at a premium price.

[caviargal]

Great news about PG as we are on OS in an aft suite in April and already booked for 6 nights of the cruise.

 

I agree that all cruise lines have flaws. I suppose I make my choices based on which flaws are important to me and which are not.:) We had a wonderful cruise on Century, as we sailed with family and good friends and totally enjoyed their company. We also got married while ported in Key West so it would have taken a lot to put a damper on our experience!

 

I enjoy excellent service, good food, well appointed staterooms and understated elegance with a passenger component that is, to a large extent, adult. And also one that enjoys dressing nicely for dinner, as IMO it does affect the experience. I can take or leave formal nights but I do not enjoy sitting next to tables of people in ballcaps and shorts, or in sloppy jeans and wool caps, both of which were adjacent to me on Century.

 

I have enjoyed most of my X cruises very much and feel that they and HAL at the top of the mass market lines for overall experience.

 

And, I like those street vendors on 5th, especially the ones that sell roasted hazelnuts this time of year; it is part of the NY experience:D.

[Iamboatman]

Forget the cruise...CONGRATULATIONS!:D :D :D

[caviargal]

Thanks:)!

[DavidJ]

I agree with small details. Let me address square footage. Regent wins hands down there. The cabins are much larger. A significant point about the design of the CC class cabin is that it seems larger as there is storage everywhere. Because the Century is larger, the ride is significantly smoother without the dreaded buzz and vibration that the Voyager can have. I happen to like the vibration on the Voyager, however others have found it to be an issue.

 

There are small details that the Century does better. I am not wild about the document wallet that Regent provides. I can't give them away. The Century does not provide a document wallet. They do provide a very useful tote at the end of the cruise which was ideal for us to use as a carry on for the flight home. I like the binoculars in the cabin that the Century has. I liked that on a short cruise that my flowers were freshened three times both in the bath and cabin. The wallet for the room key was more user freindly than the one I got on the Voyager.

 

I also have to add that a minor issue was handled without fuss on the Century. After that, the room was in terrific order with no mechanical issues such as air conditioning.

 

I never felt that crowds were an issue. I do not remember any lines. The elevators and stairs were wonderful.

 

I used the bath products and had no issue with them, however the bath on the Voyager is without exception better in every way. In my case, I never use bath tubs on the Voyager so it is useless to me. I do love the shower.

 

I liked the deck furniture and the tables on the balcony are of a higher standard than the Voyager.

 

I think Regent could improve on some of their small details. It is my hope that Regent will continue to revisit the small details and improve on them. They can even learn from their competition from the premium cruise lines such as Celebrity.

[caviargal]

DavidJ, it is always interesting to note what is important to others.:)

 

I found my CC cabin to be amongst the smallest I have ever had, on any line, when booking balcony accomodation. The storage was great and we liked the flatscreen TV with menu interface. But, the round corners of the beds made it such that two people of normal size could not comfortably pass each other. IMO, when booking a premium category accomodation, there should have been more available space.

 

I did not notice the outdoor furniture, as we really did not use the balcony. Between the smokers on both sides of us, the work being done in the daytime hours and the metal shavings and pipe left there for 2 days, it was not too pleasant out there.

 

I hate to carry unneccessary paper, etc. so tossed most of the stuff RSSC sent with the tickets, including the velvet bags and document wallet. I did, however, use the navy blue plastic card case on X and agree that is was convenient.

 

I also prefer e-tickets to paper, and X offer this as an option.

 

You mentioned that your cruise was not crowded. Mine was nearly at capacity. The pool was very crowded and we did not use it at all. There were also a lot of kids on our cruise, running through hallways and playing race cars in the main lobby.:(

 

Vibration was only an issue in the dining room and it was very noticeable at our table.

 

I am glad you enjoyed your Century cruise. As with any line, the experience differs cruise to cruise on the same ship. Ours was a holiday sailing, so we did expect the crowds and even anticipated having a good number of kids aboard.

 

What we did not anticipate were some of the service issues we experienced and the total disregard for proper dining room dress. These are things we have come to expect on Celebrity and which were sorely missed on this short cruise.

[DavidJ]

The dress code on the Century seems only to be a suggestion. I think that they might encourage the men to wear a shirt, otherwise we saw everything! On formal night, less than 1/3 of the men wore a tux. About 3/4 of the men had at least a tie. We saw shorts, jeans, tee shirts and on one informal evening, a man wore a long tropical skirt to the main dining room. I think he must have lost a bet with his attractive female dining companion. I was dissappointed with how casual this cruise was.

[Iamboatman]

No question Regent's suites and bathrooms win out. The Concierge Class cabins on Century (and all Celebrity ships) were originally just balcony cabins to which upgraded amenities were added. They are not suites. I also agree that the Sky Suites on Celebrity also are not really that much better as far as size and amenities...but the balconies on Deck 12 are awesome.

 

It has always been a bit frustrating to me that Regent (Radisson) has placed itself in the luxury category, but that Celebrity does many of the little things better. Balcony furniture, room key wallets, cold towels arriving back to the ship, etc. Easy stuff one would think.

 

I have been on a number of Celebrity cruises and it can be downright warfare at the pool...yet on some cruises it is not an issue at all. Frankly, considering that on Regent getting a chair near the pool is usually not that big a problem...which makes me wonder if it is that big a deal for similar cruises on Celebrity. (Ex. I hardly ever sit by the pool, so it doesn't really affect me.) That said, other than an off chance, I have never had to deal with crowds on Celebrity.

 

Regent also tends to win out on people conforming to the expectation of other guests when dining. That can be a real sore point. It is not the guy across the dining room that bothers me, it is the guy at the next table. But as I tend to dine more in the specialty restaurant, the effect is minimal.

 

I guess the point is there is no perfect, but each line does somethings better than others. Obviously, price point can also have a bit to do with expectations.

[caviargal]

The dress code on the Century seems only to be a suggestion. I think that they might encourage the men to wear a shirt, otherwise we saw everything! On formal night, less than 1/3 of the men wore a tux. About 3/4 of the men had at least a tie. We saw shorts, jeans, tee shirts and on one informal evening, a man wore a long tropical skirt to the main dining room. I think he must have lost a bet with his attractive female dining companion. I was dissappointed with how casual this cruise was.

 

David, did you notice how very nicely Celebrity asked guests to respect the dress codes in the daily actitivy sheet? They said that the dress code existed in order to provide a traditional and elegant cruising experience and asked that all passengers respect the staff and other guest by complying. As you saw on your cruise, that respect was not shown by everyone.:(

 

On all other X cruises IME, this has never been an issue. I never saw shorts, ball caps, tattered jeans in the dining room at dinner. The dress standard was enforced and more, importantly, the passengers expected it and enjoyed the ambiance.

 

On of the reasons we have abandoned most mass market lines (and cruising with a rare exception) is the overall decline in quality of service and the deterioration of dress codes. I have been cruising for over 40 years and am admittedly a traditionalist. I could less about rock climbing walls, ice rinks and bowling alleys. Give me the traditions of being at sea, including an elegant ship and atmosphere and service to match and I am happy.

 

For me, Celebrity and HAL were the standouts amongst the mass market lines. This cruise was different and I am choosing to chalk it up to the shorter duration and lower prices which attract a different type of passenger.

[DavidJ]

I am in my early 50's. My workplace is very casual. Rarely ever while working do I have the occaision to wear a tie. With fine dining or cruising, I have more occaisions to wear a tie and dress up. I actually like that and now I associate dressing up as a time to relax, celebrate or I am on vacation. That is the reason I like enforcement of dress codes.

 

I can sympathize with those who do dress for work. They may associate dressing up with stress. So while on vacation, they can seek out opportunities to dress casual. I thought I was doing so by looking into the dress code of my most recent cruise. Unfortunately, it was not enforced. That being said, it was only a minor distraction and I had a wonderful journey.

[Travelcat2]

Hi Travelcat2,

 

I am not sure if you meant Celebrity instead of Crystal. Crystal is a luxury line as opposed to Celebrity which is a premium line. My comparison to Regent is with Celebrity.

 

I will go ahead and make a few comments about alcohol on Celebrity. I drank as if I were on Regent. I drink a little wine with dinner. I lean towards a quality wine paired with what my meal will be. Alcohol is a profit center for Celebrity. It was not unusual for a glass of wine to exceed $15.00 per glass. At the specialty restaurant, it was over $30 per glass and I averaged one glass per meal. I also had Martinis which were about eleven to twelve dollars. As it was with Regent, you have a welcoming bottle of iced champagne waiting for you. This is included. You also have several opportunities to have complimentary glasses of champagne at other functions. When I sailed on the Voyager, that was the case too. The alcohol inclusive policy was not in effect when I sailed on the Voyager. The cost of drinks was less on the Voyager than it was on the Century.

 

Hi DavidJ,

 

Yep--you are so right -- I was thinking of Crystal. There have been so many comparisons lately between Crystal and Regent. Still enjoyed your review of the Century. If the price, including what you paid for alcohol (quite high prices for the wine.....) is half that of Regent, it's great!

 

At the moment we are enjoying smaller ships with larger suites (Regent). You do make the Century sound inviting. Thanks for correcting me on this...... I was a bit confused.

 

Travelcat;)

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

$1,000 per day for a cruise is pretty good for filtering out the riff-raff.

 

It's not perfect though, I got through :D

[DavidJ]

I think the filter did not work for my cruises on Regent. On both cruises, while having dinner, fist fights broke out in nearby tables. Tables were knocked over and crew members had to restore order. I never saw a single incident on Royal Caribbean or Celebrity.

 

Fortunately, I have met truly lovely people on all the cruises I have taken. Fist fighting aside, I think the odds of having more in common with the fellow passengers on Regent seemed greater for us.

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

I told that waiter I wanted extra anchovies on my Ceaser, but he said they were out. Them's fight'n words....

 

All kidding aside, I worry that the '07 all-inclusive policy may lead to more fights and other poor behavior. I hope the bartenders will recognize when folks have had a little too much and then water down any further drinks. Nothing worse than loud, obnoxious drunks (hmmm, maybe I'd better stick to Perrier...).

 

I had another thought about the fights on your cruises. Maybe the folks paid more than they could really afford to be on the cruise and wanted everything "perfect" and got upset at the money they'd spent when things weren't perfect, taking it out on those around them. Same way I felt when that dang Gulfstream-4 didn't come out the right color.

[caviargal]

I have to say that I have seen plenty of drunks and bad behavior on lines where drinks are not included and highly priced. IMO, being free has little to do with it.

 

On my last few RCI cruises and on my Carnival cruise last year, there were an awful lot of people slamming shots and drinking to excess. As you can imagine, this does not breed the best behavior.

 

Then there is always the contingent that smuggles booze so they can drink more and pay less:cool:.

 

If someone is interested in drinking til they drop, free or not will not be the determining factor.

 

I rarely drink hard liquor, except for the occasional martini. I do not change my ways when at an AI resort. I think most people are the same way.

[DavidJ]

I believe in both cases, there were type "A" personalities involved as well as heavy drinking in one case. It is also interesting that these incidents happened on the last night of the cruise. My disappointment came with the cruise lines response. One of the parties had been loud and obnoxious on previous nights. He caused quite a scene with one of the musicians. At that time, it was my feeling he should have been warned by the security officer that that type of behavior would NOT be tolerated. Celebrity warns that that type of behavior can result in confinement to cabin and/or removal from the ship. I am not sure what the policy is on Regent. I am not aware of any action taken by Regent other than cleaning up the mess in the dining room and cleaning up the many broken Riedel stems of crystal. I do have concerns that the alcohol inclusive policy of Regent may lead to other incidents unless they make it more clear that fighting will not be tolerated.

[Iamboatman]

I really don't think that being alcohol inclusive is going to be a big issue. Seabourn and Silversea have such a policy and it is not a problem.

 

Think about it: You tend to see more of the issues on lines where virtually nothing is included and people are paying for drink after drink, shot after shot, collecting strange glasses from drink hawking barstaff.

 

Money does not create or insure class. I am sure some of the most polite and curteous cruisers are booked in inside cabins on economy lines...and I bet those same people are dressing according to the dress code.:D