Alternatives to Celebrity

[Dolebludger]

$20,000 pp for 12 nights in a Sky Suite where you can’t have a beer or coke from the mini fridge without extra charge?  Some one at Celebrity is —how shall I put it — not sober!

[Dolebludger]

Terrydtx, I think you will like Oceania, though we haven’t cruised it yet. It is close to Regent. Historically, it has been less expensive and a little less inclusive — don’t know about now. But our Regent friends who have cruised Oceania all say that Oceania has the best food on the sea. Even better than Regent. So if you are a “foodie” I bet you have found a new home line.

[terrydtx]

7 minutes ago, Dolebludger said:

Terrydtx, I think you will like Oceania, though we haven’t cruised it yet. It is close to Regent. Historically, it has been less expensive and a little less inclusive — don’t know about now. But our Regent friends who have cruised Oceania all say that Oceania has the best food on the sea. Even better than Regent. So if you are a “foodie” I bet you have found a new home line.

One of our best friends have done over 10 Oceania cruises and they will not sail on any other line.

[NutsAboutGolf]

17 hours ago, Dolebludger said:

I agree 100% with all inclusive. And I don’t agree that a 20% tip should be added to the price when I am handed a cookie I bought. That is a simple retail transaction that historically is non-tipped. And the cookie should have been included in the first place. We haven’t taken any cruises in this century (ocean or river) that are less than all inclusive. I mean totally. Because when you are on a cruise, you are in a monopoly. If you don’t like the price of things on land, you can’t just walk down the street where prices are better. Celebrity used to offer all inclusive, non-inclusive, and steps in between. You could book any degree of inclusiveness you wanted. Of course, the more inclusiveness you booked, the higher price you paid, naturally. But now, the prices on Celebrity for semi— all inclusive are higher than on lines that offer full all inclusive. That’s why people are leaving Celebrity.

 

Agree and it's the removal of the daily canapes, X said there was a lot of waste so they got rid of them.  The solution that they would never do would be to provide better tasting canapes (lol)

[Veinless]

7 hours ago, terrydtx said:

One of our best friends have done over 10 Oceania cruises and they will not sail on any other line.

How strict are they dresscode-wise? I’m never cruising with a jacket. 

[RichYak]

9 hours ago, terrydtx said:

Who is crazy enough to pay these kind of prices next year. Sky Suite at $20K+ and Iconic Suite over $100K+?

And $1000+ per night for an inside cabin. Celebrity has lost their minds.

[terrydtx]

16 minutes ago, Veinless said:

How strict are they dresscode-wise? I’m never cruising with a jacket. 

Very casual, no jackets other than to keep you warm in cold weather. All country club casual.

[terrydtx]

Has a long discussion today with my long time TA today about the changes with Celebrity. About 40% of her business is booking Celebrity cruises. She has been inundated by her customers the last two weeks cancelling Celebrity cruises and booking for the first-time other lines. It is just about as bad with her customers booked on RC switching to other lines. As bad as Celebrity has been with future pricing she said RCL is even worse. A lot of the switching is going to Princess, HAL, Oceania and Viking Ocean.  This should be worrisome to Celebrity but she doubts they really care they are booking record numbers for future cruises. 

 

I told her we are done with Celebrity after our future cruise are done and she is looking at some Oceania and Seabourne cruises for 2025 and further out for us.

Edited September 1, 2023 by terrydtx

[Robert de Beaumont]

8 hours ago, terrydtx said:

One of our best friends have done over 10 Oceania cruises and they will not sail on any other line.

After my trip on Beyond next week, my next cruise is on Regent (Seven Seas Splendor) and the one after that is on Oceania Vista.  
 

Considering both of those included airfare and transfers  within the cruise fare (not to mention gratuities — and Regent even includes shore excursions), they’re really only marginally more overall than the total cost of the Beyond trip.  

[Robert de Beaumont]

4 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

This should be worrisome to Celebrity but she doubts they really care they are booking record numbers for future cruises. 

Surely once past bookings dry up, these changes are going to adversely impact their load factor sometime in the second half of 2024? Maybe that’s what it will take.  I’m remain hopeful the market will discipline Celebrity and a change on leadership occurs that will put things right. Meanwhile, I’ll enjoy Oceania! 

[Dolebludger]

I’ve posed this before. We booked a 7 night Eastern Caribbean on the Regent Splendour instead of a  Retreat SS cruise to the same places and dates. But the Retreat SS cruise was at a higher price, and was missing inclusions such as, shore excursions,,unlimited valet,laundry service.air,,use of the mini fridge,upscale room service,,hotel,for the night before embarkation, and all tips. Clearly, Regent was the better deal, and we’ve cruised Regent many times before, and we are confident that what we bought, we’ll get. Even the room will be similar to the Retreat SS.

[Dolebludger]

Since The retreat suite prices now often exceed the fare on Regent for essentially the same itinerary, we go with Regent. They include so much more than Celebrity SS. It might not be the same for every itinerary, but it sure was from mine. We have cruised Celebrity suites  and cruised Regent many times. Historically, Regent is higher in price than Celebrity SS suites. Considering all the inclusions on Regent  absent in SS suites and the lower price on Regent, this is a no brainer.

[Cap_D]

I fear we're the odd family out.  I'd welcome  suggestions and want to ask before the board goes cold.

 

Now, as I have mentioned before, we're not in the usual demo.  We are 2 working parents,  and 6 year old that enjoyed the Retreat 2x since the pandemic, and is equally as frustrated as everyone here unless it related to a small number of families with kids (and I don't get that vibe from present company in the last several posts). 

 

Desired:   7-10 days with a stable product, good food with some great food, convenience and service, and all inclusive (except air). 

 

My recent disclaimer: we didn't use the solarium, and our son enjoys dining with a sport coat to dinner in Luminae (we'd sit in the area behind the maitre d station that was quieter), loved Eden, uses the camp at sea, wants to explore the world.... so Celebrity had and should be a good fit. 

 

Taking the rest of the night off... 

 

 

Edited September 1, 2023 by Cap_D

[OysterD]

17 hours ago, terrydtx said:

Who is crazy enough to pay these kind of prices next year. Sky Suite at $20K+ and Iconic Suite over $100K+?

Either its a glitch (more than likely) or they're trying to encourage Brits on that sailing instead of Americans, because on the UK site the Sky Suite on that sailing is £8501pp (about $10500) and the iconic Suite £34,899pp (about $44,000)  - still an insane price but only half as insane as the $100k price on the US site! 

 

Also the same 12 night itin a couple weeks earlier on the US site is less than half those prices, that particular one on May 27 for some reason has completely mad pricing on the US site at the moment, has to be an error!

[OysterD]

14 hours ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

Agree and it's the removal of the daily canapes, X said there was a lot of waste so they got rid of them.  The solution that they would never do would be to provide better tasting canapes (lol)

They've not been removed, if you want them (not sure why you would, they're a bit naff) ask and you can still get them. They just don't arrive for everyone every day by default.

 

I remember being rather underwhelmed and leaving most of them on my first cruise on Reflection in 2012, I wouldn't say they've gotten any better or worse since then lol.

[terrydtx]

48 minutes ago, OysterD said:

They've not been removed, if you want them (not sure why you would, they're a bit naff) ask and you can still get them. They just don't arrive for everyone every day by default.

 

I remember being rather underwhelmed and leaving most of them on my first cruise on Reflection in 2012, I wouldn't say they've gotten any better or worse since then lol.

I guess the question is if order the canapés are you charged the room service delivery fee?

[hcat]

12 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

I guess the question is if order the canapés are you charged the room service delivery fee?

room svc fee was never applied in AQ Class

we would  tell our attendant ahead ov time if we will be around that day and want them, and also what we prefer...cheese, shrimp.. fruit

 

we are booked in AQ on Ascent next,  so we'll see if they are offered. if not we'll forage and stockpile from the buffet

[hcat]

How large are Regent ships?  How old?  Is there a nice spa or T pool?

 

we are thinking we may try Cunard again..anyone sail recently?

[Moby Jones]

12 minutes ago, hcat said:

How large are Regent ships?  How old?  Is there a nice spa or T pool?

 

we are thinking we may try Cunard again..anyone sail recently?

Ask on the Regent and Cunard boards and you'll receive a lot more answers than on the X board. 

[mac_tlc]

30 minutes ago, hcat said:

How large are Regent ships?  How old?  Is there a nice spa or T pool?

 

we are thinking we may try Cunard again..anyone sail recently?

A quick scan of their website shows the ships are about 40,000 to 55,000 gross tons and have between 475 to 750 passengers. 
 

Oceania’s smaller ships have about 650 passengers, larger ones about 1250. 
 

Viking ships have about 930 passengers.

 

I am as interested in investigating other lines as others around here lately. But people continually throw out dollar comparisons without adding ship details too. For us, we will probably not go from a 3000 passenger E-class ship to a 475 passenger Regent cruise. For still a decent amount of money, that feels like too much of a change in experience. 
 

We will walk before we run and seriously consider Oceania, but only on their larger ships. 
 

Price is not the only determining factor.

 

mac_tlc

Edited September 1, 2023 by mac_tlc

[mac_tlc]

17 hours ago, terrydtx said:

One of our best friends have done over 10 Oceania cruises and they will not sail on any other line.

Sounds like they have their Oceania blinders on 😂😂 😉😉.

 

 

mac_tlc

[hcat]

28 minutes ago, Moby Jones said:

Ask on the Regent and Cunard boards and you'll receive a lot more answers than on the X board. 

good suggestion, will do..

but  I think we will be leaning more to Cunard.. easy limo to NY port. We enjoyed  QM 2  for a short cruise  to Canada awhile ago

 

Ship had beautiful balc cabins, great do it  yourself art tour, an  outstanding library, an  enclosd smoking lounge for dh cigar and we do not mind a few dress up nights.. Loved the formal tea, planetarium  casual tavern for lunch, great shows and music..Food was very good..Carib and Alaska itins look nice!

 

 We will continue to explore! Love this thread for ideas. 

[ChucktownSteve]

1 hour ago, hcat said:

How large are Regent ships?  How old?  Is there a nice spa or T pool?

 

we are thinking we may try Cunard again..anyone sail recently?

The two newest ships and the one about to be added are about 750 passengers.

 

Seven Seas Explorer  2016             PAX 746 Seven Seas Grandeur 2023             PAX 746 Seven Seas Mariner    2001   2018  PAX 696 Seven Seas Navigator1999   2019   PAX 496 Seven Seas Splendor2020               PAX 746 Seven Seas Voyager2003     2016    PAX 698

Edited September 1, 2023 by ChucktownSteve

[TeeRick]

22 hours ago, Orator said:

 

Benefits cost money! I think that Celebrity would do their "happy dance" if Jim and Iain would be replaced with a new cruiser who wouldn't require benefits. Celebrity never really understood how important the loyal cruisers is to them and didn't know how to use their loyalty to the brand. By the way Jim and Iain are great guys, the kind of people that Celebrity needs.

Agree that they would rather not pay for Loyalty benefits.   But that was not the key point of my post.  Many of us who have sailed repeatedly in suites - and have previously and happily paid the higher fares - are switching from Celebrity.  They are losing highly loyal and consistent Suite cruisers.  We actually use very few benefits if any at all (maybe a bag of laundry).  If we are replaced with others who pay the exorbitant prices for suites, regardless of benefits, Celebrity wins.  But if the suites become hard to sell at these prices, they did it to themselves.   

[terrydtx]

43 minutes ago, ChucktownSteve said:

The two newest ships and the one about to be added are about 750 passengers.

 

Seven Seas Explorer  2016             PAX 746 Seven Seas Grandeur 2023             PAX 746 Seven Seas Mariner    2001   2018  PAX 696 Seven Seas Navigator1999   2019   PAX 496 Seven Seas Splendor2020               PAX 746 Seven Seas Voyager2003     2016    PAX 698

I was just looking at a couple of Regent 2025 Cruises and when considering all that is included they are more than extremely competitive with the Retreat suites new costs. This whole thread has been eye opening.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 1, 2023 by terrydtx