If you weren’t cruising Celebrity, what cruise line would you choose

[LGW59]

3 minutes ago, Denny01 said:

Done others to join friends and for itineraries, but as many here, stick with Celebrity unless there is a specific reason. As my signature shows, doing Viking Exploration on the Great Lakes; nothing else is providing that and want to experience it…..even at it’s expense!

 

Unfortunately, after booking Viking for a B2B to hit all the Lakes, I realized its even more expensive than a Celebrity Suite. Sooooo, do I cancel the Viking Exploration??? Nope, I book a Celebrity Sky Suite!! Im a sick puppy! 

 

den 

ROTFL!!!!

[harkinmr]

1 hour ago, finny2 said:

If you weren’t cruising Celebrity, what cruise line would you choose?  (Similar priced.)

Holland America, Azamara or Oceania would be our first preferences.  We have also sailed on Princess.  I would not sail on Royal Caribbean ships now as they have become too big and there's too much clutter on the top deck (slides, flow riders, climbing walls).  I love a more traditional lido deck.  I started out cruising Royal in 1997 and loved many of their older ships like Monarch, Majesty, Enchantment, Radiance, and Brilliance back in the day.  

[upwarduk]

Azamara.

We did a TA on them 09/09/16, Southampton to Montreal. 4 ports on each side of the pond.

[cruzzzinma]

36 minutes ago, tfred said:

if you normally book a suite of some sort - I would look at Oceania or Viking.  Got more money - Silversea or Regent

 

We like Oceania, Viking and Azamara. We are booked on Silversea in Mar 2022 for a transatlantic in a cabin that is about the size of a sky suite. Our price on Silversea is $200 more than a transatlantic on Reflection in a sky suite.

[LGW59]

1 minute ago, cruzzzinma said:

We like Oceania, Viking and Azamara. We are booked on Silversea in Mar 2022 for a transatlantic in a cabin that is about the size of a sky suite. Our price on Silversea is $200 more than a transatlantic on Reflection in a sky suite.

Cannot wait to sail on Oceania.  Got one late august 2022 and trying for a spring 2022 but the ones I want are all wait listed for the cabin I want.

[harkinmr]

3 minutes ago, upwarduk said:

Azamara.

We did a TA on them 09/09/16, Southampton to Montreal. 4 ports on each side of the pond.

Azamara ships are simply stunning!

[TeaBag]

Good point Jazzbeau.  We are trying Azamara as we like everything we have read about it.  However, with new owners things may be changed a bit. 

Love the picture above and can't wait for April on Journey.

[Tapi]

1 hour ago, finny2 said:

If you weren’t cruising Celebrity, what cruise line would you choose?  (Similar priced.)

I guess similarly priced can vary greatly. Our next cruise is on Celebrity and it’s in part because, for 2 connecting balconies, Celebrity is cheaper than even Carnival or Royal Caribbean for a similar itinerary on the same dates. plus Celebrity is giving us OBC and complimentary specialty dining. 

 

I don’t stick to one cruise line. In fact, I’ve made it a habit during the last few years to never sail on the same cruise line two times in a row. And if I can find an itinerary on a cruise line I’ve never sailed before, it’s an added bonus. There aren’t enough past guest perks to make me loyal to one cruise line. 
 

From the ones I’ve sailed on most recently, Holland America (aboard the Nieuw Statendam) was one of my most enjoyable. We’ve also done MSC in the Mediterranean. While they are a more “budget” cruise line, their top accommodations, Yacht Club, Aurea Suites, loyalty match program, and perks are wonderful, and usually for considerably less than similar products on other cruise lines. We got to sail the Med in a two deck, loft style suite with our own hot tub in our forward facing balcony for less than what we’ve paid for a standard balcony on a Caribbean cruise aboard a mass market cruise line. 

[harkinmr]

1 hour ago, LGW59 said:

Oceania.  Have not sailed her yet but I canceled a 2022 Beyond booking and will doing 8/22-9/4 Scandinavia and Baltic’s on Marina.

You will love Oceania!  We have been on Riviera and Sirena (Renaissance 'R' class ship) and it was a wonderful experience on both.  Food and service are top notch.

[naturelovergirl]

For a "just for fun" cruise, we enjoy Royal Caribbean very much. It is a good solid product, and we always have a good time. 

 

I am a huge fan of Cunard. (I do like dressing up at night, so the dress code is not an issue in the least. In fact, I find the whole Cunard experience very relaxing and special.)

I think Cunard has great itineraries and superb learning opportunities on board like their lectures.

[LGW59]

6 minutes ago, harkinmr said:

You will love Oceania!  We have been on Riviera and Sirena (Renaissance 'R' class ship) and it was a wonderful experience on both.  Food and service are top notch.

Thank you so glad to hear this.  I also am on Regatta May 2023, LA/Alaska/Vancouver.  So wish I could get it for 2022, but that pesky waitlist…

[Alsmez]

We are X fans but our next cruise is on MSC Seashore in YC in Jan 2022. We are hoping they change their Vax policy by then, but we shall see. No plans to ever sail any of the family-oriented lines but open to all others, although we tend to prefer larger ships which would eliminate some of the luxury lines. It depends on itinerary, though, and what we are looking for in a specific trip.

[grandgeezer]

MSC, in a Yacht Club balcony, or bust.

[keels81]

Crystal, though I am doing a girl's trip sailing on the Carnival Mardi Gras in October ... mostly because it falls in line with a previously planned trip to Orlando and I've never sailed on an "Idiocracy Ship" so figured might as well try a brand new one.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

1 hour ago, verizon said:

Yes I know I will pay a little more on Yacht Club and the cabin is a little smaller than Skysuite but of what I watch on U tube their services is far much better than Celebrity.

There is no comparison at all.

I've cruised both sky suites on Celebrity and YC on MSC.  I don't find the cabin on YC to be smaller than a sky suite cabin, actually it felt larger.  And it has an excellent shower--no climbing over those mile-high tub sides to get into the shower!  The service on both is comparable.  Where YC loses the competition is in the dining room.  Celebrity wins that one hands down, both with food and service.  The YC lounge is far superior to Celebrity's Retreat.  Excellent service.  I've not yet experienced Celebrity's purpose-built retreat sundecks on their new ships, but the YC pool deck far surpasses any of the revitalized ones added to Celebrity.  The other problem I have with MSC is their dearth of interesting itineraries out of Florida.  Plus they're all out of Miami.  I much prefer sailing from Fort Lauderdale. 

[Jeremiah1212]

One of the near lux/lux lite lines needs to try a winter Caribbean season with shorter 7-9 night cruises. I think it would draw significantly younger pax like us in our 30’s that aren’t that interested in NCL Haven (which I would not even consider) or Yacht Club on MSC. We do have Yacht Club cruise booked but I’m not all that excited about it for some reason. 

[Cruising89143]

Looking at some Princess cruises since they have a heavy presence on the west coast. 

[Oceansaway17]

I have 6 booked for NCL,  5 booked for RCI, 2 for Disney, an 1 each for Carnival, Hal.

I do have 3 booked for X such as Edge and Beyond.

Guess that leaves out Princess

 Oh well. Might try MSC one day as they look pretty interesting.

[rucrazy]

3 hours ago, rucrazy said:

but Holland has let us do 30+ cruises to some amazing parts of the globe!

That should have read 30 night+

[opa&oma]

Holland America, but not on one of their older ships (I feel this way about all lines).  Their Music

Walk offers the best entertainment of any line. 

 

 

 

 

[PSU]

We have done many Celebrity and Royal Caribbean, but we have done two Regent Seven Seas and that line is outstanding. We did not care for Oceana. It was Regatta and we were in the Med. There was nothing to do at night and you felt every wave. It was so rough. Perhaps the bigger O ships would be better. 

[happy cruzer]

Poster lists South Louisiana as location, we sailed NCL out of New Orleans and loved it.  Booked a balcony at a good price and avoided the main pool area. 

[CoatRackOfDoom]

If traveling with my 18 yr old daughter, Royal or MSC. If traveling only with my partner, I think she'd enjoy Princess. 

[finny2]

2 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

If would help if OP specified what '(similarly priced)' means.  If you book Insides on Celebrity, that offers one set of possibilities.  If you book Suites on Celebrity, the list is completely different.  And if you only book Suites to get Luminae, any upper premium cruise line joins the list.

I usually book balcony, and I always need an accessible room.

[finny2]

53 minutes ago, happy cruzer said:

Poster lists South Louisiana as location, we sailed NCL out of New Orleans and loved it.  Booked a balcony at a good price and avoided the main pool area. 

I’ve done ncl out of New Orleans and always enjoyed it, but there is only so many times you can go on the same itinerary.

my first Celebrity cruise was on the Edge in 2019 and I loved it. Especially the food!