Extra charges on Celebrity?

[GLCAS]

I have cruised several times, but on Carnival and Princess. My DD recently went on a NCL cruise and was very dissappointed with all the extra charges. Most restaurants were extra, bowling extra, rock climbing wall extra, etc. We are used to there being specialty restaurants, but when the main dining room's food is so, so therefore encouraging you to go to the paying ones to get the nice meals you have come to expect on a cruise.:(.......All this to ask now, if Celebrity is more like NCl or Princess?? We are looking at Silhoette out of NJ for 2012. Any info would be appreciated. :)

[Lsimon]

It's been a while since we sailed princess and we've never sailed on NCL - but I think you'll find that there are fewer extra charges on Celebrity, but perhaps fewer activities of the type you're referring to. For example there is no bowling, rock climbing, ice skating or anything of that sort. Most activities, other than the those involving spa therapies and wine tastings are complimentary although there are a few classes and group exercises that have modest charges.

 

The Main Dining Room is pretty good but the specialty restaurant dining is truly great. I imagine the beverage charges are the same for all the lines, at least in terms of what is paid for and what is free, but at least on Celebrity they have fantastic ice cream available all day at no extra charge - although some of the newer ships have a gelateria which does charge in addition to the no-extra-charge ice cream.

 

I think overall on Celebrity you'll find less structured activities but a higher level of service and a more elegant atmosphere - which of course means a bit more structure in terms of the highly debated evening dress code.

[GLCAS]

I don't mind there not being activities. I am more concerned about the quality of the food in the main dining room and that they don't want you to go to the paying restaurants to enjoy the great food and in the main dining room it is just so, so.....

[Redtravel]

Celebrity is the new Carnival or NCL. There is a constant selling of services and specialty drinks and restaurants. You cannot move about the ship without being asked by some staff member to spend money. Get on elevators, spa people will approach you. When I took a cold towel upon returning to the ship, the spa people also tried to sell their services. Upon getting off the elevator near the buffet, tables of cheap merchandise is thrown on tables for sale. At the pool and at dinner in the MDR, the waiters circulate with trays of drinks for sale. The Olympic Restaurant staff is everywhere on the boat trying to sell. If you want a recent movie, you have to pay. Spa steam room will cost money. Wine seminar costs money. After a while you get tired of the constant selling of services. I like that these services are available and I don't mind paying extra for some things. However, I don't enjoy eating dinner and being interrupted by the waiter selling drinks. I think that the constant interruptions are rude and really ruin an otherwise relaxing vacation.

[Gonzo70]

I agree with Larry. Overall Celebrity provides a nice upscale, relaxing environment. There definitely are items and services for sale, but I have never felt pressured or pestered into buying anything. Silhouette does have several pay restaurants. Celebrity excels in the specialty restaurant arena and for an upcharge one is able to have very high quality meals, service and ambiance. The free food is very subjective; many find it to be good to very good, but some do not like the free food venues. All the mass market cruise lines have made budget cuts during the past couple of years and a common theme across all the lines is that the free food has declined some. Keep an open mind; you may find the free food more than adequate, but there is a chance you may end up deciding it is not quite up to snuff - depends on your personal taste, preferences and expectations. Regardless, I do highly recommend trying the specialty restaurants for at least a couple of meals as they are so good and you obtain a great meal for cheaper than you would obtain a similar meal on land.

 

I think that overall Celebrity has an amazing product and the S-Class ships are the best mass market ships available. :)

[peppertc]

First, will agree that S-Class ships are well designed...with 3000 paxs, they feel less crowded than the 2000 pax M-Class.

 

Was on S-Class ship last Nov-Dec..first Celebrity run in a while. I began to wonder if all the folks who brought those joyous "added-fees" to the airlines to maximize profits had moved to the cruise business. (And I see that on the "Equinox" that the Glass Blowing Shop on top aft deck is be replaced by an added fee Super Burger Shop...Huuh!!??

 

What struck me on my recent run was that the heavy emphasis on the specialty dining venues had resulted in a down-grading of the main dining room. Several of us -- folks at close-by different tables, but repeat Celebrity paxs -- came to a general conclusion that only 2 or 3 (at max) of the 10 days had evening meals of the quality/variety encountered on earlier, pre-specialty cruises. Think even some of the wait staff was less than pleased at what was going on.

So, a thought...

[dkjretired]

Celebrity is the new Carnival or NCL. There is a constant selling of services and specialty drinks and restaurants. You cannot move about the ship without being asked by some staff member to spend money. Get on elevators, spa people will approach you. When I took a cold towel upon returning to the ship, the spa people also tried to sell their services. Upon getting off the elevator near the buffet, tables of cheap merchandise is thrown on tables for sale. At the pool and at dinner in the MDR, the waiters circulate with trays of drinks for sale. The Olympic Restaurant staff is everywhere on the boat trying to sell. If you want a recent movie, you have to pay. Spa steam room will cost money. Wine seminar costs money. After a while you get tired of the constant selling of services. I like that these services are available and I don't mind paying extra for some things. However, I don't enjoy eating dinner and being interrupted by the waiter selling drinks. I think that the constant interruptions are rude and really ruin an otherwise relaxing vacation.

 

I don't know what ships you are on but what you describe certainly does not occur on Celebrity....They do sell these things on Celebrity but not to the extent of other cruise lines. You ought to get out more and go on other cruise lines....

 

You made a couple hit and run comments on the dress code thread which no one else who cruises Celebrity regularly has seen so I really don't know what your agenda is....

[lvcruiser]

Celebrity is the new Carnival or NCL. There is a constant selling of services and specialty drinks and restaurants. You cannot move about the ship without being asked by some staff member to spend money. Get on elevators, spa people will approach you. When I took a cold towel upon returning to the ship, the spa people also tried to sell their services. Upon getting off the elevator near the buffet, tables of cheap merchandise is thrown on tables for sale. At the pool and at dinner in the MDR, the waiters circulate with trays of drinks for sale. The Olympic Restaurant staff is everywhere on the boat trying to sell. If you want a recent movie, you have to pay. Spa steam room will cost money. Wine seminar costs money. After a while you get tired of the constant selling of services. I like that these services are available and I don't mind paying extra for some things. However, I don't enjoy eating dinner and being interrupted by the waiter selling drinks. I think that the constant interruptions are rude and really ruin an otherwise relaxing vacation.

 

This is a completely jaded post from someone who is flooding the message boards with this sort of misinformation. Over half of this post is a gross exaggeration and simply not true. Workers are NOT constantly hounding you to buy things and waiters in the restaurants DO NOT carry trays of drinks for sale. Never once on any of my sailings with Celebrity, including the last one a month ago, has any member of the crew approached me in an attempt to sell me anything other than the photographers stationed outside the gangway when you disembark in a port of call. Even then, you are not given a sales pitch - they are simply wanting to take your picture which you may purchase if you choose to do so with no pressure added, and these photographers will be found on every ship of every cruise line, so it isn't just Celebrity, and they have been there forever.

 

Cruises are not the all inclusive vacations they once were 30 or 40 years ago and with today's economy driving the cruise prices down to near record levels, the lines must attempt to recoup their profits from other areas. I, too, have questioned the possibility that the food quality and selection in the MDR have deteriorated in an attempt to drive passengers to the pay venues, but I have noticed on this board that not everyone agrees with me when I state that the MDR experience is not as good as it once was. In my opinion, one can spend the extra money for the specialty restaurants on a seven night cruise and still pay less in today's dollars than you would have 20 years ago when specialty venues didn't exist and the food in the MDR was better and more consistent. So what's the difference?

 

One reason I have sailed exclusively on Celebrity for the past several years is because I do not like having to pay for a rock climbing wall I will never use, or an ice skating rink I will never see. If other lines are now offering a better cruise fare and then make the activities al a carte, I applaud them. However, Celebrity has fewer extraneous charges than other lines as Larry indicated, and they certainly are not the new Carnival or NCL.

[retiredldo]

First, will agree that S-Class ships are well designed...with 3000 paxs, they feel less crowded than the 2000 pax M-Class.

 

Was on S-Class ship last Nov-Dec..first Celebrity run in a while. I began to wonder if all the folks who brought those joyous "added-fees" to the airlines to maximize profits had moved to the cruise business. (And I see that on the "Equinox" that the Glass Blowing Shop on top aft deck is be replaced by an added fee Super Burger Shop...Huuh!!??

 

What struck me on my recent run was that the heavy emphasis on the specialty dining venues had resulted in a down-grading of the main dining room. Several of us -- folks at close-by different tables, but repeat Celebrity paxs -- came to a general conclusion that only 2 or 3 (at max) of the 10 days had evening meals of the quality/variety encountered on earlier, pre-specialty cruises. Think even some of the wait staff was less than pleased at what was going on.

So, a thought...

 

Well stated, especially abut the MDR, there is no doubt that Celebrity has funneld money away from the MDR and into the speciality dining areas. It is true that Celebrity does not have some of the charges of other ships but they dont miss out charging for stuff, italian ice cream, specialty coffees, water at 4.00 a bottle, and other stuff, the cruise lines do not miss a chance to tap into your Sea pass for sure. The bigger ships have more things and and some fees, you dont pay for the rock climbing and that is pretty neat.

We enjoyed our cruise on celebrity and will go again, but they must do something about the food, they even ran out of Fruit (pineapple and melon and ice cream cones), the executive chief did apologize for the fruit during the chef cook off.

 

So it goes

 

Pete

[Gonzo70]

Was on S-Class ship last Nov-Dec..first Celebrity run in a while. I began to wonder if all the folks who brought those joyous "added-fees" to the airlines to maximize profits had moved to the cruise business. (And I see that on the "Equinox" that the Glass Blowing Shop on top aft deck is be replaced by an added fee Super Burger Shop...Huuh!!??

 

 

Equinox has the Hot Glass Show (as does Solstice and Eclipse). On Silhouette and Reflection there will be a new specialty restaurant in this area. While I love the Hot Glass Show and will miss it on Silhouette, the new restaurant does seem like a really fun concept. I would not describe it as a Super Burger Shop. I also would not equate airline fees to cruise line fees; plenty of free dining options on cruises, no luggage charges etc. A cruise is certainly not an all-inclusive vacation though.

[emeraldcitycruiser]

And I see that on the "Equinox" that the Glass Blowing Shop on top aft deck is be replaced by an added fee Super Burger Shop...Huuh!!??

 

I believe the take-out/burger counter concept for the area where the store near where the Hot Glass Show is located on Equinox is still just a rumor; I have not seen anything confirmed that a burger venue will be replacing that store on Equinox.

[dkjretired]

I believe the take-out/burger counter concept for the area where the store near where the Hot Glass Show is located on Equinox is still just a rumor; I have not seen anything confirmed that a burger venue will be replacing that store on Equinox.

 

Not a rumor, heres the press release from December.

 

http://www.celebritycruises.com/aboutceleb/pressDetails.do;jsessionid=000038Vmk5uH1DG-uSNZswEvEAV:12hdebdrn?pagename=press_room_details&event_date=2010-12-08&event_type=press_release&sequence_code=A

[Gonzo70]

Not a rumor, heres the press release from December.

 

http://www.celebritycruises.com/aboutceleb/pressDetails.do;jsessionid=000038Vmk5uH1DG-uSNZswEvEAV:12hdebdrn?pagename=press_room_details&event_date=2010-12-08&event_type=press_release&sequence_code=A

 

But that is about Silhouette and Reflection; the poster to which you were responding was speaking about a rumor that Equinox is going to have changes. I myself have not heard of any such rumor of Equinox being modified to have some of the new features of Silhouette and Reflection.

[staygulf]

This is a completely jaded post from someone who is flooding the message boards with this sort of misinformation. Over half of this post is a gross exaggeration and simply not true. Workers are NOT constantly hounding you to buy things and waiters in the restaurants DO NOT carry trays of drinks for sale. Never once on any of my sailings with Celebrity, including the last one a month ago, has any member of the crew approached me in an attempt to sell me anything other than the photographers stationed outside the gangway when you disembark in a port of call. Even then, you are not given a sales pitch - they are simply wanting to take your picture which you may purchase if you choose to do so with no pressure added, and these photographers will be found on every ship of every cruise line, so it isn't just Celebrity, and they have been there forever.

 

Cruises are not the all inclusive vacations they once were 30 or 40 years ago and with today's economy driving the cruise prices down to near record levels, the lines must attempt to recoup their profits from other areas. I, too, have questioned the possibility that the food quality and selection in the MDR have deteriorated in an attempt to drive passengers to the pay venues, but I have noticed on this board that not everyone agrees with me when I state that the MDR experience is not as good as it once was. In my opinion, one can spend the extra money for the specialty restaurants on a seven night cruise and still pay less in today's dollars than you would have 20 years ago when specialty venues didn't exist and the food in the MDR was better and more consistent. So what's the difference?

 

One reason I have sailed exclusively on Celebrity for the past several years is because I do not like having to pay for a rock climbing wall I will never use, or an ice skating rink I will never see. If other lines are now offering a better cruise fare and then make the activities al a carte, I applaud them. However, Celebrity has fewer extraneous charges than other lines as Larry indicated, and they certainly are not the new Carnival or NCL.

 

I agree with most of what you say, but when I was on the Equinox last October the waiters DID carry trays of drinks for sale in the Oceanview Cafe (not in the MDR). However it was not intrusive and there was no pressure selling.

[jdvmd]

I have cruised several times, but on Carnival and Princess. My DD recently went on a NCL cruise and was very dissappointed with all the extra charges. Most restaurants were extra, bowling extra, rock climbing wall extra, etc. We are used to there being specialty restaurants, but when the main dining room's food is so, so therefore encouraging you to go to the paying ones to get the nice meals you have come to expect on a cruise.:(.......All this to ask now, if Celebrity is more like NCl or Princess?? We are looking at Silhoette out of NJ for 2012. Any info would be appreciated. :)

 

I think you would enjoy Celebrity and its food. I just came off of Princess last month and honestly, there was only one meal that was fabulous. It's all subjective. All of the lines are charging for extras anymore including Carnival, Princess and Celebrity. And to correct something in your original post, NCL does not charge for its rock climbing wall.

[bighairtexan]

I don't know what ships you are on but what you describe certainly does not occur on Celebrity....They do sell these things on Celebrity but not to the extent of other cruise lines. You ought to get out more and go on other cruise lines....

 

You made a couple hit and run comments on the dress code thread which no one else who cruises Celebrity regularly has seen so I really don't know what your agenda is....

 

You took the words right off of my typing fingertips. I found the posts odd and confusing. It's only been a few months since I was on the Solstice and I'm not aware of most of the things mentioned in his/her posts. Pretty much every line I've ever cruised (7 or 8) had waiters w/ trays of drinks in the buffet area, especially on sail away or the DOD. But Celebrity doesn't do that in the MDR ever in my experience. I know Royal Caribbean came around toward the end dinner w/ after dinner drinks on a tray which I actually liked.

 

As for the OP, I pretty much only cruise Princess and Celebrity now, as they are my two favorite lines. Celebrity wins if price and itinerary are equal, but only by a little. Princess "sells" their specialty restaurants, drinks, photos, chef's table, Ultimate balcony dining, etc etc. So I'd say that they try to sell a few MORE extras than Celebrity. But neither exhibits what I'd call "hard sell." The food in the MDR on each is very similar (but I like Celebrity's every day menu better). If you like Princess, you'll like Celebrity at least as much!

[EithneMay]

Not a lot of extra charges. This is part of what draws me to Celebrity. No nickel and diming (yet), and still quality food and service.

[Lois R]

I was lucky enough to have sailed 4 times in 2010 and I don't

have any recollections of people trying to sell me anything~and nobody

was ever constantly trying to sell me drinks in the dining room.

Is there a bar server? Yes. And they might come around and ask if you

would like a drink from the bar....nothing wrong with that (in my

opinion).

If I decline their offer they leave without any issues. But "constant

selling"? Never happened to me.

[Redtravel]

IVcruiser: I was just on Millenium this past week. Every night in the MDR there was waiter with a tray of specialty drinks going from table to table trying to sell them. This is real. You cannot escape it. It's annoying and rude.

[We're The Groupnors]

I have cruised several times, but on Carnival and Princess. My DD recently went on a NCL cruise and was very dissappointed with all the extra charges. Most restaurants were extra, bowling extra, rock climbing wall extra, etc. We are used to there being specialty restaurants, but when the main dining room's food is so, so therefore encouraging you to go to the paying ones to get the nice meals you have come to expect on a cruise.:(.......All this to ask now, if Celebrity is more like NCl or Princess?? We are looking at Silhoette out of NJ for 2012. Any info would be appreciated. :)

 

To date we have sailed on four lines: NCL, RCI, Princess and Celebrity. Princess and Celebrity are our two favourites, and are very similar in many ways, including "up-charging". MDR food on both lines is good to excellent, in our opinions, so no need to go to the specialty restaurants unless you want to try them. Celebrity has a variety of free non-carbonated fountain drinks available in the buffet area, along with free cooffee and tea. Princess has the same. Celebrity has a free ice cream bar and free ice cream in the MDR, as well as for-charge gelato. If memory serves the ice cream bar on Princess was for-charge, but ice cream was free in the MDR. Grill and Pizza on both lines are free.

 

We find what we spend our money on is:

cocktails/wine, one night in 7 days to dine in a specialty restaurant (just to try it, not to get away from the MDR food), spa treatments, and of course tips.

[We're The Groupnors]

IVcruiser: I was just on Millenium this past week. Every night in the MDR there was waiter with a tray of specialty drinks going from table to table trying to sell them. This is real. You cannot escape it. It's annoying and rude.

 

I suspect it's not annoying and rude to the people who want to buy them. On our last Summit cruise very few people around us wanted wine, but were drinking cocktails throughout dinner. I'm sure they didn't consider the sommelier that was selling wine to my table annoying and rude.

[ChucktownSteve]

Celebrity is the new Carnival or NCL. There is a constant selling of services and specialty drinks and restaurants. You cannot move about the ship without being asked by some staff member to spend money. Get on elevators, spa people will approach you. When I took a cold towel upon returning to the ship, the spa people also tried to sell their services. Upon getting off the elevator near the buffet, tables of cheap merchandise is thrown on tables for sale. At the pool and at dinner in the MDR, the waiters circulate with trays of drinks for sale. The Olympic Restaurant staff is everywhere on the boat trying to sell. If you want a recent movie, you have to pay. Spa steam room will cost money. Wine seminar costs money. After a while you get tired of the constant selling of services. I like that these services are available and I don't mind paying extra for some things. However, I don't enjoy eating dinner and being interrupted by the waiter selling drinks. I think that the constant interruptions are rude and really ruin an otherwise relaxing vacation.

 

Red,

 

On my April Mercury cruise I experienced none of what you described. At dinner, the cocktail waitress asked once if anyone wanted a drink and didn't come back if nobody ordered one. She didn't have drink specials of the day on a tray.

 

I particularly liked that there was only one announcement per day at noon by the captain. None of the announcements throughout the ship's speakers were related to selling.

 

Oh when we were getting off at a port, a person at a table near the gangway asked if we needed any water. That was all he asked. It was more like a reminder than a push to sell.

 

So please let me know which Celebrity ship you cruised so I can avoid it. :eek:

[GLCAS]

This is great! Thanks so much for the input. We do enjoy Princess and if Celebrity is very similar, than we should be good. :) We will be watching pricing for the Silohette, for next winter out of NJ.

[ORV]

Red, you were on the Millennium in Jan, I was on it in Nov. It's amazing that the selling methods have changed that much in a couple of months. The only thing that even vaguely resembled what you describe is the bar waiter coming around during dinner to see if you wanted a cocktail. For those wanting a cocktail it's a service very much appreciated.

 

I found the opposite to be true at the shows in the evening, it seemed impossible to get a drink there. You better walk in with one in your hand or you probably wouldn't get one.

[lvcruiser]

IVcruiser: I was just on Millenium this past week. Every night in the MDR there was waiter with a tray of specialty drinks going from table to table trying to sell them. This is real. You cannot escape it. It's annoying and rude.

 

I find it fascinating and amazing that out of the thousands of passengers onboard Celebrity ships that frequent these cruise boards, you are the only person who has seen this happen. Are you sure that you're not exaggerating a little bit? There are waiters that walk through many sections of the ship, such as the pool area, offering drinks or to get you one from the bar if you choose. There is nothing wrong with that because it is a service to those who want it so they don't have to get their drinks from the bar themselves. You will find that in many different venues that sell alcoholic beverages. In Las Vegas casinos, waitresses walk around the pit and slot areas offering to get drinks for you and the drinks are free, so it isn't a matter of the casinos trying to make extra money from you by selling you something; it's a service and nothing more. You will find this to also be true with most cruise lines, so I don't understand why you are singling out Celebrity and making it sound like they are worse than they really are. Drinks being pushed on patrons in the MDR, as you have intimated, are something that no one else seems to have seen.