For Me, It's Buh-bye Celebrity

[Orator]

So sorry to hear about your poor experience with that butler Heidek.

Neither Corky or I drink and that was the very first thing we addressed last month in AQ 1605 aboard Solstice. The cabin steward immediately grabbed the alcohol from the cooler and they did not return during our 8 days.

My opinion...the prepaid/auto gratuities are to blame for the lowered quality of service. This was our first cruise which used that and was about the lowest level of service we've ever had cabin-wise. Blu service was wonderful.

Might be time for a new Hotel Director aboard Solstice IMHO.

 

Don't believe that prepaid gratuties are the major cause of the problem. Most staff still want to get extra tips. Think that general cost cutting and expansion of fleets is a far greater contributory factor. At the same time crew members are being added, training seems to be decreasing. Just take a few minutes and talk to some of the "old school" waiters about the training. Lower level cooks are hired without previous training or experience. Most, if not all cruise lines use agents in various countries to find staff.

Many staff are just as frustrated by the current trend as many cruisers. The best must work harder to compensate for the weaknesses of the worst.

[Fanny75]

We Had "Arlis" our butler from Honduras, He was fantastic, attentive, personable and professional.. He helped make our first suite experience memorable.

Being a new ship there IS a learning curve that also needs to be made I am sure Celebrity will figure it out soon.. Cheers!!

[srqman]

We were on this same cruise mid ship in a Royal Suite, Rikkie was our butler. He could never do enough for us, it was a great cruise! Last year we took our first Celebrity Cruise in a RS, we thought our butler was good then, but Rikkie this year blew him away. We have sailed HAL several times in suites, both lines have good and bad points. In our opinion, HAL's Neptune lounge, free dry cleaning etc. are great perks but their Deluxe Suite rooms and ships don't hold a candle to Celebrity Royal Suites and the S- class ships. It would be nice if Celebrity added some additional perks that HAL and Princess already have for suites.

[Fanny75]

You are right.. your expectations are not high maintenance.. Our experience was that the Cappuccino service was non existent!! As for the flowers, we Always had fresh ones everyday as well as fresh fruit .. Also we had a beautiful tote bag!!

BTW.. everyday at 4pm our Butler would bring a full compliment of hors d'hourves to our cabin and would be waiting for us when we returned from the Gym!!

[Redtravel]

I have had great butlers and also bad butlers. I did once have a butler who introduced himself on day 1 and never was seen again until the last day when he handed me an envelope for a tip. That was on a tips included cruise. Needless to say, he got what he deserved. However, I did have a butler on Azamara that was so good, that on my next cruise I asked for a cabin that was serviced by him. If I could have fit him in my suitcase, I would have taken him home. I'm not very demanding. I do appreciate a butler who is helpful...gets reservations in specialty when they all booked, provides extra towels and accessories, knows how to get things fixed, etc....and also doesn't interfere with my privacy. With a suite, extra perks are appreciated. I would have hated it if I were interrupted by a butler who kept asking me for directions.

[villox]

Hey srqman: we'll be on the Solstice in a RS (1118) next Sunday. Any chance Rikkie is the butler, or were you on the PH deck?

[Colorado Babe]

You are right.. your expectations are not high maintenance.. Our experience was that the Cappuccino service was non existent!! As for the flowers, we Always had fresh ones everyday as well as fresh fruit .. Also we had a beautiful tote bag!!

BTW.. everyday at 4pm our Butler would bring a full compliment of hors d'hourves to our cabin and would be waiting for us when we returned from the Gym!!

 

Cappuccino service was non existant for us as well until I called the butler on it and went down to the pursur desk to ask. Same thing about the tote. When we came up from the pursur desk, he was at our suite delivering the tote and made some excuse that it was only for the Christmas sailing suite customers but he had one left and gave it to us. Were you in a royal suite? Perhaps that is why you received flowers? We were only in a sky suite so that might be the reason why we didn't get flowers. I did mention it to the pursur desk and they acknowledged that it was for RS only.

[Gracie115]

Being a new ship there IS a learning curve that also needs to be made I am sure Celebrity will figure it out soon.. Cheers!!

 

 

...the Solstice is NOT a new ship...it's at least 3 years old...we were on it 2010...just saying....

[travelberlin]

When I think about a butler, the image of well trained Englishmen or trained with English standards, come to my mind. Always attentive and ready to fulfill wishes. I am afraid that the 2 times I had a butler on a cruise, those expectations were not met. The guys who were called butlers on those times did not appear to be trained as such. They were nothing else than cabin attendants.

[Orator]

...the Solstice is NOT a new ship...it's at least 3 years old...we were on it 2010...just saying....

 

Correct.That's why we call the sister ships "S"class. Unfortunately, crews are constantly changing. In the last three years I've seen some of the same people on 3 different ships. One CC Hostess was on Century,then Solstice and recently Eclipse. Recently there have been a number of new Restaurant Managers. I was with one staff member when he received notice that he was to leave the ship at the next port and report to another ship. At one time you could take a ship and pretty well know who you would see onboard.This is no longer true.Even staff doesn't know where they'll be going. This, rather than the age of ship lack of consistency in staffing is the real problem.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

I've not had issues with a butler, but this "robo" stuff mentioned earlier is what is causing me concern. That's exactly what we got from our waiter on our last cruise. He kept coming to the table and giving us canned speeches about how good the food was, started reading us the menu for the next evening as we were starting our entrees, etc. We kept telling him not to do that. He didn't get it. First time ever in my experience that no one at the table tipped the waiter extra.

I suspect that something is off with their training, although this waiter was allegedly an experienced waiter. This "robo" stuff just won't fly.

I also agree that all waiters and cabin attendants we have had in the past who were from Goa were tremendous.

[LeftcoastBC]

I think generally speaking comparing HAL and X

YOU get what you pay for.

[Gracie115]

Correct.That's why we call the sister ships "S"class. Unfortunately, crews are constantly changing. In the last three years I've seen some of the same people on 3 different ships. One CC Hostess was on Century,then Solstice and recently Eclipse. Recently there have been a number of new Restaurant Managers. I was with one staff member when he received notice that he was to leave the ship at the next port and report to another ship. At one time you could take a ship and pretty well know who you would see onboard.This is no longer true.Even staff doesn't know where they'll be going. This, rather than the age of ship lack of consistency in staffing is the real problem.

 

I was referring to someone who stated they thought the OP was on a new ship, which the Solstice is not. But I agree with you...to some extent. Our experience in Blu has not been like this, we have received consistently good service there on 3 different occasions and have 2 more coming up...all on different ships... bue we have seen a difference when it comes to stateroom attendants...but I believe this has more to do with the attendants having more staterooms to clean than they used to have....

 

Since we no longer travel in suites I can't comment on the butlers and their training or lack thereof...

[Orator]

I was referring to someone who stated they thought the OP was on a new ship, which the Solstice is not. But I agree with you...to some extent. Our experience in Blu has not been like this, we have received consistently good service there on 3 different occasions and have 2 more coming up...all on different ships... bue we have seen a difference when it comes to stateroom attendants...but I believe this has more to do with the attendants having more staterooms to clean than they used to have....

 

Since we no longer travel in suites I can't comment on the butlers and their training or lack thereof...

 

Interesting that you mentioned Blu. I am a real fan of AQ and Blu. They really work on team building in Blu. Blu now seems to be the launching pad for a Matre 'd to become a Resturant Manager. Zafar and more recently, Adrian have gone from Blu to RM positions. Cost cutting has made more work for many.

[Emperor Norton]

Interesting to note the different expectations and levels of service of the butlers between X and HAL. I'm not sure why people would compare Silversea or Azamara to X - thats akin to comparing apples to oranges. I would hope that a luxury and near luxury line would do better than something near mass market.

[srqman]

Villox,

We were in 1116 right next door. Yes, Rikkie should be your butler. He was responsible for 5 suites.

[Northern Aurora]

I have just quickly skimmed the posts, so may have missed the answer. Instead of letting a personality conflict or poor butler be such a negative on a vacation, why not just ask that a different butler be assigned to your cabin?

 

We generally only book sky suites since we want the extra space, but I must say that we have had a number of excellent butlers. Paul D'costa on the Century last November was wonderful.

[villox]

Villox,

We were in 1116 right next door. Yes, Rikkie should be your butler. He was responsible for 5 suites.

 

Great news, thanks!

[villox]

Villox,

We were in 1116 right next door. Yes, Rikkie should be your butler. He was responsible for 5 suites.

 

One other question: did you get a complimentary bar setup and elite benefits (if not elite)?

[USVI-4-me]

I would not call it "neediness" -- I would call my expectations simply getting what was advertised and what was paid for! If you paid alot of extra money for "bells and whistles" and rented, say, a new Cadillac for a special occasion- wouldn't you expect to drive off the lot in a new Cadillac instead of some economy car? It has nothing to do with "neediness" - it is about value and quality for your money. That's what my expectations were based on.

 

 

Oh dear......

If we paid for a Cadi, we wouldn't settle for an economy car.

 

We're more like DavidYYC..

We don't need a chatty worker to enhance our experience.

 

We find other forms of entertainment.

 

Rather than chat, we let the workers know what we need. We expect they will do their jobs.

 

If we don't get the product that is advertised, we give Guest Services a visit. We expect they will take care of the problem. And, as you know, there is always another layer of management.

 

Why let your cruise experience be spoiled by waiting?

 

Maris

[gelo7]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, HAL is a nice cruise experience, but I also love X.

[Gracie115]

Interesting that you mentioned Blu. I am a real fan of AQ and Blu. They really work on team building in Blu. Blu now seems to be the launching pad for a Matre 'd to become a Resturant Manager. Zafar and more recently, Adrian have gone from Blu to RM positions. Cost cutting has made more work for many.

 

 

Also Jordan is RM at the Lawn Club Grill on Silhouette...he started out in Blu in January 2010.... Yes Blu is great experience..we can't wait to try Equinox in April and Reflection in Dec.:D

[4774Papa]

I want to start by saying my comments here are strictly my personal feelings and I do not want to come across as badmouthing Celebrity as a cruise line - this is simply feedback from Me - 1 cruise passenger. The Solstice is a gorgeous ship and Celebrity is an excellent cruise choice.

 

I got off the Solstice yesterday after a 7 day western Carib. cruise. I am a mature female, travel solo, splurge on suites (when it's a good deal) when I cruise. When in the Carib., I cruise for the "suite life" and do not get off the ship - it's about total relaxation, being pampered, having serious downtime, getting some sun, being lazy and sitting on my balcony - alone with the sea :)

 

I had posted on the Board at the beginning of my cruise questioning the duties of the suite Butler as this was my first Celebrity suite experience.....several people asked for the name of my butler and I did not want to respond until I was off the ship...just in case......his name was Alex Sarokov (or something similar). Again, for me and my cruise experience, it was a terrible match and affected my enjoyment - and relaxation - on this cruise. After going to Guest Services and having them call him to tell him he's supposed to set my table for meals, it was not much better. It was not "bad" enough though, to complain to Guest Services in my opinion. He was trying I could tell, but he definitely was not up to standard in regard to being a Butler in a suite. I cringed every time he knocked on my door and rang the bell as it was the same thing every time "Is everything about your suite to your satisfaction? Let me know if it's not" -- this is all he said the entire cruise - like a pre-programmed robot butler -- zero personalization, zero smiles, rushed. Again, my personal experience and a definite "clash of fit" regarding myself and this guy. In contrast, my 2 young cabin stewards were delightful, full of laughter and song, asking about my day, if they could get me a nice piece of cake, etc. Very thoughtful and attentive.

 

So, that's part of my disenchantment with my Celebrity suite experience. Don't get me wrong, the cabin itself appeared brand new, spotless and nicely designed -- my balcony was the HUGE saving grace of my entire cruise. What a fantastic location at the back corner of the ship. Wide open, totally quiet, it was magical.

 

I want to speak a bit about my constant comparison during this cruise with my Holland America deluxe suite experience vs. this Celebrity Sky 1 suite experience. Again, this is my personal taste and is not directed at the Celebrity line as a whole........I just feel that the suite experience on Celebrity is nothing special at all and I am hard pressed to understand what the big monetary difference is between the S1 and say, an AQ -- except the size of the cabin....?

 

With HAL, I feel totally pampered and feel that the money I have spent (alot when considering I am cruising solo!) is well worth it. The HAL bathroom with whirlpool tub and closet is huge, while the Celebrity S1 was pretty basic -- I felt nothing special at all and very similar to the AQ I was in before. With HAL I received invitations to special dinners, lunches, tours, etc. every day - with Celebrity, nothing. With HAL, of course, is the Neptune Lounge for suite guests which is a great "perk" and I feel adds great value to the cost of a suite. With HAL, unlimited free pressing - with Celebrity, $46 was charged for pressing about 8 ladies shirts and 3 pants(?). With HAL, I feel the suite attendants went the extra mile and really showed they actually cared about you and made sure you received every amenity that a suite was supposed to include. On my Celebrity cruise, although the attendants were sweet and competent, they did not appear to know what the amenities were for a suite.

 

I also do not drink alcohol. With HAL, the alcohol in my room was immediately removed - including the welcome bottle of champagne (or sparkling wine - whatever it is) -- and I was asked what I would like to drink. I said water. Everything was immediately replaced by "designer" bottled waters and replenished throughout the cruise. With Celebrity, they removed the alcohol, did not ask what I preferred and simply put a bottle of water with the $4 price note on my bar! Nothing else was ever offered to me!

 

So, that's it from me here. I was totally taken aback by the lack of "specialness" I felt on this cruise as a suite guest. And to boot, I paid more for this 7 day cruise on Celebrity than I paid for an 11-day on HAL! Please understand that I do not regret this cruise and rack this up as a lesson learned - this was just not the right fit for Me. I will continue to recommend Celebrity as a great cruise line, but again, for Me, I will not cruise it again.

It is interesting to read other about other people's reasons for cruising. I am the exact opposite of heidik. I would not know what to do with a Butler and would never spend the bucks to buy a suite. Also, I like cruises with few sea days. I like ports and see the cruise ship as a floating hotel with good food and entertainment.

Everyone has a plan and it is too bad that yours didn't work out very well. There is a plethora of cruise lines, so you can always try others. I do like X and have two more cruises booked right now, as well as another on NCL. I wish you well on your future cruises.

[Dynamictwo]

What I get from your e-mail and the responses are to each his own. Everyone has different needs and preferences.

 

I personally prefer Celebrity and Royal Caribbean for their loyalty programs. I am Elite on Celebrity and Diamond + (or whatever they call it now) on Royal caribbean. Our benefits on both lines outweigh any of the negatives.

 

We have also sailed ten or more times each on HAL, NCL, Princess and Carnival. On these lines, we actually prefer Carnival for their wonderful buffets and their loyalty program, while not as good as RCCL and Celebrity. I love NCL for their specialty restaurants but wouldn't eat in their main dining room if you paid me too.

 

One other little hint if you like to pamper your self with a suite - which we do occasionally -- but often just get a balcony to save $1,000 for two of us - is the newer Holland American ships have a wonderful service that you can buy for the whole cruise.

 

It's that you can purchase a Cabana on the pool deck or one deck above for 2 for $295 or a family one for $450. During the morning you get fresh fruit and bottled water and they will bring you your lunch and at 2;30 or so, they bring you Champagne and chocolate strawberries. The family cabana comes with four chaises, tables and chairs. They give you IPODs loaded with the music you like for the 7 days. If its hot, they bring you free misters. You get two concierges who take care of you for the entire cruise. We have done it twice with friends and had the Family Cabana both times, but we booked and paid for them 6 months in advance so we knew we had them. They were so relaxing and well worth the extra cost. Divide the cost by seven days and it's a bargain.

 

Last time we took an inside cabin knowing that we would have the family cabana again and they upgraded us to a Spa Suite. What a waste of a balcony -- but it was fun.

 

Whatever you do -- enjoy yourself -- life is too short!!!

 

Steve

[srqman]

Villox,

We did not get complementary bar set up but did get Captains Club benefits along with the coupons for Internet, laundry, etc..