Eliminating Butlers - Spoke to Celebrity. Here is conversation.

[hrhdhd]

9 hours ago, jelayne said:

This isn’t on LLP’s watch.  This is one of many changes unannounced since Laura Hodges took over.  
One that hasn’t hit the boards is now if you reprice an onboard booking you lose the OBC for booking on board.  No ship, sail date, cabin category change just a price drop. 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2953243-want-to-change-my-cruise-was-told-i-lose-my-obc-booked-a-future-cruise-on-board/

[Jim_Iain]

16 hours ago, CHEZMARYLOU said:

Does anyone else think Celebrity should have gotten ahead of this with a press release? I guess that's not the way LLP likes to roll.

Possibly because LLP was replaced with LHB on May 1.  

 

I have to agree with you that being proactive and do another "Big News Coming"  then put a Marketing blurb out --- To improve your enjoyment -- we are eliminating dedicated butlers in SS. 

[lovecruzin]

17 hours ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

One difference between having your butler deal with things and having the retreat team do it--distance!  The butler comes to me.  I have to go to the retreat lounge where one of the people may or may not be on duty.  If my suite is at the rear of the ship like the PH on an M class ship, it's some distance to travel to the retreat lounge.

If you’re in a PH, you will still have a dedicated butler. 😊 

I would hope in a SS, you could pick up the phone and be connected with someone on the “team” and not have to go to them for any requests.

[quacker5]

15 hours ago, jelayne said:

This isn’t on LLP’s watch.  This is one of many changes unannounced since Laura Hodges took over.  
One that hasn’t hit the boards is now if you reprice an onboard booking you lose the OBC for booking on board.  No ship, sail date, cabin category change just a price drop. 

What?  That’s news to me and will make a huge difference in deciding to book anything on board since it already costs you $100 pp to change the sailing and/or ship anyway. The OBC is the only remaining benefit and it’s not much. 

If this is true, I can predict that I (and others) will be booking other lines for future cruises. Often the fact that I have a booking or a Passages certificate steers me to Celebrity. Without that, I will look more closely at itineraries instead of lines. 
Incredibly shortsighted and stupid on their part, IMHO.  🤦🏻‍♀️

 

 

[prmssk]

19 hours ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

One difference between having your butler deal with things and having the retreat team do it--distance!  The butler comes to me.  I have to go to the retreat lounge where one of the people may or may not be on duty.  If my suite is at the rear of the ship like the PH on an M class ship, it's some distance to travel to the retreat lounge.

My experience in a Sky Suite is that the butler isn't around my cabin all that often.  They had plenty of other cabins to attend to, often including higher suites.  If I needed something, I would call.  I would imagine there still will be a number to call.

[Fly and Sail]

On 7/29/2023 at 10:52 PM, agape01 said:

Do any of you guys feel that the term Butler might be too British and old school that they have decided to place everyone serving Retreat Suites be now known as "Dedicated Retreat Team"?

Having said that, no matter what the reason they are doing this, IT DOES CHEAPEN THE PRODUCT.

I have spoken to folks who are intimidated by the term “Butler Service’ even at hotels that offer it (St.Regis etc).

 

From their own mouths, it makes them feel out of place as they have no experience with a “butler”. I think the title Luxury Assistant would he more disarming as I suggested several GM’s when discussing the topic.

[NutsAboutGolf]

1 hour ago, Fly and Sail said:

I have spoken to folks who are intimidated by the term “Butler Service’ even at hotels that offer it (St.Regis etc).

 

From their own mouths, it makes them feel out of place as they have no experience with a “butler”. I think the title Luxury Assistant would he more disarming as I suggested several GM’s when discussing the topic.

 

Didn't they change the name a while back to "Host" or something?  Have never stayed in any X suite but did in NCL pre-pandemic for a Hawaii only cruise.  We did not like him as he was quite pushy, abrasive and borderline rude yet with that being said, if we had a request that he DIDN'T fight us about he got it done.  Some NCL examples, something like: "dinner on your balcony?  No, it'll be too cold when it eventually arrives" and "I made you a dinner reservation in Maui; you already have a tour booked?  I'll have it canceled so you can go to the great restaurant I booked"),   I've only heard good things about X hosts/butlers with the exception that some wish they were more proactive in offering available services

[NutsAboutGolf]

Totally understand any product/service cutback is disappointing, yet this is unfortunately covered in your cruise contract.  I doubt complaining to an online chat person will yield anything yet perhaps complaining to the exec offices will result in an OBC credit or something.  Agree with it or not, it seems X's parent company, RCG, wants to standardize some of X's experience with RCI.  For now and I hope this changes in the near future, they're not taking any of the "passenger friendly" experiences such as better and more frequently entertainment

[Cap_D]

Who's minding the store for Retreat guests? The real question is anyone on the ship and at corporate thinking ahead and care if guests have a great time?!  Maybe falsely it seems like the Butlers were in a spot to care during the journey, and help work the system behind the scenes, as needed (at a Ritz or Disney, that's every cast member). 

 

It also seemed like the Brand and the experience were optimized under LLP (I know this may be controversial, but it seems like she built a culture of caring and identity that the new exec is dismantling, recklessly considering the lack of a communications strategy). 

 

After assessing our first time sailing ever, in a Sky Suite on Edge, post pandemic (cost was not the decider for the room type, we simply don't need extra rooms, a kitchen table for non existent take out, etc. and Retreat was booked 6 weeks out when we booked.), it was the Butler and Retreat that helped make the difference between good to be vacationing again, and this Celebrity thing was the right choice. 

 

Having called audibles during land vacations to achieve the optimal experience, the idea of tying ourselves to a cruise, let alone months or years in advance is not in our DNA.  So, it's gotta hit on all of our key criteria, and the hospitality provider is going to need as many tools in their favor to do that especially on a ship. 

 

The second time, a year later because we had the FCC Deposit and OBC and figured why not, in a Celebrity Suite, was good, but the Butler was neutral at best, maybe a detractor.  A team could have helped, but behind the scenes work would have helped more.  He couldn't make up for issues either beyond his control or that one would think he'd catch.  Missed breakfast hang tags (so delayed start for all day), saltines in abundance (there must be decent crackers somewhere on the ship, there is at every grocery store in the Western world), silverware for 1 when we needed sets for each guest, toast but no butter, the ice cream stand closed for hours on opening day (food and beverage director had zero explanation), food quality dips, Eden Cafe quality only at Eden Cafe for about an hour a sailing, and the list goes on.  But, on the other hand, Retreat hosts and their leadership, Luminae team, Eden, the weather, and others made up for the misses in other ways.  

 

Retreat guests regardless of room type are the ones that self identified to wanting a top notch experience and were willing to pay on top of basic room and food costs.  If the onboard product fails in that regard it's a missed opportunity either to keep them as Celebrity customers or move them upmarket within RC.   

Edited July 31, 2023 by Cap_D

[LMHSRN]

Having booked my SS several months ago (9 to be exact) it is real disappointing to have a product I have booked, based on the offerings, that has now changed.  Lack of communication from Celebrity along with their new management tactics have made for an uncomfortable feeling of trust for this Company.  It amazes me that a contract only works one way.  They can change things but God forbid you need to change something.  Then it is nope, can't do or sure, for a fee.

 

The honorable thing to do for any company is to give notice.  Give a future implementation date (for bookings beginning.....) and then make the changes.  You need to give folks a change to accept the new changes without changing what they have already paid for,

 

Oh well, there are other cruise lines also making changes.  The difference is they are communicating this to their customers.

[chisoxfan]

On 7/29/2023 at 3:40 PM, Baron Barracuda said:

I'm sure many suite passengers are quite independent with little use for a butler however there are a few whose demands fill every waking moment of their butlers day.  A team approach might better allocate resources so that passengers needing reservations, ice, etc are not kept waiting because their butler is stuck dealing with an overly needy guest.

We will be in SS on Ascent and have had butlers on MSC and NCL before. Totally agree with your assessment. I am sure we will be well served on X - not looking for someone to unpack our clothes or

make sure my toast is done correctly. Actually reduces a headache for us. This will be tempered if general service/ support levels are lacking but that hopefully will  not be the case.  Besides like many who post espousing the necessities a butler offers,  when we return home we will have Jeeves take care of things in the manner we are accustomed to.😁

[marieps]

On 7/29/2023 at 2:28 PM, Stem to Stern said:

We are sailing in the Yacht Club and The Retreat B2B in December.

I will be comparing MSC with butler service vs. Celebrity without.  
Not a chance I would be cancelling because of this change.

This may be my final affordable chance to sail in The Retreat.🥲

Very much looking forward to your posts after you sail.

[terrydtx]

On 7/29/2023 at 6:52 PM, CHEZMARYLOU said:

Do you remember when the Butlers were renamed to Personal Retreat Host? That lasted about 8 - 12 months.

You know who hated that name change the worst?  The Butlers hated not being called a butler, as our 2021 Equinox butler told me, "I worked very hard to get the title of Butler and resent that the company made the change and most of my fellow butlers feel the same way."

[bac513]

4 hours ago, marieps said:

Very much looking forward to your posts after you sail.

We have been on 3 Yacht Club cruises in the past 2 years in regular suites comparable to sky suites.. We felt YC provided better amenities:

 

• Unlimited use of minibar
• coffee machine in cabin
• All YC suites in the access controlled YC
• buffet breakfast and lunch on pool deck
• seafood extravaganza on pool deck on one day with lobster
• lounge with bar and snacks and evening musician
• price less than 75% of sky suite

 

in addition, butlers wanted to escort us to dinner and/or shows. However, this could be a little overbearing. Pizza was outstanding with free suite delivery.

 

MSC only requires a non refundable $398 deposit for suites and one change in ships and/or dates is permitted.

 

 

 

 

Edited August 6, 2023 by bac513
Added text

[jagoffee]

3 hours ago, terrydtx said:

You know who hated that name change the worst?  The Butlers hated not being called a butler, as our 2021 Equinox butler told me, "I worked very hard to get the title of Butler and resent that the company made the change and most of my fellow butlers feel the same way."

Then hopefully for them, they will maintain the same Butler title while part of the team.  A team of Butlers.

[LMHSRN]

16 hours ago, jagoffee said:

Then hopefully for them, they will maintain the same Butler title while part of the team.  A team of Butlers.

Agree.  Why degrade the staff any more than they already have.

[Bask]

Oddly enough, when you look at future cruises (summer 2024 and later) and choose a Retreat cabin booking, it still has the word "Butler" specifically showing up as a feature on Sky Suites and Celebrity Suites.

If they are truly eliminating this service, very misleading to continue to tell customers booking SS and CS that they are getting it.

[terrydtx]

32 minutes ago, Bask said:

Oddly enough, when you look at future cruises (summer 2024 and later) and choose a Retreat cabin booking, it still has the word "Butler" specifically showing up as a feature on Sky Suites and Celebrity Suites.

If they are truly eliminating this service, very misleading to continue to tell customers booking SS and CS that they are getting it.

The changes in Butler service only affects Sky Suites, no changes for Celebrity Suites and above. 

[wineoclock]

We have upcoming CS & MS guarantee booked. Agent told me they have no information that anything changing for CS.

 

Im still waiting to have a reply from X re email I sent them regarding the changes & vaping. I’ll assume if don’t hear back by end of the week that maybe not interested in what a U.K. cruiser has to say. We are Elite, so not a new cruiser. 

[sanger727]

On 7/29/2023 at 2:02 PM, LMHSRN said:

On-Line chat with David today at 13:50 eastern time.

Question:  Have you done away with Butlers in Suites?

David:  I'm not sure I understand your question.  Please provide additional information.

Question: Have you eliminated Butlers to Suite Guests?

David:  We still have Butlers for our Retreat suites.  However, as of August 15th, butler service for all Sky Suite butler's will be replaced by the Dedicated Retreat Team.

Question:  So will be be getting a refund if sailing after August 15th in a Sky Suite?

David;  For that, you would have to reach out to our Service Department.  They can be reached at 1 (800)556-8209 and Select Option #2

Question:  What is happening to Celebrity Cruise Line?  Are you becoming Carnival?

 

NO ADDITIONAL RESPONSES FROM DAVID!

 

This may be the rudest thing I've ever seen. Clearly you already knew the answers to your questions and were just trying to bait a low paid customer service agent who has no authority to address the issue. 

[ISABELLA]

On 7/29/2023 at 3:47 PM, t18c97 said:

I wonder if this change and the other recent ones is the new  CEO trying to make her mark on the company?

Doesn't look like a good mark. Losing customers is not a good thing. 

 

[neverlaysup]

On 7/30/2023 at 1:47 PM, prmssk said:

My experience in a Sky Suite is that the butler isn't around my cabin all that often.  They had plenty of other cabins to attend to, often including higher suites.  If I needed something, I would call.  I would imagine there still will be a number to call.

On Apex last year, I met my Butler on embarkation day and NEVER saw or heard from him again for 7 days. To be fair, I never looked for him or needed anything that I couldn't do for myself so no great loss aside from extra gratuities.

Edited August 8, 2023 by neverlaysup

[Oceangoer2]

49 minutes ago, neverlaysup said:

On Apex last year, I met my Butler on embarkation day and NEVER saw or heard from him again for 7 days. To be fair, I never looked for him or needed anything that I couldn't do for myself so no great loss aside from extra gratuities.

We only saw our butler everyday in the aisle saying good morning as we passed, so we did know who he was.  I suppose if we wanted anything he wouldn't have been far away.  He was, however, quite well tipped for ? on our last day.  So a butler is wasted on us.  The Retreat Team concept sounds about right.   Two personable and helpful Retreat Concierge were very attentive, suggesting cruise info to help make our time more enjoyable.

[Susanb10567]

Do we know who will be responsible for room service in the sky suites now…

[smichael2646]

At first I was a little upset with this change but as my husband reminded me, “It’s one less person we have to tip”.  Even though tips are included we always tip beyond that, and we really don’t use the Butler that often.  Every time we have sailed on Celebrity our Cabin Stewart has gone above and beyond for us.  From my understanding is that you can call if there is something you would like done that would fall under the butler.  I am more upset that they cancelled my cruise on the Reflection that was going to Key West and am now going to CoCoCay which if you aren’t a beach person is the biggest rip off.  I stopped cruising with Royal because the ships were crowded, rules were not being enforced and they would nickel and dime you for everything while taking more and more away.  I hope Celebrity isn’t headed in the same direction.   I remember when the Royal Suite had a fully stocked bar, and the Junior Suite was a suite, you would earn “bucks” for participating in certain programs that you could hand in for a t-shirt or other gifts.  Miss the days when Royal’s service was that of Celebrity’s,  such as on the Song of America.  Sorry about the rant, just love Celebrity and am so scared it’s headed in the same direction as Royal.