Couldn’t believe you gave Virgin & Celebrity a tie for first place! Those are my two favorites, very different, but I love them both. But just returned from my first Princess cruise, 27 nights on Royal Princess, and absolutely loved it. Food & entertainment at least as good as on Celebrity, and enrichment talks, activities even better.
Hey Dan, great minds think alike of course! We are back on Virgin early spring and I also enjoy both. I'm thrilled that you shared your Princess experience - 27 Nights is obviously a great amount of time to really get to know the ship! Great to know that Princess has similar things or better to offer. I have to get my butt on there soon. Thanks for watching!
Very informative information. Big Celebrity cruiser here & I was just on the Beyond for 11 nights in the Mediterranean with Captain Kate. It was incredible but we did notice the "lack" of food options in the main dining. So Celebrity being the great company they are, took note of their customer feedback & will be going back to the "classic" dining, which I guess means more options in the theme main dining rooms. Also they are going back to chocolate on the menu every night! We're going on the Ascent in January & can't wait, Thanks for sharing your information with us.
Sailing with Capitan Kate would be great! I have also heard that the executive team sailed on the Equinox and realized that the selection was limited and was bringing back the classics. I hope that they also take a look at the quality in the MDR. Thanks for sharing and for watching!
They are. I'm really impressed with the President of Celebrity. I've been on 3 cruises since the pandemic & I've seen the changes, some good, some bad. Glad they are listening to us & bringing back the things we love about cruising! @@seemoreseascruises3791
How did you like the Ascent? Were there many young couples? Just got back from a Royal Caribbean Wonder of the Sea cruise and there were just too many kinds for our liking. We want to book another cruise and we were looking at the Celebrity Ascent since it looks like it has a good balance of relaxation and party vibes.
@@adamwilson751 The Celebrity line caters to an older crowd but there were lots of young couples & very few kids.The Ascent is a beautiful ship & I would highly recommend you try it or any of their Edge class ships. Good luck!
Hello! I enjoyed your video. My husband and I are cruising with Celebrity for the first time, in a couple of weeks. We normally sail with Royal Caribbean. I am concerned about the new changes on Celebrity. We booked a Sky Suite for our Ultimate Carribean Cruise for 10 nights. Time will tell!!
If you are Royal Caribbean sailors then you will love Celebrity. It will be an upgraded experience for sure. Since you are in a Sky Suite, you will have access to Luminae (private dining room), the Retreat Lounge (Michaels Club on Solstice Class) and premium amenities. One of the big differences will be the buffet - it is highly upgraded from Royal. With a Sky Suite, you no longer get the butler but I can tell you from experience, we never used the butler services and have stayed in a Sky Suite 5 times. If you need anything, the concierge in the Retreat Lounge can work wonders. The Retreat team all work together. Have an awesome time! Thanks for watching!
I experience that on Freedom of the Seas a couple of years ago. I hate hearing that! Hopefully your next experience will be better. I have also learned that if you do not like something, say something. Have them bring you something else. It normally comes very quickly.
Here is a reason for Princess--the Medallion. Phone apps do not enable servers to deliver food and drinks to your location. The Medallion means "order and forget": whatever you ordered will come to you. It is not perfect; sometimes the wait is long, but so is the wait at the bars and restaurants at other ships. I do not understand why some cruise commenators act like this is not a big advantage. It is, or at least it has been for us. PS--we like Celebrity a lot, too. We are not Princess-only cruisers. Both are great. We have never cruised on Virgin or Holland America.
I think that the Medallion is a great asset for Princess! They lead the pack when it comes to this technology. We just got off Holland America and their app has improved and the Dive In burger preorder didn't work when I tried it. We are doing Virgin in March so I'll be giving them another try to see if they are catching up. Thanks so much for sharing and for watching!
Took my first ever cruise a few weeks ago: Princess 7 nights to Canada/New England from NYC. Loved it. No criticisms. Can't compare with other lines, obviously. All I can say is that the staff was superb, the itinerary perfect for me, my interior room very comfortable and organized brilliantly to maximize storage space, the ship beautiful, embarkation and disembarkation quick and well organized, and I found many beautiful and quiet spaces (what I wanted) both inside and out. Excellent choice of wines and top shelf liquors with my premium package. Superb specialty dining. Diverting entertainment. Superb song and dance talent. Decent food in main dining room and buffet. The only things I could imagine better would all cost more-- higher quality ingredients in the buffet and other included dining and more elevated/sophisticated entertainment. I thought Princess gave excellent value for the money and I would likely stick with Princess in the future because I really can't imagine better value for the price and was very happy with what I had. As a music lover, I am tempted by the HAL music walk, however. I suspect I would enjoy cruises on any of the lines reviewed on this video and would likely choose a particular trip based on itinerary, convenience, and price. I do wonder if Virgin is a bit too raunchy for my taste.
Thank you so much for sharing your Princess experience. I think you perfectly nailed it with itinerary. Princess has not had an itinerary out of Port Everglades that worked for us in the past. We would have sailed Princess in Alaska but we had cruise credits to use from Celebrity. Yes, any of these cruise lines will give you that premium experience and the destinations are what sets them apart. I had the same reservations regarding Virgin but having sailed, it is not as wild as some of the reports, advertisements and pictures show. There are many relaxing, sophisticated premium spaces and events on Virgin. We are headed back on Virgin in the early spring. Thanks for watching!
Having been a long time Celebrity cruiser and now Princess a couple of times, I have to say I think that princess and Celebrity are way closer then you make them out. I do like the Celebrity ship design but food, entertainment and the overall experience on princess is great. I have had a hard time going back to Celebrity, a travel agent I talked to put it best. She could accept the price they are now charging but Not with the cost cuts they have put in place.
I would tend to agree with you there. Princess and Celebrity are very close in market demographics, service levels and beautiful ships. I have also been informed by several guests that the Princess is experience is very pleasant. I am currently on the Celebrity Eclipse and I feel that the cutbacks what we all have seen are very apparent. The food selection in the buffet is much more limited and the complaints I have already heard regarding the lack of selection with the Classic drink package has been getting louder. From pricing out itinerary options for clients, the Princess Plus and Princess Premier seem to be a better value than the All Included from Celebrity. Thanks for sharing and for watching!
Thank you! I also enjoy HAL but our last sailing on the Eurodam was a bit underwhelming. We have very high hopes that our upcoming voyage on the Rotterdam will be great! Thanks so much for sharing and for watching!
@@seemoreseascruises3791 Been on Nieuw Statendam twice and it was perfection. We're on Oosterdam in the Adriatic in 2025. Hope the smaller and older ship doesn't let us down!
It would be amazing if you did a cruise based on destination areas. I am going to Alaska in the near future. I would love input on that because the experience is a little different-hotter destinations.
Alaska is a very unique adventure and there are a variety of ports available as well as itineraries. I have a few videos on Alaska on the channel. The first is our Celebrity Solstice Alaska Cruise = ruclips.net/video/8ioWxxqedCo/видео.html and another which is comparing the cruise lines for Alaska = ruclips.net/video/YJf43ZVO6WE/видео.html then another would be comparing Vancouver and Seattle as embarkation ports = ruclips.net/video/-prD3ze3VfQ/видео.html I hope that you find these helpful. I am also available to assist in your planning and booking of the cruise if you are interested. Thanks so much for sharing and for watching!
@@Bella24Forever Virgin is not included in the Alaska cruise line review since this next season will be their first ever. The itineraries from Virgin are currently not as robust as the other legacy cruise lines. I can email you some thoughts on the brand new upcoming Virgin sailings - I am also a Gold travel partner with Virgin. Email me at contact@seemoresea.com
I'll be crlusing on Celebrity the first time in 2 months. Seeing all these negative comments about the decline on their food quality, I am very concern as food was the main reason I chose to cruise with their line. Since you have sail with Celebrity many times, can complimentary lunch take place at speciality restaurants or does it have to be at the MDR?
I'm excited that you are experiencing Celebrity for the first time. The decline in the food quality to me is exaggerated. I still believe that the food quality on Celebrity is above that of the mass market lines and the OceanView Cafe buffet on Celebrity blows away most of the competition. You can not replace a lunch or breakfast with a specialty restaurant unless you are in The Retreat (Suites) inside Luminae or Aqua Class for Blu. Concierge Class does have a welcome lunch on day one in the MDR using an upgraded menu but this will be standard MDR menus for sea day lunches. If at any time you do not enjoy your course in the MDR inform the server team immediately and they will bring you another option. I thought I would like a dish and it turned out that it was not a match with me. They will replace it ASAP. You can order two options for yourself and a third for the table. You will be charged extra for a third entree for yourself but not if you replace the first one that you did not care for. The decline of food comments come from long time cruisers who have experienced larger menu offerings during a period of differentiation. The line has cut back as all lines have. They still offer an exceptional product in my opinion with smaller servings. Sometimes on prime rib night, I will order two or another for us to share and that is never a problem. Enjoy your cruise and make sure that you explore the OceanView Cafe for breakfast and especially lunch. There are several options for you to explore. I hope that helps. Save the specialty dining for dinners and make sure that you book these before your sailing so that you get the time and day that you require. Have a wonderful cruise and I hope that you enjoy Celebrity!
Enjoyed this very much. I was hoping you would mention which cruise lines have casinos. Do any offer reduced cruises bc of loyalty or casino playing ? Thanks.
Thank you! Most all of the premium cruise lines will have a casino area. Some are bigger than others but they all will have a casino loyalty program for future cruise benefits. Most of them are also non-smoking casinos. Thanks for sharing and for watching!
Having cruised over 60 times on eight different lines, the best for us is Princess. Their Plus and Premier packages are the best value at sea. For 60 bucks, you get drink package, wifi, crew gratuities and other inclusions. Celebrity is now in our rear view mirror because the basic drink package that is included is a joke and it's 48.00 per couple per day to upgrade. And it doesn't include gratuities. Kind of difficult to fairly rate Princess if you've never sailed on the line.
Princess is a great line and very similar to Celebrity but without the up charges. I completely agree with you regarding the classic drink package comparisons. If you can grab Princess early booking bonuses, it can blow Celebrity away with amenities with the Princess Premier. The outcry to Celebrity to fix the classic drink package is real. The current level is almost unusable. Hopefully Princess will give me an opportunity to cruise with itineraries that work for us. I really want to experience it first hand. Thanks for sharing and for watching!
Our very 1st cruise was on Celebrity and loved it. The food, decor, service and overall vibe were perfect. The only complaint was we felt if our voyage was longer than 7 days, which we always do, we would get bored. We tried Princess this year and found it a GREAT option for other Celebrity fans. The food was good, just a smidge below Celebrity's and the decor was not as trendy and a little too conservative/gradious and flashy for me, but the vibe was the same and the actives were in full swing. Going to try Virgin next. Cunard and HAL are way to conservative for my blood, so those 2 are not an option, and I'll rather row a boat than cruise Royal or Carnival, but try Princess, you might be surprised. We were.
Thanks so much for sharing your comparison and experience with Princess. I do think that I would enjoy it. Virgin is going to be completely different. The food is going to be very different as will the entertainment. Have a great time! Thanks for watching!
The one category that you did not address and hopefully you will include in a future video is the solo cruiser experience. The number of individuals that like to sail on these premium cruise lines who have either lost their spouses, or for one reason or another sail solo is growing. Also, I just want to make sure I understood what you said at the end of the video, did you say that you have never cruised with Princess?
Thanks for commenting, Mark. I did not mention solo in this video but I do have a full solo cruiser video on my channel. Link = ruclips.net/video/AW5DXHZQjgQ/видео.html And you did understand it correctly that I have not sailed Princess yet. I want to but it just seems that as I plan a voyage, the itinerary or ship options fall short in my list. I will get there someday soon though. I agree that the solo cruiser is perfectly positioned for the premium market and I am glad to see more and more lines embracing them. I hope that you enjoy that video!
From what I understand, the Norwegian cruise lines cater more to solo cruisers than any other and don't charge you that double-occupancy rate. I've never been married and I don't currently have a companion, but want to experience a cruise for the first time. Maybe I'll meet someone?
My favorite is Holland America. Used to like Celebrity, but we had a bad experience with shortages, and don't care for some of the cuts and current prices. We've booked our first Princess Cruise, because the price and itinerary fit our schedule. Hopefully we like it for an expansion of options. I like a lot of what I see from Virgin Voyages, but the standard beds sound like they're low quality, and the nightlife is a bit risqué for my taste. We fly from Las Vegas, and often stay at the Virgin Hotel post-cruise, so there's still a sprinkle. I really want to squeeze a few ultra premium cruises in, but only when they're the most affordable.
I completely get it! I agree with you. I do like the value of HAL however I just am tired of their entertainment. They have announced that they are binging back live performers in the main theater so that will help. I have been trying to book a Princess Cruise for several clients and their price is more than Celebrity right now. I don't know what they are doing. The Celebrity price is NOT the All Include fare, just the basic cruise only. I just got off the Virgin 8 Night Valiant Lady cruise and the entertainment options were very diverse. It was an excellent cruise. Check out the full review coming out later today! Thanks for watching!
Enjoyed your video, but was surprised at the high rating of Celebrity. I sailed on the Celebrity Summit this month and was disappointed with three things: bars/lounges didn’t have waitstaff and we had to get in line at the bar for our drinks; waitstaff wasn’t the friendliest with the exception of a few; and disembarkation was a nightmare. I also cruised with Holland America this month and they greatly outperformed Celebrity in all three of these areas. I wasn’t surprised when Cruise Critic Editor’s Pick awarded them Best Service for 2023.
I am sorry that you experienced service issues on your last cruise. Unfortunately, staffing and contract periods lead to this on some occasions. We also just got off HAL Rotterdam and the service was spectacular. The food was much better and improved from that of our experience on Eurodam which was poor, especially the buffet. I have not sailed on a Millennium Class from Celebrity but have 10 Solstice Class and Two Edge Class. I think that normally the service on HAL and Celebrity are very much the same. My experiences on Celebrity far outweigh HAL based upon food, activities and especially entertainment. The Music Walk on HAL is fine but the theater shows are very weak with that repetitive dance company and no live music or orchestra. All cruises lines can slip with service especially when it is the end of a contract period and the crew has been onboard for too long. I have seen this many times in the past. I think that HAL is a very strong cruise line and is right there at the top of the premium segment. I just think that Virgin out performs everyone in food, Celebrity matches with service and excels at entertainment options and quality. It is so nice that there is a line out there for everyone. We have two Celebrity cruises booked for next year and think that this might have been one of our last on HAL. Thanks so much for sharing your experience, and I hope that you keep cruising lines that provide you exactly what you are looking for!
I totally agree either way you about the stage shows and have been giving them feedback on it for the last few years. That’s the main reason I keep trying out other cruise lines.
Most of our cruises have been with Celebrity and enjoyed each one. Do like the Millennium class best. Princess Cruise and Holland America line come a very class second.
I am actually partial to the Solstice Class. I just feel so much at home on those ships for some reason. We do the Eclipse in just two weeks and then we try another Edge Class with the Beyond in December. We seem to be done with HAL for now just because of the lack of entertainment onboard. The Music Walk gets redundant after a couple of days. The revamp of the main theater shows, bringing back singers and dancers and replacing the Step One Dance Company is a step in the right direction but it will be a while before we sail HAL. I am still searching for a Princess itinerary that works for us though. Thanks for sharing and for watching!
Thanks! We're fans of Celebrity. We tied HAL (not good on wine matching and that shower curtain...) Good video but we're very concerned that the new Celebrity president is turning Celebrity into an overpriced "just-another-cruise-line"
I have the same concern from reports I have been receiving from loyal Celebrity cruisers. Our last sailing on the Equinox was very good however others have shared a big decline in quality. Those new to cruising and having little to compare, find it very good. Let us see how long that lasts. We sail on HAL Rotterdam next month so I am looking forward to seeing if the Pinnacle Class ships outperform the older Signature Class which we have sailed twice before. Luckily I do not see shower curtains in the staterooms!! Thanks for sharing and for watching!
I was on Niew Statendam in October and I upgraded to Have it all and club Orange and even though just in a balcony cabin I had excellent service, twice a day room cleaning, and mostly great food. I am usually cruising Viking and Oceania and thought HAL compared well with them. A couple times I had fish that was overcooked. The filet mignon in the steakhouse rivaled anything I’ve had on land (reminded me of the aged steaks at Bern’s steakhouse in Tampa).
I had only sailed on Viking and Oceania before. Last trip I tried Holland and was pleasantly surprised. Food is a big issue for me and HAL didn’t disappoint except for a couple. Of overdone fish dishes. We upgraded to Club Orange and felt it was worth it. The service in the CO dining room was worth 25:36 it. The filet mignon in the steak house was way better than I ever had on Oceania or Viking.
I am very surprised to hear that. Oceania is very well known for their outstanding food. Most premium line's suite guest dining rooms have much upgraded meals. Celebrity's Luminae is normally much higher level than the MDR. We hope to experience Club Orange as a for a fee option on our upcoming Rotterdam sailing. Thanks for sharing and for watching!
I have to admit - I skipped to the end initially to find which you liked best. THEN I went back and watched the entire video. That was a GREAT breakdown of each cruise line. I love how we can easily compare one to another, based on your pros and cons of each. And thank you for your clear and concise analysis. Easy to follow and easy to understand. I loved that!
You make an excellent point and it is well taken. I have many clients and friends that have sailed on Princess and Celebrity and they would choose Celebrity again. Princess was very nice being a premium line however they felt that it did not have anything that set them apart. I want to cruise on Princess but as I said in the video, they need to give me a reason which I have not yet seen or learned from other cruisers. If I was going to Alaska again, I would highly consider them due to itinerary and the premium service and experience. Thanks for sharing and for watching.
I was on Princess in 2015. I am Celiac and had issues getting gluten free food. To apologize, they sent me a platter... of gluten containing snacks. I haven't been on Princess again. Going to be trying HAL for the first time in March 2025. I am a big Celebrity fan. My first cruise with them was on the now retired Zenith
Great video. It's been years since I cruised. We set sail on Saturday for a 10 day cruise on HAL Koningsdam to the Mexican Riviera and Sea of Cortez. We upgraded to Club Orange. It was so worth the $25 per person per day. We were upgraded to an aft cabin (we had a choice between that and a midship cabin with a higher ranking) . Other perks are breakfast and dinner in the Club Orange dining room with a slightly expanded menu and dedicated kitchen, priority boarding and disembarkation, priority on and off at port, free mimosas and espresso or cappuccinos at breakfast, fresh fruit, hordouvres and a tote bag. We were very lucky to find out about this upgrade when we did as they sold out quickly. Some people in the Facebook group complained about missing out. In the spring, we sail on the brand new Sun Princess in the Mediterranean. We're really looking forward to that too. Bon voyage!
Thanks so much for sharing your HAL experience! We are going on Rotterdam in a couple of weeks and I have been on the fence about the Club Orange upgrade. I really like the sound of the dining room with separate kitchen due to certain food sensitivities and of course some of the priority perks.
Thank you! I agree but price can change from itinerary to itinerary and certain regions and times of year. I have seen that Princess has been more expensive than Celebrity recently on many itineraries which completely caught me off guard. That is why a good travel advisor is good to have for your specific cruise.
As a retired single cruiser Princess hits the bang for buck sweet spot for me. I don't drink alcohol or coffee, and I don't do specialty dinning or internet, so their base fare works out well for me. Virgin and Celebrity are out of my budget but I would consider Holland because of the more traditional cruise experience and the music walk.
That is a great sweet spot although some of the cruise only fares on Celebrity have been less than Princess in many scenarios that I have been doing for clients. I was surprised at that since Princess has some very good value propositions with their standard cabins. Their Princess Plus and Princess Premier are also a better value than Celebrity. HAL Have it All is also a very good value. Thanks for sharing and for watching!
I love Virgin bc it's not your run of the mill antiquated cruise line. No nasty buffets, no aggravating photographer in your face and no kids running around. No nickel and diming for every little thing. This cruise line is not just for couples but there are a lot of solo cruisers as well. The ages that I seen are more in the range of 40-65. Virgin is not a raunchy cruise line. Most of the cruisers are chill and just want to have some down time. But when it's time to party, its on. #1 on my list.
We just make our final payment for our Valiant Lady cruise! I am also a big fan of the no kids, photographers and added costs! I agree that the far majority of the guests just want to have a chill time and the over the top crap is just for show. It is an excellent adult vacation!
Thank you! It is on my list for sure but I want to experience a few of them first. I currently cruise in the premium market after several years in the standard mass market area. I have researched them pretty extensively for clients so it shouldn't be long. Thanks for sharing and for watching!
A very good, well presented video! Of these cruise lines I have only been on Celebrity and would definitely sail with them again. Sailed on Viking Ocean last year and have 2 more booked, loved everything about it! Want to try Holland too! Thanks for the comparison 👍
I am still waiting for my first cruise on Viking. I put them more in the entry level luxury segment and love what I see from Viking. HAL is normally an affordable premium option and are trying to step up their game to attract new guests and a younger demographic. We sail on Rotterdam next month. Thanks so much for sharing and for watching!
I’ve cruised on Princess and Celebrity in the last year. The Princess medallion was my favorite feature. Their food, however, was not the greatest - often bland and not more than lukewarm. I was on a small ship (Summit) with Celebrity. I loved the accessibility, and the food was better than Princess. Pricing I both when including their upgrades was about the same. However, Celebrity has recently changed downgraded what you get while Princess has upgraded.
Thanks for sharing! I hear from many that the food on Celebrity is normally a bit better but wow have they gone the wrong direction with their Classic Drink package under All Included where it does not contain much. Also pulling gratuities out was a bad move. Thanks so much for watching!
Welcome to the channel! I'm happy to have you here! I do also provide full travel agent services through my independent agency. Here is the contact information if you are ever interested in discussing, choosing & booking a cruise. BOOK YOUR CRUISE WITH ME! See More Seas Travel, LLC email = contact@seemoresea.com See More Seas Travel, LLC phone = 888-202-0736 This contact information should be in each of the online video descriptions.
Recently sailed on beautiful QM2 in july and here's my comprehensive review. Your video hits on all of the major aspects perfectly! Cunard is a brand that intimately knows it's identity. It does not try to be all things for all people. This is refreshing as competition seems to blend together, failing to differentiate. Stepping onboard a Cunard vessel says that you appreciate maritime history, tradition, and class. This is where their ships endearing nature, charm, and magic stems from. Every hallway, corridor, and stairwell beckons passengers to explore the littered artwork and fabled tapestries of Cunard's legendary past. There is a sense of nostalgia onboard (even for someone as young as myself) which makes one feel special, as if you're a part of the history itself. The styling onboard is ornate with burl wood lining the elevators (lifts for you brits) and all of the china is Wedgewood. These attention to details is so appreciated. With regard to QM2 specifically, she looks the best as ever. Every single public space is nothing short of immaculate. Rust spots on the exterior is not a concern, as she is an ocean liner, not a cruise ship. Even so, I've seen more ugly oranged decaying metal on leisure cruise ships before so it comes down to how well any ship's crew stays on top of it. Well done to the QM2's painters! Queens Grill stateroom: our Q5 cabin (11130) was extremely spacious for myself and 3 others and suited our needs adequately. Crisanto (our butler) did a phenomenal job catering to our requests for extra pillows, drinks, canapes, robes, etc. Queens Grill dining: This was simply the best dining experience that I've ever experienced on land or sea. Period. Osman, Shafiek, Jugal, Brendo, Joey, and Antony specifically never failed to impress with their personalities and flare. The magic of Queen's Grill is the ability for the chefs to conjure up anything from your imagination. Safe to say my family and I threw the 'kitchen sink' at them ordering off menu meals such as Osso Buco, Penne Arrabiata, Escargot, Caviar, to name a few and each one was prepared tableside by the maître d' (often with flambe). None of these items were on the menu and we had to order at least by lunchtime. Simply spectacular...
Brilliantly stated! Wonderful detail describing Cunard and the QM2. Thank you for sharing this with the channel and for watching! I need to move up that bucket list crossing on my list!
If you are speaking to the premium segment, then it is Holland America Line. They have a much older demographic than Celebrity and Princess but Virgin Voyages has NO Children - it is 18+ but has a younger demographic that likes to party a bit more than the HAL demographic. It all depends on what you are looking for. Thanks for sharing and for watching!
Your review and assessment is on point. We have sailed on all of the Premium cruise lines. Being committed Celebrity cruisers we became disenchanted due to the quality and selection of food. Their specialty dining is expensive compared to other Premium lines. We sailed on QM2 in its inaugural year in Queen's Grill because my DH emigrated to Canada on the original Queen Mary. At this time, in our 70s, we want a longer cruise so opted to choose HAL for all that you mentioned. The only thing I'm disappointed in with HAL is that, while we cruised on Carnival Corp. lines....Princess, Cunard and return cruisers on HAL, they will only give us credit for our HAL cruise in 1998, which other cruise lines will honour past cruises AND all of our cruises were owned by the Carnival Corp. Great video as always! Thank you.
I'm glad that you enjoyed the video. There are many reports coming in from long time Celebrity cruisers that the MDR food quality is declining. That is very concerning being a Celebrity fan myself. One subscriber actually was able to participate with a town hall type call with executives where this was directly communicated. A recent article stated that the executive team sailed a 7 night on Equinox and agreed that the selection was limited. They have reinstated the classics and hopefully have taken steps to improve quality. We have sailed on two HAL ships (Signature Class) and our recent Eurodam had some disappointing dining as well. We sail Rotterdam in Dec so we have high hopes that we will have improved dining. I did not know that the Carnival brands do not reciprocate with each other. Being Elite on Celebrity we enjoy Diamond on Royal Caribbean. The individual sailings do not reciprocate but status levels do. Thanks so much for sharing and for continuing to watch!
I have to agree 100% with you regarding Celebrity. I sailed with them 3 times this year, and each time the quality of the food seemed to go down-hill (with the exception of up-grade options, which remained exceptional but are pricey). The MDR food was, in my opinion, not much better than cafeteria style food. The staff was excellent, helpful, and friendly. But management seems heck bent on turning Celebrity into nothing other than Royal, with The Retreat, and if you book The Retreat (but only the higher level Retreat suites), you get a premium experience. For everyone else, the ships are great, the staffing is exceptional (although I have heard over 60% of staff is not re-upping contracts due to the recent changes, so who knows) but don't believe the 'food is great' hype, unless you pay for upgrades.
Firstly - thanks for your insight and POV. End of the day its horses for courses. From your list, Sailed with Cunard, princess and celebrity multiple times over the years, going on Appex this year, so that will be a new experience for us concerning the class of ship. However as a middle ground cruise line i like Princess. They offer both a mix of formal and smart casual, so doesn't become a core to dress up and as you mentioned various aged groups. Im in my 60s now and enjoy younger cruisers rather than crusty old farts with a billion cruise loyalty points who think they own the ship😂 i also like Royal, however their ships have become so big now, they have become a bit off putting to me. Anyhow their is plenty off variety in the cruise market, you just need to find the one that suits you. Happy sailing👍
You make really good points here. Some of the cruise lines do have a lot of long time cruisers who enjoy their loyalty perks. I think that you will enjoy the Apex since it is a very different experience from a Solstice Class or Millennium Class ship from Celebrity. I am still trying to find an itinerary and opportunity to sail with Princess so hopefully that will happen soon. The mega ships from Royal are interesting and I would like to experience them but only for a very short cruise. The amount of children running around everywhere and the declining food quality are the biggest deterrents for me. Thanks so much for sharing and for watching!
I'm going on the Celebrity Eclipse (a solstice class ship) and I'm praying to God they'll be a bunch of younger people on the ship to watch. I'm getting up there in years (I'm 69) but I too don't want to watch tons of old farts trying to dance, when they can hardly move their arms around. And let's face it - who wants to see old ladies swimming? I need some good "scenery" once in awhile, if you get my drift.😛
@@SportsBoss999 I would say that you should be among an age demographic of 40's - 50's and up. There are normally a few families with well behaved kids and lots of middled aged couples. Celebrity attracts somewhat a younger demographic than Holland America or Cunard. You should be in good company!
Booked my first Virgin cruise for later this year. As to your rankings, I was surprised to see that each one was rated for couples. Nothing for solos or friend groups?
I do have a video on Solo Cruising so check it out! Virgin has solo cabins but they are pretty small. I am doing a solo on Monday on Celebrity Reflection. They were offering a great solo deal. Great Question! Thanks for watching! solo video = ruclips.net/video/AW5DXHZQjgQ/видео.html
So I am big on these various channels. Your up front imformative approach is very welcome. It would also be helpful if you did more individual aspects to things. Now I want to say something real, and not try to be provative. So there are several done buy gay cruisers, or perhaps being older I can not get the lingo. No biggie and certainly no offence. So we have Ben and David, my favorite. Funny, informative, highlighting dinning, haveing great excursions. Just fun. Then JJ cruises tgat does a bit of the same but are just finding their way. Not as much into food, but giving an overall. Certainly much less production values then Ben and David. Tips for Travelers is another more in a narritive manner. He does not highlight the relationship, as neither do you. He is extremely well spoken , does decent food reviews, and yet is traditional enough so most would hardly notice. I am glad that we have it so some, like myself, could care less. So then you. Where do you fit in? You do a remarkable job with the narration and informative aspect to your reviews. That actually may be enough. I loved your comparison video you just provided mostly cause I thought it was very real. So Ben and David are also very honest. They also provide a high level of entertainment. Where do you see yourself going? If I have a suggestion it would be to wait. You do such a great job now starting out. I really like the straight foward approach. You may see aspects you may want to highlight. So Ben and David, and JJ Cruises highlight the relationship in their reviews. Tips for Travelers do not. You have only hinted so. As you are the star so far I would wait. He may need to be nudged into a greater role, or be better otherwise. Long winded but as a new fan of you, and long term fan of cruise videos, I wanted to touch base. If you don't respond certainly no offense, though although I may be a fan, I would not venture to be so bold again! Good luck going way foward.
I want to thank you so much for your thoughtful, personal perspective to my channel. Compared to Ben and David, Gary and even JJ Cruise, I appreciate you including me in that list. I intentionally frame my videos to be more instructional and informative providing my personal experience / lessons with cruising many different lines. We have filmed our cruises over the last 15 years and much of my footage comes from my own sailings. I do want to move more into the individual experiences, pairing that with information and instruction. Ben and David's success (my favorite too) is that their personalities are on full display but also provide a great deal of honest instruction. I think that Emma does a great job there as well. I plan to slowly include more of that moving forward. John will be filming so that I can narrate real time. I currently only cruise about 3 - 4 times a year with that growing since opening my travel advisor company. I, again, want to thank you for your perspective and encouragement! I really enjoy the process and meeting my subscribers when sailing. On our recent HAL Panama Canal sailing I was able to meet about 8 subscribers which was so exciting. Please feel free to add your perspectives as my channel grows!
Awesome video!!!! But celebrity is legit #1. They literally are a luxury resort at sea. Virgin, while fun, just doesn’t have the luxury feel. Celebrity guests are just as fun as Virgin guests. Just different experiences. Virgin is amazing…celebrity just a bit better. ❤
Thank you! You make a great point. The feel of both experiences are completely different. The demographic is even pretty different. If you are going for the "modern luxury" vibe then Celebrity has it hands down. I do like the easy, relaxed, welcoming vibe from Virgin though as well. If my cruises are any indication, I have been on way more Celebrity sailings than Virgin. Thanks for sharing and for watching!
So how about Viking and Oceana. Princess will always have a place in my heart, as they were the first cruise (Alaska of course) my wife and I took >20 years ago. Currently doing NCL but after our Hawaii cruise thinking about upgrading.
In that video, I reviewed the Premium Segment. Viking and Oceania are one step up in the Luxury segment. The luxury segment normally has much smaller ships, more sophisticated cuisine and a more inclusive product. NCL is a step below Princess and categorized as a Mass Market line with bigger ships and appealing to more families. I have had great experiences on NCL and other Mass Market lines however the vibe is normally much different. After your comment, I can only assume that you are noticing that.
Couldn’t believe you gave Virgin & Celebrity a tie for first place! Those are my two favorites, very different, but I love them both. But just returned from my first Princess cruise, 27 nights on Royal Princess, and absolutely loved it. Food & entertainment at least as good as on Celebrity, and enrichment talks, activities even better.
Hey Dan, great minds think alike of course! We are back on Virgin early spring and I also enjoy both. I'm thrilled that you shared your Princess experience - 27 Nights is obviously a great amount of time to really get to know the ship! Great to know that Princess has similar things or better to offer. I have to get my butt on there soon. Thanks for watching!
Very informative information. Big Celebrity cruiser here & I was just on the Beyond for 11 nights in the Mediterranean with Captain Kate. It was incredible but we did notice the "lack" of food options in the main dining. So Celebrity being the great company they are, took note of their customer feedback & will be going back to the "classic" dining, which I guess means more options in the theme main dining rooms. Also they are going back to chocolate on the menu every night! We're going on the Ascent in January & can't wait, Thanks for sharing your information with us.
Sailing with Capitan Kate would be great! I have also heard that the executive team sailed on the Equinox and realized that the selection was limited and was bringing back the classics. I hope that they also take a look at the quality in the MDR. Thanks for sharing and for watching!
They are. I'm really impressed with the President of Celebrity. I've been on 3 cruises since the pandemic & I've seen the changes, some good, some bad. Glad they are listening to us & bringing back the things we love about cruising! @@seemoreseascruises3791
How did you like the Ascent? Were there many young couples? Just got back from a Royal Caribbean Wonder of the Sea cruise and there were just too many kinds for our liking. We want to book another cruise and we were looking at the Celebrity Ascent since it looks like it has a good balance of relaxation and party vibes.
@@adamwilson751 The Celebrity line caters to an older crowd but there were lots of young couples & very few kids.The Ascent is a beautiful ship & I would highly recommend you try it or any of their Edge class ships. Good luck!
Hello! I enjoyed your video. My husband and I are cruising with Celebrity for the first time, in a couple of weeks. We normally sail with Royal Caribbean. I am concerned about the new changes on Celebrity. We booked a Sky Suite for our Ultimate Carribean Cruise for 10 nights. Time will tell!!
If you are Royal Caribbean sailors then you will love Celebrity. It will be an upgraded experience for sure. Since you are in a Sky Suite, you will have access to Luminae (private dining room), the Retreat Lounge (Michaels Club on Solstice Class) and premium amenities. One of the big differences will be the buffet - it is highly upgraded from Royal. With a Sky Suite, you no longer get the butler but I can tell you from experience, we never used the butler services and have stayed in a Sky Suite 5 times. If you need anything, the concierge in the Retreat Lounge can work wonders. The Retreat team all work together. Have an awesome time! Thanks for watching!
I just got off a Royal Caribbean cruise, the food has gone downhill. Worst food ever. Had to fill up on sweets to stay full.
I experience that on Freedom of the Seas a couple of years ago. I hate hearing that! Hopefully your next experience will be better. I have also learned that if you do not like something, say something. Have them bring you something else. It normally comes very quickly.
Here is a reason for Princess--the Medallion. Phone apps do not enable servers to deliver food and drinks to your location. The Medallion means "order and forget": whatever you ordered will come to you. It is not perfect; sometimes the wait is long, but so is the wait at the bars and restaurants at other ships. I do not understand why some cruise commenators act like this is not a big advantage. It is, or at least it has been for us. PS--we like Celebrity a lot, too. We are not Princess-only cruisers. Both are great. We have never cruised on Virgin or Holland America.
I think that the Medallion is a great asset for Princess! They lead the pack when it comes to this technology. We just got off Holland America and their app has improved and the Dive In burger preorder didn't work when I tried it. We are doing Virgin in March so I'll be giving them another try to see if they are catching up. Thanks so much for sharing and for watching!
Took my first ever cruise a few weeks ago: Princess 7 nights to Canada/New England from NYC. Loved it. No criticisms. Can't compare with other lines, obviously. All I can say is that the staff was superb, the itinerary perfect for me, my interior room very comfortable and organized brilliantly to maximize storage space, the ship beautiful, embarkation and disembarkation quick and well organized, and I found many beautiful and quiet spaces (what I wanted) both inside and out. Excellent choice of wines and top shelf liquors with my premium package. Superb specialty dining. Diverting entertainment. Superb song and dance talent. Decent food in main dining room and buffet. The only things I could imagine better would all cost more-- higher quality ingredients in the buffet and other included dining and more elevated/sophisticated entertainment. I thought Princess gave excellent value for the money and I would likely stick with Princess in the future because I really can't imagine better value for the price and was very happy with what I had. As a music lover, I am tempted by the HAL music walk, however. I suspect I would enjoy cruises on any of the lines reviewed on this video and would likely choose a particular trip based on itinerary, convenience, and price. I do wonder if Virgin is a bit too raunchy for my taste.
Thank you so much for sharing your Princess experience. I think you perfectly nailed it with itinerary. Princess has not had an itinerary out of Port Everglades that worked for us in the past. We would have sailed Princess in Alaska but we had cruise credits to use from Celebrity. Yes, any of these cruise lines will give you that premium experience and the destinations are what sets them apart. I had the same reservations regarding Virgin but having sailed, it is not as wild as some of the reports, advertisements and pictures show. There are many relaxing, sophisticated premium spaces and events on Virgin. We are headed back on Virgin in the early spring. Thanks for watching!
Having been a long time Celebrity cruiser and now Princess a couple of times, I have to say I think that princess and Celebrity are way closer then you make them out. I do like the Celebrity ship design but food, entertainment and the overall experience on princess is great. I have had a hard time going back to Celebrity, a travel agent I talked to put it best. She could accept the price they are now charging but Not with the cost cuts they have put in place.
I would tend to agree with you there. Princess and Celebrity are very close in market demographics, service levels and beautiful ships. I have also been informed by several guests that the Princess is experience is very pleasant. I am currently on the Celebrity Eclipse and I feel that the cutbacks what we all have seen are very apparent. The food selection in the buffet is much more limited and the complaints I have already heard regarding the lack of selection with the Classic drink package has been getting louder. From pricing out itinerary options for clients, the Princess Plus and Princess Premier seem to be a better value than the All Included from Celebrity. Thanks for sharing and for watching!
Seems fair. My choice would be Holland America with their amazing destinations, but that’s just my personal perspective. Good job!
Thank you! I also enjoy HAL but our last sailing on the Eurodam was a bit underwhelming. We have very high hopes that our upcoming voyage on the Rotterdam will be great! Thanks so much for sharing and for watching!
@@seemoreseascruises3791 Been on Nieuw Statendam twice and it was perfection. We're on Oosterdam in the Adriatic in 2025. Hope the smaller and older ship doesn't let us down!
It would be amazing if you did a cruise based on destination areas. I am going to Alaska in the near future. I would love input on that because the experience is a little different-hotter destinations.
Alaska is a very unique adventure and there are a variety of ports available as well as itineraries. I have a few videos on Alaska on the channel. The first is our Celebrity Solstice Alaska Cruise = ruclips.net/video/8ioWxxqedCo/видео.html
and another which is comparing the cruise lines for Alaska = ruclips.net/video/YJf43ZVO6WE/видео.html
then another would be comparing Vancouver and Seattle as embarkation ports = ruclips.net/video/-prD3ze3VfQ/видео.html
I hope that you find these helpful. I am also available to assist in your planning and booking of the cruise if you are interested. Thanks so much for sharing and for watching!
@@seemoreseascruises3791 Perfect, thank you so much. I can't wait for your input on Virgin Voyages Alaska Cruise.
@@Bella24Forever Virgin is not included in the Alaska cruise line review since this next season will be their first ever. The itineraries from Virgin are currently not as robust as the other legacy cruise lines. I can email you some thoughts on the brand new upcoming Virgin sailings - I am also a Gold travel partner with Virgin. Email me at contact@seemoresea.com
I'll be crlusing on Celebrity the first time in 2 months. Seeing all these negative comments about the decline on their food quality, I am very concern as food was the main reason I chose to cruise with their line. Since you have sail with Celebrity many times, can complimentary lunch take place at speciality restaurants or does it have to be at the MDR?
I'm excited that you are experiencing Celebrity for the first time. The decline in the food quality to me is exaggerated. I still believe that the food quality on Celebrity is above that of the mass market lines and the OceanView Cafe buffet on Celebrity blows away most of the competition. You can not replace a lunch or breakfast with a specialty restaurant unless you are in The Retreat (Suites) inside Luminae or Aqua Class for Blu. Concierge Class does have a welcome lunch on day one in the MDR using an upgraded menu but this will be standard MDR menus for sea day lunches. If at any time you do not enjoy your course in the MDR inform the server team immediately and they will bring you another option. I thought I would like a dish and it turned out that it was not a match with me. They will replace it ASAP. You can order two options for yourself and a third for the table. You will be charged extra for a third entree for yourself but not if you replace the first one that you did not care for. The decline of food comments come from long time cruisers who have experienced larger menu offerings during a period of differentiation. The line has cut back as all lines have. They still offer an exceptional product in my opinion with smaller servings. Sometimes on prime rib night, I will order two or another for us to share and that is never a problem. Enjoy your cruise and make sure that you explore the OceanView Cafe for breakfast and especially lunch. There are several options for you to explore. I hope that helps. Save the specialty dining for dinners and make sure that you book these before your sailing so that you get the time and day that you require. Have a wonderful cruise and I hope that you enjoy Celebrity!
Enjoyed this very much. I was hoping you would mention which cruise lines have casinos. Do any offer reduced cruises bc of loyalty or casino playing ? Thanks.
Thank you! Most all of the premium cruise lines will have a casino area. Some are bigger than others but they all will have a casino loyalty program for future cruise benefits. Most of them are also non-smoking casinos. Thanks for sharing and for watching!
Having cruised over 60 times on eight different lines, the best for us is Princess. Their Plus and Premier packages are the best value at sea. For 60 bucks, you get drink package, wifi, crew gratuities and other inclusions. Celebrity is now in our rear view mirror because the basic drink package that is included is a joke and it's 48.00 per couple per day to upgrade. And it doesn't include gratuities.
Kind of difficult to fairly rate Princess if you've never sailed on the line.
Princess is a great line and very similar to Celebrity but without the up charges. I completely agree with you regarding the classic drink package comparisons. If you can grab Princess early booking bonuses, it can blow Celebrity away with amenities with the Princess Premier. The outcry to Celebrity to fix the classic drink package is real. The current level is almost unusable. Hopefully Princess will give me an opportunity to cruise with itineraries that work for us. I really want to experience it first hand. Thanks for sharing and for watching!
Our very 1st cruise was on Celebrity and loved it. The food, decor, service and overall vibe were perfect. The only complaint was we felt if our voyage was longer than 7 days, which we always do, we would get bored. We tried Princess this year and found it a GREAT option for other Celebrity fans. The food was good, just a smidge below Celebrity's and the decor was not as trendy and a little too conservative/gradious and flashy for me, but the vibe was the same and the actives were in full swing. Going to try Virgin next. Cunard and HAL are way to conservative for my blood, so those 2 are not an option, and I'll rather row a boat than cruise Royal or Carnival, but try Princess, you might be surprised. We were.
Thanks so much for sharing your comparison and experience with Princess. I do think that I would enjoy it. Virgin is going to be completely different. The food is going to be very different as will the entertainment. Have a great time! Thanks for watching!
HAL Neptune Suite is the only way we sail today. Hard to look back after being in that class and all the perks that come with it. Thanks for sharing.
We have only been in the Signature Suites on HAL but hopefully Neptune someday! Thanks for sharing and for watching!
The one category that you did not address and hopefully you will include in a future video is the solo cruiser experience. The number of individuals that like to sail on these premium cruise lines who have either lost their spouses, or for one reason or another sail solo is growing. Also, I just want to make sure I understood what you said at the end of the video, did you say that you have never cruised with Princess?
Thanks for commenting, Mark. I did not mention solo in this video but I do have a full solo cruiser video on my channel. Link = ruclips.net/video/AW5DXHZQjgQ/видео.html And you did understand it correctly that I have not sailed Princess yet. I want to but it just seems that as I plan a voyage, the itinerary or ship options fall short in my list. I will get there someday soon though. I agree that the solo cruiser is perfectly positioned for the premium market and I am glad to see more and more lines embracing them. I hope that you enjoy that video!
From what I understand, the Norwegian cruise lines cater more to solo cruisers than any other and don't charge you that double-occupancy rate. I've never been married and I don't currently have a companion, but want to experience a cruise for the first time. Maybe I'll meet someone?
I have four main interests. Food, alcohol, live music, and a world to gaze upon. A quality drinks package is essential to me. Big Celebrity fan.
The premium package on Celebrity is excellent. I love the top level wines and the martini bar! Thanks for sharing!
My favorite is Holland America. Used to like Celebrity, but we had a bad experience with shortages, and don't care for some of the cuts and current prices. We've booked our first Princess Cruise, because the price and itinerary fit our schedule. Hopefully we like it for an expansion of options. I like a lot of what I see from Virgin Voyages, but the standard beds sound like they're low quality, and the nightlife is a bit risqué for my taste. We fly from Las Vegas, and often stay at the Virgin Hotel post-cruise, so there's still a sprinkle. I really want to squeeze a few ultra premium cruises in, but only when they're the most affordable.
I completely get it! I agree with you. I do like the value of HAL however I just am tired of their entertainment. They have announced that they are binging back live performers in the main theater so that will help. I have been trying to book a Princess Cruise for several clients and their price is more than Celebrity right now. I don't know what they are doing. The Celebrity price is NOT the All Include fare, just the basic cruise only. I just got off the Virgin 8 Night Valiant Lady cruise and the entertainment options were very diverse. It was an excellent cruise. Check out the full review coming out later today! Thanks for watching!
Enjoyed your video, but was surprised at the high rating of Celebrity. I sailed on the Celebrity Summit this month and was disappointed with three things: bars/lounges didn’t have waitstaff and we had to get in line at the bar for our drinks; waitstaff wasn’t the friendliest with the exception of a few; and disembarkation was a nightmare. I also cruised with Holland America this month and they greatly outperformed Celebrity in all three of these areas. I wasn’t surprised when Cruise Critic Editor’s Pick awarded them Best Service for 2023.
I am sorry that you experienced service issues on your last cruise. Unfortunately, staffing and contract periods lead to this on some occasions. We also just got off HAL Rotterdam and the service was spectacular. The food was much better and improved from that of our experience on Eurodam which was poor, especially the buffet. I have not sailed on a Millennium Class from Celebrity but have 10 Solstice Class and Two Edge Class. I think that normally the service on HAL and Celebrity are very much the same. My experiences on Celebrity far outweigh HAL based upon food, activities and especially entertainment. The Music Walk on HAL is fine but the theater shows are very weak with that repetitive dance company and no live music or orchestra. All cruises lines can slip with service especially when it is the end of a contract period and the crew has been onboard for too long. I have seen this many times in the past. I think that HAL is a very strong cruise line and is right there at the top of the premium segment. I just think that Virgin out performs everyone in food, Celebrity matches with service and excels at entertainment options and quality. It is so nice that there is a line out there for everyone. We have two Celebrity cruises booked for next year and think that this might have been one of our last on HAL. Thanks so much for sharing your experience, and I hope that you keep cruising lines that provide you exactly what you are looking for!
I totally agree either way you about the stage shows and have been giving them feedback on it for the last few years. That’s the main reason I keep trying out other cruise lines.
Most of our cruises have been with Celebrity and enjoyed each one. Do like the Millennium class best. Princess Cruise and Holland America line come a very class second.
I am actually partial to the Solstice Class. I just feel so much at home on those ships for some reason. We do the Eclipse in just two weeks and then we try another Edge Class with the Beyond in December. We seem to be done with HAL for now just because of the lack of entertainment onboard. The Music Walk gets redundant after a couple of days. The revamp of the main theater shows, bringing back singers and dancers and replacing the Step One Dance Company is a step in the right direction but it will be a while before we sail HAL. I am still searching for a Princess itinerary that works for us though. Thanks for sharing and for watching!
Thanks! We're fans of Celebrity. We tied HAL (not good on wine matching and that shower curtain...) Good video but we're very concerned that the new Celebrity president is turning Celebrity into an overpriced "just-another-cruise-line"
I have the same concern from reports I have been receiving from loyal Celebrity cruisers. Our last sailing on the Equinox was very good however others have shared a big decline in quality. Those new to cruising and having little to compare, find it very good. Let us see how long that lasts. We sail on HAL Rotterdam next month so I am looking forward to seeing if the Pinnacle Class ships outperform the older Signature Class which we have sailed twice before. Luckily I do not see shower curtains in the staterooms!! Thanks for sharing and for watching!
I was on Niew Statendam in October and I upgraded to Have it all and club Orange and even though just in a balcony cabin I had excellent service, twice a day room cleaning, and mostly great food. I am usually cruising Viking and Oceania and thought HAL compared well with them. A couple times I had fish that was overcooked. The filet mignon in the steakhouse rivaled anything I’ve had on land (reminded me of the aged steaks at Bern’s steakhouse in Tampa).
I had only sailed on Viking and Oceania before. Last trip I tried Holland and was pleasantly surprised. Food is a big issue for me and HAL didn’t disappoint except for a couple. Of overdone fish dishes. We upgraded to Club Orange and felt it was worth it. The service in the CO dining room was worth 25:36 it. The filet mignon in the steak house was way better than I ever had on Oceania or Viking.
I am very surprised to hear that. Oceania is very well known for their outstanding food. Most premium line's suite guest dining rooms have much upgraded meals. Celebrity's Luminae is normally much higher level than the MDR. We hope to experience Club Orange as a for a fee option on our upcoming Rotterdam sailing. Thanks for sharing and for watching!
I have to admit - I skipped to the end initially to find which you liked best. THEN I went back and watched the entire video. That was a GREAT breakdown of each cruise line. I love how we can easily compare one to another, based on your pros and cons of each. And thank you for your clear and concise analysis. Easy to follow and easy to understand. I loved that!
Thank you so much! I am glad that you got something out of it. Enjoy your cruise on the Eclipse! Also thanks so much for watching!
So you have never sailed on Princess, but put it in last place anyway?
You make an excellent point and it is well taken. I have many clients and friends that have sailed on Princess and Celebrity and they would choose Celebrity again. Princess was very nice being a premium line however they felt that it did not have anything that set them apart. I want to cruise on Princess but as I said in the video, they need to give me a reason which I have not yet seen or learned from other cruisers. If I was going to Alaska again, I would highly consider them due to itinerary and the premium service and experience. Thanks for sharing and for watching.
We are scheduled to sail on Discovery Princess next year. I grew up watching the Love Boat, so I have to check them out.@@seemoreseascruises3791
I was on Princess in 2015. I am Celiac and had issues getting gluten free food. To apologize, they sent me a platter... of gluten containing snacks. I haven't been on Princess again. Going to be trying HAL for the first time in March 2025. I am a big Celebrity fan. My first cruise with them was on the now retired Zenith
Great video. It's been years since I cruised. We set sail on Saturday for a 10 day cruise on HAL Koningsdam to the Mexican Riviera and Sea of Cortez. We upgraded to Club Orange. It was so worth the $25 per person per day. We were upgraded to an aft cabin (we had a choice between that and a midship cabin with a higher ranking) . Other perks are breakfast and dinner in the Club Orange dining room with a slightly expanded menu and dedicated kitchen, priority boarding and disembarkation, priority on and off at port, free mimosas and espresso or cappuccinos at breakfast, fresh fruit, hordouvres and a tote bag.
We were very lucky to find out about this upgrade when we did as they sold out quickly. Some people in the Facebook group complained about missing out.
In the spring, we sail on the brand new Sun Princess in the Mediterranean. We're really looking forward to that too.
Bon voyage!
Thanks so much for sharing your HAL experience! We are going on Rotterdam in a couple of weeks and I have been on the fence about the Club Orange upgrade. I really like the sound of the dining room with separate kitchen due to certain food sensitivities and of course some of the priority perks.
Great review although I had expected you to also include "price" as both Virgin and Celebrity have a slightly higher price point etc.
Thank you! I agree but price can change from itinerary to itinerary and certain regions and times of year. I have seen that Princess has been more expensive than Celebrity recently on many itineraries which completely caught me off guard. That is why a good travel advisor is good to have for your specific cruise.
@@seemoreseascruises3791 :) keep up the good work - all the best to You and your partner ;)
As a retired single cruiser Princess hits the bang for buck sweet spot for me. I don't drink alcohol or coffee, and I don't do specialty dinning or internet, so their base fare works out well for me. Virgin and Celebrity are out of my budget but I would consider Holland because of the more traditional cruise experience and the music walk.
That is a great sweet spot although some of the cruise only fares on Celebrity have been less than Princess in many scenarios that I have been doing for clients. I was surprised at that since Princess has some very good value propositions with their standard cabins. Their Princess Plus and Princess Premier are also a better value than Celebrity. HAL Have it All is also a very good value. Thanks for sharing and for watching!
I love Virgin bc it's not your run of the mill antiquated cruise line. No nasty buffets, no aggravating photographer in your face and no kids running around. No nickel and diming for every little thing. This cruise line is not just for couples but there are a lot of solo cruisers as well. The ages that I seen are more in the range of 40-65. Virgin is not a raunchy cruise line. Most of the cruisers are chill and just want to have some down time. But when it's time to party, its on. #1 on my list.
We just make our final payment for our Valiant Lady cruise! I am also a big fan of the no kids, photographers and added costs! I agree that the far majority of the guests just want to have a chill time and the over the top crap is just for show. It is an excellent adult vacation!
Great video!, I am interested in your ranking of the smaller luxury cruise line’s also.
Thank you! It is on my list for sure but I want to experience a few of them first. I currently cruise in the premium market after several years in the standard mass market area. I have researched them pretty extensively for clients so it shouldn't be long. Thanks for sharing and for watching!
A very good, well presented video! Of these cruise lines I have only been on Celebrity and would definitely sail with them again. Sailed on Viking Ocean last year and have 2 more booked, loved everything about it! Want to try Holland too! Thanks for the comparison 👍
I am still waiting for my first cruise on Viking. I put them more in the entry level luxury segment and love what I see from Viking. HAL is normally an affordable premium option and are trying to step up their game to attract new guests and a younger demographic. We sail on Rotterdam next month. Thanks so much for sharing and for watching!
I’ve cruised on Princess and Celebrity in the last year. The Princess medallion was my favorite feature. Their food, however, was not the greatest - often bland and not more than lukewarm. I was on a small ship (Summit) with Celebrity. I loved the accessibility, and the food was better than Princess. Pricing I both when including their upgrades was about the same. However, Celebrity has recently changed downgraded what you get while Princess has upgraded.
Thanks for sharing! I hear from many that the food on Celebrity is normally a bit better but wow have they gone the wrong direction with their Classic Drink package under All Included where it does not contain much. Also pulling gratuities out was a bad move. Thanks so much for watching!
Just found your videos. Do you have a travel agent business?
Welcome to the channel! I'm happy to have you here! I do also provide full travel agent services through my independent agency. Here is the contact information if you are ever interested in discussing, choosing & booking a cruise.
BOOK YOUR CRUISE WITH ME! See More Seas Travel, LLC email = contact@seemoresea.com
See More Seas Travel, LLC phone = 888-202-0736
This contact information should be in each of the online video descriptions.
Recently sailed on beautiful QM2 in july and here's my comprehensive review. Your video hits on all of the major aspects perfectly!
Cunard is a brand that intimately knows it's identity. It does not try to be all things for all people. This is refreshing as competition seems to blend together, failing to differentiate.
Stepping onboard a Cunard vessel says that you appreciate maritime history, tradition, and class. This is where their ships endearing nature, charm, and magic stems from. Every hallway, corridor, and stairwell beckons passengers to explore the littered artwork and fabled tapestries of Cunard's legendary past. There is a sense of nostalgia onboard (even for someone as young as myself) which makes one feel special, as if you're a part of the history itself. The styling onboard is ornate with burl wood lining the elevators (lifts for you brits) and all of the china is Wedgewood. These attention to details is so appreciated.
With regard to QM2 specifically, she looks the best as ever. Every single public space is nothing short of immaculate. Rust spots on the exterior is not a concern, as she is an ocean liner, not a cruise ship. Even so, I've seen more ugly oranged decaying metal on leisure cruise ships before so it comes down to how well any ship's crew stays on top of it. Well done to the QM2's painters!
Queens Grill stateroom: our Q5 cabin (11130) was extremely spacious for myself and 3 others and suited our needs adequately. Crisanto (our butler) did a phenomenal job catering to our requests for extra pillows, drinks, canapes, robes, etc.
Queens Grill dining: This was simply the best dining experience that I've ever experienced on land or sea. Period. Osman, Shafiek, Jugal, Brendo, Joey, and Antony specifically never failed to impress with their personalities and flare. The magic of Queen's Grill is the ability for the chefs to conjure up anything from your imagination. Safe to say my family and I threw the 'kitchen sink' at them ordering off menu meals such as Osso Buco, Penne Arrabiata, Escargot, Caviar, to name a few and each one was prepared tableside by the maître d' (often with flambe). None of these items were on the menu and we had to order at least by lunchtime. Simply spectacular...
Brilliantly stated! Wonderful detail describing Cunard and the QM2. Thank you for sharing this with the channel and for watching! I need to move up that bucket list crossing on my list!
Which cruise is less crowded or less kids lol
If you are speaking to the premium segment, then it is Holland America Line. They have a much older demographic than Celebrity and Princess but Virgin Voyages has NO Children - it is 18+ but has a younger demographic that likes to party a bit more than the HAL demographic. It all depends on what you are looking for. Thanks for sharing and for watching!
@@seemoreseascruises3791 Thank you 💗
Your review and assessment is on point. We have sailed on all of the Premium cruise lines. Being committed Celebrity cruisers we became disenchanted due to the quality and selection of food. Their specialty dining is expensive compared to other Premium lines. We sailed on QM2 in its inaugural year in Queen's Grill because my DH emigrated to Canada on the original Queen Mary. At this time, in our 70s, we want a longer cruise so opted to choose HAL for all that you mentioned. The only thing I'm disappointed in with HAL is that, while we cruised on Carnival Corp. lines....Princess, Cunard and return cruisers on HAL, they will only give us credit for our HAL cruise in 1998, which other cruise lines will honour past cruises AND all of our cruises were owned by the Carnival Corp. Great video as always! Thank you.
I'm glad that you enjoyed the video. There are many reports coming in from long time Celebrity cruisers that the MDR food quality is declining. That is very concerning being a Celebrity fan myself. One subscriber actually was able to participate with a town hall type call with executives where this was directly communicated. A recent article stated that the executive team sailed a 7 night on Equinox and agreed that the selection was limited. They have reinstated the classics and hopefully have taken steps to improve quality. We have sailed on two HAL ships (Signature Class) and our recent Eurodam had some disappointing dining as well. We sail Rotterdam in Dec so we have high hopes that we will have improved dining. I did not know that the Carnival brands do not reciprocate with each other. Being Elite on Celebrity we enjoy Diamond on Royal Caribbean. The individual sailings do not reciprocate but status levels do. Thanks so much for sharing and for continuing to watch!
I have to agree 100% with you regarding Celebrity. I sailed with them 3 times this year, and each time the quality of the food seemed to go down-hill (with the exception of up-grade options, which remained exceptional but are pricey). The MDR food was, in my opinion, not much better than cafeteria style food. The staff was excellent, helpful, and friendly. But management seems heck bent on turning Celebrity into nothing other than Royal, with The Retreat, and if you book The Retreat (but only the higher level Retreat suites), you get a premium experience. For everyone else, the ships are great, the staffing is exceptional (although I have heard over 60% of staff is not re-upping contracts due to the recent changes, so who knows) but don't believe the 'food is great' hype, unless you pay for upgrades.
Firstly - thanks for your insight and POV. End of the day its horses for courses. From your list, Sailed with Cunard, princess and celebrity multiple times over the years, going on Appex this year, so that will be a new experience for us concerning the class of ship. However as a middle ground cruise line i like Princess. They offer both a mix of formal and smart casual, so doesn't become a core to dress up and as you mentioned various aged groups. Im in my 60s now and enjoy younger cruisers rather than crusty old farts with a billion cruise loyalty points who think they own the ship😂 i also like Royal, however their ships have become so big now, they have become a bit off putting to me. Anyhow their is plenty off variety in the cruise market, you just need to find the one that suits you. Happy sailing👍
You make really good points here. Some of the cruise lines do have a lot of long time cruisers who enjoy their loyalty perks. I think that you will enjoy the Apex since it is a very different experience from a Solstice Class or Millennium Class ship from Celebrity. I am still trying to find an itinerary and opportunity to sail with Princess so hopefully that will happen soon. The mega ships from Royal are interesting and I would like to experience them but only for a very short cruise. The amount of children running around everywhere and the declining food quality are the biggest deterrents for me. Thanks so much for sharing and for watching!
I'm going on the Celebrity Eclipse (a solstice class ship) and I'm praying to God they'll be a bunch of younger people on the ship to watch. I'm getting up there in years (I'm 69) but I too don't want to watch tons of old farts trying to dance, when they can hardly move their arms around. And let's face it - who wants to see old ladies swimming? I need some good "scenery" once in awhile, if you get my drift.😛
@@SportsBoss999 I would say that you should be among an age demographic of 40's - 50's and up. There are normally a few families with well behaved kids and lots of middled aged couples. Celebrity attracts somewhat a younger demographic than Holland America or Cunard. You should be in good company!
Have you been on Sun Princess?
I have not but I have clients that have. They really enjoyed it.
Go Hoosiers!
HOOSIERS!
Booked my first Virgin cruise for later this year. As to your rankings, I was surprised to see that each one was rated for couples. Nothing for solos or friend groups?
I do have a video on Solo Cruising so check it out! Virgin has solo cabins but they are pretty small. I am doing a solo on Monday on Celebrity Reflection. They were offering a great solo deal. Great Question! Thanks for watching! solo video = ruclips.net/video/AW5DXHZQjgQ/видео.html
So I am big on these various channels. Your up front imformative approach is very welcome. It would also be helpful if you did more individual aspects to things. Now I want to say something real, and not try to be provative. So there are several done buy gay cruisers, or perhaps being older I can not get the lingo. No biggie and certainly no offence. So we have Ben and David, my favorite. Funny, informative, highlighting dinning, haveing great excursions. Just fun. Then JJ cruises tgat does a bit of the same but are just finding their way. Not as much into food, but giving an overall. Certainly much less production values then Ben and David. Tips for Travelers is another more in a narritive manner. He does not highlight the relationship, as neither do you. He is extremely well spoken , does decent food reviews, and yet is traditional enough so most would hardly notice. I am glad that we have it so some, like myself, could care less. So then you. Where do you fit in? You do a remarkable job with the narration and informative aspect to your reviews. That actually may be enough. I loved your comparison video you just provided mostly cause I thought it was very real. So Ben and David are also very honest. They also provide a high level of entertainment. Where do you see yourself going? If I have a suggestion it would be to wait. You do such a great job now starting out. I really like the straight foward approach. You may see aspects you may want to highlight. So Ben and David, and JJ Cruises highlight the relationship in their reviews. Tips for Travelers do not. You have only hinted so. As you are the star so far I would wait. He may need to be nudged into a greater role, or be better otherwise. Long winded but as a new fan of you, and long term fan of cruise videos, I wanted to touch base. If you don't respond certainly no offense, though although I may be a fan, I would not venture to be so bold again! Good luck going way foward.
I want to thank you so much for your thoughtful, personal perspective to my channel. Compared to Ben and David, Gary and even JJ Cruise, I appreciate you including me in that list. I intentionally frame my videos to be more instructional and informative providing my personal experience / lessons with cruising many different lines. We have filmed our cruises over the last 15 years and much of my footage comes from my own sailings. I do want to move more into the individual experiences, pairing that with information and instruction. Ben and David's success (my favorite too) is that their personalities are on full display but also provide a great deal of honest instruction. I think that Emma does a great job there as well. I plan to slowly include more of that moving forward. John will be filming so that I can narrate real time. I currently only cruise about 3 - 4 times a year with that growing since opening my travel advisor company. I, again, want to thank you for your perspective and encouragement! I really enjoy the process and meeting my subscribers when sailing. On our recent HAL Panama Canal sailing I was able to meet about 8 subscribers which was so exciting. Please feel free to add your perspectives as my channel grows!
Love Celebrity also
Thanks for sharing! Let's hope that Celebrity keeps the quality levels high!
Awesome video!!!! But celebrity is legit #1. They literally are a luxury resort at sea. Virgin, while fun, just doesn’t have the luxury feel. Celebrity guests are just as fun as Virgin guests. Just different experiences. Virgin is amazing…celebrity just a bit better. ❤
Thank you! You make a great point. The feel of both experiences are completely different. The demographic is even pretty different. If you are going for the "modern luxury" vibe then Celebrity has it hands down. I do like the easy, relaxed, welcoming vibe from Virgin though as well. If my cruises are any indication, I have been on way more Celebrity sailings than Virgin. Thanks for sharing and for watching!
@@seemoreseascruises3791 yessss!!! Well said. We are on same page sir!! YAY CRUISES! lol
So how about Viking and Oceana. Princess will always have a place in my heart, as they were the first cruise (Alaska of course) my wife and I took >20 years ago. Currently doing NCL but after our Hawaii cruise thinking about upgrading.
In that video, I reviewed the Premium Segment. Viking and Oceania are one step up in the Luxury segment. The luxury segment normally has much smaller ships, more sophisticated cuisine and a more inclusive product. NCL is a step below Princess and categorized as a Mass Market line with bigger ships and appealing to more families. I have had great experiences on NCL and other Mass Market lines however the vibe is normally much different. After your comment, I can only assume that you are noticing that.
@@seemoreseascruises3791 Definitely!
Great info, useable ... you have a fan!
Awesome, thank you! So happy that you find it useful. Thanks for sharing and for watching!