Celebrity: are you a traditionalist or a revolutionary?

[jt1120]

Is there a question? X continuing to carry on the TRADITION of cruising is why they are our first choice and our favorite line. Society today is casual enough, thank you. I know several people on the NCL forum that would wish I was on the Titanic, but when you walk around dressed to the nines on formal night, there is a certain air of respectability that casual dress just does not convey. It isn't phony, as some might see it, it's called respect.

 

Sure, you can be a fine, upstanding citizen, and never wear anything but collared shirts, but there is just something about a suit and tie, or better yet, tux. Agree with me gentlemen?

[sweethome]

I'll preface this with the fact that I'm a new cruiser - will be going on my first one later this summer.

 

However, I must say that the formal nights and the traditional dining definitely appealed to me. I eliminated those cruise lines which were just casual and open seating as I did not want to spend 7 days eating in a food court surrounded by folks in flip flops and shorts.

 

Dressing up to me is part of the Old World ambience of cruising and I definitely hope Celebrity doesn't part with it.

[Squirrel's Mom]

If I wanted something other than what Celebrity offers, I would select another cruise line. They keep me coming back because of what they offer, not in spite of it.

 

We would only return to Princess if we were assured of traditional dining. We would only cruise RCL if we could order (not sneak!) a bottle of liquor to be waiting for us in our cabin. We would only cruise NCL if we were headed down the aisle to divorce court (because I can't imagine the arguments nightly about where / when to eat!) We would only cruise Carnival if they paid us. We will only cruise HAL in about another 20 years, Lord willing.

 

If there is a revolution to be had, we will join forces with those who will battle on the side of traditionalism.

[C 2 C]

Sure, you can be a fine, upstanding citizen, and never wear anything but collared shirts, but there is just something about a suit and tie, or better yet, tux. Agree with me gentlemen?

 

You're my kind of cruiser:D

 

Arno

[Shelly&Jack]

I love wearing a Tuxedo and recently bought a replacement. Wearing one makes me feel on a par with the women who always look great when they wear their formal evening clothes. I wore suits to work for over 30 years so wearing one for a formal dinner made me feel as if I was going to work.

 

If you think about it, essentially all cruise ships are physically about the same. That is, they all have cabins, dining venues, pools, spas, stores, bars, etc.

 

So if they all provided the exact same format, what would distinguish one from the other. Celebrity does it by having good food, dress codes, more sophisticated daily sea day events and great service. RCCL, the parent company, is distinctively different than X and you notice it while on board. However, they do provide a great cruise when traveling with children and that is the niche they excel in.

 

Our experience on NCL several years ago with the open seating, casual dress and unscheduled dining times was awful. Hopefully our 2009 cruise on Azamara which has a similar arrangement will be different. I am hopeful that their "smart casual" dress code is being enforced.

[Shipyard Cruiser]

Your assumption, then, is that any new cruisers they find will automatically prefer open-seating and casual dress? I think your assumption is flawed. I think a percentage of the new cruising market (perhaps a minority, but a percentage nonetheless) would prefer dress codes and traditional dining. While Celebrity is introducing their thousands of extra berths, the other cruise lines will be introducing tens of thousands of extra berths. The industry will be competing to the death for these new passengers. If X ends up going to open seating, less formal dining, they will be going head-to-head with all of these other lines. And they don't have some of the other bells and whistles those lines have. What would make a new cruiser pick X over RCCL or Princess or HAL or Carnival? If they maintain their current position, though, they will at least have a competitive edge with the percentage of the market that likes what they are selling...

 

I am cruising X because of the itinerary, the rest means very little. If I had to choose a line it would be RCI. I think RCI is a younger, less formal group then X. I think X is going to be closer to what I hear HAL is.

 

Every time I read a poll like this I wonder:

 

What is the age of the posters?

 

How do the over 99% of folks who cruise but don't post to Cruise Critic feel?

 

I don't think any cruise line is going to set policy based on Cruise Critic.

 

But everyone has a right to their opinion and that is what Cruise Critic is all about.:)

[C 2 C]

I

How do the over 99% of folks who cruise but don't post to Cruise Critic feel?

 

Cruise Critic posters and lurkers are a much larger component of each Celebrity cruise than you realize. Of the approximately 2,000 passengers on each sailing, any where from 50 to 250 sign up for "connections" on board, We also communicate with others who do not post but share the same overall characteristics that posters do. I would guess that 10 to 15% of guests are aware of this website. Although we are in a minority, I think every "connections" get together with the CD attending, gives us a presence not shared with any other travel group. Celebrity knows about us and sometimes monitors these boards as do various on board employees. However the other 85% to 90% of cruisers would not share the same attitude towards "tradition" as we do otherwise this poll and discussion would never have come up.

[Sky Sweet]

When my husband and I took our first cruise, most attorneys, physicians, business executives, and bankers wore suits to work. At that time, we lived in Manhattan and you could always tell the professionals from the blue collar workers, while commuting to work, by the way they dressed. Since most blue collar workers at that time did not take cruises, the way people dressed on a ship wasn't that much different than the way they dressed at home.

 

Now the branch manager at our bank, my physicians, and ivy league educated attorney dress in casual clothes, while the blue collar workers who come to our house to give estimates for repairs wear suits.

 

With that said, I realize that clothes no longer make the man, or woman, on either land or sea. On the other hand, I think people should observe a dress code when one exists.

[Shipyard Cruiser]

Cruise Critic posters and lurkers are a much larger component of each Celebrity cruise than you realize. Of the approximately 2,000 passengers on each sailing, any where from 50 to 250 sign up for "connections" on board, We also communicate with others who do not post but share the same overall characteristics that posters do. I would guess that 10 to 15% of guests are aware of this website. Although we are in a minority, I think every "connections" get together with the CD attending, gives us a presence not shared with any other travel group. Celebrity knows about us and sometimes monitors these boards as do various on board employees. However the other 85% to 90% of cruisers would not share the same attitude towards "tradition" as we do otherwise this poll and discussion would never have come up.

 

On our cruise in April only 8 have signed up for the Connections party.

 

On our RCI cruise last May quite a few posted in the roll call but only about 15 showed up for the meet.

 

And most people I meet on a cruise never heard of Cruise Critic. And I always ask:)

 

Just my opinion but I think most folks out here are older, richer and have cruised longer then most cruisers. And for most of you a cruise is much more then a vacation.

 

In my opinion not your average cruiser.

[Jimsgirl]

My opinion (and that is all it is) comes from observing passengers on the longer (i.e South America) and World Cruises ( I have done S America and segments of a World Cruise)

 

Because of the length of these cruises, passengers have to be :-

 

Able to take long vacations which means retirees, business owners, or professionals.

Able to afford the $$$$$ price

They most likely belong to their local Golf, Tennis , Country, or Yacht Club

Have a life style that is up scale.

 

Longer cruises have quite a few sea days, passengers therefore look for activities/lectures/wine tastings etc. They like sipping cocktails whilst being served tempting morsels at a table in the bar. by an attentive waiter.Dancing to a band playing the tunes of their youth.

 

In other words they are traditionlists.

 

Azamara stykle is not a leisurely experience, it is port intensive , geared to passengers leaving the ship in port as early as possible. getting back late, not bothering to change, just nipping down to the dining room, grabbing a table, eating , a quick couple of drinks, then off to bed ready to be off again at first light the next day. in another port. Fine for 7 day cruises but not for the length of time needed for S America or World Cruise.

 

I have a segment of the QV 2009 World Cruise booked, and in the past I have done S America, S Pacific, and a segment of World Cruise ,Sydney to LA, on HAL, Princess, and Crystal , all were of three -four weeks duration.

 

 

 

 

,

[Drew B]

I am cruising X because of the itinerary, the rest means very little. If I had to choose a line it would be RCI. I think RCI is a younger, less formal group then X. I think X is going to be closer to what I hear HAL is.

 

 

While I don't doubt that there will be individual itineraries on X that are desirable, because they have one of the smallest fleets at sea (at least among mainstream lines), the variety is less than any other line. I don't think that itineraries will ever be X's claim to fame. How can they compare to a line like Princess who has more than twice as many ships to disperse around the globe?

 

I think X is better off distinguishing themselves in a a way in which they will actually stand out rather than fall short.

[Shipyard Cruiser]

While I don't doubt that there will be individual itineraries on X that are desirable, because they have one of the smallest fleets at sea (at least among mainstream lines), the variety is less than any other line. I don't think that itineraries will ever be X's claim to fame. How can they compare to a line like Princess who has more than twice as many ships to disperse around the globe?

 

I think X is better off distinguishing themselves in a a way in which they will actually stand out rather than fall short.

 

So go to the same old places but gear it to the older, upscale folks who don't care for much change and enjoy things the way they used to be.

 

I guess you can make money that way if you charge enough.

 

All I ment was I chose X because of the itinerary and not because of the "upscale" stuff.

[ILoveScotland]

If a cruise line is going to keep traditional dining then I definitely think a smart casual dress code should be enforced. But I could care less about formal nights. It's a lot of hoopla for nothing as far as I'm concerned.

 

No, I'm not a grouch. I just want my holiday to be relaxing, and getting all gussied up is not relaxing to me.

[DaveFr]

While I don't doubt that there will be individual itineraries on X that are desirable, because they have one of the smallest fleets at sea (at least among mainstream lines), the variety is less than any other line. I don't think that itineraries will ever be X's claim to fame. How can they compare to a line like Princess who has more than twice as many ships to disperse around the globe?

 

I think X is better off distinguishing themselves in a a way in which they will actually stand out rather than fall short.

Drew,

 

The problem I see with Celebrity distinguishing themselves as the line for traditionalists is that many of them tend to be older cruisers who have been cruising for a number of years. As time passes, many of today's traditionalists will no longer be cruising. I doubt they will be replaced on a one-to-one basis by younger traditionalist cruisers.

 

So in the future, Celebrity would be faced with a declining base of traditionalists. To be sure, Celebrity might corner the market for traditionalists but that market will get smaller and smaller. Having an increasing share of a declining market may work in the short term but it is not a formula for long term success.

 

Dave

[junglejane]

Our upcoming trip to the Mediterranean has convinced me that I would prefer to do away with the Informal nights, and just have formal and smart casual. Worrying about informal nights complicates packing especially when you have to fly internationally.

 

We're happy to dress up for formal nights. But given a choice we would also like some form of Anytime Dining, like we've enjoyed on Princess. Does that qualify us as revolutionaries?

 

--Junglejane

[caviargal]

Does that qualify us as revolutionaries?

 

 

I like to think of us as evolutionaries:D.

[HappySeaGoer]

I agree with JungleJane, keep the formal and smart casual, and eliminate the Informal. :)

[junglejane]

I like to think of us as evolutionaries:D.

 

Hey, I like that.:D

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

I did not want to spend 7 days eating in a food court surrounded by folks in flip flops and shorts.

 

Amen to that! Why spend my good money for that? I can do it at home for a lot less.

[Xcruiser]

I like to eat with the traditionalists and drink with revolutionaries!:D

 

I keep forgetting which side of the ship is the smoking side, top or bottom? :eek:

[sivia]

Arno: believe the person preparing the food in Murano's is Dominic....not Michel as your picture caption shows.

 

Interesting poll.

 

Thanks for changing the caption of your picture. We enjoy the service that Dominic gives us as well as his charming personality. Felt he deserved to have the correct name with his photo.

 

You do a great job of keeping all of us up to date with the staffing on the various ships. Thanks. :-)

[caviargal]

If Azamra is having trouble filling its ships, I doubt that it has anything to do with its dress code or dining options. Azamara tried to be another Oceania and Oceania is doing very well. Most of the people I know who have tried Oceania love it and consider it to be more upscale than Celebrity.

 

In my opinion, Azamara made a mistake by entering service before they were ready to provide the quality of cruise experience that they promoted and that is why they are having problems filling their ships.

 

double post

[sea-cruise]

We've always enjoyed wearing smart casual and formal apparel. We do like upscale dining (both on land and at sea), so I would, therefore, put myself in the "traditional" group, and have voted as such.

[giblert]

Your assumption, then, is that any new cruisers they find will automatically prefer open-seating and casual dress? I think your assumption is flawed. I think a percentage of the new cruising market (perhaps a minority, but a percentage nonetheless) would prefer dress codes and traditional dining. While Celebrity is introducing their thousands of extra berths, the other cruise lines will be introducing tens of thousands of extra berths. The industry will be competing to the death for these new passengers. If X ends up going to open seating, less formal dining, they will be going head-to-head with all of these other lines. And they don't have some of the other bells and whistles those lines have. What would make a new cruiser pick X over RCCL or Princess or HAL or Carnival? If they maintain their current position, though, they will at least have a competitive edge with the percentage of the market that likes what they are selling...

 

I'd love to find an upscale line where BBCOB(*1) isn't considered the fashion norm. I'm willing to pay a little extra for great service, great food, and I don't mind dressing up for it. I have found that the longer the cruise, the better dressed the cruisers... just call me an old fart tranditionalist who's only in his 40s.

 

 

*1: Baseball cap on backwards.

[ECCruise]

Your assumption, then, is that any new cruisers they find will automatically prefer open-seating and casual dress? I think your assumption is flawed. I think a percentage of the new cruising market (perhaps a minority, but a percentage nonetheless) would prefer dress codes and traditional dining. While Celebrity is introducing their thousands of extra berths, the other cruise lines will be introducing tens of thousands of extra berths. The industry will be competing to the death for these new passengers. If X ends up going to open seating, less formal dining, they will be going head-to-head with all of these other lines. And they don't have some of the other bells and whistles those lines have. What would make a new cruiser pick X over RCCL or Princess or HAL or Carnival? If they maintain their current position, though, they will at least have a competitive edge with the percentage of the market that likes what they are selling...

 

The other fly in this ointment, though, is cruisers that have gone along with traditional dining for years but, when given the option, would much rather opt for a more adult approach. On our X cruises we've always dressed to the code, presented ourselves at the dining room when scheduled. When presented with a choice, however, such as country-club casual and open seating there is not even a choice in our mind...and I've seen numerous posts from folks who feel the same way..."the formal thing gets old."

 

And as far as the mainstream lines go, Celebrity has the bulk of the new berths downstream...(Princess 1 ship, NCL 2 ships, RCCL 3 ships, Carnival 3 ships, Celebrity 4 ships).

 

All I am saying is that you folks can have your traditional dining. You can dress as you wish. But I would like choice and if it is not forthcoming on the Solstice class will most likely look elsewhere.