Things that Celebrity have done away with that you would like to see back

[Fixit2010]

3 hours ago, argogirl said:

The Molecular Bar! Still some of the most exotic, glamourous, fanciest, quality cocktails I've ever had!

Its gone? 

[cruise47]

We missed the Michael Roux MDR meals and the elegant experiences and meals from all of Celebrity special restaurants. They were all Excellent.

[simon stingray]

9 hours ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

 

Yes!  As far as I'm concerned, those restaurants were better than Murano.

 

Absolutely agree. The best meal we ever had on a cruise ship was in Ocean Liners, we still talk about how we miss it. We were in Murano on Reflection last week and it didn't even come close. (We thought dining in Blu was superior than Murano on Reflection).

[Virgo61]

Our first Celebrity cruise was on the Summit in 2007. I miss Michael's, the old specialty restaurants (our great meals in Normandie), and the French baker that was on deck 5. She would make delicious quiches and sandwiches at lunch and fabulous croissants at breakfast. There were also macarons every day, long before they became so popular in the states. I don't miss the every night buffets but I do miss the 1 grand buffet.

[phoenix_dream]

12 hours ago, florisdekort said:

Move on people. Times change. Nothing ever stays the same. In the 1980s my dad kept complaining how everything was better in the 1950s. Now I sometimes catch myself doing the same thing. The key is, it wasn’t better, it was familiar - and therefore you like it.

 

Some things have been lost, some things have been gained. Somehow we always overlook the latter. Yet change is the spice of life. 

 

And, a 1995 Celebrity price per day corrected for inflation would be even more expensive than today’s Edge pricing. 

I agree with you on the pricing.  On the rest, not so much.  Sometimes change is good; sometimes change is anything but good.  If I honestly look back at cruising in the very beginning of Celebrity (1992 for us), and try to be realistic and keep emotions out of it, my opinion is that the cruise experience then was better.   Do I still enjoy it?  Definitely.  Are there some things that are better now?  Of course.  But weighing the pros and cons, I strongly believe more was taken away than what was added.  Many of these things were small touches, but it really set Celebrity apart from other mainstream cruise lines and made you feel really special and pampered.

 

These threads serve two purposes I think.  First, it lets us reminisce about 'the good ole days'.  Nothing wrong with that.  If anyone doesn't want to participate they don't have to.  Second, Celebrity reads these boards.  Who knows, if enough people long for something in the past and it doesn't cost them much if anything to bring it back, it could happen. 

[hcat]

10 minutes ago, phoenix_dream said:

I agree with you on the pricing.  On the rest, not so much.  Sometimes change is good; sometimes change is anything but good.  If I honestly look back at cruising in the very beginning of Celebrity (1992 for us), and try to be realistic and keep emotions out of it, my opinion is that the cruise experience then was better.   Do I still enjoy it?  Definitely.  Are there some things that are better now?  Of course.  But weighing the pros and cons, I strongly believe more was taken away than what was added.  Many of these things were small touches, but it really set Celebrity apart from other mainstream cruise lines and made you feel really special and pampered.

 

These threads serve two purposes I think.  First, it lets us reminisce about 'the good ole days'.  Nothing wrong with that.  If anyone doesn't want to participate they don't have to.  Second, Celebrity reads these boards.  Who knows, if enough people long for something in the past and it doesn't cost them much if anything to bring it back, it could happen. 

 

Yup..that's how traditional Trivia ( in addition to the fee based  one on devices) was brought back to the EDGE...along with more activities and musical variety.  Not everything traditional is bad and not everything new is better, and vice versa! 

Just give us good quality at every level of booking!

[bunnyette]

The champagne afternoon tea in Normandie...

 

”Automatically providing a water pitcher and ice bucket for each cabin that got refilled twice each day, without your needing to request them.“

 

surely more eco friendly than cans?

[Quo Vadis?]

There was a nostalgia thread a few years ago. 

 

Our recollections of the good old days will never die and sadly will never come back no matter how much one is willing to pay.

There is just too much pressure from the top executives to maximize their bonuses by cutting corners and homogenizing the industry.

 

 

[jagoffee]

The regular 14 day winter Southern Caribbean cruises. 

[rua642]

The Acapella groups

The Normandie Restaurant on the Summit

The string quartets

The daily news sheet

The magnificent ice sculptures that were displayed at the midnight buffet and later at the special brunch

[Baron Barracuda]

15 hours ago, florisdekort said:

 

And, a 1995 Celebrity price per day corrected for inflation would be even more expensive than today’s Edge pricing. 

 

Prices today are no higher than when we first sailed Zenith in '93.  Back then though X's reputation for providing a quality experience filled the ships.  No need for gimmicky non-sales and "free" inclusions.  An X cruise used to be special.  Now each sailing while still nice feels a little less special.  

 

What dw misses most:   aw's coming up to her on buffet line and offering to locate a table and carry her tray

 

Other things we miss:

Better bread selection in mdr.

Offerings at mast grill other than burgers and dogs

Themed dinners in mdr with waiters wearing coordinated outfits.

Flowers in concierge cabins.

 

 

 

[boscobeans]

28 minutes ago, jagoffee said:

The regular 14 day winter Southern Caribbean cruises. 

Back when X sailed to the Caribbean from Cape Liberty we sailed from there every winter. 

 

Sure an extra few days at sea but for us it was the perfect escape from the frigid Northeast.

on

We have switched to Royal Caribbean for the past few years for the same experience but they too have shortened the winter cruises from Cape Liberty so we have gone back to sailing from Baltimore in the winter on RC since the Grandeur of the Seas has given us all we wanted in the past and will do so until things change.

 

We did try NCL (ONCE) from NYC right after the islands got hit by the hurricane and did a 14 day cruise on the Breakaway.

Due to damage done on many of the typical Eastern Caribbean islands the itinerary was changed to include Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire and Martinique.  It showed us two things:

 

1. A true deep Southern Caribbean cruise from the Northeast was extremely enjoyable over a 14 day span.

2. That we didn't like NCL in the least.

 

PS to those who doubt this was a profitable cruise for NCL our cruise was sold out and NCL continues to run full ships from the Northeast all throughout the winter on 10-11-12-13 and 14 cruises.

 

We would gladly sail on and pay X for such a cruise, understanding of course there would be a price difference.

 

 

[K12Guy]

20 hours ago, Loanrngr said:

Nice cozy Cigar Lounge !!!!

Yes, please. I enjoyed a wee bit of scotch and a very fine cigar a few years ago at the on-board lounge a few years ago on a Regent cruise. I believe cigar smoking is not even allowed on the aft smoking section now. While I understand the fragrance of pipe and cigar smoking will be offensive to some folks I would certainly appreciate a lounge for those of us who might enjoy a libation and quiet smoke at times.

[Airrace]

Ice sculptures 

midnight buffet

 

[hcat]

A few posts reminded me of the exquisite artistic  bread baskets in the mdr and elsewhere..

 

Now we get breadsticks, a few rolls and and  4 types of am pastries served with tongs .  Hardly worth the carbs!

[hcat]

30 minutes ago, K12Guy said:

Yes, please. I enjoyed a wee bit of scotch and a very fine cigar a few years ago at the on-board lounge a few years ago on a Regent cruise. I believe cigar smoking is not even allowed on the aft smoking section now. While I understand the fragrance of pipe and cigar smoking will be offensive to some folks I would certainly appreciate a lounge for those of us who might enjoy a libation and quiet smoke at times.

That was the original concept of Michaels Club...certainly has morphed.

[OceanCruise]

I miss the Caribbean night buffets by the pool where they would have tropical food,  ice carving demonstrations and the waiters would walk around with carved watermelons on their heads! Also miss the Cafe Al Bacio truffles they would put on the pillow. Miss the srtings players in the dining rooms too.

[ecslady]

19 hours ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

 

My favorite of that from our first cruise on the Mercury.  My sister and I were sharing a cabin.  One of us got stationery with Ms. or Mrs. (can't remember which) Lastname and the other got stationery with Mr. Lastname.  We thought that was really strange.  Neither of us have names which could be mistaken for male names.

 

OH, since I usually cruise with a girl friend, we have been there too!  

[ecslady]

Since I am single/divorced (never know which to call myself LOL), when I first started cruising, there were dance hosts, and I really enjoyed a dance or two with them in the Rendevous before dinner.  With so many more women cruising solo now, I'd love to dream this back.

 

It's just one of the things I miss that have not been previously mentioned.

[grandgeezer]

22 hours ago, florisdekort said:

Move on people. Times change. Nothing ever stays the same. In the 1980s my dad kept complaining how everything was better in the 1950s. Now I sometimes catch myself doing the same thing. The key is, it wasn’t better, it was familiar - and therefore you like it.

 

Some things have been lost, some things have been gained. Somehow we always overlook the latter. Yet change is the spice of life. 

 

And, a 1995 Celebrity price per day corrected for inflation would be even more expensive than today’s Edge pricing. 

 

My first Celebrity cruise was on the Infinity in 2004. We paid about $90 p.p. per day, for concierge, including all taxes and fees. I'm guessing that even with inflation, it's still not as much as the Edge. Our last cruise on Celebrity was December 2016 and we paid $140 p.p. for a regular balcony and it wasn't near as enjoyable as the one on Infinity.

[cle-guy]

On 4/27/2019 at 9:49 AM, cruisestitch said:

They can’t do the buffet anymore because of US public health laws which prohibit serving food on carpeted areas.

I've always heard this, yet on my 3 Celebrity Atlantis charter cruises we have always had 1 grand buffet day held in the MDR. Also had one on RCL Harmony last year - all MIA/FLL based.  

There must be more to the "Story" than US Health laws.

 

[cle-guy]

On 4/27/2019 at 1:14 PM, fleckle said:

 

The old piano bar in Michaels' club with the silly guy who put on a show making fun of people who have granite countertops and stainless steel appliances in their homes (don't recall his name).

Perry Grant

[richstowe]

I haven't seen anyone mention the drastic cuts to cruise director's entertainment staff listed . Celebrity cut half of these positions in one shot 5 or so years ago .

On 4/27/2019 at 3:33 PM, WestLakeGirl said:

There are chocolates on the pillows so I’m not sure why that made someone’s list?

On our first X cruise the nightly pillow chocolates were flavored . I remember dark, mocha , blackberry and milk chocolate as some of the flavors . All delicious !

 

 

 

[richstowe]

22 hours ago, florisdekort said:

Move on people. Times change. Nothing ever stays the same. In the 1980s my dad kept complaining how everything was better in the 1950s. Now I sometimes catch myself doing the same thing. The key is, it wasn’t better, it was familiar - and therefore you like it.

 

Some things have been lost, some things have been gained. Somehow we always overlook the latter. Yet change is the spice of life. 

 

And, a 1995 Celebrity price per day corrected for inflation would be even more expensive than today’s Edge pricing. 

What has been gained ? Perhaps another thread should be started . Greatly reduced smoking on board tops my gained list . My lost list is longer though . 🤩

[davekathy]

Sorbet parade on the pool deck on sea days. Pool staff with cold face towels on the pool deck on sea days.