Opinions about New Suite Benefits

[Ma Bell]

Sounds like the free enterprise system to me. I don't spend one minute worrying about what others may have as long as I have the "opportunity" to have it as well. I don't expect to be given the same things as others who have paid for them. It's not a private club...anyone can join.

[H2OH!]

Sounds like the free enterprise system to me. I don't spend one minute worrying about what others may have as long as I have the "opportunity" to have it as well. I don't expect to be given the same things as others who have paid for them. It's not a private club...anyone can join.

 

 

 

Exactly!! :)

[JFontaine]

I'm reading it as all suites, including sky suites, will have access to the suite dining room, but only the higher end suites get access to the "VIP" lounge and the "premium" drink package, "free" internet, and no extra charge for specialty restaurants. I expect the fares for the suites to go up, a lot. I agree with you and also suspect that some tweaking of the program will take place as it is implemented.

 

Yes, I reread the official announcement and I agree with you. Thanks.

 

I wonder how utilized Michael's will be when a good number are given alcohol packages with their suites, and others get them in promotions or buy them - they can drink when and where they want.

[gecko12]

This is why I prefer the smaller ships. You're like everyone else, just happy to be out in the ocean enjoying a wonderful voyage. Not having as many opportunities for the cruise line to upsell once you're onboard is most ideal. It's like paying a fee to get into an amusement park but still having to pay for every ride once you're in. If you can't afford it you just sit and watch in admiration of those that can. I like the idea of the perks for the highest level suites because I don't think it would be noticeable but would be upset if it was for all the suites.

[barbjd106]

I really like the quiet and low population numbers in the Haven and the Grills. I like it that the waiters and bartenders know me by name, and do not ask for my card each time I order a drink. I like it that they know what I like to order. I appreciate that a great deal and I am willing to pay for it.

 

It used to be like that twenty or so years ago when everyone sat at the same table (respectively :) and ate in the same restaurant. The ships were smaller then. Unfortunately there are no smaller ships that regularly use our local ports (NYC and Brooklyn).

 

To each his or her own.

 

Barbara

[bphman]

I see no problem with this at all. If you are willing and able to pay for a suite, why not have the opportunity to have special perks? I personally would rather spend the money on a luxury cruise line where the food and service is truly special than on a mass market line with window dressing. I love the Cunard Grille class but I pay for it.

[phoenix_dream]

I think most people have no problem with the concept of 'pay more; get more'. I think what gets people's back up is when the 'get more' is taking away something that used to be available to the entire passenger contingent. To me, that is the main issue. Feel free to give people who pay a ton of money a lot of nice benefits to go with it - no problem. But when it means I lose something, then I do care, and I think I have a right to not like it. It will be interesting to see how this plays out, and whether it creates more crowds or poorer service for the masses

[Ma Bell]

What are you losing? There aren't enough high end suites on the ships to make any difference. Do you feel the same way about Aqua Class? This is another opportunity that is open to anyone.

 

As far as Michael's Club, I've never seen anyone there unless they were having a special event of some kind. If it's not working the best thing is to make it into something people may actually use.

Edited February 13, 2014 by Ma Bell

[brfan]

What are you losing? There aren't enough high end suites on the ships to make any difference. Do you feel the same way about Aqua Class?

 

It depends on whether the "special menus" will result in the lowering of the quality in either food selection/quality or service of the dining for those not in suites?

[Fouremco]

I think most people have no problem with the concept of 'pay more; get more'. I think what gets people's back up is when the 'get more' is taking away something that used to be available to the entire passenger contingent. To me, that is the main issue. Feel free to give people who pay a ton of money a lot of nice benefits to go with it - no problem. But when it means I lose something, then I do care, and I think I have a right to not like it. It will be interesting to see how this plays out, and whether it creates more crowds or poorer service for the masses

Well said.

[helpthejuggler]

A lot of people are jumping to the conclusion that Michaels club is being sacrificed. As I read it, this is the same daytime perk now being offered to Zeniths etc.

 

I suspect Michaels will be open as normal during the evening. Having converted to a craft beer venue on 2 ships it seems odd to abandon that plan.

[Fouremco]

Do you feel the same way about Aqua Class? This is another opportunity that is open to anyone.

To the best of my knowledge, the creation of Aqua Class didn't result in diminished facilities or services for other passengers, so I don't think it's an accurate point of comparison.

[bphman]

From what I read about the program, the impact will be minimal if any. The only thing that may be restricted to suite guests is Michael's Club. Never saw many people in there anyway. If they did section off lounge chairs by the pool, I am sure it would have less impact than all of the chair hogs. AQ had no impact on the MDR and I doubt sectioning off an area for the suites will have any effect. Dining room seating is allotted for everyone anyway. I think I'll survive.

[karl_nj]

I doubt sectioning off an area for the suites will have any effect. Dining room seating is allotted for everyone anyway. I think I'll survive.

 

It may have an effect. It depends on if they go with 2 seatings or open seating. If they go with open seating, then each suite guest takes up 2 "old" slots.

 

I haven't read anything to indicate it would be open seating, but on Cunard the Grills are open seating, and Blu is Open Seating also. Seem logical to make the special dining area for Suite guests to be Open Seating too.

[chief190]

This is just my own opinion so don't shoot the messenger. As a rccl diamond member I like the changes to the suite guest packages. Yes we stay in suites on rccl. We are Elite members with celebrity and are staying in a royal suite for panama canal trip march 30 so the changes won't effect me this year. It will be a reason to come back to celebrity in the future. I consider my self a redneck so I don't know about what class that puts me in. I pay more for my suite and share it with my wife and her twin sister so we are splitting the cost it is still cheaper than two balcony rooms. I like the changes and will patronize celebrity more frequently because of it. We do drink but not enough for any of it to make a difference. between the cocktail hours drinks already in the room etc don't think we would hit the beverage package very hard. I accept that the total price will go up but can not imagine more that 10 % that would be less that the beverage package alone. looking forward to the upgrades. I do not believe that I am any better than anyone else but just enjoy the little extra things but I don't treat anybody any different than i expect to be treated. I go on cruises to enjoy myself without insulting anyone else.:D

[Cruising89143]

Sounds like the free enterprise system to me. I don't spend one minute worrying about what others may have as long as I have the "opportunity" to have it as well. I don't expect to be given the same things as others who have paid for them. It's not a private club...anyone can join.

 

Agree. I for am looking forward to the added perks.

[Ma Bell]

To the best of my knowledge, the creation of Aqua Class didn't result in diminished facilities or services for other passengers, so I don't think it's an accurate point of comparison.

 

It would be about the same effect as the suite perks. Blu takes up space that could have been used for everyone and also took some very good waitstaff. They have a dining room that is open for breakfast every day. It makes the spa facilities more crowded and they have a prime spot in that area reserved for them.

 

Anything that is for the use of only one group of people could be considered as taking away from the rest. That's about as ridiculous as the rest of the complaints that people come up with isn't it? Just as with these new suite perks, all one has to do is pay the fare for this class of cabin and he can have them.

[CLT & DTW Express]

Don't remember what post requested a list of the amenities by type. This came celebrity 2-12-14. See the pdf. file

2-12-14_CEL_SuiteAmenities_Flyer.pdf

[Jessejo]

Seems to me that Michael's Club would make a good new restaurant for suite guests as it's very near other specialty restaurants… The MDR should have fewer passengers if/when suite passengers are all in specialty restaurants at no additional charge. The only time we've used Michael's Club was to wait for self-disembarking from the Eclipse.

Edited February 14, 2014 by Jessejo

[OuiOnboard]

I'm still not sure what non-suite pax will lose under this arrangement. Can someone enlighten me please?

[Host Jazzbeau]

I'm still not sure what non-suite pax will lose under this arrangement. Can someone enlighten me please?

 

It sounds like non-suite pax will find a more crowded MDR and also will find it harder to get reservations at the specialty restaurants.

 

First, the new Suite restaurant is going to be carved out of the MDR (per Celebrity's Facebook message). If you look at the deck plans on the M-class, you'll see that Blu has taken over one entrance to the upper level of the MDR. The Suite restaurant will have to be located on the other side, and will have to take over the only other entrance. So now the non-Suite, non-AQ pax will be limited to the lower level of the MDR.

 

Second, the Suite amenities chart (see post #68) shows that ALL suites will receive "Priority selection of dining time (main restaurant)" and "Priority Main/specialty restaurant seating preference." That certainly means that Suite pax will have first crack at the specialty restaurants, and I think it also means that Suite pax can do anytime dining in the MDR whenever they want and will be priority on those reservations too.

 

This means that a Sky Suite is now the lowest accommodation to get the "old" Celebrity dining experience. That's fine if you can afford it, but it will lead me to cross shop Celebrity against a completely different level of competition.

[purrlinda]

From reading the whole thread these seem to be the concerns:

 

Smaller MDR [Due to suite guests getting their own "private" dining room]

 

No More Michael's Club

 

Reserved seats in the theatre (which I believe someone said happens already?)

 

In general, it seems that people don't want to lose venues/space that they love and use when they cruise.

 

For me, when the initial conversation started, I was furious at the idea of closing Bistro on 5 for the suites restaurant as it's my favorite place to dine on board. (Could eat 3 meals a day there.) I feel lucky that Celebrity has said that's not the case.

 

None of the above items are issues for me personally, but what I will say is that I'm not totally crazy about is a mass market line trying to position themselves as something they are not, which is true luxury and exclusivity. There are lines that cater to that market and I'm not sure the same experience can be had on a mass market line.

 

Only time will tell.

 

[sorry if this was a little redundant - it seems me and JazzBeau were typing at the same time]

Edited February 14, 2014 by purrlinda

[bob278]

I'm not too concerned about space in the MDR. The same number of people will still be eating in the same amount of space (less any walls or dividers). And the benefits for specialty restaurants for higher suites will almost certainly keep a few extra people out of the MDR every evening which should be a wash for a few lost square feet.

 

In general, I think Celebrity did a decent job of trying to enhance the Suite Experience (justify the higher cost?) without taking a lot away from others. Michael's Club was already going to be set aside for Zenith and VIP so this piece is not new for this program.

 

It sounds like non-suite pax will find a more crowded MDR and also will find it harder to get reservations at the specialty restaurants. This is, sadly, probably true.

 

First, the new Suite restaurant is going to be carved out of the MDR (per Celebrity's Facebook message). If you look at the deck plans on the M-class, you'll see that Blu has taken over one entrance to the upper level of the MDR. The Suite restaurant will have to be located on the other side, and will have to take over the only other entrance. So now the non-Suite, non-AQ pax will be limited to the lower level of the MDR. This may or may not be the case. It would be possible to use the aft area of one side for the suites and the front for Select (with the possibility of a part of the lower MDR also for select).

 

Second, the Suite amenities chart (see post #68) shows that ALL suites will receive "Priority selection of dining time (main restaurant)" and "Priority Main/specialty restaurant seating preference." That certainly means that Suite pax will have first crack at the specialty restaurants, and I think it also means that Suite pax can do anytime dining in the MDR whenever they want and will be priority on those reservations too. Suites already have "Main & specialty restaurant seating preferences" (quoted from the Celebrity website) so I don't see any impact for that. But see comment above that this may alleviate any perceived crowding in the MDR.

 

This means that a Sky Suite is now the lowest accommodation to get the "old" Celebrity dining experience. That's fine if you can afford it, but it will lead me to cross shop Celebrity against a completely different level of competition. This actually lines the SS up with Royal's Junior Suites (except for the butler). A much nicer room with a few extra perks for a good deal less than a "full" suite. Hopefully, the SS will be a relative bargain with a larger stateroom and some nice perks at a reasonable upcost from Concierge/Aqua.

Edited February 14, 2014 by bob278

[Antonintassie]

Darn have a CS in Jan 2015 and will miss out just suppose we will have to go again

 

Overall I think the changes bring Celebrity in line with the amenities onboard the the New Royal and Regal Princess which have dedicated breakfast venue ,dedicated lounge all items I used and was happy yo pay extra for

 

 

http://www.seatrade-insider.com/news/news-headlines/new-celebrity-suite-class-has-suites-only-restaurant-unlimited-internet-and-more.html

[Project_gal]

I just want to say a huge "Thank You" to Celebrity for this. It has made one jaded cruiser feel a lot happier.