Eliminating Butlers - Spoke to Celebrity. Here is conversation.

[LMHSRN]

On-Line chat with David today at 13:50 eastern time.

Question:  Have you done away with Butlers in Suites?

David:  I'm not sure I understand your question.  Please provide additional information.

Question: Have you eliminated Butlers to Suite Guests?

David:  We still have Butlers for our Retreat suites.  However, as of August 15th, butler service for all Sky Suite butler's will be replaced by the Dedicated Retreat Team.

Question:  So will be be getting a refund if sailing after August 15th in a Sky Suite?

David;  For that, you would have to reach out to our Service Department.  They can be reached at 1 (800)556-8209 and Select Option #2

Question:  What is happening to Celebrity Cruise Line?  Are you becoming Carnival?

 

NO ADDITIONAL RESPONSES FROM DAVID!

[mnocket]

9 minutes ago, LMHSRN said:

What is happening to Celebrity Cruise Line?  Are you becoming Carnival?

Not Carnival - but maybe Royal Caribbean.

 

I've been wondering if the so-called "Premium" cruise lines are now proving to be less profitable than the "Mainstream" brands - hence all the changes that bring the Premium brands more in line with their Mainstream brethren. Perhaps the Premium and Mainstream brands are destined to become nearly identical with the only difference being one it targeted more to adults and the other families with children?  Just a thought.

[BettyCruiser]

And if you're like me, in January I'm losing a butler and my fare went up since we stop in the Bahamas🤑😵

[Stem to Stern]

We are sailing in the Yacht Club and The Retreat B2B in December.

I will be comparing MSC with butler service vs. Celebrity without.  
Not a chance I would be cancelling because of this change.

This may be my final affordable chance to sail in The Retreat.🥲

[39august]

I think that is the objective with X.  New Pres. is a direct RCI product and all these changes bring the two lines closer together. I am very concerned about whether Sky Suites will lose Luminae next. We are in the process of paying off a b2b in Jan. on EQ in Sky suite. I wouldn't mind losing the Retreat Lounge or sun deck, but outrmain reason for booking suites is Luminae. Not that the food is that much better (and we love the food in the buffet), but for the smaller, quieter dining experience with such personal service from a crew we have sailed with 5 times now. When Luminae is gone, we are done with suites...and maybe with X. 

[Mark_K]

I guess if the Dedicated Retreat Team is willing to fill ice buckets twice a day, take room service orders and deliver the meals, make reservations, etc., it’s no big deal.  But somehow, I doubt it.

[t18c97]

I wonder if this change and the other recent ones is the new  CEO trying to make her mark on the company?

[Baron Barracuda]

I'm sure many suite passengers are quite independent with little use for a butler however there are a few whose demands fill every waking moment of their butlers day.  A team approach might better allocate resources so that passengers needing reservations, ice, etc are not kept waiting because their butler is stuck dealing with an overly needy guest.

[agape01]

2 hours ago, LMHSRN said:

Question: Have you eliminated Butlers to Suite Guests?

David:  We still have Butlers for our Retreat suites.  However, as of August 15th, butler service for all Sky Suite butler's will be replaced by the Dedicated Retreat Team.

 

Do any of you guys feel that the term Butler might be too British and old school that they have decided to place everyone serving Retreat Suites be now known as "Dedicated Retreat Team"?

Having said that, no matter what the reason they are doing this, IT DOES CHEAPEN THE PRODUCT.

[Baynanno1]

There is already a much longer thread on this subject here :

 

 

[Rmoosh]

We’ve been on celebrity twice - once in a RS and once in SS. Both times the butler really didn’t do anything special. It always seem what I need the room Stewart took care of. We did have the butler bring coffee in the morning but I could easily call room service and wouldn’t mind tipping them. I always make reservations in advance but also know the hostess at Luminea  can adjust dining reservations as well. For billing issues, the Retreat concierge had an issue fixed of ours and the Retreat manager took care of a few things - so I don’t have an issue with not having a butler  as long as there is someone easily available to help me - don’t wanna spend time standing in a line on vacation. Really without a butler - there’s one less person to tip. 

[EnjoyingLife!]

3 hours ago, 39august said:

I think that is the objective with X.  New Pres. is a direct RCI product and all these changes bring the two lines closer together. I am very concerned about whether Sky Suites will lose Luminae next. We are in the process of paying off a b2b in Jan. on EQ in Sky suite. I wouldn't mind losing the Retreat Lounge or sun deck, but outrmain reason for booking suites is Luminae. Not that the food is that much better (and we love the food in the buffet), but for the smaller, quieter dining experience with such personal service from a crew we have sailed with 5 times now. When Luminae is gone, we are done with suites...and maybe with X. 

Luminae is the very reason we book a suite. If that changes, so will our loyalty.

[Ferry_Watcher]

@LMHSRN, thank you for sharing your email conversation.  We are scheduled for our first SS next spring, and while we probably wouldn't make use of a butler, it would have been nice to know that there was one available.

[TMaine]

5 hours ago, LMHSRN said:

 Are you becoming Carnival?

 

NO ADDITIONAL RESPONSES FROM DAVID!

Yes, pending water slide installation! 

[Older Sister]

Great.  We take occupancy of our Eclipse Sky Suite on August 27 in Vancouver for an Alaska cruise.  I’m SURE they will have worked everything out for this new Dedicated Retreat Team by then . . . 

 

We’re pretty low maintenance, but were looking forward to our first butler experience on this cruise.  Paid a lot of money for it, too.  Extremely disappointing.   

[CHEZMARYLOU]

2 hours ago, agape01 said:

Do any of you guys feel that the term Butler might be too British and old school that they have decided to place everyone serving Retreat Suites be now known as "Dedicated Retreat Team"?

Having said that, no matter what the reason they are doing this, IT DOES CHEAPEN THE PRODUCT.

Do you remember when the Butlers were renamed to Personal Retreat Host? That lasted about 8 - 12 months.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

Does anyone else think Celebrity should have gotten ahead of this with a press release? I guess that's not the way LLP likes to roll.

[t18c97]

We wouldn’t have know if a current butler hadn’t spilled the beans, guess they didn’t expect that.

[sunpsyche]

They absolutely should have given a heads up. I think new CEO has no problem slithering under he door when our backs are turned. 

[phoenix_dream]

13 minutes ago, CHEZMARYLOU said:

Does anyone else think Celebrity should have gotten ahead of this with a press release? I guess that's not the way LLP likes to roll.

Not sure what LLP has to do with this as she is no longer in charge?

[wrk2cruise]

1 hour ago, CHEZMARYLOU said:

Do you remember when the Butlers were renamed to Personal Retreat Host? That lasted about 8 - 12 months.

 

Right, the butlers didn't like the name change and lobbied to get the butler title returned.  The good ones are very proud of it.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

17 minutes ago, phoenix_dream said:

Not sure what LLP has to do with this as she is no longer in charge?

Sorry wrong person. Too much wine.

 

Edited July 30, 2023 by CHEZMARYLOU

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

One difference between having your butler deal with things and having the retreat team do it--distance!  The butler comes to me.  I have to go to the retreat lounge where one of the people may or may not be on duty.  If my suite is at the rear of the ship like the PH on an M class ship, it's some distance to travel to the retreat lounge.

[jelayne]

1 hour ago, CHEZMARYLOU said:

Does anyone else think Celebrity should have gotten ahead of this with a press release? I guess that's not the way LLP likes to roll.

This isn’t on LLP’s watch.  This is one of many changes unannounced since Laura Hodges took over.  
One that hasn’t hit the boards is now if you reprice an onboard booking you lose the OBC for booking on board.  No ship, sail date, cabin category change just a price drop. 

[goofysmom99]

4 hours ago, jelayne said:

One that hasn’t hit the boards is now if you reprice an onboard booking you lose the OBC for booking on board.  No ship, sail date, cabin category change just a price drop. 

Wow, that really stinks!