Are you new to Celebrity? If so what did you think?

[tfred]

40 minutes ago, Tapi said:

I agree. We have a land vacation (a quick 4 night trip to Cancun) in a few days, and we're paying 2X what we will pay for a 4 night cruise that we have planned for June, and we're not even staying at an All-inclusive resort. I was floored at the cost of all-inclusive resorts. They have sky-rocketed since the last time we did an all-inclusive vacation 3-4 years ago. Even for a less luxurious resort, the cost would be 3-4X more than our upcoming cruise. 

JW Marriott Marco Island Florida is $1,000 night at the end of February for a standard room   Food, booze Parking is another $300. $1300 x 7 nights = $9,100. You could have a Sky Suite on Apex for that kind of money. That $9100 is double the cost of a X Infinite Veranda which is a more direct comparison 

[Natitude61]

Not the age demographic you requested (we’re early 60s, but think we’re still 40-somethings if that counts 😂), but just completed our first Celebrity cruise (Equinox) after being Diamond on RCCL.

 

Despite being concerned after reading all the pessimism on the Internet, we were very impressed and will make X our preferred line (already have 3 other sailings booked, plus an open deposit made on board). 
 

What we liked — the crew, of course; the ship itself (was concerned that Equinox was overdue for a dry dock, but she was well maintained); the venues (nothing like relaxing with a lavendar martini in the martini bar before dinner); the food (yes, there were misses as well as hits, but was definitely a step up from RCCL); the “little things” (not having to check out towels with a sea pass, real towels in the restrooms, even the chocolates on the pillows 😂). Oh, and definitely the demographics— not overrun by kids (there were reportedly 6 on our sailing, but never saw one) and, for the most part, a more polite and less boisterous crowd.

 

What we weren’t crazy about — the entertainment (the only show in the theater that we went to/were interested in was the comedian); storage space in the cabin (appreciate that RCCL has shelves in the closet [we were in Concierge Sunset Veranda]); specialty restaurants (Murano was just good, Tuscan average).

 

For the first time ever, we disembarked with a few dollars left over in OBC. Granted, we booked back when the Indulge package was a thing, but really the only extras we ended up paying for onboard was a couple mornings of room service, a glass or two of good Scotch and a bottle of wine with dinner one night. Don’t feel like we were nickel and dimed at all. Oh, and I did get a shampoo and blowout one day at the spa when I just didn’t feel like dealing with my hair, and even that was a betting experience than RCCL (although I recognize that it’s the same spa contractor and I probably just got lucky that day!)

 

[Mike981]

4 hours ago, Tyler414 said:

 

 It was a floating home, and they were grumpy.  Note to self, never go on a January cruise again.  
 

 

Interesting we usually only travel in January to get away from our cold winters and never felt that it was a negative for us. We just got off of the Silhouette two/three weeks ago and felt the other passengers were great. It can really change from cruise to cruise, even on the same ship.

 

We used to do all inclusives in Jamaica for 8-10 days and you could really feel a difference from one week to the next. It just depends on who shows up and what they are looking for during their trip. One year a large wedding party arrived and tried to take over the resort, but that was shut down quickly.

[Tyler414]

4 hours ago, Tyler414 said:

I'm in my mid-40's and have been a total of six cruises starting in 2019 with NCL.  It was an older ship, but had a great time and booked future cruise on board.  The future cruise was on NCL's newest at the time Encore.  As fast as I fell in love with NCL, I just quickly fell out of love.  I guess I chalk it up to being oblivious, and happy to be on vacation.  The Encore cruise for me was the end for NCL.  Nickle and dime for everything, poorly trained staff on the new ship, bad dinning experiences....

I then booked a cruise for a brand new ship Celebrity Apex, covid delayed that cruise until March 2022.  I absolutely fell in love with Celebrity Apex, Then onto Beyond last January, as many you are aware Celebrity's brilliant cut-backs started.  The OVC was decimated on that cruise, over half the stations were not serving it was bad.  The specialties were still great however, my main complain (not Celebrity's fault) was the other passengers.  It was a floating home, and they were grumpy.  Note to self, never go on a January cruise again.  

Next up was Virgin Voyages, all I have to say is the other lines better step it up, and the no kids was very noticeable.  Kids don't normally bother me, so didn't think much of it, until it hits you. There are ZERO kids on this cruise, it was great.  

This March 2024 I have a 10 day on Beyond, I understand there maybe more old folks on these longer cruise, but hopefully it will be fun.  I have 3 more cruises booked with Celebrity, I'm hoping I'm cancelling them on this March cruise.  Fingers crossed, but it is vacation and I WILL enjoy myself. 

CORECTION to my last two sentences, I have 3 more Celebrity cruises booked.  I'm hoping I DO NOT have to cancel them while on my March 2024 cruise....

My lack of writing skills is why I wont do a "live" while on the cruise.  I thank those who do "lives" as they have helped me plan.  

[StarLi]

8 hours ago, Tapi said:

I agree. We have a land vacation (a quick 4 night trip to Cancun) in a few days, and we're paying 2X what we will pay for a 4 night cruise that we have planned for June, and we're not even staying at an All-inclusive resort. I was floored at the cost of all-inclusive resorts. They have sky-rocketed since the last time we did an all-inclusive vacation 3-4 years ago. Even for a less luxurious resort, the cost would be 3-4X more than our upcoming cruise. 

We booked a 3 night all inclusive in cancun/ playa del carmen all inclusive and it's cheaper than 3 nights all inclusive with Celebrity, but not by much. 1500 vs 1600. I think the prices are getting closer than you think. 

[Tigerfnan23]

My wife is mid 50s and didn't really enjoy cruising based on her experience with other cruise lines.  I had done a few Celebrity cruises before and convinced her to give them a try and she loved the E class ships.  Did Apex and Edge and are trying out Beyond later this year.  She isn't a foodie so any food issues aren't really a issue for her but she really enjoys the decor and ambiance of the ships, along with the entertainment options.  I've enjoyed some of the pre Edge class ships in the past but I'm not sure she would be as impressed with those.   So while we may not be the intended demographic we've definitely become Celebrity cruisers based on these new ships.  

[mcroadman]

We did an October 9 night cruise on the Equinox in 2023. 

I have cruised on Disney, RCL and this was our first time on X.

I was very disappointed. I didn't want to believe some of the poor reviews... Some serious issues. I am sharing the good and bad from our experience. It might be helpful. This was my 4th cruise. 

 

The balcony room, while had great views and awesome location- Bed: huge, hard pillows for a small bed- didn't make sense. The awesome room attendant did find me soft pillows. The balcony- paint peeling everywhere. The attendant did get me a big lounger as we had a huge balcony. 

 

I can enjoyed fine dining but don't require it. The food on the big buffet- most of it was of poor or cheap quality, though nicely displayed. First night - daughter tried fettuccine Alfredo - a thin taste gravy. So disappointing because any reasonable cook/chef would know this was not good.

 

I found I didn't want to each anything there but the salads. The ice cream - cheap and most desserts with poor qualitiy at the buffet and in the cafe.

 

The dining room was so much better. 80 % of what we enjoyed there was nice. Staff was excellent.

Room service for coffee and rolls in the morning was okay.

 

The excursions offered- not well planned. They don't allow reviews and so you don't realize what others have experienced.

We got off in San Juan Puerto Rico- at sunset, they offer a bus tour. We are then to see the sights the fort but "from the parking lot" and then are taken to a beach- well it's dark! and they offer a bathroom, which is locked... strange. 

Other X excursions lacked details to make a good plan as to what you are doing and if it will work for your group. 

 

The Petite Chef was fun- food was just okay. Odd staff.

The entertainment was okay at night. We really enjoyed the comedian. 

I enjoyed the RCCL so much more... in 2016 and 2018. But covid changed things a lot and I realize that the cruise lines are struggling.

 

Just my experience. For 11 grand- will consider another vacation plan. Big disappointment. 

Mary 

[NMTraveller]

Not new,  but on my last cruise I don't think that Celebrity is getting very many of their target demographic ...

[sonnycruises]

On 2/11/2024 at 5:34 AM, buncosquad said:

My experience is in Iconics and Edge Villas, so Edge Class only.

 

You can get staterooms similar to the expanse of these on small luxuries, but we like all the restaurant options and the balconies with hot tub for these two room types. We only book these room types, know what we get going in, and it has been superb each time.

 

Now have four more itineraries booked, three in Iconics, one in an Edge Villa.

 

Totally worth it.

I was wondering why i can't ever get an Iconic. 😉

[WatermelonSugarHigh]

We cruised with our sons, 26 and 32 years old on the Millennium out of San Juan a year ago.  Both had sailed three or four times with us on Princess and Celebrity.  
They both referred to the sailing as a “snoozefest”.  Neither would repeat a cruise on X unless the itinerary is too good to pass up or Mom and Dad are paying 😉 

Our younger son is 27 now and he and his fiancé booked an NCL for their honeymoon, even though they were not crazy about a sailing they went on nine months ago. When I asked why not consider Celebrity, he said the food, dated restaurant styles and lack of anything to do other than drink stops them from considering it. He’s a Chemical Engineer now but had a minor in theatre, and he thought the show quality was lacking and stale. I agree. 
 

33 year old newly-single older son went on Virgin with us two weeks ago. He absolutely loved it.  Virgin is the future of cruising for that generation.  They have a few kinks to work out and need to tamp down the foodie food and the cutesy corny, but they really can not be beat for style, quality and fun. They are exactly what the new generation of cruisers want.

Edited February 13 by WatermelonSugarHigh

[Dawnya00]

What an interesting topic. I am the demographic you asked about, late 40's and will be on my first X cruise in April, bringing my 30 yo married but no kids daughter on her first cruise. I have exclusively cruised NCL, 7 to date with friends and my husband. What drew me to X for this particular trip was the under emphasis on family/kids (no slides, no character breakfasts) and the price. From reading reviews, I feel like the MDR food might be similar in quality but I appreciate the few new options every night vs the set menu every day NCL has moved to, pushing you to specialty dining. 

I am curious about entertainment and the comparisons there as well as the staff and service. 

I looked into Virgin but the sleeping arrangements turned me off, perhaps it was a me problem, but it appeared that the beds don't separate...again, it could have just been me navigating a new/poorly designed website. 

[paulh84]

Also not squarely in the segment you're seeking, but I am also not quite 40. DINKS. My first Celebrity cruise was in my early 30's. We stay at resorts (not all inclusive) more often than cruise. We've done 8 Celebrity cruises both pre and post COVID. Also cruised on Royal Caribbean, NCL and Princess. NCL and Royal are not what I want out of a vacation. Princess was underwhelming. We have a slight preference to E Class ships over S class but our next two bookings are S Class ships. We were almost exclusively Retreat bookers until the Ascent a few week ago. Maybe we will return someday but not until Celebrity stops trying to scrape up an extra 50 cents everywhere they can. We've also taken a few friends on Celebrity over the years ranging from no cruising experience, to prior Carnival experience to a mix, but all of them have been first time Celebrity people. We've decided we won't take any more Europe/Mediterranean cruises and entertainment is not important to us as we rarely attend shows. We also don't book ship excursions so I have no specific feedback on those two areas. 

 

The consistent pros:

Generally elevated and nicer/more refined experience over RCL or NCL

Food in general

Wine and alcohol offerings - especially from friends who are used to All Inclusive resort mystery alcohol

Lack of kids 

Cabin layout (especially on E class) 

Celebrity has embarkation down. We haven't waited in any significant line in years 

Lack of needing to preplan and make a ton of reservations ahead of time 

 

The consistent cons: 

It can be sleepy after 10pm 

The 7-8 day Caribbean itineraries could use a mix up 

The spa/thermal suites are significantly lacking compared to other lines 

Entertainment in general is poor to cringy. The D list comedians need to go 

Pricing can be higher (but certainly not always) than NCL/RCL but you do generally get what you pay for

 

[jeneric997]

We are just on the edge of your demographic, but we brought our 19yo daughter on the Beyond last January. We loved it. The entertainment was fantastic and we spent nights in Eden and The Club. It wasn't super crowded late, but there were people. The martini bar was packed for silent bingo. The ship was beautiful.

 

We had so much fun we are taking both our daughters now 20 and 23 on Ascent. We picked the cruise for the ship, not the ports. We are only planning on getting off at one port. It will be Spring break time, so it will be interesting to see how many younger GenZ are on.

 

We are not really cruise people. We've gone on cruises more for destination than to be on a cruise. We've been on Disney, HAL, RCL, Carnival, mostly in Concierge. We just have IV staterooms on Celebrity and we like them. I will say the Edge class ship are just beautiful. I may not enjoy the older ships as much.

 

I do understand long time Celebrity cruisers complaints. We are Disney people and we have seen changes and cost increases that we think degrade the experience. In our case on Celebrity, it's much cheaper than a Disney cruise and since we are new, we can't really compare. Ignorance is truly bliss.

[chocolabmom]

Although we are not the target demographic (59 and 63) we did our first Celebrity cruise in April 2022 on Apex.  Previously, our only cruise was RCCL Explorer of the Seas in 2011.  I was very bored on the Explorer and thought the food was okay.  They had the waterslides, rock walls, etc. but that is not our thing.  I think that is why we waited so long to book another cruise.

Fast forward to the Apex - loved it.  We enjoyed the shows, loved the World Class Bar to relax with a cocktail before dinner, and loved hanging out and dancing at the Martini Bar after dinner.  We thought the food was very good and the service was outstanding at all venues except one of the main dining rooms.  Our room attendant was fabulous.  This was right after the re-start and the ship was probably 50-60% full.

We are going on Beyond in April in a Sunset Veranda cabin.  I know the ship will be quite full, so it will be a totally different situation than the Apex.  We are going in with open minds and I am sure we will enjoy our trip, because a lot of the time a vacation is what you make of it.  We are not foodies or wine connoisseurs, we just enjoy good food and a nice glass of wine or good cocktail.  We like a relaxed vibe and don't need to be moving at a lightening pace all day and night, which is why we feel cruising with Celebrity is a good fit for us.  The ability to do as much or as little as you want is our preference.

I hope we enjoy our Beyond experience as much as we enjoyed Apex. Based on when we booked (over a year ago) the price was reasonable and it was with the all-included package.  Got a great deal on an upgrade to the premium alcohol package a few months ago so that also was an added bonus.

We do not have many years of cruising experience, but we have enjoyed the product Celebrity puts out.  

[Lastdance]

On 2/12/2024 at 8:50 AM, Tyler414 said:

my main complain (not Celebrity's fault) was the other passengers.  It was a floating home, and they were grumpy.  Note to self, never go on a January cruise again.  

We are older, but our December cruise was also more like “a floating home” too.  Since we absolutely love TA’s and European itineraries, we were very disappointed.  Furthermore, we had previously been on Beyond twice with wonderful experiences; however, this third time in the Caribbean and not Europe was such a different experience without the demographics and enjoyment we have come to love, and expect.  I get a D- on doing my homework for a Caribbean 10 day cruise, on a ship that I loved.  That was  totally my fault!

[georgiaguy]

5 hours ago, chocolabmom said:

We are not foodies or wine connoisseurs, we just enjoy good food and a nice glass of wine or good cocktail.  We like a relaxed vibe and don't need to be moving at a lightening pace all day and night, which is why we feel cruising with Celebrity is a good fit for us.  The ability to do as much or as little as you want is our preference.

 

This is us and why we sail with Celebrity too. Early 40’s, not looking for a constant party. Enjoy food and relaxing. 

[paulh84]

1 hour ago, Lastdance said:

We are older, but our December cruise was also more like “a floating home” too.  Since we absolutely love TA’s and European itineraries, we were very disappointed.  Furthermore, we had previously been on Beyond twice with wonderful experiences; however, this third time in the Caribbean and not Europe was such a different experience without the demographics and enjoyment we have come to love, and expect.  I get a D- on doing my homework for a Caribbean 10 day cruise, on a ship that I loved.  That was  totally my fault!

 

My TA was recently saying the average age for the Port Canaveral cruises is skewing way up there. Apparently lots of FL snowbirds and retirees that prefer to avoid the drive the South Florida eve though the itineraries are mediocre. It will be interesting to see if that skews the mix towards younger on Fort Lauderdale and Miami cruises. For us that have to fly anyway, have zero desire to visit the Orlando strip malls and want to avoid the commute from Orlando to the port...it makes no sense. 

[Liao]

3 minutes ago, paulh84 said:

 

My TA was recently saying the average age for the Port Canaveral cruises is skewing way up there. Apparently lots of FL snowbirds and retirees that prefer to avoid the drive the South Florida eve though the itineraries are mediocre. It will be interesting to see if that skews the mix towards younger on Fort Lauderdale and Miami cruises. For us that have to fly anyway, have zero desire to visit the Orlando strip malls and want to avoid the commute from Orlando to the port...it makes no sense. 

Yes, Celebrity Caribbean itins really are so boring.  They need to up their game in this regard.  Cozumel, Nassua, Bimini, Key West...yawn.  There are so many more they could offer.

[MNSails]

Newer target market here (late 30s/early 40s, one 5 year old kid), with a few cruises and more booked.  All with Celebrity.  First was 2013 in New Zealand as part of a extended family trip - I selected Celebrity based on the reviews and the itinerary and had a fantastic time.  Because of that experience, we booked a trip with friends to Alaska in 2017 - this time with another "target market" couple - DINK, 30s.  We had planned an additional cruise with the same couple on Celebrity to the Galapagos in 2020, but that was cancelled due to the pandemic.  Both of the cruises we took were in standard balcony cabins.

 

Due to a bump in disposable income, we are now planning on cruising more often, in the Retreat.  This kicked off with a family trip - me, my husband, and the kid - over Christmas 2023 on the Ascent in a Sky Suite.  While I was disappointed in the size of the room (I think the 6 years of no cruises made me forget how small the standard balcony rooms are, so the "bigger" Sky Suite didn't seem as impressive), the cruise itself was great.  The Ascent is a great ship, and having not had the pleasure of a butler before, I didn't "miss" anything that was previously provided... though I follow the forums regularly and was aware of butler-gate and the complaints about service.  I did sense that the room attendant was very overworked and less chatty than the attendants on prior cruises, but it didn't take away from the service (aside from making me feel guilty about any requests).  We were happy with the service we received in Luminae and in the retreat lounge, and liked the grab and go diet cokes.  And while there is a lot of talk about Celebrity being "THE WORST" for kids, our 5 year old loved the experience... the kids club staff in particular was outstanding with a VERY busy trip.  She loved the pool and hot tubs, and like all the other parents we saw, we kept her on her best behavior.  

 

We have 3 cruises booked - all with Celebrity.  2 are with the kid - 1) ABC islands - March 2024 on Reflection in a Celebrity Suite (with a move-up bid for a RS), and 2) Key West/Mexico - April 2025 on Connie in a RS.  August 2025 we are traveling with our DINK couple friends (and no kid) for a trip to Norway and the Arctic Circle on Apex in a Sky Suite.  I'm also considering adding another short trip for myself alone in October 2024... assuming they can work out the solo cruiser kinks.  

 

I've done plenty of research on other lines, and frankly the companies that target the younger crowd are much less appealing... I don't want a booze-cruise atmosphere, nor do I want loud music blaring from the pool deck at all hours for a non-stop party... sign me up for the silent disco instead.  I like attentive service, and am looking forward to see what the butler adds to our experience in March.  There were hints of this on our Christmas cruise - the head butler walked us to dinner one night and we arrived to snacks a few days in our room when they knew we had excursions planned.  Those little touches were great, as we're not the type to ask for extra things, but appreciate them when they happen.  We very much appreciated our daughter being treated like a princess by everyone we met - and frankly the special attention only helped reinforce her good manners.  My only regret right now is not booking the next two trips on E-class ships, as the Retreat Sundeck was fantastic.  We traded that off for the better suite, so I will see how that shakes out over the next few trips before booking more.  

 

At bottom, Celebrity will be getting the majority of our travel dollars unless we experience a significant decline in service, which I think is unlikely given that we will only book in suites going forward.  

[WatermelonSugarHigh]

5 hours ago, Liao said:

Yes, Celebrity Caribbean itins really are so boring.  They need to up their game in this regard.  Cozumel, Nassua, Bimini, Key West...yawn.  There are so many more they could offer.

I didn’t realize how boring they were until we did Virgin last week. Omg, such a difference! People actually alive and awake at bars after 10 pm! 😂

There has literally been nothing to do on our X Caribbean sailings at night.  The shows are super cheesy. Buffet is closed, same group of loud obnoxious people at the Martini bar. Cellar Masters is great for a pre-dinner drink but super dull. The most exciting thing we do after 9;is order club sandwiches from room service 😂 My sons were bored to death.  

Edited February 14 by WatermelonSugarHigh

[Nauty]

Current target market here, I think (Early 40’s DINK). Been on a few cruises (one Caribbean and one Alaska, the rest Europe) with family during my teens to early 30’s, all with Princess except for one on Celebrity. That was way back in 2012 on the Silhouette (Italy/Croatia). During my 30’s, I went on a few more Med & Asia cruises with my partner, again on Princess (Grand/Crown class) and once each on NCL (Star) & RC (Radiance). I guess I’m an old soul since I prefer the traditional, refined experience of older, smaller ships to the theme park atmosphere of the gaudy monstrosities, Sun Princess included.
 

Currently booked on another Med cruise on the Equinox this summer, our first since 2019. While I still love Princess, I feel that Celebrity is a perfect fit for us. We exclusively cruise the Med now, so itinerary is the key driver. Princess itineraries have been unchanged for years, while Celebrity has more interesting choices, even if most of these ports are repeats for us. We also love the diverse international demographics on European cruises. And with the port-intensive itineraries and long port days, we feel that S-class ships offer just the right kind of experience we are looking for.

[NicoJ113]

I’m in my late 30’s, partner is early 40’s, experienced cruisers who tried Celebrity for the first time last year. 5 nights on the Beyond and 3 nights on Ascent when she first launched. After many cruises on NCL, Celebrity was a breathe of fresh air. The Edge class ships are much nicer and better laid out than NCL’s similarly sized Prima class. We often say when cruising you get what you pay for. With the way NCL has made cut backs (particularly with entertainment) Celebrity’s more premium product has felt worth the more premium price. We’re excited for more. 

[Liao]

On 2/12/2024 at 9:20 PM, Tigerfnan23 said:

My wife is mid 50s and didn't really enjoy cruising based on her experience with other cruise lines.  I had done a few Celebrity cruises before and convinced her to give them a try and she loved the E class ships.  Did Apex and Edge and are trying out Beyond later this year.  She isn't a foodie so any food issues aren't really a issue for her but she really enjoys the decor and ambiance of the ships, along with the entertainment options.  I've enjoyed some of the pre Edge class ships in the past but I'm not sure she would be as impressed with those.   So while we may not be the intended demographic we've definitely become Celebrity cruisers based on these new ships.  

Could not agree more, e-class to me are the way to go.  I will say that I was on the Summit in December and it’s a great ship with first class service but the itineraries suck.

[bundtkate]

I'm definitely the target demographic here (36, husband is 39, no kids) and am brand new to Celebrity, but I will have absolutely no idea what I think until 2025 when we go on Apex to Norway and the Arctic circle (and I guess I'll be 38 by then and my husband will have crossed the 40 barrier to 41). We are experienced cruisers with 11 (10 for hubby) now in the books (6 RCI, 3 MSC, 1NCL, 1 Viking River). We also have two coming up -- the 2025 on Celebrity and an Alaska on HAL this Summer. Despite the RCI dominance there, we really don't have any brand loyalties. The skew is the result of many of our early cruises being retreats for my work that were always on Royal. If you look at what we've booked ourselves only, RCI and MSC are tied.

While I have no idea how we'll like Celebrity, I'm optimistic. I actually think the IV we booked will be great for Norway since it'll probably get chilly as we head north. We'll get more use out of the big window that we can open when weather permits than we would a Verandah that would only be usable when it's warmer. We cruised pre-COVID and acknowledge the cutbacks, but haven't been terribly bothered by them. I still don't understand why I would need twice daily room cleaning and look forward to signing up for "Go Green" and giving my steward a break if that's still an option. I've been lusting after e-class ships for quite some time and am stoked to finally experience one for myself. Plus, the itinerary is super cool. We knew we wanted to do Norway and Celebrity crushed the competition on the itinerary with most others being shorter and not making it into the arctic circle. Celebrity was a bit spendier than we usually book -- even more expensive that the 14-night Viking River Cruise we took and that one included flights -- but times have changed since then (we booked that river cruise in early 2022) and the complete package seems worth the money. If I remember over a year from now, maybe I can come back to this post and see if I still agree with past me's best guess. 😅

[WesternBroncoCruiser]

So interesting.  The wife and I are late 50's early 60's and we took our first Celebirty cruise in 2003. 21 years ago.   We take about 2-5 Celebrity cruises a year now.   We have been doing longer cruises on other cruise line and taking Celebrity as a more affordable option with friends and family.   Occasional it is just the two of us.   I can say that I have never ever been board on a Celebrity cruise and we tend to be night owls.   Love the music, bands and food, but also love that its is more centered around food and service than bells and whistles like NCL and Royal have.   I still enjoy the MDR but am one that is glad that they are bringing back things that were cut from the menu.   We sailed a few sailings in 2022 that were understaffed, but sailings in 2023 felt like they were fully staffed.   We have 5 Celebrity cruises scheduled for 2024, but we have been changing it up a bit more in the last few years and doing Holland America, Azamara, Oceania, and some river cruises.   We are even doing another Seabourn this year.   

 

We still feel like Celebrity delivers a quality product even with all the changes.  Shoot when we first sailed Celebrity there was no drinks package and no buffet in the evenings.   Good times then and now, but Celebrity doesn't have every itinerary or everything we want to do so we change things up a bit every now and then.   Not that one is bad or one is good, but just that we want and expect different things from different cruise lines. 

 

 

Edited February 20 by WesternBroncoCruiser