The good ole' days?

[Iamcruzin]

Actually the "S" class ships hold about 2900 people and believe it or not when introduced there WERE only 2 assigned dining times, no Select Dining except for Blu....that. Select Dining began a year or two after the "S" class were introduced....

 

In terms of the amount of passengers, Celebrity ships carry the least amount of passengers when comparing them to Royal, NCL, Carnival and Princess. That's a plus in my book.

[HS2BS]

There was a time that a tip was "to insure promptness" and tipping was done on the last night of the cruise to those that deserved it. Service and personal attention has never been the same since the customer is mandated to include the gratuity prior to the cruise. That's what has happened to service!

 

Hal

[chamima]

There was a time that a tip was "to insure promptness" and tipping was done on the last night of the cruise to those that deserved it. Service and personal attention has never been the same since the customer is mandated to include the gratuity prior to the cruise. That's what has happened to service!

 

Hal

 

Sorry to disagree.

I think several things have happened to service (and, mind you, I still think we get wonderful service the vast majority of the time).

Each staff person now has to cover many, many more passengers than they did in the past, leaving them no time for the slow personalized service of the past as they rush to fulfill the best they can.

And, secondly, I think training has been shortened.

 

We always tip extra at the end of each cruise and have usually had a reason to do so.

I can only think of twice in 45 years of cruising that we haven't.

Edited December 17, 2015 by chamima

[jruben18]

Agree. Another positive (at least from our perspective)about Cruising today compared to the good ole' days is now smoking areas are very limited.

 

New and, IMHO, improved would include:

State of the art fitness facilities and Spa (I used to gain 15 lb.s, now only 10)

Interactive TV including on demand programming (Does not help my weight gain)

Healthier food choices (Blu spa cuisine, absence of midnight buffet-helps re: wt)

[dkjretired]

There was a time that a tip was "to insure promptness" and tipping was done on the last night of the cruise to those that deserved it. Service and personal attention has never been the same since the customer is mandated to include the gratuity prior to the cruise. That's what has happened to service!

 

Hal

 

Do you remember on the last night people not coming to dinner so they could skip giving tips. Saw that several times and from nice people you sat with all week.

[neverbeenhere]

Do you remember on the last night people not coming to dinner so they could skip giving tips. Saw that several times and from nice people you sat with all week.

 

 

Not exclusive to Celebrity cruises. But, originally switched to tables for two because of this issue. We sat many last nights at tables with half the original passengers attending. Also, saw some empty envelopes left by passengers.

Edited December 18, 2015 by neverbeenhere

[LabGuy64]

yOU MUST BE THE ONLY ONE WILLING TO PAY THEN......ALL I HEAR IS PEOPLE MOANING OVER EVERY DOLLAR OR POUND THEY HAVE TO PAY.....

 

 

 

My offerings...

 

* Grand buffet

 

* Real pastry offerings - the pain au chocolate used to be pastry quality, now cheap bread

 

* Breads made on ship - now frozen and baked

 

* Real cream for room service coffee - now some awful edible oil crap that leaves an oil film

 

* Garnished entrees in MDR - now sparse to none

 

* Complex and innovative salads at the Spa Cafe - now basic salads and less variety

 

* Meat quality reduction - as previously noted by many posters

 

* Sail away band for caribbean sailings - gone

 

* On S class - the fancy sandwiches at Bacio available when you boarded - added a glass of wine while waiting for the rooms to be ready - was a magnificent way to start the cruise - gone

 

* The lemon tarts with chocolate slab on top - replaced with pre made tart with no chocolate. The former tarts were available in the Bacio - they were made with real lemon curd and absolutely fabulous. On many cruises we were at the sunset cafe and we would send someone to fetch a plate - gone

 

 

In all cases, the former "premium" offerings have been replaced with inferior products.

 

The former offerings were more in line with "modern luxury". Today, the products are typical mass stuff that would be found on most cruise lines.

 

This is the essence of how Celebrity has changed to just another cruise line.

 

Frankly, I am willing to pay a fare that provides for the former product - it is just that Celebrity will not provide it.

 

ABoatNerd

[Ma Bell]

yOU MUST BE THE ONLY ONE WILLING TO PAY THEN......ALL I HEAR IS PEOPLE MOANING OVER EVERY DOLLAR OR POUND THEY HAVE TO PAY.....

 

Really, I think you have a wild imagination.

[ABoatNerd]

Our household is interested in purchasing the former Celebrity product at a price which is reasonable and understandable.

 

Since the Celebrity downgrading started over 2 years ago we have sailed Crystal, Oceania, Cunard which all provided a wonderful experience.

 

When we booked it was clear what these cruise lines would provide and at a specific price point. We received what we thought we would receive.

 

Not so on our February Infinity trip to south america - the food, service, entertainment were at a lower standard than previous and shrilling to sell cheap gold necklaces was embarrassing.

 

Our issue with Celebrity is that they are diluting their former brand - replacing it with some bull "modern luxury".

 

So we purchase the former Celebrity product via different cruise lines.

 

If Celebrity ever settles on a brand and stable product offering we may reconsider sailing with them depending upon the value proposition Celebrity provides versus the alternative lines we now patronize.

 

Fortunately, there are so many vacation options available no one has to settle just on Celebrity!

 

Happy sailing to all

 

ABoatNerd