Suite Enhancements

[Gracie115]

Don't see much here to get excited about.  The "butler chat" is new but doubt we'd use it much.  Most everything else is just PR related and embellishing on what is OR WAS already part of the Retreat.  

 

For the huge increases in suite pricing there should be more for ALL suite levels.  Used to be that CS's received 2 free Specialty dining per person per cruise.  That's gone.  Gratuities no longer included, OBC no longer included.  

 

We still like X but it is by no means our "go to" cruiseline anymore.  Too many other choices that are at least equal and many that cost less.  

[Octavias]

How do you access the butler chat?  I’m onboard the Edge right now and would love to use that!  

[Georgia_Peaches]

On 5/23/2024 at 1:02 PM, ggo85 said:

Nothing new here other than maybe the person to help "personalize" your time ashore and the butler to take you to your car for "private journey" excursions.

I believe access to thermal suite on all ship classes for upper suites is new as well as the reinstated fully stocked minibar (fridge)...they took that perk away from lower suites for a while so it appears to be back.

[Georgia_Peaches]

19 hours ago, Boxerlover2 said:

Is the complimentary access to SEA Thermal Suite and Persian Garden a new perk for Royal Suites and above? 

Yes!

[ggo85]

Never used Blu when sailing in a suite. I believe Aqua should get first priority since they’re paying for it. 

[SerraG]

30 minutes ago, Octavias said:

 

How do you access the butler chat?  I’m onboard the Edge right now and would love to use that!  

 

Warning: I just tried the butler chat and it disabled my WhatsApp account!

 

I am on board Edge and our butler told us this was the first sailing they were trying the butler chat. You need a WhatsApp account.  Your butler’s business card should have a QR code on it that you can scan to add a chat to WhatsApp with your butler.  
 

When I scanned the code, it brought up WhatsUp and then immediately disabled my account 
 

 

This is particularly annoying cause my daughter is currently in Spain and we were using WhatsApp to communicate.  (Thank goodness my his and can still use his account. He did not scan the code after my failure.)

 

The retreat manager was notified and I tried to ask WhatsApp to review my account, but there doesn’t seem to be anything else that can be done for now. 😞

 

Edited May 24 by SerraG

[phoenix_dream]

17 minutes ago, ggo85 said:

Never used Blu when sailing in a suite. I believe Aqua should get first priority since they’re paying for it. 

And theoretically they do.  Suite access is supposed to be if available.  We did have a bad experience once on Reflection, though.  As you may know they have more AQ cabins than other S class but the same size Blu.  We often had to wait 30ish minutes because of all the suite guests, including a large table next to us that kept ordering items off the MDR which caused the waiters to be gone for long periods of time.  (I know this because we were friends with the waiter and he told us the problem).  Other than that, when sailing in AQ many, many times, I've never found extra suite guests an issue.  When we're in suites and we want to eat in Blu we go later so as not to interfere with the AQ folks.

[hcat]

2 hours ago, cttraveller said:

Many unhappy folks.  Please leave Celebrity if you not happy with the experience.  There no need to announce your exit. 

we were asked to share our  comments add opinions...We think some of the enhancements disfavor AQ guests! 

 

Do you have any feedback..pos or neg?

[travel1light]

40 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Yes!

Signature suite? Looks like no.

[Georgia_Peaches]

33 minutes ago, travel1light said:

Signature suite? Looks like no.

Signature suite is considered an upper suite...not sure what you're referring to.

[abbydancer2003]

5 hours ago, billc23 said:

Luminae typically closes at 8:30 for breakfast on a port day.

I think Solstice was the first time I've seen that.  In the other 3 I did in the last 6 months, I thought it was just 9 for all, but I could be wrong.

[Frenchkona]

2 hours ago, ggo85 said:

Never used Blu when sailing in a suite. I believe Aqua should get first priority since they’re paying for it. 

 

[goofysmom99]

3 hours ago, jelayne said:

The  Zenith cruise only price for suites eliminated the military discount, at least on all pricing I have seen.  You $125 was better than the 0 we got when we repriced we lost both military and OBC, but still came out ahead. 

Did they reduce or remove altogether the OBC from booking onboard? 

[voyager1964]

10 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

I personally believe those working in Luminae need a bit of time here and there to relax and get ready for the next meal. 

I feel a slightest hint of bias towards Celebrity employees 🙂. Like looking for an excuse rather than finding a solution.

More seriously though, other lines allow for extended open hours of their Suite restaurant, e.g., NCL Haven. Or Princess's suite breakfast in Sabatini's. Also, the buffet (aka OVC) somehow finds the resources to stay open for extended hours..

[voyager1964]

5 hours ago, cttraveller said:

Many unhappy folks.  Please leave Celebrity if you not happy with the experience.  There no need to announce your exit. 

Several years ago, Celebrity had a representative here ("Celebrity Cruises") that apparently monitored the board and sometimes could even relay those things the "folks" were "unhappy" with back to Celebrity HQ. Unfortunately you cannot go back that far in search any longer after the Forum was revamped like ~three years ago, so I cannot cite any specifics post.

I guess the hope that Celebrity is listening is still alive 🙂

[2NHcruisers]

Taking away the ability to order "off menu" in Murano was a show stopper for us.. Along with the removal of the nepresso machine (penthouse only the retreat mgr said)..

Too little too late..

 

[billc23]

9 hours ago, abbydancer2003 said:

I think Solstice was the first time I've seen that.  In the other 3 I did in the last 6 months, I thought it was just 9 for all, but I could be wrong.

Hi Abby! You are correct. I violated my own rule of noting the specific ship and date when posting something factual regarding Celebrity. I started doing this because the inconsistencies between different ships and sailing are remarkable. 

 

I should have said: On the Solstice sailing from March to May of 2024 Luminae closed at 8:30 on port days...

[DaKahuna]

9 hours ago, goofysmom99 said:

Did they reduce or remove altogether the OBC from booking onboard? 

 

 No. Just the additional OBC that use to be for booking a suite. We still received our $200 OBC for booking a 17-day Transpacific.   We also received a $100 each Military discount.  Not OBC but a deduction in cruise price. 

 

 

[TeeRick]

On 5/23/2024 at 3:53 PM, markeb said:

 

Pretty nice use of very small asterisks...

 

I'm usually not one to pick these things apart, and I know this is a marketing flyer, but someone's already asked about the specialty restaurants, and the disclaimers are there again on the mini-bar, just even smaller. How much time does it take to explain what's actually included when someone books a Sky Suite? 

 

The Butler Chat could be interesting. I think the shoe shine has always been there, but it's not something they mention onboard. And it seems like the vast majority of people are wearing some form of sneaker that doesn't need shining most of the time!

 

especially with no more formal nights - no need for highly polished shoes!

[TeeRick]

14 hours ago, Gracie115 said:

Don't see much here to get excited about.  The "butler chat" is new but doubt we'd use it much.  Most everything else is just PR related and embellishing on what is OR WAS already part of the Retreat.  

 

For the huge increases in suite pricing there should be more for ALL suite levels.  Used to be that CS's received 2 free Specialty dining per person per cruise.  That's gone.  Gratuities no longer included, OBC no longer included.  

 

We still like X but it is by no means our "go to" cruiseline anymore.  Too many other choices that are at least equal and many that cost less.  

Agree with your comments.  We have not sailed the Celebrity Retreat since were on Equinox in Jan 2022.  At that time the cutbacks were draconian including the near-elimination of the dinner buffet.  A bit later butlers and other changes.  But prices continued to escalate greatly.  To be fair some things have been brought back (due to many negative comments from loyal Retreat customers).  But it opened our eyes to other suite products on other cruise lines.  After many years of just sailing Celebrity in suites.  Their loss.

[Veinless]

On 5/23/2024 at 1:27 PM, Cap_D said:

Until they solve for the issue I describe in the below post from earlier today, I call BS on the enhancements.  

 

Celebrity should also apologize to every person who purchased Retreat and sailed during the period where Butlers were fired, the paid minibar explicitly enforced, etc.  And, one sous vide vacuum packed pre prepared chicken dish from a Boulud commissary doesn't make for an enhancement to the Luminae menu.  Also, still waiting for the promised Luminae room service breakfast menu that has consistently been promoted before booking for years and yet is entirely ignored by shipboard staff at all levels.

 

I don’t want an apology, but some gesture like compensatory captain’s club points would make me feel less bitter about the whole thing. They sold me something, changed what I was getting, and kept my money anyway. 
 

We have given up on booking suites on Celebrity. The value isn’t there and they pull the rug out from under you so trust is gone. 

[riredsox]

It would really be an enhanced experience if they gave us back the included tips and OBC that absolutely no one asked to have taken away.   It angers me that they think we are that gullible to think people don’t want tips and OBC included when they are still paying the same if not more then before they took those away.  

[ggo85]

57 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

Agree with your comments.  We have not sailed the Celebrity Retreat since were on Equinox in Jan 2022.  At that time the cutbacks were draconian including the near-elimination of the dinner buffet.  A bit later butlers and other changes.  But prices continued to escalate greatly.  To be fair some things have been brought back (due to many negative comments from loyal Retreat customers).  But it opened our eyes to other suite products on other cruise lines.  After many years of just sailing Celebrity in suites.  Their loss.

The (temporary) demise of Crystal coupled with a terrific experience on an X ship right after COVID brought us back.  A series of corporate decisions (loungers, removal of OBC and gratuities), caused us to look elsewhere.  Like the above poster, we found other lines.  Cost is roughly the same and the experience is much better overall.  We are on X in about 10 days and that’s the end for us.  3 cruises booked for 2024 and 2025 and didn’t even consider X 
 

I’ll keep an open mind, but I don’t see us ever coming back. X suites used to provide a near-luxury experience at near-mainstream prices.  Now it’s luxury prices for a mainstream experience. 

[jcpc]

It seems to me that a big area of contention is the fact that Luminae closes for breakfast at 9 am.  Personally, for me, 9 am close time is too early.  Many of us while on a cruise like to sleep in a bit later and enjoy a leisurely morning rather than having to set the alarm to get up and get showered and ready for breakfast for 9 am.  However, I've learned to adjust and I will usually just get a pastry and coffee at Al Bacio and that will suffice.  I flat out refuse to go to the buffet as there is nothing relaxing or luxurious about going to the breakfast buffet on Celebrity.

 

However, there is a very obvious solution to this problem of closing at 9 am.  How about "staggered work hours" for the wait staff in Luminae.....especially on sea days?  I believe that Luminae is open from 7 am to 9 am.  I have been told by several different maitre'd's and wait staff in Luminae that the place is "dead" from 7 am until about 8:15 am and then they are "slammed" starting at around 8:15 am.  So, let's just say that there are 8 waiters assigned to Luminae.  Rather than having all 8 work from 7 am until 9 am, why not have 4 work from 7 am to 9 am and have 4 work from 8 am until 10 am.  The way Luminae is currently run all 8 waiters appear at 7 am and basically do nothing but hang around the back room waiting for guests for about the first hour.  This is a very easy implementation and is done all the time in land-based restaurants.  Any competent restaurant manager or maitre'd can surely adjust work schedules to accommodate all guests.

Edited May 25 by jcpc

[DaKahuna]

6 hours ago, TeeRick said:

especially with no more formal nights - no need for highly polished shoes!

 

 I beg to disagree.  I wear dress shoes most evenings to dinner, especially on Evening Chic nights.  I like there to be a shine to my shoes.  Maybe not the spit shine gloss of my military days but definitely not scuffed.  

 

 I was devastated when I was informed that shoe shines were no longer being done as I had not packed my own polish and rags.   I had to make do with with disinfectant wipes and a wash cloth.