Changing to Celebrity

We've cruised Celebrity once and Princess twice (and other
half-dozen lines). I definitely didn't like Celebrity for
the entertainment, and i felt they nickle and dime the same
as everyone else.

However they were the only ones doing the Panama Canal over
the holidays, so we're doing them again. I hope the ship
will be more lively than 2001 Mercury in Alaska was and that
at least SOME of the entertainment isn't aimed at the
AARP-folks...
--
Asya Kamsky

"To forgive is an act of compassion. It is not done because
people deserve it, it's done because they need it." -- Rupert Giles.

Right on, Charles! Our thinking about cruises is very very similar.

Eileen

Charles wrote:
In article , OcnGypZ
wrote:


Celebrity's problem-solving skills.. and customer service department, I would
rate below Princess.


I agree with you there.


And those upgrades many people enjoy from Princess... forget about that on
Celebrity.. unless you book a minimum guarantee.


Most of the Princess upgrades are cosmetic. But sometimes you can score
a good one. Forget it on Celebrity.


Entertainment is definitely better on Princess is that is what you like.


Enternainment was much better on Island Princess last week than my last
three Celebrity cruise.


On the M-class ships.. there is not enough outdoor deck space for the number
of
pax the ship carries. I don't care for the ship design...I much prefer the
Century class vessels.. and Horizon and Zenith.


Island Princess has the best outdoor deck space I can remember on any
ship. Celebrity has more interesting ships. Been on one Princess ship
been on most of them. Island Princess has the smallest showers I have
ever seen. Celebrity has better staterooms.

Honestly I don't get this thing that some people have of using only one
cruise line. I do understand having a favorite cruise line. How do you
find a favorite if you don't try some of the others? Also time does not
stand still for me or the cruise lines. They make changes and what I
desire on a cruise changes even in the same year. Sometimes I want
something laid back, other times I desire something with more energy.
For my last cruise I definitly needed a break from the 6 dress up
nights they had on the 11 night Celebrity cruise I took in April and
did not even consider a Celebrity booking. Princess had 2 out of 10
which I thought was perfect.

One thing to consider is how flexible, or un-flexible you are. Princess is
all about choice... when and with whom you want to dine, what show to see
each evening, 24 hour dining, 24 hour freshwater pools, etc. Celebrity is
all about tradition. Strict first and second seating times. Strict buffet
times. One show after dinner. Pools that close at dusk. They run a tight
ship and are certainly less flexible then Princess.

Brenda, I think Ernie has explained the exact difference between
Princess and Celebrity. To me, these two cruise lines are as
different as night and day. For me, cruising on Princess is warm and
relaxing, whereas Celebrity is cold and rigid. I felt like I was
attending a convention.

Celebrity is a great cruise line for some people, they are just not
for me. As far as the nickle and diming, I find that on every cruise
line.

Have you tried HAL? NCL?

Becca -----has enjoyed every cruise, some more than others...

GGC http://www.ggc2004.com/
Norwegian Dawn http://www.cruisemaster.com/dawn.htm
Sleazy3 http://www.cruisemaster.com/sleazy3.htm
MOAGC http://www.motherofallgroupcruises.com/

Finally I like the food on Princess better than on
Celebrity

John, I thought the lunch buffet on Celebrity was pitiful, but their
breakfast buffet was very good. The food in the dining room on
Celebrity was also good. They keep telling us that Celebrity food is
"gourmet", but IMO it is not as good as the food on Carnival.

What I like the most on a cruise, is not the food, it is the
entertainment. Celebrity is not known for having the best
entertainment. I hear the same thing about HAL's entertainment, this
is why I have not cruise on them, but I am sure they offer a wonderful
cruise.

Becca -----likes the entertainment on NCL...

GGC http://www.ggc2004.com/
Norwegian Dawn http://www.cruisemaster.com/dawn.htm
Sleazy3 http://www.cruisemaster.com/sleazy3.htm
MOAGC http://www.motherofallgroupcruises.com/

Subject: Changing to Celebrity

However they were the only ones doing the Panama Canal over
the holidays, so we're doing them again. I hope the ship
will be more lively than 2001 Mercury in Alaska was and that
at least SOME of the entertainment isn't aimed at the
AARP-folks...

Oh boy....... good luck!!! I head for the casino after dinner to stay awake!!

Babette

I just returned from CORAL PRINCESS a week or so ago to the Panama Canal.
It was DEAD, DEAD, DEAD! It really didn't matter what Princess scheduled
for nighttime activities, none of them were attended and the ship was a
literal ghost town after 11pm.... even 10pm! One night we stayed up
drinking by the pool (at least found a couple party buddies) and around
4:30am the ship came alive! It was rather scary actually. Lot's of people
mulling around the deck looking for food. We were still in our tuxes and
figured it was time to pack it up.

I think there is only one cruise that attracts older passengers than Alaska,
and that is the Panama Canal! As Babette stated, "good luck", you will need
it if you want any nightlife.

In this regard, Princess is absolutely no different then Celebrity.

Ernie




Subject: Changing to Celebrity

However they were the only ones doing the Panama Canal over
the holidays, so we're doing them again. I hope the ship
will be more lively than 2001 Mercury in Alaska was and that
at least SOME of the entertainment isn't aimed at the
AARP-folks...

In article ,
E.k.R. wrote:
I just returned from CORAL PRINCESS a week or so ago to the Panama Canal.
It was DEAD, DEAD, DEAD! It really didn't matter what Princess scheduled
for nighttime activities, none of them were attended and the ship was a
literal ghost town after 11pm.... even 10pm! One night we stayed up
drinking by the pool (at least found a couple party buddies) and around
4:30am the ship came alive! It was rather scary actually. Lot's of people
mulling around the deck looking for food. We were still in our tuxes and
figured it was time to pack it up.

Sounds like some of our cruises...

I think there is only one cruise that attracts older passengers than Alaska,
and that is the Panama Canal! As Babette stated, "good luck", you will need
it if you want any nightlife.

We're going over the holidays so I hope there'll be a few more
"young'uns" (and I don't mean kids).

In this regard, Princess is absolutely no different then Celebrity.

They are different in that

a) they schedule more comedy-type shows which I like better than
the alternatives
b) their trivia includes questions about 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's.
When we sailed Celebrity it seemed the questions were all about
stuff from the 30's, 40's and 50's.


--
Asya Kamsky

"To forgive is an act of compassion. It is not done because
people deserve it, it's done because they need it." -- Rupert Giles.

My point is that Princess can *schedule* all the activities they want. If
no one shows up (which was the case on CORAL PRINCESS) then why bother? Of
course the daytime activities were well attended, but at night, forget it!

It was like being on Holland America all over again! Sorry HAL fans, but I
have taken four HAL cruises and each one was deader then the next at night.
No more HAL for me.

As for trivia questions.... it's not something that would make me choose one
cruise line over another.

Ernie




"Asya Kamsky" wrote in message
They are different in that

a) they schedule more comedy-type shows which I like better than
the alternatives
b) their trivia includes questions about 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's.
When we sailed Celebrity it seemed the questions were all about
stuff from the 30's, 40's and 50's.


--
Asya Kamsky

You want lively, Asya; take shorter itineraries. You want longer; do
them back to back.

Howard

Asya Kamsky wrote:

We've cruised Celebrity once and Princess twice (and other
half-dozen lines). I definitely didn't like Celebrity for
the entertainment, and i felt they nickle and dime the same
as everyone else.

However they were the only ones doing the Panama Canal over
the holidays, so we're doing them again. I hope the ship
will be more lively than 2001 Mercury in Alaska was and that
at least SOME of the entertainment isn't aimed at the
AARP-folks...
--
Asya Kamsky

"To forgive is an act of compassion. It is not done because
people deserve it, it's done because they need it." -- Rupert Giles.

E.k.R. wrote:

I just returned from CORAL PRINCESS a week or so ago to the Panama Canal.
It was DEAD, DEAD, DEAD! It really didn't matter what Princess scheduled
for nighttime activities, none of them were attended and the ship was a
literal ghost town after 11pm.... even 10pm! One night we stayed up
drinking by the pool (at least found a couple party buddies) and around
4:30am the ship came alive! It was rather scary actually. Lot's of people
mulling around the deck looking for food. We were still in our tuxes and
figured it was time to pack it up.

I think there is only one cruise that attracts older passengers than Alaska,
and that is the Panama Canal! As Babette stated, "good luck", you will need
it if you want any nightlife.

In this regard, Princess is absolutely no different then Celebrity.

Ernie


Actually, Ernie, there are always some younger and living older people
to be found, even on canal cruises. My first canal cruise was 16 days
on the Galaxy. Eileen and I hooked up with some very cool people from
Mexico and England (both older and younger than us). And, we danced
from 10:00 PM to 2:00 AM every single night. Sometimes you just have to
instruct others in how to have a party. I'd rather not, but if I'm
desperate enough, teaching is my profession.

Last February, we did 15 nights from Miami to San Francisco on the
Mercury. I didn't get to bed before 2:00 AM on even one single night.
And I didn't have to do any teaching.

Howard