chemmo

We cruised on Equinox once (years ago) after loads of their staff were transferred to a new ship. The only time we ever had poor service on Celebrity. It was a case of nothing being in sync…Everywhere from the MDR, room cleaning to bar service and if you were not drinking beer or red wine at the Elite cocktail evening you were literally waiting forever for a drink (why could they not at least put some white wine on loaded trays?). Quite simply those who knew what to do were trying to do it and then instruct others. When everything from trying to get a drink to getting the correct meal at a decent temperature becomes a regular occurrence it is wearing… OP, so pleased you are managing to enjoy your cruise despite the service issues…Fingers crossed as things settle down ‘Normal service will be resumed’.

Could some staff be isolating? Could a significant number of guests be isolating and pressure being put on room service resulting in staff redistribution? Also newer staff may not have the training, experience or confidence to juggle the multiple roles in the MDR…It has always amazed me how efficient they usually are. Before reasoning about the ‘why’ I would see how you can best get the most out of your cruise…Perhaps if those with booking are not having to wait it could be an idea to make reservations yourself? Have a chat with the M’D? Choose to dine some nights in the speciality restaurants or the buffet? I don’t think you are the first to comment that Summit MDR presently has issues… We are all aware that $$$ must be on the agenda of all cruise industry board meetings and things like the increase in cost of drink packages etc reflect this. However, it does seem the Summit is struggling more than other ships… Despite the service issues I hope you manage to enjoy your cruise!

Your posts always seem to hit the nail on the head! I am often about to try to write something and then see you have already said it in a clear and balanced way… You are so right about choosing what you are comfortable with. At present it is the flying we are not comfortable with, hence our choice of a ‘local’ cruise this year. Not our preferred itinerary but it still gives us a cruise to look forward to!

Sincere thanks for a thorough review! We are back on Silhouette in October and can’t wait!

So pleased the issue has been resolved to your satisfaction. Enjoy your cruise. Thanks for returning with an update, always useful for others hitting similar walls re customer service. Much as you trusted your TA I am with We always book (independently or with a TA) with a specific room number we have personally gathered all information on. TAs are often unfamiliar with ship designs and layouts. I think many would not even be aware that an infinity veranda was not a true veranda. Swap your TA but take personal responsibility for your room choices in the future! Lots of opportunities on CC to look at room reviews before booking….

Congratulations! Hope you enjoy….Let us know how you like the suite. Very mixed reviews on the suite (not the perks). I would be interested if (after cruising) you think it is worth the usual high price charged for it.

We did a staycation cruise last year with masks. Honestly no issue. However, Alaska is a long way to fly. We have concerns this year about taking a long haul flight then testing positive before our cruise and missing it, hence we have booked a cruise from Southampton this October. Pictures from UK airports do not inspire confidence either. Those long queues in such confined spaces. Masks wouldn’t put me off cruising, if they are reintroduced fleet wide before our cruise I would welcome it. If they are not we will be wearing them when boarding, in lifts, busy areas etc. Alaska is a wonderful destination…Even if you do not feel comfortable doing it this year leave it on your ‘to do’ list.

Not experienced E class and a while since we did M class but plenty of S class experience. Can’t say when we have been to main theatre productions we have been deafened. However, our favourite entertainment tends to be the outside the main shows (small groups, duo’s…). On S class this is in the Ensemble Lounge. The music events are usually placed towards one end of the lounge which is quite long. Those who are there primarily for the music sit close, those (like you and I who enjoy the entertainment but not to the detriment of their eardrums) can sit mid distance and those who simply want the entertainment as background to their conversations can sit towards the entrance. Suits us fine!

Whilst there are clearly some supply issues surely Celebrity can find some suitable replacements. We have always found differences between expected and actual stock on board but have always been able to enjoy something pleasant. With service seeming to be an issue I wonder is the sommelier is simply running around with a bottle of classic red in one hand, classic white in the other and hoping as long as glasses are full no one will complain?

I think the only dining venue not included is the chefs table.

They have some really nice cocktails in there too. Last time I had a mango one, took a while to arrive but beautiful!

My husband loves coconut ice cream…may not be a good idea to tell him! Do they have sorbet too? All these cruises under my belt and I still know nothing about the gelato station…

I assume you are cruising on Reflection or Silhouette as these are the only two ships with this restaurant on board? If you choose to dine in the Porch every evening then the package will not be of value to you. Your package will cover your entrance but then I think you will need to pay the $15 for a tower to share. Hopefully someone else can confirm this. The restaurant tends to be fairly quiet both at lunch and in the evening and on board offers are often available. In our experience we find The Porch a lovely lunchtime venue or a nice relaxing place to dine casually in the evening, great after a busy excursion day. However, we do not feel it matches the quality in terms of food of the other speciality restaurants. Lawn Grill, Murano, Tuscan and LPC are all more expensive, so if you dine in a variety of venues the package makes sense. If you decide to cancel your package you could then negotiate for deals on board. This can be very hit and miss. On some cruises discounts are readily available but on others you may need to pay full price for some/all restaurants. If you are flexible on dates and times you are more likely to be able to get on board deals.

You know it is one perk I always forgot to cash in in the Elite coupon days and now I travel in higher suites I still forget to visit! Any recommendations? I will add it to my growing list of “things I must do on my next cruise…”

We have some drivers like that over here in the UK too but obviously turning in the opposite direction! A cruise with no self entitled people would be wonderful but people like those drivers you refer to will cruise sometimes and not just in suites. The queue jumper in the buffet, the 6am sun lounger reserver on the pool deck, the guest who needs to be evicted before they will give up the tiled lounger in Persian Gardens to say nothing for those who leave wet towels and empty glasses for others to clear up…All make life less pleasant for fellow cruisers and staff. All we can do on CC is relate our knowledge of Celebrity protocols, describe our own experiences and indicate what we see as reasonable requests when related to service levels…Changing humanity is unfortunately beyond us!

Your husband may find the Luminae (suite restaurant) menu a bit challenging. It isn’t so much that the food is fancy, rather that the menu makes it sound so. If you research some posts on Luminae there are some excellent photographs. You can also order from the MDR on Constellation so he can simply order from there if the Luminae choices don’t appeal to him. Generally we have found Celebrity food in all venues better than RC. Constellation does have shows but not the range of variety as on most RC ships. Our favourite entertainment on Celebrity are the duo’s or small groups that appear at different venues. Unlike on RC where announcements are made regularly on Celebrity you do need to look at your copy of ‘Today’ to spot where and when there are performances. It is nice after dinner to simply look at your sheet and decide where to go…Also with a Mediterranean cruise you have long sight seeing days and entertainment can be less of a priority. The suite lounge is much nicer (in our opinion) than those we have experienced on RC. Better service, less crowded. Constellation has yet to be upgraded so does not have a suite only deck area. Remember your loyalty status on RC can be transferred over to Celebrity.

Sooo true! We stopped cruising RC because we changed, not because they changed!

It may be worth you starting your own post perhaps with a title like ‘Apex, British Isles cruise, is a Sky Suite worth the extra cost?’. Hopefully regular Edge class cruisers will be able to advise…

The Butler (Retreat Host) role does include the delivery and set up of in suite dining, arranging private parties, delivery of snacks, coffee etc. If given warning, in our experience, butlers enjoy setting up special meals and gatherings. They can arrange with other staff to cover other duties when special events are arranged. For example, when we were in one PH on the Summit our Butler apologised that if we contacted him that evening we would reach another Butler as he was delegated to the cocktail party in the other PH suite. It didn’t matter to us, we were invited to the party anyway, but it does show that with pre arrangements things can be catered for. Similarly when we arranged a sail away party on Solstice our Butler informed us he had been ‘freed’ from other tasks to see to us. What is less easy for Butlers is guests expecting/demanding last minute ‘extras’. Also what is less easy is if one suite is organising something special every day. Coming back to my comment in answer to a previous post that it all comes down to ‘reasonableness of number of requests and timing’. Agree. If requests are worded as demands I understand what you are saying. There is a big difference between saying ‘Is it possible to xxx’ compared to ‘I want xxx’ However, I think most Butlers often see special requests as a way of earning a better tip and rating. Whenever there are posts on tipping Butlers most guests tend to comment that if they request more they tip more…I do not want to turn this post into one re tipping (enough of them already) I am just pointing out a possible alternative perspective from the Butlers viewpoint….

I think one of the things that make frequent cruisers frequent is that they still get that childlike ‘buzz’ or ‘elation’ as they board…That feeling of Christmas morning…Long may we all stay young at heart and enjoy life to the full!

I tend to loose my pride when I see a carousel and will happily join a queue of 4 - 6 year olds to enjoy the pleasure of the sound and movement! Never too old…

It honestly depends on what is important to you…I assume the cruise you are looking at is on Silhouette. If it is a different ship some of my comments may not be relevant. Key features: Luminae. In our opinion, definitely better food, spacing and ambiance than Blu. Retreat Lounge. Nice venue, usually excellent service and pleasant company and a concierge who will look after those little issues you would normally need to queue at guest services to sort. The concierge usually arranges some special events too like helipad sail away, behind the scenes tours, musical events. Room. Bigger than a standard balcony. If I am not mistaken on Silhouette Sky Suites are shower over tub, perhaps someone can confirm. Retreat Host (Butler) who will bring your room service, snacks, coffee and help with bookings etc. Retreat Deck. We found this a big plus on Silhouette, nice furnishings, excellent service. Priority boarding and disembarking. Priority tendering. If you would enjoy these features then it is worth booking. Some guests see some of the perks as not something they appreciate. For example, they love the Martini Bar (so would not use the Retreat Lounge) and would not use a butler and do not sit out on deck that much(so wouldn’t get value from the retreat deck). To celebrate a special occasion rather than book a suite they may book a speciality dining package or a special excursion like a helicopter trip… No right or wrong cabin type, just the type that best suits what you want. Sincere best wishes for a fantastic Silver Wedding cruise. We celebrated our 40th during lockdown…Somehow champagne doesn’t taste as nice when not at sea!

You sound much like us…We generally cruise in RS or PH and are aware that you can request extras. Like yourselves we rarely dine in suite. The only times we have really wanted something a bit different has been lunchtime sea days on busy cruises where we have not wanted the formality of Luminae nor the busy, busy buffet. Sometimes we may simply settle for the standard room menu offerings but on a couple of occasions we have chatted to the butler the day before and he has arranged an Indian selection served family style (not on any menu). I have always thought ‘reasonableness’ comes into play with requests above what you are entitled to. Frequency of special requests, giving staff time to arrange things… What often worries me about posts like this is people reading them and expecting ‘extras’ as entitlements…Big difference between requesting and demanding….

Yes! Another language issue. It is a lovely little carousel mainly enjoyed by children. I have a lovely picture on myself riding the bear in formal night dress!

It is contradictions in service that make it hard to advise…Our general rule when cruising in a higher suite is to remember the first quote which is totally accurate. A higher suite does not include room service from the speciality restaurants or Luminae. If we want something above ‘normal’ we will politely ask, usually the day before. If it is a ‘yes’ we are pleased if it is a ‘no’ we would accept it as the rules being applied on that ship. Sometimes the No can have a reason. For example, in our experience, Sushi has not opened until 2pm on some port days so requesting a lunch delivery at 1 pm would not be possible. At present with service levels on some ships struggling with staff quarantined, guests quarantined and needing room service I would be reluctant to ask for much above and beyond…. This definitely is not usual. Sky suite guests usually pay for all speciality meals. Delighted that the poster was treated but would not want other guests to expect this.