I took my first Celebrity Cruise and it was not what I expected!

After taking more than 70 Royal Caribbean cruises, I thought it was time to try a cruise on sister-brand Celebrity Cruises.
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[@SpicyKimchi-]

You can’t compare the two. One is clearly geared towards families, adventure, entertainment, while the other is more upscale, relaxation, spa, food, for a mature audience.

[@silviaeaston]

The "upscale" includes my teenage grandsons as well...

[@LaurenLane4815]

Everything he described on celebrity is exactly what I'm looking for in a cruise experience. To each their own lol I've been on royal Caribbean and celebrity absolutely sounds like more my personal vibe

[@craigshields8806]

Agreed

[@SharonPerson-hm9ds]

@SpicyKimchi - We also started cruising 'upscale' with Celebrity with our grandsons when they were 12 & 13 yrs old. Now the oldest is 25 yrs old and he's still a Celebrity fan. We sailed on the Apex last summer for their Best of Scandinavia cruise; we both loved the ship, food, staff, entertainment, and itinerary. Also met many wonderful passengers, some in their teens and 20's, others into their early 80's, most in between. Saw my grandson the other day, and he was talking about going on another Celebrity cruise next summer. He wanted to take the Millennium (his first ship in 2012) to Japan this summer, but it didn't work out this year. Maybe next year the British Isles or Norway, or hopefully, both!😊

[@sosaix3545]

Whenever someone asks me about the relationship between Royal Caribbean and Celebrity, I always explain that Celebrity is the Lexus to Royal Caribbean's Toyota.

[@allanc5743]

Except Royal Caribbean has much bigger ships than Celebrity

[@sosaix3545]

Except Stellantis/Jeep doesn’t own Land Rover, whereas Toyota does own Lexus. That’s the difference- one wholly owned brand has less volume in sales, but a more upscale experience.

[@kevbama5827]

And many cruisers prefer the smaller ships

[@jrob5233]

So there’s no point in booking celebrity, got it. Just because it’s a “Lexus” doesn’t mean it’s better. Paying for the name 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@bretthines4257]

We really enjoyed our Celebrity cruise. Super laid back and fantastic service. But we are looking forward to Icon on RC. We have a 5 yr old now so we figured RC would be a better option with him. My take away, Celebrity for Adults who want to relax and lay back. Royal for families or adults that like more action. Didn’t know RC was not smoke free in the casino. Guess I won’t be playing there. 😔

[@mattwright2146]

Celebrity is absolutely amazing! It’s an adult grown up cruise. The food and drinks are the best at sea.

[@EvangelismforGod]

I agree!

[@thetripod7]

I love royal caribbean, but I think celebrity is way better. It has better food, better atmosphere, and impeccable service.

[@ZenoviaBryant]

Our family took our first Celebrity cruise this year too. We really had a lot of fun, and the experience was amazing. We will be going on another Celeb cruise for sure. The food was delicious, services were amazing.

[@Destination_Fun]

We normally do Royal and went on celebrity for the first time last week and were blown away!! The food was next level! The cleanliness and the amenities were not what we expected either. The wifi on our ship was starlink and we never had an issue with streaming. We will defiantly be trying celebrity again!!

[@bigguy1403]

My brother just did his first cruise on celebrity too on the beyond. He said it blew him away. He loved it so much more then Royal so we just booked one too on the beyond as well.

[@LubaSlava1]

@@bigguy1403 there is no Celebrity ship named Breeze

[@bigguy1403]

@LubaSlava1 sorry the Beyond lol

[@alfredinglesby6489]

Matt, thank you for being honest about how much you love the buffet and Celebrity. Last November when I was on Celebrity beyond and cruise tips TV had a live stream and I was talking about how much better celebrities buffet was you were giving me so much grief about it, and saying how much better Royal was. I agree with you that Royal is very good but Celebrity is better. now.

[@carolyoung7463]

My husband and I did a transatlantic on the Apex Nov 5-18. We’ve been on both Royal and Celebrity and I agree with most of your critique. The reason we picked Celebrity for the TA was because of the Solarium on their ships. When weather is questionable, you can’t beat relaxing in an inclosed area. The lounge chairs are padded, you lookout on the ocean and waiters did come around taking drink orders. Also, with the sea days , there were activities and music going on around the ship all the time. The WiFi is Star-link and worked fabulously! We did have the premium but it was well worth it. Definitely consider Celebrity if you’re going somewhere where the weather is cool.

[@gatorguy7711]

As a frequent Celebrity and Royal Caribbean cruiser, I totally agree with your assessment. Food is somewhat better on Celebrity, but the entertainment is far better on Royal Caribbean. We agree, the loyalty program is better on Royal, especially the ability to get a few drinks through out the day, rather than two hours in the evening which conflicts with early dinning. My biggest complaint about Royal is the towel checkout requirement. On Celebrity towels are available in numerous locations. Since Celebrity has dropped gratuities from the All-Included package, we have decided to just buy the soda package and use the savings for other activities we enjoy. Thanks again for an excellent assessment.

[@wadecallaway1231]

Do your nights with celebrity count towards RC loyalty program or two separate programs?

[@silviaeaston]

2 separate programs ... (I'm Pinnacle and Elite Plus, both gotten independently).... @@wadecallaway1231

[@lyndasjackson]

Thank you for always giving the tidbits and thoroughness in your reviews/vlogs!!! I appreciate the differences that you mentioned. I'm a present and near future Royal sailor!😉

[@ducham01]

Thank you Matt, that was a very honest and helpful review ❤

[@bettyditillo1425]

Great review!! Thanks Matt

[@heelswin6362]

Love this. Thanks, Matt!

[@UmbertoDavidPanda]

The balcony thing is the deal breaker. I loved sitting out on the balcony in thr evening before bed...watching the moon over the sea. It was unbelievably relaxing for me. I don't think id want a cruise without that bit. A room with a window that opens is just not the same

[@kevincameron8437]

This is probably one of the best comparisons between the two lines, so thanks for that. It definitely gives us something to ponder.

[@rrbautista8930]

Royal Caribbean Blog venturing out on Celebrity, cool cool cool 😎

[@Exotic3000]

You did a great job. Very informative. And yes, I love balconies too! ❤

[@JAMESFERNANDEZ]

I've been on Oasis in 2012 and in the Symphony last year and I could notice the difference when it comes to guests! I know it's 10 years apart, many people who never cruised, cruise a lot now but sometimes on Symphony I felt in some Carnival ship.

[@moniquel9406]

Everything you described in this video is how we felt on our first ever Celebrity cruise in November of 2023. We won’t be cruising again with with our family of young adults for quite some time on a celebrity cruise. Bring on Royal!

[@cindywhitehair7665]

My husband and I did a 4 day on Celebrity Summit last year and we loved it. We'll be doing both lines in the future.

[@peggypeery1559]

I've done 2 celebrity in a row now and also found the tier match lacking, along with the evening entertainment which seemed to center around expensive shopping. While we did have great bar service on the Eclipse - I will note it was ONE individual who worked in various spots that always served us. It was so refreshing not only did we tip him a substantial side tip we gave him special mention. When I work at the piers as a side job in Seattle (it's really just fun!) & people ask why RC is my favorite - I say "there is a party everywhere, all the time, but only if you want it!"

[@lewisjr1332]

Just got off of the new ship Ascent! Unbelievable ship and we had a great Time. I love the concierge service!

[@wildmountainman1]

Thank you. The balcony on Celebrity totally puts me off using them at all. Hopefully not many other cruise lines go down that path.

[@michelleb749]

We booked a porthole veranda rather than an infinite veranda because of the AC issue.

[@kikky811]

Their coffee shop looks amazing, reminds me of the Cove Cafe on Disney cruise line. Absolutely the best on any ship I’ve been on. Love Royal too and wanted to try Celebrity but not convinced.

[@blanchegiunta4316]

We 💗 celebrity..good mix of ages, pretty ships,good food like floating spa..your points carry over..

[@lisabeal6283]

We have gone on 3 royal Caribbean cruises so far. We are trying Celebrity in June. Thanks for the review!

[@pw-sz6ds]

Thanks for your honest detailed review. I appreciate the differences in the cruise lines. There’s a cruise line out there for everyone. One size will never fit all. Thank God for diversity over the sea!

[@RoyalCaribbeanBlog]

Thanks for watching!

[@beachsidebob1629]

We moved to Celebrity from Royal Caribbean a number of years ago and have never been back to Royal. We're in our early 60's though, so we like that Celebrity is an older crowd, almost no kids, and a bit more upscale. We also like that the ships don't feel like enclosed shopping malls (Oasis class). That said, we really love the Radiance class ships and have been on three of the four, but the Oasis class, while pretty amazing, just isn't our thing. We'll be back on Royal one these days, it just hasn't happened yet. We currently have two Celebrity and one Princess booked, so maybe when Utopia of the Seas comes out and is brand new we'll try a short weekend trip with friends to introduce them to Royal.

[@dolorescarr6511]

As an Elite cruiser had you gone on Celebrity's cruise planner before the cruise you could have upgraded from Classic Beverage to Premium Beverage package for just $7.00 extra per day.

[@RoyalCaribbeanBlog]

Thanks, definitely a mistake

[@matthewthurlow1204]

And sometimes it 53% off.

[@trbstang]

Thanks for the info Matt! We are looking to try a Celebrity cruise in the next year to see how we like it. We've taken 3 RC cruises and enjoyed them all, but thought we'd try some others too. At least we know not to bother with the room you had! 😂

[@westaveguy1c437]

The key to the infinite veranda is to close the frosted bi fold doors when you drop the window. And, when the window is closed, you have more space in your room and floor to ceiling Sea views. I appreciate and enjoy that!

[@user-hq7hx1sx8b]

We went on the Symphony of the Seas during Thanksgiving this year out of Ft Lauderdale and it was amazing

[@mercyrodriguez5780]

Try the smaller ships, we love them, specially Reflection and Equinox!

[@helenrizi4719]

I agree with everything you said-- I did not like the infinite balcony - in our case it took like 6 hours to get the air conditioning back to baseline after opening the window for 30 minutes. Celebrity has a nice luxury vibe- but is so much more expensive. I also felt like there was a 2 class system on Celebrity with many areas set aside for suite (or other special) guests only. Food was definitely incredible on celebrity. Will likely continue to sail on both in the future.

[@jlawrence0181]

Three comments: 1) We found that the food on Celebrity Millennium (their oldest ship) was much better than the food on Liberty of the Seas. This was true both in terms of the broad selection of the food made available but also in the actual execution of the menu items. There were too many dishes on Royal that should have been stopped in the kitchen prior to service. I will say that the buffet selections on the Millennium are more limited than on the newer ships. 2) The service - whether in the buffet or the MDR was by far better on Celebrity. We had four people working our table and they anticipated every need. you could have. I could see no reason to even head to specialty dining. The Royal staff was well trained but less experienced and brought up the employee survey nearly every day. 3) I was very disappointed with the entertainment on the Liberty of the Seas as the big screen was NOT working and there were no Broadway style shows like we hear all the time on your vlog. A lot of the acts were brought in or kind of slapped together as the entertainment staff was at half staffed in May 2022. The Millennium was a lot better in terms of the entertainment but I must admit that the sound and lighting in the main theatre was of lower grade than my high school. Seriously. 4) On embarkation in Fort Lauderdale, we got in 90 minutes early so we sat out on a bench. One of the ships staff saw us sitting and invited us to board immediately. From the time we left the bench and entered the terminal, we were in our room in less than 15 minutes. The staff was so welcoming and made us really feel like honored guests.

[@kevinleach7799]

A little late here, but, we are D+ on Royal Caribbean, but now prefer Celebrity. One thing that would make Celebrity even better though is if they did the drink vouchers for C&A like Royal does. But as far as the lack of bar service on Celebrity, I kind of prefer that. If I want a drink, I'll go get one. I will take that over constantly having people coming by and asking if I want anything from the bar. And you are correct about the canapes. They are pointless, and not very good. Other things we like about Celebrity: *On our last few Celebrity cruises, no one was trying to take our picture when we boarded the ship, when we got off the ship, or in the dining room. *There aren't announcements every hour or so, It's usually one announcement per day *You don't have to check out and check in pool towels *The general atmosphere is just more relaxed

[@TheMaxRebo]

We have a Family Infinite Veranda booked for Icon in February, so I am interested to see how we like it (or not) - we did book that class more for the bed situation (family of 5 people) and this just came along with it - it if makes it just like a larger ocean view with the extra beds, I think we will be ok with is, but shall see. Thanks for the perspective on things - especially the always included, lots of great points

[@untamedopinion9263]

Love Celebrity and we sail on them all the time but the one thing I wish they would add is do what Royal did and add the drink vouchers for the Elite Members and up.

[@justwatching190]

I'm plan to be on the Soltice next summer after being loyal to Royal for years. Looking forward to it.

[@joeo7693]

Celebrity is an upscale cruise compared to RCL, part of that is it is more relaxed. We cruise to relax, so we don’t use most of the RCL activities.

[@rovermiles1]

3:43 - I love the canapés poking 😂

[@RoyalCaribbeanCruiseChronicles]

Celebrity is a different animal. It’s a step above in many areas. It’s got it’s target audience ❤❤❤

[@billybob7088]

I will be switching to Celebrity next year as the prices for most sailings are cheaper than anything on Icon or Wonder. The food is better and it is a more chill sailing.

[@medic5emt]

In September Equinox had lots of evening entertainment, music, and late activities.

[@nfareview]

Just booked the two story Villa for our 40th bday celebration on Beyond. Stoked!

[@ronaldfish1569]

I love both cruise lines. All-time favorite is royal Caribbean and NCL.

[@matthewgrengs6920]

Spot on! Sailed on APEX last April. One and done with Celebrity. Loyal to Royal!

[@greggoggins7378]

Very much recommend upgrading from the always included WiFi to premium pre cruise by calling in. For a 7 night cruise in July I paid $68 to upgrade with discounts. Upgrading the beverage package to premium pre cruise using your captains club benefits is also a huge savings as well.

[@michelleluvbeachsunsets4529]

I love that you have provided such an honest review. Most other vloggers sugar coat everything and won’t say anything negative so they can keep getting free trips with a particular cruise line. Thank you!

[@TheRiverPirate13]

Your feedback on your Celebrity cruise helps! Our neighbors who are in their 60's had diamond status on RCCL but then started taking Celebrity cruises. I asked them why and they said they like the slower pace on Celebrity cruise ships. They said there were fewer children onboard as the ship has no water slides etc. We do plan to take a Celebrity cruise now that they sail out of Port Canaveral, but it may be just a short itinerary just to try them out first. I do absolutely love the look of the Edge class ships!

[@kathydykstra4113]

Just got off Explorer of the Seas on Dec 8th. I’ve sailed her twice previously, and while I missed one show, I guess the best one, I was sad that the entertainment, other than Elvis and the ice show, were less than what I had remembered. There wasn’t anything equivalent to a major production unless I missed it that one night. We did have fun. There were 13 from my family and one friend. I have 4 kids, 2 with Down syndrome. We received EXCELLENT service and everyone was wonderful. My 26 year old daughter had a blast dancing the late nights away in Dizzy’s. I’m in a power wheelchair. Sadly my battery charger died the first night of the cruise. It made an impact on what I could do onboard and definitely limited time off the ship, but we still had an AMAZING time! I wish finances were such that we could sail more often. It had been 13 years since our last family cruise. We were 6 back then. The ship was older, but honestly none the worse for the years. Thanks for sharing all of your info Matt! It’s much appreciated! Hoping to be able to save enough to sail again soon. If only the costs would stop climbing! But it still is an amazing value for the money if you can afford to go. 😉🥰🤗

[@bigdchiefs2000]

Really enjoyed your view on Celebrity. I think a lot of people thinking of trying them should watch this video. Seems like it is more for the retired crowd that is in there 60's and up that want to lay back and releax.

[@LennyinFlorida]

This was helpful. Thanks

[@DavidPearl23]

I’ve only done one celebrity cruise but I really really enjoyed it. It was on celebrity edge. It was in 2021 and I had a fantastic time. I would definitely not hesitate to go on another celebrity cruise.

[@EvangelismforGod]

I did my first one on the edge in 2021 as well. Just got back last month from selling on the beyond. we booked with Celebrity for a third time for 2025 when the new ship Excel launches.

[@samquinn6427]

We loved out Christmas cruise on Apex last year. We had an Aqua Class cabin so access to Blu restaurant and the Thermal Spa which beats out the RC Spa and main dinning room. We did Wonder of Sea this past May and actually liked Apex better. Not sure if you had a chance to check out Blu or the Thermal Spa but they should be included in any Blog showing Edge class ships. If one is sailing with children then RC is the was to go, but if not, Celebrity Edge class ships are more relaxing.

[@heliman29]

I totally KNEW IT...!!! Thank you Matt! When we booked Icon a year ago we skipped the infinite veranda thing because logic told me I'd be sweating to death. Thank you for the confirmation. Why they wouldn't add some little doors or a slider makes no sense...

[@philhorvath1347]

Try the Retreat on any Celebrity Ship and I think you will change your mind. You will pay more but I would bet you will have a different impression. Retreat Lounge Drinks Daily form 10-10, Laminae is excellent, and Retreat area (Pools, Jacozines, and Super Bar Service.

[@shamajack1]

I agree with everything you said! However, I usually book based on the itinerary and price, so we end up on Celebrity more often than we prefer.

[@georgelafleur7887]

We are Diamond plus with Royal , and we occasionally cruise with Celebrity. We like it, as a nice change.

[@Ant_White]

Matt, great review and for the most part I agree with your findings. I do question your comment about the availability of drinks waiters on Royal v Celebrity. Since the restart we always struggled to find roaming bar staff on either. There are some staff, but they are not that available due to their limited numbers. Celebrity reminds me so much of Royal Caribbean back 20 plus years ago. Royal was a far more premium and traditional cruise product than we all see now. But in fairness it didn’t have the range entertainment or amenities we take for granted on more modern Royal ships either. Since Royal acquired Celebrity I have seen the shift with Royal being position more as a family cruise line to compete with the likes of Carnival. Celebrity has been kept as a more premium product, and while very contemporary, I think it caters more for the traditional cruiser in my opinion. One thing I would say is that I’d probably cruise with Celebrity more if Royal & Celebrity shared a common program. I fully agree that Royals C&A program is probably the best out there. Keep up the great work.

[@Driver2616]

Having cruised numerous times on Celebrity Millennium class ships and Solstice class ships, as well as once on Anthem of the seas by Royal Caribbean and Enchanted Princess by Princess Cruises, my favourite is Celebrity. It definitely is a step up in class. That is not to say that I don’t like the others because I do. In fact I’m doing a 14 night cruise next month on Diamond Princess. But I will always return to Celebrity…

[@richscary]

You lost me when you said that there wasn't anything like a Schooner Bar to close out the night. No Schooner - No Thank you! LOL

[@RoyalCaribbeanBlog]

lol!

[@jodirenaud7917]

Me too.

[@ashleys4652]

Way to have an open mind!😂

[@richscary]

@@ashleys4652 I had an open mind till about 11 minutes into the video. That has to count for something! 🤣🤣🤣

[@iloveowls90]

could be different in other celebrity ships

[@rickinnes]

Ours kids went through all the different levels in the youth groups with RCL. Now they’re adults , my wife and I naturally transitioned to Celebrity. We find it much more enjoyable. If we have a family cruise 🚢 than it’s got to be Oasis class.

[@cruisingwithkristen]

I did just the opposite: my very first cruise was on the very first Celebrity cruise ship....the SS Meridian. My first Royal cruise wasn't until 6 years later (I did go on Carnival, Premiere, and Princess Cruise Line before trying Royal). I like both and do at least one cruise a year on either Royal or Celebrity. Royal is reserved mainly for our family cruises, while Celebrity is used mainly for our Adults Only cruise. Don't get me wrong, we love both and will gladly do either one.

[@wondrafuladventures]

I dont have a high status and I am an in bed by 10 person anyway so I loved my Celebrity experience. Would still like to go on some Royal ships, but the costs are way to high right now. I can go on NCL for a similar experience with a full drinks package for less money. Happy you were able to try something new.

[@shaloskyj6898]

I've definitely considered celebrity for an Alaskan cruise mainly because of the infinate veranda

[@btab5332]

We prefer Celebrity over RCI. We sailed on the Oasis in June and other than Central Park it was much to crowded and noisy. we would take an Edge class ship over an Oasis class any day of the week.We sailed on the Beyond last October/November and I know a lot of people complained about the Infinite Balcony but we loved it. Maybe it was because we don't keep the AC low but our windows and mirrors never forged up and we had it open all the time. And we went to Bermuda and the ABC's so it was plenty humid.

[@gregorabbott8542]

Hi, we are planning on doing the ABC's this coming october on the beyond for my father in laws 80th. Is the humidity/ heat oppresive at this time of year? We went to the Caribbean last January, and even though it was warm, it wasn't humid. Thanks.

[@rdangrgamez4647]

I'll stick with RC Ships new and food seems better. However, I think we would have more fun on RC🎉

[@kated2847]

This is why I changed from a concierge infinity balcony to a sunset veranda on celebrity ascent.

[@davewendell8371]

I've been on 2 Celebrity cruises, and my only complaint was (like Matt's) the bar service. I experienced the same lack of waiters, but more frustrating to me was the fact that almost every bar on both ships was closed around 10PM. When I asked about this I was told by a bar manager that the barkeeps on Celebrity have the authority to close the bar if they feel like there aren't enough customers to make it worth their time to stay open.

[@PatsyMellen]

First time ever going on another cruise lines this March. We’re doing a cruise to Hawaii on Emerald Princess.

[@melvinjacobs2328]

We're Diamond on Royal, but after trying Celebrity, we were hooked. Started with the Equinox, then the Beyond, and am booked on the Ascent.

[@EvangelismforGod]

Lol, me too!

[@philipschmidt1801]

I have been on both Celebrity and Royal, but will choose Celebrity every time. I understand there are more activities on Royal, but I don’t need them. I love the food, service and upscale vibe of Celebrity. I still like Royal, we’re going to the Greek isles in October on Royal! Cheers everyone!

[@barrettpickett5603]

I just booked the room you are talking about on this ship. And doing Puerto Rico. I think I will love the room. Looking at one area a jungle area might not like. I couldn't afford the aqua class. Way to expensive. But so wanted it. The restaurant looked amazing. And won't get such an amazing experience with the spa. But seems so much layed back and less people. I so love royal Caribbean but you almost need a vacation on how big the boat is. They even go hey if you do three nights do four night back to back. The celebrity reminds me from the videos of a love boat. And the food sounds very good. Royal is trying to push the specialty dining.

[@RickMastalka]

We were on back to back sailings on Apex in Europe this past September and the wifi was amazing! Maybe Starlink has different coverage there? Was surprised to hear your comment on how average it was. We also were on a Celebrity ship in South American earlier this year and the Starlink coverage was subpar.

[@steveknerr7588]

I agree about the basic, everything included wifi. Useless! Even for kids! However, upgrading is not as expensive as it appears. If you call, you can upgrade. If you are Elite status (diamond or above in Crown & anchor) they discount the upgrade to about $10 per day. During the Black Friday sale, upgrades were $3.99 per day regardless of status. Other than that, you can expect all add on from drinks to excursions to be noticeably higher on Celebrity.

[@carsonyoung9965]

Did Celebrity for Alaska in 2019. Smaller ship, nicer amenities. Not as much for our kids to enjoy. But it was a great experience

[@susanlieberman9012]

We were on the Apex in March. I fully expected not to like it based upon my last celebrity experience on the reflection. On the reflection I was bored. There was nothing to do and the entertainment/food was subpar. We had a really good time on the Apex and have been looking at other celebrity ships specifically in the edge class. I still like Royal better in many ways specifically the entertainment and activities. I agree that their loyalty program is severely lacking. The food on the Apex in the dinning room is so much better than Royal because Royal changed their menu. The buffet I agree was the best I have had and I do like the windjammer. I liked that they still had favorites on the menu every night and they were flexible. We were on the Wonder in May and I was so disappointed in the MDR food and they were not able to be as flexible. Royal- bring back the old menus!!!

[@nickmontroy8262]

I was on the harmony of the seas docked next to your celebrity ship at Cozumel about 10 days ago 😂

[@jodirenaud7917]

I was thinking about taking a celebrity cruise because I am a foodie and I hear the food is better. Though I did enjoy my last royal Caribbean cruise I found there was nothing to do except go to the schooner bar- which I did every night. If there is no piano bar on celebrity I will have absolutely nothing to do. I did miss the paninis- which royal had a long time ago. And the food does look elevated on this video.. I don't know what to do. The perks of free drinks is 👍- I would miss that....

[@joeo7693]

I am D+ on RCL. I have cruised on Epic and Equinox and agree, if you’re a foodie, Celebrity is way better than RCL.

[@geovanisjorge1014]

I took your same exact cruise last year and almost canceled my Panama Canal cruise this year with Celebrity. The only thing stopping me from canceling is the destinations. With that being said, give Virgin Voyages a celebrity edge class ship and watch out that would be perfect. At night not many options on what to do and even TV options were poor so biggest take away was not much to do in the form of entertainment or activities. The Eden area we found wasted space and I could be wrong but I don’t think you even mentioned that area

[@nickvakil6008]

11 of my 13 cruises have been on Royal & Celebrity. Always felt they belonged to the same family. I call Celebrity - Royal+

[@chinadollfmd]

I am a Diamond class for Royal, we decided to go back to Celebrity on our 30th anniversary because that was our Honeymoon cruise. I was surprised how much I enjoyed it and we have been sailing Celebrity ever since. I am not interested in the flowrider, iFly, zip lining so I am not missing the crowds and screaming kids that I experience in the past.

[@CruisingwithWarrenSea]

Hey Matt, I'm not sure how to feel after this very honest and detailed review lol. I have an upcoming cruise on the Celebrity Beyond in October of 2024, and I am very eager to experience my first sailing on a Celebrity Edge Ship. Being loyal to Royal Cruiser I can relate to everything you shared and believe my experience may not be much different from yours. See you soon.

[@RoyalCaribbeanBlog]

I hope you have a great time. It’s different, but we still had fun

[@LovetheLordPsalms]

My husband and I sailed celebrity for our honeymoon and loved it! It we didn’t have young kids, we’d choose Celebrity any day. We like the slower laid back feel. The quiet and upscale ambiance. We just felt fancy ☺️

[@christineshields1714]

We have almost exclusively cruised on RC primarily because we live within close proximity to Galveston. Although things are changing, until recently our choices were pretty much limit to RC or Carnival. Everyone has a cruising style. When it comes to cruise lines and cruise ships there isn't a one-size-fits-all cruise experience. There really is something for everyone. I do think it is important to step outside your comfort zone from time to time. You might find yourself pleasantly surprised.

[@jlawrence0181]

You might want to try the Regal Princess. We just got off a cruise to the Western Caribbean and the service was very good.

[@christineshields1714]

@@jlawrence0181 We definitely would like to.

[@donmartin986]

Not sure if this is appropriate here! But my advice to everyone is play the field. Try every line sailing and go for price and itinerary. Each line is different and you'll enjoy them all in different ways. But, having always practiced that, Celebrity is still our favorite. Our first Celebrity cruise was 1992 on the Meridian. NY to Bermuda. Anyone remember the Meridian?

[@jlawrence0181]

@@donmartin986 Our first seven cruises were on seven different cruiselines. The next three cruises will be on HAL and Celebrity which we have cruised before. Each cruise line has positives and negatives. Some suit us better than others. Only two - NCL and Costa - will we not cruise again.

[@GRC205]

I'm with you. We sailed Apex..my wife loved it, I prefer Royal.

[@familyocean]

I prefer Celebrity over Royal because it's more my pace. We board Apex this weekend and am a bit concerned about the bar service. You are not the only one to mention the lack of bar service on Apex.

[@michelleb749]

Please come back and let us how it goes.

[@larryheystek4166]

Thanks for the video. Sailed RC Oasis Class last few times. Great ships. However, being in our 70s all the great things to do just don't interest us anymore. Sailing on the Celebrity Beyond in April 2025. Think this will be a bit better for us. Keep up the good work!😊

[@michelleperry7774]

I love Celebrity & will book them as much as I can in the future. I mainly cruise (with my mom) to visit the ports, relax in my room, & eat the foods:-) The wifi was amazing & the staff is soo attentive, & ship is designed beautifully. I don’t care much about alcohol & entertainment. I don’t even pack a swimsuit lol. I don’t like to socialize lol. Guess I’m different than most cruisers🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

[@carlalyles]

You sure are, lol !

[@michellebland1088]

I am similar. I think I will try celebrity. I think I will like it. I just got off royal and it was okay but not my favorite.

[@jodura3363]

Hmmm…wonder if that was due to ship. I was just on Beyond there was live music until 1145 most nights. Agree the WiFi is expensive. I always upgrade the drinks package. I do the “always included” as we always have a drinks package. I think no bar service when sitting is not the norm. Haven’t sailed on Apex as yet

[@DileepB]

you should try the older smaller ships for more attentive service.

[@jimerin3533]

We did our first Celebrity after 12 Princess cruises this fall. I can't say I agree it was any better - not worse - just not better.

[@floridaman2214]

We had such a bad experience with our Celebrity Beyond infinite veranda that as soon as we got home, I called Royal Caribbean and moved my April 2025 Icon of the Seas reservation from an infinite veranda to a traditional balcony stateroom. Actually costs me money because the demand has gone up but not we're doing another cruise with that veranda concept.

[@diannebrideson2368]

Booked my first Celebrity cruise in 2025 on the Reflection. Have always booked Royal Caribbean but got a better deal. Looking forward to it!

[@billybob7088]

Classics look like they coming back to Royal on sailings next week

[@helenacohen11]

I love both but personally think celebrity is level up, personal service and less zoo By the way, classic package gives u nothing BUT premium 👍👍👍

[@dchenkin02]

I have had friends sail on both mass market and premium lines owned by other corporations. The similarities are comparable; Carnival is much more energetic and offers more activities while Princess is similar to Celebrity in being a more premium experience with a slower pace and less activities.

[@woodsofthewoods]

That Concierge veranda is just an oceanview. That room looked depressing.😂 so called infinity is no veranda. Just a big window with Verandah prices.😢