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How does Crown & Anchor compare to MSC Voyagers Club…?
 

what line has the best loyalty scheme?

As a Diamond + member I believe it’s worth getting MSC to match my status and try an MSC cruise. 

51 minutes ago, Jumping Cruiser said:

 

I believe Royal have got some longer sailings from Galveston to the Bahamas and PDCC, so maybe this is a test to see what the demand is like before committing to a project?

 

It would be nice if Royal had a private destination somewhere in the Mediterranean, as it would add a relaxing day to an otherwise quite intense city/sightseeing itinerary and be especially great for Oasis/Icon Class.

great idea 

7 hours ago, GlasgowCruiser01 said:

It feels like there is a misunderstanding between higher ups at Royal and the Southampton market. Many cruisers in the area do have fond memories of Indy, it did great for just over a decade in the area, arguably got many into cruising as it was one of the first real mega ships in the UK.

 

But can she compete as the sole ship in the market in 2025 when other cruise lines have stepped up their offerings? I just feel like the landscape is very different now to the early-mid 2010s.

 

I still think it's a market best served by 2 ships - which it had been from 2005-2019 (there were even 3 in 2013, 14 & 15). Why things seem to have fallen apart between Royal and the UK over the past 5 years is the question I'd want to know the answer to, especially when it's obvious that there is still plenty of interest in cruises from the UK. Even before the pandemic - they handled the 2020 Indy cancellations back in May 2019 absolutely appallingly.

excellent post!!

On 7/14/2023 at 9:16 PM, Jumping Cruiser said:

Gibraltar, United Kingdom - Port Bookings (Correct as of 14/07/2023)

Only Independence currently booked into Gibraltar, suggesting a Southampton homeport, as expected.

 

9th July 2025 - Independence OTS

10th July 2025 - Independence OTS

17th July 2025 - Independence OTS

30th July 2025 - Independence OTS 

boring of the seas 

12 hours ago, steamboats said:

The Icon doesn´t get their plants for Central Park until the ship is in the US. O.k., the Icon is being handed over in October, so it might be too cold in Finland anyway.

 

But, it might be the same with Utopia - that she gets the plants in the US (although other Oasis Class ships did get them in Saint-Nazaire). So I definitely wouldn´t count on Southampton cruises.

 

steamboats

interesting point

10 hours ago, Polition67 said:

Yeah it’s pretty disappointing 😩 I was looking forward to icon coming to Southampton. I’m looking at 2025 in Europe but from what I heard the oasis ship will be allure as it’s going into dry dock. I wasn’t a fan 

agree

Will Utopia or Icon of the seas do any cruises from Southampton before they go to America?

On 6/3/2023 at 9:17 PM, shipshape sam said:

Started a business in St Albins in late 80's.  Loved flying over each quarter for 2 years for 10 days or parts thereof till i left company.

 

Kinda shocked about what you felt were poor or even worst.  Never had a cruise like that and hope you never do again.  As to Celebrity vs Royal, we never made a distinction of which was better.  My DW and I have always looked at them from the viewpoint of younger  or family groups for Royal and older  people for Celebrity.  Also, as way of example, the casino seemed always busy even late at night vs Celebrity which in our view had small crowds by 10 pm.

 

We sailed HAL's Rotterdam this past March, which I compare to Celebrity and would and will sail it again as we have booked  another cruise on Rotterdam.  We also have a couple of cruises booked on Royal as we are sailing with our daughter and her  family.  

 

We for sure do not hope to have the same feelings you do.  Wishing your next cruises are great!

ahhh nice such a small world!!

7 hours ago, cw2go said:

I am not pro or con X, no cheerleader or hater effect from me but I do have concerns and have sailed pre and post shutdown so have first hand experiences. I am in no way being snarky, honestly questioning what's realistic going forward? 

All of the above posts ring true, staffing shortages, supply chain issues, rising inflation. So I ask at what point do you feel Celebrity should be able to deliver what once was? How long does the cruiser accept less and adjust expectations? I've have always LOVED Celebrity and have boasted for years to many friends about the service and food being so much better than NCL, RCCL or Princess. I can't say that now! Sadly... It's lost its luster. Celebrity was the WOW for us and now it was just FINE. No major issues and needs were met but nothing stands out as special anymore. Secondly if the cruiser accepts this as the new temporary normal and keeps giving Celebrity the pass because of all the mentioned issues, why would they ever up their product gong forward? Seems they are making bank off those who are willing to accept less. So no real incentive to improve? Many have lost years of their travel time and are willing to do whatever it takes to Go Go Go.... I am guilty of being one of them but I am also beginning to see that this isn't a temporary problem its blatant cutbacks that will never be uncut! 

 

I have done lands trips post covid and there is no comparison between the quality of dining & accommodations vs that on ship. So I guess my personal acceptance & adjustments going forward is my travel style. I've broadened my view to what I can see and do by land. 

 

Patty 

 

 

I 100% agree. 

52 minutes ago, cublet said:

Hello,

 

I'll answer re MSC later, but the simple one-liner for Cunard is that I felt I was on a stage-set for a Miss Marple episode - minus the bodies.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

me too. It all felt staged and fake…

57 minutes ago, Alex618 said:

Our sofa had a hole plus had dirty area that would not come off, balcony furnishing paint was all chipping off,  hole in carpet, large tears in shear drapes, and hole in dust ruffle.  Dining room furnishing are pealing.  Deck 5 chairs near coffee area and sushi arms dirty.  One lady tools me she had no shear drapes at all.  I don’t think this is Luxury. 

celebrity is not doing well at all. I don’t care what anyone else tells me on CC but there is a huge drop in standards. 
 

I am a big supporter of Celebrity and RCCL but will be looking else where now. 

5 hours ago, Azllama said:

We had the same experience on our B2B Eclipse cruise this past March-April, we were not the only passengers very unhappy!  From food to bar service. We just made Elite too.   

agree. Staff were apologetic towards us for issues we didn’t even experience 😂 they were just apologising to everyone. 

3 hours ago, mrgabriel said:

The primary issue is staffing. No one wants to work in hospitality. No one wants to get stuck on a shop at sea for months during a pandemic. No one wants to be the recipient of complaining guests. 

 

I work in tourism. The best hotels can’t get staff for better paying roles and it’s considerably more difficult to fill positions like housekeeping, servers, etc. Cruise lines face the same thing so yes, people must change their expectations. If they don’t want to do that, plan to spend more money or take a different type of holiday. 
 

In regards to paying down the cruiseline’s debt, if the customers don’t do that, who will? Investors might take on some of the burden but at some point they will expect ROI and that has to come from somewhere. 
 

But then maybe I’m overly pragmatic. 

I oversee quite a large F&B business and it’s the same issue in the UK. No one can find staff, it must be infinitely more challenging to find staff around the world to live/work on a ship. 

1 hour ago, cublet said:

Hello,

 

So far this year I have done 1 x Cunard and 2 x MSC. Next week I will be doing my first Celebrity for this year (I am Elite Plus) and will be able to make a current comparison of the three.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

how did you find Cunard and MSC post pandemic?

33 minutes ago, wanderlust58 said:

We were also on the Silhouette TA and I'm in the disappointed camp.  In Blu, the same old menu was the same old, but the quality didn't seem as good.  We don't usually do shows, but the one we went to was, at best, only average.  Our cabin attendant was dedicated, although hard to find and slow to respond to requests.I attributed that to overwork.  I recall having a cabin steward and a deputy; when did that change?  The Persian Garden was noisy despite requests to staff to ask patrons to refrain from loud, continuous conversations.  What bothered me was the disappearance of multiple pandemic inspired hand sanitizer locations.  The need will always be there, and not just in the oceanview cafe.  Same thing on toilet seat covers in the public areas.  Not a huge deal, but I'd rather see them cut costs elsewhere. Check-in in Miami was a fiasco.  We were told to show up at 0930.  We did and waited in the sun in an hour-long line, and we were supposed to be the first boarding group.   (Up side, though we met a really nice couple in the line and ended up having dinner with them often.)  We've got a few more booked  -- a TA in November and  a TP, Sydney to Honolulu and Honolulu-Vancouver the next 10 months.  The jury is still out on the TP and Honolulu-Vancouver.  Regardless, I'll be shopping for a new line in the near future.  Too bad too, we just became Elite Plus.. 

same here Elite plus but I will seriously think twice going with Celebrity again…

13 minutes ago, Lastdance said:

I say...do your research and then prioritize and choose one!  Have you tried E-class on Celebrity?  I have been on all three and enjoyed each one, but Beyond’s TA and Europe cruises were superb+.  Of course, these were a higher price than Silly. 

I haven’t and desperate to try but I am now worried it won’t be worth the money. 

I have been on loads of cruises with various lines but now trend to cruise only with RCCL or Celebrity. 
 

I recently got off the Silhouette and I can say without question it was THE worst cruise I have been on in every aspect.

Food was shocking

Entertainment in the main theatre was beyond awful, every show was extremely poor.  
Service in the bars slow 

Room attendant non existent 

Queues getting back onto the ship 

Cruise Director poor

Given the higher price point (which I don’t mind paying) I no longer see why I would cruise on Celebrity and would rather opt to cruise with RCCL. 
 

If not RCCL or Celebrity who else should one try?

12 hours ago, Jumping Cruiser said:

Just something I noticed today. The port bookings for Odyssey in Madeira for 2025 have now been removed and replaced by calls for Independence. However, Odyssey still appears in many other ports across Europe, but it could be a recent change that ports have yet to update their systems. So, could Royal have switched their plans and now planning to send Indy back to Southampton, in place of Odyssey, or aiming to have a second ship? Obviously, the closer we get to the deployment release in November, the more accurate information will become.

I really hope not. I can’t deal with the Indy again, it’s so boring now having been on it around 12 times from Southampton. 

On 5/15/2023 at 11:21 PM, Biker19 said:

If you have ever been on O class in bad weather, you would realize why it wouldn't work from Southampton - it's a fair/warm weather ship class which gets crowded real fast when everyone is forced inside. 

good point it would be chaos. 

28 minutes ago, gumshoe958 said:

 

Oasis is quite a bit bigger than Euribia.

Euribia - 43m wide, 331m long

Oasis - 47m wide, 360m long

(Anthem - 41m wide, 338m long)

 

 

I still don’t think it’s about the size as they cruise around the med just fine with Oasis class ships.. 

I can’t quite work it out. 
 

…maybe it’s a capacity issue as they used to have two ships sailing out of Southampton…

No such good news as I wanted a different class of ship. 

7 minutes ago, Shocked91 said:

Odyssey will be based in Southampton for summer 25.

Thanks

What ship will be sailing from Southampton in 2025?
 

I hope it’s not the Anthem again…

37 minutes ago, LB_NJ said:

So a comparison of AT LEAST all these classes.

 

Princess Cruise - 3 classes of ships
Celebrity - 4 classes of ships
Royal Caribbean - 6 classes of ships
Carnival - 9 classes of ships (depends on how you count)
Norwegian - 8 classes of ships
Oceania - 3 classes of ships

 

And of course there are many more brands.

Indeed, it’s a simple calculation, Berlitz Cruise guide has done it for you. 

19 hours ago, LB_NJ said:

For which cabin category?

Smaller then some larger than others.  It also depends on the ship class.

 

Also, which ship class in the other cruise lines.  

 

I assume this is a fake question and not worth the time to answer.

 

 

 

 

per ship not per stateroom and how does Celebrity compare to others…