JEDIKNIGHT

I’ve been on the NCL’s Garden Villa and while some parts of NCL I do not care for, I must say…their ‘VIP” treatment was AWESOME.

Overall X is a better product but on my recent Summit cruise, the buffet (in my opinion) as really screwed up. So while I still like X over NCL, the 2 products just got ‘closer’ for me.

I browse NCL’s site now, much more than I used to.

I never have to deal with Celebrity’s dastardly phone system.

If there’s any problem, I just call my guy at his local phone number, and he picks up 7 days a week, any time.

Just now I had to use my travel insurance because my parents weren’t able to come on the cruise and i’d booked them a royal suite. I didn’t do anything - just called my guy, and the check from the insurance company arrived a short while ago.

One cruise, OBC not posted to my account. I texted my guy, OBC appeared that same day.

To each his own. I prefer personalized service versus lines, versus 1-800 numbers, and especially gadgets.

Anything from travel agent, auto dealer, banker, haircut, heck even the waitress at my coffee-shop (she’s off on Thursdays so I don’t go) - i love nice relationships and personalized services. I dread doing things without that.

When you work in a field that deals with the general public, you get a true idea of how moronic the general public has become.

I credit SmartPhones and Social Media for much of the stupidity.

LOL but they are fun to watch

Was on Summit in May 2014.

No, I didn’t see any drinks being comped. I played poker and blackjack, average 4 hours per day every day of the cruise and I was charged for orange juice or cranberry juice and others charged for booze.

The other service and staff in the casino were GREAT.

I can see them not comping booze cause that might screw up the works for Celebrity and the millions of people obsessed with “drank packages” lol.

Yep. We had a Suite and a Cabin on Summit recently, and neither got the e-survey.

Basic administration i.e. stuff like this, phones, don’t seem to be Celeb’s strong suit.

I read on someone’s post that Bistro has expanded the menu.

Has anyone eaten there since the change and how was it?

Does anyone have the new menu?

Thanks

I do nothing, repeat nothing with Celebrity direct. They could offer ME 1000 OBC to book something direct or onboard and I won’t do it.

They do a lot well. But they can’t answer the phone, and on our recent cruise we we had one suite and one concierge, and neither got an email survey.

Decent cruise, terrible business management.

Love my TA. I just email him, and that’s it.

All 4 of us were sick the day after coming home from recent Summit cruise. Actually, the same thing happened after 2 previous cruises.

Not the cruise line’s fault of course as germs are germs. Trouble is, that people don’t care. If someone is sick with a cold or cough, they just GOTTA go to the MDR or buffet instead of ordering to the room. They just GOTTA go to the show at night to see some amateur sing Sweet Caroline -Bah-Bah-Bah-Good-Times-Never-Seemed-So-Good.

Until about 3 years ago, if I got sick on vacation I actually stayed in the room be it hotel or cruise.

Not anymore. If it’s ok for people to be sick and be out and about, oh well I’ve taken the hint and would not hesitate next time.

I hope that changes one day. But I doubt it.

It’s because they didn’t tip the crew enough or because they got the wrong drink package.

I agree Cash is king. We also enclose it in a personal thank you card. What else is VERY importatnt to the staff is to mention them BY NAME on the comment card. THat is how they get promotions and raises.

On our recent Summit cruise, we got no comment card in our email. checked spam and all that.

Our nanny was in a Concierge Class room and her email got no comment card either.

In the past it was a pleasure to write their names down.

It's the natural order of things, at least for American cruising. Americans like to spend less time eating and more time being entertained. Great for cruise lines because freestyle requires less staff, which equates to more profit.

 

I don't see there will much choice; cruisers are just going to have to get used to cuts and less service or find a more expensive alternative.

 

I do wonder about international cruising however, Europeans use meals as time for meeting with friends and family. Meals easily last two hours. How will they take to the American fast food format?

 

Burt

To each his own, but I agree with some of the above. More and more, we as Americans are not used to be being catered to. We love rushing, hurrying, and in relation to the world, we take less vacation, eat quicker lunches, etc. I think more cruiselines/hotels have figured out that as long as the “price” is right, Americans will be cool with it.

As far as comparing the Summit buffet to Fast Food, based on my recent experience - I’d have to say Fast Food crushes the Summit Buffet. I’ve not worked in the hospitality industry, but I’ve eaten fast food for 30 years and love it :) And I can honestly say that the whoppers at Burger King or the Fries at McDonald’s, are usually fresher than what was served on Summit. Not to mention, Fast Food is way more organized in that condiments were plentiful and in logical places, lines were shorter. If I ask for new fries, yes there’s a wait, but they allow it - unlike 2 times on Summit where they got confrontational until I used the Maitre’D’s name (Sorin).

Again to each his own, I’m just reporting my experience and as someone who writes mostly positive reviews, I have no reason to slander X or any cruise line.

Too bad X doesn’t let the Old Country Buffet chain run its buffet, or let Burger King run the pool grill.

On the flip side, X’s MDR has been stellar, and was stellar on my recent cruise. I wonder how long before they figure out that their customers will tolerate lesser quality and service in the MDR?

I’d give it 2 years. Let them integrate the Suite dining room to satisfaction, and then they’ll reduce service even more knowing full well that their customers will say “no big deal. a cruise is what you make of it”

Smart. I like to see a business make an honest profit, and until my recent cruise I never ever thought you could reduce services to customers and succeed. But if your customers aren’t that demanding to begin with, then I guess it’s no harm no foul as far as the customer perceives.

Ok tipping is a personal thing. And it’s WONDERFUL to hear when someone wants to tip these crew people who work so hard (vs hearing about people who resent tipping) so please don’t’ take this as critique. Different strokes different folks.

BUT I asked a Butler who I became chummy with a few cruises ago. Asked about the phone cards, etc and he told me this “At your job, would you rather get paid in phone cards, or cash?”

So for me, cash is it along with a handwritten note if applicable.

After a few experiences of juggling the baskets and plates, I finally ditched the baskets. I took a large oval plate. As I picked up a metal basket, I dumped its contents on my plate. I then handed the empty basket back to the server. The server looked confused. That way, I was able to fill my plate and carry it to a table. Trying to carry more than 2 of those those baskets is crazy. I would need more hands.

Thanks!

I will cruise against next year, possibly on X and most of the time will avoid the buffet like the plague. Let the cattle hunt for food and take cold pre-plated food and wear signs around their neck saying “it’s still better than NCL i guess”.

But 6 year old DD likes choices at Buffet so I’ll still have to utilize it some.

Sorry no sheet but a few things from memory:

*Arts and crafts were daily.

*Family scavenger hunt once.

Those come to mind. Also at meal-times and port-days they offer activities for $6 per hour but we only used the kid’s club 2-3 hours per day during norma service hours. Overall, 6 year old DD enjoyed it and i felt the staff were very good.

Thank you for a fair review that points out positives, but isn’t afraid to note the negatives.

IN the Buffet you said that tables were hard to find but what about the rest of the buffet? Was it organized, well laid out? Were lines reasonable for things like waffles or eggs?

I ask because my recent Summit buffet was chaos on all fronts, and I’m hoping that “S” class buffets are better organized. Thank you

things like plates running out and butter running out, consistently, has nothing to do with better germ control. It can’t be explained away with “aww shucks, a cruise is what you make of it”. It’s just plain disorganization, and slight lack of competence.

Celebrity can do better. IF pax ask them to, of course. IF pax just take it in stride that’s fine, but things will get worse if we LET them get worse.

Never got mine either - a quick email to Celebrity and they sent a link with the survey.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

HI, what email did you use? I’ll try it too

I do auto-tips, but when service is great, it’s a pleasure to give extra tips. I think it’s right to do, and also if my business is going well, I look on it as indirect charity because I know the money is going to the PERSON, not to some big office building. On my latest cruise in a suite I tipped the following people extra:

*Butler

*Room Steward

*MDR Waiter

*MDR Assistant waiter.

*Pizza Dude at the Buffet.

I guess part of me feels “less guilty”. I see a guy working WAY HARDER than me, for WAY LESS than I have. So I actually feel better after tipping extra.

Been 7 days since we returned, no survey.

Too bad because not only did I nicely want to complain about the buffet and Penthouse Air Conditioning, I wanted to COMPLIMENT at least 6 staffers by name - I promised them I’d write their names on the survey.

The old paper surveys were great!

Oh well.

The buffet thing just amazes me.

It’s a HUGE venue. A majority of pax eat 2 meals a day there. And while there are staff, at least there’s not waitstaff for each table which I’d think is good for the cruise line.

So WHY on a “new” ship like S-class can’t they design a buffet the right way?

Boggles the mind.

I was just on Summit and wrote about how (from my vantage point) the buffet was a disaster, but to each his own. IF I were advising a friend here’s what I’d say based on the current Summit buffet:

If you get to breakfast before 8am, it’s not too crowded. You’ll have time to find everything you need without getting skunked in long lines. If you are eating after 8am, I’d avoid the buffet and just be happy with MDR or room service.

On my next cruise, and yes I would cruise X again, I will not do the buffet unless it’s early in the morning. No way.

FWIW…

Was on Summit 1 week ago. On both formal nights, the table next to ours (6 adults) were totally casual. As in island shirts, etc.

Next time I won’t be packing formal. Celebrity is more like NCL “Freestyle” now, so I’m going with the flow. Kinda nice, less packing.

YMMV because I hear some Maitred’s enforce it, but that was not the case on my recent cruise.

While the organization of our Summit Buffet was atrocious, some of the items were very good:

Chocolate, Praline, After 8 ice creams were delicous.

Pizzas were awesome.

QSINE….

Springrolls, and Painters Filet and Middle Eastern Kebab were great.

MDR….

Lamb Chops, and Beef Tournados were wonderful as was Braised Lamb, and Short Ribs.

FWIW…

We just did 7 days in May, Bermuda. Not a ‘holiday’. We had 6 year old DD with us and I’d say their kid’s staff is very good, but not Disney of course.

Our DD enjoyed kid stuff for 4 hours a day but some kids might love it all day.

They certainly had kids service for most of the day. On port days and dinner time, they charge $6 per hour.

I’d say it’s not “great” for kids, but it certain was good enough.

FWIW…..

It happens. Still interested in cruising of course, just not as frequently and will also look at NCL again, because while X is great, it’s not great enough anymore to be exclusive with.

The dream cruise would be getting caught at the bottom of the ship with Kate Winslet and being allowed to paint her au natural. That would trump the buffet for sure.