New Concierge Class Perks?

[Boiler Fan]

I received the latest Captain's Club News in the mail and one of the pages was titled "Enhanced Concierge Class." There are several new amenities - One is the exclusively private "Concierge Class Pre-Departure Lounge" with complementary beverages. Another was the daily delivery of a new menu of afternoon savories. We have sailed several times in CC and didn't care too much for the canapes, but perhaps this is something new. Has anyone sailed recently and been in the CC Pre-Departure Lounge? Where is it located? Also, are the "afternoon savories" really new and improved? We are in CC again in February on the Silhouette and wondered if this is something to look forward to. Thanks!

[dkjretired]

I received the latest Captain's Club News in the mail and one of the pages was titled "Enhanced Concierge Class." There are several new amenities - One is the exclusively private "Concierge Class Pre-Departure Lounge" with complementary beverages. Another was the daily delivery of a new menu of afternoon savories. We have sailed several times in CC and didn't care too much for the canapes, but perhaps this is something new. Has anyone sailed recently and been in the CC Pre-Departure Lounge? Where is it located? Also, are the "afternoon savories" really new and improved? We are in CC again in February on the Silhouette and wondered if this is something to look forward to. Thanks!

 

Nothing new, this was announced a couple of months ago and was pretty much widely panned on this board...There is no specific room, just a place to go to facilitate getting off the ship, will probably change with each ship.

[ghstudio]

Near as I can tell, the new menu is that you get to choose if you want cheese or the canapes each day...and you can pick the time you want them....however, if you aren't there, they don't leave them. Perhaps this is a big perk for someone...not us.

 

We have never seen a pre-departure lounge in all our years in cc or aqua.....so perhaps this is an enhancement that no one will ever actually see.

[Orator]

New perks aren't really new. You could always get cheese, or shrimp, or cookies as afternoon snack. Many get a departure Lounge including Elites. Another "much ado about nothing" benefit. Now if they want to add a perk why not give bottled water as in AQ?

[Superweezie]

We had a specific lounge we could go to with aquaclass on the summit this month. We went to michaels club and waited there. They had donuts and beverages for us and someone came every 15 minutes or so to let us know the numbers being called. It was very peaceful and we didn't have the big herd of passengers all leaving at once like you do waiting in the showroom.

[ghstudio]

I don't believe that's the "pre-departure lounge". The lounge they are referring to is when you are boarding the ship...much like the special line you will have waiting for you. Celebrity has always had a special place for those with "priority" tendering to gather, and for those in cc and above to gather before leaving the ship at the end of the cruise. When you get on the ship, you get to go to the same food areas as everyone else...there is no special place for CC or above to wait.

[mathgeek1978]

[Christine Frances]

I will check on our next cruise = CC & Elite - maybe they are at the same place, usually in one of the Specialty Restaurants

[Christine Frances]

Just checked with Captain's Club. Concierge does now share the same lounge as Elite for Pre-Departure. It's nice having juice and coffee available in a pleasant environment and I am glad to see them expanding Concierge Cabin benefits.

[ORV]

 

What is the term "this lounge" referring to? I can't figure out what the 2 choices are. That seems to be referring to the same place. Perhaps he's referring to the place that Guest Relations said to go to at your disembarkation time that he never references.

[mathgeek1978]

What is the term "this lounge" referring to? I can't figure out what the 2 choices are. That seems to be referring to the same place. Perhaps he's referring to the place that Guest Relations said to go to at your disembarkation time that he never references.

 

"This lounge" is where almost everybody go to -- the main theatre. It is of course a lot more crowded and a lot less comfortable. The CC lounge is the MDR as mentioned, and a self-served continental breakfast was served when we were there. We had some coffee (already eaten at the buffet) and read a book and it was very relaxing.

 

Although the note says that it closes at 9AM it really doesn't. They let you stay there as long as there are people whose group numbers are not called yet.

[Christine Frances]

Deleted

[cruisecrasy]

Just checked with Captain's Club. Concierge does now share the same lounge as Elite for Pre-Departure. It's nice having juice and coffee available in a pleasant environment and I am glad to see them expanding Concierge Cabin benefits.

 

Always a good idea to go to the source when in need of clarification..

Thanks for posting this info - clears it all up basically.

 

One question please - is there a continental breakfast available as well as juice, tea & coffee?

 

Many thanks in advance! :)

[boston_scientist]

If you time it right, why go to a lounge? Wake up, finish packing your carry-on, and go have breakfast. By the time you are finished with breakfast, it's probably your turn to leave? When I was in AQ on the Solstice this summer, DW and I went to Blu, had a nice breakfast (left your rolling bags outside) and as our # was called during breakfast, as soon as we finished we left the ship.

[Christine Frances]

Always a good idea to go to the source when in need of clarification..

Thanks for posting this info - clears it all up basically.

 

One question please - is there a continental breakfast available as well as juice, tea & coffee?

 

Many thanks in advance! :)

 

There wasn't a Continental breakfast the last time we disembarked but I think there might have been some pastries - but don't quote me lol. It's not "fancy" but it is a less crowded and quieter location

 

We avoid the early rush off the ship, have breakfast, then go to the designated Elite (now Concierge as well) lounge to wait. The Captains Club hostess has always been there and she is notified by radio as to which group is next. She always checks for us if there are any choke points and if there is we wait them out.

 

 

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[NLH Arizona]

On my November cruise, the Concierge pre-departure lounge was a conference room with chairs placed around. There was coffee, juice and pastries. There was also ships personnel who came in and told us which groups they were calling.

[dkjretired]

Just checked with Captain's Club. Concierge does now share the same lounge as Elite for Pre-Departure. It's nice having juice and coffee available in a pleasant environment and I am glad to see them expanding Concierge Cabin benefits.

 

Please remember that Celebrity's phone customer service is frequently wrong. My guess is where you meet is going to be different on each ship.

[wednesday]

One of the other enhancements it listed was "personalized concierge service," does anyone know the details on this one?

[Christine Frances]

Please remember that Celebrity's phone customer service is frequently wrong. My guess is where you meet is going to be different on each ship.

 

That's why I always call Captains Club:). They give much more accurate info.

 

 

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[cruisestitch]

The personalized Concierge Service is the same that has always been there, a Concierge on board who can book shoreside restaurants, help with car services, etc. who is available to all customers, not just those booked in Concierge Class.

 

As discussed when this first was announced, these are not new services, just the regular Concierge Class perks, gussied up to look "new and improved" much as new artwork on your box of detergent allows the seller to declare it "new and improved" when the product inside is the same as it has always been.

 

This appears to be a response to lowered bookings in Concierge Class due to the introduction of Aqua Class. The marketing department is looking for ways to attract cruisers to Concierge Class, without actually changing anything or adding anything to the already existing perks. JMO.

[Christine Frances]

There have been lots of postings about AQ cabins priced less than CC. I think there are proponents for both categories.

 

 

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[cruisestitch]

You are right -- but it's all about pushing customers to pick higher priced cabins -- if they have been in regular Verandah cabins, make Concierge look more appealing so they will pay the upcharge.

[wednesday]

The main reason we booked a concierge cabin is because it is cheaper than aqua on our sailing and it gives us the extra point for the captains club. It doesn't hurt that we were able to book one of the large hump balconies.

[Christine Frances]

You are right -- but it's all about pushing customers to pick higher priced cabins -- if they have been in regular Verandah cabins, make Concierge look more appealing so they will pay the upcharge.

 

Very true:)

[miched]

Just a marketing technique to get more interest, and change value perception. Anything can be described as new with minimum change.

 

Years ago a auto rustproofing company advertised a new improved process and raised its price 150%. The new process was that the "technicians" we're taught to insert the spray wand into the panel at a different angle, therefore it was new. That was to justified the increase price. The real reason behind the price increase was that the public didn't think the rust proofing was very good because it was too cheap, after the price increase appointments had to be made weeks in advance. Nothing really changed except for the customer's value perception that resulted in more business and higher profit margin.