TeeRick

Craft Social is very busy and hard to find a seat or get a fast drink during a sporting event - like current MLB playoffs, WS, or NFL games. Perhaps that is what was going on? At other times I found it to be as nice a bar as any on the ship.

I've done it once. I would not do it again unless I was with a few friends who really wanted to try it. IMO a way to get additional $$ from people who already paid for the Premium Drink Package- not necessarily a bad thing but it was not a great experience to me. I have been on ships in the past where the person taking care of the duty free shop had several whiskies open for interested people to try. They were "under" the desk and not visible. Same for bourbons. Sometimes you need to just ask if they have any open for tasting.

Trying to estimate here. With 2500-3000 passengers per cruise per week on the larger ships she has captained, going back years, I think the answer is hundreds of thousands have sailed with her. A lot of folks on these boards have. I have never seen a negative remark about her. Or any other Celebrity captain for that matter.

If one's expectations are set below zero, will one be happy with any outcome?😊

Not sure why you would be stunned at this point. Some people will pay. That is what we (and Celebrity) have learned.

Royal C has both a Suite Lounge and a Diamond Lounge. If you are D or D+ you still get the Diamond Lounge so you would not lose access. Years ago the Suite Lounge was called the Concierge Lounge on some ships and you had access if D+. Even then we preferred the Diamond Lounge as it had plenty of frequent cruisers like us to make friends with.

Approved by an Executive? Really? Why not the full amount with FCC? Hope you are feeling much better!

We have almost always sailed in suites on Celebrity. And occasionally a suite on RCCL. The last was a CS on Equinox in January which used the last of our FCC. Typically 3-4 booked in advance. With prices way up and service cutbacks, we canceled the ones we had booked in 2024-25. This was actually a big step for us. Rebooking on other lines. And we continue to focus on more land vacations.

It used to be 3+ per year. This year just one on Celebrity. I would rather know how many Celebrity cruises people have booked going forward. That is what is driving occupancy and pricing. Not past cruises.

Russia-Ukraine war has been ongoing since Feb 2022. The Middle East has been at some sort of war for thousands of years. None of this has seemed to influence cruises. Only COVID did that but cruising and travel is far beyond that now. So what really is the issue?

LLP got out just in time. She got plenty of negative comments here on CC, but what President/CEO does not? Personally I would rather have LLP in the job. She at least had vision and a respect for the uniqueness of the Celebrity distinction and product. Bringing in the ban counter president from RCCL and putting her in charge has resulted in Celebrity quickly turning into RCCL.

I think (not sure) that most of the FCC has been spent in the past year or two by those holding it. I do not think that is driving all of the new bookings and high occupancy. Clearly a lot of people still think that Celebrity and cruising in general represents an enjoyable vacation value. So Celebrity is charging high prices and cutting services and quality, and it seems to be working for them. No reason at all for them to change this strategy.

There are a good number of cruisers here on this board that have multiple Celebrity cruises booked - many in suites. They seem to complain about prices and whatever. Often they say that they will stop booking Celebrity after their next 4, 5, 6+ cruises. Celebrity needs to just sit back and let the money roll in. No need to pay attention to anything here as long as the bookings continue.

You set up a poll which is fine. But then you add a negative comment which prejudices the poll in that direction. Maybe a comment should have been added after you saw your poll results.

Yes all good points. The cruise industry and passengers are all now paying the piper for the extended pandemic shutdown and what the industry had to do to survive financially. And coupled of course seriously high inflation over the past couple of years and supply chain disruptions. These are facts, undisputable, for all cruise lines. The cruise lines today that deal with all of this best and get back to less debt and profitability will win. But we all must recognize the major changes with more coming. Not that we have to like it. Some (like me) will not cruise for a period and spend money on other vacation choices.

Sorry- not trying to start a tipping thread. Aussie cruise prices have traditionally had gratuities included in the base fare. The explanation has been that the Australian culture in general does not tip for most things that we do here in the US. It is a cultural difference. So they include it in the fare.

Terry, Thanks! We have been waiting to hear about your cruise in a SS after the changes. It seems that it was easy enough to cope with them.

Wonder if Boston-Style implies actual cold water lobster? Or is this misleading? It says lobster tails so it might be the usual ship "lobster" not the real version (which has claws). If it was real lobster then a $14 lobster roll is a true bargain compared to land prices in most places.

Well maybe if they combine all my points I would be able to make Zenith or Pinnacle.

Yes the exact thing has happened to me. Long stretches of no emails from Celebrity, neither marketing or Captain's Club. Tried to fix it many times. Usually the fix worked for a short time. On and off. Currently on but who knows for how long? The only email I could always count on was my payment reminders. They never miss one of those!😀

Thanks for the live review. Much appreciated. I was on Equinox earlier this year, When we stopped at Grand Cayman, most of the bars on the ship were closed all day in port. Except the Pool Bar. Still the case?

Spif, yes I agree. Nothing has been taken away at the Eden Cafe and it has been enhanced by the addition of a few items with a charge. I can choose to buy them or not. Simple. Personally I would not choose to buy a lobster roll unless it is Maine/cold water lobster. Not the usual Caribbean crawfish that the ship calls lobster and people seem to obsess over here on CC. I think the Spa Cafe does the same thing with some offerings at an extra charge. Always has. If Celebrity offered really good made to order burgers at the Eden Cafe (but keeping those lower quality free burgers by the pool), I would choose to buy one on occasion. I would prefer that to the Prime Rib (roast beef) sandwich.

I was not being too serious

Was the comment delivered in a kidding way or in jest? Still not an appropriate comment or remark either way. But not typical of the vast majority of suite/Retreat guests at all that I have experienced. I would just ignore it. Why even report it here?

I think they meant nothing in Aqua changed since last week. 😀