Six Ships and 60 days in the Caribbean

[kelmac]

Hello fellow cruisers!

 

My wife and I are retired teachers, with no children or pets and we even gave away all our house plants.  No mortgage, no car payments, and most of our income could be classified as disposable.   We just lock the door and off we go!  This fall (Oct 26) we started our first of six back-to-back cruises and returned home last week (Dec 22).  Our cruises included RCL’s Serenade of the Seas, MSC’s Meraviglia, Crystal’s Symphony, Celebrity’s Edge, HAL’s Nieuw Statendam, and Celebrity’s Reflection. I wanted to write a brief review that compares these very different experiences  while it is still fresh in my mind.  This review is about the ships only and how they compare; no information about itineraries or shore excursions.

 

This review would have to be twice as long to really cover our experiences.  If you have any questions, feel free to let me know.  This year has been our “big year” of travel, since my wife retired a year and a half ago.  We’ve spent almost half the year on the road, with most of those days on cruise ships.  We are time rich and budget poor, but we really get our dollar’s worth in all our travel endeavors.  All ships left out of south Florida, except our first cruise, which was a repositioning cruise from Boston to Ft Lauderdale.

 

RCL Serenade of the Seas  Repositioning from Boston to FLL

 

GREAT:  fast check in at 1 pm, with cabins ready at 1 and an amazing stateroom attendant (Alfredo for room 8509), well-designed cabin, luggage arrived at 1:15, table 434 (for 2 in the DR) was quiet with great service from Jaqueline and Bhomraj, adjustable height shower head and fantastic water pressure, best streaming internet we’ve had on a ship

 

BAD:  swampy, gassy smell in many hallways, ship needs a bit of a make-over, buffet food is just average.  Our New Motto for RCL—We’re doing the best we can.

 

 

MSC MERAVIGLIA

 

 

GREAT:  We were in YC, so it’s not quite the same experience as staying on the rest of the ship.  The ship is beautiful, attentive service everywhere, lots of fresh fruit and great drinks in YC. The inside cabin is a bit small, but it’s well-designed.  Bathroom shower is HOT with great pressure, and the towels are SO FLUFFY. Easy YC disembarkation. Amazing staff members in YC—Kheyelle, Arthur, Marcos and Wayan.  Lots of shelves for the book exchange.  Some may feel that the menu options for lunch and dinner in YC are a bit limiting, but the food was always tasty.  We like scheduling our evening shows in advance.

BAD:  CHAOS at embarkation, with long lines and bad organization.  Too bad that some of the fellow passengers were real jerks to the staff members.  Very long lines at customer service until the 3^rdday.  No shade in the YC pool area.  Canned music during the production shows. No live music in lounge / bars before dinner.  No live music in the YC.

 

CRYSTAL SYMPHONY

 

GREAT:We had been told that rooms were not open up 3 pm, so we arrived at 2pm, and we were able to board immediately.  Buffet is fantastic for breakfast and lunch, with options for all types of dietary needs.  Eldie was an amazing stateroom attendant, and Table 3’s team, Igor and Sandie, along with Jasper, really made our time in the dining room memorable.  The food was absolutely amazing, and they were able to easily accommodate dietary restrictions. Lots of deck space with fast, friendly waitstaff.  Promenade deck the way life on a ship was intended!  BONUS:  guest laundry room with soap and fabric softener.  

 

BAD:  Cruise Critic meeting was from 6:30-7:30pm.  

 

CELEBRITY EDGE

 

GREAT:  This ship is amazing!  Wonderful theater; great productions shows, along with Mirage in the Club, which provided an up-close, immersive circus experience.  Captain’s Club met in The Club (Ari makes the best drinks!), and Celebrity still has the best perks for loyalty members, with the 240 minutes of free internet and free laundry (which is vital when you’re traveling for 9 weeks).  The bed is fairly new, so it was still firm (unlike those saggy, droopy, sad mattresses on older ships).  We ate in the Cyprus, which was great (although the tables for 2 are very close together).  Jefferson and Romolo were fantastic and Wayan, our room steward was super-friendly.  The balcony room worked for us, as we really liked the ability to “expand” the room.  Charging stations, large bathroom, and overall great storage in the cabin.  Loved the design, the artwork, and open deck areas.  

 

BAD:  NO LIBRARY!!!  My wife, a retired teacher, found the small book exchange cart in Eden, but we always enjoy finding little gems among the shelves.  Maybe the area between the expensive jewelry store and the entrance to Eden (before the cool dark room with stalagmites and stalactites) could be a library.

 

HAL  NIEUW STATENDAM

 

GREAT:  We were among the first 10 people to embark, since we just walked off the EDGE and went straight to the HAL pier.  We waited for about 90 minutes outside the terminal, and we were on board around 11:30 am.  At noon, the rooms were available, and we happened to spy our luggage by the elevator at 12:15.  Lots of great storage is HAL ships.  Fabulous service from Paul and Made in 7025.  Cabin had a great shower with adjustable height shower head. The A/C worked perfectly (we’ve had problems on other ships).  Lovely artwork throughout the ship.  Lots of variety at the buffet.  Doug Funk was the best performer we’ve seen—improv comedy! Quick laundry service.  

BAD:  Tried to go to the Ocean Bar for Happy Hour, but it was absolutely packed. Some people go there two hours before HH starts, just to get a table.  Public areas were a bit warm.   As always, HAL serves beef that is tender but not flavorful. Canned music for performances. 

 

CELEBRITY REFLECTION

 

GREAT:  Arrived at 1 pm and were quickly check in and on board.  Room 1160 is huge for an interior room, with great shower, and Joywil was a fantastic stateroom attendant. Live music for production shows and the large theater was never full for any of the shows, so no need to show up 30-45 minutes early like on other ships.  Great Happy Hour in Sky Lounge for Captain’s Club with service from Hotensia, Made, and others. 

BAD:  We had booked to late to get early seating, so we tried anytime dining. First two nights went well, since we got to the DR at 5:30, but on the third night we arrived at 6:30 and were handed a pager.   Chatted with a couple who had been waiting 45 minutes, and when they were finally called, it was after 7:15.  We returned the pager and headed to the buffet.  Decided to just eat in the buffet for the rest of the cruise (we were getting a bit tired of food after 8 weeks at sea anyway). 

WISHES:  Include the artist, the name of the piece, and some information when displaying art on the ship.  We love live music, live bands during performances, etc.  

 

SUMMARY

 

One of the nice things about six back to back cruises on different ships is that it gives the ability to truly compare experiences.  In 79 cruises we’ve never had a bad cruise, but different lines have their own personality and culture.  We are a “glass half full” kind of couple and try to focus on the fact that all lines have dedicated workers who, day after day, give it their all to provide their customers with an outstanding cruise experience.  

Below is a quick look rating at different categories: (the Mac-O-Meter is on)             10 points is perfect.

 

RCL Serenade of the Seas (not all inclusive)

 

Ship condition --  7.8  (older ship)

MDR Food – 7.0 (basic)

Buffet Food – 6.5 (weak selection)

Entertainment – 8.3 (pretty good overall and good show times)

Cabin – 8.0 (inside; small, but well-designed; bed with the dreaded “crack”)

Service – 9.0 (excellent throughout the ship)

Frequent cruiser perks – 9.1 (free happy hour for Diamond and above)

Cost – 9.3 ($68.96 per person, per day; $200 OBC; a real bargain)

 

MSC Meraviglia (Yacht Club) (all inclusive)

 

Ship condition – 9.4 (beautiful brand new ship)

Yacht Club Food – 8.8 (great for the most part; some weak dishes)

Yacht Club Buffet – 8.0 (limited and basic options)

Entertainment – 8.2 (well-produced, but all canned music)

Cabin – 8.1 (inside, new, small, nice firm bed)

Service 9.8 (pampered in so many ways; escorted on and off the ship by butler)

Frequent cruiser perks  8.1 (Black Card onboard, status expired onboard)

Cost – 8.8 ($207 per person, per day;  includes all inclusive – onboard gratuities)

 

Crystal Symphony (all inclusive including onboard gratuities)

 

Ship condition -- 8.3 (very old ship, but well maintained)

MDR Food – 9.8 (best cruise food we’ve experienced; custom orders available)

Buffet Food – 9.6 (small, high quality dishes; upscale and nice variety)

Entertainment – 9.0 (surprisingly excellent shows; great mix of acts)

Cabin – 8.7 (obstructed OV; old, nice size, traditional, great shape)

Service – 9.8 (luxury line for sure; super service all over the ship)

Frequent cruiser perks  -- N/A (our first with Crystal, but not a factor)

Cost – 8.0 ($255 per person, per day; splurge for us; is it worth it ???)

 

Celebrity Edge  (not-all inclusive; no booking perks)

 

Ship condition – 9.5 (new and spectacular; our new favorite ship)

MDR Food – 8.7 (great dishes; slow kitchen; in Cyprus restaurant)

Buffet Food – 8.6 (excellent variety; unique stations)

Entertainment – 8.4 (standard Celebrity stuff; one weak comedian)

Cabin – 9.6 (Infinite balcony; love this concept; large cabin)

Service – 9.5 (consistent, professional, and cordial)

Frequent cruiser perks 9.3 (free happy hour drinks, laundry, and internet)

Cost – 8.9 ($160 per person, per day; bargain for a new ship)

 

Holland America Nieuw Statendam (not all inclusive; no booking perks)

 

Ship condition – 9.4 (new ship, but still in the HAL tradition)

MDR Food – 8.3 (traditional options, good quality, nice selection)

Buffet Food – 8.1 (nice selection; long lines; traditional items)

Entertainment – 8.3 (standard stuff; nice variety of acts)

Cabin – 9.0 (inside, nice A/C; good storage; firm bed)

Service – 9.6 (superior service all over the ship; nice note from the laundry team)

Frequent cruiser perks – 6.5 (HAL’s big weakness; 3 Star and nothing to show for it)

Cost – 9.3 ($88 per person, per day; great deal)

 

Celebrity Reflection (not all inclusive; no booking perks)

 

Ship condition – 8.5 (love the S-class ships; well maintained; nice size)

MDR Food – 8.4 (only ate two meals in MDR; don’t like anytime dining)

Buffet Food – 8.3 (loads of choices; good quality; great breakfast choices)

Entertainment – 8.2 (pretty standard stuff; good variety)

Cabin – 8.9 (inside, large cabin; good storage; firm bed)

Service – 9.4 (great through out the ship; Capt’s Club Sky lounge excellent)

Frequent cruiser perks – 9.3 (Celebrity is the best in this category)

Cost – 9.2 ($75 per person, per day; best deal of the six cruises)

 

 

 

[Life Buoy]

Excellent review. I'll be taking my first Celebrity cruise with friends in about 3 weeks and looking forward to it. I have taken Crystal and find it well worth the difference in price when you consider what you get. I suspect that I will find outstanding crew, but the food quality and individual service might be different. I'll find out soon.

Edited December 30, 2019 by Life Buoy

[portofrome]

Thanks for the fantastic comparisons!

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

Thank you for your review!

 

How did you find the constant unpacking and repacking? For me, that would be the dealbreaker in changing ships so many times.

[George C]

Interesting we were on msc seaside 4 weeks ago and YC had live music from about 5 to 11 pm , a great piano player and a another piano player with a violin player doing mostly classical then sometimes a guitar player and they switched every hour , music is rest of ship was also very nice. Thanks for your comparisons.

[grandgeezer]

2 hours ago, kelmac said:

Hello fellow cruisers!

 

My wife and I are retired teachers, with no children or pets and we even gave away all our house plants.  No mortgage, no car payments, and most of our income could be classified as disposable.   We just lock the door and off we go!  This fall (Oct 26) we started our first of six back-to-back cruises and returned home last week (Dec 22).  Our cruises included RCL’s Serenade of the Seas, MSC’s Meraviglia, Crystal’s Symphony, Celebrity’s Edge, HAL’s Nieuw Statendam, and Celebrity’s Reflection. I wanted to write a brief review that compares these very different experiences  while it is still fresh in my mind.  This review is about the ships only and how they compare; no information about itineraries or shore excursions.

 

This review would have to be twice as long to really cover our experiences.  If you have any questions, feel free to let me know.  This year has been our “big year” of travel, since my wife retired a year and a half ago.  We’ve spent almost half the year on the road, with most of those days on cruise ships.  We are time rich and budget poor, but we really get our dollar’s worth in all our travel endeavors.  All ships left out of south Florida, except our first cruise, which was a repositioning cruise from Boston to Ft Lauderdale.

 

RCL Serenade of the Seas  Repositioning from Boston to FLL

 

GREAT:  fast check in at 1 pm, with cabins ready at 1 and an amazing stateroom attendant (Alfredo for room 8509), well-designed cabin, luggage arrived at 1:15, table 434 (for 2 in the DR) was quiet with great service from Jaqueline and Bhomraj, adjustable height shower head and fantastic water pressure, best streaming internet we’ve had on a ship

 

BAD:  swampy, gassy smell in many hallways, ship needs a bit of a make-over, buffet food is just average.  Our New Motto for RCL—We’re doing the best we can.

 

 

MSC MERAVIGLIA

 

 

GREAT:  We were in YC, so it’s not quite the same experience as staying on the rest of the ship.  The ship is beautiful, attentive service everywhere, lots of fresh fruit and great drinks in YC. The inside cabin is a bit small, but it’s well-designed.  Bathroom shower is HOT with great pressure, and the towels are SO FLUFFY. Easy YC disembarkation. Amazing staff members in YC—Kheyelle, Arthur, Marcos and Wayan.  Lots of shelves for the book exchange.  Some may feel that the menu options for lunch and dinner in YC are a bit limiting, but the food was always tasty.  We like scheduling our evening shows in advance.

BAD:  CHAOS at embarkation, with long lines and bad organization.  Too bad that some of the fellow passengers were real jerks to the staff members.  Very long lines at customer service until the 3^rdday.  No shade in the YC pool area.  Canned music during the production shows. No live music in lounge / bars before dinner.  No live music in the YC.

 

CRYSTAL SYMPHONY

 

GREAT:We had been told that rooms were not open up 3 pm, so we arrived at 2pm, and we were able to board immediately.  Buffet is fantastic for breakfast and lunch, with options for all types of dietary needs.  Eldie was an amazing stateroom attendant, and Table 3’s team, Igor and Sandie, along with Jasper, really made our time in the dining room memorable.  The food was absolutely amazing, and they were able to easily accommodate dietary restrictions. Lots of deck space with fast, friendly waitstaff.  Promenade deck the way life on a ship was intended!  BONUS:  guest laundry room with soap and fabric softener.  

 

BAD:  Cruise Critic meeting was from 6:30-7:30pm.  

 

CELEBRITY EDGE

 

GREAT:  This ship is amazing!  Wonderful theater; great productions shows, along with Mirage in the Club, which provided an up-close, immersive circus experience.  Captain’s Club met in The Club (Ari makes the best drinks!), and Celebrity still has the best perks for loyalty members, with the 240 minutes of free internet and free laundry (which is vital when you’re traveling for 9 weeks).  The bed is fairly new, so it was still firm (unlike those saggy, droopy, sad mattresses on older ships).  We ate in the Cyprus, which was great (although the tables for 2 are very close together).  Jefferson and Romolo were fantastic and Wayan, our room steward was super-friendly.  The balcony room worked for us, as we really liked the ability to “expand” the room.  Charging stations, large bathroom, and overall great storage in the cabin.  Loved the design, the artwork, and open deck areas.  

 

BAD:  NO LIBRARY!!!  My wife, a retired teacher, found the small book exchange cart in Eden, but we always enjoy finding little gems among the shelves.  Maybe the area between the expensive jewelry store and the entrance to Eden (before the cool dark room with stalagmites and stalactites) could be a library.

 

HAL  NIEUW STATENDAM

 

GREAT:  We were among the first 10 people to embark, since we just walked off the EDGE and went straight to the HAL pier.  We waited for about 90 minutes outside the terminal, and we were on board around 11:30 am.  At noon, the rooms were available, and we happened to spy our luggage by the elevator at 12:15.  Lots of great storage is HAL ships.  Fabulous service from Paul and Made in 7025.  Cabin had a great shower with adjustable height shower head. The A/C worked perfectly (we’ve had problems on other ships).  Lovely artwork throughout the ship.  Lots of variety at the buffet.  Doug Funk was the best performer we’ve seen—improv comedy! Quick laundry service.  

BAD:  Tried to go to the Ocean Bar for Happy Hour, but it was absolutely packed. Some people go there two hours before HH starts, just to get a table.  Public areas were a bit warm.   As always, HAL serves beef that is tender but not flavorful. Canned music for performances. 

 

CELEBRITY REFLECTION

 

GREAT:  Arrived at 1 pm and were quickly check in and on board.  Room 1160 is huge for an interior room, with great shower, and Joywil was a fantastic stateroom attendant. Live music for production shows and the large theater was never full for any of the shows, so no need to show up 30-45 minutes early like on other ships.  Great Happy Hour in Sky Lounge for Captain’s Club with service from Hotensia, Made, and others. 

BAD:  We had booked to late to get early seating, so we tried anytime dining. First two nights went well, since we got to the DR at 5:30, but on the third night we arrived at 6:30 and were handed a pager.   Chatted with a couple who had been waiting 45 minutes, and when they were finally called, it was after 7:15.  We returned the pager and headed to the buffet.  Decided to just eat in the buffet for the rest of the cruise (we were getting a bit tired of food after 8 weeks at sea anyway). 

WISHES:  Include the artist, the name of the piece, and some information when displaying art on the ship.  We love live music, live bands during performances, etc.  

 

SUMMARY

 

One of the nice things about six back to back cruises on different ships is that it gives the ability to truly compare experiences.  In 79 cruises we’ve never had a bad cruise, but different lines have their own personality and culture.  We are a “glass half full” kind of couple and try to focus on the fact that all lines have dedicated workers who, day after day, give it their all to provide their customers with an outstanding cruise experience.  

Below is a quick look rating at different categories: (the Mac-O-Meter is on)             10 points is perfect.

 

RCL Serenade of the Seas (not all inclusive)

 

Ship condition --  7.8  (older ship)

MDR Food – 7.0 (basic)

Buffet Food – 6.5 (weak selection)

Entertainment – 8.3 (pretty good overall and good show times)

Cabin – 8.0 (inside; small, but well-designed; bed with the dreaded “crack”)

Service – 9.0 (excellent throughout the ship)

Frequent cruiser perks – 9.1 (free happy hour for Diamond and above)

Cost – 9.3 ($68.96 per person, per day; $200 OBC; a real bargain)

 

MSC Meraviglia (Yacht Club) (all inclusive)

 

Ship condition – 9.4 (beautiful brand new ship)

Yacht Club Food – 8.8 (great for the most part; some weak dishes)

Yacht Club Buffet – 8.0 (limited and basic options)

Entertainment – 8.2 (well-produced, but all canned music)

Cabin – 8.1 (inside, new, small, nice firm bed)

Service 9.8 (pampered in so many ways; escorted on and off the ship by butler)

Frequent cruiser perks  8.1 (Black Card onboard, status expired onboard)

Cost – 8.8 ($207 per person, per day;  includes all inclusive – onboard gratuities)

 

Crystal Symphony (all inclusive including onboard gratuities)

 

Ship condition -- 8.3 (very old ship, but well maintained)

MDR Food – 9.8 (best cruise food we’ve experienced; custom orders available)

Buffet Food – 9.6 (small, high quality dishes; upscale and nice variety)

Entertainment – 9.0 (surprisingly excellent shows; great mix of acts)

Cabin – 8.7 (obstructed OV; old, nice size, traditional, great shape)

Service – 9.8 (luxury line for sure; super service all over the ship)

Frequent cruiser perks  -- N/A (our first with Crystal, but not a factor)

Cost – 8.0 ($255 per person, per day; splurge for us; is it worth it ???)

 

Celebrity Edge  (not-all inclusive; no booking perks)

 

Ship condition – 9.5 (new and spectacular; our new favorite ship)

MDR Food – 8.7 (great dishes; slow kitchen; in Cyprus restaurant)

Buffet Food – 8.6 (excellent variety; unique stations)

Entertainment – 8.4 (standard Celebrity stuff; one weak comedian)

Cabin – 9.6 (Infinite balcony; love this concept; large cabin)

Service – 9.5 (consistent, professional, and cordial)

Frequent cruiser perks 9.3 (free happy hour drinks, laundry, and internet)

Cost – 8.9 ($160 per person, per day; bargain for a new ship)

 

Holland America Nieuw Statendam (not all inclusive; no booking perks)

 

Ship condition – 9.4 (new ship, but still in the HAL tradition)

MDR Food – 8.3 (traditional options, good quality, nice selection)

Buffet Food – 8.1 (nice selection; long lines; traditional items)

Entertainment – 8.3 (standard stuff; nice variety of acts)

Cabin – 9.0 (inside, nice A/C; good storage; firm bed)

Service – 9.6 (superior service all over the ship; nice note from the laundry team)

Frequent cruiser perks – 6.5 (HAL’s big weakness; 3 Star and nothing to show for it)

Cost – 9.3 ($88 per person, per day; great deal)

 

Celebrity Reflection (not all inclusive; no booking perks)

 

Ship condition – 8.5 (love the S-class ships; well maintained; nice size)

MDR Food – 8.4 (only ate two meals in MDR; don’t like anytime dining)

Buffet Food – 8.3 (loads of choices; good quality; great breakfast choices)

Entertainment – 8.2 (pretty standard stuff; good variety)

Cabin – 8.9 (inside, large cabin; good storage; firm bed)

Service – 9.4 (great through out the ship; Capt’s Club Sky lounge excellent)

Frequent cruiser perks – 9.3 (Celebrity is the best in this category)

Cost – 9.2 ($75 per person, per day; best deal of the six cruises)

 

 

 

If you were in the Yacht Club, why did you even mess with customer service? We've don YC twice and between the butler and concierge,  they handled everything even billing questions.

[TeaBag]

Great and very interesting review.  I'm sorry there wasn't a Princess in there.

[kelmac]

1 hour ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

Thank you for your review!

 

How did you find the constant unpacking and repacking? For me, that would be the dealbreaker in changing ships so many times.

My wife lead the charge in this department (she is hyper-organized) and we tried to make it fun.  We got it down to about a 20 minute process.   

[Quo Vadis?]

Thank you so much for the comparison.  We just finished back to back/sideways cruises on Edge and Silhouette/Silhouette.  In two weeks we will be cruising on Infinity/Equinox/Edge/Edge.  Variety is the spice in life some say (my wife has a more restrictive viewpoint😁).

We have not ventured beyond Celebrity due to platinum shackles... those bennies for cruising often.

We love Edge for the Ocean View Cafe and Retreat despite the restrictions if one is not in a suite...

 

[kelmac]

24 minutes ago, grandgeezer said:

If you were in the Yacht Club, why did you even mess with customer service? We've don YC twice and between the butler and concierge,  they handled everything even billing questions.

Since the Meraviglia was new to Miami, the YC didn't have cash on hand, and we needed to break down some larger bills to use for tips around the ship.  They referred us to the main customer service.

[chemmo]

Really enjoyed reading your comparative review!

 

So which cruise ship would you really like to return to if prices/perks were equal?

 

Is there one you really wouldn’t want to do again even if it was a good deal?

[kelmac]

10 minutes ago, chemmo said:

Really enjoyed reading your comparative review!

 

So which cruise ship would you really like to return to if prices/perks were equal?

 

Is there one you really wouldn’t want to do again even if it was a good deal?

Hi Chemmo,

We enjoyed all six ships.  I'm sure we will revisit the Edge or it's new sister ship the Apex.  We would really need to score a "deal" to return back to Crystal or YC on MSC.  Crystal was the one experience where we got everything we wanted and managed to leave the ship with $0.00 due on our onboard account.  Superior food; dozens of drinks; wine with every dinner; an alternative restaurant -- truly and all-inclusive experience.  It would be nice if they would build a few new ships.

[hcat]

Interesting  travel concept, but it  sounds a bit busy,  esp  having to move luggage so many times and adjusting to new spaces.  Would you consider  b2b bookings on a few favorites instead of all that change ?  Things might repeat but you'd get to settle in and have time to become  familiar with staff, etc.

 

We enjoyed EDGE twice this year, and  feel there is still more  to explore!   EDGE and Sihouette would be our top  X choices, but we'll be checking out Summit, APEX and Connie...spaced out over time!

 

Thanks for sharing your reviews!

 

Edited December 30, 2019 by hcat

[chemmo]

2 minutes ago, kelmac said:

Hi Chemmo,

We enjoyed all six ships.  I'm sure we will revisit the Edge or it's new sister ship the Apex.  We would really need to score a "deal" to return back to Crystal or YC on MSC.  Crystal was the one experience where we got everything we wanted and managed to leave the ship with $0.00 due on our onboard account.  Superior food; dozens of drinks; wine with every dinner; an alternative restaurant -- truly and all-inclusive experience.  It would be nice if they would build a few new ships.

 

Thanks for your reply! We have followed Edge from building through first reviews until now and hope the pricing in Europe drops a bit and I am sure we will give it a go...

 

We have been reluctant to try new cruise lines as we have always found Celebrity seems to ‘fit us like a glove’ but know it makes sense to ‘spread our wings’ occasionally!

 

Thanks again for your balanced review.

[Silkroad]

I really appreciate your comparison, kelmac. We’d like to do something similar to celebrate our retirement, but I guess we’ll need to retire first😂 Until then, it will be one cruise at a time. Congratulations on your retirement, and thanks for sharing your adventures with the rest of us😊

[hurwitz5]

kelmac Thoroughly enjoyed reading your comparison reviews of the 6 ships that you sailed on.  We have booked 3 cruises in a row for this winter: one week on the Regal Princess and B2B on Celebrity Edge.  I booked cruises leaving from Fort Lauderdale, so even though we have to pack after one week on the Regal Princess, we will take a cab or Uber from the Princess dock to the Celebrity dock.  I also thought about laundry.  Princess has laundry rooms and we are Elite on Celebrity, so laundry won’t be an issue.  We are looking forward to spending time in warm weather since we live in the northeast.

[Welland]

Thanks for the well thought out reviews of various lines and ships.

 

Could you be so kind as to explain the logistics of getting from ship to ship.   I assume that they all departed from  Florida, although some may have been FLL and others MIA.   Did you have to spend any time in a hotel awaiting arrival of one of the ships?   Any insight as to how you executed this wonderful plan would be appreciated.

 

Like your retirement plan.     :-)

 

Happy travels on the seas. 

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Thanks for sharing an interesting comparison.

 

Sorry your Yacht Club experience on Meraviglia wasn't what it should have been.  Give the Seaside a try.  No chaos on embarcation if you start at the Yacht Club tent, wonderful live music in the lounge, shade on the pool deck, food cooked to order on the pool deck.  In my view it beats Celebrity's suite experience hands down with the exception of the restaurant experience.  And the price point is much better.  How is it your Diamond status expired in the middle of the cruise?  That was clearly a mistake.  The concierge should have been able to handle that.

 

I still enjoy cruising with Celebrity (I have 52 days booked on Summit for 2020), but their prices are getting outrageous.  I'm closing in on Zenith with them, not sure I'll be able to stick it out.

[kelmac]

1 hour ago, Welland said:

Thanks for the well thought out reviews of various lines and ships.

 

Could you be so kind as to explain the logistics of getting from ship to ship.   I assume that they all departed from  Florida, although some may have been FLL and others MIA.   Did you have to spend any time in a hotel awaiting arrival of one of the ships?   Any insight as to how you executed this wonderful plan would be appreciated.

 

Like your retirement plan.     🙂

 

Happy travels on the seas. 

Good question, and something we have been fine tuning.  Some cruises had a day or two between arrival and embarkation to the next ship.  We like to pick up a rental car which either requires taking the shuttle from the Miami cruise port to the rental car structure at MIA, or taking a taxi from Port Everglades to the rental car structure at FLL.  So a 9:00am pick up and off to either do laundry, shop for needed things, lunch at a favorite restaurant...,  If we need to get to the next cruise we drop off luggage at the new ship around 1:00pm -- 2:00pm and then head back to the airport; if we have a hotel we head that direction and check in.

 

 We've found that rental car companies are now charging about the same for a mid-size SUV compared to a mid-size car.  We use Dollar/Thrifty and Budget for the most part.  We usually book through Southwest Airlines online site and pick up a few extra miles.  We paid as little as $38 for a one day rental, to $128 for a two day rental, picking up at MIA and dropping off at FLL.  Sometimes we had to pay a two day rental + 3 extra hours because of the timing of getting off the ship early and boarding in the afternoon.

 

We don't use car services or shuttles anymore because we get so much more control having our own car.  Like I mentioned in my review, we walked off Celebrity Edge and walked 100 yards south to board the Nieuw Statendam.  We were one of the last off the Edge and one of the first to board the Nieuw Statendam .  We try to make this transition as much fun as possible.

 

Enjoy!

Kel

[kelmac]

1 hour ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

Thanks for sharing an interesting comparison.

 

Sorry your Yacht Club experience on Meraviglia wasn't what it should have been.  Give the Seaside a try.  No chaos on embarcation if you start at the Yacht Club tent, wonderful live music in the lounge, shade on the pool deck, food cooked to order on the pool deck.  In my view it beats Celebrity's suite experience hands down with the exception of the restaurant experience.  And the price point is much better.  How is it your Diamond status expired in the middle of the cruise?  That was clearly a mistake.  The concierge should have been able to handle that.

 

I still enjoy cruising with Celebrity (I have 52 days booked on Summit for 2020), but their prices are getting outrageous.  I'm closing in on Zenith with them, not sure I'll be able to stick it out.

Hi HC,

Our first YC experience was on the Seaside a year and a half ago.  I think the Seaside's Yacht Club experience is a tad bit better than the Meraviglia, but that's because there are so many more YC cabins on the Meraviglia.  The over-all set up of the lounge + the dining room is better on the Seaside.  I think the embarkation issues started because it was the Meraviglia's first visit to Miami and they had to be certified by the US athorities before boarding new passengers. Not all MSC's fault.  

Celebrity is trying to hold firm on higher fares for the Edge/Apex, but that may be breaking down.  A month before boarding the Edge we upgraded from a CAT 9 inside to an S2 Infinite Veranda at no cost to us. (thanks to my great Online TA).  Our Reflection cruise was a real bargain.  Dollar for dollar I still believe Celebrity is the best "bang for the buck".  Nice to be Elite Plus for sure!

[NMTraveller]

3 hours ago, kelmac said:

Hi Chemmo,

We enjoyed all six ships.  I'm sure we will revisit the Edge or it's new sister ship the Apex.  We would really need to score a "deal" to return back to Crystal or YC on MSC.  Crystal was the one experience where we got everything we wanted and managed to leave the ship with $0.00 due on our onboard account.  Superior food; dozens of drinks; wine with every dinner; an alternative restaurant -- truly and all-inclusive experience.  It would be nice if they would build a few new ships.

I would second that.  I just tried to get a quote on Crystal to replace one of my Celebrity cruises.  They did not have the itinerary I wanted when I could go.  I was pleasantly surprised at the Crystal pricing though.  Crystal should build some more ships.  Otherwise I may have to wait until I retire so that I can go whenever I want.

 

With Celebrity I always have a large balance at the end.  The difference in the pricing was less than the large balance at the end.  With Celebrity Specialty Dining was a must have.  

Edited December 31, 2019 by NMTraveller

[Welland]

49 minutes ago, kelmac said:

Good question, and something we have been fine tuning.  Some cruises had a day or two between arrival and embarkation to the next ship.  We like to pick up a rental car which either requires taking the shuttle from the Miami cruise port to the rental car structure at MIA, or taking a taxi from Port Everglades to the rental car structure at FLL.  So a 9:00am pick up and off to either do laundry, shop for needed things, lunch at a favorite restaurant...,  If we need to get to the next cruise we drop off luggage at the new ship around 1:00pm -- 2:00pm and then head back to the airport; if we have a hotel we head that direction and check in.

 

 We've found that rental car companies are now charging about the same for a mid-size SUV compared to a mid-size car.  We use Dollar/Thrifty and Budget for the most part.  We usually book through Southwest Airlines online site and pick up a few extra miles.  We paid as little as $38 for a one day rental, to $128 for a two day rental, picking up at MIA and dropping off at FLL.  Sometimes we had to pay a two day rental + 3 extra hours because of the timing of getting off the ship early and boarding in the afternoon.

 

We don't use car services or shuttles anymore because we get so much more control having our own car.  Like I mentioned in my review, we walked off Celebrity Edge and walked 100 yards south to board the Nieuw Statendam.  We were one of the last off the Edge and one of the first to board the Nieuw Statendam .  We try to make this transition as much fun as possible.

 

Enjoy!

Kel

Thanks for your prompt response.

 

Will keep this "filed" away in our heads for future reference.

[molemaui]

Great reviews. While we try and get in 3-5 cruises per year, I don't think I'd ever talk my wife into 6 

B2B's. We likely going to do a 22 day Atlantic crossing in 2020 along with our other cruising and that will be a test for us! 

 

Our challenge in February is to get off the Nieuw Amsterdam, get a cat/hotel and get on the Edge the next day. Would have preferred to not waste the day in FLL but couldn't get what we wanted. Hope we handle it as well as you!

 

 

 

 

[kelmac]

4 hours ago, molemaui said:

Great reviews. While we try and get in 3-5 cruises per year, I don't think I'd ever talk my wife into 6 

B2B's. We likely going to do a 22 day Atlantic crossing in 2020 along with our other cruising and that will be a test for us! 

 

Our challenge in February is to get off the Nieuw Amsterdam, get a cat/hotel and get on the Edge the next day. Would have preferred to not waste the day in FLL but couldn't get what we wanted. Hope we handle it as well as you!

 

 

 

 

Hi molemaui,

We always felt that, in the past, disembarkation day was a little sad and very stressful for people around us, but when you know you are leaving one ship and headed to another (or a hotel) that excitement of beginning a new cruise on a different ship kicks up the motivation and makes the whole process fun.  Earlier in the year, we did a 87 day "around the world" cruise on the Cunard Victoria and loved every minute, so this bundle of cruises was a piece of cake.😉

Have a great time on your February cruise!

[Mike981]

Wow, what a great year of cruising for you two!
How do you handle the logistics of the mundane things that need to be taken care of back home, bills, mail..? Even possible medicine needs.