TIMES ARE A CHANGIN' WHAT KEEPS YOU COMING BACK?.

[Bo1953]

4 minutes ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

Fair point. Though more and more are getting “home schooled” or the parents think nothing of taking them out of school - but as I understand it Celebrity has fewer.

 

I will be very interested to see how things are on the Edge in Feb. I have cruised Disney 6 times now, and honestly the most I have ever seen of kids (on an “around the ship” basis, not talking about at shows) was on my first cruise to Alaska on Holland America because (per overhearing multiple discussions where their parents were trying to get them to go to the clubs) the kids did not like the programming and did not want to go. So it will be interesting to see what my Presidents’ Week experience is like on Celebrity kid-wise. (I teach so am limited to our breaks because unlike parents who can pull kids out whenever, I cannot randomly take a week or more off.)

w - you cannot arrange for substitutes? LOL

 

Let your superiors know it is important for your mental health that you take the time off for a short sabbatical... for a cruise! (that should go over well and qualify for a re-assignment)..

 

bon voyage

[Spif Barwunkel]

1 hour ago, Weenah said:

There is another thing I find value in; that's the collective wisdom of you folks. I visit cruise critic nearly every day looking to learn something new and you all provide it in spades. And to complete the circle in this War and Peace-sized post; I learned a new word!

Weenah - Congratulations! I am pleased to inform you that the committee has unanimously accepted your paper in it's entirety, with no changes or re-writes necessary. Your advanced degree will be mailed to you within seven business days. 

 

On a personal note, thank you for a thorough, incisive and interesting post. It not only relates to the topic at hand - from several different angles - but also weaves itself over, under, around and through other posts on this thread. Certainly, your thoughts and opinions are now an integral part of  - in your words - "the collective wisdom." 

 

[terrydtx]

This has been a very interesting thread because we have been a loyal HAL customer for the last 10 years. One of the big reasons we are trying X again are the private exclusive dining venues like BLU and Luminae,  something HAL doesn't offer exclusively. HAL's new Club Orange is a joke that any passenger can use if they pay the extra fees and on most of their ships is nothing more than a roped off area in the MDR. We are booked on the Infinity next year in AQ class cabin and look forward to trying Blu. If we enjoy this cruise I see many more X cruises in our future. We have gotten bored with  HAL and lack of amenities for upper class cabins like AQ. We usually booked HAL Signature Suites but all we got over lower classes were a bigger cabin and bathroom.

 

Our only other X cruise was in 2009 on the old Century in Europe and it was a terrible ship and cruise and turned us off on X. We booked one of the converted OV to verandah cabins on the Century and it was a mistake, The cabin was so small you could barely walk around the foot of the bed and the area where the converted balcony was added squeaked and groaned the entire cruise, and our complaints fell on deaf ears. We heard back then that this was a constant problem on the Century. The conversions must have been a problem because I see none of those old converted ships are now in the X fleet.

[Cruizen Susan]

We cruise X more than any other line.   We enjoy the food, the service and a more upscale environment and crowd.  It is not the X that we experienced 20 years ago, lots of cutbacks.  That being said,  and having just completed a RCI cruise,  I must admit X is a higher quality, without paying for a premium line (Oceania, Crystal, Seven Seas, etc).  I agree with a couple comments here that the Suite prices are getting out of hand.  We sailed out first Princess cruise to Alaska this past August.  We chose the Grand Suite,  a huge, beautiful cabin equivalent to X's Penthouse suite.   The price was 1/3 of X.   It did not include  a butler, but the cabin steward was dedicated to our needs,  as was our personal concierge.  Dining was in a separate section of the MDR where we were treated like royalty.   No Luminae.   I was able to do without a butler and Luminae for a difference of $$$$$$$$.   I am not comparing actually, because for a standard balcony, I would still sail on X.   But what a different for those who love the suite life!!

Edited January 8, 2020 by Cruizen Susan

[Spif Barwunkel]

For those folks who have become accustomed to the Suite life and/or the restaurants associated with same, could you and would you enjoy everything else about an X ship in a balcony cabin and the MDR? We always live in a veranda room, sometimes Aqua or Concierge. We have always been satisfied. We are not able to speak to Suite comparisons but will one day give ourselves the opportunity to do so....I think.

Edited January 9, 2020 by Spif Barwunkel

[Moby Jones]

On 12/30/2019 at 1:14 AM, Spif Barwunkel said:

Skyrocketing prices, increases in gratuities, decreases in amenities, just a few topics introduced on this forum by concerned travelers whose frustration increases with each change in the cruising routine and expense. All valid concerns and yet the affects on the cruising community vary from one cruiser to another. Economics is a crucial factor in life and certainly makes us all want more bang for our back.

 

Celebrity's service philosophy is to provide it's passengers a comfortable, fun-filled sea vacation with personal attention and care. Celebrity's business philosophy - just as with any other corporate entity -  is to remain solvent while keeping costs in-line with what the market will bear. Therein lies the economic equation  that differentiates us seafaring folks from one another. What it's worth to me, may not be worth it to you. Is it strictly dollars & cents or is the product satisfactory at any cost?

 

Times are a changin'.  What keeps you coming back? Stay strictly in Celebrity's house, and make no comparisons with other cruise lines or land vacations.  

 

What keeps me coming back is the wonderful itineraries, the consistently good service and food, cleanliness of the ships and the expediency of embarkation and disembarkation. I do believe that X's entertainment could be better overall, but that is certainly not a deal breaker. In all cases, nothing is perfect all the time and a glitch will occur now and then. However, the overall experience remains, for me, a quality product that is very much enjoyed and a fair price to pay for play. 

 

 

 

      

 

Despite the cutbacks etc Celebrity do offer value on some good itineraries as long as you find the right deal. I've been very happy with the service on our last two Celebrity cruises in particular. 

So if the price is right on an itinerary we want to do I'm happy to book. We do sail on other lines though as we'd get bored if we stuck to the same cruise line all of the time. 

[Cruizen Susan]

3 hours ago, Spif Barwunkel said:

For those folks who have become accustomed to the Suite life and/or the restaurants associated with same, could you and would you enjoy everything else about an X ship in a balcony cabin and the MDR? We always live in a veranda room, sometimes Aqua or Concierge. We have always been satisfied. We are not able to speak to Suite comparisons but will one day give ourselves the opportunity to do so....I think.

 

Unfortunately,  once becoming spoiled by suites,  it's been challenging going back.   We do, however, have an Aqua hump cabin coming up in March on a 12-night Silhouette sailing.   Blu is a step above the MDR in food and service,  and the slanted balcony with foot stools is a bonus.   We still feel a need to purchase a 5-night specialty dinner package.   When in Luminae,  we are more than content with the food and outstanding service, with no need for the specialty restaurants.   Just wish X would make their suite prices more competitive with the other cruiselines.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

7 hours ago, Spif Barwunkel said:

For those folks who have become accustomed to the Suite life and/or the restaurants associated with same, could you and would you enjoy everything else about an X ship in a balcony cabin and the MDR? We always live in a veranda room, sometimes Aqua or Concierge. We have always been satisfied. We are not able to speak to Suite comparisons but will one day give ourselves the opportunity to do so....I think.

 

I move back and forth depending on the itinerary.  I've stayed in everything from the PH to an inside.

[RickT]

The title of this thread “TIMES ARE A CHANGIN” pretty much explains why I keep coming back because it applies to everything, not just Celebrity.  
 

When compared to the cost of other vacation options (other cruise lines, hotels, resorts) l generally continue to find good value and quality in what Celebrity has to offer.  Of course there are times when the pricing offered makes Celebrity less attractive that can be said about pricing everywhere.

[Lastdance]

We enjoy Celebrity, but do choose to cruise in suites most of the time.  On "E" class it is our preference to do an S1 or an SV. On S class, we prefer corner aft suites...we have our first two b2b's booked( TA on each) and cannot wait to cruise our first TP, along with trying Flora and spending extra time in Florida visiting friends and relatives.  Most of our cruises are in Europe, as we are not especially fond of the Caribbean, having been there several times.  Yes, the prices have soared lately, but we still enjoy Celebrity's product.  Furthermore, our best trips include personal land experiences, along with cruising...we are both educators, so learning and experiencing new adventures is how we enjoy our lives...it is wonderful to have choices!  it is even more wonderful to enjoy them...sometimes the grass is greener, but sometimes it needs a dose of fertilizer...happiness is a choice, knowing that life can't always be perfect...just my own opinion!

Edited January 9, 2020 by Lastdance

[hcat]

The recent  reversal of charging an extra daily  fee for the Classic Bev package has been a recent positive for us.   Still a good value for us!

[cgolf1]

We just booked our third Celebrity cruise instead of waiting till we are on an RCCL cruise later this year and look at options on both lines. That puts us on the Apex and then the Constellation. 
 

Why, the food and service was top notch for us on the edge. Being able to get 3 perks on an inside room at already good price point before the perks helps too for our latest booking. The Apex was a splurge and our daughter will cruise with us for the first time since Disney so worth it. 

Edited January 20, 2020 by cgolf1

[Silkroad]

On 1/9/2020 at 7:45 AM, Spif Barwunkel said:

For those folks who have become accustomed to the Suite life and/or the restaurants associated with same, could you and would you enjoy everything else about an X ship in a balcony cabin and the MDR? We always live in a veranda room, sometimes Aqua or Concierge. We have always been satisfied. We are not able to speak to Suite comparisons but will one day give ourselves the opportunity to do so....I think.

We haven’t become completely accustomed to the suite life, and we believe we’ll always move between cabin classes based on price, itinerary, and personal preference. We have found things to love about each of the X ships we’ve sailed upon. We enjoyed our recent foray into the Suite Life, but we weren’t unhappy with Veranda life or the MDR.

 

Like Weenah, we took our first cruise rather late compared to most people we know. We chose Celebrity based on personal research, and our friends’ experiences & recommendations. Our first cruise was in the Mediterranean for our 15th anniversary. We were in a Veranda cabin on Millennium. Subsequent cruises were in a Sky Suite (no Luminae or Michael’s club), Veranda, Aqua, Concierge, and most recently, a corner aft Sky Suite for our first Caribbean cruise. We’ve sailed on M-class, S-Class, and E-class ships. We currently have 4 Verandas and 2 Sky Suites booked on both S-class and E-class ships.

 

Yes, there have been changes over the years, but so far, we haven’t felt unhappy with our overall Celebrity experience. Not being retired, and having very busy schedules at home, we don’t seek a frenetic pace or 24/7 entertainment on our holidays. For us, there’s a good balance on Celebrity, though I’m sure we’ll eventually try other lines for specific itineraries.

Edited January 20, 2020 by Silkroad

[Madio]

On 12/29/2019 at 8:51 PM, Spif Barwunkel said:

As a fellow Floridian, I agree that the Caribbean Islands are no longer a strong pull for us. However, they are in the neighborhood and although we have been to many of them - both land and cruise vacations - certain ones remain enjoyable for a quick float-on-a-boat, whenever the mood strikes.   

Also Floridians, we say our destination is the ship.  We've already seen most of these islands, but we still have some favorite places to get off and have lunch, or go to a favorite beach club.

[sstamour]

On 1/9/2020 at 4:45 AM, Spif Barwunkel said:

For those folks who have become accustomed to the Suite life and/or the restaurants associated with same, could you and would you enjoy everything else about an X ship in a balcony cabin and the MDR? We always live in a veranda room, sometimes Aqua or Concierge. We have always been satisfied. We are not able to speak to Suite comparisons but will one day give ourselves the opportunity to do so....I think.

 

I've only been on 4 cruises, 3 of which have been on Celebrity. I currently have 2 more booked for this year; with those, I'll clear Elite+ status, but it will likely take significantly more to reach Zenith. The loyalty perks ultimately end up being insignificant given the way I cruise. I don't think I would be willing to cruise in anything other than an upper level suite, and I book Celebrity because of the combination of the food and the perks offered to suite guests. From my research, there are other lines able to come close to the suite experience (the Haven, for instance), but Luminae seems to stand out as the best restaurant among the group. I have considered the more luxury lines, but I tend towards the introverted side and prefer the variety of dining/bar options Celebrity offers over some of the smaller ships on the higher end lines. For now, it hits the sweet spot for me in terms of desire for my vacations.