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Royal's Sister Ships


Ja-sun

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7 minutes ago, Ja-sun said:

Has anybody ever cruised on RC's sister ship, Celebrity? I heard it's just like Royal, except a smaller cruise line. More intimate and upscale. 

Yes I sailed celebrity several times and I love it. Their new Edge class ships are beautiful and fun to be on. What specific questions do you have?

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8 minutes ago, AGSLC5 said:

Yes I sailed celebrity several times and I love it. Their new Edge class ships are beautiful and fun to be on. What specific questions do you have?

I'm just wondering if everything is pretty much ran the same. I like to eat, so is the main dining just as good as RC, and is it as much as you want or limited? Also, do they have decent entertainment and shows? I'm not worries about bells and whistles. No kids this cruise.

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2 hours ago, Ja-sun said:

I'm just wondering if everything is pretty much ran the same. I like to eat, so is the main dining just as good as RC, and is it as much as you want or limited? Also, do they have decent entertainment and shows? I'm not worries about bells and whistles. No kids this cruise.

Not sure if you've seen it already or not, but there's a whole subsection on the boards dedicated to Celebrity (and Silver Sea).  It's not as active as the Royal threads, but there's lots of good info there:

 

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/forum/12-celebrity-silversea/

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9 minutes ago, USCG Teacher said:

Not sure if you've seen it already or not, but there's a whole subsection on the boards dedicated to Celebrity (and Silver Sea).  It's not as active as the Royal threads, but there's lots of good info there:

 

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/forum/12-celebrity-silversea/

I did not. Thank you.

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2 hours ago, Ja-sun said:

I'm just wondering if everything is pretty much ran the same. I like to eat, so is the main dining just as good as RC, and is it as much as you want or limited? Also, do they have decent entertainment and shows? I'm not worries about bells and whistles. No kids this cruise.

The food on Celebrity is much much better than Royal's food in my opinion. As on Royal you can order as much food as you want on Celebrity. The entertainment is good especially on the new edge class ships but it is not as good as on Royal Oasis class ships. I prefer the atmosphere on Celebrity better, the food, the non smoking casino, the bars, and overall the whole celebrity experience. I think if you go on the new edge class ships which would be Edge, Apex, and now Beyond you would enjoy it. 

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12 minutes ago, AGSLC5 said:

The food on Celebrity is much much better than Royal's food in my opinion. As on Royal you can order as much food as you want on Celebrity. The entertainment is good especially on the new edge class ships but it is not as good as on Royal Oasis class ships. I prefer the atmosphere on Celebrity better, the food, the non smoking casino, the bars, and overall the whole celebrity experience. I think if you go on the new edge class ships which would be Edge, Apex, and now Beyond you would enjoy it. 

That is what I want to hear. Thank you.

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8 minutes ago, Ja-sun said:

I always heard that Celebrity is geared more towards adults and higher end destinations. Not really a family cruise line. Don't really know yet. Haven't been.

It's more old school cruising, definitely geared more to adults but not excluding families.

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What would you choose? 

- 7 night Eastern Caribbean cruise on a Balcony on Symphony of the Seas 

or

- 8  night Eastern Caribbean & Bahamas on a Concierge Balcony on Celebrity Equinox?

 

They cost about the same on the same sailing date on June, considering Celebrity includes WiFi, Drinks and Tips.

 

 

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7 hours ago, 1st Mate said:

I'd like to know what is more "upscale".  

Enquiring minds want to know!

I didn't use the words upscale lol. What I like about celebrity is the following: The food in the MDR is much better than Royal's food in the MDR. I like that they have a sommelier come over and make wine suggestions for you and then take your order. I like the design of the ships and the artwork. I like that there are much less children around and the children that are on the ships are much more well behaved in my opinion than on Royal. They dont run around pressing elevator buttons and being loud and annoying. Not saying all children on Royal are like that but I find it even less on Celebrity. I like the ambience and atmosphere at the bars and I like that the Casino is Non smoking. 

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8 minutes ago, AGSLC5 said:

I didn't use the words upscale lol. What I like about celebrity is the following: The food in the MDR is much better than Royal's food in the MDR. I like that they have a sommelier come over and make wine suggestions for you and then take your order. I like the design of the ships and the artwork. I like that there are much less children around and the children that are on the ships are much more well behaved in my opinion than on Royal. They dont run around pressing elevator buttons and being loud and annoying. Not saying all children on Royal are like that but I find it even less on Celebrity. I like the ambience and atmosphere at the bars and I like that the Casino is Non smoking. 

I especially like the comment about less kids running around pushing elevator buttons, knocking on cabin doors and running, double dipping in the buffet/taste testing, and son on.  AND, yes, not all kids misbehave.  I don't blame the kids anyway, I blame the parents.  Just like bad dogs, I blame the parents/owners.

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1 hour ago, Ja-sun said:

You guys are making me lean more towards Celebrity. It's still part of RC so no loss of loyalty.

to get a good feel don't do their older ships for your first one. Do at least solstice class or edge class. That way you can really see their product at its best.. 

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18 hours ago, carlosalonsor said:

What would you choose? 

- 7 night Eastern Caribbean cruise on a Balcony on Symphony of the Seas 

or

- 8  night Eastern Caribbean & Bahamas on a Concierge Balcony on Celebrity Equinox?

 

They cost about the same on the same sailing date on June, considering Celebrity includes WiFi, Drinks and Tips.

 

 

My wife and I sailed on Celebrity Equinox for our honeymoon in June 2019.  It was our first cruise, so we didn't have anything to compare to, but we had an absolute blast!  We never felt pressure to book entertainment early and could really just go with the flow.  We loved the entertainment at the main theater and were impressed with the talented performers and acrobatic artists. Cruise director was great, there were silent discos, a white out dance party one night, and the list goes on.

We ate dinner at the main dining room every night except for the first when we ate at the Tuscan Grille because there was a discount offered, wonderful view out the back of the ship.  Awesome food the whole cruise.

I felt the cruise was more catered to adults than kids, although they do have a camp at sea program and we met several families which participated in that.  They also have an X Club for 13-17 year olds that I could see most teenagers enjoying.

Having the beverage package included with the upfront cost was super nice.  Don't have to hassle with waiting for a "sale" or watching prices.  We never used the Wifi, so no big deal on that. Pre-paid gratuities was also a huge plus.

We also stayed in a Concierge balcony on our trip.  But we never utilized the concierge.  We got a phone call every morning from our concierge reminding us that they were there to help with anything we needed.  We didn't end up needing any reservations the whole trip.  In all honesty, I would just book a normal balcony next time we sail with Celebrity, although we did make use of the sparkling wine that came with the concierge class room (see video).  This was my first time opening a bottle of champagne, so cut me some slack.  Someone yelled from their balcony "what the **** was that!" after the bottle popped.  Too funny.

Funny story on our trip.  We love bingo which is not common for people in their 20's, so we had to play.  I may have had a few too many Moscow mules prior so when our last number for a bingo popped up on the screen, I jumped from my seat and shouted "BINGO! LET'S GOOOO!".  Keep in mind this is an older crowd and every other bingo won before was announced with a casual "bingo" and raising the bingo card.  Everyone had a good laugh about it, and from then on my wife and I were lovingly known as the "bingo couple" in the hallways and elevators.

We loved the vibe on Celebrity and the crew were just fantastic.  Whether you decide on Celebrity or Royal, I'm sure you'll have a good time.

 

 

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20 hours ago, carlosalonsor said:

What would you choose? 

- 7 night Eastern Caribbean cruise on a Balcony on Symphony of the Seas 

or

- 8  night Eastern Caribbean & Bahamas on a Concierge Balcony on Celebrity Equinox?

I like Celebrity, but being an Engineer the tech stuff pulls at me.  So for me I would pick by ship and for me that's Symphony over Equinox.  I don't look at it as Royal over Celebrity...

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7 minutes ago, YOLO said:

I like Celebrity, but being an Engineer the tech stuff pulls at me.  So for me I would pick by ship and for me that's Symphony over Equinox.  I don't look at it as Royal over Celebrity...

agree symphony is a better ship.. If they were choosing Edge, Apex, or Beyond I would go with those. The tech on those ships are just as good as symphony in my opinion

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Steph, how hard was it to get "rated" with the Celeb casino program ?  Do they use the same crappy points assessment protocols for table players that Royal uses ?  Once (if ??) we start cruising again I am considering trying Celeb but I am so worried about starting from scratch with a new casino program.  Just wondering how painful it was.  Thanks !

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3 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Steph, how hard was it to get "rated" with the Celeb casino program ?  Do they use the same crappy points assessment protocols for table players that Royal uses ?  Once (if ??) we start cruising again I am considering trying Celeb but I am so worried about starting from scratch with a new casino program.  Just wondering how painful it was.  Thanks !

Yes sadly they do use the same annoying point system lol. I still do go on Royal especially for short weekend cruises and when Royal releases a big ship I always like trying new ships.. However, last summer when I went on Edge and Apex I fell in love with celebrity. Their included food is so much better so if you dont want to eat in the specialty restaurant you dont have to its more of a choice. I like to mix it up and do have restaurants and half dining rooms. I so enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of the ship during the day and then at night they have things going on until 2-3 am if you want.. Also the casino. I love that the casino is No smoking. For me that makes it much more enjoyable. The shows are not as good as Oasis class shows but they aren't bad. The pool deck is also so much nicer and so are the chairs they all have cushions. I know that the suite area called the retreat is a ship within a ship and sky suites which are junior suites get full suite perks which is nice.. I am doing my first suite on Celebrity beyond in January for my birthday so I will have more info after that.. The only other complaint I have is how they give comps.. Its very difficult to get a fully comped cruise like hoe Royal does it.. Also when they do give a comped cruise it doesn't come with the perks like when they give discounts.. I find many times their "net50" offer is better than a comped cruise because then we get drink package around the whole ship, tips, and wifi included so for me that is a better deal.. Let me know if you have specific questions I would be happy to answer them if I can. 

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42 minutes ago, AGSLC5 said:

Yes sadly they do use the same annoying point system lol. I still do go on Royal especially for short weekend cruises and when Royal releases a big ship I always like trying new ships.. However, last summer when I went on Edge and Apex I fell in love with celebrity. Their included food is so much better so if you dont want to eat in the specialty restaurant you dont have to its more of a choice. I like to mix it up and do have restaurants and half dining rooms. I so enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of the ship during the day and then at night they have things going on until 2-3 am if you want.. Also the casino. I love that the casino is No smoking. For me that makes it much more enjoyable. The shows are not as good as Oasis class shows but they aren't bad. The pool deck is also so much nicer and so are the chairs they all have cushions. I know that the suite area called the retreat is a ship within a ship and sky suites which are junior suites get full suite perks which is nice.. I am doing my first suite on Celebrity beyond in January for my birthday so I will have more info after that.. The only other complaint I have is how they give comps.. Its very difficult to get a fully comped cruise like hoe Royal does it.. Also when they do give a comped cruise it doesn't come with the perks like when they give discounts.. I find many times their "net50" offer is better than a comped cruise because then we get drink package around the whole ship, tips, and wifi included so for me that is a better deal.. Let me know if you have specific questions I would be happy to answer them if I can. 

Wow...that's a lot of great information already.  Thanks !

Kind of a bummer about the comped cruises.  I have no idea what "net50" is but it sounds pretty good.  I wouldn't miss the Royal shows much as I have seen all of them and never go to them anyway (except for We Will Rock You, which I love).  Might miss the ice and AT shows a little but I would get over that.  Oh well...it's rather a moot point at the moment as I can't go yet....but it's something to think about. 

How hard was it for you to reach their equivalent of Prime ?  Were you able to do that in 1 sailing ?  It almost makes me sick to think about starting over on a new casino program !

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29 minutes ago, TXcruzer said:

I like how the Edge class ships have multiple themed "main dining rooms" rather than one large MDR like Royal.  Giving one an opportunity to eat at different places, with different regional themes and foods, without paying for specialty dining.

Royal's Quantum class has this - and I think started this trend...

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16 minutes ago, YOLO said:

Royal's Quantum class has this - and I think started this trend...

Dynamic dining were an early attempt at something a little different compared to Celebrity's dining rooms.  Maybe Celebrity learned and evolved it from the failure that was dynamic dining or maybe Celebrity just created something that works.  

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3 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Wow...that's a lot of great information already.  Thanks !

Kind of a bummer about the comped cruises.  I have no idea what "net50" is but it sounds pretty good.  I wouldn't miss the Royal shows much as I have seen all of them and never go to them anyway (except for We Will Rock You, which I love).  Might miss the ice and AT shows a little but I would get over that.  Oh well...it's rather a moot point at the moment as I can't go yet....but it's something to think about. 

How hard was it for you to reach their equivalent of Prime ?  Were you able to do that in 1 sailing ?  It almost makes me sick to think about starting over on a new casino program !

Their equivalent to prime is much harder to get.. Unless you are a heavy slot player it will take 2-3 times to get to the level... Net 50 is when they take the base rate before whatever the online promo is and take 50% off.. It seems to give about a 25% discount off what the online rate is but it includes the perks which I like.. Then like I said there are times they send offers for a free veranda (balcony) but those dont include the perks. I would say if they lift the vaccine mandate for 2023 try to get on an Edge class ship in the Caribbean that way you get a sense of their best class and you can see if you really like it or not. I have a feeling you will especially if you get a suite. I got a really great deal on the suite.. It was $6,000 on their new ship beyond and I got it for $3,100 including taxes and fees but it also comes with premium drink package, upgraded wifi, tips, and $600 in OBC plus full suite benefits including their suite only restaurant Luminae which alot of people say is better than Coastal Kitchen. Also on their new ship beyond which is what I am going on they made the suite only area even larger and added a pool to the sundeck so I am looking forward to trying that out as well. I also just feel like you get treated a little bit extra special. Small touches really but I have really enjoyed my experience. I am going on them this July as well but not in a suite so I will have to wait until January to tell you about that experience. 

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3 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Wow...that's a lot of great information already.  Thanks !

Kind of a bummer about the comped cruises.  I have no idea what "net50" is but it sounds pretty good.  I wouldn't miss the Royal shows much as I have seen all of them and never go to them anyway (except for We Will Rock You, which I love).  Might miss the ice and AT shows a little but I would get over that.  Oh well...it's rather a moot point at the moment as I can't go yet....but it's something to think about. 

How hard was it for you to reach their equivalent of Prime ?  Were you able to do that in 1 sailing ?  It almost makes me sick to think about starting over on a new casino program !

One other thing I forgot... After you go on your first cruise based on how much you played they also take money off the cruise that is combinable with the net50 offer.. They will give you a quote and then just say to them well based on my previous play how much extra can you take off. They calculate it and let you know. last time I got an additional $600 off for asking that but they dont tell you that you have to ask.. 

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