Clemmnj

2 hours ago, Luvcrusn said:

I think your comparison of a cruise ship to a land based property and the turnover doesn't hold water (no pun intended). A land based resort turns over in stages, whereas a cruise ship (X or other) do it all in several hours. How that makes a given cruiser feel is the question. In my case I'm sad to see it because it means my cruise has come to the end. In your case it makes you feel like you're not a valued guest. These are personal reaction and not (in my opinion) a reflection of the cruise lines decline.

33 minutes ago, Luvcrusn said:

I think you are comparing apples and watermelons. Of course hotels don't do this, but it's been my experience is that hotels are not turning over the entire property on the same day within 3-4 hours like a cruise ship does. On a given cruise there are only a few B2B cruisers remaining aboard, and many of those change cabins!

Don’t you see that that is exactly my point. This massive rush to turn the boat over and thereby making outgoing guests feel rushed or unwelcome is exactly what dissapoints me. Celebrity used to be a bit more luxury and a bit less mass market gotta get the buck mentality. At least that is how I felt. It is starting to feel more like Royal Caribbean and it used to be better than that. 

We had a quick bite in Oceanview around 6:45 and returned to our cabin around 7:15. The dirty linen bags were lining the hallway and stateroom attendants were waiting outside the cabins. Since we had a late flight we were taking an excursion with drop off at airport. Our tickets and disembarkation letter indicated to meet at 8:00 in MDR. You are right that feelings are just that and each is entitled to their own. My point was only that I was never made to feel rushed or unwelcome on previous cruises and I missed the little extras that come with Concierge Class. I have elite status in captains club so it’s not as if I am unfamiliar with how Celebrity works. I will probably sail Celebrity again albeit with some nostalgia for how it used to be. 

I guess I would rather wait and have a later boarding time than be made to feel as if I’m being rushed out. Or even give an earlier disembarkation time rather than making me see that I am no longer welcome. Hotels manage to do it and I would assume the employee to room ratio is about the same. It’s not that I don’t understand that new guests are coming in, it’s the way it makes me feel. And the fact that the crew has to rush to turn the boat over is exactly the point of my original post, that Celebrity has much more of a mass market culture than it used to and we are getting a lot less for a lot more. 

I’m delighted that it doesn’t bother you, but it bothers me. I also choose to be happy that I get to cruise at all. My point is that my cruise dollars used to get me more. I fail to see why hanging robes to be used by others in the closet the night before needs to happen, or why lining the rails with dirty laundry bags is the way Celebrity chooses to send us off. I no longer feel as if I am a treasured guest at that point and it is a sad send off. Hotels don’t do this and while I understand that there may be more cabins on cruise ships the employee to room ratio is probably about the same. The point of my original post was that Celebrity, at least as far as Concierge Class is concerned, is no longer what it used to be. And that saddens me. 

On two days we had rough seas. One evening the swells were high enough to be crashing against the dining room windows on deck 4. But nothing truly upsetting or worrisome, just enough to make me glad I wasn’t in one of those smaller ships we had considered to see Antarctica. 

Lewisindie, as I previously stated, it was not my intention to argue, but please don’t insult me by suggesting I need to go first class. I never said that. My point was, and is, that Celebrity used to not cut costs the way they are now. If you disagree that’s fine. My opinion is just that, my opinion. I have been a Celebrity loyalist but I am not so Celebrity obsessed that I can’t see the faults. It used to be better. There used to be a level below Crystal or  Seabourne and above Carnival and Royal Carribean and that was Celebrity. Sadly, Celebrity is sinking toward the bottom and the lines are becoming blurred. In my opinion. 

You are right! I completely forgot abou the flowers! As I stated, room location is why we book concierge class but my examples as well as those provided by others are indicative of how Celebrity is now more mass market and less a cut above. I wish it weren’t so. As the other poster stated there are lots of choices out there. Celebrity isn’t any worse than the others, I just wish it were better, like it used to be. And maybe I was lucky on previous cruises that I didn’t feel as if I were no longer welcome come 8:00 PM on the last night, but the fact that I felt that way this time is telling. The fact that the need to turn the ship over so quickly results in robes being put into cabins and dirty linen bags lining the hallway prior to disembarkation shows how mass market Celebrity has become. I don’t like that I’m made to feel unwelcome and the need for it only emphasizes my point. 

Please understand that I did not post this topic to start debate. I am only expressing my opinion for whatever it may be worth to anyone. The fact that a change has been widely reported does not make it any less disappointing just as the fact that it happened to many or even all doesn’t make it better. And while I stated that I understand the circumstances of a quick turnaround, that actually makes my point. The robes the night before, the dirty laundry bags in the hallway, as well as the attendants standing and waiting is indicative of the mass market mentality of “get them off quickly.” You may not feel as I do and that is fine. My opinion is that Celebrity, which used to be a cut above, is now sliding toward mediocrity. They used to make me feel as if I were a treasured guest and sadly I felt just a little less treasured this time. What used to set Celebrity apart is now, in my opinion, going the way of other mass market lines. There is a big difference between welcoming champagne and a bottle being handed through the door and it is those little incidentals, when combined with other little incidentals, that can change how you feel about a trip or a cruise line in general. In my opinion, Celebrity is still good, just maybe not quite as good as before. 

Just home from a fabulous 14 nights on the beautiful Eclipse to Antarctica. It was magical. The weather was perfect every day with only a bit of fog by Elephant Island. I have cruised Celebrity exclusively and will cruise her again. Having said that, however, I do want to point out just a few things that I feel have changed in a negative way. We always stay Concierge Class. This is more for cabin location than anything else but it is supposed to have a more upscale vibe that was certainly missing on this cruise. For instance, one of the perks of Concierge Class is a bottle of champagne. In past cruises the champagne was always chilling in an ice bucket with two wine glasses when we first entered the stateroom upon embarkation. In all the excitement of sail away my husband and I never even gave a thought to the fact that it wasn’t there. 4 days into the cruise our stateroom attendant knocked on the door and handed a bottle to my husband. Certainly not the welcoming experience I was used to. Also, a tote bag was also a perk. In the past we received a heavy duty nylon/vinyl tote bag with leather handles that folded into its own pouch when not in use. I have received a variation of that bag each cruise. This time it was one of those cheap thin canvas bags that are given away in most grocery stores or public libraries. Not a big deal really, but certainly indicative of a disappointing downward slide. I think what bothered me the most was on the last day I really felt like I was getting the bums rush.  After a quick breakfast in the Oceanview Cafe my husband and I went back to our cabin to gather our last minute items and wait for our scheduled time to head to our disembarkation area. Our cabin already had the fresh robes hanging on the hooks, along with the brochures etc for the next guests. Our carry off luggage was still in the room so our attendant knew we were still onboard. Also the hallway was lined with the bags into which all the dirty linens would go and the housekeeping staff was all in the hallway just standing there waiting. I know they have a short amount of time to turn everything over but I really felt like I was being rushed off the ship and it saddened me to be made to feel that way. All in all it was a great trip on a beautiful ship. Had I never sailed Celebrity before I probably would not have noticed some of this stuff, but I have sailed Celebrity many many times and the downgrade in service was definitely noticeable. In fact, one of the staff in the photo gallery was so rude to someone trying to purchase her photos that I was astonished. I know the crew has to sometimes deal with difficult people, it’s just that I have never seen the Celebrity crew treat a guest that way. Please don’t shoot the messenger. I am only pointing out my observations. I am a Celebrity loyalist and in all likelihood will sail with them again. It just dissapoints me to see that Celebrity could be slipping into the mediocrity of other mass market cruise ships. I hope they self correct and slip no further. Happy sailing to all.