Preferred Line Issue

[Viscus]

Hey all,

 

Not sure if this is the appropriate section for a post like this, but a quick read of the forums main page doesn't offer an obvious better choice.

 

To date, I've sailed with Carnival 6 times, should hit Platinum with them in the next 2-3 cruises depending on length. My most recent cruise with them was on the Carnival Magic on December 9th, where I noticed a marked decline in food, service, and ship condition quality. Also, the amount of added sales pressure on the ship has gotten absolutely ridiculous, where I was uncomfortable even entering shops at times onboard due to the high pressure sales tactics employed by the staff, and my day job is in sales!

 

My SO and I are considering Celebrity as an alternative line, as on the outside looking in, they seem to be the highest quality large footprint brand available. However, I would hate to lose the VIFP progress I've made at Carnival and having to start from scratch with Celebrity.

 

So, a couple of questions:
1) For those that have sailed on both Celebrity and Carnival, do you have any clear examples of quality differences between the 2 brands?

2) Is there ANY way I can get Celebrity to consider status matching if I move to them?

3) Are there any other lines we should consider along with Celebrity? We're looking for a quiet, relaxed ship feeling with clearly marked adults only sections, high quality casino with live dealers for poker if possible, and unique itineraries offered for when we want to try something new. Also, a robust loyalty program that provides clear value for sticking with their line over the years.

[mom says]

1. Yes, many.

2. Absolutely not.

3. Celebrity is our preferred cruuse line, amongst the mass market lines. Others you might look at are Holland America and Princess. 

[sparks1093]

11 minutes ago, Viscus said:

Hey all,

 

Not sure if this is the appropriate section for a post like this, but a quick read of the forums main page doesn't offer an obvious better choice.

 

To date, I've sailed with Carnival 6 times, should hit Platinum with them in the next 2-3 cruises depending on length. My most recent cruise with them was on the Carnival Magic on December 9th, where I noticed a marked decline in food, service, and ship condition quality. Also, the amount of added sales pressure on the ship has gotten absolutely ridiculous, where I was uncomfortable even entering shops at times onboard due to the high pressure sales tactics employed by the staff, and my day job is in sales!

 

My SO and I are considering Celebrity as an alternative line, as on the outside looking in, they seem to be the highest quality large footprint brand available. However, I would hate to lose the VIFP progress I've made at Carnival and having to start from scratch with Celebrity.

 

So, a couple of questions:
1) For those that have sailed on both Celebrity and Carnival, do you have any clear examples of quality differences between the 2 brands?

2) Is there ANY way I can get Celebrity to consider status matching if I move to them?

3) Are there any other lines we should consider along with Celebrity? We're looking for a quiet, relaxed ship feeling with clearly marked adults only sections, high quality casino with live dealers for poker if possible, and unique itineraries offered for when we want to try something new. Also, a robust loyalty program that provides clear value for sticking with their line over the years.

For us if the price is right we'll sail with any line. Loyalty programs are subject to change at any time on a whim, so sailing with a cruise line solely for that reason doesn't make sense to us. Our next cruise is with Royal, not because we are dissatisfied with Carnival but because Royal was significantly less in this one instance. 

[marco]

9 minutes ago, mom says said:

 Celebrity is our preferred cruise line, amongst the mass market lines. Others you might look at are Holland America and Princess. 

Hmmm...my sentiments exactly!  We kind of bounce between those 3 lines.  I find the overall fit and finish of the ships and the dining experience  a bit nicer. And yes...we have sailed on Carnvial, 3X.  I'd rather sail on one of these 3 lines and forgo the Carnival Platinum perks. 

[George C]

Only line I know that match’s status is msc , I like switching lines even though I have a pretty good status on several , Diamond plus on rccl, elite on celebrity, 3 Star hal. I think rccl has best entertainment, celebrity and hal are good but lack entertainment. Suite perks are amazing on celebrity if that’s in your budget. 

[paul929207]

If you are a shareholder of Carnival Corp, you will get the same OBC on Princess, HAL and all the others if you sail on others owned by Carnival Corp.

[Viscus]

16 minutes ago, paul929207 said:

If you are a shareholder of Carnival Corp, you will get the same OBC on Princess, HAL and all the others if you sail on others owned by Carnival Corp.

 

Does Celebrity have a similar "if you own 100 of our shares, we give you OBC" incentive as Carnival brands? I usually pick up 100 shares of CCL about 4 months before a cruise on my Robinhood account for the credits then drop them since CCL stock has been super volatile.

Edited December 18, 2018 by Viscus

[Viscus]

32 minutes ago, marco said:

Hmmm...my sentiments exactly!  We kind of bounce between those 3 lines.  I find the overall fit and finish of the ships and the dining experience  a bit nicer. And yes...we have sailed on Carnvial, 3X.  I'd rather sail on one of these 3 lines and forgo the Carnival Platinum perks. 

 Are there any perk ecosystems out there that provide so much value as to be worth total brand loyalty? There are some nice ones for Diamond on Carnival, but outside of the 1 time use ones, not much there that would keep me stuck minus the free priority perks.

[OCruisers]

We've been on almost all of the mass market cruise lines including Carnival.

Giving up your Carnival Platinum to cruise on Princess or Celebrity would be so worth it to you in the long run. 

 

[Hlitner]

The OP asks a great question.  We have cruised both those lines (and 13 other lines) and have often posted our belief that cruise line loyalty is not a big deal.   While we do think that Celebrity is a few steps up from Carnival, recent Celebrity cut backs have driven us to MSC where we are now cruising in their Yacht Club.  

 

Keep in mind that when compared to Carnival, Celebrity tends to attract an older more sedate crowd.  If you are seeking a more sophisticated product then Celebrity should be OK, but you will discover that there are pros and cons to all cruise lines.

 

Hank

 

[navybankerteacher]

While it is nice to receive perks from a particular line, it’s important to remember why you cruise.  If you are interested in a line which offers you a better experience, shouldn’t you be willing to pay a bit more for getting what you want?   Sticking with something you do not enjoy just to take advantage of a couple of perks is kind of pathetic.

[BDRebel]

Princess will allow you to reach Carnival's equivalent of Platinum after 5 cruises (or 59 days, whichever comes first). They will also allow the CCL Stock OBC unconditionally, stackable with other OBC (Celebrity and other RCCL lines only allow one or the other). Princess also offers veterans an OBC of up to $250 regardless of room category (15 days or more cruise, $100 for a 7 day cruise).

Princess and Celebrity are more alike than different, but I prefer Princess because it is more traditional (rather like comparing traditional art to modern art - it is all in the eye of the beholder).

P and C are both catering to more mature cruisers (roughly 35+ years old, professional backgrounds) and both offer programs for families. Rather than a pure party atmosphere of Carnival, it is more organized entertainment and better shows.

 

Celebrity will match status with other RCCL lines, but not with Carnival. Princess does not match status with anyone anymore (they used to match with P&O, but they stopped doing that).

 

Hope this helps.

[Viscus]

25 minutes ago, BDRebel said:

Princess will allow you to reach Carnival's equivalent of Platinum after 5 cruises (or 59 days, whichever comes first). They will also allow the CCL Stock OBC unconditionally, stackable with other OBC (Celebrity and other RCCL lines only allow one or the other). Princess also offers veterans an OBC of up to $250 regardless of room category (15 days or more cruise, $100 for a 7 day cruise).

Princess and Celebrity are more alike than different, but I prefer Princess because it is more traditional (rather like comparing traditional art to modern art - it is all in the eye of the beholder).

P and C are both catering to more mature cruisers (roughly 35+ years old, professional backgrounds) and both offer programs for families. Rather than a pure party atmosphere of Carnival, it is more organized entertainment and better shows.

 

Celebrity will match status with other RCCL lines, but not with Carnival. Princess does not match status with anyone anymore (they used to match with P&O, but they stopped doing that).

 

Hope this helps.

 

Does Celebrity give OBC for X amount of their parent company's shares? If I'm remembering my ownership trees correctly, RCCL owns Celebrity, correct?

[OCruisers]

Royal Caribbean Ltd. owns Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Pullmantue, and two others I can't remember.

All are run as seperate brands.  

[broberts]

I believe MSC is still matching status with competing lines, https://www.msccruisesusa.com/en-us/MSC-Voyagers-Club/Loyalty-Match-Program.aspx.

 

[BDRebel]

2 hours ago, Viscus said:

 

Does Celebrity give OBC for X amount of their parent company's shares? If I'm remembering my ownership trees correctly, RCCL owns Celebrity, correct?

I believe they do, however it would be exclusive. You cannot take the stock OBC as well as any other sales promotion. It is just one or the other.

[Heidi13]

7 hours ago, Viscus said:

Hey all,

 

Not sure if this is the appropriate section for a post like this, but a quick read of the forums main page doesn't offer an obvious better choice.

 

To date, I've sailed with Carnival 6 times, should hit Platinum with them in the next 2-3 cruises depending on length. My most recent cruise with them was on the Carnival Magic on December 9th, where I noticed a marked decline in food, service, and ship condition quality. Also, the amount of added sales pressure on the ship has gotten absolutely ridiculous, where I was uncomfortable even entering shops at times onboard due to the high pressure sales tactics employed by the staff, and my day job is in sales!

 

My SO and I are considering Celebrity as an alternative line, as on the outside looking in, they seem to be the highest quality large footprint brand available. However, I would hate to lose the VIFP progress I've made at Carnival and having to start from scratch with Celebrity.

 

So, a couple of questions:
1) For those that have sailed on both Celebrity and Carnival, do you have any clear examples of quality differences between the 2 brands?

2) Is there ANY way I can get Celebrity to consider status matching if I move to them?

3) Are there any other lines we should consider along with Celebrity? We're looking for a quiet, relaxed ship feeling with clearly marked adults only sections, high quality casino with live dealers for poker if possible, and unique itineraries offered for when we want to try something new. Also, a robust loyalty program that provides clear value for sticking with their line over the years.

We were Elite on Princess, but no longer use them for similar issues you noted with Carnival. Frankly, the benefits are just not worth it.

 

In addition to Celebrity & HAL, suggest checking out some of the Premium/Luxury Lines. Since you are looking for a casino, don't consider our current preference, as Viking have no casinos. A good fit might be Oceania.

[Nic6318]

Hi Viscus

 

My opinion...It's a waste of time and money to remain loyal to a brand (any brand) because they offer some trinkets (especially Carnival). Carnival's main claim to fame has been their ability to offer a product for the best price. The money saved on a budget Carnival is worth much more than any possible "perks" offered. That is why if you find a cruise that offers to bring you where you want to go, when you want to go there, at a better price (if there is a comparison possible) than a Carnival cruise, then you should book it. If some free laundry, or whatever is still on your mind, just assign it a dollar value and input it for your comparison.  

 

If you never try different products, you will never know if there might be something that you like better. It's nice to get other peoples opinions on a site like this, but they are just that...other peoples opinions. I personally like forming my own opinion, preferably from experience. 

 

You have to decide what you want. If you want quality, you might need to look at more upscale lines. Just looking at the threads for the other mainstream cruise lines on this site, you will see that there will be similar posts about "declining service, food quality, entertainment, etc... If you are looking for "freebies", you need to remember, nothing is free. It has already been built into the price. As I suggested, are you looking for something better in your cruise experience, or are you looking for a better "freebie.

 

 

[OCruisers]

2 hours ago, BDRebel said:

I believe they do, however it would be exclusive. You cannot take the stock OBC as well as any other sales promotion. It is just one or the other.

 

On Princess you can as well as Military discounts, etc.  

[Go-Bucks!]

You can try to get the "cheapest" price OR get the "best value."

 

A cruiseline that has the cheapest base cruisefare isn't always the best value.  Obviously they want to make a profit (it's a business), so if the basic fare is very cheap, they'll be trying to pry the money out of your pocket by making everything else cost extra....such as specialty restaurants, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, excursions, cups,  bingo, spa, private spaces on the ship, laundry, gratuities, internet, etc.  Loyalty perks can also be a factor as certain amenities are valuable....free laundry (especially on long cruises), free internet, free beverages or specialty restaurants, OBC and more.  These perks increase the value of a cruise.  To compare different cruiselines, you need to do an apples-to-apples comparison, being sure to add the value of things you'll want/need if they're not included in the fare.

 

You may find that Carnival isn't really the "cheapest."  I highly recommend trying either Princess or Celebrity....I've enjoyed their cruises more than Carnival's.

[evandbob]

The Op asked for specifics, here's my examples:

1} Celebrity food quality IMO, is way better than Carnival's.  Celebrity's specialty restaurants are more varied and sophisticated than Carnival's as well..

 

Celebrity entertainment in the main theater is way better than Carnival's, although I find Carnival's comedy club a great place for laughs.

 

I find the design and decor of Celebrity ships to be elegant versus Carnival's Farkus' tackiness.

 

I loved the adult only indoor thalassopool on the Summit which was 4X larger than the spa hot tub pool on some Carnival ships.

 

Celebrity CD's are quieter, less long winded, and less frequently heard than Carnival's.

 

2} No.

 

3} I've sailed Carnival almost 40 times and have Diamond loyalty and Celebrity only twice, but I will sail Celebrity whenever I find similar pricing and more unique sailings.  I don't mind not being amongst the 1st ten folk on board, and I will pay to have my laundry done when Celebrity offers their specials.

I will sail Carnival for their Casino fares (even though they are quickly rising) but Celebrity has smoke free casinos.  Not sure about their live poker as I'm a slot player.

 

JMO, YMMV.

Edited December 19, 2018 by evandbob