On Beyond TA……Issues

[Sandyrella]

2 hours ago, jelayne said:

Yes Celebrity offered transfer to the airports.  We book the transfer to Newark with Celebrity and when we got off the ship the line for the bus was long but moved quickly and we were on the bus and at in less than 15 minutes.  We saw the long lines for those waiting for taxi's, the debarkation was initially slow because of backups at immigration.  We were among the last group of luggage tags called and when we got to immigration the line was long but moved extremely fast. They had agents at every window by then but it seems that they may not have had enought agents initially.

They had no transfer to LaGuardia but we booked an Uber the day before and walked off with our luggage.  We were some of the first off the ship, breezed through immigration, and met our Uber at the exact time we requested.

2 hours ago, jelayne said:

The  Martini bar you normally had to wait for a drink.  However we had very little wait at the WCB, Sunset Bar and Craft Social.  We didn't go to the Club or order drinks from al Bacio.

We never had an issue getting a drink within a few minutes.  The longest we waited was at the martini bar at a busy time but we knew that they were doing their best.  We got many of our drinks at Craft Social and the Sunset Bar.  We also don't wait around to be served when we can just go up to the bar. 

[Sascol]

5 hours ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

Why would any of be on Celebrity 🤔

Directly it would not be…and I clearly stated this in my post. But Celebrity would know based on weekly arrivals by multiple ships at this port that getting a cab could be an issue and at a minimum mentioned this when passengers inquired about the option. 

Edited October 27, 2022 by Sascol

[Sascol]

5 hours ago, AnnaNicole said:

Well...just a thought....it would be in Celebrity's best interest to work with their local ports to assure a smooth flow of transport for their passengers.    I am sure they have some type of business arrangements with local businesses.

This, yes. 

[Ex-Airbalancer]

15 minutes ago, Sascol said:

Because we were told by guest relations that we could catch a cab once w disembarked. They told this to the passenger in front of us in line as well. 

Celebrity guest relations do not have any control over how fast you will get a cabs at a port , 

and you did get a cab so GS was correct 😁

[Sascol]

9 minutes ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

Celebrity guest relations do not have any control over how fast you will get a cabs at a port , 

and you did get a cab so GS was correct 😁

Never said this particular issue was in their control nor did I say it was their fault. Just stating an issue that was experienced at the end of a cruise that was FOR US impacted by many other issues mentioned throughout this topic. This was an issue that a very large cruise line should have been minimally aware of and possibly mentioned when covering the disembarkation process.

 

We are fans of Celebrity as evidenced by our elite plus status but this cruise was sub par and out of the norm. 

Edited October 27, 2022 by Sascol

[julia]

Without knowing the circumstances, not having a line of taxi's to jump into following a cruise is just bizarre!  It's yet another breakdown in the service industry, post Covid, and it's sad.

Thx @Sascolfor sharing the ups and downs of your trip with us.

[NMTraveller]

6 hours ago, Sascol said:

One last thought on this topic before I leave it...

 

This may not be entirely on Celebrity but the cherry on the sundae happened upon disembarkation.  We have disembarked at Cape Liberty several times so we know the process of getting a cab to the airport.  Get off the ship, go across the street to the taxi/shuttle area and hop in a cab.  Usually takes 10 minutes.  Not so this time.  After we disembarked we waited in the on and off rain, uncovered for TWO HOURS waiting to get a cab along with hundreds of other people.  We made the flight from Newark that we booked through Celebrity literally by the skin of our teeth.  Not sure what the issue was but there was NO flow of cabs or shuttles in and out like there usually are.  

 

There is a certain segment of society that just never returned to work after covid.  Not sure how they survive,  but one would think sooner or later they would burn through their free money.  We see the same staffing issues at Vegas casinos.

 

I always book a ride service in the NYC area as the cabbies are the worst.  I once had a cabbie drop me off 3 blocks away from my hotel in the rain.  Last time we booked the ride service through Celebrity.

Edited October 27, 2022 by NMTraveller

[Andrewgary]

11 hours ago, NMTraveller said:

 

 

I always book a ride service in the NYC area as the cabbies are the worst.  I once had a cabbie drop me off 3 blocks away from my hotel in the rain.  

So you once had a bad experience so NYC cabbies are the worst. Riiiight. Way to put down thousands and thousands of hard working people.

[Floridamarie]

originally posted on the boards to this cruise till I found this site with a vaster audience.  We did try to hire UBER , we held for 60 minutes without a single driver responding.  Lucky those that got one in 15 minutes ….

 

We just completed this FABULOUS cruise, despite any issues with weather or internet.  The BIGGEST issue is disembarkation in Bayonne.  
 

getting off the ship was quick and easy.  Getting transportation from there was a nightmare.  It’s been easier in a third world country.  The lack of registered/official cabs is inexcusable.  There were none.  The signage of where to go did not exist.  No standard rates posted.  Uber was not available.  
 

this is an important feature.  One that completes the entire cruise experience.  We understand the cruise line does not control this.  They do have great influence over port amenities-look at what they haveaccomplished throughout the Caribbean.

[NMTraveller]

34 minutes ago, Andrewgary said:

So you once had a bad experience so NYC cabbies are the worst. Riiiight. Way to put down thousands and thousands of hard working people.

Not one bad experience but multiple bad experiences.  I could list them all.  Nothing but a car service for me in Jersey or NYC.  I am done dealing with the mess.  I have not had what I would call a good cab experience in NYC or Jersey. 

 

The car services have been professional and got me where I was going without issue.

Edited October 27, 2022 by NMTraveller

[hcat]

Thread has morphed...less about BEYOND, more about Bayonne port.maybe conversation  should move to Port Board.

 

Port has had many  past  issues with parking.

Cars were routinely spray painted due to proximity of outdoor lot to commercial docks..that I believe has been rectified when things were moved around.

 

Used to be a terrible roadway into the port area and bad outdoor parking surface,..hope by now fixed.

 

Last time there it was not a good traffic  flow....long line to drop luggage and another long line circllng back to park.uncontrolled chaos..

 

To  their credit..one time upon return to port, cars and lots were covered with snow..they lent  shovels so folks could dig out,

 

 

 

 

[hcat]

Those who have used  Bayonne port  understand the issues.  It has been  improved but is what it is...Red Hook Brooklyn  port area also out of main flow but we found it easier..( QM 2)

 

Were there any other BEYOND issues to report frim the crossing?

Now following 2 live from threads....

[Sebastien V]

Hello to all,

After having read all the messages above, I thought it would be useful to refocus on the main subject, the transatlantic cruise on the Celebrity Beyond, and to propose our experience, necessarily subjective. First of all, this is my first message on this platform, and our experience of cruises in general is quite limited. Before the pandemic, we had traveled twice with RCCL. Enchanted by the experience, we had several projects in Asia in 2020-2021, which were each time cancelled for reasons we all know. So we left with an extraordinary desire to travel.

You will also excuse the language mistakes: I am a French speaker.

The transatlantic trip itself was disrupted by particularly bad weather for two days, which others have already explained. I am especially sorry for the other travelers and for the crew members who got sick, because for me it was not a problem. I was expecting this kind of situation. Maybe even worse. I had been warned that the Atlantic was a stormy ocean.

We met so many kind and interesting people on board this ship that the desire to cruise only grew stronger. Cruises also allow me to disconnect for a while from a exhausting work life. Not being able to access my emails or receive any messages on my cell phone is an incredible luxury in this day and age. The transatlantic aspect reinforces these two elements.

On the other hand, I am really disappointed by the lack of staff on board. This lack was felt everywhere. Those who had not booked the specialty restaurants weeks in advance, as we did, were unable to reserve a table. The MDR was on the verge of dying some nights, with a staff that kept its kindness despite the terrible conditions. Waiting times in most bars at night were nothing like what we had experienced on RCCL. Perhaps the fact that all passengers had a drink package accentuated this. 

 

I hope that all this is not an omen of the evolution of cruises towards a policy aimed exclusively at profit. Or maybe I have an idealistic view of things.

By the way, we were also victims of the total unpreparedness of the cab services upon arrival. We too waited for a good two hours, under the yelling of an overwhelmed staff. We even saw an ulcerated passenger try to hit one of these staff members with her bag - an inexcusable thing. We paid $110 excluding tip to be driven with another couple to our hotel in Manhattan. But we don't blame Celebrity. We would simply have appreciated better communication between the port authorities, the ship owner and the cab companies. Such a communication is in the interest of all actors.

Will we travel with this company again in the future? If the price is right, and the destination suits us, probably. But Celebrity did not convince us to give them exclusivity.

Seb

[hcat]

Thanks for your well written short review..Appreciate getting the thread back on track.

 

Did anyone experience "cabin creak"?

[Oceangoer2]

2 hours ago, Sebastien V said:

Hello to all,

After having read all the messages above, I thought it would be useful to refocus on the main subject, the transatlantic cruise on the Celebrity Beyond, and to propose our experience, necessarily subjective. First of all, this is my first message on this platform, and our experience of cruises in general is quite limited. Before the pandemic, we had traveled twice with RCCL. Enchanted by the experience, we had several projects in Asia in 2020-2021, which were each time cancelled for reasons we all know. So we left with an extraordinary desire to travel.

You will also excuse the language mistakes: I am a French speaker.

The transatlantic trip itself was disrupted by particularly bad weather for two days, which others have already explained. I am especially sorry for the other travelers and for the crew members who got sick, because for me it was not a problem. I was expecting this kind of situation. Maybe even worse. I had been warned that the Atlantic was a stormy ocean.

We met so many kind and interesting people on board this ship that the desire to cruise only grew stronger. Cruises also allow me to disconnect for a while from a exhausting work life. Not being able to access my emails or receive any messages on my cell phone is an incredible luxury in this day and age. The transatlantic aspect reinforces these two elements.

On the other hand, I am really disappointed by the lack of staff on board. This lack was felt everywhere. Those who had not booked the specialty restaurants weeks in advance, as we did, were unable to reserve a table. The MDR was on the verge of dying some nights, with a staff that kept its kindness despite the terrible conditions. Waiting times in most bars at night were nothing like what we had experienced on RCCL. Perhaps the fact that all passengers had a drink package accentuated this. 

 

I hope that all this is not an omen of the evolution of cruises towards a policy aimed exclusively at profit. Or maybe I have an idealistic view of things.

By the way, we were also victims of the total unpreparedness of the cab services upon arrival. We too waited for a good two hours, under the yelling of an overwhelmed staff. We even saw an ulcerated passenger try to hit one of these staff members with her bag - an inexcusable thing. We paid $110 excluding tip to be driven with another couple to our hotel in Manhattan. But we don't blame Celebrity. We would simply have appreciated better communication between the port authorities, the ship owner and the cab companies. Such a communication is in the interest of all actors.

Will we travel with this company again in the future? If the price is right, and the destination suits us, probably. But Celebrity did not convince us to give them exclusivity.

Seb

Tres Bon!  Votre Anglais c'est super.....my french.. non le mien.  i hope you give CELEBRITY another chance under better conditions.

[verizon]

2 hours ago, Sebastien V said:

Hello to all,

After having read all the messages above, I thought it would be useful to refocus on the main subject, the transatlantic cruise on the Celebrity Beyond, and to propose our experience, necessarily subjective. First of all, this is my first message on this platform, and our experience of cruises in general is quite limited. Before the pandemic, we had traveled twice with RCCL. Enchanted by the experience, we had several projects in Asia in 2020-2021, which were each time cancelled for reasons we all know. So we left with an extraordinary desire to travel.

You will also excuse the language mistakes: I am a French speaker.

The transatlantic trip itself was disrupted by particularly bad weather for two days, which others have already explained. I am especially sorry for the other travelers and for the crew members who got sick, because for me it was not a problem. I was expecting this kind of situation. Maybe even worse. I had been warned that the Atlantic was a stormy ocean.

We met so many kind and interesting people on board this ship that the desire to cruise only grew stronger. Cruises also allow me to disconnect for a while from a exhausting work life. Not being able to access my emails or receive any messages on my cell phone is an incredible luxury in this day and age. The transatlantic aspect reinforces these two elements.

On the other hand, I am really disappointed by the lack of staff on board. This lack was felt everywhere. Those who had not booked the specialty restaurants weeks in advance, as we did, were unable to reserve a table. The MDR was on the verge of dying some nights, with a staff that kept its kindness despite the terrible conditions. Waiting times in most bars at night were nothing like what we had experienced on RCCL. Perhaps the fact that all passengers had a drink package accentuated this. 

 

I hope that all this is not an omen of the evolution of cruises towards a policy aimed exclusively at profit. Or maybe I have an idealistic view of things.

By the way, we were also victims of the total unpreparedness of the cab services upon arrival. We too waited for a good two hours, under the yelling of an overwhelmed staff. We even saw an ulcerated passenger try to hit one of these staff members with her bag - an inexcusable thing. We paid $110 excluding tip to be driven with another couple to our hotel in Manhattan. But we don't blame Celebrity. We would simply have appreciated better communication between the port authorities, the ship owner and the cab companies. Such a communication is in the interest of all actors.

Will we travel with this company again in the future? If the price is right, and the destination suits us, probably. But Celebrity did not convince us to give them exclusivity.

Seb

Don’t you think you are lucky that you don’t have a creaking cabin ?

I do hope there is a thread that we can fill in what cabins are creaking so other future cruiser won’t fall into it.

[Sascol]

3 hours ago, Sebastien V said:

By the way, we were also victims of the total unpreparedness of the cab services upon arrival. We too waited for a good two hours, under the yelling of an overwhelmed staff. We even saw an ulcerated passenger try to hit one of these staff members with her bag - an inexcusable thing. 

Seb

Welcome to the forum. We saw this outburst too. Truly unacceptable. There were about 4 or 5 folks doing their best to get the taxis and shuttles organized. Most people waiting were surprisingly patient but the woman you referenced was way out of line and out of control.  

Edited October 28, 2022 by Sascol

[Sascol]

20 minutes ago, verizon said:

Don’t you think you are lucky that you don’t have a creaking cabin ?

I do hope there is a thread that we can fill in what cabins are creaking so other future cruiser won’t fall into it.

8302.  Worst we have ever had. It was literally as loud as the cabin door closing all night long. 

[verizon]

10 minutes ago, Sascol said:

8302.  Worst we have ever had. It was literally as loud as the cabin door closing all night long. 

11100 and 8259

i need to use ear plug to sleep.

I am now at 10100 is OK but there are dead spot in the bathroom for WIFI

Edited October 28, 2022 by verizon

[middlehaitch]

Thanks for the interesting review and comments.

If anyone wishes to pass on the information for your cabin, creaking etc, why not fill in the information in the thread below.

@verizon thought this may interest you.

 

Cheers, h 🥂

[carolina_yankee]

It will be interesting to hear reports of the Beyond’s next voyages to see if staffing (i.e., dining service and bar wait times) improve. I fear it’s going to be hard to fully staff ships for quite some time both with new ships coming online and and the trend of worker visas becoming more challenging. From reading several of the boards as I gear up for some upcoming cruises, it also seems to be affecting all cruise lines, randomly by ship and passenger load. Customers will put up with it the first time if they see the staff trying “because COVID,” but a new trend will certainly turn them off.

 

On DCL pre-pandemic, I was quite miffed with the wine service in the dining rooms. I never could manage to order more than one glass of wine, and if I started with a glass, it wouldn’t come until the entree. And this is a ship that doesn’t have drinks packages so has every incentive to sell.  They apparently had moved to having servers cover more tables, which of course, means poorer service. It was noticeable and another reason why we are “post-Disney.” Penny-pinching at the expense of the guest doesn’t work.

 

I’ve only ever used my own transportation (car, rental, car service) or ship transport at a port, but it would seem that the port managers have every incentive to make sure there is easy access to transportation for wherever guests are likely to want to go (airports, NYC in the case of Bayonne).

 

My cruising approach for the next couple of years is “hope for the best and prepare for the worst” (or at least prepare to be self-entertaining and flexible with conditions).

 

[Sascol]

5 hours ago, carolina_yankee said:

It will be interesting to hear reports of the Beyond’s next voyages to see if staffing (i.e., dining service and bar wait times) improve. I fear it’s going to be hard to fully staff ships for quite some time both with new ships coming online and and the trend of worker visas becoming more challenging. From reading several of the boards as I gear up for some upcoming cruises, it also seems to be affecting all cruise lines, randomly by ship and passenger load. Customers will put up with it the first time if they see the staff trying “because COVID,” but a new trend will certainly turn them off.

 

 

There lies the issue. Cruise lines need to STOP accepting new bookings when they realize planned staffing can’t handle additional passengers. Sure this impacts profit per voyage but if this continues they risk losing repeat passengers (like us) on future cruises because we fear the same problems repeating themselves. They’re shooting themselves in the foot and risking long term profit.   

[carolina_yankee]

30 minutes ago, Sascol said:

There lies the issue. Cruise lines need to STOP accepting new bookings when they realize planned staffing can’t handle additional passengers. Sure this impacts profit per voyage but if this continues they risk losing repeat passengers (like us) on future cruises because we fear the same problems repeating themselves. They’re shooting themselves in the foot and risking long term profit.   

I wonder if they know how well staffed the ship will be. That is, are they hitting their hiring goals, or expecting to have the staff only to hit last minute delays? I do want to give them the benefit of the doubt because the premium lines know their reputations rest on quality. Then again, if their hiring forecast show they can only handle a certain amount, then they should cap at that amount until they. Know they can up their forecast. The problem is if they are losing staff that they don’t anticipate losing.

 

We also don’t know how many crew are off the field due to COVID, so they have the numbers, but they aren’t available to work.

[NMTraveller]

2 hours ago, Sascol said:

There lies the issue. Cruise lines need to STOP accepting new bookings when they realize planned staffing can’t handle additional passengers. Sure this impacts profit per voyage but if this continues they risk losing repeat passengers (like us) on future cruises because we fear the same problems repeating themselves. They’re shooting themselves in the foot and risking long term profit.   

Perhaps I missed it in the long thread, but were you sailing in a suite or  non-suite?  There is a big difference here for E class ...

 

If you were in a suite this is a valid complaint.  If in a non-suite it is to be expected...

Edited October 29, 2022 by NMTraveller

[Sascol]

6 hours ago, NMTraveller said:

Perhaps I missed it in the long thread, but were you sailing in a suite or  non-suite?  There is a big difference here for E class ...

 

If you were in a suite this is a valid complaint.  If in a non-suite it is to be expected...

Non suite for us but this type service is to be expected??  Sorry but no. 

Edited October 29, 2022 by Sascol