Celebrity or Princess

[Guest Cruisenewbie20181]

My wife and I are 67 we have only been on 3 cruises a RCL 2003, NCL 2018, and Celebrity 2022. We are now in a position to cruise more often. On a cruise we like being at the pool enjoying adult beverages, participating in the various activities on the ship, like to gamble, and take in the shows. As far as dining we run the gamut from buffet to specialty dining. I would appreciate your opinions on the following.

 

Should we stick with one cruise line to establish loyalty or just choose based on what interests us at the time?

 

 Is it worth saving a couple hundred dollars and choosing a gaurantee? When do you find out what room you’ve been assigned? Can you bid on an upgrade?

 

We are deciding between Celebrity Equinox and Caribbean Princess for our next cruise in October 2023 embarking out of Fort Lauderdale. We live in Port Charlotte Fl. Based on the time of year I’m guessing that fellow passengers will trend on the older age group like us. Yes or No?

 

Equinox or Caribbean for food, ambiance, service, cleanliness? Also what is Princesses smoking policy? We are non- smokers. Not begrudging smokers as they pay the same cruise fare as us. But as part of our decision making process we will choose between cruise lines based on which is better for non smokers. Read about Princesses policy but it seemed rather convoluted. Anyone with firsthand knowledge?

 

Lastly compare Equinox with Celebrity Constellation. We found the Constellation lacking in vibrancy, decor, and color. 
 

Thank you. I appreciate your time and replies.

 

 

[keesar]

Keep in mind that Equinox was only partially refurbished. Aqua class and up were done and not all of the traditional verandas were upgraded.  Equinox is a nice ship but I found it to be lacking in decor as compared to other S-class ships.  

 

Expect the cruisers to be "middle aged'.  Fairly typical for Celebrity.  We have done the guarantee once and have found out  our assignment in a couple of days.  But that was our experience.  We were then able to move to another room as there were others available in that category.  If not, you may be in a cabin location that is not ideal. That is why I like to pick out my room.

 

Also consider the itinerary which may be important.

 

Celebrity has a good smoking policy which we like being nonsmokers.

 

 

[mahdnc]

13 minutes ago, Cruisenewbie20181 said:

My wife and I are 67 we have only been on 3 cruises a RCL 2003, NCL 2018, and Celebrity 2022. We are now in a position to cruise more often. On a cruise we like being at the pool enjoying adult beverages, participating in the various activities on the ship, like to gamble, and take in the shows. As far as dining we run the gamut from buffet to specialty dining. I would appreciate your opinions on the following.

 

Should we stick with one cruise line to establish loyalty or just choose based on what interests us at the time?

 

 Is it worth saving a couple hundred dollars and choosing a gaurantee? When do you find out what room you’ve been assigned? Can you bid on an upgrade?

 

We are deciding between Celebrity Equinox and Caribbean Princess for our next cruise in October 2023 embarking out of Fort Lauderdale. We live in Port Charlotte Fl. Based on the time of year I’m guessing that fellow passengers will trend on the older age group like us. Yes or No?

 

Equinox or Caribbean for food, ambiance, service, cleanliness? Also what is Princesses smoking policy? We are non- smokers. Not begrudging smokers as they pay the same cruise fare as us. But as part of our decision making process we will choose between cruise lines based on which is better for non smokers. Read about Princesses policy but it seemed rather convoluted. Anyone with firsthand knowledge?

 

Lastly compare Equinox with Celebrity Constellation. We found the Constellation lacking in vibrancy, decor, and color. 
 

Thank you. I appreciate your time and replies.

 

 

 

My wife and I started cruising Celebrity in 1996 and really liked it; we have stuck with what we liked ever since.  I don't recommend that strategy for everybody.  Based on what you posted, I would recommend that you give Princess a try and then maybe make your loyalty decision then (or maybe you will continue to not be beholden to one cruise line).  

 

I remember reading your post from a while ago about not liking Constellation's dark decor although that did not influence my recommendation.

Edited April 16, 2023 by mahdnc

[cruisestitch]

Celebrity has a strict “no smoking indoors” policy so no smoking in any state room or in the casino or any of the public areas.  Also no smoking on balconies.

[NMTraveller]

I choose a line based mostly on itinerary myself.  Anyways loyalty points don't seem to get you all that much unless you are at the top tier.

[Boo's Mom]

39 minutes ago, Cruisenewbie20181 said:

My wife and I are 67 we have only been on 3 cruises a RCL 2003, NCL 2018, and Celebrity 2022. We are now in a position to cruise more often. On a cruise we like being at the pool enjoying adult beverages, participating in the various activities on the ship, like to gamble, and take in the shows. As far as dining we run the gamut from buffet to specialty dining. I would appreciate your opinions on the following.

 

Should we stick with one cruise line to establish loyalty or just choose based on what interests us at the time?

 

 Is it worth saving a couple hundred dollars and choosing a gaurantee? When do you find out what room you’ve been assigned? Can you bid on an upgrade?

 

We are deciding between Celebrity Equinox and Caribbean Princess for our next cruise in October 2023 embarking out of Fort Lauderdale. We live in Port Charlotte Fl. Based on the time of year I’m guessing that fellow passengers will trend on the older age group like us. Yes or No?

 

Equinox or Caribbean for food, ambiance, service, cleanliness? Also what is Princesses smoking policy? We are non- smokers. Not begrudging smokers as they pay the same cruise fare as us. But as part of our decision making process we will choose between cruise lines based on which is better for non smokers. Read about Princesses policy but it seemed rather convoluted. Anyone with firsthand knowledge?

 

Lastly compare Equinox with Celebrity Constellation. We found the Constellation lacking in vibrancy, decor, and color. 
 

Thank you. I appreciate your time and replies.

 

 

Background:  I have cruised many times in the last 21 years. 

Celebrity, Princess, RCI and Carnival, with the majority of my cruises on Celebrity and RCI. 

My recommendation to you would be:  Celebrity or RCI

 

I am Diamond Plus on RCI and Elite on Celebrity. 

The benefits of the loyalty points really are nice, especially if you aren't already cruising in a suite. 

 

In the same way that I like to choose my airline seat (not a fan of Southwest Airlines), I like to choose my cruise cabin. 

I prefer to pay upfront for the exact cabin I want. 

But, for financial reasons - the guarantee route could be a good option. 

 

RCI:  smoking inside permitted - only in designated areas of the Casino. (which means the entire Casino smells like smoke and often you have to walk through the Casino as you are walking to another location on the ship)

Celebrity:  no smoking inside: [no smoking in the Casino] ✔︎

 

I hope this helps a little. 

Congrats on being in a new season of life where you can cruise more often! 

 

🛳enJOY

 

 

 

 

Edited April 16, 2023 by Boo's Mom
adding some "smoking" details

[RV Queen]

I prefer Princess for any cruise longer than 7 days. They have self launderettes, that are very convent to use.  No one wants to take home dirty laundry.  Celebrity laundry services are so expensive.  Itinerary is important too.  We have found that Princess is a bit more reasonable in pricing. What ever you choose, we hope you have a great cruise.  

[davekathy]

47 minutes ago, Cruisenewbie20181 said:

My wife and I are 67 we have only been on 3 cruises a RCL 2003, NCL 2018, and Celebrity 2022. We are now in a position to cruise more often. On a cruise we like being at the pool enjoying adult beverages, participating in the various activities on the ship, like to gamble, and take in the shows. As far as dining we run the gamut from buffet to specialty dining. I would appreciate your opinions on the following.

 

Should we stick with one cruise line to establish loyalty or just choose based on what interests us at the time?

 

 Is it worth saving a couple hundred dollars and choosing a gaurantee? When do you find out what room you’ve been assigned? Can you bid on an upgrade?

 

We are deciding between Celebrity Equinox and Caribbean Princess for our next cruise in October 2023 embarking out of Fort Lauderdale. We live in Port Charlotte Fl. Based on the time of year I’m guessing that fellow passengers will trend on the older age group like us. Yes or No?

 

Equinox or Caribbean for food, ambiance, service, cleanliness? Also what is Princesses smoking policy? We are non- smokers. Not begrudging smokers as they pay the same cruise fare as us. But as part of our decision making process we will choose between cruise lines based on which is better for non smokers. Read about Princesses policy but it seemed rather convoluted. Anyone with firsthand knowledge?

 

Lastly compare Equinox with Celebrity Constellation. We found the Constellation lacking in vibrancy, decor, and color. 
 

Thank you. I appreciate your time and replies.

 

 

Book a Princess cruise with an itinerary you like. Why would others likes or dislikes influence your decision?  Try it. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. As far as Princess smoking policy, they allow smoking in the casino, AKA smoking lounge and in Churchills. Churchills is a dedicated smoking lounge. 

[Lady Arwen]

Celebrity wins hands down for us.  We have a Princess cruise in September for the British Isles to use up FCC and then we’re done.  Number one is that smoking is allowed in the casino and the smoke drifts into other areas.  They also have an indoor smoking lounge and every time the door opens the smoke hits you in the face.  It disgusting.  
Food is now mediocre since the lockdown.  The buffet is terrible.  The staterooms are small with tiny bathrooms and tiny shower stalls with a tacky shower curtain.  You have to upgrade to a mini suite or suite to get a sofa and chair, otherwise you drink or eat on the bed or at the desk.  Balconies are very small, unless Caribe deck on Grand class.  You have to sit sideways to stretch your legs out.  Oversized balconies are few, especially on Royal class.

Yes, Princess is less expensive and there’s a reason for that.

[florence11]

HI,

 

We have just come back from 2 weeks in the Caribbean on Emerald Princess our 1st Princess cruise, we were not impressed.

I have to say it was okay the food was mediocre, the buffet was good for breakfast not much else. I think we had a refurbished cabin as it looked brand new. I agree what others has said its nice to have the laundry and the cruise was not expensive and it was going for 14 nights which is great if flying from the UK, but I do not like the smoking in the casino the smell was awful. I cannot fault the staff they worked extremely hard but if I a choice it would be Celebrity.

[davekathy]

1 minute ago, florence11 said:

HI,

 

We have just come back from 2 weeks in the Caribbean on Emerald Princess our 1st Princess cruise, we were not impressed.

I have to say it was okay the food was mediocre, the buffet was good for breakfast not much else. I think we had a refurbished cabin as it looked brand new. I agree what others has said its nice to have the laundry and the cruise was not expensive and it was going for 14 nights which is great if flying from the UK, but I do not like the smoking in the casino the smell was awful. I cannot fault the staff they worked extremely hard but if I a choice it would be Celebrity.

I don't fault the smokers. I fault Princess for allowing limited smoking areas inside their ships. RC and Princess needs to follow Celebrity's lead on this one!

[SPacificbound]

We have cruised with Celebrity, Royal Caribbean and Cunard.

(Diamond Plus RC, Elite Celebrity, Gold with Cunard) 

 

I have booked Princess a couple of times, only to discover a little later that we like an itinerary on Celebrity or RC better. So I've cancelled and rebooked with better itinerary. It is doubtful that we will book on Princess again, we're at an age that familiarity is good. 

 

Since you haven't settled in to a line that you want loyalty with yet, take a look at Princess, and if you find an itinerary you like, try them out. Happy Cruising!

 

[florence11]

2 minutes ago, davekathy said:

I don't fault the smokers. I fault Princess for allowing limited smoking areas inside their ships. RC and Princess needs to follow Celebrity's lead on this one!

I agree I do not smoke and have nothing against smokers but I just don't like inside. When we were walking through the ship we could smell it by the casino and we were surprised that Princess allowed it.

[Ken the cruiser]

For us as we are cruiseaholics, it’s all about accruing Loyalty points and getting to the level where a cruise line starts giving them out! Sure you gain other perks along the way, but for us the target is free laundry! 😂 

 

The reason free laundry is such a big attraction for us is because we’re fully retired and enjoy going on 3-5 week cruises, like the Eclipse B3B cruise we’re getting ready to leave for tomorrow. Being able to just put dirty clothes in a bag and having them come back clean and folded is just a nice perk to have on longer cruises.
 

But each cruise line’s Loyalty program has rules, so you need to understand how they work if you want to quickly move up through the levels. For example,

 

Celebrity: you get more points per cruise day depending on the cabin category you book. For example, we would always book a concierge cabin in the beginning to get 5 pts a day rather than a veranda where you only get 3 pts. Celebrity also has the Power Up Points and Go Green programs you can participate in to gain a few extra cruise day points. 

 

Princess: you can move up their loyalty levels two ways, by the number of cruises or by the number of cruise days. Plus you also get double cruise points (but not double cruise days) if you book a suite.

 

NCL: on select cruises you can earn 2-5 times the number of cruise day points. For example, we just finished a 38-day B2B where we earned double cruise day points and were Platinum when we finished the cruise! 

 

HAL: you can earn cruise points not only from the number of days you cruise with them, but also from how much money you spend onboard, to include excursions. 

 

Bottom line. If you start getting addicted to cruising like we are, you need to start developing a strategy which includes learning each cruise line’s rules of engagement. Other parts of a good strategy includes learning when the best time might be to book a cruise, how to discover and subsequently refare a booking if you find the price has dropped, and also where are the more desirable cabins based on the type of category your budget can afford. Oh, so many things to learn, but Cruise Critic is a great source to learn about all of them and more! 😁

[Honolulu Blue]

2 hours ago, Cruisenewbie20181 said:

My wife and I are 67 we have only been on 3 cruises a RCL 2003, NCL 2018, and Celebrity 2022. We are now in a position to cruise more often. On a cruise we like being at the pool enjoying adult beverages, participating in the various activities on the ship, like to gamble, and take in the shows. As far as dining we run the gamut from buffet to specialty dining. I would appreciate your opinions on the following.

 

Should we stick with one cruise line to establish loyalty or just choose based on what interests us at the time?

 

 Is it worth saving a couple hundred dollars and choosing a gaurantee? When do you find out what room you’ve been assigned? Can you bid on an upgrade?

 

We are deciding between Celebrity Equinox and Caribbean Princess for our next cruise in October 2023 embarking out of Fort Lauderdale. We live in Port Charlotte Fl. Based on the time of year I’m guessing that fellow passengers will trend on the older age group like us. Yes or No?

 

Equinox or Caribbean for food, ambiance, service, cleanliness? Also what is Princesses smoking policy? We are non- smokers. Not begrudging smokers as they pay the same cruise fare as us. But as part of our decision making process we will choose between cruise lines based on which is better for non smokers. Read about Princesses policy but it seemed rather convoluted. Anyone with firsthand knowledge?

 

Lastly compare Equinox with Celebrity Constellation. We found the Constellation lacking in vibrancy, decor, and color. 
 

Thank you. I appreciate your time and replies.

Congratulations for being able to cruise more!  Here are my thoughts on your questions:

 

• I've sailed on Celebrity 5 times (2 charters), most recently in March on the Summit.  I've sailed on Princess 3 times, most recently last week on the Ruby Princess.
• I wouldn't worry about loyalty.  Just choose cruises based on other factors that are most important to you.
• I never bother with guarantees.  I think the $$$ spent to get a cabin that's where I want and has the features I need is worth it.
• That said, Princess has given me complimentary cabin class upgrades on each of my sailings with them (obstructed balcony to regular balcony, regular balcony to mini suite, interior to obstructed OV).  Don't depend on this.
• I haven't sailed on either the Equinox or the Caribbean Princess, so I'll defer to others about the exact features of those ships
• I'm guessing the average Princess cruiser will be very close to 67.  Celebrity will probably average 10-15 years younger.
• For food, I think Celebrity has the clear edge.  Ambience is even.  I really like the cabin stewards I've had on Princess, so I give them a slight edge in service in this category; otherwise they both aim to please as much as possible.  Both run very clean ships.
• Princess' smoking policy is that smoking is allowed in the casino.  They may have nonsmoking areas within the casino.

 

Those are my two cents, worth about what you paid for it.  I hope this helps.

[Arizona Wildcat]

The plus for Celebrity is non smoking except for a smoking area outside.  Buffet has more cook to order stations.

Plus for Princess is laundry facilities and minsuites on many ships at appordable rates.  

Thus decide but we do it now on the itinerary.   In 2024 Princess has a more interesting TA.  With the destruction of loyalty benefits unless you have many cruises decide on that basis.

FWIW on recent Emerald Princess cruise smoking in the casino was a non issue as the casino was so uninviting almost nobody there.  Both were dreadfully short staffed so dinner service awful.

Shows and speakers good on both but timing difficult on Princess - needed to eat really early or really late.

[NMTraveller]

The other thing to keep in mind is if you sail with Celebrity or Princess you will spend a large amount of time on a bus traveling to the attractions.  It is a big cruise ship.  Smaller cruise ships will get you right into where you want to go without the long bus rides.

 

I did the Celebrity Eastern Med cruise but felt like I needed to go back as we did not have nearly enough time in port.  Most of the time was spent on a bus.

[Keys Kathy]

Loyalty has its privileges, laundry being one of them. I have purchased guarantees many times. You can move to any other cabin in the same category. We ended up in some pretty nice cabins with a guarantee and some very ordinary ones. In my opinion, food is about the same on both, but I think X has better service and more flexibility when it comes to special orders, like a baked potato. 

 

The most important thing is to be kind to the staff. If you speak with them and try to get to know them a bit, you will have the largest scoop of ice cream, the biggest lobster tail, and be the first one to be served at the bar. 

 

Friends we have cruised with always are surprised by the service we get. That happens because we interact with the staff. Once the staff knows they are with us, they get the large Martinis at cocktail hour. 

 

We went to Eden one night for dinner. I called the Chef over and basically told him we were putting ourselves in his hands. Not only did we have an amazing dinner, but the Sommolier coordinated with the Chef to choose our wines. A few nights later, we took our friends, they were brought lobster even though it was not on the menu that night. 

 

KINDNESS MATTERS! 

[janetz]

We don’t worry about the loyalty thing

Both lines are very nice

We have been on both multiple times 

Caribbean Princess, 3 times 

If you can hold out till Jan, Jan 6th, Celebrity Reflection, 8 nights and awesome ports of call.

Pricing right now is very good

Fabulous ship ❤️
You will enjoy either line 

Edited April 16, 2023 by janetz

[PurpleTraveller]

After sailing Princess exclusively for ten years I tried Celebrity last year and loved it. I have now decided that itinerary and price are most important to me and I will not choose a cruise on loyalty alone but of course we are all different. While Princess and Celebrity are more similar than different there are a few things that may matter for you.

 

Princess allows smoking in the casino and the smoke smell can drift into the areas nearby. There is no smoking on balconies or in cabins and smoking is restricted to the smoking areas and casino. Princess has self service laundries which is great on a longer cruise. Caribbean Princess is an older ship.

 

Service on both are great but I thought the food and service in the MDR was better on Celebrity.

 

I personally would not choose a guarantee as I like to know where I'll be on the ship but many are okay with that.

 

Whichever you choose have a great cruise! 🛳️

 

Edited April 16, 2023 by PurpleTraveller

[prmssk]

While both lines are decent lines and offer a comparable overall experience, we didn't have great experiences on Princess last year (on the Caribbean Princess and the Emerald Princess).  Our most recent Celebrity experiences have been on the Constellation.  We have also previously sailed the Summit and the Eclipse.

 

The lunch buffets on both Princess ships had very little variety compared to what we saw on the Constellation last year and on both Princess ships, they struggled to find me flavorful food that met my dairy allergy both in the MDR and in the buffet.

 

Additionally, rooms feel smaller on Princess and you don't get a couch or any comfortable seating in your room unless you book a Mini-suite or higher.  Instead they prioritize huge walk-in closets that I know some love but in my opinion take up way too much of an already too small room.

 

We also were shocked at the condition of the Caribbean Princess.  She was in dry dock in the spring about a month before our cruise so we expected her to be in decent shape.  Unfortunately, maintenance issues were all over the ship (sewage smell, AC that didn't work in large parts of the ship, toilets and sinks out of service in every public bathroom, loose tiles in the pool, etc.).  Although in the fall, reports of these issues quieted down in the groups I am in, I'm starting to see some of these same reports again now.  This is one ship I personally wouldn't recommend.

 

Related to smoking, Princess does allow smoking in the casino (as well as the enclosed cigar lounge and a location or two up on deck).  Because of the casino being open, smoke often did make its way into Crooners and other venues around the atrium.  

 

One other thing we didn't enjoy about the Caribbean or Emerald Princess is that popular venues (like the cafe, Good Spirits, Crooners, etc.) were not large enough so the ship always felt very crowded.  There are still quiet places but it was a bit harder to find them on those two ships.

 

We still had great cruises on Princess last year and there were plenty of good things about the cruises (great service, enjoyed the coffee shops, the aft pool, Skywalker's, etc.).  We didn't let any of the issues we experienced get in the way of enjoying our cruises but it has made us hesitant to book Princess again.

 

That said, personally, I think staying loyal to one brand means missing out on opportunities on other lines.  We book the ships and itineraries we want across quite a few different lines based on what we are looking to get out of any particular vacation.

[George C]

Celebrity is a newer ship , we cruised Caribbean Princess about ten or so years ago , my main complaint on Caribbean Princess was shows and ship in general were too crowded could not get seats to see the shows , only time I actually saw a fight on saved seats for one of the shows . If it’s in your budget consider a sky suite for celebrity or a move up to a suite, there suite perks are fantastic.

[cl.klink]

6 hours ago, Cruisenewbie20181 said:

My wife and I are 67 we have only been on 3 cruises a RCL 2003, NCL 2018, and Celebrity 2022. We are now in a position to cruise more often. On a cruise we like being at the pool enjoying adult beverages, participating in the various activities on the ship, like to gamble, and take in the shows. As far as dining we run the gamut from buffet to specialty dining. I would appreciate your opinions on the following.

 

Should we stick with one cruise line to establish loyalty or just choose based on what interests us at the time?

 

 Is it worth saving a couple hundred dollars and choosing a gaurantee? When do you find out what room you’ve been assigned? Can you bid on an upgrade?

 

We are deciding between Celebrity Equinox and Caribbean Princess for our next cruise in October 2023 embarking out of Fort Lauderdale. We live in Port Charlotte Fl. Based on the time of year I’m guessing that fellow passengers will trend on the older age group like us. Yes or No?

 

Equinox or Caribbean for food, ambiance, service, cleanliness? Also what is Princesses smoking policy? We are non- smokers. Not begrudging smokers as they pay the same cruise fare as us. But as part of our decision making process we will choose between cruise lines based on which is better for non smokers. Read about Princesses policy but it seemed rather convoluted. Anyone with firsthand knowledge?

 

Lastly compare Equinox with Celebrity Constellation. We found the Constellation lacking in vibrancy, decor, and color. 
 

Thank you. I appreciate your time and replies.

 

 

 

The "loyalty" programs are mostly gimmicks, all factors taken into account.  Travel and leisure life became so much easier for me when I stopped caring.

 

- Joel

 

- JOel 

[davekathy]

4 hours ago, florence11 said:

I agree I do not smoke and have nothing against smokers but I just don't like inside. When we were walking through the ship we could smell it by the casino and we were surprised that Princess allowed it.

Agree. The stench also flows into the other surrounding venues on RC and Princess ships. 

[Guest Cruisenewbie20181]

Thank you for everyone for all your advice and opinions. Just thought I would let you know I chose Princess. I booked the Caribbean Princess 5 night cruise out of FT Lauderdale 10/31. Chose the Princess plus package. I chose Princess because we wanted to try a d other cruise line and I was intrigued by the videos of  the Caribbean Princess I viewed online. This will be the largest ship we have been on. The price and number of nights was right for us. Also booked Celebrity Reflection for a 7 night in May 2024. 

Thanks again!