Celebrity at a crossroads

[RichYak]

1 hour ago, Oceangoer2 said:

Then what makes an 'honest opinion' cheer leading.  This is only your opinion which has a negative tone.  Or do you positively think those who speak well of X aren't worth their opinion because it disagrees with yours?  Word games.

I never said giving an honest opinion was cheerleading. Why do you insist on putting words in my mouth?

[RichYak]

39 minutes ago, basenji56 said:

I had friends who just got back from MSC and loved it.  But she said the ship was very large?  I assume you are sailing on a much smaller MSC ship?

No, sorry, I was referring to two different things. Sometimes I write in shorthand. My next 2 non-Celebrity cruises are on MSC (mega sized but ship-within-a-ship) and probably Azamara (smaller ship).

[JLS07]

3 hours ago, goofysmom99 said:

I think X also counts on inertia.  People tend stay with what they know and absorb price creep.  

I think this is definite true.  When I first graduated college I got a job offer from a small cruise line (now bankrupt) to basically run numbers for them and determine which price point was the best for their lines.  Take into account, that a higher price with less people going might make more money than a lower price but at capacity.

 

MoveUp has solved this.  Lines can charge premium prices for the suites to start with and then charge significantly less a month before the cruise without appearing to lower prices since they never post what the total MoveUp price is (original cabin plus MoveUp price).

 

Here is an example: I have a 7 night sunset veranda this summer.  Price for 4 is about $5500.  Just got a move up for $3500 for sky suite.  Total price would be $9,000.  But on the website it still shows for sale for $12,000. The illusion of the higher price is there but the reality is that the real revenue on average for Celebrity is significantly lower than the $12,000 they list as the price.

[basenji56]

5 minutes ago, JLS07 said:

I think this is definite true.  When I first graduated college I got a job offer from a small cruise line (now bankrupt) to basically run numbers for them and determine which price point was the best for their lines.  Take into account, that a higher price with less people going might make more money than a lower price but at capacity.

 

MoveUp has solved this.  Lines can charge premium prices for the suites to start with and then charge significantly less a month before the cruise without appearing to lower prices since they never post what the total MoveUp price is (original cabin plus MoveUp price).

 

Here is an example: I have a 7 night sunset veranda this summer.  Price for 4 is about $5500.  Just got a move up for $3500 for sky suite.  Total price would be $9,000.  But on the website it still shows for sale for $12,000. The illusion of the higher price is there but the reality is that the real revenue on average for Celebrity is significantly lower than the $12,000 they list as the price.

And people see that the suites are all full and think everyone is paying that inflated price for a suite. 

[Oceangoer2]

34 minutes ago, RichYak said:

I never said giving an honest opinion was cheerleading. Why do you insist on putting words in my mouth?

You HAVE said there are many cheer leaders on this board and the inference is they say 'nice' things about their experience with X.  They truly mean it so it's their 'honest' opinion.  You differ....c'est la vie.  I could say something not very nice....as in "it's often open to put words in"...but I won't.  😉

[Orator]

3 minutes ago, Oceangoer2 said:

You HAVE said there are many cheer leaders on this board and the inference is they say 'nice' things about their experience with X.  They truly mean it so it's their 'honest' opinion.  You differ....c'est la vie.  I could say something not very nice....as in "it's often open to put words in"...but I won't.  😉

I've cruised with Crystal, Viking and Oceania since the Covid shutdown and can assure you the cheerleaders are not only on the Celebrity board. 

[Ex-Airbalancer]

16 minutes ago, basenji56 said:

And people see that the suites are all full and think everyone is paying that inflated price for a suite. 

But at month out, I don’t really think people will think that 

we always would book after Final Payment date , price would drop and we would book , airfare was cheap so we’re hotels 

Now cruise price haven’t dropped much, but airfare has increased and so has hotels 

And our TA has gotten some very good group pricing for cruises 

It is getting hard to figure out what to do 😢

[cgolf1]

1 hour ago, RichYak said:

I never said giving an honest opinion was cheerleading. Why do you insist on putting words in my mouth?

 

There have been some posters on here that have gone out of their way to only thank negative reviews for their honest opinions. I have never seen you do that. 

 

I honestly have seen the board mellow out of late. Just before our partial PC cruise it was a bit testy on here.

[RichYak]

56 minutes ago, Oceangoer2 said:

You HAVE said there are many cheer leaders on this board and the inference is they say 'nice' things about their experience with X.  They truly mean it so it's their 'honest' opinion.  You differ....c'est la vie.  I could say something not very nice....as in "it's often open to put words in"...but I won't.  😉

Good grief, I don't know where you're getting all this. I posted my definition of cheerleader upthread and it bears no likeness to any of what you write. Feel free making up nonsense comments that I never made if that's what you need to do to amuse yourself.

[Ipeeinthepools]

4 hours ago, RichYak said:

 

Personally, I'm excited. I look forward to trying MSC's true ship-within-a-ship concept and also exploring new places that smaller ships can take me that mass market ships can't.

 

MSC's ship within a ship concept is probably a good choice for the suite guests that want to leave Celebrity but the comparisons don't look as good for the non-suite guests.  As a non-suite guest I'm looking to move to HAL for longer more interesting itineraries.  It will be interesting to see how it works out.  As a non-suite guest, the lack of traditional balconies on the E-class was the final straw sending me to the exit gate.

Edited April 6, 2023 by Ipeeinthepools

[RichYak]

35 minutes ago, cgolf1 said:

There have been some posters on here that have gone out of their way to only thank negative reviews for their honest opinions. I have never seen you do that. 

Thanks for this. If you want to see how "negative" I am, read the last few pages of the "Has anyone been on Millennium recently" thread. I'm sooo brutally anti-Celebrity. Maybe @Oceangoer2 should read it too.

[RichYak]

3 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

MSC's ship within a ship concept is probably a good choice for the suite guests that want to leave Celebrity but the comparisons don't look as good for the non-suite guests.

Yeah, there's no way I'd sail MSC outside of Yacht Club. It would be a non-starter.

[canderson]

11 hours ago, RichYak said:

Only 90%? You're nowhere near a cheerleader, that's downright grumpy! 😇

 

Simply put, in my mind a cheerleader is one who defends the indefensible. The Celebrity 1/1/23 cutbacks made them very easy to identify.

At which time, we booked our next cruise with SS, hoping that in some part, it hearkens back to the smaller X ships and service.  Guess we'll see. 

[RichYak]

18 minutes ago, canderson said:

At which time, we booked our next cruise with SS, hoping that in some part, it hearkens back to the smaller X ships and service.  Guess we'll see. 

Have you sailed with SS in the past or will this be first time?

[canderson]

1 hour ago, RichYak said:

Have you sailed with SS in the past or will this be first time?

This will be our first after a very long string of X cruises.

[Guest ldtr]

7 hours ago, Orator said:

I've cruised with Crystal, Viking and Oceania since the Covid shutdown and can assure you the cheerleaders are not only on the Celebrity board. 

Lets see CC dictionary    Cheerleaders = people who like their experience on a cruise line, used by people that do not.  Haters = People that are critical of a cruise line, used by people that are not.

[jagoffee]

12 hours ago, basenji56 said:

It is insanity.  But I guess some people have money to burn.  I would prefer to sail on a smaller ship like Viking or Oceania rather than upgrade to a sky suite for three times the cost of a Celebrity veranda.  But, to other people, the additional cost is worth it.  

I find it hard to believe that anyone pays $800 a day per person for a Sky Suite.  I have to wonder if that number is just when a particular cruise has very little inventory.

[jagoffee]

2 hours ago, canderson said:

At which time, we booked our next cruise with SS, hoping that in some part, it hearkens back to the smaller X ships and service.  Guess we'll see. 

Did you pay anywhere near the $800 pp pd for the Sky Suite that has been mentioned on this thread?

[canderson]

1 hour ago, jagoffee said:

Did you pay anywhere near the $800 pp pd for the Sky Suite that has been mentioned on this thread?

Almost, but not quite that much, but ...

 

It's for the equivalent of a Royal Suite on an Celebrity M or S class (a Silver Suite) on Dawn, includes pick up and drop off at home, all airport/pier transfers, international business class air, hotel, excursions, etc.  No idea where we'll ever spend all of the OBC, frankly.

 

 

Edited April 7, 2023 by canderson
typoz

[Ipeeinthepools]

6 hours ago, ldtr said:

Lets see CC dictionary    Cheerleaders = people who like their experience on a cruise line, used by people that do not.  Haters = People that are critical of a cruise line, used by people that are not.

 

That's a little harsh.  In my updated copy of the CC dictionary.   Cheerleaders = People who ignore many obvious flaws because they want to validate their own decision to sail on a particular cruise line.  Haters = Anyone that disagrees with me.

[Oceangoer2]

16 hours ago, RichYak said:

Thanks for this. If you want to see how "negative" I am, read the last few pages of the "Has anyone been on Millennium recently" thread. I'm sooo brutally anti-Celebrity. Maybe @Oceangoer2 should read it too.

I will ....but....I'm wondering why you're even on this forum if you are "sooo brutally anti-Celebrity".   BTW....I don't find you so anti Celebrity, just  commenting as we all do.  No doubt you praised your time on Millennium.  Perhaps a longtime troll or just having fun passing the time with not much else to do.  Did I strike a chord...🤩 ?

 

*****

I read your remarks on the last page of the 'M' thread....I apologize, you're not a 'troll';  I still think you're having fun with most of the posters and not as negative to the positive as it seems by your remarks.  Although in reading, you do react well to the suite pampering which does enhance 'our' honest opinion of Celebrity.

Edited April 7, 2023 by Oceangoer2

[chamima]

9 minutes ago, Oceangoer2 said:

I will ....but....I'm wondering why you're even on this forum if you are "sooo brutally anti-Celebrity".   BTW....I don't find you so anti Celebrity, just  commenting as we all do.  No doubt you praised your time on Millennium.  Perhaps a longtime troll or just having fun passing the time with not much else to do.  Did I strike a chord...🤩 ?

 

I can't speak for @RichYak but as for myself - am a  longtime Celebrity cruiser dismayed to see the changes and hoping Celebrity will see the thread (I DO think they monitor CC) and react accordingly. And if not, this is a resource of where else we might spend our vacation dollars.

[Oceangoer2]

15 minutes ago, chamima said:

 

I can't speak for @RichYak but as for myself - am a  longtime Celebrity cruiser dismayed to see the changes and hoping Celebrity will see the thread (I DO think they monitor CC) and react accordingly. And if not, this is a resource of where else we might spend our vacation dollars.

This is 'food' for thought....I've spent a considerable time recently reading 'other' cruise boards and exploring land holidays.  I'm finding very similar complaints or comments in conversation with O longtime cruising friends, reading the board, watched videos, saw pics, etc.  Almost booked O last week, but in comparison, not much except dining seems better, although there was a very long thread re 'O Food' (won't mention the ship) which noted a decline in dining.  Celebrity had more to offer US so there is much to keep us with X FOR NOW and if that makes me a 'cheer leader' so be it. I've done my homework.  I had a recent conversation with an Exec Office staff member on phone and email re queries, including these 'food problems'.  Explanation was/is supply and demand which is being addressed and remedied 🤞. Expected response but reasonable.   As time goes on perhaps we'll hear from those currently sailing for their experience.

Partial Quoting in answer to dining:

"....there has been a supply chain issue on past sailings that seems to have been resolved .... the menu was dependent on what the ships were able to source, and what region they’re in."

 

 

[basenji56]

I'm not a cheerleader for Celebrity but I do believe it provides a very high level of value for the cost.  I am not a fan of the infinite verandas so I often cruise on other lines.  I am glad that Celebrity no longer requires you to book the "all included" since, as a non-drinker, I didn't find that to be a good value. 

 

[Spif Barwunkel]

If Celebrity was not at a crossroads before, perhaps X is now, big change at the top with LLP moving to Vice Chair External Affairs, Royal Caribbean Group. Does that mean she will no longer be concerned with issues internal to corporate, thus no hands-on when it comes to day-to-day ship operations? Or, has she been tasked to resolve issues and concerns outside the RC purview that may be responsible for the continued perturbations and X bashing from some cruisers? With a new X prez in town will any changes be immediately evident and positive, thus toning down the clamorous negativities as spoken by X naysayers? I guess we’ll see.

 

I have continued to buy the product and enjoy the presentation. Despite the imperfections and occasional minor issues, Celebrity is still my first cruise line of choice. Perhaps this change will eventually serve to bring back the cruisers who seek satisfaction elsewhere. Perhaps it’s that crossroads thing.