I'm looking to cruise on the Celebity

cruise line for the first time. We have been on four cruises with our kids and three of those have been with RC. We have enjoyed every minute of every cruise with RC but from what I have read Celebrity might be the way to go if it's just the wife and I cruising. Is this true? Also, all of our cruises have been in April and we are thinking about Feb. this time. Is Feb a good month for price and weather for a Caribbean cruise? Any other suggestions or comments?

Thank you.

I can't speak to what it's like to cruise with kids - there are kids activities on board. We personally prefer Celebrity to Royal Caribbean or Carnival (those are the only 3 lines we've been on).

We took a Caribbean cruise late January - early February and loved it. The weather was perfect and we appreciated it so much more, since it was cold and dreary when we left on the cruise.

My wife and I were loyal to Royal for a long time. Then we sailed on the Celebrity Summit a few years ago, and will probably never go back to Royal. The food is amazing, and the atmosphere is more in line with what we want. We are in our late 20's, but we prefer the more laid back, also sophisticated vibe of Celebrity. If you two are looking for a cruise to relax, eat and drink well, and not be bothered, Celebrity is it.

As for sailing in February, a Caribbean cruise would definitely break up the winter for you!

We have cruised on a number of different lines, including RC and Celebrity. We definitely prefer Celebrity of these two. Our kids are grown and gone; we typically cruise between September and May. We really like "Aqua" class and Blu dining

Try it. You may like Celebrity. If not, try something else.

cruise line for the first time. We have been on four cruises with our kids and three of those have been with RC. We have enjoyed every minute of every cruise with RC but from what I have read Celebrity might be the way to go if it's just the wife and I cruising. Is this true? Also, all of our cruises have been in April and we are thinking about Feb. this time. Is Feb a good month for price and weather for a Caribbean cruise? Any other suggestions or comments? Thank you.

From your Cruise Critic discussion board name, am I correct that you have an Ohio State schooling connection? Being in Columbus and an OSU grad, I am happy to give some added background and answer some added questions.

Much depends on which ship you are using (an older Celebrity ship or the newer/nicer Solstice-class), the number of days for your cruise and most important, which ports your cruise would visit.

Having just done in late January and February, ten different islands in the Caribbean (as detailed on the live/blog connected below), not all locations there are equal and/or the best fitting your personal interests/loves. Tell us more for what you seek and need, amount of time to do this cruise, etc. Yes, February can be a great month in the Caribbean, but it might be a little more costly as demand is higher at this time from those snow-birds seeking to escape the cold.

One thread below gives lots more for what things can be like on a Solstice-class Celebrity ship.

Added questions??

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Did a “Solstice: Visuals, Highlights Shared!” summary from two different adventures on this ship with many pictures and other details on its many options. This includes our recent Australia to New Zealand sailing. Check it out, including these early 2014 updates, at:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1803477

Now at 34,295 views for this posting.

From our Jan. 25-Feb. 20, 2015, Amazon River-Caribbean combo sailing over 26 days that started in Barbados, here is the link below to that live/blog. Lots of great visuals from this amazing Brazil river and these various Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, etc.) that we experienced. Check it out at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

Now at 29,416 views for these postings.

We did the southern Caribbean 3 times on the Serenade and loved it. We usually went in March because it it our schedule but the "winter" weather there is almost always very nice. After our three trips we took a cruise in the Med on Celebirty, the Equinox and enjoyed it so much more that Celebrity has become our line of choice. While we really enjoyed our trips on the Serenade we have found that the food is much better and the atmosphere is much more to our liking on Celebrity. We also found the service in general to be better. We did go back for one more Royal trip with friends who wanted to sail on the Allure for the experience and while we had fun, we won't go back to Royal again. The difference in the MDR food alone is reason enough for us.

Welcome to Cruise Critic and Celebrity. We have not sailed on Royal so I can't comment on that line. At the present time we only sail Celebrity and we enjoy every cruise. Will be on Eclipse again in 27 days.

What ship are you thinking of? How many days? The more the better!:)

I think you would like the S class ships. Our favorite is the Silhouette.

cruise line for the first time. We have been on four cruises with our kids and three of those have been with RC. We have enjoyed every minute of every cruise with RC but from what I have read Celebrity might be the way to go if it's just the wife and I cruising. Is this true? Also, all of our cruises have been in April and we are thinking about Feb. this time. Is Feb a good month for price and weather for a Caribbean cruise? Any other suggestions or comments?

 

Thank you.

We've cruised on eight different cruise lines...and are Diamond Crown and Anchor members on Royal Caribbean and Elite Plus Captain's Club members on Celebrity...We really like BOTH lines...for different reasons.

When cruising with kids or teens, Royal Caribbean is clearly the way to go. The amenities onboard (rock climbing, ice skating, surfing, zip lines, carousels, etc.) are unmatched anywhere. Keeps the kids really entertained. For us, though, I no longer need to surf or ice skate--though I have zip lined on the Allure. As an adult, those big Royal Caribbean ships still have something to offer--like some really diverse entertainment (Broadway shows, Ice shows, water shows) that you can't get on other lines.

But, as an adult, I look for other things. When I cruise now, I spend most of my time while onboard eating, relaxing, having a drink in a lounge, etc. So, most important to ME now is spaciousness, comfort, service, etc.

Where Celebrity blows most other lines away is in the spaciousness of the ships. Quite simply, more space per passenger. The lounges and public rooms are amply sized, the show room has more than enough seats to accommodate the number of passengers. It is all, simply, very comfortable. And the service is superior as well.

Now, when we cruise, I always look to Celebrity for their offerings FIRST. If they have the cruise I want, I book it and look no further. Of course, since they don't go everywhere at a time I can go, I still cruise other cruise lines. I've done two Princess cruises in the last year and have another booked for November. I have enjoyed those cruises--but can't help noticing where they fall short of Celebrity--which is why I really wish Celebrity would return to the West Coast.

I have cruised on all of the classes of Celebrity ships (of course, currently, they only have two--plus the smaller Xpedition). IMHO, all are excellent--for all of the same reasons...Spacious, relaxing, great service.

My advice to you: BOOK IT!

Thank you all for the feedback. What a great forum this is. I look forward to reviewing this thread when I get home later this evening and soaking up all of the info and asking a few more questions.

Thanks again.

Thank you all for the feedback. What a great forum this is. I look forward to reviewing this thread when I get home later this evening and soaking up all of the info and asking a few more questions.

 

Thanks again.

If price is a major factor, then consider cruising in the fall. A lot of folks will say that the time between Thanksgiving and the middle of December has the lowest fares.

If you are a tOSU fan, then let me be the first to extend a big Boomer Sooner welcome. We're looking forward to making your visit to Norman next fall as interesting as we can.

If you are a tOSU fan, then let me be the first to extend a big Boomer Sooner welcome. We're looking forward to making your visit to Norman next fall as interesting as we can.

LOL!!!

Not sure if you are referring to the Cowboys or the Buckeyes.

However, I do remember many years ago when the Sooners made the Buckeyes visit to Norman very interesting.

I was a student at OU way back then & the respective coaches were Barry Switzer & Woody Hayes.

Boomer Sooner!

Now, back to the OP...

We've cruised both RC & X. Still like RC, but prefer X after two cruises.

Have booked a third cruise with X this winter in the Caribbean.

Sailed on the Solstice & the Equinox.

Aqua Class the last time & love the Blu restaurant.

We are seasoned cruisers and Celebrity is our favorite, hands down. That being said, when we take the family soon with the grandkiddies, my choice will be Royal Caribbean. We live in the northeast, so we often take the Grandeur out of Baltimore, or in the past sailed the Explorer out of Bayonne. When we cruise from New York, we usually sail Norwegian. However on the extended, more upscale, more luxury vacays where a flight is necessary, we always choose Celebrity!

We are devoted to sailing Celebrity. We prefer the M class ships. The S class is much to big for us and seem a bit to impersonal. The M class has a bit larger cabins, by the middle of the cruise all know the staff and they know you. For some reason when the Captain walks over and calls you by name, shaking your hand and instructing you to have a good day, you feel very good about yourself. Everyone is so friendly, the food is plentiful and delicious, The ships are very clean. There still are chair hogs, but my husband just asks the person next to the empty chair if it is taken or do you think it is saved, most people will answer the truth and he will act accordingly. We have been on the Summit 2 times going a third time this June. Excellent service, delicious food, good entertainment, quiet lounges, quite usable library, and plenty of fun things to do. Book your cruise, prices are generally reasonable and you have to watch for the specials, but what a time you will have:D

LOL!!!

Not sure if you are referring to the Cowboys or the Buckeyes.

However, I do remember many years ago when the Sooners made the Buckeyes visit to Norman very interesting.

I was a student at OU way back then & the respective coaches were Barry Switzer & Woody Hayes.

Boomer Sooner!

 

Now, back to the OP...

We've cruised both RC & X. Still like RC, but prefer X after two cruises.

Have booked a third cruise with X this winter in the Caribbean.

Sailed on the Solstice & the Equinox.

Aqua Class the last time & love the Blu restaurant.

tOSU is the Ohio State University. OSU, is the Aggies.

To the best of my knowledge, tOSU has never played in Norman. We played them at tOSU in 1977. Great game.

We have a home and home scheduled for next year and the year following.

Feb. is great for leaving the midwest. But know that a precise night hotel in Miami or Fort L. will run $250 easily and up. It's a peak winter month. Rates soar. Just saying, budget for that too.;)

cruise line for the first time. We have been on four cruises with our kids and three of those have been with RC. We have enjoyed every minute of every cruise with RC but from what I have read Celebrity might be the way to go if it's just the wife and I cruising. Is this true? Also, all of our cruises have been in April and we are thinking about Feb. this time. Is Feb a good month for price and weather for a Caribbean cruise? Any other suggestions or comments?

 

Thank you.

Feb. is a good month not too hot but still delightful. It does not compare to RCCL is much more fun.

Celebity ships, either M or S class, are definitely a step above RCI. Like many others we have sailed numerous lines and return to the ambiance of Celebrity.

If you are looking at March, 2016 ships are sailing fairly full. Consider the Summit out of SJU to partially avoid the spring breakers. The ship does two different itineraries. Or, book a longer cruise out of south Florida.

An update for RocketMan275...the financial rewards of sailing between Thanksgiving and pre-Christmas sure were not evident this year. It seems more and more have caught on to the shoulder season sailings. Our Summit b2b this year is almost $1000 per person more than last year with bookings done during the same time frame. The days of a concierge class cabin for less than $800 per person may only appear with last minute fire sale rates IF there are any cabins left.

February is s great time to cruise. We have cruised many times on Royal and a few times on X I disagree about X ships being a step above Royal, you are getting this because you are on a Celebrity board. Both lines are very nice, X is a little more subdued, Royal a little more fun but the differences are minor. Food is the same, entertainment better on Royal, and X has nicer deck chairs. We find X a little more relaxing. Both lines are near capacity in Feb on our last 10 cruises but both handle crowds well

My favourite cruise line was Royal having cruises three times on RCI. Now that I've tried Celebrity, I'm hooked!

While Celebrity do have a kids club, they do tend to be more catered to an older demographic dining standard and activity wise.

We loved the change of no things like rock climbing, ice skating, mini golf, belly flop competitions.

Instead our Solstice cruise had beautiful pool areas, fantastic dining options and a lovely lawn for glass blowing shows and sail away picnics.

I've listed the link to my review below, to help give you an idea of what you can expect on Celebrity:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com.au/showthread.php?t=2192606

You haven't really told us a lot about yourself!

What is it you like best about Royal? We can let you know how Celebrity will fare and give you what you like most.

Where does Royal fall short for you? Accordingly, we can let you know if Celebrity will fill that gap.

Me, I prefer Celebrity to Royal. So do my kids.

I really appreciate the feedback and sorry for the delay but I had to go out of town for a few days. It sounds like X has the better food and that is a big plus for me. Hanging by the pools is important for both of us and my wife is a fitness and spa buff so she has enjoyed that aspect of RC. I would assume that X is very comparable in that area.

Also, I have booked our last few cruises through a RC Cruise Vacation Planner and have been contacted by the X Cruise Vacation Planner after making an inquiry. Is this the best way to book? Is there a better incentive to book elsewhere?

Oops and I forgot to mention that we love to snorkel and enjoying taking trips off the boat that are not part of the ship excursions so any tips in that area would be appreciated.

Thank you and yes GO BUCKS! :)

I really appreciate the feedback and sorry for the delay but I had to go out of town for a few days. It sounds like X has the better food and that is a big plus for me. Hanging by the pools is important for both of us and my wife is a fitness and spa buff so she has enjoyed that aspect of RC. I would assume that X is very comparable in that area. Oops and I forgot to mention that we love to snorkel and enjoying taking trips off the boat that are not part of the ship excursions so any tips in that area would be appreciated. Thank you and yes GO BUCKS! :)

Appreciate your follow-up and glad to know that you are a smart Ohio State fan. Tough, challenging game this Saturday night on national TV for the defending National Champions hosting Penn State.

Have you narrowed down to a few different Celebrity cruise options in the Caribbean this February? Seven days or longer? Having just done ten different Carib islands earlier this year, there are many options to consider for snorkeling. But, not all islands in this area are equal with their offerings, beauty, etc.

As proof on Celebrity's ship offerings, below are a few of my visuals from the various pool areas for what can be available on the Solstice-class ships.

Keep the good questions rolling along.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

From our Jan. 25-Feb. 20, 2015, Amazon River-Caribbean combo sailing over 26 days that started in Barbados, here is the link below to that live/blog. Lots of great visuals from this amazing Brazil river and these various Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, etc.) that we experienced. Check it out at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

Now at 30,286 views for these postings.

Here’s a sample of the pools and the activities around this key hub area of the Solstice.:

Super loved it when there were times at the pool in the afternoons on the Solstice in June 2011 when the “party band” was going at it with great tunes. This added to the fun and excitement around the pool area of our ship. Just like done by some famous California pop groups, we were hearing “fun, fun, fun” underneath the sun!!:

The Solarium was one of our most favorite areas. Food and drinks were nearby and it was very relaxed and sophisticated. Quieter, too, as it is an adults-only area. Two hot tubs here. Not crowded, especially in the evenings. Nice art and design with this facility. Wonderful setting for relaxing and watching the outside water/shore views, enjoying subtle inside action, etc.:

Love those pictures Terry! I'm taking a serious look at the Celebrity Summit out of San Juan on Feb 6th or the Celebrity Silhouette on the 7th out of Fort Lauderdale.

Love those pictures Terry! I'm taking a serious look at the Celebrity Summit out of San Juan on Feb 6th or the Celebrity Silhouette on the 7th out of Fort Lauderdale.

Appreciate these kind comments on my pictures, plus the details for these good and interesting options you are considering.

Summit: Saturday, February 6: From SanJuan/Puerto Rico, Bridgetown/Barbados, Castries, St. Lucia, St. Johns/Antigua, Philipsburg/St. Maarten and Charlotte Amalie/St. Thomas.

Silhouette: Sunday, February 7: From Fort Lauderdale, doing Cozumel/Mexico, George Town/Grand Cayman, Falmouth/Jamaica and Labadee/Haiti.

Two somewhat different ships?: The Silhouette being much newer and nicer, but larger. Pro/con factors!!??

Varied Different Islands?: From our cruise earlier we had three extra days in San Juan and loved that historic city, the island, etc. Much to see and do there. During our cruise in Jan. and Feb., we had some time in Barbados and it is wonderful with its history, people, character, charm, coast lines, etc. Lot of exciting options there. St. Maaarten was visited by us, but it can be, as with certain other islands in the Caribbean, a little crowded and/or over-run with too many ships and day visitors. Have heard great things about St. Lucia. Have not been to any of the other locations.

Do more research! Much might depend for how your air costs/connections would work. Plus, what you research about the other island options. Neither option would be a bad choice. See what best fits your interests and needs.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 123,579 views for this posting.

Love those pictures Terry! I'm taking a serious look at the Celebrity Summit out of San Juan on Feb 6th or the Celebrity Silhouette on the 7th out of Fort Lauderdale.

Can I ask which ships you've cruised on with Royal? We are Diamond on RC and Elite on Celebrity. We have sailed Summit 4 times and are booked on her again out of San Juan in March and have sailed Silhouette and Eclipse and are booked on Silhouette again next summer. We love them both, but they are definitely different. Summit is smaller and they have the best crew and captains around, IMHO. Silhouette is beautiful! The newer S class ships cannot be beat.

Itinerary-wise, we love sailing from San Juan. As Terry said, spending a few days pre or post cruise in San Juan is wonderful. And those islands are great for snorkelling. The Silhouette western Caribbean itinerary isn't bad either. I'd go for itinerary and price! Oh, and check the airfare- San Juan is sometimes much higher than FLL.

We sailed on Vision of the Seas this summer, which is about the same size as Summit and loved it as well. But we would choose Celebrity over Royal if both itinerary and price were comparable.