Expressing Dissatisfaction in the Only Meaningful Way

[bertcruise]

This is actually my first time posting to the forum, but my husband and I are in our 40's and have cruised twice a year for the last 20 years.

 

I have always loved Celebrity, but I have to say that recent customer experiences with them are going to make me look at higher end lines. Emails that indicate a 48 hour response turnaround yield no response at all. Over 30 minutes on the phone with them (a combination of hold time and talk time on the Captains Club number) yields no solution to an issue that has existed since December. They think it is acceptable that they can not provide any ETA on a bug fix to an IT issue that is affecting my reservation and lots of others ("my name is on a list"). Being an IT person, I find it difficult to accept that then can't resolve bugs within 3 months and counting or at least put in a workaround for the impacted reservations.

 

We have always booked suites, didn't mind paying for extras, typically the service on board did make us feel valued - but their lack of customer service (unrelated to service on board) in the last year has truly made me question if they feel any commitment to their customers.

 

 

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[bar_20]

I agree with this statement.

 

Yes I do believe that if one is not happy then they should vote with their wallet and move on. Life is toos short to not be happy. I for one like what Celebrity is offering. I like having the option of the speciatly restaurants. I do not like the MDR. The evening entertainment is just fine in my book. I like the onboard atmosphere. I am very happy that X has decided to upgrade their suite experience. So it's all good in my book.

 

I have been cruising since 1986 and IMHO the cruise product has only improved. The so called good ole days was not as good as some want others to think. Limited dining options. Tiny cabins and entertainment that was laughable. All of that at a price much higher than what we pay today.

 

So while some may not like it, there will be others to take their place. There are cruise lines that I will no longer cruise but there are others who do and have taken my place so life goes on.

 

Would you like the MDR more if they did salads at your table? If some entrees were done at your table? If the waiter did some flaming desserts at your table? If the waiter only had 12 passengers to wait on at your seating. This used to happen.

Sure if you like rock climbing, water slides, wave makers, ice rinks, those things have been added. However when you cut your wait staff in the MDR in half. Sell expensive drink packages but cut the bar staff in half so you don't have to fill those drink orders because you already have their money yes I can see why some people are disappointed in what Celebrity has become. However Celebrity has done the kiss of death in business. Lower your standards but keep the pricing the same. I would rather pay more and I am not talking about spending my money in a specialty restaurant @ $30-40 pp, but hey that's just me.

[Kellie Poodle]

I agree that if a company does not provide you with what you desire, you are best off taking your business elsewhere. My question to the OP - where do you plan to take your business, or are you giving up on cruising altogether? Azamara might remind you more of the old Celebrity; however, it comes at a price, and the cabins are rather basic if you're used to the Celebrity S-class.

 

I like Celebrity better than I did Azamara. The Azamara cabins are tiny, the showers miniscule and the food was not that great. 60% pretty and 40% flavor. Vegetables were a garnish, not a side dish. Desserts were equally as poor as Celebrity's desserts :)

 

It is true that the smaller ships can get into more interesting ports of call, but there is little else to do that is interesting. One couple who were also on their first Azamara cruise swore that they were going right back to Celebrity.

 

The cache on Azamara is that you and the crew are one big family. I found it hokey. I don't cruise to trade fist-bumps with the captain and interact with the crew pretending we are all good friends. As long as the "help" are doing their jobs, I don't need to interact with them.

 

I bought an open booking for Celebrity on the ship and booked B2B Royal cruises which I had to cancel in 2013 due to illness.

 

I submitted my review on Friday but still haven't heard back from CC.

[wallie5446]

Would you like the MDR more if they did salads at your table? If some entrees were done at your table? If the waiter did some flaming desserts at your table? If the waiter only had 12 passengers to wait on at your seating. This used to happen.

Sure if you like rock climbing, water slides, wave makers, ice rinks, those things have been added. However when you cut your wait staff in the MDR in half. Sell expensive drink packages but cut the bar staff in half so you don't have to fill those drink orders because you already have their money yes I can see why some people are disappointed in what Celebrity has become. However Celebrity has done the kiss of death in business. Lower your standards but keep the pricing the same. I would rather pay more and I am not talking about spending my money in a specialty restaurant @ $30-40 pp, but hey that's just me.

Somebody pinch me, the kiss of death must have put me to sleep! Just returned from our best sailing on The Reflection of any of the 7 lines we have sailed! Oh, and paid less for a C2 on the angle of the hump than we did an OV in '95, '96, '97 and a few other years. The MDR staff's attention to detail due to the wifesters Celiac was over the top for being stretched thin with 5 tables:rolleyes:

We are so disappointed that the Reflection is not doing longer sailings that we had to book the old Equinox to get an 11 day cruise this year, shucks.

[PartyAllDaTyme]

It's a business. The laws of supply and demand apply, and Mr. Bayley has a responsibility to the RCL shareholders to maximize the profits. Don't think for a minute that they don't take into consideration the customers and revenue they will likely lose when they make a change or lower their standards. But if the expected financial gains more than offset the expected losses, a change is made, whether the customer thinks it is in their best interests or not.

 

NJFred wrote a marvelous essay, and I congratulate him on a job well done! He is correct-- if things are not to your satisfaction, vote with your feet. Just please don't take it personally. I wish him good luck in finding a better line for the money.

[NLH Arizona]

Would you like the MDR more if they did salads at your table? If some entrees were done at your table? If the waiter did some flaming desserts at your table? If the waiter only had 12 passengers to wait on at your seating. This used to happen.

Sure if you like rock climbing, water slides, wave makers, ice rinks, those things have been added. However when you cut your wait staff in the MDR in half. Sell expensive drink packages but cut the bar staff in half so you don't have to fill those drink orders because you already have their money yes I can see why some people are disappointed in what Celebrity has become. However Celebrity has done the kiss of death in business. Lower your standards but keep the pricing the same. I would rather pay more and I am not talking about spending my money in a specialty restaurant @ $30-40 pp, but hey that's just me.

You seem to know for sure that Celebrity has cut their wait and bar staffs in half. Do you have the actual numbers with regard to the cuts that you say has happened? Also, could you post your most recent experience with regard to how these cuts affected your holiday and any hints on how to work around the cuts you mentioned?

Edited March 12, 2014 by NLH Arizona

[wf083145]

Several posters to this thread have repeated the thought that X really doesn't care if guests don't like aspects of their cruise experience. Their attitude is that if you go elsewhere there are 2 - 4 others happy to take your place.

 

It seems that one of the issues discussed by the cruise CEO's in the big cruise symposium is that the growth in the number of new cruisers is not keeping pace with the growth in capacity. Based on that, if loyal cruisers leave there will not be enough newbies to replace them.

 

Generally speaking, these guys understand that pushing away their loyal customers is not a strategy for success. Of course, "generally" means there will always be the know-it-all CEO who will happily navigate directly into the iceberg.

 

I guess we need to see which group X fits into.

[Johnny Heedless]

However Celebrity has done the kiss of death in business. Lower your standards but keep the pricing the same. I would rather pay more and I am not talking about spending my money in a specialty restaurant @ $30-40 pp, but hey that's just me.

 

Kiss of death? Sorry, but that just plain silly. Have you considered the competition for one second?

 

In a couple weeks (during peak Spring Break times), I'm going on a 7-day Celebrity cruise in the Caribbean. I paid only $1,800 including taxes for an unobstructed veranda room. That price includes unlimited, free booze.

 

On Princess (Celebrity's closest competitor), that same cruise would cost me $2,600 -- the cruise is about the same price but I'd have to add another $800 to get their booze package.

 

Similarly, when you consider the booze packages, virtually all mass market cruise lines are more expensive than Celebrity. Even Carnival would cost me $2,100 to get a balcony room for a 7-day Caribbean cruise when I add in $700 for their booze package.

 

Azamara, Oceania, Seabourn, Silverseas or Regent? Forget about it; their prices are typically nearly two to three times more than Celebrity for similar cruises.

 

Then, consider the land-based all inclusive vacations. When you add in airfare, I can't find anything where my wife and I can go for a week that is even remotely close to the price of my upcoming Celebrity cruise.

 

I challenge you to find any ship-based or land-based truly all-inclusive vacation that I can take for a week for less money. When you factor in Celebrity's relatively great quality, none of their competitors come even remotely close.

[Cruising89143]

Would you like the MDR more if they did salads at your table? If some entrees were done at your table? If the waiter did some flaming desserts at your table? If the waiter only had 12 passengers to wait on at your seating. This used to happen.

Sure if you like rock climbing, water slides, wave makers, ice rinks, those things have been added. However when you cut your wait staff in the MDR in half. Sell expensive drink packages but cut the bar staff in half so you don't have to fill those drink orders because you already have their money yes I can see why some people are disappointed in what Celebrity has become. However Celebrity has done the kiss of death in business. Lower your standards but keep the pricing the same. I would rather pay more and I am not talking about spending my money in a specialty restaurant @ $30-40 pp, but hey that's just me.

 

What happens in the MDR does not affect me so I really do not worry about it. If you don't like the changes with X then maybe you need to look elsewhere. That simple. For me I leave on Friday to get ready to board the Reflection on Saturday. Guess I am not one that dislikes the Celebrity product.

Edited March 12, 2014 by cruisingator2

[BrendaJ]

Although things may have changed from the old days of cruising and the on-board revenue-generating opportunities are much more prevalent, I think many of us are not remembering just how expensive cruises used to be.

 

In 1984, I paid $1,000 to share an inside cabin with 3 other girls on a 7-day Carnival cruise. I paid less than that per person two months ago to sail in a verandah cabin, including beverage package, with my husband on the Silhouette. Clearly, the cruise line is charging far less up front for a cruise than they used to, likely as a means of attracting new cruisers. Considering what they pay for oil for a one week cruise, Celebrity would be lucky to break even collecting just the cruise fares these days.

 

 

Personally, I'd rather pay on board for the extras I want as opposed to paying larger upfront fees for luxuries I might not take advantage of. Someone could easily afford to eat in the specialty restaurants every night and still not come close to the high prices of 30 years ago.

The cruise lines would be short-sighted not to seriously look at what younger cruisers value, and update the experience to attract them. Although some of us older folks might miss the formality and special little touches we used to experience, our younger counterparts may be looking primarily at the up-front cost of a cruise. They may not be as interested in elegance and high levels of service, as long as the price to get on board is low. I must admit we spend much more on board than we used to, but overall, I still feel we get great value for the money, and what we spend on extras is totally up to us.

[Andy]

Hi Everyone,

 

As a number of off-topic posts required removal, this thread is now closed. Thanks for your understanding.