Maybe Celebrity Does Have a Plan

[Host Jazzbeau]

After reading the interview with Celebrity's top chef

http://www.cruisecritic.com/blog/index.php/2014/03/12/wining-dining-celebrity-cruise-lines-executive-chef-dishes-on-top-chef-and-more/

I am revising my pessimism regarding whether Celebrity has a vision of where it fits in the cruising world. [i had thought it was something like Ford's Mercury division, which they knew was somewhere above Ford and below Lincoln but could never figure out what that meant in a way that attracted customers...]

 

• All the cutbacks in food and music allow the basic cabin rates to be kept low and attract those who look at price above all

• The drinks packages attract those who want to party hearty

• SPE Certified cuisine attracts the health conscious

• Ditto for Blu, which also allows them to charge top dollar for cabins that most websites advise against (not buffered by cabins above)

• The new private dining room for suites passengers, combined with the other suite perks, hearkens back to the golden age of cruising (at the golden prices of that golden age)

 

So I think Celebrity is aiming to be all things to all people. Whether they can manage this on one ship is the question, but at least there does seem to be a method in their madness.

[luv-my-kids]

After reading the interview with Celebrity's top chef

http://www.cruisecritic.com/blog/index.php/2014/03/12/wining-dining-celebrity-cruise-lines-executive-chef-dishes-on-top-chef-and-more/

I am revising my pessimism regarding whether Celebrity has a vision of where it fits in the cruising world. [i had thought it was something like Ford's Mercury division, which they knew was somewhere above Ford and below Lincoln but could never figure out what that meant in a way that attracted customers...]

 

• All the cutbacks in food and music allow the basic cabin rates to be kept low and attract those who look at price above all

• The drinks packages attract those who want to party hearty

• SPE Certified cuisine attracts the health conscious

• Ditto for Blu, which also allows them to charge top dollar for cabins that most websites advise against (not buffered by cabins above)

• The new private dining room for suites passengers, combined with the other suite perks, hearkens back to the golden age of cruising (at the golden prices of that golden age)

 

So I think Celebrity is aiming to be all things to all people. Whether they can manage this on one ship is the question, but at least there does seem to be a method in their madness.

 

 

I totally disagree. The drink package was only one of the items that attarcted us to try Celebrity, and we are not "party hearty" as you call it. I may have 3 alcoholic drinks a day. You can't assume the the drink package only attracts this type. People like that will drink with or without a package.

[We're The Groupnors]

I totally disagree. The drink package was only one of the items that attarcted us to try Celebrity, and we are not "party hearty" as you call it. I may have 3 alcoholic drinks a day. You can't assume the the drink package only attracts this type. People like that will drink with or without a package.

 

I totally agree. I am a wine drinker, and DH does not drink any alcohol at all. But for our upcoming cruise it made the most sense for us to take the drink packages under the 123 Go promotion, as it works out to be the best value for us. I have upgraded to premium to get a better choice of wine, and DH will drink water and herbal tea from Cafe al Bacio to his heart's content. We're not what I'd call partiers.

[Oville]

I read the OP's link and did not come away with the same conclusions.

[wallie5446]

After reading the interview with Celebrity's top chef

http://www.cruisecritic.com/blog/index.php/2014/03/12/wining-dining-celebrity-cruise-lines-executive-chef-dishes-on-top-chef-and-more/

I am revising my pessimism regarding whether Celebrity has a vision of where it fits in the cruising world. [i had thought it was something like Ford's Mercury division, which they knew was somewhere above Ford and below Lincoln but could never figure out what that meant in a way that attracted customers...]

 

• All the cutbacks in food and music allow the basic cabin rates to be kept low and attract those who look at price above all

• The drinks packages attract those who want to party hearty

• SPE Certified cuisine attracts the health conscious

• Ditto for Blu, which also allows them to charge top dollar for cabins that most websites advise against (not buffered by cabins above)

• The new private dining room for suites passengers, combined with the other suite perks, hearkens back to the golden age of cruising (at the golden prices of that golden age)

 

So I think Celebrity is aiming to be all things to all people. Whether they can manage this on one ship is the question, but at least there does seem to be a method in their madness.

 

This is not what we experienced on the Reflection last Nov.

 

The food quality was on par with every Celebrity cruise we have taken since our 1st in 1994.

At 60 our party hearty time has been dialed way back:D yet we paid less with the Bev pkg included on Reflection than we did for a so-so sailing in 2012 on the Ruby Princess.

The wifester has Celiac, we would not wish this disease on our worst enemy, well maybe a few:D The staff did a wonderful job, and she did not get sick one time.

Friends always book AQ and are the pickiest cabin snobs we sail with. They love their locations, let alone Blu.

Neiman Marcus has special areas for their whales, why not a cruise line.

IMHO, they are pulling it off and need to stay the course.

 

Oh, I have been in the Auto business for over 30 years, Mercury was the down line slug division of Ford.

Edited March 13, 2014 by wallie5446

[wallie5446]

I read the OP's link and did not come away with the same conclusions.

 

Ditto, see above.

[Andy]

I read the OP's link and did not come away with the same conclusions.

 

I agree Oville. Furthermore, I wish Mr Suley luck with the new dining projects for Celebrity. It will be very interesting to see how the Suite dining room evolves.

[Waterlily777]

 

• All the cutbacks in food and music allow the basic cabin rates to be kept low and attract those who look at price above all

 

In all my years on Celebrity and on these boards, I have never felt that Celebrity clients were, as a group, people who considered price above all else. I do feel that they looked for good value, but for a better quality product. I am certainly not looking for fare reductions achieved through lowering the quality of food, service and entertainment, and I know that I am not alone.

 

• The drinks packages attract those who want to party hearty

 

Luckily, the drinks packages are attractive to many more people than the "party hearty" types, and for different reasons. I don't understand why Celebrity would want to attract that group specifically, as they don't contribute to the "modern luxury" ambiance that Celebrity is trying to portray. On my last Celebrity cruise, a very senior officer told me that Celebrity wanted to move to the type of "40-something client that booked at Four Seasons and Ritz Carlton hotels". How does the party hearty group fit in with that?

 

• SPE Certified cuisine attracts the health conscious

 

• Ditto for Blu, which also allows them to charge top dollar for cabins that most websites advise against (not buffered by cabins above)

 

I think this has always been the case for Concierge Class and Aqua Class. It's a good marketing move, but certainly not a new one. And as far as Blu appealing to the health conscious, my experience would lead me to believe that the appeal derives from a number of converging factors... the smaller, quieter, casually-elegant dining room, the "cleaner" style of cuisine (which is NOT spa cuisine), the better quality ingredients and the fact that, in general, food arrives hotter to the table. It used to be that the service was more attentive and more personal, but that may be changing with the cutbacks in staff.

 

• The new private dining room for suites passengers, combined with the other suite perks, hearkens back to the golden age of cruising (at the golden prices of that golden age)

 

I don't think it has anything to do with trying to replicate "the golden age of cruising". I think it has everything to do with the bottom line, and charging what the market will bear.

 

Celebrity is increasing, significantly, the charges for suites and they are going to have to provide extra benefits to justify the increase in prices. I don't have a problem with that, and do not think it's a "class" issue, in the traditional sense. I think it is a "get what you pay for" issue. I do think that Celebrity should be careful to "add value" to what is given to suite clients without taking away specific amenities that have previously been available to those who do not travel in suites.

 

So I think Celebrity is aiming to be all things to all people. Whether they can manage this on one ship is the question, but at least there does seem to be a method in their madness.

 

In my opinion, there is more madness than method. Only time will tell.[/quote]

 

On several occasions, Michael Bayley has said that he felt that Celebrity fares were too low and that he intended to drive them up, and so he has. When you add cutbacks in product and service to higher prices, I think that can be a very volatile combination. Stir into the mix those initiatives that are intended to change the onboard culture in an significant way, and the results may be unpredictable.

 

I think that Celebrity cruisers, by and large, are well-travelled, discerning people, with a broad world-view, regardless of their age or other demographic factors. I don't think that Celebrity can keep cutting back while raising prices with this group of people. And who is this group that Celebrity thinks it is marketing to...an inexhaustible supply of 40-somethings that stay at the Ritz Carlton, cruise 3-4 times a year, enjoy music all over the ship that is uncomfortably loud, and who don't notice, or don't care, when prices go up while product and service standards diminish. All the 40-somethings that I know are much smarter and more worldly-wise than that. They enjoy quality and good value too, and they know it when they see it. (And you know what, they are all at the peak of their careers, working really, really hard, and don't have time for 3-4 cruises a year. Now those 50-somethings, they are another issue ;). And I don't know what the panic is anyway, those 40-somethings will be 50-somethings soon enough. :D)

 

I don't think Celebrity can be all things to all people, and I think some of the recent changes are simply not helpful. The bulk of these changes will not attract any of the 40-somethings that I know, but do run the risk of alienating much of the current loyal client base. I would like say that I am encouraged by Celebrity's intention, reported by "Celebrity Cruises", (the official Celebrity rep to these boards), that they are prepared to review the loudness-of-the-music issue. And I do commend them on the content of the revisions to the Captain's Club loyalty program.

[boogs]

I totally disagree. The drink package was only one of the items that attarcted us to try Celebrity, and we are not "party hearty" as you call it. I may have 3 alcoholic drinks a day. You can't assume the the drink package only attracts this type. People like that will drink with or without a package.

 

Same with us. But we didn't pick the drinks package when offered this program. Not everyone feels that drinking alcohol on vacation is at the top of their list.

[4774Papa]

Sorry, I am a bit fatigued at another thread on changes to Celebrity cruises.

[cruzinlisa]

After reading the interview with Celebrity's top chef

http://www.cruisecritic.com/blog/index.php/2014/03/12/wining-dining-celebrity-cruise-lines-executive-chef-dishes-on-top-chef-and-more/

I am revising my pessimism regarding whether Celebrity has a vision of where it fits in the cruising world. [i had thought it was something like Ford's Mercury division, which they knew was somewhere above Ford and below Lincoln but could never figure out what that meant in a way that attracted customers...]

 

• All the cutbacks in food and music allow the basic cabin rates to be kept low and attract those who look at price above all

• The drinks packages attract those who want to party hearty

• SPE Certified cuisine attracts the health conscious

• Ditto for Blu, which also allows them to charge top dollar for cabins that most websites advise against (not buffered by cabins above)

• The new private dining room for suites passengers, combined with the other suite perks, hearkens back to the golden age of cruising (at the golden prices of that golden age)

 

So I think Celebrity is aiming to be all things to all people. Whether they can manage this on one ship is the question, but at least there does seem to be a method in their madness.

 

 

I disagree with the part that is in pink above. I don't know about the rest. The statement is half true. The drink packages attract. However, it is not just the party hearty type. We did choose Celebrity over other lines mainly because of the pick your perk. So that part is true for us. But not because we just want a drunk fest. As far as we go, it will probably cause us to drink a little more alcohol than normal and will probably result in us having more soda, bottled water, etc that we normally would not order. But we would buy some alcohol anyway. I myself am not a big drinker so if I paid out of pocket, I might have 1-2 drinks a day, now I might have 2 or 3. WHat it will do for me, is allow me to try different things that I normally wouldn't, drink bottled water instead of tap and soda instead of tea. DH, may be a little different story, but he is not getting trashed or anything.

Edited March 13, 2014 by cruzinlisa

[clojacks]

I disagree with the part that is in pink above. I don't know about the rest. The statement is half true. The drink packages attract. However, it is not just the party hearty type. We did choose Celebrity over other lines mainly because of the pick your perk. So that part is true for us. But not because we just want a drunk fest. As far as we go, it will probably cause us to drink a little more alcohol than normal and will probably result in us having more soda, bottled water, etc that we normally would not order. But we would buy some alcohol anyway. I myself am not a big drinker so if I paid out of pocket, I might have 1-2 drinks a day, now I might have 2 or 3. WHat it will do for me, is allow me to try different things that I normally wouldn't, drink bottled water instead of tap and soda instead of tea. DH, may be a little different story, but he is not getting trashed or anything.

 

I agree entirely with this. It didn't mean that we were standing at the bar from 10 AM until 10 PM, but it meant we were able to enjoy Macchiatto's and Herbal Tea's and mostly Bottled Waters that we wouldn't in the past. It also meant that we did have drinks when we felt like having drinks outside of just with dinner. It was actually nice not seeing people standing in line at the water fountains on port days prior to disembarking and holding their 1 liter bottles at a 45 degree angle under the spouts while a line formed behind them.

[SantaFeFan]

Sorry, I am a bit fatigued at another thread on changes to Celebrity cruises.

 

Amazing, isn't it, how much some people complain about changes, which are ALWAYS for the worse, never for the better according to them. You would think they have never changed anything in their own lives before. Nothing stays static. If it did, it would become worn out, boring, and just not worth doing anymore. But, some people's lives are stuck in the past, too afraid of moving forward and having new experiences and adventures. I feel sorry for them for the fear they must have about being left behind as life around steadily them moves on.

Edited March 13, 2014 by SantaFeFan

[memory-minus]

The drink package effect has been debated ad nauseum, however, I will put my 2 cents in that while it does increase our alcohol consumption over what we might drink at home, it doesn't cause us to overconsume.

 

For my partner and I, it's really more about budgeting/prepaying and peace of mind. It allows complete relaxation that beverages will not comprise the vast majority of our shipboard account. We like setting sail knowing that 90+% of the total cost of the trip is paid in full and the credit card is paid off. And it's better for Celebrity because we are more likely to spend a little extra money on last-minute shore excursions, casino gaming or spa treatments: expenses we don't budget much for in advance but are more comfortable spending knowing everything else is paid.

[Cruising89143]

I totally disagree. The drink package was only one of the items that attarcted us to try Celebrity, and we are not "party hearty" as you call it. I may have 3 alcoholic drinks a day. You can't assume the the drink package only attracts this type. People like that will drink with or without a package.

 

I agree. The package is nice but it doesn't mean that a person books just to party. Ridiculous statement.

[miched]

I read the OP's link and did not come away with the same conclusions.

 

Somehow the OP read a lot more into it than I did. Don't know where it mentioned anything about the drink package, or cut backs in food, or music, or that AQ cabins are I the most undesirable locations.

 

All that I got out of it was the chef explaining some of the new menus and the purpose for them.

 

I guess that is why there is a need for a judge or book discussions. Someome writes something and then everyone has a different interpretation of what the authors intent was.

 

🍸🍻

[suec12]

I cannot believe that no one is commenting on Wall-ees mention of N.M whales - everyone must be waaaay too enraptured with the changes debate, or with dissing another changes debate!

Edited March 13, 2014 by suec12

[Earthworm Jim]

I agree. The package is nice but it doesn't mean that a person books just to party. Ridiculous statement.

 

It isn't a ridiculous statement. I didn't take the OP to be suggesting that everyone who takes the drink package is a "party hardy" type. I understood them to say the "party hardy" types would be more attracted to Celebrity than they were in the past due to to drink package perk. Which, logically, sounds like it's probably accurate. It may well also be an attraction to other types of drinkers too, but it's hard to argue that it would not be attractive to "party hardy" types.

 

Subsequent posters seem to have taken offense thinking if they took the drink package the OP was labeling them "party hardy" types, and I don't believe that is the case at all.

Edited March 13, 2014 by Earthworm Jim

[Cruising89143]

It isn't a ridiculous statement. I didn't take the OP to be suggesting that everyone who takes the drink package is a "party hardy" type. I understood them to say the "party hardy" types would be more attracted to Celebrity than they were in the past due to to drink package perk. Which, logically, sounds like it's probably accurate. It may well also be an attraction to other types of drinkers too, but it's hard to argue that it would not be attractive to "party hardy" types.

 

Subsequent posters seem to have taken offense thinking if they took the drink package the OP was labeling them "party hardy" types, and I don't believe that is the case at all.

 

Glad that you took it that way. I didn't. Also the OP has one cruise with X according to their sig line. How would they know what cuts have taken place?

Edited March 13, 2014 by cruisingator2

[wallie5446]

It isn't a ridiculous statement. I didn't take the OP to be suggesting that everyone who takes the drink package is a "party hardy" type. I understood them to say the "party hardy" types would be more attracted to Celebrity than they were in the past due to to drink package perk. Which, logically, sounds like it's probably accurate. It may well also be an attraction to other types of drinkers too, but it's hard to argue that it would not be attractive to "party hardy" types.

 

Subsequent posters seem to have taken offense thinking if they took the drink package the OP was labeling them "party hardy" types, and I don't believe that is the case at all.

 

Glad that you took it that way. I didn't. Also the OP has one cruise with X according to their sig line. How would they know what cuts have taken place?

 

Another Ditto. Celebrity has had the drink packages for purchase for quite awhile. The Host OP needs to converse with Host Andy about the type pax on Celebrity before making such a blanket statement.

[ghstudio]

After reading the interview with Celebrity's top chef

http://www.cruisecritic.com/blog/index.php/2014/03/12/wining-dining-celebrity-cruise-lines-executive-chef-dishes-on-top-chef-and-more/

I am revising my pessimism regarding whether Celebrity has a vision of where it fits in the cruising world. [i had thought it was something like Ford's Mercury division, which they knew was somewhere above Ford and below Lincoln but could never figure out what that meant in a way that attracted customers...]

 

• All the cutbacks in food and music allow the basic cabin rates to be kept low and attract those who look at price above all

• The drinks packages attract those who want to party hearty

• SPE Certified cuisine attracts the health conscious

• Ditto for Blu, which also allows them to charge top dollar for cabins that most websites advise against (not buffered by cabins above)

• The new private dining room for suites passengers, combined with the other suite perks, hearkens back to the golden age of cruising (at the golden prices of that golden age)

 

So I think Celebrity is aiming to be all things to all people. Whether they can manage this on one ship is the question, but at least there does seem to be a method in their madness.

 

It is the type of plan that looks wonderful in presentations, but implementation generally becomes a problem because none of the items get full focus. For example, SPE sounds wonderful, but the implementation in the aqua spa cafe is IMHO just awful. The pick a perk/1-2-3 offers free drinks but most realize it's built into the price...and btw, if you don't pick that perk, you are overpaying because the price increases to cover the cost of the promotion are are based on the drink package. The michael's club for suite guests remains unused because those guests actually like to talk to others so they go to the regular cocktail events. And so on.

 

As long as the ships are full at a higher average profit per cruise, Celebrity will pat themselves on the back. My personal opinion is that they are losing some loyal customers...and they don't even know it...and I don't think they care because in good times, it's easy to fill ships. But there aren't always good times....and at some point, they may well have lost those loyal passengers.

 

The bottom line will tell....

[clojacks]

After reading the interview with Celebrity's top chef

http://www.cruisecritic.com/blog/index.php/2014/03/12/wining-dining-celebrity-cruise-lines-executive-chef-dishes-on-top-chef-and-more/

I am revising my pessimism regarding whether Celebrity has a vision of where it fits in the cruising world. [i had thought it was something like Ford's Mercury division, which they knew was somewhere above Ford and below Lincoln but could never figure out what that meant in a way that attracted customers...]

 

• All the cutbacks in food and music allow the basic cabin rates to be kept low and attract those who look at price above all

• The drinks packages attract those who want to party hearty

• SPE Certified cuisine attracts the health conscious

• Ditto for Blu, which also allows them to charge top dollar for cabins that most websites advise against (not buffered by cabins above)

• The new private dining room for suites passengers, combined with the other suite perks, hearkens back to the golden age of cruising (at the golden prices of that golden age)

 

So I think Celebrity is aiming to be all things to all people. Whether they can manage this on one ship is the question, but at least there does seem to be a method in their madness.

 

I guess I viewed this as the OP's opinion of what he/she viewed the interview as saying. Further, they say "I think" in the last paragraph. I hardly see it as their duty to contact Host Andy for his opinion before posting their own. I think someone else asked how they could possibly offer an opinion on previous staffing without having previously sailed on Celebrity. I just returned from my first Celebrity cruise, and can absolutely say that there is NO WAY Celebrity has been staffing bar staff/servers the way they are now, or they would have been hearing about it quite vociferously, IMHO.

[wallie5446]

I guess I viewed this as the OP's opinion of what he/she viewed the interview as saying. Further, they say "I think" .

 

Too many time the phrase 'I think' is taken as 'I Know' and to me, at least, this is the way it came across. Because anyone who has been on a Celebrity sailing in the past 12-18-24 months know it is not this way. OK, just my 'opinion' which will only get you a free cup of Joe in the buffet!:D

[diligaf51]

amazing, isn't it, how much some people complain about changes, which are always for the worse, never for the better according to them. You would think they have never changed anything in their own lives before. Nothing stays static. If it did, it would become worn out, boring, and just not worth doing anymore. But, some people's lives are stuck in the past, too afraid of moving forward and having new experiences and adventures. I feel sorry for them for the fear they must have about being left behind as life around steadily them moves on.

 

 

ditto

[excitedofharpenden]

Glad that you took it that way. I didn't. Also the OP has one cruise with X according to their sig line. How would they know what cuts have taken place?

Agree. Always good to have some experience before posting general "information" like the OP did.

 

Phil

Edited March 13, 2014 by excitedofharpenden