About to Take a Royal Leap

[SamFritz]

We are about to book our first Celebrity cruise after eleven years and 17 cruises with Royal Caribbean. We love Royal, but have found that cutbacks and downgrades in recent years leave us feeling a little less pampered and special. We are looking for just a little more of that "they treated us like kings and queens" feeling. We are looking at Equinox out of Miami this summer. Do you have any thoughts or advice?

 

 

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[Looking for Sun]

We were on Equinox last year. Prepare to be treated well. Loved the ship...loved the service, food, & itinerary!

 

 

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[ATLgirl15]

We sail both royal and celebrity - love both for different reasons. We were disappointed in anthem and the lack of service but felt well treated on Oasis last month. But we are just disembarking from reflection now and the service was exceptional. I think the Royal staff is great and they work really hard but there just aren't enough. Celebrity has crew everywhere and they really get to know you. We checked in at the casino on our first day and the host remembered us from our last celebrity cruise 2 years ago! The staff at Luminae hugged us on the last night saying goodbye. You will not be disappointed with your celebrity cruise.

 

 

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[Mr. Click]

We did 3 Royal cruises on the Serenade and loved them but when we were looking for our first Med cruise about 6 years ago Celebrity had the itinerary we wanted so we tried it. It was on the Equinox. We have done 7 more on Celebrity since then with two more booked. We did try the Allure once just to see what a "mega ship" experience would be like. It was about what you described. Bad food, poor service and over crowded. All of our Celebrity cruises have left us smiling and wishing we did not have to get off the ship.

[NJ Fred]

My wife and I have 90+ voyages under our belts. Our lines-of-choice used to be (in no articular order):

 

Celebrity

Princess

Royal Carib

NCL

 

Royal Caribbean is off our list. We sail at least three cruises annually. The last two aboard different Royal Carib ships have persuaded us that their many noticeable and disappointing cutbacks make it impossible for them to deliver the experience that built their former reputation.

 

From food to overall levels of service, the deterioration is clear.

 

There exist numerous cruise lines to choose from. We will no longer book a Royal Caribbean vacation until and unless they resurrect the overall excellence that made us loyal customers.

[helen haywood]

Perhaps its just semantics but I feel sorry for the staff if all cruisers expect to be treated like Kings and Queens. I just want to feel like a valued customer.

[SamFritz]

Perhaps its just semantics but I feel sorry for the staff if all cruisers expect to be treated like Kings and Queens. I just want to feel like a valued customer.

 

 

 

So, yeah, probably not literally like kings and queens, but definitely made to feel special by receiving unexpected levels of service and friendliness. On our recent Royal sailings that kind of treatment has eroded, mostly I think, because of cutbacks in staffing levels.

 

 

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[CRZR58]

If the OP reads the Celebrity threads, they will notice the same complaints about Celebrity that they have with RCI (Same company after all).

 

Equinox was the worst of the Celebrity ships that we've sailed on for service and food especially in the MDR. We haven't been on a RCI so we can't give comparisons, but I'd suggest a lowering of expectations for your trip so Celebrity can meet or exceed them.

[boscobeans]

Depending on what size and style of ship you like, the difference between the two has become minimal over the past few years.

 

OMO

 

bosco

[ricka47]

Depending on what size and style of ship you like, the difference between the two has become minimal over the past few years.

 

OMO

 

bosco

 

Every cruise is different and every cruiser has differing opinions based on many things and what they like and don't like. We used to say that Celebrity was a fairly large step above RCI - mostly for the food. After our last cruise on the Eclipse we'd have to say that X is just 1/2 step above RCI (overall) now. In some cases, such as the Diamond Lounge access on RCI, X would be a step down for us. We'll see if that changes after our July cruise on the Equinox.

Edited January 28, 2017 by ricka47

[wallie5446]

We are about to book our first Celebrity cruise after eleven years and 17 cruises with Royal Caribbean. We love Royal, but have found that cutbacks and downgrades in recent years leave us feeling a little less pampered and special. We are looking for just a little more of that "they treated us like kings and queens" feeling. We are looking at Equinox out of Miami this summer. Do you have any thoughts or advice?

 

 

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Our 1st RCCL was in 1989, we are Diamond, our 1st Celebrity was in 1994, we are Elite. 2007 we were on the Mariner, 2011 the Freedom, 3 of our last 4 cruises have been with Celebrity, ( other was Princess 2012, 1st in 1992) and our 3rd Equinox sailing booked for this November 2017. ( 2014 & 2015 )

 

We find a very different feeling on a Celebrity ship from the other 6 lines we have sailed. We have never missed the hub bub of the Promanade. Tho Vintages is nice to have a glass of wine and people watch from. We really like not fighting the throngs to get a cup of coffee or snack. The buffet layout is much nicer.

 

The hump cabins are about the same, angle is larger. The view from Aft ones are not blocked by the super structure of the ship, wonderful if you like Aft.

 

Chops was our benchmark speciality till Murano, Tuscan, Silk Harvest, and the wonderful GastroBar! Yes a tad more pricy, but really good.

 

Wow! What else?

EW

[DrivesLikeMario]

A good class of ship to start with would be the Solstice Class. They're more up-to-date than the M-Class. Both are great for different reasons. We like the smaller size of the M-Class and the great itineraries they tend to have but there's no denying the beauty of the S-Class.

 

We haven't sailed with RCI in a long time. It was fine when our kids were young but now that it's just the two of us, the ambiance of their ships just feels too rushed, too frantic, too cheap (although I know they're often more expensive than the other lines.)

 

Let us know what you think when you return from your Celebrity cruise. It's not perfect, so don't get your hopes up too high, but it's definitely a more relaxed, slightly more upscale ambiance.

[hcat]

Our two fav S class ships are Equinox and Silhouette...

And we like Constellation for M class

 

Can,t go wrong with any of them.

[JMG]

We are D+ on Royal and have tried all of the major lines. They all have pros and cons.

 

We tried the Quantum twice and both times there was disappointment in many areas. We felt Royal tried to expand into new technology a little too fast for the crew and many passengers.

 

On our Q cruise we decided to take a look at a future cruise and got a price on a Celebrity cruise. The price was great compared to Royal! The 1,2,3 promo was happening at that time so that made the cruise even more attractive. When we boarded the ship we got that Welcome glass of champagne. Really made us feel welcomed. We got Elite status on Celebrity and that was great. During the Elite cocktail "Hour" Cocktail staff are going around serving appetizers. On Royal in the concierge Lounge or D lounge you go get your own and hope that the trays are not depleted!

 

The Theater entertainment on Celebrity is not as good as Royal but there are so many other events. Dancing With The Stripes. Officers vrs passenger water volley ball... The Staff Officers participating with the passengers. One nice thing that we really like is not hearing announcements all day long.

 

On Royal as D members we found our perks reduced. Access to concierge Lounge was restricted to D+, Pinnacle and Suites. On the Q, we had access to the concierge Lounge but if you were not in a suite, the Concierge tended to ignore you. Now as D+, Royal is starting to have a Suite Lounge instead of Concierge Lounge...again making the perks for loyal passengers worth less over time. It began to feel like if you were not in a suite on Royal, you were being treated like steerage. Guarded areas on deck for Suite passengers...guarded areas in the theater for suite guests...We joked wondering when they were going to erect the locked gates similar to Titanic era, keeping the passengers securely in their specified areas.

 

On Celebrity, Suite passengers do get extra treatment. It makes sense. You pay more for those staterooms so they should get more. It just is not as much in your face as it seemed to be on Royal ships.

 

We still cruise Royal but find that we really like Celebrity for many reasons.

Edited January 28, 2017 by JMG

[Cruizen Susan]

We are about to book our first Celebrity cruise after eleven years and 17 cruises with Royal Caribbean. We love Royal, but have found that cutbacks and downgrades in recent years leave us feeling a little less pampered and special. We are looking for just a little more of that "they treated us like kings and queens" feeling. We are looking at Equinox out of Miami this summer. Do you have any thoughts or advice?

 

 

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We cruise Royal out of New Jersey and Celebrity from Florida. (NCL from New York) Definitely some differences. We prefer the entertaining on Royal, but that is it. Everything else is better on Celebrity....food, service, elegance, passengers.... Cabins are about equal on both lines. Almost forgot a VERY good reason for sailing on X. The perks are far better than any other cruiseline! :)

 

In most cases though, my saying is there is no such thing as a bad day at sea. The only line we won't sail is Carnival. That is not for elite or snobbish reasons, just a matter of preference.

Edited January 28, 2017 by Cruisen'Susan

[MichaelCMTX]

Perhaps its just semantics but I feel sorry for the staff if all cruisers expect to be treated like Kings and Queens. I just want to feel like a valued customer.

 

I think it's a difference between appreciating the treatment and expecting it. I also think the expectations should be different when you're booking a suite vs. those who see "cruises starting at $399" and buy exactly that. When folks who've not been on a cruise before (like at the bank today) ask for pointers we always day "you can do it cheap or do it right, you'll get what you pay for either way."

[Sandtrap328]

We are about to book our first Celebrity cruise after eleven years and 17 cruises with Royal Caribbean. We love Royal, but have found that cutbacks and downgrades in recent years leave us feeling a little less pampered and special. We are looking for just a little more of that "they treated us like kings and queens" feeling. We are looking at Equinox out of Miami this summer. Do you have any thoughts or advice?

 

 

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I just looked on the Equinox schedule and there are only 3 cruises from Miami this summer- two in June and one in August. One basic word to know is HOT.

 

The Caribbean ports are extremely hot in the summer- microwave oven hot!

 

There will also be lots of families with lots of kids on board. This means - well, you know.

 

I don't think you can get a good comparison of two lines at the busiest time of a limited schedule.

 

Equinox is great. I have sailed RCL a few times and greatly prefer Celebrity in every aspect.

 

Whatever you decide - enjoy!

[Living4acruise2day]

I am not a very experienced cruiser, but I have been reading and reading on every major cruise line threads. They all seem to have the same exact complaints. Same complaints, same complaints. I don't get it. What is it that everyone wants? What does everyone expect? Holy crap. Be happy you are even able bodied to take a cruise. I agree with the other poster about feeling sorry for the staff that needs to treat customers as kings and queens.

[champagne123]

We are about to book our first Celebrity cruise after eleven years and 17 cruises with Royal Caribbean. We love Royal, but have found that cutbacks and downgrades in recent years leave us feeling a little less pampered and special. We are looking for just a little more of that "they treated us like kings and queens" feeling. We are looking at Equinox out of Miami this summer. Do you have any thoughts or advice?

 

 

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Pampered? Special? Kings and Queens? Really? OK....lets get real here. Depending on the size of the ship.....you have 2400 to 6000 pax on a ship. How the HECK does the staff make them all to feel this way? YOU are not the only ones on the ship. Holy cow.....those poor employees. No wonder they all hate Americans.

[SamFritz]

I just looked on the Equinox schedule and there are only 3 cruises from Miami this summer- two in June and one in August. One basic word to know is HOT.

 

 

 

The Caribbean ports are extremely hot in the summer- microwave oven hot!

 

 

 

There will also be lots of families with lots of kids on board. This means - well, you know.

 

 

 

I don't think you can get a good comparison of two lines at the busiest time of a limited schedule.

 

 

 

Equinox is great. I have sailed RCL a few times and greatly prefer Celebrity in every aspect.

 

 

 

Whatever you decide - enjoy!

 

 

 

I am a teacher and I am stuck cruising at those times. All of my cruises have either been on weeklong school breaks or in the summer.

 

 

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[SamFritz]

I am not a very experienced cruiser, but I have been reading and reading on every major cruise line threads. They all seem to have the same exact complaints. Same complaints, same complaints. I don't get it. What is it that everyone wants? What does everyone expect? Holy crap. Be happy you are even able bodied to take a cruise. I agree with the other poster about feeling sorry for the staff that needs to treat customers as kings and queens.

 

 

 

I am very happy that I can take a cruise. What I want is to to get the most value for my well earned money. If I have "expectations" it is because they have been met or exceeded in the past and are not being met now. I'm looking at a different line to see if they still rise to that level.

 

 

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[SamFritz]

Pampered? Special? Kings and Queens? Really? OK....lets get real here. Depending on the size of the ship.....you have 2400 to 6000 pax on a ship. How the HECK does the staff make them all to feel this way? YOU are not the only ones on the ship. Holy cow.....those poor employees. No wonder they all hate Americans.

 

 

 

Ten years ago, when I was a new cruiser, the service provided on Royal was different than anything I had experienced before. The attentiveness of waiters in the MDR, the friendliness and attention to detail of the stateroom attendants, and what felt to me like determination of everyone from check into departure to make my experience memorable for all the right reasons is what got me hooked on cruising. And, yes that is all it took to make me feel special. Today Royal feels more like the staff is overworked, asked to do too much and just struggling to get the work done. I still love cruising, but I do miss that extra mile service.

 

 

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[renaroo]

I just looked on the Equinox schedule and there are only 3 cruises from Miami this summer- two in June and one in August. !

 

 

Equinox has cruises out of Miami every week through June and July, and at least a couple in August. Check again if you're interested in any of the summer Equinox sailings.

 

 

 

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[champagne123]

Ten years ago, when I was a new cruiser, the service provided on Royal was different than anything I had experienced before. The attentiveness of waiters in the MDR, the friendliness and attention to detail of the stateroom attendants, and what felt to me like determination of everyone from check into departure to make my experience memorable for all the right reasons is what got me hooked on cruising. And, yes that is all it took to make me feel special. Today Royal feels more like the staff is overworked, asked to do too much and just struggling to get the work done. I still love cruising, but I do miss that extra mile service.

 

 

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I don't see ANY difference in the level of professionalism from the staff, from my first RCCL 10 years ago to the one I took a few months ago. They are kind, courteous, and professional and I have never "once" expected to be treated like a QUEEN OR SPECIAL...I get that from my spouse, not a stranger. Would love to know which ship and employees made you feel that way in the past 10 years.

Edited January 28, 2017 by champagne123
kkkkk

[NordicPrince]

We are looking for just a little more of that "they treated us like kings and queens" feeling. We are looking at Equinox out of Miami this summer. Do you have any thoughts or advice?

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We've been on RCL several times and always had a good time. I can say that the S-class ships are step above.

 

Equinox and her sister ships are smartly sophisticated and elegant. We usually book inside cabins on the upper decks or balconies in the middle decks and always have a great experience. The cabins are modern, smartly designed with plenty of space, a very nice bathroom layout and plenty of storage.

 

There is an excellent adults only area called the Solarium with a smaller pool, sun filtered lighting and excellent cushioned wooden loungers. DW usually luxuriates there. She also spends time in the Thermal Suite where they have stone tile heated beds, This is complimentary for some cabin levels and for others you can buy a pass for the duration of the cruise.

 

We've been on Equinox twice and are going again in March. The food is very good IMHO. If you don't like the MDR or the Oceanview Cafe (buffet) there are always the specialty restaurants.

 

I have never felt crowded on the Equinox. We have always been treated well.

 

We don't expect to get waited on hand and foot however.

 

If you do want to be treated like a King or Queen you should go to the super premium lines like Regent, Oceania, Viking and possibly Azamara.

Of course, if you do you should be willing to pay mightily for it.

 

For the very very best service Suite Class or Concierge Class is for you on the Equinox. DW has never felt the need for that.

 

I don't consider myself a cruise 'snob'. I just like to enjoy good food, good drinks, entertainment and being out on the ocean. I like to visit the islands.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

 

PS As an aside, in regard to the poster from Florida who said the Caribbean islands are hot hot hot hot in the summer, I have been in Orlando or Stuart or Port St. Lucie Florida in July and it is humid and a lot hot hot hotter there.