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I'm curious as to your use of the phrase "white lotus vibe" re: Celebrity. I know what white lotus means, and generally it has a negative connotation. Being I'm going on my first ever cruise next Spring or summer (and as a solo traveler), and that Celebrity and Holland America are two lines I've been seriously exploring, please explain. And thank you, I'm saving all of your videos to a "cruise" folder for reference.
We generally cruise on Holland America. The Pinnacle ships have the Movies at night at the Center pool. On our Norway cruise this past September 2023, we both came down with Covid and were quarantined in our stateroom (thankfully we had a balcony). The crew and medical staff took great care of us. We were able to get Paxlovid via the medical center. We were assigned staff who had additional training in handling quarantined individuals. We were able to get our meals from any restaurant on the ship (not just the in room dining menu). The crew check on us every day and really made us feel cared for. Even brought us fresh fruit as we started to feel better. Holland America gave us Future Cruise Credit to use in the upcoming year equal to the number of days each of us were quarantined. We're using them in March to go to the Caribbean. So, getting sick on the ship wasn't great, we were well cared for.
Recent cruise on Princess was a study in contrasts for us. Plusses First: 1. Sapphire Princess was lovely and had all of the amenities you noted. 2.On-ship staff was super! Our cabin steward was really good and the staffs at the various restaurant were fun, proficient, and generally wonderful. 3. Premium restaurants were more than worth every penny... Meals at both Sabatini's and Sterling Steak House were among the best dining experiences we have ever had! 4. Dining room meals were definitely not as good as they were in pre-Covid days but were still great. The "old favorites" like the shrimp cocktail and the steaks have definitely slid downhill some, but on the other hand, we had the best fish & chips EVER in the dining room and there were other fun and very tasty non-traditional meals that were marvelous... And, of course, the service was superb. AND NOW, the not so good and just plain awful. 1. Embarkation was horrible. Given the demographics of the customers we saw on our cruise, I cannot understand why the embarkation at Vancouver required what seemed to be miles of walking back and forth along endless corridors to get to the various stations. This is not only stupid but is also painful for many of us. 2. Given the push in the advertising to "book early and avoid price increases" for the upgrade packages, it was seriously disappointing to be greeted at Alfredo's by the news that we would have to pony up another $110 apiece to get the benefits that were included in the package that we had originally paid for. This is deceptive, if not outright fraudulent business practice, in my opinion. 3. Our balcony was out of commission for effectively two days while they changed the furniture. That was two days of the best weather on the trip that we didn't have the use of an amenity that we had paid significantly extra fare for. 4. The "Dine My Way" software was effectively inoperable before embarkation and during the first two days of the cruise due to the number of people trying to use it and the overwhelmed staff trying to deal with the system. It was the third night of the cruise before we could have a sit-down dinner in one of the dining rooms. 5. We were charged $78 for a bottle of wine that we neither ordered nor received. The on-board Guest Services proved incapable of solving this before debarkation, so getting it resolved after the cruise wasted hours of my time and cause incredible levels of frustration, (and probably incredible levels of blood pressure also). The "Customer Service" ranges from totally incompetent to non-existent once Princess has your money. (The sequence of e-mails between us and the Princess "representative" about what was included in the "Plus" package was so ludicrous that it could make the basis of a stand-up comedy routine!) The upshot of all of this is that while the ships and the folks that work on them are generally great, the current state of Princess' business systems and management is such that I would never recommend them to anyone unless they get their act together.
Sadly, we had similar 'not so great' experiences on our Princess cruise. Our room steward was amazing and dining room as well. But when my partner and I both ended up sick, the service really plummeted. We stopped using the app as it wasn't working well from the get-go, and one evening our dinner arrived over 1 hour later with only 1 filet minon on a plate and nothing else lol. We called a couple of times but never did get the rest of our dinner. Post cruise was a huge fight to get any money refunded, and we vowed never to cruise with this line again. We are going on our first Celebrity cruise this weekend, so we're super excited to try out this cruise line!
I just wanted to mention that embarkation nightmares in Vancouver are not unique to Princess.. Vancouver is a mess regardless of which cruise line you are on.
Thank you for an honest review. I’m so sick of entitled, spoiled brats complaining about nothing. We recently went on our first cruise post Covid, & until this one, I had never complained about anything with 21 cruises. I’ve booked another cruise & I pray things improve.
I too went through that 4 hour boarding process ( Alana that was the same day you went to Alaska on holland- you missed the lineup ) Princess can not deliver on its promises anymore The ensuite is over sold now- try getting a clean locker or place in the spa pool/hot tub) They are an absolute mess
My idea of a perfect cruise, is a ship that does not look like a shopping mall, or glass and chrome white walls and ceilings. I like a wrap around lower deck, decent food.I do not care about song and dance shows, but I love trivia, game shows, things that I can participate in. HAL ships are perfect, but Princess has more activities that I enjoy. Depending on where I go, determines which of the two I choose. I love both for different reasons.
We just came back from our first cruise on Cunard's Queen Elizabeth and enjoyed the atmosphere, quizs, food and entertainment, staff, etc. I am unsure what I would find different or better on Princess, HAL, or Celebrity. Amount of guests on Princess is a concern around access to dining and entertainment?
Celebrity for short cruises near home. Holland America for long cruises. For our 173rd cruise we are going on Oceania for first time for their New Year cruise, the Vista!
We have been on Celebrity and Princess in the past year. Both exceeded my expectation. Did Princess to Alaska. Best vacation I have experienced. Going on Celebrity again in February.
We just got back from a four night cruise on the Princess Discovery, upgraded to the Princess Premiere package. We did two specialty dinging nights with Sabatini's and Crown Grill. The meals were excellent. Only did the formal dining room once, the menu was great and the food excellent. Next time, we will not use the Premier package, the Plus is the best value for us. The ship was clean and well maintained and the staff very friendly and attentive. The entertainment was everything we could have hoped for with many options each day. As for the demographics, it was a mature group of cruisers, many of them frequent cruisers and we enjoyed their company. There were a few families with loud and rude kids that was irritating, but such is life.
Di@@LifeWellCruised Was aboard Discovery Princess over the summer for an Alaskan Cruise. Ship was great except for the Piazza. The entire Piazza, without fail, REEKED of cigarettes smoke. I happened to run into the cruise director DuVaul who was AMAZING and absolutely hilarious, and he said its an issue with their ventilation from the casino but would require the ship to be dry docked to make the repair. Might be worth mentioning as it completely ruined our experience inside the ship, any entertainment that was taking place there, and any of the restaurants off of it.
Dec 2023 cruise with Beyond. Service was awesome first two days. (12 day cruise) could not find a waiter after that. Last two days, awesome service again. Long lines at all bars waiting for drinks. Long waits for food in restaurants. The housekeeping was fantastic entire trip. Pool was hard to find chairs. Floating nursing home with wheelchairs, walkers, canes
Celebrity made some big menu changes this past year in it's main dining options. They took away some of our favorite dishes. The good news is that they listened to all of the complaints and feedback and added most of our favorite stuff back to the menu. You could tell from passenger's comments that they were test driving various ideas.
Great review, we really are spoilt for choice… as a solo cruiser, I’m yet to book a solo cabin. The rare time they have been available, I’ve been able to book a regular stateroom for a better price… I’m not complaining, I just find it interesting and wonder what the future holds for the solo cabin concept
From November 2022 thru June 2023, we cruised on all three lines. Had a great experience on all of them. Some of the more recent changes had not been implemented at that time, and we booked way ahead, so we got a really good value. We are booked on the Sun Princess near the end of 2024 just to experience the new ship. Itinerary is usually a deciding factor in choosing the line, but when just wanting a new ship we do the Caribbean as we don't have to fly to the port of embarkation. Our assessment of the three lines, based on those 3 cruises was pretty much the same as yours.
Prior to this year, had someone asked me what was my favorite line, I would have said HAL hands down. I love their ships, the food, and the more traditional cruise experience (not an amusement park at sea). But late in 2022 I booked a cruise with them where they sold me an itinerary with a port stop in Nicaragua. This was a port stopped I really wanted to do. The problem is, unbeknownst to me, Nicaragua had a cruise ship ban in place and HAL KNEW this. So they sold me a cruise they KNEW they couldn't do. I know that itineraries can change for various reasons, but they KNEW BEFORE THEY SOLD ME THE CRUISE they couldn't go there. When you sell something you can't provide, that's call fraud. And they made no attempt to make it right. I will never sail with them again after 22+ years of sailing with them and I tell everyone I can about the experience. So that they don't get defrauded.
Their CS is terrible. I got injured on an excursion and they refused medical help for almost 48 hours (needed a tetanus shot). Also, getting overages removed is a nightmare.
You did not mention Aqua class on Celebrity. The included dining is far above the MDR and the room amenities are excellent, all for a lot less than you would pay for a Suite on the other lines which is where you would have that more upscale experience.
Our first two cruises ever (at age 70 & 75) were on HAL in 2023, and I discovered I LOVE cruising! We found both the Lido Buffet and the Dining Room to have excellent choices and very good quality. We are booked on our third cruise for HAL coming up in April 2024. We enjoyed the quieter spaces on the ship during the day and the entertainment on the World Stage in the evening. We have found greatly reduced fares each time, making it possible to keep on cruising! We have appreciated all your great informative videos over the past year.
Hi Ilana. Another great and informative comparison video. My wife and I have currently only been on NCL cruises, but have been considering other brands. Pre-Covid I was thinking of trying out Celebrity, but now Post-Covid I am looking more at Princess. Back in the early 2000's when I was working security at the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad, they floated in the Caribbean Princess ship for us to use as our accommodations, which was a heck of a lot cooler than staying in a hotel. Even though the ship never left the Port of Spain, it was still very awesome to be given my first exposure to being on a cruise ship. Thank you for all your work on putting out your wonderful videos. Cheers from just down the highway in Kingston, Ontario. David
We cruised over 100 nights this year including on Princess (21 nights on Enchanted), Holland (21 nights on Rotterdam), and Celebrity (2 different cruises). Our biggest take aways for these 3 lines; Princess ships seem cheap, entertainment is poor quality, and the food quality is really bad in many cases (preparation and taste are fine but they buy junk; especially the meat and fish)- Holland is elegant with very nice ships, entertainment is good but is generally for older folks (although Rolling Stones rocks), and the food was great- Celebrity has nice ships, food is very good, and the entertainment is much better than Princess or Holland. Service on all 3 lines was very good. My wife and I are 50 years old and like to have a lot of fun so that does affect our entertainment preferences.
My husband and I love Celebrity. The food and the entertainment are excellent. We did a Princess cruise recently and the dining room food was horrible. I returned my meal on two nights. On the 3 rd night we have to on the dining room and went to the buffet. I have never returned a meal on Celebrity or Royal Caribbean .
We love your posts, especially ones like todays. You bring incite of the differences to each ship your on and all the tips and tricks before and after sailing, which we always enjoy. We haven't missed a single post of yours since we started watching cruise vlogs back in 2017. Very refreshing, thank you. Happy sailing in the new year.
Interesting comparison. My interests surround the destinations, with an elevated food experience and comfortable place so sleep at the end of a long day, so Holland America has always made sense for me. Doing an Adriatic cruise with them next year… can’t wait! 😊
My adult daughter and I are taking our first Celebrity cruise in May - Edge. We have cruised RC many times, but I was ready to try something else. First Alaskan cruise too! Thanks for all your cruise information - very informative.
We recently got back from a cruise with Celebrity Silhouette and the food was as good as I remembered it. A lot of blogs were complaining about the food and i was really worried that the quantity and menu variety would be lacking. Thankfully it was not the case. Only issue was getting a table (with reservations) the first couple of evenings - the hostess must of been new and often had us waiting for a table for 2 and we noticed that there were plenty of tables when we were seated. There was plenty of activities planned throughout the day but i’ve noticed a decline in activities where the crew was involved. All in all the cruise was great. This was our first cruise since the pandemic. Looking forward to book another cruise with Celebrity but a newer ship.
Hi. First time cruiser here. Question-If you are not able to get a reservation at a restaurant is there a free for all buffet style dining area that you can eat at, without booking? Surely you would not go hungry bcos plaslces are booked out?
My 70 year old mom and I will go on Celebrity Equinox to ABC island in Feb 2024, and your videos are so informative and helpful to prepare our special mom and daughter cruise. Thank you
I was on the Celebrity Silhouette about a month ago and the Cafe Al Baccio was pretty darn good still. It's true that some of the fancy looking pastries might have tasted like the fake stuff but all in all, the cookies and muffins and pound cake and chocolate and lemon tarts and the red velvet cake and donuts were all really good. Just saying. And, I bake so I'm pretty fussy. I didn't try the carrot cake because I make a really great one which would be hard to beat. Otherwise, being included, it's great.
We have only cruised on Viking in the past, but now have 2 cruises booked on Holland America. Your video verifies what we thought about Holland America, i.e. great food, great service and itineraries focused on destinations and enrichment activities. That is what we prefer, and we think we will really enjoy our cruises with this line. Thank you for a great overview of these 3 cruise lines!
I recently did an ocean cruise with Viking, they were awesome, but the entertainment was lacking. it didn't ruin my cruise because we were very busy at port every day but it's definitely something they need to work on. I have been looking at Holland America and I think I will try them for my next cruise.
My husband and I are not really into the entertainment aspects of cruising and so Viking's lack of it doesnt really bother us so much. That said, you are right. They could definitely improve or at least update the entertainment. We do love the line, but like everything else, they have gotten quite expensive. That is the main reason we decided to try Holland America.@@corinnemcleod1804
My girlfriend and I will be on the Caribbean Princess 21 Jan. We got the premier packages since it's her first ever cruise and my first as an adult without my family. We are really looking forward to making the most of the entertainment on board and enjoying the ship!
Thanks for your very informative videos. We're seniors who have never cruised & I'm realizing we have a LOT to learn before booking our 1st cruise. Your channel is providing me with so much good info!
@@gypsylife7822 Yes. You know, AFAIC, there are no small ships from HAL or Celebrity or Princess. They're all big. It's big, bigger, very big, and gigantic with most of the mass market cruise lines. Oceania is a smallish, mid-sized ship. Viking is another option. However, cruising is personal. What do you like to do on a cruise or what do you think you'd like to do. What's most important to you? Itinerary? Cabin accommodations? Food? Music and if so what type? Dancing? Indoor or outdoor areas? Spas? Service style? There's a lot to consider.
My recommendation is to learn yes, but to BOOK very soon. You can watch, read, etc in advance but there is nothing as living it by yourself, and as you are a senior, take advantage that you are still healthy and go NOW.
Thanks for the info. Very helpful. Never been on a cruise before, but looking into it. The solo option was the one thing I really liked to hear. I didn't know that existed.
We are on the Ascent currently and loving it! It’s our first cruise and definitely will consider celebrity again. We booked a year ago and saved some $ by doing so. We love your content and used it as our guide to select celebrity ty
We just got back from a 9 night cruise in the Caribbean on the Celebrity Equinox. We chose to go just before schools let out and wanted a ship "without waterslides". We're in our early 50s and although we had fun, and we needed time to just relax, sleep, and enjoy our balcony after a few difficult years, we were definitely 2 of the youngest on the ship. I saw a total of maybe 8 to 10 kids/teens on the whole ship. For our needs, this was perfect, but I was shocked just how many walkers, wheelchairs, canes, and scooters we saw on board. On our previous 5 or 6 cruises, there were a few, compared to maybe 30 wheelchairs, 50 people with walkers and/or canes, etc. The serenity area was quiet, but the crowd there could barely walk. The ship was gorgeous, the food was maybe a 7 out of 10 (far better than say, Carnival or cheaper cruises), modern design and colors, lots of music, but many of the activities appealed to music/pop culture of the 1960s and 1970s. Very little going on for music from the 90s forward. There was an 80s night but we were the only 2 dressed for it, maybe 2 dozen actively participated in the trivia and dancing that 80s night. For a relaxation vacation, it was perfect for us. If you have kids or in your 20s and 30s, this may be a bit "boring".
It was 9 nights. Longer cruises on Princess and HAL also have a higher percentage of 60s and up passengers. We all get old or die and there's no reason when people get that age they can't enjoy cruises and activities geared toward music they grew up with. The cruise directors probably assess the crowd and may favor more for that crowd. As far as ages go, it depends on tastes. When I was in my 20s I enjoyed jazz clubs way more than discos as well as some of my friends. We were by no means the majority but there are people in their 20s to 40s that are fine for a Celebrity, Princess or HAL type of cruise and they'll be in their 30-s to 40s in a decade. That's why you need lines to be different and cater to all age groups and various tastes overall.
Same as in HA. Just returned from a Caribbean cruise and yup, lots of folks with mobility issues. I was just happy to see that. When my time comes when I have difficulty moving around, I can still enjoy a cruise vacation. Some young cruisers may be frustrated but a reminder that aging is mandatory. We all get there eventually. While in the dining room, I observed a young wait staff helping a very elderly gentleman in the most genuine way as if he was his grandfather. It came from his heart and you can tell he wasn’t doing it as if it was his job. I hope they are paid well because they clearly deserved it. Our cruise includes the gratuity but I still tip for my room and drinks. Remember to tip in cash if possible. Credit card tips are also subjected to fees so they get less tips if it is not in cash.
I was on the Equinox last July for my first real cruise (did a short one many years ago) and I loved it. We reserved with the same waiter each night because he was so great and our cabin attendant was so helpful. There were very few young children on the cruise which is what I prefer. Celebrity isn’t really designed for young families which is why I prefer it. We are cruising with Celebrity on the Ascent this November. Looking forward to it!
We sailed on Enchanted Princess in late August of 2023. From the moment we stepped aboard we were treated like royalty. The Mediterranean ports were absolutely so fun. We loved Crete and Mykonos the most. The food was delicious and I thought the presentation perfect. We will be booking again this year and plan on trying the Caribbean this time. Love your videos and thanks for all the wonderful packing advice. Sincerely, Vicki Wilson-Smith
I’ve sailed on all three and agree they are all excellent. My two upcoming cruises are on Princess, I find the Princess Plus package to fit my needs. I am doing Alaska on Coral Princess and Panama Canal on Island to go through the historic locks.
A couple of things I would add is the Blu dining room for the Aqua class rooms. This dining room is outstanding. Also the buffet from our experience is top notch. A lot of the pasta, pork chops and grilled steaks are made fresh in front of you. I think your comparisons are spot on. Thanks
We just came back from an Alaskan cruise in September on Celebrity Eclipse. This was our first cruise since the shut down. Before covid we sailed on Princess, Royal, Norwegian and Disney. We are not ones to complain and abide by the rule, "any day on a cruise ship, is a good day!' But we sure did notice a difference in food quality and presentation. We also noticed a difference in activities, quality and lack there of. We couldn't decide if this was a post pandemic thing or just the Celebrity line, seeing as it was our first time sailing with Celebrity. We are planning a Canada New England cruise in the fall on Holland, so we shall see. Thanks for this comparison Ilana! from Northern Ontario
I've been on 29 cruises on Celebrity, Princess, Norwegian, Carnival, and RC, and Holland America. And every time I start comparing them, HAL wins. But I have a great time regardless of what ship I'm on as long as I'm on a ship!
@BarryWallis 17 hours ago I'm a member of the Magic Castle in Hollywood (a private club for magicians and their friends) and I can't wait to cruise on the Sun Princess. The Magic Castle had a group cruise in October called the Magic Castle Conjurors' Cruise on the Discovery Princess. We brought our own magicians and had both public and private shows and lectures during the seven-day cruise up and down the Pacific coast (we even had our own excursion to a magic show in San Francisco). It was so much fun that most of us (there were 91 in our group) signed up for the next Conjurors' Cruise in November on the Sun Princess before we left the ship.
Really enjoyed your presentation on the 3 brands and thought you were pretty spot on. We just got off the Rotterdam which was our first HAL cruise. We enjoyed this cruise, the food, the service, our aft Vista balcony stateroom and would sail HAL again. However, it seemed there wasn’t that much activity around the ship and even couldn’t understand why there wasn’t a movie or sporting event on the pool big screen except for 2-3 times during our 9 day cruise. I also felt the variety on the buffet was lacking (food was excellent) but after 9 days we were ready to move on. While we have cruised Celebrity about 45 days , we have not sailed them for about 8 years. I have always enjoyed their ships and we will be taking a 10 and a 7 night cruise with then in April to try them again. The reason we haven’t sail with them for a while is just as you mentioned in your video, VALUE. Princess has had the best value by far and thus has gotten our business. We are using casino deals to try Celebrity again, but even their beverage packages seem way over priced compared to Princess or even HAL. We drink very little alcohol, but lots of Diet Coke. The soda package on Celebrity is almost twice that of Princess. I feel like they are trying to fleece me. We have crushed Princess 145 days and have two 7 day trips on the Regal the first of January and two 10 day trips on the new Sun in February. We feel Princess has more to offer in terms of variety of entertainment, variety of food choices, and a better value for the money. Right now it is hard to NOT sail them. Again, I thought your analysis was spot on and enjoyed comparing all 3 brands side by side.
Another very informative presentation. Thank you. We were on the Edge back in 10/22 and the one thing that stood out for us was the quality of the food 24 hrs. As you pointed out, the MDR, Specialty dining and the small shops for snacks, desserts and coffee were all above average to superior. The crazy part of this trip was that I lost 4 lbs because the ingredients were quality. Maybe there were greasy burger dogs, fried foods, m&c, etc. around but I didn't see them.
The last Holland America cruise we took overall was good. The activities were a little bit lacking. Going to try Celebrity for the first time in May and Princess for the first time in November. We also have a cruise on the Norwegian Prima at the end of February.
Cruising Sun Princess first time on Princess June 2024 and Celebrity March 2024 first time on Celebrity and can’t wait!! Cruised Holland America as a teen and loved the food but I was by far youngest person there lol - great video comparing these cruise lines!! Very helpful
Top three for me in Australia value, food, comfortable, cabins, service fit out third Royal Carribean cruise second P&O First but not least Princess cruise which i think is the same company as P&O well they have a joined rewards program.
We booked a last minute cruise on Norwegian for last September. We did the 90 rule and it worked. One additional tip that I love is that you can book early then as the price drops if you bring it to their attention., the cruise line will reduce your fare to match.
My wife and I did the Southern Caribbean and Panama Canal (partial passage) on HAL Rotterday in early December. Our favorite cruise yet, by far. We have not purchased the "have it all" package ever before, but we did pre-book on HAL a 17 night San Diego roundtrip to Hawaii and a 27 night Amazon River cruise with the have it all package so we will know more then.
Ilana, you never cease to anaze me how thorough and detailed your content is. Thank you for bringing up which of the 3 cruise lines you mentioned, has cabins dedicated to single cruisers. It sounds like Celebrity has the most dedicated cabins, which is a big plus. It would be nice to have a significant other to cruise with right now, but I enjoy cruising, ususlly one a year, and knowing who has the most cabins available will make the decision easier. I would like to know, why costs for solo cruisers are sooo much higher than double occupancy? I've gone online and priced them, and all cruise lines are $300-$400 more. Also, my goodness, this video was close to 25 minutes and you went coast to coast with taking a breath, I think; and with such exuberance, as yiu always do. Many thanks!
I agree with your assessment as far as value. We would really like to try both Holland America and Celebrity! However they don’t seem to offer the same value as Princess. Celebrity is far more expensive for a similar stateroom and itinerary. Holland America counts water bottles in the max count for their beverage package which is not honored on their private island. For these reasons, as well as many others, we continue to choose Princess. Enjoyed your review very much.
We've done Princess , Holland and Cunard lately and loved them all . Celebrity prices have always been higher when we wished to cruise . Much higher and we haven't seen the value so we last sailed with them six years ago.
I love hearing your input on comparisons between these cruise lines, I’d love to see more like this. I’m doing my first Norwegian cruise next year and would appreciate hearing your thoughts on how it compares to other lines
Thanks, Ilana, for sharing the comparison of the three premium lines. We have not sailed Holland-America yet, but just returned from 10 days in the Southern Caribbean on the Celebrity Silhouette and were on the engine-troubled Crown Princess in Alaska last year. Our assessment is very much like your own. Princess was our best for the Main Dining Room, pizza and burgers. The buffet was disappointing. The bathroom had a shower curtain so we much preferred the glass door and overall space on Celebrity. We had verandahs on both ships and the one on Celebrity had the sofa and still seemed roomier. Celebrity’s buffet had a diverse and changing menu while the main dining room had too much the same each evening. We found the food to be mediocre in the main dining both for quality and presentation. The dining room also felt more cramped, a factor of 1000 more passengers than Princess. Entertainment was good on both cruises though I’d give an edge to Celebrity for the two singers we saw. The Celebrity pizza was fair as was the burger at the Mast Grill. We did enjoy the pastries at the Cafe Bacio but didn’t try the extra cost gelato though it looked tasty. Like you, the atrium on Celebrity was blah, nothing as elegant and memorable as Princess, despite ours being an older ship. We hope to try H-A sometime for its traditional decor and quality.
We did our first cruise in September on NCL and though it was one of their smaller and older ships, it service was incredible and the ship was immaculate. We didn't have one bad meal the whole time. In fact, I couldn't find anything to complain about.
@@paulventura9939 Different design philosophy with Celebrity vs. Princess. The Silhouette has a Grand Foyer, not an atrium. It's supposed to be more like the grand entrance of a smaller establishment with a modern interpretation of a "grand staircase." The Solstice is only the last generation of Celebrity's cruise ships so while it is "older" than the Edge class, it's not an old ship by any means. I think food varies on any of these mass market lines. HAL, Princess, and Celeb are all premium but still mass market. HAL may deliver better or not if you try them. Entertainment, the same thing. Variable. Sorry to hear your Princess ship had engine trouble. HAL, btw, doesn't have grand atria. They are fairly narrow with a spiral staircase and large art centerpiece. Princess has the most elaborate ones and Celeb has the new Grand plaza on Edge ships which is, well, rectangular shaped with an active bar/lounge-like area at the core of it.
Thank you so much for sharing this! I’m hoping to go on a cruise next fall, and you helped me decide on the cruise line - Holland America! I’m a single, 65 yr old woman, and not really interested in all the bells and whistles on the newer ships. I’m more into the cultural side of the trip and look forward to learning new things. 😁
You have such a wonderful, kind way of presenting your videos and opinions. You are my favorite site for cruise information. Good job. Any cruise line would be happy for you to talk about them.
We are planning to cruise on Holland America Line in mid-September 2024 to Alaska. Your comparison is encouraging to me in that I think we will like it.
Just finished a 12 day cruise on the HAL Rotterdam. What a wonderful, clean, traditional ship! No go karts, rock climbing or rowdy kids. Yes, there were a few children, but they were well behaved. The staff were professional yet friendly. Most were smiling and happy with their jobs. Yes, HAL caters to a more “mature” crowd, but that is what one would expect from a traditional cruise line. The use of space in the cabins is perfect and the design provides everything one would expect. Real flowers are found everywhere on the ship and the use of graphics at each elevator keeps passengers from getting lost. Look on the floor of the elevators and you will know what day it is. The Have It All package is a welcome addition to the options offered. We enjoy our time on the Pinnacle class ships and will be sailing on them soon.
I just got back from spa level on Celebrity and it is so upscale! The restaurant Blu is wonderful. The food, service and arrangement of tables and spacing makes it easy to get to know the other tables or avoid if you want. A friend who went up a level later said that she doesn't want any level but this. Find a good deal and you won't regret it if you like to feel warmly special.
Taking a Trans Atlantic cruise on the Regal Princess in October of 2024 from Southampton to Galveston 21 days with stops in Spain Portugal Antigua St. Thomas and Grand Cayman. Our cabin is a Reserve Collection mini suite
I used to really want to cruise on Celebrity because those new Edge class ships looked really nice. The problem that I have with those ships though is that infinite veranda. I really want a balcony that I can walk out on, and then go back into my cabin where its nicely air conditioned. Apparently if you open the infinite veranda, the air conditioning turns off and all of the air conditioning in your room goes right out the window. Not really a balcony to me, its more like just a window. Might be nice on some cooler weather sailings, just not really for me. Its a shame because the rest of those ships look really nice and the dining looks incredible. Holland America really seems to be stepping up with their more recent ships and really focusing on music. That sounds fun to me and I really want to try Holland America. Princess will be a love of mine because they seem to have the best of both worlds with having some really interesting itineraries, good food, good entertainment, and a nice mix of larger and smaller ships. Their recent push for people to get a package can be a deterrent if you're looking for just a base priced cruise without any extras like drinks packages and wifi. And I totally understand those upset at Princess for pushing people more towards the packages. For me though, I'm a package kinda gal. For me, the packages are worth it to give me a more all inclusive feel to the sailing.
HAL has always focused on music. They've just added some more music venues to accommodate the tastes of shifting genres in their passenger base. Regarding Edge ships, the very important lack of traditional verandas are not the only problem. I really don't spend that much time personally in the staterooms but they are crucial to many cruisers. Also, Edge class has no library, no card room, no observation lounge, all public areas are louder and less private than they used to be, no elegant lounges for music and mingling. Tons of restaurants and a good amount of bars and there's even now a "private" lounge that you "rent" on the Ascent. That's nickle and dining. HAL has most of what the Edge has, minus Eden and a huge retreat area. So, it's up to the priority of the cruiser. I dislike the Edge class personally and would only do the Solstice and Millennium class.
Thank you for your recent review. I too recently cruised on Celebrity Equinox a vessel I had sailed on with my husband a few years ago and I have to agree the main dining room was the most surprising disappointments. From the reservation issues to the food quality and presentation we opted to skip main dining completely after 4 tries (9 night cruise). The entertainment was also lacking with guests walking out most evenings.
Interesting content! There is no doubt that all cruise lines had cut service and food quality after the covid shut down to try to recover some of their loses. We have noted that on previous Celebrity cruise the food quality and service had reduced post covid. Our friends that cruise Princess had the same conclusion on their Alaska Princess cruise in September. However, on a cruise this month on Celebrity Reflection to the ABC islands, we did note that the entree options and service in the main dinning had improved significantly and were near the pre-covid levels. Additionally, we noted that the number of entree options in the buffet for dinner had increased significantly as all the food islands were again being used for dinner. We also noted that a number of the more expensive entree options had also returned to the main dinning and buffet menus. We will be on the Celebrity Apex in early February and are looking forward to the cruise. Take care....
I love celebrity cruises! I’m going on eclipse in may and very excited 🎉 I’ve never tried any of the other two so I can’t really speak on them, but celebrity has my❤
Great info! Good to know if we ever take another cruise in the near future. We just got back from a Holland America cruise and we had a vista suite and the Have it All package. I thought the package was well worth the price, as it made everything less stress. I like a low key environment and thought the enrichment programs and the music walk was perfect for me. We even did the art classes and really enjoyed that. The main dining was nice, but we do wholeheartedly recommend Tamarind specialty dining, at least once during the cruise. I loved the grand Dutch Cafe coffee and pastries and one of my favorite places on the Nieuw Statendam was the library. The service was amazing and the crew were all fabulous. We felt very well pampered and would go back to Holland America! Thanks for all these videos Ilana, we watched so many of them before we went on this cruise and you helped us so much to feel well prepared for it!
My husband and I took our first cruise ever on Celebrity Reflection in early December. It was a wonderful experience for us, and we are definitely going to cruise again. I bought and used your Cruise Planner and it was a life saver! Our top favorite things on Celebrity were the Solarium pool/spa and the delicious food in the main dining room. Very much enjoyed the shows in the main theater, nightly dancing in the grand foyer and events in the Sky Lounge later at night. Service was excellent. That being said, I do feel like it is worth it to us to try both Princess and HAL because of the value per dollar. When I add on beverage packages (we did the zero proof), Wi-Fi, gratuities a la cart, I feel like I'm paying a premium to have the basics. However, we loved the Solarium so much that this or similar amenity is now a must have for us. Do you have to pay for adult pool and loungers on Princess? Do they typically retract the roof on HAL's adult pool space unless weather is bad? I really love the enclosed feeling and cooler temps in Solarium. That may be the deciding factor for us.
Thanks for sharing your experience & thanks for your purchase. The covered pool area on HAL seems to only be closed when weather is rainy or cold (Alaska was great). I don’t believe Princess has had a covered solarium pool
Getting ready to do a Repositioning Cruise on the Rotterdam for a “ride” back to the states after a land tour in Ireland. Yes, it is slightly more expensive than flying but soooo much more relaxing. We are retired and can enjoy the downtime of a slow boat back across the pond. Hollander America ships provide the right decompression we need after a tour in Europe. For anyone who is considering this type of cruise, make sure you want time to read, play cards, hang out by the pool and enjoy eating at your leisure. Entertainment is available each night but they can sometimes be repetitive. Other than that, this is a great stress free way to journey.
I have been enjoying your advice for weeks now. Our first cruise leaves Galveston on January 14th and I am really looking forward, and very excited for our Caribbean Princes cruise. I will get back to you afterwards. Thank you for your honest info on cruising.
I agree, Dive In on Holland America has the best burgers at sea! I was on Celebrity Beyond in November 2023. I found the MDR and Specialty Restaurants food was excellent. In fact in the Fine Cut Steakhouse, I had the best steak in years. However, I did find the service has suffered compared to my November 2022 cruise on Celebrity Summit. I let Celebrity know my feelings in my after cruise survey.
We have been on Princess 6 times and have enjoyed everything. Then we went on a Celebrity cruise. We now go on Celebrity all the time. Way more fun. And more to do at night.
Very nice review Ilana! Very informative. And I believe the tone in which you do fact based comparisons can lead companies to listen and improve their offer where they lack from others. We'll be able to see if Celebrity has started to change things, since we're sailing with them in a week. Thanks again.
I’m done with Celebrity. We booked a cruise in a suite early this year for our 25th wedding anniversary in 2024. A few months ago they canceled it because they were moving the Beyond from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean. We booked another cruise on the Ascent. A month later they canceled our cruise because they had a large group booking, so we got bumped. We had a short time to book something else to get their “benefit” and settled for a shorter cruise to ports we weren’t overly excited about several months after our anniversary. We canceled and they charged us a significant cancellation fee even though we canceled a year in advance. I’m done with Celebrity.
We loved Celebrity.... But they really have dialed up the prices especially for Aquaclass which is all we have done. Now I hear the food is gone downhill too? We have been going Princess more.
@@LoisHanndon’t be fear mongered by the 0.1% of people with just down right unlucky experiences. I have taken 5 celebrity cruises in the past 4 years 3 on the edge and 2 on the apex. NO issues AT ALL, perfect experience and the crew are just a treat to be around. The OP’s issue came into play because 90% of celebrities fleet is in the Caribbean, and often cruise lines will start their new ships in the Mediterranean because of the high demand when a new ship releases but most of the time move them to the Caribbean after because of the gargantuous profit margins in the winter and higher profit year round. If the op had looked more into that they might have had the chance to avoid it. But it’s astonishing that celebrity didn’t issue a deal or at least a warning before kicking them off. And the cancelation fee is a mystery but for me it’s no higher than 300$, which compared to the 2k minimum room price for celebrity these days is nothing. If it’s one of your first times cruising I will tell you, corporate for any cruise line is just bs and this could happen on any cruise line , just because the coporate scheme is so big and also because you are nothing to them, they can easily replace you if it’s a demanding time of year.
It is really double standard that they could just cancel the passengers reservation without consent offering a minimum compensation, while passengers have to pay a huge amount of fees to cancel or even slight alter their bookings. Sorry, you have to deal with this.
Love your channel We just got back from 11 day cruise from celebrity beyond to southern Caribbean which was fantastic absolutely beautiful ship From getting on to the ship which took less then 15 minutes and getting off the ship also took 15 minutes They are so organized The food was excellent The cruise director Shawna was fantastic she did an excellent job on the entertainment. My husband and I did not want to leave The staff was fantastic If I to rate the celebrity beyond a 100. We booked a future cruise to Alaska on the celebrity summit
On the Celebrity Equinox. My 5th Celebrity cruise. Portion sizes way down. Food consistently served cold. Service times are very long. Something is going on. Retreat hosts deny all of it is happening.
In 2020, (booked in 2019) we chose to try Celebrity. At the time, we could get a much larger cabin on HAL than X for the same price. However, that was when X was pushing "all inclusive" so the price was very close once you added a wine package to the HAL price. We did think (at least at the time) that the service on Celebrity was much better than HAL. IMO, X is driving people away, either toward HAL (or even RCCL) for a less expensive option or to Viking or the one of the small ship lines (Regent, SilverSea, etc.) to get a similar experience that people had before. With that said, we have 2 X cruises planned...Ascent in 2024 and Xcel in 2026 🙂. We also have a Viking cruise scheduled for 2025 but that is primarily due to itinerary.
My next cruise is on HAL Rotterdam at the Fjords. We went on the Konningsdam for our inside passage cruise in Alaska. My party loved the relaxed atmosphere, the food and the friendliness of the staff. I’ve been on the Celebrity Eclipse back in 2015 for a Baltic and North Sea cruise and it was fantastic.
We have our first Princess cruise in February to Panama Canal. Thank you for your review. Extremely helpful. We also booked our first Celebrity cruise in 2025 to the Southern Caribbean. We are very excited to try this cruise line as well!
My mom has done multiple princess cruises. We just got home from a transatlantic cruise with them on the Enchanted, which was glorious. I just want to let you know that the Panama Canal cruise with Princess was my mom’s favorite! Have a blast!
As always your videos are so informative! I did have to giggle, at the 10:55 mark I thought my son was stomping around upstairs (as he does) but then I realized it was on your video, lol. Not a complaint or criticism, just lol that we both have “stompers” in our house. 😂
We are headed out on the Holland America, Rotterdam in about 30 days. We have been on all three of these cruise lines, and we prefer the more laid-back premium atmosphere on Holland America most especially on the pinnacle class ships.
Gone on Celebrity 2 times this year. The ship are beautiful, rooms comfortable, dining room and buffet very good, also adult sections available. Trying Princess in a couple months. Thank you for your reviews.
Went on Celebrity in May this year. Agree 100 percent about Cafe Al Bacio. Tiny deserts that were underwhelming. Dinners in the MDR were often cold. We complained and it did get better, but the food was still not great. Going on Holland next May to Alaska so I'm excited about your positive reviews, as it's our first time on that line. Now that Princess is coming to Port Canaveral next year, will try that line as that's only 1 1/2 hours away.
Another very informative video Ilana. We have cruised a lot on Celebrity & some on Holland America. The Celebrity ships & especially the Edge class ships are really well appointed and the cabins are very comfortable & liveable. We have loved the service on Celebrity though you mentioned that Celebrity has cut back on their Butlers. We had one in November 2022. Guess we 9:11 will see on our February cruise on the Beyond. The Retreat staff has been very helpful but our butlers in the past were really very helpful and took amazingly great care of us. Happy cruising and a very Happy New Year Ilana!
We recently took Panama canal with the Ruby princess. The lido cafeteria was changed. They removed a lot of options for fresh salad, never any shredded cheese, no every day olives, options for desserts were not the best. Dining options is good, desserts are really nice. Shows are great. Money value is great. Love the use of the medaillon, perfect if traveling with friends.
We have been on Celebrity a few times and love it. We used to do their all inclusive but now they dropped the gratuities, we just purchase the cabin and add on the wifi and gratuities. We are going on Princess Sun this April. It will be our first Princess cruise. Next spring, 2025, we will cruise on HAL for the first time too. We only do specialty dining if it’s included in the package. We will have Princess plus and HAL’s have it all. This was a great video as it covered all three lines.
Going on Discovery Princess, June 1, 2024. Headed to Alaska on Inside Passage to Glacier. My husband, our 2 kids with their spouses and 2 granddaughters. We are so excited to go!!
I must add a comment about Celebrity and my grandkids experience. No big water areas, but low amount of kids on the cruise, which made for an awesome kids club area. The staff had less children and actually played along with the kids. We barely saw my grandkids and they rushed through dinner to get to go back. Ages 5, 7 and 10, very well done! I actually missed them sometimes.
I just go of the equinox celebrity cruise line for Christmas. I’m 6 4 and the shower is small but doable. My wife and I noticed that the food was cold it got better as the cruise went on.The Christmas decor was a little lack luster. But it’s still a beautiful ship.the service and cleanliness was excellent.
Recently cruised on The Beyond. We had been loyal to Royal for years. We found this ship decor, room, food, staff, entertainment to be above what we have ever experienced. Cost wise was more expensive yes, but we got on board with $750 in obc which took care of all our drinks, purchases, speciality dining and more. They will get our business from now on.
I just returned (Dec. 22, 2023) from the Celebrity Beyond, Southern Caribbean. I hated the "infinite veranda". When we opened the window, the AC in the room turns OFF. The weather was 85 degrees and 81% humidity. Our room became unbearable so we left the window up all the time. The next problem was that we purchased the basic beverage package (drinks up to $10). When we arrived onboard we found there were almost no drinks for $10! We were forced to upgrade our beverage package. My friends "had" a room next to mine. The agent for Celebrity talked my friends into upgrading their room to a real balcony (which they paid more money for). The new room was located at the very back of the ship, right above the restaurant "Eden". They heard the ships propellers all day and night and all the noise from the restaurant Eden. I also found the menus in the 4 Main Dining Rooms never really changed. Since I don't eat seafood my food choices were very limited.
These are the only 3 cruise lines we cruise on. We love each one and cruise the one that has the itinerary we want.So..life is good. Enjoyed your presentation and we agreed with your assessment. But it is our assessment as well. Enjoy your program!
![SAFEPLANET - ดาวเคราะห์ [ THE PLANET ]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/4X1XL3I_k3c/mqdefault.jpg)
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@@02sparklestars02so glad it’s been helpful! Thanks for your purchase 😊
I'm curious as to your use of the phrase "white lotus vibe" re: Celebrity. I know what white lotus means, and generally it has a negative connotation. Being I'm going on my first ever cruise next Spring or summer (and as a solo traveler), and that Celebrity and Holland America are two lines I've been seriously exploring, please explain. And thank you, I'm saving all of your videos to a "cruise" folder for reference.
@@ShaneisRight it’s actually a series called “white lotus” which takes place at gorgeous resorts. Don’t worry it’s not cruise terminology:)
@@LifeWellCruised Hmmm. Ok, TY. ✌
We generally cruise on Holland America. The Pinnacle ships have the Movies at night at the Center pool. On our Norway cruise this past September 2023, we both came down with Covid and were quarantined in our stateroom (thankfully we had a balcony). The crew and medical staff took great care of us. We were able to get Paxlovid via the medical center. We were assigned staff who had additional training in handling quarantined individuals. We were able to get our meals from any restaurant on the ship (not just the in room dining menu). The crew check on us every day and really made us feel cared for. Even brought us fresh fruit as we started to feel better. Holland America gave us Future Cruise Credit to use in the upcoming year equal to the number of days each of us were quarantined. We're using them in March to go to the Caribbean. So, getting sick on the ship wasn't great, we were well cared for.
Recent cruise on Princess was a study in contrasts for us. Plusses First:
1. Sapphire Princess was lovely and had all of the amenities you noted.
2.On-ship staff was super! Our cabin steward was really good and the staffs at the various restaurant were fun, proficient, and generally wonderful.
3. Premium restaurants were more than worth every penny... Meals at both Sabatini's and Sterling Steak House were among the best dining experiences we have ever had!
4. Dining room meals were definitely not as good as they were in pre-Covid days but were still great. The "old favorites" like the shrimp cocktail and the steaks have definitely slid downhill some, but on the other hand, we had the best fish & chips EVER in the dining room and there were other fun and very tasty non-traditional meals that were marvelous... And, of course, the service was superb.
AND NOW, the not so good and just plain awful.
1. Embarkation was horrible. Given the demographics of the customers we saw on our cruise, I cannot understand why the embarkation at Vancouver required what seemed to be miles of walking back and forth along endless corridors to get to the various stations. This is not only stupid but is also painful for many of us.
2. Given the push in the advertising to "book early and avoid price increases" for the upgrade packages, it was seriously disappointing to be greeted at Alfredo's by the news that we would have to pony up another $110 apiece to get the benefits that were included in the package that we had originally paid for. This is deceptive, if not outright fraudulent business practice, in my opinion.
3. Our balcony was out of commission for effectively two days while they changed the furniture. That was two days of the best weather on the trip that we didn't have the use of an amenity that we had paid significantly extra fare for.
4. The "Dine My Way" software was effectively inoperable before embarkation and during the first two days of the cruise due to the number of people trying to use it and the overwhelmed staff trying to deal with the system. It was the third night of the cruise before we could have a sit-down dinner in one of the dining rooms.
5. We were charged $78 for a bottle of wine that we neither ordered nor received. The on-board Guest Services proved incapable of solving this before debarkation, so getting it resolved after the cruise wasted hours of my time and cause incredible levels of frustration, (and probably incredible levels of blood pressure also). The "Customer Service" ranges from totally incompetent to non-existent once Princess has your money. (The sequence of e-mails between us and the Princess "representative" about what was included in the "Plus" package was so ludicrous that it could make the basis of a stand-up comedy routine!)
The upshot of all of this is that while the ships and the folks that work on them are generally great, the current state of Princess' business systems and management is such that I would never recommend them to anyone unless they get their act together.
Thanks for sharing your experiences
Sadly, we had similar 'not so great' experiences on our Princess cruise. Our room steward was amazing and dining room as well. But when my partner and I both ended up sick, the service really plummeted. We stopped using the app as it wasn't working well from the get-go, and one evening our dinner arrived over 1 hour later with only 1 filet minon on a plate and nothing else lol. We called a couple of times but never did get the rest of our dinner. Post cruise was a huge fight to get any money refunded, and we vowed never to cruise with this line again.
We are going on our first Celebrity cruise this weekend, so we're super excited to try out this cruise line!
I just wanted to mention that embarkation nightmares in Vancouver are not unique to Princess.. Vancouver is a mess regardless of which cruise line you are on.
Thank you for an honest review. I’m so sick of entitled, spoiled brats complaining about nothing.
We recently went on our first cruise post Covid, & until this one, I had never complained about anything with 21 cruises. I’ve booked another cruise & I pray things improve.
I too went through that 4 hour boarding process ( Alana that was the same day you went to Alaska on holland- you missed the lineup )
Princess can not deliver on its promises anymore
The ensuite is over sold now- try getting a clean locker or place in the spa pool/hot tub) They are an absolute mess
Celebrity Edge-class ships are the best for me in terms of design, vibe, food, entertainment, and services.
We did a trans-Atlantic on the Edge in 2022 and those boats are excellent! Though I must say, it was very much a "mature" group of passengers....
My idea of a perfect cruise, is a ship that does not look like a shopping mall, or glass and chrome white walls and ceilings. I like a wrap around lower deck, decent food.I do not care about song and dance shows, but I love trivia, game shows, things that I can participate in. HAL ships are perfect, but Princess has more activities that I enjoy. Depending on where I go, determines which of the two I choose. I love both for different reasons.
We just came back from our first cruise on Cunard's Queen Elizabeth and enjoyed the atmosphere, quizs, food and entertainment, staff, etc. I am unsure what I would find different or better on Princess, HAL, or Celebrity. Amount of guests on Princess is a concern around access to dining and entertainment?
Celebrity for short cruises near home. Holland America for long cruises. For our 173rd cruise we are going on Oceania for first time for their New Year cruise, the Vista!
173?! Holy shit.
We have been on Celebrity and Princess in the past year. Both exceeded my expectation. Did Princess to Alaska. Best vacation I have experienced. Going on Celebrity again in February.
We just got back from a four night cruise on the Princess Discovery, upgraded to the Princess Premiere package. We did two specialty dinging nights with Sabatini's and Crown Grill. The meals were excellent. Only did the formal dining room once, the menu was great and the food excellent. Next time, we will not use the Premier package, the Plus is the best value for us. The ship was clean and well maintained and the staff very friendly and attentive. The entertainment was everything we could have hoped for with many options each day. As for the demographics, it was a mature group of cruisers, many of them frequent cruisers and we enjoyed their company. There were a few families with loud and rude kids that was irritating, but such is life.
Thanks for sharing your experiences!
Di@@LifeWellCruised Was aboard Discovery Princess over the summer for an Alaskan Cruise. Ship was great except for the Piazza. The entire Piazza, without fail, REEKED of cigarettes smoke. I happened to run into the cruise director DuVaul who was AMAZING and absolutely hilarious, and he said its an issue with their ventilation from the casino but would require the ship to be dry docked to make the repair. Might be worth mentioning as it completely ruined our experience inside the ship, any entertainment that was taking place there, and any of the restaurants off of it.
In my opinion, the Edge Class of Celebrity is the best of all the ships. We've sailed on the beyond and are booked on the Ascent.
Thank you for the hard work your family puts in to great content! I’m handicapped and stuck at home, but I admire you greatly!
Dec 2023 cruise with Beyond. Service was awesome first two days. (12 day cruise) could not find a waiter after that. Last two days, awesome service again. Long lines at all bars waiting for drinks. Long waits for food in restaurants. The housekeeping was fantastic entire trip. Pool was hard to find chairs. Floating nursing home with wheelchairs, walkers, canes
Celebrity made some big menu changes this past year in it's main dining options. They took away some of our favorite dishes. The good news is that they listened to all of the complaints and feedback and added most of our favorite stuff back to the menu. You could tell from passenger's comments that they were test driving various ideas.
Thanks for sharing
Great review, we really are spoilt for choice… as a solo cruiser, I’m yet to book a solo cabin. The rare time they have been available, I’ve been able to book a regular stateroom for a better price… I’m not complaining, I just find it interesting and wonder what the future holds for the solo cabin concept
From November 2022 thru June 2023, we cruised on all three lines. Had a great experience on all of them. Some of the more recent changes had not been implemented at that time, and we booked way ahead, so we got a really good value. We are booked on the Sun Princess near the end of 2024 just to experience the new ship. Itinerary is usually a deciding factor in choosing the line, but when just wanting a new ship we do the Caribbean as we don't have to fly to the port of embarkation. Our assessment of the three lines, based on those 3 cruises was pretty much the same as yours.
Room service and being served by staff in the buffet, make Holland America the winner for me!
Prior to this year, had someone asked me what was my favorite line, I would have said HAL hands down. I love their ships, the food, and the more traditional cruise experience (not an amusement park at sea). But late in 2022 I booked a cruise with them where they sold me an itinerary with a port stop in Nicaragua. This was a port stopped I really wanted to do. The problem is, unbeknownst to me, Nicaragua had a cruise ship ban in place and HAL KNEW this. So they sold me a cruise they KNEW they couldn't do. I know that itineraries can change for various reasons, but they KNEW BEFORE THEY SOLD ME THE CRUISE they couldn't go there. When you sell something you can't provide, that's call fraud. And they made no attempt to make it right. I will never sail with them again after 22+ years of sailing with them and I tell everyone I can about the experience. So that they don't get defrauded.
Their CS is terrible. I got injured on an excursion and they refused medical help for almost 48 hours (needed a tetanus shot). Also, getting overages removed is a nightmare.
You did not mention Aqua class on Celebrity. The included dining is far above the MDR and the room amenities are excellent, all for a lot less than you would pay for a Suite on the other lines which is where you would have that more upscale experience.
Our first two cruises ever (at age 70 & 75) were on HAL in 2023, and I discovered I LOVE cruising! We found both the Lido Buffet and the Dining Room to have excellent choices and very good quality. We are booked on our third cruise for HAL coming up in April 2024. We enjoyed the quieter spaces on the ship during the day and the entertainment on the World Stage in the evening. We have found greatly reduced fares each time, making it possible to keep on cruising! We have appreciated all your great informative videos over the past year.
Hi Ilana. Another great and informative comparison video. My wife and I have currently only been on NCL cruises, but have been considering other brands. Pre-Covid I was thinking of trying out Celebrity, but now Post-Covid I am looking more at Princess.
Back in the early 2000's when I was working security at the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad, they floated in the Caribbean Princess ship for us to use as our accommodations, which was a heck of a lot cooler than staying in a hotel. Even though the ship never left the Port of Spain, it was still very awesome to be given my first exposure to being on a cruise ship.
Thank you for all your work on putting out your wonderful videos.
Cheers from just down the highway in Kingston, Ontario.
David
We cruised over 100 nights this year including on Princess (21 nights on Enchanted), Holland (21 nights on Rotterdam), and Celebrity (2 different cruises). Our biggest take aways for these 3 lines; Princess ships seem cheap, entertainment is poor quality, and the food quality is really bad in many cases (preparation and taste are fine but they buy junk; especially the meat and fish)- Holland is elegant with very nice ships, entertainment is good but is generally for older folks (although Rolling Stones rocks), and the food was great- Celebrity has nice ships, food is very good, and the entertainment is much better than Princess or Holland. Service on all 3 lines was very good. My wife and I are 50 years old and like to have a lot of fun so that does affect our entertainment preferences.
My husband and I love Celebrity. The food and the entertainment are excellent. We did a Princess cruise recently and the dining room food was horrible. I returned my meal on two nights. On the 3 rd night we have to on the dining room and went to the buffet. I have never returned a meal on Celebrity or Royal Caribbean .
We love your posts, especially ones like todays. You bring incite of the differences to each ship your on and all the tips and tricks before and after sailing, which we always enjoy. We haven't missed a single post of yours since we started watching cruise vlogs back in 2017. Very refreshing, thank you. Happy sailing in the new year.
Awe! Your comment really made me smile! Thanks for watching & I’m so glad you enjoyed the video :)
Interesting comparison. My interests surround the destinations, with an elevated food experience and comfortable place so sleep at the end of a long day, so Holland America has always made sense for me. Doing an Adriatic cruise with them next year… can’t wait! 😊
Agree. I choose itinerary first. As long as the food is good and the cabin clean and quiet, I'm happy.
Have you been on Queen Mary II? How are the beds and food, if so? Also, have you been on princess, royal carribean, P&O,and ableto comment? Thanks.
My adult daughter and I are taking our first Celebrity cruise in May - Edge. We have cruised RC many times, but I was ready to try something else. First Alaskan cruise too! Thanks for all your cruise information - very informative.
I think you’ll love it! Incredible ship design
We recently got back from a cruise with Celebrity Silhouette and the food was as good as I remembered it. A lot of blogs were complaining about the food and i was really worried that the quantity and menu variety would be lacking. Thankfully it was not the case. Only issue was getting a table (with reservations) the first couple of evenings - the hostess must of been new and often had us waiting for a table for 2 and we noticed that there were plenty of tables when we were seated.
There was plenty of activities planned throughout the day but i’ve noticed a decline in activities where the crew was involved. All in all the cruise was great. This was our first cruise since the pandemic. Looking forward to book another cruise with Celebrity but a newer ship.
Glad to hear your experience
Hi. First time cruiser here. Question-If you are not able to get a reservation at a restaurant is there a free for all buffet style dining area that you can eat at, without booking? Surely you would not go hungry bcos plaslces are booked out?
@@lucyg4848 yes, all cruise ships have a buffet on board. You will definitely have plenty of choices to eat throughout the day!
My 70 year old mom and I will go on Celebrity Equinox to ABC island in Feb 2024, and your videos are so informative and helpful to prepare our special mom and daughter cruise. Thank you
I was on the Celebrity Silhouette about a month ago and the Cafe Al Baccio was pretty darn good still. It's true that some of the fancy looking pastries might have tasted like the fake stuff but all in all, the cookies and muffins and pound cake and chocolate and lemon tarts and the red velvet cake and donuts were all really good. Just saying. And, I bake so I'm pretty fussy. I didn't try the carrot cake because I make a really great one which would be hard to beat. Otherwise, being included, it's great.
I love Celebrity edge class ships. Def my favorites.
We have only cruised on Viking in the past, but now have 2 cruises booked on Holland America. Your video verifies what we thought about Holland America, i.e. great food, great service and itineraries focused on destinations and enrichment activities. That is what we prefer, and we think we will really enjoy our cruises with this line. Thank you for a great overview of these 3 cruise lines!
I recently did an ocean cruise with Viking, they were awesome, but the entertainment was lacking. it didn't ruin my cruise because we were very busy at port every day but it's definitely something they need to work on. I have been looking at Holland America and I think I will try them for my next cruise.
My husband and I are not really into the entertainment aspects of cruising and so Viking's lack of it doesnt really bother us so much. That said, you are right. They could definitely improve or at least update the entertainment. We do love the line, but like everything else, they have gotten quite expensive. That is the main reason we decided to try Holland America.@@corinnemcleod1804
My girlfriend and I will be on the Caribbean Princess 21 Jan. We got the premier packages since it's her first ever cruise and my first as an adult without my family. We are really looking forward to making the most of the entertainment on board and enjoying the ship!
Thanks for your very informative videos. We're seniors who have never cruised & I'm realizing we have a LOT to learn before booking our 1st cruise.
Your channel is providing me with so much good info!
As fellow seniors we would recommend Oceania. Look into that line
@@gypsylife7822 thanks
@@gypsylife7822 Yes. You know, AFAIC, there are no small ships from HAL or Celebrity or Princess. They're all big. It's big, bigger, very big, and gigantic with most of the mass market cruise lines. Oceania is a smallish, mid-sized ship. Viking is another option.
However, cruising is personal. What do you like to do on a cruise or what do you think you'd like to do. What's most important to you? Itinerary? Cabin accommodations? Food? Music and if so what type? Dancing? Indoor or outdoor areas? Spas? Service style? There's a lot to consider.
My recommendation is to learn yes, but to BOOK very soon. You can watch, read, etc in advance but there is nothing as living it by yourself, and as you are a senior, take advantage that you are still healthy and go NOW.
Thanks for the info. Very helpful. Never been on a cruise before, but looking into it. The solo option was the one thing I really liked to hear. I didn't know that existed.
We are on the Ascent currently and loving it! It’s our first cruise and definitely will consider celebrity again. We booked a year ago and saved some $ by doing so. We love your content and used it as our guide to select celebrity ty
Awesome!! So glad you’re loving your cruise
We just got back from a 9 night cruise in the Caribbean on the Celebrity Equinox. We chose to go just before schools let out and wanted a ship "without waterslides". We're in our early 50s and although we had fun, and we needed time to just relax, sleep, and enjoy our balcony after a few difficult years, we were definitely 2 of the youngest on the ship. I saw a total of maybe 8 to 10 kids/teens on the whole ship. For our needs, this was perfect, but I was shocked just how many walkers, wheelchairs, canes, and scooters we saw on board. On our previous 5 or 6 cruises, there were a few, compared to maybe 30 wheelchairs, 50 people with walkers and/or canes, etc. The serenity area was quiet, but the crowd there could barely walk. The ship was gorgeous, the food was maybe a 7 out of 10 (far better than say, Carnival or cheaper cruises), modern design and colors, lots of music, but many of the activities appealed to music/pop culture of the 1960s and 1970s. Very little going on for music from the 90s forward. There was an 80s night but we were the only 2 dressed for it, maybe 2 dozen actively participated in the trivia and dancing that 80s night. For a relaxation vacation, it was perfect for us. If you have kids or in your 20s and 30s, this may be a bit "boring".
It was 9 nights. Longer cruises on Princess and HAL also have a higher percentage of 60s and up passengers. We all get old or die and there's no reason when people get that age they can't enjoy cruises and activities geared toward music they grew up with. The cruise directors probably assess the crowd and may favor more for that crowd. As far as ages go, it depends on tastes. When I was in my 20s I enjoyed jazz clubs way more than discos as well as some of my friends. We were by no means the majority but there are people in their 20s to 40s that are fine for a Celebrity, Princess or HAL type of cruise and they'll be in their 30-s to 40s in a decade. That's why you need lines to be different and cater to all age groups and various tastes overall.
Same as in HA. Just returned from a Caribbean cruise and yup, lots of folks with mobility issues. I was just happy to see that. When my time comes when I have difficulty moving around, I can still enjoy a cruise vacation. Some young cruisers may be frustrated but a reminder that aging is mandatory. We all get there eventually. While in the dining room, I observed a young wait staff helping a very elderly gentleman in the most genuine way as if he was his grandfather. It came from his heart and you can tell he wasn’t doing it as if it was his job. I hope they are paid well because they clearly deserved it. Our cruise includes the gratuity but I still tip for my room and drinks. Remember to tip in cash if possible. Credit card tips are also subjected to fees so they get less tips if it is not in cash.
I was on the Equinox last July for my first real cruise (did a short one many years ago) and I loved it. We reserved with the same waiter each night because he was so great and our cabin attendant was so helpful. There were very few young children on the cruise which is what I prefer. Celebrity isn’t really designed for young families which is why I prefer it. We are cruising with Celebrity on the Ascent this November. Looking forward to it!
Wow so much great information. Much appreciated ❤ ! In the past Princess has been my Favorite in almost all areas.
We sailed on Enchanted Princess in late August of 2023. From the moment we stepped aboard we were treated like royalty. The Mediterranean ports were absolutely so fun. We loved Crete and Mykonos the most. The food was delicious and I thought the presentation perfect. We will be booking again this year and plan on trying the Caribbean this time.
Love your videos and thanks for all the wonderful packing advice.
Sincerely, Vicki Wilson-Smith
We went on the Discovery Princess to Alaska in September. Best food of any Cruise Line in my opinion. I've been on 16 cruises
I’ve sailed on all three and agree they are all excellent. My two upcoming cruises are on Princess, I find the Princess Plus package to fit my needs. I am doing Alaska on Coral Princess and Panama Canal on Island to go through the historic locks.
A couple of things I would add is the Blu dining room for the Aqua class rooms. This dining room is outstanding. Also the buffet from our experience is top notch. A lot of the pasta, pork chops and grilled steaks are made fresh in front of you. I think your comparisons are spot on. Thanks
Love Princess. My next Princess cruise is in 3 days!!! Can’t wait. Totally would recommend, great value
Please update this thread when you return. I enjoy reading first-hand reports.
1st time cruiser in March. After almost 2 years of watching videos and reading reviews, we selected Princess.
We just came back from an Alaskan cruise in September on Celebrity Eclipse. This was our first cruise since the shut down. Before covid we sailed on Princess, Royal, Norwegian and Disney. We are not ones to complain and abide by the rule, "any day on a cruise ship, is a good day!' But we sure did notice a difference in food quality and presentation. We also noticed a difference in activities, quality and lack there of. We couldn't decide if this was a post pandemic thing or just the Celebrity line, seeing as it was our first time sailing with Celebrity. We are planning a Canada New England cruise in the fall on Holland, so we shall see. Thanks for this comparison Ilana! from Northern Ontario
I've been on 29 cruises on Celebrity, Princess, Norwegian, Carnival, and RC, and Holland America. And every time I start comparing them, HAL wins. But I have a great time regardless of what ship I'm on as long as I'm on a ship!
I love Holland! I agree with your assesments!
@BarryWallis
17 hours ago
I'm a member of the Magic Castle in Hollywood (a private club for magicians and their friends) and I can't wait to cruise on the Sun Princess. The Magic Castle had a group cruise in October called the Magic Castle Conjurors' Cruise on the Discovery Princess. We brought our own magicians and had both public and private shows and lectures during the seven-day cruise up and down the Pacific coast (we even had our own excursion to a magic show in San Francisco). It was so much fun that most of us (there were 91 in our group) signed up for the next Conjurors' Cruise in November on the Sun Princess before we left the ship.
That’s awesome!!!
Really enjoyed your presentation on the 3 brands and thought you were pretty spot on. We just got off the Rotterdam which was our first HAL cruise. We enjoyed this cruise, the food, the service, our aft Vista balcony stateroom and would sail HAL again. However, it seemed there wasn’t that much activity around the ship and even couldn’t understand why there wasn’t a movie or sporting event on the pool big screen except for 2-3 times during our 9 day cruise. I also felt the variety on the buffet was lacking (food was excellent) but after 9 days we were ready to move on.
While we have cruised Celebrity about 45 days , we have not sailed them for about 8 years. I have always enjoyed their ships and we will be taking a 10 and a 7 night cruise with then in April to try them again. The reason we haven’t sail with them for a while is just as you mentioned in your video, VALUE. Princess has had the best value by far and thus has gotten our business. We are using casino deals to try Celebrity again, but even their beverage packages seem way over priced compared to Princess or even HAL. We drink very little alcohol, but lots of Diet Coke. The soda package on Celebrity is almost twice that of Princess. I feel like they are trying to fleece me.
We have crushed Princess 145 days and have two 7 day trips on the Regal the first of January and two 10 day trips on the new Sun in February. We feel Princess has more to offer in terms of variety of entertainment, variety of food choices, and a better value for the money. Right now it is hard to NOT sail them.
Again, I thought your analysis was spot on and enjoyed comparing all 3 brands side by side.
Another very informative presentation. Thank you. We were on the Edge back in 10/22 and the one thing that stood out for us was the quality of the food 24 hrs. As you pointed out, the MDR, Specialty dining and the small shops for snacks, desserts and coffee were all above average to superior. The crazy part of this trip was that I lost 4 lbs because the ingredients were quality. Maybe there were greasy burger dogs, fried foods, m&c, etc. around but I didn't see them.
Great point about the ingredients…excellent thing to mention
I found the food in the edge horrible. The staff was not skilled in prep - whether omelets or carving station. I won’t travel them unless in aqua.
Excellent video....thank you... I enjoy hearing your input to what you prefer as well… thank you🚢
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching
The last Holland America cruise we took overall was good. The activities were a little bit lacking. Going to try Celebrity for the first time in May and Princess for the first time in November. We also have a cruise on the Norwegian Prima at the end of February.
Cruising Sun Princess first time on Princess June 2024 and Celebrity March 2024 first time on Celebrity and can’t wait!! Cruised Holland America as a teen and loved the food but I was by far youngest person there lol - great video comparing these cruise lines!! Very helpful
Top three for me in Australia value, food, comfortable, cabins, service fit out third Royal Carribean cruise second P&O First but not least Princess cruise which i think is the same company as P&O well they have a joined rewards program.
Thanks for posting over the holidays!
We booked a last minute cruise on Norwegian for last September. We did the 90 rule and it worked. One additional tip that I love is that you can book early then as the price drops if you bring it to their attention., the cruise line will reduce your fare to match.
What is the 90 rule please?
What is the "90 rule?"
I tried to research it, and I can't find information on it.
My wife and I did the Southern Caribbean and Panama Canal (partial passage) on HAL Rotterday in early December. Our favorite cruise yet, by far. We have not purchased the "have it all" package ever before, but we did pre-book on HAL a 17 night San Diego roundtrip to Hawaii and a 27 night Amazon River cruise with the have it all package so we will know more then.
Ilana, you never cease to anaze me how thorough and detailed your content is. Thank you for bringing up which of the 3 cruise lines you mentioned, has cabins dedicated to single cruisers. It sounds like Celebrity has the most dedicated cabins, which is a big plus. It would be nice to have a significant other to cruise with right now, but I enjoy cruising, ususlly one a year, and knowing who has the most cabins available will make the decision easier. I would like to know, why costs for solo cruisers are sooo much higher than double occupancy? I've gone online and priced them, and all cruise lines are $300-$400 more. Also, my goodness, this video was close to 25 minutes and you went coast to coast with taking a breath, I think; and with such exuberance, as yiu always do. Many thanks!
Love your comments. You were on point with everything.
I agree with your assessment as far as value. We would really like to try both Holland America and Celebrity! However they don’t seem to offer the same value as Princess. Celebrity is far more expensive for a similar stateroom and itinerary. Holland America counts water bottles in the max count for their beverage package which is not honored on their private island. For these reasons, as well as many others, we continue to choose Princess. Enjoyed your review very much.
We've done Princess , Holland and Cunard lately and loved them all . Celebrity prices have always been higher when we wished to cruise . Much higher and we haven't seen the value so we last sailed with them six years ago.
Thank you for this update. We are planning our first Princess cruise in February ‘24.
I love hearing your input on comparisons between these cruise lines, I’d love to see more like this. I’m doing my first Norwegian cruise next year and would appreciate hearing your thoughts on how it compares to other lines
So glad you enjoyed the video! I’ll do another on similar lines to NCL :)
Thanks, Ilana, for sharing the comparison of the three premium lines. We have not sailed Holland-America yet, but just returned from 10 days in the Southern Caribbean on the Celebrity Silhouette and were on the engine-troubled Crown Princess in Alaska last year. Our assessment is very much like your own. Princess was our best for the Main Dining Room, pizza and burgers. The buffet was disappointing. The bathroom had a shower curtain so we much preferred the glass door and overall space on Celebrity. We had verandahs on both ships and the one on Celebrity had the sofa and still seemed roomier. Celebrity’s buffet had a diverse and changing menu while the main dining room had too much the same each evening. We found the food to be mediocre in the main dining both for quality and presentation. The dining room also felt more cramped, a factor of 1000 more passengers than Princess. Entertainment was good on both cruises though I’d give an edge to Celebrity for the two singers we saw. The Celebrity pizza was fair as was the burger at the Mast Grill. We did enjoy the pastries at the Cafe Bacio but didn’t try the extra cost gelato though it looked tasty. Like you, the atrium on Celebrity was blah, nothing as elegant and memorable as Princess, despite ours being an older ship. We hope to try H-A sometime for its traditional decor and quality.
We did our first cruise in September on NCL and though it was one of their smaller and older ships, it service was incredible and the ship was immaculate. We didn't have one bad meal the whole time. In fact, I couldn't find anything to complain about.
I ❤ NCL! They have really great included food. You must eat at the Steak house, specialty, stay away from the Brazilian Steak house!
@@paulventura9939 Different design philosophy with Celebrity vs. Princess. The Silhouette has a Grand Foyer, not an atrium. It's supposed to be more like the grand entrance of a smaller establishment with a modern interpretation of a "grand staircase." The Solstice is only the last generation of Celebrity's cruise ships so while it is "older" than the Edge class, it's not an old ship by any means. I think food varies on any of these mass market lines. HAL, Princess, and Celeb are all premium but still mass market. HAL may deliver better or not if you try them. Entertainment, the same thing. Variable. Sorry to hear your Princess ship had engine trouble. HAL, btw, doesn't have grand atria. They are fairly narrow with a spiral staircase and large art centerpiece. Princess has the most elaborate ones and Celeb has the new Grand plaza on Edge ships which is, well, rectangular shaped with an active bar/lounge-like area at the core of it.
Thank you so much for sharing this! I’m hoping to go on a cruise next fall, and you helped me decide on the cruise line - Holland America! I’m a single, 65 yr old woman, and not really interested in all the bells and whistles on the newer ships. I’m more into the cultural side of the trip and look forward to learning new things. 😁
You have such a wonderful, kind way of presenting your videos and opinions. You are my favorite site for cruise information. Good job. Any cruise line would be happy for you to talk about them.
We are planning to cruise on Holland America Line in mid-September 2024 to Alaska. Your comparison is encouraging to me in that I think we will like it.
Just finished a 12 day cruise on the HAL Rotterdam. What a wonderful, clean, traditional ship! No go karts, rock climbing or rowdy kids. Yes, there were a few children, but they were well behaved. The staff were professional yet friendly. Most were smiling and happy with their jobs. Yes, HAL caters to a more “mature” crowd, but that is what one would expect from a traditional cruise line. The use of space in the cabins is perfect and the design provides everything one would expect. Real flowers are found everywhere on the ship and the use of graphics at each elevator keeps passengers from getting lost. Look on the floor of the elevators and you will know what day it is. The Have It All package is a welcome addition to the options offered. We enjoy our time on the Pinnacle class ships and will be sailing on them soon.
I just got back from spa level on Celebrity and it is so upscale! The restaurant Blu is wonderful. The food, service and arrangement of tables and spacing makes it easy to get to know the other tables or avoid if you want. A friend who went up a level later said that she doesn't want any level but this. Find a good deal and you won't regret it if you like to feel warmly special.
Taking a Trans Atlantic cruise on the Regal Princess in October of 2024 from Southampton to Galveston 21 days with stops in Spain Portugal Antigua St. Thomas and Grand Cayman. Our cabin is a Reserve Collection mini suite
I used to really want to cruise on Celebrity because those new Edge class ships looked really nice. The problem that I have with those ships though is that infinite veranda. I really want a balcony that I can walk out on, and then go back into my cabin where its nicely air conditioned. Apparently if you open the infinite veranda, the air conditioning turns off and all of the air conditioning in your room goes right out the window. Not really a balcony to me, its more like just a window. Might be nice on some cooler weather sailings, just not really for me. Its a shame because the rest of those ships look really nice and the dining looks incredible. Holland America really seems to be stepping up with their more recent ships and really focusing on music. That sounds fun to me and I really want to try Holland America. Princess will be a love of mine because they seem to have the best of both worlds with having some really interesting itineraries, good food, good entertainment, and a nice mix of larger and smaller ships. Their recent push for people to get a package can be a deterrent if you're looking for just a base priced cruise without any extras like drinks packages and wifi. And I totally understand those upset at Princess for pushing people more towards the packages. For me though, I'm a package kinda gal. For me, the packages are worth it to give me a more all inclusive feel to the sailing.
HAL has always focused on music. They've just added some more music venues to accommodate the tastes of shifting genres in their passenger base.
Regarding Edge ships, the very important lack of traditional verandas are not the only problem. I really don't spend that much time personally in the staterooms but they are crucial to many cruisers. Also, Edge class has no library, no card room, no observation lounge, all public areas are louder and less private than they used to be, no elegant lounges for music and mingling. Tons of restaurants and a good amount of bars and there's even now a "private" lounge that you "rent" on the Ascent. That's nickle and dining. HAL has most of what the Edge has, minus Eden and a huge retreat area. So, it's up to the priority of the cruiser. I dislike the Edge class personally and would only do the Solstice and Millennium class.
Thanks for sharing! Just an FYI, if you close the infinite veranda doors (they are like a bifold style), your ac will stay on
I have cruised HAL on many occasions and love it. I go again in March.❤
Thank you for your recent review. I too recently cruised on Celebrity Equinox a vessel I had sailed on with my husband a few years ago and I have to agree the main dining room was the most surprising disappointments. From the reservation issues to the food quality and presentation we opted to skip main dining completely after 4 tries (9 night cruise). The entertainment was also lacking with guests walking out most evenings.
I must ask, what kind of entertainment please? I’m working on a video.
@@mitchexplores the live entertainment in the theatre.
Interesting content! There is no doubt that all cruise lines had cut service and food quality after the covid shut down to try to recover some of their loses. We have noted that on previous Celebrity cruise the food quality and service had reduced post covid. Our friends that cruise Princess had the same conclusion on their Alaska Princess cruise in September. However, on a cruise this month on Celebrity Reflection to the ABC islands, we did note that the entree options and service in the main dinning had improved significantly and were near the pre-covid levels. Additionally, we noted that the number of entree options in the buffet for dinner had increased significantly as all the food islands were again being used for dinner. We also noted that a number of the more expensive entree options had also returned to the main dinning and buffet menus. We will be on the Celebrity Apex in early February and are looking forward to the cruise. Take care....
I love celebrity cruises! I’m going on eclipse in may and very excited 🎉 I’ve never tried any of the other two so I can’t really speak on them, but celebrity has my❤
I’m about to go on my first ever cruise, and it’s with HAL. I’m even more excited now after all the positive things you had to say about their ships!
Great info! Good to know if we ever take another cruise in the near future. We just got back from a Holland America cruise and we had a vista suite and the Have it All package. I thought the package was well worth the price, as it made everything less stress. I like a low key environment and thought the enrichment programs and the music walk was perfect for me. We even did the art classes and really enjoyed that. The main dining was nice, but we do wholeheartedly recommend Tamarind specialty dining, at least once during the cruise. I loved the grand Dutch Cafe coffee and pastries and one of my favorite places on the Nieuw Statendam was the library. The service was amazing and the crew were all fabulous. We felt very well pampered and would go back to Holland America! Thanks for all these videos Ilana, we watched so many of them before we went on this cruise and you helped us so much to feel well prepared for it!
I really enjoyed this video! Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it!
My husband and I took our first cruise ever on Celebrity Reflection in early December. It was a wonderful experience for us, and we are definitely going to cruise again. I bought and used your Cruise Planner and it was a life saver!
Our top favorite things on Celebrity were the Solarium pool/spa and the delicious food in the main dining room. Very much enjoyed the shows in the main theater, nightly dancing in the grand foyer and events in the Sky Lounge later at night. Service was excellent. That being said, I do feel like it is worth it to us to try both Princess and HAL because of the value per dollar. When I add on beverage packages (we did the zero proof), Wi-Fi, gratuities a la cart, I feel like I'm paying a premium to have the basics. However, we loved the Solarium so much that this or similar amenity is now a must have for us. Do you have to pay for adult pool and loungers on Princess? Do they typically retract the roof on HAL's adult pool space unless weather is bad? I really love the enclosed feeling and cooler temps in Solarium. That may be the deciding factor for us.
Thanks for sharing your experience & thanks for your purchase. The covered pool area on HAL seems to only be closed when weather is rainy or cold (Alaska was great). I don’t believe Princess has had a covered solarium pool
Getting ready to do a Repositioning Cruise on the Rotterdam for a “ride” back to the states after a land tour in Ireland. Yes, it is slightly more expensive than flying but soooo much more relaxing. We are retired and can enjoy the downtime of a slow boat back across the pond. Hollander America ships provide the right decompression we need after a tour in Europe. For anyone who is considering this type of cruise, make sure you want time to read, play cards, hang out by the pool and enjoy eating at your leisure. Entertainment is available each night but they can sometimes be repetitive. Other than that, this is a great stress free way to journey.
I have been enjoying your advice for weeks now. Our first cruise leaves Galveston on January 14th and I am really looking forward, and very excited for our Caribbean Princes cruise. I will get back to you afterwards. Thank you for your honest info on cruising.
I agree, Dive In on Holland America has the best burgers at sea! I was on Celebrity Beyond in November 2023. I found the MDR and Specialty Restaurants food was excellent. In fact in the Fine Cut Steakhouse, I had the best steak in years. However, I did find the service has suffered compared to my November 2022 cruise on Celebrity Summit. I let Celebrity know my feelings in my after cruise survey.
We have been on Princess 6 times and have enjoyed everything. Then we went on a Celebrity cruise. We now go on Celebrity all the time. Way more fun. And more to do at night.
Excellent format, thank you.
Very nice review Ilana! Very informative. And I believe the tone in which you do fact based comparisons can lead companies to listen and improve their offer where they lack from others. We'll be able to see if Celebrity has started to change things, since we're sailing with them in a week. Thanks again.
I’m done with Celebrity. We booked a cruise in a suite early this year for our 25th wedding anniversary in 2024. A few months ago they canceled it because they were moving the Beyond from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean. We booked another cruise on the Ascent. A month later they canceled our cruise because they had a large group booking, so we got bumped. We had a short time to book something else to get their “benefit” and settled for a shorter cruise to ports we weren’t overly excited about several months after our anniversary. We canceled and they charged us a significant cancellation fee even though we canceled a year in advance. I’m done with Celebrity.
Wow!!! Ok that is crazy!!!
We loved Celebrity.... But they really have dialed up the prices especially for Aquaclass which is all we have done. Now I hear the food is gone downhill too? We have been going Princess more.
We are doing our first Celebrity cruise in February. That is terrible that they cancelled yours :(
@@LoisHanndon’t be fear mongered by the 0.1% of people with just down right unlucky experiences. I have taken 5 celebrity cruises in the past 4 years 3 on the edge and 2 on the apex. NO issues AT ALL, perfect experience and the crew are just a treat to be around. The OP’s issue came into play because 90% of celebrities fleet is in the Caribbean, and often cruise lines will start their new ships in the Mediterranean because of the high demand when a new ship releases but most of the time move them to the Caribbean after because of the gargantuous profit margins in the winter and higher profit year round. If the op had looked more into that they might have had the chance to avoid it. But it’s astonishing that celebrity didn’t issue a deal or at least a warning before kicking them off. And the cancelation fee is a mystery but for me it’s no higher than 300$, which compared to the 2k minimum room price for celebrity these days is nothing. If it’s one of your first times cruising I will tell you, corporate for any cruise line is just bs and this could happen on any cruise line , just because the coporate scheme is so big and also because you are nothing to them, they can easily replace you if it’s a demanding time of year.
It is really double standard that they could just cancel the passengers reservation without consent offering a minimum compensation, while passengers have to pay a huge amount of fees to cancel or even slight alter their bookings. Sorry, you have to deal with this.
Love your channel
We just got back from 11 day cruise from celebrity beyond to southern Caribbean which was fantastic absolutely beautiful ship
From getting on to the ship which took less then 15 minutes and getting off the ship also took 15 minutes
They are so organized
The food was excellent
The cruise director Shawna was fantastic she did an excellent job on the entertainment. My husband and I did not want to leave
The staff was fantastic
If I to rate the celebrity beyond a 100. We booked a future cruise to Alaska on the celebrity summit
On the Celebrity Equinox. My 5th Celebrity cruise. Portion sizes way down. Food consistently served cold. Service times are very long. Something is going on. Retreat hosts deny all of it is happening.
In 2020, (booked in 2019) we chose to try Celebrity. At the time, we could get a much larger cabin on HAL than X for the same price. However, that was when X was pushing "all inclusive" so the price was very close once you added a wine package to the HAL price. We did think (at least at the time) that the service on Celebrity was much better than HAL.
IMO, X is driving people away, either toward HAL (or even RCCL) for a less expensive option or to Viking or the one of the small ship lines (Regent, SilverSea, etc.) to get a similar experience that people had before.
With that said, we have 2 X cruises planned...Ascent in 2024 and Xcel in 2026 🙂. We also have a Viking cruise scheduled for 2025 but that is primarily due to itinerary.
My next cruise is on HAL Rotterdam at the Fjords. We went on the Konningsdam for our inside passage cruise in Alaska. My party loved the relaxed atmosphere, the food and the friendliness of the staff. I’ve been on the Celebrity Eclipse back in 2015 for a Baltic and North Sea cruise and it was fantastic.
We have our first Princess cruise in February to Panama Canal. Thank you for your review. Extremely helpful. We also booked our first Celebrity cruise in 2025 to the Southern Caribbean. We are very excited to try this cruise line as well!
My mom has done multiple princess cruises. We just got home from a transatlantic cruise with them on the Enchanted, which was glorious. I just want to let you know that the Panama Canal cruise with Princess was my mom’s favorite! Have a blast!
As always your videos are so informative! I did have to giggle, at the 10:55 mark I thought my son was stomping around upstairs (as he does) but then I realized it was on your video, lol. Not a complaint or criticism, just lol that we both have “stompers” in our house. 😂
Haha
We are headed out on the Holland America, Rotterdam in about 30 days. We have been on all three of these cruise lines, and we prefer the more laid-back premium atmosphere on Holland America most especially on the pinnacle class ships.
Gone on Celebrity 2 times this year. The ship are beautiful, rooms comfortable, dining room and buffet very good, also adult sections available. Trying Princess in a couple months. Thank you for your reviews.
Went on Celebrity in May this year. Agree 100 percent about Cafe Al Bacio. Tiny deserts that were underwhelming. Dinners in the MDR were often cold. We complained and it did get better, but the food was still not great. Going on Holland next May to Alaska so I'm excited about your positive reviews, as it's our first time on that line. Now that Princess is coming to Port Canaveral next year, will try that line as that's only 1 1/2 hours away.
Another very informative video Ilana. We have cruised a lot on Celebrity & some on Holland America. The Celebrity ships & especially the Edge class ships are really well appointed and the cabins are very comfortable & liveable. We have loved the service on Celebrity though you mentioned that Celebrity has cut back on their Butlers. We had one in November 2022. Guess we 9:11 will see on our February cruise on the Beyond. The Retreat staff has been very helpful but our butlers in the past were really very helpful and took amazingly great care of us.
Happy cruising and a very Happy New Year Ilana!
Thanks for sharing your experiences
We recently took Panama canal with the Ruby princess. The lido cafeteria was changed. They removed a lot of options for fresh salad, never any shredded cheese, no every day olives, options for desserts were not the best. Dining options is good, desserts are really nice. Shows are great. Money value is great. Love the use of the medaillon, perfect if traveling with friends.
We have been on Celebrity a few times and love it. We used to do their all inclusive but now they dropped the gratuities, we just purchase the cabin and add on the wifi and gratuities. We are going on Princess Sun this April. It will be our first Princess cruise. Next spring, 2025, we will cruise on HAL for the first time too. We only do specialty dining if it’s included in the package. We will have Princess plus and HAL’s have it all. This was a great video as it covered all three lines.
Going on Discovery Princess, June 1, 2024. Headed to Alaska on Inside Passage to Glacier. My husband, our 2 kids with their spouses
and 2 granddaughters. We are so excited to go!!
100% agree with the Tamarind
I must add a comment about Celebrity and my grandkids experience. No big water areas, but low amount of kids on the cruise, which made for an awesome kids club area. The staff had less children and actually played along with the kids. We barely saw my grandkids and they rushed through dinner to get to go back. Ages 5, 7 and 10, very well done! I actually missed them sometimes.
I just go of the equinox celebrity cruise line for Christmas. I’m 6 4 and the shower is small but doable. My wife and I noticed that the food was cold it got better as the cruise went on.The Christmas decor was a little lack luster. But it’s still a beautiful ship.the service and cleanliness was excellent.
Recently cruised on The Beyond. We had been loyal to Royal for years. We found this ship decor, room, food, staff, entertainment to be above what we have ever experienced. Cost wise was more expensive yes, but we got on board with $750 in obc which took care of all our drinks, purchases, speciality dining and more. They will get our business from now on.
Also loved the infinity balcony. This is a big plus for always having a great view.
I just returned (Dec. 22, 2023) from the Celebrity Beyond, Southern Caribbean.
I hated the "infinite veranda". When we opened the window, the AC in the room turns OFF. The weather was 85 degrees and 81% humidity. Our room became unbearable so we left the window up all the time.
The next problem was that we purchased the basic beverage package (drinks up to $10). When we arrived onboard we found there were almost no drinks for $10! We were forced to upgrade our beverage package.
My friends "had" a room next to mine. The agent for Celebrity talked my friends into upgrading their room to a real balcony (which they paid more money for). The new room was located at the very back of the ship, right above the restaurant "Eden". They heard the ships propellers all day and night and all the noise from the restaurant Eden.
I also found the menus in the 4 Main Dining Rooms never really changed. Since I don't eat seafood my food choices were very limited.
These are the only 3 cruise lines we cruise on. We love each one and cruise the one that has the itinerary we want.So..life is good. Enjoyed your presentation and we agreed with your assessment. But it is our assessment as well. Enjoy your program!