Elite Status: What is the big deal?

[Can'tstopcruising]

There are also posters who are vehemently anti tipping, so I think both sides deserve to be heard.

 

When you are served a drink in a bar, the server gets a 15% tip. Same with a specialty coffee. When you are served these items in an Elite event, the server gets no tip, as you are not paying for the drink. So draw your own conclusion.

 

Believe me, I think you are very entitled to your opinion. What I am against is the bullying and name-calling those who don't agree with you.

 

Contrary to your 15% argument, one can say that the decision-makers at Celebrity are not shy. When they want us to tip, they add it on. If a tip was required, we would be informed.

 

There is nothing wrong with tipping. But, there also is nothing wrong with not tipping. (for the freebies).

[Can'tstopcruising]

Respectfully, I think the thread evolved from the OP as a discussion of Elite benefits.

 

I don't think there is an campaigning or bullying going on - just an intelligent discussion on how cruisers feel about tipping for serv

 

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

I don't think calling others "cheapskate" is particularly intelligent!

[stones902]

I don't think calling others "cheapskate" is particularly intelligent!

 

 

That wasn't my quote. I wouldn't indict everyone commenting on this topic with a different point of view than yours based on a term used by one person.

 

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[Can'tstopcruising]

That wasn't my quote. I wouldn't indict everyone commenting on this topic with a different point of view than yours based on a term used by one person.

 

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

I wasn't referring to you.

[caladezi]

I often tip extra when the service has been exceptional or we have really developed a relationship with the server. The downside of this is that when we, as passengers, continue to tip extra it soon becomes expected even though the servers don't show this. When we leave an event and have not left an extra tip I honestly feel that we are looked at by staff as being cheapskates. If the staff member were to give any impression that they"expected" something extra they would be fired.

[parallax]

Service to me is somewhat of a lost art and one of the few places you can find it still on a cruise. Accordingly, I tip the servers and staff frequently. It is my prerogative and the $100 I tip extra during the course of cruise is a nominal cost tome. I do not pay attention to the actions of others so I have no clue to as a person's tipping pattern. I don't believe the extra tippers ruin for others.

[UniPac]

Not supposed to. However, if they use the Elite coupons for drinks (in lieu of the cocktail hour), then you can take them anywhere.

 

Can someone explain me when X uses coupons instead of cocktail hour?

Do you get an amount of coupons for the whole cruise? How does it work?

[prish]

Of course it's totally voluntary. We learned of this from veteran Elites when we became Elite and we felt it was a good idea. We tip our servers in both the Elite Breakfast and the Cocktail Social Hour. We usually have the same servers most of the time and develop a nice rapport, so we like to tip as we go rather than wait til the end.

 

We usually try and make it to the Elite cocktail hour, not so much for the drinks but since we enjoy meeting fellow cruisers and chatting about the day's events. We always tip our waiter, quite often its the same person who serves us every evening, quite often she/he is looking out and brings us our drinks as soon as we get there. We're rarely at the breakfast, especially with the new system where I cant get to pick what I want. And we do enjoy the Elite perks like free laundry, internet, priority tendering, etc:)

[CruisingChick]

Can someone explain me when X uses coupons instead of cocktail hour?

Do you get an amount of coupons for the whole cruise? How does it work?

 

Coupons are used when the number of elites and elite+ on board is large. I'm not sure if they have a set number but it seems (from our experience) 500 and over they use coupons.

 

Each member gets 3 coupons per day. They have your name on them and they are dated. There are no coupons on Embarkation day and the night of the Senior Officer's Cocktail Party.

 

They will still have the lounge open and you may use your coupons there if you wish or visit another location. They usually do not let you use them in the Martini Bar or any of the dining rooms or restaurants.

Edited November 11, 2014 by CruisingChick

[iancal]

Just got off an RCI cruise...only our second. BUT, our Celebrity Elite status meant that we got RCI Diamond status. We were surprised.

 

What we got/ used:

 

-$200. discount on our balcony cabin (Ok but we usually compare cruises on a net net price basis)

 

-60 minutes of fee internet time each

 

-concierge lounge for continental b'fast and for evening drinks (very nice for our 3 caps with a double shot each and every morning)

 

Three free drinks each loaded onto our room keys that we could use in any bar between 5-8PM

 

-a couple of 2 for one drink coupons

 

-water and juice bottles in the cabin when we arrived, bag of biscuits (no big deal from our perspective-lots of water in the tap and we could have done without the biscuits.

 

What...no calendar? Well maybe. There were probably other perks that we did not bother with or did not know about. We got a couple a lapel pins-they went straight into the bin. Who on earth wants an RCI lapel pin- especially since we do not attend formal nights in the MDR.

 

And we did not go to the special meet the officers cocktail event that we were invited to..but we never really bother with them on any cruise line.

[CYNSport]

Our first cruise as Elite is this December. How does the priority tender work for Elite?

[4774Papa]

Our first cruise as Elite is this December. How does the priority tender work for Elite?

You do not have to wait in line to get a tender number and wait for that number to be called. Just move to the line to exit the ship.

[CYNSport]

Thank you for answering. That will be very helpful.

[CruisingChick]

You do not have to wait in line to get a tender number and wait for that number to be called. Just move to the line to exit the ship.

 

What? I've never heard of that before.

 

In our most recent experiences they tell you to meet the Captain's Club Host(ess) in one of the specialty restaurants or some other area and they will give you priority tickets and you will get off on the next tender.

 

In the past they use to leave the "priority tender tickets"in your stateroom the evening before the tender port.

Edited November 11, 2014 by CruisingChick

[CYNSport]

Good to know. Thanks.

[caladezi]

You do not have to wait in line to get a tender number and wait for that number to be called. Just move to the line to exit the ship.

 

And if anyone questions you just push them out of the way, right?

[grandgeezer]

What? I've never heard of that before.

 

In our most recent experiences they tell you to meet the Captain's Club Host(ess) in one of the specialty restaurants or some other area and they will give you priority tickets and you will get off on the next tender.

 

In the past they use to leave the "priority tender tickets"in your stateroom the evening before the tender port.

 

We just got off the Equinox yesterday morning after 27 day B2B. We had two tender ports. The priority tender tickets were in the pack with the rest of the "Elite" stuff. We just went straight to the tenders when we were ready. Nobody said a word about it.

[CruisingChick]

We just got off the Equinox yesterday morning after 27 day B2B. We had two tender ports. The priority tender tickets were in the pack with the rest of the "Elite" stuff. We just went straight to the tenders when we were ready. Nobody said a word about it.

 

Our last few cruises (last one in September-October on Summit) we had to go to Normandie where the hostess gave us our tender tickets and we had to wait, maybe 5 minutes, before they told us we could proceed down to the tender.

 

Maybe it depends on the # of Elites on board which system they use. I do remember when we were first Elite they would leave the tender tickets in our stateroom but only the evening before the tender port.

[4774Papa]

And if anyone questions you just push them out of the way, right?

 

 

Wow, what button did I push? Perhaps you misunderstood by previous comment.

 

Of course, we didn't push anyone out of the way. Our priority tender tickets were provided for us in our cabin.

 

As elites, we tendered on the Constellation into Sevastopol and then a couple of port on our Infinity around the horn cruise. As I remember it, on one cruise, we had an organized private tour and met on the ship and got in line together. We presented our priority tender tickets and exited the ship on the tender.

 

On another cruise, we had one party in our tour group that was zenith and he arranged for us to leave the ship together. In another port, we got in line to leave the ship individually and met on the dock.

 

I don't remember meeting with all priority ticket holders prior to leaving the ship. On some cruises, there were be no room for all priority ticket holders.

[CruisingChick]

I don't remember meeting with all priority ticket holders prior to leaving the ship. On some cruises, there were be no room for all priority ticket holders.

 

No one had to meet with all other priority tender holders. We were instructed that when we wanted to leave to go ashore we first had to stop by Normandie to pick up our priority tender tickets. This last cruise the hostess ask we wait a few minutes when the next tender would be ready. I believe it was around 5 minutes - no longer - than we proceeded down to the gangway. Other cruises we are told we can proceed immediately to the tender after picking up our tickets.

 

It's been a while since we had the tickets left in our stateroom. Must just be the cruises we take???

[hurwitz5]

We are Elite, but we are sailing with another couple who is not Elite. Will they be able to get priority tendering if they are with us?

[lovemylab]

We are Elite, but we are sailing with another couple who is not Elite. Will they be able to get priority tendering if they are with us?

 

 

Yes they will. We are not Elite and were able to get priority tendering when we shared a tour with a couple who was Elite.

[UniPac]

Coupons are used when the number of elites and elite+ on board is large. I'm not sure if they have a set number but it seems (from our experience) 500 and over they use coupons.

 

Each member gets 3 coupons per day. They have your name on them and they are dated. There are no coupons on Embarkation day and the night of the Senior Officer's Cocktail Party.

 

They will still have the lounge open and you may use your coupons there if you wish or visit another location. They usually do not let you use them in the Martini Bar or any of the dining rooms or restaurants.

 

Thanks!

 

So the coupons can be used at any bar anytime during the date on the coupon, but not at Martini bar? That would be still better than only at the lounge cause I like having a drink at the oceanview bar. Hopefully there will be 500+ Elite on my next cruise ;)

[phoenix_dream]

When we last had a lot of tendering on our cruise, we had to go to one of the specialty restaurants to claim the tickets as well. They never asked to see your sea pass card, so I guess they just assumed if you knew where to go you qualified. We could have gotten as many tickets as we needed (ie, if we were traveling with non-Elite friends). In the past they were in our cabin - that was nicer, but this probably saves paper which I understand.

 

IMHO on a cruise with a lot of tendering (we had 3 tender ports on a 10 day cruise) this was a real perk. In some cases we were able to leave the ship at least an hour before everyone else. On most of our cruises not so much. Now that we usually book with a 1-2-3 go or similar offer and get the drink package, the social hour perk is not as relevant as it used to be for us. We do like the laundry perk, as well as the internet minutes (although we generally only use them for printing boarding passes the last day). Other perks are very minor IMHO.

[upwarduk]

You do not have to wait in line to get a tender number and wait for that number to be called. Just move to the line to exit the ship.

 

IMHO on a cruise with a lot of tendering (we had 3 tender ports on a 10 day cruise) this was a real perk. In some cases we were able to leave the ship at least an hour before everyone else. On most of our cruises not so much. Now that we usually book with a 1-2-3 go or similar offer and get the drink package, the social hour perk is not as relevant as it used to be for us. We do like the laundry perk, as well as the internet minutes (although we generally only use them for printing boarding passes the last day). Other perks are very minor IMHO.

 

IMO The priority Tendering is the most important perk, although I really like the free laundry and 90 free internet minutes.

We spent 3 hrs trying to get off Eclipse in Split, we had Tender ticket 35,we had done as we were told and picked up our tickets when we were ready to leave. I think many people had picked theirs up before breakfast.

When in Maui we were escorted the ship, as we were on a tour- they get priority.

Edited November 13, 2014 by upwarduk