Which cruise line for Europe

[MOYSHA]

We are planning on cruising in Europe this late spring/early summer. A lot of the cruise lines are offering specials on these southern Europe cruises(Southern Italy, Greece, Turkey (I know, that's Africa) and possibly Spain).

Our question is "Which cruise line do you think we should use, Celebrity, Princess, RCCL, Oceania?" On Princess we can get a 2for1, on Oceania we can get a 2for1 with "free" air, and on X and RCCL we can get upgraded because of Captains Club/Crown & Anchor.

Thanks for your input since although we have been to Europe in the past we have never cruised there

[tanny18]

It's a question of what kind of ship you want. Oceania has 684 passengers, Celebrity and RCCL have larger ships, except for the Azamara line (same size as Oceania). As a passenger on Oceania and having been to Egyptk Turkey, Tunisia, etc on the same cruise, I would highly recommend O.:o Arlene

[digby]

Turkey is not part of Africa. It is part of both Europe and Asia.

[Andee]

I haven't cruised on RCCL, but I'd pick Oceania over Princess or Celebrity in a heartbeat.

[LHT28]

Depends on what you are looking for in a cruise line

Oceania & Azamara are small ships with limited smoking, entertainment pretty quiet in comparison to the mass market lines

 

Oceania & Azamara are similar & if you sail RCCL & X you may get perks on Azamara

[DT10L]

We have done the Med on Brilliance, on the nightmare cruise with the murder (6 cabins away), sudden death of our table mate and the worst food ever on a ship. We have cruised several times on Celeb and while a good bit above the sister company, it is still hotel food with a lot of people. Embarking, disembarking for tours etc is a pain. It is always: rush, rush, rush. We have been on Oceania and the Tahitian Princess. The R ships are much more friendly and not as rushed, except for Tahitian Princess (it was not as polished). At Oceania, you will have a 5 star restaurant experience at the main venue, at ALL times. The cabin crew will know your name and habits quickly, as well as the somelier! As a cigar smoker, one has to adapt, unfortunately. We have recently booked a South American cruise on Insigna after being fed up once more with the other big ships.

 

The Oceania experience is like going to your favorite restaurant or bar, where everyone knows your name! You will meet people on excursion and then make a date for food and drink while not worrying about which dinning time you are booked for during the cruise. You also won't have to worry abour rowdy teenagers running and being obnoxious. The atmosphere is very much country golf club without it being stuffy.:D

 

It is a most enjoyable experience!

[Bruin Steve]

We are planning on cruising in Europe this late spring/early summer. A lot of the cruise lines are offering specials on these southern Europe cruises(Southern Italy, Greece, Turkey (I know, that's Africa) and possibly Spain).

Our question is "Which cruise line do you think we should use, Celebrity, Princess, RCCL, Oceania?" On Princess we can get a 2for1, on Oceania we can get a 2for1 with "free" air, and on X and RCCL we can get upgraded because of Captains Club/Crown & Anchor.

Thanks for your input since although we have been to Europe in the past we have never cruised there

 

Moysha,

NOBODY can tell you which cruise line is best for you...We all have different things we're looking for...different criteria, different standards...

 

Ships and cruise lines all do a lot of the same stuff...and they all do a few things a little differently...

 

To some folks, prices and deals have a great importance, to others, it's secondary...

 

If you're attracted by the notion of "2 for 1" or "Free Air", remember, these are all really just marketing gimmicks...often it's like raising your prices by double, then offering 50% off...Free air really isn't free--nothing is...You pay for it--it's worked into the price...and if you waive it, there's a credit--basically the price of the not free air...And there are all sorts of fees added onto the "advertised price" for taxes and port charges and other costs...and these may vary line to line...

 

My advice on "deals" is to find a really good travel agent and have them quote you "Total prices" on a "apples for apples" basis...

 

My next advice is to NOT put the paramount importance on price...Sure, if price is a prime consideration to you, toss out those that are out of your price range...or consider a lesser category cabin...But, if things are relatively close, consider the more important aspects of the cruise---the ship, the line, ESPECIALLY the itinerary...and the aspects of each that are important to you...

 

Remember, what you read here are, for the most part, merely people's opinions...Some things, like FOOD, are very much a matter of opinion...EVERYBODY has different taste--and food is, more than most things, a matter of taste...

 

Okay, now to some comparisons...and to MY opinions...

 

First, I agree Oceania's food is excellent...the best, in my opinion, but, remember, that is just my opinion--based on my personal sense of taste...But I also don't find Celebrity's food to be that far behind...I think Oceania's service is quite good--but I think Celebrity's service is a touch better (and a lot of that has to do with "open" seating dinner versus "traditional" seating dinner...

 

I LOVE Royal Caribbean for the ships and amenities and I especially love them when cruing with kids or teens...But those advantages are pronounced when doing family trips in the Caribbean or Mexican Riviera...European itineraries are done more for the ports...

 

So look first at the ports and the schedule...Who gives you the ports YOU want to visit? Who gives you the most time in those ports?

 

AFTER that, ask about the cruise experience YOU want...

 

First, ship size...Oceania and Azamara (along with the premium lines such as Seabourne and Crystal and Regent) run smaller ships...fewer people, but typically fewer amenities and activities...and higher prices...

 

There are pluses and minuses to all ships and all cruise lines...

 

With Oceania or Azamara, you get "open seating" dinner...which often works nicely with European itineraries where you spend long days in port and sometimes have later port hours...You have no formal nights--which helps with limitied luggage...and you have smaller crowds...BUT, you also have weaker entertainment, fewer shore excursion offerings and limited non-mealtime food choices and "dead" night life...

 

The large ship lines give you better entertainment, more onboard activities, late into the night activities... but also bigger crowds...they also have more kids and kids programs--a plus for people traveling with families, but a negative for those folks who don't want to cruise with a lot of kids...They also, generally, give you a much more reasonable price...

 

I personally like Celebrity as a good option--their ships tend to have excellent itnieraries and their ships, though large, tend to have fewer passengers--with the space-to-passenger ratios surpasing even the small ships...and prices at a good value...

 

I have never been all that thrilled with Princess--they have some large ships, some small ones--but I always seem to find some things I feel they don't do very well--but, of course, that's based on my personal criteria--some people love them...

 

If I were you, based on what I read into your post, I would first consider Oceania, Azamara and Celebrity...

 

Oceania is a great product...and its itineraries are outstanding...but those "2 for 1 free air" deals tend to be a bit misleading--they are higher in price than what you might be used to...

 

Azamara and Celebrity will both get you whatever Crown and Anchor or Captains Club benefits you are used to...Azamara with small ships, Celebrity large...

 

Again, don't look for the "deals"...Get the TOTAL final bottom line cost...then choose the itinerary you want and the style and amenities you prefer...

 

Good luck...

[MOYSHA]

Steve, thank you for the time spent in your reply. Just as an 'aside' , many years ago my brother-in -law ans sister-in -law lived in Calabassas.

 

Yes, you did read into my post correctly. I was "almost caught" by the "2f0r1 & free air" until I asked for bottom line and found almost $2000 in fees etc,etc.

 

I think we have narrowed it down to Celebrity which has always been our favorite except for one "bad taste" on our last cruise whch centered aroung the dining room. (No pun intended with bad taste and dining room).

This cruise offers an itinerary that we like and unlike others it has sea days which can be important with my health, since I won't feel that I'm 'missing' something.

 

Now the job is to find air from Tampa to Venice and Barcelona back to Tampa

 

Steve, once again THANX

 

Al