Bejay219

We are on the Ascent, I saw Marcus, recognized him from Apex! Looks like he is a waiter now!

Also, the Eden Bar, used to be most of the drinks were on premium package, now only one (maybe two).

On the Ascent, not sure about the Martini Bar, but World Class prices have gone up. Several that were on the Premium Pkg. are now 2 to 5 dollars more.

Hope you feel better soon.. Take care!!

Happy Birthday to our friend Jim! Hope you had a wonderful day!

That is good to know... Thank you!

Along with the taking away the Butler, tips and On Board Credit, the Sky Suite pays the same tips as the Iconic Suite.... That is hardly fair. If you reduce my service, please reduce the tips accordingly!

That is exactly why we don't eat at buffets if we can help it. My husband is a retired Microbiologist, we try and be super cautious, especially on a cruise ship! Would like someone on the Ascent to ask if the case at the Cafe Bicio refrigerated, we will be on Dec. 3.

I don't remember the pastry case at Cafe Al Bacio being refrigerated. You cannot safely keep a sandwich with meat at room temperature.

I posted on another thread... Why are Sky Suites paying the same gratuites as the Penthouse to the Iconic Suites and having their service cut? Just don't understand, cut my service but charge the same as the huge Iconic Suite!

Service less than stellar? Yet Sky Suites pay the same gratuites as the highest suites, Penthouse to Iconic Suite. I could handle less service for less gratuity, but to charge the same when Celebrity made the cuts to the Sky Suite, that's not right. We will be on the Ascent for the madien voyage and the following week in a Sky Suite, will go in with an open mind, but if the service has been cut then that will be a factor in our future decisions.

We had 2 different Celebrity Suites, both were horrible. You can put up with a lot, but not being able to sleep on our vacation is not gun. But please know others are just fine... No noise what so ever. I think there is a thread? that has rooms and suties that have reported issues with the creaking/banging. Do your homework as it is a beautiful ship.

Have fun on your trip! We will be looking forward to your posts on the trip. Will also let you know how the Ascent is on B2B madien voyage starting on December 3rd in Sky Suite. Are you in a Celebrity Suite this time? Say hello to Ian for us.

We ate in Le Voyage 3 different times on the Beyond last year when the ship arrived in New Jersey from the T. A. on its way to Ft Lauderdale. The food was amazing, the service was perfect and the wine pairing was worth it. The venue was very romantic, courses were well spaced and desserts were wonderful. You walk from the noisy hall above Martini Bar through the first door where the Maitre'd desk is, the door closes and it is quiet. Then they take you through another door, which also closes into a beautiful dinning room, tables and booths are spread out nicely. I can't remember how many tables but the ambience was wonderful. We are going on the madien voyage of the Ascent next month on a B2B will do another 3 times. Will agree with our friend Jim who posted above, the Daniel B. Special dinner was nice but was held in a dinning area in Fine Cut, noisy and nothing like Le Voyage.

Would the Shoreside Concierge, upon being questioned, really say anything different? If they have gotten negative feedback are they going to share that with the the future cruiser? Hopefully, all will be fine, but if not, it's important to communicate the problem up the chain of command so this whole structure can be reevaluated if need be.

Hub I got a call from Shoreside Concierge, we are in a Sky Suite B2B on Ascent, Madien Voyage. This year is the first time in 21 years not sailing Celebrity Suite or higher. I told her since achieving Zenith and starting in Sky Suites in May this year (B2B great experience!) but we were very disappointed with not only the tips and OBC taken away, but the Butler. She proceeded to say she has not heard ONE NEGATIVE THING about the "Retreat Team" and that "everyone" loves it. I said that I have heard differently but will keep an open mind for these sailings but that we have since booked Viking and Cunard after 21 years of loyalty to Celebrity. We have been very fortunate to have wonderful Butlers in the past 21 years, some a notch or two above others, but the service is something we could always count on no matter what ship or suite we were in. The new President said in the Q&A, that the "Retreat Team" will be a good experienc. If it is not the same level, feedback needs to go up the chain of command on the ship and also to the Executive Office.

We have done a B2B on Viking Ocean to Iceland and a B2B Viking Expedition ship in the Great Lakes. We loved both cruises, the ships are beautiful, the itinerary was great, the food was wonderful, service was top notched and the easy going ambience on the ships was a great change. We are Zenith on Celebrity, always loved them but we are not happy with the cuts to Sky Suites. We are going on the Transatlantic with Celebrity next May but have decided to book Viking for a B2B (29 days plus 2 pre-cruise and 5 day post-cruise with Viking) instead of staying on Celebrity. Then a Transatlantic on Cunard back home. We will make a decision about staying with Celebrity after our B2B on the Ascent in December (besides the Transatlantic in May). They say that Viking has the highest retention rate of staff and it shows in every department, the staff genuinely want you to have an amazing cruise. The ship never feels busy or crowded with so many areas to relax and pick up a book (which they have all over the ship).

I received a call from Shoreside Concierge (either for the Ascent or Zenith concierge) to ask what we needed for our B2B on the Ascent maiden voyage. I said I was not happy with the lack of Butler and the change to Retreat Host Team. She said that "everyone" she has heard from LOVES the new team approach. I told her that's not what I am hearing, but we will wait and judge for ourselves. But combine that with no tips and OBC, we get way less for the high cost of the Sky Suite. For many years we did Celebrity Suites, but this last year we switched to Sky Suites and are paying what we used to pay for a Celebrity Suite.

Please correct me if things have changed.... We have never seen anything at Lunch at Eden Cafe being "up charged" on any "Edge Class" ship, have sailed them all! Two or three Premium sandwiches $9.00 extra?!?

Trust me, if we would have been walking in behind him, we would have had some quiet, choice words with him. It is obvious that he has no manners. We do not want passengers to berate the staff or other passengers. We have given the "evil eye", said "excuse me", etc. and we would have reported it to the Retreat Manager. They do not allow that kind of behavior! We have also reported a Maitre'd for berating the staff, a waitress who was raising her voice and being mean to the assistant and had security called when a woman was screaming at a man for taking "her" seat on a bench (he just had foot surgery and needed to sit quickly! Usually it is alcohol related and they will watch them very carefully.

I think it might have been a restriction for the summer. The streets, sidewalks, restaurants, stores etc. we're packed!

That's strange as when we were there in June this year (on Viking) you were not allowed on the property unless you were a guest or on a tour. You could get a carriage ride through the property but you were not allowed to get off. My neice was on visiting on the island and we were going to see if we could meet her at the Hotel (we were on a tour with lunch at the Grand) she was told the same thing. Heard others on the ship that said they couldn't get on the property. Could it be that they limited the admission during the summer? Also, that sign was not there when we were there and we walked that part of the property.

Well, these Zeniths just jumped ship for May 2024, from Celebrity Transatlantic (already booked, large suite deposit so can't cancel) to Viking for 29 days to Cunard for Westbound Transatlantic! As we booked Viking, it got easier and Cunard, a piece of cake! Our Travel Agent in the luxury department of a large T. A. said we will be much happier! We got $350 from Cunard and $400 from the T. A. Still sad to think about leaving Celebrity, the crew and Officers kept us loyal, not the Executive Office!

I remember you telling us that story on the Apex, it brought tears to our eyes.... A Father's special bond... Love that you have that! Enjoy every minutes with her.

I was able to talk Bruce into the QM2 when I told him about the Godiva Cafe🤣! He loves chocolate! We are doing thd Princess Grill as the Queens Grill was sold out. Getting excited also!