How will Elite Plus benefits change?

[crimsonbird]

Now that we all must purchase a liquor package...what does Celebrity have in store to make Elite Plus special?  We are not big drinkers and looked forward to the cocktail hour.  Loved the lounge...oh well, things change.  But there has to be a loyalty incentive.  

[chemmo]

14 minutes ago, crimsonbird said:

Now that we all must purchase a liquor package...what does Celebrity have in store to make Elite Plus special?  We are not big drinkers and looked forward to the cocktail hour.  Loved the lounge...oh well, things change.  But there has to be a loyalty incentive.  

 

The laundry....

 

Seriously there have been several posts about this. As you say, for many the Elite cocktail hour was a real incentive for those who were not big drinkers and would generally not buy a drinks package. 

 

I seem to remember seeing somewhere they may look at more ‘events’ rather than perks. Unfortunately if you are Elite+ you have probably already experienced the helipad sail away, the galley tour, the theatre tour, the wine tasting...

 

It will be interesting to see what others report back. 

 

We have sailed in higher suites for some years now so E+ doesn’t even equate to a bonus of free laundry for us as that is already included with the suite. Not complaining, life is good! Just desperate to get back on board, regardless of the lack of value of E+ perks!

 

 

 

[C-Dragons]

 

3 minutes ago, chemmo said:

We have sailed in higher suites for some years now so E+ doesn’t even equate to a bonus of free laundry for us as that is already included with the suite. Not complaining, life is good! Just desperate to get back on board, regardless of the lack of value of E+ perks!

I agree wholeheartedly with you, life is good.

And the perks, what ever they may be, are meaningless if we can’t cruise. 

[ipeeinthepool]

48 minutes ago, crimsonbird said:

Now that we all must purchase a liquor package...what does Celebrity have in store to make Elite Plus special?  We are not big drinkers and looked forward to the cocktail hour.  Loved the lounge...oh well, things change.  But there has to be a loyalty incentive.  

 

I'll still be in the Sky Lounge having a drink, stop by and have a drink with me.

[davekathy]

1 hour ago, crimsonbird said:

Now that we all must purchase a liquor package...what does Celebrity have in store to make Elite Plus special?  We are not big drinkers and looked forward to the cocktail hour.  Loved the lounge...oh well, things change.  But there has to be a loyalty incentive.  

Elite, elite+ and Zenith still have other perks to take advantage of besides the 2 hour CC HH and 2 hour  unlimited CC HH drinks and limited free WiFi. The Sky Lounge will still be open for your enjoyment. Bring your own snack.  

[HskrCrsr]

The best place I have found is the CC web page, specifically the Program Updates tab (https://www.celebritycruises.com/captains-club/program-changes) and the matrix that is the second page of the benefits brochure (https://secure.viewer.zmags.com/publication/cc0ce13c#/cc0ce13c/1).

 

The Program Updates tab lists some benefits that do not appear in the matrix, such as the Pressed to Impress and Feeling Chic laundry benefits (not free). But if you scroll down that page, you see some "New Programs in the Works" that clearly have not been updated in 2021.

 

Overall, I think these resources provide a decent picture of what Celebrity has in store for all CC levels.

[jg51]

1 hour ago, crimsonbird said:

Now that we all must purchase a liquor package...what does Celebrity have in store to make Elite Plus special?  We are not big drinkers and looked forward to the cocktail hour.  Loved the lounge...oh well, things change.  But there has to be a loyalty incentive.  

.

You are right, "crimsonbird."  As you said, "there has to be a loyalty incentive."  Currently, the incentive does not exist.  We have been waiting for MONTHS for a dramatic, significant announcement from the Captain's Club "powers-that-be" concerning the ways(s) in which "X" will compensate folks just like you and us (who are Elite Plus "not big drinkers and looked forward to the cocktail hour."  You and we earned that benefit -- as well as the limited (but significant) Internet minutes that we received and used wisely. 

 

Both of those benefits, earned by our many years of loyalty, have been ripped out of your hands and ours, and we have been told that we must now pay a great deal of money -- for MORE beverages and MORE online time than we need or want!  This is truly an injustice for which Celebrity must make amends.

.

Edited May 25, 2021 by jg51

[crimsonbird]

39 minutes ago, davekathy said:

Elite, elite+ and Zenith still have other perks to take advantage of besides the 2 hour CC HH and 2 hour  unlimited CC HH drinks and limited free WiFi. The Sky Lounge will still be open for your enjoyment. Bring your own snack.  

⁰

 

39 minutes ago, davekathy said:

Elite, elite+ and Zenith still have other perks to take advantage of besides the 2 hour CC HH and 2 hour  unlimited CC HH drinks and limited free WiFi. The Sky Lounge will still be open for your enjoyment. Bring your own snack.  

Oh that is so funny.  I'll be sure to stop at Costco before boarding 

[crimsonbird]

1 hour ago, ipeeinthepool said:

 

I'll still be in the Sky Lounge having a drink, stop by and have a drink with me.

We will.  I'm sure we've been in the Sky lounge with you before.  

[tserface]

2 hours ago, jg51 said:

.

You are right, "crimsonbird."  As you said, "there has to be a loyalty incentive."  Currently, the incentive does not exist.  We have been waiting for MONTHS for a dramatic, significant announcement from the Captain's Club "powers-that-be" concerning the ways(s) in which "X" will compensate folks just like you and us (who are Elite Plus "not big drinkers and looked forward to the cocktail hour."  You and we earned that benefit -- as well as the limited (but significant) Internet minutes that we received and used wisely. 

 

Both of those benefits, earned by our many years of loyalty, have been ripped out of your hands and ours, and we have been told that we must now pay a great deal of money -- for MORE beverages and MORE online time than we need or want!  This is truly an injustice for which Celebrity must make amends.

.

The last cruise we were on the waiters were selling tables in the lounge to the highest bidders and putting drinks on the tables to reserve them.  Some people didn't show up until 20 minutes later and just went right to their reserved tables while other people stood up.  I thought it was a pretty poor practice, but the concierge said it's how they make extra tips.  So, in a sense, they are starting to charge for use of the room anyway.

 

Tom

[ipeeinthepool]

18 minutes ago, tserface said:

The last cruise we were on the waiters were selling tables in the lounge to the highest bidders and putting drinks on the tables to reserve them.  Some people didn't show up until 20 minutes later and just went right to their reserved tables while other people stood up.  I thought it was a pretty poor practice, but the concierge said it's how they make extra tips.  So, in a sense, they are starting to charge for use of the room anyway.

 

Tom

 

I've never heard of anything close to this behavior.  What ship was it?

[tserface]

2 minutes ago, ipeeinthepool said:

 

I've never heard of anything close to this behavior.  What ship was it?

Summit going to New England/Canada in 2019. We didn't go anywhere last year, of course 🙂

 

Tom

[cruising teacher]

I really believe that Andrea Shey should respond to Elite, Elite Plus and Zenith questions. Where do we stand? 

[ipeeinthepool]

9 minutes ago, tserface said:

Summit going to New England/Canada in 2019. We didn't go anywhere last year, of course 🙂

 

Tom

 

I think that would have only happened one night.  I'll bet a call to the Hotel Director would have addressed that issue.  I'll be curious to see if anyone else reports this same behavior on the Summit or other ships.

Edited May 25, 2021 by ipeeinthepool

[tserface]

1 minute ago, ipeeinthepool said:

 

I think that would have only happened one night.  I'll bet a call to the Hotel Director would have addressed that issue.  I'll be curious to see if anyone else reports this same behavior on the Summit or other ships.

 

Yeah, I don't know if this is common or not.  It happened every night on that cruise. When I asked about it they told me that they would reserve one for me as well and all you have to do is tip them for it.  

 

I didn't do it because I didn't like the idea at all.  It's kind of like the Elite version of pool chair hogging.

 

Tom

[ipeeinthepool]

2 minutes ago, tserface said:

 

Yeah, I don't know if this is common or not.  It happened every night on that cruise. When I asked about it they told me that they would reserve one for me as well and all you have to do is tip them for it.  

 

I didn't do it because I didn't like the idea at all.  It's kind of like the Elite version of pool chair hogging.

 

Tom

 

I agree, I would have also passed on their offer.

[davekathy]

4 hours ago, crimsonbird said:

⁰

 

Oh that is so funny.  I'll be sure to stop at Costco before boarding 

Save yourself the trip and money. Just stop by the Oceanview Cafe. Endless selections for building your own snacks. 🤣

[davekathy]

1 hour ago, tserface said:

The last cruise we were on the waiters were selling tables in the lounge to the highest bidders and putting drinks on the tables to reserve them.  Some people didn't show up until 20 minutes later and just went right to their reserved tables while other people stood up.  I thought it was a pretty poor practice, but the concierge said it's how they make extra tips.  So, in a sense, they are starting to charge for use of the room anyway.

 

Tom

Thanks for the laugh. 🙄

[davekathy]

1 hour ago, tserface said:

Summit going to New England/Canada in 2019. We didn't go anywhere last year, of course 🙂

 

Tom

We were on the 14 night Summit, NE/Canada cruise 8 September 2019 and that wasn't happening in the Sky Lounge for the CC HH on our cruise. The CC host was Anshika Boodhun. 

[phillygirl2400]

3 minutes ago, davekathy said:

We were on the 14 night Summit, NE/Canada cruise 8 September 2019 and that wasn't happening in the Sky Lounge for the CC HH on our cruise. The CC host was Anshika Boodhun. 

We were also on that cruise and didn’t see anything like that in the Sky Lounge. 

[crimsonbird]

16 minutes ago, davekathy said:

Save yourself the trip and money. Just stop by the Oceanview Cafe. Endless selections for building your own snacks. 🤣

Who knows if there will be a cafe..maybe food  on cryo sealed trays with robots in hazmat suits.  

[crimsonbird]

6 minutes ago, phillygirl2400 said:

We were also on that cruise and didn’t see anything like that in the Sky Lounge. 

Never saw anything like that.  We loved sitting at the bar watching the liquor show.   

[davekathy]

3 minutes ago, crimsonbird said:

Who knows if there will be a cafe..maybe food  on cryo sealed trays with robots in hazmat suits.  

There will be. IMO it will no longer be self serve (long over due) when cruising first resumes. 

Edited May 26, 2021 by davekathy

[crimsonbird]

1 minute ago, davekathy said:

There will be. IMO it will not be self serve (long over due) when cruising first resumes. 

We agree.  Long overdue.  

[wrk2cruise]

The Richard Fain video this week confirmed that buffets will be available with crew serving.