Is Concierge Worth It

[Fly and Sail]

26 minutes ago, Mississippian said:

Are you required to "drop" a couple of grand? Is one allowed to get lucky? I always thought comps were based on theoretical. At blackjack a basic strategy player should only lose about one-half percent of action, but theoretical is between two and four percent. Frontloading the system seems like a good idea. Not sure how that would work on a 14-day cruise.

 

By "drop" I mean "risk" as in COIN IN. You don't have to lose the money, your Blue Chip Club level will be determined by points that result from your play (1 point per $ on slots, 1 point per $2 on Video Poker and then the ominous theoretical on tables which I don't trust them to track properly). Keep in mind that slot players are the sweet spot for cruise ship casinos as these have the highest house edge. Pretty much no regulation regarding payout, compared to Vegas and AC ships are really the wild west.

[TMaine]

3 hours ago, Fly and Sail said:

 

Concierge doesn't have better location. They arguably often times have a much worse location than some of the standard Veranda cabins. As for the bedding, you have a pillow menu but everything else is the same.

Not true,  bedding is different and location can be subjective.

[bdstickks0944]

23 hours ago, drakes2 said:

Can't say I've ever had a bad experience on celebrity if there's an issue guest relations has quickly rectified it. 

I meant

bad service and rude staff on MSC

[C4HCG]

On 9/6/2022 at 1:28 AM, swjumbo said:

I’ve just done a Concierge Class cruise on Silhouette and didn’t think it was worth it.

The lunch on boarding was nice but not essential.

The ‘concierge’ was uncontactable.

The shower head was the same as a regular cabin.

The toiletries were the same.

The robes were the same.

The room service menu was the same. 

We had gold key cards and will hopefully get extra CC points. 

We got binoculars, an umbrella and a slightly larger balcony but that’s about it.

So in my view it’s not worth it.

It hasn’t put us off Celebrity though. 

Do others feel the same?

Just got off the equinox, our concierge was brilliant and we think it’s value for money. Booked to do the same next September. Sure many will disagree but it’s all a personal opinion and ours is based on our experiences. Done 4 cruises all concierge 

[drakes2]

27 minutes ago, C4HCG said:

Just got off the equinox, our concierge was brilliant and we think it’s value for money. Booked to do the same next September. Sure many will disagree but it’s all a personal opinion and ours is based on our experiences. Done 4 cruises all concierge 

If the price is right I would do concierge but only if slightly more than a balcony. 

[C4HCG]

9 minutes ago, drakes2 said:

If the price is right I would do concierge but only if slightly more than a balcony. 

We like deck 10 and choose the same room. Sad but true. Will continue to too. Think the price difference to aqua is more baffling. But as I said before, a personal choice 

[the penguins]

7 hours ago, C4HCG said:

Just got off the equinox, our concierge was brilliant and we think it’s value for money. Booked to do the same next September. Sure many will disagree but it’s all a personal opinion and ours is based on our experiences. Done 4 cruises all concierge 

Just curiuos. What are you comparing Concierge with?  

[the penguins]

6 hours ago, C4HCG said:

We like deck 10 and choose the same room. Sad but true. Will continue to too. Think the price difference to aqua is more baffling. But as I said before, a personal choice 

The biggest (?) difference with Aqua is you cannot opt out of the drinks and WiFi. The other is having a separate restaurant, Blu. 

Deck 10 is way to high for us, Deck 7 is the absolute maximum and near the middle.

[drakes2]

12 hours ago, C4HCG said:

We like deck 10 and choose the same room. Sad but true. Will continue to too. Think the price difference to aqua is more baffling. But as I said before, a personal choice 

@C4HCG

My original cabin was an obstructed balcony on deck 6 then a few days later a cabin on the wake C1 category on deck 10 opened up for next to nothing so grabbed immediately as the last sunset view and I like that there are balconies above me. Also the fact that I'm 100 points away from  Elite plus. 

[drakes2]

5 hours ago, the penguins said:

The biggest (?) difference with Aqua is you cannot opt out of the drinks and WiFi. The other is having a separate restaurant, Blu. 

Deck 10 is way to high for us, Deck 7 is the absolute maximum and near the middle.

I love deck 10 as close to pool where I spend my sea days also don't do elevators prefer stairs. 

[Will K.]

What I find interesting there are times when Concierge is LESS than Veranda

[drakes2]

27 minutes ago, Will K. said:

What I find interesting there are times when Concierge is LESS than Veranda

On both my last two bookings concierge dropped very close to sail date and I had an obstructed balcony on deck 6. Had made final payment so they just moved me up to concierge at no additional charge.  Can't remember the exact cost but difference was minimal.  On my upcoming September 26 10 night sailing it worked out to 10 bucks a night more from a 2D obstruction to a C1. 

[C4HCG]

7 hours ago, the penguins said:

Just curiuos. What are you comparing Concierge with?  

Not comparing it to any other class as never stated in the. My point is we think for the money we pay it’s worth it and we like deck 10. 

[letsgogogo]

On 9/6/2022 at 4:06 PM, carolina_yankee said:

 

I don’t know. We’re new to this, but our friends claim it has hot items with the implication that standard categories do not. We’re coming from the Disney experience where room service breakfast were only cold items and the lunch and dinner menus were basically a bad burger, a club, or dried out pasta with runny sauce.

 

Me, I prefer heading up to the buffet to have a little bit of everything, but they are nesters.

 

 

Hot breakfast is available via room service in all classes, including inside cabins. Higher cabin and suite levels have a larger and more upgraded menu but all have hot breakfast items…eggs, pancakes.

[actuarian]

On 9/7/2022 at 6:52 PM, bdstickks0944 said:

MSC is nowhere near as good a Celebrity.  Nice ships.  Horrible service.  Rude staff

In my experience, that is true unless you are in the Yacht Club on MSC. YC staff are selected to be the most service-oriented people on MSC and service in the YC is close to perfect. The YC restaurant is great. The YC is actually pretty similar to the Retreat on Celebrity Edge Class.  Pool deck, lounge and restaurant are comparable. YC also includes complementary in-room minibar, something Celebrity charges for in the Retreat except for in the top suites. Most YC rooms are similar in size and price to Celebrity Sky Suites but come with perks that are more like Celebrity Royal Suite perks. On the other hand, IMHO, the rest of MSC outside of the YC does get lousy service and is several rungs below Celebrity (or even Royal Caribbean) in quality.

[C4HCG]

2 hours ago, C4HCG said:

Not comparing it to any other class as never stated in the. My point is we think for the money we pay it’s worth it and we like deck 10. 

First sentence meant to end - stayed in other classes 

[the penguins]

20 minutes ago, C4HCG said:

First sentence meant to end - stayed in other classes 

Now it makes sense, your first post gave the impression you had only done 4 cruises all in Concierge hence my query about value for money. 

[Nicole&Pete]

On 9/6/2022 at 11:58 AM, swjumbo said:

I’ve just done a Concierge Class cruise on Silhouette and didn’t think it was worth it.

The lunch on boarding was nice but not essential.

The ‘concierge’ was uncontactable.

The shower head was the same as a regular cabin.

The toiletries were the same.

The robes were the same.

The room service menu was the same. 

We had gold key cards and will hopefully get extra CC points. 

We got binoculars, an umbrella and a slightly larger balcony but that’s about it.

So in my view it’s not worth it.

It hasn’t put us off Celebrity though. 

Do others feel the same?

Hello

 

On Solstice class I don’t think they are worth it to be honest as it is exactly the same room except for a variety of pillows on the bed and footstools on the balcony (although I heard they may have got rid of these??). The cabins are in better locations though so I sometimes think that is worth paying more for. I have met a lot of newbie cruisers who book concierge thinking it’s an upgraded experience with special service but that is not true in my opinion as it is the same room with some minor perks (lunch (I’ve heard they may be changing this from the embarkation day anyway which for me is not a benefit anymore), bottle of champagne, canapés, disembarkation lounge) which I don’t think are worth it, not for me anyway. The perks are nothing like what you would get for being elite or having a suite, even with aqua class you get a different restaurant and access to the Persian garden which actually is an enhanced experience.

 

On Millenium class though they are actually bigger rooms, not by much but they are bigger so I think that is more worth while.

[drakes2]

33 minutes ago, Nicole&Pete said:

Hello

 

On Solstice class I don’t think they are worth it to be honest as it is exactly the same room except for a variety of pillows on the bed and footstools on the balcony (although I heard they may have got rid of these??). The cabins are in better locations though so I sometimes think that is worth paying more for. I have met a lot of newbie cruisers who book concierge thinking it’s an upgraded experience with special service but that is not true in my opinion as it is the same room with some minor perks (lunch (I’ve heard they may be changing this from the embarkation day anyway which for me is not a benefit anymore), bottle of champagne, canapés, disembarkation lounge) which I don’t think are worth it, not for me anyway. The perks are nothing like what you would get for being elite or having a suite, even with aqua class you get a different restaurant and access to the Persian garden which actually is an enhanced experience.

 

On Millenium class though they are actually bigger rooms, not by much but they are bigger so I think that is more worth while.

Concierge is great when its a free upgrade from an obstructed balcony.  2x I've been upgraded and upcoming sailing was very little more money. 

[Nicole&Pete]

12 hours ago, drakes2 said:

Concierge is great when its a free upgrade from an obstructed balcony.  2x I've been upgraded and upcoming sailing was very little more money. 

Yep then it’s totally worth it! we’ve just booked concierge on our next cruise but only because there weren’t many rooms left and the concierge rooms were in better locations (more midship). 

[hcat]

On our last 2 cruises pre Covid pause  on Edge, Concierge  guests were getting alot of love!   They boarded ahead of AQ so they could get to the luncheon on time, were invited to special gatherings, including sailaways, etc, and had actual Concierge services.

 

AQ cost more but only perks we had were BLU, thermal suite access,  and exercise mats in the stateroom..On one of the cruises they gave all AQ cabins   the  last departure groups ( no priority) ..which we all changed at Guest Rel..  They should beef up the AQ perks, esp b/c  BLU not as Special anymore..too many guests! Maybe a free  class  or spa discount..

[Nicole&Pete]

On 9/12/2022 at 2:15 AM, hcat said:

On our last 2 cruises pre Covid pause  on Edge, Concierge  guests were getting alot of love!   They boarded ahead of AQ so they could get to the luncheon on time, were invited to special gatherings, including sailaways, etc, and had actual Concierge services.

 

AQ cost more but only perks we had were BLU, thermal suite access,  and exercise mats in the stateroom..On one of the cruises they gave all AQ cabins   the  last departure groups ( no priority) ..which we all changed at Guest Rel..  They should beef up the AQ perks, esp b/c  BLU not as Special anymore..too many guests! Maybe a free  class  or spa discount..

I guess it must depend on what ship your on then. 
 

I have heard that due to the arrival groups the concierge lunch is now a day later, do you know if that is right?

 

thanks

[gold1953]

23 minutes ago, Nicole&Pete said:

I guess it must depend on what ship your on then. 
 

I have heard that due to the arrival groups the concierge lunch is now a day later, do you know if that is right?

 

thanks

that would negate the whole purpose of the lunch

[laslomas]

23 minutes ago, Nicole&Pete said:

I guess it must depend on what ship your on then. 
 

I have heard that due to the arrival groups the concierge lunch is now a day later, do you know if that is right?

 

thanks

It was held on embarkation day on my cruise in May. But last year, with low occupancy and strict COVID testing guidelines, and mask wearing, it was on a sea day and held on a different level in the MDR to the general MDR lunch.

[drakes2]

1 hour ago, laslomas said:

It was held on embarkation day on my cruise in May. But last year, with low occupancy and strict COVID testing guidelines, and mask wearing, it was on a sea day and held on a different level in the MDR to the general MDR lunch.

I hope its on embarkation day on September 26th. I chose the 11 am time slot so as not to miss it.  I imagine we'll be at full capacity or close to as only a few insides left.