What I learned on the Reflection

Just off Silhouette and the Cabin Steward cleaned our CS by himself. He did a wonderful job and was always around to open our door for us if he saw us coming. They have reduced the number of cabins they handle and have modified the process.

For non-suite cabins the Cabin Steward no longer do room service. Special Room Service staff deliver room service. In addition they have the equivalent of an assistant that delivers clean linen and picks up the dirty linen to the Cabin Steward. As usual they quickly learn your pattern and somehow slip in and clean your room when you are out.

To tell you the truth the Cabin Stewards appeared more relaxed and better planned. I noticed the night before that new linen, towels and bathrobes had been slipped into empty space below the bed in zipper plastic holders. I am sure this helps them turn the room much quicker.

You posted nothing new.

I have cruised the Reflection 4 times in the last 15 months. The use of DJs and their crappy electronic noise has increased each cruise, especially at the pool and Martini Bar areas. As a musician I prefer live music and am thankful to still find it available on Celebrity.

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We just got off the 11/19 sailing on Reflection. It was my first Celebrity cruise since the drink package was added. We are no big drinkers. My wife opted for the premium water package and I took none. First 2 days I was pitched heavy a lot! My bar bill, including buying drinks for a few others, totaled about $300 and that included one bottle of wine with dinner. Two observations...there are no hawaiian shirted happy pool servers with "drinks of the day" on their tray bouncing around and it is deep at the bar when you want a drink and the bar is usually understaffed if open at all. It just seemed a lot harder to get a drink than it was when they were on a pay as you go option. My 2 cents it set a bad taste in my mouth at the start of our vacation.

 

3. The bar staff is paid a base salary (by law) and they get tips on top of that.

 

What law?

2. Yes, the stateroom staff are being reduced from two to one. When there were two, they were responsible for 20 to 25 staterooms depending on size. Now that there will be one, they will be responsible for 10 to 13 each.

 

The stateroom staff are happy about the change. There will be less congestion in the stateroom when cleaning. The assistant stewards will be promoted to steward with an increase in salary. Each steward will be more inclined to do a super job on each stateroom since they alone will be responsible for that room. They will get more of the share of gratuities and cash tips per stateroom since they will not have to share. I think this is a positive change. So you wouldn't have seen a difference in the last

3. The bar staff is paid a base salary (by law) and they get tips on top of that.

 

5. We have found that there has been no reduction in live music aboard the Infinity and Solstice in the last 6 months.

 

6. Piped music is played primarily around the pools not over the intercom like on some other cruise lines.

 

7. On our voyage on Solstice last September we ran into an American staff member (with a recent college degree) who was working in The Oveanview Cafe. He was very happy working for Celebrity. He said by regulations of International Maritime Law, the staff work a maximum of either 55 or 60 hours (can't remember which) per week. He said some days he may work 7 hours and some days 12 but never more than the maximum allowed by law per week. He said all the staff are aware of what the rules are and therefore no one is taken advantage of. He said he usually gets a change of venue on each leg of a voyage and so every day is is a new challenge and it never gets boring. He said his dorm mate was a Serbian guy and they are best friends. He said he has made friends with crew members from all over the world and he has open invitations to visit and stay with them when he has a break in his contract. He said that 80% of the passengers are wonderful to interact with - happy, joking, grateful, and supportive.

 

His plans for the future are open right now. He said he has been able to save about $5000 so far in the first four months of his contract. He took this relatively low paying job to see the world and meet people from different cultures and that has worked beyond his expectations. But now, after this positive experience, he is seriously thinking of making his career in the cruise industry at the management level.

The reduction in live music occurred a couple of years ago so you wouldn't have seen a difference in the past 6 months.

What law?

I agree with the question which, I suspect, will never be answered.

Any "law" covering a vessel would be the one of the country in which it is "flagged" which is why all of these vessels are not flagged in the US. If they were they would have to observe US labor laws, minimum wage standards, etc.

You posted nothing new.

You have posted nothing new.... ;)

1. The string duet at the Bacio was wonderful.

2. Cabin stewards have been reduced to one per cabin.

3. Bar wait staff get no salary. They split the tips from each cruise.

4. The Production Shows have not gotten any better.

5. Live House music is an endangered species.

6. DJ electronic noise is on the rise.

7. The service staff on the ship work very long hours, always have a smile and a pleasant attitude and deserve every penny they make.

 

 

 

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I find #5 & #6 to be grossly inaccurate. On our recent October cruise on the Reflection, there were so many live house music options that it was hard to keep up.

I think celebrity has done a great job a cycling music options. There was always live jazz, strings, rock, etc to be found each day/ night. Options changed regularly on our 11 N voyage. Location of each was also changed which was nice. DJ music was played nightly as the late music around the martini bar which is more than appropriate. However, if one likes something more tame they could have headed over to the ensemble lounge where there was always great and changing live music being performed.

I think that Celebrity has widened their music options to appeal to a wider target market. I don't feel they have illuminated any option

We were on the Reflection in August. Our steward told us this was the first trip without an assistant. He was very positive about the change. He had fewer rooms and felt he was more accountable for the results. In the prior shared model, he said if you worked with someone not as good or reliable your success (tips) would be impacted or you worked harder to make up. He was terrific, and found the time to do many little extras for us that we didn't expect or ask for.

 

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I know a lot of people thought it was a bad move on Celebrities part to do away with the cabin assistants. I never thought of the way how it would impact each one, but it sounds like it's for the better. They don't have to worry about how good or not good the assistant is doing. Also, the passengers just might assume that it is the cabin steward that is not doing a good job. Glad that they are happier. Makes for a better cruise with happier staff.

I know a lot of people thought it was a bad move on Celebrities part to do away with the cabin assistants. I never thought of the way how it would impact each one, but it sounds like it's for the better. They don't have to worry about how good or not good the assistant is doing. Also, the passengers just might assume that it is the cabin steward that is not doing a good job. Glad that they are happier. Makes for a better cruise with happier staff.

Although I definitely suffer from CRS, I don't remember any of the main lines having any assistant stewards from 20+ years ago. Were there assistants way back when? If not, when did they start using them, and why?

Thx.

Bruce

I'm currently on Reflection in a suite. I'm pretty sure there is only one attendant for the cabins. In a suite the butler assists in keeping the cabin up to snuff and delivers room service.

I would doubt the person who sells you a beverage card or upgrades keeps 15% of that big tab. I do, however, believe selling them helps the person on their job ratings. The reason you have so many salespeople pushing store credit cards is, whether or not they get a commission, they have quotas and, if they are not met, it impacts their job approval.

I agree with the question which, I suspect, will never be answered.

 

Any "law" covering a vessel would be the one of the country in which it is "flagged" which is why all of these vessels are not flagged in the US. If they were they would have to observe US labor laws, minimum wage standards, etc.

I used to work for Celebrity. The ships are governed by international maritime law. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Admiralty_law

I'm currently on Reflection in a suite. I'm pretty sure there is only one attendant for the cabins. In a suite the butler assists in keeping the cabin up to snuff and delivers room service.

 

I would doubt the person who sells you a beverage card or upgrades keeps 15% of that big tab. I do, however, believe selling them helps the person on their job ratings. The reason you have so many salespeople pushing store credit cards is, whether or not they get a commission, they have quotas and, if they are not met, it impacts their job approval.

It's 18% and only on the package, not every drink sold.

We were told by our cabin steward on the Silhouette last month that he was responsible for 25 cabins when he had an assistant but now 14 on his own.

As I understand the daily gratuities go to restaurant and housekeeping staff but not the bar staff who get their tips from the 18% gratuity on drink packages and drinks.

I am pretty sure that this is in addition to their basic salary.

On our recent cruise we had a bar member in tears saying she was not paid on the previous cruise as the bar tab for the ship was almost nil. There had been a huge charter religious group onboard.

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On our recent cruise we had a bar member in tears saying she was not paid on the previous cruise as the bar tab for the ship was almost nil. There had been a huge charter religious group onboard.

 

 

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More details please, what was the previous cruise and ship?

More details please, what was the previous cruise and ship?

Constellation... sailing would have been Rome to Athens visiting Israel I think sailing date would have been 2 nov.

The staff member did not tell me they were not paid a salary per se but it was very much implied by the fact that bar sales had been so low ... and many staff members mentioned it had been on that sailing.

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Constellation... sailing would have been Rome to Athens visiting Israel I think sailing date would have been 2 nov.

 

The staff member did not tell me they were not paid a salary per se but it was very much implied by the fact that bar sales had been so low ... and many staff members mentioned it had been on that sailing.

 

 

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And let me guess: you fell for the sob story and gave extra? Works like a charm!

And let me guess: you fell for the sob story and gave extra? Works like a charm!

Not at all. Like I said my 2nd sailing so crew knew me well.

Like I said before it was non bar staff and other passengers who also made comment about the particular circumstances of that cruise.

But if making derogatory comments makes you feel better about yourself hope you are now feeling great.

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