Activity Staff Reduction (3 Threads Merged)

The Activity Staff on Silhouette has been given 2 weeks notice and will be sent packing prior to the Trans Atlantic cruise on April 20.

This was directly relayed to DW and myself by an Activities Staff member on last weeks (3/23 to 3/30) Western Caribbean cruise.

Looks like there could be a lot of holes in the sea day schedules on the cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Rome this month.

The Activity Staff on Silhouette has been given 2 weeks notice and will be sent packing prior to the Trans Atlantic cruise on April 20.

 

This was directly relayed to DW and myself by an Activities Staff member on last weeks (3/23 to 3/30) Western Caribbean cruise.

 

Looks like there could be a lot of holes in the sea day schedules on the cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Rome this month.

I learned from a Cruise Director that their staff will be cut in half. This will have impact on many events including trivia. It was explained that it was hard for the company to justify hiring staff to handle relatively few passengers. There will also be cutbacks in available space, especially on M Class ships as Michael's Club will no longer be available. Space constraints and relatively low passenger use for activities made these positions ripe for cuts.

Very sad! Hopefully Celebrity will re-evaluate the activities and find some that more passengers would participate in and then they can increase the activity staff to where they were before these layoffs.

Very sad! Hopefully Celebrity will re-evaluate the activities and find some that more passengers would participate in and then they can increase the activity staff to where they were before these layoffs.

There was a recent thread on the March 13th NY Times article. That article discusses some new directions for entertainment. As one top Senior Office told me after he read the article: "These are only ideas at this point". This officer opposed some of the suggestions such as ending the Captain's Toast. Lots of things appear to be happening that may take Celebrity in some new directions. Time will tell what is implemented and how well it works out.

To the person a wrote to about this subject:

Someone else brought the cuts up so I could release what I learned. Feel free to comment if you wish.

There was a recent thread on the March 13th NY Times article. That article discusses some new directions for entertainment. As one top Senior Office told me after he read the article: "These are only ideas at this point". This officer opposed some of the suggestions such as ending the Captain's Toast. Lots of things appear to be happening that may take Celebrity in some new directions. Time will tell what is implement and how well it works out.

I personally think they need to try some new things; they can't stay the way it is forever because it becomes stagnate. I also think that they should have looked at the activities and revamped them prior to any staff layoffs. I'm one of those passengers who doesn't participate in the onboard activities (just not interested in what they have and it is not only Celebrity, but the other lines I cruise with as well), but possibly if they came up with some newer, fresher activities ideas, I would. I think that there should be a lot of activities for those that want to participate especially on sea days and I don't believe they sould delete activities unless very few show for them.

Welcome to Modern Luxury

The cost cutting was terrible on our Silhouette sailing last week.

Modern Luxury?! Hahahahaha! They are doing away the luxury and modern part away to replace it with bland massmarket.

We are extremely disappointed and to add to the insult, 2015 prices are sky-high, and not representing the current quality offered.

I can confirm the OP's news.

I learned from a Cruise Director that their staff will be cut in half. This will have impact on many events including trivia. It was explained that it was hard for the company to justify hiring staff to handle relatively few passengers. There will also be cutbacks in available space, especially on M Class ships as Michael's Club will no longer be available. Space constraints and relatively low passenger use for activities made these positions ripe for cuts.

When he said 'relatively few passengers' was he referring to the number on the ship or the number participating in activities? Our upcoming transatlantic is sold out.

Is Celebrity still a premium line?

Is Celebrity still a premium line?

Never really was - that was a marketing concept that some backroom spin doctors thought up - very successfully I might add - Welcome to modern luxury is their next trick :)

:mad:

Playing trivia is a major pastime for us on every cruise.

I know that there are many activities that have a low attendance (mostly outside) but on a Transatlantic the Rendezvous or the Ensemble lounge has always been packed.

Michaels was hardly ever used as a venue so the switch to Concierge is not a factor.

It will be interesting to see if bingo is the only activity where there is no cutback.. ;)

When he said 'relatively few passengers' was he referring to the number on the ship or the number participating in activities? Our upcoming transatlantic is sold out.

Number participating

My daughter Valentina was a member of the Activities team for over three years and qualified as a zumba instructor just so she could give classes on board.

She confirmed to me Celebrity have reduced the teams to just two people, the activities manager and one other! Future zumba classes will be taken over by a contracted company supplying instructors and sessions will be done inside the ship instead of out on deck. Not great news for those crew members affected.

:mad:

 

Playing trivia is a major pastime for us on every cruise.

 

I know that there are many activities that have a low attendance (mostly outside) but on a Transatlantic the Rendezvous or the Ensemble lounge has always been packed.

 

Michaels was hardly ever used as a venue so the switch to Concierge is not a factor.

 

It will be interesting to see if bingo is the only activity where there is no cutback.. ;)

Arno:

I thought of you, Rick and others when I first heard the news. They were using Michael's Club for trivia on Connie on March 22nd cruise. Bingo is income producing, trivia not. Any guess if bingo will remain?

This certainly fits the new Modern Luxury theme after all, isn't part of modern luxury not being bothered with a variety of activities during the day?

Arno:

I thought of you, Rick and others when I first heard the news. They were using Michael's Club for trivia on Connie on March 22nd cruise. Bingo is income producing, trivia not. Any guess if bingo will remain?

I'm going to venture a wild guess that Bingo will be uneffected :)

:mad:

 

Playing trivia is a major pastime for us on every cruise.

 

I know that there are many activities that have a low attendance (mostly outside) but on a Transatlantic the Rendezvous or the Ensemble lounge has always been packed.

 

Michaels was hardly ever used as a venue so the switch to Concierge is not a factor.

 

It will be interesting to see if bingo is the only activity where there is no cutback.. ;)

been on 3 TAs, never noticed bingo :eek:, not that I would play

Don't do trivia either

Just bring back the drink package include in the price I would be happy :p

I feel sorry for the employees that are losing their jobs.

We only did trivia once and it was so competitive that we never went back. We are on vacation to have fun and relax not competing in a Jeopardy tournament. Bingo we stopped going to YEARS ago when my DH figured out the poor return on our investment.

Not sure why the difference but on our recent 8 night RCCL cruise the final jackpot bingo was substantially more than a Celebrity jackpot on a 14 night cruise. I can only assume RCCL has more people participating in BINGO so the jackpots are bigger? Not really sure as we did not attend those bingos either.

In any event there are major cuts being done on the majority of mass market cruise lines. We heard tons of complaining on Explorer of the Seas by Diamond and Diamond Plus members of the "way it use to be." Sounded very familiar to the same things that I read on the Celebrity boards.

Anne Maria

My daughter Valentina was a member of the Activities team for over three years and qualified as a zumba instructor just so she could give classes on board.

 

She confirmed to me Celebrity have reduced the teams to just two people, the activities manager and one other! Future zumba classes will be taken over by a contracted company supplying instructors and sessions will be done inside the ship instead of out on deck. Not great news for those crew members affected.

I feel very sorry for your daughter and all the other hard working staff that are affected by the cuts.I hope that they are given an opportunity to become part of the staff for the new RCCL ships. I'm noticing that some who were long time Celebrity employees are now on RCCL ships. Dru Pavlov has recently made the switch. I've been noticing RCCL ships,especially Oasis, being mentioned on Celebrity ships. At one time that would never had happened. The parent (RCCL) might be pulling the child (Celebrity) closer in terms of control. Only speculation.What is not speculation is the indusry wide cost cutting and attempts to attract higher spending cruisers.

The cost cutting was terrible on our Silhouette sailing last week.

Modern Luxury?! Hahahahaha! They are doing away the luxury and modern part away to replace it with bland massmarket.

We are extremely disappointed and to add to the insult, 2015 prices are sky-high, and not representing the current quality offered.

 

 

 

I can confirm the OP's news.

Can you be specific about the cost cutting measures? Leaving in two weeks, would like to be mentally prepared!! Thanks.

As a retired business owner & having sailed many times on both Celebrirty & RCCL ships ,there is NO question in my mind that corporate is squeezing the Buffalo on the nickel ,so to speak . We have seen & experienced changes we DON'T like:eek:

Sorry to hear that those employees on their activities staffs are losing their jobs due to corporate bean counters exercising their tight grips :(

As far as we are concerned (Elite + with 62 cruises ) we will not accept their vast changes . There are many other vacation options besides a cruise & perhaps more enjoyable vacations ,away from crowded ships;):) .

We leave Sat April 5th on a west coast Century cruise to say goodbye to a wonderful ship & crew .We will be alert to any changes . If evidence appears to us, I will immediately cancel our 5th Alaska cruise booked with Celebrity for 2015 .We will stayed tuned in to cruise critic boards as well ;)

One other item . If management thinks that their "Modern Luxury " marketing theme is going to be a long time winner .In time people will see what it really means to them & their pocket book . :rolleyes:

One other item . If management thinks that their "Modern Luxury " marketing theme is going to be a long time winner .In time people will see what it really means to them & their pocket book . :rolleyes:

I don't even get "Modern Luxury". None of the ads resemble any of the past 17 Celebrity cruises I have taken.

Can you be specific about the cost cutting measures? Leaving in two weeks, would like to be mentally prepared!! Thanks.

You should be getting your rowing assignment soon. All passengers are expected to take turns rowing the ship. Modern Servitude!!

Celebrity might say that they aren't cutting, but rather "reallocating" resources. We'll just need to wait to see if the cuts go directly to the bottom line or used to fund new initiatives both on and off the ships. Will there be increased budgets for MDR food and/or entertainment? To me, it will be a strong positive if the financial decisons ultimately boost the passenger experience. Negative if they lessen the experience. As I've been saying alot recently, time will tell.

It would be helpful for someone from Celebrity to respond. Cruise Critic would serve as a good focus group for them.