Generation Gap on Celebrity?

I'm trying to get a handle on why certain issues are debated with such vigor on the Celebrity forum. In particular, the issues pertaining to music (and volume), children, class, and who Celebrity is marketing to always raises a vigorous and sometimes caustic debate.

While I have no scientific basis for making this assertion, it seems to me that there is a generational divide on where one falls on certain issues. Celebrity's outreach to younger/ family cruisers has led to a change in dynamics of the cruise experience onboard Celebrity. The expectations of the younger generation of cruisers is different than the older generation of cruisers. When visions collide, the result is spirited debate around hot button topics.

Of course, there are posters who transcend categories.

There are some people who try to reduce the noise issue to age, but I don't think so. My husband likes loud music, me not so much. Neither of us like music so loud you can't have a conversation except at a music venue, i.e. concert, show, etc.

Generation gap? I think it is just personal preferences.

DH and I are in mid- 40s, cruising with friends in their mid- 30's.

We just all prefer it a bit more quiet.

We're 56 and 55. We like a bit of both - LoudQuietLoud - which would explain why we're Pixies fans!). We did our first cruise (Reflection) earlier this year and were very pleased with the mix of loud/quiet, casual/formal, traditional/modern aspects to the whole experience. Plenty of variety to meet many moods.

I don't know if it is generational or not, but I do know that some of the seasoned cruises seem pretty set in their ways and want it to stay "the way it was", while others, like me with many, many cruises under my belt and others, want a more modern feel. I think it all boils down to the fact that people see and experience things differently and there are some that just don't understand that and debates (for no better word) get very vigorous because of it.

I do agree that the younger generation is looking for a different experience, then say the silent generation or baby boomers, but I think all generations can co-exists, as long as people understand that there will be changes and stay open minded to those changes. We can all sit back and say "this is the only way I want it" and be miserable when things change or are not exactly the way we want it or we can understand that things will evolve and can't always stay the way they were and look for the positive not the negative out of a cruise.

I wish I was smart enough to know what "a more modern feel" means.

I'm trying to get a handle on why certain issues are debated with such vigor on the Celebrity forum. In particular, the issues pertaining to music (and volume), children, class, and who Celebrity is marketing to always raises a vigorous and sometimes caustic debate.

 

While I have no scientific basis for making this assertion, it seems to me that there is a generational divide on where one falls on certain issues. Celebrity's outreach to younger/ family cruisers has led to a change in dynamics of the cruise experience onboard Celebrity. The expectations of the younger generation of cruisers is different than the older generation of cruisers. When visions collide, the result is spirited debate around hot button topics.

 

Of course, there are posters who transcend categories.

I also don't think this is a generation gap issue as much as a difference in preferences. We cruise with our thirty-something children and they don't like music that is so loud that the bartender can't hear what they are ordering, or so loud that you can't have any kind of a conversation. They enjoy excellent music of many genres, but don't like a drum beat that is so loud and overpowering that you can no longer identify the melody.

In my family, I am the one most likely to crank up the volume, but I don't like music so excessively loud that you can't have any kind of communication with another human being in the Martini Bar. I would expect that Quasar would be a more appropriate venue for that kind of music.

My thirty-somethings also don't have any issues with children on Celebrity ships as we have almost always found them to be well-behaved and well-supervised by parents. My thirty-somethings also have fun dressing up for dinner, and my 7-year old granddaughter LOVES dressing up for formal nights, and always asks if she can wear one of my "diamonds". Her father and her grandfather are both proud to dress up in their suits and escort her to dinner. Both her parents and grandparents see a cruise as an excellent chance for her to experience and practice appropriate behaviour in public venues. No generation gap there.

My children and granddaughter all love the level of service we get on Celebrity, and do not enjoy the less attentive service that we have experienced on some other cruise lines. We all love feeling pampered.

None of us consider that there are any "class" issues on Celebrity...we just recognize that different cabin categories may provide different amenity levels, based in most cases on the price of the category. (Of course, supply and demand can trump the correlation between price and amenities, from time to time.)

I have to say I have never noticed a generation gap in terms of the appreciation of any element of Celebrity shipboard life, just a difference in preferences, and that can happen with any age group.

I dont see any of their advertising that would leed me to think they were 'targeting' any one certain age or group at all. At least not in the Ad's running in the Dallas market.

They can crank it up all they want, casual it down, ect, but if there are none of the so called 'targeted' group on the ship to begin with, who is going to tell whom?

I just hit 60 and felt right in the age mix last Nov on the Reflection, sitting round the Martini bar and grabbing a glass of red wine in Cellar Masters for the wife. We were the youngesters!:D

So I think most of the hoop la la here on CC is just posters who simply try to raise a caustic debate, for lack of anything better to do with their time.

I am familiar with those threads. I would say there are straw men issues occasionally set up and then pages and pages of defending against, explaining, trying to find common ground...and declarations of ones rights to post opinions.

Then there is language dividing us. What does class mean, tipping mean, spices mean, music mean, soft, loud, late, early...etc.

It is not generational.

I think we need a new ship to discuss, it's time Celebrity.

I am familiar with those threads. I would say there are straw men issues occasionally set up and then pages and pages of defending against, explaining, trying to find common ground...and declarations of ones rights to post opinions.

 

Then there is language dividing us. What does class mean, tipping mean, spices mean, music mean, soft, loud, late, early...etc.

 

It is not generational.

 

I think we need a new ship to discuss, it's time Celebrity.

So, what exactly do you mean by a "new" ship? :D

So, what exactly do you mean by a "new" ship? :D

A new build.

From the moment one is announced, everything else takes a back seat.

So, what exactly do you mean by a "new" ship? :D

Yeah...I am ready for more Celebrity ships so they can cover more sea and give me something else to get excited about. I don't believe there are near term confirmed plans, so I spoke up. Lol

I think I cruise too frequently on the ships and am ready for their next innovation. 75 days by years end isn't close to a record but my eye is beginning to wander. Lol

The only real answer is to buy your own boat, then you get to have it your way!

;)

We are all fortunate that we have choices.

If Celebrity raises it's prices while cutting back on the quality of the product, nothing stops us from moving to a different cruise line.

If we opt to stay on Celebrity and don't like the music at one bar, there are six others to choose from.

There isn't a social class issue on Celebrity. Some people unfortunately confuse the difference in cabin class with social class. Perhaps Celebrity uses cabin class status as a way to promote and influence the choices we make.

That's really what's going on.. Celebrity never used a class status system to differentiate service and food. Now it does, and that fuels the kind of debates regarding class that we've seen recently.

The only real answer is to buy your own boat, then you get to have it your way!

;)

I like that idea...Lets see what should my selling feature be?

I like that idea...Lets see what should my selling feature be?

As soon as you do that... You've selected a "target market"

And WHO exactly will that be ?

Same issue that Celebrity is faced with since they built, launched and began to market the S-Class Ships as "Modern Luxury"

You have to fill the cabins to pay the bills... You cannot please everyone... Even those within your target group

The wise know this... If they come upon a situation / venue they don't partcularly like (or it has changed) they look for another one to fit their needs at that moment in time (does not mean they can not come back later)

Cheers!

As soon as you do that... You've selected a "target market"

 

And WHO exactly will that be ?

 

Same issue that Celebrity is faced with since they built, launched and began to market the S-Class Ships as "Modern Luxury"

 

You have to fill the cabins to pay the bills... You cannot please everyone... Even those within your target group

 

The wise know this... If they come upon a situation / venue they don't partcularly like (or it has changed) they look for another one to fit their needs at that moment in time (does not mean they can not come back later)

 

 

 

Cheers!

Indeed. I am more than familiar with marketing concepts. And I occasionally suffer from loss when beloved features are discontinued. I do leave venues when they are not to my liking, or upgrade. And I have been known to be overly loyal to a brand, in hope they change rather than going through the bother of leaving. You are right, it isn't wisdom.

WOW!

Freud would be in awe of us tonight:D

I wish I was smart enough to know what "a more modern feel" means.

It's called pretend. Pretend that it's better cause they tell you it is. Pretend that nothing has changed. Pretend the food is still great. Pretend Celebrity is a step above all the mass market lines,which is far from the truth. But if you pretend it is that's the modern feel.

WOW!

 

Freud would be in awe of us tonight:D

To be honest, my first feature was going to be slightly larger balcony cabins and non drying shampoo. Consider the needs of customers as well as stock holders.

But when someone calls for honesty I have no issue wearing my heart on my sleeve and admitting weaknesses. It's not even news for anyone reading my posts.

You are right Wallie...who doesn't occasionally project a parental issue onto a corporation? Lol

 

Of course, there are posters who transcend categories.

It's called pretend. Pretend that it's better cause they tell you it is. Pretend that nothing has changed. Pretend the food is still great. Pretend Celebrity is a step above all the mass market lines,which is far from the truth. But if you pretend it is that's the modern feel.

And hang around being caustic, pretending to add substance.

WOW!

 

Freud would be in awe of us tonight:D

Haha! In awe? I think you mean in stitches! :D

And hang around being caustic, pretending to add substance.

Just trying to define the modern luxery. What would be your take on it. I have not seen the difference and Ive been on a lot of cruises and to me there more alike and Celebrity is no different then most of the mass market lines. I just dont pretend that it is, nor do I think the other mass market lines are any better. The only major difference I saw was on Oceana where the food was better than all the mass market lines. But I paid a lot more. But to enjoy Oceana you must get use to the small ship experence which I did not enjoy.

Just trying to define the modern luxury...

That was my challenge as well. I joined my family on a Celebrity cruise after they raved about the last several they'd taken. If Celebrity's product is modern luxury, then I suppose I prefer vintage luxury. FWIW, I'm a 30-something. Supposedly they're targeting me, right? In order to cruise I need to be able to afford the cost of passage and the time away from the office. That means I'm not doing it several times a year and I'm not happy, "just to be on a ship." If I'm going out on a friend's boat for a harbor cruise? Sure, I'll be happy just to be there and I'll even bring a dessert. If this is it for the next x years because that's what resources allow? My expectations are different. In a family vacation, I am looking for an environment that allows for relaxation with the family.

From Celebrity, I am looking for great service, not a lecture by the maitre d' about how he doesn't want to talk to me during his appointed hour to talk to people. That set the tone for my entire cruise and I was reminded of it every time I set foot in the MDR. Either I've become a much better cook or else Celebrity's food quality has declined because a lot of seemed like something I'd pull out of the crockpot at home. I like having a house band to listen to, but not from my shower that was 4 decks away. It was hard to talk to people in the atrium. Perhaps Celebrity could hang some cloths to muffle the sound as you go to higher decks. I prefer my noise coming from an outdoor movie venue that I can avoid by going inside. An instrumental combo could also be a good swap. I will say that the mattress was impressive. I've never had one so comfortable on a cruise.

Then there's the dress code. As far as I could tell, there was no difference between smart casual & formal nights. I felt completely overdressed in my sparkly gown and lacy cocktail dress. I would've fit in much better had I just thrown on a statement necklace over a sweater and some pants. If we're not trying anymore, let's just get rid of formal night and enforce the smart casual dress code.

Just trying to define the modern luxery. What would be your take on it. I have not seen the difference and Ive been on a lot of cruises and to me there more alike and Celebrity is no different then most of the mass market lines. I just dont pretend that it is, nor do I think the other mass market lines are any better. The only major difference I saw was on Oceana where the food was better than all the mass market lines. But I paid a lot more. But to enjoy Oceana you must get use to the small ship experence which I did not enjoy.

That was my challenge as well. I joined my family on a Celebrity cruise after they raved about the last several they'd taken. If Celebrity's product is modern luxury, then I suppose I prefer vintage luxury. FWIW, I'm a 30-something. Supposedly they're targeting me, right? In order to cruise I need to be able to afford the cost of passage and the time away from the office. That means I'm not doing it several times a year and I'm not happy, "just to be on a ship." If I'm going out on a friend's boat for a harbor cruise? Sure, I'll be happy just to be there and I'll even bring a dessert. If this is it for the next x years because that's what resources allow? My expectations are different. In a family vacation, I am looking for an environment that allows for relaxation with the family.

 

From Celebrity, I am looking for great service, not a lecture by the maitre d' about how he doesn't want to talk to me during his appointed hour to talk to people. That set the tone for my entire cruise and I was reminded of it every time I set foot in the MDR. Either I've become a much better cook or else Celebrity's food quality has declined because a lot of seemed like something I'd pull out of the crockpot at home. I like having a house band to listen to, but not from my shower that was 4 decks away. It was hard to talk to people in the atrium. Perhaps Celebrity could hang some cloths to muffle the sound as you go to higher decks. I prefer my noise coming from an outdoor movie venue that I can avoid by going inside. An instrumental combo could also be a good swap. I will say that the mattress was impressive. I've never had one so comfortable on a cruise.

 

Then there's the dress code. As far as I could tell, there was no difference between smart casual & formal nights. I felt completely overdressed in my sparkly gown and lacy cocktail dress. I would've fit in much better had I just thrown on a statement necklace over a sweater and some pants. If we're not trying anymore, let's just get rid of formal night and enforce the smart casual dress code.

Hence my question in addition to the original one. If this Company's product is so inferior, why waste a moment of life coming to an area of an internet chat board, dedicated to such a poor product? Would not the precious time be better spent at something that brings happiness and smiles to the day?

Misery does seem to want company.