Carnival vs. Celebrity

[nytraveller53]

I was just searching for cruises for next summer. I was wondering if any Carnival-lovers have opinions on Celebrity? Their Solstice-class ships look AMAZING - so beautiful! And the prices aren't outrageous - about $650 per person for an Outside, with decent dates as well.

 

So, any opinions?:)

[outerbks]

We are considering Celebrity, because we have friends that have done both and they claim entertainment on Celebrity is better and the $39/day all you can drink package goes a long way.:cool:

[carsastic]

Been on both , both were great

Different cruises. Depends what you into , what you are looking for in your cruise

I do like the food better on celeb. But that's a personal preference

[bjfitz0703]

I am a Carnival guy yet have been on the Equinox. The lines are different. The people are different as well. Example: half the men on Celebrity had tuxes for formal night. We did not find the people stuffy just more refined. Older crew but really nice people. Also we did meet a bunch of folks who live an alternative life style. Turns out that Celebrity is known for this. Really great folks.

 

The Equinox which is a Soltice class ship is really nice. If I was going with just my wife, we would do Celebrity. Things are just a little nicer. Example: there was lots of live music with multiple piece bands. The martini bar is just great and kind of is the heart of the ship. The food was a little better yet we did not feel that it was that much different as we have never had a problem with the Carnival food. Our balcony cabin was nicer as well. We have had the same cabin type on Carnival as well yet felt that the Celebrity was just a little nicer. Bathroom for sure.

 

The grass area on the Equinox was neat. The fire pit and bar at the back of the ship was great as well.

 

Carnival is great and more fun focused and family focused. Example: our kids love the dancing in the MDR. None of that on Celebrity.

[librarymom]

It depends on what you like. Celebrity is an older crowd and fewer activities, but a bit more classy. If you like to keep busy or if you cruise with children, Carnival is the way to go.

[firefly333]

Celebrity does CC balconys, which are concierge, but no concierge actually, but you get better furniture on your balcony, flowers in the room and fruit basket and meet by a bottle of champagne, other nice tidbits. The is a aqua balcony which you eat spa food for dinner (instead of MDR), which I am not sure Id like, and spa stuff included.

[janetz]

Celebrity is not an older crowd. There are all ages onboard. :) There are plenty of activities. For us, the service and food is far above what Carnival offers.

[hankandteri]

The experiences are somewhat different, but I've found both lines to be a lot of fun. Celebrity tries to be a bit more "elegant" while Carnival is more carefree.

 

After reading a lot of reviews, I'd also love to sail one of their newer ships.

[EastCarolina]

Both are honestly comprable when it comes to service.

 

Celebrity caters to an older demographic. We went on the mercury last winter and the average age was easily 65.

 

The buffett is not as good as carnival however I do feel the MDR and room service is much better. The fresh crossaints you can get with room service are outstanding!

 

Shows are NOT better. The ones we saw when onboard were geared to someone in their 60's, I guess I would of appreciated them more however both my wife and I are in our early 30's.

 

If both Carnival and Celebrity were the same price for the same ports of call I would choose celebrity, however I am very happy with Carnival as well.

 

Celebrity is NOT more upscale then CCL or RCCL, you will realise after taking a cruise with them they are a great line but not a true luxury cruise line.

[fleckle]

A major difference between them is how important smoking, or lack of smoking, is to you.

 

Celebrity prohibits smoking in cabins, on balconies and in the casino, while Carnival allows smoking in all those locations.

 

If you enjoy hearing those constant Carnival announcements broadcast over the PA system throughout the day to remind you that Bingo, art auctions, etc. are about to start, you may not like Celebrity.

Celebrity typically has only one announcement from the captain and cruise director at noon each day. They leave a schedule of activities for the next day in your cabin each night, and it is left entirely up to you to decide what activities you want to attend and when.

 

In general, Carnival has a much more lively, active rah-rah ambiance, with the staff acting as cheerleaders trying to encourage people to participate in activities, much like counselors at summer camp.

 

Celebrity has a more relaxing, laid back atmosphere, offering educational enrichment presentations about various subjects such as marine mammals or volcanoes or the night sky, depending on the cruise itinerary. If you enjoy participating in hairy chest or belly flop contests, you may want to avoid Celebrity because they don't have them.

 

Celebrity also lacks the activity of checking in and out pool towels. Passengers simply pick up clean towels beside the pool whenever they want them and toss them in a bin when finished with them.

[PROCRUISE]

A major difference between them is how important smoking, or lack of smoking, is to you.

 

Celebrity prohibits smoking in cabins, on balconies and in the casino, while Carnival allows smoking in all those locations.

 

If you enjoy hearing those constant Carnival announcements broadcast over the PA system throughout the day to remind you that Bingo, art auctions, etc. are about to start, you may not like Celebrity.

Celebrity typically has only one announcement from the captain and cruise director at noon each day. They leave a schedule of activities for the next day in your cabin each night, and it is left entirely up to you to decide what activities you want to attend and when.

 

In general, Carnival has a much more lively, active rah-rah ambiance, with the staff acting as cheerleaders trying to encourage people to participate in activities, much like counselors at summer camp.

 

Celebrity has a more relaxing, laid back atmosphere, offering educational enrichment presentations about various subjects such as marine mammals or volcanoes or the night sky, depending on the cruise itinerary. If you enjoy participating in hairy chest or belly flop contests, you may want to avoid Celebrity because they don't have them.

 

Celebrity also lacks the activity of checking in and out pool towels. Passengers simply pick up clean towels beside the pool whenever they want them and toss them in a bin when finished with them.

 

Having just come off The Equinox after an 11 night cruise, on 4/1/11, this explanation is right on. The Equinox is the most beautifully sophisticated ship I've ever cruised on. The onboard activities, especially the lecture series and the sports activities with the ship's officers vs passengers was far more stimulating than anything CCL offers, which is primarily bingo, trivia and more bingo. The cabin bathroom was a dream compared to CCL. Food was equal as well as shows. CCL has better pillows on the beds and better bathrobes too. Celebrity also DOES NOT allow jeans and tee-shirts in the MDR on elegant night-they even provide sports jackets to men who show up without one on if they wish to eat in the MDR on those dress up evenings.

 

Will we ever cruise with CCL again-absolutely. Will we cruise with Celebrity again-already book for a 14 night cruise in January. The longer cruises of 10,11,12,14 nights is something else we can't get with CCL without flying to Europe or doing repetitive back-to-back.

[DVC Sadie]

The biggest difference between the two lines IMHO are the amount of children aboard, dress codes and the adherence of them, itercom updates, stringent smoking rules and the more "laid back" feel.

 

I have to say that our last Celebrity cruise was a 12 night Mediterranean cruise and we were one of the oldest (40's and slightly older) couples aboard.

We went on a lot of tours and the couples and families we met were in their 20's and 30's. One of the things we couldn't help notice was the kid's club crew and the children who appeared to be having a great time. I guess because the ship didn't have a hundreds of kids aboard they received so much one on one attention.

 

We sail on different cruise lines and choose different lines for different itineraries, and different types of vacations.

[halos]

I was just searching for cruises for next summer. I was wondering if any Carnival-lovers have opinions on Celebrity? Their Solstice-class ships look AMAZING - so beautiful! And the prices aren't outrageous - about $650 per person for an Outside, with decent dates as well.

 

So, any opinions?:)

 

 

I didn't like my cruise on Celebrity because the feel was not right. Just too stuffy for me.

I would give them another go however, because it's not right to make a judgment based off one cruise.

[tiggerman101]

I am booked on the Eclipse in December. I am looking forward to relaxing and just some peace and quiet. This will be a solo cruise for me so I think it will go well. If I was cruising with my partner I would do something else. I have always wanted to try Celebrity. I actually want to try almost every line.

[nctxmix]

We've sailed on Celebrity 5 times and have never been disappointed. In June, we'll be on the Fantasy as our first cruise on another line besides Celebrity. We chose CCL basically because of the port (charleston). We have other vacation plans in SC as we complete the cruise. We love Celebrity, but looking forward to CCL. I've been reading alot about Carnival on these boards and for this time, it meets our needs. We're more of the laid-back crowd, but are expecting to have a great time on the Fantasy. We're easy to please and go with the flow.

[halos]

. I have always wanted to try Celebrity. I actually want to try almost every line.

 

 

Variety is GOOD!!!!!! :D

[MrsMck]

We've sailed on Celebrity 5 times and have never been disappointed. In June, we'll be on the Fantasy as our first cruise on another line besides Celebrity. We chose CCL basically because of the port (charleston). We have other vacation plans in SC as we complete the cruise. We love Celebrity, but looking forward to CCL. I've been reading alot about Carnival on these boards and for this time, it meets our needs. We're more of the laid-back crowd, but are expecting to have a great time on the Fantasy. We're easy to please and go with the flow.

 

Same here. My Husband and I have only cruised Celebrity and are trying CCL in May VIA the Fantasy. I know this sounds bad, but in the past I said I would always cruise Celebrity and never Carnival. However, my Husband has been begging me to try a Carnival cruise so I caved. We do like to have fun and are laid back. We can have a great time wherever we go!

 

As for the OP's question about the two lines- I can offer my views on Celebrity. DH and I are in our late 20's and we have sailed Celebrity because we like quality in entertainment, food, and service. We like the finer things in life and Celebrity caters to that. We liked getting dressed up during dinner and the super formal nights. It didn't bother us that there were older people. We have sailed to Alaska for 7 days and did a 14 day Europe cruise so I think these locations attract an older crowd. I heard that the Carribean attracts a younger crowd so I think location has something to do with the age groups. We also like the staterooms. We always opted for the Concierge Class for it's extras. That's pretty much what I can offer.

[CanWeGoYet?]

I took a 14 day transatlantic on Celebrity, my only cruise so far with that line. I liked Celebrity very much, and thought their fitness classes (even the free ones) were much much better than Carnival. Surprised that I did not like the food as much though. The menu looked phenomenal but the food as served did not have good flavor, or the descriptions on the menu didn't match what was described or what I expected. (an appetizer might have only a garnish size sliver of beet when I thought it would be a salad containing a good amount - the crab louis was a salty dish of crab with no salad in sight). Still, most of it was just fine and I liked their sushi area better than Carnival's. But it was not over the top wonderful like you might think, from the way the menus are written. The concierge class menu was excellent -much better than Carnivals breakfast menu with no hot items available.

 

The passenger age was older than what I'm accustomed to on CCL, but that may well be due to it being a transatlantic cruise. The activities were good, cabin steward comparable to CCL, but waiter on Celebrity was the best ever. And I've been happy with the MDR service on CCL on all but one cruise.

[ilovetexas]

Like everyone else has said, without knowing you and what you want in a cruise, it's hard to say. We took a Celebrity cruise in Alaska a few years ago and it was incredible. Ship was nicer, I didn't think the service was any different than Carnival, I didn't like the food very much (my husband did but still says Carnival's is better), older crowd. We were some of the youngest people on the ship and we were around 40 at the time. It was September, the last cruise of the season, so all the kids were in school.

 

My kids love Carnival, they actually prefer it to Disney. Carnival is.....well, it's just different. If I ever go with just my husband or by myself, I will go on Celebrity again. Any itinerary other than Bahamas or Caribbean and I would strongly consider Celebrity. But for fun in the sun cruises, Carnival is our choice.

[nytraveller53]

Thanks all for your replies - I think I'll look into it!

[GottaLuvCruising]

We have sailed with Celebrity only once and thought they offer an amazing cruise experience. The food, service & entertainment were excellent. The ships (have toured several during 5 years as a TA) are beautiful.

 

I am in utter disbelief at a previous comment that Celebrity & Carnival are comparable and will leave it at that.

 

But we continue to sail with Carnival because we love the more casual, relaxed, less stuffy atmosphere.

 

However, Celebrity's much more restricted smoking policy will draw us back unless Carnival continue to moves forward in this regard. Spa category staterooms are a great option.

[bjfitz0703]

I agree with the gottaluvcruising lady. The lines are different and that is good. Carnival is great yet celebrity is a bit nicer. The ships and rooms are more refined. The lack of announcements is outstanding. The smoking policy is super. The live music is great. They had several multiple piece bands etc across the ship which was very nice. Love the pool towel policy. The pool attendant helped manage the chair hogs. People were more refined for sure. No wife beaters in the MDR

 

My wife and I both agreed that the food does not seem that different.

 

Again we love carnival

[curtsfan]

I was just searching for cruises for next summer. I was wondering if any Carnival-lovers have opinions on Celebrity? Their Solstice-class ships look AMAZING - so beautiful! And the prices aren't outrageous - about $650 per person for an Outside, with decent dates as well.

 

So, any opinions?:)

 

My husband and I were on the Solstice last September, and had a wonderful time. It is a beautiful ship. We are booked on the Carnival Victory for this July, and I am looking forward to it. When you compare Celebrity to Carnival, its like comparing apples to oranges. Celebrity is a more upscaled cruiseline, and you would love sailing on the Solstice. That being said, I have also cruised with Carnival, and they have always given me a good cruise for the money!!! One thing that I like about Celebrity, that no other cruiseline, that I have used, is that they give you an alcohol package. Which is great, because you dont have to worry about how much money you are spending.

Whatever you choose, you cant go wrong!!

[Coolcruise02]

My wife and I both agreed that the food does not seem that different.

 

I agree!!! We are not loyal to any one line and have enjoyed all our cruises but I will state here that we have found Carnival food and selections better than Celebrity.

[capsfloyd]

Aren't they both owned by Carnival??