Is Celebrity going to Eliminate Butlers on Sky and Celebrity Suites?

[paulh84]

1 minute ago, TeeRick said:

So why not just implement it on E-Class and leave S-Class and M-Class suites as they are?  Why across the fleet?  

 

Isn't supposed inconsistency a favorite complaint on here? That would only add to it. 

[terrydtx]

8 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

It seems pretty obvious to me that this change from individual butler to a Team approach was to handle the much larger Sky Suite load on E-Class ships without hiring more butlers.  So why not just implement it on E-Class and leave S-Class and M-Class suites as they are?  Why across the fleet?  Then we could all have buying options.  If we want a butler don't sail E-Class.  Just like the choice for IV vs. Balcony.  

The fact that it is fleetwide tells me it is more of a cost savings over providing a better service, which is the Celebrity Kool-Aid spin. Also I have read posts that some of the current Butlers are being let go or not having their contracts renewed. This was a question I asked on the phone yesterday and the answer was some personnel assets were being redistributed for better efficiency, that is corporate speak ease for they are being let go.

Edited July 31, 2023 by terrydtx

[terrydtx]

3 minutes ago, paulh84 said:

 

Isn't supposed inconsistency a favorite complaint on here? That would only add to it. 

I have said many times Celebrity is only consistent about being inconsistent.

[DaKahuna]

 We are booked in an Aqua Sky Suite on Millennium for May of next year so there is plenty of time for us to watch and see how this new service concept turns out. It is going to be interesting as the Aqua Sky Suites are adjacent to the Penthouse Suites and normally would have the same butler.  Hopefully there will be a number of reviews, and plenty of time for Celebrity to made adjustments or revert, between now and our sailing. 

 

 We have always appreciated the personalized and individualize services of our Butlers.  We did not feel that we were hoarding his time versus others and normally made very few request of our Butler.  I am hoping that we will not find ourselves having to repeat our preferences a number of times, e.g. shrimp cocktail, cheese, meat, & crackers instead of the sweets in the afternoon; morning coffee with Bailey's; mini-fridge stocked with Vitamin Zero waters, etc.. 

 

 As many others have pointed out, we are very displeased at the way Celebrity is implementing this new / revised service.  The lack of any communication informing currently booked customers that they will not be receiving the service that was advertised when they booked their cruise does not sit well with us at all. 

 

 

 

[Joker54]

12 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

I am not expecting the team of pseudo butlers will provide the level of service I have gotten in the past. All of our past butlers have provided service that exceeded my expectations, and I compensated them well for that service. Also not once did any butler hang around the last day with his or her hand out for the gratuity. On The Equinox last month, I had to call our butler and ask that she come to our cabin so I could leave her my gratuity.

 

Only time will tell, and I will be on the Apex in September in a SS.

I just don't see how its possible for 8 or 10 different individuals to learn the things we enjoy on day one or if at all the same way a dedicated butler did.

 

My expectation is that any tips are pooled amongst the group similar to that of the associates that work in Luminae. If we receive service worthy of tipping, we will tip the group via one person and not 10 individual associates.

 

This reminds me of something else that Celebrity does that I find truly annoying. When dining at a specialty restaurant there is a place on the check for a tip. Many believe that tip to be treated the same as at any restaurant in the world where it goes to the waiter or pooled amongst associates in that restaurant. I have been told many times by waiters not to leave an extra tip on that check as they never see it, the tip goes into the general tip fund. Unless this is incorrect then having that tip divided up in the general tip fund is another bait and switch. Leaving a tip is supposed to make the associate feel better and have a little financial recognition for excellent service. In this case the tip is there to make us feel good - thinking we have done something nice for that waiter. I understand its possible that I don't have the correct story, I have asked many managers in all of the ships about it and have received a variety of answers and explanations.

 

Cheers

[terrydtx]

16 minutes ago, Joker54 said:

This reminds me of something else that Celebrity does that I find truly annoying. When dining at a specialty restaurant there is a place on the check for a tip.

This annoys me too considering when you book and pay for a specialty restaurant reservation, they add a 18% gratuity to the cover charge cost. 

[DaKahuna]

1 minute ago, terrydtx said:

This annoys me too considering when you book and pay for a specialty restaurant reservation, they add a 18% gratuity to the cover charge cost. 

 

Interesting.  On our last cruise we booked Tuscan pre-cruise.  Onboard we were not presented with a bill.  This might have been a one off but it did not bother me as I was not overly impressed with the food or service.  It was "as expected." 

 

[mahdnc]

46 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

Sky Suites include Aqua Sky Suites and Magic Carpet Sky Suites.

It also includes Sunset Sky Suites.  It's hard to keep track of them all.

[mahdnc]

1 minute ago, DaKahuna said:

 

Interesting.  On our last cruise we booked Tuscan pre-cruise.  Onboard we were not presented with a bill.  This might have been a one off but it did not bother me as I was not overly impressed with the food or service.  It was "as expected." 

 

 

We haven't gotten a bill either in a while including our last pre-COVID sailing.

[terrydtx]

2 minutes ago, mahdnc said:

It also includes Sunset Sky Suites.  It's hard to keep track of them all.

Yes it does my bad

[terrydtx]

2 minutes ago, mahdnc said:

 

We haven't gotten a bill either in a while including our last pre-COVID sailing.

Maybe when they started adding the 18% gratuity to the upfront cost, they discontinued the presentation of a bill. Thinking about it I do not remember getting a bill after our SR meals on the Reflection last year.

[Joker54]

2 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

Maybe when they started adding the 18% gratuity to the upfront cost, they discontinued the presentation of a bill. Thinking about it I do not remember getting a bill after our SR meals on the Reflection last year.

my experience has been both in this past year where I get a ticket to sign and then I don't. Haven't figured out why that is, but some would still tip extra.

 

It has happened a lot when we were in an all inclusive suite where the specialty dinner didn't cost us anything but we received a check to sign. Though we didn't get a check to sign on our last cruise when we were in the PH.

 

Now the question is - who gets that 18% that is tacked onto the bill?

[C-Dragons]

1 hour ago, TeeRick said:

I think they are two different issues.  As far as tipping goes, I will still tip extra for excellent service so I will wait and see how it goes with the new team, or if I think instead the cabin attendant does more and then deserves more.  It will still be a personal assessment and choice as always.  No need to penalize the former butlers who are now on a Team.  Not their fault.  I usually tip the Luminae Team extra at the end of the cruise.  Same concept I think. 

That is our plan as well.

[jelayne]

39 minutes ago, Joker54 said:

I just don't see how its possible for 8 or 10 different individuals to learn the things we enjoy on day one or if at all the same way a dedicated butler did.

 

My expectation is that any tips are pooled amongst the group similar to that of the associates that work in Luminae. If we receive service worthy of tipping, we will tip the group via one person and not 10 individual associates.

 

This reminds me of something else that Celebrity does that I find truly annoying. When dining at a specialty restaurant there is a place on the check for a tip. Many believe that tip to be treated the same as at any restaurant in the world where it goes to the waiter or pooled amongst associates in that restaurant. I have been told many times by waiters not to leave an extra tip on that check as they never see it, the tip goes into the general tip fund. Unless this is incorrect then having that tip divided up in the general tip fund is another bait and switch. Leaving a tip is supposed to make the associate feel better and have a little financial recognition for excellent service. In this case the tip is there to make us feel good - thinking we have done something nice for that waiter. I understand its possible that I don't have the correct story, I have asked many managers in all of the ships about it and have received a variety of answers and explanations.

 

Cheers

 Do you book the specialty restaurants once on board?  I ask because we book pre cruise so the charge is paid ahead of time so we never see a check to sign. 

[terrydtx]

3 minutes ago, jelayne said:

 Do you book the specialty restaurants once on board?  I ask because we book pre cruise so the charge is paid ahead of time so we never see a check to sign. 

Even if you book a SR onboard your account is immediately charged the cover charge plus the 18% gratuity. Not sure what happens if you walk in for a meal in a SR without a reservation.

[jelayne]

2 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

Even if you book a SR onboard your account is immediately charged the cover charge plus the 18% gratuity. Not sure what happens if you walk in for a meal in a SR without a reservation.

I asked because we have not gotten a check to sign since before the shutdown, and except at Le Gran a Bistro for lunch where you can’t book until onboard.

[terrydtx]

2 minutes ago, jelayne said:

I asked because we have not gotten a check to sign since before the shutdown, and except at Le Gran a Bistro for lunch where you can’t book until onboard.

I think you get a bill at Raw or Sushi on 5 as it is ala Carte. We have never made a reservation there either, always have just walked in.

Edited July 31, 2023 by terrydtx

[DaKahuna]

1 minute ago, terrydtx said:

I think you get a bill at Raw or Sushi on 5 as it is ala Carte.

 

Yes, we dined at Sushi on Five twice on our last cruise and both times was presented with a bill. 

 

[iandjm]

Looks like the Celebrity stupid ideas department has struck gold again. The times they have come up with a ridiculous idea, it has created as PR disaster and they have had to back pedal their decision, creating nothing but bad feeling.  

[iandjm]

Looks like the Celebrity stupid ideas department has struck gold again. The times they have come up with a ridiculous idea, it has created as PR disaster and they have had to back pedal their decision, creating nothing but bad feeling.  

[terrydtx]

6 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

 

Yes, we dined at Sushi on Five twice on our last cruise and both times was presented with a bill. 

 

If I remember right the bill presented had the 18% tip added.

[zitsky]

6 minutes ago, iandjm said:

Looks like the Celebrity stupid ideas department has struck gold again. The times they have come up with a ridiculous idea, it has created as PR disaster and they have had to back pedal their decision, creating nothing but bad feeling.  

Do you have examples of back pedaling?  I’ve not been on Celebrity very long.

[LMHSRN]

5 minutes ago, zitsky said:

Do you have examples of back pedaling?  I’ve not been on Celebrity very long.

185 Celebrity Posts alone.  New?

[terrydtx]

6 minutes ago, zitsky said:

Do you have examples of back pedaling?  I’ve not been on Celebrity very long.

I have been cruising with Celebrity since 2018 and I do not recall any back pedaling either.

[Stumptowngal]

I’ve been following all the posts both here and on other social media about the change from a personal butler to a “Retreat team” of butlers for Sky Suites. In light of it seeming to be a done deal starting in August, I was very surprised to open an email from Celebrity a few minutes ago with the title “Personalize your upcoming Celebrity Edge cruise”. 

 

I made this reservation for a Sky Suite on The Edge for a May 2024 sailing a couple of weeks ago.  In today’s email it references all my Retreat amenities including my “Personal Butler” multiple times. It goes into great detail about all the services my “personal butler” can provide me. I am totally baffled. Does the left hand not know what the right hand is doing at the Celebrity offices?  Why on earth would they send this personal email today focusing in great detail about my “personal butler” if there is no such thing anymore for Sky Suite guests?