Oh the Changes!

[jelayne]

Boarded the Solstice yesterday and immediately began

noticing changes.

 

No champagne, mimosas, etc when you board.

Prices in the Martini bar have increased- martinis up from $10 to $ 11,

Martini flights up $1 also

AQ breakfast menu no longer had smoked salmon.

The are now premium breakfast features that range from $ 4 for specialty teas to $ 9 for breakfast omelets.

Asked about having couple we met who are in a suite join us in Blu.

MaitreD asked if they were in a Sky suite or did they have a butler.

Not sure if that means Sky suites no longer have a butler or not.

But there are some Skye suites near us and no butler sighting so far.

 

I'm sure there are other changes we haven't encountered yet :eek:

 

It is becoming more like the other mass market lines

[cherylroslyn]

Boarded the Solstice yesterday and immediately began

noticing changes.

 

No champagne, mimosas, etc when you board.

Prices in the Martini bar have increased- martinis up from $10 to $ 11,

Martini flights up $1 also

AQ breakfast menu no longer had smoked salmon.

The are now premium breakfast features that range from $ 4 for specialty teas to $ 9 for breakfast omelets.

Asked about having couple we met who are in a suite join us in Blu.

MaitreD asked if they were in a Sky suite or did they have a butler.

Not sure if that means Sky suites no longer have a butler or not.

But there are some Skye suites near us and no butler sighting so far.

 

I'm sure there are other changes we haven't encountered yet :eek:

 

It is becoming more like the other mass market lines

The lack of champagne and mimosas started earlier this year because people were tripping when they were carrying bags and being handed glasses while. Most people have the drink package anyway......

 

Sky suites still have butlers there have been no changes to that, he probably asked that to make it easier for you since some people don't know the difference between the suite classes...... The pay breakfast items were announced a while ago.....

[happy 2 b cruising]

Boarded the Solstice yesterday and immediately began

noticing changes.

 

No champagne, mimosas, etc when you board.

Prices in the Martini bar have increased- martinis up from $10 to $ 11,

Martini flights up $1 also

AQ breakfast menu no longer had smoked salmon.

The are now premium breakfast features that range from $ 4 for specialty teas to $ 9 for breakfast omelets.

Asked about having couple we met who are in a suite join us in Blu.

MaitreD asked if they were in a Sky suite or did they have a butler.

Not sure if that means Sky suites no longer have a butler or not.

But there are some Skye suites near us and no butler sighting so far.

 

I'm sure there are other changes we haven't encountered yet :eek:

 

It is becoming more like the other mass market lines

 

Charging for breakfast items in Blu? Are they doing this in the MDR also? How long is your cruise and where is it going? Please keep us posted with these new upcharges:(

[koolforkatz]

That is strange. We definitely got champagne when boarding a few weeks ago on the Solstice.

 

 

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[CruisingChick]

We sailed 4 weeks ago on Summit and received champagne, mimosas upon boarding.

 

We weren't in Blu, but did not see any extra charges in the MDR.

 

We did notice that martinis as well as gratuities have both gone up

[jelayne]

The pay breakfast items were on the room service menu on AQ,

not on Blu. Sorry for confusion.

 

Also got a different tote bag this time, not the one w/faux leather handles. Slightly bigger has woven cloth handles, folds into carrying case.

[neverbeenhere]

This is a question. Do 'most' people now buy drink packages? Seems hard to believe.

[cruzeluver]

This is a question. Do 'most' people now buy drink packages? Seems hard to believe.

 

I thought that as well. While popular, I would be willing to bet the majority do not purchase them.

[CruisingGatorGirl]

I hope the Equinox will have the welcome aboard champagne in December :( That is one of the little, nice details that X does that makes us prefer X.

 

And no, we did not purchase a drink package. We are not big drinkers, hardly drink at all, but it is nice to have a glass of the bubbly once in a while ;)

 

Any recent Equinox cruisers that can comment on this?

[ClaudiaB]

I hope they still give the mimosas too. We are elite so the free drink or two we get at the happy hour is really all we drink. And we don't drink coffee or fancy waters. So put us in the category of never buying or choosing (from the pick your perk) the drink package. I would think more DON'T have it than do.

 

Interesting though, the charge for special omelets. And a different tote might be nice. I've got a ridiculous amount of those leather handled ones (the ones that kinda look like Longchamps bags).

[ghstudio]

The reason so many have the drink package is because celebrity raised their cabin prices and offered 1-2-3 to make people think they were getting a great deal. On cruises where 1-2-3 wasn't offered, there are the normal number of alcoholic beverage package buyers.

 

If the mimosas were eliminated, it had nothing to do with people being on liquor packages or passenger safety...keep in mind they have been doing this for years.....it has to do with cutting costs.

[Christine Frances]

On our cruise in June they did not have drinks when boarding but instead the champagne and mimosas were served at sail away

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[travelberlin]

I do not buy the drinks package and many peope I know also do not buy it. We have never had a problem holding our glass of sparkling wine while carrying our small bags. By the way,they only fill the glasses half full, so it s more a sip of sparkling wine what we get. We certainly hope that Celebrity will not make this type of change. We look forward to receiving our welcome drink in our next cruise.

[CruisersTimesThree]

We were on the Summit in June and were welcomed aboard with champagne or mimosas. Wonder why some ships do it and some ships don't :confused:

[Despegue]

On all ships, welcome sparkling wine, mimosas and juice is still served. On some ships, they are not served when boarding, but handed at the entry of the Oceanview Buffet and reception area or at sailaway on deck.

 

This is to make traffic flow easier, less spillage etc.

[mafig]

What are the details of the $9 breakfast omelet?:confused:

I also think the champagne is a nice touch. I've never tripped.

[hansolosmom]

On all ships, welcome sparkling wine, mimosas and juice is still served. On some ships, they are not served when boarding, but handed at the entry of the Oceanview Buffet and reception area or at sailaway on deck.

 

This is to make traffic flow easier, less spillage etc.

 

This is where we got ours on Reflection in July

[wwcruisers]

I do not buy the drinks package and many peope I know also do not buy it. We have never had a problem holding our glass of sparkling wine while carrying our small bags. By the way,they only fill the glasses half full, so it s more a sip of sparkling wine what we get. We certainly hope that Celebrity will not make this type of change. We look forward to receiving our welcome drink in our next cruise.

 

Our friends who talked us into taking our first Celebrity cruise told us that -- years ago -- X reps in white gloves took your carry-ons and escorted you to your cabin. In those days, all you had to carry to your room was your welcome aboard champagne. Oh, for the good old days! ;)

[mafig]

I remember that. My first Celebrity cruise was in 2003 and they still had the escort to your cabin. I especially recall it because my very first post on Cruise Critic was a question as to whether or not he should be tipped.:)

(most said "yes")

[Oville]

The reason so many have the drink package is because celebrity raised their cabin prices and offered 1-2-3 to make people think they were getting a great deal.

 

That hasn't been our experience on the six cruises we booked with Pick Your Option.

[tbugstwo]

Our friends who talked us into taking our first Celebrity cruise told us that -- years ago -- X reps in white gloves took your carry-ons and escorted you to your cabin. In those days, all you had to carry to your room was your welcome aboard champagne. Oh, for the good old days! ;)

 

I have cruised Celebrity throughout the years and while it is true that white gloved staff used to greet you on boarding and escort you to your room, that meant that boarding took much longer and that the cabins had to be ready BEFORE any boarding took place! I much prefer to board when I arrive and enjoy the ship until the cabins are ready. This seems a better option to me, but then I do not feel it is necessary to carryon everything I own. With only a small tote bag, it is easy to navigate and enjoy myself. Try checking your luggage and enjoy the day!

[cherylroslyn]

This is a question. Do 'most' people now buy drink packages? Seems hard to believe.

They have been giving them for free on basically every sailing since last April.......many many more people now have them. More people have them than don't at this point.

[ozark74]

The pay breakfast items were on the room service menu on AQ,

not on Blu. Sorry for confusion.

 

Also got a different tote bag this time, not the one w/faux leather handles. Slightly bigger has woven cloth handles, folds into carrying case.

 

 

We got the old style bags in May and in August they had the new style both on Solstice. Had champagne in August.

[travelwide]

Got off 10 nt. Solstice cruise on 9/23 and when we boarded on 9/13 champagne and mimosas were served. This is why customers complain about the inconsistency of X nowadays.

 

Looking forward to hearing from others with their experience on this subject.

[DebbieMacG]

Got off 10 nt. Solstice cruise on 9/23 and when we boarded on 9/13 champagne and mimosas were served. This is why customers complain about the inconsistency of X nowadays.

 

Looking forward to hearing from others with their experience on this subject.

 

Sometimes it's served upon boarding and sometimes at sail away depending on the ship, its still available so how is that inconsistent? It's been like this for over a year now.

 

The chargeable room service items are extra special things in ADDITION to the normal room service menu no reduction in anything.