ChucktownSteve

I don't believe they are cutting their own throats. Maybe they are with their previously loyal customers however I believed they have dramatically shifted their target. Notice the shorter cruises? Notice the diminished food quality, I'm sure many can add to the list. I believe it's designed to attract the new and move up cruiser who has never tasted steak and believes hamburgers are good. Thus the cut of meat won't matter to them. It's all optics. As long as Celebrity fills the ships with unaware people willing to pay the higher prices for less, that's where they make their margins.

My last three cruises were on Regent. I have two Azamara cruises booked. I'm now looking at a 2026 Regent 14 night Southern Caribbean which includes the ABCs, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Martinique, St Kitts and St Barts. Celebrity doesn't do those length any more. A 10 night boring Celebrity itinerary in a low SS is $736pp/pn. Regent's lower category suite aft facing is $660pp/pn on their newest ship. Regent includes premium liquor ltrs in the suite, laundry daily, included specialty restaurants, included gratuities, included excursions at every port and more. I priced it without the air or pre-cruise hotel. In the MDR I can order lobster, prime steak, scallops and other seafood included in the everyday menu besides the rotating nightly entrees. IMO, Celebrity is no longer competitive with the luxury line.

That's just a continuation of the double/double program RCG instituted in 2014 and which LLP did a great job initiating the long list of death by 1,000 cuts. So these actions are not new...just accelerated. Not familiar with the program? Click here to see RCG's official "The discipline behind "Double Double."

I am very interested in coming back to O and Allura may be the impetus...especially in the South Pacific which is what I am interested too. My spousal unit hasn't minded me doing three previous solo cruises. However I would prefer her wanting to join if she could.

I usually have three or four cruises on the books at any given time. However so far we only have two AZ cruises booked. I can't seem to find anything on Oceania or VikingO that "floats my boat" at current itineraries and pricing. Perhaps once they begin releasing more 2025 and 26 sailings that may change.

That was an obnoxious, generalized statement. Apparently you must not really know the Oceania cruiser or are just trying to start an argument. But if it is true about O food being plain and bland, perhaps you should stay home where you can drive at night to your favorite non plain and bland restaurants. I suspect you'll enjoy it more. 😁

I felt the same about our three Regent cruises. While there were a lot of hits, there were also more misses than I expected from the "luxury" line. Although I don't regret it because I booked at the perfect time to get great pricing...when nobody else was booking yet.

My question is directed to those long time AZ cruisers who have been increasing bookings at other cruise lines or totally replaced AZ with? Which ones have you found that you enjoy as much or more than AZ

Yes true fact that has been stated countless times on CC. However with no prior Celebrity communication, and no shared knowledge as from here, how do you believe the hoards of unsuspecting suite passengers are going to feel after discovering the changes once onboard? We may be a microcosm of passenger sentiment, however I suspect opinions here, both pro and con will be extrapolated throughout those once on board possibly in a similar percentage. Or maybe passengers who don't use Cruise Critic won't care about the takeaways?

Is it my misconception or am I seeing more and more people, who never spoke ill about Celebrity before, now considering broadening their bookings to several other lines? I don't recall it being this prevalent previously.

Even before this, when a crew member was not performing to task, their contract was not renewed. The only difference I see is they may be letting a few go before the contract's end. I read in a previous post, they expect to move non experienced crew into the SS butler "team".

Did you hear from the correct orifice? 🤣

You do realize you could have sped up that time had you told them you stayed at a Holiday Inn Express instead?

Question: if you look to Silversea, which is also owned by Royal Caribbean Group, aren't you concerned that they'll do the same cost cutting type measures there they've done to RCL, Celebrity and their formerly owned Azamara before spinning them off? All in the name of increasing profits/revenue?

Then you'll really love Carnival 🤣

Ewwww the buffet with the lowest grade of meats of any venue on the ship? My primary reason for booking an SS1 on our last Celebrity cruise (Beyond) was the aft view!

True then. However Chandris still owned the cruise line. They also required Celebrity to maintain their protocols for five years after the transition. At that five year point, LLP was transferred from RCL and the rest is history.

Yup. Until it doesn't. At some point Celebrity will jump the shark. It may be awhile, but it is possible as the numerous cuts become a much more stronger consideration for their current customers.

Well it looks like I was ahead of the curve again on seeing where Celebrity was going by adding other cruise lines into my mix which I ,over the past few years, would never have considered had Celebrity continued with an excellent product. I know everyone has their own personal threshold, but as a former entrepreneur, I always looked years ahead for projection and trend. True to form Celebrity has continued to escalate over that time and proved that I was right to elevate my experience with real premium and luxury not just the rhetorical as they call themselves. It's not about the money but value. I do hope that more of y'all who are Celebrity loyalists stay with them regardless of the frog in the heated pot syndrome. Because the more of you that jump ship, the less availability on my now go to lines will be with the higher dynamic pricing you'll cause. 😜 Should they ever change to where they become a real value, I may consider them again. However they have lost my trust as my primary go to cruise line. At best they'll be an also ran based solely on price/value.. It takes less effort and money to retain a good customer than to replace them after you've chased them off. Once gone, it's much more difficult and expensive to attract them back. That's basics.

On the pool deck, I noticed a nice sized, enclosed glass room area that had a sliding window opening to the side of the ship for fresh air. There is no separation of suites or suite areas. Everyone is in a suite and has access to everything without class separation.

If this isn't rhetorical....included air (business class across the pond), a five star hotel room pre-cruise for Concierge suites and above, transfers airport to hotel, hotel to ship and ship to airport. Premium liquor in your suite as requested. (Ltr bottles). Multiple excursion choices included at every port . And more. You can get your invoice reduced by foregoing their air and hotel. Then just book your own.

We did a Regent AK cruise to Hubbard. We were within 75 yards of the glacier. In the main dining room, Compass Rose, from the every night menu I could order Maine lobster, jumbo shrimp, king sea scallops, Norwegian Salmon filet or whole Dover sole. For meats: Black Angus filet Mignon, rib eye or strip steaks. In any combination desired! Then there were also the different entrees specially prepared and changed nightly. Plus there are the included specialty restaurants. The number varies by ship but everyone gets a reservation in each at least once per 7 nights. We got three extra reservations based upon availability or by joining a sharing table. I didn't seek out more because Compass Rose was so good! One night in Compass Rose we shared the table and the other guy wished he could get peach pie instead of the apple that was offered. When our waiter came back I asked if it were possible to get a peach pie. After going to the kitchen, he came back and said tomorrow night come back. We'll have it for you. It was the BEST peach pie we've ever eaten. Solid and firm and not too sweet, made from scratch. We didn't have to ask again, later in the cruise they surprised us with another peach pie. The only dress code is country club casual. While many men wear sport coats, no are ever required. No formal nights. Very relaxed and unpretentious. It didn't matter which suite you were in. There are only suites on Regent. If you've never sailed Regent, I can refer you. You receive an additional couple hundred $OBC from the referral. I receive it as well on my next cruise.

That may sound a feasible theory to benefit Celebrity but that was not my previous experience with a butler. When my butler was unavailable, they sent a substitute butler for that single need until my personal butler was again available. Service never suffered. However that wasn't on Celebrity. I see it as a way for Celebrity to reduce costs by having fewer team members who cover the whole of the SS needs. The remaining too would be running their heads off so there would be no personalization, IMO.

If I wanted to sail RCL I would have; which I never have. Why would I want Celebrity to become RCL at a higher price?

Don't forget the free hotel for concierge suites and above, luggage and guest transfers to the hotel and then the ship, included excursions in every port, requested premium brand liquor bottles in your suite, Butlers with Penthouse and above suites, included specialty restaurants for all and far superior menus even in the MDR.