Celebrity Moving Down Market??

[ISABELLA]

1. 
   

Well the new internet service will certainly help there at least.:D

 

Why bother to go on the cruise to be entertained by IT equipment? People can just sit on their couches and play games, watch videos or movies....

If the cruise lines are starting with that approach, will have to start to look at other types of vacation.

[wallie5446]

I agree, but I think it applies to any work. All employers in any industry should try to create an environment where employees are treated with dignity, find their job rewarding and hopefully enjoyable.

 

Please pinch me! Many industries are not even close to this concept.

[DYKWIA]

Please pinch me! Many industries are not even close to this concept.

 

More's the pity

[anniegb]

1. 
   

 

Why bother to go on the cruise to be entertained by IT equipment? People can just sit on their couches and play games, watch videos or movies....

If the cruise lines are starting with that approach, will have to start to look at other types of vacation.

 

Well said.

 

Annie

[Cruise Junky]

1. 
   

 

Why bother to go on the cruise to be entertained by IT equipment? People can just sit on their couches and play games, watch videos or movies....

If the cruise lines are starting with that approach, will have to start to look at other types of vacation.

 

I'm baffled as to why you care or would even make such a comment about how someone else chooses to relax and spend their time.

[MicCanberra]

1. 
   

 

Why bother to go on the cruise to be entertained by IT equipment? People can just sit on their couches and play games, watch videos or movies....

If the cruise lines are starting with that approach, will have to start to look at other types of vacation.

 

In my experience, I like to switch off from connections and check in once a day for email and maybe some social websites. However, I have met an increasing amount of people (Americans) on cruises who rely on the internet while cruising so that their jobs remain secure and the only reason they can cruise is that they maintain an internet presence at work via email. The faster internet is a godsend for them, and I certainly appreciated keeping up with the sports scores as well.:D

Edited May 31, 2016 by MicCanberra

[keithm]

Not to doubt you but we had a completely different experience on Connie two weeks ago. I had just written my wine exam two days before we left and had great conversations with our sommelier. Snacks were provided in the martini bar, no issue with bar service anywhere else. Might be a specific ship issue.

Hopefully not! We always found the eclipse to be an outstanding ship. The food was great & the dress codes more formal(which we like)more so than other Celebrity ships. Seems all the lines try to have a ship that appeals to a certain type of pax. We find the Eclipse does for us. We'll see if our 1/22/2017 trip on the eclipse matches the other 2 we had before.

[MicCanberra]

Hopefully not! We always found the eclipse to be an outstanding ship. The food was great & the dress codes more formal(which we like)more so than other Celebrity ships. Seems all the lines try to have a ship that appeals to a certain type of pax. We find the Eclipse does for us. We'll see if our 1/22/2017 trip on the eclipse matches the other 2 we had before.

 

I am sure it will. Sounds like the eclipse is to you what the Solstice is for me.:D

[Flamencacha]

I'm baffled as to why you care or would even make such a comment about how someone else chooses to relax and spend their time.[/

 

 

I didn't make the comment, but could understand her opinion. The poster stated that if that's the way they are headed she will vacation elsewhere.

 

I agree with her my next two cruises this year better be doozies.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MicCanberra]

I'm baffled as to why you care or would even make such a comment about how someone else chooses to relax and spend their time.[/

 

 

I didn't make the comment, but could understand her opinion. The poster stated that if that's the way they are headed she will vacation elsewhere.

 

I agree with her my next two cruises this year better be doozies.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I hope they are.:D

[villauk]

 

I agree with her my next two cruises this year better be doozies.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

 

I hope they are.:D

 

Well the last one better be :D!

Edited June 1, 2016 by villauk

[Cruise Junky]

 

I didn't make the comment, but could understand her opinion. The poster stated that if that's the way they are headed she will vacation elsewhere.

 

I agree with her my next two cruises this year better be doozies.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

So other people using their devices on the internet will make or break your cruise? Interesting. They have no bearing on mine

[Flamencacha]

So other people using their devices on the internet will make or break your cruise? Interesting. They have no bearing on mine

 

 

 

Fortunately not, but if X is spending their improvement monies on technology while cutting back on activities then yes it does affect our experience.

 

That's the way I understood the post.

 

And yes it sux to have to use five minutes to send an email.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[richstowe]

1. 
   

 

Why bother to go on the cruise to be entertained by IT equipment? People can just sit on their couches and play games, watch videos or movies....

If the cruise lines are starting with that approach, will have to start to look at other types of vacation.

 

So other people using their devices on the internet will make or break your cruise? Interesting. They have no bearing on mine

Exactly CruiseJunky . It sounds like another dress code argument . What others wear rarely concerns me .

I care even less if they can't unhook themselves from the net . Is increased WiFi evidence of cruising going downmarket ? ;)

[chamima]

1. 
   

 

Why bother to go on the cruise to be entertained by IT equipment? People can just sit on their couches and play games, watch videos or movies....

If the cruise lines are starting with that approach, will have to start to look at other types of vacation.

 

So other people using their devices on the internet will make or break your cruise? Interesting. They have no bearing on mine

 

 

 

I am not Isabella but I think you misunderstood her statement.

What she is criticizing is NOT other passengers and what they choose to do with their time but the cruise lines (and Celebrity in particular) for relying on the faster internet instead of hiring entertainers .

[richstowe]

I am not Isabella but I think you misunderstood her statement.

What she is criticizing is NOT other passengers and what they choose to do with their time but the cruise lines (and Celebrity in particular) for relying on the faster internet instead of hiring entertainers .

I don't believe technology improvements have any bearing on staffing levels .

[Cruise Junky]

I am not Isabella but I think you misunderstood her statement.

What she is criticizing is NOT other passengers and what they choose to do with their time but the cruise lines (and Celebrity in particular) for relying on the faster internet instead of hiring entertainers .

 

Well it's certainly not what she said. X and other cruise lines have to invest in technology. It's a changing world and their demographic and target demographic are changing. There's a million reasons that people need to be connected. Have Celebrity cut their entertainment staff? absolutely. But no one has any information that it's related to increasing technology.

[morbihan]

Since booking our cruise and actually sailing, the health of my husband deteriated sharply.

 

Thank goodness for the internet! He was happy all day long.

 

We have never been users of the onboard activities. Just not our cup of tea. We use the ship like a floating hotel. I know some of you will think us mad! Dashing around a town looking at churches and fallen down old stones when we could be sat on the balcony relaxing with a glass of rosé - lovely.

 

Each person looks for different things.

 

We sailed on Cunard in January. Certainly it is more formal but not formal as in dressed up all the time. I don't know why people believe everybody on board are rich and stuck up. In our experience this is not the case. I find Celebrity and Cunard on a par. Food in the MDR is about the same but the buffet on Silhouette at least was much better. On Cunard we ended up going to the restaurant at lunchtime just to find something nice to eat. Cabins, staff, cleanliness etc., the same. I can't comment on the entertainment as we didn't use either. There were some keen dancers in the ballroom on Cunard.

 

I wish Cunard would offer a drinks package though. That is just me! Keeps my consumption down when I see the price of two drinks:D Mind you Cunard was much cheaper than Celebrity and we could have drunk lots to have paid the same.

 

Certainly go with Cunard again.

 

Edited to say that I would cheerfully pay for a package. Just the effort of signing a chit. Toooo much when I am on my hols!

Edited June 1, 2016 by morbihan

[ISABELLA]

I'm baffled as to why you care or would even make such a comment about how someone else chooses to relax and spend their time.

 

FromVILLAUK:

The Activities Staff were definitely cut a couple of years ago. It was highlighted many times on CC and confirmed by many staff onboard . Justification (from an officer): X are targeting the younger, more affluent guest that doesn't want entertainment but to sit, relax and use their own IT equipment to pass time .

 

That is why

[ISABELLA]

I am not Isabella but I think you misunderstood her statement.

What she is criticizing is NOT other passengers and what they choose to do with their time but the cruise lines (and Celebrity in particular) for relying on the faster internet instead of hiring entertainers .

 

Exactly! Thank you.

I like Celebrity and cruise primarily with X, but I have to say that quality and variety of entertainers are going down the hill for some time now.

Now during my 10 or 14 days cruise - only half of the shows I liked.

A lot of times - bands are not so great either, and DJ plays in more places then ever. So, there are not too many choices of musical entertainment on the ship after dinner. What had happened to classical quartets that used to play in Cafe AlBaccio and in MDR on formal nights - O! - no more formal nights! I guess classical music doesn't go with modern chic.

Maybe this is the way for Celebrity to message us - spend more money shopping or gamble - what else to do if nothing good playing....Just MHO.

Edited June 1, 2016 by ISABELLA

[Can'tstopcruising]

Exactly! Thank you.

I like Celebrity and cruise primarily with X, but I have to say that quality and variety of entertainers are going down the hill for some time now.

Now during my 10 or 14 days cruise - only half of the shows I liked.

A lot of times - bands are not so great either, and DJ plays in more places then ever. So, there are not too many choices of musical entertainment on the ship after dinner. What had happened to classical quartets that used to play in Cafe AlBaccio and in MDR on formal nights - O! - no more formal nights! I guess classical music doesn't go with modern chic.

Maybe this is the way for Celebrity to message us - spend more money shopping or gamble - what else to do if nothing good playing....Just MHO.

 

We have friends who have cruised on most of the other lines. Last year they tried the 14 day Eclipse and complained that there was no entertainment before of after dinner. We used to have quiet music time as Isabella mentioned. Some were very enjoyable. On one cruise, there was a guitar player and pax were actually dancing in the aisle!

 

If, by "down market" you mean lower class pax, I doubt it.

 

With so many people on each ship, you will find some from most walks of life. This is what I have observed on most of our cruises.

[Flamencacha]

We have friends who have cruised on most of the other lines. Last year they tried the 14 day Eclipse and complained that there was no entertainment before of after dinner. We used to have quiet music time as Isabella mentioned. Some were very enjoyable. On one cruise' date=' there was a guitar player and pax were actually dancing in the aisle!

 

If, by "down market" you mean lower class pax, I doubt it.

 

With so many people on each ship, you will find some from most walks of life. This is what I have observed on most of our cruises.[/quote']

 

 

I am sure the poster did not mean a lower class pax. [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[jbuch02]

Seeing lots of dissatisfaction with Celebrity's onboard entertainment. Not an entertainer or entertainment critic but I love Broadway productions, especially musicals, dance, all kinds of music so, I'm pretty open minded.

 

I think it worthwhile, amid the apparent distaste for much of what Celebrity has been doing lately with their entertainment, to know how all of this entertainment comes to be. Celebrity used to be paired with RCL's Production Company until March of 2015. At this time Celebrity, while not really splitting off from RCL Productions, moved into a new studio in Miami and set up a separate production staff as well has hiring a separate management team that does both the hiring for and production of the shows. There is also an Entertainment manager and staff who are responsible for interviewing and hiring the individual guest performers at the HQ level. The Cruise directors have considerable input on this facet of Celebrity Entertainment Operations but are not directly involved in who gets hired and where that person might be placed.

 

In my view, the productions shows with regard to the talent level, costuming and the shows themselves have demonstrated significant improvement. Some of the new shows are quirky like Elyria but from an acting, dancing, singing and production standpoint they are leading edge. Like most things, it is a matter of taste so, there are those who like the changes and those that don't. Talent level is superb and given the opportunity (most performers will tell you right place, right time and who you know) are good enough to perform on Broadway. They are that good and the competition for parts is tough.

 

I've provided two links below. One of the links will take you directly to the who's who at the corporate level involved in Production Shows and Entertainment management. At the operational level there are positions on board ship, beyond that of the cruise director, who reports to the Captain not the HQ entertainment Management team. These entertainment category managers unlike the Cruise Director, report directly to members of the HQ Entertainment and Production staff.

 

The second link takes you to a recruiting page for singers and dancers and describes some of the shows Celebrity is featuring right now on its ships.

 

What my comments pertain to is that there is a ton of money being poured into these production shows including the several smaller shows done by the production cast in various venues throughout the ship. No cuts here that I am aware of. I suppose the case can be made, based on what some are experiencing with regard to the Cabaret Level performers (string quartets, solo singers and guitarists, etc.) that there are some reductions in funds for smaller scale entertainment to help off-set what is being spent on the production shows. But we can't know this for sure and I'm troubled by posters who assert there are cuts. The only thing I've noticed that isn't ubiquitous any longer are the A cappella groups. All our recent cruises in the last 12 months (5 of them) have had, among others, a string quartet group, a jazz soloist, a pop band, a solo folk singer, a solo pop guitarist, all performing in the smaller venues. They are easy to miss as they usually only perform for 30m to an hour and sometimes at odd hours. You're more likely to stumble upon them than find or recognize these groups on the Daily.

 

Anyway, I think building two entertainment groups within RCL, one dedicated to Celebrity alone, is going through some growing pains and that might explain some of the issues raised in this thread. I think over time, things will improve.

 

http://celebritycruisesproductions.com/who-we-are.html

 

http://www.celebritycruisesproductions.com/

[chamima]

On our last cruise (Eclipse 14 day) the new production shows were great.

 

The problem was on the other nights when often there seemed to be nothing after about 9:00 (which is when we finish dinner).

 

It was a glaring difference from the same cruise a year earlier when there was constantly something going on all over the ship until well past midnight!

 

(It might be in CDs and their planning - in 2015 we had Sue Denning - someone else in 2016.)

[grandgeezer]

We were on the Silhouette last month, after they started doing their own production shows. They cheapened them so much, we didn't go to any of them on the second leg of the B2B. Very little visual as far as set changes or costumes that made us sit up and notice, might as well have listened to it on the radio. We've done 37 cruises, over five of the major lines, many being B2B. Until this episode, we've never skipped a production show, or even left early.