BP99

On 8/19/2024 at 6:54 PM, the penguins said:

Cunard passengers and crew turn "cult" into an art form.

Hi,

My wife and I really liked our Cunard cruises. We did many

TA's on Cunard and liked each one. Beats flying!

Positives:

Great food (esp fish and chips) and great services.

Excellent entertainment. Especially RADA group.

Great trivia. HARD. 3/10 correct often won!

Negative:

I had to buy a BLACK suit to eat in the dining room.

A different color or jacket was a no admission.

Luckily Walmart had cheap one!!

The dogs were the first to get on board the ship.

Paraded in front of us while we waited in the terminal (true

story but I wasn't upset. I threw that in as a JOKE that

I will always remember!).

On 8/19/2024 at 7:39 PM, Cruising89143 said:

It is still a perk. Listen, I could care less who likes what. I am laughing my butt off at some of the so called “high brow” Celebrity passengers who think that they cruise on a luxury line when in reality it’s a mass market line and their worried about having to rub elbows with the less common folk of Royal Caribbean. Some need to get over themselves. They are only special in their own minds. 

Hi,

LOVE your comments!

Totally AGREE!!

We became elite on Celebrity first but actually liked Royal

better as Diamond+ (entertainment, benefits, diamond lounge etc). We found that more Celebrity guests enjoy wearing their

tuxedos, gowns, bling etc. as compared to RCL.We don't go on a cruise to show off! We go on cruises to to visit new destinations, travel across the oceans (TA and TP's),

enjoy food that we don't need to cook etc. and see excellent

entertainment. We are NOT upset with kids on board or upset

with a man wearing shorts at dinner!

9 hours ago, Oxo said:

What can I say? I personally believe that the Ice Shows and Aqua Shows on RCI are great, regardless. I have not found anything on any other cruise line to match them. Have you?

 

Why is it when someone disagrees, it is considered arguing? Done!

 

Hi,

Yes, the ice shows and water shows on RCL are AWESOME

and my wife and I often see the same show twice.

However, yes you can see better ice/water shows (as one 

person commented) BUT they failed to mention that they

usually pay $$$$ to see them They are FREE on RCL!

4 hours ago, the penguins said:

Diamond+ perks better than Elite+?

That depends on your drinking habits and WIFI usage/cruise length.

drinks: We don't drink any alcohol and the Elite+ benefit of unlimited speciality coffees (Hot and Iced), speciality teas and hot chocolate is way above the 5 drinks I would get on Royal. Plus on Royal any Sodas/water would come out of my 5 drink allowance whereas on X I can get enough of these free to last the next 24 hours. Celebrity Wins

WIFI: we cruise for a minimum of 12 days. Royal gives us 4 days wifi leaving us for 8 days with zero. X's 240 minutes each can easily be spread over a 12 or 14 night cruise - prepare off line, log on and send, log out, read messages off line. If that doesn't work share the first lot of 240 minutes then decide if the other 240 will last for the balance of the cruise if not use it as a discount on a full package for the rest of the trip. Celebrity Wins

Hi,

I think I mentioned this many times.

As for Diamond plus drink perks:

We can have these anytime (not restricted to 5-7pm on Celebrity) and anywhere (ie pool, supper etc) unlike Celebrity (only a bar or during HH).

RCL WINS!

As for HH. Royal has OUTSTANDING food with multiple

tablea of hot and cold YUMMIES! in the Diamond Club

AS for Celebrity HH a very few waiters serving stale cheese

on stale crackers- Usually your lucky when they get to

you in the HH venue.

RCL. Wins!

I'll agree with you on free WIFI. Celebrity wins!

On 4/25/2024 at 4:47 PM, Tom and Ingrid said:

Where were you last year when I needed this knowledge 🫣

😄

I had to stumble on it somehow instead.

Hi,

Many cruisers we meet on board have also told us that they never heard 

of a shareholder benefit. What is AMAZING is that many are Diamond,

Elite or have done many cruises. We love longer cruises and the "free"

$250 or $100 on each cruise! The ONLY thing we miss is that RCL use

to pay dividends!!! It was like a triple bonus: OBC, Dividends and the stock

went up!! The only unusual comment I get from some cruisers when I

mention the shareholder benefit is "What happens if I stop cruising"???

s when I mention the

shareholder benefit to

3 hours ago, hcat said:

Amen!  X has been Royalized  enough...If we still enjoyed Royal C and its mega ships we would book them!

 

Each line offers enough to its clientele..the Crossover  status situation just makes things worse...

Hi,

There are MANY posts on this topic using the terms "Royalized"

and "Royalizing" Celebrity cruises. Could anyone give me

examples or a list of what this is referring to? We are Elite +

but have done many cruises on RCL recently. We are returning to Celebrity this fall for 3 cruises (B2B2B 42 nights). By the 

tone of the comments on the posts what should I be most

terrified of?

Thanks!

13 hours ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Cruisers are people, regardless of how experienced they are with one line or another.  Not sure how anyone's presence on board could "Royalize" Celebrity.  Did you have that effect on Celebrity when you left RCCL?  Not sure how one could tell on board what cruise line one has previously sailed with to have that concern - or more importantly should even care!

 

We cruised RCCL extensively when our family was young as that is their primary target demographics.  When our kids became adults we shifted our cruising mainly to Celebrity as that demographic fit better.  But from time to time for different (sometimes family) reasons we still cruise RCCL.  They fit us both for different reasons.  

 

But we don't have an attitude about others who may cruise both from time to time...

 

 

Hi,

WOW!!!  I LOVE your comments!!!!

At first we cruised many different lines and liked Celebrity

and became E. We then went back to Royal as D and

actually liked the perks BETTER than Celebrity. The Diamond

club (open all day) was AWESOME for food, coffee and the

HH food was GREAT in comparison to Celebrity HH food.

We also liked having our free drinks at the pool, in the

dining roo, anytime of day etc. When I have mention this

on CC I get MANY negative comments. Why? We also 

mainly cruise based on itinerary and pick Celebrity OR RCL!

As C+ we like some of their perks (eg. free wifi minutes) better than D+). 

We LOVE to explore different parts of the world!!  After seeing

each Caribbean island 7-8 times it gets a little boring. HOWEVER we still go back to them to escape Canadian 

winters (on either RCL or Celebrity).  

Bill

On 5/28/2024 at 8:36 PM, Farmer_John said:

I would give Celebrity a slight edge on dining and service.  Rooms are very comparable, but that is toward the bottom of my priorities since I rarely spend many waking hours in a cruise ship cabin. I would consider Celebrity more elegant.  If you are an active person, Celebrity can be lacking in activities and even the Edge class ships the entertainment is at least a notch or two below Royal Caribbeans's largest ships.

 

Celebrity's entertainment is fine if you are satisfied with mainly singers and acrobats,  but it really does not compare with Royal's Oasis/Quantum/Icon class with Broadway shows, Aqua Theater, Ice Shows, Comedy Clubs, etc.  I also believe that Royal's loyalty program benefits are better (Diamond and above) vs Celebrities (Elite and above).

 

I do believe Celebrity has the edge in unique itineraries that interest me, but if the ship is the primary destination (like most Caribbean itineraries) that I have been to many times before for decades I prefer the larger Royal ships for the entertainment and activities and specialty dining options.

 

The bottom line is both lines have their place based upon itinerary and activities that you want to do.

Hi,

I TOTALLY agree with all your comments.

At first we sailed with many different lines but thought

that Celebrity was a bit better. We became Elite but still

tried different lines due to to their itinerary. When we 

went back to RCL as Diamond we both said; WOW!!

The Diamond Lounge was outstanding for nightly parties,

food, Coffee machine, etc. The 4 alcoholic drinks are put on

your card and can be used anytime, anywhere (ie pool, dinner)

rather then in the overcrowded happy hour celebrity club. Why

are Diamond perks better than Celebrity perks?? Celebrity is

suppose to be the "Luxury" line which is part of RCL?  We

also found the food and service close to the same with Celebrity

and RCL. If you want better food and service sail with Holland

America (outstanding) or Canard (need a black suit for dinner).

BEST entertainment and shows: RCL!!! Love ice and water shows!! 

In general we love all our cruises but depending on your age,

food and service expectations, shows, itinerary etc you nay like one better than then the other.

Bill

9 hours ago, Bruin Steve said:

Our last three cruises on Celebrity, we were marketed the AI "deal"---included classic drinks, lower level WiFi and, on the first two, included gratuities (those first two, we booked in 2019 when AI was all they offered--and those got lifted-and-shifted multiple times for the pandemic.  Of course, the AI deal rendered the Elite Plus perks completely moot...though we received no discount on the packages for being Elite Plus.  Pretty much convinced me to never again purchase an AI package.  Hereafter, when cruising on Celebrity, we'll carefully use the free 240 each WiFi minutes and the 5-7 free drinks that we get as Elite Plus...and we'll just pay by the drink for anything we drink after 7 pm.

 

On Royal Caribbean, as Diamond Plus, we get two days free WiFi each per cruise...so, sharing passwords, we're covered for 4 days of a 7 night cruise...and we'll do the off days on port days where we can find free WiFi in port.  The drink voucher thong works out MUCH better.  We get 10 drinks per day between us...and my wife rarely drinks more than 3...So I get 7--more than enough.  And we can spread those drinks out all day and night...which is all we need.  As Diamond Plus, we also get a half dozen free bottles of water and a free bottle of wine in the room.  In addition to all that, on Royal, we get the Diamond (now "Crown" I guess) Club--which has a 24 hour espresso/cappuccino machine, cocktail hour appetizers and a better atmosphere and service.

 

Celebrity Elite Plus gives us two free bags of laundry each, RCCL Diamond Plus gives us one each--only makes a difference on LONGER cruises.  So, overall, the RCCL C&A Diamond Plus perks blow away the Celebrity Captain's Club Elite Plus perks.

Hi,

I agree with you!!

We mostly sail with RCL (as Diamond plus) because the

perks are better than Celebrity. The RCL drinks for

for Diamond plus (any time any place ie pool, dinner) like you

mention also works better for us also! 

Why are the perks better on RCL?

Bill

1 hour ago, Holly.ers said:

Bill we are planning on doing the milli cruise Japan to Korea 12 nights in may 2025. Can I ask a few questions if you don't mind:

- did you book private or group excursions at any of the stops ?

We did all the stops on our own. Most were walkable. we used

maps and did our research before we left.

1 hour ago, Holly.ers said:

- is it advisable to take the drinks package when booking. We are 2 adults and 1 teen , so 2 non drinkers. Do you know how much it is if it is purchased separately afterwards ?

The drink package is very expensive and must be bought for both. I think?

the price is the same buying on board? Also they may email you with

"special prices" if you pre buy.We are Elite and get 4 drinks free each day.

 

- is it advisable to select the gratuity charge  when booking 

You will be charged the gratuity automatically. You can pay it in advance

or when you board if you don't want to pay it after the cruise on your

credit card. 

 

- is the gym/ or classes and extra fee on the ship 

No. The gym is included. I think most classes are included. 

 

- can an e-sim work instead of purchasing wifi on board.

I don't think it will work? Not sure since I don't use one.

Sorry tons of questions ..first timers 😊 

No problem!!

Have a GREAT cruise!!!

Bill

Hi,

We also loved the deer in Nara when we visited a few years

ago! However, some chased me when I wasn't giving out the

crackers fast enough. An awesome place and an event that I 

will never forget. We had several repeat Japan cruises booked

that were cancelled due to COVID! Unfortunate.

Bill

13 hours ago, MtnSeaGirl said:

We are drooling over some of the Transatlantic cruises and have a plethora of questions:

Has anyone sailed post Covid from the US to Spain or England and can speak to what you liked or disliked?

Was there enough different food choices to enjoy on this many sea days? ( one of the sailings is on the Explorer which does not have a lot of speciality restaurants; we are not that picky )

Did you book the cruise and the airfare back yourself or did you use a travel agent?

Heck - Look, we have never sailed on a Transatlantic less more flown out the country but we are not getting any  younger.  Do you have any advice, tips or tricks you are willing to share?

We are thinking of 2026 which is not posted yet, but we expect some of the ports may be silimar.  We traditionally book 9 to 12 months out and enjoy counting off the months, then weeks, then days.  It makes the time go by faster and our work to be a little sweeter when thinking of the pay off.   Thanking you in advance for any advice you can offer.  

Hi,

My wife and I LOVE transatlantic cruses (and transpacific !!).

We have done lots of them on both small and large ships.

PRO's:

1. Sure beats flying!! And for us Canadians it is usually cheaper

than airfare!

2. When you arrive you may? have less jet lag. We have less!

3. The prices can be awesome!!

4. Depending on time of year you can suntan/swim on deck

relax, see shows, play games

5. May? have less children on board. This may? be 

con if you intend to bring yours!

6. Large ships have less motion than small BUT that

depends on time of year. We NEVER get sea sick.

7. If you plan things right you can do another cruise

once you arrive or even a B2B. We once did a B2B2B2B2B

which included a Cunard cruise *final leg" back to NYC. 45 nights and NO expensive hotels in between cruises. GREAT

vacation!

8. Usually they add more activities on seaways (eg Guest

lectures, movies, dance classes, art classes, Progressive Trivia, Bridge, Majong games,etc)

CONS:

1) Occasionally, transatlantic cruise run into bad weather.

Usually the ship can change course and avoid these. 

NEVER a threat to safety BUT some get sick

2. You may get bored. We don't!!

Try one, You may? like it!!

Bill

2 hours ago, debfed65 said:

Please continue on!   We are doing b2b in October and we would love to hear more!!  Any and all information is greatly appreciated! 

Hi,

Most of my tips/info are for Japan land trips (before or after

a Japanese cruise). However these are more general

for a single day excursion (and for other countries):

Food: Each city has MANY places to eat. However, not

all have English menus. We found that most had pictures

that you can point to if the waiter doesn't  speak English.

Many restaurants are close to empty. DON'T eat there!

The busy full ones have the good stuff and are usually cheaper!!

Download google translator (free) at home (I use an iPad). Download Japanese at home. You can use your iPad as a camera and it will translate Japanese to English on the screen. No internet connection needed. No roaming fees. This was useful for Hotels also. Our AC in the room had many buttons but

only in Japanese! So did the toilet!! >20. Test this at home!

Self directed walking tour: Download Maps.me (free) and download Japan on your iPad at home. If you get lost maps.me will locate you on the screen map. No internet connection needed. No roaming fees. While you walk the person walks on the screen!! 

Trains: In Japan the trains run like clockwork. VERY accurate

times!! Usually there is a set amount of time (7minutes?)

for people to get off and get on. Very organized. Trains are

fast and inexpensive.

Is your 2nd cruise to Singapore ? Great place to visit!

Do you stop in Vietnam? Hoi An (sp?) is a Fun place

to visit (ship excursion). 

Bill

On 10/16/2023 at 9:02 PM, jbinpa said:

Hi - I'm considering this 12-day Japan itinerary (with a stop in Busan, South Korea as well) on Celebrity Millennium next August. https://www.celebritycruises.com/itinerary-details/12-night-best-of-japan-cruise-from-tokyo-yokohama-japan?packageID=ML12I092&sDT=2024-08-07&cCD=CO&search=startDate:2024-08-01~2024-08-31

 

Has anyone ever been to Japan on Millennium? If so, how was your experience? Are there a lot of onboard activities for the 4 full sea days (and a partial 5th) on this itinerary?

 

I realize August can be unpleasantly hot and humid in Japan but going in the spring or fall won't work for a number of reasons.

 

Thanks for your help!

 

Hi,

We have been on a Japan Millennium cruise that is close to what

you are planing. IT WAS AWESOME!! It was one of the BEST cruises

we have been on (60 cruises and 4 more this year). The ship is small BUT excellent! Shows were good! Excellent food and service. Not really a cruise that I would take young kids. No water slides, bumper cars etc. We also spent an extra week in Japan and had a GREAT time. 

Some points on Japan:

1) The Japanese are really friendly and many speak English. In many

cities there are students (in uniform and clipboards) that want to speak

to you in English (part of there home work). The Japanese also cue

in line - unlike many other countries. Even for the trains they cue in line!!

2) we found the Hotels in all the major cities (Osaka, Tokyo, Yokohama}

are less expensive than comparable hotels in USA/Canada/Europe/Australia. The hotels were spotless and many included a free breakfast (with 2 sections-Japanese food and North American). Some hotels included slippers at the door, pyjamas on the bed!

3) easy to travel from city to city by train. The bullet train was GREAT:

4) LOTS to see in each city! We loved the temples. The city of Nara and

the temple in the park were fun. Especially feeding the deer which run

around the park and even in the city!

I could go on but...

Bill

12 hours ago, gerif said:

Exactly on RCI I can have a glass of wine with dinner if I want. 

Hi,

I agree! We also love having our RCL diamond free drinks at 

the pool during the hot afternoons!! Also on RCL we love

the free capachino (sp) and latte in the diamond club!!

Also the diamond club food (all day snacks) and diamond

club food during HH is awesome! Unlike the pathetic 

stuff that is served by a limited number of waiters during

Celebrity elite HH. I don't call stale crackers with a bit of

stale cheese a treat! We still sail Celebrity due to itinerary

reasons NOT for the Elite food benefits!!

Bill

2 hours ago, happy cruzer said:

Did you purchase airfare?  Did the price on that change?  Sometimes if the airfare has gone way up in price and cruise price drops, your bottom line is about the same which may take some of the sting out.

 

Have a great cruise!

Hi,

Totally agree. Last minute cruise rates are usually GREAT (except for cabin selection) BUT last

minute airfare is usually terrible. Especially if you live in Canada (like us).

Last minute cruise booking works well if you live near the cruise port.

20 hours ago, latebuyer said:

I'm considering a pacific coastal on celebrity vs. princess and have a few questions. Its Celebrity Summit vs. Sapphire princess. I'm interested in if the food is considered better on celebrity than princess? It definitely seems the rooms are better on celebrity. Are there other differences i should be aware of? The other difference is the celebrity one is leaving in the fall so i would think its a bit better since less rough and better weather but a bit more expensive.

Hi,

We have cruised on both (Elite on Celebrity). I think the food on both is good and comparable. I think

on this website you will ALWAYS find people who complain about food on different cruise lines and ships.

My only question for them is: What do you eat at home? The ONLY noticeable cruise food is when we did Holland America. It was better (and service outstanding) BUT was it worth paying the higher fares? NO.

We don't only travel on cruise ships to eat. We also seem to find food we enjoy! Also many cruiselines

have outstanding shows (ie water shows, theatre, concerts etc) which for us is a BONUS. 

We cruise to enjoy visiting different places in the world. We actually save money cruising Europe, Australia etc. Hotels prices are CRAZY there lately. They have also increased in USA and Canada! Also, we save money on cruising TA and TP (often cheaper) and flying from Canada is expensive (and also uncomfortable!)

Bill

55 minutes ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

The days of $250 OBC are almost long gone 😭

very few cruises are over 14 days now , transatlantic cruises were also 14 days or longer , now a lot of them are down to 12 days , it think they did that to save the $150 of OBC on longer cruises , 

we also bought shares at $35, and stupidly didn’t buy more when it was $20 a couple of years ago 

Hi,

Yes, I also noticed that lately many TA and TP are less than 14 days. However, We are booked on Odyssey of the seas this April that is 14 days (Ft. Lauderdale to Rome) and Celebrity Edge this fall that is a TP (B2B2B) that one of the legs is 18 nights. So they do exist but rare.

Bill

9 hours ago, Hawkstar33 said:

I was wondering if anyone is receiving any OBC these days with their bookings??  So they charge you $500 extra for all included classic Bev, and wi-fi. Saves you a few bucks, but the wifi is in and out.   Then took away pre-paid gratuities..But you can pre-pay them yourself if you want..Not seeing obc on many if any upcoming cruises, unless it is a suite of some kind.  Yet, I see and hear people using up large amounts on booze, and other items from the shops onboard, at cruise end..

Hi,

If you like and book Celebrity cruises often (or Royal)

you may consider buying shares in RCL. We bought

shares in RCL several decades ago and get OBC on

each cruise. The amount varies based on number of

days for the cruise. Since we like transatlantic or 

transpacific (beats flying and jet lag and costs much less) 

we usually get $250 each cruise. You ONLY buy the

stock once but get the benefit over and over each cruise.

Since we bought the stock went up 3 fold also.

Since we are Elite and Diamond plus the free bonus

OBC paid for itself and the some.

During covid the stock went down 3 fold (a GREAT time

to buy for newbies) and went back after covid.

Something to consider if you plan to cruise a lot!

Almost always combinable with other OBC.

If you stop cursing you can always sell your stock!!

Bill

On 2/15/2024 at 6:58 PM, 39august said:

This was held in the Sky Lounge about 5 times on a 9 nite cruise in Jan., and Feb. on Equinox. Absolutely NO canapes. Just cheap drinks.  Ruined our usual pre-dinner drinks in Sky Lounge for us as at about 4:45 the area along the windows on the starboard side began to be roped off for the" event" and they would close the bar in prep for dispensing the very limited drinks. 

Hi,

I agree with your post.

I would like to add to your "Absolutely NO canapes". IMO the

Celebrity HH canapés are PATHETIC. Try a RCL cruise as

a Diamond member The food at HH is AWESOME! Also

the drinks are better! Having a dedicated Diamond lounge

also helps!

Bill

45 minutes ago, ggo85 said:

We did RCL for years, then moved to X and now mostly sail neither, though on X at the moment. 
 

RCL markets to families with kids.  That’s their demographic, which has changed since we sailed RCL almost exclusively in the early 2000s. You’ll find fewer kids on the smaller, older ships and fewer on certain itineraries and at certain times of the year.  But school break time, especially July and early August, can be overwhelming.   While you’ll find kids on X, there is less for them to do and, in the non-school break season, very few. For example, maybe a dozen on current cruise of 3000+ passengers. 
 

Both lines nickel and dime you.  RCL is slightly worse in that (as of last time we sailed pre-COVID), you had to check out beach towels with fee if you failed to check in and almost all activities on sea days either cost extra or were promos for paid spa stuff.  There was CONSTANT harping for art auction, Bingo and the like. We’re finding more free stuff on X. The pay stuff is available but IMO not pushed as heavily.  
 

Food on X is better in MDR.  We’ve found specialty on X to be somewhat of a disappointment. Ok, but not that much better for the price.  RCL MDR food was so inedible and service so bad (waiters assigned too many tables) that we only ate in specialty restaurants. They weren’t terrific.  
 

I’ve found the entertainment on X to be quite good. Maybe it’s because the shows are new to me.  😀 The bands are good, playing a large variety of music among them.  More geared to 50+ adults, though that might also be due to our cruise demographic. 
 

Also, the non-music entertainment on our X ship is more “adult” in a good way.  So far, no belly-flopping or “Mr. Sexy” or “Love and Marriage.”  Instead, there has been curling and chirping golf ball into pool net, origami, etc.  Things for adults that aren’t (IMO) crass.
 

Service is good, but nowhere near luxury level. Sat at pool for 6 hours yesterday (port day) and no drink server ever appeared.  There is less “drink until you drop” (aka, maximize value on my drink package) on X as compared to RCL.  Again, might be the demographic of an older crowd.  

 

If you are D or higher on RCL, your benefits are better than Elite on X.  However, depends on what you use in terms of alcohol, specialty coffees, lounges, etc.  
 

With an older ship and a port-intensive itinerary in Europe, you should be ok on RCL. Stay away from July and early August — unless you want to be surrounded by kids.  And be prepared to pay for specialty restaurants if MDR food isn’t to your liking. 

 

Hi,

I totally agree with your evaluation!

Also, you forgot to mention that on transatlantic, transpacific and repositioning cruises

there are often fewer kids. We also love TA, TP and RP due to flying is not fun for us and

and often costs more than the cruise.

Also, in your first line you mentioned that you do not like RCL/Celebrity but didn't

tell us what is your favourite. For example I Loved Holland America. GREAT food,

EXCELLENT service, almost no kids  BUT 2-3 times the cost, and a very older 

clientele (eg. way to many scouters). I have also heard great things about many

other lines BUT I'm not willing to pay 3-6 times the price of RCL/Celebrity. 

It's a bit of a trade off for us. More cruises for less $ or less cruises for more $$$.

Also, we mostly pick itinerary that gets to a country we wish to explore for 2 weeks

post cruise.

Bill

10 hours ago, RickT said:

We’re looking at that Norway itinerary or a similar on in May.  We’re elite and hope the Royal perks we’d get are good (especially the drink vouchers). 

Hi Rick,

We are Elite on Celebrity and MOSTLY sail on RCL now (as Diamond plus). We like

RCL better now because:

1) Your drink perks on RCL-use at ANYTIME and ANYWHERE- ie. Poolside, theatre, dinner . Loaded

on card- no vouchers

2) Dedicated Diamond lounge. And YES the coffee machines WORK GREAT. Love expresso,

capachino etc. FOOD during HH is AWESOME (unlike Celebrity HH). Excellent snacks all day also.

Dedicated 1-2 attendants/waiters 24/7 to FIX coffee machines. They actually DON'T BREAK!! They

run out of milk, coffee, or need to remove grinds etc. because Diamond members LOVE using them!!

Attendants fix them ASAP!

3) Entertainment on the larger ships is MUCH better. Ice shows, Water Showa, etc. Also 24/7 Pizza

4) Service and food - same as Celebrity

5) We still sail Celebrity- due to Itinary and time of year

We have done Norway and liked it and most of the scenery is GREAT -- BUT the same scenery for all

the fiords etc. Many tiny towns in remote areas. A more layed back cruise. We liked the Baltic cruises

much more. Did them twice (some different itineraries), Much more to see and do. Action packed.

Great cities to see and explore! If you can walk then you can do each city on your own- no excursion

need. Ship parks downtown or very near. 

Trust me on my comments. We are also from Halifax NS!

Bill

3 hours ago, Oxo said:

We cruise both and in fact we are on the Symphony OTS in Feb and Beyond in July.

Diamond+ and Elite+. We like the RCI Crown Lounge which is open all day, the 5 drinks per day at any bar, MDR and Specialty Restaurants. 

Celebrity has really changed the HH and more.

We like the Central Park Balcony and it is very reasonable compare to X.

Well at least we all have choices which is great. 

Happy Cruising!

Hi,

Totally agree with you!!

Having our 5 free drinks (Diamond plus) ANYWHERE and

ANYTIME is a big plus for us. We LOVE having a free slushy

drink by the pool on hot sea days. Most types are included

(ie yummy mudslides).  At first we thought BIG RCL ships

would be hectic. However, the ICE shows are outstanding,

The water shows are PHENOMENAL. Lots to see, lots to

do. We were just on Symphony of the seas. GREAT ship,

Great price- What's not to LOVE!! The Diamond club with its tables of hot/cold food was also the same on these larger ships.

The service and food was just as good as Celebrity. I you want

better service or food go on Holland America  (which we have) but........(____). We still go on Celebrity but ONLY  

because of the itinerary.  Prefer RCL but......

Bill

On 1/22/2024 at 7:55 AM, lovescarborough said:

We are currently on Equinox 9 nighter. Our first cocktail lounge event was last night and there are two more scheduled plus the Captains cocktail party. We were looking forward to having the lounge again but it really isn’t worth bothering with now. They roped off an area of sky lounge . There was no one on the door, in fact we haven’t seen anything of the captains club host at all. The waiters take your card each time . There are no canapés at all. We arrived at 5.30 and left an hour later . Most people had gone by then although not that many there in the first place. No atmosphere at all, not even background music. We had our usual gin and vodka tonics but looking at the card on the table they are no longer on the list of drinks ! Happily we haven’t been charged for them nor at other bars, so we’ve no idea what they’re up to. Are they just trying to restrict the menu so much that nobody comes and they can cancel them again ? 

Hi,

Love your post. I'm GLAD you actually posted the drink menu.

When I mention how PATHETIC the Elite happy hour is

many don't believe me. We have been cruising for 35 or

so years and early on "Tested" various cruise lines. We liked

Princess and Celebrity best (for price and bang for your buck)

and decided to become Elite on Celebrity. We liked the "free"

drinks during the Elite party BUT the food was terrible. Usually

2 waiters served stale crackers with stale cheese on a small

dish. By time they reached us the plate was empty. Sometimes they would have a piece of stale meat on the cracker or a tiny

dessert. However, we attended to meet others, chat and get our

drinks. At that time, free drinks were ONLY available during

the Elite happy hour. About 15-20 years ago we decided to

try Royal Carnival using our transferable status "Diamond".

WOW!! WOW!! Drinks: almost anything you want. Tables

and tables FULL off hot and cold food. Bacon covered scalllops

were our FAV. Chicken, meat on a stick, shrimp (cold, hot breaded)

chocolate strawberries and on and on. WOW!  We now mostly

sail on Royal. The food and drinks still continue on till the day.

Sometimes we ate so much that we missed diner.

Bill

3 hours ago, verizon said:

Well those suites are subsidized from the dividend of the stock price of RCL.LOL

There is nothing not to like Celebrity if they offer you free WIFI, free Laundry and free Premium Drink Package.

 

Hi, I'm not sure what you mean about "subsidized from the dividend of the stock price of RCL." They (RCL) stopped paying dividends

a few years ago. Thanks! Bill