L L-P's answers are here... and are generally missing the point

[RickT]

I suspect this post will get removed, but like others I have been eagerly awaiting L L-P to come to the board and answer the questions that have been asked by the CC community.  Well, that occurred today and from a review of the responses the question being asked is not really being answered.  Instead we are given a generic response or weblink that does little to address the question or concern.

 

I don't want my post to reflect that I am not grateful for the opportunity to interact, I just wish we would get some honest responses that would indicate the question has actually been read and the concern understood.

Edited August 12, 2019 by RickT

[lovescarborough]

I'm sorry to say that I feel exactly the same. The questions being asked are in the main a concern for many others, judging by the comments. The answers are so brief and often quite dismissive that I feel it has been an opportunity wasted. Maybe the sheer number of questions posed and the very short time frame for answers i.e.today has contributed to this. I personally feel that many companies ask for feedback but regrettably few take it onboard ( pardon the pun ! ) 

[Bo1953]

Then again, as someone else pointed out, some responses will be well received and others not.

 

There will be, by design, limits on the details which will be given out in a forum such as this.

 

Some will require that they be sent to department heads to think about and consider and come back with a recommendation.

 

I Am not surprized that some of us expected to have our questions answered directly and specifically with results implemented by our next sailing...

 

"...it ain't gonna happen.."

 

bon voyage

[Alakegirl]

Disappointed that she is so tone deaf.......  

[bEwAbG]

She's not going to say "great idea! we'll do it!" in any sort of forum.  Some of us have no idea of the "why" behind certain protocols and it may not be feasible to change what we think is an "easy" change.  Even within some of the questions, there is not agreement among posters on what the right solution is.  Regardless, I think it's valuable for her to read the questions, even if she cannot or will not do anything about a particular thing.  Feedback is feedback.

[ghstudio]

Absolutely the wrong way to participate on social media. 

 

Her answers are short and say as little as possible....almost all saying we offer that (eg specialty restaurant prices....we have choices).  It's the return of the last "celebrity cruises" participant on CC.

 

I saw a couple where she said she'd pass it on (laundry package was one)...but the rest essentially said, we have what we have...and we're not interested in feedback.  The water is not returning to aqua class....changes that have been made are done...we aren't considering making any more.  Category between elite + and zenith....sail more.  etc.

 

Very very disappointing.....

[cruisestitch]

Was just about to say that I am also disappointed but WOW!  She just answered gerelmx personally! Maybe he will win this one!!!!!

[nycruiser80]

I felt the same way. She answered one of my concerns/observations I had. I just came off Summit and they removed any printed info from the staterooms. She suggested adding a directory to the app which would be great (I never found the number to room service, even the menu didn't have it....strange!!!

 

My other comment about how staff was selling the beverage packages very aggressively and not taking no for an answer was dismissed by her. 

 

It is all just optics really. 

[ghstudio]

5 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

Was just about to say that I am also disappointed but WOW!  She just answered gerelmx personally! Maybe he will win this one!!!!!

 

Yes, she responded, but gerelmx contacted onetouch well over a week ago with no response to date.  Clearly, onetouch is non responsive...but I guess lisa or her AA will contact Aurora and maybe something actually will get done.  Unless someone makes an official note on his bookings, he has an electronic response worth nothing.

[Mynki]

I've read around ten responses and got bored. It appears it was a completely pointless exercise. The answers are useless and she's dodged the more meaningful and challenging questions completely. Some look like they have been avoided deliberately. 

I suspect some PA has been typing away.  

My sympathies to Cruise Critic management as she's offered next to nothing to the forum. An opportunity missed IMHO. 

[mnocket]

12 minutes ago, Mynki said:

I've read around ten responses and got bored. It appears it was a completely pointless exercise. The answers are useless and she's dodged the more meaningful and challenging questions completely. Some look like they have been avoided deliberately. 

I suspect some PA has been typing away.  

My sympathies to Cruise Critic management as she's offered next to nothing to the forum. An opportunity missed IMHO. 

I suspect you're right that it's an assistant rather than LLP herself answering the questions.

 

On a side note.... I own a small business.  I got a call several months back from Google offering a service whereby they would respond to posts on our social media sites and reviews posted on google, yelp, etc.  I said "Your proposing that someone who knows nothing about our business respond to these posts as if it were us responding?".  They said "Exactly!  It's good for customers to feel you are being responsive".  I said "No thanks.  There's no way anyone but us is going to respond to our customers".  How phony!

Edited August 12, 2019 by mnocket

[killsport]

24 minutes ago, Mynki said:

I've read around ten responses and got bored.

This ^^^^ pretty much sums up the long awaited responses. There is nothing of substance (good or bad) that I could find. Basically, she could have cut and pasted the following and posted it for every question:

"What a great question. Whatever you're interested in is a priority to us. As you know, at Celebrity we have lots of options so that everyone is happy. Sunshine, rainbows, and unicorns. Have a great day, llp"

Admittedly this is a bit flip, but the lack of actually addressing the questions is reminiscent of every political debate in the last 20 years.

[Jeremiah1212]

Not surprise there. The questions and complaints posted don't lend themselves to good answers. They aren't going to divulge information about new ships or new initiatives. They also are not going to admit fault by way of answering a question with an inherent negative tone. They seem to be content with their pricing on a number of fronts, so again, they aren't going to say "you know what...those restaurants are too expensive!". 

[ipeeinthepool]

I think some of you should go back and re-read the posts.  We learned: 1) Celebrity will consider a laundry package, 2) Celebrity is strongly considering going back to Labadee 3) The Edge has a number of different balcony designs so it should not be a problem if you don't like IV balconies  4) If you want a footstool  just ask your stateroom attendant and he/she will get one 5) No LNG ships in the plan 6) that one person isn't violating the Jones Act

[Iamcruzin]

2 hours ago, RickT said:

I suspect this post will get removed, but like others I have been eagerly awaiting L L-P to come to the board and answer the questions that have been asked by the CC community.  Well, that occurred today and from a review of the responses the question being asked is not really being answered.  Instead we are given a generic response or weblink that does little to address the question or concern.

 

I don't want my post to reflect that I am not grateful for the opportunity to interact, I just wish we would get some honest responses that would indicate the question has actually been read and the concern understood.

It’s just like politics. A lot of talk but no direct answers that would hold anyone accountable. Just a waste of everyone’s time.

[bigbeergut]

Thank you and have a great rest of your day!

[hcat]

The have a great day thing should have been skipped.Too folksy.

 

Some of the responses were more helpful than others, but I believe each post was read and considered by someone at X and passed along someplace,

 

Happy for Gerelmx... now has someone to contact at One Touch.....

I am hoping the Breast Cancer awareness event may be restored......

.

Definitely printing out the footstool response...  hoping for 2 on our upcoming EDGE cruise..Sunset Veranda...who knows..maybe loungers too!

 

[ipeeinthepool]

7 minutes ago, hcat said:

The have a great day thing should have been skipped.Too folksy.

 

Some of the responses were more helpful than others, but I believe each post was read and considered by someone at X and passed along someplace,

 

Happy for Gerelmx... now has someone to contact at One Touch.....

I am hoping the Breast Cancer awareness event may be restored......

.

Definitely printing out the footstool response...  hoping for 2 on our upcoming EDGE cruise..Sunset Veranda...who knows..maybe loungers too!

 

 

I'll be surprised if there are any foot stools available on the Edge.

[UnorigionalName]

... what do you think was going to happen?

 

"OMG, board user #13249452.  You don't like the direction the company is going, oh my goodness, we never considered that.  Through hundreds of meetings, presentations, and research, we never thought that YOU might not like it. Let's reconsider the millions of dollars we've poured into market research and development since, you, user #13249452 don't like something.  We'll get on it RIGHT AWAY."

 

Have you people never read released statements from company representatives?  I feel like the responses are pretty par-for-course, and even above some others since it actually released some information, however small, that wasn't previously publicly available.

[jelayne]

A number of the “questions” weren’t questions but the opinion of the writer.  It is difficult to answer a opinion in a written Q &A.  While I haven’t read every post the ones that were questions got more concrete answers.  The ones that were opinions got a response.  

[MJSailors]

          Perhaps I was naive in thinking that questions I posted about the new (failed?) design elements of the Edgification of the Celebrity ships would have been directly answered with sufficient explanation you the Celebrity CEO.

From Ms Lutoff’s reply to my post and others following,I understand that the design is what it is,but any changes to a design flaw ,possibly based on passengers’ feedback,will be part of the construction budget and, I assume, will not be directly 

passed on to an increase in cruise fares. At least, not for now.

            I read a few of Ms. Lutoff’s replies on the forum and realized that she,or some assistant, is echoing the company’s line on various Celebrity initiatives, programs and business policies . Not surprising really.

             The apparent attempt of Ms Lutoff to reach CC members was a publicity idea that at worst went bad, or at least, seemingly, missed its purpose.

Unless ,and this is a hopeful thought, ideas and opinions written  by the participating CC posters on the forum may be considered by the CEO and Celebrity execs as they make decisions going forward. As I noted ,this is hopeful thinking.

[Pentlands]

At least i was right that she would only post on the 12th and then go. She has.

 

But the die is cast and, sadly, will not be returning to Celebrity, better, more reposnsive companies out there.

 

[alwaysonaship]

4 hours ago, Bo1953 said:

Then again, as someone else pointed out, some responses will be well received and others not.

 

There will be, by design, limits on the details which will be given out in a forum such as this.

 

Some will require that they be sent to department heads to think about and consider and come back with a recommendation.

 

I Am not surprized that some of us expected to have our questions answered directly and specifically with results implemented by our next sailing...

 

"...it ain't gonna happen.."

 

bon voyage

So what’s the point of this. If she is in charge she should answer the questions

[Mynki]

1 hour ago, ipeeinthepool said:

I think some of you should go back and re-read the posts.  We learned: 1) Celebrity will consider a laundry package, 2) Celebrity is strongly considering going back to Labadee 3) The Edge has a number of different balcony designs so it should not be a problem if you don't like IV balconies  4) If you want a footstool  just ask your stateroom attendant and he/she will get one 5) No LNG ships in the plan 6) that one person isn't violating the Jones Act

Indeed. However when you have no interest in laundry packages due to Loyalty status, no interest in private islands as you find them sterile already know you can ask for a footstool, have no interest in LNG ships or the Lacey act you haven't learned anything of significance. 

My actual question was regarding non IV aqua class options on FUTURE ships as we already know exactly what options exist with Edge and Apex. That question was conveniently ignored. 

That's fine as I know there are other ship and other cruise line options. But it would have been nice to sail on an E class ship in aqua class with a traditional balcony. But as I said, other ships are available.... 

So I still find her replies patronising, condescending and overall just a little bit useless. Anyway, I'll get back to enjoying my current land vacation. :) 

 

[ABoatNerd]

Incredibly arrogant and fake.

 

No one should expect her to divulge trade secrets, but the disinterest shown is typical of someone(s) self assured in their perfection. Celebrity thinks they are perfect.

 

Until guests start moving their business elsewhere, she will have no need to change (ie improve) anything.