What has happened to Celebrity?

[Jeal]

We recently sailed on the Eclipse again and have to say that things have changed. Usually we love sailing with Celebrity.

The food was of lower quality and the entertainment was hit or miss. Some it was good and some of it was just tolerable.

We did have a little adult entertainment one night in the Sky Lounge where an obviously inebriated man spent several minutes massaging the breasts of the woman he was with. It was hysterical. They both were so totally loaded they were oblivious to the people around them.

All of the employees that we encountered were friendly but obviously have a heavy workload.

The cruise was relaxing but boring.

We canceled our March 2014 cruise with Celebrity as soon as we got home. We still have one booked for March 2015.

We aren't sure if we will book with Celebrity after that.

Edited January 20, 2014 by Jeal

[RMSeadog]

We recently sailed on the Eclipse again and have to say that things have changed. Usually we love sailing with Celebrity.

The food was of lower quality and the entertainment was hit or miss. Some it was good and some of it was just tolerable.

We did have a little adult entertainment one night in the Sky Lounge where an obviously inebriated man spent several minutes massaging the breasts of the woman he was with. It was hysterical. They both were so totally loaded they were oblivious to the people around them.

All of the employees that we encountered were friendly but obviously have a heavy workload.

The cruise was relaxing but boring.

We canceled our March 2014 cruise with Celebrity as soon as we got home. We still have one booked for March 2015.

We aren't sure if we will book with Celebrity after that.

 

You condemn the entire cruise line because of one cruise that was a wee bit off, seems a bit unfair. Crews change, chefs change, HD's change. Different ships are run quite differently. I can't imagine the things you described occurring on every ship in the fleet or even in EC a year later, JMHO, Eh. ~ Rick

[rjrpar]

You condemn the entire cruise line because of one cruise that was a wee bit off, seems a bit unfair. Crews change, chefs change, HD's change. Different ships are run quite differently. I can't imagine the things you described occurring on every ship in the fleet or even in EC a year later, JMHO, Eh. ~ Rick

 

Just how many bad cruises does it take to make you look at other options?

[20pluscruises]

We recently sailed on the Eclipse again and have to say that things have changed. Usually we love sailing with Celebrity.

The food was of lower quality and the entertainment was hit or miss. Some it was good and some of it was just tolerable.

We did have a little adult entertainment one night in the Sky Lounge where an obviously inebriated man spent several minutes massaging the breasts of the woman he was with. It was hysterical. They both were so totally loaded they were oblivious to the people around them.

All of the employees that we encountered were friendly but obviously have a heavy workload.

The cruise was relaxing but boring.

We canceled our March 2014 cruise with Celebrity as soon as we got home. We still have one booked for March 2015.

We aren't sure if we will book with Celebrity after that.

 

We have noticed the same...cruised in March 2013 and December 2013 it was quite noticable...I still have hope that Celebrity is listening and will think twice about the cutbacks they have put in place.

[CruisingTheWaves]

^^^ same, had a wonderful cruise on Reflection in march 2013 and silhouette in December 2013 didn't compare. However it didn't make me cancel my cruise aboard equinox in march but I'm hoping for a much better experience. The food in the MDR was often cold and I think it's because the table next to us was always served first. The last night they didn't come to dinner and our food was hot...very annoying.

[Jeal]

Truthfully we have noticed a steady decline so the cancellation wasn't based on just one cruise but this one had the most noticeable decline.

[ghstudio]

We recently sailed on the Eclipse again and have to say that things have changed. Usually we love sailing with Celebrity.

The food was of lower quality and the entertainment was hit or miss. Some it was good and some of it was just tolerable.

We did have a little adult entertainment one night in the Sky Lounge where an obviously inebriated man spent several minutes massaging the breasts of the woman he was with. It was hysterical. They both were so totally loaded they were oblivious to the people around them.

All of the employees that we encountered were friendly but obviously have a heavy workload.

The cruise was relaxing but boring.

We canceled our March 2014 cruise with Celebrity as soon as we got home. We still have one booked for March 2015.

We aren't sure if we will book with Celebrity after that.

 

Although your reaction is a bit strong for one cruise, you are seeing the effects of a business trying to increase it's profit. They can either increase fares, which makes them less competitive....or they can reduce the cost of providing service. Many have noticed cutbacks in things that cost...and increases in things that can be charged for. Yes, food quality has slipped, the most recent being a change in the aqua lounge. The a'cappela groups seem to be gone and so on. At the same time, they are pushing that celebrity provides "modern luxury" which is a marketing creation.....something along the lines that if you say it's great, people will think it's great, irrespective of their experience.

 

Welcome to cruising in 2013. There are options...albeit, they cost more, as they should, but azamera, oceania, etc do provide more quality and that does cost money.

 

I wouldn't throw celebrity out of your thoughts....just put it in it's proper place.

[20pluscruises]

Although your reaction is a bit strong for one cruise, you are seeing the effects of a business trying to increase it's profit. They can either increase fares, which makes them less competitive....or they can reduce the cost of providing service. Many have noticed cutbacks in things that cost...and increases in things that can be charged for. Yes, food quality has slipped, the most recent being a change in the aqua lounge. The a'cappela groups seem to be gone and so on. At the same time, they are pushing that celebrity provides "modern luxury" which is a marketing creation.....something along the lines that if you say it's great, people will think it's great, irrespective of their experience.

 

Welcome to cruising in 2013. There are options...albeit, they cost more, as they should, but azamera, oceania, etc do provide more quality and that does cost money.

 

I wouldn't throw celebrity out of your thoughts....just put it in it's proper place.

 

Maybe they know that the regulars are going to walk...seems to be A LOT of cutbacks in such a short period of time.

 

Maybe smart on their part for the newbies they are trying to attract...don't let them get a taste of what was.

 

I would rather see the prices go up.........and Azamera is impossible to book...verandas are sold out for 2014...I don't like to book that far out.

Edited January 20, 2014 by 20pluscruises

[Jeal]

Maybe they know that the regulars are going to walk...seems to be A LOT of cutbacks in such a short period of time.

 

Maybe smart on their part for the newbies they are trying to attract...don't let them get a taste of what was.

 

I would rather see the prices go up.........and Azamera is impossible to book...verandas are sold out for 2014...I don't like to book that far out.

 

I completely agree with you!

Edited January 20, 2014 by Jeal

[wallie5446]

Did a very quick glance at the comments, to each their own. Our 1st X was in 1994, and we are just off the Reflection and enjoyed everything so much we are booked for an 11 day on the Equinox this Nov.

 

But in Nov 2012 we had a similar sailing as you just had with Celebrity, except ours was on the Ruby Princess. The wife will not consider booking Princess again for awhile.

 

A so-so cruise with Celebrity is better than a good cruise with many other lines, IMHO.

Edited January 20, 2014 by wallie5446

[Presto2]

 

A so-so cruise with Celebrity is better than a good cruise with many other lines, IMHO.

 

Sorry, but at the price we pay for our main Celebrity Cruise holiday of any year a 'so so' cruise isn't acceptable on this line --- or any line. Life's too short - and holidays too few - for just satisfactory ones. I want to go and know that I will have an amazing experience that is far above the others.

[wallie5446]

Sorry, but at the price we pay for our main Celebrity Cruise holiday of any year a 'so so' cruise isn't acceptable on this line --- or any line. Life's too short - and holidays too few - for just satisfactory ones. I want to go and know that I will have an amazing experience that is far above the others.

 

Did not say it was 'acceptable'.

[C 2 C]

We recently sailed on the Eclipse again and have to say that things have changed. .

 

We sailed on Eclipse last year and will be on board again this Saturday.

 

We recently spent two months sailing in Constellation and loved every day. We found the MDR better than offerings two years ago.

 

There have been cutbacks in some food items at the poolside grill but additions in the buffet.

Now as long as we sail with friends and the ports of call are varied, we have never been bored.

We love trivia and the Activities staff on Constellation were spectacular, providing us with new questions for the entire trip.

 

When the weather is cold at home, sharing a drink or two with friends, listening to some music, watching the wake of the ship as the sun sets.. how can one be bored on a ship in the Caribbean?

[Jeal]

We sailed on Eclipse last year and will be on board again this Saturday.

 

We recently spent two months sailing in Constellation and loved every day. We found the MDR better than offerings two years ago.

 

There have been cutbacks in some food items at the poolside grill but additions in the buffet.

Now as long as we sail with friends and the ports of call are varied, we have never been bored.

We love trivia and the Activities staff on Constellation were spectacular, providing us with new questions for the entire trip.

 

When the weather is cold at home, sharing a drink or two with friends, listening to some music, watching the wake of the ship as the sun sets.. how can one be bored on a ship in the Caribbean?

 

That is exactly how we felt - how can one be bored on a ship In the Caribbean?

It was disappointing!

Edited January 20, 2014 by Jeal

[worldspan]

All cruise lines are in a race to the bottom, that is the bottom line.

 

Worldspan

133 cruises strong

[Shaco]

Sorry, but at the price we pay for our main Celebrity Cruise holiday of any year a 'so so' cruise isn't acceptable on this line --- or any line. Life's too short - and holidays too few - for just satisfactory ones. I want to go and know that I will have an amazing experience that is far above the others.

 

Well said! Our last cruise in Nov. 2013 on Eclipse cost $6000 including air. No, we didn't have a suite.

 

We do notice some degradation in quality in some things. Food in Murano was awful! MDR was not as good as on previous cruises. Just not as stress free as I hoped it would be.

[varoo]

Maybe they know that the regulars are going to walk...seems to be A LOT of cutbacks in such a short period of time.

 

Maybe smart on their part for the newbies they are trying to attract...don't let them get a taste of what was.

As they gradually keep cutting back the standard amenities provided previously, (like water pitchers and ice buckets in the staterooms, chocolates at turndown, replacing the full fruit bowl with a few apples, eliminating flowers on the tables and "show time" for dessert in the dining room, or cutting the string quartet back to a string trio), they figure that new passengers who never experienced them in the first place will not miss them.

 

All of us have our personal preferences as to which features we like and which ones we do not mind eliminating.

 

If examining each of the cuts individually, there will always be passengers who will say they do not mind cutting this or that because they did not use or enjoy that particular feature anyway.

 

But it is the overall effect on the Celebrity experience in total that is being diminished, changing the feeling from a cruise that is special to a cruise that is ordinary.

 

Maybe they figure that by providing more and more free drinks, the passengers will be less likely to notice the cutbacks.

 

[dinosaurdem]

We have sailed Celebrity 15 times over about the same number of years, we have noticed two primary changes. Wait staff have more tables and the quality of the music has declined, but that is a matter of taste. Since we rely on neither crew nor other passengers to entertain us, I have no idea what other people do to avoid being bored.

[20pluscruises]

As they gradually keep cutting back the standard amenities provided previously, (like water pitchers and ice buckets in the staterooms, chocolates at turndown, replacing the full fruit bowl with a few apples, eliminating flowers on the tables and "show time" for dessert in the dining room, or cutting the string quartet back to a string trio), they figure that new passengers who never experienced them in the first place will not miss them.

 

All of us have our personal preferences as to which features we like and which ones we do not mind eliminating.

 

If examining each of the cuts individually, there will always be passengers who will say they do not mind cutting this or that because they did not use or enjoy that particular feature anyway.

 

But it is the overall effect on the Celebrity experience in total that is being diminished, changing the feeling from a cruise that is special to a cruise that is ordinary.

 

Maybe they figure that by providing more and more free drinks, the passengers will be less likely to notice the cutbacks.

 

 

....if you can get a bartender for a drink ;)

 

It just makes me sad.....they were always a step above the other lines in that category.

[helpthejuggler]

 

I would rather see the prices go up.....

 

Comparing prices from the last few years - I'd say they have already gone up significantly.

 

Add in numerous reports of cutbacks at the same time and extra charges.

 

Inevitably, some will decide the experience is no longer to their taste.

[jackdiamond]

Sorry, but at the price we pay for our main Celebrity Cruise holiday of any year a 'so so' cruise isn't acceptable on this line --- or any line. Life's too short - and holidays too few - for just satisfactory ones. I want to go and know that I will have an amazing experience that is far above the others.

What price do you pay?

[ariawoman]

Are the a capella groups actually gone now? They still had one (albeit a not so good one) on the Summit in October 2013. Wondering if they are gone altogether yet.

 

I went on RCCL Oasis in December 2013, and they didn't have one then, but in the following weeks, the winner of The Sing Off was on there, so, who knows.

[20pluscruises]

Are the a capella groups actually gone now? They still had one (albeit a not so good one) on the Summit in October 2013. Wondering if they are gone altogether yet.

 

I went on RCCL Oasis in December 2013, and they didn't have one then, but in the following weeks, the winner of The Sing Off was on there, so, who knows.

 

The group told us 2 weeks ago...they will not be back when their contract is up (soon)

[Dunelm]

What is really up to the standard of years ago? Certainly, flying economy class is not; department stores have cut back on their staff; many teachers have to buy their own classroom supplies--and I could go on. A mantra in the USA today seems to be "profit over people." Shareholders have to get their dividends, executives their bonuses, and so many do not want to pay their fair share of taxes. On the other hand, I honestly cannot complain too much about cruising. It continues to be excellent value for what we pay, and does not seem to me to be that much more than what we paid years ago when cruising was not so popular. But, obviously, some people have their expectations high and then are disappointed when a cruise does not measure up.

[ariawoman]

The group told us 2 weeks ago...they will not be back when their contract is up (soon)

 

Very sad, if that means they wont be back and another wont be replacing them. :( I did always enjoy the a capella on Celebrity. Well, if they keep giving me reasons to book RCCL, then so be it. If they are going to turn into essentially the same product then I dont see the need to pay more for X aside for less children lol. I hope that it wont be the case, however, as I'd like to at least obtain elite level on X before bouncing too much over to RCCL.