Help me Compare Celebrity and RCCL

[Cruzan Along]

Hi all,

 

I am looking to take a cruise with my hubby and 2 young sons. DH and I used to cruise regularly, pre-kids, always taking RCCL. Now, we want to take our guys on their first cruise, but want to sail out of NY or Bayonne. RCCL has limited choices for our available timeline.

 

Since I know that RCCL owns Celebrity, I thought maybe we'd give Celebrity a try. Who has sailed on both? Can you give me some similarities and differences? Pros and Cons?

 

I am so excited to be able to get back to cruising, after a 7 year "hiatus." I so appreciate any feedback you can give!

 

Christine

[Moomintroll]

I've sailed both within the last couple of years, although without children. My impression from people I've spoken to and my experience on board is that for your children, RCCL is the better choice. For me, it's celebrity all the way but I don't have kids. If I did, it would be RCCL.

[Gonzo70]

Welcome to Cruise Critic,

 

RCCL is actually the parent corporation; RCCL owns and operates Celebrity and Royal Caribbean International (RCI) as well as three other cruise lines. Celebrity is more of an adult oriented line in terms of the amenities, entertainment and ambiance, whereas RCI is much more family oriented. I am not sure how old your children are; if they area real young it might not make much of a difference which line they are on, but if they are old enough to enjoy activities like mini golf, ice skating, rock climbing etc. then RCI ships will have a lot more to offer them. In terms of the main differences, RCI tends to excel at having tons of activities, more nightlife, and bells & whistles that appeal to children, teens and young adults. Celebrity excels in providing a more upscale, relaxing, pampered type experience. They both are great lines; which is best for you depends on what type of ambiance you are seeking.

[hildacloake]

IMHO, I would definitely have to say go with RCCL if you're going to bring young children with you on a cruise. Celebrity is more for adults. I don't have any children, but have cruised both lines before. If I did have children, I would definitely bring them on RCCL and not Celebrity. RCCL just has so much more to offer for children. In whatever you choose, I'm sure your children will enjoy it. :)

[sueernieb]

RCCL is much better for children.

 

Sue

[PartyAllDaTyme]

RCCL will be more oriented towards the kids. One difference not mentioned so far is Celebrity's smoking policy-- smoking is not allowed in cabins, on balconies, in the casino, all but one lounge. Smoking is allowed in some exterior areas of the ship. If anyone in your family is a smoker, most smokers report that they are able to get to these areas relatively easily when they wish to indulge. But if someone happens to be a chain smoker, they will likely enjoy RCCL more. If you dislike smoking, you'll love Celebrity!

[tuggers]

What gonzo said!:)

[MikeDone]

We have sailed three times in the last three years. First two cruises were with RCCL the last cruise, was onboard the Celebrity Summit.

For the kids RCCL is the way to go. There are more kid programs on RCCL, etc. Just be aware that on RCCL you will have long lines, the buffet area can be filled and therefore very hard to find a table, but the service employees (wait staff, room steward) are generally very helpful.

 

For the grownups, Celebrity is better. Celebrity might cost a few dollars more, but is worth it. Celebrity, in our experience, is a better run operation. No long lines, or if there is a long line it moves very quickly. If you need a question answered it will "probably" get answered on Celebrity. On RCCL questions often result in a baffled look from the crew member or the question/concern is ignored.

 

Also, do not overlook the smoking issue. Celebrity is much, much more restrictive when it comes to smoking.

[baggal]

We have sailed three times in the last three years. First two cruises were with RCCL the last cruise, was onboard the Celebrity Summit.

For the kids RCCL is the way to go. There are more kid programs on RCCL, etc. Just be aware that on RCCL you will have long lines, the buffet area can be filled and therefore very hard to find a table, but the service employees (wait staff, room steward) are generally very helpful.

 

For the grownups, Celebrity is better. Celebrity might cost a few dollars more, but is worth it. Celebrity, in our experience, is a better run operation. No long lines, or if there is a long line it moves very quickly. If you need a question answered it will "probably" get answered on Celebrity. On RCCL questions often result in a baffled look from the crew member or the question/concern is ignored.

 

Also, do not overlook the smoking issue. Celebrity is much, much more restrictive when it comes to smoking.

 

Actually, for some itineraries at peak times of the year, RCI fares are the same as Celebrity if not a few dollars more!

[Bridge Maven]

Actually, for some itineraries at peak times of the year, RCI fares are the same as Celebrity if not a few dollars more!

 

Baggal, I have also found RCI fares to be higher than Celebrity. I currently have three cruises booked on Disney, RCI, and Celebrity Cruise Lines, and Celebrity's per diem is the lowest of these three cruises.

[pinma]

I have sailed both with children aged 9-12. The younger vastly preferred Celebrity. It was a wash for the older one. Neither had any interest in the Children's program on either ship, nor were they at all interested in the rock climbing wall or bungee trampoline, even though they thought they would be. My son told me, just yesterday, 'you know mom, we are more like adults than most kids our age'...so YMMV.

 

Overall based on just 2 cruises:

 

Both had excellent service. I found service more friendly and gregarious on RC, more 'invisible'/reserved on X.

 

The buffet was much, much worse on RC. We avoided it, except for when we wanted breakfast outside.

 

The MDR was good on both ships. Less 'gourmet' on RC but equally well-executed (good, not great).

 

RC seemed much more crowded. (And had many more kids - pay be a matter of timing and intinerary, although our children were on school break for both).

 

I thought entertainment was better on RC but the kids were rarely able to stay awake for the shows on either ship.

[O2cruise_again]

OP- it is difficult to offer an opinion without knowing the age of your children. As others have said, RCCL may be a better option if your kids are into the bells and whistles. However, Celebrity's Fun Factory is great, especially for younger children, and is worth consideration.

[luvbluseas]

Hi all,

 

I am looking to take a cruise with my hubby and 2 young sons. DH and I used to cruise regularly, pre-kids, always taking RCCL. Now, we want to take our guys on their first cruise, but want to sail out of NY or Bayonne. RCCL has limited choices for our available time line.

 

Since I know that RCCL owns Celebrity, I thought maybe we'd give Celebrity a try. Who has sailed on both? Can you give me some similarities and differences? Pros and Cons?

 

I am so excited to be able to get back to cruising, after a 7 year "hiatus." I so appreciate any feedback you can give!

 

Christine

 

 

This is the opinion of DH and I and DH and I only. We have sailed on Celebrity for 5 cruises and RCCL once and this is what we think of the two.

 

On Celebrity we have ONLY had the BEST of service in EVERY area of the ship. We have never had one thing - nothing to ever complain about on a cruise. We have sailed on 4 M class ships 3-7 night cruises and 1-11 night and we have sailed on one 7 night S class. We have loved every ship we have been on. The food has been fabulous, and we have have the best time every time. The 11 night cruise we sailed on the Constellation we still say was the PERFECT cruise and the perfect ship and the perfect itinerary! We are so sorry that they changed that itinerary or we would go again.

 

On RCCL we were treated VERY BADLY on multiple occasions!! We went to the maitre'd (at the time announced) shortly after boarding to request a table for two. I will not tell the whole ugle tale, but after 2 1/2 hours we and everyone else in the huge long line were told they could not get the computer to work, "come back at your assigned time". So we did and got in a line again. When it was our turn we again asked for a table for two and we were told "you will be lucky if you get a table at all" in a VERY unpleasant tone with no eye contact. With that my DH announced he was NOT eating in that dining room and he asked for the Hotel Manager. The Hotel Manager told us to bad "take what you get, you are on RC". So DH announces we will take the casual eating, where we CAN have a table for 2, so that is where we ate all week. The next morning we went to the dining room for breakfast, there was no one at the maitre'd stand, so we walked into the area of the dining room were other people were sitting and sat done. A waiter that was cleaning a table nearby, walked over and said "what do you think you are doing?" I said "having breakfast?" He said "get out of my dining room, we are closed!" I found out the time had changed and we were there at 9:10 not 8:10. The dining room was closed and we should not have walked in BUT I believe he could have found a way to ask us to leave that would have been MUCH nicer. The next day we tried again for breakfast (we had the correct time :)) and the assistant maitre'd was at the entrance, we asked if we could please have a 'table' for 2, not a booth. I ALWAYS ask for a table, not a booth, as my DH is a large man and hates to sit in a booth, so we never do. He was very nice and was taking us to a table when his boss (the maitre'd stopped him and told him to sit us in a booth she was standing next to. He started to explain to her that we wanted a 'table', she snapped back at him "THIS is a table", he said 'yes ma'am' and then turned to us with a helpless look on his face. I looked at her and said "You may be able to tell him what to do, but you will NOT tell me what to do." And we walked out.

 

We went back to our room on the third day and for some reason our room steward had separated our beds! We called for him to ask him why and found out that he could not understand a word of English!! We had to go to the Guest Desk and get them to have our beds fixed.

 

So our opinion of RCCL: Service minus 10

Food maybe 5 out of 10 (like eating at Denny's

TOO many overhead announcements

Activities juvenile

 

I would gladly cruise on Carnival again before I would cruise on RCCL; at least on Carnival, no one was rude to us and we expected the food to be mediocre. The cruises cost a lot less and we got exactly what we paid for and what we expected.

 

We HAD expected better from RCCL, boy were we wrong!!!!

[The_Big_M]

As others mentioned, age may be a factor, and also the cruise ship you are used to with RCCL.

 

For my family, including children, Celebrity has been a better experience with RCCL ships more crowded with children, less space in the play centre and not greatly different with the activities. While they do have the rock wall as an extra it depends on your child as to how much they would miss that on Celebrity (or of course if they're comparing with some ships that also have skating and wave riding).

 

Comparing what they both have, Celebrity has been the often better or if not equal experience.