Celebrity removes loungers from balcony?

[cbfb]

1 hour ago, takemewithyou said:

Just got a call from Executive office.  Diana.  

1.  She first tried to tell me that there are NO loungers on Sky suite balconies.  She said they are not big enough (lie).  I know better and told her that.  Been sailing X since 2009.  Told her loungers are pictured on Celebrity web site on SS balcony, also.

2.  then she told me that ALL loungers have been removed for “safety issues”.

3. I pressed further and she said you can ask for one once onboard and since you are in the retreat, you should receive it.

 

Really ? Are they nuts?! This is ridiculous.  We are not Wed to X anymore.  We sail other lines and probably will not be back after this sailing.

SAD.  The impression I was left with is the Celebrity Executive Office could care less whether we ever return.

 

But it’s a safety issue! 🤣🤣 What I hate is how stupid they think we are. 
 

We have 3 Celebrity cruises booked, still outside of final payment. Still deciding. We also have a Sun Princess cruise and an MSC Yacht Club cruise booked. I have up until this point been loyal to Celebrity but this is the hill I die on!!! We book balconies for a reason and it isn’t for those chairs! 

[luckyinpa]

only half way thru reading this thread but why arent they draining my edge villa pool? i could be drinking my unlimited drink package and pass out in the hot tub or hit my head while climbing in and out. or fall down the steps from the 2nd to 1st floor?

[luckyinpa]

47 minutes ago, cbfb said:

But it’s a safety issue! 🤣🤣 What I hate is how stupid they think we are. 
 

We have 3 Celebrity cruises booked, still outside of final payment. Still deciding. We also have a Sun Princess cruise and an MSC Yacht Club cruise booked. I have up until this point been loyal to Celebrity but this is the hill I die on!!! We book balconies for a reason and it isn’t for those chairs! 

 

i just cruised on MSC in a standard balcony YC cabin. (shudders) until now i booked suites 90 percent of the time across all lines ive been on. you  should love yacht club. im only doing my 1st X cruise this november but i found the service in YC superior to Haven and the Sky class on oasis of the seas. I loved the crown lofts and the aqua theater was decent too. but never had the service i had in YC.

 

you can book the 2 story duplex in YC or the royal suite but getting a standard balcony cabin for so cheap, as a test run of MSC, was very impressive for the price. just 2600 for the week in bermuda PP.  I did hate the closet and smaller access to the bathroom but i love the YC so much i booked it again for september. even the standard cabin with tiny balcony and 2 chairs. even in my 2BR haven did i not get such great service.

 

I hate to cancel my edge villa for november and will await the change of policy.

[cbfb]

6 minutes ago, luckyinpa said:

 

i just cruised on MSC in a standard balcony YC cabin. (shudders) until now i booked suites 90 percent of the time across all lines ive been on. you  should love yacht club. im only doing my 1st X cruise this november but i found the service in YC superior to Haven and the Sky class on oasis of the seas. I loved the crown lofts and the aqua theater was decent too. but never had the service i had in YC.

 

you can book the 2 story duplex in YC or the royal suite but getting a standard balcony cabin for so cheap, as a test run of MSC, was very impressive for the price. just 2600 for the week in bermuda PP.  I did hate the closet and smaller access to the bathroom but i love the YC so much i booked it again for september. even the standard cabin with tiny balcony and 2 chairs. even in my 2BR haven did i not get such great service.

 

I hate to cancel my edge villa for november and will await the change of policy.

I have heard great things about YC so we are excited to give it a try. 

[luckyinpa]

is my bench gonna be there. it's much easier to jump from the bench overboard as when i try it on a lounger they are a bit too wiggly for me

 

[luckyinpa]

1 minute ago, cbfb said:

I have heard great things about YC so we are excited to give it a try. 

 

gold star for you because you are trying it. i see others diss it but they were never in it. I was nervous because reviews of MSC non YC experiences are overwhelmingly negative.  but the rest of the ship was just fine for me. And obviously YC was 10/10 for me. i dont even feel the need to get a bigger suite. though the 2 story suite is just 500 PP more for my current trip.

[Gracie115]

2 hours ago, vjmatty said:

Princess is pretty good about balcony furniture, assuming it’s a true balcony and not a “ledge” as I call the majority of them on Royal class ships. However, inside the cabin is another story. If you’re in a balcony cabin that’s not a deluxe balcony, you won’t get a couch or sometimes even a chair other than the one at the desk.

Teh ones on the side of the Royal class ships are very narrow.  We have booked both aft suites and forward mini suites and had awesome balconies.....

[cbfb]

5 minutes ago, luckyinpa said:

 

gold star for you because you are trying it. i see others diss it but they were never in it. I was nervous because reviews of MSC non YC experiences are overwhelmingly negative.  but the rest of the ship was just fine for me. And obviously YC was 10/10 for me. i dont even feel the need to get a bigger suite. though the 2 story suite is just 500 PP more for my current trip.

Wow! That’s an amazing price! I’d go for it too! 

[luckyinpa]

On 6/8/2024 at 12:40 AM, canderson said:

Stealth is vastly overrated.  I'd think making the run between 12~1pm would serve better to make the point! 🤪

your post just made me realize something. i can steal a lounger from the retreat deck and bring it easily in thru the retreat door in my edge villa. too bad there arent any on my private patio to steal though. 🙂

[Oville]

2 hours ago, takemewithyou said:

Just got a call from Executive office.  Diana.  

1.  She first tried to tell me that there are NO loungers on Sky suite balconies.  She said they are not big enough (lie).  I know better and told her that.  Been sailing X since 2009.  Told her loungers are pictured on Celebrity web site on SS balcony, also.

2.  then she told me that ALL loungers have been removed for “safety issues”.

3. I pressed further and she said you can ask for one once onboard and since you are in the retreat, you should receive it.

 

Really ? Are they nuts?! This is ridiculous.  We are not Wed to X anymore.  We sail other lines and probably will not be back after this sailing.

SAD.  The impression I was left with is the Celebrity Executive Office could care less whether we ever return.

 

Your first point is true, E Class never had loungers and they are not big enough.

Edited June 20 by Oville

[takemewithyou]

1 minute ago, Oville said:

Your first point is true, E Class never had loungers.

??????  I have never sailed on E class and never will.

No interest.  I just booked a simple 7 day Alaska cruise on Solstice.

Edited June 20 by takemewithyou

[Oville]

Just now, takemewithyou said:

I have never sailed on E class and never will.

Your lose but we all have our preferences.

[takemewithyou]

1 minute ago, Oville said:

Your lose but we all have our preferences.

Way, way too big a ship!  
No forward lounge. 
Not interested in fancy new X ships.

Prefer Azamara, Oceania currently.

[Oville]

4 minutes ago, takemewithyou said:

Way, way too big a ship!  
No forward lounge. 
Not interested in fancy new X ships.

Prefer Azamara, Oceania currently.

 

4 minutes ago, takemewithyou said:

Way, way too big a ship!  
No forward lounge. 
Not interested in fancy new X ships.

Prefer Azamara, Oceania currently.

To each their own.  Hated Oceania, never again.  Loved Virgin Ocean but not Casino people.

Not sure early E-class is bigger than S-class.

Edited June 20 by Oville

[takemewithyou]

2 minutes ago, Oville said:

 

To each their own.  Hated Oceania, never again.  Loved Virgin Ocean but not Casino people.

Not wanting to get in a discussion about E class.

To get back to the topic at hand:  I would like at least one lounger on S class sky suite balcony as there has always been and as pictured on web site when I booked it.

Edited June 20 by takemewithyou

[Oville]

2 minutes ago, takemewithyou said:

Not wanting to get in a discussion about E class.

To get back to the topic at hand:  I would like at least one lounger on S class sky suite balcony as there has always been and as pictured on web site when I booked it.

 

2 minutes ago, takemewithyou said:

Not wanting to get in a discussion about E class.

To get back to the topic at hand:  I would like at least one lounger on S class sky suite balcony as there has always been and as pictured on web site when I booked it.

But probably not on E-Class.

Enjoy your cruise.  E —class  isn’t for everyone.

Katie

Edited June 20 by Oville

[Gracie115]

18 minutes ago, takemewithyou said:

??????  I have never sailed on E class and never will.

No interest.  I just booked a simple 7 day Alaska cruise on Solstice.

I have sailed E class and agree with you.... never again..... 

[screwsmcernst]

We sailed on the Edge May 31 - June 7 in a Magic Carpet Skye Suite, and we had 1 lounger, chairs, and a small table.  DH used the lounger for a short time while we were sailing to Dawes Glacier.  It really worked out very well.

[TheHawk1]

4 hours ago, takemewithyou said:

Just got a call from Executive office.  Diana.  

1.  She first tried to tell me that there are NO loungers on Sky suite balconies.  She said they are not big enough (lie).  I know better and told her that.  Been sailing X since 2009.  Told her loungers are pictured on Celebrity web site on SS balcony, also.

2.  then she told me that ALL loungers have been removed for “safety issues”.

3. I pressed further and she said you can ask for one once onboard and since you are in the retreat, you should receive it.

 

Really ? Are they nuts?! This is ridiculous.  We are not Wed to X anymore.  We sail other lines and probably will not be back after this sailing.

SAD.  The impression I was left with is the Celebrity Executive Office could care less whether we ever return.

 

This is really annoying how badly Celebrity is handling this issue, far worse than cookie-gate or butler-gate… frankly I can do without either and not impact my cruise.

 

But to pay the ridiculous suite prices, which I have booked on Beyond next winter, only to be told I need to request a piece of balcony furniture that should already be included (and used to be on previous sailings) is insulting and just poor customer service.

[Liao]

2 hours ago, Oville said:

 

To each their own.  Hated Oceania, never again.  Loved Virgin Ocean but not Casino people.

Not sure early E-class is bigger than S-class.

What did you hate about Oceania?

[Oceangoer2]

14 hours ago, takemewithyou said:

Just got a call from Executive office.  Diana.  

1.  She first tried to tell me that there are NO loungers on Sky suite balconies.  She said they are not big enough (lie).  I know better and told her that.  Been sailing X since 2009.  Told her loungers are pictured on Celebrity web site on SS balcony, also.

2.  then she told me that ALL loungers have been removed for “safety issues”.

3. I pressed further and she said you can ask for one once onboard and since you are in the retreat, you should receive it.

 

Really ? Are they nuts?! This is ridiculous.  We are not Wed to X anymore.  We sail other lines and probably will not be back after this sailing.

SAD.  The impression I was left with is the Celebrity Executive Office could care less whether we ever return.

 

I've spoken with Diana in the past and she was very helpful with a somewhat unique problem.  With her approach to you, no doubt there's an executive mandate to promote the corporate response until she can't anymore and then say 'ask for it when you're onboard.... being a Retreat customer', etc........ which should be your due without having to 'ask'.  X has it backwards.  They should be providing the 'comfort' they advertise, not just to Retreat clients but all else on board.  Taking away 'comfort' is taking away future $$$s.  JMHO.

[TeeRick]

10 hours ago, screwsmcernst said:

We sailed on the Edge May 31 - June 7 in a Magic Carpet Skye Suite, and we had 1 lounger, chairs, and a small table.  DH used the lounger for a short time while we were sailing to Dawes Glacier.  It really worked out very well.

We sailed on Edge in a suite (CS) and it had a narrow (but real) balcony.  A lounger did not fit on it.  My DW was very disappointed.

[luckyinpa]

i think an activist should contact the news stations or one of the 10000 blogs online and start a report. lesser things have been reported on and made viral.   and maybe even caused change.

[ggo85]

I think I've finally pieced together what's happened.  Please note this applies to suites and the really long sunset  balconies -- not regular cabins such as IV.

 

X has changed out balcony furniture on certain ships.  For example, they added a real table and chairs on our veranda.  And put in another chair with a (kinda, not really) footstool.  And a fourth chair with no footstool.  Especially on balconies with the (IMO useless) jacuzzi tubs, it gets crowded.  When you add a lounger (even removing one of the chairs), you have to be careful moving around the veranda to avoid tripping over something.  

 

Add to this mix passengers who may be drunk or just not very agile, and you have the potential for a trip/fall.  This is confirmed by the fact that, when we received our requested lounger, the crew members cautioned us to be careful when moving around the veranda so as not to trip.

 

The problem is that no one asked the passengers whether we wanted a table and chairs or a lounger.  And they have that stupid jacuzzi, which I doubt few people use. 

 

The problem X has is that the situation is somewhat complicated.  Not all large verandas are the same size or have the same furniture (or tubs).  So how to explain to person A, "well, we put  too much junk on your veranda so you can't have a lounger," and person B, "you seem to have room so you can have one."  

 

Thus, they create this "policy" citing "safety" in the hopes that people will buy it.  Then there is selective enforcement.  In the end, there's lots of anxiety and unhappiness.   

 

But they bought all of those table and chairs (that no one will likely use), which has made it too hard to retain loungers (which people want and will use).  And it's far too hard to change out each cruise based on passenger preference.  So here we are . . .  

 

I agree with the above poster that the most discouraging thing is that X doesn't care whether passengers are happy or not.  Which is why we've moved on.

 

 

[Oceangoer2]

1 hour ago, ggo85 said:

Which is why we've moved on.

But moved on to where?  I'm researching other lines and I don't see 'nice' balcony furniture ..... however, they're better than the kitchen chairs and dinky table X provides.  Hard to find pics of what other lines are offering on their balconies.