Is there NOTHING positive about Celebrity any more? (Threads Merged)

[meatloafsfan]

I guess this may sum up our differences here, I use the guest comment cards and letters to their guest services to tell celebrity how I feel. I don't at all expect them to use this forum for any real value other than cursory information and anecdotal stories to make change. So I use this forum to post what is happening, not to alert celebrity about what and how to change things or ask them to fix something I don't like. Just the facts ma'am.

 

I have yet to receive a guest comment card from my cruise that ended on the 8th.

[CruisingChick]

I have yet to receive a guest comment card from my cruise that ended on the 8th.

 

We got our comment cards immediately following our May 25-June 1 Summit cruise. They actually send it that morning - June 1st - and gave us a week to complete it.

Edited June 12, 2014 by CruisingChick

[Christine Frances]

I have yet to receive a guest comment card from my cruise that ended on the 8th.

 

Did you check your Spam folder?

[ghstudio]

I guess this may sum up our differences here, I use the guest comment cards and letters to their guest services to tell celebrity how I feel. I don't at all expect them to use this forum for any real value other than cursory information and anecdotal stories to make change. So I use this forum to post what is happening, not to alert celebrity about what and how to change things or ask them to fix something I don't like. Just the facts ma'am.

 

I wouldn't believe for one minute CelebrityCrusies reads all the back and forth in all these posts, (I can hardly keep up with the few threads that interest me) I believe they may read titles and then move on, giving far greater weight to the on-board surveys than a fractional outlying group of posters on these boards who are clearly not their true standard demographic - we tend to be the "super cruisers" the top frequent ones that occupy a very, very, very small fraction of cabins on any cruise, and the other end of the spectrum, the brand new first or 2nd time cruiser here. We are really not where their focus needs to be to keep ships full, though we are valued clients, most likely just not the MOST valued clients.

 

I believe They focus on the large percentage of their demographic, those who are not on Cruise Critic. And therefore any sort of posts here requesting change, will go relatively unnoticed.

 

I really disagree with this assessment. I believe that the social media was instrumental in reversing the decision on the drink packages...that's both CC and the other site. I know of some other situations where the social media, especially CC was instrumental in getting celebrity management to reassess their position. We are a small percent of passengers, a larger percent of days on board/higher revenue passengers (see earlier poll on type of cabins booked by cc participants) and the fact that we are vocal here is an indicator that we are probably vocal socially, both positive and negative so there's a significant multiplier effect. Additionally, folks who are thinking about booking celebrity or have booked, but before final payment, find their way here to read, if not post.

 

A guest survey can be tossed in the trash or deemed unimportant...it's a bit harder to do when an issue is aired here....or elsewhere on the internet.

 

So, yes, use the comment forms, but if it's something you feel is significant, then post it here...and let others judge whether its an issue they care about or not.

[kevinyork]

Ok, I have lost interest here. Any view posted that doesnt agree with ONE CERTAIN POSTER leads to further posts. I wish cruise critic would freeze this thread.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[dmk]

I took my first Celebrity Cruise in 2001 and many more since. The one thing that I want to say is that I am glad that I didn't know about this site before I cruised. Had I come on this site and read all the negativity, it would have colored my whole cruise, which I enjoyed thoroughly and have so ever since.

[K.T.B.]

Ok, I have lost interest here. Any view posted that doesnt agree with ONE CERTAIN POSTER leads to further posts. I wish cruise critic would freeze this thread.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Because you disagree with this supposed "one view", the thread should be locked?

 

We can ALWAYS move on and talk about more positive things. :) This is why I posed the question in the first place. To see if there was anything about people's cruises that were positive. No cruise, unless we're talking tragic circumstances, is 100% negative.

 

I have been on CC long enough to know what people complain about, and it's NOT unique to just one line: Food, dress code, chair hogs, drunks, children, poor customer service, and feeling like you're "unimportant" to the cruise line.

 

Everyone has their way of dealing or not dealing with certain things. But locking a thread because you lost interest? :p I hope not. Still too much good to talk about... if we just move on.

 

What are people's thoughts about the Martini bar??

[cle-guy]

I really disagree with this assessment. I believe that the social media was instrumental in reversing the decision on the drink packages...that's both CC and the other site. I know of some other situations where the social media, especially CC was instrumental in getting celebrity management to reassess their position. We are a small percent of passengers, a larger percent of days on board/higher revenue passengers (see earlier poll on type of cabins booked by cc participants) and the fact that we are vocal here is an indicator that we are probably vocal socially, both positive and negative so there's a significant multiplier effect. Additionally, folks who are thinking about booking celebrity or have booked, but before final payment, find their way here to read, if not post.

 

A guest survey can be tossed in the trash or deemed unimportant...it's a bit harder to do when an issue is aired here....or elsewhere on the internet.

 

So, yes, use the comment forms, but if it's something you feel is significant, then post it here...and let others judge whether its an issue they care about or not.

 

I kind of figured the drink package issue would be drawn into this, and perhaps to some extent those forums had something to do with it - it's certainly one piece of data, but not a true representative sample of the entire cruising population

 

However there were a similar number of cries of gloom and doom in these forums as well when Captain's club changed, and it had ZERO affect on the changes there.

 

But I imagine if you look at the number of posters that had huge issue with the drinks package changes, you'd count fewer than 100 people got involved in the discussion, many with several posts. I image in the vocality of those actually on board the ship had as much if not more to do with that change and there staff dealing with the passengers had to be going off on their supervisors too. When I looked at their FB page, there was a constant repetition from several posters posting over and over and over again about the changes in addition to several single time posters, and lets be honest Facebook makes it far to easy to do the "Me too" thing.

 

I agree lots of us on these forums are higher paying passengers with lots of cruises,and probably in higher category (i.e. the smaller total number of cabins relative to the entire number of cabins on the ships as well...) but in all honesty, we are not the ones FILLING their cabins, we are taking a few of the 1000 cabins on each sailing, probably 5 or so per ship and probably most of those in the higher categories though I read many of the frequent cruisers telling of saving money by taking insides and verandas and OV to have more money for more cruises, not paying for the suites or concierge or aqua. If you really drilled down to how many of the high frequency cruisers in these forums are on a ship every week among the 11 ships - not saying some are on weekly but if you take the whole lot of the high frequency cruisers, I'd say 5 per ship - 55 of us at any time on a celebrity ship in a week or so. Maybe more, but it's not meaningful in the sampling of the entire ship of 1000 cabins or so. I realize my math is a total stab in the dark, but I think it can be representative.

 

Now that surveys are electronic, they are tallied by computer and I imagine reports are emailed weekly to various related parties to consider that data, no more room "for tossing them in the trash" as multiple people now have eyes on the data immediately, and they are verifiably being submitted only 1 time per passenger and can't be forged or dummied up as past ones may have been able to have been done.

 

So I will digress a bit, and say these forums CAN be AN indicator, but a far better indicator is still going to be the guest satisfaction surveys, not a specialized, well-versed on cruising, group of cruisers in these forums. We simply are not enough statistically on our own to drive policy without a tide of others who don't even know cruise critic exists. I didn't find CC until after my second cruise for example.

 

I honestly believe I am not the typical Celebrity cruiser, and am NOT the one to which they need to cater to, but at the same time, I can say what they are doing works for me.

Edited June 12, 2014 by cle-guy

[cle-guy]

 

What are people's thoughts about the Martini bar??

 

I love it, but wish they had more options that weren't terribly sweet. I don't know how to come up with something not so sweet, but that's what I'd like. I typically get the fresco without simple syrup to help with reducing sweetness.

 

Also, i think the bar on Summit too easily melts, and they need to fix the one that does'nt work at all on the other ship (forget its name) sooner than later.

 

I'd like to see them add glass washing equipment behind the bar and another staff member, so they don't run out off glassware so often, perhaps actually connect the bar (even though it would cut off the path around it) to the kitchen off to the side to make the passing thru that area easier for staff to keep the bar better stocked.

 

I also like the DJ's they have playing there these days giving it a "clubby" vibe. Not sure if it's a Summit thing or fleet wide, but I like it, especially when they have a percussionist and let the audience participate.

Edited June 12, 2014 by cle-guy

[antsnanny]

I have yet to receive a guest comment card from my cruise that ended on the 8th.

 

 

Have you checked your spam folder? Just an idea.

[ghstudio]

 

What are people's thoughts about the Martini bar??

 

I think it was a stroke of marketing (and financial) genius...it's very popular, it's openness to public space makes it inviting, the iced counter is fun, the choice of different vodkas (and gins?) is terrific with reasonable pricing (for a ship)....and unlike some of the other venues, it's almost always busy. I give celebrity an A+ for the concept on a ship.

[antsnanny]

I took my first Celebrity Cruise in 2001 and many more since. The one thing that I want to say is that I am glad that I didn't know about this site before I cruised. Had I come on this site and read all the negativity, it would have colored my whole cruise, which I enjoyed thoroughly and have so ever since.

 

 

I sailed on Celebrity Zenith in 1988 to Bermuda and love Celebrity ever since. I have seen changes, sometimes not for the better. That said, I have to say my first cruise to Bermuda cost 1,500.00 pp and that was for an ocean view cabin. Expensive, right? So, they cut down on some of the niceties to cut costs which makes cruising more affordable for the general public. We all like the lower prices, right? Our last cruise on the Summit was the first time I was disappointed in Celebrities performance and it was just the buffet that I didn't like. Keep in mind this is a very different buffet that Celebrity is trying out so that is probably why theres so much talk and opinions about it. I was on the May 11 cruise, the first cruise to experience the new changes in the buffet so my opinion and experiences could be different from someone getting off the ship on Sunday as Celebrity seems to be tweaking things from what Im reading. Were expressing our opinions and Celebrity is listening, that is my objective. Bottom line if the majority of the people are complaining, Celebrity will work on it and if its just a select few who don't like the changes Celebrity will leave things as they are. In voicing my opinion about the new buffet, I hope I have made it clear throughout both this thread and the initial one regarding the buffet that I love Celebrity, I had an awesome trip and most of all met awesome CC members who have become friends. We are all hoping to travel together one day.

[antsnanny]

Have you checked your spam folder? Just an idea.

 

 

OOPS, just noticed someone else suggested this already.

[antsnanny]

Because you disagree with this supposed "one view", the thread should be locked?

 

We can ALWAYS move on and talk about more positive things. :) This is why I posed the question in the first place. To see if there was anything about people's cruises that were positive. No cruise, unless we're talking tragic circumstances, is 100% negative.

 

I have been on CC long enough to know what people complain about, and it's NOT unique to just one line: Food, dress code, chair hogs, drunks, children, poor customer service, and feeling like you're "unimportant" to the cruise line.

 

Everyone has their way of dealing or not dealing with certain things. But locking a thread because you lost interest? :p I hope not. Still too much good to talk about... if we just move on.

 

What are people's thoughts about the Martini bar??

 

The Martini Bar was fabulous and I don't even like Martini's but it was lots of fun. I asked the CC group coordinator if they would have a Martini tasting for our CC group and they did. It was way to much fun!

[momofmeg]

I sailed on Celebrity Zenith in 1988 to Bermuda and love Celebrity ever since. I have seen changes, sometimes not for the better. That said, I have to say my first cruise to Bermuda cost 1,500.00 pp and that was for an ocean view cabin. Expensive, right? So, they cut down on some of the niceties to cut costs which makes cruising more affordable for the general public. We all like the lower prices, right? Our last cruise on the Summit was the first time I was disappointed in Celebrities performance and it was just the buffet that I didn't like. Keep in mind this is a very different buffet that Celebrity is trying out so that is probably why theres so much talk and opinions about it. I was on the May 11 cruise, the first cruise to experience the new changes in the buffet so my opinion and experiences could be different from someone getting off the ship on Sunday as Celebrity seems to be tweaking things from what Im reading. Were expressing our opinions and Celebrity is listening, that is my objective. Bottom line if the majority of the people are complaining, Celebrity will work on it and if its just a select few who don't like the changes Celebrity will leave things as they are. In voicing my opinion about the new buffet, I hope I have made it clear throughout both this thread and the initial one regarding the buffet that I love Celebrity, I had an awesome trip and most of all met awesome CC members who have become friends. We are all hoping to travel together one day.

 

I said similar earlier. My cruise back in 98 (first cruise) was a 4 day though, on an old crappy Carnival ship. We paid $400 a person for an inside. It was off season too in October.

 

Now we got a better deal for our Bermuda cruise than you. We paid $800 a person for an ocean view in 2002 on Pacific Princess. again though, it was off season in late September. Maybe prices were already dropping? Or maybe you went in high season?

 

Cruise prices have not risen since 1998 have they? It seems they are less. But everything else we are paying double to triple huh? (At least we are for gas and groceries. Clothing-too. Back then I could get a nice pair of boots for $125, now at that price they are pleather and crap) So of course the extras are gone now.

Edited June 13, 2014 by momofmeg

[traveltilidrop]

I've lost count over how many threads I've read the past few days about how bad Celebrity is now. Poor food quality, buffet is terrible, specialty restaurants are not so special, rusty ships, bad customer service, etc., etc., etc. I'm expecting to see comments from people complaining that they got 1 ounce less champagne in their glass when they boarded....

 

Can anyone seriously point out something, anything, positive about Celebrity? The two cruises I've taken I definitely enjoyed them quite a bit and I look forward to the next one. Whatever problems/complaints I did have certainly won't stop me from sailing on Celebrity again. Overall, I love the experience Celebrity gives you.

 

Someone else must have a positive experience they can mention, right??

 

I just sailed again on the Century ( I also sailed on her last year). I like Celebrity and I love the Century- have ever since I first boarded her in 2006. That being said, Celebrity does seem to be cutting corners.

There was a buffet in the dining room (the current substitute for the traditional midnight buffet which cruise ship companies no longer offer) on the last at-sea day in 2013- this year, no buffet. There was also no live band playing at the pool area except for one day as we left our last port (they seemed to be rehearsing for the next cruise). There used to be a string trio or a quartet playing in the Cova Cafe- not anymore.

The food is all right- nothing outstanding, but nothing terrible either. My feeling is that the food used to be better, and included more choices.

Michael's Club is now a "private" club. Last year, anyone could go in and enjoy listening to the piano or a string quartet. Now, it is only for the extremely elite passengers.

Let's face it, some people just like to complain. Nothing is ever going to be good enough for them. However, I do miss some of the things which I used to take for granted. Perhaps the entertainment simply varies from cruise to cruise, depending upon the length of the cruise, for example. I do understand how some passengers feel that some things have gone down hill.

Celebrity is a great cruise option, but people are wrong to expect "modern luxury" and then get upset with the cost-cutting measures currently in place. Celebrity is NOT a luxury line. There are several true luxury cruise lines if you demand the best of everything. Celebrity provides great travel opportunities for its middle-class to affluent passengers, but again, "modern luxury" is just a line from an advertisement.

[antsnanny]

I said similar earlier. My cruise back in 98 (first cruise) was a 4 day though, on an old crappy Carnival ship. We paid $400 a person for an inside. It was off season too in October.

 

Now we got a better deal for our Bermuda cruise than you. We paid $800 a person for an ocean view in 2002 on Pacific Princess. again though, it was off season in late September. Maybe prices were already dropping? Or maybe you went in high season?

 

Cruise prices have not risen since 1998 have they? It seems they are less. But everything else we are paying double to triple huh? (At least we are for gas and groceries. Clothing-too. Back then I could get a nice pair of boots for $125, now at that price they are pleather and crap) So of course the extras are gone now.

 

 

The prices have fallen! Im guessing so many ships creating lots of competition are driving prices down..Now they have to build ships with bumper cars to keep the public excited about cruising!! Do you remember tea at 4PM on Celebrity? It was like being in the best bakery in town and being able to have anything you want! It was the best part of the day for me. I think the quality of the food was much better back in the day but we paid a price for it!

In the end, I will take the lower prices because that means we can take more cruises! ; )

[Germancruiser]

Oh there are still many good things about X- I should think! I also started cruising with them in 2001- comeing from Royal - so I like X´s product much more. Even more so since RCI has become rather " cheap" I still like Vision and Radiance Class of ships- but those plastic plates , plastic glases and to stand in line in order to get a towel- and some such things are keeping me from trying them again! Celebrity also had some changes to their product which I do not like- loud music, no more deck chairs around the prommenade deck ( Milli- Class- Solstice Class does not even have a propper prommenade deck anymore) , constand background music all over the place and the somewhat inconsistent service ( some are getting out of their way and bent over backwards to be helpful and kind others are almost rude and just not made for service quests) !

All this does not completly stop me from cruising with them- I just try someting different- if similar - from time to time- so my next cruise will be on HAL´s Zuiderdam. I am really curious to find out how they compare since both are selling themselves as premium cruise lines!

Edited June 13, 2014 by Germancruiser

[NLH Arizona]

I think the best we can all do, is post our observations with regard to the new buffet set up after we sail. Sure, we will get differing opinions, but will be able to see a wide range of opinions. It will probably never appeal to 100 percent, but we could see by the posts if there are any changes. I'm not on the Summit until January, but will report my opinion when I return from my cruise.

[antsnanny]

Oh there are still many good things about X- I should think! I also started cruising with them in 2001- comeing from Royal - so I like X´s product much more. Even more so since RCI has become rather " cheap" I still like Vision and Radiance Class of ships- but those plastic plates , plastic glases and to stand in line in order to get a towel- and some such things are keeping me from trying them again! Celebrity also had some changes to their product which I do not like- loud music, no more deck chairs around the prommenade deck ( Milli- Class- Solstice Class does not even have a propper prommenade deck anymore) , constand background music all over the place and the somewhat inconsistent service ( some are getting out of their way and bent over backwards to be helpful and kind others are almost rude and just not made for service quests) !

All this does not completly stop me from cruising with them- I just try someting different- if similar - from time to time- so my next cruise will be on HAL´s Zuiderdam. I am really curious to find out how they compare since both are selling themselves as premium cruise lines!

 

 

I agree, I love Celebrity but I don't go out of my way to book them anymore. There was a time when Celebrity was on top of my list, my first choice but now I compare it to RCCL and NCL. I haven't considered Celebrity to be premium cruise line for a few years now. On our most recent trip on the Summit, I felt the crew was very accommodating, the drink package worked well for us, the entertainment was pretty good and the ship itself, considering its age looks better than I expected. The captain was the best ever, he made me laugh more than the comedian in Sin City and she was pretty darn funny. I have commented on the food in prior posts so I won't go there again.

I think you will like HAL, I have traveled on the Noordam and Eurodam and we liked the line a lot.. Their ships are beautiful, the service is excellent and they have an awesome pool they can cover if it rains… I wonder why they all don't do that? I would sail HAL more if they brought some ships to NY and NJ.. We spoiled were a 40 minute ride from either port..

I hope you enjoy your next cruise..

[K.T.B.]

I just sailed again on the Century ( I also sailed on her last year). I like Celebrity and I love the Century- have ever since I first boarded her in 2006. That being said, Celebrity does seem to be cutting corners.

There was a buffet in the dining room (the current substitute for the traditional midnight buffet which cruise ship companies no longer offer) on the last at-sea day in 2013- this year, no buffet. There was also no live band playing at the pool area except for one day as we left our last port (they seemed to be rehearsing for the next cruise). There used to be a string trio or a quartet playing in the Cova Cafe- not anymore.

The food is all right- nothing outstanding, but nothing terrible either. My feeling is that the food used to be better, and included more choices.

Michael's Club is now a "private" club. Last year, anyone could go in and enjoy listening to the piano or a string quartet. Now, it is only for the extremely elite passengers.

Let's face it, some people just like to complain. Nothing is ever going to be good enough for them. However, I do miss some of the things which I used to take for granted. Perhaps the entertainment simply varies from cruise to cruise, depending upon the length of the cruise, for example. I do understand how some passengers feel that some things have gone down hill.

Celebrity is a great cruise option, but people are wrong to expect "modern luxury" and then get upset with the cost-cutting measures currently in place. Celebrity is NOT a luxury line. There are several true luxury cruise lines if you demand the best of everything. Celebrity provides great travel opportunities for its middle-class to affluent passengers, but again, "modern luxury" is just a line from an advertisement.

 

About that midnight buffet which was turned into a Sunday brunch.

 

My wife and I went to it when we sailed on Summit and we were quite impressed with the selection of food and its taste. What we did not like, however, was the huge throng of people pushing and shoving past you in order to get a picture or grab food.

 

We nearly had our table stolen as well by another couple because they, and I quote, "didn't want to go to the other side of the room where their table was," end quote. Thankfully one of the waiters helped them to their table.... Though they did not look please to be helped!

 

I've met rude people before, but I think they all showed up to this brunch. So when we sailed on Silhouette, we passed because of the people, nothing else. Food-wise, however, it was one of the better buffets/brunches I've been to.

[cle-guy]

About that midnight buffet which was turned into a Sunday brunch.

 

Just to keep the record clear, there is no longer ANY brunch on board. They ended at the beginning of March fleet-wide, and instead now seem to offer an "enhanced" buffet experience one or 2 days a cruise (this is where the recent chocolate fountain pictures in the buffet are coming from for example). They have done away with the once a cruise "sea day" brunch in the MDR. Even on the transatlantic in April/May, no sea day brunch.

[Orator]

About that midnight buffet which was turned into a Sunday brunch.

 

My wife and I went to it when we sailed on Summit and we were quite impressed with the selection of food and its taste. What we did not like, however, was the huge throng of people pushing and shoving past you in order to get a picture or grab food.

 

We nearly had our table stolen as well by another couple because they, and I quote, "didn't want to go to the other side of the room where their table was," end quote. Thankfully one of the waiters helped them to their table.... Though they did not look please to be helped!

 

I've met rude people before, but I think they all showed up to this brunch. So when we sailed on Silhouette, we passed because of the people, nothing else. Food-wise, however, it was one of the better buffets/brunches I've been to.

 

When I was on Reflection the HD opened himself up to questions at the Cruise Critic Party. One person asked about the brunch. He stated that there were two reasons for ending it. First, the health inspectors told them that they were in violation of health codes and second, there were just too many fights at the Brunch. The solution to both these problems was to end it.

[cle-guy]

When I was on Reflection the HD opened himself up to questions at the Cruise Critic Party. One person asked about the brunch. He stated that there were two reasons for ending it. First, the health inspectors told them that they were in violation of health codes and second, there were just too many fights at the Brunch. The solution to both these problems was to end it.

 

:eek:

 

And people try to blame CELEBRITY for the lack of luxury on its ships (rather than themselves). WOW, I hadn't realized it was such an issue, though I can now recall a couple times being headed off trying to get something from the buffet and not really thinking much of it...I don't miss it myself, its all the same stuff that's at ocean view anyway.

[antsnanny]

When I was on Reflection the HD opened himself up to questions at the Cruise Critic Party. One person asked about the brunch. He stated that there were two reasons for ending it. First, the health inspectors told them that they were in violation of health codes and second, there were just too many fights at the Brunch. The solution to both these problems was to end it.

 

The fights at brunch makes sense, think about it, it could have been 2 hours since their last meal ! The health inspector is interesting, Im guessing because the food is not behind sneeze guards or they can't man every dish with a server?