Things that Celebrity have done away with that you would like to see back

[Stateroom_Sailor]

11 minutes ago, hcat said:

 

I believe they used that reason/ excuse to discontinue the tableside made to order prep of the museli  in BLU!  It was really a treat but now gone!

 

Oh yeah, we used to love that!  If we return to X, I don't see the point to Aqua Class anymore.

[hcat]

We are cruising non AQ Class  on our next 3, after many years.  We will miss the thermal suite perk and BLU but on EDGE and APEX we are trying  a Sunset Veranda  and the 4 mdr experience . 

 

The AQ class IV was okay for us on EDGE in January  and the thermal suite was very nice...but we did not like the location ( and  lack of view)  in BLU..it was crowded at early dining time and the kitchen was very slow on several nights.

 

We are also going non AQ on Summit for Newport, Bermuda and Charleston ..prices were high, thermal suites interior ..and it's a port intensive itin. For now we are  taking an extended break from AQ..

Edited April 30, 2019 by hcat

[rhblake]

20 hours ago, Airrace said:

On the late nights I visited the buffet most of the people eating there were crew members.

 

I think you misunderstood my comment. I was talking about the Brunch Buffet (10:00 am till noon) in the MDR. Not the midnight buffet.

Edited April 30, 2019 by rhblake

[hcat]

On 4/29/2019 at 7:55 AM, rhblake said:

Huge Buffet Brunch in the MDR

It was nice at first but soon  became  a very crowded event.... the ambiance of a lovely brunch with music and freshly prepared food changed...folks began to dress very casual , lots of table and seat saving and  cutting lines!

 

We stoppd going....

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

7 hours ago, hcat said:

 

I believe they used that reason/ excuse to discontinue the tableside made to order prep of the museli  in BLU!  It was really a treat but now gone!

 

Yes, that was my favorite meal in Blu.  Really miss it.

[phoenix_dream]

On 4/27/2019 at 4:38 PM, If only said:

Every stateroom attendant we have talked to since the changeover likes not having an assistant.  They know they don’t have to be chasing them down to see where they are or what they are doing & they like being in charge themselves.

I don't deny you've heard this.  I've heard differently, though.  I've had stateroom attendants tell me straight out, or infer, that it becomes very lonely working by yourself.  Their only interaction with people is the occasional passenger conversation, or the occasional 'fly by' of other crew members.  I guess it depends on the personality of the person.

[phoenix_dream]

On 4/27/2019 at 2:05 PM, grandgeezer said:

I would like to see them bring back the old Captain’s Club party. Back when they had the food stations such as a prime rib, and a dessert one, a salad bar one, and a shrimp one. Also the unlimited drinks, with plenty of servers to keep your glass full. It was topped off with a couple of the production show singers, and or dancers who put on a 10-15 minute show. I almost forgot, there were musicians playing the entire time. This was before the Modern Luxury and LLP.

 

 

 

I do not recall every being at a regular Captains Club party like this, and I've been cruising X since 1992.  Perhaps I just never went to one???  But I know before drink packages we went to the standard CC cocktail hours regularly.  Is that what you are talking about?  Don't recall ever seeing food there other than appetizers.  Or are you talking about the Cruise Critic parties?  Those were more elaborate in the past i think

Edited April 30, 2019 by phoenix_dream

[hcat]

15 minutes ago, phoenix_dream said:

I do not recall every being at a regular Captains Club party like this, and I've been cruising X since 1992.  Perhaps I just never went to one???  But I know before drink packages we went to the standard CC cocktail hours regularly.  Is that what you are talking about?  Don't recall ever seeing food there other than appetizers.  Or are you talking about the Cruise Critic parties?  Those were more elaborate in the past i think

Vague recall of  food, dancing..more of a nice party than an infomercial..,.but it could have been on Royal C???  We stopped going when it became crowded and boring!  Even now the Sr Officers party is getting crowded but still a party

[misterkevin]

On 4/28/2019 at 10:12 AM, Quo Vadis? said:

There was a nostalgia thread a few years ago. 

 

Our recollections of the good old days will never die and sadly will never come back no matter how much one is willing to pay.

There is just too much pressure from the top executives to maximize their bonuses by cutting corners and homogenizing the industry.

 

This is a quibble, but the pressure is not to maximize bonuses and cut corners. Rather, the pressure on all executives is to maximize shareholder stock value by cutting expenses while keeping customers just satisfied enough to not stop buying the product. 

 

If they were planning on cutting corners, they wouldn't put $500M back into the ships to "revolutionize" them. Also, they don't want to homogenize the industry per se, but the cutting does ultimately detract from the special experiences on Celebrity which set them apart from the other mass lines like RCL, NCL, and Carnival, and even the other mid-luxury lines like Cunard and Princess. 

 

When they keep the stock prices high based on expenses and revenue, they get their big bonuses.

[If only]

1 hour ago, phoenix_dream said:

I do not recall every being at a regular Captains Club party like this, and I've been cruising X since 1992.  Perhaps I just never went to one???  But I know before drink packages we went to the standard CC cocktail hours regularly.  Is that what you are talking about?  Don't recall ever seeing food there other than appetizers.  Or are you talking about the Cruise Critic parties?  Those were more elaborate in the past i think

It was only on the Senior  officers party, not the regular Captains Club. It did not last too long.

[TeeRick]

On 4/28/2019 at 11:05 PM, Luvcrusn said:

I'd love to see the Ocean Liners (Murano type) restaurants brought back to the M-class ships.

Yes I am usually OK with changes from the past but bringing back these unique M-Class restaurants would be my greatest retro-wish.

[quack2]

Access to the bow for those of us in steerage.

 

[varoo]

1 hour ago, quack2 said:

Access to the bow for those of us in steerage.

 

 

At some locations, such as Hubbard Glacier and the Panama Canal, they open up access to the bow to all passengers.

 

Some of us don't even bother to go out there anymore as there is very limited seating (if any) and no shade. 

At scenic locations, people are crowded at the railing shoulder-to-shoulder.

 

However, it is certainly an experience worth trying at least once.

Have you tried asking the Captain's Club host or asking at Guest Relations and letting them know it is something you would like to do? 

 

 

[Baron Barracuda]

3 hours ago, phoenix_dream said:

I don't deny you've heard this.  I've heard differently, though.  I've had stateroom attendants tell me straight out, or infer, that it becomes very lonely working by yourself.  Their only interaction with people is the occasional passenger conversation, or the occasional 'fly by' of other crew members.  I guess it depends on the personality of the person.

 

Cabin stewards are happy they don't have to split grats with a partner, however from our observation the new system is less efficient and stewards are working longer hours.  

[hues of blue]

Acapella singers

Not being charged extra to have Baileys in hot chocolate with the Classic Beverage Package

Better Bread selection in MDR

 

Sherri

Edited April 30, 2019 by hues of blue

[Hlitner]

On ‎4‎/‎27‎/‎2019 at 8:06 PM, villauk said:

 

 

Perry Grant - think he went over to Princess.

I always thought they should have a "guess the age of Perry" contest :).  He has been bouncing around a few lines (not including Celebrity) and most recently was on HAL's Koningsdam.  On that vessel Perry might not have been the oldest at his show.

 

Hank

[Luvcrusn]

4 hours ago, TeeRick said:

Yes I am usually OK with changes from the past but bringing back these unique M-Class restaurants would be my greatest retro-wish.

I wholeheartedly agree! 

OOPS! I just realized you quoted me....so I just agreed with you agreeing with me!  Embarrassing! Note to self: read before posting! Sorry.

Edited May 1, 2019 by Luvcrusn

[quack2]

4 hours ago, varoo said:

 

At some locations, such as Hubbard Glacier and the Panama Canal, they open up access to the bow to all passengers.

 

Some of us don't even bother to go out there anymore as there is very limited seating (if any) and no shade. 

At scenic locations, people are crowded at the railing shoulder-to-shoulder.

 

However, it is certainly an experience worth trying at least once.

Have you tried asking the Captain's Club host or asking at Guest Relations and letting them know it is something you would like to do? 

 

 

I have come to understand that the bow is now part of one of the perks for rich folks in the fancy-schmancy cabins.

 

I hope I'm wrong.

Edited May 1, 2019 by quack2
left something out.

[Luvcrusn]

58 minutes ago, quack2 said:

I have come to understand that the bow is now part of one of the perks for rich folks in the fancy-schmancy cabins.

 

I hope I'm wrong.

I happened to ask the Captains Club Hostess on embarkation day how people got invited to Sailaways on the Helipad. She told me that they don't have them on every cruise and asked our cabin number, which I gave her. I never saw her write it down, but 11 days later we received an invitation from her to a Sailaway on the Helipad leaving Bonaire. We weren't in a fancy-schmancy cabin nor were we Zenith, Elite+, or even Elite at the time. We were (and are) Just-Ordinary-Folk!

[shofer]

Reading the previous posts, I found myself growing nostalgic for the X of old.  Our first cruise was on Zenith in 1993 for our 25th Anniversary.  The most recent was a TA last November for our 50th on Silhouette.  In between, we did 13 other cruises, several land vacations, put 2 kids through college and paid for 2 weddings.  Looking forward to another Celebrity cruise this year.

[yoshi]

We miss special touches like the MDR napkin folding-every night they used to switch it up...

Mexican Fan

Bird of Paradise

Cavern

Bishop's Hat

Soave

Crown

I always went to the napkin folding classes too, I love stuff like that 😊

[yvrdave]

Ah, the good old days.  We miss them too. 

[Despegue]

On 4/27/2019 at 10:49 PM, cruisestitch said:

 Grand geezer, they still have the production singers at least some of the parties,  the others always have musicians. They can’t do the buffet anymore because of US public health laws which prohibit serving food on carpeted areas. Of course they might use the dance floor for serving the food but then they couldn’t have the dancers. I guess they have made the choice to have music, introduction of officers, and dancing on the dance floor with passed appetizers.  They do offer unlimited drinks during the party.

 

as to reintroducing the buffet in the MDR, they run into the same USPH laws.  Can’t have buffet on carpeted surfaces.

 

And they had puzzles on Reflection in January and on Eclipse last month, and when they ran out you just had to ask at the front desk and they would print more for you.

Load of tosh.

the vessels are not US registered, and any cruise that does not sail into US waters does not need to adhere to whatever ridiculous rule some penlicker invented in Washington.

it was a purely cost-cutting exercise and a further diminishing of Steerage Class compared to their almighty Suites.

 

[TeeRick]

3 hours ago, Despegue said:

Load of tosh.

the vessels are not US registered, and any cruise that does not sail into US waters does not need to adhere to whatever ridiculous rule some penlicker invented in Washington.

it was a purely cost-cutting exercise and a further diminishing of Steerage Class compared to their almighty Suites.

 

OK I guess you are bitter about something.

[TeeRick]

12 hours ago, Luvcrusn said:

I wholeheartedly agree! 

OOPS! I just realized you quoted me....so I just agreed with you agreeing with me!  Embarrassing! Note to self: read before posting! Sorry.

No need to be embarrassed.  Being in agreement over the traditional M-Class restaurants is probably a strong sentiment that cannot be expressed enough.  But unfortunately Celebrity will not likely bring them back.