Upcoming changes on Celebrity

While on our March 26th Summit cruise we learned that the menus will be changing in September. Sure hope they don't mess with our favourite French Potatoe Pie and the creme brulee. Also, due to the HUGE number of Captain's Club members, changes are in the air. We enjoyed the Elite cocktail party but when we got off the elevator and saw the horrendous line the next night for the regular Captain's Club cocktail party we left. We didn't need a free drink that bad! Also, the "Elite/Founder" check-in line at Embarkation was busier than the regular lines.

"HUGE number of CC members"...Wow, I never saw that coming!! Who would of thought that if you give out memberships for free a huge number of people would consent to take them...bet they all feel special now.

Dan

CenturyX1,GalaxyX2,HorizonX5,VolendamX1,

Zenith to Bermuda Oct/04

Century to E.Caribbean Feb/05

Danno,

I agree with you. When we joined the Captain's Club there was a fee. Now that it's free, well you know the old saying, "you get what you pay for." So I guess we are going to be getting "nothing."

7 Night Eastern Carribean on Infinity

Big Red Boat II – New York to Canada/New England, August 2000

Regal Empress – New York to Canada/New England, August 2001

Millennium – 10 Night Southern Caribbean, August 2002

Millennium – 13 Night Mediterranean, August 2003

Infinity – Eastern Caribbean, April 2004

Hi maybe we were just on the right cruise..but had no trouble getting into the Captain's Club Cocktail Party...found a nice comfy area for the 6 of us to sit..met the Captain too .

And for disembarking....it was a breeze (for me anyway)...off the ship at 9:20...luggage was very easy to find...and the buses for the airport were right there------>.

Now, I will miss that French Potatoe Pie if they remove it from the menu

Next up...HORIZON Sept 18th to Bermuda!

See My Century and Mercury Pictures at:

http://community.webshots.com/user/lovescruising

Hi Senga

We were on Summit on 3/15 and heard that the Elite members would be finally getting extras since at this point it's the top of the line and there are no incentives to continue sailing once you reach that level. I noticed that in one year's time from Millie that a lot more "perks" were added for Elite. Also, they separated the Captain's Club cocktail parties into early and late seatings on our sailing. It was fine. For a few years previously they had combined them to a party in between meal seatings. This worked out much better. I hope they do change some things on the menu and bring back some oldies but goodies.

Dolphin - 1990

Horizon - 1994, 1995, 1995

Century - 1997, 2000, 2001

Galaxy - 1998

Zenith - 1992, 1999, 2002

Millennium - 2003

Summit 2004

Summit 2005

Countdown to Summit 2005

Danno -- when I joined Captains Club we had to pay a fee. Now that it is free, are they reimbursing the fee to us and if so, how do we go about doing that

Pat,

That's good to hear about the Captain's Club Party.I remember on our Millie cruise, they held it in the Revelations nightclub between the 2 sittings instead of holding it in the Theater. Big mistake!!!! Diners coming from First sitting were SRO while the second seating passengers were gulping down their drinks trying to get to the DIning Room. Splitting the 2 seatings is a great idea, especiallysince they Captain's Club has grown!

Now getting back to the topic on hand, I believe that they go over their menus every 6 months and see what moves and what doesn't. I would think something like the Potato Pie and the Creme Brulee would be safe. When taking the Galley tour, someone asked the executive chef about menu changes. He told us that there were at least 14 planned menus for any given week. Hey, it's better than the first years on Celebrity when you could predict what meal you were getting on what night,even if you sailed on a different ship in the same year!

Anita

And now Infinity 2005!

Millennium 2003

Century 2002

Summit 2001

Century 2000

Zenith 1996

Horizon 1994

Horizon 1993

Sunward 1992

Star Princess 1990

Maxim Gorky 1974 & 1975

In the Captain's Club newsletter Vol. II (2003) (can't remember exactly when we got it, I think it was in the Fall) there was a little note telling passengers that the fee had been eliminated, and the brochure included a coupon for a $50 shipboard credit that was supposed to offset the $35 you paid at one time. If you didn't get that, I would call and see what they're doing for people.

Danno,

It's time, man. You have to do it. Change your board name to "Cynic'.

When we got off our first cruise ship, the CC cost $35. No way! A month later, it's free...

Guess what? We joined immediately. A few months later, we were demanding our upgrade on a new booking.

Here is my point. 'GO WITH THE RULES."

The primary sponsor (owner) establishes the rules. They have the rights to change the rules. The users have to live by the rules.

I do agree with "no whining about the price you paid" if you were satisfied with "the price you paid."

I for one will be excited (ever the optimist) if the menus are indeed changing this fall. We have been blessed with four chances to cruise in the past 19 months and have now memorized the menus, to the point where, when our dear waiter last week on Mercury accidentally gave me the wrong menu one night, my husband took a glance at it, said "Oh, that's the menu for the LAST night," and handed it to the waiter, who said, "You certainly know our menus!" (And who can forget the ever-festive dish named "Red Cusk Congrio," anyway?) However, if it goes, I *will* miss the Jalapeno Cheese Polenta appetizer. FWIW.

trc

Millennium 12/12/04

****

Mercury 4/04, Infinity 8/03, Century 3/03 & 9/02

We just got off the Galaxy on April 5th. Being Select CC members we were invited on the Galley Tour, and the Food Manager Hans had told us that the new menus would include more low fat and low carb selections. Many in our group applauded. Hopefully they'll keep all the old favorites too, but being a "carb-watcher" I'll be eager to see what this new menu includes.

Jan

SAILING THE GALAXY IN: <img src=http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&prgb=0000CC&cdt=2005;03;21;20;0;00&timezone=GMT-0800> <Marquee direction=left width=45%>Fantasy/97~~~Mercury/98~~~Century/99~~~Splendour/00~~~Zenith/01~~~Summit/02~~~Galaxy/03~~~Galaxy/04~~~Galaxy/05</Marquee>

"Carb watcher"...what could be worse other than perhaps a reformed smoker! Your diet is fine but I can see it putting a serious damper on us "fat freedom fighters". Fat lovers unite!!! McDonalds is even joining the lunacy. Where will it end; next thing you know, Wal-Mart will only allow customers in the door who pass a weight test....and airlines will cut another 1" off the width of their seats!!

******************************************************

With Compassion for others we build...we fight for peace and freedom

Warmwinds -- thanks for the reply -- I must have missed the coupon and will call Captains Club to see what they will do for us.

Regarding menus, I will apparently eat anything they put in front of me and so will hubby. The distinction between eating at home and eating on the cruise is so great I don't think I would ever "tire" of a particular menu, but then, I can only cruise once a year.

Lucy

Sorry you feel like that Seabee. There are some of us who would rather not watch carbs or our weight, but Dr.’s orders. I was having severe health problems. On our cruises I eat regularly, but pay for it for weeks when I return. As long as I watch the carbs my “insides†behave. Otherwise I’m one sick cookie. I assure you I’m not out to change the world, just my problems.

Jan

SAILING THE GALAXY IN: <img src=http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&prgb=0000CC&cdt=2005;03;21;20;0;00&timezone=GMT-0800> <Marquee direction=left width=45%>Fantasy/97~~~Mercury/98~~~Century/99~~~Splendour/00~~~Zenith/01~~~Summit/02~~~Galaxy/03~~~Galaxy/04~~~Galaxy/05</Marquee>

trcori and Jan,

I, too, am glad to see some changes. Got flamed the last time I mentioned it. The food does taste great, but one would like a change after a couple of cruises. It begins to taste the same (especially on a longer trip). Some alternative for low carb, etc are great and am sure they will still provide us with the tasty, high calorie sweets when we crave them!

I LOVE the food on Celeb, but since we cruise twice a yr....a change would be nice. We have our favs, but it would be nice to change some of the entree's....CHANGE is good.

Ya know.........

We were on in Jan. The food was great!

But....it was not the foo-foo shi-shi orgasmic extravaganza that the line tries to make it sound like it is! We were a little disappointed. Not with the food itself, but more with the fact that we were expecting "more". It was not like dining in the Queen's grill on "QE2", which is what we were almost expecting, the way they carry on about how head and shoulders above the rest they are. We are pretty loyal to "X", but prior to January '04 we had not been on for 2 years. As far as the past cruisers club for a fee vs. no fee. I never understood why they would offer a loyaly perk, but for a price.

Okay -- for the record -- hubby and I are on a low carb "diet" -- actually, way of life. But, have you ever had Summit's french fries??? They are to die for -- and the ice cream???? HMMM -- anyway, only gained three pounds on our cruise in March. Hubby conceded and had only ONE entree at dinner each night .

Marco - can' compare QE2 to Summit, because haven't been on QE2, but I bet you paid alot more money for your cruise than we did, based on what they want for the QM2. It should have been better (for the money). But, you will never hear me complain about the food on Summit!

I'll talk to CC about getting that on-board coupon reimbursement.

Danno

Are you back on that fee-nofee subject, and by the way, as another poster mentioned "what kind of perk is that , if you have too pay for it?" could not agree more.

Phil

As for the Captains Club, we paid the fee to join a few years ago and used the $50 coupon on The Mar. 26 sailing. We didn't see any problem with the group size as the early and late seatings were at different times. We always thought the CC events were Celebrity's thank you to their repeat customers and larger groups shows the satisfaction of their customers to return. As they get more repeaters they may have to schedule different events but that wouldn't be a bad thing.

On our recent cruise,when we arrived at the port to board--I told the representive for Celebrity that we were 15 cruises cap't club members. Didn't make a difference--we were told to sit down & wait with the masses. She said it was hard to form a seperate embarkation lines for cap't club members since the freebie move for the club went into effect. The only people being shown preference were the suite people. So I sat down & watched more people being told the same thing--& some were quite angry. I waited almost 45 min to board & this was at 11:30 am. Can't imagine the later boarders--how long they had to wait. So bottom line--no suite no special line. Jean

hmmm...when I sailed in January...there was a special line...showed my Captain's club card...and was inside in 5 minutes.....and I didn't have a suite.

Different experiences for all of us.

Next up...HORIZON Sept 18th to Bermuda!

See My Century and Mercury Pictures at:

http://community.webshots.com/user/lovescruising

Seabee,

You are gonna have to learn to not implant your tongue so firmly in your cheek

Jan, I do believe Seabee was just being witty.

Until we sail on SUMMIT for 10 nights

Until MOAGC's on Explorer of the Seas

Seven Cruises last Century, then:

Norwegian Sky 2000 GGC2000

Volendam 2001 GGC2001

Paradise 2001

Sensation 2002 GGC2002

Millenium 2003 (Nov 16)

Mariner OTS 2004 (Feb 29)

Summit 2004 (Nov 05)

Explorer OTS 2005 (Jan 09)

Jean- by any chance was your cruise a captains club reunion cruise? If so, there would probably be so many members that they couldn't process them with priority boarding.

We did the maiden voyage of the Century and nearly everyone boarding in NYC was a special guest or captains club member so there was no special line for either suites or captains club. This was back in 95. Since that time, every cruise we have taken has had a separate line for Captain's club.

Zenith-Western Caribbean-6/92

Zenith-Eastern Caribbean-6/93

Century-Maiden Voyage-12/95

Galaxy-Southern Caribbean-11/99

Mercury-Northbound Alaska-6/00

Millennium-Westbound Transatlantic-9/01

Horizon-Western Caribbean - Adults only cruise-11/02

Millennium-Westbound Transatlantic 10/26/03

Century - Western Caribbean 1/31/04

My takes:

1) When we boarded the Millennium in August EVERYONE was on in like 5 minutes...Special lines didn't really matter...with all the new computerized info pre-entered, there's not a lot of delay...Same thing when we did RCCL's Monarch this January...They had this nice little "Platinum C&A lounge" set up for us...but, why stop? We were on board virtually immediately anyway...What ship is it...or what port...where you have to wait 45 minutes to board?

2) You get what you pay for? So what? $35 isn't much either...Did you get your $35 worth?

3) Change the menu time to time of course! I trust Celebrity to always offer good food and good choices and make it good...and I don't have the old menus memorized anyway...But I do want MORE Creme Brulee...like EVERY night...

Summit, July 3, 2004: Alaska: 13 night cruisetour