CELEBRITY are you reading these threads as to how unhappy the customer is??

[Bo1953]

13 minutes ago, Pinboy said:

That's a reasonable option, however, the choice of cabins would be quite limited as we like to select our cabin long in advance to get the location we like (  Deck 8 or 9 , mid-ship, on the hump ) , plus other factors ( cost of airline tickets, hotel , rental car, etc ) are much cheaper the further out we book. 

I guess we will have to just go without the free gelato and order 3 crème brule instead of the usual 2.

That being said, we truly enjoyed every Celebrity cruise , met some very nice people ( never met that guy with the cowboy hat and loud mouth ), and look forward to meeting many CCers on future cruises.

LOL-- If only our $CAN conversion rate gets better than the 32 % in comparison to the $US,  that will help in absorbing increased prices by Celebrity.

... or figure out a C$ to US$ conversion 'pre-booking' scheme.... LOL

 

bon voyage

Edited November 23, 2020 by Bo1953

[TeeRick]

In response to the original post by emmas gran, it seems that some are unhappy and some are not.  Are some of us unhappy at Celebrity specifically or just all of the 2020 punches in the face? Or both?  For me it is definitely both but less toward Celebrity which has made a number of blunders but clearly is learning as they go through an unprecedented, company altering and survival situation.

 

Since March most here have been upset and angry at a number of important things, all coronavirus- related.  Including not cruising at all, cancellations or delayed cancellations, delayed refunds, spotty communications, No Sail orders, masks on cruises, the list goes on and on.  Lot's of frustration.  So it is a sign of real progress that posters and posts are now upset at  changes in Loyalty Benefits and new marketing initiatives (AI).   We went from being worried about ever cruising again now to gelato, laundry and who gets slighted.  A sure sign that the cruising world will return to normal soon😀.

[Fouremco]

2 hours ago, Bo1953 said:

X provided an option to skip out on AI, that is to book at the 90 day time frame... bare bones pricing.

 

bon voyage

But only for select cruises, not further defined. 

[Bo1953]

5 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

But only for select cruises, not further defined. 

Quite true.. then I would tend to believe that those which are not included are at capacity... so it is a gamble to wait and see.

 

bon voyage

[ORV]

2 hours ago, basenji56 said:

I haven't heard one person complain about adding the gratuities to the price.  We just hope they actually make it to the crew. And most everyone I know always tips extra.  

 

I understand the gratuities are an issue for cruises from some countries but rarely Americans.

Not sure you've looked close enough. I've seen a couple of rants about it. 

[Bo1953]

3 hours ago, basenji56 said:

I haven't heard one person complain about adding the gratuities to the price.  We just hope they actually make it to the crew. And most everyone I know always tips extra.  

 

I understand the gratuities are an issue for cruises from some countries but rarely Americans.

b - you have not heard the complaints, yet but I bet they will be coming soon, fast and furious.

 

Most people I know too tip extra.

 

I do not think that X would risk the scorn of not giving the grats to crew... of all of the bad press to have, that is not one of them. Besides, it would cause scrutiny from AG's and other regulatory agencies... like labour dept. etc...

 

bon voyage

[Spif Barwunkel]

I am not an unhappy customer, or camper, but I will play one on this forum thread, to ensure my post is not removed and I am not bothered, bashed or bullied. Especially at this Thanksgiving season, I will be thankfully unhappy.

 

- I am thankfully unhappy because, over the years, not once has Celebrity sent me a turkey for the holidays. I have, however, met many turkeys when cruising. Hardly a consolation, and.....

 

-Being Captain's Club Elite, not once has X or any fellow passenger treated me as an elitist, and.....

 

- Never has a ships captain saluted me in passing. Given the opportunity, I am sure that Captain Kate would remedy that situation, and.....

 

- During X shore excursions, after  answering all the guide's questions correctly, I have never been reimbursed my excursion costs, and.....

 

- Collect calls to corporate have never been accepted, and.....

 

- When eating dinner in the MDR, I have never been afforded private violin accompaniment at a table for eight (8), and.....

 

Well, you get the idea. If anyone has good reason to be unhappy with X, it's me. Got to go now. Going to make a collect call to discuss additional unhappiness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 23, 2020 by Spif Barwunkel

[Bo1953]

33 minutes ago, Spif Barwunkel said:

I am not an unhappy customer, or camper, but I will play one on this forum thread, to ensure my post is not removed and I am not bothered, bashed or bullied. Especially at this Thanksgiving season, I will be thankfully unhappy.

 

- I am thankfully unhappy because, over the years, not once has Celebrity sent me a turkey for the holidays. I have, however, met many turkeys when cruising. Hardly a consolation, and.....

 

-Being Captain's Club Elite, not once has X or any fellow passenger treated me as an elitist, and.....

 

- Never has a ships captain saluted me in passing. Given the opportunity, I am sure that Captain Kate would remedy that situation, and.....

 

- During X shore excursions, after  answering all the guide's questions correctly, I have never been reimbursed my excursion costs, and.....

 

- Collect calls to corporate have never been accepted, and.....

 

- When eating dinner in the MDR, I have never been afforded private violin accompaniment at a table for eight (8), and.....

 

Well, you get the idea. If anyone has good reason to be unhappy with X, it's me. Got to go now. Going to make a collect call to discuss additional unhappiness.

s - thank you for yet another bright spot in my day...

 

bon voyage

[phoenix_dream]

Suddenly everyone responding on this thread seems to have turned into Celebrity cheerleaders.  IMHO there are many people very unhappy with how Celebrity has handled the Covid changes, in particular the inconsistency as well as the communication, or lack thereof, not to mention continually waiting until after final payment to cancel cruises they’ve known for weeks or months will not sail.     I am one of them, and not afraid to say so.  I am also a member of multiple FB pages for Celebrity and they are filled with unhappy campers.  I personally am not happy with how we loyalists are basically being given the message that we are not important anymore, now that we’ve done our part in helping build the brand.

 

All that said, I love the onboard experience and onboard staff so do not plan to cut my nose off to spite my face as the saying goes and stop sailing the line.  I do, however intend to jump ship from my large, big box online travel agency who has basically left me high and dry.  Be advised, people, these are booking agents but don’t deserve to call themselves travel agents. Buyer beware. 

Edited November 26, 2020 by phoenix_dream

[grandgeezer]

They couldn't care less what you write as long as the money keeps flowing in. Their goal is to give you the least they can but still rake in the big bucks. They've got this perfected.

The people who are really disappointed in the direction cruising is going should vote with their wallet, whining and crying about it but continue to pay the outrageous pricing accomplishes absolutely nothing.

[Miaminice]

3 hours ago, grandgeezer said:

Their goal is to give you the least they can but still rake in the big bucks.

 

Agree! But OMG - What a surprise ! 🤣😂🤣

 

I am surprised, however, some think it´s any different. It´s not about the individual "You", it´s all about money.

 

Personally I don´t care much for the All Inclusive thing and thought it was just fine the way it was. Passengers were able to book what they want or need. In any combination which suits the individual needs.

Although being just a few points away from Elite Plus we never cared for the loyalty programm. I don´t need free drinks and I certainly don´t want to plan my day around free drinks as some do. The only perk we ever used is priority when tendering. As I always said, I cruise for the experience and not for points or a tier.

So if the experience we cruise for is not the same any more or comes at a price we don´t deem justified, the solution is very simple: we don´t book! However, we won´t cry about it or believe anyone at Celebrity will. As long as there are others willing to pay the price they are fine. And in terms of business they are even doing the right thing with this.

I´d love to be able to continue cruising with Celebrity. If not, we´ll see some of you on other boards on CC 😉
 

Edited November 26, 2020 by Miaminice

[Oceangoer2]

4 hours ago, Miaminice said:

 

Agree! But OMG - What a surprise ! 🤣😂🤣

 

I am surprised, however, some think it´s any different. It´s not about the individual "You", it´s all about money.

 

Personally I don´t care much for the All Inclusive thing and thought it was just fine the way it was. Passengers were able to book what they want or need. In any combination which suits the individual needs.

Although being just a few points away from Elite Plus we never cared for the loyalty programm. I don´t need free drinks and I certainly don´t want to plan my day around free drinks as some do. The only perk we ever used is priority when tendering. As I always said, I cruise for the experience and not for points or a tier.

So if the experience we cruise for is not the same any more or comes at a price we don´t deem justified, the solution is very simple: we don´t book! However, we won´t cry about it or believe anyone at Celebrity will. As long as there are others willing to pay the price they are fine. And in terms of business they are even doing the right thing with this.

I´d love to be able to continue cruising with Celebrity. If not, we´ll see some of you on other boards on CC 😉
 

All the lines are in recovery....you may encounter up pricing whichever line you choose.  Although I do agree with your thinking....why book something you resent for whatever reason.

[Pinboy]

On 11/23/2020 at 1:25 PM, Bo1953 said:

Most people I know too tip extra.

Even though you don't know me personally, however, from " teaching me the ropes on CC ", reading and commenting on some of my posts, you probably have an idea.

We do exactly the same--- so, add my name onto the list.

We never had poor service and it makes ME feel good when I give a staff member a gratuity over and above what was already built into the price. 

 

 

 

[Covepointcruiser]

There is no question that we have a lot to grumble about with two fully paid cruises hanging out there and a $2K deposit thru thee separate lines.   I have seen no difference in the way Celebrity has handled the Pandemic as all are holding off cancelling cruises until they know they certainly can’t cruise.   The all inclusive change does not impact us as we sail in Suites.   We are happy about the changes to the Retreat as that will cut down on crowded and improve service.

 

[Vagabond Knight]

On 11/22/2020 at 10:05 AM, tfred said:

Reading some of the comments of "we don't use wifi (who doesnt check e mail?)" or "I tip what is appropriate (aka I stiff them) ", I can see why X wants to move away from that customer.  They aren't going to miss them

 

Yup.  No one uses ALL the services onboard.  Celebrity has to balance what they provide and their cost with what their customer base usually wants and what they're willing to pay. As the targeted customer base changes and customers' needs/wants change, Celebrity's offerings will change. There soooo many aspects of cruising that could be picked apart and argued, but there is only so much "customization" that makes financial and practical sense.

 

My husband and I work in IT, so one of the aspects of cruising that we've loved is the ability to "disconnect" and tell people we'll be unavailable.  We'll do a quick check of email every few days in port (T-Mobile is great for international travel, especially in the Caribbean) and that's been the extent of our Wi-Fi usage, and we've never felt it necessary to specifically pay for it onboard.  If it's included in the future, that's OK.  If it's not, that's OK too. I don't care if they include it and add a few dollars to cover it, but our usage is not really going to expand.  If my husband starts being too connected to his phone while cruising, I'll throw one of them overboard.

 

You don't drink?  Well, others don't eat seafood or steak (both of which are expensive) and many people don't eat breakfast, but it would be weird for Celebrity to start breaking down to multiple food plans. If I never use the hot tub or pool on my cruises, should I get a non-swimmer rate since I'm not adding to the cost of chlorine or maintenance?  Maybe I've seen all the ports and no longer get off the ship at the stops, so why should I pay port dockage charges?  And, if I don't go to shows perhaps I don't want to chip in for all those entertainers they bring onboard. Maybe I don't go to trivia or paper airplane competitions or dance lessons, so I would like the "no cruise director" discount, please. For any of you thinking about picking apart any of these specific examples, you're missing the general point. We all pay for some aspects of the ship and the services associated with a cruise that we don't use.

 

Life's too short and cruising's too much fun to gripe about every little aspect of cruising. There will be parts of the product that you use and parts of the product that you don't on any cruise you select.  Just find the cruise line, itinerary, dates, amenities/perks, vibe and price that best fit you, then choose to have a great time!  

[ChucktownSteve]

1 hour ago, SunsetPoint said:

 

Yup.  No one uses ALL the services onboard.  Celebrity has to balance what they provide and their cost with what their customer base usually wants and what they're willing to pay. As the targeted customer base changes and customers' needs/wants change, Celebrity's offerings will change. There soooo many aspects of cruising that could be picked apart and argued, but there is only so much "customization" that makes financial and practical sense.

 

My husband and I work in IT, so one of the aspects of cruising that we've loved is the ability to "disconnect" and tell people we'll be unavailable.  We'll do a quick check of email every few days in port (T-Mobile is great for international travel, especially in the Caribbean) and that's been the extent of our Wi-Fi usage, and we've never felt it necessary to specifically pay for it onboard.  If it's included in the future, that's OK.  If it's not, that's OK too. I don't care if they include it and add a few dollars to cover it, but our usage is not really going to expand.  If my husband starts being too connected to his phone while cruising, I'll throw one of them overboard.

 

You don't drink?  Well, others don't eat seafood or steak (both of which are expensive) and many people don't eat breakfast, but it would be weird for Celebrity to start breaking down to multiple food plans. If I never use the hot tub or pool on my cruises, should I get a non-swimmer rate since I'm not adding to the cost of chlorine or maintenance?  Maybe I've seen all the ports and no longer get off the ship at the stops, so why should I pay port dockage charges?  And, if I don't go to shows perhaps I don't want to chip in for all those entertainers they bring onboard. Maybe I don't go to trivia or paper airplane competitions or dance lessons, so I would like the "no cruise director" discount, please. For any of you thinking about picking apart any of these specific examples, you're missing the general point. We all pay for some aspects of the ship and the services associated with a cruise that we don't use.

 

Life's too short and cruising's too much fun to gripe about every little aspect of cruising. There will be parts of the product that you use and parts of the product that you don't on any cruise you select.  Just find the cruise line, itinerary, dates, amenities/perks, vibe and price that best fit you, then choose to have a great time!  

 

So if you don't shower do you want a discount for the toiletries?   Me thinks your examples are a bit overboard.  Next time, if someone believes all that, they should book a rowboat and really save. 😁

[basenji56]

40 minutes ago, ChucktownSteve said:

 

So if you don't shower do you want a discount for the toiletries?   Me thinks your examples are a bit overboard.  Next time, if someone believes all that, they should book a rowboat and really save. 😁

The drinks package is the real issue here.  Celebrity charges $59 per person--plus a 20% tip-- for the regular drink package.  $141.60 a day per cabin.  $991 for a seven day cruise.  

 

This amount probably won't be fully added to the all-included cruise price--but a lot of will be.

 

As others have said, people need to compare what they are willing to pay for a cruise and choose accordingly.  For those who drink and already buy the package, this is not a big deal.  For those who don't drink and watch what they spend, it will be.

 

 

[RummyB]

On 11/25/2020 at 11:24 PM, phoenix_dream said:

Suddenly everyone responding on this thread seems to have turned into Celebrity cheerleaders.  IMHO there are many people very unhappy with how Celebrity has handled the Covid changes, in particular the inconsistency as well as the communication, or lack thereof, not to mention continually waiting until after final payment to cancel cruises they’ve known for weeks or months will not sail.     I am one of them, and not afraid to say so.  I am also a member of multiple FB pages for Celebrity and they are filled with unhappy campers.  I personally am not happy with how we loyalists are basically being given the message that we are not important anymore, now that we’ve done our part in helping build the brand.

 

All that said, I love the onboard experience and onboard staff so do not plan to cut my nose off to spite my face as the saying goes and stop sailing the line.  I do, however intend to jump ship from my large, big box online travel agency who has basically left me high and dry.  Be advised, people, these are booking agents but don’t deserve to call themselves travel agents. Buyer beware. 

Most of Celebrity's deposits are NR.  So, if you cancel the cruise before final, they get your money.  If you wait until your cruise is cancelled (usually after you've made final payment), they get your money (at least for a while) and, hopefully, reserve it after cancellation as a FCC.   

I'm one of many whose 2022 cruise (booked at a great rate) was cancelled because of the swap of ships.  My box store TA notified me immediately.  I have a few more days to decide if I want to take what Celebrity is offering, or get a return of my initial NR deposit.  I'm also one who is not thrilled with IA because we aren't big drinkers.  I could get all the drinks I needed being Elite.  (The new C-Club benefits are discounts on stuff we never purchased anyway.)

Since many of us have until November 30 to make some decisions on cancelled cruises, I suspect you will see another "announcement" from Celebrity soon thereafter.  Cruises sailing into and out of US ports must be 7 days or less until at least Nov 2021.  Anything else will be cancelled outright or modified.

All the cruise lines are trying to stay afloat. Truthfully, I just want to sail again!

[zap99]

Sorry, but another happy customer. Nice ships at decent prices. They cancelled our 2020 Alaska cruise before final payment and we got the deposit refunded in a couple of weeks.2021 rebooked at about the same price as 2020.

[LGW59]

3 minutes ago, zap99 said:

Sorry, but another happy customer. Nice ships at decent prices. They cancelled our 2020 Alaska cruise before final payment and we got the deposit refunded in a couple of weeks.2021 rebooked at about the same price as 2020.

As I have said before, I too am a very happy Celebrity customer.  Very nice ships...decent prices???  That said, I am opting to pay them so I feel like I am getting solid bang for my buck, at a premium price on ships that I want to be on.  My sense here is most of the folks who are very unhappy  are the loyalists who cruise far more than we do each year.  I can understand their frustration to a point, and I do not mean that to be disrespectful.  Times and circumstances change, often times totally out of our control, this is surely one of those times.  Better days lie ahead for us all! 

[Oceangoer2]

5 hours ago, ChucktownSteve said:

 

So if you don't shower do you want a discount for the toiletries?   Me thinks your examples are a bit overboard.  Next time, if someone believes all that, they should book a rowboat and really save. 😁

you break me up....!! Thx for the laugh...

[Doubt It]

I will chime in from Canada's west coast.

Cruising has become increasingly fake, orchestrated, manipulated and costly and utterly fixated on the alcohol package, yikes. Really, the removal of the forward viewing area on the Edge ships is the kiss of death for my patronage of X and the likely elimination of the M class with their promenade decks will seal the loss of my patronage of X forever. I am younger than the boomer group  (I assume X built the Edge class for me and they have so failed), so I have many cruising years ahead and I am not pleased whatsoever with X or any of the cruise lines.

 

So cruising on X turns me off, but other folks like it and that is fine indeed. Go and enjoy.

 

I travel to see the countries and communities. I love to go to Costa Rica and tour, real people, animals, geography. I went for 4 weeks to Hawaii and flew between islands and saw the real, real Hawaii, I had to take leave without pay at the office. But it was so worth it, I took the plane and flew around Kaui. Beyond great. No cruise to Hawaii.

 

As a younger person, cruising is less likely to give me what I want and need going forward, no way will I do a cruise line only tour with the mandatory time at the gift shop. As time passes, I will pick a travel option that really gives me a deep dive into where ever I want to go. 

All of that said, it really depends on the context going forward for all travel.

 

[NutsAboutGolf]

The writing was on the wall with PowerUp points.

[laslomas]

1 hour ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

The writing was on the wall with PowerUp points.

 

There haven't been any opportunities to earn those recently either !!

[basenji56]

1 hour ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

The writing was on the wall with PowerUp points.

Could you please elaborate on your comment?  My reading of it is that Celebrity knew that it was devaluing the points so there was no downside to awarding points without sailing?