What about Service and Ambiance

[WesternBroncoCruiser]

Hey, I'm a long time lurker her at CC, but decided to join the conversation last week.

 

When I was loging in today there was a survey about why one books a cruise and it listed a whole bunch of things, but not a one of them had to do with service and ambiance.

 

I've done a couple of Royal Caribbean cruises, but they just don't compare to the service and ambiance of a Celebrity cruise. Princess and Holland excell in differenct aspects of service and ambiance, but for my taste the food, serive and ambiance on Celebrity the best fit for me.

 

I'm wondering if that is why others choose Celebrity too.

[AZNative2000]

Hey, I'm a long time lurker her at CC, but decided to join the conversation last week.

 

When I was loging in today there was a survey about why one books a cruise and it listed a whole bunch of things, but not a one of them had to do with service and ambiance.

 

I've done a couple of Royal Caribbean cruises, but they just don't compare to the service and ambiance of a Celebrity cruise. Princess and Holland excell in differenct aspects of service and ambiance, but for my taste the food, serive and ambiance on Celebrity the best fit for me.

 

I'm wondering if that is why others choose Celebrity too.

 

We have tried several cruise lines. Initially, we select the cruise by itinerary and schedule. It was for those reasons we selected our first Celebrity Cruise.

 

However, it was the service, ambiance, and true value we found in Celebrity that moved us to book our next Celebrity cruise (2017) while still on board. I am already looking ahead to the offerings for 2018.

 

Cheers!

[Project_gal]

It is definitely the service and ambiance that keeps us with Celebrity [and cruising for that matter]. We have cruised with Celebrity, Azamara and NCL. Our choice of Celebrity over Azamara is often questioned [but not NCL:rolleyes:].

 

The problem is that it is so difficult to explain how service and ambiance varies in concrete terms when both could be classed as "good" and I usually have to resort to things like "it is easy for venues to appear crowded/noisy/etc on a smaller ship" when what I really mean is that "it just feels better to me".

 

It is similar with service. Celebrity provides a discrete service which manages to make people feel special rather than overtly "special" service which perhaps isn't really. [see, I said it was difficult to define.] One way I can try to describe it is finding that Celebrity had quietly swapped my welcome on board bottle of bubbly to a better one [knowing that my beverage of choice is champagne] without pointing out the upgrade whereas elsewhere being told that you have been given something special when you know it is not [it is what is included for everyone - ie it is only what you have paid for].

[chemmo]

Totally agree with Sue, it is hard to describe, but all I know is as I come to board that Ooooo of excitement overtakes me quickly followed by that aaaaaah of total relaxation....

 

Cruising with Celebrity just seems to have the right balance for us..

 

-plenty to do if you want to but not loud if you just want to relax.

 

-that quiet discrete service where staff seem to know what you want before you even ask for it.

 

-relaxing surroundings both in the suite and around the ship.

 

-just knowing that the standards you expect will be provided and at times surpassed.

 

Can't wait for my next cruise and we have only been back just over a month!

[pete_coach]

We have only done a few cruises and started with Celebrity and liked everything that was offered on the first cruise and saw no reason to change. On our second cruise, we reaffirmed that Celebrity was great and same for the next 2 cruises. We also really liked the itineraries and stayed with Celebrity.

 

Unfortunately, The itineraries are still the same as on our first cruise (to the places that interest us) and to find new places to see, we will most likely have to change cruise lines.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

that started our loyalty with Celebrity. Like others, it's hard to define but they just seem to do it seamlessly. I remember one cruise where we had a bottle of wine that we decided to take up to the buffet to enjoy at lunch. We were sitting at a table having a glass before getting our food. A maître 'd came by and started chatting, he finally said to wait there and disappeared for a few minutes. He returned with a plate of cheese, olives and baguette's for us to enjoy with our wine.

 

On our last cruise we were having lunch on the fan tail and drinking a glass of wine. The Cellar Master came by and asked what we were drinking. Told him I could not remember the name because it was just ok. He flagged down a sommelier, sent her to Luminae, which was closed for lunch, and she returned with a bottle of Altos

[WesternBroncoCruiser]

We have always found that the service on Celebrity exceeds expectations. My wife had to pass on a couple of types or hot appetizers being passed around in the captain's club gathering, and the server asked my she was passing them up. She explained that it was a Friday during Lent so she was abstaining from eating meat. The server said "wait just one minute" and she came back with a tray with fish and cheese appetizers.

 

We really enjoyed our recent Princess cruise and found that the Bar staff was especially gracious and provided that intuitive service, but by contrast we felt the wine service was not nearly as polished and knowledgeable as the wine staff on Celebrity. For that reason I have to put Celebrity above them. However when we asked for better crystal on Princess for our wine with dinner, they were gracious enough to bring us better glasses.

 

It has me wondering if Regent and Crystal are even that next step up in service where it is hard to describe but just so much better.

[minidonuts85]

Totally agree with Sue, it is hard to describe, but all I know is as I come to board that Ooooo of excitement overtakes me quickly followed by that aaaaaah of total relaxation....

 

Cruising with Celebrity just seems to have the right balance for us..

 

-plenty to do if you want to but not loud if you just want to relax.

 

-that quiet discrete service where staff seem to know what you want before you even ask for it.

 

-relaxing surroundings both in the suite and around the ship.

 

-just knowing that the standards you expect will be provided and at times surpassed.

 

Can't wait for my next cruise and we have only been back just over a month!

 

I agree with all of the posts here but in simplicity, this sums it up for us!

 

We walk on the ship, we know we are on vacation.

[WesternBroncoCruiser]

I agree with all of the posts here but in simplicity, this sums it up for us!

 

We walk on the ship, we know we are on vacation.

 

Yep this pretty much sums it up. I wonder if I would feel just the same walking on a Carnival ship?

[rnrcruzin]

I was on an extended business trip. A coworker began showing me pictures of his Alaskan Cruise on Celebrity. I then selected Celebrity as our Alaskan cruise and booked CC. Celebrity upgraded us to AQ. That was a nice start. But our ship, the Millie, suffered a pod failure and the cruise was cut short. It was how Celebrity treated us after our trip that keeps us coming back. We received a full refund for our cruise and FCC of equal value.

 

When you ask about service and ambiance you are really asking for someones subjective opinion. And just like belly buttons, well you know how that goes. There are so many factors that come into play it really doesn't surprise me that folks have a difficult time defining their answer.

 

I personally don't believe there are any systemic problems - except their computer network - with Celebrity.

[Diane Rose]

I have to agree with everyone here. Impeccable service, ambiance and they provide a wonderful vacation.

 

A few years back I was so excited to cruise in a Celebrity Suite. We put our bags down and walked around the ship. When we got back to our suite there were several people standing outside our cabin. An AC pipe had burst and the cabin was uninhabitable. Fortunately for us someone did not show up for their aft Sky Suite and we were given that cabin for 3 days until ours was ready. Besides free drinks and free massages, they gave us a full cruise credit (good for 5 years) and a cash refund of the difference in cost between the SS and CS for the 3 days we were in it. I couldn't have been happier. They definitely have our loyalty.

 

Diane

[AZNative2000]

We have always found that the service on Celebrity exceeds expectations. My wife had to pass on a couple of types or hot appetizers being passed around in the captain's club gathering, and the server asked my she was passing them up. She explained that it was a Friday during Lent so she was abstaining from eating meat. The server said "wait just one minute" and she came back with a tray with fish and cheese appetizers.

 

There is a Celebrity commercial that says they anticipate, "what you want even before you know." (Paraphrasing.) And it's true.

 

I have to agree with everyone here. Impeccable service, ambiance and they provide a wonderful vacation.

 

A few years back I was so excited to cruise in a Celebrity Suite. We put our bags down and walked around the ship. When we got back to our suite there were several people standing outside our cabin. An AC pipe had burst and the cabin was uninhabitable. Fortunately for us someone did not show up for their aft Sky Suite and we were given that cabin for 3 days until ours was ready. Besides free drinks and free massages, they gave us a full cruise credit (good for 5 years) and a cash refund of the difference in cost between the SS and CS for the 3 days we were in it. I couldn't have been happier. They definitely have our loyalty.

 

Diane

 

I will bet that you didn't even need to ask them for compensation, that it was given freely. Every crew member, manager, officer, seems to truly value their customers. Not so on every cruise line.

 

Cheers!

[chemmo]

Thanks minidonuts85....

 

My post was one I wrote instinctively (as in Ooooo, Ahhhhh) and then thought was a mistake. Glad someone else knew what I was trying to get at!

[Diane Rose]

I will bet that you didn't even need to ask them for compensation, that it was given freely. Every crew member, manager, officer, seems to truly value their customers. Not so on every cruise line.

 

Cheers!

 

You are correct. And I was very pleasantly surprised. Just had to say thank you!

 

Diane

[Mystictraveler]

This is an interesting post and it is interesting to see the different perspectives. We did our first Celebrity cruise last May and have another one scheduled next month and again in 2017.

 

We have previously cruised on Regent Seven Seas (2), Holland America (3) and Azamara (1) and were still searching for the "right" fit. RSS is really great, but really expensive. As a reformed accountant, it is just hard to justify. HA and Azamara were "OK", but we found the entertainment lacking and the food average. And while we are no longer party animals, the carpets seem to roll up very early.

 

We felt Celebrity was very classy and you felt like you were cruising in a bit of luxury. There was a good bit of entertainment throughout the day which we really enjoy, plus there were some very good evening shows. The food was, for the most part, very good. We really enjoyed interacting with the staff and appreciated that they came from all over the world.

 

The only area we were not really impressed with was the size of the cabins. We were in a CC cabin and you know it is small when you can stand in the bathroom and touch both walls. So, for this next cruise, after we made our final payment, we took advantage of a greatly reduced price for a Celebrity Suite but were pleasantly surprised when we were assigned a Royal Suite.

[WesternBroncoCruiser]

This is an interesting post and it is interesting to see the different perspectives. We did our first Celebrity cruise last May and have another one scheduled next month and again in 2017.

 

We have previously cruised on Regent Seven Seas (2), Holland America (3) and Azamara (1) and were still searching for the "right" fit. RSS is really great, but really expensive. As a reformed accountant, it is just hard to justify. HA and Azamara were "OK", but we found the entertainment lacking and the food average. And while we are no longer party animals, the carpets seem to roll up very early.

 

We felt Celebrity was very classy and you felt like you were cruising in a bit of luxury. There was a good bit of entertainment throughout the day which we really enjoy, plus there were some very good evening shows. The food was, for the most part, very good. We really enjoyed interacting with the staff and appreciated that they came from all over the world.

 

The only area we were not really impressed with was the size of the cabins. We were in a CC cabin and you know it is small when you can stand in the bathroom and touch both walls. So, for this next cruise, after we made our final payment, we took advantage of a greatly reduced price for a Celebrity Suite but were pleasantly surprised when we were assigned a Royal Suite.

 

 

 

Now that sounds nice. You got the upgrade, but did you get all 4 perks, or just the original ones that came with your original booking?

[Mystictraveler]

Now that sounds nice. You got the upgrade, but did you get all 4 perks, or just the original ones that came with your original booking?

 

We had classic bev package + gratuities + $300 OBC and when we upgraded we got premium bev package, gratuities, $300 OBC and unlimited internet. And now we get all the extra perks with a royal suite like unlimited specialty dining and laundry a couple of times. We got lucky when we accepted the GTY celebrity suite.

[crslover]

We have been lucky enough to cruise Regent, Azamara, and Celebrity. Most of our cruises have been with Celebrity. Regent is a special experience. There is no comparison depending on destination. Our first cruise was on Celebrity, and we will spend a month on the Silhouette this fall. I believe they have come a long way in customer service. Ship size is almost the main difference between them and Regent. :)

[4774Papa]

Like AZnative, we like Celebrity for its variety of great itineraries. However, the service is excellent and the absence is a plus. We do cruise on NCL when the price and itinerary are good, but their service and food is not as good.

[minidonuts85]

Yep this pretty much sums it up. I wonder if I would feel just the same walking on a Carnival ship?

 

Only if you enjoy being approached one after the other with someone pushing a tray of drinks to buy, bass bumping music as you embark, more buy buy buy. Got old after awhile. Took us 26 sailings with CCL to figure that out ;)