"Tender scones?!" There's an oxymoron for you! So appreciate the making of this video! 2 ships just became added to my bucket list, the Ritz Carlton Luminara and the Oceania Allura. I really hope you cruise on the Allura! It looks very fine and refined 😊 Also looking forward to a review of the new Celebrity Xcel(!); loved your trip on the Ascent. As always, thoroughly enjoyed this video ❤
Hey Bill, your german friend was a little late for the live.. 🤷♂️🥴 So, now I try to find out who the people are that leave their 200 family-house-flat to book a cabin with an inside balcony… 😅 I will never get this…
Just disembarked Celebrity Ascent a few days ago and LOVED IT! The edge series with Celebrity is definitely my favorite. Looking forward to giving Xcel a try
Hi Bill. Loved the new episode about the new ships. I’m booked on Virgin for 11 days out of Athens in May, after which the next cruise will be on Celebrity, hopefully the XCel. Your fjords and Christmas trips on Cunard are also of interest. I hope these lines appreciate all you do to advise the public on the features, benefits and value. Thanks for all these excellent videos.
Great video. We agree that Celebrity X is best. Based on our 3 cruises, we ranked (1) Celebrity Silhouette (2) Norwegian Prima (3) RB Spectrum of the Seas. For 2025, thinking of booking Norwegian Viva for Adriatic seas to Venice. Thanks
Great episode Bill! We share your good taste as we had already booked the Excel for next Thanksgiving. We are kind of interested in trying Oceana one day. Thanks for a lovely job.
I love Celebrity Edge class ships and the infinite veranda cabins after sailing on the Edge and Beyond. I will be on the Ascent for the Mediterranean cruise in June 2025 and the maiden voyage for Xcel, as well as Edge from Sydney to Honolulu and Xcel in Mediterranean in 2026. I do agree with those that complain about the single rate on Celebrity. The solo travelers are only offered solo infinite veranda cabins on deck 6 with obstructed views at the solo rate. If the solo traveler would like another category, he/she would have to pay double. The Concierge cabins are a little misleading with the amenities offered for the price difference from the Infinite Veranda Cabins. If the cost difference were minor, I would opt for the Concierge Cabins for the extra perks. But if the cost difference were great, I would forego Concierge Cabins and choose Infinite Veranda Cabins. I have sailed as a solo traveler and paid double. I have sailed in the Infinite Veranda Cabin category as well as the Concierge Cabin category. I am looking forward to sailing on the Ascent and Xcel in the future.
Thank you for the great insight into the best new cruise ships. We were on the Ascent with you last year. Loved the ship and will no doubt try the Xcel later this year. We will be sailing, for the first time, on the MSC Europa in February. It will interesting to see how it compares with Celebrity. Looking forward to more of your reviews.
We recently were on Celebrity in the Norwegian Fjords with an Infinite Balcony. It was a good option for that itinerary because you could see the scenery go by without having to put on extra layers or rain gear. It was like being in a sunroom. However, I would NOT choose that type of cabin in hotter places. As a sunroom it focuses the heat and the AC shuts off when the window opens.
Great report! We home in Florida and see all the mega ships. Not for us, especially considering they mostly do only 3 to 5 nights. Why bother even with the furthest poet is a 4 hour drive at most. Anticipating your next on the Rotterdam. Got to put the pressure on you. We have it next month, tick tock. Just messing with you. See ya on the next wave!
Thanks for explaining Rotterdam and Queen Ann. Now that I know that they are both the same ship, and having done Rotterdam, I'm not going to do Cunard. From internet reviews, including yours, I've decided that Curnard would not be worth it for me. I would prefer to stay with the HAL experience. By the way, unlike some cruisers, I would not consider them natural competitiors; I would call them sister companies under CCL corporate HQ, so it's just a quesiton of which characteristic nuances I would prefer.
We like the smaller ships of Oceania and Viking. We’ve found the food on Viking to be the best of any cruise line. We also like the fact that there are no passengers under 18, all staterooms have balconies, and there is no casino. We enjoy the mostly quiet and refined, but casual atmosphere.
My wife and I are scheduled to be on the Xcel in December. We have three cruises booked for this year on three different Celebrity Edge-class ships, which I know you’re a big fan of. We were on the Oceania Nautica in September for the first time with them. Frankly, we prefer Celebrity. The service and food were no better despite the higher prices and the bathroom and shower were uncomfortably tiny. Great video, Bill.
Perhaps time to rethink mass tourism on cruises?
Excited to see this!
3,600 is mid size? Yikes.
Norwegian's ship, The Aqua, would be my pick. 😊
Thank you for the updates Bill, much appreciated. It's Celebrity all the way this year for us, with Iceland on the itinery.
Blimey, the ships keep getting bigger and bigger. We prefer the smaller ones. 😀
"Tender scones?!" There's an oxymoron for you! So appreciate the making of this video! 2 ships just became added to my bucket list, the Ritz Carlton Luminara and the Oceania Allura. I really hope you cruise on the Allura! It looks very fine and refined 😊 Also looking forward to a review of the new Celebrity Xcel(!); loved your trip on the Ascent. As always, thoroughly enjoyed this video ❤
Anyone that promotes plant-based dining options does not get my business – ever!
Tornados Rossini? They have captured my heart!😋
Celebrity for me although I was hoping to see the back of those balconies.Going on Ascent in March and Edge in October.Another superb video Bill
Hey Bill, your german friend was a little late for the live.. 🤷♂️🥴 So, now I try to find out who the people are that leave their 200 family-house-flat to book a cabin with an inside balcony… 😅 I will never get this…
One of the best presentations and content I’ve seen for a long time. 👍
Just disembarked Celebrity Ascent a few days ago and LOVED IT! The edge series with Celebrity is definitely my favorite. Looking forward to giving Xcel a try
I would rather poke rusty needles in my eyes than pay to go on one of these monstrositys 😮
Celebrity family here. We love their ships and service. Great video for the new ships!
I'm booked on the Celebrity xcel for Spain/France/Italy late June/early July and can't wait!
Excellent Video. Thank you!!
Excellent video. Very informative. Thank You.
Love this channel your like the Richard Leach of cruising.
Royal's Kid Tracker has been on Princess (Medallion Class) for 5+ years already. It's not new, no matter how much Royal says it is.
Celebrity lost me when they decided to take advantage of solo travelers! Not only are they charging a double occupancy fee, but a fee on top of that!
I am booked with Star Princess, MSC World, and Virgin's Brilliant Lady🥰
Elegant or slightly above Ikea?
Hi Bill. Loved the new episode about the new ships. I’m booked on Virgin for 11 days out of Athens in May, after which the next cruise will be on Celebrity, hopefully the XCel. Your fjords and Christmas trips on Cunard are also of interest. I hope these lines appreciate all you do to advise the public on the features, benefits and value. Thanks for all these excellent videos.
Great video. We agree that Celebrity X is best. Based on our 3 cruises, we ranked (1) Celebrity Silhouette (2) Norwegian Prima (3) RB Spectrum of the Seas. For 2025, thinking of booking Norwegian Viva for Adriatic seas to Venice. Thanks
these prices are crazy
Well done Bill! Once again you are the go to for the bottom line!😊
Really enjoyed that Bill.
Great episode Bill! We share your good taste as we had already booked the Excel for next Thanksgiving. We are kind of interested in trying Oceana one day. Thanks for a lovely job.
We will be on MSC World America in October!! Can’t wait!
I love Celebrity Edge class ships and the infinite veranda cabins after sailing on the Edge and Beyond. I will be on the Ascent for the Mediterranean cruise in June 2025 and the maiden voyage for Xcel, as well as Edge from Sydney to Honolulu and Xcel in Mediterranean in 2026. I do agree with those that complain about the single rate on Celebrity. The solo travelers are only offered solo infinite veranda cabins on deck 6 with obstructed views at the solo rate. If the solo traveler would like another category, he/she would have to pay double. The Concierge cabins are a little misleading with the amenities offered for the price difference from the Infinite Veranda Cabins. If the cost difference were minor, I would opt for the Concierge Cabins for the extra perks. But if the cost difference were great, I would forego Concierge Cabins and choose Infinite Veranda Cabins. I have sailed as a solo traveler and paid double. I have sailed in the Infinite Veranda Cabin category as well as the Concierge Cabin category. I am looking forward to sailing on the Ascent and Xcel in the future.
Thank you for the great insight into the best new cruise ships. We were on the Ascent with you last year. Loved the ship and will no doubt try the Xcel later this year. We will be sailing, for the first time, on the MSC Europa in February. It will interesting to see how it compares with Celebrity. Looking forward to more of your reviews.
We recently were on Celebrity in the Norwegian Fjords with an Infinite Balcony. It was a good option for that itinerary because you could see the scenery go by without having to put on extra layers or rain gear. It was like being in a sunroom. However, I would NOT choose that type of cabin in hotter places. As a sunroom it focuses the heat and the AC shuts off when the window opens.
Great report! We home in Florida and see all the mega ships. Not for us, especially considering they mostly do only 3 to 5 nights. Why bother even with the furthest poet is a 4 hour drive at most.
Anticipating your next on the Rotterdam. Got to put the pressure on you. We have it next month, tick tock. Just messing with you. See ya on the next wave!
Thanks for explaining Rotterdam and Queen Ann. Now that I know that they are both the same ship, and having done Rotterdam, I'm not going to do Cunard. From internet reviews, including yours, I've decided that Curnard would not be worth it for me. I would prefer to stay with the HAL experience. By the way, unlike some cruisers, I would not consider them natural competitiors; I would call them sister companies under CCL corporate HQ, so it's just a quesiton of which characteristic nuances I would prefer.
We like the smaller ships of Oceania and Viking. We’ve found the food on Viking to be the best of any cruise line. We also like the fact that there are no passengers under 18, all staterooms have balconies, and there is no casino. We enjoy the mostly quiet and refined, but casual atmosphere.
My wife and I are scheduled to be on the Xcel in December. We have three cruises booked for this year on three different Celebrity Edge-class ships, which I know you’re a big fan of. We were on the Oceania Nautica in September for the first time with them. Frankly, we prefer Celebrity. The service and food were no better despite the higher prices and the bathroom and shower were uncomfortably tiny. Great video, Bill.
Amen the go carts r gone
Did RC steal the what they call new technology from Princess Cruises? Princess has already had those features for a couple of years now 💁🏻
Track me at the buffet…
Thanks, great video! We're on Ascent this spring and are looking forward to it!
Excellent!