What has changed since pandemic

[1Virgo]

2 hours ago, someguyfl said:

What happened when you requested the Binoculars?

And, what went wrong with the Thermal Suite?

No binoculars.   none.   Thermal suite always booked. so, never used.  Ironically, first time we thought we d try.    

 

We wonder if X has created more Aqua with Aqua suites.  Never had to wait in Blu.  Every night on last 2 cruises, long wait.  

[someguyfl]

17 minutes ago, 1Virgo said:

No binoculars.   none.   Thermal suite always booked. so, never used.  Ironically, first time we thought we d try.    

 

We wonder if X has created more Aqua with Aqua suites.  Never had to wait in Blu.  Every night on last 2 cruises, long wait.  

Something very unusual happened for you ... Every time I've been either in Aqua class or paid for an unlimited Thermal Suite package (which is every time I've been on Celebrity), including in the last year ... there has never been a time I was denied access to the thermal suite.

I showed my room key, said I wanted to go into Persian Garden/Thermal Suite, they took my room key and gave me the key to the Persian Garden/Thermal Suite.

[GranysT]

I took my very 1st Celebrity cruise in September. Let me tell you, after 31 cruises with Carnival, and 12 with Royal, I was so impressed with Celebrity. I loved Equinox, and the Celebrity ambiance so much I booked another cruise for Jan, on Summit. I can't wait.  

[1Virgo]

2 hours ago, someguyfl said:

Something very unusual happened for you ... Every time I've been either in Aqua class or paid for an unlimited Thermal Suite package (which is every time I've been on Celebrity), including in the last year ... there has never been a time I was denied access to the thermal suite.

I showed my room key, said I wanted to go into Persian Garden/Thermal Suite, they took my room key and gave me the key to the Persian Garden/Thermal Suite.

wasnt denied.  They were full.   

[someguyfl]

2 hours ago, 1Virgo said:

wasnt denied.  They were full.   

You mean the heated loungers were taken?

I've never seen the Saunas full ...

[govanguy]

13 hours ago, GeorgeL said:

So what left of Aqua? Just access to blue?

Meatloaf on the menu.....

[Jazzbo]

Our first cruise post-Covid was the 2nd post-Covid cruise of the Equinox out of Ft. Lauderdale in 2021. I remember wondering if picking up the seapasses at the cabin was a Covid measure. That was a great cruise — crew members greeted the boarding passengers with applause. The ship wasn’t even half full. Everyone, passengers and crew alike, were so happy to be cruising again!

We were on the westbound Reflection TA in November 2022, and on a Reflection Med cruise in October 2023. The 2022 TA was great, but we definitely noticed a decline in the quality of the food this year. Staffing cuts were obvious and it seemed like many of the crew were run ragged, especially the cabin stewards. It won’t keep us from cruising Celebrity, but we only have one booked now (January 2025). We have our first Princess cruise booked for August 2025 (Alaska). We will probably do land-based vacations next year.

[weregoingcruising]

More complaining and griping on this board.

[Cruise a holic]

Positives:

Muster Drill process

New Ships

 

Negative:

Lack of service- employee cutbacks-

No butlers for sky suites

Prices crazy- especially photo packages

 

[1Virgo]

5 hours ago, someguyfl said:

You mean the heated loungers were taken?

I've never seen the Saunas full ...

yup.  

[NMTraveller]

7 hours ago, 1Virgo said:

wasnt denied.  They were full.   

Were you sailing on an E class ship.  We noticed that they were packed on E class and could find room on S.

[Team Stag]

It's pretty much the same as changes as you have seen on land.  People are less happy, more rude & more selfish.  Cost have gone up on everything & to keep a competitive price point; some changes have been made.  I looked at a cruise we booked (Veranda) for Thanksgiving in 2013 on their newest ship & a similar cruise on the Ascent for 2024 & the price difference is $200 - 11 years later.  I can tell you theme parks & restaurants in my area ARE NOT in the neighborhood of 2013 pricing.

People new to Celebrity seem to love the product.  Long time cruisers seem to not like the product & are searching for new lines.

 

The ships are still outstanding & the crew continues to bust their tails to give passengers excellent service.  All things inevitably change; I just like to roll with.  We still very much enjoy the post-covid cruise experience.

Edited December 9, 2023 by Team Stag

[1Virgo]

36 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

Were you sailing on an E class ship.  We noticed that they were packed on E class and could find room on S.

no

[RedIguana]

13 hours ago, MamaFej said:

The new muster procedure is quick and easy, though I do wish they would program the bar registers not to allow drinks to be ordered until people have checked into their muster stations. That would prevent the every 45 minute announcements that get increasingly stern that people need to check in befoe we can sail.

Please no. Boarding Pina Coladas and pictures are taken before heading to the stateroom to drop off bags. Muster station check-in is on the way back down for lunch, or after lunch if there is no crew member providing check-in at that station yet.

[doghog]

13 hours ago, MamaFej said:

We have been quite impressed with the Starlink Internet. We tend to use it to plan and book future travel on sea days.

 

The new muster procedure is quick and easy, though I do wish they would program the bar registers not to allow drinks to be ordered until people have checked into their muster stations. That would prevent the every 45 minute announcements that get increasingly stern that people need to check in befoe we can sail.

 

The check-in process is also smoother and more efficient in our experience (9 X cruises since the re-start, and several other cruises on other lines). 

 

And then there's all the others that don't drink. What about those that go directly to the OVC and sit and eat and...

 

The ships would possibly get better on time participation for muster check in if the staff members held the Seapass cards and only issued them after you were checked off their muster station list.

 

 

[someguyfl]

2 hours ago, NMTraveller said:

Were you sailing on an E class ship.  We noticed that they were packed on E class and could find room on S.

I will admit that I've been on a number of Celebrity cruises where all the heated loungers were taken very frequently. I'd go into the Sauna almost every day, and it was the same at least half the time...

I personally tried it and didn't care much for it. My wife liked them more than I did. 

 

Personally I much prefer a sauna that actually gets hot enough to make me sweat... And it's a nice gimmick how on the S and E class you can see the ocean ahead while in the Sauna.

[GeorgeL]

13 hours ago, 1Virgo said:

 

We wonder if X has created more Aqua with Aqua suites.  Never had to wait in Blu.  Every night on last 2 cruises, long wait.  

Have they made Blu larger on E class than it is on S class ships?

Edited December 9, 2023 by GeorgeL

[D. B.]

5 hours ago, Cruise a holic said:

Positives:

Muster Drill process

New Ships

 

Negative:

Lack of service- employee cutbacks-

No butlers for sky suites

Prices crazy- especially photo packages

 

I think the Cruise Only prices are Great!

  We don't want or need the expensive Drink package and just add pre-paid Tips and get the upgraded WiFi when they have a Flash Sale.

[CruiseRQA]

My sky suite cruise will be $2000 less this year than last.   Last year I got OBC and tips.   This year no OBC or tips.    I think I am still coming out ahead

[1Virgo]

3 hours ago, GeorgeL said:

Have they made Blu larger on E class than it is on S class ships?

havent done E class so can’t  answer that.   But we have been on the Summit several times and the Blu seemed to be the same size as before.  Just last time, there were people waiting in line.  Something we hadnt seen before.  

[Baynanno1]

2 hours ago, 1Virgo said:

havent done E class so can’t  answer that.   But we have been on the Summit several times and the Blu seemed to be the same size as before.  Just last time, there were people waiting in line.  Something we hadnt seen before.  

We have seen people lined up for dinner at Blu before opening on both Eclipse and Solstice during the past 12 months.