Celebrity vs Norwegian

[viet630]

I would like some input from those that have sailed both lines.We have been pretty much sticking with Celebrity, the service and quality of food, entertainment and just the whole package has been great. But the prices are getting outrageous.I don't mind paying more for quality but when it comes to almost doulbe the price of some of the other lines I have to wonder if it is worth it?Norwegian seems to have some pretty good prices, and I refuse to sail anything owned by Carnival so this is why I am asking.
Viet

 

[Don Clark]

From my experience Celebrity is the cream of the crop..... I have sailed on just about every cruise line, they all have their pluses and they all have their minuses. However, I don't think Celebrity is worth twice as much. If you can overlook the little things, you'll enjoy a Norwegian or even a Princess cruise just as much. After all, its the cruisers that make or break a vacation. Give Norwegian a try, its worth a least a try. If disappointed, you can always go back to Celebrity, or try another cruise line such as Holland American, Princess, and Royal Caribbean.....

I enjoy Norwegian because of the freestyle dining. I like being able to eat when I want to, and with who. Of course, with open seating you might have to wait 10 or 15 minutes for a table.... To avoid a line, either eat early before 6 PM, or later after 8PM..... Many have posted that there could be a line at 7 PM, but there is a line at your local restaurant on Friday and Saturday nights too at 7 PM.....

As far as formal nights are concerned, with Norwegian they're optional. One of the two main restaurants will host a formal night, while the others host a resort casual attire although the formal attire tends to overflow into the resort casual restaurant.....

 

[viet630]

Don
Thanks for your input. It was very helpful. I think we will try Norwegian, for the price difference it will be hard not to.Celebrity is our favorite line but it is just to pricy anymore. As far as trying HAL OR PRINCESS I don't think that is in the cards.Since Carnival has bought them out I am not interested.Thanks again.
Viet

 

[Nath]

Don Clark is right...I would give it a try. We did them all and much prefer NCL for its freestyle.

We've been on 15 cruises so far. Carnival (5), NCL (2-Bermuda), Celebrity (3) Princess (1) (Transatlantic/Mediterrenean) and RCI (4). We've learned that people's opinion of a cruise is strongly affected by their age, their likes, and their expectations. Cruises provide a variety of activities to suit different tastes. For us, visiting many islands is our main goal. We are a couple (childless) in our mid 30's / early 40’s with enough vacation to be able to enjoy many cruises. We're avid boaters & love the sea. We don't smoke, we love the outdoors & are beach people. We're not into luxury, we always book cheapest cabin because we want to be able to vacation a lot. We are not in the cabin except to sleep and dress - we don't have a butler at home - we choose strickly for our comfort. We get the same food, service, etc. and can take more cruises).

With all the discounting going on, it concerns us that cruisers may forget the most important aspect of selecting a ship: personal interests and lifestyle. If your only criterion is finding the lowest price available, you can easily wind up on a ship where you have nothing in common with the other passengers, which can adversely affect your enjoyment of the cruise.

For example, we recently sailed on Carnival Cruise Lines, Carnival Spirit. It is indeed a "Fun Ship." But what's your personal definition of fun? Triumph has Carnival's high-energy environment, lots of glitz, and a terrific array of nightlife. Although the slot machines are operational starting at 8 a.m., the library is open just an hour each day. At the other end of the spectrum is Holland America, whose passengers are largely retired. The service is genteel and reflects back to the early days of cruising. While there is some entertainment, after dinner the ships practically shut down. The point is, do your research first to determine which cruiseline/ships best suit your personal interests and lifestyle. Then start looking for the best price on those ships. We would rather spend a couple of hundred dollars more on a ship that gives us a fantastic vacation than become so obsessed with price that I land on a vessel that gives us only a so-so experience.

 

[marvholly]

In recent years (2000+) I at now 59 have4 sailed Celebrity, Carnival and NCL. I personally found Celebrity pretentious, activities/entertainment lacking and the food over rated. Staff was adequate. I give Carnival highest marks in ALL those areas even at my age + larger/better cabins. NCL is a close second in activities/entertainment , staff was excellent and the food and cabins are good. The best/worst cabin stewards and wait staff I have had in 30+ years of cruising has also been on Carnival.