wish I knew...

Ok... original poster here. The story: I booked a veranda cabin online; discovered from the boards was over the smoking area on deck 5. Called to change cabin. The only available (affordable to me) cabin was a concierge cabin, aft. 9301. I was told by the person at celebrity on the phone about priority embarkation, embarkation day lunch, and the standard concierge class info. Never was told there was a person on board to help with dining and other issues.

IMO, on the Equinox (s class) concierge class a waste of money. Will not do it again. When I literally stumbled upon the concierge desk (Latoya) was helpful as I had select dining but only able to get it for the 1st 2 nights- she straightened it out. I did try in person at the hostess station at Silhouette. Also gave me a map of St. Martin that wasn't for "shopping" but the whole island. I had asked at guest relations & shore excursions.

 

I agree, don't really need a concierge. My original post was just an observation that without cruise critics boards celebrity doesn't do a very good job communicating with guests.

Going back to 2003, DH & I happened to be cruising on the Summit when the cabin steward switched our door sign to one with Concierge printed above the number. Even though I usually book concierge cabins solo for double points, I'd never had a direct dealing or interaction with a concierge until one Eastbound TA. That cruise I had a roommate and on the last evening of 1st leg of B2B, she became so ill, she went to the medical facility (she'd been feeling out of sorts and forgetful for much of the trip). The doctor and, therefore, Celebrity, wanted to send her to the hospital in Amsterdam. She just as adamantly wanted to go home (all her children are medical professionals) but no one would let her fly if she had to change planes because she was too fuzzy. I wasn't going to let her go the the hospital alone so was packing up to disembark with her. Then the amazing, awesome, fantastic concierge stepped into the picture. I'd found a direct flight to her home city on the West Coast, but it was an early, early one (08:30) and showed fully booked. The concierge made a lot of phone calls to the airline, was able to get a seat on the flight, got my roomie and her luggage off the ship first (in the dark), had her escorted in a cab to airport & check-in, and then had a wheelchair attendant take over and get her onto the plane. Her children met the plane and took her to the hospital. BTW, turns out it was a bladder infection she'd left home with that had turned into a serious kidney infection (which was why she became so spacey).

 

Prior to that emergency, I had never once thought about, much less appreciated, a concierge's abilities or worth to passengers/Celebrity, but now I do. And ever since, on every cruise, I stop by to say "hi" and introduce myself.

On my last cruise, we were in concierge. As we arrived to checkin, the concierge greeted us. She told us where to find her( old library deck 8) and what type of services she could provide. We visited before each port to get info and maps. We asked her to get us a dinner reservation.

Lights in the stateroom, do you need to put a card in to make them turn on?

This pillow menu was in the info binder in our cabin a few years back. It may have changed since then:

 

 

Lights in the stateroom, do you need to put a card in to make them turn on?

Not necessary on any M or S class ship.

Since Aqua Class is supposed to get all perks of Concierge Class (except boarding lunch in DR), then do AQ passengers get to use the Concierge services? Don’t know why I need one, but would like to know I could use it if I wanted to.

 

 

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Where did you read this? It is my understanding that both Concierge and Aqua guests receive the same amenities as Veranda guests, plus their own unique amenities. Neither class is superior to the other. They are merely different.

Nothing about the concierge services in the cabin. Everything I knew before boarding was from these boards...

I booked online. I didn't know there was a dedicated person on board in a specific location with specific hours. The location "team earth" doesn't indicate that this is there.

CC is an excellent source of info but I would have inquired with Celebrity before paying extra for a concierge class. But that's just me.

This is a nice comparison of a regular stateroom, Concierge and AQ amenities (and it has the elusive pillow menu): :D

 

 

http://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Celebrity/General_Info/Flyers/17057517_CEL_Concierge_and_Aqua_Class_Amenities.pdf

We have cruised CC several times and never really used any of the perks that came with the room. We mostly chose it because of cabin location and availability of cabins together. However, we sailed in May to Bermuda and used the concierge twice. Once we needed to make changes on an excursion and rather than take valuable vacation time to do this ourselves we told him what we needed and left for the day to explore and when we came back he had everything arranged like we requested and sent a bottle of wine to the room! The second occasion was with dining. We had been wait listed for early dining so we were in select which was fine however, we really liked our service team in the MDR so we asked if the concierge would be able to get us reservations at the same table each night so we could stay with the service team. Again a short time later he called and said it was arranged. Sure beat the many trips made to the MDR to arrange it ourselves. Thinking back this was the first time that we even knew where to find the concierge. While waiting in line to check in he was going through the line to introduce himself and he was giving his cards out again something that we had never seen before. Definitely a step in the right direction for superior service.

In our first C1 cabin--we didn't know that we had to ASK about the pillow choices...and there was no Welcome to Concierge etc paperwork

In our most recent C1--there was paperwork that indicated the "perks" of the C1 including a choice of pillows (just ask your steward etc) and also a sheet/welcome with a pic of the Concierge

 

We got a great Concierge Gift bag (canvas-like with zip closure and no logos) 2 yrs ago--and the more recent cruise--we had to ASK about the gift as it did not appear on the last formal night.

When it did arrive--it was a MUCH cheaper version and non zip.

 

The "savories" were identical 2 yrs apart and again served without utensils.

In our first C1 cabin--we didn't know that we had to ASK about the pillow choices...and there was no Welcome to Concierge etc paperwork

In our most recent C1--there was paperwork that indicated the "perks" of the C1 including a choice of pillows (just ask your steward etc) and also a sheet/welcome with a pic of the Concierge

 

We got a great Concierge Gift bag (canvas-like with zip closure and no logos) 2 yrs ago--and the more recent cruise--we had to ASK about the gift as it did not appear on the last formal night.

When it did arrive--it was a MUCH cheaper version and non zip.

 

The "savories" were identical 2 yrs apart and again served without utensils.

 

As you suggest, the most consistent experience sailing with Celebrity is their inconsistency.

 

I do note that we now have four pillow choices, another change from the introductory 5 to 3 and now 4....unless you ask a cabin attendant, as we did on one cruise, who says they have discontinued the pillow choices. We have received a variety of bags from celebrity...including, as you can guess, the one cruise where we were told that they discontinued the bags.

This is a nice comparison of a regular stateroom, Concierge and AQ amenities (and it has the elusive pillow menu): :D

 

 

http://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Celebrity/General_Info/Flyers/17057517_CEL_Concierge_and_Aqua_Class_Amenities.pdf

This is great information, but I see discrepancies between this sheet and what I found in Concierge and Aqua within the past year. As someone else posted, there isn’t much consistency between ships.

 

*No extra hair dryer in either cabin class (but I didn’t need more than one).

*Soap, shampoo and conditioner were provided in both (Gilchrist & Soames).

 

One clarification: both had Hansgrohe shower heads, but only Aqua had a hand held sprayer.

 

Also, both had footstools on Veranda. Neither stateroom attendant mentioned the pillow menu, but I was happy with the pillow that was provided.

This is great information, but I see discrepancies between this sheet and what I found in Concierge and Aqua within the past year. As someone else posted, there isn’t much consistency between ships.

 

*No extra hair dryer in either cabin class (but I didn’t need more than one).

*Soap, shampoo and conditioner are provided in both.

 

One clarification: both have Hansgrohe shower heads, but only Aqua has a hand held sprayer.

 

Also, both have footstools on Veranda. Neither stateroom attendant mentioned the pillow menu, but I was happy with the pillow that was provided.

 

 

 

I agree that there are inconsistencies as with just about every X info sheet - probably why the people who man the phones don’t always have accurate info. This sheet did seem to have the major features (the ones more apt to be deal breakers).[emoji2]

CC is an excellent source of info but I would have inquired with Celebrity before paying extra for a concierge class. But that's just me.

What you may not realize is that during three different phone calls you will receive three different answers, and it will be entirely possible that none of the three answers will match what you actually find when you board. I agree with you that we should ask Celebrity, but ascertaining the experiences of recent CC members is a valuable sanity check.

I agree that there are inconsistencies as with just about every X info sheet - probably why the people who man the phones don’t always have accurate info. This sheet did seem to have the major features (the ones more apt to be deal breakers).[emoji2]

 

Absolutely. The sheet is excellent information. I’m only providing additional information in case others find it useful:)

Absolutely. The sheet is excellent information. I’m only providing additional information in the hope that others will find it useful:)

 

 

 

Thanks! Good idea!

As you suggest, the most consistent experience sailing with Celebrity is their inconsistency.

 

I do note that we now have four pillow choices, another change from the introductory 5 to 3 and now 4....unless you ask a cabin attendant, as we did on one cruise, who says they have discontinued the pillow choices. We have received a variety of bags from celebrity...including, as you can guess, the one cruise where we were told that they discontinued the bags.

 

haha YES indeed. In fact when we asked about the gift/bag (we had wanted a second one like the first one we received which is Very nice... The steward first said they didn't do it anymore, then said they didn't have them on the ship... The people next door went to the Concierge desk--and asked because they liked our bag

That last night both cabins go the cheaper (logo'd) bag.

 

Bummer.

 

No we don't sail for that gift--however selling the perks etc and then expecting the customer to chase down perks -- ie pillow menu, gift, etc is crazy.

 

We got the pillow we requested at embarkation. Our steward was very responsive on that

We are travelling in concierge class on Reflection in October - price was the same as regular cabin so we went for it. I'm just curious about the "savouries" which keep being mentioned and everyone is so rude about - what are they exactly?

We are travelling in concierge class on Reflection in October - price was the same as regular cabin so we went for it. I'm just curious about the "savouries" which keep being mentioned and everyone is so rude about - what are they exactly?

Nothing to get excited about. Every afternoon, they deliver a plate with 4 tiny snacks. Examples are olives, mozzarella ball with a cherry tomato, 1 shrimp, hummus. I don't eat seafood and many of them are seafood. Half the time we look at it and grimace and leave it untouched. If you can get the cabin at the same price, that's a good deal.

 

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Nothing to get excited about. Every afternoon, they deliver a plate with 4 tiny snacks. Examples are olives, mozzarella ball with a cherry tomato, 1 shrimp, hummus. I don't eat seafood and many of them are seafood. Half the time we look at it and grimace and leave it untouched. If you can get the cabin at the same price, that's a good deal.

 

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Actually, that also varies. On some ships they will put them in your room whether or not you are there. On others, you must be in your room to open the door whenever they come or you won't get them. On some/most ships, you can request that instead of those snacks, you get a cheese plate or some other choice..if you ask....another undocumented "ugottaknow". Sorry if you feel that descriptions of the snacks has been rude...in our experience, the so so comments I've read here (and experienced) are pretty much right on the mark.

Loracpin2 -"It's amazing that by simply adding the word "Modern" to Luxury, Celebrity was able to re-define the product we now receive and not the product we first received in 1993 when the line was still owned by Chandris, gradually accepted in 2000 when RCI bought them out, and in some instances, now expect us to accept and tolerate their re-defined "Modern" offering!!!"

 

We also had our first X cruise in 1993. Currently booked for a TA in November. DH hasn't been on X for several years (2006). I was on Silhouette with my Mom in 2013 and couldn't believe how it had changed.

 

In between, we have cruised with Princess and RCI for itinerary and price and now chose X for the same reason for this trip. I'm hoping we won't be too disappointed with the changes.

 

Sue

 

Folks- 1993 was 25 years ago. What has not changed in that period of time?

Edited July 19, 2018 by TeeRick

If only there was some way to get the details about things through some electronic means . . .

 

Try the Celebrity website! :mad:

Try the Celebrity website! :mad:

Such a great, informative and helpful tool! :rolleyes:

Well, it is good for a laugh...