If not Oceania, which cruiseline?

[ABoatNerd]

terrdtx, great post. Something is very amiss at Celebrity indeed. That is a large cruise line with many beds to fill, and consumers have other choices.

For those loyal Celebrity customers - are they content to get repeatedly hosed?

[terrydtx]

7 minutes ago, ABoatNerd said:

terrdtx, great post. Something is very amiss at Celebrity indeed. That is a large cruise line with many beds to fill, and consumers have other choices.

For those loyal Celebrity customers - are they content to get repeatedly hosed?

Many like me are now beginning to look at more premium lines like Oceania and Viking, who would never have done so if Celebrity was not making so many cutbacks and raising costs more than 20% for future cruises in suites.  For example, we booked early last year the Edge in a Sky Suite for 2024 New Zealand cruise. Today the same cruise and cabin is $2000pp more in cost than what we booked, and an Aqua Class cabin today is about what we paid for our SS. When we started looking at Sky Suites for 2025, I was shocked at the new pricing, which finally drove us to look at Oceania. I would also consider Viking Ocean, but I have two issues, their itineraries are not very exciting, and they want full payment 12 months or more from departure. No way I would give any cruise line $15k or more that far in advance.

[JHLH821]

37 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

Many like me are now beginning to look at more premium lines like Oceania and Viking, who would never have done so if Celebrity was not making so many cutbacks and raising costs more than 20% for future cruises in suites.  For example, we booked early last year the Edge in a Sky Suite for 2024 New Zealand cruise. Today the same cruise and cabin is $2000pp more in cost than what we booked, and an Aqua Class cabin today is about what we paid for our SS. When we started looking at Sky Suites for 2025, I was shocked at the new pricing, which finally drove us to look at Oceania. I would also consider Viking Ocean, but I have two issues, their itineraries are not very exciting, and they want full payment 12 months or more from departure. No way I would give any cruise line $15k or more that far in advance.

 

Viking is basically grabbing and investing your money any way they want. Your fare is earning them interest, and with current interest rates so high, this benefits ONLY them- no thank you!

 

 

[sofietucker]

1 hour ago, ABoatNerd said:

terrdtx, great post. Something is very amiss at Celebrity indeed. That is a large cruise line with many beds to fill, and consumers have other choices.

For those loyal Celebrity customers - are they content to get repeatedly hosed?

That would be a no for us. Got an O and an AZ booked for this year and that's it, so far. Might even do land trips for awhile. We HAD booked another X for next year, but after the one last month, nah ga do it.

 

Waiting for the Russian (I almost said Soviet) war to be over before we go back to Eastern Europe, except Turkey this fall. We had booked and cancelled a Black Sea cruise as well as a river cruise thru Hungary and Romania... And a Baltic itinerary heavy on the former Eastern bloc countries. But it will likely be one of these 2 cruise lines when we do sail next--due to the ports mainly, but also other considerations we've been discussing here.,

Edited January 26, 2023 by sofietucker

[janecambridge]

If not Oceania? Regent and Saga 

[YoPhilly]

On 1/26/2023 at 9:37 AM, terrydtx said:

I would also consider Viking Ocean, but I have two issues, their itineraries are not very exciting, and they want full payment 12 months or more from departure. No way I would give any cruise line $15k or more that far in advance.

I totally agree about Viking's payment policy.  I just canceled a cruise with them for just that reason.

[oskidunker]

Crystal is coming back. Just got an email from them. Never cruised them but would consider after they start if the reviews are good .

[Acrusa]

On 1/24/2023 at 8:23 AM, PhD-iva said:

I tried to look at some itineraries on Seaborn but I found their website very lacking. When trying to select the months I am interested in cruising, it just would not cooperate. I just gave up. Of course, it was on a Sunday, and I know O’s website is very wacky over the weekends as well.

Same here awful website 

[terrydtx]

40 minutes ago, YoPhilly said:

I totally agree about Viking's payment policy.  I just canceled a cruise with them for just that reason.

We canceled a Viking Ocean cruise for August this year when they wanted payment of $15k last August, they offered to give us until Nov last year to pay and I said no thanks.

[zalusky]

Is that the only complaint about Viking - there payment policy?

 

What about the ship, the tours, the food, the service?  How do they compare?

[1985rz1]

2 minutes ago, zalusky said:

Is that the only complaint about Viking - there payment policy?

 

What about the ship, the tours, the food, the service?  How do they compare?

On our Viking Expedition cruise from Toronto to NYC, we found the food in Viking's buffet generally better that Oceania's Terrace.  Viking specialties (The Restaurant and Manfredi's) were not up to the quality of Oceania's specialties (Tuscan Steak, Toscana, or Polo).  We found the land tours good to excellent.  Service on Viking was superb, equal to and sometimes better than on Oceania. 

[SSFrance69]

On 1/26/2023 at 9:17 AM, terrydtx said:

The running joke among loyal Celebrity customers is that the bean counters are Carnivalizing Celebrity. Their new marketing slogan should be "Celebrity where Luxury is downgraded."

Or simply "Modern Cutbacks"

[Spotbattman]

59 minutes ago, zalusky said:

Is that the only complaint about Viking - there payment policy?

 

What about the ship, the tours, the food, the service?  How do they compare?

Our Christmas 2019 cruise on Viking was a disappointment. Queues everywhere, buffet food warm not hot, constant mistakes made with meals.Even after discussing with the Head Chef they couldn’t get things right. Afternoon tea was served in the area by the (covered ) pool, no where to sit and the smell of chlorine in this area overpowering.

On the plus side, we loved our cabin & the crew were wonderful. Would not sail with them again tho. 

[jonthomas]

yes we have one more with Viking...almost a free cruise, using up covid credits...

 

it will be our last..O is our line of choice now...

[basenji56]

3 hours ago, zalusky said:

Is that the only complaint about Viking - there payment policy?

 

What about the ship, the tours, the food, the service?  How do they compare?

Spa is much better on Viking. I find the buffets similar. Specialties better in Oceania. Main dining is better on O. But both are excellent 
 

service is comparable 

 

entertainment is comparable 

Viking Ocean  has included tours but they are often disappointing 

 

[Mrs f.]

Anybody know anything about ATLAS CRUISE LINE?    Don't know if they are new. Looks interesting.     Going to check them out

[terrydtx]

19 minutes ago, Mrs f. said:

Anybody know anything about ATLAS CRUISE LINE?    Don't know if they are new. Looks interesting.     Going to check them out

I am getting mailings from them, I just looked at their website and here is a 10 day Greek cruise and this line is all included, not bad pricing at all. If you cruise solo check out the solo priceing.

 

Edited January 28, 2023 by terrydtx

[Mrs f.]

Just now, terrydtx said:

I am getting mailings from them, I also need to check them out.

We just got off a Regatta Australian  cruise.   Want to check out Atlas. Will see if I can get mailings also.

[LHT28]

19 minutes ago, Mrs f. said:

Anybody know anything about ATLAS CRUISE LINE?    Don't know if they are new. Looks interesting.     Going to check them out

They have their own forum  so maybe some  info there

 

[terrydtx]

21 minutes ago, Mrs f. said:

Anybody know anything about ATLAS CRUISE LINE?    Don't know if they are new. Looks interesting.     Going to check them out

They are new and have 2 ships with 2 more on order, they are more of a yacht type cruise line. Their ships hold 200 passengers.

[Mrs f.]

Will check out their rollcalls.   Was hoping an O passenger had been on 9ne and could compare the 2. Thanks 

[Sthrngary]

21 hours ago, oskidunker said:

Crystal is coming back. Just got an email from them. Never cruised them but would consider after they start if the reviews are good .

@oskidunker I got an email from Crystal this morning also.  I went on Crystal mid-2021 when they first started cruise out of Miami.  My hopes were to become what the loyal Crystal Guest call crystalized.  I did not get Crystalized. 

 

The ship was nice but in need of drydock, the Penthouse Suite was nice, but in need of repair.  I found the food great with no exception. I found the service great and the butler the best I have ever had.  The entertainment was below average.  The real issue was the entitlement of "SOME" not all of the frequent guest that made going on this brand very uncomfortable.

 

The Head Office were not on the same page as the Ship Crew.  The Crew would do almost anything to make you happy.  The Head office did not communicate well.  I would let this brand a few months and read the reviews before considering.  Just my two cents.

 

Cruse well and enjoy every moment.

[PhD-iva]

1 hour ago, Mrs f. said:

Anybody know anything about ATLAS CRUISE LINE?    Don't know if they are new. Looks interesting.     Going to check them out

My TA has mentioned them to me. She says they are a new luxury cruise line. Several months ago when I looked at their pricing, I thought they were priced at a luxury level. I see someone has mentioned they have good solo pricing, so I will definitely have to take a look.

[ruthnlarry]

2 hours ago, Mrs f. said:

We just got off a Regatta Australian  cruise.   Want to check out Atlas. Will see if I can get mailings also.

How was the food on Regatta?  We board her next month in Sydney.  Thanks.

[Mrs f.]

25 minutes ago, ruthnlarry said:

How was the food on Regatta?  We board her next month in Sydney.  Thanks.

Food was good. Many nights in the specialty restaurants.  Sometimes there were hiccups. One night in Polo, a server noticed my husband not eating his food. Quietly came over to see what the problem was.....took care of it immediately.  Same restaurant, last night......I left almost all of my salmon on the plate. Server came over to ask if it was not to my liking. I explained this time it was not the food but seasickness.   A sliced green apple was brought.   They really do try to please.     If you are on Regatta you might want to check out our rollcall notes.  We did a 35 day circumnavigation.