Is it reasonable to have to vacate cabins at 7am on disembarkation?

[lisalovlee33]

I’m back-pedaling somewhat on my stance regarding the earlier departure time. Do I still think 07:00 is too early? Absolutely! Do I hope they go back to 08:00? Another resounding yes. But will it make me change cruise lines? Maybe. The earlier departure Thursday was merely the final annoyance in an overall annoying cruise last week. I ultimately had to escalate a ridiculous cabin maintenance issue (no blackout curtain) 3 levels to upper management; meet with Food & Beverage Mgr re serious food allergy mistakes; and deal with a very personable cabin steward who, among other things, told me that Concierge welcoming champagne was available “only on request.” Ditto most of the other Concierge perks. Maybe that was his way of dealing with 14 cabins. BTW, the blackout curtain wasn’t fixed until the final evening and of course we had to get up well before daylight the next morning (or as my DH used to say, might as well get dressed and stand in the closet all night).

 

Regarding my personal disenchantment with Celebrity, I’ve felt for quite awhile that we’re being nibbled to death by ducks. (Skip the rose vase and bad champagne and let me sleep an hour later, please.) However, assigning a dollar value to the Elite Plus perks I use (3 daily club sodas @ $10, 4-5 coffees/equivalent @ $20, 240 wifi minutes @ $109, and 1 gelato @ $4 ;)), equates to close to $500 on a 14-day cruise, my usual length. Is $500 worth getting up an hour earlier? For me and for the time being, it is. Nevertheless, will be trying out Azamara for 2018 TA.

 

Always learn something new. We're also Elite Plus. Can you elaborate on the complimentary club soda? Where do you get them? Is water or other soft drinks complimentary as well? I thought it was the specialty coffees and teas.

[villauk]

Several things to consider in that comparison -

 

1. Most hotels/resorts check in time is between 2-3:30pm

 

2. Most hotels/resorts are are not turning over EVERY SINGLE ROOM on one specific date. I have experience check-in delays up to 5-6pm when a higher percentage of rooms vs normal have to be turned over on a single date.

 

3. Most hotels/resorts do not have 1000+ rooms and also have luggage storage for guests who arrive early and wish to stow bags until their rooms are ready.

 

4. At most hotels/resorts many guests will leave the property and go elsewhere to sightsee, shop, eat, etc and then come back later in the day/evening.

 

5. As hotels/resorts don't leave port at a specified time like a ship does the guest arrival stream is not as compressed, therefore rooms can be doled out as ready based on guest arrivals. Many guests will not arrive until well after housekeeping staff have finished their duties for the day.

 

 

IMHO - passenger behaviour is partly to blame. So many people rush to the terminal at 10am (or thereabouts) trying to be "first" to board. Once onboard many of those people try and "sneak" to their cabins before they are officially ready. As it is there has been pressure from guests to occupy rooms earlier and earlier. I can remember well when rooms were not ready on most ships until 2pm or later now it's routinely in the 1230-1pm range. I'm not defending the 7am policy by any means, but at the same time we have to realize that if we want early cabin access there has to be a trade off somewhere else. Staff can simply only move so fast, and now that there are fewer staff to attend to the turnover it exacerbates the issue.

 

Sneak into their cabin? Those large doors are shut across the hallways, so who manages to 'sneak' into their cabins? No one is stating that the cabins will be open early from either side of the discussion - I've certainly not seen anything from X saying that anyone will be allowed into their staterooms before the standard 1pm time?

 

Nothing has changed regarding the amount of staterooms to clean or the layout of the ship, so your hotel comparison is not valid - they have their restrictions, cruise ships have theirs. Everything is exactly the same as it was this time last year apart from the staffing levels X has chosen to reduce in order to boost profits.

 

It's not our problem if X have reduced it to a level where the amount of personnel are finding it too difficult to complete their duties in the usual time allowed. What happens if they do the same with the kitchen staff. You'll be happy to wait 2 hours for your meal in the MDR, or one side of the Oceanview is permanently closed throughout breakfast time or they take one hour off the opening times because they've cut more staff - I think not. Or are we just going to compare it to hotels only offering B&B with no additional food options?

Edited January 17, 2017 by villauk

[caribill]

You're right, HAL's loyalty program does not come close to X's. We really want to love X because of the benefits we get there, but the experience just doesn't compare to HAL so we forego the gelato and internet and in return get fantastic service and food.

As a stockholder of both, we have always received the OBC for owning 100 shares of HAL. Usually denied on X because of sales. So there is $100-250 OBC to get internet, drinks, etc.

 

HAL has no stock. You own shares of CCL Corp.

[The_Big_M]

Our contractile arrangements made NO mention when we booked - or indeed up until we received our disembarkation information - that the time to leave the cabin was at 7am on the morning of departure.

 

Indeed. Someone's just come up with a bogus justification as a poor excuse to try to support their viewpoint.

 

There are fanbois everywhere.

[BMT]

One could probably argue that if you book a cruise for X number of days, and cannot board until noon on the first day...you should be allowed to stay aboard until 11:59 on the last day.

Hank

 

You certainly have a point there - never thought of that:D

 

Not going to happen of course - but it hadn't occurred to me!:eek:

[AnOnymously]

If cabins are ready then ofcourse we want to use them, if they are not then we cannot. Simple. When they are ready early and we can use them, nice, when they are not ready early, then there are plenty of things to do. I have seen no other pressure for cabins. I am sure people will ask if they are ready but for the reason that when they are let us have them, but no one has said here we must get in earlier.

 

I think it is about what is reasonable and I don't believe that this early time is reasonable for what is not a cheap cruise, well not what I am paying anyway. They also have not altered dining times sufficiently to prevent bottle necks and it has not taken into account the fact that timings for getting back into the country have not changed. It also does not account for people who have long journeys ahead of them and it makes for a long day and long waiting around periods. Nor does it allow for the vulnerable and disabled.

 

As for those who simply say "stay in", it has been suggested that they might even be the cause, because too many people have ignored 8am so they have moved it forward in the hope of getting people out by 8am. Thus punishing the people who have and will observe what is asked of them in order to get things ready for the next group of holidaymakers. But to try and excuse the policy by encouraging everyone to stay in their cabins is just not fair to the staff, and the staff have not made the rules. I am sure that they are not happy trying to balance, with less staff, getting things ready and pleasing the ones who plead for more time. If you lived on a grats economy for some of your wages, would you tell someone it made life very difficult for you as the cleaner if they did not get out on time and risk that extra gratuity?

 

I do not like the last morning, with cleaners in the corridors, the hustle and bustle, even when leaving at the right time, I still feel a bit in the way of the hard working staff. I certainly would not be happy in myself if I stayed like a dog in a manger when the staff were trying to get ready for the next passengers. No that is not a solution.

 

This 7am is just not reasonable to passengers and Celebrity have to solve it, either by moving getting into cabins later or by more staff being employed. I think if not then, whilst it is not my style, people will vote with their feet and simply leave when they want to. Once one has stayed past 7 does it matter if its 8 or 9 or...... and that is a recipe for chaos and real problems about new boarders and getting into cabins.

[chamima]

Several things to consider in that comparison -

 

 

IMHO - passenger behaviour is partly to blame. So many people rush to the terminal at 10am (or thereabouts) trying to be "first" to board. Once onboard many of those people try and "sneak" to their cabins before they are officially ready. As it is there has been pressure from guests to occupy rooms earlier and earlier. I can remember well when rooms were not ready on most ships until 2pm or later now it's routinely in the 1230-1pm range. I'm not defending the 7am policy by any means, but at the same time we have to realize that if we want early cabin access there has to be a trade off somewhere else. Staff can simply only move so fast, and now that there are fewer staff to attend to the turnover it exacerbates the issue.

 

 

We have been sailing for almost 50 years . Until sailing on Celebrity we have always been able to access our cabin as soon as we boarded - which was around noon.

Celebrity lets passengers on board earlier than other lines but one gets into their cabin later.

I don't know where you get your idea that people are into their cabins earlier than before but it's definitely NOT our experience.

 

 

 

Sneak into their cabin? Those large doors are shut across the hallways, so who manages to 'sneak' into their cabins? No one is stating that the cabins will be open early from either side of the discussion - I've certainly not seen anything from X saying that anyone will be allowed into their staterooms before the standard 1pm time?

 

Nothing has changed regarding the amount of staterooms to clean or the layout of the ship, so your hotel comparison is not valid - they have their restrictions, cruise ships have theirs. Everything is exactly the same as it was this time last year apart from the staffing levels X has chosen to reduce in order to boost profits.

 

It's not our problem if X have reduced it to a level where the amount of personnel are finding it too difficult to complete their duties in the usual time allowed. What happens if they do the same with the kitchen staff. You'll be happy to wait 2 hours for your meal in the MDR, or one side of the Oceanview is permanently closed throughout breakfast time or they take one hour off the opening times because they've cut more staff - I think not. Or are we just going to compare it to hotels only offering B&B with no additional food options?

 

 

I agree.

I'll also reiterate the safety issue with more people in the public rooms with their luggage because no one can actually get off the ship any earlier than before.

[goofysmom99]

Always learn something new. We're also Elite Plus. Can you elaborate on the complimentary club soda? Where do you get them? Is water or other soft drinks complimentary as well? I thought it was the specialty coffees and teas.

 

Since I don't care for the scotch at the happy hour, I ask for cans of club soda and bring along a little baggie for lime wedges. The reason I mentioned 3 is that we usually receive 3 drink vouchers per day on a Transatlantic. BTW, you need to ask for them to be unopened and, depending on the bar, might have to order them separately.

 

You know, I forgot to add the 2 bags of laundry into my added value list, although I don't remember what their approximate value might be.

 

lvz2cruz, re the shareholders benefit of CCL stock vs RCCL, you're right but the max benefit of $250 on a 14-day cruise still doesn't add up to the over $500 (again don't know what laundry might be worth - $50 for 2 bags?) I receive as an Elite Plus. I finally got tired of hardly ever being able to use the shareholder benefit so I sold my RCCL stock awhile back. We bought ours when we returned to Celebrity in 2003. During the time we could use it, it more than paid for itself in OBC and then later with a very sizable gain when I sold.

Edited January 17, 2017 by goofysmom99

[Loracpin2]

I was also on the sailing that disembarked on Jan. 8. While the 7:00 "get out of your room" was a PIA, the coffee and pastry offerings in Qsine laughable if you chose not to tackle the chaos in the Oceanview, and there was utter chaos trying to get on elevators, I'd like to address some previous comments about the reduction in room steward staff that might have caused this policy change.

 

Although they are, according to Mgmt., now responsible for less rooms, it appeared to me that are now tasked with a lot more responsibility. In addition to taking care of your room, this one person is now responsible for both delivering luggage on embarkation and picking it up the night before disembarkation, and making apologies for the items that are no longer standard in rooms and baths. Since we were still be charged the $14 a day for gratuities, I did ask our room steward if she was now getting the tips that went to the asst. in addition to hers. Fortunately she said she was, which is the one positive thing for anyone who works as hard as they do. But the bottom line is there are just so many hours in a day for one person to do everything they are tasked to do.

 

By cutting staff, Lisa and her senior management not only improved their bottom line, but many good people lost their livelihood, and once again Celebrity managed to deliver a less quality product to its customers. One truly has to wonder if they really care.

[Orator]

I was also on the sailing that disembarked on Jan. 8. While the 7:00 "get out of your room" was a PIA, the coffee and pastry offerings in Qsine laughable if you chose not to tackle the chaos in the Oceanview, and there was utter chaos trying to get on elevators, I'd like to address some previous comments about the reduction in room steward staff that might have caused this policy change.

 

Although they are, according to Mgmt., now responsible for less rooms, it appeared to me that are now tasked with a lot more responsibility. In addition to taking care of your room, this one person is now responsible for both delivering luggage on embarkation and picking it up the night before disembarkation, and making apologies for the items that are no longer standard in rooms and baths. Since we were still be charged the $14 a day for gratuities, I did ask our room steward if she was now getting the tips that went to the asst. in addition to hers. Fortunately she said she was, which is the one positive thing for anyone who works as hard as they do. But the bottom line is there are just so many hours in a day for one person to do everything they are tasked to do.

 

By cutting staff, Lisa and her senior management not only improved their bottom line, but many good people lost their livelihood, and once again Celebrity managed to deliver a less quality product to its customers. One truly has to wonder if they really care.

 

On the other hand: The Cabin Attendants are no longer responsible for Room Service.

One HD told me (I don't necessarily believe) that the change was made to give a clear line on responsibility. Said that under the old system Attendants, Asst. Attendants and food service played the "blame game" when a complaint was filed. Now the Cabin Attendant and Food service have a clear line of responsibility. There is no longer an Assistant to blame. well, that was the story.

[lisalovlee33]

Since I don't care for the scotch at the happy hour, I ask for cans of club soda and bring along a little baggie for lime wedges. The reason I mentioned 3 is that we usually receive 3 drink vouchers per day on a Transatlantic. BTW, you need to ask for them to be unopened and, depending on the bar, might have to order them separately.

 

You know, I forgot to add the 2 bags of laundry into my added value list, although I don't remember what their approximate value might be.

 

lvz2cruz, re the shareholders benefit of CCL stock vs RCCL, you're right but the max benefit of $250 on a 14-day cruise still doesn't add up to the over $500 (again don't know what laundry might be worth - $50 for 2 bags?) I receive as an Elite Plus. I finally got tired of hardly ever being able to use the shareholder benefit so I sold my RCCL stock awhile back. We bought ours when we returned to Celebrity in 2003. During the time we could use it, it more than paid for itself in OBC and then later with a very sizable gain when I sold.

 

Ah gotcha. Thanks for the tip. My personal favorite for the upgrade is the free coffees!

[PoppyandNana]

While we share some of your feelings about Celebrity, we really are puzzled by your post. If Celebrity told you that you must vacate your cabin by 2AM...would you still be supportive? Of if Celebrity told you that you must pay a $50 admission fee to see the production shows...would you still be happy?

 

The problem is that for some of us who have cruised for a long time (we started cruising in the mid 70s), we have seen an awful lot of changes...many that are not for the good. Cruise lines, including Celebrity, continue to raise prices and cut-back on services/amenities...and calculate that there are enough "sheep" who will continue to blindly follow them no matter what they do. It is said that a flock of sheep will walk over the edge of a cliff...if their leader heads in that direction. Personally, if I have a 1 pm flight after a Celebrity cruise, being forced to vacate our cabin by 7 is not our favorite way to start the day. And it is entirely unnecessary and only happening because of the arrogance of X management who depend on the "sheep" to simply go along with the fearless leader (Lisa).

 

One could probably argue that if you book a cruise for X number of days, and cannot board until noon on the first day...you should be allowed to stay aboard until 11:59 on the last day. We do understand that this is not practical from a logistical standpoint. But kicking folks out of their cabins at 7am...which can be up to 2 hours before they are even allowed off the ship.....is nutz!

 

Hank

 

Isn't a cruise for a certain number of sleeping nights, not number of days? If you sleep in your bed ten times, haven't they have fulfilled their obligation for a ten day/night cruise. I don't think anyone thinks a ten day cruise is literally ten complete 24 hour time periods. On a shorter cruise, say 3 to 7 days, the math might make some convoluted sense. On a 21 or 31 or 41 day cruise is anyone really going to calculate how many hours they might have be cheated out of based on the time one embarks and disembarks.

 

Finally, anyone who calculates the number of hours one is on the ship and does math that determines they were cheated out of 5.345938406 hours has way, way too much time on their hands. Unless of course they march right down to the Pursers Desk to demand compensation, you know whatever, a free cruise, Upgrade to a suite on the next cruise, small stuff.

Edited January 17, 2017 by PoppyandNana

[lisalovlee33]

If cabins are ready then ofcourse we want to use them, if they are not then we cannot. Simple. When they are ready early and we can use them, nice, when they are not ready early, then there are plenty of things to do. I have seen no other pressure for cabins. I am sure people will ask if they are ready but for the reason that when they are let us have them, but no one has said here we must get in earlier.

 

I think it is about what is reasonable and I don't believe that this early time is reasonable for what is not a cheap cruise, well not what I am paying anyway. They also have not altered dining times sufficiently to prevent bottle necks and it has not taken into account the fact that timings for getting back into the country have not changed. It also does not account for people who have long journeys ahead of them and it makes for a long day and long waiting around periods. Nor does it allow for the vulnerable and disabled.

 

As for those who simply say "stay in", it has been suggested that they might even be the cause, because too many people have ignored 8am so they have moved it forward in the hope of getting people out by 8am. Thus punishing the people who have and will observe what is asked of them in order to get things ready for the next group of holidaymakers. But to try and excuse the policy by encouraging everyone to stay in their cabins is just not fair to the staff, and the staff have not made the rules. I am sure that they are not happy trying to balance, with less staff, getting things ready and pleasing the ones who plead for more time. If you lived on a grats economy for some of your wages, would you tell someone it made life very difficult for you as the cleaner if they did not get out on time and risk that extra gratuity?

 

I do not like the last morning, with cleaners in the corridors, the hustle and bustle, even when leaving at the right time, I still feel a bit in the way of the hard working staff. I certainly would not be happy in myself if I stayed like a dog in a manger when the staff were trying to get ready for the next passengers. No that is not a solution.

 

This 7am is just not reasonable to passengers and Celebrity have to solve it, either by moving getting into cabins later or by more staff being employed. I think if not then, whilst it is not my style, people will vote with their feet and simply leave when they want to. Once one has stayed past 7 does it matter if its 8 or 9 or...... and that is a recipe for chaos and real problems about new boarders and getting into cabins.

 

I am one of the few that commented we could stay in until we're good and ready. I'm by no means advocating people to stay in and inconvenience any cleaners and "risk them losing extra gratuity" from the next occupants. IMHO, Your comments are a tad dramatic. Neither did I meant we should "stay in like a dog in a manger". Long journeys, disabled, etc., all valid points but having a meal or drinks with your carry on luggages (yes, I am assuming 99% of the people will go have a meal or a drink when they board) is certainly not as tragic as you described.

In my past cruises, most of the time even when you leave the room on time, the cleaning staff is not even there yet. (yes, I have gone out and grab some food and came back and eat in the room). And even when they do arrive, unless you're the first room they come at, you usually have well over an hour before your room is up for the turnover. So when it's your turn, and you're still in the room, then leave.

So, yes, I think you're not inconveniencing anyone, not making anyone lose any tips, not hurting the next occupants. The manger will be ready as it should. :D In fact, as many has posted, it serves as a bigger inconvenience with everyone getting out at the same time which makes elevators impossible.

[boscobeans]

I am one of the few that commented we could stay in until we're good and ready.

QUOTE]

 

I've heard those same exact words from people all my life and always wonder how far does their philosophy of "until we're good and ready" affect others.

 

To each his own.

 

bosco

[lisalovlee33]

I am one of the few that commented we could stay in until we're good and ready.

QUOTE]

 

I've heard those same exact words from people all my life and always wonder how far does their philosophy of "until we're good and ready" affect others.

 

To each his own.

 

bosco

 

Yes, I'm one of those people who has a mind to make my decision based on what I think is right. But, I do commend you for the ability to lift that one line from my post and twist it a bit by removing all context to make me sound obnoxious.

Edited January 17, 2017 by lisalovlee33

[bUU]

I've heard those same exact words from people all my life and always wonder how far does their philosophy of "until we're good and ready" affect others.

I think it is important to draw a distinction between people making up their own rules to suit themselves, which would be improper, and people deciding to abide by the rules agreed upon with the service provider, which would be perfectly proper. The latter doesn't always preclude adverse impact on others. Reclining your seat in an airplane is perfectly proper according to the contract of carriage agreed on between passenger and airline, even though it may make things a little more cramped for the person sitting in the next row.

 

What we have here is a rule that the contract gives the cruise line the right to vary as they see fit. It's troubling that so much of the experience we're paying for is effectively out of our control and left in the control of the service provider, but the only way to avoid such situations in the mass market is to forgo such service offerings entirely.

[marieps]

A recent experience on Reflection:

 

Our flt was at 12:40 and we were assigned Tag #3, a 7:45 departure from ship. Not wanting to be at the airport that long, I asked for a 10:00am luggage tag (the latest available). Guest Relations honored the requested but stated; "You must, however, vacate your room by 8:00 AM." I told her this was clearly understood. 7:00 was mentioned nowhere.

 

We actually finished breakfast in Blu around 8:00 and were ready to be off, but waited until the time we requested. There was no pressure to be out by 7:00.

[boscobeans]

 

Yes, I'm one of those people who has a mind to make my decision based on what I think is right. But, I do commend you for the ability to lift that one line from my post and twist it a bit to make me sound obnoxious.

 

You cannot always judge a book by its cover, however the first sentence in a paragraph is often indicative of what is to follow.

 

I am just saying that kind of policy if extended to other things can often be bothersome to some.

 

"We showed up 20 minutes late at the MDR for our early (6:00) seating (we were talking with friends and weren't quite good and ready to leave the lounge.)

 

The meal was fantastic and we decided that we would linger over a few extra cups of expresso before we were good and ready to leave, even though the MDR was completely reset for the 8:00 seating and we had to walk through the diners waiting to get in."

 

I am not saying that you would do that or anything like that, but some would and do..

 

No offense meant.

 

bosco

Edited January 17, 2017 by boscobeans

[Baron Barracuda]

Between 8am and 1:30pm cabin steward has 330 minutes to reset 14 cabins =24 minutes per cabin. Evicting passengers at 7am increases this to 28 minutes per cabin. So between 7 and 8 am a steward will only clean about 2 staterooms.

 

Judging by the length of the walk-off line and the number folks we've always seen in the Oceanview with their carry-ons at 6am (never understood why) cabin stewards should have plenty of early cabins to work on. Therefore no need for this nonsense.

[C 2 C]

I am one of the few that commented we could stay in until we're good and ready.

 

I've heard those same exact words from people all my life and always wonder how far does their philosophy of "until we're good and ready" affect others.

 

To each his own.

 

bosco

 

We are often on a back to back cruise but have to change cabins in the morning before immigration obligations. Half the time we are forced to wait in our own cabin until people are good and ready to leave theirs because it is inconvenient for them. We believe 7am unreasonable but some passengers do abuse every reasonable request to leave before 10 am. Some people really do believe the world revolves around them.

Edited January 17, 2017 by Arno.

[Orator]

I am one of the few that commented we could stay in until we're good and ready.

 

 

We are often on a back to back cruise but have to change cabins in the morning before immigration obligations. Half the time we are forced to wait in our own cabin until people are good and ready to leave theirs because it is inconvenient for them. We believe 7am unreasonable but some passengers do abuse every reasonable request to leave before 10 am. Some people really do believe the world revolves around them.

 

You were at the table when a Senior Officer told us that 7:00AM was only a "suggestion". A rule is a rule only if those in charge are willing to enforce it and in this case it doesn't appear that anyone wants to enforce it.

We have also experienced some delays in changing cabins for a B2B because someone wanted to leave their cabin at the last possible moment, but this appears to be a bit better lately. Guess we'll both find out shortly if there is a smoother move. Enjoy your new Reflection condo.

[AnOnymously]

Long journeys, disabled, etc., all valid points but having a meal or drinks with your carry on luggages (yes, I am assuming 99% of the people will go have a meal or a drink when they board) is certainly not as tragic as you described.

 

Just curious to know where you thought I talked about people people boarding and getting food. My only mention of opening times was for departing guests. as was any comments about vulnerable or disabled. I understood this debate and do understand this debate to be about departing guests and day of departure.

[BrendaJ]

Just off the Reflection and we had to be out of our cabin by 8:00 a.m. Perhaps the 7:00 a.m. time is only for cruises which have an earlier departure?

[NLH Arizona]

You can't leave it at 8am anymore.

I just got off the Reflection Saturday and we didn't have to leave our cabins until 8:00.

[helen haywood]

I was on Eclipse last month. The disembarkation letter said cabins should be vacated by 7 am; it was not a suggestion. And Eclipse did not have an early departure. It sounds like Celebrity is not being consistent from ship to ship regarding the earlier time.

 

 

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