Any helpful hints from my Princess family? re: Celebrity

[gonna go cruising]

We booked a last minute (month away) cruise on Celebrity Summit on the southbound Alaska cruise. I know, I know, this is a Princess board. Problem is, the Celebrity board is not as active or helpful in divulging information (such as the great cookies in Horizon Court, bringing liquor onboard though not supposed to, extra desserts, entrees if asked for, etc).

 

Have any of my fellow Princess fans sailed Celebrity and in particular the Summit that would have any inside information?

 

We give out all kinds of tips here like--get to the shows a half hour early in order to get a seat, when shows are, what is free and what is an added cost, etc, etc. I have not found threads like that on the Celebrity board. Yes they have a thread at the top about "What you need to know about cruising on Celebrity" but it doesnt have the little known things we know here.

 

I dont want to go in blindly and usually study up before I go but it appears excursions is about all I am finding information on from the Alaska board and not much info at all on the ship itself from Celebrity board. Maybe it doesnt have as many members as we do here. :confused:

 

Anything you all can enlighten me with is appreciated.

 

Thanks!

gonna go cruising

[Fuzzzy]

We booked a last minute (month away) cruise on Celebrity Summit on the southbound Alaska cruise. I know, I know, this is a Princess board. Problem is, the Celebrity board is not as active or helpful in divulging information (such as the great cookies in Horizon Court, brining liquor onboard though not supposed to, extra desserts, entrees if asked for, etc).

 

Have any of my fellow Princess fans sailed Celebrity and in particular the Summit that would have any inside information?

 

We give out all kinds of tips here like--get to the shows a half hour early in order to get a seat, when shows are, what is free and what is an added cost, etc, etc. I have not found threads like that on the Celebrity board. Yes they have a thread at the top about "What you need to know about cruising on Celebrity" but it doesnt have the little known things we know here.

 

I dont want to go in blindly and usually study up before I go but it appears excursions is about all I am finding information on from the Alaska board and not much info at all on the ship itself from Celebrity board. Maybe it doesnt have as many members as we do here. :confused:

 

Anything you all can enlighten me with is appreciated.

 

Thanks!

gonna go cruising

I think, you should ask this there (Celebrity) not here.

[gonna go cruising]

I think, you should ask this there (Celebrity) not here.

 

Fuzzzy, did you not read my entire post? I am asking because this board is more active and giving of information. I am a regular Princess cruiser and hoped to find some help here. I stated that I had looked all over for information and it just does not exist.

 

Does anyone besides Fuzzzy have any advice for me?

[Fuzzzy]

Fuzzy, did you not read my entire post? I am asking because this board is more active and giving of information. I am a regular Princess cruiser and hoped to find some help here. I stated that I had looked all over for information and it just does not exist.

 

Does anyone besides Fuzzy have any advice for me?

I hope others do. I did read your post in it's entirety. I think it is unfair to compare one to another. You know, it is like asking BMW driver's what they have found positive about Cadillacs. Both are high end cars.

They are unique and different experiences.

 

Enjoy!!! :)

[gonna go cruising]

No, I dont want comparisons at all. I am booked and no going back at this point. I caught a one day sale and grabbed it. Next day it was doubled again. No brainer.

 

I wish it were Princess actually but it isnt. I only want to get all I can out of the experience like we always do on Princess.

Sorry if that did not come across clearly in my original post.

[morriscats]

Well, I am new to Princess but have sailed Celebrity 3 times. Once on Infinity which is a sister ship to Summit. We love Celebrity. The service is great as well as the food. I think all ships are the same as when to get to the show (1/2 hour early). Celebrity will let you order off the menu for room service. The T pool is great. I hope others help to answer your questions. I hope I love our Princess cruise as much as you will Celebrity.

[gonna go cruising]

Well, I am new to Princess but have sailed Celebrity 3 times. Once on Infinity which is a sister ship to Summit. We love Celebrity. The service is great as well as the food. I think all ships are the same as when to get to the show (1/2 hour early). Celebrity will let you order off the menu for room service. The T pool is great. I hope others help to answer your questions. I hope I love our Princess cruise as much as you will Celebrity.

 

 

Thank you morriscats! I know you will love your cruise as well. I just really got used to Princess and am sure you know the feeling since you have sailed Celebrity three times as well.

 

Do the entertainment shows have two performances to accomodate early and late diners like they do on Princess? I love the idea of ordering off the menu for room service! Thanks!

 

I am quite jealous you are doing the Hawaiian cruise. I hope to do it and a Mediterranean one in the future. One of these days...

[phillipahain]

The differences between Princess and Celebrity are not that great

 

Basically there are good things on X you dont find on princess and good things on Princess you wont find on X

 

But the things that matter to you are pretty much the same on both lines

 

we are Elite on both Princess and X

[spongerob]

I haven't sailed Celebrity but have had a cruise or two on X under consideration. When I posted questions on the Celebrity page I received detailed answers very quickly. The people there were every bit as helpful as the people here.

 

What I think happens is people post questions like, "Tell me about Summit," or "Give me all your X secrets," that really don't give any idea what people are looking for. Be specific, ask about liquor policy or room service if that's what you want to know, and I think you'll find more success.

 

(I did not search you posts on the X page, I see those same questions here and they're hard to answer - especially when the person asking never provides feedback - it's a bit of a peeve of mine.)

[Shoobee2]

I sailed the LA-Hawaii roundtrip on Summit last year and loved it! Course, I have had a great time on every cruise that I have taken no matter which cruise line. Some "secrets" I found out about on the boards which helped me on the ship were:

 

1. The chocolate croissants in the Cova Cafe are wonderful. They have them in the mornings and while the specialty coffees cost money, the pastries are free and always good.

2. You need to be to the shows early, but not an hour early like I found to be the case on the Diamond Princess to get a seat. Plan on 30 minutes or so.

3. Shrimp cocktails are available every night at dinner although not on the menu. Some have said that Celebrity keeps that a secret but I didn't find that to be true at all. Our waiter mentioned this the first night and then specifically asked us if we wanted shrimp on the following nights.

4. Formal nights are about the same as on Princess ships. Most people did dress up. In addition to the smart casual nights, there are also "informal" nights. I wasn't prepared for this and found people to be more dressed up than I had planned on and felt a little under dressed on these nights.

5. The photographers were not as prominent or pushy, other than the videographers that kept trying to get us in a shore excursion video. They stopped however when we said we really didn't want to be in it.

6. There aren't any midnight buffets, other than one big gala one (at least on the cruise we were on). Celebrity does have waiters bring out "gourmet bites" to the public lounges and areas starting at 10:45. There is usually a tray of more bite size savory items (like little beef wellingtons- yum!) and a tray of bite size dessert items.

7. I really enjoyed the staff on the ship; although, this was the first 14 day cruise I had been on so there was more time to interact with them and get to know them. They serve a lot of people but truly made us feel special while onboard. We became more involved in the planned activities like trivia games, pictionary, and battle of the sexes than we normally would have. This was a great way to meet people on the ship.

8. Our stateroom had mirrors all over the walls which I really didn't like. Hard to relax and watch TV and see yourself all the time. The artwork around the ship was a bit weird, especially the beaded heads.

9. People at our dinner table loved the thalassotherapy pool. We didn't use it but it seemed to be very popular.

10. If you like lighter fare at breakfast and lunch, try the AquaSpa Cafe by the thalassotherapy pool. We had muesli for breakfast nearly every day with fresh fruit and had salads several times for lunch. There aren't as many items to choose from there and so it's easier to not eat too much at least for 1-2 meals a day.

11. We didn't eat at the buffet very often but I did notice that it never felt overly crowded. There were always available tables to go to which was very nice.

 

Hope some of this is helpful!

[gonna go cruising]

Thanks to all for the posts. That is what I was looking for.

 

Spongerob, I never posted there because I scoured and never saw anything remotely the same as here. I didnt want to flood them with alot of questions and be flamed, rightfully so sometimes. However, I will attempt a few questions in one post.

 

You all have been a great help and I feel much more informed.

 

 

Thanks again!

[gonna go cruising]

I sailed the LA-Hawaii roundtrip on Summit....

 

Hope some of this is helpful!

 

 

VERY helpful Shoobee! Thank you so much!

[wcal]

We did a southbound Alaska cruise 2 years ago on the Summit and loved it. Shobee2 is correct in what she said so nothig more to add. Are you doing a pre cruise tour? Royal Celebrity tours has the newest buses and rail cars up there. Hubbard Glacier is spectacular, you should have a very enjoyable cruise.

[gonna go cruising]

We did a southbound Alaska cruise 2 years ago on the Summit and loved it. Shobee2 is correct in what she said so nothig more to add. Are you doing a pre cruise tour? Royal Celebrity tours has the newest buses and rail cars up there. Hubbard Glacier is spectacular, you should have a very enjoyable cruise.

 

No we havent planned a pre cruise tour. We fly in the day before and take the train down to Seward the next morning. We do stay an extra day in Vancouver after the cruise before we fly home though.

 

Thanks for the well wishes, I am looking forward to it.

[willysgrandma]

The biggest difference to me is the food. I love Celebrity's food - I've never had another cruis elines food come close to Celebrity.

 

But when I sailed, they were affiliated with Chef Michel Rioux. I understand those ties have neen severed, so let me know how you like the food when you get back.

 

I also did think Celebrity's entertainment was better than Princess, but that was about it - I loved the Crown Princess.

[2theship]

Whenever we're planning a cruise we look at Celebrity first. We haven't sailed X in a few years because our schedule isn't very flexible and we just haven't been able to work it out. The Celebrity buffets are immensely better than Princess'. The selection is great and at the end of the line, there is a waiter ready to take your tray and help you find a table. Then, they'll go get your beverage for you. It's so much nicer than juggling those giant plates that Princess gives you.

 

I still enjoy Princess but this is one area where Celebrity wins.

[gonna go cruising]

The biggest difference to me is the food. I love Celebrity's food - I've never had another cruis elines food come close to Celebrity.

 

But when I sailed, they were affiliated with Chef Michel Rioux. I understand those ties have neen severed, so let me know how you like the food when you get back.

 

I also did think Celebrity's entertainment was better than Princess, but that was about it - I loved the Crown Princess.

 

Whenever we're planning a cruise we look at Celebrity first. We haven't sailed X in a few years because our schedule isn't very flexible and we just haven't been able to work it out. The Celebrity buffets are immensely better than Princess'. The selection is great and at the end of the line, there is a waiter ready to take your tray and help you find a table. Then, they'll go get your beverage for you. It's so much nicer than juggling those giant plates that Princess gives you.

 

I still enjoy Princess but this is one area where Celebrity wins.

 

Great! I love Princess' food so this will be even better? I am so looking forward to that part. I will miss those cookies though in Horizon Court and Cafe Caribe. Maybe we will find something to take their place.

[High C's]

We are loyal Princess fans, but completed our first Celebrity cruise this past March. Here are some overall observations we found:

- LOVED being greeted on board ship with a glass of champagne and someone to take us personally to our room (just a nice touch that made us feel welcome)

- service on board was fantastic. We have never had to complain about any service on Princess, but from time to time have been less than satisfied with encounters with the staff. But on the Constellation, every one without exception were very unbelievably friendly.

- food was very good, but we're not people who judge our cruise based on our meals. We're pretty easy to please, and have never gone hungry yet!

- definitely like the layout of Grand-class Princess ships over the M-Class Celebrity ship. Specifically: more pools (fresh water) spaced out over the ship rather than two pools in the very centre of the ship; more than one venue for shows each night, larger atrium area that gives the illusion of more space (just IMHO)

- we had second seating on the Constellation. The shows for second seating take place BEFORE dinner, which for us defeated the purpose of having a later dinner (we still had to be ready very early if we wantd to catch the shows).

- we enjoy the production numbers, and the talent on board Constellation was the best we have seen so far.

- we found the average age of the passengers to be slightly higher on Celebrity, but that could have something to do with the fact that it was during school season, and it was a 10 day cruise.

- we found on the most part people were more dressed for dinner. On formal nights, tuxes were definitely more predominant than we have seen on Princess.

 

But I think the most important lesson we learned by going on Celebrity is that we enjoyed ourselves every bit as much as we would have on any other ship. I will no longer be driven by the cruise line, but rather by the itinerary, as I now know I have nothing to fear!!

 

I'm sure you will have a great time. What we did was try very hard not to compare each and every little thing, but rather just embrace it as something new.

 

Bon Voyage!!!

[morriscats]

Oh all that alking about food reminded me of the speciality restaurant and that "goat cheese souffle". Make sure you order that! Others said the Chocolate souffle was a must have too but I didn't really care for that - maybe I was too full from dinner!

[Kismets_mom]

I actually took the same exact cruise & ship about 5 years ago (has it been that long?). Anyway, I loved the ship, loved the crew and the food was great. This was five years ago, but if I was to compare food, I would give Celebrity the edge. The buffet on Celebrity was much better than Princess, as they had a lot of different meats, omelet station, etc. The dinners were very classy and had a great selection for all tastes.

However, I am a Princess convert and the main reason has to do with ambiance. Celebrity is slightly more staid (i.e. formal) than Princess and I'm really not that kind of person. I like a little more fun in my cruises, but not too much fun like a Carnival cruise. Princess has just the right mix of elegance and fun that I'm looking for. Fancy food is waste for me--I'm a pretty regular kind of girl when it comes to food.

But, I think you will have a wonderful cruise with Celebrity. I have great memories from that trip. It was a gal pal trip and it was actually my very first cruise. Also, I did not book any excursions through the ship, I went with all private operators. I saved a lot of money doing that. Happy sailing!

[denims]

We sailed on the Summit in 2003 when it was only 8 months old! Beauitful ship with great customer service.

Spend the extra $$ and get a Concierge Class stateroom. Comes with great perks!

[rebeccalouise]

I believe that Celebrity no longer allows alcohol to be brought on board. That is their policy. How strictly it is enforced I don't know. I never bring alcohol on board and am happy to just buy it as I go in the various restaurants and bars. Sorry not much help with this point.

 

As for the Horizon Court. They have nice baked goods everyday and there are cookies and such to choose from. Plus ice cream from noon-8PM. They serve a buffet style afternoon tea there and this is a good time to take little plates of desserts back to the room to eat later (good midnight snack).

 

There is no problem with get extra dinner entrees or desserts at meal times. But there are no desserts served in the Horizon Court at dinner time. They just have a pasta station, pizza station and sushi station. So, I tend to stash the tea cookies in my mini fridge in case I get a hankering for dessert after meal time.

 

I love Celebrity and am sure that you will have a wonderful time on Summit.:)

[2theship]

I forgot about the goat cheese souffle! I had it as an appetizer in the Olympic Restaurant on the Millennium. Absolutely the best item I have ever been served in any restaurant, anywhere.

 

But, come to think of it, the dessert souffles on Princess are pretty darn good - and then there is the Princess Love Boat Dream. When it comes to dessert - Princess wins.

[joyride]

If you look at my past cruises, you will see that I am pretty much a Princess Fan, almost Elite. We got a great deal on a Celebrity Cruise a couple of years ago for Thansgiving and decided to give X a try. We were on the Constellation. I loved it!

 

The things I enjoyed the most were:

 

1. The food. I have been cruising Princess for over 10 years and I enjoy the food, but I have found that it is getting a bit boring - the same menus every cruise. I loved having the variety and different choices that Celebrity had to offer. The food was very good.

 

2. The Aqua Spa cafe was a great place to grab a really healthy, fresh and yummy lunch. They will grill you a salmon on the spot, or they had nice specialities like soft tacos, fresh fruit platters, etc. That and the Therapy Pool were really nice - and I think the area was adults only - so it was very nice and quiet - kind of like the Sanctuary on Princess, but no extra charge.

 

3. We did have a Conceirge Class cabin and it has some nice extras, but I still prefer a mini suite on Princess - I like the room layout a bit better.

 

4. The casino, spa, shows, bars, etc. were all pretty comparable. I thought the staff was extremely friendly and we met a couple of real charactors that stood out - like one of the bartenders who was quite a performer when he made drinks.

 

I think you will enjoy the Summit - and Alaska. We have been twice now and it is truly a beautiful place. Have a great time!

[gonna go cruising]

I am going into this with an open mind and will do my best not to compare to Princess.

 

So many of you have given me alot of nice tips and I thank you for taking the time to do so. I will definitely report back upon our return.

 

It sounds like a great time, though not the same as Princess, it has its own things to look forward to. I do look forward to the Aqua Spa Cafe for sure. :)