Is the Era of Cutbacks Over?

[CruisingChick]

Eclipse does not have Gingerbread syrup in al Bacio like the other ships do. So I brought my own bottle. Security made me take it out of my suitcase and prove it was not booze!

 

Sailing out of Cape Liberty they would always make me take out my water to make sure they were sealed and wrapped and I wasn't smuggling on liquor. Now that we have the drink package I haven't had to worry about smuggling water on board.

[Loracpin2]

Last March, after 23 Celebrity cruises, we decided it was time to try Oceania and booked a 12 night Northern Europe sailing for this coming July on the Marina. Their pricing in a Concierge Class cabin was comparable to a Sky Suite on the Eclipse for a similar itinerary, so it was an easy decision to make.

 

By last August, I decided we would still need a January get-away, so we booked this past January 7 Silhouette (6th time in AQ on her) and the cutbacks in every area were rampant in both quality and portions in BLU (although the wait staff did their best to make everyone happy), fewer staff in other areas, cabin amenities, and every other area that has already been covered on this thread.

 

Pretty sure the reason is simple.... we received complimentary gratuities, complimentary classic alcohol package (which in IMO has great changed the age demographic on Celebrity 7 night Caribbean sailings) and a $300 OBC with the booking. When a cruise line and TA have to give these many perks to fill a ship, something has to take a hit.

I guess LLP decided, overhauling what made Celebrity a "cut above" in the past was all worth it!!!!!

[dabear]

Interesting (& often repeated subject). I've been cruising for more than 40 years (started young) and a lot has changed. Better ships, more amenities, cabin sizes and choices, dining venues, as well as big price increases (perhaps not as large as inflation for the basic cruise price). What has definitely occurred is more extra cost amenities so that the cruise is not as all inclusive as it used to be. Also the basic food in mdr or buffets has declined since the mass market lines are spending less on the food costs and quality. Drink prices (high profit item) have skyrocketed and prohibitions on bringing aboard liquor has expanded. Oh well, I guess that's called "progress".

 

PS: my RCCL stock has also done well but I rarely qualify nowadays for the shareholder bonus.

[Bo1953]

Sailing out of Cape Liberty they would always make me take out my water to make sure they were sealed and wrapped and I wasn't smuggling on liquor. Now that we have the drink package I haven't had to worry about smuggling water on board.

 

LOL, I Am sure that it is because the in the tri-state area, they are use to having such things happen all the time and not generally targeted.

 

bon voyage

[K12Guy]

X is no longer a premium cruise line- just the same mass mart line with better wrappings- and the girls ( ships) are nice made up!

The X-tra of X is long gone- and as I fear will never come back! They lost bunches of loyal customers - me included- but they don´t care- and why should they- their ships still sail at full capactiy!

 

I'm not sure why but I really get the feeling you don't care for Celebrity, which leads me to ask this question: What is your current favorite cruise line and how does it upscale Celebrity?

[Hlitner]

We are somewhat adventurous in our travel related issues and this has led to us having cruised on 14 different cruise lines over the past 40 years (our first cruise was with NCL in the 70s). In the past two years we have cruised around 200 days...using HAL, Princess and Celebrity. Each of those lines has done more than its share of cut-backs.....although we think that Celebrity has cut-back more than the other two lines. So what to do? We decided to look for some compromise between the typical mass market cruise experience (the 3 lines I mentioned) and the ultra-premium lines (i.e. Crystal, Regent, Seabourn, etc). Our research has led us to book a 21 day cruise on MSC's Divina...in its so-called Yacht Club. The cost of their Yacht Club cabins (not the suites) is about 1/3 of the cost of an ultra-luxury line...and it provides a ship within a ship experience with its own MDR, deluxe drink package, and a private section of the ship (including pool, lounge, cafe, butlers, etc). So this Nov-Dec...instead of our normal 2-3 weeks on Celebrity.....we will be on MSC. In a sense, it was Celebrity's cut-backs that drove us to try another line. We are also giving a lot of consideration to returning to Crystal (for a few cruises) instead of Celebrity. Crystal is a lot more money, but its also a far superior line in just about every category. There are other options, such as Oceania and Viking Cruises, that fall between the mass market lines and luxury.

 

Hank

[nancyshaw]

Good post and certainly river cruising has really taken off in the UK and I think will continue to prosper. Sadly for us, and i’m guessing the vast majority the days of cruising being a truly quality experience are over and will never return. I have to disagree with the travel expert on pricing, maybe little different if you are a suite cruiser but for the vast majority of people who book a standard balcony or below there is a huge difference in price between someone like Celebrity and a luxury cruise line, two to three times the price. This winter in the Caribbean for 14 nights Balcony cabin with Celebrity £3300 for two people, Seabourn cheapest cabin on the ship £8000.

 

Please dont make the mistake of thinking that Viking only does river cruises. Viking Ocean are new cruise ships.

[dabear]

Hank: I look forward to hearing your comments on MSC. They have beautiful ships but I've heard previously from my sister & others that the food was only fair and cheap ( a lot of pasta, etc with little meat in the MDR. It also attracted a different crowd.). While X has been our favorite mass market line, we will test it again this summer with a baltic cruise on Eclipse. We've also tried the near luxury lines of Azamara & Oceania & liked them and the luxury line , Regent. IMHO, the latter 3 lines are noticeably better in food and service, with adequate entertainment, but also much higher in price than X (comparing cc or aqua balcony cabins to balconies, not suites). Unless X has become truly bad, we'll continue to balance lines with itineraries, quality & price.

Edited March 29, 2018 by dabear

[excitedofharpenden]

Hank: I look forward to hearing your comments on MSC. They have beautiful ships but I've heard previously from my sister & others that the food was only fair and cheap ( a lot of pasta, etc with little meat in the MDR. It also attracted a different crowd.). While X has been our favorite mass market line, we will test it again this summer with a baltic cruise on Eclipse. We've also tried the near luxury lines of Azamara & Oceania & liked them and the luxury line , Regent. IMHO, the latter 3 lines are noticeably better in food and service, with adequate entertainment, but also much higher in price than X (comparing cc or aqua balcony cabins to balconies, not suites). Unless X has become truly bad, we'll continue to balance lines with itineraries, quality & price.

I have a few friends who've tried MSC Yacht Club recently and loved it. The photos they shared and feedback make it an interesting proposition.

 

Phil

[yorky]

Please dont make the mistake of thinking that Viking only does river cruises. Viking Ocean are new cruise ships.

Interesting, just too a look. Still quite a bit more expensive even including the extras but may fit the bill for those with deeper pockets than we have.

[Germancruiser]

K12 guy- yes I am not longer cruising with X, but I still check the X- boards- so in way I still care about my once ( 20 something cruises with them) favorite cruise line (after 6 or so times with RCI, Costa- just once- that was quite enough). I had high hopes for the Egde- but nothing there really " catches" me. I turned to Cunard and Holland- Cunard is what X once was- Holland- very similiar - though it has been a while since my last HAL cruise- I will find out at the end of the year! I am a ship buff- so the Cunard ships are just a little like stepping back in time. Service is outstanding, food - well - some love it - some not- as usual with food, i like it! Cunard still has the prommendade deck that wraps around the whole ship. High tea in the Queen Lounge- for free- you can upgrade if you so wish with buying champagne!

If you enter one of the Cunard liners at embarkation day- the bell boys are lined up to greet you- not really important- but it gives one a nice feeling of welcome! It´s the little things that summs up- things X got rid of in the last few years- with their " modern luxury nonense"- modern rip off would be the better slogan!

[Doug & Cindy Scrap Hunter]

Folks want to rip on Carnival and you come here to the more expensive cruise lines... same conversations happening. I'll stick with the cruise lines that hit beaches and sun with water slides on board. :cool:

[laslomas]

My point in starting this thread wasn't to give another venue for all the complaints that have already been made, but to try to show that there are starting to be some positive changes. But many people can't see that. I find it sad that all you see are negatives and that every change is viewed with cynicism. I hope you find a cruise line, or another type of vacation, that provides the joy that I still get every time I board a ship.

 

I have read through this thread hoping to be enlightened to the positive changes. They seem to be very thin on the ground. It is very easy to list the negatives as they are numerous, but it is very hard to list the positives.

 

I still love cruising. My first cruise was more than 20 years ago and it was very special. I still enjoy cruising once a year now, but that 'special' feeling had gone. I think that cruise lines are providing more and more for the minority of their customers whilst taking away from the majority. Surely there will come a point when unless one can afford to pay for a suite it will be a very basic experience. :( I would love to be proved wrong.

[The_Big_M]

I honestly don't remember more than 2 dressings being offered back in the glory days.

 

Back in the glory days the assistant waiter accompanied the salads presenting a platter of 5 dressing choices from separate ladels, with recommendations for which accompanied the choice of salad...

[Host Jazzbeau]

I have read through this thread hoping to be enlightened to the positive changes. They seem to be very thin on the ground. It is very easy to list the negatives as they are numerous, but it is very hard to list the positives.

 

I still love cruising. My first cruise was more than 20 years ago and it was very special. I still enjoy cruising once a year now, but that 'special' feeling had gone. I think that cruise lines are providing more and more for the minority of their customers whilst taking away from the majority. Surely there will come a point when unless one can afford to pay for a suite it will be a very basic experience. :( I would love to be proved wrong.

 

My point is that until very recently all the changes were negative, designed to save money. Since the Great Recession started all the mass market lines have been focused on keeping prices low in order to keep their cabins filled. The change I see is that -- unlike airlines -- the cruise lines seem to have realized that in the long run they will have to attract people to their ships by making the experience desirable. I never meant to imply that ending 'the era of cutbacks' would restore the existing cuts -- but the examples I quoted were to show that there is now, on several mass market lines, a move to start making positive changes. Thus my hope that these few positive changes are the first shoots of spring. "One robin does not make a spring" -- but spring may be coming.

[tomcruiser1234]

It’s crazy how people complain about everything.

 

Price

Services

Food

Intertainment

Classes of travelers

 

Celebrity offers a wide variety of services and experiences at lots of prices.

 

I for one think they will never meet everybody’s wants but it’s still the best all around deal out there.

 

Lots of cuts but many nice changes. Frankly I like traveling with such a wide varying group of people.

 

Just my humble opinion

[Bo1953]

I have read through this thread hoping to be enlightened to the positive changes. They seem to be very thin on the ground. It is very easy to list the negatives as they are numerous, but it is very hard to list the positives.

 

I still love cruising. My first cruise was more than 20 years ago and it was very special. I still enjoy cruising once a year now, but that 'special' feeling had gone. I think that cruise lines are providing more and more for the minority of their customers whilst taking away from the majority. Surely there will come a point when unless one can afford to pay for a suite it will be a very basic experience. :( I would love to be proved wrong.

 

Most changes are positive, just not apparent or accepted by many of us at the time change takes place, rather we like it or not.

 

Actually, one does not need a suite for more on lines like SilverSeas, Seabourn, Crystal and Regent... where you can get more and higher level of the 'basic' experience. If X is taking away too much of the experience, then we need to consider moving on to mitigate the feeling, real or imagined.

 

Before we sailed X, all we knew about it were the adverts. By the time we alighted the Silly, we realized it was nothing like the adverts of a few, maybe quite a few, years earlier BUT much better than RCCL or NCL and their likes... fresh air and experience for us.

 

At that point, X was providing a vacation we were yearning for all along and thought it was for a much more refined and enlightened group. It was far different than my experience, as delightful as it was, on Cunard. X was more relaxed IMO and not any less welcoming. Yes, the passenger make up was different and refreshing.

 

When and if we decide that we want more from our cruise line, then we will consider moving on to something 'better' as it were.

 

Really, really, really looking forward to Edge!

 

bon voyage

[Bo1953]

It’s crazy how people complain about everything.

 

Price

Services

Food

Intertainment

Classes of travelers

 

Celebrity offers a wide variety of services and experiences at lots of prices.

 

I for one think they will never meet everybody’s wants but it’s still the best all around deal out there.

 

Lots of cuts but many nice changes. Frankly I like traveling with such a wide varying group of people.

 

Just my humble opinion

 

t - your opinion need not be humble, but proud!

 

I agree with you wholeheartedly....

 

bon voyage

[Bo1953]

Folks want to rip on Carnival and you come here to the more expensive cruise lines... same conversations happening. I'll stick with the cruise lines that hit beaches and sun with water slides on board. :cool:

 

d/c - I do not think most of the comments about C are meant as a rip, as it were, yet pointing out how different many of their ships and experiences are from X, which is to be expected.

 

Many of us accept that C has a niche market which they serve well, yet not for those of us who prefer something a bit more sedate, that is all... often times it is not about the cost, just atmosphere.

 

bon voyage

[tomcruiser1234]

Thanks Bo

[New Hampshire]

We experienced exactly the same thing. Since Suites and Aqua are pushed with their own Dining, the MDR has become unacceptable to us. If we want to pay more, we might as well try other lines and we are. After being elite plus with Celeb we are trying Viking Ocean. Less pricey than suites and aqua with all the specialty dining included.

 

 

So are we. After a very disappointing cruise to Alaska on Solstice in July, we are skipping a cruise this year and are booked on Viking Ocean for next year. We are Elite Plus and have sailed exclusively on Celebrity for many years. Each of the last few cruises on Celebrity have been more and more disappointing.

[excitedofharpenden]

So are we. After a very disappointing cruise to Alaska on Solstice in July, we are skipping a cruise this year and are booked on Viking Ocean for next year. We are Elite Plus and have sailed exclusively on Celebrity for many years. Each of the last few cruises on Celebrity have been more and more disappointing.

Sad to say the same for me. I'm trying Solstice next month and praying they don't have the volume turned up on the ship like I've experienced before and that the food is ok.

 

Phil

[Orator]

My point is that until very recently all the changes were negative, designed to save money. Since the Great Recession started all the mass market lines have been focused on keeping prices low in order to keep their cabins filled. The change I see is that -- unlike airlines -- the cruise lines seem to have realized that in the long run they will have to attract people to their ships by making the experience desirable. I never meant to imply that ending 'the era of cutbacks' would restore the existing cuts -- but the examples I quoted were to show that there is now, on several mass market lines, a move to start making positive changes. Thus my hope that these few positive changes are the first shoots of spring. "One robin does not make a spring" -- but spring may be coming.

I would respectfully disagree with the premise that"until recently all the changes were negative, designed to save money". Some of the changes were positive and some of these positive changes were designed to increase income. Whether a change was positive or negative might be in the eye of the beholder, here are a few examples of changes that have been more positive for me: The addition of Loyalty Levels has increased benefits for many. Elite+ brings more laundry and internet benefits and free specialty coffee and tea at Al Bacio. Zenith level brings a Premium Drink Package and unlimited internet and laundry to those who achieve that level. These benefits were not available to the most loyal cruisers before the change in levels. Michael's Club has been a real benefit to Suite passengers, Zeniths and top Blue Chip members. Luminae has been a welcome dining option for many Suite passengers.The Aqua Class change and Blu has become a choice for many who are attracted to that type of experience. The addition of specialty dining options on Silhouette and Reflection added to dining choices for those who are willing to pay. IMHO these and other positive changes have increased the bottom line by attracting higher margin passengers to repeatedly book a Celebrity cruise. There is a very high demand for these additional options and if you don't book a top Suite early you will be most likely unable to book it. As with almost any policy change there are always "winners and losers", on the whole the changes listed make me a winner.

[Baron Barracuda]

The cost cutting has hopefully run its course.

 

There are roughly 50 large new builds entering service in the next few years including quite a few from potentially strong competitors such as Viking Ocean, Virgin and MSC. If X hopes to succeed in an increasingly competitive market they cannot afford to further cheapen the brand.

[tomcruiser1234]

I would respectfully disagree with the premise that"until recently all the changes were negative, designed to save money". Some of the changes were positive and some of these positive changes were designed to increase income. Whether a change was positive or negative might be in the eye of the beholder, here are a few examples of changes that have been more positive for me: The addition of Loyalty Levels has increased benefits for many. Elite+ brings more laundry and internet benefits and free specialty coffee and tea at Al Bacio. Zenith level brings a Premium Drink Package and unlimited internet and laundry to those who achieve that level. These benefits were not available to the most loyal cruisers before the change in levels. Michael's Club has been a real benefit to Suite passengers, Zeniths and top Blue Chip members. Luminae has been a welcome dining option for many Suite passengers.The Aqua Class change and Blu has become a choice for many who are attracted to that type of experience. The addition of specialty dining options on Silhouette and Reflection added to dining choices for those who are willing to pay. IMHO these and other positive changes have increased the bottom line by attracting higher margin passengers to repeatedly book a Celebrity cruise. There is a very high demand for these additional options and if you don't book a top Suite early you will be most likely unable to book it. As with almost any policy change there are always "winners and losers", on the whole the changes listed make me a winner.

 

Spot on Orator

 

Posting lots cause excited about cruising next week...lol

 

It’s crazy but we have cruised all of the upper level suites for almost 10 years and never saw the perks that are being given now. Price is a lot higher but the benefits are pretty stout. However were on the Reflection next week and chose a balcony cabin. Here’s why. The additional cost of $500 more per night for this island hopping beach cruise was just not worth the cost. Sure not the extra bedroom or bathroom but we won’t be in the cabin like a 14 day TA crossing. Lots of value with the 2 perks that we got...beverage and free gratuities

 

We are doing the 3 day package for specialty Rest. Hang out poolside All at a reasonable price.

 

So every cruise we take in the future and which cabin we book will be based on what experience we choose.

 

Cost cutting yes. Changes yes.. not all bad and not all good. X is still our favorite