RCI Jewel comparison with Celebrity Infinity

[parganut]

Hi we have cruised on the Jewel and Serenade of the Seas but next year it is Celebrity Infinity that is doing the itinerary we want.

 

Does anyione know how the Infinity compares to the Jewel of the Seas as we really like this size of ship but have never sailed Celebrity. I know she is older and has just had a refurb but what is the difference between RCI and Celebrity?

 

Hoping someone has experience of the 2 and can advise on the pros and cons.

[Mrs_Tiki]

The M-class Celebrity ships (Infinity, Constellation, Millenium and Summit) are built on a hull that is almost indentical to that of the Serenade and Jewel ships on RCCL, so you won't notice much difference from a size standpoint.

 

We have sailed on all of the M-class ships except Infinity and on the Serenade of the Seas a couple of times, most recently last summer. We enjoyed both, but keep coming back to Celebrity because we feel that it provides a superior product in terms of service and cuisine and has the quiet atmosphere that we find conducive to a relaxing vacation. Celebrity has a more restrictive smoking policy (including no smoking on cabin balconies), if that is of issue to you.

 

That being said, we would readily admit that RCCL has the advantage in terms of activities, energy level and overall "fun." You will not find a rock climbing wall or miniature golf on the Celebrity ships. We tended to choose RCCL when we had our daughter with us (when she was younger), because there seemed to be more kids and more for her to do.

 

I guess your query was more about the ships themselves than overall experience. Since the hulls are so similar, the layout of the M-class is much like that of the Serenade and Jewel. To me, the RCCL ships make better use of windows to provide sea vistas.

 

The decor on Celebrity's ships is more minimalist, which serves to highlight the extensive art collections. RCCL's decor is more vibrant and tropical. On Celebrity, the solarium area includes a Thallasotherapy Pool, which is kind of like a gigantic hot tub with bubbling water.

 

I don't think you can go wrong either way ~ my only advice would be to be prepared for Celebrity to be a bit more sedate than RCCL.

[debshomespun]

I agree with what Mrs. Tiki had to say above. We have cruised the Jewel twice, Radiance and Serenade once each, and took our first cruise on Celebrity on the Millennium (same size as the Infinity) in Feb. We thoroughly enjoyed our Celebrity cruise. The ship itself was very nice, as noted before, didn't have quite the flair (or WOW factor) as the RC ships. The traffic flow on X was very good, we thought. It is very nice to have the outdoor seating at the rear of the ship, as both ships have them.

 

I am thinking it would be a matter of what cruise experience you are looking for. At what level might you be with RC (C&A club)? This will transfer over to the Celebrity Captains Club and if you are Diamond or above, you would get the Elite status on Celebrity. Their cocktail hour is only 2 hours long, but seemed to be a step above that of the RC Diamond Event. There are other perks at the Elite level that we really loved.

 

The atmosphere on the Millennium was fantastic. We had cruised on Serenade, and had 2 days off a ship, then boarded the Millennium for 5 nights. Celebrity also has a "brunch" they had on the last sea day in the MDR starting at 10:00 AM, and it reminded me of the chocolate buffet RC used to have a short while back.

 

Hope this helps you out in come way.

[parganut]

Thank you both for your replies.

To be honest we did not use the many activities but enjoyed the open glass views of the Jewel and Serenade.

We do not have many C&A points to transfer over so that is not an issue.

 

We have also sailed on the MV Discovery and despite having no balcony and being very different we enjoyed the experience on this ship so I think from what you have said we would also like the Infinity.

[seacruise9]

Hi,

 

I have cruised on both classes of ships recently: The Jewel of the Seas in January 2012 and the Celebrity Summit in December 2010. I greatly enjoyed both ships. My cruise on the Summit was before it was "Solsticized." The Summit (and the Infinity) should be even better now. The Summit was more subdued and offered better food and service, but the Jewel of the Seas is an excellent ship. I liked the beautiful Centrum on the Jewel and all of the windows. To be honest, I don't think there is a huge difference between the ships. They both offer a fine cruise product.

 

Chuck

[Germancruiser]

Well said- I sailed Radiance and Brilliance and all of the four Millenium Class ships. You can´t go wrong on either.

[Traveling Library]

The Jewel is my favorite ship in the RCL fleet. Lots of glass, the SeaView Cafe, outdoor dining at the WJ, and just the right size. Just off the Infinity. Again, just the right size but not as much glass. There is a small outdoor dining area at the back of the OceanView Cafe (equivalent to the WJ). You'll like the Infinity. The vibe is a bit different, but just as nice. You'll find just as much to do (e.g. team trivia, dance class, etc.) on both ships. Enjoy!

[parganut]

Thank you all for your responses we will look forward to sailing on the Infinity.

[momofmeg]

I have been on Jewel of the Seas and Celebrity Constellation. Both are beautiful ships, but I do giver Jewel of the Seas a slight edge. However the Connie was still a very neat ship and her solarium pool is a T pool.

 

Both ships had the neat glass elevators where you can see the ocean as you ride-the elevators are different how they are set up-but both give you a great view of the ocean.

[Choozin Croozin]

Not the OP, but just what I was looking for, being that this is our 1st Celebrity cruise after 6 RCI cruises.