Celebrity at a crossroads

[markeb]

1 hour ago, TeeRick said:

Why do you say 50 and up?  I think anybody over 30 is more the case.  

 

Honestly, I don't think they're segmenting or targeting on age at all. Everyone laughed a few years back when their marketing material got out and they described their target cruiser. It wasn't based on age at all. It was behavior and obviously a level of affluence. The level of affluence coupled with an interest in cruising probably does raise the age a bit, but I'd consider that incidental. And I also thought it was a "to be" look, not an "as is."

 

There's a much more interesting question in whether their customer retention program (Captain's Club) is over rewarding past purchases with benefits that actually discourage future spending on high profit additions (drink packages, Wi-Fi, suites). Not to mention less likely to buy other high profit items like ship's excursions, photo packages, etc.

 

(Ducks the incoming artillery.)

[cgolf1]

I think the wife and I fit into the demo they are looking at, 40s, who will likely stick with Celebrity for a while. The only issue they likely don't like about us is that when we started cruising we weren't in a spot we could spend a lot of money on rooms or high price upgrades onboard, minus the Disney cruise hoodies I still wear and are in my closet;). We did try suite class at some point and said not for us along with specialty dining.

 

Now all my reviews are the thrifty cruiser, because even though we can now afford much better we actually found that we prefer sailing in inside rooms, and still can do without the dining or a drink package.

 

One thing they will always get us for though is the excursions. On one of our first cruises they held the ship because our ship based excursion was quite late. I now we could save money doing it on our own, but removing all worries on a cruise is worth a little extra to us.

 

I have always wondered if cruise lines would prefer that people like us find another way to vacation;)

[binro01]

20 minutes ago, cgolf1 said:

I have always wondered if cruise lines would prefer that people like us find another way to vacation;)

Nope! They love you. Loyalty is key. They always figure that one day when you have more disposable income, a suite might be preferred even if not for you right now. Tastes and people change over time. They also see people who are thrifty like a good deal, thus the All Inclusive package. Maybe not now for you but one day you might say.. Well lets give it a try... And they get a pretty high recidivism rate there after.. They just want you to have them as their preferred vendor.

[binro01]

48 minutes ago, markeb said:

Honestly, I don't think they're segmenting or targeting on age at all

Well, I went through all of Celebrity's training as a travel agent. They target a demographic and age. Its in all their training materials that are sales focused.

[markeb]

3 minutes ago, binro01 said:

Well, I went through all of Celebrity's training as a travel agent. They target a demographic and age. Its in all their training materials that are sales focused.

That’s interesting. Some of their public materials haven’t really been age focused, but I don’t see what you see. And some of that was probably when Edge first came online and before the pandemic. 
 

Thanks. 

[basenji56]

57 minutes ago, markeb said:

There's a much more interesting question in whether their customer retention program (Captain's Club) is over rewarding past purchases with benefits that actually discourage future spending on high profit additions (drink packages, Wi-Fi, suites). Not to mention less likely to buy other high profit items like ship's excursions, photo packages, etc.

 

(Ducks the incoming artillery.)

I view the Captain Club extras on Celebrity as minimal (bag of laundry, two hour cocktail party, discounts on overpriced Wifi).  But I suppose some people will not book another cruise line because they like to get those "freebies."  

 

I doubt you will find one Captains Club member who feels "over-rewarded."

 

 

[NMTraveller]

5 hours ago, C4HCG said:

My ignorance here but what do you mean by “degraded ships”?  What on them has been degraded? Are you referring to e-class that you then describe as downgraded? I have said elsewhere never sailed on e-class and no plans to for now but would be great to get your advice from your experience on why they are not good as we don’t and won’t sail in suites.

1.  The lack of real balconies.  The IVs ARE NOT balconies.

2.  The lack of a forward facing bridge type view such as the Sky Lounge.

3.  The total lack of views in general around the ship.  The E class ships have inward facing views and not many outward facing views except for the rear.  Compared to S class E class is Helen Keller.  I do not get on a cruise to look at fancy shops that I will not shop in.  I would like windows to see the views outside.

4.  We found E class to be loud and shouty.  Especially in places like Fine Cuts where you get the noise from below.

5.  In general there are not as many small intimate places to get a drink,  more large places such as Martini Bar where you will wait to get  a drink.

6.  The Magic Carpet is overhyped.  It is nice for tendering,  but gets too windy when the ship is moving.

7.  The E class theater is nicer than S class, but where are the acts?  

8.  The E class lacks quite a bit of grandiosity.  On S class you can look up and see the libraries, and other levels all of the way to the top.  On E class you feel more boxed in on many levels.

9.  I could go on and list another 10 or so more reasons but those are many of the reasons why I try to stay away from E class.

 

Edited March 23, 2023 by NMTraveller

[ISABELLA]

We have been sailing with Celebrity for 30 years. Always loved what Celebrity had to offer. 

Our last cruise on Equinox last March was first after pandemic. We had wonderful cruise, didn't pay much attention to what was missing from cruising prior. We had to cancel 2 more cruises last year and after reading a lot complains about " cut corners" and changes and higher prices, we decided to try something new - NCL Haven suites. I will report back if we will be coming back to X or find something else. BTW - cost of the Haven suite was less than AQ for the same number of days.

[C4HCG]

6 hours ago, NMTraveller said:

1.  The lack of real balconies.  The IVs ARE NOT balconies.

2.  The lack of a forward facing bridge type view such as the Sky Lounge.

3.  The total lack of views in general around the ship.  The E class ships have inward facing views and not many outward facing views except for the rear.  Compared to S class E class is Helen Keller.  I do not get on a cruise to look at fancy shops that I will not shop in.  I would like windows to see the views outside.

4.  We found E class to be loud and shouty.  Especially in places like Fine Cuts where you get the noise from below.

5.  In general there are not as many small intimate places to get a drink,  more large places such as Martini Bar where you will wait to get  a drink.

6.  The Magic Carpet is overhyped.  It is nice for tendering,  but gets too windy when the ship is moving.

7.  The E class theater is nicer than S class, but where are the acts?  

8.  The E class lacks quite a bit of grandiosity.  On S class you can look up and see the libraries, and other levels all of the way to the top.  On E class you feel more boxed in on many levels.

9.  I could go on and list another 10 or so more reasons but those are many of the reasons why I try to stay away from E class.

 

Thanks for the clarification. We’ve not been e-class and not tempted to yet, s class still a novelty to us and agree about their grandiosity and the openness of the central area. I am sure one day we will take the plunge but given yours and other reviews it will be a risky decision but who knows we may love it. 

[cw2go]

3 hours ago, C4HCG said:

Thanks for the clarification. We’ve not been e-class and not tempted to yet, s class still a novelty to us and agree about their grandiosity and the openness of the central area. I am sure one day we will take the plunge but given yours and other reviews it will be a risky decision but who knows we may love it. 

I honestly believe with your "Glass Half Full" approach to Celebrity and cruising in general that you'll enjoy Eclass more than you think.There are always going to be pros and cons between ship classes. I am sure lists can be made between S & M just the same.

 

If you enjoy pools or open spaces Eclass is well laid out. The sunset bar is so much nicer than others and the rooftop garden has plenty of seating spread out.

I'm not in any way trying to convince anyone that one class is superior to another just saying after my first sailing on Beyond post pandemic, there were many things I liked as well as a few that I didn't. 

 

I have cruises booked on M and S and E class ships for the next year. I like the variety and mostly focus on itinerary. IMO there's no one size fits all, you'll never find any ship/cruise line that delivers 100% of what we want unless we sail on a private yacht. 😊

 

Celebrity gives us all many options between ships and entertainment which imo is a good thing. Take the overall good with the minimal bad and sail on! 

 

Patty 

[Gishua_]

As many have said, I think it’s the cruisers you are complaining about. 
 

South Florida departures + shorter cruises + school holidays = a certain crowd. Try a different market, different itinerary or longer cruise.  
 

Also you lost me at “eats friend food” & rude people. I have never been on a cruise where there haven’t seen rude people. (Line jumpers, seat hoarders, seat stealers, entitled of all ages)

[Josie201]

This thread got me thinking and inspired to give my two cents worth. 

 

We are mid-60's and long time cruisers.  X is our preferred line and we are E plus with several cruises of various lengths, itineraries, etc. under our belt, starting back on the Century.  We loved M class, we still love S class.  When the Edge came out, we said no not for us, but then we booked a sunset veranda and loved the ship (we are not suite passengers so far, except for mini-suites back in the day on Princess).  We really did not expect to like Edge as much as we did, though there were some things we missed from S. Class.  We often cruise with a couple of our nieces who are 20 somethings.  They give us a different perspective than when we are cruising solo.  There are things we do when with them (Sky Lounge late night) that we don't do on our own. 

 

This fall we are taking an extended family cruise, including four thirty-somethings who have never cruised before.  We will be on the Beyond, and I know they will be blown away.  They won't complain about no prime rib (I might...) or the diminished evening buffet (I might....) or the lack of free room service (I might .....) because it will all be new to them.  They will marvel at the chic decor, the friendly staff, the service standards, the mostly all included drinks, the great food and selection, the various types of bars (Martini for chic, Craft Social for beer, Eden for vibes, etc.)  But, I doubt they would select a cruise again as their regular vacation option, just because it might not be their thing, nor do they want to get "tied down" to only one type of vacation.  Maybe I'll be proven wrong.   As for DH and I, we will work hard not to keep saying "you used to be able to get room service for free", or "you used to be able to get as many lobster tails as you wanted for free" and enjoy the experience through their new eyes which we know will be filled with awe, enjoyment and respect for what cruising is now. 

 

[TeeRick]

1 minute ago, Josie201 said:

This thread got me thinking and inspired to give my two cents worth. 

 

We are mid-60's and long time cruisers.  X is our preferred line and we are E plus with several cruises of various lengths, itineraries, etc. under our belt, starting back on the Century.  We loved M class, we still love S class.  When the Edge came out, we said no not for us, but then we booked a sunset veranda and loved the ship (we are not suite passengers so far, except for mini-suites back in the day on Princess).  We really did not expect to like Edge as much as we did, though there were some things we missed from S. Class.  We often cruise with a couple of our nieces who are 20 somethings.  They give us a different perspective than when we are cruising solo.  There are things we do when with them (Sky Lounge late night) that we don't do on our own. 

 

This fall we are taking an extended family cruise, including four thirty-somethings who have never cruised before.  We will be on the Beyond, and I know they will be blown away.  They won't complain about no prime rib (I might...) or the diminished evening buffet (I might....) or the lack of free room service (I might .....) because it will all be new to them.  They will marvel at the chic decor, the friendly staff, the service standards, the mostly all included drinks, the great food and selection, the various types of bars (Martini for chic, Craft Social for beer, Eden for vibes, etc.)  But, I doubt they would select a cruise again as their regular vacation option, just because it might not be their thing, nor do they want to get "tied down" to only one type of vacation.  Maybe I'll be proven wrong.   As for DH and I, we will work hard not to keep saying "you used to be able to get room service for free", or "you used to be able to get as many lobster tails as you wanted for free" and enjoy the experience through their new eyes which we know will be filled with awe, enjoyment and respect for what cruising is now. 

 

If I were taking 30-something family members on their first cruise I would also choose an E-Class ship.

[basenji56]

A friend of mine is cruising (for the first time) on a Carnival ship.  She just sent this to me: "I really love being able to choose what to eat without shopping cooking or cleaning.,,not having to make beds..."

 

 

Edited March 23, 2023 by basenji56

[TeeRick]

1 minute ago, basenji56 said:

A friend of mine is cruising (for the first time) on a Carnival ship.  She just sent this to me: "I really love being able to choose what to eat without shopping cooking or cleaning.,,not having to make beds..."

 

 

With all the cruising we have done over a lifetime, this quote also directly applies to us - no matter the cruiseline!

[Josie201]

Also just wanted to add, we are booked in six SVs along the back of Deck 10.  So the new cruisers won't get to experience the IV that so many comment on - personally I don't think DH and I would like it in the Caribbean for sure, or likely anywhere.   We enjoy coffee, reading, ocean watching, happy hour and late night on our balcony with shorts, PJs or blankets on.  In other words, we're balcony people!

[basenji56]

6 minutes ago, Josie201 said:

Also just wanted to add, we are booked in six SVs along the back of Deck 10.  So the new cruisers won't get to experience the IV that so many comment on - personally I don't think DH and I would like it in the Caribbean for sure, or likely anywhere.   We enjoy coffee, reading, ocean watching, happy hour and late night on our balcony with shorts, PJs or blankets on.  In other words, we're balcony people!

I agree.  Not a fan.  Last time I tried it, it wasn't horrible. But I hate fussing with the button to open and close the window and I don't like dealing with the sliding glass doors.  And if you don't close the sliding doors, the cabin gets too hot.

 

I have started sailing on newer Royal Caribbean ships because I prefer the real balcony.

 

[riredsox]

13 hours ago, NMTraveller said:

1.  The lack of real balconies.  The IVs ARE NOT balconies.

2.  The lack of a forward facing bridge type view such as the Sky Lounge.

3.  The total lack of views in general around the ship.  The E class ships have inward facing views and not many outward facing views except for the rear.  Compared to S class E class is Helen Keller.  I do not get on a cruise to look at fancy shops that I will not shop in.  I would like windows to see the views outside.

4.  We found E class to be loud and shouty.  Especially in places like Fine Cuts where you get the noise from below.

5.  In general there are not as many small intimate places to get a drink,  more large places such as Martini Bar where you will wait to get  a drink.

6.  The Magic Carpet is overhyped.  It is nice for tendering,  but gets too windy when the ship is moving.

7.  The E class theater is nicer than S class, but where are the acts?  

8.  The E class lacks quite a bit of grandiosity.  On S class you can look up and see the libraries, and other levels all of the way to the top.  On E class you feel more boxed in on many levels.

9.  I could go on and list another 10 or so more reasons but those are many of the reasons why I try to stay away from E class.

 

One good thing about E class ships is now I will pay only for an Ocean View cabin.  Let’s face it most cabins are OV only some windows go up and down.  The worst thing Celebrity ever did was build these ships with those ridiculous windows.  Not even close to a veranda, infinite or otherwise.  And definitely agree they need many more windows in the bars and lounges around the ship.  

[ABoatNerd]

I was a Celebrity patron from 2001 to 2018, that is along time. During those years Celebrity was the Oceania of the day.

I have moved on to the premium and luxury lines for 5 main reasons:

1) The class apartheid - suites versus no suites. Not interested, despite being well able to afford suite class. I despise the Segregation and lack of ability to meet the guests on this ship. 

2) The inward focus on their new ships - As others have said, no forward lounge, fewer balconies, less and less open space. It is of course designed to keep the passenger inward looking and spending $. 

3) Too big, not interested in big ships which are nothing more than an apartment building, related to point 2) above

4) Too fake, Celebrity has deliberately minimized the relationship with the sea, related to point 2) above. The Eden with smoke etc simply is beyond fake

5) Destroying cruising traditions. Recently read that the afternoon tea, which used to be in the Sky Lounge on the Zenith and Millie class, is now totally gone. Not even tea sandwiches, scones in the cafeteria. On Oceania, Cunard this tradition remains.

The Connie is my favorite vessel and I may book her and the Millie class some time.

Otherwise, I, like many, have moved away from Celebrity.

 

[Toftwood]

For what it's worth I firmly believe that the duration of the cruise is so often the determining factor.  We would never normally consider a cruise that was less than 10 days and as a result have never encountered ill-mannered and poorly behaved passengers.  In contrast, friends of ours have taken a couple of short cruises (5-7 nights) recently and found that quite a few fellow passengers fell short of the mark in knowing how to conduct themselves.  I do also question the integrity of the staff who it seems are happy to serve passengers who are clearly inebriated.  

 

This makes me sound aloof and above myself which I don't believe I am. 

[C4HCG]

34 minutes ago, Toftwood said:

do also question the integrity of the staff who it seems are happy to serve passengers who are clearly inebriated.  

I would serve them too, not worth what might ensue if they didn’t and above their pay grade to in my opinion. Since I could legally drink which is c40 years, I dont recall many occasions at all when I have seen bar staff refuse service for drunkenness, single figures. And on each occasion it’s resulted in aggression and sometimes violence. 

[NutsAboutGolf]

17 hours ago, markeb said:

 

Honestly, I don't think they're segmenting or targeting on age at all. Everyone laughed a few years back when their marketing material got out and they described their target cruiser. It wasn't based on age at all. It was behavior and obviously a level of affluence. The level of affluence coupled with an interest in cruising probably does raise the age a bit, but I'd consider that incidental. And I also thought it was a "to be" look, not an "as is."

 

There's a much more interesting question in whether their customer retention program (Captain's Club) is over rewarding past purchases with benefits that actually discourage future spending on high profit additions (drink packages, Wi-Fi, suites). Not to mention less likely to buy other high profit items like ship's excursions, photo packages, etc.

 

(Ducks the incoming artillery.)

 

From what I've read folks do not think it's rewarding enough; we do have to remember after other cruise lines their biggest competition are AI resorts and not to mention most hotels all over the world include fast free wifi.  X does something Carnival doesn't, gives you more loyalty points per room category

[chamima]

1 hour ago, Toftwood said:

  I do also question the integrity of the staff who it seems are happy to serve passengers who are clearly inebriated.  

 

 

 

47 minutes ago, C4HCG said:

I would serve them too, not worth what might ensue if they didn’t and above their pay grade to in my opinion. Since I could legally drink which is c40 years, I dont recall many occasions at all when I have seen bar staff refuse service for drunkenness, single figures. And on each occasion it’s resulted in aggression and sometimes violence. 

 

 

I actually had that discussion with a bartender after the incident of the "gentleman in only his bathrobe" I mentioned earlier in this thread. He was obviously extremely inebriated and I asked about calling security. I was told that is only done if his behavior had been threatening, etc. The crew have training on when to take action and when it's not necessary.

[jmfdr]

16 hours ago, NMTraveller said:

1.  The lack of real balconies.  The IVs ARE NOT balconies.

2.  The lack of a forward facing bridge type view such as the Sky Lounge.

3.  The total lack of views in general around the ship.  The E class ships have inward facing views and not many outward facing views except for the rear.  Compared to S class E class is Helen Keller.  I do not get on a cruise to look at fancy shops that I will not shop in.  I would like windows to see the views outside.

4.  We found E class to be loud and shouty.  Especially in places like Fine Cuts where you get the noise from below.

5.  In general there are not as many small intimate places to get a drink,  more large places such as Martini Bar where you will wait to get  a drink.

6.  The Magic Carpet is overhyped.  It is nice for tendering,  but gets too windy when the ship is moving.

7.  The E class theater is nicer than S class, but where are the acts?  

8.  The E class lacks quite a bit of grandiosity.  On S class you can look up and see the libraries, and other levels all of the way to the top.  On E class you feel more boxed in on many levels.

9.  I could go on and list another 10 or so more reasons but those are many of the reasons why I try to stay away from E class.

 

I am with you 100%.  We will never go on another E class ship.  Your #2 reason is what frustrates me the most.  I really missed the forward facing lounge.  This was always our favorite place for evening drinks and daytime reading.  Now it seems that forward area is designated for suite guests, but I am not sure in what configuration---pool deck, lounge etc----since I am not allowed in that area,

[MustBCruzn]

4 hours ago, Josie201 said:

This fall we are taking an extended family cruise, including four thirty-somethings who have never cruised before.  We will be on the Beyond, and I know they will be blown away.  They won't complain about no prime rib (I might...) or the diminished evening buffet (I might....) or the lack of free room service (I might .....) because it will all be new to them.  They will marvel at the chic decor, the friendly staff, the service standards, the mostly all included drinks, the great food and selection, the various types of bars (Martini for chic, Craft Social for beer, Eden for vibes, etc.)  But, I doubt they would select a cruise again as their regular vacation option, just because it might not be their thing, nor do they want to get "tied down" to only one type of vacation.  Maybe I'll be proven wrong.   

 

 

Our two early-30's children were blown away by their 2 E-class cruises this past January. They have many S and M-Class cruises under their belt, but are now sworn E-class converts. It was the first cruise for thier travel companions (also early 30's), and they came back addicted to cruising and the E-class. They all had a fabulous time and are still talking about it.