Opinions about New Suite Benefits

[dkjretired]

Just off Millennium in December. Was on it a few years back.

Their modifications have disrupted the flow of the ship.

The theater is gone. BLU takes a part of the MDR away and makes for a single file passage to the tables in the back.

The lounge forward on deck 11 lost its 180 degree view to some new suites.

The extra rooms they added make the buffet and mdr and evening shows more crowded.

Our Suite and Elite status got us great perks without affecting others except the show seating on formal nights.

If they remove some rooms to build a new suite dinning room I am all for it.

But if their new perks steal public space from everybody’s use I am against it.

Penthouse and Royals already have their own dining tables.

Don’t change it.

 

They didn't add new rooms on the one side of the sky lounge, they added the Fun Factory. Rooms were only added in that portion of the ship on the Reflection and it definitely takes away from the ships.

 

You can pretty much bet the farm that they will not take away rooms to add the new suite restaurant.

 

Think they are doing this because people are going to NCL because of their suite set up which having been on their ships is really a nice deal. The suites on NCL also have their own restaurant for breakfast and lunch, Cagneys which is the night time Steak restaurant.

Edited February 15, 2014 by dkjretired

[grandpaiscruising]

Celebrity will do what the Suite guests want as they generate the highest profit for them. They are becoming more like Cunard. They may just segment off part of the main dining room for them like they do on the Millennium class ships for Blu. Just don't forget about the rest of us.

 

 

HAL 56 days, RCCL 104 points, NCL 28 days, Princess 214 days, Royal 14 days, Cunard 49 days, Celebrity 570 points

[jagoffee]

They didn't add new rooms on the one side of the sky lounge, they added the Fun Factory. Rooms were only added in that portion of the ship on the Reflection and it definitely takes away from the ships.

 

You can pretty much bet the farm that they will not take away rooms to add the new suite restaurant.

 

Think they are doing this because people are going to NCL because of their suite set up which having been on their ships is really a nice deal. The suites on NCL also have their own restaurant for breakfast and lunch, Cagneys which is the night time Steak restaurant.

 

Even Princess has a special restaurant for suite breakfast, free unlimited laundry, and one mini bar set up for full suites. I concur that Celebrity is trying to be more competitive with suite benefits. I am an example of someone who does not really put much value in the Celebrity butler.(but I understand that some do)

[RosieRoo]

 

Think they are doing this because people are going to NCL because of their suite set up which having been on their ships is really a nice deal. The suites on NCL also have their own restaurant for breakfast and lunch, Cagneys which is the night time Steak restaurant.

 

I absolutely agree. This is one of the best suite perks on NCL and the biggest reason we book suites on that line.

[Balthasar]

Well, as some talk about math, here are some figures:

 

S class ships (excl. Reflection) have 1443 cabins in total. 38 of them are sky suites, 22 are above. That means, only 1,5% will benefit from all the new perks. Wonder if I will even notice the space in the MDR, that has to be seperated for the new suite restaurant :D

 

These 22 suites are in average 3x expensive than the average cost of a economy class cabin. That is max. 4,5% of the total revenue. But, as you can stick more than 3x economy cabins in the space covered by those 22 real suites.... not even adding the additional cost for butler service etc... wow, that "adds" what finally to the total revenue? :eek:

 

In other words, the 98,5% lower cabin class cruisers pay anyway for the loss X made with the 1,5% suite guests ;) But that's... economy :cool:

[Redtravel]

Our family often cruises together. We book one large suite and multiple regular cabins. We like to get together in the suite as a group before dinner. We also reserve a table for dinner for the group. Now if a group has one suite, can the group dine together in the MDR.? The separate dining room for suites may be a problem. Not sure we will be able to bring all the kids and grandkids.

[bigbenboys]

Don't think anything I said implies a charity organization. And according to Celebrity Bistro on Five is not being done away with so that is a mute point by now. I guess one thought I have is that if in fact Celebrity currently has no problems booking suites (and they always seem to be filled on my sailings) then why would they be adding other perks which cost them money and possibly annoy the mainstream passengers? That goes exactly contrary to the idea of them being in the business to make money.

 

These perks do take away some real estate currently open to all, make it more difficult to get good dining times in the specialty restaurants for all, and perhaps (unknown at this time) may adversely impact service or quality for the mainstream to some extent (by virtue of the best servers, best chef's, etc., going to the suite sections). It also to some extent (particularly for long time X cruisers) creates some (probably temporary) feeling of exclusionism to the 95% of the cruisers who cannot partake of these categories.[/QU

 

If we are talking space. Suite take up to much room. You could have 6 more cabins in place of a large suite. Sky Suite would be 2 cabins. What do you want Celebrity to do? Change all cabins to inside and windows only. People with real money dont cruise on cruise lines or are getting paid to be their. Why do that when you can rent a yacht. Or you can rent the whole cruise ship. Richard

[Host Anne]

Michael's Club will no longer be available to anyone but suite guests at any time. This is the only thing that really bothers me.

 

Sure, Michael's, especially on the S-class ships is greatly underutilized but that's because Celebrity could never decide what it really wanted to be. When they put entertainment in Michael's, like they did with Perry Grant, it was hopping. I never understood why they refused to put any entertainment in one of the prettiest rooms on the ship on all their other sips. My guess (and it's just my guess) is that suite passengers will not use it any more in the evening than anyone else did. A complete waste of a beautiful room that definitely makes me feel they are taking things away from everyone else. Cellar Masters is highly underutilized, too.

 

I'm also concerned about Celebrity's continuous downsizing of live entertainment in favor of disc jockey's and piped in music.

 

I have no problems of giving extra perks to suite guests. But not when you start sacrificing parts of the ship that others have enjoyed for years.

[Ma Bell]

Anne, I would agree with you but as you said Michael's Club has always been completely underutilized except for the few hours that Perry is there. Personally I'd rather see it used regularly for something than just sitting there. I won't be in there but I certainly wouldn't begrudge the high end suite and Zenith people having a spot to go. Who knows, they might not use it either and if so it will be back in service as something else someday.

[bob278]

If MIchael's Club is so underutilized, why so many complaints about losing access.? :confused:

 

Based on so many comments about how little it is used, it seems that it is more a psychological impact than a real one.

[Ma Bell]

If MIchael's Club is so underutilized, why so many complaints about losing access.? :confused:

 

Based on so many comments about how little it is used, it seems that it is more a psychological impact than a real one.

 

Exactly.

[canudigit]

I can understand Celebrity's move to increase the perks offered to their suite guests. My family and I are booked in a Sky Suite for our April 2014 sailing. With less than 8 weeks to go, 7 of 8 Royal Suites, 3 of 5 Signature suites, and 6 of 8 Celebrity Suites are still available.

 

I'd consider upgrading if the price were right, but it's tough to justify spending thousands more for a little extra square footage but little difference in amenities.

 

Celebrity needs to consistently monetize these suites, and the popularity of the Aqua class has proven that their guests will pay more for the extra amenities.

Edited February 16, 2014 by canudigit

[Chunky2219]

.......................

 

If you did not intend to flame, you might want to go back and re-read your third paragraph. Perhaps you did not mean it to sound as condescending as it did? The last sentence in particular could be interpreted as quite insulting. Hopefully it was not meant that way - that is the problem with the written word sometimes. Context is hard to determine.

No, most certainly no intent to flame and if I had, the tone would have been markedly different. The third paragraph was neither condescending nor insulting and I stand by what I said. In the commercial world, loyalty is worth something that is inexpensive to provide but gives the punter a nice warm fuzzy feeling of being loved. No more, no less.

 

It is the same with cruise lines, supermarket loyalty cards, petrol stations, restaurants, you name it. I used to hold gold frequent flyer cards with several airlines. - it got get me access to a lounge (that my ticket usually bought anyway), where I got some peanuts and a glass of tolerable wine. But I didn't have to sit with the hoi poloi waiting for my delayed flight and I felt a bit more regal during all those long hours in an airport, before being shoehorned on to an aircraft with all the other hasssled flyers.

 

On a recent voyage we were seated next to a couple of mature, seasoned cruisers who turned up later than normal for dinner one evening. They had been to a special canapes and fizz session, for people newly annonited with diamond status. "Whoopee," said the chap, "Now I get the chance to meet the captain 3 times a cruise instead of twice. I just wish it meant I'd get my food served warm". I totally agree with his logic. Many in the higher echelons of loyalty programmes will not.

 

If my pragmatic view bursts anyone's bubble or even spoils a holiday then I apologise profusely.

 

 

Well, as some talk about math, here are some figures:

 

S class ships (excl. Reflection) have 1443 cabins in total. 38 of them are sky suites, 22 are above. That means, only 1,5% will benefit from all the new perks. Wonder if I will even notice the space in the MDR, that has to be seperated for the new suite restaurant

 

These 22 suites are in average 3x expensive than the average cost of a economy class cabin. That is max. 4,5% of the total revenue. But, as you can stick more than 3x economy cabins in the space covered by those 22 real suites.... not even adding the additional cost for butler service etc... wow, that "adds" what finally to the total revenue? In other words, the 98,5% lower cabin class cruisers pay anyway for the loss X made with the 1,5% suite guests But that's... economy

 

Yeah, you're absolutely right. They must be losing money on suites. That's why they are changing things, they must want to have even worse financial results.

 

I need you to open a travel agency, 'cos I can't find a high end suite for 3x the price of an inside cabin no matter how hard I look.

 

.

Edited February 16, 2014 by Chunky2219

[iSailor]

I can understand Celebrity's move to increase the perks offered to their suite guests. My family and I are booked in a Sky Suite for our April 2014 sailing. With less than 8 weeks to go, 7 of 8 Royal Suites, 3 of 5 Signature suites, and 6 of 8 Celebrity Suites are still available.

 

I'd consider upgrading if the price were right, but it's tough to justify spending thousands more for a little extra square footage but little difference in amenities.

 

Celebrity needs to consistently monetize these suites, and the popularity of the Aqua class has proven that their guests will pay more for the extra amenities.

 

This is what Celebrity is trying to do now,throw in extra perks to increase sales and improve margin.

[Host Anne]

If MIchael's Club is so underutilized, why so many complaints about losing access.? :confused:

 

Based on so many comments about how little it is used, it seems that it is more a psychological impact than a real one.

 

Because it's always been one of the prettiest, most relaxing lounges on the ship. It's underutilized because they put NO entertainment in here....except for Perry. Putting decent entertainment in here would bring people in. When we were recently on Equinox, a guest began playing the piano (very well) and people began flowing in when they heard the music. Another evening, the jazz pianist was practicing in here and again, people came in. When entertainment was in Michael's on the M-class ships, it was always busy.

 

I like Michael's because it isn't a walk-through. The staff in here has always been terrific and keeps us coming back (even without entertainment). I just don't believe that making it a "suite-only" venue will improve its usage...at least not in the evening. Time will tell.

[deise17311]

Because it's always been one of the prettiest, most relaxing lounges on the ship. It's underutilized because they put NO entertainment in here....except for Perry. Putting decent entertainment in here would bring people in. When we were recently on Equinox, a guest began playing the piano (very well) and people began flowing in when they heard the music. Another evening, the jazz pianist was practicing in here and again, people came in. When entertainment was in Michael's on the M-class ships, it was always busy.

 

I like Michael's because it isn't a walk-through. The staff in here has always been terrific and keeps us coming back (even without entertainment). I just don't believe that making it a "suite-only" venue will improve its usage...at least not in the evening. Time will tell.

 

Exactly, if the suites are not using it now (or anyone) why would they suddenly do so just because it is labeled as such. We did however, enjoy waiting in there on our last cruise while they readied our suite. Maybe they should make that the suite dining room...

Edited February 16, 2014 by deise17311

[TN Vol Fan]

What will happen to the craft beer venue when Michael's Club is only for suites and Zenith?

[vulcan1971]

What will happen to the craft beer venue when Michael's Club is only for suites and Zenith?

 

On a different thread that I have been following, it sounds as if the craft beer will move to Cellar Masters. I don't know this to be fact, but it seems reasonable and will make for a nice mix of great craft beer to be enjoyed next to fine wines. I like both and would enjoy the flexibility of enjoying both in one location. I have included a link to the thread (hopefully it works).

 

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=41695761

 

Sent from my Samsung Note 2 on the T-Mobile 4G LTE Network

[helpthejuggler]

Or use of Michaels for suites and Zenith is just daytime when it was otherwise closed.

 

Still open in the evening for everyone else?

[vulcan1971]

Or use of Michaels for suites and Zenith is just daytime when it was otherwise closed.

 

Still open in the evening for everyone else?

 

It's my understanding from other threads I am following that Michael's Club will be a private lounge 24/7 for high end suites, zenith, etc.

 

Sent from my Samsung Note 2 on the T-Mobile 4G LTE Network

[need2bespoiled]

What I don't believe has been asked, is, if these benefits are going to make an impact to suite guests, why wait to implement any or all of them until April of 2015? Except for the new dining location which will take some changes to hard facilities they could do a lot of it pretty fast.

Internet, drink packages, In Suite Drinks, free specialty dining, and a few others could all be implemented immediately if it was simply to help sell existing cabins that has seemed to be soft on _some_ sailings.

We have two cruises booked coming up in Sky Suites with a number of RS and one PS open. We have two other cruises coming up that are in CS cabins where all but one RS is sold out. We would upgrade to the RS just for some of the above benefits. Heck, on my last cruise I was told by the iLounge I won the prize for most internet minutes :( (just under 3000 minutes over 27 days which cost about $1000. We also spent plenty on specialty dining and drinks too though we either had OBC or a 123 package to cover most of that.

While I hope they don't/won't they will likely be managing revenue (read increasing prices) to cover these benefits and that is the reason they're not rolling it out some benefits sooner.

Happy Sailing,
Jenna Edited February 16, 2014 by need2bespoiled

[Cruising89143]

[quote name='need2bespoiled']What I don't believe has been asked, is, if these benefits are going to make an impact to suite guests, why wait to implement any or all of them until April of 2015? Except for the new dining location which will take some changes to hard facilities they could do a lot of it pretty fast.

Internet, drink packages, In Suite Drinks, free specialty dining, and a few others could all be implemented immediately if it was simply to help sell existing cabins that has seemed to be soft on _some_ sailings.

We have two cruises booked coming up in Sky Suites with a number of RS and one PS open. We have two other cruises coming up that are in CS cabins where all but one RS is sold out. We would upgrade to the RS just for some of the above benefits. Heck, on my last cruise I was told by the iLounge I won the prize for most internet minutes :( (just under 3000 minutes over 27 days which cost about $1000. We also spent plenty on specialty dining and drinks too though we either had OBC or a 123 package to cover most of that.

While I hope they don't/won't they will likely be managing revenue (read increasing prices) to cover these benefits and that is the reason they're not rolling it out some benefits sooner.

Happy Sailing,
Jenna[/QUOTE]

I am willing to bet that they are rolling out in 2015 and not now to raise the prices to cover the perks. There is no way that X is going to offer more and charge the same.

[TommyD3]

[quote name='cruisingator2']I am willing to bet that they are rolling out in 2015 and not now to raise the prices to cover the perks. There is no way that X is going to offer more and charge the same.[/QUOTE]

I agree.

Plus right now Celebrity does not even offer an unlimited internet package for any price.

Sent from my LG-E980 using Forums mobile app

[jagoffee]

[quote name='cruisingator2']I am willing to bet that they are rolling out in 2015 and not now to raise the prices to cover the perks. There is no way that X is going to offer more and charge the same.[/QUOTE]

i would not be surprised because I would guess that many of the high end suites are not actually sold and Celebrity is not really competitive with their previous suite benefits. We will all know soon enough.

Maybe they will start selling more of the high end suites at the current prices. Edited February 16, 2014 by jagoffee

[JFontaine]

I hope that Celebrity takes the next few months to relook at the suites themselves. Except for the newest ships, they need a makeover, even if it is just couches, chairs, window treatment and flooring. If they are looking for the same passengers who could travel on Crystal or Regent in suites, as it appears they do, they should look at their suites.