Eliminating Butlers - Spoke to Celebrity. Here is conversation.

[Ex-Airbalancer]

26 minutes ago, shirazcruiser said:

Never thought of asking our butler for potato chips when we watch a movie...we usually try to fill a plate at the buffet and cover it with a napkin so they don't fall. 

 

DH is a popcorn fanatic and always misses his popcorn on a trip and when we watch a movie...I hope on our trip next month that he can get some delivered so he won't go through withdrawals...it's not a pretty sight. Thanks for the hints!

Depend on the popcorn , if it is a microwave bag popcorn 🤮 almost as bad as buying a bag of cold popcorn 🤢🤮

[shirazcruiser]

7 minutes ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

Depend on the popcorn , if it is a microwave bag popcorn 🤮 almost as bad as buying a bag of cold popcorn 🤢🤮

True - DH pops it fresh with a whirley popper and buys specialty popcorn. He'll try any popcorn once! 

[wineoclock]

17 hours ago, JDPCruisers said:

Thanks for the update. We are the same with ours, have kept in contact with him. I'm sure SS guests are not happy, I anticipate that will be the same on our Dec cruise and I'm sure the Retreat Manager and Hotel Director will be getting an earful, though it is not of their doing. 

They can hopefully pass the messages up the food chain but I do feel very sorry for them having to deal with the brunt of complaints. Perhaps if there are enough complaints Celebrity will rethink. Personally I don’t think that will happen unless bookings go down for SS. 

[abbydancer2003]

3 minutes ago, wineoclock said:

They can hopefully pass the messages up the food chain but I do feel very sorry for them having to deal with the brunt of complaints. Perhaps if there are enough complaints Celebrity will rethink. Personally I don’t think that will happen unless bookings go down for SS. 

You're probably right, but I can think of a few things that Celebrity has changed back due to feedback.  (Princess never that I can recall)

[ChucktownSteve]

2 hours ago, abbydancer said:

You're probably right, but I can think of a few things that Celebrity has changed back due to feedback.  (Princess never that I can recall)

Correct on changing back on some smaller things however this is a major revenue savings by reducing the number of butlers on all the ships.  Besides those change backs were then. This is now with new leadership and directives. IMO, it ain't gonna happen.

[hcat]

hopefully folks can log in a standing order with their RETREAT team for whatever coffees, food they'd like to have brought to them each morning.

 

maybe there will be a standard request form to reduce phone calls that may overwhelm  the team..

 

wish everyone Good Luck!

[Oceangoer2]

Just a thought.....is it possible that cutting back the suite butlers and moving them to the short staffed cabin attendants is a bona fide solution?  Many on this forum have indicated they seldom called on their butler in SS class.

[hcat]

True, but many may want what they can no longer have..human nature.

[JDPCruisers]

7 hours ago, wineoclock said:

They can hopefully pass the messages up the food chain but I do feel very sorry for them having to deal with the brunt of complaints. Perhaps if there are enough complaints Celebrity will rethink. Personally I don’t think that will happen unless bookings go down for SS. 

Agree. My wife and I had a likely unrealistic idea that, maybe, this is a trial to see the feedback and that is why they have not sent out a notification to those of us already booked in SS and expecting/have paid for that amenity. I'm sure, wishful thinking!

[jelayne]

5 minutes ago, JDPCruisers said:

Agree. My wife and I had a likely unrealistic idea that, maybe, this is a trial to see the feedback and that is why they have not sent out a notification to those of us already booked in SS and expecting/have paid for that amenity. I'm sure, wishful thinking!

It was my understanding some butlers were released and some offered lower level positions.  If this is a trial they made a huge blunder, even if the butlers are rehired or get moved back to their former job they will not be a loyal or happy employee.  

[zitsky]

2 hours ago, Oceangoer2 said:

Just a thought.....is it possible that cutting back the suite butlers and moving them to the short staffed cabin attendants is a bona fide solution?  Many on this forum have indicated they seldom called on their butler in SS class.

While I consider any job respectable, if I were a butler I wouldn’t appreciate being shifted to a cabin attendant.

[chisoxfan]

At the risk of prolonging this lengthy post and being mindful of the different points of view, I wonder how much people would really pay for a dedicated butler in a SS. To me it is mostly additional tipping I don't need and I feel comfortable in the service level I will get (yes, remains to be seen).  I also understand that it is a feature being taken away (never a good thing). That said,  if they added butler service class to same cabin level would people really pay for this?  Just curious. We used to debate value added for drink package, or Aqua and I think we all develop a personal insight/opinion on this.

[zitsky]

7 minutes ago, chisoxfan said:

At the risk of prolonging this lengthy post and being mindful of the different points of view, I wonder how much people would really pay for a dedicated butler in a SS. To me it is mostly additional tipping I don't need and I feel comfortable in the service level I will get (yes, remains to be seen).  I also understand that it is a feature being taken away (never a good thing). That said,  if they added butler service class to same cabin level would people really pay for this?  Just curious. We used to debate value added for drink package, or Aqua and I think we all develop a personal insight/opinion on this.

The best way to prolong a thread is to keep commenting.

 

What price for a suite is enough to have a butler that is advertised as part of the package?  $15,000?  $30,000?  $50,000?

 

Yes people certainly pay for this.  That’s the point of the thread.

 

Would you go on a cruise if you had to make your own bed and cook your own food?  

On my cruise the butler didn’t do everything.  He coordinated it.  But he did bring breakfast.

[chisoxfan]

5 minutes ago, zitsky said:

The best way to prolong a thread is to keep commenting.

 

What price for a suite is enough to have a butler that is advertised as part of the package?  $15,000?  $30,000?  $50,000?

 

Yes people certainly pay for this.  That’s the point of the thread.

 

Would you go on a cruise if you had to make your own bed and cook your own food?  

On my cruise the butler didn’t do everything.  He coordinated it.  But he did bring breakfast.

Wow, sorry for my comments and not sure why you are so animated about them.  Apparently I missed the point of the thread (thanks for outlining).  Your comment about making my own bed or cooking my own food does not seem on point. I guess by posting you also prolonged this thread? If you are tired of this thread or don't not like its direction nobody is forcing you to read it. Peace.

[mayleeman]

21 minutes ago, chisoxfan said:

Wow, sorry for my comments and not sure why you are so animated about them.  Apparently I missed the point of the thread (thanks for outlining).  Your comment about making my own bed or cooking my own food does not seem on point. I guess by posting you also prolonged this thread? If you are tired of this thread or don't not like its direction nobody is forcing you to read it. Peace.

 

I am confused...Why did you write 'At the risk of prolonging this lengthy thread..."? Seems @zitsky was only responding to your comment about prolonging it.

[zitsky]

1 hour ago, chisoxfan said:

Wow, sorry for my comments and not sure why you are so animated about them.  Apparently I missed the point of the thread (thanks for outlining).  Your comment about making my own bed or cooking my own food does not seem on point. I guess by posting you also prolonged this thread? If you are tired of this thread or don't not like its direction nobody is forcing you to read it. Peace.

 

You were the one who expressed concern about keeping this going.  Just say you want to comment without playing games.

 

You asked a question and I answered it.  You seem unwilling to address it.  🙄

[bigbenboys]

6 hours ago, hcat said:

hopefully folks can log in a standing order with their RETREAT team for whatever coffees, food they'd like to have brought to them each morning.

 

maybe there will be a standard request form to reduce phone calls that may overwhelm  the team..

 

wish everyone Good Luck!

That is what we have done in the past. Fill out the card once Coffee, croissants and a fruit place every morning at 7am. I would prefer the same happy face each morning from our butler. But it is what it is.

[chisoxfan]

46 minutes ago, zitsky said:

 

You were the one who expressed concern about keeping this going.  Just say you want to comment without playing games.

 

You asked a question and I answered it.  You seem unwilling to address it.  🙄

Thank you for your illuminating answer and I sincerely apologize for 'playing games'. Am I free to go?

[zitsky]

3 minutes ago, chisoxfan said:

Thank you for your illuminating answer and I sincerely apologize for 'playing games'. Am I free to go?

 

Why are you doing this?  You should be nicer to me.  I'm a DePaul graduate.  😁

Edited August 23, 2023 by zitsky

[terrydtx]

5 minutes ago, zitsky said:

 

Why are you doing this?  You should be nicer to me.  I'm a DePaul graduate.  😁

Well that answers a lot😁

[zitsky]

2 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

Well that answers a lot😁

 

They are probably a graduate of Loyola.

[C-Dragons]

@chisoxfan and @zitsky  mom says it's time to sit on opposite sides of the room for a time out. 🤦‍♀️

[zitsky]

Just now, C-Dragons said:

@chisoxfan and @zitsky  mom says it's time to sit on opposite sides of the room for a time out. 🤦‍♀️

 

At the risk of prolonging an argument, you are probably right.

[mahdnc]

We need to cut @chisoxfan a break--their baseball team's front office got canned yesterday.

[ChucktownSteve]

WOW! tough crowd. 😁