Bad Celebrity -now charging for shuttle

[Bobblsc]

We just got back from a transatlantic on Voyager of the Seas. Interesting that Celebrity is charging $8 r/t and Royal Caribbean was charging $4 r/t for these shuttles. (free to Diamond Crown & Anchor members)

 

I am so glad I looked at this thread and found Char's post. We are booked for our first two Royal Caribbean cruises in September and April. We Will be happy to pay less for shuttles than we would have on Celebrity. Indeed, as Diamond Members we will get them free.

 

We have been on five Celebrity cruises, including the Baltic to St. Petersburg, and the only time I recall paying for a shuttle was at Victoria, B.C. The dock there was a few miles to the center of the city, so that did not bother me. However, it does bother me that apparently any future Celebrity cruises will necessitate payment for almost all, or all, shuttles.

 

I thought Celebrity touted itself as a cut or two above the usual mid-level lines. If they are going to start charging for every service, they cannot be considered better than others. As is to be expected, prices seem to have increased on all cruise lines. I believe customers can understand because of higher costs, but there are many of us who get upset at "nickle and dime" charges. . We can certainly afford it, but such actions drive us to seek alternatives.

 

Thanks again Char. You are still a great lady.

 

Bob :D

[estebofarr]

I, too was on the most recent Millennium cruise. When we were at the cruise critic meeting, the CD Dru Pavlov said they were "trying it out" with the $8 shuttle charge to see what happened. We immediately complained and gave our name and cabin number. On our previous Med cruise with HAL there was NO charge. I am referring to stepping off the ship in Livorno, Civitavecchia, Athens, etc. From the dock to the entrance of the pier. $8 return. I agree with Marblemel that due to the docking of the ship in port, it was next to impossible to get to public transportation without buying the ship's shuttle. We walked in Piraeus to the train. Very cheap, very efficient. The private tours were allowed to come up to the ship. Something you no longer see in the U.S.

 

Weather was hot! Ship, crew and food were wonderful. Overall a terrific cruise and I wish I were back on the ship!

[Susan-M]

Estebofarr - we were on Millennium last Sept and enjoyed the free shuttles in the ports of Livorno, Civitavecchia, Dubrovnik and Venice (you mention Athens ... but for us it was just a matter of walking through the terminal and onto the street, with no shuttle required.)

 

$8. sounds a little steep to charge for shuttles just to get to the port entrance and back to the ship, but I don't disagree with a charge for this service. There is a cost associated with providing shuttles for passengers doing ports on their own and even though it may be a port requirement for safety reasons, it still comes with a price tag. I think it should be paid for by those using the service. Those using the ships' excursions or private tours are paying substantial costs for their tours and if the cost for shuttles was 'hidden' in the general cruise price, they would also be subsidizing the cost of shuttles, which they aren't using.

 

I agree that this was an amazing cruise ... and one that I would repeat anytime!:)

[greydog]

Wonder if Celebrity is also not charging for their Elite Member's which is equivalent to Royal Caribbean's Diamond Members?

 

Transfers charged to elite in Mallorca and Lisbon like everyone else this May BUT a 'priority boarding' pass provided that meant assembling in different room and we were escorted ahead of non-priority pax to offload for busses.

 

Charging for extras lately is alternative to boosting posted fares in manner of UPS, others adding 'fuel surcharge' to offset rising costs. Add the 'nickels and dimes' to the other fare components and make a judgement on overall value for the overall price. Saying things used to be 'no charge' really means such business cost recovery used to be embedded in base fares. If you go to a Carib A-I resort you are paying for average liquor consumption cost over all guests but you don't see the 'n + d's. I thought X's drink prices steep but they were alot less than Rome Hilton and comparable to many Rome tourist-area restaurants. I also remember a 'no charge' elegant tea, 'no charge' drinks on boarding, C-club socials, etc. I may come across as an X-loyalist but this discussion has many "glass is half full vs half empty" overtones. IMHO - with malice towards none.

[WeBeCruisin']

My first cruise was in 1986 on the NCL Southward to the Eastern Caribbean (San Juan, Nassau, St. Thomas, and Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic) and cost about $1,000 per person for an inside cabin. That would probably be close to $2,000 in today's dollars. That same trip, on a much nicer ship can now be had for as little as $500 per person. And the cost of fuel, food, alcohol, and entertainment is far more now than it was 20 years ago.

 

I'm fine with the "nickle-and-diming", if it means I can cruise for the equivalent of 1/4 of what I paid 20 years ago.

 

The bottom line is that all these pay-as-you-play items are optional. This way you pay for what you use. The alternative is to double the prices of the cruise to make it more all-inclusive. Or in the case of lines like SeaDream, Crystal, Radisson, Seabourn etc., triple or quadruple the prices to include everything.

 

You reallly can't have it both ways at the same time, no matter how much you might complain:) .

 

Allen

[Andym]

In Palma you can get a cab, 10 euros each way.