Celebrity denies any Upper Elite.

[Orator]

[quote name='Ma Bell']Just want to say that the OP is one of kindest, sweetest people I've ever met and I'm sure she didn't want to start a litany of complaints about the Captain's Club.[/QUOTE]

I believe that I've met the OP and her DH on a past cruise and will be cruising with them again on the SIL TA. Her posts indicate a warm, helpful person. Believe me I know how some people can react to an innocent post. I've been the target more than a few times.

[WELSH WIZARDS]

[quote name='Ma Bell']Just want to say that the OP is one of kindest, sweetest people I've ever met and I'm sure she didn't want to start a litany of complaints about the Captain's Club.[/quote]
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Orator..[ Quote..]
I believe that I've met the OP and her DH on a past cruise and will be cruising with them again on the SIL TA.
Her posts indicate a warm, helpful person. Believe me I know how some people can react to an innocent post. I've been the target more than a few times.
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[IMG]http://i.mnpls.com/203/20372.gif[/IMG].....now I'm blushing. :)[URL="http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm294/xx_clauu/emoticons/?action=view¤t=thBlush.gif"][/URL]

Thank you both.

[C 2 C]

Our experience has been a bit different:
[quote name='Orator']The top cruiser generally receives the following perks:
1.Given a VIP tag at check in and escorted to a gathering spot for snacks and drinks, Usually Michael's Club [COLOR=Red](VIP tag only once and on Millennium)[/COLOR]

2. Meet and greet with Senior Staff who give cards as you mentioned ([COLOR=Red]rarely upon boarding.. not even once in a blue moon[/COLOR])

3. Escorted to cabin, usually by an Asst. Head Housekeeper ([COLOR=Red]has happened twice)[/COLOR]

4. Invitation to a Captain's Table (Usually, but not always the Captain) [COLOR=Red]Yes[/COLOR].

5. Female gets roses, male gets a bottle of room service wine at Recogntion gathering ([COLOR=Red]extremely rare (3X) for me to get a bottle and my wife would gladly exchange the roses for the wine[/COLOR])

6. Comp dinner with any wine up to $65 at Specialty Rest. of choice ([COLOR=Red]the wine was never offered on Millennium and rarely have we been offered more than a $40 bottle depending on the host/hostess)[/COLOR]

[/quote]

And at the elite gathering, whether with elite+ in Michael's (has happened once) or in Reflections/Sky Lounge etc.. I still can't get a free bottle of Evian water instead of a beer, wine, or mixed drink. These are just remarks. To paraphrase the boarding letter, "whether this is your first cruise or your 100th, life on board will be (almost) the same."

[Orator]

[quote name='~Nereus~']Our experience has been a bit different:


And at the elite gathering, whether with elite+ in Michael's (has happened once) or in Reflections/Sky Lounge etc.. I still can't get a free bottle of Evian water instead of a beer, wine, or mixed drink. These are just remarks. To paraphrase the boarding letter, "whether this is your first cruise or your 100th, life on board will be (almost) the same."[/QUOTE]

Different ships may handle things in different ways; consistent inconsistency. On MIl I received a VIP tag at check in. Invited to sit in Michael's Club. Told I was #2 and that was it. The perks are nice, but cruising on a fine ship and meeting lots of fine people (crew and passengers) is the best thing. Met Gonzo70 and his DW on that MIL cruise as well as mutual friends Bill and Earline. Certainly a highlight that easily beats roses and wine.

[Jade13]

[quote name='Orator']I believe that I've met the OP and her DH on a past cruise and will be cruising with them again on the SIL TA.quote]

Hi Orator, Did you just book the Silhouette Dec 1 TA?

We willl be on it. It's a great itinerary for a transatlantic. We just returned from the Veendam repositioning cruise from South America (Valparaiso to NYC) and need to catch up.

[Orator]

[quote name='Jade13'][quote name='Orator']I believe that I've met the OP and her DH on a past cruise and will be cruising with them again on the SIL TA.quote]

Hi Orator, Did you just book the Silhouette Dec 1 TA?

We willl be on it. It's a great itinerary for a transatlantic. We just returned from the Veendam repositioning cruise from South America (Valparaiso to NYC) and need to catch up.[/QUOTE]

I'm on that one and the Holy Lands prior to the TA. Looks like a nice group of friendly people is forming. Look forward to seeing you.

[C 2 C]

[quote name='Orator']The perks are nice, but cruising on a fine ship and meeting lots of fine people (crew and passengers) is the best thing. Met Gonzo70 and his DW on that MIL cruise as well as mutual friends Bill and Earline. Certainly a highlight that easily beats roses and wine.[/quote]

Absolutely.

We have found it is more important to select a ship based on friends and and crew members rather than itinerary or ship. It's the people with whom you socialize, not the setting nor the ship that we find most important.:D

[Waterlily777]

[quote name='Bridge Maven']Since Royal Caribbean owns both cruise lines, it wouldn't be a good business move for them to do that.

Now that three generation cruises are very popular, many Celebrity cruisers prefer a more family oriented cruise line when sailing with their children and grandchildren. The reciprocity gives some an incentive to choose Royal Caribbean for these cruises
instead of a competitor's cruise line.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk[/quote]

I think there is a possibility that a forensic analysis might show otherwise.

There is a real cost, as well as an opportunity cost, to the provision of Elite benefits. When all those Elites are in the Elite lounges for breakfast, they are not in Cafe al Bacio having cappucinos, and when they are in the Elite cocktail lounge they are not in the Martini Bar, etc. At a certain tipping point, the number of Elites could potentially have a real effect on the bottom line.

Like many others, we enjoy the Elite lounges for the opportunity to meet and talk with other frequent cruisers in a pleasant setting. As soon as over-crowding detracts from that experience, we don't attend. Having so many Elites to the point of crowding Elite events can be a real disincentive.

Our family, and all the families I know personally that cruise Celebrity, prefer to do our multi-generational cruises on Celebrity. Celebrity has a terrific kids program and our experience as adults is significantly better on Celebrity than on any Royal ship, and we've been on many of them. If we want the particular experience that some Royal ships provide, the loyalty program would not keep me from choosing Royal. And there is no other line that caters to families in particular that would tempt me, over Royal. NCL and Carnival have not been experiences that we have enjoyed. Neither the young adults nor those in their late teens (from our extended family) would chose to go on either of those cruise lines again.

[Iluvcruising2]

Let's ask the following questions:

1) If you were already Elite, would having an Elite plus category entice you to sail more with Celebrity than you already plan to?

2) If you were not yet Elite, but somehow you like cruising, would you want to sail more just to get to Elite?

3) If you were Diamond and above from Crown & Anchor, would having Elite status on Celebrity cruises entice you (strongly perhaps) to try Celebrity?

[U]Answer 1:[/U]
In my view, the answer to 1 is probably no.

[U]Answer 2:[/U]
The answer is 2, is probably yes, because you want to build up loyalty points quickly to get to Elite and get the associated benefits & recognition.
[U]
Answer 3:[/U]
The answer is definitely a yes. Having Elite status straightaway provides a strong incentive for Diamond and above C&A members to try Celebrity. And, that is the behaviour that RCI wants - to get people who love cruising to switch from Royal to Celebrity.

I also look at it from a life-cycle point of view.

On balance, Royal's demographic is younger - families with kids. So many of the activities and attractions on Royal are geared towards families and kids.

But what happens once these families get older, kids become teenagers and don't have to travel with parents? I think Royal wants to convert them to Celebrity.

Without this influx of newer passengers to Celebrity from Royal, Celebrity may find it difficult to fill their rooms over time. Why? It would be harder to attract older passengers from scratch - they may not have any brand loyalty to start with.

[Iluvcruising2]

[quote name='Waterlily777']
Our family, and all the families I know personally that cruise Celebrity, prefer to do our multi-generational cruises on Celebrity. Celebrity has a terrific kids program and our experience as adults is significantly better on Celebrity than on any Royal ship, and we've been on many of them. If we want the particular experience that some Royal ships provide, the loyalty program would not keep me from choosing Royal. And there is no other line that caters to families in particular that would tempt me, over Royal. NCL and Carnival have not been experiences that we have enjoyed. Neither the young adults nor those in their late teens (from our extended family) would chose to go on either of those cruise lines again.[/quote]

How old are your kids?

[Adammara]

[QUOTE]
Like many others, we enjoy the Elite lounges for the opportunity to meet and talk with other frequent cruisers in a pleasant setting. As soon as over-crowding detracts from that experience, we don't attend. Having so many Elites to the point of crowding Elite events can be a real disincentive.

[/QUOTE]

Oh how I agree, we loved the Elite happy hour on Eclipse last week, low key background music, and great fellow cruisers we really got on with. The Captains Club Celebration afternoon event was crowded, noisy and not a pleasant experience. We left!

Richard

[caladezi]

[quote name='Adammara']Oh how I agree, we loved the Elite happy hour on Eclipse last week, low key background music, and great fellow cruisers we really got on with. The Captains Club Celebration afternoon event was crowded, noisy and not a pleasant experience. We left!

Richard[/QUOTE]

Which we see as another reason to continue to take only the 7 day cruises that most Elites have had their fill of and avoid the TA's and reunion cruises. The Captains Club perks are wonderful but the competition can sometimes deter from the experience. In reality, the people who have done the most in their lives don't feel the need to impress strangers with their accomplishments or how many of the staff that recognize them. Personally, I prefer to just do my thing and enjoy my time without all of the other things.

[richsea]

[quote name='Orator']The top cruiser generally receives the following perks:.....
3. Escorted to cabin, usually by an Asst. Head Housekeeper.......
[/QUOTE]

Wow, remember when they did that with [I]everyone[/I]??

[Orator]

[quote name='richsea']Wow, remember when they did that with [I]everyone[/I]??[/QUOTE]

I do. I also remember when some on these boards objected to the practice and complained that they didn't want help and viewed the practice as just creating another person to tip. Sometimes you just can't please no matter what you decide to do.

[fleckle]

[quote name='Orator']I do. I also remember when some on these boards objected to the practice and complained that they didn't want help and viewed the practice as just creating another person to tip. Sometimes you just can't please no matter what you decide to do.[/quote]I remember those days also. It was nice to have the extra assistance for those who needed help with their bags, but we never found it to be a problem because you could just say "no thank you" and refuse the escort if you did not want one.

That is what I would do when we were staying on deck 6 because I had an ulterior motive. The doors to the cabins would be propped open if you arrived early, so I liked to stroll through the hallway very slowly, taking my time and pausing to peek into the suites as I went along. I would have felt funny trying to do that if accompanied by an escort.

[LuAnn]

[quote name='WELSH WIZARDS'][IMG]http://www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk/images/product_images/wor048_ouch_plasters_comic_strips_300main.jpg[/IMG].....[/quote]

You GO GIRL...you are the best!! LuAnn

[Denny01]

[quote name='caladezi']Which we see as another reason to continue to take only the 7 day cruises that most Elites have had their fill of and avoid the TA's and reunion cruises. The Captains Club perks are wonderful but the competition can sometimes deter from the experience. In reality, the people who have done the most in their lives don't feel the need to impress strangers with their accomplishments or how many of the staff that recognize them. Personally, I prefer to just do my thing and enjoy my time without all of the other things.[/QUOTE]

Not sure what being Elite has to do with some compettion you are referring to, or how it has anything to do with impressing strangers with their accomplishments and with how many staff recognize them - As posted on this and the other related thread, the great majority of Elites go to the functions to meet new friends, and for a free drink...its just a way of breaking the ice, starting conversations on a common subject, and then going from there. When someone mentions how many cruises they have taken, I love to hear it and gain new info.

I can't remember any situation where I ran into a braggart at an Elite funciton - ran into a few at some lounge or shared a MDR table (for one night max). And since they are few and far between, easily avoided. The bragging is usually about how much money they spend/their classy SR and so on, or just the oposite, how little they spend on their 'classy SR' and how much more they enjoy cruising then those people who are spending more money and so on.

And I personally won't avoid a cruise popular with Elites because the Elite lounge may get too crowded. I'd just not go to the function if it bothered me, and enjoy all the other venues...not a biggie really, for me.

Den

[Waterlily777]

[quote name='Iluvcruising2']How old are your kids?[/quote]

When we travel as a multigenerational group, our kids and their cousins are in their mid-twenties to mid-thirties. Their children are 8 years of age and under.

If we had children in the 13 to 17 age group, we would probably go on the Oasis or Allure of the Seas. This are fun ships for that age group and provide a good experience for adults as well, although we don't feel as relaxed, or as in contact with the sea on these ships, which is something that all of the adults, even the younger adults, enjoy. Having been on these ships once, none of the adults feel the need to return unless we were catering to 13-17 year olds, which we are not, at the moment.

Having reciprocal Diamond benefits on RCL doesn't make much difference to us on the Royal ships, as we only sail on them when we have kids with us, and then we don't use the Diamond or Diamond plus lounges.

[Tucker in Texas]

I am Diamond+ with 210 credits. How would that "translate" into whether I was "upper" or "lower" Elite on Celebrity since it is apples and oranges. I have 7 or 8 credits on Celebrity.

Tucker in Texas

[Orator]

[quote name='Tucker in Texas']I am Diamond+ with 210 credits. How would that "translate" into whether I was "upper" or "lower" Elite on Celebrity since it is apples and oranges. I have 7 or 8 credits on Celebrity.

Tucker in Texas[/QUOTE]

My guess is that they would only look at Celebrity credits if they divided the group. However, it would not surprise me if they would include you in the higher credit group if they thought that it would help to gain your business. The frustration for many Celebrity cruises is that even if they had earned 200 credits on Celebrity and 100 days on RCL they woukd not receive Diamond+ benefits. They feel that they are on a one way street headed in the wrong direction.

[Tucker in Texas]

Turns out I have 10 credits on Celebrity. I forgot to figure in concierge extra points and a cruise I took on the old Chandris line that they counted.

Actually, it is no big deal, just curious. As long as I get my happy hour, free laundry, and other Elite perks and can carry on two bottles of wine, I'm a satisfied customer.

I'm considering a B2B trans-Atlantic/British Isles cruise next spring on the Infinity and the free laundry looms large.

Tucker in Texas