Please help a Carnival cruiser

[Titan_Cruiser]

Hello. I am hoping for some help from all of the Celebrity cruise guru's who have also cruised on Carnival. 

My wife and I took our first cruise for our 10th anniversary with Carnival. We quickly became addicted and just completed our 29th Carnival cruise a couple of weeks ago. Carnival has been good for us especially when our kids travelled with us but now that they are grown, we are a little older (early 50's) and it's just the two of us we have decided we may have outgrown Carnival. We have investigated other lines and Celebrity really caught our eye. 

We are wondering how others who have sailed both would compare Carnival and Celebrity. We are not drinkers or gamblers and honestly don't spend much time laying around the pool. On Carnival we just relax, go to some trivia, maybe hit karaoke a little, enjoy the music around the ship (if it's our era, 70's and 80's), and of course the food. 

 

We are planning our 30th anniversary trip for October. We are looking at an Infinite Veranda room on the Celebrity Beyond. We are the kind of people who believe it is what you make it. So I am sure we will enjoy it no matter what but we have a few questions. 

Here are some of my questions:
1. Does Celebrity publish a daily list of activities similar to FunTimes on Carnival? If so does anyone have examples from a couple of days so that we can see what a typical day looks like. 
2. With an Infinite Veranda you can get it with or without Concierge Service. Is this worth the extra cost? What types of "services" do you get with this? 
3. On the Edge class ships there are 4 different main dining rooms. With Any Time Dining you get to choose which to eat at each night. Do they each have their own unique menu each night or do they all serve the same thing?

4. Are gratuities included in the price I am quoted online or are they added later like with Carnival? I have seen articles that claim they are included and others that say they are added later. 
5. Is it better to book online or through a Celebrity agent?

 

After 29 great cruises with Carnival we are excited to try something new and we are hoping we get as addicted to Celebrity as we did to Carnival 20 years ago. Any information or advice you can give is greatly appreciated.  Thanks in advance. 






 

[jelayne]

Yes there is a daily Celebrity Today and the app also has the daily activities.  Look at some of the current threads on this board like Live from the Reflection or the Live from the Ascent which has photos of the Today.

 

Concierge is a cabin category.  It includes a few benefits - lunch in the MDR on embarkation day, a bottle of sparkling wine and access to a Concierge should you have a problem ( everyone has access to a Concierge).

The Concierge class cabins are identical in size, layout and furnishing as any IV.  For many not worth the extra $.

 

Each of the 4 MDRs have the same Classic items, the same rotating menu each day and each has 3 “exclusive” starters and 3 “exclusive” entrees that are line line with the theme of the dining room.  Those items don’t change. Although they are referred to as exclusive you can order each of the exclusive items in any of the dining rooms. 
 

When you book you can opt for prepaid gratuity and pay it at final payment date.  If you don’t pre pay then  the daily gratuity will be charged to your onboard account and it will be billed to the credit on file along with any other on board purchases at the end of the cruise. 

[mahdnc]

1 hour ago, Titan_Cruiser said:

Hello. I am hoping for some help from all of the Celebrity cruise guru's who have also cruised on Carnival. 

My wife and I took our first cruise for our 10th anniversary with Carnival. We quickly became addicted and just completed our 29th Carnival cruise a couple of weeks ago. Carnival has been good for us especially when our kids travelled with us but now that they are grown, we are a little older (early 50's) and it's just the two of us we have decided we may have outgrown Carnival. We have investigated other lines and Celebrity really caught our eye. 

We are wondering how others who have sailed both would compare Carnival and Celebrity. We are not drinkers or gamblers and honestly don't spend much time laying around the pool. On Carnival we just relax, go to some trivia, maybe hit karaoke a little, enjoy the music around the ship (if it's our era, 70's and 80's), and of course the food. 

 

We are planning our 30th anniversary trip for October. We are looking at an Infinite Veranda room on the Celebrity Beyond. We are the kind of people who believe it is what you make it. So I am sure we will enjoy it no matter what but we have a few questions. 

Here are some of my questions:
1. Does Celebrity publish a daily list of activities similar to FunTimes on Carnival? If so does anyone have examples from a couple of days so that we can see what a typical day looks like. 
2. With an Infinite Veranda you can get it with or without Concierge Service. Is this worth the extra cost? What types of "services" do you get with this? 
3. On the Edge class ships there are 4 different main dining rooms. With Any Time Dining you get to choose which to eat at each night. Do they each have their own unique menu each night or do they all serve the same thing?

4. Are gratuities included in the price I am quoted online or are they added later like with Carnival? I have seen articles that claim they are included and others that say they are added later. 
5. Is it better to book online or through a Celebrity agent?

 

After 29 great cruises with Carnival we are excited to try something new and we are hoping we get as addicted to Celebrity as we did to Carnival 20 years ago. Any information or advice you can give is greatly appreciated.  Thanks in advance. 






 

 

Celebrity does publish a daily newsletter called, Celebrity Today.  We just completed a sailing on Celebrity Solstice which is an older class of ship compared to Beyond.  In case this is of interest, here is a folder with all the Celebrity Today newsletters that were published during our 12 night cruise on Solstice.  Even though the class of ship is different, it will give you a pretty good idea of what to expect

[Titan_Cruiser]

Thank you for the information. Very helpful. 

[keesar]

11 minutes ago, jelayne said:

Yes there is a daily Celebrity Today and the app also has the daily activities.  Look at some of the current threads on this board like Live from the Reflection or the Live from the Ascent which has photos of the Today.

 

Concierge is a cabin category.  It includes a few benefits - lunch in the MDR on embarkation day, a bottle of sparkling wine and access to a Concierge should you have a problem ( everyone has access to a Concierge).

The Concierge class cabins are identical in size, layout and furnishing as any IV.  For many not worth the extra $.

 

Each of the 4 MDRs have the same Classic items, the same rotating menu each day and each has 3 “exclusive” starters and 3 “exclusive” entrees that are line line with the theme of the dining room.  Those items don’t change. Although they are referred to as exclusive you can order each of the exclusive items in any of the dining rooms. 
 

When you book you can opt for prepaid gratuity and pay it at final payment date.  If you don’t pre pay then  the daily gratuity will be charged to your onboard account and it will be billed to the credit on file along with any other on board purchases at the end of the cruise. 

Your interests match up nicely with Celebrity.  It is a lower energy as compared with Carnival.  There are two or three trivia per day and live music around the ship late afternoon and evening.  Entertainment was fantastic on the Beyond.  Food is very good.  I would give the nod for burgers to Carnival by a good margin. Don't sail Celebrity for the pizza either.    But you won't go hungry...

[miched]

We started sailing on Carnival back in 2000.  It was our first cruise.  We had a great time and sailed over 30 times with them.  It was as they advertise, a fun ship.  Out of curiosity I wanted to book a Celebrtiy cruise.  My wife (not the wife 😱) wanted to know why as we liked Carnival and had the top tier in their loyalty club.    In 2011 booked an Aqua Cabin because we wanted to have the healthier dining options.   As soon as we walked on board they gave us a free glass of sparkling wine (they no longer do that)  and as we walked into the atrium we went WOW!   When we got to our cabin and seen the bottle of bubbly and other amenities that came with Aqua my wife said I think we found a new cruise line.   After we dined in Blu that night my wife said I think we should start sailing on Celebrity.  Never looked back.  If we would have started on Celebrity we would be Zenith.

 

Celebrity treats you like an adult.  There is usually only one announcement per day.  No belly  flops,  or hairy chest contests.   No Low Rider playing during Breakfast.   We always had great service on Carnival and Celebrity is the same.  Great, and friendly service.   Food?  We always found something to eat.  Haven’t been on Carnival since 2010 so I don’t know how it is now but I know that the specialty restaurants were cheaper on Carnival and their food, and service great in them. 
 

I would recommend booking an Aqua Class cabin.  You have a very nice dedicated restaurant called Blu for breakfast and dinner that has it’s own exclusive menu. It is only for those in Aqua, and suite guests based on availability. The Aqua cabins are only for 2 people.  Chances are there won’t be many children dining there.   You also get the unlimited use of the Thermal Spa.    There are also other little amenities that make it special. Celebrating your 30th book  Aqua and add the classic drink pack and internet (all included option).   With the drink package you get many alcohol drinks, bottled water, the special coffee drinks, and wine all day long and at breakfast and dinner.   You wife will also love you extra special for doing that.🥰😘😍.    You can always upgrade to the premium.   I recently upgraded to the premium when they had a sale for $7/day pp,  keep checking for sales on the Celebrity site after you book.  Register on the Celebrity site and list your booking.  Then look at manage your booking and it will show excursions, drinks packs and etc with any discounts if available.   It constantly changes 

I always boo when the comics or other entertainers make fun of or bad mouth Carnival.  We had great times with them, but I think you will find Celebrity will suit you more as you want to move on. 

Happy anniversary and wishing you many more.  Time goes by fast after that.   Me and my wife will be close to 60.   Seemed like a long time to get to 25, now they just fly away.  Can’t keep up.  Truth is I can’t remember ever being single, old age taking its toll.  🙄

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

 

Edited January 28 by miched

[jimbo5544]

I am diamond on Carnival and currently on the Celebrity Eclipse doing. 14 day Antartica cruise abourd the Eclipse doing a live review.  Check it out for comparison.  

Edited January 28 by jimbo5544