You can’t compare the two. One is clearly geared towards families, adventure, entertainment, while the other is more upscale, relaxation, spa, food, for a mature audience.

Whenever someone asks me about the relationship between Royal Caribbean and Celebrity, I always explain that Celebrity is the Lexus to Royal Caribbean's Toyota.

Celebrity is absolutely amazing! It’s an adult grown up cruise. The food and drinks are the best at sea.

We normally do Royal and went on celebrity for the first time last week and were blown away!! The food was next level! The cleanliness and the amenities were not what we expected either. The wifi on our ship was starlink and we never had an issue with streaming. We will defiantly be trying celebrity again!!

Our family took our first Celebrity cruise this year too. We really had a lot of fun, and the experience was amazing. We will be going on another Celeb cruise for sure. The food was delicious, services were amazing.

I love royal caribbean, but I think celebrity is way better. It has better food, better atmosphere, and impeccable service.

As a frequent Celebrity and Royal Caribbean cruiser, I totally agree with your assessment. Food is somewhat better on Celebrity, but the entertainment is far better on Royal Caribbean. We agree, the loyalty program is better on Royal, especially the ability to get a few drinks through out the day, rather than two hours in the evening which conflicts with early dinning. My biggest complaint about Royal is the towel checkout requirement. On Celebrity towels are available in numerous locations. Since Celebrity has dropped gratuities from the All-Included package, we have decided to just buy the soda package and use the savings for other activities we enjoy. Thanks again for an excellent assessment.

Matt, thank you for being honest about how much you love the buffet and Celebrity. Last November when I was on Celebrity beyond and cruise tips TV had a live stream and I was talking about how much better celebrities buffet was you were giving me so much grief about it, and saying how much better Royal was. I agree with you that Royal is very good but Celebrity is better. now.

My husband and I did a transatlantic on the Apex Nov 5-18. We’ve been on both Royal and Celebrity and I agree with most of your critique. The reason we picked Celebrity for the TA was because of the Solarium on their ships. When weather is questionable, you can’t beat relaxing in an inclosed area. The lounge chairs are padded, you lookout on the ocean and waiters did come around taking drink orders. Also, with the sea days , there were activities and music going on around the ship all the time. The WiFi is Star-link and worked fabulously! We did have the premium but it was well worth it. Definitely consider Celebrity if you’re going somewhere where the weather is cool.

The key to the infinite veranda is to close the frosted bi fold doors when you drop the window. And, when the window is closed, you have more space in your room and floor to ceiling Sea views. I appreciate and enjoy that!

Celebrity is an upscale cruise compared to RCL, part of that is it is more relaxed. We cruise to relax, so we don’t use most of the RCL activities.

As an Elite cruiser had you gone on Celebrity's cruise planner before the cruise you could have upgraded from Classic Beverage to Premium Beverage package for just $7.00 extra per day.

We booked a porthole veranda rather than an infinite veranda because of the AC issue.

My husband and I did a 4 day on Celebrity Summit last year and we loved it. We'll be doing both lines in the future.

Thanks for your honest detailed review. I appreciate the differences in the cruise lines. There’s a cruise line out there for everyone. One size will never fit all. Thank God for diversity over the sea!

We went on the Symphony of the Seas during Thanksgiving this year out of Ft Lauderdale and it was amazing

Everything you described in this video is how we felt on our first ever Celebrity cruise in November of 2023. We won’t be cruising again with with our family of young adults for quite some time on a celebrity cruise. Bring on Royal!

Thank you. The balcony on Celebrity totally puts me off using them at all. Hopefully not many other cruise lines go down that path.

I've done 2 celebrity in a row now and also found the tier match lacking, along with the evening entertainment which seemed to center around expensive shopping. While we did have great bar service on the Eclipse - I will note it was ONE individual who worked in various spots that always served us. It was so refreshing not only did we tip him a substantial side tip we gave him special mention. When I work at the piers as a side job in Seattle (it's really just fun!) & people ask why RC is my favorite - I say "there is a party everywhere, all the time, but only if you want it!"

We moved to Celebrity from Royal Caribbean a number of years ago and have never been back to Royal. We're in our early 60's though, so we like that Celebrity is an older crowd, almost no kids, and a bit more upscale. We also like that the ships don't feel like enclosed shopping malls (Oasis class). That said, we really love the Radiance class ships and have been on three of the four, but the Oasis class, while pretty amazing, just isn't our thing. We'll be back on Royal one these days, it just hasn't happened yet. We currently have two Celebrity and one Princess booked, so maybe when Utopia of the Seas comes out and is brand new we'll try a short weekend trip with friends to introduce them to Royal.

You lost me when you said that there wasn't anything like a Schooner Bar to close out the night. No Schooner - No Thank you! LOL

Love Celebrity and we sail on them all the time but the one thing I wish they would add is do what Royal did and add the drink vouchers for the Elite Members and up.

A little late here, but, we are D+ on Royal Caribbean, but now prefer Celebrity. One thing that would make Celebrity even better though is if they did the drink vouchers for C&A like Royal does. But as far as the lack of bar service on Celebrity, I kind of prefer that. If I want a drink, I'll go get one. I will take that over constantly having people coming by and asking if I want anything from the bar. And you are correct about the canapes. They are pointless, and not very good. Other things we like about Celebrity: *On our last few Celebrity cruises, no one was trying to take our picture when we boarded the ship, when we got off the ship, or in the dining room. *There aren't announcements every hour or so, It's usually one announcement per day *You don't have to check out and check in pool towels *The general atmosphere is just more relaxed

I will be switching to Celebrity next year as the prices for most sailings are cheaper than anything on Icon or Wonder. The food is better and it is a more chill sailing.

I've been on Oasis in 2012 and in the Symphony last year and I could notice the difference when it comes to guests! I know it's 10 years apart, many people who never cruised, cruise a lot now but sometimes on Symphony I felt in some Carnival ship.

Royal Caribbean Blog venturing out on Celebrity, cool cool cool 😎

Try the smaller ships, we love them, specially Reflection and Equinox!

Three comments: 1) We found that the food on Celebrity Millennium (their oldest ship) was much better than the food on Liberty of the Seas. This was true both in terms of the broad selection of the food made available but also in the actual execution of the menu items. There were too many dishes on Royal that should have been stopped in the kitchen prior to service. I will say that the buffet selections on the Millennium are more limited than on the newer ships. 2) The service - whether in the buffet or the MDR was by far better on Celebrity. We had four people working our table and they anticipated every need. you could have. I could see no reason to even head to specialty dining. The Royal staff was well trained but less experienced and brought up the employee survey nearly every day. 3) I was very disappointed with the entertainment on the Liberty of the Seas as the big screen was NOT working and there were no Broadway style shows like we hear all the time on your vlog. A lot of the acts were brought in or kind of slapped together as the entertainment staff was at half staffed in May 2022. The Millennium was a lot better in terms of the entertainment but I must admit that the sound and lighting in the main theatre was of lower grade than my high school. Seriously. 4) On embarkation in Fort Lauderdale, we got in 90 minutes early so we sat out on a bench. One of the ships staff saw us sitting and invited us to board immediately. From the time we left the bench and entered the terminal, we were in our room in less than 15 minutes. The staff was so welcoming and made us really feel like honored guests.

Thank you for always giving the tidbits and thoroughness in your reviews/vlogs!!! I appreciate the differences that you mentioned. I'm a present and near future Royal sailor!😉

The balcony thing is the deal breaker. I loved sitting out on the balcony in thr evening before bed...watching the moon over the sea. It was unbelievably relaxing for me. I don't think id want a cruise without that bit. A room with a window that opens is just not the same

Just got off Explorer of the Seas on Dec 8th. I’ve sailed her twice previously, and while I missed one show, I guess the best one, I was sad that the entertainment, other than Elvis and the ice show, were less than what I had remembered. There wasn’t anything equivalent to a major production unless I missed it that one night. We did have fun. There were 13 from my family and one friend. I have 4 kids, 2 with Down syndrome. We received EXCELLENT service and everyone was wonderful. My 26 year old daughter had a blast dancing the late nights away in Dizzy’s. I’m in a power wheelchair. Sadly my battery charger died the first night of the cruise. It made an impact on what I could do onboard and definitely limited time off the ship, but we still had an AMAZING time! I wish finances were such that we could sail more often. It had been 13 years since our last family cruise. We were 6 back then. The ship was older, but honestly none the worse for the years. Thanks for sharing all of your info Matt! It’s much appreciated! Hoping to be able to save enough to sail again soon. If only the costs would stop climbing! But it still is an amazing value for the money if you can afford to go. 😉🥰🤗

Thanks for the info Matt! We are looking to try a Celebrity cruise in the next year to see how we like it. We've taken 3 RC cruises and enjoyed them all, but thought we'd try some others too. At least we know not to bother with the room you had! 😂

I’ve only done one celebrity cruise but I really really enjoyed it. It was on celebrity edge. It was in 2021 and I had a fantastic time. I would definitely not hesitate to go on another celebrity cruise.

We have almost exclusively cruised on RC primarily because we live within close proximity to Galveston. Although things are changing, until recently our choices were pretty much limit to RC or Carnival. Everyone has a cruising style. When it comes to cruise lines and cruise ships there isn't a one-size-fits-all cruise experience. There really is something for everyone. I do think it is important to step outside your comfort zone from time to time. You might find yourself pleasantly surprised.

In September Equinox had lots of evening entertainment, music, and late activities.

Try the Retreat on any Celebrity Ship and I think you will change your mind. You will pay more but I would bet you will have a different impression. Retreat Lounge Drinks Daily form 10-10, Laminae is excellent, and Retreat area (Pools, Jacozines, and Super Bar Service.

We have gone on 3 royal Caribbean cruises so far. We are trying Celebrity in June. Thanks for the review!

I agree with everything you said-- I did not like the infinite balcony - in our case it took like 6 hours to get the air conditioning back to baseline after opening the window for 30 minutes. Celebrity has a nice luxury vibe- but is so much more expensive. I also felt like there was a 2 class system on Celebrity with many areas set aside for suite (or other special) guests only. Food was definitely incredible on celebrity. Will likely continue to sail on both in the future.

Your feedback on your Celebrity cruise helps! Our neighbors who are in their 60's had diamond status on RCCL but then started taking Celebrity cruises. I asked them why and they said they like the slower pace on Celebrity cruise ships. They said there were fewer children onboard as the ship has no water slides etc. We do plan to take a Celebrity cruise now that they sail out of Port Canaveral, but it may be just a short itinerary just to try them out first. I do absolutely love the look of the Edge class ships!

I prefer Celebrity over Royal because it's more my pace. We board Apex this weekend and am a bit concerned about the bar service. You are not the only one to mention the lack of bar service on Apex.

Just got off of the new ship Ascent! Unbelievable ship and we had a great Time. I love the concierge service!

This is probably one of the best comparisons between the two lines, so thanks for that. It definitely gives us something to ponder.

I did just the opposite: my very first cruise was on the very first Celebrity cruise ship....the SS Meridian. My first Royal cruise wasn't until 6 years later (I did go on Carnival, Premiere, and Princess Cruise Line before trying Royal). I like both and do at least one cruise a year on either Royal or Celebrity. Royal is reserved mainly for our family cruises, while Celebrity is used mainly for our Adults Only cruise. Don't get me wrong, we love both and will gladly do either one.

We are Diamond plus with Royal , and we occasionally cruise with Celebrity. We like it, as a nice change.

I've definitely considered celebrity for an Alaskan cruise mainly because of the infinate veranda

Sail on both, Diamond on RC and Elite on Celebrity. Have been really disappointed in my last 2 cruises on Royal. Didn't like the layout of Odyssey and on Symphony, the shows were awful, when and if they were performed. Royal is getting to party like. I like Celebrity for all the reasons you don't. The slower, laid back vibe, no waiters annoying every 5 minutes to get yet another drink. I think it all comes down to why and who you are traveling with. We will be going on Celebrity from now on unless taking my teenaged grandson.

I love that you have provided such an honest review. Most other vloggers sugar coat everything and won’t say anything negative so they can keep getting free trips with a particular cruise line. Thank you!

We were on the Apex in March. I fully expected not to like it based upon my last celebrity experience on the reflection. On the reflection I was bored. There was nothing to do and the entertainment/food was subpar. We had a really good time on the Apex and have been looking at other celebrity ships specifically in the edge class. I still like Royal better in many ways specifically the entertainment and activities. I agree that their loyalty program is severely lacking. The food on the Apex in the dinning room is so much better than Royal because Royal changed their menu. The buffet I agree was the best I have had and I do like the windjammer. I liked that they still had favorites on the menu every night and they were flexible. We were on the Wonder in May and I was so disappointed in the MDR food and they were not able to be as flexible. Royal- bring back the old menus!!!

I agree with everything you said! However, I usually book based on the itinerary and price, so we end up on Celebrity more often than we prefer.

We had such a bad experience with our Celebrity Beyond infinite veranda that as soon as we got home, I called Royal Caribbean and moved my April 2025 Icon of the Seas reservation from an infinite veranda to a traditional balcony stateroom. Actually costs me money because the demand has gone up but not we're doing another cruise with that veranda concept.

This is why I changed from a concierge infinity balcony to a sunset veranda on celebrity ascent.

I'm plan to be on the Soltice next summer after being loyal to Royal for years. Looking forward to it.

We're Diamond on Royal, but after trying Celebrity, we were hooked. Started with the Equinox, then the Beyond, and am booked on the Ascent.

you should try the older smaller ships for more attentive service.

I am D+ on RCL. I have cruised on Epic and Equinox and agree, if you’re a foodie, Celebrity is way better than RCL.

I’d like to point out that most of Norwegian’s casinos are also smoke free but they have glassed-in separate “smoking casino” rooms

I love Celebrity & will book them as much as I can in the future. I mainly cruise (with my mom) to visit the ports, relax in my room, & eat the foods:-) The wifi was amazing & the staff is soo attentive, & ship is designed beautifully. I don’t care much about alcohol & entertainment. I don’t even pack a swimsuit lol. I don’t like to socialize lol. Guess I’m different than most cruisers🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

We have a Family Infinite Veranda booked for Icon in February, so I am interested to see how we like it (or not) - we did book that class more for the bed situation (family of 5 people) and this just came along with it - it if makes it just like a larger ocean view with the extra beds, I think we will be ok with is, but shall see. Thanks for the perspective on things - especially the always included, lots of great points

Having cruised numerous times on Celebrity Millennium class ships and Solstice class ships, as well as once on Anthem of the seas by Royal Caribbean and Enchanted Princess by Princess Cruises, my favourite is Celebrity. It definitely is a step up in class. That is not to say that I don’t like the others because I do. In fact I’m doing a 14 night cruise next month on Diamond Princess. But I will always return to Celebrity…

Their coffee shop looks amazing, reminds me of the Cove Cafe on Disney cruise line. Absolutely the best on any ship I’ve been on. Love Royal too and wanted to try Celebrity but not convinced.

I'll stick with RC Ships new and food seems better. However, I think we would have more fun on RC🎉

Great video - now we need to see and hear your experience on other lines like Princess, Norwegian, and Holland. Challenge accepted?

Celebrity is a different animal. It’s a step above in many areas. It’s got it’s target audience ❤❤❤

Yes. Yes you DO need French Onion Soup every night. Thrust stage.

Matt, great review and for the most part I agree with your findings. I do question your comment about the availability of drinks waiters on Royal v Celebrity. Since the restart we always struggled to find roaming bar staff on either. There are some staff, but they are not that available due to their limited numbers. Celebrity reminds me so much of Royal Caribbean back 20 plus years ago. Royal was a far more premium and traditional cruise product than we all see now. But in fairness it didn’t have the range entertainment or amenities we take for granted on more modern Royal ships either. Since Royal acquired Celebrity I have seen the shift with Royal being position more as a family cruise line to compete with the likes of Carnival. Celebrity has been kept as a more premium product, and while very contemporary, I think it caters more for the traditional cruiser in my opinion. One thing I would say is that I’d probably cruise with Celebrity more if Royal & Celebrity shared a common program. I fully agree that Royals C&A program is probably the best out there. Keep up the great work.

I am a Diamond class for Royal, we decided to go back to Celebrity on our 30th anniversary because that was our Honeymoon cruise. I was surprised how much I enjoyed it and we have been sailing Celebrity ever since. I am not interested in the flowrider, iFly, zip lining so I am not missing the crowds and screaming kids that I experience in the past.

Hey Matt, I'm not sure how to feel after this very honest and detailed review lol. I have an upcoming cruise on the Celebrity Beyond in October of 2024, and I am very eager to experience my first sailing on a Celebrity Edge Ship. Being loyal to Royal Cruiser I can relate to everything you shared and believe my experience may not be much different from yours. See you soon.

That Concierge veranda is just an oceanview. That room looked depressing.😂 so called infinity is no veranda. Just a big window with Verandah prices.😢

Just booked the two story Villa for our 40th bday celebration on Beyond. Stoked!

We prefer Celebrity over RCI. We sailed on the Oasis in June and other than Central Park it was much to crowded and noisy. we would take an Edge class ship over an Oasis class any day of the week.We sailed on the Beyond last October/November and I know a lot of people complained about the Infinite Balcony but we loved it. Maybe it was because we don't keep the AC low but our windows and mirrors never forged up and we had it open all the time. And we went to Bermuda and the ABC's so it was plenty humid.

If you close the bifold doors then open the IV window the ac stays on. Then shut the IV window and open the bifold doors to gain the extra room. Mornings I’ll go grab coffee and shut the bifold doors to open the veranda and sit there and have coffee while the wife still sleeps.

I have been on both Celebrity and Royal Caribbean. I like both. My husband and I are both mobility impaired, and I need gluten-free (coeliac). Because of this, we don't need all the rock climbing walls and very active area because I really want to do it and can't. We are foodies and want the extra comfort. I have found the food is better on Celebrity. When i was on Wonder, everytime they were told gluten free, they would barely season the food. However, I will agree wholeheartedly that shows are way better on Royal. Although Eden is cool. Both are annoying with their attempts at upselling. Because of our needs Celebrity is wonderful. We can be active when able, but it's not in our face. Thank you for this review. I also don't like infinite verandah. I can see what people like, but not for me.

We 💗 celebrity..good mix of ages, pretty ships,good food like floating spa..your points carry over..

I love both but personally think celebrity is level up, personal service and less zoo By the way, classic package gives u nothing BUT premium 👍👍👍

Did Celebrity for Alaska in 2019. Smaller ship, nicer amenities. Not as much for our kids to enjoy. But it was a great experience

Love this. Thanks, Matt!

The champagne is just once and not unlimited. By saying it's available on order, it's because they used to have it in cabin when you arrived, but now you have to ask for it. It's not unlimited. ;)

You did a great job. Very informative. And yes, I love balconies too! ❤

I took your same exact cruise last year and almost canceled my Panama Canal cruise this year with Celebrity. The only thing stopping me from canceling is the destinations. With that being said, give Virgin Voyages a celebrity edge class ship and watch out that would be perfect. At night not many options on what to do and even TV options were poor so biggest take away was not much to do in the form of entertainment or activities. The Eden area we found wasted space and I could be wrong but I don’t think you even mentioned that area

I have been on both Celebrity and Royal, but will choose Celebrity every time. I understand there are more activities on Royal, but I don’t need them. I love the food, service and upscale vibe of Celebrity. I still like Royal, we’re going to the Greek isles in October on Royal! Cheers everyone!

Thank you Matt, that was a very honest and helpful review ❤

Celebrity way better for us. The style of Celebrity's cutting edge design and modern art collection is top notch and a treat for the eyes. We're just not enthralled with the shopping mall design down through the middle of Royal ships. I feel like Celebrity is a destination and Royal like a mall back home. Sounds like you missed the exceptional shows in Eden as well as different special shows in the Club venue.

Looks like the crowd dresses a little nicer.

I totally KNEW IT...!!! Thank you Matt! When we booked Icon a year ago we skipped the infinite veranda thing because logic told me I'd be sweating to death. Thank you for the confirmation. Why they wouldn't add some little doors or a slider makes no sense...

Very much recommend upgrading from the always included WiFi to premium pre cruise by calling in. For a 7 night cruise in July I paid $68 to upgrade with discounts. Upgrading the beverage package to premium pre cruise using your captains club benefits is also a huge savings as well.

I dont have a high status and I am an in bed by 10 person anyway so I loved my Celebrity experience. Would still like to go on some Royal ships, but the costs are way to high right now. I can go on NCL for a similar experience with a full drinks package for less money. Happy you were able to try something new.

It appears that I will be sailing celebrity from now on. I was totally disappointed by the Royal Caribbean main dining room

You guys all realize that celebrity is a subsidiary of royal

3:43 - I love the canapés poking 😂

Ours kids went through all the different levels in the youth groups with RCL. Now they’re adults , my wife and I naturally transitioned to Celebrity. We find it much more enjoyable. If we have a family cruise 🚢 than it’s got to be Oasis class.

I just booked the room you are talking about on this ship. And doing Puerto Rico. I think I will love the room. Looking at one area a jungle area might not like. I couldn't afford the aqua class. Way to expensive. But so wanted it. The restaurant looked amazing. And won't get such an amazing experience with the spa. But seems so much layed back and less people. I so love royal Caribbean but you almost need a vacation on how big the boat is. They even go hey if you do three nights do four night back to back. The celebrity reminds me from the videos of a love boat. And the food sounds very good. Royal is trying to push the specialty dining.

Love the smoke free casino! I wish Royal Caribbean would do this!

We did our first Celebrity after 12 Princess cruises this fall. I can't say I agree it was any better - not worse - just not better.

Spot on! Sailed on APEX last April. One and done with Celebrity. Loyal to Royal!

I agree that Concierge isn’t worth much more than $100 and not even that if you’re Elite where you get the embarkation priority anyway. My take on the Infinity cabin is I prefer the regular veranda in warm climes like the Caribbean and Mediterranean. But Infinity veranda in cool climes. I’m surprised about the poor bar table service. We have done 17 Celebrity cruises, including Apex, and that’s never been the case. You should try Celebrity’s Solstice or Millennium class ships. The Edge class ships are beautiful and the art is stunning but my preference is for the Solstice ship.

7:03: You say you love the windjammer. I hate the windjammer. It feels like an over crowded gold coral where you struggle to find a seat.

Really enjoyed your view on Celebrity. I think a lot of people thinking of trying them should watch this video. Seems like it is more for the retired crowd that is in there 60's and up that want to lay back and releax.

I went on Celebrity for the first time in August. My daughter and I went to Europe. The itinerary was fabulous. We sailed on Celebrity Reflection. However, Matt, I totally agree with you 100% about their entertainment. It was horrible. I didn't go to any shows because I didn't know if they had any. It was not advertised properly. In addition, I was looking for bingo and I believe it was for one time and I missed that. Listen, I am not a party animal neither but at least give me something to decide if I want to party or see an unbelievable show. Like you I was in bed early too! I will be sailing on her again next year. The itinerary is a good one in the Caribbean. I hope the entertainment is much better sailing the Caribbean than sailing Europe. All I can say...Celebrity please work on this!

I love both cruise lines. All-time favorite is royal Caribbean and NCL.

I don't know how they compare because I've never even BEEN on a cruise. I'm in my late 60s, so I imagine Celebrity is the way to go for me. Don't like a bunch of kids running around, and I love the non-smoking casino. My first cruise is in November 2024 on Celebrity, so we'll see how it goes. The good food selections and great service very much appeals to me. The only downside looking forward is the limited activities and shows. I hope they'll be enough to do and not get bored, but we shall see.