"Some amazing changes coming to Celebrity fleet" announcement mid-week this week!

[Rob the Cruiser]

[quote name='cle-guy']That's fine. Each can make their own decision. As I said, I sleep well. Call that $1.50 gift card for spending an hour with a customer and walking them thru the process a bribe if you want. I just don't see it that way. If we were getting some fixed % of the actual sales amount, then I might buy into the idea of a real commission, bit this is nothing more than someone tossing me a promotional pen and Celebrity paper notepad and saying "thanks for your help!". Semantics, as some have said I suppose.

Many have stated that disclosure is needed, I disclose, and now you say disclosure diminished my credibility. Proof that no one is going to ever 100% satisfy everyone. So I'll continue to present facts and my honest opinion and let the cards fall as they may,

The majority of hat I've disclosed here is available thru google searches, nothing really secret about it.[/QUOTE]

Credibility diminished? Hardly.

You are one of the most credible persons here at Cruise Critic.

.

[need2bespoiled]

[quote name='Rob the Cruiser']Credibility diminished? Hardly.

You are one of the most credible persons here at Cruise Critic.

.[/QUOTE]

Hmmmmm....

Pot, meet kettle, kettle, meet pot.

Pot, you can borrow my flame resistant armor :D

Happy sailing,
Jenna

[shipfriend_max]

[quote name='need2bespoiled']
Finally, the other cruise lines all make major changes. We sailed on Zuiderdam when it had 1 specialty restaurant. Now it has 3, which I believe is true for many of their sister ships. . They made many changes to a similar aged ships as M-Class. They've also added balcony/lanais to cabins, around their promenade deck I believe. To think they don't change those ships is plain false. Maybe they're just not promoting it, maybe the changes aren't "amazing" or maybe they think they're product is ok, or maybe they're content just staying with the same old tired ships. It's all perspective but there are facts that can't be disputed.

Either way, based on the discussion here, you could say the Celebrity changes are amazingly good, bad or stupid but if they weren't amazing I doubt they're generate all this discussion.
[/QUOTE]

Hi,

ok, you are right, I forgot, that Celebrity does not allow to smoke in any enclosed area... [emoji5]

I did not say, that other cruise lines, such as Princess or HAL, do not do any changes. And I do not say, that Celebrity is doing major changes. But HAL and Princess do not promote them so much, as you mentioned. It's all a matter about communication.

Also some Princess ships are recieving a restaurant update, Sabatinis will be substituted by Share on some ships, starting in Dec. 2015.
And yes, changes are necessary throughout a ships/products lifecycle, but I have the feel that the HAL/Princess ships are not changed drastically, and there overall environment is still the same.
OK, the X ships are alsonot drastically changing, also rather updated.

Worst cruiseline, regarding that fact, is RCCL - every minor change is communicated, as they would reinvent the wheel... :rolleyes:

[hughdm]

[quote name='cle-guy']That's fine. Each can make their own decision. As I said, I sleep well. Call that $1.50 gift card for spending an hour with a customer and walking them thru the process a bribe if you want. I just don't see it that way. If we were getting some fixed % of the actual sales amount, then I might buy into the idea of a real commission, bit this is nothing more than someone tossing me a promotional pen and Celebrity paper notepad and saying "thanks for your help!". Semantics, as some have said I suppose.

Many have stated that disclosure is needed, I disclose, and now you say disclosure diminished my credibility. Proof that no one is going to ever 100% satisfy everyone. So I'll continue to present facts and my honest opinion and let the cards fall as they may,

The majority of hat I've disclosed here is available thru google searches, nothing really secret about it.[/QUOTE]

My unsolicited view on this is that you cruise enough that the teeny bit of money you get is not the reason you do it. You love cruising and want to share and help others awake to the enjoyment that is cruising. Kudos.

[need2bespoiled]

[quote name='celebrity_fan']Hi,

ok, you are right, I forgot, that Celebrity does not allow to smoke in any enclosed area... [emoji5]

I did not say, that other cruise lines, such as Princess or HAL, do not do any changes. And I do not say, that Celebrity is doing major changes. But HAL and Princess do not promote them so much, as you mentioned. It's all a matter about communication.

Also some Princess ships are recieving a restaurant update, Sabatinis will be substituted by Share on some ships, starting in Dec. 2015.
And yes, changes are necessary throughout a ships/products lifecycle, but I have the feel that the HAL/Princess ships are not changed drastically, and there overall environment is still the same.
OK, the X ships are alsonot drastically changing, also rather updated.

Worst cruiseline, regarding that fact, is RCCL - [B]every ery minor change is communicated, as they would reinvent the wheel[/B]... :rolleyes:[/QUOTE]

don't believe (fall) for they hype. It's called "Marketing" and is not necessarily directly related to the actual onboard experience.

Happy sailing,
Jenna

[uktog]

Cle, for a start I would ask that you change your signature to make your position as a paid advocate absolutely clear to others. That would be much fairer. And I would perhaps be a little more circumspect in sharing info on things you were asked your view on - if you are wanting views on the website fine, but be upfront about your role and how you will use the info.

[ghstudio]

I think it's great that cle came out :)....but I'd like to know any cc contributor who is compensated to be an advocate. I think cc needs to establish a policy and get all the advocates who post here to indicate their "affiliation" with the cruise line.....or they run the risk of losing impartial honesty...one of the key things that have made cc great

[need2bespoiled]

[quote name='uktog']Cle, for a start I would ask that you change your signature to make your position as a paid advocate absolutely clear to others. That would be much fairer. And I would perhaps be a little more circumspect in sharing info on things you were asked your view on - if you are wanting views on the website fine, but be upfront about your role and how you will use the info.[/QUOTE]

I think you're being totally unreasonable. What about all the travel agents who post here? I've seen or met more than half a dozen and some even solicit business on roll calls. What about a celebrity employee that posts here that you don't know? What about others who do the work Curt does who don't admit they do it freely?

Next up, people need to put their income and current drinking (sobriety) or drug status in their signature as those will also likely impact a posters point of view.

Everyone has bias. This is the nearly anonymous internet. If you don't take what you read here as such, you should start, or be prepared to be scammed with mis-information from a biased person eventually.

Happy sailing,
Jenna

[need2bespoiled]

[quote name='ghstudio']I think it's great that cle came out :)....but I'd like to know any cc contributor who is compensated to be an advocate. I think cc needs to establish a policy and get all the advocates who post here to indicate their "affiliation" with the cruise line.....or they run the risk of [B]losing impartial honesty[/B]...one of the key things that have made cc great[/QUOTE]

See bold above. This assumes we have this already. I hope you don't believe it.

I ask again, what about all the travel agents who ACTUALLY do get paid?

Next up, sexual orientation disclosure requirements followed closely by height in signatures.

Happy sailing,
Jenna

[richsea]

Personally, I don't think it makes a bit of difference whether someone is an advocate, ambassador, or otherwise. As cle-guy says, the renumeration is paltry, & he is correct saying his responses here are no different than before. No doubt about that.

I would however have loved to overhear his conversations with Celebrity regarding the laughs- re the Cruise Critic community. If what he hinted at is true, that is more troubling than the fact that he gets paid to be a chat host.

[Gracie115]

[quote name='cle-guy']That's fine. Each can make their own decision. As I said, I sleep well. Call that $1.50 gift card for spending an hour with a customer and walking them thru the process a bribe if you want. I just don't see it that way. If we were getting some fixed % of the actual sales amount, then I might buy into the idea of a real commission, bit this is nothing more than someone tossing me a promotional pen and Celebrity paper notepad and saying "thanks for your help!". Semantics, as some have said I suppose.

Many have stated that disclosure is needed, I disclose, and now you say disclosure diminished my credibility. Proof that no one is going to ever 100% satisfy everyone. So I'll continue to present facts and my honest opinion and let the cards fall as they may,

The majority of hat I've disclosed here is available thru google searches, nothing really secret about it.[/QUOTE]

I see this as a win for Celebrity, who have ENDLESS gripes about their website here and this is at least SOMETHING that is meant to help in that regard, and for people like yourself who appreciate the product, have the time to dedicate to this program and are willing to share the knowledge you have gained during your cruises and the time you have obviously spent studying the business model of RCL. You get some small amount of remuneration, the "chatter" gets someone who knows Celebrity and helps them ... and in the long run both parties are better off for it. What in the world is wrong with that?

[cle-guy]

[quote name='need2bespoiled']See bold above. This assumes we have this already. I hope you don't believe it.

I ask again, what about all the travel agents who ACTUALLY do get paid?

Next up, [B]sexual orientation disclosure requirements [/B]followed closely by height in signatures.

Happy sailing,
Jenna[/QUOTE]

This I believe can be gleaned form my signature as-is ;-)

I'm 5'9" :D

[Host Jazzbeau]

Curt has always (at least as long as I've noticed) been transparent about his status as an RCI shareholder. I really don't see how his new role as an Ambassador adds any additional reason to suspect his impartiality. He knows X, he likes X, he comes here to talk up X -- which is all good -- and the one way his views may be colored (the effect on his stock) is already out there.

[cle-guy]

[quote name='hughdm']My unsolicited view on this is that you cruise enough that the teeny bit of money you get is not the reason you do it. You love cruising and want to share and help others awake to the enjoyment that is cruising. Kudos.[/QUOTE]

Thank you, yes we needlers refer to out remuneration as our "Crusie Welfare" as we aren't gonna be able to pay for a cruise from it any time soon.

Also, Some folks are using the term "Ambassador". The Ambassador is a completely separate program, The Ambassadors are the Entertainment Directors on ships, a new role started in the last week or so as I understand it from other threads here, intended to push posts to social media sites in real time from the ship as their day progresses.

At some point we were referred to as Advocates, but that term has been dropped from our program anyway and seemed to be more from X's marketing spin, not Needle's. We are referred to as "Needler's".

[villauk]

[quote name='cle-guy']

I have had people with pop in and ask questions that the answer is to find a different cruise line. I give an honest analysis, saying things like Summit in summer is best for kids, holidays too. Celebrity had a kids program, the fun factory, then send them links to it. Then tell then that in [B][U]honesty[/U][/B] while kids will be happy here, RCL may be a better fit. .[/QUOTE]

Forgive me if I am wrong Curt, but looking at your signature it appears you have never been on a Royal ship so how can you 'honestly' say they are better for kids? Furthermore, have you ever taken a child on a cruise, never mind a Royal ship? I believe, you are providing an opinion from here say and not from experience. Perhaps this is what the other posters were referring to when they claimed no one knows everything. A little like X employees that try to assist in the call centres, however because there are so many anomalies, their answers may not always be correct ;).

You are definitely providing a service for a remuneration, in whatever form that may be. I have no problem whether you disclose that or not here because this is a free service and it is up to the reader whether they follow through with the advice provided or not.

[nauist]

If anyone is interested,

 

I just confirmed with Celebrity cruises that they have closed all of Molecular bars on on their fleet of ships.

 

This was my favorite bar on board....

 

The Molecular bar has been replaced with a new bar named the World Class Bar.

 

This is due to Celebrity cruise line letting its partnership with Junior Merino lapse.

 

I did call the captains club and all drinks at the world class bar are covered by the Premium Beverage package.

 

I did find a link to the new menu at the world class bar.

 

http://cruisingmates.co.uk/forum/vie...p?f=15&t=10071

 

Thought I would post this,

 

Steven & Celeste

[richstowe]

I think it's great that cle came out :)....but I'd like to know any cc contributor who is compensated to be an advocate. I think cc needs to establish a policy and get all the advocates who post here to indicate their "affiliation" with the cruise line.....or they run the risk of losing impartial honesty...one of the key things that have made cc great

 

I think you're being totally unreasonable. What about all the travel agents who post here? I've seen or met more than half a dozen and some even solicit business on roll calls. What about a celebrity employee that posts here that you don't know? What about others who do the work Curt does who don't admit they do it freely?

 

Next up, people need to put their income and current drinking (sobriety) or drug status in their signature as those will also likely impact a posters point of view.

 

Everyone has bias. This is the nearly anonymous internet. If you don't take what you read here as such, you should start, or be prepared to be scammed with mis-information from a biased person eventually.

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

Your points are well taken Jenna . Unless CC does an exhaustive background check on each member , self-reporting while admirable, may punish the honest . But perhaps knowing someone is a paid advocate will establish their bona-fides and give them a greater trust factor . Hard to say .

 

Having said that - my uncle was surgeon , my aunt a psychiatrist . They both fought to ban ALL compensation of any sort from drug companies to physicians at the hospitals and med school they were associated with . They extended the ban to students . These were not popular moves . They told me the studies were and are irrefutable , any compensation leads to significant bias . Now that's with Doctors . How much more so for brand ambassadors .

 

Having said that - we all have our own biases , paid or not . I am conflicted . :confused:

[cle-guy]

Forgive me if I am wrong Curt, but looking at your signature it appears you have never been on a Royal ship so how can you 'honestly' say they are better for kids? Furthermore, have you ever taken a child on a cruise, never mind a Royal ship? I believe, you are providing an opinion from here say and not from experience. Perhaps this is what the other posters were referring to when they claimed no one knows everything. A little like X employees that try to assist in the call centres, however because there are so many anomalies, their answers may not always be correct ;).

 

You have to be the participant in chat to understand. It's a conversation back and forth. As I said, I provided multiple options, to them, in some cases I may even say I have no kids but this is what I observe. And yes, sometimes I find threads on CC and send them links to read threads to decide. In chat when I get questions on Alaska, I let them know I have never been but here's what I've read elsewhere, and if they like I can ask a fellow chatter of they have more experience, then transfer then off to that other chatter if they desire. And sometimes we just have to say, we do not know, or we can not assist, are you captains club member, if so call this number, if not call this number.

 

But really, is there any doubt for example, that a 9-12 years old is going to have a better time on RCL Oasis of the Seas than they will on Celebrity Millennium? I know from my experience being a kid, I would rather have waterslides and mini golf and a stargazer ride thingy, than sit in cafe al baccio and watch the piano player and violinist some afternoon. I know there will be tons more kids for them to play with on the RCL ships in any market, than on Celebrity Eclipse sailing out of Southampton in May. But I provided them full details on Fun Factory via links to the X site, so they can read and make an educated decision.

 

When someone asked me if they travel in the top deck of the train on alaska crusie tours or fi they got suites on land hotels if they had a suite on ship, I told them I don't know, here's the number to Celebrity Cruise tours, and a link to the information that does exist on the website, little help as that is.

 

I have also shared the story of the TA I did where we had 1 9 year old kid, the only one. I let them know how much that kid loved his cruise since the CD did a lot to involve him. So I do feel that even though I have never sailed with my own kids, I have traveled enough with my niece and nephews, to understand that they think waterslides are cool.

Edited October 10, 2015 by cle-guy

[villauk]

You have to be the participant in chat to understand. It's a conversation back and forth. As I said, I provided multiple options, to them, in some cases I may even say I have no kids but this is what I observe. And yes, sometimes I find threads on CC and send them links to read threads to decide. In chat when I get questions on Alaska, I let them know I have never been but here's what I've read elsewhere, and if they like I can ask a fellow chatter of they have more experience, then transfer then off to that other chatter if they desire. And sometimes we just have to say, we do not know, or we can not assist, are you captains club member, if so call this number, if not call this number.

 

But really, is there any doubt for example, that a 9-12 years old is going to have a better time on RCL Oasis of the Seas than they will on Celebrity Millennium? I know from my experience being a kid, I would rather have waterslides and mini golf and a stargazer ride thingy, than sit in cafe al baccio and watch the piano player and violinist some afternoon. I know there will be tons more kids for them to play with on the RCL ships in any market, than on Celebrity Eclipse sailing out of Southampton in May. But I provided them full details on Fun Factory via links to the X site, so they can read and make an educated decision.

 

When someone asked me if they travel in the top deck of the train on alaska crusie tours or fi they got suites on land hotels if they had a suite on ship, I told them I don't know, here's the number to Celebrity Cruise tours, and a link to the information that does exist on the website, little help as that is.

 

I have also shared the story of the TA I did where we had 1 9 year old kid, the only one. I let them know how much that kid loved his cruise since the CD did a lot to involve him. So I do feel that even though I have never sailed with my own kids, I have traveled enough with my niece and nephews, to understand that they think waterslides are cool.

 

Not all kids and you have no idea what activities your child can actual experience if you ave never sailed on that line - the queues can be that long that your child never gets to experience that activity ;). We can all have opinions but there is nothing like experiencing the real thing ;). It's like saying X is your favourite line when you have nothing else to compare it to. You can say you are happy and so have never tried another line. But it's back to semantics: favourite suggests you've tried more than one type and you have compared it to others ;).

 

Oh and btw, I can certainly chat and know how to participate in it very well :D.

[cle-guy]

Back to topic...

 

Was Normandie and SS United states etc. always on the ships since they were built? I've read some posts of the years that seems to indicate for-fee specialty dining venues are relatively new.

 

If not, what was there before it was a dining venue and when did they appear. Were they anything else along the way?

[BEAV]

Back to topic...

 

Was Normandie and SS United states etc. always on the ships since they were built? I've read some posts of the years that seems to indicate for-fee specialty dining venues are relatively new.

 

If not, what was there before it was a dining venue and when did they appear. Were they anything else along the way?

 

Yes, they were on board from the inception of the M-class ships. They were always a fee-based venue. Millie appeared in Summer 2000 and we sailed her in January 2001. At that time, Olympic was either $20 or $25.

 

We are really going to miss SS United States and Normandie. End of a wonderful era where we enjoyed countless hours on many voyages.

[Lois R]

Back to topic...

 

Was Normandie and SS United states etc. always on the ships since they were built? I've read some posts of the years that seems to indicate for-fee specialty dining venues are relatively new.

 

If not, what was there before it was a dining venue and when did they appear. Were they anything else along the way?

 

The M class ships all had 1 Specialty Restaurant when they were built.

The ships that did not have a Specialty Restaurant are no longer in the fleet.

Not sure where you heard they are "relatively new".......the only thing

new was when the M class were "Solsticizied" and additional Specialty

Restaurants were added.

Edited October 10, 2015 by Lois R

[richsea]

The specialty restaurants named after old ships have been there since the ships were built.

[Wine-O]

Yes, they were on board from the inception of the M-class ships. They were always a fee-based venue. Millie appeared in Summer 2000 and we sailed her in January 2001. At that time, Olympic was either $20 or $25.

 

We are really going to miss SS United States and Normandie. End of a wonderful era where we enjoyed countless hours on many voyages.

 

Gosh, I can remember Millie back in 2000 when it was around $8 and you had to wear a coat & tie. I had a turtleneck and blazer and got a polite scold by the Maitre'D.

[Gracie115]

Back to topic...

 

Was Normandie and SS United states etc. always on the ships since they were built? I've read some posts of the years that seems to indicate for-fee specialty dining venues are relatively new.

 

If not, what was there before it was a dining venue and when did they appear. Were they anything else along the way?

 

As others have said they were there from the beginning. We were on Summit 2 months after it debuted and Normandie was $20 per person. We went twice on that cruise and those meals still stand out as the best meals we have ever had at sea for both service and food. Just excellent. Today's version pales in comparison. I, am glad they are changing the venue, would rather just remember the best of them.....only our opinion of course.

 

The "M" class spec. rest. were among the first at this level of cruising, if not THE first.