Defecting from Cunard - Maybe

[GrimWheel]

We love the formality and service on Cunard, and have never cruised with another line. The Celebrity ships look fabulous inside from what pictures I've seen and we're very tempted to come over to the other side ! (at least once)

 

I know this sounds terrible - but one of the things which keeps us with Cunard is the reduced risk of P+O style "riff - raff" on board. You know, shorts in the Casino, people not sticking to dress (or behavior) codes etc... bun fights in the restaurants.

 

How does Celebrity compare with Cunard in these matters ?

 

And which is the grandest Celebrity liner ? I love the idea of the restaurants with historic liner memorabilia, especially the Normandie relics. Are these venues available for all passengers ?

 

Any comments most gratefully received.

[danrad]

Never done cunard before but have done celebrity many times. I am from the UK and love celebrity! I have tried other lines and nothing can compare to it, but not tried cunard. In terms of dress code i do think that it is slightly more relaxed in terms of not formal every night but smart casual and i would say over 98% of passengers follow this. In terms of best ship have tried all three classes, Century,Millenium and Solstice. I would recommend the millenium class for the 'old liner' type of feel and the special (extra cost) resturants are amazing! 1st class white gloved service and food to die for in a beautiful setting. For example, the millenium has the olympic - decked out with all the olympic pannelling and memribilia (the olmpic was sister ship to titanic.) However if you feel you want to try something amazing and a ship which will blow you head off at the amazing chic, european class try solstice class.

[TomTN]

Not sure you will get what you want with Celebrity.

You might see shorts in the casino.

Only 40-50% or less wear a tux for formal nights.

We Celebritites most assuredly enjoy a good bun fight now and then.;)

 

would agree with danrad. I prefer the Millinium Class ships.

[Bridge Maven]

We love the formality and service on Cunard, and have never cruised with another line. The Celebrity ships look fabulous inside from what pictures I've seen and we're very tempted to come over to the other side ! (at least once)

 

I know this sounds terrible - but one of the things which keeps us with Cunard is the reduced risk of P+O style "riff - raff" on board. You know, shorts in the Casino, people not sticking to dress (or behavior) codes etc... bun fights in the restaurants.

 

How does Celebrity compare with Cunard in these matters ?

 

And which is the grandest Celebrity liner ? I love the idea of the restaurants with historic liner memorabilia, especially the Normandie relics. Are these venues available for all passengers ?

 

Any comments most gratefully received.

 

Celebrity is a mass market cruise line while Cunard is considered to be a luxury one. Even though Celebrity attracts people who enjoy a little more formality. it is still a a mass market cruise line with a very diverse group of passengers. Also, unlike Cunard, everyone, with the exception of the aqua/spa class on Solstice, are assigned to the same dining room whether they book the cheapest inside cabin or the most expensive suite.

[EssexGary]

We love the formality and service on Cunard, and have never cruised with another line. The Celebrity ships look fabulous inside from what pictures I've seen and we're very tempted to come over to the other side ! (at least once)

 

I know this sounds terrible - but one of the things which keeps us with Cunard is the reduced risk of P+O style "riff - raff" on board. You know, shorts in the Casino, people not sticking to dress (or behavior) codes etc... bun fights in the restaurants.

 

How does Celebrity compare with Cunard in these matters ?

 

And which is the grandest Celebrity liner ? I love the idea of the restaurants with historic liner memorabilia, especially the Normandie relics. Are these venues available for all passengers ?

 

Any comments most gratefully received.

 

Hi Grimwheel. We had just the same dilema before we booked our recent trip on Solstice. Those who have travelled with Cunard undoubtedly get the bug immediately, and like us, travel again and again.. so that's why we thought we would try something else and the Solstice looked amazing. We knew that there wouldn't be the same special 'liner' feeling with Celebrity, and that the formality wouldn't be there but we thought we'd risk it. You feel that you are part of a true heritage when sailing with Cunard, part of a special club with standards that are exceptional.

 

Now, in reality, the service is very mixed in Britannia class at best, we have tried Princess Grill once and loved it but our pockets do not allow us to travel that way every time. Cunard are exceptional at PR and Marketing, so thats why we decided to tentatively spread our wings.. My views are:

 

- you will miss the 'liner' experience, and feel that there is 'something missing' with another cruise line (not just celebrity).

- Celebrity are great at what they do, and I have to say, in a lot of ways, do the mass market product better than Cunard (Britannia)

- The ship outstrips QM2 in terms of modernism and chic; you will love the contemporary feel of the Solstice class - but the old fashioned 'liner' feel is not there, and the magnificence of the QM2 is not evident also.

- Client base is not the same as Cunard - and you should not expect it to be, that said as Cunard lowers prices the client base is levelling in all premium lines. Everyone was really smart on formal nights, more casual (jeans) on casual nights - but we wore nice jackets etc and didn't feel out of place (one night I wore jeans and it felt GREAT to my utter surprise).

- To try to put my finger on it, right or wrong Cunard make you feel elite. Celebrity do not - they offer more relaxed refinement more along the lines of a regular cruise experience.

 

Would I travel with Celebrity again? yep - we're booked on the Equinox in January... do I prefer Cunard, yep - but whilst nothing will ever replace the experience of being on the QM2 for me, there's lots of other lines to try, right? (we're also doing a QM2 transatlantic in Aug so I can get my fix!).

 

Ps - if you do decide to go, my advice is book AquaClass on Solstice class ships, its a more intimate dining room and will give you the Cunard edge you are looking for.

 

Gary

[vince b]

They are different experiences to be sure, and we like each for what it is. We've sailed QM2 several times, most recently in Princess Grill. We will never sail her again unless we are in that category. It's that good. There's something really special about having drink in the Queen's Grill before dinner, when after the first night you are welcomed like an old friend.

 

We've also sailed Solstice, and will again this summer. We love her. But it is a contemporary design and in many ways does not feel like a ship, it's more so an elegant hotel. Certainly not a liner. It took me a few days to get comfortable with the "non-ship" feel. But after that I loved it.

 

In terms of formality, while it's true that Cunard requires a jacket and tie in the evenings and X is casual most nights, on each ship there are people who disregard the dress code. We've seen people in shorts in the main dining room on formal night on Solstice. And on formal night on QM2 we've seen people in public rooms in shorts at night.

 

I'd suggest sailing on Solstice. You may find, as we did, that there is room for both lines in your travel plans. Schedules being what they are, if either line is not sailing when and where you want to go, then the other is an option to get you on the water. And each is a wonderful experience in it's own way.

[kitty9]

Celebrity is a mass market cruise line while Cunard is considered to be a luxury one. Even though Celebrity attracts people who enjoy a little more formality. it is still a a mass market cruise line with a very diverse group of passengers. Also, unlike Cunard, everyone, with the exception of the aqua/spa class on Solstice, are assigned to the same dining room whether they book the cheapest inside cabin or the most expensive suite.

 

 

I have to respectfully disagree that Cunard is a luxury line. Perhaps a premium line, but no way does it compare with the likes of Seabourn or Silversea. Yes, if you dine in the Queen's Grill it comes close to a luxury experience but not the rest of the ship.

 

Personally, I found Cunard to have changed quite a bit in the past few years. While cruising on the QE2 was an absolutely wonderful experience, I feel the company has gone downhill. On our recent cruise on the QM2, we saw lots of jeans and shorts in the casino and King's Court in the evening. And even though we were in the QG, I didn't find it all that special, especially when you consider that their menu was the same as in the main dining room, albeit they did have the ala carte menu. And the buffet area was unkempt and quite honestly dirty with spilled food and beverages on the floor that was not cleaned up in a timely manner.

 

As for Celebrity, I find their M Class ships to be quite nice. While they don't display the history of cruising like the Cunard ships, they are not neon, glitzy homages to Las Vegas either. Celebrity provides a very wonderful, upscale cruising experience with excellent service. And, on their M Class ships, if you dine in their specialty restaurants such as Normandie or SS United States, you'll find a very historical recreation of the old time dining experience you would have found on those two ships.

[GrimWheel]

Thanks to all for the considered and fulsome commentary !

 

Well, I'm still not sure. Something about the decor and interior design puts me in mind of the grand liners of the 1930s. We're on the QV next week for the first time but there's something about the interiors which looks a bit pastiche, a bit too twee if you see what I mean. Somehow the newer celebrity ships somehow look more "real". Like they're not pretending to be something else. In fact the great liners of the past were supposed to put you in mind of a land-based hotel, to shut out the heaving Atlantic the other side of the hull !

 

Ps you guys are friendlier than the Cunard message board ! Its a bit cliquey over there. Maybe THATS the difference after all. They won't speak to me at all now I've been seen over here.

[Longboysfan]

excitedofharpenden..... He is from the U.K. and may be able to give you some insight in Celebrity from your perspective.

[SeaMatesNYC]

Ps you guys are friendlier than the Cunard message board ! Its a bit cliquey over there. Maybe THATS the difference after all. They won't speak to me at all now I've been seen over here.

 

Come now, GrimWheel. You know that is not true.

 

We didn't speak to you BEFORE you were seen over here!:eek:

[SeaMatesNYC]

(one night I wore jeans and it felt GREAT to my utter surprise)

 

So here's where you have been hiding! I shudder at your revelation above! What ever is the world coming to?!? Jeans in the dining room!!!

 

Hope you both are well and happy!

 

Cheers,

 

Michael (who is off to CA for some beach time!)

[hcat]

OP: Not sure Celebrity will be for you--it is changing with the modfern times & quite nicely!

 

We have cruised on both lines but mostly X Cunard seems more formal but in a more old school way . Celebrity is formal with a modern elegant flair.

 

Food & service is much better on X . Have never seen what you call "riff raff" on X or any food fights.. Talent is better on Cunard--better trained... I think the suggestion to try an M class is a good one--Solstice Class might be too "out there:" for you..

[dadsbdaycruiser]

Having sailed on QE2 transatlantic and recently the QM2 in Queens Grill, I must tell you that both my husband and I prefer Celebrity. QM2 is a beautiful ship, and a true Ocean Liner. However, I much prefer the service and food on Celebrity (even in Queens Grill, with the exception of breakfast which is really amazing). The things I love about Cunard are the libraries (the Celebrity ones are picked over, and they could spend $20K on books and stock those beautiful spaces and keep them arranged), some of the formal public rooms and the ambiance. The food in the Specialty restaurants on the M Class ships and the Spa Cafe, I think is superior to any I had on Cunard. Lastly, the flow of the ships grows on you, and the M class of ships, and I am sure the Solstice class as well, really works well, and is easy to navigate and absorbs people well.

[pumpkin 11]

Come now, GrimWheel. You know that is not true.

 

We didn't speak to you BEFORE you were seen over here!:eek:

 

 

you guys:D

i bounce between cunard and celebrity board all the time! they are equal to me at least, i think celebrity has food and service a little bit on cunard, but cunard has the best ships for sure!

they are both exelent lines and are really comparable!

[nps001]

We just sailed on Solstice and met a wonderful couple that has been on Cunard many times. They loved Solstice. I am sure for many of the reasons you read above. I know they are planning on booking Equinox because of their experience on Solstice.

[cooma]

We just sailed on Solstice and met a wonderful couple that has been on Cunard many times. They loved Solstice. I am sure for many of the reasons you read above. I know they are planning on booking Equinox because of their experience on Solstice.

 

My wife and I experienced our first ever cruise Oct/Nov last on the QV, 12 day sail on the Mediterranean...it was fantastic.

 

We are booked on the Equinox Caribbean cruise Dec 09 Concierge class after reading lots on CC site and are very much looking foward to it. :)

[Lois R]

excitedofharpenden..... He is from the U.K. and may be able to give you some insight in Celebrity from your perspective.

 

I agree:)...Phil is a wealth of information and one of my favorite

people...Brit, American or anywhere in between:D

Have had the pleasure of meeting him live and in person

and that was NOT on a cruise;)

 

I can tell you he loves Celebrity:)

[Texed]

Phil is a wealth of information and one of my favorite people.

Have had the pleasure of meeting him live and in person

and that was NOT on a cruise;)

I can tell you he loves Celebrity:)

 

And,hopefully, we get to meet him on June 12th.

[EssexGary]

So here's where you have been hiding! I shudder at your revelation above! What ever is the world coming to?!? Jeans in the dining room!!!

 

Hope you both are well and happy!

 

Cheers,

 

Michael (who is off to CA for some beach time!)

 

Hey Michael! I know, I could hardly believe I was stepping out of our stateroom in denims - I did wear a nice jacket though (and it felt really good!). Wouldn't dare mention it on the cunard board - people have been banned for less! we're still looking out for the good value deal in PG... as rare as hens teeth so back to Britannia in the meantime. Try the Solstice if you haven't already - you guys would love it, we had a great time.

 

Hope Ben has settled well into his new job - I can hardly believe 6 months has gone by...

 

Have fun at the beach.

Gary

[excitedofharpenden]

Phil is a wealth of information and one of my favorite

people...Brit, American or anywhere in between:D

Shucks Lois. Thanks:o Are you sure you are not mixing me up with someone else?:D

 

It's difficult for me to comment fully because I haven't been on Cunard, but I do love Celebrity and find the ship interiors very pleasing. Not overly fussy or brash. The Speciality Restaurants mentioned above are indeed lovely spaces with original wood and memorabilia from liners of the past and the food there is great. A nice way to spend an evening. Below is a photo of the RMS Olympic restaurant on Millennium.

 

 

Passenger wise I have found that most of the time people observe the dress code which is more formal than some other cruise lines and I enjoy this extra formality.

 

Ed, I'm looking forward to 12th June:cool:

 

Phil

[swigso]

The "M" class ships are something special.

The dining and speciality dining are great experiences, and we love the Summit, having sailed on RCL,NCL X and Azamara, we prefer Azamara

for the size of the ships and ports of call, but love Celebrity and are sailing on the Connie next because of the great itinery.

Never sailed Cunard but would expect it to be very good.

[Bridge Maven]

One of the problems in comparing Cunard with Celebrity is that once a passenger aboard a Celebrity ship leaves their cabin they have the exact same experience as every other passenger, but with Cunard a person's entire cruise experience varies significantly based on their category of cabin.

 

Whether you call Cunard a premium or a luxury line, it is still considered to be a step above Celebrity which is a mass market cruise line and that is reflected by a significant difference in pricing, even for the low end cabins on Cunard.

 

When bookings opened for the maiden voyage of Cunard's new Queen Elizabeth the entire ship was sold out in 27 minutes at premium prices while Celebrity's Solstice had to discount their cabins substantially to sell cabins over a long period of time. Rather than say what that means, I will leave it to the imagination of the reader.

[Gerrym]

I know this sounds terrible - but one of the things which keeps us with Cunard is the reduced risk of P+O style "riff - raff" on board.

 

 

Anyone who uses these words is a snob and would not be suited to the Celebrity line.

 

Celebrity is a class above most others but it is not snobbish in the slightest.

 

 

Gerry

[kitty9]

One of the problems in comparing Cunard with Celebrity is that once a passenger aboard a Celebrity ship leaves their cabin they have the exact same experience as every other passenger, but with Cunard a person's entire cruise experience varies significantly based on their category of cabin.

 

Once again, I respectfully disagree. The only difference with Cunard and Celebrity is the dining room assignments. Once a Cunard passenger leaves their cabin, whether they're in the QG, PG or Britannia Grill, they go to the same entertainment venues (with the exception of the QG Lounge), the same buffet, they stand in the same lines for tenders, the same casino, the same Planetarium, the same pools and the same alternate restaurants. It's not like the QG/PG suite passengers have their own entertainment, casino and buffet. Same for Celebrity. When you step out of your cabin, be it the PH, Royal Suite or an inside cabin, the passengers all go to the same public venues. Cunard tries very hard not to be known as a line that has a class system on board, like they used to have years ago.