Is anyone at Celebrity, Listening?

[jelayne]

3 hours ago, Mike981 said:

 

Oh I don't dispute what you are saying Nuts.

 

What I am talking about is when the cruise lines water down the perks you receive for your lifetime status and it is much different from what you received before. The very things that motivated a person to spend $$$$ to try to achieve their status, have been severely diminished or taken away.  If memory serves, this started before Covid.

 

I understand it is all about the money, I just don't think it's cool to punish some of your best customers.

Airlines and hotels are doing the same.  A flight that required 40K miles last year is now78K.  Frequent flyer  benefits are diluted as they add higher tiers.
The hotel that offered a room for 25K points now wants 45K points. 

[dlh015]

23 hours ago, tfred said:

Las Vegas figured out years ago that the idea of low rate, high volume with $8.99 Prime rib buffets...

Ah, the good old days...I took advantage of many of them there buffets...drowning my sorrows from the blackjack tables...

[dlh015]

23 hours ago, markeb said:

Not if it results in higher ROE for stockholders. 

And them's the facts, pure and simple...

[dlh015]

45 minutes ago, jelayne said:

Airlines and hotels are doing the same.  A flight that required 40K miles last year is now78K.  Frequent flyer  benefits are diluted as they add higher tiers.
The hotel that offered a room for 25K points now wants 45K points. 

Yepper...I now find I should have used some of those miles for the cheap trips...(trips that I'd rather pay cash for and save miles for long haul trips...but not any more...)

[NutsAboutGolf]

50 minutes ago, jelayne said:

Airlines and hotels are doing the same.  A flight that required 40K miles last year is now78K.  Frequent flyer  benefits are diluted as they add higher tiers.
The hotel that offered a room for 25K points now wants 45K points. 

 

Yup, the great international United devaluation that just quietly happened

[phoenix_dream]

On 6/6/2023 at 6:03 PM, NutsAboutGolf said:

Can tender at almost all ports…Most local govts and retail owners want as many passengers as possible, its often the residents who do not

I agree - it's usually the residents who do not.  Sometimes an honest concern and sometimes too much of "not in my backyard".  But the tendering part isn't the concern.  It's the ports themselves that are often more and more and more crowded.  I have sailed primarily out of US ports so am not very familiar with other cruises.  But I know in the Caribbean and these days in Alaska the crowds can really affect the enjoyment of the experience.  Many of these islands and small towns just do not have the capacity to handle the amount of people being offloaded on them.  I'm concerned that more and more ports will start limiting the number of ships due to the huge size of many of the new builds.  Unlike the Montereys and Bar Harbors of the world, they need the income from cruises, but they can only handle so much.  

[phoenix_dream]

On 6/6/2023 at 10:52 AM, ldtr said:

Not all, but a fair number and it is pretty much happening across the board.

 

Cruise prices are up, but not nearly as much as airlines and hotels.  These price increases are not going away and will probably continue until the pricing relationship between cruising and other travel modes are restored.  Even at the increased prices cruises are more of a discount compared to other travel options than in the past. 

 

If one considers these prices to be too high to cruise then I guess their cruising days are pretty much over.

 

 

And related to your last statement, that's really a shame.  I can speak for myself - in my early 70's, love to cruise, love Celebrity, but just can't afford to take as many cruises as I have since retirement.  So while my cruising days aren't over, they are more limited.  Sadly, by the time things level off to some semblance of normal (if ever, but I have to think eventually people will start looking at their credit card debt!) I may not be in any condition to cruise, or certainly not to the extent I would like to now.  Land vacations are expensive as well, but I can do a driving land trip including gas, a nice mid-level hotel, and decent food for a lot less than a cruise.  In some cases I can even fly somewhere, rent a car, and still be $$ ahead of cruising.  Granted I am missing out on some of the perks like all the nice entertainment, but still a good time.  Not as good as a cruise, but I am resorting to doing more of that and less of cruising.

[phoenix_dream]

7 hours ago, Mike981 said:

 

Celebrity is not alone. Like a lot of companies, 'loyalty' means very little anymore. I stopped playing the loyalty game years ago, because my timing was horrible. I would get close to a new level and they would move the bar, talking to you Delta.

I truly feel bad for folks that spent $$$$$ and were very loyal to Celebrity over the years, to now become an afterthought. I don't blame then at all for being upset.

I can say for myself that I didn't cruise to attain any loyalty level, but I sure enjoyed it when I got there.  And it is frustrating that some of the perks are diminished.  I finally, finally, finally achieved Zenith last year.  I wish I could have some of the perks it used to have (like entry into the Retreat lounge).  But I have to say I still get a lot.  I get a free cruise, free premium internet, free premium beverage, and unlimited laundry.  Not too shabby (although frustrating when I book a suite and some of the perks are included in my pricing!).

[wineoclock]

Just got off Silhouette on Monday. Was very busy so not quite as premium as usual but was still a good stay. Service wasn’t as good as usual in most areas but understood that because a few staff unwell so pressure was on the ones ok.

 

Were in Aqua for first time & loved Blu. Booked CS on Apex for next year but would have been happy to keep with Aqua if it wasn’t for IV. 
 

Like the product even though it’s not the same as it was pre covid. Most places aren’t the same as things have changed. 

[cgolf1]

12 hours ago, phoenix_dream said:

And related to your last statement, that's really a shame.  I can speak for myself - in my early 70's, love to cruise, love Celebrity, but just can't afford to take as many cruises as I have since retirement.  So while my cruising days aren't over, they are more limited.  Sadly, by the time things level off to some semblance of normal (if ever, but I have to think eventually people will start looking at their credit card debt!) I may not be in any condition to cruise, or certainly not to the extent I would like to now.  Land vacations are expensive as well, but I can do a driving land trip including gas, a nice mid-level hotel, and decent food for a lot less than a cruise.  In some cases I can even fly somewhere, rent a car, and still be $$ ahead of cruising.  Granted I am missing out on some of the perks like all the nice entertainment, but still a good time.  Not as good as a cruise, but I am resorting to doing more of that and less of cruising.

 

We do a few land vacations and even take our own food on long weekend trips to save cash. We don't need to, but I guess it saves some money for retirement eventually if we are allowed to lol. The issue I have with land vacations is there isn't much in the US that is a must see for me, so that limits our options a lot. If I do a land vaca I need it to be a fishing trip or something with a set activity, just looking at a waterfall or something doesn't do much for me. There are some exceptions like the badlands and some nice hiking trails, but yeh on land I get board easily. Which is odd that while on a cruise my whole goal is to be board and relax. Apparently I am complicated.

[Guest ldtr]

13 hours ago, phoenix_dream said:

And related to your last statement, that's really a shame.  I can speak for myself - in my early 70's, love to cruise, love Celebrity, but just can't afford to take as many cruises as I have since retirement.  So while my cruising days aren't over, they are more limited.  Sadly, by the time things level off to some semblance of normal (if ever, but I have to think eventually people will start looking at their credit card debt!) I may not be in any condition to cruise, or certainly not to the extent I would like to now.  Land vacations are expensive as well, but I can do a driving land trip including gas, a nice mid-level hotel, and decent food for a lot less than a cruise.  In some cases I can even fly somewhere, rent a car, and still be $$ ahead of cruising.  Granted I am missing out on some of the perks like all the nice entertainment, but still a good time.  Not as good as a cruise, but I am resorting to doing more of that and less of cruising.

you might check gas prices and the cost of the mid tier hotels.  Both have gone up a lot more than cruise costs  Have seen hotels like Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn Express that used to be less that 200 per night now going for 300 or more.

 

Also many others also traveling and many destinations such as national parks are over crowded.

Edited June 8, 2023 by ldtr

[kirtihk]

6 hours ago, cgolf1 said:

 

We do a few land vacations and even take our own food on long weekend trips to save cash. We don't need to, but I guess it saves some money for retirement eventually if we are allowed to lol. The issue I have with land vacations is there isn't much in the US that is a must see for me, so that limits our options a lot. If I do a land vaca I need it to be a fishing trip or something with a set activity, just looking at a waterfall or something doesn't do much for me. There are some exceptions like the badlands and some nice hiking trails, but yeh on land I get board easily. Which is odd that while on a cruise my whole goal is to be board and relax. Apparently I am complicated.

One way or another, that's the whole goal for the majority of cruise lovers!  Some wouldn't say "to be board", but secretly it's still a similar concept, just in a different sense.

[NutsAboutGolf]

7 hours ago, cgolf1 said:

 

We do a few land vacations and even take our own food on long weekend trips to save cash. We don't need to, but I guess it saves some money for retirement eventually if we are allowed to lol. The issue I have with land vacations is there isn't much in the US that is a must see for me, so that limits our options a lot. If I do a land vaca I need it to be a fishing trip or something with a set activity, just looking at a waterfall or something doesn't do much for me. There are some exceptions like the badlands and some nice hiking trails, but yeh on land I get board easily. Which is odd that while on a cruise my whole goal is to be board and relax. Apparently I am complicated.

 

Sounds like you need to visit the Cancun/Playa Del Carmen/Tulum area, they have AIs (yet often the food isn't great and the drinks are weak) or non-AI resorts beachfront.  Like a cruise, one week could be $400/night and the following $100/night.  We shoot for $150/night, if AI we generally go to restaurants for better food, we prefer Playa Del Carmen as they have a nice downtown area with a lot of restaurants, which is on the water so a lot of boat tours including fishing are all right there

[cgolf1]

3 hours ago, kirtihk said:

One way or another, that's the whole goal for the majority of cruise lovers!  Some wouldn't say "to be board", but secretly it's still a similar concept, just in a different sense.

I don’t know if board is the right word but my mind rarely slows down and I am thinking of the next thing while doing the previous thing or worse talking to someone about something else while thinking ahead. For some reason on a cruise or when I am out fishing my mind slows down which is a very refreshing feeling. When we did Disney and tried to pack in all the activities we could, it was fun but exhausting. Ten nights on the Connie with 600ish people, we mostly hung out on the back deck area with the TV up top and I lost a lot of cribbage games and did a lot of my puzzle book during the day, but that was one of our best cruises ever. We only got off the ship in the Dominican Republic for a short time. 

[cgolf1]

1 hour ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

Sounds like you need to visit the Cancun/Playa Del Carmen/Tulum area, they have AIs (yet often the food isn't great and the drinks are weak) or non-AI resorts beachfront.  Like a cruise, one week could be $400/night and the following $100/night.  We shoot for $150/night, if AI we generally go to restaurants for better food, we prefer Playa Del Carmen as they have a nice downtown area with a lot of restaurants, which is on the water so a lot of boat tours including fishing are all right there

Some day we may try it. Not sure if staring at the ocean from land would be as relaxing as watching it go bye or watching the wake. Sailing into and out of ports is always cool to watch too. 

[kirtihk]

53 minutes ago, cgolf1 said:

I don’t know if board is the right word but my mind rarely slows down and I am thinking of the next thing while doing the previous thing or worse talking to someone about something else while thinking ahead. For some reason on a cruise or when I am out fishing my mind slows down which is a very refreshing feeling. When we did Disney and tried to pack in all the activities we could, it was fun but exhausting. Ten nights on the Connie with 600ish people, we mostly hung out on the back deck area with the TV up top and I lost a lot of cribbage games and did a lot of my puzzle book during the day, but that was one of our best cruises ever. We only got off the ship in the Dominican Republic for a short time. 

Yes, an exact and precise evaluation of cruise life after first 30 (or so) cruises.  We always try to find a balance between a number of port and sea days (our next 16-day Norway cruise that has “only” 4 sea days with booked excursion in all but one port of calls is an exception; it will be “tough” to “survive”).  And we call 7-day cruises “a torture” these days (we still work; so our mind needs to travel for a longer time).

Edited June 8, 2023 by kirtihk

[Mike981]

@cgolf1My wife and I have done many AI trips, all in Jamaica. We have also done many cruises and for us they are different animals. Just like food reviews, they are very subjective and I feel it depends on what you personally need at that time. Both my wife and I have enjoyed the time to just kick back and relax/recharge at an AI, very chill. But there are times we also like cruises for more options, activities and excitement.

FWIW I do enjoy leaving Minnesota and flying to Jamaica and experiencing a 100º temperature swing. We have left home and it was -30º and arrive in Jamaica to +85º. Now coming back home is not so much fun. But being from Wisconsin (go Big Red/Green & Gold) I'm sure you are familiar.

[cgolf1]

1 hour ago, kirtihk said:

Yes, an exact and precise evaluation of cruise life after first 30 (or so) cruises.  We always try to find a balance between a number of port and sea days (our next 16-day Norway cruise that has “only” 4 sea days with booked excursion in all but one port of calls is an exception; it will be “tough” to “survive”).  And we call 7-day cruises “a torture” these days (we still work; so our mind needs to travel for a longer time).

 

Our 7 day Canada/New England cruise only had one sea day, but the ports were all so amazing that we didn't miss the sea days. Wouldn't do every cruise like that but this itinerary was worth it and we are looking to do it again sometime in the future when the weather will be warmer or to catch the fall colors.

 

Norway sounds like it would be a great place to cruise. Hope you have a great trip.

Edited June 9, 2023 by cgolf1

[kirtihk]

42 minutes ago, cgolf1 said:

 

Our 7 day Canada/New England cruise only had one sea day, but the ports were all so amazing that we didn't miss the sea days. Wouldn't do every cruise like that but this itinerary was worth it and we are looking to do it again sometime in the future when the weather will be warmer or to catch the fall colors.

 

Norway sounds like it would be a great place to cruise. Hope you have a great trip.

We leave for that cruise in 2 weeks.  Then at end of August we have 7-day cruise you described - on Norwegian Escape.  You may join us (we booked 5 cabins for 13 people with 3 kids - our first cruise if that kind!).

[D C]

On 6/4/2023 at 9:49 PM, Hawkstar33 said:

Seems like a lot of griping mainly about cost, cutbacks, refurbishments on quite a few ships, and sadly about overall quality of the product.  I imagine that Celebrity has eyes on this site, as well as others.  But are they listening?  Nobody paying the higher price of cruising these days, wants to hear about pandemic losses, anymore. Cruise lines, according to what I see, and read,  are banging us with increases for every possible thing associated with each cruise. So with price increases, you think there should be no crappy chairs, cushions with stains, tired mattresses,  chipped rusted verandas, or worn musty smelling carpets, as I myself have also seen these past 2 years.  Just read about Eclipse, and how she needs some much needed attention in many areas.  I'm booked next June, and now I've gotta watch for further reviews, as I'm already not happy with the current poor reviews.  Hopefully Celebrity is watching and reading.  And wondering if they care, or just in it for the $$$$$$$$$..  What used to be is no more

Hopefully things change and improve with the changing of the guard.  LLP seemed to take loyalty for granted while delivering a lesser product. 

[phoenix_dream]

13 hours ago, ldtr said:

you might check gas prices and the cost of the mid tier hotels.  Both have gone up a lot more than cruise costs  Have seen hotels like Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn Express that used to be less that 200 per night now going for 300 or more.

 

Also many others also traveling and many destinations such as national parks are over crowded.

I don’t need to check those prices as I travel regularly and just booked three land trips with more on the agenda. I have seen some obscene hotel prices as well, but have been able to adjust my destinations and dates to those that are more reasonable. I also avoid the prime destinations you reference as they are indeed jammed and expensive. Luckily I’ve seen most of the US already so am happy to visit less crowded places that still offer some nice botanical gardens, arboretums, good restaurants, etc..  Not as much fun as a cruise but still very enjoyable and affordable.

[NutsAboutGolf]

20 hours ago, ldtr said:

you might check gas prices and the cost of the mid tier hotels.  Both have gone up a lot more than cruise costs  Have seen hotels like Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn Express that used to be less that 200 per night now going for 300 or more.

 

Also many others also traveling and many destinations such as national parks are over crowded.

 

Alaska/Hawaii aside, there isn't much comparison between staying in a hotel in "anytown USA" and taking a foreign cruise as it isn't visiting "expensive" US ports; staying in a Caribbean AI resort is much closer comparison.  You're not wrong about US hotel pricing, however cheaper options exist such as hotwire and airbnb/short-term rentals and you can usually save a boatload compared to two hotel rooms if you rent a 2BR and 2ba short-term rental if traveling with another couple.  Rentals usually have full kitchens so if one wishes can save money cooking their food and can hit up a liquor store

Edited June 9, 2023 by NutsAboutGolf

[Hawkstar33]

10 hours ago, D C said:

Hopefully things change and improve with the changing of the guard.  LLP seemed to take loyalty for granted while delivering a lesser product. 

Actually said hello to the new boss onboard Summit.  She was doing a walk around while we were in Miami, during our btb walk off and back on.  Had 6 White shirts following her around like secret service, but actually more like puppies.   An elderly fellow cruiser tried to engage her in a conversation, but she was way too important for that.  Just continued on with her inspection..As we've discussed before, loyalty is in the heart of the cruiser, not the cruise line.    

[NMTraveller]

[NutsAboutGolf]

On 6/8/2023 at 6:16 PM, cgolf1 said:

Some day we may try it. Not sure if staring at the ocean from land would be as relaxing as watching it go bye or watching the wake. Sailing into and out of ports is always cool to watch too. 

They both have their pros and cons which are subjective.  AIs usually have multiple large pools and full time beach with lounger access.  We personally do not see X’s 45mins of foam archery as an activity nor do like never being able to find a pair of loungers on X, so we would take an AI over an X sea day