Obstructed view/Summitt

[Sophiesmom2]

My DH & I are booked on the Summitt for March 2008. We are booked into room 8063 (CC). I recently read a review from someone who had this room in 08/07 and it was noted that a window washer was "parked" in front of the balcony, obstructing the view for rooms 8063 & 8061. Does anyone know if this is a permanent thing? If no one knows, can someone tell me how to confirm with Celebrity? Needless to say I am not interested in having a room with an obstructed view.:(

 

Thanks for your help!

Sophiesmom2

[C 2 C]

Here is the review on 8063:

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=31867

[Marabella2004]

Arno,

Thanks for finding that review.

 

Sophiesmom2, we are the couple who sailed on Summit in 2005 and had that cabin. We complained on board, and were told there was nothing that could be done. When we got home, I pursued it with cusomer service, and escalated up the ladder as needed to get them to agree that we should be entitled to a partial reimbursement for having an obstructed view cabin when we paid for a top CC cabin. We eventually received future cruise credits good for two years for a substantial amount. We are using them this November on Constellation. So, pursue this - it's not right!

[Marabella2004]

I just reread your post - you have time to change your cabin now - do it!

[Alaskan Traveler]

My DH & I are booked on the Summitt for March 2008. We are booked into room 8063 (CC). I recently read a review from someone who had this room in 08/07 and it was noted that a window washer was "parked" in front of the balcony, obstructing the view for rooms 8063 & 8061. Does anyone know if this is a permanent thing? If no one knows, can someone tell me how to confirm with Celebrity? Needless to say I am not interested in having a room with an obstructed view.:(

 

Thanks for your help!

Sophiesmom2

 

I would not try to confirm it with Celebrity, unless you are able to get to someone who knows what they are talking about, or you probably will not get the real story.

 

I agree with Marabella2004 and would call Celebrity or your TA immediately and be sure and get any solution in writing from Celebrity. I have seen several posters who have reported how shocked they were when they walked into what they thought was a CC cabin with a great balcony view and discover a window washing apparatus parked in front of their balcony for the entire cruise. This practice of selling this cabin as a CC balcony cabin is, at least in my view, at best a questionable practice. In the name of fairness these cabins (I think there are two of them) should be sold as obstructed view cabins at a significantly reduced price. That way those who wanted a balcony with very limited view could save some money and those who wanted the view they had paid for would not be stuck in one of those cabins.

[swigso]

Hi,

We were in a CC cabin on Summit and had the same problem, we asked our steward could it be moved and it was, these platforms are moveable and I think will be placed where there are no objections.

[anon60]

I had the very same cabin on a recent (August) Alaska southbound cruise. The ship was fully booked and they told me the crane was there to stay ("It has been there for a while and according to maintenance it cannot be moved for safety reasons" that's what they tell me). I have been less lucky than the previous poster, and am still pursuing the refund isssue with Celebrity, after having sent them the pictures of the crane (which you can find on this board if you search the stateroom number) and told they would get back to me in a couple of days (that was over three weeks ago). My advise would be to change the stateroom immediately, since if you don't , you chance to feel like the ship's idiot (like I did), you'll have to run after them for a long time, and hear rather lame excuses which put to shame a respectable company (like the Executive Officer who claimed that Miami didn't know about the crane being there, and it was the fault of the ship for not informing the head office, and then telling me in the same conversation that she deals with all the complaints from disgruntled passengers who occupied that stateroom...).

[Seahorse44]

We have been winners in the window washer lottery, I guess. We had one in 3 out of 5 M-class cruises, all resolved satisfactorily due to a nice first officer on one and a hotel manager later who went the extra mile for us. The ships weren’t full so we could change cabins, in one case we chose not to and 3 days later it was moved. That being said, I am now careful in picking a cabin. In 2001 it was Summit 8084 -later moved- and in 2005 it was Infinity 8115 for a scheduled b2b deal. 21 days with it would have been impossibly aggravating since we had booked a year in advance, but they handled it immediately for us.(We haven’t come across anyone difficult to deal with at X , they have been very good to us.) We saw it in front of Constellation 9111 in March. I just picked up the 2008-2009 Caribbean book which has deck plans for all M ships. It lists for the first time some partially obstructed views in some areas that I theorize might be window washers. I think they park them near the “hump”. I don't know if they discount those cabins, but I feel that they should. If anyone is interested, the book lists the partially obstructed cabins as follows:

Summit 7138 8067 8069 8072 8104 9064 9066

Constellation 8094 8096 8102 8111 8115

Infinity 6108 8043 8098 8100 9039 9041 9094 9100

Millennium 6104 6106 7138 7140 8104 8106 9096 9098

Some of the cabins you mentioned are not on this list. What does this imply, I don’t know. I hope this is helpful and not too wordy! I would even love to be out to sea in one of them right now, sweating in SW Florida with a broken air conditioner! See you around and about.

[raudacruise]

Its sort of interesting on how they progressed from the oldest M (Mille) to newest (Connie). Less and less obstructed. I know on Summit (the first with no obstructed on the Penthouse deck) they parked them in the corners of the Penthouse suite verandahs behind stuff so you really didn't notice them.

 

Since we ae going on Mille on our next cruise this was helpful. At least 2 folks on connections board have cabins that are on the list and everyone's final payment is due shortly.

 

Thanks for posting this.

[gracecarmo]

seahorse44: where does X list all these Obstrcted View cabins?

[CLEMM]

On the Millennium the cabins listed are the sky suites, doesn't that seem odd?

[Seahorse44]

Gracecarmo, I got them from the newest book called "2008/09 Celebrity's Caribbean". I picked it up at my TA's on Sept 4. It is the first book I've seen that lists these cabins as "partially obstructed views".

 

Clemm, The cabins numbers in the deck plans are labelled as CS - celebrity suites -they are the suites with no balcony that are on the curved glass side (starboard) opposite the glass elevators. I found that very interesting. Every ship lists different cabins, that confuses me too!

 

I got into this because we're picking a cabin for a B2B on Infinity, and want a good one. We only were in a Sky Suite once, and I don't think they are affected. We got a surprise inexpensive upgrade once and wish I could afford SS all the time!!

 

Happy Cruising :)

[gracecarmo]

Seahorse 44: in the brochure for 08/09, do they give mention of the Solstice?

 

We are all waiting for some news re the deck plans etc. What they have posted on the web site is somewhat confusing.

 

Thanks for all your info re the OV rooms.

[Seahorse44]

Yes, Gracecarmo, they have some info on Solstice - There is a deckplan that shows cabins and and a cabin layout page, but no diagram of what else is on he ship like spas, restaurants, etc. No messages about views but one comment says all cabins accomodate four persons except FV takes five people. It's worth finding for the updated info on the ships. I don't deal as well with internet stuff either, there's nothing more fun than reading a cruise catalog and dreaming a bit!

[CLEMM]

I just don't understand why suites would have obstructed views.

[CatServants]

...Summit (the first with no obstructed on the Penthouse deck) they parked them in the corners of the Penthouse suite verandahs behind stuff so you really didn't notice them.

 

 

 

Sorry raudacruise; SEP/OCT 06, CS-6106, 1 of the 4 windows is obstructed by the window washing equipment. Moved when in use, but it's "home" is the far aft window in front of the CS on the Penthouse deck, and, is locked in its "home" position when the ship is moving. I have to say, although we asked if the unit could be moved (no), and we weren't happy that we had been told at booking that the view would be unobstructed, we LOVED our cabin. By the end of two weeks we no longer really noticed the equipment. Those giant windows on Alaska were PERFECT.

 

 

Happy cruising!

 

Denise

[raudacruise]

Sorry raudacruise; SEP/OCT 06, CS-6106, 1 of the 4 windows is obstructed by the window washing equipment. Moved when in use, but it's "home" is the far aft window in front of the CS on the Penthouse deck, and, is locked in its "home" position when the ship is moving. I have to say, although we asked if the unit could be moved (no), and we weren't happy that we had been told at booking that the view would be unobstructed, we LOVED our cabin. By the end of two weeks we no longer really noticed the equipment. Those giant windows on Alaska were PERFECT.

 

 

Happy cruising!

 

Denise

 

Hmm, surprised it didn't make seahorse's list. The list made it look like they were getting progressively better with each new generation of the M-Class. Guess not.

[Seahorse44]

Raudacruise, It did make the list but only on Millenium - what does that mean for us who use the book to pick cabins - it varies from ship to ship in the brochure, do you think they don't list them all perhaps? I'm confused as you are. :confused: I'm glad I'm NOT a TA - I would feel terrible to give a bad cabin.

 

CatServants - was it really worth the CS with no balcony? If the upgrade fairy ever visits I wouldn't know what to do!! :rolleyes:

[warmwinds]

So with this window washing equipment, exactly how often do they wash the windows? Did you find that yours were done every day? Every other day?

[Seahorse44]

Warmwinds, it's not often; and only in port. Once on the ten day in we did in March, and always at the end I would suspect before people board for the next one. I've not noticed on Princess (or can't remember:( ) or NCL what they do to compare. Ship design is fascinating isn't it? I wonder if they have focus groups with passengers?

[jajo]

cabin 9039 on constellation. good choice or not thanks

[Seahorse44]

Honestly, this is what confused me, too. It was not listed as partially obsructed on Connie, but was on Infinity;I don't know what this means for you, Sorry I can't help. Did you try a search on 9039 in the X forum?

[CatServants]

raudacruise - maybe on the next ship?!;)

 

Seahorse44 - Honestly, the CS cabin/windows worth every penny and more (shhhh! Don't tell X!). BUT...it would depend upon where I was cruising. Carib, Hawaii, Med all scream balcony to me (to each her own!), but for Alaska, New England/Canada? Those windows can't be beat! You can (and will!) spend comfortable hours sitting in front of those windows, watching beauty float by, while many balconies stay empty. No breakfast on the balcony? Fine. You have a dining table which will seat 4 that looks out those fantastic windows. Inclement weather won't bother you at all in a CS so cold/rainy climates? Grab that Upgrade Fairy, give her a hug and kiss and scream "YES, YES, YES". But if the Upgrade Fairy visits you on a Hawaii cruise and offers you a CS over a balcony? IMHO you should just say "no thanks" (give her a kiss anyway) and stick to the balcony.:)

 

warmwinds - How often? Ours was a two week (glorious/wonderful/ahhh) cruise. The equipment is only used when the ship is in port and I would say they used it ~3 times that I remember. Of course, we were often gone on port days, so, maybe more??? The crew was very sweet when using the equipment - laughing, waving, making faces at us.:p

 

Happy cruising!

 

Denise

[anon60]

In our case (Summit one week Alaska cruise) the equipment wasn't moved even once, even if the weather was gourgeous all the way through and it wouldn't have been a waste of energy washing some windows. The ship was sparkling clean throughout - believe you me, we would have welcomed the chance of seeing what our balcony would have looked like if..

[DeputyBob]

Anon60 and/or Richard & Mara,

We're in 8063 on our upcoming Hawaii cruise, and there are no other cabins available to switch to. We're not thrilled about the obstruction, and we'll take that up with Celebrity. Were either of you aware of the equipment making any noise that was noticeable? E.g., creaking or wind whistling through it?

 

Bob P.