Just back from AUZ Cruise and has Celebrity taken service down a notch?

[gerelmx]

Less than expected

 

Drink Package "system" - This was very frustrating and we had a premium drink package, and the Seapass card often had the drink package rubbed off and the issue is their drink order system, didn't associate or know we had a drink package. They have to enter it from the card, which seems crazy. We were repeatedly asked, and questioned a couple of times and in the Main Dining Room, they even charged us (which we got reversed when we saw our final bill). We did get new cards printed and when we asked a few of the wait staff, they too complained about the system not being able to automatically know if the drinks we ordered aligned with a package or not.

They have Gremlins in their systems. Mysteriously my captain number has been erased from my Eclipse check-in.

[2calgarycruisers]

We too had a horrible experience with the “sommeliers” in the anytime Dining section of the MDR on the Silhouette last November in the Med. Despite having the premium drink package and regardless of what we were eating we received the same response “if you want white, order this - if you want red, order this”. Cellar Masters however was a completely different experience.

 

 

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[2calgarycruisers]

We too had a horrible experience with the “sommeliers” in the anytime Dining section of the MDR on the Silhouette last November in the Med. Despite having the premium drink package and regardless of what we were eating we received the same response “if you want white, order this - if you want red, order this”. Cellar Masters however was a completely different experience.

 

 

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Just to clarify it was always the same two wines

 

 

 

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[Wine-O]

Just to clarify it was always the same two wines

 

 

I think he was just lazy.

[Beachlover1989]

Sorry to hear they didn't have any of the local wines on board. I'll just have to bring my own on board from the various ports.

 

 

Can you do that? I was under the impression that you could only bring wine onboard for embarkation. But then on our NZ/AUS cruise in 2017, we saw one couple bring bottles on at each port...

 

 

 

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[Wine-O]

Can you do that? I was under the impression that you could only bring wine onboard for embarkation. But then on our NZ/AUS cruise in 2017, we saw one couple bring bottles on at each port...

 

That's what I'm counting on. ;)

[wowgirl/itguy]

That's what I'm counting on. ;)

 

We did bring wine back on board with us after buying it in port so it should be no issue for you. I am not positive but I think they only frown on bringing back spirits. I will warn you that the wine was not a deal so bring extra cash with you. We were surprised how much more the same wines cost in NZ and AUS than the do here at home.

[cruise kitty]

That's what I'm counting on. ;)

 

We had no issues carrying wine on from each port, since we both had the premium package, it's saving them money when we drink our own. ;)

[Iamthesea]

Wine-O,

I am sure your cruise will be amazing. The quirks we had certainly did not ruin anything for us and our view is that we love to unpack once and be able to get to the places we want to go (granted it is never enough time) and then move on to the next location. If you ever do decide to do AQ - you can definitely request the same staff if you desire. We made quick friends with the restaurant manager and she would see us and immediately tell us when a window seat would be open for us. She even came to find us in a bar to tell us when a spot was open. She was amazing and made it all worthwhile.

 

Sadly, there were NO local wines on board. We were disappointed by this for sure, so be aware you will not get NZ and AUS wines throughout your cruise. We are Premium beverage people and only had to pay the incremental difference when we got wine in the Cellar Masters. I will say the "Somm" in Cellar Masters did improve by the end of the trip but getting to know us on day 9 out of 12 is not a good stat in my book.

 

Feel free to reach out if you have any specific questions.

 

Do you have a photo to share of Miss Gee? The name sounds familiar, but I cannot place her. We will be sailing on the Solstice in 3 weeks. Love the review!

[bottomfeeder]

We had no issues carrying wine on from each port, since we both had the premium package, it's saving them money when we drink our own. ;)

 

I think that is exactly why they have become so much more lax about allowing people to bring wine onboard at ports in the last couple of years. Most people have beverage packages now so it saves Celebrity money if they bring wine onboard themselves. That said I've never quite dared to try it myself unless I'm on a westbound TA and will be driving home from the port, because the idea of flying with wine in my checked luggage scares me, and I don't want to have to just leave it on the ship if it is confiscated when I bring it onboard and I don't get it back until the night before the cruise ends. In my limited experience on a westbound transatlantic I was able to bring multiple bottles onboard in various ports without a problem, though.

 

(Many years ago I had a very bad experience with 6 bottles of well-padded beer in my luggage, Northworst Airlines, connecting flight canceled due to thunderstorms so I had to go home instead of to my next business destination since I would have missed the meeting anyway, unable to get checked luggage back as "it was all containerized and we can't get to it now", the bag--reeking of stale beer--delivered to my house about 5 days later long after the beer had come open in the luggage probably due to hot summer temps...had to throw the suitcase and all its contents away. I will never risk it again! The bottles weren't broken, they had just popped their tops in the heat.) :)

[Luvcrusn]

Interesting about your noting the decline in sommeliers. About 10 years ago, DH and I did a two week Infinity cruise of the Panama Canal and South America. We dined in the MDR and had the most amazing sommelier we've experienced on any cruise line. He had wonderful suggestions of wine pairings with our meals and introduced us to many wines with which we were unfamiliar. Since then the suggestions we've received were more or less what we would order without help, just clarifying which vintners they carried of the variety we'd have ordered on our own. We did find that sommelier on Infinity wonderful as we enjoyed learning about and trying new things. But we still love cruising and enjoy Celebrity.

[wowgirl/itguy]

I think that is exactly why they have become so much more lax about allowing people to bring wine onboard at ports in the last couple of years. Most people have beverage packages now so it saves Celebrity money if they bring wine onboard themselves. That said I've never quite dared to try it myself unless I'm on a westbound TA and will be driving home from the port, because the idea of flying with wine in my checked luggage scares me, and I don't want to have to just leave it on the ship if it is confiscated when I bring it onboard and I don't get it back until the night before the cruise ends. In my limited experience on a westbound transatlantic I was able to bring multiple bottles onboard in various ports without a problem, though.

 

 

 

(Many years ago I had a very bad experience with 6 bottles of well-padded beer in my luggage, Northworst Airlines, connecting flight canceled due to thunderstorms so I had to go home instead of to my next business destination since I would have missed the meeting anyway, unable to get checked luggage back as "it was all containerized and we can't get to it now", the bag--reeking of stale beer--delivered to my house about 5 days later long after the beer had come open in the luggage probably due to hot summer temps...had to throw the suitcase and all its contents away. I will never risk it again! The bottles weren't broken, they had just popped their tops in the heat.) :)

 

 

 

That is a funny and sad story to be sure. We had no issues with the 13, yes 13, bottles of wine we brought back in our luggage from AUS. I could be a walking billboard for the use of Wine Skins-they made it all possible.

 

Agree with you on the cruise lines becoming more lax since if I bring and drink my own they pour less yet still get my premium beverage package money. Not a bad deal for them.

 

 

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