Captain's Club Cocktail Hour Changes

[Shake]

I hope Celebrity for the Elites go the way of vouchers. Like the freedom of choosing the lounge myself.

[zoncom]

Only drunks I ever saw at Elite cocktail hours were a group of 6 who proudly proclaimed to all near that they were from RCL. Remember they were not dressed properly. PS. EDDIE, Do not spread rumors without proper info.

Edited March 17, 2015 by zoncom

[Oxo]

Not sure Modern Luxury for me would be people being served so many drinks, three drinks per evening seems like plenty to me, that there would be a lot of stumbling folks around the ship drunk, because we all know how some will just take advantage of free drinks.

 

I do agree that instead of vouchers, they should just have the drinks on the seapass card instead of issuing coupons.

 

Don't understand your logic about people being served so many drinks. If you think that way, what about the 123 package? Some people don't want to see that since it will entice people to drink. It is like anything else, people will drink, get drunk, regardless. Three drinks may be enough for many people. However, this has been going on for years where people drink on cruises. You see some who could get drunk on 1 drink, others may drink all day.

 

Why do they serve drinks in the Elite breakfast? Why do they open the bars on the ship so early?

 

You and I cannot control what they drink or how they drink. It is not a matter of free drinks alone. It is a weak mind that will cause a person to become drunk.

 

Been on many many cruises and yes, we do see some who drink and get drunk. That is something you and I cannot control. That is up to the ship's servers to control, and they can't either.

 

Enjoy your drink!

[Oxo]

Believe me, you do NOT want this! Have you tried using the RCI website lately?

 

Have you tried X's website? I think that any Corporation should use IT as a Central site/system and not a Distributed site where each have their own systems. Celebrity needs to update their systems. Been around IT for many years.

[Oxo]

Unfortunately it's not that simple. I'm sure it would mean a complete overhaul of all their IT Systems already in place. It's not easy or fun to migrate to new (or different) computer systems/software.

 

DH has been in IT for many years. Been through many conversions, etc. Has knowledge of system development, system implementation, conversions, etc. Been through Y2K, too.

[Shake]

Don't understand your logic about people being served so many drinks. If you think that way, what about the 123 package? Some people don't want to see that since it will entice people to drink. It is like anything else, people will drink, get drunk, regardless. Three drinks may be enough for many people. However, this has been going on for years where people drink on cruises. You see some who could get drunk on 1 drink, others may drink all day.

 

Why do they serve drinks in the Elite breakfast? Why do they open the bars on the ship so early?

 

You and I cannot control what they drink or how they drink. It is not a matter of free drinks alone. It is a weak mind that will cause a person to become drunk.

 

Been on many many cruises and yes, we do see some who drink and get drunk. That is something you and I cannot control. That is up to the ship's servers to control, and they can't either.

 

Enjoy your drink!

 

Absolutely, accurate comments.

 

One should not worry about others especially when the drink perks for Elite is already working very well.

[spearmint]

WOW, small world as we were on the Allure 11/16/14. Really don't understand why X does not use RCI software/IT. Allure had better food in the Lounges, too during 5-8:30PM.

 

Small world indeed. We were on deck 6 and so were both the Diamond Lounge and the Schooner Bar. Being on a back-to-back, we got to know the servers at Schooner and they treated us very well indeed. We liked both venues.

 

The seapass idea is really a good one. As well as the complimentary drinks, everything for onboard entertainment that you pre-book is loaded onto your seapass. With so many people on board, I can see why it is needed. Imagine the confusion, not to mention the indignant outrage, that would ensue if nearly everyone wanted to see the same show(s) on the same night at the same time! :eek: Not a problem on Celebrity, but the seapass voucher would be cool if it were pre-loaded.

 

Bill

[NLH Arizona]

Don't understand your logic about people being served so many drinks. If you think that way, what about the 123 package? Some people don't want to see that since it will entice people to drink. It is like anything else, people will drink, get drunk, regardless. Three drinks may be enough for many people. However, this has been going on for years where people drink on cruises. You see some who could get drunk on 1 drink, others may drink all day.

 

Why do they serve drinks in the Elite breakfast? Why do they open the bars on the ship so early?

 

You and I cannot control what they drink or how they drink. It is not a matter of free drinks alone. It is a weak mind that will cause a person to become drunk.

 

Been on many many cruises and yes, we do see some who drink and get drunk. That is something you and I cannot control. That is up to the ship's servers to control, and they can't either.

 

Enjoy your drink!

I just think that either 3 drinks per evening or a 2 hour cocktail party is sufficient time/amount of drinks for Celebrity to supply us Elites and no need to have both. Just my opinion!

[NLH Arizona]

 

One should not worry about others especially when the drink perks for Elite is already working very well.

Exactly my point, it is working well on Celebrity, so why change it.

[Oxo]

I just think that either 3 drinks per evening or a 2 hour cocktail party is sufficient time/amount of drinks for Celebrity to supply us Elites and no need to have both. Just my opinion!

 

Like you said it is your opinion. My opinion and others would like to see the party be extended to accommodate both early and late diners. Why limit the 3 drinks to 2 hours and not allow someone to use the vouchers in the MDR for a glass of wine or other drink? So, we both stated our opinions and others can chime in.

[ghstudio]

I just spoke to the Captain's Club and was told that Celebrity has switched to the 3 "voucher" process for their higher tier loyalty member complimentary happy hour (actually 2 hours) on all ships. Apparently this change occurred at the end of 2014. Has anyone experienced this change and how is it going? Thanks for any info.

 

Oh my.....the guessing disease has spread from customer service to the Captain's Club. Apparently there is no training and no process within Celebrity HQ to communicate changes to the reps....so they give the answer they think is right which often has no relationship to the current policy...and even less relationship to what happens on the ships that very few of the reps have ever been on.

 

We have had both vouchers and the cocktail hour on different cruises and either one works. I'm not even sure which we prefer. With the cocktail hour(s), we meet many of the same people each night which is nice; with vouchers, we generally have a glass of wine in our hands (using a voucher) when we enter the dining room and we seem to have more freedom in what we can order.

 

I bet if you called back and asked the same question, you have a good chance of being told that vouchers are only used on cruises where there are an unusually high number of elite (and above) cruisers.....over 500/600.

Edited March 17, 2015 by ghstudio

[phoenix_dream]

I am not an IT expert, but in my work life I managed very large projects with very large IT components so I feel I can at least speak intelligently on the topic. With that said, my opinion is that it may or may not be that much of a technical change to include the three free drinks on someone's card.

 

There is already this technology in place: via your seapass card, linking you to your cabin and to your Captains Club status (if any) and other status differentials such as Aqua Class; identification of items purchased for posting to your account via your seapass card; and identification of Captains Club internet and specialty coffee Elite Plus perks via your seapass card.

 

If internet and coffee perks can be added to your seapass card, it should not be so hard technologically speaking to add other perks as well. Depending on which was easier to code, the drinks could be prevented from being put on your account at all, or programming code could be put in place to wipe out the charges for those three drinks after the fact (daily preferably).

 

Yes, I am making it sound a bit more simple than it is, but obviously without intimate knowledge of the system itself I am making an educated guess that the change is not that big a deal. Of course their IT department is probably completely tied up working on their other consistent problems so even a small change could be a big hurdle to overcome:D

[MicCanberra]

RCI have managed to have a lounge for Diamond members (Elite on X) and the 3 free drinks loaded onto the sea pass. It cannot be that hard.:D

[Oxo]

Not to further burden this topic I can only say that pieces of paper are becoming a thing of the past. Examples:

1. On-line Bill pay used by many today

2. Mailing Luggage Tags and Documents is being replaced by on-line printing

3. Advertisements on-line rather than putting it under your cabin door (which Celebrity uses the TV Messaging for)

4. View On-line charging/account via TV

If RCL did it for 22 ships, why can't it be done for X's 10 and AZ's 3?

There are so many other items I could identify that X could do to simplify a guests requests, but it would be met by some as not do able. They will chip away and it will change over time.

One that bugs me is not being able to see the evening MDR menu on the TV. Some ask why do you need to see it. Wait until you get to the MDR. X says that it changes daily. Well all the other things they put on the TV change daily, too. LOL

As for Government compare to Private Business - politics, - case closed.

[cheriooo]

Was on the Reflection 2 weeks ago and they did not use vouchers. As a matter of fact it was the attended happy hour we ever experience. There couldn't have been more than 25 elites in the lounge. As a matter of fact the captais club hostess rarely was there. This was never experienced before.

[ghstudio]

Was on the Reflection 2 weeks ago and they did not use vouchers. As a matter of fact it was the attended happy hour we ever experience. There couldn't have been more than 25 elites in the lounge. As a matter of fact the captais club hostess rarely was there. This was never experienced before.

 

When the vast majority of folks on board have 1-2-3, there is no reason to attend the happy hour....

[keesar]

Was on the Reflection 2 weeks ago and they did not use vouchers. As a matter of fact it was the attended happy hour we ever experience. There couldn't have been more than 25 elites in the lounge. As a matter of fact the captais club hostess rarely was there. This was never experienced before.

 

I agree. There were no more than 25 in the lounge at any one time. But plenty of appetizers for all of us. Great tables available for viewing. Service was fantastic. No wonder I went every evening it was held!

[MicCanberra]

Good point about the drink packages but I would still prefer the lounge.:D

[awhfy]

We are just off the Eclipse as of 15 Mar. We had vouchers (over 600 Elite & up). The small paper vouchers with the date & name preimprinted on them were a total pain to use. I could have used a magnifying glass (& I have 20-20 vision). I wish they'd preloaded the 3 drinks on our card (like Royal). We had a package & opted to use it more often than not. We did go to Sky Lounge, Passport Bar & several others. The only drinks you could get with the vouchers are the Elite hour drinks. The vouchers were not able to be used in Molecular, Martini or in MDR or Blu.

 

We did have a superb hostess, Elaine, who came to each grouping in Sky & chatted every evening & same thing in coffee break in morning. Melody

[onespots]

We used this lounge every night on our voyage in Feb.2015. It was not well attended on any night, 50-60 people max. Since the 123 go programs & most choosing the alcohol or beverage package, seems less passengers attend the Cocktail Hour. ( we did have early sitting for dinner & left by 6:00-6:10 every

evening so maybe the crowd showed up later )

 

We have been very fortunate to meet some really nice people from all over the world during this reception. I look forward to this event when we sail. Service is excellent, however if you are a beer drinker your choices are very limited. My wife enjoyed the " Dirty Martinis " She felt they were as good as the Martini Bar maybe better & with no waiting.

 

We have never encounter or even heard about a voucher system.

[riredsox]

Even with the 123 package I prefer the lounge. It is where we have met so many wonderful frequent cruisers. We learn about new itineraries and plan our future cruises with new and old friends. Doing away with that would be a shame...

[A Sixth?]

Even with the 123 package I prefer the lounge. It is where we have met so many wonderful frequent cruisers. We learn about new itineraries and plan our future cruises with new and old friends. Doing away with that would be a shame...

 

X2 :D

 

 

 

[Iamthesea]

Great photos!

 

 

if you are a beer drinker your choices are very limited. My wife enjoyed the " Dirty Martinis " She felt they were as good as the Martini Bar maybe better & with no waiting.

.

 

 

What other drinks are included beside this Dirty Martini? What is that, anyway? I am not a martini drinker, but intrigued. :)

[Wine-O]

Great photos!

 

What other drinks are included beside this Dirty Martini? What is that, anyway? I am not a martini drinker, but intrigued. :)

 

Made with adding olive juice. :eek: I prefer mine dry with a twist. Now you're probably going to ask "what's a twist?" :D

[C-Dragons]

Made with adding olive juice. :eek: I prefer mine dry with a twist. Now you're probably going to ask "what's a twist?" :D

"A twist"...

It's what you shouldn't get your knickers in. :D

Sorry, my bad. I'm going now...

Edited March 18, 2015 by C-Dragons