Has anyone else noticed less crew per passenger lately?

[chamima]

We are just back from 2 weeks on the Eclipse followed immediately by a week on the new Royal Princess.

The Eclipse is a beautiful ship but it was very obvious from the 2 cruises being so close that there was a much lower crew per passenger ratio (I hope I'm stating it correctly - trying to say more passengers for every crew member) on Celebrity.

Everyone was nice, friendly, polite, etc. but they all seemed to be stretched just a little thinner and running to do the next thing.

This was the most obvious in Blu. The staff was constantly running, meals came out VERY slowly, Maitre D' and assistant were re-setting tables and helping to serve meals and there was just a constant hectic atmosphere. This was most glaringly obvious at our first dinner on Princess when the wait staff were all walking (vs. running) and could actually take the time to talk to passengers.

 

I thought Celebrity was supposed to be a small step up from Princess but it seemed to be just the opposite.

Just wondering if this is a cost-cutting measure on Celebrity in general or just happened on our cruise.

We are long time Princess cruisers who thought we were moving over but after these two cruises it looks like we may stick with tried and true.

 

Please, I am not looking for an argument - I just want to know if anyone else has noticed this lately?

[Clydesmom7865]

I haven't noticed it but I have only been on two cruises and I don't see the allure of AQ or Blu so I have no comparison in that venue.

 

It could be a one time issue due to not being able to on board enough new crew prior to sailing. Sometimes crew are due for vacation, ship change, or they simply return home after quitting and there isn't time to replace them quickly enough but it is resolved on the next sailing. I would not judge by one cruise.

Edited March 6, 2014 by Clydesmom7865

[NLH Arizona]

You got my curiosity up on this, so I googled both ships. Not sure how accurate the information is (as it changes all the time), but here is what I found.

 

Celebrity Eclipse: Passengers 3,000 and crew 1,500

Royal Princess: Passengers 3,600 and crew 1,346

[Clydesmom7865]

You got my curiosity up on this, so I googled both ships. Not sure how accurate the information is (as it changes all the time), but here is what I found.

 

Celebrity Eclipse: Passengers 3,000 and crew 1,500

Royal Princess: Passengers 3,600 and crew 1,346

 

That is most likely the allotted staffing for hiring purposes. It does not indicate how many are likely to be on board at each sailing.

 

Don't forget that at any given time some staff are off duty as well. They do need to rest too.

[NLH Arizona]

That is most likely the allotted staffing for hiring purposes. It does not indicate how many are likely to be on board at each sailing.

 

Don't forget that at any given time some staff are off duty as well. They do need to rest too.

Not sure how accurate the information is (as it changes all the time), but here is what I found.

[cherylroslyn]

That is most likely the allotted staffing for hiring purposes. It does not indicate how many are likely to be on board at each sailing.

 

Don't forget that at any given time some staff are off duty as well. They do need to rest too.

No that is an industry wide statistic that is present so that passengers can use that information, provided by the cruiseline, to make an informed decision. It is not a hiring number, why would a hiring number be present on a travel agent site or the cruiseline's info page for each of their ships. The staff level may not be precisely that number, but it would not be much less, anything more than about 5% and you could argue that they are advertising a product that they are not delivering......

 

Also, when staff are off, meaning that they have left the ship, they are replaced. When they are off for the night, they are still on the ship and count toward the number. Many of the staff are in positions where you will never see them.

 

Princess staff rests as well.

 

NLH Arizona has basically provided evidence that there are actually more staff on this Celebrity ship than on the Princess ship, although clearly there is no way to know how many of the staff are assigned in passenger areas of the ship where they are more visible. Clearly the OP felt there was a better crew to passenger ratio on Princess.....

[denisey]

Hi Chamima, I think I may have been on the same cruise as you...Feb 8th. And I noticed the same thing.

 

This is just my opinion, but I think it was two fold....the staff seemed to be stretched further to me, our cabin steward had a ton of cabins. But I also think the Norovirus that they were so hysterical about sanitizing over had hit the crew. We heard hints of this, and there is no real way to check, but I saw our Asst waiter flipping burgers at the grill and an Officer stocking glasses at a bar. The staff at the buffet seemed to be ever changing and not doing what they were used to also.

 

It didn't affect our fun, but it was noticeable to me.

[ozark74]

We are just back from 2 weeks on the Eclipse followed immediately by a week on the new Royal Princess.

The Eclipse is a beautiful ship but it was very obvious from the 2 cruises being so close that there was a much lower crew per passenger ratio (I hope I'm stating it correctly - trying to say more passengers for every crew member) on Celebrity.

Everyone was nice, friendly, polite, etc. but they all seemed to be stretched just a little thinner and running to do the next thing.

This was the most obvious in Blu. The staff was constantly running, meals came out VERY slowly, Maitre D' and assistant were re-setting tables and helping to serve meals and there was just a constant hectic atmosphere. This was most glaringly obvious at our first dinner on Princess when the wait staff were all walking (vs. running) and could actually take the time to talk to passengers.

 

I thought Celebrity was supposed to be a small step up from Princess but it seemed to be just the opposite.

Just wondering if this is a cost-cutting measure on Celebrity in general or just happened on our cruise.

We are long time Princess cruisers who thought we were moving over but after these two cruises it looks like we may stick with tried and true.

 

Please, I am not looking for an argument - I just want to know if anyone else has noticed this lately?

 

We observed the same thing in Blu. Was on the Solstice 4 times earlier last year and there was plenty of help. In November we were on the Equinox and noticed less wait help and as you mentioned the hostess and Maitre D' were setting tables. Also long waits for service and everyone rushing around.

My wife asked the Maitre D' if they had cut staff and he said oh no. Wrong answer!

Edited March 6, 2014 by ozark74

[Ruthk]

I was on the Eclipse Jan.25th and agree with you 100%. The staff at Blu where flying and yes, the service was extremely slow coming out of the kitchen. We already booked for next year and did not book Aqua because we don't want to spend the whole evening in Blu.

Our cabin attendants were not visible either - they never even came to introduce themselves to us as is usually done on the first day. A handful of afternoons our appetizers never showed up, ice bucket never got filled, and the cold tea carafe was never washed in the whole 14 days. And why don't they wash our complimentary house coats - at least once on a 14 night cruise?

[mrjim]

I think when Solstice class was introduced there were around 1260 crew members. Last summer on Eclipse according to the cruise director there were "almost 1200 crew members".

 

I can't verify these numbers but I'm pretty sure they were never near the 1500 mentioned above. The number of crew members can vary by sailing and area they sail in. But in my opinion they cut some staff (and a couple of other things) to increase the profit margin. Especially since Michael Bayley became Celebrity's CEO.

[miched]

When we were on the Eclipse we were in AQ and dined in Blu. There were a few servers that we knew from other cruises. While talking to the Maitre D we talked about the servers and how hard they work. He said that Blu is considered a desirable place for the servers to work because they are assigned to serve 40 passengers per night whereas the MDR is 24, meaning more tip potential.

 

So yes it seems as if there are less workers but that is how they have it calculated. In the dining room they have to serve 12 people at one time at each sitting, in Blu it is staggered thru out the night so they are hustling.

 

🌊🚢🇺🇸🍸🍻

[rjrpar]

No that is an industry wide statistic that is present so that passengers can use that information, provided by the cruiseline, to make an informed decision. It is not a hiring number, why would a hiring number be present on a travel agent site or the cruiseline's info page for each of their ships. The staff level may not be precisely that number, but it would not be much less, anything more than about 5% and you could argue that they are advertising a product that they are not delivering......

 

Also, when staff are off, meaning that they have left the ship, they are replaced. When they are off for the night, they are still on the ship and count toward the number. Many of the staff are in positions where you will never see them.

 

Princess staff rests as well.

 

NLH Arizona has basically provided evidence that there are actually more staff on this Celebrity ship than on the Princess ship, although clearly there is no way to know how many of the staff are assigned in passenger areas of the ship where they are more visible. Clearly the OP felt there was a better crew to passenger ratio on Princess.....

 

I don't think you are right, the numbers you are addressing have many variables, no guarantee that is the number onboard.

[chamima]

I was on the Eclipse Jan.25th and agree with you 100%. The staff at Blu where flying and yes, the service was extremely slow coming out of the kitchen. We already booked for next year and did not book Aqua because we don't want to spend the whole evening in Blu.

Our cabin attendants were not visible either - they never even came to introduce themselves to us as is usually done on the first day. A handful of afternoons our appetizers never showed up, ice bucket never got filled, and the cold tea carafe was never washed in the whole 14 days. And why don't they wash our complimentary house coats - at least once on a 14 night cruise?

 

That is REALLY interesting.

When we commented on the back-ups (slow food and crowded dining room) we were told they had never had this problem before. That everyone on our cruise seemed to want to eat at the same time and that was the problem.

Only thing was that we tried coming at different times and there was always a long wait for food, thus we ended up being in there late even if we came early so it must have looked like everyone came at the same time.

We don't mind having a slow dinner but this was something else.

One evening, after waiting over an hour for the main course, when I was served the wrong thing, then waiting for almost a half hour for the right order, we walked out -- and no one noticed!

 

Our room steward was pretty good, though. Not great. Again, the room steward on the Royal Princess was friendlier and more attentive. We did, however, get our canapes and tea. Only got an ice bucket on the third day after I requested it. :confused:

Room service was also WAY quicker (10 minutes vs. 1/2 hour) on Princess.

 

Question : We had already booked for 2015 in Aqua based on our previous cruises. If we downgrade do we lose the drink package and OBCs?

Of course we may also just cancel entirely and find something on Princess.

It's too bad, I really love the Solarium and the people we sail with. :(

Edited March 6, 2014 by chamima

[dinosaurdem]

We are just back from 2 weeks on the Eclipse followed immediately by a week on the new Royal Princess.

The Eclipse is a beautiful ship but it was very obvious from the 2 cruises being so close that there was a much lower crew per passenger ratio (I hope I'm stating it correctly - trying to say more passengers for every crew member) on Celebrity.

Everyone was nice, friendly, polite, etc. but they all seemed to be stretched just a little thinner and running to do the next thing.

This was the most obvious in Blu. The staff was constantly running, meals came out VERY slowly, Maitre D' and assistant were re-setting tables and helping to serve meals and there was just a constant hectic atmosphere. This was most glaringly obvious at our first dinner on Princess when the wait staff were all walking (vs. running) and could actually take the time to talk to passengers.

 

I thought Celebrity was supposed to be a small step up from Princess but it seemed to be just the opposite.

Just wondering if this is a cost-cutting measure on Celebrity in general or just happened on our cruise.

We are long time Princess cruisers who thought we were moving over but after these two cruises it looks like we may stick with tried and true.

 

Please, I am not looking for an argument - I just want to know if anyone else has noticed this lately?

 

Sailed 35 days on Princess last year and 22 on Celebrity and my impression is the exact opposite.

[chamima]

We observed the same thing in Blu. Was on the Solstice 4 times earlier last year and there was plenty of help. In November we were on the Equinox and noticed less wait help and as you mentioned the hostess and Maitre D' were setting tables. Also long waits for service and everyone rushing around.

My wife asked the Maitre D' if they had cut staff and he said oh no. Wrong answer!

 

We were also on the Solstice for 35 days last year and had a fabulous experience!

Also asked if they had cut staff and were also told no but I'm sure they really aren't allowed to say anything else.

Someone better tell Michael Bayley how short sighted this decision is.

He must have thought no one would notice.........

[Ruthk]

Karen - this was our first cruise that we were underwhelmed. We really like Celebrity and are thinking that our cruise was a bit of a miss. So we will stay with our bookings for next year.

As for changing from Aqua, I don't think you lose your OBC or 1,2,3Go promotion but the prices will probably be more expensive, it seems these 14 night S. Caribbean cruises book quickly and increase their prices just as quick. But that is something that your travel agent or Captains Club can answer accurately.

[ghstudio]

We have noticed a definite reduction in staff over a period of two years or so. There are some areas I can see firsthand...and others I just guess at, like others....but my sense is that Celebrity is trying to find the minimum staff needed in each position.

 

We almost always book Aqua, so I have a good view of Blu. On each cruise, it seems to take a bit longer to move from course to course and on our last cruise, there was almost always a wait for a table. It was on an M-class ship, so the food is prepared farther away, but my sense was that there were fewer waiters and busboys....and of course if food takes longer and tables take longer to be cleared, that would accentuate wait time.

 

Blu has one sommelier (used to have 2). on some ships/cruises, they add an assistant, but we've been on S-class ships where there is just 1...and that doesn't work. That's a clear cutback.

 

Captain's club event....not only have they cut back on the bar staff, they seem to assign the newest people to that event...drinks come very slowly and tables aren't cleared. Hors d'oevers have also disappeared, then suddenly they reappeared on our just completed infinity cruise. Clearly there is a cutback in staff for these events....perhaps slow means less drinks served, but I think it's a personnel decision, not a cut the cost of drinks decision.

 

One cutback that really doesn't work is in the buffet area....helping folks who need help get their food to the tables. That's a terrible cut back...or perhaps it's lack of training but it should be embarrassing to Celebrity.

 

Drinks in the theater....I haven't found any bar person these days.....seems to be a 100% cut which seems rather "bottom line" foolish on celebrity's part.

 

So my overall cut at this is that staff has been reduced....they are pretty much at the minimum level now and I suspect they'll continue to cut back on staff and food quality/offerings....to the point where they can measure a loss of business...and then they'll overreact...that's just what companies do.

 

Of course you have to remember that their focus is "modern luxury" and perhaps that's marketing speak for "it's more luxurious to get your own drinks, pour your own wine and wait in the lounge for a table at dinner."

[Clydesmom7865]

No that is an industry wide statistic that is present so that passengers can use that information, provided by the cruiseline, to make an informed decision. It is not a hiring number, why would a hiring number be present on a travel agent site or the cruiseline's info page for each of their ships. The staff level may not be precisely that number, but it would not be much less, anything more than about 5% and you could argue that they are advertising a product that they are not delivering......

 

Also, when staff are off, meaning that they have left the ship, they are replaced. When they are off for the night, they are still on the ship and count toward the number. Many of the staff are in positions where you will never see them.

 

Princess staff rests as well.

 

Okay, you seem to want to split hairs.....

 

That number is published to indicate the approximate number of staff that are on board as crew but is NOT an absolute guarantee of exactly how many on board. It is merely a staffing ratio they aim for. There are many reasons to publish the average crew numbers and this is but one of them. When I said "hiring" number I equated it with "staffing" but you took it to a whole new level.

 

There are many reasons it could be way less and quite frankly unless there was a 30% drop in staffing or more how would the average passenger know if there was a 10% reduction in crew? The captain certainly isn't going to line everyone up so that some disgruntled passenger can count every one of them.

 

Off duty, off the ship not working is not working regardless of WHERE the crew does it. If there are a specific number off for the evening, ill, assigned to another area it can make the crew appear short when in reality it is not.

 

I stand by my assertion that I would not judge by one cruise.

[bighairtexan]

In both my Sept/October 2013 M-class cruise and my December 2013 S-class, I noticed that the MDR wait staff, Blu wait staff, bar servers and room stewards seemed to be stretched a bit thin. I found it very difficult to find a drink server at the pools (except the guy pushing a cart w/ beer in it :eek:) Same in the theater. We'd learned to get a drink at a bar, b/4 going in to watch a show.

 

It was easy to get wine in the MDR so I had no issues there, but trying to get someone to take a cocktail order was tough.

I asked my cabin steward if they were taking care of more cabins than a couple of years back and he gave me a definite YES. He told me how many cabins they are assigned now vs a few years ago; but I'm sorry I don't recall the numbers so I'd just be guessing.

 

For the most part I still think service is very good, but not quite as attentive. I feel that generally the crew do the best they can under the circumstances. YMMV.

[keithm]

We are just back from 2 weeks on the Eclipse followed immediately by a week on the new Royal Princess.

The Eclipse is a beautiful ship but it was very obvious from the 2 cruises being so close that there was a much lower crew per passenger ratio (I hope I'm stating it correctly - trying to say more passengers for every crew member) on Celebrity.

Everyone was nice, friendly, polite, etc. but they all seemed to be stretched just a little thinner and running to do the next thing.

This was the most obvious in Blu. The staff was constantly running, meals came out VERY slowly, Maitre D' and assistant were re-setting tables and helping to serve meals and there was just a constant hectic atmosphere. This was most glaringly obvious at our first dinner on Princess when the wait staff were all walking (vs. running) and could actually take the time to talk to passengers.

 

I thought Celebrity was supposed to be a small step up from Princess but it seemed to be just the opposite.

Just wondering if this is a cost-cutting measure on Celebrity in general or just happened on our cruise.

We are long time Princess cruisers who thought we were moving over but after these two cruises it looks like we may stick with tried and true.

 

Please, I am not looking for an argument - I just want to know if anyone else has noticed this lately?

After doing Cunard for 10 years we switched to Celebrity. Cunard now does few Caribbean trips. I can safely say the staff was not rushed on our Jan.25 trip on the Eclipse. On our 2012 trip on Queen Victoria, it took up to 30 min. to get a drink order in. The staff generally "rushed" you along to prep for the secon seating. I did not feel that at all on the Eclipse.

[TeaBag]

We were in AQ on Eclipse Nov TA and we wrote on our review that the service in Blu was much inferior to that of Millennium 6 months earlier. They forgot orders sometimes at breakfast and the dinner service was very slow.

[Dick in Falls Church]

I really can't say that I've noticed a reduction in staffing which really affected me. Yes, there used to be waiters in the buffet who helped carry trays. Still see that, but not as often. Personally, I can still carry my own, so not a biggie for me. I have noticed that there are times the tables may not be bussed as quickly as they used to be-- but more like a difference of a minute or two.

 

The rooms have always been made up, the stewards and assistants have for the most part been excellent. There are always cleaners on the stairways, doing the carpets, cleaning the elevators. The bathrooms are clean.

 

I do think that there is a possibility that the increase in ships, large ships and the consequent increase in overall staffing required could have an impact.

First the lines have to find someone who meets their needs--often starting with more than a touch of English, who has the right attitude, who is willing to go away for many moons. Then the individual has to be trained and supervised. It seems to me that there are quite a few crewmembers with less time at sea than previously.

 

Regarding the Captains Club bar staff-- the staff is pulled from other locations when the Happy Hour is in a specific place, as opposed to tickets.

Yes, there have been a few times when we couldn't seem to spot anyone to get a drink, and other times it is almost like a parade. Of course, a couple days of tipping per drink does often pay some dividends. Really haven't noticed any "assigning new guys/girls" syndrome.

 

Seldom oder a drink in the theater, but have not noticed any shortage of staff there, at least before the show starts. And, it really isn't easy for them to get around, over feet etc.

 

Overall, I think Celebrity is amazing in being able to do as well as they continue to do.

[vickykay]

Also on the feb 8 Eclispe cruise. Wonderful cruise but also noticed a drop in staff. Our waiter seemed very rushed and was doing many of the tasks typically done by the assistant waiter, who we rarely saw. We also noticed much less bar staff by the pools ( used to always be several and we were continually asked if we wanted anything) and less in the theater as well. We felt the staff really worked hard, especially when the norovirus restrictions kicked in, and were always pleasant.

[BrendaJ]

I wonder if this problem may be ship specific. We were on the Silhouette in January and the service was as good if not better than our previous cruises. The staff seemed happy and was always very attentive. We had no problems getting food or drinks anywhere, although I had anticipated waiting for drinks due to many drink package promotions.

 

I do imagine that the staff is spread very thin when there is a Norovirus concern, and that may cause a perception of staff cuts. The extra cleaning must be very difficult on the crew.

 

After a few Azamara cruises, I had expected to maybe be a bit underwhelmed with our Celebrity experience, but that was not the case at all. I eagerly await our Med cruise this fall.

[curiouscat]

It's called Pax to Crew ratio

 

 

Eclipse- 2850 pax- 1250 crew

 

Royal Princess- 3600 pax- 1350 crew...

 

 

CC