President's Cruises: Are They Special?

A lot of money for lamb stew and a dram of Jamesons

I wouldn't pay $150 to have dinner with the president of the USA let alone the president of a cruise line. Probably just me but I really can't see the attraction of sailing of with a Senior manager of my holiday operator... let alone paying for the privilege

Saw some photos of LLP enjoying her work funded holiday in Iceland. Dining in Luminae and no doubt getting the best crew on board following her around ensuring she gets the sort of service that a zenith cruiser in the Reflection suite could only dream of.

She should do a week on board as a boss undercover :-)

I'll find out in a week if it's fun. Sail on the 27th

I think it will be interesting to watch . I'm sure by day two of the cruise, any of the execs onboard will be tired of hearing

"What can you do about deck chair hogs?"

"The internet is slow when the ship was near{fill in geographical location}, do I get a refund?"

"Why don't they give me all 4 perks on my inside cabin during a TA?"

"The website has issues, can you get it fixed this week?"

"Why can't they have lobster as a fixed item on the menu instead of Spaghetti Carbonara?"

"I was delayed getting into my cabin because of lines in the cruise terminal, can I get compensation?"

"I've done 4 cruises and never been given a complimentary upgrade to a Royal Suite, why not?"

"Why wouldn't they allow me to bring my crock pot onboard?"

LOL jt - I can imagine that line of questioning too... yet, alas, to be expected to some degree, I guess.

Enjoy your sailing and let us know how it was upon your return.

bon voyage

p.s. - I will be disappointed in you if you do not ask at least three (3) of the above questions, especially the internet related ones!

Saw some photos of LLP enjoying her work funded holiday in Iceland. Dining in Luminae and no doubt getting the best crew on board following her around ensuring she gets the sort of service that a zenith cruiser in the Reflection suite could only dream of.

 

She should do a week on board as a boss undercover :-)

She is probably the only one in the industry that doesn't need the Undercover Boss experience, since she started at the company right out of college, and I think has worked in every conceivable role in the company ladder

LOL jt - I can imagine that line of questioning too... yet, alas, to be expected to some degree, I guess.

 

Enjoy your sailing and let us know how it was upon your return.

 

bon voyage

 

 

p.s. - I will be disappointed in you if you do not ask at least three (3) of the above questions, especially the internet related ones!

Do my best to give you a good feel on the good/bad of the Presidents cruise. I'm a firm believer that you can't criticize or praise something you never experienced, so figured I would experience one.

I'll make sure I ask the question about the complimentary upgrade to the Royal Suite (I heard it has a great shower LOL :D).

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I'll make sure I ask the question about the complimentary upgrade to the Royal Suite (I heard it has a great shower LOL :D).

Is it a shower for two (2)???? :cool:

 

In the U.K. we joke that the Queen thinks the world smells of fresh paint as everywhere she goes they have just 'tarted' up....must be the same for Lisa!

I used to work for a large corporation that once had a board of directors meeting in one of our plants.

Prior to the meeting there was a lot of painting going on. Every hallway they would walk through was painted while others in the same buildings were not painted. The side of outside storage tanks they could see was painted while the remainder of each tank was not.

It appears the decision to call it 'President's Cruise' was due to the differing President's images on the various denominations of US Currency.

Three more days until our President's Cruise. Just a little concerned about the weather for at least the first few days of this cruise. What ever was I thinking when I booked it? My family has lived in South Florida since the 1950s. I should know by now early September/ late August is peak tropical storm and hurricane season.

She is probably the only one in the industry that doesn't need the Undercover Boss experience, since she started at the company right out of college, and I think has worked in every conceivable role in the companycruise. I'm a firm believer that you can't criticize or praise something you never experienced, so figured I would experience one.

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If she's got a college degree, and since she's the President, I guessing she has an advanced degree, such as a Masters. You don't start a person like this at the bottom rung on a ship. I'd be surprised if she worked on a ship in any capacity. I worked for several company's, all much smaller than Celebrity, and not one of the top management team ever worked in the trenches. In fact, the last two were hired as president right off the street. This is one of the most successful company's in their industry.

We were on the May cruise and were very disappointed one night while dining in Illuminae. There was a special invitation only event in the back half of the restaurant. We were in the front half. I understood it was hosted by the capitan, possibly for the president; I don't know that for sure.

Anyway, during dinner we were abandoned by ALL wait staff for approximately 40 minutes. I gave serious thought to going to the passport bar to refill my glass of wine. For that period there was zero service.

I was angry, they new it and were appropriately apologetic. The rest of our cruise dining in Illuminae was fine. Please note I do not think this was a failure by the staff. I'm quite sure that management is to blame for the lapse.

Other than a sail away champagne reception, we did not participate in any of the presidents events.

In the future I would not go out of my way to book a president's cruise; it seems extra brass on board is a burden.

I wouldn't pay $150 to have dinner with the president of the USA let alone the president of a cruise line. Probably just me but I really can't see the attraction of sailing of with a Senior manager of my holiday operator... let alone paying for the privilege

 

Nor me ;).

We were on the May cruise and were very disappointed one night while dining in Illuminae. There was a special invitation only event in the back half of the restaurant. We were in the front half. I understood it was hosted by the capitan, possibly for the president; I don't know that for sure.

 

Anyway, during dinner we were abandoned by ALL wait staff for approximately 40 minutes. I gave serious thought to going to the passport bar to refill my glass of wine. For that period there was zero service.

 

I was angry, they new it and were appropriately apologetic. The rest of our cruise dining in Illuminae was fine. Please note I do not think this was a failure by the staff. I'm quite sure that management is to blame for the lapse.

 

Other than a sail away champagne reception, we did not participate in any of the presidents events.

 

In the future I would not go out of my way to book a president's cruise; it seems extra brass on board is a burden.

I cannot see how a President of a company can believe that by just experiencing the top level venues/experiences onboard that they can understand the range of their passengers experiences. Is it just me but if I (never gonna happen) we're in that position I would ask to be in an inside cabin, in the MDR with no perks to really understand the cruise line experience. If she's happy to accept the red carpet treatment then she clearly is out of touch with the vast majority of her paying guests.

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If she's got a college degree, and since she's the President, I guessing she has an advanced degree, such as a Masters. You don't start a person like this at the bottom rung on a ship. I'd be surprised if she worked on a ship in any capacity. I worked for several company's, all much smaller than Celebrity, and not one of the top management team ever worked in the trenches. In fact, the last two were hired as president right off the street. This is one of the most successful company's in their industry.

Read her biography sometime on the RCCL website, she started as a sales manager for the Northeast US about 31 years ago

If LLP is really interested in building the bottom line she would be in an Inside cabin so that others would pay full fare for cabins above inside.

If LLP is really interested in building the bottom line she would be in an Inside cabin so that others would pay full fare for cabins above inside.

I'm sure if she did then the cries would be "I can't believe she took an inside cabin, which will force other people to buy a more expensive cabin"

No matter what you do, you can't win when your the boss

I'm sure if she did then the cries would be "I can't believe she took an inside cabin, which will force other people to buy a more expensive cabin"

 

No matter what you do, you can't win when your the boss

A few years back I was flying regularly for work with Virgin Atlantic to South Africa. On one occasion the plane was completely full I was sitting in Premium Economy and Sir Richard Branson to my surprise was also sitting in Premium Economy. A couple of trips later I found myself sitting next to a Senior Manager with Virgin. I asked him why SRB was flying in Premium Economy. He told me everyone in Virgin only flies in empty seats. If they want to guarantee a seat in a cabin they pay for it (individually or through their budget at the full rate). If there had been a Seat free in Upper Class free he would have been there. He said on some of the busy African flights you're lucky to end up in Premium Economy as the planes often run full.

A few years back I was flying regularly for work with Virgin Atlantic to South Africa. On one occasion the plane was completely full I was sitting in Premium Economy and Sir Richard Branson to my surprise was also sitting in Premium Economy. A couple of trips later I found myself sitting next to a Senior Manager with Virgin. I asked him why SRB was flying in Premium Economy. He told me everyone in Virgin only flies in empty seats. If they want to guarantee a seat in a cabin they pay for it (individually or through their budget at the full rate). If there had been a Seat free in Upper Class free he would have been there. He said on some of the busy African flights you're lucky to end up in Premium Economy as the planes often run full.

Yes, I think that's pretty common the the hospitality industry. I have friends at Delta, Virgin Australia, Mandarin, Celebrity and RCCL and they all follow those same guidelines. Just last year i did a TA on Reflection and I was in a CC2. Four dours down from me in another CC2 cabin was a member of the Board of Directors of RCCL and his wife