TeeRick

@clojacks do you have a Sky Suite booked currently? I do not. I agree with you that the Team concept might work. We will see soon from the folks here about to sail in Sky Suites. As I keep stating, I am a bit pessimistic (and I usually am not) because of the complete lack of transparency and communication by Celebrity on the change to current customers booked in Sky Suites and especially those past final payment. The customers past final payment perhaps should be grandfathered and given an option of individual butlers Or the change should have been announced and implemented in 90 days. No need to do this immediately without any notifications except for immediate cost savings.

Bo- good question. Exactly what is the Covid policy now? My guess is that most guests will definitely not report if they have any type of cold symptoms. Unless they are the unlucky few that get worse.

I do not agree, and hope that you are not right about this.

Ok thanks for posting this. An official communication from Celebrity on the change, with Q&A. This entire situation could and should have been handled by first sending this out to guests booked in Sky Suites and to TA's. And then posted on the Celebrity web site. The biggest issue to me has been lack of communication and lack of transparency. So why not just presume that a change of this magnitude will be controversial and send this out up front, instead of having the story leaked here and there which causes negative speculation and ill feelings in the customer base? If I had a Sky Suite booked (and I do not right now), I would be more likely to give the Team approach the benefit of the doubt and decide after my cruise if I'm OK with it or not. But the way it has been handled is like "trying to sneak one by us" in the mind of many. Just not good business sense at all.

Yes many many takeaways and changes can be cited. No need for us to rehash on this thread but I was trying to point out that until now the Retreat product was relatively untouched as it has still been very successful. And even at much higher prices. So it is just bizarre that Celebrity management would decide to mess with it.

Ah I believe XXX would mean something else!😀

Pages and pages of posts now. Payback for the MDR lobster discussion for non-suite cruisers. You can take away my lobster but don't dare take away my Butler!😁

Thanks for posting the summary of her response. It is not a surprise that the best butlers serve the CS and above suites. That has actually always been the case. They will in general earn higher tips too so I am happy for them. Perhaps some of the better, more experienced butlers will be mixed in on the new Retreat Team for training purposes but just wishful thinking.

Terry- I do get your point and agree with it. I think most on here do too from their comments. You have already paid for the advertised service and it is changing presumably to a lesser service without any communication or compensation. That absolutely stinks. For those that are beyond final payment at the very least an individual butler should be grandfathered to you on your cruise. By the way, it is more like the individual Lexus being exchanged for a fleet of 10 taxi's that you could call (and wait for).

This has happened on every cruise in a suite I have ever taken on Celebrity without exception. And there have been quite a few.

Understand your concerns. But for me when I cruise in a sky suite again I guess I will find out how the Team approach works so I am willing to give it a chance. What choice do I have really? But as stated before, I decided not to pay for the Retreat on Celebrity for the foreseeable future and have no suites booked. Due to the high price and lower service. I am not just complaining, I am doing. If other loyal Retreat cruisers stop booking like me, then perhaps some impact? Probably not but wishful thinking.

Or maybe "you can fool all of the people all of the time"?

Yes we usually get the same Luminae waiter and assistant waiter for the entire cruise. I have been told multiple times that the tips are pooled and split with the entire Luminae Team. No matter if you tip them individually. Same for the Retreat Lounge bar staff. Everything pooled. But I believe the sommelier is not considered part of the Luminae team so tip separately.

Yes agree. I am in the camp of cruisers that rarely use the butler. They put soda and beer in the minifridge and keep us supplied with bottled water. And a few times a cruise they bring breakfast to us. That's it. Nothing that a room steward or a Retreat Team could not easily handle.

Do you leave a group tip for the Luminae team? If so, same concept I think. But if you are not satisfied with the service you receive from the Retreat Team, then obviously tipping is up to you.

Rich- I am actually hoping you get the new Retreat Team. I could then count on an honest review and opinion on it. Enjoy your cruise!

Hopefully you can work with The Retreat Team once onboard to arrange whatever you need for your family birthday. Don't worry too much about it and enjoy your cruise!

Actually they never leave!

Well at the very least with this Butler change discussion, Celebrity has deflected the Vaping discussion. Maybe they need to hire more assistants in the executive offices (former butlers?😀) to answer all the emails from upset Celebrity customers as the unannounced changes just keep piling on. No way to run a consumer-facing business!

It will be of great interest to me on how you review this change after your next sailing on APEX. Thanks!

It seems pretty obvious to me that this change from individual butler to a Team approach was to handle the much larger Sky Suite load on E-Class ships without hiring more butlers. So why not just implement it on E-Class and leave S-Class and M-Class suites as they are? Why across the fleet? Then we could all have buying options. If we want a butler don't sail E-Class. Just like the choice for IV vs. Balcony.

I think they are two different issues. As far as tipping goes, I will still tip extra for excellent service so I will wait and see how it goes with the new team, or if I think instead the cabin attendant does more and then deserves more. It will still be a personal assessment and choice as always. No need to penalize the former butlers who are now on a Team. Not their fault. I usually tip the Luminae Team extra at the end of the cruise. Same concept I think. But I will admit again that I have no current suites booked on Celebrity for the first time in many years. My last one was in January on Equinox.

Ahh brings to mind Rosie The Robot on the Jetsons in my youth. Came true I guess!

Team is interesting. Offense or Defense? If the team is designed to play defense, they are responding after the fact (ie, suite customer request). But if playing offense (like a typical dedicated butler), your needs are anticipated and known. A number of the best butlers in my experience play offense, and do unexpected but nice things after they get to know you and your personal style and needs.

Okay sorry. NOBUTLER@Celebrity dot com. Better?