I started cruising in my early 20's (40 years ago), and I have followed and experienced the progression of the cruising experience. I don't like the crazy party atmosphere of Carnival, nor do I feel comfortable with the vastness of the huge Royal Carribean ships. I've been on Celebrity ships 3 times, and I like the quiet, perhaps mature atmosphere. I guess I look for something different from cruising like sunny days on deck, good food (I've always enjoyed my meals on Celebrity), and a little dancing in the evening. I really miss the formal dining and dress, so I suppose that makes me old. Anyway, I think it's a great cruise line, and I get what I pay for.
A little dancing in the evening. I think the Solstice is a good ship for that but the previous Century ships and Horizon ships were better for that. HAL is better for that too. But Solstice class ships are quite excellent as Celebrity ships. I think the Edge class are horrible in terms of social spaces and I hope that's not the new direction Celebrity goes in. Celebrity's food is variable. Sometimes it is how it should be, other times it's kind of middling standard cruise food which seems to be the case on this featured sailing.
I agree that Concierge is worthless and not worth the added cost. 21:39 However I believe your review isn’t fair or complete. You only took a 4 day sailing which doesn’t reflect the entire experience. I’ve sailed on Celebrity many times and have loved the experience. I’ve sailed on Carnival, Royal Caribbean and NCL and found my best experience on Celebrity. I wouldn’t put much into this guys review. JMO. Peace ✌️.
I disagree that this doesn’t reflect the experience. It’s a 4 night sailing that celebrity offers. This experience is the same that any cruiser could expect and as such is fair. It would be different if we booked a 7 night and celebrity cut us short. The entire experience is what we got. Everyone is different in what they enjoy especially on cruises. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Ditto----- go on a 15 nt cruise and take time to enjoy ports and the music and all the ships lovely spaces and venues----- it's not a party ship, thank God!
I agree with most of what you were saying. I sailed on the Eclipse in June 30th 2024. They didn't have many activities. I sailed last year on the Oasis of the Seas.. I Love the fact that we were in Bermuda for 3 days. The food in the dinning area could've definitely been better. The buffet and master grill.was the best. They call these ships the old people ship. It had a lot of OLDER PEOPLE.
OK, I've sailed Century class and Millennium class ships and have been aboard the Horizon class ships many many times as I have a friend of the line that would go on them whenever they docked in New York CIty. What I love about them is their style. People often state "beautiful" ship but that doesn't describe the style and content and how you can tell a HAL from a Princess from a Cunard from a Celebrity ship inside. Celebrity's style from Horizon and especially Century class ships to Solstice, is retro-modern. If you look at the Solstice, particularly the Martini Bar area and the dining room and the Murano and Ensemble lounge, they're evocative of 1920-s to 1960's swanky restaurants and supper clubs and jazz clubs and inspired by art deco. That's the Celebrity style (and missing from a lot of the Edge ships, unfortunately). So, they provide a perfect platform for ambiance in those areas. The other stuff, the spas and deck areas are more standard modern cruise. Celebrity also had very modern and provocative art and that started with the Horizon ships and was elevated with the Century ships. The Century ships were great ships and unlike most sister ships, were different inside significantly from one another where most of the Millennium, Solstice and Edge class are the same interior with a few subtle changes. Service style was mostly laid back yet attentitve on Celebrity as well. There are the hokey cruise crap like the photo galleries and Park West and such and even sometimes waiters unfortunately ask for high ratings, but there is less pushing for drinks than other lines. And Celebrity used to pay attention to food presentation in the MDRs. I like a lounge ship. I like the lounge life. Less and less lounges are being part of cruise life and more and more restaurants, specialty restaurants are replacing them. While that's great for foodies, it's not great for people who just want to socialize or dance to different types of music in different settings AFTER they dine. I think that's something unfortunate in the cruise industry, this move toward specialty restaurants everywhere (something else I don't like about the Edge class). So, Celebrity, like HAL, main focus was enjoying your favorite spot in your favorite lounge in the evening or doing a show or just relaxing somewhere. There are also quiet areas and I think Celebrity should be careful about music played in the foyer because, as you said, it will disturb the quiet library with views and the Hideaway area, with views. So, as far as ship design and Celebrity content goes, things must change and evolve. And you can do it in a way that stays consistent to your brand or make radical changes. And they're now at a point where they are alienating their loyal clientele, at least some of them, with the Edge ships. I'm really almost disgusted that the Beyond has the Luminaie (sp?) restaurant where the Sky Lounge used to be. It's a truly stylish, swank, upscale restaurant with forward views of the ocean for Retreat passengers rather than a lounge opened up to all passengers. So Edge can have all the restaurants they offer, fine. They can have some suite perks. They need to think about Eden and its appeal and why such a large ship has no swanky lounge whatsoever and no observation lounge The Martini Bar is not as nice s the one on the Solstice class in terms of intimacy and style and placement IMO. That's a signature social area. The Club is a two-level nightclub, but it isn't a swanky lounge. It's not a bad spot and there is dancing available but lacks windows. Eden is not a lounge. It's part of a very open space that feels like a part of a hotel resort spot that's plant themed with glass views. I think the Edge class is an imposter Celebrity experience. It's let's take NCL Haven style and put it in Celebrity and have Celebrity style service and food on a less distinctive Celebrity physical ship with deleted signature Celebrity spaces. So, for me, it's Solstice or the good but not great Millennium class. The Millie class was built on an RCL hull and it shows in terms of its flow and content. Still, it's an authentic Celebrity experience. I don't think you're a Celebrity type of cruiser and that's fine. You don't sound like a Cunard or HAL type either. But HAL actually has more activities in the evenings than Celebrity. So, maybe that's your premium experience? Or Princess. Maybe not force Celebrity as your ship but maybe your wife likes it better? Celebrity can and does do better with food and presentation so your cruise probably wasn't representative of their product. I think Celebrity is quite premium when the ingredients fall together and the passengers onboard are geared toward the cruise line. But, I don't like the direction of Edge overall. I'd keep the MDRs, the four of them but I don't like Eden and think the Edge are more trendy than substantial. They'll have their own fans but if this is the new Celebrity, then a lot of people will miss out on what made the line so distinctive.
I typically sail Concierge class. I find having the higher ship locations, champagne on request, canapés, priority embarkation, and embarkation lunch to be the main pluses of it. Though not mentioned I have used the shoe shine, umbrella, binoculars (they are junk but handy). One key thing not mentioned, was the extra points towards their status so if you were seeking elevated status, faster, Concierge and Aqua class help with that without going all the way to a suite. It is worth the extra $, that really depends but we have found it nice. Concierge On Celebrity vs Disney Concierge are very different and I 100% can see why Disney’s Concierge is better over all, but when I have looked it seemed to be a much larger markup on a normal room vs the markup on Celebrity. Negatives recently is the pillow menu is now on request vs provided and you use to be able to ask for red or white wine. That now has to be done at Guest Services as they change your preference and that is what you would get for the rest of the sailing.
Great review guys! I definitely don’t think we’d do concierge and totally agree we’d save that money for something else to plus up the cruise in some way.
Appreciate your comments. I am not a fan of the activities such as those found on Royal Caribbean. I like a quieter cruise with less children - probably because I am older than you are and value peace and quiet. Oceania is my favorite cruise line, but Celebrity is my number two choice. I like Celebrity's ship decor and I find the food very good. Most of all I am into the shore excursions. Thanks.
Its funny because we always loved Disney, but after we did our cruise on the Wish it was so chaotic, that we have a greater appreciation for those quieter and more calm cruises!
I don't think it is about age necessarily. I think it's preference. I cruised HAL and Celebrity in my 30s and 40s and preferred and preferred quieter. Some people like activities, others more quiet. Some come to like quiet but there are "younger" people (say 30-50) who like a quieter ambiance. btw, I like RCL for like a group cruise. It can be fun and a bit campy in some ways but there are quiet areas of most of their ships. But Celebrity is more overall calmer.
Josh, you kind of made me want to cancel my cruise. The only thing you said was good was the buffet. I wish you would have shown more of the rest of the ship and not complained about almost everything.
I have sailed with Celebrity over 12 times. This review is not reflective of my experience. Food is excellent. And he totally missed that there is an Aqua class which gives you an additional main room dining room. Also there are many specialty restaurants on the Silhouette which are excellent. This review was not thorough. Look at review by Traveling Gamblers which is excellent. Also he has no knowledge of different classes of Celebrity ships. Edge class is totally different with 4 main dining rooms.
@@theresatraveler Thanks for your comment, as I mentioned at the beginning of the video, this was our first cruise with Celebrity, reflective of one ship, in the Solstice class, not Edge. So my review I feel, is very accurate for this SOLSTICE class ship, which had one main dining room. Im sure Celebrity would appreciate you standing up for them.
Having just come off Wonder of the Seas and having been on Apex before this and Eclipse a bit ago I have some thoughts that might help with the Celebrity vib. I found the two sailings that I was on Celebrity and the two sailings I have been on Royal to be very different. The ship that you sailed on is one of the key elements this is the last ship class before Celebrity decided to really turn up the lux. I love the Eclipse, a sister ship to the Silhouette, but the Edge class is a huge game changer when it comes to that elevated luxury feel. Spa: The spa on Eclipse was nice, but as you stated not wow. That changed on the Apex, based on what you stated I would seriously consider a sailing on Edge class and maybe even Aqua class if you can find the right deal. The difference between the Solstice class and Edge class spas are really something to behold I believe and I think it will check all of the boxes you mentioned. Food: The Edge class moving to four MDRs also really is a game changer. It makes it feel like you are doing specialty dining each night vs the one MDR on the Solstice class. Here is one area I think I disagree with you on, and that is MDR food quality. I found the Wonder’s food quality to be a noticeable step back in the MDR than Celebrity. The one huge watch out on the Apex is specially dinning late at night, just dont. The restaurants are open to the main multi story atrium and you can hear the martini bar party and it definitely distracts. The one thing we never had an issue with on Celebrity vs Wonder was running into closed restaurants, it drove us nuts this last sailing on Wonder, things where closed often when we wanted something. 150 Central Park was as good as anything on Celebrity I thought. Vib: The Edge class also has a much more modern luxury vib than the older Celebrity ships, even ones that went through a refit. It seemed to have a younger audience as well. The huge difference to me vib wise can be brought down to one word: kids. While Celebrity has a kids program it is not RCL and never should be thought of that. So this really changes the feel when you have maybe 300 kids vs 1200 as Wonder did on our last sailing (1600 on the next). So it is a more chill experience than the constant family energy of RCL. However I find I enjoyed many of the adult experiences (like silent disco, comedy, etc.) better on Celebrity. Ex: the silent disco on Wonder was 2 channels and a play list with no DJ, on the Apex it was 3 live DJs (Eclipse had 2 live DJs). For me, I cant see sailing RCL again unless it is a smaller ship with a itinerary that has fewer kids. I had a wonderful time on Wonder but it was far too busy and I just did not relax as much as I do on Celebrity. I also like the higher end alcohol and food of Celebrity. There was no money savings vs Celebrity as well from what we found. Though I will miss CoCoCay, I sure love that island. All in all I love the Eclipse, it was nearly a prefect ship for me, but getting on the Apex really showed me how much Celebrity upped their game when it came to feeling more refined and luxurious and more young professional than the two RCL ships I have been on. Based on your comments I really think the Edge class is what you two would be looking for vs the older classes.
Good review! We also found that Concierge didn't really seem like much of a value add. We have found that Aquaclass is a better fit for our cruising interests. You'll also find that the Edge-class is a different experience from Millennium or Solstice class - that said, we do like real balconies.
This was a good review. I agree with many of your points. I have sailed Celebrity many times (Solstice and Millennium Class), and recently have noticed some changes especially with the food in the MDR. The quality of the food has changed, and not for the better. I agree that aside from musicians there is a lack of activities during the cruise. Another thing I think they could improve is the timing of the game shows, because they are always during the late dining. I have also noticed on Celebrity that the sailaway party is not well attended, which is odd in comparision to other cruiselines I have been on. Overall I will still continue to cruise with Celebrity, but it is no longer my top pick. I find myself leading towards Princess as they have numerous activities and has a vibe that I enjoy on a cruise.
I agree with your review. Travelled a 4 night cruise a week ago on Silhouette in Concierge stateroom. Never new we could get Champagne daily . We never participated in Concierge activities because either we were at port or dining. MDR placed us at same table for dinner and it was back in a corner where we didn't see the beautiful decor. So we asked to be seated in a new location, which took convincing. Received uncooked, very rare steak for a medium steak two times in a row, where the butter didn't even melt on top. The manager embarrassed me by coming up to the table saying the cook would be reprimanded. Didn't sound like a good way to treat staff. There was a long, long wait to get to embark initially but expectations were high, so didn't really mind the extra 2 hour wait. But to disembark for an excursion to Blue Lagoon adult beach was sooo long that we had only 2 hours there before returning. Should have experienced at least 4-5 hours. No time to see rest of the island. The meal there itself took up an hour. The water in the creek felt like a puddle, only up to the mid calf. Would NOT go there again. PROs were the other activities on the ship. The shows were incredible. And the staff were always very kind. Would I go again? Yes, but not concierge and I wouldn't do an excursion that involved transport by water to another island.
Good review, but I’ve only cruised on their Edge class ships, so I wasn’t even aware that their older ships only had one main dining room available. Edge class has 4 unique ones plus’s the buffet.
The Edge ships are a different style of ship for Celebrity. It's not only the 4 MDRs but that Eden space and the deletion of a lot of familiar spaces you'll find on the previous classes of ships. Plus the decor style is different as well (less swanky in some ways, more resort hotel modern style). So those sailing on the Edge ships are getting an "Edge by Celebrity" experience opposed to the standard Celebrity style cruise.
Very fair assessment. If Celebrity is a foodie ship and doesn't deliver on that some of the time, then they need to get their act together. Just because there is an elevated level of presentation, service, food in the specialty restaurants means that the food that used to be special in the MDRs is brought down to average. So, hopefully Celebrity gets the food up to standard on all their ships. As for activities, Celebrity is like HAL and others in they at least used to be lounge ships. The entertainment is more toward going to a place where musicians are and socializing, dancing, etc. in a venue. But, more trivia and other types of activities would benefit the line. Sometimes it is just too quiet on their ships. I'm not sure you're a Celebrity type cruiser but maybe you'd like the Edge class better because they may be more active. As far as spas go, maybe the Edge is better there too. Maybe not. I think Celebrity shouldn't "rebrand." They should tweak and update their product, not try to become NCL. I don't like the Edge product much. I love the Solstice ship. You described the open area as an "atrium" but it is more a foyer with a small attached atrium. The difference is it is smaller and more like a home or smaller establishment than an atrium. They're similar but different in feel. A "happening" spot on the Solstice ship is the Martini Bar. And the Sky Lounge has a good amount of activity on much of their sailings. It's fair not to make any sweeping conclusions based on one sailing and will try at least one, and likely two more. Try an Edge ship and try the Millennium ship and that'll give you a bigger picture of what Celebrity offers. Thanks for your honest assessment of the Silhouette.
I don’t think you should be doing a relatively harsh review of a cruise line when your experience is one 4 night cruise. Also please if you are going to do video reviews look up pronunciation of words like “concierge.”
Totally disagree with you on this, sounds like you may be more stuck in your ways. If you feel a 4 night sailing on the Celebrity silhouette isn’t reflective of the brand then you should write to Celebrity and let them know that. Many other people we talked to were on this ship for the first time and had similar experiences to ours. As I stated in the video, it’s worth giving some a try more than once but many people aren’t like that so if this is their first time on celebrity and they don’t like it, well, Celebrity just lost a client. I agree that clearly Celebrity’s turning point in the industry is there Edge class ships which are very different from their older generations. They spend for more on marketing for edge than they do any other class and it shows.
@@travelwithjoshandtaylor Honestly, I think the Edge doesn't offer a better experience. It's different. It's less personal, less intimate, less distinctive Celebrity and I think a lot of the appeal is that it is a newer ship so it's more modern. I don't know if it'll stand the test of time the way other classes have. We'll see. But the classism on that ship is a turnoff as well s too many excellent deleted areas (Sky lounge, Hideaway, Ensemble Lounge, just lounges in general, secondary theater to name a few). It's a multi-restaurant, foyer activity ship (where different music merge together) and Eden is a big draw on the ship (multi level aft location with restaurant and interactive performers). But if you're not a fan of Eden, then what? Overall, Edge is not rated as high by pax as Solstice class ships. Hopefully Celebrity goes back to its personality with the ships that follow Edge and bring back Sky Lounge and more lounge life while keeping the 4 MDRs, an altered Eden that doesn't take up so much of the ship and more evocative, stylistic decor than the blander decor on the Edge ships.
I just came back from a cruise on the Silhouette (3-23-23). It was my first cruise so I have nothing to compare it to. We had concierge but only because they gave it to us; however I wouldn’t get it. I wish more restaurants were available besides the main dining room but we had a great waiter and asked for him each time. I wasn’t impressed with the Spa service mostly because they pushed me to buy something. I couldn’t shake her off so purchased it but decided to return it later. The best show was Vox Fortura and Euphoria but I admit there weren’t many shows. We did 11 nights so many excursions though 2 were cancelled by tour operators due to my mom and her walker. We asked the night before if there would be a problem and they said no but then we got canceled either because the walker didn’t fit on the bus or telling her it was too strenuous (she should know her capabilities). Other than than that, it was great. I probably won’t take Celebrity again so I can try other cruise lines.
Love the video! I’m actually taking a trip on the celebrity silhouette soon and I was wondering if you had bought the wifi, if so was it worth it? Thanks!
Hi! We did purchase the WiFi! It’s starlink, and we found the connection to be pretty good. Sometimes in the room (depending on your location from the routers) could be a little spotty or slow, but on the rest of the ship it was very quick.
I am a huge fan of Celebrity cruise line, but, I agree-I don't think the Concierge is worth the upcharge. We usually opt for a cheaper room option that includes the beverage package and other perks. I have sailed most of the major cruise lines-Celebrity continues to be my favorite. I think your review is fair though. Unlike some other cruise lines, free dining is limited on Celebrity. However, I will say, I am in love with the Edge class ships and found a more elevated dining experience overall (included dining venues)-check them out before you make a final decision on Celebrity. Enjoyed your video, as always!
Hi Tami! It seems like we need to do Edge series next and we will definitely look into doing that. Sounds like that’s the more “elevated” experience like you said. We can’t wait to give it another try soon! Thank you so much for your comment!
I enjoyed your review. We have done 30 cruises, 13 of these on Celebrity, and we have also cruised on many Royal and Norwegian cruises. Personally, I have found the main dining room food to be usually better than the other cruise lines. The first night can be iffy because of crew changes, and we've had some rare "duds", but usually very good food, well presented. We also like eating in the same dining room every night so our waiters and we get to know each other. (You can request the same waiter even when doing the any time / select dining option.) How many meals did you end up eating in the MDR? As you said yourself, you should always try things a few times before making a judgement. I was glad to hear you plan to try Celebrity again. You might like to try an Edge class ship next time. As for me, I prefer the Solstice class, but others really like the Edge class. I think those ships have more of an upscale feel that you may have felt you missed out on, and also have 4 (free) main dining rooms to choose from with different cuisine and ambiance. I agree that the Concierge upgrade isn't worth it unless you get a good deal on it. We've have done Concierge twice and getting a bottle of sparking wine every day must be new. It used to be just one bottle on the first day. It doesn't really matter to us anyway because we typically get the "all-included" rate when we book, which includes a drink package, and the free champagne you get is kinda cheap :-) We will be sailing on the Silhouette in May and looking forward to it.
Hi Susan! We had a great time overall and definitely will be sailing on a edge class ship in the future. We ate every night in the MDR except for the night we went to Muranos. The staff was really great at dinner and around the ship. We will probably go with the all inclusive package next time as well especially for a longer sailing. We rarely do less than 7 night sailings because we always feel it’s to short lol.
Comparing a Disney cruise to Celebrity is not really fair. Disney will be 30% higher than Celebrity Realistically NCL does not overall compete well with Celebrity.They have taken nickel and diming to a new level
Some people may have only been on Disney and had that to compare to. So while I agree its not a fair comparison its the responsibility of the cruise line to always deliver a top notch product.
Celebrity is not really a "premium" brand. I try to explain this to people. Celebrity focuses around a more relaxed vacation but other than a few nice touches around the ship..there is nothing "premium" about Celebrity and food options are severely limited. Activities are meant to be limited. If you want all the high energy stuff, Carnival or RCCL are family oriented,
Everyone has their opinion. In mine, definitely premium as compared to the mainstream lines like Carnival and Royal Caribbean. Not luxury, but definitely premium, especially if you are on an Edge class ship or one of the refurbished ships. And if you book The Retreat, there is no doubt it is premium.
I disagree. What is your idea of a premium line? Cunard? When Celebrity is right, they fit the standard definition of premium. It's between standard/mainstream and luxury or boutique. It's a mainstream mass market line but there is an upgrade in service style, food, crew to passenger ratio, ship furnishings and quieter ambiance.
Ain't no climbig wall or slides-the MDR depends on your tastes and sense of adventure---always specialty dine and focus on special excursions--don't drink so, champaign daily, smh. You mentioned nothing about the ship except the carpet color in the MDR. Did you go to Cafe al Bacio or specialty dine--no spa with beautiful adult pool area with quiet hot tubs. Your focus is on the frivolous rather than relaxation. Seems your idea of premium features just don't match up with this, non drinker---- glad you found the skyview lounge and hangout! You come across as a bit hyper ----- dress up--- your wife will remember that!
you forgot to mention the Masthead grill and the Spa Cafe for free food options
He forgot to mention a lot that Celebrity does really well-- the food focus was strip steak---- get the to Outback!
I started cruising in my early 20's (40 years ago), and I have followed and experienced the progression of the cruising experience. I don't like the crazy party atmosphere of Carnival, nor do I feel comfortable with the vastness of the huge Royal Carribean ships. I've been on Celebrity ships 3 times, and I like the quiet, perhaps mature atmosphere. I guess I look for something different from cruising like sunny days on deck, good food (I've always enjoyed my meals on Celebrity), and a little dancing in the evening. I really miss the formal dining and dress, so I suppose that makes me old. Anyway, I think it's a great cruise line, and I get what I pay for.
A little dancing in the evening. I think the Solstice is a good ship for that but the previous Century ships and Horizon ships were better for that. HAL is better for that too. But Solstice class ships are quite excellent as Celebrity ships. I think the Edge class are horrible in terms of social spaces and I hope that's not the new direction Celebrity goes in.
Celebrity's food is variable. Sometimes it is how it should be, other times it's kind of middling standard cruise food which seems to be the case on this featured sailing.
I agree that Concierge is worthless and not worth the added cost. 21:39 However I believe your review isn’t fair or complete. You only took a 4 day sailing which doesn’t reflect the entire experience. I’ve sailed on Celebrity many times and have loved the experience. I’ve sailed on Carnival, Royal Caribbean and NCL and found my best experience on Celebrity. I wouldn’t put much into this guys review. JMO. Peace ✌️.
I disagree that this doesn’t reflect the experience. It’s a 4 night sailing that celebrity offers. This experience is the same that any cruiser could expect and as such is fair. It would be different if we booked a 7 night and celebrity cut us short. The entire experience is what we got.
Everyone is different in what they enjoy especially on cruises. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Ditto----- go on a 15 nt cruise and take time to enjoy ports and the music and all the ships lovely spaces and venues----- it's not a party ship, thank God!
I agree with most of what you were saying. I sailed on the Eclipse in June 30th 2024. They didn't have many activities. I sailed last year on the Oasis of the Seas.. I Love the fact that we were in Bermuda for 3 days. The food in the dinning area could've definitely been better. The buffet and master grill.was the best. They call these ships the old people ship. It had a lot of OLDER PEOPLE.
Just found your channel and subscribed. We are headed on the Silhouette this week. Thanks for the info!
OK, I've sailed Century class and Millennium class ships and have been aboard the Horizon class ships many many times as I have a friend of the line that would go on them whenever they docked in New York CIty. What I love about them is their style. People often state "beautiful" ship but that doesn't describe the style and content and how you can tell a HAL from a Princess from a Cunard from a Celebrity ship inside. Celebrity's style from Horizon and especially Century class ships to Solstice, is retro-modern. If you look at the Solstice, particularly the Martini Bar area and the dining room and the Murano and Ensemble lounge, they're evocative of 1920-s to 1960's swanky restaurants and supper clubs and jazz clubs and inspired by art deco. That's the Celebrity style (and missing from a lot of the Edge ships, unfortunately). So, they provide a perfect platform for ambiance in those areas. The other stuff, the spas and deck areas are more standard modern cruise. Celebrity also had very modern and provocative art and that started with the Horizon ships and was elevated with the Century ships. The Century ships were great ships and unlike most sister ships, were different inside significantly from one another where most of the Millennium, Solstice and Edge class are the same interior with a few subtle changes.
Service style was mostly laid back yet attentitve on Celebrity as well. There are the hokey cruise crap like the photo galleries and Park West and such and even sometimes waiters unfortunately ask for high ratings, but there is less pushing for drinks than other lines. And Celebrity used to pay attention to food presentation in the MDRs.
I like a lounge ship. I like the lounge life. Less and less lounges are being part of cruise life and more and more restaurants, specialty restaurants are replacing them. While that's great for foodies, it's not great for people who just want to socialize or dance to different types of music in different settings AFTER they dine. I think that's something unfortunate in the cruise industry, this move toward specialty restaurants everywhere (something else I don't like about the Edge class). So, Celebrity, like HAL, main focus was enjoying your favorite spot in your favorite lounge in the evening or doing a show or just relaxing somewhere. There are also quiet areas and I think Celebrity should be careful about music played in the foyer because, as you said, it will disturb the quiet library with views and the Hideaway area, with views.
So, as far as ship design and Celebrity content goes, things must change and evolve. And you can do it in a way that stays consistent to your brand or make radical changes. And they're now at a point where they are alienating their loyal clientele, at least some of them, with the Edge ships. I'm really almost disgusted that the Beyond has the Luminaie (sp?) restaurant where the Sky Lounge used to be. It's a truly stylish, swank, upscale restaurant with forward views of the ocean for Retreat passengers rather than a lounge opened up to all passengers. So Edge can have all the restaurants they offer, fine. They can have some suite perks. They need to think about Eden and its appeal and why such a large ship has no swanky lounge whatsoever and no observation lounge The Martini Bar is not as nice s the one on the Solstice class in terms of intimacy and style and placement IMO. That's a signature social area. The Club is a two-level nightclub, but it isn't a swanky lounge. It's not a bad spot and there is dancing available but lacks windows. Eden is not a lounge. It's part of a very open space that feels like a part of a hotel resort spot that's plant themed with glass views.
I think the Edge class is an imposter Celebrity experience. It's let's take NCL Haven style and put it in Celebrity and have Celebrity style service and food on a less distinctive Celebrity physical ship with deleted signature Celebrity spaces. So, for me, it's Solstice or the good but not great Millennium class. The Millie class was built on an RCL hull and it shows in terms of its flow and content. Still, it's an authentic Celebrity experience.
I don't think you're a Celebrity type of cruiser and that's fine. You don't sound like a Cunard or HAL type either. But HAL actually has more activities in the evenings than Celebrity. So, maybe that's your premium experience? Or Princess. Maybe not force Celebrity as your ship but maybe your wife likes it better? Celebrity can and does do better with food and presentation so your cruise probably wasn't representative of their product. I think Celebrity is quite premium when the ingredients fall together and the passengers onboard are geared toward the cruise line. But, I don't like the direction of Edge overall. I'd keep the MDRs, the four of them but I don't like Eden and think the Edge are more trendy than substantial. They'll have their own fans but if this is the new Celebrity, then a lot of people will miss out on what made the line so distinctive.
I so agree with this well thought out evaluation!
I typically sail Concierge class. I find having the higher ship locations, champagne on request, canapés, priority embarkation, and embarkation lunch to be the main pluses of it. Though not mentioned I have used the shoe shine, umbrella, binoculars (they are junk but handy). One key thing not mentioned, was the extra points towards their status so if you were seeking elevated status, faster, Concierge and Aqua class help with that without going all the way to a suite. It is worth the extra $, that really depends but we have found it nice.
Concierge On Celebrity vs Disney Concierge are very different and I 100% can see why Disney’s Concierge is better over all, but when I have looked it seemed to be a much larger markup on a normal room vs the markup on Celebrity.
Negatives recently is the pillow menu is now on request vs provided and you use to be able to ask for red or white wine. That now has to be done at Guest Services as they change your preference and that is what you would get for the rest of the sailing.
Great review guys! I definitely don’t think we’d do concierge and totally agree we’d save that money for something else to plus up the cruise in some way.
Appreciate your comments. I am not a fan of the activities such as those found on Royal Caribbean. I like a quieter cruise with less children - probably because I am older than you are and value peace and quiet. Oceania is my favorite cruise line, but Celebrity is my number two choice. I like Celebrity's ship decor and I find the food very good. Most of all I am into the shore excursions. Thanks.
Its funny because we always loved Disney, but after we did our cruise on the Wish it was so chaotic, that we have a greater appreciation for those quieter and more calm cruises!
I don't think it is about age necessarily. I think it's preference. I cruised HAL and Celebrity in my 30s and 40s and preferred and preferred quieter. Some people like activities, others more quiet. Some come to like quiet but there are "younger" people (say 30-50) who like a quieter ambiance.
btw, I like RCL for like a group cruise. It can be fun and a bit campy in some ways but there are quiet areas of most of their ships. But Celebrity is more overall calmer.
Hi Josh and Taylor good morning happy Wednesday morning and I loved your vlogs and you all amazing Supporter and I'm proud of all of you
Josh, you kind of made me want to cancel my cruise. The only thing you said was good was the buffet. I wish you would have shown more of the rest of the ship and not complained about almost everything.
Well maybe you should cancel or better yet, take what we said with grain of salt like I said in the beginning of the video. 🤷🏼♂️
I have sailed with Celebrity over 12 times. This review is not reflective of my experience. Food is excellent. And he totally missed that there is an Aqua class which gives you an additional main room dining room. Also there are many specialty restaurants on the Silhouette which are excellent. This review was not thorough. Look at review by Traveling Gamblers which is excellent. Also he has no knowledge of different classes of Celebrity ships. Edge class is totally different with 4 main dining rooms.
@@theresatraveler Thanks for your comment, as I mentioned at the beginning of the video, this was our first cruise with Celebrity, reflective of one ship, in the Solstice class, not Edge. So my review I feel, is very accurate for this SOLSTICE class ship, which had one main dining room. Im sure Celebrity would appreciate you standing up for them.
@@travelwithjoshandtaylorWe who have done repeated long sailings with Celebrity find your review shortsighted AND deficient.
Having just come off Wonder of the Seas and having been on Apex before this and Eclipse a bit ago I have some thoughts that might help with the Celebrity vib.
I found the two sailings that I was on Celebrity and the two sailings I have been on Royal to be very different. The ship that you sailed on is one of the key elements this is the last ship class before Celebrity decided to really turn up the lux. I love the Eclipse, a sister ship to the Silhouette, but the Edge class is a huge game changer when it comes to that elevated luxury feel.
Spa: The spa on Eclipse was nice, but as you stated not wow. That changed on the Apex, based on what you stated I would seriously consider a sailing on Edge class and maybe even Aqua class if you can find the right deal. The difference between the Solstice class and Edge class spas are really something to behold I believe and I think it will check all of the boxes you mentioned.
Food: The Edge class moving to four MDRs also really is a game changer. It makes it feel like you are doing specialty dining each night vs the one MDR on the Solstice class. Here is one area I think I disagree with you on, and that is MDR food quality. I found the Wonder’s food quality to be a noticeable step back in the MDR than Celebrity. The one huge watch out on the Apex is specially dinning late at night, just dont. The restaurants are open to the main multi story atrium and you can hear the martini bar party and it definitely distracts. The one thing we never had an issue with on Celebrity vs Wonder was running into closed restaurants, it drove us nuts this last sailing on Wonder, things where closed often when we wanted something. 150 Central Park was as good as anything on Celebrity I thought.
Vib: The Edge class also has a much more modern luxury vib than the older Celebrity ships, even ones that went through a refit. It seemed to have a younger audience as well. The huge difference to me vib wise can be brought down to one word: kids. While Celebrity has a kids program it is not RCL and never should be thought of that. So this really changes the feel when you have maybe 300 kids vs 1200 as Wonder did on our last sailing (1600 on the next). So it is a more chill experience than the constant family energy of RCL. However I find I enjoyed many of the adult experiences (like silent disco, comedy, etc.) better on Celebrity. Ex: the silent disco on Wonder was 2 channels and a play list with no DJ, on the Apex it was 3 live DJs (Eclipse had 2 live DJs).
For me, I cant see sailing RCL again unless it is a smaller ship with a itinerary that has fewer kids. I had a wonderful time on Wonder but it was far too busy and I just did not relax as much as I do on Celebrity. I also like the higher end alcohol and food of Celebrity. There was no money savings vs Celebrity as well from what we found. Though I will miss CoCoCay, I sure love that island.
All in all I love the Eclipse, it was nearly a prefect ship for me, but getting on the Apex really showed me how much Celebrity upped their game when it came to feeling more refined and luxurious and more young professional than the two RCL ships I have been on. Based on your comments I really think the Edge class is what you two would be looking for vs the older classes.
Good review! We also found that Concierge didn't really seem like much of a value add. We have found that Aquaclass is a better fit for our cruising interests. You'll also find that the Edge-class is a different experience from Millennium or Solstice class - that said, we do like real balconies.
This was a good review. I agree with many of your points. I have sailed Celebrity many times (Solstice and Millennium Class), and recently have noticed some changes especially with the food in the MDR. The quality of the food has changed, and not for the better. I agree that aside from musicians there is a lack of activities during the cruise. Another thing I think they could improve is the timing of the game shows, because they are always during the late dining. I have also noticed on Celebrity that the sailaway party is not well attended, which is odd in comparision to other cruiselines I have been on.
Overall I will still continue to cruise with Celebrity, but it is no longer my top pick. I find myself leading towards Princess as they have numerous activities and has a vibe that I enjoy on a cruise.
Concierge on edge class love the ala carte breakfast you get
I agree with your review. Travelled a 4 night cruise a week ago on Silhouette in Concierge stateroom. Never new we could get Champagne daily . We never participated in Concierge activities because either we were at port or dining. MDR placed us at same table for dinner and it was back in a corner where we didn't see the beautiful decor. So we asked to be seated in a new location, which took convincing. Received uncooked, very rare steak for a medium steak two times in a row, where the butter didn't even melt on top. The manager embarrassed me by coming up to the table saying the cook would be reprimanded. Didn't sound like a good way to treat staff. There was a long, long wait to get to embark initially but expectations were high, so didn't really mind the extra 2 hour wait. But to disembark for an excursion to Blue Lagoon adult beach was sooo long that we had only 2 hours there before returning. Should have experienced at least 4-5 hours. No time to see rest of the island. The meal there itself took up an hour. The water in the creek felt like a puddle, only up to the mid calf. Would NOT go there again. PROs were the other activities on the ship. The shows were incredible. And the staff were always very kind. Would I go again? Yes, but not concierge and I wouldn't do an excursion that involved transport by water to another island.
Good review, but I’ve only cruised on their Edge class ships, so I wasn’t even aware that their older ships only had one main dining room available. Edge class has 4 unique ones plus’s the buffet.
The Edge ships are a different style of ship for Celebrity. It's not only the 4 MDRs but that Eden space and the deletion of a lot of familiar spaces you'll find on the previous classes of ships. Plus the decor style is different as well (less swanky in some ways, more resort hotel modern style). So those sailing on the Edge ships are getting an "Edge by Celebrity" experience opposed to the standard Celebrity style cruise.
Very fair assessment. If Celebrity is a foodie ship and doesn't deliver on that some of the time, then they need to get their act together. Just because there is an elevated level of presentation, service, food in the specialty restaurants means that the food that used to be special in the MDRs is brought down to average. So, hopefully Celebrity gets the food up to standard on all their ships.
As for activities, Celebrity is like HAL and others in they at least used to be lounge ships. The entertainment is more toward going to a place where musicians are and socializing, dancing, etc. in a venue. But, more trivia and other types of activities would benefit the line. Sometimes it is just too quiet on their ships. I'm not sure you're a Celebrity type cruiser but maybe you'd like the Edge class better because they may be more active. As far as spas go, maybe the Edge is better there too. Maybe not.
I think Celebrity shouldn't "rebrand." They should tweak and update their product, not try to become NCL. I don't like the Edge product much. I love the Solstice ship. You described the open area as an "atrium" but it is more a foyer with a small attached atrium. The difference is it is smaller and more like a home or smaller establishment than an atrium. They're similar but different in feel. A "happening" spot on the Solstice ship is the Martini Bar. And the Sky Lounge has a good amount of activity on much of their sailings.
It's fair not to make any sweeping conclusions based on one sailing and will try at least one, and likely two more. Try an Edge ship and try the Millennium ship and that'll give you a bigger picture of what Celebrity offers. Thanks for your honest assessment of the Silhouette.
I don’t think you should be doing a relatively harsh review of a cruise line when your experience is one 4 night cruise. Also please if you are going to do video reviews look up pronunciation of words like “concierge.”
Totally disagree with you on this, sounds like you may be more stuck in your ways. If you feel a 4 night sailing on the Celebrity silhouette isn’t reflective of the brand then you should write to Celebrity and let them know that.
Many other people we talked to were on this ship for the first time and had similar experiences to ours.
As I stated in the video, it’s worth giving some a try more than once but many people aren’t like that so if this is their first time on celebrity and they don’t like it, well, Celebrity just lost a client.
I agree that clearly Celebrity’s turning point in the industry is there Edge class ships which are very different from their older generations. They spend for more on marketing for edge than they do any other class and it shows.
@@travelwithjoshandtaylor Honestly, I think the Edge doesn't offer a better experience. It's different. It's less personal, less intimate, less distinctive Celebrity and I think a lot of the appeal is that it is a newer ship so it's more modern. I don't know if it'll stand the test of time the way other classes have. We'll see. But the classism on that ship is a turnoff as well s too many excellent deleted areas (Sky lounge, Hideaway, Ensemble Lounge, just lounges in general, secondary theater to name a few). It's a multi-restaurant, foyer activity ship (where different music merge together) and Eden is a big draw on the ship (multi level aft location with restaurant and interactive performers). But if you're not a fan of Eden, then what? Overall, Edge is not rated as high by pax as Solstice class ships. Hopefully Celebrity goes back to its personality with the ships that follow Edge and bring back Sky Lounge and more lounge life while keeping the 4 MDRs, an altered Eden that doesn't take up so much of the ship and more evocative, stylistic decor than the blander decor on the Edge ships.
This was far from a full ship tour or a review and you are comparing apples and oranges--- your focus is unsophisticated and narrow😅
I just came back from a cruise on the Silhouette (3-23-23). It was my first cruise so I have nothing to compare it to. We had concierge but only because they gave it to us; however I wouldn’t get it. I wish more restaurants were available besides the main dining room but we had a great waiter and asked for him each time. I wasn’t impressed with the Spa service mostly because they pushed me to buy something. I couldn’t shake her off so purchased it but decided to return it later. The best show was Vox Fortura and Euphoria but I admit there weren’t many shows. We did 11 nights so many excursions though 2 were cancelled by tour operators due to my mom and her walker. We asked the night before if there would be a problem and they said no but then we got canceled either because the walker didn’t fit on the bus or telling her it was too strenuous (she should know her capabilities). Other than than that, it was great. I probably won’t take Celebrity again so I can try other cruise lines.
Also I liked the food presentation at the MDR.
Love the video! I’m actually taking a trip on the celebrity silhouette soon and I was wondering if you had bought the wifi, if so was it worth it? Thanks!
Hi! We did purchase the WiFi! It’s starlink, and we found the connection to be pretty good. Sometimes in the room (depending on your location from the routers) could be a little spotty or slow, but on the rest of the ship it was very quick.
@@travelwithjoshandtaylor did you get the basic package or the premium package? I appreciate the quick response!
I believe we did the premium so that we could stream movies or tv at night.
I am a huge fan of Celebrity cruise line, but, I agree-I don't think the Concierge is worth the upcharge. We usually opt for a cheaper room option that includes the beverage package and other perks. I have sailed most of the major cruise lines-Celebrity continues to be my favorite. I think your review is fair though. Unlike some other cruise lines, free dining is limited on Celebrity. However, I will say, I am in love with the Edge class ships and found a more elevated dining experience overall (included dining venues)-check them out before you make a final decision on Celebrity. Enjoyed your video, as always!
Hi Tami! It seems like we need to do Edge series next and we will definitely look into doing that. Sounds like that’s the more “elevated” experience like you said. We can’t wait to give it another try soon! Thank you so much for your comment!
I enjoyed your review. We have done 30 cruises, 13 of these on Celebrity, and we have also cruised on many Royal and Norwegian cruises. Personally, I have found the main dining room food to be usually better than the other cruise lines. The first night can be iffy because of crew changes, and we've had some rare "duds", but usually very good food, well presented. We also like eating in the same dining room every night so our waiters and we get to know each other. (You can request the same waiter even when doing the any time / select dining option.)
How many meals did you end up eating in the MDR? As you said yourself, you should always try things a few times before making a judgement. I was glad to hear you plan to try Celebrity again. You might like to try an Edge class ship next time. As for me, I prefer the Solstice class, but others really like the Edge class. I think those ships have more of an upscale feel that you may have felt you missed out on, and also have 4 (free) main dining rooms to choose from with different cuisine and ambiance.
I agree that the Concierge upgrade isn't worth it unless you get a good deal on it. We've have done Concierge twice and getting a bottle of sparking wine every day must be new. It used to be just one bottle on the first day. It doesn't really matter to us anyway because we typically get the "all-included" rate when we book, which includes a drink package, and the free champagne you get is kinda cheap :-)
We will be sailing on the Silhouette in May and looking forward to it.
Hi Susan! We had a great time overall and definitely will be sailing on a edge class ship in the future. We ate every night in the MDR except for the night we went to Muranos. The staff was really great at dinner and around the ship. We will probably go with the all inclusive package next time as well especially for a longer sailing. We rarely do less than 7 night sailings because we always feel it’s to short lol.
Comparing a Disney cruise to Celebrity is not really fair.
Disney will be 30% higher than Celebrity
Realistically NCL does not overall compete well with Celebrity.They have taken nickel and diming to a new level
Some people may have only been on Disney and had that to compare to. So while I agree its not a fair comparison its the responsibility of the cruise line to always deliver a top notch product.
Celebrity is not really a "premium" brand. I try to explain this to people. Celebrity focuses around a more relaxed vacation but other than a few nice touches around the ship..there is nothing "premium" about Celebrity and food options are severely limited. Activities are meant to be limited. If you want all the high energy stuff, Carnival or RCCL are family oriented,
Everyone has their opinion. In mine, definitely premium as compared to the mainstream lines like Carnival and Royal Caribbean. Not luxury, but definitely premium, especially if you are on an Edge class ship or one of the refurbished ships. And if you book The Retreat, there is no doubt it is premium.
I disagree. What is your idea of a premium line? Cunard? When Celebrity is right, they fit the standard definition of premium. It's between standard/mainstream and luxury or boutique. It's a mainstream mass market line but there is an upgrade in service style, food, crew to passenger ratio, ship furnishings and quieter ambiance.
Ain't no climbig wall or slides-the MDR depends on your tastes and sense of adventure---always specialty dine and focus on special excursions--don't drink so, champaign daily, smh. You mentioned nothing about the ship except the carpet color in the MDR. Did you go to Cafe al Bacio or specialty dine--no spa with beautiful adult pool area with quiet hot tubs. Your focus is on the frivolous rather than relaxation. Seems your idea of premium features just don't match up with this, non drinker---- glad you found the skyview lounge and hangout! You come across as a bit hyper ----- dress up--- your wife will remember that!
Very confusing.
Norwegian is not luxury.... I've heard they have gotten worse actually.