ClairetoCruise

Not sure about that rationale. If you sail the Caribbean, you are docked for one day at each island.. Many of those islands have lots to see and do and a one day stop wouldn't cover it. You can see far more on a Bermuda cruise since you are docked for several days.

My post was food for thought.

Any Caribbean island is enjoyable for a day, time and time again, from most ships.

Bermuda from a ship is not as easily seen again and again; therefore, requires a longer visit in my opinion for a comprehensive look about.

Claire

Well we are home from the cruise. Bah, I hate debark day. Other than that, this trip was overall very good and nothing that was a problem enough to be a ruination of the cruise.

 

Later today, I will get the full review started and I am quite certain I'll have help from fellow CC folks to keep me on target and in line.

 

For now however, I have to go see a chiropractor. Apparently I did something to me neck and it's been causing some real problems.

 

Until later!

Just off the VOS June 19. Had a good time. Thought there's room for improvement in the food. Service was outstanding in the Windjammer, slow (35 min. wait for 1st plate) in the dining room.

Cruise director and Captain are tops in their fields. Their excellence is hard to beat. The Ship is beautiful.

I'm also off to see the chiropractor at 3pm. Think it was the step down from the cabin bathroom and or the elevator closings that necessitated a slow descent down two flights of stairs to leave the Viking Crown Lounge.

Claire

Vision of the Seas June 9 to 19 had a Diamond lounge with unlimited cocktails and hors d'ouerves open each evening. Well done! No vouchers.

Claire

The guarantee, refund, and exchange ends on the last night of the cruise.

Claire

We're just back from two nights docked at Naval Dockyard, Bermuda on Vision of the Seas, June 9.

I recommend a cruise to Caribbean ports over two nights, even 3 nights, docked in Bermuda.

Why? Bermuda has much to see. It has a good transportation system of ferries, busses, mopeds, etc. But to see both ends of the island(s) from The Dockyard, to Hamilton in the middle, and quaint St. Georges, plus many beaches and coves takes more time than available from a cruise ship.

If you're okay taking Bermuda for a quick overview do it. Just know you should stay longer and not with a ship full of tourist in order experience Bermuda as beaches, historic towns, or modern city. Just my opinion.

Claire

1 orange slices for breakfast in buffet

2 lamb shank in MDR

3 filet mignon in Tuscan Grill

4 ice cream in buffet

5 lobster in Murano

Claire

As we age it becomes a bigger decision to book a Trans-Atlantic or Trans-Pacific cruise. We decided NOT to take anymore chances THEN booked a Trans-Atlantic. We weren't thinking, duh.

Three years ago in the Pacific, my retina detached. Bad news as the closest hospitals were Nicaragua or Acapulco, And, I could not fly home for at least two weeks after surgery.

The ships medical center could do nothing except check my peripheral vision.

I knew not to fly home (altitude is bad for torn retina) from the west coast to a DC airport. We stayed two more weeks on the cruise ship going through the Panama Canal, port stops, and a drive home before seeing a retina specialist to repair my eye. I'm lucky I did not lose the eye, but am now correctible to 20/100. Eventually we will find resolution to the continuing eye issues but will travel in spite of health problems.

We continue to take chances because we were born to travel. We'll travel to the end with Medjet Assist and insurance coverage for heart, bones, and other problems.

In answer to the OP, decide if you want to chance a medical issue while at sea.

The medical centers on ships have contacts ashore but there is a limit to the at sea capability. Thus, passengers are airlifted off the ship when possible.

Claire

Please accept my apology for wasting your time.

I just found the thread "Drink Package rises & Consumer Protection Legislation" initiated May 11 on this board.

I was expressing an idea.

May you have many cruises ahead.

Claire

The problem with your argument is that Celebrity's cruise contract doesn't promise that there will be free Zumba, or that certain beverages will always be available in a particular package, or that prices of onboard restaurants won't change. Celebrity can make changes to all these things and more because their contract states that onboard amenities and services are subject to change. You've essentially only paid for a cruise of X days in at least the cabin category you paid for, and if these are not provided, then you can reasonably expect compensation. And remember, these are all optional extras, and the whole point of them is to make a profit. You don't have to go to Zumba. It's not like they suddenly started charging for the buffet. I'm not saying you shouldn't let them know that you are dissatisfied with the changes, but expecting them to cough up cash to cover the extra money you spent is a little out of bounds.

 

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VirginiaLucy, thank you for posting. What you write makes sense to me. Truthfully, I've never read all the small print in the passenger contract. We tend to go with the flow. My thread is in the hope that people travelling in the next couple of months could appeal to Celebrity regarding their disappointments after final booking changes.

The accounting portion, asking Celebrity to pony up some credits to the shipboard account, is something done on every cruise as benefits for loyalty.

GHStudio will appreciate my remark that Celebrity wants customer satisfaction as they must fill their cabins going forward.

Have a lovely day.

Claire

If you had purchased something (a class, a haircut, a drink) in advance and them found that there was a higher price than what you paid and you would get charged the difference, yes, you would have a legitimate gripe. But you did not purchase a Zumba class, or a beverage, and Celebrity would have no way to confirm that you intended to.

 

Take this a bit farther. What's to stop someone from saying "I intended to take two Zumba classes a day, I intended to drink a Baileys every day, I intended to go to the hair salon every other day, I intended to eat at Bistro every day so now Celebrity owes me XYZ dollars. Never mind that I never did any of those things on ant previous cruise. This time I intended to and now I can't because the price went up.

 

It just doesn't wash.

You missed my pitch. If you prepay for 10 haircuts w/shampoo and blow dry for $30 each and learn after the shampoo that you are charged an extra $12 for the cut (think Zumba), or an extra $2 (think Bistro), or you learn the 10 haircuts don't include the shampoo or blowdry (think drink package), don't you think you should get those services based on what you paid rather than be billed the up charge (read as Celebrity is doing).

Not true, the concern is valid. Now if the OP would have said I CALLED Celebrity and here is what they said, then that would be different. Otherwise they are just adding additional comment that have been posted 100 times in the last month.

 

But I know from my point of view I am just getting tired of all the talk (whining)about cost cutting. I mean how many times can folks bring this up? Look at the main page and how many posts are about this same subject, almost every 3rd post. But to just post the 100th "what if" about cost cutting then there is not much value.

 

Nothing personal Claire as you are probably a nice person but this is just one in 100 lately that just stir up negative conversations.

Duane

Thank you Duane. The thread is not negative if Celebrity reads there is a way to improve. One step, IMHO, is to give more adjustments to those who have made final payment before learning of the new "Modern Luxury" idea that has changed just in 3 months.

I have not read over 100 post on the topic. My life is elsewhere, but I do see the need for a thread with a solution to disappointments over new charge for (free)Rumba and an increase to dine in Bistro. The thread titles read that drink packages are not clear upon boarding and after final payment has been made.

Claire

My time is not wasted if a cruiser approaches Celebrity about the upcharge after final payment. This only presents as a problem to Celebrity in the determination of who gets a credit to the onboard account and who doesn't.

Evidentally, any person making final payment after the upcharges have knowledge before final payment. Any person making payment now that the charges are effective get no refund on zumba, pulled drinks from pre-paid packages, or upcharge at Bistro.

If I buy a shirt at full price because tailoring is included, then I should not be required to pay for the tailoring, as the store has a good reputation and stands by their promise. They can change their policy on the next shirt; but my tailoring should be written off.

If I purchase a car with leather seats and it arrives with cloth after full payment (yes, I pay in full) then I can either get a refund on the car or a refund on leather seats.

Now put the flags down and read without the distraction.

This post is not a waste of my time, it's helpful. If it does not apply to you, don't waste your time posting.

Then again, let me know why it can't happen. I believe Celebrity will stand my it's product, it's advertising, it's marketing, and customer satisfaction.

Thank you for your interest.

Claire

Possibly, although I didn't think of that at the time. It certainly was hot and sticky outside.

It didn't help that we lost power to the toilets for most of a day, but that was due to stupidity on behalf of a cruiser trying to put unmentionable items down the toilet....Imagine no toilets working on a ship stricken with noro?? :eek:

Willma, Thank you for the reply. Heat, humidity, noro, toilet down, tough for all.

Life happens even at sea. My heart is with the crew aboard.

Claire

No I don't think there is any chance they will give you anything. Costs rise, prices rise, they have the right to charge anything they want for Bistro on Five.

 

How could they possibly determine how many times you might have eaten there or gone to Zumba or ordered a Bailey's? It's completely unreasonable to expect any kind of consideration for these increases

It is not unreasonable on not doable, it is a simple credit adjustment on the cabin card account aboard ship. Processed the same way credit adjustments are made for Loyalty Club perks like free laundry and internet minutes.

Claire

Select dining works for us when we know exactly where we want to sit.

Check tables and numbers the first day.

Claire

We were also on a recent Asia cruise and there is no doubt that the experience does suffer from being in noro virus lockdown. I understand that vacuuming is not done under these conditions, possibly because it is thought that it spreads the virus around? Certainly staff were doing the best they could under the circumstances, but there is no doubt they were very hard pressed.

We had a great time, with amazing ports, and a fabulous aft view aqua cabin, but there were many complainers aboard.

You write positively about the cruise; therefore, let me ask if the heat and humidity may have affected the crew and the cruisers not accustomed to the extreme weather of SE Asia.

Claire

After final payment free zumba is not free. $5 for Bistro is $7. Drinks included in packages paid in advance are not included.

Has anybody requested an OBC or credit adjustment on final bill from Celebrity to cover extra charges? An account adjustment similar to laundry or internet for Elites.

Do you think Celebrity will consider a good faith gesture for changes made after final payment?

Claire

Okay, I've placed *another* courtesy hold, so I have 24 more hours to decide. You've all given me a lot to think about! :)

Are you going to do it?

We hope you decided "Yes".

Claire

I think you have the battle between marketing and the green eyeshade folks. Marketing, and I suspect that "Celelebrity Cruise" belongs to that group, would like to improve every area...especially those where they are getting negatives here, and likely from the comment cards. The folks watching the bottom line and that includes Michael Bayley are focused on cost savings and increasing revenue. It's an age old clash. Some corporations rise above it...although it's unusual..when the CEO realizes that customer satisfaction is worth $'s...and who realizes that investments now help future dollars. Most don't..and they cut, cut cut until they find the pain point (which is usually too late). Have you noticed that Breyer's ice cream has, for most flavors, been replaced by Breyers frozen desserts because they lowered the cream content below the point where they can call it ice cream...that's just an example. Celebrity is trying to find the minimum number of staff for a ship, they have cut back on food/quality (subjective) and they have raised prices on specialty meals, added fee items in the aqua spa, zumba is now $11 and so on.

 

I'm sure "celebrity cruises" passes on some posts or some summary, but not sure it gets beyond the marketing department.

 

I'd be happy if "Celebrity cruise" would participate here more on threads where we discuss Celebrity Policy and changes. Clarify the policy rather than let us guess or talk about interpretations. Help us....don't just pick and choose the easy ones which is what that ID does today. There are so many threads where we could use some "official" clarification...but it rarely comes. Perhaps this will change...or perhaps Celebrity HQ is as confused as we are so that individual is either afraid or not willing to clarify, lest he/she be wrong.

 

A simple example...has the elite breakfast changed across the fleet or is what we're hearing a trial/one off?

 

Another example...since many of us have guaranteed lowest price reservations or the captain's club upgrade option, how do we keep track of price reductions that we might want to request (realizing that our perks might change)?

 

How about it Celebrity Cruise...help us on this very useful forum.

Consider flag wavers. Not all, but don't they response to negatives.

Lately, are they part of the cutbacks? Or on repositioning cruises?

We don't care for the second level dining area used for Select.

The ceiling is low, the tables close together, and service is adequate but impersonal.

Traditional dining with the same waiters works better for us. When we want to see a show we eat in the buffet, go to Bistro on 5, or dine in a Specialty Restaurant, early or late.

Yes, we lose sleep over whether to cancel or not book a cruise.

The answer comes when we realize what causes the hooks.

Once we cancel or don't book, we're fine with our decisions.

There's always another cruise or a land vacation that fits better.

Our next visit to Rome will not be part of a cruise.

Look for hotels close to the busy area around Placa Catalunya for the hop on hop off bus. We had breakfast at Avanida Palace (a hotel).

Stay along Las Ramblas, or a block off Las Ramblas at the Guell Hotel which is across the street from Palau Guell. We stopped there for a quiet break and beer years ago.

The two days of touring w/Celebrity were disappointing.

At Topkapi the guide gave instructions to get in a long line on the right, or go straight and get in line for the restrooms. "Meet here in 45 minutes". We wandered the grounds at Topkapi but did not have time to go inside. Not enough time.

At the Blue Mosque, the line was very long (it was the 3rd Fri. of the month, "Call to Prayer". There was no time to wait in line to go inside the Blue Mosque.

We left the tour and did it ourselves. It was a waste of time and an expensive lesson.

Second day, we had a short time to tour Hagia Sophia on our own. Otherwise, it was a scenic drive that ended with a carpet display.

It was good we left the first tour as it gave us time to meet the kind people in Istanbul and we shopped at the Grand Bazaar.

The area is compact enough that we could have toured by ourselves and saved the tour money.

We reported to Celebrity what a poor tour it was and the representative just shrugged. If we'd requested a refund we might have gotten some of the money back, but how many times will we get to tour Istanbul. I wouldn't book another Celebrity tour there. BUT, the tours are organized locally and other cruise ship tours can deliver the same experience.

In Kusadasi, the Celebrity tour was excellent. We visited Ephesus, the Terrace Houses, and a Museum, then had a Roman era lunch overlooking the sea. At the carpet demonstration, we excused ourselves promptly as we weren't interested. We could walk to the ship from the carpet shop. The ship docks close to the fun alleys of the bazaar.

I hope this helps.

Claire

If you know the Vision, there was a Showboat Lounge on deck 6 the other side of the Schooner Bar. Now the area has been transformed into Chops and Giovanni's.

 

Schooner

 

Chops

 

 

 

Giovannis

 

 

Great photos. Thank you.