New CEO of Celebrity Interesting but happy they stay within for promotions.

[Ipeeinthepools]

5 minutes ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

I'm not saying there aren't people who don't like them.

 

I AM saying there are plenty of people who DO like them. But the haters like to pretend that we don't exist.

 

Absolutely not.  There was no good reason to completely eliminate conventional balconies.   Someone convinced Celebrity management that IV's were the best thing since sliced bread, but there not.

[verizon]

3 hours ago, bikerunner said:

But the ships are back to full.  So they may have alienated some cruisers but gained new ones probably more since they have more ships to fill now.  The argument is since you don’t like it must mean all must not like it.  I personally don’t like the ships they use for the Galapagos, I guess I should hate and never sail with celebrity again  As I said before they do have ships that have traditional balconies. They actually have 8 of them. Only 3 e class right now with 2 more coming.  If it was not popular they would not have kept building them.From talking to freinds who went on a few of the e class the shows for Eden are standing room only. The restaurant is full and sold out every night.  To me they are still going after the same demographic and age range.  Peoples tastes change so they adapted to the more broader instead of just doing the same old thing and only catering to a smaller population.

Did you check the occupancy of transatlantic on April 17 on Edge ?

it is only HALF FULL.

I have never seen a promotion bids before.

Celebrity lower the bids amount again saying that it’s a promotion.

I believed there are not many bids on the high prices

Edited April 8, 2023 by verizon

[Ipeeinthepools]

2 minutes ago, verizon said:

Did you check the occupancy of transatlantic on April 17 on Edge ?

it is only HALY FULL.

 

Celebrity probably has a lot of IV guarantee cabins and they are waiting to assign the cabins. 😉

[Oceangoer2]

1 hour ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

I'm not saying there aren't people who don't like them.

 

I AM saying there are plenty of people who DO like them. But the haters like to pretend that we don't exist.

Because some contradict your OPINION doesn't make them haters.  Why is the language so strong on this thread and why such defense both pro and con.  If you think you won't like the IV, don't book the IV.  I like the X product but not the IV.  This lessens my choices for which X ships to sail (unless in a suite).  Which may push me to another line. I don't think posters wish those who dislike IVs to not exist.

[OysterD]

10 hours ago, NMTraveller said:

OK probably not for a company in the S&P500 where the CEO got axed.  How can you build 5 new ships where the majority of your faithful cruisers (non-suite) do not like them and will not sail on them again?

Enough with the hyperbole. Firstly, the whole "CEO got axed", ok think whatever you like but don't state things like that as fact with zero evidence. It's just bizarre. If I was 65 I'd be wanting to retire too. Maybe just maybe it's as simple as that and no conspiracy theory is required?

 

Have you any evidence to back up your wild claim that the majority of people will not sail E class after being on it once or is that solely your opinion based on your preferences?  

 

Do you think possibly after 4+ years of bookings on E class ships they might have a pretty good handle on how many repeat cruisers they have? Do you think if after probably half a million people have sailed on them and their internal metrics were showing they were getting no or very few repeat bookings, would they have ordered another 2 ships? Doubtful. 

 

I'll be on Beyond later this year with friends, we're fully aware the balconies are missing a few square inches of air space around the top of the sides but that doesn't matter one jot to us. Compared to Reflection last year we're much more interested in and looking forward to spending time in Eden, the far superior sunset bar, the larger and improved pool deck, additional restaurants, much improved theatre, rooftop garden (better use of space than the lawn) and overall decor from the 2020s not from the 2000s.  

 

I've got friends going on Edge this summer with their extended family. 5 or 6 cabins booked. They researched extensively and also didn't care one bit about the IV cabins and losing a few square inches of draft on the balconies. They were more interested in the extra space they get in the cabin by opening the bifold doors. 

 

If you dont want to sail Celebrity ever again because a few ships are missing a 3 inch gap at the top left and right of the balconies or because for a short period of time they didn't have your preferred cut of beef in a restaurant, fine. However, is it entirely necessary for you to fill this board with doom and gloom and wildly negative statements that bear little resemblance to reality? 

[NMTraveller]

20 minutes ago, OysterD said:

Do you think possibly after 4+ years of bookings on E class ships they might have a pretty good handle on how many repeat cruisers they have? Do you think if after probably half a million people have sailed on them and their internal metrics were showing they were getting no or very few repeat bookings, would they have ordered another 2 ships? Doubtful. 

 

If the IVs are such a resounding success then why is no other line copying the model and putting in all IVs?  Why are IVs not in the suites?

[Ipeeinthepools]

23 minutes ago, OysterD said:

...

 

I'll be on Beyond later this year with friends, we're fully aware the balconies are missing a few square inches of air space around the top of the sides but that doesn't matter one jot to us. Compared to Reflection last year we're much more interested in and looking forward to spending time in Eden, the far superior sunset bar, the larger and improved pool deck, additional restaurants, much improved theatre, rooftop garden (better use of space than the lawn) and overall decor from the 2020s not from the 2000s.  

 

I've got friends going on Edge this summer with their extended family. 5 or 6 cabins booked. They researched extensively and also didn't care one bit about the IV cabins and losing a few square inches of draft on the balconies. They were more interested in the extra space they get in the cabin by opening the bifold doors. 

...

 

I'm glad they were able to better utilize the open deck space on the E-class ships because the Retreat area took so much space away from the non-suite guests.

 

As far as those bifold doors are concerned, does anyone really close the bifold doors?  What's the advantage given that the AC or heat shuts off and makes the remainder of the cabin uncomfortable.  A better solution would have been to eliminate the bi-fold doors to better utilize the indoor space and they would need the miniature furniture.

[OysterD]

On 4/7/2023 at 2:53 PM, NMTraveller said:

That is the issue.  Most of the "changes" lately have been cuts.  Whether it is IVs,  MDR food, or loss of the Sky Lounge to put in more suites.

** In your opinion. 

 

Fact is most people are either indifferent towards the IV cabins or like them. To say they are a 'cut' is a bit odd as they would cost more to build than traditional balcony cabins. 

 

Equally silly is to say getting rid of the sky lounge is a 'cut'. Perhaps you miss that space, most people probably don't. And that started 11yrs ago when they made the sky lounge on Reflection smaller. And even with a smaller one, last September when I cruised on Reflection every time we walked in or past it it was practically empty. At night the DJ/entertainment crew would finish in the atrium and announce they were carrying the party on up in the sky lounge. We went 3 times and each time there were no more than a dozen people. Didn't bother again. Celebrity know exactly how many people use each space on every cruise. Do you think maybe they ran the numbers and realised that the sky lounge was a massively under utilised piece of prime space?  From what I've seen I would say Eden is a far superior replacement to the sky lounge. 3 decks tall, much better views out. 

 

I thought we'd moved on from beef/lobster gate. Who knows why a particular cut of beef was temporarily absent. Maybe it was deliberate, maybe it was related to supply chain issues, who knows. Part of me cant help but think that already existing supply issues in the US for various items might have been exacerbated by 90% of all cruise ships being based in the Caribbean for the first time in years, but again, who knows. Could it have been managed better, maybe, probably. Was it an end of world scenario, absolutely not. But it doesn't seem to be an issue now. 

 

 

[OysterD]

5 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

I'm glad they were able to better utilize the open deck space on the E-class ships because the Retreat area took so much space away from the non-suite guests.

 

As far as those bifold doors are concerned, does anyone really close the bifold doors?  What's the advantage given that the AC or heat shuts off and makes the remainder of the cabin uncomfortable.  A better solution would have been to eliminate the bi-fold doors to better utilize the indoor space and they would need the miniature furniture.

If you keep them closed while the window is open I would imagine that helps keep the cool air in the rest of the cabin? I'll give it a go later this year. 

 

Regarding the area at the front of the E class ships made into the Retreat deck, I'd guess than 95%+ of passengers wouldn't notice the reduced deck space up there compared to S class. The couple of times we went up to the top front deck on Reflection which had what seemed like acres of deck chairs, there was never anyone else there. Also think I saw the basketball court being used once. I would hazard a guess that having the Retreat deck using what is probably very under utilised space on S class ships actually creates more room on the main pool deck for everyone else as most suite passengers will be up there instead of around the main pool? 

[paulh84]

27 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

If the IVs are such a resounding success then why is no other line copying the model and putting in all IVs?  Why are IVs not in the suites?

 

[Ipeeinthepools]

14 minutes ago, OysterD said:

If you keep them closed while the window is open I would imagine that helps keep the cool air in the rest of the cabin? I'll give it a go later this year. ...

 

Nope, doesn't work that way.

[NMTraveller]

18 minutes ago, OysterD said:

Equally silly is to say getting rid of the sky lounge is a 'cut'. Perhaps you miss that space, most people probably don't. And that started 11yrs ago when they made the sky lounge on Reflection smaller. And even with a smaller one, last September when I cruised on Reflection every time we walked in or past it it was practically empty. At night the DJ/entertainment crew would finish in the atrium and announce they were carrying the party on up in the sky lounge. We went 3 times and each time there were no more than a dozen people. Didn't bother again. Celebrity know exactly how many people use each space on every cruise. Do you think maybe they ran the numbers and realised that the sky lounge was a massively under utilised piece of prime space?  From what I've seen I would say Eden is a far superior replacement to the sky lounge. 3 decks tall, much better views out. 

 

For someone that bills their line as a premium line,  I would expect to see some quiet places on the ship where you can go to unwind,  a more relaxed environment.  Every space does not have to be packed and loud and shouty.  The removal of these spaces from E class is a cut IMHO.  

 

The places on S class that are not heavily packed and are quiet are the gems of Celebrity.  I do not get the draw of cruising on a ship that is packed in every venue. 

 

 

 

 

[OysterD]

33 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

If the IVs are such a resounding success then why is no other line copying the model and putting in all IVs?  Why are IVs not in the suites?

I'm not an engineer, but the smallest suite is at least 50% wider than the IV cabins. I would doubt very much that they could have made an opening IV window that wide, or if so it would have been cost prohibitive and the additional weight and mechanics needed to open it would probably have led to a higher failure rate. Alternative would have been to have one standard opening IV and a fixed pane in each ss suite I guess but that would mess with the aesthetics and generally be a bit odd plus not sure what they'd do for the suites that were wider still. 

[paulh84]

1 minute ago, NMTraveller said:

For someone that bills their line as a premium line,  I would expect to see some quiet places on the ship where you can go to unwind,  a more relaxed environment.  Every space does not have to be packed and loud and shouty.  The removal of these spaces from E class is a cut IMHO.  

 

The places on S class that are not heavily packed and are quiet are the gems of Celebrity.  I do not get the draw of cruising on a ship that is packed in every venue. 

 

 

 

 

 

 But aren’t the “underutilized” areas complete and utter failures? Isn’t that what was established a few pages back? 

[NMTraveller]

13 minutes ago, paulh84 said:

 

Expedition ship.

[NMTraveller]

8 minutes ago, paulh84 said:

 

 But aren’t the “underutilized” areas complete and utter failures? Isn’t that what was established a few pages back? 

CFO perspective vs cruiser perspective.

 

For my favorite steakhouse you could claim that the space was underutilized.  The tables are spaced very far apart and it is quiet.   It is a very nice steakhouse IMHO and gets some of the highest review ratings in the USA.  It is fully booked most nights, but never gives you the feel of being crowded.

Edited April 8, 2023 by NMTraveller

[Spif Barwunkel]

Very interesting theories, suppositions and opinions regarding X changes at the top. I do appreciate the information and education from those in the know regarding such circumstances in the corporate world, although actual reasons for Lisa leaving as president and Laura taking over in that role are known only to a few. Today, just as in my many working years, I don’t give much attention to those high-level happenings, too far above my pay grade and I never felt the effects of any change. I therefore, in my lack of infinite wisdom, have always refused to place blame or give credit to one person for the good, the bad, or the ugly. No matter who has the final say, it is a team effort in arriving at the final result. If that is ignorance talking, I am comfortable in that incomprehension.

 

Whether you’re a fan of LLP or not she was a big part of some big changes to X ships. Whether you’re a fan of Edge Class or not it is a big part of Celebrity’s new look. The times are-a-changin’ and if you do not care to keep up there are nine other ships - not counting Galapagos ships - that will gladly continue to cater to your cruising needs and desires. Continue to enjoy those offerings as you always have. Why continue to bluster, bash and rail against something you can do nothing about, too many positive ways to exert that energy.

 

There’s a new prez in town. Hail to the Chief.  

[Bobsgonecoastal]

1 hour ago, verizon said:

Did you check the occupancy of transatlantic on April 17 on Edge ?

it is only HALF FULL.

I have never seen a promotion bids before.

Celebrity lower the bids amount again saying that it’s a promotion.

I believed there are not many bids on the high prices

From what I gathered on the last two post Covid cruises, full is not the same thing as being at capacity.  I’ve read that bookings were being cut off at 50 to 60% due to fewer crew members available and supply chain issues.  From what I witnessed, their ships have not been at their designed capacity.  Am I wrong about this?

[OysterD]

1 minute ago, NMTraveller said:

For someone that bills their line as a premium line,  I would expect to see some quiet places on the ship where you can go to unwind,  a more relaxed environment.  Every space does not have to be packed and loud and shouty.  The removal of these spaces from E class is a cut IMHO.  

 

The places on S class that are not heavily packed and are quiet are the gems of Celebrity.  I do not get the draw of cruising on a ship that is packed in every venue. 

 

 

 

 

Again, it's not a cut. You can't run a company using your line of thinking. 

 

How can anyone possibly justify keeping thousands of square feet of real estate which is barely used just in case <1% of passengers want somewhere quieter that nobody goes to.

 

The E class equivalent of the sky lounge is Eden. Yes it's at the back rather than front of the ship but thats a bonus not a negative - there is nowhere indoors on S class ships to sit and relax and just watch the wake which I'd much prefer than sitting watching out the front. You'd be hard pressed arguing that Eden is a 'cut' versus the sky lounge. 

[NMTraveller]

2 minutes ago, OysterD said:

Again, it's not a cut. You can't run a company using your line of thinking. 

 

How can anyone possibly justify keeping thousands of square feet of real estate which is barely used just in case <1% of passengers want somewhere quieter that nobody goes to.

 

The E class equivalent of the sky lounge is Eden. Yes it's at the back rather than front of the ship but thats a bonus not a negative - there is nowhere indoors on S class ships to sit and relax and just watch the wake which I'd much prefer than sitting watching out the front. You'd be hard pressed arguing that Eden is a 'cut' versus the sky lounge. 

Well first of all there are many more than 1% of people that use the quiet venues on the ship.

Second of all most other cruise ships do have forward looking views.  Sure some have cut them out others have not.  They seem to be doing as well as X.  Yes I do compare ships.  Why cruise on a ship that has much less?

[Ipeeinthepools]

8 minutes ago, Spif Barwunkel said:

...

 

Whether you’re a fan of LLP or not she was a big part of some big changes to X ships. Whether you’re a fan of Edge Class or not it is a big part of Celebrity’s new look. The times are-a-changin’ and if you do not care to keep up there are nine other ships - not counting Galapagos ships - that will gladly continue to cater to your cruising needs and desires. Continue to enjoy those offerings as you always have. Why continue to bluster, bash and rail against something you can do nothing about, too many positive ways to exert that energy.

 

...

 

Just sail on a different ship sounds reasonable, however the most attractive itineraries are often assigned to the newest ships and sailing on other ships really isn't an option.

[Jeremiah1212]

So it’s safe to say we should be prepared for a half dozen users to be very dissatisfied with the new CEO before she even starts 🤣 They won’t like her, her business or the ships, but will pop in with opinions (or self created facts) once an hour. And still claim to book cruises. Happy sailing! 

[Ex-Airbalancer]

2 hours ago, verizon said:

Did you check the occupancy of transatlantic on April 17 on Edge ?

it is only HALF FULL.

I have never seen a promotion bids before.

Celebrity lower the bids amount again saying that it’s a promotion.

I believed there are not many bids on the high prices

This the same for the Reflection TA in April , never seen that many empty cabins on an Spring TA before Covid 

Our November TA on the Conny is probably 90% book probably 10 balconies left , most of the OV and I sided left 

I think people are scared to get Covid on the ship and be stuck in Europe being sick

[Spif Barwunkel]

31 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

Just sail on a different ship sounds reasonable, however the most attractive itineraries are often assigned to the newest ships and sailing on other ships really isn't an option.

I'll not speak to your cruising experiences, but considering your contributions to these forums over time I will assume that they are many. Between December of last year and June of this year I will have sailed on the three classes of X ships. Each had, and will have, totally different itineraries and exciting ports of call. Unless you have exhausted your cruising bucket list or just have no place else to go, I consider your comment a cop out and an excuse to further speak against Celebrity. There are many similar itineraries on all X ships. If one is pre-disposed to negativity, for any reason, nothing looks good.

[jelayne]

1 hour ago, NMTraveller said:

For someone that bills their line as a premium line,  I would expect to see some quiet places on the ship where you can go to unwind,  a more relaxed environment.  Every space does not have to be packed and loud and shouty.  The removal of these spaces from E class is a cut IMHO.  

 

The places on S class that are not heavily packed and are quiet are the gems of Celebrity.  I do not get the draw of cruising on a ship that is packed in every venue. 

 

 

 

 

 If the S class ships have what you want then book them.  
We prefer the E class so that is what we 75% if our cruises are booked for.  

Not sure why people don’t just book what they like and quit debating the pro & cons of others choices.