JDPCruisers

Thanks for the positive review of your current sailing. Read with interest as we are on shortly for the first time on Connie and not sure with the recent changes what the service will be like but appears by your experience all is well if a little slow.

One thing I'm not clear on is the real difference between PH1, 2 and 3? Location on the ship? Or? We have yet to be on the Beyond but are booked on her next April. Have been on Apex and Edge and have thoroughly enjoyed them, and all our Celebrity cruises, but with the recent changes to previous services, such as no longer offering a dedicated butler in certain suites, and interested in exploring the smaller premium lines to what they can offer. We're thinking smaller and more exclusive may be more for us at this point.

A word of thanks for providing this cruise experience document. We are looking at Oceania for the first time and will definitely use your information.

Thanks for continuing to answer my questions. Looking forward to our first time on Connie and the the pizza and pasta stations again and hopefully will be able to go to Blu if we can get in, though we have always enjoyed Luminae which has been our go-to. As we always do, will go to Michaels Club do meet the concierges so thanks for their, and the bartenders, names. How was the crowd in the Solarium plenty of room as with the pool?

Thanks so much for the name of the Head Butler for SS. Continues to sound like other's experiences, invisible head butler and overworked/undertrained stewards, so we're expecting to be the same for us when we're on the 10th but if it does turn out that way, we won't let it affect our having the best time possible. Quite an unfortunate situation created by X leadership. Good to hear food in Luminae was to your liking, we have had the opportunity in the past to order from MDR and Blu menus and have enjoyed the option.

I'll add my thanks for your excellent honest balanced review! I read with interest as a Royal and Celebrity suite cruiser looking to potentially try other cruise lines as the Royal ships are too geared towards families for our age and liking and Celebrity has changed their suite product with decreasing inclusions, though we still have upcoming cruises booked on both. We will be considering Oceania for 2025 or 2026. So, eagerly looking forward to your Oceania VIP experience document.

Continued thanks! You not meeting the head butler mirrors others on CC in Sky Suites. Do you know their name? Likely taking so long for the room to be cleaned because the room attendant is trying to act like the butler. So much for X marketing of the resort team is like having a dedicated butler. Was the food in Laminae a hit or miss or at other venues, too? Connie have the pizza station in OVC aft? If so, did you try it and how was it? Good to hear you would do it again and get the closeness to the port as we are as well to Galveston so have cruised a fair share of RC before going over to X, which we definitely prefer though having not done so since the recent changes.

Thanks for this information. Was the "stateroom host" the head butler or your room steward? If the latter, did you ever meet the head butler?

Thanks. This is good to hear as our sailing after yours appears to be sold out so plenty of room without dodging people all the time sounds great. Do they have the pizza station in the aft of OVC? A pasta station with it on in the main OVC? All sounds great, so far, but anything lacking?

We always provide feedback via the post-cruise survey and while on-board with kudos as well as feedback and those while on-board were acknowledged and responded to on a variety of levels to include management and staff. We'll see what happens on Connie next month.

None of what you experienced is acceptable to not receive what you asked for, which should have been already included, and was told would be taken care of. Seems like a training issue or simply failure on multiple levels and something the Retreat Manager and/or Hotel Director should be made aware. To me, it's not complaining as it's actually helping staff leadership so they can make the appropriate changes.

Any interaction with the Retreat staff and head Butler? If so, how was your experience?

Thanks. It seems like it's been quite a few cruises since the servers were wandering around the pool/solarium. Never bothered us as we have no issue going to the bars for our drinks and going from bar to bar for a change of scenery. Martini Bar always a crowd favorite on the ships we've been on so not surprised to hear that. How have the other bars been, crowded? And, good to hear Beyond is as good or better as Apex as we were on her last April/May for 24N and experienced zero issues anywhere on the ship. Think they rolled back the $2 cookie shortly after the uproar.

Curious if you have an idea on how full the ship is, does it feel crowded at all?

We are on Beyond next May so that's great to hear and thanks. No signs of understaffing?

For last weeks cruise, mind sharing on what ship and if you were in the Retreat? Asking due to the different experiences for those that are in Sky Suites with the recent changes.

Following along with interest as we're on Connie after she returns on the 10th. Here's to your having a great cruise.

What a difference less than a year makes, we were on Edge for 24N in April/May and we did not run into understaffed issues at any venue, especially not in Retreat or Luminae, including Eden.

Agree.

Curious as this was your first X cruise, and if not your very first cruise, how did it compare overall with other lines you've cruised on?

Has been interesting hearing the different experiences and thoughts. We have discussed moving outside of the Retreat, but we may likely try a different line as we've only cruised RC and X. Though, that won't be until sometime 2025 as we are booked in SS All Inclusive for 2024. While we may/likely miss the dedicated butler service (previously have had very good experiences to the point of continuing to stay in contact with him) and service in the Retreat lounge/sundeck (especially on E-class for sundeck pool/bar), and Luminae, a tipping point for us as been the removal of gratuities and OBC while not adjusting the price accordingly.

Hi Michelle and many thanks! Have you met the head butler? How have you found the condition of the ship, your suite, service, food, etc.? Any and all other thoughts would be much appreciated as this will be out first time on this ship.

Not to highjack this review by any means but have been trying to find out who the head butler is on Constellation? And, the concierges?

Hope the street is repaired as we go in a couple of weeks, and typically always stop at Pancho's.

May have no luck but figured worth another ask.