Goodbye to Free Burgers and Mast Grill ???

[ChucktownSteve]

All are free except the one served at The Ultimate Gourmet Burger at Pinnacle Grill which is the steak restaurant .There is a $10 charge for their lunch seating . ( A great deal)

The answer to your last question is that Celebrity and RC seem hell bent on testing the market to see how many things they can upcharge for including room service and burgers . Given how many here are loyal to them , that list of extra fee items will continue to grow . And grow .

 

Only the rich shall survive along with those who have tons of OBC. To them this is a mere pittance. Remember, "Modern Luxury Lives Here."

[ABoatNerd]

Well, as a consumer, realize there are many other cruise suppliers out there. Put your self first and the supplier second. Celebrity is relying on their past history which has faded and faded and faded. Other competitors have surpassed them.

 

My TA in Toronto, Canada says her clients are leaving Celebrity and off to Oceania.

 

Today, loyalty means increasingly 0!

 

The previous quality gap between Celebrity and the other mass lines is now about 0 - the mass lines have improved their offerings generally and Celebrity is in the great rush to the bottom.

 

Being distracted by the Edge does not mean YOU, the consumer, is being well served. Not.

 

North American corporate bottom line - increase profits by what ever means you can = screw the customer as much as you can!

 

Not!

[ChucktownSteve]

My TA in Toronto, Canada says her clients are leaving Celebrity and off to Oceania. Today, loyalty means increasingly 0!

 

My TA told me the same thing when I booked my third O cruise. She's in the Northeast US.

[hurwitz5]

We enjoyed the Mast Grill burgers and hot dogs on the Reflection last January. The Grill was open until 6:00 pm (vs. 5:00 pm on the Eclipse. Since we had late seating, we would get a burger or hot dog at 5:15 and then enjoy dinner at 8:30. My DH will be upset if we now have to pay for these tasty snacks.

[blueboro]

I get a kick out of the sky is falling crowd. Everything is personal opinion and preference, but personally we still find X better than Princess or HAL who we recently have cruised with. No, it is NOT the same as it was in 1997 on the Century but what is really? If you go on other boards they ALL share almost the exact same posts...they are not as good as they used to be...nickel and diming...food quality...etc. The only thing I notice that I miss, and this is on all lines except maybe the luxury lines, is the lower number of waiters and servers in the restaurants and bars. Seems the staff is overworked...but again that is not exclusive to X. But I will say our February Silhouette cruise had some of the best MDR food we have had for several years. JMHO.

[JanineM]

 

North American corporate bottom line - increase profits by what ever means you can = screw the customer as much as you can!

 

Not!

 

I have no problem with a corporation charging more for a product, or making a profit. (Note that I'm a shareholder.) But really, they should just increase the fares to include these things. When people go over to Oceania they're paying an all-inclusive rate. Unfortunately the travel buying public wants to get everything on the cheap, then complain when they're nickle and dimed. That's what initially hurt Norwegian.

[CRZR58]

I get a kick out of the 'Everything's OK crowd', who don't care how far down the bar continues to slip. Take away cheap chocolates on my bed, nightly turn down service, cheap bags and/or card holders and I couldn't care less. Change the quality of the food and service and charge extra for things that used to be included, and I'll choose to go elsewhere. Personally, I've given up on X because it's not the same as it used to be.

 

Mass market companies all think that maximizing profit over maximizing customer experience will net them more money, but it's a short term outlook. The best customers, who cruise the most and/or pay the most, will go elsewhere, while the rest will choose simply by cost.

 

As for the other forums... Everyone else is doing it isn't much of an argument and doesn't make it right or even a good thing. The tone is quite different on Viking or Windstar than it is on RCI or X. NCL and Princess have some of the same complaints.

[ChucktownSteve]

I get a kick out of the 'Everything's OK crowd', who don't care how far down the bar continues to slip. Take away cheap chocolates on my bed, nightly turn down service, cheap bags and/or card holders and I couldn't care less. Change the quality of the food and service and charge extra for things that used to be included, and I'll choose to go elsewhere. Personally, I've given up on X because it's not the same as it used to be.

 

Mass market companies all think that maximizing profit over maximizing customer experience will net them more money, but it's a short term outlook. The best customers, who cruise the most and/or pay the most, will go elsewhere, while the rest will choose simply by cost.

 

As for the other forums... Everyone else is doing it isn't much of an argument and doesn't make it right or even a good thing. The tone is quite different on Viking or Windstar than it is on RCI or X. NCL and Princess have some of the same complaints.

 

What's happening as you pointed out is that Celebrity is making themselves into a commodity which will be purchased only on price. They are over promising, "Modern Luxury Lives Here," and under delivering. Azamara and Oceania don't consider themselves a commodity and are getting the higher priced cruiser.

 

I sale for the experience. The experience, for me, used to be higher on Celebrity. It's not just the Hamburger Gate. Look what they've done to the classic drinks package. Moving more mid line brands into Premium and several out of Premium so they can do the up sell or charge the difference for the drink. That's not Modern Luxury.

 

It appears, as someone else so appropriately put it, to be death by a thousand cuts. To the poster that said the other lines like Princess, Hal or Royal Caribbean have as many complainers too, that just means Celebrity has joined their ranks as a mass market cruise line. You don't hear those types pf complaints too much on the AZ and O boards.

[richstowe]

I also get a kick out of the 'Everything's OK crowd', who by smearing all cruise lines for cut backs, ignore the huge moves that Celebrity has made to reduce the cruise experience. To an extent every brand is doing their best to maximize revenues but Celebrity has gone from the most included small luxuries to the bottom . NCL was the nickle & dime line . They still are but X is giving them a run for our money .

 

It's convenient to ignore the thread topic . Charging for burgers ? Seriously ? The passengers shouldn't be the most upscale thing about a cruise line . I believe the non-suite experience on Celebrity has been the most degraded of all cruise lines in the last few years .

[richsea]

What's happening as you pointed out is that Celebrity is making themselves into a commodity which will be purchased only on price. They are over promising, "Modern Luxury Lives Here," and under delivering. Azamara and Oceania don't consider themselves a commodity and are getting the higher priced cruiser.

 

I sale for the experience. The experience, for me, used to be higher on Celebrity. It's not just the Hamburger Gate. Look what they've done to the classic drinks package. Moving more mid line brands into Premium and several out of Premium so they can do the up sell or charge the difference for the drink. That's not Modern Luxury.

 

It appears, as someone else so appropriately put it, to be death by a thousand cuts. To the poster that said the other lines like Princess, Hal or Royal Caribbean have as many complainers too, that just means Celebrity has joined their ranks as a mass market cruise line. You don't hear those types pf complaints too much on the AZ and O boards.

 

I also get a kick out of the 'Everything's OK crowd', who by smearing all cruise lines for cut backs, ignore the huge moves that Celebrity has made to reduce the cruise experience. To an extent every brand is doing their best to maximize revenues but Celebrity has gone from the most included small luxuries to the bottom . NCL was the nickle & dime line . They still are but X is giving them a run for our money .

 

It's convenient to ignore the thread topic . Charging for burgers ? Seriously ? The passengers shouldn't be the most upscale thing about a cruise line . I believe the non-suite experience on Celebrity has been the most degraded of all cruise lines in the last few years .

 

Well put, Rich & Steve. Both of you are spot on.

Celebrity's new slogan should be "Death by a thousand cuts".

[NLH Arizona]

Thank goodness that there are many cruise lines to choose from, so that there is one for everyone no matter what they like or dislike.

[JFontaine]

Celebrity doesn't care if folks are unhappy with the changes and leave for a more upscale line. The first ones that they should want gone are the Zeniths with their free drink packages, Michael's Club etc. earned in standard cabins (they don't mind Zeniths who are suite travelers, because there is no incremental cost of the program). Celebrity is sailing full at increasing prices and with virtually no last minute discounts. They continue to be a step up from the Royal Caribbean product in terms of service and quality - and that line feeds them new customers every day. If you are unhappy with Celebrity, they would love you to step up to Azamara. I have been a Celebrity cruiser for 20 years, seen all of the changes, good and bad; I remember the yelling when they introduced the first fee restaurants - and now they are routinely full. I tried Azamara, Regent, Crystal, Cunard - and come back to Celebrity because they offer something that those lines don't - the benefits of a large ship. But Celebrity has heard these complaints, and they don't care. See their stock price as proof. Should the market soften, so will they - but for now, I don't see it.

[CruisingChick]

Well put, Rich & Steve. Both of you are spot on.

Celebrity's new slogan should be "Death by a thousand cuts".

 

That's a good one.

 

Unfortunately for us the real premium cruise lines are not in our budget. Especially now that my DH is retiring. It use to be you could get impeccable service and quality on Celebrity and still at a price that most of us could afford.

[grandgeezer]

Celebrity doesn't care if folks are unhappy with the changes and leave for a more upscale line. The first ones that they should want gone are the Zeniths with their free drink packages, Michael's Club etc. earned in standard cabins (they don't mind Zeniths who are suite travelers, because there is no incremental cost of the program). Celebrity is sailing full at increasing prices and with virtually no last minute discounts. They continue to be a step up from the Royal Caribbean product in terms of service and quality - and that line feeds them new customers every day. If you are unhappy with Celebrity, they would love you to step up to Azamara. I have been a Celebrity cruiser for 20 years, seen all of the changes, good and bad; I remember the yelling when they introduced the first fee restaurants - and now they are routinely full. I tried Azamara, Regent, Crystal, Cunard - and come back to Celebrity because they offer something that those lines don't - the benefits of a large ship. But Celebrity has heard these complaints, and they don't care. See their stock price as proof. Should the market soften, so will they - but for now, I don't see it.

 

From our experience, the main reason the specialty restaurants are full is because they have to discount them to get them in the door. Just about everyday there are people waiting for you, at the buffet entrance, begging you to eat there. Discounts were anywhere from 30% to 50%. We've tried them all and feel even with the discounts, it's not worth the money, but to each his own.

[richsea]

Thank goodness that there are many cruise lines to choose from, so that there is one for everyone no matter what they like or dislike.

 

You are absolutely right about that. But it is disappointing when the ones's preferred line keeps "dumbing down" to the point they no longer are a cut above.

Of course there are also those who just think that as long as the cuts are not anything of consequence to them, all is well, until a future cut is something that's important to them. That used to be me.

[ABoatNerd]

Well said last posters!

 

Ignoring the many changes does not change the fact that Celebrity has chosen to degrade a once strategically placed cruise line (above the mass lines but below the premium/luxury) to be well, just ordinary.

 

It is the corporate entitlement to change placement of the Celebrity brand within the sector.

 

What is not acceptable is deliberately overstating the product "i.e. modern luxury" versus the actual product offering. Celebrity has not delivered "modern luxury" to EVERY CATEGORY for a long time. Their advertising infers that "modern luxury" is for everyone in every cabin - not.

 

We have not booked a Celebrity cruise since fall 2014. Our last on board experience Jan 2015, in a veranda, included the vile fake coffee creamer provided on the breakfast room service tray. Fake creamer - that is not "modern luxury". That small change ended our patronage of Celebrity.

 

But not an issue - there are many other leisure service providers out there - cruise and not cruise.

 

Everything is being downgraded these days, cruise lines, air lines, restaurant offerings etc - while at the same time the price is the same or increases - this is not in the consumers interest.

 

No matter what I purchase, I am constantly suspicious that the size/quality of ingredients etc has been downgraded since my last purchase or last known price for the product. Celebrity falls into this context.

 

In the old days, our annual Celebrity cruise was consistently excellent with modest price increases. This provided encouragement to book. Now the Celebrity "death by a thousand cuts" is not in play any more.

 

No matter where you all go - be safe

[CRZR58]

From our experience, the specialty restaurants aren't full, even with the discounts.

[NLH Arizona]

Of course there are also those who just think that as long as the cuts are not anything of consequence to them...

Yep and they have just as much right to not voice displeasure or say they don't care about the changes that don't impact their cruise, just as you have the right to voice your displeasure with the cuts that impact your cruise. But like I said, there is a cruise line out there for everyone.

[JFontaine]

Even if they are discounting the specialty restaurant meals, let's say to $25 a person, add the $8 that they already budget for dinner for that passenger in the MDR that won't be eaten - $33 for a meal that might cost them $10 or $15. They still come out ahead. They have obviously figured this out to the penny, and I suspect that they know exactly what they are doing.

[richsea]

That's a good one.

 

Unfortunately for us the real premium cruise lines are not in our budget. Especially now that my DH is retiring. It use to be you could get impeccable service and quality on Celebrity and still at a price that most of us could afford.

 

Nor are the real premium lines in our budget. The retirement nestegg only goes so far!

 

Speaking of impeccable service, I was going through some old cruise photo albums (remember those?) the other day and noticed some MDR photos with the waiters wearing while gloves when serving. Or how about when their dinnerware had the "=X=" logo on it and the table was set wih the logo precisely at 12 o'clock, every time. Celebrity was always consistent in their consistancy.

[ChucktownSteve]

RichSea, Forget the past. This is the new LLP Celebrity. Like it, lump it or find another. Those are really your only choices. :D

[richsea]

I hear you Steve. Thing is, I DO still like Celebrity, but am not happy with their downward (IMO) spiral, coupled with higher fares. For much of the past 20 years, Celebrity was our go to line of choice. Now, we think of them as one of the crowd. We enjoyed our last Princess sailing every bit as much as our last few Celebrity sailings. I guess I was always a Celebrity cheerleader; not so any longer.

[ChucktownSteve]

So I suppose that puts you in the lump it phase until they throw on that last straw that breaks the proverbial camel's back for you.

 

I used to feel the same way about Celebrity. However with LLP''s in my face politics coupled with all the cuts and changes, my camel left the tent as long as she's making the decisions.

 

Sent from my iPhone

[Hlitner]

Our upcoming 21 day Reflection cruise is likely to be our last Celebrity cruise for the foreseeable future, until Celebrity gets their act together (if that ever happens). Actions have consequences and the constant cut-backs have caused us to look elsewhere. Our last two Princess cruises (Ruby and Regal) were superior (in most ways) to our last few Celebrity cruises. We were on the verge of booking another 21 days on Celebrity but have now decided to try MSC's Yacht Club concept. Having cruised 14 lines....we are looking forward to making MSC our 15th line. They had a 21 day itinerary that fit our plans.....so it was either X or MSC. DW and I did some soul searching and quickly decided that we are tired of "settling" for X because of past history. X will have to make some improvements to win us back.

 

Hank

[blueboro]

"As for the other forums... Everyone else is doing it isn't much of an argument and doesn't make it right or even a good thing. The tone is quite different on Viking or Windstar than it is on RCI or X. NCL and Princess have some of the same complaints."

 

 

As is the price in most cases. If I want semi-inclusive and want to pay double I will go on Viking...which I have sailed before. If I want all-inclusive I will go up a notch to Regent or Silver Seas and pay even more. If I want a main stream cruise line X is still top of the list for us. Obviously it is not for some of you...so everyone is free to move to a line that fits their needs. Once we get dissatisfied with any line we will move on...as some of you need to do.