Seriously now-how many of you are REALLY looking at other cruise lines because of the CEO's changes going on?

[TeeRick]

15 hours ago, Spif Barwunkel said:

Perhaps before you chastise someone you should fully understand what it is that you are chastising. Granted, the word "decrepit", is not the nicest sounding term to use, but indeed, in one synonym or another it pertains to many of us. The poster prefers cruising with fewer elderly or old or weak or incapacitated folks. That's okay, I'm old and not offended. I prefer cruising with fewer hunky or buff or ripped folks. Brings back too many memories from decades ago when I could sit a beautiful babe on each bicep while drinking a wheat germ milkshake with a straw.

Spif, we thought you go be the new Jack LaLanne (may he RIP).😀

[rmedistro]

I come here for the entertainment factor only! 🙂

Nothing better to do than bicker backer about poor etiquette on word choice, and losing a few hundred bucks value in a $8K suite on a cruise ship. Yeesh..

I'm thankful for every morning I wake up, and the few cruises a year my wife and I are able to afford. 

[phoenix_dream]

4 hours ago, Baggy178 said:

 

 

Why should he offer one to you even though you keep insisting he does ? 

He's entitled to his views and to express them as robustly as he wishes within the confines of the CC rules.

You didn't like what he wrote ? So what. Get over it.

Didn't bother me in the slightest and I spent a decade looking after a close relative who was wheel-chair bound after a stroke.

 

 

 

 

The truth is that comments like calling disabled people decrepit are actually not within the confines of CC rules.

[Baggy178]

20 minutes ago, phoenix_dream said:

The truth is that comments like calling disabled people decrepit are actually not within the confines of CC rules.

 

 

So are you upset the poster used the term decrepit or that he preferred not to be on a ship with a lot of elderly people in wheelchairs or strollers ?

Seems a perfectly reasonable opinion if you're spending thousands on a cruise.

It's one of the reasons we don't pick cruises aimed at the elderly even though we're coffin-dodgers ourselves.

 

Edited September 15, 2023 by Baggy178

[RedneckBob]

Wow, just read a few pages of this thread and wonder what’s going on. We are booked on three Celebrity cruises over next six months and have not seen the price increases that most have talked about. Still getting all inclusive deals plus large cabin credits as we did 3-4 years ago. 
Now, as far as changing cruise lines. We have done this many times over the past 50 years, but nothing seems to change. Most of changes deal with becoming more mature individuals. From Carnaval to Holland America to Oceania to Celebrity with Regent and Royal in between. Carnaval became too big a party, Holland stopped great showroom entertainment, Oceania became too boring for us and Then Celebrity seemed the right fit for us for now. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

[RedIguana]

3 hours ago, Baggy178 said:

t sounds like a court of law.

You've brought the case for the prosecution but the accused as exercised his right to the First Amendment.

Case dismissed.

All rise ...😉

Objection!

Assuming the US, the accused exercised his right to the fifth amendment. He would be blabbing away having exercised the first....

Now The Honorable @Baggy178 may dismiss the case

All rise....

 

😈

[Baggy178]

14 minutes ago, RedIguana said:

Objection!

Assuming the US, the accused exercised his right to the fifth amendment. He would be blabbing away having exercised the first....

Now The Honorable @Baggy178 may dismiss the case

All rise....

 

😈

 

Objection sustained.

Schoolboy error on my part. How many times I have seen people plead the Fifth in the movies.

I sentence me to a lengthy diet of sliced tomatoes and MDR mashed potato without parole.

Take him down to the cells.

Edited September 15, 2023 by Baggy178

[Traveling Fools]

14 hours ago, jean87510 said:

I thought by the comment "However, when they cruise they never want to feel pressured to dress up. They have favored Carnival for that reason and no other." you meant Carnival folks didn't dress up.  I did reread and understand what you meant now.

🙂

[Spif Barwunkel]

50 minutes ago, Baggy178 said:

 

Objection sustained.

Schoolboy error on my part. How many times I have seen people plead the Fifth in the movies.

I sentence me to a lengthy diet of sliced tomatoes and MDR mashed potato without parole.

Take him down to the cells.

Just another responsibility that the CEO will have to rule on. Throw away the key as far as I'm concerned. No "Avast ye Matey" here. Are lashes appropriate?  

[Traveling Fools]

2 hours ago, RedneckBob said:

We are booked on three Celebrity cruises over next six months and have not seen the price increases that most have talked about.

Last September, book a RS for a Greek Intensive itinerary for our 50th anniversary next Sept.  Checked yesterday on the pricing.  About $1,000pp more.

[MamaFej]

4 hours ago, the penguins said:

No First Amendment right in the UK.🤣

TRUE!!!! My great, great.........great grandfather was the first printer in the Americas. He had been recruited by Roger Williams to come to America to print the first book in America:  A Key into the Language of America after having been arrested and imprisoned multiple times for printing plays and pamphlets the Church and Government didn't like in the 1630s and 40s. He became a Founding Father of Rhode Island, a colony established (in part) on the principle of freedom of religion. 

 

If freedom of speech and of the press had been. a thing early 17th century England, I wouldn't be here to cruise and post about cruising. 😁

[Traveling Fools]

2 hours ago, RedneckBob said:

Most of changes deal with becoming more mature individuals.

True to a point...evolving wants and expectations.  We don't cruise a fraction of what many posters here on CC do, so can't really comment on the stated "hyper" increases in fares. 

 

But, those that do cruise that often have found their cabin/suite niche and are able to see a hike in prices and relative decline in the perks that came with what they have paid for in the past. 

 

Is X concerned about the comments made here on CC and a possible migration of customers to other cruise lines over this.  Not likely.  While there is a base of X fans on this forum.  They only represent a very small fraction of the approximately 56,000 passengers booked on their cruises each week.

 

Really dissatisfied, loyal X fans will chose to move on to other lines that cater to their changing needs/wants in a cruise line.

 

X needs only to maintain its' current perceived image to capture the business of either new cruisers or those who onboard needs are evolving and moving away from a line with a perceived age (young or old), party demographic.

 

I think the observed trend in this thread relating to X's changes with the reported reduction, or elimination, of some of their 14 or more day itineraries and more apparent emphasis on shorter Caribbean cruises deserves an explanation by X. 

[Traveling Fools]

10 minutes ago, MamaFej said:

My great, great.........great grandfather was the first printer in the Americas. He had been recruited by Roger Williams

MamaFej...Off topic, but we could be related.  One of my many-great great grandfathers was a young protégé of Roger Williams.

[jmfdr]

On 9/13/2023 at 8:52 AM, hubofhockey said:

 

 

Windstar does intrigue me.  We like casual, so really not interested in Viking, Cunard, Regent, Silversea, etc, but have gone on Azamara and have an upcoming cruise on Oceania (after Celebrity Japan cruise in the Spring).  We always thought Aqua on Celebrity fit us well and Blu is a good dining experience and having the Persian Garden is nice on days at sea.  The one thing we like what the changes brought was the elimination of must pay for alcohol inclusion with Aqua.  It's a step in the right direction.  For Japan, not even crazy about the inclusion for WIFI since pocket wifi, which works on ships in Japan costs so much less.    In any case, looking forward to giving Windstar a shot.

There is NO formal dress on Viking.

[mjfship]

Over the past two decades, our preference for X has grown immensely.  You can say we evolved with the growth of X as a brand.  We've had the pleasure of experiencing every vessel since 2007, among these ships, there are a few that truly stand out as personal favorites. Throughout the years, we've enjoyed Verandas, Aqua Class, Sky Suites, Royal Suites, and the stunning Edge Villas.  Our next cruise with X is in 50 days and we look forward to another stellar experience.  We can confidently say that our evolution has been intertwined with the remarkable growth of X as a brand.

 

The current strategy simply boils down to supply and demand.  As long as the ships are filled to capacity, it's only natural for the prices to reflect this and activate cost-saving measures. Budget-cutting initiatives are now being implemented throughout the entire hospitality industry, including the cruise sector. This presents a unique opportunity for consumers to explore and indulge in other brands. It's a concept we never thought we would consider with X, as we've always been completely satisfied with their product. However, times are changing, and perhaps it's for the better.

 

Our current focus is the discovery of Silversea Nova and Ray (both part of RCG), Seaborn Venture and Pursuit, Oceania Vista, and Regent Seven Seas Grandeur. These newly crafted vessels embody the very essence of luxury and provide a fresh alternative for devoted X loyalists.  Perhaps we’ve outgrown X, who knows, only time will tell.  Embracing change with open arms fosters positivity, and as we embark on a new chapter in our cruise journey, we treasure the fond memories of our X experiences. 

 

We're not implying that we're bidding farewell to X as it fades into the distance; instead, it paves the way for thrilling new opportunities.

[Keys Kathy]

Well, I did it,I booked an X cruise. We had the choice of the Sillie or the Equinox. We went with the Sillie because it seems that X does their "experiments" on the Equinox, and so far, none of them have been good.

 

I will report back in December.

Edited September 15, 2023 by Keys Kathy
add

[hcat]

many will try other cruise lines and find a better fit for their current needs...others will go  off and later return!

 

when we tried Oasis, we could not wait for the cruise to end....quickly back to X !

[phoenix_dream]

8 hours ago, Baggy178 said:

 

 

So are you upset the poster used the term decrepit or that he preferred not to be on a ship with a lot of elderly people in wheelchairs or strollers ?

Seems a perfectly reasonable opinion if you're spending thousands on a cruise.

It's one of the reasons we don't pick cruises aimed at the elderly even though we're coffin-dodgers ourselves.

 

I couldn't care less if someone doesn't want to sail with a lot of elderly people.  Or if they don't want to sail with a bunch of babies and young kids.  But describing people in derogatory terms doesn't sit well with me.  I guess if you want to call yourself a coffin-dodger that's your right.  Just don't use the term for others.  If you are a so-called "coffin-dodger" then you were brought up like I was back when we were taught manners.

[goofysmom99]

47 minutes ago, Keys Kathy said:

 We had the choice of the Sillie or the Equinox. We went with the Sillie

Good choice if for no other reason than the Lawn Club Grill (my favorite).

[Kelownadon]

3 hours ago, jmfdr said:

There is NO formal dress on Viking.

Maybe because nobody that cruises Viking owns a pair of jeans haha. 

[hankandteri]

We had already had a booked cruise on X before the insanity began in earnest in August, and it didn’t make sense to cancel it so close to sailing; but our October TA on Silhouette will be our last on Celebrity. 

 

A few minutes ago I booked a two week eastern Med cruise for next year. I went with HAL on this one.

 

Our (relatively) reasonable fare for an aft facing suite on one of their newest class of ships included wi-fi, $400 in shore-ex credits, two dinners for two in specialty dining venues, and a premium drink package. Oh, and gratuities. Mustn’t forget those. Tips were in the package too.

 

This will be our first time on HAL, and I’m not sure how that experience will compare to other lines we’ve sailed. All I can say is that Celebrity wasn’t under consideration for this trip, mainly because of all the credible reports of hospital cafeteria food being served in the MDR since the menu changes and other cuts late this summer. Lunch lady food in the dining room is a deal breaker for us. 

 

 

[NMTraveller]

10 hours ago, RedneckBob said:

Wow, just read a few pages of this thread and wonder what’s going on. We are booked on three Celebrity cruises over next six months and have not seen the price increases that most have talked about. Still getting all inclusive deals plus large cabin credits as we did 3-4 years ago. 
Now, as far as changing cruise lines. We have done this many times over the past 50 years, but nothing seems to change. Most of changes deal with becoming more mature individuals. From Carnaval to Holland America to Oceania to Celebrity with Regent and Royal in between. Carnaval became too big a party, Holland stopped great showroom entertainment, Oceania became too boring for us and Then Celebrity seemed the right fit for us for now. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Just curious what cruises you have done a price comparison on lately?  On my last comparison Celebrity was 1 or 2k above the competition.  If they were better,  perhaps we would spring for it.  But with mashed potatoes in the dining room it is a tough sell to say that they are better...

 

 

[Random Cruizer]

I've only been on three Celebrity cruises, so perhaps I'm not the intended audience here.  But I deeply dislike the Retreat concept that closes off the front of the ship, and the food in the MDR this summer was not as good as last summer, plus they lowered the classic package drink coverage to $10.  Next summer I'm on Princess for Alaska mostly because of the Glacier Bay (Celebrity can't go there), but at their prices, if the food is as good as the CURRENT MDR, I can see myself cruising with them from now on.

[MamaFej]

FTR: I would not mind good mashed potatoes. Give me a nice, creamy redskin garlic mashed potato side, and I'll eat most of it. I ate one small bite of the lunch tray scoop earlier this year, and left the rest on my plate. 

[clskinsfan]

On 9/8/2023 at 7:23 PM, deliver42 said:

All mainstream lines are looking to rob the passengers. The only difference is what they're charging to do it, and right now, Celebrity is charging more than the others, so I'll sail one of the others so it doesn't hurt so much.

This right here. After 19 years of multiple cruises on just about all of the lines, not only are we done with X but we are most likely done with cruising period. We are on Carnival next weekend out of Norfolk to Bermuda. Than that will most likely be it for our cruising careers. :). Out of all of the cruises we have done we never made it to Bermuda. So we wanted to do that before ending it. Norfolk is our homeport. So it is the right way to go out. We loved X. It was our favorite line for many years. But we cant afford them anymore. And the quality of cruising has just gone to the basement on all lines. If I need to spend the kind of money it takes for a luxury line to experience what cruising used to be like I am just done with it. For the cost of a luxury line plus airfare we can go see beautiful places all over the world. And really dig into those places instead of spending the day in the tourist hot spots that are ports. We just feel like cruising has left us behind. We are not willing to spend more to get less. And that is where all of the lines are at this point.