Apparently, Celebrity has chosen to cancell their Bridge program

[shipshape sam]

Not clear what the fuss is. I have played in a number of games with others without Celebritie's involvement. I do realize it is much easier to assemble a lot of players with Celebrity creating the focus.

 

To cancel bridge seems very short sighted. I wonder what cost savings they think they will realize?

 

C2C - What is a Celebrity Commodore? I have sailed twice now on Celebrity and plan to sail 1-2 times in 2007.

[Sky Sweet]

I sent a letter to Celebrity about this issue and received the following response from Robert Vazquez, Cruise Activities & X-Club Youth Program:

"Thank you for your feedback. I'm glad that you have had such great experiences in the past with Celebrity. We can appreciate your concern over the potential loss of the Bridge program on future Celebrity cruises. It might comfort you to know that we have not completely eliminated the Bridge Program. Instead, we have decided to utilize the maximum playing time on cruises with many sea days, such as Transatlantic, Transcanal and the Hawaii cruises. Those are the cruises in which you will continue to find Bridge Directors for 2007.

 

With or without a Bridge Director, we trust you will thoroughly enjoy your next Celebrity Cruise".

[theduffys]

Thanks so much Sky. At least I now know that, on my Hawaii cruise, DH and I can still enjoy one of our favorite sea days activities.:D Still, until all the other mainstream lines follow this path (and history has shown they will eventually), we will probably begin cruise searches by looking at those that still offer the directed games on the shorter itineraries.

[CAKER]

I find it interesting, and annoying, that Mr. Vasquez did not have the intelligence to "molify" us even a little by indicating to what extent they would accommodate bridge players (absent lessons) to at least organize bridge games, provide playing areas, duplicate boards, cards, and scoresheets. I don't think that would be too much to ask if you are really interested in having happy cruisers !!!

[Sky Sweet]

I sent a letter to Celebrity about this issue and received the following response from Robert Vazquez, Cruise Activities & X-Club Youth Program:

 

"Thank you for your feedback. I'm glad that you have had such great experiences in the past with Celebrity. We can appreciate your concern over the potential loss of the Bridge program on future Celebrity cruises. It might comfort you to know that we have not completely eliminated the Bridge Program. Instead, we have decided to utilize the maximum playing time on cruises with many sea days, such as Transatlantic, Transcanal and the Hawaii cruises. Those are the cruises in which you will continue to find Bridge Directors for 2007.

 

With or without a Bridge Director, we trust you will thoroughly enjoy your next Celebrity Cruise".

 

I think this is another example of Celebrity trying to be all things to all people. It appears they are trying to attract a younger crowd on their cruises that are less than two weeks, and will probably substitute Bridge with something that they think will appeal to a younger demographic. Unfortunately, they are overlooking the fact that there are many people who love their career and have no desire to retire when they are old enough to do so. These older passengers, who are still in the work force, are usually not in a position to take multiple long cruises during a year, and will start looking to other cruise lines if they feel that Celebrity's 7 to 10 day cruises are no longer appropriate for them.

[sal7202]

I don't think that would be too much to ask if you are really interested in having happy cruisers

 

I haven't seen any emperical evidence that would remotely suggest that Celebrity is interested in happy cruiers. While it may be viewed as short sighted by reasonable folks, Celebrity is interested in profits and the cruisers be damned!

[slgjhg]

Hi all,

 

If you play on the ships just don't foregive that teaching and play are not provided. Points are important, and many peolple get their points on cruises. I know from other boards, that many players accumulate their points while on

cruises.

 

Good Luck to you all.

 

Regards,

 

Shannon

[cruiser2004]

Jay,

 

Thank you for starting this thread. We have enjoyed bridge and bridge lessons on many cruises on various cruise lines. We were on the May 7 Summit and the bridge activity was a great relief from the stress of the over all cruise experience, and gave us something interesting to do during our two periods of three sea days in a row. I really doubt that other lines will join Celebrity's lead in this cost cutting move at the expense of passenger enjoyment. I wish all of you the best of luck in trying to get Celebrity's attention on this matter.

[newmexicoNita]

Nice if you have a foursome.

I was thinking the same thing: we will be on HAL in November and as I said in my posting a few minutes ago: DH doesn't really play but the couple we will be cruising with do. NMnita

[CAKER]

I just received a response from Celebrity to my 9/9/06 e-mail.

 

"We read with great interest your feedback regarding Bridge play. Please be advised that the official policy is only on Trans-Atlantic, Trans-Canal, and Hawaii cruises (i.e. multi sea days). We have taken the liberty of forwarding your e-mail to the appropriate management personnel for review and future consideration. Thank you for choosing Celebrity Cruises."

 

Deborah Chau

Customer Service Representative

 

I HOPE YOU WILL SEND YOUR OWN E-MAILS.

 

HOPEFULLY THEY WILL AT LEAST PROVIDE TABLES, CARDS, AND DUPLICATE BOARDS (AND SCORING SHEETS)(WHICH THEY ALREADY OWN), AND ARRANGE SET TIMES FOR BRIDGE PLAYING AS A GROUP. I CAN LIVE WITH A COMPROMISE WITHOUT BRIDGE INSTRUCTORS.

[Sky Sweet]

Hi CAKER :)

 

Thank you for sharing your response from Celebrity. In my response from Celebrity, posted above, I got the impression that this new policy won't be implemented until 2007. Since my husband and I will be on a cruise in November of this year, I am assuming the current bridge program will still be in place at that time. If so, I will ask if anyone in the morning bridge class or afternoon game is interested in signing a petition about this issue.

[babylene]

Caker, would you please post the e-mail address? Thanks.

[cruiser2004]

I don't think that would be too much to ask if you are really interested in having happy cruisers

 

I haven't seen any emperical evidence that would remotely suggest that Celebrity is interested in happy cruisers. While it may be viewed as short sighted by reasonable folks, Celebrity is interested in profits and the cruisers be damned!

 

Sal7202, I think you summed in two sentences what it has taken many threads to say.

In MHO noting the bridge cancellation on the infamous "Attention To Detail" cards will not do any good, because no matter what Celebrity says, I personally, do not believe anyone is reading all of those cards. If you were faced with 2,000 "Attention To Deatail" cards and lets say you could read and take notes on ten per minute it would a a little over 33 hours of constant reading. If all cards were read that would mean Celebrity has one full time person for each of their ships doing nothing but reading "Attention To Detail Cards". I do wish all of you luck in your efforts to save bridge instruction and duplicate games on board all Celebrity ships.

[newmexicoNita]

I have a feeling they read them either at random or about every 4th or 5th one. I do know they read some, same as they all check CC periodically. NMNita

[CAKER]

I sent my e-mail to, and got the response from,

 

web_reservations_cci@celebritycruises.com

 

Also, sent copied it to info@celebritycruises.com

[slgjhg]

Hi again guys,

 

Here is a post from another message board. It speaks pretty directly to the issue of when the policy starts - started alteady. Is the card room still there? - No. What took its place? - a computer room. Where is there to play? - "a smoky cigar bar and no bridge facilities were available in the evening"

 

Again, I encourage you to be as vocal as possible about your feelings on this with X and other lines.

 

The number who have read our thread is now over 2,000. Please keep it going and thanks for your continued interest and caring.

 

Jay

 

==========================

 

Bridge Cruises

 

Wednesday, August 9th, 2006 by Administrator

 

We welcome you to post your constructive comments about Bridge cruises. Please see our reference of Bridge cruise ships.

 

On April 2006, bridge players GLH and JAH cruised on Celebrity’s Mercury, looking forward to playing bridge as seen on Celebrity’s website virtual tour. Unfortunately, when they got aboard, they were surprised to find the beautiful card room was converted to a computer room. As an alternative, bridge players were directed to Michael’s Lounge - a smoky cigar bar and no bridge facilities were available in the evening. See comments On a more cheery note, see their great feedback on an earlier cruise on the Celebrity Zenity

 

Posted in Bridge Cruises | No Comments »

[CAKER]

I just received the following response to my 10/2 e-mail (suprisingly quickly):

 

" Celebrity offers Bridge Instructors on voyages of 10 DAYS OR LONGER WITH 3 SEA DAYS OR MORE. Celebrity Cruises with 2 or LESS sea days are more port intensive, and our guest's interest in the Bridge program is mainly on the days at sea."

 

Therefore, Bridge is on the Baltic Capitals/St. Pete cruise (3 sea days), but not on the Mediterrannean cruise(2 sea days), even though both are 12-nights.

[Sky Sweet]

I just received the following response to my 10/2 e-mail (suprisingly quickly):

 

" Celebrity offers Bridge Instructors on voyages of 10 DAYS OR LONGER WITH 3 SEA DAYS OR MORE. Celebrity Cruises with 2 or LESS sea days are more port intensive, and our guest's interest in the Bridge program is mainly on the days at sea."

 

Therefore, Bridge is on the Baltic Capitals/St. Pete cruise (3 sea days), but not on the Mediterranean cruise(2 sea days), even though both are 12-nights.

 

Hi Caker :)

 

Thank you for sharing your response from Celebrity. Maybe we will take another Baltic Cruise instead of a Mediterranean one :)

[slgjhg]

A question, please?

 

If I understand the new policy is to have Bridge Directors on cruises of 10 days or more that have 3 or more sea days? If, as my information suggests, the card rooms have been removed on at least some of the ships, does this mean that only certain ships will do the 10+3 itineraries, or does it mean that bridge players will camp out?

 

Jay

[babylene]

On some of our Celebrity cruises, bridge has already been "shortchanged", even with a director. On the Mercury, over a year ago, we used part of the Michael's pub. Our director had to keep fighting with staff to furnish us with enough seats and tables.

 

On another cruise (I think it was the Galaxy), we had to play in the Stratosphere Lounge, while Bingo or some other "verbal" game was taking place.

 

So, even with bridge director, it appears that Celebrity does not have a very high regard for duplicate bridge. I doubt that the entertainment staff have an appreciation of the game!

[Sky Sweet]

On some of our Celebrity cruises, bridge has already been "shortchanged", even with a director. On the Mercury, over a year ago, we used part of the Michael's pub. Our director had to keep fighting with staff to furnish us with enough seats and tables.

 

On another cruise (I think it was the Galaxy), we had to play in the Stratosphere Lounge, while Bingo or some other "verbal" game was taking place.

 

So, even with bridge director, it appears that Celebrity does not have a very high regard for duplicate bridge. I doubt that the entertainment staff have an appreciation of the game!

 

Hi Babylene :)

 

We experienced the same situation on our January/February 2005 Mercury Cruise.

[BCHappyGal]

I am very sorry and will be disappointed if the next time I sail X there is no bridge. I enjoy the afternoon bridge game on all sea days.

The lack of organized bridge on our Carnival cruise in the Mediterranean last month was 1 of my complaints. And another reason in my mind to go back to X.

 

As three are only 2 of us to play we need the organized afternoon bridge in order to find anther couple to play with.

 

So X please don't take any of my reasons away - that is reasons why I should be loyal to you.